The Christian Professor
John Angell James, 1837
THE NECESSITY AND IMPORTANCE OF
PROFESSORS NOT BEING SATISFIED WITH LOW DEGREES OF PIETY, AND OF THEIR
SEEKING TO ATTAIN TO EMINENCE OF PIETY
It is obvious, both from the nature of piety, and the metaphors employed in
the word of God to describe it, that it may exist in various degrees; just
as physical life may be found in all stages, from the feebleness of
approaching death—to the full vigor of glowing health; from the sickly
infant—to the vigorous adult. So it is in piety, there may be the bud—and
the fruit; the dawn of day—and the decline of day; the glimmering spark—and
the full blaze. All true Christians are really converted—but all are not
equally sanctified. There is an essential difference of nature between the
least eminent Christian and the most excellent worldling—but it is not
always perceptible to us. My object in this chapter, is to excite the
aspiration of professors to seek after high attainments in piety. The
present race of Christians can scarcely be considered eminent ones in some
things. This has already been touched upon in a previous chapter. Politics
and trade have an unhappy tendency to lower the tone of spiritual piety, and
even the spirit of enterprise in benevolent and religious institutions, may,
without care, call off our attention too much from our own personal piety.
The dew of divine grace, and the fine aromas of devotional feeling may
wither from the soul, by the warmth of a bustling zeal, as well as by the
ardor of secular pursuits, and the fervor of party politics.
Perhaps it may be well to state
what is meant by eminent piety.
Real personal godliness consists of the union of scriptural
knowledge—spiritual affections—a tender conscience—biblical morality—and
Christian love. Eminent piety, therefore, means all these same elements
united and carried on to a high degree.
A great regard for, and relish of, evangelical
sentiment and opinions is necessary—a discriminating mind that
attaches much importance to right opinions, in opposition to that 'spurious
toleration' and destructive latitudinarianism—which thinks it of little
consequence what a man believes, provided he acts well.
With this must be accompanied by a large measure of
spiritual affections, or what in common discourse is called
spirituality of mind; a great and prevailing taste for divine and heavenly
things; a walking with God; living by faith; setting our affections on
things above; being dead to the world; a proneness to devout meditation; a
delight in prayer; a fondness for the Scriptures; a disposition to retire
from company to hold communion with God; an ardent love to religious
ordinances; an enjoyment of the peace that passes understanding, and a
frequent experience of the joy that is unspeakable and full of glory.
This is eminent piety.
Eminent piety must contain much laborious and
painful mortification of sin in the heart. The New Testament
everywhere supposes the indwelling of sin in believers, and everywhere
enjoins its mortification. There is "still a law in our members warring
against the law of our mind, seeking to bring us into captivity to the law
of sin which is in our members." "The flesh lusts against the spirit, and
the spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary the one to the other,
so that we cannot do the things that we desire." Hence, we are called upon
"to crucify the flesh, with the affections and lusts thereof; to mortify the
deeds of the body," "to strive against sin," "to cleanse ourselves from all
filthiness of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." He
is, therefore, most eminent in piety, who is most engaged to the work of
mortification of sin; who deals with his heart as a most meticulous and
cleanly woman deals with her house, not enduring that one filthy room or one
unclean spot should be found in it. This struggle after universal
holiness, inward holiness, perfect holiness, this is
eminent religion—a desire and endeavor after purity of heart; a real and
vigorous pursuit after absolute perfection.
It includes, also, an exquisite tenderness of
conscience; a mind that trembles at sin; and shrinks like the pupil
of the eye from slight irritations, as well as greater ones; a holy
watchfulness against sins of the tongue, and of the imagination, and of the
heart, as well as of the life; a constant penitential frame for our manifold
imperfections.
Nor must we omit to mention as essential to eminent
piety, a high-toned morality; a sense of honor; an inflexible
integrity, not to be seduced by the greatest temptations, and most
flattering prospects.
Liberality for the cause of Christ proportioned to
our circumstances, is also necessary to exalted religion; a mind so
penetrated and filled with a sense of God's love in Christ Jesus to us, as
shall make us willing to give freely to the cause of God, of that property
which he has first given to us.
