{"collection":"scripture-revelation","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_59743/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_59743","id":"gutenberg_59743","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/59743","summary":null,"tags":["Category: Essays, Letters & Speeches","Category: Religion/Spirituality","Methodist Church","Theology -- Early works to 1800","Theology -- History -- 18th century"],"text":"Produced by Richard Hulse and the Online Distributed\nProofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was\nproduced from images generously made available by The\nInternet Archive)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n THE\n WORKS\n OF THE\n Rev. JOHN WESLEY, M. A.\n\n\n \u250c\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2510\n \u2502 \u2502\n \u2502 Transcriber\u2019s Notes \u2502\n \u2502 \u2502\n \u2502 \u2502\n \u2502 Punctuation has been standardized. \u2502\n \u2502 \u2502\n \u2502 The concluding Table of Contents, has been moved to the front \u2502\n \u2502 of the book to make it more useable. \u2502\n \u2502 \u2502\n \u2502 The author has used an asterisk (*) to indicate passages he \u2502\n \u2502 considers most worthy of attention. \u2502\n \u2502 \u2502\n \u2502 The text occasionally shows quotations within quotations, \u2502\n \u2502 all set off by double quotes. The inner quotations have been \u2502\n \u2502 changed to single quotes for improved readability. \u2502\n \u2502 \u2502\n \u2502 Characters in small caps have been replaced by all caps. \u2502\n \u2502 \u2502\n \u2502 Non-printable characteristics have been given the following \u2502\n \u2502 transliteration: \u2502\n \u2502 Italic text: --> _text_ \u2502\n \u2502 Emphasized text --> |text| \u2502\n \u2502 \u2502\n \u2502 This book was written in a period when many words had \u2502\n \u2502 not become standardized in their spelling. Words may have \u2502\n \u2502 multiple spelling variations or inconsistent hyphenation in \u2502\n \u2502 the text. These have been left unchanged unless indicated \u2502\n \u2502 with a Transcriber\u2019s Note. \u2502\n \u2502 \u2502\n \u2502 The symbol \u2018\u2021\u2019 indicates the description in parenthesis has \u2502\n \u2502 been added to an illustration. This may be needed if there \u2502\n \u2502 is no caption or if the caption does not describe the image \u2502\n \u2502 adequately. \u2502\n \u2502 \u2502\n \u2502 Footnotes are identified in the text with a number in \u2502\n \u2502 brackets [2] and have been accumulated in a single section \u2502\n \u2502 at the end of the text. All footnote anchors have been moved \u2502\n \u2502 to the end of the reference passage for consistency. \u2502\n \u2502 \u2502\n \u2502 Transcriber\u2019s Notes are used when making corrections to the \u2502\n \u2502 text or to provide additional information for the modern \u2502\n \u2502 reader. These notes are identified in the text by a \u2666 symbol, \u2502\n \u2502 and are accumulated in a single section at the end of the \u2502\n \u2502 book. \u2502\n \u2514\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2518\n\n\n\n\n THE\n WORKS\n OF THE\n Rev. JOHN WESLEY, M. A.\n\n Late Fellow of _Lincoln-College_, OXFORD.\n\n\n VOLUME I.\n\n\n BRISTOL:\n Printed by WILLIAM PINE, in _Wine-Street_.\n\n MDCCLXXI.\n\n\n\n\n THE\n CONTENTS\n Of the FIRST VOLUME.\n\n SERMONS on several Occasions.\n\n\n SERMON I.\n\n Salvation by Faith.\n\n Ephes. ii. 8. _By grace ye are saved through faith._\n\n\n SERMON II.\n\n The Almost Christian.\n\n Acts xxvi. 28. _Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian._\n\n\n SERMON III.\n\n Ephes. v. 14. _Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead,\n and Christ shall give thee light._\n\n\n SERMON IV.\n\n Scriptural Christianity.\n\n Acts iv. 31. _And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost._\n\n\n SERMON V.\n\n Justification by Faith.\n\n Rom. iv. 5. _To him that worketh not but believeth on him\n that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted to him for\n righteousness._\n\n\n SERMON VI.\n\n The Righteousness of Faith.\n\n Rom. x. 5, 6, 7, 8. _Moses describeth the righteousness which is\n of the law, that the man which doeth those things shall live by\n them._\n\n _But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise.\n Say not in thine heart, who shall ascend into heaven? That is, to\n bring Christ down from above:_\n\n _Or who shall descend into the deep? That is, to bring Christ again\n from the dead._\n\n _But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth and in\n thy heart; that is the word of faith, which we preach._\n\n\n SERMON VII.\n\n Mark i. 15. _The kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe\n the gospel._\n\n\n SERMON VIII.\n\n The First-Fruits of the Spirit.\n\n Rom. viii. 1. _There is therefore now no condemnation to them which\n are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the\n Spirit._\n\n\n SERMON IX.\n\n The Spirit of Bondage and of Adoption.\n\n Rom. viii. 15. _Ye have not received the Spirit of bondage again\n unto fear: but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby\n we cry, Abba, Father._\n\n\n SERMON X. and XI.\n\n The Witness of the Spirit.\n\n Rom. viii. 16. _The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit,\n that we are the children of God._\n\n\n SERMON XII.\n\n The Witness of our own Spirit.\n\n 2 Cor. i. 12. _This is our rejoicing, the testimony of our\n conscience, that in simplicity, and godly sincerity, not\n with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God; we have had our\n conversation in the world._\n\n\n SERMON XIII.\n\n On Sin in Believers.\n\n 2 Cor. v. 17. _If any man be in Christ he is a new creature._\n\n\n SERMON XIV.\n\n The Repentance of Believers.\n\n Mark i. 15. _Repent and believe the gospel._\n\n\n SERMON XV.\n\n The Great Assize.\n\n Rom. xiv. 10. _We shall all stand before the judgment seat of\n Christ._\n\n\n SERMON XVI.\n\n The Means of Grace.\n\n Malachi iii. 7. _Ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have\n not kept them._\n\n Illustration: (\u2021 decoration)\n\n\n\n\n SERMONS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.\n\n\n\n\n To the READER.\n\n\n1. I HAVE had a desire for several years, if God should spare me\na little longer, to print in one collection, all that I had before\npublished in separate tracts. (I mean all the PROSE, except the _Notes\non the Bible_, the _System of Philosophy_, the _Christian Library_,\nand the _Books_ which were designed for the use of _Kingswood School_.)\nThese I wanted to see printed together; but on a better paper, and with\na little larger print than before.\n\n2. I wanted to methodize these tracts, to range them under proper\nheads, placing those together which were on similar subjects, and in\nsuch order, that one might illustrate another. This it is easy to see\nmay be of use to the serious reader, who will then readily observe,\nthat there is scarce any subject of importance, either in practical or\ncontroversial divinity, which is not treated of more or less, either\nprofessedly or occasionally.\n\n3. But a far more necessary work than that of methodizing was the\ncorrecting them. The correcting barely the errors of the press, is of\nmuch more consequence than I had conceived, till I began to read them\nover with much more attention than I had done before. These in many\nplaces were such as not only obscured, but wholly destroyed the sense;\nand frequently to such a degree, that it would have been impossible\nfor any but me to restore it, neither could I do it myself in several\nplaces, without long consideration; the word inserted having little or\nno resemblance to that which I had used.\n\n4. But as necessary as these corrections were, there were others of\na different kind, which were more necessary still. In revising what\nI had wrote on so many various subjects and occasions, and for so\nlong a course of years, I found cause for not only rational or verbal\ncorrections, but frequently for correcting the sense also. I am the\nmore concerned to do this, because none but myself has a right to do\nit. Accordingly I have altered many words or sentences; many others\nI have omitted, and in various parts I have added more or less as\nI judged the subject required: So that in this edition, I present\nto serious and candid men, my last and maturest thoughts: agreeable,\nI hope, to Scripture, Reason, and Christian Antiquity.\n\n5. It may be needful to mention one thing more, because it is a little\nout of the common way. In the extract from Milton\u2019s Paradise Lost, and\nin that from Dr. Young\u2019s Night Thoughts, I placed a mark before those\npassages, which I judged were most worthy of the reader\u2019s notice;\nthe same thing I have taken the liberty to do, throughout the ensuing\nvolumes: Many will be glad of such an help; tho\u2019 still, every man has\na right to judge for himself, particularly in matters of religion,\nbecause every man must give an account of himself to God.\n\n JOHN WESLEY.\n\n MARCH 1771.\n\n\n\n\n THE PREFACE.\n\n\n_THE following Sermons contain the substance of what I have been\npreaching, for between eight and nine years last past. During that time\nI have frequently spoken in public, on every subject in the ensuing\ncollection: and I am not conscious, that there is any one point of\ndoctrine, on which I am accustomed to speak in public, which is not\nhere, incidentally, if not professedly, laid before every Christian\nreader. Every serious man, who peruses these, will therefore see in the\nclearest manner, what these doctrines are, which I embrace and teach,\nas the essentials of true religion._\n\n2. _But I am throughly sensible, these are not proposed, in such\na manner as some may expect. Nothing here appears in an elaborate,\nelegant or oratorical dress. If it had been my desire or design to\nwrite thus, my leisure would not permit. But in truth I at present\ndesigned nothing less; for I now write (as I generally speak) |ad\npopulum|: to the bulk of mankind, to those who neither relish nor\nunderstand the art of speaking; but who notwithstanding are competent\njudges of those truths, which are necessary to present and future\nhappiness. I mention this, that curious readers may spare themselves\nthe labour, of seeking for what they will not find._\n\n3. _I design plain truth for plain people. Therefore of set purpose I\nabstain from all nice and philosophical speculations, from all perplext\nand intricate reasonings; and as far as possible, from even the shew of\nlearning, unless in sometimes citing the original scripture. I labour\nto avoid all words which are not easy to be understood, all which are\nnot used in common life: and in particular, those kind of technical\nterms, that so frequently occur in bodies of divinity, those modes of\nspeaking which men of reading are intimately acquainted with, but which\nto common people are an unknown tongue. Yet I am not assured, that I do\nnot sometimes slide into them unawares: it is so extremely natural to\nimagine, that a word which is familiar to ourselves, is so to all the\nworld._\n\n4. _Nay, my design is, in some sense to forget all that ever I have\nread in my life. I mean to speak, in the general, as if I had never\nread one author, antient or modern (always excepting the inspired.)\nI am persuaded, that on the one hand, this may be a means of enabling\nme more clearly to express the sentiments of my heart, while I simply\nfollow the chain of my own thoughts, without intangling myself with\nthose of other men: and that, on the other, I shall come with fewer\nweights upon my mind, with less of prejudice and prepossession, either\nto search for myself, or to deliver to others, the naked truths of the\ngospel._\n\n5. _To candid, reasonable men, I am not afraid to lay open what have\nbeen the inmost thoughts of my heart. I have thought, * \u2666\u201cI am a\ncreature of a day, passing thro\u2019 life, as an arrow thro\u2019 the air. I am\na spirit, come from God, and returning to God: just hovering over the\ngreat gulph; till a few moments hence, I am no more seen; I drop into\nan unchangeable eternity! I want to know one thing, the way to heaven:\nhow to land safe on that happy shore. God himself has condescended to\nteach the way; for this very end he came from heaven. He hath written\nit down in a book. O give me that book! At any price, give me the book\nof God! I have it: here is knowledge enough for me. Let me be |Homo\nunius libri|. Here then I am, far from the busy ways of men. I sit down\nalone: only God is here. In his presence I open, I read his book; for\nthis end, to find the way to heaven. Is there a doubt concerning the\nmeaning of what I read? Does any thing appear dark or intricate? I lift\nup my heart to the Father of lights. \u201cLord, is it not thy word, |If\nany man lack wisdom, let him ask of God|? Thou |givest liberally and\nupbraidest not|. Thou hast said, |If any be willing to do thy will, he\nshall know|. I am willing to do. Let me know thy will.\u201d I then search\nafter and consider parallel passages of scripture, |comparing spiritual\nthings with spiritual|. I meditate thereon, with all the attention and\nearnestness of which my mind is capable. If any doubt still remains, I\nconsult those who are experienced in the things of God: and then, the\nwritings whereby being dead, they yet speak. And what I thus learn,\nthat I teach._\n\n6. _I have accordingly set down in the following Sermons, what I find\nin the Bible concerning the way to heaven; with a view to distinguish\nthis way of God, from all those which are the inventions of men. I have\nendeavoured to describe the true, the scriptural, experimental religion,\nso as to omit nothing which is a real part thereof, and to add nothing\nthereto which is not. And herein it is more especially my desire, first,\nto guard those who are just setting their faces toward heaven, (and who\nhaving little acquaintance with the things of God, are the more liable\nto be turned out of the way) from formality, from mere outside religion,\nwhich has almost driven heart-religion out of the world: and secondly,\nto warn those who know the religion of the heart, the faith which\nworketh by love, lest at any time they make void the law thro\u2019 faith,\nand so fall back into the snare of the devil._\n\n7. _By the advice and at the request of some of my friends, I have\nprefixt to the other sermons contained in this volume, three sermons\nof my own and one of my Brother\u2019s, preached before the University of\n|Oxford|. My design required some discourses on those heads. And I\npreferred these before any others, as being a stronger answer than any\nwhich can be drawn up now, to those who have frequently asserted, \u201cThat\nwe have changed our doctrine of late, and do not preach now, what we\ndid some years ago.\u201d Any man of understanding may now judge for himself,\nwhen he has compared the latter with the former sermons._\n\n8. _But some may say, I have mistaken the way myself, altho\u2019 I take\nupon me to teach it to others. It is probable, many will think this,\nand it is very possible, that I have. But I trust, whereinsoever I\nhave mistaken, my mind is open to conviction. I sincerely desire to\nbe better informed. I say to God and man, \u201cWhat I know not, teach thou\nme!\u201d_\n\n9. * _Are you persuaded, you see more clearly than me? It is not\nunlikely that you may. Then, treat me, as you would desire to be\ntreated yourself upon a change of circumstances. Point me out a\nbetter way than I have yet known. Shew me it is so, by plain proof of\nscripture. And if I linger in the path I have been accustomed to tread,\nand am therefore unwilling to leave, labour with me a little, take me\nby the hand, and lead me as I am able to bear. But be not displeased if\nI intreat you, not to beat me down, in order to quicken my pace: I can\ngo but feebly and slowly at best; then, I should not be able to go at\nall. May I not request of you further, not to give me hard names, in\norder to bring me into the right way? Suppose I was ever so much in the\nwrong, I doubt this would not set me right. Rather, it would make me\nrun so much the farther from you, and so get more and more out of the\nway._\n\n10. * _Nay, perhaps, if you are angry, so shall I be too; and then\nthere will be small hopes of finding the truth. If once anger arise,\n\u1f20\u03b0\u03c4\u03b5 \u03ba\u03b1\u03c0\u03bd\u03cc\u03c2 (as |Homer| somewhere expresses it) this smoke will so\ndim the eyes of my soul, that I shall be able to see nothing clearly.\nFor God\u2019s sake, if it be possible to avoid it, let us not provoke one\nanother to wrath. Let us not kindle in each other this fire of hell;\nmuch less, blow it up into a flame. If we could discern truth by that\ndreadful light, would it not be loss rather than gain? For how far\nis love, even with many wrong opinions, to be preferred before truth\nitself without love? We may die without the knowledge of many truths,\nand yet be carried into |Abraham\u2019s| bosom. But if we die without love,\nwhat will knowledge avail? Just as much as it avails the devil and his\nangels!_\n\n_The God of love forbid we should ever make the trial! May he prepare\nus for the knowledge of all truth, by filling our hearts with all his\nlove, and with all joy and peace in believing._\n\n\n\n\n SERMON I.[1]\n\n SALVATION BY FAITH.\n\n EPHES. ii. 8.\n\n _By grace ye are saved through faith._\n\n\n1. ALL the blessings which God hath bestowed upon man are of his mere\ngrace, bounty or favour: his free, undeserved favour; favour altogether\nundeserved; man having no claim to the least of his mercies. It was\nfree grace that _formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed\ninto him a living soul_, and stamped on that soul the image of God, and\n_put all things under his feet_. The same free grace continues to us,\nat this day, life and breath, and all things. For there is nothing we\nare, or have, or do, which can deserve the least thing at God\u2019s hand.\n_All our works thou, O God, hast wrought in us._ These, therefore, are\nso many more instances of free mercy. And whatever righteousness may be\nfound in man, this is also the gift of God.\n\n2. Wherewithal then shall a sinful man atone for any the least of\nhis sins? With his own works? No. Were they ever so many or holy, they\nare not his own, but God\u2019s. But indeed they are all unholy and sinful\nthemselves, so that every one of them needs a fresh atonement. Only\ncorrupt fruit grows on a corrupt tree. And his heart is altogether\ncorrupt and abominable; being _come short of the glory of God_, the\nglorious righteousness at first impress\u2019d on his soul, after the image\nof his great Creator. Therefore, having nothing, neither righteousness\nnor works to plead, his _mouth is_ utterly _stopt before God_.\n\n3. If then sinful men find favour with God, it is _grace upon grace_.\nIf God vouchsafe still to pour fresh blessings upon us, yea, the\ngreatest of all blessings, _salvation_; what can we say to these things,\nbut _thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift_! And thus it is.\nHerein _God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet\nsinners, Christ died_ to save us. _By grace then are ye saved through\nfaith._ Grace is the source, faith the condition, of salvation.\n\nNow, that we fall not short of the grace of God, it concerns us\ncarefully to enquire,\n\n I. What faith it is through which we are saved?\n\n II. What is the salvation which is through faith?\n\n III. How we may answer some objections.\n\n\nI. What faith it is through which we are saved?\n\n1. And first, It is not barely the faith of an Heathen. Now God\nrequireth of a Heathen to believe, _That God is_; _that he is a\nrewarder of them that diligently seek him_; and that he is to be\nsought by _glorifying him as God, by giving him thanks_ for all things;\nand by a careful practice of moral virtue, of justice, mercy and truth\ntoward their fellow creatures. A _Greek_ or _Roman_ therefore, yea, a\n_Scythian_ or _Indian_, was without excuse if he did not believe thus\nmuch; The being and attributes of God, a future state of reward and\npunishment, and the obligatory nature of moral virtue. For this is\nbarely the faith of a Heathen.\n\n2. Nor, _2dly_, Is it the faith of a devil, tho\u2019 this goes much farther\nthan that of a Heathen. For the devil believes, not only, that there\nis a wise and powerful God, gracious to reward, and just to punish;\nbut also, that Jesus is the son of God, the Christ, the Saviour of\nthe world. So we find him declaring, in express terms, _Luke_ iv. 34.\n_I know thee, who thou art, the holy one of God._ Nor can we doubt but\nthat unhappy spirit believes all those words, which came out of the\nmouth of the holy one; yea, and whatsoever else was written by those\nholy men of old; of two of whom he was compell\u2019d to give that glorious\ntestimony, _These men are the servants of the most high God, who shew\nunto you the way of salvation_. Thus much then the great enemy of\nGod and man believes, and trembles in believing, that _God was made\nmanifest in the flesh_, that he will _tread all enemies under his feet_,\nand that _all scripture was given by inspiration of God_. Thus far\ngoeth the faith of a devil.\n\n3. _Thirdly_, The faith through which we are saved, in that sense of\nthe word which will hereafter be explained, is not barely that which\nthe _apostles_ themselves had while Christ was yet upon earth; tho\u2019\nthey so believed on him as to _leave all and follow him_; altho\u2019 they\nhad then power to work miracles, to _heal all manner of sickness, and\nall manner of disease_; yea, they had then _power and authority over\nall devils_: and which is beyond all this, were sent by their master\nto _preach the kingdom of God_.\n\n4. What faith is it then through which we are saved? It may be\nanswered, first, in general, it is a faith in Christ; Christ, and\nGod through Christ, are the proper objects of it. Herein therefore,\nit is sufficiently, absolutely, distinguished from the faith either\nof ancient or modern Heathens. And from the faith of a devil, it is\nfully distinguished by this, it is not barely a speculative, rational\nthing, a cold, lifeless assent, a train of ideas in the head; but also\na disposition of the heart. For thus saith the scripture, _With the\nheart, man believeth unto righteousness_. And, _If thou shalt confess\nwith thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe with thy |heart|,\nthat God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved_.\n\n5. And herein does it differ from that faith which the apostles\nthemselves had while our Lord was on earth, that it acknowledges the\nnecessity and merit of his death, and the power of his resurrection.\nIt acknowledges his death as the only sufficient means of redeeming man\nfrom death eternal; and his resurrection as the restoration of us all\nto life and immortality: inasmuch as _he was delivered for our sins,\nand rose again for our justification_. Christian faith is then, not\nonly an assent to the whole gospel of Christ, but also a full reliance\non the blood of Christ, a trust in the merits of his life, death, and\nresurrection; a recumbency upon him as our atonement and our life;\nas _given for us_, and _living in us_; and in consequence hereof, a\nclosing with him, and cleaving to him, as _our wisdom, righteousness,\nsanctification, and redemption_.\n\n\nII. What salvation it is, which is through this faith, is the second\nthing to be considered.\n\n1. And first, Whatsoever else it imply, it is a present salvation.\nIt is something attainable, yea, actually attained on earth, by those\nwho are partakers of this faith. For thus saith the apostle to the\nbelievers at _Ephesus_, and in them to the believers of all ages, not\nye shall be (tho\u2019 that also is true) but _ye_ are _saved through faith_.\n\n2. _Ye are saved_ (to comprize all in one word) from sin. This is\nthe salvation which is through faith. This is that great salvation\nforetold by the angel, before God brought his first begotten into the\nworld, _Thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people\nfrom their sins_. And neither here, nor in other parts of holy writ,\nis there any limitation or restriction. All his people, or, as it is\nelsewhere express\u2019d, all that believe in him, he will save from all\ntheir sins; from original and actual, past and present sin, of the\nflesh and of the spirit. Through faith that is in him, they are saved\nboth from the guilt and from the power of it.\n\n3. First from the guilt of all past sin. For whereas _all the world\nis guilty before God_; insomuch that should he _be extreme to mark what\nis done amiss, there is none that could abide it_: and whereas _by the\nlaw is only the knowledge of sin_, but no deliverance from it; so that\n_by fulfilling the deeds of the law, no flesh can be justified: now the\nrighteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ, is manifested\nunto all that believe_. Now _they are justified freely by his grace,\nthrough the redemption that is in Jesus Christ. Him God hath set\nforth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood; to declare his\nrighteousness for_ (or by) _the remission of the sins that are past_.\nNow hath Christ _taken away the curse of the law, being made a curse\nfor us_. He hath _blotted out the hand-writing that was against us,\ntaking it out of the way, nailing it to his cross. There is therefore\nno condemnation now, to them who |believe| in Christ Jesus_.\n\n4. And being saved from guilt, they are saved from fear. Not indeed\nfrom a filial fear of offending; but from all servile fear, from that\n_fear which hath torment_, from fear of punishment, from fear of the\nwrath of God; whom they no longer regard as a severe master, but as an\nindulgent father. _They have not received again the spirit of bondage;\nbut the spirit of adoption, whereby they cry, Abba, Father: the spirit\nitself also bearing witness with their spirits that they are the\nchildren of God._ They are also saved from the fear, tho\u2019 not from the\npossibility, of falling away from the grace of God, and coming short\nof the great and precious promises: thus have they _peace with God\nthrough our Lord Jesus Christ. They rejoice in hope of the glory of\nGod. And the love of God is shed abroad in their hearts, through the\nHoly Ghost, which is given unto them._ And hereby they are _persuaded_\n(tho\u2019 perhaps not at all times, nor with the same fulness of persuasion)\nthat _neither death nor life, nor things present, nor things to\ncome, nor heighth nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to\nseparate them from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord_.\n\n5. Again, through this faith they are saved from the power of sin, as\nwell as from the guilt of it. So the apostle declares, _Ye know that he\nwas manifested to take away our sins, and in him is no sin. Whosoever\nabideth in him sinneth not._ (chap. iii. 5, &c.) Again, _Little\nchildren, let no man deceive you.\u2015\u2015He that committeth sin is of the\ndevil.\u2015\u2015Whosoever believeth is born of God. And whosoever is born of\nGod doth not commit sin, for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot\nsin, because he is born of God._ Once more, _We know that whatsoever\nis born of God sinneth not: but he that is begotten of God, keepeth\nhimself, and that wicked one toucheth him not_, chap. v. 18.\n\n6. He that is by faith born of God, sinneth not, 1. By any habitual sin:\nfor all habitual sin, is sin reigning. But sin cannot reign in any that\nbelieveth. Nor, 2. By any wilful sin, for his will, while he abideth in\nthe faith, is utterly set against all sin, and abhorreth it as deadly\npoison. Nor, 3. By any sinful desire; for he continually desireth the\nholy and perfect will of God; and any unholy desire, he by the grace of\nGod stifleth in the birth. Nor, 4. Doth he sin by infirmities, whether\nin act, word or thought. For his infirmities have no concurrence of his\nwill; and without this they are not properly sins. Thus, _He that is\nborn of God doth not commit sin_. And tho\u2019 he cannot say, _He hath not\nsinned_, yet now, _he sinneth not_.\n\n7. This then is the salvation which is through faith, even in the\npresent world: a salvation from sin, and the consequences of sin,\nboth often expressed in the word _Justification_; which, taken in the\nlargest sense, implies, a deliverance from guilt and punishment, by\nthe atonement of Christ actually applied to the soul of the sinner\nnow believing on him, and a deliverance from the power of sin through\nChrist _formed in his heart_. So that he who is thus justified or saved\nby faith, is indeed _born again_. He is _born again of the Spirit_ unto\na new _life, which is hid with Christ in God_. And as a _new-born babe\nhe gladly receives the sincere milk of the word, and grows thereby:\ngoing on in the might of the Lord his God, from faith to faith, from\ngrace to grace, until at length he come unto a perfect man, unto the\nmeasure of the stature of the fulness of Christ_.\n\n\nIII. The first usual objection to this is,\n\n\u26661. That \u201cto preach salvation or justification by faith only, is to\npreach against holiness and good works.\u201d To which a short answer might\nbe given: it would be so, if we spake, as some do, of a faith which\nwas separate from these. But we speak of a faith which is not so, but\nproductive of all good works and all holiness.\n\n2. But it may be of use to consider it more at large: especially\nsince it is no new objection, but as old as St. _Paul\u2019s_ time; for\neven then it was asked, _Do we not make void the law through faith?_\nWe answer, first, all who preach not faith, do manifestly make void\nthe law; either directly and grosly by limitations and comments, that\neat out all the spirit of the text: or indirectly, by not pointing\nout the only means whereby it is possible to perform it. Whereas,\nsecondly, _We establish the law_; both by shewing its full extent, and\nspiritual meaning: and by calling all to that living way, whereby _the\nrighteousness of the law may be fulfilled in them_. These, while they\ntrust in the blood of Christ alone, use all the ordinances which he\nhath appointed, do all the _good works which he had before prepared\nthat they should walk therein_, and enjoy and manifest all holy and\nheavenly tempers, even the same _mind that was in Christ Jesus_.\n\n3. \u201cBut does not preaching this faith lead men into pride?\u201d We answer,\naccidentally it may. Therefore ought every believer to be earnestly\ncautioned, (in the words of the great apostle) _Because of unbelief,\nthe first branches were broken off; and thou standest by faith. Be\nnot high-minded, but fear. If God spared not the natural branches,\ntake heed lest he spare not thee. Behold, therefore the goodness\nand severity of God! On them which fell, severity: but towards thee,\ngoodness: if thou continue in his goodness; otherwise thou also shalt\nbe cut off._ And while he continues therein, he will remember those\nwords of St. _Paul_, foreseeing and answering this very objection,\n(_Rom._ iii. 27.) _Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what\nlaw? Of works? Nay; but by the law of faith._ If a man were justified\nby his works, he would have whereof to glory. But there is no glorying\nfor him, _that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the\nungodly_, (Rom. iv.) To the same effect are the words both preceding\nand following the text, (_Eph._ ii. 4, &c.) _God who is rich in\nmercy,\u2015\u2015even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together\nwith Christ (by grace ye are saved)\u2015\u2015that he might shew the exceeding\nriches of his grace, in his kindness towards us through Christ Jesus.\nFor by grace ye are saved through faith. And that not of yourselves._\nOf yourselves cometh neither your faith nor your salvation. _It is the\ngift of God_; the free, undeserved gift, the faith thro\u2019 which ye are\nsaved, as well as the salvation, which he of his own good pleasure, his\nmere favour, annexes thereto. That ye believe, is one instance of his\ngrace; that believing ye are saved, another. _Not of works, lest any\nman should boast._ For all our works, all our righteousness, which were\nbefore our believing, merited nothing of God but condemnation. So far\nwere they from deserving faith; which therefore, whenever given, is not\n_of works_. Neither is salvation of the works we do when we believe.\nFor _it is_ then _God that worketh in us_. And therefore, that he\ngiveth us a reward for what he himself worketh, only commendeth the\nriches of his mercy, but leaveth us nothing whereof to glory.\n\n4. \u201cHowever, may not the speaking thus of the mercy of God, as saving\nor justifying freely by faith only, encourage men in sin?\u201d Indeed it\nmay and will; many _will continue in sin that grace may abound_. But\ntheir blood is upon their own head. The goodness of God ought to lead\nthem to repentance; and so it will those who are sincere of heart. When\nthey know there is yet forgiveness with him, they will cry aloud that\nhe would blot out their sins also, thro\u2019 faith which is in Jesus. And\nif they earnestly cry, and faint not, if they seek him in all the means\nhe hath appointed, if they refuse to be comforted till he come, _he\nwill come and will tarry not_. And he can do much work in a short time.\nMany are the examples in the Acts of the Apostles, of God\u2019s working\nthis faith in men\u2019s hearts, as quick as lightning falling from heaven.\nSo in the same hour that _Paul_ and _Silas_ began to preach, the jailor\n_repented, believed, and was baptized_: as were three thousand by St.\n_Peter_ on the day of Pentecost, who all repented and believed at his\nfirst preaching. And blessed be God, there are now many living proofs,\nthat he is still thus _mighty to save_.\n\n5. Yet to the same truth, placed in another view, a quite contrary\nobjection is made: \u201cIf a man cannot be saved by all that he can do,\nthis will drive men to despair.\u201d True, to despair of being saved\nby their own works, their own merits or righteousness. And so it\nought; for none can trust in the merits of Christ, till he has\nutterly renounced his own. He that _goeth about to establish his\nown righteousness_, cannot receive the righteousness of God. The\nrighteousness which is of faith cannot be given him, while he trusteth\nin that which is of the law.\n\n6. * But this, it is said, is an uncomfortable doctrine. The devil\nspoke like himself, that is, without either truth or shame, when he\ndared to suggest to men that it is such. \u2019Tis the only comfortable\none, \u2019tis _very full of comfort_, to all self-destroyed, self-condemned\nsinners. That _whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed_: that\n_the same Lord over all, is rich unto all that call upon him_: here\nis comfort, high as heaven, stronger than death! What! Mercy for all?\nFor _Zaccheus_, a public robber? For _Mary Magdalen_, a common harlot?\nMethinks I hear one say, then I, even I, may hope for mercy! And so\nthou mayest, thou afflicted one, whom none hath comforted! God will not\ncast out thy prayer. Nay, perhaps he may say the next hour, _Be of good\ncheer, thy sins are forgiven thee_; so forgiven that they shall reign\nover thee no more; yea, and that _the Holy Spirit shall bear witness\nwith thy spirit that thou art a child of God_. O glad tidings! Tidings\nof great joy, which are sent unto all people. _Ho, every one that\nthirsteth, come ye to the waters: come ye and buy, without money, and\nwithout price._ Whatsoever your sins be, _though red, like crimson_,\nthough _more than the hairs of your head: return ye unto the Lord, and\nhe will have mercy upon you: and to our God, for he will abundantly\npardon_.\n\n7. When no more objections occur, then we are simply told, that\n\u201csalvation by faith only, ought not to be preached as the first\ndoctrine, or at least not to be preached to all.\u201d But what saith the\nHoly Ghost? _Other foundation can no man lay, than that which is laid,\neven Jesus Christ._ So then, _That whosoever believeth on him shall\nbe saved_, is and must be the foundation of all our preaching; that\nis, must be preached first. * \u201cWell, but not to all.\u201d To whom then are\nwe not to preach it? Whom shall we except? The poor? Nay, they have\na peculiar right to have the gospel preached unto them. The unlearned?\nNo. God hath revealed these things unto unlearned and ignorant men from\nthe beginning. The young? By no means. _Suffer these_ in any wise, _to\ncome unto_ Christ, _and forbid them not_. The sinners? Least of all.\n_He came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance._ Why\nthen, if any, we are to except the rich, the learned, the reputable,\nthe moral men. And \u2019tis true, they too often except themselves from\nhearing; yet we must speak the words of our Lord. For thus the tenor of\nour commission runs, _Go and preach the gospel to every creature_. If\nany man wrest it or any part of it to his destruction, he must bear his\nown burden. But still, _as the Lord liveth, whatsoever the Lord saith\nunto us, that we will speak_.\n\n8. At this time more especially will we speak, That _by grace ye\nare saved through faith_: because never was the maintaining this\ndoctrine more seasonable than it is at this day. Nothing but this can\neffectually prevent the increase of the _Romish_ delusion among us.\n\u2019Tis endless to attack one by one, all the errors of that church. But\nsalvation by faith strikes at the root, and all fall at once where this\nis established. It was this doctrine (which our church justly calls\n_the strong rock and foundation of the Christian religion_) that first\ndrove Popery out of these kingdoms, and \u2019tis this alone can keep it\nout. Nothing but this can give a check to that immorality, which hath\n_overspread the land as a flood_. Can you empty the great deep, drop by\ndrop? Then you may reform us, by dissuasives from particular vices. But\nlet the _righteousness which is of God by faith_ be brought in, and so\nshall its proud waves be stayed. Nothing but this can stop the mouths\nof those who _glory in their shame, and openly deny the Lord that\nbought them_. They can talk as sublimely of the law, as he that hath\nit written by God in his heart. To hear them speak on this head, might\nincline one to think, they were not far from the kingdom of God. But\ntake them out of the law into the gospel; begin with the righteousness\nof faith, _with Christ, the end of the law to every one that believeth_:\nand those who but now appeared almost, if not altogether Christians,\nstand confess\u2019d the sons of perdition; as far from life and salvation\n(God be merciful unto them!) as the depth of hell from the height of\nheaven.\n\n9. For this reason the adversary so rages, whenever _Salvation by\nFaith_ is declared to the world. For this reason did he stir up earth\nand hell, to destroy those who first preached it. And for the same\nreason, knowing that faith alone could overturn the foundations of his\nkingdom, did he call forth all his forces, and employ all his arts of\nlies and calumny, to affright _Martin Luther_, from reviving it. Nor\ncan we wonder thereat; for as that man of God observes, _How would it\nenrage a proud, strong man armed, to be stopt and set at nought by a\nlittle child, coming against him with a reed in his hand?_ Especially,\nwhen he knew that little child would surely overthrow him, and tread\nhim under foot. _Even so, Lord Jesus!_ Thus hath thy strength been\never _made perfect in weakness_! Go forth then, thou little child,\nthat believest in him, and _his right-hand shall teach thee terrible\nthings_! Tho\u2019 thou art helpless and weak as an infant of days, the\nstrong man shall not be able to stand before thee. Thou shalt prevail\nover him, and subdue him, and overthrow him, and trample him under\nthy feet. Thou shalt march on under the great captain of thy salvation,\n_conquering and to conquer_, until all thine enemies are destroyed, and\n_death is swallowed up in victory_.\n\nNow thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus\nChrist, to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be blessing and\nglory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might,\nfor ever and ever. _Amen._\n\n\n\n\n SERMON II.[2]\n\n THE ALMOST CHRISTIAN.\n\n ACTS xxvi. 28.\n\n _Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian._\n\n\nAND many there are who go _thus far_: ever since the Christian religion\nwas in the world, there have been many in every age and nation, who\nwere _almost persuaded to be Christians_. But seeing it avails nothing\nbefore God, to go _only thus far_, it highly imports us to consider,\n\n\n_First_, What is implied in being _almost_,\n\n_Secondly_, What, in being _altogether a Christian_.\n\n\nI.) 1. Now, in the being _almost a Christian_ is implied, first Heathen\nhonesty. No one, I suppose, will make any question of this; especially,\nsince by Heathen honesty here, I mean, not that which is recommended\nin the writings of their philosophers only, but such as the common\nHeathens expected of one another, and many of them actually practised.\nBy the rules of this they were taught, that they ought not to be\nunjust; not to take away their neighbour\u2019s goods, either by robbery\nor theft: not to oppress the poor, neither to use extortion toward\nany: not to cheat or over-reach either the poor or rich, in whatsoever\ncommerce they had with them: to defraud no man of his right, and, if it\nwere possible, to owe no man any thing.\n\n2. Again, the common Heathens allowed, that some regard was to be paid\nto truth as well as to justice. And accordingly, they not only held him\nin abomination, who was forsworn, who called God to witness to a lie;\nbut him also, who was known to be a slanderer of his neighbour, who\nfalsly accused any man. And indeed little better did they esteem wilful\nliars of any sort, accounting them the disgrace of human kind, and the\npests of society.\n\n3. Yet again, there was a sort of love and assistance, which they\nexpected one from another. They expected whatever assistance any\none could give another, without prejudice to himself. And this they\nextended, not only to those little offices of humanity, which are\nperformed without any expence or labour: but likewise, to the feeding\nthe hungry, if they had food to spare, the clothing the naked, with\ntheir own superfluous raiment; and in general, the giving to any that\nneeded, such things as they needed not themselves. Thus far (in the\nlowest account of it) Heathen honesty went; the first thing implied in\nthe being _almost a Christian_.\n\nII.) 4. A second thing implied in the being _almost a Christian_, is\nthe having a form of Godliness, of that Godliness which is prescribed\nin the gospel of Christ: the having the _outside of a real Christian_.\nAccordingly, the _almost Christian_ does nothing which the gospel\nforbids. He taketh not the name of God in vain: he blesseth and curseth\nnot; he sweareth not at all, but his communication is yea, yea; nay,\nnay. He profanes not the day of the Lord, nor suffers it to be profaned,\neven by the stranger that is within his gates. He not only avoids all\nactual adultery, fornication, and uncleanness, but every word or look,\nthat either directly or indirectly tends thereto: nay, and all idle\nwords, abstaining both from detraction, backbiting, tale-bearing,\nevil-speaking, and from _all foolish talking and jesting_, \u03b5\u1f50\u03c4\u03c1\u03b1\u03c0\u03b5\u03bb\u03af\u03b1,\na kind of virtue in the Heathen moralist\u2019s account. Briefly, from\nall conversation that is not _good to the use of edifying_, and that\nconsequently _grieves the Holy Spirit of God, whereby we are sealed to\nthe day of redemption_.\n\n5. He abstains from _wine wherein is excess_, from revellings and\ngluttony. He avoids, as much as in him lies, all strife and contention,\ncontinually endeavouring to live peaceably with all men. And if he\nsuffer wrong, he avengeth not himself, neither returns evil for evil.\nHe is no railer, no brawler, no scoffer, either at the faults or\ninfirmities of his neighbour. He does not willingly wrong, hurt, or\ngrieve any man; but in all things acts and speaks by that plain rule,\n_Whatsoever thou wouldst not he should do unto thee, that do not thou\nto another_.\n\n6. And in doing good, he does not confine himself to cheap and\neasy offices of kindness, but labours and suffers for the profit\nof many, that by all means he may help some. In spite of toil or\npain, _Whatsoever his hand findeth to do, he doeth it with his might_:\nwhether it be for his friends, or for his enemies; for the evil, or for\nthe good. For being _not slothful in this_, or in any _business, as he\nhath opportunity he doth good_, all manner of good _to all men_; and to\ntheir souls as well as their bodies. He reproves the wicked, instructs\nthe ignorant, confirms the wavering, quickens the good, and comforts\nthe afflicted. He labours to awaken those that sleep, to lead those\nwhom God hath already awakened, to the fountain opened for sin and for\nuncleanness, that they may wash therein and be clean; and to stir up\nthose who are saved through faith, to adorn the gospel of Christ in all\nthings.\n\n7. He that hath the form of godliness, uses also the means of grace,\nyea, all of them, and at all opportunities. He constantly frequents the\nhouse of God; and that not as the manner of some is, who come into the\npresence of the Most High, either loaded with gold and costly apparel,\nor in all the gaudy vanity of dress; and either by their unseasonable\ncivilities to each other, or the impertinent gaiety of their behaviour,\ndisclaim all pretensions to the form, as well as to the power of\ngodliness. Would to God there were none even among ourselves who\nfall under the same condemnation; who come into his house, it may be,\ngazing about, or with all the signs of the most listless, careless\nindifference, tho\u2019 sometimes they may _seem_ to use a prayer to God\nfor his blessing on what they are entering upon; who, during that awful\nservice, are either asleep or reclined in the most convenient posture\nfor it; or, as tho\u2019 they supposed God was asleep, talking with one\nanother, or looking round, as utterly void of employment. Neither let\nthese be accused of the form of godliness. No; he who has even this,\nbehaves with seriousness and attention, in every part of that solemn\nservice. More especially when he approaches the table of the Lord, it\nis not with a light or careless behaviour, but with an air, gesture\nand deportment, which speaks nothing else, but _God be merciful to me\na sinner_.\n\n8. To this if we add, the constant use of family-prayer, by those\nwho are masters of families, and the setting times apart for private\naddresses to God, with a daily seriousness of behaviour: he who\nuniformly practises this outward religion, has the form of godliness.\nThere needs but one thing more in order to his being _almost a\nChristian_, and that is, sincerity.\n\nIII.) 9. By sincerity I mean, a real, inward principle of religion,\nfrom whence these outward actions flow. And indeed, if we have not this,\nwe have not Heathen honesty; no, not so much of it as will answer the\ndemand of a _Heathen, Epicurean poet_. Even this poor wretch, in his\nsober intervals, is able to testify\n\n _Oderunt peccare boni, virtutis amore;\n Oderunt peccare mali, formidine p\u0153n\u00e6._[3]\n\nSo that if a man only abstains from doing evil, in order to avoid\npunishment,\n\n _Non pasces in cruce corvos_,[4]\n\nsaith the Pagan; there, _Thou hast thy reward_. But even he will not\nallow such a harmless man as this, to be so much as a _good Heathen_.\nIf then any man, from the same motive, _viz._ to avoid punishment, to\navoid the loss of his friends, or his gain, or his reputation, should\nnot only abstain from doing evil, but also do ever so much good, yea,\nand use all the means of grace: yet we could not with any propriety say,\nthis man is even _almost a Christian_. If he has no better principle in\nhis heart, he is only a hypocrite altogether.\n\n10. Sincerity therefore is necessarily implied in the being _almost\na Christian_: a real design to serve God, a hearty desire to do his\nwill: it is necessarily implied, that a man have a sincere view of\npleasing God in all things: in all his conversation: in all his actions:\nin all he does, or leaves undone. This design, if any man be _almost\na Christian_, runs through the whole tenor of his life. This is the\nmoving principle, both in his doing good, his abstaining from evil, and\nhis using the ordinances of God.\n\n11. But here it will probably be enquired, is it possible that\nany man living, should go so far as this, and nevertheless be _only\nalmost a Christian_? What more than this can be implied, in the being a\n_Christian altogether_? I answer, first, That it is possible to go thus\nfar, and yet be but _almost a Christian_; I learn not only from the\noracles of God, but also from the sure testimony of experience.\n\n12. Brethren, great is _my boldness towards you in this behalf_. And\n_forgive me this wrong_, if I declare my own folly upon the house-top,\nfor yours and the gospel\u2019s sake. Suffer me then to speak freely of\nmyself, even as of another man. I am content to be abased, so ye may\nbe exalted, and to be yet more vile, for the glory of my Lord.\n\n13. I did go thus far for many years, as many of this place can testify:\nusing diligence to eschew all evil, and to have a conscience void of\noffence: redeeming the time, buying up every opportunity of doing all\ngood to all men; constantly and carefully using all the public and all\nthe private means of grace; endeavouring after a steddy seriousness\nof behaviour, at all times and in all places: and God is my record,\nbefore whom I stand, doing all this in sincerity; having a real design\nto serve God, a hearty desire to do his will in all things, to please\nhim who had called me to _fight the good fight_, and to _lay hold of\neternal life_. Yet my own conscience beareth me witness in the Holy\nGhost, that all this time I was but _almost a Christian_.\n\n\nII. If it be enquired, what more than this is implied in the being\n_altogether a Christian_? I answer,\n\nI.) 1. First, The love of God. For thus saith his word, _Thou shalt\nlove the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and\nwith all thy mind, and with all thy strength_. Such a love is this, as\nengrosses the whole heart, as takes up all the affections, as fills the\nentire capacity of the soul, and employs the utmost extent of all its\nfaculties. He that thus loves the Lord his God, his spirit continually\n_rejoiceth in God his Saviour_. His _delight_ is _in the Lord, his_\nLord and his all, to whom _in every thing he giveth thanks. All_\nhis _desire is unto God, and to the remembrance of his name_. His\nheart is ever crying out, _Whom have I in heaven but thee, and there\nis none upon earth that I desire beside thee_. Indeed, what can he\ndesire beside God? Not the world, or the things of the world. For he\n_is crucified to the world, and the world crucified to him_. He is\ncrucified to the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eye, and the\npride of life. Yea, he is dead to pride of every kind: for _love is not\npuffed up_; but he that dwelling in love, _dwelleth in God, and God in\nhim_, is less than nothing in his own eyes.\n\nII.) 2. The second thing implied in the being _altogether a Christian_\nis, the love of our neighbour. For thus said our Lord in the following\nwords, _Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself_. If any man ask who\nis my neighbour, we reply, every man in the world; every child of his,\nwho is _the father of the spirits of all flesh_. Nor may we in any\nwise except our enemies, or the enemies of God and their own souls.\nBut every Christian loveth these also as himself, yea, _as Christ loved\nus_. He that would more fully understand what manner of love this is,\nmay consider St. _Paul\u2019s_ description of it. It is _long-suffering and\nkind: it envieth not: it is not rash or hasty in judging: it is not\npuffed up_, but maketh him that loves, the least, the servant of all.\nLove _doth not behave itself unseemly_, but _becometh all things to\nall men_. She _seeketh not her own_, but only the good of others, that\nthey may be saved. Love _is not provoked_. It casteth out wrath, which\nhe who hath, is wanting in love. It _thinketh no evil_. It _rejoiceth\nnot in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth_. It _covereth all things,\nbelieveth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things_.\n\nIII.) 3. There is yet one thing more that may be separately considered,\ntho\u2019 it cannot actually be separate from the preceding, which is\nimplied in the being _altogether a Christian_. And that is the ground\nof all, even faith. Very excellent things are spoken of this throughout\nthe oracles of God. _Every one_, saith the beloved disciple, _that\nbelieveth, is born of God. To as many as received him, gave he power\nto become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name._\nAnd, _this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith_.\nYea, our Lord himself declares, _He that believeth in the Son hath\neverlasting life; and cometh not into condemnation, but is passed from\ndeath unto life_.\n\n4. But here let no man deceive his own soul. \u201cIt is diligently to be\nnoted, the faith which bringeth not forth repentance and love, and all\ngood works, is not that right living faith, but a dead and devilish\none. For even the devils believe, that Christ was born of a virgin,\nthat he wrought all kinds of miracles, declaring himself very God: that\nfor our sakes he suffered a most painful death, to redeem us from death\neverlasting: that he rose again the third day: that he ascended into\nheaven, and sitteth at the right hand of the Father, and at the end\nof the world, shall come again to judge both the quick and dead. These\narticles of our faith the devils believe, and so they believe all that\nis written in the Old and New Testament. And yet for all this faith,\nthey be but devils. They remain still in their damnable estate, lacking\nthe very true Christian faith.\u201d[5]\n\n5. \u201cThe right and true Christian faith is (to go on in the words of our\nown church) not only to believe that holy scripture, and the articles\nof our faith are true, but also to have a sure trust and confidence, to\nbe saved from everlasting damnation by Christ. It is a sure trust and\nconfidence which a man hath in God, that by the merits of Christ his\nsins _are_ forgiven, and he reconciled to the favour of God,\u2015\u2015whereof\ndoth follow a loving heart, to obey his commandments.\u201d\n\n6. Now whosoever has this faith, which _purifies the heart_, by the\npower of God, who _dwelleth therein_, from pride, anger, desire, _from\nall unrighteousness_, from _all filthiness of flesh and spirit_, which\nfills it with love stronger than death, both to God and to all mankind;\nlove that doth the works of God, glorying to spend and to be spent for\nall men, and that endureth with joy, not only the reproach of Christ,\nthe being mocked, despised, and hated of all men, but whatsoever the\nwisdom of God permits the malice of men or devils to inflict; whosoever\nhas this _faith_, thus _working by love_, is not _almost only, but\naltogether a Christian_.\n\n7. But who are the living witnesses of these things? I beseech you,\nbrethren, as in the presence of that God, before whom _hell and\ndestruction are without a covering: how much more the hearts of the\nchildren of men?_ that each of you would ask his own heart, \u201cAm I of\nthat number? Do I so far practise justice, mercy and truth, as even\nthe rules of Heathen honesty require? If so, have I the very _outside_\nof a Christian? The form of godliness? Do I abstain from evil, from\nwhatsoever is forbidden in the written word of God? Do I, whatever good\nmy hand findeth to do, do it with my might? Do I seriously use all the\nordinances of God at all opportunities? And is all this done, with a\nsincere design and desire to please God in all things?\u201d\n\n8. Are not many of you conscious, that you never came thus far; that\nyou have not been even _almost a Christian_? That you have not come\nup to the standard of Heathen honesty? At least, not to the form of\nChristian godliness? Much less hath God seen sincerity in you, a real\ndesign of pleasing him in all things. You never so much as intended, to\ndevote all your words and works, your business, studies, diversions, to\nhis glory. You never even designed or desired, that whatsoever you did,\nshould be _done in the name of the Lord Jesus_, and, as such, should be\n_a spiritual sacrifice, acceptable to God through Christ_.\n\n9. But supposing you had; do good designs and good desires make a\nChristian? By no means, unless they are brought to good effect. \u201cHell\nis paved, saith one, with good intentions.\u201d The great question of\nall then still remains. Is the love of God shed abroad in your heart?\nCan you cry out, \u201cMy God and my all?\u201d Do you desire nothing but him?\nAre you happy in God? Is he your glory, your delight, your crown of\nrejoicing? And is this commandment written in your heart, that he who\nloveth God love his brother also? Do you then love your neighbour as\nyourself? Do you love every man, even your enemies, even the enemies of\nGod, as your own soul? As Christ loved you? Yea, dost thou believe that\nChrist loved _thee_, and gave himself for thee? Hast thou faith in his\nblood? Believest thou the Lamb of God hath taken away _thy_ sins, and\ncast them as a stone into the depth of the sea? That he hath blotted\nout the hand-writing that was against _thee_, taking it out of the way,\nnailing it to his cross? Hast _thou_ indeed \u2666redemption through his\nblood, even the remission of _thy_ sins? And doth his Spirit bear\nwitness with _thy_ spirit, that thou art a child of God?\n\n10. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who now standeth in\nthe midst of us, knoweth that if any man die without this faith and\nthis love, good it were for him that he had never been born. Awake,\nthen, thou that sleepest, and call upon thy God: call in the day when\nhe may be found. Let him not rest, till he _make his goodness to pass\nbefore thee, till he proclaim unto thee the name of the Lord, The Lord,\nthe Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in\ngoodness and truth; keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity\nand transgression and sin_. Let no man persuade thee by vain words,\nto rest short of this prize of thy high calling. But cry unto him day\nand night, who, _while we were without strength, died for the ungodly_,\nuntil thou knowest in whom thou hast believed, and canst say, \u201cMy Lord\nand my God.\u201d Remember, _always to pray and not to faint_, till thou\nalso canst lift up thy hand unto heaven, and declare to him that liveth\nfor ever and ever, \u201cLord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I\nlove thee.\u201d\n\n11. May we all thus experience what it is, to be not almost only, but\naltogether Christians! Being justified freely by his grace, through\nthe redemption that is in Jesus: knowing we have peace with God through\nJesus Christ: rejoicing in hope of the glory of God, and having the\nlove of God shed abroad in our hearts, by the Holy Ghost given unto us!\n\n\n\n\n SERMON III.[6]\n\n EPHES. v. 14.\n\n _Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ\n shall give thee light._\n\n\nIN discoursing on these words, I shall, with the help of God,\n\n\n_First_, Describe the sleepers to whom they are spoken.\n\n_Secondly_, Enforce the exhortation, _Awake thou that sleepest, and\narise from the dead_. And,\n\n_Thirdly_, Explain the promise made to such as do _awake_ and _arise_;\n_Christ shall give thee light_.\n\n\nI.) 1. And first, as to the sleepers here spoken to. By sleep is\nsignified the natural state of man: that deep sleep of the soul into\nwhich the sin of _Adam_ hath cast all who spring from his loins; that\nsupineness, indolence, and stupidity, that insensibility of his real\ncondition, wherein every man comes into the world, and continues till\nthe voice of God awakes him.\n\n2. Now _they that sleep, sleep in the night_. The state of nature is\na state of utter darkness; a state wherein _darkness covers the earth,\nand gross darkness the people_. The poor unawakened sinner, how much\nknowledge soever he may have as to other things, has no knowledge\nof himself: in this respect, _he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to\nknow_. He knows not that he is a fallen spirit, whose only business in\nthe present world, is to recover from his fall, to regain that image\nof God wherein he was created. He sees _no necessity_ for _the one\nthing needful_, even that inward universal change, that _birth from\nabove_ (figured out by baptism) which is the beginning of that total\nrenovation, that sanctification of spirit, soul and body, _without\nwhich no man shall see the Lord_.\n\n* 3. Full of all diseases as he is, he fancies himself in perfect\nhealth: fast bound in misery and iron, he dreams that he is at liberty.