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1
PARISH CHURCII^§fe3^ffiELpSHT0N,
SOMERSET.
REV. JOSEPH BUSH, A. B.
Oi' WADHAM COLLEGE, OXFORD.
LONDON:
HAMILTON, ADAMS, & CO., PATERNOSTER ROW.
BRISTOL : H. OLDLAND, CORN STREET.
1842.
TO THE
PARISHIONERS OF LONG ASHTON.
My dear Friends,
I have published this little volume of Sermons as a
memorial of the ministry, which for five years I exercised
amongst you. It will be a pleasing reflection to my own
mind, when absent from you, that I shall still, in this
form, be present with you—silently preaching in your
own houses the same precious truths, which with my
living voice I delivered from the pulpit. There are many,
1 doubt not, to whom such a memorial of their former
Pastor will prove acceptable. My earnest prayer is, that
it may, by the grace and blessing of God, likewise prove
profitable. To every reader of its pages, whether in
Ashton, or elsewhere, may the Holy Spirit be vouchsafed
to apply the "word of truth"—to convince, to comfort,
to enlighten, and to sanctify.
I remain, my dear Friends,
Ever truly your well wisher,
Joseph Bush.
contents.
SERMON I.
Page
Redemption by Christ from the curse of
the law 1
SERMON II.
The "good work" once "begun"—is sure
to be "finished." 22
SERMON III.
The children's fear—confidence—and place
of refuge 43
SERMON IV.
The apostle's prayer for the Ephesian
church 67
SERMON V.
The heavenly washing 88
SERMON VI.
Brotherly love 109
SERMON VII.
Complete in Christ 127
SERMON VIII.
The heart 147
SERMON IX.
The sinner's refuge 169
SERMON X.
Election 186
SERMON XI.
The true Christian a citizen of heaven.. 205
SERMON XII.
Farewell address 222
redemption by christ from the curse of
the law.
Galatians iii. 13.
" Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law,
being made a curse for us: for it is written,
' Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.'"
It is a peculiarity belonging to the sacred scrip¬
tures, that they contain so much matter within
so small a compass; often revealing in a few
words the most sublime and comprehensive
truths — truths which " the angels desire to
look into," and which the " saints of God" will
contemplate with fresh admiration throughout
eternity. In no other writings do we find that
fulness which distinguishes the writings of in¬
spired men. A single verse of the Bible is not un-
ffequently a volume in itself. Our text presents
an example of this. The whole Gospel, the sum
and substance of Christianity, is condensed into
that short sentence, " Christ hath redeemed us
from the curse of the law, being made a curse
for us."
b
REDEMPTION BY CHRIST
From this peculiarity pertaining to the word
of God, we may deduce how we ought to read
it; not hurriedly and carelessly, as one might
read any common book; but with close and
deliberate attention. The scriptures are to be
searched and studied; to be well weighed and
examined; again and again to be perused and
pondered; if we would be enriched by them "in
all wisdom and spiritual understanding;" if we
would appropriate a large portion of the hidden
gold which they contain.
May the Lord be with us by His Spirit, and
bless us, whilst engaged in considering this text.
May we have grace to discern and to receive
the doctrines therein set forth. May sin be
made to appear to us " exceeding sinful;" Christ
" altogether lovely" and " precious."
Two leading points are presented for dis¬
course, viz. 1. our Ruin—2. our Remedy—Sin
our ruin, as having brought us under the curse
of the law—Christ our remedy, as having re¬
deemed us from that curse.
I. Our Ruin. That all men are by nature
in a state of sin, and consequently of ruin, the
scriptures most plainly declare. They tell us how
man was at first made upright and perfect, in
the very image of his Creator, but that he sinned,
and so ruined himself with all his posterity.
FROM THE CURSE OF THE LAW. 3
Adam, we are informed, was put under a law—
a law most simple in its requirement, but most
awful in its penalty. It required of Adam but
one thing, and that a very simple and easy thing;
viz. that he should refrain from the fruit of a
particular tree, which grew in the midst of the
garden. But if this simple requirement should
not be complied with, then the law denounced
the penalty of death. If the fruit of the forbidden
tree were tasted, or even touched, then Adam was
to die. "And the Lord God commanded the man,
saying, of every tree of the garden thou mayest
freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of
good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the
day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely
die."—Gen. ii. 16, IT. Such was the law, and
such the penalty. We know how it fared with
Adam—how he transgressed the law, and in¬
curred the penalty—how he took of the fruit,
and did eat, and so came under the curse. But
as it fared with Adam, so with us. We were all
in him as our representative and covenant-head.
Had he continued upright, we should be upright
at this day. But when he fell, we in him fell also.
The scripture saith, " in Adam all die"—which
amounts to saying, "in Adam all sinned," for
"the wages of sin is death." The reason why
infants die is that they sinned in Adam Thus
4
REDEMPTION BY CHRIST
" by one man sin entered into tbe world, and
death by sin, and so death passed upon all men,
for that all have sinned." We then, my brethren,
as the children of Adam, are partakers of his sin
and of his curse. We are by nature "children of
wrathwe were born into the world an accursed
seed. In this respect " there is no difference
the whole human race is involved in one common
ruin.
But besides our original sin, committed in
Adam, we are in our own persons guilty of many
actual sins; every one of which brings a curse
with it, and "deserves God's wrath and dam¬
nation." A law is given to us individually,
commonly called " the moral law"—the sum of
which is, "thou shalt love the Lord thy God
with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy
mind, and with all thy strength; and thy neigh¬
bour as thyself." " This law is spiritual." It
requires obedience, not in the letter only, but in
the spirit; not in outward action alone, but in
" the thoughts and intents of the heart." It
requires too a perfect obedience through the whole
of man's life. The smallest transgression of it,
even in thought, is sin—and " he that offendeth
in one point is held guilty of all." It likewise
denounces a curse upon them who do not con¬
stantly keep and obey it—saying," Cursed is every
FROM THE CURSE OF THE LAW. 5
one that continueth not in all things that are
written in the book of the law, to do them." Now
under this law we are all guilty of many actual
sins—day by day we offend in thought, word,
and deed. Our fallen nature cannot fulfil the
righteousness of the law; we labour under a
moral inability to do it. We, therefore, in our
own persons, as well as in Adam, are condemned
and accursed. The law still " worketh wrath"
—is still "the ministration of death." The pre¬
sent actual condition of all unregenerate men is,
that they lie " under the curse." Awful thought!
for let us just consider what this curse is. It is
called in scripture death—"the soul that sinneth
it shall die"—" the wages of sin is death." There
is temporal death, to which the body is subject,
and by which it returns to the dust, whence it
was taken. There is spiritual death, which passes
upon the soul, separating it from God, depriving
it of all will, desire, and affection toward God,
and holy communion with Him. There is also
eternal death, when both body and soul shall
be cast into hell, to be for ever banished from
God's presence, to hear and to suffer that terrific
sentence, " depart from me, ye cursed, into
everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his
angels." This death—temporal, spiritual, and
eternal—is the curse of the law, the penalty of
6
REDEMPTION BY CHRIST
sin; to this curse all are by nature subject, and
under it every unregenerate, unconverted sinner
does now actually be. It is of the utmost im¬
portance, my brethren, that we should know
and feel this fact—that we should be made fully
conscious of our lost and ruined state by nature.
For until we he convinced of tins, there can be
no true humility and self-abasement; we shall
still be puffed up with thoughts of our own
strength, our own righteousness, our own suffi¬
ciency; we shall still think ourselves to be
" something," when in reality we are " nothing."
Until we be thus convinced of our true state as
poor lost sinners, we cannot rightly estimate "the
unsearchable riches of Christwe cannot set a
proper value on His most precious blood; we
cannot feel the infinite debt of gratitude, which
we owe to Hun as our Redeemer. The chief
use of the law to fallen man is to condemn ; to
show him the guilt in which he is involved, and
the awful penalty which he has incurred. The
sleeping conscience is by these means awakened
and alarmed—the thunders of Mount Sinai peal
in the sinner's ears, the lightnings flash before
his eyes, the earthquake shakes his soul—he sees
himself by nature a condemned, an accursed
being—he feels that it is " a fearful thing to fab
into the hands of the bving God"—" the terrors
FROM THE CURSE OF THE LAW. 7
of the Lord" take hold of him—he looks out
earnestly for a refuge—lie cries, in self-despair,
" what must I do to be saved ?" He is now in
a state of mind to grasp the hope which the Gospel
throws out to drowning sinners; he is prepared
to receive Christ, as held forth and offered in
the word of reconciliation, an almighty and all-
merciful Saviour, able to save to the uttermost
them that come unto God by Him—as a Saviour
who hath made full atonement for sin, who hath
satisfied all demands of the law, who hath pur¬
chased, and will bestow, a complete salvation
upon every one that believeth. This is the chief
use of the law. It condemns and convinces of
sin. It alarms and awakens. It sweeps away
those " refuges of lies," those false hopes and
vain confidences, on which man is so prone to
rest. It prepares the heart for an humble and
thankful reception of Christ—"the law is our
schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we may
be justified by faith."
II. Having so far considered the first point
proposed, " our Ruin," let us turn, my brethren,
to that other and more pleasing one, " our Re¬
demption." " Christ hath redeemed us from
the curse of the law." These, indeed, are "glad
tidings of great joy"—this is the blessed intelli¬
gence which we, as ministers of the Gospel, as
8
REDEMPTION BY CHRIST
" ambassadors for Christ," are commissioned to
make known. If on the one hand we are bound
to declare, without compromise, the utter ruin of
man by sin; on the other hand we are privileged
to proclaim a perfect remedy effected by Christ,
and offered to all who feel their need of it, and
are willing to accept it.
" Christ hath redeemed us." Consider the
gracious and glorious Person here spoken of. It
is Christ—the only-begotten of the Father—
the Father's co-equal and co-eternal Son—the
" Word," who " in the beginning was with God,
and was God"—"who, being in the form of
God, thought it not robbery to be equal with
God, but made Himself of no reputation, and
took upon Him the form of a servant, and was
made in the likeness of men." He—the Word
"made flesh"—the God-Man—is that gracious
and glorious Person, our Redeemer. No other
indeed could be found equal to the work. He
must be man to represent the human race, and
to die a sacrifice for sin. He must be God, in
order to give that sacrifice its merit, to make it
satisfactory to divine justice as a propitiation for
sin, even the sin of the world. These require¬
ments, necessary in a Redeemer, Jesus had in
Himself—in Ilim " two whole and perfect na¬
tures, that is to say, the Godhead and manhood,
FROM THE CURSE OF THE LAW.
9
were joined together in one person, never to be
divided, whereof is one Christ, very God and
very man." Oh! what reason have we to bless
and praise Jehovah, to adore the exceeding riches
of His wisdom, grace, and love, in providing
such a Redeemer for this lost world—one so al¬
together suited to the exigences of the case—so
"mighty to save"—and that too His "only-be¬
gotten," "the Son of His love."
When Adam fell, and we in him, our condi¬
tion was desperate, our ruin irremediable, except
in one way, and by the intervention of one Per¬
son. There was not any among created beings,
either angel or archangel, who could interpose
between us and the broken law, to roll away its
curse from us. The eternal Son of the eternal
Father alone could do it. And oh! the mystery
of divine love! the infinite breadth and length
and depth and height! "God so loved the world,"
even this guilty ruined world, " that He gave His
only-begotten Son" for it; to redeem it, to save
it. This is indeed the "great mystery of godli¬
ness" " God manifest in the flesh"—a mystery
which the more we contemplate, the more our
minds are lost in wonder, and absorbed in praise.
From the glorious person of our Redeemer we
pass on to a brief consideration of His great work.
It is called redemption—a word of common use,
b 2
10
REDEMPTION BY CHRIST
and yet there are many perhaps, even here pre¬
sent, to whom it conveys no definite idea. It
may not, therefore, be amiss if we explain the
term, and furnish a simple definition of it. Re¬
demption, in its proper sense, is the buying back
of what has been sold or forfeited; the recovery
of any thing by the payment of a price. Thus a
forfeited inheritance is redeemed, when by the
payment of a sum of money it is restored to its
former possessor. In like manner slaves, or
prisoners of war, or persons condemned, are re¬
deemed, when a ransom-price being offered and
accepted they regain their liberty. The pay¬
ment of a price is essential to the idea of redemp¬
tion. Now we, as sinners, the children of fallen
Adam, have forfeited the estate originally given
us of God—through sin we have lost our title to
His favour, in which alone there is life and hap¬
piness. But Christ hath redeemed the lost in¬
heritance. He hath recovered for us a title, not
only to the original estate, but to one of far
superior value—and this He hath done by paying
the inestimable price of His own precious blood.
Again—we, as sinners, have become captives and
bondsmen—condemned criminals, upon whom
the law has pronounced its sentence of death.
But again, Christ hath redeemed us from the con¬
demnation and curse of the law; hath paid a full
FROM THE CURSE OF THE LAW. 11
and sufficient ransom for the prisoners; hath so
satisfied the claims of injured Justice, that she is
willing, yea, is bound, to let the captives go free.
" The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me," said our
Redeemer in the days of His flesh, "because the
Lord hath anointed me to preach glad tidings
unto the meek; He hath sent me to bind up the
broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to them that are
bound."—Isa. lxi. 1.
Such is our Redemption. W e are " bought with
a price." Our forfeited blessings, and far higher
than those we lost in Adam, are recovered to us.
Now, instead of perishing, as we must have
done without a Redeemer, we may, through the
satisfaction of His blood, and the merit of His
righteousness, enter into endless life and glory.
" In whom we have redemption through His
blood."—Eph. i. 7. "Neither by the blood of
bulls and of goats, but by His own blood. ...
having obtained eternal redemption for us."—
Heb. ix. 12. "Ye were not redeemed with cor¬
ruptible tilings, as silver and gold. .. .but with
the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without
blemish and without spot."—1 Peter i. 18.
We must here notice the particular way in
which, according to our text and the whole
tenor of scripture, Christ did redeem us from
12
REDEMPTION BY CHRIST
the curse of the law. It was by " being made a
curse for us." He was both the Redeemer, and
the price of redemption. " Who gave Himself a
ransom for all."—1 Tim. ii. 6. The work was
one of substitution. Christ became our substitute,
our surety. He stood in our place, hie bore our
sins in his own body. He died an accursed
death, even the death of the cross—" for it is
written, ' Cursed is every one that liangctli on a
tree? " The vials of God's wrath against sin
were emptied upon the head of this innocent
victim—the cup of fury was poured out to its
very dregs. It was this that caused Iris "agony
and bloody sweat" in the garden. It was this that
"wounded" and "bruised" him. It was this
that "pierced his hands and his feet." It was
this that wrung from his inmost soul the bitter
cry, " My God, my God, why hast Thou for¬
saken me." Such is the scriptural Hew of
Christ's sufferings and death. They were vicari¬
ous—endured in our stead—the punishment of
our sin. Satisfaction was thereby made to the
divine law. God was pleased to accept the death
of His beloved Son as a sufficient sacrifice for
sin—and it was in itself all-sufficient. There is a
merit in that " obedience unto death," enough to
counterbalance our guilt, and to make us even
just in the sight of God.
from the ctjrse of the law.
13
This doctrine of the imputation of sin, and of
Christ's " being made a curse for us," was sha¬
dowed forth in the sacrifices of the Levitical
dispensation. When a sacrifice was to be offered,
the animal was set before the altar; hands were
laid upon its head; and the sins of the party offer¬
ing were confessed over it. By this action the
guilt of the sinner was supposed to be transfer¬
red to the head of the innocent victim, which
was therefore treated as guilty, and put to death
as the sinner's substitute. The application of
this to Him, who is the substance of ceremonial
shadows, is obvious. He, "the Lamb of God,"
bore our sins, and died in our stead. " The Lord
laid upon Him the iniquity of us all"—"He was
wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised
for our iniquities"—" He who knew no sin was
made sin for us"—"He bare our sins in His
own body on the tree"—" He died the just for
the unjust to bring us to God."
A question now arises, in which we are indi¬
vidually and most nearly concerned; namely,
who are the persons that appropriate the bless¬
ings of redemption ? who are they that secure to
themselves the inheritance which Christ hath
purchased with His blood ? The question may
be answered in two words, "all believers"—
according to the tenor of that short but compre-
14
redemption by christ
hensive verse in the " Te Deum"—"for when
He had overcome the sharpness of death, He
opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.''''
By " believers" we mean, of course, those who
with the heart believe on Jesus ; those in whose
hearts the Spirit of grace hath wrought "repent¬
ance toward God and faith toward our Lord
Jesus Christ"-—the Spirit convincing them of sin,
of then- own guilt and helplessness—the Spirit
enlightening them in the knowledge of Christ,
as a Saviour suited to their need; as one able to
save, and no less willing than able—the Spirit
inclining them to apply to Christ; to obey his
call and come to him; to seek salvation at his
hands as a purchased blessing, as a free gift; to
commit their souls unto him to be washed, sanc¬
tified, justified; and, when " made meet," to be
"brought to glory." These are "believers"—
to them belong "the promises;" to them "per-
taineth the adoption;" they are the children of
God—"and if children, then heirs; heirs of God,
and joint-heirs with Christ." Faith is the ap¬
propriating principle. It is by faith, my brethren,
and faith only, that we can secure to ourselves
the benefits of Christ's death. If we be destitute
of a lively faith, we are " without Christ;" we
have no union with him; we have no interest
in him; his cleansing blood is not applied to
FROM THE CURSE OF THE LAW. 15
us ; we are yet in our sins—unwashed, unjusti¬
fied, unsanctified, unsaved. If, on the contrary,
we have faith, faith of the heart—then, being " in
Christ Jesus," there is "no condemnation" to
us—then we may say, with a feeling of personal
interest in the matter, " Christ hath redeemed
us from the curse of the law, being made a curse
for us"—then we may ask boldly, as regards
ourselves, " Who is he that condemneth ? it is
Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again,
who is even at the right hand of God, who also
maketh intercession for us." How well there¬
fore may it be called, as by St. Peter, "precious
faith."
Now we are expressly told that "faith cometh
by hearing." Hence arises the vast importance
ofpreaching. The ministry of the word is of divine
institution; and is the instrument which God
ordinarily employs in the conversion of souls.
There have always been, and there are especially
in the present day, those who cry down preach¬
ing as a mere human ordinance; and who cry
up the sacraments as "all in all." But such was
evidently not the mind of the great apostle. He
gloried in his office as a preacher; " unto me,"
he says, Eph. iii. 8, " who am less than the least
of all saints, is this grace given, that I should
preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches
16
REDEMPTION BY CHRIST
of Christ"—"for Christ sent me not to baptize
but to preach the Gospel;" 1 Cor. i. 17. Count
it, my brethren, one of your highest privileges
to enjoy a Gospel ministry, to have the pure
word of God preached amongst you; and oh!
that in your case "faith" may "come by hear¬
ing." "We preach Christ crucified." We point
to him as " the way, the truth, and the life."
We urge you to flee to him for refuge from the
wrath to come. We exhort you to believe on
him, and thus secure to yourselves all the bene¬
fits of his redemption. Close with the gracious
offers; accept the kind invitation ; choose " that
good part which shall not be taken away from
you." But if you still refuse; if you still put
these things from you; if you still neglect the
"great salvation," which cost no less a price than
the blood of Immanuel—think how ungrateful
your conduct, how infinite your loss! Who can
conceive the bitter anguish of the damned, when
" in hell tlicy lift up their eyes, being in tor¬
ments," and see "afar off" those joys and glories
which were once offered to theni, and pressed
upon their acceptance—but which now, through
their own blind and wilful rejection, are eternally
lost! I warn you, beloved, as one who watches
for youi souls, and must " give account"—I warn
you against further neglect of the Saviour. I
FROM THE CURSE OF THE LAW. 17
beseech you to obey at length his oft-repeated
calls; to come now unto Christ; even now,
whilst he is to be found, whilst he is in the
way; for, "behold, now is the accepted time;
behold, now is the day of salvation."
I would also address a word of exhortation to
those, of whom I doubt not there are some
amongst us, who are seeking to be "justified by
the works of the law"—who, instead of depend¬
ing wholly and solely on the merits of Christ for
salvation, are " going about to establish their
own righteousness ;" are resting, partly at least,
on their own works for justification and accept¬
ance with God. My brethren, I would deal
very plainly with you. I desire to "tell you the
truth" with faithfulness and with affection. Be¬
lieve me, you are spending your strength for
nought; you are building up that which must
he cast down and swept away; you are leaning
on a broken reed, which will pierce your hand;
you are attempting to do an impossibility. For
you cannot be justified by the works of the law,
either in whole or in part; you cannot keep the
law for a single day, no, nor for a single hour ;
your whole life is a tissue of transgression, one
dark blot of sin. You can get nothing from the
law but its condemnation and its curse. If you
shall ever be justified before God it must be
18
REDEMPTION BY CHRIST
"only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ by faith, and not for your own
works and deservings."—Article 11. Do you
not see that a leading object in St. Paul's epistles
is to prove and maintain this doctrine, especially
in his epistles to the Romans and the Galatians?
" Therefore we conclude," he says, " that a man
is justified by faith, without the deeds of the
law."—Rom. iii. 28. "For by the works of the
law shall no flesh be justified"—" that no man
is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is
evident; for, 'the just shall live by faith.'"—
Gal. ii. 16,—iii. 11. Do you not also consider,
that by thus keeping yourselves " under the
law," seeking justification Rom it, you are really
keeping yourselves " under the curse"—" for as
many as are of the works of the law are under
the curse: for it is written, ' cursed is every
one that continueth not in all things that are
written in the book of the law to do them?' "—
Gal. iii. 10. I do exhort you, therefore, to cast
away all your legal and self-righteous depend¬
ences ; to take yourselves from under the law,
and by an act of faith to put yourselves under
Christ; for if you truly believe in Him, you are
" not under the law, but under graceyou are
made free from the law as a covenant of works,
and are brought under the Gospel covenant, the
FROM THE CURSE OF THE LAW. 19
covenant of grace. This is "our liberty, which
we have in Christ Jesus."—Gal. ii. 4. " The
liberty wherewith Christ doth make us free."—
Gal. v. 1. "If the Son, therefore, shall make
you free, ye shall he free indeed."—John viii.
36. Cease, then, from your own works, which
can profit you nothing. Cease to build upon the
sand a house which must fall. Hear what the
Lord saith unto you by the mouth of His prophet
—" wherefore do ye spend your money for that
which is not bread ? and your labour for that
which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto
me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your
soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear,
and come unto me; hear, and your soul shall
live: and I will make an everlasting covenant
with you, even the sure mercies of David."—
Isa. lv. 2, 3.
Lastly—a word of congratulation and of ex¬
hortation to you, my beloved brethren in the
Lord, who belong to the blessed company of the
faithful; in whose hearts Christ is formed "the
hope of glory." You are in truth the "blessed of
the Lord." What abundant reasons have you
to rejoice—to rejoice in the character of your
Redeemer, so infinite alike in power and love—
to rejoice also in your own high privileges, as
His redeemed; in your freedom from the law,
20
REDEMPTION BY CHRIST
its condemnation and curse; in your liberty of
access to God as a reconciled Father; in your
present enjoyment of communion with Him, who
is the fountain of life and happiness; in your
future prospect of the " fulness of joy" in His
heavenly presence, and of the "pleasures" which
are " at His right hand" for evermore.
Again—what powerful motives have you for
living unto God; for walking before Him in
holiness and righteousness all your days. You
know that such is His will—"for this is the
will of God, even your sanctifcation."—1 Thess.
iv. 3. And ought not gratitude to constrain you
to desire and to seek the accomplishment of His
will. You have been redeemed from the curse
of the law—for what ? that you should love and
serve sin? God forbid. No—ye were redeemed
that sin might " not have dominion over you"—
but " that now being made free from sin, and
become servants to God, ye might have your
fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life."
—Rom. vi. 22.
Oh! then let the love of Christ constrain you,
and thus judge, " that if one died for all, then
were all dead; and that He died for all that
they which live should not henceforth live unto
themselves, but unto Him which died for them,
and rose again."—2 Cor. v. 15. Let the follow-
FROM THE CURSE OF THE TAW. 21
ing scripture be engraven on your hearts., and
practically written out in your lives, "ye are not
your own—ye are bought with a price—there¬
fore glorify God in your body and in your spirit
which are God's."—1 Cor. vi. 20.
SERMON II.
the "good work" once "begun" is sure
to be "finished."
Philippians i. 6.
" Being confident of this very thing, that He who hath
begun a good work in you will perform it until the
day of Jesus Christ."
St. Paul, in writing to the churches, generally
begins his epistles by commending whatsoever in
their state was commendable; such as their faith,
their patience, their love; never omitting to
thank God for it, as "the God of all grace,"
"the Father of lights," from whom " every good
gift, and every perfect gift" corneth down. Thus
in the beginning of his epistle to the Philippian
church, he says, " I thank my God, upon every
remembrance of you, for your fellowship in the
Gospel from the first day until now." Then im¬
mediately follows, in the words of the text, what
must have brought great comfort to their hearts;
namely, an assurance of God's faithfulness in
carrying on and completing the "good work,"
THE GOOD WORK, ETC.
23
which in His rich mercy He had begun in them
—"being confident of this very thing, that He
who hath begun a good work in you will per¬
form it until the day of Jesus Christ."
A distant prospect is here opened to the eyes
of the spiritual man, the true believer. He may
look far beyond this present lioui', and see even
to the end of his earthly career. He may, by
anticipation, behold himself as having " done all,"
as having "fought the good fight," as having
"finished the course," as having "kept the faith,"
and as at last receiving "an incorruptible crown,"
" the prize of his high calling of God in Christ
Jesus." Whatsoever trials and temptations may
await him—whatsoever difficulties, dangers, and
distresses may lie between him and his rest—
whatsoever bufferings of Satan or persecutions of
the world he may have yet to encounter—still if
he sees with the eyes of faith and hope, he can
look through and beyond all these, and discern
" afar off" the final success, the eventual tri¬
umph, which shall make him " more than con¬
queror" through Christ "that loved him."
Such was the confidence of St. Paul with
regard to the "saints in Christ Jesus," which
were at Philippi. He believed, and openly
declared his belief, that God having " begun a
good work in them," would not leave nor forsake
24 the good work once begun
it; that having sealed them as His own, and
given the " earnest of the Spirit in their hearts,"
God would not fail to bring them safely through
all the perils of the wilderness to that land of
promise, that "purchased possession," which He
hath " prepared for them that love Him." The
same blessed assurance may every true Christian
enjoy with regard to himself—oh! that it were
enjoyed more commonly and more constantly!
I purpose, by God's assistance, to discourse
further on the subject of our text under the
three following heads.
I. What is the "good work" both in its rise
and its progress.
II. What is meant by God's performing it
"until the day of Jesus Christ."
III. What is our ground of confidence that
when once "begun" it will be thus "performed."
We are then to consider first of all, what
is the "good work"—both in its rise and its
progress. The "good work" may be described
in one word as conversion. It is a work wrought
in the heart. The Holy Spirit is the agent. The
Spirit of God works upon the understanding,
the will, and the affections of man—works an
"inward and spiritual" change; a change so
thorough, so universal, that the man is said to
be " born again," to be a " new man," a " new
IS SURE TO BE FINISHED.
25
creature ; " " old things are passed away; behold
all things are become new."—2 Cor. v. 17.
Conversion literally means a turning; and
when used in a spiritual sense signifies the
turning of the soul to God. By nature man is
turned from God—his hack and not his face is
toward God—he does not seek God but shuns
His presence, and delights to live at a distance
from Hun, The reason of this is, that man's
heart by nature is " alienated" from God—he
has no affection, no desire for Him—he cannot
regard the holy God hi the light of a Friend
and a Father, but looks upon Him as an enemy
—" the carnal mind," i. e. the mind of man by
nature', is not love—no—nor yet indifference—
but it is even " enmity against God."—Rom. viii.
7. Thus there is in every one descended from
Adam a natural aversion or turning from God—
as we see Adam himself immediately after the
fall fleeing from his Maker's face, and shunning
that holy presence in which he once found his
chief happiness. The heart of man then being
by nature thus "alienated" from God—being
not only without love toward Him, but even full
of enmity against Him—a conversion of the heart
becomes necessary—the natural heart of man
must be changed, the whole " spirit of his mind
renewed"—his will and his affections must have
c
26
THE GOOD WORK ONCE BEGUN,
an entirely new turn given to them. This is
essential to the salvation of a sinner—"ye must
he born again "—" that which is horn of the flesh
is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is
spirit."—John iii. 6. " Except ye be converted,
ye cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven."—
Matt, xviii. 3. " According to His mercy He
saved us by the washing of regeneration, and re¬
newing of the Holy Ghost."—Titus iii. 5. This
" good work" God, by His Spirit, begins and
perfects in the soids of His elect people. He
changes, He turns them—He gives the "new
heart," and puts a " new spirit" within them.
They could not do this work for themselves—
no man ever yet quickened his own soul—no
man ever yet turned to God of his own free will
and accord.
Such is the view which Scripture gives, and
which our Church takes. The tenth Article,
being on free will, speaks thus: " The condition
of man after the fall of Adam is such, that he
cannot turn and prepare himself, by his own
natural strength and good works, to faith and
calling upon God: wherefore we have no power
to do good works pleasant and acceptable to God,
without the grace of God by Christ preventing
us, that we may have a good will, and working
with us when we have that good will." The
IS SURE TO BE FINISHED.
27
prayer of every awakened and enlightened soul
will be this, " Turn Thou me, and I shall be
turned"—" draw me, and I shall run after Thee."
Moreover this is the promise of God to His
people—" a new heart will I give you, and a
new spirit will I put within you; and I will take
away the stony heart out of your flesh, and will
give you an heart of flesh; and I will put My
Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My
statutes, and ye shall keep My judgments, and
do them; and ye shall be My people, and I will
be your God."—Ezek. xxxvi. 26—28. Thus
the salvation of Israel is of the Lord—the "good
work" is altogether the work of His grace—" it
is God who worketh in them both to will and to
do of His good pleasure." He converteth their
souls—He turneth them "from darkness to light,
and from the power of Satan unto God."
The "good work," in its rise and progress,
generally follows a certain order. It begins,
for the most part, with serious convictions,
which lead on to genuine repentance. The sub¬
ject of converting grace is at first awakened out
of nature's sleep—the eyes of his understanding
are enlightened to discern spiritual things—to
discern something of the infinite holiness and
majesty of God—to discern something of the
spirituality of the divine law, how it reaches to
28
THE GOOD WORK ONCE BEGUN,
the inmost thoughts and affections of the heart,
requiring a perfect obedience in the spirit as
well as in the letter, and pronouncing a curse
upon every, even the least, transgression—to
discern likewise something of his own sinfulness
and vileness, how manifold have been, and still
are, his short-comings and actual violations of
thu' law, how he stands justly exposed to the
■wrath of a righteous God. Such are generally
speaking the first steps in conversion—new views
are entertained of God, of His law, of sin—the
soul becomes alarmed at the knowledge of its true
state and standing as a guilty being at the bar of
the great Judge—the conscience grows troubled
with a sense of uncancelled guilt—the load is
felt to be grievous, the burden intolerable—a
burning thirst after God's pardoning mercy is
excited, a craving hunger for "peace with God"
—the cry of the soul is, " What must I do to be
saved?" "God be merciful to me a sinner."
This is the " godly sorrow " which " worketh
repentance unto salvation, not to be repented
of"—this is the blessed beginning of a " good
work"—here is the "broken and contrite heart
which Thou, O God, wilt not despise"—here is
the " bruised reed " which Thou, O Saviour, wilt
"not break,"—here the "smoking flax" Thou
wilt "not quench." O happy tears, which flow
IS SURE TO BE FINISHED.
29
from the eyes of the penitent! they tell of the
rocky heart within smitten by the rod of power,
and sending forth the living stream—angels re¬
joice at such a sight—for " there is joy in the
presence of the angels of God over one sinner
that repenteth."—Luke xv. 10.
