Sinners in the Hands of an Angry GodWord文档格式.docx

Sinners in the Hands of an Angry GodWord文档格式.docx

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asinthetwoversesnextprecedingthetext.TheexpressionIhavechosenformytext,Theirfootshallslideinduetime,seemstoimplythefollowingdoings,relatingtothepunishmentanddestructiontowhichthesewickedIsraeliteswereexposed.

1.Thattheywerealwaysexposedtodestruction;

asonethatstandsorwalksinslipperyplacesisalwaysexposedtofall.Thisisimpliedinthemanneroftheirdestructioncominguponthem,beingrepresentedbytheirfootsliding.Thesameisexpressed,Psalm73:

18."

Surelythoudidstsettheminslipperyplaces;

thoucastedstthemdownintodestruction."

2.Itimplies,thattheywerealwaysexposedtosuddenunexpecteddestruction.Ashethatwalksinslipperyplacesiseverymomentliabletofall,hecannotforeseeonemomentwhetherheshallstandorfallthenext;

andwhenhedoesfall,hefallsatoncewithoutwarning:

WhichisalsoexpressedinPsalm73:

18,19."

thoucastedstthemdownintodestruction:

Howaretheybroughtintodesolationasinamoment!

"

3.Anotherthingimpliedis,thattheyareliabletofallofthemselves,withoutbeingthrowndownbythehandofanother;

ashethatstandsorwalksonslipperygroundneedsnothingbuthisownweighttothrowhimdown.

4.Thatthereasonwhytheyarenotfallenalready,anddonotfallnow,isonlythatGod'

sappointedtimeisnotcome.Foritissaid,thatwhenthatduetime,orappointedtimecomes,theirfootshallslide.Thentheyshallbelefttofall,astheyareinclinedbytheirownweight.Godwillnotholdthemupintheseslipperyplacesanylonger,butwillletthemgo;

andthenatthatveryinstant,theyshallfallintodestruction;

ashethatstandsonsuchslipperydecliningground,ontheedgeofapit,hecannotstandalone,whenheisletgoheimmediatelyfallsandislost.

TheobservationfromthewordsthatIwouldnowinsistuponisthis."

Thereisnothingthatkeepswickedmenatanyonemomentoutofhell,butthemerepleasureofGod."

BythemerepleasureofGod,Imeanhissovereignpleasure,hisarbitrarywill,restrainedbynoobligation,hinderedbynomannerofdifficulty,anymorethanifnothingelsebutGod'

smerewillhadintheleastdegree,orinanyrespectwhatsoever,anyhandinthepreservationofwickedmenonemoment.

Thetruthofthisobservationmayappearbythefollowingconsiderations.

1.ThereisnowantofpowerinGodtocastwickedmenintohellatanymoment.Men'

shandscannotbestrongwhenGodrisesup.Thestrongesthavenopowertoresisthim,norcananydeliveroutofhishands.-Heisnotonlyabletocastwickedmenintohell,buthecanmosteasilydoit.Sometimesanearthlyprincemeetswithagreatdealofdifficultytosubduearebel,whohasfoundmeanstofortifyhimself,andhasmadehimselfstrongbythenumbersofhisfollowers.ButitisnotsowithGod.ThereisnofortressthatisanydefensefromthepowerofGod.Thoughhandjoininhand,andvastmultitudesofGod'

senemiescombineandassociatethemselves,theyareeasilybrokeninpieces.Theyareasgreatheapsoflightchaffbeforethewhirlwind;

orlargequantitiesofdrystubblebeforedevouringflames.Wefinditeasytotreadonandcrushawormthatweseecrawlingontheearth;

soitiseasyforustocutorsingeaslenderthreadthatanythinghangsby:

thuseasyisitforGod,whenhepleases,tocasthisenemiesdowntohell.Whatarewe,thatweshouldthinktostandbeforehim,atwhoserebuketheearthtrembles,andbeforewhomtherocksarethrowndown?

2.Theydeservetobecastintohell;

sothatdivinejusticeneverstandsintheway,itmakesnoobjectionagainstGod'

susinghispoweratanymomenttodestroythem.Yea,onthecontrary,justicecallsaloudforaninfinitepunishmentoftheirsins.DivinejusticesaysofthetreethatbringsforthsuchgrapesofSodom,"

Cutitdown,whycumberethittheground?

Lukexiii.7.Theswordofdivinejusticeiseverymomentbrandishedovertheirheads,anditisnothingbutthehandofarbitrarymercy,andGod'

smerewill,thatholdsitback.

3.Theyarealreadyunderasentenceofcondemnationtohell.Theydonotonlyjustlydeservetobecastdownthither,butthesentenceofthelawofGod,thateternalandimmutableruleofrighteousnessthatGodhasfixedbetweenhimandmankind,isgoneoutagainstthem,andstandsagainstthem;

sothattheyareboundoveralreadytohell.Johniii.18."

Hethatbelievethnotiscondemnedalready."

Sothateveryunconvertedmanproperlybelongstohell;

thatishisplace;

fromthenceheis,Johnviii.23."

