True Grace Distinguished from the Experience of Devils, Sermon 2

True Grace Distinguished from the Experience of Devils · Sermon 2

SINNERS In the Hands of an angry GOD.

DEUT. XXXII. 35.

—Their Foot ſhall ſlide in due Time.—

IN this Verſe is threatned the Vengeance of GOD, on the wicked unbelieving Iſraelites, that were GOD's viſible People, and lived under Means of Grace; and that, notwithſtanding all GOD's wonderful Works, that he had wrought towards that People, yet remained, as is expreſſed, ver. 28. void of Counſel, having no Underſtanding in them; and that, under all the Cultivations of Heaven, brought forth bitter and poiſonous Fruit; as in the two Verſes next preceeding the Text.

The Expreſſion that I have choſen for my Text, Their Foot ſhall ſlide in due Time; ſeems to imply the following Things, relating to the Puniſhment and Diſtruction that theſe wicked Iſraelites were expoſed to.

1. That they were always expoſed to Deſtruction; as one that ſtands or walks in ſlippery Places, is always expoſed to fall. This is implied in the Manner of their Deſtruction's coming upon them, being repreſented by their Foot's ſliding▪ the ſame is expreſs'd, Pſal. lxxiii. 18. Surely thou didſt ſet them in ſlippery Places; thou caſtedſt them down into Deſtruction.

2. It implies that they were always expoſed to ſudden unexpected Deſtruction. As he that walks in ſlippery Places is every Moment liable to fall; he can't foreſee one Moment whether he ſhall ſtand or fall the next; and when he does fall, he falls at once, without Warning. Which is alſo expreſſed in that Pſal. lxxiii. 18, 19. Surely thou didſt ſet them in ſlippery Places; thou caſtedſt them down into Deſtruction. How are they brought into Deſolation as in a Moment?

p. 463. Another Thing implied is, that they are liable to fall of themſelves, without being thrown down by the Hand of another. As he that ſtands or walks on ſlippery Ground, needs nothing but his own Weight to throw him down.

4. That the Reaſon why they are not fallen already, and don't fall now, is only that GOD's appointed Time is not come. For it is ſaid, that when that due Time, or appointed Time comes, their Foot ſhall ſlide. Then they ſhall be left to fall, as they are inclined by their own Weight. GOD won't hold them up in theſe ſlippery Places any longer, but will let them go; and then, at that very Inſtant, they ſhall fall into Deſtruction; as he that ſtands in ſuch ſlippery declining Ground on the Edge of a Pit that he can't ſtand alone, when he is let go, he immediately falls and is loſt.

The Obſervation from the Words that I would now inſiſt upon, is this, There is Nothing that keeps wicked Men, at any one Moment, out of Hell, but the meer Pleaſure of GOD.

By the meer Pleaſure of GOD, I mean his ſovereign Pleaſure, his arbitrary Will, reſtrained by no Obligation, hinder'd by no Manner of Difficulty, any more than if nothing elſe but GOD's meer Will had in the leaſt Degree, or in any Reſpect whatſoever, any Hand in the Preſervation of wicked Men one Moment.

The Truth of this Obſervation may appear by the following Conſiderations.

1. There is no Want of Power in GOD to caſt wicked Men into Hell at any Moment. Men's Hands can't be ſtrong when GOD riſes up: The ſtrongeſt have no Power to reſiſt him, nor can any deliver out of his Hands.

He is not only able to caſt wicked Men into Hell, but he can moſt eaſily do it. Sometimes an earthly Prince meets with a great deal of Difficulty to ſubdue a Rebel, that has found Means to fortify himſelf, and has made himſelf ſtrong by the Numbers of his Followers. But it is not ſo with GOD. There is no Fortreſs that is any Defence from the Power of GOD. Tho' Hand join in Hand, and vaſt Multitudes of GOD's Enemies combine and aſſociate themſelves, they are eaſily broken in Pieces: They are as great Heaps of light p. 47Chaff before the Whirlwind; or large Quantities of dry Stubble before devouring Flames. We find it eaſy to tread on, and cruſh a Worm, that we ſee crawling on the Earth; ſo 'tis eaſy for us to cut or ſinge a ſlender Thread that any Things hangs by; thus eaſy is it for GOD, when he pleaſes, to caſt his Enemies down to Hell. What are we, that we ſhould think to ſtand before him, at whoſe Rebuke the Earth trembles, and before whom the Rocks are thrown down?

2. They deſerve to be caſt into Hell; ſo that divine Juſtice never ſtands in the Way, it makes no Objection againſt GOD's uſing his Power at any Moment to deſtroy them. Yea, on the contrary, Juſtice calls aloud for an infinite Puniſhment of their Sins. Divine Juſtice, ſays of the Tree that brings forth ſuch Grapes of Sodom, Cut it down, why cumbreth it the Ground, Luk. xiii. 7. The Sword of divine Juſtice is every Moment brandiſhed over their Heads, and 'tis nothing but the Hand of arbitrary Mercy, and GOD's meer Will, that holds it back.

