See Noha Cae: phe th ah ae i nh rH a ira ie Lhd ie wi nae ; i Ha Uo 2) 0}; < nat ne Wishes they np PVH DH epi ie prised 90 wat Pu Wea anne cate ah hi suit pea Dis ee it pina i on te yb tae "J phiivers Nake re) : Hae vetik ined PAA ishl te aus Pe SAY, ets yes Te aie Lhasa ee “i Ei bande BAY vi} aes vue of j ind Mtuca 19) i nai Aes! ioe rier Hi Saar s eI Seen! fet ihe eS oe - ieae hte pe toe mer a tte ne en a peli iildany Rat ee aS ie rie ae - a ie peer a u bat itn ire a i yusianiree 1) ci i 4f pi a sein nee Sah ir — A ies Hr aig $ ares sat at i. hs mars , \ i > Ms + oy eau ee ft mote r iy f yet . a h » ieehn st of ip i ia Wit Ua: ‘ iets ae ae 4 he fee L Alp a Ais sae ani ieee as) ae ; ald ed pat at ae ly Ns etl ine nt Va 19h ye eH iy) Meiens iain i rei meee “ a ae Petit re r etal ak pitas bs ip nae) tei Saud eye Ai j Phe py i Be ries ; s Hy penne wn ae yeh yy Hil rhe a ee Foxe oe hota ue EM SAS a ae R niniurnaa dit Qe) 4 ih rh phi is Lied = eeltice Hu it ae 4a Hi se si sues RLM A nine ee Ree TA 1k sha ttet vi) ‘ t) ay ea galt YH ae en Nate Takia sins Ay cae abs ence ics a cies rian a a " Pee i he iT fait a Ww iti iat hal y Hi mre UTNE ay ean cate 4 Hiaaentc Iti etaaen +o! i SNahehen sich a abe pis AL +’ Ge ae) A , hot) Ay \ mare hsae bab any De mn * oy . Bee itn Basten : Ra aasiet : ae 3 ig TH eben Pe one sree ; 4 if nie ; it a ia 5 eh a Be rer righ: thst Peas Meh fen Pa eae eat my oe ‘sins ; sehen where eal jyeteie dg 6 ws Fey) ait aah) ate an hake 4a in eit aih 9 bata yeep eta KOR hy A ee 1341 yar Hd fit bhi as} ei ane thi is Mahea ead Avant ey ya tivhaledaNs pre at CO at i to Hace is y Re ' be Oe, Hi ; eft 4 ae } ey Wi Riese 35 Nt eae y 54] Bey Bargin am anh sed Bite Cun ets onn re Sing tH SHB Phos, et Su geo bt) itis Fe pair ttiteet Hs shy hey a Fh Hiigad Fy epi 4 hel aa sale vb | Rie rine Aydssauiet afl dais that {ish {S408 iy Moder iy pal besar Yoatiy 4yF x hae He is Layee aap ag, es Beart i Ni J ys R Ly Tad eat BerTat) neti 4 Hide oe i thi 1A Raa py vet CARAT 7 + it tbe tHE al Pa Pate 4 ea i i: imi) PLotuee mew VPA Ve 4 ARNE y rye xls Saitiialticonlt theta My ort PD VbS Mel oieeh RL fd toh oi ta DD te abd whi ty My Oye a tphevansnd ithe Able Oradea wi aiete joite onde *i) ta) bbe yh aN eT eS Fh Hata ly Paget Het sie rest ied ish EAA i oan a iat ms f Hh aehn BGiaed » sist ieee Say Prete anach U3 Oni stal ai) (he he pabert te RA i ¥: — ini > one ae ; Ae ! ut ne ha Aen sini cass miners Sat Asie) i p 35 » A lta a iis Pa eb pavers {sf yene Hat ml eR ot j 4 ty Hains hess ally! v i cde Lavage en plat) Wn «4 iia Ki SS ania i en Hits) Teen ienitne His : n ee tho uh pd a ie i i soa edehe a ; i qeetiheey Bll bik a Pie t see wa ie sit i i ae rene i a Bi al ashe sth ess ci ate ts fans it fatwa ta hana nape Rt) Anat = fas Tate Mn ak a i Sh cate vote nian ately ppt led rt Cn starts a vy i ih sous f f era eh eres as mi LOW YC ht Ao Dy het 14:8 9h Nv —S : oe 0) Ve iN : * try: 4 rsHaesiedt ae] fy ” Na ethene Qe et tes bs i WA “by Ald beg ewaudsd ean ws Peta ettay ity Lah Sr bes ki kj ‘ Hain Cah EAA fre soah abiebieetie st Pie Aw lve) LM va by lester Met eWay a bates 14 At Seek, ihe, Bi ei ts eS Geese | Faber, George Stanley, 1773 Loos A practical treatise on the A PRACTICAL TREATISE ON THE ORDINARY OPERATIONS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. BY THE REV. G. 8. FABER, B. D. RECTOR OF LONG-NEWTON, IN THE COUNTY AND DIOCESE OF DURHAM, a a mS errno Tvevpot Cwomores. 2 Cor. ili, 6. : — ¢ Ot ougnines Te MEV MaT Ine MEUTTELY OV OUVEVTaly OvdE ¢ . 0s Wveumarinos Te cuexiue, Ignat. Epist. ad Ephes, NEW-VORE: PUBLISHED BY EASTBURN, KIRK AND CO. AT THE LITERARY ROOMS, - CORNER OF WALL AND NASSAU-STREETS. 1814. a ee eee SPIE AE Oe a PRAY & BOWEN, PRINTERS, Brooklyn, Long-Island. ¥ TO THE INHABITANTS OF THE THREE PARISHES OF STOCKTON-UPON-TEES, REDMARSHALL, AND LONG-NEWTON}3 Of WHICH, IN THE COURSE OF THE LAST SEVEN YEARS, BY THE UNREMITTING KINDNESS OF ONE REVERED PATRON, THE AUTHOR HAS BEEN SUCCESSIVELY VICAR OR RECTOR; THIS WORK IS INSCRIBED BY THEIR SINCERE FRIEND AND WELL-WISHER, G. S. FABER. ADVERTISEMENT. ——=— ¢ Ss THE Reader will perceive by the date an- gexed to the Preface, that this work has been written several years. In fact, the author was in no haste to publish on a subject which, how- ever important, requires some degree of pru- dence in the discussion. It has been his wish to exhibit what he believes, to the best of his judg- ment, to be the doctrines and practice taught by that pure and apostolical Church, of which he feels it his privilege to be a minister. In re- vising what he has written, though after a con- siderable period of time, he did not find that any alterations were necessary beyond mere verbal corrections. Long-Newton Rectory, Jan. 16, 1843. . Je oe ‘6% PREFACE. Every person, who is in the least de- gree acquainted with the corruption of the. human heart, will readily acknow- ledge, that his own unassisted abili- ties are totally unequal to the ,task of faithfully serving God. Repeated viola- tions of the most solemn resolutions of amendment have shown him bis weak- ness; and his numerous lapses have wo- fully convinced him, that he stands in need of some divine conductor to lead x him in safety through the perilous jour- ney of life. Such a guide is promised in Scripture to every sincere Christian. We are not to suppose, that the ordi- , nary operations of the Holy Spirit were _ confined to the apostolic age. Human nature is much alike, at all periods, and in all countries. Though Christianity is now established, and though miraculous interference is no longer necessary to the well-being of the Chureh; yet the pre- sent race of men will never be essentially better than their heathen predecessors, so long as they rest satisfied with having | only outwardly embraced the religion of the Messiah. A mere hypocritical and external profession ‘of faith cannot be pleasing to that God, who regards motives no less than actions. A radical change xl must take place in the heart, as well as an outward reformation in the manners; and this change can only be. effected by the agency of some superior power. ‘The heart is as much averse now to the genu- ine practice of piety, as it was in the days of the Apostles ; and, though we have no longer to combat the horrors of persecu- tion, we have still to struggle with the ‘unwillingness and corruption of the soul. If the whole of religion consisted in the bare belief of certain tenets and in the due observance. of certain ceremonies, we should find very little difficulty in becom- ing thoroughly religious charactérs: But? when. we. are called upon to begin the work of self-reformation; when we are required, to love God with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all ‘our strength ;. when wevare enjoined to pre- Xi fer, upon all occasions, his will to our own, and to sacrifice our bosom sins, our darling vices, upon the aitar of Christiani- ty; then commences the struggle: the inbred venom of our nature immediately shows iiself; our very spirit rises both against the law and the lawgiver; and we discover the utter impossibility of working any change in our affections merely by our own efforts. No human arguments can persuade a man to love what he hates, and to delight in what he detests. Submission they may perhaps teach him; but it will be the sullen sub- mission of a slave, not the cheerful ac- quiescence of a son. To produce this change is the peculiar office of the Holy - Spirit; and, since none but he can pro- duce it, his ordinary influence is absolute- ly and universally necessary at present, xill and will be equally so even to the very end of the world. In the following pages, I have en- deayoured to state what appears to me the, plain doctrine of Scripture and the Church of England. Though we arere- peatedly assured by the word of God, that of ourselves we can do no good _thing; yet we are never represented as mere machines, subjected to an_ over- whelming and irresistible influence. ‘The aid of the Holy Spirit is freely offered unto ali; nor does that blessed Person cease to sirive even wilh the most profli- gate, till they have obstinaiely rejected the counsel of God against themselves. The still small voice of conscience, which is in effect the veice of God, long con- tinues to admonish them: and the ex- B X1V ireme difficulty, which they find in silenc- ing it, sufficiently shows how unwilling the Almighty is that any should perish. All, that will, may be saved; for our Lord hath expressly declared, that, 2ho- soever cometh unto him, he will in no wise cast him out. Let none therefore despair on the ground of their being reject- ed by a tremendous and irreversible decree of exclusion: for surely, if such a decree existed, God’s repeated expostulations with sinners for slighting his gracious of- fers, when at the same time they lay un- der a fatal necessity of slighting them, would be a solemn mockery, unworthy of a being of infinite mercy and holiness. In fact, the general experience of man- kind perfectly agrees with scripture. There never yet was a good man who did X¥ not find that he both required and receiv- ed divine assistance to enable him to overcome his corruptions; and. there never yet was a bad man, who did not perceive somewhat within him forcibly restraining him from the commission of sin, and warmly urging him to the prac- tice of holiness. Half of the follies and vanities of the world are mere contrivan- ces to silence this troublesome monitor. Men love darkness rather than light, simply because their deeds are evil. May 21, 1800. pews - ' ail aie ahh CONTENTS." CHAP. I. "Tue necessity of the ordinary operations of the Holy Spirit shown from a view of the state of man by nature: his understanding, his will, and his affections, being all depraved in con- sequence of originalsin.....-+++-. 4 oD > Bie: CHAP. If. ‘The illumination of the understanding through _the influenee of the Holy Spirit, the first work of grace in the human soul .... +e + eu. B7 B2 xviii CONTENTS. CHAP. III. A deseription of two different classes of men, whose understandings are enlightened, while their hearts remain unaffected ....... a ae +e CHAP. IV. The influence of the Holy spirit upon the will 97 — CHAP. V. The influence of the Holy Spirit upon the affee- TORE) cobs (0 ta thas «Ry ec ele co 427 CHAP. VI. The Holy Spirit, a comforter, and an interces- SOT Mite fhe tc Mee Par tif ep cs Sra ye 457 CONTENTS. xix CHAP. VII. . The fruits of the Spirit contrasted with the works OP CHE MCR oon ae a eee en wy 0 4.87 CHAP. VIII. The constant influence of the Holy Spirit necessa- ry to conduct us in safety to the end of our pil- PPUMAZE 6.0. 96 eee seis ow where ole 229 A PRACTICAL TREATISE THE Seervire aa’ OPERATIONS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. CHAP. I. The necessity of the ordinary operations of the Spirit shown from a view of the state of man by nature ; his understanding, his will; and his affections, being all depraved in conse- quence of original sin. In the last solemn discourse, which our bless- ed Lord addressed to his disciples immediately before his bitter sufferings upon the cross, he promised them another Comforter, who should abide with them for ever. Though he himself was about to be shortly separated from them and to sit down at the right hand of his Father, 2 yet his place should be abundantly supplied by the effusion of the Spirit of truth. The world indeed cannot receive this divine Person, be- -eause it seeth him not, rieither knoweth him 3 but it is the peculiar characteristic of the true disciples of Christ, that they do know him, for he dwelleth with them,.and shall be in them.* Accordingly, in due season, and pursuant to the declaration of Christ, the Holy Ghost de- scended upon the Apostles, and conferred upon them spiritual gifis both catvuordinary and ordinary. By the reception of the former they were specially qualified to discharge the duties of their important office, and were awfully and incontrovertibly accredited to every nation as the peculiar delegates of heaven: by the re- ception of the latter they were eminently en- dowed with all the pure dispositions of a renew- ed ‘heart, and were enabled to testify the re- ality of their internal. change by an exact holi- ness of life and conversation. A * John xiy, 16. 3 Extraordinary eifts they reecived for ,the benefit of the church: ordinary gifts they re- ceived for their own personal benefit. Eatra- ordinary gifts were conferred upon a few only : of those ordinary gifts, without which no real sanctification can be attained, without which a man must labour under a physical ineapacity of enjoying the kingdom of heaven, it is the pri- vilege of every genuine Christian to be a par- taker. They are ordinary, not as inferior in point of importance to the possessor (for in this respect they are superior ;) but as gifts ordina- rily bestowed upon all the faithful, and not limited after an extraordinary manner toa few. . Since those miraculous powers, which were eonferred upon the founders of the Christian chureh, were designed only fer a special and determinate purpose ; as that purpose was gra-. dually accomplished, the powers were gradu- ally withdrawn, until at length they entirely ‘eeased. The religion of the Messiah, after the a Japse of three centuries, obtained a firm estab- lishment ; princes became its nursing fathers ; and they who refused to yield to the Voice of reason and evidence, had_ no longer conviction forced upon them by a supernatural interfer- ence of heayen. Signs and wonders ceased to attend the preaching of the Gospel ; yet the premise, that the Holy Spirit should abide for ever with the disciples of Christ, remained un- broken, and we trust will remain unbroken to the very end of time. Neither the sight of miracles, nor the ability of performing them, has simply and per se any effect upon the hu- manheart. They may perhaps dreadfully eon- vince the understanding ; but God alone can convert the soul. The state of man by nature is precisely the Same now, as it was in the days of the Apostles : consequently, if it were then necessary that the Holy Spirit should reprove the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judg- ment ; it is no less necessary in the present age. ‘Phe world indeed is called Christian: but 5 practical infidelity still flourishes in all its bane- ful luxurianey. It matters not what a man is denominated, so long as his heart is alienated from God; and a bare assent of his under- standing will be of little avail, if his life prove him to be the slave of Satan. On this account ihe ordinary operations of the Spirit are con- éinued though the extraordinary ones haye long: seen unknown in the chureh of Christ. J : : a state of nature is constantly opposed in | Seripture to a state of grace. The first is the wretched inheritance bequeathed - us by our commen progenitor Adam: the second is the free and unmerited gift of God the F ather, pur- ‘chased for us by God the Son, and conveyed to us by God the Holy Ghost. They hole then of the work, carried on in the soul of man by the third person of the blessed "Pri inity, may be briefly defined ; 3 a gradual res loration of that image of God, in the likeness of which Adam was ereated, and t he lineaments of shiek Were C 6 totally obliterated by sin.* 'The work is begun, continued, and perfected, by the Holy Spirit. He is equally the author and the finisher of our faith: and without him we ean dono good thing. From the first faint motions of ee LS SSS * «To discover wherein such image and likeness con- sisted, what better method can we take, than to inquire wherein consist that divine image and likeness, which, as the Scriptures of the New Testament inform us, were re- stored in human nature, through the redemption and grace of Christ, who was manifested for that purpose. The im- age restored was the image lost ; and the image lost was that, in which Adam was created. The expressions, em- ployed by the penmen of the New Testament, plainly point out to us this method of proceeding—Renewed in know- ledge after the image of him that created him—Put on the new man, which after Godis created in righteousness and true holiness. The divine image then is to be found in the understanding, and the will; in the understanding, which knows the truth, and in the will which loves it.—This di- vine image is restored in human nature by the word of Christ enlightening the understanding, and the grace of Christ rectifying the will.” Bp. Horne’s Sermons, vol. i. p 20, 21, 22. | po é spiritual life to its final consummation in the realms of everlasting happiness, all the honour and all the glory of our growth in grace be ascribed unto him! When the Almighty ceased from’ the work of creation, he pronounced all that he had made to be very good. The new world was as yet free from the inroads of sin, and from the curse of sterility. De eas ar ine Nature then Wanton’d as in her prime, and Play’d at will ~ Her virgin fanciés’. 5. Sian et ‘Phe whole creation smiled upon man, and the golden age of the poets was realized. Bless- ed with perfect health both mental and cor- poreal, our heaven-born progenitor was equally unconscious of the stings of guilt and the pangs of disease. His understanding was unclouded with the mists of vice, ignorance, and error; 3 his will, though absolutely free, was yet en: tirely devoted to the service of God; and his affections, warm, vigorous, and undivided, = ardently bent upen the great fountain of his existence. ‘Though vested in an earthly body, his soul was as the soul of an angel, pure, just, and upright. He was uncontaminated with the smallest sin, and free from even the slightest taint of pollution. His passions, perfectly under the guidance of his reason, yielded a ready and cheerful obedience to the dictates of his conscience ; an obedience, not constrained and irksome, but full, unreserved, and attended with sensations of unmixed delight. Sueh was man when he came forth from the hand of his Creator, the image of God stamped upom his soul and influencing all his actions. This blissful state of innocence was soon forfeited by our first parents. In an evil hour they yielded to the suggestions of the tempter, and violated the express command of God. g Pride, that most deeply rooted bane of our nature, was now, for the first time, infused into the heart of the woman. She vainly desired a greater share of wisdom, than God had beer pleased to grant unto her; and, in order to ob- tain that wisdem, serupled not to disobey her Maker. The man followed her example, and joined her ina mad rebellion against heaven. Sin entered into the world, and. death closely followed its footsteps. ‘he image of God was | obliterated, and the image of Satan was erected in its stead. _ Mysterious as the doctrine of original. de- pravily may be, no man, unless he be totally unacquainted with the workings of his own heart, can possibly doubt its actual existence. Some persons indeed are so far blinded by the deceitfulness of sin as to deny the doctrine in question; but « I verily believe,” to noah words of the excelleut Beveridge, «that the Oo 8 x 40 et at want of such a due sense of themselves argues as much original corruption, as murder and whoredom do actual pollution : and I shall ever suspect those to be the most under the power of ihat corruption, that labour most by arguments to divest it of its power.?* — =i¥ ‘L. Exainine first the understanding, and you will find it, atleast so far as relates to spiritual things, dark and eonfused. The Apostle, describing the state of the world previous to the diffusion of Christian knowledge, asserts, that men had become vain im their imaginations, and that their foolish heart was darkened; that professing themselves to be wise, they became fools; and, though proud of their attainments in a subtle philosophy, that in the sight of God they were without ‘ite derstanding.+ Ina similar manner he elsewhere * Private Thoughts, Art. iv. + Rom. i. 21, 22. 31. 44 st declares, that the natural man receiveth not the things of the. Spirit of God 3 for they are foolishness unio him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.* His knowledge of divine matters, in conse- quence of his being debased by the fall, is as much inferior to true heayenly wisdom, as the instinct of a brute is to the reason of a human being. On this account, as St. Paul scruples not strongly to express himself, even the wis- dom of the Almighty himself, is foolishness to man ma state ofnature. Having no faculties capable in themselves of embracing spiritual truths, he is as much unqualified to decide upon them, as a man born blind is to diseriminate between the various tints of the rainbow ; for, as the one is defective in spiritual, so is the other in corporal, discernment. No treatise on light and colours, however minute and aceu- _rate, ean give a distinct idea of their nature to ¥ 7 Cor? in TA. iz a man born blind; nor can any description of spiritual things, however just, communicate- a clear conception of them to him whose under- standing is darkened. | The reason, which the Apostle gives, is simply because they must be Spiritually discerned ; consequently, tilithat Spi- ritual discernment be communicated, heavenly wisdom must and will appear foolishness in his eyes. * Let us then,” as we are well exhorted : by the Church in one of her homilies ; «6 Let us meekly call upon the bountiful Spirit, the Holy Ghost, to inspire us with his presence, that we may be able to hearthe goodness of God to our salvation. For without his lively inspiration we cannot so much as speak the name of the | Mediator. No man can say, that Jesus is the Lord, but by the foly Ghost. Much less should we be able to understand these great mys- teries, that be Asam to us by Christ. For we have received, saith St. Paul, not the spirit of the world, but ihe Spirit which is of God, for this purpose, that we may know the things which Rtn a cS Si ce 13, ave freely given to us of God. In the pewer of the Holy Ghost resteth all ability to know God and to please him. It is he, that purificth the mind by his seeret working. He enlighteneth the heart to conceive worthy sine of Al- mighty: God.?* — A work of Cicero, written expressly upon the nature of the gods, has been providentially handed down to us; and it affords the most striking comment possible on the seriptural doctrine of the ignorance of man. This great - philosopher has shown at large, to the entire satisfaction of every Christian reader, how totally blind the three mest celebrated seets of antiquity were in all these points which are placed beyond the cognizance of sense. With a mind alive to all the beauties of composition. and versed in all the researches of philosophy ; with abilities rarely equalled, perhaps never ~ a ee AE ESS EER ES ead ae 4 * Homil. for Rogat. W feck. Part Ube 1h excelled ; the Roman orator ventures to sear beyond the bounds of the material creation, and to seratinize the nature of the Omnipotent. Flow are the mighty fallen! The grossest ig- norance, and the strangest errors, are the prin- cipal characteristics of his celebrated treatise. Once, indeed, a consciousness of human \ inability: extorts from him a confession, that no man ever became great without some divine’ inspiration :* but, scarcely has this memorable sentiment flowed from his pen, ere the doctrine of an universal providence is expressly denied by the advocate of one of the contending sects.+ Such was the wisdom of the philosophers; and thus was their understanding darkened, Soon areeenaeeenneraeenee * Nemo igitur vir magnus sine.aliquo adflatu divino um: quam fuit.” Cicer. de Nat. Deor. 1. ii. c. 66, {‘‘ Magna Di curant, parva negligunt.” Ibid. See also Tusc. Ques. |. iil. in init.—Plat. Apol. Socrat. sect. 18. j —Plat. Phed. sect. 35.—Max. Tyr. Dissert, 22.—Stob, Hx- cerpt. de mor. Tit. 1. 45 being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that was in them, because of the blindness of their heart.* II. Let the will next be brought to the test, and we shall find it no less deficient than the understanding. Our inclinations, resolutely bent upon earth- ly and sensual enjoyments, revolt from every thing divine and spiritual ; insomuch that even a heathen moralist could fee] and acknowledge _their deprayation: . O prone in terras anime, et coelestium inanes! Hence, though we are commanded to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling : yet we are informed at the same time, that it is God that worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure. God must first give Pd * Ephes. iv. 18. ¢ Philip. i. 13, 46 us the will, and afterwards the power ; other- wise we shall for ever remain in a state of spi- vitual insufficiency. Our Lord himself, in per- fect harmony with his inspired Apostle, de- elares expressly ; Vo man cam come to me, ex- eept the Father, which hath sent me, draw him.* He speaks of us also as being naturally in a state of bondage, instead of enjoying the high prerogative of freedom: ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.t This plain declaration gave high offence to the Jews; but Christ, so far from retracting its asserted, that all (hose, who commit sin (and what man is impeecable ?) are the servants of sin. ‘To that blessed person alone we must lock for our emancipation: If the son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.+ Pres * John vi. 44. \ John viii. 32. + John viii. 36, ee en ee ee ee CLC 17 Upon these’ solid scriptural grounds, the Church of England rightly decides, that «the condition of man after the fall of Adam is such, that he cannot taru and prepare himself, by his own natural strength and good works, to faith and calling upon God: wherefore we have no pow- er to do good works pleasant and acceptable to God, without the grace of God by Christ preventing us, that we may have a good will and working with us when we have that good will."* Agreeably to such principles one of the prayers ‘in her Liturgy is constructed “Though we be tied and bound with the chain of our sins, yet let the pitifulness of thy great merey loose us.”? And the very same doctrine is taught in the second part of her Homily on the misery of man. << Thus we have heard how evil we be of ourselves : 3 how of ourselves and by ourselves we have no goodness, help, or * Art. 10. “48 salvation, but eontrariwise sin, damnation, and death ‘everlasting: which if we duly weigh and consider, we shall the better understand the great mercy of God, and how oar salvation cometh only by Christ : for in ourselves, as of ourselves, we find nothing whereby we may be delivered from this miserable captivity, into— the which we are ‘east through the envy of the devil, by breaking of God’s commandment in our first parent Adam. Weareall become un- clean, but we allare not able to cleanse ourselves, nor make one another of us clean. | We are by nature the children of God’s wrath, but are not able to make ourselves the children and in- heritors of God’s glory. - We are sheep that run astrny, but we cannot of our own power eome again to the sheep-fold ; so great is our — imperfection and weakness.’"* : : ’ os * The main hinge of the ancient controversies between | Augustine and Pelagius, and between Luther and the Pa- 19 IIL. We have hitherto considered the depra- yation of the understanding, aud the distortion of the will, in consequence of the fall of Adam ; let us next take a view of the heart and the af- fections. 4, 'The passions of love and hatred do not appear to have been so much destroyed, as per- verted, at the time of the fall. When man came pure and perfect from the hands of his Maker, the passions were directed to their pro- per objects. God, and holiness, were loved ; sin, and impurity, were hated. But, after our first parents had yielded to the temptations of Sia tall senda dhe staid alba Ei ape a pists, turned upon the doctrine of human sufficiency and the meritorious dignity of good works. An epistle of the African council, at which Aurelius of Carthage presided, to Innocent Bishop of Rome, briefly states the heads of this contested subject. See August. Epist. 90 and 46.— Luther. Enarrat. Fol. 6.c.—Melanct. Loe. Theol. p. 89. 20 Satan, an almost total inversion of the former. affections of the heart took place. : Man then began to hate what he ought to love, and to love what he ought to hate. The pure and holy law of God, whieh thwarts his vicious inclinations, became the object of his fiercest aversion ; while, on the contrary, wickedness became his pleasure and delight.