Cmf 
 
 Duke University Libraries 
 
 Sufferings of t 
 Conf Pam 12mo #926 
 
Ho, 46, 
 
 SUFFERINGS OF THE LOST, 
 
 HY REV J. H. MARTIN. KNOXVILLE. TE2CN. 
 
 1 1 Ifl a prominent and awfully solemn doctrine of Scripture, 
 that the wicked shall undergo punishment in the world to come. 
 Their Sufferings will be exceedingly dreadful. We«are warned 
 to flee from them. I propose to unfold, in several particulars, 
 the sources of that misery which the lost shall endure in eter- 
 nity. 
 
 1. They will be deprived of all the pleasures and on am of 
 happiness which they possessed and enjoyed in this world. 
 Notwithstanding the blight and curse of sin are upon all ter- 
 restial scenes and objects, and the earth is far from being that 
 lovely paradise in which our first parents had their abode, vet 
 this world is still a pleasant theatre of existence, abounding 
 with varied beauties, charm*, and delights. Its scenery is 
 •diversified, magnificent, inexpressibly lovely and glorious.* It 
 is daily lighted up with the rays of the sun, which are poured 
 forth in a living flood, causing the earth to shine with hi.^ 
 glory. To the eye are revealed its mountains, hills, valleys, 
 aud Various inequalities of surface: its trees, flowers. 
 meadows, cultivated fields and virgin forests; its springe, 
 fountains, brooks, rivers, lakes, seas, and oceans ; its prevailing 
 colour of green, and other tints and hues; its various tribes of 
 animals, the lordly race of man, and the works of art executed 
 by his hand. Such are the visible decorations, charms, and 
 glories of earth, which perpetually meet and please the eye, 
 and afford enjoyment to the soul of man. His ear is regaled 
 with sounds of melody ; his palate is gratified with, agreeable 
 food and drink ; fragrant odors excite sensations of delight 
 through the organ of smelling. 
 
 As asocial being, he derives happiness from the company 
 and conversation of others. He enjoys the endearments of 
 home, the sweet felicities of the domestic circle, the pleasures 
 of friendship, and the delights of intercourse with the world at • 
 
laf ge. Ay a being formed for activity, and endowed with 
 various propensities vvhicli seek gratification in their appro- 
 priate lie finds pleasure in the exercise of his powers, 
 and in the pursuit and accomplishment of ends which he 
 esteems profitable, desirable, and worthy of ljis -endeavours. 
 We see men busily engaged in a hundred different employ- 
 ments, mechanical, agricultural, commercial, professional, 
 political,- literary, and scientific. Many seek, and some have 
 acquired large wealth. The rich man surveys, with deep 
 gratification, his vast landed estate or extensive city property, 
 and loves to count over his specie, bank notes, bonds, 
 mortgages, and other evidences of value. These things area 
 main source of his happiness. The pleasure-seeker is happy 
 in the midst of amusement, scenes of mirth, fashionable dis- 
 play and excitement, wherever attractive novelties are to be 
 witnessed. The epicure is devoted to the pleasures of the table ; 
 the wine-bibber to his cups; the gamester to his cards; the 
 sportsman to the race course, Some men are happy only in 
 political life, others while engaged in travel, adventure, 
 literary labors, or scientific researches and experiments. 
 These Various pleasures and excitements not only render this 
 life tolerable, notwithstanding its cares, troubles, sorrows, 
 and vexations, but cause men to love it and cleave to it with 
 a strong, tenacious grasp. Some even go so far as to say that, 
 if it were left to them what to choose, they would be willing 
 to live here forever, desiring no other and no better world 
 than this. 
 
 Now what a punishment, what a source of pain and anguish 
 what a very Hell must it be to ungodly and worldly persons 
 to be separated by death from this cherished place of abode, 
 and suddenly deprived of all their accustomed pleasures and 
 gratifications ! When they go hence, this effect takes place, 
 and the utter loss of all earthly thing's and enjoyments becomes 
 a part of their experience and source of their misery. In 
 death the eyes of the wicked are closed forever to the pleasant 
 light of the sun, the blue sky and green earth, and all the 
 b?autiful, familiar, and endeared scenes and objects of this life. 
 T hev shall never be seen again. No sweet sounds will greet 
 the ear, or pleasant odors excite the olfactory nerves. Dives, 
 alothed in purple and fine linen, and accustomed to fare 
 
