The Works of William Bridge Volume 2, Volume 2 · Part 1 · Sermon 6
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 wth 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, aHeb. 1.2The Heir of all things? The Saints are ſaid to bebRom. 8.17. Heirs and Coheirs with Jeſus Chriſt. Is He calledc1 Pet. 2.6. Elect and Precious? So are they too;d1 Pet. 1.2. Elect and precious. Is He called GodseZach. 13.7. Fellow? (as ye have it in Zachary) The Saints they are called His Fellows: fHeb. 1.9Who is anointed with the oyl of gladneſs above his fellows; That is, above the Saints. Is He called the Light? gJoh. 8.12.The Light of the world? The true Light? They are called Light too:hEph. 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;i1 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.foreign. 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) 'tis the ſame word fellowſhip: And in the 1 Cor. 1.9. ver. 'tis 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 'tis 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 Ʋnion 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 wth the ſhining of the fire, & burns wth 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 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 Ʋnion, 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 Grace.
Again, There is the ſame Spirit in a Chriſtian, Rea. 4. Joh. 15 26.that is in Chriſt. I will ſend (ſaies He) the Comforter, the Spirit of truth, and He ſhall come unto you. The Spirit does not only come to them; but is ſaid to dwel in them, and to be ſhed abroad upon their hearts. Now if a Beaſt had the ſpirit, and the ſoul of a man; he would work like a man, he would ſpeak like a man: and if a Plant, if a Tree, if an Herb had the life of a Beaſt; it would taſt like a Beaſt: And if a Stone, if that had the life of a Plant, it would grow like a Plant. So now, if a Chriſtian have the Spirit of Chriſt, he muſt work like Chriſt, he muſt needs be like Chriſt: Now the ſame Spirit He hath, a Chriſtian hath the ſame Spirit with Chriſt, and therefore needs muſt be like unto Him, and have Grace for His Grace. Somewhat in a Chriſtian, Anſwerable to every Grace of Chriſt.
You will ſay unto me: How can this be? Object. indeed it holds forth abundance of comfort unto the Saints, and an incouragement to all, to be ſo: But how can this be? There are ſome Incommunicable Properties, Perſonal Excellencies of Chriſt; Are all men Saviors? Are all men Mediators? Are all men Chriſts?
No, Anſw. We muſt therefore ſo underſtand it, in things that man is capable of: We have member for member with Adam, every man, head for his head, and legs for his legs; but every man is not the firſt Adam, that every man is not capable of. So Jeſus Chriſt, He is made like to us, but He is not a ſinner, that He was not capable of: And ſo we have grace for grace, Anſwerable Grace; 'tis to be underſtood in things that we are capable of: We are not Saviors, we are not Mediators, we are not Chriſts. In ſome of thoſe things that we are not capable of: yet there is ſomewhat in a Chriſtian, that in ſome other kind is Anſwerable thereunto: As now for example, When our Lord and Savior Chriſt was Baptized, the Heavens opened, and the holy-Ghoſt fell down upon Him in the ſhape of a Dove: The holy-Ghoſt does not ſo fall down upon men now, but yet 'tis ſhed abroad in the hearts of all that are godly. He is the great King, and the Prieſt, and the Prophet of his Church: All the Saints are Kings, and Prieſts, and Prophets; but not to that heighth as He was. To open this a little, that I may cleere the point.
Is our Lord and Savior Chriſt a Prophet? and as a Prophet does He teach His people? the Saints; in that of the Revelation, Rev. 11 3.The Two Witneſſes are ſaid to Propheſie in ſackcloth. They are ſaid to Propheſie too.
Is our Lord and Savior Chriſt a King? and as a King, does He Over-come, and ſubdue Satan? and our luſts? and the world?1 Joh. 5.4. So do the Saints too. This is your Victory wherby ye Over-come the world, even your Faith. As a King, Does he, Over-come, and ſit down in His Throne? So do they too: In the 3. of the Revelations, and the 21. verſe: To him that overcometh will I grant to ſit with me in my Throne; even as I alſo overcame, and am ſet down with My Father in His Throne. (Mark I pray;) Chriſt hath a Throne on Earth: (Saies He) As Lovercame, and am ſet down with my Father in His Throne in Heaven: So thoſe that overcome ſhall ſit down; That is,Matt. 8.11. have Communion. Many ſhall come from the Eaſt, and from the Weſt; and ſhall ſit down with Abraham, and Iſaac: That is, have Communion with them. So here, To him that overcomes, wil I grant to ſit down with me in my Throne: They ſhal have Cōmunion with Jeſus Chriſt in his Throne. As a King, does the Lord Jeſus Chriſt Rule the Nations, Pſa. 2.9.and break them in pieces with a rod of iron? So ſhall the Saints do in their generation, and in their way. Look I pray into the 2d of the Revelation, the 26. verſe: And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end; To him will I give power over the Nations. And he ſhall rule them with a rod of iron: (Mark) And he ſhall rule them with a rod of iron: As the veſſel of a potter ſhall they be broken to ſhivers, even as I received of my Father. He does not ſay, Even as I received this Doctrine of my Father, but as I (which you reade of in the ſecond Pſalm) received this Power from my Father: they ſhall communicate with me in this Power: Even as I received of my Father, So ſhall they receive it; they ſhall have Communion with Him in this.
