The Objects, Grounds, and Evidences 2
Back to SERMONS Samuel Davies
Now it will be universally granted, that God best knows whom he will admit into heaven, and whom he will exclude—that it is his province to appoint the ground of our hope, and that constitution according to which we may be saved—that none can be saved—but those who have the characters which he has declared essentially necessary to salvation; and that none shall perish, who have those characters. And hence it follows, that the righteous man's hope is entirely regulated by the divine constitution, and the declarations of that holy Word, which alone gives us certain information in this case.
This I say is the grand test of a true hope: it expects what God has promised: and it expects it in the way and mannerestablished by him. It is a humble submissive hope: it does not expect happiness, as it were, in spite of him who is the author of it; but it expects happiness just in the manner which he has appointed.
Now what has God appointed to be the ground or foundation of our hope? Paul will tell you, "Other foundation can no man lay, than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 3:11. God himself proclaims, by Isaiah, "Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation." Isaiah 28:16. Jesus Christ then, is the only sure ground of hope; appointed by God himself.
Or, in other words, the free mercy of God, which can be communicated only through Jesus Christ, or, for his sake—is the only sure ground of hope for a sinner. It is upon this, and not upon his own righteousness, that the righteous man dares to build his hope. He is sensible that every other foundation is but a quicksand. He cannot venture to hope on account of his own merit, either in whole, or in part. It is in the mercy, the mere mercy of God, through Jesus Christ, that he trusts. He is gratefully sensible, indeed, that God has wrought many good things in him, and enabled him to perform many good actions: but these are not the ground of his hope—but the evidences of it. I mean, he does not make these any part of his justifying righteousness; but only evidencesthat he has a saving interest in the righteousness of Christ, which alone can procure him the blessings he hopes for. Which leads me to add,
That the evidence of this hope is, the righteous man's finding, upon a thorough trial, that the characters which God has declared essentially necessary to salvation, do belong to him.
"Has God declared, that the regenerate, that believers and penitents, that they who are made holy in heart and life—and none but such, shall be saved? Then is my hope true and sure, when I hope for salvation, because I find these characters belong to me. I know the God of truth will keep his Word: and therefore, poor and guilty and unworthy as I am—it is no presumption for me to hope for everlasting happiness from him, if I find myself to be such as he has promised everlasting happiness to."
This, friends, is the only valid evidence of a good hope. And is this the evidence that encourages you in this important affair? Alas! the world is overrun with delusive hopes, that are so far from being supported by this evidence, that they are supported in direct opposition to it.
God has declared, in the plainest and strongest terms, that no drunkard, nor swearer, nor fornicator, nor any similar characters, shall inherit his kingdom! And yet what crowds of drunkards, swearers, fornicators, and the like will maintain their hopes of heaven, in spite of these declarations!
He has declared, with the utmost solemnity, that "except a man is born again, he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven." John 3:3. And yet what multitudes presume to hope they shall enter there, though they still continue in their natural state, and have no evidences at all of their being born again!
God has declared, that "except you repent, you shall all perish," Luke 13:3, 5, like the infidel Jews; and that "he who believes not shall be damned." Mark 16:16. And yet, how many hope to be saved, though they have never felt the kindly relentings of sincere, evangelical repentance, nor the work of faith with power wrought upon their hearts?
What can be more plain than that declaration, "Without holiness, no man shall see the Lord!" Hebrews 12:14. And yet multitudes that hate holiness in their hearts, hope to be saved, as well as your precise and sanctified creatures, as they call them!
In short, the hopes of many are so far from being supported by the authority of the Scriptures, that they are supported only by the supposition of their being false! If the Scriptures are true—then they and their hopes must perish together! But, if the Scriptures are false—then they have some chance to be saved; though it is but a very dull chance after all: for if they have to do with a lying, deceitful Deity, they have no ground at all of any confidence in him: they must be anxiously uncertain what they should hope, or what they should fear, from his hands.
Hence you see, that we should vindicate the truth of God in these declarations, even by way of self-defence: for if the divine veracity fails in one instance—then it becomes doubtful in every instance, and we have nothing left to depend upon. If they may be saved—whom God has declared shall perish; then, by a parity of reason, they may perish—whom he has characterized as the heirs of salvation. And consequently, there is no certainty that any will be saved at all. Thus, sinners, while establishing their ownfalse hopes, remove all ground of hope, and leave us in the most dreadful suspense!
