Having thus shown, in
some measure, why natural men are God's enemies, I proceed to the last thing
proposed.
IV. To consider and make
answer to some objections, that some may be ready to make against this.
Natural men do not
generally conceive themselves to be so bad: They have not this notion of
themselves, that they are enemies to God. And therefore when they hear such
doctrine as this taught them, they stand ready to make objections.
Object. 1. Some natural
men may be ready to say, I do not know that I feel any such enmity in my heart
against God as is spoken of. I am not sensible that I am such a dreadful enemy,
so as to hate God, and to have a mortal enmity against him; and to have a disposition,
if I could, to kill him. I feel no such thing in myself, and why should I think
that I have such a thing in me? If I have such enmity, why do not I feel it? If
I am a mortal enemy, why should I not know it better than any body else? How
can others see what is in my heart better than I myself? If I hate one of my
fellow creatures, and have a spirit against him, I can feel it inwardly
working. To such an objection I would,
Ans. 1. If you do but
observe yourself, and search your own heart, unless you are strangely blinded,
you may be sensible of these things wherein enmity does fundamentally consist.
As particularly, you may be sensible that you have at least had a low and
contemptible esteem of God; and that you in your esteem set the trifles and
vanities of this world far above him; so as to esteem the enjoyment of these
things far before the enjoyment of God, and to value these things better than
his love. And you may be sensible that you despise the authority of God, and
value his commands and his honor but very little. Or if by some means you have
blinded yourself now, so as to think you do regard them now, doubtless you can
look back and see that you have not regarded them. You may be sensible that you
have had a disrelish and aversion towards God; an opposition to thinking of
God, or to have any thing to do with him; so that it would have been a very
uncomfortable task to have been confined to it for any time; and that when the
vanities of the world, at the same time, have been very pleasing to you; and
you have been all swallowed up in them, while you have been averse to the
things of religion.
If
you look into your heart, it is there plain to be seen, that there in an enmity
in your will, that your will is contrary to God's will; for you have
been opposing the will of God all your life long. These things are plain in
natural men; it is nothing but some great delusion that can hide them from you.
And these things are the foundation of all enmity; if these things be in you,
all the rest that we have spoken of will follow of course.
2.
One reason why you have not more sensibly felt the exercises of malice against
God is, that your enmity is now exercised partly in your unbelief of God's
being; and this prevents its appearing in other ways, that otherwise it would.
Man has naturally a principle of Atheism in him; an indisposition to realize
God's being, and a disposition to doubt of it. The being of God does not
ordinarily seem real to natural men. All the discoveries that there are of
God's being, in his works, will not overcome the principle of Atheism that is
in the heart. And
though they seem in some measure to be rationally convinced, yet it does not
appear real; the conviction is faint, there is no strong conviction impressed
on the mind, that there is a God: And oftentimes they are ready to think that
there is none. Now this will prevent the exercise of this enmity that otherwise
would be felt; particularly, it may be an occasion of there not being those
sensible exercises of hatred, that otherwise there would be.
It may in some measure be
illustrated by this: If you had a rooted malice against another man, a
principle that had been long established there; if you should hear that he was
dead, and so should conceive that he had no being, the sensible workings of
your malice would not be felt, as when you realized it that he was alive, or
that there was such a person; and that although there be the same thing in the
foundation, which would appear, if you should afterwards hear the news contradicted,
and perceive that your enemy was still alive; you would feel the same workings
of hatred that you did before. And when you thought he was dead, you might feel
the exercise of your enmity, in being glad of it. And thus your not realizing
it, that God has a being, may prevent those sensible workings of hatred, that
otherwise you would have. If wicked men in this world were sensible of the
reality of God's being, as the wicked are in another, they would feel more of
that hatred, that men in another world do. The exercise of corruption in one
way, may, and often does prevent it working in other ways. As covetousness may
prevent the exercise of pride, so atheism may prevent malice; and yet it maybe
no argument of there being any the less of a principle of enmity in the heart;
for it is the same enmity working in another way. The same enmity that in this
world works by atheism, will in another world where there will be no room for
Atheism, work by malice and blasphemy. The same mortal enmity that, if you saw
there was a God, might make you to wish him dead, and to desire, if it were
possible, to kill him, may now dispose and incline to think there is none. Men are very often apt to think things are so as they would
have them to be. The same principle disposes you to think God has no life,
which, if you knew he had, would dispose you, if it were possible, to take it
away.
3.
If you think that there is a God, yet you do not realize it, that he is such a
God as he is. You do not realize it, that he is so holy a God as he is: You do
not realize it, that he has such an hatred of sin as indeed he has. You do not
realize it, that he is so just a God as he is, that will by no means clear the
guilty. But
that in the Psalms is applicable to you; “These things hast thou done, and I
kept silence: Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself.”
Psal. 50:21. So that if you think there is a God, you do not think there is
such a God as there is. And your atheism appears in
this, as well as in thinking there is no God. For that God that you think there
is, is not that God that indeed is, but another, one of your own feigning, the
fruit of your own vain, deluded imagination. So that your objection arises from
this, that you do not find such a sensible hatred against that God which you
have formed, to suit yourself; a god that you like better than the true God.
But this is no argument that you have not bitter enmity against the true God;
for it was your enmity against the true God, and your not liking him, that has put
you upon forming up another in your imagination, that you like better. It is
your enmity against those attributes of God's holiness and justice, and the
like, that has put you upon conceiting another, who is not so holy as he is,
and does not hate sin so much, and will not be so strictly just in punishing
it; and whose wrath against sin is not so terrible.
But if you was sensible of the vanity of your own conceits,
and that God was not such an one as you have imagined; but that he is, as he is
indeed, an infinitely holy, just, sin hating, and sin revenging God, who will
not tolerate nor endure the worship of idols, you would be much more liable to
feel the sensible exercises of enmity against him, than you are now. And this experience
confirms. For we see that when men come to be under convictions, and to be made
sensible that God is not as they have heretofore imagined; but that he is such
a jealous, sin hating God, and whose wrath against sin is so dreadful, they are
much more apt to have sensible exercises of enmity against God than before.
4, Your having always
been taught that God is infinitely above you, and out of your reach, has
prevented your enmity's being exercised in those ways that otherwise it would
have been. You have always from your infancy been taught, that God is so high,
that you cannot hurt him; that notion has grown up with you. And hence you be
not sensible, that you have any disposition to hurt him; because it has been
conceived so impossible, that it has not come into your mind.
And hence your enmity has
not been exercised in revengeful thoughts; because revenge has never found any
room here; it has never found any handle to take hold of; there has been no
conception of any such thing, and hence it has lain still, A serpent will not bite,
or spit poison at that which it sees at a great distance; which if it saw near,
would do it immediately. Opportunity shows what men be often times, whether
friends or enemies. Opportunity to do, puts men in mind of doing; wakens up
such principles as lay dormant before. Opportunity stirs up desire to do, where
there was before a disposition that without opportunity would have lain still.
