Witness that "angel" who conducted St. John through the world of bliss,
and explained to him the meaning of the wonderful scenes that were
witnessed. So glorious was that "angel" in form, and so vast in
knowledge, that John fell down at his feet to worship him. Then it
turned out that the "angel" was just a man. He said he was one of the
prophets. Perhaps he was Moses or Isaiah or Ezekiel, or some one of the
writers of the Old Testament. They lived in a very primitive age. But
see this prophet now. In a few centuries he has been developed to
amazing heights of knowledge and blessedness. And we may well believe
that such a process of development will go on to all eternity.

Now are we to believe that God has created such possibility of
development; yet that it will issue in a single case in utter failure?
Utter failure! No; not merely utter failure, but a fate ten thousand
times worse than that. For endless torment would mean the development of
all possible evil to all eternity. Are we prepared to say that such will
be the issue in a single instance, of God's wise, and powerful, and
righteous administration? Surely, surely, there will be no
such failure.

We cited elsewhere that it is the law of the universe that what is good
will endure. But here we have not merely a contravention of that law,
but an utter and everlasting breakdown of the divine administration. In
a universe where God rules in wisdom, in righteousness, and in love; and
where moreover He is possessed of all power, not only physical but
moral, it seems almost blasphemy to think of such failure.

There is a passage in the Epistle to the Romans that seems to me to put
the question beyond doubt. I refer to the fifth chapter. We have there
the fulness of salvation set forth in wonderful terms. In particular, we