0A.07. Chapter VI.
Chapter VI. The Redeemer Frees Us from the Sting, Fear and Dominion of Death Our special obligations to our Redeemer considered, who frees us from the sting, and fear, and dominion of death. His love was equal to the height of his glory from whence he descended, and the depth of his sufferings for our sake. An excitation to make it the great design of our lives to overcome the fear of death.
Reconciliation with God requisite to our being freed from the powers of death.
Repentance is necessary to obtain the favor of God. The infinite danger of delaying it, unfolded. The presumption of long life is vain. The hope of a future repentance is very deceitful.
It is very hazardous whether God will accept the repentance that flows merely from bitter constraint at last. The continuance in sin upon the presumption of pardon, renders men most unworthy of it. To apply this point, let us,
Consider our special obligations to our blessed Savior, who to free us from the sting and enslaving fear of death, submitted to it with all its terrors from God and wicked men. He felt a sadness to an agony in his soul, and suffered the equal extremities of ignominy and torment in his body. The favor of God was removed from him, that it may shine upon us in that gloomy hour. And all his terrible sufferings, though foreknown by his enlightened mind, could not weaken his determined will to undergo them for us; but when Peter regarded with a more tender eye his life than our salvation, he was repelled with indignation. Unparalleled love! no less than divine, transcending all the instances of human affection. The highest kind and excess of love among men is to die for another, and the highest degree in that kind is to die to save an enemy; and of this our Savior is the singular example; love incomprehensible! "it surpasses knowledge, and all understanding" but his who expressed it. His love was equal to the height of his glory from whence he descended, and the depth of his sufferings that he sustained in our stead. "By washing us from our sins in his blood, he makes us kings!"
He dignifies us with spiritual sovereignty over, not only defiling, but disturbing passions. The freest and most confident sinner in the world, who rebels against the divine laws without restraint, is a slave, not only under the chains of his imperious lusts, but in that he is liable to the scourgings of conscience whenever awakened, and to the servile fear of death every day. But the sincere Christian has a dear and sweet peace, a blessed tranquility from the tormenting apprehensions and fears of death, that are the just consequences of guilt.
One of the ancient Romans highly celebrates the astronomers, who discovered the true causes of the eclipses of the sun and moon, and freed the world from the double darkness of ignorance and fear; for before that discovery, men believed the obscuring of those great lights were the fainting fits of nature, and mortal symptoms threatening a universal calamity. But what praise and blessing is due to our Savior, who has given us infallible assurance that the death of the righteous is not, as the heathen world imagined, an irreparable loss of life, but a short eclipsing of this low and base life that is common to sensitive creatures, to be restored more excellent and permanent in Heaven, where those stars shine in the divine presence forever. "Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." This should render him "infinitely precious to us," and inflame our hearts with desires equal to our obligations to serve him.
Let us make it the great design and main business of our lives to remove from our souls the just fears of death. It is one of the solemn follies of the world to fear where there is no cause; as if a sentinel should mistake glow-worms in the night for lighted matches, and give a false alarm; but it is a worse folly, though pleasing, not to fear when there is the greatest reason to excite it. And it is so in the present case; for the most are without the fear of death, that should make them serious in preparing for it; nay, to maintain their security, are as unwilling to hear conscience declare the wretchedness of their condition with respect to eternity, as Ahab was the prophet Micaiah, "who always foretold evil things to him."
It was the chief design of the philosophers, by principles of reason, to fortify themselves against all frightful accidents, and with a courageous mind, with an ardent and generous spirit, to encounter this inevitable evil. When one of them was threatened by the Emperor Antigonus with present death, he boldly replied, threaten this to your dissolute courtiers that are softened and melted by sensual pleasures, and easily receptive of terrible impressions—not to a philosopher to whom death is contemptible in any appearance. This was a piece of affected bravery; for Pagan philosophy could never furnish them with armor of proof against the dart of our last enemy. But the gospel assuring us that death is an entrance into immortality, makes that to be the reality of a Christian, that was a vain boast of the philosophers.
Now that we may be established in that blessed tranquility that death cannot discompose, the following directions are infinitely useful.
I. We must give all diligence to be in a state of reconciliation with God. The things requisite to that are, as the apostle declares, "repentance towards God, and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ." Acts 20:21.
REPENTANCE includes a godly sorrow for past sins, with a detestation and forsaking them sincerely, without hypocrisy; and entirely, without partiality in the heart and conduct. It is called "repentance from dead works," Heb 6:1 the proper name of our sins, that deserve eternal death. By repentance we return to obedience that is due to God our maker and lawgiver.
