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NO PEACE IN THE WAY OF SIN
THIS chapter deserves especial notice, not merely on account of its historical import, but particularly on account of the use made of it by the Apostle Paul. As written by the prophet, it seems descriptive of some peculiarly abandoned characters, who committed all manner of iniquity. But, as quoted by the Apostle, it is descriptive of mankind in general, and marks the entire depravity of our fallen nature. Now, in reading the Epistle to the Romans, we are apt to wonder how an inspired writer could deduce such a doctrine from passages which appear to afford so little foundation for it: for it seems strange to say, that because some pre-eminently wicked persons, of one age and country, were guilty of the most flagrant enormities, all persons, in all ages and countries, must have the same propensities. But I hesitate not to say, that the Apostle’s inference is just: for, if any persons enjoying the light of revelation were, notwithstanding all their advantages, so wicked, the fault was not in their accidental circumstances, but in their nature itself; and, consequently, all who possess the same nature must be partakers of the same propensities: and if they yield not to those propensities in the same manner as others, they must owe it, not to any superior goodness of their own, but to the preventing grace of God. It is not my intention to prosecute the subject before us to the extent that the Apostle’s example would justify: I shall satisfy myself with exhibiting,
I. The characters here described—
Of human nature, as born into the world, I forbear to speak: but of men’s actions our text gives a just and universal description. We need not go back to the Jews: we need only to look amongst ourselves; and we shall find that all of us, without exception, whilst in our natural and unconverted state, are guilty of the crime here spoken of; “We make us crooked paths.” In proof of which, I will shew you our deviations,
1. From the line of duty prescribed by the law—
[You need not be told, I trust, what the law of God requires: it requires that we “love God with all our heart, and mind, and soul, and strength; and that we love our neighbour as ourselves.” But who amongst us has obeyed it? who has obeyed it for any one day or hour of his whole life? The truth is, that our whole life has been one continued scene of departure from it. Instead of loving God supremely, we have loved the creature above him, and have sought our happiness in it, rather than in him; and, instead of loving our neighbours as ourselves, we have lived in one continued state of selfishness; preferring our own ease, honour, interest, to that of others; and, in many instances, seeking our own welfare at the expense of that of others. But this matter admits of no doubt: we shall all readily acknowledge our deviations from the perfect law of God; and that, when tried by that standard, “every mouth must be stopped, and all the world become guilty before God.”]
2. From the line of duty prescribed by the Gospel—
[The Gospel is given us to remedy our departures from the law; and it “prescribes repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.” And how have we obeyed that? Have we mourned over our sins as it became us? Have we, like the Publican, been so oppressed with a sense of our own unworthiness, that we have not ventured to look up to heaven, but, with downcast eyes, have smitten on our breasts, and cried, “God be merciful to me, a sinner?” — — — Have we also implored mercy in God’s appointed way; pleading the merits of the Redeemer’s blood, and seeking reconciliation solely through his all-atoning sacrifice? And, under a full conviction of the insufficiency of every other help, have we lived altogether by faith on the Son of God;” and “determined to know nothing, and trust in nothing, but Jesus Christ, and him crucified?” Say, Brethren, can you indeed appeal to God, that, from day to day, he witnesses your sighs and groans and tears, in your secret chamber, and sees you fleeing to the Lord Jesus Christ, just as the manslayer fled from the pursuer of blood to the city of his refuge? Alas! alas! if the truth be spoken, there have been in you as great and habitual deviations from the Gospel, as even from the law itself!]
3. From the line of duty prescribed even by your own conscience—
[Every one has some line which he has prescribed to himself. Now it is not my intention to inquire how far the line of any man accords either with the law or with the Gospel. The point to ascertain is, how far your conduct has agreed with the dictates of your own conscience? You have seen no evil in many of those things which are practised by the world at large: and it is not my intention to arraign your conduct in relation to any thing which your own mind has approved. But the question is, Have you not deviated, and very widely too, from the path which you yourselves have acknowledged to be right? Have you not left undone much which you were persuaded it was your duty to do; and done many things which you knew to be wrong? I again say, whatever latitude your own conscience has allowed you, have you not, in ten thousand instances, gone beyond it; and erred, both by defect and excess, from the very line which you have marked out for yourselves? I cannot doubt one moment what the testimony of your own consciences must be; and that you stand convicted, even in your own minds, of having “made to yourselves crooked paths.”]
