Subject: Natural men are God’s enemies.
THE apostle, from the beginning of
the epistle, to the beginning of this chapter, had insisted on the doctrine of
justification by faith alone. In this chapter he goes on to consider the
benefits that are consequent on justification, viz. Peace with God, present
happiness, and hope of glory. Peace with God is mentioned in the first verse,
“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord
Jesus Christ.” In the following verses he speaks of present blessedness, and
hope of glory, “By whom also we have access by faith into this grace, wherein we
stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” - And concerning this benefit,
the hope of glory, the apostle particularly takes notice of two things, viz. the
blessed nature of this hope, and the sure ground of it.
I. He insists on the blessed nature of this hope,
in that in enables us to glory in tribulations. This excellent nature of true
Christian hope is described in the following words (verses 3-5), “And not only
so, but we glory in tribulations also, knowing that tribulation worketh
patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope; and hope maketh not
ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost
which is given unto us.” As if he had said, through hope of a blessed reward,
that will abundantly more than make up for all tribulation, we are
enabled to bear tribulation with patience; patiently bearing, and
patiently waiting for the reward. And patience works experience; for when
we thus bear tribulation with patient waiting for the reward, this brings
experience of the earnest of the reward, viz. the earnest of the Spirit, in our
feeling the love of God shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost. So that our
hope does not make us ashamed: it is not disappointed; for in the midst of our
tribulation, we experience those blessed incomes of the Spirit in our souls,
that make even a time of tribulation sweet to us; and is such an earnest
abundantly confirms our hope; and so experience works hope.
II. The apostle takes notice of the sure ground
there is for this hope; or the abundant evidence we have, that we shall obtain
the glory hoped for, in that peace we have with God, by our justification
through Christ’s blood. For while we were without strength, in due time Christ
died for us; even while we were ungodly and sinners, enemies to God and Christ
(See verses 6-10). The apostle’s argument is exceeding clear and strong. If God
has done already so great a thing for us, as to give us Christ to die and shed
his precious blood for us, which was vastly the greatest thing, we need not
doubt but that he will bestow life upon us. It is but a small thing for God
actually to bestow eternal life, after it is purchased; to what it is for him to
give his own Son to die, in order to purchase it. The giving Christ to purchase
it, was virtually all. It included the whole grace of God in salvation. When
Christ had purchased salvation at such a dear rate, all the difficulty was got
through, all was virtually over and done. It is a small thing, in comparison,
for God to bestow salvation, after it has been thus purchased at a full price.
Sinners who are justified by the death of Christ, are already virtually saved.
The thing is, as it were, done. What remains is no more than the necessary
consequence of what is done. Christ when he died made an end of sin. And when he
rose from the dead, he did virtually rise with the elect. He brought them up
from death with him, and ascended into heaven with them. And therefore, when
this is already done, and we are thus reconciled to God through the death of his
Son, we need not fear but that we shall be saved by his life. The love of God
appears much more in his giving his Son to die for sinners, that in giving
eternal life after Christ’s death.
The giving of Christ to die for us is here spoken of as
a much greater thing, than the actual bestowment of life; because this is all
that has any difficulty in it. - When God did this for us, he did it for us as
sinners and enemies. But in actually bestowing salvation on us after we are
justified, we are not looked upon as sinners, but as perfectly righteous
persons. He beholds no iniquity in us. We are no more enemies, but reconciled.
When God gave Christ to die for the elect, he looked on them as they are in
themselves; but in actually bestowing eternal life, he looks on them as they are
in Christ.
There are three epithets used in the text and
context, as appertaining to sinners as they are in themselves, verse 6-8.
They are without strength, they cannot help
themselves. - They are ungodly or sinners, - and they are enemies.
As in the text. - NATURAL MEN ARE GOD’S ENEMIES.
God, though the Creator of all things, yet has some
enemies in the world. - Men in general will own that they are sinners. There are
few, if any, whose consciences are so blinded as not to be sensible [that] they
have been guilty of sin. And most sinners will own that they have bad hearts.
They will own that they do not love God so much as they should do; that they are
not so thankful as they ought to be for mercies; and that in many things they
fail. And yet few of them are sensible that they are God’s enemies. They do not
see how they can be truly so called; for they are not sensible that they wish
God any hurt, or endeavor to do him any.
But we see that the Scripture speaks of them as enemies
to God. So in our text, and elsewhere, “And you that were sometime alienated,
and enemies in your minds by wicked works,” Col. 1:21. “The carnal mind is
enmity against God,” Rom. 8:7. - And that all natural or unregenerate men are
indeed such, is what I shall endeavor now particularly to show. Which I propose
to do in the following method. Particularly - In what respects they are enemies
to God - To how great a degree they are enemies - And why they are enemies. Then
I shall answer some objections.
SECTION I
In what respects
natural men are God’s enemies.
1. THEIR enmity appears in their judgments,
their natural relish, their wills, affections, and practice. They have a very
mean esteem of God. Men are ready to entertain a good esteem of those with whom
they are friends. They are apt to think highly of their qualities, to give them
their due praises; and if there be defects, to cover them. But of those to whom
they are enemies, they are disposed to have mean thoughts. They are apt to
entertain a dishonorable opinion of them. They will be ready to look
contemptibly upon anything that is praiseworthy in them.
