The Conversion of a Sinner Explained, Sermon
THE Converſion OF A SINNER:
EZEK. 33. 11. latter part.
Turn ye, turn ye from your evil wayes; for why will ye die, O houſe of Iſrael?
TIs not very eaſie to diſcern whether Man diſcovered greater folly in departing from God at firſt, or whether his folly be now more inexcuſable in refuſing to return to him. At firſt he knew by bleſſed experience how good it was to be neer his Maker, to enjoy the light of his countenance in the ſtate of innocency; and yet he ventur'd to go away. Now he feels the effects of his Apoſtacy; for ſin has loaded him with various miſeries, calamities, vexations, and yet how hardly is he perſwaded to come back again? The children of men are eaſily induced to yield to Satan, as if 'twere their intereſt to give themſelves into the hands of a Murtherer; but the Lord beſides whom there is no Saviour, may call, and call with frequency, with earneſtneſs, yet call in vain; their hearts are dull, their ears are deaf, they will not hearken to him. It can never be ſufficiently lamented, that ſin has made ſo many madmen in the world; life and death, bleſſing and curſing are ſet before them; yet death is choſen before life, the moſt aſtoniſhing and intollerable curſes are embraced, when bleſſings of the higheſt, and moſt durable nature, are rejected.
Proh ſuperi! quantum mortalia pect…ra caecae Noctis habent!
Hence 'tis that the Lord expoſtulates not only in reference to ſin, but in reference to puniſhment: He not only ſayes, Why will you venture to tranſgreſs; but alſo, Why are you ſo forward to die, O houſe of Iſrael?
The Prophet in the beginning of this Chapter, is by the Lord appointed a Watchman over the houſe of Iſrael; he is commanded to lift up his voice, when he ſees the revenging ſword drawn forth, and comming to cut the ungodly off for their ungodlineſs; and unleſs he call to the wicked to turn and live, he is acceſſary to their death, and their blood will be required at his hand. And being thus commiſſioned, he is commanded to ſtop the mouths of evil doers, who cavil and reply againſt their Maker, and charge God fooliſhly.
A Controverſie it ſeems there was, at whoſe door the deſtruction of ſinners is to be laid: The houſe of Iſrael very peremptorily and boldly lay the blame on God; they ſtick not to ſay, the way of the Lord is not equal. But the God of mercy, and of truth, does vindicate himſelf from that undeſerved imputation; profeſſing, that if ſinners were not perverſly bent upon their own ruin, deſtruction would be eſcaped. By his life he ſwears, that the death of the wicked pleaſes him not; therefore in the Text his voice is loud and doubled, Turn ye, turn ye, from your evil wayes; and the ſaddle is ſet upon the right horſe, mens own Wills are the cauſe of their own Woe. Why will ye die, O houſe of Iſrael?
The words expreſs a very pathetical and ſerious call, wherein obſerve,
1. The perſons called, The houſe of Iſrael.
2. To what they are called; they are called to Turn.
3. The urgency of this call, which appears in the doubling of it, Turn ye, turn ye.
4. From what they muſt turn, from their evil wayes.
5. The argument uſed to prevail, which has abundance of holy rhetorick in it; VVhy will ye die?
Without turning death is certain. Satan may ſay to the poſterity, as once to the Parents, Ye ſhall not ſurely die; but this will be ſound true, Thoſe ſhall …e turned into Hel…, Pſal. 9. 17. who will not turn▪ to God; thither 'tis that evil wayes have all a tendency. Several paths there are in the broad way, but in death, the ſecond death, they all conclude and meet. Therefore the Lord is brought in, pitying of ſinners, and pleading with them.
VVhy will ye die? Is it becauſe I am ſpeedy in revenging? you know I am ſlow to anger; and by experience have found me ſo, elſe my wrath had long e're this broken forth upon you; or is it becauſe I am inexorable, not to be intreated when once provoked? VVhy, I have proclaim'd myſelf ready to forgive, and plenteous in mercy, unto all that call upon him. Or is it becauſe you never heard of the way and means of recovering life, and flying from the puniſhment you have deſerved? How often have I ſent my Prophets, that you might be brought to believe, to repent, and to obey? But ſtill your neck is as an iron ſinew; you are reſolved to ruſh on in ſin. If you periſh, you may thank your ſelves. If you are deſtroyed, 'tis becauſe you chuſe deſtruction.
