Chapter VIII: Part 8

5. How naturally do those who experience such a change, imagine that all sin is gone? That it is utterly rooted out of their heart, and has no more any place therein? How easily do they draw that inference, “I _feel_ no sin: therefore I _have_ none.” It does not _stir_; therefore it does not _exist_: it has no _motion_; therefore it has no _being_.

6. But it is seldom long, before they are undeceived, finding sin was only suspended, not destroyed. Temptations return and sin revives, shewing it was but stunned before, not dead. They now feel two principles in themselves plainly contrary to each other, _the flesh lusting against the spirit_, nature opposing the grace of God. They cannot deny, that, although they still feel power to believe in Christ, and to love God; and although his _Spirit_ still _witnesses with_ their _spirits, that_ they _are children of God_: yet they feel in themselves, sometimes pride or self-will, sometimes anger or unbelief. They find one or more of these frequently _stirring_ in their heart, though not _conquering_: yea, perhaps, _thrusting sore at them, that they_ may _fail: but the Lord is_ their _help_.

7. How exactly did _Macarius_, fourteen hundred years ago, describe the present experience of the children of God? “The unskilful (or unexperienced) when grace operates, presently imagine, they have no more sin. Whereas they that have discretion cannot deny, that even we who have the grace of God, may be molested again.――For we have often had instances of some among the brethren, who have experienced such grace, as to affirm that they had no sin in them. And yet after all, when they thought themselves entirely freed from it, the corruption that lurked within, was stirred up anew, and they were well nigh burnt up.”

8. From the time of our being _born again_, the gradual work of sanctification takes place. We are enabled _by the Spirit_ to _mortify the deeds of the body_, of our evil nature. And as we are more and more dead to sin, we are more and more alive to God. We go on from grace to grace, while we are careful to _abstain from all appearance of evil_, and are _zealous of good works, as we have opportunity, doing good to all men_. While we walk in all his ordinances blameless, therein worshipping him in spirit and in truth: while we take up our cross, and deny ourselves every pleasure, that does not lead us to God.

9. It is thus that we wait for entire sanctification, for a full salvation from all our sins, from pride, self-will, anger, unbelief; or, as the apostle expresses it, _go on to perfection_. But what is perfection? The word has various senses: here it means, perfect love. It is love excluding sin: love filling the heart, taking up the whole capacity of the soul. It is love _rejoicing evermore, praying without ceasing, in every thing giving thanks_.

II. But what is that _faith_ through _which we are saved_? This is the second point to be considered.

1. Faith in general is defined by the apostle ♦Ἔλεγχος πραγμάτων οὐ βλεπομένων _An evidence_, a divine _evidence and conviction_ (the word means both) _of things not seen_: not visible, not perceivable either by sight, or by any other of the external senses. It implies both a supernatural _evidence_ of God and of the things of God, a kind of spiritual _light_ exhibited to the soul, and a supernatural _sight_ or perception thereof: accordingly the scripture speaks of God’s giving sometimes light, sometimes a power of discerning it. So St. _Paul_. _God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ._ And elsewhere the same apostle speaks, _of the eyes of_ our _understanding being opened_. By this twofold operation of the Holy Spirit, having the eyes of our soul both _opened_ and _enlightened_, we see the things which the natural _eye hath not seen, neither the ear heard_. We have a prospect of the invisible things of God: we see the _spiritual world_, which is all round about us, and yet no more discerned by our natural faculties, than if it had no being: and we see the _eternal world_, piercing through the veil which hangs between time and eternity. Clouds and darkness then rest upon it no more, but we already see the glory which shall be revealed.

2. Taking the word in a more particular sense, faith is a divine evidence and conviction, not only that _God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself_; but also that _Christ loved_ me, _and gave himself for_ me. It is by this faith, (whether we term it, the _essence_, or rather a _property_ thereof) that we _receive Christ_, that we receive him in all his offices, as our prophet, priest, and king. It is by this that he _is made of God unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption_.

3. “But is this the _faith of assurance_, or _faith of adherence_?” The scripture mentions no such distinction. The apostle says, _There is one faith, and one hope of our calling_, one Christian, saving faith, as _there is one Lord_, in whom we believe, and _one God and Father of us all_. And it is certain, this faith necessarily implies an _assurance_ (which is here only another word for _evidence_, it being hard to tell the difference between them) that _Christ loved_ me, _and gave himself for_ me. For _he that believeth_, with the true, living faith, _hath the witness in himself. The Spirit witnesseth with his spirit, that he is a child of God. Because_ he is a _Son, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into his heart, crying Abba, Father_: giving him an assurance that he is so, and a child-like confidence in him. But let it be observed, that, in the very nature of the thing, the assurance goes before the confidence. For a man cannot have a child-like confidence in God, till he knows, he is a child of God. Therefore confidence, trust, reliance, adherence, or whatever else it be called, is not the first, as some have supposed, but the second branch or act of faith.

