Falling into the Hands of the Living God!

Part 8

Matthew Mead, 1629-1699

"It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God!" Hebrews 10:31

I am giving you the reasons why it is such a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

I. The first reason was with respect to those attributes of God that make it so, especially his omniscience, his power, and his justice.

II. I gave you the second reason the last time. And that was because all the proceedings of God in that day will be suited to the ministry of a man's conscience, and such as that shall fall in with. I spoke to this point gradually in nine conclusions, and shall not look back, but proceed to the third reason.
 

III. It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God, because all who do so are in a covenant in which the great design of God is to glorify his justice. There is no room for mercy there: either perfect duty—or absolute misery are the unchangeable terms of that covenant. Do well and live—or sin and die, is the only voice you shall hear, so long as you hold by that tenure, and are under that covenant.

God asked, when man fell: What have you done? He did not ask him if he had repented. Ezekiel 18:20, "The soul that sins, shall die," for the least breach of that covenant is fatal, and the penalty of it is intolerable. Previous sins, cannot be expiated by subsequent duties; paying new debts, will in no way cancel the old score. All the dispensations of God to man in that covenant of works are judicial, but the worst is to come, and that is, that it puts the sinner into the hands of the living God.

When God deals with his redeemed people, it is in and by a mediator. But he deals with lost sinners alone and without a mediator. Therefore his dealing with the one is all in mercy, and with the other is all in judgment.

It is an unspeakable misery (though the natural man does not consider it) to be under the covenant of works. There is a vulgar mistake abroad, which supposes that the first covenant was disannulled and repealed at the fall, and that God now deals with us on new terms, as if the covenant of grace did wholly exclude and shut out the former contract. In this they think only Adam was concerned. But the consideration of Adam's being a public person for the human race, would sufficiently show the grossness of that mistake, for that covenant was not made with Adam personally—but representatively, as the head of all mankind, and therefore not only with him, but with all of his seed.

And every natural man, while natural, and a son of Adam—is obliged to the tenure of Adam's covenant, as much as Adam was. The form of the law runs in universal terms, "Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things written in the book of the law to do them," (Galatians 3:10). And this rule has no exception, but that of free grace, through a saving interest in Christ, and therefore all natural men are described by this term, that they are, "under the law," (Galatians 4:5)—that is, under the bond and curse of the covenant of works. If this law had been repealed and laid aside presently on Adam's fall—then Christ had not come under the bond and curse of it, as our substitute and surety, for he was to take our debt on him, and to submit to the duties and penalties of our engagements. Therefore, it is said in the place aforementioned, that, "He was made under the law, to redeem those who are under the law." And again, "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us," (Galatians 3:13).

Again, the law is not repealed, because it is an unchangeable rule, according to which God proceeds: "not one jot or tittle of the law shall pass, until all is fulfilled," (Matthew 5:18). That is, until all is fulfilled by the creature, or on the creature, or by and on his surety for him.

It is the covenant of works that condemns all the sons of Adam. Its vigor brought Christ from Heaven to fulfill it for all believers. Either we must have Christ to fulfill it for us—or we must for the breach of it, necessarily perish forever.

Therefore the Apostle James says, that at the day of judgment, God proceeds with all men according to one of the two covenants, (James 2:12-13), that of works, or that of grace. Some are judged by the law of liberty—that is the covenant of grace; some have judgment without mercy, that is—by the law of the first covenant.

The two covenants have two principal confederating parties, that have contracted for them and their heirs, namely, Adam and Christ. Therefore, so long as you are Adam's heir—you have Adam's engagements on you. The covenant of works was made with Adam and his seed, who are all natural men. The covenant of grace was made with Christ and his seed, who are all believers.

Now God will own no interest in those who remain in the covenant of works. As Abraham was to reckon his seed by Isaac, and not by Ishmael, (in Isaac shall your seed be called)—so all God's children are reckoned by Christ, and in covenant with God in Christ, they are the seed. And that is the covenant in which the great design of God from first to last is to glorify his grace.

But the design of God in the covenant of works, is to glorify his justice—and therefore you read of no grace, no pity, no mercy, in that covenant from first to last. God reveals himself there to be a just God, rewarding good and punishing evil. There is nothing in that covenant, but strict justice.

In the covenant of grace, God makes another representation of himself. He shows himself gracious and merciful, "I will be merciful to your iniquities," (Jeremiah 31:34). But there is nothing in the covenant of works but strict justice, and therefore, there is no such thing there as the forgiveness of sin. The voice of pardoning mercy was never heard in that covenant. Nothing the creature can do, can attain one grain of pardoning mercy. God does not look at any man's repenting or returning from sin there, but only considers whether he has sinned or not. As in a court of justice, when matters of a capital nature, and such as relate to life and death are tried—the inquiry is into the nature of the fact, and not into the quality of the person. There is no regard as to whether the person is penitent, but whether the fact was committed or not. And if he is found guilty, the law condemns him, and no repentance can avail him.

