_Ye are our Epistle written in our hearts_, _known and read of all
men_. _For as much as ye are manifestly declared to be the Epistle
of Christ ministered by us_, _written_, _not with ink_, _but with the
spirit of the Living God_,—_not in tables of stone_, _but in fleshy
tables of the heart_.
THE Epistle out of which this Text is selected, was with the one
proceeding it, written to the Church of Jesus at Corinth; many of the
Lord’s elect people were in this place, and the Apostle Paul was sent
here to proclaim the glad tidings of salvation; the Lord was graciously
with him, and gave testimony to the word of his grace, those who received
the truth, being knit together in spirit, formed themselves into a body.
Among them the Apostle abode two years and then departed. Soon after his
departure he heard of their dissentions; defections in doctrines and
ordinances, luxury, intemperance, uncleanness, and abuses of their
religious liberties, litigious law suits and irregularities in their
public assemblies, he writes this Epistle to correct them, to warn,
instruct, and direct in all important subjects. False teachers made sad
work among them likewise; endeavouring to set their minds against the
Apostle to bring him into contempt that his ministry might lose its
efficacy, and also to misrepresent his doctrine, as tending to
licentiousness, whereas there was nothing but the violation of law and
conscience, the effect of their ministry and which is to be seen to this
day amongst most teachers of the law such as direct their hearers to the
law instead of Jesus, as the law fulfiller:—these in general are full of
wrath, bitterness, pride, and carnal enmity, and though great advocates
for holiness and good works never perform any without making it well
known, that they may have to plead in the last day:—“Lord, Lord, have we
not done many wonderful works?” However the Apostle in this second
epistle triumphs, that his ministry is a sweet savour to God; to some it
would terminate in their present salvation, to others add to their
condemnation for rejecting it. Then he levels his artillery at those
false apostles, who had formed themselves into a body and gave letters of
recommendation to one another to the Churches where they went, they could
go no where without these letters. But Paul and every true Apostle
needed not such recommendation.
“Do we begin again to commend ourselves to you, or need we, as some
others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from
you?” No, ye are our epistles; you were written on our hearts, we
travailed in spirit for your conversion, and all could see the change
made in you, it was so clearly manifested to be the writing of Christ,
which we preach; the impressions made on you could not be erased from the
mind, and which will be seen in the last great day. So runs the Text
which we will proceed to notice in the following order: first, the
writing; secondly, the means; thirdly, its publicity: “Ye are our
epistles written in our hearts, known and read of all men.” We shall
first consider the writing. First, the writing: Our covenant, God has
promised that he will write his laws on the hearts of his people; that he
will write on them his new name and the city of God. These blessings in
the heart are the writings he himself will own it is his own image and
the superscription to this image all the elect people of God are divinely
predestinated; there never was but one image in which the great Jehovah
expressed his delight, namely, “Behold, my servant whom I uphold, mine
elect in whom my soul delighteth.” This is the image and all others he
will surely despise: this image is the pattern model exemplar, it is
Christ’s holy nature and as the elect head of his family, possessing all
divine and human excellencies, graces and qualifications; these
excellencies shining in the human nature even in the seven-fold
operations of the holy spirit that was upon him, this was the image in
which God made man: “in the image of God made he man.” In this he
delighted even from eternity, for Adam was formed the shadow of him that
was to come, from this image Adam fell, and to this we are brought again
by the renewing influences of the Holy Ghost: hence the Apostle says, we
all with open face beholding as in a glass, the glory of the Lord are
changed into the same image, this image the Apostle declares is wisdom,
righteousness and true holiness, it is an experimental knowledge of Jesus
and a covenant God in him. Our dear Lord is called wisdom. God made man
and endued him with wisdom and we are made wise unto salvation, through
faith in Christ Jesus, this image is love; the Saviour is love also; Adam
had it, and it is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost given to
