The Fourth Lord’s Day

04 The Fourth Lord’s Day 
Ephesians 5:6
Let no man deceive you with vain words; for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the children of disobedience.
In these words is contained the argument by which the Apostle labours to persuade all the faithful that they may keep themselves from those sins of which he made mention a little before. The Argument is drawn from an adjunct that follows upon sin: the wrath of God, of which sins are not only the antecedents, but also the meritorious causes, certainly procuring his wrath as intimated in these words: for these things. The connexion of this effect with its cause is limited and confirmed.
1. It is limited by a description of the subjects upon whom God’s wrath always pursues sin, in these words, upon the children of disobedience. 
2. It is confirmed by rejecting all vain shifts1 in these words: Let no man deceive you.
The explication by the wrath of God: 1. It is understood as God’s vindictive justice. 2. His will to inflict punishment according to that justice. 3. The punishment itself that is so inflicted. And in this passage, the punishment is most properly understood as it is often called in other passages, death, distress, severities, hot anger, and the like. This wrath of God is said to come against or upon men because, as it were, coming down from Heaven, it suddenly sets upon and overwhelms, and holds the sinners as if entangled in a net; so that by no means can they escape it. In the same sense, not unlike that phrase used in Romans 1:18; Romans 1:2 the expression here, children of contumacy3 or stubbornness, upon whom this wrath comes, is understood as those sinners which can by no means be persuaded to leave their sins and seek God by true faith and repentance. This is to be marked, that υἱοὺς τῆςἀπειθείας [children of stubbornness] may be termed both children of incredulity, and children of disobedience; but it agrees better in this passage to be termed children of disobedience and of rebellion, because we do not read this phrase, children of faith, but children of obedience, 1 Peter 1:14.4
Doctrine 1. Such men’s condition is most desperate, because they are not only sinners, but also stubborn in their sins.
It’s gathered out of these words: Upon the children of disobedience or stubbornness. So they are named here as men whose condition is much to be abhorred, and whose example and company is most to be shunned, as appears from Ephesians 5:7 therefore do not be partakers, etc.
Reason 1 . Because such men serve a most miserable servitude to a very base Master, that is, to sin. For sin exercises a spiritual Kingly power and dominion over them, because they do all that the lusts of sin command them; and they cannot be persuaded to shake off that slavish yoke by any means; the less they perceive that slavery, the more fully they are under its command, because by this means it comes to pass that their very will itself, and the spirit of the mind, are
1 An indirect or evasive method or argument; deceptive practice (a “shell-game”).
2 Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness;
3 Obstinate, rebelliousness, and insubordinate; resistant to authority. 
4 1 Peter 1:14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 
possessed by this slavery and oppressed by it. For as a brute or a man that comes near to a brute, serving some cruel Master, takes no thought for his condition because of his stupidity, nor cares or wishes for a better condition — he is a more full and perfect slave than some free-born and free-minded man who is constrained by force to serve one, and yet under such servitude and force, still keeps a free mind — even so it fares in this matter.
Reason 2 . Because such men are furthest from repentance, and so from the kingdom of God, and from salvation. For repentance most consists in the turning of the heart from sin to God, by persuasion of the Word and the Holy Spirit. And the obstinacy and unpersuadableness of such men is flat opposite to this temper; not only are they not persuaded to turn to God, but they are persuaded to the contrary. For that sort, persuasion of converting is not to be embraced or regarded; for such men are properly called the children of rebellion or disobedience. As therefore those diseases are most mortal which admit no cure, and are only more exasperated the more they are dealt with, even so is it with this kind of men.
Reason 3. Because these men most grievously increase their guilt in this, that they withstand the means that God has sanctified for procuring their salvation. For while they will not allow themselves to be persuaded to that conversion unto Faith and Repentance, they directly fight against God; and not only so, but in this very thing, that he would and is in some way striving, as it were, to save them.1
Use. Of Admonition: That most of all we be careful of this stubbornness or rebellion, which is not only to be understood in common with that contumacy whereby men altogether refuse to be converted; but also specially and in every part of obedience. For if we perceive that God calls us to this or that special duty, ‘tis then our part mainly to take care that even in that, we present our hearts to God flexible and persuasible to that which we are invited.
Doctrine 2. Upon the children of disobedience, certainly and inevitably the horrible wrath of God comes.
This is clear in the Text without any collection made from it.