So it is with natural men towards God. They
entertain very low and contemptible thoughts of God. Whatever honor and respect
they may pretend, and make a show of towards God, if their practice be examined,
it will show, that they certainly look upon him as a Being that is but little to
be regarded. The language of their hearts is, “Who is the Lord, that I should
obey his voice?” Exo. 5:2. “What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and
what profit should we have if we pray unto him?” Job 21:15. They count him
worthy neither to be loved nor feared. They dare not behave with that slight and
disregard towards one of their fellow-creatures, when a little raised above them
in power and authority, as they dare, and do, towards God. They value one of
their equals much more than God, and are ten times more afraid of offending
such, than of displeasing the God that made them. They cast such exceeding
contempt on God, as to prefer every vile lust before him. And every worldly
enjoyment is set higher in their esteem than God. A morsel of meat, or a few
pence of worldly gain, is preferred before him. God is set last and lowest in
the esteem of natural men.
2. They are enemies in the natural
relish of their souls. They have an inbred distaste and disrelish of God’s
perfections. God is not such a being as they would have. Though they are
ignorant of God; yet from what they hear they of him, and from what is manifest
by the light of nature, they do not like him. By his being endowed with such
attributes as he is, they have an aversion to him. They hear God is an
infinitely holy, pure, and righteous Being, and they do not like him upon this
account; they have no relish of such qualifications. They take no delight in
contemplating them. It would be a mere task, a bondage to a natural man, to be
obliged to set himself to contemplate those attributes of God. They see no
manner of beauty or loveliness, nor taste any sweetness, in them. And on account
of their distaste of these perfections, they dislike all his other attributes.
They have greater aversion to him because he is omniscient and knows all things;
and because his omniscience is a holy omniscience. They are not pleased that he
is omnipotent, and can do whatever he pleases; because it is a holy omnipotence.
They are enemies even to his mercy, because it is a holy mercy. They do not like
his immutability, because by this he never will be otherwise than he is, an
infinitely holy God.
It is from this disrelish that natural men
have of the attributes of God, that they do not love to have much to do with
God. The natural tendency of the heart of man is to fly from God, and keep at a
distance from him, as far off as possible. - A natural man is averse to
communion with God, and is naturally disinclined to those exercises of religion,
wherein he has immediately to do with him. It is said of wicked men, Psa. 10:4,
“God is not in all their thoughts.” It is evident, that the mind of man is
naturally averse to thinking about God. And hence if any thoughts of him be
suggested to the mind, they soon go away. Such thoughts are not apt to rest in
the minds of natural men. If anything is said to them of God, they are apt to
forget it. It is like seed that falls upon the hard path, the fowls of the air
soon take it away: or like seed that falls upon a rock. Other things will stick;
but divine things rebound. And if they were cast into the mind, they meet with
that there which soon thrusts them out again. They meet with no suitable
entertainment, but are soon chased away.
Hence also it is, that natural men are with
difficulty persuaded to be constant in the duty of secret prayer. They would not
be so averse to spending a quarter of an hour, night and morning, in some bodily
labor; but it is because they are averse to a work, wherein they have so
immediately to do with God; and they naturally love to keep at a distance from
him.
3. Their wills are contrary to his
will. God’s will and theirs are exceeding cross the one to the other. God wills
those things that they hate, and are most averse to; and they will those things
that God hates. Hence they oppose God in their wills. There is a dreadful,
violent, and obstinate opposition, of the will of natural men to the will of
God.
They are very opposite to the commands of
God. It is from the enmity of the will (Rom. 8:7), that “the carnal mind is not
subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” Hence natural men are enemies
to God’s government. They are not loyal subjects, but enemies to God, considered
as Lord of the world. They are entire enemies to God’s authority.
4. They are enemies to God in their
affections. There is in every natural man a seed of malice against God.
And it often dreadfully breaks forth. Though it may in great measure lie hid in
secure times, when God lets men alone, and they meet with no great disturbance
of body or mind; yet, if God does but touch men in their consciences, by
manifesting to them a little of his wrath for their sins, this oftentimes brings
out the principle of malice against him. This is exercised in dreadful
heart-risings, inward wranglings and quarrelings, and blasphemous thoughts;
wherein the heart is like a viper, hissing and spitting poison at God. And
however free from it the heart may seem to be, when let alone and secure, yet a
very little thing will set it in a rage. Temptations will show what is in the
heart. The alteration of a man’s circumstances will often discover the heart.
Pharaoh had no more natural enmity against God than other men; and if other
natural men had been in Pharaoh’s circumstances, the same corruptions would have
put forth themselves in as dreadful a manner. The scribes and Pharisees had
naturally no more malice in their hearts against Christ than other men, and
other natural men would, in their case, and having as little restraint, exercise
as much malice against Christ as they did. When wicked men come to be cast into
hell, then their malice against God will appear. Then their hearts will appear
as full of malice, as hell is full of fire. But when wicked men come to be in
hell, there will be no new corruptions put into their heart; but only old ones
will then break forth without restraint. That is all the difference between a
wicked man on earth, and a wicked man in hell, that in hell there will be more
to stir up the exercise of corruption, and less to restrain it, than on earth.
