Page:The New View of Hell.djvu/85

 known." Their externals are brought into perfect agreement with their internals; and they show by their looks, tones, words and actions, just what they are. They no longer have a divided mind; but they appear outwardly just what they are inwardly. The avenues in their souls through which they had previously held some communication with heaven, or retained some perception of heavenly things, are all closed—closed in tender mercy to them.

Is it not infinitely better for a wolf, that he be wolf all through, from inmosts to outmosts? Suppose the wolf possessed a kind of human internal, which enabled him to see the dreadful ferocity and cruelty of his nature, and filled him with keenest self-reproach every time he invaded the sheep-fold. Suppose he were human inside, but wolf outside; yet the wolfish propensities were so strong and overmastering that they could not be held in check. Can we not see what unutterable misery that poor creature would endure?

It is from tenderest mercy to the selfish and inwardly evil, therefore, that, in the great Hereafter the heavens of their minds are closed; that their moral sense, or their perception of right and wrong, is completely benumbed or lost; and that their externals are reduced to a state of perfect agreement with their internals. When this takes place, they no longer desire to remain in company with the angels. The angelic sphere becomes extremely disagreeable to them—painfully so; and they