\u201cRepent ye, and believe the gospel.\u201d <\/i><\/p>\n
Mark 1:15.<\/p>\n
1. It is generally supposed, that repentance and faith are only the gate of religion; that they are necessary only at the beginning of our Christian course, when we are setting out in the way to the kingdom. And this may seem to be confirmed by the great Apostle, where, exhorting the Hebrew Christians to \u201cgo on to perfection,\u201d he teaches them to leave<\/i> these first \u201cprinciples of the doctrine of Christ;\u201d \u201cnot laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith towards God;\u201d which must at least mean, that they should comparatively leave these, that at first took up all their thoughts, in order to \u201cpress forward toward the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.\u201d<\/p>\n
2. And this is undoubtedly true, that there is a repentance and a faith, which are, more especially, necessary at the beginning: a repentance, which is a conviction of our utter sinfulness, and guiltiness, and helplessness; and which precedes our receiving that kingdom of God, which, our Lord observes, is \u201cwithin us;\u201d and a faith, whereby we receive that kingdom, even \u201crighteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.\u201d<\/p>\n
3. But, notwithstanding this, there is also a repentance and a faith (taking the words in another sense, a sense not quite the same, nor yet entirely different) which are requisite after we have \u201cbelieved the gospel;\u201d yea, and in every subsequent stage of our Christian course, or we cannot \u201crun the race which is set before us.\u201d And this repentance and faith are full as necessary, in order to our continuance<\/i> and growth<\/i> in grace, as the former faith and repentance were, in order to our entering<\/i> into the kingdom of God.<\/p>\n
But in what sense are we to repent and believe, after we are justified? This is an important question, and worthy of being considered with the utmost attention.<\/p>\n
I. And, First, in what sense are we to repent?<\/p>\n
1. Repentance frequently means an inward change, a change of mind from sin to holiness. But we now speak of it in a quite different sense, as it is one kind of self-knowledge, the knowing ourselves sinners, yea, guilty, helpless sinners, even though we know we are children of God.<\/p>\n
2. Indeed when we first know this; when we first find the redemption in the blood of Jesus; when the love of God is first shed abroad in our hearts, and his kingdom set up therein; it is natural to suppose that we are no longer sinners, that all our sins are not only covered but destroyed. As we do not then feel any evil in our hearts, we readily imagine none is there. Nay, some well-meaning men have imagined this not only at that time, but ever after; having persuaded themselves, that when they were justified, they were entirely sanctified: yea, they have laid it down as a general rule, in spite of Scripture, reason, and experience. These sincerely believe, and earnestly maintain, that all sin is destroyed when we are justified; and that there is no sin in the heart of a believer; but that it is altogether clean from that moment. But though we readily acknowledge, \u201che that believeth is born of God,\u201d and \u201che that is born of God doth not commit sin;\u201d yet we cannot allow that he does not feel<\/i> it from within: it does not reign,<\/i> but it does remain. And a conviction of the sin which remains<\/i> in our heart, is one great branch of the repentance we are now speaking of.<\/p>\n
3. For it is seldom long before he who imagined all sin was gone, feels there is still pride<\/i> in his heart. He is convinced both that in many respects he has thought of himself more highly than he ought to think, and that he has taken to himself the praise of something he had received, and gloried in it as though he had not received it; and yet he knows he is in the favour of God. He cannot, and ought not to, \u201ccast away his confidence.\u201d \u201cThe Spirit\u201d still \u201cwitnesses with\u201d his \u201cspirit, that he is a child of God.\u201d<\/p>\n
4. Nor is it long before he feels self-will<\/i> in his heart; even a will contrary to the will of God. A will every man must inevitably have, as long as he has an understanding. This is an essential part of human nature, indeed of the nature of every intelligent being. Our blessed Lord himself had a will as a man; otherwise he had not been a man. But his human will was invariably subject to the will of his Father. At all times, and on all occasions, even in the deepest affliction, he could say, \u201cNot as I will, but as thou wilt.\u201d But this is not the case at all times, even with a true believer in Christ. He frequently finds his will more or less exalting itself against the will of God. He wills something, because it is pleasing to nature, which is not pleasing to God; and he nills (is averse from) something, because it is painful to nature, which is the will of God concerning him. Indeed, suppose he continues in the faith, he fights against it with all his might: but this very thing implies that it really exists, and that he is conscious of it.<\/p>\n
