God's prison!
(James Smith, "The Book You Will Like!" 1859)"Then they will go away to eternal punishment — but the righteous to eternal life!" Matthew 25:46
The lost sinner takes the greatest of all risks — he risks suffering the torments of Hell forever, rather than yield himself to God.
He is in DANGER — the greatest possible danger; for he has broken God's law, is under its curse, and cannot possibly be saved — unless its demands are met, and its penalty endured.
How can he meet its demands? He is insolvent, and has nothing to pay.
How can he endure its penalty, which is to be punished with everlasting destruction?
The penalty due to sin — is Hell.
Hell is torment, wrath, despair!
Eternal torment!
Just and infinite wrath!
Never-ending despair!
If even the thought of these things is dreadful — then what must it be to actually endure them — and endure them forever, without hope, or mitigation, or end!
O what a fearful thing — to be in danger of Hell-fire! O how terrible the thought of being shut up in black despair, with devils and damned souls — the refuse of God's creation!
Hell is God's prison — where all His enemies are confined!
It is the place of punishment — where everyone suffers the just desert of his crimes!
It is a place horrible beyond description — beyond conception!
O, lost sinner! Hell is a dreadful place! To be damned is a terrible doom! It is forever! Yes, the worm that torments you — will never die; and the fire that punishes you — will never be quenched!
If you, my dear friend, live — neglecting God — walking in your own ways, and gratifying only your own passions and propensities — then you must go to Hell, and suffer God's just wrath — the punishment due to you for your sins!
God asks you, "Why will you die?" Why do you prefer . . .
death — to life,
damnation — to salvation,
Satan — to Jesus,
Hell — to Heaven?
Why?