Wesley on Hell

With the recent release of Rob Bell's latest book (see the 3/15 entry), the subject of Hell has found itself once again at the center of conversation and controversy. Over the course of the next few weeks, we will look to the voices of the past for biblical guidance and correction concerning the scriptural and historic understanding of Hell. I begin with the thoughts of John Wesley. Here is Wesley, commenting on the eternal state of divine punishment: "Consider...that all these torments of body and soul are without intermission. They have no respite from pain, but 'the smoke of their torment ascendeth up day and night.' Day and night...And of this duration there is no end! What a thought is this! Nothing but eternity is the term of their torment. And who can count the drops of rain, or the sands of the sea, or the days of eternity? Every suffering is softened, if there is any hope, though distant, of deliverance from it. But here, 'Hope never comes, that comes to all' the inhabitants of the upper world! What! Sufferings never to end!...Such is the account which the judge of all gives of the punishment which he has ordained for impenitent sinners. And what a counterbalance may the consideration of this be, to the violence of any temptation. In particular to the fear of man; the very use to which it is applied by our Lord himself: 'Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But fear him, who after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell,' Luke 7:4,5."