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
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
fulnesse of grace which is in a beleever is many times hid from the world Page 31 2 He communicates grace to them as an universal cause and an universal cause seldom or never produceth particular effects without the concurrence of a particular cause ibid 3 He doth it in proportion Page 32 4 He doth it according to their necessities and wants ibid Application 1 Difference between the fulnesse of the world and the fulnesse of Christ Page 33 1 The fulnesse of the world is made up of many things The fulnesse of Christ of but one thing viz the Deity ibid 2 The fulnesse of the world is made up of worser things But the fulnesse of Christ of the best of bests Page 34 3 The fulnesse of the world runs into emptinesse but the fulnesse of Christ is a dwelling fulnesse ibid 4 The fulnesse of the world can never satisfie the better part of man The fulness of Christ ever doth Page 35 5 The fulness of the earth cannot commend a man to God the fulnesse of Christ makes a man lovely in the eyes of God Page 36 6 The fulnesse of the earth is mixt with poison sin and the curse of God The fulnesse of Christ with contentment ibid 7 The fulnesse of the earth is a defiling fulnesse The fulnesse of Christ a pure fulnesse Page 37 8 The fulnesse of the world is lesse than is expected the fulnesse of Christ is more than can be expected ibid 9 The fulnesse of the world is sometimes better wanted than enjoyed The fulnesse of Christ alwaies makes men happy ibid 10 The fulnesse of the earth costs many times more than it is worth but Christ gives much and takes nothing Page 38 11 All the fulness of the earth is not able to returne you love for love The fulnesse of Christ returns you more love than you brought ibid Application 2 An encouragement to all men to come in to Jesus Christ Page 39 To Beleevers It will make them firm against al Temptations Page 40 Discouragments Page 40 Afflictions Page 40 To Unbeleevers Page 41 Application 3 To beleevers to labour to own their own and strengthen their assurance of their union with Jesus Christ Page 42 SERMON III John 1.16 Doct. What grace or holinesse the Saints have from Christ They have it all in a way of receiving Page 46 Proved by instances In Justification ibid In Adoption ibid In Sanctification ibid In The gifts of the ibid In holy Ghost ibid Prayer Page 47 All in general ibid The rain that fals Page 48 As also 1 By the insufficiency of Nature 1 To overcome sin though never so small Page 49 2 To rise again if he be fallen Page 50 3 To continue if he should rise again Page 51 4 To do any one good work Page 52 5 To prepare himself unto what is good ibid 2 By the supernaturallity of grace Page 54 3 By the shortnesse of the means of grace Page 55 4 By the work and nature of faith Page 56 5 By the posture and true behaviour of prayer Page 57 Object This cuts off all endeavours Answered Page 58 1 It moves to endeavours because it causeth love and fear Page 59 2 Whatsoever service we tender to God on this side heaven is all a waiting vpon him Page 60 Reasons of the point 1 That all boasting rejoycing and confidence in ones self may be taken away Page 61 2 That Jesus Christ may be fully honoured and exalted ibid 3 That the Saints may live by faith Page 62 Application 1 Behold what infinite care God hath of beleevers Page 62 Application 2 Behold what pleasant lives the Saints live Page 65 Application 3 What abundance live under the Gospel that have no saving interest in Jesus Christ ibid Application 4 All is from grace from first to last Page 66 SERMON IIII John 1.16 Doct Abundance of grace the Saints in the new Testament have from Jesus Christ Page 69 Cleered 1 If we consider the several advances grace hath made from the beginning of the world to this day Page 71 1 We have it not by the candle but by the Sun Page 76 2 The vail is now rent we have it not in shadow but in substance Page 79 3 It is not tempered with the Law but with the Gospel Page 77 4 We have it not in bondage but with the spirit of adoption ibid 5 We have it from the Son of God Page 78 2 As there is abundance of grace discovered so there is abundance exhibited and communicated to the Saints Page 78 1 It is a great matter for an ungodly man to be justified Page 79 2 It 's a great matter for a man to be the Son of God ibid 3 It is a great matter to have the Image of Jesus Christ drawn upon a filthy soul ibid 4 It is a great matter for a man to be in heaven before he comes there Page 80 Object We do not see such abundance of Grace in the lives of those that are accounted godly Answered 1. Do you consider the opposition of Grace when grace is much opposed though it be little in bulk it will be great in operation Page 80 2 Consider the Retinue of it though grace be mean it hath a rich retinue Page 81 3 Consider the mystery of grace 1 It is a great matter to tremble at the word and yet to love it and prize it Page 82 2 To love the Ordinances and yet at the same time to think he doth not profit thereby Page 83 3 To comfort himself in that the Lord knows his heart and yet to see there is much hypocrisy there ibid 4 To be sensible of his sin and yet not willing to chang his condition with another for all the world ibid 5 To work out his salvation with fear and trembling and yet to rely upon Jesus Christ alone for it Page 84 6 For a man to walk closely with God and yet be in the dark ibid 7 To be diligent in his particular calling and yet take no thought what he shall eat drink or put on ibid 8 To know that God will work good and gain to him out of his sin and yet to strive against it as against the greatest evil of the world ibid 9 To be the more afflicted because his affliction comes from God Page 85 10 To pray earnestly for a better condition and yet be contented with his present though never so mean ibid Application 1 Do not vilifie the gift of God wherewith thou art enriched through Jesus Christ Page 86 Application 2 Behold what great sinners professors are Page 86 Application 3 What a mighty encouragement here is both to good and bad To bad to come in to Christ Page 88 To good to abound in grace Page 88 SERMON V John 1.16 Doct. Whatsoever grace the Saints have they have it from Jesus Christ Page 91 Proved By the insufficiency of nature Page 92 By the alsufficiency of Christ Page 93 Objections answered Page
99. 101 What good a Christian receives hence 1 Jesus Christ is made our strength Page 104 2 We are moved to love him ibid 3 To live in dependance upon him ibid 4 To walk humbly before him ibid 5 To be fruitful Page 105 Application What infinite cause have we to advance the Name of Jesus Christ Page 106 How may this be done 1 By offering up our own christ to him Page 107 2 Account it a great honour to belong unto him ibid 3 Give not the worst but alwaies the best to him Page 108 4 Despise not the choice work of Christ ibid 5 Trust alwaies in him ibid 6 So to walk that the men of the world may speak well of the waies of God Page 109 7 Own Christ Page 110 8 Be willing to stoop to any work for Jesus Christ though it lie below your condition SERMON VI John 1.16 Doct. Whatsoever grace or holiness there is in Jesus Christ there is somewhat in the Saints that is answerable thereunto Page 113 Proved Reason 1 Because there is a blessed union between Christ and every Christian Page 115 Reason 2 Jesus Christ is our second Adam a common person between God and us Page 117 Reason 3 There is an incomparable love between Christ and a Christian ibid Reason 4 There is the same spirit in a Christian that is in Christ Page 119 Object How can this be Answered Page 120 Application 1 How many persons there are that live under the Gospel and have no interest in Jesus Christ Page 122 Instanced 1 In prophane people ibid 2 In meerly Civil and morral people ibid 3 In Hypocrites Page 123 Application 2 What a blessed thing it is for people to be in Christ Page 123 Quest What is our duty that flows from hence Answ 1. Be not proud of it Page 124 2. Improve it Page 125 1 By beholding it ibid 2 By imitating it ibid 1 By bearing witness to the truth ibid 2 By stooping to any work though below us ibid 3 By being much in prayer ibid 4 By not knowing our natural relations ibid 5 Having an high esteem of the Saints though never so low Page 126 6 So exercising one grace as that we may exercise another ibid 7 Being a lambe in our cause a lyon in Gods ibid 8 In sufferings 1 Not till we are called ibid 2 When we are called not to be put out of the way ibid 3 To have regard to other mens goods ibid 4 To be more sensible of Gods withdrawings than of al other pains ibid Application 3 How infinitely we are bound to God the Father for our Lord Jesus Christ Page 128 Gods two great gifts were 1 He gave the world to man 2 He gave Jesus Christ to the world ibid Application 4 Be contented to have fellowship with Jesus Christ in all his sufferings SERMON I Romans 4.19 Text opened Page 152 Doct. 1. When God intends to fulfill his promise by giving any special blessing to beleevers he doth first put the sentence of death upon it and upon all the means that lead unto it Page 154 Proved Reason 1 That he may be most seen therein Page 156 Reason 2 That the Saints may learn to trust to God alone Page 157 Reason 3 That they may be conformable to Jesus Christ Page 158 Reason 4 That their comforts may be the more sure and stedfast ibid Objections answered Page 159 Cautions 1Vnderstand this concerning great and spiritual blessings Page 160 2 The sentence of death may be put upon the blessing in another mans hand Page 161 3 It is much according to the life of the mercy that come afterward Page 162 Quest Why doth God first give the promise Answ 1 To shew us where the mercy lies Page 163 2 Because he doth not intend we shall have it presently ibid 3 That our hearts may be born up against all discouragements Page 164 Application Rest upon God in the darkest times Page 164 Quest How shall I know the mercy will revive again Answ There are two acts of faith 1 Reliance 2 Assurance Accordingly there are two objects of faith 1 A may be of mercy 2 A shall be of mercy A may be of mercy causeth Reliance A shall be of mercy causeth Assurance Reliance causeth quietness Assurance causeth joy ibid Waies to know whether mercies shall rise again or not 1 By the frequent visitings of the promise Page 167 2 By the first fruits of the promise Page 168 Encouragements to wait 1 If ever it rise it will be the choicest mercy we had in all our lives Page 170 2 It will be the surest mercy ibid 3 It will be the sweetest mercy Page 171 SERMON II Rom. 4.19 Doct. When God is pleased thus to put the sentence of death upon a blessing or the means that leads to it it is the duty of the sons of Abraham to trust in God and not stand poring upon the means and deadness thereof Page 174 Divided into three propofitions and cleered 1 A meer rational considering of the means and the deadness thereof is a great enemy to beleeving cleered Page 174 2 When all means fail and seem to lie dead then it is the duty of all the sons of Abraham to beleeve cleered Page 177 3 Thus to beleeve when all means fail is exceeding well pleasing and acceptable to God cleared Page 180 Application What an encouragement is here to to live above hope and under hope Page 183 Object We are afraid to beleeve when means fail because God hath commanded us to use the means Answered Page 184 1 It may be God takes away the means to try thy faith Page 185 2 God doth never give to supply our lusts but to supply our wants ibid 3 If all the means fail faith is a means to a means Page 186 4 Look what way God is used to walk in towards you in that way you may boldly expect him ibid Object I should prosume if I should trust in God when means fail Answered Page 188 SERMON III Rom. 4.19 Doct. True saving faith carries the soul through all difficulties Page 192 Cleered 1 In that the wy to Jesus Christ is clogged with many difficulties Page 193 2 True saving faith will carry a man through them all Page 195 3 Nothing but faith can do it For 1. Conviction of the good waies of God cannot Page 200 2 Resolution will not ibid 3 Morral vertues will not Page 201 4 Gifts and parts Gospel enlargments cannot ibid 4 What it is in faith that doth it 1 Faith shews the soul the invisible things of God Page 202 2 It tels the soul all things are it 's own Page 203 3 It shews a man greater excellencies in Christ than all difficulties Page 204 4 It enables the soul to leave the success and event of all to God ibid 5 It is that grace whereby a soul takes up the yoke of Christ Page 205 6 It teacheth man to pick out the love of God from under the anger
