I. The first thing intended is to offer the arguments from scripture,
reason, and experience, to prove that sinless perfection is not
attainable in this life.----
We should naturally conclude that no person, in his right mind, could
believe that he himself or others were perfect, wholly free from all
remains of sin, if there were any just views of the strictness of the
divine law entertained. But there have been found some, in the
various ages of the Church, who have professed to have arrived at the
state of such exalted goodness as to be as perfect and pure,
according to their natural capacities, as the angels of God in
heaven.--But most full and express is the word of God in declaring,
that there is no such thing as perfection in grace in this world. The
passages of divine truth, which declare this, are so plain, that it
is astonishing that any one, who hath a real belief in the divinity
of the scriptures, should ever be able to persuade himself, that
sinless perfection is among the attainments of Christians in this
world.--
The text, we conceive, is so express as to be incapable of being
construed by the ingenuity of man, or the arts of sophistry, to
another meaning. A talent at perverting scripture, which some possess
and delight to exercise, frequently surprises us with its efforts;
and that is misapplied and distorted, which we should suppose
impossible to be misapplied. _If we say we have no sin, we deceive
ourselves, and the truth is not in us._ To say or believe we have no
sin, or have attained to a state of perfection in Grace, is to impose
upon and delude ourselves:--And that in a very high degree. _We
deceive ourselves._ And not only so, _but the truth is not in us._ We
do not speak _the truth,_ or believe _the truth,_ or know _the
truth._ We misapprehend the nature of Christ's spiritual Religion,
and its plainest and most important doctrines.--Again, _if we say we
have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us._ Than
this no language can be more strong or peremptory. If we say we have
not sinned for any given time, or never have sinned, we are justly
chargeable with imputing to the God of truth a falsehood, and his
word is not in us--we are destitute of a right knowledge of his law,
perfections, word, and will. If _any person say_ he hath not sinned,
suppose for one day, week, or month, he _makes God a liar, and his_
divine _word is not in him._--The Apostle James perfectly agrees with
the beloved disciple on this subject. He remarks thus: _For in many
things WE ALL offend--WE OFFEND ALL._ If this be so, no mere man
since the fall, now is, has been, or will be sinlessly holy in this
life. No man can be found who doth not offend in many things. No one
but daily doth break the divine law in thought, word, and deed. If
any one can be produced, who does not offend _in many things,_ then
the Apostle James does not speak true. His words are; _in many things
we offend all._ To offend is to do wrong. All then do wrong in many
things. St. Paul likewise is most express and full in declaring that
there is no sinless perfection on earth. His words are, _for we know
in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is
come, then that which is in part shall be done away.--But now we see
through a glass darkly; but then face to face, now I know in part;
but then shall I know even as also I am known._ Here we are told the
present state is an imperfect state, and that the future in heaven is
a perfect state, perfect in knowledge, in holiness, in all that is
excellent. The Apostle carefully distinguishes the present and future
state of the good man. On earth his knowledge is low, small, and
defective; in heaven it will be full, glorious, and perfect.
In the old Testament the same doctrine is explicitly revealed. Both
the old and new-Testament speak one and the same doctrine, and both
rest on the same divine authority. Eccle. vii. 20. _For there is not
a just man upon earth that doeth good and sinneth not._ Not one man
on earth is there, who is perfect in goodness. No person is shielded
with the armour of Virtue, as never to transgress any moral rule. No
one perfect in piety and morality can be produced or ever
could.--_For,_ 2 Chron. vi. 36, _there is no man which sinneth not._
How full and positive are these words! Sinless holiness, then, is
never found on the earth, in a mere man, since the original defection
from God. It is a plant which grows not in these climates of sin,
sorrow, and pain, disappointments, and burdens. It is only found in
the peaceful regions of heaven. _I have seen an end,_ says David, _of
all perfection, but thy commandment is exceeding broad._--Job says,
that our barely attempting to justify ourselves, and only professing
to be _perfect_ is a full proof of our perverseness, and sinful pride
and ignorance. _If I justify myself, my own mouth shall condemn me:
If I say I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse._--Thus full
is the word of God in declaring that sinless perfection is
unattainable in this life.
2dly. We argue that sinless perfection is unattainable in this life,
from the purity, spirituality, and extent of the divine law. Suppose
any man, in his high ideas of himself, would pervert and misconstrue
all the plain and direct scriptures now cited to prove that sinless
holiness is not among the attainments of the most eminently pious and
virtuous characters, still if he had any just knowledge of the divine
law, of its strictness--of its demands, and of its spirituality, he
could not so far deceive himself as to say, he commits, or has no
sin. The law of God is holy, just, and good. It is exceedingly broad
or strict. It is, like its glorious author, transcendently excellent.
