What Sin deserveth

Quest. What doth every Sin deserve?

Answ. God’s Wrath and Curse both in this Life, and that which is to come.

Matth. 25.41. Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting Fire.—

Man having sinned, is like a Favourite turn’d out of the King’s Favour, and deserves the Wrath and Curse of God.

(1.) God’s Curse, Gal. 3.10. As when Christ cursed the Fig-tree, it withered, Matth. 21.19. So when God curseth any, he withers in his Soul. God’s Curse blasts where-ever it comes.

(2.) God’s Wrath; which is nothing else but the Execution of God’s Curse.

First, What this Wrath is? In this Wrath there is, 1. Something that is Privative; that is, the being deprived of the Smiles of God’s Face. It is Hell enough to be excluded God’s Presence; In whose Presence is fulness of Joy, Psal. 16.11. God’s smiling Face hath that Splendor and Oriency of Beauty shining in it, as ravisheth the Angels with delight. This is the Diamond in the Ring of Glory. And if it were such a Misery for Absalom that he might not see the King’s Face, 2 Kings 14.22. what will it be for the wicked to be shut out from beholding God’s pleasant Face! Privatio divinae Visionis omnium suppliciorum summum.

Secondly, God’s Wrath hath something in it Positive. That is, his Frown and enraged Fury, which is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Wrath come upon the Sinner to the uttermost, 1 Thess. 2.16. Here, three Positions or Maxims.

1. God’s Wrath is irresistible. Psal. 90.11. Who knows the power of thy anger? Sinners may oppose God’s Ways, but not his Wrath. Shall the Briars contend with the Fire? Shall finite contend with infinite? Job 40.9. Hast thou an Arm like God?

2. God’s Wrath is Terrible. The Spanish Proverb is, The Lion is not so fierce as he is painted. We are apt to have slight Thoughts of God’s Wrath, but it is very tremendous and dismal: as if scalding Lead should be dropped in ones Eye. The Hebrew Word for Wrath, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, signifies Heat. To show that the Wrath of God is hot, therefore it is compared to Fire in the Text. Fire, when it is in its Rage, is dreadful, (as we saw in the Flames of this City.) So the Wrath of God is like Fire, it is the Terrible of Terribles. Other Fire is but painted to this. If when God’s Wrath is kindled but a little, and a Spark of it flies into a wicked Man’s Conscience in this Life, it is so terrible; what will it be when God stirs up all his Wrath? Psalm 78.38. How sad is it with a Soul in Desertion! Now God dips his Pen in Gall, and writes bitter things. Now his poysoned Arrow sticks fast in the Heart. Psal. 88.15, 16. While I suffer thy Terrors I am distracted, thy fierce Wrath goeth over me. Luther in Desertion was in such Horror of Mind, that Nec calor, nec Sanguis super-esset, He had no Blood seen in his Face, but he lay as one dead. Now, if God’s Wrath be such towards them whom he loves, what will it be towards them whom he hates? If they who sip of the Cup find it so bitter, what will they do who drink the Dregs of the Cup? Psal. 75.8. Solomon saith, The Wrath of a Prince is as the roaring of a Lion, Prov. 19.12. What then is God’s Wrath? When God musters up all his Forces, and sets himself in Battalia against a Sinner, how can his Heart endure? Ezek. 22.14. Who is able to lie under Mountains of Wrath? God is the sweetest Friend but the forest Enemy. To set forth the fearfulness of this Wrath:

(1.) The Wrath of God shall seize upon every part of a Sinner. 1. Upon the Body: The Body which was so tender, it could not bear Heat or Cold, shall be tormented in the Wine-press of God’s Wrath. Those Eyes which before could only behold Amorous Objects, shall be tormented with the sight of Devils. The Ears, which before were delighted with Musick, shall be tormented with the hideous Shrieks of the Damned. 2. The Wrath of God shall seize upon the Soul of of a Reprobate. Ordinary Fire cannot touch the Soul. When the Martyrs Bodies were consuming, their Souls did triumph in the Flames; but God’s Wrath burns the Soul. 1. The Memory shall be tormented to remember what means of Grace have been abused. 2. The Conscience shall be tormented with self-accusations: The Sinner shall accuse himself for presumptuous sins, for mis-spending his precious hours, for resisting the Holy Ghost.

(2.) The Wrath of God is without Intermission. Hell is an abiding-place, but no resting-place: There is not a Minutes Rest. Outward Pain hath some Abatement: If it be the Stone or Cholick, the Patient hath sometimes Ease; but the Torments of the Damned have no Intermission. He that feels God’s Wrath, never saith, I have Ease.

