[He does not really alter the powers of the soulThe faculties remain the same as they were beforeBut a new direction is given to them They are also assisted by him in their respective functions- He gives in exchange "an heart of flesh" [It is characteristic of the new heart that it is tender— It is deeply affected with its own sin and misery It is melted with a sense of God's unbounded merciesThus in fact the Christian is made "a new creature"-] In this way God prevails by the Spirit III. To sanctify the life What was before metaphorically, is here plainly expressed God, by renewing the soul, changes also the life' [The unregenerate man accounts the commandments grievous The renewed person longs for a perfect conformity to themk He henceforth "walks as Christ himself walked"-] By the indwelling of his Spirit he "causes" his people to obey him [We cannot explain the mode of the Spirit's operationsWe are sure, however, that he does not act on men as mere machines He draws them in a rational manner as free agents He constrains them by enlightening their understanding and inclining their will He makes them delight in receiving and obeying his influences Their language is invariably like that of the church of old'] In order to IMPROVE this promise, we would lead you to contemplate 1. Its freeness [To whom is this promise made, but to those who are filthy and idolatrous, insensible and obdurate? Let none put it away from them as not belonging to them But rather let all lay hold on it, and plead it before God-] i The salt being cast into the fountain, the streams are henceforth salubrious: See 2 Kings ii. 21. k Rom. vii. 22. I Cant. i. 4. VOL. I. PP 2. Its suitableness [What would any one, who knew his wants, ask of God?— Can any thing be conceived more suitable than the things here promised? Let those who feel their need of cleansing, and renovation, rejoice that God has promised them the desire of their hearts-] 3. Its preciousness [Well does the apostle say, that the "promises are precious" What can he want, that has this promise fulfilled to him?— Such an one may defy either men or devils to make him miserable In the purification and renewal of his soul he has all that man can desire-] XVII. OUR IMPOTENCY WITHOUT CHRIST. John xv. 5. Without me ye can do nothing. THE systems of heathen philosophers were well calculated to confirm the pride of man The tendency of the gospel is to humble and abase the soul Its sublimest doctrines are by far the most humiliating The sovereignty of God annihilates, as it were, our fancied greatness; and the atonement of Christ brings to nought our boasted goodness Thus the mysterious doctrine of union with Christ proclaims our insufficiency for any thing that is goodOur Lord declares this by a comparison," and in plain terms We will consider I. When we may be said to be without Christ To be "without Christ" is to be in a state of separation from him, as branches severed from a vineNow this may be said to be our state 1. If we have never been cut off from our old stock [The first and second Adam may be considered as the two flocks, on one or other of which we all grow a Ver. 4. b The text. To the former we are united by nature; to the latter by grace While we adhere to our natural stock, we are full of selfrighteousness and self-sufficiency But these must be renounced before we can be truly engrafted into Christ We cannot confide in ourselves without renouncing Christ; nor in Christ, without renouncing self An union of both confidences is as impossible, as for a branch to be growing on two different stocks at the same timec We must therefore have been cut off from the stock of Adam, or we must at this moment be in a state of separation from Christ-] 2. If we have never given up ourselves wholly to Christ. [A Cion is passive when it is engrafted into another stemBut we must be active in forming an union between Christ and our souls God moves us, not as mere machines, but as rational creaturesd We cannot therefore be in Christ unless we have deliberately given ourselves to him-] 3. If we be not daily living upon his fulness [A branch is continually receiving nourishment from the root So believers "abide in Christ," and are constantly living upon him2 This is declared to be the experience of all that are "of God in Christ Jesus"-] What can be expected from us in such a state but barrenness? II. Our impotency in that state A Christian's duty comprises repentance, faith, and obedience Without Christ we are unable to perform any one of these We cannot repent [We may have the semblance of repentance. e Rom. xi. 6. "The grace of God by Christ prevents us that we may have a good will, and works with us when we have that good will." 10th. Article. e Rom. xii. 1. f Gal. ii. 20. with ver. 4-7, where the word "abiding" occurs seven times. g 1 Cor. i. 30. h We may manifest the feigned humiliation of Ahab, the temporary convictions of Felix, the desponding terrors of Judas, or the But true repentance flows only from Christ Hence the church of old confessed their inability to produce it in themselves-] We cannot believe [St. Paul compares the production of faith in the heart to the raising of Jesus Christ from the dead We can no more create it in ourselves than a withered branch can give itself the powers of vegetation"Christ is the only true source of it" It is so his gift, as not to be in any measure of ourselves°-] We cannot obey In act [This is positively affirmed in the scriptures❞— Hence the pious acts of the godly are ascribed to God as their author] In word [A word cannot be called obedient, unless it be uttered out of respect to God's command, and agreeably to his willBut no natural man can utter a word in this manner-] In thought [God asserts that we do not think a good thoughtsIt is certain also that of ourselves we cannot-] We are not all at a loss to account for this III. The reasons of this impotency The reason of the barrenness of a branch that is severed from the stem, is obvious [It has no fructifying virtue in itself, nor any means of deriving it from the root-] The reasons of our impotency without Christ are exactly similar We have no life in ourselves [Christ is to the soul what the soul is to the body" The body has members, but exercises none without the soul . partial reform of Herod; but no natural man ever experiences real contrition and self-abhorrence. i Acts v. 31. 1 Eph. i. 19, 20. n Heb. xii. 2. P Jer. xiii. 23. and the text. r 1 Cor. xii. 3. Matt. xii. 34. k Lam. v. 21. m John vi. 44. q 2 Cor. viii. 16. s Gen. vi. 5. t 2 Cor. iii. 5. This is confirmed by our liturgy: " O God, from whom all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works do proceed." Second collect for evening service. u Col. iii. 4. So the soul has faculties, but exercises none spiritually without Christ-] We have no means of deriving virtue from any other [A soul not united to Christ resembles a branch cut off from its stem; it has no means of fructification Christ is the only fountain of all good None but He can help' How then is it possible for us to do any thing without him?-] ADDRESS 1. Those who are without Christ [Seek an union with Christ, but not in a way of hasty resolutions or self-righteous endeavours Be sensible of your weakness, and pray for faith-] 2. Those who are united to Christ [Unbelievers have an universal impotence in respect of what is good; but you can do all things through Christ Be thankful and study to live more simply on Christ, as the branch on the vine~] * Col. i. 19. y Ps. lxii. 9, 11. z Phil. iv. 13. XVIII. THE EXTENT OF MAN'S DEPRAVITY. Gen. vi. 5. God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. NOTHING is more destructive to vital godliness than needless intimacy with the wicked An Heathen confessed the truth of this Hence it is strongly discouraged and forbidden in the scriptures Solomon was a lamentable instance of the evils attending its By means of it, God was almost forgotten in the worldd We shall shew * 1 Cor. xv. 33. is an Iambic verse quoted from Menander. b Prov. xxii. 24, 25. c Neh. xiii. 26. Comp. Gen. vi. 2, 3, 4, 6. |