加载中…落在忿怒神手中的罪人
(2013-03-13 14:29:02)
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Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758)阿德华兹 乔纳森Enfield, Connecticut 康涅狄格州 恩菲特
July 8, 1741 1741年7月8日
Their foot shall slide in due time. Deuteronomy 32:35
In this verse is threatened the vengeance of God on the wicked unbelieving Israelites, who were God's visible people, and who lived under the means of grace; but who, notwithstanding all God's wonderful works towards them, remained (as vers 28.) void of counsel, having no understanding in them. Under all the cultivations of heaven, they brought forth bitter and poisonous fruit; as in the two verses next preceding the text. -- The expression I have chosen for my text, their foot shall slide in due time, seems to imply the following things, relating to the punishment and destruction to which these wicked Israelites were exposed.
That they were always exposed to destruction; as one that stands or walks in slippery places is always exposed to fall. This is implied in the manner of their destruction coming upon them, being represented by their foot sliding. The same is expressed, Psalm 73:18. "Surely thou didst set them in slippery places; thou castedst them down into destruction."
It implies, that they were always exposed to sudden unexpected destruction. As he that walks in slippery places is every moment liable to fall, he cannot foresee one moment whether he shall stand or fall the next; and when he does fall, he falls at once without warning: Which is also expressed in Psalm 73:18,19. "Surely thou didst set them in slippery places; thou castedst them down into destruction: How are they brought into desolation as in a moment!"
Another thing implied is, that they are liable to fall of themselves, without being thrown down by the hand of another; as he that stands or walks on slippery ground needs nothing but his own weight to throw him down.
That the reason why they are not fallen already and do not fall now is only that God's appointed time is not come. For it is said, that when that due time, or appointed time comes, their foot shall slide. Then they shall be left to fall, as they are inclined by their own weight. God will not hold them up in these slippery places any longer, but will let them go; and then, at that very instant, they shall fall into destruction; as he that stands on such slippery declining ground, on the edge of a pit, he cannot stand alone, when he is let go he immediately falls and is lost.
The observation from the words that I would now insist upon is this. -- "There is nothing that keeps wicked men at any one moment out of hell, but the mere pleasure of God." -- By the mere pleasure of God, I mean his sovereign pleasure, his arbitrary will, restrained by no obligation, hindered by no manner of difficulty, any more than if nothing else but God's mere will had in the least degree, or in any respect whatsoever, any hand in the preservation of wicked men one moment. -- The truth of this observation may appear by the following consideration.
There is no want of power in God to cast wicked men into hell at any moment. Men's hands cannot be strong when God rises up. The strongest have no power to resist him, nor can any deliver out of his hands. -- He is not only able to cast wicked men into hell, but he can most easily do it. Sometimes an earthly prince meets with a great deal of difficulty to subdue a rebel, who has found means to fortify himself, and has made himself strong by the numbers of his followers. But it is not so with God. There is no fortress that is any defence from the power of God. Though hand join in hand, and vast multitudes of God's enemies combine and associate themselves, they are easily broken in pieces. They are as great heaps of light chaff before the whirlwind; or large quantities of dry stubble before devouring flames. We find it easy to tread on and crush a worm that we see crawling on the earth; so it is easy for us to cut or singe a slender thread that any thing hangs by: thus easy is it for God, when he pleases, to cast his enemies down to hell. What are we, that we should think to stand before him, at whose rebuke the earth trembles, and before whom the rocks are thrown down?
They deserve to be cast into hell; so that divine justice never stands in the way, it makes no objection against God's using his power at any moment to destroy them. Yea, on the contrary, justice calls aloud for an infinite punishment of their sins. Divine justice says of the tree that brings forth such grapes of Sodom, "Cut it down, why cumbereth it the ground?" Luke 13:7. The sword of divine justice is every moment brandished over their heads, and it is nothing but the hand of arbitrary mercy, and God's mere will, that holds it back.
They are already under a sentence of condemnation to hell. They do not only justly deserve to be cast down thither, but the sentence of the law of God, that eternal and immutable rule of righteousness that God has fixed between him and mankind, is gone out against them, and stands against them; so that they are bound over already to hell. John 3:18. "He that believeth not is condemned already." So that every unconverted man properly belongs to hell; that is his place; from thence he is, John 8:23. "Ye are from beneath:" And thither he is bound; it is the place that justice, and God's word, and the sentence of his unchangeable law assign to him.
They are now the objects of that very same anger and wrath of God, that is expressed in the torments of hell. And the reason why they do not go down to hell at each moment, is not because God, in whose power they are, is not then very angry with them; as he is with many miserable creatures now tormented in hell, who there feel and bear the fierceness of his wrath. Yea, God is a great deal more angry with great numbers that are now on earth: yea, doubtless, with many that are now in this congregation, who it may be are at ease, than he is with many of those who are now in the flames of hell.
So that it is not because God is unmindful of their wickedness, and does not resent it, that he does not let loose his hand and cut them off. God is not altogether such an one as themselves, though they may imagine him to be so. The wrath of God burns against them, their damnation does not slumber; the pit is prepared, the fire is made ready, the furnace is now hot, ready to receive them; the flames do now rage and glow. The glittering sword is whet, and held over them, and the pit hath opened its mouth under them.
The devil stands ready to fall upon them, and seize them as his own, at what moment God shall permit him. They belong to him; he has their souls in his possession, and under his dominion. The scripture represents them as his goods, Luke 11:12. The devils watch them; they are ever by them at their right hand; they stand waiting for them, like greedy hungry lions that see their prey, and expect to have it, but are for the present kept back. If God should withdraw his hand, by which they are restrained, they would in one moment fly upon their poor souls. The old serpent is gaping for them; hell opens its mouth wide to receive them; and if God should permit it, they would be hastily swallowed up and lost.
There are in the souls of wicked men those hellish principles reigning, that would presently kindle and flame out into hell fire, if it were not for God's restraints. There is laid in the very nature of carnal men, a foundation for the torments of hell. There are those corrupt principles, in reigning power in them, and in full possession of them, that are seeds of hell fire. These principles are active and powerful, exceeding violent in their nature, and if it were not for the restraining hand of God upon them, they would soon break out, they would flame out after the same manner as the same corruptions, the same enmity does in the hearts of damned souls, and would beget the same torments as they do in them. The souls of the wicked are in scripture compared to the troubled sea, Isa. 57:20. For the present, God restrains their wickedness by his mighty power, as he does the raging waves of the troubled sea, saying, "Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further;" but if God should withdraw that restraining power, it would soon carry all before it. Sin is the ruin and misery of the soul; it is destructive in its nature; and if God should leave it without restraint, there would need nothing else to make the soul perfectly miserable. The corruption of the heart of man is immoderate and boundless in its fury; and while wicked men live here, it is like fire pent up by God's restraints, whereas if it were let loose, it would set on fire the course of nature; and as the heart is now a sink of sin, so if sin was not restrained, it would immediately turn the soul into fiery oven, or a furnace of fire and brimstone.
