Secondly, Why this is necessary beyond alms and all other amiable qualities ?
1. Because heathens and men of a false religion may excel in .charity and other moralities, and yet without true grace they are
VeR. 21.] SEKMONS UPON MARK X. 17-27. 485
nothing. The apostle tells us, ' The gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law/ Eom. ii. 14 ; and that they excelled in charity as well as other things, appears by Titus iii. 14, ' Let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses.' Who are they that he calls ' ours also ? ' Compare it with ver. 8, ' That they which have believed in God be careful to maintain good works ; ' that is^ those of our religion, as well as the Jews and pagans. The gentiles were much given to charity. Paul saith, Acts xxviii. 2, ' The barbarous people showed us no little kindness.' Mercy had an altar in every city of Greece. The Alkoran of the Turks says, that if men knew what a pleasant thing it was to give alms, rather than want somewhat to give, they would slice out their own flesh. So that the gentiles, and men not under the institution of Christ, those that are without the covenant and promise and grace, may be addicted to alms. But now all this is nothing without true grace : 1 Cor. xiii. 3, ' Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.' A man would think there were a contradic- tion in the apostle's speech ; for how can one bestow all his goods to feed the poor, and yet want charity ? If this be not charity, what is ? I would not interpret it. If I bestow all my goods upon the poor hypocritically, for it is a hard thing to conceive hypocrisy should go to such a length ; but there is the grace of charity, and the natural amiable quality of charity. If a man have not a renewed heart, if it be a mere natural motion, without spiritual grace (and that cannot be till they enter themselves disciples to Christ in the way spoken of), it is nothing. The apostle commends the Macedonians, that were a poor people, yet did exceedingly stretch themselves to contribute to the poor saints at Jerusalem : 2 Cor. viii. 5, ' And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.' And here was the true method, before they gave their goods, they offered their hearts to God, they gave up themselves to the Lord Christ to be his disciples, they entered themselves into his service. This is the true fountain of charity, and then it comes to something.
2. There is need of faith in Christ in order to our acceptance with God, and reconciliation with him ; and therefore all the good works we do will not profit us till we become disciples of Christ. Why ? Till we believe, his atonement and reconciliation is not reckoned to us, for the gifts of enemies are giftless and unacceptable. Since the fall there is no way of acceptance with God till we change our copy and come to claim by a new covenant. Nothing will render us acceptable to God but complete innocence, or else I'epentance and faith in Christ. While we stand upon our own bottom, alas ! the least failing is damn- able, and spoils all the good we do ; for ' without faith it is impossible to please God,' Heb. xi. 6 ; Kom. viii. 8, ' They that are in the flesh cannot please God.'
Use. To show the necessity of becoming the disciples of Christ, that you may not satisfy yourselves with anything you do without it or beneath it, till you have taken Christ for your Saviour.
But you will say, What need this ado ? We are christians ; are not we dedicated to his service, baptized in his name? I answer three things — •
486 SERMONS UPON MARK X. 17-27, [SeR. VII.
1. There is the more need of entering yourselves disciples of Christ because you are baptized, that you may fill up your baptism with answerable duty. Tiie apostle Paul presseth to put on Christ : Rom. siii. 14, ' But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ ; ' and tliat because they had put on Christ : Col. iii. 10, ' Seeing ye have put on the new man.' We are more engaged by our profession and covenant sealed in bap- . tism ; if we have put on Christ sacramentally, we must put him on really; Eom. vi. 11, 'Reckon yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.' And indeed this is so far from being an objection, that it binds us the more strongly. However God may deal with infidels, to be sure it will not fare well with you if you mock God with an empty formality, and put him off with a baptismal regeneration, without a real regeneration, if ye put on Christ in profession, and do not really put him on, and know his grace in trutli. All are engaged the more strongly that live in the church, not only by the common necessity that is upon all mankind of running to a redeemer, but because of their profession : Rom. vi. 3-5, ' Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were bap- tized into his death : therefore we are buried with him by baptism unto death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life ; for if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.'