it labor not in word but in deed to lift up the Name of Iesus Christ SERMON VI. JOHN 1. 16. Preached at Margrets newfishstreet Dec. 22. 1645. And of His Fulness have all we received even Grace for Grace THREE Things ye heard are to be noted in this last Clause as it stands in relation to the former part of the verse First It notes An Abundance of Grace Secondly It notes thus much That whatsoever Grace the Saints have they have it from Jesus Christ And of these Two I have I have spoken already The Third now follos It notes also An Answerableness of Grace in every Christian unto the Grace of Christ of whose Fulness we have all received Even Grace for Grace Grace Answerable to His Grace We have not only received Abundance of Grace from Christ but whatsoever Grace or Holiness there is in Jesus Christ there is somewhat in the Saints that is Answerable thereunto And this now sutes w th your ordinary expression When the Seal fals upon the wax and the wax receives it rightly ye say there is upon the wax Stamp for Stamp Character for Character Image for Image So here Grace for Grace that is whatsoever Grace there is in Christ there is the like stamp upon the heart of every Christian This also sutes with that expression of Scripture Mat. 5.38 An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth That is an eye answerable unto an eye a tooth answerable to a tooth So Grace for Grace that is answerable Grace whatsoever Grace or holiness there is in Christ Something in a Christian that Answers thereunto Take Grace for Favour Mat. 3.17 2 Sam. 12.25 for the Favour of God And is Jesus Christ called the Beloved of God This is my Beloved Son So are the Saints too Solomon called Jedidiah The beloved of God Take Grace for Priviledge Is Jesus Christ called the Son of God This is my beloved Son So are the Saints too Every Son whom he loves c. Heb. 12.6 Is He called an Heir a Heb. 1.2 The Heir of all things The Saints are said to be b Rom. 8.17 Heirs and Coheirs with Jesus Christ Is He called c 1 Pet. 2.6 Elect and Precious So are they too d 1 Pet. 1.2 Elect and precious Is He called Gods e Zach. 13.7 Fellow as ye have it in Zachary The Saints they are called His Fellows f Heb. 1.9 Who is anointed with the oyl of gladness above his fellows That is above the Saints Is He called the Light g Joh. 8.12 The Light of the world The true Light They are called Light too h Eph. 5.8 Ye were darkness but now are ye Light in the Lord. Take Grace for Assistance And had Jesus Christ felt an Assistance from God the Father As ye reade at large in the 22. Psalm so have the Saints too i 1 Cor. 12.9 Joh. 17.9 Ibid. Joh. 1.14 Act 7.55 My Grace is sufficient for thee Take Grace for Holiness or Sanctification And is He said to be Sanctified For this cause have I sanctified my self So are the Saints also said to be sanctified That they also may be sanctified Is He said to be Full of Grace Full of Grace and Truth So are the Saints too Some of them Steven full of Grace and Mary full of Grace Oh! what a glorious mercy is here before us now Whatsoever Grace and holiness there is in Christ somewhat in the Saints that is Answerable thereunto Let us awaken and stir up our selves for to look into it Ye reade of a fellowship that the Saints have with Christ in that 1 Epistle of John the 1. Chapter and the 3. verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Communio 1 Cor. 1.2 Societas Gal. 2.9 That which we have heard and seen declare we unto you that ye also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ He does exhort them to fellowship with them with the Saints upon this ground and motive because their fellowship was with the Father and with the Son He does assert this fellowship with the Father and with the Son with the most ingenious asseveration And truly our fellowship may be you will think this no great matter truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ And so in that known place in the 1 Corinths 10.16 The cup of blessing which we bless is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ As you reade it 't is the same word fellowship And in the 1 Cor. 1.9 ver 't is said God is faithful by whom ye are called unto the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord The same word there too The word that is used in the Acts of the Apostles where 't is said Act 2.44 That the Disciples had all things common Look therefore as it is in a Society where they have all things Common such is the fellowship that is between Christ and the Saints They have not any Sin but it is imputed to Jesus Christ though it be great or small and He hath not any Grace but it is communicated to all the Saints hath not any Grace but they have some Grace or other that is Answerable thereunto This is a great matter Would you know the reason now Grace for Grace Grace Answerable to His Grace First of all There is a glorious Rea. 1 and blessed union between Christ and every Christian a union beyond all expression It is compar'd indeed unto the union that is between the Head and the Members the Root and the Branches the Husband and the Wife but though they come up unto what Christ intended yet they all fall short of this Vnion that is between Christ and a Christian for the Head is not in the Members nor the Members in the Head mutually but Christ in them and they in Christ I in you Joh. 14.20 and you in me saith He It is a union of mutual in-being not a union of affection only such as the stones have when they lye together in a great heap but rather such as is between the wine and the water when they are put together saving that they are not mixt together Christ is not mixt with a Christian a Christian is not mixt with Christ Christ is not a Christian a Christian is not Christ but there is a union of mutual in-being Now you know when the fire gets into the Iron is united to it is in it the properties of the fire are cōmunicated to the Iron the Iron forgets his own blackness shines w th the shining of the fire burns w th the burning of the fire And as a coal a char-coal though it be never so dark and black a body when the fire comes gets into it the properties of the fire are communicated to it and it burns like the fire it self and melts like the fire it self and shines like
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
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
of God Page 206 7 It fils the soul with Gods infinitness Page 207 Application If Difficulties arise here is the way to grapple with them Page 207 Object How shall a man use his faith that be may break through all difficulties Answered 1 Exercise your faith in the promise before you speak with the difficulties Page 208 2 When you do look upon them look upon them as your trials many times as the Devils Engins to work your hearts off again Page 208 3 Set your selves now especially with al your might to venture upon Jesus Christ Page 209 4 The greater difficulties your graces are recovered out of the hands of the more sweet will they be unto you Page 210 5 Study Jesus Christ more ibid Object Suppose a man hath bin in Jesus Christ a great while and then discouragements arise to beat him out of the ways of Christ how shal he raise his faith to work through these Answered 1 Consider your call often Page 211 2 The more you beleeve in the ful of difficulty the more you please God ibid 3 Talke often one to another what great things God hath done that he hath promised Page 212 4 Consider what great difficulties Jesus Christ hath broke thorow to come to you ibid 5 Never speak with your difficulties apart from a promise ibid Matthew 3.2 SERMON I The text opened and explained Page 216 Doct. The kingdom of Grace mercy forgiveness comes to us before we com to that Page 211 Proved Page 218 Evidenced 1 From our own condition Lost sheep Page 228 2 From Christs willingness to save sinners Page 224 Objections answered Page 225 Reas 1 That God may be known to be God Page 229 Reas 2 That men may be made the more gracious ibid Reas 3 That no flesh may glory in it self nor any thing it doth Page 231 Application 1 Consider whether God have dealt thus by our souls or no Page 232 If so learn these duties 1 Be sooner at heaven gate with your duties hereafter than you were before Page 234 2 Labour to be like God in this particular ibid 3 Wait with long suffering for the conversion of others Page 235 4 Trust in God for ever Page 236 Application 2 You that have not received the Kingdome of Grace Take heed how ye neglect so great salvation Page 237 SERMON II Matth. 3.2 Doct. 2 The drawing nigh of the kingdom of grace is the greatest motive to true Repentance Page 240 Opened by considering the particulars of Repentance and you shall find the grace and love of God hath influence upon them all Viz. 1 Sight and knowledge of sin Page 242 2 Be humbled for it Page 243 3 Loath himself ibid 4 Be ashamed of it ibid 5 Acknowledge it Page 244 6 Labor to unsin it it ib. Reason 1 Because Repentance is a fruit of faith Page 245 Reas 2 Because it flows from love Page 246 Object Arguments drawn from Hell and the wrath of God seem to work Repentance more than the love of God Page 247 Answered by distinctions 1 It is one thing to be troubled in conscience and another thing to be humbled for sin Page 248 2 It 's one thing to be prickt at heart and another thing to repent ibid 3 It 's one thing to repent of sin in regard of the inconvenience of it and another thing to repent in regard of the morral evil of it ibid 4 It s one thing to be broken with the weight of sin and another to have the soul melted for it Page 249 5 Its one thing to have sorrow repentance in the Ore and another thing to have it refined ibid 5 It is one thing for repentance to be more in view another to be mort in spirit Page 250 7 It is one thing for our Repentance to affect our own heart much another thing for to affect the heart of God much Use 1 What a sad condition are those in to whom the kingdom of God hath come and yet they are not moved to repentance Page 251 Use 2 The reason why our hearts are no more humbled is because we do not labor to bring the kingdome of God neere to our souls Page 252 Use 3 What infinit cause we have to repent Page 254 1. The more evangelical our repentance is the more it will cure our souls and not hurt our bodies Page 255 2 The more you wil be grieved for sins against the Gossel Page 256 3 It is a friend to spiritual joy ibid 4 The more you hope your sin is pardoned the more you will grieve for it Page 257 5 The more your heart will be enlarged to and for Christ ibid 6 The more of the Gospel is in your repentance the more of the Gospel will be in your obedience Page 257 7 The more your hearts will be sweetned towards the Saints Page 258 FINIS Grace FOR Grace OR THE OVER-FLOVVINGS OF CHRISTS-FULNES Received by all SAINTS JOHN 1.16 And of His Fulness have all we received even Grace for Grace Preached at Dunstans in the East March 16. 1644 HERE in this Chapter are Two choice Spirits John the Baptist and John the Evangelist both agreeing in this To advance the Honor of Jesus Christ John the Baptist is brought in by John the Evangelist giving as you reade in this first Chapter Four great Testimonies of Jesus Christ The first begins at the 15. verse John bare Witness of Him and cryed saying This was He of whom I spake Wherein John the Baptist doth prefer Jesus Christ above himself both in regard of His Person and in regard of His Office In regard of His Person as you reade in the latter end of the 15th This was He of whom I spake He that cometh after me is preferred before me for He was before me In regard of His Office at the 16 the 17 and 18. verses And of His Fulness have al we received even Grace for Grace For the Law was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ c. I confess there are Learned Interpreters as Cyril and Chrysostome that do conceive the words of my Text to be the words of John the Evangelist the 15. verse having as they say relation unto Johns speech in the latter end of the 14. verse Full of Grace and Truth But Origen and others unto whom I rather incline think that they are the words of John the Baptist because they are knit unto the former by the copulative And And of His fulness have all we received Grace for Grace He therefore that spake the words of the former verse in all likelyhood spake these words He that spake the words of the former verse was John the Baptist and therfore these words being linked unto the former by the word And in all likelyhood are the words of John the Baptist The Words of themselves fall into these Three Propositions First That there is a fulness of Grace in Jesus Christ Secondly That of this
