Christian Classics
‹ Works of Jonathan Edwards, Volume Two
Contents
Introduction To The Works Of Jonathan EdwardsAdvertisement respecting the First SermonSermon I. God glorified in Man's DependenceSermon II. Sinners in the Hands of an angry God.Sermon I. A Divine and Supernatural LightSermon II. The Church's Marriage · Part 1Sermon II. The Church's Marriage · Part 2Sermon II. The Church's Marriage · Part 3Sermon III. True Saints · TRUE SAINTS, WHEN ABSENT FROM THE BODY, ARE PRESENT WITH THE LORD.Sermon III. True Saints · APPLICATIONSermon IV. God's Awful JudgmentSermon V. True Grace · Part 1Sermon V. True Grace · Part 2Sermon V. True Grace · Part 3PrefaceSermon I. Manner of Salvation of SoulsSermon II. THE UNREASONABLENESS OF INDETERMINATION IN RELIGIONSermon III. UNBELIEVERS CONTEMN THE GLORY AND EXCELLENCY OF CHRISTSermon IV. THE FOLLY OF LOOKING BACK IN FLEEING OUT OF SODOMSermon V. THE FOLLY OF LOOKING BACK IN FLEEING OUT OF SODOM.Sermon VI. THE WARNINGS OF SCRIPTURE ARE IN THE BEST MANNER ADAPTED TO THE AWAKENING AND CONVERSION OF SINNERSSermon VII. HYPOCRITES DEFICIENT IN THE DUTY OF PRAYERSermon VIII. HYPOCRITES DEFICIENT IN THE DUTY OF PRAYER.Sermon IX. THE FUTURE PUNISHMENT OF THE WICKED UNAVOIDABLE AND INTOLERABLE.Sermon X. THE FUTURE PUNISHMENT OF THE WICKED UNAVOIDABLE AND INTOLERABLE.Sermon XI. THE ETERNITY OF HELL TORMENTS.Sermon XII. THE PEACE WHICH CHRIST GIVES HIS TRUE FOLLOWERS.Sermon XIII. THE PERPETUITY AND CHANGE OF THE SABBATH.Sermon XIV. THE PERPETUITY AND CHANGE OF THE SABBATH.Sermon XV. THE PERPETUITY AND CHANGE OF THE SABBATH.Seven Sermons. On Important Subjects · Part 1Seven Sermons. On Important Subjects · GOD THE BEST PORTION OF THE CHRISTIAN.Seven Sermons. On Important Subjects · APPLICATION.Seven Sermons. On Important Subjects · THE SOLE CONSIDERATION, THAT GOD IS GOD, SUFFICIENT TO STILL ALL OBJECTIONS.Seven Sermons. On Important Subjects · APPLICATION.Seven Sermons. On Important Subjects · GREAT GUILT NO OBSTACLE TO THE PARDON OF THE RETURNING SINNER.Seven Sermons. On Important Subjects · APPLICATION.Seven Sermons. On Important Subjects · THE MOST HIGH A PRAYER-HEARING GOD.Seven Sermons. On Important Subjects · APPLICATION.Seven Sermons. On Important Subjects · THE NATURE AND END OF EXCOMMUNICATION.Seven Sermons. On Important Subjects · APPLICATION.Seven Sermons. On Important Subjects · WHEN THE WICKED SHALL HAVE FILLED UP THE MEASURE OF THEIR SIN, WRATH WILL COME UPON THEM TO THE UTTERMOST.Seven Sermons. On Important Subjects · APPLICATION.Seven Sermons. On Important Subjects · WICKED MEN USEFUL IN THEIR DESTRUCTION ONLY.Seven Sermons. On Important Subjects · APPLICATION.MEN NATURALLY GOD'S ENEMIESSECTION I. In what respects, enemiesSECTION II. The degree of natural enmitySECTION III. Why enemies to GodSECTION IV. That natural men are unconscious of enmity, answeredSECTION V. That they show respect to God, answeredSECTION VI. Restraining grace a privilegeSECTION VII. Why unwilling to come to ChristSECTION VIII. Mercy, justly withheldSECTION IX. Practical improvementIntroductionSECTION I. Wonderful things doneSECTION II. God greatly glorifiedSECTION III. The good attained wonderfully variousSECTION IV. Angels benefit by salvationSECTION V. Wonderful glory redounds to GodSECTION VI. The manner of obtaining salvationSECTION VII. The overthrow of SatanSECTION VIII. Superiority of this wisdom to that of angelsSECTION IX. The subject improvedSECTION X. The misery of unbelieversSECTION XI. Exhortation to come to ChristIntroductionSECTION I. What is intended by divinity, as the object of this knowledgeSECTION II. What kind of knowledge in divinity is intended in the doctrineSECTION III. The usefulness and necessity of the knowledge of divine truthSECTION IV. Why all Christians should make a business of endeavouring to grow in the knowledge of divinitySECTION V. An exhortation that all may diligently endeavour to gain Christian knowledgeSECTION VI. Directions for the acquisition of Christian knowledgeCHRISTIAN CHARITYSECTION I. The words explainedSECTION II. Of the obligations of Christians to perform the duty of charity to the poorSECTION III. An exhortation to the duty of charity to the poorSECTION IV. Objections which are sometimes made to the exercises of charity answeredIntroductionSECTION I. The necessity of self-examinationSECTION II. Why many living in sin, know it notSECTION III. Directions for self-examinationSECTION IV. Examination about the Lord's day, &cSECTION V. Examination about secret sins, &c.SECTION VI. Our temper of mind, &c. towards our neighbourSECTION VII. Our charity, &c. towards our neighbourSECTION VIII. Self-examination respecting our familiesSECTION IX. Awakening considerationsA WARNING TO PROFESSORSIntroductionSECTION I. The ordinances of God are holySECTION II. Ordinances, by whom profanedSECTION III. A call to self-examinationSECTION IV. Address to profaners of ordinancesIntroductionSECTION I. God is the supreme judgeSECTION II. Publicity of final judgmentSECTION III. Jesus will be the judgeSECTION IV. Christ's coming, the resurrection, &c.SECTION V. All