And it would be a pleasing task to exemplify this remark in the divine declarations concerning the righteous: but God's voice in the text is compared to the roaring of a lion: on which account we must confine ourselves rather to his denunciations of wrath and vengeance which he will execute on the ungodly. What then hath he spoken to profane sinners? Alas! how numerous their classes! how dangerous their self-deceptions! how awful their end! And is not such a declaration more terrible than the roaring of a lion? Let us then hear and "fear."d To self-righteous pharisees his voice is not less tremendous. In the parable addressed to those who "trusted in themselves that they were righteous," the preference given to the selfcondemning sinner is strongly marked; and God's determination to "abase the self-exalting" is plainly declared. Yes; before God, and angels, and men, shall such characters be abased in the day of judgment, when publicans and harlots shall be admitted into heaven before them. Is not this a just ground of fear to those, whose hearts are not broken with a sense of sin? But more dreadful still are the threatenings denounced against hypocritical professors of religion. Their doom is characterized as the most severe of any:s and the wrath which they heap up to themselves, while they imprison the truth in unrighteousness, is beyond measure great. Let the proud and passionate, the malicious and revengeful, the worldly and Covetous, the impure and sensual professor hear this: and let them know, that the Lamb of God will be a lion to them, if they walk not more worthy of their high calling.i There is however one description of persons, against whom God's threatenings are more awful still. He declares that negligent and unfaithful ministers shall perish under the accumulated guilt of destroying the souls committed to their charge. The blood of all whom they had neglected to warn shall be required at their hands. Surely if the voice of God to others be as the roaring of a lion, to these it is rather as the voice of thunder. O, that it might be for ever sounding in the ears of ministers, till there should not be found one negligent or unfaithful in the Christian church!] II. What effect it should have upon us [With respect to Ministers, should they not fear? Does it become them, in the very face of such warnings, to in dulge a slothful spirit, or to withhold the truth from their people through fear of offending them? Ought they, however their hearers may wish it, to speak smooth things to them, and to prophesy deceits? Should they be intent on feeding themselves rather than the flock;" and be more studious to establish a reputation as preachers, than to save the souls committed to them? Surely when it is considered whose ambassadors they are, and to whom they must give account, and what must be their doom if any perish through their neglect; they can never study too earnestly to approve themselves to God," that they may give up their account to him with joy, and not with grief, With respect to others, of whatever description they may be, it becomes them well to fear, when "THE LORD GOD," the almighty and immutable Jehovah, speaks to them such momentous truths.P What is there that can justify any man in casting off the fear of God? Can we deny that he hath roared as a lion? or are we stronger than he, that we dare to provoke him to jealousy? Or can we elude his search, when he shall summon us to his judgment-seat? Or have we any reason to doubt whether he will execute his threatenings?" Let every one rest assured, that it were far better that a roaring lion should rush out of a thicket to devour him, or that the artillery of a whole army should be pointed at him, than that one single threatening of almighty God should be in force against him: for as his destruction is more certain, so will it be infinitely more tremendous.] ADDRESS 1. Be not averse to hear the terrors of God's law [Though, of themselves, the threatenings of God's word will never produce true contrition, yet it is necessary that all should know what the Lord God saith concerning them, in order that they may feel their need of a Saviour. In this respect, the law is a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ: and if, by hearing of the wrath to come, we be induced to flee from it, we shall have reason to bless the watchman that sounded the alarm.] 2. Be thankful to God for the promises of the gospel [Blessed be God, the gospel is full of "exceeding great and precious promises:" and "to him that trembleth at God's Isa. xxx. 10, 11. m Ezek. xxxiv. 2, 3, 10. 2 Tim. ii. 15. Acts xx. 28. There is a peculiar emphasis in the name by which Jehovah is here called. See also Jer. v. 21, 22. and Rev. xv. 3, 4. r Jer. xxiii. 24. and Job xxxiv. 22, and G.. iii. 24. 11 Cor. x. 22. Ps. cxxxix. 7-12. Ezek. xxiv. 14. word" these promises are made." Let not then a slavish dread of God's wrath keep us from embracing the overtures of his mercy. Let us rather flee to Christ the more earnestly, in proportion as we see our guilt and danger. The Israelites were commended by God himself for making this improvement of his terrors. And, if we have Christ as our mediator and advocate, we have nothing to fear from heaven, earth, or hell.] * Deut. v. 25, 26, 28. u Isaiah lxvi. 2. CCCXLIV. GOD WILL FULFIL HIS WORD. Numb. xxiii. 