4. It is by this faith we _are saved_, justified and sanctified, taking that word in its highest sense. But how are we justified and sanctified by faith? This is our third head of enquiry. And this being the main point in question, and a point of no ordinary importance, it will not be improper, to give it a more distinct and particular consideration.

III. 1. And first, how are we justified by faith? In what sense is this to be understood? I answer, faith is the condition, and the only condition of justification. It is the condition: none is justified but he that believes; without faith no man is justified. And it is the only condition; this alone is sufficient for justification. Every one that believes is justified, whatever else he has or has not. In other words: no man is justified, ’till he believes: every man when he believes is justified.

2. “But does not God command us to _repent_ also? Yea, and to _bring forth fruits meet for repentance_? To _cease_, for instance, _from doing evil_, and _learn to do well_? And is not both the one and the other of the utmost necessity? Insomuch, that if we willingly neglect either, we cannot reasonably expect to be justified at all? But if this be so, how can it be said, that faith is the only condition of justification?”

God does undoubtedly command us, both to repent, and to bring forth fruits meet for repentance: which if we willingly neglect, we cannot reasonably expect to be justified at all: therefore both repentance, and fruits meet for repentance, are in some sense necessary to justification. But they are not necessary in the _same sense_ with faith, nor in the _same degree_. Not in the _same degree_; for those fruits are only necessary _conditionally_; if there be time and opportunity for them. Otherwise a man may be justified without them, as was the _thief_ upon the _cross_: (if we may call him so; for a late writer has discovered, that he was no _thief_, but a very honest and respectable person!) But he cannot be justified without faith: this is impossible. Likewise let a man have ever so much repentance, or ever so many of the fruits meet for repentance, yet all this does not at all avail: he is not justified ’till he believes. But the moment he believes, with or without those fruits, yea, with more or less repentance, he is justified. Not in the _same sense_; for repentance and its fruits are only _remotely_ necessary, necessary in order to faith: whereas faith is _immediately_ and _directly_ necessary to justification. It remains, that faith is the only condition, which is _immediately_ and _proximately_ necessary to justification.

3. “But do you believe, we are sanctified by faith? We know you believe, that we are justified by faith: but do not you believe, and accordingly teach, that we are sanctified by our works?”

So it has been roundly and vehemently affirmed, for these five and twenty years. But I have constantly declared just the contrary: and that in all manner of ways. I have continually testified in private and in public, that we are sanctified, as well as justified, by faith. And indeed the one of those great truths does exceedingly illustrate the other. Exactly as we are justified by faith, so are we sanctified by faith. Faith is the condition, and the only condition of sanctification, exactly as it is of justification. It is the condition; none is sanctified but he that believes; without faith no man is sanctified. And it is the only condition: this alone is sufficient for sanctification. Every one that believes is sanctified, whatever else he has, ♦or has not. In other words: no man is sanctified till he believes: every man when he believes is sanctified.

4. “But is there not a repentance consequent upon, as well as a repentance previous to, justification? And is it not incumbent on all that are justified, to be _zealous of good works_? Yea, are not these so necessary, that if a man willingly neglect them, he cannot reasonably expect, that he shall ever be sanctified in the full sense, that is, _perfected in love_? Nay, can he _grow_ at all _in grace, in the_ loving _knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ_? Yea, can he retain the grace which God has already given him? Can he continue in the faith which he has received, or in the favour of God? Do not you yourself allow all this, and continually assert it? But if this be so, how can it be said, that faith is the only condition of sanctification?”

5. I do allow all this, and continually maintain it, as the truth of God. I allow, there is a repentance consequent upon, as well as a repentance previous to justification. It is incumbent on all that are justified, to be zealous of good works. And these are so necessary, that if a man willingly neglect them, he cannot reasonably expect, that he shall ever be sanctified. He cannot _grow in grace_, in the image of God, the mind which was in Christ Jesus. Nay, he cannot retain the grace he has received, he cannot continue in faith, or in the favour of God.

What is the inference we must draw herefrom? Why, that both repentance, rightly understood, and the practice of all good works, works of piety, as well as works of mercy, (now properly so called, since they spring from faith) are in some sense necessary to sanctification.

6. I say, “Repentance rightly understood.” For this must not be confounded with the former repentance. The repentance consequent upon justification is widely different from that which is antecedent to it. This implies no guilt, no sense of condemnation, no consciousness of the wrath of God. It does not suppose any doubt of the favour of God, or any _fear that hath torment_. It is properly a conviction wrought by the Holy Ghost, of the _sin_ which still _remains_ in our heart, of the φρόνημα σαρκός· _the carnal mind_, which “does still _remain_,” as our church speaks, “even in them that are regenerate:” altho’ it does no longer _reign_, it has not now dominion over them. It is a conviction of our proneness to evil, of an _heart bent to backsliding_, of the still-continuing tendency of the _flesh_ to _lust against the spirit_. Sometimes, unless we continually watch and pray, it lusteth to pride, sometimes to anger, sometimes to love of the world, love of ease, love of honour, or love of pleasure more than of God. It is a conviction of the tendency of our heart to self-will, to atheism, or idolatry: and above all to unbelief, whereby in a thousand ways, and under a thousand pretences, we are ever _departing_, more or less, _from the living_ God.

