SERMON X.

BY THE LATE REV. JAMES SMITH,

OF THE BALTIMORE CONFERENCE.

PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL REQUEST

ON THE INCAPACITY OF THE NATURAL MAN TO RECEIVE THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD.

1 CORINTHIANS II. 14.

BUT THE NATURAL MAN RECEIVETH NOT THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD: FOR THEY ARE FOOLISHNESS UNTO HIM: NEITHER CAN HE KNOW THEM, BECAUSE THEY ARE SPIRITUALLY DISCERNED.

ST. PAUL speaks, in this chapter, of two species of wisdom. The one he denominates the wisdom of man, which he disclaims in the exercise of his ministry; the other he calls the wisdom of God, from which he professes to derive his resources as a minister of Jesus Christ. He urges, that "the princes of this world" were ignorant of this wisdom, and alleges in evidence, their having "crucified the Lord of Glory." He also maintains, that man, by the exercise of his own unassisted faculties, is, from the nature of the subject, utterly incapable of discovering originally, or of fairly appreciating when declared, "the" blessings "which God hath prepared," and in the gospel announced, "for them that love him." In illustration of this idea, he introduces our text; "For the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." Before we enter upon the discussion of the principles laid down in the text, it may be proper to fix the sense of some of the phrases employed in it. First, when it is said, "the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God," &c., it may be proper to ascertain what is meant by the natural man.

As to the character of the truly natural man, there is some diver

sity of opinion. Some suppose that man in his truly natural state, was a religious creature; and that the disorders, which distinguish human nature in its present condition, are but so many corruptions of it, and are, properly speaking, unnatural. To this idea, when properly understood, we have nothing to object. But St. Paul here speaks of the natural man as his character is made known to us by experience in that vitiated and mortal state which characterizes the race which Adam propagated after his fall from his pristine purity and dignity. Secondly, when it is said, "the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God," &c., we are not thence to conclude that he is incapable of being brought, through any agency whatever, within the ordinary compass of providence and grace, to a correct understanding of them; but that, by the exercise of his own natural faculties, without the agency of the Spirit of God, he is incapable of acquiring such knowledge. Having premised thus much, let us inquire,

1. What are the things of the Spirit, of which the apostle speaks. In general, we conceive, they are those peculiarities in Christian experience, which are effectuated in the human character, through the agency of the Holy Spirit, in accordance with the freedom of the human will, in the work of the soul's salvation. Let us contemplate them, 1st, with respect to the awakened sinner, in reference to his sense of religious truth, the remorse of his conscience, and the fears which terrify and alarm him. The Spirit of grace in bringing the divine law home to the human heart in its spiritual application to the inmost workings of the soul, as well as the external actions, awakens the sinner to a just apprehension of the turpitude of his guilt, and the imminence of his danger; while it produces in his bosom a deep feeling of remorse, and "fearful looking for" of "fiery indignation and wrath to come."

Of these views, feelings, and apprehensions, the natural man is ignorant. He cries peace, when God has not spoken peace. He presumes on his personal safety, while certain destruction is gathering, and lowering over his exposed head. St. Paul sets forth this idea, in the most commanding point of light, in his Epistle to the Romans. See chap. 7th, &c. He says, "I was alive without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died." He here states, that he was alive, as a Pharisee, without a spiritual application of the divine law to his conscience, but when the commandment came home to his bosom and his case, sin revived, accumulated strength, and slew all his hopes of salvation by the merit of his own works. That this was the apostle's meaning is evident; for he was, speculatively, well acquainted with the law or commandments, during a considerable period of his life; being educated "at the feet of Gamaliel,” a Jewish Rabbi. When did "the commandment come ?”

When, on an expedition of persecution, infuriated by a false, a mistaken zeal, to exterminate, if possible, the infant Christian church from the face of the earth, a voice from heaven reached, not only his external ear, but his inmost soul, crying, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me ?" It was then he identified the doctrines of the gospel with the truth of God. It was then he felt that he was a sinner deserving the damnation of hell. "Sin revived," acquired a power to slay him by arraigning him at the bar of the divine law as spiritually applied to the inmost recesses of his heart, as well as to his exterior deportment of irreligion and impiety, thundering out its denunciations against his guilty soul. It was then, he felt he was dead in law, while "sin revived" and slew all his hopes of salvation by deeds of law; and his inquiry was, "Lord, what wilt THOU have me to do?" Whether St. Paul is here speaking of his own case, personally, or personating that of another, awaking to a sense of his danger, by means of the spiritual application of the law to his heart, it is equally in point to our present argument. And thus enlightened to see his danger, the awakened sinner feels the deepest and most pungent remorse, on the remembrance of his past sins; conscience wrings him with the deepest anguish, while his fears operate as an active and vigorous incitement on him, to flee from the wrath to come. The unutterably important question, "What shall I do to be saved?" is revolved in his mind with the deepest and most heartfelt interest.