* The second of these * Grace doth not pluck up by the roots and wholly destroy the natural passions of the mind, because they are distempered by sin ; that were an extreme remedy to cure by killing, and heal by cutting off: no, but it corrects the distemper in them: it dries not up this main stream of love, but purifies i+ from the mud it is full of'in its wrong course, or calls it to its right channel by which it may run into happiness, and empty itself into the ocean of goodness. - The Holy Spirit turns the love of the soul towards God in Christ, for in that way only can it apprehend his love : so then, Jesus Christ is the first object of this divine love : he is medium unionis, through whom God conveys the sense of his love to the soul, and receives back its love to him.” Archb. Leighton’s Comment. on 1 Peter i, 8, 9. ee a ees 21 propensities is ever active ; the first not unfre- quently appears for a season to lie dormant, This lurking enmity towards God slumbered in the hearts of the Jews for some ages previ- ous to the advent of the Messiah; but, when the spirituality of his preaching roused their consciences and showed them their inward abominations, their enmity awoke, strong as death and cruel as the grave. This doctrine, however, is not unfrequently denied even on the ground of personal experi- ence; and those, who urge it, are thought to paint human nature in much blacker colours than she really deserves. It may perbaps be allowed, that we have frailties, venial frailties ; but our nature is asserted to be in the main ever favourable to virtue, and averse to vice. The degree of truth, whieh such notions pos- sess, is best ascertained by simple matter of fact. In the person of our blessed Saviour D2 22 virtue itself was embodied. Perfectly just, and absolutely free from even the slightest sus- picion of criminality, Christ was the bright ex- emplar of the doctrines which he preached. If the love of virtue then be inherent in the hu- man mind, the Lord of life, condescending to visit the haunts of men, must surely have been the object of their warmest devotion and their most affectionate adoration. Yet was he hated, reviled, and persecuted even to death, notwith- standing our supposed natural propensity to virtue. Ina similar manner his disciples, the labour of whose life consisted in imitating their divine master, were hated of all nations, as_ their Lord had expressly foretold,* for his “name's sake. In other words, the more they approximated to perfect virtue, the greater degree of odium they incurred. An awful in- stance of the bitter enmity of the natural man against God and all his faithful servants is af- * Matt xxiy. 9. 23 forded us in the account of the death of Sé. Stephen. The judges, who presided in the mock trial of the protomartyr, even gnushed on him with their teeth ;* the violent workings of yage in their hearts causing them to resemble wild beasts rather than men; nor could their animosity be quenched exeept in the blood of their devoted victim. - Should it be said, that these are particular instances selected only from the history of a single nation, let us cast our eyes around and contemplate the labours of the great Apostle of the Gentiles. ‘Whence was it that bonds and afflictions awaited him in every city? Whence, but because the holiness of his life, and the ve- hemence of his eloquence, held up a mirror be- fore the eyes of men, which too faithfully re- flected their manifold iniquities ? To approach rng * Acts vil. 54. 24 nearer to our own times : what was it. that eall- ed down the fury of Popery upen the mariyrs of the Protestant Church ? he same principle, which crucified the Lord of life and persecuted his Apostles, consigned to the flames a Cranmer, a Latimer, and a Ridley. Now, this repented opposition to the truth ean only be accounted for upon the scriptural doctrine, that the carnal mind is enmity with God.* He, who searcheth the very heart and the reins, hath declared, that light is come into the world, and men loved dark- ness rather than light, becanse their deeds are evil. For every one that doeth evil, hateth the: light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.} The fact is, men are apt to deceive themselves into a belief, that their minds are not at enmity. * Rom. viii. 9. T John ii, 19. / 25 _ with God, by the common delusion of performing their duty only by halves. Different persons ave so differently constituted, that duties are more or less irksome to them, exactly in the - proportion that they more or less coincide with their natural dispositions. Hence, each indi- vidual selects the duty which best suits his in- -elinations, and seems almost to forget that any - others are in existence. The Pharisees presery- eda very decent exterior, and were strict ob- - servers of the literal part of the Law. Per- - feetly satisfied with their imaginary progress in holiness, they placidly reclined on the pillow of. -_self-righteousness, and felt not the hidden ma- lignity of their nature. What they performed were undoubtedly duties ; but they were duties, which in there situation required no great de-, gree of self-denial. The moment an awakened - conscience forced them to acknowledge that ex- ertions of a much higher nature were unecessary to gain the favour of heaven, the mask of sancti- fied hypocrisy was dropped, their hatred to God 26 blazed eut in its full fury, and a deliberate ju- dicial murder of the discloser of such disagree- able truths was the result. . We are sometimes apt complacently to thank. God, that we are not like the Pharisees ; but, would we candidly examine our own hearts, we might possibly find that they contain the very same evil disposition in embryo. To a man of an active temper, a life fullof employment is the highest source of gratification. Hence, if he have received. some religious impressions, he feels but little repugnance to diverting his ac- tivity into a different channel from what it flowed in before. The same disposition re- mains, though the object which engages his at- tention and rouses the yigour of his mind, be now no longer the same. In the discharge of acitve religious duties, he perceives not the.en- mity of a corrupt heart against God, “because from mere physical reasons he feels no repug- nance against them. But if he be called upon ay to analyse the hidden cause of his actions, and to give up part of his time to serious meditation 5 if he be required daily to deny himself, and no longer to participate in those vanities which are usually peculiarly gratifying to ardent and. san- guine tempers : if such requisitions as these be made, then commences. the struggle ; and we too frequently behold those, who are foremost in every active duty, shrink with disgust from ihe resignation of worldly pleasure. On the other hand, men of indolent and phlegmatie dispositions would never. perceive their enmity towards God, were Christianity a mere negative system of quietism. Persons of this description, who begin to feel the impor+ tance of religion, will hear with equal compla- cency a warm exhortation to the duties of the closet, and a vehement: remonstrance against dissipation. They forthwith give themselves upto prayer and devout meditation ; they read the Seriptures daily ; and they steadily resolve 28 never more to frequent the haunts of vanity and folly. All this they perform without any dif- fieulty ; and therefore conclude, that their in- clinations are perfectly in unison with the will of God, and that they have arrived at a consi- derable degree of eminence in the school of Christianity. But what are their pretensions to superior piety, if they be closely scrutinized ? They diligently perform those duties, to which simply from their natural eonstitution they have no repugnance ; and resolutely deny themselves" all those fashionable follies, for which they pre- viously entertained the most profound indiffer- ence. Insuch a state of mind let a course of active duty be urged upon them, and they will be effectually convinced of their natural hatred to the Law of God. Men are very ready to obey, so far as obedience is not entirely ineon- sistent with their inclinations ; hence the opu- lent will never take offence at the clergyman who happens to preach a concio ad populum against theft, nor the populace at him whe 29 censures the vices of their superiors.* But, if he faithfully tell both parties their faults; if he | force his reluctant congregation to take a sur- : vey of their inward corruptions ; and if he de- clare, that no man ean enter into the kingdom _ of heaven unless a complete and radical change take place in his heart : he will find none sat- Aisfied with him but theses who are resolved to , make the service of God the main business of : their lives. Ina similar manner, if he assure such of his flock as make a great outward pro- fession of religion, that a vehement zeal for eer- a eam 7 I have somewhere seen a story of Doctor Johnson, which may serve not inappositely to exemplify this re- mark; though € by no "means think the Doctor’s implied censure of his mother juste. 4] remember,” said he to one of his friends, “ when I was a child, that my mother, by way of spending a Sunday ‘evening profitably, made me read to her a chapter from The Whole Duty of Mun against stealing: the truth of the doctrine was undeniable, — but J felt no inclination to be a thief.” EK 30 iain particular doctrines, a staunch adherence to party, a never-ceasing eagerness to discuss theological topics, an intemperate thirst of hearing sermons, aud a too exclusive partiality for favourite preachers, are no certain marks of grace 5 if he solemnly warn them, that the doers, not the hearers of God’s word, are treading the path which leads to heaven ; and if he remind them, that the shibboleth ofa seet is by no means an evidence of real Christianity : it is far from improbable, that his plain-dealing will be very ill veeeived. So long as he prophesies smooth things, and accommodates himself to the hu- mour of his congregation, whatever that humour may be, just so long they will speak well of him ; but, let him put forth his hand, and touch their bone and their flesh, and they will curse him to his face.* * Job ui. 5. 3t What has been said is amply sufficient to prove, that the earnal mind is enmity with God. “Tf any person still doubt it, let him but vig- orously apply himself to those allowed duties which are most irksome to him, and he will quickly find an argument in his own breast, in- ~ finitely stronger than any that have been here adduced.* 2. Closely connecied with the bitter animosi- ty which the heart enteriains against God (con- *+¢ Quid aliud in mund quam pugna adversus diabo- Jum quotidie geritur; quam adversus jacula ejus et tela conflictationibus assiduis dimicatur? Gam ayaritia nobis,- cum impudicitia, cum ira, cum ambitione, congressio est: cum carnalibus vitiis, cum illecebris secularibus, assidua et molesta luctatio est. Obsessa mens hominis, et undique diaboli infestatione vallata, vix occurrit singulis, vix resis- tit. Si avaritia prostrata est, exsurgit libido: si libido compressa est, succedit ambitio : si ambitio contemta est, ira exasperat, inflat superbia, vinolentia invitat, invidia concordiam rumpit, amicitiam zelus abscindit.” Cyprian. de Mortal. 32 nected indeed with it in the way of cause and effect, is its extreme depravity. Theological writers have not unfrequently been accused of exaggeration in treating of the depravity ‘in question: but the censeience of every one, whose understanding has been enlightened with . self-knowledge, will readily acquit them of the charge. * Sinee the fall, the nature of man has been blind and corrupt; his understanding darkened, and his affections polluted. Upon the face of the whole earth there is no man, Jew or Gentile, that understandeth and seeketh after God. "The natural man, or man remain- ing in that state whoveia the fall left him, is so far Irom being able to discover or know any religious truth, that he hates and flies from it when it is proposed to him: he receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God. Man is natural and earthly; the things of God are spiritual and heavenly ; and these are contrary one to the other: therefore, as the wisdom of. this world is foolishness with God, so the wisdom 393 of God is foolishness with the world. Ina word, the sense man is now possessed of, where God does not restrain it, is used for evil and not for good: his wisdom is earthly, sensual, devilish : it is the sagacity of a brute, animated by the malignity of an evil spirit.”’* 3. In addition to its enmity against God, and its utter depravity, the human heart is like- wise in a state of insensibility and stupidity, The conscience as the Apostle expresses it, is past feeling, seared as with a hot iron.t| Hence reproofs and judgments may irritate, but can never merely by their own influence convert. This insensibility, though it may be increased by a habit of sinning, is yet itself originally in- herent in the conscience : at the jirst, it is not 30 much superinduced upon it, as it springs out of it. * Jones’s Cathol. Doctrine of the Trinity, p, 14.. } Ephes. iv. 19. 1 Tim. iv. 2. Le - iV. Man being thus depraved in the under- standing, the will, and the affections, it is al- most superiluous to observe, that he must in consequence have lost all power of serving God. Unable to diseover his will, hateng it when it is diseovered to him, and so polluted by sin that he is utterly unable to cleanse himself, how ean he perform in his own strength any accept- able service? He may indeed, in the pride of his high speeulations, imagine himself to be rich, and to have need of nothing; but the word of God will inform him, that he is wretch- ed, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and na- led.* FXven those actions of the natural man, which bear the semblance of good; the patri- otism of a Regulus, and the morality of a So- erates; even they are but splendid sins :} for, as we are rightly taught by the Chureh, * Revel. ii. 17. f See Bp. Beveridge’s Exposition of the Articles. Art. xiii. | 35 « Works, done before the’ grace of Christ and the inspiration of his spirit, are not pleasant to God, forasmuch as they spring not of faith in Jesus Christ :—yea rather, for that they are not done as God hath willed and commanded them to be done, we doubt not. but they have the nature of sin.”’* The reason of this is ob- vious : a polluted heart ean no more bring forth a good action, than a polluted fountain can emit pure water; but all our hearts are by na- ture impure: consequently all our actions be- fore the reception of divine grace must be im- pure also, and as such cannot be pleasing unto God. In this miserable condition is every man born. Fallen from his high estate, and sunk in the deep sleep of presumptuous wickedness, he re- fuses te listen to the coice of any human charm- * Art. xiii. See also Bp. Hopkins’s Works, p. 525. and Bp. Beveridge’s Private Thoughts, Art. vit. : 36 er, charm he ever so wisely. God alone is able to create aclean heart, and to renew a right spirit within him; for creation is an attribute belonging solely to the Deity. Man must be brought back to the image of his Maker, that image which was lost by the fall of Adam; or he must for ever remain excluded from the kingdom of heayen. ...+-.. From the mercy-seat above Preyenient grace descending must remove The stony from his heart, and make new flesh Regenerate grow instead ...... he CHAPTER IL. | The illumination of the understanding through the influence of the Holy Spirit, the jirst work of grace in the human soul. WueEn the Almighty created man, he fore- saw all the fatal. consequences which would ‘result from his violation of the divine com- ‘mandment. Though justice required the pun- ishment of the transgressors, yet mercy pro- provided a wonderful remedy, by virtue of which Adam and all his posterity might have the means of escaping eternal perdition. The fulness of time being come, the only begotten of the Father; «« God of God, Light of Light, | very God of very God;” the Lamb virtually and typically slain from the foundation of the world; this glorious personage took our nature upon him, and was made like unto us in all things, sin only excepted. After spending alife of unwearied benevolence and heavenly purity, honouring the Law more highly by his perfect observance ofit than it was ever dishonoured by the transgressions of the whole race of man, our Lord closed his ministerial labours by offer- ing himself up, a voluntary self-devoted saecri- fice, for the sins of the world. The benefits of his death and passion extended as widely as the baneful effects of the fall had done ;* and we are repeatedly told by the inspired riiet, that he suffered for the sins of all men.} None are excluded from being partakers of these blessings. Every contrite sinner, every soul that wishes for salvation, is freely invited to * 1 Corin. xy. 22. { Heb. i. 9. Coloss. i. 20, 1 Tim. ii. 4. 6, 39 approach to the throne of mercy, assured of a welcome reception through the all-suilicient merits of the Redemer. Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy milk and wine without money and without price /* But, although the redemption of mankind be thus unlimited and universal, and although God willeth not the death of any sinner, but rather that all should turn unto him and repent; yet, by reason of the obstinate folly of the wicked, the gracious purposes of the Almighty fail to produce universal salvation. All day long, saith the Lord, have I stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gain- saying people. Enter ye in, saith our Saviour, at the strait gate; for wide is the sate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, * Isaiah ly. 1. + Rom, x. 21. 40 bs and many there be which go in thereat :. because straii is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.* Henee itis evident, that many unhappy per- sons, whom the god of this world hath blinded, will either expressly reject, or carelessly ne- glect to avail themselves of, the benefits of Christ’s death and passion. All those who are ) infatuated with the pride of infidelity, and matly defy the living God, exclude themselyes with a high hand from the pale of the church ; and all those, whe, like the devils, believe and tremble ; who acknewledge the divine author- ity of the Gospel, but are strangers to its in- fluence; who liye, to use the emphatie words — of Scripture, without God in the world, dead in tresspasses and sins ; all these, if there be any truth in the plain declarations of our Lord and his Apostles, haye no lot nor portion in the Son of God. cs EPR NNTT ree e * Matt. wii. 13. ad How happens it then, that some receive the word with joy, and bring forth fruit meet for repentance ; while others either suddenly re- jeet it, or remain alike uninfluenced by its threats and its promises? Noman, saith our blessed Lord, can come unto me, eacept the Father, which hath sent me, draw him.* But in what manner doth the Father draw man- Kind unto himself, in order that they may not perish, but receive everlasting life? The Apos- Ue informs us, that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.+ It is therefore the peculiar office of the third person of the Trinity to bring us unto Christ, and to induce us to accept the pardon which is freely offered unto all. Here we see, that none ean come unto Christ without being drawn by the gracious influence of the Spirit. <-cephiaasiie pars: - * John vi. 44. t 1 Corin, xii. 3. r ; 42 But many resist that influence to their own destruction; in a manner compelling God to declare, that his Spirit shall not always strive with man ;* and forcing the merciful Saviour himself to complain, ye will nol come unto me that ye may have life; Here we learn the true reason, why so many perish in their sins: they will not accept the salvation, which is of- fered to them in common with all mankind. God the Spirit draweth them indeed : but they obstinately refuse to follow him.t ‘Gen. ¥i./3- 7 John v. 40. + 1 have endeavoured to state this difficult point in that manner, which to myse/f, at least, appears the most agree- able to Scripture. With the Calvinistic view of the sub- ject 1am by no means satisfied: but the Pelagian view ef it is yet more exceptionable. It is certain, that the free-will (that. is, of course the moral, not the natural, free-will) which Adam possessed in his state of purity, was lost, at the fall, when he and all his posterity became inclined to evil; hence, as we . . ; are instructed by the Church, “ the condition of man after 43 A considerable degree of prudence and eau- tion is necessary in treating of the operations the fall of Adam-is such, that he cannot turn and prepare himself by his own natural strength and good works to faith and calling upon God:” nevertheless it is no-where asserted in Scripture, that freedom of will is not equally restored unto all men by the preaching of the gospel. Every expostulation of God with the wicked necessarily supposes, that he freely gives them an opportunity of re- pentance; and that their eternal condemnation is the result, not of an arbitrary decree, but of their deliberately choosing evil rather than good, and their obstinately refusing the assistance of the Holy Ghost, which is equally offered unto ail men. , ‘ Iam aware, that in reply a Calvimist will argue; “ If allhave free-will equally given to them by the Spirit, if allare equally drawn by the Father, al/ must equally come unto Christ.” “This, however, by no means follows, as we may suffi- ciently learn from the fall of our first parent. Adam pos- sessed free-will by nature; and, without having the slightest bias to evil, was strongly drawn or inclined by the Spirit of God to that which is good: yet Adam fell. Why then may not those, to whom the free-will lost by the transgression of Adam has been restored on the offer + 44 of the Holy Ghost, and the two extremes of enthusiasm and profaneness should be equally avoided, of pardon by the Gospel, fall likewise? Persons, placed under such circumstances, and urged by the secret influ- ence of the Holy Ghost to flee from the wrath to come, can scarcely be thought more highly favoured than Adam was previous to his transgression: it is not very easy therefore to say, why they may not abuse free-will when wecovered, just as much as Adam did when possessed of it ab origine ; and why they may not neglect to use imparted strength, just as much as Adam did the strength which he received at his creation. If Adam had been drawn to a due performance of his duty by an irresistible impulse of the Spirit, it is manifest that he never could have fallen : fam not aware that we are warranted by Scripture te suppose, that the Holy Ghost acts upon ow wills in any different manner from what he did upon Adam's. It is one thing to believe, that no man can come unto Christ unless he be drawn by the Father through the agency of the Spirit; and quite another to maintain, that every per- son, who is thus drawn, must, necessarily and inevitably obey that impulse. The denial of the first of these pro. positions constitutes the heresy of the Pelagians; the asserting of the second, the error of the Calvinists. Be- 45 Persons of a sanguine temperament haye net unfrequently been so far deluded by a mischiey- ous fanaticism, as to mistake the workings of a heated imagination for the immediate dictates of heaven. Henee they have been sometimes led to undervalue even the sacred word of God, and to faney that they are actually taught by inspiration without making any use of the means which the Almighty has been pleased to appoint. The consequence of such crude and unseriptural - notions is sufficiently evident: the unhappy vic- tims of this fatal delusion fall from one absur- dity into another, the sport of every wind of doctrine, and the pity of all sober-minded Chris- SO cause Scripture appeals to us as free and reasonable be- ings, the former very rashly suppose, that we stand in no need of divine grace; because Scripture declares, that of ourselves we can neither will nor do that which is good, the latter too hastily conclude, that the influence of the Spirit is absolutely irresistible. But I desist from press- ing the matter any further: the object of the present treatise is net controversy. F2 46 uans. ‘Phe error, to which 1 allude, consisis in mistaking the extraordinary for the ordina- ry operations of the Spirit. We are not in the present day to expect any new revelations: that point has been sufficiently decided by St. Paul. Though we er an angel from heaven, says he, preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be ae- cursed.* The office of the Holy Ghost is not to reveal any additional doctrines to us ; but te enable us to understand spiritually those which have been already revealed. Accordingly, the Bereans are commended as being more noble than the ‘Thessalonians, not only because they readily received the werd, but because they likewise searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so.t God's Holy Spirit doubt- fess both prevented and seconded their pious endeavours, illuminating their minds, and fil- fing them with all heavenly wisdom; for we * Galat. i. 8. t Acts xvii. 11. 47 are informed, that many of them believed ; but at the same time it is signified to us. that the external cause was their diligent attention to the Seriptures.* In a similar manner, al- theugh the Church directs her children to pray unto God for his inspiration,} it is only that they may be enabled to think those things that be good, and that their hearts may be cleansed from_all impurity; not that they may become prophets or apostles. Long has the extraordi- nary influence of the Spirit ceased, and we are authorised by our blessed Lord himself to con- sider all pretensions to it in these latter days as the marks whereby we may assuredly detect * « They —— searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so; therefore many of them believed.’ Acts xvii. 11, 12. 7 Collects for the 5th Sun, after Bast. and Communion Service. 48 impostors.* One of themain artifices of Satan is to propagate error by issuing, as it were, base counterfeits of those scriptural doctrines which have received the stamp of God’s own authority. As he persuades some to sia in or- der that grace may abound, misealling the im- pure speculations of Aatinomianism justifica- tion by faith ; so he bewilders others in the ma- zes of enthusiasm, puffing them up with vain conceits, and distracting the peace of the Church, under the pretence that the wild rev- eries of a mad fanatic are the immediate inspi- ration of heaven. Persons of an opposite description to these, whose imagination outruns their judginent, ter- ritied and disgusted with the perversion of the seriptural doctrine of divine influence, have too hastily plunged into the other extreme ; and, * Matt. xxiv. 11. 23, 24, 25, 26. A 3 : } 49 though perhaps they may not absolutely have denied the existence of the Holy Ghost, yet they scarcely allow him any share in the great work of our conversion. Our Lord indeed eompares the operations of the Spirit to the wind, and we can no more discern the one than the other: nevertheless, if we have received the Holy Ghost, our souls must be as sensible of his influence by its beneficial effects, as our bodies are of the impulse of the air when in mo- tion. Unless this be allowed, it is not very easy to say what we are to understand by such a com- parison. When a total change takes place in a man’s soul, a change so great that it is called in Seripture a passage from darkness into light, From extinction to animation,* it is utterly im- possible that it should not be perceived.t This * 1 John ii. 8. Ephes.i.18. Ibid. ii. 1. 5.° 7 ‘* There must be a revolution of principle : the visible egnduct will follow the change; but there must be a rev- 50 ehange consists in an illumination of the under- standing, a restoration of the freedom of the will, and a regulation of the affections. _ The first thing necessary towards our beeom- ing children of God is the illumination of the olution within. A change so entire, so deep, so important, as this, Ido allow to be a conversion; and no one, who is in the situation above described, can be saved without un- dergoing it; and he must necessarily both be sensible of it at the time, and remember it all his life afterwards. It is too momentous an event ever to be forgot. A man might as easily forget his escape from a shipwreck. Whether it was sudden, or whether it was gradual, if it was effected fand the fruits of it will prove that,) it was a true conver- sion: and every such person may justly both believe and say it himself, that he was converted at a particular as- signable time. It may not be necessary to speak of his conversion, but he will always think of it with unbounded thankfulness to the giver of all grace.” Paley’s Sermons, Serm. vii. oh a understanding. The Holy Ghost must shine into the dark recesses of our hearts and grant uS a spiritual discernment, or the word of God will for ever remaina sealed book. We may indeed con:prehend the literal and grammatical construction of the sentences, but we: shall de- vive no more saving knowledge frem it than the Jews did from the law when they crucified the Lord of life. The mere exertions of unas- sisted reason can never convey to our minds any knowledge.of the things of God, because they must be. spiritually discerned. Much has already been said upon this subjeet, when the spiritual deficiency of our understandings was considered. We all know that they are not defective in comprehending the bare letter of Seripture any more than that of Homer or Vir- gil; in whatthen are they defective, unless it be in spiritual discernment? This will alone avcount for the language of St. Paul, when he assures the Ephesians, that he ceases not to of- fer up his prayers, that the God of our Lord 52 Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, might give — unto them the Spirit of wisdom and revelation | in the knowledge of him ; the eyes of their un-— derstanding being enlightened ; that they might — know what is the hope of his calling, and what : the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the | ‘saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according te — the working of his mighty power.