(2dly.) From God to us. There are some flashes of wrath, and open- ing of our consciences, fears of hell, horrors, Hosea ii. G. Hedging up our ways with thorns, and making a wall that we should not find our j)aths, which maketh us to vex and .storm when we cannot have as much as we desire. So likewise by turning all providences into a
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snare, cursing all ordinances to us. Now and then, I say, God dis- coveretli much wrath to the soul, that it cannot but see it. Oh, tlien, labour to be sensible of your condition. You think to rub it out well enough, and yet you see there are many expressions of war between God and you.
[2.] Consider the danger of your condition. Oh, it is a sad thing to be at war with God. If a man were at war with one with whom he were able to make his party good, it were no such matter ; but this you can never do with God. Foolish man thinketh so, and therefore the apostle saith, 1 Cor. x. 22, ' Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy ? are we stronger than he ?' Will ye act so flatly against his com- mandments, as if you thought you should be able to bear out yourselves in the transgression ? That you may not think so, con- sider :-^
(1.) He it is that upholdeth you in your beings, and he can resolve you into nothing, as easily as he could create you out of nothing. Solomon saith, Prov. xvi. 14, that ' the wrath of a king is as the mes- senger of death ;' that is, you had as good have one to come and tell you that you shall die, as to come and tell you that a king is angry with you. A wrinkle in the brow of majesty is as a grave to you. If men were sensible, it is much more true of the wrath of God ; he can speak you out of your beings in an instant. It is said, Heb. i. 2, ' He upholdeth all things by the word of his power.' And would a man be angry with him that is able to speak him into nothing ? Now thus it is with God.
(2.) Besides his power, consider the whole creation taketh part with God ; and when he pleaseth he is able to arm the meanest creatures against you. As he said that would not dispute with a king, ' I have learned not to contend with him that is able to command legions ;' so should we say, that we will not contend with God, that is able to com- mand the creatures. The meanest worm is able to revenge God's quarrel against you. Sometimes God declareth his power against his enemies by frogs, flies, mean contemptible things, as we read concern- ing the plagues of Egypt. So Herod was eaten up of worms. Acts xii. 23 ; and Pope Adrian was choked with a gnat. I would not willingly expatiate on these things, to ofi'er only matter to your fancies, but beseech you to weigh it in your thoughts. God might kill you with the least fly that hummeth about you, and you have deserved it. It is not only the more dangerous things that can do man hurt, but all things. Consider this, I pray you ; God doth more eminently dis- cover it to you, that you may consider it.
(3.) If nobody else, yet God can make use of your own selves against yourselves. He need plague a man no worse than to open his own conscience against him. As Luther said, for a man to see but his own sins, is as great a hell as can be imagined. This hath made saints to roar, Ps. xxxii. 3. This dried up David's moisture, ver. 4. Spira would give all the world for one motion of the Spirit to make him believe what was proposed to him concerning Christ. See that expression. Job vi. 4, 'The arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirits ; the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me.' Just as a man runneth up and down
286 A rUACTICAL EXPOSITION UPON [IsA. LIII. 5.
in distraction that liath a poisoned arrow shot into his bowels. In the whole circuit of nature you cannot tind one medicine tha4; will heal this grief. All friends, comforts, and relations, are nothing, and all other troubles are hut sport and recreation to these. Spiritual good and evil, both are not known till felt. Oh, consider how it will be with you when God shall bring out all those unclean thoughts, horrid oaths, lies, deceits that you have been guilty of. All shall be set on upon the heart, and you become a terror to yourselves.
(4.) He is able to ruin you, body and soul, eternally ; and so he will deal with all his enemies : Mat. xxi. 41, 'He will miserably destroy those wicked men.' Not only destroy, but miserably destroy. Many are encouraged in their attempts, that if they be ruined, it is but their fortune, there is the worst of it. Now he is able to destroy you so as you shall not know the worst of it ; he is able to sink you below all happiness of being or subsistence. Oh, consider the end of those whose peace is not made with God! Judgments without measure, most extreme and exquisite sufferings without mitigation, not a drop of cold water to cool the tongue ; judgment without mercy.