Three Doctrines the Text affords us.
Firſt, That evil wayes are the wayes of death.
Secondly, The great reaſon why men die, and die for ever, is becauſe they will.
Thirdly, The Lord does call and call again upon ſinners to turn from their evil wayes and live.
Doct. 1. I begin with the firſt Doctrine, That evil wayes are the wayes of death. As they are morally evil; ſo evil and deſtructive to them that walk in them. Indeed theſe wayes may ſeem right, but becauſe of this, they are not the leſs, but the more pernicious, Prov. 14. 12. There is a way that ſeemeth right unto a man; but the end thereof are the wayes of death.
1. Theſe evil wayes do many times accelerate and haſten death temporal. That was the ſentence pronounced upon mans fall; Duſt thou art, and unto duſt thou ſhalt return. And how often by ſin is the execution of that ſentence ſpeeded? We read of ſome not ſuffered to live out half their dayes, Pſal. 55. 23. the reaſon is, becauſe they live ſo wickedly. Thoſe whoſe carcaſſes fell in the wilderneſs, might have lived to poſſeſs the Land of Promiſe; but they ſometimes murmured, ſometimes they commit idolatry, ſometimes fornication; and at laſt, the oath is ſworn they ſhould not enter into Canaan. The intemperate and unclean, how do they waſte their ſtrength? How many diſeaſes do they puniſh themſelves with? And though ſo miſerably unprepared for judgment, haſten their departure out of this world to the tribunal of him, who judges righteouſly?
2. Theſe evil wayes; God who is our life is not to be found in: In a ſpiritual ſenſe we are dead though alive, while we walk here. The Epheſians are ſaid to be dead in treſpaſſes and ſin, while they walked according to the courſe of this world, and had their converſation in the luſts of their fleſh, Eph. 2. 2, 3. If the life of the ſoul does conſiſt in being united to God, in being anim…ted and acted by his Spirit; then iniquity that ſeparates between God and us, Iſa. 59. 2. muſt needs be granted a deadly thing.
3. Theſe evil wayes are the beaten path to hells damnation, to that death which is everlaſting. Never any came to hell but through theſe wayes; and there is not one that continues to walk in them without converſion, but ſhall at laſt come thither. The enemy upon the pale horſe without a ſecond is deadful; but when Hell follows immediately after him; alas▪ what hand can be ſtrong? what heart can be able to endure? This ſecond Death is by one of the Fathers called foreign, The death that is immortal; becauſe the ſinner is never put out of his pain, alwayes tortured, but never quite diſpatched; the fire burns ſtill, but never totally conſumes them whom it burns; the worm ſtill gnaws, but is never ſatisfied.
VVhither away beſotted and blinded ſoul? whither is it thou art making ſuch poſt haſte? Is it gain, delight, and happineſs which thou haſt in chaſe, that thou ſeemeſt rather to flie than run towards it? Alas no; 'tis in the broad way that thou driveſt on ſo furiouſly; 'tis not gain, but loſs; 'tis not pleaſure, but pain; 'tis not an happineſs, but miſery; ay, and the extreameſt miſery which thou art purſuing. Oh ſtop thy courſe and go no further! Oh leave this lower path, Prov. 15. 24. The way of life is above to the wiſe, that he may depart from hell b…neath.
You ſee in what reſpects evil wayes are the wayes of death. Now, the righteouſneſs of God, in puniſhing thoſe with death that perſiſt in theſe wayes, will be evident, if theſe things following are conſidered.
1. Theſe wayes are expreſly forbidden by him that is the ſupream Law-giver; who has power to ſave, and to deſtroy; and for ſo mean a wretch as man is, to affront and deſpiſe, that Majeſty and Authority that is ſo infinitely high above him, does juſtly deſerve an infinite puniſhment. Beſides, the Lord profers himſelf to a ſinner, if he will forſake his evil wayes and thoughts: Now if the ſinner reject that offer, and prefer not only the empty world, but the vileſt luſts before the bleſſed God, let reaſon judge if it be not juſt, that he ſhould eternally be ſeparated from him. And this poena damni, loſs of God, is moſt properly the death ſpoken of, 'tis indeed the very Hell of Hell.
