from servants ordinarily But when the fulness of time was come God sent forth his Son that we might receive the adoption of Sons And the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father They had the spirit of Bondage unto fear and we have the Spirit of Adoption unto Love to cry Abba Father They could not go to God but with many fears but there is none of all the Saints now but go with a Spirit of Love go to God as a Father Every Saint now may go to God and say Father Father I labor under such a temptation Oh! Father help me I want such a blessing or mercy Oh! Father give it me Again further Although they had many sprinklings of the Doctrins of Grace yet they fell but droppingly upon them now a drop and then a drop As you have it in the 1. Chap. of the Hebrews 1. verse God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the fathers by the Prophets hath in these last dayes spoken unto us by His Son God who by piece-meals drop by drop now a drop and then a drop spake unto our fore-fathers by the Prophets hath in these last times spoke unto us by His Son This being the opposition shews that God spake perfectly and spake al by His Son When this King came then all the Cocks run with wine Some observe that Jesus Christ preached the Gospel more plainly unto one poor ignorant sinful wicked woman that ye reade of in the 4. of John then He did unto al our fore-fathers under the Old Testament for unto which of all our fore-fathers did He say I am the Messiah Ask of Me the water of life and I will give it thee You know the great Doctrins of the Gospel Justification by Grace Free remission of sins and the like Now though these Doctrins be in the Old Testament yet take your Book and howmany leaves shal you reade over before you be able to reade this Doctrine cleerly But open your Book where you wil open in the New Testament and you shall meet with one everie where with this Doctrine this great Doctrine of Free-Grace every where Oh! much much of Jesus Christ and of His Grace that is now Discovered surely Abundance of Grace Abundance of Grace Discovered to the Saints now and to all the Saints But in the Second place As there is Abundance of Grace Discovered So there is Abundance of Grace Exhibited and Communicated to all the Saints Those that have the least measure of Grace now have Abundance of Grace That is the Thing that I would cleer up to you That those that have the least measure of Gospel-Grace they receive Grace for Grace they have abundance of Grace Is it not a great matter for an ungodly man to be Justified What man so godly but he was ungodly before Justified Is it not a great matter for a man to be the Son of God to be the Child of God All Gods Children shall be Portioned answerable to their Fathers Estate David counted it a great matter to be son-in-law to a King though but a wicked King and the Kingdom but small What is it then to be Adopted to be the Son of God the Daughter of God To as many as receive Him Joh 1.12 He gives power to be called the Sons of God And there is this difference between Gods Adoption and mans When man does Adopt one to be his son he may put his Name upon him he may give his Estate to him but he cannot make the person to be like himself he cannot communicate his nature to him But now when God does Adopt one to be His Child He does not only put His Name upon the Soul and give him a great Estate but He makes him to be like Himself and communicates His Nature to him So saies the Apostle 2 Pet. 1.4 We are made partakers of the Divine Nature Is it not a great matter To have the Image of Jesus Christ drawn upon a filthy soul To have ones heart inclin'd naturally inclin'd as it were unto all the Commandements of the Gospel I will write My Law in your heart Jer. 31.33 saies God in the Covenant of Grace That look as the Heathen having the law of nature written in their hearts are naturally inclin'd unto the works of Nature So will I write my Law of Grace in your hearts and you shall be naturally inclin'd unto the works of Grace and unto the works of the Gospel He that hath least of Christ he hath all Christ all Christ imputed unto all the Saints Beloved we have not so much of Christ in our lives as Peter and Paul and John had but wee have as much of Christs Righteousness imputed to us for our Justification as any of all the Apostles had and if our Faith be right 't is like precious with theirs Is it not a great matter for a man to be in Heaven before he comes there Joh 17.3 To have eternal life in this world This is eternal life to know thee and whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ And that day that any soul begins to know Jesus Christ that day is the day-break of his eternity the Saints that are in Heaven they count from that day there began our eternity This is eternal life here it begins All the Saints and People of God they do know God in Jesus Christ And therefore surely There is an Abundance of Grace Grace for Grace an Abundance of Grace Communicated and given our unto all the Saints under the new Testament But you will say unto me Object We do not find this in experience do not see such an Abundance of Grace in the lives of those ye count godly those that are in Christ indeed we do not find that they have such