Friends! let us regulate our hopes according to God's declaration, who has the objects of our hopes entirely at his disposal. When we pretend to improve upon divine constitutions, or, as we think, turn them in our favour—we do in reality but ruin them, and turn them against ourselves. Make that, and that only, the ground and evidence of your hope, which God has made such! Your hope is not almighty, to change the nature of things, or reverse God's appointments: but his constitution will stand, and you shall be judged according to it, whether you want—or not.
Do not make that the ground or evidence of your hope, which God has not so made, or which he has pronounced the characteristic of the heirs of hell. You hope, perhaps, to be saved, though you live in the wilful neglect of some known duty, or in the wilful practice of some known sin. But has God given you any reason for such a hope? You know he has not—but the contrary. You hope he will show mercy to you, because his nature is mercy and love, and he is the compassionate Father of his creatures; or because Christ has died for sinners. But has he given you any assurances, that because he is so merciful—because he is so compassionate a Father—because Christ has died for sinners, therefore he will save you in your present condition?
You hope to be saved, because you are as good as the generality, or perhaps better than many around you. But has God made this a sufficient ground of hope? Has he told you, that to be fashionably religious, is to be sufficiently religious; or, that the way of the multitude leads to life? This may be your hope; but is it the authentic declaration of eternal Truth? You know it is not—but quite the contrary. I might add sundry other instances of unscriptural hope; but these may suffice as a specimen.
And I shall lay down this as a general rule, which will enable yourselves to make farther discoveries, namely, those hopes are all false, which are opposite to the declarations of God in his Word. Certainly, this needs no proof to such as believe the Divine authority of the Scriptures. And, as for the infidels, it is not the business of this day to deal with them. You who acknowledge the Scriptures as the foundation of your religion, with what force can you entertain hopes unsupported by them, or contrary to them? Hopes, that must be disappointed—if God is true; and that cannot be accomplished—unless he proves a liar? Can you venture your eternal all upon such a blasphemous hope as this? But I proceed,
Thirdly, to consider the various DEGREES and LIMITATIONS of a good hope in death.
A good hope is always supported by evidence; and, according to the degree of evidence, is the degree of hope. When the evidence is clear and undoubted—then it rises to a joyful assurance. But when the evidence is dark and doubtful—then it wavers, and is weakened by dismal fears and jealousies. Now, I have told you already—that the evidence of a good hope is a person's discovering, by impartial examination, that those characters, which God has pronounced the inseparable characters of those who shall be saved—do belong to him: or, that he has those graces and virtues, which are at once his preparation for heaven, and the evidence of his title to it.
Now different believers, and even the same people at different times, have very different degrees of this evidence. And the reason of this difference is, that sundry causes are necessary to make the evidence clear and satisfactory; and, when any of these are lacking, or do not concur in a proper degree, then the evidence is dark and doubtful.
In order to be fully satisfied of the truth and reality of our graces, it is necessary we should arrive to some eminence in them: otherwise, like a jewel in a heap of rubbish, they may be so blended with corruption, that it may be impossible to discern them with certainty. Hence the weak Christian, unless he has unusual supplies of Divine grace, enters the valley of the shadow of death with fear and trembling: whereas he, who has made great attainments in holiness, enters it with courage, or perhaps with transports of joy.
It is also necessary to a full assurance of hope, that the Spirit of God bears witness with our spirit, that we are the sons of God, Romans 8:16, or, that he excites our graces to such a lively exercise, as to render them visible by their effects, and distinguishable from all other principles. And therefore, if a sovereign God sees fit to withhold his influences from the dying saint—then his graces will languish, his past experience will appear confused and doubtful, and consequently his mind will be tossed with anxious fears and jealousies. But if he is pleased to pour out his Spirit upon him, it will be like a ray of heavenly light, to point out his way through the dark shades of death, and open to him the transporting prospects of eternal day, that lies just before him.
