Sinners in the Hands …

Osinner!Considerthefearfuldangeryouarein:itisagreatfurnaceofwrath,awideandbottomlesspit,fullofthefireofwrath,thatyouareheldoverinthehandofthatGod,whosewrathisprovokedandincensedasmuchagainstyou,asagainstmanyofthedamnedinHell.Youhangbyaslenderthread,withtheflamesofdivinewrathflashingaboutit,andreadyeverymomenttosingeit,andburnitasunder;andyouhavenointerestinanymediator,andnothingtolayholdoftosaveyourself,nothingtokeepofftheflamesofwrath,nothingofyourown,nothingthatyoueverhavedone,nothingthatyoucando,toinduceGodtospareyouonemoment....WhenGodbeholdstheineffableextremityofyourcase,andseesyourtor－menttobesovastlydisproportionedtoyourstrength,andseeshowyourpoorsouliscrushed,andsinksdown,asitwere,intoaninfinitegloom;hewillhavenocompassionuponyou,hewillnotforbeartheexecutionsofhiswrath,orintheleastlightenhishand;thereshallbenomoderationormercy,norwillGodthenatallstayhisroughwind;hewillhavenoregardtoyourwelfare,norbeatallcarefullestyoushouldsuffertoomuchinanyothersense,thanonlythatyoushallnotsufferbeyondwhatstrictjusticerequires....Godstandsreadytopityyou;thisisadayofmercy;youmaycrynowwithsomeencouragementofobtainingmercy,Butoncethedayofmercyispast,yourmostlamentableanddolorouscriesandshriekswillbeinvain;youwillbewhol－lylostandthrownawayofGod,astoanyregardtoyourwelfare.Godwillhavenootherusetoputyouto,buttosuffermisery;youshallbecontinuedinbeingtonootherend;foryouwillbeavesselofwrathfittedtodestruction;andtherewillbenootheruseofthisvessel,buttobefilledfullofwrath....Thusitwillbewithyouthatareinanunconvertedstate,ifyoucontinueinit;theinfinitemight,andmajesty,andterriblenessoftheomnipotentGodshallbemagnifieduponyou,intheinef－fablestrengthofyourtorments.Youshallbetormentedinthepresenceoftheholyangels,andinthepresenceoftheLamb,andwhenyoushallbeinthisstateofsuffering,thegloriousinhabitantsofHeavenshallgoforthandlookontheaw－fulspectacle,thattheymayseewhatthewrathandfiercenessoftheAlmightyis;andwhentheyhaveseenit,theywillfalldownandadorethatgreatpowerandmajesty....ItwouldbedreadfultosufferthisfiercenessandwrathofAlmightyGodonemoment;butyoumustsufferittoalleternity.Therewillbenoendtothisexquisitehorriblemisery.Whenyoulookforward,youshallseealongforever,aboundlessdurationbeforeyou,whichwillswallowupyourthoughtsandamazeyoursoul;andyouwillabsolutelydespairofeverhavinganydeliverance,anyend,anymitigation,anyrestatall....Howdreadfulisthestateofthosethataredailyandhourlyinthedangerofthisgreatwrathandinfinitemisery!Butthisisthedismalcaseofeverysoulinthiscongregationthathasnotbeenbornagain,howevermoralandstrict,soberandreligious,theymayotherwisebe.Ohthatyouwouldconsiderit,whetheryoubeyoungorold!...Thoseofyouthatfinallycontinueinanaturalcondition,thatshallkeepyououtofHelllongestwillbethereinalittletime!Yourdamnationdoesnotslumber;itwillcomeswiftly,and,inallprobability,verysuddenlyuponmanyofyou.YouhavereasontowonderthatyouarenotalreadyinHell.Itisdoubtlessthecaseofsomewhomyouhaveseenandknown,thatneverdeservedHellmorethanyou,andthatheretoforeappearedaslikelytohavebeennowaliveasyou.Theircaseispastallhope;theyarecryinginextrememiseryandperfectdespair;buthereyouareinthelandofthelivingandinthehouseofGod,andhaveanopportunitytoobtainsalvation.Whatwouldnotthosepoordamnedhopelesssoulsgiveforoneday』sopportunitysuchasyounowenjoy!Andnowyouhaveanextraordinaryopportunity,adaywhereinChristhasthrownthedoorofmercywideopen,andstandsincallingandcryingwithaloudvoicetopoorsinners;adaywhereinmanyareflockingtohim,andpressingintothekingdomofGod.Manyaredailycomingfromtheeast,west,northandsouth;manythatwereverylatelyinthesamemiserableconditionthatyouarein,arenowinahappystate,withtheirheartsfilledwithlovetohimwhohaslovedthem,andwashedthemfromtheirsinsinhisownblood,andrejoicinginhopeofthegloryofGod.Howawfulisittobeleftbehindatsuchaday!Toseesomanyothersfeasting,whileyouarepiningandperishing!Toseesomanyre－joicingandsingingforjoyofheart,whileyouhavecausetomournforsorrowofheart,andhowlforvexationofspirit!Therefore,leteveryonethatisoutofChristnowawakeandflyfromthewrathtocome.ThewrathofAlmightyGodisnowundoubtedlyhangingoveragreatpartofthiscongregation:leteveryoneflyoutofSodom.「Hasteandescapeforyourlives,looknotbehindyou,escapetothemountain,lestyoubecon－sumed.」  [返]