2. Sinners are threatned with death; if therefore they will venture upon that which brings them under the laſh of the threatnings, 'tis but juſt they ſhould ſmart for that preſumption: They are forewarned to flee from that wrath which is to come; but if they take no warning, that wrath will very juſtly overtake them. They cannot plead, either that they knew not their Maſters will; or that they were ignorant of the penalty following upon their rebelling againſt it. How often have thoſe that enjoy the light of the Goſpel, been informed that 'tis the will of God they ſhould ſorrow and rend their hearts for ſin; that 'tis the will of God they ſhould believe in his Son; that 'tis the will of God even their ſanctification, 1 Theſ. 4. Nay, how often have they been foretold of the many ſtripes that muſt be endured by thoſe that continue in wilful diſobedience? 'Tis not unequal then, ſince they made the Lord a lyar by their unbelief, that he ſhould vindicate his truth, and cauſe them to feel thoſe plagues and torments which thouſands of times they were warned of; but had no faith or fear concerning them.
3. As ſinners are threatned becauſe of their evil wayes, ſo they are ſhewed which is the way of life and peace, and very much preſſed to walk in it. Aſſiſting and ſtrengthning grace is profered to them; but if neither that glory and immortality at the …nd of the way, nor that help and grace which they may have in the way, are regarded; but the paths of deſtruction and miſery (as they are called) Rom. 3. 16. are preferred; they themſelves indeed do wrong their own ſouls; but God is righteous in deſtroying them.
The only uſe I ſhall make of this Doctrine, is to caution you againſt theſe evil wayes, that are the wayes of death. You that have through grace left them, take heed of declining towards them. It has coſt the Saints dear, when they have ſtept aſide; their falls have defiled them and broken their bones. And you that ſtill reſolve to walk in theſe wayes, at laſt open your eyes, and ſee whither you are going. Upon the reading theſe lines, make a ſtop without delay, leſt ſudden death, ſudden deſtruction, ſudden damnation come upon you, and there be no poſſibility of eſcaping, 1 Theſ. 5. 3.
1. Let not the profit of theſe wayes blind you. Riches are deceitful, they appear what they are not, and while we are eagerly purſuing theſe, we are gulled and cheated of far truer riches; we miſs of that treaſure in heaven that will never fail, Luk. 12. 33. Be not deluded by the unrighteous Mammon; ſatisfaction, eaſe, contentment may be promiſed; but you will be paid in trouble and vexation. Riches are likened by our Lord to Thorns, partly becauſe they cho…k the good ſeed of the Word, and partly becauſe they pierce thoſe that do at upon them with many ſorrows. Take the ballances of the ſanctuary, and weigh the gain that you get by walking in your evil wayes, with the loſs that you both do and will ſuſtain; and then 'twill be apparent, that Satan's and the heart's plea of profit is very unreaſonable. You gain earth, but you loſe grace; you gain gold, but you loſe God; you gain a little of the world, which you can keep but a very little while, but you loſe your ſouls, and an whole eternity of glory.
2. Let n…t the pleaſure of theſe evil wayes enſnare you; the pleaſures of ſin uſually delight only the more bruitiſh part of man; and how much does one that has a reaſonable ſoul act below himſelf, in minding thoſe pleaſures that are commune even to the beaſts themſelves? Solomon had an abundance of them, Whatever his eyes deſired he kept not from them, neither with-held he from his heart any joy; but he found them ſo mean, ſo low, ſo unſuitable, that in the midſt of them he cryes out, All is vanity and vaxation of ſpirit, Eccleſ. 2. 10, 11. Pleaſures are delightful dreams, but how ſhort are they, how ſoon does affliction, death, if not Hell awaken us? They that are lovers of pleaſures more than lovers of God, how inconſiderate are they what they chuſe, or what they refuſe? Pleaſures are the baits which cover ſin, and make it ſwallowed down with eagerneſs; they are the fatal potion which ſtupifie: the ſoul, and makes it lye ſenceleſs and helpleſs in extream danger; they are the finer, and yet moſt ſtrong cords, whereby Satan draws men down to the chambers of death; nay, they are the fewel that heat the burning lake, Rev. 18. 7. By how much ſhe hath glorified her ſelf and lived deliciouſly, ſo much torment and ſorrow give her. Oh, how will the voluptuous one day ſmart for all their pleaſures!