FAITH respects the Redeemer, who by his blood shed on the cross, and pleaded in Heaven, reconciles God to penitent sinners. The belief of his merciful and powerful mediation for our acceptance and pardon, "works by love," 2Co 5:14 and "constrains us" to dedicate ourselves in a devoted propriety to his glory and service, and to live according to that dedication.
These two are absolutely necessary to the vital and salvific state of a Christian. And as soon as a person sincerely repents and believes, he is justified before God; and if he dies, will certainly obtain eternal glory. This should be the early and most speedy work of our lives; for the delay of repentance, and neglect of securing the favor of God, arms death with more stings and terrors. The infinite danger of this I will unfold, to awaken the careless and secure. The devil is a perfect sophist; and his ordinary and successful artifice to elude the force of present conviction, and wrap men in sin and damnation—is to induce them to delay the great work of the soul until afterward. He is not so foolish to tell them, as he did our first parents, "you shall not die;" for the temptation is so palpable, that it could deceive none. Though the evidence and certainty of supernatural truths, that disturb the security of sinners, is sometimes obscured by effected doubts; yet there is no artifice that can resist the full and strong conviction in men, that death is inevitable. Though nature recoils from it with abhorrence—yet this sad truth is so visible, that it forces in assent from all. Those who are so-called gods, the greatest princes, are not so vain as to pretend to an exemption by privilege from that fatal necessity; they cannot imagine to be embalmed alive, and that nature may be made incorruptible by artifice. The palace is as near the grave as the cottage; therefore the devil cherishes in men fond hopes of a long life. As some optic glasses deceive the sight, and make a superficial representation in colors on a wall but two or three steps distant, appear a long deep gallery; thus the tempter by a dangerous deceit, presents to the imagination the fatal term at a great distance; and since he cannot lessen the certainty of death in men’s belief, he removes the image of it out of their memories, to weaken the impression that it is capable to make on their affections.
They dare not venture to die as they live—careless of salvation, and unprepared for their accounts with God; therefore they suspend the workings of conscience by a seeming compliance; they resolve at random to convert and reform hereafter, but will not determine at present to forsake their sins. The tempter insinuates there will be a long interval between the present time and the last hour which shall decide their state forever; that it will be a convenient season to prepare for the other world when they have done with this; as if repentance were best at last, when there are no temptations, and therefore no danger of retracting it. And the heart of man is a great flatterer, very subtle to deceive and ruin him with vain resolutions of a devout retirement, and becoming seriously religious hereafter; and thus by an easy permission he gratifies the present desires of the flesh, and goes in a circuit from one vanity to another, until death surprises the presumer.
It is very applicable to this purpose, what is related of Alcoeus the poet, who from every season of the year, took arguments to give a new title to his intemperance. The spring, he said, required liberal drinking, in sign of joy for the renovation of nature. The summer to temper our heat, and refresh our thirst; it was due to autumn that is dedicated to the vintage; and winter required it to expel the cold, that would congeal the blood and spirits; thus he pleaded for the allowance of his excess. And so men in the several ages of life (that are correspondent to the seasons of the year) frame some excuses to delay repentance, and give some excuse to their rebellion against God, who commands us to hear his voice today, obediently and immediately, upon no less than being excluded from his blessed rest forever; Heb 2:7-8. Yet the self-deceiving sinner preaches another gospel to himself, and thinks the vanities of childhood, the pleasures of youth, the business of middle age, and the infirmity of old age, are plausible pretenses to put off the serious work of repentance. O that such would duly consider the desperate uncertainty upon which men build their hopes of a future repentance, and divine acceptance!
1. Men delay repentance upon the presumption of a long life; but what is more uncertain? It is the wisdom and goodness of God to conceal in his impenetrable counsels the time of our sojourning here; for if men, though liable to death every hour, and therefore should be under just fear lest it surprise them unprepared—yet against so strong a curb, run with that exorbitant vehemence after the present world; how much more licentious would they be, if secured from sudden death? But none can promise to himself one day. Death comes not according to the order of nature, but the decree of God. How many in the flower of their youth and strength thought themselves at as great a distance from death, as the east is from the west—when there was not the space of an hour between them and death, between them and Hell? The lamp suddenly expires by a blast of wind, when there is plenty of oil to feed it. The rich man pleased himself with designs of sensual enjoyments for many years—yet did not see the dawning of the next morning, "You fool, this night shall your soul be required of you." This sentence is pronounced in Heaven against thousands that are now alive, conversant in the vanities and business of the world, eating and drinking, playing and trading, and all unconcerned as to dying—yet shall breathe their last before tomorrow, and their unwilling souls be torn from the embraces of their bodies. In various manners men die from inward and outward causes; a stroke, a fever, a fit of asthma—kills the body without any presaging signs of death; as if the roof and all the chambers should fall within the house, while the walls are standing entire. And how many unforeseen accidents, and therefore inevitable, put a sudden end to life? Is it not our truest wisdom, by an early repentance, to prepare for death when life is certainly short, and but uncertainly continued, and the omission is irreparable?
