4.

Efay 43.

13.

31,32.

are no Precedaneous conditions: Grace ie free, and Mercy is free, and Chrift is free, and His Love is free: there is an infinite propenfion in Jefus Chrift, to communicate this His Grace to the Children of men. This is the third Propofition.

Fourthly, As Chrift is infinitely willing: So (in the Fourth place) there is nothing, either in Heaven, or in Earth that can hinder Him from doing all. For now,grant all the former Three: That there is an infinite treafury of Grace in Chrift. That He hath not received it for Himself, but others. That He is infinitly willing to to give it out unto the children of men. Yet, if he can be hindred, all the former is nothing: Mark therefore the Fourth, (and then we come to the Ule.) There is nothing, either in Heaven, or Earth, that can hinder Jefus Chrift from communicating His Grace.

I work (faies God) and who fhall let? And I communicate My Grace (faies Chrift) and who fhall hinder? If any thing can hinder, it must be either Satan without us,or our fins within us: Satan without cannot hinder, he could not go into the herd of Swine, he could not deftroy a hog, a fow, a pig till he had leave from Chrift: and can Satan hinder then, when Chrift intends to communicate His grace? He is called the trong man, but Chrift is called the Luke 22. ftronger then he. Peter, Peter (faies our Saviour) Satan bath defired to winnow thee; but I have prayed that thy faith faile not. I, one prayer, one prayer by Jefus Chrift is ftronger then all the temptations of Satan. Satan cannot hinder. Nor can our finns within hinder. For if you look into the 2 Chapter of Titus: t'is faid there, at the 14. verse, He gave Himfelf for us,that He might redeem us from all Iniquiy. if from All iniquitiy, then from unbeleef. Then unbeleef cannot hinder. If a King come on purpofe to pardon All Rebellion if he be able, and willing, and come on purpose to pardon All Rebellion: then no one Rebellion can hinder, can be a reafon why be fhould not pardon. The Covenant that God makes with His; is like the Covenant that

He

He made with Noah; as you reade in the 54. Chapter of Efay,the 8,and 9. verfes: In a little wrath I bid my face from thee, fer a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee: faith the Lord thy redeemer: for this is as the waters of No. ah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; fo have 1 fworn that I would not be wrath with thee, nor rebuke thee. Mark, The Covenant God would make with His People, is like the Covenant that He made with Noub: The Covenant that he made with Noah, what is that? Pray now look into the 8. Chapter of Genefis,& the 21. verfe. Noah being come out of the Ark, and offering unto the Lord; The Lord fmel'd afweet favour: and the Lord faid in His heart, I will not again curfe the ground any more for mans fake; for the imagination of mans heart is evil from bis youth. I think it should rather be read thus, according to the Hebrew: I will not again curfe the ground any more formans fake; although the imagination of mans heart is evil from his youth; although: ye read it, for: I wil not again curfe the ground any more for mans fake; for, the imagi nation of mans heart is evil from his youth: One would think He should rather fay thus: I will curie the ground again, and I will bring a new flould, for the imagination of mans heart is evil from his youth. No, but the Covenant that God made with Noab, was thus: I do now make a Covenant with man-kind, that the world fhall never be drowned again; yea, Though man do fin, yet the world fhall not be drown'd again. This is the Covenant that the Lord made with Noah: The Lord did not make fuch a Covenant as this: I do promife, that the world fhall not be drown'd again, if man do not fin. No, but the Covenant that the Lord made with Noah was thus: But I promife the world shall not be drown'd again, Though men do fin again this is the Covenant the Lord made with Noah: it was fo far from running upon a condition, that it runs croffe to all conditions. So now the Lord faies concerning a poor Beleever: I do take this foul into Covenant with Me: Yea, and Though he do fin, yet notwithftan

Ezek.36 26, 27.

ding I will pardon him, and this foul fhall never lie under water again, fhall never lie under water again: his fin fhall not hinder My grace; he fhall never lie under water again: for as the Covenant I made with Noab, fuch is the Covenant I make with every Beleever. And beloved, if indeed that we could hinder Chrift, when He comes to communicate His Grace; if our fins could hinder: then we might refift Grace, with an Overcoming refiftance. 'Tis true, a man may refift the Grace of God, with Again-faying refiftance; but he cannot refift the Grace of God, with an overcoming refiftance. Whatfoever is overcome, is overcome by a ftronger: Man (Ifay) cannot refift with an overcoming refiftance. Pray do but confider well the Covenant of Grace: faies the Lord in that: I will take away the heart of ftone, and I will give an beart of flesh and I will caufe ye to walk in my waies; and I will put my Spirit into you. I will take away the heart of ftone? What is that? a ftone is hard, a hard thing does not yeild to the touch, a foft thing yeilds. Pharaoh had a hard heart, and therefore he yeilded not. When therefore, the Lord makes fuch a Promife as this; I will take away the heart of ftone: What is His meaning? His meaning is plainly, I will take away the un-yielding, the refifting difpofition that is in man. Now therefore, when the Lord makes fuch a promise as this: That He will put His Spirit into them, and cause them to walk in His waies: Our refifting can be no bindrance: Why? becaufe the Lord hath made a Promife to take away our refifting. If the Covenant had run thus: I will put My Spirit into you, and cause you to walk in My waies; upon this condition, that you do not refift, then we could hinder: but the Lord in the fame promise that he does fay, I will put My Spirit into them, and caufe them to walk in My waies: He doth alfo promife to take away the refifting heart, to take away the Spirit of refifting. I will take away the heart of ftone: there's the refifting: And I will caufe them to walk in my waies. So that our fins cannot hinder.

