Doct. The dreadful estate of the children of disobedience should keep us from joining with them in their evil ways.
Here let me show you — (1.) Who are children of disobedience ; (2.) The misery of their condition ; (3.) Why this should deter us from being partakers with them.
I. Who are children of disobedience,
1. Tho.se who are not only sinners, but stubborn, obstinate, and ignorant sinners ; such as are prone to all evil, and are not only indisposed, but aver.se from all good. Both parts of the character must be minded. They presently do what lust biddeth them, and are at the beck of a temptation, but all the reasons in the world shall not persuade them to do what God commandeth them. They are as wax to Satan, but as a stone to God. They find an irresistible force in temptations: Prov. vii. 21, 22, 'With her much fair speech she caused him to yield ; with the flattery of her lips she forced him. He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks.' But as to good, they are not only weak and indisposed, but cannot endure to be subject to God. The more holy any creature is, the more readily does he obey God : Ps. ciii. 20, ' Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening to the voice of his word.' But for others, a small matter serveth their turn ; neither promises nor threaten- ings will gain them to their duty.
2. This good is either to be determined by the light of nature or the- light of the gospel.
VeR. 7.] SERMONS UPON EPHESIANS V. 235
[1.] Wicked men are called ' children of disobedience/ because the7 rebel against the light of nature : Job xxiv. 13, ' They are of those that rebel against the light ; they know not the way thereof, nor abide- in the paths thereof.' They have light enough to condemn their practices, yet live in them : Ps. liii. 4, ' Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge ? ' Yes, they know better ; but the light hath no autho- rity to bind them to their duty, it doth rather irritate their corruptions, than break the force of them; and therefore justly are they left to. destruction : Ps. ix. 17, ' The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.' They do not improve the natural impressions of God, and the distinction of good and evil that is writtea upon their hearts ; they drown the voice of reason and conscience.
[2.] Those that have heard the gospel, and will not suffer themselves. to be persuaded to embrace the blessed offers made therein, nor will they give up themselves to the obedience of Christ. Their conditioa is more terrible, for these are desperately sick, and refuse their remedy : 1 Peter iv. 17, ' For the time is come that judgment must begin at the- house of God ; and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God ? ' Their condition is more- deplorable and desperate than that of other men ; for they will not enter into the kingdom of God when invited thereunto, though they do- so apparently need this healing dispensation. There are two things ia the gospel — the doctrine of salvation, what God hath done on his part ;. and the counsels of salvation, what we must do on our part.
(1.) The doctrine of salvation, or the rich preparations of grace which God hath made for our recovery. On God's part, 'All things, are ready,' Mat. xxii. 4. He hath given his Son to die for us, and to be the foundation of that new and better covenant wherein pardon and life are offered to us. But this is coldly entertained by many ; either they do not consider it : Mat. xxii. 5, ' They made light of it ; ' or they do not believe it : 1 Cor. ii. 14, ' For the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him ; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned ; ' or they do not apply and improve this blessed offer, that it may be ' the gospel of our salvation,' Eph. i. 13. There is not a cordial assent or lodging: the truth in the soul : ' My word hath no place in you,' John viii. 37. Whatever general profession there is made of believing this doctrine, there is no room for it in their hearts, they believe it not heartily so- as to affect it, and so as to build upon it for the saving of their souls. It is not received by sound evidence, as is seen by the little influence it hath upon them, by the doubts and questionings that frequently arise in their minds whenever they are serious ; by their hatred of those that seriously embrace this truth, by the scorn they cast upon those that improve it to a holy conversation and godliness. Alas! generally it is received in the christian world, as it was said of the reports about- Christ's resurrection, as an idle tale or vain dream : Luke xxiv. 11, ' And their words seemed unto them as idle tales, and they believed them not.' And the doctrines of Christ, heaven, and hell, and judgment to come are made matter of scoffing and mockage : 2 Peter iii. 3, ' Knowing this, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his cominir ? ' and the root of men's disobedience is unbelief.