3. They are already under a Sentence of Condemnation to Hell. They don't only juſtly deſerve to be caſt down thither; but the Sentence of the Law of GOD, that eternal and immutable Rule of Righteouſneſs, that GOD has fixed between him and Mankind, is gone out againſt them, and ſtands againſt them; ſo that they are bound over already to Hell. John iii. 18. He that believeth not is condemned already. So that every unconverted Man properly belongs to Hell; that is his Place; from thence he is. John viii. 23. Ye are from beneath: And thither he is bound; 'tis the Place that Juſtice, and GOD's Word, and the Sentence of his unchangeable Law aſſigns to him.

4. They are now the Objects of that very ſame Anger and Wrath of GOD, that is expreſſed in the Torments of Hell▪ And the Reaſon why they don't go down to Hell at each Moment, is not becauſe GOD, in whoſe Power they are, is not then very angry with them; as angry as he is with many of thoſe miſerable Creatures, that he is now tormenting in Hell, and do there feel and bear the Fierceneſs of his Wrath. Yea, GOD is a great deal more angry with great Numbers that are now on Earth; yea, doubtleſs, with many that are p. 48now in this Congregation, that it may be, are at Eaſe and Quiet, than he is with many of thoſe that are now in the Flames of Hell.

So that it is not becauſe GOD is unmindful of their Wickedneſs, and don't reſent it, that he don't let looſe his Hand and cut them off. GOD is not altogether ſuch an One as themſelves, tho' they may imagine him to be ſo. The Wrath of GOD burns againſt them, their Damnation don't ſlumber, the Pit is prepared, the Fire is made ready, the Furnace is now hot, ready to receive them; the Flames do now rage and glow. The glittering Sword is whet, and held over them, and the Pit hath opened her Mouth under them.

5. The Devil ſtands ready to fall upon them, and ſeize them as his own, at what Moment GOD ſhall permit him. They belong to him; he has their Souls in his Poſſeſſion, and under his Dominion. The Scripture repreſents them as his Goods, Luk. xi. 12. The Devils watch them; they are ever by them, at their right Hand; they ſtand waiting for them, like greedy hungry Lions that ſee their Prey, and expect to have it, but are for the Preſent kept back; if GOD ſhould withdraw his Hand, by which they are reſtrained, they would in one Moment fly upon their poor Souls. The old Serpent is gaping for them; Hell opens its Mouth wide to receive them; and if God ſhould permit it, they would be haſtily ſwallowed up and loſt.

6. There are in the Souls of wicked Men, thoſe helliſh Principles reigning, that would preſently kindle and flame out into Hell Fire, if it were not for GOD's Reſtraints. There is laid in the very Nature of carnal Men, a Foundation for the Torments of Hell: There are thoſe currupt Principles, in reigning Power in them, and in full Poſſeſſion of them, that are Seeds of Hell Fire. Theſe Principles are active and powerful, exceeding violent in their Nature, and if it were not for the reſtraining Hand of GOD upon them, they would ſoon break out, they would flame out after the ſame Manner as the ſame Corruptions, the ſame Enmity does in the Hearts of damned Souls, and would beget the ſame Torments in 'em as they do in them. The Souls of the Wicked, are in Scripture compared to the troubled Sea, Iſai. lvii. 20. For p. 49the preſent GOD reſtrains their Wickedneſs by his mighty Power, as he does the raging Waves of the troubled Sea, ſaying, Hitherto ſhalt thou come, and no further; but if GOD ſhould withdraw that reſtraining Power, it would ſoon carry all afore it. Sin is the Ruin and Miſery of the Soul; it is deſtructive in it's Nature; and if GOD ſhould leave it without Reſtraint, there would need nothing elſe to make the Soul perfectly miſerable. The Corruption of the Heart of Man is a Thing that is immoderate and boundleſs in its Fury; and while wicked Men live here, it is like Fire pent up by GOD's Reſtraints, whenas if it were let looſe, it would ſet on Fire the Courſe of Nature; and as the Heart is now a Sink of Sin, ſo, if Sin was not reſtrain'd, it would immediately turn the Soul into a fiery Oven, or a Furnace of Fire and Brimſtone.

