Stones He is called A corner Stone If you look upon the Trees He is called A Tree of life What is the reason of this Surely not only to way-lay your thoughts that wheresoever you look still you should think of Christ But to shew that in a Spiritual way and sence He is all this unto the soul And you may observe that these Titles and Names they are not barely and nakedly given to Him but still with some speciality some mark or other He is not barely called the Shepheard but the good Shepheard He is not onely called a Lamb but the Lamb slain from the begining of the world He is not barely called the Light but The true Light the Light of the world He is not barely called Bread but The Bread of life Now you know why Adam at the first gave Names unto the Creatures according to their names was their Natures was their conditions and Adam our first father Adam was not mistaken when he gave the names And do you think Christ the Second Adam when he gives these names unto himself that he is mistaken Certainly he is not mistaken he is all this And therfore as the Apostle speaks in the 3. Col. 11. you reade it Christ is all in all but better He is all things in all persons or all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all things He is all things Whatsoever good there is found in any man 't is from Jesus Christ Surely may one say The Lord is our strength Surely may we all say the Lord is our strength the Lord Jesus is our righteousness Whatsoever Grace or holiness the Saints have they have it from Jesus Christ You will say Object This though it seem to give much to Christ it derogates from the Father for if all be from Jesus Christ then nothing from the Father and so it derogates from God the Father No Answ It does no way derogate from God the Father The Apostle Paul was much in this Doctrine that now I am upon Rom. 1.7 and yet he honored the Father too Grace and Peace saies he from God our Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ Though al Grace be from Christ yet Grace and peace from the Father too saies he from God our Father And having shown in the 7. of the Romans That being married unto Christ and dead unto the Law that therefore we should bring forth fruit as in the 4. verse Wherefore my Brethren ye also are become dead to the Law by the Body of Christ that ye should be married to another even to Him who is raised from the dead that we should bring forth fruit unto God He does not say That we should bring forth fruit unto Christ but that we should bring forth fruit unto God The Father and Christ are one Joh. 10.30 I and my Father are one saies Christ In honoring Jesus Christ you honor the Father as in honoring of the Father you honor Christ You will say Wherein is the honor to the Father Quest according unto this Truth how does this any way make to the honor of God the Father that all Grace is from Jesus Christ Yes for First Ans Though all Grace be immediatly given out of the hand of Christ all grace from Him and He gives it out He is Commissioned and defigned by the Father to do it He does but the Fathers work Ioh. 6.38 I came not to do my own will but the will of Him that sent me Was it any dishonor to Pharoah that Joseph gave out the bread in the time of famine No because he was Commissioned by Pharoah to do it And so now If Jesus Christ have a Commission from the Father to do this 't is no dishonor to the Father and a Commission He hath He will shew you it under hand and seal Him hath God the Father sealed Ioh. 6.27 so saies Christ Again Though all Grace come immediately out of the hand of Christ all Grace from Him and He gives it out Yet He is furnish't and accomplish't with ability unto this great Office by God the Father Isa 61.1 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me saies he and He hath anointed me to open the prison dores to Captives c. Now is it any dishonor to God that the Sun does distribute and give out light and heat unto all the Creatures No but rather an honor to Him for when a man sees so glorious a creature as the Sun that gives out light and heat unto all the creatures here below he lifts up his hands and saies Oh! what a glorious God have we that hath furnished this creature with these abilities So now when a man considers Christ as this great Sun of righteousness distributing His Graces to all the Saints will it be any dishonor to God the Father that He is in this Office seeing He hath furnished Him hereunto Surely no they will-rather lift up their hands and say Oh! what a good God have we that hath furnished Christ with all these abilities for our poor souls Again Though the administration of things be in the hand of Christ the right is in the Father and when Jesus Christ hath done His work He will give up the Kingdom to the Father Ioh. 6.44 Mat. 11.27 in the mean while None comes unto the Son but whom the Father draws And None comes unto the Father but he unto whom the Son reveals him Is it any disparagment unto a man to have a wise a potent a great man to his child Pro. 10.1 A wise son makes a glad father saies Solomon Indeed if the Father and the Son were two they might be enemies but Christ and the Father are one Joh. 10.30 I and my Father are one and therefore in honoring of Jesus Christ you honor the Father also But you will say Quest Was there no creature in all the world that was fit to make this great trust over to Why hath God the Father put Christ into this Office that all Grace should come out of His Hand Was there no creature that was fit for this work but Christ alone No Ans This trust would have broke the back of any Creature no Creature in Heaven or Earth as a meer creature was able to purchase this trust he had not a stock and Estate of Grace enough by him Christ Himselfe hath it by purchase For he being the Second Person the Apostle tels us Phil. 2.7.9 He emptied Himself and became of no reputation wherefore God hath given Him a Name above every name that in the Name and strength of Jesus Christ we should be more than Conquerers He had a great Estate by Him He was the Second Person Yet notwithstanding this purchase was so great that saies Paul He emptied Himself Surely no Creature in Heaven and Earth was able to come to this purchase He that must be the worlds Joseph to give out bread of Grace to all the world the Saints in
Come and let us take our fill of love Come friends come company let us go unto such a Tavern or such a place where we may be fully merry Come O my soul take thy contentment in creature fulness there is enough there This robs Christ of the glory of all His fulness To carry away the custom of my thoughts unto another Shop from Christ argues that there is not enough in Christ alone Then beloved to conclude all Are there any here as I fear there may be too many that have thus robbed Jesus Christ of the glory of His fulness I beseech you in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ whose fulness I have bin now preaching to you I beseech you in the fear of God go into your Chamber and be alone awhile and fall down before the Lord and say thus unto Him or to this purpose Oh! Lord I confess it hath bin so w th me I have thought that there hath not bin a sufficient rule for the Government of the Churches and herein I have wronged Christ in His Prophetical fulness and the Lord pardon this unto me Lord I confess also I haue said many times that my fins are so great that there is no hope for mercy that there is no hope for pardon herein I have wronged the Priestly fulness of Jesus Christ now the Lord pardon this unto me I confess Lord I have stinted thee and I have limitted thee and I have said many times in my hast if this means fail then England is undone the Church undone thus I have limitted thee Lord Oh! herein I have wrong'd thee and robbed Christ in His Kingly fulness Yea Lord I do acknowledge and I do confess I have gone to creature-comforts and my heart hath taken a content and complacency as if there were enough there but now I see there is a fulness in Jesus Christ the Lord pardon me that ever I let out my heart upon any creature-comfort upon any thing but Jesus Christ You that have bin guilty fall down and humble your selves before the Lord and consider that there is a fulness in Jesus Christ and labor to draw out this fulness from Him Which that you may so do think on all these things and the Lord blesse them to you SERMON II. JOHN 1.16 Preached at Wapping Aug. 17. 1646. And of His Fulness have all we received even Grace for Grace I Have made entrance into these Words in a neighbouring Congregation and shal now desire to go on where I left there The Words hold forth Three Great Grand Propositions First That there is a Fulness of Grace in Jesus Christ Secondly That of His Fulness all we do receive Thirdly That we do receive of His Fulness even Grace for Grace The former Proposition I have dispatched and desire at this time to speak unto the second All we do receive of His Fulness Of His Fulness have all we received The difficulty that lies upon the Proposition is this Who are meant here by this All Wee Some there are that conceive that by those words we are to understand all the Creatures in Heaven and Earth because 't is said before in the beginning of the Chapter That He is the light that lighteth every one that cometh into the world But though the thing be true that there is no Creature either in Heaven or Earth but more or lesse is beholding to Jesus Christ for if Christ had not stept in upon the fall Gods displeasure was so great against man that he would presently have broke up house and the sin of the fall was so heavie that it would have broken the very Axel-tree of the World if Jesus Christ had not put to His shoulder according to that of the Apostle Heb. 1.3 He bears up all with the Word of His Power yet notwithstanding all the Creatures in Heaven or Earth cannot be meant here by this All Wee for all the creatures in Heaven and Earth do not receive Grace they may be said to receive of the Fulnesse of Christ but not Grace for Grace But at the 12. verse 't is said as many as received Him to them gave He power to become the Sons of God euen to them that beleeve in his Name Now in Scripture phrase those are said to receive Christ Himself that do receive His Grace and those that receive His Grace receive Christ Himself Understand therefore by this All Wee those that receive Him as ye have it in the 12. verse which is explained to be Them that beleeve in His Name And then the Observation or Doctrine lies plain before us which is this That all the Saints and People of God Doct. do pertake of the Fulness of Christ in a way of receiving It falls a sunder into Two parts Thus First That there is a communication of the Fulness of Jesus Christ unto all Beleevers Secondly That whatsoever Grace or Holiness the Saints have from Christ they have it in a way of receiving I shall only speak unto the former at this time There is a communication of the Fulness of Jesus Christ unto all Beleevers Of His Fulness all we receive mark There is a communication of the Fulnesse of Jesus Christ unto all Beleevers He is the second Adam which the Apostle Paul speaks of in the 1 Cor. 15. Chapter and the 45. verse The first man Adam was made a living soul and the last Adam was made a quickning Spirit The whole world is divided into Two great Houses As once in this Kingdom There was the House of York And the House of Lancaster So now the whole world is divided into Two great Houses The House of the First Adam And the House of the Second Adam The first man Adam was made a living soul and the last Adam was made a quickning Spirit that is look as the first Adam did communicate life unto all his seed So the second Adam does communicate Spiritual life and grace unto all his people As by the first Adam sin and sorrow and death came into the world and so upon all man-kind So by the second Adam grace and life and eternal life unto all Beleevers There is a dealing out a giving out of the fulness of Jesus Christ unto all Beleevers This will appear First of all by the Union that there is between Christ 1 Reason and a Beleever there is a glorious a blessed an incomparable union between Christ and every Beleever though he be never so weak though he be never so poor There is a union between the Root and the Branches and by vertue of that union the Root sends forth life and strength into all the Branches but yet notwithstanding the Root is not in the Branches nor the Branches in the Root mutually There is a union between the Head and the Members and by vertue of that union the Head hath an influence upon all the Members but yet the Head is not in the Members nor the Members in the Head But