But the soul which is thus made sad, is not
left to mourn without hope. The Spirit, who
convinces of sin and wounds the heart, is ready
also to fulfil the office of a "Comforter;" to bind
up the broken-hearted, to pour in oil and wine,
to comfort them that mourn. And this the Spirit
does by leading the convinced and contrite sin¬
ner to Jesus—He directs the eyes which weep
with a "godly sorrow" to the cross, and says,
"Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away
the sin of the world." The Spirit reveals " Christ
and Him crucified" to the awakened soul—dis¬
plays the infinite merits of that cross and passion,
the all-sufficiency of that righteous blood as an
atonement, a propitiation for sin. The Spirit of
truth, thus leading the contrite sinner to Christ,
calls to his mind the gracious promises of God in
Christ—promises of pardon and eternal salvation
" to every one that believeth." Moreover the Spi¬
rit gives him the power of faith—enables him to
believe—to trust for acceptance with God in the
finished work of Christ, in the merits of that
"obedience unto death, even the death of the
30 THE GOOD WORK ONCE BEGUN,
cross." This is faith—under a sense of our own
guilt and helplessness, thus to rest for salvation
on the alone merits of our crucified Redeemer.
This is "faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ,"
consequent upon " repentance toward God."
But we must yet advance one step further.
The penitent sinner, having been " led by the
Spirit" to believe in Christ, is justified; his sins
are forgiven; he is " accepted in the Beloved
he is no more an enemy to God, but a child.
Now therefore he can love God. He can regard
him in the light of a reconciled Bather—as a
God, who indeed " is love." The enmity of the
carnal mind is subdued. The aversion is over¬
come. The feeling which now subsists between
the soul and God is a feeling of peace and love.
This child-like love leads to dutiful obedience.
It makes the law of God our delight—the per¬
formance of his will our pleasurable pursuit. It
draws us, as by a golden cord, from sin, and to
holiness.
These appear to be the regular links in the
chain of conversion, the several steps in the
"good work"—repentance leading to faith—faith
working by love—the result, dutiful obedience;
which, though never perfect in this life, yet,
springing from the principles of faith and love,
is "acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." We
proceed now to consider,
IS SURE TO BE FINISHED.
31
II. What is meant by God's "performing"
this "good work" "until the day of Jesus Christ."
It is meant, that God, having begun a work of
grace and conversion in the soul, will carry it on
and complete it: that He will never leave nor
forsake the work, until that day when grace shall
be swallowed up of glory—even "the day of
Jesus Christ." As God is the "Author" of the
good work, so He is the "Finisher" Thus
David says, " The Lord will perfect that which
concerneth me; Thy mercy, 0 Lord, is for ever
and ever; forsake not the work of Thine own
hands."—Psalm cxxxviii. 8. It is indeed abso¬
lutely necessary that God should carry on what
He has begun; otherwise the work would very
soon come to nought. No man ever yet either
made his own soul to live, or kept his own soul
alive. God must do both.
Grace in the soul is like a spark kept alive in
the midst of the ocean. Inward corruptions and
outward temptations, like the multitudinous waves,
threaten every moment to extinguish it. Its
preservation in all and through all is a continued
miracle—a work which nothing short of divine
power could accomplish. But divine power does
accomplish it: God does preserve the vital spark,
yea, and will preserve. He suffers his people to
be tried and tempted, and even " cast down,"
32 THE GOOD WORK ONCE BEGUN,
but "not to be destroyed." In the time of their
extremity He is at hand to succour; to snatch
them from the pit, which openeth her mouth to
devour. "The steps of a good man are ordered
of the Lord; though he fall, he shall not be
utterly cast down, for the Lord upholdeth him
with his right hand."—Psalm xxxvii. 24. " He
brought me up out of an horrible pit, out of the
miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and
established my goings."—Psalm xl. 2. "Rejoice
not against me, 0 mine enemy; when I fall I
shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord
shall be a light unto me."—Micah vii. 8. Thus
the people of God, being set in the midst of so
many and great dangers, and being compassed
about with so much infirmity, may fall, and too
often do fall. But, when fallen, they are not left
to themselves, to he there and perish: they are
raised up and restored: they are "renewed again
unto repentancethey are recovered from the
gates of hell. The Spirit of God strives with
them once more, and once more prevails. They
hear and obey His persuasive voice, calling and
exhorting them by the scripture, " 0 Israel, re¬
turn unto the Lord thy God; for thou hast fallen
by thine iniquity; take with you words, and turn
to the Lord: say imto him, ' Take away all ini¬
quity, and receive us graciously.' "—Iiosea xiv.
IS SURE TO BE FINISHED. S3
1, 2. They, through grace, obey these godly
motions of the Spirit; they see and mourn over
their own sin and folly; like the prodigal, they
" come to themselvesthey " arise and go to
their Father." And this is the "precious pro¬
mise" God makes to them by the mouth of his
prophet, " I will heal their backsliding, I will
love them freely; for mine anger is turned away.
I will be as the dew unto Israel; he shall grow
as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon."
—Hosea xiv. 4, 5.
One reason, no doubt, why God's people are
allowed so often to backslide and fall into sin is,
that they may thus become more thoroughly ac¬
quainted with the " deceitfulness" and " desperate
wickedness" of then own hearts—may be hum¬
bled at the remembrance of their weakness and
vileness, maybe led to distrust their own strength,
and to rely solely on the Lord Jesus for both
" righteousness and strength." Also that they
may taste the bitterness of sin, and know from
sad experience that there is no comfort to be
found out of the way of holy obedience. For it
happens to them according to the word of God:
" Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and
thy backslidings shall reprove thee; know there¬
fore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter
that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and
c Q
34 THE GOOD WORK ONCE BEGUN,
that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord of
hosts."—Jer. ii. 19. There is perhaps nothing
which produces in the believer's mind such a
hatred and abhorrence of sin as his frequent
departures from God: nothing humbles him so
much, so completely casts down his self-confi¬
dence. He finds at the same time abundant
cause for thankfulness to God, who is so long-
suffering towards him, so faithful; who still
" restoreth" his soul, and leadeth him " in the
paths of righteousness for His name's sake."
Thus the " good work" which God hath be¬
gun, God also will carry on. The spark of grace
which He hath kindled in the soul, He will not
suffer to be overborne and extinguished. Those
whom He hath "chosen in Christ," whom He
hath called and converted by His Spirit, He will
keep and " preserve unto His heavenly king¬
dom." It forms part of our Saviour's last prayer
on earth for his people, " Holy Father, keep
through thine own name those whom thou hast
given me."—John xvii. 11. In like manner all
they who shall inherit the kingdom of heaven
are spoken of by the apostle Peter, as being
" kept by the power of God through faith unto
salvation."—1 Peter i. 5.
But Ave may yet further remark that not only
does God preserve grace in the soul, He also
IS SURE TO BE FINISHED.
35
increases it; the " good work" He not only
maintains, but also advances toward perfection.
As we read, "He giveth more grace''''—"for
whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he
shall have more abundance." God makes his
people to proceed " from strength to strength."
God makes his children to " grow in grace"—
from being " babes in Christ," to grow up into
"youngmen"—andfrom youngmen to "fathers."
He makes them to increase in knowledge, in
faith, in humility, in love, and to abound yet
more and more in all the fruits of the Spirit. He
makes them more " skilful in the word of right¬
eousness ;" more experienced in the use of the
Christian armour; more courageous and resolute,
more patient and persevering in the warfare
against sin, the world, and the devil. He makes
them to be more weaned in affection from earth
and earthly things; to be more heavenly and
spiritually-minded; more truly desirous of per¬
fect holiness; and so more meet for that heaven,
whose very atmosphere is holiness.
Thus grace is not only preserved, but also
increased. God not only maintains the " good
work" once begun, but also advances it daily
toward perfection; day by day sanctifying His
people, even to the end of their lives. He never
leaves them, nor forsakes them. In their darkest
36 THE GOOD WORK ONCE BEGUN,
and worst seasons He is watching over them,
and waiting to do them good. " Behold He that
keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep."
And when at length " the day of Jesus Christ"
shall dawn—" that day " so often and so glori¬
ously spoken of in scripture—when " He that
shall come will come, and will not tarry"—
" when the Lord himself shall descend from
heaven with a shout, with the voice of the arch¬
angel, and with the trump of God, and the dead
in Christ shall rise first"—then, " in that day,"
shall the top-stone be brought out, and the work
of redemption be finally crowned; for then " shall
this corruptible put 011 incorruption, and this
mortal shall put on immortality," and the spirits
of the just made perfect shall be reunited each
to its own body, no longer a " vile body," but
" changed and fashioned like unto Christ's glo¬
rious body." This is the "crown"—the "incor¬
ruptible crown"—the " crown of righteousness,"
the " crown of glory"—which is held out to
believers as the "prize of their high calling of
God in Christ Jesus." " Henceforth there is
laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which
the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at
that day: and not to me only, but to all them
that love his appearing."—2 Tim. iv. 8. " And
when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall
IS SURE TO BE FINISHED.
37
receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away."
—1 Peter iv. 4.
The point which now remains to be considered
is,
III. "What are our grounds of confidence that
the good work when once begun will be thus
performed ? The apostle asserts his own confi¬
dence on this point; "being confident," he says,
" of this very thing." The grounds of confidence
which we shall notice are two, viz. the faithful¬
ness and the power of God.
1. The faithfulness of God. Truth is one of
the divine attributes and perfections: " God is
not a man that He should lieHe " cannot lie
" Thy counsels of old," saith the prophet, " are
faithfulness and truth." Now God, as revealed
in scripture, is a covenant God—a God who hath
bound Himself by covenant. The covenant is
an " everlasting covenant," dated "from ever¬
lasting to everlasting." The parties engaged in
it are the three Persons of the eternal Trinity,
God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy
Ghost. By that covenant the Father hath given
to the Son an elect people for his inheritance—
hath engaged to " deliver from curse and damna¬
tion those whom He hath chosen in Christ out
of mankind, and to bring them by Christ to
everlasting salvation, as vessels made to honour."
38 the good work once begun,
This covenant a faithful God will fulfil to the
very letter. He is fulfilling it day by day. His
Spirit is sent forth to quicken the souls which
have thus been given as an heritage to Christ—
to call out from the world, to convert, and sanc¬
tify a peculiar people unto him, who shall believe
on him, and love liim, and obey him. All those
in whose hearts the Spirit of God hath " begun"
the good work of conversion and grace are
" children of the covenant." They have a token
Avithin them that their " names are written in
heaven"—that they belong to the blessed num¬
ber whom the Father hath given to the Son.
In Christ God is their covenant-God. He has
undertaken to quicken them when " dead in
sin," and having quickened to preserve them,
even unto his heavenly kingdom. The faithful¬
ness of God is therefore concerned in the per¬
formance of the good work, which He hath
begun in them. For if one of them after all
should fail of salvation—if one should perish—
then the covenant would be broken, and the
God of truth be made a liar. Accordingly Ave
find our Saviour thus speaking, " All that the
Father giveth me shall come to me, and him that
cometh to me I Avill in no Avise cast out. For I
came doAvn from heaven not to do mine oavu
Avill, but the will of him that sent me. And this
IS SURE TO RE FINISHED.
39
is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of
all which he hath given me I should lose nothing,
but should raise it up again at the last day. And
this is the will of him that sent me, that every
one which seeth the Son and believeth on him,
may have everlasting life: and I will raise him
up at the last day."—John vi. 37—40. We
conclude then that the faithfulness of God to his
covenant made with Christ, and with all believers
" in Christ," affords the strongest ground of con¬
fidence that the good work begun in them will
assuredly be finished. " I the Lord change not."
" I will not suffer my faithfulness to fail; my
covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing
that is gone out of my lips." We might add, if
necessary, with a view to strengthen our confi¬
dence, the " exceeding great and precious pro¬
mises," which God under this covenant has made
to his believing people: which promises He has
confirmed by an oath ; " that by two immutable
things (His promise and His oath,) in which it is
impossible for God to lie, we might have strong
consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold
on the hope set before us."—Heb. vi. 18.
2. The power of God is the second ground of
confidence we have to notice. It sometimes
happens among men that they promise what
they have not power to perform. But it is not
so with God. His faithfulness and His power
40 the good work once begun,
are both alike infinite. " What He has promised
He is able also to perform." The believer has
omnipotence on his side. What! though his
enemies be many and mighty—outward tempta¬
tions powerful, inward corruptions strong—him¬
self mere weakness—what is all this ? A divine
and Almighty Saviour assures him, " My grace
is sufficient for thee"—"my strength is made
perfect in weakness"—" sin shall not have do¬
minion over you." The Lord by His Spirit can
so strengthen " with might in the inner man"
the weakest saint, as to make him " more than
conqueror" over sin, the world, death, and all
the forces of hell. To show how the power of
God is engaged for believers, and how secure it
makes them of eternal salvation, we may well
quote those words of our Lord, " My sheep hear
my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
and I give unto them eternal life, and they shall
never perish, neither shall any pluck them out
of my hand. My Father which gave them me is
greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them
out of my Father''s hands. I and my Father are
one."—John x. 27—30.
Thus the faithfidness and the power of a
covenant-God form an immoveable ground of
confidence, that the " good work" which He
begins in the soul, He will carry on, perform,
and finish in glory.
IS SURE TO BE FINISHED.
41
In conclusion—how careful and sincere should
we be, my brethren, in examining ourselves, to
see if the " good work" be yet begun in us.
Remember it must be "in you." No outward
change will suffice. An inward change, a con¬
version of the heart, a " renewing of the mind,"
is absolutely necessary. "Ye must be born
again." The Spirit of God operates within—
upon " the hidden man. of the heart." If we
have undergone a saving change—if we have
been brought to see and to feel differently to
what we once did; to see the evil and danger of
sin; to feel our need of a Saviour; to believe on
and love the Lord Jesus Christ; to desire and
pray for holiness—if so great a change has taken
place in our views and feelings, we must surely
be conscious of it. We may not, indeed, be able
to tell the precise time when it began; but we
shall be ready to say with him whom Jesus re¬
stored to sight, " one thing I know, that whereas
I was blind I now see."
Let me then exhort you, brethren, to be close
and candid in your self-examination. Be not
satisfied that a " good work" is " begun in you,"
unless there be satisfactory internal evidence;
unless you feel the Spirit working in your heart
a sense of sin, faith iu Christ, and earnest desires
after holiness. Take heed lest you build your
hope and your comfort on a false foundation.
42 the good work once begun, etc.
Many arc the professors, but comparatively few
the possessors of " true religion." Many deceive
themselves and others with the outward " form
of godliness," who are destitute of the inward
grace and power.
Let me, on the other hand, speak a word of
comfort and encouragement to humble penitents,
to weak believers. You mourn for sin; you see
and feel your vileness and wretchedness as sin¬
ners. Your eyes are directed to the cross; you
flee thither for refuge; you rest upon Christ's
blood and righteousness for justification and life;
you desire and pray to be made holy, to be per¬
fectly conformed to the image of your God.
Who is it that maketh you thus to feel ? It is
He, " from whom all holy desires, all good
counsels, and all just works do proceed"—it is
the Lord the Spirit. Be not backward to ac¬
knowledge the grace of God that is in you.
Though it be at present but a little grace, it is
the earnest of more. Though your repentance
be as yet but partial, your faith weak, and your
love languid, nevertheless you are "born of
God," and "his seed remaineth in you." Be
well assured, and rejoice in the assurance, " that
He which hath thus begun a good work in you,
will perform, will finish it, until the day of Jesus
Christ."
SERMON III.
the children's fear confidence and
place of refuge.
Proverbs xiv. 26.
" In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and his
children shall have a place of refuge."
The "fear of the Lord" is an expression of very
frequent occurrence in scripture. It is used to
denote true religion, or practical piety; which
consists in a principle of grace, operating in the
heart, and producing practical results in the life;
whereby the real Christian is led to hate and re¬
nounce sin, as being offensive to God—to desire
and follow after holiness, as being the will and
the way of God. This is the " fear of the Lord,"
of which so many and excellent things are spoken;
as for instance, " the fear of the Lord is the be¬
ginning of wisdom." — Psalm cxi. 10. " He
will fulfil the desire of them that fear Hun."—
Psalm cxlv. 19. " The fear of the Lord is a
fountain of life."—Prov. xiv. 27. " His salva¬
tion is high unto them that fear him."—Psalm
44 the children's fear, confidence,
lxxxv. 9. " By the fear of the Lord are riches
and honour."—Prov. xxii. 4. " There is no
want to them that fear Him."—Psalm xxxiv. 9.
Many such good things are spoken in scripture
of this "fear of the Lord." Indeed, as the term
itself is used to denote the whole substance of
vital godliness, so all the blessings of true reli¬
gion, both temporal and spiritual, are represented
as belonging to, and flowing from, it. When
the sacred historian, St. Luke, would describe
the prosperous state of the early churches, he
says, " Then had the churches rest throughout
all Judea and Galilee and Samaria, and were
edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord,
and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were
multiplied."—Acts ix. 31.
Instead of making any formal divisions of the
text, I shall treat the several parts of it in the
order in which they stand—looking up to Him,
"the Father of lights," "from whom cometh
down every good gift and every perfect gift," for
His grace and blessing on the word; that what
is preached "in much weakness" may by His
Spirit be applied " with power," to the sanctify¬
ing and saving of souls.
I. I shall endeavour, in the first place, to dis¬
tinguish between godly and carnal fear—between
that kind of fear which the righteous have, and
and place of refuge.
45
that by which worldly and wicked men are in¬
fluenced. For I need scarcely remark that there
is a fear which both wicked men and wicked
spirits feel. Thus we find it written in one
place, that as Paul "reasoned of righteousness,
temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trem¬
bled"—and again, in another place, "the devils
also believe and trembleThe fear of God
which worldly and wicked men experience, may
be described as a guilty—slavish—painful—
and hostile fear.
It is a guilty fear—guilt is upon their con¬
science. The atoning and all-cleansing blood of
Christ has never been "sprinkled" upon them
through faith; therefore the guilt of sin remains.
Flowever men may for the most part drown re¬
flection, and stifle serious thought; yet there are
seasons, especially in sickness or the prospect of
death, when a consciousness of guilt will press
heavily upon their minds, and fill them with
alarm. It is this indeed which makes death
appear to them as the " king of terrors." It is
not so much the idea that they are going to leave
the pleasures, gains, and comforts of this world,
though in fact this world is all their portion—it
is not the grief of separation from beloved friends
and relatives—it is not the pain of dying—it is
not the darkness and loneliness of the grave—it
46 the children's fear, confidence,
is an evil conscience that makes death terrible.
It is guilt that shudders and trembles at the
approach of death, because " after death the
judgment." Their fear of God is that of the
criminal entering the presence of the Judge—it
is a guilty fear.
Again—theirs is a slavish fear. They look
upon God as a hard master, whose yoke is not
easy, nor his burden light; whose command¬
ments are "grievous" — as one most strict in
taking account, most severe in punishing offend¬
ers. Therefore if they attempt to serve him at
all, it is in a " spirit of bondageit is because
they must, and not because they would; as a
necessary drudgery, and not as an agreeable
duty; it is with a view to avoid punishment, and
not from any desire to please him. They may
do much that seems to be religious—may fast
often, and say long prayers, and afflict the body,
and give all their goods to feed the poor—but
" one tiling" they lack—there is no principle of
love to God in their hearts. All the works and
services they perform are servile—are done from
feelings of fear, and motives altogether selfish.
They " fear God," but it is with a slavish fear.
Again—theirs is a painful fear. It is the
"fear," which St. John says, "hath torment."
It is an uneasy apprehensive feeling, destructive
and place of refuge.
47
of peace. It partakes of that which the apostle
describes as " a certain fearful looking for of
judgment and fiery indignation."—Heb. x. 27.
" The wicked are like the troubled sea when it
cannot rest; there is no peace, saith my God, to
the wicked."—Isaiah lvii. 20. They cannot en¬
joy any pleasing views of God, any views of His
gracious character as a God of love, as a recon¬
ciled God, a Father in Christ Jesus, a "just God
and a Saviour." They cannot "delight them¬
selves in the Lord"—they cannot say with the
Psalmist, " My meditation of Him shall he sweet :
I will be glad in the Lord." They do not love
to think upon God at all; and when the subject
is forced upon their thoughts, it is a painful
subject; not willingly and pleasurably dwelt
upon, but dismissed as soon as possible. They
fear Him with that fear which is an enemy to
peace, which pains and torments the soul.
Once more—theirs is an hostile fear. It
leads them to regard God, not as a Friend and
Father, ready to bless them; but as an Enemy
and Avenger. Consequently, whatever they
may profess with their lips, in their hearts they
hate Him. This is the case with all the unre-
generate, the unconverted—they both fear and
hate God. There is not a single exception to
the rule among all the sons and daughters of
48 the children's fear, confidence,
Adam. However good, and amiable, and moral,
and benevolent some may be, as compared with
others, yet even the best and loveliest, if still
"carnally-minded," still unrenewed in spirit, are
as much " enemies to God," and hate Him as
truly as the most abandoned and profligate of
men. There are many, I know, to whom this
will appear " a hard saying"—many who will
not only not receive it, but will reject it with
indignation and scorn. But whether it be re¬
ceived or rejected by man, it is the infallible
truth of God. It stands recorded in His word
so plainly, that he may run who reads, "the
carnal mind is enmity against God." The fear
therefore which carnal men have toward God, is
always mixed with enmity. It is a fear of His
great wrath and infinite power to punish sin,
conjoined with a rooted aversion to His holiness,
and a determined hostility to His law. It is a
fear which may most justly and properly be
termed an hostile fear.
But very different, and indeed entirely opposite,
is that "fear of the Lord" which the regenerate,
the righteous possess. Theirs is not the guilty,
slavish, painful, hostile feeling just described, in
which wicked men and wicked spirits alike par¬
ticipate ; but theirs is a filial feeling—a fear the
same in kind as that which exists in a child
and place of refuge.
49
toward a parent. There is in this filial fear, a
mixture of reverence, love, and dutifulness.
There is reverence. They who rightly "fear
the Lord," have a due sense of His glorious
majesty, of His supreme greatness. They regard
Him as "the blessed and only Potentate, the
King of kings, and Lord of lords; who only
hath immortality, dwelling in the fight which no
man can approach unto; whom no man hath
seen, nor can see; to whom be honour and glory
everlasting. Amen."—1 Tim. vi. 15, 16. They
see Him to be in heaven, " the high and lofty
One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is
Holy"—they see themselves to be on earth,
mean as creatures, vile as sinners—"but dust
and ashes." Whenever therefore they approach
unto God, it is with humility and reverence.
They feel the force of that saying of the Psalm¬
ist, " God is greatly to be feared in the assembly
of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all
them that are round about him."—Psalm lxxxix.
7. They feel the force too of that exhortation of
the apostle, " Let us have grace whereby we
may serve God acceptably with reverence and
godly fear."—Heb. xii. 28.
Again—there is love in their fear. Love in¬
deed is the very principle of their fear; the root
from which it springs. For if they did not love as
d
50 the children's fear, confidence,
children, neither would they fear as children—
but they do both. The reason is, that they look
upon God in that most delightful and endearing
character—the character of a Father. God
" sends forth the Spirit of his Son into their
hearts, whereby they cry, Abba, Father." " In
the face of Jesus Christ" they behold "the glory
of God." They see there all the divine attributes
harmonized in transcendant beauty. But bright¬
est of all, and shedding a radiance over all the
rest, they "perceive the love of God" shining
forth. The effect upon their hearts is to pro¬
duce love. "Beholding, as in a glass, the glory
of the Lord, they are changed into the same
image." " The love of God is shed abroad in
their hearts by the Holy Ghost." " They love
Him because He first loved them." It is this
which forms the chief distinction between carnal
and godly fear. The one is mixed with enmity,
the other with love—the one is that of a servant
toward a hard Master, the other is that of a child
toward a gracious Father.
Once more—there is dutifulness in their
fear. This will follow as a consequence from
what has just been said. For if as children they
love God, they will be truly desirous to obey his
will and keep his commandments. In his law
will be their delight—in his approbation and
AND PLACE OF REFUGE.
51
favour their "exceeding great reward." In like
manner if as children they fear God, there will
be a watchfulness and carefulness against sin—a
" godly jealousy" over themselves, lest they
should be practising in their lives, or cherishing
in then- hearts, that which God abhors. They
will fear to offend and displease their heavenly
Father; to do any thing which shall cause Him
to " turn away His face from them." They will
be anxious to know the Lord's will; diligent to
enquire and search it out, both by prayer and
study of his word. They will have ''respect
unto all his commandments"—not showing par¬
tiality—not choosing to do that part of the divine
will which costs but little self-denial, and declin¬
ing to do that which calls for much. They will
desire and sincerely endeavour—however far short
they may come of attaining it—to be found "walk¬
ing in all the commandments and ordinances of
the Lord blameless." Their frequent and fervent
prayer will be—" Make me to go in the path
of thy commandments; for therein do I delight.
Order my steps in thy word: and let not any
iniquity have dominion over me."—Psalm cxix.
35, 133.
Such then is the fear which the saints of God
possess. Its nature and qualities are best de¬
scribed by the term filial. There is nothing we
52 the children's fear, confidence,
know of, which so much resembles it, as the
feeling of a child toward a parent. It is a com¬
bination of reverence, love, and dutifttlness.
In proportion as the influence of this " godly-
fear" prevails in the heart, will its holy and
blessed effects be apparent in the life. The
Christian ought to live continually in such a
spirit and frame of mind; " be thou in the fear
of the Lord all the day long."—Prov. xxiii. 17.
Thus to live, is to live safely and comfortably in
the midst of manifold temptations and trials—for
as our text declares, " In the fear of the Lord is
strong confidence; and his children shall have a
place of refuge."
II. I come now to speak of that " strong
confidence" which it is their privilege to enjoy
who "fear the Lord." It is "confidence toward
God"—as St. John saith, "Beloved, if our heart
condemn us not, then have we confidence to¬
ward God"—that is, if we are sincere in our
religion, if we do truly and unfeignedly live in
the fear of God, walking in His holy ways, then
have we confidence toward Him—we feel a
sweet child-like confidence in His faithfulness,
power, and unchangeable love. This " confi¬
dence toward God" is a confidence of present
pardon and acceptance with Him—a confi¬
dence that our sins are forgiven "for Christ's
AND PLACE OF REFUGE.
53
sakethat we are justified; that we, who were
once " far off," are " brought nigh by the blood
of Christ;" who were once " alienated and
enemies," are now "reconciled;" that God is a
"Father unto us," and we his "sons and daugh¬
ters," his "dear children." This is a blessed
privilege, to which the believer has a present
right. He may and he should be thus confident
toward God—thus rejoice in the assurance of
His pardoning mercy, of His adopting grace and
love.
Furthermore—it is a confidence not only of
present pardon and acceptance with God, but
also of future preservation by His grace. It is
equally the privilege of believers to know that
they are justified, and that, being justified, they
shall he both sanctified, and in due time glori¬
fied. They are entitled to the full assurance,
that having been quickened by the Spirit, and
united to Christ by faith, they shall have grace
given them to persevere unto the end; shall
have strength ministered according to then time
of need; shall he enabled to triumph over sin,
the world, and the devil; shall be " kept by the
power of God through faith unto salvation."
They know that " faithful is He that calleth
them, who also will do it"—that " the gifts and
the calling of God are without repentance"—
54 the children's fear, confidence,
that " whom He loveth, He loveth unto the end"
—that to every one of his trusting people, He
saith, " I will never leave thee nor forsake thee."
They may therefore, and should be " confident
of this very thing, that He which hath begun a
good work in them, will perform it till the day
of Jesus Christ."
Such " confidence" is there " in the fear of the
Lord"—such " confidence toward God," as re¬
gards both the present and the future, have they
a right to entertain, who are the children of God,
and who live in a spirit of faith and filial fear.
And it is a " strong confidence the grounds
on which it rests are strong grounds. The saint's
confidence is grounded, not upon any thing in
himself, for he has " no confidence in the flesh,"
but upon God. It is grounded upon the cha¬
racter, and the promises, of God in Christ.
1. Upon the character of God in Christ. God
has revealed himself to us, in the person of his
Son, under a certain character, viz. as a " Just
God and a Saviour"—as One, whose infinite
justice has been so satisfied by the infinitely
meritorious Cross, that He can, consistently with
His eternal attributes, save sinners through
Christ—that He can be " Just, and the Justifier
of him which believeth in Jesus." This is the
blessed character of God in Christ. We see it
AND PLACE OF REFUGE.
55
110 where else exhibited but in the Cross. In
vain do we look for it in His works of creation:
there we behold the character of God displayed,
as one of infinite Wisdom, Goodness, and Power.
In vain do we look for it in His law: there we
see the character of God set forth, as one of infi¬
nite Holiness, Justice, and Truth. In the Cross
alone do we behold Him as being all this, and
something more. There we see Him as not only
infinitely Wise, Powerful, Holy, Just, and Good,
but also as a Saviour of sinners. This character
of God is the strong ground, on which the be¬
liever rests his confidence; on which he builds
his hope of being accepted, justified, and glorified.
2. The promises of God in Christ. He hath
given unto them that believe, " exceeding great
and precious promises"—promises of pardon,
grace, strength, comfort, the Holy Spirit—pro¬
mises of all they can require, or should desire, in
their pilgrimage through this world to a better.
Now " all the promises of God in him are yea,
and in him ameni. e. they are all good and
true; certain of being fulfilled, when pleaded in
faith; sure not to disappoint the hopes of those,
who have placed reliance on them. For " faithful
is He that promised"—" God is not a man that
He should He"—" it is impossible for God to He"
—"with Him is no variableness, neither shadow
56 the children's fear, confidence,
of turning, the same yesterday, to-day, and for
ever."
Such are the strong grounds on which the
saints' "confidence" rests—on the character, and
the promises, of God in Christ. These grounds
are indeed able to afford the believer " strong
confidence" toward God—"strong confidence" in
His love, His mercy, His power, His truth—
"strong confidence" of being accepted, justified,
and eternally saved. If there be some true
Christians, as unhappily there are too many, whose
confidence toward God is weak instead of "strong"
the reason must be looked for in themselves.
The cause of their constant doubting is within
them. Perhaps they are backsliding in heart, or
in life, from God—ceasing to walk in his faith,
fear, and love. If such be the case, they must,
and they ought to, lose their confidence. The
Scripture saith, " If our heart condemn us not,"
that is, if we be not conscious of allowed sin, if
we be sincere and upright and consistent walkers
in the truth, then have we " confidence toward
God." A feeling of confidence in a backsliding
state, in a state of known and indulged sin, is
gross presumption; it cometh not from above
but from beneath. Or again—these weak and
doubting Christians are, perhaps, labouring un¬
der a legal spirit; and this is a very general
and place of refuge. 57
cause of want of confidence. They are looking
to the law and their own works, and are making
them in some measure the ground of their hope
and comfort; instead of looking simply, and
trusting solely, to the finished and all-sufficient
work of Christ, his blood and righteousness, his
"obedience unto death, even the death of the
cross." They who have believed, and been
justified by faith, and enjoyed peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ, are yet often
tempted to yo back to the law, instead of ceasing
altogether from their own works; and to become
"entangled again with the yoke of bondage,"
instead of " standing fast in the liberty wherewith
Christ hath made them free." It was so with
the Galatians, to whom St. Paul wrote an epistle
expressly on the subject; pointing out the sin
and the folly of such a course. " But now," he
says, " after that ye have known God, or rather
are known of God, why turn ye back to the weak
and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again
to be in bondage."—Gal. iv. 9. "O foolish
Galatians, who hath bewitched you that ye should
not obey the truth?" "Are ye so foolish? hav¬
ing begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect
by the flesh?"—Gal. iii. 1, 3. A legal spirit is
destructive of child-like confidence toward God;
by it we are brought under the " spirit of bond-
d 2
58 the children's fear, confidence,
age again to fear," instead of enjoying that
" Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba,
Father." It cannot be too frequently impressed
on the believer—the necessity of his living by
faith, of his "looking unto Jesus" day by day,
and hour by hour. This is the only way in
which to maintain the "liberty" whereunto we
have been called—the only way in which to
preserve an evangelical peace of mind, and to
continue in the possession of that child-like con¬
fidence, which is as sweet as it is strong. Pray
then, beloved; wait upon God in prayer, for the
spirit of faith, the spirit of adoption; that so you
may constantly realize by your own happy ex¬
perience the truth of our text, " In the fear of
the Lord is strong confidence."
