The ground of it is this, as Austin, as I said, defines predestination well, it is a destinating and ordaining to a supernatural end, to everlasting salva- tion in the world to come, and a preparing of all means to that end.* Why, now as it is a grace that God pulls out some men to an eternal estate of salvation in heaven, to a supernatural estate, that they could never attain without his especial gi'ace ; so the preparing of all means to that end, it falls within the compass of predestination, within the grace.
So when we have any means prepared to bring us to that end, the offer of the word, and the Spirit of God disposing us to embrace the word, this preparing of the means to that end, it falls within the compass of predes-
* Of. note eee. — G.
2 CORINTHIANS CHAP. I, VER. 15. 335
tination, we may gather our election by it. When we see the word sent in favour, and have gracious hearts to receive it, this is a preparation wTOUght to bring us to heaven, a man may know his election by it. All is of grace that falls within the decree of grace. When God decrees to bring a man to heaven, all that helps to the main must needs be grace. The minister is a grace, the word a grace, opportunities to do good a grace, the communion of saints a grace, all that helps a man forward is a grace. A gracious heart sees God in everything, it sees God's love in everything ; it considers of everything that befalls it as a grace. Why ? From this disposition espe- cially, because with the grace there is grace to make a blessed use of, and to improve everything.
Use. If this be so, let 7is look upon every benefit that concerns salvation, though it he ronote, even the very direction of good speeches to zis, account it a grace. It is the grace of God that I have this opportunity, especially the public ministry. St Paul calls it ' a grace ; ' let us think of it as a grace. And as we do in clocks, we go from the hammer that strikes, to the wheels, and from one wheel to another, and so to the weights that make it strike : we go to the first weight, the first wheel that moves all, and leads all. So when we see good done, look not to the good done only, but go to the wheels, to the weights, that move it, and make it strike. What sets all agoing ? The grace and free love of God. W^hen good things are Bpoken, when any good is done, go higher to the first wheel that sets all agoing, to the grace and free love of God. This is the language of the Scripture and of the Spirit of God. Thus we must speak and think, to the end that God may have the glory of his grace in whatsoever good is done or offered.
When Abigail met David, and diverted him from his bloody intention to kill Nabal, and gave him counsel another way, ' 0 blessed be God, and blessed be thou, and blessed be thy counsel,' 1 Sam. xxv. 82-84. So when opportunities are oftered to do good, and to hinder us from evil in- tentions, ' 0 blessed be thou, and blessed be thy counsel.' When a benefit is done, if it be a benefit of this life, take it as a grace coming freely from God. So a poor man, his alms is a grace. ' Thanks be unto God for this unspeakable gift,' saith St Paul, 2 Cor. ix. 15. It is grace in him that hath it, that God should respect him so much as to relieve him. It is grace in the party that gives it, that he hath a heart enlarged to do it. So when anything outward or spiritual is done that is good, look on it as a grace, put that respect on it, and that will make you holy-minded to give God his own.
Our life should be a praising and blessing of God. We should begin the employment of heaven while we are on earth. How should we do that ? ' In all things give thanks,' Eph. v. 20. Every good thing from God, take it as a grace, as a largess ; not as due, not as coming by chance, but as a grace. And this will make us improve it as a grace for the best. It will make us to give God the glory, and improve it to our own good, when we are thankful for grace, that we may have cause to account it a grace. Our hearts would not be so full of atheism, and our tongues so full of blasphe- mies, if we had learned this lesson; our lives would be a praising of God.
And that we may not want matter to feed a thankful spirit, alway con- sider, what good things we have are of grace. We deserve not so much as a crumb of bread ; therefore we \)i'a.j, ' Give us this day our daily bread,' Mat. vi. 11. Everything is a grace, especially the things of a better life.
How shall I know that the minister is a grace, or a gOod speech from a