7. With this conviction of the sin _remaining_ in our hearts, there is joined a clear conviction of the sin remaining in our lives, still _cleaving_ to all our words and actions. In the best of these we now discern a mixture of evil, either in the spirit, the matter or the manner of them: something that could not endure the righteous judgment of God, were he _extreme to mark what is done amiss_. Where we least suspected it, we find a taint of pride or self-will, of unbelief or idolatry: so that we are now more ashamed of our best duties, than formerly of our worst sins: and hence we cannot but feel, that these are so far from having any thing meritorious in them, yea so far from being able to stand, in sight of the divine justice, that for those also we should be guilty before God, were it not for the blood of the covenant.

8. Experience shews, that together with the conviction of sin _remaining_ in our hearts and _cleaving_ to all our words and actions, as well as the guilt which on account thereof we should incur, were we not continually sprinkled with the atoning blood; one thing more is implied in this repentance, namely a conviction of our helplessness, of our utter inability to think one good thought, or to form one good desire; and much more to speak one word aright, or to perform one good action, but thro’ his free, almighty grace first preventing us, and then accompanying us every moment.

9. “But what good works are those, the practice of which, you affirm to be necessary to sanctification.” First, all works of piety, such as public prayer, family prayer, and praying in our closet: receiving the supper of the Lord: searching the scriptures, by hearing, reading, meditating: and using such a measure of fasting or abstinence, as our bodily health allows.

10. Secondly, All works of mercy, whether they relate to the bodies or souls of men: such as feeding the hungry, cloathing the naked, entertaining the stranger, visiting those that are in prison, or sick, or variously-afflicted: such as the endeavouring to instruct the ignorant, to awaken the stupid sinner, to quicken the lukewarm, to confirm the wavering, to comfort the feeble-minded, to succour the tempted, or contribute in any manner to the saving of souls from death. This is the repentance, and these the fruits meet for repentance, which are necessary to full sanctification. This is the way wherein God hath appointed his children to wait for compleat salvation.

11. Hence may appear the extreme mischievousness of that seemingly innocent opinion, That “there is no sin in a believer; that all sin is destroyed, root and branch, the moment a man is justified.” By totally preventing that repentance, it quite blocks up the way to sanctification. There is no place for repentance, in him who believes there is no sin either in his life or heart. Consequently there is no place for his being _perfected in love_ to which that repentance is indispensably necessary.

12. Hence it may likewise appear, that there is no possible danger in _thus_ expecting full salvation. For suppose we were mistaken, suppose no such blessing ever was, or can be attained, yet we lose nothing: nay, that very expectation quickens us in using all the talents which God has given us; yea, in improving them all, so that when our Lord cometh, he will _receive_ his _own with increase_.

13. But to return. Tho’ it be allowed, That both this repentance and its fruits are necessary to full salvation, yet they are not necessary either in the _same sense_ with faith, or in the _same degree_: not in the _same degree_; for these fruits are only necessary _conditionally_, if there be time and opportunity for them, otherwise a man may be sanctified without them. But he cannot be sanctified without faith. Likewise let a man have ever so much of this repentance, or ever so many good works, yet all this does not at all avail: he is not sanctified till he believes. But the moment he believes, with or without those fruits, yea, with more or less of this repentance, he is sanctified. Not in the _same sense_; for this repentance and these fruits are only _remotely_ necessary, necessary in order to the continuance of his faith, as well as the increase of it: whereas faith is _immediately_ and _directly_, necessary to sanctification. It remains, that faith is the only condition, which is _immediately_ and _proximately_ necessary to sanctification.

14. “But what is that faith whereby we are sanctified, saved from sin and perfected in love?” It is a divine evidence and conviction, 1. That God hath promised it in the holy scripture. Till we are throughly satisfied of this, there is no moving one step further. And one would imagine, there needed not one word more, to satisfy a reasonable man of this, than the ancient promise, _Then will I circumcise thy heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord your_ God _with all your heart, and with all your soul_. How clearly does this express the being perfected in love? How strongly imply the being saved from all sin? For as long as love takes up the whole heart, what room is there for sin therein?

15. It is a divine evidence and conviction, secondly, That what God hath promised he is _able_ to perform. Admitting therefore that _with men it is impossible_, to bring a clean thing out of an unclean, to purify the heart from all sin, and to fill it with all holiness, yet this creates no difficulty in the case, seeing _with_ God _all things are possible_. And surely no one ever imagined it was possible to any power less than that of the Almighty! But if God speaks, it shall be done. God saith, _Let there be light: and there is light_.

