For the Christian Spectator.
On the "new commandment,”—
John xiii. 34.

That dread interva! succeeding the last supper, while Judas was gone to procure his band of soldiers, Jesus spent, not in silent dismay nor useless wailing, but in imparting the most affectionate and sustaining instructions to his disciples. The touching occasion imparts a double interest to all he then said, and makes us peculiarly anxious to decipher every word. And perhaps it may be something more than the gratification of a sanctified curiosity, to learn why he denominated the direction he then gave his little company of followers to love one another, a new commandment. A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another: as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

To arrive at the true reason, I apprehend it is needful to advert to the distinction frequently made by theologians, between the love of complacency and that of benevolence ;-a distinction, let me remark, which is equally requisite for understanding a hundred other passages in the word of God; as for instance, all such texts as speak of either God's love or God's hatred of sinners. The distinction is as obvious as it is important.

The benevolent love is that kind affection which we are bound to exercise towards all men, both the good and the bad. It is that which we are to feel in loving our enemies, and blessing them that curse

us.

It is the same which God felt when he "so loved the world" as to give his son: The same which Christ felt when he prayed for his impious murderers; the same the martyr Stephen exercised on the like occasion.

This love may therefore be felt towards sinful beings as well as towards the holy ;-and when felt for sinners, it is perfectly consistent with the deepest abhorrence of their characters. Thus God, in one class of passages, consistently speaks in the

strongest terms of his love to sinners; and in another class of passages, in equally strong language of his hatred of them. Benevolence has neither limit in scope nor distinction in moral object. As a duty it is originally and eternally imperative on all and towards all. And as a trait of moral character, it forms the grand distinction between God and Satan-between saints and sin

ners.

Not so, the love of complacency. This is a delightful feeling of moral approbation; and can be exercised only toward those in whom we discern something to approve. It is that which the saint feels toward the holy character of God; and which, on the other hand, God feels toward the saint in proportion as he beholds his own image reflected from the sanctified heart. It is what good men often feel toward each other, and which knits their hearts in the bonds of peculiar endearment. It is a sacred religious attachment which binds and consolidates the whole church in heaven and earth together. In proportion to the existence of benevolent feeling, there is a preparation of heart to exercise complacency toward all who exhibit the like sacred feeling. Holy kindness is at once requisite both in the person who is to exercise sacred complacency and in him toward whom it is to flow. This complacency, felt by Christians in each other, is what the New Testament so often denominates brotherly love. It causes them affectionately to embrace each other as brethren, in spite of their previous national or sectarian antipathies.

Let us now inquire which kind of love Christ enjoined on his disciples by his "new commandment." The connexion of the passage will assist us in the inquiry.

Christ was here addressing his disciples only. They were assembled on that affecting occasion by themselves, and apart from the world. It was at the institution of the sacrament. At the time this command

ment was uttered, even Judas, the heartless professor, had retired, and none appear to have been present but his true disciples. To them, while expressly addressing them as disciples, he gives the new injunction to love one another-not an injunction to love the world at large. And as a further proof that he was addressing them as disciples and confining his requisition to the peculiar affection they should have for each other above what they should feel for other men, we may remark, that in the next verse he adds; By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. Here a peculiar affection is manifestly denoted, superior to that which they should feel for men in general-an endearing union which the world should remark as obviously subsisting among them and by which they should be known as his disciples. Manifestly, the same kind of love is intended as in the kindred passage by John." Hereby we know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren."

Aside from this new command, we are under obligations to love Christians with benevolence in common with all our fellow men. But here is an additional requisition, that we also feel complacency in them-a peculiar delight in their characters as christians, possessed of holiness and bearing the image of God-a holy sympathy which we ought not to feel, and cannot, towards such as are destitute of moral excellence.

If right thus far, we are now prepared to approach the original inquiry-why Christ calls this a new commandment.

Those who have not borne in mind the distinction between the two kinds of love on which I have dwelt, perhaps to a needless extent, appear to have found no little difficulty in the solution of this point. Such is the fact with all the commentators I have consulted. It has occurred to them, and must be obvi

ous to every one, that the general injunction to love each other as men and brethren of the human family, is as old as the moral law. How then could Christ, in his time, denominate it a new command? and how could John, still later, in one of his epistles, (1. John, 2d chap.) treat of it in the same way, when introducing it in connexion with the duty of obeying God by keeping his precepts; and call one an old, and the other a new command? For ought I see, an insuperable difficulty is presented, on the common supposition that Christ is only giving a new repetition to the ancient command to love our neighbor as ourselves. To say, with expositors, that the command is called new, because repeated under different circumstances, with new explanations, and new motives,' is saying little to the purpose. For if these new circumstances, explanations, and motives, are enough to justify the appellation of new; I would ask, what single command has been repeated in the New Testament, unaccompanied by new circumstances, motives, and explanations? These accompaniments, therefore, do not seem to account for the distinctive appellation.

