66 Our light must so "shine before men, that they may see our good works, and glorify our Father which is in heaven,” Matt. v. 16. Whether we eat or drink, or whatsoever we do," all must be done, in a regular and due proportion, “to the glory of God," 1 Cor. x. 31. A general designation of this is absolutely requisite, 1 Peter iv. 11; and the renewing of our intentions actually in matters of moment; for he being the sole author of our lives and happiness, we cannot, without extreme ingratitude and disobedience, neglect to “glorify him in our bodies and spirits which are his." This religious tendency of the soul to God, as the supreme Lord and our utmost end, sanctifies our actions, and gives an excellency to them above what is inherent in their own nature. Thus moral duties towards men, when they are directed to God, become divine, Heb. xiii. 16. Acts of charity are so many sacred oblations to the Deity. Men are but the altars upon which we lay our presents: God receives them, as if immediately offered to his majesty, and consumed to his honour. Such was the charity of the Philippians towards the relief of the apostle, which he calls “an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God," Phil. iv. 18. The same bounty was an act of compassion to man, and devotion to God. This changes the nature of the meanest and most troublesome things. What was more vile and harsh than the employment of a slave? Yet a respect to God makes it a religious service, that is, the most noble and voluntary of all human actions; for the believer addressing his service to Christ, and the infidel only to his master, he doth cheerfully what the other doth by constraint, and "adorns the gospel of God our Saviour," as truly as if he were in a higher condition, Ephes. vi. 5. All virtues are of the same descent and family, though in respect of the matter about which they are conversant and their exercise, they are different. Some are heroical, some are humble; and the lowest being conducted by love to God in the meanest offices, shall have an eternal reward. In short, piety is the principle and chief ingredient of righteousness and charity to men; for since God is the author of our common nature and the relations whereby we are united one to another, it is necessary that a regard to him should be the first, and have an influence upon all other duties. I shall farther consider some particular precepts, which the gospel doth especially enforce upon us, and the reasons of them. (1.) That concerning humility, the peculiar grace of Christians, so becoming our state as creatures and sinners; the parent and nurse of other graces; that preserves us in the light of faith and the heat of love; that procures modesty in prosperity and patience in adversity, that is the root of gratitude and obedience, and is so lovely in God's eyes, that he giveth his grace to the humble. This our Saviour makes a necessary qualification in all those who shall enter into his kingdom; "Except ye be converted and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven," Matt. xviii. 3. As by humility he purchased our salvation, so by that grace we possess it. And since pride arises out of ignorance, the gospel, to cause in us a just and lowly sense of our unworthiness, discovers the nakedness and misery of the human nature, divested of its primitive righteousness. It reveals the transmission of original sin, from the first man to all his posterity, wherewith they are infected and debased; a mystery so far from our knowledge, that the participation of it seems impossible, and unjust to carnal reason. We are 66 dead in sins and trespasses," without any spiritual strength to perform our duty. The gospel ascribes all that is good in man to the free and powerful grace of God: he "worketh in us to will and to do of his good pleasure," Phil. ii. 13. He gives grace to some, because he is good; denies it to others, because he is just; but doth injury to none, because all being guilty, he owes it to none. in its being and activity entirely depends upon him. As the drowsy sap is drawn forth into flourishing and fruitfulness by the approaches of the sun; so habitual grace is drawn forth into act by the presence and influences of the Sun of righteousness. "Without me," our Saviour tells his disciples, ye can do nothing," John xv. 5. "I have laboured more abundantly than they all," saith the apostle, "yet not I, but the grace of God in me," 1 Cor. xv. 10. The operations of grace are ours, but the power that enables us is from God. Our preservation from evil, and perseverance in good, is a most free unmerited favour, the effect of his renewed grace in the course of our lives. Without his special assistance, we should every hour forsake him, and provoke him to forsake us. As the iron cannot ascend or hang in the air longer than the virtue of the loadstone draws it, so our af 66 Grace fections cannot ascend to those glorious things that are above, without the continually attracting power of grace. It is by humble prayer, wherein we acknowledge our wants and unworthiness, and declare our dependance upon the divine mercy and power, that we obtain grace. Now from these reasons the gospel commands humility in our demeanour towards God and men. And if we seriously consider them, how can any crevice be opened in the heart for the least breath of pride to enter ? How can a poor diseased wretch, that hath neither money, nor can by any industry procure nourishment or physic for his deadly diseases, and receives from a merciful person not only food, but sovereign medicines brought from another world (for such is the divine grace sent to us from heaven) without his desert or possibility of retribution, be proud towards his benefactor? How can he that lives only upon alms, boast that he is rich? How can a creature be proud of the gifts of God, which it cannot possess without humility, and without acknowledging that they are derived from mercy? If we had continued in our integrity, the praise of all had been entirely due to God; for our faculties and the excellent dispositions that fitted them for action, were bestowed upon us freely by him, and depended upon his grace in their exercise. But there is now greater reason to attribute the glory of all our goodness solely to him; for he revives our dead souls by the power of the Spirit, of the sanctifying Spirit, without which we are "to every good work reprobate." Since all our spiritual abilities are graces, the more we have received, the more we are obliged; and therefore should be more humble and thankful to the Author of them. And in comparing ourselves with others, the gospel forbids all proud reflections that we are dignified above them; "For, who maketh thee to differ from another? And what hast thou that thou didst not receive? Now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?" 