It is no security to wicked men for one moment, that there are no visible means of death at hand. It is no security to a natural man, that he is now in health, and that he does not see which way he should now immediately go out of the world by any accident, and that there is no visible danger in any respect in his circumstances. The manifold and continual experience of the world in all ages, shows this is no evidence, that a man is not on the very brink of eternity, and that the next step will not be into another world. The unseen, unthought-of ways and means of persons going suddenly out of the world are innumerable and inconceivable. Unconverted men walk over the pit of hell on a rotten covering, and there are innumerable places in this covering so weak that they will not bear their weight, and these places are not seen. The arrows of death fly unseen at noon-day; the sharpest sight cannot discern them. God has so many different unsearchable ways of taking wicked men out of the world and sending them to hell, that there is nothing to make it appear, that God had need to be at the expense of a miracle, or go out of the ordinary course of his providence, to destroy any wicked man, at any moment. All the means that there are of sinners going out of the world, are so in God's hands, and so universally and absolutely subject to his power and determination, that it does not depend at all the less on the mere will of God, whether sinners shall at any moment go to hell, than if means were never made use of, or at all concerned in the case.
Natural men's prudence and care to preserve their own lives, or the care of others to preserve them, do not secure them a moment. To this, divine providence and universal experience do also bear testimony. There is this clear evidence that men's own wisdom is no security to them from death; that if it were otherwise we should see some difference between the wise and politic men of the world, and others, with regard to their liableness to early and unexpected death: but how is it in fact? Eccles. 2:16. "How dieth the wise man? even as the fool."
All wicked men's pains and contrivance which they use to escape hell, while they continue to reject Christ, and so remain wicked men, do not secure them from hell one moment. Almost every natural man that hears of hell, flatters himself that he shall escape it; he depends upon himself for his own security; he flatters himself in what he has done, in what he is now doing, or what he intends to do. Every one lays out matters in his own mind how he shall avoid damnation, and flatters himself that he contrives well for himself, and that his schemes will not fail. They hear indeed that there are but few saved, and that the greater part of men that have died heretofore are gone to hell; but each one imagines that he lays out matters better for his own escape than others have done. He does not intend to come to that place of torment; he says within himself, that he intends to take effectual care, and to order matters so for himself as not to fail.
But the foolish children of men miserably delude themselves in their own schemes, and in confidence in their own strength and wisdom; they trust to nothing but a shadow. The greater part of those who heretofore have lived under the same means of grace, and are now dead, are undoubtedly gone to hell; and it was not because they were not as wise as those who are now alive: it was not because they did not lay out matters as well for themselves to secure their own escape. If we could speak with them, and inquire of them, one by one, whether they expected, when alive, and when they used to hear about hell, ever to be the subjects of misery: we doubtless, should hear one and another reply, "No, I never intended to come here: I had laid out matters otherwise in my mind; I thought I should contrive well for myself -- I thought my scheme good. I intended to take effectual care; but it came upon me unexpected; I did not look for it at that time, and in that manner; it came as a thief -- Death outwitted me: God's wrath was too quick for me. Oh, my cursed foolishness! I was flattering myself, and pleasing myself with vain dreams of what I would do hereafter; and when I was saying, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction came upon me."
God has laid himself under no obligation, by any promise to keep any natural man out of hell one moment. God certainly has made no promises either of eternal life, or of any deliverance or preservation from eternal death, but what are contained in the covenant of grace, the promises that are given in Christ, in whom all the promises are yea and amen. But surely they have no interest in the promises of the covenant of grace who are not the children of the covenant, who do not believe in any of the promises, and have no interest in the Mediator of the covenant.
So that, whatever some have imagined and pretended about promises made to natural men's earnest seeking and knocking, it is plain and manifest, that whatever pains a natural man takes in religion, whatever prayers he makes, till he believes in Christ, God is under no manner of obligation to keep him a moment from eternal destruction.
So that, thus it is that natural men are held in the hand of God, over the pit of hell; they have deserved the fiery pit, and are already sentenced to it; and God is dreadfully provoked, his anger is as great towards them as to those that are actually suffering the executions of the fierceness of his wrath in hell, and they have done nothing in the least to appease or abate that anger, neither is God in the least bound by any promise to hold them up one moment; the devil is waiting for them, hell is gaping for them, the flames gather and flash about them, and would fain lay hold on them, and swallow them up; the fire pent up in their own hearts is struggling to break out: and they have no interest in any Mediator, there are no means within reach that can be any security to them. In short, they have no refuge, nothing to take hold of; all that preserves them every moment is the mere arbitrary will, and uncovenanted, unobliged forbearance of an incensed God.
Application
The use of this awful subject may be for awakening unconverted persons in this congregation. This that you have heard is the case of every one of you that are out of Christ. -- That world of misery, that lake of burning brimstone, is extended abroad under you. There is the dreadful pit of the glowing flames of the wrath of God; there is hell's wide gaping mouth open; and you have nothing to stand upon, nor any thing to take hold of; there is nothing between you and hell but the air; it is only the power and mere pleasure of God that holds you up.
You probably are not sensible of this; you find you are kept out of hell, but do not see the hand of God in it; but look at other things, as the good state of your bodily constitution, your care of your own life, and the means you use for your own preservation. But indeed these things are nothing; if God should withdraw his hand, they would avail no more to keep you from falling, than the thin air to hold up a person that is suspended in it.
Your wickedness makes you as it were heavy as lead, and to tend downwards with great weight and pressure towards hell; and if God should let you go, you would immediately sink and swiftly descend and plunge into the bottomless gulf, and your healthy constitution, and your own care and prudence, and best contrivance, and all your righteousness, would have no more influence to uphold you and keep you out of hell, than a spider's web would have to stop a falling rock. Were it not for the sovereign pleasure of God, the earth would not bear you one moment; for you are a burden to it; the creation groans with you; the creature is made subject to the bondage of your corruption, not willingly; the sun does not willingly shine upon you to give you light to serve sin and Satan; the earth does not willingly yield her increase to satisfy your lusts; nor is it willingly a stage for your wickedness to be acted upon; the air does not willingly serve you for breath to maintain the flame of life in your vitals, while you spend your life in the service of God's enemies. God's creatures are good, and were made for men to serve God with, and do not willingly subserve to any other purpose, and groan when they are abused to purposes so directly contrary to their nature and end. And the world would spew you out, were it not for the sovereign hand of him who hath subjected it in hope. There are the black clouds of God's wrath now hanging directly over your heads, full of the dreadful storm, and big with thunder; and were it not for the restraining hand of God, it would immediately burst forth upon you. The sovereign pleasure of God, for the present, stays his rough wind; otherwise it would come with fury, and your destruction would come like a whirlwind, and you would be like the chaff on the summer threshing floor.
The wrath of God is like great waters that are dammed for the present; they increase more and more, and rise higher and higher, till an outlet is given; and the longer the stream is stopped, the more rapid and mighty is its course, when once it is let loose. It is true, that judgment against your evil works has not been executed hitherto; the floods of God's vengeance have been withheld; but your guilt in the mean time is constantly increasing, and you are every day treasuring up more wrath; the waters are constantly rising, and waxing more and more mighty; and there is nothing but the mere pleasure of God, that holds the waters back, that are unwilling to be stopped, and press hard to go forward. If God should only withdraw his hand from the flood-gate, it would immediately fly open, and the fiery floods of the fierceness and wrath of God, would rush forth with inconceivable fury, and would come upon you with omnipotent power; and if your strength were ten thousand times greater than it is, yea, ten thousand times greater than the strength of the stoutest, sturdiest devil in hell, it would be nothing to withstand or endure it.
