314 THE APOSTOLIC BENEDICTION
It was not the words they cared about, but the meaning that lay behind the words ; and this meaning could, even by very imperfect speech, be conveyed to others who had been brought into the same experience as themselves. They could express the nature of God in terms of their own heart's experience and in no other ; and speaking in terms of experience they could not do justice to that which God was for them with fewer than these three Names. All of them would have responded with full hearts to St. Paul's threefold benediction ; " the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all."
^ " The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Love of God, and the Fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with you." Now I do not know precisely what sense is attached in the English public mind to those expressions. But what I have to tell you positively is that the three things do actually exist, and can be known if you care to know them, and possessed if you care to possess them. First, by simply obeying the orders of the Founder of your religion, all grace, graciousness, or beauty and favour of gentle life, will be given to you in mind and body, in work and in rest. The Grace of Christ exists and can be had if you will. Secondly, as you know more and more of the created world, you will find that the true will of its Maker is that its creatures should be happy ; — that He has made everything beautiful in its time and its place, and that it is chiefly by the fault of men, when they are allowed the liberty of thwarting His laws, that Creation groans or travails in pain. The Love of God exists, and you may see it, and live in it if you will. Lastly, a Spirit does actually exist which teaches the ant her path, the bird her building, and men, in an instinctive and marvellous way, whatever lovely arts and noble deeds are possible to them. Without it you can do no good thing. To the grief of it you can do many bad ones. In the possession of it is your peace and your power.^
I.
The Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.
What is the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ ? St. Paul said to the Corinthians that they knew it. " Ye know the grace of our
^ Rnskin, Lectures on Art, § 125 {Works, xx. 115).
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Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might become rich." The grace of Christ, that which was supreme in Him, which was His distinction and has made Him the type of perfect life, the example of salvation, to all mankind, was His complete devotion to the welfare of those with whom He came into contact. His grace was a devotion to the good of man which knew no thought for self, which counted no sacrifice too great to attain it, not even the death of the cross.
1. Grace, then, is first an attribute of God seen in Jesus Christ. " God commendeth his own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Eedemption originated in that disposition of the Divine mind. It was by the grace of God that Jesus Christ tasted death for every man, and it is to the same grace that every man owes his salvation. It begins in grace, is continued in grace, and is perfected in grace. At no stage is it of works ; it is a gift of God, the outflowing of His grace.
^ Dr. Pierson, when a young man, was never spoiled with an oversupply of spending money, for while his parents were thrifty they had a large family and his father was not in a position to supply all his boy's needs, much less his luxuries. He had, however, a wealthy uncle who one day asked Arthur if he was in need of money. When the young man candidly admitted that he was, the uncle took out a blank card and wrote an order to his cashier : " Give the bearer, Arthur T. Pierson, as much money as he wants and charge to my account. John Gray." The boy took his uncle at his word, drew as much money as he needed and repaid it to the cashier as soon as he was able. The uncle never asked how much he drew nor when he returned it. In comment- ing on this incident in later years Dr. Pierson said : " How like God's unbounded grace is the promise 'Ask what thou wilt.' How rich we are when God is our banker ! It is not our name or account that makes our request honoured, but the name of Him who endorses it — 'Whatsoever ye shall ask in my Name.'"^
2. But grace passes from an attribute of the Divine character to an active energy in the soul. At the throne of grace we " find grace to help us in time of need." The heart is "stablished by grace," and by grace " we may offer service well-pleasing to God.'*