“Grace is no enemy to good works. It is no enemy to diligence and to good works; nay, it is the foundation of them.
The Apostle doth not use it here as an argument to neglect good works. (Titus 2:11-14) No. He stirs them up by it.
If anything in the world will work upon a heart, it is the love, and favour, and grace of God. ‘The love of Christ constraineth,’ (2 Cor. 5:14).
The love of Christ, as known, melts the heart. The knowledge of the grace of Christ is very effectual to stir us up, as to all duties, so especially to the duty of bounty and mercy. For experience of grace will make us gracious, and kind, and loving, and sweet to others.
Those who have felt mercy will be ready to show mercy. Those who have felt grace and love, will be ready to reflect, and show grace and love to others.
Those who are hard-hearted and barren in their lives and conversations, it is a sign that the Sun of righteousness never yet shined on them.
There is a power in grace, and grace known, to assimilate the soul to be like unto Christ. It hath a force to stir us up to that which is good, (Titus 2:11- 12).
The Apostle enforceth self-denial, a hard lesson; and holiness to God, justice to others, and sobriety to ourselves. What is the argument he useth?
‘The grace of God hath appeared.’ (Titus 2:11) The grace of God hath shined, as the word signifieth.
He means Christ appeared, but he saith, ‘The grace of God hath appeared.’ When Christ appeared, grace appeared. Christ is nothing but pure grace clothed with our nature.
What doth this appearing of grace teach us? ‘To deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live holily, and righteously, and soberly.” Holily and religiously in regard of God; justly in regard of men, and not only justly, but bountifully, for bounty is justice.
It is justice to give to the poor. ‘Withhold not good from the owners.’ (Prov. 3:27) They have right to what we have.
Grace, when it appears in any soul, is a teacher; it teacheth to deny all that is naught, and it teacheth to practice all that is good. It teacheth to live holily and righteously in this present evil world.
Many men like the text thus far, ‘The grace of God bringeth salvation.’ Oh it is a sweet text!
Ay, but what follows? What doth that grace teach thee? It teacheth to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts; it doth not teach men to follow and set themselves upon the works of the devil, but to live soberly and justly and righteously in this present evil world.”
–Richard Sibbes, “The Church’s Riches By Christ’s Poverty,” The Works of Richard Sibbes, Volume 4 (ed. Alexander Balloch Grosart; Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1639/2001), 4: 518-519.
