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The Warnings Of Scripture Are In The Best Manner Adapted To The
Awakening And Conversion Of Sinners
by Jonathan Edwards
Luke 16:31, "And he said
unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be
persuaded, though one rose from the dead."
WE here have an account how the rich man in hell — after he had in vain
begged of Abraham to send Lazarus to his relief-prays that Lazarus may
be sent to his brethren to warn them, that they might take care for
their salvation, and escape that place of torment. By the way, it may be
proper to remark, that we cannot from this conclude, that the damned
will have any workings of natural affection to their near relations in
this world, or any concern for their salvation. The design of Christ was
only parabolically to represent what different thoughts worldly and
wicked men will have of things, when in hell, from what they have while
on earth. The rich man, when he was upon earth, only minded his honor,
ease, and pleasure, and did not think it worth while to take care of his
soul, and to be at much pains to escape hell. But now he is of another
mind, and is sensible that if his five brethren, who live in the same
careless neglect of their souls as he did, knew what hell is, they would
take more care.
But this seems to be put into the parable chiefly to introduce what
follows, the reply which Abraham made to him, They have Moses and the
prophets, let them hear them. As much as to say, they have already
abundant warning and instruction, which God himself hath provided for
them, let them make use of that.
The rich man replies, Nay, Father Abraham, but if one went unto them
from the dead, they will repent. Then come in the words of the text, And
he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will
they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead. By Moses and the
prophets is meant the whole Old Testament, which was the whole canon of
Scripture which they had in those times. The hearing of them implies,
attending to what they say, believing them, and obeying them — they
would not be persuaded — that is, they would not be persuaded to take
thorough care of their souls, to forsake their sins and turn to God, so
as to avoid this place of torment — though one rose from the dead;
though one should go from the invisible world, either from heaven, where
they see the torments of the damned, or from hell, where they feel them.
DOCTRINE
The warnings of God’s Word are more fitted to obtain the ends of
awakening sinners, and bringing them to repentance, than the rising of
one from the dead to warn them.
In this passage, Moses and the prophets seem not only to be equalized to
the warnings of one from the invisible world, but to be preferred before
them. They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them. They have
already those means which God in his infinite wisdom hath seen to be
fittest for them, and more suitable to their nature and circumstances,
than the rising of one from the dead. — But whether there can be any
more than an equality necessarily inferred or not; yet if only the
warnings of the Old Testament have an equal tendency to bring men to
repentance, as the rising of one from the dead; then surely these,
together with the much clearer revelation under the gospel-dispensation
by Christ and his apostles — wherein we are abundantly more plainly told
of another world, and wherein life and immortality are brought to light
— must have a much greater tendency and fitness to obtain these ends.
Sinners are apt to find fault with the means of grace which they enjoy,
and to say with themselves, If I had ever seen hell, or had ever heard
the cries of the damned, or had ever seen a person who had felt
hell-torments, or had seen them at a distance, that would awaken me;
then I would for sake all my sins, and would do whatever I could to
escape hell. But now I am only told of hell in the Bible and by
ministers; and there never was any in this world that saw or felt it: so
that I am ready to think it is mere delusion and fancy. How do I know
that there is any hell? How do I know but that when I die there will be
an end of me?
But it is the indisposition of sinners to this great work, to which they
are directed, which makes them find fault with their means and
advantages. The slothful and negligent, who hate to bestir themselves,
are they who object. “The way of the slothful is as a hedge of thorns.”
— Sinners know not what they would have. They are fixedly averse to
breaking off their sins by righteousness. And to make the matter the
more excusable, they object against the sufficiency of their means, and
so they will not believe, except they see hell, or see some person who
has seen it.
But God, who knows our nature and circumstances, knows what is most
adapted to them. He who made the faculties of our souls, knows what will
have the greatest tendency to move them, and to work upon them. He who
is striving with us, to bring us to repentance and salvation, uses the
fittest and best means. In contriving and appointing the means of our
salvation, he chooses better for us than we should for ourselves.