us; this image is righteousness: this is another name our Lord bears; in
righteousness the first Adam was created and our privilege is to know
that in the Lord we have righteousness and strength; this image is true
holiness, it is the holy spirit that makes a man holy a spirit of light,
life and love, this holy spirit breathed into Adam the breath of
life,—rested on the Redeemer and takes up its abode in every believer’s
heart—all holiness besides this is false—this is writing on us, this is
stamping the image of Jesus: love to this image wherever we see it,
evidences we are passed from death unto life;—this image which Christ
bears, he stamped on the hearts of his Apostles; the church being
converted through their ministry having this image communicated to their
souls, are called their children, for this the Apostles travailed in
spirit till Christ was formed in them the hope of glory. Second, the
writing in my Text is not only the image of God, but also the words of
truth which these men preached,—hence Paul says in the Text, this writing
was ministered by us, these words are of Divine Authority, they were
first received of the Father, by the Lord Jesus in the everlasting
Covenant; during our Lord’s Ministry upon the earth they were applied to
the hearts of the Apostles; hence the Redeemer says, in John xvii. “I
have given them the words thou gavest me, and they have believed thou
didst send me.” The Saviour received the Father’s Mind and Will
concerning the elect and their salvation; this was written on his heart,
then copied off in the word, and afterwards wrote on the hearts of God’s
Ministers, and through them conveyed to the hearts of God’s elect with
power:—the Will of the Father is made known to Christ as Mediator,—the
Saviour makes it known in his word by his spirit, and ministers to God’s
children. Thus it appears, what is in Christ’s human nature, is to be
found in all his people, and what the Father has made known to him, he
has kindly revealed to us,—this appears the sense of the writing in the
Text, the love of God shed abroad in the heart, and the word having an
abiding place in the soul, producing its glorious fruits to his honor;
these are the laws written within, not on tables of stone, which could
receive no lively impression, but on the new hearts, God has promised to
give his people:—I come secondly, to shew the means, “written by us.”
Those who receive the truth in the love of it are compared to epistles or
letters wrote which contain the mind and will of God, and it is evident
there must be pen, paper, and ink. To this the Apostle alludes; here the
minister is compared to a pen, to shew their meaness, their entire
dependance, and that they cannot act to any good purpose only as they are
led; as pens, they must be shaped, formed, cut on purpose, simple means,
yet accomplishing great ends, no merit due, yet useful, pleasant, and
prized as it suits the purpose, hard or soft, giving broad or fine
strokes, often wants nibbing or mending, used to write on various
subjects, charges, sentences, consolations, love, promises, and
pardons:—this is a fit emblem of the ministers of the gospel in their
different gifts, as called and qualified by the Great Head of the church.
Some of the most simple, mean, and obscure characters have been employed
in this service of Jesus in the great work of the ministry. Elisha, from
following the plough, David, the sheep, and Amos from the herds, Peter,
and the other Apostles from their fishing-boats, John Bunyan from mending
kettles, and William Huntington from the coal barge: and Paul declares
that God has chosen the base things to confound the wise, that no flesh
should glory in his presence. Such ministers are cut and formed for the
work; cut also from the from of Godliness, from fleshly confidences, from
dependance, or any thing short of the Almighty minister in the Church.
By trials, by divine light, life and love, by knowledge and wisdom they
are formed and furnished in heart, head, and tongue. Hence Paul says,
God has made us ministers of the New Testament, and spiritual counsel in
the heart of such men, is as deep water, and men of understanding shall
draw it out. This makes their tongue like the pen of a ready writer,
whilst their hearts teach their mouths and adds learning to their lips;
by such means the spirit has accomplished the external designs of
Jehovah, in bringing souls to the knowledge of a dear Saviour; hence the
Prophet predicts the glorious effects of converting grace: they shall
beat their swords into plough-shares, and their spears into pruning
hooks;—this may be seen in Paul, and many others who have been
persecutors, whose hearts and tongues have been afterwards used in
turning up the ground of sinner’s hearts, and employed in God’s vintage.
