Gambar halaman
PDF
ePub

This

obedient, and threatening punishment to such as shall disobey. manifestation of the feelings of the Lawgiver, in the sanctions annexed to his law, is adapted to exert a powerful influence on the minds of his loyal subjects. In this way he loudly admonishes them to imitate him in the holiness of his character. But as soon as any one becomes averse to the pursuits of holiness, and inclined to the ways of sin, so as to be deterred from external transgression by nothing but the dread of punishment, he is already, in the sight of God, a fallen creature.

Secondly. The prospect of the good promised, or of the evil threatened, may exert an influence on the subjects of moral government, without supposing them to be actuated by selfish motives, or to place private above public good. God values the good of each individual among his creatures; therefore, while he does not allow him to make his own happiness his chief end, he requires him to take care of it, and do himself no harm. As a Lawgiver, he marks out to him the path of duty, kindly assuring him, that it is also the path of safety; at the same time admonishing him that the way of transgressors is hard. If a traveler start back, because he sees a precipice before him, it would not follow as a necessary consequence, that he does it under the influence of a selfish motive; for a disinterested motive will influence a man to preserve his life.

Thirdly. Though the sanctions of the law do actually take hold of the selfish feelings of depraved creatures, still it furnishes no proof that the structure of the law is such as to foster a spirit of supreme love to ourselves. It is doubtless true, that, while men have no love of holi ness, nor hatred of sin, they may be so allured by the promises, and alarmed by the threatenings of God's word, as to be induced to do ma. ny things, for the sake of securing their own happiness and avoiding that strange punishment to which they are exposed. God makes a merciful use of their selfish hopes and fears, to bring them under those instructions necessary to their salvation; and yet he requires them all this time to be governed by motives of a different character. Until the idol self is dethroned, there is no genuine obedience either to the law or to the gospel, because they are not influenced by the promises and threatenings, in such a manner as God requires.

According to the representation made in the parable of the prodigal son, it was his starving condition which led him to consider his ways and think of his father's house. But had he returned with as selfish feelings as those which prompted him to leave the paternal roof, he would not have met such a hearty welcome from his abused father. That which prepared him for his father's embrace, was the change that he had undergone in his mind: and this could have been nothing less than a change from a selfish to a disinterested character.

To the scheme of disinterested religion it is objected, that Moses, in what he did for Israel, had respect to the recompense of reward; and that even Christ was influenced, by the joy set before him, to endure the cross. To this objection I reply, first, That both Moses and Christ might value the reward promised to their labors and sufferings, and yet not make this reward their supreme object. I reply, secondly, That the reward which God has promised to them who love him, is adapted to please none except benevolent minds. The heaven that is sought from

selfish motives, is in reality a heaven which would not please beings of a benevolent character; for holy enjoyment constitutes no part of its bliss. But the heaven which was sought by Moses, who spent so inuch time in communion with God; and by David, who said, "I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness;" and by Paul, who desired to depart and be with Christ; and by Christ himself, who said, "My meat is to do the will of him who sent me:" and indeed by the whole company of his redeemed people; is a heaven of perfect holiness, where selfishness will have no place. As to the Redeemer himself, the joy that was set before him, by which he was enabled to endure the cross, despising the shame, was not so much the prospect of his own glorification in heaven, as of the happy result of his death in the salvation of the elect world, to the praise of the glory of divine grace. To be sustained, in prospect of such a reward, furnished decisive proof that his heart was not contracted with selfishness, but enlar. ged by the most expansive benevolence.

The reader can not but perceive that the benevolence which has been described in this Article is something of an entirely different nature from the thing of the same name which abounds in the unregenerate world. Their benevolence overlooks the glory of God and the interests of his great and everlasting kingdom. It confines its regards to men ; and even in regarding them, it overlooks their most valuable interests. It exerts no purifying influence upon the heart or life, but can flourish in company with pride, debauchery, and gross impiety. But the benevolence which characterizes the Christian, is one of the fruits of the Spirit, being shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Ghost. Gal. v. 27. Rom. v. 5. He is deeply convinced, that by nature he had no such principle within him; that he did not love, until he was born of God. He is also convinced, that as he was indebted to the Holy Ghost for first imparting this pure affection, he is still dependent on his gracious aid for its preservation and increase.

