Part 14

And this conclusion corresponds with the experience of mankind in every age: happiness has always been their object; philosophers have laid down rules for its acquirement, and every variety of expedient has been tried; but all in vain; there is no permanent pleasure or satisfaction upon earth: independently of the crosses and vexations from without, by which it is so continually disturbed, there is something in the constitution of man, in the present state of his mind and heart and affections, by which the attainment of happiness, from temporal means alone, is positively forbidden.

The royal preacher, thus convinced of this truth, turns his thoughts to a solution of the case, and sums up his observations, on the conduct and condition of man, in the words of the text. Instead of arraigning, like some bold and impious cavillers of our day, the wisdom or goodness of the Creator in the introduction of evil into the world, he gives the true account of the matter; and lays the blame where alone it is due, upon the disobedience and degeneracy of man. And in so doing, he bears testimony to the truth of one of the most important communications made to us in the revealed word of God—the original innocence and the fall of our first parents. This fact has been daringly called in question by certain professed believers of divine revelation, by some who boast themselves peculiarly entitled to the christian name. Anxious to exalt the moral excellency of human nature, and to disprove the doctrine and necessity of the atonement, through the prevailing efficacy of the Saviour’s incarnation and sufferings, such vain disputers absolutely deny, in the very face of God’s word, that any such total and dreadful change has ever taken place in the state of mankind; they contend, that our understandings and affections are now the same, as when we came originally from the hands of our Creator. It appears, however, that the _wisest_ of men took a different view of this momentous subject; that he received the Mosaic account, recorded in the opening of the book of Genesis, according to its plain and natural interpretation; and he has delivered to us his judgment, by the inspiration of that Holy Spirit, under whose guidance it was impossible for him to err.

Solomon introduces his declaration upon this point in a very awakening manner; in a manner frequent with the inspired writers, when about to deliver a sentence of peculiar weight and importance; “Lo, this only have I found;” behold, attend to this truth; this is the result of my observations, this the “conclusion of the whole matter,” this the explanation of all the evil and unhappiness in the world, that “God hath made man upright, but they have sought out many inventions;” that man was created innocent by the wise and merciful Author of his being; formed for pure unalloyed enjoyment; and the marring and misery, which he experiences, are solely attributable to the change induced by his own apostacy and rebellion; to his seeking out ways and means of happiness, contrary to the will and appointment of his Creator. “God saw every thing that He had made, and behold, it was very good;” {314} and man, the lord of creation, was not less fitted than the objects around him, to answer the good and gracious purposes of heaven. So God “created man in His own image; in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them;” {315} in the image of holiness, and therefore happy.

How far man has fallen from this state of uprightness, is a question which has caused much difference and contention in the christian world; some persons, from a desire of exalting the free grace of God, declare that the divine image in man was totally corrupted and lost by the fall; that there remains, in his unregenerate nature, no spirit or particle of excellency, no perception of what is good; that his nature is a mere chaos of disorder, a mass of decay, which is altogether incapable of producing any thing but “confusion and every evil work.” On the other hand, it is contended, that the wreck of man’s nature was but partial; that there remains a considerable disposition to practice, as well as approve, “whatsoever things are pure and honest and lovely and of good report;” that man is still able, by his own judgment and strength, in many things to please God and to serve Him. It does not fall within our purpose, on the present occasion, to attempt any accurate adjustment of this difference; but we may observe, that it is dangerous to insist upon either extreme. A belief, that man can will or do nothing, is apt to lead to a persuasion that he has nothing to will or do; that his salvation is a work totally independent of himself; a measure of grace absolutely forced upon him: and a belief, is that man able of himself to “refuse the evil and to choose the good,” that he “knows how to walk and to please God,” creates a spirit of self-righteousness, at once destructive of the sinner’s hope; preventing his dependence upon the all-sufficiency of God, and subversive of the truth of the gospel.

A faculty of discernment between good and evil, for the moral government of man, is evidently vouchsafed to his unrenewed nature; and a power, in dependence upon the divine teaching, to accept or reject the proposals of mercy and grace, does surely remain to us, or else the numberless exhortations of God to the sinner appear to be of no benefit and no meaning: and who can reasonably suppose, that sinners would have been so frequently and severely condemned, for refusing that grace, which they were positively incapable of accepting. The language of our ninth Article on this point appears to be most temperate and unobjectionable: “Man is very _far gone_ from original righteousness, and is of his own nature inclined to evil, so that the flesh lusteth always contrary to the spirit.” With this statement we may rest content.