The bow of God's wrath is bent, and the arrow made ready on the string, and justice bends the arrow at your heart, and strains the bow, and it is nothing but the mere pleasure of God, and that of an angry God, without any promise or obligation at all, that keeps the arrow one moment from being made drunk with your blood. Thus all you that never passed under a great change of heart, by the mighty power of the Spirit of God upon your souls; all you that were never born again, and made new creatures, and raised from being dead in sin, to a state of new, and before altogether unexperienced light and life, are in the hands of an angry God. However you may have reformed your life in many things, and may have had religious affections, and may keep up a form of religion in your families and closets, and in the house of God, it is nothing but his mere pleasure that keeps you from being this moment swallowed up in everlasting destruction. However unconvinced you may now be of the truth of what you hear, by and by you will be fully convinced of it. Those that are gone from being in the like circumstances with you, see that it was so with them; for destruction came suddenly upon most of them; when they expected nothing of it, and while they were saying, Peace and safety: now they see, that those things on which they depended for peace and safety, were nothing but thin air and empty shadows.
The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider, or some loathsome insect over the fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked: his wrath towards you burns like fire; he looks upon you as worthy of nothing else, but to be cast into the fire; he is of purer eyes than to bear to have you in his sight; you are ten thousand times more abominable in his eyes, than the most hateful venomous serpent is in ours. You have offended him infinitely more than ever a stubborn rebel did his prince; and yet it is nothing but his hand that holds you from falling into the fire every moment. It is to be ascribed to nothing else, that you did not go to hell the last night; that you was suffered to awake again in this world, after you closed your eyes to sleep. And there is no other reason to be given, why you have not dropped into hell since you arose in the morning, but that God's hand has held you up. There is no other reason to be given why you have not gone to hell, since you have sat here in the house of God, provoking his pure eyes by your sinful wicked manner of attending his solemn worship. Yea, there is nothing else that is to be given as a reason why you do not this very moment drop down into hell.
O sinner! Consider the fearful danger you are in: it is a great furnace of wrath, a wide and bottomless pit, full of the fire of wrath, that you are held over in the hand of that God, whose wrath is provoked and incensed as much against you, as against many of the damned in hell. You hang by a slender thread, with the flames of divine wrath flashing about it, and ready every moment to singe it, and burn it asunder; and you have no interest in any Mediator, and nothing to lay hold of to save yourself, nothing to keep off the flames of wrath, nothing of your own, nothing that you ever have done, nothing that you can do, to induce God to spare you one moment. -- And consider here more particularly,
Whose wrath it is: it is the wrath of the infinite God. If it were only the wrath of man, though it were of the most potent prince, it would be comparatively little to be regarded. The wrath of kings is very much dreaded, especially of absolute monarchs, who have the possessions and lives of their subjects wholly in their power, to be disposed of at their mere will. Prov. 20:2. "The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: Whoso provoketh him to anger, sinneth against his own soul." The subject that very much enrages an arbitrary prince, is liable to suffer the most extreme torments that human art can invent, or human power can inflict. But the greatest earthly potentates in their greatest majesty and strength, and when clothed in their greatest terrors, are but feeble, despicable worms of the dust, in comparison of the great and almighty Creator and King of heaven and earth. It is but little that they can do, when most enraged, and when they have exerted the utmost of their fury. All the kings of the earth, before God, are as grasshoppers; they are nothing, and less than nothing: both their love and their hatred is to be despised. The wrath of the great King of kings, is as much more terrible than theirs, as his majesty is greater. Luke 12:4,5. "And I say unto you, my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that, have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom you shall fear: fear him, which after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell: yea, I say unto you, Fear him."
It is the fierceness of his wrath that you are exposed to. We often read of the fury of God; as in Isa. 59:18. "According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay fury to his adversaries." So Isa. 66:15. "For behold, the Lord will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire." And in many other places. So, Rev. 19:15, we read of "the wine press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God." The words are exceeding terrible. If it had only been said, "the wrath of God," the words would have implied that which is infinitely dreadful: but it is "the fierceness and wrath of God." The fury of God! the fierceness of Jehovah! Oh, how dreadful that must be! Who can utter or conceive what such expressions carry in them! But it is also "the fierceness and wrath of almighty God." As though there would be a very great manifestation of his almighty power in what the fierceness of his wrath should inflict, as though omnipotence should be as it were enraged, and exerted, as men are wont to exert their strength in the fierceness of their wrath. Oh! then, what will be the consequence! What will become of the poor worms that shall suffer it! Whose hands can be strong? And whose heart can endure? To what a dreadful, inexpressible, inconceivable depth of misery must the poor creature be sunk who shall be the subject of this!
Consider this, you that are here present, that yet remain in an unregenerate state. That God will execute the fierceness of his anger, implies, that he will inflict wrath without any pity. When God beholds the ineffable extremity of your case, and sees your torment to be so vastly disproportioned to your strength, and sees how your poor soul is crushed, and sinks down, as it were, into an infinite gloom; he will have no compassion upon you, he will not forbear the executions of his wrath, or in the least lighten his hand; there shall be no moderation or mercy, nor will God then at all stay his rough wind; he will have no regard to your welfare, nor be at all careful lest you should suffer too much in any other sense, than only that you shall not suffer beyond what strict justice requires. Nothing shall be withheld, because it is so hard for you to bear. Ezek. 8:18. "Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity; and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet I will not hear them." Now God stands ready to pity you; this is a day of mercy; you may cry now with some encouragement of obtaining mercy. But when once the day of mercy is past, your most lamentable and dolorous cries and shrieks will be in vain; you will be wholly lost and thrown away of God, as to any regard to your welfare. God will have no other use to put you to, but to suffer misery; you shall be continued in being to no other end; for you will be a vessel of wrath fitted to destruction; and there will be no other use of this vessel, but to be filled full of wrath. God will be so far from pitying you when you cry to him, that it is said he will only "laugh and mock," Prov. 1:25,26, etc.
How awful are those words, Isa. 63:3, which are the words of the great God. "I will tread them in mine anger, and will trample them in my fury, and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment." It is perhaps impossible to conceive of words that carry in them greater manifestations of these three things, viz. contempt, and hatred, and fierceness of indignation. If you cry to God to pity you, he will be so far from pitying you in your doleful case, or showing you the least regard or favour, that instead of that, he will only tread you under foot. And though he will know that you cannot bear the weight of omnipotence treading upon you, yet he will not regard that, but he will crush you under his feet without mercy; he will crush out your blood, and make it fly, and it shall be sprinkled on his garments, so as to stain all his raiment. He will not only hate you, but he will have you in the utmost contempt: no place shall be thought fit for you, but under his feet to be trodden down as the mire of the streets.
The misery you are exposed to is that which God will inflict to that end, that he might show what that wrath of Jehovah is. God hath had it on his heart to show to angels and men, both how excellent his love is, and also how terrible his wrath is. Sometimes earthly kings have a mind to show how terrible their wrath is, by the extreme punishments they would execute on those that would provoke them. Nebuchadnezzar, that mighty and haughty monarch of the Chaldean empire, was willing to show his wrath when enraged with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; and accordingly gave orders that the burning fiery furnace should be heated seven times hotter than it was before; doubtless, it was raised to the utmost degree of fierceness that human art could raise it. But the great God is also willing to show his wrath, and magnify his awful majesty and mighty power in the extreme sufferings of his enemies. Rom. 9:22. "What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction?" And seeing this is his design, and what he has determined, even to show how terrible the unrestrained wrath, the fury and fierceness of Jehovah is, he will do it to effect. There will be something accomplished and brought to pass that will be dreadful with a witness. When the great and angry God hath risen up and executed his awful vengeance on the poor sinner, and the wretch is actually suffering the infinite weight and power of his indignation, then will God call upon the whole universe to behold that awful majesty and mighty power that is to be seen in it. Isa. 33:12-14. "And the people shall be as the burnings of lime, as thorns cut up shall they be burnt in the fire. Hear ye that are far off, what I have done; and ye that are near, acknowledge my might. The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites," etc.