sumptuously every da 
 
 table is spread, no bread and wine arc pr< 
 
 want are substituted for feasting and plenty. The drunkard 
 is cut otb from his bowl, the gamester from his cards, the 
 lover of amusements from his accustomed places of resort. 
 Social joys ar.d friendship ; are ended. The man of tra 
 business, of politics, ha- nothing to do- The occupation of 
 the farmer, merchant, physician, lawyer, student, author, *nd 
 statesman is gone. The rich man is stripped ofhisall, and pen- 
 . All light, all beauty, all friendship and II busi- 
 
 ness, all wealth, pleasure, thine, hoi, thirty 
 
 that ministered to the sinner's comfort and happiness in this 
 world, is absent from him in the state to which 1 
 immediately after death. As in oriental prime 
 
 minister and favorite of the king, who i 
 
 greatn fly deprived of all his offices, honors, 
 
 power, riches, and felicity, degraded tOthe very lowest condi- 
 tion, and imprisoned in a dark, filth- 
 dungeon. So the soul thai will excha 
 on earth, with its manifold delights, for a state of imp 
 mem. darkness, and utter destitution of all thi 
 
 2. There will not only be a deprivation of former 
 but the infliction of positive pain. Those who ai 
 sensibly experience the wrathofGod, both in theii 
 bodies. They shall be cast into a place exceedingly d. 
 and distressing. This knominatcd Hell, f 
 
 know where it i> located, but it is described i' 1 Scriptoi 
 dismal scene of darkne-s, fire, and torment. Jt i 
 of punishment for fallen angels and losf men, and is generally 
 represented in ti sea of flame, a burn- 
 
 ing lake. Dives said, "I am tormented in i 1 
 the day of judgment ' ill say t-j them on his left hand, 
 
 te Depart from me; ye cursed, into everlasting fit 
 for the devil and hi-, angels. ,% And whosoever wa 
 written in the book of life ifas east into the lake "t tire." 
 
 ~\Ye are taught that the body shall soul. 
 
 Christ said : "Fear him, who is able to <!• h soul 
 
 and body in bell." Now of all natural r inflicting 
 
 physical pain; fire is the most powerful and penetratii 
 mav be sai I that fire would c oon consume the ! 
 
 " agd 
 
an end to its capacity of suffering. But it ie possible thai 
 God may so change it, that, like the burning bueh, it will be 
 forever in the flames without being consumed. There is a 
 wood called asbestos which possesses this property of resist- 
 ance to lire and heat. However much it may be burned, it 
 is not reduced to ashes and destroyed. In like manner the 
 body may be rendered incapable of destruction by fire, while 
 its sensibility to pain continues lively and undiminished. 
 
 3. As the* soul is spirit, and not matter, so its sufferings 
 will arise from mental, antl not physical sources. One of 
 these will undoubtedly be memory. Abraham said to Dives, 
 "Son, remember," regarding him as still retaining this in- 
 tellectual faculty in his state of misery, and capable of re- 
 collecting the scenes, incidents, and events of his former life 
 on earth. We have reason to believe that in the world to 
 come the action of memory will be quickened and intensified, 
 and that its operations will be amazingly swift. Instances 
 have occurred of men, who supposed themselves to be drown- 
 ing, but were rescued before life became extinct. They relate 
 that, in the space of a few moments, their whole past life wa§ 
 brought vividly in review before the mind. They remembered 
 every thing, even facts and incidents that seemingly had 
 beenlong forgotten. Memory, under the power of excitement, 
 revivified all past impressions and crowded the recollections 
 of a life-time into the space of a few seconds. A story is told 
 of a woman in Germany, who, in a time of sickness and 
 mental derangement, repeated whole pages of Hebrew, 
 Greek, and Latin. She was uneducated,. and the fact was a 
 mystery. It was found on inquiry, that when a little girl she 
 had been a servant in the family of a learned clergyman, who 
 was in the habit of walking in his room and reading aloud in 
 those languages. While engaged in household duties, she 
 Lad heard him reading, and the words unconsciously to her 
 and without understanding their meaning, had imprinted 
 themselves indelibly on her mind. Memory, under the 
 stimulus of disease, recalled and reproduced them. Such 
 facts seem to show that nothing, once learned, -is ever for- 
 
