GLORIOUS GRACE
And he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shouting, crying,Grace,
grace!—Zechariah 4:7
THE MERCY OF GOD IS that attribute which we, the fallen, sinful race of Adam,
stand in greatest need of, and God has been pleased, according to our needs, more
gloriously to manifest this attribute than any other. The wonders of divine grace are the
greatest of all wonders. The wonders of divine power and wisdom in the making [of] this
great world are marvelous; other wonders of his justice in punishing sin are wonderful;
many wonderful things have happened since the creation of the world, but none like the
wonders of grace. "Grace, grace!" is the sound that the gospel rings with, "Grace, grace!"
will be that shout which will ring in heaven forever; and perhaps what the angels sung at
the birth of Christ, of God’s good will towards men, is the highest theme that ever they
entered upon.
In order to understand the words of our text, we are to take notice that the scope and
design of the chapter is to comfort and encourage the children of Israel, returned out of
their Babylonish captivity, in the building of Jerusalem and the temple: who it seems
were very much disheartened by reason of the opposition they met with in the work, and
the want of [the] external glory of the former temple before the captivity, so that the
priests and the Levites, and the chief of the fathers, wept aloud as the rest shouted at the
sight, as you may see in Ezra 3:12, "But many of the priests and Levites, and chief of the
fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this
house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice, and many shouted aloud for
joy." You may see a full account of their great oppositions and discouragement’s in the
fourth and fifth chapters.
The prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, were sent on this occasion to comfort them
under those discouragement’s. by foretelling the glories of the gospel should be displayed
in this latter house, which should render the glories of it far beyond the glories of the
former, notwithstanding it was so far exceeded in what is external. In Hag. 2:39,
Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? and how do ye see it
now? is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing? Yet now be strong, O
Zerubbabel, saith the Lord; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and
be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the Lord, and work: for I ; am with you, saith
the Lord of hosts: according to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of
Egypt, so my spirit .; remaineth among you: fear ye not. For thus saith the Lord of hosts;
Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, i and the earth, and the sea, and
the dry land; And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I
will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts. The silver is mine, and the gold is
mine, saith the Lord of hosts. The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the
former, saith the Lord of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts.
See also, in the third chapter of this book, at the eighth verse, "Hear now, O Joshua
the high priest, thou and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at;
for behold, I will bring forth my servant, the Branch." And the same subject is continued
in [his chapter, even the glorious grace of the gospel, which was to be manifested by
Christ in this temple, particularly in our text, "and they shall bring forth the headstone
with shouting, crying, Grace, grace unto it." The headstone is that which entirely crowns
and finishes the whole work, signifying that the entire gospel dispensation was to be
finished in mere grace.
This stone was to [be] brought with repeated shouting or rejoicings at the grace of
God, signifying the admirableness and gloriousness of this grace.
DOCTRINE.
The gospel dispensation is finished wholly and entirely in free and glorious grace:
there is glorious grace, shines in every part of the great work of redemption; the
foundation is laid in grace, the superstructure is reared in grace, and the whole is
finished in glorious grace.
If Adam had stood and persevered in obedience, he would have been made happy by
mere bounty [and] goodness; for God was not obliged to reward Adam for his perfect
obedience any otherwise than by covenant, for Adam by standing would not have merited
happiness. But yet this grace would not have been such as the grace of the gospel, for he
would have been saved upon the account of what he himself did, but the salvation of the
gospel is given altogether freely. Rom. 11:6, "And if by grace, then it is no more works:
otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace;
otherwise work is no more work."
That we may give you as full explication of this doctrine as we can in a little space,
we shall first, show free grace shines forth in the distinct parts of this wondrous work of
redemption; second, speak a little of the gloriousness of this grace.
I. But as to the first, every part of this work was performed of mere grace.
First. It was of free grace that God had any thoughts or designs of rescuing mankind
after the fall. If there had not been an immense fountain of goodness in God, he would
never have entertained any thoughts at all of ever redeeming us after our defection. Man
was happy enough at first, and might have continued so to all eternity, if he would; he
was not compelled to fall. If he had not willfully and sinfully rebelled against God, he
would never have been driven forth like an unworthy wretch, as he was. But although
God had been so overflowing in his bounty to him as to make him head over the lower
creation and ruler of all other creatures, and had planted a garden on purpose for his
delight, and would have fixed him in an eternal happiness only on the reasonable
condition of his obeying the easy commands of his maker; but yet notwithstanding all, he
rebelled and turned over, from God to the devil, out of a wicked ambition of being a god
himself not content in that happy state that he was in as man and so rebelled against
God’s authority.