of Efficiency that filleth all in all And therefore 't is said in this Chapter The Law was given by Moses Joh 1.17 but Grace Grace and Truth you read it Grace and Truth came by Christ the word will bear it But Grace and Truth were made by Christ Christ is our Grace-maker The fulnesse that is in the Saints is but a Particular fulnesse The fulnesse that is in CHRIST is an Vniversall fulnesse Therefore saies the Apostle It pleased the Father Col. 1.19 that in him should all fulness dwel All fulnesse The fulnesse that is in the Saints is such a fulnesse as does ebbe and flow as the Haven is said to be full of water yet sometimes 't is empty but there is a dwelling fulnesse in the Sea So there is a dwelling fulnesse in Jesus Christ and therefore saies the Apostle It pleased the Father that in Him should all fulnesse dwel Oh! 't is a dwelling fulnesse that is in Jesus Christ Our Righteousnesse as we are distinct or abstracted from Christ 't is but a fading Righteousnesse as the morning dew Our righteousness saies Hosea is as the morning dew Hos 6.4 in regard of it's fading But the holiness and righteousness of Christ in the 110. Psalme is called The dew of the morning not in regard of it's fading nature but in regard of it's much-ness in regard of it's multitude because it makes al dewy So then it is a Filled Fulness It is a dwelling Fulness It is a Glorious fulness a fulness beyond all expressions Thus take grace for Holiness and so also there is Plenitudo Sanctitatis in Jesus Christ Thirdly Take grace for Gifts or for Ability and Excellency And so there is Plenitudo Excellentiae a fulness of excellency in Jesus Christ Therefore saith the Apostle Hebr. 7.25 He is able to save to the uttermost He is able to save to all perfection those that do come unto Him He is able to save to the utmost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though thou hast finned to the utmost He is able to save thee to the utmost Would you have a proof of His Kingly fulness for He is both King Priest and Prophet Look then I pray into the 1. Hebrews at the 3 verse He is called the brightness of His Fathers glory Who being the brightness of His glory and the express Image of His Person and upholding all things by the word of His Power when He had by Himselfe purged our sins sate down on the right hand of the Majesty on High He is made so much better then the Angels as He hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent Name then they For unto which of the Angels said He at any time c. But at the 8. verse unto the Son He saith Thy Throne O God is for ever and ever a Scepter of righteousness is the Scepter of Thy Kingdom Here 's the fulness of His Kingly Office Would you have a proof of His Prophetical fulness look into this Chapter where the Text lies and it 's said at the next verse the 17. verse The Law was given by Moses but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ No man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son which is in the bosome of the Father He hath declared Him Ye all count Moses a great Prophet so he was But Jesus Christ was above him in two or three things here Moses gave the Law But grace came by Jesus Christ grace and truth came by Jesus Christ Moses never saw God he saw His back side Christ hath seen Him John 1.18 No man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son Moses was but a servant the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father He hath declared Him None so fit to declare the mind of God which is the work of a Prophet as He which hath lien in the bosom of God the Father Would you have a proof of His Priestly fulness Pray look into the 16. of John consider it duely saith he I will send the Comforter at the 7. verse and He shall convince the would of sin and of righteousness at the 10. verse because I go to My Father and ye see Me no more Mark those words I go to My Father and ye see Me no more As if He should say thus You are indebted to God the Father through your transgressions I am become your surety now I am ready to be cast into prison for your debt the grave is to take hold upon me I am to lye by it for your fin for your debt But saith He now I le rise out of the grave I le come forth of prison I le go to God the Father and you shall see Me no more Whereas now if I did not pay the whole debt when I came in Heaven God the Father would say to Me You are in prison for mans debt What do you here You have not paid the debt yet go to prison again go down to prison again No saith He but I go to My Father and ye shall see Me no more and therefore conclude I have paid the ful debt I go to My Father and ye see Me no more Would you have a proof of Christs fulness of Excellency in general Look then I pray upon the 2. of Hag. 7. there you have this expression of Him He is called the desire of all Nations I will shake all Nations and the desire of all Nations shall come mark the desire of all nations shall come Christ our Lord Jesus is the desire of all nations What is there in all the world that is the desire of all nations but Jesus Christ Some Nations some Kingdoms as the West-Indies they are full of Gold and Silver but they want Clothing and therefore they desire Cloth Other Kingdoms now as these of England and the like they have much Cloathing and Cloath but they want Gold and Silver and they desire that Some Nations they abound with Spices and with Wines but they want Corn and they desire that Some Nations again they have much Corn I but they have no Wine no Spices and they desire that Oh! but our Lord Jesus Christ He is the desire of All Nations the desire of All Nations What woman never so beautiful that the whole world was in love with Jesus Christ the desire of All Nations And Col. 1.18 saith the Apostle He hath in all things the preheminence If you will I will gather it up into a Syllogisme thus If Jesus Christ be the desire of all Nations and hath the preheminency of all the world then there is a fulness of excellency in Jesus Christ But our Lord Jesus is the desire of all Nations having the preheminency in all the world surely therefore there is a fulness of excellency in Jesus Christ a fulness of excellency a fulness of Holiness 1 Cor. 2.2 Phil. 3.8 a fulness of Love No wonder then that Paul saies I desire to
know nothing but Jesus Christ and Him Crucified No wonder that He said I count all things but dung and dross in comparison of the knowledge of Jesus Christ Certainly surely there is a fulness of grace in Jesus Christ You will say unto me Applic. We see we know there is a Fulnesse in Jesus Christ a Fulnesse of Grace But now by way of Application What is our Duty that doth flow from hence Much every way I will instance in 4. or 5. particulars so many Duties that do flow from hence First 1 Duty If there be such a Fulnesse in Jesus Christ a Fulness of Grace in Jesus Christ Then let all men come unto Him There 's none of us all here present but labour under some wants or other Oh! saies one I have a great Charge family Parish or other waies and I want grace to mannage it Oh! saies another I have great and strong Temptations and I want strength to resist them Oh! saies another There are many Errors abroad I want knowledge to discern them and avoid them I want wisdom to know the Truth and joyn with the Truth and own the Truth and manifest the Truth Well what ever your wants be there is enough in Jesus Christ to supply it there is a fulness in Him why should we not come unto Him Oh! you that never tasted of Christs sweetness that never yet partaked of His fulnesse Come unto the Lord Jesus that you may be filled for ever You will say Object it may be I am a poor weak ignorant simple man or woman a guilty creature and I am afraid for to come unto Him Mark this But if Christs Invitation be made to you Answ then you will not be afraid to come to Him Now I pray you look into the 9. Chap. of the Proverbes of Solomon See what an invitation is made upon this ground of Christs fulnesse Wisdom hath built her house by Wisdom you must understand Christ as will easily appear by reading over the former Chapter Wisdom hath built her an house that is the Church She hath hewen out her seven Pillars the firmnesse and beauty of the Church Seaven is a note of perfection She hath killed her beasts She hath mingled her wine She hath also furnished her table Here is the Fulnesse of Christ in His Church What then She hath sent forth her Maidens that is the Ministers of the Gospel who as Virgins should be untouch't and undefiled by the world She crieth in the high places of the City Who so is simple let him turn in hither as for him that wanteth understanding she saith to him Come eate of my bread and drink of the wine which I have mingled Pray observe it who are invited to pertake of this fulness simple ones Who so is simple let him turn in hither Oh! but I am not only simple and ignorant Object but the Lord knows I have no heart to good things See what follows Who so is simple let him turn in hither Answ and as for him that wanteth heart so 't is in the Hebrew she suith to him to him that wanteth heart Come eate of my bread and drink of my wine which I have mingled Oh! is there ever a poor simple man or woman here one that complains The Lord knows I want a heart to what is good The Invitation of the Lord Jesus it is made to you it is made to you think not to say within your selves I am afraid to