 fotten. An impression once made is never effaced. This 
 eing so, what an ingredient will not memory be in the 
 misery of lost souls hereafter, How painful and distressing 
 
the recollections of a life time spent in ungodliness, ingratitude, 
 
 and sin ; in the abuse of divine mercies, the transgression of 
 God's law, the neglect of a crucified Saviour, the Holy Spirit, 
 and means and opportunities of securing divine favor and 
 eternal life. Kvcry soul in that world will remember its own 
 sins committed in the body. It will bitterly lament and be- 
 wail both its iniquities, and its folly in neglecting, by timely 
 repentance, faith and prayer, to obtain pardon and redemp- 
 tion. Its language of self-reproach and sorrow will be, " The 
 harvest is past, the summer is ended, and I am not saved. 
 I received abundant and oft-repeated instruction, warning, 
 invitation, and entreaty with reference to my eternal happi- 
 ness. I enjoyed long and ample opportunities of being saved, 
 but J wickedly, foolishly, nfadly neglected them ajl. And 
 now I am loet, lost, lo 
 
 4. Another element of suffering hereafter will be, remorse 
 of conscience. Conscience is the self-knowing faculty in man. 
 It is self-accusing, self-condemning on account of ?in>s com- 
 mitted, while it applauds and justifies in view of actions that 
 are lawful and right. Its accusations and reproaches are 
 often exceedingly painful and distressing, even in this world. 
 Remorse is compunction of conscience for a crime committed: 
 keen pain or anguish excited by a sense of guilt. Judas was 
 smitten with pangs of remorse and horror after his betrayal 
 of Jesus, under the inlluence of which he went and hanged 
 himself. 
 
 Conscience often causes those who have been guilty of crime 
 to have frightful visions and dreams, and afflicts them with 
 imaginary terrors of a most painful description. Like a man 
 in a state of delirium tremens, they see themselves surround- 
 ed with serpents, fiends, and all kinds of monsters seeking to 
 torment and destroy them. The murderer fancies that he 
 sees the ghost of his slain victim, which is the most awful, 
 dreadful sight he can behold. Shakspeare depicts Macbeth, 
 the murderer of Duncan, King of Scotland, and of his general 
 Banquo, as the subject of these remorseful pangs and terrible 
 visions. When about to occupy a seat with his wife and 
 certain noblemen at an evening banquet, he sees the ghost of 
 Banquo enter the room, aud sit down in the vacant chair 
 designed for him- He starts back with horror, exclaiming : 
 
"Thou causfc not say. J did it: never shake 
 
 Thy gory locks at me." 
 
 He represents hia wife, Lady Macbeth, who had shared in 
 his deeds of crime, as also suffering under a sense of guilt, and 
 betraying her excitement and remorse in her sleep. 
 
 The workings ot conscience are seen in Herod, who, to 
 gratify the malice ot his wicked and unlawful wife, had cut 
 off the head of John the Baptist. When he heard of the 
 miracles and works ot Christ, he said, " It is John, whom J 
 beheaded: he is risen from the dead." On this passage a 
 Commentator remarks: "A guilty conscience needs no ac- 
 cuser. Herod charge-; himself with the murder of John, and 
 the terror of it made h'm imagine that Christ was John. 
 He feared John while he lived, and fears him ten times more 
 when he is dead. One aught as well be haunted with ghosts 
 and furies, as with the Ifrorrors of an accusing conscience. 
 
 Reader, having a conff ience, you carry what is capable of 
 becoming a hell to you, in your own bosom. For if you die 
 with your sins unpardoned and unwashed away in the blood 
 of Christ, you shall suffer the stings and reproaches of a guilty 
 conscience in the world to come. Remorse, preying upon the 
 soul, will be the torture of the worm that never dies. . 0, as 
 you desire inward peace and eternal happiness, strive to have 
 an undehled and approving conscience. Seek to have it 
 purged from past sins and guilt by the cleansing blood of 
 Christ, and labour to keep it clean in time to come. Paul 
 said, "Herein do 1 exercise myself, to have always a con- 
 science void of offence toward God, and toward men." Let 
 conscience be enlightened and governed by the Word of God, 
 and then you may say.: 
 
 " What conscience dictates to be done. 
 
 Or warns me not to do, 
 This teach me more than hell to shun, 
 
 That more than heaven pursue." 
 
