But you will say. How do you force this zealousness and earnestness for good works out of what Christ hath done ; for if he hath done so much, what need we (Jo any more !
I answer — He is gone to heaven as the captain of our salvation, and we must follow him in the same way ; he is gone to seize upon heaven in our right, but we must force our way thither. Canaan was given to Israel, but they were to take possession by the sword ; or as Caleb was to drive out the giants out of Hebron, though it was given him. So though heaven be given, and Christ hath seized upon it in our right, yet we have our conflicts. Indeed the power of Satan is broken, his head bruised, yet there are some relics of the battle left for our exercise; and therefore be earnest, be zealous.
5. Consider, to quicken you to this zeal, the enemies of religion are violent and earnest. The devil is busy, always compassing the earth to and fro, therefore we had need stand upon our guard : 1 Peter v. 8, ' Be sober, be vigilant ; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour.' In your duties, in your shops, in your closets, in the congregation, the devil is still at hand. Oh! how should we bestir ourselves ! The enemy watcheth, and dost thou sleep ? The devil makes an advantage of our careless- ness and security : ' While men slept, the enemy came and sowed tares,' Mat. xiii. 25. While we are cold and careless the devil doth prevail over us, he doth but watch to make an advantage of our care- lessness and security. Birds are seldom taken in their flight, but when they rest and pitch ; so Satan hath no advantage against us when we are upon our course and wing, when we make speed to heaven, and
288 . SERMONS UPON TITUS II. 11-14. [SeR. XXII.
are zealous and earnest in our flight. Satan liatli busy agents in the world, that are watchful and zealous factors for hell ; they ever shame the church: Luke xvi. 8, ' The children oi this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light.' 'They do. more against God than we do for God. Satan's cause is most befriended in the world, and it is sure to be followed diligently and earnestly, as a stone runs down-liill of its own accord. The children of this world in their employments, in their sports, are wise, active,, and diligent, and follow it earnestly. Wliile the disciples were asleep, Jud»s and his company were watchful and plotting. Usually Satan's instruments get the start of us ; we'^^aj'e cold and frigid in the cause of Christ ; tlierefore shall we not be earnest and zealous for God ?
6. Consider, a small measure of grace will not become you that pro- fess Christ and Christianity, because you are to exceed others ; there must be something more than ordinary in your conversation : Mat. v. 20, ' Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the scribes and pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven ; ' and ver. 47, ' What do you more than others ? ' A peculiar people must live in a peculiar manner. There must be something over and above in you of what is found in others. The pharisees were very strict ; the apostle calleth them aKp^^eadTijv atpecriv, ' the most straitest sect/ Acts xxvi. 5 ; they did excel all others : Luke xviii. 11, ' The pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee I am not as other men.' There were washings, tithings, fastings, alms-giving, and corporal mortifications. Oh ! how did the pharisees profess irepLaaeveiv, to increase the law, and supererogate ; they exceeded all others. Now, saith Christ, you must exceed their exceedings. It were wondrous to tell you what a painful and costly profession of holi- Dess they made, insofnuch that the Jews thought that if but two men were to be saved, one should be a scribe and the other a pharisee ; such were their long devotions, their sad looks, their hard penances, their bountiful alms ; they did excel in all these things. Therefore do not tell me merely of hearing much and praying much ; except your right- . eousness exceed the righteousness of the scribes and pharisees, Christ will shut you out of .the kingdom of heaven. Christians, it would make a man's heart to tremble to consider how far a natural man may go by the strength of an unrenewed will ; how just, and patient, and temperate, and meek some of the heathens were, ho\V much they could overcome their passions, and deny their worldly concernments ; to tell you how far a hypocrite, a temporary believer, or a convinced man may go, and yet there must tX Trepiaa-ov, be something over and above in you, some- thing more than a heathen can do, or a hypocrite can do, or a temporary believer, or a convinced hypocrite can do ; you need to carry piety to greater heights, and endeavour after a greater degree of sanctification, for there must be something excellent and exceeding both in your hearts and lives.