5. Now self-will, as well as pride, is a species of idolatry<\/i> and both are directly contrary to the love of God. The same observation may be made concerning the love of the world<\/i>. But this likewise even true believers are liable to feel in themselves; and every one of them does feel it, more or less, sooner or later, in one branch or another. It is true, when he first \u201cpasses from death unto life,\u201d he desires nothing more but God. He can truly say, \u201cAll my desire is unto Thee, and unto the remembrance of Thy name:\u201d \u201cWhom have I in heaven but Thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside Thee.\u201d But it is not so always. In process of time he will feel again, though perhaps only for a few moments, either \u201cthe desire of the flesh,\u201d or \u201cthe desire of the eye,\u201d or \u201cthe pride of life.\u201d Nay, if he does not continually watch and pray, he may find lust<\/i> reviving; yea, and thrusting sore at him that he may fall, till he has scarce any strength left in him. He may feel the assaults of inordinate affection;<\/i> yea, a strong propensity to \u201clove the creature more than the Creator;\u201d whether it be a child, a parent, a husband, or wife, or \u201cthe friend that is as his own soul.\u201d He may feel, in a thousand various ways, a desire of earthly things or pleasures. In the same proportion he will forget God, not seeking his happiness in him, and consequently being a \u201clover of pleasure more than a lover of God.\u201d<\/p>\n
6. If he does not keep himself every moment, he will again feel the desire of the eye;<\/i> the desire of gratifying his imagination with something great, or beautiful, or uncommon. In how many ways does this desire assault the soul! Perhaps with regard to the poorest trifles, such as dress, or furniture; things never designed to satisfy the appetite of an immortal spirit. Yet, how natural is it for us, even after we have \u201ctasted of the powers of the world to come,\u201d to sink again into these foolish, low desires of things that perish in the using! How hard is it, even for those who know in whom they have believed, to conquer but one branch of the desire of the eye, curiosity;<\/i> constantly to trample it under their feet; to desire nothing merely because it is new!<\/p>\n
7. And how hard is it even for the children of God wholly to conquer the pride of life!<\/i> St. John seems to mean by this nearly the same with what the world terms \u201cthe sense of honour.\u201d This is no other than a desire of, and delight in, \u201cthe honour that cometh of men;\u201d a desire and love of praise; and, which is always joined with it, a proportionable fear of dispraise.<\/i> Nearly allied to this is evil shame;<\/i> the being ashamed of that wherein we ought to glory. And this is seldom divided from the fear of man,<\/i> which brings a thousand snares upon the soul. Now where is he, even among those that seem strong in the faith, who does not find in himself a degree of all these evil tempers? So that even these are but in part \u201ccrucified to the world;\u201d for the evil root still remains in their heart.<\/p>\n
8. And do we not feel other tempers, which are as contrary to the love of our neighbour as these are to the love of God? The love of our neighbour \u201cthinketh no evil.\u201d Do not we find anything of the kind? Do we never find any jealousies,<\/i> any evil surmisings,<\/i> any groundless or unreasonable suspicions? He that is clear in these respects, let him cast the first stone at his neighbour. Who does not sometimes feel other tempers or inward motions, which he knows are contrary to brotherly love? If nothing of malice, hatred,<\/i> or bitterness,<\/i> is there no touch of envy;<\/i> particularly toward those who enjoy some real or supposed good, which we desire, but cannot attain? Do we never find any degree of resentment,<\/i> when we are injured or affronted; especially by those whom we peculiarly loved, and whom we had most laboured to help or oblige? Does injustice or ingratitude never excite in us any desire of revenge<\/i>? any desire of returning evil for evil, instead of \u201covercoming evil with good?\u201d This also shows, how much is still in our heart, which is contrary to the love of our neighbour.<\/p>\n
9. Covetousness,<\/i> in every kind and degree, is certainly as contrary to this as to the love of God; whether, philargyri<\/i>, the love of money,<\/i> which is too frequently the root of all evil; or pleonexia<\/i>, literally, a desire of having more,<\/i> or increasing in substance. And how few, even of the real children of God, are entirely free from both! Indeed one great man, Martin Luther, used to say, he \u201cnever had any covetousness in him\u201d (not only in his converted state, but) \u201cever since he was born.\u201d But, if so, I would not scruple to say, he was the only man born of a woman (except him that was God as well as man,) who had not, who was born without it. Nay, I believe, never was any one born of God, that lived any considerable time after, who did not feel more or less of it many times, especially in the latter sense. We may therefore set it down as an undoubted truth, that covetousness, together with pride, and self-will, and anger, remain in the hearts even of them that are justified.<\/p>\n
