Hell and Everlasting PunishmentPart 2: What Men Have Said About HellRICHARD BAXTER: "What a subtle tempter Satan is. What a decietful thing sin is. What a foolish creature corrupted man is. A subtle tempter indeed, who can persuade the greatest part of the world to go willfully into everlasting fire, when they have so many warnings and dissuasives as they have. A decietful thing is sin indeed, that can bewitch so many thousands to part with everlasting life, for a thing so base and utterly unworthy! A foolish creature is man indeed, who will be so cheated of his salvation for nothing, yea, for a known nothing; and that by an enemy and a known enemy. You would think it impossible that any man in is wits should be persuaded for a trifle to cast himself into the fire, or water, or into a cold pit, to the destruction of his life. And yet men will be enticed to cast themselves into hell.HENRY WARD BEECHER: "I do not accept the doctrine of Hell because I delight in it. I would cast in doubts if I could till I had filled Hell up to the brim. I would destroy all faith in it, but htat would do me no good; I could not destroy the thing. I cannot alter the stern fact. The exposition of future punishment in God's Word is not to be regarded as a threat, but as a merciful declaration. If in the ocean of life over which we are bounded for eternity, there are rocks and shoals, it is no cruelty to chart them down, it is an eminent and gracious mercy."BELGIC CONFESSION (1561): "The consideration of the judgement is justly terrible and dreadful to the wicked and ungodly... who shall be convicted by the testimony of their own conciences, and being immortal, shall be tormented in that everlasting fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels."
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