Having declared the habits of those spoken of in my text, I proceed to mark,
II. The awful condition of their souls—
“Whosoever walketh in the paths before described, cannot know peace.” He cannot know it,
1. In life—
[I grant that those who are young and gay, and those who are prospering in the world, may enjoy something which they call peace: they may, for the most part, be free from anxieties and troubles in relation to their souls; and may go on in a round of pleasure without any material abatement, so as to account themselves, and be accounted by others, happy. But this continues only whilst they are able to shake off all sense of God’s presence, and all thought of death and judgment. Let but the thoughts of eternity rush into their minds, and there is an end of their gaiety at once: their mind is appalled: and they can find no relief, but in dissipating their unwelcome reflections, and drowning them in business or pleasure. Their peace, even at the best, is only like that which is enjoyed by the brute creation: it is not such as becomes a rational and immortal being. Scriptural peace consists in a state of reconciliation with God, and in the testimony of a good conscience. But how can this be possessed by one who is walking in crooked ways? It cannot be. As the prophet says, in the words before my text, “The way of peace they know not:” yea, rather, when they reflect at all, “they are like the troubled sea, which cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked [Note: Isa_57:20-21.].” And for the truth of this, I appeal to you, even to the most gay and thoughtless among you. Why are you so averse to think of death and judgment? Is it not that such reflections are a source of pain to you, rather than of holy delight and pleasure? Yes, if once you come to the light, your boasted satisfactions issue in nothing but fear and terror.]
2. In death—
[Here again I must acknowledge, that many delude themselves with a persuasion of their own goodness; or of God’s mercy, which prevents him from executing the judgments he has threatened: and by these vain conceits they are buoyed up with a kind of hope, which yet rises but little above a brutish insensibility. As for looking up to God as a reconciled God and Father, and contemplating the blessedness of dwelling in his presence, they have no such thought: the utmost that they hope for, is a freedom from pain. They know not what it is to sprinkle their consciences with the blood of Christ, and to lay hold on the great and precious promises of the Gospel: they have no realizing views of Christ, as their Intercessor with God, or as their Forerunner, who is gone to prepare a place for them in heaven. These are the great constituents of scriptural peace: but of these things they know nothing: it is the upright soul alone whose end resembles this: “his end is peace,” in the best and highest sense: but of this, the man who walks in paths of his own has no conception: and, if he be at all awakened to a sense of his condition, he has nothing but “a certain fearful looking-for of judgment and fiery indignation” to consume him.]
3. In the eternal world—
[No, verily, there is no peace for the wicked there. At the instant of the departure of the soul from the body, all delusions vanish, and every thing which God has spoken is fulfilled. Then how glad would the sinner be, if rocks or hills could fall upon him, and hide him from the face of his offended God! But that cannot be: into the presence of his Judge must he go; and from him must he receive his eternal doom, even in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone, prepared for the devil and his angels. What peace can be possessed there, let the rich man inform you, who wanted a drop of water to cool his tongue. Alas! “they rest not day nor night,” but “drink incessantly of the cup of God’s wrath and indignation;” and to all eternity will they be occupied in “weeping and wailing, and gnashing their teeth.” Such will be the issue of walking in the broad road which leadeth to destruction; nor will any escape it, but those who “enter in at the strait gate, and walk in the narrow way that leadeth unto life.”]
Address—
1. The erring—
[Pause, I pray you, Brethren, and consider whither your feet are tending: for, whether you will believe it or not, they who walk in crooked paths shall never know peace. But, having warned you of this, let me tell you how you may have peace. Blessed be God! there is peace to be obtained through the Lord Jesus Christ, “who is our Peace.” Yes: “the day-spring from on high has visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace.” Do you ask, How shall I obtain this? I answer, Come to him in penitence and faith; and “you shall surely find rest unto your souls.” Let me propose to you the pattern which is to be realized by innumerable multitudes in the latter day: “They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble [Note: Jer_31:9.].” “Return to God” in this way, and then you may rest assured that your past iniquities shall not be your ruin.]
2. Those who are walking in the right way—
[Who is it that has made you to differ? You were once walking in crooked paths, even as others: but God, in his mercy, has stopped you, as he did the persecuting Saul, and “brought you into the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” Let a sense of this mercy fill you with thankfulness to the Lord, and with “compassion to those who are yet ignorant and out of the way” — — — In particular, if a brother be drawn aside into any crooked path, be careful to “restore him in a spirit of meekness; considering yourselves, lest you also be tempted [Note: Gal_6:1. Heb_12:12-13.]” — — — In truth, you must never forget how liable you yourselves are to be drawn aside “by the cunning craftiness of men,” or by “the wiles of Satan,” or by the power of your indwelling corruptions [Note: 2Pe_2:18.]. To this you are exposed, even “after you have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; and your last end may actually become worse than your beginning [Note: 2Pe_2:20.].” And should you thus “depart from your righteousness, your righteousness wherein you have lived will no more be remembered; but in the sin which you commit you will die [Note: Eze_33:18.].” Of this you are most solemnly warned by the Prophet David: “As for such as turn aside to their crooked ways, the Lord will lead them forth with the workers of iniquity: but peace shall be upon Israel [Note: Psa_125:5.].” Be much therefore in prayer to God, to “hold up your goings in his paths, that your footsteps slip not.” And never imagine, for a moment, that you are beyond the danger of falling; “but let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” In order to this, take diligent heed to your ways; and be careful to “maintain a conscience void of offence towards both God and man.” And “despise not little things;” for they will open the way for greater. In a word, let it be your constant endeavour to “be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, shining among them as lights in the world [Note: Php_2:15.].” Then shall you possess the peace of God, which passeth all understanding; and I also shall “rejoice, in that I have not run in vain nor laboured in vain [Note: Php_2:16.].”]