[2.] Chiefly because of the life they live. The new creature hath a more noble being than all the creatures in the world, and lives a more noble life. Put the whole world in the balance, and it is not worthy to be compared with the new creature. Those that are purified and sanctified, the world is not worthy of them : Heb. xi. 38, ' Of whom the world was not worthy.' Look, as the life of reason excels that of sense, and the life of sense that of vegetation, the life of beasts is better than the life of plants, and the life of man better than the life of beasts, so doth grace excel reason, and the life of saints is a more noble being than that of men. I confess if you go upward, we cannot say the life of glory as much excels the life of grace as the life of grace excels the life of reason ; there is a greater difterence between the life of reason and the life of grace than between the life of grace and the life of glory, or between a carnal man and a child of God than between the most
268 SERMONS upox TITUS II, 11-14. [Ser. XXL
glorified saint in heaven and the weakest believer on earth. The difference between glory and grace is gradual, but the difference between the carnal life and the spiritual life is essential. Glorified saints, and saints here living the life of grace differ onlj' in degrees, but the life of grace and the life of nature differ in kind. There is more difference between a toad or beast and a man than between a child and a man. Grace and glory differ but as a child and a man, only in degree ; but grace and sense, and grace and reason, differ as the life of a toad and the life of a beast fi'oni the life of a man. Use 1. Information.
1. That we should not value men by their secular interests, but by their relation to God. The Lord doth not call the potentates of the earth his treasure, as he doth his holy ones : Prov. xii. 26, ' The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour.' Men may be mighty in the world, yet base and vile in God's esteem, Dan. iv. 17- He gives kingdoms to the ba.sest of men. It is notable, in the prophetical visions of the great monarchs of the world, they are compared to wild beasts. Alexander the mighty yet is called the goat of Gracia. Paul calls Nero a lion. They that brave it in the world as if they were gods upon earth, yet in the Lord's account they are but beasts. But now the saints are the precious ' excellent ones of the earth,' Ps. xvi. 3 ; therefore we should not value men by their outward greatness : James ii. 1, ' Have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.' If you have relation to Christ, he puts a glory and excel- lency upon you ; you are his treasure. Saith Tertulliau, Non ex j)er~ sonis fidtm, sed ex fide 'pernonas — We must not measure the faith by the person, but the person by liis faith. They are fools tliat despise and vilify those upon whom God sets the greatest price, and admire those that are of lowest esteem with God.
2. It infbrmeth us that the judgment of God and the judgment of the world are very contraiy. The world counts the saints the filth, the scurf, and off-scouring of all things, and God calls them jewels and treasure. Alas ! with God carnal men are nothing, worse than nothing. It had been better for them, saith the Spirit of God, that they had never been born ; and they are viler than the earth. The blind world knows not how to value the stamp and seal of the Spirit. When God hath im- pressed his own image, the world knows not how to value them ; but God values them ; these are coins and medals God will keep in his own treasure. Certainly they are worthless souls that desjiise them, that count purity a disgrace. It hath alwa^'s been the world's fashion to crucify God in effigy, in his picture : to despise, oppress, and scoff at them that bear his image and resemble him, and malign and scorn the lustre of holiness.
3. It informs us how much it concerns us to be holy and purified, for those he counts to be his treasure. God's church is his heritage, but every one that lives in the church God doth not count them to be his jewels. Many claim acquaintance of him by virtue of offices and ministration in the church, yet they are disclaimed and disowned by God : Mat. vii. 22, 23, ' Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name ? and in thy name have cast out devils ? and in thy name done many wonderful works ? And then will
VeK. 14.] SERMONS UPON TITUS II. 11-14. 269
I profess unto them, I never knew you ; depart from me, ye that work iniquity.' The Holy Ghost brings in some tliat had great gifts and employments in the church ; and as when a man entertaineth another Avith strangeness, we use to put him in mind by some tokens, so carnal professors put Christ in mind as it were by some kind of tokens. Do you not remember that we prophesied in your name, &c., and we were employed in special offices in the church ? No ; verily, I know you not : he disclaims and disowns them.