\nHe says, Peace, peace, while the devil, _as a strong man armed_, is in\nfull possession of his soul. He sleeps on still, and takes his rest,\ntho\u2019 hell is moved from beneath to meet him; tho\u2019 the pit, from whence\nthere is no return, hath opened its mouth to swallow him up: a fire\nis kindled around him, yet he knoweth it not; yea it burns him, yet\nhe lays it not to heart.\n\n4. By one who sleeps we are therefore to understand (and would to God\nwe might all understand it!) A sinner satisfied in his sins; contented\nto remain in his fallen state, to live and die without the image of\nGod: one who is ignorant both of his disease, and of the only remedy\nfor it: one who never was warned, or never regarded the warning voice\nof God, _to flee from the wrath to come_: one that never yet saw he was\nin danger of hell-fire, or cried out in the earnestness of his soul,\n_What must I do to be saved?_\n\n5. If this sleeper be not outwardly vicious, his sleep is usually the\ndeepest of all: whether he be of the _Laodicean_ spirit, _neither cold\nnor hot_; but a quiet, rational, inoffensive, good-natured professor of\nthe religion of his fathers; or whether he be zealous and orthodox, and\n_after the most straitest sect of our religion, live a Pharisee_; that\nis, according to the scriptural account, one that _justifies himself_;\none that labours _to establish his own righteousness_, as the ground of\nhis acceptance with God.\n\n6. This is he, who _having a form of godliness, denies the power\nthereof_; yea, and probably reviles it, wheresoever it is found, as\nmere extravagance and delusion. Meanwhile, the wretched self-deceiver\nthanks God, that he _is not as other men are; adulterers, unjust,\nextortioners_: no, he doth no wrong to any man. He _fasts twice in the\nweek_, uses all the means of grace, is constant at church and sacrament:\nyea, and _gives tithes of all that he has_, does all the good that he\ncan: _touching the righteousness of the law_, he is _blameless_: he\nwants nothing of godliness but the power; nothing of religion, but the\nspirit; nothing of Christianity, but the truth and the life.\n\n7. But know ye not, that however highly esteemed among men, _such a\nChristian_ as this may be, he is an abomination in the sight of God,\nand an heir of every woe, which the Son of God yesterday, to-day, and\nfor ever, denounces against _Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites_? He\nhath _made clean the outside of the cup and the platter_, but within\nis full of all filthiness. _An evil disease cleaveth_ still _unto him_,\nso that _his inward parts are very wickedness_. Our Lord fitly compares\nhim to a _painted sepulchre_, which _appears beautiful without_; but\nnevertheless is _full of dead mens bones, and of all uncleanness_. The\nbones indeed are no longer dry; _the sinews and flesh are come upon\nthem, and the skin covers them above_, but _there is no breath_ in them,\nno Spirit of the living God. And _if any man have not the Spirit of\nChrist, he is none of his. Ye are Christ\u2019s, if so be that the Spirit of\nGod dwell in you._ But if not, God knoweth that ye abide in death, even\nuntil now.\n\n8. This is another character of the sleeper here spoken to. He\nabides in death, tho\u2019 he knows it not. He is dead unto God, _dead in\ntrespasses and sins_. For, _to be carnally minded is death_. Even as\nit is written, _by one man sin entered into the world, and death by\nsin: and so death passed upon all men_, not only temporal death, but\nlikewise spiritual and eternal. _In that day that thou eatest_ (said\nGod to _Adam_) _Thou shalt surely die_. Not bodily (unless as he then\nbecame mortal) but spiritually: thou shalt lose the life of thy soul:\nthou shalt die to God; shalt be separated from him, thy essential life\nand happiness.\n\n9. Thus first was dissolved the vital union of our soul with God:\ninsomuch that _in the midst of |natural| life, we are |now| in\n|spiritual| death_. And herein we remain till the second _Adam_ becomes\na quickening spirit to us, till he raises the dead, the dead in sin,\nin pleasure, riches, or honours. But before any dead soul can live,\nhe _hears_ (hearkens to) _the voice of the Son of God_: He is made\nsensible of his lost estate, and receives the sentence of death in\nhimself. He knows himself to be _dead while he liveth_, dead to God,\nand all the things of God: having no more power to perform the actions\nof a living Christian, than a dead body to perform the functions of a\nliving man.\n\n10. And most certain it is, that one dead in sin, has not _senses\nexercised to discern |spiritual| good and evil. Having eyes, he sees\nnot, he hath ears and hears not._ He doth not _taste and see that the\nLord is gracious_. He _hath not seen God at any time_, nor _heard his\nvoice_, nor _handled the word of life_. In vain is the name of Jesus\n_like ointment poured forth_, and _all his garments smell of myrrh,\naloes and cassia_. The soul that sleepeth in death hath no perception\nof any objects of this kind. His heart is _past feeling_, and\nunderstandeth none of these things.\n\n* 11. And hence having no spiritual senses, no inlets of spiritual\nknowledge, the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit\nof God; nay, he is so far from receiving them, that whatsoever is\nspiritually discerned is mere foolishness unto him. He is not content\nwith being utterly ignorant of spiritual things, but he denies the\nvery existence of them. And spiritual sensation itself is to him, the\nfoolishness of folly. _How_, saith he, _can these things be_? How can\nany man _know_, that he is alive to God? Even as you know, that your\nbody is now alive. Faith is the life of the soul: and if ye have this\nlife abiding in you, ye want no marks to evidence it _to yourself_, but\nthat \u1f14\u03bb\u03b5\u03b3\u03c7\u03bf\u03c2 \u03a0\u03bd\u03b5\u03cd\u03bc\u03b1\u03c4\u03bf\u03c2, that divine consciousness, that _witness of_\nGod, which is more and greater than ten thousand human witnesses.\n\n12. If he doth not now bear witness with thy spirit, that thou art\na child of God, O that he might convince thee, thou poor unawakened\nsinner, by his demonstration and power, that thou art a child of the\ndevil! O that as I prophesy, there might now be _a noise and a shaking_,\nand may _the bones come together, bone to his bone_. Then _come from\nthe four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may\nlive_! And do not ye harden your hearts, and resist the Holy Ghost, who\neven now is come to _convince_ you _of sin, because you believe not on\nthe name of the only begotten Son of God_.\n\n\nII.) 1. * Wherefore, _Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the\ndead_. God calleth thee now by my mouth; and bids thee know thyself,\nthou fallen spirit, thy true state and only concern below. _What\nmeanest thou, O sleeper? Arise! Call upon thy God, if so be thy God\nwill think upon thee, that thou perish not._ A mighty tempest is\nstirred up round about thee, and thou art sinking into the depths of\nperdition, the gulph of God\u2019s judgments. If thou wouldst escape them,\ncast thyself into them. _Judge thyself_, and thou shalt _not be judged\nof the Lord_.\n\n2. Awake, awake! Stand up this moment, lest thou _drink at the\nLord\u2019s hand the cup of his fury_. Stir up thyself _to lay hold on the\nLord, the Lord thy righteousness, mighty to save! Shake thyself from\nthe dust._ At least, let the earthquake of God\u2019s threatnings shake\nthee. Awake and cry out with the trembling \u2666gaoler, _What must I do to\nbe saved?_ And never rest, till thou believest on the Lord Jesus, with\na faith which is his gift, by the operation of his spirit.\n\n3. * If I speak to any one of you more than to another, it is to thee,\nwho thinkest thyself unconcerned in this exhortation. _I have a message\nfrom God unto thee._ In his name, I _warn_ thee _to flee from the wrath\nto come_. Thou unholy soul, see thy picture in condemn\u2019d _Peter_, lying\nin the dark dungeon, between the soldiers, bound with two chains, the\nkeepers before the door keeping the prison. The night is far spent, the\nmorning is at hand, when thou art to be brought forth to execution. And\nin these dreadful circumstances, thou art fast asleep; thou art fast\nasleep in the devil\u2019s arms, on the brink of the pit, in the jaws of\neverlasting destruction.\n\n4. O may _the angel of the Lord come upon thee_, and _the light shine\ninto thy prison_! And mayst thou feel the stroke of an almighty hand,\nraising thee with _arise up quickly, gird thyself, and bind on thy\nsandals, cast thy garments about thee, and follow me_.\n\n5. * Awake, thou everlasting spirit, out of thy dream of worldly\nhappiness. Did not God create thee for himself? Then, thou canst not\nrest, till thou restest in him. Return thou wanderer. Fly back to thy\nark. _This is not thy home._ Think not of building tabernacles here.\nThou art but _a stranger, a sojourner upon earth_: A creature of a day,\nbut just launching out into an unchangeable state. Make haste. Eternity\nis at hand. Eternity depends on this moment. An eternity of happiness,\nor an eternity of misery!\n\n6. In what state is thy soul? Was God, while I am yet speaking,\nto require it of thee, art thou ready to meet death and judgment?\nCanst thou stand in his sight, _who is of purer eyes than to behold\niniquity_? Art thou _meet to be partaker of the inheritance of the\nsaints in light_? Hast thou _fought a good fight and kept the faith_?\nHast thou secured _the one thing needful_? Hast thou recovered the\nimage of God, even _righteousness and true holiness_? Hast thou _put\noff the old man and put on the new_? Art thou _cloathed upon with\nChrist_?\n\n7. Hast thou oil in thy lamp? Grace in thy heart? Dost thou _love the\nLord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy mind, and with all\nthy soul, and with all thy strength_? Is _that mind in thee, which\nwas also in Christ Jesus_? Art thou a Christian indeed? That is, a new\ncreature? Are _old things past away, and all things become new_?\n\n8. Art thou a _partaker of the divine nature? Knowest thou not, that\nChrist is in thee, except thou be reprobate?_ Knowest thou, that God\n_dwelleth in thee, and thou in God, by his Spirit which he hath given\nthee_? Knowest thou not, that _thy body is a temple of the Holy Ghost,\nwhich thou hast of God_? Hast thou _the witness in thyself? The earnest\nof thine inheritance?_ Hast thou _received the Holy Ghost_\u2015\u2015or dost\nthou start at the question, not knowing whether there be any Holy Ghost?\n\n9. If it offends thee, be thou assured, that thou neither art a\nChristian, nor desirest to be one. Nay, thy very _prayer is turned into\nsin_; and thou hast solemnly mocked God this very day, by praying for\n_the inspiration of his holy spirit_, when thou didst not believe there\nwas any such thing to be received.\n\n10. * Yet on the authority of God\u2019s word and our own church, I must\nrepeat the question, _Hast thou received the Holy Ghost?_ If thou hast\nnot, thou art not yet a Christian: for a Christian is a man, that is\n_anointed with the Holy Ghost, and with power_. Thou art not yet made a\npartaker of pure religion and undefiled. Dost thou know, what religion\nis? That it is, a participation of the divine nature, the life of God\nin the soul of man: _Christ formed in the heart, Christ, in thee, the\nhope of glory_: happiness and holiness: heaven begun upon earth: _a\nkingdom of God within thee: not meat and drink_, no outward thing: _but\nrighteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost_? An everlasting\nkingdom brought into thy soul, a _peace of God, that passeth all\nunderstanding_; a _joy unspeakable and full of glory_?\n\n11. Knowest thou, that _in Jesus Christ, neither circumcision availeth\nany thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith that worketh by love_; but\na new creation? Seest thou the necessity of that inward change, that\nspiritual birth, that life from the dead? That holiness? And art thou\nthroughly convinced, that _without it, no man shall see the Lord_? Art\nthou labouring after it? _Giving all diligence, to make thy calling\nand election sure? Working out thy salvation with fear and trembling?\nAgonizing to enter in at the straight gate?_ Art thou _in earnest_\nabout thy soul? And, canst thou tell the Searcher of hearts, _Thou,\nO God, art the thing that I long for_! Lord, thou knowest all things!\nThou knowest that I _would_ love thee!\n\n12. Thou hopest to be saved\u2015\u2015but what reason hast thou to give of the\nhope that is in thee? Is it because thou hast done no harm? Or, because\nthou hast done much good? Or, because thou art not like other men; but\nwise, or learned, or honest and morally good? Esteemed of men, and of\na fair reputation? Alas, all this will never bring thee to God. It is\nin his account lighter than vanity. Dost thou _know Jesus Christ whom\nhe hath sent_? Hath he taught thee, that _by grace we are saved through\nfaith? And that, not of ourselves. It is the gift of God: not of works,\nlest any man should boast._ Hast thou received the faithful saying as\nthe whole foundation of thy hope, _Jesus Christ came into the world\nto save sinners_? Hast thou learned what that meaneth, _I came not to\ncall the righteous, but sinners to repentance? I am not sent, but to\nthe lost sheep?_ Art thou (he that heareth, let him understand!) lost,\ndead? _Damned already?_\u2015\u2015Dost thou know thy deserts? Dost thou feel\nthy wants? Art thou _poor in spirit_? _Mourning_ for God and refusing\nto be comforted? Is the prodigal _come to himself_, and well-content to\nbe therefore thought _beside himself_, by those who are still feeding\nupon the husks which he hath left? Art thou willing to _live godly in\nChrist Jesus_? And dost thou therefore _suffer persecution_? Do _men\nsay all manner of evil against thee falsely, for the Son of man\u2019s sake_?\n\n13. O, that in all these questions ye may hear the voice that wakes\nthe dead, and feel that hammer of the word, which _breaketh the rocks\nin pieces!\u2015\u2015If ye will hear his voice to day, while it is called to day,\nharden not your hearts._ Now _awake thou that sleepest_ in spiritual\ndeath, that thou sleep not in death eternal! Feel thy lost estate,\nand _arise from the dead_. Leave thine old companions in sin and death.\nFollow thou Jesus, and _let the dead bury their dead. Save thyself\nfrom this untoward generation. Come out from among them, and be thou\nseparate, and touch not the unclean thing, and the Lord shall receive\nthee, Christ shall give thee light._\n\n\nIII.) 1. This promise I come, lastly, to explain. And how encouraging\na consideration is this, that whosoever thou art who obeyest his call,\nthou canst not seek his face in vain. If thou even now _awakest and\narisest from the dead_, he hath bound himself to _give thee light.\nThe Lord shall give_ thee _grace and glory_; the light of his grace\nhere, and the light of his glory, when thou receivest the _crown that\nfadeth not away_. Thy light shall _break forth as the morning_, and thy\ndarkness be as the noon-day. _God who commanded the light to shine out\nof darkness_, shall _shine in thy heart; to give the knowledge of the\nglory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. On them that fear the Lord\nshall the sun of righteousness arise, with healing in his wings._ And\n_in that day it shall be said unto thee, Arise, shine: for thy light is\ncome, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee_. For Christ shall\nreveal himself in thee. And he is the _true light_.\n\n2. God is light, and will give himself to every awakened sinner, that\nwaiteth for him: and thou shalt then be a temple of the living God,\nand Christ shall _dwell in thy heart by faith_: and _being rooted and\ngrounded in love, thou shalt be able to comprehend with all saints,\nwhat is the breadth, and length, and depth, and heighth of that love of\nChrist which passeth knowledge_.\n\n3. Ye see your calling, brethren. We are call\u2019d to be _an habitation\nof God through his Spirit_: and through his Spirit dwelling in us,\n_to be saints_ here, and _partakers of the inheritance of the saints\nin light_. So _exceeding great_ are the _promises which are given unto\nus_, actually given unto us who believe. For by faith _we receive, not\nthe spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God_, the sum of\nall the promises, _that we may know the things that are freely given to\nus of God_.\n\n4. The Spirit of Christ is that great gift of God, which at sundry\ntimes, and in divers manners he hath promised to man, and hath fully\nbestowed since the time that Christ was glorified. Those Promises\nbefore made to the fathers, he hath thus fulfilled: _I will put my\nSpirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes[7]. I will pour\nwater upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will\npour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring[8]._\n\n5. Ye may all be living witnesses of these things: of remission of\nsins, and the gift of the Holy Ghost. _If thou canst believe, all\nthings are possible to him that believeth. Who among you is there, that\nfeareth the Lord_, and yet _walketh on in darkness, and hath no light_?\nI ask thee in the name of Jesus, believest thou that _his arm is not\nshortned at all_? That he is still _mighty to save_? That he is _the\nsame yesterday, to day, and for ever_? That he hath _now_ power, _on\nearth_ to forgive sins? _Son, be of good cheer; thy sins are forgiven._\nGod for Christ\u2019s sake hath forgiven thee. Receive this, _not as the\nword of man; but as it is, indeed, the word of God_; and thou art\n_justified freely through faith_. Thou shalt be sanctified also through\nfaith which is in Jesus, and shalt set to thy seal, even thine, that\nGod _hath_ given unto us _eternal life, and this life is in his Son_.\n\n6. Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you; and _suffer ye the\nword of exhortation_, even from one the least esteemed in the church.\nYour conscience beareth you witness in the Holy Ghost, that these\nthings are so, _if so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.\nThis is eternal life, to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ\nwhom he hath sent._ This experimental knowledge, and this alone, is\ntrue Christianity. He is a Christian, who hath received the Spirit of\nChrist. He is not a Christian, who hath not received him. Neither is\nit possible to have received him and not know it. For _at that day_[9]\n(when he cometh, saith our Lord) _ye shall know, that I am in my Father,\nand you in me, and I in you_. This is that _Spirit of Truth, whom the\nworld cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him.\nBut ye know him: for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you._\n\n7. The world cannot receive him, but utterly reject the promise of\nthe Father, contradicting and blaspheming. But every spirit which\nconfesseth not this, is not of God. Yea, _this is that spirit of\nantichrist, whereof ye have heard, that it should come into the world,\nand even now it is in the world_. * He is antichrist whosoever denies\nthe inspiration of the Holy Ghost, or that the indwelling Spirit of God\nis the common privilege of all believers, the blessing of the gospel,\nthe unspeakable gift, the universal promise, the criterion of a real\nChristian.\n\n8. It nothing helps them to say, \u201cWe do not deny the _assistance_ of\nGod\u2019s Spirit; but only this _inspiration_, this _receiving the Holy\nGhost_, and being _sensible_ of it. It is only this _feeling of the_\nSpirit, this being _moved_ by the Spirit, or _filled_ with it, which\nwe deny to have any place in sound religion.\u201d But in _only denying\nthis_, you deny the whole scriptures, the whole truth and promise and\ntestimony of God.\n\n9. Our own excellent church knows nothing of this devilish distinction:\nbut speaks plainly of _feeling the Spirit of Christ[10]_; of being\n_moved by the Holy Ghost[11]_, and knowing and _feeling there is no\nother name than that of Jesus[12]_, whereby we can receive life and\nsalvation. She teaches us all to pray for the _inspiration of the Holy\nSpirit[13]_, yea, that we may be _filled with the Holy Ghost[14]_. Nay,\nand every presbyter of hers, professes to _receive the Holy Ghost by\nthe imposition of hands_. Therefore to deny any of these, is in effect,\nto renounce the church of _England_, as well as the whole Christian\nrevelation.\n\n10. But _the wisdom of God_ was always _foolishness with men_. No\nmarvel then, that the great mystery of the gospel, should be now also\n_hid from the wise and prudent_, as well as in the days of old; that\nit should be almost universally denied, ridiculed and exploded as mere\nfrenzy: and that all who dare avow it still, are branded with the names\nof madmen and enthusiasts. This is _that falling away_ which was to\ncome: that general apostacy, of all orders and degrees of men, which\nwe even now find to have overspread the earth. _Run to and fro in the\nstreets of Jerusalem, and see if ye can find a man_; a man that loveth\nthe Lord his God with all his heart, and serveth him with all his\nstrength? How does our own land mourn (that we look no farther) under\nthe overflowings of ungodliness? What villanies of every kind are\ncommitted day by day; yea, too often with impunity, by those who sin\nwith a high hand, and glory in their shame? Who can reckon up the oaths,\ncurses, profaneness, blasphemies, the lying, slandering, evil-speaking,\nthe sabbath-breaking, gluttony, drunkenness, revenge, the whoredoms,\nadulteries, and various uncleanness, the frauds, injustice, oppression,\nextortion, which overspread our land as a flood?\n\n11. * And even among those who have kept themselves pure from these\ngrosser abominations; how much anger and pride, how much sloth and\nidleness, how much softness and effeminacy, how much luxury and\nself-indulgence, how much covetousness and ambition, how much thirst\nof praise, how much love of the world, how much fear of man is to be\nfound? Meanwhile, how little of true religion? For where is he that\nloveth either God or his neighbour, as he hath given us commandment? On\nthe one hand are those, who have not so much as the form of godliness:\non the other those who have the form only; there stands the _open_,\nthere the _painted_ sepulchre. So that in very deed, whosoever were\nearnestly to behold any publick gathering together of the people,\n(I fear, those in our churches are not to be excepted) might easily\nperceive, _that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees_:\nthe one having almost as little concern about religion, as if there\nwere _no resurrection, neither angel nor spirit_; and the other making\nit a mere lifeless form, a dull round of external performances, without\neither true faith, or the love of God, or joy in the Holy Ghost.\n\n12. Would to God I could except us of this place. _Brethren, my\nheart\u2019s desire, and prayer to God for you is, that ye may be saved_\nfrom this overflowing of ungodliness, and that here may its proud\nwaves be stay\u2019d! But is it so indeed? God knoweth, yea, and our own\nconscience, it is not. Ye have not kept yourselves pure. Corrupt are we\nalso and abominable; and few are there that understand any more, few\nthat worship God in spirit and in truth. We too are _a generation that\nset not our hearts aright, and whose Spirit cleaveth not stedfastly\nunto God_: He hath appointed us indeed to be _the salt of the earth.\nBut if the salt have lost its savour, it is thenceforth good for\nnothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men._\n\n13. And _shall I not visit for these things, saith the Lord? Shall\nnot my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?_ Yea, we know not how\nsoon he may say to the sword, _Sword, go through this land!_ He hath\ngiven us long space to repent. He lets us alone this year also: but he\nwarns and awakens us by thunder. His judgments are abroad in the earth.\nAnd we have all reason to expect that heaviest of all, even _that he\nshould come unto us quickly, and remove our candlestick out of its\nplace, except we repent and do the first works_: unless we return to\nthe principles of the reformation, the truth and simplicity of the\ngospel. Perhaps we are now resisting the last effort of divine grace\nto save us. Perhaps we have well nigh _filled up the measure of our\niniquities_, by rejecting the counsel of God against ourselves, and\ncalling out his messengers.\n\n14. O God, _in the midst of wrath remember mercy_! Be glorified in our\nreformation, not in our destruction. Let us _hear the rod, and him that\nappointed it_. Now that _thy judgments are abroad in the earth_, let\nthe _inhabitants of the world learn righteousness_.\n\n15. My brethren, it is high time for us, to awake out of sleep; before\nthe _great trumpet of the Lord be blown_, and our land become a field\nof blood. O may we speedily see the things that make for our peace,\nbefore they are hid from our eyes! _Turn thou us, O good Lord, and\nlet thine anger cease from us. O Lord, look down from heaven, behold\nand visit this vine_; and cause us to know the time of our visitation.\n_Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name; O deliver\nus, and be merciful to our sins, for thy names sake. And so will we not\ngo back from thee: O let us live, and we shall call upon thy name. Turn\nus again, O Lord God of hosts, shew the light of thy countenance, and\nwe shall be whole._\n\n_Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that\nwe can ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto\nhim be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world\nwithout end._ Amen.\n\n\n\n\n SERMON IV.[15]\n\n SCRIPTURAL CHRISTIANITY.\n\n Acts iv. 31.\n\n _And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost._\n\n\n1. THE same expression occurs in the second chapter, where we read,\n_When the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all_ (the apostles,\nwith the women, and the mother of Jesus, and his brethren) _with one\naccord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as\nof a rushing mighty wind. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues,\nlike as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled\nwith the Holy Ghost._ One immediate effect whereof was, _They began to\nspeak with other tongues_; insomuch that both the _Parthians_, _Medes_,\n_Elamites_, and the other strangers who _came together, when this\nwas noised abroad, heard them speak, in_ their several _tongues, the\nwonderful works of God_.\n\n2. In this chapter we read, that when the apostles and brethren had\nbeen praying, and praising God, _the place was shaken where they were\nassembled together, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost_.\nNot that we find any visible appearance here, such as had been in the\nformer instance: nor are we informed that the _extraordinary gifts_\nof the Holy Ghost, were then given to all or any of them; such _as\nthe gifts of healing, of working |other| miracles, of prophecy, of\ndiscerning spirits_; the speaking with _divers kinds of tongues, and\nthe interpretation of tongues_.\n\n3. Whether these gifts of the Holy Ghost were designed to remain in the\nchurch throughout all ages; and whether or no they will be restored at\nthe nearer approach of the _restitution of all things_, are questions\nwhich it is not needful to decide. But it is needful to observe this,\nthat even in the infancy of the church, God divided them with a sparing\nhand. _Were all_ even then _prophets_? Were _all workers of miracles?\nHad all the gifts of healing? Did all speak with tongues?_ No, in no\nwise. Perhaps not one in a thousand. Probably none but the teachers\nin the church, and only some of them. It was therefore for a more\nexcellent purpose than this, that _they were all filled with the Holy\nGhost_.\n\n4. It was, to give them (what none can deny to be essential to all\nChristians in all ages) _the mind which was in Christ_, those holy\n_fruits of the Spirit_, which whosoever hath not, _is none of his_: to\nfill them with _love_, _joy_, _peace_, _long-suffering_, _gentleness_,\n_goodness_: to endue them with _faith_, (perhaps it might be rendered,\n_fidelity_) with _meekness and temperance_: to enable them to _crucify\nthe flesh with its affections and lusts_, its passions and desires;\nand, in consequence of that _inward change_, to fulfil all _outward_\nrighteousness, _to walk as Christ also walked, in the work of faith,\nthe patience of hope, the labour of love_.\n\n5. Without busying ourselves then in curious, needless enquiries,\ntouching those _extraordinary_ gifts of the Spirit, let us take a\nnearer view of these his _ordinary_ fruits; which we are assured\nwill remain throughout all ages: of that great work of God among\nthe children of men, which we are used to express by one word,\n_Christianity_: not as it implies a set of opinions, a system of\ndoctrines, but as it refers to mens hearts and lives. And this\n_Christianity_ it may be useful to consider under three distinct views.\n\n I. As beginning to exist in individuals.\n II. As spreading from one to another.\n III. As covering the earth.\n\nI design to close these considerations with a plain practical\napplication.\n\n\nI. And first, let us consider Christianity in its rise, as beginning to\nexist in individuals.\n\nSuppose then one of those who heard the apostle _Peter_ preaching\n_repentance and remission of sins_, was _pricked to the heart_, was\nconvinced of sin, repented, and then _believed in Jesus_. By this\n_faith of the operation of God_, which was the very _substance_ or\nsubsistence _of things hoped for_, the demonstrative _evidence of\ninvisible things_, he instantly _received the Spirit of adoption,\nwhereby he |now| cried Abba, Father_! Now first it was that he could\n_call Jesus Lord, by the Holy Ghost, the Spirit itself bearing witness\nwith his spirit that he was a child of God_. Now it was that he could\ntruly say, _I live not, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I\nnow live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me\nand gave himself for me_.\n\n2. This then was the very essence of his faith, a divine \u1f14\u03bb\u03b5\u03b3\u03c7\u03bf\u03c2[16]\nof the love of God the Father, through the Son of his love, to him a\nsinner, now _accepted in the Beloved_. And _being justified by faith,\nhe had peace with God_, yea _the peace of God ruling in his heart_:\na peace, which _passing all understanding_, (\u03c0\u03ac\u03bd\u03c4\u03b1 \u03bd\u03bf\u1fe6\u03bd, all barely\nrational conception) _kept his heart and mind_ from all doubt and fear,\nthrough the _knowledge of him in whom he had believed_. He could not\ntherefore _be afraid of any evil tidings; for his heart stood fast\nbelieving in the Lord_. He feared not what man could do unto him,\nknowing _the very hairs of his head were all numbered_. He feared not\nall the powers of darkness, which God was daily _bruising under his\nfeet_. Least of all was he afraid to die; nay, he _desired to depart\nand be with Christ_; who _through death had destroyed him that had the\npower of death, even the devil; and delivered them who through fear of\ndeath, were all their life-time_, till then, _subject to bondage_.\n\n3. _His soul_ therefore _magnified the Lord, and his spirit rejoiced\nin God his Saviour. He rejoiced in him with joy unspeakable, who had\nreconciled him to God, even the Father: in whom he had redemption\nthrough his blood, the forgiveness of sins._ He rejoiced in that\n_witness of God\u2019s Spirit with his spirit, that he was a child of God_:\nand more abundantly, _in hope of the glory of God_, in hope of the\nglorious image of God, the full _renewal of his soul in righteousness\nand true holiness_; and in hope of that _crown of glory_, that\n_inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away_.\n\n4. _The love of God_ was also _shed abroad in his heart, by the Holy\nGhost which was given unto him. Because he was a son, God had sent\nforth the Spirit of his Son into his heart, crying, Abba, Father!_ And\nthat filial love of God was continually increased by the _witness he\nhad in himself_, of God\u2019s pardoning love to him, by _beholding what\nmanner of love it was, which the Father had bestowed upon him, that\nhe should be called a child of God_. So that God was the desire of his\neyes, and the joy of his heart; his portion in time and in eternity.\n\n5. He that thus _loved God_, could not but _love his brother also_; and\n_not in word only, but in deed and in truth_. \u201c_If God_, said he, _so\nloved us, we ought also to love one another_.\u201d Yea, every soul of man,\nas the _mercy_ of God _is over all his works_. Agreeably hereto, the\naffection of this lover of God, embraced all mankind for his sake; not\nexcepting those whom he had never seen in the flesh, or those of whom\nhe knew nothing more than that they were _the offspring of God_; for\nwhose souls his Son had died; not excepting the _evil_ and _unthankful_,\nand least of all his enemies, those who _hated, or persecuted, or\ndespitefully used_ him for his Master\u2019s sake. These had a peculiar\nplace both in his heart and his prayers. He loved them _even as Christ\nloved us_.\n\n6. And _love is not puffed up_. It abases to the dust every soul\nwherein it dwells. Accordingly he was _lowly of heart_, little, mean,\nand vile in his own eyes. He neither sought nor received the _praise of\nmen, but that which cometh of God only_. He was meek and long-suffering,\ngentle to all, and easy to be intreated. Faithfulness and truth never\nforsook him; they were _bound about his neck, and wrote on the table of\nhis heart_. By the same Spirit he was enabled to be _temperate in all\nthings, refraining his soul even as a weaned child_. He was _crucified\nto the world, and the world crucified to him_: superior to _the desire\nof the flesh, the desire of the eye, and the pride of life_. By the\nsame almighty love was he saved, both from passion and pride, from lust\nand vanity, from ambition and covetousness, and from every temper which\nwas not in Christ.\n\n7. It may be easily believed, he who had this love in his heart, would\n_work no evil to his neighbour_. It was impossible for him, knowingly\nand designedly, to do harm to any man. He was at the greatest distance\nfrom cruelty and wrong, from any unjust or unkind action. With the same\ncare did he _set a watch before his mouth, and keep the door of his\nlips_; lest he should offend in tongue, either against justice, or\nagainst mercy or truth. He _put away all lying_, falshood and fraud;\nneither was _guile found in his mouth_. He _spake evil of no man_; nor\ndid an unkind word ever come out of his lips.\n\n8. And as he was deeply sensible of the truth of that word, _without\nme ye can do nothing_, and consequently, of the need he had to be\n_water\u2019d_ of God _every moment_; so he _continued daily_ in all the\nordinances of God, the stated channels of his grace to man. _In the\napostles doctrine_ or teaching, receiving that food of the soul with\nall readiness of heart, _in the breaking of bread_, which he found\nto be _the communion of the body of Christ_, and _in the prayers_ and\npraises offered up by the great congregation. And thus he daily _grew\nin grace_, increasing in strength, in the knowledge and love of God.\n\n9. But it did not satisfy him, barely to abstain from doing evil. His\nsoul was a-thirst to do good. The language of his heart continually was,\n_My Father worketh hitherto, and I work_. My Lord _went about doing\ngood_; and shall not I _tread in his steps? As |he| had opportunity_\ntherefore, if he could do no good of a higher kind, he fed the hungry,\nclothed the naked, helped the fatherless or stranger, visited and\nassisted them that were sick or in prison. He _gave all his goods\nto feed the poor_. He rejoiced to labour or to suffer for them; and\nwherein soever he might profit another, there especially to _deny\nhimself_. He counted nothing too dear to part with for them, as well\nremembring the word of his Lord, _Insomuch as ye have done it unto one\nof the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me_.\n\n10. Such was _Christianity_ in its rise. Such was a Christian in\nancient days. Such was every one of those, who _when they heard_ the\nthreatnings of _the chief priests and elders, lift up their voice\nto God with one accord, and were all filled with the Holy Ghost. The\nmultitude of them that believed, were of one heart and of one soul._\n(So did the love of him in whom they had believed, constrain them to\nlove one another.) _Neither said any of them that ought of the things\nwhich he possessed was his own; but they had all things common._ So\nfully were they crucified to the world, and the world crucified to them.\n_And they continued stedfastly with one accord in the apostles doctrine,\nand in the breaking of bread, and in prayer. And great grace was upon\nthem all; neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as\nwere possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of\nthe things that were sold, and laid them down at the apostles feet; and\ndistribution was made unto every man, according as he had need._\n\n\nII. 1. Let us take a view, in the second place, of this _Christianity_,\nas spreading from one to another, and so gradually making its way into\nthe world. For such was the will of God concerning it, who _did not\nlight a candle to put it under a bushel, but that it might give light\nto all that were in the house_. And this our Lord had declared to his\nfirst disciples, _Ye are the salt of the earth, the light of the world_:\nat the same time that he gave that general command, _Let your light so\nshine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your\nFather which is in heaven_.\n\n2. And, indeed, supposing a few of these lovers of mankind, to see\n_the whole world lying in wickedness_, can we believe they would be\nunconcerned at the sight, at the misery of those for whom their Lord\ndied? Would not their bowels yearn over them, and their hearts _melt\naway for very trouble_? Could they then stand idle all the day long,\neven were there no command from him whom they loved? Rather would they\nnot labour, by all possible means, to _pluck_ some of _these brands out\nof the burning_? Undoubtedly they would: they would spare no pains to\nbring back whomsoever they could of those poor _sheep that had gone\nastray, to the great Shepherd and Bishop of their souls_.\n\n3. So the Christians of old did. They laboured, having opportunity,\n_to do good unto all men_, warning them to _flee from the wrath to\ncome_, now, now, to escape _the damnation of hell_. They declared,\n_The times of ignorance God winked at; but now he calleth all men every\nwhere to repent_. They cried aloud, _Turn ye, turn ye from your evil\nways; so iniquity shall not be your ruin_. They _reasoned_ with them\n_of temperance and righteousness_, or justice, of the virtues opposite\nto their reigning sins, and _of judgment to come_, of the wrath of God\nwhich would surely be executed on evil doers in that day when he should\njudge the world.\n\n4. They endeavoured herein to speak to every man severally as he had\nneed. To the careless, to those who lay unconcerned in darkness and in\nthe shadow of death, they thundered, _Awake thou that sleepest; arise\nfrom the dead, and Christ shall give thee light_: but to those who were\nalready awakened out of sleep, and groaning under a sense of the wrath\nof God, their language was, _We have an Advocate with the Father; he\nis the propitiation for our sins_. Mean time those who had believed,\nthey _provoked to love and to good works; to patient continuance in\nwell-doing; and to abound more and more_ in that _holiness, without\nwhich no man can see the Lord_.\n\n5. And their labour was not in vain in the Lord. His _word ran and\nwas glorified_. It _grew mightily and prevailed_. But so much the more\ndid offences prevail also. The world in general were offended, _because\nthey testified of it, that the works thereof were evil_. The men of\npleasure were offended, not only because these men were _made_, as it\nwere, _to reprove their thoughts_. (_He professeth_, said they, _to\nhave the knowledge of God: he calleth himself the child of the Lord:\nhis life is not like other mens; his ways are of another fashion: he\nabstaineth from our ways, as from filthiness: he maketh his boast, that\nGod is his Father_.) But much more, because so many of their companions\nwere taken away, and would no more _run with them to the same excess\nof riot_. The men of reputation were offended, because, as the gospel\nspread, they declined in the esteem of the people; and because many no\nlonger dared to _give them flattering titles_, or to pay man the homage\ndue to God only. The men of trade called one another together, and said,\n_Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth. But ye see and\nhear that these men have persuaded and turned away much people. So that\nthis our craft is in danger to be set at nought._ Above all, the men of\nreligion, so called, the men of _outside_ religion, \u201cthe saints of the\nworld,\u201d were offended and ready at every opportunity to cry out, _Men\nof Israel, help! We have found these men! Pestilent fellows, movers of\nsedition throughout the world. These are the men that teach all men,\nevery where, against the people, and against the law._\n\n6. Thus it was that the heavens grew black with clouds, and the storm\ngathered amain. For the more Christianity spread, _the more hurt was\ndone_, in the account of those who received it not, and the number\nincreased of those who were more and more enraged at these _men who_\nthus _turned the world upside down_; insomuch that more and more cried\nout, _Away with such fellows from the earth; it is not fit that they\nshould live_, yea, and sincerely believed, that _whosoever_ should\n_kill them, would do God service_.\n\n7. Meanwhile they did not fail to _cast out their name as evil_: so\nthat this _sect was every where spoken against. Men said all manner of\nevil of them_, even as had been done of the _prophets that were before\nthem_. And whatsoever any would affirm, others would believe. So that\noffences grew as the stars of heaven for multitude. And hence arose, at\nthe time foreordain\u2019d of the Father, persecution in all its forms. Some,\nfor a season, suffered only shame and reproach; some, _the spoiling of\ntheir goods_; some _had trial of mocking and scourging_; some _of bonds\nand imprisonment_; and others _resisted unto blood_.\n\n8. Now it was that the pillars of hell were shaken, and the kingdom\nof God spread more and more. Sinners were every where _turned from\ndarkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God_. He gave\nhis children _such a mouth, and such wisdom, as all their adversaries\ncould not resist_. And their lives were of equal force with their\nwords. But, above all, their sufferings spake to all the world.\nThey _approved themselves_ the servants of God, _in afflictions, in\nnecessities; in distresses; in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults,\nin labours; in perils in the sea, in perils in the wilderness; in\nweariness and painfulness, in hunger and thirst, in cold and nakedness_.\nAnd when having _fought the good fight_, they were _led as sheep to the\nslaughter, and offered up on the sacrifice and service of their faith_,\nthen the blood of each found a voice, and the Heathen owned, _He being\ndead, yet speaketh_.\n\n9. Thus did _Christianity_ spread itself in the earth. But how soon\ndid the tares appear with the wheat? And the _mystery of iniquity_ work\nas well as the _mystery of godliness_! How soon did Satan find a seat,\neven _in the temple of God_! Till _the woman fled into the wilderness,\nand the faithful were_ again _minished from the children of men_.\nHere we tread a beaten path: the still increasing corruptions of the\nsucceeding generations, have been largely described from time to time,\nby those witnesses God raised up, to shew that he had _built his church\nupon a rock, and the gates of hell should not_ wholly _prevail against\nher_.\n\n\nIII. 1. But shall we not see greater things than these? Yea, greater\nthan have been yet from the beginning of the world. Can Satan cause the\ntruth of God to fail, or his promises to be of none effect? If not, the\ntime will come, when _Christianity_ will prevail over all, and cover\nthe earth. Let us stand a little, and survey (the third thing which was\nproposed) this strange sight, a _Christian world. Of this the prophets\nof old enquired and searched diligently_: of this _the Spirit which\nwas in them testified, It shall come to pass in the last days, that\nthe Mountain of the Lord\u2019s house shall be established in the top of the\nmountains, and shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall\nflow unto it. And they shall beat their swords into plough-shares, and\ntheir spears into pruning-hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against\nnation; neither shall they learn war any more. In that day there shall\nbe a Root of |Jesse|, which shall stand for an ensign of the people.\nTo it shall the Gentiles seek, and his rest shall be glorious. And it\nshall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again\nto recover the remnant of his people; and he shall set up an Ensign for\nthe nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of |Israel|, and gather\ntogether the dispersed of |Judah|, from the four corners of the earth.\nThe wolf shall then dwell with the lamb and the leopard shall lie down\nwith the kid: and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together;\nand a little child shall lead them. They shall not hurt nor destroy,\nsaith the Lord, in all my holy mountain. For the earth shall be full of\nthe knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea._\n\n2. To the same effect are the words of the great apostle, which it is\nevident have never yet been fulfilled. _Hath God cast away his people?\nGod forbid. But through their fall salvation is come to the Gentiles.\nAnd if the diminishing of them be the riches of the Gentiles, how\nmuch more their fulness? For I would not, brethren, that ye should\nbe ignorant of this mystery,\u2015\u2015That blindness in part is happened to\n|Israel|, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in: and so all\n|Israel| shall be saved._\n\n3. Suppose now the fulness of time to be come, and the prophecies to\nbe accomplished, what a prospect is this? All is _peace, quietness, and\nassurance for ever_. Here is no din of arms, no _confused noise_, no\n_garments rolled in blood_. _Destructions are come to a perpetual end_:\nwars are ceased from the earth. Neither are there any intestine jars\nremaining; no brother rising up against brother; no country or city\ndivided against itself, and tearing out its own bowels. Civil discord\nis at end for evermore, and none is left either to destroy or hurt his\nneighbour. Here is no oppression to _make_ even _the wise man mad_;\nno extortion to _grind the face of the poor_; no robbery or wrong;\nno rapine or injustice; for all are _content with such things as they\npossess_. Thus _righteousness and peace have kissed each other_; they\nhave _taken root and filled the land_: righteousness flourishing out of\nthe earth, and _peace looking down from heaven_.\n\n4. And with righteousness or justice, mercy is also found. The earth\nis no longer _full of cruel habitations. The Lord hath destroyed both\nthe blood-thirsty_ and malicious, the envious and revengeful man.\nWere there any provocation, there is none that now knoweth, to _return\nevil for evil_: but indeed there is none that doeth evil, no not one;\nfor all are _harmless as doves_. And being _filled with peace and joy\nin believing_, and united in one body, by one spirit, they all _love\nas brethren_, they are all _of one heart and of one soul. Neither\nsaith any of them, that ought of the things which he possesseth is his\nown._ There is none among them that lacketh; for every man loveth his\nneighbour as himself. And all walk by one rule, _Whatever ye would that\nmen should do unto you, even so do unto them_.\n\n5. It follows, that no unkind word can ever be heard among them:\nno _strife of tongues_, no contention of any kind, no railing or\nevil-speaking; but every one _opens his mouth with wisdom, and in his\ntongue there is the law of kindness_. Equally incapable are they of\nfraud or guile: their _love_ is _without dissimulation_: their words\nare always the just expression of their thoughts, opening a window into\ntheir breast, that whosoever desires may look into their hearts, and\nsee that only love and God are there.\n\n6. Thus, where _the Lord omnipotent taketh to himself his mighty\npower and reigneth_, doth he _subdue all things to himself_; cause\nevery heart to overflow with love, and fill every mouth with praise.\n_Happy are the people that are in such a case; yea, blessed are the\npeople who have the Lord for their God. Arise, shine_, (saith the Lord)\n_for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.\nThou hast known that I the Lord am thy Saviour, and thy Redeemer, the\nmighty God of |Jacob|. I have made thy officers peace, and thy exacters\nrighteousness. Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor\ndestruction within thy borders: but thou shalt call thy walls salvation,\nand thy gates praise. Thy people are all righteous; they shall inherit\nthe land for ever: the branch of my planting, the work of my hands,\nthat I may be glorified. The sun shall no more be thy light by day;\nneither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the\nLord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory._\n\n\nIV. Having thus briefly considered _Christianity_, as beginning, as\ngoing on, and as covering the earth, it remains only that I should\nclose the whole with a plain practical application.\n\n1. * And first, I would ask, where does this _Christianity_ now\nexist? Where, I pray, do the _Christians_ live? Which is the country,\nthe inhabitants whereof are _all_ thus _filled with the Holy Ghost_?\nAre _all of one heart and of one soul_? Cannot suffer one among them\n_to lack any thing_, but continually give _to every man as he hath\nneed_? Who one and all have the love of God filling their hearts,\nand constraining them to love their neighbours as themselves? Who\nhave all _put on bowels of mercy, humbleness of mind, gentleness,\nlong-suffering_? Who offend not in any kind, either by word or deed,\nagainst justice, mercy, or truth? But in every point do unto all men,\nas they would these should do unto them. With what propriety can we\nterm any a _Christian country_, which does not answer this description?\nWhy then, let us confess we have never yet seen a _Christian country_\nupon earth.\n\n2. I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God, if ye do account me\na madman or a fool, yet _as a fool bear with me_. It is utterly needful\nthat some one should use great plainness of speech towards you. It is\nmore especially needful at _this_ time; for who knoweth but it is the\n_last_? Who knoweth how soon the righteous Judge may say, _I will no\nmore be intreated for this people? Tho\u2019 |Noah|, |Daniel|, and |Job|,\nwere in this land, they should but deliver their own souls._ And who\nwill use this plainness, if I do not? Therefore I, even I, will speak.\nAnd I adjure you, by the living God, that ye steel not your breasts\nagainst receiving a blessing at _my_ hands. Do not say in your heart,\n\u201c_Non persuadebis, etiamsi persuaseris_: Or, in other words, Lord, thou\nshalt not _send, by whom thou wilt send_. Let me rather perish in my\nblood, than be saved by this man!\u201d\n\n3. _Brethren I am persuaded better things of you, tho\u2019 I thus\nspeak._ Let me ask you then, in tender love, and in the spirit of\nmeekness, is this city a _Christian_ city? Is _Christianity, Scriptural\nChristianity_, found here? Are we, considered as a community of men,\nso _filled with the Holy Ghost_, as to enjoy in our hearts, and shew\nforth in our lives, the genuine fruits of that spirit? Are all the\nmagistrates, all heads and governors of colleges and halls, and their\nrespective societies, (not to speak of the inhabitants of the town)\n_of one heart and one soul_? Is _the love of God shed abroad in our\nhearts_? Are our tempers the same that were in him? Are our lives\nagreeable thereto? Are we _holy as he who hath called us is holy, in\nall manner of conversation_?\n\n4. I intreat you to observe, that here are no _peculiar notions_\nnow under consideration; that the question moved is not concerning\n_doubtful opinions_, of one kind or an other; but concerning the\nundoubted, fundamental branches (if there be any such) of our _common\nChristianity_. And for the decision thereof, I appeal to your own\nconscience, guided by the word of God. He therefore that is not\ncondemned by his own heart, let him go free.\n\n5. * In the fear then, and in the presence of the great God, before\nwhom both you and I shall shortly appear, I pray you that are in\nauthority over us, whom I reverence for your office sake, to consider,\n(and not after the manner of dissemblers with God) Are you _filled\nwith the Holy Ghost_? Are ye lively portraitures of him, whom ye\nare appointed to represent among men? _I have said, ye are Gods_, ye\nmagistrates and rulers; ye are by office so nearly allied to the God\nof heaven! In your several stations and degrees, ye are to shew forth\nunto us _the Lord our governor_. Are all the thoughts of your hearts,\nall your tempers and desires, suitable to your high calling? Are all\nyour words like unto those which come out of the mouth of God? Is\nthere in all your actions dignity and love? A greatness which words\ncannot express, which can flow only from an heart full of God\u2015\u2015and yet\nconsistent with the character of _man that is a worm, and the son of\nman that is a worm_!\n\n6. * Ye venerable men, who are more especially called to form the\ntender minds of youth, to dispel thence the shades of ignorance and\nerror, and train them up to be wise unto salvation, Are you _filled\nwith the Holy Ghost_? With all those _fruits of the Spirit_, which\nyour important office so indispensibly requires? Is your heart whole\nwith God? Full of love and zeal to set up his kingdom on earth? Do you\ncontinually remind those under your care, that the one rational end of\nall our studies, is to know, love, and serve _the only true God, and\nJesus Christ whom he hath sent_? Do you inculcate upon them, day by day,\nthat _love_ alone _never faileth_? (Whereas, _whether there be tongues,\nthey shall fail, or_ philosophical _knowledge, it shall vanish away_:)\nand that without love, all learning is but splendid ignorance, pompous\nfolly, vexation of spirit. Has all you teach an actual tendency to the\nlove of God, and of all mankind for his sake? Have you an eye to this\nend in whatever you prescribe, touching the kind, the manner, and the\nmeasure of their studies; desiring and labouring, that wherever the lot\nof these young soldiers of Christ is cast, they may be so many _burning\nand shining lights, adorning the gospel of Christ_ in all things? And\npermit me to ask, Do you put forth all your strength in the vast work\nyou have undertaken? Do you labour herein with all your might? Exerting\nevery faculty of your soul? Using every talent which God hath lent you,\nand that to the uttermost of your power?\n\n7. Let it not be said, that I speak here, as if all under your care\nwere intended to be clergymen. Not so: I only speak as if they were all\nintended to be Christians. But what example is set them by us who enjoy\nthe beneficence of our forefathers; by fellows, students, scholars;\nmore especially those who are of some rank and eminence? * Do ye,\nbrethren, abound in the fruits of the spirit, in lowliness of mind, in\nself-denial and mortification, in seriousness and composure of spirit,\nin patience, meekness, sobriety, temperance, and in unwearied, restless\nendeavours, to do good, in every kind, unto all men: to relieve their\noutward wants, and to bring their souls to the true knowledge and love\nof God? Is this the general character of fellows of colleges? I fear\nit is not. Rather, have not pride and haughtiness of spirit, impatience\nand peevishness, sloth and indolence, gluttony and sensuality, and even\na proverbial uselessness, been objected to us, _perhaps_ not always by\nour enemies, _nor wholly_ without ground? O that God would roll away\nthis reproach from us, that the very memory of it might perish for ever!\n\n8. * Many of us are more immediately consecrated to God, called\nto _minister in holy things_. Are we then patterns to the rest, _in\nword, in conversation, in charity; in spirit, in faith, in purity_? Is\nthere written on our forehead and on our heart, _Holiness to the Lord_?\nFrom what motives did we enter upon this office? Was it indeed with\na single eye _to serve God, trusting that we were inwardly moved by\nthe Holy Ghost, to take upon us this ministration, for the promoting\nof his glory, and the edifying of his people_? And _have_ we _clearly\ndetermined, by God\u2019s grace, to give ourselves wholly to this office? Do\nwe forsake and set aside, as much as in us lies, all worldly cares and\nstudies? Do we apply ourselves wholly to this one thing, and draw all\nour cares and studies this way?_ Are we _apt to teach_? Are we _taught\nof God_, that we may be able to teach others also? Do we know God? Do\nwe know Jesus Christ? Hath God _revealed his Son in us_? And hath he\n_made us able ministers of the new covenant_? Where then are _the seals\nof our apostleship_? Who _that were dead in trespasses and sins_, have\nbeen quickened by our word? Have we a burning zeal to save souls from\ndeath, so that for their sake we often forget even to eat our bread? Do\nwe speak plain, _by manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to\nevery man\u2019s conscience in the sight of God_? Are we dead to the world\nand the things of the world, _laying up all our treasure in heaven?\nDo we lord over God\u2019s heritage?_ Or are we the least, _the servants of\nall_? When we bear the reproach of Christ, Does it sit heavy upon us?\nOr do we rejoice therein? When we are _smitten on the one cheek_, Do\nwe resent it? Are we impatient of affronts? Or do we _turn the other\nalso: not resisting the evil_, but _overcoming evil with good_? Have we\na bitter zeal, inciting us to strive sharply and passionately with them\n_that are out of the way_? Or is our zeal the flame of love, so as to\ndirect all our words with sweetness, lowliness, and meekness of wisdom?\n\n9. Once more, what shall we say concerning the youth of this place?\nHave _you_ either the form or the power of _Christian_ Godliness? Are\nyou humble, teachable, advisable; or stubborn, self-willed, heady, and\nhigh-minded? Are you obedient to your superiors as to parents? Or do\nyou despise those to whom you owe the tenderest reverence? Are you\ndiligent in your easy business, pursuing your studies with all your\nstrength? Do you _redeem the time_, crowding as much work into every\nday as it can contain? Rather, are ye not conscious to yourselves, that\nyou waste away day after day, either in reading what has no tendency to\n_Christianity_, or in gaming, or in\u2015\u2015you know not what? Are you better\nmanagers of your fortune than of your time? Do you, out of principle,\ntake care to _owe no man any thing_? Do you _remember the Sabbath-day\nto keep it holy_; to spend it in the more immediate worship of God?\nWhen you are in his House, Do you consider that God is there? Do you\nbehave, _as seeing Him that is invisible_? Do you know how to _possess\nyour bodies, in sanctification and honour_? Are not drunkenness and\nuncleanness found among you? Yea, are there not of you, who _glory\nin their shame_? Do not many of you _take the name of God in vain_,\nperhaps habitually, without either remorse or fear? Yea, * Are there\nnot a multitude of you that are forsworn? I fear, a swiftly-increasing\nmultitude. Be not surprized, brethren. Before God and this congregation;\nI own myself to have been of that number; solemnly swearing to _observe\nall those customs_, which I then knew nothing of; _and those statutes_,\nwhich I did not so much as read over, either then, or for some years\nafter. What is perjury, if this is not? But if it be, O what a weight\nof sin, yea, sin of no common dye, lieth upon us! And doth not _the\nMost High regard it_?\n\n10. * May it not be one of the consequences of this that so many of\nyou are a generation of _Triflers_? Triflers with God, with one another,\nand with your own souls? For how few of you spend, from one week to\nanother, a single hour in private prayer? How few have any thought\nof God in the general tenor of your conversation? Who of you is, in\nany degree, acquainted with the work of his Spirit, his supernatural\nwork in the souls of men? Can you bear, unless now and then, in a\nchurch, any talk of the Holy Ghost? Would you not take it for granted,\nif one began such a conversation, that it was either _Hypocrisy_\nor _Enthusiasm_? In the name of the Lord God Almighty, I ask, what\nreligion are _you_ of? Even the talk of _Christianity_ ye cannot, will\nnot bear. O my brethren! what a _Christian_ city is this? _It is time\nfor thee, Lord, to lay to thine hand!