The Happiness of Enjoying and Use of Christ, Part 1 · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV. Setting forth the beautie of all divine and heavenly fulneſſe in Chriſt.
THe ſecond thing in theſe words is the Subject, in which all fulneſſe dwelleth;Subjectum and that is, in him: in Chriſt, in the perſon of Chriſt, as God and Man in one perſon, in the humane nature aſſumed into the unity of the ſecond perſon in the body of Chriſt, as in a*In corpore Chriſti, ceu in Templo. Temple, ſaith Auguſtine. Corpus Chriſti verè eſt Templum, in ipſo enim voluit habitare corporaliter tota plenitudo deitatis, ſaith Cyril. The body of Chriſt is truly a Temple, for in it would all the fulneſſe of the God-head dwell bodily. From whence we learne, that
Doct. All Divine and Heavenly fulneſſe is to bee found in Chriſt Ieſus. All the fulneſſe of the land of Egypt was to bee found with Ioſeph: All the fulneſſe of God, of grace, of peace, of glory, is found with Chriſt. It lCol. 1.19.pleaſed God (ſaith Saint Paul) that in him ſhould all fulneſſe dwell: the fulneſſe of wiſedome, righteouſneſſe, holineſſe, and of all good things have their abode and dwelling in Chriſt; in him they are found in their complete perfection, and Chriſt is ſaid tomEpheſ. 1.23. fill all in all. The Sunne filleth all the Starres with light, the Sea filleth all the Rivers with waters; Chriſt filleth all the creatures with a naturall fulneſſe, Chriſt filleth all the children of God with a ſpirituall and heavenly fulneſſe, and of his fulneſſe they are ſaid tonJoh. 1.16. receive, as ſtreames from the fountaine, branches from the root, and members from the head, Grace for grace; The grace of the new Teſtament for the grace of the old, permanent for ſhadowiſh grace, or rath…r grace upon grace, one grace of the Spirit after another, the Spirit of Chriſt daily powring a new increaſe of grace upon us. Such is Chriſts fulneſſe, that he more and more filleth the ſoules of his ſervants: and this fulneſſe of Chriſt is ſometimes expreſſed by likening Chriſt to a Store-houſe, wherein is all treaſure, inoCol. 2.3 whom are hidden all the treaſures of wiſedome; to apRev. 2….2. Tree, on which growes all varietie and fulneſſe of fruit; to aqRev. 19.16. King, for the fulneſſe of his majeſtie, glory, dignity, excellencie. All creatures are but beggers in compariſon of Chriſt Jeſus: to a man that keepes open houſe for his fulneſſe, freeneſſe, readineſſe to communicate to hungry ſoules;rIſa. 55.1 Ho, ſaith the Lord by the Prophet, every one that thirſteth, come yee to the waters, and hee that hath no money, come, buy and eate; yea come, buy wine and milke, without money, and without price: Sometimes to a Fountaine, in whom is all plenty of water: Sometimes to theſCant. 2.…. Roſe of Sharon, and the Lilly of the vallies, for the ſurpaſſing beautie, and tranſcendent excellencie of graces in himſ…lfe, and for the ſweet and plentifull, pleaſant and delightfull communication of himſelfe to the ſoules of his people. Sometime to the Apple tree among the trees of the wood, for his dignity, worth and excellencie above other perſons; as the Apple tree excells the trees of the Forreſt in comfortableneſſe of ſhadow, ſweetneſſe of ſmell, pleaſantneſſe and plenty of fruit; and the Spouſe deſcribing th… height, fulneſſe, and perfection of the excellencies of Chriſt her Bridegroome, ſaith of him th…t hee is t…. ….5.white and ruddy, the faireſt of ten thouſand; white, for his innocencie in himſelfe, for his victory, peace, joy and comfort in his God, and for his adminiſtration of grace and merciemercy to penitent and beleeving ſinners: and ruddy, for the imputation of our ſinne unto him, for his ſuffering, and for his juſtice to puniſh his enemies: and the faireſt of ten thouſand, for his beauty, majeſty, authoritie, worth and fulneſſe, ſurpaſſing all Men and Angels. The Lord Jeſus is exceeding glorious in the eyes of his unfained friends and lovers: hee is indeed beautifull onelyonly in their eyes who love him. The more man loves him, the more cleare and comfortable is his apprehenſion of that f…eſſe which is in him. This perfection and fulneſſe of Chriſt was ſhadowed in the high Prieſt, being waſhed withuExod. 29.7. water, and annointed with holy oyle, ſignifying Chriſts ſanctity, and his unction with the oyle of gladneſſe above his fellowes: The high Prieſt having his loyneswExod. 28.2. covered with cleane linnen, his body gloriouſly apparelled, and a holy crowne upon his head, ſignifying the clothing of Chriſts humanity with true holineſſe, the adorning of it with perfect righteouſneſſe, and the crowning thereof with Majeſty, as King of his choſen. This was likewiſe figured by the Temple, that was a ſtately and glorious edifice, full of light; in it was the Arke, there God appeared, and filled it with his glory; ſo is the fabrick of Chriſts humane nature, immaculate and ſpotleſſe, full of heavenly knowledge, the full treaſure of true wiſedome, grace and knowledge being hidden in him, the God-head perſonally therexIoh. 