3. The efficacy and power of grace is discovered in the gospel. Christ sendeth his Spirit to apply what he himself hath purchased. One person comes to merit, and the other to accomplish the fruit of his merit. Mark, to stop the course of grace, divine justice did not only put in an impediment, but there was our infidelity that hindered the application of that which Christ was^to merit ; and tlierefore, as the second person is to satisfy God, so the thu-d person is to work upon us. There was a double hindrance against the business of our salva- tion— God's justice, for the glory of God was to be repaired, therefore Christ was to merit ; and there was our unbelief, therefore the Spirit must come and apply it. First, Christ suffered, and when he was ascended, then was the Spirit poured out. Had it not been for the gospel, we should never have known the efficacy and power of grace. The apostle puts the question : Gal. iii. 2, ' This only would 1 learn of you. Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith ? ' How did you come to be acquainted with grace ? This is the seal which God would put upon the excellency and authority of the gospel, that he will associate and join in assistance with it the operation of the Spirit to accompany it. Look, as it is with the sun, light increaseth with heat ; the morning beams are faint and gentle, but at noon the sun shines out, not only with glory, but with strength ; so it is here ; the more the light of the gospel is increased, the more is the efficacy and power of it conveyed into the sons of men. The dispensation of the law is called the ' oldness of the letter,' and the dispensation of the gospel the ' newness of the spirit : ' Eom. vii. 6, * But now ye are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held, that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.' In the mere law dispensation there was only a literal direction, but no strength and ability to perform what is sug- gested. Lex juhet, gratia juvat — The law commands, but all the commands of grace help. There is a Spirit that goeth along with the gospel to qualify us for the duties of it : 2 Cor. iii. 6, ' Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament ; not of the letter, but of the spirit ; for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.' With the dispensation of the gospel God joins the virtue and power of the Holy
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Ghost. The letter convinceth, and so by consequence obligeth to death, for we cannot perform what it requireth of us ; but now there is a spirit goes along with the gospel, and so we are acquainted with the efficacy of grace.
4. We are acquainted with the largeness and bounty of grace. The benefits that come by Christ were not so clearly revealed in the law ; there was no type that I know of which figured union with Christ. The blood of Christ was figured by the blood of bulls and goats, justi- fication by the fleeing away of the scape-goat, sanctification by the water of purification. But now eternal life is rarely mentioned in express terms ; sometimes it is shadowed out in the promise of inheriting the land of Canaan, as hell is by going into captivity ; but otherwise it is seldom mentioned : 2 Tim. i. 10, ' But now it is made manifest ' (speaking of the grace of God) ' by the appearing of our Saviour Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.' The gentiles had but glimmerings and gross fancies about the future state. Life and immortality was never known to the purpose till Christ came in the flesh ; and therefore heaven is as sparingly mentioned in the Old Testament as temporal blessings are in the new. In the Xew Testament we hear much of the cross, of sufferings, and afflictions. Whv ? Because there is much of heaven discovered. The eternal reward is strong enough, but temporals are not of consideration. Carnal men are of a temper quite contrary to the gospel ; they could be content to be under the old dispensation, to have temporal blessings, and let God keep heaven to himself. But this is the great privilege of the gospel, that life and immortality, the blessed liope, the eternal recompenses are now mentioned so expressly, and pro- pounded to our desires and hopes.
5. In the gospel we learn the sureness of grace. God will no more be disappointed ; the whole business lies without us, in other hands. In the first covenant, our salvation was committed to the indetermin- ate freedom of man's will ; but now Christ is both a redeemer and a surety. The former covenant depended upon something in ourselves, upon the mutability of our will ; but now it is put into the hands of Christ, not only to reconcile us to God, but to preserve and keep us in such an estate. Therefore, Heb. vii. 22, he is said to be ' the surety of a better testament.' Christ stands engaged to see the covenant kept on both sides. God hath Christ to challenge for obedience, and we to give us grace to perform that which God hath required of us ; so that now grace in all its glory is made known. The apostle saith, Kom. iv. 16, ' Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace, to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed.' This is that which makes it sure to all the elect, because God deals with us upon such gracious and free terms.