The Heart # 4
Think not to say within yourself, "I quite approve of all you all say, and hope to examine the state of my heart someday." Oh, beware of such thoughts! Life is uncertain. Eternity is close at hand, and yet you talk of putting off preparation to meet God. Alas, that habit of putting off is the everlasting ruin of millions of souls!
(2) I wish, in the next place, to offer a SOLEMN WARNING to all who know their hearts are wrong - but have no desire to change. I know not how to exaggerate the danger of your condition. I warn you that if your heart is wrong in the sight of God, you are hanging over the brink of hell! There is but a step between you and everlasting death.
Can you really suppose that any man or woman will ever enter heaven without a right heart? "Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." "Without holiness no man shall see the Lord" (John 3:3; Heb. 12:14). It is not enough to have your sins pardoned, as many seem to suppose. There is another thing needed as well as a pardon, and that thing is a new heart. We must have the Holy Spirit to renew us, as well as Christ's blood to wash us. Both renewing and washing are needful before anyone can be saved.
Do you think that, if you entered heaven without a right heart, you would be happy? Away with this delusion! Cast it from you at once and forever! You must have a "fitness" for the inheritance of the saints" before you can enjoy it. (Col. 1:12). Your tastes must be brought into harmony with those of saints and angels before you can delight in their company.
Harden not your heart. Believe it. Act upon it. Awake and arise to newness of life without delay. One thing is certain. Whether you hear the warning or not, God will not go back from what He has said. "If we believe not, He abides faithful - He cannot deny Himself" (2 Tim. 2:13).
(3) I wish, thirdly, to offer COUNSEL to all who know their hearts are wrong - but desire to make them right. That counsel is short and simple. I advise you to apply at once to the Lord Jesus Christ, and ask for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Entreat Him, as a lost and ruined sinner, to receive you, and supply the needs of your soul. And to the Lord Jesus, I entreat you to apply without delay. I thank God that I can lift up Christ before you, and say boldly, Look at Christ - Seek Christ - Go to Christ. For what did Christ do all this - but to provide complete salvation for poor sinners like you and me. He wants to pour out the Holy Spirit on all who will come to Him. Mercy and grace - pardon and a new heart, all this Jesus is ready to apply to you by His Spirit, if you will come to Him.
(4) I wish, lastly, to offer an EXHORTATION to all whose hearts have been made right in the sight of God.
Is your heart right? Then be thankful! Is your heart right? Then be humble and watchful. Is your heart right? Then be hopeful. There are no hearts which it is impossible for Christ to cure!
Finally, let me entreat all right-hearted readers to look onward and forward to the day of Christ's second coming. A time draws near when satan will be bound, and Christ"s saints shall be changed - when all sin shall no more vex us, and the sight of sinners shall no more sadden our minds - when believers shall at length attend on God without distraction, and love Him with a perfect heart. The night is far spent, The day is at hand.Surely if our hearts are right, we ought often to cry, "Come quickly - come Lord Jesus!"
~J. C. Ryle~
(The End)
Saturday, August 18, 2018
Saturday, August 11, 2018
The Heart # 3
The Heart # 3
3. I will now show you, in the last place, the right heart. It is a heart of which the Bible contains many pictures. I am going to try to place some of those pictures before you. On a question like this, I want you to observe what God says, rather than what is said by man. Come, now, and see the marks and signs of a right heart.
(a) The right heart is a "NEW HEART." (Ezek. 36:26). It is not the heart with which man is born - but another heart put in him by the Holy Spirit. It is a heart which has new tastes, new joys, new sorrows, new desires, new hopes, new fears, new likes, new dislikes. It has new views about the soul, and sin, and God, and Christ, and salvation, and the Bible, and prayer, and heaven and hell, and the world, and holiness. "Old things are passed away. Behold all things are become new" (2 Cor. 5:17).
(b) The right heart is a "BROKEN and CONTRITE heart". (Psalm 51:17). It is broken off from pride, self-conceit, and self-righteousness. Its former high thoughts of self are cracked, shattered, and shivered to atoms. It thinks itself guilty, unworthy, and corrupt. Its former stubbornness, heaviness, and insensibility have thawed, disappeared, and passed away. It no longer thinks lightly of offending God. It is tender, sensitive, and jealously fearful of running into sin (2 Kings 22:19). It is humble, lowly, and self-abased, and sees in itself no good thing.
(c) A right heart is a heart which BELIEVES on Christ alone for salvation, and in which Christ dwells by faith. (Romans 10:10; Eph. 3:17). It rests all its hopes of pardon and eternal life on Christ's atonement, Christ's mediation, and Christ's intercession. It is sprinkled in Christ's blood from an evil conscience (Heb. 10:22). It turns to Christ as the compass-needle turns to the north. It looks to Christ daily for peace, mercy, and grace - as the sun flower looks to the sun. It feeds on Christ for its daily sustenance, as Israel fed on the manna in the wilderness. It sees in Christ a special fitness to supply all its needs and requirements. It leans on Him, hangs on Him, builds on Him, cleaves to Him, as its physician, guardian, husband, and friend.
(d) A right heart is a PURIFIED heart. (Acts 15:9; Matt. 5:8). It loves holiness, and hates sin. It strives daily to cleanse itself from all filthiness of flesh and spirit (2 Cor. 7:1). It abhors that which is evil, and cleaves to that which is good. It delights in the law of God, and has that law engraved on it, that it may not forget it (Psalm 119:11). It longs to keep the law more perfectly, and takes pleasure in those who love the law. It loves God and man. Its affections are set on things above. It never feels so light and happy as when it is most holy; and it looks forward to heaven with joy, as the place where perfect holiness will at length be attained.
(e) A right heart is a PRAYING heart. It has within it "the spirit of adoption whereby we cry, Abba Father." Its daily feeling is, "Your face, Lord, will I seek" (Psalm 27:8). It is drawn by an habitual inclination to speak to God about spiritual things. It finds it necessary to pour out itself before God, as before a friend, and to spread before Him all its needs and desires. It tells Him all its secrets. It keeps back nothing from Him. You might as well try to persuade a man to live without breathing, as to persuade the possessor of a right heart to live without praying.
(f) A right heart is a heart that feels within a CONFLICT. (Gal. 5:17). It finds within itself two opposing principles contending for the mastery - the flesh lusting against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh. It knows by experience what Paul means when he says, "I see a law in my members warring against the law of my mind" (Rom. 7:23). The wrong heart knows nothing of this strife. The strong man armed keeps the wrong heart as his palace, and his goods are at peace. (Luke 11:21) But when the rightful King takes possession of the heart, a struggle begins which never ends until death. The right heart may be known by its warfare, quite as much as by its peace.
(g) Last - but not least, the right heart is HONEST, and SINGLE, and TRUE. (Luke 8:15; 1 Chron. 12:33; Heb. 10:22). There is nothing about it of falsehood, hypocrisy, or image-acting. It is not double or divided. It really is what it professes to be, feels what it professes to feel, and believes what it professes to believe. Its faith may be feeble. Its obedience may be very imperfect. But one thing will always distinguish the right heart. Its religion will be real, genuine, thorough, and sincere.
A heart such as that which I have now described, has always been the possession of all true Christians of every name, and nation, and people and tongue. They have differed from one another on many subjects - but they have all been of a "right heart." They have some of them fallen, for a season, like David and Peter - but their hearts have never entirely departed from the Lord. They have often proved themselves to be men and women laden with infirmities - but their hearts have been right in the sight of God. They have understood one another on earth. They have found that their experience was everywhere one and the same. They will understand each other even better in the world to come. All that have had "right hearts" upon earth, will find that they have one heart when they enter heaven.
CONCLUSION
(1) I wish now in conclusion to offer to every reader of this paper, a QUESTION to promote self inquiry. I ask you plainly this day, "What is your heart? Is your heart right or wrong?"
I know not who you are into whose hands this paper has fallen. But I do know that self-examination cannot do you any harm. If your heart is right, it will be a comfort to know it. "If our heart condemns us not, then have we confidence towards God" (1 John 3:21). But if your heart is wrong, it is high time to find it out, and seek a change. The time is short. The night comes when no man can work. Say to yourself this very day, "Is my heart right or wrong?"