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
Come and let us take our fill of love Come friends come company let us go unto such a Tavern or such a place where we may be fully merry Come O my soul take thy contentment in creature fulness there is enough there This robs Christ of the glory of all His fulness To carry away the custom of my thoughts unto another Shop from Christ argues that there is not enough in Christ alone Then beloved to conclude all Are there any here as I fear there may be too many that have thus robbed Jesus Christ of the glory of His fulness I beseech you in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ whose fulness I have bin now preaching to you I beseech you in the fear of God go into your Chamber and be alone awhile and fall down before the Lord and say thus unto Him or to this purpose Oh! Lord I confess it hath bin so w th me I have thought that there hath not bin a sufficient rule for the Government of the Churches and herein I have wronged Christ in His Prophetical fulness and the Lord pardon this unto me Lord I confess also I haue said many times that my fins are so great that there is no hope for mercy that there is no hope for pardon herein I have wronged the Priestly fulness of Jesus Christ now the Lord pardon this unto me I confess Lord I have stinted thee and I have limitted thee and I have said many times in my hast if this means fail then England is undone the Church undone thus I have limitted thee Lord Oh! herein I have wrong'd thee and robbed Christ in His Kingly fulness Yea Lord I do acknowledge and I do confess I have gone to creature-comforts and my heart hath taken a content and complacency as if there were enough there but now I see there is a fulness in Jesus Christ the Lord pardon me that ever I let out my heart upon any creature-comfort upon any thing but Jesus Christ You that have bin guilty fall down and humble your selves before the Lord and consider that there is a fulness in Jesus Christ and labor to draw out this fulness from Him Which that you may so do think on all these things and the Lord blesse them to you SERMON II. JOHN 1.16 Preached at Wapping Aug. 17. 1646. And of His Fulness have all we received even Grace for Grace I Have made entrance into these Words in a neighbouring Congregation and shal now desire to go on where I left there The Words hold forth Three Great Grand Propositions First That there is a Fulness of Grace in Jesus Christ Secondly That of His Fulness all we do receive Thirdly That we do receive of His Fulness even Grace for Grace The former Proposition I have dispatched and desire at this time to speak unto the second All we do receive of His Fulness Of His Fulness have all we received The difficulty that lies upon the Proposition is this Who are meant here by this All Wee Some there are that conceive that by those words we are to understand all the Creatures in Heaven and Earth because 't is said before in the beginning of the Chapter That He is the light that lighteth every one that cometh into the world But though the thing be true that there is no Creature either in Heaven or Earth but more or lesse is beholding to Jesus Christ for if Christ had not stept in upon the fall Gods displeasure was so great against man that he would presently have broke up house and the sin of the fall was so heavie that it would have broken the very Axel-tree of the World if Jesus Christ had not put to His shoulder according to that of the Apostle Heb. 1.3 He bears up all with the Word of His Power yet notwithstanding all the Creatures in Heaven or Earth cannot be meant here by this All Wee for all the creatures in Heaven and Earth do not receive Grace they may be said to receive of the Fulnesse of Christ but not Grace for Grace But at the 12. verse 't is said as many as received Him to them gave He power to become the Sons of God euen to them that beleeve in his Name Now in Scripture phrase those are said to receive Christ Himself that do receive His Grace and those that receive His Grace receive Christ Himself Understand therefore by this All Wee those that receive Him as ye have it in the 12. verse which is explained to be Them that beleeve in His Name And then the Observation or Doctrine lies plain before us which is this That all the Saints and People of God Doct. do pertake of the Fulness of Christ in a way of receiving It falls a sunder into Two parts Thus First That there is a communication of the Fulness of Jesus Christ unto all Beleevers Secondly That whatsoever Grace or Holiness the Saints have from Christ they have it in a way of receiving I shall only speak unto the former at this time There is a communication of the Fulness of Jesus Christ unto all Beleevers Of His Fulness all we receive mark There is a communication of the Fulnesse of Jesus Christ unto all Beleevers He is the second Adam which the Apostle Paul speaks of in the 1 Cor. 15. Chapter and the 45. verse The first man Adam was made a living soul and the last Adam was made a quickning Spirit The whole world is divided into Two great Houses As once in this Kingdom There was the House of York And the House of Lancaster So now the whole world is divided into Two great Houses The House of the First Adam And the House of the Second Adam The first man Adam was made a living soul and the last Adam was made a quickning Spirit that is look as the first Adam did communicate life unto all his seed So the second Adam does communicate Spiritual life and grace unto all his people As by the first Adam sin and sorrow and death came into the world and so upon all man-kind So by the second Adam grace and life and eternal life unto all Beleevers There is a dealing out a giving out of the fulness of Jesus Christ unto all Beleevers This will appear First of all by the Union that there is between Christ 1 Reason and a Beleever there is a glorious a blessed an incomparable union between Christ and every Beleever though he be never so weak though he be never so poor There is a union between the Root and the Branches and by vertue of that union the Root sends forth life and strength into all the Branches but yet notwithstanding the Root is not in the Branches nor the Branches in the Root mutually There is a union between the Head and the Members and by vertue of that union the Head hath an influence upon all the Members but yet the Head is not in the Members nor the Members in the Head But
upon you the more he defiles you Truly such is the earths and the world fulness as I say a dog the more it fawns upon you and falls upon you the more it defles you Oh! but the Fulnesse of Jesus Christ is a pure Fulnesse a Fulness that is full of purenesse Eightly Take al the Fulnesse of the world and though it be never so much it fals under your expectation Sink your expectation as low as you can and yet notwithstanding it wil fall below your expectation As for the Fulnesse of Jesus Christ raise and scrue up your expectation as high as you can and yet you shall find more therein then ever you expected Ninthly As for the fulnesse of the earth somtimes 't is better wanted than injoyed It may make you miserable it cannot make you happy Oh! but the Fulnesse of Jesus Christ it can never make you miserable it will certainly make you happy there is no such time wherein 't is better wanted than injoyed Tenthly As for the Fulnesse of the earth again It costs a man many times more than 't is worth it costs him his Time his precious Thoughts his Soul much is laid out for it much care to get it much fear to keep it and much grief to lose it Oh! but the Fulnesse of Jesus Christ it costs him nothing Esay 56.1 Come buy Wine and Milk without money or moneys-worth Christ gives much and takes little takes nothing it costs you nothing and having it you have all And again to name no more of these Take all the fulnesse of the Earth and though it be never so much it is not able to answer you with Love to return you Love for your Love The greaten noblest Gift of the world is Love That is alwaies unworthy of your love that cannot answer your love again If you have a full bagg If you have a full Table if you have a full House these fulnesses cannot answer you with love again but it can defile your own love Oh! but the Fulnesse of Christ it can answer you with Love for Love it gives you a better Love than you brought it Nobilitates and Meliorates and raises your own love forever Behold This is the Fulnesse this is the Fulnesse that the Saints that Beleevers do partake in that they do receive of and they may come to this Fulness of Jesus Christ and they may say Of this Fulnesse of this Fulnesse wee have all received As those wicked men they may go unto the fulnesse of the Earth and they may say indeed Of this fulnesse we have all received but as for that Fulnesse we have none of it Oh! how much better is the cōdition of a Beleever than the condition of a wicked man though he be never so great or rich You that are Beleevers you do envy at the men of the world because of their fulnesse I Pray tell me would you change your Fulnesse for theirs Would you change your Condition for theirs And you that are of the world wicked ungodly men that have but the Earths fulnesse Why do you lay out your thoughts and your time upon such a fulnesse a dropsical fulnesse a fading fulnesse a dying fulnesse a fulnesse that is mixt with a Curse a fulnesse thsat does al bemire you and dirty you pray tell me Are you able with the Dasies Tulips of the world to satisfie your better part Oh! know you not that notwithstanding all the Earths fulnesse that a wicked