One of the many bitter fruits of the fall is, that man no longer seeks his happiness in God, where alone it can be found, but in ways of his own devising, in the crooked ways opened to his view and imagination by the destructive enemy of his soul; no longer in innocence and holiness and obedience, but in vicious inclinations and pursuits, “in the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life;” {317} in those very principles and means, which brought “death into the world and all our woe:” it is no wonder, therefore, that happiness, from a search like this, should not be found. They, who search in this manner, are like the wicked spirit, “walking through dry places, seeking rest and finding none;” like the dove of Noah, in the overwhelming of the waters, roving about on weary wing, and finding no resting place for the sole of her foot. Nor is it possible for man to be blessed again with perfect peace, peace without any interruption or alloy, until he be altogether restored to “the image of Him that created him:” the nearer he approaches to that restoration, the more he will assuredly possess of true satisfaction and delight; but the blessing can never be complete, till the original defilement be utterly purged away, till his understanding is enlarged for a full knowledge of the good and great and glorious Creator; till he can be brought to love and serve Him without any mixture of infirmity; till he returns not only to His favour, but into His immediate presence, in the second Eden, of eternal bliss.

Still may man enjoy, even upon earth, no inconsiderable degree of peace and happiness. The promises and blessings of the gospel impart a “joy and gladness” to the believer, and fill him with comfort, which the world can neither give nor take away: the avoiding and abhorring of evil will prevent those painful reflections, which inhabit the mind of the reckless sinner: the life of faith in a merciful Saviour, the worship and service of God, the works of piety and love, the walk of uprightness and integrity, though accompanied with imperfections, and, therefore, with abatements of comfort, yet do infallibly produce a great tranquillity of soul, and unspeakable emotions of holy joy; the sincere Christian contemplates his present condition with happy, though humble persuasion of acceptance with his God; and looks forward with an animated exulting hope of the perfect consummation of his felicity, in another and a better world. The trials and troubles of this life do indeed still continue; yet they have no power to harm, and therefore none to distress him; he “casts his burden upon the Lord.” But in the natural, unrenewed, unconverted world, there is no such redeeming principle, no qualification of evil, no pure sources of delight: let the votaries of earthly enjoyment seek it with what ardour and devotedness they may, it is a phantom which is ever eluding their grasp; flitting before their eyes in the shape of promises and visions, but never in substantial possession.

It is indeed sadly instructive, to consider the numberless devices to which men are driven, in their search after happiness, when once they have forsaken the faith and fear of God; how busy they are in the invention of new scenes and pursuits; quitting one after another, as each deceives and fails; how they are wearing and wasting away the little span of life, in vain experiment and profitless enquiry. How are the opulent contriving their multiplied means and opportunities of enjoyment, with all their splendour of establishment, and a train of dependents obedient to their will! And if we could form a judgment by outward appearances, we might be inclined to pronounce them happy: but under this beautiful veil, with all this pomp of circumstance, many a corroding care, many a mortified desire, many a bitter disappointment, lie constantly concealed.

To envy the rich, as if they were the certain possessors of comfort and ease, is one of the greatest of all mistakes and follies; happiness must dwell in the mind and the heart; it must depend altogether upon the state of mind and heart; it is not to be purchased with money; money, we must grant, may be made to minister to it, but this must entirely depend upon the disposition, the spirit, the manner, in which it is used: the smallest pittance upon earth, possessed in the faith of the gospel, in the fear and love of God, produces infinitely more enjoyment, than the countless treasures of those, who seek or spend or save them, with a view to themselves and this world alone.

Some are revelling in the dreams of ambition; and imagine, that if they could attain a particular eminence, they should be happy: but the road is steep and slippery, toilsome and dangerous; and the summit, if ever they reach it, is not a land of repose, not the habitation of contentment and peace; “seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not.” {322} Ambition is always dissatisfied; if not the most unclean, it is one of the most tormenting spirits in the bosom of man; and yet it is fondly and generally cherished both by rich and poor. Be humble; be moderate; be content; if thou wouldest be happy.