come to Christ I have read of the Senate of Athens that once upon occasion they were constrained to sit in the open fields and being there set in the open fields a poor chased bird a sparrow or the like chased by the birds of prey came flying to the bosom of one of the Senators for rescue from the birds of prey The Senator being of a churlish disposition he takes the poor little chased bird and throws it from him upon the ground and so kil'd the bird whereupon the Senate made an Order that he should die himself they would not have a man so churlish to be one of the Senators And do you think that the Lord Jesus Christ when you come as a poor chased bird for shelter into His bosom Do you think that the Lord Christ wil throw you away No no. as He is full of glory and excellency so He is full of love and bounty Whatever therefore thou hast bin man or woman whatever you have been though you have been never so vile Come unto Jesus Christ come unto Jesus Christ Oh! me thinks this Doctrine that I have now preached unto you is a solemn and a great invitation to every soul for to come unto Jesus Christ therefore come now unto Him Come unto Christ Come unto Christ Come Drunkard Come Swearer Come Liar Come Unclean person Oh! Come come You that never tasted of Christs sweetness you that never yet pertak't of Christs fulnesse Come now Come for there is a fulnesse in Jesus Christ That 's the first thing Secondly 2 Duty If there be such a fulnesse in Christ Then let us all trust unto Him build upon him And you that are the Servants and People of God trust and trust perfectly There is no grace would stand us in more stead in these evil times Beloved ye al see into what sad times we are now fallen There is no grace I say wil stand us in more stead or more able to turn away the evil that is now upon us then faith is Luther hath a notable story to this purpose There was saith he a deadly contest between a great Bishop and a Duke of Saxonie The Duke of Saxonie prepares for War against him but before he would come upon him he sends a Spy to observe what the Bishop was a doing The Spy went and being returned again Come saies the Duke what is the Bishop a doing Sir saies he he is idle and secure you may fall upon him and destroy him when you wil I saies he but what saies the Bishop Sir he saies thus I will feed my flock I will visit the sick I will preach the Gospel and as for the War I will Totius belli molem Deo committere I wil commit the whol weight and bulk of this War to God Himself who fighteth for me I saies the Duke did the Bishop say so Bellum ei inferat Diabolus non ego then saies he Let the Devil take up Arms against him if he will for I will not Thus thus faith faith turns away the Sword faith turns away War And my beloved there is no such way either to beget or increase faith as the sight and consideration of the fulness of Jesus Christ Those that know Thy Name Psalm 9.10 Psalm 36.7 saith the Psalmist they will trust unto Thee How excellent is Thy Name O Lord therefore do the children of men put their trust in Thee Beloved ye have heard of Christs Name His Name is ful of sweetnesse
persevere in the way that I am in notwithstanding sall thy discouragements Firm against all Afflictions if you want this creature-comfort or the other creature-comfort you will answer I true I want Friends I want Money I want Credit Oh! but yet there 's a Fulness in Jesus Christ and there 's enough in Him and of this Fulness through the Lords mercy I have received Oh! what a drawing what a drawing argument is here me thinks the stoutest sinner in all the Congregation should now come in and close with the Lord Jesus Christ You will say unto me Here are incouragements indeed Quest to Beleevers for the Doctrine runs thus There is a communication of the Fulness of Jesus Christ unto all Beleevers Oh! but what incouragement is here for others that are not Beleevers And truly I am afraid I am even afraid that I am not one of those what incouragement is there for others that are not Beleevers also I pray look into the 68. Psalm Answ and consider it wel at the 18. verse See what is spoken concerning Christ to this purpose that now I am upon Thou hast ascended on high Thou hast led captivity captive Thou hast received gifts for men 't is spoken of Christ yea for the Rebellious Also Mark that word Thou hast received gifts for men yea For the Rebellious Also Well then is there ever a Rebellious Childe in this Congregation Is there ever a Rebellious Drunkard that hath taken up arms against the Lord Jesus Christ Is there ever a rebellious Swearer or an unclean heart here that hath taken up arms against the Lord Jesus Christ Saies the Text He hath received gifts for men yea for the Rebellious Also The Reason why you have not these gifts is because you do not come to Christ Oh! But if you would come to Christ Mark If you would come to Christ you that are Rebellious if you would come to Jesus Christ He hath these gifts or Grace by Him if you would come to Him you should have these gifts from Him Who would not throw down his weapons now Is there ever a Rebel in all this Congregation that hath taken up arms against the Lord Jesus Christ heretofore Me thinks he should be incouraged hence to come unto Jesus Christ Bodin hath a story concerning a great Rebel that had made a great and strong party against a Roman Emperour the Emperour makes Proclamation that who ever could bring in the Rebel either alive or dead should have such a great sum of money The Rebel hearing of this he comes in himself presents himself unto the Emperour and demands the sum of money Saies the Emperour if now I should put him to death the world would think that I did it to save my money notwithstanding all his former rebellion the Emperour pardons him and gave him the sum of money Oh! would a Heathen Emperour do thus by a poor Rebel And if thou man or woman wilt throw down thy weapons and come in unto the Lord Jesus Christ do you think that the Lord Jesus Christ will not give to you those gifts that He hath received for you Certainly He will Oh! me thinks therefore every poor sinner should now hang upon this last word yea For the rebellious Also Hath the Lord Jesus Christ receiued gifts for men and for the rebellious Also I wil for ever hang upon that word Also Oh! I have bin a Rebel I have bin an unclean Rebel I have bin a swearing Rebel I have bin a drunken Rebel Oh! Lord I will throw down my weapon and hang upon this word Also Hath He received gifts for men and for the rebellious Also Oh! I will come in unto Him Oh! what a mighty incouragement is here for all good and bad to come in unto Jesus Christ Come Drunkard Come Swearer Come Unclean heart Come Sabbath-breaker Come lying-Children Come stealing-Servants Oh! Come unto the Lord Jesus Christ that you may be fil'd for ever Oh! Come unto Christ that you may leave your sins Here is incouragement to all good and bad to come unto Jesus Christ One word more of Use unto Beleevers Appli 3. and so I have done Is there a communication of the Fulness of Jesus Christ unto all Beleevers Then Beleevers Own your own own your own labor to strengthen your Assurance of your Union with Jesus Christ and maintain your confidence in Him If you have Assurance of Union with Jesus Christ you may have the comfort of all this truth you may and you will say thus or to the like purpose Hath the Lord given me Christ and will He not with Him give me all things else True indeed I want Grace to do such a work with to pray with to hear with to examine my own heart withal I want Grace to do such a work for God Oh! but there is a communication of the Fulness of Jesus Christ unto all Beleevers and through the Lords Grace I am one There is a communication of the Fulness of the Lord Jesus Christ unto all the Saints and through the Lords Grace I am one and therefore in due time I know I shall have this Grace communicated to me But if you want the Assurance of your Union with Jesus Christ Oh! then you will want the comfort of this Truth then you will break out and say True indeed there is the communication of the Fulness of Christ unto Beleevers but the Lord knows I am none 'T is true indeed there 's a communication of the Fulness of Christ unto al the Saints but the Lord knows I am none I have an unclean heart of mine own the Lord knows I am none Oh! therefore you that have gone doubting up and down and had no assurance of your condition all this while assurance of your Union with Jesus Christ for the love of God get it now as you desire to have the comfort of this truth that now I have bin upon get it now You see Beloved these times we are fallen upon are dying times and truly I may say Dying times and Doubting hearts cannot stand together Oh! Cock up cock up you that have had your evidence for Heaven lying abroad all this while get it in Labor to get assurance of your Union with Jesus Christ and maintain your confidence and assurance and so shall you have the comfort of all this Truth made good unto you And the Lord give it in unto you SERMON III. JOHN 1.16 And of His Fulness have all we received even Grace for Grace Preached at Magnus Aug. 24. 1645. I Have made entrance into these Words in other Congregations And desire to proceed here where I left there The Words are spoken of our Lord and Savior Christ They hold forth Three great grand Propositions First That there is a Fulness of Grace in Jesus Christ Secondly That of His Fulness all we have received Thirdly That of His Fulness all we have received Even Grace for Grace I have done with the
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