mans fortune I say that a wicked mans fortune it lies in a lake that burneth with fire and brimstone And when you have done all you can gathered all that ever you can together you may go unto your full purses or unto your full bags or unto your full houses or unto your full barnes and you may say of this fulnesse I have received Oh! but you cannot go unto the Fulnesse of the Lord Jesus Christ and say And of this Fulness my soul hath received Oh! fool saies our Saviour Luke 12.20 when His barnes are full this night shall thy soul be taken away from thee And when you come below in the pit where no water is then you will complain and say Oh! wretch that I was I might have had of the Fulness of Jesus Christ but I chose rather the fulness of the earth and if I had had the Fulness of Christm I had bin made for ever but I chose rather the fulnesss of the world then the Fulness of Jesus Christ and now I am lost for ever Oh! I am lost for ever I have none of the Fulness of Jesus Christ What an incouragement here is then And so I come unto the Second Use Appli 2. and I will not hold you long in it What an incouragment is here unto al men good and bad to come in unto Jesus Christ and partake of His Fulnesse I say in the Second place here is incouragement unto all you that hear the Word of the Lord this day good or bad an incouragement unto all souls good and bad to come in unto the Lord Jesus Christ and partake of His fulnesse Saies our Lord and Savior When I am lift up Joh. 12.32 I will draw all men after Me I Love is a drawing thing Love is a drawing thing it draws men and women together into one youke that lived farr asunder And what greater love than this that Jesus Christ should lay down His Life for poor sinners Wisdome wisdome is a drawing thing it drew the Queen of Sheba from farr to come unto Solomon and behold a greater than Solomon is here Riches riches Wealth wealth is a drawing thing Bounty and Liberality a drawing thing it draws the poor beggar to the rich mans dore And behold here 's Riches Oh! there 's an infinite treasury of Grace and Holinesse in Jesus Christ And here 's Liberality For there is an infinite propension and willingnesse in the Lord Jesus Christ to give out of this Fulnesse unto poor finners Oh! hath God the Father exalted Jesus Christ and shall not our hearts exalt Him Beloved let but Jesus Christ be exalted in your thoughts and in your hearts and you will stand Firm against all Temptations Firm against and Discouragements Firm against all Afflictions Firm against all Temptations If Temptations come to offer you profit and pleasure then will you make this answer No you bid me losse for there is a fulness in Jesus Christ and of His Fulness through the Lords mercy I have received Firm against all Discour agements If the Devil come and tell you Thou art now a Professor but ere long you will fall away and prove as great a scandal to Religion as ever you honored it before You will make this answer True indeed Satan I have a backsliding soul I have a backsliding heart but there is a Fulnes in Jesus Christ through the Lords mercy I have received of this Fulness an d therefore I shal
Answ That mercy may be sure unto all His servants which they would soon spend if it were in their own keeping Mark I pray There are these Two or Three Reasons of Gods Proceeding this way That all Grace should be in a way of Receiving And the First is That all Boasting rejoycing 1. Rea. confidence in ones self may be taken away If Abraham saies Paul in the 4. of the Romans were justified by works he hath whereof to glory though not before God He hath whereof to glory But now when all is in a way of Receiving there 's no room for Boasting Mark therefore what is said in the 1 Cor. 4.7 Who maketh thee to differ from another and what hast thou that thou didst not receive Now if thou didst receive it why doest thou glory as if thou hadst not received it God cannot indure Boasting cannot indure Self-confidence God cannot indure that a man should glory in any thing in himself therefore all all is in a way of Receiving This is Gods Reasoning Again 2. Rea. God hath so ordered things in the dispensations of His Grace under the Gospel That Jesus Christ may be fully Honored Exalted No such way to Honor Christ as this that all should come out of His hands to be received from Him Pray Was it not a great Honor to Joseph in the time of the famine in Egypt that no bread but should come through his hands not a corn of grain but should come through his hands So here when no grace no strength no aid no assistance no supplies but all through the hand of Christ all in a way of Receiving does not this glorify Christ much What is it I pray that makes the Sun so glorious a creature above all the creatures in the world but this That all the creatures depend upon him for light and for warmth This is that that makes the Lord Jesus Christ glorious That all must be in a way of Receiving from Jesus Christ Thirdly 3. Rea. God hath so ordered things in the dispensations of His Grace under the Gospel That the Saints and Children of God may live by faith Good people mark it Some there are some creatures in the world that do live by Sence as the beasts and beastly men Some creatures there are that do live by Reason moral men But the Lord would have His Children to live by Faith That as the men of the world do live by Sence and Reason So the Lord would have all His Children to live by Faith What way or means to bring a soul off for to live by Faith Establish this Doctrine let this be a Statute made in the Churches All in a way of Receiving I saies a poor soul is it so indeed What all in a way of Receiving Then I fee a necessity of living by Faith Oh! Lord teach me now for to live by Faith Thus you see the Doctrine clearly proved by Reason to you I shall not be able to reach the Use of the point so as I intended The Doctrine is exceeding Useful ful of Spiritual Use yet though I shall not be able to do what I would give me leave for to make some Application of the point and so I will winde up all Is this Doctrine true 1 Applic. That all all is in a way of Receiving Then behold what infinite care the great God of Heaven and Earth hath of Beleevers of every beleeving soul though he be never so mean would you not think that if a mother were so tender of her child that she would not let her child eat a bit of bread but it should be of her own cutting that she would not let it drink a drop of drink but it should be of her own drawing would you not think this mother this woman were very careful of her child Beloved thus the case stands No Grace no Assistance no Help for duty no Help against sin but the Lord Jesus Christ Himself will have the cutting of it the Lord Jesus Christ will have the giving of it out He will have the drawing of it all all in a way of Receiving Oh! what care Oh! what infinite care hath God of poor Beleevers When the Lord would commend His care of the Children of Israel unto them pray mark what an argument he uses in Deut. 11.10 11 12. For the Land whether thou goest in to possess it is not as the Land of Egypt from whence ye came out where thou sowedst thy seed and wateredst it with thy foot as a garden of herbs They fetch 't water out of the River Nilus and so they watered the Land of Egypt with their feet But saies he at the 11. verse the Land whither ye go to possess it is a Land of hills and valleys and drinketh water of the rain of Heaven Not taken out of the River and watered by mens feet as Egypt was A Land saies the Lord which the Lord thy God Careth for A Land which the Lord thy God Careth for He Cared not for Egypt How does he prove that the Lord Cared for it The eyes of the Lord thy God are alwaies on it from the begining of the yeer even unto the end of the yeer He giveth rain from Heaven and when your Land wants water 't is given from Heaven 't is not watered by mens feet 't is not watered as Egypt was watered which Land God Cared not for So now there are some people in the world that water themselves that go forth in their own strength that have moral vertues and they water their hearts with their own feet as I may say the Lord Cares not for those the Lord Cares not for such Oh! but give me a soul that hath rain from Heaven that lives in continual dependance that acknowledges that all is Received that lives upon Heaven the Lord Cares for such a soul Now this is the condition of all the Saints of every Beleever he hath all in a way of Receiving Oh! the infinite care that the Lord hath of every Beleever though he be never so mean Secondly Appli 2. Is this Doctrine true All in a way of Receiving Then behold what sweet and comfortable and pleasant lives the Saints live Beleevers have When you look upon a Godly man and consider what great works he does and what hard things he bears what great Afflictions he goes thorow You say Good Lord how is a man able to do or bear all this Paul and Silas â—â—nging in the stocks when they were whipt and scourg'd the blood running down their shoulders and yet singing How how are they able to do all to bear all To here here is the reason They have all in a way of Receiving When you see the little Child run by the father in his hand in a green meadow you say the Child hath a â—â—ne and a sweet time but when you see the Child coming at a high gate or stile to get over or dirty lane to passe
over now ye say how will the Child do now Why surely the Child will do as well and better now if the father takes the child up in his arms the dirty lane wil be the pleasantest place to the child when 't is taken up into the fathers armes Thus 't is with the Saints great works they do and hard things they go thorow Oh! but they are taken up into Christs Armes and they have all in a way of Receiving When you look upon a man that does keep a great Table hath many servants attending on him his Purse alwaies full of money you will say surely this man leads a fine and a sweet life if it do not cost him much for to receive it or get this money but if you hear that he hath all his Estate only for telling his money his great pains is all in receiving his money Oh! here 's a blessed man indeed and here 's a happy man you think presently Thus 't is the great pains of a Christian is to Receive from Christ and to spend for Christ Oh! what a sweet life does the Saints live that live by Faith in Jesus Christ Thirdly Appli 3. Is this Doctrine true Then what abundance are there in the world many that live under the Gospel that from hence are argued to have no saving interest in Jesus Christ Good people mark it that I say are not savingly united to Jesus Christ There is a Two-fold Vnion with Christ as Christ is considered Two waies He is either considered with His Church the Church and He making one body and so all together are called Christ In 1 Cor. 12. Or else He is considered as the great Mediator and Savior of Beleevers by Himself Accordingly men may be said to be Vnited to Him Either Outwardly in the Church tied and related to Him by outward Ordinances Or else Inwardly united to Him by saving faith When a man is Inwardly united to Jesus Christ by