because　He　is　worthy　of　love。　He　would　have　them　obey　Him　because　they　have
  an　intelligent　appreciation　of　His　wisdom；　justice；　and　benevolence。　And　all
  who　have　a　just　conception　of　these　qualities　will　love　Him　because　they　are
  drawn　toward　Him　in　admiration　of　His　attributes。
  The　principles　of　kindness；　mercy；　and　love；　taught　and　exemplified　by　our
  Saviour；　are　a　transcript　of　the　will　and　character　of　God。　Christ　declared
  that　He　taught　nothing　except　that　which　He　had　received　from　His　Father。
  The　principles　of　the　divine　government　are　in　perfect　harmony　with　the
  Saviour's　precept；　〃Love　your　enemies。〃　God
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  executes　justice　upon　the　wicked；　for　the　good　of　the　universe；　and　even　for
  the　good　of　those　upon　whom　His　judgments　are　visited。　He　would　make　them
  happy　if　He　could　do　so　in　accordance　with　the　laws　of　His　government　and
  the　justice　of　His　character。　He　surrounds　them　with　the　tokens　of　His　love；
  He　grants　them　a　knowledge　of　His　law；　and　follows　them　with　the　offers　of
  His　mercy；　but　they　despise　His　love；　make　void　His　law；　and　reject　His
  mercy。　While　constantly　receiving　His　gifts；　they　dishonor　the　Giver；　they
  hate　God　because　they　know　that　He　abhors　their　sins。　The　Lord　bears　long
  with　their　perversity；　but　the　decisive　hour　will　come　at　last；　when　their
  destiny　is　to　be　decided。　Will　He　then　chain　these　rebels　to　His　side？　Will
  He　force　them　to　do　His　will？
  Those　who　have　chosen　Satan　as　their　leader　and　have　been　controlled　by　his
  power　are　not　prepared　to　enter　the　presence　of　God。　Pride；　deception；
  licentiousness；　cruelty；　have　become　fixed　in　their　characters。　Can　they
  enter　heaven　to　dwell　forever　with　those　whom　they　despised　and　hated　on
  earth？　Truth　will　never　be　agreeable　to　a　liar；　meekness　will　not　satisfy
  self…esteem　and　pride；　purity　is　not　acceptable　to　the　corrupt；
  disinterested　love　does　not　appear　attractive　to　the　selfish。　What　source　of
  enjoyment　could　heaven　offer　to　those　who　are　wholly　absorbed　in　earthly　and
  selfish　interests？
  Could　those　whose　lives　have　been　spent　in　rebellion　against　God　be　suddenly
  transported　to　heaven　and　witness　the　high；　the　holy　state　of　perfection
  that　ever　exists　there；　every　soul　filled　with　love；　every　countenance
  beaming　with　joy；　enrapturing　music　in　melodious　strains　rising　in　honor　of
  God　and　the　Lamb；　and　ceaseless　streams　of　light　flowing　upon　the　redeemed
  from　the　face　of　Him　who　sitteth　upon　the　throne；could　those　whose　hearts
  are　filled　with　hatred　of　God；　of　truth　and　holiness；　mingle　with　the
  heavenly　throng　and　join　their　songs　of　praise？　Could　they　endure　the　glory
  of　God　and　the　Lamb？　No；　no；　years　of　probation
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  were　granted　them；　that　they　might　form　characters　for　heaven；　but　they　have
  never　trained　the　mind　to　love　purity；　they　have　never　learned　the　language
  of　heaven；　and　now　it　is　too　late。　A　life　of　rebellion　against　God　has
  unfitted　them　for　heaven。　Its　purity；　holiness；　and　peace　would　be　torture
  to　them；　the　glory　of　God　would　be　a　consuming　fire。　They　would　long　to　flee
  from　that　holy　place。　They　would　welcome　destruction；　that　they　might　be
  hidden　from　the　face　of　Him　who　died　to　redeem　them。　The　destiny　of　the
  wicked　is　fixed　by　their　own　choice。　Their　exclusion　from　heaven　is
  voluntary　with　themselves；　and　just　and　merciful　on　the　part　of　God。
  Like　the　waters　of　the　Flood　the　fires　of　the　great　day　declare　God's
  verdict　that　the　wicked　are　incurable。　They　have　no　disposition　to　submit　to
  divine　authority。　Their　will　has　been　exercised　in　revolt；　and　when　life　is
  ended；　it　is　too　late　to　turn　the　current　of　their　thoughts　in　the　opposite
  direction；　too　late　to　turn　from　transgression　to　obedience；　from　hatred　to
  love。
  In　sparing　the　life　of　Cain　the　murderer；　God　gave　the　world　an　example　of
  what　would　be　the　result　of　permitting　the　sinner　to　live　to　continue　a
  course　of　unbridled　iniquity。　Through　the　influence　of　Cain's　teaching　and
  example；　multitudes　of　his　descendants　were　led　into　sin；　until　〃the
  wickedness　of　man　was　great　in　the　earth〃　and　〃every　imagination　of　the
  thoughts　of　his　heart　was　only　evil　continually。〃　〃The　earth　also　was
  corrupt　before　God；　and　the　earth　was　filled　with　violence。〃　Genesis　6：5；
  11。
  In　mercy　to　the　world；　God　blotted　out　its　wicked　inhabitants　in　Noah's
  time。　In　mercy　He　destroyed　the　corrupt　dwellers　in　Sodom。　Through　the
  deceptive　power　of　Satan　the　workers　of　iniquity　obtain　sympathy　and
  admiration；　and　are　thus　constantly　leading　others　to　rebellion。　It　was　so