7. It is no Security to wicked Men for one Moment, that there are no viſible Means of Death at Hand. 'Tis no Security to a natural Man, that he is now in Health, and that he don't ſee which Way he ſhould now immediately go out of the World by any Accident, and that there is no viſible Danger in any Reſpect in his Circumſtances. The manifold and continual Experience of the World in all Ages, ſhews that this is no Evidence that a Man is not on the very Brink of Eternity, and that the next Step won't be into another World. The unſeen, unthought-of Ways and Means of Perſons going ſuddenly out of the World are innumerable and inconceivable. Unconverted Men walk over the Pit of Hell on a rotten Covering, and there are innumerable Places in this Covering ſo weak that they won't bear their Weight, and theſe Places are not ſeen. The Arrows of Death fly unſeen at Noon-Day; the ſharpeſt Sight can't diſcern them▪ GOD has ſo many different unſearchable Ways of taking Wicked Men out of the World and ſending 'em to Hell, that there is nothing to make it appear, that GOD had need to be at the Expence of a Miracle, or go out of the ordinary Courſe of his Providence, to deſtroy any wicked Man, at any Moment. All the Means that there are of Sinners going out of the World, are ſo in GOD's Hands, and ſo univerſally abſolutely ſubject to his Power p. 50and Determination, that it don't depend at all leſs on the meer Will of GOD, whether Sinners ſhall at any Moment go to Hell, than if Means were never made uſe of, or at all concerned in the Caſe.

8. Natural Men's Prudence and Care to preſerve their own Lives, or the Care of others to preſerve them, don't ſecure 'em a Moment. This divine Providence and univerſal Experience does alſo bear Teſtimony to. There is this clear Evidence that Men's own Wiſdom is no Security to them from Death; That if it were otherwiſe we ſhould ſee ſome Difference between the wiſe and politick Men of the World, and others, with Regard to their Liableneſs to early and unexpected Death; but how is it in Fact? Ecleſ. 2. 16. How dieth the wiſe Man? as the Fool.

9. All wicked Men's Pains and Contrivance they uſe to eſcape Hell, while they continue to reject CHRIST, and ſo remain wicked Men, don't ſecure 'em from Hell one Moment. Almoſt every natural Man that hears of Hell, flatters himſelf that he ſhall eſcape it; he depends upon himſelf for his own Security; he flatters himſelf in what he has done, and in what he is now doing, or what he intends to do; every one lays out Matters in his own Mind how he ſhall avoid Damnation, and flatters himſelf that he contrives well for himſelf, and that his Schemes won't fail. They hear indeed that there are but few ſaved, and that the bigger Part of Men that have died heretofore are gone to Hell; but each one imagines that he lays out Matters better for his own Eſcape than others have done: He don't intend to come to that Place of Torment; he ſays within himſelf, that he intends to take Care that ſhall be effectual, and to order Matters ſo for himſelf as not to fail.

But the fooliſh Children of Men do miſerably delude themſelves in their own Schemes, and in their Confidence in their own Strength and Wiſdom; they truſt to nothing but a Shadow. The bigger Part of thoſe that heretofore have lived under the ſame Means of Grace, and are now dead, are undoubtedly gone to Hell; and it was not becauſe they were not as wiſe as thoſe that are now alive; it was not becauſe they did not lay out Matters as well for themſelves to p. 51ſecure their own Eſcape. If it were ſo, that we could come to ſpeak with them, and could enquire of them, one by one, whether they expected when alive, and when they uſed to hear about Hell, ever to be the Subjects of that Miſery, we doubtleſs ſhould hear one and another reply, No, I never intended to come here; I had laid out Matters otherwiſe in my Mind; I thought I ſhould contrive well for my ſelf; I thought my Scheme good; I intended to take effectual Care; but it came upon me unexpected; I did not look for it at that Time, and in that Manner; it came as a Thief; Death outwitted me; GOD's Wrath was too quick for me; O my curſed Fooliſhneſs! I was flattering myſelf, and pleaſing myſelf with vain Dreams of what I would do hereafter, and when I was ſaying Peace and Safety, then ſudden Deſtruction came upon me.

10. GOD has laid himſelf under no Obligation, by any Promiſe, to keep any natural Man out of Hell one Moment. GOD certainly has made no Promiſes either of eternal Life, or of any Deliverance or Preſervation from eternal Death, but what are contained in the Covenant of Grace, the Promiſes that are given in CHRIST, in whom all the Promiſes are Yea and Amen. But ſurely they have no Intereſt in the Promiſes of the Covenant of Grace, that are not the Children of the Covenant, and that don't believe in any of the Promiſes of the Covenant, and have no Intereſt in the Mediator of the Covenant.

So that whatever ſome have imagined and pretended about Promiſes made to natural Men's earneſt ſeeking and knocking, 'tis plain and manifeſt, that whatever Pains a natural Man takes in Religion, whatever Prayers he makes, till he believes in CHRIST, GOD is under no manner of Obligation to keep him a Moment from eternal Deſtruction.

