Take Up the Cross

He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him.
— 1 Kings 13:18

And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him. And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so. Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning thee.
— 1 Kings 22:21-23

For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.
— Jeremiah 6:13-14

Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits: Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.
— Isaiah 30:10-11

If the Business of Ministers Was to Gratify Men’s Lusts, They Would Be Much Better Received, by Jonathan Edwards. A Sermon.

If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.
— Micah 2:11

We have an account in the sixth verse of how the people treated the true prophets: they rejected them and disliked their prophecies. “Prophesy not,” they said to those who prophesied, “for their prophecies were like the prophecies of those whom God sent to them.” They reproved the people for their sins, discountenanced their corruptions, and denounced God’s judgment for their iniquity. The people hated these prophecies because they were against their sins. If the people had behaved as they ought, the word of God would not have been against them, as it is said in the seventh verse: “Do not My words do good to him that walks uprightly?”

In the text, it is declared what kind of prophets would suit the people—namely, one who, walking in the spirit of falsehood, lies, saying, “I will prophesy to you of wine and of strong drink.” Such a prophet as this would be well received and entertained by the people, and would be the kind of prophet they would like.

They did not like a prophet who always reproved them for their sins, contradicted their lusts, and would not allow them to gratify their sensual appetites, nor let them have the peaceful enjoyment of their sinful pleasures. But if there should come a prophet among them, walking in the spirit of falsehood, who should prophesy to them of wine and strong drink—one who would fall in with their corruptions and flatter them in their sinful inclinations—then, instead of prophesying God’s judgments for their sins, he would foretell sinful pleasures and prophesy the gratification of their lusts. This would be the prophet that would suit them.

The children of Israel had both kinds of prophets among them. They had true prophets who reproved them for their sins and denounced God’s wrath against them if they did not repent. These, the people hated and persecuted. And they had false prophets who always flattered them in their sins. These were always well entertained and cherished by them, as it is written in Isaiah 30:9–10: “This is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord, who say to the seers, ‘See not,’ and to the prophets, ‘Prophesy not to us right things; speak to us smooth things; prophesy deceits.’”

I. If the Business of Ministers Were the Further Gratification of Men’s Lusts, They Would Be Much Better Received by Many Than They Are Now

1. If ministers were sent to tell the people that they might gratify their lusts without danger

If ministers were sent to tell the people that it was lawful for them to gratify their lusts—if they came from God with the message that men might freely use strong drink when they had a strong appetite for it, or that it was lawful for persons to give rein to the lusts of uncleanness, allowing unclean practices and freely enjoying their lascivious pleasures—how eagerly would they be listened to by some. What good attention would they give.

If ministers were sent to declare that it was lawful for men, when they had the opportunity, to overreach their neighbors in their bargains, or that it was lawful for men to take revenge upon their enemies, to talk against, reproach, and revile those they did not like, they would be much better received than they are now.

Or if ministers were sent to tell them that such things were but little sins—that God did not look upon them as very heinous, nor was much provoked by them—if they were sent to tell men that the punishment of such sins was not very great, that it was such as they might well enough endure, or that the punishment was but temporary and not eternal, they would be much better received.

If ministers were sent to tell them that if men did gratify their lusts, there was no danger but that they might easily obtain pardon and forgiveness—that God would be easily moved and persuaded to forgive them if they asked for it, though they gave themselves full rein in gratifying their sinful lusts—how much better would they be received.

Or if ministers were sent to tell men that God was such a God that He could not have the heart to cast men into eternal burnings if they earnestly begged Him to spare them; that though they spent all their lives in drunkenness, lasciviousness, cheating, or fraud, yet if they but seemed to be sorry for it and sent up a few earnest cries to God upon a deathbed, there would be no danger but that God might be moved in His heart to forgive them—they would be much better received by many than they are now.

If ministers were sent to tell men that there was no danger of a man’s being converted, so long as he allowed himself in willful sin; that men who gave rein to their lusts under the greatest light and most solemn warnings were as likely to be converted and have repentance given to them as the most strict and conscientious livers; and that there was no danger of provoking God to give them up to hardness of heart; and that great sinners—the most daring and presumptuous sinners—did as ordinarily go to heaven as others—then, I say, if ministers were sent with such messages as these, they would be much better received by many than they are now.