It reaches to the inmost recesses of the soul, to all the thoughts,
wishes, intentions, purposes, and motions of the heart, as well as to
the outward actions of the life. It allows of no evil desire,
propensity, or irregular wish or action. It requires all holiness in
all kinds and degrees; and expressed in all proper ways to God;--to
man;--to self. It requires perfect love to God:--perfect benevolence
to man:--and to all beings of a moral nature. And this love is to be
acted out, in all its proper ways, in exact measure, proportion, and
perfection. It calls upon us to be as perfect in our measure as our
FATHER who is in heaven is perfect. _Be ye therefore perfect even as
your Father which is in heaven is perfect._
The law of God cannot but be perfect, and demand of us perfection;
full and entire conformity to it, in heart, in word, in deed.----Can
any one pretend to have this perfection? No person can pretend to
have, who hath any just sense either of himself, or of the pure
nature and strictness of the divine law. He who says that he conforms
_perfectly_ to this law, in heart, speech, and behaviour, must be
considered as ignorant of the very nature and strictness of the
divine law, and of what _perfect_ conformity to it means.
3dly. The nature of God and his glorious attributes, prove to a
demonstration the folly and presumption of any professions of, or
pretences to, a perfect conformity to his will, and moral glories.
Sinless holiness is being entirely, fully, and perfectly conformed to
the divine will and moral character of God. It is having no wrong
ideas of him--his law--character--attributes--word--glories--and
ways: no wrong ideas of Jesus or the Gospel: or any of its
duties--precepts--calls--offers--doctrines--and ordinances. And in
addition to all this; having a full belief of, and perfect conformity
in heart and life to THEM ALL. For example, as high, and exalted, and
reverential thoughts of God, of his majesty and glory, as we ought to
have: as much love to, fear and reverence of, trust in, and
dependence on God as we ought to have:--as much love to the Redeemer,
reliance on his atonement, and gratitude for his grace, as we ought
to have. But, my brethren, who alas! has a deep sense enough of so
much as one duty--one moral obligation, one attribute of the
Deity--either his wisdom, power, omnipresence, holiness, mercy, or
grace, much more of all!--He who says he is perfect, or hath a full,
complete and perfect conformity to God, to his glorious moral
character--to his will: to his son, his Gospel, in heart, in life, in
word, and in thought, is impious and profane, is presumptuous, and
ignorant of the very nature of duty and the divine character.----
4thly. Again, the extreme deceitfulness of the human heart, and
difficulty of knowing it fully, prove that sinless conformity to the
law of God is not among the attainments of Christians in this life.
If it be true that the heart is deceitful above all things and
desperately wicked, it will follow that no mere man doth perfectly
obey the law of God in this life, but daily doth break it in thought,
word, and deed. _But,_ says the prophet Jeremiah, _the heart is
deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, who can know it? I
the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give to every man
according to his way, and according to the fruit of his
doing._--Under a sense of the difficulty and impossibility of fully
knowing all our secret sins: David cries out, _who can understand his
errors, cleanse thou me from secret faults._ Does any one perfectly
understand all his errors:--all his secret faults:--all the
deceitfulness and desperate wickedness of his own heart? If so, the
word of God is not true. What vanity, what presumption, what
spiritual pride, and ignorance to pretend to know all the windings,
and turnings, and deep iniquity of the human heart--and all one's own
most hidden sins; and to be perfectly free from all evil in heart, in
life, in conduct and passions! Who dare say he has fully explored the
deep mysteries of iniquity--the plague of his own heart?--And that he
has as great a sense of the evil of sin, as he ought to have?----
5thly. A further argument to prove that sinless perfection is
unattainable in this life, is that it would render null and void,
some of the duties and exercises, in which the essence of piety and
godliness consists. He who is perfect, must say, if self-consistent,
that he knows all duty, every duty, the whole extent of duty in all
conditions, in all circumstances whatever. He must also fully know
all doctrines, all divine ordinances: that he has, a full and perfect
sense of every moral, social, relative, and religious tie; and lives
up completely and perfectly to them all. With him is no defect, not
even the smallest, in piety or morality. There is no omission of
duty. There is no want of fervour and sincerity. There is no
deficiency in faith, in repentance, in Godly sorrow for sin, in hope,
in Charity, in meekness, in humility, in benevolence, in alms, in