In a dream in a vision of the night when deep sleep falleth upon men in slumbrings upon the bed Then He openeth the ears of men and sealeth their instruction That He may withdraw man from his purpose and hide pride from man When man least thinks of it then God comes in a dream in a vision of the night when deep sleep falleth upon a man and in slumbrings upon the bed Then he openeth the ears of men and sealeth their instruction What does all this argue then But that grace grace is infused grace is supernatural Oh! there is a supernaturallity in saving grace Surely therefore all is in a way of Receiving all is Received That is a Second Argument Thirdly This truth is also argued from the Shortness of the means of grace Much means of grace appointed but take the means as it is in it self without Gods appointment or institution upon it you wil find that all means are too short to reach the end For example In the old Testament when the Lord would take in Jericho and break down the walls of Jericho He Commands Josh 6.4 The Rams horns should be blown Take the blowing of the Rams-horns as lying under Gods appointment and so this action was sufficient for to break down the walls but take the action of blowing the Rams-horns by it self and so it was too short So the Lord commands Naaman 2 Kings 5.10 To go and wash himself in the water of Jordan take this action of Naaman washing himself in the water take it I say without Gods Commandement take it with Gods Commandement Gods Appointment so it was sufficient to reach his Cure and heale him of his Leprosy but now take the action as it was in it self without the Appointment and institution of God and so it was too short to reach his Cure So in the new Testament Joh. 9.6 our Savior Christ He takes spittle and clay for to cure a mans eyes Take this under Christs appointment and so it 's sufficient to reach the cure but take it without and so short So God did appoint in Baptisme a man should be washed in water and in the Sacrament we should eat bread and drink wine for the begetting and increasing of Faith Take these actions as they lie under Gods Appointment and Institution they are able to reach this end but take these actions as they are in themselves washing in water and eating bread and drinking wine they are all too short all too short either to beget or increase Grace Well now why does the Lord stil appoint such means as in themselves are too short for the end whereto appointed Surely not only for this reason that he might teach us that the thing done is rather by the appointment then by the use of means but also to show thus much That though we do use the means yet notwithstāding in the use of the means we do not attain the thing by the use thereof but that in the using of means and waiting there we shall receive strength from God to do it to attain the end Whensoever therefore you consider the shortness of the means appointed conclude thus That all is in a way of Receiving therefore God hath appointed the means that are in themselves short Fourthly This Doctrine is further argued From the work and nature of Faith There is no Grace that the Scripture puts more upon than Faith Mark I pray In the old Testament all the Victories are put on Faith In the new Testament all the Cures if thou canst but Beleeve saies Christ According to thy Faith be it unto thee Yea Beloved if you look into the new Testament you shal find that the same works that are given to Christ are given to Faith Jesus Christ He is said for to Sanctifie the soul So doth Faith Faith purifies the heart saies the Apostle Jesus Christ He is said for to justifie a sinner So does Faith too Being justified by Faith Romans the 5th Jesus Christ He is said for to save the soul He is called our Savior So doth Faith too By Faith ye are saved What 's the Reason now that the Lord does especially set the Crown upon the head of Faith Some think it is for this Reason Because that Faith doth unite the soul unto Jesus Christ But so does Love Love is an affection of Union and all Grace unites to Christ as every sin seperates so every Grace unites Others think 't is for this Reason Because that as Faith sets the Crown upon the head of Christ So God sets the Crown upon the head of Faith and this is true For as the Lord does honor those persons most that honor Him most So He wil honor those Graces most that honor Him most But besides this I conceive the great Reason is this why the Lord does thus set all over upon Faith I say because that Faith in the nature of it is a Receiving Grace And therefore John having said in this 1. Chap. of Joh. and the 12. verse To as many as received Him He gave power to be called the Sons of God Explains himself by this afterward in the same verse Even to them that Beleeve on His Name So that Beleeving is nothing else but Receiving the Grace of God the nature of Faith being to Receive the Truth or the Receiving of Jesus Christ the proper work and nature of Faith being to Receive Now therefore when the Lord does put al upon Faith and Faith in it's nature is a Receiving plainly it holds forth this Truth unto us That all is in a way a Receiving all Grace in a way of Receiving Fifthly and lastly This Truth is argued also From the posture and true behavior of Prayer Mark Prayer is nothing else but the souls begging or petitioning for something from Heaven A begger you know when he begs he holds forth or he stretches forth his hand noting a willingness to receive So you reade in Scripture that when the soul is put into a posture of Prayer it is put into this posture Reade therefore what is said in Job 11.13 If thou prepare thine heart or est ablish thine heart for so the word signifies if thou prepare thine heart and stretch out thine hands towards Him That is if thou doest Pray unto Him thou stretchest out thine hands unto Him Now as one observes well As it were a derision or a mocking of God to praise God or to give God thanks for that which He doth not give but I have in my own power So it were also a mocking of God to pray to God for that which is not in His hands to give but in mine to do Now my Beloved What ever Grace or Holinesse a man hath he is to pray for pray for healing strength pray for quickning strength pray for confirming strength pray for strength to pray and seeing the posture of prayer is this to stretch forth the hands which notes receiving in that we are for to
beg all Grace from God it argues all is in a way of Receiving all all good is in a way of Receiving what ever Grace or Holinesse a man hath on this side Heaven 't is all in a way of Receiving But you will say Object That this Cuts off all endeavour if all be in a way of Receiving then nothing to be done This Doctrine is an Enemy to all Obedience to all laboring to al good Works and to all performance to al Endeavour Not so Ans The Apostle expresly does speak the contrary as you may reade and I pray mark in that 2d Chapter of his Epistle to the Philippians Wherefore at the 12 verse saies he my beloved as ye have alwaies obeyed not as in my presence only but now much more in my absence work out your own Salvation with fear and trembling Why at the 13 verse For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure Work out your own Salvation with fear and trembling why for all is in a way of Receiving 't is God 't is God that worketh all in all 't is God 't is God that does it therefore work Mark how the Apostle argues He does not argue as many do And I pray tell me if there be any here that think this Doctrin is against Endeavour pray tell me What Work or Endeavour Either you would endeavour for to leave your fins or you would endeavour to do what is good to perform some good If you would endeavour for to leave your sins there is no such way as to be truly fully perswaded in your heart of this truth That all is in a way of Receiving Mark therefore I pray how the Apostle argues for that purpose in the 1 Cor. Chap. 3. at the 3d verse For saies He Ye are carnal ye are carnal for whereas there is among you envying and strife and divisions are ye not carnal and walk as men For while one saith I am of Paul and another I am of Apollo are ye not carnal Well but what course does the Apostle take to cure this carnallity See what he saies at the 6th verse at the 5th Who then is Paul who is Paul and who is Apollo but Ministers by whom ye beleeved even as the Lord Gave to every man I have planted Apollo watered but God gave the increase So then neither is he that planteth any thing neither is he that watereth but God that gives the Increase As if he should say thus Here 's divisions among you and one saies I am for Paul and I am for Apollo Oh! but get your heart settled in this Truth That all is of God and all is of Christ and all is in a way of Receiving and then divisions will be no more there will be no more such sayings as these I am for Paul and I am for Apollo And again Would your endeavours be for the performance of what is good The consideration of this Truth that is now before you is of great avail this way too Saies Paul I have labored more abundantly than they al yet not I 1 Cor. 15.10 but the Grace of Christ in me Mark yet not I but the Grace of Christ in me Labored more than they al more abundantly than all yet al from Christ and yet all from Grace and yet all in a way of Receiving Surely there is no such way to gracious and blessed endeavors as the serious consideration of this Truth that is now before you I 'le give you Two Reasons for it All Actions are carried upon two wheels Fear and Love As a Cart moves upon two wheels so every Action is carried upon these two Fear and Love The more ye love the more ye move towards a thing The more ye fear the more ye move to avoid it Fear and Love the two great wheels of every motion Now as for Love what greater Love than this That Jesus Christ hath died for us and worketh all our works for us and in us and Love causeth Love As for Fear Ye know there are some children so long as they are kept in dependance upon the father the father having not given them portions they are obedient to him but if once the children have gotten their portions and are come to live by themselves then no more obedience If you have a man by the wrist and he knows that if you let him go he fals down into some great river and there he is lost for ever will not this man that you have by the wrist will not he be afraid now to offend you knowing you have him thus by the wrist Beloved this Doctrin tels us that the Lord hath us all by the wrist we live in a continual dependance upon Him and all is in a way of Receiving will not this make us to fear the Lord then The Prophet Jeremiah in the 5th of Jer. 24. He wonders that the people should not fear the Lord upon this ground That the Lord gave them the former and the latter rain And saies he they have not feared the Lord that hath given them rain the former the latter rain As if he should say thus These poor people they depend upon God for rain and is it not a strange thing that they should not fear Him Why beloved There is not one drop of Spiritual rain or dew of Grace that fals upon the heart but we live in dependance upon God for it shall not this make us fear Again besides Whatsoever service you tender unto God on this side Heaven it is all a waiting upon God And therefore the Saints that serve God in Scripture they are said to wait on God Mark I pray you Our service is a waiting upon God Isa 40.31 But those that wait on the Lord shal renew their strength saies Isaiah Now if a man hear that if he have no oyl in in his I amp he is lost for ever and there is no way to get oyl but by setting his vessel under Gods Spout and Gods Ordinance will not this make a man to wait upon Him Some there are that defer their Repentance and they think to repent afterward they think they shall be able to repent afterward But now when a soul shal hear that all is in a way of Receiving he must take it therfore when God does offer it then he concludes thus Is it so indeed That al is in a way of Receiving strength to repent 't is by receiving then wil I take while the Lord offers me strength Oh! I wil never defer my Repentance again I wil now wait upon God and now while the Lord offers now I wil take it Thus you see this Doctrine is afriend unto all endeavour All is in a way of Receiving no such friend unto good endeavour as this Doctrine But you wil say unto me Quest Why hath the Lord cast things into this mould That al should be in a way of Receiving Besides the Reason