an Abundance of Grace I but Ans Do you consider The Opposition of Grace The Retinue of Grace And the Mysiery of Grace First For the Opposition of Grace A little Grace may be much opposed and when the Opposition is great though Grace be small in the Bulk it may be great in the Work though little in the Quantity yet it may be much in Quality There 's no true Gospel-Grace but it is much opposed When Jesus Christ came into the world you know Herod raised all the County upon him And so when Christ comes into the heart the whol soul it is raised against Him because He comes as an enemy unto the soul As when an enemy Lands the Beacons are all fired and the Country all rises what do you say An enemy is landed an enemy is landed and all the Country rises So when Christ Lands upon a soule at the first He Lands as an enemy unto the â—â—n and soul and all the soul the Region the Continent it rises up against Him Then also as the Dragon â—ood before the woman which you reade of in that of the Revelations to out off the child as soon as it was born
First Proposition The Second afforded this Observation That all the Saints and People of God do partake of the Fulness of Jesus Christ in a way of receiving This fals asunder into Two Parts or Two Branches First That there is a Communication of the Fulness of Jesus Christ unto all Beleevers Secondly That what ever Grace or Holiness the Saints have from Christ they have it in a way of receiving I have done also with the First of these And am now God willing to speak to the Second Whatsoever Grace or Holiness the Saints and People of God have from Christ they have it all in a way of receiving Of His Fulness all we have received The former Branch told us That Christ Communicates This tels us That we Receive There the Emphasis lay upon Christs Communicating And here the Accent is set upon our Receiving The Grace of Jesus Christ is not borne with us We do not go to Jesus Christ in the strength of our Nature to take of His Fulnesse to our selves But Jesus Christ gives out and we receive All in a way of Receiving The Grace and Mercy of our Justification and remission of Sins is by way of Receiving Rom. 5.11 Not only so but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have now received the atonement Atonement is to be had it is to be had by Christ and this in a way of Receiving Again The Grace and Mercy of our Adoption is to be had in a way of Receiving Gal. 4.5 He came to redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the Adoption of Sons Adoption is a Blessing that is most desirable This Christ gives and this we receive Again The Grace of our Sanctification is to be had in a way of Receiving What is the Cause and Original of all our Grace or Holinesse but the Spirit of God And that is received Gal. 3.2 This only would I learn of you Received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith The Schools say that the word Grace is either taken for The Gifts of the holy-Ghost or for Saving and Sanctifying Grace Take Grace for The gifts of the holy-Ghost as sometimes the Word is used in Scripture and that is in a way of Receiving Acts 10.47 They heard them speak with Tongues at the 46. ver Then answered Peter Can any man forbid water that these should not be Baptized which have received the holy-Ghost That is The Gift of the holy Ghost Take Grace for Holiness and Sanctification and that is also in a way of Receiving to be had in a way of Receiving Rom. 8.15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear But ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father There are Gifts of Prayer And there is the Spirit of Prayer of Adoption crying Abba Father The First may be without Grace but the Second not where ever the Second is there is Grace And this is Received saith the Apostle here In general all is by way of Receiving Col. 2.6 As ye have Received the Lord Christ saies the Apostle see that ye walk in Him And in another place 1 Cor. 4.7 What hast thou that thou hast not Received What hast thou that thou hast not Received All in a way of Receiving He shall come down saies the Psalmist in the 72. Psalm speaking concerning our Lord and Savior Christ and His Grace at the 6. verse He shall come down like rain upon the mowen grass Or as some write it for so the Original will bear it He shall come down like rain upon the Fleece having relation to Gideons Fleece He shall come down like rain upon the mowen grass as showers that water the earth A Psalm for Solomon saies the Title But there are many things in this Psalm that cannot properly be understood of Solomon but in a type properly belonging to Jesus Christ For as Strigelius does well observe at the 7. verse the verse next following this text it is said In his daies shall the righteous flourish and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth Solomon did not live so long as the moon endures This therefore is to be understood of Christ And at the 5. verse it is said They shall fear thee as long as the Sun and moon endure throughout all generations They did not fear Solomon men did not fear Solomon as long as the Sun and moon endures through all generations This therefore must be understood of Christ Now see therefore what is said of Christ and concerning