DISCOURSE V. 121 wrath of the Son of God, in his human nature exalted, as well as the displeasure of God the Father : It is the righteous and holy resentment of the man Jesus, awàkened and let loose against rebellious creatures, that have broken all the rules of his Fa- ther's government, and have refused all the proposals of his Father's grace, It is the wrath of the highest, the greatest, and the best of creatures, joined to the wrath of an offended Cre- atore. But let us enter a little into particulars : 1. It is righteous wrath, and just and deserved vengeance, that arises from the clearest discoveries of the love of God neg- lected, and the sweetest messages of divine grace refused. All the former discoveries of the love of God to men, both in nature and providence, as well as by divine revelation, whether made by men or by angels, whether in the days of the patriarchs,. or in the days of Moses, and the Jews, were far inferior to the grace which was revealed by Jesus Christ ; and therefore the sin of rejecting it is greater in proportion, and the punishment will be more severe. If the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward, How shall we escape, if we neglect so great sal station as this, which began to be spoken by our Lord ;" Heb. ii. 2--4 Moses had many true discoveries of grace made to him, and intrusted with him for sinful men : But the scripture saith ; John i. 17. The law cahie by Moses, and grace and truth came by Jesus Christ; that is, in such super - abundance, as though grace and truth had never appeared to the world before. The forgiving mercy of God, under the veil of ceremonies and sacri fices, and the mediation of Christ, tinder the type of the high - priest, was but a dark and imperfect discovery, in comparison of the free, the large, the full forgiveness, which is brought to us by the gospel of Christ. Learn titis doctrine at large from Heb. X. 1 -14. This is amazing mercy, astonishing grace, and the despisers of it will deserve to perish with double destruction, for they wink their eyes against clearer light, and reject the offers of more abounding love. * Here let it be observed, that when the holy scripture speaks of r( the wrath and indignation of the blessed God," we are not to understand it, as though God was subject to such passions or affections of nature, as we feel fer- menting or working within ourselves, when our anger rises: But because the justice, or rectorat wisdom of God, inclines him to bring natural evil, pain, or sorrow upon those, who are obstinately guilty of moral evil or sin, and to treat them, as anger or wrath inclines men to treat those that have offended them, and therefore the scripture speaking after the manlier of men, calls it the a wrath and indignation of God." And it is hard to say, whether or no the wrath of the Lamb; that is, of the man Christ Jesus, in whom Godhead dwells, be any thing more than the calm, dispassionate, rectoral wisdom of the human nature of Christ, inclining biro to punish rebellious and impenitent sinners, in conformity to the will of God hie Father, or is concurrence with the godhead which dwells in high
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