GRACE
Grace is the mother and nurse of holiness, and not the apologist of sin. ME51
The more grace we have, the less we shall think of ourselves, for grace, like light,
reveals our impurity. ME297
I hope that none of you think that you have more grace than you need, because you
have not. You may, possibly, have as much grace as will last you through to-day; but
you will need as much as that to-morrow morning, if not more. TN66
Grace does not make us unearthly, though it makes us unworldly. WCo74
A seat in heaven shall one day be thine; but a chain in hell would have been thine if
grace had not changed thee. 125.146
I know not a word which can express the surprise and wonder our souls ought to feel
at God’s goodness to us. Our hearts playing the harlot; our lives far from perfect;
our faith almost blown out; our unbelief often prevailing; our pride lifting up its
accursed head; our patience a poor sickly plant, almost nipped by one night’s frost;
our courage little better than cowardice; our love lukewarmness; our ardour but as
ice—oh, my dear brethren, if we will but think any one of us what a mass of sin we
are, if we will but reflect that we are after all, as one of the fathers writes, “walking
dunghills,” we should indeed be surprised that the sun of divine grace should
continue so perpetually to shine upon us, and that the abundance of heaven’s mercy
should be revealed in us. 500.160
Too many professors are quarrelling with God that they are not other than they are.
This is evil, and shows that pride is still in their hearts, for were they conscious of
their own deserts they would know that anything short of hell is more than we
deserve, and as long as we are not in the pit of torment gratitude becomes us. 1276.64
We are accustomed not only to say “grace,” but “free grace.” It has been remarked
that this is a tautology. So it is, but it is a blessed one, for it makes the meaning
doubly clear and leaves no room for mistake. Since it is evidently objectionable to
those who dislike the doctrine intended, it is manifestly forcible, and therefore we
will keep to it. We feel no compunction in ringing such a silver bell twice over—grace,
free grace. 1524.122
Our God will supply us with those choice graces and consolations which shall
strengthen us to glorify his name even in the fires. He will either make the burden
lighter, or the back stronger; he will diminish the need, or increase the supply. 2131.3
That thou shouldest die for me remains the greatest of all miracles in my esteem.
That thou shouldest choose me, and call me, and pardon me, and save me, is a world
of wonders, at which my soul stands gratefully amazed. 2161.472
This is how grace works; it enters the soul, penetrates the heart, saturates the
conscience, abides in the memory, affects the affections, gives understanding to the
understanding, and imparts real life to the heart, which is the seat of life. 2410.196
John Bradford—you have probably heard the story a hundred times,—when he used
to see people going past his window, on the way to Tyburn, to be hanged, said, “There
goes John Bradford, but for the grace of God; if it had not been for the grace of God,
John Bradford too would have been hanged.” 2711.42
Talk of millions and of billions,—we must get into the inconceivable before we can
estimate the infinite, the unutterable value of those gifts which Jesus Christ
continually gives to us, which grace pours into our lap from the cornucopia of love. 2763.39
If God had begun saving us because we were good, he would of course leave off saving
us when we were not good. 3084.138
Grace is the free favour of God, the undeserved bounty of the ever-gracious Creator
against whom we have offended, the generous pardon, the infinite, spontaneous
loving-kindness of the God who has been provoked and angered by our sin, but who,
delighting in mercy, and grieving to smite the creatures whom he has made, is ever
ready to pass by transgression, iniquity, and sin, and to save his people from all the
evil consequences of their guilt. 3115.506
I do not doubt, brethren, that there is a grace which precedes quickening, a grace for
which theology has no name, which prepares the soul for the reception of the divine
Word, which makes the soul ready before the living seed comes. 3329.559
If grace does not make you to differ from your own surroundings, is it really grace at
all? 3405.221