Sinners in the Hands …

JonathanEdwardsThisisthecaseofeveryoneofyouthatareoutofChrist:Thatworldofmis－ery,thatlakeofburningbrimstone,isextendedabroadunderyou.ThereisthedreadfulpitoftheglowingflamesofthewrathofGod;thereisHell’swidegap－ingmouthopen:andyouhavenothingtostandupon,noranythingtotakeholdof;thereisnothingbetweenyouandHellbuttheair;itisonlythepowerandmerepleasureofGodthatholdsyouup.Youprobablyarenotsensibleofthis;youfindyouarekeptoutofHell,butdonotseethehandofGodinit;butlookatotherthings,asthegoodstateofyourbodilyconstitution,yourcareofyourownlife,andthemeansyouuseforyourownpreservation.Butindeedthesethingsarenothing;ifGodshouldwith－drawhishand,theywouldavailnomoretokeepyoufromfallingthanthethinairtoholdupapersonthatissuspendedinit.Yourwickednessmakesyouasitwereheavyaslead,andtotenddown－wardswithgreatweightandpressuretowardsHell;andifGodshouldletyougo,youwouldimmediatelysinkandswiftlydescendandplungeintothebottomlessgulf,andyourhealthyconstitution,andyourowncareandprudence,andbestcontrivance,andallyourrighteousness,wouldhavenomoreinfluencetoupholdyouandkeepyououtofHell,thanaspider’swebwouldhavetostopafallenrock.WereitnotforthesovereignpleasureofGod,theearthwouldnotbearyouonemoment...Theworldwouldspewyouout,wereitnotforthesovereignhandofHimwhohathsubjecteditinhope.ThereareblackcloudsofGod’swrathnowhangingdirectlyoveryourheads,fullofthedread－fulstorm,andbigwiththunder;andwereitnotfortherestraininghandofGod,itwouldimmediatelyburstforthuponyou.ThesovereignpleasureofGod,forthepresent,stayshisroughwind;otherwiseitwouldcomewithfury,andyourdestructionwouldcomelikeawhirlwind,andyouwouldbelikethechaffofthesummerthreshingfloor.ThewrathofGodislikegreatwatersthataredammedforthepresent;theyincreasemoreandmore,andrisehigherandhigher,tillanoutletisgiven;andthelongerthestreamisstopped,themorerapidandmightyisitscourse,whenonceitisletloose.Itistrue,thatjudgmentagainstyourevilworkshasnotbeenexecutedhitherto;theHoodsofGod’svengeancehavebeenwithheld;butyourguiltinthemeantimeisconstantlyin－creasing,andyouareeverydaytreasuringupmorewrath;thewatersarecon－stantlyrising,andwaxingmoreandmoremighty;andthereisnothingbutthemerepleasureofGod,thatholdsthewatersback,thatareunwillingtobestopped,andpresshardtogoforward.IfGodshouldonlywithdrawhishandfromthefloodgate,itwouldimmediatelyflyopen,andthefieryfloodsofthefiercenessandwrathofGod,wouldrushforthwithinconceivablefury,andwouldcomeup－onyouwithomnipotentpower;andifyourstrengthweretenthousandtimesgreaterthanitis,yea,tenthousandtimesgreaterthanthestrengthofthestoutest,sturdiestdevilinHell,itwouldbenothingtowithstandorendureit.ThebowofGod’swrathisbent,andthearrowmadereadyonthestring,andjusticebendsthearrowatyourheart,andstrainsthebow,anditisnothingbutthemerepleasureofGod,andthatofanangryGod,withoutanypromiseorobligationatall,thatkeepsthearrowonemomentfrombeingmadedrunkwithyourblood.Thusallyouthatneverpassedunderagreatchangeofheart,bythemightypowerofthespiritofGoduponyoursouls;allyouthatwereneverbornagain,andmadenewcreatures,andraisedfrombeingdeadinsin,toastateofnew,andbeforealtogetherunexperiencedlightandlife,areinthehandsofanangryGod.Howeveryoumayhavereformedyourlifeinmanythings,andmayhavehadreligiousaffections,andmaykeepupaformofreligioninyourfamiliesandclosets.andinthehouseofGod,itisnothingbutHismerepleasurethatkeepsyoufrombeingthismomentswallowedupineverlastingdestruction.How－everunconvincedyoumaynowbeofthetruthofwhatyouhear,byandbyyouwillbefullyconvincedofit.Thosethataregonefrombeinginthelikecircumstanceswithyou,seethatitwassowiththem;fordestructioncamesuddenlyuponmostofthem;whentheyexpectednothingofit,andwhiletheyweresaying,peaceandsafety:nowtheysee,thatthosethingsonwhichtheydependedforpeaceandsafety,werenothingbutthinairandemptyshadows.TheGodthatholdsyouoverthepitofHell,muchasoneholdsaspider,orsomeloathsomeinsectoverthefire,abhorsyou,andisdreadfullyprovoked:hiswrathtowardsyouburnslikefire;helooksuponyouasworthyofnothingelse,buttobecastintothefire;heisofpurereyesthantobeartohaveyouinhissight;youaretenthousandtimesmoreabominableinhiseyes,thanthemosthatefulvenomousserpentisinours....  [返]