as unto a Creator that works out of nothing Page 177 D Debt see Christ Death The sentence of Death put upon blessings and the means to obtain them Page 154 The sentence of Death put upon mercies in another mans hand Page 161 The sentence of Death is according to the life of the mercy Page 162 Why God gives the promise first and puts the sentence of Death upon it afterwards Page 163 When the sentence of Death is put upon a mercy how to know whether it shall rise again Page 167 The Devil is the great hunter of souls Page 193 Difficulties The way to Jesus Christ is clogd with many Difficulties Page 193 See Faith Divisions The way to take away Divisions Page 59 Duties see Obedience E Encouragement Encouragments to come to Christ Page 88 Excellency The Excellency of beleevers Page 33 Experience Experience is many times a false rule Page 159 F Faith What are enemies to Faith Page 175 The large field of Faith Page 176 Faith must be sutable to God Page 179 Faith wears the crown of all graces Page 180 True Faith is most succesful Page 181 Faith is the means to get Faith Page 186 Faith carries a man through all difficulties Page 199 Nothing but Faith will do it Page 200 Faith shews the soul the invisible things of God Page 202 Faith tels the soul all things are it 's own Page 203 Faith opens the eyes of the soul to see the excellency of Christ Page 204 Faith enables a man to leave the success of all things to God ibid Faith picks out the love of God from his anger Page 206 How to raise ones Faith to break through all difficulties Page 208 Faith opposeth Legal terrours Page 209 How to raise Faith when it is sunk Page 201 Fear Fear in beleeving answered Page 184 Forgive We must Forgive others without their Acknowledgment Page 235 Freedom Our Freedom comes from Christ Page 50 Friendship How the Friendship between God and man was procured Page 8 Fulness Fulness the meaning of the word Page 3 There is a Fulness of pardon in Christ Page 4 Difference between a Fulness of sufficiency and a Fulness of efficiency Page 9 Fulness in Christ what it is Page 9 Fulness in Christs Prophetical office Page 10 Fulness in Christs Priestly office Page 10 Fulness in Christs Kingly office Page 10 How all creatures pertake of the Fulness of Christ Page 20 Fulness of grace in a beleever may sometimes be hid from the world Page 31 Difference between the Fulness of the world and the Fulness of Jesus Christ Page 32 The Fulness of Christ makes us firm Page 40 See Love Holiness G Gifts Great Gifts the Scripture mentions Page 128 God Gods eye is over his children Page 8 Gods people should trust God perfectly Page 14 God infinitely contented in Jesus Christ Page 99 We can do nothing without God Page 100 God will be seen in his blessings Page 156 God is the being of al beings Page 157 We may boldly expect God in his accostomed waies Page 186 God justifies the ungodly Page 228 God will be known to be God Page 229 Gods darlings Page 233 Men must labour to be like God Page 234 See Beleevers Power Trust Glory Eyeing of Christs Glory makes us glorious Page 15 Gospel Difference in holiness between the Law and the Gospel Page 6 Grace Grace the meaning of the word Page 3 Benefits arising from all Grace being in Christ Page 104 The Saints Grace is answerable to the Grace of Christ Page 122 The Infinite Treasury of Grace in Christ Page 22 Christ as Mediator received not grace for himself but for others Page 23 The grace of God may be gainsayed but it cannot be overcome Page 30 Christ is the universal cause of grace Page 31 Grace is given out by proportion Page 32 All grace comes in a way of receiving Page 46 Grace is supernatural Page 54 All is from grace Page 66 Difference between the times of the Law and the times of Grace Page 77 Grace is much opposed Page 80 See Boldness Retinue mystery Abundance advance Guilt ought not to keep a man from Christ Page 12 H Happiness The happines of a man in Christ Page 123 Hypocrits not answerable to the grace of Christ Page 123 Fulness of Holines in Christ Page 6 See Gospel How we should honor God Page 107 I Ignorance Ignorance ought not to keep a man from Christ Page 12 Incouragements Incouragements to Saints Page 164 Insufficiency see Nature K Kingdom Kingdom of Heaven what it is Page 247 Kingly Office of Christ how wronged Page 18 See Fulness L Law see Gospel A Legal spirit relisheth arguments best that are drawn from hell the wrath of God Page 247 The Lives of the Saints are very pleasant Page 65 Long-suffering Christians ought to wait upon others with Long suffering Page 235 Love There 's a fulness of love in Christ Page 4 Wherein the fulness of Christs love consists Page 5 The love of Christ draws men to him Page 40 The love between Christ christians described Page 117 Love causeth Love Page 247 Lusts God doth not give to supply our lusts but our wants Page 185 M Man Man unable to rise when he is fallen Page 50 Man cannot stand of himself Page 51 What it is that causeth men to use indirect means Page 189 Mercy The more mercy a man sins against the greater is his sin Page 87 See Death Mystery The great mystery of Grace described Page 82 Moment Conversion done in a moment Page 54 Moses see Christ N Name The Saints â—â—â—ht to lift up the Name of Christ Page 106 Names of Christ and the reason of them Page 95 Nature The Insufficiency of Nature oscerted Page 49. 92 Natural see Powers Neglect see Opportunity O Obedience Duties of Obedience are not taken away by faith Page 58 Office The Saints imitate Christ in his Offices Page 120 Opportunity Opportunities must not be neglected Page 237 Opposed see Grace P Powers All natural Powers rise against Conversion Page 81 God will have his Power seen Page 156 Pray We ought to Pray for whatsoever Grace we have Page 56 Presumption 'T is no Preshmption to take a thing when 't is given Page 188 Preparation Preparation to good comes from God Page 52 Priestly-Office How the Priestly-office of Christ is wronged Page 18 See Fulness Prophane Prophane men are not answer able to the grace of Christ Page 122 Prophetical-Office How the Prophetical Office of Christ is wronged Page 17 See Fulness Promise So much as we rest upon a promise so much of it we make our own Page 16 It is a hard thing to give the afirmative to a bare promise Page 165 We have the promise of our forefathers Page 183 See Death R Rebellious Christ received gifts for the Rebellious Page 41 Redeemed Who are the redeemed of the Lord and why Page 154 Reliance Encouragements to Reliance upon God in Christ Page 170 Remission Remission brought neer to people before they at all make after it proved Page 220 Repentance What Repentance is Page 216 Repentance both Legal and Evangelical ibid Repentance brought neer to people before they make after it Page 223 How many waies Repentance is known Page 242 What causeth Repentance ibid Repentance is a fruit of faith Page 245 Difference between Legal and Evangelical Repentance Page 248 The reason why no more men repent than do Page 252 The benefits of Evangelical Repentance Page 255 Retinue The Great Retinue of Grace Page 81 S Saints Saints must be contented in sufferings Page 129 See Christ Gospel Beleevers Fulness Scantiness see Contention Self All self-boasting is hateful to God Page 61 Sheep We are all as lost sheep Page 223 Sentence see Death Services All our services in this world are our waiting upon God Page 60 Spirit The same Spirit that was in Christ is in Christians Page 119 Sin see Mercy T Throne Christ hath a throne on earth Page 120 Treasury see Grace Trust We ought to trust in God for ever Page 236 See God V Ungodly see God Union What the union between Christ and Beleevers is Page 21 Union between Christ and men how it is taken Page 65 The union between Christ and the Saints is very glorious Page 115 Universal Universal causes seldom produce particular effects without the concurrence of particular causes Page 31 Upbraid Christ upbraids not men with sin Page 4 W Waiting see Service Way see Difficulties Want All that want should come to Christ Page 12 Wheels Fear and love are the wheels of every Motion Page 59 Willingness Christs willingness to communicate Grace to the sons of men Page 25 Our williness to receive proceeds from Christs willingness to give Page 27 Wonderful God will be known by his name Wonderful Page 187 Work No power in heaven nor earth can let Christs work Page 28 World Reason why the goods of this world satisfie not the soul of man Page 35 Who are the worlds darlings Page 233 FINIS
THE WORKS OF WILLIAM BRIDGE Sometime Fellow of Emmanuel Colledge in CAMBRIDGE NOW Preacher of the Word of God at Yarmouth The second Volumn VIZ. I. Grace for Grace or The overflowings of Christs fulness received by all Saints II. The Spiritual actings of Faith through Natural Impossibilities III. Evangelical Repentance London Printed by Peter Cole at the sign of the Printing-Press in Cornhil near the Royal Exchange 1649. To the Reader THat we may at least stay the longings of many thirsty Souls with a sweet Rellish of a promising Vintage of new Wine this year we have slipt off this Second ripe Cluster of Grapes from its fellows which if it be squeezed in the hand of Faith will prove it self to be so rich fragrant and sparkling with the the Blood Juyce and Spirit of the Gospel that it needs not the Purple of our Epistle Recommendatory to welcom it to any that are in truth the living Branches of the true Vine Yet to the end we may happily invite some that are without to come in that they also may both see and taste how good the Lord is to the Children of the Bride chamber READER Stand a while at the Well head with the poor woman of Samaria admiring the infinite dimensions of those waters of Life that are fountain'd up in Jesus Christ of whose fulness we All receive even gracef or grace The Saints may be brim full of the holy Spirit as Stephen was but its according to measure a Vessel-fulness but Christ above or without measure a Spring-fulness which is not onely repletive but diffusive unsearchable unmeasurable The great Ocean is too little to shadow out the over flowings of this fulness for take away a drop or two from thence it presently suffers a diminution But though this Fountain of Salvation should shed abroad his love upon all the world of the Elect as the waters cover the Sea yet it is ever full running over There is not the less light or heat in this Sun of Righteousness though he daily ariseth with healing in his wings unto them that fear his Name from East to West He is resterday to day and for ever the same This is no Hyperbolie Nec Christus nec Coelum patitur Hyperbolum Sic Lutheras but the language of Canaan Oh that this unspeakable Fulness of Heaven and Earth or Saints and Angels that fills All in All did now constrain thee to cast thy empty Pitcher into these Depths of his Grace so shouldst thou with this beloved Evangelist and the rest that are included in this WE ALL receive even grace for grace To act Faith is the principal use which directly flows out from every Doctrine about Jesus Christ We shall Appeal unto thee whose eye is fixed on this full Book of Grace Is not fulness in other things a Conquering golden Argument Did not Josephs treasure of Corn prevail with good old Jacob and his Sons to go down into Egypt And shall not this one Gospel Joseph who alone is the Bread of Life that once came down from Heaven to feed hungry souls engage thee almost famished to come unto him for this Staff of Life that thou mayest live Were they not the Floods of milk and honey that did run down the Promised Land that did set the Israelites teeth on edge to be there And shall not the overflowings of Christs heart in heaven towards sinners on earth make thee to hunger and thirst after his Righteousness who is the Lord our Righteousness Was it not the Abundance of Solomons natural wisdom which was as a constellation of Stars in his Crown that invited the Queen of Sheba to travel from the utmost parts of Arabia to kneel before his Throne And is there not a greater then Solomon here who is the brightness of his Fathers glory and the express Image of his person full of grace and truth Oh where where then are the Spiritual actings of thy Soul upon him Abrahams Faith was a very lively vigorous and a more then conquering Faith when the Sentence of Death was apparant on the head of the Mercy and the womb leading to it and is thy faith like a tree twice dead plucked up by the roots God forbid Oh remember the fulness of the Infiniteness of all Perfections that are originally in the Lord being able to fill up all the empty chinks void places the unsatisfied gaspings and yawnings of the vast Spirit of-man We shall seal up all with the Evangelical words of that voyce of Christ eccho'd in a wilderness as the great Motive of all Motives The Kingdom of Heaven of Grace of Christ and all his Benefits is at hand hath approached Therefore Believe Repent Blessed is that Servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall finde so doing Thine in and for Jesus Christ and his fulness that thou mayest receive even grace for grace William Greenhil William Adderley Iohn Yates The Titles of the first Volumn I. The great Gospel-Mystery of the Saints Comfort and Holiness opened and applied from Christs Priestly Office II. Satans power to Tempt and Christs love to and care of his people under Temptation III. Thankfulness required in every condition THE CONTENTS Of the Second VOLVMNE JOHN 1.16 SERMON I Doctrine 1. THERE is a Fulness of Grace in Jesus Christ Page 3 Opened Ibid Grace taken 3. waies 1 For the love and favour of God ibid 2 For holiness Page 6 Proved by Demonstrations Page 7 Objections answered Page 9 3 For gifts and abilities ibid Proved Application Duty 1 Let all men come to Christ Page 12 Objections answered Duty 2 Let all trust unto him and build upon him Page 14 Duty 3 It is our duty to draw forth this fulness 1 By a frequent eying of it Page 15 2 By resting up on it in the time of tempt at on Page 16 3 By giving it foirth to others ibid Duty 4 Let us labour to be like to him ibid Duty 5 Take heed how we do any thing that may rob Christ of glory of his fulness SERMON II John 1.16 Proposition cleered Page 20 Doct. 2 All the Saints and people of God do pertake of the fulness of Christ in a way of receiving Page 20 Divided into two parts Page 21 1 There is a communication of the fulnesse of Jesus Christ unto all beleevers ibid 2 Whatsoever Grace or holinesse the Saints have from Christ they have it in a way of receiving ibid The former proved Reason 1. Because there is a union between Christ and a beleever ibid 2 By 4. propositions 1 There is an infinite treasury of grace in Jesus Christ Page 22 2 What grace soever and holinesse he received as mediator he received not for himself but for others ibid 3 There is an infinite willingnesse in Jesus Christ to communicate his grace to the sons of men Page 25 4 There is nothing in heaven or earth can hinder him from doing all Page 28 Objection Why are beleevers so empty of grace Answered 1 The