So that thus it is, that natural Men are held in the Hand of GOD over the Pit of Hell; they have deſerved the fiery Pit, and are already ſentenced to it; and GOD is dreadfully provoked, his Anger is as great towards them as to thoſe that are actually ſuffering the Executions of the Fierceneſs of his Wrath in Hell, and they have done nothing in the p. 52leaſt, to appeaſe or abate that Anger, neither is GOD in the leaſt bound by any Promiſe to hold 'em up one Moment; the Devil is waiting for them, Hell is gaping for them, the Flames gather and flaſh about them, and would fain lay hold on them, and ſwallow them up; the Fire pent up in their own Hearts is ſtruggling to break out; and they have no Intereſt in any Mediator, there are no Means within Reach that can be any Security to them. In ſhort, they have no Refuge, nothing to take hold of, all that preſerves them every Moment is the meer arbitrary Will, and uncovenanted unobliged Forbearance of an incenſed GOD.

APPLICATION.

The USE may be of Awakening to unconverted Perſons in this Congregation. This that you have heard is the Caſe of every one of you that are out of Chriſt. That World of Miſery, that Lake of burning Brimſtone is extended abroad under you. There is the dreadful Pit of the glowing Flames of the Wrath of GOD; there is Hell's wide gaping Mouth open; and you have nothing to ſtand upon, nor any Thing to take hold of: there is nothing between you and Hell but the Air; 'tis only the Power and meer Pleaſure of GOD that holds you up.

You probably are not ſenſible of this; you find you are kept out of Hell, but don't ſee the Hand of GOD in it, but look at other Things, as the good State of your bodily Conſtitution, your Care of your own Life, and the Means you uſe for your own Preſervation. But indeed theſe Things are nothing; if GOD ſhould withdraw his Hand, they would avail no more to keep you from falling, than the thin Air to hold up a Perſon that is ſuſpended in it.

Your Wickedneſs makes you as it were heavy as Load, and to tend downwards with great Weight and Preſſure towards Hell; and if GOD ſhould let you go, you would immediately ſink and ſwiftly deſcend and plunge into the bottomleſs Gulf, and your healthy Conſtitution, and your own Care and Prudence, and beſt Contrivance, and all your Righteouſneſs, would have no more Influence to uphold you and keep you out of Hell, then a Spider's Web would have to ſtop a falling Rock. Were it not, that ſo is the p. 53ſovereign Pleaſure of GOD, the Earth would not bear you one Moment; for you are a Burden to it; the Creation groans with you; the Creature is made ſubject to the Bondage of your Corruption, not willingly; the Sun don't willingly ſhine upon you to give you Light to ſerve Sin and Satan; the Earth don't willingly yield her Increaſe to ſatisfy your Luſts; nor is it willingly a Stage for your Wickedneſs to be acted upon; the Air don't willingly ſerve you for Breath to maintain the Flame of Life in your Vitals, while you ſpend your Life in the Service of GOD's Enemies. GOD's Creatures are good, and were made for Men to ſerve GOD with, and don't willingly ſubſerve to any other Purpoſe, and groan when they are abuſed to Purpoſes ſo directly contrary to their Nature and End. And the World would ſpue you out, were it not for the ſovereign Hand of him who hath ſubjected it in Hope. There are the black Clouds of GOD's Wrath now hanging directly over your Heads, full of the dreadful Storm, and big with Thunder; and were it not for the reſtraining Hand of GOD, it would immediately burſt forth upon you. The ſovereign Pleaſure of GOD, for the preſent, ſtays his rough Wind; otherwiſe it would come with Fury, and your Deſtruction would come like a Whirlwind, and you would be like the Chaff of the Summer threſhing Floor.

The Wrath of GOD is like great Waters that are dammed for the Preſent; they increaſe more and more, and riſe higher and higher, till an Outlet is given, and the longer the Stream is ſtop'd, the more rapid and mighty is it's Courſe, when once it is let looſe. 'Tis true, that Judgment againſt your evil Works, has not been executed hitherto; the Floods of GOD's Vengeance have been with-held; but your Guilt in the mean Time is conſtantly increaſing, and you are every Day treaſuring up more Wrath; the Waters are continually riſing, and waxing more and more mighty; and there is Nothing but the meer Pleaſure of GOD, that holds the Waters back, that are unwilling to be ſtopped, and preſs hard to go forward; if GOD ſhould only withdraw his Hand from the Flood-Gate, it would immediately fly open, and the fiery Floods of the Fierceneſs and Wrath of GOD, would ruſh forth with inconceivable Fury, and would come upon p. 54you with omnipotent Power; and if your Strength were ten Thouſand Times greater than it is, yea, ten thouſand Times greater than the Strength of the ſtouteſt, ſturdieſt Devil in Hell, it would be Nothing to withſtand or endure it.

The Bow of GOD's Wrath is bent, and the Arrow made ready on the String, and Juſtice bends the Arrow at your Heart, and ſtrains the Bow, and it is Nothing but the meer Pleaſure of GOD, and that of an angry GOD, without any Promiſe or Obligation at all, that keeps the Arrow one Moment from being made drunk with your Blood.

