Chapter II: Part 2

II.) 2. The second thing implied in the being _altogether a Christian_ is, the love of our neighbour. For thus said our Lord in the following words, _Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself_. If any man ask who is my neighbour, we reply, every man in the world; every child of his, who is _the father of the spirits of all flesh_. Nor may we in any wise except our enemies, or the enemies of God and their own souls. But every Christian loveth these also as himself, yea, _as Christ loved us_. He that would more fully understand what manner of love this is, may consider St. _Paul’s_ description of it. It is _long-suffering and kind: it envieth not: it is not rash or hasty in judging: it is not puffed up_, but maketh him that loves, the least, the servant of all. Love _doth not behave itself unseemly_, but _becometh all things to all men_. She _seeketh not her own_, but only the good of others, that they may be saved. Love _is not provoked_. It casteth out wrath, which he who hath, is wanting in love. It _thinketh no evil_. It _rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth_. It _covereth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things_.

III.) 3. There is yet one thing more that may be separately considered, tho’ it cannot actually be separate from the preceding, which is implied in the being _altogether a Christian_. And that is the ground of all, even faith. Very excellent things are spoken of this throughout the oracles of God. _Every one_, saith the beloved disciple, _that believeth, is born of God. To as many as received him, gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name._ And, _this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith_. Yea, our Lord himself declares, _He that believeth in the Son hath everlasting life; and cometh not into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life_.

4. But here let no man deceive his own soul. “It is diligently to be noted, the faith which bringeth not forth repentance and love, and all good works, is not that right living faith, but a dead and devilish one. For even the devils believe, that Christ was born of a virgin, that he wrought all kinds of miracles, declaring himself very God: that for our sakes he suffered a most painful death, to redeem us from death everlasting: that he rose again the third day: that he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of the Father, and at the end of the world, shall come again to judge both the quick and dead. These articles of our faith the devils believe, and so they believe all that is written in the Old and New Testament. And yet for all this faith, they be but devils. They remain still in their damnable estate, lacking the very true Christian faith.”[5]

5. “The right and true Christian faith is (to go on in the words of our own church) not only to believe that holy scripture, and the articles of our faith are true, but also to have a sure trust and confidence, to be saved from everlasting damnation by Christ. It is a sure trust and confidence which a man hath in God, that by the merits of Christ his sins _are_ forgiven, and he reconciled to the favour of God,――whereof doth follow a loving heart, to obey his commandments.”

6. Now whosoever has this faith, which _purifies the heart_, by the power of God, who _dwelleth therein_, from pride, anger, desire, _from all unrighteousness_, from _all filthiness of flesh and spirit_, which fills it with love stronger than death, both to God and to all mankind; love that doth the works of God, glorying to spend and to be spent for all men, and that endureth with joy, not only the reproach of Christ, the being mocked, despised, and hated of all men, but whatsoever the wisdom of God permits the malice of men or devils to inflict; whosoever has this _faith_, thus _working by love_, is not _almost only, but altogether a Christian_.

7. But who are the living witnesses of these things? I beseech you, brethren, as in the presence of that God, before whom _hell and destruction are without a covering: how much more the hearts of the children of men?_ that each of you would ask his own heart, “Am I of that number? Do I so far practise justice, mercy and truth, as even the rules of Heathen honesty require? If so, have I the very _outside_ of a Christian? The form of godliness? Do I abstain from evil, from whatsoever is forbidden in the written word of God? Do I, whatever good my hand findeth to do, do it with my might? Do I seriously use all the ordinances of God at all opportunities? And is all this done, with a sincere design and desire to please God in all things?”

8. Are not many of you conscious, that you never came thus far; that you have not been even _almost a Christian_? That you have not come up to the standard of Heathen honesty? At least, not to the form of Christian godliness? Much less hath God seen sincerity in you, a real design of pleasing him in all things. You never so much as intended, to devote all your words and works, your business, studies, diversions, to his glory. You never even designed or desired, that whatsoever you did, should be _done in the name of the Lord Jesus_, and, as such, should be _a spiritual sacrifice, acceptable to God through Christ_.

9. But supposing you had; do good designs and good desires make a Christian? By no means, unless they are brought to good effect. “Hell is paved, saith one, with good intentions.” The great question of all then still remains. Is the love of God shed abroad in your heart? Can you cry out, “My God and my all?” Do you desire nothing but him? Are you happy in God? Is he your glory, your delight, your crown of rejoicing? And is this commandment written in your heart, that he who loveth God love his brother also? Do you then love your neighbour as yourself? Do you love every man, even your enemies, even the enemies of God, as your own soul? As Christ loved you? Yea, dost thou believe that Christ loved _thee_, and gave himself for thee? Hast thou faith in his blood? Believest thou the Lamb of God hath taken away _thy_ sins, and cast them as a stone into the depth of the sea? That he hath blotted out the hand-writing that was against _thee_, taking it out of the way, nailing it to his cross? Hast _thou_ indeed ♦redemption through his blood, even the remission of _thy_ sins? And doth his Spirit bear witness with _thy_ spirit, that thou art a child of God?

10. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who now standeth in the midst of us, knoweth that if any man die without this faith and this love, good it were for him that he had never been born. Awake, then, thou that sleepest, and call upon thy God: call in the day when he may be found. Let him not rest, till he _make his goodness to pass before thee, till he proclaim unto thee the name of the Lord, The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth; keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin_. Let no man persuade thee by vain words, to rest short of this prize of thy high calling. But cry unto him day and night, who, _while we were without strength, died for the ungodly_, until thou knowest in whom thou hast believed, and canst say, “My Lord and my God.” Remember, _always to pray and not to faint_, till thou also canst lift up thy hand unto heaven, and declare to him that liveth for ever and ever, “Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee.”

11. May we all thus experience what it is, to be not almost only, but altogether Christians! Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus: knowing we have peace with God through Jesus Christ: rejoicing in hope of the glory of God, and having the love of God shed abroad in our hearts, by the Holy Ghost given unto us!

SERMON III.[6]

EPHES. v. 14.

_Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ
shall give thee light._

IN discoursing on these words, I shall, with the help of God,

_First_, Describe the sleepers to whom they are spoken.

_Secondly_, Enforce the exhortation, _Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead_. And,

_Thirdly_, Explain the promise made to such as do _awake_ and _arise_; _Christ shall give thee light_.

I.) 1. And first, as to the sleepers here spoken to. By sleep is signified the natural state of man: that deep sleep of the soul into which the sin of _Adam_ hath cast all who spring from his loins; that supineness, indolence, and stupidity, that insensibility of his real condition, wherein every man comes into the world, and continues till the voice of God awakes him.

2. Now _they that sleep, sleep in the night_. The state of nature is a state of utter darkness; a state wherein _darkness covers the earth, and gross darkness the people_. The poor unawakened sinner, how much knowledge soever he may have as to other things, has no knowledge of himself: in this respect, _he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know_. He knows not that he is a fallen spirit, whose only business in the present world, is to recover from his fall, to regain that image of God wherein he was created. He sees _no necessity_ for _the one thing needful_, even that inward universal change, that _birth from above_ (figured out by baptism) which is the beginning of that total renovation, that sanctification of spirit, soul and body, _without which no man shall see the Lord_.

* 3. Full of all diseases as he is, he fancies himself in perfect health: fast bound in misery and iron, he dreams that he is at liberty. He says, Peace, peace, while the devil, _as a strong man armed_, is in full possession of his soul. He sleeps on still, and takes his rest, tho’ hell is moved from beneath to meet him; tho’ the pit, from whence there is no return, hath opened its mouth to swallow him up: a fire is kindled around him, yet he knoweth it not; yea it burns him, yet he lays it not to heart.

4. By one who sleeps we are therefore to understand (and would to God we might all understand it!) A sinner satisfied in his sins; contented to remain in his fallen state, to live and die without the image of God: one who is ignorant both of his disease, and of the only remedy for it: one who never was warned, or never regarded the warning voice of God, _to flee from the wrath to come_: one that never yet saw he was in danger of hell-fire, or cried out in the earnestness of his soul, _What must I do to be saved?_

5. If this sleeper be not outwardly vicious, his sleep is usually the deepest of all: whether he be of the _Laodicean_ spirit, _neither cold nor hot_; but a quiet, rational, inoffensive, good-natured professor of the religion of his fathers; or whether he be zealous and orthodox, and _after the most straitest sect of our religion, live a Pharisee_; that is, according to the scriptural account, one that _justifies himself_; one that labours _to establish his own righteousness_, as the ground of his acceptance with God.

6. This is he, who _having a form of godliness, denies the power thereof_; yea, and probably reviles it, wheresoever it is found, as mere extravagance and delusion. Meanwhile, the wretched self-deceiver thanks God, that he _is not as other men are; adulterers, unjust, extortioners_: no, he doth no wrong to any man. He _fasts twice in the week_, uses all the means of grace, is constant at church and sacrament: yea, and _gives tithes of all that he has_, does all the good that he can: _touching the righteousness of the law_, he is _blameless_: he wants nothing of godliness but the power; nothing of religion, but the spirit; nothing of Christianity, but the truth and the life.

7. But know ye not, that however highly esteemed among men, _such a Christian_ as this may be, he is an abomination in the sight of God, and an heir of every woe, which the Son of God yesterday, to-day, and for ever, denounces against _Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites_? He hath _made clean the outside of the cup and the platter_, but within is full of all filthiness. _An evil disease cleaveth_ still _unto him_, so that _his inward parts are very wickedness_. Our Lord fitly compares him to a _painted sepulchre_, which _appears beautiful without_; but nevertheless is _full of dead mens bones, and of all uncleanness_. The bones indeed are no longer dry; _the sinews and flesh are come upon them, and the skin covers them above_, but _there is no breath_ in them, no Spirit of the living God. And _if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. Ye are Christ’s, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you._ But if not, God knoweth that ye abide in death, even until now.