2. Suppose life is continued—yet sinners who delay repentance, can have no rational hopes that they shall sincerely repent in time to come. For,
(1.) Saving repentance is the gift of God; and is it likely that those who have been insensible of the loud and earnest calls of the word, inflexible to the gracious methods of his providence leading them to repentance, should at last obtain converting grace? The gales of the Spirit are very transient, and blow where he pleases; and can it be expected that those who have willfully and often resisted him, should by an exuberant favor receive afterwards more powerful grace, to overrule their stubborn wills, and make them obedient? To expect divine grace and the powerful workings of the Spirit, after long resisting his holy excitations, is both unreasonable and foolish. It is written as with a sun-beam, that God will graciously pardon repenting sinners who reform their lives; but it is no where promised that he will give saving repentance to those who securely continue in sin, upon a corrupt confidence they will repent at last. Our Savior threatens to him that neglects the improving the grace that is offered, "That which he has, shall be taken away," yet men unwilling at present to forsake their sins of pleasure and profit, and vainly hope they shall obtain grace hereafter, without any promise from God, and against the tenor of his threatenings. God has threatened that his Spirit "shall not always strive with rebellious sinners," and then their state is remediless. This may be the case of many in this life, who are insensible of their misery. As consumptive people decline by degrees, lose their appetite, color and strength, until at last they are hopeless; so the withdrawings of the Spirit are gradual, his motions are not so strong nor frequent; and upon the continued provocations of the disobedient, finally leaves them under that most fearful doom, "He who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is unrighteous, let him be unrighteous still!" and thus punishes them on this side of Hell, as he does the damned, by giving them over to sin. It is a bloody adventure for men to indulge their carnal appetites, as if they had infallible assurance that they should not die in an impenitent state. The delayer does not regularly trust, but tempt God.
(2.) Suppose the Holy Spirit is not totally withdrawn—yet by every day’s continuance in sin, the heart is more hardened against the impressions of grace, more averse from returning to God, and repentance more difficult and hazardous. The last guilty disposition that seals up the damnation of sinners is impenitence. Now he who delays the returning to his duty, shall have more cause to repeat hereafter, but less will and power; for sin repeated, makes him more incapable of repentance; and that which is indisposition, will become averseness and obstinacy. The heart with difficulty changes its last end. Actions may be suddenly changed, when there is a disability to perform them; but the inward inclinations to sin, without supernatural renewing grace, remain. It is therefore the subtlety of the old serpent to make the entrance of sin easy; for he knows that custom is a second nature, and has a mighty power in us, "Can an Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard change his spots? Then may you who are accustomed to do evil, do good." If sin in its infancy can make such resistance, that the Spirit of grace is foiled in his motions to rescue the soul from its bondage—then how much more when it is grown into a confirmed habit? Therefore the, apostle urges so zealously, "Today if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, lest any be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin."
(3.) How uncertain it is whether God will accept the addresses of such at last? We are commanded, "Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near." The limitation implies that if the season is neglected, he will hide his face for ever. Now in cases of great consequence and hazard, what diligence, what caution should be used?
1st. Consider how derogatory it is to his majesty, to offer to God the dregs of our old age—the relics of a licentious careless life, spent in sin and vanity. Is this "to give glory to God?" Jer 13:16. Contempt provokes superiors as much as actual injuries; how vilifying is it of his eternal greatness, that men lavishly waste the best of their time, resources and strength upon their lusts; and when through weakness of old age, or the violence of a disease, they can no more do the acts of sin, nor relish the pleasures of sin—to presume that God will forgive their sins so long indulged, and of such violent provocations, and receive them into his kingdom—as if he could not be happy without them, and it were his interest to receive them?
