[March 1st, 1857.]
Three forms of life in man: the sensual or corporeal, the intellectual and the spiritual. The first and second are sustained by the providential efficiency of God. The latter by the work of the Spirit.
I. The first is carried on according to material laws, i.e., the laws which control the operations of matter. The second according to the laws which determine the operations of mind. These are natural. The spiritual life is supernatural. That is, 1. It does not belong to our nature since the fall. 2. It is not produced by any natural process as in the case of our corporeal and intellectual life. In matter the appropriate combinations always produce the same results. So of intellectual life; men may be trained or educated to any form of mental exercise. But there are no means which will produce spiritual life or sustain its exercises. You cannot produce faith, love, repentance, hope, joy, or heavenly-mindedness by any possible combination of agencies or by any possible exercise of efficiency. The analogies and illustrations of Scripture take this for granted. Men are said to be born of the Spirit, to be created, to be raised from the dead.
- It is supernatural, (positively) because its existence is due to the direct agency of God through his Spirit; an agency not only distinct from the operation of all natural causes, but also from all the influences of the means of grace; neither the truth, nor the sacraments, nor priestly ministrations can impart life to those spiritually dead.
II. Although spiritual life, in the sense stated, is not natural, neither is it unnatural. 1. It is not incongruous to our nature. It is not incongruous that we should love God, worship Christ, exercise faith, repentance and all other forms of spiritual life. Our nature in its perfection would have these exercises, and all our rational, moral and emotional powers enter into them and form the basis, so to speak, of them. It is unnatural for a beast to speak, but not for one born dumb. 2. It is not unnatural in the sense of being magical, produced and sustained by occult causes, which have no relation to the effect produced. If washing with water, anointing with oil, or making the sign of the cross, produced holiness, it could be only by some magical influence. As when magicians by spells, amulets or incantation pretend to work wonders. There is nothing of this kind in the case of spiritual life. It is not in this sense unnatural. On the contrary, the means of grace are appropriate to the ends for which they are used. The truth concerning God, Christ and ourselves is adapted to produce the exercises of spiritual life where we are not dead. Just as heat, light and moisture would produce vegetation and growth in a seed if the seed be not dead; or as the powers of the mind are called forth by and developed by the appropriate moral training.
III. These are the two great truths taught us in the Scriptures on this subject. First. Spiritual life is not natural. Second. It is not unnatural.
From the former of these truths it follows,
- That we are in a far higher sense dependent upon God for spiritual life than for corporal or intellectual life. For the latter we are indeed dependent; but they are communicated and continued according to fixed laws, while our spiritual life is not. It cannot in any way be produced in ourselves or communicated to others without a direct intervention of God. It is in this point analogous to a miracle. And we should feel our impotency to change our own heart, or to convert others as sensibly, and recognize it as being as absolute as it is to give sight to the blind or to raise the dead. And this is one of those truths which the Spirit forces men to acknowledge.
He never converts them unless they feel they cannot convert themselves; and he never makes them the instruments of converting others, until they feel that they cannot do it; that their skill in argument, in persuasion, in management, avails nothing. This is a pregnant truth, which should govern all our endeavors. We must feel it as men, as ministers and as a Church. The Spirit must be honored by this sincere and heartfelt recognition of dependence.
-
A second inference from this truth, or a second form of our dependence is, that the influence of the Spirit cannot be merited. We cannot place God under any obligation either as a matter of justice or as a matter of promise to give us the Holy Ghost, or to attend our labors with his divine influence. He has made general promises; general purposes have been announced. But the man who seeks repentance and faith, (and many seek to enter in who shall not be able,) has no right, should he fail, to complain. Divine influence is a grace. The man that preaches the gospel at home or abroad ever so long, or so faithfully, must be contented to acknowledge that success is a favor, not a debt. This is the second great truth which we must acknowledge.
-
Another inference is that this blessing is absolutely necessary, and yet may be withheld; that it must be sought with earnest importunate prayer. The sick in the days of Christ could not heal themselves. He was under no obligation to heal them; therefore they sought his help as a necessity and as a favor.
These are the inferences from the doctrine of the supernatural character of divine grace, or from the fact that it is not natural. The inferences from the doctrine that it is not unnatural are,
-
That we must not depend on rites and ceremonies, or outward institutions or ordinances.
-
That we must not expect the results without the diligent use of the means. This is true of ourselves. We mock the Spirit when we pray that he would sanctify us, and do not use the means. And no less when we pray for the conversion of others without using the means.
The doctrine of dependence produces,
-
Humility.
-
Gratitude.
-
Confidence.
← 46. The promise of the Spirit. Gal. 3:14 · Contents · 48. Dependence of the believer and the Church on the Holy Spirit. Psalm 51:11 →