DISCOURSE XIII. 303 of some sin? And shall we not apply ourselves with all holy speed to the divine physician who can kill this gnawing worm within us, and can heal those sinful maladies that are breeding it? Have we not sometimes felt the thrèatenings of the wrath of God in his law, like a fire in our bones ? With what infinite de- sire then, and what restless vehemence should we fly to the blood of Jesus our great sacrifice, which alone can quench the fiery indignation of God, and prevent it from growing up to an ever- lasting flame Had we upon our spirits such a sense of the terrors of the Lord In hell, as his threatenings represent, we should never be satisfied with such cold doubtful hopes of our deliverance from them, as thousands of nominal christians are contented with; but we should make every needful and critical enquiry, whether our repentance were sincere, whether our faith in Christ were unfeigned, whether our hopes had a solid foundation in the divine promise : We should search every power of our souls, and ex- amine our hearts through every corner, whether sin be mortified there, whether the christian virtues are formed within us, and the divine image is begun to be stamped upon our minds : We should be restless and impatient in our inward searches, whether we are made new creatures, whether we are born of God and become his children, and are secured by his gospel from this everlasting vengeance. The degree and the infinite duration of this misery should appoint the proportion of our zeal and solici- tude to escape it. A man who sees or feels his own house on fire, under him, does not continue upon his bed of sloth, or sit amusing himself among the ornaments of his chamber, till the flames have broke through and seized him : But with huge outcries he seeks for help, and flies in haste for his life wheresoever he finds a way. Such should be the language, and such the activity of sinful creatures, to escape the wrath to come ; and such will be the outcries of sinners when they are thoroughly awakened : This language of every place, and of every hour will then be awak- ened, What shall I do to be saved? Whither shall I fly for refuge ? O blessed Jesus, receive me into thy protection, and be thou my deliverer. Give me leave to repeat this sort of expostulation with lingering and delaying sinners, or with drowsy and formal chris- tians., if you would set yourselves often in the blaze of these everlasting burnings, you would never satisfy yourselves with cold faint wishes, such lazy endeavours, such languid efforts of faith and repentance to escape this. fiery indignation that shall never be quenched : Nor would you content yourselves with dark and doubtful evidences of your interest in the love of God, and the grace of our Lard Jesus; but you would be day and
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