The Sincere Convert

2. God shall set himself like a consuming infinite fire against thee, and tread thee under his feet, who hast by sin trod him and his glory under foot all thy life. A man may devise exquisite torments for another, and great power, may make a little stick to lay on heavy strokes: but great power stirred up to strike from great fury and wrath, makes the stroke deadly. I tell thee, all the wisdom of God shall then be set against thee to devise torments for thee, Mich. 1. 3. there was never such wrath felt or conceived as the Lord hath devised against thee that livest and dyest in thy natural estate: Hence it is called wrath to come, 1 Thes. 1. ult. The torment which wisdom shall devise, the almighty power of God shall inflict upon thee, so as there was never such power seen in making the world, as ⟨p. 91⟩in holding a poor creature under the wrath, that holds up the soul in being with one hand, and beats it with the other, ever burning like fire against a creature, and yet that creature never burnt up, Rom. 9. 22. Think not this cruelty, it's justice; what cares God for a vile wretch whom nothing can make good while it lives. If we have been long in hewing a block, and we can make no meet vessel of it, put it to no good use for our selves, we cast it into the fire: God heweth thee by Sermons, sickness, losses, and crosses, sudden death, mercies, and miseries, yet nothing makes thee better; what should God do with thee, but cast thee hence? Oh consider of this wrath before you feel it. I had rather have all the world burning about mine ears, than to have one blasting frown from the blessed face of an infinite and dreadful God. Thou canst not endure the torment of a little kitchen fire on the tip of thy finger, not one half hour together: how wilt thou bear the fury of this infinite endless consuming ⟨p. 92⟩fire in body and soul throughout all eternity?

2. God shall set himselfe like a consuming infinite fire against thee, and tread thee under his feet, who hast by sinne trod him and his glory under foot all thy life. A man may devise exquisite torments for another, and great power, may make a little sticke to lay on heavie strokes: but great power stirred up to strike from great fury and wrath, makes the stroke deadly. I tell thee, all the wisedome of God shall then be set against thee to devise torments for thee,