Twenty-four Discourses / On Some of the Important and Interesting Truths, Duties, and Institutions, of the Gospel, and the General Excellency of the Christian Religion; Calculated for the People of God of Every Communion, Particularly for the Benefit of Pious Families, and the Instruction of All in the Things Which Concern Their Salvation

by Nathan Perkins

EPHESIANS ii. 12.

That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.

These words describe the state of the Ephesian Christians, who, before the glorious Gospel was preached among, and, through efficacious grace, embraced by them, were Gentiles. Like other pagan nations, they were professed Idolaters. They were worshippers, we are told, of the great Goddess Diana. But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice, about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.—And when the town-clerk had appeased the people, he said, ye men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great Goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter? But they were not further removed from the true knowledge of the only right object of all religious homage and praise, or more depraved in heart, than the heathen world, at large. They were, says the Apostle, dead in trespasses and sins. This was their state before renewing grace had quickened them, and made them alive to God and virtue, to holiness and happiness. What is here affirmed of them, no one will dispute, is equally applicable to, and equally true of all mankind, in all ages and nations, before enlightened by a divine revelation and sanctified by the power of divine grace. For all the human race, throughout the world, are alike in this respect, as destitute by nature of the principles of holiness. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile—one and another. They are all, before interested in a Redeemer and sprinkled with his precious blood, without hope and without God in the world. They are aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the Covenants of promise. As long as they are without Christ, they have no part nor lot in salvation. For without him, the great evangelical maxim is, there is no salvation. His name is the only one given under heaven among men, whereby we can attain to felicity, be pardoned as to our sins, or justified as to our persons. No man can come to the father without him. Whosoever denieth the son, the same hath not the father: but he that acknowlegeth the son, hath the Father also.—

What is intended, in the subsequent discourse, is to prove that the world of mankind, merely by their own reason and wisdom, cannot attain to a saving knowledge of God: or that man has no principle within himself, antecedent to divine grace operating on the heart, which is adequate to all the purposes of his salvation, by whatever name it may be called.—

That we may do justice, as far as we are able, to this great and important subject, we will attempt to show—

I. How far, the light of reason, without a celestial guide, can go, in things of a religious and moral nature.——And—

II. Point out its insufficiency, in those respects, which are not only very important, but altogether necessary.——

1. The first thing proposed, is to attempt to show how far the light of reason, without a divine Revelation, can go, in things of a religious and moral nature. If the state and character of mankind, in regard to Religion, shall, in what may be now offered, be placed in a new, or at least different light from what they are usually, when the great and utter depravation of the human heart is intended to be described, it is hoped it will not be less useful. Certainly an attempt to investigate such a subject as is now before us is worthy of particular attention. The proper study of mankind is man. Among all the enquiries, in which the wise and reflecting have engaged, that of discovering how far reason, of itself, without any supernatural assistances, can carry us, in regard to the concerns of our true and spiritual happiness, must be deemed one of the most highly interesting.—

While mankind are without Christ, they are aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the Covenants of promise; they are strangers to all saving blessings, and have no interest in them. They have no good grounds upon which to expect the favour of the supreme being, the pardon of Sin in this, or happiness in another world. If without hope, they are in a lost and perishing situation. They have nothing within them, let it be called by whatever name it may, which can ensure this eternal peace and salvation. To assert or pretend that they have any principle of real holiness, however small a spark it may be considered, is to assert that they have some hope from what is with themselves,—Some ground to hope for life eternal: then, this being the case, they are not aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel or strangers from the Covenants of promise. For, if while without Christ, they are all, without exception, aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the Covenants of promise, they must be without hope, or in a lost and desperate state. To be aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the Covenants of promise is, according to the very meaning of the expressions, and the opinion of expositors, to have no lot or part, more or less, in any assignable degree, in the peculiar blessings and spiritual privileges of God’s own people and servants. Before renewed by saving grace, all men, without one exception, are without Christ. They are without hope. And to be without hope in and from ourselves, is to be in a lost and desperate state in and of ourselves. It is added, they are also, without God in the world. And to be without God in the world, is to be without an interest in his special favour—without a saving knowledge of him—and of course, without any title to his kingdom when they shall be removed from time into Eternity. To be without Christ in the world, is to have no interest in the saving blessings of his Gospel and purchase. The severest critic cannot charge me with having extended, beyond just bounds, the meaning of the text.

This, then, is the real state of all mankind, wherever they may dwell, or to whatever nation they may belong, or whatever notions to the contrary, they may imbibe, while unsanctified by efficacious grace, aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel, strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.—A more wretched and forlorn condition can hardly be imagined. They are dead in trespasses and sins. They are destitute of the principles of true holiness, or the power of spiritual life.—Like the inanimate lifeless body—held in the sleep of death, they are without any motions of spiritual life towards God or heavenly glories.—If they had any measure or degree of a really holy temper, or spiritual life, it would, we may fairly presume, never be lost, or extinguished, but be preserved until the day of Christ, when all will be rewarded according to their character and works.