upon these Words in some Neighbouring Congregations in the hearing of divers of you and my desire is to finish them here Having spoken of the former part of the verse And of His Fulness have al we received I come now unto the latter Clause Even Grace for Grace The great Question is upon these words What should be the meaning of them There are no lesse then Seven or Eight Interpretations that are given by men I shal presently tel you what I apprehend to be the meaning of them Three things I conceive may be specially held forth in these words They may note An Abundance of Grace that the Saints in the New Testament have from Jesus Christ The Vniversality of Grace And an Answerableness of Grace in every Christian unto the Graces of Jesus Christ I begin with the former at this time They seem to note an Abundance of Grace Of His Fulness all we have received even Grace for Grace that is Abundance of Grace This Interpretation that I might cleer up the meaning before I come to that which I intend to press it sutes with the like phrase of Scripture Job 2.4 Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life you know the place That is a man will give all his Skins all his Cattell and Skins for their Estates in those times did lie in Cattell much he wil give al his Skins though they be never so many he will give them all for to save his life Skin for Skin though he have never so many Skin for Skin Abundance of Skins Grace for Grace and Abundance of Grace Gratia gratiis accumelata This also sutes with the word And or Even 't is not barely said thus And of His Fulnes have al we received Grace for Grace but of His Fulnes have al we received Even Grace for Grace That is in great Abundance we have not only received Grace but we have received much Grace Even Grace for Grace This also sutes with the Title the Attribute that is here given to Christ and that is Fulness When God or Christ is mentioned in Scripture they are mentioned still under such a Title as sutes with the matter that is in hand and you may know what the matter in hand is by the Title Now the Title here that is given to Christ the Attribute that is given to Christ is Fulness Answerable unto that is Fulness of Grace in us or Abundance of Grace from Him This also sutes with the Scope of the place for here the Evangelist sets Christ above Moses shows how Christ does go beyond Moses the following verse coming in as a reason of this For the Law was given by Moses John 1.17 18. but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ No man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father He hath declared Him You have much by Moses but you have more by Christ you have Abundance of Grace by Christ This also is agreeable to other Scriptures where the same matter is spoken of If you look into the 5. of the Romans you shall find that the Apostle speaking of the free gift of Grace at the 15. verse saies That it hath Abounded unto many Much more the Grace of God and the gift by Grace which is by one man Jesus Christ hath abounded unto many Would you have the word Received joyn'd with Abundance Look into the 17. verse and there you reade For if by one mans offence death reigned by one much more they which Receive Abundance of Grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ All these things being thus laid together they argue unto me The main and special thing that is here intended is an Abundance of Grace of whose Fulness we have all received Even Grace for Grace All the Saints and People of God under the new Testament do receive Abundance of Grace from Jesus Christ Abundance of Grace Discovered Abundance of Grace Exhibited and Communicated to all the Saints he that hath the least measure of Gospel Grace hath Abundance of Grace from Jesus Christ Abundance of Grace is now Discovered That I may make that appear First It will appear if you consider the several Advances that Grace hath made from the beginning of the world to this day upon the children of men In the begining God made man perfect and righteous after His own Image Man falling from that Estate expos'd himself and all his posterity to the wrath of God for ever Then Grace steps in and makes it's first Advance into the world Gen. 3.15 The Seed of the woman shall break the serpents head Here Christ is preach't and preached to the greatest sinners Adam and Eve that had damn'd all the world And Jesus Christ is preach't immediately by God Himself One would think now that the Lord should rather have said to Adam Adam I made thee Perfect and Righteous thou might'st have kept thee so thou would'st not trust to Me Adam thou would'st trust unto the Devil Go now now thou art fallen go mend thy self if thou canst find out a better Master Adam Or if the Lord would have shown mercy to Adam one would think that He should have staied for Adams Repentance that Adam should first a cried Him mercy No but before ever this poor prodigal stirs one step unto his Father his Father runs out to meet him to overtake him The Lord Christ is preacht the Promise is propounded the free Grace of God is revealed Here was the first Advance that ever Grace made into the world But God who is rich in Grace was not satisfied with this but as in the fourth day He does gather up all the light that was scattered abroad in the world before into one body The Sun So now He does gather up all the beams of His Grace into one body The Covenant which He does make with Abraham Gen. 12.3 Gal. 3.16 John 56. And unto Abraham He saies In thy Seed shall all the Nations of the world be blessed In thy Seed saies the Apostle He does not say Seeds but Seed meaning Christ Abraham saw so much of Christ that our Lord saies He saw His day and rejoyced in it Here the Sun was gotten higher For now though Christ was preach't to Adam the Promise was propounded yet notwithstanding it was but barely propounded to Adam it was not applied And propounded in obscure terms to Adam too and rather given Threatning-wise against Satan then Promise-wise concerning them But now the Lord does professedly come and apply the Promise unto Abraham And in thy Seed which He does not give unto Abraham as Abraham as that Person but as a Common Person for all Beleevers Here was now a Second Advance that Grace made into the world But the Lord was not yet satisfied with this but causes His Grace to Advance higher in Moses time And unto Moses He speaks expresly Deut.
all the People of God Oh! how great are their sins when they fall The Lord was quick with many that sinned in the old Testament and will He not be quick with Professors now that know more that have more Grace more Grace Discovered now Many when they sin they excuse themselves and they say True indeed I have thus and thus sinned but David did so I have sinned I have done thus and thus but Sampson did so I have committed this or that sin but Noah did so I but we have more light we have more Grace discovered ordinarily among us now than ordinarily among them in the Old Testament We have more Grace Discovered more Abundance of Grace Communicated now And therefore as the Apostle concludes from it we ought the more Abundantly to take heed For if they escaped not without a recompence of reward that sinned against the Law of Moses What shall become of those that sin against the Word of Christ the Son of God Professors all you that are the People of God take heed how you sin take heed how you tamper with your sins Grace hath Abounded you have received much and therefore if you sin this is that that will make your sins out of measure sinful Take heed what you do But in the Third place Appli 3. If there be such an Abundance of Grace Communicated now unto all the People of God under the new Testament What a mighty Incouragement is here to all good and bad I say a mighty Incouragement to all to all those that hear me this day good and bad Bad An incouragement unto those that are Bad to those that are wicked Therefore they should come in unto Jesus Christ He will not send your souls away empty there 's a Fulnesse in Jesus Christ and those that come unto Him shall be fil'd by Him He does not only give Grace but He gives Abundance of Grace Who would not come unto Jesus Christ that he may be fil'd by Christ Mark Is there an Abundance of Grace to be had from Christ and wilt thou have none Drunkard Is there such Abundance of Grace to be had in Christ and wilt thou have none wanton Unclean heart wilt thou have none Swearer Sab-bath-breaker wilt thou have none The Lord perswade your hearts to come in unto Jesus Christ I tell you you will have more from Him then you expect The Prodigal look't but for bread at his fathers house and he met with a fatted Calfe and with a Ring and with the best Garment you shall have more than you look't for 'T is a mighty Incouragement Oh! you that never thought of returning unto Jesus Christ Come in now unto Jesus Christ that you may have Abundance of Grace from Him I have done only this Here is also incouragement unto all that are godly and therefore they should labor to be rich in Grace shall Jesus Christ do much for you and will you do little for Him shall you receive Abundance from Him and will you not do Abundance for Him Labor Oh! labor all you Servants of God to Abound in the Work of the Lord That you may be fil'd with all the Fulness of God in Christ That you may be fil'd with all the fruits of righteousness That you may be strengthened with all might in the inner-man you have received much you have had Abundance he that hath the least Grace hath Abundance if thou hast but the least Gospel-Grace thou hast Abundance Brethren Grace hath Abounded Oh! let us Aboundin Grace Aboundin Faith and Abound in Patience and Abound in Meekness Sweetness and Love towards one another and towards all the Saints You have received much can you go to Heaven with doing little God expects much from you I conclude therefore with the exhortation of the Apostle Col. 2.6 As you have received the Lord Jesus Christ walk in Him Alwaies Abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. And thus much for the First thing that is here intended SERMON V. JOHN 1.16 And of His Fulness have all we received even Grace for Grace Preached at Margrets new fishstreet Dec. 15.1645 YE heard the last day that three things were contained in this last Clause Even Grace for Grace as it stands in relation to the former part of the verse First of all It notes an Abundance of Grace Even Grace for Grace that is Abundance of Grace The Saints and People of God under the new Testament do receive Abundance of Grace from Jesus Christ Secondly It notes also thus much That all Grace is from Jesus Christ That whatsoever Grace the Saints have they have it from Jesus Christ Grace for Grace saies Austin that is Grace in order to Grace God gives the former Grace saies he to prepare for the after Grace Whether the former or the latter rain whether the former or the latter Grace 't is all from Christ whatsoever Grace the Saints have they