Parochial&PlainSermons Volume5

Sermon15.
SinsofInfirmity

"The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary the one to the other, so that ye cannot do the things that ye would." Gal. v. 17.
[Note1]{209}ITisnotuncommonlysaidoftheChurchCatholic,andwemay humblyandthankfullyreceiveit,thatthoughthereiserror,variance,and sininanextremedegreeinitsseparatemembers,yetwhattheydoallin common,whattheydoincombination,whattheydogatheredtogetherin one,orwhattheyuniversallyreceiveorallow,isdivineandholy;thatthe sinsofindividualsareoverruled,andtheirwanderingsguidedandbrought round,sothattheyendintruth,inspite,oreveninonesense,bymeansof error.Notasiferrorhadanypowerofarrivingattruth,orwereanecessary previousconditionofit,butthatitpleasesAlmightyGodtoworkoutHis greatpurposesinandthroughhumaninfirmityandsin.ThusBalaamhada word put in his mouth in the midst of his enchantments, and Caiaphas prophesiedintheactofpersuadingourLord'sdeath.{210} WhatistrueoftheChurchasabody,istruealsoofeachmemberofitwho fulfilshiscalling:thecontinualresults,asImaycallthem,ofhisfaith,are righteousandholy,buttheprocessthroughwhichtheyareobtainedisone ofimperfection;sothatcouldweseehissoulasAngelsseeit,hewould, when seen at a distance, appear youthful in countenance, and bright in apparel;butapproachhim,andhisfacehaslinesofcareuponit,andhis dressistattered.Hisrighteousnessthenseems,Idonotmeansuperficial, thiswouldbetogiveaverywrongideaofit,butthoughreachingdeepwithin him,yetnotwholeandentireinthedepthofit;but,asitwere,wroughtout of sin, the result of a continual struggle,not spontaneous nature, but habitualselfcommand. Truefaithisnotshownherebelowinpeace,butratherinconflict;anditis

no proof that a man is not in a state of grace that he continually sins, providedsuchsinsdonotremainonhimaswhatImaycallultimateresults, butareeverpassingonintosomethingbeyondandunlikethemselves,into truthandrighteousness.Aswegainhappinessthroughsuffering,sodowe arriveatholinessthroughinfirmity,becauseman'sveryconditionisafallen one,andinpassingoutofthecountryofsin,henecessarilypassesthrough it.Andhenceitisthatholymenarekeptfromregardingthemselveswith satisfaction, or resting in any thing short of our Lord's death, as their ground of confidence; for, though that death has already in a measure wroughtlifeinthem,andeffectedthepurposeforwhichittookplace,yetto themselves they seem but sinners, their {211} renewal being hidden from them by the circumstances attending it. The utmost they can say of themselvesis,thattheyarenotinthecommissionofanysuchsinsaswould plainlyexcludethemfromgrace;buthowlittleoffirmhopecanbeplacedon suchnegativeevidenceisplainfromSt.Paul'sownwordsonthesubject, who,speakingofthecensurespasseduponhimbytheCorinthians,says,"I knownothingbymyself,"thatis,Iamconsciousofnothing,"yetamInot hereby justified;but HethatjudgethmeistheLord." Asmeninabattle cannot see how it is going, so Christians have no certain signs of God's presence in their hearts, and can but look up towards their Lord and Saviour, and timidly hope. Hence they will readily adopt the wellknown words,notasexpressingamatterofdoctrine,butastheirownexperience about themselves. "The little fruit which we have in holiness, it is, God knoweth, corrupt and unsound; we put no confidence at all in it; ... our continual suit to Him is, and must be, to bear with our infirmities and pardonouroffences."[Note2] Let us then now enumerate some of the infirmities which I speak of; infirmities which, while they certainly beset those who are outcasts from God'sgrace,andthatwithgrievousadditionsandfatalaggravations,yetare alsopossibleinastateofacceptance,anddonotinthemselvesimplythe absenceoftrueandlivelyfaith.Thereviewwillservetohumbleallofus,and perhapsmayencouragethosewhoaredepressedbyasenseoftheirhigh calling,byremindingthemthattheyarenotreprobate,thoughtheybenot alltheyshouldbe.{212} 1.Nowofthesinswhichstainus,thoughwithoutsuchaconsentofthewill astoforfeitgrace,Imustmentionfirstoriginalsin.Howitisthatweare bornunderacursewhichwedidnotbringuponus,wedonotknow;itisa mystery;butwhenwebecomeChristians,thatcurseisremoved.Weareno longerunderGod'swrath;ourguiltisforgivenus,butstilltheinfectionofit remains.Imean,westillhaveanevilprinciplewithinus,dishonouringour best services. How far, by God's grace, we are able in time to chastise,