16. It is, thirdly, a divine evidence and conviction that he is able and willing to do it _now_. And why not? Is not a moment to him, the same as a thousand years? He cannot want more time to accomplish whatever is his will. And he cannot want or stay for any more _worthiness_ or _fitness_ in the persons he is pleased to honour. We may therefore boldly say, at any point of time, _Now is the day of salvation_. To-day, _if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Behold! All things are now ready! Come unto the marriage!_

17. To this confidence, That God is both able and willing to sanctify us _now_, there needs to be added one thing more, a divine evidence and conviction, That _he doth_ it. In that hour it is done. God says to the inmost soul, _According to thy faith, be it unto thee_! Then the soul is pure from every spot of sin; _it is clean from all unrighteousness_. The believer then experiences the deep meaning of those solemn words, _If we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin_.

18. “But does God work this great work in the soul _gradually_ or _instantaneously_?” Perhaps it may be gradually wrought in some: I mean, in this sense. They do not advert to the particular moment, wherein sin ceases to be. But it is infinitely desirable, were it the will of God, that it should be done instantaneously; that the Lord should destroy sin _by the breath of his mouth_, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. And so he generally does, a plain fact, of which there is evidence enough to satisfy any unprejudiced person. _Thou_ therefore look for it every moment. Look for it in the way above described; in all those _good works_ whereunto thou art _created anew in Christ Jesus_. There is then no danger: you can be no worse, if you are no better for that expectation. For were you to be disappointed of your hope, still you lose nothing. But you shall not be disappointed of your hope: it will come, and will not tarry. Look for it then every day, every hour, every moment. Why not this hour, this moment? Certainly you may look for it _now_, if you believe it is by faith. And by this token you may surely know, whether you seek it by faith or by works. If by works, you want something to be done _first: before_ you are sanctified. You think, “I must first _be_ or _do_ thus or thus.” Then you are seeking it by works unto this day. If you seek it by faith, you may expect it _as you are_: and if as you are, then expect it now. It is of importance to observe, that there is an inseparable connexion between these three points, expect it _by faith_, expect it _as you are_, and expect it _now_! To deny one of them is to deny them all: to allow one, is to allow them all. Do _you_ believe, we are sanctified by faith? Be true then to your principle; and look for this blessing just as you are, neither better, nor worse; as a poor sinner, that has still nothing to pay, nothing to plead, but _Christ died_. And if you look for it as you are, then expect it _now_. Stay for nothing: why should you? Christ is ready. And he is all you want. He is waiting for you: he is at the door! Let your inmost soul cry out,

“Come in, come in, thou heavenly guest!
Nor hence again remove;
But sup with me, and let the feast
Be everlasting love.”

SERMON XLIV.

ORIGINAL SIN.
GEN. vi. 5.

_And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth,
and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was
only evil continually._

1. HOW widely different is this from the fair pictures of human nature, which men have drawn in all ages! The writings of many of the antients abound with gay descriptions of the dignity of man: whom some of them paint as having all virtue and happiness in his composition, or at least, entirely in his power, without being beholden to any other being: yea, as self-sufficient, able to live on his own stock, and little inferior to God himself.

2. Nor have Heathens alone, men who were guided in their researches by little more than the dim light of reason, but many likewise of them that bear the name of Christ, and to whom are intrusted the oracles of God, spoke as magnificently concerning the nature of man, as if it were all innocence and perfection. Accounts of this kind have particularly abounded in the present century: and perhaps in no part of the world more, than in our own country. Here not a few persons of strong understanding, as well as extensive learning, have employed their utmost abilities to shew, what they termed, “The fair side of human nature.” And it must be acknowledged, that if their accounts of him be just, man is still but _a little lower than the angels_, or (as the words may be more literally rendered) _a little less than_ God.

3. Is it any wonder, that these accounts are very readily received by the generality of men? For who is not easily persuaded to think favourably of himself? Accordingly writers of this kind are almost universally read, admired, applauded. And innumerable are the converts they have made, not only in the gay, but the learned world. So that it is now quite unfashionable to talk otherwise, to say any thing to the disparagement of human nature: which is generally allowed, notwithstanding a few infirmities, to be very innocent and wise and virtuous.

4. But in the mean-time, what must we do with our bibles; for they will never agree with this. These accounts, however pleasing to flesh and blood, are utterly irreconcileable with the scriptural. The scripture avers, that _by one man’s disobedience, all men were constituted sinners_: that _in_ Adam _all died_, spiritually died, lost the life and the image of God: that fallen, sinful _Adam_ then _begat a son in his own likeness_: nor was it possible he should beget him in any other: for _who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean_? That consequently _we_ as well as other men _were by nature, dead in trespasses and sins, without hope, without_ God _in the world_, and therefore _children of wrath_: that every man may say, _I was shapen in wickedness, and in sin did my mother conceive me_: that _there is no difference, in that all have sinned, and come short of the glory of_ God: of that glorious image of God, wherein man was originally created. And hence, when _the_ Lord _looked down from heaven upon the children of men, he saw they were all gone out of the way_, they were _all together become abominable, there was none righteous, no not one_, none that truly _sought after_ God: just agreeable this, to what is declared by the Holy Ghost, in the words above recited, God _saw_ when he looked down from heaven before, _that the wickedness of man was great in the earth_: so great, that _every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually_.

