Religion The Highest Wisdom,, and Sin the Greatest Madness and Folly # 2

Religion The Highest Wisdom, and Sin the Greatest Madness and Folly # 2

No! he is a mad-man with whom fleshly pleasures for a little time, the sordid pleasures of sin - outweigh an eternity of perfect happiness. He is certainly not in his right mind - who would rather be tormented in hell forever - than lead a holy life, and labor to escape the wrath to come! Believe and regard what God has said; Be holy in all manner of conversation; strive with all your might to enter in at the straight gate; receive Christ as your Lord and Saviour. There are no bad consequences that can possibly follow from this conduct. But if you are set upon running the risk, and fool-hardy enough to venture your eternal all upon such improbabilities, you forfeit the character of a reasonable being; you are mad in this respect, however wise you may be in others.

2. It is the greatest folly to believe, or profess to believe, the great truths of Christianity - and yet act quite contrary to such a belief!

"They profess to know God, but they deny Him by their works. They are despicable and disobedient, worthless for doing anything good" (Titus 1:16). How many are there who profess God to be the greatest and the best of beings - and yet neglect Him, and pay a greater regard to a thousand other things! They own Him to be their King - and they do not obey Him! They believe they are sinners, worthy of punishment - and yet they are generally as unconcerned as if they were innocent. They believe that Christ is the only Saviour of sinners - and yet they are as little concerned to get a saving interest in Him as if they could be saved without Him. What folly is it to profess to believe these things, and yet, do nothing to obtain a saving faith! Have they no other end in their profession than just to be esteemed by men? What? to neglect God, and holiness, and heaven - when they know they are of infinite importance! to choose the ways of folly when they really believe they will end in ruin! Is this the part of a wise man?

Should a sick man tell you he is certain to die unless he takes his medicine - and does not take it? Would you conclude either that he did not believe himself, or that he was deranged? But this is the very conduct of many professed believers, who think they have great wisdom. I will not dispute your wisdom about your secular affairs, you may be wise to do evil; but I am sure you are quite delirious; and yourselves will be convinced of it to your cost, when God shall say unto you, "You fool! This night shall your soul be required of you!" (Luke 12:20).

Is it not the greatest folly to indulge yourselves in a practice that you deliberately intend to repent of? If your present conduct is wise, why do you intend to repent of it? The very intention implies that you are even now convinced it is foolish! Is there anything more absurd and ridiculous? 

Further, why do you design to repent? Is it because you hate sin? No! for if that was the reason, you would immediately forsake it. Is it because you love God and holiness? No! for then you would repent and devote yourselves to the service of God immediately.

3. It is the greatest folly for men to hope for heaven, when they have no title to it, or fitness for it!

Is it not common sense, that no man can be happy in anything but what he has a relish for, and delights in? And yet there are thousands who have no relish for the enjoyment of God, no pleasure in thinking of Him, or conversing with Him, no delight in acts of devotion - who yet hope to be forever completely happy in in heaven. Does not common sense tell us, that God, who does everything wisely, will bring none to heaven but those whom He has made fit for it beforehand? None first begin to be holy in heaven - or wicked in hell: both parties bring with them those dispositions which are fit for their respective places and employments. How absurd is it, therefore, to hope for heaven - while you have no heavenly dispositions! You may as well hope to see the sun without eyes!

Further, God has assured you in His Word, and you profess to believe Him, that without regeneration, faith, repentance, holiness, and interest in Christ - you cannot enter the kingdom. Has He not told you that drunkards, swearers, immoral, malicious, contentious people, liars, and the like, shall not inherit the kingdom of heaven? What madness is it! The debauchee will not expect happiness in mortification and devotion, and yet thus absurdly will they act in their expectations of heaven!

4. It is the greatest madness to be more concerned about the affairs of time - than those of eternity!

How is it with you? Are not the concerns of this life the principle objects of our thoughts, your cares, and labors? Are you as much concerned about the eternal world to which you are hastening - as the trifling concerns of time? Are you as cautious of sinning as of drinking poison? How is it with you? Are you as careless about everlasting torment - and yet cautiously shun the light sufferings of a few moments? 

If the fear of the Lord and true religion, is the perfection of wisdom, how unreasonably does the world charge it with making people mad? Since men are such fools in matters of religion, since they censure it with so much severity and contempt, how astonishing is it that God should send down that divine, heaven-born thing - true religion, into our world, where it is so much neglected and abused!  What astonishing condescension and grace is it, that God has not left our mad world to themselves, since they are so adverse to be reclaimed! But lo! He has sent His Son, He has instituted the gospel, and a thousand means of grace, to bring them to themselves!

And lastly, hence we may infer, that human nature is exceedingly depraved and disordered. I think this is as plain as any disorder incident to the body. Men are universally indisposed as to religion; and on this account our world is "the Bedlam of the universe." The same natural faculties, the same understanding, will, and affections, are also sufficient for the affairs of religion. But alas! with regard to this - they are disordered, though they exercise themselves aright about other things. And how can we account for this - but by supposing that they are degenerate creatures, and that their nature has suffered a dreadful shock by the first fall, which has deprived them of their senses. Alas! this is a truth too evident to be denied!

~Samuel Davies~

(The End)