4. To come boldly, it is to ask for others as well as ourselves, to beg mercy and grace for all the saints of God under heaven as well as for ourselves—"Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit—for all saints" (Eph 6:18).
5. To come boldly, it is to come and take no nay; thus Jacob came to the throne of grace—"I will not let thee go except thou bless me" (Gen 32:26).
6. To come boldly, it is to plead God's promises with him both in a way of justice and mercy, and to take it for granted God will give us—because he hath said it—whatever we ask in the name of his Son.
Fourth. Labour to advance God's grace in thy heart, by often admiring, praising, and blessing God in secret for it; God expects it—"Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me," says he. "By Jesus Christ therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually; that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name" (Psa 50:23; Heb 13:15).
SECOND. [In life.] But again; as we should advance this grace in our hearts, so we should do it in our life. We should in our conversation adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. It is a great word of the apostle, "Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ," which is the gospel of the grace of God (Phil 1:27). God expecteth that there should in our whole life be a blessed tang24 of the gospel, or that in our life among men there should be preached to them the grace of the gospel of God.
The gospel shows us that God did wonderfully stoop and condescend for our good; and to do accordingly, it is to stoop and condescend to others.
The gospel shows us that there was abundance of pity, love, bowels, and compassion in God towards us; and accordingly we should be full of bowels, pity, love, and compassion to others.
The gospel shows us that in God there is a great deal of willingness to do good to others.
The gospel shows us that God acteth towards us according to his truth and faithfulness, and so should we be in all our actions one to another.
By the gospel, God declares that he forgiveth us ten thousand talents, and we ought likewise to forgive our brother the hundred pence.