This is God’s account of man: from which I shall take occasion, _first_, To shew what men were before the flood; _secondly_, To enquire, Whether they are not the same now? And, _thirdly_, To add some inferences.

I. 1. I am, _first_, By opening the words of the text, to shew, what men were before the flood. And we may fully depend on the account here given. For God saw it, and he cannot be deceived. He _saw that the wickedness of man was great_. Not of this or that man; not of a few men only: not barely of the greater part, but of _man in general_, of men universally. The word includes the whole human race, every partaker of human nature. And it is not easy for us to compute their numbers, to tell how many thousands and millions they were. The earth then retained much of its primeval beauty and original fruitfulness. The face of the globe was not rent and torn, as it is now: and spring and summer went hand in hand. ’Tis therefore probable, it afforded sustenance for far more inhabitants, than it is now capable of sustaining; and these must be immensely multiplied, while men begat sons and daughters for seven or eight hundred years together. Yet among all this inconceivable number, _only_ Noah _found favour with_ God. He alone (perhaps including part of his houshold) was an exception from the universal wickedness, which by the just judgment of God, in a short time after brought on universal destruction. All the rest were partakers in the same guilt, as they were in the same punishment.

2. God _saw all the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart_――Of his soul, his inward man, the spirit within him, the principle of all his inward and outward motions. He _saw all the imaginations_. It is not possible to find a word of a more extensive signification. It includes whatever is formed, made, fabricated within; all that is, or passes in the soul: every inclination, affection, passion, appetite; every temper, design, thought. It must of consequence include every word and action, as naturally flowing from these fountains: and being either good or evil, according to the fountain from which they severally flow.

3. Now God _saw that all_ this, the whole thereof _was evil_, contrary to moral rectitude; contrary to the nature of God, which necessarily includes all good; contrary to the divine will, the eternal standard of good and evil: contrary to the pure, holy image of God, wherein man was originally created, and wherein he stood when God surveying the works of his hands, saw them _all_ ♦to be _very good_: contrary to justice, mercy and truth, and to the essential relations which each man bore to his Creator and his fellow creatures.

4. But was there not good mingled with the evil? Was there not light intermixt with the darkness? No, none at all: God _saw that the whole imagination of the heart_ of man was only _evil_. It cannot indeed be denied, but many of them, perhaps all, had good motions put into their hearts. For the Spirit of God did then also _strive with man_, if haply he might repent: more especially during that gracious reprieve, the hundred and twenty years, while the ark was preparing. But still _in his flesh dwelt no good thing_: all his nature was purely evil. It was wholly consistent with itself, and unmixt with any thing of an opposite nature.

5. However it may still be matter of enquiry, “Was there no intermission of this evil? Were there no lucid intervals, wherein something good might be found in the heart of man?” We are not here to consider, what the grace of God might occasionally work in his soul. And abstracted from this, we have no reason to believe, there was any intermission of that evil. For God who _saw the whole imagination of the thoughts of his heart to be_ only _evil_, saw likewise, that it was always the same, that it _was only evil_ continually: every year, every day, every hour, every moment. He never deviated into good.

II. Such is the authentic account of the whole race of mankind, which he who knoweth what is in man, who searcheth the heart and trieth the reins, hath left upon record for our instruction. Such were all men before God brought the flood upon the earth. We are, _secondly_, to enquire, Whether they are the same now?

1. And this is certain, the scripture gives us no reason, to think any otherwise of them. On the contrary, all the above-cited passages of scripture, refer to those who lived after the flood. It was above a thousand years after, that God declared by _David_ concerning the children of men, _They are all gone out of the way_ of truth and holiness, _there is none righteous, no, not one_. And to this bear all the prophets witness, in their several generations. So _Isaiah_, concerning God’s peculiar people, (and certainly the Heathens were in _no better_ condition) _The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot, even unto the head, there is no soundness, but wounds and bruises and putrifying sores._ The same account is given by all the apostles, yea, by the whole tenor of the oracles of God. From all these we learn, concerning man in his natural state, unassisted by the grace of God, that _all the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart_ are still _evil, only evil_, and that _continually_.

2. And this account of the present state of man, is confirmed by daily experience. It is true, the natural man discerns it not: and this is not to be wondered at. So long as a man born blind, continues so, he is scarce sensible of his want. Much less, could we suppose a place where all were born without sight, would they be sensible of the want of it. In like manner, so long as men remain, in their natural blindness of understanding, they are not sensible of their spiritual wants, and of this in particular. But as soon as God opens the eyes of their understanding, they see the state they were in before; they are then deeply convinced, that _every man living_, themselves especially, are by nature _altogether vanity_, that is, folly and ignorance, sin and wickedness.

