SERMON IX. THE DIFFERENT MANNER IN WHICH THE Proverbs, xiv. 32. The Wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the Righteous hath hope in his death. HAVING considered in some former discourses the way of obtaining righteousness and sanctification by faith in Jesus Christ, I need not say to those who know them by experience, how necessary to their well-being, both here and hereafter, it is, that they should be established in the truth of these doctrines. But now, methinks, I can conceive the opinion which many form of such discourses, if in truth they think it worth while to think of such subjects at all. They wonder why one should deal so much in abstruse speculations, and refined notions of things. They see no use, or importance in them, but think it would be better to confine our discourses to plain moral subjects, which the vulgar can understand. These thoughts are so suited to the perverted state of nature, that I wonder not that so many are duped by them. Indeed all will, in general, think thus, except persons with whom religion is matter of heart-work. These will pity the ignorance of such objectors, and assure them, that Jesus "made of God righteousness and sanctification," is no such abstruse subject as to require any depth of human learning to comprehend it, since it is taught of God. The proudest scholar must learn it of the Holy Ghost, or not at all; and the simplest and most unlettered soul, when taught of God, can comprehend it as well as the brightest scholars. These subjects are christianity itself; necessary to the being of a christian, and among many most valuable purposes, which I stay not now to mention, this is one fruit of a spiritual understanding of them, that they fit a man for death. Yes: in that awful hour the soul who knows Jesus as his righteousness and sanctification, can rejoice and leave the world in triumph, as one who is going to enjoy his true rest, while all who are destitute of this knowledge either die in terror, in stupidity, or at least in false peace. To be fitted for death is reason enough for learning any thing. What should the grand business of life be, but to prepare for death? Do thou, good Lord, infix a real solemnity in our hearts, while we weigh this subject. Do thou place death with proper weight on our souls, and deliver us from levity and carelessness of spirit. Thy truths always prevail where men are serious. Do thou, therefore, give seriousness to us who are here, while we consider the usefulness of Christ in the heart to a dying man, and the misery of the soul that in death is destitute of this knowledge, whatever it may know besides. Solomon observes the different the righteous and the wicked die. manner in which "The righteous hath hope in his death :" therefore he dies in peace, and resigns his breath into the hands of his Saviour with joy. Would you see the righteous man thus die in peace? Behold Stephen, the first Christian martyr. The fury of his enemies and the volley of their stones disturb not, at all, the heaven within him. He sees the glory of God, and "Jesus standing at the right-hand of God." He says to his Saviour and his friend, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." He prays heartily for his enemies, and then falls asleep. For his hope is full of immortality. Generally speaking, it is in the article of death that the light of God's countenance, more particularly, shines on the saint. However he may have been tossed with tempests, darkened, as to his evidences, and chastised by his heavenly Father for his sins, while in health, yet in death the Lord remembers him, and favours him with the manifestations of his grace, that so he may take up the Apostle's song, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? Thanks be to God who giveth me the victory through Jesus Christ my Lord." Thus "the righteous hath hope in his death." But it is not so with the wicked: he "is driven away in his wickedness:" Led captive indeed, and hurried along by sin and Satan all his life, so that he moves not like a free man, but eminently in his death is he "driven away." You can conceive how the condemned malefactor is driven away to death, when against his will he is carried to the place of execution. But not he only, all who die in their wickedness, unpardoned, unreconciled to God, are hurried out of life against their wills, divorced from that which makes their heaven-this earth's enjoyments-to appear before God in judgment, and be sentenced to everlasting fire. There may be different degrees in which this unwillingness of the wicked to die shows itself; but in general, this, I apprehend, (and surely experience proves it) is the true note of distinction between the righteous and the wicked, in their death, that the righteous die willingly, and move freely out of this world into a better, while the wicked die unwillingly, and would rather remain here than depart. Let us, then, endeavour to illustrate a little farther this important sentiment, and show the reason why the righteous and the wicked are so different in their deaths. That there is such a difference is matter of fact; and though in some cases it may be difficult for the living to form a proper judgment of the spiritual state of their fellow-creatures, yet that a judgment may be formed is plain, from our Lord's rule of knowing men by their fruits: a rule altogether impertinent, if always incapable of being put in practice. Suffer me, then, to set before you, (so far as man can form a proper judgment) the different manner in which, generally, the righteous and the wicked die. I have visited many sick-beds, and taken notice of the different consequences of different sorts of religion on the minds of men, as they show themselves at that awful hour. Let it. only be granted that those religious principles and affections must be the true ones which support a man, with a solid hope, in the hour of death, and in the view of eternity. Now from all the experience we can collect, on this subject, it appears, that wicked men are driven away in their wickedness," that is, die unwillingly, in the sense in which I set forth the text. They die like persons dragged out of life. Some, indeed, bear the summons with a better grace than 66 others, and it is hard to say how far pride, and selfdeceit may impose on a man at this solemn hour Yet plain it is that no wicked men are in St. Paul's state, desiring to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better." They see, and know nothing in Christ or in heavenly things that should make them objects of desire. They see that in the world which draws their love to it. They wish to enjoy it longer, and are loath to leave it. Hence while in health wicked men make death no part of their serious meditation or discourse: They hate the idea: They shun the society of those whose serious discourse might bring it into their minds. When haunted with such thoughts, they strive to rid themselves of them, as enemies. It is the working of natural guilt, and enmity against God, in their minds, which causes this uneasiness at the thought of death. Amidst all their self-righteousness, carelessness, and worldly avocations; amidst all the pride, and stupidity which the Fall has occasioned in the human race, conscience will be heard. The wicked man understands, or regards little what she says; but this she says, "thou art a sinner, and if thou be not reconciled to God before thou die, death will bring thee no good; but send thee a condemned malefactor to the justice of God." Hence the fear of death: Hence wicked men are struck with a gloom, if death be named in a serious way. They may, now and then, get the better of these thoughts, but they return after a time with increasing violence. The article of death itself makes no essential alteration in their views of things. Death was disagreeable at a distance, though it is still more so as |