They would give more heed to what was said, would like it better, and would be abundantly more pleased and taken with it. They would lay it up in their hearts. If the gospel that ministers preached was full of such tidings as these, it would be accounted more worthy of the name of “gospel” or “glad tidings” than it is now. Now they hear of the gospel’s being glorious, but they can see no glory in it. But then, it would appear ten times more glorious a gospel than it does now.

2. If ministers were sent to offer men a Savior who countenanced and encouraged men’s lusts

If ministers were sent to tell the people that Christ, out of love to men, was desirous that they should have more liberty to enjoy their sinful pleasures; that He came into the world for that end—to lay down His life to purchase for men a dispensation for sinning and an indulgence that they might gratify their strong and violent evil appetites with impunity; and that God would not be angry with them for so doing, nor punish them for it—then Christ would appear to them a thousand times as glorious a Savior as He does now. They would then receive Him gladly.

Ministers need not stand calling and inviting sinners to come to Christ so long in vain. There would be multitudes flocking to such a Christ as this. They could embrace such a Savior as this with all their hearts, whereas now, where there is one that comes to Christ, there would be a hundred. They would not need to have the ministers spend so much breath to set forth the beauty and excellency of Christ, the necessity of Him, and the excellency of the way of salvation, urging and entreating men to close with Christ. No, they would fall in with the proposal at the first word.

Or, if ministers were sent to offer Christ only in one of His offices and not in others—if they were to preach Christ only in His priestly office, as a Savior from the punishment of sin, and not also in His kingly office, as a Savior from the power and dominion of sin, and from being under a lord to rule in us and over us—they would by many be much better received than they are now. That would be mightily pleasing to men: to be saved from the punishment of sin and yet not severed from sin, but to be allowed to enjoy it and practice it still. They would like a Savior who would save them in their sins much better than a Savior to save them from their sins.

3. If ministers were sent to direct men how they might fulfill their lusts, they would be much better received by men than they are now. For instance, if ministers were sent to direct people how they might gratify their covetousness, and to tell them of means by which they might grow rich and get an abundance of the world, they would be a great deal better received and hearkened to than they are now. They would listen to such directions with much greater diligence than they do when the minister directs them how they may get heaven and obtain everlasting riches.

There are many who, while the minister is giving rules for how men may obtain eternal life, commonly have their thoughts wandering to the ends of the earth, thinking of other things quite remote from the business, not regarding—and many times not even knowing—what the minister preaches. But if the minister were sent to tell them how to get an estate, they would hear and mind every word that was said. There are many who sleep now who would hold up their heads then, and would keep their eyes fixed on the minister’s face and their hearts intent on what he delivered.

There would not be such an appearance of men laying down their heads upon their scalps, as though they would purposely compose themselves to sleep. If ministers were sent from God to tell men how they might probably get great estates—though the means were not at all more probable than the means they now direct to for obtaining heaven—yet many would be a great deal more ready to put the directions into practice. Though there was not an absolute certainty, but only as great a probability of success as there is of the diligent use of the means of grace for obtaining heaven, yet they would mind what the minister said a great deal more. They would be more careful to remember it, would not be half so apt to forget it, and would be abundantly more careful to practice his directions in their lives. They would not be half so apt to raise objections against them.

They would not object that it was not certain they should succeed if they followed the directions. But if there was a probability of their growing rich by it, they would be willing to run the venture.

If ministers were sent from God to tell people how they might lay up for their children and provide good portions for them, their word would be more heeded and more practical than when they tell them how they may educate and bring up their children so as very probably to be a means of their eternal salvation and of their being rich and happy forever in heaven.

So, if ministers were sent to tell men how they might gratify their pride—how they might obtain honor and advancement among men, how they might get above such and such of their neighbors whom they now, with an evil eye, see to be above them—this would be more pleasant to them by far than to have ministers tell them how they may become the children of God and may hereafter sit with Christ on thrones and be crowned with glory.