Suppose a person should rise from the dead to warn sinners, either from
heaven, where they see the misery of the damned, or from hell, where
they feel it; and should tell how dismal those torments are, having seen
or felt them; and suppose he should confirm what he said, by declaring
that he had seen the smoke of their torments, the raging of the flames,
the dreadful crew of devils and damned souls together, and had heard
their dismal cries and shrieks; or suppose he should say that he had
felt them, and should express by words and actions the doleful state of
the damned and the extremity of their torments; this would probably
greatly fright and terrify many sinners who were not terrified by
reading the Bible, nor by hearing preaching about hell-torments. But it
would be very much because of the unusualness and strangeness of the
thing. Men are apt to be much affected with strange things, and to be
much affrighted by specters in the dark, because they are unusual. But
if they were as common as preaching is, they would lose their effect.
It might be that on such an unusual occasion, as the rising of one from
the dead, for a while men would reform their lives, and possibly some
might be so affected as never to forget it. But we are to consider which
would have the greatest tendency to awaken us, if both were alike new
and unusual, to be warned of the misery of hell by the great God
himself, declaring as it were from heaven how dreadful hell is, and
abundantly warning us about it; or to be warned only by a man coming
from the invisible world, who had either seen or felt these miseries. It
is in this view that we shall consider the matter; and we shall show
what advantages the former mode of warning has above the latter; or how
the warnings of God’s Word have a greater tendency to awaken sinners and
bring them to repentance, than the rising of one from the dead to warn
them.
I. God, in many respects, knows better what belongs to the punishment of
sinners than departed souls. Departed souls doubtless know what
hell-torments are, much better than any on earth. The souls of the
wicked feel them, and the souls of the saints see them afar off. God
glorifies his justice in the punishment of ungodly men, in the view of
the saints and angels, and thereby makes them the more admire the riches
of his goodness in choosing them to like. As the rich man saw Lazarus in
heaven afar off, so Lazarus saw the rich man in hell. He saw
hell-torments. And therefore the rich man desires he may be sent to warn
his brethren. — And if one should rise from the dead to warn wicked men,
if it would at all awaken them, it would be because he knew what
hell-torments were by his own knowledge, and could describe them to
others, as having seen and felt them.
But surely the all-seeing God knows as well as any of the dead, what the
present sufferings of the damned are. He is everywhere present with his
all-seeing eye. He is in heaven and in hell, and in and through every
part of the creation.. He is where every devil is; and where every
damned soul is, he is present by his knowledge and his essence. He not
only knows as well as those in heaven, who see at a distance; but he
knows as perfectly as those who feel the misery. He seeth into the
innermost recesses of the hearts of those miserable spirits. He seeth
all the sorrow and anguish that are there; for he upholds them in being.
They and all the powers of their spirits, whereby they are capable of
either happiness or misery, are in his hands.
Besides, it is his wrath they endure. He measures out to them their
several portions of punishment. He makes his wrath enter into them. He
is a consuming fire to them. His anger is that fire, in which they are
tormented. He therefore is doubtless able to give us as clear and
distinct, and as true, an account of hell, as the damned themselves, if
they should rise from the dead. He needs not any to inform him.
He knows far better what the eternity of these torments is than any of
them, He can better tell us how awful a thing eternity is. He knows
better what the future judgment of sinners will be, when the Lord Jesus
shall come in flaming fire to take vengeance on them that know not God,
and obey not the gospel. He knows far better than they how much the
torment of the wicked will then be increased.
II. We have the truth upon surer grounds from God’s testimony than we
could have it from the testimony of one rising from the dead. Suppose
one should rise from the dead, and tell us of the dreadfulness of
hell-torments. How precarious a foundation would that be to build upon,
in a matter of such importance, unless we consider it as confirmed by
divine testimony. We should be uncertain whether there were not some
delusion in the case. We know that it is impossible for God to lie. And
we may know that the matter is just as he declares it to us. But if one
should come from the dead, we could not be so sure that we were no way
imposed upon. We could not be so sure that he who testified was not
himself subject to some delusion. We could not be sure that the matter
was not strained too high, and represented greater than it really is.
One coming from the dead could not, merely by force of his own
testimony, make us sure that we should come to that place of torments if
we did not repent and reform. And if there should come more witnesses
than one from the dead, if there should be ever so many, yet there is no
authority equal to that of God. There is no testimony of spirits from
the invisible world which would be so indisputable and unquestionable as
the divine testimony. How could we know, unless by some divine
revelation, that they who should come from the dead had not come to
deceive us. How could we know how wicked, or how good they were, and
upon what views they acted?
