The roicdccóúntant. 5 6 t be able to pour out our complaints before the Lord, or acquaint himwith our troubles; Theanger ofGod atthe firft maybe but q«8e,,.,,asa little Cloud,as bigas a Mans hand, but if we negle& it,it maybreak out uponus withthat fiercenefs and violence, as that itmay interruptourprayers, andhinder the ascent of them to the Throne of Grace. Thereforebefore the wrath ofGodbreak forth uponus, Ict us ferioufly think of it, and prevent it by our prayers : Let a timely fear incite our prayers, andquicken our devotion. This holy fear will kindle an holy devotion in our hearts, and as a watchful keeper of the heart, fhall fufler no thoughts to break forth, butfuch as fhall mount aloft to Heaven. As cold water makes the fire more fierce and vehement ; fo does this fear make ourprayers more earneftand fervent. And this is ourfirft Obfervation, the fear ofGods wrath drives us to ourprayers and makesus the more importunate with Godformercy. The fecond Conclufton now follows, which arifeth from the Context, after the prophet had givenusa defcription ofthe wrath ofGod,hepitcheth his nextthoughts úpon Death; and this brings in our next Obfervation. The wrath of God thought upon, makes us to thinkofDeath. He thatruminates upon the wrath ofClod which he bath incurr'd by fin, mull needs think ofDeath, the fad effeta of fin. When I rememberhow far I have pro; yoked the anger of a just Clodby Sin, I cannot choofebut thinkofDeath. This was Jobs cafe, who whilehe was under thewrathofgjod, and felt not thecomfortof the pardonofhis Sins, he did imagine there was no other way but deathwith him, Job 7; at. why doff thou not pardon mytranfrefon, and take away mine iniquities ? for now/hall I Jteep inthe daft, and thew/haltfeekme in the morning, brit Ifhall not be: As if he had faid, Deliverttte, OLord,from thy wrath, andgrantme the pardon of my fins, othervvife I ambut as a deadmanbefore thee. Solomon fpeaks of the wrath bf aKing. Pray. 16.54. that it is as mefengers of death ; Surely then the vvrath of Godmay very vvell be aMeffenger fent from God to put us in mindofDeath. If the Wrathofmanbe fo fierce, vvhat is the vvrath ofGod ? ifthe frovvn ofa King firike a man dead,vvhat povver is there in the looksofanangry God to bringus tonothing? if thefmoke()fauns anger can do this,whatcannot the flame of Godswrath do,eren, confume us to very aches? Does the fear ofGodsWrath put us in mind of Death ? r. Thisdifcovers our Own guilt,what a weight of fin lies upon our Souls ; otherwife,what reafon hadwe to tremble at the denunciation'of Gods wrath against us, ifwe were not confcious toour felves of a worldof wickedness which harbours in our breafts? Were we not privy to a mats of Corruption lurking within us, the fear of death would never affright us. A ftrong wind is able to Ibake and bend the ftrongefttree, and the wrathofGod will make the molt godlyman alive to quake and tremble. Imagine thecaficlt death that is, it cannot be butthat Nature willhave force ftruglings with it. It is inapollible todie fuch a death, as !hall have nopangs to attend upon it. Thus it is even in the deathof the greatestSaints, there mult needsbe Tome strivings and wrestlings in the Confciencewith the wrathofGod. Theheart of no Chriftian is fo far quieted and appearedat the hour ofdeath,as that all fear is banifhedout of it; and a man hath not the leali remembranceoffin, and of the wrath ofGoddue to f?in,lodging in hisbreast. Thisholy fear is in thebefitofGods children,and proves as an excellent preparative for death; He is b'eft fitted for Death, that meditates often.of the wrath ofGod due tofm. We fee wehave many occafions prefented ióus,toput usin mind ofDeath;weare never without force Watchword or other to beat the remembrance ofDeath into our thoughts.' David had Death in his eye, Tfal.119. tog. e31'1y' foul is con- tinually in myhand; like a Souldler he tarried his life inhis hand,and was prepared for thenext encounter,andmade ready for it. In all the Judgments ofGod,Deatb, like the aflies which Mojsfprinkled, is fcattered and cali over ail ourheads.' Death like the Hand-writing the wall, appears inall our families, and !hews it felf in our houfes; and In all Facet wecome into whitherfoever wego; wherefoever we abide, we wantnot Many reprefentations ofDeath before our eyes. L'of u`s there- foreat all times andMall places thinkof the wrathofGod,and letdie ëorifidciatioti ätid i king. 11.44. Obfcrv. z. ZfeL, Jurlg.ia. á Exöd. 9._eb Dan. $. 4t
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