So it is in God's court of justice, under the covenant of works. For as he sits on a throne of grace in the covenant of grace—so he sits on a throne of justice in the covenant of works; and when he sits on this seat, everything is managed according to the rules of strict justice. Justice indicts. Justice examines. Justice pronounces sentence. Justice executes the sentence. So that whoever has sinned, receives according to all the evil that he has done.

Here is it (as I said before) that when Adam had sinned, the inquiry is not, "Have you repented of your folly?" but, "What have you done?" And God proceeds on that.

O! how great is the difference between the two covenants: that of works in Adam—and that of grace in Christ. The voice of the one is, "the soul that sins shall surely die!" The voice of the other is, "As I live, I desire not the death of a sinner!" In the covenant of works, God condemns both sin and the sinner. But in the covenant of grace, he condemns the sin, and spares the sinner; and the reason is, because the one covenant has a mediator, and the other has none. In the covenant of grace, sin is laid on the surety—and the sinner goes free. But in the covenant of works, sin and the sinner are condemned together, for in that covenant there is no mediator, no surety.

When the covenant of works was first made, man being in a holy and righteous state, with a heart and mind fitted to answer the heart and mind of God—there was full agreement between man and God.

"Now a mediator is not a mediator of one," (Galatians 3:20). That is, of parties that are agreed, and between whom there is no difference therefore the first covenant was an immediate covenant in which man had to do with God without the Redeemer Christ, and all the transactions in that covenant between God and man were managed in an immediate way. It was a covenant without a mediator; and so it is still, for though the nature of man is altered, the nature of the covenant is the same. Sin has broken the covenant, but it has not altered it. It is the same forever, and therefore as it was without a mediator before the fall, so it is still.

And if it is so—then every soul that is in that covenant of works is a Christless condition. So long as man lives under the covenant of works, he lives without Christ; and if he dies under it, he dies in a Christless condition, and without Christ, and therefore must necessarily fall into the hands of strict justice. For the design of God in that covenant is to glorify his justice, and therefore its subjects shall have judgment without mercy, wrath without mixture, not one drop of mercy mingled to moderate the fierceness of God's indignation! "Who can abide the fierceness of his wrath!" (Nahum 1:6).

When God sets himself to glorify his justice—he ever joins vengeance to it. Therefore he is still, "a judge and an avenger," (Revelation 6:10). There is a great deal of difference between a judge and an avenger, and between justice and vengeance. A judge commonly does acts of justice in the behalf of others, but an avenger is one who executes justice on his own behalf. And therefore of old, the next of kin seeking the life of the murderer was called an avenger of blood, and God speaks after the same manner of himself. "Therefore the Lord, the LORD Almighty, the Mighty One of Israel, declares: Ah, I will get relief from my foes and avenge myself on my enemies!" (Isaiah 1:24).

Abused patience provokes justice—and justice is mixed with vengeance. And when God will put forth his vengeance for the glorifying of his justice—O! how sad must the case of that miserable sinner be on whom it falls. "This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from Heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed." 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10

This is the reason why the apostle says here in the text, "It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God"—because he is a God of vengeance!

Do but see the verse preceding our text, "I will take revenge. I will pay them back!" Therefore it follows: "It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God." Vengeance is the actual execution of judgment upon lost sinners, according to their desert, without any mixture of mercy, and therefore vengeance is appropriated to God alone. "To me vengeance belongs," and it does so, on a twofold account:

1. As being that which no creature has any saving interest in. This is intended in that of David, (Psalm 94:1). "O! God to whom vengeance belongs," and he repeats it, "to whom vengeance belongs—show yourself!" The repetition of it implies that it belongs to God, and none else, and therefore it is forbidden to others. Romans 12:19, "Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God." And why? "For it is written: VENGEANCE is MINE, I WILL REPAY! says the Lord." None have to deal with vengeance but God, and the reason is, because it respects only sin in its own formal nature, and so it is sin against God, and therefore,

(1). Though men may inflict punishment upon sin, they do it principally on other accounts. Whatever of vengeance is in punishment, is merely an emanation from the divine constitution.

(2). No creature can take the just measures of the desert of sin, so as to give it a just recompense—and therefore they have nothing to do with vengeance.

(3). The power of the creature cannot extend to just execution of vengeance—because sin deserves eternal punishment.