3. We see, when God opens our eyes, that we were before ἄθεοι ἐν κόσμῳ· _without_ God, or rather _Atheists in the world_. We had by nature no knowledge of God, no acquaintance with him. It is true, as soon as we came to the use of reason, we learned _the invisible things of_ God, _even his eternal power and Godhead, from the things that are made_. From things that are seen, we infered the existence of an eternal, powerful Being, that is not seen. But still, although we acknowledged his being, we had no acquaintance with him. As we know there is an Emperor of _China_, whom yet we do not know; so we knew, there was a King of all the earth; yet we know him not. Indeed we could not; by any of our natural faculties. By none of these could we attain the knowledge of God. We could no more perceive him by our natural understanding, than we could see him with our eyes. For _no one knoweth the Father but the Son, and he to whom the Son willeth to reveal him. And no one knoweth the Son but the Father, and he to whom the Father revealeth him._

4. *We read of an antient king, who being desirous to know, what was the _natural language_ of men, in order to bring the matter to a certain issue, made the following experiment. He ordered two infants as soon as they were born, to be conveyed to a place prepared for them, where they were brought up without any instruction at all, and without ever hearing an human voice. And what was the event? Why, that when they were at length brought out of their confinement, they spake no language at all; they uttered only inarticulate sounds, like those of other animals. Were two infants in like manner to be brought up from the womb, without being instructed in any religion, there is little room to doubt, but (unless the grace of God interposed) the event would be just the same. They would have no religion at all: they would have no more knowledge of God, than the beasts of the field, than _the wild ass’s colt_. Such is _Natural religion_! Abstracted from traditional, and from the influences of God’s Spirit.

5. And having no knowledge, we can have no love of God: we cannot love him we know not. Most men _talk_ indeed of loving God, and perhaps imagine they do. At least, few will acknowledge they do not love him: but the fact is too plain to be denied. No man loves God by nature, any more than he does a stone, or the earth he treads upon. What we love, we delight in: but no man has naturally any delight in God. In our natural state, we cannot conceive, how any one should delight in him. We take no pleasure in him at all: he is utterly tasteless to us. To love God! It is far above, out of our sight. We cannot, naturally, attain unto it.

6. *We have by nature not only no love, but no fear of God. It is allowed indeed, that most men have, sooner or later, a kind of senseless, irrational fear, properly called _superstition_, though the blundering _Epicureans_ gave it the name of _religion_. Yet even this is not natural, but acquired; chiefly by conversation or from example. By nature, God _is not in all our thoughts_: we leave him to manage his own affairs, to sit quietly, as we imagine, in heaven, and leave us on earth to manage ours. So that we have no more of the fear of God before our eyes, than of the love of God in our hearts.

7. Thus are all men _Atheists in the world_. But Atheism itself does not screen us from _idolatry_. In his natural state, every man born into the world is a rank idolater. Perhaps indeed we may not be such in the vulgar sense of the word. We do not, like the idolatrous Heathens, worship molten or graven images. We do not bow down to the stock of a tree, to the work of our own hands. We do not pray to the angels or saints in heaven, any more than to the saints that are upon the earth. But what then? We _have set up_ our _idols in_ our _hearts_: and to these we bow down and worship them: we worship ourselves, when we pay that honour to ourselves which is due to God only. Therefore all _pride_ is idolatry: it is ascribing to ourselves what is due to God alone. And altho’ pride was not made for man, yet where is the man that is born without it? But hereby we rob God of his unalienable right, and idolatrously usurp his glory.

8. *But pride is not the only sort of idolatry, which we are all by nature guilty of. _Satan_ has stamped his own image on our heart in _self-will_ also. _I will_, said he, before he was cast out of heaven, _I will sit upon the sides of the north_. I will do my own will and pleasure, independently on that of my Creator. The same does every man born into the world say, and that in a thousand instances. Nay, and avow it too, without ever blushing upon the account, without either fear or shame. Ask the man, “Why did you do this?” He answers, “Because I had a mind to it.” What is this but, “Because it was my will;” that is in effect, because the devil and I are agreed: because _Satan_ and I govern our actions, by one and the same principle. The will of God mean-time is not in his thoughts, is not considered in the least degree: although it be the supreme rule of every intelligent creature, whether in heaven or earth, resulting from the essential, unalterable relation, which all creatures bear to their Creator.

9. *So far we bear the image of the devil, and tread in his steps. But at the next step we leave _Satan_ behind, we run into an idolatry whereof he is not guilty: I mean, _Love of the world_, which is now as natural to every man, as to love his own will. What is more natural to us, than to seek happiness in the creature, instead of the Creator? To seek that satisfaction in the works of his hands, which can be found in God only? What more natural than the desire of the flesh? That is, of the pleasure of sense in every kind? Men indeed talk magnificently of despising these low pleasures, particularly men of learning and education. They affect to sit loose to the gratification of those appetites, wherein they stand with a level with the beasts that perish. But it is mere affectation: for every man is conscious to himself, that in this respect he is by nature a very beast. Sensual appetites, even those of the lowest kind, have, more or less, the dominion over him. They lead him captive, they drag him to and fro, in spite of his boasted reason. The man, with all his good breeding and other accomplishments, has no pre-eminence over the goat: nay, it is much to be doubted, whether the beast has not the pre-eminence over him? Certainly he has, if we may hearken to one of their modern oracles, who very decently tells us.

