.4.70 Phil,o.rt. o Cor.;.f. Heb. z z. a. lobn;. zi. Yf<a. z Cor. z.a. Thil. 3.8. Vfe3. Matt 1.28. Chrifs fumes and bouncy rn ft encou- cage us in our tell lioful- eto corne him. Foregoing'pre- pirations no caufe of grace. Ephefians Chap. 4. thadow of the other, when they fat both in darkcneffe and in the death. TheScripture is plentiful! in proofeof this truth The deede is wrought inus by Chrifi, and notthe deede, but the will aljo that produ- ceth the deede;and not that onely, but the thought alfo which pro- duceth that will,forof our [elves we are ;tot able fo much as to think* good thought. So that all grace,and allpreparation tograce,andability to accept grace, all comes from Chrift, therefore called the Author and finifher *four faith. To teach us contentation, howfoever we fee his manifold graces difpofed; John Baptifl doth refi his mind* in this, martcan receive nothing except it begiven himfromheaven, as ifhe fhould fay, it is our part and duty tobe well pleated with that which we know is thus and thus ordered from heaven. This mutt reach us to refi onely in Chrift,Çaringtoknow nothing but Chrifl, Countingall things Jut chopand dung in comparifon ofChrifl; fill your (elves with Chrift,and therewill be no roome for ought elfe: were a veffcll full ofliquor, it would receive no more ; if a womans heart be full ofher husband, file hath no roome for other lovers: So (hall itbe with you, if you fee by faith that youreftate is full in Chrift, lackingnothing, what will you care to looke further On this ground we mutt be incited to cometo Chrift,finceall grace is received fromChrift, inwhom is the fulneffe of all faving riches, and who dothinvite al to come unto him; Oh takenot this grace of God invaine, butlabour tohave your part in ir, and to be rich in Chrift; though therebeabundance of finne and guiltineffe in us, yet thereis abundanceof grace and mercy in Chrift, to remove it and take it away. And therefore be not difcouraged,though thy finnes abound, yet his grace fuperabounds much more. If a begger heare of a com- mon doale tobe givenat fucha place, at fuch a rlme,tit affc5s him and invites him togoe, but whenhe feeth many comming from it, with armes full, Jappes full, baskets full, this gives him wings to make all hafte unto it : ifa ficke man heare of a Phyfitian famous for healing and curing ofall difeafes, it ftirres him up to goe and try; but if hee meete with hundreds comming from him, and telling him I have beene there, and I thanke God I am made whole, this puts life into him and caufeth him to hallen to him: Thus ir is,the Lord Iefas Chrift hath provided a commondoaleof grace and falvation for every poore foule that ftands in neede ofit, onely he will have men come and re- ceive it, they (hall have it for carrying away. He is that foule-fa- ving Phyfitian, the blinde, lame, deafe, and dumbe, be the difeafe what it will, all is one, if Chrift be thePhyfitian all (hall be made whole. Further here obferve the Apoftledoth not fay,we have grace given, becaufe ofour difpofition and fitneffe, or according aswe have prepa- red our felves, but according to thegift ofChrifl. Whence weobferve: That it is not our Civilldifpoftion whichbringeth us to thefirfl, nor our preparingour(elves that deferveth us the grace following. Preparations goe
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