3. Let not the multitude of thoſe who walk in theſe evil wayes confirm and harden you. Lot walked alone in the way of righteouſneſs, though Sod…m was generally defiled by an ungodly converſation; he would not follow a multitude to do evil. He that ſaid, Strait is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it, Mat. 7. ſurely never intended his Diſciples ſhould go in the beaten path of the world. Sinner, deceive not thy ſelf with this, Thou doſt what others do, and thou ſhalt ſhift as well as they. Thou and they will fare alike indeed; that is, be turned into hell for your wickedneſs. 'Twill be no comfort there to have companions in thy miſery; but rather among the damned, there will be a torturing grief and indignation at the ſight one of another, to conſider what incarnate devils they were to one anothers ſouls, and helped forwards one anothers condemnation. Upon this ſcore it might be that the rich man, Luk. 16. was ſo unwilling his brethren ſhould come to the place of torment, becauſe if damned for thoſe ſins which he in his lifetime had been acceſſary to; their company with him in Hell would have but added to his woe. We uſe to ſay here, The more, the merrier; but there 'twill be, The more, the ſadder. When God has all his enemies in one place together, and none of his people mingled with them, then all his wrath will be ſtirred up, and all the vials of his fury poured down upon them. I have done with that firſt Doctrine, That evil wayes are the wayes of death.
Doct. 2. The ſecond Doctrine is this: The great reaſon why men die & die for ever, is becauſe they will. They will be the ſervants of ſin, though death be all the wages they ſhall certainly have for all their toylſom and laborious ſervice. Sinners will not be purged, Jer. 13. ult. Wo unto thee, O Jeruſalem, wilt thou not be made clean? when ſhall it once be? They will not be gathered under the wing of Chriſt, though there only be the place of refuge, both from the rage of Satan, and from the wrath of God, Mat. 23. 37. O Jeruſalem! Jeruſalem! thou that killeſt the Prophets and ſtoneſt them that are ſent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, as an Hen gathereth her brood under her wings, and ye would n…t? Nay, the wills of many, who have often ſlighted the admonitions and calls of Moſes and the Prophets, are ſo deſperately bent to ſin, that though themſelves ſhould ſee the flames and torments it makes others ſuffer; yet they would not be perſwaded to forſake it, Luk. 16. 30, 31. Nay, Father Abraham, but if one went to them from the dead they will repent; and he ſaid unto him, If they hear not Moſes and the Prophets; neither will they be perſwaded, though one roſe from the dead.
My work in the opening of this Doctrine, will be firſt to demonſtrate the truth of it, That men die becauſe they will. Secondly, to evidence that mens inability to what is good, ſo often ſpoken of in Scripture, does not at all contradict this doctrine.
The Arguments to demonſtrate that mens own wills are the great cauſe of their death and perdition, are theſe.
1. One Argument ſhall be drawn from the natural corruption and depravation of the will of man. And wherein does this corruption lye, but in the wills declining from God, the fountain of life and peace, and inclining to what is evil? Though the ſinner (wo unto him) does call that evil good; and imagins that to be ſweet, which will prove as bitter and poyſonous as the very gall of aſps unto him. Pe…agians may liken the will of man unto a pure Virgin, which in the firſt Apoſtacy did eſcape deflouring; but certain it is, both from Scripture and experience, that in the will, original ſin does moſt of all ſhew it ſelf. He that does not underſtand his heart to …e deſperately wicked, Jer. 17. 9. 'Tis a ſign his heart deceives him, and with his heart he is utterly unacquainted. What unbelief, what pride, what alienation from the life of God, what enmity againſt the command, which is holy, juſt, and good, Rom. 7. is there in the will of a natural man? The will then being ſo deeply corrupted, and bearing ſuch ſway as indeed it does, muſt needs hinder converſion to God, and holineſs, which it ſo much diſlikes; and conſequently have a great hand in the perdition of the children of men.