8. This is another character of the sleeper here spoken to. He abides in death, tho’ he knows it not. He is dead unto God, _dead in trespasses and sins_. For, _to be carnally minded is death_. Even as it is written, _by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin: and so death passed upon all men_, not only temporal death, but likewise spiritual and eternal. _In that day that thou eatest_ (said God to _Adam_) _Thou shalt surely die_. Not bodily (unless as he then became mortal) but spiritually: thou shalt lose the life of thy soul: thou shalt die to God; shalt be separated from him, thy essential life and happiness.

9. Thus first was dissolved the vital union of our soul with God: insomuch that _in the midst of |natural| life, we are |now| in |spiritual| death_. And herein we remain till the second _Adam_ becomes a quickening spirit to us, till he raises the dead, the dead in sin, in pleasure, riches, or honours. But before any dead soul can live, he _hears_ (hearkens to) _the voice of the Son of God_: He is made sensible of his lost estate, and receives the sentence of death in himself. He knows himself to be _dead while he liveth_, dead to God, and all the things of God: having no more power to perform the actions of a living Christian, than a dead body to perform the functions of a living man.

10. And most certain it is, that one dead in sin, has not _senses exercised to discern |spiritual| good and evil. Having eyes, he sees not, he hath ears and hears not._ He doth not _taste and see that the Lord is gracious_. He _hath not seen God at any time_, nor _heard his voice_, nor _handled the word of life_. In vain is the name of Jesus _like ointment poured forth_, and _all his garments smell of myrrh, aloes and cassia_. The soul that sleepeth in death hath no perception of any objects of this kind. His heart is _past feeling_, and understandeth none of these things.

* 11. And hence having no spiritual senses, no inlets of spiritual knowledge, the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; nay, he is so far from receiving them, that whatsoever is spiritually discerned is mere foolishness unto him. He is not content with being utterly ignorant of spiritual things, but he denies the very existence of them. And spiritual sensation itself is to him, the foolishness of folly. _How_, saith he, _can these things be_? How can any man _know_, that he is alive to God? Even as you know, that your body is now alive. Faith is the life of the soul: and if ye have this life abiding in you, ye want no marks to evidence it _to yourself_, but that ἔλεγχος Πνεύματος, that divine consciousness, that _witness of_ God, which is more and greater than ten thousand human witnesses.

12. If he doth not now bear witness with thy spirit, that thou art a child of God, O that he might convince thee, thou poor unawakened sinner, by his demonstration and power, that thou art a child of the devil! O that as I prophesy, there might now be _a noise and a shaking_, and may _the bones come together, bone to his bone_. Then _come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live_! And do not ye harden your hearts, and resist the Holy Ghost, who even now is come to _convince_ you _of sin, because you believe not on the name of the only begotten Son of God_.

II.) 1. * Wherefore, _Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead_. God calleth thee now by my mouth; and bids thee know thyself, thou fallen spirit, thy true state and only concern below. _What meanest thou, O sleeper? Arise! Call upon thy God, if so be thy God will think upon thee, that thou perish not._ A mighty tempest is stirred up round about thee, and thou art sinking into the depths of perdition, the gulph of God’s judgments. If thou wouldst escape them, cast thyself into them. _Judge thyself_, and thou shalt _not be judged of the Lord_.

2. Awake, awake! Stand up this moment, lest thou _drink at the Lord’s hand the cup of his fury_. Stir up thyself _to lay hold on the Lord, the Lord thy righteousness, mighty to save! Shake thyself from the dust._ At least, let the earthquake of God’s threatnings shake thee. Awake and cry out with the trembling ♦gaoler, _What must I do to be saved?_ And never rest, till thou believest on the Lord Jesus, with a faith which is his gift, by the operation of his spirit.

3. * If I speak to any one of you more than to another, it is to thee, who thinkest thyself unconcerned in this exhortation. _I have a message from God unto thee._ In his name, I _warn_ thee _to flee from the wrath to come_. Thou unholy soul, see thy picture in condemn’d _Peter_, lying in the dark dungeon, between the soldiers, bound with two chains, the keepers before the door keeping the prison. The night is far spent, the morning is at hand, when thou art to be brought forth to execution. And in these dreadful circumstances, thou art fast asleep; thou art fast asleep in the devil’s arms, on the brink of the pit, in the jaws of everlasting destruction.

4. O may _the angel of the Lord come upon thee_, and _the light shine into thy prison_! And mayst thou feel the stroke of an almighty hand, raising thee with _arise up quickly, gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals, cast thy garments about thee, and follow me_.

