Though he be but correcting us, yet we cannot bear his anger toward us. This caused the Prophet to cry out (Jer. 10.24.) Correct me, O Lord, but not in thine anger. The words are not a prayer for correction (I know no warrant for that) but a submission to it. As if he had said, Lord, I am willing to bear thy correction, but I cannot (and who can?) bear thine anger. The Church complains (Psal. 90.7.) We are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath we are troubled. The fatherly anger of God, is as a consuming fire, and we are but as stubble before it: What then is the fierceness of that anger, which he will pour out upon wicked men for ever! Who knoweth the power of thine anger? (Psal. 90.11.) Man cannot understand how powerful the anger of God is, much less stand before the power of his anger. As ⟨p. 404⟩man cannot comprehend the love of God (Ephes. 3.18, 19.) The Apostle exhorts, To know the love of God which passeth knowledge; that is, to know so much of it as is knowable; (the love of God is past the knowledge, not only of nature, but of grace, because it is infinite) So we should labour, To know the anger of God, which passeth knowledge, that is, to know it so far as it is knowable. The anger of God cannot be fully known, because it hath an infiniteness in it, as well as his love. And as the one shall never be fully known, but by enjoying it; so neither can the other, but by feeling it. Upon this consideration the Lord makes that gracious promise to his people (Isa. 57.16.) I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth, for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made. But is not the spirit or soul of man of an everlasting make? And shall not the damned endure the contendings of Gods wrath for ever, and not fail? The substance of the soul cannot fail, and the spirit is incorruptible; The spirit is full of moral corruption, but it is not subject to natural corruption, or the corruption of its nature. How glad would the damned be, if their spirits might fail, and their souls return to nothing. The failing of the spirit under the wrath of God, is the failing of its hope and courage. Thus the spirit sinks, and the immortal soul dies away under the sense and weight of Gods displeasure.
Though he be but correcting us, yet we cannot bear his anger toward us. This caused the Prophet to cry out (Jer. 10.24.) Correct me, O Lord, but not in thine anger. The words are not a praier for correction (I know no warrant for that) but a submission to it. As if he had said, Lord, I am willing to bear thy correction, but I cannot (and who can?) bear thine anger. The Church complains (Psal. 90.7.) We are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath we are troubled. The fatherly anger of God, is as a consuming fire, and we are but as stubble before it: What then is the fiercenesse of that anger, which he will pour out upon wicked men for ever! Who knoweth the power of thine anger? (Psal. 90.11.) Man cannot understand how powerfull the anger of God is, much lesse stand before the power of his anger. As ⟨p. 404⟩man cannot comprehend the love of God (Ephes. 3.18, 19.) The Apostle exhorts, To know the love of God which passeth knowledge; that is, to know so much of it as is knowable; (the love of God is past the knowledge, not only of nature, but of grace, because it is infinite) So we should labour, To know the anger of God, which passeth knowledge, that is, to know it so farre as it is knowable. The anger of God cannot be fully known, because it hath an infinitenesse in it, as well as his love. And as the one shall never be fully known, but by enjoying it; so neither can the other, but by feeling it. Upon this consideration the Lord makes that gracious promise to his people (Isa. 57.16.) I will not contend for ever, neither will I be alwaies wroth, for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made. But is not the spirit or soul of man of an everlasting make? And shall not the damned endure the contendings of Gods wrath for ever, and not fail? The substance of the soul cannot fail, and the spirit is incorruptible; The spirit is full of morall corruption, but it is not subject to naturall corruption, or the corruption of its nature. How glad would the damned be, if their spirits might fail, and their souls return to nothing. The failing of the spirit under the wrath of God, is the failing of its hope and courage. Thus the spirit sinks, and the immortall soul dies away under the sense and weight of Gods displeasure.