fulnesse of grace which is in a beleever is many times hid from the world Page 31 2 He communicates grace to them as an universal cause and an universal cause seldom or never produceth particular effects without the concurrence of a particular cause ibid 3 He doth it in proportion Page 32 4 He doth it according to their necessities and wants ibid Application 1 Difference between the fulnesse of the world and the fulnesse of Christ Page 33 1 The fulnesse of the world is made up of many things The fulnesse of Christ of but one thing viz the Deity ibid 2 The fulnesse of the world is made up of worser things But the fulnesse of Christ of the best of bests Page 34 3 The fulnesse of the world runs into emptinesse but the fulnesse of Christ is a dwelling fulnesse ibid 4 The fulnesse of the world can never satisfie the better part of man The fulness of Christ ever doth Page 35 5 The fulness of the earth cannot commend a man to God the fulnesse of Christ makes a man lovely in the eyes of God Page 36 6 The fulnesse of the earth is mixt with poison sin and the curse of God The fulnesse of Christ with contentment ibid 7 The fulnesse of the earth is a defiling fulnesse The fulnesse of Christ a pure fulnesse Page 37 8 The fulnesse of the world is lesse than is expected the fulnesse of Christ is more than can be expected ibid 9 The fulnesse of the world is sometimes better wanted than enjoyed The fulnesse of Christ alwaies makes men happy ibid 10 The fulnesse of the earth costs many times more than it is worth but Christ gives much and takes nothing Page 38 11 All the fulness of the earth is not able to returne you love for love The fulnesse of Christ returns you more love than you brought ibid Application 2 An encouragement to all men to come in to Jesus Christ Page 39 To Beleevers It will make them firm against al Temptations Page 40 Discouragments Page 40 Afflictions Page 40 To Unbeleevers Page 41 Application 3 To beleevers to labour to own their own and strengthen their assurance of their union with Jesus Christ Page 42 SERMON III John 1.16 Doct. What grace or holinesse the Saints have from Christ They have it all in a way of receiving Page 46 Proved by instances In Justification ibid In Adoption ibid In Sanctification ibid In The gifts of the ibid In holy Ghost ibid Prayer Page 47 All in general ibid The rain that fals Page 48 As also 1 By the insufficiency of Nature 1 To overcome sin though never so small Page 49 2 To rise again if he be fallen Page 50 3 To continue if he should rise again Page 51 4 To do any one good work Page 52 5 To prepare himself unto what is good ibid 2 By the supernaturallity of grace Page 54 3 By the shortnesse of the means of grace Page 55 4 By the work and nature of faith Page 56 5 By the posture and true behaviour of prayer Page 57 Object This cuts off all endeavours Answered Page 58 1 It moves to endeavours because it causeth love and fear Page 59 2 Whatsoever service we tender to God on this side heaven is all a waiting vpon him Page 60 Reasons of the point 1 That all boasting rejoycing and confidence in ones self may be taken away Page 61 2 That Jesus Christ may be fully honoured and exalted ibid 3 That the Saints may live by faith Page 62 Application 1 Behold what infinite care God hath of beleevers Page 62 Application 2 Behold what pleasant lives the Saints live Page 65 Application 3 What abundance live under the Gospel that have no saving interest in Jesus Christ ibid Application 4 All is from grace from first to last Page 66 SERMON IIII John 1.16 Doct Abundance of grace the Saints in the new Testament have from Jesus Christ Page 69 Cleered 1 If we consider the several advances grace hath made from the beginning of the world to this day Page 71 1 We have it not by the candle but by the Sun Page 76 2 The vail is now rent we have it not in shadow but in substance Page 79 3 It is not tempered with the Law but with the Gospel Page 77 4 We have it not in bondage but with the spirit of adoption ibid 5 We have it from the Son of God Page 78 2 As there is abundance of grace discovered so there is abundance exhibited and communicated to the Saints Page 78 1 It is a great matter for an ungodly man to be justified Page 79 2 It 's a great matter for a man to be the Son of God ibid 3 It is a great matter to have the Image of Jesus Christ drawn upon a filthy soul ibid 4 It is a great matter for a man to be in heaven before he comes there Page 80 Object We do not see such abundance of Grace in the lives of those that are accounted godly Answered 1. Do you consider the opposition of Grace when grace is much opposed though it be little in bulk it will be great in operation Page 80 2 Consider the Retinue of it though grace be mean it hath a rich retinue Page 81 3 Consider the mystery of grace 1 It is a great matter to tremble at the word and yet to love it and prize it Page 82 2 To love the Ordinances and yet at the same time to think he doth not profit thereby Page 83 3 To comfort himself in that the Lord knows his heart and yet to see there is much hypocrisy there ibid 4 To be sensible of his sin and yet not willing to chang his condition with another for all the world ibid 5 To work out his salvation with fear and trembling and yet to rely upon Jesus Christ alone for it Page 84 6 For a man to walk closely with God and yet be in the dark ibid 7 To be diligent in his particular calling and yet take no thought what he shall eat drink or put on ibid 8 To know that God will work good and gain to him out of his sin and yet to strive against it as against the greatest evil of the world ibid 9 To be the more afflicted because his affliction comes from God Page 85 10 To pray earnestly for a better condition and yet be contented with his present though never so mean ibid Application 1 Do not vilifie the gift of God wherewith thou art enriched through Jesus Christ Page 86 Application 2 Behold what great sinners professors are Page 86 Application 3 What a mighty encouragement here is both to good and bad To bad to come in to Christ Page 88 To good to abound in grace Page 88 SERMON V John 1.16 Doct. Whatsoever grace the Saints have they have it from Jesus Christ Page 91 Proved By the insufficiency of nature Page 92 By the alsufficiency of Christ Page 93 Objections answered Page
fulness we have all received Thirdly That we have all received even Grace for Grace There is a great Controversy upon the latter Clause what should be meant by those Words Even grace for grace But because the Determination thereof fals properly within the compass of the Third Proposition and will have little influence upon the first which I intend God willing to speak unto at this time therefore I pass by that Controversy and come presently unto the First Proposition which is this Doct. That there is a fulness of Grace in Jesus Christ Fulness is here attributed you see unto Jesus Christ The word in the Original sometimes is taken for Abundance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psa 24.1 The Earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof So here it is not taken here it is too narrow for there is not only Plenitudo abundantiae but Plenitudo redundantiae not only a fulness of Abundance but a fulnesse of Redundancy an over flowing of fulness in Jesus Christ Sometimes the word is used for Fulfilling and Perfecting of a thing So Love is said to be the Fulfilling of the Law So it is not taken here for though Christ be the end of the Law yet notwithstanding the Fulness spoken here is that which we do receive and that is the Fulness of grace The word Firstly and Properly is given unto Vessels that are brim-ful of liquor and so Metaphorically appli'd here unto our Lord Jesus Christ who is brim-ful of grace in whom there is no emptyness there is no evacuity While I speak of Jesus Christ I mean Christ as Mediator as God-man There is a Fulness in Christ as God That is not the fulness so Christ is not taken here by what is said in the verse before the Text the 14 verse And the Word was made flesh And of His Fulness we have all received So that it is the Fulness of Christ as Mediator there is a Fulness of grace in Christ as Mediator I shal keep me close unto the words The Fulness is here spoken of which we are said to receive of which we receive we receive grace for grace 't is the Fulness therefore of grace that is in Christ that I am now speaking of Now the word Grace sometimes it is taken for the Love and Favour of God We are saved by Grace That is Eph. 2.5 we are saved through the Love and Mercy of God Sometimes this word in the Original is used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coll. 3.16 or put for Holiness Singing with grace in your hearts that is with Holiness in your hearts And sometimes 't is used for Excellency 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Donum quodquis gratificatur for Gifts or Ability as in Ephes 4.7 and in al these respects there is a fulness of grace in Christ First of all Take grace for Love and Bounty and Mercy and so there is Plenitudo bonitatis there is a Fulness of Love in Christ The heart and love of Christ now in Heaven is the same toward poor sinners toward His Children toward Beleevers toward Men as it was when He was upon the earth when Christ was upon the earth First There was a fulness of Pardoning Love in Him Then He would pardon men before they did come for pardon Father Luk. 23.24 saies Christ Father forgive them they know not what they do Ye count it a great act of love where the fault is great to forgive a man upon his acknowledgment of the fault Our Lord Christ did not stay for their acknowledgment but whilst they were reeking in their sins He forgives Father forgive them forgive them they know not what they do Yea if you look into the Gospel ye shall find that when men were putting forth the highest acts of fin He was putting forth the highest acts of His love When Christ was suffering for Peter Peter was denying Christ Peter denying Christ and Christ suffering for Peter When He was upon the earth He did not only pardon once but He would pardon again and again if men sinned again He would pardon again The Disciples slept and Christ Pardon'd They slept again and Christ pardon'd again they slept again and Christ pardon'd again Yea and when He had pardon'd He would not upbraid them with their former sins or with His own mercy After His Resurrection not a word to Peter of all his denial or of Christ mercy Beloved Christ is the same in Heaven He is the same in Heaven now Again when Christ was upon the Earth His first and His great care was Matt. 5.3 4. for those that were weak in grace The first Sermon that He Preached Blessed are the poor in spirit and blessed are those that mourn He doth not say blessed are those that have assurance of the love of God and blessed are those that have the sence of His Love in their hearts but blessed are the Poor and blessed are they that mourn And when any poor doubting trembling soul came unto Him He would not cast away their service because it was accompanied with infirmity but He would rather passe by their infirmity because it was accompanied with some sincerity So the Woman that came behind Him So Nicodemus And when any poor soul could not come to Christ could not come to Christ in Christs way Christ would come down to him in his way Thomas saith He Thou sayest thou wilt not beleeve unless thou thrust thy hands into My side Thomas Thou wilt not honour Me by beleeving unless thou seest Thomas Thou wilt not come up to Me in My way Well I will come down to thee in thy way Come reach hither thy fingers and thrust thy hands into My side and be not faithless but beleeving Oh! the admirable condescention of the love of Jesus Christ Beloved He is the same now in Heaven Again When He was upon the Earth He professed that His heart and His love and affections was as much if I say not more unto one Saint Rev. 22.14 Matt. 12 47.50 as unto all His kindred that are such Blessed are those that keep Thy Commandements Bebold say they Thy Mother and Thy Brother and Sister are without to speak with Thee Saies He Whosoever shall do the Will of My Father which is in Heaven the same is My Brother Sister and Mother As if He should say You count My kindred happy because they are neer unto Me but do you see one poor beleeving trembling gracious soul I tel you the soul that keeps My Commandements is as much unto Me as all My kindred that are such Here is love And I say the Lord Jesus His heart is the same still in Heaven And therefore you shall observe that when He was risen and came amongst His Disciples the dore being shut He comes into the room and He saies unto them Luke 24.36 Peace be unto you Why Peace be unto you the ordinary way and manner of Salutation As if He would say thus much
