Good hope through grace : or, Distinguishing traits of Christian character

Contents

12. ie to tue brethren --<--- = --- seen toca 164

Introduction

THERE is a hope that is as an anchor to the

soul; and there is a hope that is as the spider’s web. The former is built on the Rock of ages; the latter on the sand. The one perisheth when God taketh away the soul; the other is sure and steadfast, entering into that which is within the veil. _ The hope of the Christian is founded on evidence. The disciple of Jesus is ready to give an answer to every one that asketh him a reason of the hope that is in him. He is born of the incorruptible seed. His hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Ghost which is given unto him.

6 INTRODUCTION.

The hope of the self-deceived is founded on presumption. He is wrapt up in false security. A deceived heart hath turned him aside. There is a lie in his right hand. He imagines he is right, while he is fatally wrong; he hopes he is going to heaven, while he is in the broad way to hell.

Ié is no inconsiderable thing, therefore, to possess the spirit of real religion. Multitudes substitute the shadow for the substance, and rest satisfied with a mere name to live. It is indeed no inconsiderable thing to have actually passed from death unto life. Maultitudes cherish. the hope of the divine favor, who will at last be confounded with disappointment, and sunk deep in despair. Let the reader therefore sit down to the following pages with this solemn question before him: Am I the friend of God, or am I his enemy? It will be too late to put this question by and by. Perhaps you fear that you are God’s enemy. Perhaps you hope you are His friend. To aid you in deciding this

INTRODUCTION. 7 interesting point, is the design of the following pages. There are some things that are neither for nor against you; there are others that are decisively in your favor. The first five Essays will exhibit several traits of character that cannot be relied on as conclusive evidence of genuine religion. The last ten will exhibit several that may be relied on, without danger of deception.

The importance of the subject constrains the writer to use great freedom and plainness. The plainness which he has used also constrains him to beg his readers to suspend their decision of the solemn question before them, until they shall have taken a full view of the subject. If any thing should be said that wounds them, let them remember it is the “ wound of a friend.” The honor of God, the value of the soul, the awful retributions of eternity, all make me more solicitous to save you, than to please you.

Searcher of hearts, send out thy light and thy truth, and let them lead me. Discover

8 INTRODUCTION.

their deception to the self-deceived, and make thy dear children strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

New York, October 5, 1813.

GOOD HOPE THROUGH GRACE.

1. VISIBLE MORALITY.

« Man looketh on the outward appearance.” Tt is not by a few that visible morality is viewed as the “narrow way which leadeth to life.” It would be an impeachment of the understanding of my readers,.to say that mere morality is not conclusive evidence of Christian character, were it not for the multitude of hopes that are built upon this crumbling basis. An unblemished moral character is ‘in itself so amiable, that it not only commands the respect and esteem of others, but secures the confidence of those who possess it. If aman is honest, industrious, and temperate ; faithful to his promises, and punctual in his engagements; if he possesses a friendly, humane, kind, generous, and noble spirit, he views himself, and is viewed by the world

1* around him, to be a “good-hearted man,” and in a fair way to heaven. If he is correct in his external demeanor; if he avoids all overt acts of immorality; if he is imnocent and harmless; if his honor is unsullied and his name without reproach, though he may confess that he is not so good as he should be, yet he believes he is much better than he is. He sees nothing to shake his hopes, or alarm his fears. Look abroad into the world, and see the thousands that rest here for eternity. Melancholy view! “The heart is” indeed “deceitful above all things,’ as well as “desperately wicked.”

The man who is merely moral is a stranger to the living God. While he sustains an unimpeached character in the view of the world, he may neither believe the principles of the gospel, nor practise the duties of piety. He may be invincibly averse to every species of immorality on the one hand; but he is equally so to the exactness and spirituality of religion on the other. The infinitely important duties which he owes to God, he keeps entirely out of sight. Of loving and serving him, he knows nothing. Whatever he does,

VISIBLE MORALITY. 11 or whatever he leaves undone, he does nothing for God. He may be honest in his dealings. with everybody except God. He robs none but God. He is thankless and faithless.to none but God. He speaks reproachfully of none but God. <A just view of the relation which he bears to God forms no part of his principles, and the duties which result from that relation form no part of his morality. He contents himself with mere external conformity to the duties of the second table. Like the young man in the gospel, he may not have committed murder, nor adultery, nor theft, nor perjury, from his youth up; while, ike him, he may have laid up treasures for himself, and not be rich toward God. He is earthly and sensual, rather than heavenly and spiritual.

In the sight of God, such a character is radically defective. The moral man is like Israel of old—an empty vine, because he bringeth forth fruit to himself. He is no better than the unprofitable servant ; no better than a cumberer of the ground, who will at last be cut down and cast into the unquenchable flame.

