Discourses, or, Sermons on several Scriptures

And because Jesus Christ, who was to satisfy not for his own, but for the Sins of others, though he were upheld by the Divine Nature, and possibly underwent not such Acrimony of Wrath as the Damned do, yet his Sufferings were unspeakable and unknown Sorrows: And how ⟨p. 123⟩much sorer then shall wicked Men bear for their own Sins, when Justice shall come to reckon with them, and to exact from them to the very utmost Farthing of all that they owe?

Secondly, Consider that Revenging Wrath stirs up all that is in God against a Sinner. Wrath when it is whet and set on by Revenge, redoubles a Man's Force, and makes him perform Things that he could not do in his cold Blood, it fires all a Man's Spirits, and calls them forth to express their utmost Efforts. So this Revenging Wrath of God draws forth all the Force and Activity of his Attributes, and sets them against a Sinner, and how dreadful then must that Execution needs be? We see what great Works God can perform when he is not stirred ⟨p. 124⟩up thereunto by his Wrath and Indignation. He speaks a whole World into Being, and speaks it with a cold and calm Breath. Certainly it was no small piece of work, to spread out the Heavens, and lay the Foundations of the Earth, and to work all those Wonders of Creation and Providence which we daily behold; but yet all these Things God did, (if I may so speak) without any Emotion. But when he comes to take Vengeance upon Sinners, he is then inflamed, all that is in God, is as it were on fire. Jealousy, says Solomon, is the Rage of a Man, Proverbs 6.34. ¹Now when God's Jealousy shall be stirred in him, think how impetuously it will break forth in the fearful effects of it. ²