I would fain hope, that every mind is convinced there are two, and but two kinds of love which actuate moral agents, considered as such; the one being comprehensive of all holy, and the other of all sinful af. fection; and that the objects of their supreme regard are as different as the whole universe of beings, and that individual called self. None are represented in the scriptures as sincerely regarding a portion of the universe, who are destitute of that benevolence which disposes them to embrace the whole. There are but two moral interests. We are for Christ, or we are against him; we are for the interests of the universe of God, or we are against them. The patriot, if he does not love the whole world, loves his own country only in relation to himself.

It is certain that the scriptures do not represent self-love to be the ground work of the Christian character; but, on the contrary, as the fruitful source of all manner of iniquity. That love which is "the root of the matter," and the foundation of all such religious experiences as God will approve, is a love which seeketh not her own interest exclusively, nor as her chief end.

[blocks in formation]

In the Introduction it was intimated, that religion could not be true, and yet be discordant; that therefore a harmony must exist between its doctrines and experiences. As we have gone through with a connected series of doctrines, comprising those which are most fundamental to the gospel system; and have entered on the experimental department, by taking a view of benevolent love, that grace of the Spirit which is the source of all the rest, it will be important that we now turn back and place it by the side of each of the doctrinal Articles, for the purpose of determining whether it be in reality harmonious with them. If this shall be found to harmonize with the doctrines, it will not be necessary to spend as much time in pointing out that harmony in relation to the others; since that disinterested love which is the subject of this, forms the basis of all the subsequent Articles of the experimental system.

Between this first Article of the experimental system and the first of the doctrinal, the harmony is very manifest. That glorious Being whom that doctrine teaches us to believe in, this Article of experience teaches us supremely to love; or rather that he is thus loved by every one who is born of the Spirit. God himself is the great pattern as well as object of love. He loves the intelligent system, i. e. himself and his creatures, with infinite strength. His children have not infinite strength to exert; but they love the same great object; and will never be satisfied with themselves, until they love with all the strength they possess. When our benevolence is exercised towards a being who has the infinite fullness there is in Jehovah, it can not be employed in wishing him to be greater, holier or happier than he is; but it will lead us to rejoice in his exaltation and supreme felicity. The apostle could not add to the greatness or blessedness of his Savior, whom he declared to be over all, God blessed forever; yet he could manifest his benevolent regard by adding his amen to the declaration. Rom. ix. 5.

Bnt though the essential glory of God admits of no augmentation, there is still scope for the exercise of benevolence towards him; for in the doctrine of the second Article we learn, that by means of his works he has begun a manifestation of his glory, in which he takes a real satisfaction, and which is capable of being increased without end. The benevolence existing in the heart of every convert prepares him to rejoice in this manifestation, as the means of honoring the Creator, and giving existence to creatures furnished with capacities both to love and enjoy him. It also prepares him to desire that the uncreated glory may be more fully displayed to the admiring view of all holy creatures, whether on earth or in heaven. "Lord what wilt thou have me to do in helping forward the display of thy glory?" is the inquiry of every one whose heart is expanded with benevolence. The more perfect our love, the more entirely shall we seek to promote the declarative glory of God. While God makes his glory his chief end, he does not allow us to make a chief end of our glory; for between these different ultimate ends there can be no harmony. Experimental religion, if genuine, is the effect of the Spirit of God operating in the heart; and

the people whom he forms for himself, will be prepared to show forth his praise, and to do it cordially.

There is a manifest agreement between this Article and the third. Indeed, benevolence is nothing different from the moral law, experi mentally known. Concerning every good man it is said, The law of his God is in his heart. Under the doctrinal part of this work, we were led to consider the law of God as a system of rules, requiring us to exercise disinterested love towards God and our fellow creatures: and now, under the experimental department, the heart of the Christian is displayed to our view as actually exercising that love.