5. * Awake, thou everlasting spirit, out of thy dream of worldly happiness. Did not God create thee for himself? Then, thou canst not rest, till thou restest in him. Return thou wanderer. Fly back to thy ark. _This is not thy home._ Think not of building tabernacles here. Thou art but _a stranger, a sojourner upon earth_: A creature of a day, but just launching out into an unchangeable state. Make haste. Eternity is at hand. Eternity depends on this moment. An eternity of happiness, or an eternity of misery!

6. In what state is thy soul? Was God, while I am yet speaking, to require it of thee, art thou ready to meet death and judgment? Canst thou stand in his sight, _who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity_? Art thou _meet to be partaker of the inheritance of the saints in light_? Hast thou _fought a good fight and kept the faith_? Hast thou secured _the one thing needful_? Hast thou recovered the image of God, even _righteousness and true holiness_? Hast thou _put off the old man and put on the new_? Art thou _cloathed upon with Christ_?

7. Hast thou oil in thy lamp? Grace in thy heart? Dost thou _love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy mind, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength_? Is _that mind in thee, which was also in Christ Jesus_? Art thou a Christian indeed? That is, a new creature? Are _old things past away, and all things become new_?

8. Art thou a _partaker of the divine nature? Knowest thou not, that Christ is in thee, except thou be reprobate?_ Knowest thou, that God _dwelleth in thee, and thou in God, by his Spirit which he hath given thee_? Knowest thou not, that _thy body is a temple of the Holy Ghost, which thou hast of God_? Hast thou _the witness in thyself? The earnest of thine inheritance?_ Hast thou _received the Holy Ghost_――or dost thou start at the question, not knowing whether there be any Holy Ghost?

9. If it offends thee, be thou assured, that thou neither art a Christian, nor desirest to be one. Nay, thy very _prayer is turned into sin_; and thou hast solemnly mocked God this very day, by praying for _the inspiration of his holy spirit_, when thou didst not believe there was any such thing to be received.

10. * Yet on the authority of God’s word and our own church, I must repeat the question, _Hast thou received the Holy Ghost?_ If thou hast not, thou art not yet a Christian: for a Christian is a man, that is _anointed with the Holy Ghost, and with power_. Thou art not yet made a partaker of pure religion and undefiled. Dost thou know, what religion is? That it is, a participation of the divine nature, the life of God in the soul of man: _Christ formed in the heart, Christ, in thee, the hope of glory_: happiness and holiness: heaven begun upon earth: _a kingdom of God within thee: not meat and drink_, no outward thing: _but righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost_? An everlasting kingdom brought into thy soul, a _peace of God, that passeth all understanding_; a _joy unspeakable and full of glory_?

11. Knowest thou, that _in Jesus Christ, neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith that worketh by love_; but a new creation? Seest thou the necessity of that inward change, that spiritual birth, that life from the dead? That holiness? And art thou throughly convinced, that _without it, no man shall see the Lord_? Art thou labouring after it? _Giving all diligence, to make thy calling and election sure? Working out thy salvation with fear and trembling? Agonizing to enter in at the straight gate?_ Art thou _in earnest_ about thy soul? And, canst thou tell the Searcher of hearts, _Thou, O God, art the thing that I long for_! Lord, thou knowest all things! Thou knowest that I _would_ love thee!

12. Thou hopest to be saved――but what reason hast thou to give of the hope that is in thee? Is it because thou hast done no harm? Or, because thou hast done much good? Or, because thou art not like other men; but wise, or learned, or honest and morally good? Esteemed of men, and of a fair reputation? Alas, all this will never bring thee to God. It is in his account lighter than vanity. Dost thou _know Jesus Christ whom he hath sent_? Hath he taught thee, that _by grace we are saved through faith? And that, not of ourselves. It is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast._ Hast thou received the faithful saying as the whole foundation of thy hope, _Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners_? Hast thou learned what that meaneth, _I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance? I am not sent, but to the lost sheep?_ Art thou (he that heareth, let him understand!) lost, dead? _Damned already?_――Dost thou know thy deserts? Dost thou feel thy wants? Art thou _poor in spirit_? _Mourning_ for God and refusing to be comforted? Is the prodigal _come to himself_, and well-content to be therefore thought _beside himself_, by those who are still feeding upon the husks which he hath left? Art thou willing to _live godly in Christ Jesus_? And dost thou therefore _suffer persecution_? Do _men say all manner of evil against thee falsely, for the Son of man’s sake_?

