in religion,
whatever prayers he makes, till he believes in Christ, God is under no
manner of obligation to keep him a moment from eternal destruction. So
that, thus it is that natural men are held in the hand of God, over the
pit of hell; they have deserved the fiery pit, and are already sentenced
to it; and God is dreadfully provoked, his anger is as great towards
them as to those that are actually suffering the executions of the
fierceness of his wrath in hell, and they have done nothing in the least
to appease or abate that anger, neither is God in the least bound by any
promise to hold them up one moment; the devil is waiting for them, hell
is gaping for them, the flames gather and flash about them, and would
fain lay hold on them, and swallow them up; the fire pent up in their
own hearts is struggling to break out: and they have no interest in any
Mediator, there are no means within reach that can be any security to
them. In short, they have no refuge, nothing to take hold of; all that
preserves them every moment is the mere arbitrary will, and
uncovenanted, unobliged forbearance of an incensed God.
Application The use of this awful subject may be for awakening
unconverted persons in this congregation. This that you have heard is
the case of every one of you that are out of Christ. -- That world of
misery, that take of burning brimstone, is extended abroad under you.
There is the dreadful pit of the glowing flames of the wrath of God;
there is hell's wide gaping mouth open;
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