_\n\n11. For indeed, what probability, what possibility rather, (speaking\nafter the manner of men) is there that _Christianity, Scriptural\nChristianity_, should be again the religion of this place? That all\norders of men among us should speak and live as men _filled with the\nHoly Ghost_? By whom should this _Christianity_ be restored? By those\nof you that are in authority? Are you convinced then, that this is\n_Scriptural Christianity_? Are you desirous it should be restored? And\ndo ye not count your fortune, liberty, life, dear unto yourselves, so\nye may be instrumental in the restoring it? But suppose ye have this\ndesire, who hath any power proportioned to the effect? Perhaps some of\nyou have made a few faint attempts, but with how small success? Shall\n_Christianity_ then be restored by young, unknown, inconsiderable men?\nI know not whether ye yourselves could suffer it. Would not some of you\ncry out, \u201cYoung man, in so doing thou reproachest us?\u201d But there is no\ndanger of your being put to the proof; so hath _iniquity overspread us\nlike a flood_. Whom then shall God send? The famine, the pestilence,\n(the last messengers of God to a guilty land) or the sword? _The armies\nof the |Romish| aliens_, to _reform_ us into our first love? Nay,\n_rather let us fall into thy hand, O Lord, and let us not fall into\nthe hand of man_.\n\nLord, save or we perish! Take us out of the mire that we sink not!\nO help us against these enemies, for vain is the help of man. Unto\nthee all things are possible. According to the greatness of thy power,\npreserve thou those that are appointed to die; and preserve us in the\nmanner that seemeth to thee good; not as we will, but as thou wilt.\n\n\n\n\n SERMON V.\n\n JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH.\n\n ROMANS iv. 5.\n\n _To him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth\n the ungodly, his faith is counted to him for righteousness._\n\n\n1. HOW a sinner may be justified before God, the Lord and judge of\nall, is a question of no common importance, to every child of man. It\ncontains the foundation of all our hope; in as much as while we are\nat enmity with God, there can be no true peace, no solid joy, either\nin time or in eternity. What peace can there be, while our own heart\ncondemns us? And much more, he that _is greater than our heart and\nknoweth all things_? What solid joy, either in this world or that to\ncome, while _the wrath of God abideth on us_?\n\n2. And yet how little hath this important question been understood?\nWhat confused notions have many had concerning it? Indeed not only\nconfused, but often utterly false; contrary to the truth, as light\nto darkness: notions absolutely inconsistent with the oracles of God,\nand with the whole analogy of faith. And hence, erring concerning the\nvery foundation, they could not possibly build thereon: at least, not\n_gold, silver, or precious stones_, which would endure when _tried_ as\n_by fire_; but only _hay and stubble_, neither acceptable to God, nor\nprofitable to man.\n\n3. In order to do justice, as far as in me lies, to the vast importance\nof the subject, to save those that seek the truth in sincerity, from\n_vain jangling and strife of words_, to clear the confusedness of\nthought, into which so many have already been led thereby, and to give\nthem true and just conceptions of this great mystery of godliness, I\nshall endeavour to shew,\n\n _First_, What is the general ground of this whole doctrine of\n justification.\n\n _Secondly_, What justification is.\n\n _Thirdly_, Who they are that are justified. And,\n\n _Fourthly_, On what terms they are justified.\n\n\nI. I am, first, to shew, What is the general ground of this whole\ndoctrine of justification.\n\n1. In the image of God was man made, holy as he that created him is\nholy; merciful as the Author of all is merciful, perfect as his Father\nin heaven is perfect. As God is love, so man dwelling in love, dwelt in\nGod, and God in him. God made him to be _an image of his own eternity_,\nan incorruptible picture of the God of glory. He was accordingly pure,\nas God is pure, from every spot of sin. He knew not evil in any kind or\ndegree, but was inwardly and outwardly sinless and undefiled. He _loved\nthe Lord his God with all his heart, and with all his mind and soul and\nstrength_.\n\n2. To man thus upright and perfect, God gave a perfect law, to which\nhe required full and perfect obedience. He required full obedience in\nevery point, and this to be performed without any intermission, from\nthe moment man became a living soul, till the time of his trial should\nbe ended. No allowance was made for any falling short. As indeed there\nwas no need of any; man being altogether equal to the task assigned,\nand thoroughly furnished for every good word and work.\n\n3. To the entire law of love which was written in his heart (against\nwhich perhaps he could not sin directly) it seemed good to the\nsovereign wisdom of God, to superadd one positive law: _Thou shalt not\neat of the fruit of the tree that groweth in the midst of the garden_:\nannexing that penalty thereto, _In the day thou eatest thereof, thou\nshalt surely die_.\n\n4. Such then was the state of man in paradise. By the free, unmerited\nlove of God, he was holy and happy; he knew, loved, enjoyed God, which\nis (in substance) life everlasting. And in this life of love, he was to\ncontinue for ever, if he continued to obey God in all things: but if he\ndisobeyed him in any, he was to forfeit all. _In that day_, said God,\n_thou shalt surely die_.\n\n5. Man did disobey God. He _ate of the tree, of which God commanded him,\nsaying, Thou shalt not eat of it_. And in that day he was condemn\u2019d, by\nthe righteous judgment of God. Then also the sentence whereof he was\nwarned before, began to take place upon him. For the moment he tasted\nthat fruit, he died: his soul died, was separated from God; separate\nfrom whom the soul has no more life, than the body has when separate\nfrom the soul. His body likewise became corruptible and mortal; so that\ndeath then took hold on this also. And being already dead in spirit,\ndead to God, dead in sin, he hastened on to death everlasting; to the\ndestruction both of body and soul, in the fire never to be quenched.\n\n6. Thus _by one man, sin entered into the world, and death by sin.\nAnd so death passed upon all men_, as being contained in him who was\nthe common father and representative of us all. Thus _through the\noffence of one_, all are dead, dead to God, dead in sin, dwelling in\na corruptible, mortal body, shortly to be dissolved, and under the\nsentence of death eternal. For as _by one man\u2019s disobedience, all were\nmade sinners_; so by that offence of one, _judgment came upon all men\nto condemnation_, Rom. v. 12, _&c._\n\n7. In this state we were, even all mankind, when _God so loved the\nworld, that he gave his only begotten Son, to the end we might not\nperish but have everlasting life_. In the fulness of time, he was\nmade man, another common head of mankind, a second general parent\nand representative of the whole human race. And as such it was that\n_he bore our griefs_, the Lord _laying upon him the iniquities of us\nall_. Then _was he wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our\niniquities. He made his soul an offering for sin_: he poured out his\nblood for the transgressors: he _bare our sins in his own body on the\ntree_, that _by his stripes we_ might be _healed_: and by that one\noblation of himself once offered, he hath redeemed me and all mankind;\nhaving thereby made a full, perfect and sufficient sacrifice and\nsatisfaction, for the sins of the whole world.\n\n8. In consideration of this, that the Son of God hath _tasted death\nfor every man_, God hath now _reconciled the world to himself, not\nimputing to them their former trespasses_. And thus, _as by the\noffence of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation, even\nso by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men unto\njustification_. So that for the sake of his well-beloved Son, of\nwhat he hath done and suffered for us, God now vouchsafes on one only\ncondition (which himself also enables us to perform) both to remit\nthe punishment due to our sins, to reinstate us in his favour, and\nto restore our dead souls to spiritual life, as the earnest of life\neternal.\n\n9. This therefore is the general ground, of the whole doctrine of\n_justification_. By the sin of the first _Adam_, who was not only the\nfather, but likewise the representative of us all, we all _fell short\nof the |favour| of God_: we all became _children of wrath_: or, as the\napostle expresses it, _judgment came upon all men_ to _condemnation_.\nEven so, by the sacrifice for sin made by the second _Adam_, as the\nrepresentative of us all, God is so far reconciled to all the world,\nthat he hath given them a new covenant. The plain condition whereof\nbeing once fulfilled, _there is no more condemnation for us_, but we\nare _justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in\nJesus Christ_.\n\n\nII. 1. But what is it to be _justified_? What is _justification_? This\nwas the second thing which I proposed to shew. And it is evident from\nwhat has been already observed, that it is not, the being made actually\njust and righteous. This is _sanctification_: which is indeed, in some\ndegree, the immediate _fruit_ of justification: but nevertheless is\na distinct gift of God, and of a totally different nature. The one\nimplies, what God _does for us_ through his Son; the other what he\n_works in us_ by his Spirit. So that altho\u2019 some rare instances maybe\nfound, wherein the term _justified_, or _justification_, is used in so\nwide a sense as to include _sanctification_ also; yet in general use,\nthey are sufficiently distinguished from each other, both by St. _Paul_\nand the other inspired writers.\n\n2. Neither is that far-fetch\u2019d conceit, that justification is, the\nclearing us from accusation, particularly that of _Satan_, easily\nproveable from any clear text of holy writ. In the whole scriptural\naccount of this matter, as above laid down, neither that accuser nor\nhis accusation appears to be at all taken in. It cannot indeed be\ndenied, that he is the _accuser of men_, emphatically so called. But\nit does in no wise appear, that the great apostle hath any reference to\nthis, more or less, in all that he hath written touching justification,\neither to the _Romans_ or the _Galatians_.\n\n3. It is also far easier to take for granted, than to prove from\nany clear scripture-testimony, that justification is, the clearing us\nfrom the accusation brought against us by _the law_. At least, if this\nforced, unnatural way of speaking, mean either more or less than this,\nthat whereas we have transgressed the law of God, and thereby deserved\nthe damnation of hell, God does not inflict on those who are justified,\nthe punishment which they had deserved.\n\n4. * Least of all does justification imply, that God is _deceived_\nin those whom he _justifies_; that he thinks them to be what in fact\nthey are not, that he accounts them to be otherwise than they are.\nIt does by no means imply, that God judges concerning us, contrary to\nthe real nature of things: that he esteems us better than we really\nare, or believes us righteous, when we are unrighteous. Surely no. The\njudgment of the all-wise God, is always according to truth. Neither can\nit ever consist with his unerring wisdom, to think that I am innocent,\nto judge that I am righteous or holy, because another is so. He can\nno more in this manner confound me with Christ, than with _David_ or\n_Abraham_. Let any man to whom God hath given understanding, weigh this\nwithout prejudice; and he cannot but perceive, that such a notion of\njustification, is neither reconcileable to reason, nor scripture.\n\n5. The plain scriptural notion of justification is pardon, the\nforgiveness of sins. It is that act of God the Father, whereby for\nthe sake of the propitiation made by the blood of his Son, he _sheweth\nforth his righteousness_ (or mercy) _by the remission of the sins\nthat are past_. This is the easy, natural account of it given by\nSt. _Paul_, throughout this whole epistle. So he explains it himself,\nmore particularly in this, and in the following chapter. Thus in the\nnext verses but one to the text, _Blessed are they_, saith he, _whose\niniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered: blessed is the\nman to whom the Lord will not impute sin_. To him that is justified\nor forgiven, God _will not impute sin_ to his condemnation. He will\nnot condemn him on that account, either in this world or in that which\nis to come. His sins, all his past sins, in thought, word and deed,\n_are covered_, are blotted out: shall not be remembered or mentioned\nagainst him, any more than if they had not been. God will not inflict\non that sinner what he deserved to suffer, because the Son of his love\nhath suffered for him. And from the time we are _accepted through the\nBeloved, reconciled to God through his blood_, he loves and blesses and\nwatches over us for good, even as if we had never sinned.\n\nIndeed the apostle in one place seems to extend the meaning of the\nword much farther; where he says, _Not the hearers of the law, but\nthe doers of the law shall be justified_. Here he appears to refer\nour justification, to the sentence of the great day. And so our Lord\nhimself unquestionably doth, when he says, _By thy words thou shalt be\njustified_: proving thereby, that _for every idle word men shall speak,\nthey shall give an account in the day of judgment_. But perhaps we\ncan hardly produce another instance, of St. _Paul\u2019s_ using the word in\nthat distant sense. In the general tenor of his writings, it is evident\nhe doth not. And least of all in the text before us, which undeniably\nspeaks, not of those who have already _finished their course_, but of\nthose who are now just _setting out_, just _beginning to run the race\nwhich is set before him_.\n\n\nIII. 1. But this is the third thing which was to be considered, namely,\nwho are they that are justified? And the apostle tells us expresly,\n_the ungodly_: He, that is, God, _justifieth the ungodly_: the ungodly\nof every kind and degree, and none but the ungodly. As _they that are\nrighteous need no repentance_, so they need no forgiveness. It is only\nsinners that have any occasion for pardon: it is sin alone which admits\nof being forgiven. Forgiveness therefore has an immediate reference to\nsin, and (in this respect) to nothing else. It is our _unrighteousness_\nto which the pardoning God is _merciful_: it is our _iniquity_ which he\n_remembereth no more_.\n\n2. This seems not to be at all considered by those who so vehemently\ncontend, that a man must be sanctified, that is, holy, before he can\nbe justified: especially by such of them as affirm, that universal\nholiness or obedience must precede justification (unless they mean,\nthat justification at the last day, which is wholly out of the present\nquestion) so far from it, that the very supposition, is not only flatly\nimpossible (for where there is no love of God, there is no holiness;\nand there is no love of God, but from a sense of his loving us) but\nalso grosly, intrinsically absurd, contradictory to itself. For it is\nnot a _saint_ but a _sinner_ that is _forgiven_, and under the notion\nof a sinner. God _justifieth_ not the godly, but the _ungodly_; not\nthose that are holy already, but the unholy. Upon what condition he\ndoth this, will be considered quickly: but whatever it is, it cannot be\nholiness. To assert this, is to say, the Lamb of God takes away, only\nthose sins which were taken away before.\n\n3. Does then the good Shepherd seek and save only those that are found\nalready? No. He seeks and saves that which is lost. He pardons those\nwho _need_ his pardoning mercy. He saves from the guilt of sin (and at\nthe same time from the power) sinners of every kind, of every degree:\nmen who till then were altogether ungodly; in whom the love of the\nFather was not; and consequently, in whom dwelt no good thing, no good\nor truly Christian temper: but all such as were evil and abominable,\npride, anger, love, of the world, the genuine fruits of that _carnal\nmind, which is enmity against God_.\n\n4. These _who are sick, the burden of whose sins is intolerable_, are\nthey that _need a physician_; these who are guilty, who groan under\nthe wrath of God, are they that need a pardon. These who are _condemned\nalready_, not only by God, but also by their own conscience, as by a\nthousand witnesses, of all their ungodliness, both in thought and word\nand work, cry aloud for him that _justifieth the ungodly, through the\nredemption that is in Jesus: the ungodly and him that worketh not_;\nthat worketh not before he is justified; any thing that is good, that\nis truly virtuous or holy, but only evil continually. For his heart\nis necessarily, essentially evil, till the love of God is shed abroad\ntherein. And while the tree is corrupt, so are the fruits; _for an evil\ntree cannot bring forth good fruit_.\n\n5. If it be objected, \u201cNay, but a man, before he is justified, may\nfeed the hungry, or clothe the naked; and these are good works:\u201d the\nanswer is easy. He _may_ do these, even before he is justified. And\nthese are, in one sense, _good works_; they are _good and profitable\nto men_. But it does not follow, that they are, strictly speaking, good\nin themselves, or good in the sight of God. All truly _good works_ (to\nuse the words of our church) _follow after justification_. And they are\ntherefore good and _acceptable to God in Christ_, because they _spring\nout of a true and living faith_. By a parity of reason, all _works done\nbefore justification, are not_ good, in the Christian sense, _forasmuch\nas they spring not of faith in Jesus Christ_ (tho\u2019 from some kind of\nfaith in God they may spring) _yea rather, for that they are not done,\nas God hath willed and commanded them to be done, we doubt not_ (how\nstrange soever it may appear to some) _but they have the nature of sin_.\n\n6. Perhaps those who doubt of this, have not duly considered the\nweighty reason which is here assign\u2019d, why no works done before\njustification, can be truly and properly good. The argument plainly\nruns thus:\n\nNo works are good which are not done as God hath willed and commanded\nthem to be done:\n\nBut no works done before justification are done as God hath willed and\ncommanded them to be done:\n\nTherefore no works done before justification are good.\n\nThe first proposition is self-evident. And the second, that no works\ndone before justification, are done as God hath willed and commanded\nthem to be done, will appear equally plain and undeniable, if we only\nconsider God hath willed and commanded, that _all our works_ should\n_be done in charity_, (\u1f10\u03bd \u1f00\u03b3\u03ac\u03c0\u03b7) in love, in that love to God, which\nproduces love to all mankind. But none of our works can be done in this\nlove, while the love of the Father (of God as our Father) is not in us.\nAnd this love cannot be in us, till we receive the _Spirit of adoption,\ncrying in our hearts, Abba, Father_. If therefore God doth not _justify\nthe ungodly_, and him that (in this sense) _worketh not_, then hath\nChrist died in vain; then notwithstanding his death, can no flesh\nliving be justified.\n\n\nIV. 1. But on what terms then is he justified, who is altogether\n_ungodly_, and till that time, _worketh not_? On one alone, which is\nfaith. He _believeth in him that justifieth the ungodly_. And _he that\nbelieveth is not condemned_: Yea, he _is passed from death unto life_.\nFor _the righteousness_ (or mercy) _of God is by faith of Jesus Christ,\nunto all and upon all them that believe:\u2015\u2015Whom God hath set forth for\na propitiation, through faith in his blood: that he might be just, and_\n(consistently with his justice) _the justifier of him which believeth\nin Jesus: therefore we conclude, that a man is justified by faith,\nwithout the deeds of the law_: without previous obedience to the moral\nlaw, which indeed he could not till now perform. That it is the moral\nlaw, and that alone which is here intended, appears evidently from the\nwords that follow. _Do we then make void the law through faith? God\nforbid! Yea, we establish the law._ What law do we establish by faith?\nNot the ritual law: not the ceremonial law of _Moses_. In no wise; but\nthe great unchangeable law of love, the holy love of God and of our\nneighbour.\n\n2. * Faith in general is, a divine, supernatural \u1f14\u03bb\u03b5\u03b3\u03c7\u03bf\u03c2, _evidence_ or\nconviction _of things not seen_, not discoverable by our bodily senses,\nas being either past, future or spiritual. Justifying faith implies,\nnot only a divine evidence or conviction, that _God was in Christ,\nreconciling the world unto himself_ but a sure trust and confidence,\nthat Christ died for _my_ sins, that he loved _me_ and gave himself\nfor _me_. And at what time soever a sinner thus believes, be it in\nearly childhood, in the strength of his years, or when he is old and\nhoary-hair\u2019d, God justifieth that ungodly one: God for the sake of\nhis Son; pardoneth and absolveth, him who had in him till then no good\nthing. Repentance indeed God had given him before: but that repentance\nwas neither more nor less, than a deep sense of the want of all good,\nand the presence of all evil. And whatever good he hath or doth from\nthat hour, when he first believes in God through Christ, faith does not\n_find_ but _bring_. This is the fruit of faith. First the tree is good,\nand then the fruit is good also.\n\n3. I cannot describe the nature of this faith better, than in the\nwords of our own church. \u201cThe only instrument of salvation\u201d (whereof\njustification is one branch) \u201cis faith: that is, a sure trust and\nconfidence, that God both hath and will forgive our sins, that he hath\naccepted us again into his favour, for the merits of Christ\u2019s death\nand passion.\u2015\u2015But here we must take heed that we do not halt with God,\nthrough an inconstant, wavering faith. _Peter_ coming to Christ upon\nthe water, because he fainted in faith, was in danger of drowning. So\nwe, if we begin to waver or doubt, it is to be feared, that we should\nsink as _Peter_ did, not into the water, but into the bottomless pit of\nhell-fire.\u201d Second sermon on the passion.\n\n\u201cTherefore have a sure and constant faith, not only that the death of\nChrist is available for all the world, but that he hath made a full and\nsufficient sacrifice for _thee_, a perfect cleansing of _thy_ sins, so\nthat thou mayst say with the apostle, he loved _thee_ and gave himself\nfor _thee_. For this is to make Christ _thine own_, and to apply his\nmerits unto _thyself_.\u201d Sermon on the sacrament, first part.\n\n4. By affirming that this faith is the term or _condition of\njustification_, I mean, first, that there is no justification without\nit. _He that believeth not is condemned already_; and so long as he\nbelieveth not, that condemnation cannot be removed, but _the wrath of\nGod abideth on him_. As _there is no other name given under heaven than\nthat of Jesus of Nazareth_, no other merit _whereby_ a condemned sinner\ncan ever _be saved_ from the guilt of sin; so there is no other way of\nobtaining a share in his merit, than _by faith in his name_. So that as\nlong as we are without this faith, we are _strangers to the covenant of\npromise_, we are _aliens from the common-wealth of Israel, and without\nGod in the world_. Whatsoever virtues (so call\u2019d) a man may have (I\nspeak of those unto whom the gospel is preached; for _what have I to\njudge them that are without_?) whatsoever good works (so accounted) he\nmay do, it profiteth not; he is still a _child of wrath_, still under\nthe curse, till he believes in Jesus.\n\n5. * Faith therefore is the _necessary_ condition of justification. Yea,\nand the _only necessary_ condition thereof. This is the second point\ncarefully to be observed; that the very moment God giveth faith (_for\nit is the gift of God_) to the _ungodly, that worketh not_, that _faith\nis counted to him for righteousness_. He hath no righteousness at all,\nantecedent to this, not so much as negative righteousness or innocence.\nBut _faith is imputed to him for righteousness_, the very moment that\nhe believeth. Not that God (as was observed before) thinketh him to\nbe what he is not. But as _he made Christ to be sin for us, that_ is,\ntreated him as a sinner, punishing him for our sins, so he counteth\nus righteous, from the time we believe in him: that is, he doth not\npunish us for our sins, yea, treats us as tho\u2019 we were guiltless and\nrighteous.\n\n6. Surely the difficulty of assenting to this proposition, that\nfaith is the _only condition_ of justification, must arise from not\nunderstanding it. We mean thereby thus much, that it is the only thing\nwithout which none is justified; the only thing that is immediately,\nindispensably, absolutely requisite in order to pardon. As on the\none hand, tho\u2019 a man should have every thing else, without faith, yet\nhe cannot be justified; so on the other, tho\u2019 he be supposed to want\nevery thing else, yet if he hath faith, he cannot but be justified.\nFor suppose a sinner of any kind or degree, in a full sense of his\ntotal ungodliness, of his utter inability to think, speak or do good,\nand his absolute meetness for hell-fire: suppose, I say, this sinner,\nhelpless and hopeless, casts himself wholly on the mercy of God in\nChrist (which indeed he cannot do but by the grace of God) who can\ndoubt, but he is forgiven in that moment? Who will affirm, that any\nmore is _indispensably required_, before that sinner can be justified?\n\nNow if there ever was one such instance from the beginning of the\nworld. (And have there not been, and are there not ten thousand times\nten thousand?) it plainly follows, that faith is, in the above sense,\nthe sole condition of justification.\n\n7. It does not become poor, guilty, sinful worms, who receive\nwhatsoever blessings they enjoy, (from the least drop of water that\ncools our tongue, to the immense riches of glory in eternity) of grace,\nof mere favour, and not of debt, to ask of God the reasons of his\nconduct. It is not meet for us to call him in question, _who giveth\naccount to none of his ways_; to demand, Why didst thou make faith the\ncondition, the only condition of justification? Wherefore didst thou\ndecree, _He that believeth_, and he only, _shall be saved_? This is\nthe very point on which St. _Paul_ so strongly insists in the ninth\nchapter of this epistle, _viz_. That the terms of pardon and acceptance\nmust depend, not on us, but _on him that calleth us_: that there is\nno _unrighteousness with God_, in fixing his own terms, not according\nto ours, but his own good pleasure: who may justly say, _I will have\nmercy on whom I will have mercy_, namely, on him who believeth in Jesus.\nSo _then it is not of him that willeth, or of him that runneth_, to\nchuse the condition on which he shall find acceptance; _but of God that\nsheweth mercy_, that accepteth none at all, but of his own free love,\nhis unmerited goodness. _Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have\nmercy_, viz. on those who believe on the Son of his love: _and whom he\nwill_, that is, those who believe not, _he hardeneth_, leaves at last\nto the hardness of their hearts.\n\n8. One reason, however, we may humbly conceive, of God\u2019s fixing this\ncondition of justification, _If thou believest in the Lord Jesus Christ\nthou shalt be saved_, was to _hide pride from man_. Pride had already\ndestroyed the very angels of God, had cast down _a third part of the\nstars of heaven_. It was likewise in great measure owing to this,\nwhen the tempter said, _Ye shall be as Gods_, that _Adam_ fell from\nhis own stedfastness, and brought sin and death into the world. It\nwas therefore an instance of wisdom worthy of God, to appoint such a\ncondition of reconciliation, for him and all his posterity, as might\neffectually humble, might abase them to the dust. And such is faith. It\nis peculiarly fitted for this end. For he that cometh unto God by this\nfaith, must fix his eye singly on his own wickedness, on his guilt and\nhelplessness, without having the least regard to any supposed good in\nhimself, to any virtue or righteousness whatsoever. He must come as a\n_mere sinner_ inwardly and outwardly, self-destroyed and self-condemned,\nbringing nothing to God but ungodliness only, pleading nothing of his\nown but sin and misery. Thus it is, and thus alone, when his _mouth is\nstopped_, and he stands utterly _guilty before God_, that he can _look\nunto Jesus_, as the whole and sole _propitiation for his sins_. Thus\nonly can he be _found in him_, and receive the _righteousness which is\nof God by faith_.\n\n9. * Thou ungodly one, who hearest or readest these words, thou vile,\nhelpless, miserable sinner, I charge thee before God the judge of all,\ngo strait unto him, with all thy ungodliness. Take heed thou destroy\nnot thy own soul, by pleading thy righteousness, more or less. Go as\naltogether ungodly, guilty, lost, destroyed, deserving and dropping\ninto hell: and thou shalt then find favour in his sight, and know\nthat he justifieth the ungodly. As such thou shalt be brought unto the\n_blood of sprinkling_, as an undone, helpless, damned sinner. Thus\n_look unto Jesus_! There is _the Lamb of God_, who _taketh away_ thy\n_sins_! Plead thou no works, no righteousness of thine own! No humility,\ncontrition, sincerity. In no wise. That were, in very deed, to deny the\nLord that bought thee. No, Plead thou singly, the blood of the covenant,\nthe ransom paid for thy proud, stubborn, sinful soul. Who art thou,\nthat now seest and feelest both thine inward and outward ungodliness!\nThou art the man! I want thee for my Lord. I challenge _thee_ for a\nchild of God by faith. The Lord hath need of thee. Thou who feelest\nthou art just fit for hell, art just fit to advance his glory: the\nglory of his free grace, justifying the ungodly and him that worketh\nnot. O come quickly. Believe in the Lord Jesus; and _thou_, even _thou_\nart reconciled to God.\n\n\n\n\n SERMON VI.\n\n THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF FAITH.\n\n ROM. x. 5, 6, 7, 8.\n\n _|Moses| describeth the righteousness which is of the law, that the\n man which doeth those things shall live by them.\n\n But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise.\n Say not in thine heart, who shall ascend into heaven? That is,\n to bring Christ down from above:\n\n Or who shall descend into the deep? That is, to bring Christ\n again from the dead.\n\n But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth and\n in thy heart that is the word of faith, which we preach._\n\n\n1. THE apostle does not here oppose the covenant given by _Moses_,\nto the covenant given by Christ. If we ever imagined this, it was\nfor want of observing, that the latter, as well as the former part of\nthese words, were spoken by _Moses_ himself, to the people of _Israel_,\nand that, concerning the covenant which then was. (_Deut._ xxx. 11,\n12, 14.) But it is the covenant of _grace_, which God through Christ\nhath established with men in all ages, (as well before, and under the\n_Jewish_ dispensation, as since God was manifest in the flesh) which\nSt. _Paul_ here opposes to the covenant of _works_, made with _Adam_\nwhile in paradise; but commonly supposed to be the only covenant which\nGod had made with man, particularly by those _Jews_ of whom the apostle\nwrites.\n\n2. Of these it was that he so affectionately speaks, in the beginning\nof this chapter. _My heart\u2019s desire and prayer to God for Israel is,\nthat they may be saved. For I bear them record, that they have a zeal\nfor God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of\nGod\u2019s righteousness_ (of the justification that flows from his mere\ngrace and mercy, freely forgiving our sins through the Son of his love,\nthrough the redemption which is in Jesus) _and seeking to establish\ntheir own righteousness_, (their own holiness, antecedent to faith in\n_him that justifieth the ungodly_, as the ground of their pardon and\nacceptance) _have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of\nGod_, and consequently seek death in the error of their life.\n\n3. They were ignorant, that _Christ is the end of the law for\nrighteousness to every one that believeth_, that by the oblation of\nhimself once offered, he had put an end to the first law or covenant\n(which indeed was not given by God to _Moses_, but to _Adam_ in his\nstate of innocence) the strict tenor whereof, without any abatement was,\n\u201cDo this and live:\u201d And at the same time purchased for us that better\ncovenant, \u201cBelieve and live;\u201d believe and thou shalt be saved; now\nsaved both from the guilt and power of sin, and, of consequence, from\nthe wages of it.\n\n4. And how many are equally ignorant now, even among those who are\ncalled by the name of Christ? How many who have now a _zeal for God_,\nyet have it not _according to knowledge_: but are still _seeking to\nestablish their own righteousness_, as the ground of their pardon and\nacceptance; and therefore vehemently refuse, to _submit themselves unto\nthe righteousness of God_? Surely my heart\u2019s desire, and prayer to God\nfor you, brethren, is, that ye may be saved. And in order to remove\nthis grand stumbling-block out of your way, I will endeavour to shew,\nfirst, What _the righteousness_ is, _which is of the law_, and what\n_the righteousness which is of faith_; Secondly, The folly of trusting\nin _the righteousness of the law_, and the wisdom of _submitting to\nthat which is of faith_.\n\n\nI. 1. And, first, _The righteousness which is of the law, saith,\nthe man which doth these things, shall live by them_. Constantly and\nperfectly observe all these things to do them, and then thou shalt live\nfor ever. This law or covenant (usually called, the covenant of _works_)\ngiven by God to man in paradise, required an obedience, perfect in all\nits parts, entire and wanting nothing, as the condition of his eternal\ncontinuance, in the holiness and happiness wherein he was created.\n\n2. It required, that man should fulfil all righteousness, inward and\noutward, negative and positive: that he should not only abstain from\nevery idle word, and avoid every evil work, but should keep every\naffection, every desire, every thought in obedience to the will of God.\nThat he should continue holy, as he which had created him was holy,\nboth in heart and in all manner of conversation: that he should be\npure in heart, even as God is pure; perfect as his Father in heaven was\nperfect: that he should love the Lord his God with all his heart, with\nall his soul, with all his mind, and with all his strength: that he\nshould love every soul which God had made, even as God had loved him:\nthat by this universal benevolence, he should _dwell in God_ (who is\nlove) _and God in him_: that he should serve the Lord his God with all\nhis strength, and in all things singly aim at his glory.\n\n3. These were the things which the righteousness of the law required,\nthat he who did them might live thereby. But it farther required,\nthat this entire obedience to God, this inward and outward holiness,\nthis conformity both of heart and life to his will, should be perfect\nin _degree_. No abatement, no allowance could possibly be made, for\nfalling short in any degree, as to any jot or \u2666tittle, either of the\noutward or the inward law. If every commandment relating to outward\nthings was obeyed, yet that was not sufficient, unless every one was\nobeyed with all the strength, in the highest measure, and most perfect\nmanner. Nor did it answer the demand of this covenant, to love God with\nevery power and faculty, unless he were loved with the full capacity of\neach, with the whole possibility of the soul.\n\n4. One thing more was indispensably required by the righteousness of\nthe law, namely, that this universal obedience, this perfect holiness\nboth of heart and life, should be perfectly uninterrupted also, should\ncontinue without any intermission, from the moment wherein God created\nman, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, until the\ndays of his trial should be ended, and he should be confirmed in life\neverlasting.\n\n5. The righteousness then which is of the law, speaketh on this wise.\n\u201cThou, O man of God, stand fast in love, in the image of God wherein\nthou art made. If thou wilt remain in life, keep the commandments,\nwhich are now written in thy heart. Love the Lord thy God with all thy\nheart. Love as thyself every soul that he hath made. Desire nothing but\nGod. Aim at God in every thought, in every word and work. Swerve not in\none motion of body or soul, from him thy mark and the prize of thy high\ncalling. And let all that is in thee praise his holy name, every power\nand faculty of thy soul, in every kind, in every degree, and at every\nmoment of thine existence. _This do, and thou shalt live_: thy light\nshall shine, thy love shall flame more and more, till thou art received\nup into the house of God in the heavens, to reign with him for ever and\never.\u201d\n\n6. _But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise: say\nnot in thine heart, who shall ascend into heaven, that is, to bring\ndown Christ from above_ (as tho\u2019 it were some impossible task, which\nGod required thee previously to perform, in order to thine acceptance:)\n_or, who shall descend into the deep, that is, to bring up Christ\nfrom the dead_; (as tho\u2019 that were still remaining to be done, for the\nsake of which thou wert to be accepted.) _But what saith it? The word_\n(according to the tenor of which, thou mayst now be accepted as an heir\nof life eternal) _is nigh thee, even in thy mouth and in thy heart,\nthat is, the word of faith, which we preach_: the new covenant which\nGod hath now established with sinful man, through Christ Jesus.\n\n7. _By the righteousness which is of faith_, is meant, that condition\nof justification (and in consequence of present and final salvation, if\nwe endure therein unto the end) which was given by God to _fallen man_,\nthrough the merits and mediation of his only begotten Son. This was\nin part revealed to _Adam_ soon after his fall, being contained in the\noriginal promise, made to him and his seed, concerning the seed of the\nwoman, who should _bruise the_ serpent\u2019s _head_.[17] It was a little\nmore clearly revealed to _Abraham_, by the angel of God from heaven,\nsaying, _By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, that in thy seed shall\nall the nations of the earth be blessed_.[18] It was yet more fully\nmade known to _Moses_, to _David_, and to the prophets that followed:\nand through them, to many of the people of God, in their respective\ngenerations. But still the bulk even of these were ignorant of it; and\nvery few understood it clearly. Still _life and immortality_ were not\nso _brought to light_ to the _Jews_ of old, as they are now unto us _by\nthe gospel_.\n\n8. Now this covenant saith not to sinful man \u201cPerform unsinning\nobedience and live.\u201d If this were the term, he would have no more\nbenefit by all which Christ hath done and suffered for him, than if he\nwas required, in order to life, to _ascend into heaven and bring down\nChrist from above_: or to _descend into the deep_, into the invisible\nworld, and _bring up Christ from the dead_. It doth not require any\nimpossibility to be done; (altho\u2019 to mere man, what it requires would\nbe impossible; but not, to man assisted by the Spirit of God:) this\nwere only, to mock human weakness. Indeed, strictly speaking, the\ncovenant of _grace_ doth not require us, to _do_ any thing at all, as\nabsolutely and indispensably necessary in order to our justification:\nbut only, to _believe_ in him, who, for the sake of his Son, and the\npropitiation which he hath made, _justifieth the ungodly that worketh\nnot_, and imputes his faith to him for righteousness. Even so _Abraham\nbelieved in the Lord, and he counted it to him for righteousness.[19]\nAnd he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness\nof faith\u2015\u2015that he might be the father of all them that believe\u2015\u2015that\nrighteousness might be imputed unto them also.[20] Now it was not\nwritten for his sake alone, that it_ (i. e. faith) _was imputed to\nhim. But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed_ (to whom faith\nshall be imputed for righteousness, shall stand in the stead of perfect\nobedience, in order to our acceptance with God) _if we believe on him\nwho raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead: who was delivered_ to death\n_for our offences, and was raised again for our justification_:[21]\n\u201cFor the assurance of the remission of our sins, and of a second life\nto come to them that believe.\u201d\n\n9. What saith then the covenant of forgiveness, of unmerited love, of\npardoning mercy? _Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be\nsaved._ In the day thou believest, thou shalt surely live. Thou shalt\nbe restored to the favour of God; and in his pleasure is life. Thou\nshalt be saved from the curse and from the wrath of God. Thou shalt be\nquickened from the death of sin, into the life of righteousness. And if\nthou endure to the end, believing in Jesus, thou shalt never taste the\nsecond death, but having suffered with thy Lord, shalt also live and\nreign with him for ever and ever.\n\n10. Now _this word is nigh thee_. This condition of life, is plain,\neasy, always at hand. _It is in thy mouth and in thy heart_, through\nthe operation of the Spirit of God. The moment _thou believest in thine\nheart_ in him, whom _God hath raised from the dead_, and _confesseth\nwith thy mouth the Lord Jesus_, as _thy_ Lord and _thy_ God, _thou\nshalt be saved_ from condemnation, from the guilt and punishment of thy\n_former_ sins, and shalt have power to serve God in true holiness, all\nthe _remaining_ days of thy life.\n\n11. * What is the difference then between the _righteousness which\nis of the law_, and the _righteousness which is of faith_? Between\nthe first covenant, or the covenant of works, and the second, the\ncovenant of grace? The essential, unchangeable difference is this:\nthe one supposes him to whom it is given, to be already holy and happy,\ncreated in the image and enjoying the favour of God; and prescribes\nthe condition whereon he may continue therein, in love and joy, life\nand immortality. The other supposes him to whom it is given, to be now\nunholy and unhappy; fallen short of the glorious image of God, having\nthe wrath of God abiding on him, and hastening through sin, whereby\nhis soul is dead, to bodily death, and death everlasting. And to man\nin this state, it prescribes the condition, whereon he may regain the\npearl he has lost: may recover the favour, and the image of God, may\nretrieve the life of God in his soul, and be restored to the knowledge\nand the love of God, which is the beginning of life eternal.\n\n12. Again, the covenant of works, in order to man\u2019s _continuance_\nin the favour of God, in his knowledge and love, in holiness and\nhappiness, required of perfect man, a _perfect_ and uninterrupted\n_obedience_, to every point of the law of God. Whereas the covenant\nof grace, in order to man\u2019s _recovery_, of the favour and life of God,\nrequires only _faith_; living faith in him, who through God justifies\nhim that _obeyed not_.\n\n13. * Yet again: the covenant of works required of _Adam_ and all\nhis children, to _pay the price themselves_, in consideration of\nwhich, they were to receive all the future blessings of God. But in\nthe covenant of grace, seeing we have nothing to pay, God _frankly\nforgives_ us _all_: provided only, that we believe in him, who hath\n_paid the price for us_; who hath given himself a _propitiation for\nour sins, for the sins of the whole world_.\n\n14. Thus the first covenant required what is now _afar off_ from all\nthe children of men; namely, unsinning obedience, which is far from\nthose who are _conceived and born in sin_. Whereas the second requires\nwhat is nigh at hand; as tho\u2019 it should say, Thou art sin: God is love.\nThou by sin art fallen short of the glory of God; yet there is mercy\nwith him. Bring then all thy sins to the pardoning God, and they shall\nvanish away as a cloud. If thou wert not ungodly, there would be no\nroom for him to justify thee as ungodly. But now draw near, in full\nassurance of faith. He speaketh, and it is done. Fear not, only believe;\nfor even the just God _justifieth all that believe in Jesus_.\n\n\nII. 1. These things considered, it will be easy to shew, as I\nproposed to do in the second place, the folly of trusting in the\n_righteousness which is of the law_, and the wisdom of _submitting to\nthe righteousness which is of faith_.\n\nThe folly of those who still trust, in the _righteousness which is\nof the law_, the terms of which are, Do this and live, may abundantly\nappear from thence. They set out wrong. Their very first step is a\nfundamental mistake. For before they can ever think of claiming any\nblessing on the terms of this covenant, they must suppose themselves\nto be in his state, with whom this covenant was made. But how vain\na supposition is this? Since it was made with _Adam_ in a state of\ninnocence. How weak therefore must that whole building be, which stands\non such a foundation? And how foolish are they who thus build on the\nsand? Who seem never to have considered, that the covenant of works\nwas not given to man, when he was dead in trespasses and sins, but when\nhe was alive to God, when he knew no sin, but was holy as God is holy:\nwho forget, that it was never design\u2019d for the _recovery_ of the favour\nand life of God once lost, but only for the _continuance_ and increase\nthereof, till it should be compleat in life everlasting.\n\n2. Neither do they consider, who are thus _seeking to establish their\nown righteousness which is of the law_, what manner of obedience or\nrighteousness that is, which the law indispensably requires. It must\nbe perfect and entire, in every point, or it answers not the demand\nof the law. But which of you is able to perform such obedience? Or,\nconsequently, to live thereby? Who among you fulfils every jot and\ntittle even of the outward commandments of God? Doing nothing, great\nor small, which God forbids? Leaving nothing undone which he enjoins?\nSpeaking no _idle word_? Having your conversation always _meet to\nminster grace to the hearers_? And _whether you eat or drink, or\nwhatever you do_, doing _all to the glory of God_? And how much less\nare you able to fulfil all the inward commandments of God? Those which\nrequire, that every temper and motion of your soul should be holiness\nunto the Lord? Are you able, To _love God with all your heart_? To\nlove all mankind as your own soul? To _pray without ceasing? In every\nthing to give thanks?_ To have God always before you? And to keep every\naffection, desire and thought, in obedience to his law?\n\n3. You should farther consider, that the righteousness of the law\nrequires, not only the obeying every command of God, negative and\npositive, internal and external, but likewise in the perfect degree.\nIn every instance whatever, the voice of the law is, Thou shalt serve\nthe Lord thy God with all thy strength. It allows no abatement of\nany kind. It excuses no defect. It condemns every coming short of the\nfull measure of obedience, and immediately pronounces a curse on the\noffender. It regards only the invariable rules of justice, and faith,\n\u201cI know not to shew mercy.\u201d\n\n4. Who then can appear before such a judge, who is _extreme to mark\nwhat is done amiss_? How weak are they who desire to be tried at the\nbar, where _no flesh living can be justified_? None of the offspring\nof _Adam_. For suppose we did now keep every commandment with all our\nstrength: yet one single breach which ever was, utterly destroys our\nwhole claim to life. If we have ever offended, in any one point, this\nrighteousness is at an end. For the law condemns all who do not perform\nuninterrupted as well as perfect obedience. So that according to the\nsentence of this, for him who hath once sinned, in any degree, _there\nremaineth only a fearful looking for of fiery indignation, which shall\ndevour the adversaries_ of God.\n\n5. Is it not then the very foolishness of folly, for fallen man to seek\nlife by this righteousness? For man, who was _shapen in wickedness_,\nand _in sin did his mother conceive him_: man, who is by nature all\n_earthly, sensual, devilish_, altogether _corrupt and abominable_: in\nwhom till he find grace, _dwelleth no good thing_; nay, who cannot of\nhimself think one good thought? Who is indeed all sin, a mere lump of\nungodliness, and who commits sin in every breath he draws; whose actual\ntransgressions, in word and deed, are more in number than the hairs\nof his head! What stupidity, what senselesness must it be for such an\nunclean, guilty, helpless worm as this, to dream of seeking acceptance\nby _his own righteousness_, of living by _the righteousness which is of\nthe law_?\n\n6. Now whatsoever considerations prove the folly of trusting in the\n_righteousness which is of the law_, prove equally the wisdom of\nsubmitting to _the righteousness which is of God by faith_. This were\neasy to be shewn with regard to each of the preceding considerations.\nBut to wave this, the wisdom of the first step hereto, the disclaiming\nour own righteousness, plainly appears from hence, that it is acting\naccording to truth, to the real nature of things. For what is it more,\nthan to acknowledge with our heart as well as lips, the true state\nwherein we are? To acknowledge, that we bring with us into the world, a\ncorrupt, sinful nature; more corrupt indeed than we can easily conceive,\nor find words to express? That hereby we are prone to all that is evil,\nand averse from all that is good; that we are full of pride, self-will,\nunruly passions, foolish desires; vile and inordinate affections;\nlovers of the world, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God? That\nour lives have been no better than our hearts, but many ways ungodly\nand unholy; insomuch that our actual sins, both in word and deed, have\nbeen as the stars of heaven for multitude: that on all these accounts,\nwe are displeasing to him, who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity;\nand deserve nothing from him, but indignation and wrath and death,\nthe due wages of sin? That we cannot by any of our righteousness, (for\nindeed, we have none at all) nor by any of our works (for they are as\nthe tree from which they grow) appease the wrath of God, or avert the\npunishment we have justly deserved? Yea, that, if left to ourselves, we\nshall only wax worse and worse, sink deeper and deeper into sin, offend\nGod more and more, both with our evil works and with the evil tempers\nof our carnal mind, till we fill up the measure of our iniquities,\nand bring upon ourselves swift destruction? And is not this the very\nstate wherein by nature we are? To acknowledge this then, both with\nour heart and lips, that is, to disclaim our own righteousness, _the\nrighteousness which is of the law_, is to act according to the real\nnature of things, and consequently is an instance of true wisdom.\n\n7. The wisdom of submitting to _the righteousness of faith_, appears\nfarther from this consideration, that it is the righteousness of God:\nI mean here, it is that method of reconciliation with God, which hath\nbeen chose and established by God himself, not only as he is the God\nof wisdom, but as he is the sovereign Lord of heaven and earth, and\nof every creature which he hath made. Now, as it is not meet for man\nto say unto God, What dost thou? As none who is not utterly void of\nunderstanding, will contend with one that is mightier than he, with him\nwhose kingdom ruleth over all; so it is true wisdom, it is a mark of\nsound understanding, to acquiesce in whatever he hath chosen, to say\nin this, as in all things, \u201cIt is the Lord; let him do what seemeth him\ngood.\u201d\n\n8. It may be farther considered, that it was of mere grace, of free\nlove, of undeserved mercy, that God hath vouchsafed to sinful man, any\nway of reconciliation with himself, that we were not cut away from his\nhand, and utterly blotted out of his remembrance. Therefore whatever\nmethod he is pleased to appoint, of his tender mercy, of his unmerited\ngoodness, whereby his enemies, who have so deeply revolted from him, so\nlong and obstinately rebelled against him, may still find favour in his\nsight, it is doubtless our wisdom to accept with all thankfulness.\n\n9. To mention but one consideration more. It is wisdom to aim at the\nbest end by the best means. Now the best end which any creature can\npursue, is happiness in God. And the best end a fallen creature can\npursue is, the recovery of the favour and image of God. But the best,\nindeed the only means under heaven given to man, whereby he may regain\nthe favour of God, which is better than life itself, or the image\nof God, which is the true life of the soul, is the submitting to the\n_righteousness which is of faith_, the believing in the only-begotten\nSon of God.\n\n\nIII. 1. Whosoever therefore thou art who desirest to be forgiven\nand reconciled to the favour of God; do not say in thy heart, \u201cI must\n_first do this_; I must _first_ conquer every sin; break off every\nevil word and work, and do all good to all men: or, I must _first_ go\nto church, receive the Lord\u2019s supper, hear more sermons, and say more\nprayers.\u201d Alas, my brother, thou art clean gone out of the way, thou\nart still _ignorant of the righteousness of God_, and art _seeking to\nestablish thy own righteousness_, as the ground of thy reconciliation.\nKnowest thou not, that thou canst do nothing but sin, \u2019till thou art\nreconciled to God? Wherefore then dost thou say, I _must do this_\nand this _first_, and then I shall believe. Nay, but _first believe_.\nBelieve in the Lord Jesus Christ, the propitiation for thy sins. Let\nthis good foundation _first_ be laid, and then thou shall do all things\nwell.\n\nNeither say in thy heart, \u201cI can\u2019t be accepted yet, because I am not\n_good enough_.\u201d Who is _good enough_? Who ever was? To merit acceptance\nat God\u2019s hand\u2019s? Was ever any child of _Adam good enough_ for this?\nOr will any, till the consummation of all things? And as for thee,\nthou art not good at all: there dwelleth in thee no good thing. And\nthou never wilt be, till thou believe in Jesus. Rather thou wilt find\nthyself worse and worse. But is there any need of being worse, in order\nto be accepted? Art thou not _bad enough_ already? Indeed thou art, and\nthat God knoweth. And thou thyself canst not deny it. Then delay not.\nAll things are now ready. _Arise and wash away thy sins._ The fountain\nis open. Now is the time, to wash thee white in the blood of the Lamb.\nNow he shall _purge_ thee as with _hyssop, and_ thou _shalt be clean;\nhe_ shall _wash_ thee, and thou _shalt be whiter than snow_.\n\n3. Do not say, \u201cBut I am not _contrite enough_: I am not _sensible\nenough_ of my sins.\u201d I know it. I would to God, thou wert more\n_sensible_ of them, more _contrite_ a thousand fold than thou art. But\ndo not stay for this. It may be God will make thee so, not before thou\nbelievest, but by believing. It may be, thou wilt not weep much, till\nthou lovest much, because thou hast had much forgiven. In the mean time,\nlook unto Jesus. Behold how he loveth thee! What could he have done\nmore for thee which he hath not done?\n\n \u201cO Lamb of God, was ever pain,\n Was ever love like thine!\u201d\n\nLook steddily upon him, till he looks on thee, and breaks thy hard\nheart. Then shall thy _head_ \u2666be _waters, and_ thy _eyes fountains of\ntears_.\n\n4. Nor yet do thou say, \u201cI must _do_ something more, _before_ I come\nto Christ.\u201d I grant, supposing thy Lord should delay his coming, it\nwere meet and right to wait for his appearing, in doing, so far as\nthou hast power, whatsoever he hath commanded thee. But there is no\nnecessity for making such a supposition. How knowest thou that he will\ndelay? Perhaps he will appear, as the day-spring from on high, before\nthe morning-light. O do not set him a time. Expect him every hour. Now,\nhe is nigh! Even at the door!\n\n5. And to what end wouldst thou wait for _more sincerity, before_ thy\nsins are blotted out? To make thee more worthy of the grace of God?\nAlas, thou art still _establishing thy own righteousness_. He will have\nmercy, not because thou art worthy of it, but because his compassions\nfail not: not because thou art righteous; but because Jesus Christ hath\natoned for thy sins.\n\nAgain, if there be any thing good in _sincerity_, why dost thou expect\nit, _before_ thou hast faith? Seeing faith itself is the only root of\nwhatever is really good and holy.\n\nAbove all, how long wilt thou forget, that whatsoever thou dost, or\nwhatsoever thou hast, before thy sins are forgiven thee, it avails\nnothing with God, toward the procuring of thy forgiveness? Yea, and\nthat it must all be cast behind thy back, trampled under foot, made\nno account of, or thou wilt never find favour in God\u2019s sight: because\nuntil then thou canst not ask it, as a mere sinner, guilty, lost,\nundone, having nothing to plead, nothing to offer to God, but only the\nmerits of his well-beloved Son, _who loved_ thee, _and gave himself\nfor_ thee.\n\n6. * To conclude. Whosoever thou art, O man, who hast the sentence of\ndeath in thyself, who feelest thyself a condemned sinner, and hast the\nwrath of God abiding on thee: unto thee saith the Lord, Not, do this;\nperfectly obey all my commands and live: but, _Believe in the Lord\nJesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. The word of faith is nigh unto\nthee_; now, at this instant, in the present moment, and in thy present\nstate, sinner as thou art, just as thou art, believe the gospel: and\n_I will be merciful unto |thy| unrighteousness and |thy| iniquities\nwill I remember no more_.\n\n\n\n\n SERMON VII.\n\n MARK i. 15.\n\n _The Kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the\n gospel._\n\n\nTHESE words naturally lead us to consider, first, The nature of true\nreligion, here termed by our Lord, _The kingdom of God_, which, saith\nhe, _is at hand_: and secondly, The way thereto, which he points out in\nthose words, _Repent ye, and believe the gospel_.\n\n\nI. 1. We are, first, to consider, The nature of true religion, here\nterm\u2019d by our Lord, _The kingdom of God_. The same expression the great\napostle uses in his epistle to the _Romans_, where he likewise explains\nhis Lord\u2019s words, saying, _The kingdom of God is not meat and drink;\nbut righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost_. Chap. xiv. 17.\n\n2. _The kingdom of God_, or true religion, _is not meat and drink_.\nIt is well known, that not only the unconverted Jews, but great numbers\nof those who had received the faith of Christ, were notwithstanding\n_zealous of the law_, (_Acts_ xxi. 20.) even the ceremonial law of\n_Moses_. Whatsoever therefore they found written therein, either\nconcerning meat and drink-offerings, or the distinction between clean\nand unclean meats, they not only observed themselves, but vehemently\npressed the same, even on those _among the Gentiles_ (or Heathens) _who\nwere turned to God_. Yea, to such a degree, that some of them taught,\nwheresoever they came among them, _Except ye be circumcised, and keep\nthe law_, (the whole ritual law) _ye cannot be saved_, Acts xv. 1, 24.\n\n3. In opposition to these, the apostle declares, both here and in many\nother places, that true religion does not consist in _meat_ and _drink_,\nor in any ritual observances: nor indeed in any outward thing whatever,\nin any thing exterior to the heart; the whole substance thereof lying\nin _righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost_.\n\n4. Not in any _outward thing_; such as _forms_ or _ceremonies_,\neven of the most excellent kind. Supposing these to be ever so decent\nand significant, ever so expressive of inward things: supposing them\never so helpful, not only to the vulgar, whose thought reaches little\nfarther than their sight; but even to men of understanding, men of\nstronger capacities, as doubtless they may sometimes be: yea, supposing\nthem, as in the case of the Jews, to be appointed by God himself;\nyet even during the period of time wherein that appointment remains\nin force, true religion does not principally consist therein; nay,\nstrictly speaking, not at all. How much more must this hold concerning\nsuch rites and forms, as are only of human appointment? The religion\nof Christ rises infinitely higher, and lies immensely deeper than\nall these. These are good in their place; just so far as they are in\nfact subservient to true religion. And it were superstition to object\nagainst them, while they are applied only as occasional helps to human\nweakness. But let no man carry them farther. Let no man dream, that\nthey have any intrinsick worth: or that religion cannot subsist without\nthem. This were to make them an abomination to the Lord.