Thus it will be with you that are in an unconverted state, if you continue in it; the infinite might, and majesty, and terribleness of the omnipotent God shall be magnified upon you, in the ineffable strength of your torments. You shall be tormented in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb; and when you shall be in this state of suffering, the glorious inhabitants of heaven shall go forth and look on the awful spectacle, that they may see what the wrath and fierceness of the Almighty is; and when they have seen it, they will fall down and adore that great power and majesty. Isa. 66:23,24. "And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord. And they shall go forth and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me; for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched, and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh."
It is everlasting wrath. It would be dreadful to suffer this fierceness and wrath of Almighty God one moment; but you must suffer it to all eternity. There will be no end to this exquisite horrible misery. When you look forward, you shall see a long for ever, a boundless duration before you, which will swallow up your thoughts, and amaze your soul; and you will absolutely despair of ever having any deliverance, any end, any mitigation, any rest at all. You will know certainly that you must wear out long ages, millions of millions of ages, in wrestling and conflicting with this almighty merciless vengeance; and then when you have so done, when so many ages have actually been spent by you in this manner, you will know that all is but a point to what remains. So that your punishment will indeed be infinite. Oh, who can express what the state of a soul in such circumstances is! All that we can possibly say about it, gives but a very feeble, faint representation of it; it is inexpressible and inconceivable: For "who knows the power of God's anger?"
How dreadful is the state of those that are daily and hourly in the danger of this great wrath and infinite misery! But this is the dismal case of every soul in this congregation that has not been born again, however moral and strict, sober and religious, they may otherwise be. Oh that you would consider it, whether you be young or old! There is reason to think, that there are many in this congregation now hearing this discourse, that will actually be the subjects of this very misery to all eternity. We know not who they are, or in what seats they sit, or what thoughts they now have. It may be they are now at ease, and hear all these things without much disturbance, and are now flattering themselves that they are not the persons, promising themselves that they shall escape. If we knew that there was one person, and but one, in the whole congregation, that was to be the subject of this misery, what an awful thing would it be to think of! If we knew who it was, what an awful sight would it be to see such a person! How might all the rest of the congregation lift up a lamentable and bitter cry over him! But, alas! instead of one, how many is it likely will remember this discourse in hell? And it would be a wonder, if some that are now present should not be in hell in a very short time, even before this year is out. And it would be no wonder if some persons, that now sit here, in some seats of this meeting-house, in health, quiet and secure, should be there before tomorrow morning. Those of you that finally continue in a natural condition, that shall keep out of hell longest will be there in a little time! your damnation does not slumber; it will come swiftly, and, in all probability, very suddenly upon many of you. You have reason to wonder that you are not already in hell. It is doubtless the case of some whom you have seen and known, that never deserved hell more than you, and that heretofore appeared as likely to have been now alive as you. Their case is past all hope; they are crying in extreme misery and perfect despair; but here you are in the land of the living and in the house of God, and have an opportunity to obtain salvation. What would not those poor damned hopeless souls give for one day's opportunity such as you now enjoy!
And now you have an extraordinary opportunity, a day wherein Christ has thrown the door of mercy wide open, and stands in calling and crying with a loud voice to poor sinners; a day wherein many are flocking to him, and pressing into the kingdom of God. Many are daily coming from the east, west, north and south; many that were very lately in the same miserable condition that you are in, are now in a happy state, with their hearts filled with love to him who has loved them, and washed them from their sins in his own blood, and rejoicing in hope of the glory of God. How awful is it to be left behind at such a day! To see so many others feasting, while you are pining and perishing! To see so many rejoicing and singing for joy of heart, while you have cause to mourn for sorrow of heart, and howl for vexation of spirit! How can you rest one moment in such a condition? Are not your souls as precious as the souls of the people at Suffield, where they are flocking from day to day to Christ?
Are there not many here who have lived long in the world, and are not to this day born again? and so are aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and have done nothing ever since they have lived, but treasure up wrath against the day of wrath? Oh, sirs, your case, in an especial manner, is extremely dangerous. Your guilt and hardness of heart is extremely great. Do you not see how generality persons of your years are passed over and left, in the present remarkable and wonderful dispensation of God's mercy? You had need to consider yourselves, and awake thoroughly out of sleep. You cannot bear the fierceness and wrath of the infinite God. -- And you, young men, and young women, will you neglect this precious season which you now enjoy, when so many others of your age are renouncing all youthful vanities, and flocking to Christ? You especially have now an extraordinary opportunity; but if you neglect it, it will soon be with you as with those persons who spent all the precious days of youth in sin, and are now come to such a dreadful pass in blindness and hardness. -- And you, children, who are unconverted, do not you know that you are going down to hell, to bear the dreadful wrath of that God, who is now angry with you every day and every night? Will you be content to be the children of the devil, when so many other children in the land are converted, and are become the holy and happy children of the King of kings?
And let every one that is yet out of Christ, and hanging over the pit of hell, whether they be old men and women, or middle aged, or young people, or little children, now hearken to the loud calls of God's word and providence. This acceptable year of the Lord, a day of such great favour to some, will doubtless be a day of as remarkable vengeance to others. Men's hearts harden, and their guilt increases apace at such a day as this, if they neglect their souls; and never was there so great danger of such persons being given up to hardness of heart and blindness of mind. God seems now to be hastily gathering in his elect in all parts of the land; and probably the greater part of adult persons that ever shall be saved, will be brought in now in a little time, and that it will be as it was on the great out-pouring of the Spirit upon the Jews in the apostles' days; the election will obtain, and the rest will be blinded. If this should be the case with you, you will eternally curse this day, and will curse the day that ever you was born, to see such a season of the pouring out of God's Spirit, and will wish that you had died and gone to hell before you had seen it. Now undoubtedly it is, as it was in the days of John the Baptist, the axe is in an extraordinary manner laid at the root of the trees, that every tree which brings not forth good fruit, may be hewn down and cast into the fire.
Therefore, let every one that is out of Christ, now awake and fly from the wrath to come. The wrath of Almighty God is now undoubtedly hanging over a great part of this congregation. Let every one fly out of Sodom: "Haste and escape for your lives, look not behind you, escape to the mountain, lest you be consumed."
