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 · 381 of 409

SERMON VII. The Portion of the Wicked · Part 1

romans ii. 8, 9.

But 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, of the Jew first, and also of the .

it is the drift of the apostle in the three first chapters of this epistle, to show that both Jews and are under sin, and therefore cannot be by works of law, but only by faith in Christ. In the first chapter he had shown that the were under sin: in this he shows that the Jews also are under sin, and that however severe they were in their censures upon the , yet they themselves did the same things; for which the apostle very much blames them: “Therefore, thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest, for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest, doest the same things. ” And he warns them not to go on in such a way, by forewarning them of the misery to which they will expose themselves by it, and by giving them to understand, that instead of their misery being less than that of the , it would be the greater, for God’s distinguishing goodness to them above the . The Jews thought that they should be exempted from future wrath, because God had chosen them to be his peculiar people. But the apostle informs them that there should be indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, to every soul of man; not only to the , but to every soul; and to the Jews first and chiefly, when they did evil, because their sins were more aggravated.

In the text we find,

1. A description of wicked men; in which may be observed those qualifications of wicked men which have the nature of a cause, and those which have the nature of an effect.

Those qualifications of wicked men here mentioned that have the nature of a cause, are their being contentious, and not obeying the truth, but obeying unrighteousness. By their being contentious, is meant their being contentious against the truth, their quarrelling with the gospel, their finding fault with its declarations and offers. Unbelievers find many things in the ways of God at which they stumble, and by which they are offended. They are always quarrelling and finding fault with one thing or another, whereby they are kept from believing the truth and yielding to it. Christ is to them a stone of stumbling, and rock of offence. They do not obey the truth, that is, they do not yield to it, they do not receive it with faith. That yielding to the truth and embracing it, which there is in saving faith, is called obeying, in Scripture. Rom. vi. 17. “But God be thanked that ye were the servants of sin; but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.” Heb. v. 9. “And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.” Rom. i. 5. “By whom we have received and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations for his name.” But they obey unrighteousness instead of yielding to the gospel, they are under the power and dominion of sin, and are slaves to their lusts and corruptions.

It is in those qualifications of wicked men that their wickedness radically consists; their unbelief and opposition to the truth, and their slavish subjection to lust, are the foundation of all wickedness.

Those qualifications of wicked men, which have the nature of an effect, are their doing evil. This is the least of their opposition against the gospel, and of their slavish subjection to their lusts; that they do evil. Those wicked principles are the foundation, and their wicked practice is the superstructure; those were the root, and this is the fruit.

2. The punishment of wicked men, in which may be also noticed the cause and the effect.

Those things mentioned in their punishment that have the nature of a cause, are indignation and wrath; i.e. the indignation and wrath of God. It is the anger of God that will render wicked men miserable; they will be the subjects of divine wrath, and hence will arise their whole punishment.

Those things in their punishment that have the nature of an effect, are tribulation and anguish. Indignation and wrath in God, will work extreme sorrow, trouble, and anguish of heart, in them.

Doctrine. Indignation, wrath, misery, and anguish of soul, are the portion that God has allotted to wicked men.

Every one of mankind must have the portion that belongs to him. God allots to each one his portion; and the portion of the wicked is nothing but wrath, and distress, and anguish of soul. Though they may enjoy a few empty and vain pleasures and delights, for a few days while they stay in this world, yet that which is allotted to them by the Possessor and Governor of all things to be their portion, is only indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish. This is not the portion that wicked men choose; the portion that they choose is happiness, yet it is the portion that God carves out for them; it is the portion that they in effect choose for themselves. For they choose those things that naturally and necessarily lead to it, and those that they are plainly told, times without number, will issue in it. Prov. viii. 36. “But he that sinneth against me, wrongeth his own soul; all they that hate me love death.” But whether they choose it or not, this will and must be the portion to all eternity of all who live and die wicked men. Indignation and wrath shall pursue them as long as they live in this world, shall drive them out of the world, and shall follow them into another world; and there wrath and misery shall upon them throughout eternity.