* The Ephe- sians doubtless. pessessed the faculty of com-— mon discernment ; and yet the same Apostle — prays that they might be able to comprehend — with all saints what is the breadth and length, — and depth and height : and to know the love of - Christ which passeth knowledge, that they might . _* In this passage, according to the usual manner of the © sacred writers, spiritual things are exhibited to our com- prehension by their corresponding natural objects ; and | the illumination of the Holy Spirit is compared to open- ing the eyes of the blind. *} | a” be filied with the Julness of God.* Hence it appears that the Ephesians might read the Scripture without that comprehension of it, which the Apostle prays for on their behalf.+ 2 * Ephes. iii. 18. > Evyov Oe oo: eo wWuvtTay Paros avoiyOyvar mwmovrcse ev yue ruverre ove TUVVONTR WHT ETTIV, EF MN TH (Osos Jes CUVIEVEL Keb 6 Xeirros avrov, Just. Mart. Dial. eum Tryph. p. 173. ‘¢ The first creature of God in the works of the days, _~ was the light of the sense; the last was the light of rea- son; and his sabbath work ever since is the illumination of his spirit. First he breathed light upon the face of the matter of chaos; then he breathed li ght upon the face of man; and still breaketh and inspireth light into the face _ of his chosen.” Lord Bacon’s Essay on Truth. “ Absurd.is the doctrine of the Socinians and some others, that unresenerate men, by a mere natural perception, without any divine superinfused light (they are the words of Episcopius, and they are wicked words) may understand & From these remarks it is sufficiently evident, that, although Christ died for the sins of the + the whole law, even all things requisite unto faith and god- liness ; foolishly confounding and impiously deriding the spiritual and divine sense of the Holy Scriptures with the grammatical construction. Against this we shall need use no other argument than a plain syllogism compounded out of the words of Scripture: Darkness doth not compre- hend light, (John i. 5.;) Unregenerate men are darkness, (Ephes. vy. 8 iv. 17,18. Acts xxvi. 18. 2 Pet.i.9.) yea, held under the power of darkness, (Col. i. 13.) and The word of Godis light, (Psalm cxix. 105. 2 Cor. iv, 4.) there- fore unrdecieraie men cannot understand the word in that spiritual compass which it carries —Natural men have their . principles vitiated, their faculties bound, that they cannot understand spiritual things, till God have, as it werd im- planted a new understanding in them, framed the heart to attend, and set it at liberty to see the glory of God with epen face. Though the veil do not keep out grammatical construction, yet it blindeth the heart against the Spirittial lightand beauty of the word.” Bishop Reynolds’s Works, ” p. 44. : 55 whole world, yet none will ever truly acknow- ledge him as their Lord except by the influence and operation of the blessed Spirit. Before he opens their eyes to see wonderful things out of God’s Law, they ave as totally devoid of all spiritual understanding, as a blind man is of the faculty of discerning material objects. These objects exist, indeed ; but, from the de- *‘ Spiritus Paracletus illum longe docet melius, quam universi libri: ut absolutius intelligat scripturam, quam explanari illi queat.”, Luther. Enarrat. Fol. 275..A. ‘* Secundus gradus est donatio spiritus sancti, qui no- vam lucem in mente, et novos motus in voluntate et corde, accendit; gubernat nos; et inchoat in nobis vitam eter- nam.” . Melanc. Loc. Theol. p. 731. See also King Ed- ward’s Catechism in Bp. Randolph’s Enchiridion, vol. i. p. 41.—Neel’s Catechism, Ibid. vol. ii. p. 132.—Bp. Bever- idge’s Private Thoughts, Art. viili—Bp. Wilkins on Prayer, chap. xvii.—Bp. Reynold’s Works, p. 305. 463.— Dr. Barrow’s Works, vol. iii. p. 529, 530, 531.—Jones’s Essay on Man, chap. iii. 56 ficieney of his organs of vision, they are unable to make any impression upon his mind. Hence, as I have already observed, the first step, which the Holy Spirit takes in the con- version of a sinner, is to open the eyes of his understanding.* While men remain ina state of carnal security, the sound of God’s word passes by them as little regarded as the wind. They have no conception of the spirituality of the Law nor of the purity of God. Provided only a decent exterior be preserved and the penal statutes of the land be unviolated, they imagine that all is perfectly safe, and that it * « The first work, which God puts forth upon the soul, in order to its conversion, is, to raise up a spiritual light within it, to clear,.up its apprehensions about spiritual matters, so as to enable the soul to.look upon God as the chiefest good, and the enjoyment of him as the greatest bliss.” Bp. Beveridge’s Private Thoughts, Art. viii. 57 would be equally absurd and uncharitable io doubt of. the certainty of their salvation. “In the mean time they forget that God is a search- er of the heart, that he requires truth in the inward parts, and that he is of purer eyes than to behold the least iniquity. ‘Their boasted morality is for the most part merely negative : it ¥ rather an absence of the overt acts of sin, than a presence.of real holiness. Though they duly make a weekly acknowledgment of their sinfulness:in strict conformity with the liturgy of the Chureh; yet they repeat the confession rather as words of course, than as feeling the truth of it from bitter experience : and, though they punctually receive the sacrament «at the least three times in the year,’”’ and avow that «the remembrance of their misdoings is griev- ous unto them and the burden of them intole- rable ;” yet, notwithstanding the strength of the language which they adopt, it is much to. be questioned whether they be really sensible ° ° é of the vast weight of sin. If pressed closely. G % 5 98 upon this: subject, they invariably deny that depth of corruption, that mystery of iniquity, by which every faculty of the human soul, every thought and word and deed of the very _best man upon earth, is more or less polluted, and unclean. ‘They will probably acknow- ledge venial errors, pardonable frailties, and. trifling lapses; but the doctrine, that man is very far gone from original righteousness, that of his own nature he is inclined to evil, that he deserveth God’s wrath and damnation, and that he is by nature a child of wrath, is rejeet- ed by them with all the sd ad feelings of a praue indignation.* EE EE LL LI LL LLL A LL * It is no uncommon thing in the present day to hear various orthodox doctrines stigmatized as being Calvinis- tic, When in truth they are no more peculiar to Calvinism than to any other doctrinal system. Such has been the fate of the tenet of original sin. They, who deny it, find — it much more convenient to term those, who maintain it, Calcéeists, than to abide by the plain and explicit decision “59° . From tins utter ignorance ot their own eor- ruption, they will usually be found strongly in- ' of the Church in her 9th Article. All Calvinists do in- _ deed hold it; but it does not therefore follow, that, all, who hold it, are Calvinists, any more than that all Trini- tarians are Papists. «Our Articles,” says Bishop Hors- Iey, ‘“ affirm certain things, which we hold in common _with the Calvinists: so they affirm certain things, which we hold in common with the Lutherans ; and some thing's, which we hold in common withthe RoManists.. It cannot well be otherwise; for; as there are certain principles which are common to all Protestants, so the essential arti- cles of faith are common to all Christians.” Horsley’s Tracts, p. 398. Since this was written, his Lordship has very judiciously advised those, who are eager to signalize their prowess against the doctrinal system of the Genevan reformer, first to learn what Calvinism is exelusively ; lest t haply, instead of assailing certain adventurous peculiarities, they direct their attacks against our common Christianity itself. t ‘Ne, pueri, ne tanta animis assuescite bella: — Neu patrie validas in viscera vertite vires, 60 clined to the dangerous delusion of’ self-justifi- eation. ‘Their notion is, that although they be frail creatures, yet they humbly trust they are not quite so bad as some persons would repre- sent them. They doubt not, but that their works will justify them as far as they go> that the merits of the Redeemer will make up all’ deficiencies ; and that the infinite merey of God will throw a veil over their casual imper- fections. Upon the whole, they are inclined to hope that their good deeds far outweigh their occasional errors ; and, to use the language of the poet, that they are men «more sinned against than sinning :”’? at any rate, that their hearty repentance. and the pains and troubles Which they encounter here, will make ample atonement for all their transgressions. Thus, while they acknowledge in words the necessity of a Saviour, they in reality depend much more upon their own imaginary righteousness than upon the merits of Christ. 61 ~The whole of this arises from spiritual blind- ness; for if they really understood the purport of the Law, they would never dream that their own miserable performances could either par- tially or universally merit the favour of God. Like the infatuated Jews in the days of our Lord, they have the Scriptures in their hands, and perhaps occasionally peruse ‘them; but they are totally unconscious that they are read- ing their own condemnation. They slumber over the sacred page, and perceive ‘not that their curse is there recorded. Cursed is every one, that abideth not in allihe things of this Law. Their eyes are closed, so that they are unable to perceive their numerous violations of it, in thought, word, anddeed. Hence the Law is to them a dead letter; and they remain ina state of utter ignorance of its spiritual design. « We and our whole nature,” says the illus- {rious Luther, « are entirely blind 3 nor is our reason more ignorant of any thing, than of the 62. requisitions of God’s Law. Christ conferred a double benefit upon the Seribes and Phari- sees: he first took away their blindaess, by showing them what the Law is; and afterwards taught them, how far the perfeet observance of _ it exceeds their abilities.. He. took away their blindness by informing them that the Law is love ; which doctrine bare reason is equally in- capable of reeciving at present, as the Jews were formerly. For, if reason could have com- prehended it, the Pharisees and the Lawyers, who'at that time were the best and. wisest amon the people, would doubiless have eom- prebended it. But they imagined that the - whole matter consisted in performing the exter- nal works of the Law; and that it was of little moment, whether they were done voluntarily or involuntarily. Meanwhile their internal blindness, their avarice, and their darkened heart, passed without observation ; | and they fancied that they were accurately discharging theirduty. But no one is able to keep the Law; ¢ ‘63 unless he be totally renewed. Be assured therefore of this, that mere reason can never either understand or fulfil the Law, even though it may be aequainted with: what the Law con- tains. When do you do unto others, as you would they should do unto you?) Who ever heartily loved his enemy ? Who ever died yol- untarily ?: Who will undergo with readiness con- tumely and disgrace ? Produce me only a single man, who willingly submits to the ignominy of -a blasted character, or to the meonveniences of poverty. Nature and human reason abhor and shun such trials ; and will always, if pos- sible, avoid them. Nor will human nature ever fulfil those things, which God requires in the Law; namely, that we should make a volun- tary surrender of our will to bis will; that we ‘should renounce our intellect, our inclinations, our faculties, and our powers, so completely, as to be able to say, with a hearty assent, Thy | ‘will bedone. So tar from this, you will never find a man, who loves God and his neighbour CiB4, equally with himself.—It is mere hypoerisy to. say, I do lowe God, he is my Father, So long in deed as he refrains from, crossin g our inclina- tions, we can readily use such language ; but, in | the day of trouble and calamity, we neither re- gard him as God, nor asour Father. Widely . different from these are the sentiments of him who sincerely loves God. Jam thy creature, O Lord, do with me as it seemeth best to thy good pleasure. Ifit please thee, that I should. die this cery hour, or be plunged into the midst of evils, I cheerfully submit, _ My life, my reputa- tion, my property, amy all, I hold. as nothings when placed in competition with thy will. But What mortal man can you find, who will always hold such language. as_this with sincerity 2 The Law. requires that nothing should be even disagreeable to you, which is agreeable te God; that you should willingly observe all his pre- cepts and all his prohibitions, throughout the whole of your life and conversation... But there exists not the man who stands uncondemned 65 for his breach of that Law, which God requires to be observed. Such is the trouble and afflie- tion. in which we are involved; nor are we in the least able to extricate ourselves. This then is the first knowledge of the Law; to know that it is impossible for human strength to observe it, God requires the heart; and, un- less our works be done from the heart, they are of no value in his sight. Works indeed you may do in outward appearance ; but God is not satisfied with them, unless they spring from the soul and from love: which ean never be the case, unless a. man be born again of the spirit. Wherefore the end of the Law is to bring us to acknowledge our infirmity, insomuch that of ourselves we are not able to perform even the letter of the Law. As soon as you are convinced of this, the Law has done its duty. Hence St. Paul asserts that by the Law is the knowledge of sin.’’* * Juther. Enarrat. Fol. 335. G. hed wr, 66 _ Let persons of the class which I have been deseribing try their hearts, with fidelity and sincerity, by this admirable passage. Let them see, whether they love God as they ought to do; whether they keep his statutes and his -ordinanees in the manner which he has pre- seribed ; whether they find their whole souls so totally devoted to his service, as to exclude every vain thought and every foolish wish ; whether their life be spent in an unceasing 4 round of duties, both negative and positive. All this is required by the Law without any initigation and abatement. Hence, to those, who seek to be justified by their works it is the savour of death unto death: for they, who ‘ would be justified by the Law, must keep the Law. Hence also it is absolutely necessary, that the Holy Spirit should open the eyes of their understanding, in order that they may — discern the purity of the Law, and the extent — of their danger. ‘Till his gracious influences pervade their hearts, every spiritual sense is — 87 benumbed by ignorance and steeped in error. ‘They see not the corruption, which is the in- heritance of all the children of Adam; even the word of Ged cannot persuade them of the veality of its existence. All, who attempt to convince then of it, are considered only in the light of gloomy hypechondriacs, ever brooding over imaginary evils. ‘Their words appear to them as idle tales, which they cannot compre- hend and will not believe. Seripture alone ean account for so singular a difference be- tween these two classes of men. The one is “possessed of a sense, of which the other is des- titute. The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God ; for they are fool- ishness unto him: neither can he know them, be- cause they are spiritually discerned.* This spir- itual discernment is the special gift of the Hol y - Ghost. Itis he, who causes the proud sinner to see clearly the requisitions of the Law, and ————.. es * 1 Corinth. ii. 14. 68 his own utter inability to perform them. Itis — he, who destroys that comfortable self-suflici- — eney, that hollow security, in which the soul had long reposed; and who, armed with all — the thunder of Sinai, reuses the sleeping con- | science, and arrests the unwilling attention. At the bar of sucha judge every plea is re- jected, and the stubborn reluctant sinner is — compelled to plead guilty. He will now tho- | roughly comprehend the meaning of St. Paul’s | confession: I had not known sin, but by the — Law: for I had not known lust, except the — Law had said, Thou shalt not covet. But sin, : taking occasion by the commandment, wrought — in me all manner of concupiscence. For with- out the Law sin was dead. For I was alive aphot the Law once: bul, when the com- mandment came, sin revived, and I died. And the commandment, which was ordained to life, fi found to be unto death. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived mes — and by it slew me. Wherefore the Law is 69 holy ; and the commandment holy and just and good. Was then that whichis good made death uniome? God Jorbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is goods that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful. _ For we know that the law is spiritual; but IE am carnal, sold under sin.* So long as St. Paul remained in his uncon- yerted state, he was totally unconscious of the spirituality of the Law, and perceived not that it eontained the sense of his condemnation. While he was thus placed without the real Law, he seemed to himself alive ;- and enter- tained not the slightest doubt of his having merited salvation, being, as he elsewhere ex- presses himself, touching the righteousness which is in the Law, blameless.t But, as soon as the Holy Spirit opened his eyes, and when ) a ae rin aba ih * Rom vii. 7. } Phill. iii. 6. H 2 the commandment came, attended with a clear conviction of his numerous breaches of it, and his utter inability to keep it; sin revived, and he evidently saw that he lay under sentence of death. He was compelled indeed to acknow- ledge the Law to be holy, and just, and good ; but this very excellence served only to in- ‘erease his condemnation. ‘Though the com- mandment was ordained to life, he found it to be-wnto death; a consequence whieh arose, not eee rrr eee from the imperfection of the Law, but from 4 the depravity of his own nature. The Holy Ghest having enabled him to see the spiritu- ality of the Law, he then for the first time perceived that he was carnal, sold under sin. And so deep was the impression which this conyiction made upon his mind, that it foreed him to exclaim ina kind of agony: O wretched man that Tam! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? He was now brought inte a proper frame of mind to receive the Gospel of Christ. He saw his own manifold corrup- 74 tons and the extreme sinfulness of his sin; he perceived that he was unable of himself to help himself, and that his yery best deeds gould not stand the scrutiny of him, whe chargeth ecen his angels with folly. This con- viction forced him to look unto Christ for sal- yation, and to submit himself to the righteous- ness of God. The Gospel was now to hima savour of life unto life; he renounced all de- pendence on his own goodness, and humbly thanked God for the pardon held out to him through Jesus Christ our Lord. Such were the varying emotions of St. Paul’s heart, while the great work of illumination was going on within him ; and such (for human “nature is the same in all ages,) must be the convictions of every one, whom the Holy Spirit _eondescends to instruct. We are not indeed to imagine that the sincerity ofa man’s conver- , sion is to be estimated by the strength of his feelings. The converted profligate will natu- 72 rally be more deeply sensible of those stings, which a consciousness of the violated Law in- flicts upon the soul, than the decent moral man, who begins to suspect the safety of relying upon his own righteousness: and the warmer a man’s natural feeliags are, the stronger will be his terror when labouring under a sense of guilt; for Christianity does not so much erad- ieate the passions, as enlist them into her ser- viee. But men of all temperaments must be thoroughly convinced of their own exceeding vileness, whatever their feelings may be upon the occasion, or their understandings will never be sufficiently enlightencd to perceive the ne- cessity of a mediator. They may indeed, pre- vious to this conviction, acknowledge the want of a Saviour with their lips, and own in general terms that their lives are not perfectly free from sin: but, with respeet to the hopes which they entertain of their salvation, they will ever be found to place their principal depend- ence oa the.blamelessness of their lives, their 73 benevolence towards their fellow-creatures, and (in their more thoughtful hours) on some vague notions of God’s merey. Observe the workings of a really humbled mind in the confession of Bp. Beveridge. « If,” says he, « there be not a bitter root in my heart, whence proceeds so much bitter fruit in my life and conversation? Alas! I can neither set my head nor heart about any thing, but I still show myself to be the sinful offspring of sinful parents, by being the sinful parent of a sinful offspring. Nay, I do not only betray the inbred venom of my heart, by poisoning my common actions, but even my most religious performances also, with sin. I cannot pray; but I sin; I cannot hear, or preach a sermon, but I sin; I cannot give an alms, or receive the sacrament, but I sin; nay, I cannot so much as eonfess my sins, but my very confes- sions are still aggrayations of them; my re- pentance needs to he repented of, my tears 4 want washing, and the very washing of my tears needs still te be washed over again with | the blood of my Redeemer. ‘Thus, not only — the worst of my sins, but even the best of my duties, speak mea child of Adam: Insomuch, — that whensoever I reflect upon my past actions, methinks I cannot but look upon my whole life, from the time of my conception to this very moment, to be but as one continued act of sin.”’* | When a person is once brought into this state of mind, he will then, and not till then, begin to think seriously of another world. He will perceive himself to be a miserable, helpless, undone sinner, justly obnoxious to the wrath ef God. Instead of attempting to excuse and palliate his depravity, he will anticipate the sentence of his judge, and be the first to pro- nounce condemnation upon himself. He will nae ’ te-« * Priv. thoughts, Art. iv. 795 see the impossibility of cleansing his impurity, and the vanity of expecting to purchase salva- tien by any inherent righteousness of his own. Tt costs more to redeem his soul, so that he must “let that alone for ever. When he considers his past life, he will be astonished at his for- mer ignorance and insensibility. He will seem to linself like one roused from a deep sleep, in which every faculty ef his soul had been completely locked up; but he will awake only to perceive himself destitute, bare, and mis- erable. Seip So rose the Danite strong, Herculean Sampson from the harlot lap Of Philistean Dalilah, and wak’d, Shorn of his strength ......... tie will now, with the astonished) jailor, be ready to ery out, What shali I do to be saved? Driven from every strong-hold of vanity and presumption, he will leave the absurdly proud 76 potion of self-justification to the blind Socinian and arrogant Pelagian. However he may once have indulged in the fantastie airy dream of his own excellence and dignity, he will now elearly perceive, that there is no hone, no com- fort, no solid expectation of future happiness, but in the name and through the merits of Jesus Christ. CHAPTER III. = $¢ <1 description of two different Classes of Men, whose understandings are enlightened, while their hearts remain unaffected. T'wo very different classes of men frequently attain to a considerable, I had almost said an equal, degree of spiritual knowledge with re- | spect to the sinfulness of sin and the requisi- tions of the divine Law. They are both deeply convinced of the depravity of the human heart. They are both conscious of their manifold aberrations and deficiencies in practice. They r 78 both feel the load of their iniquity to be griev- ous and intolerable. Neither of these classes attempts to justify itself. Each is forced by conscience to ery out Unclean, unclean. Each is secretly constrained to acknowledge the “al ii anes el ele ae righteousness of God. Thus far the parallel - : holds good between them, but here it termi- nates; anda striking difference commences, which will best be discerned by a separate de- lineation of the character of each. 1. The anguish, which persons of the first description feel, arises merely from a conscious- ness of guilt and from.adread of threatened — punishment. In their case there is no spirit- ual loathing of the blackness of sin, no horror of it springing from the knowledge of its hate- fulness to God, no indignation, no vehement (le- sire, no xeul, no revenge.* 'The tempest in their hearts is conjured up solely by terror, unmixed ge negra A A I TE AAA EE A a * 92 Cor. vii. 11. 79 terror. ‘They feel nothing of filial sorrow at ha- ving offended their heavenly Father; they feel no compunetion at having counted the blood of atonement an unholy thing; they feel no grief at having resisted the gracious influences of the Holy Spirit. Sin still reigns triumphant in their hearts; and they inwardly abhor that Law, which strikes at the very existence of their idol. Were all fears of future punish- ment removed, and were they assured beyond a possibility of doubt, that mere annihilation would hereafter be their portion; these joyful tidings would wipe away all tears from their eyes, and remove every uneasy thought from their heart. Let us eat and drink, for to-mor- row we die. ‘Chey would return with avidity to their former vicious indulgences, regardless, whether their conduct was pleasing or dis- pleasing to the Most High. It is not sin that they hate, but the wages of sin; it is not God that they love, but their own safety. 80 In vain is the wonderful goodness and long suffering of the Lord held up before the eyes of their understanding. ‘The numberless bless- ings which they enjoy, the numberless evils from which they are exempt, the patience with which God has endured their perverseness, the epportunities which he has given them of re- pentance, the tender loving kindness with which he condescendingly solicits (as it were) a reconciliation with them; like Gallio, they care for none of these things. In vain for them doth the whole creation proclaim the beneficence of the great Creator. In vain for them doth he cause the sun to shine, and the seasons to revolve in grateful vicissitude. In vain for them doth he, by the powerful ma- chinery of nature, send the springs into the rivers, which run among the hills. In vain- for them, by the united operation of various eauses, doth he bring food out of the earth. and wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make him a cheerful countenance; Si and bread to strengthen man’s heart.* They will riot in these blessings even to satiety ; the harp and the viol, the tabret and pipe, are in their feasts : but they regard not the work of the Lord, neither consider the operation of his hands.} ‘The mysterious act of mercy displayed in man’s redemption may be described to them, but it exeites no feeling of gratitude in their souls. ‘The blameless life, the wonderful love, the bitter sufferings, and the lingering death, of the Son of Ged are acknowledged in words indeed, but fail to touch their hearts. Though salvation be freely offered to them, though the mild voice of the Redeemer -ealls upon all who thirst to drink of the water of everlasting life ; they angrily dash the proffered cup from their lips, and hate that mode of salvation which re- * Psalm civ. 10. _ «Isaiah v. 12. 