If a man has had an old grudge against another, and has a fair opportunity to
be revenged, this will revive his malice, and waken up a desire of revenge.
If a great and sovereign
prince injures a poor man, and though what he does is looked upon very cruel,
that will not ordinarily stir up that passionate revenge, as if he sustained no
bigger an injury from one of his equals, because he is so much above him, and
out of his reach. Many a man that has appeared calm and meek when he has had no
power in his hands, and has not appeared, either to himself or others, to have
any disposition to these and those cruel acts; that yet afterwards, when he
came to have opportunity by unexpected advancement or otherwise, has appeared
like a ravenous wolf, or devouring lion. So it was with Hazael. “And Hazael
said, why weepeth my lord? And he answered, because I know the evil that thou wilt
do unto the children of Israel: Their strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and
their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash their children,
and rip up their women with child. And Hazael said, but what thy servant a dog,
that he should do this great thing! And Elisha answered, the Lord hath showed
me that thou shalt be king over Syria." 2 Kings 8:12, 13. Hazael was then
a servant; he had no power in his hands to do as he pleased; and so that cruel
disposition that was in him had lain hid, and he did not himself imagine that
it was there: But afterwards, when he became king of Syria and was absolute,
and had none to control him; then it broke out and appeared, and he did as the
prophet had foretold. He committed those very acts of cruelty, that he thought
it was not in his heart to do. And it was want of opportunity that was the
thing that made the difference. It was all in his heart before; He was such a
dog then as to do this thing, but only had not had opportunity. And therefore
when he seems surprised that the prophet should say so of him, all the reason
the prophet gives is, “The Lord hath showed me that thou shalt be king over
Syria."
And some natural men are
such dogs as to do things, if they had opportunity, which they do not imagine it
is in their hearts to do. You object against your having a mortal hatred
against God; that you never felt any desire to kill him. But one reason has
been, that it has always been conceived so impossible by you, and you have been
so sensible how much desires would be in vain, that it has kept down such a
desire. But if the life of God were within your reach, and you knew it, it
would not be safe one hour. Who knows what thoughts would presently arise in
your heart by such an opportunity, and what disposition would be raised up in
your heart! Who would trust your heart, that there would not presently be such
thoughts as these, though they are enough to make one tremble to mention them?
"Now I have opportunity to set myself at liberty..... that I need not be kept
in continual slavery by the strict law of God. Then I may take my liberty to
walk in that way I like best and need not be continually in such slavish fear
of God's displeasure. And God has not done well by me in many instances. He has
done most unjustly by me, in holding me bound to destruction for unbelief, and
other things which I cannot help.... He has shown mercy to others, and refused
it to me. I have now an opportunity to deliver myself, and there can be no
danger of my being hurt for it: God will not be alive to revenge it. And then
there will be no God for us to be terrified about, and so keep us in slavery.”
Who would trust your
heart, that such thoughts would not arise? And others much more horrid! Too
dreadful to be mentioned! And therefore I forbear. Those natural men are
foolishly insensible of what is in their own hearts, who think there would be
no danger of any such workings of heart, if they knew they had opportunity.
5, You little consider
how much your having no more of the sensible exercises of hatred to God, is
owing to a being restrained by fear. You have always been taught what a
dreadful thing it is to hate God. And you have been taught what a dreadful
being God is, and how terrible God's displeasure is; that God sees the heart, and
knows all the thoughts; and that you are in his hands, and he can make you as
miserable as he pleases, and as soon as he pleases. And these things have
restrained you: And the fear that has risen from these things, has kept you
from appearing what you are; it has kept down your enmity, and made that
serpent afraid to show its head, as otherwise it would do. If a man were wholly
under the power of an enemy, though he were never so much of an enemy to him,
he would be afraid to exercise his hatred in outward acts, unless it were with
great disguise.... And if it be supposed that such an enemy, in whose power he
was, could see his heart, and know all his thoughts, and apprehended that he
would put him to a terrible death, if he saw the workings of malice there, how
greatly would this restrain! He would be afraid so much as to believe himself,
that he hated his enemy; but there would be all manner of smothering, disguise,
and hypocrisy, and feigning even of thoughts and affections.
Thus your enmity has been
kept under restraint; and thus it has been from your infancy. You have grown up
in it, so that it has become an habitual restraint. You dare not so much as
think you hate God. If you do exercise hatred, you have a disguise for it,
whereby you endeavor even to hide it from your own conscience; and so have all
along deceived yourself. And your deceit is very old and habitual; and hence
you are so difficultly convinced. But this has been only restraint: It has been
no mortification. But there has been an enmity against God in its full
strength. It has been only restrained like an enemy that durst not rise up and
show himself.
6.
One reason why you have not felt more sensible haired to God, may be because
you have not had much trial of what is in your heart. It may be God has
hitherto in a great measure, let you alone. The enmity that is in men's hearts
against God, is like a serpent, which, if he be let alone, lies still; but if
any body disturbs it, will soon hiss, and be enraged, and show its serpentine
spiteful nature.
Not withstanding the good opinion you have of yourself, yet a
little trial would show you to be a viper, and your heart would be set all on
rage against God. One
thing that restrains you now is your hope. You hope to receive many things from
God. Your own interest is concerned; you hope to make great gains of God. So
that both hope and fear operate together, to restrain your enmity from such
sensible exercises as otherwise would be. But if once hope were gone, you would
soon show what you were: You would soon feel your enmity against God in a rage.
7.
If you pretend that you do not feel enmity against God, and yet act as an
enemy, you may certainly conclude, that it is not because you are no enemy, but
because you do not know your own heart. Actions are the best interpreters of
the disposition: They show, better than any thing else, what the heart is. It
must be because you do not observe your own behavior, that you question whether
you are an enemy to God.
What other account can you give of your own carriage, but
only your being God's enemy? What other can be given of your so opposing God in
your ways; walking so exceeding contrary to him, contrary to his counsels,
contrary to his commands, and contrary to his glory? What other account can be
given of your casting so much contempt upon God; your setting him so low; your
acting so much against his authority, and against his kingdom and interest in
the world? What other account can be given of your so setting your will in
opposition to God's will, and that so obstinately, for so long a time, against
so many warnings as you have had? What other account can
be given of your joining so much with Satan, in the opposition he is making to
the kingdom of God in the world? And that you will join with him against God,
though it be so much against your own interest, and though you expose yourself
by it to everlasting misery?
