Owen - Houston-Packer Collection BX9315 .O8 1721

each PERSON dliftinceíly. 3II (4.) Chrift manifefts and evidences his love to his faints in a way of bounty, in that rich, plentiful, provifion he makes for them. It hatI pleated thefather that in him all fulnefs fhould dwell, Col. i. 19. and that for this end, that of his fielnefs we might all receive, and grace f r grace, Joh. i. 16. I !hall not infift upon the particulars of that provifion which Chrift makes for his faints, with all thofe influences of the Spirit of life and grace that daily they receive from him, that bread that he gives them to the full, the refrefhment they have from him; I Ihail only obferve this, that the fcripture affirms him to do all things forthem in an abundant man ner, or to do it richly in a wayof bounty. Whatever he gives us, his grace to affid us, his prefence to comfort us, he doth it abundantly: Yogi have the general affertionof it, Rom. v. so. Wherefin abounded, grace did abound much more. If grace abound much more in comparifon of fin; it is abun- dant grace indeed, as will eafily be granted by any that fhall confider how fin bath abounded, and loth in every foul. Hence he is Paid to be able and we arebid to expetîthat he fhould do for us exceeding abundantly above what we can afk or think, Eph. iii. 20. Is it pardoning mercy we receive of Iran? Why he doth abundantly pardon, Ifa. 1v. 7. he will multiply or add to pardon, be will add pardon to pardon, that grace and mercy !hall abound above ski our fins and iniquities. Is it the fpirit he gives us? He fheds him upon -us richly er abundantly, Tit. iii: 6. not only bidding us drink of the waters of life freely, but allo bellowing him in fuch a plen- tiful aneafure, that rivers of water Shall flow from them that receive him, Jolt. vii. 3.3, 39. that they hail never -thirít any more who have drank of him. Is it grace that we receive of him ? He gives that allo in a way of 'bounty. We receive abundance of grace, Rom. v. 17. he abounds towards tus in all wifdom and prudence, Ephef, i. 18. Hence is that invitation, L°ant. w. i. If in any-thing then we are firaitned, it is in our (elves, Chrift deals bountifully with us. Indeed the great fin of believers is, that they make notale of Chrift's bounty as they ought to do; that we do notevery relay take ofhimmercy in abundance. The oil never ceafeth, till the vet- Fels reafe; fupplies from Chrift fail not but only when our faith fails in receiving them. 4. Then our return to Chrift is in a way of duty; unto-this two things are required. '(z) That-wefollow after and praaife holinefs in the power of it, as is 'obedience unto 'Jefus,Chrift; under this formality, as obedience to'him. A'IPGoTpel-obedience is called, Whatfoever Chrill commands us, Mat. xxviii. 20. And faith he, Job. xv. 14. Te are my friends ifyou do what I com- mand you, and it is required of us that we live to him who died for us, 2 Car. 17.15. live to him in all holy obedience ; live tohim as ourLord and King. Not that Ifuppofe there are peculiar precepts and a peculiar lawofJe- fus Chrift, in the obfervance whereofwe are juflified, as the Socinianr fancy, for fueely the Gofpel requiresofus nomore, but to love the Lordour Godwit19 all our hearts, and all our fouls, which the law alto required, but that the Lord Jefus having brought us into a condition of acceptance with God, wherein our obedience is well pleating to him, and we being to honour him as we honour the father, that we have a refpe& and peculiar regard to hint in all our obedience, fo Tit. ü: 14. He bath purchafed us unto bimfelf, and thus believers do in their obedience, they eye Jefus Chuff; [1.] As.

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=