Adam's pofterity: although they have finned themselves into the likeness of devils; yet, if they be creatures, preach the gofpel to them; offer Chrift, and all things in him, to them: and he injoins his minifters to be free and unhampered in their offers and proffers, faying, Freely ye have received, freely give." Here is fuch encouragement to faith, that finners may fee that they are welcome to come, and take what they will, out of his ftock.

2. Here is ground for faith and hope, that all things being given to Christ, there is nothing that finners need, but what is here; bread enough and to fpare. There is an overflowing ocean of all good in Chrift for finners, and that his grace doth infinitely exceed all our fins, and all our wants. It is unbelief that doth diminish and limit the fulness of Chrift: it fhews the foul a multitude of fins and wants, but it hides and conceals the fulness of Chrift, and locks up his treafures. It is true, people pretend this and that, as a hinderance and difcourage. ment to their believing: but however the ground of their not clofing with Chrift is, it turns chiefly upon this, that they doubt of his fulness. Nay, fay you, my doubt is of his willingness; but I have no doubt of his fulnefs. I fear you mistake it, O finner; and that your chief doubt is about his fulness; and that your doubt of his willingness flows from the doubt of his fulness. What! is it poffible that one can believe the immenfe fulness of Christ, as having all things in his hand, and yet, at the fame time, believe that he is a niggard, and has nothing to fpare? No, no: if you believe his fulness, you cannot but believe his willingness; and if ye doubt of his willingness, it flows from a doubt of his fulness; for thefe two go together: "In my Father's houfe, there is bread enough and to fpare," Luke xv. 17. If you think there is nothing to fpare for you, it is becaufe you think there is not bread enough, and fulness enough in Chrifl; for, if ye believe there is bread enough in him, then you will believe that there is to fpare alfo. Examine, therefore, your faith of his fulnefs again if you do not fee there is enough in Chrift, no wonder you do not fee what a free heart he hath, when you do not fee what a

free

free hand he hath. But, O finner! as the fulness of the Godhead is in him; fo, if there were ten thoufand millions of worlds, and as many heavens full of men and angels, Chrift would not be pinched to fupply all their wants, and fill them all. Chrift is the well of life; but, who knows how deep it is to the bottom? And the due confideration of this might provoke all the world to come and draw water out of this well of falvation with joy, were it not that their eyes are fhut, through unbelief; they fee not the well, nor the overflowing fulness thereof.

3. Here is ground for faith and hope, in that as all things are given to Chrift, fo this inexhauftible fulness in him is not for himfelf, but to be difpenfed and communicated to poor finners: For, here is the Father's giving all things to the Son, as Mediator betwixt God and man. You will fay, There is fulnefs enough in Chrift; but what is that to me? Why, it wholly concerns thee; it is treafured up in Chrift for finners; yea, for the worst of finners, that they may believe in him, and receive all things in him and with him: "He hath received gifts for men," Pfalm lxviii. 18. Ah! fay you, but I am a rebellious devil. Well, it is even for the rebellious. Hence alfo, Eph. i. 22. "He is Head over all things to the church;" he hath all things in his hand. Well, but it is as head of the body the church: as treafures and endowments of wit, and fenfe, and the like, in the natural head, are for the body, and for the fervice of it; fo, the treafures in Chrift are for the fervice of finners in the vifible church; finners, that are made faints already; and finners, who are to be made fo, by his grace; and his grace that is in him, is publifhed and preached to every creature under heaven, Col. i. 23. that every one may apply it to himfelf, and hear believingly, when he is faying, in effect, "I have all things in my "hand, and I have them for thee; I have life and falva“tion, and I have them for thee; I have peace and "don, and I have them for thee; I have righteoufnefs, "fanctification, and redemption, and I have them for "thee; I have grace and glory, and I have them for

par

thee."

"thee." Therefore, go to him finner, and expect all from him; and fay not, Alas! it is not for me; for, be who thou wilt, To thee is the word of this falvation fent; and, therefore, receive not this grace of God in vain; for, it is unbelief that fays, There is nothing for me : but faith fays, It is all for me! O! he is a fit Saviour for me; he hath fupplies of all wants for me; healing for me, help for me, all for me.

