declarations, promises or gifts of God,] "and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ," 2 Cor. x, 4, &c. 24. And as Christians indeed are freed from evil thoughts, so are they, secondly, from evil tempers. This is evident from the above mentioned declaration of our Lord himself: "The disciple is not above his Master; but every one that is perfect shall be as his Master." He had been delivering, just before, some of the sublimest doctrines of Christianity, and some of the most grievous to flesh and blood. "I say unto you, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you ;-and unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek, offer also the other." Now these he well knew the world would not receive; and therefore immediately adds, "Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch ?" As if he had said, "Do not confer with flesh and blood, touching these things,—with men void of spiritual discernment, the eyes of whose understanding God hath not opened,-lest they and you perish together." In the next verse he removes the two grand objections, with which these wise fools meet us at every turn, "These things are too grievous to be borne;" or, "They are too high to be attained;"-saying, "The disciple is not above his Master;" therefore, if I have suffered, be content to tread in my steps. And doubt ye not then, but I will fulfil my word: For every one that is perfect, shall be as his Master." But his Master was free from all sinful tempers. So, therefore, is his disciple, even every real Christian. 66 25. Every one of these can say with St. Paul, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me:"-words that manifestly describe a deliverance from inward, as well as from outward sin. This is expressed both negatively, I live not; (my evil nature, the body of sin, is destroyed;) and positively, Christ liveth in me; and, therefore, all that is holy, and just, and good. Indeed, both these, Christ liveth in me, and I live not, are inseparably connected : For "what communion hath light with darkness, or Christ with Belial?" 26. He, therefore, who liveth in true believers, hath "purified their hearts by faith;" insomuch that every one that hath Christ in him, the hope of glory, "purifieth himself, even as he is pure," 1 John iii, 3. He is purified from pride; for Christ was lowly of heart. He is pure from self will, or desire; for Christ desired only to do the will of his Father, and to finish his work. And he is pure from anger, in the common sense of the word; for Christ was meek and gentle, patient and long suffering. I say, in the common sense of the word; for all anger is not evil. We read of our Lord himself, Mark iii, 5, that he once "looked round with anger." But with what kind of anger? The next word shows, duλλurouμevos, being, at the same time, "grieved for the hardness of their hearts." So then he was angry at the sin, ar.d, in the same moment, grieved for the sinners; angry or displeased at the offence, but sorry for the offenders. With anger, yea, hatred, he looked upon the thing; with grief and love upon the persons. Go tho that art perfect, and do likewise. Be thus angry, and thou sinnest nɔt; feeling a displacency at every offence against God, but only love and tender compassion to the offender. 27. Thus doth Jesus "save his people from their sins:" Ard rot only from outward sins, but also from the sins of their hearts; from we shall evil thoughts, and from evil tempers." True," say some, thus be saved from our sins; but not till death; not in this world." But how are we to reconcile this with the express words of St. John? "Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the 'day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world." The apostle here, beyond all contradiction, speaks of himself and other living Christians, of whom (as though he had foreseen this very evasion, and set himself to overturn it from the foundation) he flatly affirms, that not only at or after death, but in this world, they are as their Master, 1 John iv, 17. 28. Exactly agreeable to this are his words in the first chapter of this epistle, verse 5, &c, "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we walk in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." And again: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Now it is evident, the apostle here also speaks of a deliverance wrought in this world. For he saith not, the blood of Christ will cleanse at the hour of death, or in the day of judgment, but it "cleanseth," at the time present, "us," living Christians, "from all sin." And it is equally evident, that if any sin remain, we are not cleansed from all sin: if any unrighteousness remain in the soul, it is not cleansed from all unrighteousness. Neither let any sinner against his own soul say, that this relates to justification only, or the cleansing us from the guilt of sin; first, because this is confounding together what the apostle clearly distinguishes, who mentions first, to forgive us our sins, and then to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Secondly, because this is asserting justification by works, in the strongest sense possible; it is making all inward as well as outward holiness, necessarily previous to justification. For, if the cleansing, here spoken of, is no other than the cleansing us from the guilt of sin, then we are not cleansed from guilt, i. e. are not justified, unless on condition of walking in the light, as he is in the light. It remains then, that Christians are saved in this world from all sin, from all uurightcousness; that they are now in such a sense perfect as not to commit sin, and to be freed from evil thoughts and evil tempers. 