VOL. II. No. 10. THE NATIONAL PREACHER. Go-Teach all Nations.-Matt. xxviii. 19. NEW-YORK, MARCH, 1828. SERMON XXXII. By ALEXANDER V. GRISWOLD, D. D. BRISTOL, R. I. BISHOP OF THE EASTERN DIOCESE. THE MALADY AND PHYSICIAN OF THE SOUL. LUKE, V. 31.-They that are whole need not a physician. THE variety of language, by which the knowledge of salvation in Jesus Christ is conveyed to our understanding, is pleasing and wonderful. The pardon of our sins, and justification through his merits, are represented under many metaphors, or images of temporal things, familiar to our minds, and affecting to our hearts. Sometimes we are represented as in bondage, from which the Lord from heaven is offered as our Deliverer. Our natural, sinful state is also compared to sleep, and his voice is heard calling us to awake. At other times we are viewed as dead, dead in trespasses and sins, from which deplorable state, his power alone can raise us to spiritual and immortal life. In the text, our moral turpitude is aptly compared to those mortal diseases, which often and painfully afflict our bodies, and eventually destroy our lives. Still Christ is offered as our Saviour; he now appears as a Physician, infinitely skilled, and sent from heaven to our relief. The merits of his blood, and his power to save the soul, are by this figure beautifully illustrated. In the Gospel history we learn that Matthew, who is also named Levi, soon after he was called to be an apostle of Christ, made him a great feast in his own house, and invited many of the publicans, or tax-gatherers, and others of those whom the Jews called sinners; with whom Jesus sat down to meat. By taking leave of the world in this public manner, Matthew intended, probably, to show, how cheerfully and with what a willing mind he resigned all its gains and its pleasures, for a better kingdom; and to give his friends an opportunity of knowing that Divine Lord to whom his future hours were to be devoted. He hoped, too, by taking this solemn leave of his former associates, to make some salutary impression upon their minds, and induce them to follow his example. But it had an effect upon the Scribes and Pharisees widely different from his charitable intentions. Ever disposed to justify themselves, and condemn all who differed from them, the pure doctrines of the Saviour had no good effect upon their hearts :-they were engaged rather in observing wherein he departed from their own customs, and of course they censured him for eating and drinking with publicans and sinners. It was on this occasion that Jesus spake as recorded in our text, and in the corresponding passages of Matthew and Mark. Hearing their censorious observations, he said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. Go ye and learn what that meaneth,—I will have mercy and not sacrifice; for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. These words were remarkably applicable to the occasion on which he used them. They contain a very delicate, and yet severe reproof of the murmuring Scribes and Pharisees ;-of their self righteousness, and vain notions of holiness and perfection: and at the same time, they contain a full justification, and more than justification of Jesus' associating with sinners. These words show that he was wise, and good, and merciful. Sinners were the men who needed a Saviour, and whom he came to save. As they only who are sick, have need of a physician; so they only who are morally depraved, who have done evil in God's sight, and are condemned by his righteous law, have need of some meritorious Intercessor, who can make expiation for their transgressions, and reconcile them to God. To such only, with any propriety, could a Saviour be sent. Supposing that there were among mankind any, such as the Pharisees thought themselves to be, perfectly righteous, with them a Redeemer had no concern. And accordingly our Lord tells them, "I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” And while he was occupied in this very charitable office; while he was taking suitable measures to renovate the hearts of men, and reclaim the wicked from the error of their way; while he was laying the foundation of his everlasting Gospel, and preparing the way for the salvation of a world, he was certainly acting a part acceptable to that God, who, as the Jews could not deny, had declared by his prophet Hosea, that he would have mercy and not sacrifice;—that he was more pleased with deeds of kindness and love, than with such external rites and ceremonial observances as those on which the Jews chiefly founded their claim to perfection. To those murmuring Jews, and self-righteous Pharisees, who censured their Saviour for associating with publicans and sinners, his words before us had of course particular application. But the very important doctrine which they so forcibly express, is of general concern, and merits our very serious consideration. The words clearly imply, THAT MAN IS SPIRITUALLY DISEASED; and THAT HE NEEDS A DIVINE PHYSICIAN. I. The former of these propositions-That man is spiritually diseased that mankind are all in a state of moral depravity-is a doctrine, humiliating indeed, but exceedingly essential-lying at the foundation of Gospel truth. It would be but wasting words and time to spend them in proving that our Lord intended this as the character of our whole race. When he says the whole need not a physician,-and that he came not to call the righteous to repentance, he evidently does not mean that any are whole, or perfectly righteous, but the contrary. That "the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth," we are told by him who knows the hearts of all men. He came to call sinners to repentance; and we know well that the scriptures "conclude all under sin," and that God in his word "calls all men every where to repent.” So full is our Bible of this doctrine,—so evidently and so much are we taught that mankind are by nature in a state unholy,-opposed to moral rectitude, and to the laws and the eternal attributes of the Deity, that some atonement must be made for sin, and accepted by sinners, before they can be accounted righteous in God's sight, and enjoy immortal blessedness;-so evidently, I say, is this doctrine taught in the holy scriptures, that when I name my subject, it is natural for you to think it unnecessary it is natural, for you especially who are called Christians, to view it as declaring a self-evident truth; as teaching what every one knows ; -as repeating what you already a hundred times have heard. But until we can make men feel that they are not whole,—that they are in perishing need of a Divine Physician,—we have done nothing. Even though we induce them to become professors of religion, and receive the sacraments, they will not be truly Christians, nor will their hearts be renewed with holy affections, till they are made sensible of their moral depravity,sensible