But there will be no new corruption put in. A wicked man will have no principle
of corruption in hell, but what he carried to hell with him. There are now the
seeds of all the malice that will be exercised then. The malice of damned
spirits is but a branch of the root that is in the hearts of natural men now. A
natural man has a heart like the heart of a devil; only corruption is more under
restraint in man than in devils.
5. They are enemies in their practice.
They walk contrary to him. In their enmity against God, they are
exceeding active. They are engaged in war against God. Indeed they cannot injure
God [for] he is so much above them; but yet they do what they can. They oppose
themselves to his honor and glory. They oppose themselves to the interest of his
kingdom in the world. They oppose themselves to the will and command of God. And
[they] oppose him in his government. They oppose God in his works, and in his
declared designs; while he is doing one work, they are doing the contrary. God
seeks one thing, and they seek directly the contrary. They list under Satan’s
banner, and are his willing soldiers in opposing the kingdom of God.
SECTION II
The degree of men’s
natural enmity to God.
I NOW proceed to say something with respect
to the degree of this enmity: tending in some measure to show, how great
enemies to God are natural men.
1. They have no love to God; their
enmity is mere enmity without any mixture of love. A natural man is wholly
destitute of any principle of love to God, and therefore never had the least
exercise of this love. Some natural men have better tempers than others; and
some are better educated than others; and some live a great deal more soberly
than others. But one has no more love to God than another; for none have the
least spark of that. The heart of a natural man is as destitute of love to God,
as a dead, stiff, cold corpse is of vital heat. John 5:42, “I know you, that ye
have not the love of God in you.”
2. Every faculty and principle
of action is wholly under the dominion of enmity against God. The nature of man
is wholly infected with this enmity against God. He is tainted with it
throughout, in all his faculties and principles. And not only so, but every
faculty is entirely and perfectly subdued under it, and enslaved to it. This
enmity against God, has the absolute possession of the man. The apostle Paul,
speaking of what he was naturally, says, Rom. 7:14, “I am carnal, sold under
sin.”
The understanding is under the
reigning power of this enmity against God, so that it is entirely darkened and
blinded with regard to the glory and excellency of God. The will is
wholly under the reigning power of it. All the affections are governed by
enmity against God. There is not one affection, nor one desire, that a natural
man has, or that he is ever stirred up to act from, but what contains in it
enmity against God. A natural man is as full of enmity against God, as any
viper, or any venomous beast, is full of poison.
3. The power of the enmity of natural men
against God, is so great, that it is insuperable by any finite
power. It has too great and strong a possession of the heart, to be overcome by
any created power. Indeed, a natural man never sincerely strives to root out his
enmity against God. His endeavors are hypocritical. He delights in his enmity,
and chooses it. Neither can others do it, though they sincerely, and to their
utmost, endeavor to overcome this enmity. If godly friends and neighbors labor
to persuade them to cast away their enmity, and become friends to God, they
cannot persuade them to it. Though ministers use never so many arguments and
entreaties, and set forth the loveliness of God; tell them of the goodness of
God to them, hold forth God’s own gracious invitations, and entreat them never
so earnestly to cast off their opposition, and be reconciled; yet they cannot
overcome it. Still they will be as bad enemies to God, as ever they were. - The
tongue of men or of angels cannot persuade them to relinquish their opposition
to God. Miracles will not do it. - How many miracles did the children of Israel
see in the wilderness! Yet their enmity against God remained; as appeared by
their often murmuring. And how often did Christ use miracles to this end without
effect, but the Jews obstinately stood out. Mat. 23:37, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how
often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her
chickens under her wings, and ye would not.” And how great did the enmity of
these people appear to be after all; how spiteful and venomous were their hearts
towards Christ, as appears by their cruel treatment of him, in his last
sufferings!
4.. They are mortal enemies to God;
i.e. they have that enmity in their hearts, that strikes at the life of God. A
man maybe no friend to another, and may have an ill spirit towards him; and yet
not be his mortal enemy. His enmity will be satisfied with something short of
the death of the person. But it is not so with natural men, with respect to God.
They are mortal enemies. Their imbecility is no argument that this is not the
tendency of the principle.
Natural men are enemies to the dominion of
God; and their nature shows their good-will to dethrone him if they could! Yea,
they are enemies to the being of God, and would be glad if there was no God. And
therefore it necessarily follows, that they would cause that there should be
none, if they could. Psa. 14:1, “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no
God.” This implies, not only an aptness to question the being of God; but, that
he inclines it should be so. His heart says, i.e. his inclination
says. The words in the original are, “The fool hath said in his heart, No God.”
That is, I would have none, I do not desire any, I wish there was none; that
would suit my inclination best. Let the world be emptied of a God, he stands in
my way. And hence he is an atheist in his heart.