  in　Cain's　and　in　Noah's　day；　and　in　the　time　of　Abraham　and　Lot；　it　is　so　in
  our　time。　It　is　in　mercy　to　the　universe　that　God　will　finally　destroy　the
  rejecters　of　His　grace。
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  〃The　wages　of　sin　is　death；　but　the　gift　of　God　is　eternal　life　through
  Jesus　Christ　our　Lord。〃　Romans　6：23。　While　life　is　the　inheritance　of　the
  righteous；　death　is　the　portion　of　the　wicked。　Moses　declared　to　Israel：　〃I
  have　set　before　thee　this　day　life　and　good；　and　death　and　evil。〃
  Deuteronomy　30：15。　The　death　referred　to　in　these　scriptures　is　not　that
  pronounced　upon　Adam；　for　all　mankind　suffer　the　penalty　of　his
  transgression。　It　is　〃the　second　death〃　that　is　placed　in　contrast　with
  everlasting　life。
  In　consequence　of　Adam's　sin；　death　passed　upon　the　whole　human　race。　All
  alike　go　down　into　the　grave。　And　through　the　provisions　of　the　plan　of
  salvation；　all　are　to　be　brought　forth　from　their　graves。　〃There　shall　be　a
  resurrection　of　the　dead；　both　of　the　just　and　unjust；〃　〃for　as　in　Adam　all
  die；　even　so　in　Christ　shall　all　be　made　alive。〃　Acts　24：15；　I　Corinthians
  15：22。　But　a　distinction　is　made　between　the　two　classes　that　are　brought
  forth。　〃All　that　are　in　the　graves　shall　hear　His　voice；　and　shall　come
  forth；　they　that　have　done　good；　unto　the　resurrection　of　life；　and　they
  that　have　done　evil；　unto　the　resurrection　of　damnation。〃　John　5：28；　29。
  They　who　have　been　〃accounted　worthy〃　of　the　resurrection　of　life　are
  〃blessed　and　holy。〃　〃On　such　the　second　death　hath　no　power。〃　Revelation
  20：6。　But　those　who　have　not；　through　repentance　and　faith；　secured　pardon；
  must　receive　the　penalty　of　transgression〃the　wages　of　sin。〃　They　suffer
  punishment　varying　in　duration　and　intensity；　〃according　to　their　works；〃
  but　finally　ending　in　the　second　death。　Since　it　is　impossible　for　God；
  consistently　with　His　justice　and　mercy；　to　save　the　sinner　in　his　sins；　He
  deprives　him　of　the　existence　which　his　transgressions　have　forfeited　and　of
  which　he　has　proved　himself　unworthy。　Says　an　inspired　writer：　〃Yet　a　little
  while；　and　the　wicked　shall　not　be：　yea；　thou　shalt　diligently　consider　his
  place；　and　it　shall　not　be。〃　And　another　declares：　〃They　shall　be　as　though
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  they　had　not　been。〃　Psalm　37：10；　Obadiah　16。　Covered　with　infamy；　they　sink
  into　hopeless；　eternal　oblivion。
  Thus　will　be　made　an　end　of　sin；　with　all　the　woe　and　ruin　which　have
  resulted　from　it。　Says　the　psalmist：　〃Thou　hast　destroyed　the　wicked；　Thou
  hast　put　out　their　name　forever　and　ever。　O　thou　enemy；　destructions　are
  come　to　a　perpetual　end。〃　Psalm　9：5；　6。　John；　in　the　Revelation；　looking
  forward　to　the　eternal　state；　hears　a　universal　anthem　of　praise　undisturbed
  by　one　note　of　discord。　Every　creature　in　heaven　and　earth　was　heard
  ascribing　glory　to　God。　Revelation　5：13。　There　will　then　be　no　lost　souls　to
  blaspheme　God　as　they　writhe　in　never…ending　torment；　no　wretched　beings　in
  hell　will　mingle　their　shrieks　with　the　songs　of　the　saved。
  Upon　the　fundamental　error　of　natural　immortality　rests　the　doctrine　of
  consciousness　in　deatha　doctrine；　like　eternal　torment；　opposed　to　the
  teachings　of　the　Scriptures；to　the　dictates　of　reason；　and　to　our　feelings
  of　humanity。　According　to　the　popular　belief；　the　redeemed　in　heaven　are
  acquainted　with　all　that　takes　place　on　the　earth　and　especially　with　the
  lives　of　the　friends　whom　they　have　left　behind。　But　how　could　it　be　a
  source　of　happiness　to　the　dead　to　know　the　troubles　of　the　living；　to
  witness　the　sins　committed　by　their　own　loved　ones；　and　to　see　them　enduring
  all　the　sorrows；　disappointments；　and　anguish　of　life？　How　much　of　heaven's
  bliss　would　be　enjoyed　by　those　who　were　hovering　over　their　friends　on
  earth？　And　how　utterly　revolting　is　the　belief　that　as　soon　as　the　breath
  leaves　the　body　the　soul　of　the　impenitent　is　consigned　to　the　flames　of
  hell！　To　what　depths　of　anguish　must　those　be　plunged　who　see　their　friends
  passing　to　the　grave　unprepared；　to　enter　upon　an　eternity　of　woe　and　sin！
  Many　have　been　driven　to　insanity　by　this　harrowing　thought。
  What　say　the　Scriptures　concerning　these　things？　David　declares　that　man　is
  not　conscious　in　death。　〃His　breath　goeth　forth；　he　returneth　to　his　earth；
  in　that　very　day　his
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  thoughts　perish。〃　Psalm　146：4。　Solomon　bears　the　same　testimony：　〃The　living
  know　that　they　shall　die：　but　the　dead　know　not　anything。〃　〃Their　love；　and
  their　hatred；　and　their　envy；　is　now　perished；　neither　have　they　any　more　a
  portion　forever　in　anything　that　is　done　under　the　sun。〃　〃There　is　no　work