436 THE VAIN REFUGE OF SINNERS. DISC. VI. receive him as a Saviour ? " Behold, . he cometh in flaming fire, with ten thousand of his angels, to render vengeance to them that resisted his grace, and disobeyed the invitation of his gospel ;" 2 Thess. i. 7, 8. Time was, when the " Father sent forth his Son, not to condemn the world, but that through him the world might have life ;" John iii. 17. But the time is coming, when God shall send him arrayed with majesty and with righteous indignation, to condemn the rebellious world, and inflict upon them the pains of eternal death. Hast thou seen him, Oh my soul ! in the discoveries of his mercy ? Fly to him with all the wings of faith and love, with all the speedof desire and joy fly to him, receive his grace, and accept of his salvation, that, when the day of the wrath of the Lamb shall appear, thou mayest behold his countenance without terror and confusion. Reflection IL "How very different will the thoughts of sinners be in that day fromwhat they are at present? How different their wishes and their inclinations ?" And that with regard to this one terror which my text, de- scribes, viz. that they shall address themselves to the rocks and mountains for shelter, and fly into the dens and caverns of the earth for concealment and safety. Let us survey this in a few particulars : Sinners, whose looks were once lofty and disdainful, whose eyes were exalted in pride, their mouths set against the heavens, and their hearts haughty and full of scorn, they shall be humbled to the dust of the earth, they shall creep into the hiding-places of the moles and the bats, and thrust their heads into holes, and caverns, and dens of desolation, at the appearance of God, their Creator, in flaming fire, and the Son of God, their Judge : for he is the avenger, of his own and his Father's injured ho- nours. Sinners, who were once fond of their idols and their sen- sual delights, whomade idols to themselves of every agree- able creature, and gave it that place in their heartswhich belongs only to God, they shall be horribly confounded in that day, when God shall appear in his majesty, to shake the earth to the centre, and to burn the surface of it with all its bravery. This is nobly described by the prophet Isaiah, chapter the second, from 10-21. In that day shall a man cast his idols' of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made, each one for himself to wox-
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