The viper’s poison is deadly poison; and when
he bites he seeks the precious life. And men are in this respect a generation of
vipers. Their poison, which is enmity against God, seeks the life of God. Mat.
3:7, “O generation of vipers.” Psa. 58:3-4, “The wicked are estranged from the
womb - Their poison is like the poison of a serpent.” Deu. 32:32-33, “For their
vine is the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah: their grapes are the
grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter. Their vine is the poison of dragons,
and the cruel venom of asps.” The divine nature being immortal, and infinitely
out of our reach, there is no other trial possible, whether the enmity that is
naturally in the heart against God, be mortal or no, but only for God to take on
him the human nature, and become man; so as to come within man’s reach. There
can be no other experiment. And what has been the event? Why, when once God
became man, and came down to dwell here, among such vipers as fallen men, they
hated and persecuted him; and never desisted till they had imbrued their hands
in his blood. There was a multitude of them that appeared combined in this
design. Nothing would do, but he must be put to death. All cry out, Crucify
him, crucify him. Away with him. They had rather Barabbas who greatly
deserved death, should live, than he should not die. Nothing would restrain them
from it; even all his preaching, and all his miracles. But they would kill him.
And it was not the ordinary kind of execution that would satisfy them; but it
must be the most cruel and most ignominious they possibly could invent. And they
aggravated it as much as they could, by mocking him, and spitting on him, and
scourging him. This shows what the nature and tendency of man’s enmity against
God is; here it appeared in its true colors.
5. Natural men are greater enemies to God
than they are to any other being whatsoever. Natural men may be very great
enemies to their fellow-creatures; but not so great as they are to God. There is
no other being that so much stands in sinners’ way, in those things that they
chiefly set their hearts upon, as God. Men are wont to hate their enemies in
proportion to two things, viz. their opposition to what they look upon to be
their interest, - and their power and ability. A great and powerful enemy will
be more hated, than one who is weak and impotent. But none is so powerful as
God.
Man’s enmity to others may be got over. Time
may wear it out, and they may be reconciled. But natural men, without a mighty
work of God to change their hearts, will never get over their enmity against
God. They are greater enemies to God than they are to the devil. Yea, they treat
the devil as their friend and master, and join with him against God. John 8:44,
“Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do: he
was a murderer from the beginning.”
SECTION III
On what account men are
enemies to God.
THE general reason is, that God is opposite
to them in the worship of their idols. The apostasy of man summarily consists in
departing from the true God, to idols; forsaking his Creator, and setting up
other things in his room. When God at first created man, he was united to his
Creator; the God that made him was his God. The true God was the object of his
highest respect, and had the possession of his heart. Love to God was the
principle in his heart, that rules over all other principles; and every thing in
the soul was wholly in subjection to it. But when man fell, he departed from the
true God, and the union that was between his heart and his Creator was broken.
He wholly lost his principle of love to God. And henceforward man clave to other
gods. He gave that respect to the creature, which is due to the Creator. - When
God ceased to be the object of his supreme love and respect, other things of
course became the objects of it.
Man will necessarily have something that he
respects as his god. If man [does] not give his highest respect to the God that
made him, there will be something else that has the possession of it. Men will
either worship the true God, or some idol. It is impossible it should be
otherwise. Something will have the heart of man. And that which a man gives his
heart to, may be called his god. And therefore when man by the fall extinguished
all love to the true God, he set up the creature in his room. For having lost
his esteem and love of the true God, and set up other gods in his room, and in
opposition to him; and God still demanding their worship, and opposing them;
enmity necessarily follows.
That which a man chooses for his god, he sets
his heart mainly upon. And nothing will so soon excite enmity, as opposition in
that which is dearest. A man will be the greatest enemy to him who opposes him
in what he chooses for his god. He will look on none as standing so much in his
way, as he that would deprive him of his god. Jdg. 18:24, “Ye have taken away my
gods; and what have I more?” A man, in this respect, cannot serve two masters
that stand in competition for his service. And not only, if he serves one, he
cannot serve the other; but if he cleaves to one, he will necessarily hate the
other. Mat. 6:24, “No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the
one, and love the other, or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.
Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” And this is the very reason that men hate God.
In this case it is, as when two kings set up in one kingdom, in opposition one
to the other; and they both challenge the same throne, and are competitors for
the same crown. They who are loyal, hearty subjects to the one, will necessarily
be enemies to the other. As that which is a man’s god, is the object of his
highest love; so that God who chiefly opposes him in it, must be the object of
his greatest hatred.
The gods which a natural man worships,
instead of the God that made him, are himself and the world. He has withdrawn
his esteem and honor from God, and proudly exalts himself. As Satan was not
willing to be in subjection; and therefore rebelled, and set up himself; so a
natural man, in the proud and high thoughts he has of himself, sets up himself
upon God’s throne. He gives his heart to the world, worldly riches, worldly
pleasures, and worldly honors. They have the possession of that regard which is
due to God. The apostle sums up all the idolatry of wicked men in their love of
the world. 1 John 2:15-16, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in
the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For
all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the
pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” And the apostle James
observes ,that a man must necessarily be the enemy of the true God, if he be a
friend of the world. “Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world, is the
enemy of God,” Jam. 4:4.
