all who obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though one lived alone altogether by himself, his duty to God, and his own soul must be performed, otherwise he incurs God's anger.

Against relative sins, the sins of the several relations in which we stand. In whatever relation we are placed, whether in the church, state, or family, God has prescribed us our duty, wherein we are to walk in these relations; and we cannot be unfaithful or negligent in them, but we expose ourselves to the anger of God.

5. Against the sin of the particular bias of our nature, as well as these of the general bias of it. "If thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell." The sin that by reason of our natural temper, constitution, manner of life, does most easily beset us, though we are apt to indulge ourselves in it, God will not, but it will bring us to ruin, if we hold not off from that as well as from others. I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.

Lastly, God's wrath is revealed against all sin, great or small. The sins of every size, customary or not customary, signal miscarriages or more ordinary sinning. "For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse for it is written, cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the book of the law to do them." We now proceed,

II. To consider the wrath of God revealed against this ungodliness, and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness. Here we shall first show what this wrath is; and secondly, take notice of the properties of this wrath.

1. What is God's wrath? Wrath in men is the passion of anger risen to a height; but since there are no passions in God, wrath is not ascribed to God in respect of the affection, but of the will and effects. There are three things then in it.

The highest aversion to ungodliness and unrighteousness. "Thou Lord art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity." They are most contrary to his holy nature, so that he cannot endure the sight of them. "The foolish shall not stand in thy sight, thou hatest all workers of iniquity." He has (so to speak) a natural antipathy against them, such a strong aversion to them, that it is impossible he should ever lay aside his utmost abhorrence of them, or cease to hate them and be angry at them.

It implies, secondly, A constant will to punish them as crimes against his honour. By the righteousness of his nature he has this will. "It is a righteous thing with God, says Paul, to recompense tribulation to them that trouble his people." So that these sins can VOL. III.

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never be forgiven, but on a valuable satisfaction, by which the due wrath and punishment not laid upon the guilty, is yet laid fully upon the Cautioner, who stands in their stead. And where there is no cautioner, there it falls on the head of the guilty. "And he shall bring upon them their own iniquity, and shall cut them off in their own wickedness; yea, the Lord our God shall cut them off."

It implies, thirdly, Actual resentment of them in the effects of wrath. "Therefore saith the Lord, the Lord of hosts, the mighty one of Israel, Ah! I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies." This is called pouring out of wrath, by which the heavens, black above the heads of the ungodly and unrighteous, do disburden themselves upon them in showers. "For great, said Josiah the king, is the wrath of the Lord that is poured out upon us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the Lord." And as no man can count the drops of a shower, so the direful effects of the wrath of God, on the body and soul are innumerable. "Who knoweth the power of thine anger? Even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath." It is not only as showers of water, but of fire. Who, says the prophet Nahum, Who can stand before his indignation, and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? His fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him." And there is,

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The small rain of wrath, that falls on the ungodly and unrighteous on earth. "God, says Zophar, shall cast the fury of his wrath upon the wicked, and shall rain it upon him while he is eating.” This is a rain that never ceases, sometimes it is greater, sometimes less; but it is never quite fair, any day that dawns to the ungodly. For God is angry with the wicked every day. Sometimes indeed the sun of outward prosperity shines on him, but even while it is shining, it is raining on him also. Drops of wrath are silently sinking into his soul, his body, his every enjoyment. The prosperity of fools shall destroy them. The least stroke he meets with is a drop of wrath. But besides these drops,

There is also the great rain of his strength, that falls upon them in hell. In this life there are thunder claps of wrath from the word, in the threatenings, and the shower falls; but for the most part sinners are deaf to the thunder, and shift for themselves under the rain. But at the great day, the great thunder clap is given from the throne. "Then the Judge shall say unto them on the left hand, Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." And then the fountains of the great deep, and the windows of heaven are opened, and the full shower comes which makes an eternal deluge; for it will rain for ever, without one clear

blink through the ages of eternity. "Upon the wicked God shall rain, snares, fire and brimstone; and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup."

We find this shower represented under the notion of a shower of hail, Rev. xvi. 21. Every stone about the weight of a talent, a prodigious size; and then it will pierce them to the soul, and fill them with despair under which they will rage and despair evermore. This is that rain which is in the cloud of the threatening against the ungodly and unrighteous, which gathered together and began to fall when Adam fell from God; and which rained down in such abundance, as made the way betwixt heaven and earth unpassable. But with respect to believers, it is over, having fallen out on Christ their surety. With them the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. Nevertheless with respect to men who hold the truth in unrighteousness, it continues in its full force. This is that wrath of God which is revealed against all ungodliness, and unrighteousness of men. Let us, 2dly, Take notice of the properties of this wrath of God.

