471
985.]
was intelligent and docile : or if we purposed to confer any favour, we should look out for an object that was worthy of it. But God acts in a very different manner. He takes the poor
in preference to the richb the ignorant before the
wise c and, in many instances, the vile before those,
whose lives have been more moral d Not that God dis- regards morality, where it flows from proper principles, and has respect to his glory : but his grace is his own e ; and he will impart it to whomsoever he will f, without accounting him- self responsible to any for the distribution of his favours B.
This exactly accords with the experience of the primi- tive saints h, and with the Church of God in every age and place ]
II. The extent of his love —
[If it were told us that God would shew mercy to our fallen race, what should we have been led to expect at his hands ? We should scarcely have raised our thoughts higher than an exemption from punishment. Indeed, this is the limit which unenlightened men universally assign to God's mercy ; " He is merciful, therefore he will not punish." But who would have ever thought, that he should so love us, as to give
his only dear Son to die for us ? Who would have
conceived, that he should moreover send his Holy Spirit to dwell in our hearts as our instructor, sanctifier, and com- forter ? Who would have imagined that he should give
himself to us, with all that he is, and all that he has, as our
present and everlasting portion? Is not all this "as
much above our thoughts as the heavens are above the earth?"]
III. The methods by which he accomplishes towards
us the purposes of his grace —
[Supposing us informed that God would take us to heaven, we should be ready to think, that certainly he would deliver us at once from temporal affliction, and more especially from spiritual conflicts. Would it ever enter our minds, that the objects of his eternal love should be left to endure the pres- sures of want, or the agonies of a cruel death ? Could we once imagine, that they should be exposed, year after year, to the assaults of Satan : and be suffered, on many occasions, to
b Matt. xi. 5. James ii. 5. John vii. 48. c Matt. xi. 25, 26. 1 Cor. i. 19, 20.
d Matt. xxi. 31, 32. and xix. 20 — 22. contrasted with Luke vii. 37, 47. and 1 Tim. i. 13.
e Matt. xx. 15. f Rom. ix. 15, 16.
s Jobxxxiii. 13. Rom. ix. 20.
11 See 2 Sam. vii. 18, 19. 1 Cor. i. 26—29.