10. It is their experiencing this, which has inclined so many serious persons to understand the latter part of the seventh chapter to the Romans, not of them that are \u201cunder the law,\u201d that are convinced of sin, which is undoubtedly the meaning of the Apostle, but of them that are \u201cunder grace;\u201d that are \u201cjustified freely through the redemption that is in Christ.\u201d And it is most certain, they are thus far right, \u2014 there does still remain<\/i>, even in them that are justified, a mind<\/i> which is in some measure carnal<\/i> (so the Apostle tells even the believers at Corinth, \u201cYe are carnal;\u201d) an heart bent to backsliding<\/i>, still ever ready to \u201cdepart from the living God;\u201d a propensity to pride, self-will, anger, revenge, love of the world, yea, and all evil: a root of bitterness, which, if the restraint were taken off for a moment, would instantly spring up; yea, such a depth of corruption, as, without clear light from God, we cannot possibly conceive. And a conviction of all this sin remaining<\/i> in their hearts<\/i> is the repentance which belongs to them that are justified.<\/p>\n
11. But we should likewise be convinced, that as sin remains in our hearts, so it cleaves<\/i> to all our words and actions. Indeed it is to be feared, that many of our words are more than mixed with sin; that they are sinful altogether; for such undoubtedly is all uncharitable conversation;<\/i> all which does not spring from brotherly love; all which does not agree with that golden rule, \u201cWhat ye would that others should do to you, even so do unto them.\u201d Of this kind is all backbiting, all tale-bearing, all whispering, all evil-speaking, that is, repeating the faults of absent persons; for none would have others repeat his faults when he is absent. Now how few are there, even among believers, who are in no degree guilty of this; who steadily observe the good old rule, \u201cOf the dead and the absent, nothing but good!\u201d And suppose they do, do they likewise abstain from unprofitable conversation?<\/i> Yet all this is unquestionably sinful, and \u201cgrieves the Holy Spirit of God:\u201d Yea, and \u201cfor every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give an account in the day of judgement.\u201d<\/p>\n
12. But let it be supposed, that they continually \u201cwatch and pray,\u201d and so do \u201cnot enter into\u201d this \u201ctemptation;\u201d that they constantly set a watch before their mouth, and keep the door of their lips; suppose they exercise themselves herein, that all<\/i> their \u201cconversation may be in grace, seasoned with salt, and meet to minister grace to the hearers:\u201d yet do they not daily slide into useless discourse, notwithstanding all their caution? And even when they endeavour to speak for God, are their words pure, free from unholy mixtures? Do they find nothing wrong in their very intention?<\/i> Do they speak merely to please God, and not partly to please themselves? Is it wholly to do the will of God, and not their own will also? Or, if they begin with a single eye, do they go on \u201clooking unto Jesus,\u201d and talking with him all the time they are talking with their neighbour? When they are reproving sin, do they feel no anger or unkind temper to the sinner? When they are instructing the ignorant, do they not find any pride, any self-preference? When they are comforting the afflicted, or provoking one another to love and to good works, do they never perceive any inward self-commendation: \u201cNow you have spoken well?\u201d<\/i> Or any vanity \u2014 a desire that others should think so, and esteem them on the account? In some or all of these respects, how much sin cleaves to the best conversation<\/i> even of believers! The conviction of which is another branch of the repentance which belongs to them that are justified.<\/p>\n