saving faith he hath all from Christ Strength unto every duty from Jesus Christ Praying strength and Hearing strength and Repenting strength and Confirming strength he hath from Christ in a way of Receiving But the other hath little or nothing from Christ Pray mark it I will express it thus A man takes a peice of bread or a loaf of bread he tyes it to his arm his arm hath no strength from that 't is but an outward tye to his arm it hath no strength from that and it argues that 't is but an outward tye it causes no strength by it But if a man take bread and eat it that there be an inward union then there is strength there is bread goes to all the parts you know my meaning Or thus I will expresse it thus Take a graft and tye it unto a Tree tye it unto a stock and it brings forth no fruit at all why Because 't is but outwardly tyed unto the root unto the stock of the Tree But take the branch and graft it into the Tree into the stock then it brings forth all that it brings forth by vertue of the stock that 't is grafted into So my beloved there are a company there are a generation of people that live here under the Gospel that are Outwardly tyed unto Christ they are Baptized they have the Name of Christ by profession and by the tye of the Ordinances they are outwardly tyed unto Christ but Oh! they receive nothing from Him nothing from Him pray what do they receive Suppose Christ had not come into the world suppose they had never heard Christ preacht they might have lived Civilly they might have lived Justly amongst their neighbors they might have abstained from Lying and Drunkenness why they do not thus much poor creatures nothing from Christ they receive nothing from Christ Oh! these are but outwardly tyed as a loaf of bread is tyed unto a mans arm so is the Lord Jesus in the Ordinances tyed unto them I but then There are another people that are Savingly united to Jesus Christ and these they have strength from Him they cannot Pray but as they have strength from Christ they cannot Confer and speak of good things but as they have strength from Christ they cannot go and hear a Sermon with any affection but as they have strength from Christ All all in a way of Receiving Oh! they stand in a way of dependance upon God in Him and they have all from Christ these are Savingly united to Christ But Oh! many that live among us that have not all from Christ Certainly therefore there are many that are not savingly united to Jesus Christ This is a Third I 'le adde but one more and so I have done Is this Doctrine true Appli 4. All in a way of Receiving Then surely Beloved All is from Grace from first to last Heaven Heaven is a Donative Salvation is a Donative every step in the Iadder to Heaven is Grace every link of the chain is Grace Oh! every beam of our day is Grace every stone of our building Grace Is all in a way of Receiving What Praying strength What Hearing strength What Suffering strength What is all al in a way of Receiving Oh then what glorious Grace is here Oh! rich Grace Oh! free Grace Oh! incomparable Riches of the freeness of Gods Grace in Christ Is the Lord Jesus the Alpha and the Omega Is He the Beginning the Middle the End of all our actions Oh! what Grace is here If there be ever a drooping soul If there be ever a poor hard heart a cold heart a frozen heart in all this Congregation Come O poor soul come and warm thine heart at this fire of Love Were our Heaven and our Salvation put to sale upon our Doing I say were Mercy set to sale at our doing then we were in a sad condition we were in a lamentable condition Well now Is al in a way of Receiving What then though I cannot Pray for the present What then though my heart be dead for the present yet notwithstanding I will wait upon the Lord in the way of His Ordinances it may be this day and this time I shall receive something that may put life into my poor dead soul Oh! you that never waited upon the Lord and upon free Grace wait now upon the Lord you that have waited waite still you that never waited wait now Beloved the more Dependant our condition is the more Depending should our spirits be What more Dependant condition can you think of All all in way of Receiving Oh! therefore now let us all labor to live by faith Go away with this in your bosomes I see a necessity of living in a continual Dependance on God in Christ Which that you may do think of all these things and the Lord bless them to you SERMON IV. JOHN 1.16 Preached at Margrets new fish-street Decem. 8 1645. And of His Fulness have all we received even Grace for Grace I Have made entrance
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.
from servants ordinarily But when the fulness of time was come God sent forth his Son that we might receive the adoption of Sons And the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father They had the spirit of Bondage unto fear and we have the Spirit of Adoption unto Love to cry Abba Father They could not go to God but with many fears but there is none of all the Saints now but go with a Spirit of Love go to God as a Father Every Saint now may go to God and say Father Father I labor under such a temptation Oh! Father help me I want such a blessing or mercy Oh! Father give it me Again further Although they had many sprinklings of the Doctrins of Grace yet they fell but droppingly upon them now a drop and then a drop As you have it in the 1. Chap. of the Hebrews 1. verse God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the fathers by the Prophets hath in these last dayes spoken unto us by His Son God who by piece-meals drop by drop now a drop and then a drop spake unto our fore-fathers by the Prophets hath in these last times spoke unto us by His Son This being the opposition shews that God spake perfectly and spake al by His Son When this King came then all the Cocks run with wine Some observe that Jesus Christ preached the Gospel more plainly unto one poor ignorant sinful wicked woman that ye reade of in the 4. of John then He did unto al our fore-fathers under the Old Testament for unto which of all our fore-fathers did He say I am the Messiah Ask of Me the water of life and I will give it thee You know the great Doctrins of the Gospel Justification by Grace Free remission of sins and the like Now though these Doctrins be in the Old Testament yet take your Book and howmany leaves shal you reade over before you be able to reade this Doctrine cleerly But open your Book where you wil open in the New Testament and you shall meet with one everie where with this Doctrine this great Doctrine of Free-Grace every where Oh! much much of Jesus Christ and of His Grace that is now Discovered surely Abundance of Grace Abundance of Grace Discovered to the Saints now and to all the Saints But in the Second place As there is Abundance of Grace Discovered So there is Abundance of Grace Exhibited and Communicated to all the Saints Those that have the least measure of Grace now have Abundance of Grace That is the Thing that I would cleer up to you That those that have the least measure of Gospel-Grace they receive Grace for Grace they have abundance of Grace Is it not a great matter for an ungodly man to be Justified What man so godly but he was ungodly before Justified Is it not a great matter for a man to be the Son of God to be the Child of God All Gods Children shall be Portioned answerable to their Fathers Estate David counted it a great matter to be son-in-law to a King though but a wicked King and the Kingdom but small What is it then to be Adopted to be the Son of God the Daughter of God To as many as receive Him Joh 1.12 He gives power to be called the Sons of God And there is this difference between Gods Adoption and mans When man does Adopt one to be his son he may put his Name upon him he may give his Estate to him but he cannot make the person to be like himself he cannot communicate his nature to him But now when God does Adopt one to be His Child He does not only put His Name upon the Soul and give him a great Estate but He makes him to be like Himself and communicates His Nature to him So saies the Apostle 2 Pet. 1.4 We are made partakers of the Divine Nature Is it not a great matter To have the Image of Jesus Christ drawn upon a filthy soul To have ones heart inclin'd naturally inclin'd as it were unto all the Commandements of the Gospel I will write My Law in your heart Jer. 31.33 saies God in the Covenant of Grace That look as the Heathen having the law of nature written in their hearts are naturally inclin'd unto the works of Nature So will I write my Law of Grace in your hearts and you shall be naturally inclin'd unto the works of Grace and unto the works of the Gospel He that hath least of Christ he hath all Christ all Christ imputed unto all the Saints Beloved we have not so much of Christ in our lives as Peter and Paul and John had but wee have as much of Christs Righteousness imputed to us for our Justification as any of all the Apostles had and if our Faith be right 't is like precious with theirs Is it not a great matter for a man to be in Heaven before he comes there Joh 17.3 To have eternal life in this world This is eternal life to know thee and whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ And that day that any soul begins to know Jesus Christ that day is the day-break of his eternity the Saints that are in Heaven they count from that day there began our eternity This is eternal life here it begins All the Saints and People of God they do know God in Jesus Christ And therefore surely There is an Abundance of Grace Grace for Grace an Abundance of Grace Communicated and given our unto all the Saints under the new Testament But you will say unto me Object We do not find this in experience do not see such an Abundance of Grace in the lives of those ye count godly those that are in Christ indeed we do not find that they have such an Abundance of Grace I but Ans Do you consider The Opposition of Grace The Retinue of Grace And the Mysiery of Grace First For the Opposition of Grace A little Grace may be much opposed and when the Opposition is great though Grace be small in the Bulk it may be great in the Work though little in the Quantity yet it may be much in Quality There 's no true Gospel-Grace but it is much opposed When Jesus Christ came into the world you know Herod raised all the County upon him And so when Christ comes into the heart the whol soul it is raised against Him because He comes as an enemy unto the soul As when an enemy Lands the Beacons are all fired and the Country all rises what do you say An enemy is landed an enemy is landed and all the Country rises So when Christ Lands upon a soule at the first He Lands as an enemy unto the â—â—n and soul and all the soul the Region the Continent it rises up against Him Then also as the Dragon â—ood before the woman which you reade of in that of the Revelations to out off the child as soon as it was born
