Christs Fullness and Mans Emptiness, Title page – To the reader
Plenitudo Fontis: OR, Christ's Fulnesse, and Man's Emptinesse. A Sermon Preached by IOHN PRESTON, &c.
1 Cor. 4. 7.
What hast thou, that thou hast not received? if thou hast received it, why dost thou boast, as though thou hadst not received it?
LONDON, Printed for Iohn Stafford, and are to be sold in Bracke Horse Alley, 1645.
❧To the Anti-Arminian: OR, To every good Christian Reader.
Good Reader,
PLiny the great Naturalist, taxeth some of Plin. Pr…efar. Hist. Natural.the Greeke, and Latin Writers in his time, of folly at the least, for sending abroad their empty and worthlesse Pamphlets with an over-praise in the Title, promising much at the first sight, but utterly deceiving the Reader in his further search: But he that shal with judgment reade this Sermon, will finde somewhat more then a naked title to commend it. Sometimes the workman graceth the worke: Sometimes the Worke the Worke-man; but behold in this Treatise they kisse each other, and are joyned together as a white Rose & a red Rose in one sweete Posie. But, that both have beene abused in the first Impression hereof, it appeareth as clearely (by the Manuscript) as the splendant Sun within Earths spangled Canopy: for al those Passages, which will make the Arminians to stumble and (without doubt) to fall in some measure, are (by the Imprimatur-ist) deleted; as if Arminianisine D. W. 2 Leaves in some places.were Englands true Doctrine. But now for thy comfort (Dear Christian) thou hast the Author's Sermon as it was preached before King Iames, without the least diminution; And I send it out with that prayer, or benediction that Iacob sent with his sonnes into Aegypt; God Almighty give thee mercy in the Gen. 3. 14.sight of the man: In the sight of the great man, that thou maist make him humble: Of the poore man, that thou maist make him content: Of the stubborne man, that thou maist hammer, and supple him: Of the penitent man, that thou maist bind up his wounds & sores. Of every man, that thou maist touch his conscience, and wound his soule.
Amen.
Thine in the Lord Iesus, P. B.
Christ's Fulnesse, and Man's Emptinesse, &c.
JOHN 1. 16.
Of his Fullnesse we have all received Grace for Grace.
SAint Augustine in his booke De C…vitate De… seemes to stand amazed at the Majesty which appeares in this first of Iohn, above all other passages of Holy writ. And Calvine saith, he doth in this Chap: Detonare ab alto, giving it the chiefest instance wherein a divine …upendious authority appeares beyond all the writing of men Iunius saith, that he was uever strucken with an apprehension of the Diety, till he read this first Chapter, affirming it to be the first and chiefest cause of his conversion from Atheisme to a sincere imbracing of Christianity, you may see it in his life written by himselfe. And in all this Chapter, I finde not a richer and fuller sentence then this which describesto us the fullnesse of Christ.
The parts of it are three.
First▪ here is a Fulnesse attributed to Christ.
Secondly, this is not a respective but a diffusive Fulnesse, that is, Fulnesse not shut up in its owne Bankes, but running over for our benefit and use.
Of his Fulnesse we have all received, that is, all that ever had any Grace took it from this heap, drew it from this fountaine.
Thirdly, these receits are amplified by the variety of them, Grace for Grace. That is, Christ hath given to us for all the Graces which he received of his father for us; Graces answerable, as the Seal is said to give to the Waxe print for print, Character for Character, or as a father is said to give to the sonne lymbe for lymbe, member for member, though not of the same bignesse and measure. In the same sense Christ is said to give to us Grace for Grace. So that now you see here a full shop, many Buyers or Receivers, choise of wares, or rather to use the Scriptures similitude: A full Table, many Guests, Variety of dishes: Of his fulnesse we have all received The first part.Grace for Grace. We begin with the first. This Fulnesse is attributed to Christ in 4. respects. 1. In regard of his person: So hee was full. 1. with an increate Fulnesse: for as the glory of God filled the Temple that 1. In regard of his p…son.Moses could not enter in: so the humanity of Christ which answered to that type, was filled not only with the effects of the Diety as then, but with the Diety it selfe, which is therefore said to dwell in him corporally or essentially. 2. Hee was moreover filled with a Created Fulnesse, and so hee was said to be full of all divine good things, which Iohn reduces to two heads, Grace and Truth. Truth which comprehendeth all the vertues of understanding; And Grace which comprizeth all beauties and perfections of the will.
