sinners in the hands of an angry god.docx

sinners in the hands of an angry god.docx

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sinnersinthehandsofanangrygod

SINNERSINTHEHANDSOFANANGRYGOD

byJonathanEdwards（1703-1758）

--Theirfootshallslideinduetime--

Deut.xxxii.35

InthisverseisthreatenedthevengeanceofGodonthewickedunbelievingIsraelites,whowereGod'svisiblepeople,andwholivedunderthemeansofgrace;butwho,notwithstandingallGod'swonderfulworkstowardsthem,remained（asver.28.）voidofcounsel,havingnounderstandinginthem.Underallthecultivationsofheaven,theybroughtforthbitterandpoisonousfruit;asinthetwoversesnextprecedingthetext.TheexpressionIhavechosenformytext,Theirfootshallslideinduetime,seemstoimplythefollowingdoings,relatingtothepunishmentanddestructiontowhichthesewickedIsraeliteswereexposed.

1.Thattheywerealwaysexposedtodestruction;asonethatstandsorwalksinslipperyplacesisalwaysexposedtofall.Thisisimpliedinthemanneroftheirdestructioncominguponthem,beingrepresentedbytheirfootsliding.Thesameisexpressed,Psalm73:

18."Surelythoudidstsettheminslipperyplaces;thoucastedstthemdownintodestruction."

2.Itimplies,thattheywerealwaysexposedtosuddenunexpecteddestruction.Ashethatwalksinslipperyplacesiseverymomentliabletofall,hecannotforeseeonemomentwhetherheshallstandorfallthenext;andwhenhedoesfall,hefallsatoncewithoutwarning:

WhichisalsoexpressedinPsalm73:

18,19."Surelythoudidstsettheminslipperyplaces;thoucastedstthemdownintodestruction:

Howaretheybroughtintodesolationasinamoment!

"

3.Anotherthingimpliedis,thattheyareliabletofallofthemselves,withoutbeingthrowndownbythehandofanother;ashethatstandsorwalksonslipperygroundneedsnothingbuthisownweighttothrowhimdown.

4.Thatthereasonwhytheyarenotfallenalready,anddonotfallnow,isonlythatGod'sappointedtimeisnotcome.Foritissaid,thatwhenthatduetime,orappointedtimecomes,theirfootshallslide.Thentheyshallbelefttofall,astheyareinclinedbytheirownweight.Godwillnotholdthemupintheseslipperyplacesanylonger,butwillletthemgo;andthenatthatveryinstant,theyshallfallintodestruction;ashethatstandsonsuchslipperydecliningground,ontheedgeofapit,hecannotstandalone,whenheisletgoheimmediatelyfallsandislost.

TheobservationfromthewordsthatIwouldnowinsistuponisthis."Thereisnothingthatkeepswickedmenatanyonemomentoutofhell,butthemerepleasureofGod."BythemerepleasureofGod,Imeanhissovereignpleasure,hisarbitrarywill,restrainedbynoobligation,hinderedbynomannerofdifficulty,anymorethanifnothingelsebutGod'smerewillhadintheleastdegree,orinanyrespectwhatsoever,anyhandinthepreservationofwickedmenonemoment.

Thetruthofthisobservationmayappearbythefollowingconsiderations.

1.ThereisnowantofpowerinGodtocastwickedmenintohellatanymoment.Men'shandscannotbestrongwhenGodrisesup.Thestrongesthavenopowertoresisthim,norcananydeliveroutofhishands.-Heisnotonlyabletocastwickedmenintohell,buthecanmosteasilydoit.Sometimesanearthlyprincemeetswithagreatdealofdifficultytosubduearebel,whohasfoundmeanstofortifyhimself,andhasmadehimselfstrongbythenumbersofhisfollowers.ButitisnotsowithGod.ThereisnofortressthatisanydefencefromthepowerofGod.Thoughhandjoininhand,andvastmultitudesofGod'senemiescombineandassociatethemselves,theyareeasilybrokeninpieces.Theyareasgreatheapsoflightchaffbeforethewhirlwind;orlargequantitiesofdrystubblebeforedevouringflames.Wefinditeasytotreadonandcrushawormthatweseecrawlingontheearth;soitiseasyforustocutorsingeaslenderthreadthatanythinghangsby:

thuseasyisitforGod,whenhepleases,tocasthisenemiesdowntohell.Whatarewe,thatweshouldthinktostandbeforehim,atwhoserebuketheearthtrembles,andbeforewhomtherocksarethrowndown?

2.Theydeservetobecastintohell;sothatdivinejusticeneverstandsintheway,itmakesnoobjectionagainstGod'susinghispoweratanymomenttodestroythem.Yea,onthecontrary,justicecallsaloudforaninfinitepunishmentoftheirsins.DivinejusticesaysofthetreethatbringsforthsuchgrapesofSodom,"Cutitdown,whycumberethittheground?

"Lukexiii.7.Theswordofdivinejusticeiseverymomentbrandishedovertheirheads,anditisnothingbutthehandofarbitrarymercy,andGod'smerewill,thatholdsitback.