unto them That they should find Him every way as courtious and as loving towards them now being risen as He was before He died And my beloved if Jesus Christ should not be as gracious and as kind after death as before then His Disciples should be losers by His death But He profest to them before He died that they should not be losers but gainers rather When our Lord Christ was upon the earth out of His love He died for us He loved us and died for us His love then cost Him much Now that He is in Heaven He dies no more He can love us at a cheaper rate And shall we think that when He was upon the earth He would lay down His life for us and now He is in Heaven He won't speak a good word for us Certainly beloved the Lord Jesus is as full of love and tender affection toward His now He is in Heaven as He was upon the earth Take grace for Love and so there is a fulness of grace in Jesus Christ That is the first Secondly Take grace for Holiness and so there is Plenitudo sanctitatis a fulness of Holiness in Jesus Christ There are Three things in the old Testament that were very Holy The Law The high Priest And the Temple As for the Ceremonial Law though it was very holy yet in regard of the Spiritual command of the Gospel and Christ the Ceremonials of the Law in the book of the Hebrews Heb. 7.16 is called the Carnal Command And as for the high Priest though he had holiness written upon his fore-head yet therein he was but a type of Christ And saith the Apostle in the book of the Hebrews The high Priest then when he offered for others sins Heb. 7.27 he offered first for his own sins But our high Priest not so And as for the Temple it was indeed very holy the Jews rested much thereupon And therefore they cryed thrice Jer. 7.4 The Temple the Temple the Temple of the Lord But now if you look into the 6. Chap. of Esay you shal find that our Lord Christ is there upon the Temple and whereas they cryed Three times for the Temple The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord Three times this is ecchoed concerning Christ Holy holy holy At the first verse I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne high and lifted up and His Train filled the Temple His Train filled the Temple Above it stood the Seraphims each had six wings with twain he covered his face with twain he covered his feet and with twain he did fly and one cryed unto another and said Holy holy holy As if he should say you that are the Jewes you cry out of the Temple The Temple the Temple the Temple But here 's holiness here 's one that is holy Holy holy holy That this is to be understood of Christ you may see plainly by comparing it with the 4. Chapter of the Revelations at the 2. verse Immediately I was in the Spirit and behold a Throne was set in Heaven and one sate on the Throne as it is said in Esay one sate on the Throne And he that sate was to look upon as a Jasper and a Sardine stone And there was a rain-bow round about the Throne And round about the Throne were four and twenty Seats and there were four and twenty Elders and four living creatures The discription of the Gospel-Church And saith he at the 8. verse The four beasts had each of them six wings about him and they were full of eyes within and they rest not day and night saying Holy holy holy Mark the very same expression that you have there in Esay he doth not say thus Righteous righteous righteous Just just just But Holy holy holy Is there not then a fulness of Holiness in Jesus Christ I 'le give you but Two Demonstrations of it If there were not a fulness of Holiness in Jesus Christ how is it possible that God and man could be brought so neer together that were so far asunder Every man naturally is full of sin You say of the Begger He is full of vermine why because he goes to this door to that door and to another door and he scatters his vermine where ever he comes and the man knows it not Surely therefore the man is full of vermine And so a man naturally dropping and scattering his sins and not knowing of it it argues he is ful of sin God he is full of Holiness whose eyes cannot endure to behold iniquity yet when men are converted and drawn to God they are brought neer unto him they are the apple of His eye their names are written in the palme of his hand That is saies Luther the hand is an instrument of work and when the names of the Saints are said to be written in the palme of Gods hand it notes thus much saies he That God in all his works hath an eye to his Children God in all the works of his hands hath an eye to his Children They are the friends of God and God is their friend When a man is my friend not only his Purse is my friend or his Estate is my friend or his Tongue is my friend or his Hand is my friend but his Sword is my friend So when God is a friend to any not only his Mercy is his friend but the Sword of God is his friend the very Wrath of God is a friend to his Children Such a great friendship there is between God and his people so neer they are brought to one another Well but how are they brought thus neer They are brought neer by Jesus Christ in whom we have a Manuduction a leading by the hand saies the Apostle as the word carries it unto God the Father But now could men so full of sin and God so full of Grace and Holiness be brought so neer together by Jesus Christ if there were not an infinit fulnesse of Holiness in Jesus Christ Again If there were not this fulnesse of Holinesse in Christ how should he be anointed with the oyl of gladnesse above his fellowes The Saints themselves are said to be full of grace Ephes 1.23 The Church called The fulnesse of Christ that filleth all in all Stephen Mary others full of the holy Ghost Surely therefore if so much of the oyntment run down upon Christs Members there must be a great anointing upon Christ himself Surely there must be an infinit holinesse in Christ that must serve us all And of his fulnesse we have All received we have All received You will say Object But if the Saints be full of grace and holinesse how is this the property of Christ Yes For though the Saints be full of grace Answ and holinesse yet their fulnesse is but a fulnesse of Sufficiency Mark whereby they are made able to this or that work whereunto they are appointed But the fulnesse of Christ is a fulnesse
but for others So in the third place there is an infinite propension and willingness in Jesus Christ to communicate this grace unto the children of men Pray mark it There is an infinit propension and willingnesse in Jesus Christ to communicate and give out his grace unto the children of men Heb. 3.2 He is faithful saies the Apostle in all His house as Moses was Now if Jesus Christ should receive gifts for men for others and then run away with all and not be willing to give them out He could not be faithful but faithful He is Look I pray for this in the 16. Psal 2 v. Thou hast said unto the Lord Thou art my Lord my goodness not for thee but for the Saints that are in the earth and for the excellent in whom are all my delight You reade the words thus Thou hast said unto the Lord Thou art my Lord my goodnesse extendeth not to thee But in the Hebrew the word extendeth is not Thou art my Lord my goodnesse not for thee but for the Saints that are in the earth That these words are spoken of Christ Pray reade the Four last verses I have set the Lord alwayes before me at the 8. ver because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoyceth my flesh also shall rest in hope For thou wilt not leave my soul in Hell neither wilt thou suffer thy holy One to see corruption Now compare these words with what the Apostle saies in Acts 2.25 David speaketh concerning him mark For I foresaw the Lord alwayes before my face he is on my right hand I shall not be moved Therefore did my heart rejoyce and my tongue was glad Moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope Because thou will not leave my soul in hell the same viorde neither wilt thou suffer thine holy One to see corruption Mark what is said then at the 29. ver the Apostle proves That these words of the Psalm must needs be understood of Christ and not of David Men and brethren saies he let me freily speak unto you of the Patriarch David that he is both dead and buried and his Sepulcher is with us unto this day Therefore saies he these words cannot be understood of David but must be understood of Christ Now then this Psalm being thus to be understood of Christ saies Christ Lord Thomiâ—t my Lord my goodness is not for thee but for the Saints that are in the earth and for the excellent in whom is all my delight They are my delight and therefore what goodnesse I have from thee I am willing to give it out again unto them because al my delight is in them Do you not think that a man is willing to eat his meat when he is a hungry I ray look into the 4. chaptes of John and you shall see what was Christs meat verse the 34. Jesus faith unto them My meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me and to finish His Work My meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me What is that Finish His Work What is that You reade before in the 61 Esay That the Spirit of the Lord was upon Him and God the Father had anointed Him to open the prison door Now therefore saith He look how willing a man is to eat his meat when he is a hungry So willing am I to releeve poor sinners to open the prison dore to poor captive souls Tender hearted Mothers are you willing to give your Children suck to have your breasts drawn Yes Why so Truly not only because of my child but the truth is unless my breasts be drawn 't is a pain to me not only for my child therefore but for my own ease also you will say Why brethren the Humanity of Jesus Christ is as I may so speak the breasts of the Deity by which we suck out all the holiness and grace which we have and if Jesus Christs breasts be not drawn He counts it a pain to Him And therefore He complains so in the Gospel Joh. 1.11 I came unto mine own and mine own received me not They will not draw My breasts He counts it a pain to Him Tell me are you willing to receive grace Yes If you be willing to receive grace Jesus Christ is willing to give it for you cannot be willing if He were not willing first your willingness does come from His. But I pray what grace are you willing to have Oh! saies one I am a poor ignorant creature I would fain I would fain have more knowledge Oh! saies one I am one of great Passions and of a disordered life and Oh! that I had my life better ordered Oh! saies another I am a poor guilty soul and I would have pardon I would have pardoning grace Now I 'le appeal to you Whether do you not think that an honest man is willing to do the work of his office Can a man be an honest man and not be willing to do the work of his office This is the Office of Jesus Christ He is a Prophet and therefore He must be willing to teach you you that complain that you are ignorant This is the Office of Jesus Christ to be a King and therefore He is willing to direct you and to order you You that complain of distemper and disorder This is the Office of Christ to be a Priest and therfore He is willing to satisfie for you and indeed if Jesus Christ were not willing to give out His grace unto the children of men He would never lay it upon such conditions as He does When a man is unwilling to do a thing for another He will put it upon hard conditions As Saul being unwilling to give his Daughter to David He put it upon hard conditions But now what does Jesus Christ require What does the Lord Jesus Christ require for the Communication of His grace But only this that you do receive it Mark only this that we do receive it a condition indeed that is no condition I say a condition that is no condition because he promises strength to receive also Oh! my beloved Why should we cumber the way to Heaven with Preparations and Qualifications and Precedaneous conditions There are no In-coms no In-coms to be paid at our coming in to Jesus Christ there are no Precedaneous conditions Grace is free and Mercy is free and Christ is free and His Love is free there is an infinite Propension in Jesus Christ to communicate this His Grace to the children of men This is the third Proposition Fourthly As Christ is infinitly willing So in the Fourth place there is nothing either in Heaven or in earth that can hinder Him from doing al. For now grant all the former Three That there is an infinite treasury of Grace in Christ That He hath not received it for Himself but others That He is infinitly willing to give it out unto the