Secondly, this Fulnesse is attributed to Christ in regard of his offices 1. as a Prophet. He was full of all the Treasures of wisedom 2. In regard of his Offices.and knowledge? So that all the Light which the World ever had came from him as a Prophet.
All the Revelations which Adam, Abraham, and Noah ever had; All the Visions which Esaias, Ieremy, and the rest of the Prophets ever saw; All the mysteries which ever were declared to Paul and Iohn, came from him, they all received their light from this Sun, which from the first morning of time shone to the darke world, without setting more or lesse, though the darkenesse comprehended it not. Secondly, hee was ful as a Priest, full of fauour with God, whence he hath audience, alwais full of Compassion to man, whence he is ready to entertaine any suits or Suitors; full of merit, whence sure to prevaile in all his requests and Intercessions 3. He was full as a King, full of authority, all power was given him, in Heaven & in Earth, full of strength and might to desend his Servants, and to resist his enemies till he hath made them his soot-stoole. Lastly, full of royall Munificence, whence ready to supply the wants of his Servants, and to give them in the end a large recompence of reward.
Thirdly, this Fulnesse is attributed unto Christ in regard of righteousnesse, … … o… his R…hteousnesse.hee was full of all righteousnesse originall & actuall, active and passive generall and particular, whence we have these b… nifits, following, |1. That hee who was so full himselfe is able to make us full, if we want faith or love, or any other grace. |2. By this we know what a Mediator we have to deale withal even with one full of love, full of patience, full of tender compassion which may invite us to come to him. | Lastly, we have this comfort that though our Righteousnesse be very weake and small, yet in him we are compleate, Coloss. 2.
Fourthly, this Fullnes is attributed to him in regard of his Effects. 4. In regard of his Effect.Scarce was there ever any action that Christ did, but you shall see a Fulnes in it. At the first Miracle that ever he wrought, he filled 6 water-pots with wine, afterwards he filled 5 000 guests with 5 loaves and 2 fishes, so that twelve Baskets full of broken meates were taken up; So he filled the Netts with fishes till they were ready to breake againe, and which was the best Fulnes of all, he filled the Disciples with the holy Ghost in the day of Pentecost, and often afterwards, whence they are said to be full of Joy, and the Holy Ghost.
If we would know the Reasons; It is partly in regard of Christ 1. Reasons from Christ.himselfe, hee was the Corner Stone, therefore there is reason hee should be the fairest in all the Building. He was the Prince of our Salvation therefore it was meet he should be like Saul higher than all the people by head and shoulders, farre exalted above all Principalities and Powers.
But chiefely it was in regard of us and out emptinesse, that with 2. From our selveshis Fulnes hee might replenish our Vacuity, otherwise wee could neither have seen him nor received of him. Not have seene him, for the glorious Beauty of his Godhead was too bright for our eyes to behold. It was therefore reason that it should be put into the Lanthorne, or Vaile of Christs Humanity, that in that we might behold it. Nor could we have received of it, for the Diety is an Inacces sible Fountaine; It was reason therefore that Christs Humanity should be the Cesterne or Conduit-Head to receive it for our modell and use.
But here one Question must bee answered. Steven and other Q…st.Saints are said in Scripture to be full of the Holy Ghost, and how differs this from the Fulnesse of Christ?
I answer, first they were said to be full according to their measure, Answ.Christ out of measure, as a little Dish may be said to be full as well as the Ocean. So they were said to be full, because filled according to the narrownes of their present Capacity. But Christ wa… full according to all d…ensions, length, breadth, and depth of Fulnesse.
Secondly, in them there was Plenitudo Vasis; In Christ, Plenitudo fontis, that is, there was in them a derived participated Fulnesse, but in Christ there was a Fulnes like the Fulnes of a Fountaine springing from himself, which is well expressed by the Schoolmen, when they say, that the Fulnes of the Saints and of Christ differ, as Ignis and Ignita, the one like Torches kindled, the other like Fire it selfe, for the Fulnes of the Ocean is too little to expresse this; For if you take a drop or two from it, it is so much lessened, rather the fulnes of the fire, which lights a thousand Torches, yet is not it selfe diminished.
Thirdly, in them there was a Comparative Fulnes. Steven was said to bee Full in regard of other lesser Saints, But in him there was an absolute Fulnes without all limits, without all comparison.
What shall we now deduce hence for Application to our selves?
