Page:The New View of Hell.djvu/164

 fear of punishment, the lust of doing it always remaining."—Ibid. 7541.

Such, then, is the nature of the change that is going on in the hells, and such the means by which it is accomplished. And even in the punishments which are there inflicted, we have a manifestation of the Divine benevolence. For the purpose of these is, the amelioration of the condition of the devils;—an end altogether worthy of infinite Love, but one which infinite Wisdom sees could not be attained without the instrumentality of punishment. To withhold the exercise of this instrumentality, therefore, would not be an act of benevolence, and hence not agreeable to infinite Love; for this Love forever regards the end to be accomplished, and wisely permits temporary suffering as a means toward the attainment of that end.

Through the instrumentality of punishments, therefore, severe and oft-repeated, the hells are undergoing an improvement not unlike that which goes on in a well governed penitentiary here on earth. They are being reformed outwardly, but not inwardly;—not as to their spirit or ruling purpose, for no internal reformation is ever effected by punishment or the fear of it. All that punishment can ever do, is to intimidate and restrain, and so prevent the actual commission of evil deeds, the disposition to commit them still remaining.

By means of a strong police and severe punishments, a community of thieves and murderers may be restrained,