darkened soul , where his mind would be unfolded to the wisdom of heaven and the sweet raptures of immortal love , and thus prepared with a sanctified nature to enjoy the rest and society of the heavenly inheritance .
" In these thoughts we would be understood to believe that the salvation of heaven depends upon nothing which we can do in this life ; neither upon a present change of heart , nor upon present belief , or a present profession of religion ." Thus does the professed minister of Christ reiterate the falsehood uttered by the serpent in Eden : " Ye shall not surely die ." " In the day ye eat thereof , then your eyes shall be opened , and ye shall be as gods ." He declares that the vilest of sinners--the murderer , the thief , and the adulterer--will after death be prepared to enter into immortal bliss .
And from what does this perverter of the Scriptures draw his conclusions ? From a single sentence expressing David ' s submission to the dispensation of Providence . His soul " longed to go forth unto Absalom ; for he was comforted concerning Amnon , seeing he was dead ." The poignancy of his grief having been softened by time , his thoughts turned from the dead to the living son , self-banished through fear of the just punishment of his crime . And this is the evidence that the incestuous , drunken Amnon was at death immediately transported to the abodes of bliss , there to be purified and prepared for the companionship of sinless angels ! A pleasing fable indeed , well suited to gratify the carnal heart ! This is Satan ' s own doctrine , and it does his work effectually . Should we be surprised that , with such instruction , wickedness abounds ?
The course pursued by this one false teacher illustrates that of many others . A few words of Scripture are separated from the context , which would in many cases show their meaning to be exactly opposite to the interpretation put upon them ; and such disjointed passages are perverted and used in proof of doctrines that have no foundation in the word of God . The testimony cited as evidence that the drunken Amnon is in heaven is a mere inference directly contradicted by the plain and positive statement of the Scriptures that no drunkard shall inherit the kingdom of God . 1 Corinthians 6:10 . It is thus that doubters , unbelievers , and skeptics turn the truth into a lie . And multitudes have been deceived by their sophistry and rocked to sleep in the cradle of carnal security .
If it were true that the souls of all men passed directly to heaven at the hour of dissolution , then we might well covet death rather than life . Many have been led by this belief to put an end to their existence . When overwhelmed with trouble , perplexity , and disappointment , it seems an easy thing to break the brittle thread of life and soar away into the
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