Stones He is called A corner Stone If you look upon the Trees He is called A Tree of life What is the reason of this Surely not only to way-lay your thoughts that wheresoever you look still you should think of Christ But to shew that in a Spiritual way and sence He is all this unto the soul And you may observe that these Titles and Names they are not barely and nakedly given to Him but still with some speciality some mark or other He is not barely called the Shepheard but the good Shepheard He is not onely called a Lamb but the Lamb slain from the begining of the world He is not barely called the Light but The true Light the Light of the world He is not barely called Bread but The Bread of life Now you know why Adam at the first gave Names unto the Creatures according to their names was their Natures was their conditions and Adam our first father Adam was not mistaken when he gave the names And do you think Christ the Second Adam when he gives these names unto himself that he is mistaken Certainly he is not mistaken he is all this And therfore as the Apostle speaks in the 3. Col. 11. you reade it Christ is all in all but better He is all things in all persons or all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all things He is all things Whatsoever good there is found in any man 't is from Jesus Christ Surely may one say The Lord is our strength Surely may we all say the Lord is our strength the Lord Jesus is our righteousness Whatsoever Grace or holiness the Saints have they have it from Jesus Christ You will say Object This though it seem to give much to Christ it derogates from the Father for if all be from Jesus Christ then nothing from the Father and so it derogates from God the Father No Answ It does no way derogate from God the Father The Apostle Paul was much in this Doctrine that now I am upon Rom. 1.7 and yet he honored the Father too Grace and Peace saies he from God our Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ Though al Grace be from Christ yet Grace and peace from the Father too saies he from God our Father And having shown in the 7. of the Romans That being married unto Christ and dead unto the Law that therefore we should bring forth fruit as in the 4. verse Wherefore my Brethren ye also are become dead to the Law by the Body of Christ that ye should be married to another even to Him who is raised from the dead that we should bring forth fruit unto God He does not say That we should bring forth fruit unto Christ but that we should bring forth fruit unto God The Father and Christ are one Joh. 10.30 I and my Father are one saies Christ In honoring Jesus Christ you honor the Father as in honoring of the Father you honor Christ You will say Wherein is the honor to the Father Quest according unto this Truth how does this any way make to the honor of God the Father that all Grace is from Jesus Christ Yes for First Ans Though all Grace be immediatly given out of the hand of Christ all grace from Him and He gives it out He is Commissioned and defigned by the Father to do it He does but the Fathers work Ioh. 6.38 I came not to do my own will but the will of Him that sent me Was it any dishonor to Pharoah that Joseph gave out the bread in the time of famine No because he was Commissioned by Pharoah to do it And so now If Jesus Christ have a Commission from the Father to do this 't is no dishonor to the Father and a Commission He hath He will shew you it under hand and seal Him hath God the Father sealed Ioh. 6.27 so saies Christ Again Though all Grace come immediately out of the hand of Christ all Grace from Him and He gives it out Yet He is furnish't and accomplish't with ability unto this great Office by God the Father Isa 61.1 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me saies he and He hath anointed me to open the prison dores to Captives c. Now is it any dishonor to God that the Sun does distribute and give out light and heat unto all the Creatures No but rather an honor to Him for when a man sees so glorious a creature as the Sun that gives out light and heat unto all the creatures here below he lifts up his hands and saies Oh! what a glorious God have we that hath furnished this creature with these abilities So now when a man considers Christ as this great Sun of righteousness distributing His Graces to all the Saints will it be any dishonor to God the Father that He is in this Office seeing He hath furnished Him hereunto Surely no they will-rather lift up their hands and say Oh! what a good God have we that hath furnished Christ with all these abilities for our poor souls Again Though the administration of things be in the hand of Christ the right is in the Father and when Jesus Christ hath done His work He will give up the Kingdom to the Father Ioh. 6.44 Mat. 11.27 in the mean while None comes unto the Son but whom the Father draws And None comes unto the Father but he unto whom the Son reveals him Is it any disparagment unto a man to have a wise a potent a great man to his child Pro. 10.1 A wise son makes a glad father saies Solomon Indeed if the Father and the Son were two they might be enemies but Christ and the Father are one Joh. 10.30 I and my Father are one and therefore in honoring of Jesus Christ you honor the Father also But you will say Quest Was there no creature in all the world that was fit to make this great trust over to Why hath God the Father put Christ into this Office that all Grace should come out of His Hand Was there no creature that was fit for this work but Christ alone No Ans This trust would have broke the back of any Creature no Creature in Heaven or Earth as a meer creature was able to purchase this trust he had not a stock and Estate of Grace enough by him Christ Himselfe hath it by purchase For he being the Second Person the Apostle tels us Phil. 2.7.9 He emptied Himself and became of no reputation wherefore God hath given Him a Name above every name that in the Name and strength of Jesus Christ we should be more than Conquerers He had a great Estate by Him He was the Second Person Yet notwithstanding this purchase was so great that saies Paul He emptied Himself Surely no Creature in Heaven and Earth was able to come to this purchase He that must be the worlds Joseph to give out bread of Grace to all the world the Saints in
yet wait on Jesus Christ Again Would you walk Humbly Be very humble and get a ferious and deep humiliation for sin committed the study of this truth will help you do it You know what the Prophet Isaiah saies Oh! Lord saies hee wo is me Isa 6.5 I am undone I am undone Why what 's the matter Oh! saies he mine eyes have seen the King If you look into the 3. Chapter of Matthew you will find there in John the Baptist such a self-humbling speech Christ-advancing speech as you shal not meet with many of the like again Sales he at the 11 verse Whose shoes I am not worthy to bear or as other Gospels hath it Whose shoes latchet I am not worthy to unloose Beloved I pray confider it a little John then which there was not a greater the great Preacher that al the Countrey followed John cryes out saies Whose shoes latchet I am not worthy to unloose What made him think thus what wrought his heart into this humble this self-denying frame The very Doctrine we are now upon saies he I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance but He that cometh after me is mightier then I whose shoes I am not worthy to bear he shal baptize you with the holy Ghost with fire As if he should say thus I may baptize you outwardly but the efficacy of al these ordinances it is from Jesus Christ therefore because the efficacy of every ordinance is from Jesus Christ saies he as for me I am not worthy to bear His shoes to undo His latchet Yet further in the general Would you be Fruitful would you be fruitful in your life and conversation People they complain of Barrenness Would you be Fruitful Observe what course the Gardiner takes with the Apricock This is a fruit saies he that will not grow every where but surely if it will grow any where it will grow upon the back of this Chimney the warm heat the heat of the Chimney wil nurse it up Or else it wil grow against that Wall I 'le set it in the face of the Sun that it may have the smiles of the Sun-beames and then it will grow he sets it there and then it grows and brings forth a pleasant fruit Doest thou complain thou art not fruitful what 's the reason may be thou grow'st in the shade may be thou grow'st in the shade but come and bring forth thine heart set it in the Sun under the warm beames of the love of Jesus Christ see if thy heart be not fruitful then And beloved what greater love then this That Jesus Christ hath dyed for sinners that He hath dyed for sinners that He hath purchased all Grace for sinners and He keeps their stock in His own hand to give it out unto them according to all their wants Here is love Here is grace This is the way to be fruitful I come to the Application Is it so Applic. That all Grace is from Christ that whatfoever Grace the Saints have they have it from Jesus Christ Christ Meriting and Christ Working That all our Efficiency and Sufficiency and Al-sufficiency if from Christ That He is the great Joseph the worlds Joseph the Lord-Keeper of all our Graces the Lord-Treasurer of all our comforts Then Oh! what infinite cause have we all to advance and lift up the Name of Jesus Christ to hallow Jesus Christ not verbally but really Cōmanded ye are to honor your parents they give you a Being and yet by that Being you are brought forth under the wrath of God but yet honor them because you have your being from them I and by your birth and by your nature exposed unto the wrath of God for ever Yet honor them because you have your being from them And shall wee honor our parents because we have our outward being from them and shall not we honor Jesus Christ from whom we have the being of all our Graces the being of our souls unto all Eternity What infinite ingagements are upon us all to honor Jesus Christ You will say unto me Quest This indeed does naturally follow but how shall we honor Jesus Christ according to the heighth of this Doctrine how shall we honor Jesus Christ according to the heighth of this Truth that is now before us Give me leave to spend some time in this this is that I have bin driving at all this while Some particulars herein First Ye cannot honor Jesus Christ Ans Vnless that you do offer up your own Christ unto him I say unless you offer up yor own Christ to him I mean your natural Christ to him Some there are that make a Christ of their goad meaning and think to be saved thereby rest upon that think to be saved thereby Some rest upon an honest and sober Conversation think to be saved thereby Some rest upon their Duties inlargments in Duties and think to be saved thereby Some rest upon their very resting trusting is not to be trusted to but some rest upon their very resting and think to be saved thereby Some rest upo those Injoyments and Sweetnesses that they meet withall in duty and think to be saved thereby Beloved you may observe That when the Lord commanded His People in the old Testament to honor Him He commands them to sacrifice such things to Him which other Nations did make their Gods they should sacrifice sheep and oxen and birds such things they should offer up unto God that others did worship as God Plainly teaching this That he that will honor God must give that unto God which the world makes it's God So say I if you would honor Christ you mst give that up unto Jesus Christ which other men do make their Christ Many false Christs there are that are made by men you cannot honor Jesus Christ if you don't give up those to Him Again You cannot honor Jess Christ If you count it a small matter to belong to him A servant that honours his master does count it a great matter to belong to Him And therefore David he does title some of his Psalms so A Psalm of David the servant of the Lord He does not say A Psalm of David the King of Israel but A Psalm of David the Servant of the Lord Counting it more honor to be the Lords Servant then to be King of Israel he counted it a great matter to be the Lords Servant because he honored the Lord. Those that honor Christ they look upon the things of Christ as great matters the words of Christ as great works and the Ordinances of Christ as great matters and a great matter to belong to Christ and if they lose any thing or lose any friend they will relieve themselves here Oh! but yet I belong to Jesus Christ yet I belong to Jesus Christ Thirdly Ye cannot honor Jesus Christ and give the worst to Him Abel honored God and he offered the best and because he offtered the best therefore he
