44 The Second SERMON on !aft, to be jiUed with all the Fulnefl of God; there is a Forerunner of what · · Heaven, in the Hearts of Believers here. ts m .Fourthly, Obfcrve, That they MC the highefr things attainable by Chrifrians. 'Paul prays here accordmg to the utmofr lantude be would have Chriftians attain unto, when he prays here, That they may comp~ehend with all Saint1, the Height, &c. His meanmg ts not, that all Samts dtd attam it, but he prays that they may attain it, to enjoy all the Fulnefs of God the Father, Son, and Holy-Ghofr. It rs the highcfl- thmg m Heaven, when God iliallbe All ih All; it i~ a thing beyond the Love of God, and the Love of Chnft, tt comes after all ; tt IS the highefr thing he pra~s for, yet attainable. And becaufe it is the highefr he could ask, there– fore tt ts he concludes hiS Prayer thus: J::low unto Him that i1 able to do exceeding abund.mtly? above aU that we. are ab/• to a~i{_ or thin~, according to the Power, &c. The meamng I take to be thts : He here asks fuch high things for you as are beyond the thoughts, the ordinary t~JOught.s of Chrifrians ; he dotb no't intend to ask Heaven now, but to ask what IS m thts World to be given, and they arefo great things, as you need go to a God,that ts able to do above what you are able to ask or think, in the abundancy of his Grace ; above all you are able to think by what experiences you yet have bad, and ordinarily have attained unto : It i; as if he had C.1id, There are things attainable comprehended in what I have prayed for, beyond what you think, and beyond what I have aiked, and.yet they are attamable. Fifthly; They are attainable by all Saints, tho not attained : Therefore he prays, That they may comprehend with all Saint1 ; not that they do, but that they may: and therefore they are attainable. 1he Vfe of thefe Aninz•dverjiovJ or Obfervati0/11. Firft; It is matter of Comfort. Mofr Saints will fay, I have not the experi· ence of thefe things in that height he fpeaks of; but thou mayefr be a Saint notwithfranding. · Secondly ; Another is an life of Provocation, that we would fet our felves to feek God. for thefe things. In refpeB: offpiritual Attainments that we ne're thought of, we content our felves, and think it a great matter to be in the !late of Grace, and to have an Interefr in Chrifr ; but be not fo content, but ask for thing.; that are above what you are able to ask or think: fo doth the Apofrle here. I have done with the General. I come to the fecond Petition, v. 17. That Chrifl may dwell in ;our Heart1 by Faith. This I would open as my prefent Task and Work; I fhall do it by de– grees, attelld from one frep to another. There may be thefe Qgefrions mad~upon it. ff<!!.ell. 1. Why cloth (he mentions the three Perfons, as you heard) why doth he not fay, That the Spirit may dwell in you by Faith? That God the Father may tlwe/1 i11 rm• by Faith? He afcribes that ai mBre prop€r to the Spirit, That he {lrengthem them i11 the i11ner Man; but when he comes to Chrifr"s part, That Chrijl nuy dwell in JOUr He.rtJ by Faith: Why is Faith and Chrifr thus coupled? • The Anfwer is eafy: It isbecaufe Chrifr is appointed between us and the Fa– ther, as the Means by whom and through whom 'he conveys all to us, and tba\ through Faith : Rom. 3· 24, 25· Whom God ha.th Jet forth to be a J!ropitiation thrOit"h Faith in his 'Blood, &c. He bath fet htm forth, and there he ts for you to ex6ercifc your Faith upon. As he bath ordained JefusChrifr to be. the great, Medilmt or Means betwixt us and himfelf; fo he bath ordamed l'ittth, as the l'rincipallnfrrument in us to treat with Chrifr. Look in A{f•. 2G. 2 I. To pre~ch Repmtance towards God, a11d Faith toward! our Lord Jejitl Ghrift. You fee, tl!at Converfion
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