 5. The misery of those in a lost state will arise from earnest 
 and unallayed desires. Dives is represented as having an 
 intense, feverish thirst for writer, but not a drop of it could he 
 
procure. Doubtless other kinds of good* and f ojo} ftietft such 
 as men relished on earth, will Be ardently craved, but' shall 
 not be obtained. The Greek mythology, in describing the 
 different punishments of men in the lower world, represented 
 Tantalus as standing up to the chin in water, which constant- 
 ly eludes his lip as olten as he attempts to quench the thirst 
 that torments him. Over his head grow all kinds of fruits, 
 but, whenever he reaches forth his hands to take them, the 
 wind scatters them to the clouds. The wicked hereafter' will 
 no doubt indulge in vivid imaginations and visions of all sorts 
 of pleasant, delicious things, and will burn with earnest long- 
 ings after them. But, like Tantalus, they will be doomed to 
 perpetual, endless disappointment. They will be tormented 
 with fierce, unsubdued, raging desires, without being able to 
 gratify them in the least degree. 
 
 Such a situation is extremely painful and wretched. The 
 experience of men in this life demonstrates that scarcely any 
 thing is more tormenting, than a burning appetite or passion, 
 without the means and opportunity of gratifying it, How 
 terrible are the sufferings of the drunkard, when deprived of 
 his usual stimulus, and unable to obtain the fiery liquid which 
 he so ardently craves! How great are the pangs of hunger 
 and thirst, the appetite for bread and waier, with no mea 
 of relief ! Now r the lost shall carry with them all their evil 
 propensities aud passions into eternity. Their appetites and 
 desires will rage with irrepressible ardor and fury, and vet 
 the objects of them will be beyond their reach, and wholly 
 unattainable. Not a particle of gratification, not a drop of 
 comfort, not a sensation of delight, shall they derive from 
 any source whatever. Forever burning with earnest, feverish, 
 unallayed desires, they will be tormented with them, and 
 unable to obtain thejeast relief and mitigation of their dis- 
 tress. 
 
 6. The misery of the lost will spring from despair — the 
 hopelessness of deliverance from their evil situation. If they 
 had hope that their sufferings would one day cease, even 
 after millions of ages, it would be to them a ground of en- 
 couragement,^ ray of light in their darkness, a mixture of 
 eomfort in their cup of sorrow, a mitigation of their woe. 
 Bat Elope shall he to them a stranger. That celestial com- 
 
forter shall never visit and cheer them in their darlt and 
 dreary abode. Hell will be to its inmates the prison of de- 
 spair. From it there will be no escape. Hence the dread- 
 ful words which the poet represents to be written on its gate : 
 
 Through me you pass into the city of wo : 
 
 Throughnne you pass into eternal pain i 
 
 Through me among the people lost for aye. 
 
 All hope abandon, ye who enter here. 
 
 Dear reader, these things are solemn, momentous, awful 
 realities, and I beseech you'to act in view of them as their 
 importance and dreadful h ess demand. Do. not regard them 
 as idle tales, but believe in them as substantial verities, 
 matters of infallible truth and certainty, because revealed to 
 us by God himself. Let the knowledge and fear of these 
 future and eternal sufferings awaken in you a sense of danger, 
 lead you to repentance, induce you to fly at once for refuge 
 and safety to Christ and to observe all things which he has 
 commanded. The only way to escape this dreadful misery 
 and enter into life, is, by conformity to the Gospel. This 
 includes acts of repentance, faith, 'and prayer, the love and 
 fear of God, and submission to his will, justice and mercy, humi- 
 lity, meekness, temperance, patience, and the practice of 
 christian virtue generally. Eeligion reveals a method of 
 justification. It is also designed to renew and purify the- 
 heart, remould the character, regulate and sanctify the 
 conduct, that, by a timely preperation, we may be accounted 
 worthy to escape all those evils that shall come to pass, and 
 to stand before the Son of man. We are to have faith in the 
 testimonies of God's word concerning invisible and eternal 
 things, and be controlled by it in our actions. As Noah, by 
 faith in a coming deluge, built the ark and escaped the flood, 
 while the rest of mankind were overwhelmed and destroyed, 
 so we are to spend this life in preparation for the day of 
 judgment, that we may be delivered from the endless sorrows 
 of the wicked, and share in the everlasting joys of the 
 righteous. 
 
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