12 32 quires the. dereliciion of sin. In short, their understandings are convineed, but their hearts remain unteuched.. They see the danger of sin, but they love it and cleave to it; they perceive the necessity of a life of holiness but they detest and abhor it. Like the devils, they believe and tremble ; but, like them also, they fight in- dignantly. against the Lord and against his Christ... Even the ox knoweih his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but they are dead to every sense of gratitude ; they consider God in the light of a tyrant, who. seeks to deprive them of their dearest enjoyments. _% The power of the werd,” says Bp. Rey- nolds, « towards wicked men is seen in af- frighiing of them; there isa spirit of bond- age, and a savour of death, as well as a spirit — of life and liberty, which goeth along with the — word. Guilt is an inseparable consequent of sin; and fear, of the manifestation of guilt. Ef the heart be once convinced of this, it will pre- 83 sently faint, and tremble, even at the shaking of a leaf, at the wagging of a man’s own con- science; how much more at the voice of the Lord, which shaketh mountains and maketh the strong foundations of the earth to tremble ? —It is not for want of strength in the word, or because there is stoutness in the hearts of men to stand, out against it, that all the wicked of the world do not iremble at it, but merely their ignorance of the power and evidence thereof. ‘The devils are stronger and more stubborn ereatures than any man can be; yet, because: of their full illumination and that invincible conviction of their consciences from the power ofthe word, they believe and tremble at it.— The power of the ingrafied word towards wicked men is seen even in the rage and mad- ness which it excites in them. It is a sign, that a man hath to do witha strong enemy, when he buckleth on all his harness, and ealleth together all his strength for opposition.—The most calm and devout hypocrites in the world Si, have by the power of this word been put eut of their demure temper, and mightily trans- ported with outrage and bitterness against the majesty thereof: one time filled with wrath ; another time filled with madness; another time filled with envy and indignation ; another time filled with contradiction and blasphemy . another time cut to the heart, and, like repro- bates in hell, gnashing with their teeth. Such _ a searching power and such an extreme con- trariety there is in the Gospel to the lusts of men, that if it do mot subdue, it will wonder- fully swell them up, till it distemper even the grave prudent men of the world with those brutish and uncomely affeetions of rage and fury, and drive disputes from their arguments untd stones. Sin cannot endure to be disqui- eted, much less to be shut in and encompassed with the curses of God’s word. ‘Therefore, as a- hunted beast, in an extremity of distress, will turn back, and put (o its utmost strength to be revenged on the pursuers and to save its f 85 life ; so wicked men, to save their lusts, will let out all their rage, and open all their sluices of pride and malice to withstand that holy truth, which doth so closely pursue them.*—Till men — ean be persuaded to lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, they will never re- ceive the ingrafted word with meekness. For till then it is a binding word, which sealeth their guilt and condemnation upon them.’} Perhaps no state of mind is more deplorable than that in which an enlightened understand- ing is united to an unconverted heart. It isa state totally devoid of peace and comfort, full of terror and a fearful looking out-for of judg- * To mev MAT MY EAMTERVEL, Lows ovdev mparyjmc? Abnvarors YEP Tol, ws EmoL Doxey ov ohodpe “peret, “ay Five Oetvoy OlLWYTAas ELYRsy (KY jeveel Odarnmrixoy THs auto Tobias: oy ” HY KL KAAOUS OLAYTE Wotesy TOLOUVTOUES Sypovyre:. Plat. Kuthyphron. § 3. } Bp. Reynold’s Works, p. 365, 366, 367. Sf ment and fiery indignation. The eyes of the mind are opened, so as to discern clearly that he is not a Christian who is one outwardly. — ‘The awakened conscience is tremblingly alive — to every touch. It perceives the necessity of — repentance ; and it acknowledges the obliga- tion laid upon all true believers to take up their cross and follow Christ. But the will and the affections are wanting ; a secret hatred and re-, luctance reigns in the heart; and the whole man loathes the burden which he conceives to — be imposed upon him. Meanwhile a person of this description is deeply convinced, that, with — his present temper and disposition, it is utterly impossible for him to enter into the kingdom of heaven. He knows that he labours under a natural unfitness for it, and that he could find no happiness even in the presence of God him- | self, unless a complete change should previously take plave in his heart. This awful truth is evident, beyond a possibility of contradiction, to the man whose understanding has been so far 87° enlightened as to comprehend the requisitions of the Law and the nature of holiness ; but, his " heart being at ihe same time totally unaffected and unaltered, he cannot conceive what pleas- ure there can be in a perpetual communion with God and in the purely spiritual Joys of heayen.. Hence arises his misery ; he knows that he is unfit for heaven, and he shudders at the thoughts of hell. Gladly would he escape into some middle place of abode, were any such in existence, equally undisturbed by the presence of God and the torments of the damned. His _ future destiny perpetually haunts his imagina-. tion: and he ilies from himself to seek relief in, the midst of company and. dissipation. For a time, he probably sueceeds ; fora time, he con- trives to silence his conscience. The ever- varying pageant of vain amusements gradually banishes the recollection of those deep impres- sions which he had formerly received; and he onec more feels something at least of the plea- sures ef this world, But, if ever the strings of 88 eenscience happen to be again touched, he re- lapses into all his former misery ; @ miserys moreover, now too frequently mixed with a sor of hellish rage and malice against his mon- itor. Perhaps the Gospel is never sincerely explained and enforced, without either effecting a change in the heart, or exciting a spirit of bitter animosity and determined opposition. Men cannot bear to have their false tranquillity — broken in upon; they cannot bear to have the truth faithfully set before them ; they cannot bear to have the carnal security of their sinful pleasures disturbed. Provided these points be - not touched upon, they will listen with the ut- most complacency to an eulogy on the beauty ~ of virtue and the dignity of human nature : buts the moment they are compelled to look within themselves, their patience fails them, and they are sometimes altogether unable even to conceal their indignation. II. The second class, which I purposed to describe, is composed of persons of a character 89 faitidally> different from that of the former. These! see their duty to its full extent; they thoroughly comprehend the spirituality of the Law; and they readily acknowledge’ the greatness of their religious obligations : but, at the same time, they can find no inward satisfae- - tion, no secret complacency, in obeying the di- vine commandments. I am not. at present speaking of those who indulge in grosser sins : it would be almost an insult to praise a man, who had made outa tlie ldact progress in Chris- tianity, on aecount of his sobriety or his hon- esty.* The defect in the persons, whose cha- racters J am describing, consists in their hay- ing a will untamed, unbending, and unsubdued. Their affections are too much placed on things below, and too little on things above. Whatever duties they perform are discharged from a sense of religious obligation merely; not from finding oauinaminaneeaeeeee o » “Tntegritatem atque abstinentiam in tanto viro re- ferre injuria virtutum fuecrit.” Tacit. Vit. Agric. & 9. K S 90 in the discharge of them that spiritual pleasure, _ that communion with God, which appears to be at once the happiness and the privilege of a Christian. They do not take up the yoke with their whole heart, though conscience forees them in some measure to submit to it. They are strangers to that, which is prophesied of our Lord in the Psalms; [delight to do thy will O my God, yea, thy law is within my heart -* nor can they comprehend how it could be his meat to do the will of him that’ sent him.+ They attempt indeed to perform this will ; but every effort is evief and weariness to them. They strive to conquer their dislike ; but in- stead of yielding, if seems rather to increase. Thus far they coincide in some measure’ with those unhappy men, whose case has been: already described ; but here, the grand, the eonstituent, difference between them coni- rae Se * Psalm xl. 8. + John iv. 34. Yi mences. . ‘The former detest and oppose the law of God : the latter Simply derive no pleasure from paying obedience io it, and are not inter- ested in its precepts as they could wish to be. The first absolutely hate the divine image, which shines conspicuously in the character of every true Christian : the second love it, and labour earnestly to acquire it, grieving bitterly at the waywardness and perverseness of their hearts. The first are anxious to stifle the voice of con science, and burn with rage against any person who attempts to rouse it: the se- eond endeavour to keep the conscience tender, and do not cease to regard a neighbour as a friend, though he may point out failings and de- ficiencies. In short, the former stumble at the very. threshold of Christianity : while the latter lament their unwillingness, yet continue striv- ing to acquire a relish for their duty. The condition of this second description of persons is doubtless uncomfortable, but yet 92 very far es apprehend) from being dangerous. Let not such despair: let them not doubt, but that God, in his own good time, will accom- plish the work, which he has begun within them. That they are possessed of any good wishes, that their hearts are af all inclined, however small that inclination may be, towards a desire of gaining the favour of God, is an argument of greater blessings yet in store for them. Every good and every perfect gift com- eth from above; nor is a single one bestowed without carrying with it a demonstration of good will towards man. However dark and clouded may be the prospects of those, who acknowledge and lament the hardness of their hearts and their utter disinclination towards that which is good ; blessed be God! despon- dency ought not to be their portion. He, who has promised that he will not bruise the broken- reed nor quench the smoking flax, would never have raised those wishes for a better disposi- tion of the heart, without an intention te 93 gratify them. Ask, and ye shall have; seek, and ye shall find, is one of those comfortable promises, with which Seripture abounds: and we cannot, we ought not to doubt, but that the strength of Israel will except every one with- out distinction, who cometh to him in his Son’s naine. It is even possible, that a man’s heart may be sincerely attached to God, when he himself is the most ready to suspeet its sinceri- ty. Actions, not words, are the best proofs of a state of grace ; and the performance of _ those duties, from which our natural inclina- tions shrink, is assuredly the very highest ex- ertion of religious obedience. Thus, if we may argue from our intercourse with each other, we are accustomed to set a much great- er value upon the friendship, which will ex- pose itself for our sake to difficulties and in- conveniences, than upen that which in serving us merely gratifies its own inclinations. The road of duty is indeed thorny and painful to those, whose natural affections run ina differ- 3 ye CE K°2 94: ent channel: but let them earnestly pray to God to grant them strength and perseverance, to remove their heart ‘of stone, and to give them a heart of flesh. The first of these peti- tions he will most assuredly listen to’; and, if the second be not immediately granted, they may be certain that the refusal proceeds from wise reasons’ best known to himself.» He may for a time be deaf to their intreaties, with a aie to try their faith and to exercise their patience ; to show them, what weak, misera- ble, helpless creatures they are without his assistance ; and to train them up in the school of spiritual discomfort, in order that they may be better prepared for the everlasting rest of heaven. This dissatisfaction with the world -and with themselves proceeds from God; and however painful it may be for the present, let them reeollect, that the chastisement of their heavenly Father is the result, not of hatred, but of love. The sordid worldling, and the ‘dissipated yoluptuary, are strangers to that = 95 A eoniliet between duty and inclination, which exists in a greater or in a less degree within the bosom of every Christian. Hence it is evident that such a struggle, provided only that duty generally prevails, is an evidence of spi- ritual life. Lhe dead feel not ; the living only possess the powers of action and sensation. In the mean time, till God is pleased to. grant them more of that peace which passeth all un- derstanding, Jet them strengthen their hearts with some such promises as the following. For a small moment hace I forsaken thee : but with great mercies will L gather thee. Ina little wrath I hid my face from thee for a mo- ment ; but with everlasting kindness will £ have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer. For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenani of my peace be removed, saith the Lord, that hath mercy on thee. Oh, thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, 96 and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires. And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates with carbuneles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones. And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord: and great shall be the peace of thy children. In right- eousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression ; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee. No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper ; and every tongue, that shalt rise against theein judgment, thou shalt con- demn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.* } et) AL bic aka al MERE 5 ed UBD Cath La ak * Fsaiah liy. 7. CHAPTER IV. - ee + The influence of the Holy Spirit upon the will. Man being by nature in a state of complete ‘darkness and ignorance, so far as relates to spiritual things, the first operation of the Ho- ly Ghost must necessarily be to remove the veil from off his heart and to enlighten his under- standing. ‘This, however, as we have already seen, is of little use, unless the affections be al- so reclaimed from the love of sin and converted to the love of God. The divine principle, ney- ertheless, may exist in the heart, even when the 98 favoured possessor of it least suspects its pre- sence and is almost ready to despair from his supposed deficiency in it. The striking differ- ence between the character of these humble, dejected, self-condemning, believers, and the _ eharacter of those unhappy men, who know the : truth only to hate and reject it, has been-suf- - ficiently shown. Whatever degree of reluc- tance a man may feel in the performance of his - duty, yet, ifhe do perform it, if he daily pray and strive against this reluctance, if, instead of hatred towards the Son of God, he at tinisabe sensible of tender grief from the consciousness of his own obduracy and ingratitude; he may depend upon if, that these emotions, so opposite to the hellish temper of an unrenewed heart, are the first-fruits of that Spirit, whose pecu- liar office it is to guide the Christian into all truth, Wicked men indeed have sometimes good wishes, Even Balaam, when obstinately re-— 99 sisting the counsel of the Most High, could yet exclaim, May I die the death of the righteous, and may my latter end be like his ! But unhap- _pily these wishes only spring up occasionally. There is nothing of that abiding sense of God’s presence, that restless desire of a greater dé- gree of communion with him, which every real Christian is wont (o experience. In the un- converted, good impressions, however lively at first, soon wear off; and they gradually return to their former habits of irreligion ; but, in the children of God, such impressions perpetually acquire fresh vigour and energy; they grow “with their growth, and strengthen with their ‘strength, until they imperceptibly become the “main spring of every thought and action. ‘és'The foulest hearts,” says Bishop Hall, «« do sometimes entertain good motions ; like as, on the contrary, the holiest souls give way sometimes to the suggestions of evil. ‘The flashes of lightning may be discerned in the 400 darkest prisons: but, if good thoughts look into a wicked heart, they stay not there 5 as those that like not their lodging, they are soon gone. Hardly any thing distin- — guishes betwixt good and evil, but eontinu- ance. ‘The light, that shines into a holy heart, is constant, like that of the sun, which keeps due times, and varies not his course for any of these sublunary oecasions.”’* The Holy Spirit, then, having enlightened the understanding, proceeds, in the next place, to renovate the will and the affections. At first, the change in the inclinations is scarcely to be perceived. Oppressed with a load of superin- — cumbent corruptions, the spark of divine life seems at times almost to approach to utter ex- tinction. But not one word or one tittle of all God’s promises can fail. The smoking. flax will gradually burst out into a clear flame, pees CC Ct * Hall’s Works, p. 1058. 101 when fanned by the gentle breezes of the Holy Spirit. A greater conformity will soon take place between the will of the Christian, and the will of his God. Even should this comfort be for a season denied, sill he is under the pro- tection of his Lord; who views with a loving pity the struggle in his heart, and who will doubtless, xs soon as it shall be expedient for him, cause the light of his countenance to shine wpon him. Meanwhile all things work to- gether for his good; and, if his inclinations be deficient in fervency, his conscience acquires fresh tenderness and more acute discernment. ~The difficulty, which he finds in loving what he ought to love, gives him deeper views of sin and convinces him more effectually of his own | utter inability. He now discovers, and he- lieves, on the sure ground of actual exper lence, that in himsel Uf dwelleth no good thing, and that all his sufficiency is of God. So far from being faithful to grace, as some vainly talk, he daily I 402 sees more and more of his unfaithfulness ; and, though he strives under the influence of the Holy Spirit to work out his salvation, yet he is eonstrained to ackuowledge that it is God who seorketh in him both to will and to do. , Since Seripture represents man in his natu- ral state as dead in trespasses and sin; it will follow, unless the whole propriety of the meta-. phor be destroyed, that he is totally unable, by any inherent strength of his own, to raise him- selfup to the life of righteousness. This fig- urative resurrection from the dead is the same, . as what is sometimes termed, by a different metaphor," ‘regeneration or a new birth. It is occasionally likewise represented as @ new ere- ation. All which images plainly teach us, both ihat a very essential change must take place in ihe moral constitution in order to a man’s be- ing . Christian, and that that change must he effected by some extrinsic power. 103 “ To be born again implies, that, as no man can bestow upon himself a natural being— ‘Therefore the Scripture chooses to express this new birth by such terms as import in us an ut- fer impossibility and impotency to effect it by our own power. It is called the quickening the dead ; you hath he quickened, says the Apos- tle, who were dead in trespasses and sins. Look, how impossible it is for a dead man, that is shut down under the bars of the grave, that is crumbled away into dust and ashes, to pick up every scattered dust and to form them again into the same members : look, how impossible it is for him to breathe without a soul, or to breathe that soul into himself. Alike impossi- ble is it for a natural man, who hath lain ma- ny years in the death of sin, to shake off from himself that spiritual death, or to breathe into himself that spiritual and heavenly life that may make him a living soul before God.* * Bishop Hopkins’s Works, p. 531. 404 Most assuredly «for this great work God only is equal ; it is not in our power to regeit- erate ourselves: for we are not born of blood, nor of the. will of the flesh, nor of ‘the will of man, that is, not of any natural ereated strength, but of God.”’* He it is, who maketh us new creatures. By his Holy Spirit, not by any sirengih of our own, the divine principle of love, without which no man ean live well, is diffused through our hearts.+ So great a change, however, is not effected without much opposition on the part of those who are the subjects of it nor without a vehe- ment exercise of that determined resolution, which. God alone can confer upon them. | « Af- ter many strugglings and conflicts with their ; } w * Bishop Wilkins on prayer, chap. xvii. + * Charitas Dei; sine qua nemo bene vivit, diffunditur in cordibus nostris, non a nobis, sed per Spiritum Sanctum uidatus est nobis.” . Augustin. Epist. 10%. q s P 4+ ™ - ete tae ee ~ Se ee ae eee ee ee ee * ei i 405 lusts and the strong bias of evil habits,” as it is rightly ebserved by Abp. Tillotson, <¢ this resclution assisted by the grace of God, does effectually prevail and make a real change both in the temper of their minds and in the course of their lives: and when that is done, and not before, they are said to be regenerate.”?* Well then might St. Austin exclaim, « To justify a sinner, to new create him from a wicked person to a righteous man, is a greater act, than te make such a new heaven and earth as is already made.”} Well might the pious founders of cur Church maintain that, “the more regeneration is hid from our understand- ing, the more it ought to move all men te wonder at the seeret and mighty werking of God’s Holy Spirit, which is within us. For it * Tillotson’s Serm. on Gal. yi. 13. ¥ Cited in Homily for Rogat, Week. part é b 2 106 4s the Holy Ghost, and no other thing, that doth quicken the minds of men, stirring up good and godly motions in their hearts, which are agreeable to the will and commandment of God, such as otherwise of their own crooked and perverse nature they should never have. That which is born of the Spirit is Spirit. As who should say, man of his own nature is fleshly and earnal, corrupt and naught, sinfal and disobedient to God, without any spark of goodness in him, without any virtuous or godly motion, only given to evil thoughts and wicked deeds’’—yet ‘such is the power of the Holy Ghost to regenerate men, and as it were te bring them forth anew, that they shall be nothing like the men that they were before. re ns * Homily for Whitsunday, parti. We may observe, that in this passage our venerable reformers, in exact. accordance with the preceding citations from Abp. Tillot- — son and Bps. Hopkins and Wilkins, clearly speak of re~ — a 467 The reason why our Lord insists so much upon the absolute necessity of that change of , generation as taking place in adult subjects; and there- fore do not attach it necessarily, and in the way of cause and effect, to baptism. Analogous to it, is the declaration in the catechism, that the two sacraments are only gen- erally necessary to salvation. For, since our Lord asserts that regeneration is absolutely necessary to salvation, if our reformers had believed, that the inward spiritual grace was altogether inseparable from the outward visible sign, they must have maintained that baptism was not merely generally, but indispensably, necessary to our en- tering into the kingdom of heaven. ‘hese explanatory declarations of their sentiments in the homilies and cate- - chism will teach us, how we ought to understand the phraseology of the baptismal service. Sacramental re- generation is there hoped, in the judgment of charity, to be real regeneration ; just as St. Paul, in his epistles, is wont to addressa whole church, as if every one of its members were iudisputable heirs of salvation; but, whe- ther the subjects of baptism have really been renewed by the Holy Spirit, must be determined by their future con- duct. In fact, if we maintain that regeneration is so 408 the heart usually denominated regeneration,*# appears to be simply this; without such change we should labour under a sort of natural unfit- ness to enter into the kingdom of heacen. No man can be happy in the company of those, whose views and pursuits are totally dissimilar to his own. They must either conform to him, or he to them. before they will be abie to associate together. He, that is uneasy in the inseparable from baptism, that every baptized person is regenerate, and that every unbaptized person is unregen- erate ; we shall be compelled to maintain that the devout Cornelius was absolutely in the gall of bitterness until he was baptized, while the baptized sorcerer Simon was a truly regenerate Christian, notwithstanding he is declared by Peter to have neither lot nor part in the Holy Spirit. Ifthe reader wish to see the doctrine of regeneration clearly statedand the phraseology of the baptismal ser- vice ably explained, he would do well to peruse with at- tention four sermons by Bp. Hopkins, on John iii. &. They form a complete treatise on the subject. * John iii. 1—21. > 109 presence of the pious upon earth, ean never derive any pleasure from spending an eternity with them. The joys of heaven are described as purely spiritual ; so much so, that even the very best of men, in their present imperfeet state, are unable fully to eomprehend them. An intimate communion with God, an intense degree of devotion, a peace of mind which passeth all understanding, an entire coinci- dence of their will with the will of God, a never-ceasing round of praise and thanksgiy- ing are proposed to the servants of Christ, as their stimulus here and their portion here- after. But, if'a man have no relish fer any of these enjoyments, even Paradise itself would be no Paradise to him. What excited the highest pleasure in others, would produce in him no ether sensations than those of weari- ness and disgust. His soul. would sicken at the view of that happiness, which he was inea- pable of tasting; and, like the fabulous Tan- - talus, he would starve in the midst of plenty, 410° ca On these grounds it is, that Bishop Reynolds somewhere remarks, -with no less beauty than justice, that the man, who is weary of a single sabbath upon earth, can never deriye any sat- isfaction from the observance of a perpetual sabbath in heaven. Every faculty of the soul must receive anew tendeney; the image of Satan must be gradually eradicated; and the - image of God must be planted in its stead 5 or we can never expect to enter into the kingdom of Christ. It may perhaps be asked, whe then ean be saved? Jor where is the man whose will is in so perfect a state of conformity with the will of God, as to experience no inward resistance, 10 internal struggles, when obeying the divine commandments? Where is the person, who possesseth such a degree of heavenly minded- ness, as always to prefer the prospects of hap- piness in another world to the certainty of present gratification in this ¢ 414 T readily answer, that no such eharacier ex- -4sts on this side of the grave; nor are we to ex- peet that any such ever will. The deeper in- sight a man-acquires into” his own heart, the more deeply will he be convinced of his invete- rate corrupiion and manifold infirmities; the more bitterly will he bewail his sins, and lament the perverseness of his will and affections. ifere we are not to expect any thing more, than the beginning of the spiritual life; the conswm- mation and perfection of it is reserved for a richer soil and a more genial climate. The taint of original sin remains ‘even «© in them that are regenerated.”* The spirit indeed may be willing, but the flesh is weak. In the bosom of every true Christian, there is a never- ceasing conflict between two principles diamet- rically opposite to each other. His renewed heart wills to serve God, but his corrupt na- ture resists, and fights against his better incli- a eee ©. Ast ee. 412 nations. Such will necessarily be his eontlis tion, so long as he remains a member of the ehurch militant. Nothing will terminate the warfare, but a translation into the church tri-, umphant.