Think not to say within yourself, "There is no need for such questions as these. There is no need to make such ado about the heart. I go to church or chapel regularly. I live a respectable life. I hope I shall prove right at last." Beware of such thoughts. I beseech you - beware of them if you would ever be saved. You may go to the best church on earth, and hear the best of preachers. You may be the best of churchmen, or the soundest member of a chapel. But all this time, if your heart is not right in the sight of God, you are on the high road to destruction. Settle down to quiet consideration of the question before you. Look it manfully in the face, and do not turn aside. Is your heart right or wrong?
Think not to say within yourself, "No one can know what his heart is. We must hope the best. No one can find out with any certainty the state of his own soul." Beware, I say again - beware of such thoughts. The thing can be known. The thing can be found out. Deal honestly and fairly with yourself. Set up a "trial" on the state of your inward man. Summon a jury. Let the Bible preside as judge. Bring up the witnesses. Inquire what your tastes are - where your affections are placed - where your treasure is - what you hate most - what you love most - what pleases you most - what grieves you most. Inquire into all these points impartially, and mark what the answers are. "Where your treasure is there will be your heart also." (Matt. 6:21). A tree may always be discovered by its fruits, and a true Christian may always be discovered by his habits, tastes, and affections. Yes! you may soon find out what your heart is, if you are honest, sincere, and impartial. Is it right or wrong?
~J. C. Ryle~
(continued with # 4)
3. I will now show you, in the last place, the right heart. It is a heart of which the Bible contains many pictures. I am going to try to place some of those pictures before you. On a question like this, I want you to observe what God says, rather than what is said by man. Come, now, and see the marks and signs of a right heart.
(a) The right heart is a "NEW HEART." (Ezek. 36:26). It is not the heart with which man is born - but another heart put in him by the Holy Spirit. It is a heart which has new tastes, new joys, new sorrows, new desires, new hopes, new fears, new likes, new dislikes. It has new views about the soul, and sin, and God, and Christ, and salvation, and the Bible, and prayer, and heaven and hell, and the world, and holiness. "Old things are passed away. Behold all things are become new" (2 Cor. 5:17).
(b) The right heart is a "BROKEN and CONTRITE heart". (Psalm 51:17). It is broken off from pride, self-conceit, and self-righteousness. Its former high thoughts of self are cracked, shattered, and shivered to atoms. It thinks itself guilty, unworthy, and corrupt. Its former stubbornness, heaviness, and insensibility have thawed, disappeared, and passed away. It no longer thinks lightly of offending God. It is tender, sensitive, and jealously fearful of running into sin (2 Kings 22:19). It is humble, lowly, and self-abased, and sees in itself no good thing.
(c) A right heart is a heart which BELIEVES on Christ alone for salvation, and in which Christ dwells by faith. (Romans 10:10; Eph. 3:17). It rests all its hopes of pardon and eternal life on Christ's atonement, Christ's mediation, and Christ's intercession. It is sprinkled in Christ's blood from an evil conscience (Heb. 10:22). It turns to Christ as the compass-needle turns to the north. It looks to Christ daily for peace, mercy, and grace - as the sun flower looks to the sun. It feeds on Christ for its daily sustenance, as Israel fed on the manna in the wilderness. It sees in Christ a special fitness to supply all its needs and requirements. It leans on Him, hangs on Him, builds on Him, cleaves to Him, as its physician, guardian, husband, and friend.
(d) A right heart is a PURIFIED heart. (Acts 15:9; Matt. 5:8). It loves holiness, and hates sin. It strives daily to cleanse itself from all filthiness of flesh and spirit (2 Cor. 7:1). It abhors that which is evil, and cleaves to that which is good. It delights in the law of God, and has that law engraved on it, that it may not forget it (Psalm 119:11). It longs to keep the law more perfectly, and takes pleasure in those who love the law. It loves God and man. Its affections are set on things above. It never feels so light and happy as when it is most holy; and it looks forward to heaven with joy, as the place where perfect holiness will at length be attained.
(e) A right heart is a PRAYING heart. It has within it "the spirit of adoption whereby we cry, Abba Father." Its daily feeling is, "Your face, Lord, will I seek" (Psalm 27:8). It is drawn by an habitual inclination to speak to God about spiritual things. It finds it necessary to pour out itself before God, as before a friend, and to spread before Him all its needs and desires. It tells Him all its secrets. It keeps back nothing from Him. You might as well try to persuade a man to live without breathing, as to persuade the possessor of a right heart to live without praying.
(f) A right heart is a heart that feels within a CONFLICT. (Gal. 5:17). It finds within itself two opposing principles contending for the mastery - the flesh lusting against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh. It knows by experience what Paul means when he says, "I see a law in my members warring against the law of my mind" (Rom. 7:23). The wrong heart knows nothing of this strife. The strong man armed keeps the wrong heart as his palace, and his goods are at peace. (Luke 11:21) But when the rightful King takes possession of the heart, a struggle begins which never ends until death. The right heart may be known by its warfare, quite as much as by its peace.
(g) Last - but not least, the right heart is HONEST, and SINGLE, and TRUE. (Luke 8:15; 1 Chron. 12:33; Heb. 10:22). There is nothing about it of falsehood, hypocrisy, or image-acting. It is not double or divided. It really is what it professes to be, feels what it professes to feel, and believes what it professes to believe. Its faith may be feeble. Its obedience may be very imperfect. But one thing will always distinguish the right heart. Its religion will be real, genuine, thorough, and sincere.
A heart such as that which I have now described, has always been the possession of all true Christians of every name, and nation, and people and tongue. They have differed from one another on many subjects - but they have all been of a "right heart." They have some of them fallen, for a season, like David and Peter - but their hearts have never entirely departed from the Lord. They have often proved themselves to be men and women laden with infirmities - but their hearts have been right in the sight of God. They have understood one another on earth. They have found that their experience was everywhere one and the same. They will understand each other even better in the world to come. All that have had "right hearts" upon earth, will find that they have one heart when they enter heaven.
CONCLUSION
(1) I wish now in conclusion to offer to every reader of this paper, a QUESTION to promote self inquiry. I ask you plainly this day, "What is your heart? Is your heart right or wrong?"
I know not who you are into whose hands this paper has fallen. But I do know that self-examination cannot do you any harm. If your heart is right, it will be a comfort to know it. "If our heart condemns us not, then have we confidence towards God" (1 John 3:21). But if your heart is wrong, it is high time to find it out, and seek a change. The time is short. The night comes when no man can work. Say to yourself this very day, "Is my heart right or wrong?"
Think not to say within yourself, "There is no need for such questions as these. There is no need to make such ado about the heart. I go to church or chapel regularly. I live a respectable life. I hope I shall prove right at last." Beware of such thoughts. I beseech you - beware of them if you would ever be saved. You may go to the best church on earth, and hear the best of preachers. You may be the best of churchmen, or the soundest member of a chapel. But all this time, if your heart is not right in the sight of God, you are on the high road to destruction. Settle down to quiet consideration of the question before you. Look it manfully in the face, and do not turn aside. Is your heart right or wrong?
Think not to say within yourself, "No one can know what his heart is. We must hope the best. No one can find out with any certainty the state of his own soul." Beware, I say again - beware of such thoughts. The thing can be known. The thing can be found out. Deal honestly and fairly with yourself. Set up a "trial" on the state of your inward man. Summon a jury. Let the Bible preside as judge. Bring up the witnesses. Inquire what your tastes are - where your affections are placed - where your treasure is - what you hate most - what you love most - what pleases you most - what grieves you most. Inquire into all these points impartially, and mark what the answers are. "Where your treasure is there will be your heart also." (Matt. 6:21). A tree may always be discovered by its fruits, and a true Christian may always be discovered by his habits, tastes, and affections. Yes! you may soon find out what your heart is, if you are honest, sincere, and impartial. Is it right or wrong?
~J. C. Ryle~
(continued with # 4)
The Heart # 2
The Heart # 2
Would you know the reason why so many hear the Gospel year after year, and yet remain unmoved by it? Their minds seem like Bunyan's "slough of despond." Cartloads of good instruction are poured into them without producing any good effect. Their reason is convinced. Their head assents to the truth. Their conscience is sometimes pricked. Their feelings are sometimes roused. Why then do they stick fast? Why do they tarry? It is their hearts which are in fault! Some secret idol chains them down to the earth, and keeps them tied hand and foot, so that they cannot move. They need a new heart. Their picture is drawn faithfully by Ezekiel, "They sit before you as my people, and they hear your words - but they will not do them - for with their mouth they show much love - but their heart goes after their covetousness" (Ezek. 33:31).