1. It is most mighty wrath. "Who knoweth the power of thine anger? Even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath." There is no standing before it. Who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry ? It comes on like a deluge of waters, overflows and sweeps all away before it. The hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies. It burns as a fire and devours all before it as the flame doth the dry stubble. "Men perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little." Worm man cannot resist it, cannot make head against it. 2. It is unsupportable. What men cannot resist, they will set themselves to bear. But wrath strikes the criminal in a most tender part, where a wound produces intolerable pain. A wounded spirit who can bear? Wrath is a sinking load on the soul, quite beyond the power of the creature to comport with. "Who among us shall dwell with devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings." Therefore there is no rest under the load, Rev. xiv. 11.

3. It is most penetrating and piercing wrath, a seeking thing like water or oil. "As he clothed himself with cursing like as with his garments, so let it come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones." Men's wrath may reach flesh, blood, and bones, but can go no further; there is a precious part within which it cannot reach. But God's wrath pierceth into the whole man and every part. "God is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." It sinks into the soul and conscience. "The arrows of the Almighty, says Job, are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit; the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me." As with some struck

with thunder, not a wound in their skin, yet the bones are crushed, or grinded, and the life is gone; so a person's external comforts standing entire about him, his soul may be melted within him, as in Belshazzar's case.

4. It is most vehement and exquisitely tormenting. By the hand of wrath, sinners falling under it shall be torn in pieces. Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver. It is a fearful story, 2 Kings ii. 23. But the united force of lions, leopards, and bears, is little enough to represent, what tearing an angry God makes on the ungodly, Hosea xiii. 7, 8. By the millstone of wrath they will be grinded to powder, Luke xx. 18. By the fire of wrath they will be burned and scorched. For God is a consuming fire. No pain more exquisite than what is caused by burning, and no fire burns so keenly as the fire of God's wrath. "The pile of Tophet is fire and much wood; the breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it."

5. It is wrath treasured up. "The wicked treasure up to themselves wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God." This speaks a fulness of wrath. The clouds of wrath are full and ready to burst, to empty themselves on impenitent sinners. A variety of it. The wrath of God is a teeming womb of all miseries on the ungodly, Deut. xxxii. 23.-26. All the mischiefs that can befall a creature, are in this treasure, and all shall be gathered together and cast into the lake with the generation of his wrath. And whosoever are not found written in the book of life, shall be cast into the lake of fire. It speaks also the reserving of it for them. They are reserved for it as fuel for the fire. God reserveth the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished. And it is reserved for them. "The Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries and he reserveth wrath for his enemies." And this will be brought on them in due time, When the day of the Lord's anger cometh upon them. Hence frequently compared to travailing pangs.

6. It is continuing wrath without intermission. The worst season has readily some intermission, some fair blinks, but God's wrath is an abiding cloud on the objects of it. The wrath of God abideth on them. The curse abides in the house, Zech. v. 4. Men are born children of wrath, and if they be not born again, it lies on them from the cradle to the grave. It leaves them not at death, but goes with them to the other world. The wicked is driven away in his wickedness. And the full shower comes on at last, when they are plunged into everlasting burning.

7. It is eternal wrath. "They shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and the glory of his

power." It will lie on the sinner through all the ages of eternity. The bands of death will be loosed, and the grave will cast out the dead criminal, and though he cry to the hills and rocks to cover him, they will not hear; because he must live to the end he may be ever dying. The wrath of mortals, death will extinguish if nothing else can; but the wrath of the eternal God is a worm that never dies, and is a fire never quenched. And God's wrath will ever be the wrath to come.

8. It is unavoidable to such as continue in their ungodly and unrighteous state and courses. "He that being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy." What way is it possible for them to avoid it? They may fancy that time will wear it out, and a provoked God will forget the affronts. But in vain. "The Lord hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob, surely I will never forget any of their works." Fair words will never appease this wrath. "Without shedding of blood their is no remission of sin." They cannot outwit him who is omniscient; nor outbrave the omnipotent; nor flee from the presence of the omnipresent God.

Lastly, After all, it is most just, a clear fire without smoke. Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? The sea of wrath raging against the sinner, remains clear as crystal. No transport of fury to carry him to excess, is consistent with his nature. The offence is against an infinite God, and must be infinitely punished. It remains, III. To show how this wrath is revealed against the ungodliness, and unrighteousness of men. It is revealed three ways.

1. In the word. Therein God has declared his anger against all such. And one jot or tittle cannot pass away without being fulfilled. The Bible is a standing witness against the ungodliness, and unrighteousness of men, a solemn warning piece to all. And the preaching of the word reveals it also. The Lord's messengers are sent to warn sinners of that wrath. They are to say, "Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him, for the reward of his hands shall be given him." And the warnings which men get in this way will aggravate their condemnation. "Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes."

2. In providences. God has not left himself without a witness, in his works, as well as in his word. It is revealed to us, in the wrath which falls on others. Look into the records of providence, in all ages, the deluge, the burning of Sodom and Gomorrah, &c. Observe what has fallen out in our day of this sort. It is a reve