Now who but God of boundless grace, would not have been provoked, after this, to
leave him as he was, in the miserable state into which he had brought himself by his
disobedience; resolving to help him no more, leaving him to himself and to the
punishment he had deserved, leaving him in the devil’s hands where he had thrown
himself, not being contented in the arms of his Creator; who, but one of boundless grace,
would ever have entertained any thoughts of finding out a way for his recovery?
God had no manner of need of us, or of our praises. He has enough in himself for
himself, and neither needs nor desires any additions of happiness, and if he did need the
worship of his creatures, he had thousands and tenthousands of angels, and if he had not
enough, he could create more; or, he could have glorified his justice in man’s eternal
destruction and ruin, and have with infinite ease created other beings, more perfect and
glorious than man, eternally to sing his praises.
Second. But especially was it of rich and boundless grace that he gave his only Son
for our restoration. By our fall, we are cast down so low into sin and misery, so deeply
plunged into a most miserable and sinful condition, that it may truly be said, although all
things are infinitely easy to God with respect to his omnipotency, yet with respect God’s
holiness and justice, God himself could not redeem us with a great deal of cost, no, not
without infinite costs; that is, not without the presence of that, that is of infinite worth
and value, even he blood of his Son, and in proper speaking, the blood of God, of divine
person.
This was absolutely necessary in order to our redemption, because here was no other
way of satisfying God’s justice. When we were alien, it was come to this: either we must
die eternally, or the Son of God must spill his blood; either we, or God’s own Son must
suffer God’s wrath, one of the two; either miserable worms of the dust that had deserved
it, or the glorious, amiable, beautiful, and innocent Son of God. The fall of man brought
it to this; it must be determined one way or t’other and it was determined, by the strangely
free and boundless grace of God, that this his own Son, should die that the offending
worms might be freed, and set at liberty from their punishment, and that justice might
make them happy. Here is grace indeed; well may we shout, "Grace, grace!" at this.
The heathens used to reckon that an only son slain in sacrifice was the greatest gift
that could be offered to the gods. It was that, that they used sometimes to offer in times
of great distress, and in some parts of the world it is constantly at this day performed. But
we have stranger thing than that declared to us in the gospel; not that men sacrificed their
only sons to God, but that God gave his only Son to be slain, a sacrifice for man. God
once commanded Abraham to offer his only son to him, and perhaps the faith and love of
Abraham may be looked upon as wonderful, that he was willing to perform it- there are
few that would do it in these days but if you wonder at that, how wonderful is it that,
instead of Abraham’s offering his only son to God, God should give his only Son to be
offered for Abraham, and for every child of Abraham. Certainly, you will acknowledge
this to be a wonder not to be paralleled.
And beside, God did not do this for friends, but for enemies and haters of him. He did
not do it for loyal subjects, but for rebels; he did not do it for those that were his children,
but for the children of the devil; he did not do it for those that were excellent, but for
those that were more hateful than toads or vipers; he did not do it for those that could be
any way profitable or advantageous to him, but for those that were so weak, that instead
of profiting God, they were not able in the least to help themselves.
God has given even fallen man such a gift, that He has left nothing for man to do that
he may be happy, but only to receive what is given him. Though he has sinned, yet God
requires no amends to be made by him; He requires of him no restoration; if they will
receive His Son of Him, He requires neither money nor price; he is to do no penance in
order to be forgiven. What God offers, He offers freely. God offers man eternal happiness
upon far more gracious terms since he is fallen than before; before, he was to do
something himself for his happiness; he was to obey the law: but since he is fallen, God
offers to save him for nothing, only if he will receive salvation as it is offered; that is,
freely through Christ, by faith in Him.
Third. It was of mere grace that the Son was so freely willing to undertake our
salvation. How cheerfully, yea how joyfully, did he undertake it, although he himself was
the very person that was to suffer for man. Though He himself was to bear his sin and be
made sin for him, yet how cheerfully cloth He speak: Ps. 40:78, "Lo, I come: in the
volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O Cod." He says, in Prov.
8:31, that his "delights were with the sons of men," for so did he love them that it seems
he himself was willing to die in their room, rather than that they should be miserable. He
freely undertook this out of mere love and pity, for he never was and never will be, repaid
by them for his blood. ’Twas on that we might be happy.’
Fourth. The application of the redemption of the gospel, by the Holy Spirit, is of
mere grace. Although God the Father has provide a savior for us, and Christ has come
and died, and there is nothing wanting but our willing and hearty reception of Christ; yet
we shall
eternally perish yet, if God is not gracious to us, and don’t make application of
Christ’s benefits to our souls. We are dependent on free grace, even for ability to lay hold
in Christ already offered, so entirely is the gospel dispensation of mere grace. Eph. 2:810,
"For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of
God." That is, we shall [be saved] freely and for nothing if we will but accept of Christ,
but we are not able to do that of ourselves, but it is the free gift of God: "not of works,
lest any man should boast, for we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good
works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."