The method that I shall take in treating this subject, is to describe the wrath and misery of which wicked men shall be the subjects, both here and hereafter, in the successive parts and periods of it, according to the order of time.

I. I shall describe the wrath that often pursues wicked men in this life. Indignation and wrath often begin with them here.

1. God oftentimes in wrath leaves them to themselves. They are left in their sins, and left to undo themselves, and work out their own ruin; he lets them alone in sin. Hos. iv. 17. “Ephraim is joined to his idols; let him alone.” He often leaves them to go great lengths in sin, and does not afford them that restraining that he does to others. He leaves them to their own blindness, so that they always remain ignorant of God and Christ, and of the things that belong to their peace. They are sometimes left to hardness of heart, to be stupid and senseless, so that nothing will ever thoroughly awaken them. They are left to their own hearts’ lusts, to continue in some wicked practices all their days. Some are left to their covetousness, some to drunkenness, some to uncleanness, some to a proud, contentious, and envious spirit, and some to a spirit of finding fault and quarrelling with God. God leaves them to their folly, to act exceedingly foolishly, to delay and put off the concerns of their souls from time to time, never to think the present time the best, but always to keep it at a distance, and foolishly to continue flattering themselves with hopes of long life, and to put far away the evil day, and to bless themselves in their hearts, and say, ” I shall have peace, though I add drunkenness to thirst.” Some are so left that they are miserably hardened and senseless, when others all around them are awakened, and greatly concerned, and inquire what they shall do to be saved.

Sometimes God leaves men to a fatal for a misimprovement of the strivings of his Spirit. They are let alone, to perpetually. Dreadful is the life and condition of those who are thus left of God. We have instances of the misery of such in God’s holy word, particularly of Saul and Judas. Such are, sometimes, very much left to the power of Satan to tempt them, to hurry them on in wicked courses, and exceedingly to aggravate their own guilt and misery.

2. Indignation and wrath are sometimes exercised towards them in this world, by their being cursed in all that concerns them They have this curse of God following them in every thing. They are cursed in all their enjoyments. If they are in prosperity, it is cursed to them; if they possess riches, if they have honour, if they enjoy pleasure, there is the curse of God that attends it. Psalm xcii. 7. “When the wicked spring as the grass, and when all the workers of do flourish; it is that they may be destroyed forever.

There is a curse of God that attends their ordinary food: every morsel of bread which they eat, and every drop of water which they drink. Psalm lxix. 22. “Let their table become a snare before them; and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap.” They are cursed in all their employments, in whatsoever they put their hands to; when they go into the field to labour, or are at work at their respective trades. Deut. xxviii. 16. “Cursed shall thou be in the city, and cursed shall thou be in the field.” The curse of God remains in the houses where they dwell, and brimstone is scattered in their habitations. Job xviii. 15. The curse of God attends them in the afflictions which they meet with, whereas the afflictions that good men meet with, are fatherly corrections, and are sent in mercy. The afflictions which wicked men meet with are in wrath, and come from God as an enemy, and are the foretaste of their everlasting punishment. The curse of God attends them also in their spiritual enjoyments and opportunities, and it would have been better for them not to have been born in a land of light. Their having the Bible and the , is only to aggravate their guilt and misery. The word of God when preached to them is a savour of death unto death. Better would it be for them, if Christ had never come into the world, if there had never been any offer of a Saviour. Life itself is a curse to them; they live only to fill up the measure of their sins. What they seek in all the enjoyments, and employments, and concerns of life, is their own happiness; but they never obtain it; they never obtain any true comfort, all the comforts which they have are worthless and unsatisfying. If they lived a hundred years with never so much of the world in their possession, their life is all filled up with . All that they have is of , they find no true rest for their souls, they do but feed on the east wind, they have no real contentment. Whatever outward pleasures they may have, their souls are starving. They have no true peace of conscience, they have nothing of the favour of God. Whatever they do, they live in vain, and to no purpose; they are useless in the creation of God, they do not answer the end of their being. They live without God, and have not the , nor any communion with him. But on the contrary, all that they have and all that they do, does but contribute to their own misery, and render their future and everlasting state the more dreadful. The best of wicked men live but miserable and wretched lives, with all their prosperity; their lives are most undesirable, and whatever they have, the wrath of God upon them.

