A Practical View of the Prevailing Religious System of Professed Christians … Contrasted with Real Christianity, 1797
Introductory essay by Rev. Daniel Wilson in the 1829 edition
The design of the Author was to rouse the nation, and especially the higher orders, to a just view of the subject of real Christianity. It is a manly, and yet conciliatory exposure of the false principles and defective practice of professed Christians, accompanied by a powerful exhibition of what true religion is, as it is delineated in the Bible, and displayed in the spirit and temper of sincere Christians. It is a contrast between Christianity lowered, misapprehended, obscured, falsified, by the prevailing doctrine and morals of the day, and Christianity as it came from heaven, as it remains in all its freshness in the Sacred Records, as it is loved and obeyed by those in every age, who, like the primitive Christians, or our Reformers of the sixteenth century, come out from the world, and live unto God by the faith of a crucified Saviour. It is a book of first principles, displaying the Christian religion as it ought to exist in the case of every Christian, and then contrasting this with the low and defective standard of the religion prevailing around us.
The main object which [the author] has in view is, not to convince the Sceptic, or to answer the arguments of persons who avowedly oppose the fundamental doctrines of our Religion; but to point out the scanty and erroneous system of the bulk of those who belong to the class of orthodox Christians, and to contrast their defective scheme with a representation of what the author apprehends to be real Christianity.
If the country is to be awakened, and the world converted, it must be by a full unshrinking exhibition of Christ crucified. The deep fall and impotency of man, the person and glory of Christ, the Deity and operation of the Holy Ghost, justification by faith only, regeneration and progressive sanctification by the Spirit, holy love, obedience the fruit and evidence of faith, – all centering in the cross, and emanating from the atonement and righteousness, and conspiring to illustrate the power and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Chapter 3 Chief defects of the Religious System of the bulk of professed Christians, in what regards our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit (Adapted by Wilberforce from the 1662 Anglican Book of Common Prayer and Thirty-nine Articles)
(Do you believe?)
That “God so loved the world, as of his tender mercy to give his only Son Jesus Christ for our redemption;” (John 3:16)
That our blessed Lord willingly left the glory of the Father, and was made man; (John 1:14)
That “he was despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief:” (Isaiah 53:3)
That “he was wounded for our transgressions; that he was bruised for our iniquities:” (Isaiah 53:5)
That “the Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all:” (Isaiah 53:6b)
That at length “he humbled himself even to the death of the Cross (Philippians 2:8), for us miserable sinners; to the end that all who with hearty repentance and true faith, should come to him, might not perish, but have everlasting life;” (John 3:16)
That he “is now at the right hand of God, making intercession” for his people; (Romans 8:34, Hebrews 7:25)
That “being reconciled to God by the death of his Son, we may come boldly unto the throne of grace, to obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need:” (Hebrews 4:16)
That our Heavenly Father “will surely give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him;” (Luke 11:13)
That “the Spirit of God must dwell in us;” and that “if any man does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his;” (Romans 8:9)
That by this divine influence “we are to be renewed in knowledge after the image of him who created us,” (Colossians 3:10) and “to be filled with the fruits of righteousness, to the praise of the glory of his grace;” (Philippians 1:11) — that “being thus made meet for the inheritance of the saints in light,” (Colossians 1:12) we shall sleep in the Lord; and that when the last trumpet shall sound, this corruption (perishable) shall put on incorruption (imperishable) — and that being at length perfected after his likeness, we shall be admitted into his heavenly kingdom. (1 Corinthians 15:50-54)
Had we duly felt the burden of our sins, that they are a load which our own strength is wholly unable to support, and that the weight of them must finally sink us into perdition, our hearts would have danced at the sound of the gracious invitation, “Come unto me, all you that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthews 11:28)
But in those who have scarcely felt their sins as any encumbrance, it would be mere affectation to pretend to very exalted conceptions of the value and acceptableness of the proffered deliverance.
We must be deeply conscious of our guilt and misery, heartily repenting of our sins, and firmly resolving to forsake them: and thus penitently “fleeing for refuge to the hope set before us,” (Hebrews 6:18) we must found altogether on the merit of the crucified Redeemer our hopes of escape from their deserved punishment, and of deliverance from their enslaving power. This must be our first, our last, our only plea. We are to surrender ourselves up to him to “be washed in his blood,” (Hebrews 9:13-14) to be sanctified by his Spirit, resolving to receive him for our Lord and Master, to learn in his school, to obey all his commandments.
Let us then each for himself solemnly ask ourselves, whether we have fled for refuge to the appointed hope? And whether we are habitually looking to it, as to the only source of consolation? “Other foundation can no man lay:” there is no other ground of dependence, no other plea for pardon; but here there is hope, even to the uttermost. Let us labour then to affect our hearts with a deep conviction of our need of a Redeemer, and of the value of his offered mediation. Let us fall down humbly before the throne of God, imploring pity and pardon in the name of the Son of his love. Let us beseech him to give us a true spirit of repentance, and of hearty undivided faith in the Lord Jesus. Let us not be satisfied till the cordiality of our belief be confirmed to us by that character of the Apostle, “that to as many as believe Christ is precious;” and let us strive to increase daily in love towards our blessed Saviour; and pray earnestly that “we may be filled with Joy and Peace in believing, that we may abound in Hope through the power of the Holy Ghost.” Let us diligently put in practice the directions formerly given for cherishing and cultivating the principle of the Love of Christ. With this view let us labour assiduously to increase in knowledge, that ours may be a deeply rooted and rational affection.