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- 2013年
03月12日
21:19
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这篇讲章是在1741年7月8日在康涅狄格州的恩菲尔德宣讲的。当时，由乔治·华菲德点燃的复兴之火已烧遍了新英格兰地区。但恩菲尔德这个最邪恶的地方 却丝毫不为所动。一群牧师因此召集了一次下午特别崇拜，邀请约拿单·爱德华滋作聚会的讲员。当牧师们进入会场时，全都被会众的轻浮态度吓了一跳。这些人看 上去又无知又自负，根本不检点自己的举止行为。
爱德华滋布道时，没有用任何手势，站在那里一动不动。他把左手肘搁在讲台上，左手拿着讲章。他布道的经文是《申命记》三十二章35节：“他们失脚的时候近了。”
也许从来没有任何布道产生过这种效果。他不时被会众中爆发出的大喊大叫所打断。男男女女，一群一群站起来，在地板上打滚，他们的哭喊有时甚至把讲员的声 音都淹没了。据说有些人紧紧抱住教堂的柱子和栏杆，显然是在那一刻感到他们的脚正在滑跌，他们正往地狱沉落。整个屋子里哭声震天，哭者痛感自己处于失丧之 中，向神呼求怜悯。
整整一夜恩菲尔德如同大敌当前，几乎每一幢房子里都能听见人们的呼喊，求神拯救他们。
“他们失脚的时候近了。”
申命记三十二35
在 这一节经文中，神声称他要报复邪恶不信的以色列人。他们是他的百姓，有着他恩典的工具，但他们虽见了神对他们所施行的奇妙作为，心中却没有聪明（申三十二 28）。他们受了上天的栽培，却结出苦毒的果子，正如我所引经文前的两节所表明的。我所选用的经文：“他们失脚的时候近了。”似包含论邪恶以色列人所受惩 罚和灭亡下列数端。
他们常有沉沦的危险，象一个在滑地上行走的人，常常有跌倒的危险一样。他们的沉沦，是用失脚来表明。《诗篇》七十三首18，19节也说：“祢实在把他们安在滑地，使他们掉在沉沦之中。”
这 段经文也表明他们常常有突然沉沦的危险。正如一个走在滑地的人，时刻都可能跌倒，他不能预先料到下一步是否会跌倒或站住；他一旦要跌倒，就立刻跌倒，而没 有预告。恰如《诗篇》七十三首18，19节所说：“祢实在把他们安在滑地，使他们掉在沉沦之中。他们转眼之间，成了何等的荒凉！”
这段经文还表明他们并非被别人推倒，而是自己跌倒。正如一个在滑地上或站或走的人，不须别物，自身的重量就可以将他摔倒。
至 于他们为何还没有跌倒，或如今尚未跌倒，那只是因为神所定的时间还没有到。因为经上说，时候到了，他们就要失脚。那时，他们就要因自己的重量，将自己摔 倒。神必不再在那滑地扶持他们，要让他们自己摔倒。就在那时，他们要堕入沉沦之中，正如一个站在倾斜滑地的人一样，他不能独自一人，在坑边站稳，若没有人 扶着他，他就要立刻跌入沉沦之中。
我 现在所要坚持的，乃是下面的一句话：“除神的美意外，没有什么可以叫恶人一刻脱离地狱。”所谓神的美意，我是指他至高无上的意旨。这意旨不为什么义务所拘 束，不为任何困难所阻挡。除神的美意外，没有什么可以在任何最小程度或任何方面，片刻保存恶人。这真理可以从下面各点来说明：
神 不乏权炳，来随时将恶人投入地狱。神一兴起，人的双手就软弱无力。最强壮的人也不能抵挡他；也没有人能从神手中援救我们。神不仅能将恶人投入地狱，而且很 容易作到这事。世上的君王，有时因为反叛者军队众多，防御巩固，人就很难征服他们。但神却不然。人的炮台都不足以抵御神的权能。即令神的大群仇敌，手牵着 手，联结起来，神也必容易将他们打得粉碎。他们是象一堆糠秕遇着旋风，或一堆柴薪当着烈火。正如人容易踹死一个在地上爬的虫子，容易割断或烧断一根系物的 细线；照样神若定意，他容易把他的仇敌投入地狱。神一斥责，地就震动，在他面前磐石也倾倒，我们是什么，竟想抗拒神么？
恶 人该被投入地狱，所以神的公义并不阻止，也不反对神随时施展能力来毁灭他们。反倒公义要大声疾呼，要求永远惩罚恶人的罪。神的公义对那结所多玛的葡萄树 说：“把它砍了罢，何必白占地土呢？（路十三7）神公义之剑，是时刻挥舞在他们的头上，只有神怜悯的手和善意，才能止住那剑。
罪 人已被判下地狱。他们不只是该被投入地狱，而且神律法的宣判，即神在他自己与世人中间所定永不改变的公义准则，是已经定了他们的罪；他们下地狱的判决，是 已经定了。正如《约翰福音》三章18节上所说：“不信的人罪已经定了。”所以凡不肯悔改重生的，都属乎地狱；地狱乃是他们的地方；他们是从那里来的，正如 《约翰福音》八章23节上所说：“你们是从下头来的”；他们也必往那里去；这是神的公义，正道，和不可改变之律法的判辞判他们去的地方。
他们如今便是神藉地狱苦刑，所表现忿怒的对象。他的其所以没立刻下地狱，并非是因为掌管他们的神不十分恼怒他们，如同恼怒许多如今在地狱中受神严厉忿怒的人一样。其实神对许多活在世上的人，甚至，对会众中许多悠然自得的人，较之对许多正在地狱烈火中的人，更要恼怒。
所 以神没有立刻伸手将他们除掉，并非是因为他不憎恨罪恶的缘故。神完全不象世人所想象的，与他们一样。神怒火向他们熊熊燃烧着，他们的惩罚并不迟延；火坑准 备好了，火燃着了，炉烧热了，正准备将恶人投入；熊熊的火焰，正在燃烧。磨锐发光的刀剑，现正加于他们的头上，火坑在他们的脚下也张开了大口。
魔 鬼随时准备袭击他们，什么时候神一容许魔鬼动手，他就要将他们掳为己有。他们就属了魔鬼，他们的灵魂也为他所有，受他辖制。经上称他们为魔鬼的家财（路十 一21）。魔鬼常在人的身边，窥伺他们，好像饿狮窥伺掠物一般，想把他们吞吃，只是暂时受了阻挡。神若一旦放松他阻挡的手，魔鬼立刻就要袭取他们的可怜灵 魂。那条古蛇要吞噬他们，地狱也在张口等待他们；神一容许，他们就会立刻被吞噬，归于灭亡。
恶 人的灵魂被地狱的邪道所管制，这些邪道，若不是有神约束，就要立刻冒出地狱的火来。在属血气之人的本情中，原有受地狱刑罚的根基。那些宰制他们的邪道，乃 是地狱之火的种子。这些邪道，本性强烈，活泼有力，若不是因有神的手加以控制，它们就会爆发燃烧起来，象那在受咒诅者的心中所有的败坏和仇恨所起的作用一 般，而且也必产生同样的痛苦。经上将恶人的灵魂比喻为翻腾的海（赛五十七20）。如今神以大能约束他们的恶，好像他制止海中的狂浪一般，说：“到此止步， 不能再进”；神若一旦松手，狂浪即将席卷一切。罪是心灵中的悲苦和毁灭；按它的本性它是毁灭人的；神若一旦不加约束，就无需别的来叫人的灵魂达到完全悲苦 之境。人心趋于败坏其狂热是无止境的。恶人活在世上时，好像烈火被神禁闭，神若一旦任其放肆，它即可以燎原；既然人心是罪坑，所以罪若不被节制，它就会立 刻将人的灵魂变为硫磺的火炉。