All the sin that men commit, is what they do
in the service of their idols. There is no one act of sin, but what is an act of
service to some false god. And therefore wherein soever God opposes sin in them,
he is opposite to their worship of their idols. On which account they are his
enemies. God opposes them in their service of their idols, in the following
respects:
1. He manifests his utter abhorrence
of their attachment to their idols. Their idols are what they love above all
things: they would by no means part with them. This wickedness is sweet unto
them. Job 20:12. If you take them away, what have they more? If they lose their
idols, they lose their all. - To rend away their idols from them, would be more
grievous to them, than to rend body and soul asunder. It is like rending their
heart in twain. They love their idolatry. But God does not approve of it, but
exceedingly hates it. He will by no means be reconciled to it; and therefore
they hate him. God declares an infinite hatred of every act they do, in the
service of their false gods. He declares himself to be a holy and a jealous God;
a God who is very jealous of his own honor; and that greatly abhors giving that
honor to another.
2. He utterly forbids their cleaving
to those idols, and all the service that they do to them. He not only shows that
he dislikes it, but he utterly forbids it; and demands that they should worship
him; serve him only, and give their hearts wholly to him: without tolerating any
competitor. He allows them to serve their idols in no degree; but requires them
to cast them away utterly and pay no more worship to them, at any time.
He requires a final parting with their idols. Not only that they should refrain
from them for a while, but cast them away forever; and never gratify their
idolatrous respect to them any more. This is so exceeding contrary to them, and
what they are so averse to, that they are enemies to God for it. They cannot
endure God’s commands, because they forbid all that in which their hearts are so
engaged. And as they hate God’s commands, so they hate Him whose commands they
are.
3. He threatens them with everlasting
damnation for their service of their idols. He threatens them for their
past idolatry. He threatens them with his eternal wrath, for their having
departed from him, and their having chosen to themselves other gods. He
threatens them for that disposition they have in their hearts to cleave
to other gods. He threatens the least degrees of that respect which they have in
their hearts to their idols. He manifests that he will not tolerate any regard
to them, but has fixed eternal death, as the wages of every degree of it. And he
will not release them from their guilt; he holds them to their obligations; and
he will accept of no atonement that they can make. He will not forgive them for
whatever they do in religion; whatever pains they take; whatever tears they
shed. He will accept of no money or price that they have to offer.
And he threatens every future act of
their idolatry. He not only forbids them ever to be guilty of the least act, but
forbids them on pain of eternal damnation. So strictly does God prohibit them
from the service of their beloved idols! He threatens them with everlasting
wrath for all exercises of inordinate love of worldly profit; for all
manifestations of inordinate regard to worldly pleasures, or worldly honors. He
threatens them with everlasting torments for their self-exaltations. He requires
them to deny and renounce themselves, and to abase themselves at his feet, on
pain of bearing his wrath to all eternity.
The strictness of God’s law is a principal
cause of man’s enmity against God. If God were one that did not so much hate
sin; if he would allow them in the gratification of their lusts in some degree,
and his threatenings were not so awful against all criminal indulgence; if his
threatenings were not so absolute; if his displeasure could be appeased by a few
tears, a little reformation, or the like; they would not be so great enemies,
nor hate him so much as they do. But God shows himself to be an implacable enemy
to their idols, and has threatened everlasting wrath, infinite calamity, for all
that they do in the service of their lusts. And this makes them irreconcilable
enemies to him.
For this reason, the scribes and Pharisees
were such bitter enemies to Christ; because he showed himself to be such an
enemy to their pride, conceit of their own wisdom, self-righteousness, and
inordinate affectation of their own honor, which was their god. Natural men are
enemies to God, because he is so opposite to them, in that in which they place
their all. If you go to take away that which is very dear to a man, nothing will
provoke him more. God is infinitely opposite to that in which natural men place
all their delight, and all their happiness. He is an enemy to that which natural
men value as their greatest honor and highest dignity; and to which they wholly
trust; viz. their own righteousness.
Hence natural men are greater enemies to God
than they are to any other being. Some of their fellow-creatures may stand very
much in their way, with regard to some things on which they set their hearts;
but God opposes them with respect to ALL their idols, and his opposition to them
is infinitely great. None of our fellow-creatures ever oppose us in any of our
interests so much as God opposes wicked men in their idolatry. His infinite
opposition is manifested by his threatening an infinite punishment, viz. his
dreadful wrath to all eternity, misery without end. Hence we need not wonder
that natural men are enemies to God.
SECTION IV
The objection, that men
are not conscious of this enmity, answered.
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. Some may be ready to say, “I do not know, I
am not sensible, that I hate God, and have a mortal enmity against him. I feel
no such thing in my self, and if I have such enmity, why do not I feel it? If I
am a mortal enemy, why should not I 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, I can feel it inwardly working.” To such an objection I would
answer,
1. If you do but observe yourself, and search
your own heart, unless you are strangely blinded, you may be sensible of those
things, wherein enmity does fundamentally consist. Particularly, you may be
sensible that you have at least had a low and contemptible estimation of God.