The name of Jesus is not to be to us like the Allah of the Mahometans, a talisman or an amulet to be worn on the arm, as an external badge merely and symbol of our profession, and to preserve us from evil by some mysterious and unintelligible potency; but it is to be engraven deeply on the heart, there written by the finger of God himself in everlasting characters. It is our title known and understood to present peace and future glory.
(Servants of Christ) trust not…to lively emotions, or to internal impressions however warm; the example of Christ is their pattern, the word of God is their rule; there they read, that “without holiness no man shall see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14)
It is the description of real Christians, that “they are gradually changed into the image of their Divine Master;” (2 Corinthians 3:18) and they dare not allow themselves to believe their title sure, except so far as they can discern in themselves the growing traces of this blessed resemblance.
…“the mind diseased” (of our friend) is neglected and forgotten — “that is not our affair; we hope (we do not perhaps really believe) that here it is well with him.” The truth is, we have no solicitude about his spiritual interest. Here he is treated like the unfortunate traveller in the Gospel (Luke 10:25-37); we look upon him; we see but too well his sad condition, but (Priest and Levite alike) we pass by on the other side, and leave him to the officious tenderness of some poor despised Samaritan.
The holy Scriptures abound in admonitions to let it be our chief business to cultivate our hearts with all diligence, to examine into their state with impartiality, and watch over them with continual care. It is the Heart which constitutes the Man; and external actions derive their whole character and meaning from the motives and dispositions of which they are the indications.
On the Desire of Human Estimation and Applause
Since our (mind) ought to be set on heavenly things (Colossians 3:2), and conversant about heavenly objects; and since in particular the love and favour of God ought to be the matter of our supreme and habitual desire, to which every other should be subordinated; it follows, that the love of human applause must be manifestly injurious, so far as it tends to draw down our regards to earthly concerns, and to bound and circumscribe our desires within the narrow limits of this world.
True practical Christianity (never let it be forgotten) consists in devoting the heart and life to God; in being supremely and habitually governed by a desire to know, and a disposition to fulfil his will, and in endeavouring under the influence of these motives to “live to his glory.” (Romans 11:36, 1 Corinthians 10:31, Ephesians 1:12)
We ought never to forget how strongly we are enjoined to be candid and liberal (honest and sincere; open-minded and generous) in judging of the motives of others, while we are strict in scrutinizing and severe in questioning our own. And this strict scrutiny is nowhere more necessary, because there is nowhere more room for the operation of self-deceit.
In the voyage of life the Christian who would not make shipwreck of his faith, while he is habitually watchful and provident, must often make it his express business to look into his (spiritual condition) and ascertain his progress.
The chief causes of enmity among men are, pride and self-importance, the high opinion which men entertain of themselves, and the consequent deference which they exact from others: the over-valuation of worldly possessions and of worldly honours, and in consequence, a too eager competition for them.
The grand characteristic mark of the true Christian is his desiring to please God in all his thoughts, and words, and actions; to take the revealed word to be the rule of his belief and practice; to “let his light shine before men;” and in all things to adorn the doctrine which he professes. (Titus 2:10)
https://www.gracegems.org/31/adorning_the_doctrine.htm
To adorn means to ornament, to beautify. Only that which is beautiful and attractive can adorn; hence if we adorn the doctrine of Christ—then we must be attractive and beautiful in character and life.
Only when we are made holy, can we adorn the doctrine of Jesus Christ our Savior. Only when we are made partakers of the divine nature and have in us the beauty of the Son of God, can we shine so as to adorn the doctrine as jewels.
Arm yourselves with a determined resolution not to rate human estimation beyond its true value; not to dread the charge of (peculiarity); let it be your constant endeavour to retain before your mental eye, that bright assemblage of invisible spectators, who are the witnesses of your daily conduct, and “to seek that honour which comes from God.” (John 5:44) You cannot advance a single step, till you are in some good measure possessed of this comparative indifference to the favour of men.
Continue to be ever aware of your own radical corruption and habitual weakness. Indeed, if your eyes be really opened, and your heart truly softened, “hungering and thirsting after righteousness,” (Matthew 5:6) rising in your ideas of true holiness, and proving the genuineness of your hope by desiring “to purify yourself even as God is pure;” (1 John 3:3) you will become daily more and more sensible of your own defeats, and wants, and weaknesses; and more and more impressed by a sense of the mercy and long suffering of that gracious Saviour, “who forgives all your sin, and heals all your infirmities.” (Psalm 103:3)
This is the solution of what to a man of the world might seem a strange paradox, that in proportion as the Christian grows in grace, he grows also in humility. Humility is indeed the vital principle of Christianity.
There are not a few in our relaxed age, who thus satisfy themselves with what may be termed general Christianity; who feel general penitence and humiliation from a sense of their sinfulness in general, and general desires of universal holiness; but who neglect that vigilant and jealous care, with which they should labour to extirpate every particular corruption, by studying its nature, its root, its ramifications, and thus becoming acquainted with its secret movements, with the means whereby it gains strength, and with the most effectual methods of resisting it… we yet see little progress made in the regulation of their tempers, in the improvement of their time, in the reform of their plan of life, or inability to resist the temptation to which they are particularly exposed.