Part 9

12. This holiness and happiness joined in one, are sometimes stiled in the inspired writings, _the kingdom of God_, (as by our Lord in the text) and sometimes, _the kingdom of heaven_. It is termed _the kingdom of God_, because it is the immediate fruit of God’s reigning in the soul. So soon as ever he takes unto himself his mighty power, and sets up his throne in our hearts, they are instantly filled with this _righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost_. It is called _the kingdom of heaven_, because it is (in a degree) heaven opened in the soul. For whosoever they are that experience this, they can aver, before angels and men,

“Everlasting life is won: Glory is on earth begun:”

According to the constant tenor of scripture, which every where bears record, _God hath given unto us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son_ (reigning in his heart) _hath life_, (even life everlasting) _1 John_ v. 11, 12. _For this is life eternal, to know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou has sent_, John xvii. 3. And they to whom this is given, may confidently address God, tho’ they were in the midst of a fiery furnace,

“Thee――Lord, safe shielded by thy pow’r, Thee, Son of God, _Jehovah_, we adore; In form of man descending to appear: To thee be ceaseless hallelujah’s given. Praise, as in heaven thy throne, we offer here; For where thy presence is display’d, is heaven.”

13. And this _kingdom of God_ or of heaven _is at hand_. As these words were originally spoken, they implied, that _the time_ was then _fulfilled_, God being _made manifest in the flesh_, when he would set-up his kingdom among men, and reign in the hearts of his people. And is not the time now fulfilled? For _lo_! saith he, _I am with you always_, you who preach remission of sins in my name, _even unto the end of the world_. (Matt. xxviii. 20.) Wheresoever therefore the gospel of Christ is preached, this his _kingdom is nigh at hand_. It is not far from every one of you. Ye may this hour enter thereinto, if so be ye hearken to his voice, _repent ye, and believe the gospel_.

II. 1. This is the way. Walk ye in it. And first, repent, that is, know yourselves. This is the first repentance, previous to faith; even conviction, or self-knowledge. Awake then thou that sleepest. Know thyself to be a sinner, and what manner of sinner thou art. Know that corruption of thy inmost nature, whereby thou art very far gone from original righteousness, whereby _the flesh lusteth_ always _contrary to the spirit_, through that _carnal mind which is enmity against God_, which _is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be_. Know that thou art corrupted in every power, in every faculty of thy soul; that thou art totally corrupted in every one of these, all the foundations being out of course. The eyes of thine understanding are darkned, so that they cannot discern God or the things of God. The clouds of ignorance and error rest upon thee, and cover thee with the shadow of death. Thou knowest nothing yet, as thou oughtest to know, neither God, nor the world, nor thyself. Thy will is no longer the will of God, but is utterly perverse and distorted, averse from all good, from all which God loves, and prone to all evil, to every abomination which God hateth. Thy affections are alienated from God, and scattered abroad over all the earth. All thy passions, both thy desires and aversions, thy joys and sorrows, thy hopes and fears, are out of frame, are either undue in their degree, or placed on undue objects. So that there is no soundness in thy soul; but _from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot_ (to use the strong expression of the prophet) there are only _wounds and bruises and putrifying sores_.

2. Such is the inbred corruption of thy heart, of thy very inmost nature. And what manner of branches canst thou expect to grow, from such an evil root? Hence springs unbelief, ever departing from the living God: Saying, “Who is the Lord that I should serve him? Tush! Thou, God, carest not for it.” Hence independence, affecting to be like the Most High; hence pride in all its forms, teaching thee to say, “I am rich, and increased in goods, and have need of nothing.” From this evil fountain flow forth the bitter streams of vanity, thirst of praise; ambition, covetousness; the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life. From this arise anger, hatred, malice, revenge, envy, jealousy, evil-surmisings: from this all the foolish and hurtful lusts, that now _pierce thee through with many sorrows_, and if not timely prevented, will at length _drown thy soul in everlasting perdition_.

3. And what fruits can grow on such branches as these? Only such as are bitter and evil continually. Of pride cometh contention, vain boasting, seeking and receiving praise of men, and so robbing God of that glory which he cannot give unto another. Of the lust of the flesh come gluttony or drunkenness, luxury or sensuality: fornication, uncleanness, variously defiling that body, which was designed for a temple of the Holy Ghost: of unbelief, every evil word and work. But the time would fail, shouldst thou reckon up all; all the idle words thou hast spoken, provoking the Most High, grieving the Holy One of _Israel_: all the evil works thou hast done, either wholly evil in themselves, or at least, not done to the glory of God. For thy actual sins are more than thou art able to express, more than the hairs of thy head. Who can number the sands of the sea, or the drops of rain, or thy iniquities?