His Grace saies the Text in the 6. verse He shall come down like rain upon the mowen grass Like rain rain you know is that that does make the earth fruitful Non ager sed annus facit fructum 'T is not the sowing but 't is the Year that causes fruit 't is the rain that causeth fruit And so 't is the Grace of Jesus Christ that does make us fruitful His Grace the cause of our Grace I will be as a dew saies the Lord in the 14. of Hosea unto Israel and then follows fruitfulness Again The rain cometh by special appointment from God Amos. 4.7 Judg. 6.38 39 40. with a kind of dis-crimination He maketh the rain to fall upon one City saith the Prophet and not upon another As wee reade concerning Gideons Fleece the dew fell upon the Fleece when all the earth was dry round about it And then the dew fell upon the ground when the Fleece was dry And this was a Type of the Grace of Christ when the Jewes were bedewed with the Grace of Christ then all the Nations round about they were dry And then when God bedewed the Gentiles the Nations round about with His Grace then the Jews were dry and they are dry to this day Again The rain falleth 't is the Scripture phrase the rain falleth and falleth upon the earth and the earth is a recipient to receive it it is meer recipient at the first and then brings forth it 's fruit the Rain falleth And so doth the Grace of Christ the Grace of Christ falls upon the souls of men and women saith the Text here He shall come down like the rain upon the mowne grass So doth the Grace of Jesus Christ it comes down upon a poor soul All in a way of receiving al in a way of receiving whatever grace or holiness a man hath on this side Heaven it is all in a way of Receiving And this will appear further to you if you consider The insufficiency of Nature The Supernaturallity of Grace The Shortness of all means that are appointed thereunto The work and nature of Faith And the posture and true behaviour of Prayer First of all There is a Natural inability in a man unto what is good truly Spiritually good First A man is unable by Nature to overcome any sin though it be never so small A man by Nature
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
now there is a union between Christ and Beleevers and Christ is in them and they are in Christ We in Christ and Christ in us There is a glorious and blessed union between them Now union is the cause of communion or communication bread is united unto a mans body by eating of it and so by vertue of the union strength is derived into all the parts into all the members and the nearer and closer unto this union is the more full is the communication Now though the union between Christ and a Beleever be set out in Scripture phrase under such Metaphors as these The Root and the Branches The Husband and the Wife And the Head and Members yet none of all these are able to reach it not in all respects 't is a glorious and 't is a blessed and incomparable union And therefore there must needs be a comunication of the fulness of Christ to every Beleever Secondly Rea. 2 My second reason I lay upon four Propositions and so shall arise and ascend unto the conclusion by several steps thus First There is an infinite treasury of Grace and Holiness in Jesus Christ whereby He is able to supply and succour all those that are tempted If a man hath had a straight shoe upon his foot or a straight garment he knows where it pinches and accordingly he is able to get it mended Now the Lord Jesus Christ He hath put on our flesh and knows where it pinches He hath bin cloathed with our flesh and He knows every place where it pinches and accordingly He is able to succour And therefore saies the Apostle He was in al things tempted like unto us Heb. 2.18 that He might be able to succour those that are tempted Jesus Christ is not only the Lord-Treasurer of all our comforts but the Lord Keeper of al our graces The neerer any thing comes unto the Fountain of excellency the more excellent it is The Sun is the fountain of light and the neerer any thing comes to the Sun the more light it hath Fire is the fountain of warmth and heat and the neerer any thing comes unto the fire the more warm it is Why The Deitie is the Fountain of all Holiness and Jesus Christ is so neer unto it as Mediator that the Apostle saies In Him the fulness of the God Head dwells Col. 2.9 And surely therefore there must needs be an infinite treasury of Grace and Holinesse in Him The Saints you know of the Old-Testament they were very Holy Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and Joseph and Moses and Samuel and David and Solomon they were full of Grace and Holinesse and yet these were but types of Christ they were but shadows of Christ Now the type and the shadow does fall infinitly short of the thing typified and of the substance And therefore if there were so much Grace and Holinesse in things that were but a shadow of Christ if there was so much Wisdome and Holinesse in others of them that were but the type Oh! what an infinit treasury of Grace and Holinesse must there be in Christ Himself This is the first Proposition Secondly As there is an infinit treasury of Grace and Holinesse in Jesus Christ So whatever Grace and holiness Christ as Mediator hath received by God