44. That the longer God forbears with the unrelenting sinner in life, the sorer he strikes him in the judgment-day
Another principle by which a Christian should walk, is this: That the longer God forbears with the unrelenting sinner in life, the sorer he strikes him in the judgment-day.
Divine patience is to be adored by all, and abused by none. Sinners usually take God's forbearance for their acquittance. Because they sin unpunished for a time, they imagine there is no punishment for sin in eternity. They forget that it is one thing to forbear the debtor, and another to forgive the debt.
Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. Because the Lord continues to spare them, therefore they go on to provoke him. As he adds to their lives, so they add to their lusts. What is this, but as if a man should break all his bones, because there is a surgeon who is able to set them again?
Christian reader, you are greatly in debt to Divine Justice; but mercy stopped the awful arrest of vengeance. Many others have been taken from the earth by a sudden arrow darted from heaven. Adultrous Zimri and Cozbi unloaded their lives and their lusts at the same time.
Because justice seems to wink, men suppose her blind; because she delays punishment, they imagine she denies to punish them; because she does not always reprove them for their sins, they suppose she always approves of their sins. But let such know, that the silent arrow can destroy as well as the roaring cannon. Though the patience of God be lasting, yet it is not everlasting.
Believer, the sword of justice is dipped in the oil of mercy for your sake; and it dismembers some parts of your body, that the whole might not be destroyed.
He that being often reproved hardens his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without re-
T 3 medy. God loves all men so as to feed and forbear them; yet he loves but few men so as to forgive them. He was six days in making the whole world, and seven days in destroying one city. Our garrisons are fairly summoned, before they are furiously stormed. If God's warnings are not sanctified to us, his vengeance will be executed upon us. It is sad for the iron to gather rust under the file.
Reader, remember, that if you be corrected, the Lord takes the scourge out of your own house. I gave her space to repent of her fornication, but she repented not. Many have the space of repentance, who have not the grace of repentance. But what follows? Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. Sinners may cast themselves upon a bed of false hope; but justice will cast them into a bed of real torment.
Mark how the long-slumbering arm of Deity awakes to the prey: I have a long time holden my peace, I have been still and refrained myself; now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once. The longer God is in fetching about his hand, the heavier will the blow be when it falls.
Security resembles a flash of lightning, which ushers in a clap of thunder; or it is like a profound calm at sea, which is generally succeeded by a dreadful storm.
Know, sinner, that God can dip his hand in your blood, and yet fetch out the stains.
He is pleased sometimes to shake your feeble cottage before he throws it down; he often makes it totter before it tumbles. It may be a fair sun-shiny season with you now, but a whirlwind may soon arise and dash you to pieces.
We pity a body that is going to the block; and shall we not pity a soul that is hastening to the bottomless pit? He dies the most comfortably, who lives the most heavenly. It is easier for a bird to avoid the snare, than to break the snare. The very beasts will shun the places where their own species have miscarried.
The rising sun in the morning was no proof that Sodom should not be entombed in its own ashes before the evening. That day which begins in prosperity, may end in adversity.
Attend to the charge which the King of heaven brings against the priests of Israel: These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself; but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thee. But what is the application of this? Consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver you. Justice proportions the sinner's smart to his fault; so that we may behold the greatness of the offence in the fitness of the punishment.
If the wicked turn not, he hath whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready. The whetting of the sword is but to give a keener edge that it may cut the deeper. God is silent as long as the sinner will let him; but when the sword is whet, it is to cut; and when the bow is bent, it is to kill; and woe be to that man who is the butt.
Enraged justice will avenge the quarrel of abused mercy; for it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. It is a good thing to fall at his feet, but a fearful thing to fall into his hands. The stronger the enemy's arm is, the stronger will his blow be. Never did a weary traveller complain of being at his journey's end too soon. But a sinner, if he die soon, it does but hasten his torment; and if he live long, it does but heighten his torment.
Ah, what a sad vision is that, where the black horse of death precedes, and the red horse of wrath follows after! Needs must one fear come upon the back of another, when one death comes upon the neck of another.
Sinner, how fearful is it to be preserved from small, and reserved for great evils! The higher you are raised, the greater will be your fall. You may wonder more at the divine indulgence which has so long reprieved you, than at the Almighty vengeance which so soon overtakes you. You were dry enough for eternal flames, when you were wrapped in your swaddling bands: for you were by nature a child of wrath, even as others. All who draw their first breath in corruption, deserve to draw their second in destruction. It is a wonder that he should add to our days, when we are adding to our sins.
God has his vials of wrath filled with indignation, for those who are vessels of wrath fitted for destruction. If his long-suffering does not draw the sinner to repentance, his severity will drown him in desperation. O sinner, either seek a Saviour to deliver you from the wrath of God, or else find a shoulder to bear you up under the wrath of God.
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