children of men Yet if He can be hindred al the former is nothing Mark therefore the Fourth and then we come to the Use There is nothing either in Heaven or Earth that can hinder Jesus Christ from communicating His Grace I work Esay 43.13 saies God and who shall let And I communicat My grace saies Christ and who shall hinder If any thing can hinder it must be either Satan without us or our sins within us Satan without cannot hinder he could not go into the herd of swine he could not destroy a hog a sow a pig till he had leave from Christ and can Satan hinder then when Christ intends to communicate His grace He is called the strong man but Christ is called the stronger than he Luke 22.31 32. Peter Peter saies our Saviour Satan hath desired to winnow thee but I have prayed that thy faith fail not I one prayer one prayer by Jesus Christ is stronger than all the temptations of Satan Satan cannot hinder Nor can our sins within hinder For if you look into the 2. Chapter of Titus 't is said there at the 14. verse He gave Himself for us that He might redeem us from al iniquity If from All iniquity then from unbeleef Then unbeleef cannot hinder If a King come on purpose to pardon All Rebellion if he be able and willing and come on purpose to pardon All Rebellion then no one Rebellion can hinder can be a reason why he should not pardon The Covenant that God makes with His is like the Covenant that He made with Noah as you reade in the 54. Chapter of Esay the 8. and 9. verses In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee saith the Lord thy redeemer for this is as the waters of Noah unto me for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth so have I sworn that I would not be wrath with thee nor rebuke thee Mark The Covenant God would make with His people is like the Covenant that He made with Noah The Covenant that He made with Noah what is that Pray now look into the 8. Chapter of Genesis the 21. verse Noah being come out of the Ark and offering unto the Lord The Lord smel'd a sweet savour and the Lord said in His heart I will not again curse the ground any more for mans sake for the imagination of mans heart is evil from his youth I think it should rather be read thus according to the Hebrew I will not again curse the ground any more for mans sake although the imagination of mans heart is evil from his youth although ye read it for I wil not again curse the ground any more for mans sake for the imagination of mans heart is evil from his youth One would think He should rather say thus I wil curse the ground again and I will bring a new floud for the imagination of mans heart is evil from his youth No but the Covenant that God made with Noah was thus I do now make a Covenant with man-kind that the world shall never be drowned again yea Though man do sin yet the world shall not be drown'd again This is the Covenant that the Lord made with Noah The Lord did not make such a Covenant as this I do promise that the world shall not be drown'd again if man do not fin No but the Covenant that the Lord made with Noah was thus But I promise the world shall not be drown'd again Though men do sin again this is the Covenant the Lord made with Noah it was so far from running upon a condition that it runs crosse to all conditions So now the Lord saies concerning a poor Beleever I do take this soul into Covenant with Me Yea and Though he do sin yet notwithstanding I will pardon him and this soul shall never lye under water again shall never lye under water again his sin shall not hinder My grace he shall never lye under water again for as the Covenant I made with Noah such is the Covenant I make with every beleever And beloved if indeed that we could hinder Christ when He comes to communicate His grace if our sins could hinder then we might resist grace with an Overcoming resistance 'T is true a man may resist the grace of God with A gain-saying resistance but he cannot resist the grace of God with an overcoming resistance Whatsoever is overcome is overcome by a stronger Man I say cannot resist with an overcoming resistance Pray do but consider well the Covenant of Grace Ezek. 36 26 27. saies the Lord in that I will take away the heart of stone and I will give an heart of flesh and I will cause ye to walk in my waies and I will put My Spirit into you I will take away the heart of stone What is that a stone is hard a hard thing does not yeeld to the touch a soft thing yeelds Pharaoh had a hard heart and therefore he yeelded not When therefore the Lord makes such a promise as this I will take away the heart of stone What is His meaning His meaning is plainly I will take away the un-yeelding the resisting disposition that is in man Now therefore when the Lord makes such a promise as this That He will put His Spirit into them and cause them to walk in His waies Our resisting can be no hindrance Why because the Lord hath made a promise to take away our resisting If the Covenant had run thus I will put My Spirit into you and cause you to walk in My waies upon this condition that you do not resist then we could hinder but the Lord in the same promise that He does say I will put My Spirit into them and cause them to walk in My waies He doth also promise to take away the resisting heart to take away the spirit of resisting I will take away the heart of stone there 's the resisting And I will cause them to walk in My waies So that our sins cannot hinder Now then put al these together There 's an infinit treasury of grace and holiness in Jesus Christ This He hath not received for Himselfe but for others There is an infinite propension and willingness in Him to give out this grace unto the children of men And nothing either in Heaven or earth can hinder Him Surely therefor there is the Communication of the Fulness of Jesus Christ unto all Beleevers You will say unto me then Object Why are Beleevers then so empty of Grace 'T is the ordinary complaint Oh! I am full of evil Oh my heart is empty of all that is good Beleevers they complain thus How can this Doctrine be true if this experience be good I answer First Answ The Fulnesse of Grace which is in a Beleever is many times hid from the world and from himself When you go to
the Sea side you see the water you see abundance of water ye hear the water roaring and raging and making a noise but you do not see the Gold and the Silver that lies at the bottom of the Sea you see the water of the Sea but you do not see the wealth that is in the Sea So now when you go and look upon a Beleever you behold his troubles you see his waves and al the troubles that beat upon him Oh! but the wealth of a Beleever the Fulness of a Beleever the Fulnes of Christ that is in him that you see not 't is hid from the world and 't is hid from himself many times And therefore saies the Apostle Our life is hid with God in Christ Coll. 3.3 4. When Christ who is our life shall appear then shall we also appear with Him in glory Secondly Though there be a communication of the Fulnesse of Christ unto all Beleevers yet He does communicate as a universal Cause The universall Cause doth seldom or never produce particular effects but with a concurrence of particular Causes The Sun is the universal Cause of all the fruitfulnesse that is upon the earth Yet notwithstanding it does produce the Fruit your Corne Barly and Rye and Wheat with the help of man The ground is plowen and sowen The River or the Fountain is the universal Cause of the Water that yee have in your houses but yet notwithstanding you have not this Water but by pipes and conveyance and when ye want water in your house you do not say There is no water in the Thames there 's no water in the Fountain No but surely the pipe is broken the pipe is stopt or we want some pipe or other So now when you want Grace and when you are empty of Grace you are not to say Oh! it is because there is not enough in Christ or Christ is not willing but rather surely the pipe is broken or we want this or that Ordinance the pipe is not clean the pipe is stopt and therefore we are so empty of Grace as we are Thirdly Though there be a communication of the Fulnesse of Christ unto all Beleevers yet notwith standing he does it in proportion Mark Christ does give unto every man according to the place that he bears in his body As the soul the soul sends forth life and motion to all the members but the soul does not give a hearing faculty unto the eye nor the soul does not give a seeing faculty unto the eare neither can the foot say I have nothing from the soul because I cannot speak like the tongue neither can the tongue say I have nothing from the soul because I cannot walk like the foot So the Lord Jesus Christ He doth observe what place every man doth bear in His Body accordingly He doth give forth Grace unto men You cannot say thus Surely I have none of Christ because I cannot pray and do so as others do But mark what is the place the you do bear in the Body of Christ and you may go to Christ for strength for that you may say thus Lord through thy Grace thou hast given me such a place in Thy Body and I want strength for that O! let me have it from Thee Fourthly Though there be a communication of the Fulnesse of Christ unto all Beleevers yet 't is according to their necessities and wants The lace you know 't is laid upon the seam upon the seam there lyes the lace lace indeed may be laid upon the whol cloath but ordinarily your silken-lace your silver-lace your golden-lace 't is laid upon the seam Now the Lord Jesus Christ He knows all the seams of your life all the seams of your life there He laies His Golden-Lace on Mark therefore what are the seams of thy life and see if Christ hath not laid on something there pa Take but these Four Considerations together and there is a sufficient Answer to that Objection I come to the Application Applic. And whilst I stand upon this point Me thinks here I see the transcendant excellency of the Saints of Beleevers and the betterness of their condition above the men of the world though they be never so Rich or Great Beloved Every man is according to the fulnesse that he doth live upon There is the Fulnesse of the Earth 1 Cor. 10 26. The Earth is the Lords and the Fulness thereof And wicked men they are said to be filled with this Whose bellies Thou fillest with hid Treasures Psalme the 17. And there is the Fulnesse of Jesus Christ And of this Fulnesse the Saints and Beleevers do all receive and partake Look therefore what a difference there is between these fulnesse's The fulnesie of the Earth And the Fulnesse of Jesus Christ such a mighty difference in point of excellency there is between a Beleever though he be never so poor and a wicked man-though he be never so rich Give me leave a little to open the difference of these Fulnesses to you that so you may see the difference betwwen men and men and be incouraged unto a godly course First The fulness of the world it is fulness made up of many things Martha Martha Luke 10.41 saies Christ thou art busied about many thing 'T is a fulness made up of many things and therefore not a Homogenial fulness The fulnes of Christ is a fulnes made up of one thing the Deitie in whom the God-head dwells and therefore 't is a Homogenial fulness every part of it is fulness every part of a Homogenial body hath the name of the whole Wvery part of water is called water though it be but a drop Every part of fire is fire though it be but a spark And Every part of Heaven it is called Heaven though it be but a corner of Heaven And so every part of the Fulness of Jesus Christ is fulness As the Philosophers say of the soul Animatota in toto that the soul is wholly in the whol and wholly in every part So the Fulness of Christ 't is wholly in the Church and 't is wholly in every Beleever Every Beleever may come and say I have all Christ But as for the fulness of the world every one that hath the worlds fulness cannot say so I have all the worlds fulness Secondly The fulness of the earth is a fulness made up of the worser things The world it is a great Body and it hath in it some things that are of a grosser more drossy nature and some things that are of a finer nature The fulness of the earth it is of the drossy and the grosser part of the world Oh! but the Fulness of Christ it is of the finer part and the fulness that does come from Him unto Beleevers the best of the bests wine of the lees and marrow out of the bones and wine well refined 't is of the finer part of the world The other is but