Another thing that occasions a difference in this case, is, that an assured hope is the result of frequent self-examination; and, therefore, the Christian that has been diligent in this duty, and all his life been labouring to make all sure against his last hour, generally enjoys the happy fruits of his past diligence, and enters the harbour of rest with sails full of the fair gales of hope. But he who has been negligent in his duty, is tossed with billows and tempests of doubts and fears, and is afraid of being shipwrecked in sight of the port.
It is also necessary to the enjoyment of a comfortable hope in death, that the mind be in some measure calm and rational, not clouded with the glooms of melancholy, or thrown into a delirium or insensibility by the violence of the disorder. And, according as this is, or is not the case, a godly man may enjoy, or not enjoy, the comforts of hope.
These remarks will help us to discover with what limitations we are to understand my text, "The righteous has hope in his death." It does not mean that every righteous man has the same degree of hope; or that no righteous man is distressed with fears and doubts in his last moments. But it means, in the
First place, that every righteous man has a substantial reason to hope—whether he clearly sees it, or not. His eternal all is really safe; and as all the false hopes of the wicked cannot save him, so all his fears cannot destroy him, though they may afford him some transient pangs of horror. He is in the possession of a faithful God, who will take care of him; and nothing shall pluck him out of his hands. He sees fit to leave some of his people in their last moments to conflict at once with death and with their more dreadful fears: but even this will issue in their real advantage. And what an agreeable surprise will it be to such trembling souls, to find that death has unexpectedly transported them to heaven!
Secondly, when it is said, "the righteous has hope in his death," it means, that godly men, in common, do in fact, enjoy a comfortable hope. There never was one of them that was allowed to fall into absolute despair, in this last extremity. In the greatest agonies of fear and suspicion, the trembling soul has still some glimmering hope to support it; and its gracious Saviour never abandons it entirely. And it is the more common case of the saints, to enjoy more comfort and confidence in death, than they were accustomed to do in life. Many, who in life were accustomed to shudder at every danger, and fly at the shaking of a shaking leaf, have been emboldened at death to meet the king of terrors, and to welcome his fiercest assault. The soldiers of Jesus Christ have generally left this mortal state in triumph; though this is not a universal rule. And who would not wish and pray for such an exit? that he may do honour to his God and Saviour, and to his religion, with his last breath; that he may reveal to the world, that religion can bear him up, when all other supports prove a broken reed; and that his last words may sow the seeds of piety in the hearts of those that surround his dying bed; this every godly man should pray and wish for; though it must be left in the hands of a sovereign God to do as he pleases.
Thirdly, when it is said, "the righteous has hope in his death," it may mean, that the hope which he has in death shall be accomplished. It is not a flattering, delusive dream—but a glorious reality; and, therefore, deserves the name. His hope shall not make him ashamed, Romans 5:5—but shall be fulfilled, and even exceeded. However high his expectations, death will convey him to such a state, as will afford him an agreeable surprise; and he will find, that it never entered into his heart to conceive the things that God has laid up for him, and for all who love him. 1 Corinthians 2:9.
This is the glorious peculiarity of the godly man's hope. Many carry their hope with them to death, and will not give it up, until they give up the spirit. But as it is ungrounded, it will end in disappointment and confusion. And oh! into what a terrible consternation will it strike them—to find themselves surrounded with flames—when they expected to land on the blissful coasts of Paradise! To find their Judge and their conscience accusing and condemning, instead of acquitting them! To find their souls plunged into hell under a strong guard of devils, instead of being conducted to heaven by a glorious convoy of angels! To feel the pangs and horrors of everlasting despair succeed, in an instant, to the flattering prospect of delusive hope! To fall down to hell—from the very gates of heaven! Oh! what a shocking disappointment, what a terrible change is this!
Therefore, now, my friends, make sure work. Do not venture your souls upon the broken reed of false hope. But "give diligence to make your calling and election sure." 2 Peter 1:10. Now, you may make a profitable discovery of your mistake: if your hope is ungrounded, you have now time and means to obtain a good hope through grace. But then it will be too late: your only chance, if I may so speak, will be lost; and you must forever stand by the consequences. O, can you bear the thought of taking a leap in the dark into the eternal world; or of owing your courage only to a delusive dream? Why will you not labour to secure so important an interest, beyond all rational possibility of a disappointment? Have you anything else to do, which is of greater, of equal, or comparable importance? Do you think you will approve of this neglect upon a dying bed, or in the eternal world?
