and ever. It is to be an eternity of suffering. In that case, the
suffering might be reduced to the mildest form of discomfort; but as it
is to be eternal in duration, the sum total of it would be infinite.
Could any stretch of imagination conceive of such suffering being only a
few stripes? It does seem to me that both the theory of extinction, and
that of torment, utterly break down under that test.

But how natural and reasonable is the statement on the theory of
Restoration. In that case the words come literally true. We can well
believe that atrocious sinners have terrible pains and penalties before
they repent, and are redeemed. On the other hand, we can imagine that
sins of a milder type, especially sins of ignorance, will call for but
few stripes. We would go further, and believe that in the case of
advanced Christians, there will be only such suffering as is inseparable
from the discovery of mistakes, and consequent development.

In the case of all suffering, of whatever degree, we believe that it
will be rather of a reformatory, than of a punitive character. Suffering
may or may not be proportionate to sin. The idea is this, that, when it
has accomplished the reformation of the sinner it will cease.

Thus the statement of our Lord will find its due fulfillment. It is one
of many statements which can be explained only on the basis of its
application to the next life. But when we give such statements their
true application, they require no forcing to make them seem natural and
reasonable.

Further, I think it is fair to imagine, as we said before, that the
suffering induced by sin will be an object lesson to all eternity of the
evil of sin. Possibly it may be an infallible safeguard against sin in