Would you know the reason why thousands of so-called Christians will be lost at last, and perish miserably in hell? They will not be able to say that did not offer salvation to them. They will not be able to plead that Christ did not send them invitations. Oh no! They will be obliged to confess that all things were ready for them, except their own hearts. Their own hearts will prove to have been the cause of their ruin! The life boat was alongside the wreck - but they would not enter it. Christ "would" have gathered them - but they "would not" be gathered. (Matt. 23:37). Christ would have saved them - but they would not be saved. "They loved darkness more than light." Their hearts were in fault. "They would not come to Christ, that they might have life" (John 3:19; 5:40).
I leave this part of my subject. I trust I have said enough to show you the immense importance of the heart in religion. Surely I have good reason for pressing the subject of this paper on your notice. Is your heart right? Is it right in the sight of God?
2. I will show you, in the second place, the heart that is wrong in the sight of God. There are only two sorts of hearts, a right one and a wrong one. What is a wrong heart like?
The wrong heart is the natural heart with which we are all born. There are no hearts which are right by nature. There are no such thing as naturally good hearts, whatever some ignorant people may please to say about "having a good heart at the bottom." Ever since Adam and Eve fell, and sin entered into the world, men and women are born with an inclination to evil. Every natural heart is wrong. If your heart has never been changed by the Holy Spirit since you were born, know this day, that your heart is wrong.
What does the Scripture say about the natural heart? It says many things which are deeply solemn, and painfully true. It says that "the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked" (Jer. 17:9). It says that "every imagination of the thoughts of the heart is only evil continually" (Gen. 6:5). It says that "the heart of the sons of men is full of evil" (Eccies. 9:3). It says that "From within, out of the heart of man" as out of a fountain "proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within" (Mark 7:21). Truly this is a humbling picture! The seeds of these things are in the heart of everyone born into the world. Surely I may well tell you that the natural heart is wrong.
But is there no one common mark of the wrong heart, which is to be seen in all whom God has not changed? Yes! there is; and to that common mark of the wrong heart I now request your attention. There is a most striking and instructive figure of speech, which the Holy Spirit has thought fit to use, in describing the natural heart. He calls it a "stony heart" (Ezek. 11:19). I know no emblem in the Bible so full of instruction, and so apt and fitting as this one. A truer word was never written than than which calls the natural heart a heart of stone. Mark well what I am going to say; and may the Lord give you understanding.
(a) A stone is HARD. All people know that. It is unyielding, unbending, unimpressible. It may be broken - but it will never bend. The proverb is world-wide, "as hard as stone". Afflictions, mercies, losses, crosses, sermons, counsels, books, tracts, speaking, writing - all, all are unable to soften it. Until the day that God comes down to change it, the heart remains unmoved. Well may the natural heart be called a heart of stone!
(b) A stone is COLD. There is a chilly, icy feeling about it, which you know the moment you touch it. The old marble statues in many a cathedral church have heard thousands of sermons. Yet they never show any feeling. Not a muscle of their marble faces ever moves. It is just the same with the natural heart. It is utterly destitute of spiritual feeling. It cares less for the story of Christ's death on the Cross. Until God sends fire from heaven to warm it, the natural heart of man has no feeling about religion. Well may it be called a heart of stone!
(c) A stone is BARREN. You will reap no harvest off rocks of any description. And you will never get a crop worth a dollar off a stone. It is just the same with the natural heart. It is utterly barren of penitence, or faith, or love, or fear, or holiness, or humility. Until God breaks it up, and puts a new principle in it, it bears no fruit to God's praise. Well may the natural heart be called a heart of stone!
(d) A stone is DEAD. It neither sees, nor hears, nor moves, nor grows. Show it the glories of heaven, and it would not be pleased. Tell it of the fires of hell, and it would not be alarmed. Bit it flee from a roaring lion, or an earthquake, and it would not stir. It is just the same with the natural heart. It has not a spark of spiritual life about it. Until God plants the Holy Spirit in it, it is dead and motionless about real religion. Well may the natural heart be called a heart of stone!
The wrong heart is now set before you. Look at it. Think about it. Examine yourself by the light of the picture I have drawn. Perhaps your heart has never yet been changed. Perhaps your heart is still just as it was when you were born. If so, remember this day what I tell you. Your heart is wrong in the sight of God!
Would you know the reason why it is so difficult to do good in the world? Would you know why so few believe the Gospel, and live like true Christians? The reason is, the hardness of man's natural heart. He nether sees nor knows what is for his good. The wonder, to my mind, is not so much that few are converted, as the miraculous fact that any are converted at all. I am not greatly surprised when I see or hear of unbelief. I remember the natural heart is wrong.
Would you know the reason why the state of people is so desperately helpless, if they die in their sins? Would you know why ministers feel so fearful about everyone who is cut off unprepared to meet God? The reason is, the hardness of man's natural heart. What would a man do in heaven, if he got there, with his heart unchanged? By which of the saints would he sit down? What pleasure could he take in God's presence and company? Oh no! it is vain to conceal it. There can be no real hope about a man's condition, if he dies with his heart wrong.
I leave this point here. Once more I press the whole subject of my paper upon your conscience. Surely you must allow it is a very serious one. Is your heart right? Is it right in the sight of God?
~J. C. Ryle~
(continued with # 3)
Would you know the reason why so many hear the Gospel year after year, and yet remain unmoved by it? Their minds seem like Bunyan's "slough of despond." Cartloads of good instruction are poured into them without producing any good effect. Their reason is convinced. Their head assents to the truth. Their conscience is sometimes pricked. Their feelings are sometimes roused. Why then do they stick fast? Why do they tarry? It is their hearts which are in fault! Some secret idol chains them down to the earth, and keeps them tied hand and foot, so that they cannot move. They need a new heart. Their picture is drawn faithfully by Ezekiel, "They sit before you as my people, and they hear your words - but they will not do them - for with their mouth they show much love - but their heart goes after their covetousness" (Ezek. 33:31).
Would you know the reason why thousands of so-called Christians will be lost at last, and perish miserably in hell? They will not be able to say that did not offer salvation to them. They will not be able to plead that Christ did not send them invitations. Oh no! They will be obliged to confess that all things were ready for them, except their own hearts. Their own hearts will prove to have been the cause of their ruin! The life boat was alongside the wreck - but they would not enter it. Christ "would" have gathered them - but they "would not" be gathered. (Matt. 23:37). Christ would have saved them - but they would not be saved. "They loved darkness more than light." Their hearts were in fault. "They would not come to Christ, that they might have life" (John 3:19; 5:40).
I leave this part of my subject. I trust I have said enough to show you the immense importance of the heart in religion. Surely I have good reason for pressing the subject of this paper on your notice. Is your heart right? Is it right in the sight of God?
2. I will show you, in the second place, the heart that is wrong in the sight of God. There are only two sorts of hearts, a right one and a wrong one. What is a wrong heart like?
The wrong heart is the natural heart with which we are all born. There are no hearts which are right by nature. There are no such thing as naturally good hearts, whatever some ignorant people may please to say about "having a good heart at the bottom." Ever since Adam and Eve fell, and sin entered into the world, men and women are born with an inclination to evil. Every natural heart is wrong. If your heart has never been changed by the Holy Spirit since you were born, know this day, that your heart is wrong.
What does the Scripture say about the natural heart? It says many things which are deeply solemn, and painfully true. It says that "the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked" (Jer. 17:9). It says that "every imagination of the thoughts of the heart is only evil continually" (Gen. 6:5). It says that "the heart of the sons of men is full of evil" (Eccies. 9:3). It says that "From within, out of the heart of man" as out of a fountain "proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within" (Mark 7:21). Truly this is a humbling picture! The seeds of these things are in the heart of everyone born into the world. Surely I may well tell you that the natural heart is wrong.
But is there no one common mark of the wrong heart, which is to be seen in all whom God has not changed? Yes! there is; and to that common mark of the wrong heart I now request your attention. There is a most striking and instructive figure of speech, which the Holy Spirit has thought fit to use, in describing the natural heart. He calls it a "stony heart" (Ezek. 11:19). I know no emblem in the Bible so full of instruction, and so apt and fitting as this one. A truer word was never written than than which calls the natural heart a heart of stone. Mark well what I am going to say; and may the Lord give you understanding.
(a) A stone is HARD. All people know that. It is unyielding, unbending, unimpressible. It may be broken - but it will never bend. The proverb is world-wide, "as hard as stone". Afflictions, mercies, losses, crosses, sermons, counsels, books, tracts, speaking, writing - all, all are unable to soften it. Until the day that God comes down to change it, the heart remains unmoved. Well may the natural heart be called a heart of stone!