And that, in your esteem, you set the trifles and vanities of this world far
above him; so as to regard 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, 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 him; so that it would have
been a very uncomfortable task to have been confined to that exercise for any
time. The vanities of the world, at the same time, have been very pleasing to
you; and you have been all swallowed up by 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 is an enmity in your will, that it is contrary to God’s
will, for you have been opposing the will of God all your life long. - These
things are plain; it is nothing but some great delusion that can hide them from
you. These are the foundation of all enmity. And 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. 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 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, which otherwise
would be felt; particularly, it may be an occasion of there not being sensible
exercises of hatred.
It may in some measure be thus illustrated.
If you had a rooted malice against another man, a principle that had been long
established there, and if you should hear that he was dead, the sensible
workings of your malice would not be felt, as when you realized it that he was
alive. But if you should afterward 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 thus your not realizing the fact 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 which 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 may be no argument of there being any
less 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 which, if you saw there was a God, might make you to wish there were
none, may now dispose and incline you to think there is none. Men are very often
apt to think things are as they would have them to be. The same principle
disposes you to think God has no existence, which, if you knew he had, would
dispose you, if it were possible, to dispossess him of it.
3. If you think that here is a God, yet you
do not realize it, that he is such a God as he really is. You do not realize it,
that he is so holy as he is; that he has such a hatred of sin as indeed he has;
that he is so just a God as he is, who 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,”
Psa. 50:21. So that your atheism appears in this, as well as in thinking there
is no God. 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 were 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 him than before.
4. Your having always been taught that God is
infinitely above you, and out of your reach, has prevented your enmity being
exercised in those ways, that otherwise it would have been. 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 often shows what men are,
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 what he does is looked upon as very cruel, that will not
ordinarily stir up passionate revenge, because he is so much above him, and out
of his reach. Many a man 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 cruel acts; 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 is 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 his cruel disposition had lain hid, and
he did not himself imagine that it was there. But afterwards, when he became
king of Syria, and was absolute, having 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. It was want of
opportunity 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 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.”
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 moral hatred against God; that you never
felt any desire to dethrone him. But one reason has been, that it has always
been conceived so impossible by you. But if the throne 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 my self 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 not to me. I have now an opportunity to deliver myself, and
there can be no danger of my being hurt for it. There will be nothing for us to
be terrified about, and so keep us in slavery.”
Who would trust your heart, that such
thoughts would not arise? Or others much more horrid and 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 how terrible his displeasure; 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 them, 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 wrathful man were wholly
under the power of an enemy, 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 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 is 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. Your deceit is very old and habitual. There has been
only restraint; not mortification. 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 hatred 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 it be
let alone lies still. But if anybody disturbs it, will soon hiss, and be
enraged, and show its serpentine spiteful nature.
Notwithstanding 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. So
that both hope and fear operate together, to restrain your enmity from sensible
exercises. But if once hope were gone, you would soon show what you were; you
would 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 anything
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 account can be given of
your 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 sufficient evidence of enmity. If he should be seen to behave
thus, and that it was his constant manner, none would want 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. Suppose your servant should manifest
much contempt of you; and disregard your commands as much as you do the commands
of God; should go directly contrary, and in many ways act the very reverse of
your commands; should seem to set himself in ways that were contrary to your
will obstinately and incorrigibly, without any amendment from your repeated
calls, warnings, and threatenings; and should act so cross to you day and night,
as you do to God; would he not be justly deemed your enemy? Suppose, further,
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 that work; and suppose he 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 set himself as much against your interest, as you do yourself
against God’s honor. And suppose you should moreover see him, from time to time,
with those who were your declared mortal enemies; making them his counselors,
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? -
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. 2:23.
SECTION V
The objections, that
they show respect to God, and experience some religious affections,
answered.
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 pray to him in secret, and 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 are respectful in their manner of
speaking, their voice, 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 none in the heart. There is a
show, and nothing else. You only cover your enmity with a painted veil. You put
on the disguise of a friend, but in your heart you are a mortal enemy. 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 that God looks not on the outward
appearance, but 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 those exercises of religion, wherein they have to
do with him. From their childhood, they have seen that this is the manner of
others, when they pray to God, to use reverential expressions. and a reverential
behavior before him.
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. And it is the same way, and no other, that you have learned to
behave respectfully towards God. [It is] 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 beast. “They say of
them, Let the men that sacrifice, kiss the calf,” Hos. 13:2. In some parts of
the world, they are brought up to worship serpents, and are taught from their
infancy to show 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 reverential tone and manner of speaking; and your
countenance is grave and solemn. You put on an humble aspect; 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,” Psa. 66:3. In the original it is, shall thine enemies
lie to thee. It is rendered therefore in the margin, shall yield feigned
obedience to 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
by it to bestow the rewards of his children. 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 make him a king. And when
they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, how
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. 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. Oftentimes you have set forth in your
prayers, that God was a great, a glorious, and an infinitely holy God, as if you
greatly honored him on the account of these attributes; and, at the same time,
you had no sense in your heart of the greatness and glory of God, or of any
excellency in his holiness. Your own consciences will tell you, that you have
often pretended to be thankful; you have told God, that you thanked him you was
alive, and thanked him for various 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 [were]; when you have had
no humble sense of your own unworthiness.