In what are called the pleasurable scenes of life, it is unnecessary for me further to insist, how vainly we rove in quest of substantial delight: this indeed is a truth still more level to the experience of us all; it is a path we have often trodden, but never I think with satisfaction. Witness the continual changing, the endless variety of amusements, which are found necessary in order to relieve satiety and disgust, necessary even when they are innocent; and in sinful pleasures, in lust and intemperance of every kind, it is needless to tell you, there can be no peace; health is impaired and the conscience is burdened; they are like a two-edged sword, cutting on both sides, destroying both body and soul.

The force of these arguments may be made to appear from another consideration; for whatever delusions may be practised upon men, to induce them to reckon and build upon earth alone; to trust for happiness to their own inventions, to human schemes and devices; yet will they never, in their serious moments, contend for the wisdom of their choice; or say, that their expectations have been answered; they will never, when they come to die, recommend to their friends, assembled round their bed, the course which they pursued, as a sure foundation of comfort in their lives, and peace in their latter end; the dying father will not recommend it to his children, nor the dying brother to his brethren. No: it will then be seen, either by the tears of bitter remorse or the agonies of unrepented guilt, that the way of the world was “the broad way that leadeth unto destruction;” that the soul can never find rest, till it returns to the forsaken paths of righteousness, to the lost image of its God.

And thanks to the unspeakable mercy of God in Christ Jesus, the way of recovery is abundantly made known; the kingdom of heaven, with all its joys and treasures, is opened to every believer. Wisdom has come down from above, to tabernacle with sinful man; to lighten his darkness, and to rejoice his soul; and “_her_ ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace”—pleasantness and peace to those, who seek them with their whole heart, implicitly and devotedly, as manifested in the gracious revelation of their God.

But unhappily, in the way of religion also, in their professed walk of faith, men will be seeking out many inventions of their own, instead of submitting themselves, with simplicity and godly sincerity, to the gospel of Jesus Christ. They are seeking to accommodate His divine law to their corrupt inclinations and indulgences, to the maxims and fashions and interests of an ensnaring world: and thus they fail of the happiness, which they were led to expect. No wonder, that they find not the christian promises realised; that they fall short of the comfort, as they do of the obedience of faith. To the believing in our crucified Lord, with all the heart and soul; to “the seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness;” to the “forsaking all and following Him;” to “the spirit of God dwelling in us, and mortifying the deeds of the body;” to the sincere desire after holiness “as He is holy;” to “the fulfilling of the law of righteousness;” to a living hope of “the inheritance that fadeth not away”—to these things, the promise of life is made; of joy and favour here, and eternal felicity hereafter; but if we, in dependence upon our own vain inventions, seek to be blessed in any other way; with a less entire belief, and a less holy profession, and a less devoted obedience, and a less exalted hope, we must not complain or wonder, if we lose our object and aim; “Be not deceived, God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap; he that soweth unto the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth unto the spirit, shall of the spirit reap life everlasting.”

The merciful God, when He created man innocent and happy, graciously revealed to him the means, by which his innocence and happiness might be preserved; and shewed thereby, that they were inseparable, that the loss of the one would be the loss of the other. “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.” {327a} And no sooner had Adam disobeyed, no sooner was his innocence forfeited, than his happiness was gone; he found to his sorrow, as he would not believe to his comfort, the truth of his Creator’s word: and thus miserably ended the first covenant of God with man, the covenant of obedience and works.

Under the covenant of grace, by the blessed and eternal Son of God, it is revealed to us, with equal clearness, how the lost happiness of man is to be recovered; “the way we know:” “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved;” {327b} “set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth:” {327c} this is the way, call it by what name you please—a condition, or a means; it is the only way: happiness, here or hereafter, is attainable in no other. For this, we have the assurance of that word, which we have seen, under the first covenant, awfully fulfilled; of that word, which can never fail. My brethren, I cannot doubt, that we are all of us convinced of this truth: then let us pray fervently and faithfully, that the conviction may live in our hearts; that we may, from this day forward, go to “the fountain of living waters, and not hew out for ourselves broken cisterns, that hold no water;” {328a} that we may renounce the vanity of all human inventions, and seek our happiness in God, and God alone. “Be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind; that ye may prove, what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God:” {328b} that ye may “have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.” {328c}

SERMON XVIII. THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD REVEALED TO THEM THAT FEAR HIM.

PSALM xxv. 14.

_The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him_; _and He will shew them His covenant_.