restrain,and destroy this infection, is another question; but still it isnot removed at once by Baptism, and if not, surely it is a most grievous humiliationtothosewhoarestrivingto"walkworthyoftheLorduntoall pleasing."[Col.i.10.]Itisinvoluntary,andthereforedoesnotcastusoutof grace;yetinitselfitisverymiserableandveryhumbling:andeveryonewill discoveritinhimself,ifhewatcheshimselfnarrowly.Imean,whatiscalled theoldAdam,pride,profaneness,deceit,unbelief,selfishness,greediness, theinheritanceoftheTreeoftheknowledgeofgoodandevil;sinswhichthe wordsoftheserpentsowedintheheartsofourfirstparents,whichsprang upandborefruit,somethirtyfold,somesixty,someanhundred,andwhich havebeenbycarnaldescenttransmittedtous. 2.Anotherclassofinvoluntarysins,whichoftenarenotsuchastothrowus out of grace, any more than the infection of nature, but are still more humbling and distressing, consists of those which arise from our former habitsofsin,thoughnowlongabandoned.We{213}cannotridourselvesof sinwhenwewould;thoughwerepent,thoughGodforgivesus,yetitremains initspoweroveroursouls,inourhabits,andinourmemories.Ithasgiven acolourtoourthoughts,words,andworks;andthough,withmanyefforts, wewouldwashitoutfromus,yetthisisnotpossibleexceptgradually.Men have been slothful, or selfconceited, or selfwilled, or impure, or worldly mindedintheiryouth,andafterwardstheyturntoGod,andwouldfainbe other than they have been, but their former self clings to them, as a poisonedgarment,andeatsintothem.Theycannotdothethingsthatthey would,andfromtimetotimetheyseemalmostreducedbackagaintothat heathenstate,whichtheApostledescribes,whenhecriesout,"Owretched manthatIam!whoshalldelivermefromthebodyofthisdeath?"[Rom.vii. 24.] 3. Another class of involuntary sins are such as arise from want of self command; that is, from the mind being possessed of more light than strength,theconsciencebeinginformed,butthegoverningprincipleweak. Thesoulofmanisintendedtobeawellorderedpolity,inwhichthereare many powers and faculties, and each has its due place; and for these to exceedtheirlimitsissin;yettheycannotbekeptwithinthoselimitsexcept bybeinggoverned,andweareunequaltothistaskofgoverningourselves exceptafterlong habit.Whilewearelearning togovernourselves,weare constantlyexposedtotherisk,orrathertotheoccurrence,ofnumberless failures.Wehavefailuresbytheway,thoughwetriumphintheend;and thus,asIjustnow{214}implied,theprocessoflearningtoobeyGodis,in onesense,aprocessofsinning,fromthenatureofthecase.Wehavemuch tobeforgiven;nay,wehavethemoretobeforgiventhemoreweattempt.The higherouraims,thegreaterourrisks.Theywhoventuremuchwiththeir

talents,gainmuch,andintheendtheyhearthewords,"Welldone,good andfaithfulservant;"buttheyhavesomanylossesintradingbytheway, thattothemselvestheyseemtodonothingbutfail.Theycannotbelievethat they are making any progress; and though they do, yet surely they have muchtobeforgiveninalltheirservices.TheyarelikeDavid,menofblood; theyfightthegoodfightoffaith,buttheyarepollutedwiththecontest. Iamnotspeakingofcasesofextraordinarydevotion,butofwhateveryone mustknowinhisowncase,howdifficultitistocommandhimself,anddo thathewishestodo;howweakthegoverningprincipleofhismindis,and how poorly and imperfectly he comes up to his own notions of right and truth;howdifficultitistocommandhisfeelings,grief,anger,impatience, joy,fear;howdifficulttogovernhistongue,tosayjustwhathewould;how difficult to rouse himself to do what he would, at this time or that; how difficulttoriseinthemorning;howdifficulttogoabouthisdutiesandnot beidle;howdifficulttoeatanddrinkjustwhatheshould,howdifficulttofix hismindonhisprayers;howdifficulttoregulatehisthoughtsthroughthe day;howdifficulttokeepoutofhismindwhatshouldbekeptoutofit.{215} Wearefeebleminded,excitable,effeminate,wayward,irritable,changeable, miserable.Wehavenolordoverus,becausewearebutpartiallysubjectto thedominionofthetrueKingofSaints.Letustrytodorightasmuchaswe will,letusprayasearnestly,yetwedonot,inatimeoftrial,comeupevento ourownnotionsofperfection,orratherwefallquiteshortofthem,anddo perhaps just the reverse of what we had hoped to do. While there is no external temptation present, our passions sleep, and we think all is well. Thenwethink,andreflect,andresolvewhatwewilldo;andweanticipateno difficultyindoingit.Butwhenthetemptationiscome,wherearewethen? WearelikeDanielinthelions'den;andourpassionsarethelions;except thatwehavenotDaniel'sgracetoprevailwithGodfortheshuttingofthe lions'mouthslesttheydevourus.Thenourreasonisbutlikethemiserable keeper of wild beasts,whoinordinary seasons isequal tothem, but not when they are excited. Alas! Whatever the affection of mind may be, how miserableitis!Itmaybeadull,heavysloth,orcowardice,whichthrowsits hugelimbsaroundus,bindsusclose,oppressesourbreath,andmakesus despiseourselves,whileweareimpotenttoresistit;oritmaybeanger,or otherbaserpassion,which,forthemoment,escapesfromourcontrolafter itsprey,toourhorrorandourdisgrace;butanyhow,whatamiserabledenof brutecreaturesdoesthesoulthenbecome,andweatthemoment(Isay) literallyunabletohelpit!Iamnot,ofcourse,speakingofdeedsofevil,the fruits of wilfulness,malice, or revenge, or uncleanness, or {216} intemperance,orviolence,orrobbery,orfraud;alas!thesinfulheartoften goes on to commit sins which hide from it at once the light of God's

