Jeremiah 17:10

DISCOURSE: 1057
GOD’S RULE OF JUDGMENT

Jeremiah 17:10. I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

THE evil of the human heart is far greater than can be fully conceived either by men or angels. None but God himself can explore the depths of iniquity that are within it [Note: ver. 9.]. But He will judge the world in righteousness at the last day; and consequently must have access to the inmost recesses of the soul, and must be able to bring forth to judgment all its hidden abominations. Accordingly, God himself informs us, that he is actually so occupied, noticing every thing, and recording every thing, in order that he may reward every man according to his deeds: “I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give to every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.”

We may here see,

I. The preparation which God is making for the future judgment—

“The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good [Note: Proverbs 15:3.].” Nor is he an unconcerned spectator of what is done upon earth: on the contrary, he inspects every thing with the greatest accuracy; and therefore inspects it, that he may bring it forth to judgment, and pass sentence upon it.

1. He continually marks the ways of men—

[All their actions he observes, not merely according to their outward aspect, but according to the principles from whence they proceed, and the ends for which they are done. However good a thing may be in itself, it is not really good in God’s sight, unless it proceed from love to him, and be done with a view to his glory. Our most common actions ought to be so done: “whether we eat, or drink, or whatever we do, we should do all to the glory of God [Note: 1 Corinthians 10:31.].” Our words also, and our very thoughts, are scrutinized by him, to ascertain how much there is of good or evil in them; and to record the same, as grounds of our condemnation or acquittal at the bar of judgment Hence it is said by David, “His eyes behold, and his eyelids try, the children of men [Note: Psalms 11:4.];” that is, as a man desiring to inspect a thing with more than usual accuracy, almost closes his eyes, in order to exclude every other object, and to fix his attention more intensely on the object before him; so does God examine with the utmost possible care the ways of every human being. This is declared yet more strongly by Solomon, who says, that God “weigheth the spirits [Note: Proverbs 16:2.].” Now, in the spirits of men there is a great mixture of motives and principles, which need to be analyzed and distinguished. There is, even in good men, a mixture of faith and of unbelief, of love to God and self-love, of sincerity and hypocrisy. Hezekiah evinced this, in his treatment of the Babylonish Ambassadors [Note: 2 Chronicles 32:31.]; as did James and John also, when, from zeal for their Master’s honour, they would have called fire from heaven to consume a Samaritan village [Note: Luke 9:54.]. In fact, there is imperfection in every thing that proceeds from man. Our very humiliations have a mixture of pride, and our exultations, of self-complacency. But “God tries the reins,” as a philosopher assays gold; and will assuredly declare, at the last day, how much there was of alloy in the very best action of our lives, and how much of the purer metal. Moreover,]

2. He records every thing in the book of his remembrance—

[The thoughts as well as the words of men are recorded in this book [Note: Malachi 3:16.]; and out of these books shall they be judged [Note: Revelation 20:12.]. Indeed, they are all “sealed up, as it were, in a bag,” in order to be then brought forth as grounds of God’s decision, and as evidences of his equity [Note: Job 14:17.]. Nothing will escape his observation. If there be only “some good thing in any person,” he will discern it, and bring it forth to light, with such tokens of his approbation as the occasion may require [Note: 1 Kings 14:13.]. The sigh, the groan, the tear, are put to the account of those who love him; whilst every advantage that has been abused, and every opportunity that has been lost, will be adduced as swelling the aggregate of his enemies’ guilt.]

But this brings me more particularly to notice,

II.

The rule by which that judgment shall be determined—

The sentence which will be passed on every man will be in accordance with his works.

This, however, needs to be explained—

[We are not to suppose that our good works are put in one scale, and our evil works in another; and that, according to the scale which preponderates, our fate shall be. Nor are we to imagine that, when we have done a certain number of good works, the merits of Christ shall be cast, as it were, into the scale, in order to procure acceptance for them. The way of salvation is widely different from either of these. We all, without exception, are sinners, deserving of God’s wrath and indignation. But he has given his only-begotten Son to die for us; and will accept to mercy all who come to him in his Son’s name. Those who have believed in Christ will in that day be approved as having embraced the proffered salvation: and those who have rejected the Saviour, will be rejected of their God. But still there will be a great difference as to the measure of misery or of happiness which these different parties will inherit. Amongst the righteous, “one star will differ from another star in glory;” and amongst the wicked, some will be “beaten with many stripes, and others with few,” according as circumstances have occurred to extenuate or aggravate their guilt.]
Rightly understood, this strongly declares the equity of God’s future judgments—

[If salvation had been, not by faith, but by works; not a gift of grace, but a debt discharged; it would have been accorded to men precisely on terms corresponding with the rule which is here established. We are told, that “whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap: he that sows to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption; and he that soweth to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting [Note: Galatians 6:7.]. We are further assured, that, “if we have sowed sparingly, we shall reap sparingly; and if we have sowed bountifully, we shall reap also bountifully [Note: 2 Corinthians 9:6.].” Due respect, indeed, will be paid to men’s abilities and opportunities; the widow’s mite being as acceptable as the largest gifts of the opulent; and “a cup of cold water, given” from a right principle, as valuable as the richest hospitality. In a word, every thing that can affect the quality of an action will be taken into the account, either for the increase of our punishment or the augmentation of our bliss.]

Behold, then,
1.

What an awful prospect is here opened to the ungodly!

[There is not a day or an hour in which an ungodly man is not providing misery for himself, and “treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath.” Now, if we congratulate a person that is amassing wealth, how should we pity a man that is amassing misery for himself, even though that misery were but for a few years! But when we see men “drawing out iniquity” to an indefinite extent, by adding fresh materials to it, as they do to a cord or cable [Note: This is the proper meaning of Isaiah 5:18.], methinks we should weep over them. To such an one, even the word preached to him for his salvation “becomes to him a savour of death unto death [Note: 2 Corinthians 2:16.].” Do but reflect on this, my beloved brethren; and beg of God that you may henceforth improve every hour of your lives for the furtherance of that great work which God has given you to accomplish; that so, whenever you are called hence, you may “give up to him your account with joy, and not with grief.”]

2. What encouragement is here afforded to the righteous!

[Not a day or an hour passes without adding to your happiness in the eternal world. The least thing which you do for God shall be rewarded; and every trial that you sustain for him, be recompensed. Moses “looked to the recompence of the reward;” and the same may you do also. How would this thought lighten all your crosses, if it were duly contemplated and firmly believed! Does St. Paul say, “Our light affliction, which endureth but for a moment, worketh out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory [Note: 2 Corinthians 4:17.]?” Whom will you fear? or rather, What sufferings will you not welcome for Christ’s sake? Go on then, my brethren, labouring to “keep a conscience void of offence” towards both God and man: and let it be your care so to approve yourselves to the heart-searching God, that, when he shall judge the world, he may say to you, “Thou hast been faithful over a few things, be thou ruler over many things.” “Enter now into the joy of thy Lord, thou good and faithful servant;” and “inherit the kingdom prepared for thee from the foundation of the world.”]