(4). Pure vengeance (as such) is not to be trusted to man, nor would he know how to manage it, but would run into one excess or another to the ruin of his own soul.

For such reasons as these, God has reserved all vengeance to himself, and though he has allowed the punishment of offenders to the magistrates and men in authority, in order to the peace and good government of the world. Yet vengeance (as it denotes giving satisfaction to ourselves in the punishment of others,) is forbidden to all persons both public and private.

2. In this appropriating vengeance to God, there is this included: that in due time God will execute it. "I will repay it! says the Lord." God oftentimes exercises great patience and forbearance, and does not suddenly avenge himself, for he is God and not man. This makes wicked men secure, and they despise the threatenings of God for sin. Because vengeance is not speedily executed, therefore the hearts of the sons of men are set in them to do evil—but God has his set time for execution, and then he will not spare.

Here he calls it the day of his righteous judgment, "The year of recompense, and the day of vengeance," (Isaiah 34:8). From this consideration of the vengeance of God against lost sinners, the apostle brings in the text by way of inference. As if he had said, seeing he is a just God, and justice is mixed with vengeance, and this vengeance belongs to God alone, and the day is coming in which he will repay it—therefore, it is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God. That is the third reason.
 

IV. It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God—because of the impartiality of the sentence that, in that day, shall be passed by God upon the sinner. And that it will be impartial, appears in three things:

1. There will be no distinction of persons.

2. The sentence will be suited to the nature of the cause.

3. No sin shall escape the sentence.

This shows God's justice to be very impartial—and that makes it dreadful.

1. There shall be no distinction of persons, it shall not be then as it too often happens now. Judges corrupted or bribed, may favor one more than another, sometimes they aggravate a matter, and amplify an evidence, beyond the merits of the cause—on purpose to cover the injustice of the sentence. And sometimes they smother and lessen the evidence—to diminish the guilt, and so make way for a favorable sentence, according as they are biased towards the person before them.

But the righteous God cannot be inclined, either to favor or severity, upon any such terms. God will not favor the guilty—nor will he condemn the innocent, to the reproach of his righteousness. The Scripture tells you that there is "no respect of persons with God, nor taking of bribes," (2 Chronicles 19:7) This implies that it is many times gifts and bribes which cause respect of persons. God respects none—not the lowest out of pity, nor the highest out of fear of their greatness.

What is it to accept bribes, but only to show more favoritism to the man, than to the matter; to be more swayed by the circumstances of the person, than by the merits of the cause. Now God shows no favoritism—nor does he regard the rich more than the poor. No man shall fare the better in that day, because of his riches, for, "riches profit not in the day of wrath," (Proverbs 11:4). Nor shall the poor man fare the worse for his baseness, and mark the reason, "for all are the work of his hands," and that in a double respect—namely, in regard of their natural state, and their civil state.

(1.) In regard of their NATURAL state. God has made them both alike, with a body of the same parts, and a soul of the same powers. The rich man's body does not have one member, nor his soul one faculty, more than the poor man's has.

(2). In regard to their CIVIL state. They are both the works of his hands in this sense too—that is, he makes one man rich and the other poor, just as he pleases. And therefore, though man may regard the one more than the other—yet God will not. He is, "without respect of persons judging according to every man's works," (1 Peter 1:17). No degree of greatness will give a man the least advantage in that day. "I saw the dead, small and great stand before God," (Revelation 20:12). Kings then leave their crowns and scepters behind them, and are denuded of all their robes of state, and shall carry nothing with them to the bar of God, but their works.

No outward greatness, no spiritual privileges, will avail a man in that day, without real holiness. It is very natural for men to presume on these. They are members of the best church, and of the strictest sect in religion—and in this, they value themselves. But this proves them no more Christians than being of a company of merchants, proves a man to be a rich citizen.

"Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers!'" (Matthew 7:22-23).

As all men are equally subject to God's laws—so shall they be equally accountable for all their actions.

Though there are no distinction of persons—yet there shall be a distinction of causes. For if the sentence is different, ("Depart from me, you evildoers!" or "Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world!") then the causes must necessarily be different.

2. The sentence will be suited to the nature of the cause.

God says that every man shall be judged according to his works. The Apostle tells us, (Galatians 6:7-8). "Whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap. He who sows to the flesh, (in sin, lust, and wickedness) shall of the flesh, reap corruption. But he who sows to the Spirit, (in faith, love, and holiness) shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting."

Here is a sowing and a reaping—and as a man sows, so shall he reap. Beloved now is our sowing time—you and I are sowing for eternity.

