., r. i6 r b Judges 8.z. c Eph.4'ì. John a. 3 3 John a . r 6. Chriff"s' fulnta the ground of the Apoitles. dehorration ire.m. humane cleaPing>_ Chrssi.r f ìxlneffi tran f cendent. .r.. of Abiezer, b the gleanings of Ephraim are better then the Vintage of Abiezer ; fo the gleaning, the fmalleft gatherings of the ful- neffe of Chrift, are better, more excellent,more fatisfaetor , more permanent, then the full and greateft Vintage of the world : This is a fulneffe making like God; endearing to God, leading to heavenly and fweet communion with God ; the leaft of Chrift is better then the greatelt abundance of the earth : There is falneffe of wifdome and purity, a fulneffe of flrength and fagacity in theAngels ; there is a fulneffe of hó- linefle and righteoufnetfe in the Lords faithfull fervants yet is their fulneffe in ?efpe& of Chrifts fulneffe, as no ful- neffe ; as the fulneffe of the Star is as no fulneffe in refpe& of the fulneffe of the Sun ; and the fulneffe of the Veffell as no fulneffe in comparifon of the fulneffe of the Fountain;::( Their fulneffe is a derivative, a borrowed fulneffe ; it is is them by participation, as the Moon hath her light from the Sun, Rivers their waters from the Fountaine, and the eye her fight from the foule ; but it is in Chrift originally, natu- rally, and of himfelfe : Their fulneffe is in them by meafure according to the gift of God ; in Chrift it is c infinite and above; tnea;ure. The Moon is full oflight,but the Sun is more full ; the Rivers be full of waters, but the Sea is more full ; their fulneffe is not communicable to others, they cannot derive their graces to others ;but Chrift as a head and Fountain,im- parts his fulneffe to others ; and therefore the Apoftle faith here of him, In bim dwelletb the fulneffe of the God -bead bodily, and yee are compleat in bim who it head of all principality and power. The Apofile having dehorted and difwaded from heark- ning to, receiving and embracing the do &nines, traditions, devices and inventions ofinen,as from emptyLamps,where- in is no light to difcover fin, to reveale God in Chrift, to make man wife unto falvation ; as from wodden fwords fairly guilt and lourifht over, but having no edge, no pow- er to penetrate the heart, to hew downe fin, to cart downe the holds of ungodlineffe ; as from broken Cifternes, where- in is no pure and living Dater to refrefh the foule, to fatisfie the thirft thereof ; as from Chaffe, wherein is no nourifh ment to firengthen -the inward nian ; and as from falfe phy- ficke
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