Thus are all you that never paſſed under a great Change of Heart, by the mighty Power of the SPIRIT of GOD upon your Souls; all that were never born again, and made new Creatures, and raiſed from being dead in Sin, to a State of new, and before altogether unexperienced Light and Life, (however you may have reformed your Life in many Things, and may have had religious Affections, and may keep up a Form of Religion in your Families and Cloſets, and in the Houſes of GOD, and may be ſtrict in it,) you are thus in the Hands of an angry GOD; 'tis Nothing but his meer Pleaſure, that keeps you from being this Moment ſwallowed up in everlaſting Deſtruction.

However unconvinced you may now be of the Truth of what you hear, by and by you will be fully convinced of it. Thoſe that are gone from being in the like Circumſtances with you, ſee that it was ſo with them; for Deſtruction came ſuddenly upon moſt of them, when they expected Nothing of it, and while they were ſaying, Peace and Safety: Now they ſee, that thoſe Things that they depended on for Peace and Safety, were Nothing but thin Air and empty Shadows.

The GOD that holds you over the Pit of Hell, much as one holds a Spider, or ſome loathſome Infect, over the Fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked; his Wrath towards you burns like Fire; he looks upon you as worthy of Nothing elſe, but to be caſt into the Fire; he is of purer Eyes than to bear to have you in his Sight; you are ten thouſand Times ſo abominable in his Eyes, as the moſt hateful venomous Serpent is in ours. You have offended him infinitely more than ever a ſtubborn Rebel did his Prince: And yet, p. 55'tis Nothing but his Hand that holds you from falling into the Fire every Moment: 'Tis to be aſcribed to Nothing elſe, that you did not go to Hell the laſt Night; that you was ſuffer'd to awake again in this World, after you cloſed your Eyes to ſleep: And there is no other Reaſon to be given, why you have not dropped into Hell ſince you aroſe in the Morning, but that GOD's Hand has held you up: There is no other Reaſon to be given why you han't gone to Hell, ſince you have ſat here in the Houſe of GOD, provoking his pure Eyes by your ſinful wicked Manner of attending his ſolemn Worſhip: Yea, there is Nothing elſe that is to be given as a Reaſon why you don't this very Moment drop down into Hell.

O Sinner! Conſider the fearful Danger you are in: 'Tis a great Furnace of Wrath, a wide and bottomleſs Pit, full of the Fire of Wrath, that you are held over in the Hand of that GOD, whoſe Wrath is provoked and incenſed as much againſt you, as againſt many of the Damned in Hell: You hang by a ſlender Thread, with the Flames of divine Wrath flaſhing about it, and ready every Moment to ſinge it, and burn it aſunder; and you have no Intereſt in any Mediator, and Nothing to lay hold of to ſave yourſelf, Nothing to keep off the Flames of Wrath, Nothing of your own, Nothing that you ever have done, Nothing that you can do, to induce GOD to ſpare you one Moment.

And conſider he…e more particularly ſeveral Things concerning that Wrath that you are in ſuch Danger of.

1. Whoſe Wrath it is: It is the Wrath of the infinite GOD. If it were only the Wrath of Man, tho' it were of the moſt potent Prince, it would be comparatively little to be regarded. The Wrath of Kings is very much dreaded, eſpecially of abſolute Monarchs, that have the Poſſeſſions and Lives of their Subjects wholly in their Power, to be diſpoſed of at their meer Will. Prov. xx. 2. The Fear of a King is as the Roaring of a Lion: Whoſo provoketh him to Anger, ſinneth againſt his own Soul. The Subject that very much enrages an arbitrary Prince, is liable to ſuffer the moſt extream Torments, that human Art can invent, or human Power can inflict. But the greateſt earthly Potentates, in p. 56their greateſt Majeſty and Strength, and when cloathed in their greateſt Terrors, are but feeble deſpicable Worms of the Duſt, in Compariſon of the great and almighty Creator and King of Heaven and Earth: It is but little that they can do, wh…m moſt enraged, and when they have exerted the utmoſt of their Fury. All the Kings of the Earth before GOD, are is Graſhoppers, they are Nothing, and leſs than Nothing: Both their Love and their Hatred is to be deſpiſed. The Wrath of the great King of Kings, is as much more terrible than their's, as his Majeſty is greater. Luke xii. 4, 5. And I ſay unto you my Friends, be not afraid of them that kill the Body, and after that have no more that they can do: But I will forewarn you whom you ſhall fear; fear him, which after he hath killed, hath Power to caſt into Hell; yea, I ſay unto you, fear him.

