"Avoid all extremes. While on the one hand you keep clear of the Pharisaic delusion that slights Christ, and makes the pretended merit of an imperfect obedience the procuring cause of eternal life; see that on the other hand you do not lean to the Antinomian error, which, under pretence of exalting Christ, speaks contemptuously of obedience, and "makes void the law through a faith that does not work by love." As there is but a step between high Arminianism and self-righteousness, so there is but one between high Calvinism and Antinomianism. I charge you to shun both, especially the latter.
"You know, by sad experience, that at this time we stand particularly in danger of splitting upon the Antinomian rock. Many smatterers in Christian experience talk of finished salvation in Christ, or boast of being in a state of justification and sanctification, while they know little of themselves and less of Christ. Their whole behaviour testifies, that their hearts are void of humble love, and full of carnal confidence. They cry, Lord! Lord! with as much assurance and as little right as the foolish virgins. They pass for sweet Christians, dear children of God, and good believers; but their secret reserves evidence them to be only such believers as Simon Magus, Ananias, and Sapphira.
"Some, with Diotrephes, `love to have the pre-eminence, and prate malicious words,' and not content therewith, `they do not themselves receive the brethren, and forbid them that would,' and even cast them out of the Church as heretics. Some have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; they are wells without water, clouds without rain, and trees without fruit: with Judas they try to `load themselves with thick clay,' endeavour to `lay up treasures on earth, and make provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof.' Some, with the incestuous Corinthian, are led captive by fleshly lusts, and fall into the greatest enormities. Others, with the language of the awakened publican in their mouths, are fast asleep in their spirits; you hear them speak of the corruptions of their hearts, in as unaffected and airy a manner, as if they talked of freckles upon their faces. It seems they run down their sinful nature only to apologize for their sinful practices; or to appear great proficients in self-knowledge, and court the praise due to genuine humility.
"Others, quietly settled on the lees of the Laodicean state, by the whole tenor of their life say, `they are rich and increased in goods, and have need of nothing;' utter strangers to `hunger and thirst after righteousness,' they never importunately beg, never wrestle hard for the hidden manna. On the contrary, they sing a requiem to their poor dead souls, and say, `Soul, take thine ease, thou hast goods laid up (in Christ) for many years, yea, for ever and ever;' and thus, like Demas, they go on talking of Christ and heaven, but loving their ease, and enjoying this present world.
"Yet many of these, like Herod, hear and entertain us gladly; but, like him also, they keep their beloved sin, pleading for it as a right eye, and saving it as a right hand. To this day their bosom corruption is not only alive, but indulged; their treacherous Delilah is hugged; and their spiritual `Agag walks delicately,' and boasts that `the bitterness of death is past,' and he shall never be `hewed in pieces before the Lord:' nay, to dare so much as to talk of his dying before the body, becomes almost an unpardonable crime.
"Forms and fair shows of godliness deceive us: many, whom our Lord might well compare to `whited sepulchres,' look like angels of light when they are abroad, and prove tormenting fiends at home. We see them weep under sermons; we hear them pray and sing with the tongues of men and angels; they even profess the faith that removes mountains; and yet, by and by, we discover they stumble at every mole hill; every trifling temptation throws them into peevishness, fretfulness, impatience, ill humour, discontent, anger, and sometimes into loud passion.
"Relative duties are by many grossly neglected: husbands slight their wives, or wives neglect and plague their husbands: children are spoiled, parents disregarded, and masters disobeyed: yea, so many are the complaints against servants professing godliness, on account of their unfaithfulness, indolence, pert answering again, forgetfulness of their menial condition, or insolent expectations, that some serious persons prefer those who have no knowledge of the truth, to those who make a high profession of it.
"Knowledge is certainly increased; `many run to and fro' after it, but it is seldom experimental; the power of God is frequently talked of, but rarely felt, and too often cried down under the despicable name of frames and feelings. Numbers seek, by hearing a variety of Gospel ministers, reading all the religious books that are published, learning the best tunes to our hymns, disputing on controverted points of doctrine, telling or hearing Church news, and listening to, or retailing, spiritual scandal. But, alas! few strive in pangs of heart-felt convictions; few `deny themselves and take up their cross daily;' few `take the kingdom of heaven by the holy violence' of wrestling faith, and agonizing prayer; few see, and fewer live in `the kingdom of God, which is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.' In a word, many say, `Lo! Christ is here; and lo! he is there;' but few can consistently witness that `the kingdom of heaven is within them.'"
Many assert that `the clothing of the king's daughter is of wrought gold;' but few, very few experience that she is `all glorious within;' and it is well if many are not bold enough to maintain that she is all full of corruptions. With more truth than ever we may say,
Ye different sects, who all declare,
Lo! here is Christ, or Christ is there;
Your stronger proofs divinely gives
And show us where the Christians live:
Your claim, alas! ye cannot prove
Ye want the genuine mark of love.
"The consequences of this high, and yet lifeless profession, are as evident as they are deplorable. Selfish views, sinister designs, inveterate prejudice, pitiful bigotry, party spirit, self-sufficiency, contempt of others, envy, jealousy, making men offenders for a word, possibly a Scriptural word too, taking advantage of each other's infirmities, magnifying innocent mistakes, putting the worst construction upon each other's words and actions, false accusations, backbiting, malice, revenge, persecutions, and a hundred such evils, prevail among religious people, to the great astonishment of the children of the world, and the unspeakable grief of the true Israelites that yet remain among us.
"But this is not all. Some of our hearers do not even keep to the great outlines of heathen morality: not satisfied practically to reject Christ's declaration, that it is more blessed to give than to receive, they proceed to that pitch of covetousness and daring injustice, as not to pay their just debts; yea, and to cheat, and to extort, whenever they have a fair opportunity. How few of our societies are there where this, or some other evil, has not broken out, and given such shakes to the ark of the Gospel, that had not the Lord wonderfully interposed, it must long ago have been overset! And you know how to this day the name and truth of God are openly blasphemed among the baptized heathens, through the Antinomian lives of many, who `say they are Jews when they are not, but by their works declare, they are of the synagogue of Satan.' At your peril, therefore, my brethren, countenance them not: I know you would not do it designedly, but you may do it unawares; therefore `take heed,'--more than ever `take heed to your doctrine.' Let it be Scripturally evangelical: give not the children's bread unto dogs: comfort not people that do not mourn. When you should give emetics do not administer cordials, and by that means strengthen the hands of the slothful and unprofitable servant. I repeat it once more, warp not to Antinomianism, and in order to this, take heed, O! take heed to your doctrine."
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