Secondly, By his conformity to Christ, ' As he was righteous.' He was righteous in his nature and practice, for he obeyed God perfectly, and ever did the things that pleased God : Heb. i. 9, ' Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity ; and therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.' Christ's doing righteousness is said to be righteous. Now when christians do so, they resemble Christ, and are like him, though not equal with him ; so are the children of God, who are adopted into his family, which is the thing the context laboureth to prove.
Doct. That he, and he only, who doeth righteousness, is the chris- tian righteous man, and as such is accepted by God,
I shall prove it by the two former acceptations of righteousness.
I. In the way of sanctification, he, and he only, is the upright gospel christian that doeth righteousness.
1. Because this is the great end wherefore God changeth his heart, and infuseth grace into him ; not barely that he may have it, but use it, and live by it ; it is a talent, the choicest talent wherewith the sons of men are intrusted : Gal. v. 25, * If ye live in the Spirit, walk in the Spirit.' Surely where there is life there must be actions suit- able ; and if there be a spiritual life, there must be a spiritual walking: this gift is not given in vain. When Christ speaketh of giving the Spirit, John iv. 14, he saith, that ' the water that I shall give him shall be a well of water springing up into everlasting life ; ' and John vii. 38, ' Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.' The Spirit is given in order to action. A christian is not to keep his graces to himself, to fold up his talent in a napkin ; this water is a living spring, always springing up; tliis conduit is so filled that it must burst or flow forth ; and the grace that is in his heart is always
VifiU. 7.] SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. 35
to be in act and exercise. The apostle telleth us, Rom. vi, 4, that we are raised up with Christ by the mighty power of God, that we should walk in newness of life ; not to lie idle and still, but to walk, and to walk as becometh those who have a new and holy nature.
2. Grace is of such an operative and vigorous nature, that where it is really planted and rooted, it cannot be idle in the soul, but will be breaking out into action ; as sin is not a sluggish idle quality, but always working and warring : ' Sin wrought in me all manner of con- cupiscence,' saitli tlie apostle ; ' And I see a law in ray members, warring against a law in my mind,' Rom. vii. 23. The habit of sin, though it be not peccatum actuale, yet it is actuosum. So grace puts forth suitable operations : 2 Peter i. 8, ' If these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall not be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.' Where graces are in any good degree of life and strength, there a christian cannot be lazy, but his conversation will be fruitful. Grace will not let a man alone ; he shall have no rest and quiet within himself unless he both busy and employ himself for God. Faith will show itself in an open and free profession of Christ, both in word and deed : 2 Cor. iv. 12, ' We having the same spirit of faith, believe, and therefore speak.' A spirit of faith cannot be suppressed, neither can the work of faith, 1 Thes. i. 3. Hope is a lively liope, 1 Peter i. 3 ; and love hath a constraining force and efficacy, 2 Cor. v. 14. Men cannot hide their love, no more than fire can be hidden. Graces suffer a kind of imperfection till they pro- duce their consummate act : 1 John ii. 5, ' But whoso keepetii his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected.' Well, then, a christian is not to be valued by dead and useless habits, but opeiative graces. In vain do men persuade themselves that they have righteousness buried and sown in their hearts, when unrighteousness wholly possesseth their hands, minds, eyes, and fioweth forth into their actions.
3. We have no way to distinguish ourselves from hypocrites but by performing actions which become real converts. When John sus- pected the scribes and pharisees, on their submitting to his baptism, he presseth them to evidence their sincerity by a suitable conversation : Mat. iii. 8, ' Bring forth fruits meet for repentance ; ' and the apostle persuadeth the gentiles to repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance. Acts xxvi. 20. Call them works, or call them fruits, they must be such acts as become the change wrought in us. The new heart is known by newness of conversation, and a change of heart by a change of life. Repentance is an inward thing, but the fruits appear outwardly in our actions ; the sap is not seen, but the apples appear. Our dedication is known by our use, our choice by our course, and our resolution by our practice. Acts discover the habits, and what we do constantly, frequently, ea.sily, showeth the tem{)er of the heart. It is true God chieHy requireth truth in the inward parts, without which all external holiness is but a mere show, and loathsome to him ; yet none should flatter themselves with that holiness which tliey imagine t(» have within, unless the fruits of it appear without, and they labour to manifest it in their daily carriage and course of life. If a candle in a lanthorn be lighted, it will not be confined there, but shine forth ; so if there be grace in the heart, it must show itself by all holy con-