Discourses of the Great Duties of Natural Religion, Sermon 9
SERMON IX.
Of the Nature of Regeneration, and its Neceſſity, in order to Juſtification and Salvation.
GALAT. VI. 15.
For in Chriſt Jeſus, neither Circumciſion availeth any thing, nor Uncircumciſion; but a new Creature.
THE Obſervation I am ſtill upon from theſe Words is this, viz. That in the Chriſtian Religion nothing will avail to our Juſtification, but the Renovation of our Hearts and Lives, expreſt here by a New Creature. In treating of which, I propos'd the doing of three things.
Firſt, To ſhew the …rue import of this Metaphor of a new Creature.
Secondly, To ſhew that this is the great Condition of o… Juſtification; And,
Thirdly, That it is highly Reaſonable that it ſhould be ſo.
In treating of the firſt of theſe Particulars, I have conſider'd ſome Doctrines as founded upon this Metaphor, which I have ſhewn at large, not only to have no Foundation in Scripture, or Reaſon, or Experience; but alſo to be very unreaſonable in themſelves, and contrary to the plain and conſtant tenour of Scripture, and to the ordinary Method of God's grace in the Regeneration of Men, whether by a Religious and Virtuous Education, or in thoſe who are reclaim'd from a notorious wicked Courſe of Life. And that I have ſo long inſiſted upon this Argument, and handled it in a more contentious way than is uſual with me, did not proceed from any love to Controverſie, which I am leſs fond of every day than other; but from a great deſire to put an end to theſe Controverſies, and quarrellings in the dark, by bringing them to a clear ſtate and plain iſſue, and likewiſe to undeceive good Men concerning ſome current Notions and Doctrines, which I do really believe to be diſhonourable to God, and contrary to the plain declarations of Scripture, and a cauſe of great perplexity and diſcomfort to the Minds of Men, and a real diſcouragement to the Reſolutions and Endeavours of becoming better. Upon which Conſiderations I was ſtrongly urgent to ſearch theſe Doctrines to the bottom, and to contribute what in me lay, to the reſcuing of good Men from the diſquiet and entanglement of them.
I will conclude this Matter with a few Cautions not unworthy to be remembred by us; That we would be careful ſo to aſcribe all Good to God; that we be ſure we aſcribe nothing to him that is Evil, or any ways unworthy of him; That we do not make him the ſole Author of our Salvation, in ſuch a way, as will unavoidably charge upon him the final impenitency and ruine of a great part of Mankind; That we do not ſo magnifie the grace of God, as to make his Precepts and Exhortations ſ…gnifie nothing, Such as theſe, Make ye new He…ts, and new Spirits; ſtrive to enter in at the ſtrait gate; Where, if by the ſtrait gate be meant the difficulty of our firſt entrance upon a Religious Courſe, that is, of our Converſion and Regeneration, I cannot imagine how it is poſſible to reconcile our being meerly paſſive in this work, and doing nothing at all in it, with our Saviour's Precept of ſtriving to enter in at the ſtrait gate; unleſs to be very active, and to be meerly paſſive about the ſame thing be all one, and an earneſt contention and endeavour be the ſame thing with doing nothing. Again, that we do not make the utmoſt degeneracy and depravation which Men ever arrived at by the greateſt abuſe of themſelves, and the moſt vile and wicked practices, the ſtandard of an unregenerate ſtate, and of the common Condition of all Men by Nature. And laſtly, that we do not make ſome particular inſtances in Scripture, of the ſtrange and ſudden Converſion of ſome Perſons (as namely, of St. Paul and the Jaylor in the Acts) the common rule and meaſure of every Man's Converſion; ſo that unleſs a Man be as it were ſtruck down by a Light and Power from Heaven, and taken with a fit of trembling, and frighted almoſt out of his wits, or find in himſelf ſomething equal to this, he can have no aſſurance of his Converſion; whereas a much ſurer Judgment may be made of the ſincerity of a Man's Converſion, by the real Effects of this Change, than by the Manner of it. This our Saviour hath taught us, by that apt reſemblance of the operation of God's Spirit to the blowing of the wind, of the Original Cauſe whereof, and of the reaſon of its ceaſing or continuance, and why it blows ſtronger or gentler, this way or that way, we are altogether ignorant; but that it is, we are ſenſible from the ſound of it, John 3. 8. The wind bloweth where it liſteth, and thou heareſt the ſound of it, but canſt not tell whence it cometh, nor whither it goeth: So is every one that is born of the Spirit. The effects of God's Holy Spirit in the Regeneration of Men are ſenſible, tho' the manner and degrees of his operation upon the Souls of Men are ſo various, that we can give no account of them; by which, one wou'd think our Saviour had ſufficiently caution'd us, not to reduce the Operations of God's grace and Holy Spirit in the Regeneration of Men, to any certain Rule or Standard, but chiefly to regard the ſenſible effects of this ſecret work upon the Hearts and Lives of Men.