恶 人若眼前看不到死亡临头，那并不足以使他们有片刻安全。一个属肉体的人，若眼前健康无恙，看不到他会遭遇什么意外而立刻去世，也看不到他会遭遇什么危险， 这并不使他有安全。古往今来的许多经验都告诉我们，这并不足以证明一个人，没有临到永恒的边际，不会在下一步踏入另一个世界。那忽然使人离开世界种种看不 见和想不到的情况，是数不尽，料不到的。尚未归主的人是走地狱坑上的朽坏之路。这路上有无数薄弱的地方，不克负荷他们的重量，而这些地方乃是看不见的。在 正午有看不见的死亡之剑飞来；就是最明亮的眼力，也看不见它们。神有种种不可测度的方法，将恶人提出世界，送入地狱；神并无需假手神迹，或采取非常的方 法，可以随时除灭恶人。所有一切叫罪人去世的方法，都这般操在神的手中，这般绝对一概取决于神的权能和决断，以致罪人是否立刻坠入地狱，完全是凭神的旨 意，有如他直接处理，而不用什么方法一般。
世 人所用以保存自己性命的智慧，或别人保存他们性命的关注，都不能给他们一刻的保障。神的安排和普世人的经验，都证明这一点。人自己的聪明，显然不能保障人 脱离死亡；否则世上的聪明机智人，就不会同别人一样遭遇早丧或不意之死。但事实如何呢？《传道书》二章16节说：“可叹智慧人死亡，与愚昧人无异。”
恶 人在继续抗拒基督，怙恶不悛时，所有逃避地狱的苦心和经营，也都一刻不能保全他们避免地狱。几乎每一个世人听到说起地狱时，都自以为可以避免地狱。他靠自 己得保安全；他庆幸自己过去所作的，现在所作的，和将来所打算作的。人人心中都有避免刑罚的计谋。他们庆幸自己打算得好，认为自己的计谋必不失败，他们诚 然听见说，得救的人很少，以前死去的人大多数都进了地狱；但是人人都以为自己所打算的逃避方法，要强于别人。他不要来到那痛苦的地方；他心里说，他定要采 取有效的办法，为自己安排，好不致失败。
可 是愚昧之子自行其是，又信靠自己的聪明，便把自己可怜地欺骗了；他们所信靠的，无非是幻影。那些在同样恩典工具之下活着，如今死了的人，无疑大多数人都走 入了地狱；这并非因为他们不如今日活着的人一样聪明；这也不是因为他们逃避地狱的打算不周到。倘若我们今日能够同他们谈话，一个一个问他们，他们活着听见 到说地狱的时候，是否曾预期他们也会受地狱之苦。我们无疑要听见每人回答说：“我并未曾想到会来到此处。我曾另定了主意，自以为打算得很好。我认为我的计 划很好。我本以为采取了有救的打算，不料竟到了这里；我当时未曾预料，地狱竟如同盗贼一般临到了我。死胜过了我的打算。神的忿怒来得太快。啊哟，我的愚拙 真是可咒诅呀！那时我在虚空的梦幻中自鸣得意，正当我说平安稳妥的时候，毁灭就忽然临到我身上。”
神并没有应许救任何属肉体的人，使他一刻脱离地狱。神并没有应许救任何人免永死得永生，而只是应许了那些在他恩典之约中的人；这就是基督所应许的，而他一切的应许也都是是的。但是凡不属于这约，不相信这些应许，又与约的中保无分的人，也当然是与恩典之约的应许无分的。
所以，不管人如何幻想，以为属肉体的人只要肯诚恳叩门寻求，就可以得着应许，其实，除非人相信基督，就不管他是如何辛苦追求宗教，用心祈祷，神也决必不叫他一刻脱离永死。
所以，属肉体的人，是被握在神的手中，临到地狱的坑上。他们该当下火坑，并且已被判定下火坑。他们激动了神的忿怒，神对他们发怒，正如对那些正在地狱里 受苦的人发怒一样，而且他们既丝毫没有努力，去减轻或平息神的忿怒，神也丝毫不受任何应许约束，来一刻维护他们。魔鬼正在等候他们，地狱正在向他们张口， 吐出火焰来围绕他们，烧灭他们，吞噬他们。他们自己心中所藏的欲火，也挣扎着要冒出来；而且他们与中保无分，在他们身边没有什么可以使他们得安全。总之， 他们没有避难所，没有安身处；那暂时保存他们的，只是那受了冒犯之神的自决旨意与忍耐，而那忍耐却是不为任何约或义务所约束的。
这可怕的题目，是为唤醒这会众中未悔改的人。你们刚才所听见的，乃是你们当中每一个在基督以外之人的情形。那凄惨的世界，那烧着硫磺的火湖，正在你们的 脚下展开。那里有着神的忿怒熊熊燃烧的火坑；那里有着地狱张开的大口；你是无所凭依，无法站立，你与地狱中间所隔的，只是空气而已！只有神的权能与美意才 把你维护着。
对此也许你们并未察觉。你们暂时得免于下地狱，便以为并不见得是由于神的手，而是由于别的什么东西，诸如你们身体的健康，对本身的照顾，和种种保护自己的方法。其实，这些东西都算不得什么；若是神收回他的手，它们就是一层薄薄的空气而已，并不能扶持你们不跌倒。
你们的罪恶使你们沉重如铅，向地狱下垂；神一旦放手，你们就立刻下沉，迅速堕入无底的深渊；你们所靠身体的健康，自己的智虑，上好的谋略，以及所有自己 的义，都不能扶持你们不下地狱，正如蛛网不能抗拒滚下的磐石一般。若不是因为神至上的旨意，地球不会托住你们一刻，因你们对世界是一重担；万物都因你们而 叹息；万物都不愿伏在你们败坏的捆绑之下；太阳不愿给你们光辉去犯罪事奉魔鬼；地土也不乐意效力来满足你们的情欲；世界也不愿作你们表演恶行的舞台；当你 们浪费一生去事奉神的仇敌，连空气也不愿让你们呼吸来维持生命。神所造的万物，，都是善的，是为人事奉神而造的，它们不愿辅助别的目的，它们一旦被人滥 用，违反它们的本性与目的，就呻吟叹息。若不是神权能之手使世界在指望中顺服，它就要将你们吐出。如今有神忿怒的黑云，浮在你们的头上，充满了暴风和迅 雷；若不是因为神伸手约束，它立刻就要劈在你们的头上。神权能的旨意暂时止住这狂风，不然，它会猛烈袭来。如是，你们的沉沦就如旋风临到，你们就好像夏天 打稻场上的糠秕一般。
神 的忿怒好像洪水，暂为堤坝堵住；洪水继续增长，逐渐高涨，直到最后堤溃。堤防一旦崩溃，洪水被堵住了越久，奔流也就越急。固然神对你们的恶行，到如今尚未 施行审判，神报复的洪流尚在被堵住之中；但同时你们的罪孽不断增加，你们每日继续积蓄更多的忿怒；洪水继续增高，越加凶猛。除神的善意外，再没有什么来堵 住那不愿意被堵塞的奔放洪流。只要神把手从水闸收回，洪流就会立刻飞奔；神如洪流一般凶猛的忿怒，将以不可想象的暴怒，向前直冲，以无穷尽的权能，临到你 们身上。即使你们的能力万倍于现在所有，甚至万倍于地狱中最凶猛最强暴的恶魔，也无法抵挡或忍受神的忿怒。