upon you the more he defiles you Truly such is the earths and the world fulness as I say a dog the more it fawns upon you and falls upon you the more it defles you Oh! but the Fulnesse of Jesus Christ is a pure Fulnesse a Fulness that is full of purenesse Eightly Take al the Fulnesse of the world and though it be never so much it fals under your expectation Sink your expectation as low as you can and yet notwithstanding it wil fall below your expectation As for the Fulnesse of Jesus Christ raise and scrue up your expectation as high as you can and yet you shall find more therein then ever you expected Ninthly As for the fulnesse of the earth somtimes 't is better wanted than injoyed It may make you miserable it cannot make you happy Oh! but the Fulnesse of Jesus Christ it can never make you miserable it will certainly make you happy there is no such time wherein 't is better wanted than injoyed Tenthly As for the Fulnesse of the earth again It costs a man many times more than 't is worth it costs him his Time his precious Thoughts his Soul much is laid out for it much care to get it much fear to keep it and much grief to lose it Oh! but the Fulnesse of Jesus Christ it costs him nothing Esay 56.1 Come buy Wine and Milk without money or moneys-worth Christ gives much and takes little takes nothing it costs you nothing and having it you have all And again to name no more of these Take all the fulnesse of the Earth and though it be never so much it is not able to answer you with Love to return you Love for your Love The greaten noblest Gift of the world is Love That is alwaies unworthy of your love that cannot answer your love again If you have a full bagg If you have a full Table if you have a full House these fulnesses cannot answer you with love again but it can defile your own love Oh! but the Fulnesse of Christ it can answer you with Love for Love it gives you a better Love than you brought it Nobilitates and Meliorates and raises your own love forever Behold This is the Fulnesse this is the Fulnesse that the Saints that Beleevers do partake in that they do receive of and they may come to this Fulness of Jesus Christ and they may say Of this Fulnesse of this Fulnesse wee have all received As those wicked men they may go unto the fulnesse of the Earth and they may say indeed Of this fulnesse we have all received but as for that Fulnesse we have none of it Oh! how much better is the cōdition of a Beleever than the condition of a wicked man though he be never so great or rich You that are Beleevers you do envy at the men of the world because of their fulnesse I Pray tell me would you change your Fulnesse for theirs Would you change your Condition for theirs And you that are of the world wicked ungodly men that have but the Earths fulnesse Why do you lay out your thoughts and your time upon such a fulnesse a dropsical fulnesse a fading fulnesse a dying fulnesse a fulnesse that is mixt with a Curse a fulnesse thsat does al bemire you and dirty you pray tell me Are you able with the Dasies Tulips of the world to satisfie your better part Oh! know you not that notwithstanding all the Earths fulnesse that a wicked mans fortune I say that a wicked mans fortune it lies in a lake that burneth with fire and brimstone And when you have done all you can gathered all that ever you can together you may go unto your full purses or unto your full bags or unto your full houses or unto your full barnes and you may say of this fulnesse I have received Oh! but you cannot go unto the Fulnesse of the Lord Jesus Christ and say And of this Fulness my soul hath received Oh! fool saies our Saviour Luke 12.20 when His barnes are full this night shall thy soul be taken away from thee And when you come below in the pit where no water is then you will complain and say Oh! wretch that I was I might have had of the Fulness of Jesus Christ but I chose rather the fulness of the earth and if I had had the Fulness of Christm I had bin made for ever but I chose rather the fulnesss of the world then the Fulness of Jesus Christ and now I am lost for ever Oh! I am lost for ever I have none of the Fulness of Jesus Christ What an incouragement here is then And so I come unto the Second Use Appli 2. and I will not hold you long in it What an incouragment is here unto al men good and bad to come in unto Jesus Christ and partake of His Fulnesse I say in the Second place here is incouragement unto all you that hear the Word of the Lord this day good or bad an incouragement unto all souls good and bad to come in unto the Lord Jesus Christ and partake of His fulnesse Saies our Lord and Savior When I am lift up Joh. 12.32 I will draw all men after Me I Love is a drawing thing Love is a drawing thing it draws men and women together into one youke that lived farr asunder And what greater love than this that Jesus Christ should lay down His Life for poor sinners Wisdome wisdome is a drawing thing it drew the Queen of Sheba from farr to come unto Solomon and behold a greater than Solomon is here Riches riches Wealth wealth is a drawing thing Bounty and Liberality a drawing thing it draws the poor beggar to the rich mans dore And behold here 's Riches Oh! there 's an infinite treasury of Grace and Holinesse in Jesus Christ And here 's Liberality For there is an infinite propension and willingnesse in the Lord Jesus Christ to give out of this Fulnesse unto poor finners Oh! hath God the Father exalted Jesus Christ and shall not our hearts exalt Him Beloved let but Jesus Christ be exalted in your thoughts and in your hearts and you will stand Firm against all Temptations Firm against and Discouragements Firm against all Afflictions Firm against all Temptations If Temptations come to offer you profit and pleasure then will you make this answer No you bid me losse for there is a fulness in Jesus Christ and of His Fulness through the Lords mercy I have received Firm against all Discour agements If the Devil come and tell you Thou art now a Professor but ere long you will fall away and prove as great a scandal to Religion as ever you honored it before You will make this answer True indeed Satan I have a backsliding soul I have a backsliding heart but there is a Fulnes in Jesus Christ through the Lords mercy I have received of this Fulness an d therefore I shal
is good that so we may be brought unto more dependence on Christ As a man is unable to stand and persevere So also he is unable to any one good work Spiritually Evangelically good We are not able saies the Apostle as of our selves 2 Cor. 3.5 to think a good thought to speak a good word but all our sufficiency is of God And Bradwardin he reasons the case very well Saies he thus â— If that a man bestow good breeding upon his child the father gives the natural being to the child he brings him up in Military affaires the child grows very skilful the father furnishes him with al kind of Armour yet notwithstanding if the child hath the prowess the valour of the action from himself he may boast in himself and he may say True indeed I had my being from my father I had indeed my skill from my father I had my Armes from my father But the Action is my own the valour my own the strength of the action is my own So saies he if God should give habitual grace to a man if the strength for the action should not be from God he might boast True indeed I had the habit from God the habitual grace from God but the action is my own the spirit of the action is my own he had now wherein to boast But all boasting is cut off as you shall hear by and by And therefore Naturally a man is unable to every work Not only the habit is received but strength for the action also 't is all received Fiftly As a man is unable to every action So also he is Naturally unable to prepare himself unto what is good spiritually good Good people mark it I say a man is also unable to Prepare himself unto what is good Not only unable to do good but unable to Prepare himself unto what is good Spiritually good not only unable to Overcome the enemy but unable to draw out his forces not only unable to Receive the enemies charge but he is unable to draw out his forces Ho ho every one that thirsteth Isa 55.1 come and buy wine and milk without money or monies worth If a man could prepare here is money here is monies worth As one observes well Then a man might say The first beginning of my salvation was of my self Yea in truth a man may say The greatest part is from my self for 't is more to begin and more to prepare so the the greatest part of our salvation should be from our selves Ye know what the Apostle saies and I pray consider it in Ephe. 2.1 And you hath He quickned who were dead in trespasses and sins Even you at the 5. v. even when we were dead in sins hath quickned us together with Christ by Grace ye are saved Mark Twice the Apostle brings in that sentence be brings it in again at the 8. verse For by Grace ye are saved why twice Not only to shew that the progresse of a Christian is by Grace but the very first begining and setting out 't is al of grace By Grace ye are saved 'T is a good speech of Austin Grace is no way Grace unlesse it be every way free Now can a poor dead man prepare himselfe unto life Did Lazarus prepare himself to life Could he do it Could Lazarus do it There is saith the Philosopher a proportion alwaies between the Action and the terme of the Action Now what proportion is there between Nature and Grace No man saies our Savior comes unto the Son Joh. 6.44 but whom the Father draws thus saies our Savior Oh! but saies Pelagius I can go unto Jesus Christ by my own preparation I can prepare I can draw my self unto Jesus Christ or I can draw Christ to me Beloved In natural Actions there needs alwaies preparations to the introducing of forms because in the way of Generation of Nature things are wrought by degrees As for example now If a great log lie in the mud before you can carry it away you must loosen it from the mud but the logg doth not loosen it selfe And so if wood be to be burnt first it must be dried there is preparing the wood to be burnt because the thing is to be done by degrees But in the conversion of a poor sinner the work is done in a moment it is no natural work God infuses Grace there and therefore there needs no prepararation there And therefore Bradwardine he reasons the case very well thus If saies he a man can prepare himself then the preparation either helps forward or causes the following grace if it does not help forward nor cause the following grace then it does not prepare that which does not help does not prepare if it does help forward the following grace or cause it that God must give a following grace as a reward of this preparation then surely this preparation makes a man pleasing in the eyes of God for will God reward a man for a work that does not make him pleasing in the eyes of God But how can a man be pleasing in the eyes of God Heb. 11.6 without Faith Without Faith it is impossible to please God So that a man cannot prepare himself to what is good Put all these together A man cannot naturally overcome a sin a temptation though never so small He cannot rise when he is fallen he cannot stand though he should rise yea he is unable to any good work simply in it self and he is not able to prepare himself unto what is good Surely therefore all is in a way of Receiving what ever grace one hath he hath it in a way of Receiving This is the first Argument Secondly This truth is also argued from the Supernaturallity of Grace Grace is a Supernatural thing and is called in Scripture phrase The Seed of God The Image of Christ The Divine Nature The good and perfect Gift that comes from above from the Father of Lights It is wrought in the soul by the infinite and Almighty Power of God the same power wherewith God Created Heaven and Earth at the first And therefore 't is called a Creation in Ephe. 2.10 We are His Workmanship created unto good Works The same power that the Lord used in raising up Christ from the dead is also put forth in the conversion of every sinner And besides When the Lord is pleased to convert and draw a poor sinner unto Himself He does not alwaies take those that are the best those that are the wisest those that are the most moral Civil men He does not alwaies take the most Prudent but many times the Lord takes the worst Paul Zacheus Matthew the Jailour divers others And if you look into the 33. Chapter of Job where you have the plat-form indeed of mans conversion you shall find there in what a time God takes a man to Convert him at the 14. verse God speaketh once yea twice yet man perceives it not
