Paradise Lost: Book III (lines 325-245) Question

[Newman]

When thou, attended gloriously from Heaven, 325
Shalt in the sky appear, and from thee send
The summoning Arch-Angels to proclaim
Thy dread tribunal; forthwith from all winds,
The living, and forthwith the cited dead
Of all past ages, to the general doom 330
Shall hasten; such a peal shall rouse their sleep.
Then, all thy saints assembled, thou shalt judge
Bad Men and Angels; they, arraigned, shall sink
Beneath thy sentence; Hell, her numbers full,
Thenceforth shall be for ever shut. Mean while 335
The world shall burn, and from her ashes spring
New Heaven and Earth, wherein the just shall dwell,
And, after all their tribulations long,
See golden days, fruitful of golden deeds,
With joy and peace triumphing, and fair truth. 340
Then thou thy regal scepter shalt lay by,
For regal scepter then no more shall need,
God shall be all in all. But, all ye Gods,
Adore him, who to compass all this dies;
Adore the Son, and honour him as me. 345

I have trouble understanding the bold part. Does it mean that because His Son will sacrifice himself to atone for all of the sins of mankind, no man will go to hell? Does it mean that the people who go to hell will never be released? Does it mean something completely different or are there many possible different interpretations this selection can have?

Thanks for any input.

[trismegistus]

Your second guess. Christ shall pass final judgment on all; the condemned are sent to Hell, there to remain forever, and the righteous need never fear damnation. Just as the damned are locked in, the righteous are "locked out" by Christ's sacrifice.

[Koa]

Is this a curse? I've spent my afternoon on the first book. My brain is too confused to say anything, just needed to vent cos these days of studying are driving me crazy.

[crisaor]

I agree with trismegistus.