\n\n5. The nature of religion is so far from consisting in these, in\n_forms_ of worship, or _rites_ and _ceremonies_, that it does not\nproperly consist in any _outward actions_, of what kind soever. It is\ntrue, a man cannot have any religion, who is guilty of vicious, immoral\nactions; or who does to others, what he would not they should do to\nhim, if he were in the same circumstance. And it is also true, that he\ncan have no real religion, who _knows to do good, and doth it not_. Yet\nmay a man both abstain from outward evil, and do good, and still have\nno religion. Yea, two persons may do the same outward work, suppose,\nfeeding the hungry, or cloathing the naked: and, mean time, one of\nthese may be truly religious, and the other have no religion at all:\nfor the one may act from the love of God, and the other from the love\nof praise. So manifest it is; that altho\u2019 true religion naturally leads\nto every good word and work, yet the real nature thereof lies deeper\nstill, even in _the hidden man of the heart_.\n\n6. I say, of _the heart_. For neither does religion consist in\n_orthodoxy_ or _right opinions_; which altho\u2019 they are not properly\noutward things, are not in the heart, but the understanding. A man\nmay be orthodox in every point; he may not only espouse right opinions,\nbut zealously defend them against all opposers: he may think justly\nconcerning the incarnation of our Lord, concerning the ever blessed\nTrinity, and every other doctrine, contained in the oracles of God:\nHe may assent to all the three creeds: that called the apostles\u2019, the\n_Nicene_, and the _Athanasian_: and yet \u2019tis possible, he may have no\nreligion at all, no more than a _Jew_, _Turk_, or _Pagan_. He may be\nalmost as orthodox as\u2015\u2015\u2015\u2015the devil; (tho\u2019 indeed, not altogether. For\nevery man errs in something; whereas we can\u2019t well conceive him to hold\nany erroneous opinion) and may all the while be as great a stranger as\nhe, to the religion of the heart.\n\n7. This alone is religion, truly so call\u2019d: this alone is in the sight\nof God of great price. The apostle sums it all up in three particulars,\n_righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost_. And first,\n_righteousness_. We cannot be at a loss concerning this, if we remember\nthe words of our Lord describing the two grand branches thereof, on\nwhich _hang all the law and the prophets. Thou shalt love the Lord thy\nGod with all thy heart, and with all thy mind, and with all thy soul,\nand with all thy strength.[22] This is the first and great commandment_,\nthe first and great branch of Christian righteousness. Thou shalt\ndelight thyself in the Lord thy God; thou shalt seek and find all\nhappiness in him. He shall be _thy shield, and thy exceeding great\nreward_, in time and in eternity. All thy bones shall say, _Whom have\nI in heaven but thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire beside\nthee!_ Thou shalt hear, and fulfil his word who saith, _My son, give me\nthy heart_. And having given him thy heart, thy inmost soul, to reign\nthere without a rival, thou mayest well cry out, in the fulness of thy\nheart, _I will love thee, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my strong\nrock and my defence: my Saviour, my God, and my might, in whom I will\ntrust; my buckler, the horn also of my salvation, and my refuge._\n\n8. And the second commandment is like unto this; the second great\nbranch of Christian righteousness is closely and inseparably connected\ntherewith, even _Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Thou shalt\nlove_\u2015\u2015Thou shalt embrace with the most tender good-will, the most\nearnest and cordial affection, the most inflamed desires of preventing\nor removing all evil, and of procuring for him every possible good.\n_Thy neighbour_\u2015\u2015that is, not only thy friend, thy kinsman, or thy\nacquaintance; not only the virtuous, the friendly, him that loves thee,\nthat prevents or returns thy kindness; but every child of man, every\nhuman creature, every soul which God hath made: not excepting him whom\nthou never hast seen in the flesh, whom thou knowest not either by face\nor name: not excepting him whom thou knowest to be evil and unthankful,\nhim that still despightfully uses and persecutes thee. Him thou shalt\n_love as thyself_; with the same invariable thirst after his happiness\nin every kind: the same unwearied care to skreen him from whatever\nmight grieve or hurt either his soul or body.\n\n9. Now is not this love _the fulfilling of the law_? The sum of\nall Christian righteousness? Of all inward righteousness; for it\nnecessarily implies _bowels of mercies, humbleness of mind_ (seeing\n_love is not puffed up_) _gentleness, meekness, long-suffering_, (for\nlove _is not provoked_ but _believeth, hopeth, endureth all things_)\nand of all outward righteousness; for _love worketh no evil to his\nneighbour_, either by word or deed. It cannot willingly either hurt or\ngrieve any one. And it is zealous of good works. Every lover of mankind,\nas he hath opportunity, _doth good unto all men_; being (_without\npartiality and without hypocrisy_) _full of mercy and good fruits_.\n\n10. But true religion, or a heart right toward God and man, implies\nhappiness as well as holiness. For it is not only _righteousness_, but\nalso _peace and joy in the Holy Ghost_. What peace? _The peace of God_,\nwhich God only can give and the world cannot take away: the peace which\n_passeth all understanding_, all (barely) rational conception; being\na supernatural sensation, a divine taste of _the powers of the world\nto come_: such as the natural man knoweth not, how wise soever in the\nthings of this world: nor indeed can he know it, in his present state,\n_because it is spiritually discerned_. It is a peace that banishes\nall doubt, all painful uncertainty; the Spirit of God _bearing witness\nwith the spirit_ of a Christian, that he is _a child of God_. And it\nbanishes fear, all such fear as hath torment; the fear of the wrath of\nGod, the fear of hell, the fear of the devil, and in particular, the\nfear of death: he that hath the peace of God, _desiring_ (if it were\nthe will of God) _to depart and to be with Christ_.\n\n11. With this peace of God, wherever it is fix\u2019d in the soul, there\nis also _joy in the Holy Ghost_: joy wrought in the heart by the Holy\nGhost, by the ever blessed Spirit of God. He it is that worketh in\nus that calm, humble rejoicing in God, through Christ Jesus, _by whom\nwe have now received the atonement_, \u03ba\u03b1\u03c4\u03b1\u03bb\u03bb\u03b1\u03b3\u1f74\u03bd, the reconciliation\nwith God; and that enables us boldly to confirm the truth of the royal\nPsalmist\u2019s declaration, _Blessed is the man_ (or rather _happy_) _whose\nunrighteousness is forgiven, and whose sin is covered_. He it is that\ninspires the Christian soul, with that even, solid joy, which arises\nfrom the testimony of the Spirit, that he is a child of God; and that\ngives him to _rejoice with joy unspeakable, in hope of the glory of\nGod_: Hope, both of the glorious image of God, which is in part and\nshall be fully _revealed in him_; and of that crown of glory, which\nfadeth not away, reserved in heaven for him.\n\n12. This holiness and happiness joined in one, are sometimes stiled\nin the inspired writings, _the kingdom of God_, (as by our Lord in\nthe text) and sometimes, _the kingdom of heaven_. It is termed _the\nkingdom of God_, because it is the immediate fruit of God\u2019s reigning\nin the soul. So soon as ever he takes unto himself his mighty power,\nand sets up his throne in our hearts, they are instantly filled with\nthis _righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost_. It is called\n_the kingdom of heaven_, because it is (in a degree) heaven opened in\nthe soul. For whosoever they are that experience this, they can aver,\nbefore angels and men,\n\n \u201cEverlasting life is won:\n Glory is on earth begun:\u201d\n\nAccording to the constant tenor of scripture, which every where bears\nrecord, _God hath given unto us eternal life, and this life is in his\nSon. He that hath the Son_ (reigning in his heart) _hath life_, (even\nlife everlasting) _1 John_ v. 11, 12. _For this is life eternal, to\nknow thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou has sent_,\nJohn xvii. 3. And they to whom this is given, may confidently address\nGod, tho\u2019 they were in the midst of a fiery furnace,\n\n \u201cThee\u2015\u2015Lord, safe shielded by thy pow\u2019r,\n Thee, Son of God, _Jehovah_, we adore;\n In form of man descending to appear:\n To thee be ceaseless hallelujah\u2019s given.\n Praise, as in heaven thy throne, we offer here;\n For where thy presence is display\u2019d, is heaven.\u201d\n\n13. And this _kingdom of God_ or of heaven _is at hand_. As these\nwords were originally spoken, they implied, that _the time_ was then\n_fulfilled_, God being _made manifest in the flesh_, when he would\nset-up his kingdom among men, and reign in the hearts of his people.\nAnd is not the time now fulfilled? For _lo_! saith he, _I am with you\nalways_, you who preach remission of sins in my name, _even unto the\nend of the world_. (Matt. xxviii. 20.) Wheresoever therefore the gospel\nof Christ is preached, this his _kingdom is nigh at hand_. It is not\nfar from every one of you. Ye may this hour enter thereinto, if so be\nye hearken to his voice, _repent ye, and believe the gospel_.\n\n\nII. 1. This is the way. Walk ye in it. And first, repent, that is,\nknow yourselves. This is the first repentance, previous to faith; even\nconviction, or self-knowledge. Awake then thou that sleepest. Know\nthyself to be a sinner, and what manner of sinner thou art. Know that\ncorruption of thy inmost nature, whereby thou art very far gone from\noriginal righteousness, whereby _the flesh lusteth_ always _contrary\nto the spirit_, through that _carnal mind which is enmity against\nGod_, which _is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be_.\nKnow that thou art corrupted in every power, in every faculty of thy\nsoul; that thou art totally corrupted in every one of these, all the\nfoundations being out of course. The eyes of thine understanding are\ndarkned, so that they cannot discern God or the things of God. The\nclouds of ignorance and error rest upon thee, and cover thee with the\nshadow of death. Thou knowest nothing yet, as thou oughtest to know,\nneither God, nor the world, nor thyself. Thy will is no longer the will\nof God, but is utterly perverse and distorted, averse from all good,\nfrom all which God loves, and prone to all evil, to every abomination\nwhich God hateth. Thy affections are alienated from God, and scattered\nabroad over all the earth. All thy passions, both thy desires and\naversions, thy joys and sorrows, thy hopes and fears, are out of frame,\nare either undue in their degree, or placed on undue objects. So that\nthere is no soundness in thy soul; but _from the crown of the head to\nthe sole of the foot_ (to use the strong expression of the prophet)\nthere are only _wounds and bruises and putrifying sores_.\n\n2. Such is the inbred corruption of thy heart, of thy very inmost\nnature. And what manner of branches canst thou expect to grow, from\nsuch an evil root? Hence springs unbelief, ever departing from the\nliving God: Saying, \u201cWho is the Lord that I should serve him? Tush!\nThou, God, carest not for it.\u201d Hence independence, affecting to be like\nthe Most High; hence pride in all its forms, teaching thee to say, \u201cI\nam rich, and increased in goods, and have need of nothing.\u201d From this\nevil fountain flow forth the bitter streams of vanity, thirst of praise;\nambition, covetousness; the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and\nthe pride of life. From this arise anger, hatred, malice, revenge, envy,\njealousy, evil-surmisings: from this all the foolish and hurtful lusts,\nthat now _pierce thee through with many sorrows_, and if not timely\nprevented, will at length _drown thy soul in everlasting perdition_.\n\n3. And what fruits can grow on such branches as these? Only such as are\nbitter and evil continually. Of pride cometh contention, vain boasting,\nseeking and receiving praise of men, and so robbing God of that glory\nwhich he cannot give unto another. Of the lust of the flesh come\ngluttony or drunkenness, luxury or sensuality: fornication, uncleanness,\nvariously defiling that body, which was designed for a temple of the\nHoly Ghost: of unbelief, every evil word and work. But the time would\nfail, shouldst thou reckon up all; all the idle words thou hast spoken,\nprovoking the Most High, grieving the Holy One of _Israel_: all the\nevil works thou hast done, either wholly evil in themselves, or at\nleast, not done to the glory of God. For thy actual sins are more than\nthou art able to express, more than the hairs of thy head. Who can\nnumber the sands of the sea, or the drops of rain, or thy iniquities?\n\n4. And knowest thou not, that _the wages of sin is death_? Death not\nonly temporal, but eternal. _The soul that sinneth it shall die_: for\nthe mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. It shall die the second death.\nThis is the sentence, to _be punished_ with never-ending death, _with\neverlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the\nglory of his power_. Knowest thou not that every sinner, \u1f14\u03bd\u03bf\u03c7\u03bf\u03c2 \u1f10\u03c3\u03c4\u03b9\n\u03c4\u1fc6 \u03b3\u03b5\u03ad\u03bd\u03bd\u1fc3 \u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6 \u03c0\u03c5\u03c1\u03cc\u03c2; not properly _is in danger of hell-fire_, that\nexpression is far too weak: but rather, _is under the sentence of\nhell-fire_, doom\u2019d already, just dragging to execution. Thou art guilty\nof everlasting death. It is the just reward of thy inward and outward\nwickedness. It is just, that the sentence should now take place. Dost\nthou see, dost thou feel this? Art thou throughly convinced, that thou\ndeservest God\u2019s wrath and everlasting damnation? Would God do thee no\nwrong, if he now commanded the earth to open and swallow thee up? If\nthou wert now to go down quick into the pit, into the fire that never\nshall be quenched? If God hath given thee truly to repent, thou hast a\ndeep sense that these things are so; and that it is of his mere mercy\nthou art not consumed, swept away from the face of the earth.\n\n5. And what wilt thou do to appease the wrath of God, to atone for all\nthy sins, and to escape the punishment thou hast so justly deserved?\nAlas, thou canst do nothing: nothing that will in any wise make amends\nto God, for one evil work, or word, or thought. If thou couldst now do\nall things well, if from this very hour, till thy soul should return\nto God, thou couldst perform perfect uninterrupted obedience, even this\nwould not atone for what is past. The not increasing thy debt would not\ndischarge it. It would still remain as great as ever. Yea, the present\nand future obedience of all the men upon earth, and all the angels in\nheaven, would never make satisfaction to the justice of God for one\nsingle sin. How vain then was the thought, of atoning for thy own sins\nby any thing thou couldst do? It costeth far more to redeem one soul,\nthan all mankind is able to pay. So that were there no other help for\na guilty sinner, without doubt he must have perished everlastingly.\n\n6. But suppose perfect obedience for the time to come, could atone for\nthe sins that are past, this would profit thee nothing; for thou art\nnot able to perform it; no, not in any one point. Begin now. Make the\ntrial. Shake off that outward sin that so easily besetteth thee. Thou\ncanst not. How then wilt thou change thy life from all evil to all\ngood? Indeed, it is impossible to be done, unless first thy heart be\nchanged. For so long as the tree remains evil, it cannot bring forth\ngood fruit. But art thou able to change thy own heart, from all sin to\nall holiness? To quicken a soul that is dead in sin? Dead to God and\nalive only to the world? No more than thou art able to quicken a dead\nbody, to raise to life him that lieth in the grave. Yea, thou art not\nable to quicken thy soul in any degree, no more than to give any degree\nof life to the dead body. Thou canst do nothing more or less, in this\nmatter; thou art utterly without strength. To be deeply sensible of\nthis, how helpless thou art, as well as how guilty and how sinful, this\nis that _repentance not to be repented of_, which is the fore-runner of\nthe kingdom of God.\n\n7. If to this lively conviction of thy inward and outward sins, of thy\nutter guiltiness and helplessness, there be added suitable affections\nsorrow of heart, for having despised thy own mercies, remorse and\nself-condemnation, having the mouth stop\u2019d, shame to lift up thine\neyes to heaven; fear of the wrath of God abiding on thee, of his curse\nhanging over thy head, and of the fiery indignation ready to devour\nthose who forget God, and obey not our Lord Jesus Christ: earnest\ndesire to escape from that indignation, to cease from evil and learn to\ndo well: then I say unto thee, in the name of the Lord, _thou art not\nfar from the kingdom of God_. One step more and thou shalt enter in.\nThou dost _repent_. Now, _believe the gospel_.\n\n8. _The gospel_ (that is, good tidings, good news for guilty,\nhelpless sinners) in the largest sense of the word, means, the whole\nrevelation made to men by Jesus Christ: and sometimes the whole account\nof what our Lord did and suffered, while he tabernacled among men. The\nsubstance of all is, _Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners_.\nOr, _God so loved the world, that, he gave his only begotten Son, to\nthe end we might not perish, but have everlasting life_. Or, _he was\nbruised for our transgressions, he was wounded for our iniquities: the\nchastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are\nhealed_.\n\n9. Believe this and the kingdom of God is thine. By faith thou\nattainest the promise. \u201cHe pardoneth and absolveth all that truly\nrepent and unfeignedly believe his holy gospel.\u201d As soon as ever God\nhath spoken to thy heart \u201cBe of good chear, thy sins are forgiven thee,\u201d\nhis kingdom comes; thou hast righteousness and peace, and joy in the\nHoly Ghost.\n\n10. Only beware thou do not deceive thy own soul, with regard to the\nnature of this faith. It is not (as some have fondly conceived) a bare\nassent to the truth of the bible, of the articles of our creed, or of\nall that is contained in the old and new testament. The devils believe\nthis, as well as I or thou, and yet they are devils still. But it is,\nover and above this, a sure trust in the mercy of God through Christ\nJesus. It is a confidence in a pardoning God. It is a divine evidence\nor conviction, that _God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself,\nnot imputing to them their former trespasses_: and in particular, that\nthe Son of God hath loved _me_ and given himself for _me_: and that I,\neven I, am now reconciled to God by the blood of the cross.\n\n11. Dost thou thus believe? Then the peace of God is in thy heart,\nand sorrow and sighing flee away. Thou art no longer in doubt of the\nlove of God: it is clear as the noon-day sun. Thou cryest out, _My song\nshall be always of the loving kindness of the Lord: with my mouth will\nI ever be telling of thy truth, from one generation to another_. Thou\nart no longer afraid of hell, or death, or him that had once the power\nof death, the devil: no, nor painfully afraid of God himself; only\nthou hast a tender, filial fear of offending him. Dost thou believe?\nThen thy _soul doth magnify the Lord, and thy spirit rejoiceth in God\nthy Saviour_. Thou rejoicest in that thou hast _redemption thro\u2019 his\nblood, even the forgiveness of sins_. Thou rejoicest in that _Spirit of\nadoption, which crieth in thy heart, Abba, Father!_ Thou rejoicest in\na _hope full of immortality_, in reaching forth unto the _mark of the\nprize of thy high calling_; in an earnest expectation of all the good\nthings which God hath prepared for them that love him.\n\n12. Dost thou now believe? Then _the love of God_ is now _shed abroad\nin thy heart_. Thou lovest him, because he first loved us. And because\nthou lovest God, thou lovest thy brother also. And being filled with\n_love_, _peace_, _joy_, thou art also filled with _long-suffering_,\n_gentleness_, _fidelity_, _goodness_, _meekness_, _temperance_, and\nall the other fruits of the same Spirit: in a word, with whatever\ndispositions are holy, are heavenly or divine. For while thou\n_beholdest with open_, uncovered _face_, (the veil now being taken\naway) _the glory of the Lord_, his glorious love, and the glorious\nimage wherein thou wast created, _thou art changed into the same image,\nfrom glory to glory, by the Spirit of the Lord_.\n\n13. This repentance, this faith, this peace, joy, love; this change\nfrom glory to glory, is what the wisdom of the world has voted to be\nmadness, mere enthusiasm, utter distraction. But thou, O man of _God_,\nregard them not: be thou moved by none of these things. Thou knowest\nin whom thou hast believed. See that no man take thy crown. Whereunto\nthou hast already attained hold fast; and follow, till thou attain all\nthe great and precious promises. And thou who hast not yet known him,\nlet not vain men make thee ashamed of the gospel of Christ. Be thou in\nnothing terrified by those who speak evil of the things which they know\nnot. God will soon turn thy heaviness into joy. O let not thy hands\nhang down. Yet a little longer, and he will take away thy fears, and\ngive thee the spirit of a sound mind. _He is nigh that justifieth: who\nis he that condemneth? It is Christ that died; yea rather that rose\nagain; who is even now at the right-hand of God, making intercession\nfor thee._ Now cast thyself on the Lamb of God, with all thy sins, how\nmany soever they be; and _an entrance shall_ now _be ministred unto_\nthee, _into the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ_!\n\n\n\n\n SERMON VIII.\n\n THE FIRST-FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT.\n\n ROM. viii. 1.\n\n _There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in\n Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the\n Spirit._\n\n\n1. BY _them which are in Christ Jesus_, St. _Paul_ evidently means,\nthose who truly believe in him: those who _being justified by faith,\nhave peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ_. They who thus\nbelieve do no longer _walk after the flesh_, no longer follow the\nmotions of corrupt nature: but _after the Spirit_: both their thoughts,\nwords and works, are under the direction of the blessed Spirit of God.\n\n2. _There is therefore now no condemnation to_ these. There is no\ncondemnation to them from God: for he hath _justified_ them _freely\nby his grace, thro\u2019 the redemption that is in Jesus_. He hath forgiven\nall their iniquities, and blotted out all their sins. And there is\nno condemnation to them from within: for they _have received, not the\nspirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that they might\nknow the things which are freely given to them of God:[23] Which Spirit\nbeareth witness with their spirits, that they are the children of God_.\nAnd to this is added, _the testimony of_ their _conscience, that in\nsimplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the\ngrace of God_, they _have had_ their _conversation in the world_.[24]\n\n3. But because this scripture has been so frequently misunderstood, and\nthat in so dangerous a manner, because such multitudes of _unlearned\nand unstable men_, (\u03bf\u1f31 \u1f00\u03bc\u03b1\u03b8\u03b5\u1fd6\u03c2 \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u1f00\u03c3\u03c4\u03ae\u03c1\u03b9\u03ba\u03c4\u03bf\u03b9, men untaught of God,\nand consequently unestablished in _the truth which is after godliness_)\nhave _wrested_ it _to their own destruction_. I propose to shew as\nclearly as I can, first, who those are _which are in Christ Jesus,\nand walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit_; and secondly,\nhow _there is no condemnation to_ these. I shall conclude with some\npractical inferences.\n\n\nI. 1. First, I am to shew, who those are that _are in Christ Jesus_.\nAnd are they not, those who believe in his name? Those who are _found\nin him, not having_ their _own righteousness, but the righteousness\nwhich is of God by faith_? These, who _have redemption through his\nblood_, are properly said, to be _in him_. For _they dwell in Christ\nand Christ in them_. They are _joined unto the Lord in one Spirit_.\nThey are ingrafted into him as branches into the vine. They are united,\nas members to their head; in a manner which words cannot express, nor\ncould it before enter into their hearts to conceive.\n\n2. Now _whosoever abideth in him, sinneth not; walketh not after the\nflesh_. The flesh, in the usual language of St. _Paul_, signifies\ncorrupt nature. In this sense, he uses the word, writing to the\n_Galatians_. _The works of the flesh are manifest_, Gal. v. 19. And a\nlittle before, _Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust_\n(or desire) _of the flesh_ (_v._ 16.) To prove which, namely, that\nthose who _walk by the Spirit, do not fulfil the lust of the flesh_,\nhe immediately adds, _for the flesh lusteth against the Spirit; but\nthe Spirit lusteth against the flesh (for these are contrary to each\nother) that ye may not do the things which ye would_. So the words\nare literally translated, (\u1f35\u03bd\u03b1 \u03bc\u1f74 \u1f03 \u1f02\u03bd \u03b8\u03ad\u03bb\u03b7\u03c4\u03b5, \u03c4\u03b1\u1fe6\u03c4\u03b1 \u03c0\u03bf\u03b9\u1fc6\u03c4\u03b5) Not, _so\nthat ye cannot do the things that ye would_, as if the flesh overcame\nthe Spirit: a translation which hath not only nothing to do with the\noriginal text of the apostle, but likewise makes his whole argument\nnothing worth, yea, asserts just the reverse of what he is proving.\n\n3. _They who are of Christ_, who _abide in him have crucified\nthe flesh with its affections and lusts_. They abstain from all\nthose works of the flesh; from _adultery and fornication_, from\n_uncleanness and lasciviousness_; from _idolatry_, _witchcraft_,\n_hatred_, _variance_; from _emulations_, _wrath_, _strife_, _sedition_,\n_heresies_, _envyings_, _murders_, _drunkenness_, _revellings_: from\nevery design, and word and work, to which the corruption of nature\nleads. Altho\u2019 they feel the root of bitterness in themselves, yet are\nthey endued with power from on high, to trample it continually under\nfoot, so that it cannot _spring up to trouble them_: insomuch that\nevery fresh assault which they undergo, only gives them fresh occasion\nof praise, of crying out, _Thanks be unto God, who giveth us the\nvictory, thro\u2019 Jesus Christ our Lord_.\n\n4. They now _walk after the Spirit_, both in their hearts and lives.\nThey are taught of him to love God and their neighbour, with a love\nwhich is _as a well of water, springing up into everlasting life_.\nAnd by him they are led into every holy desire, into every divine and\nheavenly temper, till every thought which arises in their heart, is\nholiness unto the Lord.\n\n5. They who _walk after the Spirit_, are also led by him, into all\nholiness of conversation. Their speech is _always in grace, seasoned\nwith salt_, with the love and fear of God. _No corrupt communication\ncomes out of their mouth, but_ only _that which is good_; that which\nis _to the use of edifying_, which is _meet to minister grace to the\nhearers_. And herein likewise do they exercise themselves day and\nnight, to do only the things which please God: in all their outward\nbehaviour to follow him, _who left us an example that we might tread\nin his steps_: in all their intercourse with their neighbour to\nwalk in justice, mercy and truth; and _whatsoever they do_, in every\ncircumstance of life, to _do all to the glory of God_.\n\n6. These are they who indeed _walk after the Spirit_. Being filled with\nfaith and with the Holy Ghost, they possess in their hearts, and shew\nforth in their lives, in the whole course of their words and actions,\nthe genuine fruits of the Spirit of God, namely, _love_, _joy_, _peace_,\n_long-suffering_, _gentleness_, _goodness_, _fidelity_, _meekness_,\n_temperance_, and whatsoever else is lovely or praise-worthy. They\n_adorn in all things the gospel of God our Saviour_; and give full\nproof to all mankind, that they are indeed actuated by the same Spirit,\n_which raised up Jesus from the dead_.\n\n\nII. 1. I proposed to shew, in the second place, How _there is no\ncondemnation to them, which are_ thus _in Christ Jesus_, and thus\n_walk, not after the flesh, but after the Spirit_.\n\nAnd, first, To believers in Christ, walking thus, _there is no\ncondemnation_ on account of their past sins. God condemneth them not\nfor any of these: they are as tho\u2019 they had never been. They are _cast\nas a stone into the depth of the sea_, and he remembreth them no more.\nGod having _set forth his Son to be a propitiation for them, thro\u2019\nfaith in his blood, hath declared_ unto them _his righteousness, for\nthe remission of the sins that are past_. He layeth therefore none of\nthese to their charge; their memorial is perished with them.\n\n2. And there is no condemnation in their own breast; no sense of guilt,\nor dread of the wrath of God. They _have the witness in themselves_;\nthey are conscious of their interest in the blood of sprinkling. _They\nhave not received again the spirit of bondage unto fear_, unto doubt\nand racking uncertainty; but they _have received the Spirit of adoption,\ncrying in their hearts, Abba, Father_. Thus being _justified by faith,\nthey have_ the _peace_ of God ruling in their hearts: flowing from\na continual sense of his pardoning mercy, and _the answer of a good\nconscience toward God_.\n\n3. If it be said, But sometimes a believer in Christ, may lose his\nsight of the mercy of God; sometimes such darkness may fall upon him,\nthat he no longer sees him that is invisible, no longer feels that\nwitness in himself of his part in the atoning blood; and then he is\ninwardly condemned, he hath again _the sentence of death in himself_:\nI answer, supposing it so to be, supposing him not to see the mercy of\nGod, then he is not a believer; for faith implies light; the light of\nGod shining upon the soul. So far therefore as any one loses this light,\nhe for the time loses his faith. And no doubt a true believer in Christ,\nmay lose the light of faith. And so far as this is lost, he may for a\ntime fall again into condemnation. But this is not the case of them who\nnow _are in Christ Jesus_, who now believe in his name. For so long as\nthey believe and walk after the Spirit, neither God condemns them nor\ntheir own heart.\n\n\u26665. They are not condemned, Secondly, for any present sins, for now\ntransgressing the commandments of God. For they do not transgress them?\nThey do not _walk after the flesh but after the Spirit_. This is the\ncontinual proof of their _love of God, that they keep his commandments_:\neven as St. _John_ bears witness, _Whosoever is born of God doth not\ncommit sin. For his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot sin, because\nhe is born of God_: he cannot, so long as that seed of God, that loving,\nholy faith remaineth in him. So long as _he keepeth himself_ herein,\n_that wicked one toucheth him not_. Now it is evident, he is not\ncondemned for the sins which he doth not commit at all. They therefore\nwho are thus _led by the Spirit, are not under the law_, (_Gal._ v. 18.)\nNot under the curse or condemnation of it; for it condemns none but\nthose who break it. Thus, that law of God, _Thou shalt not steal_,\ncondemns none but those who do steal. Thus, _Remember the sabbath-day\nto keep it holy_, condemns those only who do not keep it holy. But\n_against_ the fruits of the Spirit, _there is no law_; (_v._ 23.) as\nthe apostle more largely declares, in those memorable words of his\nformer epistle to _Timothy_. _We know, that the law is good, if a man\nuse it lawfully; knowing this_, (if while he uses the law of God, in\norder either to convince or direct, he know and remember this) \u1f45\u03c4\u03b9\n\u03b4\u03b9\u03ba\u03b1\u03af\u03c9 \u03bd\u03cc\u03bc\u03bf\u03c2 \u03bf\u1f50 \u03ba\u03b5\u1fd6\u03c4\u03b1\u03b9. (Not, that the law is not made for a righteous\nman; but) _that the law does not lie against a righteous man_: (it has\nno force against him, no power to condemn him) _but against the lawless\nand disobedient, against the ungodly and sinners, against the unholy\nand profane\u2015\u2015according to the glorious gospel, of the blessed God_.\n_1 Tim._ i. 8, 9, 11.\n\n6. They are not condemned, thirdly, for inward sin, even tho\u2019 it does\nnow remain. That the corruption of nature does still remain, even in\nthose who are the children of God by faith, that they have in them the\nseeds of pride and vanity, of anger, lust and evil desire, yea, sin of\nevery kind, is too plain to be denied, being matter of daily experience.\nAnd on this account it is, that St. _Paul_ speaking to those, whom he\nhad just before witness\u2019d to be _in Christ Jesus_[25], to have been\n_called of God into the fellowship_ (or participation) _of his Son\nJesus Christ_[26], yet declares, _Brethren, I could not speak unto you\nas unto spiritual, but as unto carnal; even as unto babes in Christ_\n(_1 Cor._ iii. 1.) _Babes in Christ_\u2015\u2015So we see they were _in Christ_;\nthey were believers in a low degree. And yet how much of sin remained\nin them? Of that _carnal mind_, which _is not subject to the law of\nGod_?\n\n7. And yet, for all this, they are not condemned. Although they feel\nthe flesh, the evil nature in them, although they are more sensible\nday by day, that their _heart is deceitful and desperately wicked_:\nyet so long as they do not yield thereto, so long as they give no place\nto the devil, so long as they maintain a continual war, with all sin,\nwith pride, anger, desire, so that the flesh hath no dominion over\nthem, but they still _walk after the Spirit_: there is _no condemnation\nto them which are in Christ Jesus_. God is well-pleased with their\nsincere, tho\u2019 imperfect obedience: and they _have confidence toward\nGod_, knowing _they are his, by the Spirit which he hath given them_.\n_1 John_ iii. 24.\n\n8. Nay, fourthly, altho\u2019 they are continually convinced of sin\ncleaving to all they do; altho\u2019 they are conscious of not fulfilling\nthe perfect law, either in their thoughts, or words, or works; altho\u2019\nthey know they do not love the Lord their God, with all their heart,\nand mind, and soul and strength; altho\u2019 they feel more or less of pride\nor self-will, stealing in and mixing with their best duties; altho\u2019\neven in their more immediate intercourse with God, when they assemble\nthemselves with the great congregation, and when they pour out their\nsouls in secret to him, who seeth all the thoughts and intents of\nthe heart, they are continually ashamed of their wandring thoughts,\nor of the deadness and dulness of their affections; yet there is no\ncondemnation to them still, either from God or from their own heart.\nThe consideration of these manifold defects only gives them a deeper\nsense, that they have always need of that blood of sprinkling, which\nspeaks for them in the ears of God, and that Advocate with the Father\n_who ever liveth, to make intercession for them_. So far are these\nfrom driving them away from him, in whom they have believed, that they\nrather drive them the closer to him, whom they feel the want of every\nmoment. And at the same time, the deeper sense they have of this want,\nthe more earnest desire do they feel, and the more diligent they are,\nas they _have received the Lord Jesus, so_ to _walk in him_.\n\n9. They are not condemned, fifthly, for _sins of infirmity_, as they\nare usually called. (Perhaps it were adviseable rather to call them\n_infirmities_, that we may not seem to give any countenance to sin, or\nto extenuate it in any degree, by thus coupling it with infirmity. But\nif we must retain so ambiguous and dangerous an expression) by _sins\nof infirmity_ I would mean, such involuntary failings, as the saying\na thing we believe true, tho\u2019 in fact it prove to be false; or the\nhurting our neighbour, without knowing or designing it; perhaps when\nwe design\u2019d to do him good. Tho\u2019 these are deviations from the holy and\nacceptable and perfect will of God, yet they are not properly sins, nor\ndo they bring any guilt on the conscience of _them which are in Christ\nJesus_. They separate not between God and them, neither intercept the\nlight of his countenance; as being no ways inconsistent with their\ngeneral character, of _walking not after the flesh but after the\nSpirit_.\n\n10. Lastly, _There is no condemnation_ to them for any thing whatever\nwhich it is not in their power to help; whether it be of an inward or\noutward nature, and whether it be doing something, or leaving something\nundone. For instance: the Lord\u2019s supper is to be administered. But you\ndo not partake thereof. Why do you not; you are confined by sickness.\nTherefore you cannot help omitting it: and for the same reason, you are\nnot condemned. There is no guilt; because there is no choice. As there\n_is a willing mind, it is accepted, according to that a man hath, not\naccording to that he hath not_.\n\n11. A believer indeed may sometimes be _grieved_, because he cannot\ndo what his soul longs for. He may cry out, when he is detain\u2019d from\nworshipping God in the great congregation, _Like as the hart panteth\nafter the water-brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul\nis athirst for God, yea even for the living God: when shall I come to\nappear in the presence of God?_ He may earnestly desire (only still\nsaying in his heart, not as I will, but as thou wilt) to _go again with\nthe multitude and bring them forth into the house of God_. But still,\nif he cannot go, he feels no condemnation, no guilt, no sense of God\u2019s\ndispleasure: but can chearfully yield up those desires, with, _O my\nsoul, put thy trust in God: for I will yet give him thanks, who is the\nhelp of my countenance and my God_.\n\n12. It is more difficult to determine concerning those which are\nusually stiled, _sins of surprize_: as when one who commonly in\npatience possesses his soul, on a sudden and violent temptation, speaks\nor acts in a manner not consistent with the royal law, _Thou shalt\nlove thy neighbour as thyself_. Perhaps it is not easy to fix a general\nrule, concerning transgressions of this nature. We cannot say, either\nthat men are, or that they are not condemned, for sins of surprize in\ngeneral. But it seems, whenever a believer is by surprize over-taken in\na fault, there is more or less condemnation, as there is more or less\nconcurrence of his will. In proportion as a sinful desire or word or\naction is more or less voluntary, so we may conceive, God is more or\nless displeased, and there is more or less guilt upon the soul.\n\n13. But if so, then there may be some sins of surprize, which bring\nmuch guilt and condemnation. For in some instances, our being surprized\nis owing to some wilful and culpable neglect; or to a sleepiness\nof soul which might have been prevented, or shaken off before the\ntemptation came. A man may be previously warned either of God or man,\nthat trials and danger are at hand: and yet may say in his heart, _A\nlittle more slumber, a little more folding of the hands to rest_. Now\nif such an one afterwards fall, tho\u2019 unawares, into the snare which he\nmight have avoided; that he fell unawares is no excuse: he might have\nforeseen, and have shuned the danger. The falling even by surprize, in\nsuch an instance as this, is, in effect, a wilful sin; and as such must\nexpose the sinner to condemnation, both from God and his own conscience.\n\n14. On the other hand, there may be sudden assaults, either from\nthe world, or the God of this world, and frequently from our own evil\nhearts, which we did not, and hardly could foresee. And by these even\na believer, while weak in faith, may possibly be borne down, suppose\ninto a degree of anger, or thinking evil of another, with scarce any\nconcurrence of his will. Now in such a case, the jealous God would\nundoubtedly shew him that he had done foolishly. He would be convinced\nof having swerved from the perfect law, from the mind which was in\nChrist, and consequently _grieved_ with a godly sorrow, and lovingly\n_ashamed_ before God. Yet need he not come into condemnation. God\nlayeth not folly to his charge, but hath compassion upon him, _even as\na Father pitieth his own children_. And his heart condemneth him not;\nin the midst of that sorrow and shame, he can still say, _I will trust\nand not be afraid. For the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he\nis also become my salvation._\n\n\nIII. 1. It remains only, to draw some practical inferences from the\npreceding considerations. And, first, If there be _no condemnation to\nthem which are in Christ Jesus, and walk not after the flesh but after\nthe Spirit_, on account of their past sin: then why art thou fearful,\nO thou of little faith? Tho\u2019 thy sins were once more in number than the\nsand, what is that to thee now thou art in Christ Jesus? _Who shall lay\nany thing to the charge of God\u2019s elect? It is God that justifieth: who\nis he that condemneth?_ All the sins thou hast committed from thy youth\nup, until the hour when thou wast _accepted in the Beloved_, are driven\naway as chaff, are gone, are lost, swallowed up, remembered no more.\nThou art now _born of the Spirit_: wilt thou be troubled or afraid for\nwhat is done before thou wert born? Away with thy fears! Thou art not\ncalled to fear; but to the _Spirit of love and of a sound mind_. Know\nthy calling. Rejoice in God thy Saviour, and give thanks to God thy\nFather through him.\n\n2. Wilt thou say, \u201cBut I have again committed sin, since I had\nredemption through his blood? And therefore it is, that _I abhor\nmyself, and repent in dust and ashes_.\u201d It is meet thou shouldst abhor\nthyself; and it is God who hath wrought thee to this self-same thing.\nBut dost thou now believe? Hath he again enabled thee to say, _I know\nthat my Redeemer liveth: and the life which I now live, I live by faith\nin the Son of God_? Then that faith again cancels all that is past,\nand there is no condemnation to thee. At whatsoever time thou truly\nbelievest in the name of the Son of God, all thy sins antecedent to\nthat hour, vanish away as the morning dew. Now then, _Stand thou fast\nin the liberty wherewith Christ hath made thee free_. He hath once\nmore made thee free from the power of sin, as well as from the guilt\nand punishment of it. _O be not intangled again with the yoke of\nbondage!_ Neither the vile, devilish bondage of sin; of evil desires,\nevil tempers, or words, or works, the most grievous yoke on this\nside hell: nor the bondage of slavish, tormenting fear, of guilt and\nself-condemnation.\n\n3. But, secondly: Do all they which abide _in Christ Jesus, walk not\nafter the flesh, but after the Spirit_? Then we cannot but infer, that\nwhosoever now committeth sin, hath no part or lot in this matter. He\nis even now condemned by his own heart. But _if our heart condemn us_,\nif our own conscience beareth witness that we are guilty, undoubtedly\nGod doth: for _he is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things_;\nso that we cannot deceive him, if we can ourselves. And think not to\nsay, \u201cI was justified once; my sins were once forgiven me.\u201d I know not\nthat: neither will I dispute whether they were or no. Perhaps, at this\ndistance of time, \u2019tis next to impossible to know with any tolerable\ndegree of certainty, whether that was a true, genuine work of God, or\nwhether thou didst only deceive thy own soul. But this I know with the\nutmost degree of certainty, _He that committeth sin is of the devil_.\nTherefore thou art of thy father the devil. It cannot be denied: for\nthe works of thy father thou dost. O flatter not thyself with vain\nhopes. Say not to thy soul, Peace, peace! For there is no peace. Cry\naloud! Cry unto God out of the deep; if haply he may hear thy voice.\nCome unto him as at first, as wretched and poor, as sinful, miserable,\nblind and naked. And beware thou suffer thy soul to take no rest, till\nhis pardoning love be again revealed, till he _heal thy backslidings_,\nand fill thee again with the _faith that worketh by love_.\n\n4. Thirdly, Is there no condemnation to them which _walk after the\nSpirit_, by reason of _inward sin_ still remaining, so long as they do\nnot give way thereto; nor by reason of _sin cleaving_ to all they do?\nThen fret not thyself because of ungodliness, tho\u2019 it still remain in\nthy heart. Repine not, because thou still comest short of the glorious\nimage of God: nor yet, because pride, self-will, or unbelief, cleave to\nall thy words and works. And be not afraid to know all the evil of thy\nheart, to know thyself as also thou art known. Yea, desire of God, that\nthou mayst not think of thyself more highly than thou oughtest to think.\nLet thy continual prayer be,\n\n \u201cShew me, as my soul can bear,\n The depth of inbred sin:\n All the unbelief declare,\n The pride that lurks within!\u201d\n\nBut when he heareth thy prayer, and unveils thy heart, when he shews\nthee throughly what spirit thou art of: then beware that thy faith\nfail thee not, that thou suffer not thy shield to be torn from thee. Be\nabased. Be humbled in the dust. See thyself nothing, less than nothing\nand vanity. But still, _let not thy heart be troubled, neither let it\nbe afraid_. Still hold fast, \u201c_I_, even I, _have an advocate with the\nFather, Jesus Christ the righteous_. And as the heavens are higher than\nthe earth, so is his love higher than even my sins.\u201d\u2015\u2015Therefore God is\nmerciful to thee a sinner! Such a sinner as thou art! God is love; and\nChrist hath died. Therefore the Father himself loveth thee. Thou art\nhis child. Therefore he will with-hold from thee no manner of thing\nthat is good. Is it good, that the whole body of sin, which is now\ncrucified in thee, should be destroyed? It shall be done. Thou shalt\nbe _cleansed from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit_. Is it\ngood that nothing should remain in thy heart, but the pure love of\nGod alone? Be of good chear! _Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with\nall thy heart and mind and soul and strength. Faithful is he that hath\npromised, who also will do it._ It is thy part, patiently to continue\nin the work of faith, and in the labour of love: and in chearful\npeace, in humble confidence, with calm and resigned, and yet earnest\nexpectation, to wait till _the zeal of the Lord of Hosts shall perform\nthis_.\n\n5. Fourthly, If they that _are in Christ, and walk after the Spirit_,\nare not condemned for _sins of infirmity_, as neither for _involuntary\nfailings_, nor for any thing whatever which they are not able to help:\nthen beware, O thou that hast faith in his blood, that Satan herein\n_gain no advantage over thee_. Thou art still foolish and weak, blind\nand ignorant: more weak than any words can express, more foolish than\nit can yet enter into thy heart to conceive, knowing nothing yet as\nthou oughtest to know. Yet let not all thy weakness and folly, or any\nfruit thereof, which thou art not yet able to avoid, shake thy faith,\nthy filial trust in God, or disturb thy peace or joy in the Lord. The\nrule which some give as to wilful sins, and which in that case, may\nperhaps be dangerous, is undoubtedly wise and safe, if it be applied\nonly to the case of weakness and infirmities. Art thou fallen, O man of\nGod? Yet do not lie there, fretting thyself and bemoaning thy weakness:\nBut meekly say, Lord, I shall fall thus every moment, unless thou\nuphold me with thy hand. And then arise! Leap and walk. Go on thy way.\n_Run with patience the race set before thee._\n\n6. Lastly, since a believer need not come into condemnation, even\ntho\u2019 he be _surprized_ into what his soul abhors, (suppose his being\nsurprized is not owing to any carelessness or wilful neglect of his\nown:) if thou who believest, art thus over-taken in a fault, then\ngrieve unto the Lord; it shall be a precious balm: pour out thy heart\nbefore him, and shew him of thy trouble. And pray with all thy might\nto him who is _touched with the feeling of_ thy _infirmities_, that he\nwould stablish and strengthen and settle thy soul, and suffer thee to\nfall no more. But still he condemneth thee not. Wherefore shouldst thou\nfear? Thou hast no need of any _fear that hath torment_. Thou shalt\nlove him that lovest thee, and it sufficeth: more love will bring more\nstrength. And as soon as thou lovest him with all thy heart, thou shall\nbe _perfect and entire, lacking nothing_. Wait in peace for that hour,\nwhen _the God of peace_ shall _sanctify thee wholly, so that thy whole\nspirit, and soul and body may be preserved blameless unto the coming of\nour Lord Jesus Christ_!\n\n\n\n\n SERMON IX.\n\n THE SPIRIT OF BONDAGE AND OF ADOPTION.\n\n ROMANS viii. 15.\n\n _Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again unto fear: but\n ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba,\n Father._\n\n\n1. ST. _Paul_ here speaks to those who are the children of God by\nfaith. Ye, saith he, who are indeed his children, have drank into his\nSpirit. _Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again unto fear._\nBut _because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son\ninto your hearts. Ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we\ncry, Abba, Father._\n\n2. The spirit of bondage and fear is widely distant from this loving\nSpirit of adoption. Those who are influenced only by slavish fear,\ncannot be termed, the sons of God. Yet some of them may be stiled his\nservants, and are _not far from the kingdom of heaven_.\n\n3. But it is to be feared, the bulk of mankind, yea, of what is call\u2019d\n_The Christian world_, have not attain\u2019d even this; but are still afar\noff, _neither is God in all their thoughts_. A few names may be found\nof those who love God: a few more there are that fear him. But the\ngreater part have neither the fear of God before their eyes, nor the\nlove of God in their hearts.\n\n4. Perhaps most of you, who by the mercy of God, now partake of a\nbetter spirit, may remember the time, when ye were as they, when ye\nwere under the same condemnation. But at first ye knew it not, tho\u2019 ye\nwere wallowing daily in your sins and in your blood: till in due time\nye _received the spirit of fear_ (_ye received_; for this also is the\ngift of God:) and afterwards, fear vanished away, and the Spirit of\nlove filled your hearts.\n\n5. One who is in the first state of mind, without fear or love, is\nin scripture term\u2019d _a natural man_. One who is under the spirit of\nbondage and fear is sometimes said to be _under the law_: (altho\u2019 that\nexpression more frequently signifies one, who is under the _Jewish_\ndispensation, or who thinks himself obliged to observe all the rites\nand ceremonies of the _Jewish law_.) But one who has exchanged the\nspirit of fear for the Spirit of love, is properly said, to be _under\ngrace_.\n\nNow because it highly imports us, to know what spirit we are of, I\nshall endeavour to point out distinctly, first, The state of a _natural\nman_, secondly, That of one who is _under the law_, and thirdly, of one\nwho is _under grace_.\n\n\nI. 1. And, first, the state of a _natural man_. This the scripture\nrepresents as a state of sleep. The voice of God to him is, _Awake,\nthou that sleepest_. For his soul is in a deep sleep. His spiritual\nsenses are not awake: they discern neither spiritual good nor evil. The\neyes of his understanding are closed; they are sealed together, and see\nnot. Clouds and darkness continually rest upon them; for he lies in the\nvalley of the shadow of death. Hence having no inlets for the knowledge\nof spiritual things, all the avenues of his soul being shut up, he is\nin gross, stupid ignorance of whatever he is most concerned to know. He\nis utterly ignorant of God, knowing nothing concerning him as he ought\nto know. He is totally a stranger to the law of God, as to its true,\ninward, spiritual meaning. He has no conception of that evangelical\nholiness, without which no man shall see the Lord; nor of the happiness,\nwhich they only find, whose _life is hid with Christ in God_.\n\n2. * And for this very reason, because he is fast _asleep_, he is,\nin some sense, at _rest_. Because he is _blind_, he is also _secure_:\nhe saith, _Tush, there shall no harm happen unto me_. The darkness\nwhich covers him on every side, keeps him in a kind of peace: (so far\nas peace can consist with the works of the devil, and with an earthly,\ndevilish mind.) He _sees_ not that he stands on the edge of the pit;\ntherefore he _fears_ it not. He cannot _tremble_ at the danger he does\nnot _know_. He has not understanding enough to fear. Why is it that\nhe is in no dread of God? Because he is totally ignorant of him: if\nnot _saying in his heart, there is no God_, or, that he _sitteth on\nthe circle of the heavens, and humbleth_ not _himself to behold the\nthings_ which are done on earth; yet satisfying himself as well, to\nall _Epicurean_ intents and purposes, by saying, \u201cGod is merciful:\u201d\nconfounding and swallowing up at once, in that unweildy idea of mercy,\nall his holiness and essential hatred of sin, all his justice, wisdom\nand truth. He is in no dread of the vengeance denounced against those\nwho obey not the blessed law of God, because he understands it not. He\nimagines the main point is, to _do thus_, to be _outwardly_ blameless:\nand sees not that it extends to every temper, desire, thought, motion\nof the heart. Or he fancies, that the obligation hereto is ceas\u2019d; that\nChrist came to _destroy the law and the prophets_; to save his people\n_in_, not _from_ their sins: to bring them to heaven, without holiness.\nNotwithstanding his own words, _Not one jot or tittle of the law shall\npass away, till all things are fulfilled_: and, _Not every one that\nsaith unto me, Lord, Lord! shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but\nhe that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven_.\n\n3. He is secure, because he is utterly ignorant of himself. Hence he\ntalks of \u201crepenting by and by;\u201d he does not indeed exactly know when;\nbut some time or other before he dies: taking it for granted, that this\nis quite in his own power. For what should hinder his doing it, if he\nwill? If he does but once set a resolution, no fear but he will make it\ngood.\n\n4. But this ignorance never so strongly glares, as in those who are\nterm\u2019d, _men of learning_. If a natural man be one of these, he can\ntalk at large of his rational faculties: of the freedom of his will,\nand the absolute necessity of such freedom, in order to constitute man\na moral agent. He reads and argues, and proves to a demonstration, that\nevery man may do as he will; may dispose his own heart to evil or good,\nas it seems best in his own eyes. Thus the God of this world spreads a\ndouble veil of blindness over his heart, lest by any means _the light\nof the glorious gospel of Christ should shine_ upon it.\n\n5. From the same ignorance of himself and God there may sometimes arise\nin the natural man a kind of _joy_, in congratulating himself, upon his\nown wisdom and goodness. And what the world calls joy, he may often\npossess. He may have pleasure in various kinds; either in gratifying\nthe desires of the flesh, or the desire of the eye, or the pride of\nlife: particularly if he has large possessions; if he enjoy an affluent\nfortune. Then he may _cloath_ himself _in purple and fine linen, and\nfare sumptuously every day_. And _so long as_ he thus _doth well unto\nhimself, men will_ doubtless _speak good of_ him. They will say, he is\na happy man: for indeed this is the sum of worldly happiness: to dress,\nand visit, and talk, and eat, and drink, and rise up to play.\n\n6. It is not surprizing, if one in such circumstances as these,\ndozed with the opiates of flattery and sin, should imagine; among his\nother waking dreams, that he walks in great _liberty_. How easily may\nhe persuade himself, that he is at liberty from all _vulgar errors_,\nand from the _prejudice_ of education, judging exactly right, and\nkeeping clear of all extremes. \u201cI am free (may he say) from all the\n_enthusiasm_ of weak and narrow souls: from _superstition_, the disease\nof fools and cowards, always righteous over much; and from _bigotry_,\ncontinually incident to those who have not a free and generous way of\nthinking.\u201d And too sure it is, that he is altogether free, from the\n_wisdom which cometh from above_, from holiness, from the religion of\nthe heart, from the whole mind which was in Christ.\n\n7. For all this time, he is the servant of sin. He commits sin, more\nor less, day by day. Yet he is not troubled: He \u201cis in no bondage;\u201d\n(as some speak) he feels no condemnation. He contents himself, (even\ntho\u2019 he should profess to believe that the Christian revelation is of\nGod) with, \u201cMan is frail. We are all weak. Every man has his infirmity.\u201d\nPerhaps he quotes scripture: \u201cWhy, does not _Solomon_ say, \u2018The\nrighteous man falls into sin seven times a day?\u2019 And doubtless, they\nare all hypocrites or enthusiasts who pretend to be better than their\nneighbours.\u201d If at any time a serious thought fix upon him, he stifles\nit as soon as possible, with, \u201cWhy should I fear, since God is merciful,\nand Christ died for sinners?\u201d Thus he remains a willing servant of sin,\ncontent with the bondage of corruption; inwardly and outwardly unholy,\nand satisfied therewith; not only not conquering sin, but not striving\nto conquer, particularly that sin, which doth so easily beset him.\n\n8. Such is the state of every _natural man_; whether he be a gross,\nscandalous transgressor, or a more reputable and decent sinner, having\nthe form, tho\u2019 not the power of godliness. But how can such an one be\n_convinced of sin_? How is he brought to _repent_? To be _under the\nlaw_? To receive the _spirit of bondage unto fear_? This is the point\nwhich is next to be consider\u2019d.\n\n\nII. 1. By some awful providence, or by his word applied with the\ndemonstration of his Spirit, God touches the heart of him that lay\nasleep in darkness and in the shadow of death. He is terribly shaken\nout of his sleep, and awakes into a consciousness of his danger.\nPerhaps in a moment, perhaps by degrees, the eyes of his understanding\nare opened, and now first (the veil being in part removed) discern the\nreal state he is in. Horrid light breaks in upon his soul; such light,\nas may be conceived to gleam from the bottomless pit, from the lowest\ndeep, from a lake of fire, burning with brimstone. He at last sees\nthe loving, the merciful God, is also _a consuming fire_; that he is a\njust God and a terrible, rendering to every man according to his works,\nentering into judgment with the ungodly for every idle word, yea, and\nfor the imaginations of the heart. He now clearly perceives, that the\ngreat and holy God is _of purer eyes than to behold iniquity_: that he\nis an avenger of every one who rebelleth against him, and repayeth the\nwicked to his face; and that _it is a fearful thing, to fall into the\nhands of the living God_.\n\n\u26663. The inward, spiritual meaning of the law of God now begins to glare\nupon him. He perceives the _commandment is exceeding broad_, and _there\nis nothing hid from the light thereof_. He is convinced, that every\npart of it relates not barely to outward sin or obedience, but to\nwhat passes in the secret recesses of the soul, which no eye but God\u2019s\ncan penetrate. If he now hears, _Thou shalt not kill_, God speaks in\nthunder, _He that hateth his brother is a murtherer_. He that saith\nunto his brother, _Thou fool, is obnoxious to hell-fire_. If the law\nsay, _Thou shalt not commit adultery_, the voice of the Lord sounds\nin his ears, _He that looketh on a woman, to lust after her, hath\ncommitted adultery with her already in his heart_. And thus in every\npoint, he feels the word of God _quick and powerful, sharper than a\ntwo-edged sword_. It pierces even _to the dividing asunder of_ his\n_soul and spirit_, his _joints and marrow_. And so much the more,\nbecause he is conscious to _himself_ of having neglected so great\nsalvation; of having _trodden under foot the Son of God_, who would\nhave saved him from his sins, and _counted the blood of the covenant\nan unholy_, a common, unsanctifying _thing_.