Is Jeſus Chriſt a Prieſt? and as a Prieſt, Does He Sacrifice? So do the Saints too. The Apoſtle Exhorts the Romans, That they offer up themſelves a reaſonable ſacrifice. As a Prieſt, Rom. 12.1does He make Interceſſion? So 'tis ſaid concerning the Saints, in the 8. of the Romans: The Spirit of God that is upon them, makes Interceſſion with groans that cannot be expreſt. As a Prieſt, does Jeſus Chriſt, as our great high-Prieſt, Enter into the Holy of Holieſt? that you will ſay belonged unto the Prieſt alone, and none might enter into the Holieſt, and the Holy of Holieſt but the Prieſt. So do the Saints too: See I pray, what Communion, and fellowſhip the Saints have with Jeſus Chriſt: Saies he, in the 10. of the Heb. and the 19. ver. Having therefore, Brethren, boldneſs to enter into the Holieſt by the Blood of Jeſus; by a new and living way &c. Is our high Prieſt entered into the Holy of Holleſt as a high Prieſt? You ſhall have Communion in His Prieſtly Office too: and as He entered into the Holy of Holieſt: ſo ſhall you too. Thus you ſee, there is an Anſwerableneſs in the Saints, with what is in Chriſt. And indeed, herein does our Spiritual Regeneration, go beyond our Generation: For, though a child be like unto the father in this, that he is a man like the father, and he hath a head like the father, and arms, and legs like the father: yet his feature may not be like the fathers, lineaments not alike: But now, in our Spiritual Regeneration, there is ſuch a likeneſs; as whatſoever Grace, or Holineſs is in Jeſus Chriſt, there is ſomewhat in all the Saints that is Anſwerable thereunto.
By way of Application then:Applic. 1 If this be ſo; That the Saints do receive from Chriſts Fulneſs, Grace for Grace; Grace Anſwerable to the Grace of Chriſt: That whatſoever Grace, or holineſs there is in Chriſt, there is ſomewhat in all the Saints that is Anſwerable thereunto. Then what abundance of men and women are there, even living under the Goſpel, that have no preſent ſhare of ſaving intereſt in Jeſus Chriſt. Me thinks I hear this Doctrine crying aloud, and ſaying, ſtand by profane men, ſtand by: You that are meerly Civil, and moral people, ſtand by: And all 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. 2.17but 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; 'tis the glory, and the honor of a man to be like to God: 'tis the glory, and honor of a Diſciple to be like his Maſter: 'tis the glory, and honor of a Child to be like his father: 'tis 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. 'Tis 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, 'tis 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. 27.6.4The 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; He hath Attribute for Attribute; He hath Excellency for Excellency with God the Father. And every gracious godly ſoul, he hath Grace for Grace from Jeſus Chriſt: Of his Fulneſs have we received, Grace for Grace: As the Fulneſs of God the Father dwels in Him bodily, ſo the Fulneſs of Chriſt dwels in every Chriſtian Spiritually.
And this fellwoſhip hath God the Father called you unto: By whom we have fellowſhip: 1 Cor. 1.9this hath God the Father called you unto. Oh! how infinitly are you bound unto God the Father, to honor, and bleſs the Father! When ye look upon the Son, me thinks you ſhould bleſs the Father: and when ye look upon the Pather, you ſhould love the Son. As a mother does; when ſhe looks upon her Child, ſhe loves the father; and when ſhe looks upon the fatehr, ſhe loves the Child again: So a Chriſtian, when he looks upon Jeſus Chriſt, he ſhould bleſs the Father; and when he looks upon the Father, he ſhould bleſs Jeſus Chriſt, and love Jeſus Chriſt: Dear Father, thou haſt not only given us thy Son, but given us thy Son in ſuch a way, that we ſhould have Grace for Grace, Anſwerable to His Grace: is this after the manner of men? Oh! therefore, why ſhould we not all ſay, Bleſſed be God, and the Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Oh! you, you that love Jeſus Chriſt, bleſs the Father: and you that bleſs the Father, love Jeſus Chriſt: take your ſelves to be infinitly bound unto god the Father, who hath given you ſuch a Chriſt as this, of whom you ſhould have Grace for Grace.