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
Hypocrites stand by as having no share and interest in Jesus Christ As for Profane men they will be Drunk and Swear and commit Adultery and Lye and break the Sabbath But would Jesus Christ do so They count it the life of their life and the soul of their soul to be at a merry meeting a jovial meeting but would Jesus Christ do so When Jesus Christ was upon the earth He went up and down doing good and scattering good communicating good and they go up and down scattering their sins and is this Grace for Grace is this Answerable I appeal to you As for those that are meerly Civil Moral Though they will not swear great and gross Oathes yet swear by their faith and by their Troth but would Jesus Christ do so They carry a secret spleen and envy at the power of godliness and those that have it but would Jesus Christ do so They frame up their Religion and their Worship according to the Times if Authority comand it they will they will do it whatever it be but would Iesus Christ do so When Iesus Christ was upon the earth He was Zealous The Zeal of thine house hath eaten me up Ioh. 2.17 but they are formal and they are Luke-warm Oh! is this Grace for Grace is this your Answer ableness and are these in Iesus Christ As for those that are Hypocrites They have alwaies some secret sin or other some back-door or other that they may go out at but had lesus Christ so They lie contemplating and chewing of the Devils Cud and are indulgent to their base thoughts their sinful thoughts but was Iesus Christ so They savour gifts and expressions more then Graces but did jesus Christ do so They though they seem to be mortified and dead unto the grosser part of the world meat drink and clothes yet they are no way mortified and dead unto the finer part of the world their Names and their Credits Was it thus with Jesus Christ Indeed an Hypocrite through the strength of Education living under the Gospel may set himself to imitate Christ but there is an Artificial imitation and a Natural resemblance A father may have two sons The one that is unlike him but imitates him the other that does naturally resemble the father and imitate him too Such are the Saints being made partakers of the Divine Nature they naturally care for the things of Christ hypocrites do not so Behold here 's the Character of a Christian indeed he hath Grace for Grace whatever Grace there is in Christ he hath somewhat Answerable thereunto Oh! how few men and women are there in the world that have a saving share and interest in Jesus Christ Secondly If this Doctrine be true What a happy Appli 2. and blessed thing is it for a man to be in Christ Behold the Dignity of the Saints Beloved here 's glory on this side glory 't is the glory and the honor of a man to be like to God 't is the glory and honor of a Disciple to be like his Master 't is the glory and honor of a Child to be like his father 't is the glory and honor of a Christian to be like unto Jesus Christ Every Christian hath the Image of Christ drawn upon him Had our Lord Iesus the Great Mighty Potentate only come by a poor soul and cast His Skirt over him and said unto the soul wear thou my Livery it had bin a great honor to belong to Christ to wear His Livery But behold here 's more than so the Saints do not only wear His Livery but they have His Grace and their Grace is of the same nature with the very Grace of Christ as our Grace should a bin of the same nature with Adams if Adam had stood Yea not only their Grace is of the same nature but look what Grace Christ had they have Answerable to it Had this great and royal Loadstone that draws all mens hearts after him only touch't our hearts that we might have followed him what a Mercy had it bin But behold here is more than so the Saints they have Grace for Grace whatsoever Grace or holiness there is in Christ somewhat in a Christian Answerable thereunto Oh! Dignity Oh! Dignity how can a Christian but be welcome to God the Father that does not come only in the Name of Christ to Him but brings the Image of Christ too with him Grace for Grace Oh! who would not be Incouraged to get into Jesus Christ Oh! you that are in Christ do you know what priviledges you walk under every day You sometimes are ready to envy at the men of the world but I pray Would you now change your condition with them Such a one he hath passion for passion and pride for pride and sin for sin with the world and you have Grace for Grace with Jesus Christ Here 's Dignity here 's Priviledge indeed But you will say Quest All Dignity cals for Duty Suppose it be so That whatsoever Grace and holiness there is in Christ there is somewhat Answerable in my soul Oh! what is my Duty now that does flow from hence Surely Ans you cannot be proud of it for then you shal not be like to Christ Who though He thought it no robbery to be equal with God the Father He humbled Himself became of no reputation Beloved you know that all Talents lents are to be improved and the greater the Talent the more improvement is to be made and improvement is to be made of the same kind 'T is our wisedom to observe what work God is a doing upon our souls and to help forward that work If God be working Faith in our hearts it is our duty to help forward the work of Beleeving If God be working Patience in our hearts 't is our duty to help forward the work of Patience Look now what work that is that God is doing in our hearts and lives for us that work we are bound to help forward Now hath therfore God drawn the Image of Jesus Christ upon your hearts so that there is an habitual likeness in your souls unto Jesus Christ Then it is your duty to labor for an actual likeness to be like unto Him in all your working to live as He lived and to do as He did and to speak as He spake labor more and more to be like unto Him in your lives And if you say How should that be The Apostle tells you Whom beholding as in a glass 2 Cor. 3.18 we are changed from glory to glory according to His own Image The serious frequent beholding of Jesus Christ is the only way to be like unto Him Beloved your lives they are divided into two parts There is a Doing part and a Suffering part As Christs Obedience was divided into Active and Passive Obedience Would you in the Doing part of your life be like unto Christ Behold Him in His Doing Omnis Christi Actio est instructio Every
Action of Christ may be our instruction Nothing in Christ not imitable some things more especially For Example Our Lord and Savior Christ He made it His great business and design To bear witness to the Truth For this Cause came I into the world Joh 18.37 That I might bear witness unto the Truth Again He would stoop to any work though it lay much below Him wasn His Disciples feet lay His Excellencies at the feet of their Infirmities Again When He went upon any work He was much in Prayer first Judas knew His Praying place And when He was at Gods work He would not know His own Natural Relations And therefore saies He to His Mother Moman My time is not yet come He does not say Mother Joh. 2.4 My time is not yet come but Woman in Gods Work He would not know His owne Naturall Relations If He had to deal with man He had a high esteem of the Saints though they were never so low And He had a low esteem of the wicked though they were never so rich He did again so exercise one Grace as He might exercise another He would so rejoyce in God as He might grieve for sin not His own but ours and He did so grieve for sin as he might rejoyce in God He was very Zealous yet he was Wise too He was wise and yet he was Zealous too He was a Lamb and a Lyon a Lamb in his own Cause and a Lyon in Gods Cause Oh! that in these thigns you would labor to be like unto Him It would be infinit indeed it would be beyone me if I should single out all his Graces that were eminent in Him He was a Heaven of Grace full of shining stars Behold Him in His Doings The only way for you to be like to Him in your Doing is to behold Him in His Doing And so for His Sufferings Ye shall observe He would not suffer till He was called unto it Therefore He stood so precisely upon His Time Joh. 7.8 My Time is not yet come And when He was called unto it He would not be put out of His way If they cast water upon Him it made Him flame the more Mat. 16.23 Isa 53.7 Get thee behind me Satan In all His sufferings He had an especial eye to other mens good then He went very quietly and meekly As a Lamb dumb before the shearers so He opened not His mouth And He was more sensible which I pray mark of Gods withdrawing from Him in His sufferings than of all the pains disgrace and misery that He did undergo And therefore when He was upon the Cross saies He My God My God why hast thou forsaken me Mat. 27.6.4 The Sun did forsake Him too the Sun did withdraw his light and yet He does not say Oh! Sun why doest thou thus forsake me The Disciples al forsook Him and yet He does not cry out Thomas Why doest thou now forsake me Peter why doest thou now forsake me He cries not out of them His body was nail'd to the Cross and he does not cry out and say Oh! my hands Oh! my body Oh! the pain that I indure but here he cries out of this Oh! My God My God why hast thou forsaken me He was more sensible of Gods withdrawing from Him tnan of all the other miseries that He did indure Oh! my beloved that you would labor now for to be like unto Jesus Christ in your Doing in your Suffering for to be like to Him The sight of a gracious Christ will make us gracious if any thing will do it Labor now to be like unto Him more and more This is your duty that does flow from hence You that are Saints you that are Christ's you that have received Grace for Grace Christ expects work for work and doing for doing that you should shine as He shin'd and