* St. Paul has left us upon record, for the edi- fication of Christians in all ages, a very lively and affecting description of this contest between grace and nature. That which 1 do, I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law, that it is good. Now then, it is no more lithat do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing : for to will is present with me 5 but how 1 * «© Quamdiu vivis, peccatum necesse est esse in mem- ris tuis. Saltem illi regnum auferatur, non fiat quod ju- bet”? Aug. in Johan. Tract. 41. 413 to perform that whichis good I find not. For the Sood that would, Edo not; but the evil which I would not, that Ido. Now, if Ido that I would not, it is no more T that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. T jind then a law that, when Twould do good, evil is present with me. Hor I delight in the law of God after the inward man: but I see another law in my men- bers, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into caplivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that Tam! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, bul with the flesh the law of sin.* 4 : , . * Rom. vii. 15. “Cum corpus e terra, et spiritum pos- sideamus e ceelo, ipsi terra et celum sumus ; et in utroque, » id est, et corpore et spiritu, ut Det voluntas fiat, oramus. M 414 his internal struggle, so far from being ar argument against a renewed will, is the very test, which most decisively proves that it is re- newed. While a man yields himself a willing slaye to Satan, or while he conceals a total ignorance of his own heart under a decorous exterior ; he ‘feels nothing of the contest be- tween erace and nature, which is so grievous a burden to every real Christian. He has no conception of that restlessness and uneasiness of mind, so feelingly described by the great apustle of the Gentiles. Having never ex- perienced the violent resistance which our de- praved hearts make to the will of Ged, he has ‘ ra 4 ei Est enim inter carnem et spiritum colluctatio, et discor- dantibus adversus se invicem quotidiana congressio; ut non gue volumus ipsa faciamus. Dum spiritus celestia et divina querit, caro terrena et secularia concupiscit : et ideo petimus impense inter duo ista, ope et auxilio Dei concordiam fieri: ut, dum et in spiritu et in carne volun- tas Dei geritur, que per eum renata est anima servetur.” ? (Cyprian. de Orat. Domin. 415 no idea of the difieulty of repentance and amendment ; ner does he believe that there is any need of divine influence to enable him to turn from the evil of his ways. Hence he veadily adopts the Pelagian notion, that re- pentance is always in his own pewer; and scoffs at the sober decision of our church, *‘ that the condition of man is such, that he eannot turn and prepare himself by his own natural strength, and good works, to faith and ealling upon God.”* But, as soon as he at- tempts the arduous task of a real and vital re- formation, a reformation which is not confined to bare external decorum, but which affeets even the very inmost thoughts ef the heart ; he then begins to find his weakness and ina- bility, and is foreed at length by repeated lap- ses to acknowledge that all his sufficiency is of God. Along with this conviction, he now for the first time, experiences ‘the internal # Art. x, £46 Christian conflict ; he now perceives the full meaning of St. Paul’s confession; and, like him, is ready to exclaim, 0 wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? Lethim not, however, be discouraged, still less despair, on account of the opposition, which corrupt nature makes to the influences of the Holy Spirit. Every Christian, what- ever may be his rank in life or his progress in piety, has had the same enemy te contend with. Let him recollect the promise, My grace is suf- Jicient for thee ; nor let him doubt, but that he, which redeemed Jacob from all evil, is equally ready to assist all who find their need of a Saviour. . Strengthen ye the weak hands, and conjirm the feeble knees; say to them, that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: be- hold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense ; he will come and save you.* ~ * Isaiah xxxy. 3. 117 Since probably few Christians of the present day will venture to claim even an equality with St. Paulin point of holiness, much less a supe~ riority over him, we may derive from his mem- orable confession another important truth : that ; it is vain for man to dream of attaining to per- fection in this world. Our very best deeds will ever be mingled with sin; our very best wishes will ever be distracted with reluctance ; and our very best services will ever partake largely of corruption. Though some may strangely pervert the meaning of Scripture and falsely boast of an imaginary perfection, the humble disciple, who by bitter experience has known the plague of his own heart, cannot be thus Jamentably deluded.* Free indeed * 1 John iii. 9. Hec hominibus,” says St. Jerome, so- . . . ¢ . la perfectio, si imperfectos se esse noverint.? And St. Austin, * Nulla remansit infirmitas? Si non remansisset, M 2 418 every one, that is born of God, must be from a resolute habit of sin, and from a predeter- mined purpose of enjoying its pleasures whenever they occur. But who shall cleanse himself from all his secret faults? Who is able to purify himself from offence in thought, in word, and in deed? Who shall dare to pro- nounce himself clear from the culpability of omission, as well as from the presumptuousness of commission? Jf we say that we have ne sine peccato hic viveremus. Quis autem audeat hoc di- cere, nisi superbus ? nisi misericordia liberatoris indig- nus? nisi qui serpsum vult decipere, et in quo veritas non est?’ Lcannot refrain from observing, that I have more than once met with writers, who no less roundly than un- accountably have asserted that the Calvinists hold the doctrine of sinless perfection in those whom they denominate the elect. The Calvinists hold no such doctrine, however | unwarrantable may be their speculations on the abstruse points of predestination and reprobation, © 1419 sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.* x Respecting the proper mode of carrying on the internal warfare of grace against nature, yery excellent is the advice of Bp. Hall. «¢ There are two men,” says he “ in every re- generate breast, the old and the new ; and of these, as they are ever plotting against each , other, we must take the better side, and labour that the new man by being more wise in God may outstrip the old. And how shall that be done? If we would dispossess the strong man that keeps the house, our Saviour bids us bring in a stronger than he; and, if we would overs reach the subtilty of the old man, yea the old serpent, bring in a stronger than he, even the Spirit of God, the God of wisdom,”’} * 1 Johni. 8. + Bp. Hall’s Works, p. 469, 120 Nor is this observation excellent only: in the way of advice; it affords also to every man a’ very useful test of his regeneracy. If he find that two men are perpetually at war. within him, and that the one gradually prevails over the other ; he has no reason to doubt of the reality of his being a child of God, though he may never have felt any of those sudden and violent pangs of conscience which some appear erroneously to esteem. the very essen- tiais of regeneration. But, on the other hand, if he view his beloved self with a fond com- placeney, and if he be totally - unacquainted with the never-ceasing inward warfare of a Christian; he thea has but too suflicient grounds to be very doubtful of the goodness of his state. «There are two men in every ve- generate breast.” Where the workings of one alone are pereeptible, and where consequently there is no struggle, is it possible then, if Bp. Hall be a sound expositor, ‘that the renewing influence of the Holy Spirit can ever haye been really experienced ? 121 “Upon the whole, we may conclude that, in the regenerate, the vicious inclinations of cor- rupt nature are not so much eradicated, as mortified and subdued. A new principle is in- stilled into the heart, diametrically opposite to the affections of the flesh, and waging an eter- nal war against them. It is vain to expect in this world, that duty will ever be entirely un- attended with pain. The carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be.* As a rem- nant of the idolatrous Canaanites was left in the midst of the children of Israel, to be a thorn in their sides and a perpetual snare to . them ;} so are the evil affections of a Christian aconsiant source of trouble and vexation to him. Yet these lusts of the flesh are kept in a state of abject slavery to their new master ; * Rom. viii: 7. | + Judg. ii, 2. 122 and although they may be disposed oecasion-— ally to rebel, and, in fact, do never cordially — submit to the yoke imposed upon them, still are they daily constrained to bow beneath it, — still are they daily losing some portion of their. original strength and influence. At times, in- deed, as every believer knows by woful ex- perience, the house of Saul will appear to pre- vail against the house of David. Long and tedious is the war between them, a war which ean only terminate with the extinction of one of the parties ; yet in the course of this spirit- ual struggle, it will be found that David waxes stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul weaker and weaker.* Even natural eauses will contribute their mite of co-operation with the Spirit of grace. What at first was indeseribably irksome, will through habit gra- | dually become tolerable, if not palatable, even = * 2Sam. iii, 1. 128 ‘ te out natural inclinations ; while the hope of'4 speedy victory and a glorious recompense will alleviate the hardships of the Christian war- fare. Meanwhile the soul, through the assist- ance of the blessed Spirit, will be perpetually advancing in the paths of holiness, and perpetu- ally discovering new beauty, an ‘experiencing fresh pleasures in them. A delightful sense of security, a calm reliance upon: the protec- tion of God, and a consciousness of possessing an interest in the merits of the Saviour, will smooth the rn¢ged path of duty, and make the rough places plain. The communion of saints, that golden though invisible chain which forms’ the connexion between the higher andthe nether worlds, affords a never failing souree of happi- ness to the believer. Ifa pagan could exult in the uncertain prospect of rejoining his friends in the realms of bliss,* what shall we say of | * Cicer. somn. Scip. 124 the eertain view of futurity held ‘out to ‘the Christian? . Ina few, a very few years, death will be. swallowed up in victory, the wicked will cease from troubling, and the weary will be atrest. Those associates, in whom he most delighted while. upon earth, will scen rejoin him, pure, perfect, and sinless in heaven. He is conscious that at present there is a some- thing in his nature, a bitter root of perverse- ness and corruption, which prevents him from attaining to that degree of holiness, that en- tire communion with God, beneath which his soul is unable to rest satisfied. He delights in the law of God after the inward man, but he sees another law in his members warring against the law of his mind.* Hence arises a wish to guit this troublesome world and all its vanities: a desire to be with Christ, which is ‘as * Rom. vii. 22. jar better.* Yet is this wish unalloyed with discontent. The Christian can humbly resign himself, whether living or dying, to the good * Did we feel the vanity of the world as practically, as we are ready to allow it theoretically, this wish would always be predominant in our hearts, though tempered, no doubt, with resignation to the will of heaven, and with humble gratitude for our deliverance from the merited penalties of sin. Paulisper te crede subduci in montis ardui verticem celsiorem, speculari inde rerum infra te jacentium facies; et oculis in diversa porrectis, ipse a terrenis contactibus liber, fluctuantis mundi turbines intuere. Jam seculi et ipse misereberis; tuique admo- nitus, et plus in Deum gratus, majore letitia quod eva- seris gratulaberis. Cerne tu itinera latronibus clausa, . maria obsessa predonibus, cruento horrore castrorum bella ubique divisa: madet orbis mutuo sanguine; et homicidium cum admittunt singuli, crimen est; virtus vocatur cum publice geritur; impunitatem sceleribus acquirit, non innocentiz ratio, sed sevitize magnitudo.” Cyprian. ad. Donat. The sum and substance of practical wisdom is condensed in this short apophthegm, The Jashion of this world passeth away. N 126 pleasure of his heavenly Father, who knows, infinitely better than himself, what is good and proper for him. Thus, secure under the pro- tection of his God, and firmly relying on the _moerits of his Saviour, he calmly awaits the hour of his dissolution; when he shall be de- livered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sons of God, when tears shall be wiped away from every eye, and when the sorrows of time shall give place to the joys of eternity. ©HAPTER V. Fhe Influence of the Holy Spirit upon the | _ Affections. | Wuits the blessed Spirit of God is employed in illuminating the understandings, and in con- verting the wills of his servants, he is also working a gradual change in their affections. He weans them from the gross and terrestrial objects of sense, he mortifies the works of the flesh, and he draws up their minds to high and heavenly things.¥ He teaches them not A BLO A * Art. xvil* 428 merely theoretically, but experimentally, the infinite disproportion between the pleasures of this world and the joy which is reserved for the faithful at the right hand of God. By slow and almost imperceptible degrees, a sur- prising change takes place within them. ‘They no longer feel any relish for those vanities, which the slaves of dissipation esteem abso- iutely necessary for their happiness ; and what at first was resigned upon prineiples of ‘duty and conscience, though with no small relue- iance, now ceases to excite a single wish, and is considered with indifference or even aver: sion.* | A LTE EL ENE EES EE EA OR AAC ELE LAE x U * « By this new nature the very natural motion of the soul, so taken, is obedience to God, and walking in the paths of righteousness ; it can no more live in the habit and ways of sin, than aman can live under water. Sin is not the Christian’s element ; it is too gross for his renewed soul, as the water is for his body. He may fall into it, 429 The life of Christ is the beautiful exemplar, which every man under the guidance of the Holy Spirit endeavours to imitate... He finds himself uneasy in the society of those, whose daily con- versation is the very reverse of that bright pat- tern, which was once, and only once, exhibited. before the eyes of sinful mortality ; and he flies with delight to companions, whose habits and Revove 5 vd but he cannot breathe in it; cannot take delight and con- tinue to live init: but his delight is in the law of the Lord. That is the walk, that his soul refreshes itself in; he loves it entirely, and loves it most, when it most crosses the remainders of corruption that are in him; he bends the strength of his soul to please God, and aims wholly at that. It takes up his thoughts early and late; he hath no other purpose in his being and living: but only to honour his Lord, that is, to live to righteousness. He doth not make a by-work of it, a study for his spare hours ; no, itis his main business, his all.” Abp. Leighton’s Works, vol. 1. p. 402. N 2 130 views are more congenial with his own. Stilt, whenever there isevena faint hope only of ef- fecting a reformation, he seeks not morosely to shun the presence of the thoughtless and the dissipated.* Here his business is to wateh for opportunities of usefulness; te avoid the. ap- pearance of unnecessary rigour ; and to diffuse the practice of holiness, rather by occasional hints and general remarks, than by petulant reproofand pointed allusion. We are all, how- ever absurd it may be, more subject to the in- fluence of pride and self-conceit, than perhaps. of any other species of mental criminality. it is the particular aim of Christianity to era- dicate this master passion of the soul 3 and all, *% 6Omwrev -waAciwy #0 0S, Woav KEPOOS. — Kerous pubytas eay Qianss KMeLG Tol ove errs MaeArov Tous AOLMOTEPIUG CF MpmoTHTL UmeTMTTE. Ov recat 77 _autn epumaurtpw begumeverat, — Tors magobuzuous 2moeoxsts Tave, Deavijos yivou ws odis ev CHAT, Mees eenepaios avss meeictepm, Ignat, Epist. ad Poly- 131 who have had the least experience of thet own hearts, will readily allow the difficulty of the work. Ifsuch be the confession of every humble, self-denying believer, with what. s. — fremendous sway must the sia of pride rule in the breasts of the carnal and worldly-minded ! Men never much relish the being driven to their duty. Personal censure, and ill-timed ad- vice, always convey an idea of superiority, and as such will always give offence. Impressed with the truth of these remarks, the Christian will endeavour to unite prudence with his zeal. He will strive rather to lead men inte the paths ef salvation, than to compel them to come in. | Though ever upon the watch to do good, he will temper his watchfulness with judgment. He will study to remove all appearance of de- - sign and premeditation from what he says. “He will seek to coneiliate the affections of those with whom he converses. He will reso- lutely turn aside from every temptation to sar- casi and ridicule, as well knowing that the ap- _ 132. . plause, which might perhays be procured. by his wit, would be but a poor recompense for the diminution, probably the loss, of his influ- ence ever an immortal soul. He will strive, in short, to inculcate the maxis of his religion by example, as well as by precept. With these views, and these resolutions, he will enter inte company, and thus convert even an ordina- ry visit intoa plan for promoting the glory of Godt Meee Hin eH pin ts tae a Rae golineatedies ape ‘Phe invitation, then, of Christ constitutes the principal study of those, who are influenced by the Hoty Ghost. Whatsoever action they are about te perform, their first question’ is, whether Christ would have performed it, had he been in their situation: and it is their cone» stant endeavour to regulate, not only their: words, but their very thoughts, in a way re- sen:bling that, in which they have reason te con-- eeive that he regulated: his. Their ordinary’ employments, their amusements, their choice’ 4 ——— See eC Se, ee a 133 of friends, nay even the most common transac- tions of their lives, will be brought to the same test. They contemplate the heavenly meek- ness of Christ: aud labour to transfuse his spirit into their own hearts. ‘They view his immaculate purity ; and strive with yet ereater earnestness to put off the old man with his lusts. They behold his wonderful and disinterested love for mankind, displayed in a life of active benevolence and in a death full of pain and tor- ment; they hear him praying for his murder- ers, and see him anxiously concerned for the welfare of his friends, even when the prospect of his own bitter sufferings was directly before his eyes: and, full of these thoughts, they learn to abhor the narrow spirit of selfishness, and feel their souls alive both to the temporal and the eternal interests of all their brethren. They are taught by his blessed example to love their enemies, to bless those that haie them, and to pray for those that despitefully use them and persecute them. 134 -'Phus endeavouring to tread in the steps of their divine master, they gradually acquire a greater relish for heavenly enjoyments, and find themselves elevated above the fleeting pleasures of this transitory world. ‘The amiable — mildness and sweet serenity of the new disposi- tion, which has been implanted in themis so conspicuous, that it cannot but be. perceived even by those whose hearts are unaffected. . It is true, that the man, who is naturally of. a harsh and rugged temper, will never attain to the gentleness of those Christians, whose af- fections have been originally cast in a different and more beautiful mould. Something of the old Jeaven will yet remain, nor ean it ever be to- tally removed ‘except by the hand of death. Yet how pleasing is it to behold asperiiies grad-_ ually worn away, and, in direct opposition. to the ordinary course of mere nature, a mild and placid old age succeeding to a morose and _ir- vitable manhood. Sueh will ever be the influ- enee of real Christianity upon all the more un- 438 _ kindly passions of the human soul. Avaries will become liberality; uncleanness, purity ; and selfishness, a generous desire of promoting the happiness of all mankind. Old things are | passed away; behold all things are become new. | «© Give me,” says the eloquent Lactantius, «a man of a passionate, abusive, headstrong, dis-. position; with’a few only of the words of Ged, | I will make him gentle as. a lamb. Give me a greedy, avaricious, tenacious, wretch ; and I will teach him to distribute his riches with a liberal and unsparing hand. Give me a cruel, and blood-ihirsty monster; and all his rage shall be changed into true benignity. Give me a.man addicted to injustice, full of ignorance, and immersed in wickedness ; he shall soon be- -eome just, prudent, and innocent. In the single laver of regeneration, he shall be clean- sed from all his malignity.”* * Lact. Inst. 1. ii. c. 26: 486 '¥s it possible for a change like this to be ef- feeted by mere human means? The laws of a country may indeed operate so far as to pre- vent open violence, but the Holy Spirit of God ‘4s alone able to reach the soul. The artificial restraints of politeness are but a poor, a servile, wnitation of that true urbanity of manners, that constant desire of being serviceable to all around us, which nothing but the gospel of Christ ean teach. Pursue the man.of the ‘world into his retirements ; and the Smiling msinuating courtier will frequently be meta- morphosed into the negligent and cruel hus- band, or the harsh and tyrannical master. His natural temper, now no longer under any re- straint, breaks out with redoubled violence, and vents itself on those who are unhappily subjected to his power. Widely different is the conduct of the Christian. Acting from a higher principle, and experiencing the chang- ing influence of the Spirit in the very inmost recesses of his heart, he is.uniform and con- 437 sistent at all times and in all places: He is the same character in private and in publie, at home and abroad. His politeness is the politeness ‘of the heart, not the spurious off- spring of a studied and elaborate refinement. - It is striking to observe the different effeets of religion and irreligion on persons, who are naturally of very opposite dispositions, = The originally mild and gentle Nero was soon corrupted by the charms of despotism and | ihe flattery of sycophants. Proceeding from bad to worse, he became ultimately one of the bloodiest tyrants upon record ; the terror and aversion of his enslaved subjects : the murder- er of his brothers, his wives, and his mother ; and the bitter perseeutor of Christianity. — sei “The impetuous, blood-thirsty, and unrclent. ing Saul, on the contrary, the furious opposer of the Gospel, and the determined enemy of 0 4355 the Messiah, was changed into the amiable, fervent, and affectionate, apostle, ready to bear all hardships, and to submit to all the wayward and. petulant humors both of Jew and of Gen- tile, in order that he might gain some to ihé cause of his Lord. Read that beautiful speci- men of the conciliatory, his epistle to Philemon. We have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother. Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin thee that whieh is convenient, yet for love's sake I rather be- seech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ, I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds; which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me; whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels : whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel. But without thy mind 439 would I do nothing ; that thy benefit should noi be as it were af necessity, but willingly. Who ‘would ever have suppesed, that this delicate and condescending address could. have pro- eeeded from the pen of the haughty and im- placable Saul? What an astonishing differ- ence between the mild yet dignified apostle, and the relentless bigot, breathing out threat- wings and slaughter against the disciples, making havoc - of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women to prison ! ~ Whence then could arise this difference, as singular as it is palpable, except from the op- ‘posite influences of grace and nature, the one gradually correcting the malignant propensi- ties of the human heart, the other cherishing and fostering them? Had the black list of his ‘future crimes been prophetically displayed be- fore the eyes of the youthful Nero, he would have been inclined to ask, in the words of 44:0 Hazael, Im Ia dog, that I should do these - things? Such often is the language of modern Infidelity ; but by their fruits are the disciples of Christ best distinguished from the daiiaai of the empire of Satan. The dignity of human nature; the eternal fitness of things; the moral sense ; the beauty of virtue, and the deformity of vice: the tea- dency of the heart te the one and its repug- nance to the other ; the superiority of philoso- phy over Christianity ; the charms of universal philanthropy and disinterested benevolence : have in our own memory been repeatedly and triumphantly brought forward. The God of Israel has been insulted to his face; his - statutes, and his ordinanees, have been ridicul- ed; the person of his Son has been vilified ; the operations of his Hely Spirit have been held up, as a mad enthusiasm ; and Christiani- ty has been tradueed, as the artful machina- tion of a designing impostor. We haye heen 44d informed that, when philosophy should take the lead, a new and happier order of things would. succeed, to. the. present. , _Emancipated ~ from the shackles of priesteraft, and tyranny, human reason would expand itself to its full growth, and infallibly conduct us to peace, to love, and to happiness. Religion,. the bugbear of deluded mortals, would hide her diminished head ;. prejudices would vanish. from off the face of the earth ; ear and despotism would become extinct with priests. and kings ; and the infinite perfeetibility of our nature Poo commence. Wars would. ben no more heard of; and mankind W ould be one large family, united by. the ties of a generous affection, and actuate ed by one common principle of mutual improye- ment. Thus conferring and receiving happi- ness, We should behold the vast globe itself | gradually. converted into a terrestrial paradise. a Such vain dreams of self-intitled philosophers jaye at length received a tremendous confuta- 0 2 142 tion. We have seen realized, in these last days, the theory of a people without prince, without. priest, and without religion. We have seen the Gospel withdrawa from a nation, which had long either perverted its doctrines, or scoffed at its truths. We have seen that nation formally cast off the authority of Ged. We have seen her left to legislate, and frame fantastic eodes of natural religion, for her-- self. . It almost appears as if God had wisely. permitted the experiment to be tried, in order that man might be taken in his own folly, that the different effects of Christianity and of un-. belief might be placed in the most striking) point of view, and that the pride of Infidelity, might be for ever humbled in the dust. The~ religion of God, and the religion of Satan, have been ‘palpably contrasted together. They. have both equally promised the blessings of philanthropy, universal charity, and diffusive benevolence 3 they have both equally declared — the happiness of man te be their object ; and 143 they have both equally held out the prospect of ameliorating our nature, and of eradicating the seeds of ignorance, cruelty, and corruption. That the Gospel has most faithfully per- formed its promise, the comfortable experience of every sincere believer will joyfully acknow- ledge. Many indeed there are, who, while they bare the name of Christians, are totally unacquainted with the power of their divine religion. “But for their erimes the gospel is in no wise answerable. Christianity is with them a geographical, not a deseriptive, appellation. Tn strict propriety of speech, they are no more Christians, than the uncenyerted savages, who roam through the trackless deserts of Ameri- ea. The same reason equally serves to prove the truth of this assertion, and to show how little Christianity i is bound to answer for their misconduct. He is not a Jew which is one outwardli ys neither is that circumcision whicli ig outwar ad in the flesh : but hei is a Jew whiels Abt is one inwardly : and cireumeision is that of the heart, im the spirit, and not in the leiter 3 whose praise is not of mein, but of God.