This word is understood in several senses: for beauty, graceful
form, and agreeableness of person, Prov. i, 9; iii, 22. For favour,
friendship, kindness, Gen. vi, 8; xviii, 3; Rom. xi, 6; 2 Tim. i, 9. For
pardon, mercy, undeserved remission of offences, Eph. ii, 5; Col. i, 6.
For certain gifts of God, which he bestows freely, when, where, and on
whom, he pleases; such are the gifts of miracles, prophecy, languages,
&c, Rom. xv, 15; 1 Cor. xv, 10; Eph. iii, 8, &c. For the Gospel
dispensation, in contradistinction to that of the law, Rom. vi, 14; 1
Peter v, 12. For a liberal and charitable disposition, 2 Cor. viii, 7.
For eternal life, or final salvation, 1 Peter i, 13. In theological
language grace also signifies divine influence upon the soul; and it
derives the name from this being the effect of the great grace or favour
of God to mankind. Austin defines inward actual grace to be the
inspiration of love, which prompts us to practise according to what we
know, out of a religious affection and compliance. He says, likewise,
that the grace of God is the blessing of God’s sweet influence, whereby
we are induced to take pleasure in that which he commands, to desire and
to love it; and that if God does not prevent us with this blessing, what
he commands, not only is not perfected, but is not so much as begun in
us. Without the inward grace of Jesus Christ, man is not able to do the
least thing that is good. He stands in need of this grace to begin,
continue, and finish all the good he does, or rather, which God does in
him and with him, by his grace. This grace is free; it is not due to us:
if it were due to us, it would be no more grace; it would be a debt,
Rom. xi, 6; it is in its nature an assistance so powerful and
efficacious, that it surmounts the obstinacy of the most rebellious
human heart, without destroying human liberty. There is no subject on
which Christian doctors have written so largely, as on the several
particulars relating to the grace of God. The difficulty consists in
reconciling human liberty with the operation of divine grace; the
concurrence of man with the influence and assistance of the Almighty.
And who is able to set up an accurate boundary between these two things?
Who can pretend to know how far the privileges of grace extend over the
heart of man, and what that man’s liberty exactly is, who is prevented,
enlightened, moved, and attracted by grace?
form, and agreeableness of person, Prov. i, 9; iii, 22. For favour,
friendship, kindness, Gen. vi, 8; xviii, 3; Rom. xi, 6; 2 Tim. i, 9. For
pardon, mercy, undeserved remission of offences, Eph. ii, 5; Col. i, 6.
For certain gifts of God, which he bestows freely, when, where, and on
whom, he pleases; such are the gifts of miracles, prophecy, languages,
&c, Rom. xv, 15; 1 Cor. xv, 10; Eph. iii, 8, &c. For the Gospel
dispensation, in contradistinction to that of the law, Rom. vi, 14; 1
Peter v, 12. For a liberal and charitable disposition, 2 Cor. viii, 7.
For eternal life, or final salvation, 1 Peter i, 13. In theological
language grace also signifies divine influence upon the soul; and it
derives the name from this being the effect of the great grace or favour
of God to mankind. Austin defines inward actual grace to be the
inspiration of love, which prompts us to practise according to what we
know, out of a religious affection and compliance. He says, likewise,
that the grace of God is the blessing of God’s sweet influence, whereby
we are induced to take pleasure in that which he commands, to desire and
to love it; and that if God does not prevent us with this blessing, what
he commands, not only is not perfected, but is not so much as begun in
us. Without the inward grace of Jesus Christ, man is not able to do the
least thing that is good. He stands in need of this grace to begin,
continue, and finish all the good he does, or rather, which God does in
him and with him, by his grace. This grace is free; it is not due to us:
if it were due to us, it would be no more grace; it would be a debt,
Rom. xi, 6; it is in its nature an assistance so powerful and
efficacious, that it surmounts the obstinacy of the most rebellious
human heart, without destroying human liberty. There is no subject on
which Christian doctors have written so largely, as on the several
particulars relating to the grace of God. The difficulty consists in
reconciling human liberty with the operation of divine grace; the
concurrence of man with the influence and assistance of the Almighty.
And who is able to set up an accurate boundary between these two things?
Who can pretend to know how far the privileges of grace extend over the
heart of man, and what that man’s liberty exactly is, who is prevented,
enlightened, moved, and attracted by grace?