No merit is due to the greatest preacher in the world, for he is nothing
but as he is made, used and guided any more than a pen; hence the
acknowledgement of one minister, for all I laboured more abundantly than
they all, yet not I but the grace God; we must speak as the spirit of God
gives us utterance, and as we are led into the truths of God’s most holy
word, nor can we go but as we are led;—whence the promise, he shall guide
you into all truths; all means must be used by the minister; it is the
spirit alone can bless in public and private; God giveth the increase, as
pens differ, so do the ministers of God in their knowledge and ability,
having different gifts, some give broad, others fine strokes, some cry an
alarm in God’s holy mountains, others speak more comfortably. “He that
believeth not shall be damned,” “except a man be born again he cannot
enter into the kingdom of God:” these are broad strokes indeed; others
are commanded to cry unto her that her iniquity is pardoned, to shew the
richess of grace and mercy in the salvation of the soul, the covenant
love, ancient counsels, the glorious end of the law, and the unspeakable
efficacy of the blood of the lamb:—some are capacitated to explain
mysterious passages in the word; mysterious experience of grace and
providence; such are sons of consolation, all these worketh that one, and
the self-same spirit that divideth to every man severally as he will. As
pens, we often want mending, we are apt to get dull when God is pleased
to cut us, that we may be the more useful to others; if we are afflicted,
it is for your consolation; this appears hard to us,—but faith bows with
adoring submission, when the head fall into the water. The Prophet cut
down a stick and cast it into the water also, which brought it up again;
so the Lord appoints that his ministers should dive deep into
tribulations to bring out his dear elect people. These pens are used to
write charges and sentences. So Peter charged the blood of Christ to the
consciences of his hearers; and Paul declares if the Gospel be hid, be it
hid to them that are lost. The Saviour said whatsoever they bind on
earth should be bound in heaven. Pens are used to write on subjects of
consolation, pardons, and promises, and these glad tidings we are to
proclaim to the broken and contrite hearts of God’s people; these must be
held in his hands and used at his pleasure to accomplish his good will of
purpose and promise. These must in time be wore out and laid aside,
affecting thought, yet glorious prospect. Your Fathers, where are they,
and do the Prophets live for ever? Death worketh in us, but life in you,
as candles that waste away their bodies in giving light to others. This
the Prophet saw in the vision of Cherubims, when they stood they let down
their wings. I have often admired the wisdom of God in the
qualifications of his dear ministers. Let not one minister envy, oppose
or speak against another, every one will and must do his own work; they
can never do the work of another. Here I must introduce a beautiful
though simple, yet just and candid remark of Mr. Huntington, in his book
called the Qualifications of a Minister, page 316. “The Lord’s army in
London is marshalled in three ranks; there are some professing nobility
and gentry; these being learned, God sends gentlemen of eminent learning
to preach to them:—the second rank consists chiefly of mechanics of good
education, and God sends mechanics to preach to them: the third
battallion consists of servants, journeyman, a great number of old chair
women, together with some scavengers, lamp-lighters, and hod-men.” Now,
you and I must be standard bearers to this battallion of light infantry,
and we are protected by the same laws, fight under the same banner, and
are no less beloved of the same king; our temporal pay may be less, put
perhaps our spiritual pay is more. “Ye are our epistle written on our
hearts,” the paper on which these things are written. Christ and his
word are the writing; the Apostle says it is the heart; I will write my
laws on their hearts;—hence the prayer, Lord have mercy upon us and write
all these thy laws on our hearts we beseech thee? The first law wrote on
the heart is the moral law; this is sent home to shew us our sin and
danger, to point out our state, and make us feel our guilt. By the law
is the knowledge of sin; I had not known it but for the law; under this
tuition we are, till Jesus proclaims liberty from its curse and bondage,
then we are at liberty to serve him as sons and not as slaves, in imputed
righteousness, in the spirit of holiness and in filial fear. This is the
design of the liberty of the Gospel: Christ formed in the heart—faith
wrought, there embracing the atonement, purifying the conscience, whilst
a good hope through grace leads and animates us with the purity of mind
and conduct; this is the writing on the heart, not merely in the head or
outward conduct. A man may have clear notions and a moral conduct, and
yet nothing of this writing on the heart, because destitute of the new
heart itself. This new heart are the faculties of the soul under the