13. O, that in all these questions ye may hear the voice that wakes the dead, and feel that hammer of the word, which _breaketh the rocks in pieces!――If ye will hear his voice to day, while it is called to day, harden not your hearts._ Now _awake thou that sleepest_ in spiritual death, that thou sleep not in death eternal! Feel thy lost estate, and _arise from the dead_. Leave thine old companions in sin and death. Follow thou Jesus, and _let the dead bury their dead. Save thyself from this untoward generation. Come out from among them, and be thou separate, and touch not the unclean thing, and the Lord shall receive thee, Christ shall give thee light._

III.) 1. This promise I come, lastly, to explain. And how encouraging a consideration is this, that whosoever thou art who obeyest his call, thou canst not seek his face in vain. If thou even now _awakest and arisest from the dead_, he hath bound himself to _give thee light. The Lord shall give_ thee _grace and glory_; the light of his grace here, and the light of his glory, when thou receivest the _crown that fadeth not away_. Thy light shall _break forth as the morning_, and thy darkness be as the noon-day. _God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness_, shall _shine in thy heart; to give the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. On them that fear the Lord shall the sun of righteousness arise, with healing in his wings._ And _in that day it shall be said unto thee, Arise, shine: for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee_. For Christ shall reveal himself in thee. And he is the _true light_.

2. God is light, and will give himself to every awakened sinner, that waiteth for him: and thou shalt then be a temple of the living God, and Christ shall _dwell in thy heart by faith_: and _being rooted and grounded in love, thou shalt be able to comprehend with all saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and heighth of that love of Christ which passeth knowledge_.

3. Ye see your calling, brethren. We are call’d to be _an habitation of God through his Spirit_: and through his Spirit dwelling in us, _to be saints_ here, and _partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light_. So _exceeding great_ are the _promises which are given unto us_, actually given unto us who believe. For by faith _we receive, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God_, the sum of all the promises, _that we may know the things that are freely given to us of God_.

4. The Spirit of Christ is that great gift of God, which at sundry times, and in divers manners he hath promised to man, and hath fully bestowed since the time that Christ was glorified. Those Promises before made to the fathers, he hath thus fulfilled: _I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes[7]. I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring[8]._

5. Ye may all be living witnesses of these things: of remission of sins, and the gift of the Holy Ghost. _If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. Who among you is there, that feareth the Lord_, and yet _walketh on in darkness, and hath no light_? I ask thee in the name of Jesus, believest thou that _his arm is not shortned at all_? That he is still _mighty to save_? That he is _the same yesterday, to day, and for ever_? That he hath _now_ power, _on earth_ to forgive sins? _Son, be of good cheer; thy sins are forgiven._ God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven thee. Receive this, _not as the word of man; but as it is, indeed, the word of God_; and thou art _justified freely through faith_. Thou shalt be sanctified also through faith which is in Jesus, and shalt set to thy seal, even thine, that God _hath_ given unto us _eternal life, and this life is in his Son_.

6. Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you; and _suffer ye the word of exhortation_, even from one the least esteemed in the church. Your conscience beareth you witness in the Holy Ghost, that these things are so, _if so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. This is eternal life, to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent._ This experimental knowledge, and this alone, is true Christianity. He is a Christian, who hath received the Spirit of Christ. He is not a Christian, who hath not received him. Neither is it possible to have received him and not know it. For _at that day_[9] (when he cometh, saith our Lord) _ye shall know, that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you_. This is that _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._

7. The world cannot receive him, but utterly reject the promise of the Father, contradicting and blaspheming. But every spirit which confesseth not this, is not of God. Yea, _this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard, that it should come into the world, and even now it is in the world_. * He is antichrist whosoever denies the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, or that the indwelling Spirit of God is the common privilege of all believers, the blessing of the gospel, the unspeakable gift, the universal promise, the criterion of a real Christian.

8. It nothing helps them to say, “We do not deny the _assistance_ of God’s Spirit; but only this _inspiration_, this _receiving the Holy Ghost_, and being _sensible_ of it. It is only this _feeling of the_ Spirit, this being _moved_ by the Spirit, or _filled_ with it, which we deny to have any place in sound religion.” But in _only denying this_, you deny the whole scriptures, the whole truth and promise and testimony of God.

9. Our own excellent church knows nothing of this devilish distinction: but speaks plainly of _feeling the Spirit of Christ[10]_; of being _moved by the Holy Ghost[11]_, and knowing and _feeling there is no other name than that of Jesus[12]_, whereby we can receive life and salvation. She teaches us all to pray for the _inspiration of the Holy Spirit[13]_, yea, that we may be _filled with the Holy Ghost[14]_. Nay, and every presbyter of hers, professes to _receive the Holy Ghost by the imposition of hands_. Therefore to deny any of these, is in effect, to renounce the church of _England_, as well as the whole Christian revelation.