If some persons could learn by ministers how to get fine clothes so as to make a finer show than their fellows, they would hear with greater pleasure and a greater disposition to practice. But when the minister tells them how they may be clothed with the righteousness of Christ, and may have the ornaments of the graces of God’s Spirit, and may hereafter come to shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of God, they are not so engaged.

So, if ministers were sent to direct persons how they might gratify their envy—how they might bring it to pass that this or that person who is now above them might be pulled down and brought into meaner and more depressed circumstances, and how they might be exalted above him, so that they might have the opportunity of vaunting over him and give him the mortification of seeing them above him and getting their will of him—or how they might come up with those who have offended them, who are of a contrary party, do not seek their interest, are not their friends, but hate and despise them—they would be much better received by many than they are now.

Men would keep awake to hear such things. Their attention would be more engaged, and their practice a great deal more conformable than it is now. Many who often stay at home (as some do among us) would probably come more steadily to meeting to hear such things, whereby they might gratify their lusts and advance their worldly interest.

4. Some would like ministers better if they would countenance their scandalous indulgences of their lusts. Some would like ministers better if they would wink at and approve their wickedness, rather than fulfill the rules of Christ with regard to them. They would like it much better to have their wickedness winked at and approved than to have the minister faithfully reprove and rebuke such practices, exercise discipline for the reforming and humbling of them, and bear testimony against such things.
5. If ministers were sent to offer men a carnal and sensual heaven, they would be much better received by many than they are now. It is a dull story to men to tell them of pure, spiritual pleasures—of holy delights, of seeing and enjoying God, of enjoying communion with Christ, of spending an eternity in serving and praising God and the Lamb. They do not understand these things. They have no taste or relish for them. They have no appetite for such a kind of happiness.

It would please them a great deal better if ministers were sent to offer to them such a paradise as the Mohammedans expect—a heaven of carnal delight, where they shall eat and drink and have all the sensual pleasures they can wish for. This would be mightily pleasing to many. Even though all the glory is offered that Christ has purchased with His precious blood, they would much better prefer the gratification of their lusts to God in Christ, with all His glory and perfection, in the full and perfect enjoyment of them here in this world.

Men cannot gratify their lusts without much interruption and molestation. They are molested by an accusing conscience, and they are molested with many evils and inconveniences that a sensual, luxurious life brings—such as weakness and diseases of body, shame and disgrace among men, and many other things. But if they had the news sent to them of a sensual paradise hereafter, where they could gratify all their lusts as much as they would, without any molestation or alloy at all, this would be accounted worthy of a hundred such heavens as the Bible tells of.

Application

I. The First Use May Be of Self-Examination

Inquire whether it is not so with you, as you have heard. Are you not one who would be more pleased if ministers were sent to declare to men that it was lawful for them to gratify these and those sensual and vicious appetites, or that they might take the liberty to do so without much endangering their souls?

If a minister were sent to reveal to you that Christ had died so that you might gratify your lusts without danger, would you not be more pleased, give better attention, and be more careful to remember and practice what you heard? If the minister were sent to direct you how to fulfill your lusts, or to tell you of a heaven or paradise of carnal delights, would that be more pleasing to you?

There is need that you should be very strict in this inquiry, in order to know your own heart, as there is in all other self-examinations about the prevailing temper and disposition of your own soul. It is to be feared there are many who, when they hear the thing proposed, are ready to clear themselves and to say, “No, we are not of that number.” But indeed, they are not clear. Therefore, enter a little more carefully and strictly into this inquiry, and particularly inquire:

1. How do you receive ministers with the message they bring to you in the name of the Lord?

How do you attend to them in their declaring of His message? Are you one who is wont to give diligent attention? Or are you one whose manner is to sit under the preaching of the Word in a careless manner, little regarding what is said, making no conscience of sleeping? Are you not intent on what is preached, but do you allow yourself to spend a great part of the time thinking of other things that have no relation to the minister’s discourse? Are you not one who allows yourself to sleep while the minister is preaching the Word of God?