justice. There is no corner of the heart but what is completely
purged of all deceit, malice, envy and hypocrisy.--We may
add,--further, if we have no sin, we need no pardon, no repentance,
no Saviour to wash away present guilt, no prayer to God to keep us at
present from Satan's devices. If we have no sin in thought, word, and
deed, we can have no mourning over sin at present, and need not seek
for renewed forgiveness. But our blessed Master has taught us to
pray--_forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors._ But if we
have no sin, we have no _debts_ to be forgiven. The perfectly
righteous need no repentance. They may be sorry that they were once
sinners, but not that they are now vile and unworthy. _But the
sacrifices of God are a broken and contrite heart; a broken and a
contrite spirit, O God thou wilt not despise._ If we have no sin, we
can offer no such sacrifices. The man who is sinlessly holy may say,
"I was once a sinner, but I am not a sinner now. I could once say God
be merciful to me a sinner; but now I can say, God be thanked, I am
not as other men are, I have no sin." What impiety, what insufferable
spiritual pride in this language! And before any one can feel thus,
he must be destitute of all humility, self-abasement, and just sense
of God, and of himself.----
6thly. A pretence to sinless perfection is contrary to the experience
of saints recorded in scripture. The faith of assurance is attainable
in this life. But this is a very different thing from perfection in
grace. The good man in the exercise of grace is afraid of being
deceived, of mistaking the nature of religion. He sees so much
remaining sin, so much depravity, want of more ardent love to God, so
many failings in duty, that he wonders how God can pardon him. He
feels that he is the chief of sinners, unworthy even to stand before
God, and that his holiest duties need to be sprinkled afresh with the
all-atoning blood of Jesus, and that he deserves to perish in his
sins unpitied. He feels his own unworthiness of eternal life.----The
more grace any one has, the more he wishes it to be increased. He
hungers and thirsts after righteousness more and more. From day to
day, he sees more and more of his sins, their number, their several
aggravations, and the extent of the divine law. He never thinks that
he hath done enough for God and religion, or can do enough, or now
does enough. He rejoices, if he may be honoured, though it be only as
the smallest means, of advancing the cause of God in the world, even
at the risk of his own reputation, or the scoffs of impiety. He knows
that he is bound to love God with all his heart, with all his
strength, with all his soul; and his neighbour as himself; and to be
wholly conformed to the divine will, and duty: to worship God with
all the ardor, purity, and sincerity of which his nature is capable.
So far from having attained perfection, those who have the most grace
and the deepest experience of religion, have innumerable sins daily
to confess, many failings and deficiencies of duty, cold and dead
frames, and much remaining corruption over which to mourn, and of
which to repent. And the more holy any are, the more humble will they
be, the more sensible of their sins, of their hypocrisy, their want
of faith, of love, of hope, and of every grace; and of course the
more ready will they be to cry out as St. Paul did, _O wretched man
that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death!_ So eminent a
Christian as St. Paul was, utterly discarded the notion of sinless
holiness being among his attainments. And it is a common opinion that
this remarkable man had made higher advances in holiness, and really
felt more of the power of Religion than any one that ever lived, or
was ever received to heaven from this Apostate world. He says, _Not
as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I
follow after, if that I may apprehend, that for which I also am
apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting the things that are
behind, and reaching forth toward those things that are before. I
press towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in
Christ Jesus._ If so holy a man and distinguished an Apostle, if the
best Christian that ever was, peremptorily assert that he hath not
reached to perfection, though it were the mark which he had set
before him, what presumption in any to pretend to surpass him, and to
have attained it! He says of himself, what indeed is true of all good
men. _For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal sold
under sin. For that which I do, I allow not: for what I would, that I
do not; but what I hate that do I. I find then a law that when I
would do good, evil is present with me. O wretched man that I am, who
shall deliver me from the body of this death!_ Here is remaining sin
in St. Paul. There is, with respect to him no such thing as entire
freedom from it. He mourns over it. He cries out in bitterness to be
freed from it. There was a time, indeed, when he thought he was
perfect, but that was in his ignorant pharisaical state.
