maliciously, habitually, studiously, resolutely, wilfully, delightfully, deadly, d/juapTiav ov Troiel^ 'He does not make it his work to sin,' he cannot follow his lusts, as a workman follows his trade, ' for his seed remaineth in him.' ' The seed of God,' the seed of grace, is an abiding seed. Grace in itself is certain and unchangeable, though the feeling thereof be uncertain. Grace hath an abiding excellency in it ; grace hath eternity stamped upon it. It is durable riches. Other riches * make themselves wings, and fly from us,' Prov. viii. 18, and xxvii. 24 ; but grace will keep us company till we get to heaven. Our last step in holiness will be into happiness. Grace is a blossom of eternity. It is an anointing that abides, 1 John ii. 27 ; John iv. 14, and vii. 38. That is, the principle of grace infused into you, which was typified by the unctions or anointings in the ceremonial law, which was signified by the precious ointment poured upon the head of Aaron, that ran down to the skirts of his garments —this principle will prove durable and lasting. Grace is ' a well of water, springing up into ever- lasting life.' Grace is a river of living water. Now this river can never be dried up, because the Spirit of God is the constant spring that feeds it and maintains it. Grace is not a stream or a pond that may run dry, but a well, yea, a springing well of inexhaustible fulness, sweetness, virtue, and refreshment. Grace wiU still be springing up and flowing out in all the carriages and deportments of a Christian. Grace will be flowing out in all a Christian's duties and services, in his outward calling and employments, in his trials and sufferings. Grace will break out at a Christian's eyes, ears, tongue, hands, feet. Where grace is a well of water, a river of living water, there that Christian will see for Christ, and hear for Christ, and talk for Christ, and do for Christ, and walk with Christ. Grace is a well, a river, that will be springing up to everlasting life. Grace and glory difier, non specie sed gradu, in degree, not in kind. Grace differs very little from glory. The one is the seed, the other the flower. Grace is glory mili- tant, and glory is grace triumphant. Grace is a beginning of glory. It may be compared to the golden chain in Homer, whose top was fastened to the chair of Jupiter, l Grace and glory are individual, and inseparable. The psalmist joins them together, ' The Lord will give grace and glory,' Ps. Ixxxiv. 11. Grace is a living spring that never faileth, a seed that never dieth, a jewel which never consumeth, a sun that never setteth. All other gifts of whatsoever kind, worth, or excellency, are but like a cloud soon dispelled, a vessel of clay soon broken, a sandy foundation soon sunk. Grace is more excellent than gold. Gold draws the heart from God, grace draws the heart to God ; gold doth but enrich the mortal part, the ignoble part, but grace en- riclies the angelical part, the noble part ; gold perishes, but grace per- severes, 1 Peter i. 7. If grace were not permanent, it could not be excellent ; if grace were not durable, it could not be pleasurable ; if grace were not lasting, yea everlasting, it could not be a Christian's comfort in life, his support in death, and his glorious crown in the great day of account. Grace in itself is permanent, incorruptible ; it fadeth not away ; it is a birth that shall never die ; it is a plant of re- nown that shall never wither, but grow up more and more till grace be
^ Iliad, book viii. liue 18, seq. — G.
510 THE SIGNAL PRESENCE OF GOD
turned into glory : upon which account one of the ancients [Jerome] had rather have St Paul's coat with his heavenly graces, than the purple of kings with their kingdoms. No troubles, no distresses, no dangers can deprive us of our graces, can rob us of our spiritual treasure. But,