By Rev. THOMAS BOSTON.
“For he is not a Jew which is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew which is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men, but of God” (Rom. 2: 28, 29).
THESE words are a reason why no man ought to value himself on the externals of religion, for they will go but a short way. However they please men, they will never please God. The scope of them is, to show who are the people of God. The Jews of old were the people of God; the Christians are so now, being come in their room. The apostle here distinguishes the people of God into nominal and real ones, calling them Jews, because he was speaking to Jews; the case is the same as to Christians.—In these words, he shows two things.
- Who are not true Jews, real Christians, or saints indeed, ver. 28; for these are they whom he means by Jews, saying, “He is not a Jew.” Not those who are Jews outwardly, Christians and saints by profession, that is, who are only so, and no more; for God requires externals of religion as well as internals, though the former, separate from the latter, avail nothing. But those who have no more religion than what is outward, viz. what men see or may see, they have nothing of the reality of it.
The Jews valued themselves on circumcision, as Christians on baptism; but true circumcision is not what is outward in the flesh, nor baptism what is by water; that is only so. These external rites signify an inward grace, without which they signify nothing before God. Circumcision was in a hidden part of the body, yet it was on the body, and what might be seen; so religion might be in saints; yet being only what may be seen, will not constitute a person truly religious.—He shows,
- Who are true Jews, real Christians, or saints indeed. There are two characters of these, which distinguished them from the other. They are,—
(1) Those who are so inwardly, or in the hidden part, which is open to God alone, as well as in the outward part, which appears to the world. These who have the hidden part of religion, which being hid from the world’s view, they cannot certainly judge of. Those who have the true circumcision, the spiritual baptism, that is, the circumcision of the heart, Deut. 10: 16, by which corrupt lusts are cut off, and the body of sin put off, Col. 2: 11. This is the spiritual, not fleshly circumcision only. It touches on, reforms, renews our spirit, our soul, the hidden, but most valuable part of a man. The carnal is but the cutting off a bit of the flesh of the body, which might be done while the spirit remained overgrown with unmortified lusts, and the soul quite defiled.
(2) They are such as have God’s approbation, commendation, and praise, whether they have men’s or not. There is an allusion here to the word Judah, from whom that people, now called Jews, had their name; it signifies praised, Gen. 48: 8. These are the true Judahs, whom not only their brethren, but their Father, even God, praises. Outward religion may gain praise of men, who cannot discern what is within; but the true Jew, the real Christian, is one approved even by the heart-searching God, according to the reality, and not the appearance.—From this subject I take this
Doctrine, That he is not a true Christian, who only in the outward part, and in the letter of religion, approves himself to men; but he who, by the inner part of religion, and the spirituality thereof, also approves, himself to the heart-searching God.
In illustrating this important truth, I shall,
I. Speak to this point generally.
II. Consider it more particularly.
III. Point out what is the outside and letter of religion, which only makes an outside Christian, and what the inside and spirit of religion is which makes a genuine Christian.
IV. To confirm the doctrine. I am,
I. To show that there is such a difference in the visible church, that
there are some who are only Christians outwardly, and that there are others who are also Christians inwardly.