countenance;butIamsupposingwhatwasEve'scase,whenshelookedat thetreeandsawthatthefruitwasgood,butbeforeshepluckedit,when lusthadconceivedandwasbringingforthsin,buteresinwasfinishedand hadbroughtforthdeath.Iamsupposingthatwedonotexceedsofarasto estrangeGodfromus,thatHemercifullychainsthelionsatourcry,before theydomorethanfrightenusbytheirmoaningsortheirroar,beforethey fall on us to destroy us: yet, at best, what misery, what pollution, what sacrilege,whatachaosistheretheninthatconsecratedspot,whichisthe templeoftheHolyGhost!HowisitthatthelampofGoddoesnotgooutinit at once, when the whole soul seems tending to hell, and hope is almost gone?Wonderfulmercyindeeditis,whichbearssomuch!Incomprehensible patienceintheHolyOne,sotodwell,insuchawilderness,withthewild beasts! Exceeding and divine virtue in the grace given us, that it is not stifled!Yetsuchisthepromise,nottothosewhosincontentedlyafterthey havereceivedgrace;thereisnohopewhiletheysosin;butwheresinisnot partofacourse,thoughitisstillsin,whethersinofourbirth,orofhabits formedlongago,orofwantofselfcommandwhichwearetryingtogain, God mercifully allows and pardons it, and "the blood of Jesus Christ cleansethusfrom"itall. 4. Further, I might dwell upon sins which we fall into from being taken unawares,whenthetemptation{217}issudden,asSt.Peter,whenhefirst deniedChrist;thoughwhetheritbecameofadifferentcharacter,whenhe deniedtwiceandthrice,isafurtherquestion. 5.Andagain,thosesinswhichrisefromthedevil'stemptations,inflaming thewoundsandscarsofpastsinshealed,ornearlyso;excitingthememory, andhurryingusaway;andthusmakinguseofourformerselvesagainstour presentselvescontrarytoourwill. 6.Andagain,Imightspeakofthosewhichrisefromadeficiencyofpractical experience,or from ignorance howtoperform dutieswhich we set about. Menattempttobemunificent,andtheiractsareprodigal;theywishtobe firmandzealous,andtheiractsarecruel;theywishtobebenevolent,and theyareindulgentandweak;theydoharmwhentheymeantodogood;they engageinundertakings,ortheypromotedesigns,ortheyputforthopinions, or they set a pattern, of which evil comes; they countenance evil; they mistakefalsehoodfortruth;theyarezealousforfalsedoctrines;theyoppose thecauseofGod.Onecanhardlysayallthisiswithoutsin,andyetinthem itmaybeinvoluntarysinandpardonableontheprayeroffaith. 7. Or I might speak of those unworthy motives, low views, mistakes in principle,falsemaxims,whichaboundonallsidesofus,andwhichwecatch