13. And how much sin, if their conscience is thoroughly awake, may they find cleaving to their actions<\/i> also! Nay, are there not many of these, which, though they are such as the world would not condemn, yet cannot be commended, no, nor excused, if we judge by the Word of God? Are there not many of their actions which, they themselves know, are not to the glory of God? many, wherein they did not even aim at this; which were not undertaken with an eye to God? And of those that were, are there not many, wherein their eye is not singly fixed on God \u2014 wherein they are doing their own will, at least as much as his; and seeking to please themselves as much, if not more, than to please God? \u2014 And while they are endeavouring to do good to their neighbour, do they not feel wrong tempers of various kinds? Hence their good actions, so called, are far from being strictly such; being polluted with such a mixture of evil: such are their works of mercy<\/i>. And is there not the same mixture in their works of piety<\/i>? While they are hearing the word which is able to save their souls, do they not frequently find such thoughts as make them afraid lest it should turn to their condemnation, rather than their salvation? Is it not often the same case, while they are endeavouring to offer up their prayers to God, whether in public or private? Nay, while they are engaged in the most solemn service, even while they are at the table of the Lord, what manner of thoughts arise in them! Are not their hearts sometimes wandering to the ends of the earth; sometimes filled with such imaginations, as make them fear lest all their sacrifice should be an abomination to the Lord? So that they are now more ashamed of their best duties, than they were once of their worst sins.<\/p>\n
14. Again: How many sins of omission<\/i> are they chargeable with! We know the words of the Apostle: \u201cTo him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.\u201d But do they not know a thousand instances, wherein they might have done good, to enemies, to strangers, to their brethren, either with regard to their bodies or their souls, and they did it not? How many omissions have they been guilty of, in their duty toward God! How many opportunities of communicating, of hearing his word, of public or private prayer, have they neglected! So great reason had even that holy man, Archbishop Usher, after all his labours for God, to cry out, almost with his dying breath, \u201cLord, forgive me my sins of omission!\u201d<\/p>\n
15. But besides these outward omissions, may they not find in themselves inward defects<\/i> without number? defects of every kind: they have not the love, the fear, the confidence they ought to have, toward God. They have not the love which is due to their neighbour, to every child of man; no, nor even that which is due to their brethren, to every child of God, whether those that are at a distance from them, or those with whom they are immediately connected. They have no holy temper in the degree they ought; they are defective in everything, \u2014 in a deep consciousness of which they are ready to cry out, with M. De Renty, \u201cI am a ground all overrun with thorns;\u201d or, with Job, \u201cI am vile: I abhor myself, and repent as in dust and ashes.\u201d<\/p>\n
16. A conviction of their guiltiness<\/i> is another branch of that repentance which belongs to the children of God. But this is cautiously to be understood, and in a peculiar sense. For it is certain, \u201cthere is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus,\u201d that believe in him, and, in the power of that faith, \u201cwalk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.\u201d Yet can they no more bear the strict justice<\/i> of God now, than before they believed. This pronounces them to be still worthy of death<\/i>, on all the preceding accounts. And it would absolutely condemn them thereto, were it not for the atoning blood. Therefore they are thoroughly convinced, that they still deserve<\/i> punishment, although it is hereby turned aside from them. But here there are extremes on one hand and on the other, and few steer clear of them. Most men strike on one or the other, either thinking themselves condemned when they are not, or thinking they deserve<\/i> to be acquitted. Nay, the truth lies between: they still deserve<\/i>, strictly speaking only the damnation of hell. But what they deserve does not come upon them, because they \u201chave an Advocate with the Father.\u201d His life, and death, and intercession still interpose between them and condemnation.<\/p>\n
17. A conviction of their utter helplessness<\/i> is yet another branch of this repentance. I mean hereby two things: first, that they are no more able now of themselves<\/i> to think one good thought, to form one good desire, to speak one good word, or do one good work, than before they were justified; that they have still no kind or degree of strength of their own;<\/i> no power either to do good, or resist evil; no ability to conquer or even withstand the world, the devil, or their own evil nature. They can, it is certain, do all these things; but it is not by their own strength. They have power to overcome all these enemies; for \u201csin hath no more dominion over them;\u201d but it is not from nature, either in whole or in part; it is the mere<\/i> gift of God: nor is it given all at once, as if they had a stock laid up for many years; but from moment to moment.<\/p>\n
