CHAP. III.] &quot; DAY OF DOOM.&quot; 51 



A great body of Scripture texts are here introduced in confirm 

 ation ; but the children are told, even including those &quot; who from 

 the womb unto the tomb were straightway carried,&quot; that they 

 are to have &quot; the easiest room in hell :&quot; 



(181.) &quot;The glorious King, thus answering, 

 They cease, and plead no longer, 

 Their consciences must needs confess 

 His reasons are the stronger.&quot; 



The pains of hell and the constant renovation of strength to 

 enable the &quot; sinful wight&quot; to bear an eternity of torment, are 

 then dilated upon at such length, and so minutely, and a picture 

 so harrowing to the soul is drawn, as to remind us of the excel 

 lent observations on this head of a modern New England divine. 

 &quot;It is not wonderful,&quot; he says, &quot; that this means of subjugating 

 the mind should be freely used and dreadfully perverted, when 

 we consider that no talent is required to inspire fear, and that 

 coarse minds and hard hearts are signally gifted for this work of 

 torture.&quot; &quot;It is an instrument of tremendous power,&quot; he adds, 

 &quot; enabling a Protestant minister, whilst disclaiming papal pre 

 tensions, to build up a spiritual despotism, and to beget in those 

 committed to his guidance a passive, servile state of mind, too 

 agitated for deliberate and vigorous thought.&quot;^ 



That the pious minister of Maiden, however, had no desire to 

 usurp any undue influence over his panic-stricken hearers, is very 

 probable, and that he was only indulging in the usual strain of 

 the preachers of his time, when he told of the &quot; yelling of the 

 damned, as they were burnt eternally in the company of devils,&quot; 

 and went on to describe how 



&quot; God s vengeance feeds the flame 

 With piles of wood and brimstone flood, 

 That none can quench the same.&quot; 



We next learn that the peace and calm blessedness of the 

 saints elect, who are received into heaven, is not permitted to be 

 disturbed by compassion for the damned ; mothers and fathers 

 feeling no pity for their lost children : 



* Channing s Works, London, voL iii. p. 263, 