_Circumcised,_ says he, _the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of
the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law
a pharisee. Concerning zeal, persecuting the Church; touching the
righteousness of the law, blameless._ But after he was converted to
christianity, he saw and bewailed his imperfections and remaining
sin. When he thought he was _perfect,_ he was a poor deluded,
self-boasting, and self-righteous Pharisee.--In the pharisee who went
up to the temple to pray, we have an instance of a man who thought
himself _perfect._ But our Lord thought very differently of him. He
was a singular instance of self-righteous spirit. _Two men went up
into the temple to pray: the one a pharisee and the other a
publican.--The pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God I
thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust,
adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I
give tythes of all that I possess. And the publican stood afar off,
and would not so much as lift up his eyes to heaven, but smote upon
his breast, saying God be merciful to me a sinner._ Here was a man
boasting of his perfection: and another who saw, felt, and confessed
his sinfulness. _God be merciful to me a sinner._ Persons of the most
knowledge, longest standing and deepest experience in Religion, are
the farthest from supposing that they are perfect.----
To all these arguments to disprove the doctrine of the attainableness
of sinless perfection in this life, it may be proper to add all THE
PROTESTANT PUBLIC CONFESSIONS OF FAITH, wholly disavow the idea. It
would be tedious to mention them all.--As a specimen, we appeal to
the shorter catechism of the Assembly of Divines at Westminster
convened, to draw up a concise CONFESSION OF FAITH. In answer to this
question "is any man able in this life, perfectly to keep the
commandments of God?"--They judiciously and scripturally reply: "no
mere man since the fall is able perfectly to keep the commandments of
God, but daily doth break them in thought, word, and deed."--I shall
close this branch of the subject with the words of Mr. Mason.
"It is very extraordinary," says he, "that this sinless perfection is
pretended to by persons among whom we should least of all expect to
find it; persons of low, narrow, contracted minds; who discover very
little of the genuine spirit of the Gospel, humility, meekness, and
charity; and then seem never once to suspect themselves capable of
any such thing as spiritual pride, false zeal, and
heart-delusion.--But these pretences to sinless holiness carry in
them so much ignorance, rashness, presumption, and secret pride that
they contradict themselves, and evidently demonstrate the falsehood
of what they assert; unless it can be proved, that there is nothing
sinful in those forementioned principles and dispositions, from
whence they evidently spring.--So that he who says _he has no sin,_
not only maketh God, but maketh himself _a liar._ And such a palpable
extravagance as this, must needs throw a great discredit and strong
suspicion upon any that espouse it."
II. The second thing proposed, was to remove some objections or
cavils, which have been raised on this subject.--The objector does
not fail to remind us that the scripture often speaks of, or mentions
the words, _Perfect_ and _Perfection._ In reply we grant it, and
remark that it uses them in three senses; or that there are three
sorts of perfection--_absolute, indefective,_ and _relative_ or
moral. The _first_ is particular to God, the _second_ to angels and
saints in heaven, and the _third_ is possessed by good men on
earth.--How unfounded all claims to the _second_ sort of perfection,
that is, sinless holiness, are, we have largely considered. The
_third_ or last kind of perfection, usually termed _relative_ or
_moral,_ is a gracious sincerity. And this is all the perfection
attainable in this present world. The faith of assurance is the
highest attainment of christians on earth. And but FEW comparatively
arrive at this. How happy those who have! To attain this, every
exertion should be made.--In the last sense of the word _perfect_ or
_perfection,_ good men in scripture are said to be _perfect_: that
is, sincere upright men, free from hypocrisy. Thus Job and others are
called _perfect men.--Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright,
for the end of that man is peace._ Here the _perfect_ man is the
upright man. _That the man of God,_ says the Apostle, may be
_perfect_; not sinlessly holy, but furnished to all duty.--All may
know very easily that the word _perfect,_ when applied to pious
believers or righteous men, is used for gracious
sincerity.--Scripture must expound itself; it is its own best
expositor.----
2dly. But says the objector, the Apostle John, declares, _that he
that is born of God, cannot sin, for the seed of God remaineth in
him._ The meaning of this evidently is, that those who are born of
God, do not, and cannot sin and live as others do _allowedly,
habitually_ and with _such strength of heart._ On the other hand,
they mourn over sin, hate it, and lament all remains of it in
themselves and others.
