For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, until
his iniquity be found to be hateful (Psalm xxxvi. 2).
In the foregoing verse, David says, that the transgression of the wicked
said within his heart, "that there is no fear of God before his eyes;"
that is, when he saw that the wicked went on in sin, in an allowed way of
wickedness, it convinced him, that he was not afraid of those terrible judgments,
and of that wrath with which God hath threatened sinners If he were afraid
of these he could never go on so securely in sin, as he doth.
In our text he gives the reason why the wicked did not fear. It was a strange
thing that men, who enjoyed such light as they did in the land of Israel,
who read and heard those many awful threatenings which were written in the
book of the law, should not be afraid to go on in sin. But saith the Psalmist,
They flatter themseIves in their own eyes: They have something or other
which they make a foundation of encouragement, whereby they persuade themselves
that they shall escape those judgments; and that makes them put far away
the evil day.
In this manner he proceeds, until his iniquity be found to be hateful; that
is, until he finds by experience that it is a more dreadful thing to sin
against God, and break his holy commands, than he imagined. He thinks sin
to be sweet, and hides it as a sweet morsel under his tongue: He loves it,
and flatters himself in it, till at length he finds, by experience, that
it is bitter as gall and wormwood. Though he thinks the commission of sin
to be lovely, yet he will find the fruit of it to be hateful, and what he
cannot endure. Proverbs xxiii. 32. "At last it will bite like a serpent,
and sting like an adder."
Here observe,
1. The subject spoken of is the WICKED MAN, of whom the Psalmist had been
speaking in the foregoing verse.
2. His action in flattering himself in his own eyes; i.e. he makes himself
and his case to appear to himself, or in his own eyes, better than it is.
3. How long he continues so to do, until his iniquity be found to be hateful.
'Which may be taken for his sin itself, the wicked will see how odious sin
is to God', when he shall feel the effects of his hatred, and how hateful
to angels and saints; or rather the cause is here put for the effect, the
tree for its fruit, and he will find his iniquity to be hateful, as he will
find the hatefulness and feel the terribleness of the FRUIT of his iniquity.
Doctrine. Wicked men generally flatter themselves with hopes of escaping
punishment, till it actually comes upon them.
There are but few sinners who despair, who give up the cause and conclude
with themselves, that they shall go to hell; yet there are but few who do
not go to hell. It is to be feared that men go to hell every day out of
this country; yet very few of them suffer themselves to believe, that they
are in any great danger of that punishment. They go on sinning and travelling
in the direct road to the pit; yet by one mean or other they persuade themselves
that they shall never fall into it,
In my present discourse, I shall,
1. Mention some things in confirmation of the doctrine, that sinners flatter
themselves with the hope of impunity.
2. Mention some of the various ways wherein sinners flatter themselves in
that hope.
3. Show that sinners generally go on flattering themselves, till punishment
actually overtakes them.
I. I am to mention some things in confirmation of the doctrine, that sinners
flatter themselves with the hope of future impunity.
1. We are so taught in the word of God. Beside our text, you may see, Deuteronomy
xxix. 18, 19. "Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family,
or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the Lord our God. Lest
there should he among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood, "and
it come to pass when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself
in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination
of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst." Where it is supposed
that they whose hearts turn away from God, and are roots that bear gall
and wormwood, generally bless themselves in their hearts, saying, WE SHALL
HAVE PEACE.
See also Psalm xlix. 17,18. "When he dieth, he shall carry nothing
away: His glory shall not descend after him, though while he lived, he BLESSED
HIS SOUL." And Psalm 1:21. "These things thou hast done. and I
kept silence: Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thyself:
But I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thee."
