We are not yet whole
On the contrary, a deep conviction that we are not yet whole, that our hearts are not fully purified, that there is still in us a carnal mind, which is still, in its nature, enmity against God, that a whole body of sin remains in our heart, weakened indeed, but not destroyed, shows, beyond any possible doubt, that a further change is absolutely necessary.
We allow that at the very moment of justification we are born again. In that instant we experience that inward change, from darkness into marvelous light, from the image of the brute and the devil into the image of God, from the earthly, sensual, devilish mind to the mind which was in Christ Jesus. But are we then entirely changed? Are we wholly transformed into the image of him who created us? Far from it. We still retain a depth of sin. And it is the consciousness of this which forces us to groan, for a full deliverance, to him who is mighty to save.
So those believers who are not convinced of the deep corruption of their hearts, or who are convinced only slightly, and as it were in notion, have little concern about entire sanctification. They may possibly hold the opinion that such a thing is to be, either at death, or at some time they do not know, before death. But they have no great uneasiness for the lack of it, and no great hunger or thirst after it. They cannot, until they know themselves better, until they repent in the sense described above, until God unveils the face of the inbred monster and shows them the real state of their souls. Only then, when they feel the burden, will they groan for deliverance from it. Then, and not until then, will they cry out, in the agony of their soul,
Break off the yoke of inbred sin, and fully set my spirit free. I cannot rest till I am pure within, till I am wholly lost in you.
1771 text
2. On the contrary, a deep conviction that we are not yet whole, that our hearts are not fully purified, that there is yet in us a carnal mind, which is still in its nature enmity against God; that a whole body of sin remains in our heart, weakened indeed, but not destroyed, shews beyond all possibility of doubt, the absolute necessity of a farther change. We allow, that at the very moment of justification, we are born again: in that instant we experience that inward change, from darkness into marvellous light; from the image of the brute and the devil, into the image of God, from the earthly, sensual, devilish mind, to the mind which was in Christ Jesus. But are we then entirely changed? Are we wholly transformed into the image of him that created us? Far from it: we still retain a depth of sin: and it is the consciousness of this, which constrains us to groan for a full deliverance, to him that is mighty to save. Hence it is, that those believers who are not convinced of the deep corruption of their hearts, or but slightly and as it were notionally convinced, have little concern about entire sanctification. They may possibly hold the opinion, that such a thing is to be, either at death, or some time, they know not when, before it. But they have no great uneasiness for the want of it, and no great hunger or thirst after it. They cannot, until they know themselves better, until they repent in the sense above described, until God unveils the inbred monster’s face, and shews them the real state of their souls. Then only, when they feel the burden, will they groan for deliverance from it. Then and not till then will they cry out, in the agony of their soul,
Break off the yoke of inbred sin And fully set my spirit free! I cannot rest, till pure within, Till I am wholly lost in thee!
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 14 in the 1771 Works. Mark 1:15. Dated at Londonderry, 24 April 1767.
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. It is not a complete critical edition.