9. Because of that conformity that should be between us and Christ, who is our glorious head ; and all the heirs of glory are destinated to be conformed to the first-born, Rom. viii. 24, chiefly in grace, purity, and holiness : indeed this cannot so full and exactly be till we see him as he is, but the present sight that we have of him by grace should make some change in us, 2 Cor. iii. 18. In heaven we shall be holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, as he, Heb. vii. 26; above the reach of temptations, as he, John x. 30 ; our vile bodies shall be changed, Phil. iii. 21, and both soul and body conformed to that glorious estate, as he, Rom. vi. 9 ; but it must be begun here ; the very hopes of it should put us upon purifying ourselves : 1 John iii. 3, ' He that hath this hope in him purifieth himself as Christ is pure : ' you are to do so, that there may be some proportion between head and members.
10. Because a little grace is not so honourable to God : John xv. 8, ' Herein is my Father glorified, in that ye bring forth much fruit ; ' and Phil. i. 11, ' Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God ; ' 2 Peter i. 8, ' If these things be in you and abound, you shall not be barren or unfruitful in the knowledge of Christ.' It is not a naked and empty profession, it is not sleepy habits, or a little grace, but when grace hath a deep power and sovereignty over our hearts and lives, that bringeth God into request, and commendeth him to the consciences of men. The knowledge of Christ is reproached as a low institution by carnal men; but to the truly wise, no such excellent and noble spirits as they that are bred up under him.
Use 1. Of reproof to those that think we make more ado than needeth. When we press men to a constant watchfulness, and serious diligence in the spiritual life, no wonder that every slight thing seemeth enough ; so the foolish virgins, ' Give us of your oil ; ' the wise
390 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SeR. VII.
virgins are more cautious ; their saying is, ' Not so, lest there be not enough for us and yon.' What thoughts have you of Christ, when you think every slight preparation enough for him ? what sense of the world to come, when you do so little in order to it ? what is it that you call grace, that you do so easily come by it, and maintain it upon such cheap terms ? Surely men have no sense of the end, or else mis- take the way, that think so little will serve the turn. Indeed a little in the world will serve the turn, if men had sober and moderate desires, and did not increase their necessities by the largeness of their affec- tions. A man may have estate enough for ten men, yea, twenty men, and yet not be satisfied, but the best hath scarce grace enough for one ; but alas! how soon are men satisfied (such is their indifferency) about spiritual things ! instead of hungering and thirsting after righteouness, a little or none contents them ; here only they are for sobriety and moderation ; all is too much, and too easily passed over that seemeth to awaken them to a lively sense of that religion they do profess. Christ saith, ' Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the scribes and pharisees, you cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven,' Mat. v. 20. What do ye more than they ? and Luke xi. 24, ' Strive to enter in at the strait gate/ They cannot endure that Christ's authority should be urged on the conscience ; can you hope to be saved on easier terms without all this ado ? A little time will determine whose word shall stand, God's or yours ; you cannot do too much as long as you do but what God bids you. Certainly if you judge by that rule which God hath given to try by, no man on earth is as good as he should be, and he that is best is too bad, and he that doth most, cometh unspeakably short of what he should do. All the holy ones of God complain of their naughty hearts, that they cannot do the things that they would ; they groan under the body of death, and cry out, '0 wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from this body of death?' And will they then obtrude this sorry perfunctory obedience upon God as a full satisfaction of his gospel law ?
2. It is to reprove those that think they have grace enough to bring them to heaven. Now they may go rest, and trouble themselves no further. Alas ! they know not what belongeth to the spiritual life ; for if they had true grace, they would see a need to keep it lively and grow- ing ; they would find they could not keep what they had unless they did increase it ; the daily lapses make breaches upon it, and conscience would tell them how easily they lose many degrees, and a sense of it, and that every day they need serious humiliation ; and it is a naughty heart that can satisfy itself with the minimum quod sit, a bare com- petency, without seeking after greater measures. When men do things against their will, they do not more than needs; but love hath an am- plitude and largeness in it, it thinks it can never do enough.