will be done in righteousnessSECTION VI. Immediate consequences of judgmentSECTION VII. The uses of this doctrineSECTION I. Who are sinners in ZionSECTION II. How fearfulness will surprise themSECTION V. An earnest exhortation to sinnersIntroductionSECTION I. Saints not grieved, &c.SECTION II. Why the sufferings of the wicked, &c.SECTION III. An objection answeredSECTION IV. The ungodly warnedCHRIST EXALTEDSECTION I. How evil of all kinds has prevailed and highly exalted itself in the worldSECTION II. How Jesus Christ, in the work of redemption, appears gloriously above all these evilsSECTION III. The subject improved and appliedSELF-FLATTERIESSECTION I. Sinners flatter themselves with the hope of impunitySECTION II. Some of the various ways wherein sinners flatter themselves in their own eyesSECTION III. The subject applied: OR THE SIN OF THEFT AND INJUSTICESECTION I. The dishonesty of withholding what is our neighbour'sSECTION II. The dishonesty of unjustly taking a neighbour's propertySECTION III. Dishonest excusesSECTION IV. The subject applied—The dishonest warnedSECTION V. An exhortation to honestyTEMPTATION AND DELIVERANCESECTION I. Why we should avoid what tends to sinSECTION II. What things lead and expose to sinSECTION III. A serious warning to all, and especially young peopleTHE PRECIOUSNESS OF TIMESECTION I. Why time is preciousSECTION II. Reflections on time pastSECTION III. Who are chiefly deserving of reproof from the subject of the preciousness of timeSECTION IV. An exhortation to improve timeSECTION V. Advice respecting the improvement of timePROCRASTINATIONSECTION I. Needful precautionsSECTION II. The precept explainedSECTION III. When men act as though they depend on another daySECTION IV. Why we ought not to boast of to-morrowSECTION V. Serious inquiriesSECTION VI. How to spend every dayTHE CHRISTIAN PILGRIMSECTION I. That this life ought to be so spent by usSECTION II. Why the Christian's life is a journey, or pilgrimageSECTION III. Instruction afforded by the consideration, that life is a journey, or pilgrimageSECTION IV. An exhortation, so to spend the present life, that it may only be a journey towards heavenMAN'S NATURAL BLINDNESS IN RELIGIONSECTION I. Introductory observationsSECTION II. From men's open professionSECTION III. From men's experience and practiceSECTION IV. Practical inferences and applicationsSECTION V. Address to sinnersMr. Cooper's PrefaceIntroductionSECTION I Negative signs of a spiritual workSECTION II. Positive signsSECTION III. Practical inferences and applicationAdvertisementPreface by a former English editorPreface by the American editorsPART I. The Text opened, and in Account of the Affair proposedPART II. Motives to Compliance with what is proposed · Part 1PART II. Motives to Compliance with what is proposed · SECT. I.PART II. Motives to Compliance with what is proposed · SECT. II.PART II. Motives to Compliance with what is proposed · SECT. III.PART II. Motives to Compliance with what is proposed · SECT. IV.PART II. Motives to Compliance with what is proposed · SECT. V.PART II. Motives to Compliance with what is proposed · SECT. VI.PART II. Motives to Compliance with what is proposed · SECT. VII.PART III. Objections answered · Part 1PART III. Objections answered · SECT. I.PART III. Objections answered · SECT. II.PART III. Objections answered · sect. iiiPART III. Objections answered · SECT. IV.PART III. Objections answered · SECT. V.PrefacePART I. From his birth to the time when he began to study for the ministryPART II. From his beginning to study, till his being examined and licensed to preachPART III. From his being licensed to preach, till he was appointed Missionary to the IndiansPART IV. From his appointment, to his entrance on the mission at KaunaumeekPART V. From his beginning to instruct the Indians, to his ordination · Part 1PART V. From his beginning to instruct the Indians, to his ordination · Part 2PART V. From his beginning to instruct the Indians, to his ordination · Part 3PART V. From his beginning to instruct the Indians, to his ordination · Part 4PART VI. From his ordination, till he began to preach to the Indians at Crossweeksung, where he had his most remarkable success · Part 1PART VI. From his ordination, till he began to preach to the Indians at Crossweeksung, where he had his most remarkable success · Part 2PART VI. From his ordination, till he began to preach to the Indians at Crossweeksung, where he had his most remarkable success · Part 3PART VI. From his ordination, till he began to preach to the Indians at Crossweeksung, where he had his most remarkable success · Part 4PART VII. Return from his last journey to Susquehannah in a consumption, whereof he died · Part 1PART VII. Return from his last journey to Susquehannah in a consumption, whereof he died · Part 2PART VII. Return from his last journey to Susquehannah in a consumption, whereof he died · Part 3PART VII. Return from his last journey to Susquehannah in a consumption, whereof he died · Part 4PART VII. Return from his last journey to Susquehannah in a consumption, whereof he died · Part 5PART VIII. From his return to Susquehannah, till his death · Part 1PART VIII. From his return to Susquehannah, till his death · Part 2PART VIII. From his return to Susquehannah, till his death · Part 3PART VIII. From his return to Susquehannah, till his death · Part 4AdvertisementPrefacePART I. The Rise and Progress of a remarkable Work of grace, &c. From A.D. 1745, June 19 to Nov. 4, at Crossweeksung and Forks of Delaware · Part 1PART I. The Rise and Progress of a remarkable Work of grace, &c. From A.D. 1745, June 19 to Nov. 4, at Crossweeksung and Forks of Delaware · Part 2PART I. The Rise and Progress of a remarkable Work of grace, &c. From A.D. 1745, June 19 to Nov. 4, at Crossweeksung and Forks of Delaware · Part 3PART I. The Rise and Progress of a remarkable Work of grace, &c. From A.D. 1745, June 19 to Nov. 4, at Crossweeksung and Forks of Delaware · Part 4PART II. From A. D. 1745, Nov. 24, to June 19, 1746, do. · Part 1PART II. From A. D. 1745, Nov. 24, to June 19, 1746, do. · Part 2PART II. From A. D. 1745, Nov. 24, to June 19, 1746, do. · Part 3PART II. From A. D. 1745, Nov. 24, to June 19, 1746, do. · Part 4PART II. From A. D. 1745, Nov. 24, to June 19, 1746, do. · Part 5SECTION I. The doctrine preached to the IndiansSECTION II. Morality, sobriety, and external duties promoted by preaching Christ crucifiedSECTION III. Continuance, renewal, and quickness of the workSECTION IV. But little appearance of false religionSECOND APPENDIXSECTION I. His method of learning the Indian languageSECTION II. His method of instructing the IndiansSECTION III. Difficulties attending the Christianizing of the IndiansSECTION IV. Second difficulty, To convey divine truths to their understanding, and to gain their assentSECTION V. Third difficulty.SECTION VI. Fourth difficulty, The designs of evil-minded persons to hinder the workSECTION VII. Attestations of divine grace displayed among the IndiansTHIRD APPENDIX--Containing his brief account of the endeavours used by the Missionaries of the Society in Scotland, for propagating Christian Knowledge, to introduce the Gospel among the Indians, on the borders of New York. &c. in a Letter to the Rev. Mr. Ebenezer PembertonMR. BRAINERD'S REMAINSAdvertisementI. Letter to his brother John, then a studentII. Letter to his brother John, then a studentIII. Letter to his brother IsraelIV. Letter to a special friendV. Letter to a minister of the GospelVI. Letter to his brother JohnVII. Letter to IsraelVIII. Letter to IsraelIX. Letter to a young gentleman, a candidate for the ministryX. Letter to his brother John, at BethelI. Scheme of a Dialogue in the Godly SoulII. Thoughts of a Soul under ConvictionIII. Some signs of GodlinessA Sermon preached in Newark at the Ordination of Mr. David Brainerd, by E. Pemberton, A. M.Reflections and Observations · REV. DAVID BRAINERD.Reflections and Observations · SECT. I.Reflections and Observations · SECT. II.Reflections and Observations · SECT. III.Reflections and Observations · SECT. IV.Reflections and Observations · SECT. V.Reflections and Observations · REFLECT. II.Reflections and Observations · REFLECT. III.Reflections and Observations · REFLECT. IV.Reflections and Observations · REFLECT. V.Reflections and Observations · REFLECT. VI.Reflections and Observations · REFLECT. VII.Reflections and Observations · REFLECT. VIII.PrefaceAdvertisementPART I. Observations on the Facts & Evidences of Christianity, & the Objections of Infidels · CHAP. I.PART I. Observations on the Facts & Evidences of Christianity, & the Objections of Infidels · CHAP. II.PART I. Observations on the Facts & Evidences of Christianity, & the Objections of Infidels · CHAP. III.PART I. Observations on the Facts & Evidences of Christianity, & the Objections of Infidels · CHAP. IV.PART I. Observations on the Facts & Evidences of Christianity, & the Objections of Infidels · CHAP. V.PART I. Observations on the Facts & Evidences of Christianity, & the Objections of Infidels · CHAP. VI.PART I. Observations on the Facts & Evidences of Christianity, & the Objections of Infidels · CHAP. VII.PART I. Observations on the Facts & Evidences of Christianity, & the Objections of Infidels · CHAP. VIII.PART I. Observations on the Facts & Evidences of Christianity, & the Objections of Infidels · CHAP. IX.PART I. Observations on the Facts & Evidences of Christianity, & the Objections of Infidels · CHAP. X.PART II. Observations concerning the Mysteries of Scripture · Part 1PART II. Observations concerning the Mysteries of Scripture · Part 2PART II. Observations concerning the Mysteries of Scripture · Part 3PART II. Observations concerning the Mysteries of Scripture · Part 4PART II. Observations concerning the Mysteries of Scripture · Part 5CHAPTER I. Of God's Moral GovernmentCHAPTER II. Of Endless Punishment · Part 1CHAPTER II. Of Endless Punishment · Part 2CHAPTER II. Of Endless Punishment · Part 3CHAPTER III. Concerning the Divine Decrees · Part 1CHAPTER III. Concerning the Divine Decrees · Part 2CHAPTER III. Concerning the Divine Decrees · Part 3CHAPTER III. Concerning the Divine Decrees · Part 