[4.] It is so suitable to the new nature as fruits to such a tree. What is works meet for repentance ? Acts xxvi. 20, ' That they should repent, and turn to God, and do works meei for repentance;' and ' bring forth fruits meet for repentance/ Mat. iii. 8. They are the kindly products of faith in Christ and repentance towards God. It is as unsuitable to those that are gracious to be unjust, as that the egg of a crow should drop from a hen, or venomous berries should grow upon a choice vine. That grace that is put into our hearts, which maketh us submissive and dutiful to God, doth also make us kind and harmless to men. These things are required of us as the fruits of true faith and repentance : Isa. i. 16, 17, ' Wash you, make you clean ; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes ; cease to do evil, learn to do Avell ; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.' This is particularly insisted upon as the proper fruit of their change. So Dan. iv. 27, ' Break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by showing mercy to the poor.' Eepentance is a breaking oft' the former course of sin. The king, an open oppressor, Daniel preacheth righteousness and mercy to him. They that continue their former unjust courses never yet truly re- pented : Zech. viii. 16, 17, ' These are the things that ye shall do, Speak ye every man truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates, and let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour, and love no false oath ; for all these are things that I hate, saith the Lord.' He would have their rejient- ance thus expressed.
[5.] Because it is so lovely and venerable in the eyes of the world. A Christian, if ho had no other engagement upon him, yet, for the honour of God and the credit of religion, he should do those things that are lovely and comely in themselves, and so esteemed by the world, for he is to glorify God, 1 Peter ii. 12, and adorn religion, Titus ii. 10, to represent his profession with advantage to the consciences of men. God is dishonoured by nothing so much as injustice, which is so odious and hateful to men ; and wicked men are hardened, the hopeful dis- couraged, atheism prevaileth : Neh. v. 9, ' Also I said. It is not good that ye do ; ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God, because of tlie reproach of the heathen our enemies ? ' On the contrary, when we give every one their due, Ave bring honour to God and credit to reli-
VOL. YIII. o
242 SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. [Seu, CXXXII.
G;ion ; you can the belter hold up the profession of it against contra- diction, hold up head before Grod and man. Now justice is so lovely, })artly as it is a stricture of the image of God, as before, in which respect it is said, Prov. xii. 26, ' The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour.' Men are convinced that he is a more perfect man, fitter to be trusted, as being one that will deal faithfull}^ And partly because the welfare of human society is })romoted by such things : Titus iii. 8, ' These things are good and profitable for men.'
[6.] And indeed that is my last reason ; it conduceth so much to the good of human society. A Christian is a member of a double com- munity— of the church and of the world ; the one in order to eternal life, the other in order to the present life ; as a man, and as a Cln-is- 1 ian. Without justice what would the world be but a den of thieves ? Ilcmove justitiam, &c., saith St Augustine. The world cannot subsist without justice : ' The king's throne is established by righteousness,' Prov. xvi. 10. The nation gets honour and leputation by it abroad : Prov. xiii. 34, ' Pighteousness exalteth a nation ; but sin is a reproach to any people.' Never did the people of the Jews, nor any other nation whose history is come to our ears, flourish so much as when they were careful and exact in maintaining righteousness. And as to persons, all commerce between man and man is kept up by justice. And if this be a truth, that God, and not the devil, doth govern the world, and distribute rewards and the blessings of this life, surely then justice, which is a compliance with God's will, is the way to be exalted, and to live well in the world, and not lying, cozening, and dissembling.
2. It is very comfortable to us to be just. The comfort of righteous- ness is often spoken of in scripture : Prov. xxix. 6, ' In the trans- gression of an evil man there is a snare ; but the righteous doth sing and rejoice ;' whatever befalleth him, good or evil, much or little, in life or death. Good or evil ; if good, he hath comfort in his por- tion, because what he hath he hath by the fair leave and allowance of God's providence: Prov. xiii. 25, ' The righteous eateth to the satisfy- ing of his soul ;' he hath enough, because he hath what God seeth fit for him ; he hath enough to supply his wants, enough to satisfy his desires ; sometimes it is much, sometimes it is little. It is much some- times, for they are under the blessing of the promise : Deut. xvi. 20, * That which is altogether just shalt tliou follow, that thou mayest live, and inherit the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.' Justice shalt thou follow ; if you will take care for that, God will take care to bless you. If it be little, that little is better than more gotten by fraud and injustice : Prov. xvi. 8, ' Better is a little with righteousness, than great revenues without riglit;' Prov. xv. 16, 17, ' Better is a little with the fear of the Lord, than great treasure, and trouble therewith;' though it be but a dinner of "herbs: Ps. xxxvii. 16, '*A little that a righteous man hath is better than the treasures of many wicked.' The comfort, if they will stand to the scriptures, lieth not in abun- dance, but in God's blessing. There is more satisfaction in their small provisions than in the greatest plenty. Suppose their condition be evil, whatsoever evil a just man sufters, he shall get souae good by it, living or dying, and so still hath ground of comfort : if scorned or neglected, he hath the comfort of his innocent dealing to bear him out.