from a clear sky, fo grace from a reconciled God.

This, O my foul, is the language of every comfort I receive, every mercy I enjoy; which, God beftows to affure thee of his good-will, and draw thee to himself: He deals not with thee as an angry judge, but as a gracious benefactor, to encourage thee to return unto him. But piritual and eternal bleffings more abundantly proclaim and evidence this. "I will give grace and

glory, holiness and heaven," is the voice not of an unappeased Majefty, but of a God in Christ, reconciling the world to himself.

2. Will God give grace and glory to loft and perishing finners? how valuable a bleffing is the gospel, whereby life and immortality is brought to light, 2 Tim. i. 10. How distinguishing a privilege do they enjoy who live under the clear revelation of the good-will of God towards men : whilst others are ready to perish for want of vifion? We have more in this one line of the Bible, the Lord will give grace and glory, than the dim light of nature could ever discover.

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That we may be recovered from our lapfed state, and attain that glory we had forfeited by fin; on what terms 'twill be conferred, and to whom we are to go for ftrength to the performance; that God is reconciled and ready to receive returning finners; hath provided for them an everlasting kingdom, an incorruptible inheritance, and is willing to communicate his grace to fit them for it, &c. What ravishing discoveries are thefe! What better news could God fend to man! Whatever

Whatever conjectures the rest of the world may make of his favourable propenfions towards men, in that he fpares, fuftains, and feeds them, caufes his fun to fhine, and his rain to fall, giving them fruitful feafons, and filling their hearts with food and gladness; 'Tis only his fpecial declaration that can make known his abundant mercy, as reconciled through Chrift. Well may the Pfalmift cry out, Bleed is the People that hear the joyful found, Pfalm lxxxix. 15.

O my foul, doth not fo peculiar a bleffing deferve and call for thy special praise? Does it not become me to be highly fenfible of, and thankfully own, the divine goodness in difpofing my abode? How pleafantly are the lines fallen to me in a land of Bibles, where the grace of G.d hath appeared, bringing falvation, and I can read or hear from his own mouth, the Lord will give grace and glory. Doth not my heart fometimes pity, and feem to melt over, them who are born or caft in the remote corners of the earth, where they are in darkness as to their mifery and remedy, whilft mine eyes behold the light of life, and the joyful found is oft repeated in my ear? And fhall I not praise my God, by whom the difference is made, and earnestly beg of him, that I may not only have a revelation, but a real intereft in the things that concern my peace.

Then is the Gospel a bleifing indeed, and matter of everlasting praife, when it becomes, "the power of God," the inftrument of that power, to the falvation of thofe to whom it is

fent.

3. Will

3. Will God give grace and glory? hence learn the infinite value of the blood of Chrift, and our inconceivable obligations to him.

The blood of his crofs is not only the foundation of our peace, but the price of our happiness; of powerful efficacy to reconcile, and of extenfive merit to procure falvation, with eternal glory.

This, O my foul, is the grace of the Lord Jefus Chrift, who, tho' he was rich, yet for our fakes became poor, that we through his poverty might be rich, 2 Cor. vii. 9. He emptied himfelf of his glory that I might be filled; poured out his blood that the fountain of life and grace might flow forth to me; underwent the preffures of his father's wrath, that I might be reftored to the embraces of his love, and all the fruits and effects of it.

What love and praise do I owe him! What eternal obligations am I under to him! What joy will it be to be with him, in the glory he hath purchased; when I fhall be more fenfible of his love as leading to, the love of the father, and perfect happiness in it, and fhall be fwallowed up in love and praife for ever!

4. Will the Lord give grace and glory? then his mere good-pleafure is the fpring and fource of his peoples happiness and hope: the reafon of our falvation, both as begun and perfected.

Whilft in a natural unrenewed ftate, we can do nothing to deserve his grace; might juflly be left by him unholy and miferable, as fallen angels are. By wilful tranfgreffion we are liable to his wrath, and have no merit or motive to oblige or allure him to fave us from it. But he will

VOL. III.

b

have

have mercy on whom he will have mercy. Rom. ix. 18. Not by works of righteousness which "we have done, but according to his mercy he "faveth us, by the washing of regeneration, and

renewing of the Holy Ghoft;" and tho' this be our meetness for the inheritance of the faints in light, yet even that, too, is freely beftowed. The wages of fin is death, but eternal life is the gift of God. Rom. vi. 23.

5. Will the Lord give grace and glory? This fhews that his immenfe goodness is the measure of what he bestows. There is no proportion between what we can do for God, and what we receive from him. He is a Being every way perfect, and loves to act like himself: If he builds, he will make a world; if he faves he will divide the fea; if he threatens, 'tis an everlasting hell: and when he promises, 'tis eternal life in heaven, with whatever is neceffary in the way to it. The Lord will give grace and glory. He hath already difplayed his love in giving his Son, and will now make known his abundant mercy in fupplying the wants, fatisfying the defires, providing for the complete happiness, of his people according to his riches in glory by Jefus Chrift. They shall certainly be moft bleffed whom God undertakes to make fo.

6. Will God give grace and glory? Learn hence that regeneration is above the power of nature; nor does falvation depend on the variable inconftant will of man.

Could we recover ourselves, when fallen; or create a new heart; what need had God to have taken the work into his own hand? And feeing

he

he has fo, how fure is it that he will accomplish his defign, perfect what he has begun, and fulfil all his pleasure? "His people fhall be willing in "the day of his power;" fweetly, tho' efficaciously and infallibly, brought over to him; called according to his purpofe; habitually fanctified and feparated from the world; and at laft received to the prepared kingdom.

7. Will God give grace and glory? Hence I infer that the fouls of men are of

cy and worth.

great excellen

What does grace import, but the image of God; the participation of the divine nature; a being filled with his fulness here, Eph. iii. 19. and glory, but the dwelling with him in the heaven of heavens, the cœleftial temple, the presence-chamber of the Deity, the manfion of blifs and joy and how valuable is that being which the Most High will fo highly honour in time, and provide for to eternity?

8. Will God give grace and glory to certain of the loft and finful race of mankind? Hence learn that defpair is very unreafonable. Be humble, O my foul, in a fenfe of thy weakness and unworthiness, but do not defpond, or fink. Caft the anchor of hope in the ocean of divine love. Look up with truft and dependance to the Father of lights from whom every good and perfect gift defcends. Every thing comes from him by way of gift, and thofe gifts are, like himfelf, perfect. I am indeed, less than the leaft of bis mercies; yet am encouraged to hope for the greatest upon his own offer, and he takes pleasure in those that do fo. Pfalm cxlvii. 11.