Nor is the description complete without mentioning a
large portion of that charity which the apostle so beautifully describes
in the 13th chapter of the first epistle to the Corinthians. The spirit of
love must be in us, or there is no religion; there must be much of this
spirit, or there cannot be eminent religion. This, this is
piety. Love is religion, and the man who is greatly lacking in this, let him
have what else he may—is low in personal godliness.
Connected with all this must be the prevalence of
evangelical motive; a constant impulse supplied to the soul from the
belief and sense of the love of Christ. The moral excellence of Christianity
is not an abstract system of ethics, a mere sense of propriety leading to a
cold, heartless, though still well formed character; it is a constant
movement of the heart to the splendor and attraction of the cross of Christ.
"The love of Christ constrains us," is the spring and reason of all
Christian piety. He is eminent in piety in whose heart Christ dwells
by faith; who is rooted and grounded in love; who knows the love of Christ
which passes knowledge, and to whom this divine love is as the warmth of its
spiritual life, the pulsation of the heart, the source of healthful action.
He is eminent in piety who loves his wife, as and because Christ
loved him; who forgives his enemy; because Christ forgave him;
who is benevolent to others, because Christ was full of grace to him;
who lives in all holiness, because Christ died for this purpose in reference
to him. This is eminent piety, to be always in sight of the cross,
having fellowship with Christ in his sufferings, and being made conformable
unto his death; so that we shall truly comprehend the meaning and feel the
force of the Apostle's words, "for me to live is Christ!"
The symmetrical union of all these
constitutes eminent piety. It is not a great prominence of any one of them,
to the neglect of others; but the combination in tolerably equal proportions
of these varied excellencies. Symmetry means beauty; and symmetry means the
union of many good features or parts in due proportions. One good
feature, though of surpassing loveliness, if combined with others, that are
as much below mediocrity, as this is above it, will not make a beautiful
countenance. One striking excellence, if associated with defects and
deformities, instead of throwing them back into shadow, serves only to
render them more conspicuous and more offensive, by the power of contrast.
This applies strictly to religion. A man, though seemingly eminent for
spirituality, yet if low in morality; or if deficient in liberality, yet
lukewarm in spiritual affection; or if very upright, and also devotional,
yet of known bad temper, cannot be eminent in religion.
Great and lamentable errors on this subject have
prevailed in the Christian world, and it is necessary that they should be
rectified. It has been too commonly supposed, that spirituality alone, apart
from the other things mentioned, constitutes a high degree of religion; and
hence many have passed for eminent Christians simply on the ground of fervid
feeling, although perhaps lamentably deficient in tenderness of conscience,
a sense of honor, or Christian charity. It is the symmetrical union
of all the varieties of Christian excellence that forms moral beauty; the
association of high devotion with justice and truth; the character that
ascends the mount to commune with God, and then comes down to reflect the
light of the excellent glory upon man in moral virtue; the blending of the
dispositions that prepare us for heaven with those that fit us to adorn our
stations and bless our species upon earth.
The Apostle in speaking of the church says, "From whom
the whole body fitly joined together and compacted with that which every
part supplies, according to the effectual working in the measure of every
part, takes increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love." Eph.
4:16. As far as it can, this may be applied to individual personal religion.
We must not pay attention to one part, and endeavor to carry that to
perfection, to the neglect of the rest—but seek eminence in all. If it were
lawful to make comparisons on such a subject, we would say that mediocrity
in all, without the absence of any one part, is better than great
attainments in one to the total neglect of several others. But our obvious
duty is to seek after perfection, both of parts and of degrees.
There seems to be too much of the distribution of the
various Christian excellences among many people, and not enough of the
concentration of all of them in each professor. Sometimes we see an
individual, generous and public-spirited—but he is perhaps austere and
tyrannical at home; or else he is lacking in a delicate sense of honor in
his commercial transactions; or his personal religion is lukewarm or
defective.
Here is a second individual, he is a partaker of a
zealous and enlightened attachment to orthodox sentiment—but he is too
covetous, or too much given to unsubdued temper.