divine influence of the holy spirit. This is the paper or parchment; the
understanding is enlightened, the will bent on God-ward, the affections
led to Jesus, the thoughts occupied about divine things, and the
conscience renewed quickened and made tender. On this heart these
impressions are made for ever, the ink used, is the gracious influence of
the spirit;—not literal ink, or the ink of human eloquence, nor merely
moving the passions or affecting the body; but, the sacred powerful
workings of the Holy Ghost; hence the Apostle calls it the demonstration
of the spirit; the Saviour calls it shewing the things that are his: this
is done in such power as proves it the work of God. All other religion
but that which is attended with this power will fall to nothing like the
lamps of the foolish virgins. This accounts for the apostacy of many who
have run well for a time and then stopped for ever; what the spirit wrote
on us can never be broken, or washed off, or erased, it may at times be
hid from the possessor and from others, but it will be seen again when
the Saviour shines, for it is in his light we are light; the hand that
begun this letter will also finish it: hence the Apostle says, he was
confident, that he who had begun the good work would finish it. Our
spiritual Zerubabel whose hands begun to build, his hands will also
finish it. God’s yea and amen in the eternal covenant is manifested in
the hearts of all God’s elect people: hence he says;—yea, I have loved
thee; this shed abroad in the heart is the spirit’s amen; the believer is
thus fitted for glory by a principle of love to and delight in God,
Father, Son and Spirit. This letter must be sealed; the seal upon this
letter is the secret yet assuring influences of the spirit: hence the
Apostle says, after that ye believed ye were sealed with the holy spirit
of promise; the church is called a fountain sealed, and God seals his
law, his new covenant blessings; 1st among his disciples; this sealing is
intended to shew that what passes between God and the soul is kept a
secret from others:—2nd. the security of these blessings, none can rob us
of them, they are secured to us:—3rd the assurance of interest in these
mercies; this secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, and he will
shew them his covenant the work of God on the heart, agreeing with the
word, the spirit blesses us with a holy confidence that our experience is
genuine, that Jesus is ours, and we are his, that we are interested in
the promises of a faithful God, and we believe and are _sure_, that when
he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.
This is the seal, the secret, the hidden, the deep the sure things of
God; this makes known to us his love, it is his own mark,—his own
seal,—our security from the vengeance of the Almighty, when his
desolating judgment go through the land,—our security from eternal death,
and secures our redemption from the grave. Grieve not, the holy spirit
whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption;—truly dreadful and
presumptuous, are those who attempt to imitate this seal of the spirit;
particularly a certain pretended Prophetess who attempts to seal those
who embrace her lies, by writing certain words, and assuring her deluded
followers they are to be made heirs of God, and joint-heirs of Christ;
whereas the Lord’s elect Have been made so from all eternity, and it is
the blessed work of the holy spirit to assure the conscience of its
eternal security in Christ.—Not written on a piece of paper which may be
lost, stolen, worn out, or burnt, but the seal of the spirit will stand
for ever.
“When the last fire burns all things here,
These letters shall securely stand,
And in the Lamb’s fair book appear,
Wrote by the Eternal Father’s hand.”
We notice the direction on it, to our Lord Jesus Christ, the Covenant
Elect Head, the Redeemer and Saviour of poor lost sinners, whose I am by
gift, by purchase, by power, by conquest, and dedication, first presented
to him by the adorable Father in the counsels of peace; then by the
eternal spirit at my conversion, and having his image written on my soul.
I am directed to him as my owner, my portion, my master, my eternal
all,—from him I derived my spiritual life; to him I am devoted, I am his
sole property and shall be to him a praise, a glory and honour according
as he purposed from all eternity that I should be to the praise and glory
of his own grace, formed for himself, to shew forth his praise, this is
the direction written by the spirit, and as the soul now rises often to
him in sweet affection, so it will at death, when the writing is
finished, and to all eternity rivers of love, joy, and satisfaction will
flow from him to his dear elect, so it will sweetly return to him again.
“The place from whence the rivers flow,
Thither they return again.”
Those who will carry these letters home and deliver them to whom they are
directed, are doubtless the elect angels,—these attend the church of God
individually from the moment of their birth, till their glorification.