that you should live as He lived that you should so walk and be in the world that those that do live with you may say Here 's a man or woman that is like to Christ that hath received Grace for Grace now we see this Doctrine true I cannot think of any Grace of Christ but I see it shining forth in this man and woman This is your Duty Thirdly by way of Application If this be true Appli 3. That the Saints and People of God do receive of Christs Fulness Even Grace for Grace How infinitly are we bound unto God the Father for our Lord Jesus Christ glorious is the fellowship and communion that the Saints have with Christ as ye heard they have not only fellowship with Him in His sufferings to have suffering for suffering but they have fellowship with Him in His Graces Grace for Grace and this fellowship hath God the Father brought you into Mark therefore that place again which you have in the 1 Cor. 1.9 God is faithful by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord. By whom ye were called unto this fellowship Therefore still the Apostle he blesses God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Blessed be God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Not barely Blessed be God but Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Beloved Ye know there are Two great Gifts that the Scripture makes mention of First God makes the world and Man and having made man He gives all the world to man there 's one Gift and a great Gift Man having fallen and lost his former Happiness Christ comes into the world the second Person becomes man and this man he gives unto the world First He gave the world to man And Secondly He gives Christ this man unto the world and His second Gift is the greater Gift it 's a greater Gift when Jesus Christ was given unto the world than that the whol world was given to man For now take the world and though it hath many glorious pieces of Gods workmanship His Power and Wisedom yet God may give all the world to man and not give him Himself but when He gives Jesus Christ to man He gives Himself with Him Though there be many several pieces beautiful pieces of Gods workmanship in the world yet they carry with them but the Footsteps of God Oh! but Jesus Christ He is the express Image of the Father and when He gives this express Image unto a soul as Christ is the express Image of the Father so the soul becomes the express Image of Jesus Christ Ye know what the Apostle saies concerning our Savior Christ Col. 2.9 mark In whom the fulness of the God-head dwels bodily That is look what Attributes and Excellencies are in God the same are in Jesus Christ as Mediator Whatsoever Attribute is in God as God the sameshines forth in Jesus Christ as Mediator The Fulness of the God-head dwels in Christ bodily and the Fulness of Christ dwels in every Saint Spiritually Jesus Christ He hath Perfection for Perfection
that are given to worldlinesse So the sight and beholding of the deadnesse of the meanes is a great snare and temptation to those that are given to doubting and those that are given to unbeliefe Does the meanes therefore lie dead before thee at any time Soule man or woman go to the Lord and say thus Ah! Lord turne away mine eyes from beholding this same dead meanes away away to the promise when all meanes faile now beare thy selfe at length upon the promise go unto Jesus Christ throw thy self now at his feete and say Lord though thou kill me yet will I trust in thee if I perish I will perish here Do this and live And thus I have done with the Second Proposition And so much for this time Rom. 4. vers 19. And being not weak or weakned in faith he confidered not his own body now dead when he was about an hundred years old neither yet the deadnesse of Sarahs wombe THe words are spoken of Abraham and they hold forth Three great Truths as yee have heard First That when God intends any great mercy or blessing to the children of Abraham he does first put the Sentence of death upon the blessing or mercy and upon all the meanes that do lead unto it Secondly That then and then especially 't is the duty of all the children of Abraham of all beleevers then for to trust in God Thirdly That no difficulties can stand before Faith true saving justifying faith carries the soule through all difficulties discouragements and naturall impossibilities to Jesus Christ I have done with the two former and am now to speake unto the third No difficulties can stand before Faith Doct. 3 True saving justifying Faith carries the soule through all difficulties discouragements and naturall impossibilities to Jesus Christ Abraham had a promise given him that his seed should be as the starres of Heaven and that in his seed all the Nations of the world should be blest Upon this promise Abrahams body is dead and Sarahs body is dead Now Abraham beleeves Being not weake in Faith he considered not the deadnesse of his own body And in this he had an eye unto Jesus Christ for this was imputed to him for righteousnesse and herein he is held forth as an example to us that beleeve with a justifying faith in this chapter So that where ever there is true saving justifying faith it carries a man through all difficulties through all naturall discouragements For the clearing whereof I shall deliver my selfe in these foure things First I will shew you That the way to Jesus Christ is clogged with many difficulties and naturall discouragements this as a rice unto all the rest Secondly That true saving faith will carry one through all these Thirdly That nothing else can do it And Fourthly What it is in true saving justifying Faith that does is How this Faith comes to do it First The way to Jesus Christ is clogged with many difficulties or naturall discouragements No sooner does a man begin to looke after Christ but difficulties and naturall discouragements do arise and they are prest by Satan with much violence When the children of Israel began to make out of Egypt Pharoah doubles their taske and labours to make their way grievous and troublous And so soone as a soule begins to look after Christ Satan and the world labours to make his way troublous The Devill is the great hunter of Soules So long as the Game goes well with the hunter and he is going into his snare he makes no noise but if once the Hare or the Game begin to decline the snare and go another way then he hoopes and he hollowes and he makes a noise that he may scare it into the snare againe And so as long as men are going into the Devils snare he makes no noise but if once they begin to turne aside from his snare then he raises Town Country and a great noise is made to scare the soule in againe He knowes that a candle may be easily blown into light when 't is new put out Paul met with no buffetings of Satan till he had been taken up into the third heavens and seene the glory there So long as Paul went on in his Pharasaicall way he met with no opposition and so long as a man goes on in the way of the world or in some Pharasaicall Devotionall-way that is not the way of the Gospell he meetes with no opposition but when once the Lord takes him as it were into the third heavens and shews him the glory of Christ then Satan begins to buffer him Nature within us that stands and saies Will you go to Christ 't is impossible that ever you should get him And the world without Will you go to Christ you will lose all your friends Will you become a foole too What with the world and what with the flesh and what with the Devill the way to Jesus Christ is clogged with many difficulties And this will appeare yet further if you consider the Nature of Faith and the worth of it 'T is a grace a Gospel grace a precious grace whereby we do come to Christ I say 'T is a grace Nulla Virtus sine lapide When our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified they rould a stone over his sepulcher and when the Disciples came they said Who shall roule away the stone Mark 16 3 And as our Lord himselfe had a stone roul'd upon him so the more of Christ is in any vertue the greater stone and the greater difficulty is rould upon it every vertue and every grace hath one stone or other that is roul'd upon it but the more of Christ in any thing the more the greater is the stone that is roul'd upon it Faith is an excellent grace 1 Pet. 1.7 The triall of your Faith is more precious then gold sayes the Apostle what is Faith it selfe then It is the Intelligencer of the Soule the directrix or Queene-regent of all the graces it sits at the sterne and guides the whole Vessel 'T is that grace that gives a Being unto a Christian other graces the Well-being It is that grace that brings Christ and the Soule together It is that grace that covers the defects of all other graces Ephes 6.16 'T is called the shield a shield does not only cover the body but the rest of the armour Faith does not onely cover the Soule but the defects of all other graces There is an excellency in grace excellent things and jewels they are hard to come by Therefore by it we come unto Christ He that comes over the River must come from that side of the water if he will come to this And he that comes to Christ he must come from his old Customes and his own Engagements and his own Righteousnesse this is a hard thing I may say in some respects 't is harder to beleeve then to keepe the ten Commandements because there is something in nature towards
stones and the gravell the Leather weares thin and weares out But if a man goes barefoot though the skin of his foot be tinner the skin does not weare out but growes thicker as Indians they go barefoot and their skin of their feet weares thicker by going upon the gravell and upon the stones What is the Reason The Leather of a mans shooe is a dead thing but the foot is a living thing And so Faith is a living thing and will carry a man over gravell and stones and difficulties but morrall vertues they are but dead things and though they be never so thick they will grow thin and weare out and come to nothing Bare morrall vertues won't do it And then againe Gifts and Parts and Gospel inlargements cannot do it they leave black ashes upon the Soule they are a blaze they make a great blaze Straw that is burnt makes a great blaze but it leaves black ashes upon the harth So where these are without saving Faith they may make a great blaze but the end of them is black ashes upon the Soule Jedas ye know he had great Gifts and Gospel-parts but that would not doe it would not carry him through all his Temptations and difficulties to Jesus Christ Pray do but compare Nicodemus and Judas Nicodemus was but in his Catechisme of Christianity when Judas was a preacher Nicodemus comes to Christ by night when Judas preaches Christ openly but in the end Nicodemus ownes Christ when he is dead and Judas betrayes him when he is living Nicodemus had a true saving-faith Judas had onely gifts Gosper gifts and Gospel-enlargements that will not do it neither And then againe The experience of Gods former dealings providentiall dealings and preservation that won't do it You know how it was with those Spies that was sent into the Land of Canaan there were two sorts of