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CHRIST’S ENEMIES WARNED
IN any assembly of Christians, there appears, externally, but little difference between one and another: for, as all profess the same faith, it may be supposed they stand nearly on the same footing as it respects the eternal world. But amongst them, if there be found many “friends” of the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be acknowledged and rewarded by him in the future judgment, there will also be found many who, as enemies, shall be made objects of his everlasting displeasure. To assist you, my brethren, in ascertaining to which party you belong, and what sentence from him you are to expect, I will endeavour to shew you,
I. Who are they whom Christ will account his enemies—
We, in general, number none amongst his enemies except those who have been guilty of some very flagrant transgression; and even for them we find so many excuses, that we are ready to acquit them of any intentional disrespect to him. But he will judge by a very different standard from that which we adopt. He will inquire, What has been our regard for him, and what our conduct in reference to his revealed will?
He requires all to take upon them his light and easy yoke—
[He has a right to demand this at our hands. As our Creator, he may well expect that every faculty we possess should be employed for him. As our preserver, in whom we live and move and have our being, he is yet further entitled to every service which we can render to him. Above all, as our Redeemer, who “has bought us with the inestimable price” of his own blood, he may well expect that we live only for him, and that “our whole body, soul, and spirit be sanctified to his service.]
In what light, then, must he view us, if in this we counteract his will?
[Can he call us his friends? or can we flatter ourselves that we have any title to be regarded by him under that character? If “we will not that he should reign over us,” that very disposition is itself an irrefragable proof that we are “enemies to him” in our hearts: we are enemies to his will, his kingdom, his glory. We cannot serve God and mammon too: whichever we affect, we must of necessity hate and despise the other [Note: Mat_6:24.]. We may think this “an hard saying:” but there is no such thing as neutrality in reference to God: “Whosoever will be the friend of the world, he is thereby constituted the enemy of God [Note: Jam_4:4. See the Greek.]” — — —]
Supposing such persons to be justly designated the enemies of Christ, let us consider,
II. What is the judgment that awaits them—
They will certainly be distinguished by the Judge of quick and dead—
[Men in this world, who can judge only by the outward appearance, may easily be mistaken in their estimate of human character: but to Him who will decide the destinies of men, the most secret recesses of their hearts are open. He will discern with infallible certainty what their true character was: to his all-seeing eye it will be as obvious as to us is the difference between sheep and goats. And when he shall say to his angels, “Bring them hither,” there will be no possibility of escape. None can hide themselves so as to escape their search; nor can any resist the power that summons them to his presence.]
Then will be inflicted on them the threatened judgments—
[Capital punishment amongst men is merely a privation of life: but the punishment that will be inflicted on the enemies of Christ will be of perpetual duration. There is “a lake of fire and brimstone, into which they will be cast;” and “the smoke of their torment will ascend up for ever and ever.” This the Prophet Nahum distinctly affirms: “God is jealous, and the Lord revengeth: the Lord revengeth, and is furious: the Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies [Note: Nah_1:2.].” The Psalmist also, if possible, yet more pertinently declares, “Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies; thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee. Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger: the Lord shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them [Note: Psa_21:8-9.].”]
Address—
1. Those who think this a hard sentence—
[Let me ask, What can you reasonably expect? Can you suppose that God will “put no difference between his friends and his enemies; between those who serve him, and those who serve him not [Note: Mal_3:18.]?” But you think that God will proclaim a general amnesty; since he is too great to be affected by any thing that we have done, and too good to notice it with such severity. Amongst earthly governments, a general amnesty may well be proclaimed, and punishment be limited to those who have been the ringleaders in rebellion. Indeed, a monarch who should proceed to extremity with all who have risen up against him, might almost depopulate his empire; and, if he exercise mercy, the pardoned rebels may richly repay him by their fidelity in future. But God needs not us, nor can ever be repaid by us, for any lenity which he may exercise. He must and will fulfil his own word, and will execute judgment on all impenitent transgressors. And the only hope that remains for us, is, to humble ourselves before him, and to seek for mercy through that very Saviour, against whom we have rebelled.]
2. Those who acquiesce in it—
[Many acquiesce in the declarations of God as true, who by no means approve of them as good: and I pray you, brethren, not to confound these ideas, or to give yourselves credit for the better feeling, because you cannot divest yourselves of that which forces itself irresistibly upon you. Never imagine that you are right in the sight of God, till you delight in the Redeemer’s yoke as light and easy, and are ready, as faithful subjects, to lay down your lives in his service.]