Page:A Defence of Revealed Religion.pdf/45

Rh Our God is no tyrant; He allows His subjects the most ample freedom, and their welfare is dear to His heart. He forces no one's allegiance, but the privileges of subjects can only be given to those who have in heart acknowledged His right to rule. He banishes none from His kingdom, but when His royal proclamation summons all to fight against the sin that threatens their safety and peace, these aliens having no wish to engage in such a service, separate themselves from the loyal followers of the Lord of Hosts, and ask Who is the Lord that we should obey Him? This is the attitude of God as our King; He seeks to win men by the fervour of His love, and will not force them by the weight of His power.

The doctrine of the eternity of hell has been rendered horrible mainly by the traditions of men teaching their own notions instead of the views contained in the Word of God.

Take away the idea that the punishment of hell is the arbitrary award of God; dispel the notion that the smallest offence merits hell as much as the largest (a teaching that makes the sinner reckless); destroy the very thought of children suffering for lack of baptism, and heathens for lack of belief, and the main points at which our minds revolt disappear. No encouragement whatever is given to laxity of life, but, on the contrary, we see that it is sin itself which we must fear, and not merely some punishment that may be hereafter allotted for it. Hell loses none of its terror to the