“Once in a season, beasts too taste of love:
Only the beast of reason is its slave,
And in that folly drudges all the year.”

A considerable difference indeed, it must be allowed, there is between man and man, arising (beside that wrought by preventing grace) from difference of constitution, and of education. But notwithstanding this, who, that is not utterly ignorant of himself, can here cast the first stone at another? Who can abide the test of our blessed Lord’s comment on the seventh commandment? _He that looketh on a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart._ So that one knows not which to wonder at most, the ignorance or the insolence of those men, who speak with such disdain of them that are overcome by desires, which every man has felt in his own breast! The desire of every pleasure of sense, innocent or not, being natural to every child of man.

10. *And so is _the desire of the eye_, the desire of the pleasures of the imagination. These arise either from great, or beautiful, or uncommon objects: if the two former do not coincide with the latter; for perhaps it would appear upon a diligent enquiry, that neither _grand_ nor _beautiful_ objects please, any longer than they are _new_: that when the novelty of them is over, the greatest part, at least, of the pleasure they give is over; and in the same proportion as they become familiar, they become flat and insipid. But let us experience this ever so often, the same desire will remain still. The inbred thirst continues fixt in the soul: nay the more it is indulged, the more it increases, and incites us to follow after another, and yet another object; altho’ we leave every one with an abortive hope, and a deluded expectation. Yea

“The hoary fool, who many days
Has struggled with continued sorrow,
Renews his hope, and fondly lays
The desperate bet upon to-morrow!

“To-morrow comes! ’Tis noon! ’Tis night!
This day like all the former flies:
Yet on he goes, to seek delight
To-morrow, till to-night he dies!”

11. *A third symptom of this fatal disease the love of the world, which is so deeply rooted in our nature, is _the pride of life_, the desire of praise, of _the honour that cometh of men_. This the greatest admirers of human nature allow to be strictly natural: as natural as the sight or hearing, or any other of the external senses. And are they ashamed of it, even men of letters, men of refined and improved understanding? So far from it, that they glory therein! They applaud themselves for their love of applause! Yea, eminent _Christians_, so called, make no difficulty of adopting the saying of the old, vain Heathen, _Animi dissoluti est & nequam negligere quid de se homines sentiant_: “Not to regard what men think of us, is the mark of a wicked and abandoned mind.” So that to go calm and unmoved _thro’ honour and dishonour_, thro’ _evil report and good report_, is with them a sign of one that is indeed _not fit to live; away with such a fellow from the earth_. But would one imagine, that these men had ever heard of Jesus Christ or his apostles? Or that they knew who it was that said, _How can ye believe, who receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour which cometh of_ God _only_? But if this be really so, if it be impossible to believe, and consequently to please God, so long as we _receive_ or _seek honour one of another, and seek not the honour which cometh of_ God _only_: then in what a condition are all mankind! The Christians as well as Heathens! Since they all _seek honour one of another_! Since it is as natural for them so to do, themselves being the judges, as it is to see the light which strikes upon their eye, or to hear the sound which enters their ear: yea, since they account it the sign of a virtuous mind, to seek the praise of men; and of a vicious one, to be content with _the honour that cometh of_ God _only_!

III. 1. I proceed to draw a few inferences from what has been said. And, _first_, from hence we may learn one grand, fundamental difference between Christianity, considered as a system of doctrines, and the most refined Heathenism. Many of the ancient Heathens have largely described the vices of particular men. They have spoken much against their covetousness or cruelty, their luxury or prodigality. Some have dared to say, That “no man is born without vices, of one kind or another.” But still, as none of them were apprized of the fall of man, so none of them knew of his total corruption. They knew not, that all men were empty of all good, and filled with all manner of evil. They were wholly ignorant of the entire depravation of the whole human nature, of every man born in the world, in every faculty of his soul, not so much by those particular vices, which reign in particular persons, as by the general flood of Atheism and idolatry, of pride, self-will and love of the world. This therefore is the first, grand, distinguishing point between Heathenism and Christianity. The one acknowledges, That many men are infected with many vices, and even born with a proneness to them; but supposes withal, that in some the natural good much overbalances the evil. The other declares, That all men are _conceived in sin_, and _shapen in wickedness_: that hence there is in every man a _carnal mind, which is enmity against_ God, _which is not, cannot be subject to_ his _law_, and which so infects the whole soul, that _there dwelleth in_ him, _in his flesh_, in his natural state, _no good thing_; but _all the imagination of the thoughts of his heart_, is _evil_, only _evil_, and that _continually_.