This difference appears many ways. It appears,
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In the very different characters given those who profess the same faith and true religion. The preachers of the gospel are fishers of men, but they are not all good that come by profession into the net, Matt. 13: 47-48. The tares and the wheat grow together in the field of the church, the goats and the sheep go together all the day, till the great Shepherd separate them. And as to virgin-professors, some are wise, and have oil in their vessels, with their lamps; others are foolish, Matt. 25, who mock God with fair promises, befool even the godly, who looked well upon them, and, worst of all, befool themselves in the latter end, when the Bridegroom cometh.—This appears,
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In the very different effects religion has on the lives of those who are called Christians. There are some whose religion has a powerful efficacy on their hearts and lives to make them holy, others who have nothing but an idle form, having no more sanctifying power with it, than a painted fire has to burn: 2 Tim. 3: 5, “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.” The knowledge of some is confined to their heads, it never gets down to their hearts: Tit. 1: 16, “They profess that they know God, but in works they deny him.” Others, by reason of their light, dare not venture on an ill thing, more than on a precipice. Religion makes some persons godly, sober, and righteous, binds powerfully on them their duty to God, to themselves, and to their neighbour. The pretended religion of others, leaves them loose as to all those things. It never checks them when neglecting secret prayers, or prayers in the family, or when disposed to swear, drink, lie, defraud, etc. This appears,
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In the very different acceptance with God which persons’ prayers get. There are some whose duties are very pleasing to God, they have a sweet savour in his nostrils: their words are registered before him, their tears are bottled, their sighs and groans are regarded, their will is accepted for the deed. But there are others whom God abhors, and also their duties. The word is preached to them, but it never reforms them; yet they hold on with their attendance on ordinances, and it may be also with their prayers. What says the Lord of all such? “He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be an abomination. For all these things hath my hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord; but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor, and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word. He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog’s neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine’s flesh; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.” “To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to me? saith the Lord; I am full of the burnt-offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts, and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he-goats.” This appears,
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From the very different sense and feeling which those have of the advantage of religion, the ordinances and duties thereof. Some are acquainted with the gain of religion, and, from their own experience, and can give a solid reason why they follow it: 1 Tim. 6: 6, “But godliness
with contentment is great gain.” They have tasted of communion with God in duties, and of access to him, of the sanctifying influences of the Spirit in ordinances: Mich. 2: 7, “O thou that art named the house of Jacob, is the spirit of the Lord straitened? are these his doings? do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?” But unto others all these things are in very deed but ‘as empty husks: Prov. 14: 10, “The heart knoweth his own bitterness, and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy.” They abide in the outer court of religion all their days; they see not its intrinsic glory, nor taste of its kernel or marrow. They keep up a form of duties from custom, and an unenlightened conscience; but they feel nothing in them kindly to draw their hearts towards God.—This appears,
- In the very different effects of the religion which those profess. Grace is of a growing nature, and it will grow, though not visible at all times: Prov. 4: 18, “But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.” And the longer that saints have a standing in religion, they will be the more firmly rooted; though perhaps their affections be not always so vigorous, yet solid tenderness will display itself with them: Psalm 92: 13, “Those that are planted in the house of the Lord, shall grow-up and flourish in the courts of our God. They shall bring forth fruit in old age: they shall be fat and flourishing.” And if they fall, they will not lie still, but recover again: Psalm 37: 24, “Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.” But what are the effects which the religion of many has? Some grow up to their false pitch, and there they stand without motion: Prov. 26: 14, “As the door turneth on his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed.” They think they are right, and they seek no farther. Some, instead of growing better, grow worse and worse; the longer they live, they are the more unholy, more untender in the substantialities of moral duties; and some throw aside the mask altogether, and in sight of the world, desert to the devil’s camp, by falling into some profane course, apostatising upon some temptation or other, and so, as they were before loathsome to God, they become also loathsome before his people; Rev. 3: 16, “So, then, because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.” This appears,
Lastly, In the very different passage which those have out of time into eternity. True, all must die, that is the point in which we all meet; but as true is it, that it is the point where outside and inside Christians part forever: Psalm 37: 37, “Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the latter end of that man is peace. But the transgressors shall be destroyed together; the end of the wicked shall be cut off.” Though they have lived in the same church together, under the same ordinances, gone to prayers together, to one communion-table, when they come to that step where their ways part, they separate never to meet any more. The one goes to the society of God, angels, and saints; and their unseen religion terminates in a glorious open reward, their grace in glory, their inward beauty in shining as stars in the firmament. The other gets his portion with reprobates, and those who had as little of the show, as of the reality of religion: Psalm 125: 5, “As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity.”—I shall point out,
II. What are the causes of this difference which obtains betwixt Christians and others.—Among others, there is,
- The very different way that persons come by their religion; if we examine outside and inside Christians, how they came by the religion they severally have, it will be found, that the religion they have is answerable to the way they came by it.—Thus,
(1) There is a difference in the weight which their entering on their religion had on their spirit. Some come very lightly by their religion; hence it sits lightly upon them, and often goes as lightly from them. They venture upon building a tower, without deliberately counting the cost. To others it is not so easy, but they are brought to the utmost seriousness in the matter, Luke 14: 28, hence they go to the bottom of the matter, while others satisfy themselves with superficial work.
