Chap. 36. an Expojition upon the Book of J o s. Verf. r 3. Secondly , Rather the wrath heaped up, is the wrath of God, which is the molt dreadful! thing in the world; and fo thefe words May be expounded by tholeofthe Apolfle to an impenitent dnner ( Rem. 2. 4, ç. ) Defpifell thou the riches ofhisgoodioefs,and forbeararce,and long - fufering, not knowi«gthat thegoodnefs ofGod leideth thee to repentance : But after thy hardnefs and impenitent heart treafurefi sip unto thy felfwrath a ainfl the day ofwrath, and revelation ofthe rsghteooesitsdgneat of Çod. 7"0 heap up wrath,and, to treafureup wrath, are the fame. The abufers of the patience and leng.fuflering of God, are treafuring up wrath agaiff them- felves from day to day ; and fodo thehypocrites is kart, They heapup wrath. Hence Note, Firft, Thewicked or hypocrites in heart, growmore wicked while the handof God, his of icisng hand, rs upon them. The more they are under the rod, the more they rebell. I ground it upon this; If they did cot heap up fin, they ihould nor heap up wrath;were theynot more vile &wicked under their af- fI ion,there would not-be more anger againlf; thern.It was laid of thefe that wouldhave brought in the captives(which wasa very op- preffìngpurpofe,(aChro. 28. r 3.)ye (hall not;for Whereas wehave effended again f the Lord already, ye intend toadd more to our fins er to our tre[paffe.Then prefently followeth,For ourtrefpaffe is great, and there is fierce wrathagainftt Ifracl;As if it had been faid, If ye ` do this thing ye will increafe the wrath of God ( which is very fierce already) andblow it up into a confuming flame. While mengrow more and more wicked and vile, God growet h (as r© the manifeffations of wrath) more wrathful!. When we hear of the increafe of wrath, we may be lure there hath been a propor- tionable increafe of fin. It is laid of Ahaz, who was a hypocrite in hearr,- a very prophane perlon, ( 2 Chr®n; 28. za. ) that in the time of bis diflreffe be trefpajf'ed yet more againfi the Lord, and crefpafíing more againff the Lord,he heaped up more of the Lords wrath againft him-felf ; For'íisadded, (-v. 23. ) He facrificed to the gods of Tamafcou whichfinete him ; he'..ot nothing but blows, fór his paines, or impious piety in ferving- theme:>And he-Paid, be- caufe thegods ofthe Icings ofSyriahelp thtnm,therefore will Ifacri- fice to them, that-theymay help me, But what got he by this en- c: cafe 261
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