神 忿怒之弓已拉紧了，矢已在弦上，公义已将矢对准你们的心门。没有别的，只有神的旨意，而且只有那对你们不受任何应许或责任所约束的忿怒之神的旨意，才暂时 不让弦上的矢，来饮你们的血。所以你们凡未被圣灵的大能将心灵大大改变的人，你们凡未被重生新造和未从罪中的死活过来而进入崭新生命和亮光的人，都落在忿 怒的神手中。虽然你们在许多的事上改变了，也有了一些宗教的热忱，又在你们的家庭、密室和教堂中，遵守了形式的宗教，然而这些都算不得什么；只有神的美 意，才能叫你们此刻不为永远的沉沦所吞灭。或者你们目前不相信所听的道理，但不久你们就要完全相信。那些原来与你们处于同样情况的人，已经晓得了，因为他 们正说着“平安稳妥”的时候，毁灭就忽然临到了他们，是他们所未曾预料的。如今他们看见，他们以前靠赖得平安和稳妥的东西，都无非是稀薄的空气和空虚的影 子。
那 将你们悬在地狱火坑上，如将一个蜘蛛或其他可憎的虫子悬在烈火上的神，恼怒你们，被你们大大地激怒了。他对你们发怒，如同火烧一样；他看你们值不得什么， 只配丢在火中。他的眼睛是太圣洁了，不愿看你们，你们在神的眼中，比最可恨的毒蛇在我们的眼中，还要可憎万倍。你们触犯了神，比极顽强的叛徒触犯他的君 王，多过无穷倍数。然而，那每一瞬刻使你们不至坠入火中的，乃是神的手。你们昨夜未下地狱，你们闭目入睡后，还再在世上醒来，都不是因着别的缘故。自从你 们今晨起来，没有坠入地狱，也不是因为别的，而只是因为有神的手扶持。你们坐在此间圣所，用邪恶的样子来崇拜神，触怒神圣洁的眼目，你们所以没有即刻下地 狱，也只是因为这个缘故。你们此刻不坠入地狱，真是再没有别的缘故。
罪 人啊，你们要想到你们的危险何等可怕。你们被神的手握着，悬在一个忿怒的洪炉之上。这洪炉是无底的祸坑，充满了忿怒之火。神的忿怒向你们发作，正如向许多 已在地狱中的人发作一样。你们是悬在一根细线上，神的怒火熊熊扑来，随时可以将它烧断；你们与中保无份，毫无依靠来拯救自己，没有什么救你们脱离这忿怒之 火；你们自己所有的，所作过的或能作的，都不能使神饶恕你们片刻。
在这一件事上，你们特别要想到下列各端：
一、 这是谁的忿怒：这是无限神的忿怒。倘若这只是人的忿怒，即令是最有权势之君王的忿怒，也不要紧。君王的忿怒，特别是专制君王的忿怒，乃是很可怕的，因为他 们操人民生命财产之权，可以任意处置。正如《箴言》二十章2节所说：“王的威吓如同狮子吼叫，惹动他怒的，是自害己命。”凡惹动专制君王愤怒的，不免要受 人所能想出所能执行的极刑。但是世上最有威严，最有权势，最为可怕的至高君王，若与全能的创造主，天地之王比较起来，就不过是尘土中软弱无能的虫子而已。 他们被人极其激怒、大为愤怒时所能作的，也算不得什么。地上的一切君王，在神的面前，都不过是蚱蜢而已；他们是虚无，而且不及虚无。他们的爱与恨，都无足 轻重。伟大的万王之王的忿怒，比他们的忿怒更为可畏，因为他的威仪更大。正如《路加福音》十二章4-5节所说：“我的朋友，我对你们说：那杀身体以后，不 能再作什么的，不要怕他们。我要指示你们当怕的是谁：当怕那杀了以后，又有权炳丢在地狱里的。我实在告诉你们，正要怕他。”
二、 你们所面临的，乃是神的烈怒。我们在《圣经》上常读到神的烈怒，如《以赛亚书》五十九章18节说：“他必按人的行为施报，恼怒他的敌人，报复他的仇敌。” 又如《以赛亚书》六十六章15节所说：“看哪，耶和华必在火中降临，他的车辇像旋风，以烈怒施行报应，以火焰施行责罚。”又如《启示录》19章15节所 说：“并要踹全能神烈怒的酒酢。”这些话是非常可怕的。若所说的只是“神的忿怒”，那已是非常可怕了，但这里是说：“神的烈怒”。神的烈怒，耶和华的烈 怒，那是何等可怕！谁能叙述这种说法中所包含着的意义呀！况且这又是“全能神的烈怒”。那似乎是说，神必在他烈怒中所施的惩罚上，彰显他的全能。他发怒施 展全能，是好像人在烈怒中施展能力一样。那么，结果是不堪设想的！可怜如虫子的人，将如何受得了！谁的手强而有力呢？谁的心能忍受呢？凡遭受这烈怒的可怜 人，要落到何等可怕，不堪言状，想象不到的苦痛的深渊中呀！
你们当中尚未悔改重生的人，要思想这事。神要发烈怒，意思就是说，他要施极刑，毫无怜悯。当神看到你们陷入无法形容的困境中，看到你们所受的苦刑远非你 们的力量所能忍受，又看见你们的灵魂被打得粉碎，下沉于无底的阴间，他必不怜悯你们，必不止息他的忿怒，必不丝毫放松他的手；他必不宽宥你们，怜悯你们， 也必不止住那狂风；他既不顾念你们的幸福，也不管你们受苦太多；因为你们所受的苦，只是严格的公义所要求的。他并不因你们难受而减轻刑罚。正如《以西结 书》八章18节所说：“因此，我也要以忿怒行事，我眼必不顾惜，也不可怜他们。他们虽向我耳中大声呼求，我还是不听。”
但现今神要向你们施怜悯，现今乃是施怜悯的日子。你们现今可以嚎啕呼求，或可得到神的怜悯。可是，施怜悯的日子一过，你们的嚎啕大叫，都是无用的：神必 不顾及你们的幸福，你们就完全丧失，被神抛弃了。那时，神看你们没有别用，只好让你们去受苦，你们的痛苦将永无穷尽，因为你们是一个可怒预备遭毁灭的器 皿，并没有别的用处，只配盛满神的忿怒。当你们向他呼号时，他必不可怜你们，正如《箴言》一章25-26节所说：“你们遭灾难，我就发笑。。。我必嗤 笑。”
《以 赛亚书》63章3节记载全能神的话，说：“我发怒将他们踹下，发烈怒将他们践踏，他们的血溅在我衣服上，并且污染了我一切的衣裳。”这是何等可怕的话。恐 怕谁都不能想出别的话来表明更多的蔑视、忿恨与恼怒。倘若你们呼求神可怜你们，他必不可怜你这种凄惨的情形，也不向你们表示丝毫的爱惜，反倒要将你们践踏 在脚下。虽然他明知你们不能承当全能者沉重的践踏，然而他不理会，不施怜悯，必将你们压碎在他脚下；他要榨你们的血来，使之飞溅，溅在他衣服上，并且污染 他的衣裳。他不仅憎恶你们，而且极端鄙视你们。他想什么地方对你们都不合适，只好将你们践踏在脚下，好像街上的污泥一样。