A third individual is upright and honorable as a
tradesman, a pattern of all that is just, true, honest, lovely and good
report—but he is sadly deficient in spirituality of mind and pious
affections.
A fourth individual is spiritual above most, fond of
meditation, and much given to prayer—but is at the same time somewhat puffed
up with pride, censorious, and sadly lacking in zeal for the spread of
Christ's kingdom in the world.
Thus, we find, in looking round on the Christian church,
that the various excellences and beauties of the New Creature, seem rather
shared by many—than possessed by each. It is true, that we may conceive it
possible that one grace may shine forth in more conspicuous glory in the
Christian character than the rest—but still it may be assumed as an
indisputable fact, that it is barely possible to have one excellence
in great and rare perfection, without the rest being in some measure
in considerable strength also. And much less is it possible to have one
towering virtue, associated with many imperfections of equal strength and
stature. Eminence in piety, then, signifies, as I have before said, our
having all the parts of the Christian character in considerable strength,
and in attractive proportions.
If MOTIVES
are necessary to urge you to obtain this
eminence in piety, how many, and what cogent ones, are at hand. But motives
to what? To saving religion? No! you, as professors have, or are supposed to
have that already—but to eminent religion; to high degrees of
piety; to vigorous, fervent, and exalted devotion!
Consider, then, how the subject is enjoined upon you in
the word of God. "You shall love the Lord your God, with all your heart
and soul and strength." "Be zealous of good works." "Be filled
with the fruits of righteousness.'' "What manner of people ought you to
be, in all holy living and godliness." "Be perfect as your Father who
is in heaven is perfect." Astounding idea! To be perfect—not as perfect as
glorified saints—not as perfect as angels—but as perfect as God. Oh! this is
almost overwhelming; almost enough to throw us into despair!
Eminent piety is the way to HAPPINESS.
It is joy, and peace, and bliss—the sunshine of the
heart, the Sabbath of the soul, the resting-place on which the heart lays
down its load of cares, and anxieties, and sorrows. There is happiness in
faith—but it must be strong faith. There is happiness in hope—but it
must be lively hope. There is happiness in love—but it must be
fervent love.
The religion of many Christian professors is useless
to them. It does nothing for them. They derive no good from it. They are
neither comforted in trouble, grateful in prosperity, nor sustained in
anxiety by their religion. They hear some talk of their joys, and hopes, and
seasons of communion with God—but they themselves, are strangers to these
things. In short, their religion is a mere dead form.
In the case of some other professors, their religion is
an actual incumbrance—a hindrance to their happiness, rather than a
help. They are spoiled for the world, without being fitted for the church.
They cannot go to fashionable amusements, and yet they have nothing in the
place of them to produce happiness. Their soul dwells in a wilderness—a
bleak and cheerless desert, where no pleasant plant grows, not even the
noxious flower of sinful pleasure.
The happiness of religion is reserved for those whose
piety is sincere; and the higher degrees of its happiness is reserved for
such as have large measures of holiness. God is the fountain of life; and in
his light only you can see light—you must press nearer to him, if you would
enjoy him. His dwelling is in the holy mount, and you must ascend to him
there—if you would have joy and peace in believing. You have read the
biography of eminent saints, and sometimes have exclaimed in almost an
agony, "Why am I a stranger to their delights?" The answer is easy, "Because
you are a stranger to that elevated piety from which their joys have
sprung!" The same measure of faith would have been attended in your
case—with the same degree of holy joy. You are too worldly, too proud, too
irritable, too prone to violate the rule of Christian duty in little things,
too careless in your life and walk; and must therefore grow in grace, before
you can increase in pious comfort!
The CONTINUANCE of religion in the soul, is
exceedingly precarious—if it be not eminent.
