[2.] Working righteousness is made the fruit of this sense of God upon our hearts. To work righteousness is to set our whole heart and soul a- work to live conformably to the law of God, or to approve ourselves to him by a constant uniform obedience. The sense is, he that under- taketh the service of the true God, as Cornelius did ; and exerciseth liimself in works of mercy, justice, and devotion; that hath fear, which giveth uprightness of heart ; and worketh righteousness, which implieth holiness of life ; this is the man accepted with God. Now this is re- quired over and above the former.
(1.) In respect of God, that we may honour him in the world ; for our obedience maketh our reverence and esteem of him visible and sensible. Principles are hidden, but actions discover them. Things
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that lie hid in their causes are not seen, but when the effect breaketh out, tliey do sensibly appear. All principles are discovered in their actions ; as atheism and want of the fear of God: Ps. xxxvi. 1, ' The transgression of the wicked saith, There is no fear of God before their eyes.' And so good principles are seen to God's honour and glory, be it faith or fear. All graces are more sensible in their fruits than in their internal elicit acts. Faith : 2 Thes. i. 11, 12, ' The work of faith with power, that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you.' So fear is seen in the effects : Acts x. 2, ' Cornelius feared God, and gave much alms, and prayed to God alway.' A fantastical airy religion bringeth little honour to God.
(2.) It is for our own comfort. When we set ourselves diligently and solicitously to obey God, and are careful not to displease him, it leaveth an evidence in our consciences. Partly because actions are more evident than habits : 1 John iii. 19, ' Hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.' And partly because uniform actions are greater and surer evidence of our sincerity than single actions : 2 Cor. i. 12, ' This is our rejoicing, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have had our conversation in the world.' Partly because there is a sensible pleasure that accompanieth the holy and heavenly life, and delighteth the person so employed : Pro v. iii. 17, ' Her ways are ways of pleasant- ness.' Constant obedience breedeth a durable delight and pleasure. All other pleasures are nothing worth to this continual feast. Partly because God is more ready to witness to our sincerity. Comforts are the rewards of obedient children : Ps. xi. 6, * The righteous God loveth righteousness ; his countenance doth behold the upright.' God is just and upright himself, and he hath a special eye of grace and favour over them. There is a likeness between them and God ; he delighteth himself in the reflection of his own image imprinted on them.
IV. The meaning of the privilege, ' Is accepted with him.' The person is pleasing to him, so far as to maintain, increase, and perfect the grace begun in them ; for the first grace is supposed.
1. He that feareth God, and goeth on in a constant, steady course of righteousness, is sure of God's favour and protection : Phil. i. 6, ' Being confident of this very thing, that he that hath begun a good work in you will perform it to the day of Christ ; ' that is, will maintain what he hath begun ; you may be confident of his fatherly love and pro- tection.
2. He will increase it ; for God delighteth to crown his own gifts. See Prov. iv. 18, ' The path of the just is as the shining light that shines more and more to the perfect day ; ' Prov. x. 29, ' The way of the Lord is strength to the upright.'
3. He will perfect it, and reward you with an everlasting glory. See Ps. XV. 2, ' He that works righteousness ; ' Ps. cvi. 3, * Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times.'
Use 1. Of information. 1. It informeth us —
[1.] How much tliey are mistaken who think sanctification hath no influence upon our comfort and peace. Some good people are over-
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tender in this point ; they pretend they would fetch all their comfort immediately from Christ. And is Christ the less author of it because sanctification is the matter of it ? As if sanctification were not from Christ as well as justification. He is both to us : 1 Cor. i. 30, ' He is made unto us of God wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemp- tion.' But they think this is to fetch comfort from something more in ourselves than justification is ; for the one is an adherent privilege, as the other an internal qualification.
Arts. True ; but though it be in us, it is not of us. It floweth from the same grace of God, and the same power and merit of the Lord Jesus. And something there must be in us, or how shall we make out our title and claim, or know that the grace of God belongeth to us? If we look onlyto justification, and suspect all comfort that is elsewhere derived, we are in danger of falling into the gross part of the error of Poquinus and Quintinus, who in Calvin's time asserted it to be the only mortification to extinguish the sense of sin in the heart. But this is not to mortify sin, but to mortify repentance and holiness, to crucify the new man rather than the old, not to quiet consci- ence, but outface it. Surely where there is sin there will be trouble. Sanctification is one means of applying the grace of God, as well as justification ; and we must look to both benefits, and the mutual respect they have to one another.