Ezekiel 33:7-9 So you, O son of man, I have set you a watchman to the house of Israel; therefore you shall hear the word at my mouth… I. WHO ARE THE WICKED? Profane and gross sinners, who indulge themselves in notorious immoralities (1 Corinthians 6:9, 10; Galatians 5:19-21; Colossians 3:5, 6; Revelation 21:8). In this black list you not only find such gross vices as are scandalous in the common estimate of mankind, but also such as are secret, seated in the heart, and generally esteemed but lesser evils. 2. All who knowingly and wilfully indulge themselves habitually in any one sin, whether it be the omission of a commanded duty or the practice of something forbidden (1 John 2:4; 1 John 3:8, 10; John 14:23, 24). I grant that good men sin, and that they are far from perfection of holiness in this life. I grant also that some of them have fallen, perhaps once in their life, into some gross sin. But after all, I must insist that they do not indulge themselves in the wilful habitual practice of any known sin, or the wilful habitual neglect of any known duty. St. John expressly tells us (1 John 3:9), he cannot sin habitually; again, he cannot sin wilfully — that is, with full bent of soul. 3. All who are destitute of those graces and virtues which constitute the character of positive goodness. Wickedness is a moral privation, or the want of real goodness. The want of faith, the want of love, repentance, benevolence, and charity does as really constitute a wicked man, as drunkenness, blasphemy, or any notorious immorality. 4. All who still continue in their natural state; who have never been regenerated, or experienced a thorough change of their views and dispositions, towards God and divine things (John 3:6; Romans 8:8; Ephesians 2:3). II. WHAT KIND OF DEATH SHALL THE WICKED MAN DIE? It is true, natural death is the universal doom of all the sons of men (Ecclesiastes 2:16). The highest attainments in piety cannot secure an earthly immortality. But though there be no difference in this respect, there is a wide difference in another, and that is, the death of the wicked is quite another thing, or comes under quite a different notion, from the death of the righteous. The death of the wicked, like an officer from their offended sovereign, strikes off the fetters of flesh, that they may be carried away to a place of execution. Then, farewell, a long, and everlasting farewell, to the comforts of this life, and all its agreeable prospects: farewell to friends; farewell to hope and peace; farewell to all the means of grace; farewell, God, and Christ, and angels, and all the blessedness of heaven. Now nothing awaits them but wrath and fiery indignation. But even this, dreadful as it is. is not all — there is besides this, that dreadful something called the second death (Revelation 21:8; Revelation 2:11; Revelation 20:6, 14) — which thou, O wicked man, must die. The soul will be forever dead to God and holiness — dead to all the means of grace, and all the enjoyments of this life; dead to all happiness and all hope; dead to all the comfortable purposes of existence; dead to everything that deserves the name of life — in short, dead to everything but the torturing sensations of pain; to these the soul will be tremblingly alive all over, to eternity; but, alas! to be alive, in this sense, alive only to suffer pain, is worse than death, worse than annihilation. III. WHAT YOU MUST DO TO BE SAVED. 1. Betake yourselves immediately to serious thoughtfulness. 2. Break off from those things that hinder your conversion. 3. Diligently use all means that may instruct you in the nature of true religion. 4. Earnestly pray to God. 5. Endeavour to receive and submit to the Lord Jesus as your only Saviour. 6. Do not delay to follow these directions. (President Davies.) Parallel Verses KJV: So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me. |
    |