Works of John Bunyan – The Greatness of The Soul, And Unspeakableness 0f the Loss Thereof; What Shall A Man Give In Exchange For His Soul.57

 

[The loss of the soul a loss everlasting.]

2. All the workings of the soul under this punishment are such as to cause it, in its sufferings, to endure that which is eternal. It can have no thought of the end of punishment, but it is presently recalled by the decreed gulf that bindeth them under perpetual punishment. The great fixed gulf, they know, will keep them in their present place, and not suffer them to go to heaven (Luke 16:26). And now there is no other place but heaven or hell to be in; for then the earth, and the works that are therein, will be burned up. Read the text, 'But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat; the earth also and all the works that are therein, shall be burned up' (2 Peter 3:10). If, then, there will be no third place, it stands in their minds, as well as in God's decree, that their punishments shall be eternal; so, then, sorrows, anguish, tribulation, grief, woe, and pain, will, in every moment of their abiding upon the soul, not only flow from thoughts of what has been, and what is, but also from what will be, and that forever and ever. Thus, every thought that is truly grounded in the cause and nature of their state will roll, toss, and tumble up and down in the cogitations and fearful apprehensions of the lastingness of their damnation. For, I say, their minds, their memories, their understandings, and their consciences will all, and always, be swallowed up with 'forever;' Yea, they themselves will, by the means of these things, be their own tormentors forever.

(3.) There will not be spaces, as days, months, years, and the like, as now; though we make bold so to speak, the better to present our thoughts to each other's capacities; for then there shall be time no longer; also, day and night shall then come to an end. 'He hath compassed the waters with bounds until the day and night come to an end' (Job 26:10). Until the end of light, darkness. Now when time, day, and night come to an end, then there comes eternity, as there was before the day, night, or time, were created; and when this comes, neither punishment nor glory must be measured by days, months, or years, but by eternity itself. Nor shall those concerned either in misery or glory reckon of their now new state, as they need to reckon of things in this world; but they shall be suited in their capacities, in their understandings and apprehensions, to judge and count of their condition according to what will best stand with their state in eternity.

If we could but come to an understanding of things done in heaven and hell, as we understand how things are done in this world, we should be strangely amazed to see how the change of places and of conditions has made a change in the understandings of men, and in the manner of their enjoyment of things. But this we must let alone till the next world and until our launching into it; and then, whether we be of the right or left-hand ones, we shall well know the state and condition of both kingdoms. In the meantime, let us addict ourselves to the belief of the Scriptures of truth, for therein is revealed the way to eternal life, and how to escape the damnation of the soul (Matt 25:33). But thus much for the loss of the soul, unto which let me add, for a conclusion, these verses following:—

    These cry alas! But all in vain;
        They stick fast in the mire;
    They would be rid of present pain,
        Yet set themselves on fire.

    Darkness is their perplexity,
        Yet do they hate the light;
    They always see their misery,
        Yet are themselves, all night.

    They are all dead, yet live they do,
        Yet neither live nor die;
    They die to weal, and live to woe—
        This is their misery.

    Now will confusion so possess,
        These monuments of ire,
    And so confound them with distress,
        And trouble their desire,

    That what to think, or what to do,
        Or where to lay their head,
    They know not: 'tis the damned's woe,
        To live, and yet be dead.

    These castaways would fain have life,
        But now they never shall;
    They would forget their dreadful plight.
        But that sticks fastest of all.    

 God, Christ, and heaven, they know are best,
        Yet dare not on them think;
    They know the saints enjoy their rest,
        While they their tears do drink.