(4.) We know things with more efficacy and power ; not only are mis- takes discovered, but lusts subdued. Sin, grace, Christ, and eternity are of weight to move a rock, yet shake not the heart of the carnal professors, because they received the word of God in word only, and not in power. But when the gospel cometh in the Holy Ghost, it cometh in power, 1 Thes. i. 5. Where the apprehension is clear, the assent strong, consideration serious, application close, it must needs
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be so. Men are pierced to the quick, deeply affected with what they know. A man may give twenty reasons against vices and vanities, and yet follow them ; but when he is thus enlightened, his heart yieldeth. This powerful conviction maketh him see the wretchedness of his car- nal and blessedness of his spiritual estate ; and then losses are gains, and gains are losses.
Use. Is it thus with you ? Can you say as Paul did, ' What things were gain to me, those I accounted loss for Christ ? ' Are your hearts alienated from whatever may keep you from God and Christ ?
1. There is something that may keep us from God. Naturally we are governed by the wisdom of the flesh. Now what the wisdom of the flesh is the apostle will tell us : James iii. 15, ' This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.' Our understanding, as influenced by the flesh, doth only prompt us to pleasure, profit, and honour. The heart pitcheth upon vain delights, and valueth its happiness by them, which while we indulge and cherish, it careth not for God ; other things take up his place in the heart. Their belly is their god, Phil. iii. 19 ; mammon is their god, Mat. vi. 24 ; and honour and greatness : John xii. 42, ' Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him ; but because of the pharisees they did not con- fess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue.' Self-love forsaketh idols, and sets up gods instead of the true God, who should be our chief good and last end. But when the mind and heart is changed by grace, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are restored to their due honour. The love of God and heavenly things overcomes that natural delectation which we take in worldly things ; and the force of celestial love doth sweetly prevail in the soul, so that you value your happiness by the favour of God, not by the enjoyment of worldly things: Ps. iv. 6, 7, 'There be many that say, Who will show us any good? Lord, lift up the light of thy countenance upon us. Thou hast put gladness into my heart, more than in the time when their corn and their wine increased.' Partly because the heavenly light shining upon the soul obscureth all worldly things; and partly because love in- clineth us to God and the things which tend to the enjoyment of him ; our minds are altered by spiritual eye-salve, and our hearts by the victorious force of celestial love ; and then you will judge thatthe enjoyment of the creature, if it alienate your hearts from God, is a loss rather than a gain to you. You lose by your honour if it make you less zealous for God ; by your pleasure if it unfits the heart for God and weakeneth your delight in him ; by your profits and wealth, if they cause you to abate of your diligence in seeking after God. Well, then, are you changed ? Do you count the world an enemy as it would draw you away from God, however it gratifieth your fleshly mind and fancy ? Surely the sanctifying and enlightening Spirit hath been at work in your hearts.
2. That which keepeth you from Christ is a superficial righteousness, whicli maketh your conviction and conversion more difficult; as it maketh us senseless and ignorant of our danger, and careless of the means of our recovery. Therefore Christ saith, ' Publicans and harlots should enter into the kingdom of God' before pharisees and self-justi- ciaries, Mat. xxi. 31. No condition is more dangerous than to be poor
VEK. 7.] SERMONS UPON PHILIPPIANS III. 11
and proud, corrupt and rotten, and yet conceited and confident. The most vicious are sooner wrought upon than those that please themselves in external observances, without any real inward holiness or change of heart. They neither understand law nor gospel ; not the law in its purity, and strictness, and spiritual exactness ; not the gospel, which offereth a remedy only to the penitent, and those which are deeply affected with the pollution of their natures and lives, and the misery consequent, but are puffed up with a vain conceit and opinion of their good estate without any brokenness of heart. They are injurious to the law, as they curtail it, and reduce it to the external work, that the ell may be no longer than the cloth. They make a short exposition of the law, that they may cherish a large opinion of their own righteous- ness. They are injurious against the gospel, as they continue in their impenitency and unbelief ; were never brought home in a broken-hearted manner to accept of Christ. The law well understood would humble them : ' The law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin,' Eom. vii. 14. The gospel is not for them ; for Christ came to call sinners, not those that are righteous in their own eyes, Mat. ix. 13. The whole tenor of the gospel is against them, which is a remedy for lost and broken-hearted sinners : ' He came to seek and to save that which is lost ; ' Luke xv. 7, ' Joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repent- eth, more than over ninety and nine just persons that need no repent- ance.' Nothing is more opposite to the frame of the gospel than an impenitent and unbroken-hearted disposition of the spirit, satisfying itself in a partial, external obedience. So the woman that was a sinner was preferred before Simon a pharisee, Luke vii. 44 ; and the self-con- demning publican in the parable before the self-justifying pharisee, Luke xviii. 13; and the penitent adulteress before her conceited accusers, John viii. 7. And in the general, the most odious and despised sinners, repenting and believing in Christ, find more grace and place with him than those that satisfy themselves with exterior righteousness. Well, then, are you of this temper, to count this external, partial righteous- ness loss rather than gain ?