In many cases, piety is so superficial, feeble,
lukewarm, and undecided—that it soon dies away amidst the cares, the
comforts, and the pursuits of life! It has not root, strength, or vitality
enough, to resist the influence of the calm, much less the shock of the
tempest. It is like a lamp, that needs not the gust of wind to blow it
out—but which expires in still air, for lack of oil to keep it burning. We
see many and melancholy exemplifications of this. Young females, who in
single life seemed to have religion—have lost it all amidst the cares of a
family. Many a servant, who in his dependent situation, was a consistent,
though not an eminent professor—has become a confirmed worldling upon
entering into business as his own master. Many an individual whose piety was
sustained by the aid of quickening and powerful preaching—has relapsed into
utter carelessness, when taken away from these refreshing ordinances. In all
these instances, religion withered away for lack of root. In other
cases, it has been destroyed, laid prostrate at once, by a violent
attack of temptation, or some sudden change of circumstances. There is,
therefore, no safety—but in a heart established by grace; a clearness of
view, a strength of principle, a deep-rooted conviction, and a peace that
passes understanding, keeping the heart and mind in the fear of God.
Oh what disclosures would days of persecution make, if
they were to come again; in such 'sifting times' how many professors who now
excite no suspicion of their sincerity, would then be blown away as the
chaff! We see this in part exemplified now, by the influence of ordinary
troubles upon some of these professors. In prosperity they are cheerful,
regular, and apparently consistent. But see them in adversity—what poor,
dispirited, despairing creatures they are. Not a ray of comfort reaches
their heart; not a smile is on their countenance; every pleasant prospect is
vanished, every hope is extinguished, and they are as bleak, desolate, and
forlorn, as the greatest worldling on earth, in the wreck of his fortune.
Would it be thus if there were eminent piety?
And who is it that
does honor to the Christian
religion, and raises its credit and
reputation in the estimation of the world? Not he whose piety is so feeble,
so fluctuating, and attended by so many imperfections—as to leave it quite
doubtful whether he can be truly a godly man. Not he who on being named as a
church member excites the astonishment of the bystanders, that 'he' should
be accounted a Christian. No, the little piety he has, does more harm than
if he had none at all. He had better give up the name of Christ, for nothing
but that remains, and the very name acquires reproach by being associated
with so much that is unworthy of it. Such people had better abandon their
profession altogether, if they are resolved not to improve it. It is the
eminent Christian, the man whose religion makes him obviously holy,
happy, and useful; whose piety not only proves its own sincerity—but its own
strength; who is decided, consistent, and earnest; this is the man of whom
it may be said, "wisdom is justified of her children."
How will your USEFULNESS be increased by eminent
piety. Pure zeal is the outflow and
emanation of true godliness, and in proportion to the strength of the
latter, will be the fervor of the former. It is the love of Christ
constraining us, that will keep us steadfast, immoveable, always abounding
in the work of the Lord. Excitement from other causes, impulses from other
sources, will subside. It is
eminent piety—and this only, which can supply a
constant spring of activity and liberality.
Eminent piety
will give permanency and regularity to our efforts, and will be likely to
give success also by bringing down, through the instrumentality of fervent
prayer, the blessing of God on all we do.
And then—grace and glory are inseparable; grace is glory
begun— and glory is grace completed, grace is the seed—glory is the crop,
and in proportion to the seed will be certainly the harvest; for what a man
sows that shall he also reap. That there are different degrees of honor and
felicity in the heavenly world, is clearly a doctrine of scripture, and it
is proposed there as an incentive to seek after high attainments in
godliness. Our future happiness or misery, though the former is strictly a
gift of grace, and the other an award of justice, will unquestionably spring
out of the character we attain to in this world. A very large proportion
of both heaven and hell, will consist of something within us;
will arise from what we are; in one case from perfect holiness, and in the
other from absolutely matured sin. There will be, of course, external
objects that will contribute to the exercises of these different states of
mind—but the 'states of mind' themselves, will be the seat of misery or
bliss.
Hence then it is evident, we are now continually fitting
for one or other of these conditions, and so close is the connection between
grace and glory, that it is probable that not a single act of true piety,
not an effort, not a motive, not a feeling—is without its influence upon our
eternal state. Every holy desire, volition, word, purpose, and action—is
something carried to the formation of the eternal character; just as every
little dot of the painter's pencil is something contributed to the
completeness of the picture. So, on the contrary, every single sin on earth
is an addition to the character and torment of a damned spirit in hell. What
a motive, then, is this consideration to exalted piety, to high degrees of
religion. All you acquire in this world—is an accumulation going on for the
future eternal world. This is laying up treasures in heaven, growing rich
towards God, and becoming 'affluent for eternity'. The eminent Christian is
preparing for some high post in the kingdom of God, and for a station of
double honor in the realms of immortality!