* We may now ask, in what manner has In- fidelity kept her promise to her deluded fol- jowers? She has opened the floodgates of li- @entiousness and immorality 5 she has deified just, pride, and blasphemy ; she has encouraged an indiseriminate cruelty and thirst of blood; she has trampled upon those rights of man, which she affected to vindicate ; and she has endeavoured to-tear away the only remaining comfort of the wretched, the hope of speedily exchanging the miseries of this life for the happiness of a better. Such are the fruits of high-vaulting infidelity. sik thalabamaplt The effect, indeed, which this sin of sins pro- duces upon the mind, is precisely the reverse of 1d i 4 * Rom. ii. 28. i aint” a teint ale 445 that change of heart, which in Seripture is metaphorically termed regeneration. An over- _ Weening pride, a hatred of all restraints, a con- tempt of those milder virtues in which Chris. _ Uanity so particularly delights, are the usual - characteristies of the anarch and the deist: _ Where did we ever behold the infidel exhibit- _ing any of those fruits of the Spirit, which are .the marks, the exclusive marks, of those that _have been born again? 'The levity, with which one of the most celebrated champions of deism _is said to haye met death, even if the account be true, is surely very different from the calm se- renity, the filial gratitude, and the trembling —eonfidence, of an expiring Christian. _When Mr. Hume was drawing near to that awful cri- ‘sis, which, one would think, even the. best of ‘men could not behold with indifference, haw did he employ the few last wecks of a fleeting - existence? He read Lucian, played at whist, and amused himself with anticipating the con- versation which was to take place between him- self and Charon! < Drollery,” says Bishop 446 Horne, ‘¢in such circumstances, is neither more nor less than . Moody madness, laughing wild. | _Amid severest, woe.. - Would we know the baneful and pestilential in- fluences of false philosophy on the human heart, we need only contemplate them in this most de- -plorable instanee of Mr. Hume.’ Such was the man, whom his biographer considéxs, ‘both in his lifetime and since his death, as ap- proaching as nearly to the idea of a perfectly wise and virtuous man, as perhaps the nature of human frailty will permit!” 9 Let us now view a Christian’s anticipation ef death. | Waich thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. For Iam now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 147 Thavce fought « good fight, I have Jinished my: course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there “is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day; and not-to me only, but unte all them that love his appearmg.* In this last address of the aged Paul to his beloved son Timothy, when the prospect of a° speedy dissolution’ was full before him, the marks of a regenerate and sanetified believer must he evident even to the most careless ob- server. While the Apostle joyfully anticipates ‘the promised reward, and looks forward with “eagerness to that happy day, when corruptible shall put on incorruption, and when mortal shall put on immortality, his affectionate heart still yearns towards those friends whom he is about to leave behind him, and almost his last thoughts are employed in pointing out the most meee een LLL OL LOTTE: * 2 Tim. iv. 5, 448 effectual means of diffusing Christian know- ledge. ‘Infidelity has of Jate years displayed a zeal in propagating her sentiments, but little inferi- or to that of primitive Christianity : yet, in the midst of her labours, she has shown, in a most striking manner, the difference of the spirit, with which the regenerate and the unregenerate are actuated. The martyr Stephen, in imitation of bis blessed Lord, spent his last breath in jntoxtedl ing for his murderers. Prayers were the sole arms of the church of Christ, agreeably to his express prohibition of attempting to diffuse the gospel by violence; and never did the papists err more completely, than when they called in the secular arm. But what is the treatment, which all the op- ponents of Infidelity must expect, notwithstand- 449 ing her perpetual appeal to toleration, candour liberality, and humanity? One of her warmest adherents desired only «to die on a heap of Christians immolated at his feet ;? Voliaire proposed, in ease his antichristian plan should succeed, to strangle the last Jesuit with the bowels of the last Jansenist; a regal apostate avowed, that Infidelity could never be estab- lished, except by the exertion of a superior foree; and d’Alembert expressed a wish not unworthy even of a Nero, a wish to see a whole nation exterminated, simply because they pro- fessed the Christian religion. * _ The meek and submissive spirit of regenera- tion prompted the apostle to forbid, even upon pain of damnation, all resistance to the lawfully _ constituted powers of government. He rightly judged, that self-vindication was inconsistent with the charaeter of him, who has been born again ; of him, who expects his portion, not in ES PERT OPE ATE Oe AR Reggina * Barruel, Mem. of Jacobinism. , P - 150. this world, but in the next. His precepts were faithfully obeyed by the primitive Christians 5 and there is not a single instance upon record of any resistance being made even to the blood- iest persecutions of the heathen emperors. This humility and gentleness, Infidelity treats with the most sovereign contempt ; she spurns at the idea of a meek and contented obedience ; and she values not the blessing of a quiet spirit. Unlike that evangelical charity, which seeketh not her own, she clamor ously demands her ights, and preaches the legality of open insur- rection and rebellion. The gospel reverently looks up to God, as the sole fountain of power, poth civil and ecelesiastical ; but Infidelity proudly | scoffs at the degrading sentiment, and confers upon the populace. the prerogative ‘of J ehovah. T have dwelt the more largely upon the spirit of Infidelity, in order that it might form the more striking contrast to that of a regenerate 151 Christian under the sanctifying influence of the Holy Spirit. In a painting, light appears more vivid from being placed in the vicinity of dark- ness; and beauty possesses a tenfold degree of attraction in the neighbourhood of deformity. Itis impossible to avoid seeing the difference between the real believer, and the man who makes this world his god. Setting aside all descripancies of opinion, who is there, that does not perceive the wonderful dissimilarity between the character of Paul, and that ofa Hume or a Voltaire? Who ean avoid acknow- ledging that some important change must have taken place in the one, of which the others were totally ignorant? There was atime when the great apostle of the gentiles, an apostle, moreover, well versed in the most polite litera- ture of the age, hated, with Voltaire, the very name. of Christ; and would gladly, with d’Alembert, have exterminated, at a single blow, the whole multitude of the faithful. What then can it be, which hath made him to 152 Bt ite Fry humbly confess, or rather let the Apostle himself confess, that it was God, who worked in him both to will and to do of “his good pleasure. Without the converting and sanctifying grace of the Holy Ghost, Paul would for ever have remained dead in tres- passes and sins. In fine, to use the emphatic language of Seripture, the regenerate are the temple of the blessed Spirit, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ being the chief corner stone.* God himself condescends to dwell within them ;+ and, like the Shechi- nah in his magnificent house at Jerusalem, sanctifies, illuminates, and directs them.+ What the soul is to the body, the Holy Spirit * Ephesians ii. 20. + 1Cor. iii. 16. 2Tim.i.14. 1John iy. 12.15, 16. $ Ovdev AcvOaves tov Kuptovs wrrw xa Te upumres nay eyyns aut sorive Tlavre ovy woswmev @S &UTO® ee ee eee ee ee ee ee ns Sacer SE gat eal et Ot a a ol ee a cet 153 isto the Church. — By his powerful ageney, its members are not only enlightened and actu- ated individually ; but, like the several parts of the natural body, they are connected and held together in spiritual peace, order, union, and harmony.* Such, and so great are the privileges and en- dowments of a _ Christian. Tfowever those, that sit in the chair of the scorner, may mock at the counsel of God, and deride the opera- tions of his Holy Spirit ; they, who have expe- EV MLV KATOLMOVITOSs LV WEY MUTOL Vette xo wUToS nev meiy Osc npeely, omee rout ecTiy ner Davarercr apo meorwmey nua && ay dinaias cyoemrumsy avrey, Ignat. Epist. ad Ephes. ' Conversemur quasi Dei templa, ut Deum in nobis con- stet habitare. Nec sit degener actus noster a Spiritu, ut qui coelestes et spirituales esse cepimus, non nisi spiri- tuaha et celestia cogitemus et agamus. Cyprian. de Orat. Domin. * Barrow’s Works, Vol. ii. p. 508. PR 454 rienced the benefit of his influence, thankfully acknowledge the greatness of his power in the conversion and sanctification of a sinner. They know, in whom they have believed. If God be for them, who can be against them?. In all things they are more than conquerors through him that loved them. Blessed be God, even in these latter days of ihe Christian Church, his arm is not short- ened. Heis still both able and willing to save _all, who come to him in his Son’s name. His promises yet receive their accomplishment, nor can one jot or one tittle of his word fail. As many as areled by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear ; but ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself bearing wit- mess with our spirit, that we-are the ch.ldren of God: and, if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ. For Iam 455 persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.* * Rem, vik. 14. 38. ti # wt Sa rl a] Horas t fied i iat bei, sone bcs ial He os wie "ae at J haa / . Seven i] be ape lin * Se eer ee di ie ee yan Sty : ‘4 inbrow ants py) by cayh ni pe: abode CHAPTER VI. the Holy Spirit, a Comforter, and an | Intercessor. Tue Christian, who has been accustomed to observe the workings of his heart, well knows that there are times, in which his views of a better world are greatly darkened and ob- scured. He is deprived of that comfortable reliance on the fatherly goodness of God, which once constituted his greatest joy and his high- est privilege. His love towards his Saviour appears to be strangely diminished; and, in-. stead of that fervent affection which once he experienced, he feels nothing but a cold and painful indifference. He sces others rejoicing 158 in the paths of holiness, and full of that peace which passeth all understanding ; while his better prospects are fearfully clouded, and a deep gloom overhangs his dejected spirits. Scripture, instead of offering him consolation, presents only a menacing aspect; and he - dwells, with an oppressive melanchely, upon those passages, which contain the severe de- nunciations of an offended God against har-— dened and impenitent sinners. Ordinances, ‘that once seemed to bring all heaven upon his ear, now delight no more; and, though he sedulously frequents them, he appears to him- self to have, as it-were, no interest in them. The precious dew of God’s Holy Spirit de- scends upon all areund him; while he alone, like Gideon’s fleece, remains unaltered. | Pub- lieand private devotion are equally ineffica- cious; and even the social conversation of a dear and religious friend no longer produces its wonted effect. Weary of himself and sick of the world, bewailing the deadness of his 159 own heart, and mourning for the loss of those better days which once he knew, he is ready to exclaim 0 that I had wings like a dove, for then would I flee away and be at rest.* - Sueh appears frequently to have been the case with that favoured servant of God, the holy Psalmist of Israel. 0 Lord, rebuke “me Za se - : : ; : cy phon spir itual trials, that are the sharpest and most core of all, when. the furnace is within a man, when. God doth not only shut up “his loving kindness from its feelings, but seems to shut it up in hot displeasure, when he writes bitter things against it; yet then to depend _ upon him, and wait for his salvation, this is not only a true, but a strong, and very refined faith indeed, and the | mote he smpitess, the more to cleave to him. Well might he say, ‘When I am tried, I shall comé for th as gold. Who. could: say that wor rd, Though he slay me yet will I trust in him? though I saw, as it were, his hand lifted up to de- stroy me, yet from that same hand would 1 expect salva- _ tion.” Abp. Leighton’s Comment..on 1 Pet. 1—7. 460 not in thy wrath, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. For thine arrows: stick fast m me, and thy hand presseih me sore. . Dhere is no soundness in my flesh, becuuse of thine an- ger; neither is thei any rest mi my bones, be- cause of my sin. For,.mine iniquilies , are gone over mine head; as a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me. I am troubled, Jam bowed down greatly, I go mourning all the day long. Iam feeble and sore broken; I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart. Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee. My heart panteth, my strength faileth me; as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me.* — In another psalm he exclaims; my tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God? ~ * Psalm xxxviil. 164 When I remember these things, ¥ pour out my soulin me: for I had gone with the multitude, 4 went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with the multitude that. kept holy-day. Notwithstanding this use of outward means, the heart of the prophet could still find no comfort ; Why art thou cast down, Omy soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of the water-spouts ; all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me. In this melancholy situa- tion, David looks up for help to him, from whom alone help ean come. 0 my soul, hope thouin God, for I will yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance and my God.* - While the Christian labours under this de- pression of spirits, the subtle enemy of man- kind is busily employed in harassing and dis- * Psalm xlii. ) 162 tracting his soul. A thousand anxious doubts and fears are suggested to him. His former happy communion with God appears only like a delusion ; and he is tempted to suspect, that he never knew what real religion is. All those arguments and evidences, from which he once concluded that he was at peate with Christ, no longer retain their former efficacy, but seem io have vanished into empty air. While he thus suffers the terrors of God with a troubled mind; he is almost induced to believe, that the Most High hath forgotten to be gracious, and hath for ever shut up the bowels of his compassion against him.* / *'There are some very useful observations on this sub- ject, in a sermon by the late Bp. Horn, intitled The d/ess- ing of a cheerful heart. He judiciously refers the gloom which I have been describing, ultimately to a kind of in- fidelity, a timorous distrust of God’s promises. Some- thing of that sort will generally be found at the bottom of religious despondency, insomuch that every Christian 163 Persons in this uncomfortable state ought first to consider, whether their ease does not require the physician rather than the divine. ft is almost superfluous to observe, what has been already so often observed, how wonderful a connexion there is between the soul ahd the ‘body. A long train of nervous affections will generally produce, if I may use the metaphor, a kind of enervation of the mind. Its facul- ties will lose their elasticity 3 and a deep de-— “pression of spirits will take place of that com- fort and serenity, which it is the direct tenden- ey of Christianity to inspire. Thanks be to” God, our religion is not a system of gloomy observances, or a succession of rites which freeze the soul with horror, and teach it. to has great reason daily to pray, Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief. See also Bp. Reynolds’ works, p. 458, and Doddwidge’s Rise and Progress of Religion, chap. XXiv. - from which very valuable treatise many of the followin eS observations are borrowed. 16-4 consider the beneficent Creator in the light ef a sanguinary and unrelenting demon. The Gospel contains glad news of great salvation io lost mankind; and, as such, ought to eon- vey to us sensations of pleasure, not of sorrow and melancholy. If, therefore, disorder be the sole cause of this painful dejection, a mere natural malady must be remedied by natural means; for we have no right to expeet that Ged should interfere with a miracle, in order to prevent a bedily distemper from producing its ordinary effeet upon the mind. But, where the corporeal frame is in a state of perfect good health,-and where every nerve is strung up te its proper pitch, if this painful sense of alienation from God, so emphatically | and beautifully styled in Seripture the hiding of (rod’s face,* still subsist ; it. will then be * Isai. xiv. 7. and lix. 2. 165 necessary to commence a deep and impar- tial serutiny both of the inward thoughts and of the outward conversation. Sins may have been committed, and repentance may have been neglected. Or, if external pollution has been avoided, the imagination may have been for some time past deliberately and habitually tainted with impurity, inflamed with hatred, or too eagerly and exclusively employed upon sensible objects. Should such, upon a candid examination, appear to have been the case, we may rest assured, that our offences have separated between God and us, and that our iniquilies have caused him to with- draw the cheering light of his Holy Spirit. Even supposing that the conscience does not plead guilty to these offences, we may possibly find, upon a more close seareh, that we have not entirely surrendered ourselves to the ser- vice of our heavenly master. Some seerct reservation, some. private compromise, may ~ still be made. Like Ananias, we may be in- Q 2 166 clined to give only a part to God, still retain- ing the remainder for ourselves. Whichever of these be the ease with us, it is our duty im- mediately to put away from us the accursed thing and humbly to solicit peace and recon- ciliation with heaven.—If we find within our- selves a readiness to submit to the painful task of self-examination, that very eireumstance ought to be a matter of comfort to us in the midst of our dejection.—« It isa good sign of grace,” as Bp. Hopkins well observes, when a man is willing to search and examine himself, whether he be gracious or not. There is a certain instinct in a child of God, whereby he naturally desires to have the title of his legit- imation tried; whereas a hypeerite dreads nothing more than to have his rottenness searched into.—Try yourselves by this; do you love the word of God because it is a search- ing word, beeause it brings home convictions to you, and shakes your carnal confidences and presumptions? Do you love a ministry, that 467 speaks as closely and particularly to you, as if it were another conscience without you; a ministry, that ransacks your very souls, and tells you all that ever you did? Do you de- light in a ministry, that forceth you to turn inward upon yourselves, that makes you trem - ble and look pale at every word, for fear it should be the sentence of your damnation ? This is a sign that your condition is good, be- cause you are so willing to be searched.”’* Ifsuch be our ease, and if, after a diligent scrutiny, we are able to discover nothing more. _ than those ordinary imperfections with which the life of the very best Christian is chequer- ed ; if we cannot detect any particular cause of that gloom, which overhangs our spirits : jet us not in such circumstances be like unto men without hope. We may depend upon it, cee * Bishop Hopkins’ Works, p. 553. 168 that we are exposed to this trial for the wisest and most merciful purposes. All things will finally work together for good to those that love God. Perhaps it may be necessary for our spiritual welfare, that our faith should be pro- ved, that our self-confidence should be abated, and that we should be made to see that man, even in his best estate, is altogether vanity. The careless and the inconsiderate are igno- rant even of the very existence of this internal distress. Those, that God loveth, are the per- sons whom he more particularly chasteneth. if David was so frequently constrained to mourn by reason of affliction, and to exclaim in the. bitterness of his heart, Lord, why eastest thou off my soul? why hidest thou thy face from me?* can we reasonably expect to be made perfect without suffering ? Our bles- sed Saviour himself was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, and such also his disci- * Psalm Ixxxyviti. 14. ee ee 169 ples must frequently be. His tender care, however, has not left us without a provision against the day of evil tidings. Blessed. are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.* - This promise he was afterwards pleased to ex- plain more at large, and to point out to us that gracious personage, through whose agency we may expect to receive the balm of consolation. £ will pray the Father, and he shall give you another comforter, that he may abide with you for ever s even the Spirit of Truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless.} In these words, another very important office of the Holy Ghost is pointed out to us; anda promise is made, that he should abide with us for ever in the capacity of a comforter. * Matt. v. 4. { John xiv. 16. 170 Through the midst of that gloom, with which the Christian is sometimes surrounded, a ray of light at length breaks 1 in upon his soul, and dissipates the heavy “clouds of despondency. His mourning is turned into joy; and, instead of his ashes, he receives the oil of gladness. His filial confidence in God is again restored to him; he clearly sees the infinite merit of his Redeemer’s sufferings; and doubts not to apply to himself that gracious invitation, Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you. Such are the great things, which God the Spirit hath done for his soul, and which he fails not to acknowledge with praise and thanksgiving. The remembrance of his past sorrows height- ens his present joy; his faith is greatly in- ereased; and he learns to cast his burden upon the Lord,* who alone is able to sustain him.t+ * Psalm ly. 22. +‘* The peace that we have with God in Christ, is 74 ‘The Holy Psalmist frequently eelebraies the goodness and mercy of God for having deliv- ered him from this oppressive load of mental indisposition. Izwaited patiently for the Lord ; and he inclined unto me, and heard my ery. He brought me up also out of the horrible pit; inviolable; but, because the sense and persuasion of it may be interrupted, the soul, that is truly at peace with God, may for a time be disquieted in itself, through weak- ness of faith, or the strength of temptation, or the dark- ness of desertion, losing sight of that grace, that love and light of God’s countenance, on which its tranquillity and joy depend. Thou hidest thy face, saith David, and I was troubled. But when these eclipses are over, the soul is revived with new consolation, as the face of the earth is renewed, and made to smile with the return of the sun in the spring; and this ought always to uphold Christians in the saddest times, viz. that the grace and love of God, towards them, depends not on their sense, nor upon any thing in them, but is still in itself incapable of the small- est alteration.” Abp. Leighton’s Works, Vol. i. p. 47. 172 out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon 4 rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God; many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.* Most indeed of those Psalms, which begin sorrowfully, terminate | with expressions of joy and triumph. In short, as Dr. Barrow well observes, sitisa notable part of the Holy Spirit’s office to com- fort and sustain us, as in all our religious prac- tice, so particularly in our doubts, difficulties, distresses, and afflictions; to beget joy, peace, and satisfaction in us, in all our performances, and in all our sufferings, whence the title of comforter belongeth to him.} be Nk In addition to the internal trials of harassing doubts and fears, the Christian is also exposed * Psalm xl. 1. + Barrow’s Works, vol. ii. p. 505. 173 to those external ones which are the common lot of mortality. His communion with God does not exempt him from calamity and disease, from the loss of his dearest relatives, and from the ingratitude of his most confidential friends. They, whose portion is in this world, are fre- quently mueh less subject to temporal misfor- tunes, than the pious and, the just. Troubles of various kinds are often the lot of the most highly favoured children of God. Itis good for them to be kept ina state of perpetual war- fare, in order that they may be safe from earnal security and effeminate indulgence. The luxury. of Capua proved more fatal to the Carthagi- nian hero, than all the efforts of Roman valour : and a Christian is never more in danger, than when taught by prosperity to consider himself no longer in an enemy’s country. Whatever his afflictions are, he may rest assured that they are sent in mercy, not in anger ; that they are designed to wean his affections from sub- R 174% lunary objects, and to rivet them, more int- moveably upon the promised joys of heaven. When every earthly prospect of felicity is blast- ed by the pangs of disease or the inroads of poverty, by the premature death of our best be- loved friends, or the loss of worldly reputation for the sake of our religion ; we then learn to loek for happiness beyond the graye, in those blessed abodes where the wicked cease from troubling. and where the weary are at rest, In such distressing circumstances, the Christian is not deserted by his Saviour ; and he soon finds, by his own happy experience, that. the Lord is a God who keepeth his promise with a thousand generations. Through the gracious influences of the Holy Spirit, he finds a light springing up in the midst of darkness ; his sor- . -pows are gradually assuaged ; his confidence in God is increased; and he is brought at length to acknowledge that it is good for him, that he has been afflicted. Ve now have sor- 475 row, said our blessed Lord to his disciples, but I will see you again, and your joy no man taketh from you® ~~ ~ It is usually so ordered by the merciful Pro- vidence of God, that, when worldly comforts are ‘at the lowest ebb, and when earthly enjoyments “are violently torn away from our grasp; the ‘soul is then best fitted for divine exercises, and acquires a more thorough insight into heaven- ly matters. This sacred consolation seems to be inereased or diminished, according to the varying exigencies of the Christian. During the pains of martyrdom, all heaven opened upon the enraptured eyes of Stephen; and he beheld his Saviour ready to receive him into the mansions of everlasting felicity. Unless, however, we should be placed in a similar sit- uation, we certainly have no grounds to expect * John xvi, 22. 476 an equal degree of comfort: yet, when the pious believer is stripped ofall the good things ~ which this world ean afford, and when the iron has entered into his very soul ; when his mor- tal part is, wasting away with disease, and when his immortal spirit trembles on the verge of futurity ; is it unreasonable to suppose that the God,. who hath promised to make all his bed in his sickness, will be his guide and his support even, to death itself? While the cur- rent of life is fast ebbing, never to flow again in this world; may we not humbly. trust that the Holy Spirit will descend into the soul with a full tide of glory, that all misgiving fears and anxious doubts will be remoyed, and that the. terror of uncertainty will be converted into the filial confidence of hope ?* * Far be it from me to assert, that these sensible com- forts are in the slightest degree necessary and essential te salvation: on the contrary, it is highly probable, that the sun of many of God’s faithful servants hath set behind a 177 ' I trust, Beloved,” says the judicious Hooker, « we know that we are not repro- bates, because our spirit doth bear us record, that the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ is in us. Ft is as easy a matter for the spirit within you to tell whose ye are, as for the eyes of your body to judge where you sit or in what place yeu stand.