18. By this helplessness I mean, Secondly, an absolute inability to deliver ourselves from that guiltiness or desert of punishment whereof we are still conscious; yea, and an inability to remove, by all the grace we have (to say nothing of our natural powers,) either the pride, self-will, love of the world, anger, and general proneness to depart from God, which we experimentally know to remain<\/i> in the heart, even of them that are regenerate; or the evil which, in spite of all our endeavours, cleaves to all our words and actions. Add to this, an utter inability wholly to avoid uncharitable, and, much more, unprofitable, conversation: and an inability to avoid sins of omission, or to supply the numberless defects we are convinced of; especially the want of love, and other right tempers both to God and man.<\/p>\n
19. If any man is not satisfied of this, if any believes that whoever is justified is able to remove these sins out of his heart and life, let him make the experiment. Let him try whether, by the grace he has already received, he can expel pride, self-will, or inbred sin in general. Let him try whether he can cleanse his words and actions from all mixture of evil; whether he can avoid all uncharitable and unprofitable conversation, with all sins of omission; and, lastly, whether he can supply the numberless defects which he still finds in himself. Let him not be discouraged by one or two experiments, but repeat the trial again and again; and the longer he tries, the more deeply will he be convinced of his utter helplessness in all these respects.<\/p>\n
20. Indeed this is so evident a truth, that well nigh all the children of God, scattered abroad, however they differ in other points, yet generally agree in this; \u2014 that although we may \u201cby the Spirit, mortify the deeds of the body,\u201d resist and conquer both outward and inward sin: although we may weaken<\/i> our enemies day by day; \u2014 yet we cannot drive them out<\/i>. By all the grace which is given at justification we cannot extirpate them. Though we watch and pray ever so much, we cannot wholly cleanse either our hearts or hands. Most sure we cannot, till it shall please our Lord to speak to our hearts again, to speak the second time, \u201cBe clean:\u201d and then only the leprosy is cleansed. Then only, the evil root, the carnal mind, is destroyed; and inbred sin subsists no more. But if there be no such second change, if there be no instantaneous deliverance after justification, if there be none but<\/i> a gradual work of God (that there is a gradual work none denies,) then we must be content, as well as we can, to remain full of sin till death; and, if so, we must remain guilty till death, continually deserving<\/i> punishment. For it is impossible the guilt, or desert of punishment, should be removed from us, as long as all this sin remains in our heart, and cleaves to our words and actions. Nay, in rigorous justice, all we think, and speak, and act, continually increases it.<\/p>\n
II. 1. In this sense we are to repent<\/i>, after we are justified. And till we do so, we can go no farther. For, till we are sensible of our disease, it admits of no cure. But, supposing we do thus repent, then are we called to \u201cbelieve the gospel.\u201d<\/p>\n
2. And this also is to be understood in a peculiar sense, different from that wherein we believed in order to justification. Believe the glad tidings of great salvation, which God hath prepared for all people. Believe that he who is \u201cthe brightness of his Father\u2019s glory, the express image of his person,\u201d is \u201cable to save unto the uttermost all that come unto God through him.\u201d He is able to save you from all the sin that still remains in your heart. He is able to save you from all the sin that cleaves to all your words and actions. He is able to save you from sins of omission, and to supply whatever is wanting in you. It is true, this is impossible with man; but with God-Man all things are possible. For what can be too hard for him who hath \u201call power in heaven and in earth?\u201d Indeed, his bare power to do this is not a sufficient foundation for our faith that he will do it, that he will thus exert his power, unless he hath promised it. But this he has done: he has promised it over and over, in the strongest terms. he has given us these \u201cexceeding great and precious promises,\u201d both in the Old and the New Testament. So we read in the law, in the most ancient part of the oracles of God, \u201cThe Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul.\u201d (Deut. 30:6.) So in the Psalms, \u201cHe shall redeem Israel,\u201d the Israel of God, \u201cfrom all his sins.\u201d So in the Prophet, \u201cThen 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. And I will put My Spirit within you, and ye shall keep My judgements, and do them. I will also save you from all your uncleannesses\u201d (Ezek. 36:25) So likewise in the New Testament, \u201cBlessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, and hath raised up an horn of salvation for us, \u2014 to perform the oath which he sware to our father Abraham, that he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies should serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life\u201d (Luke 1:68)<\/p>\n