2. It is very evident, that sinners flatter themselves that they shall escape
punishment, by this, that otherwise they would be in dreadful and continual
distress. Otherwise, as long as they are in sin, they could never live and
go about so cheerfully as they now do: Their lives would be filled with
sorrow and mourning, and they would be in continual uneasiness and distress;
as much as those that are exercised with some violent pain of body. But
it is evident that it is not in fact so; it is apparent that men are careless
and secure; that they are not much concerned about future punishment, and
that they cheerfully pursue their business and recreations. Therefore they
undoubtedly flatter themselves, that they shall not be eternally miserable
in hell, as they are threatened in the word of God
3. It is evident that they flatter themselves with hopes that they shall
escape punishment, as otherwise they would certainly be restrained at least
from many of those sins in which they now live: They would not proceed in
wilful courses of sin. The transgression of the wicked convinced the Psalmist,
and is enough to convince every one, that there is no fear of God before
his eyes, and that he flatters himself in his own eyes. It would be impossible
for men allowedly from day to day to do those very things, which they know
are threatened with everlasting destruction, if they did not some way encourage
themselves, they should nevertheless escape that destruction.
II. I shall mention some of the various ways wherein sinners flatter themselves
in their own eyes.
1. Some flatter themselves with a secret hope, that there is no such thing
as another world. They hear a great deal of preaching, and a great deal
of talk about hell, and about the eternal judgment; but those things do
not seem to them to be real. They never saw any thing of them; they never
saw hell, never saw the devils and damned spirits; and therefore are ready
to say with themselves, How do I know that there is any such thing as another
world? When the beasts die, there is an end of them, and how do I know but
that it will be so with me? Perhaps all these things are nothing but the
inventions of men, nothing but cunningly devised fables.
Such thoughts are apt to rise in the minds of sinners, and the devil sets
in to enforce them. Such thoughts are an ease to them; therefore they wish
they were true, and that makes them the more ready to think that they are
indeed true. So that they are hardened in the way of sin, by infidelity
and atheistical thoughts. Psalm xiv. 1. " The fool hath said in his
heart, There is no God." Psalm xciv. 6, 7. "They slay the widow
and the stranger, and murder the fatherless. Yet they say, the Lord shall
not see; neither shall the God of Jacob regard it,"
2. Some flatter themselves that death is a great way off, and that they
shall hereafter have much opportunity to seek salvation; and they think
if they earnestly seek it, though it be a great while hence, they shall
obtain. Although they see no reason to conclude that they shall live long,
and perhaps they do not positively conclude that they shall; yet it doth
not come into their minds that their lives are really uncertain, and that
it is doubtful whether they will live another year. Such a thought as this
doth not take any hold of them. And although they do not absolutely determine
that they shall live to old age or to middle age, yet they secretly flatter
themselves with such an imagination. They are disposed to believe so, and
do so far believe it, that they act upon it and run the venture of it.
Men will believe that things will be as they choose to have them, without
reason, and sometimes without the appearance of reason, as is most apparent
in this case, Psalm xlix. 11. "Their inward thought is, that their
houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling places to all generations;
they call their lands after their own names."
The prepossession and desire of men to have it so, is the principal thing
that makes them believe so. However, there are several other things which
they use as arguments to flatter themselves. Perhaps they think with themselves,
that since they are at present in health, or in youth, or that since they
are useful men, do a great deal of good, and both them selves and others
pray for the continuance of their lives; they are not likely to be removed
by death very soon.
If they shall live many years in the world, they think that it is very probable
they shall be converted before they die; as they expect hereafter to have
much more convenient opportunities to become converted, than they have now.
And by some means or other, they think they shall get through their work
before they arrive at old age.
3. Some flatter themselves that they lead moral and orderly lives, and therefore
think that they shall not be damned. They think with themselves that they
live not in any vice, that they take care to wrong no man, are just and
honest dealers, that they are not addicted to hard drinking, or to uncleanness,
or to bad language; that they keep the Sabbath strictly, are constant attendants
on the public worship, and maintain the worship of God in their families.
Therefore they hope that God will not cast them into hell. They see not
why God should be so angry with them as that would imply, seeing they are
so orderly and regular in their walk; they see not that they have done enough
to anger him to that degree. And if they have angered him, they imagine
they have also done a great deal to pacify him.
If they be not as yet converted, and it be necessary that they should experience
any other conversion in order to their salvation, they hope that their orderly
and strict lives will move God to give them converting grace. They hope
that surely God will not see those that live as they do go to hell. Thus
they flatter themselves, as those we read of. Luke xviii. 9. "That
trusted in themselves that they were righteous."
