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And you hath he quickened, who were dead in
trespasses and sins. - Eph. ii. 1; with Col. ii. 13.
MEN
in an unregenerate state, being represented in these passages as dead in
sin, shows, that whilst they are in such a state, they are as incapable of
spiritual motion or action, or of quickening themselves, as a dead man is of
natural motion, or action, or of raising himself from the dead. Whence it must
needs follow, that the work of conversion is a work of God, and not man, and to
be ascribed to the exceeding greatness of his power, in which man is
passive as a dead body is in its resurrection from the dead. In answer to
which,
1st.
It is said, "that the metaphor of being dead in trespasses and sins, cannot
warrant our saying anything of unregenerate persons, which may properly be
affirmed of the dead;" for,
1.
"A dead body is void of all sense; whereas the unregenerate man is often
under strong convictions, and a deep sense of his present misery." To
which I reply, that it is one thing for a man to be under strong
convictions, and a deep sense of his present misery, or of the evil and
mischief which comes by sin, which sense is purely natural; and another thing
to be under real convictions, and a deep sense of the true evil and wickedness
that is in sin, which is purely spiritual, and arises from the quickening
influences of the Spirit of God.
2.
A dead man cannot awake himself out of the sleep of death; but God saith to the
spiritually dead man, Awake, thou that sleepest, arise from the dead, and
Christ shall give thee life, it should have been light, Eph. v. 14.
I reply, that these words are not spoken to the spiritually dead, but to
professors of religion, as abundantly appears from the context; who were fallen
into a drowsy, sleepy frame, which was very much owing to their conversation
with dead sinners: wherefore the Apostle exhorts them, to rouse themselves from
this lethargy, and arise, and depart from their dead companions, and unfruitful
works of darkness, when they might expect more light and liveliness in their
souls from; Christ.
3.
"A dead man cannot hear: but to the spiritually dead, God saith, Hear,
and your souls shall live, Isa. lv. 3." To which may be replied, that
there is a twofold hearing of I the word; an external one, which regards the
outward ministry of it, and an internal one, so as to understand it; the
former, men spiritually dead may be capable of, but not of the latter; see John
viii 43, 47. Besides, the persons spoken to in the passage of Scripture cited
were not spiritually dead, but were such as were quickened, who had a principle
of spiritual life implanted in them. In consequence of which, they thirsted after
spiritual things, ver. 1, though greatly distressed under a sense of their
spiritual poverty. Wherefore, the Lord encourages them to hearken to
him, and listen to his covenant grace and promises, that they might live
comfortably.
4.
"It would be absurd to exhort a dead body to turn about and live; whereas
God thinks it not incongruous to say to persons spiritually dead, Turn
yourselves, and ye shall live," Ezek. xviii. 32 and xxxiii. 11. I
reply, that the passages referred to do not regard such who were spiritually
dead; since they concern the whole house of Israel, and every one of them: of
whom it cannot be said, that they were dead in trespasses and sins: nor do the
exhortations relate to the first work of conversion, but to an external
reformation of them as a body politic, that they might peaceably live in their
own land, and comfortably enjoy the good things of it.
5.
"Good Christians are said to be dead to sin, Rom. vi. 2, 11; to
the law, Gal. ii. 19, and to the world, Gal. vi. 14." Now if
hence we cannot truly argue, that they cannot sin at all, that they can do
nothing relating to the world, or to the law; neither can we argue from the
metaphor of being dead in trespasses and sins, that we can do nothing in
obedience to the calls of God, or compliance with the motions of his word and
Spirit. To which I reply, that the meaning of the phrases in the passages
mentioned is, that believers are freed from the damning power of sin, and from
the curse and condemnation of the law, and are delivered from this present evil
world. Now, whereas we can truly argue from hence, that believers are so dead
to sin, the law, and the world, and these to them, as that they cannot condemn,
damn, or destroy them; so we can truly argue from the metaphor, of being dead
in trespasses and sins, that men can do nothing spiritually good, until God
powerfully calls them by his grace, and they feel the quickening influences and
motions of his Spirit.
2ndly.
In answer to the argument from these Scriptures, it is observed, that
"both the places cited concern only the Gentile world; and so we cannot
argue from those words, which do so certainly relate to the worst of Heathens,
that this must be the natural state of all men: or, that the same power is requisite
to convert the unregenerate Christian, and the worst of Heathens." I
reply, that these persons spoken of were Heathens, is readily granted; but that
they were the worst of Heathens is not so manifest, though, probably, they were
as bad as any. However, I cannot but take notice of the unregenerate
Christian, as a mere paradox, a contradiction in terms; since no man can be
truly a Christian but he that is regenerated by the Spirit of Christ. But,
passing these things, let it be observed, that the same character of being dead
in a moral or spiritual sense, is given to unregenerate Jews, which is here
given to unconverted Gentiles, Matt. viii. 22, John v. 25. For that they were
Jews, and not Gentiles, our Lord speaks to and of in the places referred to, is
evident from this consideration, that as yet the Gospel was not sent to the
Gentiles; nor were there any among them as yet who heard his voice and followed
him. Nothing is more certain and true than this, that he, or she, that
liveth in pleasure, whether Jew or Gentile, are dead while they live.
Besides, the apostle says the very same things, in the same words, of himself,
who was a Jew, and a devout one, and of others, while unconverted, as he does
of these worst of Heathens, Eph. ii. 4, 5. So that we may truly argue, and
safely conclude, that this must be the natural state of all men; and that the
same power is requisite to convert an unregenerate Jew, yea, an unregenerate
man living where Christianity is professed, and the worst of Heathens, since
the same characters belong to them.