The mistake of ignorance is one thing; the darkness of self-will is another. There may be the former though the eye be single, but not the latter.
It is good for a child of God to search his heart, that he may know whether it is by nature or by grace that he is kept from outward evil. Fear of shame, love of reputation, power of conscience, natural affection, self-interest, greatly preserve the unregenerate from the commission of sin; and may in part also keep the children of God from defiling their garments; but it is only by the power of grace, and when the heart keeps the life, that our “good conversation” is a sweet savour to God.
The great outlet of sin is the tongue; the great inlets of temptation are the ear and eye; but of the whole body the heart is mistress. Therefore let grace rule the heart, and the whole man shall be subject.
The Form of Godliness
The enmity of the carnal mind is wont to hide itself by imitating the outward forms of the kingdom of God. The grace of God subduing the heart to Christ is the sign of the birth from above.
The drunkard and the thief are evidently in the broad road that leadeth to destruction. The Pharisee seems to tread the narrow way, yet does but keep the clean side of the broad road.
All who build their hope of eternal life on their prayers, reading the Scriptures, and other outward works of righteousness, come short of the rest that is in Christ, and the salvation that is in Him. The sinner’s hands must be emptied of all such recommendations: it is with his poverty, and his poverty only, that he must come to the crucified Son of God.
The sinner that comes with his own good works to God for eternal life, is a debtor who brings a bag of base coin of his own forging, to pay his creditor withal.
The good works of the flesh, though so well-pleasing to the carnal mind, tested by God’s justice, are at the King’s mint adjudged base coin.