Use 1. If the grace of God hath appeared to all men, then let us put in for a share. Why should we stand out ? Are we excepted and left out of the proclamation of pardon and free grace ? If persons be excepted by name when a pardon is offered to rebels, they stand oflf, and will not come within the verge of such power ; but if it be ottered lo all, why should we stand out ? We must not add nor detract. If God hath said, Christ died for sinners, believe him upon his word, and say, I am chief ; do not say, I am a reprobate ; God hath no favour for me. Will you leave that word and hazard your salvation for a groundless jealousy and scruple ? Therefore confute your fears, and put all out of question by a thorough believing.
Use 2. For comfort to weak believers. Though your faith cannot keep time and pace with Abraham's, nor your obedience with the worthies of God, yet you are ' followers of them who, through fiuth and patience, inherit the promises,' Heb. vi. 12. A little faith is faith.
68 SERMONS UPON TITUS II. 11-14. [SeR. III.
as a drop Is water, and a spark is fire ; it is free to all that have or will accept. Say, then, as he, Mark ix. 24, ' Lord, I believe ; help thou mine unbelief.' The least drachm of gospel faith gives a title and interest. Indeed, you must strive to make it more evident ; you cannot have comfort till then, and consider, endeavours of growth do better than idle complaints, therefore follow on still with hope.
SERMON III.
TeacMng us that, denying ungodliness, &c. — Titus ii. 12.
The next thing to be considered is the lesson that grace teacheth us, ' Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.'
But before I enter upon the discussion of the particular branches, I shall observe some things in the general.
Ohs. 1. Grace teacheth us holiness. It teacheth by way of direc- tion, by way of argument, and by way of encouragement.
1. It teacheth by way of direction what duties we ought to perform, and so it maketh use of the moral law as a rule of life. The law is still our direction, otherwise what we do cannot be an act of obedience. Certainly the direction of the law is still in force ; for where there is no law there is no transgression, and duty without a rule is but will-wor- ship. If the law were blotted out, the image of God would be blotted out ; for the external law is nothing but the copy of God's image, that holiness and righteousness which is impressed on the heart. Now grace doth not blot out the image of God, but perfects it. In the new cove- nant God promiseth to make the law more legible : Heb. viii. 10, ' This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord ; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts,' Well, then, we are not freed from the authority and directive power of the law. Grace adopts, it doth not abolish, the law. The commands of the law sway the conscience, and love inclineth the heart, and so it becometh an act of pure obedience. Obedience respects the command, as love doth the kindness and merit of the lawgiver.
2. It teacheth by way of argument ; it argueth and reasoneth from the love of God : Gal. ii. 20, ' The life that I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.' There is grace's argument ; Christ loved me. We should not, then, be so unkind as to deny God his honour or worship, or cherish his enemies : 2 Cor. v. 14, ' For the love of Christ constraineth us.' What will you do for God, that loved you in Christ ? The gospel contains melting commands and commanding entreaties. The law and the prophets do not beseech, but only command and threaten ; but the grace of God useth a different method in the new testament.
3. It teacheth by way of encouragement, as manifesting both help
VeR. 12.] SERMONS UPON TITUS II. 11-14. 69
and reward. The gospel doth not only teach us what we ought to per- form, but whence we may draw strength, and how kindly God will accept us in Christ. The law is a schoolmaster, and the gospel is a schoolmaster, but in the discipline and manner of teaching there is a great deal of difference. The law can only teach and command, but the gospel is a gentle schoolmaster ; it pointeth to Christ for help : Phil. iv. 13, ' I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me ; ' and to God for reward and acceptance : Heb. xi. 16, 'He that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a re warder of them that diligently seek him.' I do but mention these things, because 1 shall handle the encouragements hereafter. Use 1. Of information. It showeth us —