3dly. The pleader for sinless holiness in this life, quotes Rom.
vi. 7. _For he that is dead, is freed from sin._ What St. Paul means,
he himself tells us in verse 14--_for sin shall not have dominion
over you._ If then we will permit the Apostle to be his own
interpreter, we cannot mistake his meaning. Verse 12. He says, _let
not sin REIGN in your mortal bodies, that ye should obey it, in the
lusts thereof._ Here he most plainly informs us that by being freed
from sin, he means freedom from its _reigning_ power, and from its
guilt. Every true believer is freed from its _reigning_ power, and
its _condemning guilt._ For there is no condemnation to them that are
in Christ Jesus. The believer is justified and accepted of God on
account of the Mediator's righteousness, and shall never come into
condemnation. He receives the son of God as his only Saviour, his
teaching prophet, atoning priest, and ruling king. Being sanctified
by the power of divine grace he gives himself up to the duties of a
holy life. Trusting for pardon to the merits of his Redeemer, he
imitates him in all his imitable perfections.--There is, upon the
whole no plea for the attainableness of sinless perfection _in this
life, either from scripture_ or experience, which has any solid
foundation.
We shall now make some improvement of this important subject.--And
_the first remark_ is that every thing, in the word of God, and in
the frame of nature, conspire to show us that this is a state of
trial and probation, and was never designed, in divine wisdom, to be
a state of perfection and retribution. Perfection and unsinning
obedience do not seem to comport with a state of probation or trial.
A probationary state always presupposes, and is introductory to a
retribution state. Every thing around us indicates an imperfect and
fallen condition. All the calls, warnings, invitations, counsels,
exhortations, promises of assisting grace--and even the Gospel-plan
of life and peace itself, clearly demonstrate that this is not a
state of unsinning obedience. Imperfection, in legible characters, is
written on all human beings, on all the works and ways of man; on
every duty and virtue. The eye sees nothing perfect around
us.--Sorrow, pain, losses, distress--and groans are the lot of man.
These denote imperfections of virtue--declare guilt, or moral
evil.----Jesus of Nazareth alone, the author of our salvation was
without sin. He was holy, harmless, undefiled. His Goodness was
immaculate. His obedience was indefective. By him sinless holiness
was exhibited. For any to pretend to perfection in goodness, is in
this respect, to claim equality with him.--Again--
2ndly. We observe, for the improvement of the subject, that though
sinless holiness be not attainable in this life, yet all, without
exception, ought to make it the mark, at which they should aim. The
question is not, whether the divine law require of man complete or
perfect conformity to its precepts in heart and life. This we
believe. The divine law cannot abate in its demands, or be less
strict. It changes not.--The question is not, whether it be wrong in
us, to fall short of duty in any one instance or respect. This is
allowed. All defect in moral goodness is criminal, or involves blame.
Neither is the question, whether all men should aim at sinless
holiness or seek for it. But whether any attain to it, in this life?
We contend that none do. We have offered our reasons. We trust they
will satisfy all impartial enquirers after truth.
But we are not to sit down easy in our religious pursuits, or content
ourselves with low measures of grace, or be remiss and negligent,
because sinless perfection is unattainable, because this is an
imperfect world, or because all have failings, infirmities and a
mixture of sin in every duty. This would be an awful abuse, and
horrible perversion of the doctrine: would bespeak a very depraved
mind.--On the other hand, this subject, and all the word of God teach
us to press forward in our Christian course, as those who run in a
race: to strive to excel in piety, in every grace, and every moral
duty, as those who are engaged in a warfare:--to have constantly in
our eyes the example of the Redeemer, and the end of our faith, the
glorious prize to be at last enjoyed. _We are to forget the things
that are behind,_ and reach forth toward those that are before: to
rest in no attainments, which we may think we have already reached,
either in piety or morality, either in love to God or man, either
christian graces or moral Virtues.--We are to go on from strength to
strength--from one degree of grace to another--from step to step in
the way of righteousness.--We are to give all diligence to make our
Calling and Election sure: to be found of God in peace at last. We
are to add to our faith, virtue; to virtue, knowledge; to knowledge,
temperance; to temperance, patience; to patience, brotherly kindness;
and to brotherly kindness, Charity.--We are to increase in all
spiritual wisdom, in all christian knowledge and experience,
cultivating, in a strict and careful attendance on all the means of
grace, public worship and holy ordinances, a higher and higher sense
of divine things--of God--of Christ--of the Gospel--of the worth of
the soul--of the glory of heaven--of the evil of sin--of the extent
of the law--and riches of divine grace, till we all come in the unity
of the faith and of the knowledge of God, unto a perfect man, unto
the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ, which will be at
death.--In fine, our warmest prayers, our most vigorous endeavours,
our highest aim, should be, that we may have a more lively faith--a
more deep repentance--a more animated zeal, a more pious frame of
heart, and exemplary life.--Amen.