IV. 1. From this plain account of the three-fold state of man, the natural, the legal, and the evangelical, it appears, that it is not sufficient, to divide mankind, into sincere, and insincere. A man may be sincere in any of these states; not only when he has the Spirit of adoption, but while he has the spirit of bondage unto fear. Yea, while he has neither this fear, nor love. For undoubtedly there may be sincere Heathens, as well as sincere Jews or Christians. This circumstance then, does by no means prove, that a man is in a state of acceptance with God.
Examine yourselves therefore, not only whether ye are sincere, but whether ye be in the faith. Examine narrowly; for it imports you much. What is the ruling principle in your soul? Is it the love of God? Is it the fear of God? Or is it neither one nor the other? Is it not rather the love of the world? The love of pleasure? or gain, of ease, or reputation? If so, you are not come so far as a Jew. You are but a Heathen still. Have you heaven in your heart? Have you the Spirit of adoption, ever crying, Abba, Father? Or do you cry unto God, as out of the belly of hell, overwhelmed with sorrow and fear? Or are you a stranger to this whole affair, and cannot imagine what I mean? Heathen, pull off the mask. Thou hast never puton Christ. Stand barefaced. Look up to heaven. And own before him that liveth for ever and ever, thou hast no part either among the sons or servants of God.
Whosoever thou art, dost thou commit sin, or dost thou not? If thou dost, is it willingly or unwillingly? In either case God hath told thee whose thou art, He that committeth sin is of the devil. If thou committest it willingly, thou art his faithful servant. He will not fail to reward thy labour. If unwillingly, still thou art his servant. God deliver thee out of his hands!
Art thou daily fighting against all sin? And daily more than conqueror? I acknowledge thee for a child of God. O stand fast in thy glorious liberty. Art thou fighting, but not conquering; striving for the mastery, but not able to attain? Then thou art not yet a believer in Christ; but follow on, and thou shalt know the Lord. Art thou not fighting at all, but leading an easy, indolent fashionable life? O how hast thou dared to name the name of Christ? Only to make it a reproach among the Heathen? Awake thou sleeper! Call upon thy God: before the deep swallow thee up.
2. Perhaps one reason why so many think of themselves more highly than they ought to think, why they do not discern what state they are in, is, because these several states of soul, are often mingled together, and in some measure meet, inone and the same person. Thus experience shews, that the legal state, or state of fear, is frequently mixt with the natural. For few men are so fast asleep in sin, but they are sometimes, more or less awakened. As the Spirit of God does not wait for the call of man, so at some times he will be heard. He puts them in fear, so that for a season, at least, the Heathen know themselves to be but men. They feel the burthen of sin, and earnestly desire to flee from the wrath to come. But not long. They seldom suffer the arrows of conviction to go deep into their souls; but quickly stifle the grace of God, and return to their wallowing in the mire.
In like manner, the evangelical state, or state of love, is frequently mixt with the legal. For few of those who have the spirit of bondage and fear, remain always without hope. The wise and gracious God rarely suffers this; for he remembreth that we are but dust. And he willeth not that the flesh should fail before him, or the spirit which he hath made. Therefore, at such times as he seeth good, he gives a dawning of light unto them that sit in darkness. He causes a part of his goodness to pass before them, and shews he is a God that heareth the prayer. They see the promise which is by faith in Christ Jesus, tho’ it be yet afar off: and hereby they are encouraged to run with patience the race which is set before them.
3. Another reason why many deceive themselves, is because they do not consider, how far a man may go, and yet be in a natural, or at best a legal state. A man may be of a compassionate and a benovelent temper, he may be affable, courteous, generous, friendly; he may have some degree of meekness, patience, temperance, and of many other moral virtues. He may feel many desires of shaking off all vice, and attaining higher degrees of virtue. He may abstain from much evil; perhaps from all that is grosly contrary to justice, mercy or truth. He may do much good, may feed the hungry, cloath the naked, relieve the widow and fatherless. He may attend publick worship, use prayer in private, read many books of devotion; and yet for all this, he may be a mere natural man, knowing neither himself nor God; equally a stranger to the Spirit of fear and to that of love; having neither repented nor believed the gospel.
But suppose there were added to all this, a deep conviction of sin, with much fear of the wrath of God; vehement desires to cast off every sin, and to fulfil all righteousness; frequent rejoicing in hope, and touches of love often glancing upon the soul; yet neither do these prove a man to be under grace, to have true, living, Christian faith, unless the Spirit of adoption abide in his heart, unless he can continually cry, Abba, Father!
4. Beware then, thou who art called by the name of Christ, that thou come not short of the mark of thy high calling. Beware thou rest not, either in a natural state, with too many that are accounted good Christians: or in a legal state, wherein those who are highly esteemed of men, are generally content to live and die. Nay, but God hath prepared better things for thee, if thou follow on till thou attain. Thou art not called to fear and tremble, like devils, but to rejoice and love, like the angels of God. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. Thou shalt rejoice evermore. Thou shalt pray without ceasing. Thou shalt in every thing give thanks. Thou shalt do the will of God on earth, as it is done in heaven. O prove thou what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Now present thyself a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God. Whereunto thou hast already attained, hold fast, by reaching forth unto those things which are before; until the God of peace make thee perfect in every good work, working in thee that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever! Amen.