Let it not be forgotten, however, that no man has the least claim to Christian character who is not what the world styles a moral man. Vital religion is an operative principle. The spirit of piety not only lives in the heart, but flows forth in the life. “A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit.” Whatever may be the pretensions of an immoral man, he is far from the kingdom of heaven. Still, mere morality falls far short of the religion of the cross. The grand defect is, mere morality never aims at the heart, and would never touch it, if it should. The natural disposition may be very amiable, and the external demeanor very blameless, while the “carnal mind is enmity against God.” The gospel of Jesus Christ requires men to be moral; and if this were all that it required, the moral man would be a Christian. But it requires them to be moral from holy principles. The gospel of Jesus Christ requires men to be honest, sober, industrious, and munificent ; but it requires them to be honest, sober, industrious, and munificent from evangelical motives. “As a man thinketh im lus heart, so is he.” 'The moral quality of

VISIBLE MORALITY. 13 actions lies in the disposition of heart with which they are performed. A man may therefore be very honest, very humane, and very munificent; but if the disposition of heart with which the acts of honesty, humanity, and munificence are performed be not such as God requires and approves, he has no lot nor part in the portion of-God’s people. There is a wide distinction between moral virtues and Christian graces. Christian graces spring from Christian motives, or such motives as are warranted by the gospel of Christ. They regard, in the first place, the glory of God and the interests of his kingdom; and then regulate our intercourse with our fellow-men according to the principles of his word. Moral virtues spring from selfish motives. They have no regard for the glory of God and the interests of his kingdom. They go just so far as self-interest leads the way, and there they stop. Such are the virtues of men “dead in trespasses and sins;”’ such is the morality of “philanthropists ;’ such is the morality of the heathen ; such is the morality of infidels. Reader, look into your Bible. Will such morality be of any avail in the

14 GOOD HOPE THROUGH GRACKE.. — solemn hour that tries the spirits of men? “ To the law and. to the testemony:” every page will flash conviction on the conscience, that such spurious morality is of no account in the sight of God. I say, in the sight of God. The moral man has a higher claim upon the regard and confidence of his fellow-men than the immoral man. He is a better ruler and a better subject, a better parent and a better child, a better master and a better servant, than the immoral man. Other things being equal, he is less guilty in the sight of God than the immoral man. But after all, he wants the one thing needful. He is a child of wrath. He is “without Christ; an alien from the commonwealth of Israel; a stranger from the covenants of promise ;’ and though he may cherish a delusive hope, is without God in the world.

“Many,” says an old writer, “take the _ press-money and wear the livery of Christ, that never stand to their colors, nor follow their leader.” The character of the formalist ranks higher in the estimation of the world, than the character of the mere moralist. Formalists advance a step further than visible morality, and maintain the form of religion. They are those who are not only decent in their external deportment among men, but strict in the observance of all the duties of piety. They put on the appearance of real religion: but this is not conclusive evidence of their Christian character. _

We read of those who have the form of godliness, but who deny the power thereof. Men may maintain the form of godliness from a variety of motives, none of which spring from the operation of grace in the heart. Many persons do it for the sake of reputation. A due regard to the institutions of Christianity forms so essential a part of the character of the good citizen, that among a virtuous people it is difficult to secure esteem and confidence without a becoming observance of the external duties of religion. Such is the homage which vice pays to virtue, that in Christian communities, it is a ereditable thing to put on the appearance of religion. To those who regard the good opinion of the world around them, there are not wanting multiplied motives to appear better than they really are.

No small portion of those who maintain the mere form of religion, do it from the force of education. A religious education cannot fail to have a desirable influence, in a greater or less degree, upon all, both in restraining them from the commission of crime, and in _ impelling them to the external performance of duty. It often does have this influence upon many during the whole course of their lives. It is difficult to break over the restraints which have been imposed by parental instruction and example, without singular boldness and the most brutish stupidity. Hence you find many who persevere in the usual forms of religion to the end of life, who give you no satisfactory reason to believe that their hearts are right with God. The observance of the external services of piety has become a habit; and they walk the customary round of duties, because it is a beaten path, rather.than because it is a pleasant one.

