OUR orthodox friends walk with us in our theology only a part of the way. They believe as we do, that God is the Creator of all souls, and that Christ is the Savior of men,—but not of all men. As to the extent of his salvation, they differ widely among themselves. Some, as we shall see, make it very narrow, while others make it relatively very broad. Some believe that Christ came to seek and to save only a part, and many but a small part, of the human family, while others teach that his object was to save all. But they all agree that finally a portion of mankind, either through the foreordination of God, or through their own fault, will be excluded from the benefits of his grace, and either be annihilated at last, as a few believe, or suffer the torments of hell during the endless ages of eternity, which is the doctrine commonly maintained and preached.
I call both these opinions orthodox, because they both rest on the same principles and move in the same circle of thought. They both involve the same unaccountable purpose in God to create human beings whom he could not govern, and whom he knew from the beginning he must finally in some way destroy. They differ only in the kind of destruction he chooses to employ. As yet, however, the doctrine of annihilation, which has nothing to recommend it except that it is not so bad, not so horrible, as endless punishment, has few advocates, and hardly deserves more than a passing notice. I shall, therefore, devote my attention wholly, or almost wholly, to that form of orthodoxy which has been prevalent in the Church for nearly fifteen centuries, and under some modifications, which are assumed to be improvements, is prevalent still.
I hope it will be observed that I use the word “orthodox” in no invidious manner, but merely as a convenient term to designate that form of religious faith, or system of theology, which, in the point of view now under consideration, is directly opposed to Universalism. And I trust my friends of that school will not think it an offence that I designate them, and the scheme of religion they hold, by a name that has always been held honorable, and for the exclusive title to which they and their predecessors of like faith have contended for many, many ages. If the doctrine which I am about to exhibit is orthodox, I willingly forego the honor it would confer, and as willingly wear the opprobrious name of heretic.
Familiar as the doctrine of endless punishment is, much as it has been preached, and widely as it is still professed, there is great reason to think that few give it, in any adequate degree, the consideration which a doctrine of this frightful and amazing character ought to command. It seems to enter but very little into the real thought and convictions of those who professedly believe it, and affects them far less, both mentally and morally, than such a doctrine should naturally be expected to do. It is a very just remark of Dr. Emmons, that “hearers must feel what they hear, or what they hear will be like sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. That discourse which fails of penetrating the mind immediately vanishes without producing any desirable or permanent fruit.”
No one, I am sure, can seriously reflect upon the doctrine of endless punishment, even as the remotest possibility, without being appalled by it. The mere thought of such a state of existence as that in which the damned are said to be placed, impresses both the mind and heart with a sense of its strange and awful character. Formerly, and not unfrequently even at the present day, we find it represented as embracing everything most painful and most terrible in the whole range of human thought, or indeed possible to the omnipotence of God. Preachers and poets have vied with each other in their endeavors to describe its multiplied torments. The scene of its unspeakable sufferings is HELL, generally represented as an ocean of literal fire and brimstone, into which sinners are cast, soul and body, and where, alive and endowed with the keenest sensibility, often described as rendered supernaturally acute by miraculous power, and maintained unimpaired, they are to endure all the tortures such a condition would necessarily imply, not for a moment, an hour, or a day, not for a year, an age, or a century, not for a thousand years, a million, or ten thousand millions, but absolutely through all eternity. The thought is simply overwhelming!
That we may understand and know what the doctrine of endless punishment, as it has been preached and believed in the Christian world, really is, that we may be enabled, nay, forced, to form some faint and imperfect conception of its various and unspeakable horrors, I propose to offer here some extracts from accredited authors, both Catholic and Protestant, at home and abroad, in past ages and of the present day,—authors who have believed the doctrine, and appeared as its promulgators and advocates. There are opinions, it is said, whose honest statement is their best refutation; and at the head of these, I think, must stand the doctrine under consideration. The task I have assumed is not a grateful one. It is more agreeable to a Christian temper to proclaim wholesome truth than to expose noxious errors; but I believe such an exposition as I here propose is needed, and will prove useful to both my Universalist and my orthodox friends. To the former it will be a confirmation of their severest judgment of the doctrine in question, while to many of the latter I am sure it will be a revelation of torments which, for variety, ingenuity, cruelty, and uselessness, have never been urged upon their attention, and of which they have hitherto never really dreamed.
Preachers and writers who feel it their duty to advocate this doctrine will be obliged to me, I am certain, for bringing to their notice, and placing in their hands, some of the finest and most impressive things ever uttered upon it. It shall be my constant care to make my quotations accurate, and the reader may rely on having here ipsissima verba (the very words) of the authors whose names are given. In the great majority of cases I copy directly from their published works. In a very few instances, and those of little importance, I quote second-hand. I will only add, that the library of the Universalist Historical Society has furnished most of the authorities here employed; and I might, had it seemed advisable, have referred to a much greater number of writers upon many of the points here presented to view. If it should seem to some that I have made too frequent use of the works of President Edwards, my apology must be that he was really one of the great thinkers and preachers of this country, and that he dominated the religious thought of New England especially, for a whole century; and his mighty influence is still powerfully felt in all the Calvinistic churches on this side of the Atlantic.