三、 你们所面临的灾祸，乃是神要表明他的忿怒是什么。神存心要向天使和世人表明，他的爱心是何等高深，但他的忿怒也是何等可怕。有时，地上的君王也存心要表示 他们的忿怒是何等可怕，就以极刑来加于那些触动他们怒气的人。当迦勒底帝国威武高傲的尼布甲尼撒王，恼怒沙得拉、米煞、亚伯尼歌时，他要表示他的暴怒，就 吩咐人将火窑烧热，比寻常更加七倍。无疑，这是尽人之所能，烧热到了极点。伟大的神，也要表示他的忿怒，使他的仇敌遭受极刑，以彰显他可畏的威严和大能。 正如《罗马书》九章22节所说：“倘若神要显明他的忿怒，彰显他的权能，就多多忍耐宽容那可怒预备遭毁灭的器皿。”既然这是神的计划，和他所决定行的事， 即是要显明神的忿怒是如何可怕，他的烈怒是如何凶猛，他就如此行出来。他所行的，必有人见证说是何等可畏。当全能忿怒的神起来，在可怜的罪人身上施行他可 畏的报应，使罪人亲自尝到他忿怒的无限权能与沉重时，他就要呼唤全宇宙，来看他忿怒中的威仪和大能。正如《以赛亚书》三十三章12-14节所说：“列邦必 像已烧的石灰，已割的荆棘，在火中焚烧。你们远方的人，当听我所行的，你们近处的人，当承认我的大能。锡安的罪人都惧怕，不敬虔的人被战兢抓住。。。”
你们这些仍在罪中尚未悔改的人，也必这样：全能神的无限威严权能与可怕，就必在你们所受的不可言状的痛苦上彰显出来。你们必在圣天使的面前和羔羊的面前 受苦刑。当你们受苦刑时，天上的光荣圣众，要出来观看这种可怕的光景，好知道全能神的忿怒如何。他们既看见了，就要俯伏崇拜那位有大权能与威严的。正如 《以赛亚书》66章23-24节所说：“每逢月朔安息日，凡有血气的必来在我面前下拜，这是主说的。他们必出去观看那些违背我的人之尸首，因为他们的虫是 不死的，火是不灭的。凡有血气的，都必憎恶他们。”
四、这乃是永久的忿怒。若你们只是片刻遭受全能神的烈怒，已够可怕了；但你们要永久遭受它。这个极端可怕的苦痛，乃是永远无穷的。当你们向前看的时候， 你们要看到一个永远不断的苦楚，摆在面前，它要吞灭你们的思想，惊吓你们的灵魂；你们要绝对失望，没有救法，没有穷尽，没有缓和，没有宁息。你们必知道， 你们必在亿万年漫长的岁月中，与这全能无情的报复挣扎着，然而到头来，你们必发现，这不过是无穷苦刑之中的一点点而已。所以，你们的刑罚真是无穷无尽。一 个灵魂所处的这种光景，有谁能够形容出来呢！我们所能形容的，都只是很微弱的。这种苦楚，是无法形容的，不可想象的。因为“谁能知道神忿怒的权能呢？”
那些每日每晚都处于这个大忿怒和大灾祸当中的人，他们的情况是何等可怕呀！但这正是我们会众中尚未重生的人之凄惨情况，且不管他们是如何有道德、严谨、 敬虔。无论老幼，你们都当考虑这事。我们很有理由，认为会众中许多现在听到这话的人，将来必要亲受这种苦痛，直到永远。我们不知道他们是谁，他们坐在哪 里，他们现在想些什么。也许他们现在心中泰然自若，听到这些事，并不受感动，竟庆幸自己不是这种人，自许必得避免地狱。倘若我们知道全会众中只有一个人， 将要受这苦刑，那么，我们想起这事来已是何等可怕呀！倘若我们知道这人是谁，那么，我们看这人，是何等可怜啊！全会众就都当怎样为他嚎啕痛哭！但是，哎 哟！将来不仅有一个人，而且有好多人，要在地狱中回忆这一席话呢！再者在座的人当中，若没有一些人，在很短的时期内，甚至在今年年底之前，就要下地狱，那 才是奇事了。若是有些人目前坐在某些座位上，很是健全、平安、无事，在明朝之前，就下了地狱，那也是不足为奇的事。你们中间那些不肯悔改和延长最久不下地 狱的人，至终也必下地狱！你们的惩罚并不打盹，必快快临到你们，而且很可能会忽然临到你们中间许多人身上。你们应当惊奇你们尚未下地狱。无疑，在你所见过 所知道的人当中，曾有一些人，并不比你们更应当下地狱，他们也似乎当与你们一样，如今仍该存活。
可是他们已全然无望，如今在极端痛苦与绝望中号哭；而你们却是仍活着坐在神的殿中，仍有得救的机会。那些在地狱中绝望的可怜人，若能得着你们眼前所有的机会一日，那么有什么代价是他们所不肯付的呢！
如今你们有一种非常的机会，有基督大开恩门的日子，对可怜的罪人大声疾呼。在这日，有许多人投奔他，努力进入神的国。每日有许多人从东，从西，从南，从 北而来；好些人前不久仍与你们一样，处在可怜的情况中，而今却在幸福之境，心中对那爱他们并以自己的宝血洗涤他们罪恶的基督，充满了爱，欢欢喜喜盼望神的 荣耀。在这样一个蒙恩的日子，自甘落伍，那是如何可怕呀！眼见许多别人去赴筵席，你们却消瘦而灭亡！眼见许多别人心中快乐，歌唱，你们却悲哀嚎啕，精神痛 苦！你们如何能够一刻安于这种光景呢！苏菲勒（Suffield）邻镇的人，日日奔向基督，你们的灵魂岂不是与他们的灵魂一样宝贵么？
这里岂不是有许多人在世上活了许久，至今却尚未重生么？你们岂不因此是化外人，从有生以来，只是为忿怒的日子积蓄神的忿怒么？诸君啊，你们的情形实在是 非常危险。你们的心非常邪恶刚硬。你们岂不见许多与你们同年纪的人，如今都被弃绝，与神现在所施的奇妙怜悯无份么？你们理当从睡梦中儆醒，仔细思量。神的 无量忿怒，是你们担当不起的。
你们这些少年男女，眼见许多你们同年纪的男女，已放弃一切少年的虚荣心而皈依基督，你们岂可虚抛现在所有的宝贵机会吗？你们如今特别有着一种非常的机 会；若是你们忽略这种机会，不久你们就要和别人一样，把宝贵的青年时期浪费在罪恶中，以致在盲目和顽梗之中临到了可怖的景况。你们这些尚未悔改的小孩，你 们岂不知道你们正走向地狱，日夜惹动神向你们发怒么？此地有其他许多孩童已经悔改，作了万王之王的圣洁幸福小孩。难道你们仍愿作魔鬼的小孩吗？
无论老年、中年、幼年或小孩，凡尚未归向基督，悬在地狱坑上的男女，如今要听神的道大声向你们呼召。如今是主悦纳人的禧年，这对于有些人，是赐大恩的日 子；对于另一些人，却无疑是报应的日子。在这样的一个日子，人若疏忽自己的灵魂，心中就必变为刚硬，罪债大为加添。而神又任凭这等人硬心盲目，他们的危 险，从来就没有比这更大的了。神如今好像正在各地，赶紧召集他的选民，也许那些将要蒙恩的成年人，大都会要在短时期内蒙召，正如使徒的时候，圣灵大大浇灌 在犹太人身上一样。选民要蒙恩，其余的人却要盲目。若你们也是盲目的，你们将永远咒诅这一日，也咒诅你们所生的那一日。你们眼见这样一个圣灵大大浇灌的日 子，而自己不蒙选召，你们要恨自己未曾在这日之先死去，下了地狱。无疑，如今正象施洗约翰的日子一样，“斧子已经放在树根上，凡不结好果子的树， 就砍下来，丢在火里。”（太3：10）
所以，凡尚未归基督的人，如今要醒来，逃避那要来的忿怒。全能之神的忿怒，现在必然是临到大部分会众的头上，各人要赶紧逃出所多玛。“逃命罢，不可回头看，要往山上逃跑，免得你被剿灭。”（创19：17）
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