2. Hence we may, _secondly_, learn, That all who deny this, call it _original sin_, or by any other title, are but Heathens still, in the fundamental point which differences Heathenism from Christianity. They may indeed allow, That men have many vices: that some are born with us: and that consequently we are not born altogether so wise or so virtuous, as we should be: there being few that will roundly affirm, “We are born with as much propensity to good as to evil, and that every man is by nature as virtuous and wise, as _Adam_ was at his creation.” But here is the shibboleth: is man by nature filled with all manner of evil? Is he void of all good? Is he wholly fallen? Is his soul totally corrupted? Or, to come back to the text, Is _every imagination of the thoughts of his heart only evil continually_? Allow this and you are so far a Christian. Deny it, and you are but an Heathen still.

3. *We may learn from hence, in the _third_ place, what is the proper nature of religion, of the religion of Jesus Christ. It is Θεραπεία ψυχῆς· God’s method of healing a soul which is _thus diseased_. Hereby the great Physician of souls applies medicines to heal _this sickness_; to restore human nature, totally corrupted in all its faculties. God heals all our Atheism, by the knowledge of himself, and of Jesus Christ whom he hath sent; by giving us faith, a divine evidence and conviction of God and of the things of God: in particular, of this important truth, Christ loved _me_, and gave himself for _me_. By repentance and lowliness of heart, the deadly disease of pride is healed: that of self-will by resignation, a meek and thankful submission to the will of God. And for the love of the world in all its branches, the love of God is the sovereign remedy. Now this is properly religion, _faith_ thus _working by love_, working the genuine, meek humility, entire deadness of the world, with a loving, thankful acquiescence in and conformity to the whole will and word of God.

4. Indeed if man were not thus fallen, there would be no need of all this. There would be no occasion for this work of the heart, this _renewal in the spirit of our mind_. The _superfluity of godliness_ would then be a more proper expression than the _superfluity of naughtiness_. For an outside religion without any godliness at all, would suffice to all rational intents and purposes. It does accordingly suffice, in the judgment of those who deny this corruption of our nature. They make very little more of religion than the famous Mr. _Hobbes_ did of reason. According to him, reason is only, “A well-ordered train of words:” according to them, religion is only a well-ordered train of words and actions. And they speak consistently with themselves: for if the inside be not _full of wickedness_, if this be clean already, what remains, but to _cleanse the outside of the cup_? Outward reformation, if their supposition be just, is indeed the one thing needful.

5. But ye have not so learned the oracles of God. Ye know, that he who seeth what is in man, gives a far different account both of nature and grace, of our fall and our recovery. Ye know that the great end of religion is, to renew our hearts in the image of God, to repair that total loss of righteousness and true holiness, which we sustained by the sin of our first parent. Ye know that all religion which does not answer this end, all that stops short of this, the renewal of our soul in the image of God, after the likeness of him that created it, is no other than a poor farce, and a mere mockery of God, to the destruction of our own soul. O beware of all those teachers of lies, who would palm this upon you for Christianity! Regard them not, altho’ they should come unto you with _all the deceivableness of unrighteousness_, with all smoothness of language, all decency, yea beauty and elegance of expression, all professions of earnest good will to you, and reverence for the holy scriptures. Keep to the plain, old _faith, once delivered to the saints_, and delivered by the Spirit of God to our hearts. Know your disease! Know your cure! Ye were born in sin: therefore _ye must be born again_, born of God. By nature ye are wholly corrupted: by grace ye shall be wholly renewed. _In_ Adam ye _all died_: in the second _Adam, in_ Christ ye _all are made alive_. You _that are dead in sins hath he quickened_: he hath already given you a principle of life, even _faith in_ him _who loved_ you, and _gave himself for_ you! Now _go on from faith to faith_, until your whole sickness be healed, and all that _mind be in you, which was also in_ Christ Jesus!

SERMON XLV.

THE NEW BIRTH.
JOHN iii. 7.

_Ye must be born again._

1. IF any doctrine within the whole compass of Christianity may be properly termed fundamental, they are doubtless these two, the doctrine of justification, and that of the new birth: the former relating to that great work, which God does _for us_, in forgiving our sins; the latter, to the great work, which God does _in us_, in renewing our fallen nature. In order of time, neither of these is before the other: in the moment we are justified by the grace of God, thro’ the redemption that is in Jesus, we are also _born of the Spirit_: but in order of thinking, as it is termed, justification precedes the new birth. We first conceive his wrath to be turned away, and then his Spirit to work in our hearts.

2. How great importance then must it be of to every child of man, throughly to understand these fundamental doctrines? From a full conviction of this, many excellent men have wrote very largely concerning justification, explaining every point relating thereto, and opening the scriptures which treat upon it. Many likewise have wrote on the new birth; and some of them largely enough: but yet not so clearly as might have been desired; nor so deeply and accurately: having either given a dark, abstruse account of it, or a slight and superficial one. Therefore a full, and at the same time, a clear account of the new birth seems to be wanting still: such as may enable us to give a satisfactory answer to these three questions, _first_, Why must we be born again? What is the foundation of this doctrine of the new birth? _Secondly_, How must we be born again? What is the nature of the new birth? And _thirdly_, Wherefore must we be born again? To what end is it necessary? These questions, by the assistance of God, I shall briefly and plainly answer, and then subjoin a few inferences which will naturally follow.