The promise of the Father to Jesus, as the head belongs to the body, he
shall give his angels charge concerning thee to keep thee in all thy
ways. At our conversion they rejoice,—on the ministry of the gospel they
attend,—round the dying beds of God’s people they wait,—till they perform
the last act of friendship to their souls, by conducting them through
into the hands and glory of their Lord. “It came to pass the beggar died
and was carried by angels into Abraham’s Bosom.” They will doubtless be
employed in the resurrection of the body, hence the command, “gather the
wheat into my barns.”
“They leave the dust, and on the wing,
Rise to the middle air;
In shining garments meet their King,
And now adore him there.
O may my humble spirit stand,
Amongst them cloth’d in white;
The meanest place at his right hand,
Is infinite delight.”
Third. Its publicity,—known and read of all men. Ye who have been
called out of darkness into marvellous light by our ministry, and show
forth his praises who has called you by a separation from the world, by a
change of principle and practice. You have been observed, and thousands
have seen the change, and wondered at the cause; they knew what you once
were; they see what you now are; they gaze, they are astonished, and
obliged to acknowledge the change;—many hate it, though they cannot but
own it is the finger of God. The Deist ridicules this work as
enthusiasm;—the Libertine as mere bigotry;—he learned consider it as
foolishness;—the Pharisee considers the principles which produce these
effects as antinomian, though they have produced such glorious
consequences and it is very remarkable that in all ages the great work of
the Holy Ghost has been the subject of ridicule of its professed
votaries. And even in the present day some have called it mental
intoxication. But this work upon the soul produces in its happy
possessor the faith of God’s elect; a good hope through grace,—fervent
love to God,—unfeigned humility and gospel charity or love to the
household of faith,—it reclaims it converts,—it turns a man’s feet to
God’s testimonies enables him to deal justly with God, by making use of
the work of Christ,—to deal justly with man in all his outward actions,
and whilst his faith receives the Saviour’s obedience as the end of the
law, he loves that law of Ten commandments after the inward man, (for by
faith, love and obedience in the spirit every law of God is fulfilled in
him), and by him receiving the atonement in his conscience, the
ceremonial law is fulfilled in its design, embracing the obedience of
Christ, the moral law is fulfilled in him; the laws of faith, love,
liberty, kindness and peace are all manifested to him, and he loves them
all. Great peace are they which love thy law, and nothing shall offend
them. He feels himself bound by the law of love to walk in all holy
obedience to the laws of Christ, even the preceptive parts of the New
Testament; thus he loves and obeys every law of God, nor is he, nor can
he be against one law of God that is revealed in God’s most holy word.
This is the doctrine Paul preached, and these are the sentiments God has
been pleased to reveal to my soul, and enabled me to preach constantly
and faithfully, and this every real believer must confess, that ever
heard me unprejudiced: does not this give the lye to all those preachers
in Town and Country who have falsely reported that I am an antinomian in
principle, and are continually maintaining antinomian sentiments; but I
bless God none can prove me an antinomian, either in principle or
practice; but it is a lamentable truth constantly seen, viz. that those
who belie a man’s principles, will not scruple to belie a man’s practice.
Mark this ye enemies in black; perhaps God has enable me to perform as
many, and more good works, than those who oppose me, though they talk
more about them than I do. Mr. Evans in his Sketch of all Denominations
has given us an account of the sect called antinomians; but let any
impartial Christian read that account and the above description of a
believer, and then charge me with antinomianism if they dare. The best
description I ever read of an antinomian, was written by the late Mr.
Huntington, in his Sermon:—“Moses unveiled in the face of Christ;” which
was afterwards printed in that best of Periodical Publications, the
Gospel Magazine, for the Month of November 1798, and which I take the
liberty to present to my readers.
_A Description of an Antinomian_.