Answ That mercy may be sure unto all His servants which they would soon spend if it were in their own keeping Mark I pray There are these Two or Three Reasons of Gods Proceeding this way That all Grace should be in a way of Receiving And the First is That all Boasting rejoycing 1. Rea. confidence in ones self may be taken away If Abraham saies Paul in the 4. of the Romans were justified by works he hath whereof to glory though not before God He hath whereof to glory But now when all is in a way of Receiving there 's no room for Boasting Mark therefore what is said in the 1 Cor. 4.7 Who maketh thee to differ from another and what hast thou that thou didst not receive Now if thou didst receive it why doest thou glory as if thou hadst not received it God cannot indure Boasting cannot indure Self-confidence God cannot indure that a man should glory in any thing in himself therefore all all is in a way of Receiving This is Gods Reasoning Again 2. Rea. God hath so ordered things in the dispensations of His Grace under the Gospel That Jesus Christ may be fully Honored Exalted No such way to Honor Christ as this that all should come out of His hands to be received from Him Pray Was it not a great Honor to Joseph in the time of the famine in Egypt that no bread but should come through his hands not a corn of grain but should come through his hands So here when no grace no strength no aid no assistance no supplies but all through the hand of Christ all in a way of Receiving does not this glorify Christ much What is it I pray that makes the Sun so glorious a creature above all the creatures in the world but this That all the creatures depend upon him for light and for warmth This is that that makes the Lord Jesus Christ glorious That all must be in a way of Receiving from Jesus Christ Thirdly 3. Rea. God hath so ordered things in the dispensations of His Grace under the Gospel That the Saints and Children of God may live by faith Good people mark it Some there are some creatures in the world that do live by Sence as the beasts and beastly men Some creatures there are that do live by Reason moral men But the Lord would have His Children to live by Faith That as the men of the world do live by Sence and Reason So the Lord would have all His Children to live by Faith What way or means to bring a soul off for to live by Faith Establish this Doctrine let this be a Statute made in the Churches All in a way of Receiving I saies a poor soul is it so indeed What all in a way of Receiving Then I fee a necessity of living by Faith Oh! Lord teach me now for to live by Faith Thus you see the Doctrine clearly proved by Reason to you I shall not be able to reach the Use of the point so as I intended The Doctrine is exceeding Useful ful of Spiritual Use yet though I shall not be able to do what I would give me leave for to make some Application of the point and so I will winde up all Is this Doctrine true 1 Applic. That all all is in a way of Receiving Then behold what infinite care the great God of Heaven and Earth hath of Beleevers of every beleeving soul though he be never so mean would you not think that if a mother were so tender of her child that she would not let her child eat a bit of bread but it should be of her own cutting that she would not let it drink a drop of drink but it should be of her own drawing would you not think this mother this woman were very careful of her child Beloved thus the case stands No Grace no Assistance no Help for duty no Help against sin but the Lord Jesus Christ Himself will have the cutting of it the Lord Jesus Christ will have the giving of it out He will have the drawing of it all all in a way of Receiving Oh! what care Oh! what infinite care hath God of poor Beleevers When the Lord would commend His care of the Children of Israel unto them pray mark what an argument he uses in Deut. 11.10 11 12. For the Land whether thou goest in to possess it is not as the Land of Egypt from whence ye came out where thou sowedst thy seed and wateredst it with thy foot as a garden of herbs They fetch 't water out of the River Nilus and so they watered the Land of Egypt with their feet But saies he at the 11. verse the Land whither ye go to possess it is a Land of hills and valleys and drinketh water of the rain of Heaven Not taken out of the River and watered by mens feet as Egypt was A Land saies the Lord which the Lord thy God Careth for A Land which the Lord thy God Careth for He Cared not for Egypt How does he prove that the Lord Cared for it The eyes of the Lord thy God are alwaies on it from the begining of the yeer even unto the end of the yeer He giveth rain from Heaven and when your Land wants water 't is given from Heaven 't is not watered by mens feet 't is not watered as Egypt was watered which Land God Cared not for So now there are some people in the world that water themselves that go forth in their own strength that have moral vertues and they water their hearts with their own feet as I may say the Lord Cares not for those the Lord Cares not for such Oh! but give me a soul that hath rain from Heaven that lives in continual dependance that acknowledges that all is Received that lives upon Heaven the Lord Cares for such a soul Now this is the condition of all the Saints of every Beleever he hath all in a way of Receiving Oh! the infinite care that the Lord hath of every Beleever though he be never so mean Secondly Appli 2. Is this Doctrine true All in a way of Receiving Then behold what sweet and comfortable and pleasant lives the Saints live Beleevers have When you look upon a Godly man and consider what great works he does and what hard things he bears what great Afflictions he goes thorow You say Good Lord how is a man able to do or bear all this Paul and Silas â—â—nging in the stocks when they were whipt and scourg'd the blood running down their shoulders and yet singing How how are they able to do all to bear all To here here is the reason They have all in a way of Receiving When you see the little Child run by the father in his hand in a green meadow you say the Child hath a â—â—ne and a sweet time but when you see the Child coming at a high gate or stile to get over or dirty lane to passe
say if you take this course you will lose all you will lose all your acquaintance lose your liberty lose your estate may be lose your life Be it so saies faith though thou losest thy friends thou shalt gaine better and though thou losest thy liberty thou shalt gaine better and though thou losest thy life it selfe thou shalt gaine a better 't is but a while neither sayes faith that thou shalt lose these things and thou shalt have them better in a better Edition When a mans eyes are open to behold the Excellencies of Christ then they are shut to outward Discouragements When a man hath beheld the Sunne in its glory his eyes dazle to the things that are below Now Faith opens a mans eyes to see the Excellencies of Jesus Christ and so the soule is carried through Difficulties and Discouragements though they be never so many Againe fourthly True saving faith it inables the soule to leave the successe and the event of all unto God himselfe Nothing strengthens the hands of Difficulties and Discouragements so much as solicitude about successe and event of things True saving faith helps a man to leave the successe to Christ it does commit the soule unto God unto Christ there is a mutuall committing between Christ and a beleever Christ commits himselfe unto a beleever and a beleever commits himselfe againe unto Christ Christ commits himselfe unto a beleever you know what is said in the Gospel John 2.24 Psal 37.5 He did not commit himselfe unto them because they did not beleeve him arguing that he did commit himselfe unto others that did beleeve him And beleever commit themselves unto Jesus Christ Commit thy way unto the Lord there is a mutuall way of committing Christ he does commit his Grace he does commit his Spirit he does commit his Truth unto a beleever a beleever commits his Estate and his Name and Himselfe againe unto Christ Christ commits his work unto a beleever and a beleever commits the successe of the work againe unto Jesus Christ Faith now leaves the event and the successe unto Jesus Christ and therefore when Difficulties and naturall Discouragements arife and say What wilt thou do now What wilt thou do now to be preserved What wilt thou do to continue now What wilt thou do to be delivered now What will become of you now Oh! Satan sayes a beleever thou hast mistaken the question My question is not What shall become of me I have left the successe of things to God but my question is What shall I do for God My question is How shall I love Jesus Christ My question is How shall I be like unto Jesus Christ My question is How shall I serve my generation and owne Jesus Christ in these times This is my question Faith true saving faith it leaves the successe and the event of things unto Christ and so thereby the soule is carried through all Difficulties and naturall Discouragements unto Jesus Christ In the fifth place True saving faith is that grace whereby the soule takes up the yoke of Christ and the burden of Christ upon his soule Christs burden does unburden all other burdens the very taking Christs burden upon a man does ease him of all other burdens This may seem strange to you that the taking of a new burden should ease one of the former if a man be carrying coales or wood the taking of a new burden would not ease him of the former but the burden of Christ Belove is of another nature Austin distinguishes them there is a burden burdening and a burden supporting he expresses it thus The feathers that a bird or a foule is cloathed with they have a weight in them the wings and feathers have a weight a pound of feathers is as heavy as a pound of lead there is a weight in those feathers yet notwithstanding they beare up the burden of the body though there be a weight in them one weight beares up another Or as 't is with your coaches the wheeles are heavy yet notwithstanding being fastened unto the coach unto the body of the coach makes the body to go away the lighter though they be heavy in themselves So now 't is here the burden of Jesus Christ it makes all other burdens to go away the lighter Faith true saving Faith it is the grace that takes up the burden of Christ upon the soule and so thereby all other burdens are made the lighter and difficulties and discouragements overcome In the sixt place True saving faith it does teach a man for to picke out the love of God from under the anger of God God never makes his Pils so bitter but he mighles some Sugar withall and true faith can find it out When as our Lord and Saviour Christ said Ioh. 2.4.5 woman what have I to do with thee mine houre is not yet come The next words that she saies is to the servants Whatsoever he bids you do that do They wanted wine she came to him for wine and he answered her so it may seem an hard answer yet saies she to the servants whatsoever he bid you do that do For our Saviour had said my houre is not yet come implying therfore that he would do it Implycation is enough for Faith for Mary's Faith Faith it acquaints a man with the wayes of God and acquaints a Soule what Gods wayes are it tels the soule that when Christ seemes to be the greatest Enemy he intends the greatest friendship He sayes faith does then intend for to raise us up when he seemes most for to cast us downe whereupon when difficulties and discouragements do arise Is this his way indeed sayes a beleeving soule why then shall I be borne down with so many discouragements though they be never so many In the seventh and last place true saving justifying faith fils the soule with Gods infinity or infinitenesse Gods way is not as your way sayes Faith nor his thoughts as your thoughts but as the Heavens are above the earth so are his thoughts beyond yours and his wayes beyond your Faith lodges this principle into the Soule that God is infinite and having laid that principle there when difficulties and discouragements do arise saying you see now into what distresse you are brought now you see there is no hope at all for you deliverance true indeed sayes the Beleever through the strength of Faith I see there is no way in any one reason but God is infinite I see many difficulties but God is infinite the soule by Faith being fild with the apprehension of Gods infinitenesse hereby is carried through all difficulties and discouragements to Jesus Christ I have not time I see to tell you how Faith workes by love which much watter cannot quench stronger then death And how Faith is strengthened with the strength of the power of God that it layes hold upon As the Ivie is strong by the strength of the oake that it graspes upon so Faith is strong
