^ Qu. 'Spiritual uncleanness ends in bodily' ? — Ed,
420 SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII. [SeR. XXVI.
creeping tilings. ^Vhcrefore God also gave tlieni ii]) to uncleanness, throngli the lusts of their own hearts to dishonour their own bodies between themselves.' Partly by a natural efficacy ; the spirit is em- based by error, and all false i)rinciples have a secret and pestilential influence on the life and practice. We lose a sense and care of ]:)iety, if we have not a right ap})rehension of God's essence and will ; a frame of truth keepetli an awe. Therefore, where there is so much truth as to sanctify, yet because it is mingled with falsehood, there is no such reverence of God, no such strictness. Unbelief is the mother of sin ; misbelief is the nurse of it. In error there is a sinful confederacy be- tween the rational and the sensual part, and so carnal affections are gratified with carnal doctrines.
3. Every true light will not serve the turn, but it must be the light of the word. God hath reserved this honour of sanctifying the heart to the doctrine of the scriptures, to evidence their divine original : James i. 18, ' Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth.' The great change that is wrought in the heart of man is by the word. A moral lecture may make a man change his life, but the word of God maketh a man change his heart, as Xenocrates' moral lectures made Pollemo leave his vicious and sensual course of life ; but regeneration is only found in the school of Christ : ' He hath begotten us by the word of truth.' And the ordinance of preaching the word is conse- crated to this i)urpose : Eph. v. 26, ' That he might sanctify them by the washing of w^ater through the word.' There are other occasional lielps, but this is the instituted means. God will work no other way in his ordinary and revealed course, and will accept no other obedience and sanctification but by the word. Holiness, or that piety which is l^roper and genuine, is wrought by a divine truth, otherwise it is superstition, not godliness ; civility, not holiness of conversation. Though men have never so good an inclination, yet because they have not a divine revelation for their warrant, it is but a bastard religion, superstition, or framing a strictness of our own, accompanied with opposition against the truth. The word and Spirit are in conjunc- tion: Isa. lix. 21, 'My Spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth,' &c. These act in conjunction, and it is for the honour of the scriptures that God hath annexed them: 1 Thes. v. 19, 20, 'Quench not the Spirit ; despise not prophesying.' Preaching of the word and pouring out of the Spirit go together.
4. Every part of the truth worketh not, but only the gospel, which is the truth, kut i^o')(^)]v. The law showeth ns our s})ots, and the gospel cleanseth and washeth thein away. The work of the law is preparation, but that which hath a special and direct influence upon sanctification is the gospel : John xv. 3, ' Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken to you ;' and that was the gospel privi- lege. This pulleth in the heart to God, that we may be partakers of his grace. Moses brought them to the borders, but Joshua brought them into the land of Canaan. The a[)Ostle appealeth to the experi- ence of believers : Gal. iii. 2, ' This only would I learn of you, received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith ? ' Though the Spirit may be received by the preaching of any part of
VeR. 17.] SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII. 421
canonical scripture, yet most usually by the preaching of the gospel. The Lord would give us this sensible and authentic proof of the truth and excellency of the gospel, that we receive the Spirit of regeneration by it, and not by the law. It is the instrument by which God useth to confer the Spirit, So 2 Peter i. 4, ' To us are given exceeding great and precious promises, that by these we may be made partakers of the divine nature.' What part of the word worketh the heart to a con- formity to Grod, likeneth us in holiness to God ? The great and precious promises. It is not by moral strains, nor by terrible threaten- ings ; these have their use in their place ; but by the great and precious promises, as God was in the still voice.
5. The gospel worketh not unless it be accompanied with the Spirit. There is a great deal of difference between seeing things in the light of reason, and seeing things in the light of the Spirit. Truth rejire- sented in the light of reason begets but a human faith, leaveth a weak impression, and hath but a w^eak operation upon the soul; but things represented in the light of the Spirit worketh quite otherwise ; there is not only a notional irradiation, but an experimental feeling ; they see another manner of beauty and excellency in Christ, a vanity in worldly delights, which they never saw before. Running water and strong water differ not in colour, but in taste and virtue : John xvi. 13, ' When he the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth ;' 1 John ii. 27, ' The anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you ; and ye need not that any man teach you, but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things.' Most men content them- selves with a superficial belief ; they have but a human knowledge of divine things, and therefore their souls are not carried out to holiness, love, fear, trust, obedience ; they have a cold and naked apprehension : literal knowledge is washy and weak, it worketh not : 1 Peter i. 22, ' Seeing ye have purified your souls, in obeying the truth through the Spirit'