(b) A stone is COLD. There is a chilly, icy feeling about it, which you know the moment you touch it. The old marble statues in many a cathedral church have heard thousands of sermons. Yet they never show any feeling. Not a muscle of their marble faces ever moves. It is just the same with the natural heart. It is utterly destitute of spiritual feeling. It cares less for the story of Christ's death on the Cross. Until God sends fire from heaven to warm it, the natural heart of man has no feeling about religion. Well may it be called a heart of stone!
(c) A stone is BARREN. You will reap no harvest off rocks of any description. And you will never get a crop worth a dollar off a stone. It is just the same with the natural heart. It is utterly barren of penitence, or faith, or love, or fear, or holiness, or humility. Until God breaks it up, and puts a new principle in it, it bears no fruit to God's praise. Well may the natural heart be called a heart of stone!
(d) A stone is DEAD. It neither sees, nor hears, nor moves, nor grows. Show it the glories of heaven, and it would not be pleased. Tell it of the fires of hell, and it would not be alarmed. Bit it flee from a roaring lion, or an earthquake, and it would not stir. It is just the same with the natural heart. It has not a spark of spiritual life about it. Until God plants the Holy Spirit in it, it is dead and motionless about real religion. Well may the natural heart be called a heart of stone!
The wrong heart is now set before you. Look at it. Think about it. Examine yourself by the light of the picture I have drawn. Perhaps your heart has never yet been changed. Perhaps your heart is still just as it was when you were born. If so, remember this day what I tell you. Your heart is wrong in the sight of God!
Would you know the reason why it is so difficult to do good in the world? Would you know why so few believe the Gospel, and live like true Christians? The reason is, the hardness of man's natural heart. He nether sees nor knows what is for his good. The wonder, to my mind, is not so much that few are converted, as the miraculous fact that any are converted at all. I am not greatly surprised when I see or hear of unbelief. I remember the natural heart is wrong.
Would you know the reason why the state of people is so desperately helpless, if they die in their sins? Would you know why ministers feel so fearful about everyone who is cut off unprepared to meet God? The reason is, the hardness of man's natural heart. What would a man do in heaven, if he got there, with his heart unchanged? By which of the saints would he sit down? What pleasure could he take in God's presence and company? Oh no! it is vain to conceal it. There can be no real hope about a man's condition, if he dies with his heart wrong.
I leave this point here. Once more I press the whole subject of my paper upon your conscience. Surely you must allow it is a very serious one. Is your heart right? Is it right in the sight of God?
~J. C. Ryle~
(continued with # 3)
Saturday, August 4, 2018
The Heart # 1
The Heart # 1
"Give me your heart" (Proverbs 23:26).
"Your heart is not right in the sight of God" (Acts 8:21).
The heart is the main thing in true religion. I make no excuse for asking the special attention of my readers, while I try to say a few things about the heart.
The head is not the principle thing. You may know the whole truth as it is in Jesus, and consent that it is good. You may be clear, correct, and sound in your religious opinions. But all this time you may be walking in the broad way which leads to destruction. It is your heart which is the main point. "Is your heart right in the sight of God?"
Your outward life may be moral, decent, respectable, in the eyes of people. Your minister, and friends, and neighbors, may see nothing very wrong in your general conduct. But all this time you may be hanging on the brink of everlasting ruin. It is your heart which is the main thing. Is that heart right in the sight of God?
Wishes and desires are not enough to make a Christian. You may have many good feelings about your soul. You may, like Balaam, long to "die the death of the righteous." (Num. 23:10). You may sometimes tremble at the thought of judgment to come, or be melted to tears by the tidings of Christ's love. But all this time you may be slowly drifting downward into hell. It is your heart which is the main thing. Is that heart right in the sight of God?
There are three things which I propose to do in order to impress the subject of this paper upon your mind.
1. First, I will show you the immense importance of the heart in religion.
2. Secondly, I will show you the heart which is wrong in the sight of God.
3. Lastly, I will show you the heart which is right in the sight of God.
May God bless the whole subject to the soul of everyone into whose hands this book may fall! May the Holy Spirit, without whom all preaching and writing can do nothing, apply this paper to many consciences, and make it an arrow to pierce many hearts!
1. In the first place, I will show the immense IMPORTANCE of the heart in religion. How shall I prove this point? From whence shall I fetch my arguments? I must turn to the Word of God. In questions of this kind it matters nothing what the world thinks right or wrong. There is only one sure test of truth. What says the Scripture? What is written in the Bible? What is the mind of the Holy Spirit? If we cannot submit our judgments to this infallible umpire, it is useless to pretend that we have any religion at all.
For one thing, the Bible teaches that the heart is that part of us on which the state of our soul depends. "Out of it are the issues of life" (Prov. 4:23). The reason, the understanding, the conscience, the affections, are all second in importance to the heart. The heart is the seat of all spiritual life, and health, and strength, and growth. It is the hinge and turning-point in the condition of man's soul. If the heart is alive to God and quickened by the Spirit, the man is a living Christian. If the heart is dead and has not the Spirit, the man is dead before God. The heart is the man! Tell me not merely what a man says and professes, and where a man goes on Sunday, and what money he puts in the collecting plate. Tell me rather what his heart is, and I will tell you what he is. "As a man thinks in his heart, so is he" (Prov. 23:7).
For another thing, the Bible teaches that the heart is that part of us at which God especially looks. "Man looks at the outward appearance - but the Lord looks on the heart" (1 Sam. 16:7). "Every way of man is right in his own eyes - but the Lord ponders the heart" (Prov. 21:2). Man is naturally content with the outward part of religion, with outward morality, outward correctness, outward regular attendance on means of grace. But the eyes of the Lord look much further. He regards our motives. He "weighs the spirits" (Prov. 16:2). He says himself, "I the Lord am the searcher of the heart, the tester of the thoughts" (Jeremiah 17:10).
For another thing, the Bible teaches that the heart is the first and foremost thing which God asks man to give Him. "My Son," He says, "give Me your heart" (Prov. 23:26). We may give God a bowed head and a serious face, our bodily presence in His house, and a loud amen. But until we give God our hearts, we give Him nothing of any value. The sacrifices of the Jews in Isaiah's time were many and costly. They drew near to God with their mouth, and honored Him with their lips. But they were all wholly useless, because the heart of the worshipers was far from God. (Matt. 15:8). The zeal of Jehu against idolatry was very great, and his services in pulling down idols brought him many temporal rewards. But there was one great blot on his character which spoiled all. He did not walk in the law of God "with all his heart" (2 Kings 10:31). The heart is what the husband desires to have in his wife, the parent in his child, and the master in his servant. And the heart is what God desires to have in professing Christians.
What is the heart in man's body? It is the principle and most important organ in the whole frame. A man may live many years in spite of fevers, wounds, and loss of limbs. But a man cannot live if you injure his heart. Just so it is with the heart in religion. It is the fountain of life to the soul.
Would you know the reason why such multitudes around you take no interest in true religion? They have no real concern about God, or Christ, or the Bible, or heaven, or hell, or judgment, or eternity. They care for nothing but what they shall eat, or drink, or what they shall put on, or what money they can get, or what pleasure they can have. It is their heart which is in fault! They have not the least appetite for the things of God. They are destitute of any taste or inclination for spiritual things. They need a new heart. "Therefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he has no heart unto it" (Prov. 17:16).
~J. C. Ryle~
(continued with # 2)
"Give me your heart" (Proverbs 23:26).
"Your heart is not right in the sight of God" (Acts 8:21).
The heart is the main thing in true religion. I make no excuse for asking the special attention of my readers, while I try to say a few things about the heart.
The head is not the principle thing. You may know the whole truth as it is in Jesus, and consent that it is good. You may be clear, correct, and sound in your religious opinions. But all this time you may be walking in the broad way which leads to destruction. It is your heart which is the main point. "Is your heart right in the sight of God?"
Your outward life may be moral, decent, respectable, in the eyes of people. Your minister, and friends, and neighbors, may see nothing very wrong in your general conduct. But all this time you may be hanging on the brink of everlasting ruin. It is your heart which is the main thing. Is that heart right in the sight of God?
