\eR. 14.] SEB3I0NS UPON TITUS 11. 11-14. • 231
creature for old works. Good works are cliristiance fidei quasi testes, witnesses that you can bring to evidence the truth and power of o^race. liUther saith. Good works are faith incarnate; that i^, faith is manifested by them^ as the Son of God was manifested in the fiesh. They are witnesses to the worl'd, to yourselves, and unto God that you are his. They are signs and witnesses to the world. This is the badge by which God would have his peculiar children known ; not by pomp and worldly splendour, not by any outward excellency, riches, greatness, and estate, but by zeal to good works. There are no barren trees in Christ's garden ; it is not for the honour of God, for our heavenly Father would be glorified in his servants' bringing forth much fruit : John xv. 8, ' Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit ; so shall ye be my disciples.' God standeth much upon his honour. Now it is for the honour of God that all which are planted and grafted into Chri.st should be full of good works. And they are testimonies to ourselves : 2 Peter i. 10, ' Give diligence to make your calling and election sure.' Some copies add Zlo, twv epycov, make your calling and election sure by good works ; certainly it may be collected from the context. He bids them, ver. 5, 'add to their faith, virtue ; to virtue, knowledge,' &c., and so they might come to make their calling and election sure. Graces are not discerned by their habits, but by their acts and exercise. Look, as in a tree, the sap and life is hid, but the fruit and apples do appear, so zeal of good works is that which appears, and so it manifests and clears up your condition. This is the great note of ditference between us and the profane ; they are zealous for the devil's kingdom, factors for hell : John viii. 44, ' Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do.' They are known by their works ; they are earnest for Satan, zealous for the devil, follow sin with earnestness, 'and do evil with both hands earnestly,' Micah vii. 3.- It is the differ- ence between us and civil men, but unregenerate ; they are like cypress trees, fair and tall, but fruitless, of a comely life, but none of these good works are to be found in them. It is the difference between us and hypocrites ; a hypocrite, like a carbuncle, seems to be all on a fire, but when you touch it, it is quite cold ; so they pretend to religion, talk much, but have no true regular zeal, no spiritual warmth. It is notable our Lord himself proves his divine original by his works : John X. 38, ' Though ye believe not me, believe the works, that ye may know and believe that the Father is in me, and I in him.' So is this the sensible evidence you are in Christ and Christ in you. Graces are not always evident in feeling, but in fruit ; the effects cannot be hid. Then they are signs and evidences to God himself ; the Lord will look upon them as marks and evidences of his people. Look, as the destroying angel was to be guided by a sign, Exod. xii. 12, 13, by the sprinkling of the door-posts, not that he needed it, but because God would have it to be so, so the Lord suits his dispensations, and guides them by a sign. It is true God in his gifts is arbitrary, but in his judgments he proceeds by rule, according to our works. At the last day God will judge you not by your profession, but by your practice, what you have done ; he will not say, Tou have prophesied in my name, you have eaten And drunk in my presence ; but, You have fed me, clothed me, visited me. That the faith of the elect might be found to praise
282 SERMONS UPON TITUS II. 11-14. [SeR. XXIL*
and liononr, lie will liave works ])roduced. Not tliat God wants evi- dences of our sincerity, but he will have all the world know we have not been unfruitful. A man that expecteth to be posed is preparing to answer, and would give something to know the questions aforehand. Christ hath told us what are the questions upon which we shall be examined and taxed at the day of judgment ; he will say, Have you fed and clothed my people ? have you ministered to their necessities ? have you relieved them with spiritual counsel and admonition ? have you been good, holy, and just ? Therefore let us provide to give an answer, that we might not be ashamed at the last day. Thus this zeal for good works hath the place and room of a witness ; to God, as the rule and measure of his process ; to ourselves, as the ground of our assurance ; and to the world, as the great vindication of the honour of our profession.
2. It is a fruit of Christ's death ; partly by way of obligation, for certainly God hath not been at all this cost and labour for nothing ; he did not project the sending of Christ, and Jesus Christ did not so give up himself in the work of redemption for nothing, but to inflame us to a great height of piety. They that live at a low rate of holiness cross and disgrace the whole design of the gospel ; they are not a])prehensive of the love of God in giving Christ, nor the love of Christ in giving himself. Our redemption was carried on in such a way, not only that the comfort, but also the duty of the creature might be raised to the highest. Partly, again, as Christ hath purchased the gift of the Spirit to fit us for good works, yea, to make us zealous in them : Titus iii. 5, 6, ' According to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour.' Now the Spirit dwelleth in our hearts to set our graces a working : John iv. 14, ' The water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.' So John vii. 38, 39, 'He that believeth on me, as the scripture saith, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water : this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him shall receive.' The Spirit is not a fountain sealed up, but flowing forth. The Spirit of God is a mighty Spirit, and comes in upon the soul not only as a gentle blast, but as a mighty rushing wind ; he comes not only in the appearance of a dove, but of cloven tongues of fire, Acts ii. He comes as a Spirit of power to quicken and awaken the soul to great heights and fervours in obedience. Look, as men acted by Satan, the unclean spirit, are restless in evil, and carried headlong as the herd of swine into the sea, so those that are acted by the Spirit of God are much more carried on with great earnestness in the ways of God. The devil hath not such advantages to work upon his instruments as the Spirit of God hath upon us. The devil works and operates in all the children of disobedience : Eph. ii. 3, ' The Spirit that now worketh in the children of disobed- ience.' But the devil cannot work but by mpn's consent, neither can he work inniiediately upon the soul, but only by the senses and by the fancy, but the Spirit of God can work immediately upon them in whom he acts. Therefoie being acted by him, they must needs be zealous and earnest; for the Spirit of God nescit iarda molimina, knows no slow motions. The soul in itself is dead and slothful, and apt to yield to laziness and