The first property of Grace is this: There shall be a pardon of sin; the sins that are past shall be forgiven. That this is in grace you may see in Jer. 31.34. For I will forgive their iniquities, and remember their sins no more. The Property of grace it is to pardon failings, to cover imperfections, to accept of a desire, and of an endeavour, and of a weak performance: This is the first property of grace; that this is so, you may see it in Noh. 13.22. Remember me O my God, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy: That is, remember my good deeds, and spare my imperfections, and pass by my weaknesses, Nehemiah could not have prayed it, if God had not promised it. So also that in Mal. 3.17. They shall be mine, saith the Lord, and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. How doth a man spare a son? If a servant serve a man, he makes him do the uttermost, he will be content with nothing but perfect obedience; but if a son come to serve the father, the further will wink at many failings, will take well an imperfect, service, so the son desireth and endeavoureth to do better: so saith the Lord, I will spare them, as a father spareth his son that serveth him. It is said of the Lord-Christ in Ma•. 12.20. A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking […] shall he not quench, till he send forth judgement unto victory. ⟨p. 112⟩There is more promised in the words than is expressed. A bruised reed shall he not break but he shall strengthen it; A smoking flax shall he not quench, but he shall increase it; that is the meaning of it, he shall be so far from slighting desires, and endeavours, and imperfect obedience, that he shall accept them, and strengthen them, as appeareth in the next words, till he hath brought forth judgement unto victory; The work of sanctification is victory, Christ will strengthen imperfect obedience, till he hath made holiness and obedience victorious over all corruption. This is the first property of Grace to pardon sin, to accept imperfect obedience, to cover frailties.
The first propertie of Grace is this: There shall be a pardon of sin; the sins that are past shall be forgiven. That this is in grace you may see in Jer. 31.34. For I will forgive their iniquities, and remember their sins no more. The Propertie of grace it is to pardon failings, to cover imperfections, to accept of a desire, and of an endeavour, and of a weak performance: This is the first propertie of grace; that this is so, you may see it in Noh. 13.22. Remember me O my God, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercie: That is, remember my good deeds, and spare my imperfections, and passe by my weaknesses, Neheminh could not have prayed it, if God had not promised it. So also that in Mal. 3.17. They shall be mine, saith the Lord, and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. How doth a man spare a son? If a servant serve a man, he makes him doe the uttermost, he will be content with nothing but perfect obedience; but if a son come to serve the father, the futher will winke at many failings, will take well an imperfect, service, so the son desireth and endeavoureth to doe better: so saith the Lord, I will spare them, as a father spareth his son that serveth him. It is said of the Lord-Christ in Ma•. 12.20. A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking 〈…〉 shall he not quench, till he send forth judgement unto victory. ⟨p. 112⟩There is more promised in the words than is exprest. A bruised reed shall he not break but he shall strengthen it; A smoking flax shall he not quench, but he shall increase it; that is the meaning of it, he shall be so far from slighting desires, and endeavours, and imperfect obedience, that he shall accept them, and strengthen them, as appeareth in the next words, till he hath brought forth judgement unto victory; The work of sanctification is victorie, Christ will strengthen imperfect obedience, till he hath made holinesse and obedience victorious over all corruption. This is the first propertie of Grace to pardon sin, to accept imperfect obedience, to cover frailties.