1 Cor. iv. 7. If God discern one from another by special gift, the man hath nothing of his own that makes him excellent. Although inherent graces command a respect from others to the person in whom they shine, yet he that possesses them, ought rather to consider himself in those qualities that are natural, and make him like the worst, than in those that are divine, proceeding from the sole favour of God, and that exalt him above them. Add farther, that God hath ordained in the gospel repent ance and faith, which are humbling graces, to be the conditions of our obtaining pardon. By repentance we acknowledge that if we are condemned, it is just severity; and if we are saved, it is rich mercy. And faith absolutely excludes boasting; for it supposes the creature guilty, and receives pardon from the sovereign grace of God upon the account of our crucified Redeemer. The benefit, and the manner of our receiving it, was typified in the miraculous cure of the Israelites by looking up to the brazen serpent: for the act of seeing is performed by receiving the images derived from objects; it is rather a passion than an action; that it might appear that the healing virtue was merely from the power of God, and the honour of it entirely his. In short, God had respect to the lowliness of this grace, in appointing it to be the qualification of a justified person; for the most firm reliance on God's mercy, is always joined with the strongest renouncing of our own merits. Briefly, to excite humility in us, the gospel tells us, that the glorious reward is from rich bounty and liberality; "The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord," Rom. vi. 23. As the election of us to glory, so the actual possession of it proceeds from pure favour. There is no more proportion between all our services, and that high and eternal felicity, than between running a few steps, and obtaining an imperial crown. Indeed not only heaven, but all the graces that are necessary to purify and prepare us for it, we receive from undeserved mercy; so that God crowns in us not our proper works, but his own proper gifts. (2.) The gospel strictly commands self-denial, when the honour of God and religion is concerned. Jesus tells his disciples, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me," Matt. xvi. 24. Life, and all the comforts of it, estates, honours, relations, pleasures, must be put under our feet, to take the first step with our Redeemer. This is absolutely necessary to the being of a Christian. In the preparation of his mind and the resolution of his will, he must live a martyr; and whensoever his duty requires, he must break all the "retinacula vita," the voluntary bands that fasten us to the world, and die a martyr, rather than suffer a divorce to be made between his heart and Christ. Whatsoever is most esteemed and loved in the world, must be parted with as a snare, if it tempts us from obedience; or offered up as a sacrifice, when the glory of God calls for it. And this command that appears so hard to sense, is most just and reasonable; for God hath by so many titles a right to us, that we ought to make an entire dedication of ourselves and our most valuable interests to him. Our Redeemer infinitely denied himself to save us, and it is most just we should in gratitude deny ourselves to serve him. Besides, an infinite advantage redounds to us; for our Saviour assures us, that “whosoever will save his life," when it is inconsistent with the performance of his duty, "shall lose it; and whosoever will lose his life for his sake, shall find it,” Matt. xvi. 25. Now what is more prudent, than of two evils that are propounded, to choose the least; that is, temporal death, rather than eternal ? and of two goods that are offered to our choice, to prefer the greater, a life in heaven before that on the earth? especially if we consider, that we must shortly yield the present life to the infirmities of nature; and it is the richest traffic to exchange that which is frail and mortal, for that which remains in its perfection for ever. (3.) The gospel enjoins universal love among men. This is that fire which Christ came to kindle upon the earth." It is the abridgment of all Christian perfection, the fulfilling of the divine law; for all the particular precepts are in substance, love, Rom. xiii. 8, 9. He that loves his neighbour, will have a tender regard to his life, honour, and estate, which is the sum of the second table. The extent of our love must be to all that partake of the same common nature. The universal consanguinity between men, should make us regard them as our allies. Every man that wants our help, is our neighbour. "Do good unto all men," is the command of the apostle, Gal. vi. 10. For the quality of our love, it must be unfeigned, without dissimulation, 1 Pet. i. 22. The image of it in words, without real effects, provokes the divine displeasure; for as all falsehood is odious to the God of truth, so especially the counterfeiting of charity, that is the impression of his Spirit and the seal of his kingdom. A sincere pure affection that rejoices at the good and resents the evils of others as our own, and expresses itself in all real offices, not for our private respects, but their benefit, is required of us. And as to the degree of our love, we are commanded "above all things to have fervent charity among ourselves," 1 Pet. iv. 8. This principally respects Christians, who are united by so many sacred and amiable bands, as being formed |