You shall find an exhortation of the Apostle in 2 Cor. 6.1. We beseech you that you receive not the grace of God in vain. There is a double receiving of Gods grace in vain. The one is, when as Gods grace is offered and preached to people, and out of love to the world, and to their sins, they slight it, and will not receive it. Another receiving the grace of God in vain, it is, when as people have entertained the grace of God, and have entered into Covenant with Christ, and yet notwithstanding do not take the comforts that the grace of God affordeth them. This is also a receiving the grace of God in vain. This is thy case whoever thou art that art a believer, and yet notwithstanding doest not make melody in thy heart, and triumph over thy enemies. What have the redeemed of the Lord to do, but to praise the Lord? What have the members of Christ to do, but to rejoice in Christ? Do you think when the Lord giveth that Commandment, Phil, 4. Rejoice always in the Lord, and again, I say rejoice, (he doth not bid them rejoice in riches, in friends, in honours, in pleasures, &c. this is worldly, this is damnable, but he biddeth us rejoice in the Lord, in the privileges we have by Christ through the New Covenant of Grace; he biddeth us rejoice and always rejoice) Do you think, I say, when God gave you that Commandment, he had forgotten the state in which he left you, that he had left you under the power of many sins, subject to many failings, unable to perfect obedience? Do you think (I say again) that God forgot ⟨p. 116⟩the condition wherein he left you? No, God knew well enough what state he left you in, that you are as Israel mingled with the Canaanites, and yet he biddeth you to rejoice; why so? There is ground enough for your rejoicing, because you are not under the Law, but under grace, and if under grace, surely there is ground enough for your rejoicing, notwithstanding all your failings.
You shall find an exhortation of the Apostle in 2 Cor. 6.1. We beseech you that you receive not the grace of God in vain. There is a double receiving of Gods grace in vain. The one is, when as Gods grace is offered and preached to people, and out of love to the world, and to their sins, they slight it, and will not receive it. Another receiving the grace of God in vain, it is, when as people have entertained the grace of God, and have entred into Covenant with Christ, and yet notwithstanding doe not take the comforts that the grace of God affordeth them. This is also a receiving the grace of God in vain. This is thy case whoever thou art that art a beleever, and yet notwithstanding doest not make melodie in thy heart, and triumph over thy enemies. What have the redeemed of the Lord to doe, but to praise the Lord? What have the members of Christ to doe, but to rejoyce in Christ? Doe you thinke when the Lord giveth that Commandement, Phil, 4. Rejoyce alwaies in the Lord, and again, I say rejoyce, (he doth not bid them rejoyce in riches, in friends, in honours, in pleasures, &c. this is worldly, this is damuable, but he biddeth us rejoyce in the Lord, in the priviledges we have by Christ through the New Covenant of Grace; he biddeth us rejoyce and always rejoyce) Do you thinke, I say, when God gave you that Commandment, he had forgotten the state in which he left you, that he had left you under the power of many sins, subject to many failings, unable to perfect obedience? Doe you thinke (I say again) that God forgot ⟨p. 116⟩the condition wherein he left you? No, God knew well enough what state he left you in, that you are as Israel mingled with the Canaanites, and yet he biddeth you to rejoyce; why so? There is ground enough for your rejoyceing, because you are not under the Law, but under grace, and if under grace, surely there is ground enough for your rejoycing, notwithstanding all your failings.