Such like behavior in one
man towards another, would be looked on as sufficient evidence of a man's being
an enemy to another. If he should be seen to behave thus from time to time, and
that it was his constant manner, none would want any better evidence, that he
was an enemy to his neighbor. If you yourself had a servant that carried it
towards you, as you do towards God, you would not think there was need of any
greater evidence of his being your enemy. If your servant should manifest so
much contempt of you; should disregard your commands as much as you do the
commands of God; and should go so directly contrary; should in so many ways act
the very reverse of your commands; and should seem to set himself in ways that
were contrary to your will so obstinately and incorrigibly, without any
amendment from your repeated calls and warnings, and threatenings; and should
act so cross to you day and night, as you do to God; when you sought one thing,
he would seek the contrary; when you did any work, he would, as much as in him
lay, undo and destroy your work; and should continually drive at such ends, as
tended to overthrow the ends you aimed at; when you sought to bring to pass any
design, he would endeavor to overthrow your design; and should set himself as
much against your interest, as you do yourself against God's honor. And you
should moreover see him, from time to time, with others that were your declared
mortal enemies; and making them his counsellors so much as you do the devils,
God's declared mortal enemies: And hearkening to their counsels, as much as you
do to Satan's temptations: Should you not think you had sufficient evidence
that he was your enemy indexed?
Therefore consider
seriously your own ways, and weigh your own behavior. "How canst thou say,
I am not polluted? See thy way in the valley, know what thou hast done, Jer.
3:23.
Object. II. Natural men
may be ready to object, the respect they show to God, from time to time. This
makes many to think that they are far from being; such enemies to God. They
carry it respectfully towards God: They pray to him in secret, and do it in as
humble a manner as they are able. They attend on public worship, and take a
great deal of pains to do it in a decent manner. It seems to them that they
show God a great deal of respect; they use many very respectful terms in their
prayer; they give him all the honor they can; they are respectful in their manner
of speaking, and in their voice, and their gestures, and the like.
But to this, I
Answer, That all this is
done in mere hypocrisy. All this seeming respect is feigned, there is no
sincerity in it; there is external respect but no respect in the heart; there
is a show, and nothing else. You only cover your enmity with a painted vail.
You put on the disguise of a friend, but in your heart you are a mortal enemy
for all that. There is external honor, but inward contempt; there is a show of
friendship and regard, but inward hatred. You do but deceive yourself with your
show of respect, and endeavor to deceive God; not considering God looks not on
the outward appearance, but he looks on the heart.
Here consider
particularly.
1. That much of that
seeming respect which natural men show to God, is owing to their education.
They have been taught from their infancy that they ought to show great respect
to God. They have been taught to use respectful language, when speaking about
God, and to behave with solemnity, when attending on these exercises of
religion, wherein they have to do with God. They, from their childhood, have
seen that this is the manner of others, when they pray to God, to use
reverential expressions, and a reverential behavior before him. And their show
of respect, which they make to God, is owing, in a great measure, to this.
Those who are brought up
in places where they have commonly, from their infancy, heard men take the name
of God in vain, and swear, and curse, and blaspheme; they learn to do the same,
and it becomes habitual to them so to do. And it is the same way, and no other
that you have learned to behave respectfully towards God; not that you have any
more respect to God than they; but they have been brought up one way, and you
another. In some parts of the world, men are brought up in the worship of idols
of silver, and gold, and wood, and stone, made in the shape of men and beasts.
“They say of them, Let the men that sacrifice, kiss the calves,” Hos. 13:2. In
some parts of the world they are brought up to worship serpents, and are taught
from their infancy to carry it with great respect to them And in some places
they are brought up in worshipping the devil, who appears to them in a bodily
shape; and to behave with a show of great reverence and honor towards him. And
what respect you show to God has no better foundation; it comes the same way,
and is worth no more.
2. That show of respect
which you make is forced. You come to God, and make a great show of respect to
him, and use very respectful terms, with a respectful, reverential tone and
manner of speaking; and your countenance is grave and solemn; and you put on an
humble aspect; and you kneel, and use humble, respectful postures, out of fear.
You are afraid that God will execute his wrath upon you; and so you feign a
great deal of respect, that he may not be angry with you. “Through the
greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee,"
Psal. 66:3. In the original it is, “shall thine enemies lie to thee.” It is
rendered therefore in the margin, “shall yield feigned obedience unto
thee." All that you do in religion is forced and feigned. Through the
greatness of God's power, you yield feigned obedience. You are in God's power,
and he is able to destroy you; and so you feign a great deal of respect to him,
that he might not destroy you. As one might do towards an enemy that had taken
him captive, though he at the same time would gladly make his escape, if he
could, by taking away the life of him who had taken him captive.
3. It is not real respect
that moves you to behave so towards God; you do it because you hope you shall
get by it. It is respect to yourself, and not respect to God, that moves you.
You hope to move God to bestow the rewards of his children by it. You are like
the Jews who followed Christ, and called him Rabbi, and would make him a king.
Not that they honored him so much in their hearts, as to think him worthy of
the honor of a king, or that they had the respect of sincere subjects; but they
did it for the sake of the loaves. “Jesus perceived that they would come and
take him by force to make him a king. And when they had found, him on the other
side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither? Jesus
answered, and said unto them. Verily, verily, I say unto you. Ye seek me, not
because you saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were
filled.” John 6:15... 25, 26.
These things do not argue
but that you are implacable enemies to God notwithstanding. If you examine your
prayers and other duties, your own consciences will tell you that the seeming
respect which you have shown to God in them, has been only in hypocrisy. That
oftentimes you have set forth in your prayers, that God was a great God, and
glorious God, an infinitely holy God, as if you greatly honored him on the
account of these attributes; and you, at the same time, had no sense in your
heart of the greatness and gloriousness of God, or of any excellency in his
holiness. And so your own consciences will tell you, that you have often
pretended to be thankful; you have told God, that you thanked him that you was
alive, and thanked him for these and those mercies, when you have not found the
least jot of thankfulness in your heart. And so you have told God of your own
unworthiness, and set forth what a vile creature you was, when you have had no
humble sense of your own unworthiness.
And if these
forementioned restraints were thrown off, you would soon throw off all your
show of respect. Take away fear, and take away a regard to your own interest,
and there would soon be an end to all those appearances of love, honor and
reverence, which now you make. All these things are not at all inconsistent
with the most implacable enmity. The devil himself made a show of respect to
Christ, when he was afraid that he was going to torment him; and when the hoped
to persuade Christ to spare him longer. “When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and
fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee,
Jesus, thou son of God most high? I beseech thee torment me not.” Luke 8:28.
Object III. Some may
perhaps object against this doctrine of their being God's enemies, the
religious affections they have sometimes experienced. They may be ready to say,
That when they have come before God in prayer, they have not only used
respectful terms and gestures, but they have prayed with affection; their
prayers have been attended with tears, which they are ready to think showed
something in the heart.
Answer. These affections have
risen from other causes, and not from any true respect to God.
As particularly.
1. They have risen from
selflove, and not love to God. If you have wept before God, from the
consideration of your own pitiful case, that has been because you loved yourself,
and not because you had any respect to God, And if your tears have been from
sorrow for your sins, you have mourned for your sins, because you have sinned
against yourself, and not because you have sinned against God. “When you fasted
and mourned, did ye at all fast unto me, even unto Me?" Zech. 7:5.
