Thomas Brooks offers ten particulars of renewing grace over and against restraining grace.
1. True grace makes all glorious within and without: A lion in a cage is a lion still; he is restrained, but not changed. But now true grace turns a lion into a lamb.
2. The objects of true grace are supernatural.
3. True grace enables a Chrsitian, when he is himself, to do spirtual actions with real pleasure and delight, To souls truly gracious, Christ's yoke 'is easy, and his burden is light;' his commandments are not grievous, but joyous."
4. True grace makes a man most careful, and most feaful of his own heart.
5. Grace will work a man's heart to love and cleave to the strictest and holiest ways and things of God, for their purity and sanctity, in the face all dangers and hardships.
6. True grace will enable a man to step over the world's crown, to take up Christ's cross; to prefer the cross of Christ above the glory of this world.
7. Sanctifying grace, renewing grace, puts the souls upon spiritual duties, from spiritual and intrinsical motives, as from the sense of divine love, that does constrain the soul to wait on God, and to act for God; and the sense of the excellency and sweetness of communion with God, and the choice and precious discoveries that the soul hath formerly had of the beauty and glory of God, while it hath been in the service of God.
8. Saving grace, renewing grace, will cause a man to follow the Lord Fully in the desertion of all sin, and in the observation of all God's precepts.
9. True grace leads the soul to rest in Christ, as in his summum bonum, chiefest good.
10. True grace will enable a soul to sit down satisfied and contented with the naked enjoyments of Christ.
Thomas Brooks, Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices, Banner of Truth Trust, 154-162.
