2. Grace is something from that favour, from that free grace of God wrought in us. And that grace wrought in us is —
(1.) First, the grace of a whole, universal change; for whomsoever God accepts graciously to life everlasting, he gives them the gifts of grace, with his favour ; he chaugeth their nature, that they ma}^ be fit to entertain fellowship with him. For when by grace he accepts us to favom', if he should not alter om* natures, alas ! what a case were we in ! were we fit for communion with God ? No ! Therefore, that we may have communion with God, he alters our dispositions, that we may be holy as he is holy. This change is the first change in Christianit3^
(2.) Now in this gracious change, which is a work of the gracious Spirit, * Qu. 'practice quickens every article?' — Ed,
282 COMMENTARY ON
derived to us by Christ, in whom our niitnre is filled with all grace, and in whom wo receive ' grace for grace,' there arc tfrares urotif/ht : as —
[1.] A heai-enhi litiht to sec a further end than ever wo saw before ; a heavenly convincing light to see the love of God, to see life everlasting, to see glorious things.
[2.] And withal comes the firace of love to carrj' the whole inward man to the things tliat we see.
[3.] Then there is the iirace nf hope to expect, and jnUloici' to endure all till wo be possessed of that which our understandings are enliglitoncd to see,
[4.] And fdith persuades the soul where to have it, and relies on the promise. So particular graces are wrought. Therefore that is one reason why the apostle names not wisdom in particular, when he saith, ' We have not led our conversation according to carnal, fleshly wisdom, but by grace,' His meaning is that a Christian, when he hath heavenly wisdom, he hath all graces and wisdom together. There is a connection, a comliination of graces, as I said. So he leads his life by all gi'accs ; for all gi'aces are necessary to a Christian life. Therefore instead of wisdom, he puts the word grace.
(3.) Now besides these, besides the favour of God accepting us in Christ ; and besides the working of these graces in i^s, in and after our conversion, there is another degree of grace requisite, irhicli is a jmrticiihtr excit'mg, ajrphi'uui, stroK/lJtciiinf/ firace, which is required to every good act, to act every good work, and resist every evil, and to enjoy good things as we ought to enjoy them. I say, there is a grace necessary to withstand temptations in all evil, besides graces habitual that are wrought in us, of faith, and love, and hope, &c. These, except they be actuated and enli- vened by the continual w^ork of the Spirit, except they be brought to act, and a new strength put into them, they are not sufficient for a Christian life. Therefore St Paul here by grace, means not only the graces of the Spirit, habitual graces ; but the power of the Spirit acting, enlivening, quickening, and strengthening him against every evil in particular, and to every good work in particular.
' But by the grace of God.' In that the apostle here, though he princi- pally mean wisdom, yet he means grace, the next point I will observe is this, that
Doctrine. All the ivisdom that ice have it comes from grace.
All the wisdom we have comes from grace, merely from grace. And this grace is not wanting to us when we have renounced our fleshly wisdom. Heavenly wisdom comes altogether from grace. To make this a little clear. Whatsoever is spiritual it comes from Christ. Since the fall we have nothing but by especial grace. God being reconciled by Jesus Christ, he hath placed all fulness of grace in him : he hath enriched our nature in him with wisdom, and all graces whatsoever. ' All the treasures of wis- dom are in him,' Col. ii. 3, and all other graces. God the Father, and our Saviour Christ, they send the Spirit, they communicate the SpLrit, which takes of Christ, and doth enlighten, and quicken, and guide all those that are members of (Jhrist. All in particular, all inward things come from grace. Grace comes from the Spirit, the Spirit from Christ, and this is the descent of grace and wisdom.
Thereupon they are taken indefuiitely in Scripture, sometimes to ' walk wisely,' Eph. v. 15, to walk graciously, sometimes to ' walk in the Spirit,' Eom. viii. 1, sometimes to 'walk in Christ,' Col. ii. 6. It is all one. Sometimes to be in Christ. ' Whosoever is in Christ,' &c., 2 Cor. v. 17,
2 CORINTHIANS CHAP. I, VER. 12. 283
And to walk in the Spirit, and by the Spirit, to pray in the Spirit, and in wisdom, and in faith, or to hve by faith, or to live by grace, or in grace, they are all one, because they are subordinate. For Christ is the treasure of the church. All that is good for the church is laid up in him, ' wis- dom,' and whatsoever. ' Of his fulness we receive grace for grace,' John i. IG. Grace, answerable to the grace that is in him. He vouch- safes us his Spirit.