O professors, let me, with all the earnestness of which I
am capable, or which I am able to express, exhort and entreat you to seek
after higher attainments in piety, than you now possess! You are living too
low, far too low! You are living beneath, far beneath your duty, your
privilege, your principles, and your profession! Your religion is too much a
religion of mere opinions, and forms, and ceremonies; of mere abstinence
from gross immorality, coupled with an attendance upon an evangelical
ministry. Where, O where, I ask again, do we see—the life of God in the
soul, the heavenly mind, the work of faith, the tender conscience, the image
of God, the mind of Christ, the impress of eternity? Who have conquered the
world by faith? Who have set their affections on things above? Who are
making it their great business to prepare for the coming of Christ, and
their blessed hope to look for his arrival? Where are the 'epistles of
Christ' known and read of all men? Where are the 'peculiar people'? Where
the witnesses for God? Where are they to whom we can point and say, "Behold
the men and women who look not at seen and temporal things—but at things not
seen and eternal!" Awake! Arise! Shine! Listen to the fearful language of
Christ to a Christian church of antiquity—"I know your works, that you are
neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot. So, because you are
lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of My
mouth!'' (Rev. 3:16.) Tremble at this solemn denunciation, lest it should
come upon you!
Begin, from the perusal of these pages, to seek after
higher degrees of personal religion. Do not be satisfied with present
attainments. Even the apostle Paul resolved to forget the things that were
behind, in a desire to press on to greater excellence. And can you be
satisfied? Beware of making the perilous, yet frequent experiment—of
ascertaining with how little piety you can reach heaven. Those who are
seeking just enough religion for this purpose, will find out to their
eternal confusion, that they had not enough. The love of God, like
the love of money, is never satisfied with its possession. Real grace in the
soul is ever seeking after increase! Any approach to contentment with the
grace that you presently have, is a proof you have none. You must
grow. It is your solemn duty. God demands it! Your happiness and your safety
require it. It is as much your duty to be eminent Christians, as it
is that of others. No reason for this applies to them, which does not
equally apply to you. A higher degree of holiness is attainable by
you. The grace that is necessary for this is within your reach. You are not
to imagine that there is any peculiarity in your case, which forbids the
hope of improvement. God's grace is all-sufficient; the Holy Spirit is
omnipotent. You are commanded as matter of duty, and invited as matter of
privilege—to be eminent in religion. O take up the wish, the purpose, the
determination. Make it an object that you must accomplish, an
attainment you must secure. Set about it in earnest. Give yourself to
reading, to meditation and prayer. Set apart time, sufficient time for all
the purposes of private devotion; for communion with your own heart, and for
communion with God.
Christian! You must resist the encroaching, absorbing,
and destructive influence of the world in all its many fascinating forms!
Consider that you have a soul to be saved, a hell to
avoid, a heaven to obtain! Your profession cannot do this for
you—rely not upon that; feel as if the work were all to be begun; let there
be the same earnestness, the same diligence, the same solicitude, as there
were when you commenced the pursuit of eternal life.
Adopt the Bible afresh as the Book of books—let nothing
supplant this precious volume. One great cause why the piety of this age is
so feeble and so languid, is because the Bible has in many cases been swept
away by a flood of uninspired publications. The pure milk of the word has
been neglected, or has been so diluted, as to leave but little nourishment
in the mixture; and the new-born babe, as matter of course, has remained
dwarfish and sickly. Even the biographies of the most distinguished saints,
which ought to form a part of the Christian's reading, and is eminently
calculated to fan the flame of devotion in the soul, ought not to be allowed
to displace the word of God. Again, I say, professors, awake! Arise! Shine!
"To be carnally minded is death; to be spiritually minded is life and
peace." Rom. 8:6. "If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things
which are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your
minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you
have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is
your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory!" Col. 3:1-3.
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