If these forementioned restraints were thrown
off, you would soon throw off all your show of respect. Take away fear, and 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 he 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.
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. - But to this it is
answered, that these affections have risen from other causes, and not from any
true respect to God.
(1.) They have risen from self-love, 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. 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 ye fasted and mourned, did ye at all fast
unto me, even unto me?” Zec. 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. Men’s
self-righteousness often occasions tears. A 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 often pride is in a great measure the source of
them. And then they are so far from being an argument that you are not an enemy
to God, that on the contrary, they are an argument, that you are. In your very
tears, you are, in a vain conceit of yourself, exalting yourself against
God.
(3.) The affections of natural men often
arise from wrong notions they have of God. They conceived 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 conceived 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 lift up his voice and
wept,” 1 Sam. 24:16, chap 26:1, 10. He was so affected that he wept aloud, and
called David his son, though he was but just before seeking his life. But this
affection of Saul 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.
SECTION VI
Restraining grace a
great privilege.
IF 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 in his disposition, to restrain
him from acting against him to whom he is an enemy? Hatred will not restrain a
man from acting anything against him that is hated. Nothing is too bad for
hatred, if it be mere hatred and no love. Hatred shows no kindness either in
doing, or forbearing. It will never make a man forbear to act 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. 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. 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. There is the entire fountain, and all the foundation of
the sin against the Holy Ghost, in that enmity against God that naturally reigns
in us.
It is not we that restrain ourselves from the
commission of the greatest imaginable wickedness; for enmity against God reigns
in us and over us; we are under its power and dominion, 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,” John 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, and are made sensible of the great guilt that sin brings,
and that it exposes to a dreadful punishment; under such circumstances they dare
not allow themselves in willful sin; God restrains them by the convictions of
his Spirit; and therein their being kept from sin, is owing to restraining
grace. And unawakened sinners that live under the gospel, who are in a great
measure secure, 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
this is restraining grace. They are indeed 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 grace. The word and ordinances of God might have
some degree of influence on men’s natural principles of self-love, 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 and mercy 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, the offers, and promises of it; when the Word of
God works upon hope, or fear, or natural conscience, to restrain men from sin,
this is the restraining grace of God, and is owing to his mercy. 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 which has great influence on men to keep them from sin, is the restraining
grace of God.
3. When men are restrained from sin, by the
light of nature, this also is of 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. God 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
self-love, in order to restrain their corruptions.
4. When God restrains men’s corruptions by
his providence, this is from grace. And that whether it be his general
providence in ordering the state of mankind; or his providential disposals
towards them in particular.
(1.) God greatly restrains the corruption of
the world, by ordering the state of mankind. He hath set them here in a mortal
state, and 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 fellowmen; 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 mankind [is] 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 up 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 revealed light, by keeping up the ordinances of God,
and by warning others, are a great restraint to the wickedness of the world.
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 differs from the state of the damned in hell; where
men will have none of these things to restrain them. The wisdom of God, as well
as the attributes of his grace, greatly appear in thus disposing things for the
restraining of the wickedness of men.
(2.) God greatly restrains the corruptions of
men by his 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 them 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 Manassah, as Judas, or Nero. But
Providence restrains their corruptions, by putting them in such circumstances,
as not to open such a door or outlet for their corruption, as he did to them. So
some do not perpetrate such horrid things, 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; or the attribute of God’s
grace exercised in thus restraining persons.
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 has
devised, and that otherwise they would perpetrate. Or something happens
unexpected to hold men back from that which they were about to commit. 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 him from it
no otherwise, than by ordering it so in his providence that Abigail should come,
and by her wisdom should cool, pacify, and persuade him to alter his purpose.
See verse 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, just mentioned. Even 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; and Lot, and 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 inconsistency
between their falling into such sins, and the having a 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, that 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 obligations to the restraining grace of God. Though they 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 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 better than it is in the wicked; but is of as
bad a nature every whit, as that which is in a mortal enemy to God. And though
it be not in reigning power; yet it would dreadfully rage, were it not for God’s
restraining grace.
God give his restraining grace to both
natural and godly men. But there is this difference; he gives his restraining
grace to his children in the way of covenant mercy; it is part of the mercy
promised 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 as not owing to them, but to God’s restraints. -
Thus, all, both godly and ungodly, may learn from this doctrine, their great
obligations to the restraining grace of God.
SECTION VII
Why natural men are not
willing to come to Christ, and their dreadful condition.
HENCE we may learn the reason why natural men
will not come to Christ. 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 under awakenings
often greatly desire this. But this does not argue that they are willing to come
to Christ. For, notwithstanding their desire to be delivered from hell, 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 their
hearts to him. And they are not willing to take Christ as he is; they would fain
divide him. 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 are not willing to accept of Christ; 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 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, has the nature of God, as well as the
nature of man. He is a Savior appointed of God. He anointed him, and sent him
into the world. And in performing the work of redemption, he wrought the works
of God; always did those things that pleased him; and all that he does as a
Savior, is to his glory. And one great thing he aimed at in redemption, was to
deliver them from their idols, 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 Savior seeks them to bring them to God
only. But natural men are not of God, but are averse to him.
