Page images
PDF
EPUB
[ocr errors]

faith concerning Christ, are the very thoughts of a man's own heart; so he is, so he thinks, so he acts, even as he believes. Gospel truths cannot enter into our rational nature at any other door than that of faith; and when they are understood and believed as the truths of God, there needs nothing else to turn that soul unto God. Every man is as his faith is. Faith contains the true inward sense of the soul about Jesus Christ and God is the author and finisher of this faith, and understood to be so by all true believers. Faith is the main thing in conversion. Christ is the same in himself, both before and after conversion, and so are all gospel truths the same in themselves; only, before conversion they are not believed and felt, and after conversion they are both believed and felt. It is faith makes all the difference; and the principal thing in faith, is the power of God in working it.”*

A man cannot enjoy colours without sight, nor music without hearing, nor a savoury scent without smelling, nor food without eating, nor any other external object, without the use of such bodily senses as are suitable to the nature of it; and no more is Christ revealed in the soul without faith, which embraces him in the record of God; even as the serpent in the wilderness was beheld upon the pole where Moses fixed it.

Fourthly, I shall now attend to a few objections against this view of regeneration, by means of faith or believing in Christ; whereby the sinner passes from a state of death, to a state of life and salvation in the last Adam.

* Mr. Thomas Cole's Discourse of Christian Religion, p. 14-17.

Obj. 1. According to this view of the matter, there seems to be little or no difference between union to Christ, and the new birth. Answ. I do not apprehend it is either safe or useful to a Christian, to pretend to much precision in distinguishing where there is not much difference. In the present case, there is very great affinity; so great, that it is as hard to tell wherein they differ, as to describe the difference between the in-being of a branch in a vine, and the life it has in the vine. Vital union to Christ seems particularly to relate to the enjoyment believers have of him, as he is revealed in the declarations of the gospel, for all the purposes of their salvation. Regeneration seems to refer more directly to the glorious change that is made by this enjoyment of Christ, whereby they are translated from their natural state into a state of salvation, as members of Christ's body, of his flesh, and of his bones. By union they become partakers of Christ; and by regeneration they become conformed to his image, in knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness.

Obj. 2. If sinners are born again by means of faith, then faith is before regeneration; or the soul acts spiritually, before it is changed, and possessed of spiritual principles. Answ. This objection is unanswerable upon their scheme, who consider a certain implanted principle of grace, distinct from Christ himself dwelling in the heart by faith, as the thing that is meant by the new man, or the new creature;

*

* The reader will find a solid and convincing demonstration of the error and danger of this speculative notion; in Marshall's Gospel Mystery of Sanctification; particularly, on the 3d, 4th, and 5th Directions.

and who regard faith as the act or exercise of this implanted habit, or inherent principle. Every vir tuous act proceeds from a virtuous principle; and it is a contradiction to pretend, that an act of obedience can be performed without a principle of obedience. The tree must be first good, and then the fruit will be good also. A sinner must be renewed, and must put on the new man, before he can please God in a holy walk and conversation, that becometh the gospel of Christ. But if regeneration is a change of a sinner's state by the enjoyment of Christ, producing a change of his mind and affections from the principles of that new state; it is evident, this change can only exist where Christ is enjoyed, and is only so enjoyed by the belief of the divine record, wherein God giveth eternal life to sinners, and this life in his Son. The scope of the seventh direction in Marshall's Gospel Mystery of Sanctification, is to prove, that "we are not to imagine that our hearts and lives must be changed from sin to holiness in any measure, before we may safely venture to trust on Christ for the sure enjoyment of himself and his salvation." "In illustrating that direction, he says, "Regeneration is necessary to salvation, and therefore many would find it wrought in themselves before they trust on Christ for their salvation. But consider what regeneration is. It is a new begetting or creating us in Christ, in whom we are made partakers of a divine nature, far different from that nature which we received from the first Adam.” Now, faith is the uniting grace whereby Christ dwelleth in us, and we in him, as hath been showed and thereinh fore it is the first grace wrought in our regeneration,

and the means of all the rest. When you truly believe, you are regenerated, and not till then. Those that receive Christ by believing, and those only, are the sons of God," which are born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.?" After all, we do maintain, as the objection states it, that faith is before regeneration; but that the sinner in believing on Christ, is changed into his image, and "sealed with his Spirit," even as an Israelite lived, when he beheld the brazen serpent, and as a person becomes wise or skilful in any branch of useful science, not after he has understood it, but in understanding it.

[ocr errors]

Obj. 3. If sinners are born again by means of faith, or believing on Christ, will it not follow, that the soul is active in its new birth, or in regeneration? Answ. "The gospel is the power of God unto salvation, to every one that believeth;" its faithful declarations, and precious promises, are "spirit and life." The Spirit of truth sets the great things of the law and gospel of God in a strong, clear, and convincing light before the mind; whereby the sinner is made to perceive their certainty, their importance, and interesting nature. Upon this view of them, the soul acquiesces in the revealed will of God, and appropriates Christ, his unspeakable gift, in that revelation; but the power of God in that word is the alone agent in accomplishing the whole of this gracious change; and, for this reason, the gospel is called "the arm of the Lord," " the power of God," and if the rod of his strength. An Israelite lived, when he beheld the serpent Moses lifted up in the wilderness. He could not live without beholding it,

66

after he had been bitten by the fiery serpents; but whenever he beheld the brazen serpent, in beholding it he became a sound and living man. In like manner, the sinner that believeth in Christ, in beholding his glory, as revealed in the gospel, is changed into his image; but by what influence or power?— by his own act, or by any virtue or efficacy of his own faith? Not at all; but by the Spirit of the Lord in that gospel, wherein he beholds the glory of the Lord.

are sin.

REFLECTIONS.

1. "They that are in the flesh cannot please God." They are under the guilt of sin, and the curse of the law; are subject to the power of Satan, and influenced by evil propensities. Their praying and hearing, their alms, and even their ploughing, All they can do in their natural state, proceeds from a corrupt principle, and is directed to a bad end. Sometimes they may do "that which is right in the sight of the Lord," for the matter of it; but, being in the flesh, they can never do it with a "perfect heart." It is altogether impossible they can either be holy or happy, while they are "dead in trespasses," and "children of wrath."

2. There is a most real and important change made in the state, nature, and life of every sinner that is born of God. He that had been dead, is quickened together with Christ; he that was a child of disobedience, is made accepted in the Beloved; he that was a child of wrath, is loved, and finds inercy in Jesus Christ; he that was a child of the

« PreviousContinue »