When is the harvest? Why, that is in the next world, in the great judgment day of God. What we sow here, we shall be sure to reap the fruit of there. The seed that is now sown, will come up, and ripen in eternity. Be it good seed (such as faith, repentance, obedience, and holiness)—or bad seed (such as unbelief, indulging sin, and lusts, and love of the world)—the harvest will be according as the seed is, for God has said every man shall reap the fruits of his own doings, (Jeremiah 21:12).

So that this (by the way) may confute that ignorant mischievous notion that many silly souls have sucked in, and which has greatly fermented the Atheism of this generation, namely, "If I am elected, then I shall be saved. If I am not elected, then I shall be damned, though I have done all I can." And on this, men cast away all care of God and duty, and their immortal soul—that they may perish in their lusts with quietness.

Let me tell you, this is a very ignorant and abominable gross mistake. Eternal election gives no man a right to Heaven. It is his believing in Christ and applying the merits of Christ to his own soul, which gives him the right to Heaven. God ordains a man to eternal life—but it is faith which entitles him to it. Therefore it is said, "as many were ordained to eternal life believed," (Acts 13:48). An elected person is not saved merely because he is elected, but because he complies with the conditions of salvation, and comes up to those terms of eternal life which God has established in the Gospel.

Besides, there is no such thing as an election which separates between the end and the means, therefore to say, "If I am elected, I shall be saved, no matter how I live." This is foolish nonsense. The same act of God's will which decreed our salvation, has decreed our believing and sanctification. The Apostle expresses this in 2 Thessalonians 2:13, "God has from the beginning chosen you to salvation—through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth"—that is, through faith and holiness. God has as much elected me to believe, as to be saved, and therefore, "without holiness no man shall see God," (Hebrews 12:14). So also, 1 Peter 1:2, "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification and obedience." He who is chosen of God, is "chosen in Christ"—that he may be conformed to Christ. (Ephesians 1:4). "Whom he foreknow—he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son," (Romans 8:29). That is, he decreed that they should be like Christ, first in grace and holiness—and then in glory.

We are elected to glory by grace, for there can be no salvation without a disposition of the subject to it, and that disposition lies in a work of saving grace worked in the heart. Therefore, it is an everlasting truth: No grace—no glory! No conversion—no salvation! No obedience—no inheritance! "For Christ is the author of eternal life to all who obey him"—and to them only. (Hebrews 5:9).

Therefore I say, this is a foolish suggestion, "If I am elected, I shall be saved, etc." The question is, do you believe? Are you holy? For if God has elected you—then he has elected you to these.

The same thing may be said (on the other hand) concerning reprobation. No man ever perished merely because he was a reprobate—but because he was an unbeliever and disobedient. God's secret will is not that which we are to guide ourselves by—but his revealed will. His secret will is a rule to himself, but it is no rule to us. "The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law." Deuteronomy 29:29

Look to the word of God, to what he has there revealed and commanded, with respect to our salvation. We are not first to look to God's secret purposes concerning us, but to his precepts given to us. We are not first to look to what God has done before time, but to what he would have us do in time. The great law of God concerning you and me, is that we should believe in Christ. This has salvation infallibly annexed to it, without exception of any one soul.

This I say: Whatever the secret decree of God may be—yet no man is ever saved, but by believing; and no man is ever damned, but for sin. God will not reckon with men for what his secret decrees are—but for what their works are, and by them they shall stand or fall. When God deals with believers, he brings their works as the rule, and judges them by their works. The reward is dispensed according as the rule is; and as their works agree with that, "the words that I have spoken, they shall judge you," (John 12:48).

Those, who being sensible of sin, do cordially mourn for it, and entirely depend on the grace of God as revealed in Christ, shall certainly be saved and glorified. And as one believer has excelled another in obedience and service here—so shall he have a more excellent reward than another believer hereafter. God will crown his own graces accordingly as the saints have improved them. He who employs and trades with but two talents, with his utmost skill and diligence—shall have a greater reward than he who had ten talents, and was less careful to employ them to his master's advantage.

God will not swerve from his established rule, "he who sows sparingly, shall reap sparingly; and he who sows liberally, shall reap bountifully," (2 Corinthians 9:6).

And if God will be in this way impartial in his rewards to the saints—then he will be so much more, in his retributions to lost sinners. For the reward of the saints, is the reward of their duty, and that is the effect of rich grace and favor. But the retributions of lost sinners are their due, and deserved by justice.