2. 'Tis the Fierceneſs of his Wrath that you are expoſed to. We often read of the Fury of GOD; as in Iſai. lix. 18. According to their Deeds, accordingly he will repay Fury to his Adverſaries. So Iſai. lxvi, 15. For behold, the Lord will come with Fire, and with Chariots, like a Whirlwind, to render his Anger with Fury, and his Rebukes with Flames of Fire. And ſo in many other Places. So we read of GOD's Fierceneſs. Rev. xix. 15. There we read of the Wine-Preſs of the Fierceneſs and Wrath of Almighty GOD. The Words are exceeding terrible. If it had only been ſaid, the Wrath of GOD, the Words would have implied that which is infinitely dreadful: But 'tis not only ſaid ſo, but the Fierceneſs and Wrath of GOD: The Fury of GOD! the Fierceneſs of Jehovah! Oh how dreadful muſt that be! Who can utter or conceive what ſuch Expreſſions carry in them! But it is not only ſaid ſo, but the Fierceneſs and Wrath of ALMIGHTY GOD. As tho' there would be a very great Manifeſtation of his almighty Power, in what the Fierceneſs of his Wrath ſhould inflict, as tho' Omnipotence ſhould be as it were enraged, and exerted, as Men were wont to exert their Strength in the Fierceneſs of their Wrath. Oh! then what will be the Conſequence! What will become of the poor Worm that ſhall ſuffer it! Whoſe Hands can be ſtrong? And whoſe Heart endure? To what a dreadful, inexpreſſible, inconceivable p. 57Depth of Miſery muſt the poor Creature be ſunk who ſhall be the Subject of this!

Conſider this, you that are here preſent, that yet remain in an unregenerate State. That GOD will execute the Fierceneſs of his Anger, implies, that he will inflict Wrath without any Pity: When GOD beholds the ineffable Extremity of your Caſe, and ſees your Torment to be ſo vaſtly diſproportion'd to your Strength, and ſees how your poor Soul is cruſhed and ſinks down, as it were into an infinite Gloom; he will have no Compaſſion upon you, he will not forbear the Executions of his Wrath, or in the leaſt lighten his Hand; there ſhall be no Moderation or Mercy, nor will GOD then at all ſtay his rough Wind; he will have no Regard to your Welfare, nor be at all careful leſt you ſhould ſuffer too much, in any other Senſe, than only that you ſhall not ſuffer beyond what ſtrict Juſtice requires: Nothing ſhall be with-held, becauſe it's ſo hard for you to bear. Ezek. viii. 18. Therefore will I alſo deal in Fury; mine Eye ſhall not ſpare, neither will I have Pity; and tho' they cry in mine Ears with a loud Voice, yet I will not hear them. Now GOD ſtands ready to pity you; this is a Day of Mercy; you may cry now with ſome Encouragement of obtaining Mercy: But when once the Day of Mercy is paſt, your moſt lamentable and dolorous Cries and Shrieks will be in vain; you will be wholly loſt and thrown away of GOD as to any Regard to your Welfare; GOD will have no other Uſe to put you to, but only to ſuffer Miſery; you ſhall be continued in being to no other End; for you will be a Veſſel of Wrath fitted to Deſtruction; and there will be no other Uſe of this Veſſel but only to be filled full of Wrath: GOD will be ſo far from pitying you when you cry to him, that 'tis ſaid he will only Laugh and Mock, Prov. i. 25, 26. &c.

How awful are thoſe Words, Iſai, lxiii. 3. which are the Words of the great GOD, I will tread them in mine Anger, and will trample them in my Fury, and their Blood ſhall be ſprinkled upon my Garments, and I will ſtain all my Raiment. 'Tis perhaps impoſſible, to conceive of Words that carry in them greater Manifeſtations of theſe three Things▪ viz. Contempt, and Hatred, and Fierceneſs of Indignation. p. 58If you cry to GOD to pity you, he will be ſo far from pitying you in your doleful Caſe, or ſhewing you the leaſt Regard or Favour, that inſtead of that, he'll only tread you under Foot: And tho' he will know, that you can't bear the Weight of Omnipotence treading upon you, yet he won't Regard that, but he will cruſh you under his Feet without Mercy; He'll cruſh out your Blood, and make it fly, and it ſhall be ſprinkled on his Garments, ſo as to ſtain all his Raiment. He will not only hate you, but he will have you in the utmoſt Contempt; no Place ſhall be thought fit for you, but under his Feet, to be trodden down as the Mire of the Streets.