II. We shall briefly speak to the gloriousness of this grace. As the grace of the gospel
is altogether free, so it is glorious; the angels stoop down, with eyes full of wonder and
joy, to look into, and shout for gladness and admiration, at the sight of it. How did the
multitudes of heavenly hosts shout at the birth of Christ, crying, "Glory to God in the
highest; on earth peace and good will towards men!" Well may the topstone of this house
be brought forth with shouting, crying, "Grace, grace!" to it.
All the attributes of God, do illustriously shine forth in the face of Jesus Christ: his
wisdom in so contriving his power in conquering death and the devil, and the hard and
rocky hearts of depraved men; his justice in punishing sins of men rather upon his own
dear Son, than let it go unpunished; but more especially, [in] his grace, that sweet
attribute, he has magnified his mercy above all his names.
The grace of God, exhibited in the gospel, is glorious,
First. Because of the greatness of it. Every circumstance of the gospel, grace
surprisingly heightens it; let us look on what part we will, we shall see enough to fill us
and all the angels in heaven with admiration forever. If we consider it as the grace of God
the Father, and consider his greatness, his holiness, his power and justice, immensity and
eternity; if we diligently consider how great a being he is, who took such pity and
compassion on mankind, it is enough to astonish us. Or, if we consider ourselves, on
whom this great God has bestowed this grace, we are nothing but worms, yea less than
worms, before God; and not only so, but sinful worms, worms swollen with enmity
against God. If we consider him by whom we receive [grace], the Son of God who made
heaven and, by his almighty power, [is] equal with the Father; if we consider the
greatness of what he did- he died most ignominiously and painfully in our nature it all
infinitely heightens the grace of the gospel.
Second. Because of the glorious fruit of this. No less than salvation and eternal glory
are the fruits of this grace of the gospel; adoption, union with Christ, communion with
God, the indwelling of the Holy Ghost, the heavenly happiness, the pleasure of the
eternal paradise, the new Jerusalem, the glorious and triumphant resurrection of the body,
and an everlasting reign with Christ in the height of glory, and pleasure and happiness: no
less than these things are the effects of this marvelous grace.
What a vast difference is there between a poor, miserable sinner, full of sin,
condemned to hellfire, and, a saint shining forth in robes of glory, and crowned with a
crown of victory and triumph; but ’tis no less difference than this, is made in the same
man by the grace of God in Christ.
APPLICATION.
I. Hence we learn, how they dishonor God and the gospel, who depend on anything
else but mere grace. The gospel is far the most glorious manifestation of God’s glory that
ever was made to man, and the glory of the gospel is free grace and mere mercy. Now
those that will not depend on this free grace, they do what they can to deprive the gospel
of this glory, and sully the glory of God therein shining forth; they take away the praise,
glory, and honor, that is due to God by his free grace and mercy to men, and set up
themselves as the objects of it, as if their salvation at least partly, was owing to what’ they
have done.
This must needs be very provoking and highly affronting to God: For miserable
sinners, after they are fallen into such a miserable estate that it is impossible they should
be saved by any other means than pure grace, and God is so gloriously rich in his
goodness, as to offer this free grace unto them out of pity to them: how provoking must it
be to God for these miserable, helpless wretches to attribute any of their salvation to
themselves!
It is not an opportunity to buy and procure our own salvation that God offers, but an
opportunity to lay hold on that salvation which is already bought and procured for us;
neither are we able to [do] this of ourselves, it is the gift of God.
There are some, that hope to be saved quite in another way than ever the gospel
proposed; that is, by their own righteousness, by being so good and doing so well, as that
God shall take their goodness as sufficient to counterbalance their sin, that they have
committed, and thereby they make their own goodness to equal value with Christ’s blood.
This conceit is very apt to creep into the proud heart of man.
Some openly profess to be able to merit salvation, as papists. Others hold that they
are able to prepare and fit themselves for salvation already merited, or at least are able to
do something towards it of themselves, and it is to be feared that many that don’t openly
profess either their own righteousness or their own strength, do very much depend upon
both. By this doctrine, how much they dishonor the free grace of the gospel!
II. Let all be exhorted to accept the grace of the gospel. One would think, that there
should be no need of such exhortations as this, but alas, such is the dreadful wickedness
and the horrible ingratitude of man’s heart, that he needs abundance of persuading and
entreating to accept of God’s kindness, when offered them. We should count it horrible
ingratitude in a poor, necessitous creature, to refuse our help and kindness when we, out
of mere pity to him, offer to relieve and help him. If you should see a man in extremity of
distress, and in a perishing necessity of help and relief, and you should lay out yourself,
with much labor and cost, out of compassion to him, that he might be relieved, how
would you take it of him, if he should proudly and spitefully refuse it and snuff at it,
instead of thanking you for it? Would you not look upon it as a very ungrateful,
unreasonable, base thing? And why has not God a thousand times the cause, to look upon
you as base and ungrateful, if you refuse his glorious grace in the gospel, that he offers
you? When God saw mankind in a most necessitous condition, in the greatest and
extremist distress, being exposed to hellfire and eternal death, from which it was
impossible he should ever deliver himself, or that ever he should be delivered by any
other means, He took pity on them, and brought them from the jaws of destruction by His
own blood. Now what hat great ingratitude is it for them to refuse such grace as this?