\n\n4. And as he knows _all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of\nhim with whom we have to do_, so he sees himself, naked, stript of all\nthe fig-leaves which he had sewed together, of all his poor pretences\nto religion or virtue, and his wretched excuses for sinning against\nGod. He now sees himself, like the ancient sacrifices, \u03c4\u03b5\u03c4\u03c1\u03b1\u03c7\u03b7\u03bb\u03b9\u03c3\u03bc\u03ad\u03bd\u03bf\u03bd,\ncleft in sunder, as it were, from the neck downward, so that all within\nhim stands confest. His heart is bare, and he sees it is all sin,\n_deceitful above all things, desperately wicked_; that it is altogether\ncorrupt and abominable, more than it is possible for tongue to express:\nthat there dwelleth therein no good thing, but unrighteousness and\nungodliness only; every motion thereof, every temper and thought, being\nonly evil continually.\n\n5. And he not only sees, but feels in himself, by an emotion of soul\nwhich he cannot describe, that for the sins of his heart, were his life\nwithout blame, (which yet it is not, and cannot be: seeing _an evil\ntree cannot bring forth good fruit_) he deserves to be cast into _the\nfire that never shall be quenched_. He feels, that the _wages_, the\njust reward _of sin_, of his sin above all, _is death_; even the second\ndeath, the death which dieth not, the destruction of body and soul in\nhell.\n\n6. * Here ends his pleasing dream, his delusive rest, his false peace,\nhis vain security. His joy now vanishes as a cloud: pleasures, once\nloved delight no more. They pall upon the taste; he loaths the nauseous\nsweet; he is weary to bear them. The shadows of happiness flee away,\nand sink into oblivion. So that he is stript of all, and wanders to and\nfro, seeking rest, but finding none.\n\n7. The fumes of those opiates being now dispelled, he feels the\nanguish of a wounded spirit. He finds that sin let loose upon the\nsoul (whether it be pride, anger, or evil desire, whether self-will,\nmalice, envy, revenge, or any other) is perfect misery. He feels sorrow\nof heart for the blessings he has lost, and the curse which is come\nupon him; remorse for having thus destroyed himself, and despised his\nown mercies; fear, from a lively sense of the wrath of God, and of\nthe consequences of his wrath; of the punishment which he has justly\ndeserved, and which he sees hanging over his head; fear of death, as\nbeing to him the gate of hell, the entrance of death eternal; fear\nof the devil, the executioner of the wrath and righteous vengeance of\nGod; fear of men, who if they were able to kill his body, would thereby\nplunge both body and soul into hell; fear, sometimes arising to such\na height, that the poor, sinful, guilty soul, is terrified with every\nthing, with nothing, with shades, with a leaf shaken of the wind. Yea\nsometimes it may even border upon distraction, making a man _drunken,\ntho\u2019 not with wine_, suspending the exercise of the memory, of the\nunderstanding, of all the natural faculties. Sometimes it may approach\nto the very brink of despair: so that he who trembles at the name\nof death, may yet be ready to plunge into it every moment, to _chuse\nstrangling rather than life_. Well may such a man _roar_, like him of\nold, _for the very disquietness of_ his _heart_. Well may he cry out,\n_The spirit of a man may sustain his infirmities; but a wounded spirit\nwho can bear_?\n\n8. Now he truly desires to break loose from sin, and begins to struggle\nwith it. But tho\u2019 he strive with all his might, he cannot conquer; sin\nis mightier than he. He would fain escape; but he is so fast in prison,\nthat he cannot get forth. He resolves against sin, but yet sins on: he\nsees the snare, and abhors, and runs into it. So much does his boasted\nreason avail! Only to inhance his guilt, and increase his misery.\nSuch is the freedom of his will! Free only to evil; free to _drink in\niniquity like water_; to wander farther and farther from the living God,\nand do more _despight to the Spirit of grace_!\n\n9. The more he strives, wishes, labours to be free, the more does he\nfeel his chains, the grievous chains of sin, wherewith Satan binds and\n_leads him captive at his will_: his servant he is, tho\u2019 he repine ever\nso much; tho\u2019 he rebel, he cannot prevail. He is still in bondage and\nfear, by reason of sin: generally, of some outward sin to which he is\npeculiarly disposed, either by nature, custom or outward circumstances;\nbut always, of some inward sin, some evil temper or unholy affection.\nAnd the more he frets against it, the more it prevails; he may bite,\nbut cannot break his chain. Thus he toils without end, repenting and\nsinning, and repenting and sinning again, till at length the poor\nsinful, helpless wretch is even at his wit\u2019s end, and can barely groan,\n_O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this\ndeath_?\n\n10. * This whole struggle of one who is _under the law_, under\nthe _spirit of fear and bondage_, is beautifully described by the\napostle in the foregoing chapter, speaking in the person of an awaken\u2019d\nman. _I_ (saith he) _was alive without the law once_, ver. 9. I had\nmuch life, wisdom, strength and virtue; so I thought: _but when the\ncommandment came, sin revived, and I died_. When the commandment, in\nits spiritual meaning, came to my heart, with the power of God, my\ninbred sin was stirred up, fretted, inflamed, and all my virtue died\naway. _And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to\nbe unto death. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived\nme, and by it slew me_, ver. 10, 11. It came upon me unawares, slew\nall my hopes, and plainly shewed, in the midst of life I was in\ndeath. _Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just\nand good_, ver. 12. I no longer lay the blame on this, but on the\ncorruption of my own heart. I acknowledge that _the law is spiritual:\nbut I am carnal, sold under sin_, ver. 14. I now see both the spiritual\nnature of the law, and my own carnal, devilish heart; _sold under sin_,\ntotally inslaved: (like slaves bought with money, who were absolutely\nat their master\u2019s disposal.) _For that which I do, I allow not; for\nwhat I would, I do not; but what I hate, that I do_, ver. 15. Such is\nthe bondage under which I groan; such the tyranny of my hard master.\n_To will is present with me, but how to perform that which is good,\nI find not. For the good that I would, I do not: but the evil which\nI would not, that I do_, ver. 18, 19. _I find a law_, an inward\nconstraining power, _that when I would do good, evil is present with\nme. For I delight in_ (or consent to) _the law of God, after the inward\nman_: (ver. 21, 22.) In my mind: (so the apostle explains himself in\nthe words that immediately follow: and so \u1f41 \u1f14\u03c3\u03c9 \u1f04\u03bd\u03b8\u03c1\u03c9\u03c0\u03bf\u03c2, _the inward\nman_, is understood in all other Greek writers.) _But I see another law\nin my members_, another constraining power, _warring against the law of\nmy mind_, or inward man, _and bringing me into captivity to the law_,\nor power, _of sin_, ver. 23, dragging me as it were at my conqueror\u2019s\nchariot-wheels, into the very thing which my soul abhors. _O wretched\nman that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death!_\nver. 24. Who shall deliver me from this helpless, dying life: from this\nbondage of sin and misery! Till this is done, I _myself_ (or rather,\n_that I_, \u03b1\u1f50\u03c4\u1f78\u03c2 \u1f10\u03b3\u1f7c, _that man_ I am now personating) _with the mind_,\nor inward man, _serve the law of God_; my mind, my conscience is on\nGod\u2019s side: _but with the flesh_; with my body, _the law of sin_,\nver. 25, being hurried away by a force I cannot resist.\n\n11. How lively a portraiture is this of one _under the law_! One who\nfeels the burthen he cannot shake off; who pants after liberty, power\nand love, but is in fear and bondage still! Until the time that God\nanswers the wretched man, crying out, _Who shall deliver me_, from this\nbondage of sin, from this body of death? _The grace of God, through\nJesus Christ thy Lord._\n\n\nIII. 1. Then it is, that this miserable bondage ends, and he is no\nmore _under the law, but under grace_. This state we are, Thirdly,\nto consider, the state of one who has found _grace_ or favour, in the\nsight of God, even the Father, and who has the _grace_, or power of the\nHoly Ghost, reigning in his heart: who has received, in the language\nof the apostle, _the Spirit of adoption, whereby_ he now _cries, Abba,\nFather_!\n\n2. _He cried unto the Lord in his trouble, and_ God _delivers him\nout of his distress_. His eyes are opened in quite another manner than\nbefore, even to see a loving, gracious God. While he is calling, _I\nbeseech thee shew me thy glory_, he hears a voice in his inmost soul,\n_I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim\nthe name of the Lord: I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious,\nand I will shew mercy to whom I will shew mercy_. And it is not long\nbefore _the Lord descends in the cloud, and proclaims the name of\nthe Lord_. Then he sees, (but not with eyes of flesh and blood) _The\nLord, the Lord God: merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant\nin goodness and truth: keeping mercy for thousands, and forgiving\niniquities and transgression and sin_.\n\n3. Heavenly, healing light now breaks in upon his soul. He _looks on\nhim whom he had pierced_, and _God who out of darkness commanded light\nto shine, shineth in_ his _heart_. He _sees the light of the_ glorious\nlove _of God, in the face of Jesus Christ_. He hath a divine _evidence\nof things not seen_ by sense, even of _the deep things of God_; more\nparticularly of the love of God, of his pardoning love to him that\nbelieves in Jesus. Overpowered with the sight, his whole soul cries\nout, _My Lord, and my God_! For he sees all his iniquities laid on him,\nwho _bare them in his own body on the tree_; he beholds the Lamb of God\ntaking away his sins. How clearly now does he discern, that _God was\nin Christ, reconciling the world unto himself! Making him sin for us\nwho knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God through\nhim!_ And that he himself is reconciled to God, by that blood of the\ncovenant!\n\n4. Here end both the guilt and power of sin. He can now say, _I am\ncrucified with Christ. Nevertheless I live: yet not I, but Christ\nliveth in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh_, even in this\nmortal body, _I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave\nhimself for me_. Here end remorse and sorrow of heart, and the anguish\nof a wounded spirit. _God turneth his heaviness into joy_. He _made\nsore_, and now _his hands bind up_. Here ends also that bondage unto\nfear; for _his heart standeth fast, believing in the Lord_. He cannot\nfear any longer the wrath of God; for he knows it is now turned away\nfrom him, and looks upon him no more as an angry judge, but as a loving\nfather. He cannot fear the devil, knowing he has _no power, except\nit be given him from above_. He fears not hell, being an heir of the\nkingdom of heaven; consequently, he has no fear of death; by reason\nwhereof he was in time past, for so many years _subject to bondage_.\nRather, knowing that _if the earthly house of this tabernacle be\ndissolved_, he _hath a building of God, a house not made with hands,\neternal in the heavens: He groaneth earnestly, desiring to be cloathed\nupon with that house which is from heaven_. He groans to shake off this\nhouse of earth, that _mortality_ may be _swallowed up of life_: knowing\nthat _God hath wrought him for the self same thing; who hath also given\nhim the earnest of his Spirit_.\n\n5. And _where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty_; liberty\nnot only from guilt and fear, but from sin, from that heaviest of all\nyokes, that basest of all bondage. His labour is not now in vain. The\nsnare is broken and he is delivered. He not only strives, but likewise\nprevails; he not only fights, but conquers also. _Henceforth he doth\nnot serve sin_ (chap. vi. ver. 6, _&c._) _He is dead unto sin and\nalive unto God. Sin doth not_ now _reign_, even _in his mortal body_,\nnor doth he _obey it in the desires thereof_. He does not _yield his\nmembers as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, but as instruments\nof righteousness unto God_. For _being now made free from sin, he is\nbecome the servant of righteousness_.\n\n6. Thus _having peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ,\nrejoicing in hope of the glory of God_, and having power over all sin,\nover every evil desire, and temper, and word, and work, he is a living\nwitness of the _glorious liberty of the sons of God_: all of whom,\nbeing partakers of _like precious faith_, bear record with one voice,\n_We have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father_!\n\n7. It is this spirit which continually _worketh in them, both to will\nand to do of his good pleasure_. It is he that sheds the love of God\nabroad in their hearts, and the love of all mankind; thereby purifying\ntheir hearts from the love of the world, from the lust of the flesh,\nthe lust of the eye, and the pride of life. It is by him they are\ndelivered from anger and pride, from all vile and inordinate affections.\nIn consequence, they are delivered from evil words and works, from\nall unholiness of conversation: doing no evil to any child of man, and\nbeing zealous of all good works.\n\n8. * To sum up all. The _natural_ man neither fears nor loves God; one\n_under the law_, fears; one _under grace_, loves him. The first, has\nno light in the things of God, but walks in utter darkness; the second\nsees the painful light of hell; the third, the joyous light of heaven.\nHe that sleeps in death, has a false peace. He that is awakened has\nno peace at all. He that believes has true peace, the peace of God\nfilling and ruling his heart. The heathen, baptized or unbaptized,\nhath a fancied liberty, which is indeed licentiousness: the _Jew_ (or\none under the _Jewish_ dispensation) is in heavy, grievous bondage:\nthe Christian enjoys the true glorious liberty of the sons of God. An\nunawakened child of the devil, sins willingly: One that is awakened\nsins unwillingly: a child of God _sinneth not_, but _keepeth himself,\nand the wicked one toucheth him not_. To conclude; the natural man\nneither conquers nor fights; the man under the law fights with sin, but\ncannot conquer: the man under grace fights and conquers, yea is _more\nthan \u2666conqueror, through him that loveth him_.\n\n\nIV. 1. From this plain account of the three-fold state of man, the\n_natural_, the _legal_, and the _evangelical_, it appears, that it is\nnot sufficient, to divide mankind, into sincere, and insincere. A man\nmay be sincere in any of these states; not only when he has the _Spirit\nof adoption_, but while he has the _spirit of bondage unto fear_. Yea,\nwhile he has neither this fear, nor love. For undoubtedly there may\nbe sincere Heathens, as well as sincere _Jews_ or Christians. This\ncircumstance then, does by no means prove, that a man is in a state\nof acceptance with God.\n\n_Examine yourselves_ therefore, not only whether ye are sincere,\n_but whether ye be in the faith_. Examine narrowly; for it imports you\nmuch. What is the ruling principle in your soul? Is it the love of God?\nIs it the fear of God? Or is it neither one nor the other? Is it not\nrather the love of the world? The love of pleasure? or gain, of ease,\nor reputation? If so, you are not come so far as a _Jew_. You are but a\n_Heathen_ still. Have you heaven in your heart? Have you the Spirit of\nadoption, ever crying, _Abba, Father_? Or do you cry unto God, as _out\nof the belly of hell_, overwhelmed with sorrow and fear? Or are you a\nstranger to this whole affair, and cannot imagine what I mean? Heathen,\npull off the mask. Thou hast never put on Christ. Stand barefaced. Look\nup to heaven. And own before him that liveth for ever and ever, thou\nhast no part either among the sons or servants of God.\n\nWhosoever thou art, dost thou commit sin, or dost thou not? If thou\ndost, is it willingly or unwillingly? In either case God hath told\nthee whose thou art, _He that committeth sin is of the devil_. If thou\ncommittest it willingly, thou art his faithful servant. He will not\nfail to reward thy labour. If unwillingly, still thou art his servant.\nGod deliver thee out of his hands!\n\nArt thou daily fighting against all sin? And daily more than\nconqueror? I acknowledge thee for a child of God. O stand fast in thy\nglorious liberty. Art thou fighting, but not conquering; striving for\nthe mastery, but not able to attain? Then thou art not yet a believer\nin Christ; but follow on, and thou shalt know the Lord. Art thou not\nfighting at all, but leading an easy, indolent fashionable life? O how\nhast thou dared to name the name of Christ? Only to make it a reproach\namong the Heathen? Awake thou sleeper! Call upon thy God: before the\ndeep swallow thee up.\n\n2. Perhaps one reason why so many think of themselves more highly than\nthey ought to think, why they do not discern what state they are in, is,\nbecause these several states of soul, are often mingled together, and\nin some measure meet, in one and the same person. Thus experience shews,\nthat the legal state, or state of fear, is frequently mixt with the\nnatural. For few men are so fast asleep in sin, but they are sometimes,\nmore or less awakened. As the Spirit of God does not _wait for the call\nof man_, so at some times he _will_ be heard. He puts them in fear,\nso that for a season, at least, the Heathen _know themselves to be\nbut men_. They feel the burthen of sin, and earnestly desire to flee\nfrom the wrath to come. But not long. They seldom suffer the arrows of\nconviction to go deep into their souls; but quickly stifle the grace of\nGod, and return to their wallowing in the mire.\n\nIn like manner, the evangelical state, or state of love, is frequently\nmixt with the legal. For few of those who have the spirit of bondage\nand fear, remain always without hope. The wise and gracious God rarely\nsuffers this; for he remembreth that we are but dust. And he willeth\nnot that _the flesh should fail before him, or the spirit which he hath\nmade_. Therefore, at such times as he seeth good, he gives a dawning of\nlight unto them that sit in darkness. He causes a part of his goodness\nto pass before them, and shews he is a _God that heareth the prayer_.\nThey see the promise which is by faith in Christ Jesus, tho\u2019 it be yet\nafar off: and hereby they are encouraged to _run with patience the race\nwhich is set before them_.\n\n3. Another reason why many deceive themselves, is because they do\nnot consider, how far a man may go, and yet be in a natural, or at\nbest a legal state. A man may be of a compassionate and a benovelent\ntemper, he may be affable, courteous, generous, friendly; he may\nhave some degree of meekness, patience, temperance, and of many other\nmoral virtues. He may feel many desires of shaking off all vice, and\nattaining higher degrees of virtue. He may abstain from much evil;\nperhaps from all that is grosly contrary to justice, mercy or truth.\nHe may do much good, may feed the hungry, cloath the naked, relieve\nthe widow and fatherless. He may attend publick worship, use prayer in\nprivate, read many books of devotion; and yet for all this, he may be\na mere natural man, knowing neither himself nor God; equally a stranger\nto the Spirit of fear and to that of love; having neither repented nor\nbelieved the gospel.\n\nBut suppose there were added to all this, a deep conviction of sin,\nwith much fear of the wrath of God; vehement desires to cast off every\nsin, and to fulfil all righteousness; frequent rejoicing in hope, and\ntouches of love often glancing upon the soul; yet neither do these\nprove a man to be _under grace_, to have true, living, Christian\nfaith, unless the Spirit of adoption abide in his heart, unless he can\ncontinually cry, Abba, Father!\n\n4. Beware then, thou who art called by the name of Christ, that\nthou come not short of the mark of thy high calling. Beware thou\nrest not, either in a natural state, with too many that are accounted\n_good Christians_: or in a legal state, wherein those who are _highly\nesteemed of men_, are generally content to live and die. Nay, but\nGod hath prepared better things for thee, if thou follow on till thou\nattain. Thou art not called to fear and tremble, like devils, but to\nrejoice and love, like the angels of God. _Thou shalt love the Lord\nthy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy\nmind, and with all thy strength._ Thou shalt _rejoice evermore_. Thou\nshalt _pray without ceasing_. Thou shalt _in every thing give thanks_.\nThou shalt do the will of God _on earth, as it is done in heaven_.\nO _prove_ thou _what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of\nGod_. Now _present_ thyself _a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to\nGod. Whereunto thou hast already attained, hold fast_, by _reaching\nforth unto those things which are before_; until _the God of peace\nmake thee perfect in every good work, working in thee that which is\nwell-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for\never and ever! Amen._\n\n\n\n\n SERMON X.\n\n THE WITNESS OF THE SPIRIT.\n\n DISCOURSE I.\n\n ROM. viii. 16.\n\n _The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are\n the children of God._\n\n\n1. HOW many vain men, not understanding what they spake, neither\nwhereof they affirmed, have wrested this scripture, to the great loss,\nif not the destruction, of their souls? How many have mistaken the\nvoice of their own imagination, for this _witness of the Spirit_ of\nGod? And thence idly presumed, they were the children of God, while\nthey were doing the works of the devil? These are truly and properly\n_Enthusiasts_; and indeed in the worst sense of the word. But with\nwhat difficulty are they convinced thereof? Especially, if they have\ndrank deep into that spirit of error. All endeavours to bring them to\nthe knowledge of themselves, they will then account _fighting against\nGod_. And that vehemence and impetuosity of spirit, which they call\n_contending earnestly for the faith_, sets them so far above all the\nusual methods of conviction, that we may well say, _With men it is\nimpossible_.\n\n2. Who can then be surprized, if many reasonable men, seeing the\ndreadful effects of this delusion, and labouring to keep at the utmost\ndistance from it, should sometimes lean toward another extreme? If\nthey are not forward to believe any who speak of having this witness,\nconcerning which others have so grievously erred? If they are almost\nready, to set all down for _Enthusiasts_, who use the expressions which\nhave been so terribly abused. Yea, if they should question, whether\nthe witness or testimony here spoken of, be the privilege of _ordinary_\nChristians, and not rather, one of those _extraordinary_ gifts, which\nthey suppose belonged only to the apostolic age.\n\n3. But is there any necessity laid upon us, of running either into\none extreme or the other? May we not steer a middle course? Keep a\nsufficient distance from that spirit of error and enthusiasm, without\ndenying the gift of God, and giving up the great privilege of his\nchildren? Surely we may. In order thereto, let us consider, in the\npresence and fear of God,\n\n\nFirst, What is this _witness_ or _testimony of our spirit_? What is\nthe _testimony of God\u2019s Spirit_? And how does he _bear witness with our\nSpirit, that we are the children of God_?\n\nSecondly, How is this joint testimony of God\u2019s Spirit and our own,\nclearly and solidly distinguished, from the presumption of a natural\nmind; and from the delusion of the devil?\n\n\nI. 1. Let us first consider, what is the _witness_ or _testimony of our\nspirit_. But here I cannot but desire all those who are for swallowing\nup the _testimony of the Spirit of God_, in the _rational testimony_\nof our own spirit, to observe, that in this text the apostle is so far\nfrom speaking of the testimony of our own spirit _only_, that it may\nbe questioned, whether he speaks of it _at all_? Whether he does not\nspeak, _only_ of the testimony of God\u2019s Spirit? It does not appear,\nbut the original text may be fairly understood thus. The apostle had\njust said, in the preceding verse, _Ye have received the Spirit of\nadoption, whereby we cry Abba, Father_, and immediately subjoins \u0391\u1f50\u03c4\u1f78\n\u03c4\u1f78 \u03c0\u03bd\u03b5\u1fe6\u03bc\u03b1\u00b7 (some copies read \u03c4\u1f78 \u03b1\u1f50\u03c4\u1f78 \u03c0\u03bd\u03b5\u1fe6\u03bc\u03b1) \u03c3\u03c5\u03bc\u03bc\u03b1\u03c1\u03c4\u03c5\u03c1\u03b5\u1fd6 \u03c4\u1ff7 \u03c0\u03bd\u03b5\u03cd\u03bc\u03b1\u03c4\u03b9\n\u1f21\u03bc\u1ff6\u03bd, \u1f45\u03c4\u03b9 \u1f10\u03c3\u03bc\u03b5\u03bd \u03c4\u03ad\u03ba\u03b5\u03bd \u0398\u03b5\u03bf\u1fe6. Which may be translated, _The same Spirit\nbeareth witness_ to _our spirit, that we are the children of God_\n(the preposition \u03c3\u1f7a\u03bd only denoting, that he witnesses this _at the\nsame time_ that he enables us to cry Abba, Father!) But I contend not;\nseeing so many other texts, with the experience of all real Christians,\nsufficiently evince, that there is, in every believer, both the\ntestimony of God\u2019s Spirit, and the testimony of his own, that he is\na child of God.\n\n2. With regard to the latter, the foundation thereof is laid in those\nnumerous texts of scripture, which describe the marks of the children\nof God, and that so plain, that he which runneth may read them. These\nare also collected together, and placed in the strongest light, by\nmany both antient and modern writers. If any need farther light, he may\nreceive it by attending on the ministry of God\u2019s word; by meditating\nthereon before God in secret, and by conversing with those who have\nthe knowledge of his ways. And by the reason or understanding that God\nhas given him (which religion was designed not to extinguish, but to\nperfect: according to that of the apostle, _brethren, be not children\nin understanding; in malice_ (or wickedness) _be ye children; but in\nunderstanding be ye men_, 1 Cor. xiv. 20.) Every man applying those\nscriptural marks to himself, may know, whether he is a child of God.\nThus if he know, first, _as many as are led by the Spirit of God_, into\nall holy tempers and actions, _they are the sons of God_, (for which he\nhas the infallible assurance of holy writ;) secondly, I am thus _led by\nthe Spirit of God_: he will easily conclude, therefore I am a _son of\nGod_.\n\n3. Agreeable to this are all those plain declarations of St. _John_\nin his first epistle, _Hereby we know, that we do know him, if we keep\nhis commandments_, chap. ii. ver. 3. _Whoso keepeth his word, in him\nverily is the love of God perfected; hereby know we, that we are in\nhim_, that we are indeed the children of God, ver. 5. _If ye know that\nhe is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is\nborn of him_, ver. 29. _We know, that we have passed from death unto\nlife, because we love the brethren_, chap. iii. ver. 4. _Hereby we know\nthat we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him_,\nver. 18. Namely because we _love_ one another, _not in word, neither in\ntongue; but in deed and in truth. Hereby know we, that we dwell in him,\nbecause he hath given us of his_ (loving) _Spirit_, chap. iv. 13. And,\n_Hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the_ (obedient) _Spirit which\nhe hath given us_, chap. iii. 24.\n\n4. It is highly probable, there never were any children of God, from\nthe beginning of the world unto this day, who were farther advanced in\nthe grace of God, and the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, than the\napostle _John_ at the time when he wrote these words, and the _Fathers\nin Christ_ to whom he wrote. Notwithstanding which, it is evident, both\nthe apostle himself, and all those pillars in God\u2019s temple, were very\nfar from despising these marks, of their being the children of God;\nand that they applied them to their own souls, for the confirmation\nof their faith. Yet all this is no other than rational evidence; _the\nwitness of our spirit_, our reason or understanding. It all resolves\ninto this: those who have these marks, are children of God. But we have\nthese marks: therefore we are children of God.\n\n5. But how does it appear, that we have these marks? This is a\nquestion which still remains. How does it appear, that we do love God\nand our neighbour? And that we keep his commandments? Observe, that\nthe meaning of the question is, How does it appear to _ourselves_? (not\nto _others_.) I would ask him then that proposes this question, how\ndoes it appear to you, that you are alive? And that you are now in ease\nand not in pain? Are you not immediately conscious of it? By the same\nimmediate consciousness you will know, if your soul is alive to God: if\nyou are saved from the pain of proud wrath, and have the ease of a meek\nand quiet spirit. By the same means you cannot but perceive, if you\nlove, rejoice, and delight in God. By the same, you must be directly\nassured, if you love your neighbour as yourself; if you are kindly\naffectioned to all mankind, and full of gentleness and long-suffering.\nAnd with regard to the outward mark of the children of God, which is\n(according to St. _John_) the keeping his commandments, you undoubtedly\nknow in your own breast, if, by the grace of God, it belongs to you.\nYour conscience informs you from day to day, if you do not take the\nname of God within your lips, unless with seriousness and devotion,\nwith reverence and godly fear: if you remember the sabbath-day to\nkeep it holy: if you honour your father and mother; if you do to all\nas you would they should do unto you: if you possess your body in\nsanctification and honour; and if whether you eat or drink, you are\ntemperate therein, and do all to the glory of God.\n\n6. Now this is properly the _testimony of our own spirit_; even the\ntestimony of our own conscience, that God hath given us to be holy\nof heart, and holy in outward conversation. It is a consciousness of\nour having received, in and by the Spirit of adoption, the tempers\nmentioned in the word of God, as belonging to his adopted children;\neven, a loving heart toward God and toward all mankind, hanging with\nchild-like confidence on God our father, desiring nothing but him,\ncasting all our care upon him, and embracing every child of man,\nwith earnest, tender affection: a consciousness, that we are inwardly\nconformed, by the Spirit of God to the image of his Son, and that we\nwalk before him in justice, mercy and truth, doing the things which are\npleasing in his sight.\n\n7. But what is that testimony of God\u2019s Spirit, which is super-added\nto and conjoined with this? How does he _bear witness with our spirit,\nthat we are the children of God_? It is hard to find words in the\nlanguage of men, to explain _the deep things of God_. Indeed there are\nnone that will adequately express, what the children of God experience.\nBut perhaps one might say (desiring any who are taught of God, to\ncorrect, to soften, or strengthen the expression) the testimony of the\nSpirit, is an inward impression on the soul, whereby the Spirit of God\ndirectly _witnesses to my spirit, that I am a child of God_; that Jesus\nChrist hath loved _me_, and given himself for _me_: that all my sins\nare blotted out, and I, even I, am reconciled to God.\n\n8. That this _testimony of the Spirit of God_ must needs, in the very\nnature of things, be antecedent to the _testimony of our own spirit_,\nmay appear from this single consideration. We must be holy of heart and\nholy in life, before we can be conscious that we are so; before we can\nhave _the testimony of our spirit_, that we are inwardly and outwardly\nholy. But we must love God, before we can be holy at all; this being\nthe root of all holiness. Now we cannot love God, till we know he\nloves us. _We love him, because he first loved us._ And we cannot know\nhis pardoning love to us, till his Spirit witnesses it to our spirit.\nSince therefore this _testimony of his Spirit_ must precede the love\nof God and all holiness, of consequence it must precede our inward\nconsciousness thereof, or, the _testimony of our spirit_ concerning\nthem.\n\n9. Then, and not till then, when the Spirit of God beareth that\nwitness to our spirit, \u201cGod hath loved thee, and given his own Son to\nbe the propitiation for thy sins; the Son of God hath loved thee, and\nhath washed thee from thy sins in his blood:\u201d _We love God, because he\nfirst loved us_, and for his sake we _love our brother also_. And of\nthis we cannot but be conscious to ourselves: we _know the things that\nare freely given to us of God_. We know that we love God and keep his\ncommandments. And _hereby also we know that we are of God_. This is\nthat testimony of our own spirit; which, so long as we continue to love\nGod and keep his commandments, continues joined with the testimony of\nGod\u2019s Spirit, _that we are the children of God_.\n\n10. Not that I would, by any means, be understood, by any thing which\nhas been spoken concerning it, to exclude the operation of the Spirit\nof God, even from the _testimony of our own spirit_. In no wise. It is\nhe that not only worketh in us every manner of thing that is good, but\nalso shines upon his own work, and clearly shews what he has wrought.\nAccordingly this is spoken of by St. _Paul_, as one great end of our\nreceiving the Spirit, _that we may know the things which are freely\ngiven to us of God_: that he may strengthen the testimony of our\nconscience, touching our _simplicity and godly sincerity_, and give us\nto discern in a fuller and stronger light, that we now do the things\nwhich please him.\n\n11. Should it still be enquired, How does the Spirit of God, _bear\nwitness with our spirit, that we are the children of God_, so as to\nexclude all doubt, and evince the reality of our sonship? The answer\nis clear, from what has been observed above. And first, as to the\nwitness of our spirit. The soul as intimately and evidently perceives,\nwhen it loves, delights, and rejoices in God, as when it loves and\ndelights in any thing on earth. And it can no more doubt, whether it\nloves, delights and rejoices, or no, than whether it exists, or no. If\ntherefore this be just reasoning,\n\nHe that now loves God, that delights and rejoices in him, with an\nhumble joy, and holy delight, and an obedient love, is a child of God:\n\nBut I thus love, delight, and rejoice in God;\n\nTherefore I am a child of God:\n\nThen a Christian can in no wise doubt, of his being a child of God.\nOf the former proposition, he has as full an assurance, as he has that\nthe scriptures are of God. And of his thus loving God, he has an inward\nproof, which is nothing short of self-evidence. Thus the _testimony of\nour own spirit_ is with the most intimate conviction manifested to our\nhearts; in such a manner, as beyond all reasonable doubt, to evince the\nreality of our sonship.\n\n12. The _manner_ how the divine testimony is manifested to the heart,\nI do not take upon me to explain. _Such knowledge is too wonderful and\nexcellent for me; I cannot attain unto it. The wind bloweth_: and _I\nhear the sound thereof_. But I cannot _tell how it cometh, or whither\nit goeth_. As no one knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of a\nman that is in him; so the _manner_ of the things of God knoweth no one,\nsave the Spirit of God. But the fact we know: namely, that the Spirit\nof God does give a believer such a testimony of his adoption, that\nwhile it is present to the soul, he can no more doubt the reality of\nhis sonship, than he can doubt of the shining of the sun, while he\nstands in the full blaze of his beams.\n\n\nII. 1. How this joint testimony of God\u2019s Spirit and our spirit, may be\nclearly and solidly distinguished, from the presumption of a natural\nmind, and from the delusion of the devil, is the next thing to be\nconsidered. And it highly imports all who desire the salvation of God,\nto consider it with the deepest attention, as they would not deceive\ntheir own souls. An error in this is generally observed to have the\nmost fatal consequences: the rather, because he that errs seldom\ndiscovers his mistake, till it is too late to remedy it.\n\n2. And first, how is this testimony to be distinguished from the\npresumption of a natural mind? It is certain, one who was never\nconvinced of sin, is always ready to flatter himself and to think of\nhimself, especially in spiritual things, more highly than he ought\nto think. And hence, it is in no wise strange if one who is vainly\npuffed up by his fleshly mind, when he hears of this privilege of\ntrue Christians, among whom he undoubtedly ranks himself, should soon\nwork himself up into a persuasion, that he is already possest thereof.\nSuch instances now abound in the world, and have abounded in all ages.\nHow then may the real testimony of the Spirit with our spirit, be\ndistinguished from this damning presumption?\n\n3. I answer, the holy scriptures abound with marks, whereby the one may\nbe distinguished from the other. They describe in the plainest manner\nthe circumstances which go before, which accompany, and which follow,\nthe true, genuine testimony of the Spirit of God with the spirit of a\nbeliever. Whoever carefully weighs and attends to these, will not need\nto put darkness for light. He will perceive so wide a difference with\nrespect to all these, between the real and the pretended witness of the\nSpirit, that there will be no danger, I might say, no possibility, of\nconfounding the one with the other.\n\n4. By these, one who vainly presumes on the gift of God, might surely\nknow, if he really desired it, that he hath been hitherto _given up to\na strong delusion_, and suffered to _believe a lie_. For the scriptures\nlay down those clear, obvious marks as preceding, accompanying and\nfollowing that gift, which a little reflection would convince him,\nbeyond all doubt, were never found in his soul. For instance, the\nscripture describes repentance, or conviction of sin, as constantly\ngoing before this witness of pardon. So, _Repent; for the kingdom\nof heaven, is at hand_, Matt. iii. 2. _Repent ye, and believe the\ngospel_, Mark i. 15. _Repent, and be baptized every one of you, for the\nremission of sins_, Acts ii. 38. _Repent ye therefore and be converted,\nthat your sins may be blotted out_, chap. iii. 19. In conformity\nwhereto our church also continually places repentance, before pardon\nor the witness of it. \u201cHe pardoneth and absolveth all them that truly\nrepent and unfeignedly believe his holy gospel.\u201d \u201cAlmighty God\u2015\u2015hath\npromised forgiveness of sins to all them, who with hearty repentance\nand true faith turn unto him.\u201d But he is a stranger even to this\nrepentance. He hath never known _a broken and a contrite heart. The\nremembrance of_ his _sins_ was never _grievous unto_ him, nor _the\nburthen of them intolerable_. In repeating those words, he never meant\nwhat he said; he merely paid a compliment to God. And were it only\nfrom the want of this previous work of God, he hath too great reason\nto believe, that he hath grasped a mere shadow, and never yet known the\nreal privilege of the sons of God.\n\n5. Again, the scriptures describe the being born of God, which must\nprecede the witness that we are his children, as a vast and mighty\nchange, a change _from darkness to light_, as well as _from the power\nof Satan unto God_: as a _passing from death unto life_, a resurrection\nfrom the dead. Thus the apostle to the _Ephesians_; _you hath he\nquickened who were dead in trespasses and sins_, chap. ii. ver. 1.\nAnd again, _When we were dead in sins, he hath quickened us together\nwith Christ; and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together,\nin heavenly places, in Christ Jesus_, ver. 5, 6. But what knoweth\nhe concerning whom we now speak, of any such change as this? He is\naltogether unacquainted with this whole matter. This is a language\nwhich he does not understand. He tells you, \u201cHe always was a Christian.\nHe knows no time when he had need of such a change.\u201d By this also, if\nhe give himself leave to think, may he know, that he is not born of the\nSpirit: that he has never yet known God; but has mistaken the voice of\nnature for the voice of God.\n\n6. But waving the consideration of whatever he has or has not\nexperienced in time past; by the present marks may we easily\ndistinguish a child of God, from a presumptuous self-deceiver. The\nscriptures describe that joy in the Lord which accompanies the witness\nof his Spirit, as an humble joy, a joy that abases to the dust; that\nmakes a pardoned sinner cry out, \u201cI am vile! What am I or my father\u2019s\nhouse?\u2015\u2015Now mine eye seeth thee, I abhor myself in dust and ashes?\u201d\nAnd wherever lowliness is, there is meekness, patience, gentleness,\nlong-suffering. There is a soft yielding spirit; a mildness and\nsweetness; a tenderness of soul which words cannot express. But do\nthese fruits attend that _supposed_ testimony of the Spirit, in a\npresumptuous man? Just the reverse. The more confident he is of the\nfavour of God, the more is he lifted up. The more does he exalt himself;\nthe more haughty and assuming is his whole behaviour. The stronger\nwitness he imagines himself to have, the more overbearing is he to\nall around him; the more incapable of receiving any reproof, the more\nimpatient of contradiction. Instead of being more meek, and gentle,\nand teachable, more _swift to hear, and slow to speak_, he is more\nslow to hear and swift to speak, more unready to learn of any one; more\nfiery and vehement in his temper, and eager in his conversation. Yea,\nperhaps, there will sometimes appear a kind of fierceness, in his air,\nhis manner of speaking, his whole deportment, as if he were just going\nto take the matter out of God\u2019s hands, and himself to _devour the\nadversaries_.\n\n7. * Once more. The scriptures teach, _this is the love of God_ (the\nsure mark thereof) _that we keep his commandments_, _1 John_ v. 3. And\nour Lord himself saith, _he that keepeth my commandments, he it is that\nloveth me_, _John_ xiv. 21. Love rejoices to obey; to do in every point,\nwhatever is acceptable to the Beloved. A true lover of God hastens to\ndo his will on earth as it is done in heaven. But is this the character\nof the presumptuous pretender to the love of God? Nay, but his love\ngives him a liberty to disobey, to break, not to keep, the commandments\nof God. Perhaps when he was in fear of the wrath of God, he did labour\nto do his will. But now looking on himself as _not under the law_,\nhe thinks he is no longer obliged to observe it. He is therefore less\nzealous of good works, less careful to abstain from evil; less watchful\nover his own heart, less jealous over his tongue. He is less earnest to\ndeny himself, and to take up his cross daily. In a word, the whole form\nof his life is changed, since he has fancied himself to be at _liberty_.\nHe is no longer _exercising himself unto godliness; wrestling not_ only\n_with flesh and blood, but with principalities and powers, enduring\nhardships, agonizing to enter in at the strait gate_. No; he has found\nan easier way to heaven; a broad, smooth, flowry path; in which he can\nsay to his soul, \u201cSoul, take thy ease, eat, drink, and be merry.\u201d It\nfollows with undeniable evidence, that he has not the true testimony\nof his own spirit. He cannot be conscious of having those marks which\nhe hath not; that lowliness, meekness, and obedience. Nor yet can the\nSpirit of the God of truth bear witness to a lie; or testify that he is\na child of God, when he is manifestly a child of the devil.\n\n8. Discover thyself, thou poor self-deceiver! Thou who art confident of\nbeing a child of God, thou who sayest, \u201cI have the witness in myself,\u201d\nand therefore defiest all thy enemies. Thou art weighed in the balance\nand found wanting; even in the balance of the sanctuary. The word of\nthe Lord hath tried thy soul, and proved thee to be reprobate silver.\nThou art not lowly of heart. Therefore thou hast not received the\nSpirit of Jesus unto this day. Thou art not gentle and meek; therefore\nthy joy is nothing worth: it is not joy in the Lord. Thou dost not\nkeep his commandments; therefore thou lovest him not, neither art\nthou partaker of the Holy Ghost. It is consequently, as certain and as\nevident, as the oracles of God can make it, his Spirit doth not bear\nwitness with thy Spirit, that thou art a child of God. O cry unto him\nthat the scales may fall off thine eyes, that thou mayst know thyself\nas thou art known; that thou mayst receive the sentence of death in\nthyself, till thou hear the voice that raises the dead, saying, \u201cBe of\ngood cheer: thy sins are forgiven; thy faith hath made thee whole.\u201d\n\n9. \u201cBut how may one who has the real witness in himself distinguish\nit from presumption?\u201d How, I pray, do you distinguish day from night?\nHow do you distinguish light from darkness? Or the light of a star,\nor glimmering taper, from the light of the noon-day sun? Is there not\nan inherent, obvious, essential difference between the one and the\nother? And do you not immediately and directly perceive that difference,\nprovided your senses are rightly disposed? In like manner, there is an\ninherent, essential difference between spiritual light and spiritual\ndarkness: and between the light wherewith the Sun of righteousness\nshines upon our heart, and that glimmering light, which arises only\nfrom _sparks of_ our _own kindling_. And this difference also is\nimmediately and directly perceived, if our spiritual senses are rightly\ndisposed.\n\n10. * To require a more minute and philosophical account of the\n_manner_ whereby we distinguish these, and of the _criteria_, or\nintrinsick marks, whereby we know the voice of God, is to make a\ndemand which can never be answered; no, not by one who has the deepest\nknowledge of God. Suppose, when _Paul_ answered before _Agrippa_, the\nwise _Roman_ had said, \u201cThou talkest of hearing the voice of the Son\nof God. How dost thou know, it was his voice? By what _criteria_, what\nintrinsick marks, dost thou know the voice of God? Explain to me, the\n_manner_ of distinguishing this, from a human or angelic voice.\u201d Can\nyou believe, the apostle himself would have once attempted to answer\nso idle a demand? And yet doubtless the moment he heard that voice, he\nknew it was the voice of God. But _how_ he knew this, who is able to\nexplain? Perhaps neither man nor angel.\n\n11. * To come yet closer. Suppose God were now to speak to any soul,\n\u201cThy sins are forgiven thee.\u201d He must be willing, that soul should know\nhis voice; otherwise he would speak in vain. And he is able to effect\nthis; for whenever he wills, to do is present with him. And he does\neffect it. That soul is absolutely assured, \u201cThis voice is the voice of\nGod.\u201d But yet he who hath that witness in himself, cannot explain it to\none who hath not. Nor indeed is it to be expected that he should. Were\nthere any natural medium to prove, or natural method to explain the\nthings of God, to unexperienced men; then the natural man might discern\nand know the things of the Spirit of God. But this is utterly contrary\nto the assertion of the apostle, that _he cannot know them; because\nthey are spiritually discerned_; even by spiritual senses, which the\nnatural man hath not.\n\n12. \u201cBut how shall I know, that my spiritual senses are rightly\ndisposed?\u201d This also is a question of vast importance. For if a man\nmistake in this, he may run on in endless error and delusion. \u201cAnd how\nam I assured, that this is not my case; and that I do not mistake the\nvoice of the Spirit?\u201d Even by the _testimony of your own Spirit_; by\n_the answer of a good conscience toward God_. By the fruits which he\nhath wrought in your spirit you shall know the _testimony of the Spirit\nof God_. Hereby you shall know, that you are in no delusion, that you\nhave not deceived your own soul. The immediate fruits of the Spirit,\nruling in the heart, are _love_, _joy_, _peace_; _bowels of mercies_,\n_humbleness of mind_, _meekness_, _gentleness_, _long-suffering_. And\nthe outward fruits are, the doing good to all men; the doing no evil to\nany; and the walking in the light; a zealous, uniform obedience to all\nthe commandments of God.\n\n13. By the same fruits shall you distinguish this voice of God, from\nany delusion of the devil. That proud spirit cannot humble thee before\nGod. He neither can nor would soften thy heart, and melt it first into\nearnest mourning after God, and then into filial love. It is not the\nadversary of God and man, that enables thee to love thy neighbour; or\nto put on meekness, gentleness, patience, temperance, and the whole\narmour of God. He is not divided against himself, or a destroyer of sin,\nhis own work. No; it is none but the Son of God who cometh _to destroy\nthe works of the devil_. As surely therefore as holiness is of God,\nand as sin is the work of the devil, so surely the witness thou hast\nin thyself is not of Satan, but of God.\n\n14. Well then mayst thou say, _Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable\ngift_! Thanks be unto God, who giveth me to _know in whom I have\nbelieved_: who _hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into my heart,\ncrying, Abba, Father_, and even now _bearing witness with my Spirit,\nthat I am a child of God_! And see, that not only thy lips, but thy\nlife shew forth his praise. He hath marked thee for his own; _glorify\nhim_ then _in thy body and thy Spirit which are_ his. Beloved, if thou\n_hast this hope in_ thyself, _purify_ thyself _as he is pure_. While\nthou beholdest _what manner of love the Father hath given_ thee, that\nthou shouldst _be called a child of God: cleanse_ thyself _from all\nfilthiness of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God_:\nand let all thy thoughts, words, and works be a spiritual sacrifice,\nholy, acceptable to God through Christ Jesus!\n\n\n\n\n SERMON XI.\n\n THE WITNESS OF THE SPIRIT.\n\n DISCOURSE II.\n\n ROM. viii. 16.\n\n _The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are\n the children of God._\n\n\nI. 1. NONE who believes the scriptures to be the word of God, can doubt\nthe _importance_ of such a truth as this: a truth revealed therein, not\nonce only, not obscurely, not incidentally; but frequently, and that in\nexpress terms; but solemnly and of set purpose, as denoting one of the\npeculiar privileges of the children of God.\n\n2. And it is the more necessary to explain and defend this truth,\nbecause there is a danger on the right hand and on the left. If we\ndeny it, there is a danger lest our religion degenerate into mere\nformality: lest _having a form of godliness_, we neglect, if not\n_deny the power of it_. If we allow it, but do not understand what we\nallow, we are liable to run into all the wildness of enthusiasm. It is\ntherefore needful in the highest degree, to guard those who fear God\nfrom both these dangers, by a scriptural and rational illustration and\nconfirmation of this momentous truth.\n\n3. It may seem, something of this kind is the more needful, because so\nlittle has been wrote on the subject with any clearness: unless some\ndiscourses on the wrong side of the question, which explain it quite\naway. And it cannot be doubted, but these were occasioned, at least in\ngreat measure, by the crude, unscriptural, irrational explication of\nothers, who _knew not what they spake, nor whereof they affirmed_.\n\n4. It more nearly concerns the _Methodists_, so called, clearly\nto understand, explain and defend this doctrine, because it is one\ngrand part of the testimony, which God has given them to bear to all\nmankind. It is by his peculiar blessing upon them in searching the\nscriptures, confirmed by the experience of his children, that this\ngreat evangelical truth has been recovered, which had been for many\nyears well nigh lost and forgotten.\n\n\nII. 1. But what is _the witness of the Spirit_? The original word\n\u03bc\u03b1\u03c1\u03c4\u03c5\u03c1\u03af\u03b1, may be rendered either, (as it is in several places,) _the\nwitness_, or less ambiguously, _the testimony_ or _the record_: so it\nis rendered in our translation, _1 John_ v. 11. _This is the record_\n(the testimony, the sum of what God testifies in all the inspired\nwritings) _that God hath given unto us eternal life, and this life\nis in his Son_. The testimony now under consideration is given by the\nSpirit of God to and with our spirit. He is the person testifying. What\nhe testifies to us is, _that we are the children of God_. The immediate\nresult of this testimony, is _the fruit of the Spirit_; namely, _love_,\n_joy_, _peace_, _long-suffering_, _gentleness_, _goodness_. And without\nthese the testimony itself cannot continue. For it is inevitably\ndestroyed, not only by the commission of any outward sin, or the\nomission of known duty, but by giving way to any inward sin: in a word,\nby whatever grieves the Holy Spirit of God.\n\n2. I observed many years ago, \u201cIt is hard to find words in the language\nof men, to explain the deep things of God. Indeed there are none that\nwill adequately express, what the Spirit of God works in his children.\nBut perhaps one might say (desiring any who are taught of God, to\ncorrect, soften or strengthen the expression) By _the testimony of the\nSpirit_ I mean, an inward impression of the soul, whereby the Spirit of\nGod immediately and directly witnesses to my spirit, that I am a child\nof God, that _Jesus Christ hath loved me, and given himself for me_.\nThat all my sins are blotted out, and I, even I am reconciled to God.\u201d\n\n3. After twenty years further consideration, I see no cause to retract\nany part of this. Neither do I conceive, how any of these expressions\nmay be altered, so as to make them more intelligible. I can only add,\nthat if any of the children of God will point out any other expressions,\nwhich are more clear, or more agreeable to the word of God, I will\nreadily lay these aside.\n\n4. Meantime let it be observed, I do not mean hereby, that the Spirit\nof God testifies this by any outward voice: no, nor always by an inward\nvoice, altho\u2019 he may do this sometimes. Neither do I suppose, that he\nalways applies to the heart, (tho\u2019 he often may) one or more texts of\nscripture. But he so works upon the soul by his immediate influence,\nand by a strong, tho\u2019 inexplicable operation, that the stormy wind and\ntroubled waves subside, and there is a sweet calm: the heart resting\nas in the arms of Jesus, and the sinner being clearly satisfied, that\nGod is reconciled, that all his _iniquities are forgiven, and his sins\ncovered_.\n\n5. Now, what is the matter of dispute concerning this? Not, whether\nthere be a witness or testimony of the Spirit? Not, whether the Spirit\ndoes testify with our spirit, that we are the children of God? None can\ndeny this, without flatly contradicting the scripture, and charging a\nlie upon the God of truth. Therefore that there is a testimony of the\nSpirit, is acknowledged by all parties.\n\n6. Neither is it questioned, whether there is an _indirect_ witness\nor testimony, that we are the children of God. This is nearly, if not\nexactly the same with _the testimony of a good conscience towards God_;\nand is the result of reason, or reflection on what we feel in our own\nsouls. Strictly speaking, it is a conclusion drawn partly from the word\nof God, and partly from our own experience. The word of God says, every\none who has the fruit of the Spirit is a child of God. Experience, or\ninward consciousness tells me, that I have the fruit of the Spirit.\nAnd hence I rationally conclude, therefore I am a child of God. This\nis likewise allowed on all hands, and so is no matter of controversy.\n\n7. Nor do we assert, that there can be any real testimony of the Spirit,\nwithout the fruit of the Spirit. We assert, on the contrary, that the\nfruit of the Spirit immediately springs from this testimony: not always\nindeed in the same degree, even when the testimony is first given. And\nmuch less afterwards; neither joy nor peace are always at one stay. No,\nnor love: as neither is the testimony itself always equally strong and\nclear.\n\n8. But the point in question is, whether there be any _direct\ntestimony_ of the Spirit at all? Whether there be any other testimony\nof the Spirit, than that which arises from a consciousness of the fruit?\n\n\nIII. 1. I believe there is, because that is the plain, natural meaning\nof the text, _the Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that\nwe are the children of God_. It is manifest, here are two witnesses\nmentioned, who together testify the same thing, the Spirit of God, and\nour own spirit. The late Bishop of _London_ in his sermon on this text,\nseems astonished that any one can doubt of this, which appears upon the\nvery face of the words. Now, \u201c_The testimony of our own spirit_, says\nthe Bishop is one, which is the consciousness of our own sincerity:\u201d or,\nto express the same thing a little more clearly, the consciousness of\nthe fruit of the Spirit. When our spirit is conscious of this, of love,\njoy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, it easily infers from\nthese premises, that we are the children of God.\n\n2. It is true, that great man supposes the other witness to be\n\u201cThe consciousness of our own good works.\u201d This, he affirms, is _the\ntestimony of God\u2019s Spirit_. But this is included in the testimony\nof our own spirit: Yea, and in sincerity, even according to the\ncommon sense of the word. So the Apostle. _Our rejoicing is this, the\ntestimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity we\nhave had our conversation in the world_: where it is plain, sincerity\nrefers to our words and actions, at least as much as to our inward\ndispositions. So that this is not another witness, but the very same\nthat he mentioned before: the consciousness of our good works being\nonly one branch of the consciousness of our sincerity. Consequently\nhere is only one witness still. If therefore the text speaks of two\nwitnesses, one of these is not the consciousness of our good works,\nneither of our sincerity: all this being manifestly contained in _the\ntestimony of our spirit_.\n\n3. What then is the other witness? This might easily be learned, if\nthe text itself were not sufficiently clear, from the verse immediately\npreceding. _Ye have received, not the Spirit of bondage_, but _the\nSpirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father_. It follows, _The\nSpirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children\nof God_.\n\n4. This is farther explained by the parallel text, _Gal._ iv. 6.\n_Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into\nyour hearts, crying Abba, Father._ Is not this something _immediate_\nand _direct_, not the result of reflection or argumentation? Does\nnot this Spirit cry _Abba, Father, in our hearts_, the moment it is\ngiven? Antecedently to any reflection upon our sincerity, yea, to any\nreasoning whatsoever? And is not this the plain, natural sense of the\nwords, which strikes any one, as soon as he hears them? All these texts\nthen, in their most obvious meaning, describe a direct testimony of the\nSpirit.\n\n5. That _the testimony of the Spirit of God_, must in the very nature\nof things, be antecedent to _the testimony of our own spirit_, may\nappear from this single consideration. We must be holy in heart and\nlife, before we can be conscious that we are so. But we must love God\nbefore we can be holy at all, this being the root of all holiness. Now\nwe cannot love God, \u2019till we know he loves us: _we love him, because\nhe first loved us_. And we cannot know his love to us, \u2019till his Spirit\nwitnesses it to our spirit. \u2019Till then we cannot believe it: we cannot\nsay, _the life which I now live, I live by faith in the Son of God, who\nloved me, and gave himself for me_.\n\n Then, only then we feel\n Our interest in his blood,\n And cry with joy unspeakable,\n Thou art my Lord, my God.\n\nSince therefore the testimony of his Spirit must precede the love of\nGod and all holiness, of consequence it must precede our consciousness\nthereof.\n\n6. And here properly comes in, to confirm this scriptural doctrine,\nthe experience of the children of God: the experience not of two or\nthree, not of a few, but of a great multitude which no man can number.\nIt has been confirmed, both in this and in all ages by _a cloud of_\nliving and dying _witnesses_. It is confirmed by _your_ experience and\n_mine_. The Spirit itself bore witness to my spirit, that I was a child\nof God, gave me an _evidence_ hereof, and I immediately cried, _Abba,\nFather_! And this I did, (and so did you) before I reflected on, or\nwas conscious of any fruit of the Spirit. It was from this testimony\nreceived, that love, joy, peace, and the whole fruit of the Spirit\nflowed. First I heard,\n\n Thy sins are forgiven! Accepted thou art!\n I listened, and heaven Sprung up in my heart.\n\n7. But this is confirmed, not only by the experience of the children of\nGod, thousands of whom can declare, that they never did know themselves\nto be in the favour of God, \u2019till it was directly witnessed to them\nby his Spirit: but by all those who are convinced of sin, who feel the\nwrath of God abiding on them. These cannot be satisfied with any thing\nless than a direct testimony from his Spirit, that he is _merciful to\ntheir unrighteousness, and remembers their sins and iniquities no more_.