3.Theyarealreadyunderasentenceofcondemnationtohell.Theydonotonlyjustlydeservetobecastdownthither,butthesentenceofthelawofGod,thateternalandimmutableruleofrighteousnessthatGodhasfixedbetweenhimandmankind,isgoneoutagainstthem,andstandsagainstthem;sothattheyareboundoveralreadytohell.Johniii.18."Hethatbelievethnotiscondemnedalready."Sothateveryunconvertedmanproperlybelongstohell;thatishisplace;fromthenceheis,Johnviii.23."Yearefrombeneath."Andthitherbeisbound;itistheplacethatjustice,andGod'sword,andthesentenceofhisunchangeablelawassigntohim.

4.TheyarenowtheobjectsofthatverysameangerandwrathofGod,thatisexpressedinthetormentsofhell.Andthereasonwhytheydonotgodowntohellateachmoment,isnotbecauseGod,inwhosepowertheyare,isnotthenveryangrywiththem;asheiswithmanymiserablecreaturesnowtormentedinhell,whotherefeelandbearthefiercenessofhiswrath.Yea,Godisagreatdealmoreangrywithgreatnumbersthatarenowonearth:

yea,doubtless,withmanythatarenowinthiscongregation,whoitmaybeareatease,thanheiswithmanyofthosewhoarenowintheflamesofhell.

SothatitisnotbecauseGodisunmindfuloftheirwickedness,anddoesnotresentit,thathedoesnotletloosehishandandcutthemoff.Godisnotaltogethersuchanoneasthemselves,thoughtheymayimaginehimtobeso.ThewrathofGodburnsagainstthem,theirdamnationdoesnotslumber;thepitisprepared,thefireismadeready,thefurnaceisnowhot,readytoreceivethem;theflamesdonowrageandglow.Theglitteringswordiswhet,andheldoverthem,andthepithathopeneditsmouthunderthem.

5.Thedevilstandsreadytofalluponthem,andseizethemashisown,atwhatmomentGodshallpermithim.Theybelongtohim;hehastheirsoulsinhispossession,andunderhisdominion.Thescripturerepresentsthemashisgoods,Lukexi.12.Thedevilswatchthem;theyareeverbythemattheirrighthand;theystandwaitingforthem,likegreedyhungrylionsthatseetheirprey,andexpecttohaveit,butareforthepresentkeptback.IfGodshouldwithdrawhishand,bywhichtheyarerestrained,theywouldinonemomentflyupontheirpoorsouls.Theoldserpentisgapingforthem;hellopensitsmouthwidetoreceivethem;andifGodshouldpermitit,theywouldbehastilyswallowedupandlost.

6.Thereareinthesoulsofwickedmenthosehellishprinciplesreigning,thatwouldpresentlykindleandflameoutintohellfire,ifitwerenotforGod'srestraints.Thereislaidintheverynatureofcarnalmen,afoundationforthetormentsofhell.Therearethosecorruptprinciples,inreigningpowerinthem,andinfullpossessionofthem,thatareseedsofhellfire.Theseprinciplesareactiveandpowerful,exceedingviolentintheirnature,andifitwerenotfortherestraininghandofGoduponthem,theywouldsoonbreakout,theywouldflameoutafterthesamemannerasthesamecorruptions,thesameenmitydoesintheheartsofdamnedsouls,andwouldbegetthesametormentsastheydointhem.Thesoulsofthewickedareinscripturecomparedtothetroubledsea,Isa.lvii.20.Forthepresent,Godrestrainstheirwickednessbyhismightypower,ashedoestheragingwavesofthetroubledsea,saying,"Hithertoshaltthoucome,butnofurther;"butifGodshouldwithdrawthatrestrainingpower,itwouldsooncarryallbeforeit.Sinistheruinandmiseryofthesoul;itisdestructiveinitsnature;andifGodshouldleaveitwithoutrestraint,therewouldneednothingelsetomakethesoulperfectlymiserable.Thecorruptionoftheheartofmanisimmoderateandboundlessinitsfury;andwhilewickedmenlivehere,itislikefirepentupbyGod'srestraints,whereasifitwereletloose,itwouldsetonfirethecourseofnature;andastheheartisnowasinkofsin,soifsinwasnotrestrained,itwouldimmediatelyturnthesoulintoafieryoven,orafurnaceoffireandbrimstone.

7.Itisnosecuritytowickedmenforonemoment,thattherearenovisiblemeansofdeathathand.Itisnosecuritytoanaturalman,thatheisnowinhealth,andthathedoesnotseewhichwayheshouldnowimmediatelygooutoftheworldbyanyaccident,andthatthereisnovisibledangerinanyrespectinhiscircumstances.Themanifoldandcontinualexperienceoftheworldinallages,showsthisisnoevidence,thatamanisnotontheverybrinkofeternity,andthatthenextstepwillnotbeintoanotherworld.Theunseen,unthought-ofwaysandmeansofpersonsgoingsuddenlyoutoftheworldareinnumerableandinconceivable.Unconvertedmenwalkoverthepitofhellonarottencovering,andthereareinnumerableplacesinthiscoveringsoweakthattheywillnotbeartheirweight,andtheseplacesarenotseen.Thearrowsofdeathflyunseenatnoon-day;thesharpestsightcannotdiscernthem.Godhassomanydifferentunsearchablewaysoftakingwickedmenoutoftheworldandsendingthemtohell,thatthereisnothingtomakeitappear,thatGodhadneedtobeattheexpenseofamiracle,