Use 2. Direction, both for prayer and praise. From God, as supreme, we derive all our graces ; to God, as supreme, we direct all our services, but still in and by the Mediator.
1. In prayer, we ground our hope of audience on the Father's love and Christ's intercession. We put up our suits in his name. There is no speaking to God, or hoping for anything from God, but by Christ : ' But through him we come boldly/ Heb. iv. 16. It is by this beloved hand that we present our petitions to God.
2. Praise. Every mercy we receive from God must be taken out of the hands of Christ ; we must look upon it as procured by his death, and as swimming to us in his blood, as the fruit of his mediatory dis- pensation : Eph. i. 3, ' Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.' All blessings come perfumed with his hand. Paul giveth thanks to Christ : 1 Tim. i. 12, ' I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me.' It is the grace of our Lord that is exceeding abundant in me.
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Use 3. Exhortation.
1. To admire grace. Let grace appear glorious, and be more magnified in our hearts, by every saving mercy which we receive. This was God's great end in saving the elect, that he might have the praise of his glorious grace. This is beneficial to us. You are strangers to God if you do not continually admire grace. This is the daily feast of a gracious soul ; by this means we come to taste of the joy of the saints, and live like the redeemed of the Lord. Yea, this doth most powerfully draw in the hearts of sinners to God. Consider how this grace deserveth our most lively thoughts and affections.
[1.] It is an ancient grace : Eph. i. 4, ' He hath chosen us in Christ before the foundations of the world.' It prevented all actual and fore- seen worth in those that were elected.
[2.] It is a free grace : Hosea xiv. 4, ' I will heal their backslid ings, I will love them freely.' In what a pitiful state were we by nature ! Horn. v. 20, ' The law entered, that the offence might abound : but where sin abounded, grace did much more abound,' virepeireplo-aevaev did over over-bound: 1 Tim. i. 13, ' Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecuter, and injurious ; but I obtained mercy,' rjkerjO'rjv.
[3.] It is a powerful grace to pardon so many sins, and accept us to so great a blessedness : John xii. 32, ' And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.' What can stand before the face of this love ?
[4.] It is a liberal grace : Ps. lxxxiv. 11, ' The Lord God is a sun and shield ; the Lord will give grace and glory, no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly ; ' Ps. xxxi. 19, ' Oh, how great is thy goodness which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee, which, thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee, before the sons of men ! '
[5.] It is a glorious grace : Eph. i. 6, ' To the praise of the glory of his grace.' So glorious that no created understanding can conceive it : Eph. iii. 19, ' And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge.' No tongue can express it.
2. Let the grace of God lead you to repentance, Rom. ii. 4. God is gracious, but not to those that continue in their sins, without any change or conversion : Ps. lxviii. 21, ' He will wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses.' Grace giveth hope, justice giveth only what is due, and. considereth not who needeth, but who deserveth ; but we may use the church's plea, Hosea xiv. 2, ' Eeceive us graciously.' It is dangerous to stand out against grace : 2 Cor. vi. 4, ' We beseech you receive not this grace in vain ; ' to neglect God's offers. In point of gratitude, wonders of grace should melt our hearts, and be as coals of fire on our heads, Hosea iii. 5. Can we offend so good a God ? Oh, be not so disingenuous ! Cheerfully serve so good a master, where grace sup- plieth all to you.
3. Do not wrong grace, to quiet and strengthen you in your sin, or to embolden you to disobey Christ. Vain people will say, We need not make so much ado about heaven ; mercy and grace will save us : Jude 4, ' There are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our
352 SERMONS UPON 2 THESSALONIANS I. [SeR. XVI.
God into lasciviousness,' fAeraTiQevTes. You wrest it from its proper use. This is to make grace our enemy, when we make a dung-cart of it, only to carry away our filth ; like riotous children, presuming on their father's estate and goodness ; you debauch it to a vile use.