4. And knowest thou not, that _the wages of sin is death_? Death not only temporal, but eternal. _The soul that sinneth it shall die_: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. It shall die the second death. This is the sentence, to _be punished_ with never-ending death, _with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power_. Knowest thou not that every sinner, ἔνοχος ἐστι τῆ γεέννῃ τοῦ πυρός; not properly _is in danger of hell-fire_, that expression is far too weak: but rather, _is under the sentence of hell-fire_, doom’d already, just dragging to execution. Thou art guilty of everlasting death. It is the just reward of thy inward and outward wickedness. It is just, that the sentence should now take place. Dost thou see, dost thou feel this? Art thou throughly convinced, that thou deservest God’s wrath and everlasting damnation? Would God do thee no wrong, if he now commanded the earth to open and swallow thee up? If thou wert now to go down quick into the pit, into the fire that never shall be quenched? If God hath given thee truly to repent, thou hast a deep sense that these things are so; and that it is of his mere mercy thou art not consumed, swept away from the face of the earth.

5. And what wilt thou do to appease the wrath of God, to atone for all thy sins, and to escape the punishment thou hast so justly deserved? Alas, thou canst do nothing: nothing that will in any wise make amends to God, for one evil work, or word, or thought. If thou couldst now do all things well, if from this very hour, till thy soul should return to God, thou couldst perform perfect uninterrupted obedience, even this would not atone for what is past. The not increasing thy debt would not discharge it. It would still remain as great as ever. Yea, the present and future obedience of all the men upon earth, and all the angels in heaven, would never make satisfaction to the justice of God for one single sin. How vain then was the thought, of atoning for thy own sins by any thing thou couldst do? It costeth far more to redeem one soul, than all mankind is able to pay. So that were there no other help for a guilty sinner, without doubt he must have perished everlastingly.

6. But suppose perfect obedience for the time to come, could atone for the sins that are past, this would profit thee nothing; for thou art not able to perform it; no, not in any one point. Begin now. Make the trial. Shake off that outward sin that so easily besetteth thee. Thou canst not. How then wilt thou change thy life from all evil to all good? Indeed, it is impossible to be done, unless first thy heart be changed. For so long as the tree remains evil, it cannot bring forth good fruit. But art thou able to change thy own heart, from all sin to all holiness? To quicken a soul that is dead in sin? Dead to God and alive only to the world? No more than thou art able to quicken a dead body, to raise to life him that lieth in the grave. Yea, thou art not able to quicken thy soul in any degree, no more than to give any degree of life to the dead body. Thou canst do nothing more or less, in this matter; thou art utterly without strength. To be deeply sensible of this, how helpless thou art, as well as how guilty and how sinful, this is that _repentance not to be repented of_, which is the fore-runner of the kingdom of God.

7. If to this lively conviction of thy inward and outward sins, of thy utter guiltiness and helplessness, there be added suitable affections sorrow of heart, for having despised thy own mercies, remorse and self-condemnation, having the mouth stop’d, shame to lift up thine eyes to heaven; fear of the wrath of God abiding on thee, of his curse hanging over thy head, and of the fiery indignation ready to devour those who forget God, and obey not our Lord Jesus Christ: earnest desire to escape from that indignation, to cease from evil and learn to do well: then I say unto thee, in the name of the Lord, _thou art not far from the kingdom of God_. One step more and thou shalt enter in. Thou dost _repent_. Now, _believe the gospel_.

8. _The gospel_ (that is, good tidings, good news for guilty, helpless sinners) in the largest sense of the word, means, the whole revelation made to men by Jesus Christ: and sometimes the whole account of what our Lord did and suffered, while he tabernacled among men. The substance of all is, _Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners_. Or, _God so loved the world, that, he gave his only begotten Son, to the end we might not perish, but have everlasting life_. Or, _he was bruised for our transgressions, he was wounded for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed_.

9. Believe this and the kingdom of God is thine. By faith thou attainest the promise. “He pardoneth and absolveth all that truly repent and unfeignedly believe his holy gospel.” As soon as ever God hath spoken to thy heart “Be of good chear, thy sins are forgiven thee,” his kingdom comes; thou hast righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

10. Only beware thou do not deceive thy own soul, with regard to the nature of this faith. It is not (as some have fondly conceived) a bare assent to the truth of the bible, of the articles of our creed, or of all that is contained in the old and new testament. The devils believe this, as well as I or thou, and yet they are devils still. But it is, over and above this, a sure trust in the mercy of God through Christ Jesus. It is a confidence in a pardoning God. It is a divine evidence or conviction, that _God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not imputing to them their former trespasses_: and in particular, that the Son of God hath loved _me_ and given himself for _me_: and that I, even I, am now reconciled to God by the blood of the cross.