III. The latter clause of the text—" his
children shall have a place of refuge"—will
occupy the remainder of our discourse. "Child¬
ren of God" is the delightful appellation of the
saints. " I will be a Father unto you, and ye
shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord
Almighty."—2 Cor. vi. 18. " Behold what man¬
ner of love the Father hath bestowed on us, that
we shoidd be called the sons of God."—1 John
iii. 1. The children of God are so, not by
nature, but by adoption and grace. God " hav¬
ing predestinated them unto the adoption of
AND PLACE OF REFUGE.
59
children by Jesus Christ unto himself, according
to the good pleasure of his will."—Eph. i. 5. The
children of God are so, not by first birth, but by
regeneration, or second birth—" being born again,
not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible."—1
Peter i. 23.- "Born, not of blood, nor of the
will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of
God."—John i. 13. The children of God are
known by their character and fruits. The "fruit
of the Spirit" is found in them. They are dis¬
tinguished from the world by their faith, love,
and holiness. It is written, "Ye are all the
children of God by faith in Christ Jesus."—
Gal. iii. 26. And, "as many as received him,
to them gave he power to become the sons of
God, even to them that believe on his name."—
John i. 12. Again, "In this the children of
God are manifest, and the children of the devil;
whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God,
neither he that loveth not his brother."—1 John
iii. 10. Thus, as we said, the children of God
are known by their character and fruits—by
their faith, love, and holiness. In the text a pre¬
cious promise is made to them—" they shall have
a place of refuge." Need we to ask, where their
refuge is ? where does the child take refuge in
any danger or trouble, but in the bosom of its
father9 Even so the heavenly Father is the
60 THE CHILDREN'S FEAR, CONFIDENCE,
refuge of his children—to Him they flee for
succour in all their difficulties and distresses.
They can truly say, " Lord, thou hast been our
refuge from one generation to another." We
shall mention four particular occasions in which
the children of God make Him their refuge.
1. In times of trouble God is especially his
children's refuge. They, like other men, are
" born to trouble as the sparks fly upward."
They are equally subject to the calamities of life
—to sickness and pain—to the loss of friends
and relatives—to the disappointment of fond
hopes and fair prospects. Indeed, so far from
being exempt, they are led to expect even a
larger share of worldly trials than falls to the
common lot: for the Scripture saith, "Many are
the afflictions of the righteous"—and " that we
must through much tribulation enter into the
kingdom of God"—"for whom the Lord loveth
he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he
receiveth." But "his children," when afflicted,
"have a place of refuge." It is their inestimable
privilege, in times of trouble, to make Him their
refuge. 'They can, and they do, seek the face of
God, as the face of a Father. They enter into
His presence, and pour out their hearts before
Him. They tell Him their- griefs, and unbosom
their sorrows into His inclining ear. They ask
AND PLACE OF REFUGE.
61
jof Him consolation, and grace to be resigned to
His will; praying earnestly that the affliction
may be sanctified, that the chastening, though
for the present "not joyous but grievous," may
"nevertheless afterward yield the peaceable
fruit of righteousness." Who but they that have
tasted it can tell how sweet is the privilege of
making God our refuge in times of trouble ?
David evidently enjoyed it in a very high de¬
gree. No attentive reader of his Psalms can
fail to observe how frequently he speaks of cry¬
ing unto God in his troubles, of seeking the
Lord in the day of affliction. From his own
experience he could testify, " God is our refuge
and strength, a very present help in trouble."
" The Lord also will be a refuge for the op¬
pressed ; a refuge in times of trouble."—Psalm
xlvi. 1; ix. 9.
2. In seasons of temptation God is especially
his children's refuge. If their outward and tem¬
poral trials be many, their inward and spiritual
trials are still more and heavier. There is often¬
times within them a " great fight of afflictions,"
which the world knows not of. A warfare is
going on in their hearts—a fierce conflict be¬
tween two opposing principles, the flesh and the
spirit, the old and new nature. They are pass¬
ing through the fiery ordeal of temptation.
62 the children's fear, confidence,
Satan, the world, and their own lusts, are all in
league against the interests of their souls; tempt¬
ing them to evil, seeking to draw them away
from God, and so accomplish their eternal ruin.-
There are seasons when the tempter puts forth
his utmost power, when " the enemy comes in
like a flood," threatening to sweep away every
strong-hold, and carry all before it. But in such
seasons, God is his children's refuge: they flee
to His mercy-seat, which Jesus then High Priest
hath sprinkled with his blood; they resort unto
His throne of grace with boldness, by the same
Jesus, that they may " obtain mercy, and find
grace to help in time of need." There are those
seasons of peculiar temptation, when no weapon
will serve us but the simple weapon of prayer,
the simple but powerful ejaculations of the soul
to God. At such seasons, " the helmet of hope,"
" the breastplate of righteousness," " the shield
of faith," " the sword of the Spirit," are all una¬
vailable, we cannot bring them into use—our
only safety is to flee at once to God, to cry unto
Him, to cast ourselves, as helpless creatures,
upon His omnipotent grace. And blessed be
His name, when all other resources fail, God is
a " refuge for us." The buffeted and tempted
believer may always flee to God for succour, and
may say, " I will cry unto God Most High; unto
AND PLACE OF REFUGE.
63
God that performeth all things for me—He shall
send from heaven and save me—under the
shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge,
until this tyranny be overpast."—Psalm cxlii.
3. In the hour of death God is his children's
refuge. That hoirr must come to all—that hour
of nature's weakness and decay—that hour, in
which the light grows dimmer every moment;
and the darkness thickens, as we descend into
the valley. Sooner or later that hour must come
to all. Oh ! how wretched their state, who then
have no heavenly Father to look to—no Saviour
to be with them in the gloomy passage, to cheer
them with his presence, to support them by his
grace, and afterward receive them to his glory.
But in their last hour " his children have a place
of refugethey can look in faith unto Him,
who hath overcome the sharpness of death, and
taken out its sting—who hath spoiled the grave
of its victory—who is the " Resurrection and
the Life." The dying saint may take to himself
the words of inspiration, and say, " My flesh and
my heart faileth, but God is the strength of my
heart, and my portion for ever"—" the eternal
God is my refuge, and underneath me are the
everlasting arms"—or he may even adopt the
words of his dying Redeemer, " Father, into thy
hands I commend my spirit."
€4 the children's fear, confidence,
4. In the day of judgment God will be his
children's refuge. In that day, " when the
Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with
his mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking ven¬
geance on them that know not God, and that
obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ"—
in that day of final judgment and eternal recom-
pence—the wicked, the impenitent, the unbe¬
lieving, shall seek a refuge, and find none. In
vain shall they run to and fro in the wildness
of their terror—in vain shall they cry to the
mountains and rocks, "Fall on us, and hide us
from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne,
and from the wrath of the Lamb." God will be
no refuge to them: yea, God himself has told
them beforehand, " Because I have called, and
ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and
no man regarded; but ye have set at nought
all my counsel, and would none of my reproof, I
also will laugh at your calamity, and mock when
your fear cometh; when your fear cometh as
desolation, and your destruction cometh as a
whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh
upon you."—Proverbs i. 24—27. But in
" that day," " the great and terrible day of
the Lord," "his children shall have a place of
refuge." God in Christ shall still be their re¬
fuge as aforetime. At the " revelation of Jesus
AND PLACE OF REFUGE.
65
Christ" they shall flee, not from him, but to him.
At "his appearing" to judge the world, they
shall rejoice and run to meet him—saying, "Lo,
this is our God; we have waited for him, and he
will save us; this is the Lord, we have waited
for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salva¬
tion." In the shadow of that judgment seat, on
which their Saviour sits, they shall repose safely.
His righteousness shall be their shield and buck¬
ler: "no weapon that is formed against them
shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise
against them in judgment they shall condemn.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,
and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord."
—Isaiah liv. 17. Then shall Satan, the great
"accuser of the brethren," be cast down and
confounded before them. All his accusations
shall be put to silence with this answer, " Who
shall lay any tiling to the charge of God's elect ?
it is God that justifieth. Who is he that con-
demneth ? it is Christ that died, yea rather that
is risen again, who is even at the right hand of
God, who also maketh intercession for us."—
Rom. viii. 33, 34. Then shall the children be
put into full possession of their inheritance—the
"inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that
fadeth not away." Then shall they no longer
flee to God for refuge, for they shall dwell in
66 the children's fear, confidence, etc.
His presence for evermore. They shall " serve
Him day and night in His temple." They shall
be ever showing forth His praises, and shall sing
that ever-new song, "Salvation unto our God
which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the
Lamb for ever and ever."
SERMON IV.
the apostle's prayer eor the ephesian
church.
Ephesians iii. 14—19.
" I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ,
" Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is
named,
" That he would grant unto you, according to the riches
of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his
Spirit in the inner man;
" That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that
ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
" May be able to comprehend with all saints what is
the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
" And to know the love of Christ, which passeth know¬
ledge; that ye might be filed with all the fulness of
God."
The apostle Paul was a man of prayer. The
very first thing we hear of him after his conver¬
sion is, " Behold he prayeth." And not only
was he a man of prayer, but in an eminent de¬
gree a man of intercessory prayer. He prayed
68
THE APOSTLE'S PRAYER FOR
frequently and fervently for others, as well as
for himself. With what earnestness of desire,
with what warmth of affection, did he wrestle
with God in prayer for his spiritual children,
for those whom he had "begotten unto Christ
through the Gospel"—yea, and not for them
only, but for all whom he knew to be " in
Christ," whether through his own, or through
another's, ministry. Thus to the saints which
were in Rome, though he had never seen them,
but had heard only of their faith, he wrote, say¬
ing, " I thank my God through Jesus Christ for
you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout
the whole world: For God is my witness whom
I serve with my spirit in the Gospel of his Son,
that without ceasing I make mention of you
always in my prayers."—Rom. i. 8, 9.
St. Paul's religion was a religion of the heart.
His affections were drawn out toward, and fixed
upon, spiritual and heavenly objects. He loved
God in Christ Jesus, and he loved the "children
of God"—the "brethren." This made him a
man of prayer, and especially of intercessory
prayer. The specimen which we have now be¬
fore us is a most beautiful and striking one—so
short, yet so comprehensive—so simple, yet so
sublime. It might well be taken as a model of
intercessory prayer, both by private Christians,
THE EPHESIAN CHURCH.
69
and by Christian ministers. There is one point
of view in which it is particularly interesting
and instructive, viz. as affording us an insight
into the apostle's own mind and apprehension of
things. We may see from his prayers in this
instance, as well as in others, what he counted
the "best gifts," the highest blessings, the things
most to be valued and sought after. They were
not the objects, which a worldly mind would
have suggested as most desirable. They were
not temporal benefits he solicited, but purely
spiritual. He asked not for his " children " an
abundance of this world's goods, a constant en¬
joyment of bodily health, an unclouded continu¬
ance of earthly happiness and prosperity—no;
but he earnestly prayed for the health and wel¬
fare of their souls—that they might be strength¬
ened with might by the Spirit in the inner man
—that Christ might dwell in their hearts by
faith—that, being rooted and grounded in love,
they might be able to comprehend with all saints
what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and
height; and to know the love of Christ, which
passeth knowledge—that they might be filled
with all the fulness of God. These were the
things he prized, and prayed for, as regarded
both himself and others. As regarded himself
we have his mind, Phil. iii. 8, "Yea, doubtless,
70
THE APOSTLE'S PRAYER FOR
and I count all things but loss for the excellency
of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for
whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and
do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
and be found in him," &c.
It much concerns us, my brethren, to enquire
if our religion be the same in quality as St. Paul's
—to examine whether we are accustomed to
form the same estimate of things as he did, to
measure spiritual blessings by his high and
heavenly standard.
Having made these general remarks by way
of introduction, I would now proceed to a more
particular investigation of the apostle's prayer.
It is a prayer addressed to God, as " the Father
of our Lord Jesus Christwho is also a Father
unto all them that believe on his Son's name.
Believers, being by faith united to Christ, enjoy
the blessed right of calling his God their God,
and his Father their Father. Thus Jesus said
to Mary, after his resurrection, " Go unto my
brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my
Father and your Father, and to my God and
your God." Believers are represented as one
great family, of which Jesus is the elder brother,
(for " he is not ashamed to call them brethren,")
and of which therefore God is the Father. The
true disciples of Christ, being his brethren,
THE EPHESIAN CHURCH.
71
stand of course in the same relation to God as
Christ himself—they are the " sons of God
they are entitled to address God as " Our
Father." The apostle made use of this inesti¬
mable privilege in his approaches to the throne
of the Most High; he came to God as to a
Father—the Father of Christ, and of all them
which believe. "What confidence, and even
boldness, in prayer must he have derived from
this thought, " I bow my knees unto the Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole
family in heaven and earth is named." It is
the same thought, my Christian brethren, that
we also are addressing our own God and Father
in Christ Jesus, which should assure our hearts
before Him in prayer, and should give us " bold¬
ness and access with confidence" in all our ap¬
plications to the throne of grace.
We shall now take in their order the several
petitions of which this apostolic prayer is com¬
posed.
I. " That he would grant you, according to
the riches of his glory, to he strengthened with
might by his Spirit in the inner man—this is
the first petition; and not without good reason.
For upon this, as the first link of the chain, hang
all the rest. For it is only in proportion as we
are strengthened by the Spirit in the inner man,
72 THE APOSTLE'S PRAYER EOR
that Christ can dwell in our hearts by faith; that
we can be rooted and grounded in love; that we
can know the love of Christ, which passeth
knowledge; that we can be filled with all the
fulness of God. It is only through the energetic
and invigorating influence of the Holy Spirit
upon our " inner man," that these blessed re¬
sults can follow. The soul is here spoken of as
the " inner manin like manner the body is
elsewhere called " our outward man." This
teaches that the soul has its wants, weaknesses,
and diseases, even as the body; and that the one
requires a constant supply of " food convenient,"
to strengthen and support it, as well as the other.
If not duly provided with spiritual nourishment,
the " inner man" will soon grow weak and
sickly; all its faculties and feelings will be dulled
and enervated. The great Agent in supplying
grace and strength to the soul is the Holy Spirit.
It is He, who in the first instance quickens the ,
soul—gives life to that which is by nature " dead
in trespasses and sins." " I believe in the Holy
Ghost, the Author and Giver of life.'" It is
He who, after the soul is quickened, maintains
its life—renews it day by day—supplies the in¬
fluence necessary to its establishment and growth
in grace. The Holy Spirit is that Fountain of
living water, whence is derived every stream of
THE EPHESIAN CHURCH. 73
grace which refreshes and sanctifies the soul.
The Spirit of grace ordinarily works by those
means of grace, which God has appointed. He
strengthens the soul in the use of religious ordi¬
nances ; such as prayer, the study of the word,
and the sacraments. One of the sacraments, the
Lord's Supper, was expressly instituted " for the
strengthening and refreshing of our souls by the
body and blood of Christ, as our bodies are by
the bread and wine." The believer, who pray¬
erfully uses the means of grace, who humbly
waits upon God in the ordinances of His own
appointment—in prayer, in study of the word,
in sacraments—may confidently expect the di¬
vine blessing. He need not doubt but the Spirit
of grace will be present in the means of grace,
to comfort, strengthen, and sanctify his waiting
soul. " Wait on the Lord : be of good courage,
and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say,
on the Lord."—Psalm xxvii. 14. " They that
wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength ;
they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they
shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and
not faint."—Isaiah xl. 31. What encouragement
is here afforded to the humble waiting soul—to
one, who feels his need of divine grace, and of
daily supplies of spiritual strength; and who
waits upon God for them from day to day, in a
E
74 the apostle's prayer for
patient, persevering, prayerful frame. And need
I say, my Christian brethren, that we do stand
in need daily of being " strengthened with might
by the Spirit in the inner man?" What are we
in ourselves ?—nothing. What can we do with¬
out Christ strengthening us ?—nothing. It is
only as we are strengthened by his Spirit, that
we can live the life of faith—can overcome the
world—can mortify the flesh—can resist and
beat down Safan—can endure afflictions—can
walk with God in the way of his commandments
—can triumph over death, and be " more than
conquerors through him that loved us." Our
comfort, our sanctification, all the things which
concern the well-being of our souls, depend upon
the continued influence of the Holy Spirit. Let
this divine influence be suspended, and at once
our souls are in a state of darkness, weakness,
and misery. How necessary, therefore, this first
petition in the apostle's prayer, " that he would
grant you to be strengthened with might by his
Spirit in the inner man." May it be our petition
also, Christian brethren, day by day. May we
be led to feel more of our own nothingness,
more of our need of such divine strength. May
we wait upon God continually for the supply of
his Spirit, " without whom nothing is strong,
nothing is holy."
THE EPHESIAN CHURCH.
75
II. " That Christ may dwell in your hearts
by faith"—this is the next petition in the prayer.
The indwelling of Christ in the hearts of believers
is a " hard saying" to the unenlightened mind;
it is an incomprehensible mystery. " The natural
man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of
God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither
can he know them, because they are spiritually
discerned."—1 Cor. ii. 14. But the fact of such
indwelling is put beyond doubt or dispute by
the Scriptures. They plainly declare that Christ
is received into the heart by faith, and dwells
there by his Spirit. It is of course a spiritual
indwelling. Thus our blessed Lord has himself
said, "Abide in me, and I in you. He that
abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth
forth much fruit: for without me ye can do
nothing."—John xv. 4, 5. Again, " If a man
love me, he will keep my words : and my Father
will love him, and we will come unto him, and
make our abode with him."—John xiv. 23. And
again, " Behold I stand at the door, and knock :
if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I
will come in to him, and will sup with him, and
he with me."—Rev. iii. 20. It is, as we have
said, by his Spirit, that Christ dwells in the
hearts of his people. Accordingly we read, " If
any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is
76
THE APOSTLE'S PRAYER FOR
none of his. And if Christ be in you" &c.—
Rom. viii. 9. Our Lord, when about to leave
the world, promised the disciples, that his own
personal absence should be made up to them by
the presence and indwelling of his Spirit: " And
I will pray the Father, and he shall give you
another Comforter, that he may abide with you
for ever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the
world cannot receive, because it seeth him not,
neither knoweth him : but ye know him; for he
dwelleth with you, and shall be in you."—John
xiv. 16, 17. The Spirit of Christ, dwelling in
the believer, reveals and glorifies Christ; takes
of the things of Christ, and shows them unto the
soul; displays the unsearchable riches of his
redeeming love, the all-sufficiency of his saving
grace. The effect of this is to strengthen and
establish, to comfort and sanctify, to give "joy
and peace in believing." The heart, in which
Christ dwells by his Spirit, is surrendered to
him. He reigns there; the affections of that
heart are his—it admires and adores him, as the
"chief among ten thousand, and altogether
lovely." To have Christ dwelling in us, is to be
happy indeed : for it is to enjoy the closest union
and communion with Him, who is the source of
all true happiness. This indwelling of Christ in
the heart, this union and communion with him,
the ephesian church.
77
He himself describes by a very strong figure.
He speaks of it, as eating his flesh and drinking
his blood. " He that eateth my flesh and drink-
eth my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him."—
John vi. 56. He has even represented it to our
senses by outward and visible signs, viz. in the
ordinance of his own appointment—the Lord's
Supper. There are the well-known emblems
of his body and blood—the bread broken, and
the wine poured out. The receiving of the one
into our hands and mouths figures the receiving
of the others into our hearts by faith. For if
with a true and lively faith we receive that holy
sacrament, then we spiritually eat the flesh of
Christ and chink his blood; then we dwell in
Christ and Christ in us; we are one with Christ
and Christ with us. Let us be careful to observe,
and bear in mind, that faith is the "one thing
needfulthat it is by faith Christ is first received,
and by faith that he afterwards dwells in the heart.
Sacraments are indeed blessed means of grace,
ordained by Christ himself, but they are nothing
without faith. Unless there be faith in the re¬
ceiver, the Holy Spirit is not in the means; they
are but dry channels, lifeless ordinances. Oh!
how all-important the question, Hast thou faith ?
Hast thou yet heard the voice of Jesus, as he
stands at the door, and knocks? hast thou opened
78 the apostle's prayer for
unto him, and let him into thine heart believing f
If not—then being " without Christ," thou art
" without hope." If Christ be not in thee " the
hope of glory," then thy hope, however fair and
flattering it may be, is a false hope—a hope that
will " make ashamed." If upon the other hand
Christ has been believed on, and by faith once
received into the heart; it is nevertheless equally
necessary to walk and to live by faith from day
to day, that Christ may dwell in the heart, may
abide with us by his Spirit, even unto the end.
Without His continued presence in our souls,
there can be no permanent joy and peace; no in¬
creasing strength and stability; no progress in
the great work of our sanctification. How then
should we, my Christian brethren, adopt that
petition as our own, which St. Paul presented
on behalf of the Ephesian converts; how should
we earnestly and perseveringly pray the Father,
that, through the operation of his Spirit in the
inner man, Christ may ever " dwell in our hearts
by faith."
III. " That ye, being rooted and grounded
in love, may be able to comprehend with all
saints, what is the breadth, and length, and
depth, and height; and to know the love of
Christ, which passeth knowledge;" this forms
the third petition. It is of the most sublime
THE EPHESIAN CHUKCH.
79
and heavenly character. " Being rooted and
grounded"—that is, well settled, firmly estab¬
lished. A double metaphor is employed to con¬
vey the idea; the one taken from trees, which
have struck their roots deep into the earth, and
are consequently not soon to be torn up by
tempests; the other taken from buildings, which
have been raised on a strong foundation, and
are therefore also able to withstand the violence
of floods and storms. The apostle makes use
of the same mode of expression in other places:
thus, Col. i. 23, " If ye continue in the faith
grounded and settled, and be not moved away
from the hope of the Gospelagain, Col. ii. 7,
" rooted and built up in him, and stablished in
the faith," &c. Now that which he prays for
them to be " rooted and grounded" in, is love
—the love of God in Christ Jesus. An ex¬
perimental knowledge of this great love, an
abiding sense and assurance of it in their own
souls, was what he desired. Into this heavenly
soil—the love of God in Christ—he would have
every fibre of their hearts to strike deep, that no
storms, either of earth or hell, might ever be
able to move them. He would that they might
grow more and more settled and established in
the belief of it, and of their own personal interest
in it; so as to say, "We have known and be-
80
THE APOSTLE'S PRAYER FOR
lieved the love that God hath to us"—" Herein
is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved
us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation of our
sins."—1 John iv. 10—16. He would that the
love of God might be so abundantly " shed
abroad in their hearts by the Holy Ghost," and
that their views of its unchangeableness might be
so clear and full, as to enable them to join in his
own noble declaration, " I am persuaded that
neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor princi¬
palities, nor powers, nor things present, nor
things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any
other creature, shall be able to separate us from
the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our
Lord."—Rom. viii. 38, 39. This is what he
meant by their " being rooted and grounded in
love." The effect of such a confirmed sense of
the love of God in Christ Jesus will be, to pro¬
duce in our hearts a corresponding love. Love
begets love. The more " rooted and grounded"
we become in the perception and persuasion of
God's love to ms,the more "rooted and grounded"
shall we also be in our feeling of love toward
Him. This feeling again will re-act upon the
other—for the more we love God, the more shall
we study, and the more perceive, His great love
toward us. Such seems to have been the idea
in the apostle's mind, when he prayed for the
the ephesian church.
81
Ephesian brethren, " that ye, being rooted and
grounded in love, might be able to comprehend
with all saints what is the breadth, and length,
and depth, and height; and to know the love of
Christ, which passeth knowledge." And we
may see good reason also why this petition
should follow the former one, " that Christ might
dwell in your hearts by faith"—for it is only in
Christ that God's love to sinners is manifested at
all, and only where Christ is received into the
heart and dwells by faith, that a sense and per¬
sonal assurance of that love can be enjoyed, or
any feeling of love in return be entertained.
The apostle prays that, instead of forming low
and narrow views of God's love to his Church,
they may be able to take in its vast dimensions,
"to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth
of it, and length, and depth, and height." This
love is indeed " exceeding great." Perhaps full])
to comprehend it we shall never be able. It will
occupy the minds of saints and angels through
eternity, and be still unfolding some fresh glory
to their admiring view. But there are glimpses
of it which, even here on earth, " all saints" en¬
joy. It is the great object of their contempla¬
tions, and in a measure they are able to compre¬
hend it. They can see something of its breadth
—as not confined to any peculiar nation, as the
e 2
82 THE APOSTLE'S PRAYER FOR
Jewish, but extending to sinners out of " all na¬
tions, and kindreds, and people, and tongues."
They can see something of its length—as stretch¬
ing through all ages, from the beginning to
the end of time; and even more than that, as
being " from everlasting to everlasting." They
can see something of its depth—as having brought
the Son of God down to the lowest humiliation
and suffering; " who, though he was rich, yet
for our sakes became poor, that we through his
poverty might be rich" who, being in the
form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal
with God: but made himself of no reputation,
and took upon him the form of a servant, and
was made in the likeness of men: and being
found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself,
and became obedient unto death, even the death
of the Cross."—Phil. ii. 6—8. They can see
something of its height—as exalting poor worms
of the dust, vile and wretched in themselves, to
"inherit the throne of glory;" "He raiseth up
the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy
out of the dunghill, that he may set him with
princes, even with the princes of his people."—
Psalm cxiii. 7—8. " To him that evercometh
will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as
I also overcome, and am set down with my
Father in his throne."—Rev. iii. 21. Thus "all
THE EPHESIAN CHURCH.
83
saints," through the enlightening influence of
the Holy Spirit, can see something of the ex¬
ceeding great love of God and our Saviour to his
elect Church—can "comprehend" in some de¬
gree "what is the breadth, and length, and depth,
and height." Their views are indeed at first
contracted and indistinct, but as they " grow in
grace" they see more clearly and comprehensively.
The expression, " to know the love of Christ
which passeth knowledge," is a very remarkable
one. It has been differently explained by dif¬
ferent commentators. Some have supposed that
the idea intended to be conveyed was this —
to know the love of Christ, which is a know¬
ledge far surpassing every other kind, infinitely
superior to Jewish lore, or Greek philosophy.
This is no doubt in itself a perfectly true and
correct idea. The knowledge of Christ and
his redeeming love does indeed infinitely excel
every other knoAvledge, so that the most learned
man, without it, is but a fool. "Yea, doubt¬
less," says the apostle, " and I count all things
but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of
Christ Jesus my Lord."—Phil. iii. 8. This in¬
terpretation, however, does not adequately con¬
vey the mind of the sacred writer. It is evident
that he was overwhelmed with the immensity of
his theme—" the love of Christand was at a
84 the apostle's prayer for
loss for language to describe it. The expression
therefore "which passeth knowledge," is better
understood in this sense—which exceedetJi all
understanding—which far outstretcheth the ut¬
most limits of our finite intellects—which we
can never fully comprehend, can never know
"to perfection." The love of Christ is indeed a
"great mystery"—that love, which could bring
the "Lord of Glory" from his throne in the
heavens — which could induce the Creator to
take upon him the form of a creature, yea, of a
sinful creature—which could make the " Son of
the Highest" lay down his life for the worst of
rebels, that, an atonement and satisfaction having
been made for their sins, he might preach peace
unto them, saying, " Be ye reconciled to God "—
" return unto me, for I have redeemed you."
There is in the love of Christ an unfathomable
depth, an incomprehensible mystery. It may
well be termed " the love which passeth know¬
ledge." Yet, notwithstanding its unsearchable-
ness, the apostle prays for the Ephesians that
they may know it. To " know the love of Christ,"
is not merely to be acquainted with the fact of
his having "loved us and given himself for us,"
but it is to have a spiritual perception and ex¬
perimental feeling of it in our hearts. Such
knowledge can only be attained through the
THE EPHESIAN CHURCH.
85
teaching of the Holy Spirit, whose special office
it is to reveal and to glorify Christ—to take of
Christ's, and show it unto us—to display before
the eyes of the "inner man" the "unsearchable
riches" of redeeming love. The effect of this
knowledge invariably is to purify the heart, to
spiritualize the mind, to comfort and satisfy the
soul, to prepare and make "meet for the inherit¬
ance of the saints in light." A continual growth in it
is therefore earnestly to be desired and prayed for.
The apostle's request on behalf of the Ephesians
should be ours also, beloved Christian brethren
—that we, who through grace have been brought
experimentally to know some little, may " follow
on" to know yet more and more, of that exceed¬
ing great love, the " love of Christ which passeth
knowledge."
IV. " That ye might be filled with all the
fulness of God." This forms the last petition in
the prayer, the last link in the spiritual chain.
To this all the preceding ones have tended as
the great consummation. The object, for which
the apostle wished them to be strengthened by
the Spirit in the inner man—to have Christ
dwell in their hearts by faith—to be so rooted
and grounded in love as to be able to compre¬
hend, &c., and to know the love of Christ which
passeth knowledge — the ultimate object was,
86
THE APOSTLE'S PRAYER POR
" that they might be filled with all the fulness
of God." How remarkable is the expression
here employed! how does it tell us, not to be
straitened in ourselves, for that we are not
straitened in our God; not to be content with a
low measure, and scanty supplies, of grace, but to
enlarge our desires after spiritual blessings, and
expand our prayers—to " open our mouth wide,
that He may fill it."
" To be filled with all the fulness of God," is
to receive as abundant communications of His
grace, as our so ids are capable of. God has
been pleased to lay up in Christ, as the Mediator
and Head of the Church, an infinite store
grace, from which his believing people may draw
supplies to their utmost need. " For it pleased
the Father that in him should all fulness dwell."
—Col. i. 19. " And of his fulness have all we
received, and grace for grace." — John i. 16.
" Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiri¬
tual blessings in heavenly things in Christ."—
Eph. i. 3. Thus there is laid up in Christ, as
the Head of his mystical body, the Church, a
fulness of the Spirit, and of every spiritual
blessing, for the due supply of his members.
There is in him a fulness of wisdom and know¬
ledge—a fulness of faith and patience—a fulness
THE EPHESIAN CHURCH.
87
of holiness and love—a fulness of peace and joy.
Christ is to believing souls a "Fountain of living
waters," from which they may draw streams of
grace and "refreshment, to the height of their
capacity. There is always a fulness in the
Fountain; and if there be not always a fulness
in the stream, it is because the weakness of our
faith contracts the channel.
Oh! let us not, dear brethren, be satisfied with
scanty streams, with small measures of divine
grace to our souls. Let us "covet earnestly the
best gifts," the most abundant " supply of the
Spirit of Jesus Christ." Let us continue instant
in prayer, and in the use of all .appointed means,
that we may he ever progressing in spiritual
attainments, that our path may be the path of
the just, which is "as the shining light that
shineth more and more unto the perfect day."
Let us never propose to ourselves, as a final
object, any thing less than what the apostle de¬
sired, and prayed for, on account of the Christians
at Ephesus. Let us never seek to derive our
comfort and happiness from any other source
but God in Christ; and let us feel assured that
we can never find a perfect rest and satisfaction
to our souls, until we shall be "filled with all
the fulness of God."
SERMON V.
the heavenly washing.
John xiii. 8.
" Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet.
Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no
part with me."
The twelve, who followed onr Lord, when upon
earth, as his chosen disciples, gave frequent and
sad evidence of the corruption of their nature.
Sometimes they manifested unbelief and want of
love toward Him—sometimes selfish and uncha¬
ritable tempers toward each other. An instance
of this had occurred just before the transaction,
referred to in our text. If we look to the cor¬
responding passage in the Gospel according to
St. Luke, we find, "And there was also a strife
among them, which of them should be the great¬
est."—Luke xxii. 24. Thus although they had
continually before them the example of the meek
and lowly Jesus, yet the evil dispositions of their
nature could not be restrained from occasionally
breaking out. How inveterate is our moral
THE HEAVENLY WASHING.