this than with the other And I pray what then Do but observe Paul who gracious he is how humble he is how thankful he is how ready to serve Christ how ready to serve the Churches for Christ how ready to suffer for Christ upon all occasions Oh! how gracious did this make him Thus 't is with a poor soul that hath tasted of the free-grace of God in Christ the heart is more taken herewithal than with the thoughts of Heaven Ah saies a poor soul I was going on in such a sinful way or I lay sleeping and snorting in my sins and I know not how before ever I was aware the Kingdom of Heaven did approach unto me and the Lord in his free-grace showed mercy to my family and to my poor soul Oh! therefore any thing for Jesus Christ Oh! I will spend and be spent Oh! any thing for Jesus Christ The sight of Gods grace does make one gracious and therefore Christ does take this way Causing the Kingdom of Heaven grace and free remission to approach first unto us before we do draw neer to it There is one Reason more I will but name it Christ does so order things in the dispensations of his grace that no flesh might glory in it selfe or in any thing that it hath or doth that no flesh might rest in any duty in any service in any suffering but only upon grace upon Christ alone Beloved we are very unwilling to come unto any duty and when we have done we are then as apt to rest upon it as ever we were unwilling to come unto it But what 's the reason that men are so apt to rest upon their duties but because there are these secret thoughts that they come to Christ before he does come to them Let the heart be possest with this truth That Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of Heaven and of free-grace does approach unto us and come neer to us before we draw neer to it And then he will not rest so much upon what he is doth or suffereth A man in this case is like unto a Silk-worme you know how 't is with that worme it makes a fine web a fine work and when it hath done it dies in it afterward it eats a hole through the work and it comes out with wings a quite other creature than it went into it So it is with a poor Christian he makes a fine work of duty and then he dies in it but through the manifestations of Gods free grace he does as it were eat a hole through all and he comes out with wings flying away from his duties not so as to neglect the performance of them but so as not to rest upon them flyes away from in regard of resting upon any duty and only upon this ground because saies he God did draw neer to me grace did draw neer to me mercy did draw neer to me before ever I drew neer to it and therefore why should I rest upon any duty performe it I will but through grace I will not rest upon it By way of Application Applic. 1 Let us I pray consider with our selves whether God hath dealt thus by our souls or no Hath the Kingdom of Heaven approch't and drawn neer unto us before we drew neer to it if not truly for ought that I know we are yet under the Law and all our mournings and walkings Heaven-ward they are but Legal If God love you indeed He shews kindness and mercy to you before you do come to him 'T is with Gods darlings as 't is with the worlds-darlings You have some men take a great deal of pains rise early and go to bed late and yet the world does not smile upon them these are the world's enemies Some take pains and grow rich thereby these are the worlds friends Others there are again that before ever they take any pains the Lord is upon them with the worlds blessings these are the worlds darlings So I say God hath his darlings and if thou art one of Gods darlings He does cause the Kingdom of Heaven Grace and Free-remission to appear and draw neer unto thy soul even before thou dost draw neer to it Hath God dealt thus by any of you Oh! contemplate consider seriously the sweetness of this grace Beloved preventing grace is sweet grace The Lord gave a Grown a Kingdom to David but the best Pearle in all the Crown that his eye was most upon was Gods preventing mercy Psa 21.3 Lord saies he thou hast prevented me with the goodness of thy blessing As if he had said thus Lord thou hast not only given me a kingdom made me a King over thy people but when I was a poor Shepheard keeping my fathers sheep thou diddest prevent me with thy love So may a poor soul say Ah Lord thou hast not only given me a kingdom but thou hast prevented me with thy love 'T is a great matter that the great God of Heaven and Earth should answer our prayers give us any mercy upon our request I but that the Lord should give us the greatest mercie before we come for it Pray good people mark it a little Ye shall observe that the greatest mercies that ye have ye have them and they are given unto you before you come for them There are some great mercies that a Christian hath as Conversion of his soul Justification Remission of sin Some lesser mercies as comfort and peace and outward plenty As for these lesser mercies God gives them when we do come for them but as for the great Mercies Remission of sin Justification of our persons Conversion of our souls God is upon us with these mercies before we come for them Oh! what grace is here Oh! what glorious rich grace is here What! shall be not stand and admire at the glory of this free grace of God in Jesus Christ You will say unto me Quest But suppose this that the Lord hath brought the Kingdom of Heaven neer to me and my family before I did come to it for I must confess that I have tasted and drunk deeply of Gods preventing love Oh! how graciously hath God dealt by our poor family wee were a poor ignorant family and the Lord shewed mercy to our family when we little thought of it to such a Child to such a Servant to such a Friend to mine own soul Indeed this is true That the Kingdom of Heaven hath approch't unto me drawn neer unto me before I drew neer to it Oh! what is my duty now that does flow from hence Let me tell you Ans 1 Duty First of all Be sooner at Heaven gate with your duties hereafter than ever you were before When as a Master comes into his servants Chamber in the morning and takes him abed if the servant have any ingenuity the servant saies this my Masters coming thus early is plainly a rebuke to my sloth and therfore God willing I will be up sooner another day So now
the world He must have infinite Knowledge to know the wants of Gods Peopel and He must have infinite Mercy and Patience and Goodness to pitty them and He must have infinite Power to reach it forth unto them which no creature hath and therefore no creature at all fit for this work Besides God the Father hath so ordered things in the dispensations of His Grace that he might take the most comentment and complacency and delight in the duties and services of his People this is the only way to it This is my beloved Son saies he in whom I am well pleased Mat. 3.17 If there be a garment that is laid with gold-lace hung or stuck full of Pearls though the Cloth of the garment be not much worth yet because of the gold-lace and the Pearls that are upon it you count it very precious Such are our duties the Cloth of our duty is not much worth but because of the golden-lace and the Pearls of the Graces of Jesus Christ they are very precious 'T is not in regard of our duties as in regard of your flowers or posies let a flower or posy be never so sweet they receive not any of the sweetness from the bosom that it sticks in the posy does sweeten the bosom but the bosom does not sweeten the posy I but now the duty that is stuck in the bosom of Jesus Christ is sweetned by the bosom by the bosom that it sticks in Pray mark therefore what is said in the 11. of the Canticles for this purpose Saies the Spouse at the 12. ver When or while the King sitteth at his table My spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof My Spikenard what is that The Graces and the duties and the services of Gods People they are His Spikenard this Spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof while the King sitteth at his talbe while it is in the presence of Jesus Christ whilst the posy is in His bosom it smels sweet else it does not Now God the Father I say He hath so ordered things that He may take a complacency and contentment in the duties and services of His People and therefore it is that all their Graces they come from Jesus Christ by vertue of Him It will be Objected yet Object It should seem that all Grace does not come from Christ no nor from God the Father neither for in the 16. of the Proverbs and the 1. verse it is said as some translations reade it The preparations of the heart are of man but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. If a man can prepare his heart that is a great matter but now saies Solomon The preparations of the heart is of man but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord Surely therefore all is not of Grace and all is not of Christ By way of Answer Answ 1 I shall say these Three things First The meaning of this place cannot be according to this Objection for then as Bradwardine does well observe the greater should be given to man and the lesser should be given to God for it is a greater thing for a man to Prepare his heart then for him to speak words when his heart is prepared And then again as Austin observes this would be contrary to other Scriptures for our Savior Christ Joh. 15.5 He saies Without me ye can do nothing Yes might a man say according to Solomons Doctrine I can prepare my own heart and that is a great duty And so whereas the Apostle saies We are not able for to think a good thought 2 Cor. 3.5 A man might say yes but according to Solomons Doctrin I am able to prepare my own-heart The meaning therfore of this place cānot be according to this objection The scope therefore Secondly of this place is this To shew the vanity and the boot-lesness of all our thoughts without God Let a man think and think and spend his heart in thought-fulness all is in vain unless God go along with him for God can come between his heart and his lips So it was with Balaam he prepared his heart for to curse the people but God came between his heart and the preparation and he gave an answer of blessing contrary to the preparation of his heart That is the scope of the place to show the vanity of the preparations of our hearts to any busyness unless we take God along with us Thirdly This place is so far from speaking against the Doctrine in hand that it seems to speak for it For according to the Hebrew the words may be read thus The heart preparations of man and the answer of the tongue from the Lord giving both heart and tongue into the hand of the Lord. And if it be so that after a man hath prepared his heart unto any work God is able to come between the heart and the lip and to give in another answer into the mouth then what was intended in the heart this shows that all is of God that all is of Grace and so this place does rather confirm the Doctrine that I am now upon I but yet it will be said then Grant it Object that all Grace is from Christ that whatsoever Grace a man hath he hath it from Jesus Christ Yet so as that when a man is converted and drawn to Christ there is a principle or a habit of Grace infused into the soul whereby through ordinary concurrence and assistance from God a man is able for to walk graciously without fresh assistance For example When the Lord made the world in the beginning He gave unto the creatures a power to bring forth their like He gave unto the Beasts a power to bring forth their like He gave unto Plants unto Herbs a power to bring forth their like He gave unto Man a power to bring forth his like and so Grace being but a creature He gave also unto Grace a power to bring forth gracious actions without fresh assistance only by ordinary concurrence yet because that this first habit is infused and comes from God this is said to be from Christ and from Grace so that though all is of Grace and all is from Christ yet all is not from Christ in regard of fresh assistance Give me leave to answer this Yes Ans all is from Jesus Christ all Grace is from Jesus Christ in regard of fresh assistance too For although in the beginning God made a Covenant of works with man and then gave that Grace that he had a power to bring forth it 's like Yet now the Lord hath brought us under a better Covenant a better Covenant than the former was In the First Covenant that God made with us and with Adam the Lord gave man a great stock of Grace but gave him no promise of perseverance but now he hath In the First indeed God gave man a great stock of Grace but Satan being a stronger than man came upon him and beguil'd him of it