“(1.) Of form or person (Prov. 1:9; 3:22; Ps. 45:2). (2.) Favour,” “kindness, friendship (Gen. 6:8; 18:3; 19:19; 2 Tim. 1:9). (3.)” God’s forgiving mercy (Rom. 11:6; Eph. 2:5). (4.) The gospel as distinguished from the law (John 1:17; Rom. 6:14; 1 Pet. 5:12). “(5.) Gifts freely bestowed by God; as miracles, prophecy,” tongues (Rom. 15:15; 1 Cor. 15:10; Eph. 3:8). (6.) Christian virtues (2 Cor. 8:7; 2 Pet. 3:18). (7.) The glory hereafter to be revealed (1 Pet. 1:13).

“An expression not used in Scripture, but employed (1) to denote” those institutions ordained by God to be the ordinary channels “of grace to the souls of men. These are the Word, Sacraments,” and Prayer. “(2.) But in popular language the expression is used in a wider sense to denote those exercises in which we engage for the “purpose of obtaining spiritual blessing; as hearing the gospel,” “reading the Word, meditation, self-examination, Christian” “conversation, etc.”

Posted by webmaster on Thursday, November 30th, 2017 @ 3:20PM
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