4CHAPTER III. Concerning the Divine Decrees · Part 5CHAPTER IV. Concerning Efficacious Grace · Part 1CHAPTER IV. Concerning Efficacious Grace · Part 2CHAPTER IV. Concerning Efficacious Grace · Part 3CHAPTER IV. Concerning Efficacious Grace · Part 4CHAPTER IV. Concerning Efficacious Grace · Part 5CHAPTER IV. Concerning Efficacious Grace · Part 6CHAPTER IV. Concerning Efficacious Grace · Part 7CHAPTER V. Of Satisfaction for Sin · Part 1CHAPTER V. Of Satisfaction for Sin · Part 2CHAPTER V. Of Satisfaction for Sin · Part 3CHAPTER V. Of Satisfaction for Sin · Part 4CHAPTER VI. Concerning Faith · Part 1CHAPTER VI. Concerning Faith · Part 2CHAPTER VI. Concerning Faith · Part 3CHAPTER VI. Concerning Faith · Part 4CHAPTER VI. Concerning Faith · Part 5CHAPTER VI. Concerning Faith · Part 6CHAPTER VII. Of the Perseverance of SaintsI. AngelsII. Fall of the AngelsIII. The DevilIV. Confirmation of the AngelsV. Heaven · Part 1V. Heaven · Part 2V. Heaven · Part 3V. Heaven · Part 4V. Heaven · Part 5V. Heaven · Part 6V. Heaven · Part 7V. Heaven · Part 8XII. TYPES OF THE MESSIAH · Part 1XII. TYPES OF THE MESSIAH · Part 2XII. TYPES OF THE MESSIAH · Part 3XII. TYPES OF THE MESSIAH · Part 4XII. TYPES OF THE MESSIAH · Part 5XII. TYPES OF THE MESSIAH · Part 6XII. TYPES OF THE MESSIAH · Part 7XII. TYPES OF THE MESSIAH · Part 8XII. TYPES OF THE MESSIAH · Part 9Pentateuch · Part 1Pentateuch · Part 2Pentateuch · Part 3Pentateuch · Part 4Genesis · Part 1Genesis · Part 2Genesis · Part 3Genesis · Part 4Genesis · Part 5Genesis · Part 6Genesis · Part 7Genesis · Part 8Exodus · Part 1Exodus · Part 2Exodus · Part 3Exodus · Part 4Leviticus to DeuteronomyJoshuaJudges to 2 Chronicles · Part 1Judges to 2 Chronicles · Part 2Judges to 2 Chronicles · Part 3Judges to 2 Chronicles · Part 4Nehemiah-EstherJobPsalmsProverbs to CanticlesIsaiahjeremiahEzekielDanielMinor ProphetsMatthew · Part 1Matthew · Part 2Matthew · Part 3Matthew · Part 4MarkLukeJohnActsRomans1-2 CorinthiansGalatians to 2 TimothyHebrews to Revelation · Part 1Hebrews to Revelation · Part 2Hebrews to Revelation · Part 3SERMON I. Natural Men in a dreadful Condition · Part 1SERMON I. Natural Men in a dreadful Condition · Part 2SERMON I. Natural Men in a dreadful Condition · Part 3SERMON I. Natural Men in a dreadful Condition · Part 4SERMON II. God makes Men sensible of their Misery before he reveals his Mercy and Love · Part 1SERMON II. God makes Men sensible of their Misery before he reveals his Mercy and Love · Part 2SERMON II. God makes Men sensible of their Misery before he reveals his Mercy and Love · Part 3SERMON III. Hope and Comfort usually follow genuine Humiliation and Repentance · Part 1SERMON III. Hope and Comfort usually follow genuine Humiliation and Repentance · Part 2SERMON III. Hope and Comfort usually follow genuine Humiliation and Repentance · Part 3SERMON III. Hope and Comfort usually follow genuine Humiliation and Repentance · Part 4SERMON IV. God's Sovereignty in the Salvation of MenSERMON V. The Character of Paul an Example t · Part 1SERMON V. The Character of Paul an Example t · Part 2SERMON V. The Character of Paul an Example t · Part 3SERMON V. The Character of Paul an Example t · Part 4SERMON VI. Christ's Agony · Part 1SERMON VI. Christ's Agony · APPLICATION.SERMON VI. Christ's Agony · APPLICATION.SERMON VII. The Portion of the Wicked · Part 1SERMON VII. The Portion of the Wicked · Part 2SERMON VII. The Portion of the Wicked · Part 3SERMON VII. The Portion of the Wicked · Part 4SERMON VIII. The Portion of the Righteous · Part 1SERMON VIII. The Portion of the Righteous · Part 2SERMON VIII. The Portion of the Righteous · Part 3SERMON VIII. The Portion of the Righteous · Part 4SERMON VIII. The Portion of the Righteous · Part 5SERMON VIII. The Portion of the Righteous · Part 6SERMON IX. The Pure in Heart blessed · Part 1SERMON IX. The Pure in Heart blessed · Part 2SERMON IX. The Pure in Heart blessed · Part 3SERMON X. Praise, one of the chief Employments of HeavenSERMON XI. Wicked Men inconsistent with themselves · Part 1SERMON XI. Wicked Men inconsistent with themselves · Part 2SERMON XI. Wicked Men inconsistent with themselves · Part 3SERMON XI. Wicked Men inconsistent with themselves · Part 4SERMON XII. Safety, Fullness, and sweet Refreshment, to be found in Christ · Part 1SERMON XII. Safety, Fullness, and sweet Refreshment, to be found in Christ · Part 2SERMON XII. Safety, Fullness, and sweet Refreshment, to be found in Christ · Part 3SERMON XIII. Christians a chosen Generation, a royal Priesthood, a holy Nation, a peculiar People · Part 1SERMON XIII. Christians a chosen Generation, a royal Priesthood, a holy Nation, a peculiar People · Part 2SERMON XIII. Christians a chosen Generation, a royal Priesthood, a holy Nation, a peculiar People · Part 3SERMON XIII. Christians a chosen Generation, a royal Priesthood, a holy Nation, a peculiar People · Part 4SERMON XIV. Jesus Christ the same yesterday, to-day, and for everSERMON XV. The true Excellency of a gospel ministerSERMON XVI. Christ the Example of ministersSERMON XVII. The Sorrows of the Bereaved spread before Jesus

