way of duty and this fhall bring me to the fecond part of the text, which contains a charge to Titus, to exhort all believers to be careful fo to do. This I will that thou affirm conftantly, that they which have believed God be careful to maintain good works, &c.

In order that you may form a juft idea of that which comes under the denomination of a good work, I fhall touch briefly on the following things:

I. What is included in a good work.

II. Mention a few things which the fcriptures call good works.

III. Note the care to maintain them.

IV. What is faid of them, (viz.) that they are good and profitable unto men.

In the first place then obferve, In order that a work be good, it is highly neceffary that it flow from a good principle. The judge of all flefh looks as much, if not more at principle than practice, elfe Judas had not been held up to the world by this ftigma, He was a thief, when he feemed fo much concerned, that Mary's ointment was not fold, and the price given to the poor. But if you defire to know what I mean by a good principle, I anfwer, In order that works be ftrictly good, they must flow from a mind truly difpofed to ferve God. When Paul gave direc

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ions to the chriftian fervants in the Church at Ephefus, Be obedient, fays he, to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in fingleness of heart, as unto CHRIST: Not with eye-fervice as men-pleafers, but as the Servants of CHRIST, doing the will of God from the heart, as to the LORD. This he intimates would be good and acceptable with God. See Eph. vi. 5, &c. When that good woman came to CHRIST to anoint him, he deems it a good work, because love was the motive. Paul tells us, if he did his work willingly, then he had a reward. Good works fhould flow, not by constraint, but freely; not as we fay, like Honey from a thorn, but like a flowing stream from a plentiful fountain. Alass! how many works good in appearance, are not so in reality! They are only the fhadow, void of true fubftance! I would exhort all who hear me this day-beware of calling works good, because they are fo in outward appearance. Ever remember our LORD's maxim, The tree must be made good before the fruit will be fo.

Again; That a work be good, it is not only neceffary that it flow from a good principle, but alfo, that it fhould be regulated by a good rule. We have a directory, (viz.) the word of the LORD the commands and prohibitions God hath given, make that golden rule, which meafures every man's fteps wherein he ought to walk. When this divine rule is flighted, the path will ever be crooked; for that which is prohibited to one man, is another's fin if left undone; and that which is commanded to one, is wickedness in another: an inftance more ftrik

ing, I do not at present remember, than that you read in 11 Chron. xxvi. In that chap. you have fome account of the greatness of Uzziah king of Judah, but greatness, and godliness feldom meet in one perfon; and therefore he could not, or would not be content with the kingly, but ufurped the priestly office alfo: Azariah told him, that though it were commanded to Aaron's fons to burn incenfe, yet to him it would be fin; nevertheless, he obftinately perfifted in his wick. ednefs! But God let him know, that the church and state were distinct objects; for whilft the priests were faithfully contending with him, the leprofy broke out upon his brazen brow, fo that he himself hafted to depart out of the temple, and remained a leper to the day of his death. By this God hath taught us, that his word fhould bound all our proceedings as we pass through a fin-difordered world.

Again 3d, In order that a work be truly good, it is highly requifite that it be directed to a good end, or intended to answer some laudable purpofe. The end at which we should ever be aiming, is the honour and glory of God; he hath ever proposed this end in all his works whatsoever; and to purfue his glory in all our engagements, is to walk with God, it argues a will fubject to his will, and is ever highly acceptable in his fight. In a ftate of nature, the best of our performances are but intended to exalt felf! No effect can be fuperior to the cause producing it *. Jehu did the LORD's work in cutting

* 'Tis not only a philofophical maxim, but a manifeft truth nothing can give that which it has not.

cutting off Baal's worshippers, but alafs! it was that others might fee his zeal. Ifrael multiplied their facrifices, but they did not offer them in truth unto God; they burnt incenfe to their own drag, and therefore Ifrael's God abhorred his own inheritance, and folemnly declared he would not accept, but was highly provoked with their offerings. If a man hears, and prays, in order to be thought religious; if he gives to the poor, with a view to establish his character as a charitable perfon, he hath his reward. Let merit-mongers know-let the children of God remember, that without these three ingredients, a work cannot be approved as good in the fight of an all-feeing God. Though a man could fpeak with the tongues of men and angelscould foretel all future events-understood all mysteries, and all knowledge-had miraculous faith to remove mountains-beftowed all his goods to feed the poor, and gave his body to be burned, and were void of charity, it would be a facrifice unacceptable unto Jehovah. Glorify GOD with your bodies and spirits which are bis.

II. I come in the next place, to mention a few things which come under the denomination of good works, and you must be content with a few; for I am afraid your patience will be quite worn out but remember, this is an high day, and therefore I trust you'll bear with me, though I fhould exceed a few minutes.

Firft, To be diligent in the exercises of religious duties is esteemed good the universe over. By religious duties, I mean hearing, reading,

praying

praying, chriftian converfation, &c. How is it my friends, are you diligent, that in particular on the LORD'S-DAY, you will lofe no time? Are you quitting your beds early, and as we fay, Up and at it." Are you diligent, that yourself and all under your care, fhall, so far as is poffible, be in readiness to go forth to the house of the LORD? 'Tis most lamentable, there are fo many in every neighbourhood, who spend the LORD'S-DAY as though they were not accountable unto him for it! It is moft fhameful, that profeffors fhould loiter upon their beds, whilft they cannot poffibly get to the place of worship until divine fervice is perhaps more than half over. "O," say fome, "we fhall be "there time enough to put on our hats." But when you are invited to an entertainment, you don't think it time enough to be there when the table is drawn. Be diligent in hearing the word of the LORD.

Again; Let me afk, are you diligent in reading the fcriptures? The book of God is the fountain of divine knowledge; and when I fee a person with his bible on his work-board, or at the end of his loom, I think it is a good fign he wants to know what is the mind and will of God concerning him: but when I hear an old mifer boaft, that he has a bible that is fixty years old, and never yet had a foul finger laid on it, I then fear, that that bible, clean and neat as it is, and careful as its mafter hath been of it, will be a fwift witness against its owner at the laft day. When Paul preached to the inhabitants of Berea, they knew not what to think

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