the Father He hath not received it for Himself but for others Pray mark it Whatsoever Grace and Holines is in Jesus Christ as Mediator I do not speak of Him as God but as Mediator He hath not received it for Himselfe but for others Jesus Christ was not Baptized for Himself but for finners stood in the place of sinners when He was Baptized Jesus Christ died not for Himself but for us When Christ ascended up to Heaven He went not for Himself only but saith He I go to prepare a place for you Jo. 14.2 Eph. 4.8 And so when Christ received gifts saies the Apostle He received gifts for men not for Himselfe but for others He received gifts for men The woman hath milk in her breasts but not for her selfe but for her child The Sun hath abundance of light in his body 't is not for himself but for the world And so Jesus Christ He hath received abundance of grace and holinesse but 't is not for Himself but for others And therefore pray mark what He saies in John 17.19 And for their sakes I sanctifie My self that they also might be sanctified through the Truth He does not say for My own sake do I sanctifie My self but for their sakes For their sakes I sanctifie my self that they also might be sanctified through the Truth There are certain Official parts in the body you know that stand as Officers unto all the rest The stomack hath a great deal of meat in it but it hath not that meat for it self but that it may communicate to all the members The liver hath a great deal of blood in it but the liver hath not the blood in it for it self but that it may communicate it unto all the parts And the head it hath all the fences seated in it it hath many spirits but not for it self but for the members So Jesus Christ who is the Head of the Church whatsoever Grace and Holinesse as Mediator He hath received He hath not received for Himselfe but for others This may make the Saints and People of God to come with boldnesse to the Throne of Grace Hath Christ received for others not for Himself Then why not for me Lord why not for me Now you shal see that further proved in the 61. Chap. of Esay the 1. 2. verses The Spirit of the Lord God is on me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tydings unto the meek He hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound To proclaim the acceptable yeer of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God to comfort all that mourn They are the words of Christ spoken in the Person of Christ as if he had said thus There are a generation of men in the world that are taken captive by their sins and lie bound in chains and irons by Satan and they are broken and bowed down greatly under the burden of them Now God the Father He hath design'd me to go open the prison dores to these poor captives and because God the Father hath design'd me to it therefore the Spirit of the Lord is upon me not in me therefore the Spirit of the Lord is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tydings unto the meek So that you see now that anointing that falls upon the head of Christ it falls not upon Him for Himself barely but that it may run down upon all His members That is a second Proposition Thirdly As there is an infinite treasury of grace and holiness in Christ which He hath not received for Himself
18.15 A Prophet will I raise up like unto thee I 'l put My Name in him He shall be called God Jehovah as I am Then the Lord proclaimed before Moses himself to be the Lord gracious merciful forgiving iniquity transgression and sin reserving mercy for thousands Then the Lord gave the Law and least they should think that God intended it as a Covenant of works He did at the same time give the Ceremonial Law that thereby they might reade the satisfaction of Jesus Christ for any sin they should commit against the Moral Law Here was a higher Advance But because this was still under-vail'd And it is a pain to love to conceal it self the Lord does make a further revelation of His Grace of Christ by His servant David for after David and Solomons time we reade of the Eternal generation of Christ Proverbs the 8. Of the Incarnation of Christ Loe I come Psal 40.7 in the volume of thy Book saies the Psalmist Of the Death and Suffering of Christ Psalm the 22.1 and divers other Psalms My God My God why hast thou forsaken me Of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ in the 118. Psalm and the 16. Psalm Thou wilt not suffer thine holy One to see corruption Of all the Three Offices of Jesus Christ His Kingly Office The second Psalm Yet will I set my King upon my holy Hill His Prophetical Office He shall declare the Decree Psal 2.7 And His Priestly Office Thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedech Psal 110. Of the Ascention of Jesus Christ Psal 68. He hath ascended on high and received gifts for men Of the Sitting at the right hand of God the Father the 110. Psal The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou on my right hand Thus you see in Davids time the Gospel had Advance further had gotten a great deal of ground But the Lord was not yet contented but causes more of His Grace to break forth in the times of the Prophets more concerning Christ He tells them of the very Time Christ should be born Daniel the 9. Of the Place