that they have no health in them. No man can possibly realize the worth of a Saviour, nor be duly thankful to God for his astonishing mercy in Jesus Christ, till he feels that he is indeed a sinful creature ;—that he cannot for any merits of his own be rewarded or received as righteous. When have you known any one to appear deeply interested in the Gospel message; when have you known any one to feel any thing like an ardent gratitude to the Saviour, and to view him as infinitely precious, till he has first felt himself to be a miserable sinner? And, on the other hand, have you ever known one-who felt himself to be justly condemned by the righteous law of God and who became truly and deeply penitent, that did not also rejoice in this Saviour? that did not appear to be sensible that Jesus is infinitely precious? No one ever did truly receive and rejoice in the doctrines of Christ, till the Divine Spirit "convinced him of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment." And it is very remarkable, and it clearly shows the truth and excellence of this doctrine, that no other preaching but this, of Christ crucified for our sins, and offered as the Physician of our souls, has ever had much effect, in awakening souls to repentance, and producing the fruits of a new and holy life. But where the Gospel is preached in its purity, even among the heathen, this pure, heavenly doctrine of a Saviour, "by whose stripes we are healed" has, far more than any other, produced conviction, changed the heart, and reformed the life. When a faithful and celebrated minister of Christ, a missionary among "the heathen of the East, was preaching from those impressive words, The blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin, a Hindoo pilgrim, who had been condemned to travel several bundred miles with spikes in his sandals, to expiate some crime, came, faint and weary, to the spot, and, hearing these blessed words of eternal life, eagerly exclaimed; That is what I want; and instantly throwing away his instruments of torture, became the faithful convert of the Redeemer." ""* Many similar instances have occurred in the course of missionary labours, And it is chiefly by what the wisdom of the world calls "the foolishness of preaching," that we can ever hope to be instrumental in reforming the lives and saving the souls of men. They that are whole, our Lord declares, need not a physician. But of this character is no soul of Adam's race. Our hope is not in justice, but in mercy. And this faithful saying, "that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners,"-is worthy of all acceptation. But worthy as this is to be received of all men, with many it " is a harð saying," and they have not ears to "hear it." Pride will sooner feel any thing than its own faults or imperfections. When reason is convinced, the heart often remains unconvicted. In very many cases this truth of man's depravity is acknowledged where it is not felt. Though all complain much of human wickedness: though we shudder at the enormous iniquity which prevails in the world: though interest and friendship can scarce inspire us with mutual confidence, and the chief subjects of our tongues and our pens are the failings and the faults of others; still with great difficulty do we realize that we are in the same condemnation. Divine Providence permitted, that the depravity of man,-his proneness to idolatry and other sins,—should be remarkably and very strikingly exemplified in the conduct of his chosen people Israel, while under His special care and government. Their continual perverseness, disobedience, and rebellion, while the Lord himself was their Protector and their King, demonstrated that the heart of man was radically evil. The history of that extraordinary people is held up as a mirror to the world, that all may see what manner of men they are. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh :" *Chris: Obser. Vol. v. p. 81. that which flows from a polluted fountain will ever be unclean. What nations or individuals, since the world began, have turned from sin to holiness, and from idols to the true God, without his gracious interposition to convince them of sin, and awaken them to righteousness? Some have had their minds prejudiced against this doctrine, from the very inconsistent notions which have been advanced on the subject of total depravity. Inferences too have been drawn from this subject, which neither reason nor scripture will justify. But truth is not less certain or less important, because mistaken or misrepresented. It is certain, that we are totally destitute of spiritual health: that from nature we inherit no moral excellence that every passion and every affection of the heart is contaminated by sin; and that every part of our moral nature is corrupt. The best deeds that we perform, without the assistance of God's grace, are imperfect, and "have in them the nature of sin." : A man, to be convinced of this doctrine, need but to observe the state of his affections, and what passes in his own mind. There we find a selfishness inconsistent with the rights of others. There we find propensities repugnant to holiness and purity of heart. There we find a natural aversion to spiritual things,-to the saving doctrines of Jesus Christ. And on the other hand, how natural, how predominant, how ardent, how unconquerable are our affections to the world! The most trivial vanities captivate the soul; while eternal realities are disregarded or despised. Can such a state of mind be a state of health? Can that heart be whole, which is alive to every thing but to HIM who is the life of all things? Can they be whole, who have the least delight in what is most profitable? who give their money for that which is not bread, and labour for that which satisfieth not? who think only of a life which they soon must leave, and disregard that which is everlasting? Some there are, who pretend to reason against this doctrine, by saying that God would not make a race of beings, and permit his workmanship to be marred, and his creatures to depart from the state of holiness in which he first placed them. But who ever reasoned thus in other cases? Did ever a sick man quiet his fears with such an argument? Does he ever say, that God would not make a body so wonderfully organized, and then permit it to be wasted with disease, and come to dissolution? The same wise Creator, who is the author of your spiritual nature, is also the author of your animal frame. And if he permit the body to sicken and to perish, may he not permit the soul to depart from righteousness and lose its spiritual health? God has in his goodness provided physicians for the body; and you gladly receive their medicine, and avail yourself of their skill and power to heal. Though you know not the reason, nor see the justice of your sickness, you carefully use the means of relief. And why re |