\nTell any of these, \u201cYou are to know you are a child, by reflecting on\nwhat he has wrought in you, on your love, joy and peace:\u201d and will he\nnot immediately reply, by all this I know, I am a child of the devil.\nI have no more love to God than the devil has: my carnal mind is enmity\nagainst God. I have no joy in the Holy Ghost: my soul is sorrowful\neven unto death. I have no peace: my heart is a troubled sea: I am\nall storm and tempest. And which way can these souls possibly be\ncomforted, but by a divine testimony, (not that they are good, or\nsincere, or conformable to the scripture in heart and life, but) that\nGod _justifieth the ungodly_: him that \u2019till the moment he is justified,\nis all ungodly, void of all true holiness? _Him that worketh not_, that\nworketh nothing that is truly good, \u2019till he is conscious that he is\naccepted, _not for_ any _works of righteousness which he hath done_,\nbut by the mere, free mercy of God? Wholly and solely for what the Son\nof God hath done and suffered for him? And can it be any otherwise,\nif _a man is justified by faith, without the works of the law_? If so,\nwhat inward or outward goodness can he be conscious of, antecedent to\nhis justification? Nay, is not the _having nothing to pay_, that is,\nthe being conscious that _there dwelleth in us no good thing_, neither\ninward nor outward goodness, essentially, indispensably necessary,\nbefore we can be _justified freely, thro\u2019 the redemption that is in\nJesus Christ_? Was ever any man justified since his coming into the\nworld, or can any man ever be justified, \u2019till he is brought to that\npoint,\n\n \u201cI give up every plea, beside\n Lord, I am damned\u2015\u2015But thou hast died!\u201d\n\n8. Every one therefore who denies the existence of such a testimony,\ndoes in effect deny justification by faith. It follows, that either he\nnever experienced this, either he never was justified, or that he has\nforgotten, (as St. _Peter_ speaks,) \u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6 \u03ba\u03b1\u03b8\u03b1\u03c1\u03b9\u03c3\u03bc\u03bf\u1fe6 \u03c4\u1ff6\u03bd \u03c0\u03ac\u03bb\u03b1\u03b9 \u1f01\u03bc\u03b1\u03c1\u03c4\u03b9\u1ff6\u03bd,\n_the purification from his former sins_, the experience he then had\nhimself, the manner wherein God wrought in his own soul, when his\nformer sins were blotted out.\n\n9. And the experience even of the children of the world, here confirms\nthat of the children of God. Many of these have a desire to please God:\nsome of them take much pains to please him. But do they not, one and\nall, count it the highest absurdity, for any to talk of \u201c_knowing_ his\nsins are forgiven?\u201d Which of _them_ even pretends to any such thing?\nAnd yet many of them are conscious of their own sincerity. Many of\nthem undoubtedly have, in a degree, the testimony of their own spirit,\na consciousness of their own uprightness. But this brings them no\nconsciousness, that they are forgiven, no knowledge that they are the\nchildren of God. Yea, the more sincere they are, the more uneasy they\ngenerally are, for want of knowing it: plainly shewing that this cannot\nbe known, in a satisfactory manner, by the bare testimony of our own\nspirit, without God\u2019s directly testifying, that we are his children.\n\n\nIV. But abundance of objections have been made to this; the chief of\nwhich it may be well to consider.\n\n1. It is objected first, \u201cExperience is not sufficient, to prove\na doctrine which is not founded on scripture.\u201d This is undoubtedly\ntrue; and it is an important truth; but it does not affect the present\nquestion. For it has been shewn, that this doctrine is founded on\nscripture. Therefore experience is properly alledged to confirm it.\n\n2. \u201cBut madmen, French prophets and enthusiasts of every kind have\nimagined they experienced this witness.\u201d They have so. And perhaps not\na few of them did, although they did not retain it long. But if they\ndid not, this is no proof at all, that others have not experienced it:\nas a madman\u2019s _imagining_ himself a king, does not prove, that there\nare no _real_ kings.\n\n\u201cNay many who pleaded strongly for this, have utterly decried the\nbible.\u201d Perhaps so; but this was no necessary consequence: thousands\nplead for it, who have the highest esteem for the bible.\n\n\u201cYea, but many have fatally deceived themselves hereby, and got above\nall conviction.\u201d\n\nAnd yet a scriptural doctrine is no worse, tho\u2019 men abuse it to their\nown destruction.\n\n3. \u201cBut I lay it down as an undoubted truth, the fruit of the Spirit\nis the witness of the Spirit.\u201d Not undoubted; thousands doubt of, yea\nflatly deny it: but to let that pass. \u201cIf this witness be sufficient,\nthere is no need of any other. But it is sufficient, unless in one of\nthese cases, 1. The _total absence_ of the fruit of the Spirit.\u201d And\nthis is the case, when the direct witness is first given: 2. \u201cThe _not\nperceiving it_. But to contend for it in this case, is to contend for\nbeing in the favour of God, and not knowing it.\u201d True, not knowing\nit at that time any otherwise, than by the testimony which is given\nfor that end. And this we do contend for: we contend, that the direct\nwitness may shine clear, even while the indirect one is under a cloud.\n\n4. It is objected, secondly, \u201cThe design of the witness contended for,\nis to prove that the profession we make is genuine. But it does not\nprove this.\u201d I answer, the proving this, is not the design of it. It\nis antecedent to our making any profession at all, but that of being\nlost, undone, guilty, helpless sinners. It is designed to assure those\nto whom it is given, that they are the children of God; that they are\n_justified freely by his grace, thro\u2019 the redemption that is in Jesus\nChrist_. And this does not suppose, that their preceeding thoughts,\nwords and actions, are conformable to the rule of scripture. It\nsupposes quite the reverse, namely, That they are sinners all over,\nsinners both in heart and life. Were it otherwise, God would _justify\nthe godly_; and _their own works_ would be _counted to them for\nrighteousness_. And I cannot but fear that a supposition of our being\njustified by works, is at the root of all their objections. For who\never cordially believes, that God _imputes_ to all that are justified,\n_righteousness without works_, will find no difficulty in allowing the\nwitness of his Spirit, preceding the fruit of it.\n\n5. It is objected, thirdly, \u201cOne evangelist says, _your heavenly Father\nwill give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him_. The other evangelist\ncalls the same thing _good gifts_; abundantly demonstrating, that the\nSpirit\u2019s way of bearing witness, is by giving good gifts.\u201d Nay, here\nis nothing at all about _bearing witness_, either in one text, or the\nother. Therefore \u2019till this demonstration is better demonstrated, I let\nit stand as it is.\n\n6. It is objected, fourthly, \u201cThe scripture says, _the tree is known\nby its fruits. Prove all things. Try the spirits. Examine yourselves._\u201d\nMost true: therefore let every man who believes he _hath the witness\nin himself, try_ whether it be of God; if the fruit follow, it is,\notherwise it is not. For certainly _the tree is known by its fruit_:\nHereby we _prove_, if it be of God. \u201cBut the direct witness is never\nreferred to in the book of God.\u201d Not as standing alone, not as a single\nwitness, but as connected with the other: As giving a _joint testimony_,\ntestifying _with our spirit_, that we are children of God. And who\nis able to prove, that it is not _thus_ referred to, in this very\nscripture, _Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith: prove your\nownselves. Know ye not yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?_ It is\nby no means clear, that they did not know this, by a _direct_ as well\nas a _remote_ witness. How is it proved, that they did not know it,\nfirst, by an inward consciousness, and then by love, joy and peace?\n\n7. \u201cBut the testimony arising from the internal and external change, is\nconstantly referred to in the bible.\u201d It is so. And we constantly refer\nthereto, to confirm the testimony of the Spirit.\n\n\u201cNay, all the marks _you_ have given, whereby to distinguish the\noperations of God\u2019s Spirit from delusion, refer to the change wrought\nin us and upon us.\u201d This likewise is undoubtedly true.\n\n8. It is objected, fifthly, that \u201cThe direct witness of the Spirit,\ndoes not secure us from the greatest delusion. And is that a witness\nfit to be trusted, whose testimony cannot be depended on? That is\nforced to fly to something else, to prove what it asserts?\u201d I answer.\nTo secure us from all delusion, God gives us two witnesses that we are\nhis children. And this they testify conjointly. Therefore _what God\nhath joined together, let not man put asunder_. And while they are\njoined, we cannot be deluded: their testimony can be depended on. They\nare fit to be trusted in the highest degree, and need nothing else to\nprove what they assert.\n\n\u201cNay, the direct witness only asserts, but does not prove any thing.\u201d\nBy two witnesses shall every word be established. And when the Spirit\n_witnesses with our Spirit_, as God designs it to do, then it fully\nproves that we are children of God.\n\n9. It is objected, sixthly, \u201cYou own the change wrought is a sufficient\ntestimony, unless in the case of severe trials, such as that of our\nSaviour upon the cross. But none of us can be tried in that manner.\u201d\nBut you or I may be tried in such a manner, and so may any other child\nof God, that it will be impossible for us to keep our filial confidence\nin God, without the direct witness of his Spirit.\n\n10. It is objected, lastly, \u201cThe greatest contenders for it, are some\nof the proudest and most uncharitable of men.\u201d Perhaps some of the\n_hottest_ contenders for it, are both proud and uncharitable. But many\nof the _firmest_ contenders for it, are eminently meek and lowly in\nheart: and indeed in all other respects also,\n\n True followers of their lamb-like Lord.\n\nThe preceding objections are the most considerable that I have heard,\nand I believe contain the strength of the cause. Yet I apprehend\nwhoever calmly and impartially considers those objections and the\nanswers together, will easily see, that they do not destroy, no, nor\nweaken the evidence of that great truth, that the Spirit of God does\n_directly_, as well as _indirectly_ testify, that we are children of\nGod.\n\n\nV. 1. The sum of all is this. The testimony of the Spirit is an\ninward impression on the souls of believers, whereby the Spirit of God\ndirectly testifies to their spirit, that they are children of God. And\nit is not questioned, whether there is a testimony of the Spirit? But\nwhether there is any _direct testimony_? Whether there is any other\nthan that which arises from a consciousness of the fruit of the Spirit?\nWe believe there is: because this is the plain natural meaning of the\ntext, illustrated both by the preceding words, and by the parallel\npassage in the epistle to the _Galatians_: because, in the nature of\nthe thing, the testimony must precede the fruit which springs from it,\nand because this plain meaning of the word of God is confirmed by the\nexperience of innumerable children of God: yea, and by the experience\nof all who are convinced of sin, who can never rest, \u2019till they have a\ndirect witness: and even of the children of the world, who not having\nthe witness in themselves, one and all declare, none can _know_ his\nsins forgiven.\n\n2. And whereas it is objected, that experience is not sufficient to\nprove a doctrine unsupported by scripture: that madmen and enthusiasts\nof every kind, have imagined such a witness: that the design of that\nwitness is to prove our profession genuine, which design it does not\nanswer: that the scripture says, _The tree is known by its fruit;\nexamine yourselves; prove your ownselves_; and mean time the direct\nwitness is never referred to in all the book of God: that it does not\nsecure us from the greatest delusions: and, lastly, that the change\nwrought in us is a sufficient testimony, unless in such trials as\nChrist alone suffered. We answer, 1. Experience is sufficient to\n_confirm_ a doctrine, which is grounded on scripture: 2. Tho\u2019 many\nfancy they experience what they do not, this is no prejudice to real\nexperience: 3. The design of that witness is, to assure us we are\nchildren of God. And this design it does answer. 4. The true witness\nof the Spirit is known by its fruit, love, peace, joy; not indeed\npreceding, but following it: 5. It cannot be proved, that the direct,\nas well as the indirect witness, is not referred to in that very text,\n_Know ye not your ownselves that Jesus Christ is in you_? 6. The Spirit\nof God _witnessing with our spirit_ does secure us from all delusion:\nand, lastly, we are all liable to trials, wherein the testimony of\nour own spirit is not sufficient; wherein nothing less than the direct\ntestimony of God\u2019s Spirit can assure us that we are his children.\n\n3. Two inferences may be drawn from the whole. The first, let none\never presume to rest, in any supposed testimony of the Spirit, which is\nseparate from the fruit of it. If the Spirit of God does really testify\nthat we are children of God, the immediate consequence will be the\nfruit of the Spirit, even, _love_, _joy_, _peace_, _long-suffering_,\n_gentleness_, _goodness_, _fidelity_, _meekness_, _temperance_. And\nhowever this fruit may be clouded for a while, during the time of\nstrong temptation, so that it does not appear to the tempted person,\nwhile _Satan_ is _sifting him as wheat_, yet the substantial part of\nit remains, even under the thickest cloud. It is true, joy in the Holy\nGhost may be withdrawn, during the hour of trial. Yea, the soul may be\n_exceeding sorrowful_, while _the hour and power of darkness_ continue.\nBut even this is generally restored with increase, till we rejoice\n_with joy unspeakable and full of glory_.\n\n4. The second inference is, let none rest in any supposed fruit of the\nSpirit without the witness. There may be foretastes of joy, of peace,\nof love, and those not delusive, but really from God, long before we\nhave the witness in ourselves, before the Spirit of God witnesses with\nour spirits, that we have _redemption in the blood of Jesus, even the\nforgiveness of sins_. Yea there may be a degree of long-suffering, of\ngentleness, of fidelity, meekness, temperance, (not a shadow thereof,\nbut a real degree, by the preventing grace of God) before we are\n_accepted in the Beloved_, and consequently before we have a testimony\nof our acceptance. But it is by no means advisable to rest here; it\nis at the peril of our souls if we do. If we are wise we shall be\ncontinually crying to God, until his Spirit cry in our heart, _Abba,\nFather_! This is the privilege of all the children of God, and without\nthis we can never be assured that we are his children. Without this we\ncannot retain a steddy peace, nor avoid perplexing doubts and fears.\nBut when we have once received this _Spirit of adoption_, this _peace\nwhich passes all understanding_, and which expells all painful doubt\nand fear, will _keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus_. And when\nthis has brought forth its genuine fruit, all inward and outward\nholiness, it is undoubtedly the will of him that calleth us, to give\nus always what he has once given. So that there is no need, that we\nshould ever more be deprived, of either the testimony of God\u2019s Spirit,\nor the testimony of our own, the consciousness of our walking in all\nrighteousness and true holiness.\n\nNEWRY, _April 4, 1767_.\n\n\n\n\n SERMON XII.\n\n THE WITNESS OF OUR OWN SPIRIT.\n\n 2 COR. i. 12.\n\n _This is our rejoicing, the testimony of our conscience, that in\n simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by\n the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world._\n\n\n1. SUCH is the voice of every true believer in Christ, so long as\nhe abides in faith and love. _He that followeth me_, saith our Lord,\n_walketh not in darkness_: And while he hath the light, he rejoiceth\ntherein. _As_ he _hath received the Lord Jesus Christ, so_ he _walketh\nin him_. And while he walketh in him, the exhortation of the apostle\ntakes place in his soul day by day, _Rejoice in the Lord always, and\nagain I say, rejoice_.\n\n2. But that we may not build our house upon the sand, (lest when the\nrains descend, and the winds blow, and the floods arise and beat upon\nit, it fall, and great be the fall thereof) I intend, in the following\ndiscourse, to shew, what is the nature and ground of a Christian\u2019s joy.\nWe know, in general, It is that happy peace, that calm satisfaction\nof spirit, which arises from such a testimony of his conscience, as is\nhere described by the apostle. But in order to understand this the more\nthroughly, it will be requisite to weigh all his words: whence will\neasily appear, both what we are to understand by _conscience_, and what,\nby the _testimony_ thereof; and also, how he that hath this testimony\nrejoiceth evermore.\n\n3. And, first, what are we to understand by _conscience_? What is the\nmeaning of this word that is in every one\u2019s mouth? One would imagine,\nit was an exceeding difficult thing, to discover this, when we consider,\nhow large and numerous volumes have been from time to time wrote on\nthis subject: and how all the treasures of ancient and modern learning\nhave been ransack\u2019d, in order to explain it. And yet it is to be fear\u2019d,\nit has not received much light from all those elaborate enquiries.\nRather, have not most of those writers puzzled the cause; _darkening\ncounsel by words without knowledge_; perplexing a subject, plain in\nitself, and easy to be understood? For set aside but hard words, and\nevery man of an honest heart will soon understand the thing.\n\n4. God has made us thinking beings, capable of perceiving what\nis present, and of reflecting or looking back on what is past. In\nparticular, we are capable of perceiving, whatsoever passes in our own\nhearts or lives; of knowing whatsoever we feel or do; and that either\nwhile it passes, or when it is past. This we mean when we say, man is\na _conscious_ being: he hath a _consciousness_ or inward perception\nboth of things present and past relating to himself, of his own tempers\nand outward behaviour. But what we usually term _conscience_, implies,\nsomewhat more than this. It is not barely, the knowledge of our present,\nor the remembrance of our preceding life. To remember, to bear witness\neither of past or present things, is only one, and the least office of\nconscience. Its main business is to excuse or accuse, to approve \u2666or\ndisapprove, to acquit or condemn.\n\n5. Some late writers indeed have given a new name to this, and have\nchose to stile it, a _moral sense_. But the old word seems preferable\nto the new, were it only on this account, that it is more common and\nfamiliar among men, and therefore easier to be understood. And to\nChristians it is undeniably preferable on another account also; namely,\nbecause it is scriptural; because it is the word which the wisdom of\nGod hath chose to use in the inspired writings.\n\nAnd according to the meaning wherein it is generally used there,\nparticularly in the epistles of St. _Paul_, we may understand by\nconscience, a faculty or power, implanted by God in every soul that\ncomes into the world, of perceiving what is right or wrong in his own\nheart or life, in his tempers, thoughts, words and actions.\n\n6. But what is the _rule_ whereby men are to judge of right and wrong?\nWhereby their conscience is to be directed? The rule of Heathens, (as\nthe apostle teaches elsewhere) is _the law written in their hearts.\nThese_, saith he, _not having the_ (outward) _law, are a law unto\nthemselves: who shew the work of the law_ (that which the outward law\nprescribes) _written in their heart_, by the finger of God; _their\nconscience also bearing witness_, whether they walk by this rule, or\nnot; _and their thoughts the meanwhile accusing, or even excusing_,\nacquitting, defending them, (\u1f24 \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u1f00\u03c0\u03bf\u03bb\u03bf\u03b3\u03bf\u03c5\u03bc\u03ad\u03bd\u03c9\u03bd) _Rom._ ii. 14, 15.\nBut the Christian rule of right and wrong is the word of God, the\nwritings of the Old and New Testament: all that the prophets and _holy\nmen of old_ wrote, _as they were moved by the Holy Ghost: all_ that\n_scripture_ which was _given by inspiration of God, and_ which _is_\nindeed _profitable for doctrine_, or teaching the whole will of God;\n_for reproof_ of what is contrary thereto; _for correction_ of error,\n_and for instruction_ (or training us up) _in righteousness_, 2 Tim.\niii. 16.\n\nThis is _a lantern unto_ a Christian\u2019s _feet, and a light in all_\nhis _paths_. This alone he receives as his rule of right or wrong,\nof whatever is really good or evil. He esteems nothing good, but\nwhat is here enjoined, either directly or by plain consequence. He\naccounts nothing evil but what is here forbidden, either in terms, or\nby undeniable inference. Whatever the scripture neither forbids nor\nenjoins, (either directly, or by plain consequence) he believes to be\nof an indifferent nature, to be in itself neither good nor evil: this\nbeing the whole and sole outward rule, whereby his conscience is to be\ndirected in all things.\n\n7. And if it be directed thereby in fact, then hath he _the answer of\na good conscience toward God_. A _good conscience_ is what is elsewhere\ntermed by the apostle, a _conscience void of offence_. So, what he at\none time expresses thus, _I have lived in all good conscience before\nGod until this day_, Acts xxiii. 1. he denotes at another, by that\nexpression, _Herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience\nvoid of offence toward God and toward man_, ch. xxiv. 16. Now in order\nto this, there is absolutely required, first, a right understanding\nof the word of God, of his _holy and acceptable and perfect will_\nconcerning us, as it is revealed therein. For it is impossible we\nshould walk by a rule, if we do not know what it means. There is,\nsecondly, required (which how few have attained?) a true knowledge\nof ourselves: a knowledge both of our hearts and lives, of our inward\ntempers and outward conversation: seeing, if we know them not, it\nis not possible that we should compare them with our rule. There\nis required, thirdly, an agreement of our hearts and lives, of our\ntempers and conversation, of our thoughts and words and works with\nthat rule, with the written word of God. For without this, if we have\nany conscience at all, it can be only an evil conscience. There is,\nfourthly, required, an inward perception, of this agreement with our\nrule. And this habitual perception, this inward consciousness itself,\nis properly a _good conscience_; or (in the other phrase of the apostle)\n_a conscience void of offence, toward God and toward man_.\n\n8. But whoever desires to have a conscience thus void of offence,\nlet him see that he lay the right foundation. Let him remember, _other\nfoundation_ of this _can no man lay, than that which is laid, even\nJesus Christ_. And let him also be mindful, that no man buildeth on\nhim but by a living faith; that no man is a partaker of Christ, until\nhe can clearly testify, _The life which I now live, I live by faith\nin the Son of God_; in him who is now _revealed_ in my heart; who\n_loved me, and gave himself for me_. Faith alone is that evidence,\nthat conviction, that demonstration of things invisible, whereby the\neyes of our understanding being opened, and divine light poured in upon\nthem, we _see the wondrous things of_ God\u2019s _law_, the excellency and\npurity of it; the height and depth and length and breadth thereof, and\nof every commandment contained therein. It is by faith, that beholding\n_the light of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ_, we\nperceive, as in a glass, all that is in ourselves, yea, the inmost\nmotions of our souls. And by this alone can that blessed love of God be\n_shed abroad in our hearts_, which enables us so to love one another as\nChrist loved us. By this, is that gracious promise fulfilled, unto all\nthe _Israel_ of God, _I will put my laws into their minds, and write_\n(or engrave) _them in their hearts_, Heb. viii. 10. Hereby producing\nin their souls, an entire agreement with his holy and perfect law, and\n_bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ_.\n\nAnd as an evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit, so a good tree\ncannot bring forth evil fruit. As the heart therefore of a believer,\nso likewise his life is thoroughly conformed to the rule of God\u2019s\ncommandments. In a consciousness whereof, he can give glory to God,\nand say, with the apostle, _This is our rejoicing, the testimony of our\nconscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly\nwisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the\nworld_.\n\n9. _We have had our conversation._ The apostle in the original,\nexpresses this by one single word (\u1f00\u03bd\u03b5\u03c3\u03c4\u03c1\u03ac\u03c6\u03b7\u03bc\u03b5\u03bd). But the meaning\nthereof is exceeding broad, taking in our whole deportment, yea, every\ninward as well as outward circumstance, whether relating to our soul\nor body. It includes every motion of our heart, of our tongue, of our\nhands and bodily members. It extends to all our actions and words; to\nthe employment of all our powers and faculties; to the manner of using\nevery talent we have received, with respect either to God or man.\n\n10. _We have had our conversation in the world_; even in the world\nof the ungodly: not only among the children of God (that were,\ncomparatively, a little thing:) but among the children of the devil,\namong those that _lie in wickedness_, \u1f10\u03bd \u03c4\u1ff7 \u03c0\u03bf\u03bd\u03b7\u03c1\u1ff7, _in the wicked\none_. * What a world is this! How throughly impregnated with the spirit\nit continually breathes! As our God is good and doth good, so the God\nof this world, and all his children, are evil, and do evil, (so far\nas they are suffered) to all the children of God. Like their father,\nthey are always lying in wait, or _walking about, seeking whom they\nmay devour_: using fraud or force, secret wiles or open violence, to\ndestroy those who are not of the world: continually warring against our\nsouls, and by old or new weapons and devices of every kind, labouring\nto bring them back into the snare of the devil, into the broad road\nthat leadeth to destruction.\n\n11. _We have had our_ whole _conversation in_ such _a world, in\nsimplicity and godly sincerity_. First, _in simplicity_. This is what\nour Lord recommends, under the name of a _single eye. The light of the\nbody_, saith he, _is the eye. If therefore thine eye be single, thy\nwhole body shall be full of light._ The meaning whereof is this. What\nthe eye is to the body, that the intention is, to all the words and\nactions. If therefore this eye of thy soul be single, all thy actions\nand conversation, shall be _full of light_, of the light of heaven; of\nlove and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.\n\nWe are then simple of heart, when the eye of our mind is singly\nfixt on God: when in all things we aim at God alone, as our God, our\nportion, our strength, our happiness, our exceeding great reward, our\nall, in time and eternity. This is simplicity; when a steddy view, a\nsingle intention of promoting his glory, of doing and suffering his\nblessed will, runs thro\u2019 our whole soul, fills all our heart, and is\nthe constant spring of all our thoughts, desires and purposes.\n\n12. _We have had our conversation in the world_, secondly, _in godly\nsincerity_. The difference between simplicity and sincerity seems to be\nchiefly this: simplicity regards the intention itself, sincerity, the\nexecution of it. And this sincerity relates not barely to our words,\nbut to our whole conversation, as described above. It is not here to be\nunderstood in that narrow sense, wherein St. _Paul_ himself sometimes\nuses it, for speaking the truth, or abstaining from guile, from craft\nand dissimulation. But in a more extensive meaning, as actually hitting\nthe mark which we aim at by simplicity. Accordingly it implies in this\nplace, that we do in fact speak and do all to the glory of God; that\nall our words are not only pointed at this, but actually conducive\nthereto; that all our actions flow on in an even stream, uniformly\nsubservient to this great end: and that in our whole lives, we are\nmoving strait toward God, and that continually; walking steddily on\nin the highway of holiness, in the paths of justice, mercy and truth.\n\n13. This sincerity is termed by the apostle, godly sincerity, or\nthe sincerity of God, (\u03b5\u1f30\u03bb\u03b9\u03ba\u03c1\u03af\u03bd\u03b5\u03b9\u03b1 \u0398\u03b5\u03bf\u1fe6,) to prevent our mistaking\nor confounding it with the sincerity of the Heathens: (for they had\nalso a kind of sincerity among them, for which they professed no small\nveneration) likewise to denote the object and end of this, as of every\nChristian virtue; seeing whatever does not ultimately tend to God,\nsinks among _the beggarly elements of the world_. By styling it, the\nsincerity of God, he also points out the author of it, the _Father of\nlights, from whom every good and perfect gift descendeth_: which is\nstill more clearly declared in the following words, _Not with fleshly\nwisdom, but by the grace of God_.\n\n14. _Not with fleshly wisdom._ As if he had said, We cannot thus\nconverse in the world, by thy natural strength or understanding,\nneither by any naturally-acquired knowledge or wisdom. We cannot gain\nthis simplicity, or practise this sincerity, by the force either of\ngood sense, good nature, or good breeding. It overshoots all our native\ncourage and resolution, as well as all our precepts of philosophy.\nThe power of custom is not able to train us up to this, nor the most\nexquisite rules of human education. Neither could I _Paul_ ever attain\nhereto, notwithstanding all the advantages I enjoyed, so long as I was\n_in the flesh_, in my natural state, and pursued it only by _fleshly_,\nnatural _wisdom_.\n\nAnd yet surely, if any man could, _Paul_ himself might have attained\nthereto by that wisdom. For we can hardly conceive any, who was more\nhighly favoured with all the gifts both of nature and education.\nBesides his natural abilities, probably not inferior to those of\nany person then upon the earth, he had all the benefits of learning,\nstudying at the university of _Tarsus_, afterwards brought up at\nthe feet of _Gamaliel_, the person of the greatest account both for\nknowledge and integrity, that was then in the whole _Jewish_ nation.\nAnd he had all the possible advantages of religious education, being\na Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee, trained up in the very straitest\nsect or profession, distinguished from all others by a more eminent\nstrictness. And herein he had _profited above many_ others, _who were\nhis equals in years, being more abundantly zealous_ of whatever he\nthought would please God, and _as touching the righteousness of the\nlaw blameless_. But it could not be, that he should hereby attain this\nsimplicity and godly sincerity. It was all but lost labour; in a deep,\npiercing sense of which he was at length constrained to cry out, _The\nthings which were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea\ndoubtless, and I count all things but loss, for the excellency of the\nknowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord._ Phil. iii. 7, 8.\n\n15. It could not be that ever he should attain to this, but by the\n_excellent knowledge of Jesus Christ_, our Lord: or _by the grace of\nGod_; another expression of nearly the same import. By _the grace of\nGod_ is sometimes to be understood, that free love, that unmerited\nmercy, by which I a sinner, thro\u2019 the merits of Christ, am now\nreconciled to God. But in this place it rather means, that power of\nGod the Holy Ghost, which _worketh in us both to will and to do, of\nhis good pleasure_. As soon as ever the grace of God, in the former\nsense, his pardoning love is manifested to our soul, the grace of God,\nin the latter sense, the power of his Spirit, takes place therein.\nAnd now we can perform, thro\u2019 God, what to man was impossible. Now we\ncan order our conversation aright. We can do all things in the light\nand power of that love, thro\u2019 Christ which strengtheneth us. We now\nhave _the testimony of our conscience_, which we could never have by\nfleshly wisdom, _that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have our\nconversation in the world_.\n\n16. This is properly the ground of a Christian\u2019s joy. We may now\ntherefore readily conceive, how he that hath this testimony in himself,\n_rejoiceth evermore. My soul_, may he say, _doth magnify the Lord, and\nmy spirit rejoiceth in God my Saviour_. I rejoice in him, who of his\nown unmerited love, of his own free and tender mercy, _hath called me\ninto this state of salvation_, wherein thro\u2019 his power I now stand.\nI rejoice because his Spirit beareth witness to my spirit, that I am\nbought with the blood of the Lamb, and that believing in him, \u201cI am\na member of Christ, a child of God, and an inheritor of the kingdom\nof heaven.\u201d I rejoice because the sense of God\u2019s love to me, hath by\nthe same Spirit wrought in me to love him, and to love for his sake\nevery child of man, every soul that he hath made. I rejoice, because he\ngives me to feel in myself _the mind that was in Christ_: simplicity, a\nsingle eye to him, in every motion of my heart; power always to fix the\nloving eye of my soul on him who _loved me, and gave himself for me_,\nto aim at him alone, at his glorious will, in all I think or speak or\ndo: purity, desiring nothing more but God, _crucifying the flesh with\nits affections and lusts, setting my affections on things above, not\non things of the earth_: holiness, a recovery of the image of God, a\nrenewal of soul after his likeness: and godly sincerity, directing all\nmy words and works, so as to conduce to his glory. In this I likewise\nrejoice, yea and will rejoice, because my conscience beareth me witness\nin the Holy Ghost, by the light he continually pours in upon it, that I\n_walk worthy of the vocation wherewith_ I am _called_: that I _abstain\nfrom all appearance of evil, fleeing from sin as from the face of a\nserpent_; that as I have opportunity, I do all possible good, in every\nkind, to all men; that I follow my Lord in all my steps, and do what is\nacceptable in his sight. I rejoice because I both see and feel, through\nthe inspiration of God\u2019s holy Spirit, that all my works are wrought in\nhim, yea and that it is he who worketh all my works in me. I rejoice\nin seeing, thro\u2019 the light of God which shines in my heart, that I\nhave power to walk in his ways, and that thro\u2019 his grace, I turn not\ntherefrom, to the right hand or to the left.\n\n17. Such is the ground and the nature of that joy, whereby an adult\nChristian rejoiceth evermore. And from all this we may easily infer,\nfirst, That this is not a _natural_ joy. It does not arise from any\nnatural cause: not from any sudden flow of spirits. This may give\na transient start of joy. But the Christian _rejoiceth always_. It\ncannot be owing to bodily health or ease; to strength and soundness\nof constitution. For it is equally strong in sickness and pain;\nyea perhaps far stronger than before. Many Christians have never\nexperienced any joy, to be compared with that which then filled their\nsoul, when the body was well nigh worn out with pain, or consumed\naway with pining sickness. Least of all can it be ascribed to outward\nprosperity, to the favour of men, or plenty of worldly goods. For then\nchiefly, when their faith has been tried as with fire, by all manner\nof outward afflictions, have the children of God rejoiced in him, _whom\nunseen they loved_, even _with joy unspeakable_. And never surely did\nmen rejoice like those, who were used as _the filth and off-scouring\nof the world_; who wandered to and fro, being in want of all things;\nin hunger, in cold, in nakedness: who _had trials_, not only _of cruel\nmockings_, but _moreover of bonds and imprisonments_: Yea, who at last\n_counted not their lives dear unto themselves, so_ they _might finish\ntheir course with joy_.\n\n18. * From the preceding considerations, we may, secondly, infer,\nThat the joy of a Christian does not arise from any _blindness of\nconscience_, from his not being able to discern good from evil. So\nfar from it, that he was an utter stranger to this joy, till the eyes\nof his understanding were opened! That he knew it not, until he had\nspiritual senses, fitted to discern spiritual good and evil. And now\nthe eye of his soul waxeth not dim. He was never so sharp-sighted\nbefore. He has so quick a perception of the smallest things, as is\nquite amazing to the natural man. As a mote is visible in the sun-beam,\nso to him who is walking in the light, in the beams of the uncreated\nSun, every mote of sin is visible. Nor does he close the eyes of his\nconscience any more. That sleep is departed from him. His soul is\nalways broad awake: no more slumber or folding of the hands to rest!\nHe is always standing on the tower, and hearkning what his Lord will\nsay concerning him: and always rejoicing in this very thing, in _seeing\nhim that is invisible_.\n\n19. * Neither does the joy of a Christian arise, thirdly, from any\n_dulness_ or _callousness of conscience_. A kind of joy, it is true,\nmay arise from this, in those whose _foolish hearts are darkened_;\nwhose heart is callous, unfeeling, dull of sense; and consequently,\nwithout spiritual understanding. Because of their senseless, unfeeling\nhearts, they may rejoice even in committing sin: And this they may\nprobably call _liberty_! which is indeed mere drunkenness of soul:\na fatal numbness of spirit, the stupid insensibility of a seared\nconscience. On the contrary, a Christian has the most exquisite\nsensibility; such as he could not have conceived before. He never had\nsuch a tenderness of conscience as he has had, since the love of God\nhas reigned in his heart. And this also is his glory and joy; that God\nhath heard his daily prayer.\n\n \u201cO that my tender soul might fly\n The first, abhorr\u2019d approach of ill:\n Quick, as the apple of an eye\n The slightest touch of sin to feel.\u201d\n\n20. To conclude. Christian joy, is joy in obedience: joy in loving\nGod and keeping his commandments. And yet not in keeping them, as if\nwe were thereby to fulfil the terms of the _covenant of works_; as\nif by any works or righteousness of ours, we were to _procure_ pardon\nand acceptance with God. Not so: we are already pardoned and accepted,\nthrough the mercy of God in Christ Jesus\u2015\u2015Not as if we were by our\nown obedience to _procure_ life, life from the death of sin. This also\nwe have already through the grace of God. _Us hath he quickened, who\nwere dead in sin._ And now we are _alive to God, through Jesus Christ\nour Lord_. But we rejoice in walking, according to the _covenant_\nof _grace_, in holy love and happy obedience. We rejoice in knowing,\nThat _being justified through his grace_, we have _not received that\ngrace of God in vain_; That God having freely (not for the sake of our\nwilling or running, but through the blood of the Lamb) reconciled us\nto himself, we run in the strength which he hath given us, the way of\nhis commandments. He hath _girded us with strength unto the war_, and\nwe gladly _fight the good fight of faith_. We rejoice, through him who\nliveth in our hearts by faith, to _lay hold of eternal life_. This is\nour rejoicing: that as our _father worketh hitherto_, so (not by our\nown might or wisdom, but through the power of his Spirit freely given\nin Christ Jesus) we also work the works of God. And may he work in us,\nwhatsoever is well-pleasing in his sight! To whom be the praise for\never and ever!\n\n \u261e _It may easily be observed, that the preceding discourse,\n describes the experience of those that are strong in faith.\n But hereby those that are weak in faith may be discouraged:\n to prevent which the following discourse may be of use._\n\n\n\n\n SERMON XIII.\n\n ON SIN IN BELIEVERS.\n\n 2 COR. v. 17.\n\n _If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature._\n\n\nI. 1. IS there then sin in him that is in Christ? Does sin _remain_\nin one that _believes in him_? Is there any sin in them that are _born\nof_ God, or are they wholly delivered from it? Let no one imagine this\nto be a question of mere curiosity: or that it is of little importance\nwhether it be determined one way or the other. Rather it is a point of\nthe utmost moment, to every serious Christian: the resolving of which\nvery nearly concerns both his present and eternal happiness.\n\n2. And yet I do not know, that ever it was controverted in the\nprimitive church. Indeed there was no room for disputing concerning\nit, as all Christians were agreed. And so far as I have ever observed,\nthe whole body of antient Christians who have left us any thing in\nwriting, declare with one voice, that even believers in Christ, till\nthey are _strong in the Lord and in the power of his might_, have need\nto _wrestle with flesh and blood_, with an evil nature, as well as\n_with principalities and powers_.\n\n3. And herein our own church, (as indeed in most points) exactly\ncopies after the primitive; declaring (in her ninth article) \u201cOriginal\nsin is the corruption of the nature of every man whereby man is in his\nown nature inclined to evil, so that the flesh lusteth contrary to the\nSpirit. And this infection of nature doth remain, yea, in them that\nare regenerated; whereby the lust of the flesh called in greek \u03c6\u03c1\u03cc\u03bd\u03b7\u03bc\u03b1\n\u2666\u03c3\u03b1\u03c1\u03ba\u1f78\u03c2, is not subject to the law of God. And altho\u2019 there is no\ncondemnation for them that believe, yet this lust hath of itself the\nnature of sin.\u201d\n\n4. The same testimony is given by all other churches: not only by the\n_Greek_ and _Romish_ church, but by every _reformed_ church in _Europe_,\nof whatever denomination. Indeed some of these seem to carry the\nthing too far: so describing the corruption of heart in a believer, as\nscarce to allow that he has dominion over it, but, rather is in bondage\nthereto. And by this means they leave hardly any distinction, between a\nbeliever and an unbeliever.\n\n5. To avoid this extreme, many well-meaning men, particularly those\nunder the direction of the late count _Zinzendorf_, ran into another;\naffirming, that \u2666\u201cAll true believers, are not only saved from the\n_dominion_ of sin, but from the _being_ of inward as well as outward\nsin, so that it no longer, _remains_ in them. And from them, about\ntwenty years ago many of our countrymen imbibed the same opinion, that\neven the corruption of nature _is no more_, in those who believe in\nChrist.\n\n6. It is true, that when the _Germans_ were pressed upon this head,\nthey soon allowed, (many of them at least) that \u201csin did still remain\n_in the flesh_, but not _in the heart_ of a believer.\u201d And after a time,\nwhen the absurdity of this was shewn, they fairly gave up the point:\nallowing, that sin did still _remain_, though not _reign_ in him that\nis born of God.\n\n7. But the _English_ who had received it from them (some directly, some\nat second or third hand) were not so easily prevailed upon, to part\nwith a favourite opinion. And even when the generality of them were\nconvinced it was utterly indefensible, a few could not be persuaded to\ngive it up, but maintain it to this day.\n\n\nII. 1. For the sake of these who really fear God and desire to know\n_the truth as it in Jesus_, it may not be amiss, to consider the point\nwith calmness and impartiality. In doing this, I use indifferently the\nwords _regenerate_, _justified_ or _believers_: since tho\u2019 they have\nnot precisely the same meaning, (the first implying an inward, _actual_\nchange, the second a _relative_ one, and the third, the means whereby\nboth the one and the other are wrought:) yet they come to one and the\nsame thing; as every one that _believes_ is both _justified_ and _born\nof God_.\n\n2. By _sin_ I here understand inward sin: any sinful temper, passion or\naffection: such as pride, self-will, love of the world, in any kind or\ndegree: such as lust, anger, peevishness; any disposition, contrary to\nthe mind which was in Christ.\n\n3. The question is not, concerning _outward sin_: whether a child of\nGod _commits sin_ or no? We all agree and earnestly maintain, _He that\ncommitteth sin is of the devil_. We agree, _whosoever is born of God\ndoth not commit sin_. Neither do we now enquire whether inward sin will\nalways remain in the children of God? Whether sin will continue in the\nsoul, _as long as_ it continues in the body? Nor yet do we enquire,\nwhether a justified person, may _relapse_ either into inward or outward\nsin? But simply this, Is a justified or regenerate man freed from _all\nsin, as soon_ as he is justified? Is there then no sin in his heart?\nNor ever after, unless he fall from grace?\n\n4. We allow, that the state of a justified person is inexpressibly\ngreat and glorious. He is _born again not of blood, nor of the flesh,\nnor of the will of man, but of God_. He is a child of God, a member\nof Christ, an heir of the kingdom of heaven. _The peace of God which\npasseth all understanding, keepeth his heart and mind in Christ Jesus._\nHis very _body_ is a _temple of the Holy Ghost, and an habitation of\nGod through the Spirit_. He is _created anew in Christ Jesus_: He is\n_washed_, he is _sanctified_. His _heart is purified by faith_; he is\ncleansed _from the corruption that is in the world. The love of God\nis shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Ghost which is given unto_\nhim. And so long as he _walketh in love_ (which he may always do) he\n_worships God in Spirit and in truth_. He _keepeth the commandments\nof God, and doth those things, that are pleasing in his sight_: So\n_exercising himself as to have a conscience void of offence, toward\nGod and toward man_. And he has power both over outward and inward sin,\neven from the moment he is justified.\n\n\nIII. 1. But was he not then _freed from all sin_, so that there is\nno sin in his heart? I cannot say this: I cannot believe it: because\nSt. _Paul_, says the contrary. He is speaking to believers, and\ndescribing the state of believers in general, when he says, _The flesh\nlusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: these\nare contrary the one to the other_. _Gal._ v. 17. Nothing can be more\nexpress. The apostle here directly affirms, that _the flesh_, evil\nnature, opposes _the Spirit_, even in believers; that even in the\nregenerate, there are two principles, _contrary the one to the other_.\n\n2. Again. When he writes to the believers at _Corinth_, to those who\nwere _sanctified in Christ Jesus_, _1 Cor._ i. 2. he says, _I brethren,\ncould not speak unto you as unto spiritual but as unto carnal, as unto\nbabes in Christ\u2015\u2015Ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you\nenvying and strife, are ye not carnal?_ ch. iii. ver. 13. Now here the\napostle speaks unto those who were unquestionably believers, whom in\nthe same breath he stiles his _brethren_ in Christ, as being still in\na measure _carnal_. He affirms, there was _envying_ (an evil temper)\noccasioning _strife among them_, and yet does not give the least\nintimation, that they had lost their faith. Nay, he manifestly declares,\nthey had not; for then they would not have been _babes in Christ_. And\n(what is most remarkable of all) he speaks of being _carnal_ and _babes\nin Christ_, as one and the same thing: plainly shewing that every\nbeliever (is in a degree) _carnal_, while he is only a _babe in Christ_.\n\n3. Indeed this grand point, that there are two contrary principles in\nbelievers, nature and grace, the flesh and the Spirit, runs through\nall the epistles of St. _Paul_, yea through all the holy scriptures:\nalmost all the directions and exhortations therein, are founded on this\nsupposition: pointing at wrong tempers or practices in those, who are\nnotwithstanding acknowledged by the inspired writers to be believers.\nAnd they are continually exhorted to fight with and conquer these, by\nthe power of the faith which was in them.\n\n4. And who can doubt, but there was faith in the angel of the church\nof _Ephesus_, when our Lord said to him, _I know thy works, and thy\nlabour, and thy patience, thou hast patience, and for my name\u2019s sake\nhast laboured and hast not fainted_. Rev. ii. 2, 3, 4. But was there\nmeantime no sin in his heart? Yea, or Christ would not have added,\n_nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy\nfirst love_. This was a real sin which God saw in his heart (of which\naccordingly he is exhorted to _repent_.) And yet we have no authority\nto say, that even then he had no faith.\n\n5. Nay, the angel of the church at _Pergamos_ also, is exhorted to\n_repent_, which implies sin, tho\u2019 our Lord expresly says, _thou hast\nnot denied my faith_, ver. 13, 16. And to the angel of the church\nin _Sardis_, he says, _strengthen the things which remain that are\nready to die_. The good which remained was _ready to die_; but was not\nactually dead, chap. iii. 2. So there was still a spark of faith even\nin him; which he is accordingly commanded to _hold fast_. Ver. 3.\n\n6. Once more. When the apostle exhorts believers, to _cleanse_\nthemselves _from all filthiness of flesh and spirit_, (2 Cor.\nviii. 1.) he plainly teaches, that those believers were not yet\ncleansed therefrom. Will you answer, \u201che that _abstains from all\nappearance of evil_, does _ipso facto_ cleanse himself from all\nfilthiness.\u201d Not in any wise. For instance: a man reviles me. I feel\nresentment, which is _filthiness of spirit_. Yet I say not a word. Here\nI _abstain from all appearance of evil_. But this does not cleanse me\nfrom that filthiness of spirit, as I experience to my sorrow.\n\n7. And as this position, There is no sin in a believer, no carnal mind,\nno bent to back-sliding, is thus contrary to the word of God, so it is\nto the _experience_ of his children. These continually feel an heart\nbent to back-sliding, a natural tendency to evil; a proneness to depart\nfrom God, and cleave to the things of earth. They are daily sensible\nof sin remaining in their heart, pride, self-will, unbelief: and of\nsin cleaving to all they speak and do, even their best actions, and\nholiest duties. Yet at the same time they _know_ that they _are of God_;\nthey cannot doubt of it for a moment. They feel _his Spirit_ clearly\n_witnessing with their spirit, that they are the children of God_. They\n_rejoice in God through Christ Jesus, by whom they have now received\nthe atonement_. So that they are equally assured, that sin is in them,\nand that _Christ is in_ them _the hope of glory_.\n\n8. \u201cBut can Christ be in the same heart where sin is?\u201d Undoubtedly he\ncan. Otherwise it never could be saved therefrom. Where the sickness is,\nthere is the physician,\n\n Carrying on his work within,\n Striving \u2019till he cast out sin.\n\nChrist indeed cannot _reign_, where sin _reigns_: neither will he\n_dwell_ where any sin is _allowed_. But he _is_ and _dwells_ in the\nheart of every believer, who is fighting against all sin; although it\nbe _not_ yet _purified, according to the purification of the sanctuary_.\n\n9. It has been observed before, that the opposite doctrine, \u201cthat there\nis no sin in believers,\u201d is quite _new_ in the church of Christ: that\nit was never heard of for seventeen hundred years, never \u2019till it was\ndiscovered by Count _Zinzendorf_. I do not remember to have seen the\nleast intimation of it, either in any antient or modern writer: unless\nperhaps in some of the wild, ranting Antinomians. And these likewise\nsay and unsay, acknowledging, there is sin _in their flesh_, although\nno sin _in their heart_. But whatever doctrine is _new_ must be _wrong_:\nfor the _old_ religion is the only _true_ one. And no doctrine can be\nright, unless it is the very same _which was from the beginning_.\n\n10. One argument more against this new, unscriptural doctrine, may be\ndrawn from the dreadful consequences of it. One says, \u201cI felt anger\nto-day.\u201d Must I reply, then you have no faith? Another says, \u201cI know\nwhat you advise is good. But my will is quite averse to it.\u201d Must I\ntell him, \u201cThen you are an unbeliever, under the wrath and the curse of\nGod?\u201d What will be the natural consequence of this? Why, if he believe\nwhat I say, his soul will not only be grieved and wounded, but perhaps\nutterly destroyed: Inasmuch as he will _cast away_ that _confidence,\nwhich hath great recompence of reward_. And having cast away his shield,\nhow shall he _quench the fiery darts of the wicked one_? How shall\nhe overcome the world? Seeing _this is the victory that overcometh\nthe world even our faith_. He stands disarmed in the midst of his\nenemies, open to all their assaults. What wonder then if he be utterly\noverthrown; if they take him captive at their will? Yea, if he fall\nfrom one wickedness to another, and never see good any more?\u2015\u2015\u2015\u2015I\ncannot therefore by any means receive this assertion, that there is no\nsin in a believer from the moment he is justified; first, because it\nis contrary to the whole tenor of scripture; secondly, because it \u2666is\ncontrary to the experience of the children of God. Thirdly, because\nit is absolutely new, never heard of in the world \u2019till yesterday;\nand lastly, because it is naturally attended with the most fatal\nconsequences; not only grieving those whom God hath not grieved, but\nperhaps dragging them into everlasting perdition.\n\n\nIV. 1. However, let us give a fair hearing to the chief arguments, of\nthose who endeavour to support it. And it is, first, from scripture\nthey attempt to prove, that there is no sin in a believer. They argue\nthus. \u201cThe scripture says, every believer is _born of God_, is _clean_,\nis _holy_, is _sanctified_; is _pure in heart_, has a new heart, is a\ntemple of the Holy Ghost. Now, as _that which is born of the flesh is\nflesh_, is altogether evil, so _that which is born of the Spirit is\nspirit_, is altogether good. Again; a man cannot be clean, sanctified,\nholy, and at the same time unclean, unsanctified, unholy. He cannot be\npure and impure, or have a new and an old heart together. Neither can\nhis soul be unholy, while it is a temple of the Holy Ghost.\u201d\n\nI have put this objection as strong as possible, that its full weight\nmay appear. Let us now examine it, part by part. And 1 \u201c_That which is\nborn of the Spirit, is spirit_, is altogether good.\u201d I allow the text,\nbut not the comment. For the text affirms this, and no more, That every\nman who is _born of the Spirit_, is a _spiritual man_. He is so. But\nso he may be and yet not be _altogether spiritual_. The Christians at\n_Corinth_ were _spiritual_ men. Else they had been no Christians at\nall. And yet they were not _altogether_ spiritual. They were still\n(in part) _carnal_. \u201cBut they were fallen from grace.\u201d St. _Paul_\nsays no. They were even then _babes in_ Christ. 2. \u201cBut a man cannot\nbe _clean_, _sanctified_, _holy_, and at the same time _unclean_,\n_unsanctified_, _unholy_.\u201d Indeed he may. So the _Corinthians_ were.\n_Ye are washed_, says the apostle, _ye are sanctified_: namely,\ncleansed from _fornication_, _idolatry_, _drunkenness_, and all other\noutward sin, (1 Cor. vi. 9, 10, 11.) And yet at the same time, in\nanother sense of the word, they were _unsanctified_: they were not\n_washed_, not inwardly _cleansed_ from envy, evil-surmising, partiality.\n\u201cBut sure they had not a new heart, and an old heart together.\u201d It is\nmost sure, they had. For at that very time, their hearts were _truly_,\nyet not _entirely_ renewed. Their carnal mind was nailed to the cross.\nYet it was not wholly destroyed. \u201cBut could they be _unholy_, while\nthey were _temples of the Holy Ghost_?\u201d Yes, that they were _temples of\nthe Holy Ghost_, is certain. (_1 Cor._ vi. 19.) And it is equally\ncertain, they were, in some degree _carnal_, that is, _unholy_.\n\n2. \u201cHowever, there is one scripture more, which will put the matter\nout of question. _If any man be_ (a believer) _in Christ_, he is _a new\ncreature. Old things are past away: behold all things are become new_,\n2 Cor. v. 17. Now, certainly a man cannot be a _new creature_ and an\n_old creature_ at once.\u201d Yes, he may. He may be _partly renewed_, which\nwas the very case of those at _Corinth_. They were doubtless _renewed\nin the spirit of their mind_, or they could not have been so much\nas _babes in Christ_. Yet they had not the whole mind which was _in\nChrist_, for they _envied_ one another. \u201cBut it is said expresly, _old\nthings are past away: all things are become new_.\u201d But we must not so\ninterpret the apostle\u2019s words, as to make him contradict himself. And\nif we will make him consistent with himself, the plain meaning of the\nwords is this. His _old judgment_ (concerning justification, holiness,\nhappiness, indeed concerning the things of God in general) is now\n_past away_. So are his _old desires, designs, affections, tempers, and\nconversation_. All these are undeniably _become new_, greatly changed\nfrom what they were. And yet though they _are new_, they are not\n_wholly new_. Still he feels, to his sorrow and shame, remains of the\n_old man_, too manifest taints of his former tempers and affections,\nthough they cannot _gain_ any _advantage_ over him, as long as he\n_watches unto prayer_.\n\n3. This whole argument, \u201cIf he is clean, he is clean,\u201d \u201cif he is\nholy, he is holy;\u201d (and twenty more expressions of the same kind, may\neasily be heaped together) is really no better than playing upon words:\nit is the fallacy of arguing from a _particular_ to a _general_; of\ninferring a general conclusion, from particular premisses. Propose\nthe sentence entire, and it runs thus: \u201cIf he is holy _at all_, he is\nholy _altogether_.\u201d That does not follow: every babe in Christ is holy,\nand yet not altogether so. He is saved from sin; yet not intirely:\nit _remains_ though it does not _reign_. If you think it does not\n_remain_ (in _babes_ at least, whatever be the case with _young men_,\nor _fathers_) you certainly have not considered the height and depth\nand length and breadth of the law of God; even the law of love, laid\ndown by St. _Paul_ in the thirteenth of _Corinthians_ and that _every_\n\u1f00\u03bd\u03bf\u03bc\u03af\u03b1, disconformity to, or deviation from this law, _is sin_. Now is\nthere no disconformity to this in the heart or life of a believer? What\nmay be in an adult Christian is another question. But what a stranger\nmust he be to human nature, who can possibly imagine, that this is the\ncase with every babe in Christ?\n\n4. \u201cBut believers _walk after the Spirit_.[27] Rom. viii. 1. and the\nSpirit of God _dwells_ in them, consequently they are delivered from\nthe guilt, the power, _or in one word_, the being of sin.\u201d\n\nThese are coupled together, as if they were the same thing. But they\nare not the same thing. The _guilt_ is one thing, the _power_ another,\nand the _being_ yet another. That believers are delivered from the\n_guilt_ and _power_ of sin we allow; that they are delivered from the\n_being_ of it we deny. Nor does it in any wise follow from these texts.\nA man may have the Spirit of God _dwelling in_ him, and may _walk after\nthe Spirit_, tho\u2019 he still feels _the flesh lusting against the Spirit_.\n\n5. \u201cBut the _church is the body of Christ_, Col. i. 24. This implies,\nthat its members are washed from all filthiness. Otherwise it will\nfollow, that Christ and _Belial_ are incorporated with each other.\u201d\n\nNay, it will not follow from hence, \u201cThose who are the mystical body of\nChrist, still feel the flesh lusting against the Spirit,\u201d that Christ\nhas any fellowship with the devil, or with that sin which he enables\nthem to resist and overcome.\n\n6. \u201cBut are not Christians _come to the heavenly Jerusalem_, where\n_nothing defiled can enter_?\u201d Heb. xii. 22. Yes; and _to an innumerable\ncompany of angels, and to the spirits of just men made perfect_: that\nis,\n\n Earth and heaven all agree;\n All his one great family.\n\nAnd they are likewise holy and _undefiled_, while they _walk after the\nSpirit_: although sensible, there is another principle in them, and\nthat _these are contrary to each other_.\n\n7. \u201cBut Christians are _reconciled to God_. Now this could not be,\nif any of the _carnal mind_ remained: for this is enmity against\nGod. Consequently no reconciliation can be effected, but by its total\ndestruction.