3. You have therefore good reason to believe, he is not only able, but willing to do this; to cleanse you from all your filthiness of flesh and spirit; to \u201csave you from all your uncleannesses.\u201d This is the thing which you now long for; this is the faith which you now particularly need, namely, that the Great Physician, the Lover of my soul, is willing to make me clean. But is he willing to do this to-morrow, or to-day? Let him answer for himself: \u201cTo-day, if ye will hear\u201d My \u201cvoice, harden not your hearts.\u201d If you put it off till to-morrow, you harden your hearts; you refuse to hear his voice. Believe, therefore, that he is willing to save you to-day<\/i>. He is willing to save you now<\/i>. \u201cBehold, now is the accepted time.\u201d He now saith, \u201cBe thou clean!\u201d Only believe, and you also will immediately find, \u201call things are possible to him that believeth.\u201d<\/p>\n
4. Continue to believe in him that loved thee, and gave himself for thee; that bore all thy sins in his own body on the tree; and he saveth thee from all condemnation, by his blood continually applied. Thus it is that we continue in a justified state. And when we go \u201cfrom faith to faith, when we have faith to be cleansed from indwelling sin, to be saved from all our uncleannesses, we are likewise saved from all that guilt<\/i>, that desert<\/i> of punishment, which we felt before. So that then we may say, not only,<\/p>\n
Every moment, Lord, I want<\/i><\/p>\n
The merit of thy death;<\/p>\n
but, likewise, in the full assurance of faith,<\/p>\n
Every moment, Lord, I have<\/i><\/p>\n
The merit of thy death!<\/p>\n
For, by that faith in his life, death, and intercession for us, renewed from moment to moment, we are every whit clean, and there is not only now no condemnation for us, but no such desert of punishment as was before, the Lord cleansing both our hearts and lives.<\/p>\n
5. By the same faith we feel the power of Christ every moment resting upon us, whereby alone we are what we are; whereby we are enabled to continue in spiritual life, and without which, notwithstanding all our present holiness, we should be devils the next moment. But as long as we retain our faith in him, we \u201cdraw water out of the wells of salvation.\u201d Leaning on our Beloved, even Christ in us the hope of glory, who dwelleth in our hearts by faith, who likewise is ever interceding for us at the right hand of God, we receive help from him, to think, and speak, and act, what is acceptable in his sight. Thus does he \u201cprevent\u201d them that believe in all their \u201cdoings, and further them with his continual help;\u201d so that all their designs, conversations, and actions are \u201cbegun, continued, and ended in him.\u201d Thus doth he \u201ccleanse the thoughts of their hearts, by the inspiration of his Holy Spirit, that they may perfectly love him, and worthily magnify his holy name.\u201d <\/p>\n
6. Thus it is, that in the children of God, repentance and faith exactly answer each other. By repentance we feel the sin remaining in our hearts, and cleaving to our words and actions: by faith, we receive the power of God in Christ, purifying our hearts, and cleansing our hands. By repentance, we are still sensible that we deserve punishment for all our tempers, and words, and actions: by faith, we are conscious that our Advocatewith the Father is continually pleading for us, and thereby continually turning aside all condemnation and punishment from us. By repentance we have an abiding conviction that there is no help in us: by faith we receive not only mercy, \u201cbut grace to help in\u201d every<\/i> \u201ctime of need. Repentance disclaims the very possibility of any other help; faith accepts all the help we stand in need of, from him that hath all power in heaven and earth. Repentance says, \u201cWithout him I can do nothing:\u201d Faith says, \u201cI can do all things through Christ strengthening me.\u201d Through him I can not only overcome, but expel, all the enemies of my soul. Through him I can \u201clove the Lord my God with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength;\u201d yea, and \u201cwalk in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of my life.\u201d<\/p>\n
III. 1. From what has been said we may easily learn the mischievousness of that opinion, \u2014 that we are wholly<\/i> sanctified when we are justified; that our hearts are then cleansed from all sin. It is true, we are then delivered, as was observed before, from the dominion of outward sin; and, at the same time, the power of inward sin is so broken, that we need no longer follow, or be led by it: but it is by no means true, that inward sin is then totally destroyed; that the root of pride, self-will, anger, love of the world, is then taken out of the heart; or that the carnal mind, and the heart bent to backsliding, are entirely extirpated. And to suppose the contrary is not, as some may think, an innocent harmless mistake. No: it does immense harm: it entirely blocks up the way to any farther change; for it is manifest, \u201cthey that are whole not need a physician, but they that are sick.\u201d If, therefore, we think we are quite made whole already, there is no room to seek any further healing. On this supposition it is absurd to expect a farther deliverance from sin, whether gradual or instantaneous.<\/p>\n