89
disease! No force of example, however excel¬
lent—no influence of precept, however pure—
can overcome the evil of the human heart. The
sanctification of fallen man is a miracle, which
nothing hut almighty grace can achieve. But
no sooner did this unhallowed spirit appear
among his disciples than our Lord rehuked it;
and that, not only hy word, but by action—and
by such an action as must have covered them
with shame and self-reproach. "He riseth from
supper"—He, their divine Master—"and laid
aside his garments; and took a towel and girded
himself. After that he poureth water into a
basin, and began to wash the disciples'* feet, and
to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was
girded. Then cometli he to Simon Peter: and
Peter saitlr unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my
feet ?" Peter was always the most forward both
to act and speak. He seems to have had a
clearer view of the Saviour's divinity than the
rest, and to have loved him with a more ardent
affection. "Jesus answered and said unto him,
What 1 do thou knowest not now; hut thou
shalt know hereafter. Peter saith unto him,
Thou shalt never wash my feet." Doubtless there
was in the mind of Peter a very proper feeling
of reverence and regard for his Master, and of
his own utter unworthiness to receive such a
90
THE HEAVENLY WASHING.
service at such hands. But there was also a
self-willedness by no means to be commended.
When he saw that the Lord was bent upon
doing this strange thing, he ought to have sub¬
mitted to it in silence; reflecting that what the
Lord wills, though often mysterious to us, must
nevertheless be perfectly wise and good. Jesus
therefore answered him in a solemn and impres¬
sive manner, " If I wash thee not, thou hast no
part with me." This consideration at once
touched the affectionate heart of Peter, and out¬
weighed in a moment all his scruples. He spoke
in a very altered tone, saying, "Lord, not my
feet only, but also my hands and my head."
'Let me on no account lose my part with thee.
I cannot bear the thought. If thy washing be
necessary to prevent it, wash me at once, and
all over'—"not my feet only, but also my hands
and my head." But for this washing of the whole
person there was no occasion; the washing of the
feet was enough. " Jesus saith to him, He that
is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but
is clean every whit: and ye arc clean, but not
all. For he knew who should betray him, there¬
fore said he, Ye are not all clean."
Such was the remarkable transaction alluded
to in our text. No doubt it was, in the first
instance, designed to show the disciples what
THE HEAVENLY WASHING. 91
their spirit and conduct toward each other ought
to be. Jesus himself applied it to them in this
way, saying, "Ye call me Master and Lord:
and ye say well, for so I am. If I then, your
Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye
also ought to wash one another's feet. For I
have given you an example, that ye should do
as I have done to you." But doubtless there
was also a further design in it—something more
than a mere example of humility. It has a
deeper meaning, a much wider application. It
is a figure of spiritual things. It represents a
heavenly washing—a washing, of which God in
Clnist is the Author, and the soul of man the
subject. We shall therefore proceed to consider
it in this, the highest and most important, sense.
May the Spirit of Truth vouchsafe his inward
teaching, that the word of truth may not only
be received in the understanding, but also be
applied to the heart with saving and sanctifying
effect.
There is a passage in St. Paul's first Epistle to
the Corinthians, which explains the nature of the
heavenly washing. He says of them, " but ye
are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are
justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by
the Spirit of our God."—1 Cor. vi. 11. Whence
it appears that to be washed after a heavenly and
92
THE HEAVENLY WASHING.
spiritual sort, is to be both justified and sanctified.
These are the two essential parts of a sinner's
salvation. For as there are both guilt and pol¬
lution in sin, so every sinner, that shall be saved,
must be washed from the one by the blood of
Christ (which is justification); and from the other
by the Spirit of Christ (which is sanctification).
On these two parts of the heavenly washing we
shall therefore dwell.
I. With regard to justification, or the wash¬
ing of a guilty soul in the blood of Christ. I
need scarcely put you in remembrance, brethren,
that we are all by nature guilty before God.
"As it is written, 'There is none righteous, no,
not one.' " We brought guilt with us into the
world, and have since been adding to it by our
own actual transgressions. Now it is the re¬
vealed character of God, that He " will by no
means clear the guilty." Guilt is a dark and
damning spot upon the soul, which must be
removed, must be washed away, before a just
and holy God can look upon us with compla¬
cency. If we should appear at His judgment-
seat in our guilt, He must condemn us. Law
and Justice would demand their prisoner, who
must be delivered into their hands—to be shut
up for ever in the dungeons of hell. The great
question then for us miserable sinners is this,
THE HEAVENLY WASHING.
93
How can we get our guilt removed ? how can
we be justified, and accepted of God ?
Can any sorrows or sufferings of our own
remove guilt? No — though such multitudes
deceive themselves with the notion, both among
the benighted heathen, and the scarcely less
benighted Romanists. In vain are all the tears
which have been shed, or can be shed, to wash
away the guilt of sin. In vain are all the self-
inflicted ■ and bloody tortures, the fastings, and
scourgings, and cruel penances, which distinguish
alike the systems of Paganism and Popery. They
cannot, in the least degree, remove the guilt of
sin. Still the dark spot remains, and even darker
than at the first. If man by his own sufferings
thinks to cancel guilt, he must suffer through
eternity—he must be tormented in the flames,
not of purgatory, but of hell; not for a time, but
for ever.
Can any good works, or merits of our own,
avail to the removal of guilt? No;—this too is
impossible; the very idea of such a thing is ab¬
surd. For what merit, in the sight of God, can
any creature have ? much less a fallen creature.
Or what good works, strictly speaking, can we
sinners perform? our nature is totally corrupt,
sin is mixed with all we do. A muddy fountain
cannot send forth pure streams. "We are all
94
THE HEAVENLY WASHING.
as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses
are as filthy rags."—Isa. lxiv. 6. Or even sup¬
posing that we could render to the law a perfect
obedience, yet it would be no more than our duty,
and would therefore have no merit, whereby the
guilt of former sins could be absolved. Conse¬
quently our own works are altogether useless in
this matter. Our moral virtues, our religious
observances, are all utterly unavailing to justify
us before God. " By the deeds of the law shall
no flesh be justified in his sight; for by the law
is the knowledge of sin."—Rom. iii. 20.
Can any sacrifices of personal property—any
offerings of our gold, silver, and precious things,
to the service of God, effect the removal of a
sinner's guilt ? As the prophet saith, " Where¬
with shall I come before the Lord, and bow
myself before the most high God ? shall I come
before him with burnt-offerings, with calves of a
year old ? Will the Lord be pleased with thou¬
sands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of
oil ? shall I give my first-born for my transgres¬
sion, the fruit of my body for the sin of my
soul?"—Micah vi. 6, 7. No—"vain oblations"
are they all. The most costly offerings — the
most splendid acts of liberality—the giving up
of the most beloved object, even a first-born
child—are all unavailing to remove the guilt of
sin.
the heavenly washing.
95
There is but one thing in the universe, which
can accomplish this great end, which can wash
the soul from its guilt—and that is, the blood
of Christ. In that precious blood, wheresoever
it shall be applied, there is a virtue and a power
to take away sin. And for this reason—it is a
meritorious blood, possessing an infinite merit in
the sight of God. It is the blood of Atonement,
whereby a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice,
oblation, and satisfaction, was made for the sins
of the whole world. It is the blood of God's
only-begotten and well-beloved Son, who for us
men and for our salvation came down from
heaven; who " bore our sins in his own body on
the treewho " loved us and gave himself for
us, an offering and a sacrifice to God." It was
an all-sufficient sacrifice, a perfect propitiation
for sin. It brought glory to all the attributes of
God—his Justice, his Mercy, his Wisdom, his
Truth, his Holiness, his Love. It "magnified
the Law, and made it honourable." The Father
had pleasure in it, as the obedience of his Son—
an " obedience unto death, even the death of the
Cross." It was " for a sweet smelling savour"
unto God, the " incense of a pure offering."
God testified his divine pleasure in it, and ac¬
ceptance of it, by raising the buried Jesus from
the grave, and setting him " at his own right
96
THE HEAVENLY WASHING.
hand, in the heavenly places." Moreover God
has declared and promised in his word, that
every sinner shall he absolved, justified, and
eternally saved, to whom this precious and meri¬
torious blood may be applied. It has been shed
once for all, and accepted as an all-sufficient
satisfaction for sin; it only remains now to be
sprinkled, and its immediate effect will be to re¬
move guilt, to justify and save the soul. This
is constantly set forth in Scripture as the effect of
the blood of Christ, when applied, or sprinkled.
Thus we read, " the blood of Jesus Christ his
Son cleanseth us from all sin."—1 John i. 7.
" In whom we have redemption through his
blood, the forgiveness of sins"—" how much
more shall the blood of Christ purge your con¬
science from dead works"—Heb. ix. 14.—"being
now justified by his blood"—Rom. v. 9.—" Unto
him that loved us, and washed us from our sins
in his oion blood"—Rev. i. 5. " And I beheld,
and lo, a great multitude, whom no man could
number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people,
and tongues, stood before the throne, and before
the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms
in their hands, and cried with a loud voice,
saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon
the throne, and to the Lamb And he said
unto me, These are they which came out of great
the heavenly washing.
97
tribulation, and have washed their robes, and
made them white in the blood of the Lamb"—
Rev. vii. 9, &c.
We see then what it is that removes guilt, that
washes out the damning spot—even the blood
of Christ. We see how the "wedding gar¬
ment," which every saint in heaven must have
on, is made white, yea, whiter than snow—not
in the waters of baptism—not in the tears of re¬
pentance—not with the soap of self-righteousness
—not with the fuller's earth of human merit—but
in the blood of the Lamb. If it be asked, By
what means is this precious and sin-cleansing
blood applied to the sOul ? the answer is ready,
By means of faith. Faith is the bunch of hyssop,
whereby the blood of the Lamb is sprinkled.
Whosoever with the heart believeth on Christ
and him crucified, hath a saving interest in his
blood—is washed in that fountain for sin and for
uncleanness opened on Mount Calvary. Let
the believer rejoice in this blessed truth. When
bowed down beneath a sense of his own unwor-
thiness and vileness as a sinner—when brought
to feel bitterly the " plague of his own heart,"
and to " groan being burdened"—let him con¬
sider, to his comfort, that where "sin aboundeth,
grace doth much more aboundthat, though
he be of sinners chief, yet by faith he is justified
f
98 THE HEAVENLY WASHING.
—and "being justified by faith, we have peace
with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."—
Rom. v. 1. O precious, glorious, doctrine of the
word of God! that the weakest, humblest, true
believer in Jesus is washed from his sins in Jesu's
blood, is covered with the robe of Jesu's righte¬
ousness.
But, my dear hearers, I grieve to think that
there must be many of you, who cannot rightly
take this comfort to yourselves, because you are
destitute of true faith; without which there can
be no application of the blood of Christ to your
souls, no saving interest in his meritorious Cross.
Doubtless, very many deceive themselves with
the notion that they have true faith, who, when
brought to the test of Scrip ture, will befound want¬
ing. Let me beg of you, therefore, to try and ex¬
amine your supposed faith by the scriptural marks
of true faith. If yours be a true faith, it is the
gift of God, the operation of the Spirit; wrought
in your heart together with convictions of sin,
with a sense of danger, with earnest desires after
pardon and peace with God. If yours be a true
faith, it will lead you to build all your hopes of
salvation on the Lord Jesus Christ, that " sure
foundation" laid in Zion, "that Rock of Ages"
—it will make him precious to you; insomuch
that, like the apostle, you will be ready to suffer
the heavenly washing1:
the " loss of all things," that you may "win
Christ, and be found in him." If yours be a
true faith, it will have the effect of purifying the
heart, of raising the affections from " things on
the earth," and setting them on " things above"
— it will enable you to overcome the world,
for "this is the victory that overcometh the
world, even owe faith." If yours he a true faith,
it will " work by love"—the love of Christ will
constrain you to live henceforth, not unto your¬
selves, but unto him who died for you, and rose
again—"for in Christ Jesus neither circumcision
availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith
which worketh by love."—Gal. v. 6. Such are
some of the marks of a true and saving faith,
which the Scriptures afford us. As many as are
void of this lively faith, how awful is their situa¬
tion ! They are yet in their sins—unwashed,
unjustified, unsaved. Suppose they should die
in that state—and there are great multitudes
who do thus die—what must be their end ? Oh!
dear brethren, as ye value your souls, as ye
would escape the " vengeance of eternal fire,"
as ye would secure to yourselves everlasting
joys, get faith—it is "preciousyea, it is that
"pearl of great price," for which a wise merchant¬
man would sell all that he has, in order to ob¬
tain it.
100 THE HEAVENLY WASHING.
II. The other branch of the subject—the
other part of the heavenly washing—which we
have now to consider, is sanctification, or the
washing of the Holy Spirit. This is as essential
to the salvation of a sinner, as to be washed in
the blood of Christ. "Ye must be born again,"
"of water and of the Spirit"—and "without
holiness no man shall see the Lord." The "truth
as it is in Jesus" is this—"that ye put off the
old man, which is corrupt according to the de¬
ceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of
your mind; and that ye put on the new man,
which after God is created in righteousness and
true holiness."—Eph. iv. 22—24. This is the
work of our sanctification; the work of the Holy
Ghost in us, and by us. Sin is represented in
Scripture as a pollution. Our whole nature—
body, soul, and spirit—is thereby defiled, and
made loathsome. "We are all as an unclean
thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy
rags."—Isaiah lxiv. 6. "Yea, the heavens are
not clean in His sight: how much more abomin¬
able and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity
like water."—Job xv. 16. "Having therefore
these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from all
filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holi¬
ness in the fear of God."—2 Cor. vii. 1. Sanc¬
tification is, in like manner,described as a washing
THE HEAVENLY WASHING. 101
with water. " Then will I sprinkle clean water
upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your
filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse
you."—Ezck. xxxvi. 25. "Christ also loved the
Church, and gave himself for it, that he might
sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water
by the word," &c.—Eph. v. 26.—" having our
hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our
bodies washed with pure water"—Heb. x. 22.
The water which, together with blood, issued
from our Saviour's precious side, was emblematic
of his Spirit, which should be poured out for the
sanctification of his people, even as his blood
was shed for then justification. Accordingly we
find it written, " This is he that came by water
and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only,
but by water and blood."—1 John v. 6. The
cleansing power of the Holy Spirit acts upon
the heart, and is manifested in the life.
1. It acts upon the heart—cleansing its thoughts
—purifying its desires—hallowing its affections.
Every imagination of the thoughts of man's heart
is, by nature, " only evil continually." " God is
not in all his thoughts." " The Lord knoweth
the thoughts of man, that they are vanity." " How
long shall vain thoughts lodge within thee ?"
"Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts," &c.
Such being the natural state of our thoughts—
102 THE HEAVENLY WASHING.
the imagination being altogether defiled through
sin—we have constant need to pray God, that
He will "cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by
the inspiration of His Holy Spirit."
Again—the desires and affections of man's
heart, by nature, are all earthly and sensual.
They are not " set on things above." They go
not out after God, as the one great object of the
creature's love, the one great source of the crea¬
ture's happiness. The natural man is represented
as loving self and sin—as walking in the way of
his own lusts, " fulfilling the desires of the flesh
and of the mind." But when the Spirit of holi¬
ness operates within, the desires are purified,
the affections are hallowed. There is excited in
the soul a hungering and a thirsting after righte¬
ousness—an earnest longing for the favour, and
for the image, of God. Then the man can say
with David, "Whom have I in heaven but thee,
and there is none upon earth I desire in compa¬
rison of thee."—Psalm lxxiii. 25. "As the hart
panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my
soul after thee, O God; my soul thirsteth for
God, for the living God."—Psalm xlii. 1, 2.
The affections too are hallowed—are raised above
the objects of time and sense, which once alto¬
gether engrossed them. " The love of God is
shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Ghost"—
THE HEAVENLY WASHING. 103
the "beauty of holiness" is seen and admired—
" the things of the Spirit" are received and de¬
lighted in—the truth is loved—and the children
of God are loved. Thus the sanctifying influ¬
ence of the Holy Ghost acts upon the heart, like
the "washing of water"—cleansing the thoughts
—purifying the desires—hallowing the affections.
2. These inward effects of the Spirit are out¬
wardly manifested in the life. Where a clean¬
sing of the heart takes place, there necessarily
follows a cleansing of the way. This is in the
nature of things. For according to a man's
principles, whether good or bad, will be his
practice. When therefore the principles are
made holy, the practice will be holy. " Every
good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt
tree bringeth forth evil fruit."—Matt. vii. 17.
" Either make the tree good, and his fruit good;
or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit cor¬
rupt ; for the tree is known by its fruit"—Matt,
xii. 33. They, whose hearts are under the sanc¬
tifying power of the Spirit, are led to hate sin,
and to renounce it. They are induced to break
off their old habits of worldliness and vice, to
forsake their former ways which were not good,
and to "walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleas¬
ing, being fruitful in every good work." They
watch and pray habitually against those sins into
104
THE HEAVENLY WASHING.
which they are by nature most liable to fall.
They, " through the Spirit, do mortify the deeds
of the bodythey make it their great endea¬
vour to "live righteously, soberly, and godly, in
this present world."
Thus the holy influence of the Spirit, acting
inwardly upon the heart, is outwardly and visibly
evidenced in the life. We must however be
careful to observe, that the great work of our
sanctification is a gradual work. Herein it dif¬
fers from justification—that is complete at once
—from the first moment of believing, the sinner
is justified—but the other is only hegun, and
carried an, in this life; it is not perfected until
the life to come. Progressive sanctification is
the doctrine of Scripture; and a doctrine very
full of comfort to those who are conscious of
their manifold short-comings, and who know the
plague of their own hearts. Believers must not
be discouraged at the long-protracted struggle
within them between "the flesh and the spirit"—
at the slowness of their victory over sin and the
world. They should rather call to mind, and
apply to themselves, God's dealings of old with
his people Israel—how He gave them, not an
immediate, but a gradual, possession of the land
of Canaan, saying," I will make all thine enemies
turn their backs upon thee: I will not drive
the heavenly washing. 105
them out from before tbee in one year—by little
and little I will drive tbem out from before thee,
until thou he increased, and inherit the land."—
Exod. xxiii. 27, &c.
Such then is the heavenly washing referred
to by our Lord, when he said to Peter, " If I
wash thee not thou hast no part with me." Of
all believers it may be truly said—"ye are
washed, ye are sanctified, ye arejustified in the
name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our
God."
In conclusion—I would submit to your con¬
sideration two further remarks suggested by the
subject.
1. Baptism is the sign and sacrament of this
heavenly washmg. In that sacred ordinance we
have the outward and visible sign of the inward
and spiritual grace. "Water, wherein the per¬
son is baptized in the name of the Father, and of
the Son, and of the Holy Ghost," is the emblem
of that with which the believing soul is baptized
—viz. the justifying blood, and the sanctifying
Spirit, of Jesus Christ. There are many who
greatly err in this matter; who confound to¬
gether the outward sign and the inward grace;
who imagine that the administration of the one
ensures the reception of the other. This is a
deadly error, no less opposed to the Articles of
f 2
106
THE HEAVENLY WASHING.
our Church, than it is repugnant to the word of
God. I put you on your guard against it, be¬
loved brethren; it is a soul-deceiving, and a
soul-destroying, dogma. Alas ! great multitudes
of baptized persons, who profess and call them¬
selves Christians, yet, being void of a lively faith,
and destitute of the Spirit, have no part with
Christ in his precious death, and glorious resur¬
rection. "For he is not a Jew (nor a Christian)
which is one outwardly; neither is that circum¬
cision (nor baptism) which is outward in the
flesh: But he is a Jew (and a ChristianJ which
is one inwardly; and circumcision (and baptism J
is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the
letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God."
—Rom. ii. 29. Thus Judas Iscariot, being one
of the twelve, partook of the same outward wash¬
ing as the rest of the disciples; but, being des¬
titute of the inward grace, he had no part with
Christ. Accordingly our Lord said, "Ye are
clean, but not all: for he knew who should be¬
tray him: therefore said he, Ye are not all clean."
Now we, my brethren, in like manner, have been
all partakers of the outward washing with water;
but have we all received the inward and spiritual
grace of baptism? Oh! no—the unsanctified,
unbelieving hearts—the worldly and -vicious lives
—of the greater portion bear sad witness to the
THE HEAVENLY WASHING. 107
contrary. Be stirred up to seek in earnest for
the Holy Spirit, and a saving interest in the
death of Christ. Without this—whatsoever else
you may possess, riches, pleasures, honours—
you are, notwithstanding, in the sight of God,
but "wretched, and miserable, and poor, and
blind, and naked." Oh! care for your souls—
leave all other things uncared and unprovided
for, rather than your precious, your immortal
souls. " One thing is needful." " Seek ye first
the kingdom of God, and his righteousness
this is "that good part, which shall never be
taken away from you."
2. It is not enough to have once believed, we
must continue to live by faith. Once to have be¬
lieved with the heart, is indeed enough to justify,
and save the soul eternally. But it is not enough
to enable us to maintain a pure conscience from
day to day, and the enjoyment of an evangelical
peace. For this purpose we require the daily
exercise of faith, whereby the "blood of sprink¬
ling" is again and again applied to the conscience,
keeping it pure from guilt, and in the posses¬
sion of true peace. In a spiritual sense, we need
daily to wash our feet. For in our daily walk
through this polluted and polluting world, we
are still contracting fresh guilt and defilement;
which can only be purged away, as at the first,
108 the heavenly washing.
by an application of the blood of Christ through
faith. In like manner—as we are daily exposed
to fresh temptations, to fresh conflicts with the
sin that dwelleth in us, and with the world that
lieth around us—so we need the daily exercise
of faith, that we may obtain fresh supplies of
spiritual grace and strength; that our inward
man may be renewed day by day, with the " re¬
newing of the Holy Ghost." The life of the
true Christian, therefore, is a life of faith—a
constant "looking unto Jesus"—a daily depend¬
ence upon Him, both for pardoning mercy, and
for sanctifying grace. Oh! let this life be our
life, beloved brethren in the Lord. It was the
life of the apostle Paul: he could say, "the life
which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith
of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave
himself for me."—Gal. ii. 20. Even so let us,
brethren, as long as we live in this world of sin,
live by faith—until that blessed time come, when,
in a world where all is holiness, faith shall be
exchanged for sight, and "we shall see him as
he is."
SERMON VI.
brotherly love.
John xiii. 34, 35.
" A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love
one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love
one another.
" By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples,
if ye have love one to another."
The religion of the Gospel is pre-eminently a
religion of love. God himself—who is both the
Author, and the Object, of this religion—is
" love." The " fruit of the Spirit" is also " love."
The love which is produced in the heart of man
through Divine influence, has a two-fold aspect
—it is love toward God, as our Father in Christ
Jesus; and it is love toward the children of God,
as our brethren. In both these aspects, love
forms a grand test of true religion. That person
in whose heart love toward God, and toward the
brethren, has no place, may profess and call him¬
self a Christian, but he is one only in name.
" If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ,"
110
brotherly love.
i. e. God, as manifested in Christ, " let him be
anathema, maranatha." " We know," saith St.
John, "that we have passed from death unto
life, because we lore the brethren." " He that
loveth his brother ahideth in the light." " Be¬
loved, let us love one another; for love is of
God; and every one that loveth is born of God,
and knoweth God. He that loveth not, knoweth
not God; for God is love."—1 John iv. 7. " By
this," saith our Lord in the text, " shall all men
know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love
one to anotherHere then is the scriptural test
to which we must bring our hearts. Have we
love? Have we love toward God in Christ
Jesus ? Have we brotherly love ? It is a matter
of vital importance that we should know our true
character—that we should diligently try and ex¬
amine ourselves by the various tests proposed in
Scripture, to see whether or no we possess that
character, to which God has exclusively made his
promises, and attached his blessing. For let this
fact never be lost sight of, that the promises of
God are not made to men without discrimination,
hut to such only as answer to a certain character.
By way of example—the promise, " your sins
shall be blotted out," is made to such alone as
do truly repent—the promise, "thou shalt be
saved," is made to such alone as do unfeignedly
brotherly love.
Ill
believe—the promise, " all tilings shall work to¬
gether for your good," is made to such alone as
do sincerely love God. Now it often happens,
that they who do not possess the character pre¬
scribed, yet take to themselves the promises.
They are flattered with vain hopes—they are
buoyed up with false comfort, perhaps even to
the hour of their death:—alas ! in the end they
will be covered with " everlasting contempt."
Doubtless, it is with the gracious design of
guarding us against such self-delusion, that God
has provided in his word so great a variety of
tests ; which, if they were but faithfully applied,
would undeceive many a mere professor, who
has the form, but knows not the power, of godli¬
ness. We cannot be in a safe or healthy condi¬
tion, my brethren, if we shrink from self-exami¬
nation according to the rule of Scripture. The
devil, and our own deceitful hearts, will puff us
up with a false assurance—we shall be running
away with promises, which do not rightly belong
to us—we shall be drinking clown comfort, which
will prove a deadly poison.
The particular test of true religion, which we
have now to consider, is brotherly love. " A
new commandment I give unto you"—new, not
as regards its promulgation and divine authority;
for in this sense it is "an old commandment,
112
BROTHERLY LOVE.
which ye had from the beginning but new, as
being enforced upon new motives, and by a new
example—" that ye love one another; as I have
loved you, that ye also love one another. By
this shall all men know that ye are my disciples,
if ye have love one to another."
I propose, in the first place, to point out some
distinguishing features in " brotherly love,"
whereby it is made to differ from every other
kind of love; and, in the second place, to exhort
and direct the true Christian to the fuller exer¬
cise of this heavenly virtue.
I. The distinguishing features of " brotherly
love." Love to the brethren is something which
essentially differs from all love merely human.
It differs as regards its origin. Human love
springs from nature—"brotherly love" springs
from grace. The one is an indigenous plant and
product of the human heart — the other is a
divine principle, a seed from heaven, sown into a
strange soil, watered by the rain and the dew of
God's Holy Spirit, and bringing forth a fruit
quite foreign to the climate of this world.
Again—it differs as regards its moving cause.
The cause, which excites and moves to human
love, is either animal instinct, such as prompts
the parent to love the child—or it is some at¬
tractiveness in the object itself, such as beauty of
BROTHERLY LOVE.
113
person, embellishment of mind, and kindness of
disposition—or it is the mere force of habit, such
as leads people to become strongly attached to
each other, from the simple circumstance of
having lived and fared together for a number of
years. But none of these are the moving causes
of "brotherly love." Considerations far higher
and nobler than these call it into exercise. It is
drawn out by the holj and spiritual character of
its objects. Its objects are the " children of
God"—the " saints in Christ Jesus"—the " holy
brethren." They are loved entirely on account
of their spiritual character—because they bear
upon, them the stamp of heaven, the seal of the
Spirit, the image of Christ—because they are
members of that great " family in heaven and
earth" of whom God is the Father, Jesus the
first-born, and the Holy Ghost the " Spirit of
adoption." These are the causes which excite
and move to " brotherly love." It is not beauty
of person which it admires, nor accomplishment
of mind, nor any other external and natural
recommendation—but it is the beauty of Christ's
image in the soul; the beauty of that " new man,
which after God is created in righteousness and
true holiness."
Again—" brotherly love" is invariably united
with love to God. I need scarcely say, that such
114
BROTHERLY LOVE.
is not the case with mere human love. We may
clearly love a relation or friend, without having
any regard whatever to God—yea, whilst the
heart is even " enmity against God." But we
cannot love the brethren, without at the same
time loving God—neither can we love God,
without at the same time loving the brethren.
This truth is largely set forth in the first epistle
of St. John, who was himself an eminent pattern
of " brotherly love." He writes, " If we love
one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is
perfected in us." " If a man say, I love God,
and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he who
loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how
can he love God whom he hath not seen ? And
this commandment have we from him, That he
who loveth God love his brother also." " And
every one that loveth Him that begat, loveth
him also that is begotten of Him. By this we
know that we love the children of God, when we
love God, and keep his commandments." Thus
we see that love to God, and love to the brethren,
are inseparable—that they always are, and always
must be, found co-existing in the same heart—
two stems springing out of one root—both grow¬
ing together—each giving strength and stability
to the other.
Again—" brotherly love," unlike other kinds
BROTHERLY LOVE.
115
of love, is a perfectly disinterested and unselfish
affection. In mere human love there is much of
self mixed up. Self-gratification, self-interest,
form a-very principal ingredient in its composi¬
tion. Take one of the purest kinds—parental
love: and, if you well sift and examine it, you
will perceive how large a measure of self it con¬
tains. What is that over-indulgence, with which
many a doting parent ruins a favourite child—
what is it hut the gratification of selfish feelings,
even at the expense of the beloved object? But
in " brotherly love" there is an entire disinterest¬
edness—it has no view to personal pleasure or
profit—all selfishness is contrary to its nature.
Thus one of the features of Charity, or Love, as
drawn by the apostle, is—she " seeketh not her
own"—she does not study her own advantage or
comfort, but is prepared, when occasion requires,
to exercise self-denial for a brother's or sister's
sake. Therefore saith St. Paul, " Look not every
man on his own things, but every man also on
the things of others."—Phil. ii. 4. "We that
are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the
weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one
of us please his neighbour for his good to edifi¬
cation. For even Christ pleased not himself."—
Rom. xv. 1, 2. Christ is our Example. His
love toward us is to be the model of our love to-
116
BROTHERLY. LOVE.
ward each other—" as I have loved you, that ye
also love one another." Now the "love of Christ"
how disinterested! how self-denying ! It was a
love so pure, so great, as to cause him even to
die for us—he " loved us and gave himself for
us, an offering and a sacrifice to God"—" greater
love hath no man than this, that a man lay down
his life for his friends"—" hereby perceive we
the love of God, because he laid down his life
for us : and we ought to lay down our lives for the
brethren.'''' Thus " brotherly love" is, in its own
nature, of the same disinterested and unselfish
kind as the love of Christ; and should constrain
those who are under its influence, to similar acts
of self-denial, and even of self-sacrifice, where
circumstances are such as to call for it.
Again—" brotherly love" is of a truly sympa¬
thizing character. It leads the "brethren" to
sympathize with one another—to enter feelingly
into their mutual joys and sorrows—to " rejoice
with them that do rejoice, and to weep with
them that weep." The Church of Christ is re¬
presented as a body, of which he is the head,
and his true disciples the members. As in the
natural body there is a common feeling among
the members, whereby pain, or pleasure, felt in
one part, is quickly communicated to another—
so likewise in the spiritual body there is a sym-
BROTHERLY LOVE.
117
pathy, a fellowship of feeling; " if one member
suffer all the members suffer with it, if one mem¬
ber be honoured all the members rejoice with it."
This sympathy is the very soul and essence of
" brotherly love." Indeed it is the nature of all
love to sympathize with its object. The parent
feels acutely the pains and griefs of the child,
and equally participates in its joys. But there
is this difference—mere human love leads only
to sympathy with mere human feelings, with the
joys or the sorrows of this world—" brotherly
love" goes a step further: it leads to sympathy
with spiritual joys and spiritual sorrows. Love
to the brethren leads us to enquire tenderly and
feelingly into their spiritual state—to regard the
health and prosperity of their " inner man," the
sold. If it be well with them—if they be "strong
in faith"—if they be going on their way rejoic¬
ing, " walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the
comfort of the Holy Ghost"—then "brotherly
love" can rejoice over them, can thank God on
their behalf for the abundant grace, mercy, and
peace, vouchsafed to them. But if, on the other
hand, they be "weak in faith"—distressed in
conscience—burdened in spirit—walking in
darkness, and having no light—then " brotherly
love" will feel compassion for them; will bear
their infirmities; will seek to relieve their doubts,
118
BROTHERLY LOVE.
to comfort their distress, to bring them back into
the " ways of pleasantness," and the " paths of
peace." To the exercise of this active sympathy
the brethren are thus exhorted by St. Paul>
"Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil
the law of Christ." " Comfort the feeble-minded,
support the weak."
Once more—"brotherly love" is impartial,
and universal, in its nature. It " has not the
faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory,
with respect of persons."—James ii. 1. It is no
courtier of the rich and great—it is no despiser
of the poor and humble. The rich brother, and
"the brother of low degree," are equally the
objects of its regard. It does not select a few,
superior to the rest for talent, or accomplish¬
ments, or station; but it opens its heart to the
" whole family" of God's children. It is not
restricted to any party, to any denomination of
Christians, but in every section of the Church it
acknowledges and loves as "brethren" all who
"hold the Head," who by faith are "very mem¬
bers incorporate in the mystical body of Christ."
