The Summe of this Sermon is this.

1fIt propounds the fulneffe of Chrift.
In refpect of his Perfons uncreated.
2. In refpect of his Offices created.
I As a Prophet.

2 Asa Pricft.

3

As a King.

3 In refpect of his righteoufneffe.
4In refpect of his effects.

2 It maintaines it above the fulneffe in the Saints. 3 It applyes it by foure Corrallaries. Therefore We muft be invited to come to him.

2We must answer it with full affections.
3We must be fatisfied with full Chrift.
4) We must comfort our felves with the ful

neffe of Chrift,against the fulneffe of fin.
4 It propounds the fulneffe of Chrift for us,
Which we must receive if ever we have it.
5. It applyes it for direction of

Judgements above the receite of Grace.
2.Practife.

I(In not deferring our Repentance,
In not being idle though wee are recei-

3

vers.

In going to him from whom we receive. 4 In being affected as receivers.

I (With thankfulneffe for all receits.
2 With humility because we are receivers.
3(With begging grace by prayers both

Private, Liturgies.

Publick Setformes.
wherofEfteeme ofthem..

THE

The Fulneffe of

Chrift for Us.

Or a Sermon upon

JONN 1. 16.

Of bis Fulnesse wee have all received
grace for grace.

AINT Auguftine feemes to
frand amazed at the mystery
which appeares in this Chap-
ter. Calvine faith,that God doth Detonare ab
heare Thunder from on high. alto.
Iunius faith, that he was never

strucke with an apprehension of the Deity, till he read this Chapter: affirming it to bee the first, and chiefest cause of his converfion from Atheisme, to a fincere imbracing of Chriftianity. And in all this Chapter, I

B

find:

finde no richer and fuller fentence than this, which defcribes Chrifts fulneffe for us: of his fulneffe we have all received grace for grace.

You may be pleafed to obferve with me three parts.

A fulneffe given to Chrift.

2 Not a repletive fulneffe here, but a defufive fulneffe that is not shut up in his owne bankes, but running over for our benefit and use.

3 Thefe receites are amplified from the variety ofthem,Grace for Grace.

That is,Chrift hath given us for all the graces which he received of his Father for us,graces anfwerable. As the Seale is faid to give to the Waxe Print for Print, Character, for Character: or as the Father is faid to give to the childe limbe for limbe, member for member, (though not of the fame bigneffe and proportion) fo doth Chrift to us in grace and truth. So that here is a full fhop and many buyers and receivers; choyfe of Wares and precious Commodities: or rather (to ufe the Scriptures phrafe) a full Table, many Guests and variety of Dishes, of his fulnesse have we all received grace for grace.

Note firft, that fulnesse is given to Chrift, and Fulneffe is githat in foure refpects: In regard of his perfon, of of his offices, of his righteoufneffe, and of his effects.

ven to Chrift,

I

In perfon.

In regard ofhis perfon he is full, with an uncrea tedfulnesse. Mofes could have no communion with this fulneffe, but with his Backe-parts, the effects

effects of this Deity: but in him are not onely the effects of his Deity, as then; but the Deity it felfe, which is faid to dwell in him corporally, or Col. 2. 1. perfonally in his incarnation. He is full with a created fulneffe, with all created and excellent good things, which Saint John reduceth to two lohnt. heads: Firft grace, which comprehendeth all the beauties and perfections of the will: fecondly,truth,which comprehendeth all the vertues of the understanding.

2

In regard of his offices, as a Prophet he is full of all treasures of wifedome and knowledge. So In Officesa that all light that the world ever had, came from him as a Prophet. All the myfteries that ever were declared to Saint Paul, and Saint John, came from him. All the revelations of Adam, Noah, Abraham, came from him. Thus all received their light from this Sunne, which from the very first moment of time,fhone to the darke World, without fetting (more or leffe) though the darkneffe comprehend it not. As a Prieft, he is full of favour with God, whereby hee hath audience alwaies full of compaffion to men whereby hee is ready to entertaine any fuit or fuiters: full of merit, by which he is able to prevaile in all his requests and interceffion. Asa King, he is full of authority. All power is given unto him, both in Heaven and Earth. He is full of ftrength to defend his fervants, and refift his enemies, till hee hath made them his footeftoole. Laftly, he is full of royall munificence, whereby he is ready to fupply the wants of all his fervants,

B 2

and

and to give them in the end a full recompence of
reward.

In regard of his righteoufneffe, this fulneffe is
attributed to him: he is full of all righteousnesse,
originall, actuall, active, paffive, generall,, and
particular in all habits: whereby we have this be-
nefit: First, that he that was fo full himselfe, is
able to helpe us, if we want love, faith, or any
other grace: Secondly, by this we know what a
Mediatour wee have to deale with, even with
one full of love, patience, compaffion, which
may invite us to come unto him: Thirdly, that
though our righteoufneffe be weak and small, yet
in him we are compleate.

In regard of his effects and workes, this fulneffe is given to him, that there is scarce any action which Chrift ever did, but you fhall finde a fulneffe in it. At the first miracle he ever wrought, he filled fixe Water pots with Wine. Afterwards he filled five thoufand Guests with five Loaves and two Fishes. So hee filled the Nets with Fishes, fo as they were ready to breake: and (which is the best fulneffe) hee filled his Difciples with the Holy Ghoft on the day of Pentecoft,and after when,they were said to be full of the Holy Ghost.

Thus is there a fulneffe given to Chrift: and there is reafon for it,both in refpect of himselfe, and in refpect of us chiefely.

In respect of Chrift himselfe,he was the chiefe corner ftone; and therefore reafon good that he fhould be the fairest of the building.

He