Wishes and desires are not enough to make a Christian. You may have many good feelings about your soul. You may, like Balaam, long to "die the death of the righteous." (Num. 23:10). You may sometimes tremble at the thought of judgment to come, or be melted to tears by the tidings of Christ's love. But all this time you may be slowly drifting downward into hell. It is your heart which is the main thing. Is that heart right in the sight of God?
There are three things which I propose to do in order to impress the subject of this paper upon your mind.
1. First, I will show you the immense importance of the heart in religion.
2. Secondly, I will show you the heart which is wrong in the sight of God.
3. Lastly, I will show you the heart which is right in the sight of God.
May God bless the whole subject to the soul of everyone into whose hands this book may fall! May the Holy Spirit, without whom all preaching and writing can do nothing, apply this paper to many consciences, and make it an arrow to pierce many hearts!
1. In the first place, I will show the immense IMPORTANCE of the heart in religion. How shall I prove this point? From whence shall I fetch my arguments? I must turn to the Word of God. In questions of this kind it matters nothing what the world thinks right or wrong. There is only one sure test of truth. What says the Scripture? What is written in the Bible? What is the mind of the Holy Spirit? If we cannot submit our judgments to this infallible umpire, it is useless to pretend that we have any religion at all.
For one thing, the Bible teaches that the heart is that part of us on which the state of our soul depends. "Out of it are the issues of life" (Prov. 4:23). The reason, the understanding, the conscience, the affections, are all second in importance to the heart. The heart is the seat of all spiritual life, and health, and strength, and growth. It is the hinge and turning-point in the condition of man's soul. If the heart is alive to God and quickened by the Spirit, the man is a living Christian. If the heart is dead and has not the Spirit, the man is dead before God. The heart is the man! Tell me not merely what a man says and professes, and where a man goes on Sunday, and what money he puts in the collecting plate. Tell me rather what his heart is, and I will tell you what he is. "As a man thinks in his heart, so is he" (Prov. 23:7).
For another thing, the Bible teaches that the heart is that part of us at which God especially looks. "Man looks at the outward appearance - but the Lord looks on the heart" (1 Sam. 16:7). "Every way of man is right in his own eyes - but the Lord ponders the heart" (Prov. 21:2). Man is naturally content with the outward part of religion, with outward morality, outward correctness, outward regular attendance on means of grace. But the eyes of the Lord look much further. He regards our motives. He "weighs the spirits" (Prov. 16:2). He says himself, "I the Lord am the searcher of the heart, the tester of the thoughts" (Jeremiah 17:10).
For another thing, the Bible teaches that the heart is the first and foremost thing which God asks man to give Him. "My Son," He says, "give Me your heart" (Prov. 23:26). We may give God a bowed head and a serious face, our bodily presence in His house, and a loud amen. But until we give God our hearts, we give Him nothing of any value. The sacrifices of the Jews in Isaiah's time were many and costly. They drew near to God with their mouth, and honored Him with their lips. But they were all wholly useless, because the heart of the worshipers was far from God. (Matt. 15:8). The zeal of Jehu against idolatry was very great, and his services in pulling down idols brought him many temporal rewards. But there was one great blot on his character which spoiled all. He did not walk in the law of God "with all his heart" (2 Kings 10:31). The heart is what the husband desires to have in his wife, the parent in his child, and the master in his servant. And the heart is what God desires to have in professing Christians.
What is the heart in man's body? It is the principle and most important organ in the whole frame. A man may live many years in spite of fevers, wounds, and loss of limbs. But a man cannot live if you injure his heart. Just so it is with the heart in religion. It is the fountain of life to the soul.
Would you know the reason why such multitudes around you take no interest in true religion? They have no real concern about God, or Christ, or the Bible, or heaven, or hell, or judgment, or eternity. They care for nothing but what they shall eat, or drink, or what they shall put on, or what money they can get, or what pleasure they can have. It is their heart which is in fault! They have not the least appetite for the things of God. They are destitute of any taste or inclination for spiritual things. They need a new heart. "Therefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he has no heart unto it" (Prov. 17:16).
~J. C. Ryle~
(continued with # 2)
The Nature and Necessity of True Repentance # 3
The Nature and Necessity of True Repentance # 3
I have only two or three remarks more to make for the farther illustration of this subject.
1. The first is, that all the principles of degenerate human nature can never produce this sincere and thorough repentance - but that is the peculiar work of the Holy Spirit. Self-love, and the other low and slavish principles of human nature, may produce a servile, mercenary repentance, proceeding from the fears of punishment. But only the love of God, and the noble principles of the new nature, can bring you to a kindly, sincere repentance, from noble motives. And it is the Holy Spirit alone who can shed abroad the love of God in your hearts, and implant these sincere principles of the new nature.
2. The second remark is, that this sincere, supernatural repentance, is not the first repentance of an awakened sinner. No; he is first alarmed with terror and dreadful apprehensions of punishment; and all the springs of human nature are put in motion before these nobler principles are infused, and he is brought to a genuine evangelical repentance.
3. Thirdly, the only way to attain to this supernatural repentance is to reflect upon your sins, upon their number and aggravation, and your dreadful danger. While you are destitute of the love of God - let your self-love excite you to be sorry for your sins. While you cannot see at least the intrinsic evil of sin as against God, see at least the insupportable misery it will bring upon you. If you have not such sincere souls as to mourn over sin as against a sin-forgiving God, at least mourn over sin as against a sin-punishing God. And while the principles of nature are thus exerted - who knows but God may work in you diviner principles, and give you repentance unto life.
And now, let us get into APPLICATION of these principles.
1. "God commands all men to repent!" He commands you in various ways: commands you with motions of His Spirit striving with you; and by the voice of your own conscience, which is the of God; commands you by providence, which tends to lead you to repentance; and especially by His Gospel, which He has sent to you for this end. He now commands you by my mouth; for while I speak what His Word authorizes, it does not lose its efficacy, nor cease to be His Word by passing through my lips.
Dare you reject the known, express command of the divine Majesty? Would it not shock you, to set yourselves in opposition to so express and immediate a command of the God who made you? Well, His command to you in the Gospel is as real, as authoritative and binding, as an immediate voice from heaven!
And dare you disobey it? Dare you, with guilt, disobey a known command of the supreme Lord of heaven and earth? Dare you provoke Him to jealousy? Are you stronger than He? Can you harden yourselves against Him - and yet prosper? This day it is proclaimed in your ears, therefore this day repent. If you refuse to, let this conviction follow you home, and perpetually haunt you - that you have this day, knowingly disobeyed the great Gospel command. And to the great God you must answer for your disobedience!
2. In the next place, He commands all men to repent; all men, of all ranks and characters. This command, therefore, is binding upon everyone. The great God cries to you all, "Repent, Repent, young and old, rich and poor, white and black!! Repent, in short, God commands all men, kings and subjects, highest and lowest, and all the intermediate ranks to repent!
God commands men everywhere to repent. The call is universal. In the city, country, palaces and cottages; in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America. Repentance is a duty that extends as far as human nature, as far as the utmost boundaries of this guilty world. Wherever there are sinners under a dispensation of grace - there this command reaches. If you are men and women, if you dwell anywhere upon this guilty globe, you are included; for let me tell you once more, "God commands all men and women, everywhere, to repent!"
Nor hare you allowed to delay your compliance. Repentance is your present duty: "God commands all men everywhere to repent!" God will no longer "wink" at your impenitence - but takes strict notice of it with just indignation! Now, while the day of grace lasts, and there is place left for repentance - now before you are hardened through deceitfulness of sin and while His Spirit is striving with you! Now, and not tomorrow! Therefore, now, this moment, let us all repent! All, without exception. why should not repentance be as universal as sin? And, since we are all sinners, oh! why should we not all be humble penitents? Repent, you must either in time - or eternity; either upon earth - or in hell. You cannot possibly avoid it.
And this is the hard question? Does not common sense determine it in favor of the present time? Therefore, let the duty be as extensively observed as it is commanded: Let all men everywhere repent! Blessed God! pour out upon us a spirit of grace and supplication, that there may be a great mourning among us; that we may sincerely repent - and be eternally saved. Grant this for Jesus' sake! Amen
~Samuel Davies~
(The End)
I have only two or three remarks more to make for the farther illustration of this subject.
1. The first is, that all the principles of degenerate human nature can never produce this sincere and thorough repentance - but that is the peculiar work of the Holy Spirit. Self-love, and the other low and slavish principles of human nature, may produce a servile, mercenary repentance, proceeding from the fears of punishment. But only the love of God, and the noble principles of the new nature, can bring you to a kindly, sincere repentance, from noble motives. And it is the Holy Spirit alone who can shed abroad the love of God in your hearts, and implant these sincere principles of the new nature.