2. Pride and a good
thought of themselves, very commonly has a great hand in the affections of
natural men. They have a good opinion of what they are doing when they are
praying; and the reflection on that affects them; they are affected with their
own goodness. Man's selfrighteousness often occasions tears. An high opinion of
themselves before God, and an imagination of their being persons of great
account with him, has affected them in their transactions with God. There is
commonly abundance of pride in the midst of tears, and pride is, in a great
measure, the source of them. And then they are so far from being an argument
that you be not an enemy to God, that on the contrary, they are an argument
that you be. In your very tears, you are in a vain conceit of yourself,
exalting yourself against God.
3. The affections of
natural men do often arise from wrong conceits that they have of God. They
conceive of God, after the manner they do of men, as though he were a being
liable to be wrought upon in his affections. They conceive of him as one whose
heart could be drawn, whose affections can be overcome by what he sees in them.
They conceive of him as being taken with them and their performances; and this
works on their affections; and thus one tear draws another, and their
affections increase by reflection. And oftentimes they conceive of God as one
that loves them, and is a friend to them; and such a mistake may work much on
their affections. But such affections that arise towards God, as they conceit
him to be, is no argument that they have not the same implacable hatred towards
God, considered as he really is. There is no concluding that men are not
enemies, because they are affected and shed tears in their prayers, and the
like, Saul was very much affected when David expostulated with him about
pursuing after him and seeking to kill him. David's words wrought exceedingly
upon Saul's affections. "And it came to pass when David had made an end of
speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my Son
David? And Saul lifted up his voice and wept,” 1 Sam. 24:16, and chap, 26:1.
&c. He was so affected that he wept aloud, and called David his Son, though
he was just before seeking his life. But this affection of Saul's was no
argument that he did not still continue in his enmity against David. He was
David's mortal enemy before, and sought his life, and so he did afterwards. It
was but a pang; his enmity was not mortified or done away. The next news we
hear of Saul is, that he was pursuing David, and seeking his life again.
APPLICATION. This shall
be of instruction, in several inferences,
Inf. 1. If it be so that
natural men are God's enemies, then hence we may learn, how much we are
indebted to God for his restraining grace. If all natural men are God's
enemies, what would they not do if they were not restrained! For what has one
that is an enemy within himself, or in his disposition to restrain him from
acting against him that he is an enemy to? Hatred will not restrain a man from
acting any thing whatsoever against him that is hated. Nothing is too bad for
hatred, if it be mere hatred, and no love; nothing is too bad for that to do
towards the object of it. Hatred shows no kindness either in doing or forbearing.
Only hatred will never make a man forbear to act any thing whatsoever against
God; for the very nature of hatred is to seek evil. But wicked men as
has been shown, are mere enemies to God. They have hatred, without any love at
all. And hence natural men have nothing within them, in their own nature to
restrain them from anything that is bad, be it never so bad; and therefore
their restraint must not be owing to nature, but to restraining grace. And
therefore whatever wickedness we have been kept from, it is not because we have
not been bad enough to commit it; but it is God has restrained us, and kept us
back from sin. There can be no worse principle than a principle of
hatred to God. The devils in hell do not do anything from any worse
principle than this And there can be no principle that will go further in
wickedness than this, if it be neither mortified nor restrained. But it is not
mortified in natural men; and therefore all that keeps them from any degree of
wickedness is restrained. If we have seen others do things that we never did;
and if they have done worse than we, this is owing to restraining grace. If we
have not done as bad as Pharaoh, it is owing to divine restraints. If we have
not done as bad as Judas, or as the Scribes and Pharisees, or as bad as Herod,
or Simon Magus, it is because God has restrained our corruption. If we have
ever heard or read of any that have done worse than we; if we have not gone the
length in sinning that the most wicked pirates or carnal persecutors have gone,
this is owing to restraining grace. For we are all naturally the enemies of
God as much as they. If we have not committed the unpardonable sin, it is owing
to restraining grace. There is no worse principle in exercise in that sin,
than enmity against God. Therein the entire fountain, and all the foundation of
the sin against the Holy Ghost, in that enmity against God that we all have in
us, and naturally reigns in us.
It is not we ourselves
that restrain ourselves from the commission of the greatest imaginable
wickedness; for enmity against God reigns in us and over us; we are under the power
and dominion of it, and are sold under it. We do not restrain that which
reigns over us. A slave, as long as he continues a mere slave, cannot control
his master. "He that committeth sin, is the servant of sin.” Job 8:34. So
that the restraint of this our cruel tyrant is owing to God and not to us. What
does a poor impotent subject do to restrain the absolute lord that has him
wholly under his power? How much will it appear that the world is indebted
to the restraining grace of God, if we consider that the world is full of
enemies to God! The world is full of inhabitants; and almost all are God's
enemies, his implacable and mortal enemies. What therefore would they not do;
what work would they not make if God did not restrain them?
God's work in the
restraint that he exercises over a wicked world, is a glorious work. God's
holding the reins upon the corruptions of a wicked world and setting bounds to
their wickedness, is a more glorious work than his ruling the raging of the
sea, and setting bounds to its proud waves, and saying, hitherto shalt thou
come and no further. In hell God lets the wickedness of wicked spirits have
the reins to rage without restraint; and it would be in a great measure upon
earth as it is in hell, did not God restrain the wickedness of the world.
But in order to the
better understanding how it is owing to the restraining grace of God, that we
are kept and withheld from the highest acts of sin, I would here observe
several things.
1. Whenever men are
withheld from sinning by the common influence of God's Spirit, they are
withheld by restraining grace. If sinners are awakened sinners, and are made
sensible of the great guilt that sin brings, and that it exposes to a dreadful
punishment; they, under such circumstances, dare not allow themselves in wilful
sin: God restrains them by the convictions of his Spirit; and therein their
being kept from sin is owing to restraining grace. And sinners that live under
the gospel, that are not awakened sinners, but in a great measure secure, yet
commonly have some degrees of the influence of God's Spirit, with his
ordinances influencing natural conscience. And though they be not sufficient
thoroughly to rouse them out of security, or make them reform, yet they keep
them from going such lengths in sin, as otherwise they might do. And when it is
thus, this is restraining grace. They are very stupid and sottish, yet they
would be a great deal more so, if God should let them wholly alone.