have it from Christ This sutes with the phrase of Job still Skin for skin that is all a mans skins So 't is explain'd by the following words Skin for skin Job 2.4 even all that a man hath will he give for his life So here Of His Fulness have all we received Even Grace for Grace that is all Grace Whatsoever Grace we have we have it from Jesus Christ And this also sutes with the Scope of the place the scope of the place is to exalt Jesus Christ above them that came before Him above Moses Therefore saies he at the next verse Joh 1.17 For the Law was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ Though the Law were given by Moses yet notwithstanding Grace the chief that is from Christ Now Grace The word Grace here in the 17. verse must be understood of All Crace The Law was given by Moses but Grace and Truth that is All Grace And this verse being brought in as a reason of the former surely therefore this must needs be the meaning also of the former That all grace is from Jesus Christ whatsoever Grace the Saints have they have it from Jesus Christ This is the Argument that I intend God willing to speak unto at this time Grace Sometimes is taken for the Favour of God Somtimes it is taken for Gods Assistance Sometimes it is taken for Holiness either in the habit or in the act Sometimes it is taken for gifts Sometimes the word Grace is used for an Office in the Church Whatsoever it be which way soever you take it All Grace is from Christ whatsoever grace the Saints have they have it from Jesus Christ This now will appear if you consider The Insufficiency of Nature And the All-sufficiency of Christ As for the Insufficiency of Nature You know what the Apostle saies 1 Cor. 3.5 Wee are not able as of our selves to think a good thought but all our sufficiency is of God
And if you look into this first Chapter of John you find That those that are regenerate and borne again 't is said concerning them at the 13. verse that they are not borne of Bloods in the plural number your English hath it Blood in the singular You are not born of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Some there are and were that thought themselves to be the children of God because they came of godly parents because of their bloods because of their education Ioh. 8.33 So the Jews Wee are the Children of Abraham Some there are and were that think themselves the Children of God because of some Legal workings and monkish devotion all those legalities under the Gospel are called flesh Some there are that think themselves the children of God because of some more refined and raised and heroical actions That he might obviate all these saies he We are not born of bloods nor of the will of the flesh nor of the wil of man but of God You are for Free-will and you think Free-will hath a great stroke in mans Conversion but how can ye look this Scripture in the face No way of will not of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man If it be any will it must be either the will of the flesh or the wil of man but I tel you saies he We are not borne of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man no way of will but of God To the like purpose you have in James 1.17 Every good giving and every perfect gift is from above In some of your books you reade thus Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above But it is rather to be read Every good giving Every good gift and every good giving is from above Not only the Thing given is from above but the very Donation the very Exhibition the very Giving out of the thing that is good it is from above Every good giving and every perfect gift is from above So that plainly then there is an utter Insufficiency in Nature unto what is good As for the Al-sufficiency of Jesu Christ Rom. 8.29 Rev. 1.17 He is the first born among many Brethren He is the first fruit that sanctifieth all the rest I am the first and the last saies he The first is the cause of the rest The Sun is the first and the great light so the cause of all other light Jesus Christ He is called the first in this same Chapter 15. verse This was He saies John of whom I spake He that cometh after me is preferred before me for He was before me So ye reade it but it is He was my first preferred before me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for He was my first and therefore the first giving a Being unto all that follows Jesus Christ He does give a Being unto all our graces I am the way the truth and the life saies He. Joh. 14.6 I am the Way Would you go to Heaven You cannot go thither but you must go in some Way A man cannot go unto a City but he must go some way or other if he go by water go by land this way or that way still he goes some Way or other Saies Christ if you would go to Heaven I am the Way This same word Way it notes the means unto a thing and when He saies I am the way 't is as if He should say That look what ever means you do use in order to Heaven all those means they have their vertue and their power and their efficacy from me I but a man may be in a way and in a right way and yet notwithstanding if he have not some guide he may lose his way True saies He therefore I am the Truth and 't is observable how Truth lies between Way Life as if the way to Life were thorough Truth as if Truth were the great road or the thorough-fare to life saies Jesus Christ I am that too I am the Way and the Truth too I but though a man be in the right Way and have a guide he may fall sick and die and never come to his journeyes end Therefore saies Christ I am the way and the Truth and the Life too I even I am He that gives life unto all your motions and actions for Heaven all Grace from Christ He it is even He alone that hath every mans heart and soul under lock and key There are Three great doors that must ordinarily be opened before converting-Grace can get into the soul of man 1 Cor. 16.9 Job 33.16 Acts. 16.14 Rev. 3.7 The door of a Powerful Ministry A large and an effectual door is opened The door of the Eare He openeth the eare and sealeth instruction The door of the Vnderstanding and of the heart Lydias heart was opened Now if you look into the Scripture you will find that Jesus Christ hath the opening of all these doors He hath the key of David He openeth and no man shuts and shutteth and no man openeth in the 1. of the Revelation and the 18. He saies That He hath the keyes of Hell and of death No man goes into the grave but He opens a door to let him in and no man goes to Hell but Jesus Christ He locks him up there He locks him up there unto all eternity if He did not lock him in he would not be there unto all eternity So that whatsoever Grace or holiness there is in any mans heart He opens the door He lets it in 't is by His ordering and His sending thither And Beloved if Jesus Christ were not the great Lord-Keeper of His Fathers wardrobe why should those Names and Titles be given to Him which you find so frequently in Scripture Cast your eyes where you wil you shal hardly look upon any thing but Jesus Christ hath taken the Name of that upon Himself If you cast your eyes up to Heaven in the day and behold the Sun He is called Mal. 4.2 Rev. 22.16 Col. 1.18 Rom. 13.14 Ioh. 6.35 Ioh. 10.9 Ioh. 10.11 Ioh. 1.29 Luk. 15.23 Zac. 13.1 Isa 28.16 Pro. 3.18 The Sun of righteousness If you cast your eyes in the night upon the Stars or in the morning upon the morning star He is called The bright morning star If you behold your own Body He is called the Head and the Church the Body If you look upon your own Clothes He is called your Rayment Put ye on the Lord Jesus If you behold your Meat He is called Bread The Bread of life If you look upon your Houses He is called a Door If you look abroad into the fields and behold the Cattel of the fields He is called The good Shepherd He is called The Lamb He is called The fatted Calf If you look upon the Waters He is called A Fountain The Blood of Christ a Fountain If you look upon the
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
honored God If I be a father Mal. 1.6 8. Pro. 3.9 where is mine honor saies the Lord. Why bring ye the leane and the maimed and the feeble Honor the Lord with thy substance and with the first fruits of all thine increase saies Solomon Observe therefore what is your best and what is your substance and what are your first fruits and give them up to Christ Young men young men women the best of your yeers the best of your strength the best of your time is to be given to Christ ye cannot honor Jesus Christ and give Him the worst Oh! that the old people would be much humbled and the young people would be much incouraged you cannot honor Jesus Christ and give the worst to Him Fourthly Ye cannot honor Jesus Christ And despise the choice work of Christ What is the choice work of Christ Grace Grace is the choice work of Christ that comes out of His hand and the worst name that you can give it is to call it Hypocrisy Some there are that looking upon the lives of godly men they say I but he is all Hypocrisy and they are Hypocritical Yea and some poor souls there are that when they look upon their own souls they conclude and say I but 't is all Hypocrisy I prayed at such a time but it was all in Hypocrisy I but what if it be the Grace of Christ what if it prove so Surely surely ye cannot honor Jesus Christ and despise the choicest works that come out of His hands Again A man is siad then for to honor Christ When He does trust unto Him rest upon Him for help at a dead lift as we speak commonly and the more a man does relie upon Jesus Christ in straights and in the time of Temptation the more he does honor Jesus Christ Abraham gave glory to God he beleeved above hope and under hope and because he beleeved above hope and under hope therefore he gave glory to God when he considered his own body Man or woman wouldst thou therefore now honor Jesus Christ Say True I confess indeed I Have finned much and when I look upon my self I know no reason why such a wretch so great a finner as I should be saved but because the way to honor Christ is for to rest upon Him and I have dishonored Jesus Christ enough already therefore now through the Grace of God I will cast the waight of my poor guilty soul upon Jesus Christ yea for that very reason will I leave the waight of my guilty soul upon Him because thereby I may honor Him Agtain The way to honor Iesus Christ is So to walk and so to live as the men of the world may speak well of the waies of Christ by your Conversation Mat. 5.16 Let your light so shine before men that they may glorifie God c. The men of the world will then speak well of the waies of Christ when a Christian that hath the Name of Christ in a special manner put upon him when he does that through the strength of Christ which the men of the world cannot do pray for those that persecute you do good to those that do ill to you when a man is Abundant in the Work of the Lord Constant therein and Humble For Abundant you know what our Savior saies In this is my Father glorified Joh. 15.8 that ye