is written, "how beautiful are the feet of him that bringeth glad tidings," learn, I beseech you, to respect aright the Ministry of the Gospel, and be candid enough to believe that we mean no selfexaltation, but your benefit, while we press you to regard us as Ministers of Christ, and Stewards of the household of God. The word of God " preaching peace," by him who hung on the cross, shall not return void to God, it shall accomplish what he pleases, as the rain and the snow that cometh from heaven accomplish the designs of Providence. The Ministry of the Gospel setting forth Christ crucified, and calling men to receive him for life and salvation, is God's own appointed way of turning sinners to himself. The efficacy of the power is of God, not of man. If you say you can read and judge for yourself without Ministers preaching, I think it may be safely affirmed, that no instance can be brought of any man, who despised the Ministry, being brought to the true faith and love of Jesus; that you cannot succeed while God is not with you; and he is not with you, if his ordinances be despised. The contempt of preaching in our day, among the richer sort, is lamentable, and it is always joined even with the contempt of Christ crucified. But, certainly, if you see him aright, and know why he suffered, you must respect, and attend to the errand of the Ministry as the errand of God to you concerning your salvation. I could enlarge further on the uses of Christ crucified, but shall close with one simple use to be made of this most endearing of all objects by every contrite soul. I would speak as God's ambassador to you, and ask, is there a man or woman in this congregation, at this present moment, unhappy, feelingly unhappy, because of sin; sensible they are lost for ever, and undone, if God alone do not relieve, and save them; despairing of help from riches, pleasures, their own righteousness, wisdom, and every resource; and only kept from total despair by the hope that God may, by a way of his own, step in and save them? Have I hit your case? Look then to Christ crucified. What did he bear all this for, but for your relief? You are the very persons who are welcome to receive all the benefit of his sufferings. Who else can they be? Will you say, those who have received them already? They shall receive more; but they were just as you are at present, when they began to receive. Are they persons better disposed than you? Away with this selfrighteousness. It will hinder your sight of Christ, and your rejoicing in his cross. What can all your guilt be, which the blood of Christ cannot expiate? Are any excluded from the benefits of redemption, but those who exclude themselves by unbelief? There is every encouragement given to penitent sinners, of every description, to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, that they may be saved. Receive, then, the record of God, that he hath given you eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Trust in him, and be not afraid. So shall good come unto you, even peace of conscience here, and glory everlasting. SERMON ΧΙ. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A CARNAL AND SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST. 2 Cor. v. 16. Wherefore, henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. THE Apostle is here describing the effect of conversion. "The love of Christ," says he, "constraineth us." We were dead, but now we live, and "he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live to themselves, but to him who died for them and rose again." So powerful an alteration as this, which takes place in every real conversion, gives a man a taste and spirit quite different from that which he had by nature. He no longer knows things "after the flesh," that is, according to the spirit of the world, which is natural to fallen man. Persons and things are now beheld with different eyes. A real christian "knows no man now after the flesh." He sets a quite different value on objects from that which he did before. What was once pleasing is now become insipid; what was once disgusting is now become agreeable. His prejudices are removed; his affections have a new direction; his will is turned to God from sin and the world: and the sense of his vast obligations to Christ, who redeemed him from the just damnation of hell, constrains him to suffer and to do whatever he is called to for his sake. It is but little that he can do to show his gratitude; but he does that little: he gives himself up to him who died for him and rose again to be his for ever. Hence he must know, regard, and estimate persons and things no longer " after the flesh, but after the Spirit." When a man acts according to the course of this world, with no higher or better principles than mere nature furnishes, he is said to "live after the flesh;" and even the fairest shows of virtue, unprincipled with the love of Christ, are merely FLESHLY according to the Scriptures. But when a man comes to have a new nature, and Christ dwells in his heart by faith, he then is said to "walk after the Spirit;" meaning the Spirit of Christ which now rules in him. And if a man before his conversion had known Christ after the flesh, that is, had conceived of Christ after the manner and spirit of the world, yet the change which now has taken place in him, leads him henceforward not to know him in that manner any more. He now knows Christ spiritually; beholds his real glory; loves him with spiritual affection; conceives of his character, person, offices, and kingdom, according to their real nature. And all this is not to be wondered at: for being " in Christ," he is " new creature, old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new." a It has been thought that the Apostle alludes to the mistaken notion which Peter and the other Apostles had formed of Christ, when they thought his kingdom was of this world, and that he was come to be a temporal Prince and a worldly Conqueror. And indeed this mistake of theirs affords us an instance, and gives a good illustration of what it is " to know Christ after the flesh." But the meaning must by no means be confined to this. To know Christ and every other object, "after the flesh," is to know and value them according to the spirit of fallen nature, and is quite opposite to the knowledge and estimation of things "according to the spirit." These two sorts of lives, tastes, tempers, and dispositions, called FLESH and SPIRIT, the one the fruit of mere nature, the other of the Holy Spirit in regeneration, are so spoken of in St. Paul's writings, as to leave no reasonable doubt, that the general idea I have given is the true meaning of the text. Nor is it in knowing Christ only, but all men, that the Apostle speaks of this fleshly principle. His great object is to teach us, that the new creature views, feels, loves, estimates every possible object, in regard to his ends, motives, and pursuits, in a manner quite different from the way of mere nature. Doubtless the spiritual views which the Apostles had of Christ's kingdom, so opposite to those of the Jews, and to those which they themselves had on their first acquaintance with Christ, is a good illustration of the general subject before us. But I cannot think it was the main thing intended, nor even particularly alluded to by the Apostle: for it should be remembered that the Apostle Paul was not one of the twelve. Such a sentiment was therefore more likely to have proceeded from Peter, James, or John. |