_Know ye not your ownselves, how that JESUS CHRIST is in you,
except ye be Reprobates._
THE doctrines of the gospel are doctrines of peace, and they bring
comfort to all who believe in them; they are not like the law given by
_Moses_, which consisted of troublesome and painful ceremonies; neither
do they carry with them that terror which the law did; as, “cursed
is every one who continueth not to do all things which are written in
the book of the law:” If you were to keep the whole law, and break but
in one point, you are guilty of the breach of all. The law denounces
threatnings against all who do not conform to her strict commands; but
the gospel is a declaration of grace, peace and mercy; here you have an
account of the blood of CHRIST, blood which speaketh better things than
that of _Abel_; for _Abel_’s blood cried aloud for vengeance, vengeance:
But JESUS CHRIST’s crieth mercy, mercy, mercy upon the guilty sinner.
If he comes to CHRIST, confesses and forsakes his sin, then JESUS will
have mercy upon him: And if, my brethren, you are but sensible of your
sins, convinced of your iniquities, and feel yourselves lost, undone
sinners, and come and tell CHRIST of your lost condition, you will soon
find how ready he is to help you; he will give you his spirit; and if
you have his spirit you cannot be reprobates: you will find his spirit
to be quickening and refreshing; not like the spirit of the world, a
spirit of reproach, envy, and all uncharitableness.
Most of your own experiences will confirm the truth hereof; for are
not you reproached and slandered, and does not the world say all manner
of evil against you, merely because you follow JESUS CHRIST; because
you will not go to the same excess of riot with them? While they are
singing the songs of the drunkard, you are singing psalms and hymns:
while they are at a playhouse, you are hearing a sermon: while they are
drinking, revelling and mispending their precious time, and hastening
on their own destruction, you are reading, praying, meditating, and
working out your salvation with fear and trembling. This is matter
enough for a world to reproach you; you are not polite and fashionable
enough for them. If you will live godly, you must suffer persecution;
you must not expect to go through this world without being persecuted
and reviled. If you were of the world, the world would love you; for
it always loves its own; but if you are not of the world, it will
hate you; it has done so in all ages, it never loved any but those who
were pleased with its vanities and allurements. It has been the death
of many a lover of JESUS, merely because they have loved him: And,
therefore, my brethren, do not be surprized if you meet with a fiery
trial, for all those things will be a means of sending you to your
master the sooner.
The spirit of the world is hatred; that of CHRIST is love: the spirit
of the world is vexation; that of CHRIST is pleasure: the spirit of the
world is sorrow; that of CHRIST is joy: the spirit of the world is evil,
and that of CHRIST is good: the spirit of the world will never satisfy
us, but CHRIST’s spirit is all satisfaction: the spirit of the world
is misery; that of CHRIST is ease. In one word, the spirit of the world
has nothing lasting; but the spirit of CHRIST is durable, and will
last through an eternity of ages: the spirit of CHRIST will remove
every difficulty, satisfy every doubt, and be a means of bringing you
to himself, to live with him for ever and ever.
From the words of my text, I shall shew you,