The Vain Self-Flatteries Of The Sinner # 2

The Vain Self-Flatteries of the Sinner # 2

II. I shall mention some of the various ways, wherein sinners flatter themselves in their own eyes. 

1. Some flatter themselves with a secret hope - that there is no such thing as another world. They hear a great deal of preaching, and a great deal of talk about hell, and about eternal judgment; but those things do not seem to them to be real. They never saw any of these things: they never saw hell, never saw the devils and damned spirits; and therefore are ready to say with themselves, "How do I know that there is any such thing as another world? When animals die - that is an end of them - so perhaps it will be the same with me? Perhaps all these warnings of Scripture, are nothing but the inventions of men, nothing but cunningly devised fables.

Such thoughts are apt to rise in the minds of sinners, and the devil seeks to enforce them. Such thoughts are a great comfort to them; therefore they wish they were true, and this makes them the more ready to think that they are indeed true. So that they become hardened in the way of sin - by their infidelity and atheistic thoughts. Psalm 14:1, "The fool has said in his heart - There is no God." Psalm 94:6, 7, "They kill the widow and the foreigner and murder the fatherless. They say - The Lord doesn't see it. The God of Jacob doesn't pay attention!'

2. Some flatter themselves that death is a great way off - and that they shall hereafter have much opportunity to seek salvation; and they think if they earnestly seek it, though it be a great while hence, they shall obtain it. Although they see no reason to conclude that they shall live long, and perhaps they do not positively conclude that they shall long - yet it does not come into their minds, that their lives are really uncertain, and that there is no certainty that they will live another year. Such a thought as this does not take any hold of them. And although they do not absolutely determine that they shall live to old age or to middle age - yet they secretly flatter themselves with such a vain imagination. They are disposed to believe so, and do so far believe it - that they act upon it and run the venture of it.

Men will believe that things will be - as they choose to have them, without reason, and sometimes without the appearance of reason, as is most apparent in this case in Psalm 49:11, "Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue forever, and their dwelling places to endless generations."

The inclinations and desires of men to have it so, is the principle thing which makes them believe so. However, there are several other things which they use as arguments to flatter themselves. Perhaps they think that since they are at present in health, or in youth, or that since they are useful men, do a great deal of good, and both themselves and others pray for the continuance of the their lives; they are not likely to be removed by death very soon.

3. Some flatter themselves that they lead moral and decent lives - and therefore think that they shall not be damned. They think that they do not live in any open vice - that they are careful to wrong no man - that they are just and honest in their dealings - that they are not addicted to strong drinking, or to impurity, or to filthy language - that they are constant attendants on the public worship, and maintain the worship of God in their families. Therefore they hope that God will not cast them into hell. They do not see why God should be so angry with them - seeing they are so moral and upright in their walk. They do not see that they have done enough to anger him to that degree. And if they have angered Him, they imagine they have also done a great deal to pacify Him.

If they are not as yet converted - they hope that their moral and strict lives will move God to give them converting grace. They hope that surely God will not send to hell those who live as moral as they do. Thus they flatter themselves, as those we read of Luke 18:9, "That trusted in themselves - that they were righteous."

4. Some make the advantages under which they live - an occasion of self flattery. They flatter themselves, that they live in a place where the gospel is powerfully preached, and among a religious people, where many have been converted - and they think it will be much easier for them to be saved on that account. Thus they abuse the grace of God to their destruction; they do that which the Scriptures call despising the riches of God's kindness. (Romans 2:4. "Do you despise the riches of His kindness, restraint, and patience - not recognizing that God's kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?"

Some flatter themselves, because they are born of godly parents, who are dead to God, who have often and earnestly prayed for them. They hope that their prayers will be heard - and this encourages them to go on in the way of neglecting their souls. The Jews had great dependence upon this - that they were the children of Abraham: (John 8:33). They made their boast, "We are Abraham's descendants!" And in verse 39, "Abraham is our father!"

5. There are some who flatter themselves, that they do and have done - a great deal for their salvation, and therefore hope they shall obtain it - when indeed they neither do what they ought to do, nor what they might do in their present state of unregeneracy; nor are they in any likely way to be converted. They think they are striving - when they neglect many commanded Scriptural duties; nor do they exert themselves as if it were for their lives; they are not violent for the kingdom of heaven.

~Jonathan Edwards~

(continued with # 3)