Healing the disease
We may learn from this, in the third place, what is the proper nature of religion, of the religion of Jesus Christ. It is God's method of healing a soul which is thus diseased. Hereby the great Physician of souls applies medicines to heal this sickness, to restore human nature, totally corrupted in all its faculties. God heals all our atheism by the knowledge of himself, and of Jesus Christ whom he has sent (John 17:3), by giving us faith, a divine evidence and conviction of God and of the things of God (Hebrews 11:1): in particular, of this important truth, Christ loved me and gave himself for me (Galatians 2:20). By repentance and lowliness of heart, the deadly disease of pride is healed, that of self-will by resignation, a meek and thankful submission to the will of God. And for the love of the world in all its branches, the love of God is the sovereign remedy. Now this is properly religion: faith thus working by love (Galatians 5:6), working the genuine, meek humility, entire deadness to the world, with a loving, thankful acquiescence in and conformity to the whole will and word of God.
1771 text
3. *We may learn from hence, in the third place, what is the proper nature of religion, of the religion of Jesus Christ. It is Θεραπεία ψυχῆς· God’s method of healing a soul which is thus diseased. Hereby the great Physician of souls applies medicines to heal this sickness; to restore human nature, totally corrupted in all its faculties. God heals all our Atheism, by the knowledge of himself, and of Jesus Christ whom he hath sent; by giving us faith, a divine evidence and conviction of God and of the things of God: in particular, of this important truth, Christ loved me, and gave himself for me. By repentance and lowliness of heart, the deadly disease of pride is healed: that of self-will by resignation, a meek and thankful submission to the will of God. And for the love of the world in all its branches, the love of God is the sovereign remedy. Now this is properly religion, faith thus working by love, working the genuine, meek humility, entire deadness of the world, with a loving, thankful acquiescence in and conformity to the whole will and word of God.
About this text
Rendered in modern English, to be read and heard. Open the 1771 text under each part to check the claims and the scripture.
Rendered in modern English. The 1771 panel is his own Pine printing of the Works. It is public domain.
Catalogue & scope
Sermon 44 in the 1771 Works. Genesis 6:5.
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