(2) There is a difference in the depth of their conviction and humiliation: Luke 6: 48, “He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock, and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that, without a foundation, built an house on the earth, against which the stream beat vehemently, and immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.” The plough of conviction lightly going over the fallow ground of the heart, is sufficient to make an outside Christian: Matt. 13: 5, 20, “Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth, and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth. But he that received the seed in stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it.” If he have as much of it as to let him see the evil and danger of a life quite profane, without so much as the form of godliness, it is sufficient to make him put on the form. But it must be carried deeper, to make an inside Christian, even to the root of the most inward lust, to the sin of one’s nature, and to the discovery of Christ for sanctification, as well as justification.
(3) There is a vast difference in the light and illumination in the knowledge of Christ: John 4: 10, “Jesus answered, and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith unto thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.” This is plainly intimated in the wise and foolish builders and virgins; so that an outside Christian has never been right in the head. All their insight into the excellency of Christ and religion, has left them fools, while others have been made really wise, their judgment rectified, their taste purified, so as to be capable to discern things concerning their souls in their native colours. Hence that glory in Christ has been seen by the one, which has darkened all created glory, made them content to part with all for him, while the other has always some lust or other more dear to them than Christ and religion.—There is,
(4) A difference in the issue of their exercises about their soul’s case. In the one they have issued in the change of their nature, the taking away of the heart of stone, Exek. 36: 26, the making of them new creatures, putting off the old man, and putting on the new. But in the other, whatever stir has been made in the affections, whatever griefs or joys they had, the stony heart has remained untaken away, Matt. 13: 5; so, though
they have become other men than they were before, yet not new men.—Another cause of difference is,
- The different ways in which professors follow religion. This, if attended to, cannot fail to make a mighty difference.
(1) Some make religion their business, their main business, in the world: Gen. 5: 25, “And Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.”11 Religion is their all. They see nothing they have to do in the world, but it is either their salvation-work or their generation-work, so that they must observe God in all things. And this makes an inside Christian: Psalm 119: 6, “Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.” Others make religion a bye-work; their main business is of another kind, how to please themselves, how to advance their temporal interest; and this makes an outside Christian. In regard to the one, all things else about him bow to his religion, he cuts and carves them as may best suit God’s honour, and his soul’s welfare, whereas, as to the other, he makes his religion bow to his other designs, takes so much of it, and no more, as may leave him in quiet possession of some lust or other.
(2) They follow religion from different principles, motives and ends.
Some follow it from natural principles and motives; that which moves them to it is a natural conscience, in some sort enlightened by the word and providence, which will give them no rest in the utter neglect of religion. Fear of punishment, or hope of reward, are powerful enough to make an outward Christian. But an inside Christian has a gracious principle of love to God and holiness implanted in him, the law is written in his heart, he has a new nature, which inclines him unto universal holiness, and thereby he is kindly drawn to follow religion, upon a view of its inward beauty; and thus he fills up his character.
Some aim at approving themselves to men in their religion. They seek a name by it, they desire thus to advance their credit and reputation among the sober part of the world, Matt. 6: 2; and seeming to be religious will satisfy, because men can judge no farther than the outward appearance. But others study to approve themselves to God, 2 Cor. 5: 9, “Wherefore we labour, that whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.” Now, since God cannot be deceived with outward appearances, this engages them to be careful of the hidden man of the heart, and to value no approbation of any, if the Master approve them not.—From what has been observed, we may learn.
That there is something in religion above nature’s reach. O study to attain it! The mystery of godliness is a great mystery. It is no easy thing to be a Christian. The difference betwixt the godly and others lies not in externals, but in internals, things removed out of the view of the world, and open to God only. O labour to study internal religion, and to approve yourselves to God who searcheth the hearts! Try yourselves.
(To be continued.)