11. Dost thou thus believe? Then the peace of God is in thy heart, and sorrow and sighing flee away. Thou art no longer in doubt of the love of God: it is clear as the noon-day sun. Thou cryest out, _My song shall be always of the loving kindness of the Lord: with my mouth will I ever be telling of thy truth, from one generation to another_. Thou art no longer afraid of hell, or death, or him that had once the power of death, the devil: no, nor painfully afraid of God himself; only thou hast a tender, filial fear of offending him. Dost thou believe? Then thy _soul doth magnify the Lord, and thy spirit rejoiceth in God thy Saviour_. Thou rejoicest in that thou hast _redemption thro’ his blood, even the forgiveness of sins_. Thou rejoicest in that _Spirit of adoption, which crieth in thy heart, Abba, Father!_ Thou rejoicest in a _hope full of immortality_, in reaching forth unto the _mark of the prize of thy high calling_; in an earnest expectation of all the good things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

12. Dost thou now believe? Then _the love of God_ is now _shed abroad in thy heart_. Thou lovest him, because he first loved us. And because thou lovest God, thou lovest thy brother also. And being filled with _love_, _peace_, _joy_, thou art also filled with _long-suffering_, _gentleness_, _fidelity_, _goodness_, _meekness_, _temperance_, and all the other fruits of the same Spirit: in a word, with whatever dispositions are holy, are heavenly or divine. For while thou _beholdest with open_, uncovered _face_, (the veil now being taken away) _the glory of the Lord_, his glorious love, and the glorious image wherein thou wast created, _thou art changed into the same image, from glory to glory, by the Spirit of the Lord_.

13. This repentance, this faith, this peace, joy, love; this change from glory to glory, is what the wisdom of the world has voted to be madness, mere enthusiasm, utter distraction. But thou, O man of _God_, regard them not: be thou moved by none of these things. Thou knowest in whom thou hast believed. See that no man take thy crown. Whereunto thou hast already attained hold fast; and follow, till thou attain all the great and precious promises. And thou who hast not yet known him, let not vain men make thee ashamed of the gospel of Christ. Be thou in nothing terrified by those who speak evil of the things which they know not. God will soon turn thy heaviness into joy. O let not thy hands hang down. Yet a little longer, and he will take away thy fears, and give thee the spirit of a sound mind. _He is nigh that justifieth: who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died; yea rather that rose again; who is even now at the right-hand of God, making intercession for thee._ Now cast thyself on the Lamb of God, with all thy sins, how many soever they be; and _an entrance shall_ now _be ministred unto_ thee, _into the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ_!

SERMON VIII.

THE FIRST-FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT.

ROM. viii. 1.

_There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit._

1. BY _them which are in Christ Jesus_, St. _Paul_ evidently means, those who truly believe in him: those who _being justified by faith, have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ_. They who thus believe do no longer _walk after the flesh_, no longer follow the motions of corrupt nature: but _after the Spirit_: both their thoughts, words and works, are under the direction of the blessed Spirit of God.

2. _There is therefore now no condemnation to_ these. There is no condemnation to them from God: for he hath _justified_ them _freely by his grace, thro’ the redemption that is in Jesus_. He hath forgiven all their iniquities, and blotted out all their sins. And there is no condemnation to them from within: for they _have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that they might know the things which are freely given to them of God:[23] Which Spirit beareth witness with their spirits, that they are the children of God_. And to this is added, _the testimony of_ their _conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God_, they _have had_ their _conversation in the world_.[24]

3. But because this scripture has been so frequently misunderstood, and that in so dangerous a manner, because such multitudes of _unlearned and unstable men_, (οἱ ἀμαθεῖς καὶ ἀστήρικτοι, men untaught of God, and consequently unestablished in _the truth which is after godliness_) have _wrested_ it _to their own destruction_. I propose to shew as clearly as I can, first, who those are _which are in Christ Jesus, and walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit_; and secondly, how _there is no condemnation to_ these. I shall conclude with some practical inferences.

I. 1. First, I am to shew, who those are that _are in Christ Jesus_. And are they not, those who believe in his name? Those who are _found in him, not having_ their _own righteousness, but the righteousness which is of God by faith_? These, who _have redemption through his blood_, are properly said, to be _in him_. For _they dwell in Christ and Christ in them_. They are _joined unto the Lord in one Spirit_. They are ingrafted into him as branches into the vine. They are united, as members to their head; in a manner which words cannot express, nor could it before enter into their hearts to conceive.