2. All the restraints
that men are under from the word and ordinances, is from restraining grace. The
word and ordinances of God might have some degree of influence on men's natural
principles of selflove, to restrain them from sin, without any degree of the
influence of God's Spirit; but this would be the restraining grace of God; for
God's goodness to a sinful world, appears in his giving his word to be a
restraint on the wickedness of the world. When men are restrained by fear
of those punishments that the word of God threatens; or by the warnings of the
word, or by the offers and promises of it; when the word of God works upon
hope, or upon fear, or natural conscience, to restrain men from sin, this is
the restraining grace of God. When we are restrained thus, it is owing to
the mercy of God that we are restrained. It is an instance of God's mercy, that
he has revealed hell to restrain men's wickedness; and that he has revealed a
way of salvation and a possibility of eternal life. This is a thing that
has great influence on men to restrain them from sin; and this is the
restraining grace of God.
3. When men are
restrained from sin by the light of nature, this also is restraining grace. If
men are destitute of the light of God's word, yet the light of natural
conscience teaches, that sin brings guilt, and exposes to punishment. The light
of nature teaches, that there is a God who governs the world, and will reward
the good and punish the evil. When men are restrained by this, they are to
attribute their restraints to the restraining grace of God; for it is God who
is the author of the light of nature, as well as the light of revelation. He
in mercy to mankind, makes known many things by natural light to work upon
men's fear and selflove to restrain their corruptions.
4.
When God restrains men's corruptions by his providence, this is restraining
grace. And that whether it be his general providence, or his providence in
ordering the state of mankind; or his particular providence, or providential
disposals towards them in particular.
(1.) God doth greatly restrain the corruption of the world
by ordering the state of mankind. He has set mankind here in a mortal state,
and that is a great restraint on their corruption. He hath set mankind
in a state of probation for eternity, and that is a great restraint to
corruption. God
hath so ordered the state of mankind, that ordinarily many kinds of sin and
wickedness are disgraceful, and what tend to the hurt of a man's character and
reputation amongst his fellow men; and that is a great restraint. He hath so disposed the world that many kinds of
wickedness are many ways very contrary to men's temporal interest; and that is
a great restraint. God has so disposed the state of mankind, that they are led
to prohibit many kinds of wickedness by human laws; and that is a great
restraint. God hath set up a church in the world, made of those, who, if they
are answerable to their profession, have the fear and love of God in their
hearts; and they, by holding forth light and the word of God, and keeping up
the ordinances of God in the world, and by warning others, are a great
restraint to the wickedness of the world.
But in all these things
the restraining grace of God appears. It is God's mercy to mankind, that he has
so ordered their state, that they should have so many things, by fear and a
regard to their own interest, to restrain their corruptions. It is God's mercy
to the world, that the state of mankind here does so differ in that respect
from the state of the damned in hell; where men will have none of these things
to restrain them: They will not be in such circumstances that will so influence
their hope and fear to restrain them from sin.
The wisdom of God, as
well as the attributes of God's grace, greatly appears in thus disposing things
for the restraining the wickedness of men.
(2.) God doth greatly
restrain the corruptions of men by his particular providence, or providence
towards particular persons, by placing men in such circumstances as to lay them
under restraints. And to this it is often owing that some natural men never go
such lengths in sinning, or are never guilty of such atrocious wickedness as
some others, that providence has placed in different circumstances. If it were
not for this, many thousands of natural men, who now live sober and orderly
lives, would do as Pharaoh did. The reason why they do not, is, that
providence has placed them in different circumstances. If they were in the
same circumstances as Pharaoh was in, they would do as he did. And so, if in
the same circumstances as Manasseh, as Judas, as Nero. But providence restrains
their corruptions, by putting them in such circumstances as not to open such a
door or outlet for their corruptions as he did to them. So some do not do such
horrid things as others; they do not live such horribly vicious lives as some
others, because providence has restrained them, by ordering that they should
have a better education than others. Providence has ordered that they should be
the children of pious parents, it may be, or should live where they should
enjoy many means of grace; and so providence has laid them under restraints.
Now this is restraining grace. The attribute of God's grace is exercised in
thus restraining persons in providence.
And oftentimes God
restrains men's corruptions by particular events of providence. By particular
afflictions they are brought under, or by particular occurrences, whereby God
does, as it were, block up men's way in their course of sin, or in some wickedness
that they had devised, and that otherwise they would perpetrate. Or something
happens unexpected, to hold men back from that which they were about to commit.
When men are restrained thus, it is God that restrains them. Thus God
restrained David by his providence from shedding blood as he intended to do.
"Now therefore, my Lord, as the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth,
seeing the Lord hath withholden thee from coming to shed blood, and from
avenging thyself with thine own hand...." 1 Sam. 25:26. God withheld it
from him no otherwise than by ordering it so in his providence, that Abigail
should come, and by her wisdom should cool and pacify him, and persuade him to
alter his purpose. See verses 32, 33, 34.
5. Godly persons are
greatly indebted to restraining grace, in keeping them from dreadful acts of
sin. So it was in that instance of David, that has been just mentioned. Godly
persons, when God has left, and has not restrained them, have fallen into
dreadful acts of sin. So did David in the case of Uriah, Lot, Peter. And when
other Godly persons are kept from falling into such sins, or much worse sins
than these, it is owing to the restraining grace of God. Merely having a
principle of grace in their hearts, or merely their being godly persons, without
God's presence to restrain them, will not keep them from great acts of sin. That
the godly do not fall into the most horrid sins that can be conceived of, is
owing, not so much to any inconsistence between their falling into such sins,
and the having the principle of grace in the heart, as it is owing to the
covenant mercy of God, whereby he has promised never to leave nor forsake his
people; and that he will not suffer them to be tempted above what they are
able; but with the temptation will make a way for them to escape. If saving
grace restrains men from great acts of sin, this is owing to God, who gives
such exercises of grace at that time when the temptation comes, that they are
restrained. Let not the godly therefore be insensible of their indebtedness to
the restraining grace of God, Though the godly cannot be said to be enemies to
God, because a principle of enmity does not reign; yet they have the very same
principle and seed of enmity in them, though it be mortified. Though it be not
in reigning power, yet it has great strength; and is too strong for them
without God's almighty power to help them against it. Though they be not
enemies to God, because they have another principle, besides a principle of
enmity, viz. a principle of love, yet their old man, the body of sin and death,
that yet remains in them, is a mortal enemy to God. Corruption in the godly is
not a whit better than it is in the wicked. The corruption in them is of as bad
a nature every whit as that which is in a mortal enemy to God: It aims at the
life of God wherever it is. And though it be not in reigning power, yet it
would dreadfully rage were it not for God's restraining grace.
God gives his restraining
grace to both natural men and godly men; but only there is this difference, God
gives his restraining grace to his children in the way of covenant mercy; it is
part of the mercy promised to them in his covenant. God is faithful and will
not leave them to sin in like manner as wicked men do, otherwise they would do
every whit as bad.
Let not therefore the
godly attribute it to themselves, or merely to their own goodness, that they
are not guilty of such horrid crimes as they hear of in others: Let them
consider, it is not owing to them, but to food's restraints.
Thus all both godly and
ungodly may learn from this doctrine, their great indebtedness to the
restraining grace of God.