(3.) The Wrath of God is Eternal. So saith the Text, Everlasting Fire. No Tears can quench the Flame of God’s Anger; no, tho we could shed Rivers of Tears. In all Pains of this Life Men hope for a Cessation, the Suffering will not continue long; either the Tormentor dies, or the Tormented: But the Wrath of God is always feeding upon a Sinner. The Terror of Natural Fire is, that it consumes what it burns: But this makes the Fire of God’s Wrath terrible, that it doth not consume what it burns. Sic morientur damnati ut semper vivunt. Bern. The Sinner shall ever be in the Furnace, after innumerable Millions of Years the Wrath of God is as far from ending as it was at the beginning. If all the Earth and Sea were Sand, and every Thousand Years a Bird should come and take away one Grain of this Sand, it would be a long while e’re that vast heap of Sand were emptied; but if after all that time the Damned might come out of Hell, there were some Hope. But this Word Ever breaks the Herrt.

Quest. But how doth it seem to consist with God’s Justice to punish Sin, (which perhaps was committed in a Moment) with Eternal Fire?

Answ. In respect of the hainous Nature of Sin. Consider the Person offended; ’tis Crimen laesae Majestatis: Sin is committed against an Infinite Majesty: therefore the Sin is infinite, and so the Punishment must be Infinite. Now because the Nature of Man is but Finite, and a Sinner cannot at once bear Infinite Wrath, therefore he must in Eternity of Time be satisfying what he cannot satisfie at once.

(4.) While the Wicked lie scorching in the Flames of Wrath, they have none to commiserate them. ’Tis some Ease of Grief to have some condole with us; but the Wicked have Wrath and no Pity shown them. Who should pity them? God will not pity them. They derided his Spirit, and now he will laugh at their Calamity, Prov. 1.26. The Saints will not pity them: They persecuted the Saints upon Earth, therefore they will rejoyce to see God’s Justice executed on them. Psal. 58.10. The Righteous shall rejoyce when he sees the Vengeance.

(5.) The Sinner under Wrath hath none to speak a good Word for him. An Elect Person when he sins hath one to intercede for him: 1 John 2.1. We have an Advocate, Jesus Christ the righteous. Christ will say, It is one of my Friends, one whom I have shed my Blood for; Father, pardon him. But the Wicked (that die in Sin) have none to solicit for them; they have an Accuser but no Advocate; Christ’s Blood will not plead for them; they slighted Christ, and refused to come under his Government, therefore Christ’s Blood cries against them.

3. God’s Wrath is Just. The Greek Word for Vengeance, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, signifies Justice. The Wicked shall drink a Sea of Wrath, but not one drop of Injustice. ’Tis just that God’s Honour be repaired, and how can that be but by punishing Offenders? Having shown you what this Wrath of God is, I shall shew you, 2. That we have deserved the Curse and Wrath of God. He who infringeth the Kings Laws, deserves the Penalty. Mercy goes by Favour, Punishment by Desert. Dan. 9.8. To us belongeth Confusion of Face. Wrath is that which belongeth to us as we are Sinners; it is as due to us as any Wages that is paid.

Vse I. Inform. First Branch. It justifies God in condemning Sinners at the last Day. Sinners deserve Wrath, and it is no Injustice to give them that which they deserve. If a Malefactor deserves Death, the Judge doth him no wrong in condemning him.

2d. Br. See what a great Evil Sin is, which exposeth a Person to God’s Wrath for ever.¹ You may know the Lion by his Paw: And you may know what an evil thing sin is by the Wrath and Curse it brings. When you see a Man drawn upon an Hurdle to Execution, you conclude he is guilty of some Capital Crime that brings such a Punishment. When a Man lies under the Torrid Zone of God’s Wrath, and roars out in Flames, then say, How horrid an Evil is Sin! They who now see no Evil in Swearing, or Sabbath-breaking, they will see it look black in the Glass of Hell-Torments.

3d. Br. See here an Hand-writing upon the Wall; here is that which may check a Sinners Mirth. He is now brisk and frolick, he chants to the sound of the Viol, and invents Instruments of Musick. Amos 6.5. He drinks stollen Waters, and saith they are sweet. Oh! but let him remember that the Wrath and Curse of God hang over him, which will shortly (without Repentance) be executed on him. Dionisius thought, as he sat at Table, he saw a naked Sword hang over his Head. The Sword of God’s Justice hangs over a Sinner; and when the slender Thread of Life is cut asunder, the Sword falls upon him. Rejoyce, O young Man, in thy Youth, and let thy Heart cheer thee in the Days of thy Youth, Eccles. 11.9. But know thou for all these things God will bring thee into Judgment. For a drop of Pleasure thou must drink a Sea of Wrath. Your Pleasure cannot be so sweet, as Wrath is bitter. The Delights of the Flesh cannot countervail the Horror of Conscience. Better want the Devils Honey, than be so stung with the Wrath of God. The Garden of Eden, (which signifies Pleasure) had a Flaming Sword placed at the East-end of it, Gen. 3.24. The Garden of carnal and sinful Delight is surrounded with the Flaming Sword of God’s Wrath.