4. Some make the advantages under which they live an occasion of self flattery.
They flatter themselves, because they live in a place where the gospel is
powerfully preached and among a religious people, where many have been converted;
and they think it will be much easier for them to be saved on that account.
Thus they abuse the grace of God to their destruction; they do that which
the scriptures call despising the riches of God's goodness: Romans ii. 4.
"Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and
long suffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?"
Some flatter themselves, because they are born of godly parents, who are
dear to God, who have often and earnestly prayed for them, they hope that
their prayers will be heard; and that encourages them to go on in the way
of neglecting their souls. The Jews had great dependence upon this, that
they were the children of Abraham: John viii. 33. they make their boast.
"We be Abraham's seed; and in verse 39. "Abraham is our father."
5. Some flatter themselves with their own intentions. They intend to neglect
themselves, and give themselves liberty for a while longer, and then to
reform. Though now they neglect their souls, and are going on in sin; yet
they intend ere long to bestir themselves, to leave off their sins, and
to set themselves to seek God. They hear that there is great encouragement
for those who earnestly seek God, that they shall find him. So they intend
to do; they propose to seek with a great deal of earnestness. They are told,
that there are many who seek to enter the kingdom of heaven, who shall not
be able; but they intend, not only to seek, but To STRIVE However, for the
present they allow themselves in their ease, sloth, and pleasure, minding
only earthly things.
Or if they should be seized with some mortal distemper, and should draw
near to the grave, before the time which they lay out in their minds for
reformation, they think how earnestly they would pray and cry to God for
mercy; and as they hear God is a merciful God, who taketh no delight in
the death of sinners, they hence flatter themselves that they shall move
God to have pity on them.
There are but few who are sinners, and know themselves to be such, who do
not encourage themselves with intentions of future repentance and reformation;
but few who do not flatter themselves, that they shall in good earnest set
themselves to seek God some time or other. Hell is full of GOOD INTENDERS
who never proved to be TRUE PERFORMERS: Acts xxiv. 25. "Go thy way
for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee."
6. There are some who flatter themselves, that they do and have done, a
great deal for their salvation, and therefore hope they shall obtain, when
indeed they neither do what they ought to do, nor what they might do in
their present state of unregeneracy; nor are they in any likely way to be
converted They think they are striving, when they neglect many moral and
some instituted duties; nor do they exert themselves as if it were for their
lives; they are not violent for the kingdom of leaven.
There are doubtless many such; many are concerned, and are seeking, and
do many things, and think that they are in a very fair way to obtain the
kingdom of God; yet there is great danger that thy will prove at last to
be some of the foolish virgins, and be found without oil in their vessels.
7. Some hope by their strivings to obtain salvation of themselves. They
have a secret imagination, that they shall, by degrees, work in themselves
sorrow and repentance of sin, and love towards God and Jesus Christ. Their
striving is not so much an earnest seeking to God, as a striving to do them
selves that which is the work of God. Many who are now seeking have this
imagination, and labor, reach, pray, hear sermons and go to private meetings,
with the view of making themselves holy, and of working in themselves holy
affections.
Many, who only project and design to turn to God hereafter, are apt to think
that it is an easy thing to be converted, that it is a thing which will
be in their own power at any time, when they shall earnestly set themselves
to it.
8. Some sinners flatter themselves that they are already converted. They
sit down and rest in a false hope, persuading themselves that all their
sins are pardoned; that God loves them; that they shall go to heaven when
they die; and that they need trouble themselves no more: Revelation iii.
17. "Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and
have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable,
and poor, and blind, and naked."
III. Sinners very generally go on flattering themselves in some or other
of these ways, till their punishment actually overtakes them. These are
the baits by which Satan catches souls, and draws them into his snare. They
are such self flatteries as these that keep men from seeing what danger
they are in, and that make them go securely on in the way they are in, "as
the bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life."
Those that flatter themselves with hopes of living a great while longer
in the world, very commonly continue so to do till death comes. Death comes
upon them when they expect it not; they look upon it as a great way off,
when there is but a step between them and death. They thought not of dying
at that time, nor at anytime near it. When they were young, they proposed
to live a good while longer; and if they happen to live till middle age,
they still maintain the same thought, that they are not yet near death;
and so that thought goes along with them as long as they live, or till they
are just about to die.