Yearefrombeneath."

Andthitherbeisbound;

itistheplacethatjustice,andGod'

sword,andthesentenceofhisunchangeablelawassigntohim.

4.TheyarenowtheobjectsofthatverysameangerandwrathofGod,thatisexpressedinthetormentsofhell.Andthereasonwhytheydonotgodowntohellateachmoment,isnotbecauseGod,inwhosepowertheyare,isnotthenveryangrywiththem;

asheiswithmanymiserablecreaturesnowtormentedinhell,whotherefeelandbearthefiercenessofhiswrath.Yea,Godisagreatdealmoreangrywithgreatnumbersthatarenowonearth:

yea,doubtless,withmanythatarenowinthiscongregation,whoitmaybeareatease,thanheiswithmanyofthosewhoarenowintheflamesofhell.

SothatitisnotbecauseGodisunmindfuloftheirwickedness,anddoesnotresentit,thathedoesnotletloosehishandandcutthemoff.Godisnotaltogethersuchanoneasthemselves,thoughtheymayimaginehimtobeso.ThewrathofGodburnsagainstthem,theirdamnationdoesnotslumber;

thepitisprepared,thefireismadeready,thefurnaceisnowhot,readytoreceivethem;

theflamesdonowrageandglow.Theglitteringswordiswhet,andheldoverthem,andthepithathopeneditsmouthunderthem.

5.Thedevilstandsreadytofalluponthem,andseizethemashisown,atwhatmomentGodshallpermithim.Theybelongtohim;

hehastheirsoulsinhispossession,andunderhisdominion.Thescripturerepresentsthemashisgoods,Luke11:

12.Thedevilswatchthem;

theyareeverbythemattheirrighthand;

theystandwaitingforthem,likegreedyhungrylionsthatseetheirprey,andexpecttohaveit,butareforthepresentkeptback.IfGodshouldwithdrawhishand,bywhichtheyarerestrained,theywouldinonemomentflyupontheirpoorsouls.Theoldserpentisgapingforthem;

hellopensitsmouthwidetoreceivethem;

andifGodshouldpermitit,theywouldbehastilyswallowedupandlost.

6.Thereareinthesoulsofwickedmenthosehellishprinciplesreigning,thatwouldpresentlykindleandflameoutintohellfire,ifitwerenotforGod'

srestraints.Thereislaidintheverynatureofcarnalmen,afoundationforthetormentsofhell.Therearethosecorruptprinciples,inreigningpowerinthem,andinfullpossessionofthem,thatareseedsofhellfire.Theseprinciplesareactiveandpowerful,exceedingviolentintheirnature,andifitwerenotfortherestraininghandofGoduponthem,theywouldsoonbreakout,theywouldflameoutafterthesamemannerasthesamecorruptions,thesameenmitydoesintheheartsofdamnedsouls,andwouldbegetthesametormentsastheydointhem.Thesoulsofthewickedareinscripturecomparedtothetroubledsea,Isa.57:

20.Forthepresent,Godrestrainstheirwickednessbyhismightypower,ashedoestheragingwavesofthetroubledsea,saying,"

Hithertoshaltthoucome,butnofurther;

butifGodshouldwithdrawthatrestrainingpower,itwouldsooncarryallbeforeit.Sinistheruinandmiseryofthesoul;

itisdestructiveinitsnature;

andifGodshouldleaveitwithoutrestraint,therewouldneednothingelsetomakethesoulperfectlymiserable.Thecorruptionoftheheartofmanisimmoderateandboundlessinitsfury;

andwhilewickedmenlivehere,itislikefirepentupbyGod'

srestraints,whereasifitwereletloose,itwouldsetonfirethecourseofnature;

andastheheartisnowasinkofsin,soifsinwasnotrestrained,itwouldimmediatelyturnthesoulintoafieryoven,orafurnaceoffireandbrimstone.

7.Itisnosecuritytowickedmenforonemoment,thattherearenovisiblemeansofdeathathand.Itisnosecuritytoanaturalman,thatheisnowinhealth,andthathedoesnotseewhichwayheshouldnowimmediatelygooutoftheworldbyanyaccident,andthatthereisnovisibledangerinanyrespectinhiscircumstances.Themanifoldandcontinualexperienceoftheworldinallages,showsthisisnoevidence,thatamanisnotontheverybrinkofeternity,andthatthenextstepwillnotbeintoanotherworld.Theunseen,unthought-ofwaysandmeansofpersonsgoingsuddenlyoutoftheworldareinnumerableandinconceivable.Unconvertedmenwalkoverthepitofhellonarottencovering,andthereareinnumerableplacesinthiscoveringsoweakthattheywillnotbeartheirweight,andtheseplacesarenotseen.Thearrowsofdeathflyunseenatnoon-day;

thesharpestsightcannotdiscernthem.Godhassomanydifferentunsearchablewaysoftakingwickedmenoutoftheworldandsendingthemtohell,thatthereisnothingtomakeitappear,thatGodhadneedtobeattheexpenseofamiracle,orgooutoftheordinarycourseofhisprovidence,todest