3. After a time they must die. Eccles. ix. 3. “This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.”

Death is a far different thing when it befalls wicked men, from what it is when it befalls good men; to the wicked it is in execution of the curse of the law, and of the wrath of God. When a wicked man dies, God cuts him off in wrath, he is taken away as by a tempest of wrath, he is driven away in his wickedness. Prov. xiv. 32. “The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death.” Job xviii. 18. “He shall be driven from light into darkness, and chased out of the world.” Job xxvii. 21. “The east wind carrieth him away, and he departeth, and as a storm, hurleth him out of his place.” Though wicked men, while they live, may live in prosperity, yet they cannot live here always, but they must die. The place that knoweth him shall know him no more; and the eye that hath seen him shall see him no more in the land of the living.

Their bounds are unchangeably set, and when they are come to those bounds they must go, and must leave all their good things. If they have lived in outward glory their glory shall not descend after them; they get nothing while they live that they can carry away. Eccles. v. 15. “As he came forth of his mother’s womb, naked shall he return, to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand.” He must leave all his substance unto others. It they are at ease and quietness, death will put an end to their quietness, will spoil all their mirth, and will strip them of all their glory. As they came naked into the world, so naked must they return, and go as they came. If they have laid up much goods for many years, if they have laid in stores, as they hope, for great comfort and pleasure, death will cut them off from all. Luke xii. 16, &c. “And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: and he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? and he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years: take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool! this night thy soul shall be required of thee; then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided.” If they have many designs and projects in their breasts for promoting their outward prosperity and advantage, when death comes, it cuts all off at one blow. Psalm cxlvi. 4. “His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.” And so whatever diligence they have had in seeking their salvation, death will disappoint all such diligence, it will not wait for them to accomplish their designs and fulfil their schemes. If they have pleased, and pampered, and adorned their bodies, death will spoil all their pleasure and their glory; it will change their countenances to a pale and ghastly aspect. Instead of their gay apparel and beautiful ornaments, they shall have only a winding-sheet; their house must be the dark and silent grave; and that body which they deified, shall turn to loathsome rottenness, shall be eaten of worms, and turn to dust. Some wicked men die in youth, wrath pursues them, and soon overtakes them; they are not suffered to live out half their days. Job xxxvi. 14. “They die in youth, and their life is among the unclean.” Psalm lv. 23. “But thou, O God, shall bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days.” They are sometimes overtaken in the very midst of their sin and ; and death puts a sudden end to all their youthful pleasures. They are often stopped in the midst of a career in sin, and then if their hearts cleave ever so fast to those things, they must be rent from them; they have no other good but outward good; but then they must eternally forsake it, they must close their eyes for ever on all that has been dear and pleasant to them here.