" Grace be with all them that love the Lord
Jesus in sincerity." It is not restricted either
by the limits of sense—it can go forth to those
whose faces it has never seen, of whom it has
heard only that they are walking in the truth.
BROTHERLY LOVE.
119
Thus the apostle says, "For I would that ye
knew what great conflict I have for you, and for
them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen
my face in the flcsli; that their hearts might be
comforted."—Col. ii. 1. There were many whom
Paul had never seen, but whose conversion to
Christ had been reported to him. We here find
that a brotherly feeling toward them was excited
in his breast, which led him to feel most anxious
for their edification and comfort in Christ, and
to wrestle with God in prayer on their behalf.
And does not the same tiring happen still amongst
the people of the Lord? Does not brotherly
love still constrain them often to intercede at the
throne of grace for those whose faces they have
never seen, but whose faith and love they have
heard of? Are there none of us who feel a go¬
ing forth of the heart toward the "brethren" in
other and distant lands ? Are there none of us
who make a practice of praying for the converted
heathen ? When we have heard of some " little
flock in the midst of wolves," exposed to perse¬
cutions, and even death, for the sake of Christ
and his Gospel—are there none of us, I say,
constrained, by brotherly feelings toward them,
to make their case our own; and as sincerely to
desire, and earnestly pray for, their peace and
preservation, as if we had intimately known them?
120
BROTHERLY LOVE.
So unrestricted by the limits of sense is that
pure, spiritual, brotherly love, which pervades
the whole family of God.
We have thus, as proposed, pointed out some
of the distinguishing features which characterize
the love of the brethren. We have shown that
its origin is divine, being produced in the heart
through the power of the Holy Ghost—that its
moving causes are spiritual, being moved and
drawn out by the spiritual character of its ob¬
jects—that it is invariably accompanied with love
to God, as our Father in Christ Jesus—that in
its nature it is wholly disinterested and unselfish
—that its sympathies in spiritual joys and sor¬
rows are quick and tender—that it is impartial
and universal, as it regards both places and
persons.
II. I come now to exhort my Christian
brethren «to a freer and fuller exercise of this
heavenly virtue. Would to God it were more
prevalent! But alas ! it is a truth, too painfully
evident to be denied, that even amongst real
Christians—amongst those who are the disciples
of one Lord, the children of one heavenly Father,
the baptized with one Holy Spirit—the exercise
of " brotherly love" is very imperfect; much
hindered through the corruptions of the heart,
and the subtle devices of Satan. In the regene-
BROTHERLY LOVE.
121
rate an evil nature still remains. The carnal
affections are not destroyed in them, though
habitually mortified and subdued. Hence they
are subject to frequent risings of pride, envy,
and uncharitableness. These prove sad hind¬
rances to the proper exercise of brotherly love.
How should we, therefore, my Christian breth¬
ren, watch and pray against such outbreakings
of our " old man, which is corrupt." Are we
desirous to do our Saviour's will, to "walk in
his steps," to have that mind in us which was in
Christ?—Oh! then, let us never forget the com¬
mandment, so often enforced from his own lips,
and so beautifully illustrated by his own example
—"that we love one another; as he hath loved
us, that we also love one another." Let us seri¬
ously, and affectionately, consider how this very
tiring formed a leading subject in his last prayer
for the church. " Holy Father, keep through
thine own name those whom thou hast given me,
that tliey may he one as we are. .. .Neither pray
I for these alone, but for them also which shall
believe on me through their word—that they all
may he one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I
in thee, that they also may be one in us."—John
xvii. 11, 20, 21. Thus we see that the union of
his people, not only to himself and to the Father,
but also to one another, was an object which lay
G
122
BROTHERLY LOVE.
very near our clear Redeemer's heart. He prayed
for it on earth, he intercedes for it in heaven.
Are we then his disciples—do we love him, not
in word only, but in deed and in truth—and can
we know his will in this respect without an
earnest desire and endeavour to perform it?
Surely that Christian brother, or sister, is guilty
of great unkindness toward the blessed Jesus,
who wilfully breaks "the unity of the Spirit, and
the bond of peace"—who interrupts the exercise
of that brotherly love, which the Lord com¬
manded to his disciples. Let it be our constant
aim and purpose, dearly beloved in the Lord, to
cultivate in our hearts, and exhibit in our lives,
a spirit of mutual regard, and " brotherly kind¬
ness." Let us be careful ourselves not to throw
an obstacle in the way of Christian concord; and
where an obstacle does exist, let us seek to re¬
move it by all the means in our power. Let us
ever set before us, and by the grace of God act
up to, the inspired precepts—" be ye kind one
to another, tender-hearted,•forgiving one another,
even as God, for Christ's sake, hath forgiven
you."—Eph. iv. 32. " Put on as the elect of
God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kind¬
ness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
forbearing one another, and forgiving one another,
if any man have a quarrel against any. And
BROTHERLY LOVE.
123
above all these things put on charity, which is
the bond of perfectness."—Col. iii. 12—14.
" The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-
suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness,
temperance."—Gal. v. 22.
If we sincerely desire to promote brotherly
love, we must be ready to deny ourselves—to
sacrifice our own tastes and feelings—to bear
with the infirmities and disagreeables of our fel¬
low Christians. Most men have some peculiar
failing, some unpleasantness of temper or man¬
ner. And we are all by nature censorious—
quick-sighted to mark the faults of others, whilst
we overlook, or regard with indulgence, our
own. But this is a practice most injurious to
the growth of brotherly love. We cannot love
the brethren as we ought to do, if we give way
to a censorious spirit—if we be fond of finding
out, and exposing, the spots in their character,
or the inconsistencies of their conduct. It is the
part of Charity, or Love, to "hide the multitude
of sins"—to cast a veil1 over them, that they may
not be laid bare to vulgar eyes, and that even
we ourselves may not dwell upon them. O
Christian! if thou art truly anxious to obey thy
Lord's commandment, and to keep inviolate the
sacred bond of brotherly love—dare not to en¬
tertain a personal dislike toward any one of God's
124
BROTHERLY LOVE.
children. Whatever may be his natural in¬
firmities—whatever unpleasant peculiarities of
temper or manner he may have—however.un-
amiable, and unprepossessing as a man—yet
look upon him, and love him, as a Christian, as
a disciple of our common Redeemer, as a child
of our Father which is in heaven. On the other
hand—if we be conscious of any such unpleasant
peculiarities in ourselves, as are calculated to
offend others, and to cause an antipathy in the
minds of our Christian brethren—it becomes a
solemn duty with us, as far as lies in our power,
by the grace of God, to correct the evil, and
remove the stumbling-block out of the way.
Let me earnestly exhort you, dearly beloved,
to cultivate in your hearts, and to exhibit in
your fives, more of that heavenly and spiritual
affection, which so distinguished the primitive
disciples; which led even their enemies to con¬
fess with admiration, " See how these Christians
love one another /" Reflect, that in the exercise
of brotherly love you will not only impart, but
also receive, a blessing. It will do your own
souls good. It will bring comfort and peace to
yourselves, as well as to others. Reflect, that it
will, in an eminent degree, glorify and please
your Saviour. This was his particular, oft-re¬
peated, commandment when upon earth—" love
brotherly love.
125
one another." And, doubtless, now, as he looks
down from heaven, he delights to see his dis¬
ciples " walking in love." Be watchful over
your own deceitful hearts. See that no bitter
root of envy, pride, contempt, or ill-will, he
secretly springing up within you. Check the
first motions of such unhallowed feelings—crush
the cockatrice in the egg. Above all things, pray
—-pray for the brethren—pray in a special man¬
ner for those brethren with whom you may be
more immediately connected. Intercessory prayer
is the very best cement of brotherly love. We
cannot fail to love them in the Lord, with a
growing attachment, whom we are in the habit
of kindly mentioning on our knees, and bearing
upon our hearts at the throne of grace.
There is, alas! in these days much coldness
and distance, not to speak of actual disunion,
amongst the brethren. But it is refreshing to
look forward to those times, foretold in Scripture,
when a far more plentiful outpouring of the
Spirit will be vouchsafed. The result of such
outpouring will be—not only a rapid spread of
the Gospel throughout the world, but a higher
and holier standard of religion among the people
of God. Then will every Christian grace and
virtue be fully developed. Then will peace and
love especially prevail. This is indeed a soul-
126
brotherly love.
cheering prospect; one which the spiritual man
delights to contemplate. But there is even a
better prospect lying beyond: a more perfect
and blessed state of things is hereafter to be
enjoyed. In heaven love will be perfected—
both Jove to God and love to the brethren. In
heaven every hindrance, arising from human in¬
firmities and corruptions, will be removed—for
those very corruptions and infirmities will them¬
selves be done away. Our sanctification, both
in body and soul, will then be complete. All
around, and all within, will be holiness and joy,
light and love. The whole family of God will
be then assembled in His heavenly house—not
one of all his children, from the beginning to the
end of time, will be wanting—and the blessed
feeling which will animate them all will he love
—love to the Father—love to Christ—love to
one another. All hearts in that " great congre¬
gation" will beat with one accord in ascribing
glory to the Lamb. Not a single jarring note
will be heard, as that countless choir, with in¬
strument and voice, pour forth their songs of
everlasting joy—" salvation to our God which
sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb"—
"blessing, and honour, and glory, and power,
be unto him that sitteth upon the tHrone, and
unto the Lamb for ever and ever."
SERMON VII.
complete in christ.
Colossians ii. 10.
"And ye are complete in liim."
Unspeakably great are the privileges and the
blessings which God has provided for his people.
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ," saith the apostle, " who hath
blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly
places in Christ." " All things are yours—
whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the
world, or life, or death, or things present, or
things to come, all are yours; and ye are Christ's;
and Christ is God's." The believer often finds
it hard to realize that God has indeed thus richly,
thus abundantly, blessed him. Looking at him¬
self, and being sensible of his own utter unwor-
thiness, he is inclined to ask, Who am I, a poor
miserable sinner, that the Lord should, show
such favour unto me—that He should so freely,
and so largely, pour out his benefits upon me ?
Yet, my Christian brethren, we are bound to
credit the promises of God, "who cannot lie." It
128
COMPLETE IN CHRIST.
is at once our duty and our privilege to believe,
that, according to his word, all things are ours—
that " all spiritual blessings," all grace and glory,
are made over and secured to us in Christ Jesus.
We ought not to look at ourselves, and weigh as
it were our own deservings against his blessings.
Because it is not in the least degree upon our
account, for any thing good or recommendatory
in us, that the blessings are bestowed—but it is
wholly and solely for the merit of Christ, which
is infinite—it is entirely upon his account, and
for his sake, of whom the Father hath declared,
"This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well
pleased." There is no presumption, therefore,
in an unworthy sinner, who with his heart be¬
lieves on the Lord Jestfs Christ—there is no
presumption, I say, in his appropriating, or tak¬
ing to himself, all the blessings of the covenant,
unspeakably rich and glorious as they are. My
Christian brethren, let us be more confident, and
more bold, in this respect. Let us not be afraid,
nor backward through afalse humility, to receive
" the things which are freely given us of God."
By so doing we shall bring both honour to Him
and comfort to ourselves.
I have been led to make these introductory
remarks by the fact, that in our text the inesti¬
mable privileges and blessings of believers are
COMPLETE IN CHRIST.
129
set forth. Those few words, "Ye are complete
in him," declare the fulness of spiritual grace,
and of eternal glory, which is the portion of " all
them that believe." Though weak, and worth¬
less, and poor, and miserable, in ourselves; yet
in Christ we have "unsearchable riches"—as to
all things which pertain to everlasting salvation,
we are through faith "complete in hiin." What¬
soever we stand in need of, as sinners who " shall
be saved"—he it pardon, or comfort, or strength,
or holiness—whatsoever the tiling may he which
is essential to our present sanctification, or our
future glory—an all-sufficient provision is made
for us in Christ. " Christ is all." Believers
of every age and stature, of every class and cha¬
racter—whether ye he weak or strong—whether
ye be hahes, or young men, ox fathers in Christ—
this precious -truth applies to you without ex¬
ception, "ye are complete in him."
Let us now proceed to examine more closely,
in the first place, what is the true meaning of
the expression "in himy" and secondly, wherein
the believer's completeness in Christ consists.
And may God by his Holy Spirit be with us,
whilst thus engaged: to awaken the careless
and ungodly to some concern for their souls—to
enlighten, comfort, and sanctify his own believ¬
ing people.
g 2
130
COMPLETE IN CHRIST.
I. The expression "in him"''' is to be examined.
"Ye are complete in him." What is it to be
"in Christ?" The phrase is of not uncommon
use in the word of God. We find it used, for
instance, in the following Scriptures: " There is
therefore now no condemnation to them which are
in Christ Jesus.""—Rom. viii. 1.—"If any man
be in Christ he is a new creature.—2 Cor. v. 17.
—"Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen,
and fellow prisoners, who are of note among the
apostles, who also were in Christ before me."—
Rom. xvi. 7.—"he hath made us accepted in the
beloved.""—Eph. i. 6.—" that I may win Christ,
and be found in him."—Phil. iii. 8, 9. We may
state at once that the expression " in him," thus
frequently used, denotes the union which subsists
between Christ, and every believing soul. The
soul by true and lively faith is joined to Christ,
and made one with him; as it is said, " he that
is joined to the Lord is one spirit." They are
"in Christ," who believe on him with the heart—
who act faith in his blood, and in his righteous¬
ness, as their alone hope, and ground of accept¬
ance with God. The true believer is engrafted
into Christ, as a branch is engrafted into a stock:
or he is united with Christ the Head, as a mem¬
ber of his mystical body. A real and vital union
takes place between the graft and the stock; so
COMPLETE IN CHRIST.
131
that, in due time, the graft, being nourished with
sap from the tree, bears fruit. In like manner a
real spiritual union ensues between Christ and
the believing soul. The soul, being thus engrafted
into Christ, receives the supply of his Spirit, and
brings forth fruit to the glory of God.
This union between his disciples and himself
our Lord illustrated, and enforced, in the well-
known parable of the vine. "I am the vine, ye
are the branches. Abide in me, and I in you.
As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except
it abide in the vine ; no more can ye, except ye
abide in me. He that abideth in me, and I in
him, the same bringeth forth much fruit—for
without me, (or severed from me) ye can do
nothing. Herein is my Father glorified that ye
bear much fruit."
This union with Christ, or being "in him,"
was also represented by a striking figure under
the old dispensation. It was the custom of
the High priest, under the Mosaic law, when
he entered into the holiest, within the veil, for
the purpose of sprinkling the mercy-seat with
the blood of the sacrifice, and offering incense
before the divine presence—it was his custom
upon those occasions to wear a peculiar breast¬
plate, on which were twelve precious stones,
engraven with the names of the twelve tribes of
132
COMPLETE IN CHRIST.
Israel—so that, whensoever he appeared before
God, all the people appeared in him. This was
but the " shadow of good things to come." It
described, in a figure, our great High Priest,
who is entered into the heavens—not with the
blood of hulls and of goats, but with his own
blood, " having obtained eternal redemption for
us"—it described him as appearing in the pre¬
sence of God, and bearing upon his heart the
names of all his people, and making intercession
for them with the Father. God looks upon be¬
lievers, not as they are in themselves, but as they
are in Christ Jesus. God beholds them in the
person of his beloved Son, united to him as their
Mediator and Surety—God therefore sees no sin
in his people, so as to condemn them. He re¬
cognises only the all-prevailing merits of their
Surety, Jesus Christ. They are justified freely
by God's grace—are " accepted in the beloved "
—are made His children by adoption—"and if
children, then heirs—heirs of God, and joint
heirs with Christ."
My brethren, be well assured of one thing—
that they only, who at the last great day shall be
found in Christ, can possibly " escape the dam¬
nation of hell." To all who shall then be found
out of Christ, God will be a consuming fire.
His wrath will burn against them to the utter-
COMPLETE IN CHRIST.
133
most—with the blasting of the breath of his
displeasure they will be swept into eternal per¬
dition. Be well assured, I say, that except you
now are "in Christ" by faith, you have no present
salvation — that unless you shall through the
operation of the Spirit, be brought to believe on
him, you can never be saved. It matters little
what you are in yourselves. You may be sober
and industrious—you may be kind and charit¬
able—you may be moral, and virtuous, and even
outwardly religious—but these, and all other
things, will profit you nothing—they cannot
make you pleasing and acceptable to God.
" Without faith it is impossible to please God."
He can only look with complacency upon those
whom He sees " in Christ"—" not having their
own righteousness, which is of the law, but that
which is by the faith of Christ, the righteousness
which is of God by faith." How all-important,
then, is the question, Hast thou faith? Art thou
in Christ, as a living branch in the true vine?
Doubtless, there are some here present whom
the Spirit of God hath quickened—hath con¬
vinced of their true state as lost and ruined
sinners—hath caused to flee " for refuge to lay
hold on the hope set before them." But it is to
be feared that by far the greater part of you, my
brethren, have not faith—are not "in Christ."
134
COMPLETE IN CHRIST.
Oh! reflect, I beseech you, on your miserable,
and most perilous, condition in being "without
Christ." It is not to say that you will be con¬
demned in the last judgment: but you are "con¬
demned already." It is not to say that His
wrath will break out against you then ; but the
wrath of God abideth on you, even now. I
speak not this to frighten you—though it may
well have that effect—but I speak it, because it is
the truth of God; and my office, as a Minister,
is to declare that truth. Hear what the Scrip¬
ture saith, "he that believeth not is condemned
already."—John iii. 18.—and again, "he that
believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the
wrath of God abideth on him."—John iii. 36.
You perceive, brethren, that not without the
warrant of Scripture did I state the awful truth,
that all unbelievers—all those who are not " in
Christ" by faith—are condemned already"—are
even now lying under the wrath of the Almighty.
Let me, therefore, again beseech you to reflect
upon it—and oh! that God by his Holy Spirit
would so enlighten your eyes to the truth; would
so convince you of your extreme danger; yea, of
your present actual lost condition; that you might
cry out from the bottom of your hearts, like the
Philippian jailor, "What must I do to be saved ?"
How gladly would I then direct you to the Cross,
COMPLETE IN CHRIST.
1-35
and say, " Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and
thou shalt be saved."
II. We come now to consider wherein the
believer's completeness consists—"ye are complete
in him." This may be understood in two ways
—as referring, either to the believer's state and
standing before God—or to the provision of grace
and glory, which there is laid up in Christ for
him. In both senses it is equally true that be¬
lievers "are complete in him."
1. As respects the state and standing of be¬
lievers before God. They are complete in Christ
—completely justified—freely and fully accepted.
No sin can be laid to their charge, so as to con¬
demn them—" there is no condemnation to them
that are in Christ Jesus." God regards them
with the same complacency and delight as He
regards His own beloved Son—yea, He looks
upon them as His adopted children—as the sons
and daughters of that elect family, of which Jesus
is the " first-born." " Behold what manner of
love the Father hath bestowed on us, that we
should he called the sons of God."—1 John iii. 1.
Believers are, hi this sense, without spot before
God—unblameahle—unrebukeahle. Not that
they are free from sin in themselves—for " if we
say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves,
and the truth is not in us"—but that "in Christ"
136
COMPLETE IN CHRIST.
their sin is done away — the guilt is entirely
removed — their pardon, their justification, is
complete.
Various expressions are used in Scripture to
denote that "perfect remission and forgiveness,"
which believers enjoy in Christ. For instance,
"I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy trans¬
gressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins"—" I, even
I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions, for
mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins."
—"thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back''''
—"Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth
iniquity?—thou wilt cast all their sins into the
depths of the sea.'"—Micah vii. 18.—"In those
days, and in that time, saith the Lord, the ini¬
quity of Israel shall be sought for, and there
shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they
shall not be found''—Jer. 1. 20.—"I will forgive
their iniquity, and will remember their sin no
more."—Jer. xxxi. 34. Thus the sins of be¬
lievers are " abundantly pardoned," are entirely
done away, are clean blotted out in Christ.
They that believe are " justified from all things."
They belong to that company of faithful men, of
whom David spake, saying, " Blessed are they
whose iniquities are forgiven, whose sins are
covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord
will not impute sin."—Rom. iv. 7, 8. As re-
COMPLETE IN CHRIST.
137
gards, therefore, their justification and acceptance
with God—they are complete in Christ.
For this there are two reasons, viz. because
"in him," they have a complete atonement, and
" in him" they have a complete righteousness.
God's infinite justice will not allow Him to par¬
don sin without an atonement for it. That
atonement was made by the blood of Christ—
for " without shedding of blood there is no re¬
mission"—and " it is not possible that the blood
of bulls and of goats should take away sins"—
but " the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb
without blemish and without spot," hath effected
the mighty work. "By whom we have now
received the atonement"—"in whom we have
redemption through his blood, even the forgive¬
ness of sins;"—"being justified freely by his
grace through the redemption which is in Christ
Jesus: whom God hath set forth to be a propi¬
tiation through faith in his bloodThus be¬
lievers, being " one with Christ," have a complete
atonement "in him"—they arc "justified by his
blood"—they can say, "Who is he that con-
demneth? it is Christ that died"—"the blood of
Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin"—"unto
him that loved us and washed us from our sins
in his own blood. .. .be glory for ever and ever."
—Rev. i. 5.
138
complete in christ.
Again—"in him" they have a complete righte¬
ousness. A complete righteousness is as much
needed, for our justification before God, as a
complete atonement. But such a righteousness
no fallen man can offer. Righteousness is a
perfect obedience to the law of God—a faultless
fulfilment of all its holy precepts, in heart as well
as in life. For "the law is spiritual," requiring
to be kept in the spirit as well as hi the letter—
hi thought as well as in deed. Now such a
righteousness we hate not hi ourselves, and we
cannot hate. Behold we were born in sin, and
shapen in iniquity—"we are all as an unclean
thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy
rags." But the God-Man, Jesus Christ, hath
done that for us which we could not do for our¬
selves. Pie hath rendered the perfect obedience
which the law requires. For this very purpose
he condescended to be "made of a woman, made
under the law;" that he might in our nature
keep the law, might "fulfil all righteousness."
Thus the prophet speaks of "Messiah the Prince,"
as coming " to make an end of sins, and to make
reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in ever¬
lasting righteousness."—Dan. ix. 24. And again
—" this is the name whereby he shall be called,
The Lord our Righteousness."—Jer. xxiii. 6.
Now believers, being "one with Christ," have
COMPLETE IN CHRIST.
139
his righteousness made theirs by imputation.
God " imputeth," or reckoneth to their account,
the righteousness of his own beloved Son. They
are thereby justified, or made righteous, he-
fore God. They are regarded, "in Christ," as
having fulfilled the whole law. Christ is made
unto them "righteousness." They possess that
"righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus
Christ unto all and upon all them that believe."
They are privileged to say with the prophet, " I
will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall he
joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with
the garments of salvation, he hath covered me
with the robe of righteousness."—Isaiah lxi. 10.
It was for this blessed and glorious privilege
that the apostle was content to " suffer the loss
of all things" — as he says, "that I may win
Christ, and be found in him, not having mine
own righteousness which is of the law, but that
which is by the faith of Christ, the righteousness
which is of God by faith."—Phil. iii. 9. Thus
believers, being " one with Christ," have " in
him" a complete atonement, and a complete righte¬
ousness—by reason of which they stand blame¬
less and without spot before God—freely, fully,
and for ever justified. Beloved brethren in the
Lord, whose hope Christ is, whose faith rests on
him as the "sure foundation," the "chief corner
140
COMPLETE IN CHRIST.
stone"—treasure up in your hearts this precious
truth, that, as regards your justification, "ye are
complete in him." Think not to make this mat¬
ter more sure by the addition of your own works
—you cannot—it is already sure—you are, even
now, "justified by faith, without the deeds of the
law." Rejoice rather, with devout and humble
gratitude, that to youbelongeth the "blessedness
of the man unto whom God imputeth righteous¬
ness without works." " Rejoice in the Lord
alway, and again I say, rejoice."
2. But in the other sense our text is equally
true, viz. that as regards the provision of grace
and glory made in Christ, believers "are com¬
plete in him." They have "in him" an abun¬
dant supply of all things needful to their present
sanctification, and. future glory. In Christ, as the
Head, there is laid up an inexhaustible store of
" all spiritual blessings " for the use and comfort
of his members. When he "ascended on high,"
he "received gifts for men." He received the
fulness of the Spirit; to pour out thereof upon
liis church and people, according to their several
necessities. " It pleased the Father that in him
should all fulness dwell." "For God giveth not
the Spirit by measure unto him." " And of his
fulness have all we received, and grace for
grace." Believers, therefore, have " in him" a
COMPLETE IN CHRIST.
141
full provision made for the supply of all their
spiritual wants, for the satisfaction of all then-
spiritual desires. He of God is made unto them
"wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and re¬
demption." He is made unto them wisdom—
" in him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and
knowledge"—and out of these hid treasures he
imparts unto his people, enriching them "in all
wisdom and spiritual understanding." The wis¬
dom which Christ imparts is not the " wisdom of
this world]" but that wisdom which "cometh
down from above," and which maketh "wise
unto salvation." It is a knowledge of divine
truth, a discernment of spiritual things, which
Christ gives. By his Spirit he enlightens the
eyes of the understanding to see, and inclines
the heart to embrace, the doctrines of his word.
Thus by his Spirit, and by his word, he guides
believers " into all truth." He causeth them to
know the exceeding sinfulness of sin, and the
desperate wickedness of their own hearts. He
manifests himself to them as the all-sufficient
remedy for sin, revealing more and more of his
fulness as a Saviour. He unfolds to them the
wondrous scheme of salvation, exhibiting as it
does the "manifold wisdom of God"—the infinite
riches of His mercy, His justice, His faithful¬
ness, His love. These are the things taught in
142
COMPLETE IN CHRIST.
the school of Christ; and, besides these, many a
lessson of humility, and of personal holiness.
The word of truth is the class-hook, and the
Spirit of truth is the monitor, in the school of
Christ. There are indeed various degrees of
knowledge, suited to the various capacities of the
learners. There is "milk for babes," i.e. simple
doctrine for the young, and as yet weak, con¬
vert—there is also "strong meat" for them of
full age, i. e. higher mysteries, deeper views, for
the mature and experienced Christian. Thus
to "all believers," from the least unto the great¬
est, Christ is made "wisdom." "They are com¬
plete in him," as regards the provision made for
their progress and perfection in spiritual know¬
ledge.
Again—he is made unto them " sanctif cationS
He has not only the Spirit of truth to bestow,
but likewise the Spirit of holiness—that Holy
Ghost, which sanctifeth all the elect people of
God. Believers stand in need of continual sup¬
plies of grace, whereby they may be enabled to
overcome the world, to mortify the deeds of the
body, to subdue the corruptions of their old
nature, to "cleanse themselves from all filthiness
of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the
fear of God." In their own strength they are
utterly unequal to this great work. If an ample
COMPLETE IN CHRIST.
143
provision were not made for them in this respect,
they could never be sanctified, and therefore
could never he saved. But, blessed be God,
there is such a provision made. The will of God
is their sanctification; and He hath provided for
it abundantly in Christ Jesus. " In him" there
dwells a fulness of sanctifying grace. From him
may be derived to the believing soul grace suffi¬
cient for every purpose—" grace to help in every
time of need." Are we sore tempted and buffeted
of Satan ? " in him" there is grace to strengthen
us, that we may resist and conquer. Are we
deeply afflicted, brought into great tribulation?
" in him" there is grace to comfort, or to make
us patient and resigned. Are we dull and almost
dead in spiritual things, our souls cleaving to the
dust, prayer becoming a burden, and communion
with God seeming to he impossible? "in him"
there is grace to quicken and revive, to blow up
the smouldering spark into a flame, and to fill
the soul once more with light, and warmth, and
vital energy. Are we growing worldly in our
minds, too much attached to "things on the
earth," setting up idols in our hearts? "in him"
there is grace to wean the affections from earthly
objects, and to fix them on " tilings above," that
we may sit more loose to the world, may live
more as " strangers and pilgrims," seeking a
144
COMPLETE IN CHRIST.
"better country, that is an heavenly." In short,
whatever may be the condition of the soul, what¬
ever it may want to its full sanctification, " in
him" there is sufficient and suitable grace pro¬
vided. If our souls be " straitened," it is not
" in him," but in themselves—it is not through
any deficiency on his part, but through weakness
of faith on our own. Christ is thus made unto us
of God sanctification. Believers are "complete
in him" as regards the abundant provision made
for their present progress, and final perfection,
in holiness.
Once more—Christ is made unto us redemp¬
tion. "In him" there is ample provision made
for the future and eternal glory of his people.
The redemption, here spoken of, is the "re¬
demption of our body"—when that which is
"sown in corruption," shall be "raised in incor-
ruption;" when that which is " sown in dishon¬
our," shall be "raised in glory." The resurrection
of believers to eternal life is a sure and certain
hope—because they are "in him" who is "the
Resurrection and the Life;" who hath said, " I
will ransom them from the power of the grave;
I will redeem them from death : 0 death, I will
be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruc¬
tion."— Hosea xiii. 14. The resurrection of
Christ is the believer's pledge to assure him of
COMPLETE IN CHRIST.
145
his own resurrection. "Christ is risen from the
dead, and become the first fruits of them that
slept." "For as in Adam all die, even so in
Christ shall all be made alive. But every man
in his own order: Christ the first fruits; after¬
ward they that are Christ's at his coming." The
"coming of the Lord" will be to all his people
the " day of redemption"—" when the Lord him¬
self shall descend from heaven with a shout, with
the voice of the archangel, and with the trump
of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first."
Not one of all his believing people, who have
fallen asleep since the foundation of the world,
will fail to hear that last trump, and to arise at
its summons with immortal and glorified bodies.
This is the will of God. It formed an article in
the covenant-engagement between the Father and
the Son. "And this is the Father's will which
hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me
I should lose nothing, but should raise it up
again at the last day. And this is the will of
him that sent me, that every one which seeth
the Son, and believeth on him, may have ever¬
lasting life; and I will raise him up at the last
day."-—John vi. 39, 40. Thus a sure provision
is made in Christ for the future resurrection to
glory of all his believing people. He is made
unto them — not only " wisdom, righteousness,
H
146
COMPLETE IN CHRIST.
sanctification"—but also " redemption." In this
last respect therefore, as well as the foregoing, it
may with truth be said of them, "Ye are com¬
plete in him."
Let me now in conclusion just exhort you,
my dear Christian brethren, to make more of the
unspeakable privileges and blessings, which you
have in Christ Jesus your Lord. Rej oice, though
humbly, yet heartily, " in the strength of your
salvation in the rich abundance of good things,
"that are freely given to you of God." Let Christ
be more entirely the object of your contempla¬
tion, of your faith and love—as being the Foun¬
tain of living water, from which every stream
must come to your soul—as containing within
himself all your supplies of grace, and all your
hopes of glory. Let the life, which you now
live in the flesh, be a life of faith in the Son of
God. From day to day be still "looking unto
Jesus," be still receiving out of his fulness—
"And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly;
and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and
body be preserved blameless unto the coming of
our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth
you, who also will do it."—1 Thess. xxiii. 24.
SERMON VIII.
THE HEART.
Jeremiah xvii. 9.
" The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately
wicked; who can know it?"
How widely do the statements of Scripture, and
the common maxims of the world, differ from
each other! There is often as direct an oppo¬
sition between the two, as between light and
darkness, sweet and bitter. Our text supplies
us with a case in point. The world is continually
speaking of the sincerity and the goodness of men's
hearts—whilst the Scripture as continually de¬
clares, that in man " there dwelleth no good
thingj" that his " heart is deceitful above all
things, and desperately wicked." These two
witnesses cannot both of them be true. The
only question is, which shall we believe—the
witness of men, or the witness of God ?
