64 SERMONS UPON TITUS 11. 11-14. [SeR. II.
SEEMON II.
Hath appeared unto all men. — Titus ii. 11,
Use 1. Let us prize these days of grace. We are not apprehensive enough of the mercy that gi-ace is so clearly revealed. The gospel is the light of the renewed world ; we can no more be without the gospel than the world can be without the sun. Ps. xix. David first speaks of the sun, then of the law, which signifies there the general doctrine of the scriptures. People would be in a miserable case, and all things would languish and suffer decay, if the sun were gone ; and such black- ness there would be upon the new creation if we had not the light of the gospel. Oh ! how miserable were they that wanted the light of the sun for a few days, as in Egypt ! And how barbarous and miserable should we be, were it not that immortality and life is brought to light by the gospel ! Tertullian saith, Gemmce a sola raritate gratiam pos- sident — Jewels are commended for their scarceness and rareness. Oh ! we should the more seriously regard the gospel, because God hath been so tender of revealing it. For four thousand years in a great measure the gospel lay hid. God kept it for a long time as a precious secret hid in his own bosom, and did not think the world worthy of it, till the Son of God came out from him to take our nature, then was the gospel discovered. Only as a king reveals his secrets to some of his intimates and privy counsellors, and hides from the rest of his subjects, so God revealed it to some prophets and some holy men, and yet they had but a glimpse, and saw Clirist at a distance. As when we see a man afar off, we cannot tell his shape, nor colour of his clothes, nor other circumstances, but only we see the substance and bulk of a man, so they saw Christ, but it was at a distance, they could not tell the particular circumstances of his birth, incarnation, death, and resur- rection so clearly as now we can ; therefore the prophets are forced to study their own prophecies: 1 Peter i. 10, 'Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you.' They saw there was a glorious sal- vation at hand, bat fully what to make of it they could not tell ; there- fore they studied their own writings and prophecies, that were brought to them by the Spirit of God. The very prophets of God would have thought themselves happy to see the things that we see: Mat. xiii. 16, 17, ' But blessed are your eyes, for they see ; and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and right- eous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them ; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.' We have a far more happy estate, since the manifestation of Christ in the flesh and pouring out of the Spirit, than Abraham and David and the prophets and righteous men had, for God hath dealt more mercifully and kindly with us ; they had but a glimpse, and how earnestly did they desire to see more ! and therefore were inquiring after it more and more. The usefulness, necessity and rarity of the gospel should make it more dear to us, that we should prize these days of grace more than we do.
VeR. 11.] SERMONS UPON TITUS II. 11-14. 55
Use 2. Let it put us upon trial. "What are we the better for these days of grace? Have we more knowledge and clearness of faith? Alas ! we are far inferior to those that obtained but the shadows ; their eagle-eve discerned more of Christ in a ceremony than we can in the substance. It is said, Zech. xii. 8, ' He that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David, and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the Lord before them.' But we come short, not only of David, but of the meanest believer in the Old Testament, and have little knowledge of the covenant and blessings of it. We lose the benefit of the days of light wherein we live ; as good we had never heard of the gospel, nay, in some sense it had been better for us we had never enjoyed these days of plenty, if we do not profit by them. To stumble in the night is more venial and pardonable ; but it is danger- ous to stumble there where we have the benefit of the light to see our way. The grace of God hath appeared, breaking out like a clear light, yet we come short of grace offered to us. Trees in a fertile soil should be more fruitful, and cattle in better pasture should thrive more ; so we that are led forth by the pleasant streams, and refreshed with the tender grass of the earth, should thrive more. Wherefore hath God set up a candle, a light in the church, but that we should work by it? Therefore have you improved these days of grace ? What of power have you got to subdue corruption ? Alas ! to some the gospel is but a dead letter still , it gives them no strength to master their corrup- tions ; at best it is a directive light, not persuasive ; it is only as light, not as fire to consume and burn up their lusts; therefore, what of strength can you speak of for subduing of corruption ? what of will- ingness of heart to do duties ? ' The love of Christ constraineth us,' 2 Cor. V. 14. You who are not acquainted with God's love and grace have less constraint. It should not be so ; yet there is more recorded of the piety, zeal, and devotion of the saints of the Old Testament than we can imitate. And have we a greater measure of comfort to carry US out against discouragement ? Have we a more full joy, to bear us up against all the afflictions of this present life, now there is more grace discovered? John xv. 11, 'These things have I spoken to you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.' Is there a greater measure of charity in doing good to them that need it, as more of the bounty of God is discovered to us in these days of grace ? Under the law all things were set down in so many positive precepts, the exact proportion what they should give and lay out ; the tenth part was the Lord's ; but under the gospel it may be there was no such precept (though that be a great question whether the tenth be not the Lord's still), but God knows love will not be backward, for it is trusted much in the days of the gospel. In short, are we more ac- quainted with God's covenant ? can we subdue corruptions more, bear afflictions better ? and have we a greater ability and willingness to good works ?