JDoct. 2. That in some respect Christ loves those that are orderly and civil, and do but outwardly carry themselves according to God's commands.
I shall give the reasons, and then apply it.
1. The thing is good in itself, though the resting in it makes it useless as to the salvation of the person that goes no further : Micah vi. 8, ' He hath showed thee, 0 man, what is good, and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God ?' These things are agreeable to the reasonable nature, and the perfection of it lies in them. Now all good is the object of love ; therefore, if it be good Christ loves it.
2. Because our Lord Christ is willing and ready to own the least good in us, that he might draw us on to more. Here was a towardly young man, and Christ would not discourage him ; though he was not gracious, it is said he looked upon him and loved him : Mat. xii. 20, ' A bruised reed will he not break, and smoking flax- shall he not quench ; ' that is, not despise and reject weaklings. When a reed is broken we cast it away, it is good for nothing but to be trampled under feet ; and we are discouraged from blowing while we see no flame, but smoke. But Christ is of another disposition, he will not cast away the bruised reed nor despise the smoking flax ; so far as there is anything of goodness in a creature, though it be but smoke, Christ will own it.
3. Because these things tend to the profit of mankind, and Jesus Christ's heart is much set upon the good of mankind. His rejoicing was in the habitable parts of the earth, before there was hill or moun- tain : Prov. viii. 31, ' Eejoicing in the habitable parts of the earth, and my delights were with the sons of men.' And his apostle doth press
Qu. " Nero"?— Ed.
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this, ' that they which have believed in God might be careful to maui- tain good works, these are good and profitable to men,' Titus iii. 8. Christ is a great friend and patron of human society, therefore Avill show his liking of it, and how pleasing all things are to him that tend to maintain it, as justice, equity, temperance, prudence, moderation, fidelity. Christ would put some mark of his favour on those that excel in these things. When he instructeth the young man in the command- ments of the second table, and he said, ' All these have I kept from my youth,' Jesus loved him.
Use. Now let us see what use we may make of this.
1. Negatively. To show what use is not to be made of this passage ; for men may be apt to abuse and make an ill use of Jesus' love of these moral virtues.
[1.] We cannot make this use of it, as if Christ did love moral virtues as meritorious of grace ; they are not such things upon which God hath bound himself necessarily to give the grace of conversion. The Pelagians had this axiom, Facienti liomini quod in se est, tenetur Deus dare idterio7'em gratiam — That let a man do what in him lies, God is necessarily bound by that to give him further grace. And the papists build upon the same ground their doctrine of meritum ex con- gruo, merit of congruity. As they hold merit of condignity in the works of renewed men, so they hold merit of congruity in the works of unrenewed men ; as if God in right and equity were bound to recompense them with the reward of conversion. But the scripture puts conversion upon another bottom, and shows that it is not given according to the good works we have done, but merely of the Lord's grace and mercy : Titus iii. • 4, ' Not by works of righteousness wdiich we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.' The apostle speaks there of converting grace, wherein we have a negative and an affirmative cause. He could have said simply ' Of his mercy he saved us,' and no more ; but he would disprove works, therefore he doth express it negatively, ' Not by works of righteousness which we have done ; ' or at least he might have said this, ' Not only by works of righteousness which we have done, but also of his mercy he hath saved us ; ' and so might have allowed it as a con-cause, as having some influence, some- thing in it to bind God. Oh, no ! he excludes works altogether, ' Not by works of righteousness.' Or at least, if the apostle would express it negatively and positively, he might have said thus, * Not by works which we have done, but of his mercy he saved us.' No ; but he says, ' Not by works of righteousness which we have done.' He describes the works which he rejects as being a cause of saving grace. All our moral righteousness, the best of our works, they have no influence upon God to give us grace, but merely ' of his grace he hath saved us ; ' therefore do not think that God by a certain infallible law is bound to give grace.