Jonathan Edwards · 363 of 409

SERMON I. Natural Men in a dreadful Condition · Part 2

3. The soul of a natural man is the habitation of the devil. The devil is not only their father, and rules over them, but he dwells in them. It is a dreadful thing for a man to have the devil near him, often coming to him. But it is a more dreadful thing to have him dwell with a man, to take up his constant abode with him; and more dreadful yet to have him dwell in him, to take up his abode in his heart. But thus it is with every natural man. He takes up his abode in his heart. As the soul of a godly man is the habitation of the Spirit of God, so is the soul of a wicked man the habitation of unclean spirits. As the soul of a godly man is the temple of God, so the soul of a wicked man is the synagogue of Satan. A wicked man’s soul is in Scripture called Satan’s house, and Satan’s palace. Matthew xii. 27. “How can one enter into a strong man’s house?” meaning the devil. And Luke xi. 21. “When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace.” Satan not only lives, but reigns, in the heart of a wicked man. He has not only taken up his abode there, but he has set up his throne there. The heart of a wicked man, is the place of the devil’s rendezvous. The doors of a wicked man’s heart are open to devils. They have free access there, though they are shut against God and Jesus Christ. There are many devils, no doubt, that have to do with one wicked man, and his heart is the place where they meet. The soul of a wicked man is, as it was said of Babylon, the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. Thus dreadful is the condition of a natural man by reason of the relation in which he stands to the devil.

II. The state of men is very dreadful, if we consider its relation to the future world. Our state here is not lasting, but transitory. We are pilgrims and strangers here, and are principally designed for a future world. We continue in this present state but a short time; but we are to be in that future state to all eternity. And therefore men are to be denominated either happy or miserable, chiefly with regard to that future state. It matters but little comparatively what our state is here, because it will continue but a short time; it is nothing to eternity. But that man is a happy man who is entitled to happiness, and he is miserable who is in danger of misery, in his eternal state. Prosperity or adversity in the present state alters them but very little, because this state is of so short continuance.

1. Those who are in a natural condition, have no title to any inheritance in another world. There are glorious things in another world; there are unsearchable riches, an unspeakable and inconceivable abundance; but they have nothing to do with it. Heaven is a world of glory and blessedness; but they have no right to the least portion of those blessings. If they should die and go out of the world as they are, they would go destitute, having no inheritance, no friend, no enjoyments to go to. They will have no God to whom they may go, no Redeemer to receive their departing souls, no angel to be a ministering spirit to them, to take care of them, to guard or defend them, no interest in that Redeemer, who has purchased those blessings. What is said of the Ephesians is true of those who are in a natural condition. Ephesians ii. 12. “At that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.” What a dreadful case they are in, who live in the world having no hope, without any title to any benefits hereafter, and without any ground to hope for any good in their future and eternal state!

2. Natural men are in a dreadful condition, because of the misery to which they are exposed in the future world. This will be obvious, if we consider,

1. How great the misery is of which they are in danger;

2. How great is their danger of this misery.

1. How great the misery is of which they are in danger. It is great in two respects; 1. The torment and misery are great in themselves; and, 2. They are of endless duration.