10. But _the wisdom of God_ was always _foolishness with men_. No marvel then, that the great mystery of the gospel, should be now also _hid from the wise and prudent_, as well as in the days of old; that it should be almost universally denied, ridiculed and exploded as mere frenzy: and that all who dare avow it still, are branded with the names of madmen and enthusiasts. This is _that falling away_ which was to come: that general apostacy, of all orders and degrees of men, which we even now find to have overspread the earth. _Run to and fro in the streets of Jerusalem, and see if ye can find a man_; a man that loveth the Lord his God with all his heart, and serveth him with all his strength? How does our own land mourn (that we look no farther) under the overflowings of ungodliness? What villanies of every kind are committed day by day; yea, too often with impunity, by those who sin with a high hand, and glory in their shame? Who can reckon up the oaths, curses, profaneness, blasphemies, the lying, slandering, evil-speaking, the sabbath-breaking, gluttony, drunkenness, revenge, the whoredoms, adulteries, and various uncleanness, the frauds, injustice, oppression, extortion, which overspread our land as a flood?

11. * And even among those who have kept themselves pure from these grosser abominations; how much anger and pride, how much sloth and idleness, how much softness and effeminacy, how much luxury and self-indulgence, how much covetousness and ambition, how much thirst of praise, how much love of the world, how much fear of man is to be found? Meanwhile, how little of true religion? For where is he that loveth either God or his neighbour, as he hath given us commandment? On the one hand are those, who have not so much as the form of godliness: on the other those who have the form only; there stands the _open_, there the _painted_ sepulchre. So that in very deed, whosoever were earnestly to behold any publick gathering together of the people, (I fear, those in our churches are not to be excepted) might easily perceive, _that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees_: the one having almost as little concern about religion, as if there were _no resurrection, neither angel nor spirit_; and the other making it a mere lifeless form, a dull round of external performances, without either true faith, or the love of God, or joy in the Holy Ghost.

12. Would to God I could except us of this place. _Brethren, my heart’s desire, and prayer to God for you is, that ye may be saved_ from this overflowing of ungodliness, and that here may its proud waves be stay’d! But is it so indeed? God knoweth, yea, and our own conscience, it is not. Ye have not kept yourselves pure. Corrupt are we also and abominable; and few are there that understand any more, few that worship God in spirit and in truth. We too are _a generation that set not our hearts aright, and whose Spirit cleaveth not stedfastly unto God_: He hath appointed us indeed to be _the salt of the earth. But if the salt have lost its savour, it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men._

13. And _shall I not visit for these things, saith the Lord? Shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?_ Yea, we know not how soon he may say to the sword, _Sword, go through this land!_ He hath given us long space to repent. He lets us alone this year also: but he warns and awakens us by thunder. His judgments are abroad in the earth. And we have all reason to expect that heaviest of all, even _that he should come unto us quickly, and remove our candlestick out of its place, except we repent and do the first works_: unless we return to the principles of the reformation, the truth and simplicity of the gospel. Perhaps we are now resisting the last effort of divine grace to save us. Perhaps we have well nigh _filled up the measure of our iniquities_, by rejecting the counsel of God against ourselves, and calling out his messengers.

14. O God, _in the midst of wrath remember mercy_! Be glorified in our reformation, not in our destruction. Let us _hear the rod, and him that appointed it_. Now that _thy judgments are abroad in the earth_, let the _inhabitants of the world learn righteousness_.

15. My brethren, it is high time for us, to awake out of sleep; before the _great trumpet of the Lord be blown_, and our land become a field of blood. O may we speedily see the things that make for our peace, before they are hid from our eyes! _Turn thou us, O good Lord, and let thine anger cease from us. O Lord, look down from heaven, behold and visit this vine_; and cause us to know the time of our visitation. _Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name; O deliver us, and be merciful to our sins, for thy names sake. And so will we not go back from thee: O let us live, and we shall call upon thy name. Turn us again, O Lord God of hosts, shew the light of thy countenance, and we shall be whole._

_Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end._ Amen.

SERMON IV.[15]

SCRIPTURAL CHRISTIANITY.

Acts iv. 31.

_And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost._

1. THE same expression occurs in the second chapter, where we read, _When the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all_ (the apostles, with the women, and the mother of Jesus, and his brethren) _with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues, like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost._ One immediate effect whereof was, _They began to speak with other tongues_; insomuch that both the _Parthians_, _Medes_, _Elamites_, and the other strangers who _came together, when this was noised abroad, heard them speak, in_ their several _tongues, the wonderful works of God_.

2. In this chapter we read, that when the apostles and brethren had been praying, and praising God, _the place was shaken where they were assembled together, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost_. Not that we find any visible appearance here, such as had been in the former instance: nor are we informed that the _extraordinary gifts_ of the Holy Ghost, were then given to all or any of them; such _as the gifts of healing, of working |other| miracles, of prophecy, of discerning spirits_; the speaking with _divers kinds of tongues, and the interpretation of tongues_.