where He should be born At Bethlehem The Person that should bear Him Mic. 5.2 Isa 7.14 Mal. 3.1 A Virgin shal conceive Gives them divers Characters whereby they should know Him when He came And I will send my Messenger before Him The voice of one crying in the wilderness He will ride upon an Asses colt Behold thy King Isa 40.3 Zac. 9.9 11.12 Isa 53.5 comes riding upon an Asses colt He shall be sold for Thirty pieces of silver saies the Prophet Zachary He shall die not for His own sins but ours The chastisement of our peace shall be upon Him And as if all this were not enough The Lord speaks out the Covenant of Grace expresly in Jer. 31.31 The daies come saie the Lord that I will make a New Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah verse the 33. This shall be the Covenant that I will make with them after those daies saith the Lord I will put my Law into their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor and every man his brother saying Know the Lord They shall all know me from the least of them unto the greatest of them saith the Lord for I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sin no more What a mighty Advance had Grace made now Is there any more yet Yes our Savior Himself comes and then Grace Advances higher by much higher then Grace enlarges her Quarters extending it self unto all the world go teach all Nations Go teach all Nations saies our Savior That house of Israel would serve such a candle as Moses was Mat. 28.19 But when the Sun arises no less then the whol world for him to display his beams upon He had set up a school of Grace in that corner of the world in Jenny But when the Lord Jesus Himself comes a Free-School is set up the School of Free Grace for all the children of men to come unto Go teach all Nations Yea in the second place Although our Savior Christ did go unto our fore fathers the Jews and preach unto them by His Spirit He came to them as Joseph to his brethren at the first in a hidden way under a vail But now the vail of the Temple is rent asunder and the most common people may see into the Holy of Holiest Now we all with open face behold as in a glass the Glory of the Lord. The Jews 2 Cor. 3.18 they had the Shadows and we have as it were the Picture but the Substance the Thing it is yet to come These Three ye find in that first verse of the 10. Chapter to the Hebrews For the Law having a shadow of good things to come and not the very Image of the thing Here 's the Shadow and here 's the Image and here 's the Thing it self The Thing it self it is yet to come They indeed had the Shadow but we have the Image and look how much an Image or the picture of a man goes beyond a shadow So much does the discovery of Christ now go beyond the discoveries of Him then Luther saies The whol world is but one day as it were And as the evening and the morning made the day so saies he our fore fathers the Jews they had the evening but we have the morning Again Though there were many Doctrines of Grace and mercy communicated to our fore fathers the Jews Yet notwithstanding they were so tempered with the Law that the very Gospel seem'd to be Law to them As now we have the Law among us but 't is so temper'd with the Gospel that the Law it self is Gospel-wise to us They had Christ in the hand of Moses and we have Moses in the hand of Christ A mighty difference As we have a Baptized and a Christian Moses so they had a Circumcized and a Mosaical Christ They had Grace in the hand of the Law And therefore you shall observe that when the Lord appear'd unto them in way of greatest mercy He appear'd still with tokens of Majesty and Greatness But now we have Grace in the hand of Grace we have Grace with the tokens of Grace and with the tokens of Love And this difference the Apostle makes out cleerly in the 12. of the Hebrews from the 18. unto the 25. Again Though they had many Doctrins of Grace and of free Grace yet themselves were not made free thereby but they were as the children of the bond-woman they were not free from Ceremonial Rites They had the free use of the creature their hearts were not free and enlarged towards God Indeed those that were Godly among them they were Children Gal. 4.1 4 5 6. But as the Apostle speaks they being under age they differed not
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
Now though the Lord does give a Christian less grace in his hand for the present yet He hath laid it up in so safe a hand that though Satan a stronger than he does come down upon him he is not able to wrest it from him or beguile him of it because 't is in the hand of Christ that is a stronger than he And Jesus Christ by a Compact with the Father from all Eternity hath engaged Himselfe to do it to give forth Grace and Assistance to all the Elect according to all their needs So that I say now all Grace is from Jesus Christ in regard of fresh assistance Therfore the Psalmist prayes thus Lord open thou my lips Psal 51.15 and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise Lord though thou hast given me habitual Grace yet if I have not fresh assistance from thee for to open my lips my mouth will not shew forth thy praise Psa 119.18 And so again Lord open mine eyes that I may see the wonders of thy Law And to this purpose 