bring forth much fruit One Sun in the firmament honors God the Creator more then a hundred little stars One strong Christian that does much for God honors Him more then Twenty then a hundred weak ones I but though a man have Abundance of Grace and be Abundant in the work of the Lord yet notwithstanding if he be not Constant therein he does not cause the way of Christ to be well spoken of what will men say I he is wound up to a great height for the present but stay a little and you will find Him down by and by Yea though a man be Abundant and Constant yet if he be not Humble he does not honor the way of Christ when a man is Abundant in good Constant therein and walks Humbly what saies the world then I there 's the man if al Professors were such I there 's an Humble man there 's a self-denying man I if you were all such if you were all such then I should like the waies of God the better Take heed therefore unto your lives that you so walk as that the waies of Iesus Christ may be well spoken of by you In the Seventh place Would you honor Jesus Christas you should Then own Him own Him in evil times and stand for Him in the times of general decliningt Honor est Testimonium de alicujus Excellentia Honor is the Testimony of a mans Excellency when I testifie of an Excellency in aman then I honor him and the more I testifie of an Excellency in a man the more I honor him Now the less the Truth of Christ is and the more despised the Ordinance of Christ is and the more I suffer for it the more do I testifie of an Excellency in Jesus Christ What! suffer the loss of all for that which the world counts little worth ô if there be such an excellency in a Truth a smal Truth a despised Ordinance What an Excellency is there in Christ Himself Observe therefore what those despised Ordinances are and labor to bear them up those Truths that the world counts smal Truths be willing to lose much for them stand for them in times of general declining own Iesus Christ in evil times otherwaies you cannot honor Him I have done Only thus Be willing to stoop unto any work though it lies much below your condition for Jesus Christ and say that you are not sufficient unto such a work when you have done the work set the Crown upon the head of the means that is most properly Christs Some means are Natural and some Institutional Some means that are neer unto Christ Some means that ye use in a work that are more properly Christs Chuse to set the Crown upon the head of the means that is neerest to Iesus Christ Thus doing ye shall honor Iesus Christ And Oh! my Beloved Why should not we all now set our selves for to honor Him not in word but in deed to honor Iesus Christ He hath done all for our profit why should we not do all for His honor God the Father honors Iesus Christ why should not we honor Iesus Christ you that have had the experience of this Truth as I make no question but there are many here that have had the experience of it that whatsoever Grace the Saints have they have it from Iesus Christ you I say that have had the experience of this Truth Oh! labor now to advance to lift up the Name of Iesus Christ Oh! that our whole life might be nothing else but a Christ-advancing life you that have the experience of
Grace Again There is the same Spirit in a Christian Rea. 4. Joh. 15 26. that is in Christ I will send saies He the Comforter the Spirit of truth and He shall come unto you The Spirit does not only come to them but is said to dwel in them and to be shed abroad upon their hearts Now if a Beast had the spirit and the soul of a man he would work like a man he would speak like a man and if a Plant if a Tree if an Herb had the life of a Beast it would tast like a Beast And if a Stone if that had the life of a Plant it would grow like a Plant. So now if a Christian have the Spirit of Christ he must work like Christ he must needs be like Christ Now the same Spirit He hath a Christian hath the same Spirit with Christ and therefore needs must be like unto Him and have Grace for His Grace Somewhat in a Christian Answerable to every Grace of Christ You will say unto me How can this be Object indeed it holds forth abundance of comfort unto the Saints and an incouragement to all to be so But how can this be There are some Incommunicable Properties Personal Excellencies of Christ Are all men Saviors Are all men Mediators Are all men Christs No Answ We must therefore so understand it in things that man is capable of We have member for member with Adam every man head for his head and legs for his legs but every man is not the first Adam that every man is not capable of So Jesus Christ He is made like to us but He is not a sinner that He was not capable of And so we have grace for grace Answerable Grace 't is to be understood in things that we are capable of We are not Saviors we are not Mediators we are not Christs In some of those things that we are not capable of yet there is somewhat in a Christian that in some other kind is Answerable thereunto As now for example When our Lord and Savior Christ was Baptized the Heavens opened and the holy-Ghost fell down upon Him in the shape of a Dove The holy-Ghost does not so fall down upon men now but yet 't is shed abroad in the hearts of all that are godly He is the great King and the Priest and the Prophet of his Church All the Saints are Kings and Priests and Prophets but not to that heighth as He was To open this a little that I may cleere the point Is our Lord and Savior Christ a Prophet and as a Prophet does He teach His people the Saints in that of the Revelation Rev. 11 3. The Two Witnesses are said to Prophesie in sackcloth They are said to Prophesie too Is our Lord and Savior Christ a King and as a King does He Over-come and subdue Satan and our lusts and the world 1 Joh. 5.4 So do the Saints too This is your Victory wherby ye Over-come the world even your Faith As a King Does he Over-come and sit down in His Throne So do they too In the 3. of the Revelations and the 21. verse To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my Throne even as I also overcame and am set down with My Father in His Throne Mark I pray Christ hath a Throne on Earth Saies He As Lovercame and am set down with my Father in His Throne in Heaven So those that overcome shall sit down That is Matt. 8.11 have Communion Many shall come from the East and from the West and shall sit down with Abraham and Isaac That is have Communion with them So here To him that overcomes wil I grant to sit down with me in my Throne They shal have Cōmunion with Jesus Christ in his Throne As a King does the Lord Jesus Christ Rule the Nations Psa 2.9 and break them in pieces with a rod of iron So shall the Saints do in their generation and in their way Look I pray into the 2d of the Revelation the 26. verse And he that overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end To him will I give power over the Nations And he shall rule them with a rod of iron Mark And he shall rule them with a rod of iron As the vessel of a potter shall they be broken to shivers even as I received of my Father He does not say Even as I received this Doctrine of my Father but as I which you reade of in the second Psalm received this Power from my Father they shall communicate with me in this Power Even as I received of my Father So shall they receive it they shall have Communion with Him in this Is Jesus Christ a Priest and as a Priest Does He Sacrifice So do the Saints too The Apostle Exhorts the Romans That they offer up themselves a reasonable sacrifice As a Priest Rom. 12.1 does He make Intercession So 't is said concerning the Saints in the 8. of the Romans The Spirit of God that is upon them makes Intercession with groans that cannot be exprest As a Priest does Jesus Christ as our great high-Priest Enter into the Holy of Holiest that you will say belonged unto the Priest alone and none might enter into the Holiest and the Holy of Holiest but the Priest So do the Saints too See I pray what Communion and fellowship the Saints have with Jesus Christ Saies he in the 10. of the Heb. and the 19. ver Having therefore Brethren boldness to enter into the Holiest by the Blood of Jesus by a new and living way c. Is our high Priest entered into the Holy of Hollest as a high Priest You shall have Communion in His Priestly Office too and as He entered into the Holy of Holiest so shall you too Thus you see there is an Answerableness in the Saints with what is in Christ And indeed herein does our Spiritual Regeneration go beyond our Generation For though a child be like unto the father in this that he is a man like the father and he hath a head like the father and arms and legs like the father yet his feature may not be like the fathers lineaments not alike But now in our Spiritual Regeneration there is such a likeness as whatsoever Grace or Holiness is in Jesus Christ there is somewhat in all the Saints that is Answerable thereunto By way of Application then Applic. 1 If this be so That the Saints do receive from Christs Fulness Grace for Grace Grace Answerable to the Grace of Christ That whatsoever Grace or holiness there is in Christ there is somewhat in all the Saints that is Answerable thereunto Then what abundance of men and women are there even living under the Gospel that have no present share of saving interest in Jesus Christ Me thinks I hear this Doctrine crying aloud and saying stand by profane men stand by You that are meerly Civil and moral people stand by And all
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
