SERMON XXVI.

Renovation after the Image of God.

EPHESIANS iv. 20- -24.

But ye have so learned Christ; if so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus; that ye put off, concerning the former conversation, the old man, which is corrupt, according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

THE true happiness of man consists in the favor and enjoyment of God. Of this happiness fallen man is incapable, until he has become the subject of a moral change. What this change is, the apostle clearTo the several things conly instructs us in our text. tained in the passage now read, I shall endeavor to lead your attention.

I. The change here spoken of is radically seated in the mind. Te have been taught that ye be renewed in the spirit of your mind.

It is not assuming the name and badge of the Christian; joining ourselves to this, or that religious sect; or even reforming the outward manners; but it is a renewal of the temper and disposition of the soul, which qualifies us for, and entitles us to the happiness of the heavenly world. This is elsewhere in scripture ex

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pressed by a new creature-newness of Spirit-a new heart-and the renewing of the mind.

These terms do not import the creation of new powers and faculties, but the introduction of new tempers and qualities. The apostasy has not extinguished, but perverted the natural faculties; and renovation does not introduce a new set of faculties, but it gives a holy direction to those which already exist.

It enlightens the eyes of the understanding, and gives new apprehensions of divine things. The doctrinal knowledge, and speculative sentiments, may still be the same as before; for the Apostle supposes, that a man may have all knowledge, and understand all mysteries, and yet not have charity; but the things before known are now viewed in a new manner; they. they are spiritually discerned; they appear real, excel. lent and important, and thus obtain a commanding influence on the heart and life.

This renovation takes away the stony heart and gives a heart of flesh; a tender sensible heart-a heart which feels divine truths, is afraid of sin, is jealous of itself, stands in awe of God's judgments, and trembles at his word.

It subdues the carnal mind, which is enmity against God, and brings in its place the spiritual mind which is subject to his law. It casts down imaginations, and every high thing, which exalts itself against the knowl edge of God; and captivates every thought to the obedience of Christ.

It purifies the affections, and directs them to their their proper objects. Love and desire no longer centre in things below; but they rise to things above. The character of God appears amiable, his laws just, his grace wonderful, and heaven supremely desirable. Sin appears hateful, as it is contrary to the nature and command of God, and ruinous to the soul. The world and all its interests appear contemptible, in com.

parison with the excellency of those glories which the gospel reveals.

There are new purposes and resolutions. Or if there had been some similar resolutions before, they were not formed on the same rational and holy views; but more on a principle of fear; and chiefly on worldly motives; and therefore were weak, wavering and transient. These new resolutions arise from a view of the hateful nature, as well as fatal tendency of sin, and the real excellence and vast importance of religion; and therefore are strong and permanent. This is the language of the renewed soul, "I will not offend any more; that which I see not teach thou me; if I have done iniquity. I will do no more."." Teach me the way of thy statutes, and I will keep it to the end. Give me understanding, and I will keep thy law; yea, I will observe it with my whole heart."

II. He who is renewed in the spirit of his mind, puts off, concerning the former conversation, the old man, which is corrupt, according to the deceitful lusts.

The new spirit is opposite to sin, and strives against it. As the motions of sin work in the corrupt heart to bring forth fruit unto death, so grace works in the renewed heart to bring forth fruit unto holiness.

The new creature immediately applies itself to subdue the lusts of the flesh, and the corrupt habits and dispositions of the mind. The Apostle says to the Corinthians." In that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you? Yea, what vehement desire-what fear what indignation-what revenge ?"

The Colossians, having put off the old man, are exhorted, "to mortify their members, which are on the earth, such as uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness which is idolatry.' These corruptions indeed, are not wholly extinguished in the renewed Christian; but the power of them is

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broken, so that they no more have dominion over him. He carries on a warfare against them. He keeps his heart with diligence, brings his body into subjection, and abstains from fleshly lusts which war against the soul.

A special reason why he mortifies the affections and lusts of the flesh, is because he has found them deceit ful. They have promised those pleasures in the indulgence, which he has never found; and have produced those painful consequences, and tormenting reflections which he little expected. He feels the force of the Apostle's expostulation, "What fruit had ye then in those things, whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.”

As these deceitful lusts corrupt the conversation, so, when he mortifies these, he of course puts off his former conversation, which is here called the old man : and elsewhere, the old man with his deeds-the deeds of the body, and the members which are on the earth. He, in deliberate and hearty purpose, renounces all sin. He watches against it, and against the temptations which have often beset him, and prevailed over him. He abstains from the appearance of evil. And if he is drawn away of his lusts and enticed, he thinks on his ways with godly sorrow, and turns his feet into God's testimonies with new resolutions to keep himself, and fervent supplications for grace to help in time of need. III. The renewed Christian not only puts off the old man, but puts on the new man.

As the former signifies a corrupt temper and conversation, so the latter must intend a holy and virtuous disposition and character. The new man is renewed in righteousness and true holiness. The true convert not only ceases to do evil, but learns to do well.

Religion is not merely a negative thing, consisting in the absence of evil dispositions and works; it includes also positive goodness, a direct love of God, and a care to obey his commands. The Apostle makes a

distinction between a righteous, and a good man. "Scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die." By the former he intends one who leads merely a harmless life-who simply does no injuries, no wrongs? By the latter he means one who is useful to those around him-one who, governed by a disinterested benevolence, is careful to maintain those works which are good and profitable to men. The slothful

servant was condemned, not because he had been mischievous, but because he had been unprofitable-not because he had destroyed his talent, or had employed it in an unjust and fraudulent manner, but because he had laid it by in a napkin, and returned it without improvement. Of Onesimus, after his conversion, Paul says to Philemon, "He in time past was unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and me." In the story of the Jew who fell among thieves, and was left wounded on the road, we see the priest and Levite passing by him with an unfeeling neglect; and the kind Samaritan assisting and relieving him in his helpless condition. The former are not charged with robbing or wounding him, but only with inattention and indifference to his case; yet, they acted not the part of neighbors. It was the Samaritan only who was neighbor to him; for he it was who shewed mercy on him. In the description of the final judgment we hear the judge condemning the wicked, not for positive injuries, but for the neglect of positive duties. He does not say, ye have taken away my food and raiment, driven me from my dwelling, wounded, or imprisoned me; but he says, "I was hungry, and ye gave me no meat; thirsty, and ye gave me no drink; naked, and ye clothed me not; sick and in prison and ye did not visit me.

If we would know, whether we have been the subjects of this great change, which qualifies for heaven, we must examine, not only what our disposition is