Whereas we have the greatest ground to be assured, that the First Being,
and the Fountain of all being and perfection, is nothing but light and
truth itself, and therefore that it is impossible he should deceive or
be deceived.
III. The warnings of God’s Word have greatly the advantage, by reason of
the greatness and majesty of him who speaks. The speeches and
declarations of those who are great, excellent, and honorable, have a
greater tendency to move the affections, than the declarations of others
who are less excellent. Things spoken by a king affect more than the
same things spoken by a mean man.
But God is infinitely greater than kings; he is universal King of heaven
and earth, the absolute Sovereign of all things. Now, what can have a
greater tendency to strike the mind and move the heart, than to be
warned by this great and glorious Being? Shall we be unmoved when he
speaks who made heaven and earth by the word of his power? If his
immediate speeches, declarations, and warning, will not influence us,
what will? Isa. 1:2, “Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth, for the
Lord hath spoken.” — That is to the present purpose which we have in
Mat. 21:37, “But last of all he sent his son, saying, They will
reverence my son.” He sent his servants before, but they did not regard
them. He therefore, sent his son, who was a much greater and more
honorable messenger, and said Surely they will regard him.
What if God should send messengers from the dead to warn us, even many
in succession, and men should reject them. We should justly argue, that
it would have a much greater tendency to make men regard and obey the
counsel, if he would send his Son, or come himself. But God has sent his
Son, and therein he hath come himself. He came down from heaven, and
took upon him our nature, and dwelt among us, teaching and warning us
concerning hell and damnation.
In the Bible, we not only have those warnings which were given by
inspiration of the prophets, but we have God’s own words, which he spake
as it were by his own mouth. In the Old Testament is his voice out of
the midst of the fire and the darkness, from mount Sinai; and the New
Testament, we have God speaking to us, as dwelling among us. He came
down from heaven, and instructed us in a familiar manner for a long
while. And we have his instructions recorded in our Bibles. — Now, which
has the greatest tendency to influence men, to have one of the departed
spirits sent back into its body to warn them, or to have God himself
assume a body and warn them?
IV. It more evidently shows the importance of the affair, that God
should immediately concern himself in it, than the coming of one from
the dead would do. Those things about which kings most immediately
concern themselves are commonly matters of the greatest importance,
while they leave less concernments to be managed by their officers. And
surely that must be a matter of very great moment, in which God shows
himself so much concerned as he does in our salvation. God, in all ages
of the world, hath showed himself very much concerned in this matter.
How abundantly hath he warned us in his holy word? How earnest hath he
shown himself in it! How many arguments and expostulations hath he used,
that we might avoid the way to hell!-This evidently argues, that what we
are warned about is a matter of the utmost concern, and proves it much
more than if we were only warned by one risen from the dead.
V. God warning us of our danger of damnation hath a greater tendency to
have influence upon us, because he is our Judge. Damnation is a
punishment to which he condemns and which he inflicts. What he warns us
of is his own wrath and vengeance. In his word we have his threatenings
against sin denounced by himself. He tells us, that if we go on in sin,
he will destroy us, and cast us out of his sight, and pour out his wrath
upon us, and hold us eternally under misery. He tells us so himself; and
this hath a much greater tendency to influence us, than to be told so by
another, who is not to be our judge, who hath not in his hands the power
of making us miserable. — When a king immediately threatens his own
displeasure, it has a greater tendency to terrify men, than when another
man threatens it, or warns them of the danger.
VI. God is infinitely wise, and knows better how to speak to us so as to
persuade us, than one risen from the dead. He perfectly knows our nature
and state, and knows how to adapt his instructions and warnings to our
frame and circumstances in the world. And without doubt that method
which God has chosen, is agreeable to his infinite wisdom, and most
adapted to our nature.
If one should come from hell to warn sinners, it may be he would tell
them of hell in such a manner as would have more of a tendency to drive
men into despair, and set them a blaspheming as they do in hell, than to
excite them to strive for salvation, and diligently to use the means
which God hath appointed. But God knoweth what revelation of hell we can
bear, and what hath the most tendency to do us good in this our infirm,
dark, and sinful state. — The declarations of one come from hell might
more tend to drive us from God than to bring us near to him. It is best
for us to be warned and instructed by God, who knows best how to do it.