3. The Miſery you are expoſed to, is that which GOD will inflict to that End, that he might ſhew what that Wrath of JEHOVAH is. GOD hath had it on his Heart to ſhew to Angels and Men, both how excellent his Love is, and alſo how terrible his Wrath is. Sometimes earthly Kings have a Mind to ſhew how terrible their Wrath is, by the extream Puniſhments they would execute on thoſe that provoke 'em. Nebuchadnezzar, that mighty and haughty Monarch of the Chaldean Empire, was willing to ſhew his Wrath, when enraged with Shadrach, Meſhech, and Abednego; and accordingly gave Order, that the burning fiery Furnace ſhould … ſeven Times hotter than it was before; doubtleſs, it was raiſed to the utmoſt Degree of Fierceneſs, that humane Art could raiſe it: But the great GOD is alſo willing to ſhew his Wrath, and magnify his awful Majeſty and mighty Power in the extream Sufferings of his Enemies. Rom. xix. 22. What if God willing to ſhew HIS Wrath, and to make his Power known, endured with much Long-ſuffering, the Veſſels of Wrath fitted to Deſtruction? And ſeeing this is his Deſign and what he has determined, to ſhew how terrible the unmixed, unreſtrained Wrath, the Fury and Fierceneſs of JEHOVAH is, he will do it to Effect. There will be ſomething accompliſhed and brought to paſs, that will be dreadful with a Witneſs. When the great and angry GOD, hath riſen up and executed his awful Vengeance on the poor Sinner; and the Wretch is actually ſuffering the infinite Weight and Power of his Indignation, then will GOD call upon the whole Univerſe p. 59to behold that awful Majeſty and mighty Power, that is to be ſeen in it. Iſai. xxxiii. 12, 13, 14. And the People ſhall be as the burning of Lime, as Thorns cut up ſhall they be burnt in the Fire. Hear ye that are far off, what I have done; and ye that are near, acknowledge my Might. The Sinners in Zion are afraid, Fearfulneſs hath ſurprized the Hypocrites, &c.

Thus it will be with you that are in an unconverted State, if you continue in it; the infinite Might, and Majeſty and Terribleneſs of the OMNIPOTENT GOD ſhall be magnified upon you, in the ineffable Strength of your Torments: You ſhall be tormented in the Preſence of the holy Angels, and in the Preſence of the Lamb; and when you ſhall be in this State of Suffering, the glorious Inhabitants of Heaven ſhall go forth and look on the awful Spectacle, that they may ſee what the Wrath and Fierceneſs of the Almighty is, and when they have ſeen it, they will fall down and adore that great Power and Majeſty. Iſai. lxvi. 23, 24. And it ſhall come to paſs, that from one new Moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, ſhall all Fleſh come to Worſhip before me, ſaith the Lord; and they ſhall go forth and look upon the Carcaſſes of the Men that have tranſgreſſed againſt me; for their Worm ſhall not die, neither ſhall their Fire be quenched, and they ſhall be an abhorring unto all Fleſh.

4. 'Tis everlaſting Wrath. It would be dreadful to ſuffer this Fierceneſs and Wrath of Almighty GOD one Moment; but you muſt ſuffer it to all Eternity: There will be no End to this exquiſite horrible Miſery: When you look forward, you ſhall ſee a long Forever, a boundleſs Duration before you, which will ſwallow up your Thoughts, and amaze your Soul, and you will abſolutely deſpair of ever having any Deliverance, any End, any Mitigation, any Reſt at all; you will know certainly, that you muſt wear out long Ages, Millions of Millions of Ages, in wreſtling and conflicting with this almighty mercileſs Vengeance, and then, when you have ſo done, when ſo many Ages have actually been ſpent by you in this Manner, you will know, that all is but a Point to what remains. So that your Puniſhment will indeed be infinite. Oh who can expreſs what the State of a p. 60Soul in ſuch Circumſtances is! All that we can poſſibly ſay about it, gives but a very feeble ſaint Repreſentation of it; 'tis inexpreſſible and inconceivable: For who knows the Power of GOD's Anger?

How dreadful is the State of thoſe that are daily and hourly in Danger of this great Wrath, and infinite Miſery! But this is the diſmal Caſe of every Soul in this Congregation, that has not been born again, however moral and ſtrict, ſober and religious they may otherwiſe be. Oh that you would conſider it, whether you be Young or Old. There is Reaſon to think, that there are many in this Congregation now hearing this Diſcourſe, that will actually be the Subjects of this very Miſery to all Eternity. We know not who thy are, or in what Seats they ſit, or what Thoughts they now have: It may be, they are now at Eaſe, and he… all theſe Things without much Diſturbance, and are now flattering themſelves that they are not the Perſons, promiſing themſelves that they ſhall eſcape. If we knew that there was one Perſon, and but one, in the whole Congregation, that was to be the Subject of this Miſery, what an awful Thing would it be to think of! … we knew who it was, what an awful Sight would it be to ſee ſuch a Perſon! How might all the Reſt of the Congregation lift up a lamentable and bitter Cry over him! But alas! inſtead of one, how many is it likely, will remember this Diſcourſe in Hell? And it would be a Wonder, if ſome that are now preſent, ſhould not be in Hell in a very ſhort Time, before this Year is out. And it would be no Wonder if ſome Perſons, that now ſits here in ſome Seats of this Meeting-Houſe in Health, and quiet and ſecure, ſhould be there before To-morrow Morning. Thoſe of you that finally continue in a natural Condition, that ſhall keep out of Hell longeſt, will be there in a little Time! your Damnation don't ſlumber; it will come ſwiftly, and in all Probability, very ſuddenly upon many of you▪ You have Reaſon to wonder, that you are not already in Hell. 'Tis doubtleſs the Caſe of ſome that heretofore you have ſeen and known, that never deſerved Hell more than you, and that heretofore, appeared as likely to have been now alive as you: Their Caſe is paſt all Hope; they are crying in extream Miſery and perfect p. 61Deſpair; but here you are in the Land of the Living, and in the Houſe of GOD, and have an Opportunity to obtain Salvation. What would not thoſe poor damned hopeleſs Souls, give for one Day's ſuch Opportunity as you now enjoy!