The subject, furnished us in the text, is not a
flattering or pleasing subject—but it is one of
148
THE HEART.
great consequence to our souls, on the right
knowledge of which the soul's best interests de¬
pend. May the subject, by divine grace, he
made to yield us profit, though not pleasure!
Oh! that the minds of some might now for the
first time be seriously impressed, whilst reflect¬
ing on their lost and ruined state; on the entire
corruption of their nature, and depravity of their
hearts; on the absolute necessity for an atone¬
ment by the death of Christ; and for a regenera¬
tion by the Spirit of Christ, in order to the
salvation of a sinner.
I purpose to enlarge upon the two points,
which are presented in our text, viz. 1. the de-
eeitfulness of the heart: 2. its desperate wicked¬
ness: and in conclusion I shall draw from the
whole subject a few practical inferences. May
the " God of all grace " vouchsafe His blessing!
I. The deceitfidness of the heart. " The heart
is deceitful above all things." Mark the force of
each expression. It is said, "the heart"—not
the hearts of some, who are pre-eminent in
vice; but the heart of man universally. It in¬
cludes the whole race of fallen Adam. It applies
to all who now hear me, without a single excep¬
tion. There are none of us, my brethren, who
have not got" the heart" which our text describes.
Again — it is said, " deceitful." The human
the heakt.
149
heart is a lying, cheating, treacherous thing—
full of hypocrisy—nothing in the world can
match it for deceitfulness—it is deceitful above
all things. So strong and comprehensive are
the expressions used in our text.
Let me briefly point out the different ways,
in which the heart deceives different characters.
The characters I shall instance are four, viz. the
irreligious—the self-righteous—the professor—
and the true Christian.
1. The irreligious—by these I mean all such
as "live ungodly"—that is, "without God in the
world"—careless and unconcerned as to their
souls—walking in the lusts of the flesh, in the
pomps and vanities of the world—" who mind
earthly things." These are openly and avowedly
not religious; and the greater portion of them
are not so much as moral. Now they are de¬
ceived by their own hearts. Their hearts per¬
suade them that the ways of sin are "ways of
pleasantnessthat in the world, and from the
world, are true joys to be found. Their hearts
persuade them that sin is a trifle; that God is
even such an one as themselves, not " strict to
mark what is done amiss," not sure to fulfil the
threatenings of his word, too merciful to visit
his guilty creatures with the "vengeance of eter¬
nal fire." Thus multitudes are living in a state
150
THE HEART.
of self-deception; their own hearts persuading
them "to believe a he."
2. The self-righteous—they, who being free
from acts of gross sin—being moral and virtuous
in their lives, kind and charitable in their dispo¬
sitions, punctual attendants on the ordinances of
religion—do build their "confidence toward God"
on the ground of their own righteousness, their
alms-deeds, and (fancied) good works—they also
are miserably deluded. Their hearts deceive
them with false opinions of themselves, and flat¬
ter them with vain hopes. They are so blinded
to the true spiritual nature of God's law, as to
imagine, that a mere outward obedience is all that
it requires: and therefore that they, having ful¬
filled its requirements, can claim a reward, not
of grace, hut of merit. They think to appear in
the great day of judgment, and stand before that
Holy One, who is " of purer eyes than to look
upon iniquity," in the "filthy rags" of their own
righteousness. Thus their hearts deceive them.
They listen to the soft whispers of a lying voice
within, which says, "c Peace, peace,' when there
is no peace."
3. Mere professors—they who have the form
of godliness, but are destitute of its power—who
know what true religion is, and can talk on
spiritual subjects—who profess to be the dis-
THE HEART.
151
ciples of Jesus, and would cast in their lot with
the people of God—but who want the " one
thing needful," viz. inward grace and conver¬
sion. They are like the barren fig-tree, rich in
foliage, but having no fruit. Their own hearts
deceive them. They are led to believe that they
really are what they profess to be—that they in¬
deed have faith, repentance, love, and every
other grace, which distinguishes the Christian
character. There are, doubtless, many thus self-
deluded, self-deceived. It is a danger to which,
in the present day, we are peculiarly exposed.
The present is a day of much religious know¬
ledge and profession. The "truth" is not now so
openly and violently persecuted as it has often
been; yea, the Gospel has even grown popular.
Many, therefore, are led to make an evangelical
profession, deceiving themselves with the fond
idea that they are possessors, as well as professors,
of the faith of Christ.
4. The true Christian—even he is, not unfre¬
quently, the dupe of his own deceitful heart.
Sometimes it deceives him as to what is the path
of duty—persuading him to choose that path,
which is pleasant, in preference to the painful
and self-denying one. Sometimes it deceives
him as to what is sin, and what is not sin—call¬
ing good evil, and evil good—putting darkness
152
THE HEART.
for light, and light for darkness; bitter for sweet,
and sweet for bitter. Sometimes it deceives him
into the belief that some darling lust is renounced,
which is still cherished—that some idol is cast
away, which is still retained and loved. Some¬
times it deceives him to think that he rests simply
and solely on Christ, for pardon and peace, whilst
there is a secret resting on an " arm of flesha
drawing of comfort from the well of his own
sufficiency. But most of all does the Christian's
heart deceive him with regard to the motives,
which govern his conduct. Too often, whilst he
imagines his motives to be pure and spiritual,
they are mixed with much that is impure and
worldly. Too often, whilst he thinks that he is
serving God with disinterested zeal, constrained
by mere love to Christ, and having a single eye
to the Redeemer's glory—too often it is only
partially the case with him—his motives in doing
this or that good work are mixed. Pride and
self-love, a desire of men's praise, vain-glory,
are too often the secret springs which move him
to action.
Thus the true Christian is in danger of being
deceived by his own heart, as well as the irreli¬
gious, the self-righteous, and the mere professor.
Only there is this difference—they are deceived
to their ruin; he to his hurt, but not his ruin,
the heart.
153
Because they are deceived as to the ground of
their hope—building their hope on a false ground,
on the sand instead of on the rock—whereas his
hope is good—he builds on Christ, the "sure
foundation"—that "hope set before us," which
can never disappoint, nor make ashamed. How
little do men in general think on the deceitful-
ness of their own hearts! How little do they
reflect that within them there is a traitor lodged
—one ever ready to betray into the hands of
Satan the interests of the soul. Be well assured,
my brethren, that if your peace of mind has
never been disturbed with a sense of sin; if
your conscience is still unawakened, in an easy
torpid state—be well assured that a deceitful
heart is playing you false, that the repose you
enjoy is only the repose of spiritual death, which
is only the forerunner of death eternal.
II. Having thus briefly touched upon the
deceitfulness of the human heart, we come now
to consider, in the second place, its wickedness.
Observe again the strength of the expression
used. " Desperately wicked"—that is, depraved
to the uttermost, without a single redeeming
quality, without a hope in itself of future im¬
provement—radically and incurably bad. Sin
has reduced man to a level with wicked spirits.
They were once angels of light; perfectly good,
h 2
154
the heart.
and perfectly happy. But they sinned—and
straightway their light was turned into darkness
—their goodness into depravity—their happiness
into woe. Man likewise was originally made
upright, and pronounced by his Creator to be
"very good." But he likewise sinned—and im¬
mediately the divine image was lost—the nature,
which at first was heavenly, spiritual, God-like—
became "earthly, sensual, devilish." "Despe¬
rately -wicked"—is the character and title writ¬
ten by the pen of Inspiration on the heart of
man. It is still the heart universally, which is
spoken of. What is here said applies to " all
hearts'''—to yours, brethren, and to mine. There
is not, and cannot be, a single exception to the
rule. Show me the fairest, the noblest, specimen
of human nature—the best of men; the loveliest
of women; adorned with every accomplishment
of mind; graced with every virtue of moral ex¬
cellence ; the paragon of either sex—and I will
not be afraid to pronounce, on the warrant of
His word who cannot lie, that however pleasing
and attractive the outward appearance may be,
the heart within is desperately wicked.
In many persons the wickedness is restrained
from breaking out by the force of reason, and of
education; but still the evil principle exists. In
every heart there is the seed of every sin—and
THE HEART.
155
though, the seed may lie dormant, and not bring
forth the fruit of crime, yet the seed is there;
and if restraining grace were withheld, and
tempting opportunities were to offer, the seed
would very soon spring up, and yield a harvest
of iniquity. Thus the seed of envy, or malice,
would ripen into murder ; the seed of lust into
adultery ; the seed of covetousness into fraud and
robbery. Consider this, O thou blind Pharisee,
thou self-righteous and self-complacent man, who
secretly sayest, if not openly," God, I thank thee
that I am not as other men are, extortioners,
unjust, adulterers;" consider this—that within
thee are the seeds of all these crimes, and of
every other—that thy heart in the sight of Him,
who seeth not as man seeth, is " desperately
wicked."
But perhaps some one may object, you are
exaggerating the case; you are making it out to
be much worse than it really is; you are build¬
ing your theory upon a single text of Scripture;
whilst there are other texts, which give a differ¬
ent view. I would answer, were this the only
text in all the Bible, on which to build the doc¬
trine—I should esteem it quite enough. One
sentence of God's is more than ten thousand
volumes of man. But this is not the only text.
The Scriptures throughout set forth the same
156
THE HEART.
doctrine as to the condition of man after the fall
of Adam. His heart is every where described as
being, by nature, totally corrupt—"desperately
wicked." Thus we read that, in the days of
Noah, " God saw the wickedness of man, that it
was great in the earth, and that every imagina¬
tion of the thoughts of his heart was only evil
continually." " The heart of the sons of men,"
says Solomon, " is full of evil." It is sometimes
called a heart of stone, to denote its hardness and
coldness — its insensibility toward God: some¬
times a heart of grease, to show how gross, and
earthly, and sensual, is its fallen nature. The
apostle St. Paxil says of himself, " I know that
in me, that is, in my flesh," my natural heart,
" there dwelleth no good thing." And again—
" the carnal mind," i. e. the heart of man by
nature, " is enmity against God." Is not this to
be " desperately wicked"—for the heart to be
enmity against Him, who is perfect goodness ?
Yea—is not this the very character of the devils?
Hear the description which our blessed Lord
gives of the heart—and He was one, who "needed
not that any should testify of man, for He knew
what was in man." He says—Mark vii. 21, &c.
" from within, out of the heart of men, proceed
evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lascivi-
THE HEART.
157
ousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolish¬
ness ; all these evil things come from within,
and defile the man."—Is it not then, I ask, a
true doctrine, that the nature of man is totally
corrupt, his heart "desperately wicked"—a doc¬
trine, not merely stated in a single text, hut
running through the whole body of Scripture ?
But it may still be urged that there are ex¬
pressions of a more mild and favourable kind—
such as " an honest and good heart f a heart of
uprightness and integrity—a pure heart—and
even a perfect heart. I would answer; these
expressions do not describe the heart in its
natural state, but as it is influenced by the Holy
Spirit: which operates secretly upon it, converts
and renews it after the image of God " in righte¬
ousness and true holiness." We shall do well
in reading the Scriptures to bear this fact in
mind ; that, wherever goodness of heart is spoken
of, natural goodness is not meant, but such as
comes only through the .operation of divine grace.
We may yet further observe that, in order
the more deeply to impress us with the desperate
wickedness of man's heart, the word of God, not
only asserts it as a bare proposition, but illustrates
it with numerous examples. What a dark record
of human crime is presented to us in the Bible !
How many a moral monster is there exhibited
158
THE HEART.
to our view! There is no flattery in the Bible
—no speaking of stnooth things. It draws a
true picture of fallen man. It holds up a faithful
mirror, in which may be seen reflected our own
likeness as sinful and depraved creatines. A
very early example is given us in Scripture of
the desperate wickedness of the human heart.
One of the first tilings we meet with is a murder
—a most foul and unnatural murder—brother
rising up against brother—Cain shedding the
blood of Abel. This proves to us most forcibly
that the heart of man has not grown bad by
degrees, by the slow decay of virtue, but that
immediately after the fall of Adam, it became
totally corrupt—full of malignant passions and
" vile affectionslike a garden full of poison¬
ous weeds, or a cage full of unclean birds. Be¬
sides this first example of human depravity, we
might instance various others, which are recorded
in the Scriptures—such as Pharaoh, Saul, Ahab,
Manasseh, Belshazzar, Herod, Judas Iscariot,
the persecutors and crucifiers of the Son of God
—all of them, in a pre-eminent manner, illus¬
trating the truth, that the heart is " desperately
wicked."
But the Bible does not stop here. It is not
content with recording examples of desperate
wickedness amongst unconverted and ungodly
THE HEART.
159
men, but it also records examples of the same
amongst the saints, " the children of God"
Thus even perfect Noah, and righteous Lot,
though they had both of them experienced such
distinguishing mercy at the hands of God, yet
both of them afterward grievously fell—the one
into the beastly sin of drunkenness, the other into
the unnatural crime of incest. David again—
the man after God's own heart—the writer of
those spiritual songs, those heavenly hymns—
how did the corruption of his nature break out
in an unguarded hour, and plunge him into the
" horrible pit," and into the " miry clay," of a
two-fold crime—adultery and murder. "Why do
the Scriptures uncover and expose these blots in
the characters of holy men? Perhaps some may
foolishly think that such grievous backslidings
and falls had better not have been recorded on
the sacred page. But God, in His unerring
wisdom, has judged and ordained it otherwise.
They "are written"—and "for our learning."
And doubtless one important lesson intended to
be taught by them is this, the desperate wicked¬
ness of the heart of man—that the corruption of
nature doth remain, even in them which are
regenerated; and that, unless continually kept
under by divine grace, it may break out into the
worst of sins. Oh! be not confident my Chris-
160
the heart.
tian brethren, in your oivn strength—put no
trust in your own deceitful and wicked hearts—
be instructed by what has happened aforetime
to the saints of God—and "let him that thinketh
he standeth take heed lest he fall." The safest
frame of mind is to be distrustful of ourselves—
to feel that, if left for a moment by our God, we
are certain to fall—to live in the spirit of that
prayer of the Psalmist, ''Hold thou me up, and
I shall be safe—hold up my goings in thy paths,
that my footsteps slip not."
" Who can know it?" asks the prophet in our
text—who can know the heart? who can trace
all its deceitful windings? who can see to the
bottom of its depravity ? We may answer, no
mortal—no angel—only God. God only—whose
character it is that He "pondereth the heart"—
" neither is there any creature that is not mani¬
fest in his sight; but all things are naked and
opened unto the eyes of him with whom we
have to do"—God only can thoroughly know the
heart, can penetrate into its deepest and darkest
recesses, can see all the loathsomeness within the
whited sepulchre. Nevertheless God does com¬
municate to his people some knowledge of the
heart, through the teaching of the Holy Ghost.
He sends a ray of light into the dark chamber,
thereby enabling them to see something of its
THE HEART.
161
contents. And most graciously is it ordered that
the discoveries we make of our own exceeding
sinfulness are gradual. For if our hearts were
laid open to us at once, in all their desperate
wickedness, the sight would be more than we
could endure—it would overwhelm us with de¬
spair. But God gives his people a. knowledge
of themselves by degrees. He leads them into
the truth step by step—He makes them to feel
the plague of their own hearts by little and little.
The more we have of spiritual light, the more
shall we see of our own vileness; the more shall
we loathe and abhor ourselves; the more shall
we be humbled and abased before God, Hence
it happens that the most holy men are always
the most humble and self-abased—they have the
largest share of spiritual light, and consequently
the deepest views of the wickedness of the heart,
We need not be afraid, my brethren, of ever
thinking too badly of ourselves — for after we
have been brought to the lowest in our own
esteem, there is yet a lower, and a lower still.
III. I shall now conclude the discourse with
two or three further observations, arising out of
the subject-
1. What abundant reason have we to bless
God for His restraining influence. There is an
unseen, but powerful, restraining influence, which
162
THE HEART.
God exercises over the unruly wills of wicked
men; whereby the vile passions of their fallen
and depraved hearts are restrained within certain
limits. If it were not for such restraining influ¬
ence, the fabric of society could not hold together
—civilized man would soon return to a savage
state—and the whole earth become a scene of
strife and misery. The peace and social comfort
we enjoy—our freedom, as Christians, from open
and violent persecution—is all to be thankfully
ascribed to the invisible power of God restrain¬
ing human passions, setting them a bound which
they cannot pass over, and commanding them,
as the waves of the sea, " Hitherto shall ye go
and no further."
2. "What an urgent call was there for such a
Redeemer as the Lord Jesus Christ! and what
an urgent call likewise for faith, on our part, in
that Redeemer! Nothing could have made an
atonement for such desperate wickedness but the
precious blood of Christ—" the only-begotten of
the Father"—" God manifest in the flesh." Great
ruin called for a great Redeemer. And, blessed
be God, we have a great Redeemer provided for
us—One " mighty to save"—" able to save to
the uttermost them that come unto God by him."
When we are in some measure enlightened in
the knowledge of sin, to know how " exceeding
the heart.
163
sinful" it is; how infinite an offence against the
holiness and majesty of God—when, moreover,
we are brought to see the utter depravity of our
own nature, the desperate wickedness of our own
hearts, the aboundings of sin within us—then we
begin to feel the absolute necessity of a divine
Redeemer, whose blood should be shed for an
atoning-sacrifice of infinite price and merit. No¬
thing short of that one oblation on the Cross can
satisfy the mind of an awakened and enlightened
sinner, as a ground whereon to build his hopes
of justification and eternal life. It is the blood
of "Emmanuel, God with us"—it is that blood
alone, applied by faith, which can purge from
guilt, and speak peace to a troubled conscience.
Oh! what reason is there to bless God, who, in
the riches of his mercy, hath provided a re¬
demption and remedy, such as our desperate
case required ! What a special call is there upon
us, who have believed on this precious and all-
sufficient Saviour, "heartily to rejoice in the
strength of our salvation"—to "glory in the
Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ." " In him we
have redemption through his blood, the forgive¬
ness of sins"—"the blood of Jesus Christ cleans-
eth us from all sin"—not only from outward and
open sins, but from those hidden ones, which
swarm within us, aud which the eye of God
164
THE HEART.
alone can discern—the sins of the heart. In the
fountain of that blood the most loathsome leper
may wash, and be clean. The true believer is
"justified from all things" by the blood of Christ
—the sins of his heart, as well as of his life, are
thoroughly purged away—"though they were
as scarlet, they become white as snow; though
red like crimson, they become as wool." On
the other hand, with what force may the ques¬
tion be put to the careless, the impenitent, the
worldly, " How shall we escape, if we neglect so
great salvation?" To escape the wrath of God
is impossible to an unbelieving sinner. "Christ
crucified" is held up, like the brazen serpent in
the wilderness, as the object of faith, the way of
life, to a perishing world. " Look unto me, and
be ye saved, all the ends of the earth"—" that
whosoever believeth on him should not perish,
but have everlasting life"—"he that believeth
not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of
God abideth on him."
3. How essential to our salvation is the re¬
generating and sanctifying grace of the Holy
Ghost. Without a change of heart—without a
"new creation," as it is termed in Scripture,
wrought in man by the operation of the Spirit—
there can be no admission into heaven, no en¬
joyment of its pure and spiritual pleasures. The
the Heart.
165
unregenerate, the unsanctified, are fitter company
for devils through eternity, than for a holy God,
a holy Saviour, the holy angels, and "the spirits
of just men made perfect." " That which is
born of the flesh is flesh" (and therefore " can¬
not inherit the kingdom of God "); " that which
is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that
I said unto thee, Ye must be born again."—
John iii. 6, 7. " God hath from the beginning
chosen you unto salvation through sanctification
of the Spirit, and belief of the truth—2 Thess.
ii. 13.— * * * " according to his mercy he saved
us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing
of the Holy Ghost—Titus iii. 5. This forms
the grand distinguishing mark of all the elect
people of God—they are regenerated and sancti¬
fied by the Holy Ghost. It is expressly provided
for in the covenant of grace—" a new heart will
I give you, and a new spirit will I put within
you: and I will take away the stony heart out of
your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.
And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause
you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my
judgments, and do them."—Ezek. xxxvi. 26, 27.
Let us, my brethren, seriously ask ourselves
whether we have experienced this great inward
change, this change oe heart; whether we are
"born again," "born of the Spirit." Is the
166
THE HEART.
work of sanctification going on within us ? Are
we being prepared, and made meet, for the pre¬
sence, and for the enjoyment, of a holy God
throughout eternity ? Is the frame of our mind
becoming daily more spiritual, more heavenly?
Is Christ increasingly precious ? Is prayer and
communion with God our more habitual delight?
Is holiness that which we sincerely love and de¬
sire, as our only true happiness ? These are
most important questions. Be faithful in putting
them to yourselves, beloved brethren, if you
would know what is at present your religious
state, and what are your future and eternal
prospects.
4. One word as to the necessity of watchful¬
ness and diligence in keeping the heart. If the
heart be, as it is described in our text, " deceit¬
ful above all things, and desperately wicked"—
how imperative is the duty of continually watch¬
ing it. As the commander of a fortress would
narrowly watch the movements of some traitor,
whom he knew to be within, and to be only
waiting a favourable opportunity to admit the
enemy—so should the man of God, who is ac¬
quainted with the deceitful character of his own
heart, who knows that within him lurks a traitor,
ever ready to hold parley with the enemy, and
to betray the interests of the soul into the hands
the heart.
167
of Satan—so, I say, should the man of God
keep in constant exercise a spirit of watchfulness
over himself, a jealous observance of his affec¬
tions and desires. All sin begins in the
heart. Murder originates in malice—adultery
in lust—robbery in covetousness. Every sin is
first conceived in thought, before it is brought
forth in act and deed. Many a gross sin, and
foul offence, has brought deep shame and sorrow
on the man of God through want of heart-watch¬
ing and heart-keeping. In such cases some evil
lust creeps in privily and unawares; and having
effected a secret lodgment in the heart, soon
breaks out into open sin. The fall of David
stands recorded in the Scriptures, an awful
monument of the consequences which may fol¬
low from one unguarded moment. " Keep thy
heart," says Solomon, " with all diligence; for
out of it are the issues of life." Let us be very
careful, my Christian brethren, on this point—
let us keep a close observing eye on the move¬
ments of the inner man—let us scrutinize with
strict impartiality the affections, desires, and
motives of our hearts. Yea more—let us bring
them often before God in prayer, whose peculiar
character it is, that He " searcheth the hearts,
and trieth the reins of the children of men."
Being fully sensible of their utter deceitfulness,
168
THE HEART.
and our own inability thoroughly to know them,
let us humbly and earnestly ask for divine scru¬
tiny—that God would be pleased to show us to
ourselves, and not suffer us in any wise to be
deluded—" Search me, O God, and know my
heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see
if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me
in the way everlasting."—Psalm cxxxix. 23, 24.
SERMON IX.
the sinner's refuge.
Hebrews vi. 8.
" Who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set
before us."
The words of our text well describe the charac¬
ter of all true believers—of all such as shall be
saved. For, however they may differ among
themselves in other respects, they all agree in
this—that they have fled for refuge to lay hold
on one and the same hope; the hope set before
them in the Gospel. These, and these alone, are
in a state of safety. Let me beseech you, breth¬
ren, to put the question seriously to yourselves,
Am I one of these ? Have I yet fled to their
refuge ? Have I yet laid hold on their hope ?
If not—then, being without faith, without Christ,
you are yet in your sins—the wrath of God
abideth on you. Dreadful thought! May the
Spirit of truth so set it home to your hearts and
consciences, as to stir you up to a deep and last¬
ing concern for your immortal souls; that you
i
170
THE SINNERS REFUGE.
may be led with earnestness to enquire, "What
must we do to be saved ?"
I propose first of all to expound at large the
idea contained in our text, and then to offer a
word of exhortation to different classes of hearers.
Persons are described as fleeing for refuge.
It may very naturally be asked, Who are they ?
what do they flee from ; where do they flee to ?
There must be some danger that threatens of a
formidable and alarming nature. Men will flee
for refuge from an enemy, who, breathing ven¬
geance, and thirsting for blood, pursueth hard
after them. They will also flee for refuge from
an impending storm, which hangs over them,
black with thunder, and ready to burst in a
moment on their unsheltered heads. It is even
so with the persons described in our text: they
flee for refuge from an enemy and avenger; they
seek covert from a dark threatening storm. They
are awakened sinners—men,whose consciences
have been aroused from the death-like sleep of
nature; whose minds have been enlightened by
God's Spirit to see, and know, and feel, what sin
is, and to what awful danger sin exposes them.
They once thought lightly of sin, and perhaps
even made a mock at it—but now they view sin
in its true colours, as an infinite evil, an offence
done against God, the Holy one, the Just, the
THE SINNER'S REFUGE.
171
Supreme. They once thought highly of them¬
selves as righteous, or at least as not great sinners ;
but now they perceive how "sin aboundeth,"
both in their hearts, and in their lives j now they
discern the spiritual nature of the law of God,
how it requires a perfect obedience, in thought,
as well as in deed: every smallest transgression
of which law is sin, bringing down a curse upon
the transgressor, and rendering him liable to the
penalty of eternal death. Being thus convinced
of their true character and condition as sinners,
they flee for refuge from those tremendous judg¬
ments, which hang over them—they flee from
the curse of the broken law—they flee from the
wrath of a sin-hating and sin-avenging God.
The case of awakened sinners, fleeing for re¬
fuge, is strikingly illustrated by that of the man-
slayer under the Mosaic dispensation. It was
specially appointed that if a man should un¬
awares and unwittingly happen to slay another,
he should have the privilege offleeing at once to
a certain city (of which there were six) set apart
for that purpose, where he might be safe. The
nearest male relative to the person slain, was
bound to avenge his death; and was therefore
called the avenger of blood. He might pursue
after the manslayer up to the very gates of the
appointed city, but no further—once within its
172
THE SINNER'S REFtJGE.
walls, the unfortunate refugee was secure. This
was a merciful provision: and every care was
taken to render it available to all, who might
require it. Accordingly it was commanded that
the cities should be in a situation easy of access
—the roads leading to them were to be kept in
a constant state of repair—and where two roads
met, directing posts were to be set up, having this
inscription, "To the City of Refuge." The city
itself was to be well supplied with water and
provisions; and no hostile weapons were allowed
to be made there, lest the friends of the deceased
should furnish themselves with arms, and gratify
their revenge on the unhappy manslayer. We
can imagine with what feelings of anxiety, with
what eager haste, the pursued would flee from
the pursuer to one of these asylums; especially
if he knew that the avenger of blood was close
upon his steps, and might every moment over¬
take and smite him.
Now this is a true and lively picture of the
awakened sinner's state. He feels himself to be
a transgressor of the law. He has broken it,
again and again, not only through ignorance,
but also in wilfulness. It declares him to be
accursed; it denounces "indignation and wrath"
against him; like the avenger of blood, it follows
hard after him, ready to smite him to the earth
the sinner's refuge.
173
with the sword of retributive justice. He—
aware of the pressing danger—-fleeth for his life.
How wretched ! how desperate ! would be his
case, if there were no City of Refuge provided
for him. But, thanks be unto God, there is—
there is a City, set apart and appointed for this
very purpose, whereinto he may run, and be
safe. Christ Jesus is the sinner's refuge.
He is the " strong tower," the " defenced city,"
in which is salvation. All, who are " found in
him," though they may have been the chief of
sinners, are secure. Justice cannot pursue them
thither, cannot urge its claim for punishment
within those sacred walls—"there is no con¬
demnation to them that are in Christ Jesus"—
they are "justified freely"—they are "saved
from wrath through him"—they are "redeemed
from the curse"—they are " no more under the
law, hut under grace." All they, who have fled
to Christ for refuge, and are "found in him,"
may confidently adopt the apostle's language,
and ask, "Who is he that condemneth? It is
Christ that died, yea, rather, that is risen again,
who is even at the right hand of God, who also
maketh intercession for us."—Rom. viii. 34.
Blessed be God, then, we sinners have a City
of Refuge provided for us—a City every way
suited to the necessities of the case. It is easy
174
THE SINNER'S REFUGE.
of access—the way to it is cleared of every ob¬
stacle—its gates stand open day and night, ready
to admit the penitent sinner. There are also
many plain directions given to guide the ignorant,
and such as are out of the way. To this end are
ministers ordained—to preach the Gospel of our
Lord Jesus Christ; to hold forth Christ crucified,
as the great object of faith and hope to sinners;
to invite, direct, and urge them to flee unto him
for refuge. Moreover—in Christ, our City of
Refuge, there are laid up abundant stores of
spiritual provision—in him, that living bread and
that living water abound, which alone can sup¬
port spiritual life. " In him all fulness dwells
all fulness of grace and " spiritual blessings."
Therefore, they who flee to him, and trust in
him, "shall not want;" "they shall eat in plenty,
and be satisfied." "He that cometh to me," saith
Christ himself, " shall never hunger, and he that
helieveth on me shall never thirst." Thus the
Type and the Antitype correspond with each
other. What the City of Refuge was to the
manslayer, under the Mosaic dispensation; the
same is Jesus Christ to awakened and penitent
sinners, under the Gospel.
The Lord is often spoken of in Scripture as a
Refuge. This is the character in which all his
children regard him. " The Lord is my rock,
THE SINNER'S REFUGE.
175
and my fortress, and my deliverer—my high
tower, and my refuge, my Saviour."—2 Sam.
xxii. 3. "Lord, thou hast been our refuge from
one generation to another."—Psalm xc. 1. "I
cried unto thee, O Lord; I said, Thou art my
refuge, and my portion in the land of the living."
—Psalm cxlii. 5. " For thou hast been a strength
to the poor, a strength to the needy in his dis¬
tress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the
heat." — Isaiah xxv. 4. What an unspeakable
privilege and blessing is it, my brethren, that we
sinners have a refuge from wrath and judgment
—and such a refuge, so easy of access, so per¬
fectly secure, as our Lord Jesus Christ. Only
let us reflect a moment how wretched, how
hopeless, our state would be, if God had not " so
loved the world, as to give his only-begotten
Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not
perish, but have everlasting life." Wretched
and hopeless indeed should we be, if Christ had
not " come into the world to save sinnersif
Christ had not "died, the just for the unjust, to
bring us to God." If we were "without Christ,"
we should have " no hope"—no hope of pardon
for our sins, of reconciliation and acceptance
with God, of the resurrection to eternal life and
glory. Wherefore Christ is called, as in our
text, "the hope set before us." The Gospel sets
176
the sinner's refuge.
forth Christ crucified as the hope, and the only
hope, of a poor lost sinner. It sets Him forth
as having made atonement for sin, as having
brought in " everlasting righteousness," as hav¬
ing finished the work of redemption by his
" obedience unto death, even the death of the
Cross." It directs the awakened and enquiring
soul to "look unto Jesus," saying, "Believe in
the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved."
When the sinner is enabled by grace to obey
this direction, and with the heart to believe on
Christ—then he lays hold on the hope set before
him. Faith is the hand, which seizes, and holds
fast, the blessed hope of salvation and eternal
life, given us in Christ Jesus our Lord. We
may illustrate this in the following way. Picture
to yourselves a drowning man—his own strength
and skill have failed to save him—spite of every
exertion he is just ready to sink, and to be
swallowed up in a watery grave. But at the
last moment a rope is thrown to him by some
friendly hand—he exerts his small remaining
strength to grasp it—he succeeds—it fails him
not—he is drawn to the shore, and lives. It is
even so with the awakened sinner, with one who
has been "led by the Spirit" to see and feel
his lost and perishing condition. He may have
made many efforts in his own strength, and by
THE SINNER'S REFUGE.
177
his own works, to obtain salvation—they have
however all failed—until, exhausted with so much
fruitless labour, and only sinking lower and lower,
he is reduced to a state of self-despair. Then
the Gospel of the grace of God comes to his aid
—sets before him one hope—preaches "Christ
crucified"—declares the promises of God made to
all who shall believe—promises of pardon, peace,
and everlasting life. The alarmed and anxious
soul eagerly catches at this last hope—in the
effort to embrace Christ by faith,, it receives
power to believe—it does actually lay hold on
him with the hand of faith—and so is saved.