2. The second remark is, that this sincere, supernatural repentance, is not the first repentance of an awakened sinner. No; he is first alarmed with terror and dreadful apprehensions of punishment; and all the springs of human nature are put in motion before these nobler principles are infused, and he is brought to a genuine evangelical repentance.
3. Thirdly, the only way to attain to this supernatural repentance is to reflect upon your sins, upon their number and aggravation, and your dreadful danger. While you are destitute of the love of God - let your self-love excite you to be sorry for your sins. While you cannot see at least the intrinsic evil of sin as against God, see at least the insupportable misery it will bring upon you. If you have not such sincere souls as to mourn over sin as against a sin-forgiving God, at least mourn over sin as against a sin-punishing God. And while the principles of nature are thus exerted - who knows but God may work in you diviner principles, and give you repentance unto life.
And now, let us get into APPLICATION of these principles.
1. "God commands all men to repent!" He commands you in various ways: commands you with motions of His Spirit striving with you; and by the voice of your own conscience, which is the of God; commands you by providence, which tends to lead you to repentance; and especially by His Gospel, which He has sent to you for this end. He now commands you by my mouth; for while I speak what His Word authorizes, it does not lose its efficacy, nor cease to be His Word by passing through my lips.
Dare you reject the known, express command of the divine Majesty? Would it not shock you, to set yourselves in opposition to so express and immediate a command of the God who made you? Well, His command to you in the Gospel is as real, as authoritative and binding, as an immediate voice from heaven!
And dare you disobey it? Dare you, with guilt, disobey a known command of the supreme Lord of heaven and earth? Dare you provoke Him to jealousy? Are you stronger than He? Can you harden yourselves against Him - and yet prosper? This day it is proclaimed in your ears, therefore this day repent. If you refuse to, let this conviction follow you home, and perpetually haunt you - that you have this day, knowingly disobeyed the great Gospel command. And to the great God you must answer for your disobedience!
2. In the next place, He commands all men to repent; all men, of all ranks and characters. This command, therefore, is binding upon everyone. The great God cries to you all, "Repent, Repent, young and old, rich and poor, white and black!! Repent, in short, God commands all men, kings and subjects, highest and lowest, and all the intermediate ranks to repent!
God commands men everywhere to repent. The call is universal. In the city, country, palaces and cottages; in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America. Repentance is a duty that extends as far as human nature, as far as the utmost boundaries of this guilty world. Wherever there are sinners under a dispensation of grace - there this command reaches. If you are men and women, if you dwell anywhere upon this guilty globe, you are included; for let me tell you once more, "God commands all men and women, everywhere, to repent!"
Nor hare you allowed to delay your compliance. Repentance is your present duty: "God commands all men everywhere to repent!" God will no longer "wink" at your impenitence - but takes strict notice of it with just indignation! Now, while the day of grace lasts, and there is place left for repentance - now before you are hardened through deceitfulness of sin and while His Spirit is striving with you! Now, and not tomorrow! Therefore, now, this moment, let us all repent! All, without exception. why should not repentance be as universal as sin? And, since we are all sinners, oh! why should we not all be humble penitents? Repent, you must either in time - or eternity; either upon earth - or in hell. You cannot possibly avoid it.
And this is the hard question? Does not common sense determine it in favor of the present time? Therefore, let the duty be as extensively observed as it is commanded: Let all men everywhere repent! Blessed God! pour out upon us a spirit of grace and supplication, that there may be a great mourning among us; that we may sincerely repent - and be eternally saved. Grant this for Jesus' sake! Amen
~Samuel Davies~
(The End)
The Nature and Necessity of True Repentance # 2
The Nature and Necessity of True Repentance # 2
3. True repentance extends to all known sin, without exception. Every sin, whether it consists in neglecting what is commanded, or doing what is forbidden: whether it is immediately against God, against our neighbor, or ourselves; whether it is fashionable, constitutional, pleasing, or painful; every sin, without exception - is hated and lamented by the true penitent. He should indeed regard them according to their different degrees of aggravation; but he should not except any of them, even the smallest. They are all forbidden by the same divine authority; all contrary to the holy nature of God, and therefore, they must be all repented of. This was the character of David - that he "hated every false way!" (Ps. 119:128).
4. True repentance always includes reformation. There are many whose whole life seems to be one continued struggle between the strength of sin and conscience; and they run around in a circle of sinning and repenting; repenting and sinning - all their days. Sin is so strong that it will prevail in spite of all the struggles of conscience though without success. Nay, the repentance of some is so far from reforming them from sin - that it rather encourages them to return to it; for now, they think, they have cleared off the old score, and they may venture upon a new one; until that also swells very high, and then they have another fit of repentance to clear off this new account.
Alas! friends, is this repentance unto life? What does that sorrow for sin avail - which leaves the heart as much in love with it as ever! The only reason why sorrow is a necessary ingredient in repentance is, because we will not, forsake sin - until it is made bitter to us; and therefore, when our sorrow has not this effect, it is altogether useless. Can that repentance save you, which is so far from being an ingredient of holiness, that it is a preparative to sin - a repentance that answers no other end but to make conscience easy after a debauch, and prepare it for another round of sin?
Is this the nature of true repentance? No! It is the character of every true penitent, that sin has not an habitual dominion over him (Romans 6:14). Remember that maxim of the wise man, "He who covers his sins shall not prosper; but whoever confesses and forsakes them, shall have mercy." (Prov. 28:13). Observe, not only confessing - but also forsaking them - is necessary to the obtaining of mercy. The same thing appears from the various expressions used in Scripture to describe repentance.
To repent, in the language of the Bible, is to depart from our evil ways; to cease to do evil, and learn to do well; to cleanse our hands, and purity our hearts. These expressions signify not only sorrow for sin - but especially reformation from it. In vain, therefore, do you pretend to repent - if you still go on in the sins you repent of! I do not mean by this, that true penitents are perfectly free from sin in this life: alas! their painful experience makes the best of them sensible of the contrary. But I mean two things, which deserve your notice:
1. The one is, that every true repentant has a habitual dominion over sin: the principles of religion and virtue are prevailingly uppermost in his soul, and habitually regulate his behavior. As for gross, overt acts of sin - he is habitually free from them, and indeed, generally this is no great difficulty. To him it is no such mighty exploit to abstain from drunkenness, swearing, injustice, or the like. And so to his daily infirmities, they are contrary to the habitual prevailing bent of his soul, and are matter of his daily lamentation.
2. And this introduces the other remark I had in view, which is this: that the true repentant cannot be perfect in this life - is the daily grief and burden of his soul. Many hypocrites seem well pleased that this is an imperfect state, because they think it furnishes them with a plea or an excuse for their neglect of the service of God, and for their sinful indulgences. In short, sin is their delight, and, therefore, freedom from it would be a painful bereavement to them; and they are glad they are in such a state as will admit of their retaining it. Now such people do really esteem it a privilege to be imperfect, and they rejoice in it as their happiness, that they are able to continue sin.
But it is quite the reverse with the true penitent - perfection in holiness, and an entire freedom from sin - is the object of his eager desire and most vigorous pursuit; and he can never be easy until he is free from it. If he cannot enjoy the pleasure of serving God as he would in the present state, he must, at least, enjoy the pleasure of grieving over and lamenting his guilty imperfections. If he cannot get free from sin, his old enemy, he will, at least, take a kind of pleasing revenge upon it, by hating and resisting it. In short, the remains of sin afford him more uneasiness, perplexity, and sorrow - than all other things in the world. Oh! if he were but delivered from this body of death, he would be happy, however oppressed with other burdens; but while sin lies upon him, all the world cannot render him easy and happy.
From the whole, you see that reformation is an essential ingredient of true repentance; and in vain do you pretend that you repent of sin - if you still indulge yourselves in it. You may try to excuse yourselves, but in spite of all your excuses, this is an eternal truth - that unless your repentance reforms you, and turns you from the outward practice or secret indulgence of those sins you are sorry for - it is not repentance unto life.
5. And lastly, evangelical repentance implies a believing application to God for pardon - only through Jesus Christ. Evangelical repentance does not consist of despairing agonies and hopeless horrors of conscience - but is attended with an humble hope of forgiveness and acceptance; and this hope is founded entirely upon the merits of Jesus - and not of our repentance and reformation.