1.14. dwelling, and filling him with all grace and glory. This was alſo ſignified inyGen. 39.6. Ioſeph: Ioſeph was a beautifull perſon; Chriſt is fairer then the children of men. There was none like Ioſeph in underſtanding and wiſedome, in whom the Spirit of God was, as in him:Verſ. 38. there is no… comparable to Chriſt in wiſedome; Men and Angels are his Schollers. Ioſeph was ſet over the whole land in generall, over the Kings houſe in ſpeciall: Chriſt is Lord of the whole earth, but chiefly over Gods Church. Ioſeph had the cuſtody of the Kings garner, and therewith fed all Egypt, & other nations: Chriſt hath all the fulneſs of God, and therewith feedeth Jew and Gentile, the beleevers of all nations; And ſuch fulneſſe of Chriſt was requiſite,
Three grounds of Chriſts fulneſſe.In regard of the dignity of his perſon: As the ſecond perſon he was the Sonne of God by eternall generation; as Man, hee was the Sonne of God by grace of hypoſtaticall union. Chriſt is nearer unto God then Saints or Angels; and by how much hee commeth neerer to God then all creatures, by ſo much hee participates more of Gods fulneſſe. Chriſt is the Sonne of God after a more high and eminent way then others; hee is the Sonne of God by eternall generation, others are the ſonnes of God by regeneration: Chriſt is the Sonne of God by naturall generation, wee are the ſonnes of God by voluntary diſpenſation. Chriſt is the Sonne of God begotten of the eſſence of the Father, very God of very God: wee are the ſonnes of God begotten not of his eſſence, but by the operation of his Spirit: Chriſt is the proper and onelyonly begotten Sonne of the Father, wee are the adopted ſonnes of God, not borne ſonnes by nature, but made ſonnes by grace. Many of us, ſaith*Mulli nos filii Dei, ſed non talis hic filius eſt; hic enim & verus & proprius filius eſt, orgine non adoptione, veritate non nuncupatione. Hilary, are ſonnes of God, but this Sonne is not ſuch: for this Sonne is a true and proper Sonne, by originall, not by adoption; by truth, not by nuncupation; by birth, not by creation; and who doth inherit his Fathers fulneſſe, but the Sonne, the beloved Sonne, the onelyonly begotten Sonne, the Sonne of the Fathers delights? Thou art my Sonne (ſaith God the Father unto Chriſt) this day have I begotten thee, there is his eternall generation: Aske of mee and I ſhall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the utmoſt parts of the earth for thy poſseſsion; there is the fulnes of the gift communicated to him. Ioſeph gave portions to all his brethren, but to Benjamin a portion five times as good as what hee gave the reſidue: God gives bleſſed and liberall portions to all his adopted ſonnes, but Chriſts portion doth farre excell them; their receivings are from and through him; hee is thezHeb. 1.4. heire of all, more excellent then the Angels, having obtained a moreaH…b. 1.4. excellent name then they; as the name of a Sonne is more excellent then the name of a Servant, and the name of a King more excellent then the name of a Subject. Chriſt is both Sonne and King, farre above Men and Angels in all divine fulneſſe,bHeb. 1.3. being the brightneſſe of his Fathers glory, and expreſs image of his Fathers perſon, upholding all things by the Word of his power, having by himſelfe purged our ſinnes, and ſate down at the right hand of Majeſtie on high.
In regard of divine Ordination: God hath appointed to convey all fulneſſe of grace by Chriſt unto his choſen: God hath ordained to convey all fulneſſe of light to the aire by the Sunne, and therefore hath put a great fulneſſe of light into the Sunne; all fulneſſe of nouriſhment to the branches by the roots, and therefore hath put a fulneſſe of juyce into the roots: In like ſort, he hath appointed to communicate all gracious and heavenly fulneſſe to the ſoules of men by Chriſt; hee hath given him to bee thecEpheſ. 1.22. head over all things to the Church. The head is above the members, rules the members, and communicates ſenſe and motion to the members; Chriſt hath preheminence above all the members of his Church, rules and guides them, communicates ſpirituall ſenſe and motion to them: And the Father, (ſaith Saint Iohn) hath dJoh. 5.20.committed all judgement to the Sonne; the judgement of adminiſtration and government of all things, the judgement of ruling and guiding his choſen, in abſolving their ſinnes, in inſpiring all his graces into them, that hee may live in them, and they in him, preſerving them ſafe to life eternall. God hath made him the great and high Steward, and the Church his Houſe, to whom Chriſt, like a Steward, or rather Sonne, diſpenſeth all the fulneſſe which his Father hath committed unto him, beingeHeb. 3.6. 1 Cor. 1.30. faithfull as a Sonne over his houſe. And as God diſpenſeth all fulneſſe by him; ſo, of neceſſity, all fulneſſe muſt bee placed in him; accorcording to that of Ambroſe, Chriſtus omnibus omnia factus eſt, Chriſt is made all things to all men.
