Grace is a word of various acceptations. In its most eminent sig- nifications it may be referred unto one of these three heads : —
1. Grace oi personal presence and comeliness. ^So we say, "A grace- ful and comely person," either from himself or his ornaments. This in Christ (upon the matter) is the subject of near one-half of the book of Canticles; it is also mentioned, Ps. xlv. 2, " Thou art fairer than the children of men ; grace is poured into thy lips." And unto this first head, in respect of Christ, do I refer also that acceptation of grace which, in respect of us, I fix in the third place. Those incon- ceivable gifts and fruits of the Spirit which were bestowed on him, and brought forth in him, concur to his personal excellency; as will afterward appear.
2. Grace oi free favour and acceptance. '" By this grace we are
' Acts XV. 11; Rom. xvi. 24; 1 Cor. xvi. 23; 2 Cor. xiii. 14; Gal. vi. 18; Epb. vi. 24. 3 Prov. i. 9, iii. 22, 34; Cant. iii. 6-11, v. 9-16, etc.
' Ezra ix, 8; Acts iv. 33; Luke ii. 40; Estiier ii. 17; Ps. Ixxxiv. 11 ; Eph. ii. 6; Acts XV. 40, xviii. 27; Rom. i. 7, iv. 4, 16, v. 2, 20, xi. 5, 6; 2 Thess. ii. 16; Tit. iii. 7; Rev. i. 4, etc.
48 OF COMMUNION WITH THE SON JESUS CHRIST.
saved;" that is, the free favour and gracious acceptation of God in Christ. In this sense is it used in that frequent expression, " If I have found grace in thy sight ;" that is, if I be freely and favourably accepted before thee. So he " giveth grace" (that is, favour) " unto the humble," James iv. 6; Gen. xxxix. 21, xli. 87; Acts vii. 10;
1 Sam. ii. 20; 2 Kings xxv. 27, etc.
3. The fruits of the Spirit, sanctifying and renewing our natures, enabling unto good, and preventing from evil, are so termed. Thus the Lord tells Paul, "his grace was sufficient for him;" that is, the assistance against temptation which he afforded him, Col. iii. 16;
2 Cor. viii. 6, 7; Heb. xii. 28.
These two latter, as relating unto Christ in respect of us who receive them, I cull jnir chased grace, being indeed purchased by him for us; and our communion with him therein is termed a " fellowship in his sufferings, and the power of his resurrection," Phil. iii. 10.
1. Let us begin with the first, which I call personal grace; and concerning that do these two things: — (1.) Show ivhat it is, and wherein it consisteth ; I mean the personal grace of Christ. And, — (2.) Declare how the saints hold immediate comriiunion tvith him therein.
(1.) To the handling of the first, I shall only premise this observa- tion:— It is Christ as mediator of whom we speak; and therefore, by the " gi'ace of his person," I understand not, —
[L] The glorious excellencies of his Deity considered in itself, abstracting from the office which for us, as God and man, he under- took.
[2.] Nor the outward appearance of his hitman nature, neither when he conversed here on earth, bearing our infirmities (whereof, by reason of the charge that was laid upon him, the prophet gives quite another character, Isa. Iii. 1 4), concerning which some of the ancients were very poetical in their expressions ; nor yet as now exalted in glory ; — a vain imagination whereof makes many bear a false, a cor- rupted respect unto Christ, even upon carnal apprehensions of the mighty exaltation of the human nature ; which is but " to know Christ after the flesh," 2 Cor. v. 16, a mischief much improved by the abomi- nation of foolish imagery. But this is that which I intend, — the graces of the person of Christ as he is vested with the office of mediation, — his spiritual eminency, comeliness, and beauty, as appointed and anointed by the Father unto the gi-eat work of bringing home all his elect unto his bosom.
Now, in this res])ect the Scripture describes him as exceeding ex- cellent, comely, and desirable, — far above comparison with the chief est, choicest created good, or any endearment imaginable.
Ps. xlv, 2, " Thou art fairer than the children of men : grace is
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poured into thy lips." ^He is, beyond comparison, more beautiful and gracious than any here below, — ^''t'!!?^, (jwpJiiaphitha); the word is doubled, to increase its significancy, and to exalt its subject beyond all comparison. NK>J ""Jao D'^lj; xn"'D'0 i^D^D liSlC', says the Chaldee paraphrast : " Thy fairness, 0 king Messiah, is more excellent than the sons of men." "Pulcher admodum pra3 filiis hominum ;" — exceed- ing desirable. Inward beauty and glory is here expressed by that of outward shape, form, and appearance;^ because that was so much esteemed in those who were to rule or govern. Isa. iv. 2, the prophet, terming of him "The branch of the Lord," and "The fruit of the earth," affirms that he shall be "beautiful and glorious, excellent and comely ; " "for in him dwelleth all the fuhiess of the Godhead bodily," Col. ii. 9.
Cant. V. 9, the spouse is inquired of as to this very thing, even concerning the personal excellencies of the Lord Christ, her beloved : " What is thy Beloved" (say the daughters of Jerusalem) " more than another beloved, 0 thou fairest among women? what is thy Beloved more than another beloved ?" and she returns this answer, verse 10, " My Beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand;" and so proceedeth to a particular description of him by his excellencies to the end of the chapter, and there conclude th that " he is altogether lovely," verse 16 ; whereof at large afterward. Particularly, he is here affirmed to be "white and ruddy;" a due mixture of which colours com- poses the most beautiful complexion.