How opposite to this is the prevailing spirit of the world! If they repent, it is to make amends for their sins, and procure the divine favor by their repentance; and thus, even their repentance becomes a snare to them, and one cause of their destruction! In this sense, a bold saying of one of the church fathers is true: "That more souls are destroyed by their 'repentance' - than by their sins!" That is, their superficial, servile repentance has the appearance of goodness, and therefore they make a righteousness of it; and upon this quicksand they build their hopes, until they sink in remediless ruin!
Thus I have endeavored to open to you the great gospel duty of repentance, as distinguished from all counterfeits and delusive appearances. I hope you have all understood me; for I have labored to make myself understood, and spoke as plainly as I could. If you have experienced such a sincere, evangelical repentance, as has been described, you may venture your souls upon it, that it is repentance unto life; but if you are strangers to it, I may leave it to yourselves to determine, whether you can be saved in your present condition.
~Samuel Davies~
(continued with # 3)
3. True repentance extends to all known sin, without exception. Every sin, whether it consists in neglecting what is commanded, or doing what is forbidden: whether it is immediately against God, against our neighbor, or ourselves; whether it is fashionable, constitutional, pleasing, or painful; every sin, without exception - is hated and lamented by the true penitent. He should indeed regard them according to their different degrees of aggravation; but he should not except any of them, even the smallest. They are all forbidden by the same divine authority; all contrary to the holy nature of God, and therefore, they must be all repented of. This was the character of David - that he "hated every false way!" (Ps. 119:128).
4. True repentance always includes reformation. There are many whose whole life seems to be one continued struggle between the strength of sin and conscience; and they run around in a circle of sinning and repenting; repenting and sinning - all their days. Sin is so strong that it will prevail in spite of all the struggles of conscience though without success. Nay, the repentance of some is so far from reforming them from sin - that it rather encourages them to return to it; for now, they think, they have cleared off the old score, and they may venture upon a new one; until that also swells very high, and then they have another fit of repentance to clear off this new account.
Alas! friends, is this repentance unto life? What does that sorrow for sin avail - which leaves the heart as much in love with it as ever! The only reason why sorrow is a necessary ingredient in repentance is, because we will not, forsake sin - until it is made bitter to us; and therefore, when our sorrow has not this effect, it is altogether useless. Can that repentance save you, which is so far from being an ingredient of holiness, that it is a preparative to sin - a repentance that answers no other end but to make conscience easy after a debauch, and prepare it for another round of sin?
Is this the nature of true repentance? No! It is the character of every true penitent, that sin has not an habitual dominion over him (Romans 6:14). Remember that maxim of the wise man, "He who covers his sins shall not prosper; but whoever confesses and forsakes them, shall have mercy." (Prov. 28:13). Observe, not only confessing - but also forsaking them - is necessary to the obtaining of mercy. The same thing appears from the various expressions used in Scripture to describe repentance.
To repent, in the language of the Bible, is to depart from our evil ways; to cease to do evil, and learn to do well; to cleanse our hands, and purity our hearts. These expressions signify not only sorrow for sin - but especially reformation from it. In vain, therefore, do you pretend to repent - if you still go on in the sins you repent of! I do not mean by this, that true penitents are perfectly free from sin in this life: alas! their painful experience makes the best of them sensible of the contrary. But I mean two things, which deserve your notice:
1. The one is, that every true repentant has a habitual dominion over sin: the principles of religion and virtue are prevailingly uppermost in his soul, and habitually regulate his behavior. As for gross, overt acts of sin - he is habitually free from them, and indeed, generally this is no great difficulty. To him it is no such mighty exploit to abstain from drunkenness, swearing, injustice, or the like. And so to his daily infirmities, they are contrary to the habitual prevailing bent of his soul, and are matter of his daily lamentation.
2. And this introduces the other remark I had in view, which is this: that the true repentant cannot be perfect in this life - is the daily grief and burden of his soul. Many hypocrites seem well pleased that this is an imperfect state, because they think it furnishes them with a plea or an excuse for their neglect of the service of God, and for their sinful indulgences. In short, sin is their delight, and, therefore, freedom from it would be a painful bereavement to them; and they are glad they are in such a state as will admit of their retaining it. Now such people do really esteem it a privilege to be imperfect, and they rejoice in it as their happiness, that they are able to continue sin.
But it is quite the reverse with the true penitent - perfection in holiness, and an entire freedom from sin - is the object of his eager desire and most vigorous pursuit; and he can never be easy until he is free from it. If he cannot enjoy the pleasure of serving God as he would in the present state, he must, at least, enjoy the pleasure of grieving over and lamenting his guilty imperfections. If he cannot get free from sin, his old enemy, he will, at least, take a kind of pleasing revenge upon it, by hating and resisting it. In short, the remains of sin afford him more uneasiness, perplexity, and sorrow - than all other things in the world. Oh! if he were but delivered from this body of death, he would be happy, however oppressed with other burdens; but while sin lies upon him, all the world cannot render him easy and happy.
From the whole, you see that reformation is an essential ingredient of true repentance; and in vain do you pretend that you repent of sin - if you still indulge yourselves in it. You may try to excuse yourselves, but in spite of all your excuses, this is an eternal truth - that unless your repentance reforms you, and turns you from the outward practice or secret indulgence of those sins you are sorry for - it is not repentance unto life.
5. And lastly, evangelical repentance implies a believing application to God for pardon - only through Jesus Christ. Evangelical repentance does not consist of despairing agonies and hopeless horrors of conscience - but is attended with an humble hope of forgiveness and acceptance; and this hope is founded entirely upon the merits of Jesus - and not of our repentance and reformation.
How opposite to this is the prevailing spirit of the world! If they repent, it is to make amends for their sins, and procure the divine favor by their repentance; and thus, even their repentance becomes a snare to them, and one cause of their destruction! In this sense, a bold saying of one of the church fathers is true: "That more souls are destroyed by their 'repentance' - than by their sins!" That is, their superficial, servile repentance has the appearance of goodness, and therefore they make a righteousness of it; and upon this quicksand they build their hopes, until they sink in remediless ruin!
Thus I have endeavored to open to you the great gospel duty of repentance, as distinguished from all counterfeits and delusive appearances. I hope you have all understood me; for I have labored to make myself understood, and spoke as plainly as I could. If you have experienced such a sincere, evangelical repentance, as has been described, you may venture your souls upon it, that it is repentance unto life; but if you are strangers to it, I may leave it to yourselves to determine, whether you can be saved in your present condition.
~Samuel Davies~
(continued with # 3)
The Nature and Necessity of True Repentance # 1
The Nature and Necessity of True Repentance # 1
"And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commands all men everywhere to repent!" (Acts 17:30).
We here fine Paul in as learned an assembly as, perhaps, he ever appeared in. We find him in Athens, a city of Greece, famous all over the world for learning. We find him in the famous Court of Areopagus, or Mars-Hill, where the wisest men and best philosophers of this wise and philosophical city were met together.
And how does the apostle conduct himself in these critical circumstances? Why, instead of amusing them with a learned harangue; instead of confirming them in their idolatry, and vindicating himself by publicly professing that he worshiped the gods of the country, and sacrificed at the established altars; instead of this, the apostle boldly, though in a very wise and kind manner, exposes their superstitions, calls them off from their idols - to the worship of the one true God, the Maker and Ruler of heaven and earth! And, having asserted these fundamental articles of natural religion, he introduces the glorious peculiarities of Scripture revelation, and preached Jesus Christ to them as the Saviour and Judge of the world.
He inculcates the great gospel duty of repentance as binding upon all mankind, as well as in the most barbarous countries of the world.
"The times of this ignorance God winked at." By the times of ignorance, he means the times previous to the propagation of the gospel in the heathen world, who for many ages were sunk in the most gross ignorance of the true God, and in the most absurd and impious superstition and idolatry, notwithstanding the loud remonstrances of the light of reason, and the various lessons of the book of creation, so legible to all.
When it is said that God winked at these times of ignorance, it may mean, as our translators seem to think, that God seemed to "overlook", so as to send his prophets to them for their reformation. But now the case is altered! Now he has introduced a glorious day, and he plainly and loudly calls and commands all men everywhere to repent; and therefore, if you now continue impenitent, then you are utterly inexcusable.
