3. That we may with more confidence wait for the beginning, pro- gress, and consummation of our own salvation. There is the eternal love of God, the all-sufficient merit of Christ, and the omnipotent operation of the Holy Ghost. What cannot eternal love, infinite merit, and almighty ])Ower do ? As Christ is necessary to keep all right be- tween us and God, so the Spirit is necessary to keep all right between us and Christ. As we need a person of the godhead to satisfy the justice of God, so also to overcome our obstinancy and unbelief, and to vanquish temptations, and doubts, and fears, and to settle us in the
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1G2 SKKMON UrON 2 CORINTHIANS XIII. 14.
comfort and hope of the gospel. It is God's prerogative to settle the conscience : It^a. Ivii. 19, ' I create the fruit of the lips ; Peace, peace, to him tliat is afar off, and to him that is nigli, saith the Lord.' God is the su[)reme judge and the wronged party : ' He conmiands his loving- kindness in "tlie day-time,' Ps. xlii. 8. Ijy a powerful, imperial act of the Spirit, he stilleth our douhts and fears.
4. That the whole glory of our salvation may redound to God alone. Therefore the divine persons carry it on among themselves ; love, grace, and communication do all : ' To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the hcloved,' Eph, i. G. Grace is the fountain cause of our election ; grace bringeth it about ; for who could ransom a soul except Christ had taken the work in hand? There would have been a stop there : Ps. xlix. 7, 8, ' None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him ; for the redemption of their soul is precious, and ceaseth for ever.' There would have been a stop there. Grace applies all. What are we before the grace of the Sjiirit ? how imworthy till grace make us lovely ! how unable to lay hold on it before the Spirit of God enable us ! Rom. V. 6, ' For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.' And how unable are we to make good use of it afterward ! For (1.) What was our behaviour before calling? ' Disobedient, serving divers lusts and pleasures,' Titus iii. 3. (2.) In calling, it was slight and refractory : Job xxxiii. 14, ' For God speaketh once, yea twice, but man perceiveth it not.' He often inviteth, but men take no notice of what so much concerneth their soul's good, but slight all warnings and instructions, lay not their condition to heart, and many an opportunity is lost ; but God overcometh men's evil by his own goodness, and will not lose his elect ; therefore, ver. 16, * He openeth tlie ears of men, and sealeth their instruction ; ' that is, breaketh in U})on them in such a powerful way that they cannot withstand it. (3.) Since calling there are frequent interruptions of obedience : James iii. 2, ' For in many things we offend ail.' Our best ]ierformances are weak and full of blemishes : Isa. Ixiv^ G, ' We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filtliy rags.' So that from first to last all floweth from God, and all floweth from love, and grace, and communication of the Spirit, tliat our persons and actions are accepted. Now it is our duty to acknowledge this love, and highly esteem this glorious grace, and to testify our esteem by word and work. By word, in praises; by deed, expressing our thankfulness in our lives, that they may be a constant hymn to God, and a prai^^e of his grace that we are made partakers of.
Use 1. To encourage us to seek after the effects of this love of God, grace of Jesus Christ, and communion of the Spirit.
1. I will plead your want. What will you do if you have not Father, Son, and Holy Ghost for your God ? You have your beings from him for a while, but the day of his patience will not always last. You must die, and give an account ; and woful, yea, dreadful, will their account be who are not only involved in the common apostasy, but have heard of the transactions of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost about their recovery, and never minded tiie benefit, or made light of it. Surely it is woful dulness and stupidity not to value it, and to feel no need of it :
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2 Cor. vi. 1, ' We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.' What grace was that ? ' God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself/ chap. v. 19. That grace which the Father hath contrived for your salvation ; that grace for which Christ laid down his life ; that grace which is so atTectionately tendered in the gospel ; that grace and that free un- deserving mercy which is so suitable to your necessities. Will you despise this ? It was an act of infinite love of God to design it and reveal it to you ; of Christ, to purchase it for you ; of the Holy Ghost, to offer it to jou. ; yea, to strive with you to make you capable of it. Shall the gospel be cast away upon you, and all those gracious methods of God frustrated ? Or have you no need of it ? How will you maintain peace in your consciences now without grace ? How will you stand before God's tribunal at the last day ?