4. Wicked men are oftentimes the subjects of much tribulation and anguish of heart on their death-beds. Sometimes the pains of body are very extreme and dreadful; and what they endure in those agonies and struggles for life, after they are past speaking, and when body and soul are rending asunder, none can know. Hezekiah had an awful sense of it; he compares it to a lion’s breaking all his bones. Isa. xxxviii. 12, 13. “Mine age is departed, and is removed from me as a shepherd’s tent: I have cut off as a weaver my life; he will cut me off with pining sickness: from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me. I reckoned till morning, that, as a lion, so will he break all my bones: from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me.” But this is but little to what is sometimes undergone by wicked men in their souls when they are on their death-beds. Death appears sometimes with an exceedingly terrible aspect to them; when it comes and stares them in the face, they cannot bear to behold it. It is always so, if wicked men have notice of the approach of death, and have reason and conscience in exercise, and are not either stupid or distracted. When this king of terrors comes to show himself to them, and they are called forth to meet him, O how do they dread the conflict! But meet him they must: “There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it. ” Death comes to them with all his dreadful armour, and his sting not taken away; and it is enough to fill their souls with torment that cannot be expressed. It is an awful thing for a person to be lying on a sick bed, to be given over by physicians, to have friends stand weeping round the bed as expecting to part with him; and in such circumstances as those, to have no hope, to be without an interest in Christ, and to have the guilt of his sins lying on his soul, to be going out of the world without his peace being made with God, to stand before his holy judgment-seat in all his sins, without any thing to plead, or answer. To see the only opportunity to prepare for eternity coming immediately to an end, after which there shall be no more time of probation, but his case will be unalterably fixed, and there never will be another offer of a Saviour; for the soul to come just to the very edge of the boundless gulf of eternity, and insensibly to launch forth into it, without any God or Saviour to take tare of it; to be brought to the edge of the precipice, and to see himself falling down into the lake of fire and brimstone, and to feel that he has no power to stop himself: who can tell the shrinkings and misgivings of heart in such a case? How does he endeavour to hang back, but yet he must go on; it is in vain to wish for further opportunity! O how happy does he think those that stand about him, who may yet live, may have their lives continued longer, when he must go immediately into an endless eternity! How does he wish it might be with him as with those who have a longer time to prepare for their trial! but it must not be so. Death, sent on purpose to summon him, will give him no release nor respite: he must go before the holy judgment-seat of God as he is, to have his everlasting state determined according to his works. To such persons, how differently do things appear from what they did in the time of health, and when they looked at death as at a distance! How differently does sin look to them now; those sins which they used to make light of! How dreadful is it now to look back and consider how they have spent their time, how foolish they have been, how they have gratified and indulged their lusts, and lived in ways of wickedness; how careless they have been, and how they have neglected their opportunities and advantages, how they have refused to hearken to counsel, and have not in spite of all the warnings that were given! Prov. v. 11,12,13. “And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed, and say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof; and have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me!”

How differently does the world appear to them now! They used to set much by it, and have their hearts taken up with it; but what does it avail them now? how insignificant are all their riches! Prov. xi. 4. “Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but delivereth from death.” What different thoughts have they now of God, and of his wrath! They used to make light of the wrath of God, but how terrible does it now appear! How does their heart shrink at the thoughts of appearing before such a God! How different are their thoughts of time! Now time appears precious; and O what would they not give for a little more time! Some have in such circumstances been brought to cry out, O, a thousand worlds for an hour, for a moment! And how differently does eternity now appear! now it is awful indeed. Some have been brought on a death-bed to cry out, O that word Eternity! Eternity! Eternity! What a dismal gulf does it appear to them, when they come to the very brink! They often at such times cry for mercy, and cry in vain. God called, and they would not hear. “They set at nought his counsels, and would none of his reproofs. Now also he laughs at their calamity, and mocks when their fear cometh. ” They others to pray for them, they send for ministers, but all often fails them. They draw nearer and nearer to death, and eternity comes more and more immediately in view. And who can express their horror, when they feel themselves clasped in the cold arms of death, when their breath fails more and more, and their eyes begin to be fixed and grow dim! That which is then felt by them, cannot be told nor conceived. Some wicked men have much of the horror and despair of hell in their last sickness. Eccles. v. 17. “All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness.”

