Working from the understanding that it is God Who works in us to do of His Good Pleasure, the covenant of grace abounds with gracious help in our battle with heart plagues. It defends us from Satan, answering and repelling all his accusations through the Righteousness and Intercession of an All-prevailing Advocate. It removes all that was fitted to strengthen sin, for it removes that paralyzing sense of guilt upon the conscience, in the face of which no man ever truly set himself to serve the living God or to cure his heart of evil. It condemns sin in the flesh, it dethrones the old man, weakens him, saps and mines his citadels and is mighty through God to the pulling down of his strongholds. It reveals holiness in its true beauty and loveliness as seen in the character and especially the death, the loving death of a Friend and Elder Brother.
It plucks off the mask of sin, stripping off its veneer of beauty and throws a steady light upon its baits and snares, exposing them to view, enabling us to shun them. But most profoundly, It provides you in this work with a loving, compassionate, considerate, faithful and unchangeable Companion and High Priest, even One Who, in that He Himself has suffered being tempted, He is able to support those that are tempted. It provides and secures God's affectionate and Fatherly acceptance of our sincere, though imperfect efforts after holiness. With these and many other encouragements, the covenant of grace crowns us with the blessed hope and assurance of the perfect victory when we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He Is. Surely if the difference between the two covenants is so great, we should take serious heed that we entertain no expectation of the slightest success unless we have shut ourselves up in faith, consciously, resolutely, and continually in the covenant of grace.
It plucks off the mask of sin, stripping off its veneer of beauty and throws a steady light upon its baits and snares, exposing them to view, enabling us to shun them. But most profoundly, It provides you in this work with a loving, compassionate, considerate, faithful and unchangeable Companion and High Priest, even One Who, in that He Himself has suffered being tempted, He is able to support those that are tempted. It provides and secures God's affectionate and Fatherly acceptance of our sincere, though imperfect efforts after holiness. With these and many other encouragements, the covenant of grace crowns us with the blessed hope and assurance of the perfect victory when we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He Is. Surely if the difference between the two covenants is so great, we should take serious heed that we entertain no expectation of the slightest success unless we have shut ourselves up in faith, consciously, resolutely, and continually in the covenant of grace.
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