First, that which is also the Scope of the Evangelist in this place; This should invite us to come to Christ, and to take of this full heape. This Incentive Paul often uses to inflame the desires of the Gentiles to come to Christ, even the Riches of that fulnes which is in him, which in the fulnesse of time began to be exposed to all Commers, as he saith, hidden before, but now fully revealed; seen before but in Types and Shadowes, now with open face; before preached but to a few, now to every Creature under Heaven; before the Spirit was given but by drops, but now he that hath ascended on high, and led Captivity Captive, hath so given gifts to men, that he hath filled all things.
Let us therefore be exhorted when we heare of such a fulnesse, not to take the Grace of God in vaine, but labour we to have our part in it, that as those Corinthians, we may be made rich in Christ filled with all knowledge and every grace. Content not your selves therefore to know this onelyonly, for that is our common fault to content our selves with the Notions of such things without practise.
But go to Christ as Bees to a meadow that is ful of slowers, as Merchants to the Indies that have full Mines, that you may experimentally find your selves returning from … full fraught w…th the Treasures of Truth and Grace.
In other things fullnes invites us much; Ioseph's full Barnes in Aegypt drew Iacob and his Sons thither: Canaan was a Land Ful …ow…ng with milke and honey, and that invited the Israelites to seeke it: Solomons abundance and fulnesse of wisedome, caused the Queene of Sheba to come out of the South to his Court. In every thing fulnes doth much allure and affect us. The Covetous man though he spend but little, yet he desires to take it from a full heape, as he saies De pleno tollere acervo. How much more then should this fulnes of Christ worke on us, especially since there is in hi… not onelyonly a repletive but a diffusive fulnes; not onelyonly plenty, but also bounty? But alas, if we looke upon the waies and actions of men, we shall find that men seeke a fullnesse in every thing else, almost, a fulnesse in pleasure and delights, a fulnesse in honour and preferments; But this full Honey Combe is almost every where despised, but happy hee, the bent of whose heart God hath turned the right way to seeke a fullnes of Faith and Wisedome, and a fullnesse of the Holy Ghost, who cares not though he be empty of any thing else, so hee bee full of these? though a looser in other things, so a Gainer in these. Such a one hath chosen the better part which shall never be taken from him.
Secondly, If there be a Fulnes in Christ, we should answer it with …ulnes of affection on our parts, fully beleeve and trust in him, fully love and adore him, fully delight in him, for it is reason the affection should be answerable to the Object. A little excellency desires little love and esteeme; more excellency more love, but wher there is a fulnesse of al excellencies, that we shold procecute with fulnes of …ll our affections. All the excellency in the Creature in comparison of this, is but as a drop to the Ocean, and a sparke to the whole Element of fire. Therefore if we propo…tion our affections to the object, which ought to be the Rule and square of them, we should bestow on the Creature but a drop of love and delight, but the full streame of our affections should be carried to him, in whom is the fullnesse of all perfection. It is true indeed, that as men hide treasure from theeves under straw or baser covering, so God hides this ful excellencie from the world under a b…se outside, that his secret ones only might find it out, and others seeing, might not see, but stumble at it. Thus he hid Christ himselfe under a Carpenters sonne, so hee hides Divine Misteries under the meane Elements of Bread and Wine, so the wisedom of God is hidden under the foolishnesse of preaching: and under Sheep-skins and Goat-skins, as the Apostle speakes, were hidden, and such as the world is not worthy of, yet there is such a fulnes of excellency notwithstanding: for if ever wee saw beauty in Sun, Moone, Stars, men, women, &c. Or if ever we… found delight in musicke, meates, drinks, friends, &c. All mu… needs be more abundantly in God, who is the Author, Maker, & giver of all these; As Solomon reasons; He that made the eye, shal not he see, so he that made all these things, shall he not have them eminently in himselfe, for as the worth of many peeces of silver is comprized in one piece of gold, so all the petty excellencies which are scattered abroad in the Creatures, are all united in God, yea the whole volume of perfections, which is spread through heaven and earth, is epitomized in him; Why do we not then with Paul, trample upon the Pompe and Glory of the world, for the excellent knowledg of Christ? Why do we not with David turn away our eyes, hearts, and affections from beholding vanity, and pitch them all on him? Why do we not re-collect our selves, and gather up out affections and thoughts, which are scattered and busied about a thousand tristes, and bestow them all on him, in whom is the fulnesse of all excellency beauty, and perfection?
Thirdly, if there be a fulnesse in Christ, then let us be content with him, having our hearts filled and satisfied with him.
First, in regard of spiritual things. Goe we not to the brookes of Teman, the broken …, and Pe…ers packs of Rome, as Saints, Merrits, Churches Treasury, &c. For if there be a fulnes in Christ that needs not for in him we are all compleat.
