The law A rule of life.

The law is cast behind the back of many, when it should be carried in the hand and heart that we might do it, to the end the gospel which we profess might he glorified in the world.  Let then the law be with thee to love it, and do it in the spirit of the gospel, that thou be not unfruitful in thy life.  Let the law, I say, be with thee, not as it comes from Moses, but from Christ; for though thou art set free from the law as a covenant for life, yet thou still art under the law to Christ; and it is to be received by thee, as out of his hand, to be a rule for thy conversation in the world.

VI.  DIVINE GRACE.

Grace, LOYE, and mercy.

I find that the goodness of God to his people is diversely expressed in his word, sometimes by the word grace, sometimes by the word love, and sometimes by the word mercy.  When it is expressed by that word grace, then it is to show that what he doeth is of his princely will, his royal bounty, and sovereign pleasure.  When it is expressed by that word love, then it is to show us that his affection was and is in what he doeth, and that he doeth what he doeth for us with complacency and delight.  But when it is set forth to us under the notion of mercy, then it bespeaks us to be in a state both wretched and miserable, and that his bowels and compassions yearn over us in this our fearful plight.

Grace described.

There are many things which men call the grace of God that are not.

1.  The light and knowledge that are in every man.

2.  That natural willingness that is in man to be saved.

3.  That power that is in man by nature to do something, as he thinketh, towards his own salvation.

But do thou remember that the grace of God is his good-will and great love to sinners, in his Son Jesus Christ; by the which good-will they are sanctified, through the offering up of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

His blood is not laws, nor ordinances, nor commandments, but a price, a redeeming price.  He justifies us by bestowing upon us, not by expecting from us.  He justifies us by his grace, not by our works.

Operation of grace.

The good child is not the first-born, but Abel.  God often doth as Jacob did, even cross hands in bestowing blessings, giving that which is best to him that is least esteemed; for Cain was “the man” in Eve’s esteem:  she thought, when she had him, she had got an inheritance; but as for Abel (vanity,) he was little worth; by his name they showed how little they set by him.

It is so with the sincere to this day; they bear not the name of glory with the world:  Cain with them is the profitable son; Abel is of no credit with them, neither see they form or comeliness in him; he is the melancholy or lowering child whose countenance spoils the mirth of the world.  “The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.”