In regard of Chriſts office and undertaking in the behalfe of Gods Church and choſen: an undertaking ſo difficult, that without the fulneſſe of God it cannot bee accompliſhed: For, firſt, ſuch is the diſeaſe and maladie of the ſoules of men, that without the fulneſſe of the God-head Chriſt cannot cure them; they are ſo dead in ſinne, that without an almighty power hee cannot raiſe them: Were hee not the Lord of life, hee could not quicken them; had he notfIoh. 5.26. life in himſelfe originally, abſolutely, infinitely, hee could not miniſter life unto them. Chriſt ſhewes no leſſe power in raiſing the ſoules of men, then hee did in raiſing the body ofgIoh. 11.44. Lazarus. Such is their blindneſſe, that were not Chriſt the truehIoh. 1.9. light that commeth from above, hee could never ſhine into their hearts; had he not the treaſures of all wiſedome, hee could never make them wiſe unto ſalvation; had hee not theiRev. 3.7. keyes of David, which open and no man ſhutteth, hee could never open the eyes of their underſtanding. Such is the obſtinacie and hardneſſe of their hearts, that the hammer of the Word without the almighty hand of God, can never breake nor bruiſe them. Such is the diſtance and difference between God and the ſoules of men, that were not Chriſt a perſon of infinite worth, hee could never make any ſatisfaction, never work a reconciliation. No hand can cure mans miſeries, but that which hath an infinite fulneſſe.
Secondly, ſuch is the oppoſition made by Satan againſt this office and undertaking of Chriſt, that without the fulneſſe of the God-head, there could be no conqueſt: Hee is a Lyon ſo ſtrong, and ſo greedily ſet upon his prey, that were not Chriſt a Shepheard infinitely ſtrong, hee could not deliver the ſoules of men, as David k1 Sam. 17.34.delivered the ſheepe from the Lyon: Hee is a man oflLuk. 11.21. warre ſo potent and politick, and ſo fortifying his holds in the hearts of men, that were not the power of Chriſt almighty, hee could never vanquiſh and caſt him out. Liberty from Satans bondage and temptations comes altogether from Chriſts fulneſſe.
Thirdly, ſuch is the profundity and depth of the myſteries of godlineſſe, that, had not Chriſt a ſpirituall and heavenly fulneſſe, were hee not in themIoh. 1.18. boſome of the Father, and knew all things, hee could never ſhew us the Father, hee could nevernRev. 5.8. open the Booke ſealed with ſeven Seales, which no creature can open; hee could never open our hearts, and fill us who are oEpheſ. 5.8.darkneſſe, with a marvellous light: the inlightning of mans underſtanding is an almighty worke; hee can bee no leſſe then God, that gives us the Spirit of wiſedome and revelation to know God, and the riches of his goodneſſe towards the Saints.
Fourthly, ſuch are the afflictions of Chriſts members, Satan doth ſo beſiege & aſſault them, as ſometimes the Amoritiſh Princes did thepIoſ. 10.6 Gibeonites, that, were not Chriſt filled with the fulneſſe of all power, hee could never give them deliverance. Freedome commeth to Gods children from the aſſaults of their enemies, onelyonly by the mighty power of Chriſt Jeſus: hee is the Arke that keepes them from drowning in the deluge of affliction; it is hee that walkes with them, and keepes them that the fiery fornace of trouble doth not burne and conſume them; as hee ſometimeqDan. 3. walked with the three children, and preſerved them.
Fifthly, ſuch is the perfection that God requires in his people, that, were not the fulneſſe of the God-head in Chriſt, hee could not cloath them with his righteouſneſſe; hee could not purge out their corruptions, as Iordan purged Naaman; hee could notrEpheſ. 5.26. preſent them without ſpot and blemiſh in Gods preſence. It is the mighty power of Chriſt that prepares and keepes Gods children unto ſalvation. And thus you ſee the neceſſity and verity of the being of all divine and heavenly fulneſſe in Chriſt Jeſus.