Some are not willing to have Christian experience represented by our returning to the holiness of the moral law. But the holiness of the law and of the gospel is the same. We know that the believer in Christ is dead to the law, as a foundation of his justification; but to regulate his obedience, there can be no rule superior to the moral law. It is absolutely perfect, being a transcript of God's own holy nature. The law, it is true, as contradistinguished from the gospel, enjoins no such duty as repentance towards God, or faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ, because it is supposed to be given to creatures who stand in no need of repentance, nor the righteousness of faith. But the repentance and faith required in the gospel, are nothing more than different modi. fications of that love which the law requires. The same is true of every other grace of the Spirit, which goes to make up the character of the believer in Christ. We acknowledge there is a wide difference between the religion of a legalist (so called) and that of the humble Christian but the religion of a legalist, though he derives his name from the law, is in reality as different from that which is required in the law, as from that which is enjoined in the gospel. Were the love which is required by the law, and that which is experienced by the Christian convert in their very nature unlike, what harmony would there be between the law and the gospel; and how could both emanate from the same divine source?

This Article is harmonious with the fourth in the doctrinal series, viz. that which relates to our apostacy and depravity. The harmony appears by the perfect contrast between the depraved and renovated character, which these two Articles respectively exhibit. In that we saw creatures forsake God, and here we see them return. When they departed, self-gratification led them away; when they return, self is dethroned, and God is again exalted. Apostacy and reconciliation have the same contrariety to each other, as supreme love to self and supreme love to God.

The view which has been given of disinterested love, as constituting the perfection of the Christian character, has an evident agreement with the fifth Article. The atonement (the subject of that Article) is a most grand exhibition of benevolence. God's so loving the world as to give his only begotten Son, to redeem rebels from rebellion, both from its spirit and its punishment, is the highest proof of the existence of a love which is disinterested. In this he manifests good will, not to rebels only, but also to those creatures who need no redemption. That declaration of his righteousness, which is made by the death of Christ, was designed, as we have reason to believe, not only to redeem

fallen creatures from the curse of the law, but also to serve as means for preventing others from falling under that curse. The glory of redemption is never truly seen by any, except such as have their hearts enlarged with that charity that seeketh not her own.

When the sixth and seventh Articles are viewed in their connection, they furnish a strong argument in support of this, with which we have begun our experimental system. Would creatures, in the perilous condition of the race of Adam, universally and obstinately reject an offer, to be saved from an eternity of exquisite torments, in case the acceptance of this offer implied nothing more than a religious modifi cation of self-love? If we admit the truth of the two Articles referred to, we shall be compelled to believe, that supreme love to self is our native character; and that supreme love to God is that which is required to give us a title to the salvation of Christ. If efforts of a selfish nature could entitle us to this salvation, the whole unrenewed world would not agree in rejecting the gospel offer. Therefore it is not strange that they, who base their system on well regulated selflove, should expect to be able, without the mighty energy of the Spirit, to persuade men to embrace those offers of deliverance from the wrath to come, which they calculate to enforce by all the arguments and elo. quence which they can put in requisition.

Between this and the eighth Article the harmony is very apparent. If regeneration is a fundamental change, as in that Article it was shown to be, the regenerate must possess that unselfish love which has been described in this. Without it they can not be radically different from what they were before the change took place. Any system of theology that excludes disinterested affection from its experimental department, must, in order to be consistent, exclude regeneration from the list of its doctrines: for between selfish sinners and selfish converts no radical difference exists. What different nature has selfish repentance from the sin repented of? Love and hatred are very different names; but when they are both based on selfishness, their natures are alike. What real difference was there between the hatred which Shimei manifested toward king David, when he was driven from his throne, and the love he expressed on the occasion of his restoration?

Some may think, however much selfishness there may be in our love to our fellow men, that we can not love God from selfish motives. Why may not selfishness be the motive in one case as well as in the other? "Sinners love those that love them." When the Lord brought the children of Israel out of Egypt and through the Red Sea, they appeared to love him; they sang his praise, and promised obedience to his laws; but they soon forgat his works. They doubtless thought their love was ardent; but the sequel showed them to be lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God. You may adorn the convert with ever so many bril. liant characteristics, both external and internal; but if among these characteristics you do not include love, even that which rises above every selfish consideration, he is nothing; he still needs conversion; for that selfish heart, which was the fountain of all his wickedness, yet remains. You can point out no radical difference between such a convert, and the world that lieth in wickedness. But as soon as you distinguish your convert by affections which are of a disinterested na

« SebelumnyaLanjutkan »