Page images
PDF
EPUB

Holy Spirit that should apply both that Satisfaction and Pardon. Peradventure for a Good Man, fays St Paul, fome would even dare to dye, Rom. 7, 8. But God commendeth his Love towards us, in that while we were yet Sinners, Chrift died for us, the Righteous for the Ungodly, v.6. We were in open Hoftility and Rebellion against God, yet even then, fays the fame Apoftle, when we were Enemies we were reconcil'd to God by the Death of his Son, Rom. 5. 10. Our Saviour tells us truely, Greater Love hath no Man fhewn than this, that a Man lay down his Life for his Friends, Joh. 15.13. But behold a greater than Man is here,and confequently a greater Love than Man's Love, a Love that lays down its Life for its Enemies. Here is Love, not that we loved God, but that He loved Us, and fent his Son to be a Propitiation for our Sins, 1 John 4. 10. This is a Love fo far exceeding all that was ever call'd by that Name, that St Paul himself, even when he prays for the Ephefians, that they may be able to comprehend the breadth and length and height of the Love of God in Chrift, yet is forc'd immediately to fubjoin, which paffeth all Knowledge, Eph. 3.19. This is that ineffable, that unconceivable Grace, which is in God, and which is God. For it is This that first mov'd God to Create and then to redeem the World, and fince God is by all confefs'd to be the

firft

first Mover, moving all things Himself, from without Immovable; it unavoidably follows, that whatever can be properly faid to move God, can be no Other than God himfelf. This is that Original Spring and Eternal Source of that Gracious Difpenfation, which in time God was pleas'd to reveal to Mankind in the Adorable Myfteries of our Redemption, which is

2ly. A fecond Acceptation of the Word in Scripture, wherein Grace is often taken for the Manifestation of Grace, that is the Gospel, the Covenant of Grace, the Grace which came by Jefus Chrift, as St John fpeaks, c. 1. V. 17. The Grace of God which has appear'd to all Men, bringing Salvation, as alfo St Paul, Tit. 2. II.

And this moft Glorious, as well as Gracious Display of the Divine Goodness in the Means of Reconciliation tender'd to Mankind in the Gofpel, as it is the chiefeft of all the gifts of God, (for herein he gives us his Own Son, and if he fpares not him, how fhall he not with him alfo freely give us all things) fo by us it may be juftly efteem'd, it must be look'd upon as a Gift, that has in it all the Qualities that can make a Gift fupereminently perfect. In a Gift there are three things to be confider'd, The Giver, The Perfon to whom it is given, and the Manner of giving.

In the first place then, He that gives, to do it in Sovereign Perfection must give of his Own, and he must have also both Power and Will to give all that he can give, as far as the capacity of the Receiver is able to bear; He must therefore be Infinitely good that he may give with the greatest readiness of Will, and Infinitely Powerful that he may give to the full extent of the wants of the Receiver, and Sovereignly Independant that he may give without hopes of Return, otherwife whatsoever is given would not be a Gift, but a Bargain.

2dly, That a Gift may be faid to be in full Perfection, he to whom it is given muftMerit nothing from the giver, for that were rather the payment of a Debt, than bestowing of a Gift, if there were any Merit in the Receiver. He ought alfo to be in the extreameft need of what is given, or elfe he might be excufable if he flighted and refused the Offer.

Laftly, as to the manner of giving, That ought to be free, for whatsoever things are given by Compulfion, are not Gifts, but Spoils. And fince as before was faid, the Gift muft prevent all manner of deferts, that it be not a Reward, it ought to precede· alfo even the Hopes, or Defires, or Petitions, of the Receiver, becaufe by thefe means he may in fome manner be faid to deferve.

All

All these Qualities concurring and eminently fhining forth in the Covenant of Grace tender'd to us in the Gospel, make it a Gift fovereignly Perfect, perfect even as He Himself, the great Donor, is Perfect.

Efpecially, if we confider God's infinite Condefcenfion in the favourable Terms propos'd to us in this Word of Reconciliation; in which, contrary to the extreme Rigour of the Old Law, the Voice of which was, Do this and live, fail in the leaft Tittle and dye, he is accounted Juft in the Eyes of God, not whofe Righteousness is manifeft, but whofe Sin is cover'd, He whofe uniform and serious and confcientious, tho not abfolute and unerring and finless Obedience, is for the fake of that perfect Righteoufness of Chrift, approv'd by God, who knowing our Frame, and pitying our Weaknefs, is graciously pleas'd to accept of hearty Endeavours inftead of exact Performances, Repentance instead of Innocence, and Sincerity inftead of Perfection. And yet further, Thefe Endeavours, and This Repentance, and This Sincerity he do's not only accept of Us, but give to Us. For it had not been fufficient to have contriv'd fo wonderful a Method of Salvation, and to have tommunicated to Mankind the Knowledge, and offer'd to him the Advantage of it by Jefus Chrift, unless he had alfo endu'd him e

from

from above with a Power to lay hold of it, by enlightning his Understanding, and enflaming his Will, and fo enabling him by Faith to embrace this Covenant, and by Obedience to fulfill the Conditions of it.

And this is another Acceptation of the Word, according to which, by Grace is fignify'd that Divine Principle infus'd into our Souls by God's good Spirit, quickning us, and raifing us from the Death of Sin to the Life of Righteousness, that Participation of the Divine Nature, by which we are made conformable to the Divine Will. For of Our felves alas! and from Our Own Nature, not only weaken'd but deprav'd, we are not able to conceive one good Thought, much less to bring forth any righteous Work. It is from Grace alone preventing our Wishes, and ftirring up our Wills, and working with those Wills when stirr'd up, that all holy Defires, all good Counfels, and all juft Works do proceed. Not only the Execution of the Hand, and the Contrivance of the Head, but the Preparation of the Heart is from the Lord, Prov. 16. 1. The very firft Difpofitions and Tendencies of our Minds towards God, the very Defire of Grace is from Grace, from his Spirit that worketh in us both to will and to do. So that it is but Justice upon every good Quality that we poffefs, to inscribe what is here particularly faid to

Faith,

« PreviousContinue »