This work is not always, nor even generally, a
sudden work; but slow and gradual. Never¬
theless, soon or late, every converted sinner is
brought to this point—to rely, wholly and solely,
on Christ for salvation—as the drowning man
commits his life to the rope which is thrown
him, and ventures his all upon it. This in fact
is the very essence of faith—casting away all
self-confidence, to commit our souls to Christ;
to venture our eternal interests on the sufficiency
of his finished work. We cannot truly come to
Christ, and lay hold on him by faith, unless we
have first let go every other hope, and come to
him empty-handed.
Having thus enlarged upon the idea contained
i 2
178
THE SINNER'S REFUGE.
in our text, I proceed to address a word of ex¬
hortation to different classes of hearers. Of these
I shall select four, viz. the careless—the self-
righteous—the weak-hearted—the true believer.
1. To the careless—to those, who are too
worldly, too much taken up with the pleasures
or the business of this life, to care for their souls.
You, my brethren, who come under this class,
have no just sense of the inestimable value of
the soul. Yea, you practically forget that you
are possessed of souls, that there resides within
you an immortal principle, which must either
enjoy eternal bliss, or endure everlasting woe.
That solemn appeal of the Scripture does not
reach your hearts, " What shall it profit a man,
if he gain the whole world, and lose his own
soul?" Again—you have no just sense of the
evil of sin. The remembrance of it is not griev¬
ous unto you, the burden of it is not intolerable.
Your consciences are dead, insensible to guilt.
You, therefore, live in a state of carnal ease and
security, which is nothing less than the repose
of death. You make not Christ your refuge,
because the danger of your situation is not felt,
the bursting of the storm of God's wrath upon
your guilty and defenceless head is not appre¬
hended. But let me tell you, brethren, the day
is coming, when your views will be changed—
THE SINNER'S REFUGE.
179
when you will acknowledge the infinite value of
the soul—the infinite evil of sin—the infinite
preciousness of Christ, as a Refuge and a Saviour.
I pray God this change in your views may not
take place when it will be too late to do you
good. Possibly you may continue to live, and
at last may even die, in the same unawakened
careless state—but, believe me, "in that day"
when you shall rise from the grave, to take your
stand at the judgment seat, "to receive every
one the things done in his body, according to
that he hath done, whether it be good or bad"—
in that day you shall awake to all the horrors of
your situation—a neglected Saviour will have
come to be your Judge—in vain will you cry to
the mountains and to the rocks, " Fall on us,
and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on
the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb"
Oh ! that the Spirit of truth, whose office it is to
quicken the "dead in sin," might even now fulfil
his office in you; might open your eyes to these
awful realities; might stir up your careless minds
to the enquiry, "What must we do to be saved ?"
Your opportunities are silently, but swiftly, pass¬
ing away; your brief season of grace is fast
dfawing to a close. " Seek ye the Lord while
he may be found, call ye upon him while he is
near."—Isaiah lv. 6. " Behold, now is the ac-
180
THE SINNER'S REFUGE.
cepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation."
—2 Cor. vi. 2.
2. To the self-righteous—to those, who are
not, like the former, careless and unconcerned
about their souls; but whose views of religion
are incorrect, and their hopes vain. They are
" trusting in themselves that they are righteous."
They are looking for justification before God on
account of their own works and services, instead
of the meritorious and all-sufficient work of
Christ. The plea of the Pharisee is commonly
their plea, " God, I thank thee, that I am not as
other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers;
I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that
I possess." They build their hopes of life and
glory on the morality of their lives, the amiability
of their dispositions, their punctual observance
of religious forms and ordinances, their " good
works and alms-deeds." They answer to the
description of the foolish builder in the parable,
who built his house upon the sand, instead of
upon the rock—" and the rain descended, and
the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat
upon that house, and it fell: and great was the
fall of it." There are some of you, my brethren,
who come under this class. I must deal faith¬
fully with you, as the minister of God. I must
"tell you the truth." Your moral virtue, your
THE SINNER'S REFUGE.
181
amiability, your (so called) good works, your
alms-deeds, your prayers, your fastings, your
sacraments—can afford you no refuge from the
curse of the law, from the wrath of God. If
you should plead them at the bar of judgment,
as a ground of justification, you would most
surely be condemned, and "cast into hell." The
ground, which you have chosen to build upon,
is the sand, and not the rock. The house you
are building, sooner or later, must fall. Take
heed that ye be not buried beneath its.ruins.
Leave it in time, I pray you, and begin to build
afresh upon that Rock which cannot be moved;
"the Rock of Ages," "which Rock is Christ."
Consider, that if ye seek to be justified by your
own works, ye are " debtors to do the tohole law"'''
—"he that offendeth in one point is guilty of all."
Wherefore, "as many as are of the works of the
law are under the curse"—for it is written,
" Cursed is every one that continueth not in all
things, that are written in the book of the law,
to do them." Oh! cast from you all your self-
righteousness and self-sufficiency. Come in your
real character to Christ, as poor, naked, helpless,
miserable sinners ; flee for refuge to lay hold on
him, the hope set before you in the Gospel. He
will prove all-sufficient to supply your wants—
able to save you to the uttermost—He of God
182
THE SINNER'S REFUGE.
will be made unto you " wisdom, righteousness,
sanctification, and redemption."
3. To the weak-hearted—to those, who have
been awakened to a real sense of sin, who have
been enlightened to see their need of a Saviour,
and that Christ alone is the Saviour they need—
but who still are backward in applying to him,
and in venturing then all upon him by an act of
faith. They are weak and fearful; filled with
views of their own unwortliiness; afraid lest a
simple implicit faith should be presumption.
They think thus within themselves: " we must
wait—we may not go to Christ as we are, so
vile, so sinful, s'o corrupt—we must wait till
better prepared, till grown more decidedly reli¬
gious—then we can go with the greater confi¬
dence, and less presumptuously." Such is too
often the reasoning which goes on in the weak
and timid mind. But to those amongst you,
dear brethren, who come under this class, my
exhortation is—" IVlit not—go at once—go as
you are." For suppose that you should wait,
and prepare yourselves, for many years, you
would at the end of that period stand just where
you do at present, you would have to seek the
Lord just in the same character as now—in the
character of unworthy, helpless sinners, humbly
craving salvation from him. And why should
THE SINNER'S REFUGE.
183
you be afraid to trust him now? Your sinful¬
ness is no reason. He himself says, " The whole
need not a physician, but the sick: I came not
to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
Do you doubt his power to save you as well as
others ? Cannot He blot out your sins, and save
your soul, who from his cross spake pardon, and
promised glory, to the dying thief ? Do you
doubt his willingness ? Must not He be willing
to receive and to bless you, who laid down his
life for your sake, and who gives this gracious
invitation to sinners, "Come unto me all ye that
labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you
rest"—"him that cometh unto me I will in no
wise cast out?" You have no reason whatever
to doubt either his willingness, or his power, to
save. Go to him without delay—"trust, and be
not afraid"—your only safety, and your only
comfort, is to flee at once for refuge to lay hold
on him, the hope set before you.
4. To the true believer—to those, who have
"with the heart believed unto righteousness," who
have with the hand of faith laid hold on Christ,
and found refuge in him. To you, beloved
brethren in the Lord, who belong to this happy
number, I have not so much the word of exhort¬
ation, as the word of consolation, to speak. For,
upon looking to the connexion in which my text
184
THE SINNER'S REFUGE.
stands, I find that it was intended to afford com¬
fort to the people of God—" that we might have
a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge
&c. The ground, or reason, of this "strong con¬
solation " for believers is also mentioned—viz.
the fact that God not only promised, but also
sivare, to Abraham and his seed, that He would
he their God, to bless them for ever. The pas¬
sage in connexion runs thus: "For when God
made promise to Abraham, because he could
swear by no greater, he sware by himself, say¬
ing, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and mul¬
tiplying I will multiply thee. Wherein God,
willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs
of promise the immutability of his counsel, con¬
firmed it by an oath : that by two immutable
things, in which it was impossible for God to lie,
we might have a strong consolation, who have
fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before
us."—Heb. vi. 13—18. Let us always bear in
mind, my Christian brethren, this most comfort¬
able fact; that by faith we become the seed of
Abraham, and enjoy a title to all the blessings
of the covenant, which God made with him, and
with his seed after him. "Know ye therefore
that they which are of faith, the same are the
children of Abraham A—Gal. iii. 7. "So then,
they which be of faith are blessed with faithful
THE SINNER'S REFUGE.
185
Abraham,"— Verse 9. " And if ye be Christ's,
then are ye Abraham?s seed, and heirs according
to the promise."— Verse 29. Thus it is evident
from Scripture, that if we are true believers—if
we have indeed " fled for refuge to lay hold on
the hope set before us"—then the "God of
Abraham" is our God; the blessings of the
covenant are our blessings; the inheritance of
Canaan, in the highest sense, is our inheritance.
" God who cannot lie"—"with whom is no vari¬
ableness, neither shadow of turning"—"the same
yesterday, to-day, and for ever"—God has se¬
cured all these things to us by his immutable
promise, confirmed by his immutable oath. Chris¬
tian brethren, see that you enjoy the " strong
consolation" thus graciously provided for you.
Ever look unto " God in Christ," as your cove¬
nant God—bound by covenant to bless you with
"all spiritual blessings," and in the end to crown
you with "eternal glory." And may "the God
of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal
glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered
awhile, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen,
settle you. To him be glory and dominion for
ever and ever. Amen."
SERMON X.
ELECTION.
Matthew xx. 16.
"For many be called, but few chosen."
How true it is that "God's thoughts are not our
thoughts, neither are his ways our ways. For
as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are
his ways higher than our ways, and his thoughts
than our thoughts."—Isaiah lv. 8, 9. Vain and
presumptuous man does not shrink to arraign
the Great Disposer of all things at the bar of his
own puny judgment—and to pronounce upon
the justice, or the wisdom, of the dealings of the
Most High. The proud, speculating, mind of
semi-infidel man is prone to ask, in a tone of
disparagement, such questions as these: " Why
did God permit the fall of Adam; or why so
constitute and order things, that in Adam's fall
the whole human race should be implicated;
that by one man sin should enter into the world,
and death by sin? Why did God wait until
four thousand years had elapsed before he sent
his Son into the world to redeem it ? Why have
ELECTION.
187
so many millions of immortals been suffered to
pass away without so much as hearing of a Savi¬
our ? Why, out of the great multitudes, who
have heard, and do still hear the Gospel, only
few comparatively shall be saved ?" Such ques¬
tions as these the carnal, and half-sceptical, mind
of man will often ask; and in such a way as to
throw doubt, if not actual disparagement, on the
wisdom, ox justice, of divine appointments. But
the Christian's answer to such queries is this—
" God is the rightful ' Lord of all;' by Him all
things were made; and in the government of
the world He 'worketh all things after the coun¬
sel of his own will.' He is infinitely wise, holy,
just, and good. Whatsoever, therefore, He de¬
crees, or executes, must be worthy of Himself;
and although our limited understandings cannot
comprehend His ways, yet we may rest assured
that all things have been so ordered, from the
beginning, as shall in the end most redound to
His glory."
I have been led to make these remarks, as
being appropriate, by way of introduction, to
the subject we are about to consider. The sub¬
ject of election—though to the carnal and curious
mind it be unprofitable, and even injurious—yet
when viewed in the light of Scripture, and ap¬
plied to the heart by the Holy Spirit, it is, to
188
ELECTION.
the humble Christian, very edifying, and full of
comfort. May divine influence be vouchsafed
amongst us at this time; and so accompany the
doctrine, which shall be preached, as to make it
effectual, both for conviction, and for consolation!
The words of our text suggest a two-fold
division, viz. 1. The general call—" for many be
called." 2. The special election —" but few
chosen"
I. The general call. This may be said to
consist in the preachhig of the Gospel. Wher¬
ever the Gospel of Christ is preached, in that
place, and to that people, there is a call of God.
God does thereby call them to repent, and be
converted; to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,
and be saved; to return unto Him, and be re¬
conciled ; to walk henceforth in the way of His
commandments, with filial fear and love. Nor
is it only to the practice of its duties, but also to
a participation of its privileges, that God calls
men by the Gospel. He commends the call to
their notice and acceptance, by adding the most
abundant and precious promises to those who
obey it. Thus when he calls them to " repent
and be converted," it is that their " sins may be
blotted out." When He calls them to pray, it
is that they may receive His grace and blessing
—" ask and ye shall have; seek and ye shall
ELECTION.
189
find; knock and it shall be opened unto you"—<
He will " give His Holy Spirit to them that ask
Him." When He calls them to forsake the vain
pomps and pleasures of the world, to come out,
and be separate; it immediately follows, " and I
will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my
sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty."
When He calls them to believe on his Son Jesus
Christ, as their only Saviour, it is with a promise
that they shall be freely justified through his
blood • shall be accepted in the Beloved; shall
obtain a title to the "purchased possession," the
" eternal inheritance." By such gracious and
encouraging promises does God commend the
call to men's notice and acceptance. Moreover,
He urges the call upon them, not only by the
outward ministry of the word, but also by the
inward voice of conscience, and of the Spirit.
He sends forth ministers, ordained to this very
end, to " preach the word;" both in public and
private to warn, to invite, to "reprove, rebuke,
exhort, with all long-suffering and doctrine." To¬
gether with these He sends forth His Spirit to
accompany the word preached—to awaken the
consciences of sinners—to excite their hopes and
their fears—to stir them up to anxious enquiry
about the state and salvation of their souls.
Every " hearer of the word" has, doubtless, at
190
ELECTION.
different periods felt the strivings of the Spirit
in his own conscience. These inward strivings,
and godly motions, if followed up, would lead on
to conversion, and issue in eternal life; but, alas!
they are for the most part resisted, and the Spirit
is quenched.
Such then, we conclude, is the general call.
It consists in the preaching of the Gospel. Wher¬
ever the Gospel is preached, in that place, and
to that people, without exception, there is a call
from God—a call to repentance, faith, and duti¬
ful obedience. Tor we should be careful to
observe that the call is not confined to those,
who frequent the house of God, and actually
hear the word preached—but it is extended to
the whole population of a place, which is privi¬
leged with a Gospel ministry. We may take
our own parish as a case in point. We know
that there are many, who entirely neglect the
means of grace; who are never seen within these
hallowed walls; who profane the Sabbath by
drunkenness and revelling, or by vain and idle
conversation; to whom the Gospel is an unknown,
as it is an unwelcome, sound. Now they are
called, equally with the rest. The fact of a
church being open to them Sabbath after Sab¬
bath, where they might worship and hear the
word, is enough to constitute a call. Every
ELECTION.
191
excuse is thereby taken out of their mouth; they
stand convicted before God, as the authors of
their own destruction. I doubt not we shall see
it so in the last great day of account. We shall
then see that all, who had the opportunity of
hearing the Gospel, but would not come to hear,
will be accounted of God as having received the
call, and deliberately rejected it.
But again—we must not omit to remark, on
the other hand, that many, who are most con¬
stant in their attendance on the means of grace;
who perhaps all their lives have made it a prac¬
tice to frequent the house of God, and even the
table of the Lord—nevertheless do not from the
heart obey the Gospel call. They still continue
dead under the preaching of the word—without
sincere repentance, without lively faith, without
real love to God, as a Father in Christ Jesus.
Too truly may God say of them, "I have called,
but ye refused; I have stretched out my hand,
and no man regarded; ye have set at nought all
my counsel, and would none of my reproof."
Theirs is indeed a most dangerous condition,
who from Sabbath to Sabbath hear the Gospel
call, but still obey it not. Satan, the " god of
this world," blinds them, that they should not
perceive the truth. He makes their heart fat,
and their ears heavy, lest they should hear, and
192
ELECTION.
understand, and be converted, and Christ should
heal them. " If our Gospel be kid," says the
apostle, "it is hid to them that are lost: in whom
the god of this world hath blinded the minds of
them which believe not, lest the light of the
glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the image of
God, should shine unto them."—2 Cor. iv. 3, 4.
A continued rejection of the Gospel, and dis¬
obedience to the call of God, incurs the dreadful
probability of being given up to a "reprobate
mind." Of many a stubborn and hardened sin¬
ner God has said, "let Mm alone." It was thus
He dealt with those who repented not at the
preaching of Noah, saying, "My Spirit shall not
always strive with men." It was thus also He
dealt with the rebellious and stiff-necked Israel¬
ites, saying, " My people would not hearken
unto my voice, and Israel would none of me.
So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lusts,
and they walked in their own counsels." This
is the most awful state into which any man can
fall—to be given up of God—to be left to him¬
self. When the Spirit of God ceases to strive,
the heart soon grows hard, the conscience be¬
comes callous, and every hope of a saving im¬
pression is gone for ever. Disobedience to the
Gospel call will likewise appear in the judgment,
as a witness to condemn those who shall have
ELECTION.
193
been guilty of it—to aggravate their guilt, and
increase their woe. Thus our Lord himself de¬
clares, " If .any man hear my words, and believe
not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge
the world, but to save the world. He that
rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath
one that judgeth him; the word that I have
spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day."
—John xii. 47, 48. Oh! let me exhort you,
brethren, earnestly to implore the grace of God
so to bend your wills, and incline your hearts,
that you may obey His call, and embrace His
offered salvation—that you may "truly repent,
and unfeignedly believe His holy Gospel." Other¬
wise the blessings you now enjoy will be turned
into a curse ; and the very things, which should
have been for your eternal life and happiness,
will become the means only of adding sin to sin,
and of bringing upon you " everlasting punish¬
ment."
Having thus considered one branch of our
subject, viz. the general call of God: we pass on
to a consideration of the other, viz.—
II. The special election. The elect of God
are all those, whom He hath chosen out of man¬
kind to be His own peculiar people, the children
of His covenant, the heirs of His "kingdom
and glory." This election of God is an eternal
K
194
ELECTION.
election—like God Himself, " from everlasting
to everlasting." Before time was—or ever the
earth and the world were made—God foreknew
His people; and " whom He did foreknow, He
also did predestinate to be conformed to the im¬
age of His Son, that he might be the firstborn
among many brethren." — Rom. viii. 29. All
whom God will save, He hath thus elected, or
chosen out of mankind', from everlasting—not
because He foresaw any difference in them from
others; any virtue or merit; any faith or good
works—but according to His own sovereign will
and purpose, of His own free mercy and grace.
The elect of God are in due tune regenerated,
or born again of the Spirit—are brought to re¬
pent of sin, to believe in Christ, to love God, to
desire and follow after holiness.
This doctrine is admirably defined in the
Seventeenth Article of our Church: " Predestina¬
tion to life is the everlasting purpose of God,
whereby (before the foundations of the world
were laid) he hath constantly decreed by his
counsel secret to us, to deliver from curse and
damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ
out of mankind, and to bring them by Christ to
everlasting salvation, as vessels made to honour.
Wherefore they, which be endued with so ex¬
cellent a benefit of God, be called, according to
ELECTION.
195
God's purpose, by his Spirit working in due
season: they through grace obey the calling:
they be justified freely: they be made sons of
God by adoption: they be made like the image
of his only begotten Son Jesus Christ: they walk
religiously in good works; and at length by God's
mercy they attain to everlasting felicity."
To prove that the doctrine, thus set forth in
the Article of our Church, is the doctrine of
Scripture, we need only quote two or three pas¬
sages, which bear a direct and simple testimony
to it. St. Paul says, Eph. i. 3—6, " Blessed he
the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings
in heavenly places in Christ: according as he
hath chosen us in him before the foundation of
the world, that we should be holy and without
blame before him in love : having predestinated
us to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to
himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he
hath made us accepted in the Beloved." Again
—2 Thess. ii. 13, "But we are bound to give
thanks alway to God for you, brethren, beloved
of the Lord, because God hath from the begin¬
ning chosen you to salvation through sanctification
of the Spirit and belief of the truth: whereunto
he called you by our GospelIn like manner
196
ELECTION.
St. Peter addresses his first epistle to the "elect
according to the foreknowledge of God the Father,
through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedi¬
ence and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ."
—1 Peter i. 2. These three Scriptures, not to
adduce any more, bear a plain and direct testi¬
mony to the doctrine of salvation by grace; or, in
other words, of election and predestination to life.
This doctrine of the Gospel has, however,
always met with the most bitter and determined
opposition from the world. The pride and self-
righteousness which are natural to the human
heart cannot endure it. Man by nature desires
to have something of his own, in which to trust
and glory before God. He cannot bear the
humiliating thought that, if saved at all, he must
be indebted for it entirely to the free grace of
God. The doctrine of election and salvation by
grace is offensive to the natural man on this
account, because it takes away every ground of
self-confidence from the sinner, and strips him
of every plea for the merit of his own works.
" For"—says the apostle—"if it be by grace it
is no more of works; otherwise grace is no more
grace: but if it be of works, then is it no more
grace ; otherwise work is no more work." —
Rom. xi. 6.
But, upon the other hand, it is a doctrine full
election.
197
of sweet, pleasant, and unspeakable comfort to
the humble, contrite, soul. Where the Spirit of
truth has convinced the sinner of his lost condi¬
tion, and utter helplessness—has led him to feel,
and to mourn over, his own guilt and corruption;
to confess "in me there dwelleth no good thing;"
I have of my own no righteousness, no strength;
if I shall be saved it must be "by grace, through
faith;" and that not of myself, "it is the gift of
God"—where the soul is thus humbled, and
prepared by the Holy Spirit to receive it, the
doctrine of election, and salvation by grace, is
truly comforting and edifying. It gives the be¬
liever a most exalted and endearing view of the
divine character. It unfolds and exhibits the
perfections of a covenant-God; "the exceeding
riches of his grace in his kindness toward us by
Christ Jesus." It powerfully commends, and
enforces on the heart, that grand truth," God is
love." The believer finds it a doctrine pecu¬
liarly sweet and precious when he is overwhelmed
in deep affliction: or when he " groans being
burdened" with the load of inward corruption,
and is made to feel bitterly the "plague of his
own heart." In such seasons it is of unspeak¬
able comfort to the believing soul to reflect on
the unchangeableness of God, the immutability of
His counsel—to reflect that the Lord will never
198
ELECTION.
"cast away His people, whom He foreknew
and that whom He loveth, He loveth unto the
end.
There are two objections, commonly raised
against this doctrine, which I shall here briefly
notice.
The jirst objection is—that for God thus to
elect a certain portion of mankind, as subjects of
his special grace, is to act unjustly toward the
rest. To this it were enough to reply—" God
is the sovereign e Lord of alland, therefore,
has a full and perfect right to dispose of all,
whether things or persons, as it pleaseth Him.
May He not do what He will with His own ?"
But further—all mankind have alike sinned—all
are by nature "in the same condemnation"—not one
possesses the slightest claim upon God. If then,
of His infinite mercy, God is pleased to. choose
some unto salvation, there is no injustice done to
the rest. Let us suppose a similar case to
happen between an earthly sovereign and his
subjects. For instance—they have all, without
exception, rebelled against him, and are all there¬
fore justly liable to the punishment of death.
Now if it should please the sovereign, instead of
executing the punishment upon all, to save some
—an act of grace would be performed toward
those, who were appointed to be saved; but no
ELECTION.
199
act of injustice toward those, who were left to
die. They would suffer death most justly as the
penalty of their crime. The case is the same
between sinners and their God. They have all
equally rebelled against the Lord, the King;
and if He were to deal with them all according
to their sins, and reward them after their iniquity,
they woidd all equally perish. But He is pleased
to show forth the riches of His grace by electing
a certain part out of the whole, which He will
save. In such a transaction there is not the
shadow of an injustice. They who eventually
perish, will perish in their sins, and for their
sins. Speaking on this very point the apostle
says, "Is there unrighteousness (or injustice)
with God? God forbid. For he saith to Moses,
' I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy,
and I will have compassion on whom I will have
compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth,
nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth
mercy.' " Strange were it indeed if the King
of kings had not the right, which every earthly
king enjoys—viz. to make choice of the persons
on whom He will bestow His favours.
The second objection is—that the doctrine gives
encouragement to careless and ungodly living—
that men will certainly abuse it to licentious
purposes, saying, " Let us continue in sin that
200
ELECTION.
grace may abound." That it has been, and alas!
still is, abused by some in this awful manner we
do not deny. But we say that the abuse of any
doctrine forms no valid objection to the doctrine
itself. All truth is liable to perversion; the
purest doctrine may be most grossly abused.
Besides this—if we look to the way in which
the doctrine of election is spoken of in Scripture,
we shall see that, so far from giving encourage¬
ment to sin, it tends directly to the promotion of
holiness. For to what are persons represented
as being elected of God ? to salvation—and what
is salvation ? it is not the pardon of sin only, but
it is also deliverance from the prevailing love and
power of sin. Every sinner saved is taught of
God to hate and renounce sin, to desire and fol¬
low after holiness. It is remarkable that wherever
the doctrine of election is referred to in Scripture,
it is invariably connected with holiness. Thus—
" according as he hath chosen us in him before
the foundation of the world that we should be
holy"—Eph. i. 4.—" chosen to salvation through
sanctification of the Spirit."—2 Thess. ii. 13.—
"elect * * * unto obedience."—1 Peter i. 2.—
"for God hath not called us unto uncleanness,
but unto holiness."—1 Thess. iv. 7.—" brethren,
give diligence to make your calling and election
sure: for if ye do these things"—viz. "add to
ELECTION.
201
your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and
to knowledge temperance&c. " ye shall never
fall."—2 Peter i. 10. Seeing then that the doc¬
trine of election, as stated in God's word, is in¬
separably connected with personal holiness, the
objection to it on the score of tending to licenti¬
ousness cannot stand for a moment.
In the words of the text a contrast is presented
between the numbers of the called and of the
chosen—" many are called, but few chosen." We
see this for ourselves in what is taking place
under our own observation. We see that whilst
many hear the Gospel, but few receive it in the
" obedience of faith." In a large congregation
it is only here and there that the "good seed"
falls upon "good ground," and springing up
"bears fruit unto perfection." The counsel of
God is secret to us. We cannot look into the
volume of His decrees, and read whose names
are written in the " Book of Life." But we are
told, "by then- fruits ye shall know them." The
word of God exhibits a certain character, as be¬
longing to His people, and distinguishing them
from the children of this world. They are de¬
scribed as a "peculiar people, zealous of good
works." If then we judge men by their fruits
—if we try them by that scriptural character,
which belongs to and distinguishes the people of
K 2
202
ELECTION.
God—we can only come to one conclusion, the
conclusion of our text, that " many are called,
but few are chosenFor are they not very
few, in comparison, whom we see walking in the
ways of God, bringing forth the fruits of the
Spirit, and giving good evidence of that change of
heart which all must experience, who shall " in¬
herit eternal life ?" Our Lord himself, when
upon earth, called it a " little flockand de¬
clared, " strait is the gate, and narrow is the way,
that leadeth unto life; and few there be that
find it." Nevertheless, we are assured that in
the end, when the elect of God shall be all
gathered, and the body of Christ be complete—
there will be " a great midtitude, which no man
can number, of all nations, and kindreds, and
people, and tongues, who shall stand before the
throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white
robes, and palms in their hands, and saying,
Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the
throne, and unto the Lamb."—Rev. vii. 9, 10.
There is a solemn question, my brethren, .aris¬
ing out of'the subject. Let me beseech you to
put the question each one to himself. It is this:
since there are but few chosen out of the many
called, am I among the few 1 Suppose now it
were revealed to us that before the end of the
present year a grievous plague should visit this
ELECTION.
203
place, in which we dwell; that the greater part
of the population would be cut off by it, and
only a small remnant be saved. I leave you to
judge what anxious enquiries there would be as
to who were the persons appointed to escape.
Yea further—suppose it to be revealed that only
such persons, as were distinguished by certain
marks, and answered to a certain description,
should be saved. What self-examinations would
ensue! What eagerness to learn the kind of
marks, and the kind of character, required! If
you found not the requisites in yourselves, how
would you be filled with apprehension of the
impending danger, how would you seek dili¬
gently to obtain them! Make a spiritual appli¬
cation of these things. Before the end of the
year some deadly sickness may visit you, the
decree of death may have gone forth against one
who now hears me. If I knew who the person
was, I would address him thus: "Friend, hast
thou in thyself the scriptural marks of salvation
—answerest thou to the character, which pecu¬
liarly belongs to God's people, and which all
must have, who shall _ inherit His kingdom ?
Hast thou conversion of heart ? Hast thou
faith ? Hast thou the Spirit of Christ? Hast
thou a love and desire for holiness ? If not—
then truly thou hast need to be alarmed—thy
204
ELECTION.
feet stand, as it were, on the edge of a fearful
precipice—' the lake which burneth with fire
and brimstone' is underneath. Dost thou ask
me, (and would to God thou didst ask with all
the earnestness of an awakened conscience!)
' What must, I do ? whither can I flee from
divine wrath ? how can I obtain salvation ?' I
would direct thee at once to the Saviour of sin¬
ners. I would say, ' Go, apply to Jesus Christ.
Seek him with humble fervent prayer. Tell
him thy wants—make known thy distress—ask
him to save thee. Go now—apply at once. He
will do all for thee, and in thee. He will fur¬
nish every requisite—will give repentance, faith,
love, joy, and peace—will pour out abundantly
the Holy Spirit, that' living water,' which shall
be in thee a 'well of water springing up into
everlasting life.' " All the elect people of God
prove their election by coming to Christ. He
himself hath said, "All that the Father giveth
me shall come to me, and him that cometh unto
me I will in no wise cast out."
SERMON XI.
the true christian a citizen of heaven.
Philippians iii. 20, 21.
" For our conversation is in heaven; from, whence also
we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ; who
shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned
like unto his glorious body."
The line of demarcation between the church
and the world—between mere professors and
the true disciples of Christ—is very clearly
drawn in the word of God. The two parties are
often brought into contrast, and shown to be as
much opposed, the one to the other, as light and
darkness, Christ and Belial.—See 2 Cor. vi. Id
—18. The passage connected with our text is
of this discriminating kind. It brings into con¬
trast the two great classes, into which mankind
is divided, viz. the carnal and the spiritual: and
shows the entire opposition between them.
The one class is described as earthly and sen¬
sual—enemies to the self-denying doctrine of
Christ—bent on the gratification of their own
lusts—having their minds and affections set "on
206
THE TRUE CHRISTIAN
tilings on the earth"—"of whom"—says the
apostle, verses 18, 19—"I have told you often,
and now tell you even weeping, that they are
the enemies of the Cross of Christ: whose end
is destruction, whose God is their belly, whose
glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things."
The other class is represented as being " spi¬
ritually-minded " — having their affections set
on "tilings above"—living as "strangers and
pilgrims" here below—citizens of a "better
country," that is " an heavenly" —" for our
conversation is in heaven ; from whence also we
look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ;
who shall change our vile body, that it may be
fashioned like unto his glorious body."
Such are the two classes. The great question
for us, my brethren, is this; to which of the two
do we belong ? are we " on the Lord's side," his
faithful soldiers and servants—or, are we "friends
of the world," and therefore " enemies of God ?"
" Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith;
prove your own selves."
Our text furnishes a most important and in¬
teresting subject. In treating it I shall consider,
I. The state and character of the true Chris¬
tian, as therein exhibited;
II. The blessed hope, and glorious prospect,
which lies before him.
A CITIZEN OF HEAVEN.
207
May the Spirit of truth—"without whom no¬
thing is strong, nothing is holy"—shed abroad
his influence amongst us, whilst occupied with
this subject—that the eyes of our understanding
may be enlightened, the affections of our hearts
purified.
I. The state and character of the true Chris¬
tian, as exhibited in the text. He is described
as one, whose "conversation is in heaven." The
word, translated " conversation," properly sig¬
nifies citizenship—our citizenship is in heaven;
we are citizens, not of this world, but of another
and a better world; even of that spiritual world
above, where is the " heavenly Jerusalem," the
" city of our God." This is the true interpreta¬
tion of the text; and when thus understood it
throws much light upon the point we are about
to consider, viz. the state and character of the
true Christian.