Spies There were good Spies and there were bad spies The good Spies brought up a good report of the Land and the evill Spies brought up an evill report How Why Consider but a little The good Spies they met with many troubles when they were sent out to spy out the Land faine to be hidden in Rahahs house and then they fled to the mountaines and there they lay They come home and they say The Lord hath delivered this people into our hands The other Spies now that brought up the evill report they met with no such hard fare that we reade of and yet they come home and they say The men of the Countrey are the children of Anak and the Cities are wall'd up to Heaven they had experience of Gods preservation in a speciall manner and yet notwithstanding that would not do it Bare experience of Gods preserving mercy that will not do it 1 Iohn 5.4 2 Coâ— 1.2.4 't is only faith will do it saving justifying faith will do it This is the Victory whereby you overcome the world your faith By faith yea stand Looke upon your dangers under a Sea-notion and Faith it is called your Anchor Looke upon your dangers under a land-notion and faith it is called your Shield nothing but faith can doe it You will say to me in the Fourth place What is it in this saving justifying faith that is able thus to carry the soule through all Difficulties and discouragements and naturall impossibilities to Iesus Christ How does faith do it Give me leave to stay here First Faith shewes the soule the glorious invisible things of God and of his grace and brings them neare unto the soule It was a hard thing for Moses to leave all the pleasures and profits and preferrements of Egypt he did it though choosing rather the afflictions of Pharoah with Gods people Why saies the. 11. of the Hebrews He saw him that is invisibel But how did he see him By faith saies the text by faith he saw him that is invisible Faith opens the eyes for to see that a man hath more with him then against him and the workes of God in Christ are not seene by the world Gods pardoning mercy not seene by the world The Vnion with Iesus Christ and the priviledge thereof not seene by the world The satisfaction of Iesus Christ for a poor Sinner not seen by the world The great Power of God not seen or if so yet at a distance it don't much affect Faith is the substance of things not seene Heb. 11.1 it does not only shew a man things that are otherwise unseene but brings them neare Salvation near pardoning mercy near the Priviledges of Union with Christ neare Christs satisfaction neare and so when Difficulties and Discouragements do arise saies the soule through faith Why should not I be satisfied with any condition seeing Christ hath satisfied for me I am one with Christ Christ is a common person When Christ died I died when Christ rose I rose when Christ ascended I ascended Christ sitting in Heaven I sit there Thus faith it elevates and raises up the soule into heaven it carries it over all difficulties and discouragements that it can meet withall Againe true saving faith 2. 1 Cor. 3.22 it tels the soule that all things are its owne All things are yours saies the Apostle things present and things to come life and death all things are yours Faith speakes the same language All things are yours Soule all things are yours Difficulties are yours and naturall impossibilities are yours things present are yours and things to come are yours Will you be afraid of that which is your owne Will the owner be afraid of his owne dog a mastiffe he fals upon a stranger and worries him and a stranger is a afraid of him but the owner is not afraid he leapes and fawnes upon him but does not worry him Sayes faith all these Difficulties and all these Temptations they are your owne they won't worry you they may leape upon you they may fawne upon you but they won't worry you they are all your owne part of the purchase that Jesus Christ hath made for you all these are your owne Faith holds this steadily upon the soule and so a man breaks through Difficulties Againe thirdly True saving justifying faith it shewes a man greater excellencies in Christ then all difficulties and natur all Discour agements can amount unto on the other side You know how 't is with a dog the Grey-hound if hee sees the game a great way off he gives it over but when he comes neare he will rush through the very bushes for to take the Hare throw himselfe upon his back that he may take it a naturall hope makes him do it Faith it raises a mighty hope in the soule presents the soule with many Excellencies and raises a mighty hope in the soule for the obtainment of them it does spread more Excellencies before the soule then can be lost by the hand of Difficulties for example If a man hath beene a Prodigall and now is returning to Christ the world sayes friends
in regard of a particular Family in a Town 't is said concerning the Jailors family that they were all baptized they all beleeved but how did the Jailors family come and seek after the Kingdom of Heaven before the Kingdom of Heaven was brought unto them No The Apostles were brought into prison God works a miracle the Kingdom of Heaven grace and free remission is brought to the prison and is brought to the Jaylors family before ever the Jailor did stir after it And so ye know it was with the family of Zacheus Luke 19 9. Zacheus saies our Saviour This day is salvation come to thine house Pray consider it a little did Zacheus's house go to seek for salvation or rather did not salvation come and seek for Zecheus's house Indeed Zecheus out of a curiosity ran and got up into a tree that he might see the out-side of Jesus Christ but our Lord and Saviour Christ cals him down Zacheus saies he I must dine with thee invites himself he carries salvation unto his family Thus God deals by Families He deals thus by the World He deals thus by Nations He deals thus by Towns He deals thus by Families And he deals thus by particular Persons also Was it not thus with Matthew the Publican He sate ye know in his Custome-house and Christ came and found him out there he did not first go and seek after Christ but Christ came first unto him and found him out in his trade and said unto him 1 Tim. 1.13 follow me And was it not thus with Paul Saies Paul I was a blasphemer and a persecutor But I obtained mercy I was breathing out threatenings against the Saints and against the Disciples of Jesus Christ but as I was breathing out threatenings against them the holy Ghost breath'd upon my heart and met me in the way and unhorst me and showed me mercy the Kingdom of Heaven did approach unto Paul before ever Paul sought after it And as 't is with a particular Person in regard of his first Conversion and first Repentance So in regard of his After-Repentance Peter sins and before ever Peter repents Christ looks back upon him that is the first then Peter wept bitterly Johah sin'd and sin'd greatly in running away from God before ever Johah could find in his heart for to seek unto God God works a miracle provides a chamber of preservation even in the belly of destruction in the Whales-belly for him God brought neer his pardoning mercy and grace to him before ever Jonah came neer to it And as 't is in regard of a mans first second and after Prepentance So 't is also in regardof a mans Comfort and Consolation O Lord saies David Make me to receive joy Psal 51.8 Psa 77.2 and comfort that the bones that thou hast broken may rejoyce My soul refuseth comfort saies he As if he should say thus Lord I have been a great Surgeon at other mens hearts and I have been able to set their bones that have been out of joynt but now mine own bones are broken I have fallen greatly and now my own bones are broken I cannot set mine own bones My soul refuseth comfort and the promise is to my heart-like a bank of Ice that my heart slips off and Lord if thou doest not uphold my heart with a promise I shall never have comfort Make me to see comfort O Lord. Thus you see where ever you look in the Scripture 't is full of the truth that is here before us namely That the Kingdome of Heaven grace mercy and free-remission does approach unto us before we draw neer to it Evidences of it The First is Taken from our own Condition Naturally we are lost sheep so we are called by Christ Man in his natural state is compared unto the lost son the lost groat and the lost sheep Now you know when a sheep is lost it does not lie where it is lost if you lose your purse or if you lose a ring it will lie where it was lost unless it be taken up but now if a sheep be lost the sheep wanders up and down and doth not lie where it was lost but wanders up and down over one mountain to another through one thicket to another through one dirty place to another and of all creatures the lost sheep does not seek the way home again A dog lost will seek the way home again a Cat and such like creatures lost will seek the way home again but a sheep lost does not seek the way home again Now we are all lost sheep wandring up and down One he wanders over the mountain of Pride another through the thicket of the World another through some unclean Slough but all wandring and no man able to find his home till he be first found Therefore saies our Saviour Christ Luke 19.10 I came to seek and to save those that are lost He does not say barely I came to save those that are lost but I came to seek and to save those that are lost And truely we must be sought all along Saies David in the 119. Psalme and the last Lord I have gone astray like a lost sheep O seek thy servant We have need of continual seeking as long as there is continual wandring we have need of such a shepheard as may seek us out But first of all the Kingdom of Heaven does seek us out before we do seek it when we are found then we seek but we never seek till we are first found A Second Evidence I take from Christs willingness for to save sinners There is an infinite willingness in our dear Saviour for to save poor sinners He came from Heaven for that end and purpose If a man come a thousand miles upon a business will ye not think he is willing to do it Jesus Christ came from Heaven for this business for to save sinners Is He not then willing to do it I may say that Jesus Christ is more willing to save sinners than sinners are to be saved by him The Prodigal goes home to his father but when the father sees him after off he runs the Prodigal goes and the father runs to meet him with mercy Yea and our Savior Christ seems to be most willing to save the greatest sinners the greatest Saints have bin made up out of the greatest sinners When the Lord Jesus Christ was upon the earth did he not carry his grace and mercy and the doctrin of free remission to the greatest finērs Peloved consider of it I pray you The greater the sinner is the more is Christ honored in getting out his Pardon and in satisfying for such a finner and so he will love Christ the more Look I pray into the 7 Chap. of Luke Simon saies Christ I 'le propound thee a parable Master say on saies he Then saies our Savior at the 41 vers There was be certain Creditor that had two Dobters the one ought five hundred pence and the