And after all, it is in vain to contend by any Arguments againſt clear and certain experience. If we plainly ſee that many are inſenſibly changed, and made good by pious Education, in the Nurture aud Admonition of the Lord, and that ſom… who have long lived in a prophane neglect and contempt of Religion, are by the ſecret power of God's word and Holy Spirit, upon calm conſideration, without any great terrours and amazement, viſibly changed and brought to a better Mind and Courſe; it is in vain in theſe Caſes to pretend that this Change is not real, becauſe the Manner of it is not anſwerable to ſome Inſtances which are Recorded in Scripture, or which we have obſerv'd in our Experience, and becauſe theſe Perſons cannot give ſuch an account of the time and manner of their Converſion, as is agreeable to theſe inſtances; which is juſt as if I ſhould meet a Man beyond Sea, whom I had known in England, and would not believe that he had croſt the Seas, becauſe he ſaid he had a ſmooth and eaſie paſſage, and was wa…ted over by a gentle Wind, and could tell no Stories of Storms and Tempeſts.
And thus I have fully and faithfully endeavour'd to open to you the juſt importance of this Phraſe or Expreſſion in the Text, of the new Creature, or the new Creation. I proceed to the
Second Particular I propounded, namely, that the real Renovation of our Hearts and Lives is, according to the terms of the Goſpel, and the Chriſtian Religion, the great Condition of our juſtification and acceptance with God, and that this is the ſame in ſenſe and ſubſtance with thoſe Phraſes in the parallel Texts to this, of Faith perfected by Charity, and of keeping the Commandments of God.
That according to the terms of the Goſpel, the great Condition of our juſtification and acceptance with God, is the real Renovation of our Hearts and Lives, is plain, not only from this Text, which affirms, that in th… Chriſtian Religion nothing will avail us but the new Creature; but likewiſe from many other clear Texts of Scripture; and this, whether by Juſtification be meant our firſt Juſtification upon our Faith and Repentance, or our continuance in this ſtate, or our final Juſtification by our ſolemn Acquital and Abſolution at the Great Day, which in Scripture is called Salvation, and Eternal Life.
That this is the Condition of our firſt Juſtification, that is, of the Forgiveneſs of our Sins, and our being received into the grace and favour of God, is plain from all thoſe Texts, where this Change is expreſt by our Repentance and Converſion, by our Regeneration and Renovation, by our Purification and Sanctification, or by any other terms of the like importance. For under every one of theſe Notions, this Change is made the Condition of the forgiveneſs of our Sins, and acceptance to the favour of God.
Under the Notion of Repentance and Converſion, Acts 2. 38. Repent and be Baptized every one of you in the name of Jeſus Chriſt, for the remiſſion of ſins. Acts 3. 19. Repent, and be Converted, that your ſins may be blotted out. Upon the ſame account, a penitent acknowledgement of our Sins, which is an eſſential part of Repentance, is made a Condition of the forgiveneſs of them, 1 John 1. 9. If we confeſs our ſins, he is faithful and juſt to forgive us our ſins, and to cleanſe us from all unrighteouſneſs. Under the notion of Regeneration and Renovation, 2 Cor. 5. 17. If any Man be in Chriſt, that is, become a true Chriſtian, which is all one with being in a juſtified ſtate; he is a new Creature, old things are paſt away, behold all things are became new. Tit. 3. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. where the Apoſtle declares at large, what Change is requir'd to put us into a juſtified ſtate, and to entitle us to the inheritance of Eternal Life. For we our ſelves were alſo ſometimes fooliſh, diſobedient, deceived, ſerving divers luſts and pleaſures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindneſs and love of God our Saviour towards Man appeared, not by works of Righteouſneſs which we have done, that is, not for any precedent Righteouſneſs of ours, for we were great Sinners, but according to his mercy he ſaved us, by the waſhing of Regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghoſt, which he ſhed on us abundantly, through Jeſus Chriſt our Saviour, that being juſtified by his Grace, we ſhould be made heirs according to the hope of Eternal Life. So that the Change of our former Temper, and Converſion, and Regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghoſt, is antecedently neceſſary to our Juſtification, that is, to the pardon of our Sins, and our reſtitution to the favour of God, and the hope of Eternal Life. So likewiſe under the notion of Purification and Sanctification, 1 Cor. 6. 9, 10, 11. where the Apoſtle enumerates ſeveral Sins and Vices, which will certainly exclude Men from the Favour and Kingdom of God, from which we muſt be cleanſed, before we can be juſtified or ſaved. Know ye not that the unrighteous ſhall not inherit the Kingdom of God? Be not deceived; neither Fornicators, nor Idolaters, nor Adulterers, nor Thieves, nor Covetous, nor Drunkards, nor Revilers, nor Extortioners ſhall inherit the Kingdom of God. And ſuch were ſome of you: but ye are waſhed, but ye are ſanctified, but ye are juſtified, in the name of the Lord Jeſus, and by the Spirit of our God. 2 Cor. 6. 17, 18. where the Apoſtle likewiſe makes our purification a Condition of our being received into the favour of God, and reckon'd into the number of his Children. Touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye ſhall be my Sons and Daughters, ſaith the Lord Almighty. And that by not touching the unclean thing, is here certainly meant our Sanctification and Purification from Sin, is evident from what immediately follows in the beginning of the next Chapter; Having therefore theſe promiſes, Dearly Beloved! let us cleanſe our ſelves from all filthineſs of the Fleſh and Spirit, perfecting holineſs in the fear of God; that is, having this Encouragement, that upon this Condition we ſhall be received to the favour of God, let us purifie our ſelves, that we may be capable of this great Bleſſing.
