SECTION IV. NATURAL AND SPIRITUAL CONVICTIONS.* 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.† Under our Lord's first sermon, and in the cases of "the sorrowful young man," and "the chief rulers," there must have been considerable 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. § 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 and *Halyburton's Memoirs may be referred to as giving the most graphical delineation of the diversified and conflicting exercises of conviction. Matt. iii. 1-6. Luke iii. 10-14. John v. 35. Mark vi. 20. Luke iv 22-28. Matt. xix. 22. John xii. 42, 43. § Matt. iv. 18-22. ix. 9. Luke xix. 1-10. Acts ii. 37-46. x. xiii. 12. xvi. 14, 15, 30-34. xii. 44-48. xiv. 1, &c. Acts vii. 54. xiii. 45. xxiv. 25. sincerity of the conviction, in order to its safe and successful treatment. In the early stages of sincerity, it is often a mixture of legal and evangelical principle, resulting more from the sense of sin, than from apprehension of Christ, and productive rather of alarm than of contrition-of terror than of tenderness and love.* Self-deceitfulness never shows 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. We must however 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 road to the most fatal delusion. Much wisdom however is requisite to form 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 be, as with St. John's hearers, transitory and inoperative.‡ Conviction, exclusively legal, will rest in sullen dissatisfaction, and must be excited with the danger of yielding to the entanglements of unbelief, with the urgency of an immediate reception of the Saviour in * 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. Nothing can be more judicious than Calvin's remarks on this point. Ubi homines senserint, quam graviter delinquerint, 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. John v. 35. his invitations to the unworthy, with the self-delusion and certain ruin of abiding under present convictions, and 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 sinbetween its occasional prevalence and its allowed rule -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. 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 "is brought forth unto victory."* * For some most discriminate views and encouraging directions relative to these cases, consult Bowles' Past. Evang. Lib. ii. c. 19, 20. SECTION V. THE YOUNG CHRISTIAN. JUDGMENT, experience, tenderness, and acquaintance with the natural character, circumstances, and habits of the individual, must direct the treatment of this most important case. The young Christian is awakened and excited, but very imperfectly enlightened. There is much self-deception and self-righteousness. His repentance is sincere, but partial, more exercised from the trouble than from the sinfulness of sin, but slightly connected with faith, and little conversant with the habitual backsliding of the heart from God. His faith, though genuine, is confused; rather a feeling or a train of feelings, than an influential principle; associated with comfort rather than with holiness; its principle confounded with its exercise, or different exercises mistaken for each other. There is but little of "knowledge and judgment,"* in the actings of his love; so that, though productive of pleasing impressions, it is not that uniform and powerful energy of Christian selfdenial and devotedness. There are therefore in him many infirmities to exercise our forbearance, many difficulties to excite our sympathy; and much discrimination is necessary to adapt our treatment to his immature Christian attainment.† Glad should we be, could he reach at one flight the summit of Christian perfection. But meanwhile, let us not, in violation, of our Master's instructions, expect from him the higher requirements of Christian maturity. *Phil. i. 9. VOL. II. Matt. ix. 14-17 and Calv. in loco. 15 As the general rule, he must be "fed with milk, not with meat."* Yet this must include a full and explicit exhibition of the Saviour before him. Let Him be set forth in His personal dignity-in His Mediatorial character-in His relation to his people-that his heart may be drawn to Him in the simplicity of the Gospelthat he may feel Him to be his life, and continually come to Him, "that he might have life more abundantly." Our Lord instructed his disciples gradually in a clearer revelation of himself, as the means of their advancement; for doubtless to " grow in the knowledge of" Him is the most efficient means of growing in grace."§ The conflict of faith is also suitable instruction for this case. The perplexities of our Lord's disciples arose from their indistinct perception of the character and exercises of faith. They knew nothing of its power in realizing unseen help; and, connecting it only with the sensible comfort of their Master's presence, they were utterly unprepared for any emergency in his temporary absence from them.|| And thus the young Christian needs to be correctly informed in the nature of faith, as an habitual dependence upon Christ, grounded upon the sense of need, and the Scriptural warrant of his power and love. This principle tends indeed to produce comfort, but perhaps it is most vigorous in a state of conflict, when striking its roots deeper in the earth, in humility, contrition, and selfabasement; so that spiritual depression (when it does not directly arise from the indulgence of sin) is the See Matt. xvi. 21. xvii. 22, 23. and John xiv--xvi. § 2 Peter iii. 18. Comp. Matt. xiv. 24--26. and Mark ix. 14. with Matt. xvii. 19, 20. |