DISCOURSE: 780
THE CHARACTER AND END OF THE WICKED
Proverbs 13:5. A wicked man is lothesome, and cometh to shame.
THE world in general uphold and countenance one another in their evil ways; some will even “make a mock at sin,” and glory in it. But God’s testimony respecting the wicked man is, that, whatever be his rank, or talents, or estimation among men, he is indeed “lothesome, and cometh to shame.”
In these words we behold,
I. The character of the wicked—
The wicked comprehend all who are not righteous—
[There are but two classes of persons mentioned in the Scriptures; and to one or other of them we all belong. There is no intermediate character. We indeed cannot always determine to which of these classes men belong, because we cannot discern the heart; but God, to whom all things are naked and open, will distinguish them from each other as easily as we do sheep from the goats.
It is of infinite importance that we should have this truth impressed on our minds: for we are ready to rank among the wicked those only who are guilty of great enormities: whereas all are wicked who are not truly righteous; all, who are not converted to God, and renewed in the spirit of their minds.]
God’s testimony respecting them is applicable to them all, whether they be more or less wicked in respect of gross sins—
[The openly profane are doubtless exceeding lothesome in the sight of God. Let any one but notice their conversation; how replete is it with lewdness and blasphemy! Let their tempers be marked; what evil dispositions do they manifest on all occasions! Let their conduct be scrutinized, their drunkenness, their whoredoms, and all their other abominations; and who must not confess the justice of that representation, which compares them to swine wallowing in the mire, and dogs devouring their own vomit [Note: 2 Peter 2:22. See also Job 15:16; Psalms 53:1-3.]?
The more decent, it is true, are not so vile in the eyes of men, (yea, perhaps they are honoured and esteemed) but they also are lothesome in the sight of God. What monsters of ingratitude are the very best of unregenerate men! What mercies have they received from God; what inconceivable love has been shewn them by the Lord Jesus Christ; and yet they have never spent one hour in humble and grateful adorations. If they had laboured thus to win the affections of some worthless wretch, and after many years of unintermitted kindness were requited by him as they requite their God, would they not consider him as deserving of utter execration? How lothesome then must they be, whose obligations are infinitely greater, and whose conduct is inexpressibly more vile! Their actions, it is confessed, may have been fair and specious: but what have their hearts been? have they not been a very sink of iniquity [Note: Jeremiah 17:9; Genesis 6:5.]? Yes; so depraved are the very best of men, that there are few, if any, who would not rather die, than have all the secrets of their hearts known to men as they are known to God. What then are such persons, but whited sepulchres [Note: Matthew 23:27.]? No wonder that, however they be esteemed among men, both their persons and services are an abomination to the Lord [Note: Luke 15:16; Proverbs 15:8; Proverbs 15:26; Proverbs 28:9.]
Conformable to their character must surely be,
II.
Their end—
Sin is in itself inconceivably vile, and will bring its votaries to shame,
1. In this world—
[How often are the fairest characters blasted by detection, and exposed to infamy! The deeds of darkness, when brought to light, often reflect such dishonour upon men, as to make them shun society, and put a period to their own existence. And how many are brought to die by the hands of a public executioner, and to entail disgrace on their latest posterity! Little do men think, when first they yield to temptation, whither sin will lead them. It is a principal device of Satan to conceal the consequences of sin, and to make men believe that they can recede from it whenever they please: but when he has once entangled their feet, they find to their cost, that they cannot escape from his net.]
2. In the world to come—
[There are many who pass honourably through life, and, for their conduct in society, deserve every token of our respect. But God will try the hearts of men in the last day: and “will bring to light every secret thing, whether it be good or evil.” Then what shame will overwhelm the most specious moralist, whose heart was unrenewed by grace! A want of love to Christ now is thought but a light matter: but then it will appear in its true colours, as deserving of God’s heaviest indignation [Note: 1 Corinthians 16:22.]. Secret lusts too are overlooked, as though they did not at all defile the soul: but they will then be found to have made us altogether lothesome and odious to God [Note: Ezekiel 14:4; Ezekiel 14:7.]. Then will Christ [Note: Matthew 7:22-23.] with all his saints [Note: 1 Corinthians 6:2.] and angels [Note: Matthew 13:41-42.] unite in expressing their abhorrence of these whited sepulchres; so fully shall that declaration be verified, They shall awake to shame and everlasting contempt [Note: Daniel 12:2.]
We cannot improve this subject better than by pointing out,
1.
What is that repentance which such persons need—
[It is by no means sufficient to confess that we are sinners: we should feel that we are indeed lothesome [Note: Isaiah 64:6.]; and should be filled with shame on account of the extreme vileness of our hearts [Note: Ezekiel 36:31; Ezekiel 16:63 and Romans 6:21.]. Nothing less than this will constitute that “repentance which is not to be repented of [Note: See Ezra 9:6; Job 40:4; Job 42:6.].”]
2. How their character and end may be completely changed—
[Lothesome as we are we may be purified by the blood of Jesus, and be made without spot or blemish in the sight of God [Note: Ephesians 5:25-27.]. Our natures also may be changed by his Spirit, so that we shall possess a beauty that God himself shall admire [Note: 1 Peter 3:4.]. Yea, instead of having shame for our portion, we shall be made to inherit “glory and honour and immortality.” We shall be sons of the living God, and be seated with Christ on thrones of glory. Let us then seek this change, and rely on God’s promises, that by means of them it may be accomplished in us [Note: 2 Corinthians 7:1.]