The Wilmingtonian., 1885-05-23
SATURDAY, MAY 2s, 1885.
The Eternal Punishment of the
Wicked.

Tread before the Wilmington Preachers |
Meeting, by Vaughnm Smith, and published |
At their request.
l. THE PUNISHMENT OF THE WICKED
WILL BE ELSEWHERE THAN IN THE PRESENT
LIFE, and
II. THAT 1T BE ETERNAL.
l. THAT THE PUNISHMENT OF THE WICK
ED WILL BE ELSEWHERE THAN IN THE PRE-
SENT LIFE. punishment" says Webster,
sis any pain or suffering inflicted upon a
person for crime Or offence, by the au-
thority to which the offender is subject,
either by the constitution of God, or of
civil society"
/. Punishment may be inflicted with
two designs, first, to effect reformation,
and secondly to sustain the dignity and
authority of the governor.
Punishment is inflicted in the present
life as corrective. The apostle to the
Hebrews, says of chastissment, "though
grievous, bringeth forth the peaceable fruits
of righteousness. In the civil government
some crimes are visited by moderate penal
ties In this we see, not only the reforma-
tive design, but an expression given by the
government Of its existence, and its ability
to punish for, and restrain from, the viola
tion Of its laws; so also in the present
administration of the Divine Government,
we see the necessary connection of sin with
suffering, as an expressed determination of
the Supreme Lawgiver, to punish and res
train sin and in both cases instances have
ononrred IF tho dara ta saour
ing in the other spiritual reformation of the
culprit. The extreme to which the law of
the land can 60, is the destruction of life.
Can it be for moment maintained, that
the Divine Government extends nowhere
beyond the portals of the grave, or that the
separation of the soul and body renders sin
less heinous in his sight? If therefore, the
soul of man be immortal, aud accountable
to God for its character; and if the character
of God is one of truth and justice, and that
he has bound himself to maintain the honor
of his government are we not led to the
conclusion, there is, and must be punish
ment for the sinful beyond the present
is not merely for the violation of the Divine
Law, but for the infinitely more aggravated
circumstances connected with the rej$ $tior
s psmgafe mtha et9Rs@euS A. the s9s Of feiGsfa iGsa Uni
final punishment efth wicked to the n fturt
state, because,
THE PECULIAR DESCRIPTIONS OF 1T ,ARE
NOT APPLICABLE TO THEIR SUFFERING IN
THE PRESENT LIFE. How do such passa
ges as the following apply to the wicked IL
the present state? 'But unto them thai
are contentious and do not obey the truth
indignation and wrath, tribulation anC
anguish" Rom. 2, 80. Sand to you who
are troubled rest with us, when the Lore
Jesus shall be revealed from heaven in flam
ing fire, taking vengeance on them tina
know not God and obey not the gospel o
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be pun
ished with everlasting destruction from th
presence of the Lord and from the glory O
his power" 2 Thess. 1, 7-9. And cast hin
into outer darkness where there shall b
weeping and gnashing of teeth" Math. q
13. "Whosoever was not found written i
the book OF life was cast into lake of fire.
Rev. 90, Is. "But the fearful, the unbt
believing and the abominable, and mul
derers, and whoremongers, and sorcerer
and idolaters, and all liars shall have the
part in the lake which burncth with fiji
and birthstone, which is the second death.
Rev. 81, 8. Now apply these affecting pa
sages to the most wretched condition
which we can conceive man to he placed
the present state, and it is evident that L
punishment of the above description h;
been, or could be inflicted in this world; bt
If we acknowledge the existence and A
mightyness of God, such inhictions ma
take place iu the future state.
2. The PUNISHMENT OF THE WICKED
so CONNECTED WITH THAT OF DEVILS AS
SHOW THAT 1T IS NOT IN THE PREsEN
STATE. ''Then shall he say to them on IL
left hand, depart from me ye :rsed mi
everlasting fire prepared for the devil al
his angels" Matt. %, Al. When, thereto
it can be shown that those unhappy fall,
spirits are receiving the final doom of eve
lOsting fire in this state of existence, th
the idea that SINNERS are now receiyir
their final reward is correct one; but VIII
we remember that they are PRESERVED
chains, under darkness, unto the judgme
of the great day, we concluded that the
and not till then, will sinners know t
terrible import of future punishmel
Again,
8. The PUNISHMENT OF SINNERS is II
PRESENTED IN THE WORD OF COP, As Lo
GER THAN MANS ENTIRE EARTHLY EN-
TENcE. For when mans earthly existen
10 nnff farf f,,
exceeding brevity. Take such passag
as the following: ''For all flesh is as gra
and all the glory of man as the flower of t
grass. The grass withereth and the flow
fadeth away" Peter, l. "a. ''For wi
is your life? 1t is even as a vapor, that
peareth little while and then yauisht
away Jas. A. IA. "As for man
days are as grass, as the flower of the fit
SO he foursheth. For the wind passt
over it and it is gone, and the place there
shall know it no more" Ps. CHI, 10,
"My days" says Job, ''are swifter than
weavers's shuttle" "Because our days
earth are shadow" Job, 8. 6. WI
language could be more expressive of I
extreme brevity of mans earthly cxsten,
But, when his punishment is spoken
terms are used to convey to the mind
strongest ideas of duration: "Eyerlasti
fire" 'the worm that dieth not, ''the
that is not quenched, +" everlasting puni
ment." Why, allow me to ask, if ma
punishment for sin Is to endure only
mans earthly existence are such terms us
when speaking of it2 Why is not the