Men often have a dependence on their own righteousness, and as long as they
live are never brought off from it. Multitudes uphold themselves with their
own intentions, till all their prospects are dashed in pieces by death.
They put off the work which they have to do till such a time; and when that
comes, they put it off to another time, until death, which cannot be put
off, overtakes them. There are many also that hold a false hope, a persuasion
that they belong to God; and as long as they live, by all the marks and
signs which are given of a true convert, they never will be persuaded to
let go their hope, till it is rent from them by death.
Thus men commonly uphold themselves, and make themselves easy, till hell
fire makes them uneasy. Everlasting ruin comes upon them as a snare, and
all their hopes are at once cut off, and turned into everlasting despair:
I. Thessalonians v. 3. "When they shall say, Peace and safety; then
sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child;
and they shall not escape."
APPLICATION
1. Hence we learn one reason why there are but few saved, and why so many
perish from under the gospel. All men know that they must die, and all that
sit under the light of the gospel have been told many a time, that after
this there is an other world; that there are but two states in that other
world, a state of eternal happiness, and a state of eternal misery; that
there is but one way of escaping the misery and obtaining the blessedness
of eternity, which is by obtaining an interest in Christ, through faith
in him; and that this life is the only opportunity of obtaining an interest
in Christ. Yet men are so much given to flatter themselves in those ways
which we have mentioned, that there are but few that seasonably take care
of their salvation. Indeed they cannot but be in some measure concerned
about their souls; yet they flatter themselves with one thing or other,
so that they are kept steadily and uninterruptedly going on in the broad
way to destruction.
2. Hence we learn the reason why awakening truths of scripture, and awakening
sermons, make no more impression upon men. It is in itself a wonderful and
surprising thing, that God's denunciations of eternal misery, and threatenings
of casting sinners into the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for
ever and ever, do not affect them, do not startle them. But the truth is,
they flatter themselves, by such means as we have mentioned, that this dreadful
misery is not for them; that they shall escape it, though multitudes of
others are involved in it. They take not these threatenings to themselves;
they seem to think that they do not belong to them.
How many are there in this congregation, who, for all the awakening sermons
they have heard, are yet secure in sin! And who, although they are sensible
that they are in a Christless condition, and are still going on in sin,
yet intend to go to heaven, and expect that by some means or other they
shall arrive there. They are often told, that God is very angry with them;
yet they think God is a very merciful God, and they shall be able to pacify
him. If they be told how uncertain life is, that doth not awaken them, because
they flatter themselves with long life. If they be told how dangerous it
is to delay the business of religion, they promise themselves, that they
will hereafter engage in it with more earnestness than others, and so obtain
the end, the salvation of their souls. Others, when they are told that many
shall seek who shall not he able to obtain, think surely, that they, having
done so much for salvation, shall not be denied.
3. Let every sinner examine himself, whether he do not flatter himself in
some of those ways which have been mentioned. What is it in your own minds
which makes you think it is safe for you to delay turning to God? What is
it that encourages you to run such a venture as you do by delaying this
necessary work? Is it that you hope there is no such state as heaven or
hell, and have a suspicion that there is no God ? Is It this that makes
you secure ? Or is it that you are not much afraid but that you shall have
opportunity enough a great while hence to mind such things? Is it an intention
of a future seeking a more convenient season? And are you persuaded that
God will hearken to you then, after you shall have so long turned a deaf
ear to his commands and gracious? Are you encouraged to commit sin, because
you hope to repent of it? Are you encouraged by the mercy of God to be his
enemies? And do you resolve still to provoke him to anger, because you think
he is easily pacified ?
Or do you think that your conversion is in your own power, and that you
can turn to God when you please? Is it because you have been born of godly
parents that you are so secure? Or do you imagine that you are in a fair
way to be converted? Do you think that what you have done in religion will
engage God to pity you, and that he never can have the heart to condemn
one who has lived in so orderly a manner? Or do you think that you are indeed
converted already? And doth that encourage you to take a liberty in sinning
? Or are you secure, because you are so stupid as to think nothing about
these things? Do you let these concerns wholly alone, and scarcely ever
think at all how it will be with you after you are dead?
