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These are the very men, who have the form, but deny the power of godliness; and who are capable of treating with contempt the times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord; those happy seasons, when God is graciously pleased to pour out his Spirit upon the churches. Neither need we wonder, if they become warm in their opposition, and treat those things as profane, which Christ and his real disciples esteem sacred. For notwithstanding their shew in the flesh, they perceive not the things of the Spirit of God.

Here permit me to take notice of what, I apprehend, is an abuse of the Lord's supper, viz. per. sons, their hurrying themselves into the church of Christ, or their being hurried by others, upon some slight convictions of sin, or on account of their sober life. I have met with some, who, upon becoming uneasy in their minds about the state of their souls, have manifested a very great anxiety to be received into the church. But upon being asked the reason of the hope that was in them, appeared greatly ignorant of their own true character, and of the way of life through Christ; having no more to say for themselves, than that they had lived long in the neglect of their duty, and conclude they ought to join the church at the same time were incapable of satisfying, either themselves or others, that they had known the truth as it is in Jesus.

Query-Is it kindness or cruelty to persuade such persons to come up to the ordinances? Should not their Christian friends inform them, that a submission to ordinances lays no ground for hope? That they must be born again; and justified freely through the redemption that there is in Christ?

By such an act of friendship, they might be instrumental of turning their solicitude to a matter of eternal consequence-Am I in Christ? Have I ever been renewed in the spirit of my mind? This is the grand point that every person, desiring admission to the Lord's table, should previously settle for it is children's bread, designed for those who have a good hope through grace. The privilege is special, intended for believers only. Hence we read, that the Lord added to the apostolic church daily such as should be saved; i. e. real believers, as appears in the context. Such also were the persons who composed the church in Samaria.*

Besides, the house of God is spiritual, and said to be built up with lively stones. Now the known character of unbelievers is, that they are dead in trespasses and sins: consequently, are very unfit materials, with which to build this spiritual bouse.

The church of Christ is chosen out of, and entirely distinct from the world. If therefore all persons of a sober life, or who may appear to be under serious impressions of mind, are to be admitted into it, it will unavoidably tend to confound the distinction; unless we take it for granted that all such are real Christians. This, I imagine, will be consented to by but few. If it should, what becomes of the important doctrine of regeneration, or the special work of the Holy Ghost in the conversion of a sinner? And wherein consists a difference, absolutely necessary to be made, between morality and real Christianity? For the holy scriptures, and our acquaintance with

See Acts ii. 47. with the preceding verses. Chap. viii. 12,

mankind, unite to convince us, that men may behave with external sobriety, and seem to be under very serious exercises of mind, who, notwithstanding, are ignorant of the power of godliness. A deist, who pours contempt on all revealed religion, may conduct unblameably; and many who live under the dispensation of the gospel, like Felix, may be made to tremble; or, with Agrippa, be almost persuaded to be Christians; or, like the stony-ground hearers, receive the word with joy; all this may be, and the persons remain in unbelief. If so, regeneration is something more than this it is that work of the Spirit of God upon the sinner's mind, by which his native enmity is slain, the stubbornness of his will subdued, and he brought to believe with all his heart, and to rejoice in Christ Jesus, having no confidence in the flesh. The divine influence is certainly felt, of which, the subject of it is capable of giving some account. Strange, my brethren, that a man should pass from death to life, be delivered from the power of darkness, and translated into the kingdom of God's dear Son, and know nothing about it! At least he will know, that whereas he was blind, he now sees. And I humbly conceive, that every candidate for church membership should be in good measure satisfied that he is the subject of this great change. He that can rush into the church, and rest easy without such satisfaction, is in a condition to be suspected.

Will you therefore bear with me, while I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead, to be more anxious to fly for refuge to the hope set before you, than to fly into his visible church? for you

may be members of a church, and at the same time heirs of hell.

Let none think that I have a design to discourage the proper subjects from joining the church of Christ. God forbid! You yourselves, my hearers, have had repeated opportunities of knowing, that every addition to the church has added to my happiness. Would to God, that converts might come as the clouds, and as doves to their windows! All I have in view, is to keep out hypocrites and almost Christians; and to dissuade awakened sinners from substituting the ordinances of the gospel in the room of Christ and his righteousness. And such an attempt is necessary; because persons in these circumstances, like a man drowning, will catch at any thing; and have often been known to fly into the church for safety, like Joab to the horns of the altar.

SERMON II.

THE SINNER'S BEST RIGHTEOUSNESS PROVED TO BE ESSENTIALLY DEFICIENT.

PHILIPPIANS, iii. 4-9.

If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof be might trust in the flesh, I more: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.

I PROCEED to the second thing proposed, which is to shew, that a sinner's best righteousness is essentially defective; therefore not to be mentioned in point of acceptance with God.

Righteousness is conformity to a divine rule: this rule is the law of God. If therefore our obedience answers to its requirements, it is accepted: if it fails in one point, it is rejected.

That the divine law is the rule of righteousness, will be readily granted. It remains then that we inquire into its nature, in order to assist us in bringing our obedience to the trial.

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