But so it is: multitudes will not accept a free gift at the hands of the King of the
World. They have the daring, horrible presumption as [to] refuse a kindness offered by
God himself, and not to accept a gift at the hands of Jehovah, nor not his own Son, his
own Son equal with himself. Yea, they’ll not accept of him, though he dies for them; yea,
though he dies a most tormenting death, though he dies that they may be delivered from
hell, and that they may have heaven, they’ll not accept of this gift, though they are in such
necessity of it, that they must be miserable forever without it. Yea, although God the
Father invites and importunes them, they’ll not accept of it, though the Son of God
himself knocks and calls at their door till his head is wet with the dew, and his locks with
the drops of the night, arguing and pleading with them to accept of him for their own
sakes, though he makes so many glorious promises, though he holds forth so many
precious benefits to tempt them to happiness, perhaps for many years together, yet they
obstinately refuse all. Was ever such ingratitude heard of, or can greater be conceived of?
What would you have God do for you, that you may accept of it? Is the gift that he
offers too small, that you think it too little, for you to accept of ? Don’t Cod offer you his
Son, and what could Cod offer more? Yea, we may say God himself has not a greater gift
to offer. Did not the Son of God do enough for you, that you won’t accept of, him; did he
[not] die, and what could he do more? Yea, we may say that the Son of God could not do
a greater thing for man. Do you refuse because you want to be invited and wooed? You
may hear him, from day to day, inviting of you, if you will but hearken. Or is it because
you don’t stand in need of God’s grace? Don’t you need it so much as that you must either
receive it or be damned to all eternity, and what greater need can there possibly be?
Alas, miserable creatures that we are, instead of the gift of God offered in the gospel’s
not being great enough for us, we are not worthy of anything at all: we are less than the
least of all God’s mercies. Instead of deserving the dying Son of God, we are not worthy
of the least crumb of bread, the least drop of water, or the least ray of light; instead of
Christ’s not having done enough for us by dying, in such pain and ignominy, we are not
worthy that he should so much as look on us, instead of shedding his blood. We are not
worthy that Christ should once make an offer of the least benefit, instead of his so long
urging of us to be eternally happy.
Whoever continues to refuse Christ, will find hereafter, that instead of his having no
need of him, that the least drop of his blood would have been more worth to them, than
all the world; wherefore, let none be so ungrateful to God and so unwise for themselves,
as to refuse the glorious grace of the gospel.
III. Let those who have been made partakers of this free and glorious grace of God,
spend their lives much in praises and hallelujahs to God, for the wonders of his mercy in
their redemption. To you, O redeemed of the Lord, cloth this doctrine most directly apply
itself; you are those who have been made partakers of all this glorious grace of which you
have now heard. ’Tis you that God entertained thoughts of restoring after your miserable
fall into dreadful depravity and corruption, and into danger of the dreadful misery that
unavoidably follows upon it; ’tis for you in particular that God gave his Son, yea, his only
Son, and sent him into the world; ’tis for you that the Son of God so freely gave himself;
’tis for you that he was born, died, rose again and ascended, and intercedes; ’tis to you that
there the free application of the fruit of these things is made: all this is done perfectly and
altogether freely, without any of your desert, without any of your righteousness or
strength; wherefore, let your life be spent in praises to God. When you praise him in
prayer, let it not be with coldness and indifferency; when you praise him in your closet,
let your whole soul be active therein; when you praise him in singing, don’t barely make a
noise, without any stirring of affection in the heart, without any internal melody. Surely,
you have reason to shout, cry, "Grace, grace, be the topstone of the temple!" Certainly,
you don’t want mercy and bounty to praise God; you only want a heart and lively
affections to praise him with.
Surely, if the angels are so astonished at God’s mercy to you, and do even shout with
joy and admiration at the sight of God’s grace to you, you yourself, on whom this grace is
bestowed, have much more reason to shout.
Consider that great part of your happiness in heaven, to all eternity, will consist in
this: in praising of God, for his free and glorious grace in redeeming you; and if you
would spend more time about it on earth, you would find this world would be much more
of a heaven to you than it is. Wherefore, do nothing while you are alive, but speak and
think and live God’s praises.