These are some of the reasons why the warnings of God’s Word have more
of a tendency to bring us to repentance, than the warning of one risen
from the dead.
APPLICATION
I. It is a natural inference from this doctrine, that if these means
which God hath appointed do not answer to lead men to repentance and
reformation, no others would. — Although this be not an absolutely
necessary consequence from the words of the doctrine; yet it seems to be
Christ’s aim to teach us, that if God’s means will not answer, none
will. Our own means, those which we can devise, however they may seem
more likely at a distance to be effectual, if brought to the trial, will
not prove to be better. The rich man thought that if his brethren were
warned by one rising from the dead, they would surely repent. But
Abraham tells him, he is mistaken.
If one rising from the dead would not answer the purpose, we may
rationally conclude that no other kind of means, different from those
appointed by God, would. For what can we think of, which seems to have
more tendency to awaken men, and lead to repentance, than one coming
from the dead to them; except those means which we enjoy. — Indeed men
can think of many means, which they may imagine, if they enjoyed them,
would make them believe and repent. But they deceive themselves.
It may be they think, if they could see some prophet, and see him work
miracles, that this would awaken them. But how was it then when there
were prophets? There has rarely been a more degenerate time than that of
Elijah and Elisha, who wrought so many miracles. The people did not
regard their prophecies nor their miracles; but walked in their own
ways, and served their own gods, so that Elijah thought there was none
left of the true worshippers of God. And how did they treat the prophet
Jeremiah, solemnly warning them from God of their approaching
destruction? And how often do the prophets complain that all their
prophecies and warnings were neglected and despised!
Would it be sufficient if you could hear God speak from heaven? How was
it in Moses’s time, when they heard God speak out of the midst of the
fire, and heard the voice of words exceeding loud and full of majesty,
so that they exceedingly trembled; when they saw mount Sinai all covered
with smoke, and shaking exceedingly? How did they behave themselves? Did
they all turn from their sins, and after that walk in the ways of God?
It is true, they were very much affected at first, while it was a new
and strange thing to them; but how hard-hearted and rebellious were they
soon after! They did not scruple to rebel against this same great and
glorious God. Yea, they made a golden calf while Moses was in the mount
conversing with God, just after they had seen those dreadful appearances
of divine majesty.
Thus they rebelled against the Lord, although they had seen so many
miracles and wonders in Egypt at the Red sea, and in the wilderness;
although they continually saw the pillar of cloud and of fire going
before them, were continually fed in a miraculous manner with manna, and
in the same miraculous manner made to drink water out of the rock.
Men are apt to think, that if they had lived in Christ’s time, and had
seen and heard him, and had seen his miracles, that they would have
effectually convinced and turned them from sin. But how was it in fact?
How few were there brought to repentance by all his discourses and
miracles! How hard-hearted were they! Some were very much affected for a
little while; but how few constant steady followers had he! He was,
notwithstanding his miracles, rejected, despised, and even murdered by
the people among whom he dwelt. And they were men of the same natures as
sinners in these days.
The Scripture is full of instances, sufficient to convince us, that if
the Word of God will not awaken and convert sinners, nothing will. — And
we see enough in these days to convince us of it. Men sometimes meet
with those things by which we should not imagine, if we did not see it,
and were not used to it, but that they would be thoroughly awakened and
reformed. — They sometimes hear the warnings of dying men expecting to
go to hell. One would think this would be enough to awaken them; and it
may be they are affected with it for the present. But it only touches
them. It vanishes away, and is gone like a puff of wind.
Sometimes sinners themselves are laid upon beds of sickness, and their
lives hang in doubt before them. They are brought to the sides of the
grave, and to the very mouth of hell, and their hearts are full of
terror and amazement. Yet if they recover, they soon forget it, and
return to the ways of folly and wickedness. — Sometimes this is
repeated; they are taken sick again, are again in extreme peril of
death, their hearts are full of amazement, and they make many promises
and vows; yet being recovered, they again soon forget all, and return to
sin and folly. Such things are enough to convince us, that if the Word
of God be not sufficient to convince men, and make them break off their
sins, no external means would be sufficient.