\u201d\n\nWe _are reconciled to God thro\u2019 the blood of the Cross_. And in that\nmoment, the \u03c6\u03c1\u03cc\u03bd\u03b7\u03bc\u03b1 \u03c3\u03b1\u03c1\u03ba\u1f78\u03c2 the corruption of nature, which is _enmity\nwith God_, is put under our feet. The flesh has _no more dominion_ over\nus. But it still _exists_: And it is still in its nature enmity with\nGod, lusting against his Spirit.\n\n8. \u201cBut _they that are Christ\u2019s have crucified the flesh, with its\naffections and lusts_.\u201d _Gal._ v. 24. They have so: yet it remains\nin them still, and often struggles to break from the cross. \u201cNay, but\nthey have _put off the old man with his deeds_.\u201d _Col._ iii. 9. They\nhave: and in the sense above described, _old things are passed away;\nall things are become new_. An hundred texts may be cited to the same\neffect. And they will all admit of the same answer. \u201cBut to say all in\none word, _Christ gave himself for the church, that\u2015\u2015it might be holy\nand without blemish_.\u201d _Eph._ v. 25, 27. And so it will be in the end:\nbut it never was yet from the beginning to this day.\n\n9. \u201cBut let _experience_ speak. All who are justified do at that time\nfind an absolute freedom from all sin.\u201d That I doubt: But if they do,\ndo they find it ever after? Else you gain nothing. \u201cIf they do not, it\nis their own fault.\u201d That remains to be proved.\n\n10. \u201cBut, in the very nature of things, can a man have pride in him,\nand not be proud? Anger, and yet not be angry?\u201d\n\nA man may have _pride_ in him, may think of himself in _some\nparticulars_ above what he ought to think, (and so be _proud_ in that\nparticular) and yet not be a proud man, in his _general_ character. He\nmay have _anger_ in him, yea and a strong propensity to furious anger,\nwithout _giving way_ to it. \u201cBut can anger and pride be in that heart,\n\u2666where _only_ meekness and humility are felt!\u201d No: but _some_ pride and\nanger may be in that heart, where there is _much_ humility and meekness.\n\n\u201cIt avails not to say, these tempers _are_ there, but they do not\n_reign_. For sin cannot, in any kind or degree, _exist_ where it does\nnot _reign_. For _guilt_ and _power_, are essential properties of sin.\nTherefore where one of them is, all must be.\u201d\n\nStrange indeed! \u201cSin cannot in any kind or degree, _exist_ where it\ndoes not _reign_?\u201d Absolutely contrary this to all experience, all\nscripture, all common sense. Resentment of an affront is sin. It is\n\u1f00\u03bd\u03bf\u03bc\u03af\u03b1, disconformity to the law of love. This has existed in me a\nthousand times. Yet it did not, and does not _reign_. \u201cBut _guilt_\nand _power_ are essential properties of sin: therefore where one is,\nall must be.\u201d No. In the instance before us, if the resentment I feel\nis not yielded to, even for a moment, there is no _guilt_ at all, no\ncondemnation from God upon that account. And in this case, it has no\n_power_: though it _lusteth against the Spirit_ it cannot prevail. Here\ntherefore, as in ten thousand instances, there is _sin_, without either\n_guilt_ or _power_.\n\n11. \u201cBut the supposing sin in a believer is pregnant with every thing\nfrightful and discouraging. It implies the contending with a power,\nthat has the possession of our strength, maintains his usurpation of\nour hearts, and there prosecutes the war in defiance of our Redeemer.\u201d\nNot so. The supposing sin _is in_ us, does not imply, that it has\nthe possession of our strength. No more than a man crucified has the\npossession of those that crucify him. As little does it imply, that\nsin \u201cmaintains its usurpation of our hearts.\u201d The usurper is dethroned.\nHe _remains_ indeed where he once reigned; but remains _in chains_. So\nthat he does, in some sense \u201cprosecute the war,\u201d yet he grows weaker\nand weaker: while the believer goes on from strength to strength,\nconquering and to conquer.\n\n12. \u201cI am not satisfied yet. He that has sin in him, is a slave to sin.\nTherefore you suppose a man to be justified, while he is a slave to sin.\nNow if you allow, men may be justified, while they have pride, anger or\nunbelief in them; nay if you aver, These are (at least, for a time) in\nall that are justified: what wonder that we have so many proud, angry,\nunbelieving believers?\u201d\n\nI do not suppose any man who is justified, is a slave to sin. Yet I do\nsuppose, sin remains (at least for a time) in all that are justified.\n\u201cBut if sin remains in a believer, he is a sinful man: if pride, for\ninstance, then he is proud: if self-will, then he is self-willed; if\nunbelief, then he is an unbeliever; consequently, no believer at all.\nHow then does he differ from unbelievers, from unregenerate men?\u201d\n\nThis is still mere playing upon words. It means no more than, if\nthere is sin, pride, self-will in him, then\u2015\u2015\u2015\u2015there is sin, pride,\nself-will. And this nobody can deny. In _that sense_ then he is proud\nor self-willed. But he is not proud or self-willed in the same sense,\nthat unbelievers are, that is, _governed_ by pride or self-will. Herein\nhe differs from unregenerate men. They _obey_ sin; he does not. Flesh\nis in them both. But they _walk after the flesh_: He _walks after the\nSpirit_.\n\n\u201cBut how can _unbelief_ be in a believer?\u201d That word has two meanings.\nIt means either _no faith_, or _little faith_; either the _absence_ of\nfaith, or the _weakness_ of it. In the former sense, unbelief is not in\na believer: in the latter, it is in all babes. Their faith is commonly\nmixt with doubt or fear, that is (in the latter sense) with unbelief.\n_Why are ye fearful_, says our Lord, _O ye of little faith_. Again,\n_O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?_ You see here was\n_unbelief_ in _believers_: little faith and much unbelief.\n\n13. \u201cBut this doctrine, that sin remains in a believer, that a man\nmay be in the favour of God, while he has sin in his heart, certainly\ntends to encourage men in sin.\u201d Understand the proposition right,\nand no such consequence follows. A man may be in God\u2019s favour tho\u2019 he\n_feel_ sin; but not if he _yields_ to it. _Having sin_ does not forfeit\nthe favour of God; _giving way to sin_, does. Though the flesh in you\n_lust against the spirit_, you may still be a child of God. But if\nyou _walk after the flesh_, you are a child of the devil. Now, this\ndoctrine does not incourage to _obey_ sin, but to _resist_ it with all\nour might.\n\n\nV. 1. The sum of all is this. There are in every person, even after\nhe is justified, two contrary principles, nature and grace, termed\nby St. _Paul_, the _flesh_ and the _Spirit_. Hence altho\u2019 even babes\nin Christ are _sanctified_, yet it is only _in part_. In a degree,\naccording to the measure of their faith, they are _spiritual_: yet in\na degree, they are _carnal_. Accordingly, believers are continually\nexhorted to watch against the flesh, as well as the world and the devil.\nAnd to this agrees the constant experience of the children of God.\nWhile they feel this witness in themselves, they feel a will not wholly\nresigned to the will of God. They know they are in him, and yet find an\nheart ready to depart from him, a proneness to evil in many instances,\nand a backwardness to that which is good. The contrary doctrine is\nwholly _new_; never heard of in the church of Christ, from the time of\nhis coming into the world, \u2019till the time of count _Zinzendorf_. And it\nis attended with the most fatal consequences. It cuts off all watching\nagainst our evil nature, against the _Delilah_, which we are told is\ngone, tho\u2019 she is still lying in our bosom. It tears away the shield\nof weak believers, deprives them of their faith, and so leaves them\nexposed to all the assaults of the world, the flesh and the devil.\n\n2. Let us therefore hold fast the sound doctrine, _once delivered to\nthe saints_, and delivered down by them with the written word, to all\nsucceeding generations: that altho\u2019 we are renewed, cleansed, purified,\nsanctified, the moment we truly believe in Christ, yet we are not,\nthen renewed, cleansed, purified altogether: but the _flesh_, the evil\nnature still _remains_ (though subdued) and wars _against_ the Spirit.\nSo much the more, let us use all diligence, in _fighting the good fight\nof faith_. So much the more earnestly let us _watch and pray_, against\nthe enemy within. The more carefully let us _take to_ ourselves, and\n_put on the whole armour of God_: that although _we wrestle_, both\n_with flesh and blood, and with principalities and powers and wicked\nspirits in high places, we may be able to withstand in the evil day,\nand having done all, to stand_.\n\n\n\n\n SERMON XIV.\n\n THE REPENTANCE OF BELIEVERS.\n\n MARK i. 15.\n\n _Repent and believe the gospel._\n\n\n1. IT is generally supposed, that repentance and faith are only the\ngate of religion; that they are necessary only at the beginning of our\nChristian course, when we are setting out in the way to the kingdom.\nAnd this may seem to be confirmed by the great apostle, where exhorting\nthe _Hebrew_ Christians, to _go on to perfection_, he teaches them to\n_leave_ these _first principles of the doctrine of Christ; not laying\nagain the foundation of repentance from dead works and faith toward\nGod_: which must at least mean, that they should comparatively leave\nthese, that at first took up all their thoughts, in order to _press\nforward toward the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus_.\n\n2. And this is undoubtedly true, that there is a repentance and a faith,\nwhich are more especially necessary at the beginning: a repentance\nwhich is a conviction of our utter sinfulness, and guiltiness, and\nhelplessness: and which precedes our receiving that kingdom of God,\nwhich our Lord observes is _within us_; and a faith, whereby we receive\nthat kingdom, even _righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy\nGhost_.\n\n3. But notwithstanding this, there is also a repentance and a faith,\n(taking the words in another sense, a sense not quite the same, nor yet\nentirely different,) which are requisite after we have _believed the\ngospel_: yea, and in every subsequent stage of our Christian course,\nor we cannot _run the race which is set before_ us. And this repentance\nand faith are full as necessary, in order to our continuance and growth\nin grace, as the former faith and repentance were, in order to our\nentring into the kingdom of God.\n\nBut in what sense are we to repent and believe, after we are justified?\nThis is an important question, and worthy of being considered with the\nutmost attention.\n\n\nI. And first, In what sense are we to repent?\n\n1. Repentance frequently means, an inward change, a change of mind from\nsin to holiness. But we now speak of it in a quite different sense, as\nit is one kind of self-knowledge, the knowing ourselves sinners, yea\nguilty, helpless sinners, even tho\u2019 we know we are children of God.\n\n2. Indeed when we first know this, when we first find redemption in the\nblood of Jesus, when the love of God is first shed abroad in our hearts\nand his kingdom set up therein, it is natural to suppose that we are no\nlonger sinners, that all our sins are not only covered but destroyed.\nAs we do not then feel any evil in our hearts, we readily imagine, none\nis there. Nay some well-meaning men have imagined this, not only at\nthat time, but ever after: having persuaded themselves, that when they\nwere justified, they were entirely sanctified. Yea, they have laid it\ndown as a general rule, in spite of scripture, reason, and experience.\nThese sincerely believe and earnestly maintain, that all sin is\ndestroyed when we are justified, and that there is no sin in the heart\nof a believer, but that it is altogether clean from that moment. But\ntho\u2019 we readily acknowledge, _he that believeth is born of God_, and\n_he that is born of God doth not commit sin_: yet we cannot allow, that\nhe does not _feel_ it within: it does not _reign_, but it does remain.\nAnd a conviction of the sin which _remains_ in our heart, is one great\nbranch of the repentance we are now speaking of.\n\n3. For it is seldom long, before he who imagined all sin was gone,\nfeels there is still _pride_ in his heart. He is convinced, both that\nin many respects he has thought of himself more highly than he ought to\nthink, and that he has taken to himself the praise of something he had\nreceived, and gloried in it as though he had not received it. And yet\nhe knows, he is in the favour of God. He cannot and ought not to _cast\naway_ his _confidence_. _The Spirit_ still _witnesses with_ his _Spirit,\nthat he is a child of God_.\n\n4. Nor is it long before he feels _self-will_ in his heart, even a will\ncontrary to the will of God. A will every man must inevitably have,\nas long as he has an understanding. This is an essential part of human\nnature, indeed of the nature of every intelligent being. Our blessed\nLord himself had a will as a man: otherwise he had not been a man. But\nhis human will was invariably subject to the will of his Father. At all\ntimes, and on all occasions, even in the deepest affliction, he could\nsay, _Not as I will, but as thou wilt._ But this is not the case at\nall times, even with a true believer in Christ. He frequently finds\nhis will more or less exalting itself against the will of God. He wills\nsomething because it is pleasing to nature, which is not pleasing to\nGod. And he nills (is averse from) something because it is painful\nto nature, which is the will of God concerning him. Indeed (suppose\nhe continues in the faith) he fights against it with all his might.\nBut this very thing implies, that it really exists, and that he is\nconscious of it.\n\n5. Now self-will, as well as pride, is a species of idolatry: and both\nare directly contrary to the love of God. The same observation may be\nmade, concerning _the love of the world_. But this likewise even true\nbelievers are liable to feel in themselves; and every one of them does\nfeel it, more or less, sooner or later, in one branch or another. It\nis true, when he first passes from death unto life, he desires nothing\nmore but God. He can truly say, _All my desire is unto thee, and unto\nthe remembrance of thy name. Whom have I in heaven but thee, and there\nis none upon earth that I desire beside thee!_ But it is not so always.\nIn process of time he will feel again, (tho\u2019 perhaps only for a few\nmoments) either _the desire of the flesh, or the desire of the eye,\nor the pride of life_. Nay, if he does not continually watch and pray,\nhe may find _lust_ reviving, yea, and thrusting sore at him that he\nmay fall, \u2019till he has scarce any strength left in him. He may feel\nthe assaults of _inordinate affection_, yea a strong propensity to\n_love the creature more than the Creator_: whether it be a child, a\nparent, an husband or wife, or _the friend that is as his own soul_.\nHe may feel in a thousand various ways, a desire of earthly things or\npleasures. In the same proportion he will forget God, not seeking his\nhappiness in him, and consequently being a _lover of pleasure more than\na lover of God_.\n\n6. If he does not keep himself every moment, he will again feel _the\ndesire of the eye_, the desire of gratifying his imagination, with\nsomething great, or beautiful, or uncommon. In how many ways does this\ndesire assault the soul? Perhaps with regard to the poorest trifles,\nsuch as dress, or furniture: things never designed to satisfy the\nappetite of an immortal spirit. Yet how natural is it for us, even\nafter we _have tasted of the powers of the world to come_, to sink\nagain into these foolish, low desires of things, that perish in\nthe using? How hard is it, even for those, who know in whom they\nhave believed, to conquer but one branch of the desire of the eye,\ncuriosity? Constantly to trample it under their feet? To desire nothing,\nmerely because it is new?\n\n7. And how hard is it even for the children of God wholly to conquer\n_the pride of life_? St. _John_ seems to mean by this nearly the same\nwith what the world terms the sense of honour. This is no other than a\ndesire of and delight in _the honour that cometh of men_: a desire and\nlove of praise, and (which is always joined with it) a proportionable\n_fear of dispraise_. Nearly allied to this is _evil shame_: the being\nashamed of that wherein we ought to glory. And this is seldom divided\nfrom the _fear of man_, which brings a thousand snares upon the soul.\nNow where is he even among those that seem strong in faith, who does\nnot find in himself a degree of all these evil tempers? So that even\nthese are but in part _crucified to the world_: for the evil root still\nremains in their heart.\n\n8. And do we not feel other tempers, which are as contrary to the\nlove of our neighbour, as these are to the love of God? The love of our\nneighbour _thinketh no evil_: do not we find any thing of the kind? Do\nwe never find any _jealousies_, any _evil surmisings_, any groundless\nor unreasonable suspicions? He that is clear in these respects, let\nhim cast the first stone at his neighbour. Who does not sometimes\nfeel other tempers or inward motions, which he knows are contrary\nto brotherly love? If nothing of _malice_, _hatred_ or _bitterness_,\nis there no touch of _envy_? Particularly toward those who enjoy\nsome (real or supposed) good, which we desire, but cannot attain?\nDo we never find any degree of _resentment_, when we are injured or\naffronted? Especially by those whom we peculiarly loved, and whom we\nhad most laboured to help or oblige. Does injustice or ingratitude\nnever excite in us any desire of _revenge_? Any desire of returning\nevil for evil, instead of _overcoming evil with good_? This also shews,\nhow much is still in our heart, which is contrary to the love of our\nneighbour.\n\n9. _Covetousness_ in every kind and degree is certainly as contrary\nto this as to the love of God. Whether \u03c6\u03b9\u03bb\u03b1\u03c1\u03b3\u03c5\u03c1\u03af\u03b1, _the love of\nmoney_, which is too frequently _the root of all evils_, or \u03c0\u03bb\u03b5\u03bf\u03bd\u03b5\u03be\u03af\u03b1,\nliterally, a desire of _having more_, or increasing in substance. And\nhow few even of the real children of God, are entirely free from both?\nIndeed one great man, _Martin Luther_ used to say, he \u201cNever had any\ncovetousness in him, (not only in his converted state, but) ever since\nhe was born.\u201d But if so, I would not scruple to say, he was the only\nman born of a woman, (except him that was God as well as man) who had\nnot, who was born without it. Nay, I believe, never was any one born of\nGod, that lived any considerable time after, who did not feel more or\nless of it many times, especially in the latter sense. We may therefore\nset it down as an undoubted truth, that _covetousness_, together with\npride, and self-will and anger _remain_ in the hearts even of them that\nare justified.\n\n10. It is their experiencing this which has inclined so many serious\npersons, to understand the latter part of the seventh chapter to the\n_Romans_, not of them that _are under the law_, that are convinced\nof sin, which is undoubtedly the meaning of the apostle, but of\nthem that _are under grace_, that are _justified freely through the\nredemption that is in Christ_. And it is most certain, they are thus\nfar right: there does still _remain_ even in them that are justified,\na _mind_ which is in some measure _carnal_; (so the apostle tells\neven the believers at _Corinth_, _Ye are carnal_:) an _heart bent\nto backsliding_, still ever ready to _depart from the living God_:\na propensity to pride, self-will, anger, revenge, love of the world,\nyea and all evil; a root of bitterness, which if the restraint were\ntaken off for a moment, would instantly spring up: yea, such a depth\nof corruption, as without clear light from God, we cannot possibly\nconceive. And a conviction of all this sin _remaining_ in their hearts,\nis the repentance which belongs to them that are justified.\n\n11. But we should likewise be convinced, that as sin remains in our\nhearts, so it _cleaves_ to all our words and actions. Indeed it is\nto be feared that many of our words are more than mixt with sin; that\nthey are sinful all together; for such undoubtedly is all _uncharitable\nconversation_: all which does not spring from brotherly love, all which\ndoes not agree with that golden rule, _What ye would that others should\ndo to you, even so do unto them_. Of this kind is all backbiting, all\ntale-bearing, all whispering, all evil-speaking; that is, repeating the\nfaults of absent persons: for none would have others repeat his faults\nwhen he is absent. Now how few are there, even among believers, who are\nin no degree guilty of this? Who steddily observe the good, old rule,\n\u201cOf the dead and the absent\u2015\u2015nothing but good.\u201d And suppose they do, do\nthey likewise abstain from _unprofitable conversation_? Yet all this is\nunquestionably sinful, and _grieves the holy Spirit of God_. Yea, and\n_for every idle word that men shall speak they shall give an account in\nthe day of judgment_.\n\n12. But let it be supposed, that they continually _watch and pray_,\nand so do _not enter into this temptation_; that they constantly set a\nwatch before their mouth, and keep the door of their lips: suppose they\nexercise themselves herein, that _all_ their _conversation may be in\ngrace seasoned with salt, and meet to minister grace to the hearers_:\nyet do they not daily slide into useless discourse, notwithstanding all\ntheir caution? And even when they endeavour to speak for God, are their\nwords pure, free from unholy mixtures? Do they find nothing wrong in\ntheir very _intention_? Do they speak merely to please God, and not\npartly to please themselves? Is it wholly, to do the will of God, and\nnot their own will also? Or, if they begin with a single eye, do they\ngo on _looking unto Jesus_, and talking with him all the time they are\ntalking with their neighbour? When they are reproving sin, do they feel\nno anger or unkind temper to the sinner? When they are instructing the\nignorant, do they not find any pride, any self-preference? When they\nare comforting the afflicted, or provoking one another to love and to\ngood works, do they never perceive any inward self-commendation, \u201cNow\nyou have spoke well?\u201d Or any vanity, a desire that others should think\nso, and esteem them on the account? In some or all of these respects,\nhow much sin _cleaves_ to the best conversation even of believers? The\nconviction of which is another branch of the repentance which belongs\nto them that are justified.\n\n13. And how much sin, if their conscience is throughly awake, may they\nfind _cleaving to their actions_ also? Nay, are there not many of these,\nwhich though they are such as the world would not condemn, yet cannot\nbe commended, no nor excused, if we judge by the word of God? Are there\nnot many of their actions, which they themselves know, are not _to the\nglory of God_? Many, wherein they did not even aim at this, which were\nnot undertaken with an eye to God? And of those that were, are there\nnot many, wherein their eye is not singly fixt on God? Wherein they are\ndoing their own will, at least as much as his, and seeking to please\nthemselves as much, if not more than to please God? And while they\nare endeavouring to do good to their neighbour, do they not feel wrong\ntempers of various kinds? Hence their good actions, so called, are far\nfrom being strictly such, being polluted with such a mixture of evil!\nSuch are their works of _mercy_! And is there not the same mixture\nin their works of _piety_? While they are hearing the word which is\nable to save their souls, do they not frequently find such thoughts,\nas make them afraid, lest it should turn to their condemnation, rather\nthan their salvation? Is it not often the same case, while they are\nendeavouring to offer up their prayers to God, whether in public, or\nprivate? Nay, while they are engaged in the most solemn service. Even\nwhile they are at the table of the Lord, what manner of thoughts arise\nin them? Are not their hearts sometimes wandering to the ends of the\nearth, sometimes filled with such imaginations, as make them fear, lest\nall their sacrifice should be an abomination to the Lord. So that they\nare more ashamed of their best duties, than they were once of their\nworst sins.\n\n14. Again. How many _sins of omission_ are they chargeable with?\nWe know the words of the apostle, _To him that knoweth to do good,\nand doth it not, to him it is sin_. But do they not know a thousand\ninstances, wherein they might have done good, to enemies, to strangers,\nto their brethren, either with regard to their bodies or their souls,\nand they did it not? How many omissions have they been guilty of, in\ntheir duty toward God? How many opportunities of communicating, of\nhearing his word, of public or private prayer have they neglected?\nSo great reason had even that holy man archbishop _Usher_, after all\nhis labours for God, to cry out, almost, with his dying breath, \u201cLord,\nforgive me my sins of omission.\u201d\n\n15. But besides these outward omissions, may they not find in\nthemselves, _inward defects_ without number? Defects of every kind:\nthey have not the love, the fear, the confidence they ought to have\ntoward God. They have not the love which is due to their neighbour, to\nevery child of man: no, nor even that which is due to their brethren,\nto every child of God; whether those that are at a distance from them,\nor those with whom they are immediately connected. They have no holy\ntemper in the degree they ought: they are defective in every thing: in\na deep consciousness of which they are ready to cry out with Mr. _de\nRenty_, \u201cI am a ground all overrun with thorns:\u201d or with _Job_, _I am\nvile: I abhor myself, and repent_ as _in dust and ashes_.\n\n16. A conviction of their _guiltiness_ is another branch of that\nrepentance which belongs to the children of God. But this is cautiously\nto be understood, and in a peculiar sense. For it is certain, _there\nis no condemnation for them that are in Christ Jesus_, that believe\nin him, and in the power of that faith, _walk not after the flesh\nbut after the Spirit_. Yet can they no more bear the _strict justice_\nof God now than before they believed. This pronounces them to be\nstill _worthy of death_, on all the preceding accounts. And it would\nabsolutely condemn them thereto, were it not for the atoning blood.\nTherefore they are throughly convinced, that they still _deserve_\npunishment, altho\u2019 it is hereby turned aside from them. But here there\nare extremes on one hand and on the other, and few steer clear of\nthem. Most men strike on one or the other, either thinking themselves\ncondemned, when they are not, or thinking they _deserve_ to be\nacquitted. Nay, the truth lies between: they still _deserve_, strictly\nspeaking, only the damnation of hell. But what they deserve does\nnot come upon them, because they _have an Advocate with the Father_.\nHis life and death and intercession still interpose between them and\ncondemnation.\n\n17. A conviction of their _utter helplesness_, is yet another branch\nof this repentance. I mean hereby two things; 1. That they are no more\nable now _of themselves_ to think one good thought, to form one good\ndesire, to speak one good word, or do one good work, than before they\nwere justified: that they have still no kind or degree of strength\n_of their own_, no power either to do good or resist evil: no ability\nto conquer or even withstand, the world, the devil, or their own evil\nnature. They _can_, it is certain, _do all_ these _things_; but it\nis not by _their own strength_. They have power to overcome all these\nenemies; for _sin hath no more dominion over_ them. But it is not from\nnature, either in whole or in part: _it is the_ mere _gift of God_. Nor\nis it given all at once, as if they had a stock laid up for many years;\nbut from moment to moment.\n\n18. By this helplesness I mean, secondly, an absolute inability to\ndeliver ourselves, from that guiltiness or desert of punishment whereof\nwe are still conscious: yea, and an inability to remove by all the\ngrace we have, (to say nothing of our natural powers) either the pride,\nself-will, love of the world, anger, and general proneness to _depart\nfrom God_, which we experimentally know to _remain_ in the heart,\neven of them that are regenerate; or the evil which in spite of all\nour endeavours, _cleaves_ to all our words and actions. Add to this,\nan utter inability wholly to avoid _uncharitable_, and much more,\n_unprofitable conversation_: Add, an inability to avoid _sins of\nomission_, or to supply the numberless _defects_ we are convinced of,\nespecially the want of love and other right tempers, both to God and\nman.\n\n19. If any man is not satisfied of this, if any believes that whoever\nis justified, is able to remove these sins out of his heart and life,\nlet him make the experiment. Let him try, whether by the grace he\nhas already received, he can expel pride, self-will, or inbred sin\nin general. Let him try, whether he can cleanse his words and actions\nfrom all mixture of evil: whether he can avoid all uncharitable and\nunprofitable conversation, with all sins of omission; and lastly,\nwhether he can supply the numberless defects which he still finds in\nhimself. Let him not be discouraged by one or two experiments, but\nrepeat the trial again and again. And the longer he tries, the more\ndeeply will he be convinced of his utter helplesness in all these\nrespects.\n\n20. Indeed this is so evident a truth, that well nigh all the children\nof God scattered abroad, however they differ in other points, yet\ngenerally agree in this, that although we may _by the Spirit mortify\nthe deeds of the body_, resist and conquer both outward and inward sin,\nalthough we may _weaken_ our enemies day by day, yet we cannot _drive\nthem out_. By all the grace which is given at justification, we cannot\nextirpate them. Though we watch and pray ever so much, we cannot wholly\ncleanse either our hearts or hands. Most sure we cannot, till it shall\nplease our Lord, to speak to our hearts again, to \u201cSpeak the second\ntime _be clean_.\u201d And then only _the leprosy is cleansed_. Then only\nthe evil root, the carnal mind is destroyed, and inbred sin subsists\nno more. But if there be no such second change, if there be no\ninstantaneous deliverance after justification, if there be _none but_ a\ngradual work of God, (that there is a gradual work none denies) then we\nmust be content, as well as we can, to remain full of sin till death.\nAnd if so, we must remain _guilty_ till death, continually _deserving_\npunishment. For it is impossible, the guilt or desert of punishment\nshould be removed from us, as long as all this sin remains in our heart,\nand cleaves to our words and actions. Nay, in rigorous justice, all we\nthink, and speak, and act, continually increases it.\n\n\nII. 1. In this sense, we are to _repent_, after we are justified. And\ntill we do so, we can go no farther. For till we are sensible, of our\ndisease, it admits of no cure. But supposing we do thus repent, then\nare we called to _believe the gospel_.\n\n2. And this also is to be understood in a peculiar sense, different\nfrom that, wherein we believed in order to justification. Believe the\n_glad tidings of great salvation_, which God hath prepared for all\npeople. Believe that he who is _the brightness of his Father\u2019s glory,\nthe express image of his person, is able to save unto the uttermost all\nthat come unto God through him_. He is able to save you from all the\nsin that still remains in your heart. He is able to save you from all\nthe sin that cleaves to all your words and actions. He is able to save\nyou from sins of omission, and to supply whatever is wanting in you.\nIt is true, _this is impossible with man; but with God_-Man _all things\nare possible_. For what can be too hard for him, who hath _all power\nin heaven and in earth_? Indeed his bare power to do this, is not a\nsufficient foundation for our faith, that he _will_ do it, that he will\nthus exert his power, unless he hath promised it. But this he has done:\nhe has promised it over and over, in the strongest terms. He has given\nus these _exceeding great and precious promises_, both in the Old and\nthe New Testament. So we read in the law, in the most ancient part of\nthe oracles of God, _The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart, and\nthe heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart and\nwith all thy soul_, Deut. xxx. 6. So in the Psalms, _He shall redeem\nIsrael_ (the Israel of God) _from all his sins_, so in the Prophet:\n_Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean: from\nall your filthiness and from all your idols will I cleanse you\u2015\u2015And\nI will put my Spirit within you and ye shall keep my judgments and\ndo them. I will also save you from all your uncleannesses_, Ezek.\nxxxvi. 25, &c. So likewise in the New Testament. _Blessed be the Lord\nGod of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people. And hath\nraised up an horn of salvation for us\u2015\u2015to perform the oath which he\nswore to our father Abraham, that he would grant unto us, that we being\ndelivered out of the hands of our enemies, should serve him without\nfear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our\nlife_, Luke i. 68, &c.\n\n3. You have therefore good reason to believe, he is not only able,\nbut _willing_ to do this, to _cleanse you from all your filthiness\nof flesh and spirit_, to _save you from all your uncleannesses_.\nThis is the thing which you now long for: this is the faith which you\nnow particularly need, namely, that the great Physician, the lover\nof my soul, is willing to _make me clean_. But is he willing to do\nthis to-morrow or to-day? Let him answer for himself. _To day, if ye\nwill hear my voice, harden not your hearts._ If you put it off till\nto-morrow, you _harden your hearts_: you refuse to _hear his voice_.\nBelieve therefore that he is willing to save you _to-day_. He is\nwilling to save you _now_. _Behold, now is the accepted time._ He now\nsaith, _Be thou clean_! Only believe; and you also will immediately\nfind, _all things are possible to him that believeth_.\n\n4. Continue to believe in him _that loved_ thee, _and gave himself\nfor_ thee, that _bore all_ thy _sins in his own body on the tree_,\nand he saveth thee from all condemnation, by his blood continually\napplied. Thus it is that we continue in a justified state. And when\nwe go on _from faith to faith_, when we have faith to be cleansed from\nindwelling sin, to be saved from all our uncleannesses, we are likewise\nsaved from all that _guilt_, that _desert_ of punishment, which we felt\nbefore. So that then we may say not only\n\n Every moment, Lord, I _want_\n The merit of thy death:\n\nBut likewise, in the full assurance of faith,\n\n Every moment, Lord, I _have_\n The merit of thy death!\n\nFor by that faith in his life, death and intercession for us, renewed\nfrom moment to moment, we are every whit clean, and there is not only\nnow no condemnation for us, but no such desert of punishment as was\nbefore, the Lord cleansing both our hearts and lives.\n\n5. By the same faith, we feel the power of Christ every moment resting\nupon us, whereby alone we are what we are, whereby we are enabled to\ncontinue in spiritual life, and without which, notwithstanding all\nour present holiness, we should be devils the next moment. But as\nlong as we retain our faith in him, we _draw water out of the wells of\nsalvation_. Leaning on our Beloved, even Christ in us the hope of glory,\nwho dwelleth in our hearts by faith, who likewise is ever interceding\nfor us at the right hand of God, we receive help from him to think, and\nspeak, and act what is acceptable in his sight. Thus does he prevent\nthem that believe in all their doings, and further them with his\ncontinual help, so that all their designs, conversations and actions,\nare \u201cbegun, continued and ended in him.\u201d Thus doth he \u201ccleanse the\nthoughts of their hearts, by the inspiration of his holy Spirit, that\nthey may perfectly love him, and worthily magnify his holy name.\u201d\n\n6. Thus it is, that in the children of God, repentance and faith\nexactly answer each other. By repentance we feel the sin remaining in\nour hearts, and cleaving to our words and actions. By faith we receive\nthe power of God in Christ, purifying our hearts and cleansing our\nhands. By repentance we are still sensible that we deserve punishment\nfor all our tempers and words and actions. By faith we are conscious,\nthat our Advocate with the Father is continually pleading for us,\nand thereby continually turning aside all condemnation and punishment\nfrom us. By repentance we have an abiding conviction, that there is\nno help in us. By faith we receive not only mercy, but _grace to help_\nin every _time of need_. Repentance disclaims the very possibility of\nany other help. Faith accepts all the help we stand in need of, from\nhim that hath all power in heaven and earth. Repentance says, Without\nhim I can do nothing: faith says, _I can do all things through Christ\nstrengthening me_. Through him I cannot only overcome, but expel all\nthe enemies of my soul. Through him I can _love the Lord_ my _God, with\nall my heart, mind, soul and strength_: yea and _walk in holiness and\nrighteousness before him all the days of my life_.\n\n\nIII. 1. From what has been said we may easily learn the mischievousness\nof that opinion, that we are _wholly_ sanctified when we are justified:\nthat our hearts are then cleansed from all sin. It is true, we are\nthen delivered (as was observed before) from the dominion of outward\nsin: and at the same time the power of inward sin is so broken, that we\nneed no longer follow or be led by it. But it is by no means true, that\ninward sin is then totally destroyed, that the root of pride, self-will,\nanger, love of the world is then taken out of the heart, or that the\ncarnal mind and the heart bent to backsliding are entirely extirpated.\nAnd to suppose the contrary is not, as some may think an innocent,\nharmless mistake. No: it does immense harm; it entirely blocks up the\nway to any farther change. For it is manifest, _they that are whole\ndo not need a physician, but they that are sick_. If therefore we\nthink we are quite made whole already, there is no room to seek any\nfarther healing. On this supposition it is absurd to expect a farther\ndeliverance from sin, whether gradual or instantaneous.\n\n2. On the contrary, a deep conviction that we are not yet whole, that\nour hearts are not fully purified, that there is yet in us _a carnal\nmind_, which is still in its nature _enmity against God_; that a whole\nbody of sin remains in our heart, weakened indeed, but not destroyed,\nshews beyond all possibility of doubt, the absolute necessity of a\nfarther change. We allow, that at the very moment of justification,\nwe are _born again_: in that instant we experience that inward change,\nfrom _darkness into marvellous light_; from the image of the brute\nand the devil, into the image of God, from the earthly, sensual,\ndevilish mind, to the mind which was in Christ Jesus. But are we then\n_entirely_ changed? Are we _wholly_ transformed into the image of\nhim that created us? Far from it: we still retain a depth of sin: and\nit is the consciousness of this, which constrains us to groan for a\nfull deliverance, to him that is mighty to save. Hence it is, that\nthose believers who are not convinced of the deep corruption of their\nhearts, or but slightly and as it were notionally convinced, have\nlittle concern about _entire sanctification_. They may possibly hold\nthe opinion, that such a thing is to be, either at death, or some time,\nthey know not when, before it. But they have no great uneasiness for\nthe want of it, and no great hunger or thirst after it. They cannot,\nuntil they know themselves better, until they repent in the sense above\ndescribed, until God unveils the inbred monster\u2019s face, and shews them\nthe real state of their souls. Then only, when they feel the burden,\nwill they groan for deliverance from it. Then and not till then will\nthey cry out, in the agony of their soul,\n\n Break off the yoke of inbred sin\n And fully set my spirit free!\n I cannot rest, till pure within,\n Till I am wholly lost in thee!\n\n3. We may learn from hence, secondly, that a deep conviction of our\n_demerit_ after we are accepted, (which in one sense may be termed\n_guilt_) is absolutely necessary, in order to our seeing the true value\nof the atoning blood; in order to our feeling that we need this as much,\nafter we are justified, as ever we did before. Without this conviction\nwe cannot but account the blood of the covenant _as a common thing_,\nsomething of which we have not now any great need, seeing all our\npast sins are blotted out. Yea, but if both our hearts and lives are\nthus unclean, there is a kind of guilt which we are contracting every\nmoment, and which of consequence would every moment expose us to fresh\ncondemnation, but that\n\n He ever lives above,\n For us to intercede,\n His all-atoning love,\n His precious blood to plead.\n\nIt is this repentance and the faith intimately connected with it, which\nare expressed in those strong lines.\n\n \u201cI sin in every breath I draw,\n Nor do thy will, nor keep thy law\n On earth as angels do above:\n But still the fountain open stands,\n Washes my feet, my heart, my hands,\n Till I am perfected in love.\u201d\n\n4. We may observe, thirdly, a deep conviction of our utter\n_helplessness_, of our total inability to retain any thing we have\nreceived, much more to deliver ourselves from the world of iniquity\nremaining both in our hearts and lives, teaches us truly to live upon\nChrist by faith, not only as our priest, but as our king. Hereby we\nare brought to \u201cmagnify him\u201d indeed, to \u201cgive him all the glory of\nhis grace,\u201d to \u201cmake him a whole Christ, an entire Saviour,\u201d and truly\nto \u201cset the crown upon his head.\u201d These excellent words, as they have\nfrequently been used, have little or no meaning. But they are fulfilled\nin a strong and a deep sense, when we thus, as it were, go out of\nourselves, in order to be swallowed up in him; when we sink into\nnothing, that he may be all in all. Then his almighty grace having\nabolished _every high thing which exalted itself against_ him, every\ntemper, and thought, and word, and work is _brought to the obedience\nof Christ_.\n\n LONDONDERRY,\n _April 24, 1767_.\n\n\n\n\n SERMON XV.[28]\n\n THE GREAT ASSIZE:\n\n ROM. xiv. 10.\n\n _We shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ._\n\n\n1. HOW many circumstances concur, to raise the awfulness of the\npresent solemnity? The general _concourse_ of people of every age, sex,\nrank and condition of life, willingly or unwillingly gathered together,\nnot only from the neighbouring but from distant parts! _Criminals_,\nspeedily to be brought forth, and having no way to escape: _officers_\nwaiting in their various posts, to execute the orders which shall be\ngiven: and the _Representative_ of our Gracious Sovereign, whom we so\nhighly reverence, and honour. The _occasion_ likewise of this assembly,\nadds not a little to the solemnity of it: to hear and determine causes\nof every kind, some of which are of the most important nature: on which\ndepends no less than life or death; death, that uncovers the face of\neternity! It was doubtless in order to increase the serious sense of\nthese things, and not in the minds of the vulgar only, that the wisdom\nof our forefathers did not disdain to appoint even several minute\ncircumstances of this solemnity. For these also, by means of the eye or\near, may more deeply affect the heart. And when viewed in this light,\ntrumpets, staves, apparel, are no longer trifling or insignificant,\nbut subservient in their kind and degree to the most valuable ends of\nsociety.\n\n2. But as awful as this solemnity is, one far more awful is at hand.\nFor yet a little while, and _we shall all stand before the judgment\nseat of Christ. For as I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to\nme, and every tongue shall confess to God._ And in that day, _every one\nof us shall give account of himself to God_.\n\n3. Had all men a deep sense of this, how effectually would it\nsecure the interests of society? For what more forcible motive can be\nconceived, to the practice of genuine morality? to a steddy pursuit\nof solid virtue? an uniform walking in justice, mercy, and truth? What\ncould strengthen our hands in all that is good, and deter us from all\nevil, like a strong conviction of this, _the Judge standeth at the\ndoor_: and we are shortly to _stand before him_?\n\n4. It may not therefore be improper, or unsuitable to the design of the\npresent assembly, to consider,\n\nI. The chief circumstances which will precede our standing before the\njudgment seat of Christ.\n\nII. The judgment itself, and,\n\nIII. A few of the circumstances which will follow it.\n\n\nI. Let us, in the first place, consider the chief circumstances which\nwill precede our standing before the judgment seat of Christ.\n\nAnd 1st, _God will shew signs in the earth beneath_:[29] particularly\nhe will _arise to shake terribly the earth. The earth shall reel to\nand fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage. There\nshall be earthquakes_[30] \u03ba\u03b1\u03c4\u1f70 \u03c4\u03cc\u03c0\u03bf\u03c5\u03c2 not in divers only, but _in all\nplaces_: not in one only, or a few, but in every part of the habitable\nworld: even _such as were not, since men were upon the earth, so mighty\nearthquakes and so great_. In one of these _every island shall flee\naway, and the mountains will not be found_.[31] Meantime all the waters\nof the terraqueous globe will feel the violence of those concussions:\n_the sea and waves roaring_,[32] with such an agitation as had never\nbeen known before, since the hour that _the fountains of the great\ndeep were broken up_, to destroy the earth which then _stood out of the\nwater and in the water_. The air will be all storm and tempest, full of\ndark _vapours and pillars of smoak_;[33] resounding with thunder from\npole to pole, and torn with ten thousand lightnings. But the commotion\nwill not stop in the region of the air: _the powers of heaven_ also\n_shall be shaken.[34] There shall be signs in the sun and in the moon\nand in the stars_; those fixt, as well as those that move round them.\n_The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, before\nthe great and the terrible day of the Lord come.[35] The stars shall\nwithdraw their shining_,[36] yea and _fall from heaven_, being thrown\nout of their orbits. And then shall be heard the universal _shout_[37]\nfrom all the companies of heaven, followed by _the voice of the\narch-angel_, proclaiming the approach of the Son of God and man, _and\nthe trumpet of God_, sounding an alarm to _all that sleep in the dust\nof the earth_. In consequence of this all the graves shall open, and\nthe bodies of men arise. _The sea also shall give up the dead which\nare therein_,[38] and every one shall rise with _his own body_: his\nown in substance, although so changed in its properties, as we cannot\nnow conceive. For _this corruptible will_ then _put on incorruption,\nand this mortal put on immortality_.[39] Yea, _death and hades_, the\ninvisible world shall _deliver up the dead that are in them_. So that\nall who ever lived and died since God created man, shall be raised\nincorruptible and immortal.\n\n2. At the same time _the Son of man shall send forth his angels_ over\nall the earth, _and they shall gather his elect from the four winds,\nfrom one end of heaven to the other_.[40] And the Lord himself shall\n_come with clouds, in his own glory, and the glory of his Father, with\nten thousand of his saints, even myriads of angels_, and _shall sit\nupon the throne of his glory. And before him shall be gathered all\nnations, and he shall separate them one from another, and shall set the\nsheep_, the good, _on his right hand, and the goats_, the wicked, _upon\nthe left_.[41] Concerning this general assembly it is, that the beloved\ndisciple speaks thus: _I saw the dead_, all that had been dead, _small\nand great, stand before God. And the books were opened_ (a figurative\nexpression, plainly referring to the manner of proceeding among men)\n_and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the\nbooks according to their works_.[42]\n\n\nII. These are the chief circumstances which are recorded in the oracles\nof God, as preceding the general judgment. We are secondly, to consider\nthe judgment itself, so far as it hath pleased God to reveal it.\n\n1. The person by whom God _will judge the world_ is his only begotten\nSon whose _goings forth are from everlasting, who is God over all,\nblessed for ever_. Unto him, being _the out-beaming of his Father\u2019s\nglory, the express image of his person_,[43] the Father _hath committed\nall judgment, because he is the Son of man_:[44] because tho\u2019 he was\n_in the form of God, and thought it not robbery to be equal with God,\nyet he emptied himself, taking upon him the form of a servant, being\nmade in the \u2666likeness of men_.[45] Yea, because _being found in fashion\nas a man, he humbled himself_ yet farther, _becoming obedient unto\ndeath, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God hath highly exalted\nhim_, even in his human nature, and _ordained him_ as man to try the\nchildren of men, to be the _judge both of the quick and dead_; both\nof those who shall be found alive at his coming, and of those who were\nbefore _gathered to their fathers_.\n\n2. The time, termed by the prophet, _the great and the terrible day_,\nis usually in scripture stiled _the day of the Lord_. The space from\nthe creation of man upon the earth to the end of all things, is _the\nday of the sons of men_: the time that is now passing over us, is\nproperly _our day_. When this is ended, _the day of the Lord_ will\nbegin. But who can say, how long it will continue? _With the Lord\none day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day._[46]\nAnd from this very expression some of the ancient fathers drew that\ninference, that, what is commonly called, _the day of judgment_, would\nbe indeed a thousand years. And it seems they did not go beyond the\ntruth: nay, probably they did not come up to it. For if we consider\nthe number of persons who are to be judged, and of actions which are\nto be enquired into, it does not appear, that a thousand years will\nsuffice for the transactions of that day. So that it may not improbably\ncomprise several thousand years. But God shall reveal this also in its\nseason.\n\n3. With regard to the place where mankind will be judged, we have no\nexplicit account in scripture. An eminent writer (but not he alone;\nmany have been of the same opinion) supposes it will be on earth, where\nthe works were done, according to which they shall be judged, and that\nGod will in order thereto employ the angels of his strength,\n\n \u201cTo smooth and lengthen out the boundless space,\n And spread an area for all human race.\u201d\n\nBut perhaps it is more agreeable to our Lord\u2019s own account, of his\n_coming in the clouds_, to suppose it will be above the earth, if\nnot \u201ctwice a planetary height.\u201d And this supposition is not a little\nfavoured, by what St. _Paul_ writes to the _Thessalonians_. _The dead\nin Christ shall rise first. Then we who remain alive, shall be caught\nup together with them, in the clouds_,[47] to meet the Lord in the air.\nSo that it seems most probable, the _great white throne_, will be high\nexalted above the earth.\n\n4. The persons to be judged, who can count any more than the drops\nof rain, or the sands of the sea? I beheld, saith St. _John_, _a great\nmultitude which no man can number_, clothed with white robes, and\npalms in their hands. How immense then must be the total multitude, of\nall nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues? Of all that have\nsprung from the loins of _Adam_, since the world began, till time shall\nbe no more? If we admit the common supposition, which seems no ways\nabsurd, that the earth bears at any one time, no less than four hundred\nmillions, of living souls, men women and children: what a congregation\nmust all those generations make, who have succeeded each other for\nseven thousand years?\n\n \u201cGreat Xerxes world in arms, proud _Cann\u00e6\u2019s_ host,\n They all are here: and here they all are lost.\n Their numbers swell to be discerned in vain;\n Lost as a drop in the unbounded main.\u201d\n\n* Every man, every woman, every infant of days that ever breathed the\nvital air, will then hear the voice of the Son of God, and start into\nlife, and appear before him. And this seems to be the natural import\nof that expression, _the dead, small and great_: all universally, all\nwithout exception, all of every age, sex or degree; all that ever lived\nand died, or underwent such a change as will be equivalent with death.\nFor long before that day the phantom of human greatness disappears and\nsinks into nothing. Even in the moment of death, that vanishes away.\nWho is rich or great in the grave?\n\n5. And every man shall there _give an account of his own works_, yea,\na full and true account, of all that he ever did while in the body,\nwhether it was good or evil. O what a scene will then be disclosed,\nin the sight of angels and men! While, not the fabled _Radamanthus_,\nbut the Lord God Almighty, who knoweth all things in heaven and earth,\n\n _Castigatque auditque dolos; subigitque fateri\n Qu\u00e6 quis apud superos, furto l\u00e6tatus inani,\n Distulit in seram commissa piacula mortem._\n\nNor will all the actions alone of every child of man, be then\nbrought to open view, but all their words: seeing _every idle word\nwhich men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of\njudgment_.[48] So that _by thy words_ as well as works, _thou shalt be\njustified; or by thy words thou shalt be condemned_. Will not God then\nbring to light every circumstance also, that accompanied every word or\naction, and if not altered the nature, yet lessened or increased the\ngoodness or badness of them? And how easy is this to him, who is _about\nour bed and about our path, and spieth out all our ways_? We know,\n_the darkness is no darkness to him, but the night shineth as the day_.\n\n6. Yea, he _will bring to light_ not _the hidden works of darkness_\nonly, but the very _thoughts and intents of the hearts_. And what\nmarvel? For he _searcheth the reins, and understandeth all our thoughts.\nAll things are naked and open to the eyes of him with whom we have to\ndo. Hell and destruction are before him without a covering. How much\nmore the hearts of the children of men?_\n\n7. And in that day shall be discovered every inward working of every\nhuman soul: every appetite, passion, inclination, affection, with the\nvarious combinations of them, with every temper and disposition that\nconstitute the whole complex character of each individual. So shall it\nbe clearly and infallibly seen, who was righteous, and who unrighteous;\nand in what degree every action, or person, or character was either\ngood or evil.\n\n8. _Then the king will say to them upon his right-hand, Come ye\nblessed of my Father. For I was hungry and ye gave me meat, thirsty\nand ye gave me drink, I was a stranger and ye took me in, naked and ye\ncloathed me._ In like manner, all the good they did upon earth, will\nbe recited before men and angels: whatsoever they had done either _in\nword or deed, in the name_, or for the sake, _of the Lord Jesus_. All\ntheir good desires, intentions, thoughts, all their holy dispositions,\nwill also be then remembered; and it will appear, that though they were\nunknown or forgotten among men, yet God _noted_ them _in his book_. All\ntheir sufferings likewise for the name of Jesus, and for the testimony\nof a good conscience will be displayed, _unto_ their _praise_ from\nthe righteous Judge, their _honour_ before saints and angels, and the\nincrease of that _far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory_.\n\n9. But will their evil deeds too (since if we take in his whole life,\n_there is not a man on earth that liveth and sinneth not_) will these\nbe remembered in that day, and mentioned in the great congregation?\nMany believe they will not, and ask, \u201cWould not this imply, that their\nsufferings were not at an end, even when life ended? Seeing they would\nstill have, sorrow, and shame and confusion of face to endure?\u201d They\nask farther, how can this be reconciled with God\u2019s declaration by\nthe prophet. _If the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath\ncommitted, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and\nright; all his transactions that he hath committed, they shall not be\nonce mentioned unto him._[49] How is it consistent with the promise\nwhich God has made, to all who accept of the gospel-covenant, _I will\nforgive their iniquities, and remember their sin no more_?[50] Or as\nthe apostle expresses it, _I will be merciful to their unrighteousness,\nand their sins and iniquities will I remember no more_?[51]\n\n10. * It may be answered, it is apparently and absolutely necessary,\nfor the full display of the glory of God, for the clear and perfect\nmanifestation of his wisdom, justice, power and mercy toward the heirs\nof salvation, that all the circumstances of their life should be placed\nin open view, together with all their tempers, and all the desires,\nthoughts and intents of their hearts. Otherwise how would it appear\nout of what a depth of sin and misery the grace of God had delivered\nthem? And, indeed, if the whole lives of all the children of men were\nnot manifestly discovered, the whole amazing contexture of Divine\nProvidence could not be manifested: nor should we yet be able in a\nthousand instances,\n\n To \u201cjustify the ways of God to man.\u201d\n\nUnless our Lord\u2019s words were fulfilled in their utmost sense, without\nany restriction or limitation, _there is nothing covered that shall not\nbe revealed, or hid that shall not be known_,[52] abundance of God\u2019s\ndispensations under the sun would still appear without their reasons.\nAnd then only when God hath brought to light all the hidden things\nof darkness, whosoever were the actors therein, will it be seen that\nwise and good were all his ways: that he _saw through the thick cloud_,\nand governed all things by the wise _counsel of his own will_: that\nnothing was left to chance or the caprice of men, but God disposed all\n_strongly and sweetly_, and wrought all into one connected chain of\njustice, mercy, and truth.\n\n11. And in the discovery of the divine perfections, the righteous\nwill rejoice with joy unspeakable; far from feeling any painful sorrow\nor shame, for any of those past transgressions, which were long since\nblotted out as a cloud, washed away by the blood of the Lamb. It\nwill be abundantly sufficient for them, that _all the transgressions\nwhich they had committed, shall not be once mentioned unto them_, to\ntheir disadvantage; that _their sins and transgressions and iniquities\nshall be remembered no more_, to their condemnation. This is the plain\nmeaning of the promise: and this all the children of God shall find\ntrue, to their everlasting comfort.\n\n12. After the righteous are judged, the King will turn to them upon\nhis left hand, and they shall also be judged, every man _according to\nhis works_. But not only their outward works will be brought into the\naccount, but all the evil words which they have ever spoken; yea, all\nthe evil desires, affections, tempers, which have or have had, a place\nin their souls, and all the evil thoughts or designs which were ever\ncherished in their hearts. The joyful sentence of acquital will then\nbe pronounced upon those upon the right hand: the dreadful sentence of\ncondemnation upon those on the left: both of which must remain fixt and\nunmoveable, as the throne of God.\n\n\nIII. 1. We may, in the third place, consider a few of the circumstances\nwhich will follow the general judgment. And the first is the execution\nof the sentence pronounced on the evil and on the good. _These shall go\naway into eternal punishment, and the righteous into life eternal._ It\nshould be observed, it is the very same word which is used, both in the\nformer and the latter clause: it follows, that either the punishment\nlasts for ever, or the reward too will come to an end. No, never,\nunless God could come to an end, or his mercy and truth could fail.\n_Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun, in the kingdom of\ntheir father_, and shall _drink of those rivers of pleasure which are\nat God\u2019s right hand for evermore_. But here all description falls short;\nall human language fails! only one who is caught up into the third\nheaven, can have a just conception of it. But even such an one cannot\nexpress what he hath seen: these things _it is not possible for man to\nutter_.