I now proceed to
Inf. II. Hence we may
learn the reason why natural men will not come to Christ: For they do not
come because they will not come. Ye will not come to me that ye might have
life, John 5:40. When we say that natural men are not willing to come to
Christ, it is not meant that they are not willing to be delivered from hell;
for without doubt, no natural man is willing to go to hell. Nor is it meant
that they are not willing that Christ should keep them from going to hell.
Without doubt, natural men that are under awakenings, do often greatly desire
this. But if they do desire it, this does not argue that they are willing to
come to Christ; for notwithstanding their desire to be delivered from hell, yet
their hearts do not close with Christ, but are averse to him. They see nothing
in Christ wherefore they should desire him; no beauty nor comeliness to draw or
incline their hearts to him. And they are not willing to take Christ as he is;
they would fain divide Christ. There are some things in him that they like, and
others that they greatly dislike; but consider him as he is, and as he is
offered to them in the gospel, and they will not have him. They are not
willing to accept of Christ as he is offered; for in doing so, they must of
necessity part with all their sins; they must sell the world, and part with
their own righteousness. But they are not willing to do that; they had rather,
for the present, run the venture of going to hell than do that.
When men are truly
willing to come to Christ, they are freely willing. It is not what they are
forced and driven to by threatenings; but they are willing to come, and choose
to come without being driven. But natural men have no such free willingness;
but, on the contrary, have an aversion. And the ground of it is that which we have
heard, viz. That they are enemies to God. Their having such a reigning enmity
against God, makes them obstinately refuse to come to Christ. If a man is an
enemy to God, he will necessarily be an enemy to Christ too; for Christ is the
son of God; he is infinitely near to God, yea he is God. He has the nature of
God, as well as the nature of man. He is a Saviour appointed of God. God
anointed him, and sent him into the world. And in doing what he did in the work
of redemption, he wrought the works of God. He always did those things that
pleased God; and all that he does as a Saviour, is to the glory of God. And one
great thing that he aimed at in his redemption, was to deliver them from their
idols which they had chosen, and bring them to God. The case being so, and
sinners being enemies to God, they will necessarily be opposite to coming to
Christ; for Christ is of God, and as a Saviour, seeks to bring them to God
only: But natural men are not of God, but are averse to him.
Inf. III. From this
doctrine we may learn, how dreadful the condition of natural men is. Their
state is a state of enmity with God. If we consider what God is, and what men
are, it will be easy for us to conclude, that such men as are God's enemies,
must be miserable. Consider, ye that are enemies to God, how great a God he is
that ye are enemies to. He is the eternal God: The God that fills heaven and
earth, and whom the heaven of heavens cannot contain. He is the God that made
you; the God in whose hand your breath is, and whose are all your ways; the God
in whom you live, and move, and have your being; the God who has your soul and
body in his hands every moment.
You would look on
yourself as in very unhappy circumstances, if your neighbors were all your
enemies, and none of your fellow creatures were your friends. If every body
were set against you, and all despised and hated you, you would be ready to
think, you had better be out of the world than in it. But if it be such a
calamity to have enmity maintained between you and your fellow creatures, what
is it when you and the Almighty God are enemies one to another? What avails
either the friendship or enmity of your neighbor, poor little worms of the
dust, that are about you, in comparison of the friendship or enmity of the great
God of heaven and earth?
Consider,
(1.) If you continue in
your enmity a little longer there will be a mutual enmity between God and you
to all eternity, God will appear to be your dreadful and irreconcilable enemy.
And you know not how soon it will come to this. If you should die an enemy
to God, there will be no such thing as any reconciliation after death. God
will then appear in hatred of you. As you are a mere enemy to God, so God will
then appear a mere enemy to you; he will appear in perfect hatred without any
love, and without any pity, and without any mercy at all. As you hate God, he
will hate you. And that will be verified of you: My soul loathed them, and
their soul abhorred me, Zech. 11:8. And then God will be your enemy forever. If
you be not reconciled so as to become his friend in this life, God never will
become your friend after death. If you continue an enemy to God till death,
God will continue an enemy to you to all eternity. There will nothing avail
to reconcile God to you hereafter. You will find that you cannot move the heart
of God by any of your cries. You will have no mediator offered you, there
will be no day's man betwixt you. So that it becomes you to consider what it
will be to have God your enemy to all eternity, without any possibility of
being reconciled.
Consider, what will it be
to have this enmity to be mutual or maintained forever on both sides? For as God
will forever continue an enemy to you, so you will forever continue an enemy to
God. If you continue God's enemy until death, you will always be his enemy. And
after death your enmity will have no restraint, but it will break out and rage
without control. When you come to be a firebrand of hell, you will be a
firebrand in two respects, viz. As you will be all on fire, full of the fire of
God's wrath: And also as you will be all on a blaze with spite and malice
towards God. You will be as full of the fire of malice, as you will with the
fire of divine vengeance; and both will make you full of torment. Then you will
appear as you are, a viper indeed. You are now a viper, but under great
disguise; a wolf in sheep's clothing, but then your mask will be pulled off;
you shall lose your garments, and walk naked. Rev. 16:15. Then will you as a
serpent, spit poison at God, and vent your rage and malice in fearful
blasphemies. Out of that mouth, out of which, when you open it, will proceed
flames, will also proceed dreadful blasphemies against God. That same tongue,
to cool which you will wish for a drop of water, will be eternally employed in
cursing and blaspheming Cod and Christ. And that not from any new corruption
being put into your heart, but only from God's withdrawing his hand from
restraining your old corruption. And what a miserable way will this be of
spending your eternity!
(2.) Consider what will
be the consequence of a mutual enmity between God and you, if it be continued.
Now you find yourself left alone; you find no very terrible event, but there
will be great changes. Though hitherto you have met with no very great changes,
yet they will come. After a little while, dying time will come; and then
what will be the consequences of this enmity? God, whose enemy you are, has
the frame of your body in his hands. Your times are in his hand; and he it is
that appoints your bounds. And when he sends death to arrest you, and change
your countenance, and dissolve your frame, and take you away from all your
earthly friends, and from all that is dear and pleasant to you in the world;
what will be the issue then of God and you being enemies one to another? Will
not you then stand in need of God's help? Would not he be the best friend in
such a case, worth more than ten thousand earthly friends? If God be your
enemy, then whom will you betake yourself to for a friend? When you launch
forth into the boundless gulph of eternity, then you will need some friend to
take care of you; but if God be your enemy, where will you betake yourself? Your
soul must go naked into another world, in eternal separation from all worldly
things; and you will not be able to dispose of yourself; your soul will not be
in its own power to defend or dispose of itself. Will you not then need to have
God for a friend, into whose hands you may commend your spirit? And how
dreadful will it be to have God for your enemy then?