Perhaps a still greater number maintain the appearance of godliness for the sake of quieting the clamors of natural conscience. The inspiration of the Almighty has implanted a principle in the human breast which is — capable of discerning the immutable difference between right and wrong; of giving men a sense of moral obligation; and of approving what is right and condemning what is wrong in their moral conduct. There are seasons when the silent voice of that invisible agent who is commissioned by God to record the sins of thought and action, whispers that “God is angry with the wicked every day.” ‘The implacable foe stings with anguish and conyulses with agony. In these seasons of remorse, the carnal heart naturally flees to the covenant of works. When the moral principle is awake, there can be nothing that looks like a compromise between

13 GOOD HOPE THROUGH GRAOE.

the heart and the conscience, short of a life of external godliness. The conscience is so seriously affected with divine truth as often, and for a length of time, not to allow some of the worst of men in the omission of any of the external duties of religion.

There are also those who maintain the form of religion for the sake of fostering the persuasion of their own good estate. We know that “there is a way which seemeth right to a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Men who are experimental. ly ignorant of the nature of real religion, easily substitute the shadow for the substance. - Externally the formalist does not differ from a real saint. He performs all those overt acts of religion which he would perform if he were at heart a sincere follower of Christ. Hence the beauty of his external conduct induces him to imagine that he is so. Thus Paul felt before the law of God came home to his conscience, discovered his guilt, and swept away his carnal hopes. And thus the foolish virgins felt till the midnight cry was given, Behold, the bridegroom cometh. Rather than give up their hope, formal- —

FORM OF RELIGION. 1S ists continue to cherish their deception by substituting the appearance for the reality, till their deception, their hope, and their irksome forms vanish together, and leave them amid the wailings of the eternal pit.

There are very many who, from some one of these causes, or all of them combined, carry the form of godliness to every possible extent, and are still nothing more than sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. This was eminently the character of the Pharisees. They were what their name denotes them to have been, separatists, distinguished for their rigid manner of life and great pretensions to sanctity. They fasted often, made long prayers, paid tithes with exactness, and distributed alms with liberality. As a badge of distinction, they wore large rolls of parchment on their foreheads and wrists, on which were inscribed certain words of the law. As an exhibition of their purity, they never entered their houses, or sat down at their tables, without washing their hands. They would not so much as touch a publican, or eat or drink or pray with a man that was “a sinner.” But all this was corrupted by an evil heart of unbelief, and served only to flatter their pride and fill up the measure of their iniquity. All this was consistent with “shutting up the kingdom of heaven ; and neither going in themselves, nor suffering them that were entering to go in.” All this was denounced by one woe after another, as the hypocrisy of men who should therefore “receive the ereater damnation.”

We need not go far to look for multiplied testimony that there are those in this age of the church who, like the Pharisees, “ outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.” It is not difficult “to make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter.” Men may read and pray; they may attend to the duties of the family and the sanctuary, and often to those of the closet; they may profess to be on the Lord’s side, give up their children to God in baptism, come themselves to the sacramental table, and engage in the solemn act of commemorating the love of the Lord Jesus, and yet know no more of real, vital piety, than the prayerless and profane. Especially is this too often true of those who are baptized in their infancy, and educated under the care of those churches who admit them into their communion, for no other reason and with no other evidence of their good estate, than that they have received the “initiating seal of the church.” But their condemnation is as sure as their guilt is great. To look for conclusive evidence of Christian character in the mere form of Christianity, is to expect the evidence of purity where there is nothing but the marks of pollution. The > mere formalist is exceedingly sinful. Noman has a right to be a formalist, whether his formality arises from hypocrisy or self-deception, or both. He has no right to deceive himself, or to deceive others. Every species * of mere formality is viewed by God as no better than detestable. How did he express his displeasure towards his ancient people for this sin! “This people,” saith he, “draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoreth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.” God also demands of his people, “To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me, saith the Lord? When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hands to tread my courts? Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with: 2 7s mquity, even the solemn meeting.” God sets the guilt of formalists in the most striking light by the words of the prophet: “He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog’s neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine’s blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol.” Kulling an ox in sacrifice was required, but killing a man was forbidden; sacrificing a lamb was required, but sacrificing a dog was forbidden; oblations were required, but swine’s blood was forbidden ; burning incense was required, but blessing or worshipping an idol forbidden. Hence, so far is the mere form of devotion from being either acceptable to God, or evidence of our own good estate, that it is no better than if we slew a man or worshipped an idol.

Be not deceived; for God is not mocked. All are not Israel that are of Israel. He is not a Jew that is one outwardly. There are many that are called by the name of Israel, which swear by the name of the Lord, and make mention of the God of Israel; but not in truth, nor in righteousness. Like the Pharisees, you may pray long, and fast oft; and like them, you may be “a generation of vipers,” and never “escape the damnation of hell.”

“Their lifted eyes salute the skies, Their bended knees the ground; But God abhors the sacrifice, Where not the heart is found.”