The Scripture testifies everywhere that this wrath is horrible and altogether intolerable, such as Hebrews 10:27; Revelation 6:16-17; Revelation 2:1-29 and elsewhere. And the thing itself sufficiently shows it, if we consider God’s anger as to its intensity, extent, and duration. As to its INTENSITY, it is called in Scripture a consuming fire, Hebrews 12:29. Now, this fire of the wrath of God does not consume lightly, or light things only, as in their superficies.3 But as it is said in Deuteronomy 32:22, God’s wrath set on fire will burn down to the grave,4 etc. In Nahum 1:6 5 there is a most similar and pithy description. All these descriptions signify that the wrath of God thoroughly pierces not only into the body, but into the soul and the inward part of the spirit, for which reason in many passages of Scripture it is compared to sharp arrows piercing into the heart itself, and consuming the spirit and life. As to the EXTENT, this wrath of God contains in it all sorts of evils, whether corporal or spiritual; whether in
1 It is not that God is unable to save them, but that such men resent the thought that they need saving at all.
2 Hebrews 10:27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Revelation 6:16-17 and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! “For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”
3 The purely external aspect of a thing, as in a superficial wound; the outer surface. 
4 “to the lowest hell.” NKJV; “to the depths of Sheol.” CSB, ESV; “to the depths of the grave.” NLT
5 Nahum 1:6 Who can stand before His indignation? And who can endure the fierceness of His anger? His fury is poured out like fire, And the rocks are thrown down by Him.
this life or at the end of it, and in death, or at death. Here belong those catalogues or inventories of curses that are found in Deuteronomy 28:1-8 and Leviticus 26:1-46. As to the DURATION, it remains upon impenitent sinners, John 3:36; John 3:1 not for some short space, but unto all eternity, and without end. For as with that obligation whereby we are bound to render to God all obedience without end, so consequently, the transgression whereby sinners break that obligation, is in a way infinite and without end. So also the punishment, which takes away its measure from the nature of the transgression, will be without end and infinite — and that is in the privation of an infinite good, as well as in the endless duration of this privation or loss. Nor should it seem strange that for a sin which is committed in a short time, an endless punishment should be inflicted; because equity itself requires that everyone should be deprived of that good from which, by his own fault, he has turned. But every sinner has turned himself away from an endless good, by a fault he can never come out of by himself and make an end of; and therefore it is only reasonable that he be endlessly deprived of that good. And moreover, because he has disturbed that order which God set and appointed, it is only justice if he were never freed from the punishment of this fault, until he has repaired2 God his honour — which an unrepenting sinner can never do, unto eternity.
It should not therefore move anyone, that sin, which is but momentary, should be punished eternally.
Reason 1. Committing sin is, as it were, a spiritual wounding; and yet a wounding done in however short a time, often leaves behind it a wound of long duration, and often endless and eternal death.
Reason 2. Committing sin is, as it were, a spiritual fall, or sliding; and yet the fall passed in a short time, may be such that thereby, for a very long time, or without end, the party may remain in the depth or pit into which he fell.
Reason 3. Committing sin is, as it were, tying with bands or thongs; its nature is that it may be done quickly, and yet it keeps the party bound forever, as long as the bands themselves remain unloosed or unbroken.
Reason 4. ‘Tis, as it were, a bargain in which the sinner, for the enjoyment or use of some short pleasure, out of madness sells himself into slavery. 
Now from a bargain of buying and selling, though passed in a short time, the right is conveyed to the buyer forever; and the alienation is eternal or endless in its own way.
Reason 1. It is, as it were, the putting out of a lamp; for a sinner once drowning himself in the filth of sin, puts out, as it were, the whole light of his mind; and a lamp once put out, though it is done in a moment, yet by virtue of that putting out, remains of itself endlessly extinct and put out. 
Use 1. Of Condemnation: against those who remain in their carnal security, and please themselves in this condition, over which perpetually hangs the so horrible wrath and anger of God.
1  John 3:36 “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” 
2 To set right or straight.
Use 2. Of Admonition: that with all care above all other things, we go about this, to show this wrath of God, Matthew 3:7, where also the way to avoid it is shown to be by repentance, verse 8.1 And yet this is not to be so taken, as if this avoiding lay in our repentance, as it is our action, and as if that had some virtue of freeing us from the wrath of God; for Christ alone is our enfranchiser2 from the wrath to come, 1 Thessalonians 1:10.3 We therefore truly flee from the wrath of God, when we fly to this mercy in Christ Jesus by true faith in him, and unfeigned repentance.
Doctrine 3. All speeches that promise impunity of sin, and indemnity from the wrath of God, are but vain and seducing.
This is also clear in the Text. Now, that they are vain is apparent from this: because they are against his decree, and his clearly revealed will; and therefore they can have no solid truth in them. And that they are seductive is also apparent enough from the first author of such speeches. For the devil, when he would seduce our first Parents, promised them this impunity in these words: You shall not die. Genesis 3:4.
1 Matthew 3:7-8 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance;” 2 The one who grants freedom to someone; as from slavery or servitude.
3 1 Thessalonians 1:10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.