At the first glance it may appear so.
What could be more effective than the warning that men will drop into an
endless hell if they do not receive the offers of grace before they die?
That was relied upon formerly. It was thought that no other warning
would have such force. But as a matter of fact it failed, except that in
some cases it produced a temporary panic. And why did it fail? Simply
because it was not heartily believed. Men might think they believed it;
they might try to believe it; they might think it orthodox to believe
it; but as a matter of fact they did not believe it. If they had, they
would have moved heaven and earth to avoid such a doom, both for
themselves and others.
The doctrine of Restoration has no such disadvantage to contend with. It
is credible in the highest degree. It is an urgent incentive, and a
reasonable one. If a sinner goes out into the next life unreconciled to
God, there must be a terrible looking for of judgment. He will be
reclaimed; but the age-long pruning he may have to undergo is a fearful
thing to contemplate. If he knew his Lord's will, and did it not, he
will be beaten with many stripes.
There is nothing incredible to him in that. He sees the reasonableness
of it. An appeal of that kind will move him, when any picture of hell
fire will have but a small effect.
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