O blessed design ! how precious must that work be, which is wrought for so high and glorious a purpose as this is ? No work more excellent, no end more noble.
7. SevenMy^ Consider the means and instruments, both principal and subordinate, employed in this work : many blessed instruments are set on work to beget, conserve, and improve it in our soul^; and tliese all speak the precious worth of it. No wise man will dig for a
S^% THK INVALUABLE WORTH OF SAVING GRACE*
base and worthless metal with golden mattocks. The blood of Christ was shed to procure it, Heb. xiii. 12.
The Spirit of God is sent forth to form and create it; for it is his own workmanship, Eph. ii. 10. his fruit. Gal. v. 22.
The ordinances and officers of the gospel were at first instituted, and ever since continued in the church, for this work's sake, John, xvii. 17. and Eph. iv. 12. It is the fruit of Christ's blood ; yea, and it hath cost the sweat and blood of the dispensers of the gospel too.
Nay, all the works of providence look this way, and aim at this thing, Rom. viii. 28. What is the errand of all God's rods but to make us partakers of his holiness ? Heb. xii. 10.
8. Eighthly^ The high value that the most high God sets upon grace, shews it to be an excellent thing indeed : " It is of great price " in his sight," 1 Pet. iii. 4. no service finds acceptation with God, but what is performed by grace : None but sanctified vessels are meet for the master's use, " The end of the commandment is charity out " of a pure heart," 1 Tim. i. 5.
The weakest performances of grace find acceptance with him, though clogged with many sinful weaknesses and infirmities, Heb. xi. 31, 32. If God so prize it, well may we: He that made the jewel best understands the value of it.
9. NintJily, The hypocritical pretences made to it all over the pro- fessing world, shew what a most precious and desirable thing it is : If there were not some singular glory in it, why doth every one covet to be reputed gracious.'^ Nay, the devil himself baits many of his hooks of temptation with a show of grace ; for he knows sin hath no native beauty of its own to entice, and therefore he borrows the paint and pretence of holiness to cover it : but oh ! what a dilemma will the hypocrite be posed with at last ? And how can he answer it when God shall demand,
If grace were evil, why didst thou affect the name and reputation of it .? And if it were good, why didst thou satisfy thyself with the empty name and shadow of it only.?
10. Tentldy, To conclude : the incomparable esteem that all good men have for it, shews it to be a thing of inestimable price.
Grace is the sum of all their prayers, the scope of all their endea- vours, the matter of their chief joy, the reward of their afflictions and sufferings; their chief joys and sorrows, hopes and fears in this world, are taken up about it. By all which it appears that its price is above rubies ; and all the gold and silver in the world are but dung and dross in comparison with it.
^ ONTAINING SIX practical inferences from this precious truth.
Infer. 1. Is saving grace more precious than gold.? Let them that
have it^ bless God for it and not boast. Men's hearts are apt to puff
up and swell with spiritual, as with material gold : It is hard to be an
Pl^ACTICAL INFERENCES FROM THE PRECIOUSNESS OF GRACE. 535
owner of much of this gold, and not be Hfted up with it. To keep down thy heart, and preserve thine eyes from being dazzled vyith these thy gracious excellencies, it will be needful for thee, Christian, sometimes to consider,
That although grace be one of the most excellent things that ever God created, yet it is but a creature^ a dependent thing, 1 Cor. V. 17.
Yea, it is not only a creature, but a very imperfect creature yet in thy soul, labouring under many weaknesses, Phil. iii. 12. and some- times ready to die, Rev. iii. 2.
Though it can do many things for you, yet it cannot justify you before God : You cannot make a garment of it to cover your guilt, nor plead the dignity of it at God's bar for your discharge : It is not your inherent, but Christ's imputed righteousness must do that for you, though in other respects it be very necessary.
Nay, remember how excellent soever it be, it is not the native growth and product of your hearts ; all the grace you have is foreign to your natures ; and what you have is received, 1 Cor. iv. 7.
And lastly, remember he that is most proud and conceited of his own graces will be found to be the owner of least grace, and hath most cause to question whether he hath any or none. It is the nature of grace to humble, abase, and empty the soul ; and it is the strength of our corruptions which thus puffs us up with vain conceits.
Infer. 2. Is saving grace more excellent than gold ? What cause then have the poorest Christians to he well satisfied with their lot f To others God hath given IshmaePs portion, the fatness of the earth; to you, Isaac's, the graces of the covenant : Their portion is paid in brass, yours in gold. Many of you are poor in the world, but ** rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which God hath promised," Jam. ii. 5. What is the dust of the earth to the fruits of the Spirit? You are troubled that you have no more of the world : It may be if you had more gold, you would have less grace. You consider not how many are poor and wretched in both v/orlds, moneyless and Christless too : You do not consider you are near come to that state in which all your wants will be fully supplied ; where you^ shall not need the treasures of the earth, and have your desires satisfied out of the treasures of grace and glory.
Infer. 3. Is saving grace gold .'' yea, infinitely more precious than gold ? Then surely declining Christians are great losers^ and have cause to be great mourners. The remission of the least degree of grace is more to be lamented than the loss of the greatest sum of gold.
Though the habits of grace be not lost, yet the acts of grace may be suspended, 2 Sam. xii. 31. The degrees of grace may be remitted, Rev. iii. 8. The evidences of grace may be clouded, and consequents ly the comforts of grace may be suspended, Isa. 1. 10. and the least of these is such a loss, as all the treasures of the earth cannot repair.
534) PRACTICAL INFERENCES FIIOM THE PEECIOUSNESS OF GRACES*
Well therefore may declining Christians challenge the iirst place among all the mourners in this world.
Iiif'er. 4. Is grace so invaluably precious? How precious then o^ight the ordinances of God be to our souls, hy which grace is first com- municated, and afterwards improved in our souls ! " The law of '' thy mouth is better unto me, than thousands of gold and silver," Psal. cxix. 72. and good reason, whilst it imparts and improves that to which gold and silver are but dross and dung.