And now you have an extraordinary Opportunity, a Day wherein CHRIST has ſlung the Door of Mercy wide open; and ſtands in the Door, calling and crying with a loud Voice to poor Sinners; a Day wherein many are flocking to him, and preſſing into the Kingdom of GOD; many are daily coming from the Eaſt, Weſt, North and South; many that were very lately in the ſame miſerable Condition that you are in, are now in an happy State, with their Hearts filled with Love to Him, that has loved them, and waſhed them from their Sins in his own Blood, and rejoycing in Hope of the Glory of GOD. How awful is it to be left behind at ſuch a Day! To ſee ſo many others feaſting, while you are pining and periſhing! To ſee ſo many rejoycing and ſinging for Joy of Heart, while you have Cauſe to mourn for Sorrow of Heart, and howl for Vexation of Spirit! How can you reſt one Moment in ſuch a Condition? Are not your Souls as precious as the Souls of the People at**The next neighbour Town. Suffield, where they are flocking from Day to Day to Chriſt?

Are there no… many here that have lived long in the World, that are not to this Day born again, and ſo are Aliens from the Common-Wealth of Iſrael, and have done Nothing ever ſince they have lived, but treaſure up Wrath againſt the Day of Wrath? Oh Sirs, your Caſe in an eſpecial Manner is extreamly dangerous; your Guilt and Hardneſs of Heart is extreamly great. Don't you ſee how generally Perſons of your Years are paſs'd over and left, in the preſent remarkable and wonderful Diſpenſation of GOD's Mercy? You had need to conſider your ſelves, and wake thoroughly out of Sleep; you cannot bear the Fierceneſs and Wrath of the infinite GOD.

And you that are young Men, and young Women, will you neglect this precious Seaſon that you now enjoy, when ſo many others of your Age are renouncing all youthful Vanities, p. 62and flocking to CHRIST? You eſpecially have now an extraordinary Opportunity; but if you neglect it, it will ſoon be with you, as it is with thoſe Perſons that ſpent away all the precious Days of Youth in Sin, and are now come to ſuch a dreadful Paſs in Blindneſs and Hardneſs.

And you Children, that are unconverted, don't you know that you are going down to Hell, to bear the dreadful Wrath of that GOD, that is now angry with you every Day, and every Night? Will you be content to be the Children of the Devil, when ſo many other Children in the Land are converted, and are become the holy and happy Children of the King of Kings?

And let every one that is yet ou… of CHRIST, and hanging over the Pit of Hell, whether they be old Men and Women, or middle Aged, or young People, or little Children, now hearken to the loud Calls of GOD's Word and Providence. This acceptable Year of the LORD, that is a Day of ſuch great Favour to ſome, will doubtleſs be a Day of as remarkable Vengeance to others. Men's Hearts harden, and their Guilt increaſes apace at ſuch a Day as this, if they neglect their Souls: And never was there ſo great Danger of ſuch Perſons being given up to hardneſs of Heart, and blindneſs of Mind. GOD ſeems now to be haſtily gathering in his Elect in all Parts of the Land; and probably the bigger Part of adult Perſons that ever ſhall be ſaved, will be brought in now in a little Time, and that it will be as it was on the great Out-pouring of the SPIRIT upon the Jews in the Apoſtle's Days, the Election will obtain, and the reſt will be blinded. If this ſhould be the Caſe with you, you will eternally curſe this Day, and will curſe the Day that ever you was born, to ſee ſuch a Seaſon of the pouring out of GOD's Spirit; and will wiſh that you had died and gone to Hell before you had ſeen it. Now undoubtedly it is, as it was in the Days of John the Baptiſt, the Ax is in an extraordinary Manner, laid at the Root of the Trees, that every Tree that brings not forth good Fruit, may be hewn down, and caſt into the Fire.

Therefore, let every one that is out of CHRIST, now awake and fly from the Wrath to come. The Wrath of almighty GOD, is now undoubtedly hanging over a great Part of this Congregation: Let every one fly out of Sodom: Haſte and eſcape for your Lives, look not behind you, eſcape to the Mountain, leſt you be conſumed.

FINIS.

End of the text · Jonathan Edwards, True Grace Distinguished from the Experience of Devils (1753)