Religion & morality > Human nature in its four-fold state ... in several practical discourses

Head II. Howto flee from Wrath. 183
Confciences, to your IVork, to work them away;
or to your Beds, to fleep them out; or to Company
to Sport and Laugh them away: But Convictions
fo ftifled, will have a fearful Refurredtion; and the
Day is coming, when the Arrows of Wrath (hall fo
ftick in thy Soul, as thou fhalt never be able to pluck
them out, thro’ the Ages of Eternity, unlefs thou
take Warning in Time.
But if any defire to flee from the Wrath to come;
and lor that End, to know what Courfe to take;
I offer them thefe few Advices, and obteft and be-
feech them, as they love their own Souls, to fall in
with them, (i.) Retire your felves into fome fecret
Place, and there meditate on this your Mifery. Be¬
lieve it, and fix your Thoughts on it. Let each put
the Queftion to himfelf, How can I live in this
State ? How can I die in it ? How will I rife again,
and Hand before theTribunal of God in it? (2.)Con-
fider ferioufly the Sin of your Nature, Heart, and
Life. A kindly Sight of Wrath, flows from a deep
Senfe oiSin. They who feethemfelves exceedingyfo-
/«/,will find no great Difficulty to perceive themfelves
to be Heirs of Wrath. (3.) Labour to juft ify God
in this Matter. To quarrel with God about it, and
to rage like a wild Bull in a Net, will but fix you
the more in it. Humiliation of Soul, before the
Lord, is neceffary tor an Efcape. God will not fell
Deliverance, but freely gives it to thofe, who fee
themfelves altogether unworthy his Favour. Laftly,
Turn your Eyes, O Prifoners of Hope, towards
the Lord Jefus Chrift ; and embrace him as he of-
fereth himfelf in the Gofpel. Sthere is no 'Salvation
in any other, Afts iv. 12. God is a con fuming Fire ;
ye are Children of Wrath: If the Mediator inter-
pofe not betwixt hint and you, ye are undone fot
M 4 ever.