Vse II. Reproof. It reproves the Stupidity of Sinners, who are no more affected with the Curse and Wrath of God which is due to them. Isa. 44.19. No Man considereth in his Heart. If they were in Debt, and were ready to have the Serjeant Arrest them, they would be affected with that: But tho the fierce Wrath of God is ready to Arrest them, they remember not. A Beast, tho he hath no Shame, yet he hath Fear; he is afraid of Fire. But Sinners are worse than Bruitish, they fear not the Fire of Hell till they are in it. Most have their Conscience asleep or feared; but when they shall see the Vials of God’s Wrath dropping, then they will cry out as Dives, O I am tormented in this Flame! Luke 16.24.

Vse III. Exhort. 1. Let us Adore God’s Patience, who hath not brought this Wrath and Curse upon us all this while. We have deserved Wrath, yet God hath not given us our Desert. We may all subscribe to that, Psalm 103.8. The Lord is slow to Anger. And ver. 10. He hath not rewarded us according to our Iniquities. God hath deferred his Wrath, and given us space to repent, Rev. 2.21. God is not like an hasty Creditor, that requires the Debt, and gives no time for the Payment. He shoots off his Warning-Piece, that he may not shoot off his Murdering-Piece. 2 Pet. 3.9. The Lord is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish. God adjourns the Assizes, to see if Sinners would turn; he keeps off the storm of his Wrath. But if Men will not be warned, let them know, that long Forbearance is no Forgiveness.

2d. Br. Let us labour to prevent the Wrath we have deserved. How careful are Men to prevent Poverty or Disgrace! Oh labour to prevent God’s Eternal Wrath, that it may not only be deferred but removed.

Quest. What shall we do to prevent, and escape Wrath to come?

Answ. 1. By getting an Interest in Jesus Christ. Christ is the only Skreen to stand between us and the Wrath of God. He did feel God’s Wrath, that they who believe in him should never feel it. 1 Thess. 1.10. Jesus hath delivered us from Wrath to come. Nebuchadnezzar’s Fiery Furnace was a Type of God’s Wrath, and that Furnace did not singe the Garments of the Three Children, nor was the smell of Fire upon them, Dan. 3.27. Jesus Christ went into the Furnace of his Fathers Wrath, and those that believe in him, the smell of the Fire of Hell shall never pass upon them.

2. If we would prevent the Wrath of God, let us take heed of those sins which will bring the Wrath of God. Edmund, Successor of Anselm, hath a Saying, I had rather leap into a Furnace of Fire, than willingly commit a Sin against God. There are several fiery sins we must take heed of, which will bring the Fire of God’s Wrath.

(1.) The Fire of Rash Anger. Some who profess Religion, yet cannot bridle their Tongue; they care not what they say in their Anger, they will curse their Passions. St. James saith, The Tongue is set on Fire of Hell, Chap. 3.6. O take heed of a Fiery Tongue, lest it bring thee to Fiery Torment. Dives begg’d a Drop of Water to cool his Tongue: St. Cyprian saith, He had offended most in his Tongue, and now that was most set on Fire.

2. Take heed of the Fire of Malice. Malice is a malignant Humour, whereby we wish Evil to another. It is a Vermin lives on Blood, it studies Revenge. Caligula had a Chest where he kept deadly Poysons for them he had Malice against. The Fire of Malice brings Men to the Fiery Furnace of God’s Wrath.

3. Take heed of the Sin of Vncleanness. Heb. 13.4. Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge. Such as burn in Uncleanness, are in great Danger to burn one Day in Hell. Let one Fire put out another; let the Fire of God’s Wrath put out the Fire of Lust.

3d. Br. To you who have a well-grounded hope, that you shall not feel this Wrath which you have deserved, let me exhort you, 1. To be very thankful to God, who hath given his Son to save you from this tremendous Wrath. Jesus hath deliver’d you from Wrath to come. The Lamb of God was scorch’d in the Fire of God’s Wrath for you: Christ did feel the Wrath which he did not deserve, that you may escape the Wrath which you have deserved. Pliny observes, that there is nothing better to quench Fire than Blood. Christ’s Blood hath quench’d the Fire of God’s Wrath for you. Vpon me, upon me be the Curse, said Rebecka to Jacob, Gen. 27.13. So said Christ to God’s Justice, Upon me be the Curse, that my Elect may inherit the Blessing. 2. Be patient under all the Afflictions which you endure. Affliction is sharp, but this is not Wrath, this is not Hell. Who would not willingly drink in the Cup of Affliction, that knows he shall never drink in the Cup of Damnation? Who would not be willing to bear the Wrath of Men, that knows he shall never feel the Wrath of God?

Christian, tho thou mayst feel the Rod, thou shalt never feel the bloody Ax. Austin once said, Strike, Lord, where thou wilt, if sin be pardoned. So say, Afflict me, Lord, as thou wilt in this Life, seeing I shall escape Wrath to come.