't is in the 17. Psalm and the 5. verse saies David Hold up my goings in thy paths that my foot-steps slip not Mark I pray David ye know was a godly man hee had a habit of grace Now Lord saies David as for the business that is between Saul and me thou knowest I am in thy way yet Lord saies he though I be in thy way and have a habit of Grace yet if thou dost not hold up my steps if thou dost not give me fresh assistance I shall fall I shall slip Hold up my going in thy paths that my foot-steps slip not Does not the Apostle say Phil. 2 13 The Will and the Deed is from God You may observe that the Graces of Gods People they are called in the new Testament Gal. 5.22 The fruits of the Spirit They are not called the fruits of a former habit but they are called The fruits of the Spirit And indeed if all grace were not from Jesus Christ in regard of fresh assistance truly then might a man have wherein to boast as Bradwardin reasons the case For saies he though a child have his being from his father his Education from his father Learning Military skill yet notwithstanding the valour of an action being his own he hath in opposition to his father wherin to boast True I confess indeed I had my being from my father I had my Nature from my father I had my Education from my father I had this Skill from my father But the prowess and the valour and the spirit of the action is all mine own and he hath wherein to boast So if he hath the Habit only from Christ he hath wherewith to boast True I had the Habit the Grace from God I but the spirit of the action that is mine own he had wherein to boast But there is no room for boasting and therefore all Grace is from Christ in regard of fresh assistance It will be yet said Obj. But if all Grace be from Christ in regard of fresh assistance too Why is it said that we Repent and we Beleeve and we Obey for if all Grace in regard of the very work be from Christ if Jesus Christ do work al our works Why is it not rather said That Christ does Repent and Christ does Beleeve and Christ does Obey I answer No. You know the Persons that are Responsal Ans If I owe a man a Thousand pounds and have never a penny to pay it and another man he comes and lends me the money and goes along with me to the Creditor the bond is taken up and acquittance made discharge made He is not said to have paid the money but I am said to pay the money that am Responsal So now you are Responsal and therefore though ye have all strength from Christ to do it yet you are said to Repent and Beleeve and Obey The Devil is not said to commit Adultery and commit Murder yet by his instigation 't is done The Sun does work with the Tree when the Tree does bring forth fruit and yet 't is not said that the Sun brings forth an apple or brings forth fruit because the Sun does work as a universal Cause and the Tree as a particular Cause So now though Jesus Christ does work in all your workings yet He is not said to Repent or Beleeve or to Obey because He works as a universal Cause and you work as a particular Cause Only behold here the mirrour of Grace All is of Christ and yet all is Ours all is ours in Denomination and al is Christs in Operation all is ours in regard of Incouragement and all is Christs in regard of Glory al is ours in regard of Reward and all is Christs in regard of Honor. Here 's Grace here 's the mystery of Grace but still all whatsoever Grace a man hath he hath it from Jesus Christ I but Quest will you say To what end is this Doctrine opened thus largely opened and prest What good is there that does come thereby What good Answ What good would you have What good would you do Would you have the Lord Jesus Christ to become your strength The way to have Him to become your strength is to count Him so Look I pray upon the 31. Psalm the 2. and 3. verse Be thou my strong Rock for an house of defence to save me for thou art my Rock and my Fortress Be thou my Rock for thou art my Rock What kinde of Argument is this Yes 't is a good argument The way to have Christ our Rock is to account Him our Rock My very resting upon the Promise does make it mine and your very resting upon Jesus Christ doth make Him yours and what will make you rest more upon Him then to see that all is from Him Again Would you have your hearts warmed with love unto Jesus Christ indeed our whol life should be nothing else but an expression of love to Christ as Christs life and death was nothing else but an expression of love to us Now saies a gracious soul Is this true indeed that all Grace is from Christ that whatsoever Grace the Saints have they have it from Jesus Christ that there is not a good thought in my heart but runs through the heart of Jesus Christ before it does come at mine what infinit cause then have I to love Jesus Christ Again Would you live in Dependance upon Christ for Grace for Truth the serious consideration of this truth will help you to it I confesse indeed will some say when I look upon my self I am a man or woman of such poor gifts or parts that I have no hope I am afraid I shall never attain to the Truth of the time but is it so that all is from Jesus Christ whatever Grace the Saints have they have it from Jesus Christ Why may not I know the Truth of the time as well as another I will