Certainly it must be one or more of these things which keeps you in your
security, and encourages you to go on in sin. Examine, therefore, and see
which of them it is.
4. By the text and doctrine be persuaded to leave off thus flattering yourselves
in your own eyes. You are therein informed, that those who do as you do
commonly continue so doing till their punishment actually comes upon them.
Thereby you may be convinced of the vanity of all such flatteries. Be afraid
of that which you are sure is the devil's bait: "Surely in vain is
the net spread in the sight of any bird," Proverbs i. 17.
You are not only told in the scriptures, that sinners are generally thus
allured to hell, but your own reason may convince you that it is so. For
doubtless other sinners have as much ground to hope to escape punishment
as you; and it is evident, that they generally do hope to escape. Men under
the gospel almost universally think they shall not go to hell: If it were
otherwise, they could have no peace or comfort in the world. Yet what multitudes
have we reason to conclude go down from under the preaching of the gospel
to the pit of destruction! Now, this is surely enough to convince any sober,
prudent person of the folly of such flattery, and of the folly of every
one that doth not immediately set about his great work with his might. If
you could have access to the damned, you would hear many of them curse themselves,
for thus flattering themselves while they lived in this world; and you would
have the same doctrine preached to you by their wailings and yellings which
is now preached to you from the pulpit.
If your temptation to security be unbelief of the fundamental doctrines
of religion, such as the being of God, of another world, and an eternal
judgment, you may consider, that though that makes you secure at present,
yet it will not do always, it will not stand by when you come to die. The
fool often in health saith, There is no God; but when he comes to die, he
cannot rest in any such supposition. Then he is generally so much convinced
in his own conscience, that there is a God, that he is in dreadful amazement
for fear of his eternal wrath. It is folly, therefore, to flatter yourselves
with any supposition now which you will not then be able to hold.
If you depend on long life, consider how many who have depended on the same
thing, and had as much reason to depend on it as you, have died within your
remembrance.
Is it because you are outwardly of an orderly life and conversation, that
you think you shall be saved ? How unreasonable is it to suppose, that God
should be so obliged by those actions, which he knows are not done from
the least respect or regard to him, but wholly with a private view! Is it
because you are under great advantages that you are not much afraid but
that you shall some time or other be converted, and therefore neglect yourselves
and your spiritual interests? And were not the people of Bethsaida, Chorazin
and Capernaum, under as great advantages as you, when Christ himself preached
the gospel to them, almost continually, and wrought such a multitude of
miracles among them? Yet he says, that it shall be more tolerable in the
day of judgment for Sodom and Gomorrah, than for those cities.
Do you expect you shall be saved, however you neglect yourselves, because
you were born of godly parents? hear what Christ saith, Matthew iii. 9.
''Think not to say within yourselves, we have Abraham to our father."
Do you flatter yourselves that you shall obtain mercy, though others do
not, because you intend hereafter to seek it more earnestly than others?
Yet you deceive yourselves, if you think that you intend better than many
of those others, or better than many who are now in hell once intended.
If you think you are in a way of earnest seeking, consider, whether or no
you do not mind other things yet more? If you imagine that you have it in
your own power to work yourselves up to repentance, consider, that you must
assuredly give up that imagination before you can have repentance wrought
in you. If you think yourselves already converted, and that encourages you
to give yourselves the greater liberty in sinning, this is a certain sign
that you are not converted.
Wherefore abandon all these ways of flattering yourselves; no longer follow
the devil's bait; and let nothing encourage you to go on in sin; but immediately
and henceforth seek God with all your heart, and soul, and strength.
Please visit our other web sites: The
Torments of Hell, The
Narrow Way, The Glory
of Heaven, The Terrors
of Hell, Suicide:
Gateway to Peace? and The
Pilgrim's Progress Primer. To read an account of several modern examples
of conversion similar to those described by Jonathan Edwards in A Faithful Narrative,
please see Great
Awakening Style Conversions.
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