O how often is this picture presented in real life! “God, I thank thee that I am not as other men, or even as this publican.” Would that thou wert more like him. Thy corrupt heart corrupts all the fair forms of thy devo- * tion, and “thou art still in the gall of bitterness, and the bonds of iniquity.” The hope of formalists is the offspring of a deceived and a wicked heart. It is an affront to the majesty of heaven; it is a violation of the laws of his empire; it gives the lie to the author of eternal truth. Hence the state of formalists is full of danger. They are singularly prone to cherish their deception. “ They are taken in their own craftiness.” They flatter themselves in their own eyes, till their iniquity be found to be hateful. They rest in a hope that will at last “bite like a serpent, and sting like an adder.”

SPECULATIVE KNOWLEDGE. 25

- 3. SPECULATIVE KNOWLEDGE.

SPECULATIVE knowledge is no less deficient in the testimony which it bears to Christian character, than visible morality or the form of religion. Neither is conclusive.

Speculative knowledge is by no means to be undervalued. Ignorance, in most cases, is far from being venial; error is always more or less sinful. It is of serious importance that the opinions of men be formed, and formed upon the principles of the unerring standard. There can be no spiritual knowledge where there is no speculative knowledge. God cannot be loved where he is not known; sin cannot be detested where its nature is not discerned; Christ cannot be confided in when his character and sacrifices are not perceived; duty cannot be performed where the mind does not apprehend its nature and obligations. Truth is the natural aliment of all gracious affections. But though there can be no spiritual knowledge where there is no speculative knowledge, there may be much speculative knowledge where there is no spiritual knowledge. Though the want of speculative knowledge may be decisively against you, the possession of it is not necessarily in your favor. | We have only to open our eyes to discern the fact that very wicked men are sometimes orthodox in their sentiments. Wicked men as well as good men are endowed with perception, reason, and conscience. And they are as capable of applying these faculties in reflecting upon moral objects as upon natural objects. They are not only capable of understanding the truth, but often do understand it with accuracy. How many have you seen who were thoroughly versed in the Scriptures; who had correct theoretical views of the character of God, the character of man, the character and offices of Christ, of the necessity, nature, and cause of regeneration 5 who comprehended a connected system of theology, and were distinguished champions for the faith; who were, notwithstanding all this, strangers to the religion of the heart. “'Thou believest there is one God: thou doest well. The devils also believe and tremble.” Satan himself was once an angel of light.

SPECULATIVE KNOWLEDGE. oT

There is no more studious observer of the character and designs of God than the great adversary of both. There is no greater proficient in theological truth than the father of les. “There is no want of orthodoxy even in hell.”

For the existence of this fact we are not at a loss for satisfactory reasons. Speculative knowledge has its seat in the head; vital religion, in the heart. There is no moral goodness in the simple assent of the understanding to truth. We receive and compound and compare ideas, whether we wish to do it or not. When we see the evidence of a proposition to be clear, we cannot withhold our assent to it, while we may hate the truth we receive, and love the error we reject. Besides, there is nothing in the nature of speculative knowledge to produce holy affection. The twilight of reason and conscience, and the clear sunshine of the gospel, are in themselves alike unadapted to the causation of holiness. All the light of eternity breaking in upon the understanding of the natural man cannot create one spark of holy love. You may follow the natural man through every possible degree of instruction; and though his head will be better, his heart will be worse. lt is irrational to suppose that a clear view of an object that is hated will produce love to the object. Lf, when the character and truth of God are partially seen; they are the objects of hatred, when clearly seen they will become the objects of malignity. The understanding therefore may be enlightened, while the heart remains perfectly vitiated. Far be it from us, by these remarks, to exclude from our theology the doctrine of divine ulumination. ‘The scriptural view of this doctrine will go far towards enabling us to distinguish between those who in truth know God, and those who glorify him not as God. In this great work, the heart, the moral disposition, is changed, and not the head. Without this spiritual illumination, the soul will be for ever shrouded in darkness that may be felt. The souls of the sanctified had for ever remained “ without form, and void,” totally disordered, a mere moral chaos, merged in shades of thickest darkness, had not that “God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, shined into their hearts to give the light of the know-

SPECULATIVE KNOWLEDGE. 29 ledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. ‘This is a kind of knowledge, however, which is far above mere intellectual speculation. It is not immediately the object of intellectual speculation, but of gracious affections. This is a kind of knowledge which is both of divine original and divine nature. This is the knowledge that edifieth; all other puffeth up. The essential difference between that knowledge which is, and . that which is not conclusive evidence of Christian character, lies in this: the object of the one is the agreement of the several parts of a theological proposition; the object of the other is moral beauty, the intrinsic loveliness of God and divine things. The sinner sees and hates; the saint sees and loves. The prophecy of Esaias is fulfilled in the experience of thousands: “Hearing they shall hear, and not understand; and seeing they shall see, and not perceive.” Something more is necessary to make a man a Christian besides the enlightening of the natural understanding. Beware of the hope that is built on no firmer basis than a speculative view of the doctrines of the gospel.