In many parts of Scripture is the same view
presented. Thus we find the people of God
spoken of as "pilgrims and strangers" upon
earth—as sojourning here only for a little while
—as seeking a "better country;" a "city which
hath foundations, whose builder and maker is
God." It is written of Abraham, and other
saints of old—■" these all died in faith * * * * and
confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims
208
THE TRUE CHRISTIAN
on the earth * * * they desire a better country,
that is an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed
to be called their God; for he hath prepared for
them a city"—Heb. xi. 13, 16. "For here"—
says the apostle—"we have no continuing city,
but we seek one to come." Writing to the
Ephesian converts, he also says, "Ye are no
more foreigners, hut fellow-citizens with the
saints, and of the household of God." Again—
in the twelfth chapter of his epistle to the He¬
brews, he thus describes the superior privileges
which Christians enjoy — "ye are come unto
Mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God,
the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable
company of angels, to the general assembly and
church of the first-born, which are written"—or
enrolled—"in heaven." We see then that the
" church of the first-born "—the church of which
Christ, the only-begotten of the Father, is the
Head—is represented in Scripture as a great
spiritual community, a heavenly city, the members
or citizens of which are " all saints." They are
indeed at present separated and dispersed abroad
—part being still in the flesh; part being in a
disembodied state, the "spirits of just men made
perfect"—but in "the fulness of time" they
shall be "gathered together in one"—a blessed,
and glorious, and undivided company—to dwell
A CITIZEN OF HEAVEN.
209
for evermore in that "great city, the holy Jerusa¬
lem," which St. John saw in vision, "descending
out of heaven from God; wherein was no temple,
for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are
the temple of it."
Well therefore might the apostle say of him¬
self and of all true believers—"our conversation,"
or citizenship, "is in heaven"—the community
of which we are members is a spiritual commu¬
nity ; the city to which we belong is an heavenly
city.
Let us notice a few particulars in respect of
which the Christian may be said to have his con¬
versation, or citizenship, in heaven.
In respect of his new birth he may be called a
citizen of heaven. I need scarcely say that every
real Christian is regenerated, or born anew. His
new birth is from above—he is born of the Holy
Ghost. By this regeneration he, who was alto¬
gether earthly and sensual, receives a new nature;
a holy, heavenly, spiritual nature. By this second
birth he becomes a native of that heavenly city,
the Jerusalem which is above, and which—as
St. Paul expressly says—"is the mother of us
all;" i. e. of " all them which believe." The true
Christian's name is "written in heaven." It is
there enrolled in the registry of the saints—as
one of those, whom God the Father hath quick-
210
the true christian
ened by bis Spirit, and whom Christ is not
ashamed to call his brethren. By virtue, there¬
fore, of his new and heavenly birth, the real
Christian, the true believer, has his "conversa¬
tion," or citizenship, in heaven.
Again—in respect of the King to whom he is
subject, and owes allegiance—the Christian is a
citizen of heaven. Jesus is his King. One of
the titles, which Christ bears, is, " King of
saints."''' He is the supreme Head of a great
spiritual kingdom, governing the affairs of his
church, and ruling over his people, with a
sceptre of righteousness, power, and love. One
grand difference between the carnally-minded
and the spiritually-minded consists in this—that
whilst the one are saying in their hearts, "we
will not have this man to reign over us;" "let
us break his bands asunder, and cast away his
cords from us"—the others are submitting them¬
selves to his easy yoke; it being their hearts'
desire and prayer that " every thought" may
be brought into " captivity to the obedience of
Christ," that he may sit on the throne of their
affections, and reign without a rival. They are
ready to confess with shame and sorrow their
former rebellion against him—how "in times
past" they neither loved nor served him, but
lived wholly to themselves—serving their own
A CITIZEN OF HEAVEN.
211
lusts and pleasures—setting up idols in their
hearts—burning incense to strange gods. But
henceforth they are resolved, by divine grace,
to renounce all other lords and masters—to make
an entire surrender of themselves, body, soul,
and spirit, unto Christ—to be guided and go¬
verned by him in all things—to continue his
loyal subjects, his faithful soldiers and servants
unto their lives' end. Their feelings and reso¬
lutions are well expressed by those words of the
prophet, "O Lord our God, other lords beside
thee have had dominion over us; but by thee
only will we make mention of thy name. They
are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased,
they shall not rise."—Isaiah xxvi. 13, 14. In
respect therefore of the King, whom they ac¬
knowledge and serve, all true believers—all real
Christians—have their "conversation," or citizen¬
ship, in heaven.
Again—in respect of the laws and the ordi¬
nances, by which the Christian is governed, he
must be regarded as a citizen of heaven. Every
community or city among men has laws and re¬
gulations, established for the well-ordering of its
affairs, and good government of its people. So
in the spiritual community, the heavenly city,
there is a code of laws drawn up by the pen of
Inspiration, and published with divine authority,
212
the true christian
The Bible is the Christian's code of laws. Ac¬
cording to its precepts and enactments he is
bound to live—renouncing whatsoever things are
there forbidden—performing whatsoever things
are there commanded. The word of God sup¬
plies the Christian with a perfect standard of
duty—an infallible rule offaith and practice. It
contains a full revelation of what the Lord would
have us to do. If we consult it in a prayerful
and submissive spirit, we shall find a direction
in every case of doubt or difficulty. Herein is
another great difference between the true Chris¬
tian and the children of this world. The child¬
ren of this world make laws for themselves.
They expound right and wrong according to a
rule of their own—a rule framed to suit their
own carnal tastes and pleasures—establishing
principles and practices often directly opposed
to the revealed will of God. But the spiritual
man knows not of any rule to live by, save that
which the Bible lays down. Human laws in¬
deed he does willingly submit to, (according to
the precept, "submit yourselves to every ordi¬
nance of man, for the Lord's sake,") provided
that human laws are not contrary to the law of
God. For in such cases the Christian must feel
bound to " obey God rather than men." As
regards, therefore, the laws and statutes, by which
A CITIZEN OF HEAVEN.
213
they are governed, all real Christians must be
accounted as having their " conversation," or
citizenship, in heaven.
Again—in respect of their spiritual rights and
immunities they are citizens of heaven. The city
of God is a chartered city. Its people enjoy
peculiar privileges. In virtue of a covenant,
signed and sealed by the great King, they have
a "glorious liberty," together with many rich
blessings, secured to them. "Blessed be the
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who
hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in
heavenly places in Christ."—Eph. i. 3. The
covenant of grace—the charter of heaven—is most
comprehensive. It gives the saints—the citizens
of heaven—a right and title to divers inestimable
benefits. Amongst others, we may mention—
the forgiveness of sins. They enjoy a perfect
remission of all their debts. Though they are
debtors to an infinite amount—though they owe
unto God ten thousand times ten thousand talents
—yet the divine Creditor " freely forgives them
all."—They are of that happy number, " whose
iniquities are forgiven, whose sins are covered ;
to whom the Lord will not impide sin." They
are "justified freely by his grace, through the
redemption, which is in Christ Jesus." " The
blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth them from all
214
THE TRUE CHRISTIAN
sin." They are "found in him,, not having their
own righteousness, which is of the law, hut that
which is through the faith of Christ, the righte¬
ousness which is of God by faith." " There is
therefore no condemnation to them." The officers
of the law have no right to arrest any citizen of
heaven; or, if he he brought before the tribunal
of justice, no charge can be made good against
him. "Who shall lay any thing to the charge
of God's elect ? it is God that justificth. Who
is he that condemneth? it is Christ that died,
yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at
the right hand of God, who also maketh inter¬
cession for us." This freedom from arrest and
condemnation by the law is one privilege secured
by charter to believers, as citizens of heaven.
Another privilege is—continual access to God—
the right of admission at all times into his pre¬
sence. This right and privilege every true
Christian enjoys. The way is always open for
him to the throne of grace. The intercession of
Christ, which goes on continually, gives the be¬
liever continual access to God, even the Father.
"In whom"—i.e. in Christ—"we have bold¬
ness and access with confidence by the faith of
him." "Having therefore, brethren, boldness"
—or liberty—" to enter into the holiest by the
blood of Jesus, and having an High Priest over
A CITIZEN OF HEAVEN.
215
the house of God, let us draw near with a true
heart, in full assurance of faith"—" let us come
boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may
obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of
need." Now it is thought no small distinction
and privilege among men to have the right of
admission into the royal presence, and of pre¬
senting our suit to the king. Of how much
greater honour, and higher value, is the privi¬
lege, which believers enjoy, of approaching at
all times the majesty of the "King of kings;"
and that, not in a spirit of servile fear, but of
childlike confidence. They may approach God
without terror ; yea, may come even with bold¬
ness, through the all-prevailing merits of their
Advocate. They need not keep their lips closed
in silent awe; but may speak freely the thoughts
and desires of their hearts, and fully make known
their requests. As regards then their peculiar
rights, immunities, and privileges, believers have
their " conversation," or citizenship, "in heaven."
Once more—they look upon that city, which
is above, as their rest, their home. The true
Christian is a stranger and pilgrim upon earth,
and conducts himself as such. He is like a man
travelling, not for pleasure, but from necessity,
in some distant foreign country—who takes but
little interest in the scenes around him—who
216
THE TRUE CHRISTIAN
enters but sparingly into the amusements and
pursuits of the strange people, among whom he
sojourns—whose thoughts and affections are fixed
on his far-off home—whose mind is often busy
in anticipating the joys, which he will one day
experience, when he shall be restored at length
to his native land. Such is the situation—and
such, more or less, are the feelings—of the people
of God. In this world they are as travellers in
a strange country. For though in the world,
yet, like their divine Master, they are not of the
world. Their affections are set on " things
above, not on things on the earth." This world
is not their rest. Their home is not here. Here
they "have no continuing city, but they seek
one to come." They desire a better country, that
is, an heavenly. Their " conversation "—their
citizenship—is "in heaven."
Having thus considered at large our first head
—the state and character of the true Christian—
let us proceed to a more brief consideration of
the second, viz. the blessed hope, and glorious
prospect, which lies before him. " We look for
the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ," saith St.
Paul. And this is constantly represented in
Scripture as the proper attitude of the believing
soul—a waiting attitude—a posture of expecta¬
tion. The great event for which Christians look,
A CITIZEN OF HEAVEN.
217
or ought to look, is the corning of Christ—his
second adcent. The time when it shall happen
is often called the "day of Christ," or "the day
of the Lord"—sometimes simply "that day."
The precise period when it shall arrive knoweth
no man—and that man is guilty of presumption,
who attempts to fix the date.—See Acts i. 6, 7.
We know one thing however—that it must he
much, nearer to us, than it was to those saints of
the primitive church, who even in their time
were looking for it. Eighteen hundred years
have rolled by since then, and so much are we
the nearer to "that day." We know, moreover,
that when it does come, it will be sudden and
unexpected to the world in general. Men for
the most part will he as little prepared for it as
they are now. They will be plunged as deeply
as ever in the concerns of this life—in the pur¬
suit of business or pleasure—yea, they will even
lull themselves to sleep in the arms of an infidel
security, saying, " Where is the promise of his
coming ?" But when they shall say, " Peace,
peace, then sudden destruction cometh upon
them, and they shall not escape." For "the day
of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night."
It will burst upon the startled world, like light¬
ning from the cloud—sudden, unlooked for, irre¬
sistible.
L
218
THE TRUE CHRISTIAN
But for this event the saints of God do look.
It will be to them, a joyful and blessed event.
To them "that day" will prove a "day of good
things"—a day of " perfect consummation and
bliss in God's eternal and everlasting glory."
For ''when Christ, who is our life shall appear,
then shall we also appear with him in glory."
The Gospel teacheth us that, " denying ungodli¬
ness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly,
righteously, and godly, in this present world;
looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious
appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus
Christ."—Titus ii. 12, IS.
Oh! my Christian brethren, let us seek for
grace to live more in this frame and posture of
mind—watching for the dawn of that bright and
blissful day, when we shall see the King in his
beauty; not, as now, through a glass darkly, but
"eye to eye," and "face to face." Let us seek
for grace to sit loose to the world—to keep our
hearts disentangled from its cares and pleasures—
to have our affections weaned—that we might be
ready, if summoned at any moment, to meet our
Lord with joy. Thus St. Peter exhorts his fel¬
low-Christians, " Wherefore gird up the loins of
your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for
the grace, that is to be brought unto you at the
revelation of Jesus Christ."—1 Peter i. 13.
a citizen of heaven.
219
And what is the grace that is to be brought
unto us at the revelation of Jesus Christ ? It is
expressed in the concluding words of the text—
" who shall change our vile body, that it may be
fashioned like unto his glorious body." It is the
saints' resurrection to eternal life—when " that
which is sown in corruption" shall be " raised
in incorruptionwhen " that which is sown in
dishonour" shall be "raised in glory"—when
"we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the
twinkling of an eye, as the last trump"—when
"shall be brought to pass the saying that is
written, ' Death is swallowed up in victory.' "
This is "the grace that is to be brought unto
you at the revelation of Jesus Christ." This is
the glorious prospect, which lies before and awaits
the believer. To all, without exception—to the
living, as well as the dead—to those, who have
" fallen asleep " thousands of years ago; as well
as to them, who shall be " alive, and remain unto
the coming of the Lord"•—to all believers is
this grace, this glory, equally sure. They shall
all "he changed"—shall all have their " vile body"
"fashioned like unto his glorious body."
The body, which we now drag about with us,
is rightly denominated a "vile body." It is the
body of our humiliation. The curse has lighted
upon it. As it came from the hands of the
220
THE TRUE CHRISTIAN.
Creator, it was perfect; and declared to be
" very good." But after the fall it became a
r ile body—a body of weakness, disease, and death
—but above all a body of sin. Sin dwelleth in
it. All its senses are by nature inlets to sin—all
its members are " instruments of unrighteousness."
It offers continual hindrances to the operations
of grace. " The flesh lusteth against the Spirit,
and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are
contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot
do the things that ye would."—Gal. v. 17. Every
regenerate and spiritual man—every saint and
child of God—" groans" in this " vile body,"
"being burdened." How did St. Paul groan
beneath the heavy load. How did he complain
that, although he delighted in the law of God
after the inward man, yet he found another law
in his members, loaning against the law of his
mind, and bringing him into captivity to the law
of sin, which was in his members. " O wretched
man that I am! who shall deliver me from the
body of this death"—or this body of death—"I
thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord."—
See Rom. vii.
In these feelings of the holy and spiritually-
minded apostle every true Christian, in a greater
or less degree, participates. How delightful,
then, is the prospect of the coming of that day,
A CITIZEN OF HEAVEN.
221
appointed in the counsels of God, when we shall
be "delivered from the bondage of corruption
into the glorious liberty of the children of God"
—when this " our vile body," which now forms
so loathsome a clog upon the renewed spirit,
shall be transformed into the very image of the
body of Christ! The change, which will thus
be effected, is "a mysteryThe manner of it is
far above our limited comprehension. But the
fact is assured to us, and we need no more to
comfort and gladden our hearts. "Now are we
the sons of God"—saith St. John—"and it doth
not yet appear what we shall be: but we know
that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him;
for we shall see him as he is. And every man
that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself, even
as he is pure."—1 John iii. 2, 3.
SERMON XII.
FAREWELL ADDRESS*
Acts xx. 24.
" So that I might finish my course with joy, and the
ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to
testify the Gospel of the grace of God."
The object which lay nearest the apostle's heart
to attain which he counted not his life dear unto
himself—was, that he might finish his course
with joy; not merely as a private Christian, but
as a minister ordained to preach the Gospel. In
the text he refers to his ministry, as having been
"received of the Lord Jesus." So in another
place he says, " Paul an apostle—not of men,
neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God
the Father, who raised him from the dead."—
Gal. i. 1. He frequently asserts the fact, in his
epistles, that he received not his apostlcship or
ministry by any human appointment, but by the
* This discourse having been nearly double the usual
length, the Author has published only the concluding part
of it.
FAREWELL ADDRESS.
223
commission, of Christ himself. It took place at
the time of his conversion, when the Lord ap¬
peared to him, and said, "I am Jesus whom thou
persecutest. But rise, and stand upon thy feet:
for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose,
to make thee a minister and a witness both of
these things which thou hast seen, and of those
things in the which I will appear unto thee;
delivering thee from the people and from the
Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, to open
their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to
light, and from the power of Satan unto God,
that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and
inheritance among them which are sanctified by
faith that is in me."—Acts xxvi. 16, &c.
Such was the divine commission which the
apostle Paul received. Of the same nature is
our own. Ws, like him, have received a minis¬
try of the Lord Jesus—not, indeed, by personal
manifestation of Christ, nor by an audible voice
—but by the inward motions of his Spirit, and
by outward ordination at the hands of those, who
have "authority to call and send ministers into
the Lord's vineyard."
The apostle tells us in our text for what he
was ordained a minister—" to testify the Gospel
of the grace of God." He had been "put in
trust with the Gospel"—that as a faithful steward
224
FAREWELL ADDRESS.
he might dispense the bread of life, "rightly
dividing the word of truth," "giving to each his
portion of meat in due season."
We must be careful to note the way in which
he describes the Gospel. He calls it " the Gos¬
pel of the grace of God" It is, indeed, the good
news—the "glad tidings"—of God's love and
grace to the world. It tells how God "so loved
the world" that he sent into it a Saviour—and
that Saviour his own dear Son—and that Son to
suffer and to die. It reveals the "grace of God,"
in not only providing such a Saviour, but in
freely offering that Saviour to all who will re¬
ceive him—yea more, va. freely sending the Spirit
of life to quicken those who* are dead in sin, to
work in them true repentance and lively faith
whereby they do receive Christ, and so are "saved
from wrath through him." Every enlightened
person will readily acknowledge this "grace of
God." Every "spiritual man" will heartily sub¬
scribe to the doctrine, "by grace are ye saved,
through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is
the gift of God."
If we are truly converted—truly religious —
how could our conversion have taken place, how
could our religion have begun, but by the grace
of God ? For his grace must prevent, or go
before, that we may have a good icill? and must
FAREWELL ADDRESS.
225
work with us when we have that good will.
How, again, does the believer stand in the midst
of "manifold temptations," but by the grace of
God; which renews and strengthens him day
by day, and which alone can keep him from
falling? Spiritual life would soon become extinct
in the soul, like a lamp for want of oil, if a
supply of grace were not continually kept' up.
From whence, again, does the Christian expect
an eternal reward but from the grace of God ?
He can claim nothing on the score of his own
merits or good works. Whatever happiness and
glory shall be awarded to him hereafter, he must
ascribe it wholly to the grace or favour of God
through the merits'of his Redeemer. The saint
on earth, and the saint in heaven, will unite in
this acknowledgment, "by the grace of God I
am what I am."
The Gospel is, therefore, most rightly deno¬
minated "the Gospel of the grace of God." It
was this which St. Paul was commissioned to
preach and to testify. How dear was it to his
heart. It was dearer even than life. He could
say, " I count not my life dear unto myself, so
that I might finish my course with joy, and the
ministry which I have received of the Lord
Jesus to testify the Gospel of the grace of God."
How exceedingly jealous was he of any perver-
J.2
226
FAREWELL ADDRESS.
sion or corruption of the Gospel by false teachers!
How strongly did he denounce such in the
Galatian church! "There be some"—he writes
—Gal. i. 7, &c.—" that trouble you, and would
pervert the Gospel of Christ. But though we,
or an angel from heaven, preach any other Gos¬
pel unto you than that which we have preached
unto you, let him be accursed. As we said be¬
fore, so say I now again, If any man preach any
other gospel unto you, than that ye have received,
let him be accursed.''''
And now, my dear brethren, I would fain
recall to your minds, that by the space of five
years I have ministered the Gospel amongst you
—the same Gospel, I humbly trust, and sincerely
believe, as that which the great apostle himself
preached. I began with the determination "not
to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ
and him crucified." That determination I have
abided by, and acted upon, from the first day
until now. It has been my endeavour to show
you, one and all, your own guilt and ruin—to
bring you to feel your extreme and urgent need
of a Saviour-—and, when thus convinced, to di¬
rect and encourage you to apply for salvation to
him, who saith, " I am the way, the truth, and
the life"—" come unto me all ye that labour, and
are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" —
FAREWELL ADDRESS.
227
" him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast
out."
It has been, I say, my endeavour to lead the
awakened and penitent sinner to the Cross of
Jesus—there to show him what a complete atone¬
ment has been made for sin, and how the blood
of that Cross, applied by faith, can wash away
the deepest stains of guilt, can speak peace to
the most troubled conscience.
It has also been my endeavour to build up
believers in their most holy faith, to confirm their
hopes, to comfort their sorrows, to strengthen,
settle, stablish them—calling to their remem¬
brance the rich provision of grace laid up for
them in Christ Jesus; and the many promises,
"exceeding great and precious promises," which
are given to them in the same Jesus Christ.
According to the ability given me, I have thus
endeavoured, " both publicly and from house to
house," beside the sick and dying bed, to "tes¬
tify the Gospel of the grace of God"—to preach
Christ, and win souls for him. With what suc¬
cess my endeavours have been attended, God
knows, and the day of judgment will declare.
Let me not, however, for a moment be thought
to take any credit to myself for the discharge
of ministerial duties. God forbid! I utterly
renounce and abhor every thing of the kind.
228
FAREWELL ADDRESS.
So far from taking credit, I take shame to myself
for the coldness of this heart in the service of
such a blessed master—for the want of zeal, and
energy, and self-denying labour, in such a holy
cause. I could soon write a volume of hard
things against myself. I could soon record a
multitude of "sins, negligences, and ignorances,"
in my ministerial life. I have no ambition to
be reckoned among the self-righteous, and the
self-satisfied, who seek the praise of men. I
wish rather to be of their number, who, being
enlightened from above to see the exceeding
sinfulness of sin, and the utter depravity of their
own nature, are self-abased at the footstool of
the divine Majesty; and who, pleading only
the Redeemer's blood, and the Redeemer's
righteousness, cry, 'God be merciful to me a
sinner'—' Pardon mine iniquity, O Lord, for it
is great.''
But that wherein I am bold is—the soundness
and truth of the doctrines, which I have been
privileged to set forth. On this ground I will
be bold—and with confidence adopt the apostle's
language, " I take you to record this day, that
I am pure Rom the blood of all men—for I have
not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel
of God." Let me in return, ask of you, my
brethren—have the doctrines preached been
FAREWELL ADDRESS.
229
understood and received on your part, through
the enlightening and converting grace of the
Holy Spirit? or is Christ still rejected by you,
his gospel still hid to you ?
I desire once more (and for the last time) to
speak the " word of exhortation."
I. Let me address those who are careless
and unconcerned about spiritual things. There
are many such. Some of them are living in gross
and open sin ; in the lusts of the flesh, adulteries,
fornications, uncleanness, lasciviousness, drunk¬
enness, revellings and such like"—of whom the
apostle says, " they are the enemies of the Cross
of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god
is their belly, whose glory is in their shame, who
mind earthly things." There are others, who do
not indeed run " to the same excess of riot"—
who are by certain causes, such as education, or
regard for character, restrained from outwardly
immoral conduct—but whose minds are equally
carnal. The pomps and vanities of the world
are their chief pleasure and pursuit. " God is
not in all their thoughts." The soul is neglected—
the concerns of eternity forgotten and abandoned,
for the sake of things temporal, the shadows of
a day. There are others again, wholly absorbed
in the business of the world; their chief aim and
study being how they may lay up " treasures on
230
FAREWELL ADDRESS.
earthlabouring incessantly " for the meat
which perisheth"—whilst they hunger not, and
therefore labour not, for that ''meat which
endureth unto everlasting life."
To all such amongst you, my brethren—
whether openly immoral, or outwardly decent—
whether " lovers of money" or " lovers of
pleasure," "more than lovers of God"—to all,
who are unconcerned about spiritual things, who
are neglecting the "one thing needful," the
salvation of the soul—let mc speak a parting
word. Your condition is truly pitiable. The
feelings which it excites in the enlightened mind
are those of pity. I do pity you from the
bottom of my heart. I behold you seeking for
satisfaction where it cannot be found, in the
world and the things of the world. I behold
you cut off from communion with that God, who
is the alone source of life and happiness: and
without whom whosoever liveth, is dead while
he lives. I behold you turning away from that
gracious Saviour, who in a voice of love calls
you to himself, that he may pardon, sanctify,
and save you. I behold you, in short, as
immortal beings, destined to an eternity either
of bliss or of woe, walking blindly in those paths,
which, if followed on, must soon plunge you into
the abyss of hell. Oh! my unhappy brethren, you
farewell address.
231
are indeed just objects of Christian pity. Living
without God and without Christ in the world,
you have no real happiness here, you have
no good hope of happiness hereafter. I do
pity you. " I say the truth in Christ, I lie
not, my conscience also bearing me witness in
the Holy Ghost," that I have had much heaviness
and sorrow in my heart on your account.
" Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to
God" for you has been, and still is, that you
"might be saved." May God have mercy on
you! May He, who is " rich in mercy," whose
longsulfering and forbearance are wonderful—
may He pour out of His Spirit to quicken your
dead souls, to open your blind eyes, "to turn
you from darkness to light, from the power of
Satan unto God." O ye sinners, I call you now,
for the last time as your appointed minister—
and it may be the last call, which some of you
may ever hear—I call you now to Jesus—to
that Jesus, who died for your sins, and is able to
save you to the uttermost. O ye sinners of every
description—from the least unto the greatest—
however old and hardened in sin, however
deeply dyed in guilt—I say unto you all—
Come now to Jesus. He stands ready to
receive sinners—He waiteth to be gracious—yea,
he himself calls you by the word of his Gospel,
232
farewell address.
and by the mouth of his minister, just as much
as if he stood amongst you in his own person,
and said, "Come unto me, and I will refresh
you."
Are your sins many and great 9 Come—and
he will pardon them, will blot them all out with
his own blood. Are your affections and desires
earthly and sensual ?—your nature corrupt, of
itself only inclined to evil—your heart had, yea,
" desperately wicked 9" Come—and he will
sanctify you—will put his Spirit within you—
will give you a new heart—a heart of flesh
instead of the heart of stone—a heart to love
holiness, and to love God. Are you, in short,
poor lost sinners ? Come—and he will save you.
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinnei's
—to seek and to save that which was lost. What
you want is to be saved. This is your one great
want as sinners. Come then unto him, and he
will save you.
Oh ! that the Holy Ghost, who is the " Author
and Giver of life,"might breathe vitality into some
dead soul, quickening the conscience to a sense
of sin, and opening the heart to receive the
Saviour. I have made it the subject of secret
prayer to God, and I now do so publicly, that
He of his abundant mercy, and for the glory of
His name, would give me, if hut one soul, this
FAREWELL ADDRESS.
233
day, as a last seal to my minisiry. Grant it, 0
Lord, I humbly beseech thee—grant that, on the
present solemn occasion of a pastor taking leave
of his flock, the angels in heaven may rejoice
over one lost sheep brought back by the good
Shepherd—"over one sinner that repenteth."
II. I would address the "word of exhortation"
to those whose minds are in some degree impressed
with serious thoughts—whose judgments are
convinced of the importance and necessity of
true religion. I have reason to believe that
there are some amongst you, my brethren, who
answer to this description. They feel to a
certain extent the value of the soul, the danger
of an unconverted state, the need of a personal
interest in the merits of a crucified Redeemer.
They desire to partake of the privileges of the
people j»f God. But still they are not decided
characters. They seem to halt between two
opinions—loath, on the one hand, to give up the
world; to come out, and be separate—and yet
loath, on the other hand, to gain even the whole
world, if by so doing they should lose their own
souls. Let me earnestly exhort such to the
exercise of decision. You are thoroughly
persuaded, my brethren, that Christ alone can
save you—that his salvation is the "good part"
the " pearl of great price "—that to have him for
234
FAREWELL ADDRESS.
your portion is to be safe and happy- Then, I
pray you, choose " that good part, which shall
never be taken away from you:" choose it, and
make it your own. Be not deceived with the
plausible idea that good impressions constitute
true religion. Conviction is not conversion. The
judgment may be convinced of the truth, without
the heart being converted by it. Pray over your
serious impressions and convictions, that through
the influence of the Spirit they may be deepened,
and may lead you to throw off entirely the yoke
of sin and of the world, and to become decided
followers of him, who says, " Take my yoke upon
you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly
in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
A person may go a considerable way, and yet
just not far enough. Such characters seem to
stop short at that precise point, where mere
impression ends, and true religion begins. Re¬
member, brethren, that true religion has its seat
in the heart. It is wrought in the heart by the
Holy Spirit. It is a conversion of the whole
man. It is the implanting of new principles, new
affections, new motives. It enables the possessor
to love God—to "overcome the world"—to "cru¬
cify the flesh"—to bring forth the "fruits of the
Spirit"—to " live soberly, righteously, and godly."
FAREWELL ADDRESS.
235
The religion which cannot do this for us is not
worth our having—is of no avail to the saving
of the soul. I would exhort you, then, to be
earnest and persevering in prayer for the Holy
Spirit. Wait upon God, both secretly in your
own chamber, and in the use of public ordinances.
Sanctify the Sabbath. Study the Scriptures.
Avoid vain boohs, and vain company. Be thank¬
ful to God for the serious impressions already
received, but do not rest in them. " Follow on
to know the Lord." Your present impressions
are a " token for good," and should encourage
you to ask of Him, who has given a little, to
give "more grace."
III. I come now, in the last place, to address
that portion of my flock, who are in deed and in
truth the sheep of Christ—who have heard him,
believed on him, and followed him. Beloved, you
were, like others, "as sheep going astray, but
are now returned to the Shepherd and Bishop of
your souls." The Spirit of truth has convinced
you of sin—has made you to see its evil nature,
and the awful extent of it in your hearts and
lives. You have been brought to mourn with
that "godly sorrow, which worketh repentance
unto salvation, not to be repented of"—with
that "broken and contrite heart," which the
Lord will not "despise." The Spirit of truth
236
farewell address.
has also convinced you of your own utter
inability to make satisfaction to God for a single
sin, or even to promise a more worthy obedience
for the future. But Christ has been revealed
to you, by the same Spirit, as having made
satisfaction for all your sins by the blood of his
cross—as having fulfilled in your behalf all the
righteousness of the law. Upon "Christ crucified"
—upon his blood, and his righteousness—you have
founded your hopes of justification and eternal
life. United to him by faith, you enjoy com-
munion with him through the Spirit; "of his
fulness'''' receiving, "and grace for grace."
Thus "Christ is all" to you. Christ is the
Rock, 011 which you build. Christ is the Foun¬
tain, from which you draw. Christ is the Bread,
on which you feed. Christ is the Light, in
which you rejoice. Christ is your Wisdom,
your Righteouness, your Sanctif cation, your
Redemption. " Christ is All."
Now, my dear brethren, what I would exhort
you to is—the cleaving close to this precious
Saviour—the holding fast by him, even unto
death. Never let him go. Live from day to day
by faith. Though temptations assail you—
though the inward conflict be violent—though
Satan buffet—though the world persecute—
though afflictions multiply—still notwithstand-
FAREWELL ADDRESS.
237
ing, in all, and through all, live by faith. Let
no storms shake you from your hold on Christ.
Cleave to him, as the shipwrecked mariner
clings to his plank, and you shall be brought
safe at last to the desired haven. " Fear not,
little flock, it is your Father's good pleasure to
give you the kingdom." Comfort your hearts
with the assurance that you have committed your
souls into the hands of One, who is well able to
keep them. He will "never leave you, nor
forsake yon." The " good work," which he
hath begun in you, he will carry on and make
perfect. Grace is yours now—it will ere long
be glory. We part on earth—we shall meet in
heaven.
"And now, brethren, I commend you to God,
and to the word of his grace, which is able to
build you up, and to give you an inheritance
among all them which are sanctified."
" I bow my knees unto the Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family
in heaven and earth is named, that he would
grant you, according to the riches of his glory,
to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in
the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your
hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and
grounded in love, may be able to comprehend
with all saints what is the breadth, and length,
238
FAREWELL ADDRESS.
and depth, and height; and to know the love of
Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might
be filled with all the fulness of God."
One request only have I to make—" Brethren,
pray for we." I shall ever bear you on my
heart at the throne of grace—let me ask of
- you in return to make mention of me in your
prayers.
Here then, Beloved, I take my leave—thank¬
ing you most heartily for the great kindness I
have experienced during my sojourn amongst
you—and most heartily praying that God may
repay your kindness a hundred-fold.
H. Oldland, Printer, Corn Street, Bristol.
252 B96
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