The Late J. C. Ryle

By:
(Bishop of Liverpool)
His Testimony Regarding the Hereafter
LET others holds their peace about hell if they will; I dare not do so. I see it plainly in Scripture, and I must speak of it (Jer. 23:2828The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the Lord. (Jeremiah 23:28)). I fear that thousands are on the broad road that leads to it, and I would fain arouse them to a sense of the peril before them. What would you say of the man who saw his neighbor’s house in danger of being burned down, and never raised the cry of “Fire”? Call it bad taste, if you like, to speak of hell. Call it charity to make things pleasant and speak smoothly, and soothe men with a constant lullaby of peace (Jer. 6:1414They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. (Jeremiah 6:14)). From such notions of taste and charity may I ever be delivered! My notion of charity is to warn men plainly of their danger. My notion of taste is to declare the whole counsel of God. If I never spoke of hell, I should think I had kept back something that was profitable, and should look on myself as an accomplice of the devil.
Beware of new and strange doctrines about hell and the eternity of punishment. Beware of manufacturing a God of your own — a God who is all love, but not holy — a God who has a heaven for everybody, but a hell for none — a God who can allow good and bad to be side by side in time, but will make no distinction between good and bad in eternity! Such a God is an idol of your own, as really as Jupiter or the monstrous image of Juggernaut — as true an idol as was ever moulded out of brass or clay. The hands of your own fancy and sentimentality have made him. He is not the God of the Bible, and besides the God of the Bible there is no God at all. Your heaven would be no heaven at all. A heaven containing all sorts of characters mixed together indiscriminately would be miserable discord indeed. Alas! for the eternity of such a heaven! There would be little difference between it and hell. Ah, reader, there is a hell! Take heed lest you find it out too late. (Jer. 8:2020The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved. (Jeremiah 8:20)).
Beware of being wise above that which is written. Beware of forming fanciful theories of your own, and then trying to make the Bible square with them. Beware of making selections from the Bible to suit your taste — refusing, like a spoiled child, whatever you think is bitter; seizing, like a spoiled child, whatever you think sweet. What is all this but taking Jehoiakim’s penknife and cutting God’s Word to pieces? (Jer. 36:2323And it came to pass, that when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, he cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth. (Jeremiah 36:23)). What does it amount to but telling God that you, a poor, short-lived worm, know what is good for you better than He? It will not do. You must take the Bible as it is. You must read it all and believe it all. You must come to the reading of it in the spirit of a little child. Dare not to say, “I believe this verse, for I like it; I receive this, for I can understand it; I refuse that, for I cannot reconcile it to my views.” “Nay, but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God?” (Rom. 9:2020Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? (Romans 9:20)). By what right do you talk in this way? Surely it were better to say over every chapter in the Word, “Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth.”
Ah, reader, if men were to do this, they would never try to throw overboard the doctrine of the eternal punishment of the wicked. “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal” (Matt. 25:4646And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. (Matthew 25:46)). “Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?” (Isa. 33:1414The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? (Isaiah 33:14)).