1. The torment and misery, of which natural men are in danger, are exceedingly great in themselves. They are great beyond any of our words or thoughts. When we speak of them, our words are swallowed up. W e say they are great, and exceedingly great, and very dreadful. But when we have used all the words we can to express them, how faint is the idea that is raised in our minds in comparison with the reality! This misery will appear very dreadful, if we consider what calamities meet together in it. In it the wicked are deprived of all good, separated from God and all fruits of his mercy. In this world they enjoy many of the streams of God’s goodness. But in the future world they will have no more smiles of God, no more manifestations of his mercy by benefits, by warnings, by calls and invitations. He will never more manifest his mercy by the exercise of patience and lone-suffering, by waiting to be gracious; no more use any forbearance with them for their good; no more exercise his mercy by strivings of his Spirit, by sending messengers and using means. They will have no more testimonies of the fruits of God’s goodness in enjoying food and raiment, and comfortable dwellings and convenient accommodations, nor any of the comforts of this life; no more manifestations of his mercy by suffering them to draw near to him with their prayers, to pray for what they need. God will exercise no pity towards them, no regard for their welfare. Cut off from all the comforts of this life, shut out of heaven, they will see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven; but they shall be turned away from God and from all good into the blackness of darkness, into the pit of hell, into that great receptacle, which God has provided on purpose to cast into it the filthy, and polluted, and abominable of the universe. They will be in a most dreadful condition; they will have no friends. God will be their enemy, angels and the spirits of the just will be their enemies, devils and damned spirits will be their enemies. They will be hated with perfect hatred, will have none to pity them, none to bemoan their case, or to be any comfort to them. It appears that the state of the damned will be exceedingly dreadful in that they will suffer the wrath of God, executed to the full upon them, poured out without mixture. They shall bear the wrath of the Almighty. They shall know how dreadful the wrath of an Almighty God is. Now none knows, none can conceive. Psalm xc. 11. “Who knoweth the power of thine anger?” Then they shall feel the weight of God’s wrath. In this world they have the wrath of God on them, but then it will be executed upon them; now they are the objects of it, but then they will be the subjects of it. Now it hangs over them, but then it shall fall upon them in its full weight without any alleviation, or any moderation or restraint. Their souls and their bodies shall then be filled full with the wrath of God. Wicked men shall be as full of wrath as any thing that glows in the midst of a furnace is of fire. The wrath of God is infinitely more dreadful than fire. Fire, yea the fiercest fire, is but an image and shadow of it. The vessels of wrath shall be filled up with wrath to the brim. Yea, they shall be plunged into a sea of wrath. And therefore hell is compared to a lake of fire and brimstone, because there wicked men are overwhelmed and swallowed up in wrath, as men who are cast into a lake or sea, are swallowed up in water. O who can conceive of the dreadfulness of the wrath of an Almighty God! Everything in God is answerable to his infinite greatness. When God shows mercy, he shows mercy like a God. His love is infinitely desirable, because it is the love of God. And so when he executes wrath it is like a God. This God will pour out without mixture. Revelations xiv. 10. “The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb.” No mixture of mercy or pity; nothing thrown into the cup of wrath to assuage or moderate it. Job xxvii. 22. “God shall cast upon him and not spare.”. They shall be cast into the wine-press of the wrath of God, where they shall be pressed down with wrath, as grapes are pressed in a wine-press, Rev. xiv. 19. “Cast into the great wine-press of the wrath of God.” God will then make appear in their misery how terrible his wrath is, that men and angels may know how much more dreadful the wrath of God is, than the wrath of kings, or any creatures. They shall know what God can do towards his enemies, and how fearful a thing it is to provoke him to anger.

If a few drops of wrath do sometimes so distress the minds of men in this world, so as to be more dreadful than fire, or any bodily torment, how dreadful will be a deluge of wrath; how dreadful will it be, when all God’s mighty waves and billows of wrath pass over them! Every faculty of the soul shall be filled with wrath, and every part of the body shall be filled with fire. After the resurrection the body shall be cast into that great furnace, which shall be so great as to burn up the whole world. These lower heavens, this air and this earth, shall all become one great furnace, a furnace that shall burn the earth, even to its very centre. In this furnace shall the bodies of the wicked lie to all eternity, and yet live, and have their sense of pain and torment not at all diminished. O, how full will the heart, the vitals, the brain, the eyes, the tongue, the hands, and the feet be of fire; of this fire of such an inconceivable fierceness! How full will every member, and every bone, and every vein, and every sinew, be of this fire! Surely it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Who can bear such wrath? A little of it is enough to destroy us. Psalm ii. 12. “Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little.” But how will men be overwhelmed, how will they sink, when God’s wrath is executed in so dreadful a degree! The misery which the damned will endure, will be their perfect destruction. Psalm l. 22. “Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.”