29. Thus hath the Lord fulfilled the things he spake by his holy prophets, which have been since the world began;-by Moses in particular, saying, Deut. xxx, 6, I "will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul;"-by David, crying out, "Create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me;"-and most remarkably by Ezekiel, in those words: "Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and yc shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you;-and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall ke my judgments, and do them.-Ye shall be my people, and I will be your God. I will also save you from all your uncleannesses. Thus saith Le Lord God, In the day that I shall have cleansed you from all your iiquit es, the heathen shall know that I the Lord build the ruined pla ces-I the Lord have spoken it, and I will do it," Ezek. xxxvi, 25, &c. 30. "Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved," both in the law and in the prophets, and having the prophetic word confirmed unto as in the gospel, by our blessed Lord and his apostles; "let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." "Let us fear, lest [so many] promises being made us of entering into his rest, [which he that hath entered into, has ceased from his own works,] any of us should come short of it." This one thing let us do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, let us press towards the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus;" crying unto him day and night, till we also are "delivered from the bondage of corruption, into the glorious liberty of the sons of God!" THE PROMISE OF SANCTIFICATION. BY THE REV. CHARLES WESLEY. 1 GOD of all power, and truth, and grace, 2 Calmly to thee my soul looks up, 3 That I thy mercy may proclaim, 4 Chose from the world, if now I stand 5 Perform the work thou hast begun, 6 Thy sanctifying Spirit pour, To quench my thirst and wash me clean: 7 Purge me from every sinful blot; 8 Give me a new, a perfect heart, 9 Oh take this heart of stone away! Oh take away this heart of stone! 10 The hatred of my carnal mind VOL. I. 11 Within me thy good Spirit place, Spirit of health, and love, and power; 12 Cause me to walk in Christ my way, And perfectly perform thy will. 13 Hast thou not said, who canst not lie, They all are false; but thou art true. Thy word might to the utmost prove! The Canaan of thy perfect love! 16 From all remaining filth within 18 Sprinkle it, Jesus, on my heart. One drop of thy all cleansing blood 19 Father, supply my every need; Sustain the life thyself hast given; 20 The gracious fruits of righteousness, Nor let me ever hunger more. 21 Let me no more, in deep complaint, 22 The painful thirst, the fond desire, 23 Holy, and true, and righteous Lord, 24 Thy faithful mercies let me find, In which thou causest me to trust; 24 25 Show me how foul my heart hath been Display thy glory from above; SERMON XLI.-Wandering Thoughts. Bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ," 2 Cor. x, 5. 1. BUT will God so "bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ," that no wandering thought will find a place in the mind, even while we remain in the body? So some have vehemently maintained; yea, have affirmed, that none are perfected in love, unless they are so far perfected in understanding, that all wandering thoughts are done away; unless not only every affection and temper be holy, and just, and good, but every individual thought, which arises in the mind, be wise and regular. 2. This is a question of no small importance. For how many of those who fear God, yea, and love him, perhaps with all their heart, have been greatly distressed on this account! How many, by not understanding it right, have not only been distressed, but greatly hurt in their souls-cast into unprofitable, yea, mischievous reasonings, such as slackened their motion towards God, and weakened them in running the race set before them! Nay, many, through misapprehensions of this very thing, have cast away the precious gift of God. They have been induced, first to doubt of, and then to deny, the work God had wrought in their souls; and hereby have grieved the Spirit of God, till he withdrew and left them in utter darkness! 3. How is it, then, that amidst the abundance of books which have been lately published almost on all subjects, we should have none upon wandering thoughts? At least none that will at all satisfy a calm and serious mind? In order to do this in some degree, I purpose to inquire, I. What are the several sorts of wandering thoughts? II. What are the general occasions of them? III. Which of them are sinful, and which not? IV. Which of them we may expect and pray to be delivered from? I. 1. I purpose to inquire, first, What are the several sorts of wandering thoughts? The particular sorts are innumerable; but, in general, they are of two sorts: thoughts that wander from God; and thoughts that wander from the particular point we have in hand. |