14. On the other hand, there may be sudden assaults, either from the world, or the God of this world, and frequently from our own evil hearts, which we did not, and hardly could foresee. And by these even a believer, while weak in faith, may possibly be borne down, suppose into a degree of anger, or thinking evil of another, with scarce any concurrence of his will. Now in such a case, the jealous God would undoubtedly shew him that he had done foolishly. He would be convinced of having swerved from the perfect law, from the mind which was in Christ, and consequently _grieved_ with a godly sorrow, and lovingly _ashamed_ before God. Yet need he not come into condemnation. God layeth not folly to his charge, but hath compassion upon him, _even as a Father pitieth his own children_. And his heart condemneth him not; in the midst of that sorrow and shame, he can still say, _I will trust and not be afraid. For the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he is also become my salvation._
III. 1. It remains only, to draw some practical inferences from the preceding considerations. And, first, If there be _no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, and walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit_, on account of their past sin: then why art thou fearful, O thou of little faith? Tho’ thy sins were once more in number than the sand, what is that to thee now thou art in Christ Jesus? _Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth: who is he that condemneth?_ All the sins thou hast committed from thy youth up, until the hour when thou wast _accepted in the Beloved_, are driven away as chaff, are gone, are lost, swallowed up, remembered no more. Thou art now _born of the Spirit_: wilt thou be troubled or afraid for what is done before thou wert born? Away with thy fears! Thou art not called to fear; but to the _Spirit of love and of a sound mind_. Know thy calling. Rejoice in God thy Saviour, and give thanks to God thy Father through him.
2. Wilt thou say, “But I have again committed sin, since I had redemption through his blood? And therefore it is, that _I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes_.” It is meet thou shouldst abhor thyself; and it is God who hath wrought thee to this self-same thing. But dost thou now believe? Hath he again enabled thee to say, _I know that my Redeemer liveth: and the life which I now live, I live by faith in the Son of God_? Then that faith again cancels all that is past, and there is no condemnation to thee. At whatsoever time thou truly believest in the name of the Son of God, all thy sins antecedent to that hour, vanish away as the morning dew. Now then, _Stand thou fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made thee free_. He hath once more made thee free from the power of sin, as well as from the guilt and punishment of it. _O be not intangled again with the yoke of bondage!_ Neither the vile, devilish bondage of sin; of evil desires, evil tempers, or words, or works, the most grievous yoke on this side hell: nor the bondage of slavish, tormenting fear, of guilt and self-condemnation.
3. But, secondly: Do all they which abide _in Christ Jesus, walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit_? Then we cannot but infer, that whosoever now committeth sin, hath no part or lot in this matter. He is even now condemned by his own heart. But _if our heart condemn us_, if our own conscience beareth witness that we are guilty, undoubtedly God doth: for _he is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things_; so that we cannot deceive him, if we can ourselves. And think not to say, “I was justified once; my sins were once forgiven me.” I know not that: neither will I dispute whether they were or no. Perhaps, at this distance of time, ’tis next to impossible to know with any tolerable degree of certainty, whether that was a true, genuine work of God, or whether thou didst only deceive thy own soul. But this I know with the utmost degree of certainty, _He that committeth sin is of the devil_. Therefore thou art of thy father the devil. It cannot be denied: for the works of thy father thou dost. O flatter not thyself with vain hopes. Say not to thy soul, Peace, peace! For there is no peace. Cry aloud! Cry unto God out of the deep; if haply he may hear thy voice. Come unto him as at first, as wretched and poor, as sinful, miserable, blind and naked. And beware thou suffer thy soul to take no rest, till his pardoning love be again revealed, till he _heal thy backslidings_, and fill thee again with the _faith that worketh by love_.