PART THIRD. NATURE OF SANCTIFICATION-RENEWAL OF THE "And be renewed in the spirit of your mind."-EPH. iv. 23. HAVING Considered how every one who is in Christ is a new creature as to his thoughts, we proceeded to inquire into the renewal of his feelings; and having seen that his feelings are new, first, in regard to sin, and, secondly, to holiness, we now proceed to observe that In the third place, the feelings of the man who is in Christ Jesus are new in regard to God. The feelings of the natural man in regard to God, are different in different individuals. Some never seriously lift up their minds at all to the Great First Cause, to the Sovereign Ruler of the universe; and are without God in the world-or if the thought of the Most High does at times find a place in their breast, it soon passes away, without moving their feelings from a state of indifference. The thought of God arises in the mind of some, only to excite their fear or aversion. They conceive of him as a hard master, exacting an irksome and difficult service S frowning with unreasonable displeasure upon every departure from his law, and disallowing all the enjoyments upon which they have set their hearts. And there are some who form to their own minds the idea of a Supreme Being altogether different from what is revealed in the Scriptures; they think of his mercy as unconnected with justice and cannot believe that he is strict to mark iniquity—or that he will visit sin with final punishment. It would be endless to enumerate all the sentiments that are entertained in regard to the Almighty, by those who know him not in Christ. In general we may observe, that they are feeble in their nature, and inefficient in their operation; and in those instances where they exist in a greater degree, they are founded upon partial or erroneous views-views which are rather accommodated to the prevailing character of our own minds, than fitted to give the impress of their own form to our character. And without entering into a farther view of this part of the subject, that the feelings of the man who is in Christ are different from all these, will appear from the following considerations, namely, that his feelings in regard to God are new; first, in the principles in which they have their origin; secondly, in the views upon which they are founded; and, thirdly, in the extent to which they prevail. The feelings of the man who is in Christ are new in regard to God,-first, in the principle in which they have their origin. This principle is none other than the Holy Ghost. Of ourselves we are unable, not only to do what is right, but even to think or to feel as we ought, in regard to the Lord. We are by nature dead in trespasses and sins, and unless we are raised up from this spiritual sleep, we must be insensible to all the excellencies of the Divine character. Our Saviour expressly declares, that unless we are born again we cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven; and he represents the Holy Spirit as the agent in this regeneration. Our Saviour also elsewhere declares, that no one can come unto him unless the Father draw him; and the Spirit is, throughout the whole Scripture, held out as the operating principle by which the Father works in the application of his covenanted mercy. It was by that eternal Spirit that Jesus Christ was raised up from the dead; and we are taught that it is by the operation of the same Almighty power, that we, who are dead in sin, are raised up to the principles and the feelings of a new, even of a spiritual life. Now here is one essential difference between the feelings of the believer and of the unbeliever, in regard to God. In the one, whatever they may be, they are produced according to the workings of the natural mind; in the other they are produced by the efficacy of the Holy Ghost. Where the cause is so different, we may well believe that there is an essential difference in the effect also. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." The feelings which have their origin in the mere operations of our own minds, must partake of the corruption and imperfection of our minds; while those only which are produced by the Spirit of the Lord, can in any degree be worthy of their Author or of their object. And here we would observe, that if there are any of you who are conscious that your heart is not right towards God, and are desirous of loving him with that love which he requires, it is essential to the success of your endeavours that you should bear in mind these truths. You cannot arrive at the love of God by the exertion of your own unaided powers. You will meet with nothing but disappointment, therefore, if in your own might you make the endeavour. You may indeed force your attention to the subject, and you may even perhaps succeed in kindling up within you some liveliness of emotion; but it will either prove feeble and transient, or deceitful and pernicious. The carnal mind is enmity against God; and to convert this state of enmity into a state of love, is a work beyond the compass of human power. Love to God is the gift of God; and if there be any of you who desire to be animated with this holy principle, you must begin at first by asking God to bestow upon you his holy Spirit, the first of whose fruits is love. You must begin at first with dependence upon his aid, and you must always bear in mind, that as the divine life must at first be implanted, so it must constantly be maintained, by the divine energy. Let it not be supposed, however, that the Spirit operates in a miraculous manner. Means are employed by him in his divine operations. Our Lord tells us, that He takes the things that are his, and shows them to us,-affecting our minds through their instrumentality. And elsewhere we are told, that it is by the Word of truth that the work of sanctification is effected. These means, however, are altogether different from those which the natural man has recourse to, and, therefore, we go on to observe that In the second place, the feelings of the man who is in Christ are new, in regard to God, from the views upon which they are founded. The natural man, even in the most favourable instances, looks upon God only as the Creator, Preserver, and Governor, but never as the Redeemer of mankind. It is in this latter character, however, that the man who is in Christ views the Most High ;-as the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and as "so loving the world, that he sent his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life." It is as the Author of a "covenant well ordered in all things, and sure," that he especially regards the Most High; and as "reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing unto them their trespasses." In Christ Jesus, all the attributes of God are seen in glorious harmony. Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other: infinite wisdom to deviseinfinite power to accomplish-and "a height and depth, a length and breadth of love that passeth knowledge." Not that he overlooks the manifestation of the divine attributes in the works of creation and providence-far from it. These also form the subject of his constant contemplation; but then he views them in subordination to the purposes of the Lord in his Covenant of Grace, and in this connexion there is a constant exercise of the highest powers of his nature, in seeing how all things work |