A real Antinomian in the sight of God, is one who _holds the truth in
unrighteousness_, who has Gospel notions in his head but no grace in
his heart: he is one that makes a profession of Christ Jesus, but was
never purged by his blood, renewed by his spirit, nor saved by his
power. With him _carnal ease_ passes for _Gospel peace_; _a natural
assent_ of the mind for faith; _insensibility_ for _liberty_; and
_daring presumption_ for the _grace of assurance_. He is alive
without the law, the sentence of the _moral law_ having never been
sent home to him. The _law_ of _faith_ was never sealed _on_ him;
the _law_ of _truth_ was never received _by_ him; nor the _law_ of
_liberty_ proclaimed _to_ him.—He was never arraigned at, nor taken
from, the _throne_ of _judgment_—He was never justified at the
_throne_ of _grace_, nor acquitted at the _bar_ of _equity_.—The
tremendous attribute of righteousness was never _seen_ or felt _by_
him; the righteousness of the law was never fulfilled _in_ him; the
righteousness of the law was never fulfilled _by_ him; the
righteousness of faith was never imputed _to_ him; nor the _fruits_
of righteousness brought forth _by_ him. He is an enemy to the power
of God, to the experience of the just and to every minister of the
spirit; and is in union with none but hypocrites, whose uniting ties
are _the gall of bitterness and the bonds of iniquity_. He is one
that often changes his opinions, but was never changed in heart; he
turns to many sects and parties, but never turns to God. In word he
is false to Satan, in _heart_ he is false to God: false to Satan by
uttering truth, and false to God by a false profession. He is a
false reprover in the world, and in the household of faith a false
brother. He is a child of Satan in the congregation of dissemblers,
and a bastard in the congregation of the righteous. By mouth he
contends for a covenant that cannot save him, and in heart he hates
the covenant that can. His head is at mount Calvary, his heart and
soul at mount Sinia. He is a pharisee at Horeb, and a hypocrite in
Zion; he is a transgressor of the law of works, and a rebel to the
law of faith; a sinner by the ministry of the letter, and an
unbeliever by the ministry of the spirit. As a _wicked servant_ he
is _cursed_ by the _eternal law_; and as an _infidel_ he is _damned_
by the everlasting gospel: and this is a real antinomian in the sight
of God.
“The Apostle of old was charged with saying let us do evil that good may
come:” this he calls a slanderous report invented and circulated by those
preachers and people who are all zealous for that law which forbids their
lies. “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.” I
thought it necessary to discuss this point, to contradict the fiery
flying serpents of infamous lies, that many holy kind of people have
industriously circulated with great care, pains, and expence; is not the
accusation of worldly men, which they bring against professors too true?
they will not swear it is true, but they will lie. The doctrines the
Lord has taught me he has blessed with power to many souls; the change
has been seen, nor could it be denied they have been read of others. The
world has seen the glorious effects of sovereign grace; the church has
admired and blessed God for it; angels have united in the joy. These
letters have been read by ministers who have been obliged to acknowledge
them genuine, even the writing of God’s Spirit; and in fact, none can
read the hand writing on the wall of the heart, but spiritual Daniels;
others see the effect only in the outward conduct, but these see the work
itself.
“Great is the work, my neighbours cried,
And owned the power divine,
Great is the work, my heart replied,
But be the glory thine.”
These letters will be read, in the last great day;—they will appear in
his image;—awake up in his likeness, and be satisfied with his smiles.
The image in which the person dies, he will rise in at the last great
day,—whether the image of God or Satan; thousands will rise in the image
of the devil, just as they died in a state of enmity against the Most
High God;—these are the rest of the dead that lived not again till the
thousand years are expired, then Satan and all the wicked will be
released from their prison; come upon the breadth of the earth;—compass
the beloved city, and foolishly suppose they can take possession of it.
Satan who begun this work by deceiving, will end it in deceiving, and
this will be the last act of his deception; the image of the devil will
be found on all his children; an image God hates, will reject and punish
but those who bear the image of the heavenly Adam; those who love this
image, will be seen, known, and acknowledged;—the adorable Father will
acknowledge the object of his choice, the Saviour;—the purchase of his
own blood, the holy spirit;—the work of his own hand, the ministers of
the gospel will see and rejoice in the characters they were useful to,
the whole election of grace will be received with the joyful welcome,
“Come ye blessed;” the ungodly will see them exalted, and be obliged to
say, “Oh we fools:”—counted their life madness, and their end without
honour. But now they are numbered with the saints, and their lot is with
the children of God; thus they will be known and read of all men. Amen.
* * * * *
_FINIS_.
* * * * *