(asitwere)fromeachother;thatspiritoftheworldwhichwebreathe,and whichdefilesallwedo,yetwhichcanhardlybesaidtobeawilfulpollution; butratheritissuchsinasisconsistentwiththepresenceofthe{218}grace ofGodinus,whichthatgracewillblotoutandputaway. 8.And,lastly,muchmightbesaidonthesubjectofwhattheLitanycalls "negligences and ignorances," on forgetfulnesses, heedlessnesses, want of seriousness, frivolities, and a variety of weaknesses, which we may be consciousofinourselves,orseeinothers. Sucharesomeoftheclassesofsinswhichmaybefound,ifitsohappen, where the will is right, and faith lively; and which in such cases are not inconsistentwiththestateofgrace,ormaybecalledinfirmities.Ofcourseit mustbeeverrecollected,thatinfirmitiesarenotalwaystoberegarded as infirmities;theyattachalsotothosewholiveinthecommissionofwilful sins, and who have no warrant whatever for considering themselves in a savingstate.Mendonotceasetobeundertheinfluenceoforiginalsin,or sinsofpastyears,theydonotgainselfcommand,orunlearnnegligences and ignorances, by adding to these offences others of a more grievous character.Thosewhoareoutofgrace,haveinfirmitiesandmuchmore.And therewillalwaysbeatendencyinsuchpersonstoexplainawaytheirwilful sinsintoinfirmities.Thisisevertobeborneinmind.Iamnotattemptingto draw the line between infirmities and transgressions; I only say, that to whomsoeverbesidessuchinfirmitiesdoattach,theymayhappentoattach tothosewhoarefreefromtransgressions,andwhoneednotdespond,orbe miserableonaccountoffailingswhichinthemarenotdestructiveoffaithor incompatiblewithgrace.WhotheseareHeonlyknowsforcertain,who"tries {219}thereinsandtheheart,"who"knoweththemindoftheSpirit,"and "discernsbetweentherighteousandthewicked."Heisable,amidthemaze ofcontendingmotivesandprincipleswithinus,totraceouttheperfectwork ofrighteousnesssteadilygoingonthere,andtherudimentsofanewworld risingfromoutthechaos.Hecandiscriminatebetweenwhatishabitualand whatisaccidental;whatisonthegrowthandwhatisindecay;whatisa result and what is indeterminate; what is of us and what is in us. He estimatesthedifferencebetweenawillthatishonestlydevotedtoHim,and one that is insincere. And where there is a willing mind, He accepts it "accordingtothatamanhath,andnotaccordingtothathehathnot."In thosewhosewillsareholy,Heispresentforsanctificationandacceptance; and,likethesun'sbeamsinsomecaveoftheearth,Hisgraceshedslighton everyside,andconsumesallmistsandvapoursastheyrise. WeindeedhavenotknowledgesuchasHis;wereweeversohighinGod's favour,acertaintyofourjustificationwouldnotbelongtous.Yet,evento

knowonlythusmuch,thatinfirmitiesarenonecessarymarkofreprobation, thatGod'selecthaveinfirmities,andthatourownsinsmaypossiblybeno morethaninfirmities,thissurely,byitself,isaconsolation.Andtoreflect that at least God continues us visibly in His Church; that He does not withdraw from us the ordinances of grace; that He gives us means of instruction,{220}patternsofholiness,religiousguidance,goodbooks;that HeallowsustofrequentHishouse,andtopresentourselvesbeforeHimin prayer and Holy Communion; that He gives us opportunities of private prayer;thatHehasgivenusacareforoursouls;ananxietytosecureour salvation;adesiretobemorestrictandconscientious,moresimpleinfaith, morefulloflovethanweare;allthiswilltendtosootheandencourageus, whenthesenseofourinfirmitiesmakesusafraid.Andiffurther,Godseems to be making us His instruments for any purpose of His, for teaching, warning, guiding, or comforting others, resisting error, spreading the knowledgeofthetruth,oredifyingHisChurch,thistoowillcreateinusthe belief,notthatGodiscertainlypleasedwithus,forknowledgeofmysteries maybeseparatedfromlove,butthatHehasnotutterlyforsakenusinspite ofoursins,thatHestillremembersus,andknowsusbyname,anddesires oursalvation.Andfurther,if,forallourinfirmities,wecanpointtosome occasionsonwhichwehavesacrificedanythingforGod'sservice,ortoany habitofsinoreviltendencyofnaturewhichwehavemoreorlessovercome, ortoanyhabitualselfdenialwhichwepractise,ortoanyworkwhichwe have accomplished to God's honour and glory; this perchance may fillus withthehumblehopethatGodisworkinginus,andthereforeisatpeace withus.And,lastly,ifwehave,throughGod'smercy,aninwardsenseofour ownsincerity andintegrity,ifwefeelthatwecanappealtoGodwithSt. Peter,that{221}weloveHimonly,anddesiretopleaseHiminallthings,in proportion as we feel this, or at such times as we feel it, we have an assuranceshedabroadonourhearts,thatweareatpresentinHisfavour, andareintrainingfortheinheritanceofHiseternalkingdom.

Notes
1.Epiphany. Returntotext 2.HookeronJustification,9. Returntotext

SOURCE: http://www.newmanreader.org/works/parochial/volume5/sermon15.html