threatening, are less violent, health is restored by slow, and gentle, and almost imperceptible steps. Now it may be as impossible for these to fix the precise time, when their faith and penitence were carried just far enough to make them objects of God's forgiveness, as it often is to determine exactly the moment when the sun rises upon the earth, though it hath evidently been growing light a great while. Without question, as soon as any one hath that faith in Christ, which will produce a life of good works, he is justified by his faith alone, and his sins forgiven. But though God always knows this time exactly, men very often may not, or rather very seldom can. They may have comfortable hopes and persuasions, first weaker, then stronger: and yet, through mere humility, may entertain some doubts, not of the divine promises, but of their own qualifications, longer than they have cause. And these doubts may be graciously permitted, as very useful incitements both to diligence and caution. Our Bible no where teaches, that every one, who is forgiven, knows the hour of his forgiveness: or even knows with certainty, that God hath granted it. He must indeed, as he amends, perceive the alteration made in him: and in general, a pleasing hope and faith of sharing in the divine mercy must increase along with it: but he may still not be sure, whether it is yet complete enough to be a proof, that he hath obtained pardon. Some are weak in faith*: others are strong† and abound in it. But conceiving ourselves to be of the latter sort, gives us no title to pass sentence against the former. And we should be very fearful of judging our brethren rashly; who, with all their modest apprehensions, may perhaps have as real, † Rom. iv. 20. *Rom. xiv. 1. Col. iii. 7. And yet, perhaps a greater interest in God's favour, than some of those, who declare them to have none. if these hard censures proceed, not from ill-will, or bitterness of spirit, but from the warmth of a wellmeaning zeal, even the persons injured by them should think mildly, and in the main, well, of the authors of them, lest they retaliate hardship, while they complain of it. But further, as the spiritual life may, in different persons, be attended with different degrees of evidence, it may likewise advance to different degrees of perfection. Indeed, when God created the heavens and the earth, he saw every thing that he had made, and behold, it was very good*. Nor, in the new creation, is any part of what he doth defective. But even pious persons are wanting to themselves : and hence some of them come greatly short of others; and the best, of what they might and ought to have been. For, though all Christians are exhorted to perfection, and all real Christians labour after it, and, in God's gracious construction, finally arrive at it; and some have the title given them by way of eminence, on account of their uncommon proficiency : yet speaking strictly, If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us† ; nor did even St. Paul think, he had already attained, or was already perfect ‡. But here, as before, it is of the utmost importance not to err. They, who allow themselves in the habitual omission of any one known duty, or the habitual practice of any one known sin; they who have committed any single act of deliberate gross sin, without heartily repenting of it, and carefully avoiding it Phil. iii. 12. * Gen. i. 31. + 1 John i. 8. afterwards; are not good persons with imperfections, but wicked ones under guilt and condemnation. The imperfections of the good are of quite another kind : slight weaknesses, sudden surprises, inconsiderate failures, undiscerned unreasonableness in temper and behaviour; honestly watched against upon the whole, yet returning from time to time, are subjects of daily concern and general humiliation. Let no one therefore flatter himself, that because all men have their faults, he may wilfully indulge his without danger. Nor let any one be so absurdly cunning, as to think of making a near bargain in religion: and contriving to be just so good, as to escape future misery; and yet no better, than he needs must. Though we aim to do our utmost we shall be sure to fall beneath the rule of our duty: but, if we aim at less, we shall be too likely to fail of the acceptance of our Maker. True goodness includes in it the love of goodness. No one can be religious and virtuous in earnest, without sincerely desiring to be more so; and feeling the truth of what wisdom, in the son of Sirach, asserts of herself: They, that eat me, shall yet be hungry; and they, that drink me, shall yet be thirsty: for my memorial is sweeter than honey; and mine inheritance, than the honey-comb *. Such therefore, as are, perhaps in no respect, positively either vicious or profane, but negligent and thoughtless; willing to go to Heaven, with as little trouble, and as much indulgence, as ever they can; and, of the two, rather more afraid of being over good, than downright bad; are already, to speak the most favourable of them, in a very unpromising condition; and, unless they make haste to get into a better, will soon be in a worse. Another thing still, to be observed concerning the * Ecclus. xxiv. 20, 21. new creation, is, that as it may be carried to different degrees of perfection, so it may be attended with different degrees of comfort. Nor is there any proof from Scripture or experience, that persons equally pious are filled in this world with equal joy and consolation. They, that have a greater share than ordinary of such delightful perceptions, ought undoubtedly, if the tenor of their lives afford cause for them, to be very thankful. But such as have the least, if their hearts condemn them not, may have confidence towards God; and be assured, that the smallness of their present degree of comfort shall work together with all other things for their future good. Indeed the very same persons, without any other change in their spiritual state, find, at times, elevations, depressions, insensibilities, for which they can only account by variations, visible or supposed, in their bodily health, or God's unsearchable will and pleasure. Again, very bad people too often trust in themselves, that they are righteous; and rejoice on groundless presumptions; while, on the other hand, though the good must, in their composed hours, feel some satisfaction in the hope, that they are such; and therefore every one ought to reflect, whether he hath, on serious thought, felt that satisfaction, or not; yet the light of God's countenance hath been frequently withdrawn from some of the best of men, and their souls disquieted within them §. Nay, even our Saviour complained, that, in respect to the cheering influences of his presence, God had forsaken him. So that no one can justly think well or ill of himself on such accounts as these. The Psalmist hath told us, that they who sow in tears, 1 John iii. 21. + Rom. viii. 28. § Psalm xlii. 6. Luke xviii. 9. shall reap in joy: and he that now goeth on his way weeping, and beareth forth good seed, shall doubtless come again with joy, and bring his sheaves with him*. And the Prophet hath stated both this case, and its opposite. Who is among you, that feareth the Lord, and obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God. Behold, ye that kindle a fire, and compass yourselves about with sparks: walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand; ye shall lie down in sorrow †. all The only sure evidence therefore of the goodness of our condition, is the sincerity of an obedience, flowing from motives truly Christian. And accordingly, what the Apostle calls here in the text a new creature, he calls, in a parallel place of the preceding chapter, faith working by love ‡, and in another, keeping the commandments of God §. So that when he saith, the new creature will avail, and nothing else, he saith it on supposition of its being so completed, as to answer its end: which end unless we are careful to attain, by exerting the principles of the spiritual life conferred on us in baptism, and growing up in all Christian graces; however great a blessing in itself our sacramental regeneration is, it will be none to us but we had better not have been born, better not have been new born, if it only intitles us to privileges, that we finally forfeit; and become, to use St. Jude's expression, twice dead, our Saviour hath told us, that the tree is known by its fruits ¶. And the fruits of the spirit are the virtues of a holy life**. Psalm cxxvi. 6, 7. + Isaiah 1. 10, 11. § 1 Cor. vii. 19. Jude, verse 12. Gal. v. 6. ¶ Matth. xii. 33. |