19. God is not a man, that he should lie. THERE is scarcely any thing that more strongly manifests the depravity of our nature, than that propenşity to lying which we perceive in children, as soon as they begin to speak. Even when men are grown to the full exercise of their reason, they too often deviate from truth, sometimes through forgetfulness, sometimes from a change of sentiment or inclination, and sometimes from an inability to perform their word. Hence it is characteristic of man to lie: and we are all so sensible of this, that in matters of great importance we require of men an oath to confirm their word, and enter into ritten covenants with them, which we take care to have properly attested. Now we are apt to "think that God is even such an one as ourselves:" and that he also may be prevailed upon to "alter the word that is gone out of his lips." Balak evidently entertained this idea of him; and laBoured by many repeated sacrifices to divert him from his purpose. But Balaam was inspired to declare the vanity of such an hope, and to assert in a most humiliating comparison the unchangeableness of Jehovah. To unfold the full meaning of his words, we observe I. Some men think that God will lie God has told us with strong and repeated asseverations, that "we must be born again". ---But this is totally disbelieved by i Ps. Iviii. 3. b Heb. vi. 16. Gal. iii. 15. e John iii. 3. See the full import of this in Skel. 221. 1. The profane [They persuade themselves, that such strictness in religion as is implied in the new birth, is not necessary; and that they shall go to heaven in their own way---] 2. The self-righteous [These consider regeneration as a dream of weak enthusiasts; and are satisfied with "the form of godliness without" ever experiencing "the power of it"--] 3. The hypocritical professors of religion [These, having changed their creed together with their outward conduct, fancy themselves Christians, notwithstanding their faith neither overcomes the world," nor "works by love," nor "purifies their hearts". That all these persons think God will lie, is evident beyond a doubt: for if they really believed that "old things must pass away, and all things become new" before they can enter into the kingdom of heaven, they would feel con cerned to know whether any such change had taken place in them; nor would they ever be satisfied till they had a scriptural evidence that they were indeed "new creatures in Christ Jesus." But as this is in no respect the case with them, it is manifest that they "do not believe the record of God," and consequently, however harsh the expression may seem, "they make God a liar."e] While some do not hesitate to entertain these disho nourable thoughts of God II. Others fear he may lie This is common with persons 1. Under conviction of sin [When men are deeply convinced of sin, they find it exceeding difficult to rest simply on the promises of the gospel. God promises to cast out none who come to him by Christ Jesus; to wash them from sins of deepest die; and to bestow on them all the blessings of salvation freely "without money and without price." Now this appears too good to be true: they cannot conceive how God should “justify the ungodly, ," and therefore they seek to become godly first, in order that they may be justified: and if they cannot bring some price in their hands, they keep back, and give themselves over to desponding fears---] 2. Under temptation or desertion [God has declared that "he will not suffer his people to be tempted above what they are able to bear." But when 42 Cor. v. 17. * Rom. iv. 5. e 1 John v. 10. f John vi. 37. Isaiah i. 18. and lv. 1. they come into temptation, they are apt to say, as David, "I shall one day perish by the hands of Saul." They see no way for their escape; and therefore they fear that the very next wave will overwhelm them utterly-- If God at these seasons hide his face from them, they conclude "there is no hope;" they think "his mercy clean gone for ever, and his loving-kindness come utterly to an end for evermore," notwithstanding God has so frequently and so expressly declared, that he will never leave them nor forsake them-- Now these persons do not, like the ungodly, deliberately think that God will lie; but they have many misgiving fears lest he should: and that they do so is obvious; for, if they did not, they would take God at his word, and "stay themselves on him when they are in darkness, and have no light.""] Thus generally is the veracity of him who is truth itself, either questioned or denied III. But God neither will nor can lie It is humiliating beyond expression that ministers should be forced to vindicate the veracity of God. But as he himself has seen fit to do so in the sacred oracles, and as the unbelief of men is so inveterate, we submit to the necessity, and proceed to shew that 1. He will not lie [First, let us hear the testimonies of those who have tried him. Had ever any one more opportunities of proving his fidelity than Moses, Joshua, and Samuel? Yet they all attest in the most solemn manner that he neither had deceived them in any thing, nor ever would"➖➖ Next, let us attend to God's own assertions and appeals ---Would he ever venture to speak thus strongly on his own behalf, if his creatures could make good their accusations against him? Lastly, let us look to matter of fact. He threatened to punish the angels if they should prove disobedient: he denounced a curse on Adam if he should eat of the forbidden tree: he threatened to destroy the whole world with a deluge; and to overwhelm Sodom and Gomorrah with fire and brimstone; and to scatter his once chosen people over the face of the whole earth. See now whether he has forborne to execute any of these threatenings? He also promised to send his only dear Son to die for sinners; and to make him great Ps. Ixxvii. 7-9. 1 Sam. xxvii. 1. 1 Heb. xiii. 5. m Isaiah 1. 10. n Deut. xxxii. 4. Josh. xxiii. 14. 1 Sam. xv. 29. • Isai. v. 4. and xlix. 19. |