Therefore, the severity of the sentence will be in proportion to the number and nature of their sins. So that as the saints are all alike saved, but not all alike glorified—so lost sinners shall be all alike damned, but not all alike tormented. Sins of ignorance will find a hot Hell, but sins against Scripture light and knowledge will find Hell much hotter! Luke 12:47, "He who did not know his Lord's will, and did things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. But he who knew his Lord's will and did it not, shall be beaten with many stripes." Therefore, the case of the poor blind heathen will be much more tolerable than that of the religious Jews, because they had not such means of knowledge. And the case of the Jews will be much more tolerable than that of us in Christian lands who have such a Gospel, and such means of grace as the Jews never had.

The clearer the light, the stricter the precept, the holier the examples, the louder the calls, and the richer the promises that are set before us—the more severe and intolerable shall be the judgment of every soul who disregards them. There is no light so clear as the light of the Gospel. It is said on its first breaking forth, "The people that sat in darkness saw great light!" There are no precepts so strict, as those of the Gospel. There is no example so holy, as the example of Christ set before us. There is no call so loud, as that call of the Gospel. There are no promises so rich and great, as the promises of the Gospel. Therefore, there is no judgment so heavy, as the judgment of those who perish under the Gospel. As their guilt is, so shall their judgment be. God will proportion the sentence according to the sin, and the punishment shall be exactly suited to the nature of the crime!

3. There is no sin which shall escape the sentence of that day. This Scripture is very full to this purpose, Ecclesiastes 12:14, "God will bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or evil." So the Apostle says in 2 Corinthians 5:10, "We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that every one may receive according to the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether it be good or bad." Those sins that have been acted in the secret hiding place, and concealed from all manner of notice, shall then be made manifest, our Lord tells you, "For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open." (Mark 4:22). Neither is there anything kept secret, which shall not openly manifested.

All the sins of COMMISSION shall then be brought to the bar, whether they are sins of youth, or sins of riper years, sins of lesser or greater guilt, of a crimson or of a common dye—none shall escape! No, not one! How can evil works escape, when an idle word shall not? Matthew 12:36, "I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give an account thereof in the day of judgment." If every idle word is judged—then how much more for all impure and filthy words, all corrupt speech, lying, swearing, all wicked profane blasphemous words!

O! what an account must be given for these! Lord, how many have been sunk into Hell by the weight of their own tongues, and perished by the sword of their own mouths!

Solomon has an excellent proverb to this purpose in Proverbs 13:3, "He who keeps his mouth, keeps his life, but he who opens his lips wide shall have destruction." That of Christ is the same, "By your words you shall be justified, (if they are good)—and by your words, you shall be condemned, (if they are idle and evil)," (Matthew 12:37).

It would grieve one to hear what vile language fills the streets. What cursing, swearing, and filthy discourse is abroad, such as stains the ears of a Christian. Remember this: light words weigh heavy in God's balance.

One said of this Scripture, if there were no other text in the Bible to prove our need of righteousness other than our own, in which to stand before God, this would be enough.

O! what need have you and I to be much in the use of David's prayer. "Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD! Keep watch over the door of my lips!" (Psalm 141:3).

All our sins of OMISSION shall then be brought to light, not only the evil you have practiced—but all the good you have neglected. Not only the evil which you have done—but the good which you have not done. These are great sins, "to him that knows to do good, and does it not—to him it is sin." (James 4:17). That is, it is a great sin. So necessarily, for while we own God in our understandings—we do by this deny him in our conduct. While we acknowledge religion, in the truth of it—we deny it in the power of it in our lives.

O! how many are our omissions—from carelessness, from perverseness, from delays, from slothfulness! Yes, and God knows how many—from a contempt, and slight of duty! But Christ tells us, the guilt of these neglects shall be charged in that day. Do you not remember this text? "I was an hungry, and you gave me no food. Depart from me, you who are cursed."

I tell you, the neglect of improving seasons of grace, and those blessed opportunities God has put into our hands of doing and receiving good—will make your account very dreadful. Yes, even if you had not one open sin of commission to answer for. All the sins that ever the sinner has been guilty of in the whole course of his life, from first to last, shall be judged by God.

These three things manifest the justice of the sentence of God, in that day where lost sinners fall into his hands. There shall be no distinction of people.

The sentence shall be suited to the nature of the case and no sin shall escape the sentence—which is another reason why, "it is such a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God!" And we must be the greatest fools in the world, if we do not consider it.

How should such a doctrine as this awaken every soul to consider its case—to reflect on our state, and to inquire how it is with us?

Am I converted? Or am I not converted? If not, how should I strive to repent of all my sins, words, actions, omissions, and commissions, secret or open sins, sins of heart, sins of life—and to labor for grace and holiness. This is the use the Apostle makes of the same doctrine in 2 Peter 3:11, "Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives!" And again, verse 14, "Since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him!" May the Lord grant that you and I may make such a practical use of this doctrine.