3. Whether these gifts of the Holy Ghost were designed to remain in the church throughout all ages; and whether or no they will be restored at the nearer approach of the _restitution of all things_, are questions which it is not needful to decide. But it is needful to observe this, that even in the infancy of the church, God divided them with a sparing hand. _Were all_ even then _prophets_? Were _all workers of miracles? Had all the gifts of healing? Did all speak with tongues?_ No, in no wise. Perhaps not one in a thousand. Probably none but the teachers in the church, and only some of them. It was therefore for a more excellent purpose than this, that _they were all filled with the Holy Ghost_.

4. It was, to give them (what none can deny to be essential to all Christians in all ages) _the mind which was in Christ_, those holy _fruits of the Spirit_, which whosoever hath not, _is none of his_: to fill them with _love_, _joy_, _peace_, _long-suffering_, _gentleness_, _goodness_: to endue them with _faith_, (perhaps it might be rendered, _fidelity_) with _meekness and temperance_: to enable them to _crucify the flesh with its affections and lusts_, its passions and desires; and, in consequence of that _inward change_, to fulfil all _outward_ righteousness, _to walk as Christ also walked, in the work of faith, the patience of hope, the labour of love_.

5. Without busying ourselves then in curious, needless enquiries, touching those _extraordinary_ gifts of the Spirit, let us take a nearer view of these his _ordinary_ fruits; which we are assured will remain throughout all ages: of that great work of God among the children of men, which we are used to express by one word, _Christianity_: not as it implies a set of opinions, a system of doctrines, but as it refers to mens hearts and lives. And this _Christianity_ it may be useful to consider under three distinct views.

I. As beginning to exist in individuals.
II. As spreading from one to another.
III. As covering the earth.

I design to close these considerations with a plain practical application.

I. And first, let us consider Christianity in its rise, as beginning to exist in individuals.

Suppose then one of those who heard the apostle _Peter_ preaching _repentance and remission of sins_, was _pricked to the heart_, was convinced of sin, repented, and then _believed in Jesus_. By this _faith of the operation of God_, which was the very _substance_ or subsistence _of things hoped for_, the demonstrative _evidence of invisible things_, he instantly _received the Spirit of adoption, whereby he |now| cried Abba, Father_! Now first it was that he could _call Jesus Lord, by the Holy Ghost, the Spirit itself bearing witness with his spirit that he was a child of God_. Now it was that he could truly say, _I live not, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me_.

2. This then was the very essence of his faith, a divine ἔλεγχος[16] of the love of God the Father, through the Son of his love, to him a sinner, now _accepted in the Beloved_. And _being justified by faith, he had peace with God_, yea _the peace of God ruling in his heart_: a peace, which _passing all understanding_, (πάντα νοῦν, all barely rational conception) _kept his heart and mind_ from all doubt and fear, through the _knowledge of him in whom he had believed_. He could not therefore _be afraid of any evil tidings; for his heart stood fast believing in the Lord_. He feared not what man could do unto him, knowing _the very hairs of his head were all numbered_. He feared not all the powers of darkness, which God was daily _bruising under his feet_. Least of all was he afraid to die; nay, he _desired to depart and be with Christ_; who _through death had destroyed him that had the power of death, even the devil; and delivered them who through fear of death, were all their life-time_, till then, _subject to bondage_.

3. _His soul_ therefore _magnified the Lord, and his spirit rejoiced in God his Saviour. He rejoiced in him with joy unspeakable, who had reconciled him to God, even the Father: in whom he had redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins._ He rejoiced in that _witness of God’s Spirit with his spirit, that he was a child of God_: and more abundantly, _in hope of the glory of God_, in hope of the glorious image of God, the full _renewal of his soul in righteousness and true holiness_; and in hope of that _crown of glory_, that _inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away_.

4. _The love of God_ was also _shed abroad in his heart, by the Holy Ghost which was given unto him. Because he was a son, God had sent forth the Spirit of his Son into his heart, crying, Abba, Father!_ And that filial love of God was continually increased by the _witness he had in himself_, of God’s pardoning love to him, by _beholding what manner of love it was, which the Father had bestowed upon him, that he should be called a child of God_. So that God was the desire of his eyes, and the joy of his heart; his portion in time and in eternity.

5. He that thus _loved God_, could not but _love his brother also_; and _not in word only, but in deed and in truth_. “_If God_, said he, _so loved us, we ought also to love one another_.” Yea, every soul of man, as the _mercy_ of God _is over all his works_. Agreeably hereto, the affection of this lover of God, embraced all mankind for his sake; not excepting those whom he had never seen in the flesh, or those of whom he knew nothing more than that they were _the offspring of God_; for whose souls his Son had died; not excepting the _evil_ and _unthankful_, and least of all his enemies, those who _hated, or persecuted, or despitefully used_ him for his Master’s sake. These had a peculiar place both in his heart and his prayers. He loved them _even as Christ loved us_.