—For they, which fall away from the grace of God and separate themselves unto perdition, they are fleshly and earnal, ‘they have not God’s Holy Spirit. But unto you, be- cause ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spi- rit of his Son into your hearts, to the end ye might know that Christ hath built you upon a rock unmoveable ; that he hath registered your names in the book of life; that he hath bound SR STR SA aericemaeeeaameseerere ee cloud, in order only to rise with greater splendour in the kingdom of heaven. The possibility, and the necessity, of such comforts, are two entirely distinct ideas, i: a 178 himself in a sure and everlasting covenant te be your God, and the God of your children af- ter you.—The Lord, of his infinite merey, give us hearts plentifully fraught with the treasure of this blessed assurance of faith unto the end.?* - We are not however to imagine, that the comforts of a Christian are uniformly the same at all times, or that an equal sense of being at peace with God is granted to every believer. és his assurance,” says the excellent Arch- bishop Leighton, « all the heirs of glory have not ordinarily within them, and searee any at all times equally clear. Some travelon ina covert cloudy day, and get home by it, having so much light as to know their way, and yet do not at allclearly see the bright and full sun- * Hooker’s Works, Vol. iii. p. 557, 558. Oxf. Edit. 179 shine of assurance: others have it breaking forth at some times, and/anon under a cloud: and some more constantly. But, as all meet in the end, so all agree in this in the beginning, that is, the reality of the thing ; they are made unalterably sure heirs of it, in their effectual ealling.”’* The scriptural expression, the seal of the Spirit, seems plainly to signify, that the soul of that Christian, upon whom it is impressed, bears as evident marks of conformity to the will of God, as the wax does of similarity to the seal by which it has been stamped.}+ By means of this resemblance, the Spirit beareth wh _* Works, Vol. ii. p. 340. } See Bp: Hopkins’s Works, p: 529. Bp. Andrews’s Works, p. 654. 660. Bp. Hooper’s Works, p. 581, Bp. Wilkins on Prayer, p. 226. 480 witness with our spirits that. we are the. cliil- dren of God, thus infusing into our hearts, the sweet balm of divine, consolation.. .As_ the, Christian clearly discerns, that there is a natu- ral unfitness in the unregenerate soul.to enier into the kingdom of heaven ; so, in consequence ef the change, which has taken place within him, he argues, that the regenerate soul, the soul which bears the impression of the seal of the Spirit, is also unfit for the society of the damned. However deeply he may be con- scious of his numerous deficiencies, yet lie finds within himself a certain relish and affection for heayenly matters, which ,he knows is fer- eign to his nature, and which consequently must have been derived from some external influence. OF ourselves we. can neither will. . nor do ary thing that is good: he finds, that , he does both will and do that which is good, though in a degree far inferior to his wishes: hence he concludes, that his sufficiency is de- rived, net from himeelf, but from God. He 481 looks around him and perceives that the bulk ef mankind have no standard of action except their own inclinations ; they consider not what is acceptable to God, but what is pleasing to themselves ; and their own gratification is the sole end of all their pursuits. On the contrary, he cannot avoid observing, though it be with the utmost humility, that his conduct is-influ- enced by widely different principles. Self is daily mortified, and the sense of duty is daily strengthened. His lofty looks are humbled, - — and his haughtiness is bowed down: the Lord alone is exalted, and his honour alone is con- sulted.* Though he may perpetually fall short of his intentions, yet those intentions remain unaltered ; and his fixed purpose is to do all things to the glory of God. When he considers what has been done for his soul, he is filled with gratitude and humility. His . é ® ¥saiah ii. 11, 4182 ewn yileness forms such a contrast with the mercy of his Redeemer, as fills him with aston- ishment ; and he is constrained to acknowledge that the whole is the Lord’s doing. Such is that blessed correspondence of our inclinations with the will of God, which Scripture deno- | } aminates the seal of the Spirit ; such are those strong consolations, which the Almighty alone ~ is able to bestow upon us. Seino vnc ds some _ Nor does the title of Paraclete convey sim- ply the idea of a comforter ; it is also the office of the Holy Ghost. to suggest to us fit matter for our devotions, and to present our imper- ; fect supplications before the throne of grace. Of ourselves, we are unable to offer up a single } acceptable prayer; for every good and every — perfect gift cometh from above. Hence the | Apostle declares, that the Spirit also helpeth — our infirmities; for we know not what we - should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit © itself maketh intercession for us with groan- {83 ings which cannot be uttered.* He is eur ad- _voeate at the bar of heaven, where he continu- ally pleads in‘our behalf the merits of our blessed Saviour with an eloquence, of which mortal tongues are ineapable. To adopt the language of the pious Barrow, « He reclaim- eth us from error and sin; he supporteth and strengtheneth us in temptation; he adviseth and admonisheth, exciteth and encourageth us to all works of piety and virtue.—fe guid- eth, aad quickeneth us in devotion: “showing us what we should ask ; raising in us holy de- sires and comfortable hopes; disposing us to approach unto God with fit dispositions of mind, love, and reverence, and humble confi- dence.—He is also our intercessor with God ; presenting our supplications, and procuring our good. He eryeth in us, he pleadeth for us to God. Whence he is peculiarly called eran =e * Rom. vii. 26, mapaxdnTes, the advocate; that is, ene, whe is ealled in by his good word, or. countenance to. aid him, whose cause is to be examined, or pe- tition to be considered.” * é These are the benefits, which the Christian receives from the Holy Spirit, in the way of. eonsolation and intercession. In the midst of. his troubles, he is not left comfortless ; for he. is perfectly assured and conyineed, that. God careth for him. - A peace unknown to the. wicked is diffused over his heart ; and he grate- fully confesses that the hand, which bestowed it, must be divine.» He approaches the throne of grace without fear ; for he knows in whom he hath believed, and relies upon the interces- sion of the Almighty Spirit. - Impressed with the conviction of these great truths, he ean joyfully take up the words of the Psaimist ; * Barrow’s Works, Vol. ii. p. 505: ia | 185 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall net want. He maketh me to lie down in §reen pastures ; heteadeth me beside the still waters. He re- storeth my soul, he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though Ewalk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil ; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Surely, goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.* * Psalm xxiii. CHAPTER Vil. The fruits of the Spirit contrasted with the works of the flesh. I. Norwitustanpine the preceding discus- sion, some one may still perhaps be inclined to ask, How am I to know, whether my under- standing, my will, and my affections, have in- deed been acted upon by the Holy Spirit of - God? 'The question is a mest important one, yet, L trust, by no means unanswerable. Would we solve it satisfactorily, let us haye recourse io Scripture. 188 1. Some attempt to reduce the whole of the miluences of the Spirit to a mere external de- corum 5 and profanely deery as enthusiasm the belief ia that supernatural change of heart, the necessity of which is so strongly incul- cated by ‘our Saviour. Asif it were probable, that the diabolical sins of envy, hatred, and inalice, sins perfeetly compatible with outward decency, did not render a man just as much a child of hell, as the more glaring turpitude of drunkenness, fornication, and dishonesty. 2. On the other hand, some w ould persuade US, that Po et the whole of religion consists in warm and lively feelings ; and that, unless our souls are perpetually (as it were) in the third heaven, we know but little of the nature of the Spirit’s influences, or of the privileges of genuine Christianity. Hence they are ob- viously led to imagine, that, if sensible com- forts abound, they may safely conclude them- selyes at peace with God; but that, if they be 189 withdrawn, they have no longer any right te believe themselves his children. ‘Thus the favour of the Almighty, of him who knoweth neither change nor shadow of turning, is sup- posed to be as variable and irregular as the human temperature. The frequent coldness and langour of our devotions, the perpetual wandering of our thoughts from divine sub- jeets, and the indifference with which we too often contemplate the redeeming goodness of our Lord, are indeed sad proofs of the corrup- tion of our nature, and afford ample cause for humility and contrition : but there is no reason to think, that they are marks of unregeneracy, “or tokens of God’s rejection and abiding dis- pleasure. His covenant is built upon a surer foundation than either our feelings or our faith- fulness: feelings, which are subject to inces- sant variation; and faithfulness, which the very best ef us must own to be but too unfaithful. ~ $2 190 3. Ged willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel. confirmed it by an oath > that. by twe immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lye, we might have a strong conso- lation, who have fied for refuge to lay held upon the hope set befors us: which: hope we have as an anchor of the soul both sure and HeAdPast sor eet aren sips em tana aed * < 44 4 Fy y ya This is the ereat charier of the Christian, , on which he builds the hope of his salvation. God hath sworn, that he will never forsake the heirs_of promise; but that he will be with them in every. trial, and will safely. conduct them to the very end of their pilgrimage. Therefore, with faithful Abrahantiy they be- “lieve even against hope and in despite of their natural feelings. They may be cast down, + Heb. 49i but they are not destroyed ; and, in the midst of all their difficulties, they trust that a life is hid for them with Christ in God.* Faith is not the evidence of things seen, but of things anseen: consequently, if our religious state was to be decided. by our feelings, the very foundation of faith would be overturned ; and ae should have sensible demonstration of that, which we are required to believe, simply be- eause God has promised it. » TI. The same question, however, may still pe asked ; How am I to know, whether i have been renewed by the Holy Ghost? How can I tell whether I have any right to apply God’s pro- mises to myself? The charter of salvation is sufficiently clear and explicit; but that will afford ME little comfort, unless I hace good reason for thinking that I am included. * Coloss. iii. 3. 192. 4. Let us see, whether we cannot find an an- swer to these queries, in the page of Seripture. St. Paul informs us, that the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh : and these are contrary the one to the other.* Are we sensible then of any internal contest of this des- cription in our hearts ¢ Do we perceive a. new principle, to which we were formerly strangers, strongly drawing us to the practice of holiness. and all good works; while another principle damps our ardour, discourages our exertions, and too frequently frustrates our best resolutions 7 He, that has never felt such a struggle, must either be sinless or dead in sins. It is needless to say, that the former supposition eannot but he erroneous. 2. We further learn from the Apostle, that we cannot do the things that we would. | Are we deeply conscious then, that this is our ease? De OMEN MS Tem WET Bee * Gal.y. 17. 19s we daily more and more discover our own in- suflicieney ? Do we lament that we cannot per- form our duty better, labouring however at the same time incessantly after spiritual improve- ment? Many persons will readily enough ac- knowledge their imperfeetious; but the ques- tion‘is, in what manner do they make the aec- ‘Knowledgment? Do they really feel the burden of their sins to be intolerable? Do they indeed, and from the very botlom of their souls, experi- ence the pain and grief of falling so far short of their wishes? Or do they confess their failings with as much phlegmatic indifference, as if it were a matter which concerned any body in the whole world rather than themselves? The dis- orders of the soul are constantly represented in Seripture by corresponding disorders of the body: hence it is reasonable to suppose, that, as corporeal pain is the result of the latter, so ‘mental pain or grief will be the natural conse- quence of the former. In what manner then is 194: a person affected, who has long laboured under the pressure of aseyere disease? Will he speak of his pains with insensibility ?. Will he sit down perfeetly contented with his malady, totally for- get its inconvenience, and take no steps to pro- eure its removal, or at least its alleviation? Where did we ever meet with a sick man, who answered to this description ? Can we then easily believe, that he is very sensible of his spiritual disorder, who speaks of it with carelessness, finds it no obstacle to his enjoyments, and feels scarcely any desire for its expulsion? If a man really perceived, that he cannot do the things which he would, in the same manner that St. Paul did, he would experience the same resiless sorrow, which constrained the Apostle to ery out ; O wretched man that I am, who shall de- liver me from the body of this death? Let us then seriously ask ourselves, Do we clearly discern our inefficiency ; do we lament our numerous failings ; and do we labour earnestly after 195 amendment? ‘The answer to these questions is almost alone sufficient to decide, whether we have any right to consider ourselves heirs of the promise. The Apostle however is not content to let the matter rest here. He gives us a black cata- logue of those deeds of darkness which are the works of the flesh, and then forcibly contrasts them with the fruits of the Holy Spirit, thus paraphrasing, as it were, our Saviour’s brief declaration, By their fruits ye shall know them. ‘JIL. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these 3 adultery, fornication, unclean- ness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witcheraf » ha- tred, cariance, emulations, wrath, strife, sedi- tions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like : of the which Itell you before, as Ihave also told you in time past, that 196 they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.* 4. Ifthen we be anxious to know whether we are led by the Spirit of God, let us examine our- selves, and learn whether we work the deeds of the fesh. Do we live in habits of fornication aud uncleanness? Are. we addicted to the foul _sin of drunkenness? Or, supposing that we are free from these external abominations, are we equally guiltless of internal wickedness ? Do we set up the world as an idol in opposition te the living God? Do we indulgein sentiments of un- charitableness towards our neighbours? Do we entertain a proud, self-sufficient opinion of our- selves ; and contend, upon all occasions, with — the bitterest animosity, for what we call our rights? Are we uneasy and restless beneath the ~ * Galat. v. 19. ee ne ae ee 497 lawful. authority of our superiors, perpetu- ally striving to foment discord and sedition, despising dominion, and speaking evil of dignities 2* Do we. delight. in promoting schism and heresy in the Chureh; and, un- der the cloak of Christian zeal, in acting the same part now, that Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, did of old? Are we guilty of per- verting religion into rebellion, and faith into faction, or of concealing the most Antichristian sentiments beneath the specious mask of piety and humility? Let us diligently serutinize our hearts, and see, whether they produce these corrupt fruits ; and if we unhappily find | such to be the case, while we lament our wick- edness and tremble at our danger, let us pray God to grant us a better spirit and to enable us * Jude 8. 498 to forsake the evil of our ways. ‘What is the awful declaration of the Apostle respecting the workers of iniquity ? T tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. ) i ce. Sy a ae 2. It may perhaps be said, Ff God be extreme fo mark whatis done amiss, who may abide it 2 Where is the man, who does not offend daily, both in thought, word, and deed? tan é4 We readily acknuwledge, that our very best deeds are unclean in the eyes of him, who chargeth ecen his angels with folly; but the point is, in what manner do we bear the con- sciousness of our sinfulness ? Are we penitent, or impenitent, offenders?) Mercy is abundantly held forth to the former ; but pardon is never once offered to the latter. Though God gives his grace to the humble, he stedfastly resists the proud, and the presumptueus. Were we 499 really conscious of the load of our iniquities, did we really desire to be freed from their yoke, we should feel ourselves little less incommoded by our subjection te them, than the eye does when inflamed with even the most. minute par- ticle of sand. We all know, that the very stinallest mote oceasions such an exquisite de- gree of pain in the organ of vision, as to permit us to enjoy no rest until it be extracted. Some- thing similar to this are the sensations of the man, who truly feels his sin to be. a grievous burden to him. He is uneasy aad restless un- tilit be removed; he cannot eheerfully, or even tamely, acquiesce in its dominion ; ner.can he ‘be content, so long as ke knows himself to be its vassal. Hfere then we have another test, by which we may decide whether or no we are ina state of grace. If we acknowledge our sins without the least compunction and without any wish to be freed from their tyranny, our situation is in- 200 deed most awfully dangerous; we tremble ow ‘the very brink ofa precipice, from which if we full, we fall to rise no more. But, if we feela: | vehement degree of pain and restless uneasiness? in their continuance, if we experience a strong and ardent desire for their removal, if we. la-. bour incessantly to effect their extirpation, if we declare everlasting war against them: our. situation then is good ; we have then no reason to doubt, but. that the Holy Spirit of God. is, contending for the possession of our hearts. In such a ease, let us joyfully welcome the heavenly visitor, and resign ourselves implicitly. to his guidance and direction... .». ... » 3. We are not. however to be content with mere negative religion, with only endeavouring. to abstain from evil ; we must also labour after the things that are good. ‘The Holy Spirit is. an active energetic principle, and is perpetually employed in new-moulding the hearts of the fatthful and in leading them to the praetice of all righteousness. Good works, as our Churehi justly deterinines,* necessarily spring out of a true and lively faith; and it is impossible for: those, who are under the influence of the Holy Ghost, to avoid showing whose servants they are by their life and conversation. Hence, a striking difference of character will always be pereeptible between the children of light and the children of darkness: insomuch that, generally speaking, it will require no very great degree of penetration to discriminate between: them; especially, if we study: the strongly-drawn portraits of them, with which we have been furnished by the Apostle. ‘TV. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness) faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they, that are Christ's, * Art. xit. rT 2 202 have crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.* 4. The Christian, though originally in a_ state of enmity with God, has his affections so far changed by the influence of the Holy Ghost, that he now loves what before he hated, and now hates what before he loved. None per- haps of the sacred writings breathe the spirit of divine charity in a more eminent degree, than those of the beloved diseiple of our Lord. They contain a beautiful picture of that dove- like temper which seems peculiarly to have belonged to their author, and may be consider- ‘ed as a kind of manual for the daily use of believers. | Nocturna versate manu, versate diurna. * Galat. y..22. Se Ur ee ee ee ee 203 rom a constant perusal of them, joined with the prayer of faith, we may reasonably expect to derive some portion of that spirit with which ‘they are animated, When a Christian con- siders his own rebellious and perverse nature, and contrasts it with the wonderful goodness of God, displayed in his redemption and sanc- tification ; his heart is softened with such con- descending marks of Almighty love. He is astonished at that merey and patience, which so long bore with his iniquities and spared him till the hour of repentance arrived. He recol- ects numbers cut off in the midst of their eareer, without ever having had his opportuni- ‘ties vouchsafed to them ; and the words of the Apostle instantly recur to his mind, Who hath made thee to differ from another ? He is deeply conscious, that he had no claim upon God on the score of a prerequisite: meritoriousness ; and he acknowledges that he might justly have been suffered to perish in his sins. This con- viction, united with the consideration of his 204 present happy state, fills his heart with senti- ments of humble love and devout gratitude. He confesses the whole to be free grace, and he gives all the glory tu God. Boasting is excluded, and a heart-felt humility takes place of vanity and presumption. We were by nature the children of wrath, even as others ; but God, who is rich im mereyy for his great love wherewith he loved US, Ever when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ : by grace ye are saved ; and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus : that in the ages to come he might show the ea ceeding riches of his grace, in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus—For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more stran- gers and foreigners, but fellow-citixens with the saints, and of the househeld of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles 205° and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the sai corner-stone.* The vaca of these benefits excites the uimost love of the Christian, and he ex- periences the truth of St. John’s declaration : Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his sonto be the propitiation for our sins. We love him, because he Jirst loved us.t While his affections are thus set on things above, he does not forget to draw the same edifying conclusion from the goodness of his heayenly Father, which the Apostle did be- fore him. If God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.t ‘This is the only sure foun- dation of love to our brethren. The world has * Ephes. ii. 3. 18. + 1 John iv. 10, 19, + 1 Jobn. iv, 11. 206 often largely and eloquently discoursed upon sincerity and disinterestedness, but it has felt little of the reality; and a thousand untoward accidents will overthrow the most ancient friend- ships, unless they be built upon the rock of Christianity. ‘That, which among natural men is a mere abstract idea, a metaphysical non-en- tity, is converted by the influence of religion in- toa glorious reality. Behold how these Chris- tians love one another, was the constrained ob- servation even of paganism ; and such will al- ways be the case, wherever vital religion pre- yails. An ardent desire to promote the spiritual welfare of our neighbours, a teader concern for the interest of their souls, and a hearty wish te do them all the gocd in our power, independent of any secondary motives, are some of the best. proofs that we are led by the Spirit of God. Beloved, let us love one another ; for love is of God, and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not, knoweth not God, for God is love—Lf we love one ano- 207 ther, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfeci- edinus. Hereby know we, that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spi- riti—If a man say, I love God, and hateth. his brother, he is a ree : for he, that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God, whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, Lhat he, who loveth God, love his brother also.* _ 2. When the Christian is thus in a state of charity both with God and his neighbour, he experiences that joy and that peace, which passeth all understanding ; which the world is neither able to confer nor to take away. His joy is not like the mad, short-lived joys of the chil- dren of darkness, but stable and durable. It is founded upon the sense of his being reconciled to God, through the blood of Jesus Christ. * 1 John iv. 7. 12. 20. 208 Hienee it is not liable to be affected by those eutward circumstances, which shake the hap- piness of the worldly-minded. In the midst of persecution and distress, sickness and afllic- tion, the serenity of the Christian still remains unmoved; and he leoks forward with confi- dence to the recompence of reward, being well assured, that all these momentary sorrows work for him a far more-exceeding and eternal weight of glory. His joy and peace, itis true, are not of a violent and tumultuous kind; they are rather a sensation of security and tran- moelney than a sudden flash of rapturous tran- sport; they resemble the salutary and equable warmth of the sun, not the portentous blaze of a meteor. Such was the peace, which the apostles experienced, when they rejoiced, that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Christ ;* and such was that eon- : ‘ - * Acts vv Al, 2 | “ f 209 didenece which made the primitive martyrs ap- pear rather as if they, were marching in a — driumph, than as if led to torments and igno- miny. External sorrows, indeed, the Chris- tian must expeet, but nothing is able to deprive him of his internal comfort. Notwithstanding his outward. distresses, he feels all the value of his privileges, and enyies not the transitory prosperity of the worldling. Ye now have ' sorrow, said our Lord to his disviples, but Z will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.* This serenity, though undoubtedly not without some interruptions, is the portion of the Christian through the appointed term of his pilgrimage. It may occasionally for wise purposes be with- drawn, and his sensible comforts may be di- minished ; but the eye of faith still looks for- * John xvi. 22, U “240 ward to. the joys of heaven, and anticipates the time when doubt and sorrow shall be swal- lowed up in victory. Grief is seldom long the portion of a Christian. 1 light springs wp in the midst of darkness, and gladness once more becomes the lot of such as are true-hearted. ~ The joys of religion are the encouragement of youth, and the prop of old age. Without them we sicken even in the midst of prosperity ; and with tem adversity loses all its terrors. ‘hey sweeten our slumbers; they soothe our waking hours. At home and abroad, in pri- vate and in publie, they are our constant com- panions, our richest treasures. The vigour of youth, and the blush of health, are transi- tory blessings; the pride of rank soon wea- ries; and riches make themselves wings and fly away : but the joy of a Christian, though it walks upon earth, hides its head in heaven. It is the gift of God; and Ged alone is able to deprive him of it. 244 ~ 3. An abiding sense of his own defeets, and a grateful remembrance of undeserved mercies, produce ina believer the amiable qualities of long suffering, meekness, aud gentleness. Dif. ferences, indeed, there will be in the various tempers of various Christians ; nor do the nat- orally harsh and rugged, perhaps, ever attain to thé same eminence in these graces, as the naturally placid and benign. But a similar spirit will nevertheless be observable in them all ; a spirit far removed from that proud sense of in jury, that haughty self-vindication, whieh constitutes the very essence of modern honour. A desire of mutual accommodation ; a meek endurance of the perverseness of others ; a pa- tient tolerance of those little aff ronts, which are the offspring of childish petulance, and which are frequently more irritating than serious acts of injustice; mark the characters of al! real Christians. He, to whom nature has given less of the milk of human kindness, mourns in private over those sallies into which he is some- . 