Perhaps some may yet be ready to think, that if sinners should see hell,
and here the cries of the damned, that would be effectual, though
nothing else would. But if we duly consider the matter, we shall see
reason to think, that it would not have so great a tendency to turn men
from sin, as the Word of God. Such a thing would doubtless be effectual
to terrify and affright men, and probably to death.. Such a mean is not
at all suitable to our nature and state in the world. If it should not
fright men to death, it would not have so great a tendency to them to
make them diligently use means for their salvation as the warnings of
Scripture. It would probably drive them to despair; or so take away
their spirits that they would have no heart to seek God. Instead of
driving them to God, it would probably make them hate him more. It would
make them more like devils; and set them a blaspheming as the damned do.
For while the hearts of men are filled with natural darkness, they
cannot see the glory of the divine justice appearing in such extreme
torments.
Therefore, the means which God hath instituted for us, are doubtless the
best, and most conducive to lead men to repentance and salvation. They
are doubtless far better than any other which we can devise.
II. Hence we learn the dreadful hardness of men’s hearts, since the Word
of God hath no more influence upon them, and they are no more moved and
wrought upon by those means which infinite wisdom hath provided. The
warnings of the Word of God are, as you have heard, better and more
powerful means than if one should rise form the dead to warn us, and
tell us our danger, and the dreadfulness of the wrath of God. You have
also heard, that if these means will not answer the end of awakening and
leading sinners to repentance, no other will; neither the working of
miracles, nor the hearing of God speak with an audible voice from
heaven, nor anything else. — Yet how few are there who are effectually
wrought upon by the Word of God! They are very thinly sown; there is but
here and there one.
When we read how the children of Israel conducted themselves in the
wilderness, how often they murmured and offended; we are ready to wonder
at the hardness of their hearts. And when we read the history of Christ,
and how the Jews hated and rejected him notwithstanding his many
miracles; we are ready to wonder how they could be so hard-hearted. But
we have as much reason to wonder at ourselves, for we have naturally the
same sort of hearts that they had. And sinners in these days manifest a
hardness of heart as much to be wondered at, in that they are not
influenced by the Word of God. For they who will not hear Moses and the
prophets, Jesus Christ and his apostles, neither would be persuaded, if
one should rise from the dead, or if an angel should come from heaven.
The best means of awakening and conversion are plentifully enjoyed by
us, much more plentifully in several respects, than they were by those
who had only Moses and the prophets. In the first place, we have divine
truth more fully revealed in the Bible than they had then. Light now
shines abundantly clear. Gospel-truth is revealed, not in types and
shadows, but plainly. Heaven and hell are much more clearly and
expressly made known. We are told, that the glory of that revelation was
no glory in comparison with the revelation of the gospel.
Again, we have a greater plenty of Bibles than they had under the
dispensation of Moses and the prophets. Then there was no such thing as
printing, and Bibles were scarce things. They seldom had any Bibles
anywhere else but in their synagogues. But now we have them in our
houses; we can look into them when we please. Besides Christ hath
appointed the gospel-ministry, by which we have the Word of God
explained and enforced every week. Yet how little influence hath the
Word of God to bring men to repentance!
Let this strike conviction into those who never yet have found any such
effect by the Word of God. Though you are convinced of nothing else, yet
you have abundant reason to be convinced that your hearts are as hard as
a stone, and that you are exceedingly stupid and sottish.
III. Hence we may learn how justly and fairly God deals with us. He
gives us the best means of awakening and reclaiming us from our sins;
better than if he had sent one from the dead to warn us. He gives us
those means which are most suited to our nature and circumstances. He
gives sinners abundant warning before he punishes them. What could he
have done more than he hath done? We can devise or imagine no sort of
warning which would have been better than what God hath given us. How
justly therefore are ungodly men punished! How inexcusable will they be!
IV. Let all make use of the means which God hath instituted. They are
the best and only means by which we may expect to obtain salvation. We
shall be most inexcusable therefore if we neglect them. Let us attend to
the Word of God, read and hear it carefully, consider it thoroughly, and
daily walk by it. Let us be diligent in this work. The Word of God is a
great price put into our hands to get wisdom and eternal salvation. Let
us therefore improve it while we have it, as we know not how soon we may
be deprived of it; lest Christ say to us, as in Luke 19:42, “If thou
hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which
belong unto thy peace! But now they are hid from thine eyes”
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