2. * And for this very reason, because he is fast _asleep_, he is, in some sense, at _rest_. Because he is _blind_, he is also _secure_: he saith, _Tush, there shall no harm happen unto me_. The darkness which covers him on every side, keeps him in a kind of peace: (so far as peace can consist with the works of the devil, and with an earthly, devilish mind.) He _sees_ not that he stands on the edge of the pit; therefore he _fears_ it not. He cannot _tremble_ at the danger he does not _know_. He has not understanding enough to fear. Why is it that he is in no dread of God? Because he is totally ignorant of him: if not _saying in his heart, there is no God_, or, that he _sitteth on the circle of the heavens, and humbleth_ not _himself to behold the things_ which are done on earth; yet satisfying himself as well, to all _Epicurean_ intents and purposes, by saying, “God is merciful:” confounding and swallowing up at once, in that unweildy idea of mercy, all his holiness and essential hatred of sin, all his justice, wisdom and truth. He is in no dread of the vengeance denounced against those who obey not the blessed law of God, because he understands it not. He imagines the main point is, to _do thus_, to be _outwardly_ blameless: and sees not that it extends to every temper, desire, thought, motion of the heart. Or he fancies, that the obligation hereto is ceas’d; that Christ came to _destroy the law and the prophets_; to save his people _in_, not _from_ their sins: to bring them to heaven, without holiness. Notwithstanding his own words, _Not one jot or tittle of the law shall pass away, till all things are fulfilled_: and, _Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord! shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven_.
3. He is secure, because he is utterly ignorant of himself. Hence he talks of “repenting by and by;” he does not indeed exactly know when; but some time or other before he dies: taking it for granted, that this is quite in his own power. For what should hinder his doing it, if he will? If he does but once set a resolution, no fear but he will make it good.
4. But this ignorance never so strongly glares, as in those who are term’d, _men of learning_. If a natural man be one of these, he can talk at large of his rational faculties: of the freedom of his will, and the absolute necessity of such freedom, in order to constitute man a moral agent. He reads and argues, and proves to a demonstration, that every man may do as he will; may dispose his own heart to evil or good, as it seems best in his own eyes. Thus the God of this world spreads a double veil of blindness over his heart, lest by any means _the light of the glorious gospel of Christ should shine_ upon it.
5. From the same ignorance of himself and God there may sometimes arise in the natural man a kind of _joy_, in congratulating himself, upon his own wisdom and goodness. And what the world calls joy, he may often possess. He may have pleasure in various kinds; either in gratifying the desires of the flesh, or the desire of the eye, or the pride of life: particularly if he has large possessions; if he enjoy an affluent fortune. Then he may _cloath_ himself _in purple and fine linen, and fare sumptuously every day_. And _so long as_ he thus _doth well unto himself, men will_ doubtless _speak good of_ him. They will say, he is a happy man: for indeed this is the sum of worldly happiness: to dress, and visit, and talk, and eat, and drink, and rise up to play.
6. It is not surprizing, if one in such circumstances as these, dozed with the opiates of flattery and sin, should imagine; among his other waking dreams, that he walks in great _liberty_. How easily may he persuade himself, that he is at liberty from all _vulgar errors_, and from the _prejudice_ of education, judging exactly right, and keeping clear of all extremes. “I am free (may he say) from all the _enthusiasm_ of weak and narrow souls: from _superstition_, the disease of fools and cowards, always righteous over much; and from _bigotry_, continually incident to those who have not a free and generous way of thinking.” And too sure it is, that he is altogether free, from the _wisdom which cometh from above_, from holiness, from the religion of the heart, from the whole mind which was in Christ.