And our continuance in this ſtate of grace and favour with God, depends upon our perſeverance in Holineſs; for if any Man draw back, my Soul ſhall have no pleaſure in him.
And Laſtly, this is alſo the Condition of our final Juſtification, and Abſolution by the Sentence of the great Day, Mat. 5. 8. Bleſſed are the pure in heart; for they ſhall ſee God. Joh. 3. 3. Except a Man be born again, he cannot ſee the Kingdom of God. Heb. 12. 14. Follow Holineſs, without which, no Man ſhall ſee the Lord. 1 John 3. 3. The Apoſtle there ſpeaking of the bleſſed ſight and enjoyment of God, tells us what we muſt do, if ever we hope to be Partakers of it; Every Man that hath this hope in him, purifieth himſelf, even as he is pure.
And this Condition here mentioned in the Text, of our being New Creatures, is the ſame in ſenſe and ſubſtance with thoſe Expreſſions which we find in the two parallel Texts to this, where Faith which is perfected by Charity, and keeping the Commandments of God, are made the Condition of our juſtification and acceptance with God. Gal. 5. 6. In Chriſt Jeſus neither Circumciſion availeth any thing, nor Uncircumciſion; but Faith, which is conſummate, or made perfect by Charity; and 1 Cor. 7. 19. Circumciſion is nothing, and Uncircumciſion is nothing; but the keeping of the Commandments of God. It is evident that the Deſign and Meaning of theſe three Texts is the ſame, and therefore theſe three Expreſſions of the new Creature, and of Faith perfected by Charity, and of keeping the Commandments of God, do certainly ſignifie the ſame thing. That the New Creature ſignifies …he change of our ſtate, from a ſtate of Diſobedience and Sin, to a ſtate of Obedience and Holineſs of Life, I have ſhewn at large; and the Apoſtle explaining this New Creation, moſt expreſly tells us, Epheſ. 2. 10 We are his wormanſhip, Created in Chriſt Jeſus unto good works, which God …ath before ordained, that we ſhould walk in them; and Coloſ. 3. 10, 12, 13, 14. where the Apoſtle tells them, that they ought to give teſtimony of their Renovation, and having put on the new Man, by all the fruits of Obedience and Goodneſs; Ye have put on the new Man, which is renewed in knowledge, after the image of him that created him. Put on therefore as the Elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercy, kindneſs, humbleneſs of mind, meekneſs, longſuff…ring, forbearing one another, and forgiving one another; and above all theſe things put on Charity, which is the bond of perfection. And the Apoſtle St. Peter tells us, that our Regeneration, which he calls Sanctification of the Spirit, is unto obedience, 1 Pet. 1. 2. So that our Renovation conſiſteth in the Principle and Practice of Obedience, and a good Life; And what is this but Faith perfected by Charity? And Charity the Apoſtle tells us is the fulfilling of the Law; and what is the fulfilling of the Law, but keeping the Commandments of God? And keeping the Commandments of God, or at leaſt a ſincere Reſolution of Obedience, when there is not time and opportunity for the tryal of it, is in Scripture as expreſly made a Condition both of our preſent and final juſtification and acceptance with God, as Faith is, and in truth is the ſame with a living and operative Faith, and a Faith that is conſummate, and made perfect by Charity. Acts 10. 34, 35. Of a truth I perceive (ſaith St. Peter) that God is no reſpecter of Perſons, but in every Nation he that feareth him, and worketh Righteouſneſs, is accepted with him; which ſpeech does as plainly, as words can do any thing, declare to us, upon what terms all Mankind, of what Condition or Nation ſoever, may find acceptance with God. Rom. 2. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Who will render to every Man according to his deeds, to them who by patient continuance in well-doing, ſeek for Glory, and Honour, and Immortality, Eternal Life: but to them who are contentious, and obey not the Truth, but obey Unrighteouſneſs, Indignation and Wrath Tribulation and Anguiſh upon every Soul of Man that doth Evil; of the Jews firſt, and alſo of the Gentiles: but Glory, Honour, and Peace to every Man that worketh good, to the Jew firſt, and alſo to the Gentile. As to our acceptance with God, and the Rewards of another World, it matters not whether Jew or Gentile, Circumciſed, or Uncircumciſed; that which maketh the difference, is obeying the Truth, or obeying Unrighteouſneſs, working Good, or doing Evil; theſe are the things which will avail to our Juſtification, or Condemnation at the Great Day. To the ſame purpoſe is that Saying of the Apoſtle to the Hebrews, Chap. 5. 9. That Chriſt is the Author of Eternal Salvation to them that obey him.