\n\nThe wicked, meantime, _shall be turned into hell_, even _all the people\nthat forget God_. They will be _punished with everlasting destruction,\nfrom the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power_. They\nwill be _cast into the lake of fire burning with brimstone_, originally\n_prepared for the devil and his angels_; where they will _gnaw their\ntongues_ for anguish and pain, they will _curse God and look upward_:\nthere the dogs of hell, pride, malice, revenge, rage, horror, despair\ncontinually devour them. _There they have no rest, day or night, but\nthe smoke of their torment ascendeth for ever and ever. For their worm\ndieth not, and their fire is not quenched._\n\n2. Then the heavens will be shriveled up _as a parchment scroll,\nand pass away with a great noise_: they will _flee from the face\nof him that sitteth on the throne, and there will be found no place\nfor them_.[53] The very manner of their passing away is disclosed to\nus by the apostle _Peter_: _in the day of God, the heavens being on\nfire, shall be dissolved_.[54] * The whole beautiful fabric will be\noverthrown by that raging element, the connection of all its parts\ndestroyed, and every atom torn asunder from the others. By the same\n_the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up_.[55]\nThe enormous works of nature, _the everlasting hills_, mountains that\nhave defied the rage of time, and stood unmoved so many thousand years,\nwill sink down in fiery ruin. How much less will the works of art,\nthough of the most durable kind, the utmost efforts of human industry,\ntombs, pillars, triumphal arches, castles, pyramids, be able to\nwithstand the flaming conqueror. All, all will die, perish, vanish\naway, like a dream when one awaketh?\n\n3. * It has indeed been imagined by some great and good men, that as it\nrequires that same almighty power, to annihilate things as to create,\nto speak into nothing or out of nothing: so no part of, no atom in the\nuniverse, will be totally or finally destroyed. Rather, they suppose,\nthat as the last operation of fire, which we have yet been able to\nobserve, is to reduce into glass what by a smaller force it had reduced\nto ashes: so in the day God hath ordained, the whole earth, if not the\nmaterial heavens also, will undergo this change, after which the fire\ncan have no farther power over them. And they believe this is intimated\nby that expression in the _Revelation_ made to St. _John_, _Before the\nthrone there was a sea of glass, like unto chrystal_.[56] We cannot now\neither affirm or deny this: but we shall know hereafter.\n\n4. * If it be enquired by the scoffers, the minute philosophers, how\ncan these things be? Whence should come such an immense quantity of\nfire as would consume the heavens and the whole terraqueous globe? We\nwould beg leave, first, to remind them that this difficulty is not\npeculiar to the Christian system. The same opinion almost universally\nobtained among the _unbigoted_ Heathens. So one of those celebrated\n_free-thinkers_ speaks, according to the generally received sentiment;\n\n _Esse quoque in fatis reminiscitur, affore tempus,\n Quo mare, quo tellus, correptaque regia c\u0153li\n Ardeat, & mundi moles operosa laboret._\n\nBut, secondly, it is easy to answer, even from our slight and\nsuperficial acquaintance with natural things, that there are abundant\nmagazines of fire ready prepared, and treasured up against the day\nof the Lord. How soon may a comet, commissioned by him, travel down\nfrom the most distant parts of the universe? And were it to fix upon\nthe earth, in its return from the sun, when it is some thousand times\nhotter than a red-hot cannon-ball, who does not see what must be the\nimmediate consequence? But, not to ascend so high as the ethereal\nheavens, might not the same lightnings which _give shine to the world_,\nif commanded by the Lord of nature, give ruin and utter destruction? Or,\nto go no farther than the globe itself: who knows what huge reservoirs\nof liquid fire are from age to age contained in the bowels of the\nearth? _\u00c6tna_, _Hecla_, _Vesuvius_, and all the other vulcanoes that\nbelch out flames and coals of fire, what are they, but so many proofs\nand mouths of those fiery furnaces? And at the same time so many\nevidences, that God hath in readiness wherewith to fulfil his word.\nYea, were we to observe no more than the surface of the earth, and\nthe things that surround us on every side, it is most certain (as a\nthousand experiments prove, beyond all possibility of denial) that we\nourselves, our whole bodies are full of fire, as well as every thing\nround about us. Is it not easy, to make this ethereal fire visible\neven to the naked eye? And so produce thereby the very same effects on\ncombustible matter, which are produced by culinary fire? Needs there\nthen any more, than for God to unloose that secret chain, whereby\nthis irresistible agent is now bound down, and lies quiescent in every\nparticle of matter? And how soon would it tear the universal frame in\npieces, and involve all in one common ruin?\n\n5. There is one circumstance more which will follow the judgment,\nthat deserves our serious consideration. _We look_, says the apostle,\n_according to his promise, for new heavens and a new earth wherein\ndwelleth righteousness_.[57] The promise stands in the prophecy of\n_Isaiah_, _Behold I create new heavens and a new earth. And the former\nshall not be remembered_:[58] so great shall the glory of the latter\nbe. These St. _John_ did behold in the visions of God. _I saw_, saith\nhe, _a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first\nearth were passed away_.[59] And only _righteousness dwelt therein_.\nAccordingly he adds, _and I heard a great voice from_ the third _heaven,\nsaying, Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell\nwith them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with\nthem and be their God_.[60] Of necessity therefore they will all be\nhappy: _God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall\nbe no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying; neither shall there be\nany more pain.[61] There shall be no more curse; but they shall see\nhis face_,[62] shall have the nearest access to, and thence the highest\nresemblance of him. This is the strongest expression in the language\nof scripture to denote the most perfect happiness. _And his name shall\nbe on their foreheads._ They shall be openly acknowledged as God\u2019s\nown property: and his glorious nature shall most visibly shine forth\nin them. _And there shall be no night there, and they need no candle,\nneither light of the sun: for the Lord God giveth them light, and they\nshall reign for ever and ever._\n\n\nIV. It remains only, to apply the preceding considerations to all\nwho are here before God. And are we not directly led so to do, by\nthe present solemnity, which so naturally points us to that day, when\nthe Lord _will judge the world in righteousness_? This therefore, by\nreminding us of that more awful season, may furnish many lessons of\ninstruction. A few of these I may be permitted just to touch on. May\nGod write them on all our hearts!\n\n1. * And, first, _how beautiful are the feet_ of those who are sent by\nthe wise and gracious providence of God, to execute justice on earth,\nto defend the injured, and punish the wrong-doer! Are they not _the\nministers of God to us for good_, the grand supporters of the public\ntranquility, the patrons of innocence and virtue, the great security of\nall our temporal blessings? And does not every one of these represent\nnot only an earthly prince, but the Judge of the earth? Him whose _name\nis written upon his thigh, King of kings and Lord of lords_! O that all\nthese _sons of the right hand of the Most High_, may be holy as he is\nholy! Wise with the _wisdom that sitteth by his throne_, like him who\nis the eternal Wisdom of the Father! No respecters of persons, as he\nis none; but _rendering to every man according to his works_: like him\ninflexibly, inexorably just, though pitiful and of tender mercy: so\nshall they be terrible indeed to them that do evil, as _not bearing\nthe sword in vain_. So shall the laws of our land have their full use\nand due honour, and the throne of our King be still _established in\nrighteousness_.\n\n2. * Ye truly honourable men, whom God and the king have commissioned,\nin a lower degree to administer justice: may not ye be compared to\nthose ministering spirits who will attend the Judge coming in the\nclouds? May you, like them, burn with love to God and man! May you love\nrighteousness and hate iniquity! May ye all minister in your several\nspheres (such honour hath God given you also!) to them that shall be\nheirs of salvation, and to the glory of your great Sovereign! May ye\nremain the establishers of peace, the blessing and ornaments of your\ncountry, the protectors of a guilty land, the guardian angels of all\nthat are round about you!\n\n3. You, whose office it is to execute what is given you in charge by\nhim before whom you stand; how nearly are you concerned to resemble\nthose, that stand before the face of the Son of man? Those _servants of\nhis that do his pleasure, and hearken to the voice of his words_. Does\nit not highly import _you_, to be as uncorrupt as _them_? To approve\nyourselves the servants of God? To do justly and love mercy; to do to\nall as ye would they should do to you? So shall that great Judge, under\nwhose eye you continually stand, say to you also, _Well done, good and\nfaithful servants: enter ye into the joy of your Lord_!\n\n4. Suffer me to add a few words to all of you who are at this day\npresent before the Lord. Should not you bear it in your minds all\nthe day long, that a more awful day is coming? A large assembly this!\nBut what is it to that which every eye will then behold, the general\nassembly of all the children of men that ever lived on the face of\nthe whole earth! A few will stand at the judgment seat this day, to\nbe judged touching what shall be laid to their charge. And they are\nnow reserved in prison, perhaps in chains, till they are brought forth\nto be tried and sentenced. But we shall all, I that speak and you that\nhear, _stand at the judgment seat of Christ_. And we are now reserved\non this earth, which is not our home, in this prison of flesh and blood,\nperhaps many of us in chains of darkness too, till we are ordered to\nbe brought forth. Here a man is questioned concerning one or two facts,\nwhich he is supposed to have committed. There we are to give an account\nof all our works, from the cradle to the grave; of all our words, of\nall our desires and tempers, all the thoughts and intents of our hearts:\nof all the use we have made of our various talents, whether of mind,\nbody or fortune, till God said, _Give an account of thy stewardship;\nfor thou mayst be no longer steward_. In this court, it is possible\nsome who are guilty, may escape for want of evidence. But there is\nno want of evidence in that court. All men with whom you had the most\nsecret intercourse, who were privy to all your designs and actions\nare ready before your face. So are all the spirits of darkness, who\ninspired evil designs, and assisted in the execution of them. So are\nall the angels of God, those _eyes of the Lord, that run to and fro\nover all the earth_, who watched over your soul, and laboured for\nyour good, so far as you would permit. So is your own conscience, a\nthousand witnesses in one, now no more capable of being either blinded\nor silenced, but constrained to know and to speak the naked truth,\ntouching all your thoughts and words and actions. And is conscience\nas a thousand witnesses? Yea, but God is _as_ a thousand consciences!\nO who can stand before the face of _the great God, even our Saviour,\nJesus Christ_.\n\nSee, see! He cometh! He maketh the clouds his chariots! He rideth upon\nthe wings of the wind! A devouring fire goeth before him, and after him\na flame burneth! See, he sitteth upon his throne, cloathed with light\nas with a garment, arrayed with majesty and honour! Behold his eyes are\nas a flame of fire, his voice as the sound of many waters!\n\nHow will ye escape? Will ye call to the mountains to fall on you,\nthe rocks to cover you? Alas, the mountains themselves, the rocks,\nthe earth, the heavens, are just ready to flee away! Can ye prevent\nthe sentence? Wherewith? With all the substance of thy house, with\nthousands of gold and silver? Blind wretch! Thou camest naked from thy\nmother\u2019s womb, and more naked into eternity. Hear the Lord, the Judge!\n_Come ye blessed of my Father! inherit the kingdom prepared for you\nfrom the foundation of the world._ Joyful sound! How widely different\nfrom that voice, which \u2666echoes through the expanse of heaven, _Depart,\nye cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his\nangels_! And who is he, that can prevent or retard the full execution\nof either sentence? Vain hope! Lo, hell _is moved from beneath_, to\nreceive those who are ripe for destruction! And the _everlasting doors\nlift up their heads_, that the heirs of glory may come in!\n\n5. _What manner of persons_ then _ought we to be, in all holy\nconversation and godliness_? We know it cannot be long, before the Lord\nwill descend with the _voice of the archangel, and the trumpet of God_;\nwhen every one of us shall appear before him, and _give account of\nhis own works. Wherefore, beloved_, seeing ye _look for these things_,\nseeing ye know, He will come and will not tarry, _be diligent that\nye may be found of him, in peace, without spot and blameless_. Why\nshould ye not? Why should one of you be found, on the left hand, at his\nappearing? He _willeth not that any should perish, but that all should\ncome to_ repentance; by repentance to faith in a bleeding Lord; by\nfaith to spotless love, to the full image of God renewed in the heart,\nand producing all holiness of conversation. Can you doubt of this,\nwhen you remember, the Judge of all, is likewise _the Saviour of all_?\nHath he not bought you with his own blood, that ye might _not perish,\nbut have everlasting life_? O make proof of his mercy rather than his\njustice! Of his love rather than the thunder of his power! _He is not\nfar from every one of us_: and he is now come, _not to condemn, but to\nsave the world_. He standeth in the midst! Sinner doth he not now, even\nnow knock at the door of thy heart? O that thou mayst know, at least\n_in this thy day_, the things that belong unto thy peace! O that ye may\nnow give yourselves to him who _gave himself for you_, in humble faith,\nin holy, active, patient love! So shall ye rejoice with exceeding joy\n_in his day_, when he cometh in the clouds of heaven.\n\n\n\n\n SERMON XVI.\n\n THE MEANS OF GRACE.\n\n MALACHI iii. 7.\n\n _Ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them._\n\n\nI. 1. BUT are there any _ordinances_ now, since life and immortality\nwere brought to light by the gospel? Are there under the Christian\ndispensation, any _means_ ordained of God, as the usual channels of his\ngrace? This question could never have been proposed, in the apostolical\nchurch, unless by one who openly avowed himself to be a Heathen; the\nwhole body of Christians being agreed, that Christ had ordained certain\noutward means, for conveying his grace into the souls of men. Their\nconstant practice set this beyond all dispute; for so long as _all\nthat believed were together, and had all things common_, (Acts ii. 44.)\n_they continued stedfastly in the teaching of the apostles, and in the\nbreaking of bread and in prayers_, ver. 44.\n\n2. But in process of time, when _the love of many waxed cold_, some\nbegan to mistake the _means_ for the _end_, and to place religion,\nrather in doing those outward works, than in a heart renewed after the\nimage of God. They forgot, that _the end of_ every _commandment is love,\nout of a pure heart, with faith unfeigned_: the loving the Lord their\nGod with all their heart, and their neighbour as themselves; and the\nbeing purified from pride, anger, and evil desire, by a _faith of the\noperation of God_. Others seemed to imagine, that though religion did\nnot principally consist in these outward means, yet there was something\nin them wherewith God was well pleased, something that would still\nmake them acceptable in his sight, though they were not exact in the\nweightier matters of the law, in justice, mercy, and the love of God.\n\n3. It is evident, in those who abused them thus, they did not conduce\nto the end for which they were ordained. Rather, the things which\nshould have been for their health, were to them an occasion of falling.\nThey were so far from receiving any blessing therein, that they only\ndrew down a curse upon their head: so far from growing more heavenly in\nheart and life, that they were twofold more the children of hell than\nbefore. Others clearly perceiving, that these means did not convey the\ngrace of God to those children of the devil, began from this particular\ncase to draw a general conclusion. \u201cThat they were not means of\nconveying the grace of God.\u201d\n\n4. Yet the number of those who _abused_ the ordinances of God, was\nfar greater than of those who _despised_ them, till certain men arose,\nnot only of great understanding, (sometimes joined with considerable\nlearning) but who likewise appeared to be men of love, experimentally\nacquainted with true, inward religion. Some of these were burning and\nshining lights, persons famous in their generations, and such as had\nwell deserved of the church of Christ, for standing in the gap against\nthe overflowings of ungodliness.\n\nIt cannot be supposed, that these holy and venerable men, intended\nany more at first, than to shew that outward religion is nothing worth,\nwithout the religion of the heart: that _God is a spirit, and they who\nworship him, must worship him in spirit and in truth_: that therefore\nexternal worship is lost labour, without a heart devoted to God: that\nthe outward ordinances of God then profit much, when they advance\ninward holiness, but when they advance it not, are unprofitable and\nvoid, are lighter than vanity: yea, that when they are used, as it were,\n_in the place_ of this, they are an utter abomination to the Lord.\n\n5. Yet it is not strange, if some of these, being strongly convinced,\nof that horrid profanation of the ordinances of God, which had spread\nitself over the whole church, and well nigh driven true religion out of\nthe world; in their fervent zeal for the glory of God, and the recovery\nof souls from that fatal delusion, spake as if outward religion were\n_absolutely nothing_, as if it had _no_ place in the religion of Christ.\nIt is not surprising at all, if they should not always have expressed\nthemselves with sufficient caution. So that unwary hearers may believe,\nthey condemned all outward means, as altogether unprofitable; and as\nnot designed of God to be the ordinary channels of conveying his grace\ninto the souls of men.\n\nNay, it is not impossible, some of these holy men did at length\nthemselves fall into this opinion: in particular, those who, not\nby choice, but by the providence of God, were cut off from all\nthese ordinances: perhaps wandering up and down, having no certain\nabiding-place, or dwelling in dens and caves of the earth. These\nexperiencing the grace of God in themselves, though they were deprived\nof all outward means, might infer, that the same grace would be given\nto them, who of set purpose abstained from them.\n\n6. And experience shews, how easily this notion spreads, and\ninsinuates itself into the minds of men: especially of those who\nare throughly awakened out of the sleep of death, and begin to feel\nthe weight of their sins, a burthen too heavy to be borne. These\nare usually impatient of their present state, and trying every way\nto escape from it. They are always ready to catch at any new thing,\nany new proposal of ease or happiness. They have probably tried most\noutward means, and found no ease in them: it may be, more and more\nof remorse and fear and sorrow and condemnation. It is easy therefore\nto persuade these, that it is better for them to abstain from all\nthose means. They are already weary of striving (as it seems) in vain,\nof labouring in the fire: and are therefore glad of any pretence to\ncast aside that, wherein their soul has no pleasure; to give over the\npainful strife, and sink down into an indolent inactivity.\n\n\nII. 1. In the following discourse, I propose to examine at large,\nwhether there are any means of grace?\n\nBy _means of grace_ I understand, outward signs, words or actions,\nordained of God, and appointed for this end, to be the _ordinary_\nchannels whereby he might convey to men, preventing, justifying or\nsanctifying grace.\n\nI use this expression, \u201cmeans of grace,\u201d because I know none better,\nand because it has been generally used in the Christian church for many\nages: in particular, by our own church, which directs us to bless God,\nboth for the \u201c_means of grace_ and hopes of glory;\u201d and teaches us\nthat a sacrament is \u201can outward sign of inward _grace_, and a _means_\nwhereby we receive the same.\u201d\n\nThe chief of these means are prayer, whether in secret, or with the\ngreat congregation; searching the scriptures (which implies reading,\nhearing and meditating thereon) and receiving the Lord\u2019s supper, eating\nbread and drinking wine in remembrance of him; and these we believe to\nbe ordained of God, as the ordinary channels of conveying his grace to\nthe souls of men.\n\n2. But we allow, that the whole value of the means depends on their\nactual subservience to the end of religion; that consequently all\nthese means, when separate from the end, are less than nothing and\nvanity; that if they do not actually conduce to the knowledge and love\nof God, they are not acceptable in his sight; yea, rather, they are\nan abomination before him; a stink in his nostrils; he is weary to\nbear them: above all, if they are used as a kind of _commutation_ for\nthe religion they were designed to subserve. It is not easy to find\nwords for the enormous folly and wickedness, of thus turning God\u2019s arms\nagainst himself; of keeping Christianity out of the heart by those very\nmeans, which were ordained for the bringing it in.\n\n3. We allow likewise, that all outward means whatever, if separate from\nthe Spirit of God, cannot profit at all, cannot conduce in any degree\neither to the knowledge or love of God. Without controversy, the help\nthat is done upon earth, he doth it himself. It is he alone, who by\nhis own almighty power, worketh in us what is pleasing in his sight.\nAnd all outward things, unless he work in them and by them, are mere\nweak and beggarly elements. Whosoever therefore imagines, there is\nany intrinsick _power_, in any means whatsoever, does greatly err, not\nknowing the scriptures, neither the power of God. We know that there\nis no inherent power, in the words that are spoken in prayer; in the\nletter of scripture read, the sound thereof heard, or the bread and\nwine received in the Lord\u2019s supper: but that it is God alone who is the\ngiver of every good gift, the author of all grace; that the whole power\nis of him, whereby through any of these, there is any blessing conveyed\nto our soul. We know likewise, that he is able to give the same grace,\ntho\u2019 there were no means on the face of the earth. In this sense we\nmay affirm, that \u201cwith regard to God, there is no such thing as means:\u201d\nseeing he is equally able to work whatsoever pleaseth him, by any, or\nby none at all.\n\n4. We allow farther, that the use of all means whatever, will never\natone for one sin; that it is the blood of Christ alone, whereby any\nsinner can be reconciled to God; there being no other propitiation for\nour sins, no other fountain for sin and uncleanness. Every believer in\nChrist is deeply convinced, that there is no _merit_, but in him: that\nthere is no _merit_ in any of his own works; not in uttering the prayer,\nor searching the scripture, or hearing the word of God, or eating of\nthat bread and drinking of that cup. So that if no more be intended\nby the expression some have used, \u201cChrist is the only means of grace,\u201d\nthan this, that he is the only _meritorious cause_ of it, it cannot be\ngain-said by any who know the grace of God.\n\n5. Yet once more. We allow (though it is a melancholy truth) that a\nlarge proportion of those who are called Christians, do to this day\nabuse the means of grace, to the destruction of their souls. This is\ndoubtless the case with all those who rest content, in the form of\ngodliness without the power. Either they fondly presume, they are\nChristians already, because they do thus and thus; although Christ was\nnever yet revealed in their hearts, nor the love of God shed abroad\ntherein: or else they suppose, they shall infallibly be so, barely\nbecause they use these means: idly dreaming (though perhaps hardly\nconscious thereof) either that there is some kind of _power_ therein,\nwhereby sooner or later (they know not when) they shall certainly be\nmade holy: or that there is a sort of _merit_ in using them, which will\nsurely move God to give them holiness, or accept them without it.\n\n6. So little do they understand that great foundation of the whole\nChristian building, * _By grace ye are saved._ Ye are saved from your\nsins, from the guilt and power thereof, ye are restored to the favour\nand image of God, not for any works, _merits_ or deservings of yours,\nbut by the free _grace_, the mere mercy of God, through the _merits_ of\nhis well-beloved Son. Ye are thus saved, not by any _power_, wisdom or\nstrength, which is in you, or in any other creature: but merely through\nthe grace or _power_ of the Holy Ghost, which worketh all in all.\n\n7. But the main question remains. We know this salvation is the gift\nand the work of God. But how, (may one say, who is convinced he hath\nit not) may I attain thereto? If you say, \u201cBelieve, and thou shalt\nbe saved:\u201d he answers, True; but how shall I believe? You reply, Wait\nupon God.\u2015\u2015Well. But how am I to wait? In the means of grace, or out\nof them? Am I to wait for the grace of God which bringeth salvation, by\nusing these means, or by laying them aside?\n\n8. It cannot possibly be conceived, that the word of God should give\nno direction in so important a point: or that the Son of God, who came\ndown from heaven for us men and for our salvation, should have left\nus undetermined with regard to a question, wherein our salvation is so\nnearly concerned.\n\nAnd in fact, he hath not left us undetermined; he hath shewn us the way\nwherein we should go. We have only to consult the oracles of God, to\ninquire what is written there? And if we simply abide by their decision,\nthere can no possible doubt remain.\n\n\nIII. 1. According to this, according to the decision of holy writ, all\nwho desire the grace of God, are to wait for it, in the means which he\nhath ordained; in using, not in laying them aside.\n\nAnd first: all who desire the grace of God, are to wait for it in\nthe way of _prayer_. This is the express direction of our Lord himself.\nIn his sermon upon the mount, after explaining at large wherein\nreligion consists, and describing the main branches of it, he adds,\n_Ask and it shall be given you, seek and ye shall find, knock and it\nshall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth, and he\nthat seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened._\n(_Matt._ vii. 7, 8.) Here we are in the plainest manner directed\nto ask, in order to, or as a _means_ of receiving; to seek in order\nto find, the grace of God, the pearl of great price; and to knock, to\ncontinue asking and seeking, if we would enter into his kingdom.\n\n2. That no doubt might remain, our Lord labours this point in a more\npeculiar manner. He appeals to every man\u2019s own heart. _What man is\nthere of you, who if his son ask bread, will give him a stone? Or if\nhe ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then being evil know\nhow to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your\nFather which is in heaven_, the Father of angels and men, the Father\nof the spirits of all flesh, _give good things to them that ask him_?\nver. 9, 10, 11. Or, as he expresses himself on another occasion,\nincluding all good things in one, _How much more shall your heavenly\nFather give the holy Spirit to them that ask him?_ _Luke_ xi. 13. It\nshould be particularly observed here, that the persons directed to ask,\nhad not then received the holy Spirit. Nevertheless our Lord directs\nthem to use this means, and promises that it should be effectual; that\nupon asking they should receive the holy Spirit, from him whose mercy\nis over all his works.\n\n3. The absolute necessity of using this means if we would receive any\ngift from God, yet farther appears from that remarkable passage which\nimmediately precedes these words: _And he said unto them_ (whom he had\njust been teaching, how to pray) _which of you shall have a friend, and\nshall go unto him at midnight, and shall say unto him, Friend, lend me\nthree loaves\u2015\u2015and he from within shall answer, Trouble me not\u2015\u2015I cannot\nrise and give thee: I say unto you, though he will not rise and give\nhim, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will\nrise, and give him as many as he needeth. And I say unto you, Ask and\nit shall be given you_, Luke xi. 5, 7, 8, 9. _Though he will not give\nhim, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will\nrise and give him as many as he needeth._ How could our blessed Lord\nmore plainly declare, that we may receive of God, by this means, by\nimportunately asking, what otherwise we should not receive at all!\n\n4. _He spake also another parable to this end, that men ought always\nto pray, and not to faint_, till through this means they should receive\nof God, whatsoever petition they asked of him. _There was in a city a\njudge which feared not God, neither regarded man. And there was a widow\nin that city, and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of my adversary.\nAnd he would not for a while; but afterwards he said with himself,\nThough I fear not God, nor regard man, yet because this widow troubleth\nme I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me._ Luke\nxviii. 1\u20134. The application of this our Lord himself hath made. _Hear\nwhat the unjust judge saith!_ Because she continues to ask, because she\nwill take no denial, therefore I will avenge her. _And shall not God\navenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him? I tell you he\nwill avenge them speedily_\u2015\u2015if they _pray and faint not_.\n\n5. A direction equally full and express, to wait for the blessings of\nGod in private prayer, together with a positive promise, that by this\nmeans we shall obtain the request of our lips, he hath given us in\nthose well-known words: _Enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut\nthy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret, and thy Father which\nseeth in secret shall reward thee openly_, Matt. vi. 6.\n\n6. If it be possible for any direction to be more clear, it is that\nwhich God hath given us by the apostle, with regard to prayer of every\nkind, publick or private, and the blessing annext thereto. _If any of\nyou lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally_,\n(if they ask; otherwise _ye have not, because ye ask not_, Jam. iv. 2.)\n_and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him_, ch. i. 5.\n\nIf it be objected, \u201cBut this is no direction to unbelievers; to them\nwho know not the pardoning grace of God: for the apostle adds, _but let\nhim ask in faith_: otherwise, _let him not think that he shall receive\nany thing of the Lord_.\u201d I answer the meaning of the word _faith_ in\nthis place, is fixed by the apostle himself, (as if it were on purpose\nto obviate this objection) in the words immediately following: _Let him\nask in faith, nothing wavering_, nothing _doubting_ \u03bc\u03b7\u03b4\u1f72\u03bd \u03b4\u03b9\u03b1\u03ba\u03c1\u03b9\u03bd\u03cc\u03bc\u03b5\u03bd\u03bf\u03c2.\nNot doubting but God heareth his prayer, and will fulfil the desire of\nhis heart.\n\nThe gross, blasphemous absurdity of supposing _faith_ in this place to\nbe taken in the full Christian meaning, appears hence: it is supposing\nthe Holy Ghost to direct a man who knows he has not this faith (which\nis here termed _wisdom_) to ask it of God, with a positive promise that\n_it shall be given him_; and then immediately to subjoin, that it shall\nnot be given him, unless he have it before he asks for it! But who can\nbear such a supposition? From this scripture, therefore, as well as\nthose cited above we must infer, that all who desire the grace of God,\nare to wait for it in the way of prayer.\n\n7. _Secondly_, all who desire the grace of God, are to wait for it in\n_searching the scriptures_.\n\nOur Lord\u2019s direction with regard to the use of this means, is likewise\nplain and clear. _Search the scriptures_, saith he to the unbelieving\n_Jews,\u2015\u2015for they testify of me_, John v. 39. And for this very end did\nhe direct them to search the scriptures, that they might _believe in\nhim_.\n\nThe objection, \u201cThat this is not a command, but only an assertion,\nthat they did search the scriptures,\u201d is shamelessly false. I desire\nthose who urge it, to let us know, how a command can be more clearly\nexpressed, than in those terms, \u1f18\u03c1\u03b5\u03c5\u03bd\u1fb6\u03c4\u03b5 \u03c4\u1f70\u03c2 \u03b3\u03c1\u03b1\u03c6\u1f70\u03c2. It is as\nperemptory as so many words can make it.\n\nAnd what a blessing from God attends the use of this means, appears\nfrom what is recorded concerning the _Bereans_; who after hearing\nSt. _Paul_, _searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were\nso? Therefore many of them believed_: found the grace of God, in the\nway which he had ordained. _Acts_ xvii. 12, 13.\n\nIt is probable, indeed, that in some of those who had _received the\nword with all readiness of mind, faith came_ (as the same apostle\nspeaks) _by hearing_, and was only confirmed by _reading_ the\nscriptures. But it was observed above, that under the general term of\n_searching the scriptures_, both hearing, reading, and meditating, are\ncontained.\n\n8. And that this is a means whereby God not only gives, but also\nconfirms and increases true wisdom, we learn from the words of\nSt. _Paul_ to _Timothy_: _From a child thou hast known the holy\nscriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation, thro\u2019\nfaith which is in Christ Jesus_, 2 Tim. iii. 15. The same truth\n(namely, that this is the great means God has ordained for conveying\nhis manifold grace to man) is delivered, in the fullest manner that\ncan be conceived, in the words which immediately follow: _All scripture\nis given by inspiration of God_; (consequently, all scripture is\ninfallibly true;) _and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for\ncorrection, for instruction in righteousness: to the end that the man\nof God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works_, ver.\n16, 17.\n\n9. It should be observed, that this is spoken primarily and directly,\nof the scriptures which _Timothy_ had _known from a child_; which must\nhave been those of the Old Testament, for the New was not then wrote.\nHow far then was St. _Paul_ (though he was _not a whit behind the very\nchief of the apostles_, nor therefore, I presume, behind any man now\nupon earth) from making light of the Old Testament! Behold this, lest\nye one day _wonder and perish_, ye who make so small account of one\nhalf of the oracles of God! Yea, and that half of which the Holy Ghost\nexpresly declares, that it is _profitable_, as _a_ means ordained of\nGod, for this very thing, _for doctrine, for reproof, for correction,\nfor instruction in righteousness: to the end the man of God may be\nperfect, throughly furnished unto all good works_.\n\n10. Nor is this profitable only for the men of God, for those who walk\nalready in the light of his countenance; but also for those who are\nyet in darkness, seeking him whom they know not. Thus St. _Peter_, _We\nhave also a more sure word of prophecy_: literally, _and we have the\nprophetic word more sure_: \u039a\u03b1\u1f76 \u1f14\u03c7\u03bf\u03bc\u03b5\u03bd \u03b2\u03b5\u03b2\u03b1\u03b9\u03cc\u03c4\u03b5\u03c1\u03bf\u03bd \u03c4\u1f78\u03bd \u03c0\u03c1\u03bf\u03c6\u03b7\u03c4\u03b9\u03ba\u1f78\u03bd \u03bb\u03cc\u03b3\u03bf\u03bd.\nConfirmed by our being _eye witnesses of his Majesty_, and _hearing the\nvoice which came from the excellent glory unto which_ (prophetic word;\nso he stiles the holy scriptures) _ye do well that ye take heed as\nunto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the\nday-star arise in your hearts_, 2 Pet. i. 19. Let all, therefore, who\ndesire that day to dawn upon their hearts, wait for it in _searching\nthe scriptures_.\n\n11. _Thirdly_, All who desire an increase of the grace of God, are\nto wait for it in partaking of the Lord\u2019s Supper. For this also is a\ndirection himself hath given. _The same night in which he was betrayed,\nhe took bread, and brake it, and said, take, eat: this is my body_,\n(that is, the sacred sign of my body) _this do in remembrance of me.\nLikewise, he took the cup, saying, this cup is the new testament, or\ncovenant, in my blood_, (the sacred sign of that covenant,) _this do\nye\u2015\u2015in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink\nthis cup, ye do shew forth the Lord\u2019s death till he come_, 1 Cor. xi.\n23, &c. Ye openly exhibit the same, by these visible signs, before God,\nand angels, and men. Ye manifest your solemn remembrance of his death,\ntill he cometh in the clouds of heaven.\n\nOnly _let a man_ first _examine himself_, whether he understand the\nnature and design of this holy institution, and whether he really\ndesire to be himself made conformable to the death of Christ: _and so_,\nnothing doubting, _let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup_,\nver. 28.\n\nHere then the direction first given by our Lord, is expresly repeated\nby the apostle. Let him eat; let him drink: (\u2666\u1f10\u03c3\u03b8\u03b9\u03ad\u03c4\u03c9\u00b7 \u03c0\u03b9\u03bd\u03ad\u03c4\u03c9\u00b7 both\nin the imperative mood.) Words not implying a bare permission only, but\na clear, explicit command; a command to all those who either already\nare filled with peace and joy in believing, or can truly say, \u201cThe\nremembrance of our sins is grievous unto us, the burden of them is\nintolerable.\u201d\n\n12. And that this is also an ordinary stated means of receiving the\ngrace of God, is evident from those words of the apostle, which occur\nin the preceding chapter? _The cup of blessing which we bless, is it\nnot the communion_, or communication, _of the blood of Christ? The\nbread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?_\n(1 Cor. x. 16.) Is not the eating of that bread, and the drinking of\nthat cup the outward, visible means whereby God conveys into our souls\nall that spiritual grace, that righteousness, and peace, and joy in\nthe Holy Ghost, which were purchased by the body of Christ once broken,\nand the blood of Christ once shed for us? Let all, therefore who truly\ndesire the grace of God, eat of that bread and drink of that cup.\n\n\nIV. 1. But as plainly as God hath pointed out the way, wherein he\nwill be inquired after, innumerable are the objections which men, wise\nin their own eyes, have from time to time raised against it. It may\nbe needful to consider a few of these; not because they are of weight\nin themselves, but because they have so often been used, especially\nof late years, to turn the lame out of the way; yea, to trouble and\nsubvert those who did run well, while Satan appeared as an angel of\nlight.\n\nThe first and chief of these is, \u201cYou cannot use these means (as\nyou call them) without _trusting_ in them.\u201d I pray, where is this\nwritten? I expect you should shew me plain scripture for your assertion.\nOtherwise I dare not receive it: because I am not convinced, that you\nare wiser than God.\n\nIf it really had been as you assert, it is certain Christ must have\nknown it. And if he had known it, he would surely have warned us, he\nwould have revealed it long ago. Therefore because he has not, because\nthere is no tittle of this in the whole revelation of Jesus Christ, I\nam as fully assured your assertion is false, as that this revelation is\nof God.\n\n\u201cHowever, leave them off for a short time, to see whether you trusted\nin them or no.\u201d So I am to disobey God, in order to know, whether I\ntrust in obeying him! And do you avow this advice? Do you deliberately\nteach, to _do evil, that good may come_? O tremble at the sentence of\nGod against such teachers! Their _damnation is just_.\n\n\u201cNay, if you are troubled, when you leave them off, it is plain, you\ntrusted in them.\u201d By no means. If I am troubled when I wilfully disobey\nGod, it is plain his Spirit is still striving with me. But if I am not\ntroubled at wilful sin, it is plain, I am given up to a reprobate mind.\n\nBut what do you mean by \u201c_Trusting_ in them?\u201d Looking for the blessing\nof God therein? Believing, that if I wait in this way I shall attain,\nwhat otherwise I should not? So I do. And so I will, God being my\nhelper, even to my life\u2019s end. By the grace of God, I will _thus_\ntrust in them, till the day of my death; that is, I will believe,\nthat whatever, God hath promised, he is faithful also to perform. And\nseeing he hath promised to bless me in this way, I _trust_ it shall be\naccording to his word.\n\n2. It has been, secondly, objected, \u201cThis is seeking salvation by\nworks.\u201d Do you know the meaning of the expression you use? What is,\n\u201cSeeking salvation by works?\u201d In the writings of St. _Paul_, it means,\neither seeking to be saved, by observing the ritual works of the Mosaic\nlaw, or expecting salvation for the sake of our own works, by the merit\nof our own righteousness. But how is either of these implied, in my\nwaiting in the way God has ordained; and expecting that he will meet\nme there, because he has promised so to do?\n\nI do expect, that he will fulfil his word, that \u2666he will meet and bless\nme in this way. Yet not for the sake of any works which I have done,\nnor for the merit of my righteousness: But merely through the merits\nand sufferings and love of his Son, in whom he is always well-pleased.\n\n3. It has been vehemently objected, Thirdly, that Christ is the only\nmeans of grace. I answer, this is mere playing upon words. Explain your\nterm, and the objection vanishes away. When we say, \u201cPrayer is a means\nof grace,\u201d we understand, a channel through which the grace of God is\nconveyed. When you say, \u201cChrist is the means of grace,\u201d you understand,\nthe sole price and purchaser of it: or, that _no man cometh unto the\nFather, but thro\u2019 him_. And who denies it? But this is utterly wide of\nthe question.\n\n4. \u201cBut does not the scripture (it has been objected, fourthly) direct\nus to _wait_ for salvation? Does not _David_ say, _My soul waiteth upon\nGod: for of him cometh my salvation_? And does not _Isaiah_ teach us\nthe same thing, saying, _O Lord, we have waited for thee_?\u201d All this\ncannot be denied. Seeing it is the gift of God, we are undoubtedly to\n_wait_ on him for salvation. But how shall we wait? If God himself has\nappointed a way, can you find a better way of waiting for him? But,\nthat he hath appointed a way, hath been shewn at large, and also what\nthat way is. The very words of the prophet which you cite, put this out\nof all question. For the whole sentence runs thus; _In the way of thy\njudgments_, or ordinances, _O Lord, have we waited for thee_. (_Isaiah_\nxxvi. 8.) And in the very same way did _David_ wait, as his own words\nabundantly testify: _I have waited for thy saving health, O Lord, and\nhave kept thy law, teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes, and I\nshall keep it unto the end_.\n\n5. \u201cYea, say some, but God has appointed another way, _Stand still and\nsee the salvation of God_.\u201d\n\nLet us examine the scriptures to which you refer. The first of them,\nwith the context, runs thus:\n\n_And when |Pharaoh| drew nigh, the children of |Israel| lift up their\neyes\u2015\u2015and they were sore afraid. And they said unto |Moses|, because\nthere were no graves in |Egypt|, hast thou taken us away to die in the\nwilderness? And |Moses| said unto the people, fear ye not: stand still,\nand see the salvation of the Lord. And the Lord said unto |Moses|,\nspeak unto the children of |Israel|, that they go forward. But lift\nthou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea and divide it.\nAnd the children of |Israel| shall go on dry ground through the midst\nof the sea_, Exod. xiv. 10, _&c._\n\nThis was the _salvation_ of God, which they _stood still_ to see, by\n_marching forward_ with all their might!\n\nThe other passage wherein this expression occurs, stands thus.\n_There came some that told |Jehoshaphat| saying, There cometh a great\nmultitude against thee, from beyond the sea. And |Jehoshaphat| feared,\nand set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout\nall |Judah|. And |Judah| gathered themselves together to ask help of\nthe Lord, even out of all the cities they came to seek the Lord. And\n|Jehoshaphat| stood in the congregation, in the house of the Lord\u2015\u2015Then\nupon |Jahaziel| came the Spirit of the Lord.\u2015\u2015And he said\u2015\u2015Be not\ndismayed by reason of this great multitude\u2015\u2015To-morrow go ye down\nagainst them; ye shall not need to fight in this battle. Set yourselves:\nstand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord\u2015\u2015And they arose\nearly in the morning and went forth. And when they began to sing and\nto praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of |Moab|,\n|Ammon|, and |Mount Sier|\u2015\u2015and every one helped to destroy another_,\n2 Chron. xx. 2, _&c._\n\nSuch was the salvation which the children of _Judah_ saw. But how does\nall this prove, that we ought not to wait for the grace of God, in the\nmeans which he hath ordained?\n\n6. I shall mention but one objection more, which indeed does not\nproperly belong to this head. Nevertheless, because it has been so\nfrequently urged, I may not wholly pass it by.\n\n\u201cDoes not St. _Paul_ say, _If ye be dead with Christ, why are ye\nsubject to ordinances?_ Col. ii. 20. Therefore a Christian, one that is\n_dead with Christ_, need not use the ordinances any more.\u201d\n\nSo you say, \u201cIf I am a Christian, I am not subject to the ordinances\nof Christ!\u201d Surely, by the absurdity of this, you must see at the first\nglance, that the ordinances here mentioned cannot be the ordinances of\nChrist! That they must needs be the _Jewish_ ordinances, to which it is\ncertain, a Christian is no longer subject.\n\nAnd the same undeniably appears from the words immediately following,\n_Touch not, taste not, handle not_\u2015\u2015all evidently referring to the\nantient ordinances of the _Jewish_ law.\n\nSo that this objection is the weakest of all. And in spight of all,\nthat great truth must stand unshaken, that all who desire the grace of\nGod, are to wait for it, in the means which he hath ordained.\n\n\nV. 1. But this being allowed, that all who desire the grace of God, are\nto wait for it in the means he hath ordained: it may still be enquired\nhow those means should be used, both as to the _order_, and the\n_manner_ of using them?\n\nWith regard to the former, we may observe, there is a kind of order,\nwherein God himself is generally pleased, to use these means, in\nbringing a sinner to salvation. A stupid, senseless wretch is going\non in his own way, not having God in all his thoughts, when God comes\nupon him unawares, perhaps by an awakening sermon or conversation,\nperhaps by some awful providence; or it may be by an immediate stroke\nof his convincing Spirit, without any outward means at all. Having now\na desire to flee from the wrath to come, he purposely goes to _hear_,\nhow it may be done. If he finds a preacher who speaks to the heart, he\nis amazed, and begins _searching the scriptures_, whether these things\nare so? The more he _hears_ and _reads_, the more convinced he is; and\nthe more he _meditates_ thereon, day and night. Perhaps he finds some\nother book, which explains and inforces what he has heard and read in\nscripture. And by all these means, the arrows of conviction sink deeper\ninto his soul. He begins also to _talk_ of the things of God, which are\never uppermost in his thoughts: yea, and to talk with God, to _pray_ to\nhim, although through fear and shame, he scarce knows what to say. But\nwhether he can speak or no, he cannot but pray, were it only in _groans\nwhich cannot be uttered_. Yet being in doubt, whether _the high and\nlofty one that inhabiteth eternity_ will regard such a sinner as him,\nhe wants to pray with those who know God, with the faithful, in the\n_great congregation_. But here he observes others go up to the _table\nof the Lord_. He considers, Christ has said, \u201cDo this!\u201d How is it, that\nI do not? I am too great a sinner. I am not fit. I am not worthy. After\nstruggling with these scruples awhile, he breaks through. And thus he\ncontinues in God\u2019s way, in hearing, reading, meditating, praying, and\npartaking of the Lord\u2019s supper, till God, in the manner that pleases\nhim, speaks to his heart, _Thy faith hath saved thee! Go in peace!_\n\n2. By observing this order of God, we may learn what means to recommend\nto any particular soul. If any of these will reach a stupid, careless\nsinner, it is probably _hearing_ or _conversation_. To such therefore\nwe might recommend these, if he has ever any thought about salvation.\nTo one who begins to feel the weight of his sins, not only hearing the\nword of God, but _reading_ it too, and perhaps other _serious books_,\nmay be a means of deeper conviction. May you not advise him also, to\n_meditate_ on what he reads, that it may have its full force upon his\nheart? Yea, and to _speak_ thereof and not be ashamed, particularly\namong those who walk in the same path. When trouble and heaviness\ntake hold upon him, should you not then earnestly exhort him, to pour\nout his soul before God? Always to _pray and not to faint_? And when\nhe feels the worthlessness of his own prayers, are you not to work\ntogether with God, and remind him of going up into _the house of the\nLord_, and praying with all them that fear him? But if he does this,\nthe _dying word_ of his Lord, will soon be brought to his remembrance:\na plain intimation, that this is the time, when we should second the\nmotions of the blessed Spirit. And thus may we lead him step by step,\nthrough all the means which God has ordained; not according to our own\nwill, but just as the providence and the Spirit of God go before and\nopen the way.\n\n3. * Yet as we find no command in holy writ, for any particular order\nto be observed herein, so neither do the providence and the Spirit\nof God, adhere to any without variation: but the means into which\ndifferent men are led, and in which they find the blessing of God,\nare varied, transposed and combined together, a thousand different\nways. Yet still our wisdom is, to follow the leadings of his providence\nand his Spirit: to be guided herein (more especially as to the means\nwherein we ourselves seek the grace of God) partly by his outward\nprovidence, giving us the opportunity of using sometimes one means,\nsometimes another: partly by our experience, which it is whereby his\nfree Spirit is pleased most to work in our heart. And in the mean time,\nthe sure and general rule for all who groan for the salvation of God,\nis this, whenever opportunity serves, use all the means which God has\nordained. For who knows, in which God will meet thee, with the grace\nthat bringeth salvation?\n\n4. As to the _manner_ of using them, whereon indeed it wholly depends,\nwhether they should convey any grace at all to the user, it behoves us,\nfirst, always to retain a lively sense, that God is above all means.\nHave a care therefore of limiting the Almighty. He doth whatsoever and\nwhensoever it pleaseth him. He can convey his grace, either in or out\nof any of the means which he hath appointed. Perhaps he will. _Who hath\nknown the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been his counsellor?_ Look then\nevery moment for his appearing! Be it at the hour you are employed in\nhis ordinances; or before, or after that hour. Or when you are hindered\ntherefrom. He is not hindered. He is always ready: always able, always\nwilling to save. _It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good!_\n\nSecondly, _Before_ you use any means, let it be deeply imprest on\nyour soul, \u2666\u201cThere is no _power_ in this. It is in itself a poor, dead,\nempty thing: separate from God; it is a dry leaf, a shadow. Neither\nis there any _merit_ in my using this; nothing intrinsically pleasing\nto God, nothing whereby I deserve any favour at his hands, no, not a\ndrop of water to cool my tongue. But because God bids, therefore I do;\nbecause he directs me to wait in this way, therefore here I wait for\nhis free mercy, whereof cometh my salvation.\n\nSettle this in your heart, that the _opus operatum_, the mere work done\nprofiteth nothing: that there is no _power_ to save, but in the Spirit\nof God; no _merit_, but in the blood of Christ: that consequently, even\nwhat God ordains, conveys no grace to the soul, if you trust not in him\nalone. On the other hand, he that does truly trust in him, cannot fall\nshort of the grace of God, even tho\u2019 he were cut off from every outward\nordinance, tho\u2019 he were shut up in the center of the earth.\n\n* Thirdly, _In_ using all means, seek God alone. In and thro\u2019 every\noutward thing, look singly to the _power_ of his Spirit, and the\n_merits_ of his Son. Beware you do not stick in the _work_ itself; if\nyou do, it is all lost labour. Nothing short of God can satisfy your\nsoul. Therefore eye him, in all, thro\u2019 all, and above all.\n\nRemember also, to use all means, _as means_: as ordained, not for their\nown sake, but in order to the renewal of your soul in righteousness and\ntrue holiness. If therefore they actually tend to this, well. But if\nnot, they are dung and dross.\n\nLastly, _After_ you have used any of these, take care, how you value\nyourself thereon: how you congratulate yourself, as having done some\ngreat thing. This is turning all into poison. Think, \u201cIf God was not\nthere, what does this avail? Have I not been adding sin to sin? How\nlong! O Lord! Save or I perish! O lay not this sin to my charge!\u201d If\nGod was there, if his love flowed into your heart, you have forgot,\nas it were, the outward work. You see, you know, you feel, God is all\nin all. Be abased. Sink down before him. Give him all the praise. Let\nGod _in all things be glorified through Christ Jesus_. Let _all_ your\n_bones cry out, My song shall be always of the loving-kindness of\nthe Lord: with my mouth will I ever be telling of thy truth, from one\ngeneration to another_!\n\n\n The End of the FIRST VOLUME.\n\n\n\n\n Footnotes.\n\n\n 1 \u2013 Preached at St. Mary\u2019s, Oxford, before the University,\n June 18, 1738.\n\n 2 \u2013 Preached at St. Mary\u2019s, Oxford, before the University,\n July 25, 1741.\n\n 3 \u2013 Good men avoid sin from the love of virtue;\n Wicked men avoid sin from a fear of punishment.\n\n 4 \u2013 Thou shalt not be hang\u2019d.\n\n 5 \u2013 Homily on the salvation of man.\n\n 6 \u2013 Preached on Sunday, April 4, 1742, before the University\n of Oxford, by the Rev. Mr. Charles Wesley.\n\n 7 \u2013 Ezek. xxxvi. 27.\n\n 8 \u2013 Isaiah xliv. 3.\n\n 9 \u2013 John xiv. 20.\n\n 10 \u2013 Art. 17.\n\n 11 \u2013 Office of consecrating Priests.\n\n 12 \u2013 Visitation of the sick.\n\n 13 \u2013 Collect before the holy communion.\n\n 14 \u2013 Order of confirmation.\n\n 15 \u2013 Preached at St. Mary\u2019s, Oxford, before the University,\n August 24, 1744.\n\n 16 \u2013 Evidence or conviction.\n\n 17 \u2013 Gen. iii. 15.\n\n 18 \u2013 Gen. xxii. 15, 18.\n\n 19 \u2013 Gen. xv. 6.\n\n 20 \u2013 Rom. iv. 11.\n\n 21 \u2013 Ver. 23, 24, 25.\n\n 22 \u2013 Mark xii. 30.\n\n 23 \u2013 1 Cor. ii. 12.\n\n 24 \u2013 2 Cor. i. 12.\n\n 25 \u2013 1 Cor. i. 2.\n\n 26 \u2013 Ver. 9.\n\n 27 \u2013 What follows for some pages is an answer to a paper\n published in the _Christian\u2019s Magazine_, p. 577\u2013582. I\n am surprized Mr. _Dodd_ should give such a paper a place\n in his Magazine, which is directly contrary to our ninth\n article.\n\n 28 \u2013 Preached at the Assizes held before the Honourable Sir\n Edward Clive, Knight, one of the Judges of his Majesty\u2019s\n Court of Common-Pleas; in St. Paul\u2019s Church, Bedford: on\n Friday, March 10, 1758.\n\n 29 \u2013 Acts ii. 19.\n\n 30 \u2013 Luke xxi. 11.\n\n 31 \u2013 Rev. xvi. 20.\n\n 32 \u2013 Luke xxi. 25.\n\n 33 \u2013 Joel ii. 30.\n\n 34 \u2013 Luke xxi. 25, 26.\n\n 35 \u2013 Joel ii. 3.\n\n 36 \u2013 Joel iii. 15.\n\n 37 \u2013 1 Thess. iv. 16.\n\n 38 \u2013 Rev. xx. 13.\n\n 39 \u2013 1 Cor. xv. 53.\n\n 40 \u2013 Matt. xxiv. 31.\n\n 41 \u2013 Matt. xxv. 31, &c.\n\n 42 \u2013 Rev. xx. 12.\n\n 43 \u2013 Heb. i. 2.\n\n 44 \u2013 John v. 22, 27.\n\n 45 \u2013 Phil. ii. 6, 7.\n\n 46 \u2013 2 Pet. iii. 8.\n\n 47 \u2013 1 Thess. iv. 16, 17.\n\n 48 \u2013 Matt. xii. 36, 37.\n\n 49 \u2013 Ezek. xviii. 21, 22.\n\n 50 \u2013 Jer. xxxi. 34.\n\n 51 \u2013 Heb. viii. 12.\n\n 52 \u2013 Matt. x. 26.\n\n 53 \u2013 Rev. xx. 11.\n\n 54 \u2013 2 Pet. iii. 12.\n\n 55 \u2013 Ibid. v. 10.\n\n 56 \u2013 Chap. iv. 6.\n\n 57 \u2013 v. 13.\n\n 58 \u2013 c. lxv. 17.\n\n 59 \u2013 Rev. \u2666xxi. 1.\n\n 60 \u2013 v. 3.\n\n 61 \u2013 v. 4.\n\n 62 \u2013 c. xxii. 3, 4.\n\n\n\n\n Transcriber\u2019s Notes.\n\n\n The following corrections have been made in the text:\n\n Page 11:\n Sentence starting: I have thought,...\n \u2013 Ending quote not shown in text.\n (\u201cI am a creature)\n\n Page 23:\n Sentence starting: 1. That \u201cto preach salvation....\n \u2013 \u20182.\u2019 replaced with \u20181.\u2019\n (1. That \u201cto preach salvation)\n\n Page 44:\n Sentence starting: Hast _thou_ indeed ....\n \u2013 \u2018redemptition\u2019 replaced with \u2018redemption\u2019\n (indeed redemption through his blood)\n\n Page 52:\n Sentence starting: Awake and cry out....\n \u2013 \u2018goaler\u2019 replaced with \u2018gaoler\u2019\n (with the trembling gaoler,)\n\n Page 119:\n Sentence starting: No abatement, no allowance....\n \u2013 \u2018title\u2019 replaced with \u2018tittle\u2019\n (as to any jot or tittle,)\n\n Page 133:\n Sentence starting: Then shall thy _head_....\n \u2013 \u2018he\u2019 replaced with \u2018be\u2019\n (thy _head_ be _waters_,)\n\n Page 159:\n Sentence starting: 5. They are not condemned....\n \u2013 Paragragh numeral \u20184\u2019 skipped.\n\n Page 179:\n Sentence starting: 3. The inward, spiritual meaning....\n \u2013 Paragragh numeral \u20182\u2019 skipped.\n (3. The inward, spiritual meaning)\n\n Page 190:\n Sentence starting: To conclude; the natural man....\n \u2013 \u2018conquerer\u2019 replaced with \u2018conqueror\u2019\n (than conqueror, through him)\n\n Page 238:\n Sentence starting: To remember, to bear witness....\n \u2013 duplicated word removed \u2018or\u2019\n (to approve or disapprove)\n\n Page 254:\n Sentence starting: ....\n \u2013 \u2018\u03c3\u03b1\u03c1\u03b7\u1f78\u03c2\u2019 replaced with \u2018\u03c3\u03b1\u03c1\u03ba\u1f78\u03c2\u2019\n (\u03c6\u03c1\u03cc\u03bd\u03b7\u03bc\u03b1 \u03c3\u03b1\u03c1\u03ba\u1f78\u03c2)\n\n Page 254:\n Sentence starting: 5. To avoid this extreme,...\n \u2013 Ending quote not shown in text.\n (\u201cAll true believers,)\n\n Page 262:\n Sentence starting: Yea, if he fall from one wickedness....\n \u2013 missing \u2018is\u2019 inserted in text\n (because it is contrary)\n\n Page 268:\n Sentence starting: \u201cBut can anger and pride....\n \u2013 \u2018were\u2019 replaced with \u2018where\u2019\n (where _only_ meekness and humility are felt!)\n\n Page 302:\n Quote starting: _in the form of God,...\n \u2013 \u2018likness\u2019 replaced with \u2018likeness\u2019\n (made in the likeness of men)\n\n Page 320:\n Sentence starting: How widely different from....\n \u2013 \u2018ecchoes\u2019 replaced with \u2018echoes\u2019\n (which echoes through the expanse)\n\n Page 338:\n Sentence starting: Let him eat; let him....\n \u2013 \u2018\u1f10\u03b8\u03b9\u03ad\u03c4\u03c9\u2019 replaced with \u2018\u1f10\u03c3\u03b8\u03b9\u03ad\u03c4\u03c9\u2019\n (\u1f10\u03c3\u03b8\u03b9\u03ad\u03c4\u03c9\u00b7 \u03c0\u03b9\u03bd\u03ad\u03c4\u03c9\u00b7 both in the imperative mood.)\n\n Page 341:\n Sentence starting: I do expect, that....\n \u2013 \u2018be\u2019 replaced with \u2018he\u2019\n (that he will meet and bless)\n\n Page 348:\n Sentence starting: Secondly, _Before_ you use....\n \u2013 Ending quote not shown in text.\n (\u201cThere is no _power_)\n\n Footnote 59:\n \u2013 \u2018xx\u2019 replaced with \u2018xxi\u2019\n (Rev. xxi. 1.)","title":"The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 01 (of 32)","tradition":"scripture-revelation","translated_text":null,"word_count":86907}