The time is coming when
the frame of this world shall be dissolved. Christ shall descend in the clouds
of heaven, in the glory of his Father; and you, with all the rest of mankind, must
stand before the judgment seat of God. Then what will be the consequence of
this mutual enmity between God and you! If God be your enemy, who will stand
your friend? Who else will be able to help you, and what will you do? And what
will be the event of God's being your enemy then? Now, it maybe, it does not
appear to be very terrible to you to have God for your enemy; but when such
changes as these are brought to pass, it will greatly alter the appearance of
things. Then God's favor will appear to you of infinite worth. They, and they
only will then appear happy, who have the love of God; and then you will know
that God's enemies are miserable.
But under this head,
consider more particularly several things.
(1.) What God can do to
his enemies. Or rather, what can he not do? How miserable can he, who is
almighty, make his enemies, and those that he is an enemy to? Consider, you
that are enemies to God, whether or no you shall be able to make your part good
with him. “Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?" 1
Cor. 10:22. Have you such a conceit of your own strength as that you think
to try it out with God? Do you intend to run the risk of an encounter with him?
Do you imagine that your hands can be strong, or your heart endure? Do you
think you shall be well able to defend yourself? Or will you be able to escape
out of his hand? Or do you think to harden your own heart and fortify yourself
with courage, and set yourself to bear? And do you think that you shall be able
to uphold your spirits when God acts as an enemy towards you? If so, then
gird up your loins and prepare to meet God and see what the event will be.
Therefore thus will I do unto thee..." And because I will do this unto
thee, prepare to meet thy God..." Amos 4:12. Is it not in vain to set the
briars and thorns in battle against God? Is it not like setting dry briars and
thorns in battle array against devouring flames; which, though they seem to be
armed with natural weapons, yet the fire will pass through them, and burn them
together? See Isa. 27:4.
And if you endeavor to
support yourself under God's wrath, cannot God lay so much upon you as to sink
and crush you? Cannot he lay you under such misery as to cause your spirit
quite to fail; so that you shall find no strength, to resist him, or to uphold
yourself? Why should a little worm think of supporting himself against an
omnipotent adversary? Has not he that made you, and gave you your strength, and
your courage, got your strength and courage in his hands? Is it an hard thing
for him to overcome it? Consider God has made your soul; and he that made it
knows how to punish it to what degree he will. He can fill it with misery; he
can bring what degree of sorrow, and anguish, and horror he will. And he that
made your body can bring what torments he will upon it. He has made every vein
and sinew; and has every one in his hands, and he can fill every one as full of
torments as he will. God, who made you, has given you a capacity to bear
torment; and he has that capacity in his hands, and he can enlarge it, and make
you capable of more misery, as much more as he will. If God hates any one, and
sets himself against him as his enemy, what cannot he do with him? How
dreadful must it be to fall into the hands of such an enemy! Surely, "It
is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." Heb, 10:31.
2. If God be your mere
enemy, you may rationally conclude that he will act as such in his dealings
with you. We have already observed that you are a mere enemy to God; that is,
have enmity without any love or true respect. So, if you continue to be so, God
will appear to be your mere enemy; and will be so forever without being
reconciled. But if it be so, he will doubtless act as such. If he eternally
hates you, he will act in his dealings with you as one that hales you with mere
hatred, without any love or pity. The proper tendency and aim of hatred, is
the misery of the object hated; misery, and nothing else. So that you may
expect God will make you miserable, and that you will not be spared; for
sparing is not the effect of hatred, but of pity and mercy, which is a quite
different thing from enmity.
Now God does not act as
your mere enemy; if he corrects you, it is in measure. He now exercises
abundance of mercy to you. He threatens you now, but it is in a way of warning,
and so in a merciful way. He now calls and invites, and strives with you, and
waits to be gracious to you. But hereafter there will be an end of all these
things: In another world God will cease to show you mercy.
3. If you will continue
God's enemy, you may rationally conclude that God will deal with you so as to
make it appear how dreadful it is to have God for an enemy. It is very dreadful
to have a mighty prince for an enemy. The wrath of a king is as the roaring of
a lion, Prov. 19:12. But if the wrath of a man, a fellow worm, be so terrible,
what is the wrath of God! And God will doubtless show it to be immensely more
dreadful. If you will be an enemy, God will make you know that it is not a
light thing to be an enemy to him, and have him for an enemy to you. God
will doubtless glorify himself as an enemy, in his dealings with those to whom
he is an enemy. That is, he will act so as to glorify those attributes which he
exercises as an enemy; which are his majesty, his power and justice. God will
deal so with you as to glorify these attributes in your destruction. His great
majesty, his awful justice, and mighty power, shall be showed upon you.
"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." Rom. 9:22.
(4.) Consider what God
has said he will do to his enemies. He has declared that they shall not escape,
but that he will surely punish them. "Thine hand shall find out all thine
enemies, thy right hand shall find out all those that hate thee," Psal.
21:8. "And repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: He
will not be slack to him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face,"
Deut. 7:10. "The Lord shall wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy
scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses." Psal. 68:21.
Yea, God hath sworn, that
he will be avenged on them; and that in a most awful and dreadful manner. "For I lift up my
hand to heaven, and say, I live forever. If I whet say glittering sword, and
mine hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and I
will reward them that hate me. I will make mine arrows drunk with blood, (and
my sword shall devour flesh) and that with the blood of the slain.... from the
beginning of revenges on the enemy." Deut. 32:40, 41, 42. The
terribleness of that destruction that God will bring on his enemies, is here
variously set forth. As particularly in God's "whetting his glittering
sword," as one that prepares himself to do some great execution. "His
hands take hold on judgment," to signify that be will surely reward them
as they deserve." "He will render vengeance to his enemies, and
reward them that hate him." i. e. He will vender their full reward; he
will not fail or come short. As in the forementioned place it was said he would
not be slack in this matter. "I will make mine arrows drunk with blood."
This signifies the greatness of the destruction. It shall not be a little of
their blood that shall satisfy; but his arrows shall be glutted with their
blood. "And his sword shall devour flesh.” That is, it shall make dreadful
waste of it. Hereby is very lively set forth the terrible manner in which God
will one day rise up and execute vengeance on his enemies.
Again, the totality and
perfection of their destruction is represented in the following words: “The wicked shall
perish, the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs, they shall
consume; into smoke shall they consume away," Psal. 37:20. The fat of
lambs, when it is burnt in the fire, burns all up; there is not so much as a
cinder left; it all consumes into smoke. This is made use of here to represent
the perfect destruction of God's enemies in his wrath. So God hath promised
Christ, that he would make his enemies his footstool, Psal. 110:1. i. e. He
would pour the greatest contempt upon them, and as it were tread them under
foot. Consider that all these things will be executed on you if you continue
God's enemies.
Inf. IV. If it be so,
that natural men are God's enemies, hence we may learn how justly God may
refuse to show you mercy. For is God obliged to show mercy to his enemies? Is
God bound to set his love on them that have no love to him, but hate him with
perfect hatred? Is God bound to come and dwell with them that have an aversion
to him, and choose to keep at a distance from him, and fly from him as one that
is hateful to them?