212 times hurried, and labours incessantly to check the impetuosity of his temper. On the other hand, he, who has received a more plentiful share of the milder affections, blesses God for his bounty, and rejoices in the cultivation of his talent. All are not born.with the amiable dis- position of St. John; but all are enabled, in a sufficient degree, to subdue innate fer ocity, and to repress the sudden starts of proud indigna- tion. The leopard is constrained to lie down with the kid, and the wolf to dwell with the lamb; the lion and the bear put off their sav- age natures, and submit to the guidance even of an infant. rade Aisin eminent fr ‘uit of the Spir itis ; goad. ness, without holiness no man shall see the Lord, but without the assistance of the Holy Ghost no man can attain to holiness ; hence goodness is rightly enumerated among the fruits of the Spirit. The Christian will not allow himself to indulge in the commission of any sin. The 213 same sense of duty, which restricts him from fornication and uncleanness, forbids him also to violate the laws of temperance and moderation. He is not satisfied with a partial observance of God’s commandments ; his principle is wniver- sal and unlimited obedience. He seeks not to extenuate a favourite vice ; he strives not to per- suade himself, that it is only a venial infirmity : he rather labours to eradicate it entirely from his breast, and to tear it away, though it be as dear to him as the apple of his eye. Yet while he struggles to attain persenal holiness both in thought, word, and deed ; he carefully guards ~ against the fatal error of trusting to it for his justification. When he has done all, he stilt acknowledges himself to be an unprofitable servant 3 and places all the hopes of his sal- vation, solely upon the merits of his Redeemer. 5. This stedfast reliance upon the all-suffi- ciency of the blood of Christ is the grand and ‘Most impertant gift of the Spirit. Faith is the , ron ee ee 244 tree, from whieh all other graces spring; the shield. which is to defend us from the assaults of the powers of darkness ; the sure rock, upon which we must lay our foundations., That faiths - which is the fruit of the Spirit, is: nota barren, inactive belief, a cold, speculative assent to the iputh of our religion ; but a, lively, energetic principle, which God alone is able to instill into the heart. “We may be irresistibly compelled io a bare belief by the mere'foree of evidence 5 but, unless God is pleased to superadd to it a Christian faith, it will only be the same con- viction as that, which forces the deyils to trem- ble. A man must believe with the heart to vighteousness,* not. simply with the head. or ihe will derive but little benefit from the ortho- doxy ofhis faith. Moet every one, that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shalt enter into the king- dom of heaven, but he that doeth the will gf my — ¥ Rom. x.£0. 215 Father, which isin heaven. | Christian faith is a grateful acknowledgment of the mercies of redemption ; an unshaken confidence in the word of him, who hath promised ; the instru- ment, by which we receive the benefits. of Christ’s death and passion; and the main-spring, 7 which occasions and regulates all our actions. fi implants love in the heart, and produces pu- rity in the conversation. It is the seed of all goodness, and the fruitful parent of all those graces which adorn the Christian profession. Through faith, the weak become strong:;. the doubtful, resolute ; and the timid, courageous: Faith holds up before their eyes the pr ospect of a heavenly kingdom, and convinces them ‘of the emptiness of earthly enjoyments. , It enables them to erucify the flesh withits affections. and lusts, to fear no difficulties, and to shrink from no dangers. It teaches them to draw near in juli assurance of hope, having: their hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience. and. their. bo- dies washed with pure water, and to hold fast 216 their profession without wavering, for he is faithful that promised. It enables them to lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so ea- sily beset them, and. to run with patience the race that is set before them, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of their faith, who for the Joy, that was set before him, endured the eross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the majesty of heaven. In short, faith is the middle link, which conneets the visible and invisible worlds ; which supports us in this life, and fits us for the life to eome. _Y. Such are the blessed fruits of the Spirit of God : a total change takes place in the heart ; and along with it a total change in the motives, the actions, and the conversation. An answer is now obtained to the important question, Have been renewed by the Holy Ghost ? Try yourself by the Christian standard ; examine yourself diligently ; and see, whether you produce those 217 fruits, which are meet for repentance. Do you indulge in the practice of any known sin? Do you suffer yourself to be enslaved by the diabolical passions of envy; hatred, and malice ¢ Do you find a selfish spirit predominate, instead of that generous and diffusive love, which is the peculiar characteristic of Christianity? Se again, if you be happily conscious that such is not your cases do you per form your good deeds froma sincere desire of promoting the honour of Godand the cause of religion, rather than from vain-glory and ostentation! Do you strive in all things to consult the will of the Most High, however it may eross your own private inclina- tions! And do you labour to subdue. and eradi- cate every. unkind emotion and every vicious | propensity ? Hereby we do know, that we know | Christ, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and kreepeth not his com- mandmenis, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily ° 218 is the love of God perfected. Hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him, ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.* If then we would know, whether we be under the influence of the Holy Spirit, let us consider how far we imitate the example and tread in the steps of our blessed Saviour. — 4. Perhaps some dejected self-eondemned penitent may be ready to exclaim ;. Alas! who may abide when God cometh in judgment 2 My transgressions and rebellions are so numerous ; _ my Sood deeds are so few, so trifling, and so ill-performed ; my percverseness of temper is se incorrigible 3 my selfishness is so deeply rooted ; my love to God and my brethren is so feeble, sa insincere, and so lukewarm; that I can searce- ly venture to conclude, that I have received the * I John ii. 3. 219 Holy Spirit into my heart. When I see the pro- gress which other Christians have made in holi- ness, and compare it with my own backward- ness; when I contrast their cheerful — a en ee - = a 284 possible to form a conception of them through any other medium, than that of some one of our senses. If the Holy Ghost bore no other denomination than that of the third person of the Trinity, we should be unable from such a title to form any definite notion of his attributes. But when he is styled Ruach and Pneuma, words which primarily signify the air in motion, we are led to conclude, that there must be some analogy between his influence upon the soul and that of the atmosphere upon the body. ‘This persuasion is strengthened by finding, that the same terms are invariably used to. describe the action both of the divine and the material spirit. ‘The play of the lungs, by which the atmosphere is received into our animal frames, is termed inspiration; the very name, by which the conveyance of super- natural powers to the mind, is uniformly de- signated. But we are not to confine the term inspiration merely to the gift of prophecy: sur church teaches us to give ita much more "232 extensive meaning, and to apply it to that ordinary assistance of the Spirit, which every believer: is intitled to expect. She directs us to pray, « that the thoughts of our hearts may be cleansed. by. his inspiration,”’*. and ‘that by his holy inspiration we may think the things that be good ;”} thus clearly show- ing, that our reformers, though they rejected all vain and fanatical pretensions to the gift of prophecy or the authority of revelation, yet decidedly maintained the necessity of the con- stant ordinary inspiration of the Spirit. . What ihat inspiration is, hath already been abundant- ly shown in considering those operations of the Holy Ghost, which take place in the soul of every believer ; I mean the enlightening of the understanding, the rectifying of the will, the purification of the affections, and the produc- * Collect in Commun. Service. . } Collect to: the 5th Sund. after Easter, 283 tion of these. graces which the Apostle terms Fruits of the Spirit.* In consequence of the air being thus the ap- pointed emblem of the third. person of the * & We find in the Scriptures both of the Old and New Testament, that the persons ‘of the eternal Three, and their economical offices and operations in the spiritual, are represented by the three conditions of the celestial fluid, and their operations in the material world. Thus the peculiar emblem of the Word, or second Person, is the Shemesh or Light; and he is, and does, that to the souls or spirits of men, which the material or natural light is and does, to their bodies. The third Person has no other | ‘ distinctive name in Scripture, but Ruach in Hebrew and Pneuma in Greek, both which words in their primary sense denote the material spirit, or air in motion; to which appellation the epithet Kadesh, Hagion, Holy, or one of the names of God, is usually added; and the actions of x 234 "Trinity, our Lord eompares the operations of the one to the operations of the other,* and communicates the gift of the Holy Ghost to his disciples by breathing upon them.+ That wonderful effusion of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost was attended with a sound from heaven as of a mighty rushing wind, express- ive of those miraculous powers, which were the instrument of producing so great a reyolu- tion in the superstitions of Paganism ; and, in the mystie epithalamium of Solomon, the frue- 4ifieation of the church is described by the soft a ne LETS ATE the Holy Spirit in the spiritual system are described by those of the air in the natural.” Parkhurst’s Hebrew Lexicon Yox 55D. * John 118. . in John xx. 22: - 235 breezes of the south wind blowing among the aromatic plants of an eastern garden.* ‘ re F If we wish then to understand the manner in which the Spirit operates upon the soul, we must inquire in what manner the air operates upon the body. Now we find, that the air sur- rounds the body on all sides, is perpetually inhaled by it, and is so necessary to its health, that death is the certain consequence of its be- ine withdrawn. In a similar manner, so long as the Holy Ghost animates the soul of the Christian, it enjoys the highest degree of spir- ritual health; if the vivifying principle be in part withdrawn, the soul languishes 3 and if it * Cantic. iv. 16. Our translators, in the title which they have prefixed to the fourth chapter of this divine song, give it as their opinion, that in the sixteenth verse “ the Church prayeth to be made fit for the presence of Christ” 236 be once: entinely removed, what is figuratively termed the second death immediately’ takes’ place.* We are no more able to” advance in our heavenly pilgrimage without ‘the constant inspiration of the Holy Ghost, than we should” be to accomplish some long journey upon earth without the perpetual inspiration Of the atmos-— phere. To be deprived of either is equally fatal; the one to the cae the other to- the natural economy.t © 0 9) * Revel. xx. 14, , a T ‘“‘ The branch can bear no fruit, nor preserve nor ripen ‘ that which it hath, but by its unity with the root: light continues not in the house, but by its dependence on the- sun; shut out that, all the light is presently gone. Take water away from the fire, and its nature will be. presently ) stronger than the heat it borrowed, and suddenly reduce it to its wonted coldness. So we can do nothing but by the constant supplies of the Spirit of Christ. He, that 237 On this account it is a most Important mat- ter to inquire, what scriptural reasons we have to expect the unceasing assistance of the Holy Spirit; for melancholy indeed would be our situation, had we the road to everlasting life merely pointed out to us, and were we thence- forward left to pursue it by the unaided exer- tion of our own strength. The hearts: of the stoutest would be appalled at the sight of the dangers and difficulties. which everywhere begins, must finish every good work inus. He, that is the author, must be the finisher of our faith too. Without him, we cannot will nor do any good. Without him, when we have done both, we cannot continue, but shall faint in the way. His Spirit must lead us, His arm must heal and strengthen us. As we have recciyed him, so we must walk in him: without him we cannot walk. God is the God of all grace: to him it belongeth not only to call, but to perfect; not only to perfect, but to strengthen, stablish, settle us.” Bp. Reynold’s Sinful- ness of Sin, p. 130. ' ; x2 present themselves, unless they were convinced that God himself was on their side; and the spirits even of the most yigorous would: fail them, if it were a matter of doubt whether the Redeemer might not possibly desert them ia the last stage of their pilgrimage. Arguing only from the bare light of reason, it surely ig unworthy of the goodness of God to suppose, that he would forsake his children in their greatest need, and leave them expesed in them declining years, an unresisting ees to all the nil es Pe bs AIS FE malice of Satan.* * It was the fear ef this that caused David to exclaim : Cast me not away in the time of age; forsake me not when my strength fuileth me—Forsake me not, O God, in mine old age, when Iam grey-headed ; until I have showed thy strength -unto this generation, and thy power to all them that are yet for to come. Psalm Ixxi. 8. 16. ; - The gracious Lord, however, in his merey, has not left us to our own vague conjectures and unsatisfactory probabilities. On the con- trary, he has armed the Christian with an abundance of precious promises ; and has for- tified his mind, against the heur of danger, with the most soothing assurances of his friend- ship and protection. He knoweth what is in man; and has therefore provided him with armour of proof, to enable him to stand fast in the evil day of peril. and adversity. He has repeatedly declared, that he will never forsake his servants, unless they resolutely and with a high hand forsake him; but that he will pre- serve his heritage from all the assaults of hell, and safely conduct them into the realms of everlasting happiness. This God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even unto death.* Many are _ * Psalm xlviii. £4. 240° the afflictions of the righteous ; but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.* Cast thy bur~ den upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee; he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.} Fear not, for I am with thee; be not dis- mayed, for Lam thy God; I will strengthen. thee, yea TE will help thee, yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.t Similar to these are the gracious. assurances. eontained in the New Testament, which are. admirably calculated to strengthen the hearts ef the feeble and the dejected. Iknow in whom I have believed, says. the Apostle, and am persuaded that he is able to * Psalm xxxiv. 19. + Psalm Iv. 22. j Isgiah xhi. 10. 244 keep that which I have committed to him until that day. *Father, says our blessed Saviour, F will that they also, whom thou has given me, be with me where Tam ; that they may behold my glory which thow hast given me; for thou . lovedst me before the alin o the world.+ In order to show the faithful how little they have to fear from the assaults of their enemies, and to convince them that God is on their side, — Christ builds the safety Of his Church upon Omnipotence itself: when that fails, the ulti- © mate felicity of believers will be insecure; but till then, the gates of hell can never prevail against them. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give * 2 Tim 119) * + John xvii. 24.) 242 unio them eternal life; and they shail never perish, neither shall any one * pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which guce them me, is greater than all 5 and no one is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.t The Alnighty himself, moreover, mereci- fully foreseeing what a hindrance it would be to his children in their spiritual progress if they had not good reason to rely upon. his * The strength of the original Greek is much impaired in our translation, by inserting the word man; instead of the word one, after the pronoun any; for the passage when thus rendered, hath the appearance of limiting the declaration of Christ to a promise of proteetion only against Auman efforts. Tis and ovdeic evidently re- date, not merely to terrestrial, but also to infernal, ené- mies. + John x. 27. 243 faithfulness, has confirmed the immutability of his counsel by an oath ;* and has been pleased to reveal himself to man by the two names of Jehovah and Elohim, the ene descrip- tive of his self-existence, and the other allu- sive to that covenant which the eternal Three have sworn to ratify. This is the stedfast anchor of the soul; the firm assurance of the certainty of all God’s promises; the termina- tion of strife ; and the earnest of immortality.+ God is not aman that he should lie; neither a -* Heb. vi. 17. { ‘! Si tibi vir gravis et laudabilis aliquid polliceretur, haberes utique pollicenti fidem, nec te falli aut decipi ab eo crederes, quem stare in sermonibus atque actibus suis scires: nunc Deus tecum loquitur ; et tu mente incredula perfidus fluctuas? Deus de hoe mundo recendenti tibi immortalitatem atque xternitatem pollicetur; et tu du- DA the Son of Man that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spo- ken, and shall he not make it good 2% But, notwithstanding God hath graciously promised that he will never forsake those that love him ; yet, since man hath now recoyered his lest freedom of will by the preaching of the gospel, he may abuse it, like Adam, to his own destruction. As aman in the full vigour of health may be guilty of self-murder; so may a Christian commit what may be termed i bitas? Hoc est Deum omnino non nosse: hoc est Chris- tum credentium Dominum et magistrum peccato incre- dulitatis offendere: hoc est in ecclesia constitutum - fdem in domo fidei non habere.” Cyprian. de Mortal. 7 * Numb, xxiii. 19. me “245 spiritual suicide. In this case, it is not God that forsaketh him, but he that forsaketh God. Hence the Apostle wholesomely advises, Let him, that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall. Let him beware of a carnal security and a reliance upon sensible comforts, lest he find too late by fatal experience, that the “promises of Scripture were not made to the unholy and the impenitent. St. Paul has in- timated, that even he himself, after convert- ing the whole Gentile world, might neverthe- “ess be a cast-away, if he neglected to use the proper means to make his calling and election sure :* how greatly ought we then to beware, te I ER I ES ESSE * ITkeep under my body, and bring it into subjection ; lest that by any means (Gr. Mu WSs) when Ihave preached to others, J myself should-be a-cast-away. 1 Corinth. ix. 27, { apprehend, that the difference between ayxws and sve my although they are both translated Jest, is this ; that the former implies a possibility ef danger, whereas the ¥ 246. lest we gradually fall away from our first love and so make shipwreck of our salvation. ‘oo frequently do we behold persons, who originally set out well on their religious course, at length rejecting the counsel of God against themselves, and dying in so reprobate a state that we cannot reasonably suppose them io be heirs of the promise. Like their types ihe rebellious Israelites, who perished in the wilderness after they had been delivered from the bondage of Kgypt, these awful characters perish through unbelief ere they reach the confines of the heavenly Canaan: for it is im- possible for those, who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers . jatter relates only to the using of means to prevent someé- thing. aAy of tie world te come, if they shall fall away, lorenew them again unto repentance, secing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.* Such persons seem to be pointed out by our Lord im his parable of the sower. They are the seed, which falls upon stony ground and soon springs up in full luxuriancy; but, having no depth of soil, presently withers beneath the scorching rays of the Sun. . These melancholy examples, while they strike the Christian with a wholesome terror, ought not to produce in him any distrust.of the eertainty of God’s covenant... The Holy Spirit never leaves a man till after he has long striven with him in vain ; nor does God cver give any person up to destruction, till he has first given up him- self. * Heb. vi. 4. 248 The righteous may indeed fall seven times ‘im a day, and repeatedly grieve the Holy Ghost by his backwardness. and perverseness.. He knows and laments his own infirmities, and his sing are ever before him: nevertheless, he resolutely strives against them, firmly relying upon the certainty of Ged’s oath. This is his strong consolation in the midst of all his trials $ if God be for us, who shall be against us? Christ hath died for us, yea rather hath risen again from the dead, and perpetually maketh intercession for us. ‘The Holy Spirit has en- gaged to abide with us for ever ;* and the Father has coyenanted to accept all those who come unto him in his Son’s name. Here then is the sure refuge of the Christian. He relies upon the faithfulness of God, and diligently applies himself to the acquisition of those graces, which are required as necessary quali- * John xiv. 14 249 fications for the kingdom of heaven. ‘Though his mind may at times be clouded with doubts and harassed with fears, the word of promise is his sure anchor. He strives to live by faith ; the consciousness of undeserved mercy stimu- Jates him to a course of cheerful obedience ; and he labours to render unto God the best service, the service of the heart. He knows, that the Holy Spirit is not given to supersede the necessity of any endeavours on his part, but to enable him to labour more abundantly in the cause of religion ; not to promote indolence, but to excite diligence. Hence, while he is confident of this very thing, that he, which hath begun a good work in him, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ ;* he still continues to work out his own salvation with fear and trembling * Philip. i. 6. } Philip. ii. 12, ¥2 & 250° . Such is the strong ground of consolation which the Christian possesses; a consolation not founded upon the deceitfulness of feeling, 7 but upon a lively faith in the express, promises of God. Frequently is he necessitated to be- lieve even against hope; but, thouglt his beart within him may be desolate, the Holy Spirit still supports him in the midst of his infirmi= ties, and ° enables him to exelaim with the Psalmist, Though I walk through the calley of the shadow of death, Iwill fear no evil; for thou art with me, thy rod, and thy staff, they comfort me.* hus daily strengthened and sustained, he forgets those things which are behind, and presses forward to those which are yet before him: thus daily increasing in piety _ and abounding in every good word and work, he by degrees grows up unto a perfect man, * Balm xivini. 14. 204 unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.* Old things are passed away, and all things are become new. His understand- ing, his will, and his affections, are no longer prostituted to the service of Satan, but are de- yoted to the cause of God. Being « justified freely, he is made a son of God by adoption; made like the image of his only begotten Son Jesus Christ. He walks religiously in good works; and at length, by God’s merey, at- tains to everlasting felicity.” 7. “The result, then, of the whole’ inquiry is this :—that man by nature is born in sin, a child af wrath, and utterly unable either to think or to do any good by virtue of his own unassisted faculties :—that, although Christ laid down his arr ep I a ¥ Eph. iv. 13. fArt. Svib 252 jife for him, he cannot avail himself of the ben- efits which result from that mysterious sacri- fice, unless a change be effected in his under- standing, his will, and his affections ; so that he may perceive his need ofa Saviour, desire above all things to serve him, and unfeignedly love the way of his commandments :—that, being dead in trespasses and sins, he is no more able to in- fuse life into his soul, than a corpse is to raise itself up from the grave :—that the blessed Spirit of God is the appointed agent to work this great change, to sanctify and comfort the heart of the believer, and to conduct him in safety to the realms of everlasting happiness :—that he is the bestower of every good and every perfect sift, the breath of our spiritual life, and the support of our drooping courage :—that through him we commence our journey to heaven ; and that through him alone we are enabled to per- severe even to the end :—that when he hides his face, we are troubled ; and, should he totalty withdraw himself, spiritual death would be the ee a immediate consequence :—but that we fave 4. promise, that he will abide with us for ever * ‘and on the strength of that promise, we go on our way, if not always rejoicing, yet always with such a degree of confidence as God in his wisdom judges to be sufficient for us.—To him we have commitied our souls through the merits of Christ Jesus; and we wait, with a humble, a trembling, reliance upon his word, for that salyation, which he freely offers to all who are willing to accept it. The grass with- ereth, the flower fadeth; but the word of our God shall stand fast for ever.t The world may frown upon us, and the powers of darkness may league together against us; but the rock, * John xiv. 14, « FIsajah xi. &. ‘, 254 upon which we are founded, is the sure rabk, the rock of i ages.* * How animated is the language of Cyprian, when he looks forward with the eye of faith to the happiness laid up for him in the Kingdom ofheaven. Considerandum est, fratres dilectissimi, et eatidens cogitandum, renun- classe nos mundo, et tang: dam hospites et peregr inos isthic interim degere. Amplectamur diem, qui assignat singulos domicilio suo; quinos isthine ereptos, et laqueis secularibus exsolutos paradiso restituit, et regno ceelesti. Quis non peregre constitutus properaret in patriam re- gredi? Quis non ad suos navigare festinans, ventum pros- perum cupidius optaret, ut velociter caros liceret am- ‘plecti? Patriam nostram Paradisum computemus, pa- rentes patriarchas habere jam cepimus; quid non prope- ramus et currimus, ut patriam nostram videre, ut parentes salutare’ possimus? Magnus illic nos carorum nume- rus. expectat, parentum, fratrum, filiorum frequens nos et copiosa turba desiderat, jam de sua immortalitate secura, et adhuc de nostra salute solicita. Ad horum conspec- tum et complexum venire, quanta et illis et nobis in com- mune letitia est? Qualis illic celestium regnorum yo- luptas sine timore moriendi, et cum zternitate vivendi ? 255 Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded : they shall be as nothing : and they that strive with thee shall perish. Thow shalt seek them, and shalt not jind them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought. For I, the Lord thy God, will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not, I will help thee. Quam summa et perpetua felicitas? Illic Apostolorum gloriosus chorus: illic prophetarum exultantium nume- rus: illic martyrum innumerabilis populus ob certaminis et passionis victoriam coronatus: triumphantes illic vir- gines, que concupiscentiam carnis et corporis, continen- tie robore subegerunt: remunerati misericordes, qui alimentis et largitionibus pauperum justitiz, opera fece- runt: qui Dominica precepta servantes ad ceelestes thes- auros terrena patrimonia transtulerunt. Ad hos, fratres dilectissimi, avida cupiditate properemus; ut cum his cito esse, ut cito ad Christum venire contingat, optemus.” * De Mortal. 256 Hear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Is- rael: Iwill help thee, saith the Lord, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel—Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: but they, that wait upon the Lord, shall renew their strength ; they shalt mount up with wings ds eagles ; they shall run _ and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.* * Isaiah xl. 30. and xli. 11, THE END. : “SS — thy aL AG a BY AA AN tae ced dO. Hoot eek nea iegane | is » \ LAP ae marae 7 [ Sei ee PE ae ry-Spe 49 9 10 eological Ti 2 010