2 of his "closely pressed upon him? Has the awful consideration that if" Christ is not in him," "though he speak with the tongues of men and of angels," he is a "reprobate "ever led him to "examine himself, whether he be in the faith, and to prove his own self?" If he speaks of his love, he owns his obligations; but what are his views of the Divine excellency of the Saviour? Where is his readiness to bear his cross? Where are the exercises of delight in his word, or the evidences of union with his people? Maclaurin admirably observes, that the lively and vigorous exercise of love must be judged of by a better standard, than the natural outward signs of inward emotions, depending upon constitution and other causes; that a main thing, in which its true strength consists, is its influence on universal holiness in practice, which is a matter of great importance for the discovering the delusions of self-deceivers.” 3 How often is the Saviour's merit made—whether avowedly or not- -a support for a bold confidence in insensibility to all spiritual affection and Christian deportment! And therefore, as the sum of the whole inquiry- Every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love." 4 Perhaps we are scarcely warranted to expect the discovery of every case of this kind. Notwithstanding all our vigilance, some counterfeit coin will pass for gold. Judas among the Apostles, and Ananias and others in the Primitive Church, are standing mementos, that it is not our prerogative to search the heart. Generally however the false professor betrays himself by some instance of inconsistency, which 1 Rom. viii. 9. 3 Essay on Divine Grace, sect. v. 2 2 Cor. xiii. 5. 4 1 John iv. 7, 8. affords a handle of conviction in dealing with him. Dislike to the character of spiritual religion, and to subjects of conversation connected with it; prevalent love of the world; and unsubdued inveterate tempers,3 indicate his want of sincerity in the reception of the truth. The love of holiness, and the desire of Christian advancement, were not the ends he had proposed. The truth was received as a speculative dogma; "not in the love of it." As therefore it was loosely held, it was ineffectively applied, and (when inconvenience was threatened) readily surrendered. Such persons are the great stumbling-block to the young and unestablished Christian-and not less so to the world. Their discovery should make us cautious and slow in forming our judgment of characters; while at the same time we must be careful not to treat the sincere with coldness and suspicion. THE power of conviction was strongly and variously exhibited under the Ministry of the New Testament. The thundering discourses of John pierced the consciences of his hearers. Many were interested and partially reformed. 5 Under our Lord's first sermon, and in the cases of "the sorrowful young man,” and "the chief rulers," 6 there must have been con1 Cant. v. 7. 3 Gal. v. 24. 4 Halyburton's Memoirs may be referred to, as giving the most graphical delineation of the diversified and conflicting exercises of conviction. 2 2 Tim. iv. 10. 5 Matt. iii. 1-6. Luke iii. 10-14. John v. 35. Mark vi. 20. John xii. 42, 43. 3 2 1 siderable power of conviction; yet (as the want of universal obedience proved) without Divine influence. The practical effects in the sons of Zebedee, Matthew, and Zaccheus on the other hand, 1 exhibited spiritual and permanent conviction. Under the Apostolic Ministry, Peter's hearers, Cornelius, Sergius Paulus, Lydia, the jailor, the Gentile hearers at Antioch and other places, showed the fruits of spiritual conviction, in faith, love, and universal holiness; while the frantic Jews under Stephen and Paul, and trembling Felix, displayed the conviction of conscience, overcome by the natural enmity and the love of sin. Few cases more peculiarly need (not, of course, miraculously) the gift of "discerning of spirits," to determine the character of the conviction, in order to its safe and successful treatment. Its unsoundness or sincerity will be determined-whether it respects the misery or the defilement of sin; its consequences merely, or its character; 5 whether it springs from fear of wrath, or regard for the honour of God; 6 whether it extends to some sins, or to all;7 whether it is consistent with the love of sin, or producing abhorrence of and separation from it; 8 whether its influence is temporary or abiding; 9 whether it repels us from Christ in the spirit of despondency, or leads us to him in the exercise of faith. 10 In the early stages of sincerity, it is often a mixture of legal and evangelical 1 Matt. iv. 18-22. ix. 9. 2 Acts ii. 37-46. x. xiii. 12. 44-48. xiv. 1, &c. Luke xix. 1-10. xvi. 14, 15, 30-34. xiii. 3 Acts vii. 54. xiii. 45. xxiv. 25. principle, resulting more from sense of sin, than from apprehension of Christ, and productive rather of alarm than of contrition-of terror than of tenderness and love.1 Self-deceitfulness never shews itself more than in a state of conviction. Some are neither at ease in their sin, nor heartily seeking for deliverance. Perhaps they will yield partially to the Gospel, but they rest short of a full restoration. In such cases we must be most careful, that we do not heal the wound, before it has been searched and probed to the bottom. A slight healing is the prelude to the most fatal delusion. Much wisdom however is requisite in forming an accurate judgment of the case, to separate what is natural from what is spiritual. If, indeed, the excitement be merely the irritation of natural conscience by the law, it will rest in sullen dissatisfaction, or in "a form of godliness" without the power. It must therefore be kept alive, deepened, alarmed, and enlightened by close statements of the danger of yielding to the entanglements of unbelief by the urgency of an immediate reception of the Saviour in his invitations to the unworthy-by the self-delusion and certain ruin of abiding under present convictions; and at the 1 Perhaps the difference between legal and evangelical conviction may be illustrated by the comparison of Acts ii. 37. with Zech. xii. 10. The one precedes, the other follows, faith. 2 Nothing can be more judicious than Calvin's remarks on this point- Ubi homines senserint, quam graviter deliquerint, illic non statim curandus est dolor, quemadmodum impostores deliniunt conscientias, ita ut sibi indulgeant, et se fallant inanibus blanditiis. Medicus enim non statim leniet dolorem, sed videbit, quid magis expediat; fortè magis augebit, quia necessaria erit acrior purgatio. Sic etiam faciunt prophetæ ; cum vident trepidas conscientias, non statim adhibent blandas consolationes; sed potiùs ostendunt, non esse ludendum cum Deo, et solicitant, sponte currentes, ut sibi proponant terribile Dei judicium, quò magis ac magis humilientur.' In Joel ii. same time encouraged with the assured acceptance of the weakest act of faith. The reception of the Saviour is a proof of spiritual life in conviction, and the spring of its continued exercise. Thus both Peter's and Stephen's hearers were pierced -the former only spiritually changed. Whatever feeling, therefore, brings us to Christ, heartily weary of sin, sensible of danger, thirsting for mercy, and anxious to walk by the rules of the Gospel, is the convincing power-not of conscience, but of the Spirit of God. But what tenderness is required, lest we "break the bruised reed!" Let the wide distinction between the indwelling and the indulgence of sin-between its occasional prevalence and its allowed dominion-be accurately marked; nay, even the overruling of its lamented incursions in deepening the contrition, establishing the watchfulness, exercising and strengthening the faith of the afflicted penitent. Let him view the strong encouragement to repeated application to Christ. If he be really mourning over his guilt, and desiring the pardon and love of the Saviour (a frame of mind inconsistent with the least indulgence of sin), he has his promise for the rest of his soul. 1 In bringing his wants and desires to the Gospel, he will find increasing light, consolation, and strength, for the maintenance of the spiritual conflict, until judgment "be sent forth unto victory." 2 1 See Matt. xi. 28. Ibid. xii. 20. For some most discriminating views, and encouraging directions, relative to these cases, consult Bowles' Past. Evang. Lib. ii. c. 19, 20. |