Now

Now then, put all thefe together: There's an infinit treafury of Grace and Holiness in Jefus Chrift. This He hath not received for Himfelf, but for others. There is an infinite propenfion, and willingneffe in Him to give out this Grace unto the children of men. And nothing either in Heaven or Earth can hinder Him: Surely therfore, there is the Communication of the Fulness of Jefus Chrift, unto all Beleevers.

You will fay unto me then: Why are Beleevers then fo Object. empty of Grace? 'Tis the ordinary complaint: Oh! I am full of evil: Oh my heart is empty of all that is good: Beleeters they complain thus: How can this Doctrine be true, if this experience be good?

Ianfwer: Fift, The Fulneffe of Grace which is in a Anfw. Beleever, is many times hid from the world, and from himfelf: When you go to the Sea-fide, you fee the water, you fee abundance of Water; and ye hear the water roaring,and raging, and making a noise; but you do not fee the Gold, and the Silver that lies at the bottom of the Sea: you fee the water of the Sea; but you do not fee the wealth that is in the Sea. So now, when you go and look upon a Beleever; you behold his troubles, you fee his waves,and all the troubles that beat upon him. Oh! but the wealth of a Beleever; the Fulnefs of a Beleever, the Fulness of Chrift that is in him, that you fee not, 'tis hid from the world, and 'tis hid from himself, many times. And therefore (faies the Apostle) Our life is bid with God in, Chrift: When Chrift who in our life fhall appear, then shall we also appear with Him in glory.

Seconaly, Though there be a communication of the Fulneffe of Chrift unto all Beleevers: yet He does communicate as a univerfal Caufe. The univerfal Caufe doth feldom or never produce particular effects, but with a concurrence of particular Causes. The Sun is the univerfal Caufe of all the fruitfulnesse that is upon the earth: Yet notwithstanding, it does produce the Fruit (your Corn, Barly, and Rye, and Wheat) with the help of man: The

ground

Coll. 3.

3, 4.

2.

4.

3.

ground is plowen, and fowen. The River, or the Foun tain is the univerfal Caufe of the Water that ye have in your houses: but yet notwithstanding, you have not this Water, but by pipes, and conveyance; and when ye want water in your house, you do not fay; There is no water in the Thames, there's no water in the Fountain: No, but furely the pipe is broken, the pipe is ftopt; or we want fome pipe or other. So now, when you want Grace, and when you are empty of Grace; you are not to fay; Oh! it is because there is not enough in Chrift, or Christ is not willing; but rather, furely the pipe is broken, or we want this, or that Ordinance: the pipe is not clean, the pipe is ftopt, and therefore we are fo empty of Grace as we are.

Thirdly, Though there be a communication of the Fulnefs of Chrift unto all Beleevers: yet notwithstanding He does it in proportion. (Mark) Chrift does give unto every man according to the place that he bears in his body: As the foul, the foul fends forth life, and motion to all the members; but the foul does not give a hearing faculty unto the eye, nor the foul does not give a feeing faculty unto the ear; neither can the foot fay, I have nothing from the foul, because I cannot fpeak like the tongue: neither can the tongue fay, I have nothing from the foul, becaufe I cannot walk like the foot. So the Lord Jefus Chrift, He doth obferve what place every man doth bear in his body, and accordingly He doth give forth Grace unto men. You cannot fay thus: Surely, I have none of Chrift, becaufe I cannot pray, and do fo as others do: But mark, what is the place that you do bear in the Body of Chrift, and you may go to Chrift for ftrength for that: you may fay thus, Lord through thy Grace thou haft given me fuch a place in Thy Body, and I want ftrength for that; O! let me have it from Thee.

Fourthly, Though there be a communication of the Fulness of Chrift unto all Beleevers: yet 'tis according to their neceflities, and wants. The lace (you know) 'tis laid upon the feam; upon the feam there lies the lace: lace