God has laid his exceptions against such addresses; he may justly stand upon his greatness and honor, "If you offer the blind for a sacrifice, is it not evil? And if you offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? Offer it now to your governor, will he be pleased with it, to accept your person, says the Lord of hosts?" As the Lord upbraids the Jews for their black ingratitude in bargaining for thirty pieces of silver, to have him betrayed to their malice, "a goodly price that I was prized at of them;" so when there is a universal prostration of all the powers and faculties, when the spirits are damped, the vital heat is checked, and the function of the senses is obstructed—then to seek to God for mercy, and to make fair promises of obedience, he may justly reproach the presumer, "a goodly time you have allotted for me!" Your youth and strength, the golden age of life, have been wasted on your lusts, and in the business of the world; and the wretched remains you think worthy of my acceptance.
2dly. Consider what sincerity or moral value is in religion that merely proceeds from bitter constraint. It is not a natural birth when the child is extracted from the dead mother. Just so, it is not genuine piety that is extorted by the rack, while the heart full of reluctancy does not truly consent. Pure religion flows uncompelled from love to God; it is the dregs that come forth with pressing. It is observed of the Israelites, that "when God slew them, they sought him, and returned and inquired early after God." But it is added, "Nevertheless they did flatter with their mouths, and they lied to them with their tongues; for their hearts were not right with him, neither were they steadfast in his covenant." Psa 78:34; Psa 78:36.
How often does experience convince us of the inefficacy of a sickbed repentance? How many that were very devout and mournful with one foot as it were in the grave, and another in Hell, and were as a brand plucked out of the fire; yet when the fear of death is removed, all the terrors of conscience, the religious affections that were felt and expressed by them, vanish as the morning dew?
Converting grace is distinguished by its efficacy, not only from the mere pretenses of those who know their own insincerity, but from the real workings of conscience, and the imperfect dispositions to good that are in the unrenewed. And those people who with the return of health, have returned to their sins if they had died with their religious resolutions, we would have presumed "that their repentance was unto life," and of their saving interest in the divine mercy.
"The heart is deceitful above all things," and above all things deceitful to itself. Besides, when sinners are plunged in deep distress, when the shadow of death sits upon their eye-lids, they may with plentiful effusions of tears desire God to receive them to Heaven—not to see and praise his adorable excellencies, not to please and glorify him forever—but as a sanctuary from revenging justice, a refuge from Hell. And will such prayers prevail?
What swells the confidence of sinners, but unworthy notions of God, as if a forced and formal confession of their sins could deceive his all-discerning eye; and desires merely terminated on themselves were sufficient to reconcile his offended majesty?
3. There is nothing renders men more unworthy of mercy than continuance in sin, upon presumption of an easy pardon at last. This is the most provoking abuse of his "Goodness and long-suffering, that should lead them to repentance." He can in the twinkling of an eye, in the beating of a pulse, cut off the sinner—it is as easy to his power as to will it. And there is no consideration should be so melting and moving as his mercifulness.
We read of David, that he had more than once in his power Saul his unjust and cruel enemy—yet spared him; the effect of it was that Saul was softened, and under such compunction of spirit, that he wept, confessed his guilt, and persecuted him no more, overcome by that unexampled love, "If a man find his enemy, will he let him go?" 1Sa 26:21.
Yet men take advantage from the goodness of God, securely to despise his laws. The habitual sinner thinks that God is so gracious, such a lover of souls, so easy to be entreated, that upon his dying prayer, "Lord, remember me in your kingdom," the answer will be, "Today you shall be with me in paradise." This is the deceitful principle upon which men usually build their hopes, as actions that bear the image of their minds clearly manifest. Now this presumptuous indulgence gives the deepest grain to their sins, and makes them more incapable of pardon.
Chrysostom observes, that Judas was encouraged to betray his master, presuming on his mercy, goodness, benignity; which considerations intolerably aggravated his treason, and confounded his hopes.
There is a dreadful threatening against those who reject the invitations of grace in their prosperity, and when the righteous judge comes to sentence and execution, are earnest supplicants for mercy.
Pro 1:23-31, "If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you. But since you rejected me when I called and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand, since you ignored all my advice and would not accept my rebuke, I in turn will laugh at your disaster; I will mock when calamity overtakes you— when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you. "Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me. Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the LORD, since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes." This is a doleful case beyond all possible expression! when the sinful creature, forsaken of all comforts below, addresses to Heaven for relief, and meets with derision and fury, scorn and indignation! The foolish virgins, careless to prepare for the Bridegroom’s coming, in vain at last discovered their lack of oil, in vain solicited the wise virgins for supply, in vain knocked at the door, crying, "Lord, Lord, open to us!" The answer was severe and peremptory, "I know you not;" and they were forever excluded from the joys of Heaven!