(3d.) The outward instances of God's wrath on particular men, when they fall into any painful disease, stone, colic, strangury, acute fevers, these come more immediately from God. You cannot think of two or three days' pain in this kind without horror, and how will you dwell with devouring burnings ? That which God puts into a judgment maketh it the more terrible ; a small thing deeply afflicts when it is set a-work by God.
(4th.) Public judgments. When God lets loose an enraged enemy upon a people, what burning of houses, ravishing of virgins, killing of infants, spoiling of all our precious things, exquisite tortures which cursed miscreants will find out to vex them who are fallen into their power. Read of the sacking of Jerusalem in Josephus, of Constan- tinople in Nicholas Comates, or the predictions of Moses, Deut. xxviii. 66, 67, rather a chronicle or history than a calendar or prognostica- tion, &c.
I shall now come to vindicate the point, and show that this dis- course is useful —
1. To those that are carnal.
262 SERMONS UPON 2 THESSALONIANS I. [SeR. VII.
[1.] To rouse them out of their security. If men did believe and consider the torments of hell and the dreadfulness of God's wrath, they would not sin as they do. Sermons of hell may keep many oat of hell, and a due consideration of wrath to come may rouse men up to flee from it. We do not urge the terror of the Lord, as desiring you may experiment it, but shun it. The wrath of God is no vain scarecrow ; surely men could not be so careless as usually they are, if they did heartily believe it, seriously consider of it, or closely apply it.
(1.) Many believe it not. Secure sinners think to-morrow shall be as yesterday, and the nest day as the former, that when they die there is an end of them ; and so have a mind to go to hell, to prove whether God be a liar, yea or no; they will not believe it till they feel it. There are no atheists in hell, though there be some in the visible church. If one came from the dead, they will believe, Luke xvi. 30. Men would have other assurance of things to come than God meaneth to give them ; when they will not hearken to faith and reason, God leaveth them to sense and experience. Or —
(2.) Do not seriously consider of these things, put far away the evil day, Amos vi. 3. As to the day itself, they can neither put it on nor off, but put off the thought of it, being besotted by the pleasures of carnal sense. As Saul cured the evil spirit by music, so do they by the delights of the flesh banish and exclude all thoughts of eternity, and charm and lull conscience asleep. Now it is good to bring these men to consider the end of things.
(3.) Do not closely apply these things. They do not examine whither they are going, whether their way tendeth to heaven or to hell. Most will seem to grant the truth and terribleness of hell tor- ments, but what have they done to get out of this condition ? Do they fly from wrath to come ? An humble and hearty subjection to Christ will procure your escape from these torments, therefore deal with your- selves : ' How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation ? ' Heb. ii. 3. Escape what ? Mat. xxiii. 33, ' How can ye escape the damna- tion of hell ? ' If you would not fall into the hands of a living God, cast yourselves into the arms of a dying Saviour : Ps. ii. 12, ' If his wrath be kindled but a little, blessed are all they that put their trust in him.' Therefore let us apply this truth. Do we enter into God's peace, or continue in the high way to hell ? Are not we sensual, senseless, secure ? If we abuse mercies, slight offers of grace, defeat the healing methods of God, refuse the motions and discipline of his Spirit, what will become of us ? Those that reject his mercy will not be able to reject his justice, or withstand the power of his wrath. You have to do with God now in the word of his power, Heb. iv. 13. He work- eth by it immediately ; but if you neglect this, you will have to do with him immediately again in the way of his judgment ; and then his wrath hath a full power over the wicked, because the motions of his word and Spirit had no power over them.
[2.] To check their boldness in sinning against light and conscience. It is a standing it out against God and Christ ; now can your hearts endure, or your hands be made strong against his fierce wrath ? So 1 Cor. x. 22, ' Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy ? are we stronger than he ? ' If you dare not to meet God at the last day, never dare to
VeR. 9.] SERMONS UPON 2 THESSALONIANS I. 263
break a commandment. Many times obstinate sinners will say, You threaten us with wrath, we will bear it as well as we can. Bear ! what Will you bear ? The wrath of the eternal and ever-living God ? Thou that canst not endure for a day or two to be scorched in feverish flames, the pains of the stone or gout, the pain of a broken arm or leg, the scalding of a little gunpowder casually blown up, how wilt thou endure the wrath of God himself, when he shall fall upon thee with all his might ? Thou that art so daunted at the sight of any great carnage by war or pestilence, or a sudden surprise of enemies, that roarest at the toothache, that canst not endure to try the burning of thy finger in a candle, that canst not hear of Lawrence's being roasted on a grid- iron without horror, thou canst seriously hear this doctrine without trembling ; surely all this bravery and hardness of heart is the fruit of unbelief and seared impenitency.