THE secret of the Lord means, that which cannot be known unless the Lord reveal it; and the phrase here implies, an intimate knowledge of the divine perfections, of the dealings and dispensations of God; a holy and vital communion with Him; an entire trust in His providential care and government; together with that peace, which always dwells in the bosom of a true, penitent, pious believer. All this, including, as it does, a full acquaintance with the doctrines and duties, the privileges and comforts of the life of faith, is called “the secret of the Lord,” because it is hidden from the natural man, and cannot possibly be comprehended or discovered without divine revelation.

Such knowledge and such blessings are not the growth of earth; they are not the produce of the human intellect or the human heart; they must come by spiritual communication, from the fountain of wisdom and truth. When man was driven from the bright abode of paradise, his understanding was darkened; losing the favour, he lost the image of his Maker, and thus became naturally estranged from those holy thoughts and affections, which constitute his chief happiness and glory. Nor is it possible for him to recover this spiritual frame of mind, these heavenly views, this holy and happy acquaintance with God, unless the hand, by which the image was originally stamped, repair the wretched ruin in which it now lies. Whoever would know the ways of God, must be taught of God; to all, who are not so taught, they are impenetrably secret. Thus spake the wisest of men; “The Lord giveth wisdom, out of His mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. Then shalt thou understand righteousness and judgment and equity; yea, every good path.” {331a} And thus the apostle, “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him;” {331b} that is, man, in his natural state, of ignorance and rebellion against God, cannot form a notion of the value of heavenly blessings; of the enlarged views, the sublimed affections, the sustaining comforts and joys, attainable by an inheritance of the divine promises, both here and hereafter. But, as the apostle proceeds, “God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit; for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of a man which is in him; even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God;” as we exercise our thoughts and judgment upon human matters, by the help of human reason, by the natural powers of the mind, so must we attain the knowledge of divine matters, by the aid of a divine spirit; by a holy illumination and guidance; not indeed by miraculous illapses, but still by the distinct and actual operation of heavenly grace, silently producing its effects upon the understanding and heart.

The pride of man, the disputer of this world, does not submit to this proposition and teaching; perhaps commonly regards them in the light of enthusiasm; he has no notion, that there are any secrets in religion, which his own skill and judgment are not sufficient to reveal; he disbelieves every thing, which he cannot comprehend or feel; and affects to throw a shade of discredit and contempt upon all those religious sentiments and affections, to which he is a stranger. There are not a few such persons in the christian world; who profess to believe all the doctrines of the Bible, and to know all that need or can be known, and yet never submit themselves to, scarcely can be said to pray for or desire, the aid and direction of Almighty God; who imagine, that their liberal education and their common sense entitle them to pass a full and adequate judgment upon all spiritual subjects; and to form a correct notion of all spiritual privileges and blessings.

This is a dangerous and fatal error; a most unfounded presumption; a gross ignorance of the very element and nature of evangelical truth: such persons only judge of the word of God, of the ordinances and benefits of religion, as they would judge of any mere human history; of any worldly occurrence or advantage: they take, what they are pleased to call, a rational view of Christianity; but the only view, which deserves the name of rational, is, not that which appeals to reason alone, but that which is according to truth; according to the acknowledged revelation of God’s sovereign will. Let us again hear the apostle: “Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth.—But 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.” {334} The merely rational man, therefore, is a carnal man; not indeed an absolute stranger to the word of grace, but unenlightened by it; he has no true taste for holy and divine things; it is altogether impossible for him to appreciate their merits, or to know any thing of their practical effects.

A familiar instance or two may serve to illustrate this truth. How can any man, who neglects the worship of God, pretend to decide upon its importance and utility? How can he presume to deny its comfortable and salutary influence upon the soul, its powerful efficacy upon the character and life? It is a matter of experience; of which he therefore is unqualified to judge.—He that is a stranger to the grace of God in his heart, may despise those, that regard it and live by it, as fanatical persons, who are deluded by visionary ideas and groundless assurances: but he is only judging others by himself; and it would be marvellous indeed, if he, who is avowedly living without the influence of divine grace, should bear witness to the benefit and happiness which it confers.—What can the intemperate man know of the blessings of temperance? Nothing: except by the want of them.—What can the covetous man know of the pleasures of benevolence and liberality?—the licentious of the excellence of purity, or the ignorant of the treasures of wisdom?—Because the sinner, when overtaken by sickness or affliction, declares that he derives no comfort from religion, are we therefore to conclude, that religion has no comforts at all? Could we think it probable, that the promises of the gospel would afford consolation to him, in an evil hour, when he had all along been an alien to their nature, when they had been unheeded or despised?