6. And _love is not puffed up_. It abases to the dust every soul wherein it dwells. Accordingly he was _lowly of heart_, little, mean, and vile in his own eyes. He neither sought nor received the _praise of men, but that which cometh of God only_. He was meek and long-suffering, gentle to all, and easy to be intreated. Faithfulness and truth never forsook him; they were _bound about his neck, and wrote on the table of his heart_. By the same Spirit he was enabled to be _temperate in all things, refraining his soul even as a weaned child_. He was _crucified to the world, and the world crucified to him_: superior to _the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eye, and the pride of life_. By the same almighty love was he saved, both from passion and pride, from lust and vanity, from ambition and covetousness, and from every temper which was not in Christ.

7. It may be easily believed, he who had this love in his heart, would _work no evil to his neighbour_. It was impossible for him, knowingly and designedly, to do harm to any man. He was at the greatest distance from cruelty and wrong, from any unjust or unkind action. With the same care did he _set a watch before his mouth, and keep the door of his lips_; lest he should offend in tongue, either against justice, or against mercy or truth. He _put away all lying_, falshood and fraud; neither was _guile found in his mouth_. He _spake evil of no man_; nor did an unkind word ever come out of his lips.

8. And as he was deeply sensible of the truth of that word, _without me ye can do nothing_, and consequently, of the need he had to be _water’d_ of God _every moment_; so he _continued daily_ in all the ordinances of God, the stated channels of his grace to man. _In the apostles doctrine_ or teaching, receiving that food of the soul with all readiness of heart, _in the breaking of bread_, which he found to be _the communion of the body of Christ_, and _in the prayers_ and praises offered up by the great congregation. And thus he daily _grew in grace_, increasing in strength, in the knowledge and love of God.

9. But it did not satisfy him, barely to abstain from doing evil. His soul was a-thirst to do good. The language of his heart continually was, _My Father worketh hitherto, and I work_. My Lord _went about doing good_; and shall not I _tread in his steps? As |he| had opportunity_ therefore, if he could do no good of a higher kind, he fed the hungry, clothed the naked, helped the fatherless or stranger, visited and assisted them that were sick or in prison. He _gave all his goods to feed the poor_. He rejoiced to labour or to suffer for them; and wherein soever he might profit another, there especially to _deny himself_. He counted nothing too dear to part with for them, as well remembring the word of his Lord, _Insomuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me_.

10. Such was _Christianity_ in its rise. Such was a Christian in ancient days. Such was every one of those, who _when they heard_ the threatnings of _the chief priests and elders, lift up their voice to God with one accord, and were all filled with the Holy Ghost. The multitude of them that believed, were of one heart and of one soul._ (So did the love of him in whom they had believed, constrain them to love one another.) _Neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common._ So fully were they crucified to the world, and the world crucified to them. _And they continued stedfastly with one accord in the apostles doctrine, and in the breaking of bread, and in prayer. And great grace was upon them all; neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the apostles feet; and distribution was made unto every man, according as he had need._

II. 1. Let us take a view, in the second place, of this _Christianity_, as spreading from one to another, and so gradually making its way into the world. For such was the will of God concerning it, who _did not light a candle to put it under a bushel, but that it might give light to all that were in the house_. And this our Lord had declared to his first disciples, _Ye are the salt of the earth, the light of the world_: at the same time that he gave that general command, _Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven_.

2. And, indeed, supposing a few of these lovers of mankind, to see _the whole world lying in wickedness_, can we believe they would be unconcerned at the sight, at the misery of those for whom their Lord died? Would not their bowels yearn over them, and their hearts _melt away for very trouble_? Could they then stand idle all the day long, even were there no command from him whom they loved? Rather would they not labour, by all possible means, to _pluck_ some of _these brands out of the burning_? Undoubtedly they would: they would spare no pains to bring back whomsoever they could of those poor _sheep that had gone astray, to the great Shepherd and Bishop of their souls_.

3. So the Christians of old did. They laboured, having opportunity, _to do good unto all men_, warning them to _flee from the wrath to come_, now, now, to escape _the damnation of hell_. They declared, _The times of ignorance God winked at; but now he calleth all men every where to repent_. They cried aloud, _Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; so iniquity shall not be your ruin_. They _reasoned_ with them _of temperance and righteousness_, or justice, of the virtues opposite to their reigning sins, and _of judgment to come_, of the wrath of God which would surely be executed on evil doers in that day when he should judge the world.

4. They endeavoured herein to speak to every man severally as he had need. To the careless, to those who lay unconcerned in darkness and in the shadow of death, they thundered, _Awake thou that sleepest; arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light_: but to those who were already awakened out of sleep, and groaning under a sense of the wrath of God, their language was, _We have an Advocate with the Father; he is the propitiation for our sins_. Mean time those who had believed, they _provoked to love and to good works; to patient continuance in well-doing; and to abound more and more_ in that _holiness, without which no man can see the Lord_.