when as the Lord does thus prevent us with his grace and is at our bed-side with his grace when we lie sleeping and never think of mercy and grace an ingenious soul should say thus What is all this but a plain rebuke to the slothfulness of my duty Come up prayer up duty oh my soul be up sooner Yea through the Lords grace I will be up sooner at Heaven gate in duty than ever I was before His preventing grace teaches me thus much that I am not soon enough at Heaven gate with my duty Again 2. Duty Hath the Lord prevented any of you with grace and caused the Kingdom of Heaven to draw neer to you before you drew neer to it Do you do the like labour in your love to be like to Christ to be like to God We stand upon our terms when we have to deal with men upon our terms of State had Jesus Christ stood upon terms of State when he came to save sinners what had become of us We say we will forgive such a man for wrong done to us upon his acknowledgement Oh! but did Christ do so Did not Christ prevent us Beloved ye see how 't is with the water it moves downward but if the fire get into it if there be water in a pot upon the fire and fire get into the water the fire makes it move upward it moves according to the nature of the fire then So now if the love of Jesus Christ get into our hearts it will make us move like unto Christ How does the love of Jesus Christ move Oh saies Christ Father forgive them they know not what they do Luke 23.34 Christ did not stay for acknowledgement a poor and a low thing for a Christian Enough for a Heathen to say so I will forgive such a man for wrong done to me upon his acknowledgment Let our love be like unto Christs and labour to prevent others with our love as Jesus Christ hath prevented us Thirdly Then let all men waith upon others 3 Duty with all longsufforing and patience for their Conversion and the revelation of truth unto them Thou art a Parent and desirest thy Child may be Converted and hast taken a great deal of pains with him for his Conversion and yet it will not be Thou art a governour of a family and would'st fain have such a servant converted to Christ and hast taken a great deal of pains and yet it won't be A friend you have and you would fain that he knew such a Truth and much pains you have taken to beat such a Truth into him and he don't take it and you are ready to be angry but remember this The Kingdom of Heaven draws neer to us before we draw neer to it Grace must come to thy Childs soul first before it does come to Christ Mercy must come to the soul and the Lord must come and bring truths unto the soul What is then to be done Then be not angry with him wait with all long suffering and all patience and go to God go to God for thy Child go to God for thy friend go to God for thy servant upon this ground Because the Kingdom of Heaven must come to us first before we can come to it But Especially 4. Duty and Fourthly Trust in the Lord for ever Oh! all you that are the servants of the Lord upon this ground Trust in the Lord for ever Does the kingdom of Heaven approach and draw neer to us before we draw neer unto it Then say within your souls Doubting shall be no more Some there are that doubt of their salvation because of the lgnorance that is in them darkness causes fear they don't know the mercifull disposition of Jesus Christ and so they doubt of his love The Devil as he labours to change himself into an angel of light so he labours to change Christ into an angel of darkness But beloved ye have heard of the merciful sweet disposition of Jesus Christ he is willing to save sinners and the greatest sinners brings neer the Kingdom of Heaven to us before we draw neer to it Oh! wilt thou doubt again poor Christian wilt thou doubt again Some there are that doubt of their salvation because they are afraid their duties shall not be accepted prayers shall not be accepted Oh! if I could but be perswaded saies one that the Lord would hear my prayer and accept of my duty then I should know indeed I should be saved but I am afraid the Lord doth not hear my prayers and accept of my duties and therefore I fear I shall not be saved Man or woman where ever thou standst or art hear the Word of the Lord. Does the Lord cause the Kingdom of Heaven to approach and draw neer to us before we draw neer to it will the Lord be found of those that seek him not and will he not be found of you that do seek him Will the Lord come with his grace and make an offer of grace and mercy to a sinner and a great sinner and will not the Lord receive you when you do come unto him Think of this and surely then you will say Doubting shall be no more Some there are that doubt of their salveation because they cannot pray their hearts are dead pray I cannot and hear I cannot and reade I cannot performe duty I cannot and therefore I have cause to fear I shall never come to Heaven Well but though you cannot Man or Woman Christian pray as thou art able and hear as thou art able and reade as thou art able the Lord Christ is of this sweet disposition That he does canse the Kingdom of Heaven to draw neer to us before we draw neer to it Oh! therefore you that are the servants of the Lord Trust in the Lord for ever for ever trust in the Lord and let doubting be no more I conclude all with one word of Exhortation Applic. 2 and it is unto those that have not yet submitted unto this Kingdom of Heaven this Kingdom of Grace Is there a truth in this Doctrine That the Kingdom of Heaven grace mercy and free remission does approach unto us before we draw neer unto it and that because indeed we are not able to draw neer to it before it draws neer unto us Then all you that have not yet submitted unto this Kingdom of grace and the offer of grace and mercy in the Gospel when ever any offer shall be made unto ye take heed that ye neglect not so great salvation You see how 't is with the sea-man because the sea-man is not able to raise a wind or turn the wind when 't is raised he lies upon the sea-coast ready waiting upon the wind and when the wind turns then he hoists up his sailes for saies he now the wind is come about and if I lose this gale I am likely to lose my voyage I cannot turn the wind I cannot make the wind So
the fire it self So when the Lord Jesus Christ is united to a soul look what Excellencies there are in Christ what Graces in Christ the same are Communicated to it the soul shines with Christs shining and warms with His warming there is Grace Answerable for His Grace You know there was a blessed union between the second Person and our Nature our flesh the second Person takes our Nature upon him and being united to our flesh by vertue of the hypostatical union the idioms and properties of the one are given to the other God hath no flesh God hath no blood and yet we reade in the Acts of the Apostles of the blood of God because of the union the properties of the flesh and of mans nature are given to God Eph. 4.10 So saies the Apostle He that descended is the same also that ascended God does not descend for He is every where but by reason of the union what is proper to the flesh is given to God And so now in this mistical Vnion there being such a glorious and blessed union between Christ and a Christian whatsoever Grace or Excellency or property is in Christ Himself there is an Answerableness of Grace an excellency wrought in the heart of every Christian he hath Grace for Grace he hath stamp for stamp And again Secondly Rea. 2 The Lord Jesus Christ is our second Adam a Common person between God and us Now look as it was concerning our fore-father Adam being a Common person look what nature he had we have He was made up of soul and body and so are we His body had legs and arms and other members and we have member for member we have head for head and arms for arms and legs for legs And so he sinning we have sin for his sin pride for his pride and unbelief for his unbelief because he was a Common person So I say Jesus Christ being our Second Adam look what Grace he had the Saints have they have Grace for His Grace they have Holiness for His Holiness The Apostle saies in the 5. of the Romans That as by one mans offence death came So through the gift of Grace Grace hath abounded But not as the offence saies he at the 15. verse So also is the Free-gift For if through the offence of one man many be dead much more the Grace of God and the gift by Grace which is by one man Jesus Christ hath abounded unto many Now if we should not have Grace for Grace from Christ as we had sin for sin from the first Adam how should Grace superabound Our Lord and Savior Christ saies himself I have life in my Self The Son hath life in Himself Joh. 5.26 which laid to that expression which you have in the 1. of Genesis speaks to our purpose the 11. and 12. verses God said Let the Earth bring forth grass the herb yeelding seed and the fruit-tree yeelding fruit after his kind whose seed is in it self And so again at the 12. verse Whose seed was in it self That is these Creatures had a power in themselves to bring forth their like And so saies Jesus Christ as other Creatures had seed in themselves to bring forth their like So have I life in my Self and am able to bring forth my like and so He does for He is our Second Adam and therefore as we had sin for sin from the First Adam we must have Grace for Grace from the Second Adam also Thirdly There is an incomparable and glorious Rea. 3 blessed love between Christ and a Christian Love loves to make a thing loved to be like it self Love in an Inferiour is of an Imitating Nature and love in a Superiour is of a Similitating Nature Now therefore if there be love between Christ and a Christian they must needs be very like and love there is Christ loves the Saints above all the world and the Saints love Christ above all the world Only Christs love exceeds for when the Spouse speaks of Christ in the Canticles she cals Him My beloved in the Concrete but when He speaks of her He cals her my love my dove in the Abstract Jesus Christ had loving thoughts towards the Saints before the world was as ye reade in the 8. of the Proverbs and the 29. verse Saies wisdom and so Christ there When He gave to the Sea His Decree that the waters should not pass His Commandement when He appointed the foundations of the earth Then I was by Him as one brought up with Him I was daily His delight verse the 31. Rejoycing in the habitable part of His earth and my delights were with the sons of men Jesus Christ was then in the bosom of His Father He had enough to take up His heart with full delight and yet notwithstanding before the Saints were His love was towards them and His delight was in them Surely if He loved them so much before they had a being when they have a being He will exercise and put forth that old and ancient love of His in more abundance towards them When a man loves a Maid or a Virgin while she is in her fathers house she is set a part for him but now afterward when she leaves her fathers house and all her kindred that she may only cleave unto him then his heart is drawn out more How am I ingaged saies he to love this woman that hath left all the world to come unto me So there was love in Christ towards the Saints while they were but set a part for Him in Gods Decree but now when they shall leave their fathers house for Him will He not then delight in them See what is said in the 45. Psalm Hearken O daughter at the 10. verse and consider and incline thine ear forget also thine own people and thy fathers house So shall the King greatly desire or delight in thy beauty But delight in them and love them he cannot unless they be like unto him for the lover loves to make a thing loved to be like himself or himself to be like to it The lover would if he could melt himself into a One-ness with the thing loved Indeed our love is scant and we cannot do it Moses of whom the Law is signified might chip and pare his wives nailes but he could not change her countenance A man may love his wife and bestow much upon her but he is not able to change her countenance to make her to be like himself But Jesus Christ hath this happiness above all the world His love hath this happiness above all other love that He is able to melt the person loved the soul loved into His own likeness and therefore wherever Jesus Christ sets His heart upon any soul to delight in any He draws His Image upon them makes the soul to be like unto Him what Grace He hath Himself He does communicate it unto that soul that there is an Answerableness of Grace Even Grace for