I will conclude this Matter with two Remarkable Sayings, the one towards the beginning, the other towards the …nd of the Bible, to ſatisfie us that this is the tenour of the Holy Scriptures, and the conſtant Doctrine of it from the beginning to the end. Gen. 4. 7. It is God's Speech to Cain, If thou doſt well, ſhalt thou not be accepted? And Rev. 22. 14. Bleſſed are they that do his Commandments, that they may have right to the Tree of Life, and may enter in through the Gates into the City.
And thus I have done with the Second thing I propounded, which was to ſhew, that according to the terms of the Goſpel, and the Chriſtian Religion, the real Renovation of our Hearts and Lives is the great Condition of our juſtification and acceptance with God, and that this in ſenſe and ſubſtance is the ſame with Faith made perfect by Charity, and keeping the Commandments of God.
The Third and laſt Particular remains to be ſpoken to, namely, That it is highly reaſonable that this ſhould be the Condition of our Juſtification, and acceptance to the favour of God; and that upon theſe two accounts.
Firſt, For the honour of God's Holineſs.
Secondly, In order to the qualifying of us for the favour of God, and the enjoyment of him; for the pardon of our Sins, and the Reward of Eternal Life.
Firſt, For the honour of God's Holineſs. For ſhould God have received Men to his favour, and rewarded them with Eternal Glory and Happineſs, for the meer belief of the Goſpel, or a confident perſwaſion that Chriſt would ſave them without any change of their Hearts and Lives, without Repentance from dead works, and fruits meet for Repentance, and amendment of Life; he had not given ſufficient teſtimony to the World of his Love to Holineſs and Righteouſneſs, and of his hatred of Sin and Iniquity. The Apoſtle tells us, that God in the juſtifification of a Sinner declares his Righteouſneſs; but ſhould he juſtifie Men upon other terms, this would not declare his Righteouſneſs and love of Holineſs, but rather an indifferency, whether Men were good and Righteous or not. For a bare aſſent to the truth of the Goſpel, without the fruits of Holineſs and Obedience, is not a living, but a dead Faith, and ſo far from being acceptable to God, that it is an affront to him; and a confident reliance upon Chriſt for Salvation, while we continue in our Sins, is not a juſtifying Faith, but a bold and impudent preſumption upon the Mercy of God, and the Merits of our Saviour; who indeed juſtifies the ungodly, that is, thoſe that have been ſo, but not thoſe that continue ſo. And if God ſhould pardon Sinners, and reward them with Eternal Life, upon any other terms than upon our becoming New Creatures, than upon ſuch a Faith as is made perfect by Charity, that is, by keeping the Commands of God; this would be ſo far from declaring his Righteouſneſs, and being a teſtimony of his hatred and diſpleaſure againſt Sin, that it would give the greateſt countenance and encouragement to it imaginable.
Secondly, It is likewiſe very Reaſonable, that ſuch a Faith, that makes us New Creatures, and is perfected by Charity, and keeping the Commandments of God, ſhould be the Condition of Juſtification, in order to the qualifying of us for the Pardon of our Sins, and the Reward of Eternal Life; that is, for the favour of God, and for the enjoyment of him. To forgive Men upon other terms, were to give countenance and encouragement to perpetual Rebellion and Diſobedience. That Man is not fit to be forgiven, who is ſo far from being ſorry for his fault, that he goes on to offend; he is utterly incapable of Mercy, who is not ſenſible that he hath done amiſs, and reſolved to amend. No Prince ever thought a Rebellious Subject capable of Pardon upon lower terms than theſe. It is in the nature of the thing unfit that an obſtinate Offender ſhould have any Mercy or Favour ſhewn to him.