Secondly, for Temporal things let us be content with him alone, for he is our fullnesse even in them a so for the better conceiving of this we must know that the first Adam brought a generall E…ptinesse through all the world, for though the world be full of p…mp… and pleasures, as Iohn calls them, Lust of the flesh Lust of th… …ye &c. yet it is properly empty, because not full of that it should bee: even as we say a well is empty, though it be full of ayre, because it is not full of water which should be in it: for Emo…nesse is not so much, Absontia Entitatis a… absenti… Entitatis debitae. Hence therfore not onl…y the hearts of men, but the creatures are said to bee empty, hence Solomon saith Ecclesiastes the 1. Chapter, Vanity of Vanities, … is but vanity, that is emtinesse: and Rom. 8. The Creature is subject to vanity: that is emptinesse: through him that sub jecteth it. Hence the hearts of men are not satisfied with the world, but as the Prophet speaks: They eat and are not filled, they drink and behold their soule is empty, because the Creature is now but as the huske without the graine, the shell without the kernell, full of nothing but emptinesse, and being empty in it selfe, cannot give us satisfaction; But Christ the second Adam hath filled all things againe, Epes. 1. last verse. He fils all in all things, that is, not only the hearts of …en, but the things also. It is the Newter Gender. foreign. Hence we may observe, that many finde a want in the midst of plenty, their hearts finde no rest or satisfaction in al they enjoy, but with the holy Regenerate man it is much otherwise, though he have but a little wealth, a little food and rayment, yet there is a secret fulnesse put into that little which makes it fit to give him satisfaction, which is the meaning of that of the Psalmist, Psal. 37, 16. A little thing to the Righteous, is better then great riches to the wicked, because in that little it being filled with the blessing of the second Adam, they finde a fulnesse, whereas the wicked finde an emptinesse in the midst of their greatest aboundance.
If there be a fulnesse in Christ, then what though there be a fulnes Vse 4.of sin and guilt in us, yet there is a fulnes of Grace in him able to remove it, and take it away. A fulnes of mercy to receive our Supplications, a fulnes of merit to make an Attonement for our foulest sins, a fulnes of Favour to prevaile with his Father in any requests. If therefore there be a fulnes of grace in Christ, as there is, be not discouraged, though thy sins abound, yet his Gra…e abounds much more, they cannot be so out of measure sinful, as he is out of measure merciful. Remember but the two Metaphors used in Scripture, I wil scatter your sins as a mist, and they shal be drowned in the bottom of the Sea. Now the Sun by reason of its great force can scatter the thickest mist, aswel as the least vapour: The Sea by reason of its great Vastnes can drowne mountaines, aswel as molehils; So Christ by reason of that Vast Fulnes of Grace which is in him, is as able, yea as forward and willing to forgive the greatest sins aswel as the least, I say as forward and willing for mercy, though it be a quality in us, yet it is a nature in God: Now what is natural, there is no unwillingnesse or wearinesse in deing that, as the eye is net weary with seeing, nor the eare weary with hearing; Therefore though our sins be never so great and many, yet if this condition be observed, that wee lie in no knowne sin, that we have a ful and resolute purpose, God bearing witnesse to our consciences not to doe the least evil, nor … the least good, in a word that wee make out hearts perfect to God in al things, for without this condition there is no remission of sins. But if this condition be observed, I say that although out …nes be never so great any many, yet they are not gone beyond the price which hath beene paid for them, nor beyond the Grace of him wi… whom we have to doe, for there is a fulnes in him.
Now I beseech you take not this Exhortation in vaine, for there is nothing more effectual to heale a rebellious disposition, to instil saving Grace, to cause a sinner to change his course, then to be fully perswaded that he shal be received to mercy, and that his sins shalbe forgiven in Christ: Even as the Theese, while the Hue and Cry is after him, never returnes willingly: Rebels Simile.and Pyra…es whiles the Proclamation of Rebellion is out against them, never come in: But if there be a Proclamation of pardon, yea and of some great Advancement, if that be beleived once, that, and noting else causeth them to come in, and to become faithfull and loyall Subjects. Therefore let this fulnesse of mercy in Christ be an effectuall motive to us all, to come in to lay down the armes of Rebellion, to choose God for our good, and to give up our selves wholly to him, to serve him with perfect hearts & willing minds, all our dayes.
So much for the first part.
The second part I wil as briefely dispatch, and not meddle with the third, lest I be tedious.