2. Now _whosoever abideth in him, sinneth not; walketh not after the flesh_. The flesh, in the usual language of St. _Paul_, signifies corrupt nature. In this sense, he uses the word, writing to the _Galatians_. _The works of the flesh are manifest_, Gal. v. 19. And a little before, _Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust_ (or desire) _of the flesh_ (_v._ 16.) To prove which, namely, that those who _walk by the Spirit, do not fulfil the lust of the flesh_, he immediately adds, _for the flesh lusteth against the Spirit; but the Spirit lusteth against the flesh (for these are contrary to each other) that ye may not do the things which ye would_. So the words are literally translated, (ἵνα μὴ ἃ ἂν θέλητε, ταῦτα ποιῆτε) Not, _so that ye cannot do the things that ye would_, as if the flesh overcame the Spirit: a translation which hath not only nothing to do with the original text of the apostle, but likewise makes his whole argument nothing worth, yea, asserts just the reverse of what he is proving.

3. _They who are of Christ_, who _abide in him have crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts_. They abstain from all those works of the flesh; from _adultery and fornication_, from _uncleanness and lasciviousness_; from _idolatry_, _witchcraft_, _hatred_, _variance_; from _emulations_, _wrath_, _strife_, _sedition_, _heresies_, _envyings_, _murders_, _drunkenness_, _revellings_: from every design, and word and work, to which the corruption of nature leads. Altho’ they feel the root of bitterness in themselves, yet are they endued with power from on high, to trample it continually under foot, so that it cannot _spring up to trouble them_: insomuch that every fresh assault which they undergo, only gives them fresh occasion of praise, of crying out, _Thanks be unto God, who giveth us the victory, thro’ Jesus Christ our Lord_.

4. They now _walk after the Spirit_, both in their hearts and lives. They are taught of him to love God and their neighbour, with a love which is _as a well of water, springing up into everlasting life_. And by him they are led into every holy desire, into every divine and heavenly temper, till every thought which arises in their heart, is holiness unto the Lord.

5. They who _walk after the Spirit_, are also led by him, into all holiness of conversation. Their speech is _always in grace, seasoned with salt_, with the love and fear of God. _No corrupt communication comes out of their mouth, but_ only _that which is good_; that which is _to the use of edifying_, which is _meet to minister grace to the hearers_. And herein likewise do they exercise themselves day and night, to do only the things which please God: in all their outward behaviour to follow him, _who left us an example that we might tread in his steps_: in all their intercourse with their neighbour to walk in justice, mercy and truth; and _whatsoever they do_, in every circumstance of life, to _do all to the glory of God_.

6. These are they who indeed _walk after the Spirit_. Being filled with faith and with the Holy Ghost, they possess in their hearts, and shew forth in their lives, in the whole course of their words and actions, the genuine fruits of the Spirit of God, namely, _love_, _joy_, _peace_, _long-suffering_, _gentleness_, _goodness_, _fidelity_, _meekness_, _temperance_, and whatsoever else is lovely or praise-worthy. They _adorn in all things the gospel of God our Saviour_; and give full proof to all mankind, that they are indeed actuated by the same Spirit, _which raised up Jesus from the dead_.

II. 1. I proposed to shew, in the second place, How _there is no condemnation to them, which are_ thus _in Christ Jesus_, and thus _walk, not after the flesh, but after the Spirit_.

And, first, To believers in Christ, walking thus, _there is no condemnation_ on account of their past sins. God condemneth them not for any of these: they are as tho’ they had never been. They are _cast as a stone into the depth of the sea_, and he remembreth them no more. God having _set forth his Son to be a propitiation for them, thro’ faith in his blood, hath declared_ unto them _his righteousness, for the remission of the sins that are past_. He layeth therefore none of these to their charge; their memorial is perished with them.

2. And there is no condemnation in their own breast; no sense of guilt, or dread of the wrath of God. They _have the witness in themselves_; they are conscious of their interest in the blood of sprinkling. _They have not received again the spirit of bondage unto fear_, unto doubt and racking uncertainty; but they _have received the Spirit of adoption, crying in their hearts, Abba, Father_. Thus being _justified by faith, they have_ the _peace_ of God ruling in their hearts: flowing from a continual sense of his pardoning mercy, and _the answer of a good conscience toward God_.

3. If it be said, But sometimes a believer in Christ, may lose his sight of the mercy of God; sometimes such darkness may fall upon him, that he no longer sees him that is invisible, no longer feels that witness in himself of his part in the atoning blood; and then he is inwardly condemned, he hath again _the sentence of death in himself_: I answer, supposing it so to be, supposing him not to see the mercy of God, then he is not a believer; for faith implies light; the light of God shining upon the soul. So far therefore as any one loses this light, he for the time loses his faith. And no doubt a true believer in Christ, may lose the light of faith. And so far as this is lost, he may for a time fall again into condemnation. But this is not the case of them who now _are in Christ Jesus_, who now believe in his name. For so long as they believe and walk after the Spirit, neither God condemns them nor their own heart.