DOOUDDOE

SERMON IV.

JOHN, I. 16.

And of His Fulneẞ have all we received, even Grace for Grace.

59rage agerages Have made entrance upon thefe Words in fome Neighbouring Congregations; in the hearing of divers of you: and my defire is to finish them here.

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Having fpoken of the former part of the verfe: And of His Fulneß have al we received. I come now unto the latter Claufe;

Even Grace for Grace.

The great Queftion is upon these words; What should be the meaning of them?

There are no leffe than Seven, or Eight Interpretations that are given by men. I fhall presently tell 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 Teftament, have from Jesus Christ.

The Univerfality of Grace.

And an Answerableneß of Grace in every Christian, unto the Graces of Jefus Chrift.

I begin with the former at this time. They feem to note

Preached at Margrets new fishftreet. Decem. 8 1645.

I.

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an

Job, 2.4.

John, I.

17, 18.

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 prefs) it futes with the like phrase of Scripture, Skin for skin, and all that a man bath, will be give for His life: (you know the place) That is, a man will give all his Skins, all his Cattel and Skins: (for their Ettates in thofe times did lie in Cattell much) he wil give all his Skins though they be never fo many; he will give them all for to fave his life: Skin for Skin; though he have never fo many: Skin for Skin, Abundance of Skins: Grace for Grace, and Abundance of Grace: Gratia gratiis accumelata.

This alfo futes with the word, And,or Even:'tis not barely faid 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 alfo futes with the Title, the Attribute that is here given to Chrift; and that is, Fulneß: When God, or Chrift is mentioned in Scripture; they are mentioned ftill under fuch a Title, as futes 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 Chrift, the Attribute that is given to Chrift, is Fulneß: Anfwerable to that is, Fulness of Grace in us, or Abundance of Grace from Him. This alfo futes with the scope of the place: for here the Evangelift fets Chrift above Mofes; fhows how Chrift does go beyond Mofes: the following verfe coming in as a reason of this: For the Law was given by Mofes, but Grace and Truth came by Felus Chrift. No man hath feen God at any time; the o ly begotten Son which is in the bofom of the Father, He bath declared Him. You have much by Mofes, but you have more by Christ; you have Abundance of Grace in Chrift.

This alfo is agreeable to other Scriptures, where the fame matter is fpoken of: If you look into the 5 of the

Romans,

Romans, you shall find, that the Apoftle (peaking of the free gift of Grace, (at the 15. verfe) faies, That it hath Abounded unto many: Much more the Grace of God, and the gift by Grace, which is by one man Jefus Christ, bath abounded unto many. Would you have the word Received, joyn'd with Abundance? Look into the 17. verfe, 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 tighteousnes fball reign in life by one Jefus Chrift. All chefe things being thus laid together, they argue unto me; The main, and special thing that is here intended, is, an Abundance of Grace: of whofe Fulness we have all received, Even Grace for Grace: All the Saints and People of God under the new Teftament, do receive Abundance of Grace from Jefus Christ.

Abundance of Grace Difcovered.

Abundance of Grace Exhibited, and Communicated to all the Saints he that hath the leaft measure of Gospel Grace, hath Abundance of Grace from Jefus Christ.

Abundance of Grace is now Discovered. That I may make that appear: Firft,

Gen 3.

It will appear, if you confider the several Advances, that Grace hath made, from the beginning of the world to this day,upon the children of men. In the beginning God made man perfect,and righteous, after His own Image: Man falling from that Eftate, expof'd himself, and all his pofteri ty to the wrath of God for ever: Then Grace fteps in, and makes its first Advance into the world; The Seed of the woman fball break the ferpents head. Here Christ is preach'c, and 15. preached to the greateft finners; Adam and Eve, that had damn'd all the world: And Jefus Chrift is preach't immediately by God Himself. One would think now, that the Lord fhould rather have faid to Adam: Adam, I made thee Perfect, and Righteous; thou might'it have kept thee fo: thou would't not truft to Me, Adam; thou would't truft unto the Devil; Go now, now thou art fallen, go mend thy felf; if thou canft find out a better Mafter, Adam. Os

3.

Gal. 3.

16.

John,

if the Lord would have shown mercy to Adam; one would think, that he fhould have ftaied for Adams Repentance; that Adam fhould first a cried Him mercy: No, but before ever this poor prodigal ftirs one step unto his Father, his Father runs out to meet him, to overtake him: The Lord Chrift is preacht,the Promife is propounded, the free Grace of God is revealed: Here was the first Advance that ever Grace made into the world.

Bnt God who is rich in Grace, was not fatisfied 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 Gen. 12. make with Abraham: And unto Abraham He faies, In thy Secd fhall all the Nations of the world be bleffed. In thy Seed (laies the Apolile) He does not fay Seeds; but Seed: meaning Chrift. Abraham faw fo much of Chrift,that our Lord faies, He faw His day, and rejoyced in it. Here the Sun was gotten higher: For now, though Chrift was preach't to Adam; the Promife was propounded: yet notwithstanding, it was but barely propou. ded to Adam, it was not applied; And propounded in obfcure terms to Adam too: and rather given Threatning wife against Satan; than Promife wife concerning them. But now, the Lord does profeffedly come and ap ply the Promife unto Abraham; And in thy Seed: which He does not give unto Abraham, as Abraham, as that Perfon; but as a Common Perfon for all Beleevers. Here was now a Second Advance that Grace made into the word.

56.

Deut.

18.15.

But the Lord was not yet fatisfied with this; but causes His Grace to Advance higher, in Mofes time: And unto Mofes He fpeaks exprefly; A Prophet will I raise up like unto thee; & I'l put My Name in him: He fhall be called, God, & Jehovah as I am. Then the Lord proclaimed before Mofes, himself to be, the Lord, gracious, merciful, forgiving niquity, tranfgreffion, and fin, referving mercy for thoufands. Then the Lord gave the Law and leaft they should think, that God intended it as a Covenant of works; He

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