2. Another Argument ſhall be drawn from the juſtneſs of God's reproofs and anger. Certainly he would not ſo ſharply reprehend them; his anger would not ſo ſmoak againſt them, becauſe of their ſtubbornneſs and wilfulneſs in their evil wayes, if they had a ſincere will, and only wanted power to do that which is good. When the Lord inflicted judgments upon his ancient people, he ſpeaks of their obſtinacy, their refuſing to hearken, and to be reclaimed; and this he does to vindicate the equity of his ſeverer wayes of dealing with them. We read, 2 King. 17. 13, 14, 18. That the Lord teſtified againſt Iſrael by his Prophets and Seers, ſaying, Turn ye from your evil wayes, and keep my commandements. Notwithſtanding they would not hear, but hardned their necks like unto the neck of their fathers, which did not believe in the Lord their God; now upon this wilfulneſs followed, and that very juſtly, God's anger and their deſtruction. Therefore the Lord was very angry with the children of Iſrael, and removed them out of his ſight.
In the ſecond place, I am to prove, That mens inability to do that which is good, does not thwart this Doctrine, that their ſin and miſery is to be laid at their wills door. The Holy Ghoſt that he might humble the children of men, and be at down the opinion they have of their own power and righteouſneſs, and make them uſe that ſpeech of the Prophet, Iſa. 45. 25. Surely in the Lord have I righteouſneſs and ſtrength, does inculcate this, that man in his ſinful & degenerate ſtate is unable to that which is ſpiritually good; therefore we are ſaid to be without ſtrength, Rom. 5. 6. We are not ſufficient of our ſelves to think any thing as of our ſelves, but our ſufficiency is of God, 2 Cor. 3. 5. We are ſaid to be faint, and to have no might, Iſa. 40. 29. And our Lord tells us plainly, Joh. 15. 5. Without me ye can do nothing. But for all this, though we want a power to do good, our wills are to be blamed for the evil which is done by us. It muſt not be imagined that the Scripture mentions ſinners inability to do good, to put an excuſe into their mouths, for their doing of evil; but to drive them to Chriſt, who can ſtrengthen them to do all things, Phil. 4. 13. 'Tis true, man is unable, but withal he is unwilling to do what God requires of him, though tending to his own welfare. The reaſon why he continues in ſin, and is undone by it, is not only becauſe he cannot convert himſelf, but alſo, and that principally, becauſe he is unwilling to be converted. This will be made further to appear in theſe particulars.
1. Sinful man imagines himſelf able to turn from his evil wayes; he defers his repentance, as if he could turn to God at an hours warning: Now that he does not, what he thinks he can; his own will muſt be the impediment, and this he muſt blame, if ſo be he periſhes.
2. Sinful man will not do what he is really able to perform; one talent he has, but he will not trade with it; many ſins that expoſe him to wrath and vengeance, he might abſtain from, if he would; but alas! he is voluntarily a ſlave to them, and is pleaſed with this ſervitude. The Adulterer wilfully goes to the Harlots houſe, the unrighteous worldling wilfully gets diſhoneſt gain; therefore it follows, that theſe wilfully deſtroy themſelves. A natural man can do that which is good, as to the matter, though he fail in the manner of doing: He can pray, hear, read; but he wilfully omits theſe duties; and ſo wilfully ſubjects himſelf to the curſe that's threatned upon his omiſſion. He will not do what he really can; and then ſurely if his power were enlarged, it would not be uſed. He that can well ſpare it, and refuſes to give a penny to the poor, we may conclude, that though he could ſpare it, he would be unwilling to give a pound: In like manner a natural man, who will not do what he can to be ſaved, which is but little, were his power greater, he would not do more in order to ſalvation.
3. Sinful man is ſorry that he is able to do ſo much, he wiſhes that he were totally impotent, that ſo it might ſerve as an excuſe for him. This ſhews the wickedneſs of his will. Further, he will not uſe the means by which grace and ſtrength from heaven are conveyed; he will not wait and call on God, he will not ſeek unto him for the accompliſhing of the promiſes made in the gracious Covenant. Nay, he wilfully reſiſts the Spirit when he comes to work upon him; he had rather be let alone in ſin. That's the language of ungodly ones, Job 21. 14. They ſay unto God, depart from us, for we deſire not the knowledge of thy ways. The wicked man, though he may cavil that he wants power, yet his want of will to be turned and live, is that which mainly ruins him. And all thoſe high thoughts and reaſonings againſt God, as if he were an hard Maſter, as if his wayes were not equal, at the great day, how will he be aſhame… of them? When conſcience ſhall flie in his face, and in good ſadneſs reproach him with this; He was often warned and called upon, but would not turn that he migh… …ave life.