REPENTANCE is indeed a duty enjoined by our natural reason, and strongly enforced by the Jewish religion; but it is the gospel that affords the strongest motives and allurements, and the best helps and advantages for repentance. The gospel was first introduced by a loud call to repentance: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" was the united cry of John the Baptist. And Paul sums up the substance of his preaching in these two articles, "Repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." (Acts 20:21).
Repentance is universally acknowledged to be an essential ingredient in the religion of a sinner. Those who deny the Christian religion, and particularly the necessity of Christ's death to make atonement for sin, deny it upon this supposition, that the light of nature teaches us the necessity of repentance, and that alone is a sufficient atonement for one's sins. Thus, even infidels, Jews, Pagens, and Muhammadans, agree in asserting the necessity of repentance. It is this grand, universal, unconverted duty, and not the little disputable peculiarity of one party, that I am now about to inculcate upon you; and he who has an ear to hear let him hear.
But here, I hope you are ready to request me, "Please let us know what repentance is, before you exhort us to it. How may we know what it is to repent, and whether we have truly repented or not?
Now it is evident, both from Scripture and common sense, that every pang of sorrow for sin, and every instance of reformation, is not that repentance which we have now under consideration. True evangelical repentance has the following distinguishing characteristics; by which I request you to examine yourselves.
1. It extends to the heart - as well as to the practice. Every true penitent, indeed, has as affecting sense of the many sins and guilty imperfections of his life; but then his repentance does not stop there - but he looks into the horrid arcade of sin in his heart - the secrets of wickedness within. He traces up these corrupt streams - to the corrupt fountain in his heart from which they flow. A blind mind; a corrupt heart, a heart disaffected to God - which could live content for months, for years, without loving God; a heart dead to His service, a heart insensible to eternal things, a heart excessively set upon earthly trifles; a hardened conscience; a stubborn, ungovernable will - these, to the true penitent, appear the greatest crimes, while, by a thoughtless world, they are hardly noticed as slight imperfections.
The proof of this is so evident, that I need hardly mention it. Can you suppose that it will satisfy a true lover of God and holiness, just to have a clean outside - while his heart is a mere mass of corruption? Will it content such a one, that he performs all the outward duties of religion - if there be no life or spirit in them? Will God account that man truly penitent, who thinks it enough that he is not guilty of open acts of wickedness, though he indulges it, and loves it in his heart? No! Such repentance is a shallow, superficial thing, and is good for nothing!
2. In evangelical repentance, there is a deep sense of the intrinsic evil of sin, and a hearty sorrow for it as done against God Himself. Many who think they repent of sin - have no proper sorrow upon the account of sin against God - but only on account of the punishment it is likely to bring upon themselves. It is not sin they hate - but hell. Were it possible for them to enjoy their sins - and yet be happy forever, they would never think of repenting; and hence repentance is really a hardship in their view. Need I tell you that such a servile, forced repentance - is good for nothing?
True repentance is a more kindly sincere thing; it proceeds from an affecting sense of the baseness and malignity of sin in itself.
The true repentant is also deeply sorry for sin - as against God, or as contrary to Him. He is also deeply sorry for sin - as against God's authority, as as contrariety to His holiness, as an opposition to His will and pleasure, as a most base, ungrateful return for all His goodness. He is also deeply sorry for all the agonies of the blessed Jesus! He hates it; he mourns over it with sincere and kindly relentings of heart. Sin wounds him more to offend a sin-pardoning than a sin-punishing God!
~Samuel Davies~
(continued with # 2)
"And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commands all men everywhere to repent!" (Acts 17:30).
We here fine Paul in as learned an assembly as, perhaps, he ever appeared in. We find him in Athens, a city of Greece, famous all over the world for learning. We find him in the famous Court of Areopagus, or Mars-Hill, where the wisest men and best philosophers of this wise and philosophical city were met together.
And how does the apostle conduct himself in these critical circumstances? Why, instead of amusing them with a learned harangue; instead of confirming them in their idolatry, and vindicating himself by publicly professing that he worshiped the gods of the country, and sacrificed at the established altars; instead of this, the apostle boldly, though in a very wise and kind manner, exposes their superstitions, calls them off from their idols - to the worship of the one true God, the Maker and Ruler of heaven and earth! And, having asserted these fundamental articles of natural religion, he introduces the glorious peculiarities of Scripture revelation, and preached Jesus Christ to them as the Saviour and Judge of the world.
He inculcates the great gospel duty of repentance as binding upon all mankind, as well as in the most barbarous countries of the world.
"The times of this ignorance God winked at." By the times of ignorance, he means the times previous to the propagation of the gospel in the heathen world, who for many ages were sunk in the most gross ignorance of the true God, and in the most absurd and impious superstition and idolatry, notwithstanding the loud remonstrances of the light of reason, and the various lessons of the book of creation, so legible to all.
When it is said that God winked at these times of ignorance, it may mean, as our translators seem to think, that God seemed to "overlook", so as to send his prophets to them for their reformation. But now the case is altered! Now he has introduced a glorious day, and he plainly and loudly calls and commands all men everywhere to repent; and therefore, if you now continue impenitent, then you are utterly inexcusable.
REPENTANCE is indeed a duty enjoined by our natural reason, and strongly enforced by the Jewish religion; but it is the gospel that affords the strongest motives and allurements, and the best helps and advantages for repentance. The gospel was first introduced by a loud call to repentance: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" was the united cry of John the Baptist. And Paul sums up the substance of his preaching in these two articles, "Repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." (Acts 20:21).
Repentance is universally acknowledged to be an essential ingredient in the religion of a sinner. Those who deny the Christian religion, and particularly the necessity of Christ's death to make atonement for sin, deny it upon this supposition, that the light of nature teaches us the necessity of repentance, and that alone is a sufficient atonement for one's sins. Thus, even infidels, Jews, Pagens, and Muhammadans, agree in asserting the necessity of repentance. It is this grand, universal, unconverted duty, and not the little disputable peculiarity of one party, that I am now about to inculcate upon you; and he who has an ear to hear let him hear.
But here, I hope you are ready to request me, "Please let us know what repentance is, before you exhort us to it. How may we know what it is to repent, and whether we have truly repented or not?
Now it is evident, both from Scripture and common sense, that every pang of sorrow for sin, and every instance of reformation, is not that repentance which we have now under consideration. True evangelical repentance has the following distinguishing characteristics; by which I request you to examine yourselves.
1. It extends to the heart - as well as to the practice. Every true penitent, indeed, has as affecting sense of the many sins and guilty imperfections of his life; but then his repentance does not stop there - but he looks into the horrid arcade of sin in his heart - the secrets of wickedness within. He traces up these corrupt streams - to the corrupt fountain in his heart from which they flow. A blind mind; a corrupt heart, a heart disaffected to God - which could live content for months, for years, without loving God; a heart dead to His service, a heart insensible to eternal things, a heart excessively set upon earthly trifles; a hardened conscience; a stubborn, ungovernable will - these, to the true penitent, appear the greatest crimes, while, by a thoughtless world, they are hardly noticed as slight imperfections.
The proof of this is so evident, that I need hardly mention it. Can you suppose that it will satisfy a true lover of God and holiness, just to have a clean outside - while his heart is a mere mass of corruption? Will it content such a one, that he performs all the outward duties of religion - if there be no life or spirit in them? Will God account that man truly penitent, who thinks it enough that he is not guilty of open acts of wickedness, though he indulges it, and loves it in his heart? No! Such repentance is a shallow, superficial thing, and is good for nothing!
2. In evangelical repentance, there is a deep sense of the intrinsic evil of sin, and a hearty sorrow for it as done against God Himself. Many who think they repent of sin - have no proper sorrow upon the account of sin against God - but only on account of the punishment it is likely to bring upon themselves. It is not sin they hate - but hell. Were it possible for them to enjoy their sins - and yet be happy forever, they would never think of repenting; and hence repentance is really a hardship in their view. Need I tell you that such a servile, forced repentance - is good for nothing?
True repentance is a more kindly sincere thing; it proceeds from an affecting sense of the baseness and malignity of sin in itself.
The true repentant is also deeply sorry for sin - as against God, or as contrary to Him. He is also deeply sorry for sin - as against God's authority, as as contrariety to His holiness, as an opposition to His will and pleasure, as a most base, ungrateful return for all His goodness. He is also deeply sorry for all the agonies of the blessed Jesus! He hates it; he mourns over it with sincere and kindly relentings of heart. Sin wounds him more to offend a sin-pardoning than a sin-punishing God!
~Samuel Davies~
(continued with # 2)
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