Let us now inquire for the matter of fact relative to the explanation we have already seen to be supported by the connexion of the passage. Is it, then, or is it not a fact, that the love of Christian complacency, like that of benevolence, was commanded in the Old Testament? and shall we be met with the same difficulty here as on the common supposition? I apprehend not. Scores of passages are, indeed, found in Moses and the Prophets, enjoining the general love of our fellow men; and therefore the commandment to exercise benevolence may be justly termed an old one. But not a single passage have I there met with, to my recollection, expressly inculcating the pe

culiar love towards saints which the New Testament so abundantly enjoins.

Good men have doubtless felt a peculiar attachment for each other in every age. It is natural for every child of God to feel, like David, that the saints are the excellent of the earth, in whom is all his delight. But still if God had given no express injunction to this effect till it was pronounced from the lips of Christ, well might he term it, in the strictest sense, a "new commandment."

But if this duty is deserving the prominence it holds in the NewTestament, perhaps some may be ready to inquire, why it was not expressly enjoined in the Old Testament. Was not the duty then as important as now? To this I readily answer, that if it was as important in itself, yet there was not the same necessity of enforcing it by precept. Then the church were all of one nation and dwelt together in the same land. Under the new dispensation, the community of the saints was to be constituted of an election out of every nation under heaven, of all languages, and inhabiting every clime -of diverse complexion and manners, and of every rank and every grade of improvement. In this new order of things, a host of impediments are seen to arise at once against the exercise of that fraternal affection which would naturally spring up, and might easily be kept alive, among the faithful in a single and circumscribed nation like that of ancient Israel. Among the most potent obstacles to be encountered, are national and sectarian antipathies-those fell destroyers of harmony among the followers of Jesus, which have so often, even in the very face of his reiterated command, envenomed the tongue and pointed the sword of brother against brother. It was Christ's object, to have all his followers united together as one harmonious and "holy nation," or rather compacted into one inseparable body of which himself is the head and all they the members. Who then can refrain from tears, when he reads the bloody history of ChristendomVol. VI.-No. 5.

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the murderous wars in which Christian brethren have been made to butcher each other-the members of the same body of Christ thrusting at each other the weapons of suicidal death. And who can fail to lament, and deprecate the countless other causes of hostility existing in the widespread and diversified condition, moral and physical, in which the New-Testament church is placed. And who does not see the peculiar propriety of Christ's giving his new commandment at the time he did, and his enforcing it by frequent reiteration.

Seeing then that he has given us this command, under the touching circumstances that clustered at the institution of the Supper of his death, and enforced by all the tenderness and the authority of his divinity;' who can ever forget it in his intercourse with his fellow members of the same mystical body.

The New Heart. A SERMON.

V.

Ezekiel, xviii. 31.-Cast away from

you all your transgressions whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die O house of Israel?.

So ample are the provisions of the gospel, and so perfectly adapted are these provisions to the case of lost men, that not one of them is under the necessity of perishing. The wicked, however numerous and aggravated his transgressions may have been, if he will only confess and forsake them, shall live. This is the tenor of that gospel, which the Lord Jesus came into the world to proclaim. Of this interesting truth all who acknowledge the inspiration of the scriptures have a speculative belief; a belief, which decides in their minds one point, viz.-that they are prisoners of hope, and may be partakers of the heavenly felicity. But

multitudes proceed no further in religion. They are satisfied on this momentous subject, for the present, in the assurances given in the scriptures, that provision has been made for their salvation, that the door of mercy has been opened, and that with God there is forgiveness. They hope eventually to unite in the song of the redeemed, because God is merciful. But they are spending their day of probation in the total neglect of all the provision made for them, as having by transgression fallen under the curse of the law, and are busily and exclusively employed, in laying up treasures on the earth. Often have they been affectionately invited to come unto Christ and enjoy his blessing; but they have never been ready to comply with the invitation, nor even to regard it with much interest. While they cherish a hope of finally escaping deserved wrath, they are conscious of having, at present, no gracious affections, nor any title to promised blessings. Some of this character are influenced to maintain unimpeachable characters in the sight of men, and others are grossly wicked and immoral. When told by some kind and faithful friend, who has watched for a favorable moment to make an appeal to their consciences, that they must perish without an interest in Christ, they readily acknowledge it, but with great apparent insensibility. When further told that they are wholly alienated from God in their affections, and must possess new hearts before they can be personally interested in religion, they at once admit the fact, but evidently consider it as furnishing them with an excuse for remaining as they are. Inclined to misunderstand and pervert the doctrine of depravity, they are frequently heard to affirm, and with a view to alleviate their guilt, that they can do nothing of themselves.

