here stands not in the perfection of our virtues, but in the remission of our sins. "Væ etiam laudabili vitæ hominum, si, remotâ misericordiâ, discutias eam." But this is our great comfort and security, that as stubble being covered with amianthum (as Athanasius speaks) can endure the fire, so we have Christ and his righteousness, with which men cannot only stand before God, but walk with him too, as with our God. 4. In faith and confidence. Take away the sun, and all the stars of heaven would never make day: so if a man have as many moral virtues as there be stars in the firmament, and were destitute of faith in Christ, the sun of righteousness; if he have not God for his God, there would be night and calamity in his soul still. Without faith there is no walking with God; for two will not walk together, unless they be agreed. (Amos iii. 3) But O what madness is it for man to disagree with God! for Adam to arm himself with fig-leaves against his Maker! for briers to rise in rebellion against fire, or smoke to withstand a whirl-wind! Remember thy nature, that will teach thee thy duty. "For he hath showed thee, O man!" And what is man? Abraham will tell us in two words,"dust and ashes." Dust, by his original, which came from earth; ashes, by desert, which carry him to the fire. (Rev. xx. 10) The law, a law of fire; (Deut. xxxiii. 2) the prison, a lake of fire; (Rev. xx. 10) the judge, a consuming fire; (Heb. xii. 18) with whom he may not contend; (Eccles. vi. 10) from whom he cannot escape. (Psalm cxxix. 7) Consider then what thou art, O man; submit to a severe judgement, where there is a record kept, an appeal entered, a writ of error enforced against every miscarriage of thine: therefore, O man, "do justly ;" and being of the same mould with thy brother, set thyself in his stead. (Job xvi. 4) We are all of us like leaves of trees, as Homer elegantly. That wind which blows away my neighbour to-day, may blow away me to-morrow. That mercy that I deny to him, I may live to see denied to myself. The rich man who withheld crumbs, was denied drops. (Luke xvi. 24) Consider then what thou art, O man, guilty of sins, subject to misery, thou art forced to beg mercy; be persuaded to 'love' it. Again, consider thou art Adam,' earth; and that is the lowest of all the elements. "Dust thou art," said God to man;-" Dust thou shalt eat," said God to the serpent: so man is fitter to be a prey to Satan, than a companion to his Maker. Of this dust, indeed, God made a vessel, and put a treasure of knowledge and righteousness in it. But what reason hath the cup to be proud of the wine, or the bag of the money, which men put into it? Thou hast received; why shouldest thou boast? (1 Cor. iv. 7) But we are become now broken vessels, that retain nothing but dregs; our drink is become merum refractarium,' sour and corrupt; (Hag. iv. 18) the pot is become a potsherd. Consider then, O man, that thou art made of earth, though made for heaven: in the one respect, walk with God; but in the other respect, humble thyself to do it. sidera tollet.' No advancement to such a humility. Te ad Thou hast his majesty to awe thee; no approaching his presence but by humility. "With that man will I dwell, that is of an humble spirit." (Isa. lvii. 15) Zaccheus must come down, if he will have Christ abide in his house. (Luke xix. 5) Thou hast his mercy to aid thee; he will show thee what is good. "The meek he will guide in judgement;" (Psalm xxv. 9) and therefore he hath chosen these two humble graces, as pipes, to convey mercy to the soul; by faith, which teacheth us to deny ourselves; (Phil. iii. 9) and repentance, which teacheth us to abhor ourselves. (Ezek. vi. 9) Thou hast his example to instruct thee. "Who is like to the Lord our God who dwelleth on high, and humbleth himself." (Psalm cxiii. 5) Christ a king, one who doth justly, and loveth mercy; yet he humbleth himself. (Phil. ii. 8) See all three virtues together. (Zach. ix. 9) "Behold thy king cometh to thee, just, having salvation, and yet lowly too." Thou hast his glory to reward thee. He alloweth thee to look on his law, not only as holy and just in itself, but as good unto thee. (Rom. ii. 12) Doth not my word do good to those that walk uprightly? (Mic. ii. 4) He alloweth thee to look in, and by the requisivit' his authority, but to 'quid bonum,' thy own felicity. The duties performed are obedience only to him, but they are benefits to thee: not by way of debt, or condignity in thy work, but by way of promise and covenant from his grace: thy will chooseth, thy prayer desireth, thy hope expecteth. All the comfort thou canst have by communion with God here, all the glory thou must have by fruition of God hereafter, must come by justice, mercy, and humility. And now having so great duties to do, so great a teacher to instruct, so great authority to obey, so great a reward to encourage; let each man, in his place, "do justly, love mercy, and humble himself to walk with God" here, that God may exalt him to live with him hereafter. Now to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, three persons, and one immortal, invisible, only wise God, be all glory, majesty, and thanksgiving, for ever. Amen. |