Grace is little in quantity, but it is mighty in operation. It carries the soul through difficulties ; nothing can stand in the way of a gracious man, no, not the gates of hell. The spirit of grace that is in a Christian is stronger than he that is in the world. * A grain of mustard seed,' the very least measure of true holiness, is stronger than the greatest measure of opposition. A Christian's strength lies out of himself. He never over- comes by his own power : ' He can do all things through Christ assisting him," Philip, iv. 13. Otherwise he is a most impotent creatui'e, unable to * Qu. ' possessors ' ? — G.
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do or suffer anytliing, ready to give over at the least trouble, and sink under every pressure of affliction.
27( //•</, Again, ointment cloth exccUmihj ilrli;iht mid reftr.th our spirits; as ^vc see the box in the gospel, when it was opened, the whole house smelled of it, John xii. 3. So grace is a wondrous sweet thing. Before we arc anointed with the Spirit of Christ, with stablishing grace, what are we but a company of nasty, abominable persons in the eyes of God ? All things are accursed to us, and we are accursed in whatever we do. God cannot look on us but as loathsome creatures ; as the prophet saith, ' I would not so much as look on thee, if it were not for Jehoshaphat's sake,' 2 Kings iii. 14.
That which makes a man sweet is gi'ace. This makes our nature, that is noisome and offensive in the nostrils of the Almighty, in itself, to become pleasant and amiable. A mcked man is a vile man, an ulcerous, deformed creature. Grace is of a healing nature wheresoever it is. This cures our spiritual distempers, beautifying the inner man, and making the whole frame of a Christian's carriage sweet and delectable.
(1.) First, to God, who loves the scent of his own grace, wheresoever he finds it.
(2.) Sccondhj, to aur/rls. The conversion of sinners rejoiceth them, Luke XV. 10. When our custody is committed to their charge, how are they de- lighted with the beauty of holiness shining in us ! The graces of God in his saints are a feast to them. The very name of a godly and gracious man ' is as a sweet ointment' everywhere, Cant. i. 3.
(3.) Holy men, when they are read of in stories, n-hat a savour do they cast 7)1 the church! So far as a Christian is a ' new creature,' it makes him in love with himself, scorning to be so undervalued as to defile himself with base ser\"ices. So far as a man is gracious, he gives himself to honourable employments. Being a vessel of grace, he improves his abilities to glorious uses, esteeming things below too mean for him.
Grace is a wondrous pleasant thing, ofiensive to none but to wicked men, that have no savour of God or goodness. It sweetens the soul, makes it delectable for Christ and his Holy Spirit to lodge in, as in ' a garden of spices.' A gracious man, that hath subdued his corruptions, is wondrous amiable, both to himself and to tbe communion of saints. His heart is ' as fine silver.' Everything is sweet that comes from him. Grace is full of comfort to a man's own conscience, the sense of which enlargeth the soul to all holy services.
FoiirthJi/, An ointment hath another property, it consecrates jJersnns to holy uses. Anointed persons are raised above the ordinary rank. The graces of God's Spirit elevate men above the condition of others with whom they live. Anointed persons are sacred persons, they are inviolable : ' Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm,' Ps. cv. 15. We wrong the * apple of God's eye,' Zech. ii. 8, we offer indignity to Christ himself, if we hurt these. Indeed, nothing can hurt them ; but God, by his over- ruling power, turns all for their good.
Lastly, An ointment is a royal liquor. It will be above all. So the graces of God's Spirit, where they are, will be uppermost, they will guide and govern all. As if a man have excellent parts, grace will rule these and make them serviceable to Christ his truth and members. If we have ■weakness and corruption, grace will subdue it by little and little, and never leave conflicting till it hath got the victory.
What are our souls without God's anointing ? Dead, stinking, offensive
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to God, to good mon, and to ourselves. Wc cannot see with peace the visage of our owii souls. Who can reflect seriously into his heart and life without horror, that hath no grace ? A man that sees his conscience awakened without this anointing, what is he ? Surely as the body with- out the soul. It is not all the excellencies of the soul laid upon a dead body, or all the goodly ornaments that bedecked it, can keep it from stink- ing, and being a loathsome object, because it wants the soul to quicken and enliven it to good employments. Of itself it is but a piece of earth. All the vigour and life that the body hath is communicated from the soul. They are beholden to our souls for many things. Put the richest orna- ments whatsoever upon the body, and not the Spirit of grace upon the soul (to chei'ish and refresh the same, that it may appear lovely ia God's sight), all is to no purpose.