Thus did the Jews, in the days of the prophets. They used this proverb: The fathers have eaten sour

grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge." This language was reproachful to God, and occasioned the reproof recorded in the chapter containing the text. The Most High undertook to vindicate his own ways, by showing the equity of his administration and the iniquity of the Jews, and of course the iniquity and inexcusableness of all sinners who reason and feel as they did.

After stating truths which they had been in the habit of grossly perverting, he made the following solemn appeal to their consciences ;— "O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal? Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord God. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin." In this connexion we find the interesting passage now to be illustrated. Cast away from you all your transgressions whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit; fər why will ye die, O house of Israel?

The writer is aware of having undertaken to elucidate a passage of scripture which is considered to be of difficult interpretation, and not easily reconciled with other scriptures which teach the necessity of regeneration by the special influences of the Holy Spirit. It is conceived, however, that we need nothing but singleness of eye, or purity of heart, to discern their consistency.

Most obviously there is a sense in which it is proper to call upon sinners to make themselves a new heart and a new spirit; and if this truth can be fairly presented to their minds, it will show them what accumulated guilt they are incurring, by delaying repentance, and cherishing their vain excuses. To do this will be attempted in the present discourse.

That the new heart and the new spirit, in this passage, mean the same thing is a point which needs no proof. The heart and spirit of the real Christian is intended. When a person

has a new heart he is converted from sin to holiness. He has left the broad way, which leadeth to destruction, and has chosen the strait and narrow way, which leadeth unto life eternal. He receives and welcomes the testimony of God, respecting the necessity of religion, and of a new course of life. His own choice has brought him into the kingdom of Christ, and illumined his .prospects for the future world. An interesting moment has passed, when he made this choice. It was the moment of his new birth, or having a new heart. It was not a choice progressively made, and which might suppose him to be half resolved, or to be neither for nor against Christ; neither regenerated nor unregenerated. With respect to our moral feelings, or the state of our souls, no such case, according to the testimony of the Saviour can exist; for he stated what is universally true, when he said, He that is not with me, is against me. The happy choice was made at once, placing the subject of it in a new kingdom, and influencing him to form a new character in the sight of a holy God.

Having ascertained what is meant by the new heart, I proceed to show on what ground it is proper to call upon sinners to make themselves a new heart.

I. We have the authority of scrip

ture.

Addressing the house of Israel, by the mouth of the prophet, God says in the text-Cast away from you all your transgressions whereby ye have transgressed, and make you a new heart, and a new spirit. The same duty, though not expressed in the same words, is abundantly inculcated in the inspired volume. Uniformly do the Holy Scriptures address fallen men, as being moral agents, and accountable for all that conduct in which they are voluntary. And are they not voluntary in deciding whether they will honour Christ, or cast reproach on him? In coming to a decision with respect to this

important point, they enjoy as much freedom as in any act of their lives. Has not God set life and death before them, and called upon them to make their choice, in a matter of the highest concern? Are they not required to love holiness and to be immediately reconciled to Him whose right it is to rule? Are they not invited to believe on the Son of God and have eternal life? All this they must admit. If they would be candid, they must admit, that the divine requirements are all reasonable; all perfectly calculated to promote their happiness in this and in the future world; and all such as come within the reach of their natu

ral powers and faculties. It requires no greater abilities to love Christ, and to enter decidedly into the great interests of his kingdom, than it does to reject him, and to make opposition to this interest. Sinners have not even the shadow of any ground to speak of the divine requirements as unreasonable or hard. We certainly have the authority of scripture to show that sinners are requir ed to take a new course, and to hecome the decided and humble followers of Christ. But, if they do this, they will have a new heart. They will do the very thing, which is enjoined upon them in the text. There are many passages of scripture of the same import with the one under consideration. I will call the attention of the reader to the following:-"Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."-"Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die?"

II. God evidently makes no allowance, in his word, for the depravity of men.

He inculcates duty upon them, and enforces it, by having recourse to the most powerful motives and the most solemn appeals to their consciences, exactly as if they were not