And as without Repentance and Reſolution of better Obedience, we are unfit for Forgiveneſs, ſo much more for a Reward; as we cannot expect God's Favour, ſo we are incapable of the enjoyment of him without Holineſs. Holineſs is the Image of God, and makes us like to him; and 'till we be like him, we cannot ſee him, we can have no enjoyment of him. All delightful Communion and agreeable Society is founded in a ſimilitude of Diſpoſition and Manners, and therefore ſo long as we are unlike to God in the temper and diſpoſition of our Minds, and in the Actions and Courſe of our Lives, neither can God take pleaſure in us, nor we in him, but there will be a perpetual jarring and diſcord between him and us; and tho' we were in Heaven, and ſeated in the place of the Bleſſed, yet we ſhould not, nay we could not be Happy; becauſe we ſhould want the neceſſary Materials and Ingredients of Happineſs. For it is with the Soul in this reſpect, as it is with the Body; tho' all things be eaſie without us; and no Cruelty be exercis'd upon us, to give torment and vexation to us, yet if we be inwardly Diſeaſed, we may have pain and anguiſh enough, we may be as it were upon the rack, and feel as great torment from the inward diſorder of our humours, as if we were tortur'd from without. So it is with the Soul, Sin and Vice are internal Diſeaſes, which do naturally create trouble and diſcontent, and nothing but diverſion, and the variety of Objects and Pleaſures which entertain Men in this World, hinders a wicked Man from being out of his wits, whenever he reflects upon himſelf; for all the irregular Appetites and Paſſions, Luſt, and Malice, and Revenge, are ſo many Furies within us, and tho' there were no Devil to torment us, yet the diſorder of our own Minds, and the horrours of a guilty Conſcience would be a Hell to us, and make us extreamly miſerable in the very Regions of Happineſs. So that it is neceſſary that our Faith ſhould be made perfect by Charity, and that we ſhould become new Creatures; not only from the arbitrary conſtitution and appointment of God, but from the Nature and Reaſon of the thing; becauſe nothing but this can diſpoſe us for that Bleſſedneſs, which God hath promis'd to us, and prepared for us. Faith conſider'd abſtractly from the Fruits of Holineſs and Obedience, of Goodneſs and Charity, will bring no Man into the favour of God. All the excellency of Faith is, that it is the Principle of a good Life, and furniſheth us with the beſt Motives and Arguments thereto, the Promiſes and Threatnings of the Goſpel; and therefore in Heaven, when we come to ſight and enjoyment, Faith and Hope ſhall ceaſe, but Charity never faileth; for if it ſhould, Heaven would ceaſe to be Heaven to us, becauſe it is the very frame and temper of Happineſs; and if this diſpoſition be not wrought in us in this World, we ſhall be altogether incapable of the felicity of the other.
You ſee then what it is that muſt recommend us to the favour of God; the real Renovation of our Hearts and Lives, after the Image of him that Created us. This muſt be repaired in us, before ever we can hope to be reſtored to the grace and favour of God, or to be capable of the Reward of Eternal Life. And what could God have done more Reaſonable, than to make theſe very things the terms of our Salvation, which are the neceſſary Cauſes and Means of it? How could he have dealt more mercifully and kindly with us, than to appoint that to be the Condition of our Happineſs, which is the only qualification that can make us capable of it?
I will conclude all with that excellent paſſage in the Wiſdom of Solomon, Chap. 6. 17, 18. The very true beginning of Wiſdom is the deſire of diſcipline, and the care of diſcipline is love, and love is the keeping of her laws, and taking heed to her laws is the aſſurance of incorruption. The Summ of what I have ſaid upon this Argument amounts to this, that upon the terms of the Goſpel we can have no hope of the forgiveneſs of our Sins, and Eternal Salvation, unleſs our Nature be renewed, and the Image of God, which is defaced by Sin, be repaired in us, and we be Created in Chriſt unto good works; That no Faith will avail to our Juſtification and acceptance with God, but that which is made perfect by Charity, that is, by fulfilling of the Law, and keeping the Commandments of God; by ſincere Obedience and Holineſs of Life, which notwithſtanding the inavoidable imperfection of it in this ſtate, will nevertheleſs be accepted with God, through the Merits of our Bleſſed Saviour, who hath loved us, and waſht us from our Sins in his own blood. To whom be Glory for ever.
Amen.