Is the gospel that is preached to you pleasant and acceptable to you? Or is it a dull story, a dead letter? Do you have an enmity against the gospel for this reason: because it reproves or condemns your lusts? When you hear it, do you hear with a design to practice? Are you actually careful to keep in mind what you hear and to put it into practice? Or are you one who only gives the minister a hearing, then goes away and thinks no more of it, giving no more heed to it?

2. Inquire how it has been with you when you have been hearing other things that tended to gratify your carnal inclinations.

By this, you have something of a trial as to whether you are one of those whom the doctrine speaks of. Though ministers are not sent to promote the gratification of your lusts (so that you have no trial that way), yet you hear many things in your conversations among men that do promote them.

If you are better entertained and pleased with what you hear from others of this nature than with the Word of God, you may thereby judge how you would receive ministers if they were sent with a like message.

How is it when you hear an impure story or a lascivious song? Do you not listen more to it, give better attention, and hear with more pleasure than when you are hearing the gospel of Jesus Christ preached? Is not your attention more engaged? Are you not better suited when you are hearing talk that tends to gratify your covetousness—when you hear any talking about the market, about land or cattle or bargains that have been made, and such like things? Are you not more in your element when you sit talking of such things than when you are hearing of God, Christ, heaven, and the glorious benefits of the gospel?

And how is it when you hear talk that tends to gratify your pride, your envy, and your ill will—when you sit and hear such and such persons reproached, run down, and ridiculed? Are you not more entertained? Does not the time pass away more pleasantly then than when you hear the glorious things of the gospel preached? Some persons seem never to be better suited and entertained than with such conversation as is taken up in talking against others.

II. The Second Use Is of Reproof

If you are one of those spoken of in the text—if ministers were sent to you to further gratify your lusts, you would much better receive them—then consider the following things:

1. What horrible contempt you cast upon God in Christ, and upon heaven.

You prefer the gratification of your vile lusts before them. You would be more pleased, entertained, and give better attention to hear that by which your lust might be gratified than that by which you may obtain an interest in Christ and His precious blood, and the glorious benefits of salvation, and may have God for your portion.

That to have all the glories and perfections of God and a Redeemer set before you is not so pleasing and entertaining to you as to hear of the objects of a carnal appetite. That worldly pleasure, or sensual pleasure, or the gratification of your envy and revenge, is better to you than heaven. Who can express how wickedly you act in this—despising the infinite majesty, glory, and mercy of God in Christ, the Son of God, and His precious blood? How greatly have you provoked God by this.

2. Consider how foolish and unreasonably you act in this.

You prefer the gratification of your lusts to eternal happiness in heaven. You are more willing to listen, hearken, and put into practice what you hear so that you may get a little worldly gain or gratify a carnal appetite than when you hear of being saved and brought to the enjoyment of God in Christ forever.

3. Consider how justly it may be so ordered that you never should get any good by the Word of God preached.

Seeing you receive it no better, give no more heed to it, and take no more delight in it, how justly might it be so ordered that it should never do you any good. That there should be no means of spiritual benefit to you, but that, seeing, you should see not, and hearing, you should hear not, and that it should only be a means to harden you and enhance your guilt and your condemnation another day.

How justly may God leave you to your lusts, which you set so much by. How justly may He leave you to have your portion in them, denying heaven to you, who have so low an esteem of it.

4. How grievous it may justly be to any faithful minister of Christ that men no more regard them.

What an encouragement it would be to a minister who labors to find out acceptable words, and does what in him lies to speak so as to influence and affect his hearers, to see them attentive, willing to hear and learn, accepting what he delivers with a new concern to practice the same.

But how grievous may it well be when a minister does his utmost, only to see a congregation seeming to be regardless of what he says—many of them sleeping a great part of the time, and others plainly manifesting a careless, regardless spirit.

With what a complaint may such ministers, who have been so treated, rise up in the Day of Judgment before their Master, who sent them and set them to work. They will declare what pains they took, how they labored to their utmost, speaking so as to influence and affect men’s minds—and yet how regardless their hearers were of the message they delivered.

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