In several places the wicked are compared to the stubble, and to briers and thorns before devouring flames, and to the fat of lambs, which consumes into smoke. But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs; they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.” They shall be as it were ground to powder under the weight of God’s wrath. Matthew xxi. 24. Their misery shall be perfect misery; and because damnation is the perfect destruction of a creature, therefore it is called death. It is eternal death, of which temporal death, with all its awful circumstances, is but a faint shadow. The struggles, and groans, and gasps of the body when dying, its pale awful visage when dead, its state in the dark grave when it is eaten with worms, are but a faint shadow of the state of the soul under the second death. How dreadful the state of the damned is, we may argue from the desert of sin. One sin deserves eternal death and damnation, which, in the least degree of it, is the total destruction of the creature. How dreadful, then, is the misery of which natural persons are in danger, who have lived some time in the world, and have committed thousands and thousands of sins, and have filled up many years with a course of sinning, and have committed many great sins, with high aggravations, who have sinned against the glorious gospel of Christ, and against great light, whose guilt is far more dreadful than that of the people of Sodom and Gomorrah! How dreadful is the punishment to which they are exposed, in which all their sins shall be punished according to their desert, and the uttermost farthing shall be exacted of them! The punishment of one idle word, or sinful thought, would be more than they could bear. How then will they bear all the wrath that shall be heaped upon them for all their multiplied and aggravated ? If one sin deserves eternal death and damnation, how many deaths and damnations will they have accumulated upon them at once! Such an aggravated, multiplied death must they die every moment, and always continue dying such a death, and yet never be dead. Such misery as this may well be called the blackness of darkness. Hell may well be called the bottomless pit, if the misery is so unfathomably great. Men sometimes have suffered extreme torment in this world. Dreadful have been the sufferings of some of the martyrs; but how little those are, in comparison of the sufferings of the damned, we may learn from 1 Peter iv. 16, 17, 18. “Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God on this behalf. For the time is come, that judgment must begin at the house of God; and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of those that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and sinner appear’?” The apostle is here speaking of the sufferings of Christians; and from he argues, that seeing their sufferings are so great, how unspeakably great will be the sufferings of the wicked! And if judgment begins with them, what shall be the end of those who obey not the gospel! As much as to say, the sufferings of the righteous are nothing to what those, who obey not the gospel, are. How dreadful, therefore, does this argue their misery to be! Well may the sinners in Zion be afraid, and fearful, and surprised. Well may the kings of the earth, and the great men, and rich men, and chief captains, and every bond man, and every free man, hide themselves in the dens, and in the rocks of the mountains, at Christ’s second coming; and cry and say to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of his wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand? Well may there be weeping and gnashing of teeth in hell, where there is such misery. Thus the misery of those who are in a natural condition, is, in itself, exceedingly great.

2. It is of endless duration. The misery is not only amazingly great, and extreme, but of long continuance; yea, of infinitely long continuance. It never will have any end. There will be no deliverance, no rest, no hope; but they will last throughout all eternity. Eternity is a thing in the thought of which our minds are swallowed up. As it is infinite in itself, so it is infinitely beyond the comprehension of our minds. The more we think of it, the more amazing will it seem to us. Eternity is a duration, to which, a long period of time bears no greater proportion than a short period. A thousand years, or a thousand ages, bear no greater proportion to eternity than a minute; or which is the same thing, a thousand ages are as much less than eternity as a minute. A minute comes as near an equality to it; or you may take as many thousand ages out of eternity, as you can minutes. If a man by the utmost skill in arithmetic, should denote or enumerate a great number of ages, and should rise by multiplication to ever so prodigious numbers, should make as great figures as he could, and rise in multiplying as fast as he could, and should spend his life in multiplying; the product of all would be no nearer equal to the duration which the wicked must spend in the misery of hell, than one minute. Eternity is that, which cannot be made less by subtraction. If we take from eternity a thousand years or ages, the remainder is not the less for it. Eternity is that which will forever be but beginning, and that because all the time which is past, let it be ever so long, is but a point to what remains. The wicked, after they have suffered millions of ages, will be, as it were, but in the first point, only setting out in their sufferings. It will be no comfort to them that so much is gone, for they will have none the less to bear. There will never a time come, when, if what is past, is compared to what is to come, it will not be as a point, and as nothing. The continuance of their torment cannot be measured out by revolutions of the sun, or moon, or stars, by centuries or ages. They shall continue suffering after these heavens and this earth shall wax old as a garment, till the whole visible universe is dissolved. Yea, they shall remain in their misery through millions of such ages as are equal to the age of the sun, and moon, and stars, and still it will be all one, as to what remains, still no nearer the end of their misery. Matthew xxv. 41. “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.” Mark ix. 44. “Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.” Revelation xx. 10. “They shall he tormented day and night for ever and ever.” And Revelation xiv. 11. “The smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever.” The damned in hell in their misery, will be in absolute despair. They shall know that their misery will have no end, and therefore they will have no hopes of it. O, who can conceive the dreadfulness of such despair as this in the midst of such torment! Who can express, or think anything how dreadful the thought of eternity is to them, who are under so great torment! To what unfathomable depths of woe will it sink them! With what a gloom and blackness of darkness will it fill them! What a boundless gulf of sorrow and woe is the thought of eternity to the damned, who shall be in absolute and utter despair of any deliverance!

How dreadful, then, is the condition of those who are in a natural state, who are in danger of such misery.

2. The dreadfulness of their condition will appear by considering how great their danger is of this misery. This will be obvious from the following things:

1. Their danger is such, that continuing in their present state, they will unavoidably sink into this misery.

1. The state in which natural persons now are, naturally tends to it. And this, because they are separate from God, and destitute of any spiritual good. The soul that is in a state of separation from its Creator, must be miserable, because he is separate from the fountain of all good. He that is separate from God, is in great danger of ruin, because he is without any defence. He that is separate from God, must perish, if he continue so, because it is from God only that he can have those supplies which can make him happy. It is with the soul as it is with the body. The body without supplies of sustenance will miserably famish, and die. So the souls of natural men are in a famishing condition. They are separate from God, and therefore are destitute of any spiritual good, which can nourish the soul, or keep it alive; like one that is remote in a wilderness, where he has nothing to eat or drink, and therefore, if he continue so, will unavoidably die. So the state of natural men naturally tends to that dreadful misery of the damned in hell, because they are separate from God.

