Imatges de pàgina
PDF
EPUB

I.

VOL. man to his right mind, and fets things to rights. again with him. Though his former state is expreffed by being in the flesh, he is now faid to be in the fpirit, from the spiritual frame created in him by the great work of regeneration. Thus, fays the Apoftie, Ye are not in the flesh, but in the fpirit, if fo be that the fpirit of GOD dwell in you". And the thing produced in the work of regeneration is called fpirit. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is fpirit. While man is in flesh he is capable of loving nothing but what is feen, nothing but what to his fenfes appears amiable and lovely. Herein therefore ftands the work of regeneration, to take a poor fenfual creature, a mere lump of flesh, and to make him spiritual; and then it is he becomes capable of loving Go D. There must be a new creation, and right principles planted in the mind, to influence the heart, and to direct and determine fouls towards GOD, from whom they were cut off and fo dreadfully alienated. Again in the

8 PLACE, we further infer, that the power by which it comes to pafs that there are any lovers of GOD in the world is highly to be adored and magnified. You fee it is far more difficult to love GOD, whom we fee not, than our brother whom we do fee. How then can this difficulty be overcome, unless divine power implant this principle of love? We ought therefore to make the reprefentation of that power,

that

Rom. viii. 9.

O John 111. 6.

SERM,

that hath wrought this work in us, appear very
glorious in our own eyes, that fo with reference IV.
to this matter our hearts may be put in an adoring
pofture. Let us then blefs and adore that glorious
Being, who hath done fuch a thing as this; who
hath made a stupid fenfual heart, which could
never rife beyond the sphere of flesh, afcend and
enlarge it felf, and fix and terminate its love
upon the bleffed GOD.
"How great is the

[ocr errors]

power (fhould one fay that finds it thus)
" which hath done this in me! to make a clod
"of earth, a lump of clay to love GOD! This
" is as great a thing as out of ftones to raise up
"children unto Abraham." In reality we ought
not to think little, or meanly of this.
again,

And

9. We may further infer, that the life of WE Christians in this world cannot but be a conflicting life. The life of a Chriftian as fuch must be influenced throughout by the love of God. He is to act according to the direction of St. Jude, Keep your felves in the love of GOD, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jefus Chrift unto eternal life. Is this the business of a Christian, and what must be his very life to live in the love of GOD all along? then he must indeed live a conflicting life all his days. That is, there muft be a continual conflict kept up against imperious fenfe, and its dictates, which always is crying to the heart of man, "Love what is feen, what you 1 "perceive to be lovely:" there muft, I fay,

be

• Ver. 21.

I.

VOL. be a continual ftriving in the heart of a Christian against this; fince he muft keep up a continual love to him whom he cannot see, to him who is far above out of fight.

THIS fheweth, that they who know not what a continual ftriving against sense, its dictates, and inclinations means, are yet to learn what the bufinefs of the Chriftian life is. How can a man love GOD whom he feeth not? When there is a continual difficulty, there must be a continual. ftriving and vigorous endeavours always used. Loving GOD is not fwimming down with the ftream of nature, it is quite another thing. And agreeably to this, what a ftrife is represented all along, throughout the feventh chapter of the epistle to the Romans, between the law of the flefb, and the law of the mind; the inclinations of fenfual nature, and the fpiritual dictates and prefcriptions which are by the Apostle called the law of the fpirit of life in Chrift Jesus; which doth as it were repeal, and abrogate the law of fin and death; and fo far as it obtains, delivers a man from its impofitions, and imperious commands, which lead to death.

IT is highly needful for us to state our own cafe to our felves, and to confider what we are like to meet with in our Chriftian courfe; and if we mean to perfevere, we must resolve upon a ftriving conflicting life all our days, for thus it muft be. How much then are they beside the Christian course, who know not what it is to strive against

Rom. vIII. 2.

IV.

against any inclination of their own, nor to op- SER M. pose the earthly tendencies of their own spirits who can never find occafion to contend with themselves; who efpy no fault in the temper of their own spirits, but carry the matter to themfelves as if all were well; who can pass a whole day with no rebukes nor checks, when their hearts have run after their eyes only. These perfons perhaps have never minded, never loved any thing better than what came within the reach of their senses, or could be seen with the eye; and yet they are innocent creatures in their imagination, and think they have no cause to blame themfelves. But let us not be deceived, who see that the life of a Christian must be a continual running counter to a man's own eyes, and the dictates of fense; fince these prescribe to a man to love only what he fees, whereas certainly he is no Christian who liveth not in the love of. GOD whom he doth not fee. In the

LAST place, we further infer, that the pronenefs of men to acquiefce in a civil deportment, and to rest in the mere formalities of religion, hath one fixed common caufe, and that is, the want of the great principle of love. In this refpect it is fit that we fhould confider what the cafe of man is. Men are very apt to fatisfy themselves with a fair and unexceptionable carriage to others, or at most with a little formality in the duties of religion, and never look further; which certainly muft proceed from one and the fame cause,

namely,

VOL. namely, the want of love to GOD. This, I fay,

I.

in the

[ocr errors]

(1.) PLACE, is the reason why persons are fo prone to acquiefce in a fair and civil deportment towards men. It is neceffary for us to know this, that fo the danger of it may be more carefully avoided and deeply dreaded. What is it that is really the principle of duty even towards men? Certainly it is love. This is eafy, as the text fuppofes, towards men, in comparison of what it is towards Gon; men therefore are apt to take up with what they find most easy.

There are

THE ftate of the cafe lieth thus. characters of the ancient law, which GoD at the creation impreffed upon the spirit of man's the law not written, but born with us*, as one heathen writer expreffes it, or the natural law†, as another heathen writer calls it. There are, I fay, ftill fome broken parts, fome scattered fragments, fome difperfed characters of this law, which was by our Maker put into our very frame, which lie difcompofed and difpersed here and there in men, whereof fome refer to our duty towards GoD, and others to our duty towards men. Those relating to men are more legible, are oftener read, and come more frequently under view. For how much more prevalent is this fenfe in the minds of men," My neighbour is

66

not to be wronged or difobliged," than this, "GOD is not to be forgotten, neglected, dif"obeyed?" Why, the matter being fo, that

Lex non fcripta, fed nata. † νόμος φύσικος.

the

« AnteriorContinua »