2. On the contrary, a deep conviction that we are not yet whole; that our hearts are not fully purified; that there is yet in us a \u201ccarnal mind,\u201d which is still in its nature \u201cenmity against God;\u201d that a whole body of sin remains in our heart, weakened indeed, but not destroyed; shows, beyond all possibility of doubt, the absolute necessity of a farther change. We allow, that at the very moment of justification, we are born again<\/i>: In that instant we experience that inward change from \u201cdarkness into marvellous light;\u201d from the image of the brute and the devil, into the image of God; from the earthly, sensual, devilish mind, to the mind which was in Christ Jesus. But are we then entirely<\/i> changed? Are we wholly<\/i> transformed into the image of him that created us? Far from it: we still retain a depth of sin; and it is the consciousness of this which constrains us to groan, for a full deliverance, to him that is mighty to save. Hence it is, that those believers who are not convinced of the deep corruption of their hearts, or but slightly, and, as it were, notionally convinced, have little concern about entire sanctification<\/i>. They may possibly hold the opinion, that such a thing is to be, either at death, or some time they know not when, before it. But they have no great uneasiness for the want of it, and no great hunger or thirst after it. They cannot, until they know themselves better, until they repent in the sense above described, until God unveils the inbred monster\u2019s face, and shows them the real state of their souls. Then only, when they feel the burden, will they groan for deliverance from it. Then, and not till then, will they cry out, in the agony of their soul,<\/p>\n
Break off the yoke of inbred sin,<\/p>\n
And fully set my spirit free!<\/p>\n
I cannot rest till pure within, <\/p>\n
Till I am wholly lost in Thee.<\/p>\n
3. We may learn from hence, secondly, that a deep conviction of our demerit,<\/i> after we are accepted (which in one sense may be termed guilt,<\/i>) is absolutely necessary, in order to our seeing the true value of the atoning blood; in order to our feeling that we need this as much, after we are justified as ever we did before. Without this conviction, we cannot but account the blood of the covenant as a common thing,<\/i> something of which we have not now any great need, seeing all our past sins are blotted out. Yea, but if both our hearts and lives are thus unclean, there is a kind of guilt which we are contracting every moment, and which, of consequence, would every moment expose us to fresh condemnation, but that<\/p>\n
He ever lives above,<\/p>\n
For us to intercede, \u2014<\/p>\n
His all-atoning love,<\/p>\n
His precious blood, to plead.<\/p>\n
It is this repentance, and the faith intimately connected with it, which are expressed in those strong lines, \u2014<\/p>\n
I sin in every breath I draw,<\/p>\n
Nor do Thy will, nor keep Thy law<\/p>\n
On earth, as angels do above:<\/p>\n
But still the fountain open stands,<\/p>\n
Washes my feet, my heart, my hands,<\/p>\n
Till I am perfected in love.<\/p>\n
4. We may observe, Thirdly, a deep conviction of our utter helplessness<\/i>, of our total inability to retain anything we have received, much more to deliver ourselves from the world of iniquity remaining both in our hearts and lives, teaches us truly to live upon Christ by faith, not only as our Priest, but as our King. Hereby we are brought to \u201cmagnify him,\u201d indeed; to \u201cgive Him all the glory of his grace;\u201d to \u201cmake him a whole Christ, an entire Saviour; and truly to set the crown upon his head.\u201d These excellent words, as they have frequently been used, have little or no meaning; but they are fulfilled in a strong and deep sense, when we thus, as it were, go out of ourselves, in order to be swallowed up in him; when we sink into nothing, that he may be all in all. Then, his almighty grace having abolished \u201cevery high thing which exalted itself against him,\u201d every temper, and thought, and word, and work \u201cis brought to the obedience of Christ.\u201d<\/p>\n
Londonderry, April 24, 1767<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cRepent ye, and believe the gospel.\u201d Mark 1:15. 1. It is generally supposed, that repentance and faith are only the gate of religion; that they are necessary only at the beginning of our Christian course, when we are setting out in the way to the kingdom. And this may seem to be confirmed by the … Continue reading “THE
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