2. They are under the power of a mortal disease, which, if it be not healed, will surely bring them to this death. They are under the power and dominion of sin, and sin is a mortal disease of the soul. If it is not cured, it will certainly bring them to death; viz. to that second death of which we have heard. The infection of the disease has powerfully seized their vital parts. The whole head is sick, the whole heart faint. The disease is inveterate. The infection is spread throughout the whole frame; the very nature is corrupted and ruined; and the whole must come to ruin, if God by his mighty power does not heal the disease. The soul is under a mortal wound; a wound deep and dreadfully confirmed. Its roots reach the most vital parts; yea, they are principally seated there. There is a plague upon the heart, which corrupts and destroys the source of life, ruins the whole frame of nature, and hastens an inevitable death. There is a most deadly poison, which has been infused into, and spread over, the man. He has been bitten by a fiery serpent, whose bite issues in a most tormenting death. Sin is that, which does as naturally tend to the misery and ruin of the soul, as the most mortal poison tends to the death of the body. We look upon persons far gone in a consumption, or with an incurable cancer, or some such malady, as in doleful circumstances. But that mortal disease, under whose power natural men are, makes their case a thousand times more doleful. That mortal disease of natural men does, as it were, ripen them for damnation. We read of the clusters of the vine of the earth being for the wine-press of the wrath of God, Rev. xiv. 18. where by the clusters of the vine are meant wicked men. The wickedness of natural men tends to sink them down to hell, as the weight of a stone causes it to tend towards the centre of the earth. Natural men have, as it were, the seeds of hell within their own hearts. Those principles of sin and corruption, which are in them, if they remain unmortified, will at length breed the torment of hell in them, and that necessarily, and of their own tendency. The soul that remains under the power of sin will at length take fire of itself. Hell will kindle in them.

2. If they continue in their present state, this misery appears to be unavoidable, if we consider the justice and truth of God.

1. If they continue in their present condition, so surely as God is just, they shall suffer the eternal misery of which we have heard. The honour of God’s justice requires it, and God will not disparage his own justice. He will not deny his own honour and glory, but will clarify himself on the wicked, as well as the godly. He will not lose his honour of anyone of his creatures, which he has made.

It is impossible that God should be frustrated or disappointed. And, so surely as God will not be frustrated, so surely shall they who continue in a natural condition, suffer that eternal misery, of which we have heard. The avenging justice of God is one of the perfections of his nature, and he will glorify all his perfections. God is unalterable in this as well as his other perfections. His justice shall and must be satisfied. He has declared that he will by no means clear the guilty. Exod. xxxiv. 7.; and that he will not the wicked. Exod. xxiii. 7. And that he will not at all acquit the wicked. Nahum i. 3. God is a strictly just Judge. When men come to stand before him, he will surely judge them according to their works. They that have guilt lying upon them, he will surely judge according to their guilt. The debt they owe to justice, must be paid to the uttermost farthing. It is impossible that any one, who dies in his sins, should escape everlasting condemnation and punishment before such a Judge. He will render to every man according to his deeds; Rom. ii. 8. “Unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil.” It is impossible to influence God to be otherwise than just in judging ungodly men. There is no bribing him. He accepteth not the person of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor. Deut. x. 17. “He regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward.” It is impossible to influence him to be otherwise than strictly just, by any , or tears, or cries. God is inexorably just. The cries and the moans of the malefactor will have no influence upon this Judge to pass a more favourable judgment on them, so as in any way to acquit or release them. The eternal cries, and groans, and lamentations of the wicked, will have no influence upon him. Though they are ever so long continued, they will not prevail upon God.

2. So surely as God is true, if they die in the state they are now in, they shall suffer that eternal misery. God has threatened it in a positive and absolute manner. The threatenings of the law are absolute; and they who are in a natural state, are under the condemnation of the law. The threatening of the law takes hold upon them; and if they continue under guilt, God is obliged by his word to punish them according to that threatening. And he has often, in the most positive and absolute manner, declared that the wicked shall be cast into hell; that they who believe not shall be damned; that they shall have their portion in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone; and that their misery shall never have an end. And therefore, if there be any truth in God, it shall surely be so. It is as impossible that he who dies in a natural condition, should escape suffering that eternal misery, as that God should lie. The word of God is stronger and firmer than mountains of brass, and shall not fail. We shall sooner see heaven and earth pass away, than one jot or tittle of all that God hath said in his word not be fulfilled. So much for the first thing, that evinces the greatness of the danger that natural men are in of hell; viz. that they will unavoidably sink into hell if they continue in such a condition.

2. Their danger will appear very dreadful, if we consider how uncertain it is, whether they will ever get out of this condition. It is very uncertain whether they will ever be . If they should die in their present condition, their misery is certain and inevitable. But it is very doubtful whether they will not die in such a condition. There is great danger that they will; great danger of their never being . And this will appear, if we consider two things.

1. They have nothing on which to depend for . They have nothing in the world, by which to persuade themselves that they shall ever be . Left to themselves, they never will and turn to God. If they are ever , therefore, it is God who must do it. But they have no promise of God, that they ever shall be . They do not know how soon they may die. God has not promised them long life; and he has not promised them that they shall be ready for death before they die. It is but a , whether God will ever give them to the acknowledging of the truth. 2 Tim. ii. 25. Their resolutions are not to be depended on. If they have , they are not to be depended on; they may lose those . Their depends on innumerable uncertainties. It is very uncertain, then, whether they will be before they die.