4. Here is ground for faith and hope to finners, in regard, that the Father's love to Chrift, in giving all things into his hand, as the Saviour of finners, is juft a difcovery of God's fovereign grace and love to finners, in and through Chrift: and therefore, God is represented as fitting upon a throne of grace, and the Lamb fitting alfo upon the throne, where, in his Father's name, he difpenfes the bleflings that are given to him, and that as a glorious King, upon a gracious throne. He acts like a King, pardons like a King, faves like a King and Sovereign; and while he diftributes all in a way of free grace, he pardons, because he will; faves, becaufe he will; has mercy, because he will have mercy. Why, what is the nature of fovereign grace? It is the nature of it to act from itself, to itfelf, without confideration of any thing in us; without refpect either to the worthinefs or unworthinefs of the creature; neither reftrained by our evil, nor conftrained by our good: but all running out in a way of free love; Hof. xiv. 4. "I will heal their backflidings; I will love them freely." "No matter then, may faith fay, however vile and wretched I be, while I have to do with fuch love; the Father loving the Son, and giving him all things, and that in love to the like of me." As free grace is the rife and fpring, fo the exalting of free grace is the end of this great bufinefs of falvation in Chrift. It is not what fuch and fuch finners do, or do not deferve, that he confiders; but what his grace can do for them, and what will make moft for the glory of that grace, and what will fet the crown, the brighteft crown on the head of free grace. This is evident, Eph. i. 6. 12. 14. “To the praise and glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved:-That we fhould be

'

to

..

to the praife of his glory, who first trufted in Chrift:Which is the earneft of our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchafed poffeffion, unto the praife of his glory." His defign is, that grace might reign, Rom. v. 21. and that finners might fing the praifes of free grace, free love. "O! who am I? fays the foul that "hath obtained mercy: What! fuch a rebel, and yet "pardoned! fuch an enemy, and yet reconciled! fuch "a black devil, and yet washed and made white in the "blood of the Lamb! fuch a fiend of hell, and yet made a favourite of heaven! O grace! grace!" This is God's defign to magnify his grace and love in Chrift upon finners, that they may love him much, who has pardoned much; and ferve him lovingly, who has faved them freely.

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5. Here is ground for faith, and encouragement for the hope of finners, that the Father having loved the Son, and given all things into his hand, it must be ac ceptable to the Father, that finners come to Chrift for all things they need, and employ him for all things they have ado, and truft in him for all things they want:

This is his commandment, that we believe in him," 1 John iii. 23. "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleafed, hear ye him." Do you think God will be angry with you, if you come to Chrift? No; you cannot pleafe God better, you cannot honour him more: for this is his very defign in giving all things to him, that you may come and get all things from him.

6. Here is ground for faith and hope, that the Father loves the Son, fo as to give all things into his hand, in regard that, as it is acceptable to the Father, fo it is honourable to the Son, that finners come to him for all things. As the Father gave all things to Chrift, that he might put honour upon him; fo the finner, giving employment to Chrift, in all things he hath ade, puts ho nour upon him and as it is the Father's honour, that he gave all things to Chrift; fo it is to the Son's honour, that he gave out of this fulness to finners, in a way of caufing them to believe in him. And here is wonderful encouragement to faith and believing, that it is the glory and perfection of Chrift, as Mediator, to receive finners, and give out himself, and all things to them, that they need.

need. Chrift has a two-fold glory, viz. the glory of his perfon, as the Son of God; and the glory of his office, as Mediator, and Head of the fecond covenant: the former is infinitely complete and full, and can admit of no diminution, or augmentation, being unchangeably the fame for ever; but the glory and perfection of his office, as Mediator, is ftill more and more complete, the more finners he receives, and the more grace he gives out; and here there is an increase of his government, an increase of his glory, and perfection, and completenefs hence the church is called his fulness, Eph. i. 23. If the church be his falnefs, then the more that is filled, by his receiving finners, and giving out grace to them, the more full and complete is he himfelf. I s mediatory honour and perfection grows; and hence alfo the faints are called the glory of Chrift, 2 Cor. viii. 23. As Chrift alone is their glory, fo they are his glory. How his glory? Not only because they glorify him actively, but also because he lays out his grace upɔn them, and they have nothing but by free gift from him; and therefore he is faid to be glorified in them. O! what encouragement to faith and believing is here! feeing thus you not only fhall be glorified by Chrift, and have everlafting life by him; but alfo, you fhall glorify Christ, and he fhall have everlafting honour by you. O Sirs, it is a part of his exaltation to give out of his fulness ; for, 'He is exalted to give repentance and remiffion of fin.' O! how may unbelief fink and die, and faith rife and fing, before this confideration. "It is Chrift's honour to "receive me; it is his glory to beltow himself and his

grace upon me. The Father in love hath given all "things to him, that he may get honour and glory in giving out all things needful for me."

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IV. The Fourth thing propofed, in the general method, was the Application of the fubject.

Is it fo, that the Father loves the Son, fo as to give all things into his hand? Hence many precious truths may be feen in the feveral branches of the text and doctrine, namely, 1. That the Father loves the Son.2. That he hath given all things into his hand. 3. That