I have done. Only I would leave one Exhortation whith the Saints, that have received of Chriſts fulneſs thus, Grace for Grace: It's thus, mark it I pray.
Is this true, That of His Fulneſs ye have all received,Appli. 4. Grace for Grace, Anſwerableneſs of Grace? that ye have fellowſhip with Jeſus Chriſt in all His Graces? Then be for ever contented to have fellowſhip with Jeſus Chriſt in al his Sufferings. And truly, well may ye be contented, if you have fellowſhip with Chriſt in His Sufferings; if you have Suffering, for Suffering, ye ſhall have Grace for Grace, and Glory for Glory; if ye partake with Him in His Sufferings, ye ſhall partake with Him in His Graces, and partake with Him in His Glory. I ſay, well may ye be contented to have fellowſhip with Him in His Sufferings, for if you have ſuffering for ſuffering, you ſhall have Comfort for Comfort: if you have fellowſhip with Him in His ſufferings: you ſhal have fellowſhip with Him in His Comforts too. (Mark ye) When Jeſus Chriſt Suffered, Had He a Deity to ſupport Him? So ſhall you have. When Jeſus Chriſt Suffered, Had He Angels to miniſter to Him? So ſhal you have. When Jeſus Chriſt ſuffered, Did He ſee the travaile of His Soul? So ſhall you ſee it. When Jeſus Chriſt was lift up, He drew al men after Him: So ſhal you do: when you are lift up for the Truth upon the croſs; you are apt to think, now wil the Truth ſuffer, now wil the Cauſe of God fall to the ground: But remember, if you have fellowſhip in His Graces; if you have fellowſhip with Chriſt in His Sufferings; you ſhal have fellowſhip with Chriſt in His Comforts: This was one of His Comforts; when He was lift up upon the Croſs, then He drew all men after Him: So, when you come to be lift up upon the Croſs, then ſhall men be drawn after the Truths that you ſuffer for: and never ſhal men be more drawn after the Truths that you ſuffer for, then when you come to be lift up upon the Croſs to ſuffer for them. Oh! who would not be willing to partake with the Lord Jeſus Chriſt in His ſufferings, to have fellowſhip with Him in his ſufferings, to have ſuffering for ſuffering? 'Tis obſerved, that our Savior never met with any great dobaſement, but at that time, in the midſt of that debaſement, there was ſome breakings forth of Golory. He was born in a Stable, He was laid in a Manger; here was His firſt debaſement: Here glory breaks forth; the Wiſe men come and fal down before Him, and offer gifts; frankincenſe, and mirrhe.
Again, He was Baptized: He needed not to have been Baptized; He was clean enough in his Nature, He put our cloathes upon him, ſtood in our nature: Now, He hears a Voice from Heaven,Matt. 3.17 ſaying, This is My Beloved Son.
Again, You reade of Him riding upon an Aſs: Not riding in a Coach drawn with Lyons, and drawn with Elephants Savior, riding upon an Aſs, in a mean way, a debaſed way; now breaks forth ſome glory, now they cry, Hoſanna, Hoſanna to him.
Again, upon the Croſs, there he was moſt debaſed; then breaks forth ſome glory: The Sun, that ſtands ſtill, and vails his face, as one aſtoniſhed at the worlds Savior: Now does the vail of the Temple rend in ſunder, now Glory breaks forth in the midſt of his debaſement; Thus it was with Chriſt. Have you ſuffering with him for ſufferings? Have you fellowſhip with Chriſt in his ſufferings? you ſhall have fellowſhip with Chriſt in his Comforts. Oh! therefore I beſeech you be contented now to have ſuffering for ſuffering with Jeſus Chriſt; and whenſoever any ſuffering comes, eſpecially for the Truth, boggle not at it, be content, and ſay within your ſelves, Oh! bleſſed be the Lord, that hath called me out to this work! I ſhall have this fellowſhip with Chriſt in his ſufferings, I ſhall now have ſuffering for ſuffering, therefore I ſhall have Comfort for Comfort, I ſhall have Grace for Grace, I ſhall have Glory for Glory: Oh! who would not be encouraged? I leave this Exhortation with you, comfort your ſelves in theſe words, and never ſtartle at ſuffering, as herefore; but make account of this, That if you have Grace for Grace, ye may meet with Suffering for Suffering; but then you ſhall have Comfort for Comfort, and ye ſhall have Glory for Glory. Think on theſe things, and the Lord give us to practiſe them.