If you earnestly desire the salvation of your soul, is God bound to comply with
your desires, when you do always resist and oppose his will? Is God bound to be
persuaded and overcome by your prayers, when you are obstinate in your
opposition to him, and refuse to yield obedience to him? Is God bound to put
honor upon you, and to advance you to such dignity as to be a child of the king
of kings, and the heir of the kingdom of glory, while you at the same time have
God in the greatest contempt, and set him too low to have the lowest place in
your heart? Is God bound to spare your life, and deliver you from eternal
death, when you are a mortal enemy to God, and would, if you could, destroy the
being of God? Is God obliged to set his great and transcendent love on you, so
as to give you benefits purchased by the blood of his own Son, when your heart
is all the while full of that enmity that strikes at the life of God?
This doctrine affords a
strong argument for the absolute sovereignty of God, with respect to the
salvation of sinners. If God is pleased to show mercy to his haters, it is
certainly fit that he should do it in a sovereign way, without acting as any
way obliged. God will show mercy to his mortal enemies, but then he will not be
bound, he will have his liberty to choose the objects of his mercy; to show
mercy to what enemy he pleases, and punish and destroy which of his haters he
pleases. And certainly this is a fit and reasonable thing. It is fit that God
should distribute saving blessings in this way, and in no other, viz. in a
sovereign and arbitrary way. And that any body ever thought of, or devised any
other way for God to shew mercy, than to have mercy on whom he would have
mercy, must arise from ignorance of their own hearts, whereby they were
insensible what enemies they naturally are to God.
But consider here the
following things,
1. How causelessly you
are enemies to God. You have no manner of reason for it, either from what God
is, or from what he has done You have no reason for this from what he is, for he
is an infinitely lovely and glorious being; the fountain of all excellency: All
that is amiable and lovely in the universe, is originally and eminently in him.
Nothing can possibly be conceived of, that could be lovely in God, that is not
in him, and that in the greatest possible degree, even infinitely.
And you have no reason
for this, from what God has done. For he has been a good and bountiful God to
you. He has exercised abundance of kindness to you; has carried you from the
womb, preserved your life, taken care of you, and provided for you all your
life long. He has exercised great patience and longsuffering towards you. If
it had not been for the kindness of God to you, what would have become of you?
What would have become of your body? And what, before this time, would have
become of your soul? And you are now, every day, and hour, maintained by the
goodness and bounty of God. Every new breath you draw, is a new gift of God to
you. How causelessly then are you such dreadful enemies to God? And how justly
might God, for it, eternally deprive you of all mercy, seeing you do thus
requite God for his mercy and kindness to you?
2. Consider how you would
resent it, if others were such enemies to you as you are to God. If they had
their hearts so full of enmity to you; if they treated you with such contempt,
and opposed you, as you do God; and injured you so much as you do God, how
would you resent it? Do you not find that you are apt greatly to resent it,
when any oppose you, and show an ill spirit towards you? And though you excuse
your own enmity against God from your corrupt nature that you brought into the
world with you, which you could not help, yet you do not excuse others for
being enemies to you from their corrupt nature that they brought into the
world, which they could not help; but are ready bitterly to resent it
notwithstanding.
Consider therefore, if
you, a poor, unworthy, unlovely creature, do so resent it, when you be not
loved, but hated, how may God justly resent it when you are enemies to him, an
infinitely glorious being; and a being from whom you have received so much
kindness?
3. How unreasonable it is
for you to imagine that you can oblige God to have respect to you by any thing
that you can do, continuing still to be his enemy! If you think you have prayed
and read, and done considerable for God; yet who cares for the seeming kindness
of an enemy?
What value would you
yourself set upon it, if a man should seem to cary it respectfully to you, with
a fair face, talking smooth, and making a show of friendship; when you knew, at
the same time, that he was inwardly your mortal enemy? Would you look upon
yourself obliged for such respect and kindness? Would you not rather abhor it?
Would you count such respect to be valued, as Joab's towards Amasa, who took
him by the beard, and kissed him, and said, art thou in health, my brother? And
smote him at the same time under the fifth rib, and killed him?
What if you do pray to
God, is God obliged to hear the prayers of an enemy? What if you have taken a
great deal of pains, is God obliged to give heaven for the prayers of an enemy?
God may justly abhor your prayers, and all that you do in religion, as the
flattery of a mortal enemy. No wonder God does not accept any thing from the
hands of an enemy.
Inf. V. Hence we may
learn how wonderful is the love that is manifested in giving Christ to die for
us. For this love is love to enemies. That is taken notice of in the text,
"While we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his
Son." How wonderful was the love of God the Father in giving such a
gift to such, who not only were such as could not be profitable to him, and
such as could merit nothing from him, and poor little worms of the dust; but
were his enemies, and enemies to so great a degree! They had that enmity
that aimed at his life; yet so did he love them, that he gave his own Son to
lay down his own life to save their lives. Though they had that enmity that
sought to pull God down out of his throne, yet God so loved them, that he sent
down Christ from heaven, from his throne there, to be in the form of a servant;
and instead of a throne of glory, gave him to be nailed to the cross, and to be
laid in the grave, that so we might be brought to a throne of glory.
How wonderful was the
love of Christ in thus exercising, dying love to his enemies! That he should so
love those that hated him, with hatred that sought to take away his life, so as
voluntarily to lay down his life, that they might have life through him. “Herein is love, not that
we loved him, but that he loved us, and laid down his life for us,"
Inf. VI. If we are all
naturally God's enemies, hence we may learn what a spirit it becomes us to be
of towards our enemies. Though we are enemies to God, yet we hope that God has
loved us; and we hope that Christ has died for us, and we hope that God has
forgiven or will forgive us, and will do us good, and bestow infinite mercies
and blessings upon us, so as to make us happy forever. All this mercy, we hope
has been, or will be exercised towards us while enemies.
Certainly then, it will
not become us to be bitter in our spirits against those that are enemies to us,
and have injured and ill treated us, and though they have yet an ill spirit
towards us. Seeing we depend so much on God's forgiving us, though enemies, we
should be of a spirit of forgiveness towards our enemies. And therefore our
Saviour inserted it in that prayer which he dictated as a general directory to
all; “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors," to enforce the
duty upon us, and to show us how reasonable it is. And we ought to love them
even while enemies; for so we hope God hath done to us. We should be the
children of our Father, who is kind to the unthankful and evil, Luke 6:55.
If we refuse thus to do,
and are of another spirit, we may justly expect that God will deny us his
mercy, as he has threatened! "If ye forgive men their trespasses, your
heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if ye forgive not men their
trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Matth. 6:14, 15.
The same we have in the parable of the man who owed his lord ten thousand
talents. Matth. 18:20.... 35.