Ir is not strange that natural men shouid sometimes be alarmed by a sense of their danger. When they see that the judgments which God has denounced against sin will sooner or later overtake them, that they are rapidly passing to the gates of death, and that they are unprepared for the solemn real- . ities of the future world, it is impossible for them to remain unmoved. They begin to think seriously of the things that belong to their everlasting peace. They cease to make light of that which is important, and to view as important that which is lighter than vanity. They begin to see things as they are. The value of the soul, the indispensable necessity of an interest in the blood of sprinkling, heaven, hell—these are subjects which engage their most serious reflection, and excite the most fearful alarm. But strange to tell, how soon does their solemnity vanish ; how often is their alarm momentary. The lapse even of a few weeks may convince you that all this is but the “morning cloud, and as the early dew that passeth away.”

A variety of considerations induce us to believe that no degree of conviction for sin is conclusive evidence of Christian character. _ The simple conviction that I am a sinner is common to all men. That view of sin which arises from its hateful nature as committed against the holy God, is peculiar to saints. There is a state of mind differing from both — these—from the former in degree, and from the latter in kind—which is designated by the phrase, conviction for sin.

Impenitent sinners are often brought to see their own sinfulness. God gives them ajust view of their character. They are favored with a discovery of the total corruption of their hearts. They see that they have not the love of God in them. They are made sensible that they are under the dominion of the “carnal mind that is enmity against God.” The divine law, in all the reasonableness of its precept and all the equity of its sanction, comes home to the conscience with power, and brings with it the knowledge of sin and the sense of guilt. They see its extent and spirituality, as well as its righteousness. They feel as Paul felt: when the commandment came, sin revived, and he died. Sin does actually revive. The law that binds their conscience excites the enmity of their hearts. The more clearly they discern its righteousness and spirituality, the more vigorously do they hate its divine author. They begin to learn what kind of hearts they cherish. They see that in them there “dwelleth no good thing.” In vain do they search for the least holiness or a single duty in all that they have done. “ Every imagination of the thoughts of their hearts is only evil continually.” All their words and all their actions, all their desires and all their prayers are in direct contrariety to the holy law of God. Now suffer me to ask, is there any religion in all this? There can be none surely in possessing a depraved heart, and there is none in merely being sensible that we possess it. In the simple discovery that I am an atrocious sinner, there’ is no sense of the hateful nature of sin, no sorrow for sin, no desire to be delivered from its power.

To see my ageravated sinfulness, and not be humbled on account of it, is evidence of unyielding enmity, rather than a cordial reconciliation. Ifa strong sense, or if you please, the strongest sense of. personal sinfulness, were conclusive evidence of personal religion, every reprobate at the bar of judgment, and all the damned in hell, would be Christians. A sense of their corruption forms no small part of their wretchedness. We know, from the unequivocal declaration ‘of. eternal . truth, that when “the Lord cometh with ten thousand of’his saints to execute judgment upon all,” he will “convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed.” How then can the conviction of ungodliness be the evidence of godliness ? | | In the minds of the unregenerate the sense of personal sinfulness is always accompanied with the apprehension of danger. It cannot be otherwise. When a sense of sin is fastened upon the conscience of the sinner, it cannot fail to throw him into distress. In many cases the distress is great. The “law work” is severe. The unhappy man sees the corruption of his own heart, and therefore gives up all hope from his own righteousness. He sees the corruption of his own heart, and therefore gives up all hope from the prospect of amendment. The law which he has broken sweeps away at a stroke all his righteousness, and cuts up his hopes root and branch. All that is past is Lad; all that is to come is no better. He sees that with his present disposition sin will only revive and increase eyery hour that he lives. He is wretched and forlorn. He knows that he is the prisoner of justice, and fears that he is already bound over to the curse. He looks around for help, but no kind arm will interpose. He ventures to make a struggle to shake off his bondage, but every effort evinces his weakness, every struggle binds him faster in his chains. “The arrows of the Almighty are within him, the poison whereof drinketh up his spirits.” He sees that he is actually going to hell. He knows that nothing he shall ever do will prevent his gomg there. There is but a step between him and the eternal pit, while an invincibly obstinate heart cuts him off from every successful effort to escape it. He is beyond the reach of help on this side heaven.