II. I shall describe the wrath that attends wicked men hereafter.

1. The soul, when it is separated from the body, shall be cast down into hell. There is without doubt a particular judgment by which every man is to be tried at death, beside the general judgment: for the soul, as soon as it departs from the body, appears before God to be judged. Eccl. xii. “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was; and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it:” that is, to be judged and disposed of by him. Heb. ix. 27. “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” But this particular judgment is probably no such solemn transaction as that which will be at the day of judgment; the soul must appear before God, but not in the manner that men shall appear at the end of the world. The souls of wicked men shall not go to heaven to appear before God, neither shall Christ descend from heaven for the soul to appear before him; neither is it to be supposed, that the soul shall be carried to any place where there is some special symbol of the divine presence, in order to be judged. But as God is every where present, so the soul shall be made immediately sensible of his presence. Souls in a separate state shall be sensible of the and of his operations in another manner than we now are. All separate spirits may be said to be before God: the are in his glorious presence, and the wicked in hell are in his dreadful presence; they are said to be tormented in the presence of the Lamb. Rev. 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.” So the soul of a wicked man, at its departure from the body, will be made immediately sensible that it is before an infinitely holy and dreadful God and his own final Judge; and will then see how terrible a God he is, he will see how holy a God he is, how infinitely he hates sin; he will be sensible of the greatness of God’s anger against sin, and how dreadful is his displeasure. Then will he be sensible of the dreadful majesty and power of God, and how fearful a thing it is to fall into his hands. Then the soul shall come naked with all its guilt, and in all its filthiness, a vile, loathsome, abominable creature, an enemy to God, a rebel against him, with the guilt of all its rebellion and disregard of God’s commands, and contempt of his authority, and slight of the glorious gospel, before God as its Judge. This will fill the soul with horror and amazement. It is not to be supposed that this judgment will be attended with any voice or any such outward transactions as the judgment at the end of the world; but God shall manifest himself in his strict justice inwardly, to the immediate view of the soul, and to the sense and apprehension of the conscience. This particular judgment probably will not hinder, but that the soul shall be cast into hell immediately when it goes from the body; as soon as ever the soul departs from the body, the soul shall know what its state and condition are to be to all eternity. As long as there is life, there is hope. The man, while he lived, though his case was exceedingly dreadful, yet had some hope; when he lay dying, there was a possibility of salvation. But when once the union between soul and body is broken, then that moment the case becomes desperate, and there remains no hope, no possibility. On their death-beds, perhaps, they had some hope that God would pity them and hear their cries, or that he would hear the prayers of their pious friends for them; they were ready to lay hold on something which they had at some time met with, some religious affection or some change in their external conduct, and to flatter themselves that they were then ; they were able to indulge some degree of hope from the moral lives that they had lived, that God would have respect to them and save them; but as soon as ever the soul parts from the body, from that moment the case will be absolutely determined, there will then be an end for ever to all hope, to every thing that men hang upon in this life; the soul then shall know certainly that it is to be miserable to all eternity, without any remedy. It shall see that God is its enemy; it shall see its Judge clothed in his wrath and vengeance. Then its misery will begin, it will that moment be swallowed up in despair; the great gulf will be fixed between it and happiness, the door of mercy will be for ever shut up, the irrevocable sentence will be passed. Then shall the wicked know what is before them. Before, the soul was in distress for fear how it would be; but now, all its fears shall come upon it; it shall come upon it as a mighty flood, and there will be no escaping. The soul was full of amazement before through fear; but now, who can conceive the amazement that fills it that moment when all hope is cut off, and it knows that there never will be any difference!

When a good man dies, his soul is conducted by holy angels to heaven. Luke xvi. 22. “And it came to pass that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died and was buried.” So we may well suppose that when a wicked man dies, his soul is seized by wicked angels; that they are round his bed ready to seize the miserable soul as soon as it is parted from the body. And with what fierceness and fury do those cruel spirits fly upon their prey; and the soul shall be left in their hands. There shall be no good angels to guard and defend it. God will take no merciful care of it, there is nothing to help it against those cruel spirits that shall lay hold of it to carry it to hell, there to torment it for ever. God will leave it wholly in their hands, and will give it up to their possession, when it comes to die; and it shall be carried down into hell, to the abode of devils and damned spirits. If the fear of hell on a death-bed sometimes fills the wicked with amazement, how will they be overwhelmed when they feel its torments, when they shall find them not only as great but far greater than their fears! They shall find them far beyond what they could conceive of before they felt them; for none know the power of God’s anger, but they that experience it. Psal. xc. 11. “Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath.”