422 THE WRATH OF THE LAMB. inrsc. V-. the greatest, and the best of creatures, joined to the wrath ofan offended Creator*. But let us enter á little into particulars . 1. It is righteous wrath, and just and deserved ven- geance, that arises from the clearest discoveries of the love of God neglected, and the sweetest messages of di- vine grace refused., All the former discoveries of the love of God to men,_ both is 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 ofMoses, 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 dis- obedience received a just recompence of reward,--.---- Vow shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation, as this which began to be spoken by our Lord ?" Heb. ii.. e -4. Moses had many true discoveries of grace made to him, and intrusted with him for sinful men : But the scripture saith ; Jahn i. 17. " The law came by Moses, and grace and truth came by Jesus Christ :" that is, in such super-abundance, as though grace and truth had never appeared in the world before. The forgiving mercy of God, under the veil of ceremonies and sacri -, fices, and the mediation of Christ, under 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 this doctrine at large from Heb. x. 1 -14. This is ama, *Here let it be observed, that, when the holy scripture speaks of " 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 wiTé feel fermentingor working within ourselves, when our anger rises ; But because the justice, or rectoral wisdom of God, inclines him to bring na- tural 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 totreat those that have offended them, and therefore the scripture, speaking after the manner of men, calls it the " 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 whomGodhead dwells, be any thing more than the calm, dispassionate, rectoral wisdom of the human nature of Christ, inclininghim to punish rebellious and impenitent sinners, in conformity to the will of God his Father, or in concurrence with the godhead which dwells in him.
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