2d. The second article we propose to notice, as among the "things of the Spirit which the natural man receiveth not," may be designated as that faith whereby a penitent sinner lays hold on the divine promise, "believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved," and through the promise, upon God in Christ Jesus as his covenant God, claiming in Jesus Christ the righteousness of faithrealizing the blood, righteousness, intercession of the Saviour, as furnished on his behalf, prevailing in the court of Heaven for his emancipation and pardon. Of this faith it is said, "with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." It is a faith, which very much, if not chiefly, depends on the moral disposition of the soul. It may be justly deemed one of "the things of the Spirit of God," with reference both to its means and its excitement. The truth which it embraces is from the inspiration of God originally, and as presented to the mind of man at any given time, his discernment of it, so as to take a firm grasp on it, may justly be regarded as a fruit of gracious, personal illumination by the Holy Spirit. For, although the human mind may, and no doubt does, act freely, in the exercise of this faith on the Son of God for pardon and acceptance, yet is it graciously assisted, succored and promoted in its exertions, by the

Holy Spirit, enlightening and exciting it to this important and deeply responsible duty. This principle of faith is carried forward in its exercise to embrace other and higher objects of its confidence: such, as God in Christ, as the believer's reconciled Father, as the ground upon which he sends forth the spirit of his Son into his heart, crying, Abba, Father: such, as the sanctifying influences of the Holy Spirit cleansing the heart from moral pollution, and indeed, the subject, "from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, enabling him to perfect holiness in the fear of God:" such, as the fulfilment of the divine promises, that Jehovah will not suffer his children to be tempted more than he will enable them to bear, but will with the temptation make a way for their escape: such, as that the "Lord God" will be to them "a sun and a shield;" that "he will give" them "grace and glory, and will withhold no good thing from them:" such, as assuring them that if their "earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved," they "have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens :" such, as the assurance that, "when he" (Jesus Christ) "shall appear," they "shall be like him," for "they shall see him as he is :" such, as though "it" (the body of his saints) "is sown a natural body," "it is to be raised a spiritual body," though "it is sown in dishonor, it is" to be "raised in glory."

3d. A third object which may be regarded as one of the things of the Spirit, of which our text speaks, is the witness of the Spirit, by which the believer is assured of his acceptance as a child of God. "Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father."

This witnessing Spirit operates upon the heart by imparting to it "peace, love, and joy in the Holy Ghost." A peace not fanciful, but substantial; not transient, but permanent, free from the pangs of a remorseful conscience, free from the thunders of the law-peace in relation to the divine character and government; peace with all mankind. This is a peace, too, which, as an object of speculation, "passeth understanding;" it is a peace which the mere reason of man, not enlightened by evangelical experience, cannot understand a peace which can only be fathomed, if it can fully even then, by means of experience in the heart. A fine writer defines it to be," a divine taste of the powers of the world to come." A love to God, which implies a holy reverence for him, the warmest gratitude to him, with a strong sentiment of moral esteem of him, associated with a sense of his approbation pervading the whole soul, and leaving not a doubt that its highest, and only felicity, is in him, and from him, and strictly connected with, and arising out of pleasing him, as the business of existence.

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A "joy in the Holy Ghost." Not such as flows from wine; not such as arises from the gathering in of the first fruits; but a "joy in the Holy Ghost." A joy in its character and in its effects worthy of its divine Original: it also is "holy," not irregular; rational, not enthusiastic; permanent, not transitory; benevolent, not persecuting. By these effects, or fruits, does the "Spirit of God's Son testify in the hearts of believers that they are sons, and if sons, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs of Christ, if so be that they suffer with him, that they may be also glorified together." But these effects of the Holy Spirit are unknown "to the natural man ;" he "receiveth them not. And why? Because, in the sense of our text, he disAnd on the same account they appear "foolish

cerneth them not.

ness to him."

II. This brings us to the second general item in our subject; which is, to inquire why the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, and why they appear foolishness to him? In reply to the first of these questions, we would lay it down as a full and complete answer, and at the same time as an axiomatic principle in theology, that the knowledge of these things can only be acquired by means of experience, which experience he has not. The knowledge of some natural truths can be obtained by experience only; while the knowledge of others is obtained by reasoning, deducing other truths from truths already known. And this principle holds with respect to moral and religious, equally as with natural, truths. The blind man cannot reason about colors, because his reason has no data furnished it by experience, upon which he might proceed. And so, in like manner, we may suppose the case of a man possessed of all the other faculties and affections of human nature, except the passion of love, but this was sternly denied him by nature of course, he had never felt its exercise upon any one object whatever. In such case, he would be as radically incapable of conceiving of such a passion, or the sensation peculiarly distinguishing its exercise, as the blind man would be of judging of colors. And for the same reason, he would be incapable of reasoning correctly about it, or of drawing any just conclusion concerning it. But let us now, for a moment, suppose the case of a man who had been conscious, a thousand times, of the exercise of this passion upon created objects, but had never once felt its action, evangelically speaking, towards the Divine Being. Let us suppose him to make the inquiry within himself, and endeavor to form an idea of the action of this passion, and of the sensation accompanying it, when exercised towards the Divine Being; and what clue can we suppose him to be in possession of to direct his judgment? Perhaps it will be replied, analogy well, be it so; but we would take leave to re