X124 The "WORLD TO COME. Father bath put into my hands, as the first minister of his king- dom, as the avenger of his despised grace ?" 4. It is a wrath that is excited by a final and utter rejection of the last proposals of divine love, When mercy was offered to men by the blessed God at first, the discoveries were more dark and imperfect, there were still further discoveries to be made in following ages : Therefore the crime and guilt of sinners, in those former days, was much less than the crime and guilt of those who reject this last proposal of mercy. There is no further edition of the covenant of grace, for those who refuse this offer. Those who neglect Christ, as he is set forth in the gospel, to be a sacrifice for sin, there remains no more sacrifice for them, but a certain fearful expectation of vengeance, and fiery indignation, which shall consume the adversary ; Heb. x. 26, 28. All the former dispensations of grace are contained eminent- ly, and completed in this dispensation of the gospel. God can send no greater messenger than his own Son, and he concludes and finishes the whole scene and period of grace with the gospel of Christ. There remains nothing but wrath to the uttermost for those who have abused this last offer of mercy. This was ex- emplified in the destruction of Jerusalem and the Jews, a little after they bad put Christ to death, and rejected the salvation which he proposed ; and this wrath will be more terribly glorified in the final destruction of every sinner that wilfully rejects the glad tidings of this salvation. 5. It is such wrath as arises from the patience of a God tired and worn out by the boldest iniquities of men, and by a final perseverance in their rebellions. It is the character and glory of God, to be long-suffering., and slow to anger. Exod. xxxiv. 8. The Lord God, merciful and gracious, long - suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth ; and Jesus his Son, is the minis- ter of this his patience, and the intercessor for this delay of judgment end vengeance. He is represented as interceding one year after anóther for the reprieve of obstinate sinners, and at his interces- sion, God the Father waits to be gracious : But God will not wait and delay, and keep silence for ever, nor will Jesus for ever plead ; Ps.1. 1, 3, 21, 22. Consider this, ye that forget God, lest he tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver. God will say then to obstinate sinners, as he did to the Jews of old ; Jer. xv. 6. I will stretch out my hand against thee, and destroy thee ; I am weary of repenting : And even the abused patience of Jesus the Saviour, shall turn into fury, when the day of re- compence shall came, and the day of vengeance which is in his heart ; Is. lxiii. t, 4. O let each of us consider, °t How long have I made the grace of God wait on me ? How many messages of peade and pardon have I neglected? How many years have I delayed to
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