Let this subject strengthen the hope of such of you, whose hope will stand the Scripture-test. You must die, 'tis true; your bodies must be the food of worms! But be of good courage—your almighty and immortal Saviour will support you in the hour of your extremity, and confer immortality upon you. He will also quicken your mortal bodies, and re-unite them to your souls, and make your whole persons as happy as your natures will admit. Blessed be God, you are safe from all the fatal consequences of the original apostasy, and your own personal sin.
Death, the last enemy, which seems to survive all the rest, shall not triumph over you: but even death itself shall die, and be no more. Oh, happy people! who is like unto you, a people saved by the Lord! Deuteronomy 33:29.
Let me now CONCLUDE with a melancholy contrast: I mean the wretched condition of the wicked in a dying hour. Some of them, indeed, have a hope, a strong hope, which the clearest evidence cannot wrest from them. This may afford them a little delusive support in death; but upon the whole, it is their plague—it keeps them from spending their last moments in seeking after a well-grounded hope. And as soon as their souls are separated from their bodies, it exposes them to the additional confusion of a dreadful disappointment.
Others of them live like beasts—and like beasts they die! That is, they are as thoughtless, as stupid, about their eternal state—as the brutes that perish! Oh! what a shocking sight is the death-bed of such a stupid sinner!
Others, who, with a great deal of pains, made a shift to keep their consciences easy, in the mirthful hours of health and prosperity, when death and eternity stare them in the face, find this sleeping lion rousing, roaring, and tearing them to pieces! They had a secret consciousness before, that they had no ground for a comfortable hope; but they suppressed the conviction, and would not regard it. But now it revives, and they tremble with a fearful expectation of wrath and fiery indignation. This is especially the usual doom of such as lived under a faithful ministry, and have had a clear light of the gospel, and just notions of divine things forced upon their unwilling minds. It is not so easy for them, as for others, to flatter themselves with false hopes, in the honest, impartial hour of death. Their knowledge is a magazine of arms for their consciences to use to torment them. Oh! in what horrors do some of them die! and how much of hell do they feel upon earth!
Nay, this is sometimes the doom of some infidel profligates, who flattered themselves that they could despise the bugbear of a future state, even in death. They thought they had conquered truth and conscience—but they find themselves mistaken—they find these are unsuppressible, victorious, immortal: and that, though with mountains overwhelmed, they will, one day, burst out like the smothered fires of Mount Aetna; visibly bright and tormenting. Of this the celebrated Dr. Young, whose inimitable pen embellishes whatever it touches, gives us a most melancholy instance, related in the true spirit of tragedy—an instance of a youth of noble birth, fine accomplishments, and large estate, who imbibed the infidel principles of deism, so fashionable in high life, and debauched himself with sensual indulgences; who, by this unkind treatment, broke the heart of an amiable wife, and by his prodigality, squandered away his estate, and thus disinherited his only son. Hear the tragic story from the author's own words:
Men may live fools—but fools they cannot die. Death will make them wise, and show them their true interest, when it is too lateto secure it. Ignorance and thoughtlessness, or the principles of infidelity, may make them live like beasts; but these will not enable them to die like beasts—May we live as candidates for immortality! May we now seek a well established hope, that will stand the severest trial! And may we labour to secure the protection of the Lord of life and death, who can be our sure support in the wreck of dissolving nature! May we live the life—that we may die the death of the righteous; and find that dark valley a short passage into the world of bliss and glory! Amen.
"The hope of the godless will perish." Job 8:13
"For what hope do the godless have—when God cuts them off and takes away their life?" Job 27:8
"But the wicked will lose hope. They have no escape. Their hope becomes despair." Job 11:20
"The hopes of the godly result in happiness, but the expectations of the wicked are all in vain!" Proverbs 10:28
"When the wicked die—their hopes all perish!" Proverbs 11:7
"The desire of the righteous ends only in good, but the hope of the wicked only in wrath!" Proverbs 11:23
"The evil man has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out!" Proverbs 24:20
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