Hence we see, how dreadful is the condition
of natural men. 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 he is. He is the eternal God who fills heaven and earth, and whom the
heaven of heavens cannot contain. He is the God that made you; in whose hand
your breath is, and whose are all your ways; the God in whom you live, and move,
and have your being; 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 everybody 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? What avails either the friendship or enmity of your neighbors, poor
worms of the dust, 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. If you should die an
enemy to God, there will be no such thing as any reconciliation after death. God
will then appear to you in hatred, without any love, any pity, and 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,” Zec. 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. 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, and 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 fire-brand hell, you will be so in two respects,
viz. as you will be full of the fire of God’s wrath; and as you will be 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
under great disguise; a wolf in sheep’s clothing. But then your mask will be
pulled off. You shall loose your garments, and walk naked. Rev. 16:15. Then will
you vent your rage and malice in fearful blasphemies. That same tongue, to cool
which you will wish for a drop of water, will be eternally employed in cursing
and blaspheming God 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? 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 consequence 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, to change your countenance, to dissolve your frame, and to 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? 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 to whom will you betake
yourself for a friend? When you launch forth into the boundless gulf 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 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? But how dreadful
will it be, to have God your enemy!
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
his judgment-seat. Then what will be the consequence of this mutual enmity
between God and you? If God be your enemy, who will stand your friend? Now, it
may be, it does not appear to be very terrible 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! Consider, you that are enemies to God, whether or not 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
can endure? Do you think you shall be well able to defend yourself, or to escape
out of his hand? 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 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 briers and thorns in battle array against devouring flames; which though
they seemed 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 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 worm think of supporting himself against an omnipotent
adversary? Consider, God has made your soul; and he can fill it with misery. He
made your body, and can bring what torments he will upon it. God who made you,
has given you a capacity to bear torment; and he has that capacity in his hands.
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 enemy, you may rationally
conclude that he will act as such in his dealings with you. We have already
observed that you 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 hates you without any love or pity. The proper tendency and aim of hatred
is the misery of the object hated; so that you may expect God will make you
miserable, and that you will not be spared. - 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, invites, and strives with you, and waits to be
gracious to you. But hereafter there will be an end to 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,” Pro.
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 act so as to glorify those attributes which he
exercises as an enemy; which are his majesty, his power, and justice. 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,” Psa. 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,” Deu. 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,” Psa. 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 my 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,” Deu. 32:40, 41, 42. The terribleness of the
threatened destruction is here variously set forth. God “whets his glittering
sword,” as one that prepares himself to do some great execution. “His hands take
hold on judgment,” to signify that he will surely reward them as they deserve.
“He will render vengeance to his enemies, and reward them that hate him.” i.e.
He will render their full reward. “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. This is the terrible manner in which God will one day rise up and execute
vengeance on his enemies!
Again, the completeness 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,” Psa. 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
represents the perfect destruction of God’s enemies in his wrath. So God hath
promised Christ; that he would make his enemies his footstool, Psa. 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.
SECTION VIII
God may justly withhold
mercy
IF 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 he 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? Even should you desire the
salvation of your soul, is God bound to comply with your desires, when you
always resist and oppose his will? 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 glory, while at the same time you set him too low to have even the lowest
place in your heart?
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
to 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
ever anybody thought of or devised any other way for God to show mercy, than to
have mercy on whom he will 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.
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 long-suffering 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 his to you. How causelessly
then are you such dreadful enemies to God! And how justly might he 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; 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 are 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 is it for you to
imagine that you can oblige God to have respect to you by anything that you can
do, continuing still to be his enemy. If you think you have prayed, and read,
and done something considerable for God; yet who cares for the seeming kindness
of an enemy? What value would you yourself set upon a man 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 he 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? He may justly abhor your prayers, and all
that you do in religion, as the flattery of a mortal enemy.
SECTION IX
Practical
Improvement
HENCE we may learn,
1. How wonderful is the love that is
manifested in giving Christ to die for us. For this is love to enemies. “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 those who not
only could not be profitable to him, but were his enemies, and to so great a
degree! They had great enmity against him; yet so did he love them, that he gave
his own Son to lay down his life, in order to save their lives. Though they had
enmity that sought to pull God down from his throne; yet he 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 towards his enemies! He loved 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.”
2. If we are all naturally God’s enemies,
hence we may learn what a spirit it becomes us as Christians to possess towards
our enemies. Though we are enemies to God, yet we hope that God has loved us,
that Christ has died for us, 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 . All this mercy we hope has been, or will be, exercised towards us
forever
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 exercise a
spirit of forgiveness towards our enemies. And therefore our Savior 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 6:35.
If we refuse thus to do, and are of another
spirit, we may justly expect that God will deny us his mercy, as he had
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,” Mat. 6:14, 15. The same we have in the parable
of the man, who owed his lord ten thousand talents. Mat. 18:23-35.
[ Thanks to: Jonathan-Edwards.org ]