(2.) They readily embrace, receive, and practise every thing that the Lord Christ hath appointed. They inquire diligently iuto his mind and will, that they may know it. They go to him for direc- tions, and beg of him to lead them in the way they have not known.
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The 119tli Psalm may be a pattern for this. How doth the good, holy soul breathe after instruction in the ways and ordinances, the statutes and judgments, of God! This, I say, they are tender in: whatever is of Christ, tliey willingly submit unto, accept of, and give up themselves to the constant practice thereof; whatever comes on any other account they refuse.
IV. Christ manifests and evidences his love to his saints in a vmy of ho unty, — in that rich, plentiful provision he makes for them. It hath " pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell," Col. i. 19 ; and that for this end, that " of his fulness we might all receive, and grace for giuce," John i. 16. I shall not insist upon the jiarticu- lars of that provision which Christ makes for his saints, with all those influences of the Spirit of life and grace that daily they receive from him, — that bread that he gives them to the full, the refreshment they have from him ; I shall only observe this, that the Scripture affinns him to do all things for them in an abundant manner, or to do it richly, in a way of bounty. Whatever he gives us, — his grace to assist us, his presence to comfort us, — he doth it abundantly. You have the general assertion of it, Rom. v. 20, " Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." If grace abound much more in comparison of sin, it is abundant grace indeed; as will easily be granted by any that shall consider how sin hath abounded, and doth, in every soul. Hence he is said to be able, and we are bid to expect that he should do for us " exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or thiidc," Eph. iii. 20. Is it pardoning mercy we receive of him? why, he doth " abundantly pardon," Isa. Iv. 7 ; he will multiply or add to pardon, — he will add pardon to pardon, that grace and mercy shall abound above all our sins and iniquities. Is it the Sjnrit he gives us? he sheds him upon us richly or " abundantly," Tit. iii. 6; not only bidding us drink of the water of life freely, but also bestowing him in such a plentiful measure, that rivers of water shall flow from them that receive him, John vii. 38, 39, — that they shall never thirst any more Avh© have drank of him. Is it grace that we receive of him? he gives that also in a way of bounty ; we receive "abundance of grace," Rom. v. 1 7; he " abounds toward us in all wisdom and prudence," Ei:»h. i. 8. Hence is that invitation. Cant. v. 1. If in any things, then, we are straitened, it is in ourselves; Cluist deals bountifully with us. Indeed, the great sin of believers is, that they make not use of Christ's bounty as they ought to do ; that we do not every day take of him mercy in abund- ance. The oil never ceaseth till the vessels cease; supplies from Christ fail not but only when oiu- faith fails in receiving them.
Then our return to Christ is in a way of duty. Unto this two things are required: —
1. That wo follow after and practise holiness in the power of it.
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as it is obedience unto Jesus Christ. Under this formaUty, as obedi- ence to him, all gospel obedience is called, " whatsoever Christ com- mands us," Matt, xxviii. 20; and saith he, John xv. 14, " Ye are my friends, if ye do Avhatsoever I command you;" and it is required of us that we live to him who died for us, 2 Cor. v. 15, — live to him in all holy obedience, — live to him as our Lord and King. Not that I suppose there are peculiar jDrecepts and a peculiar law of Jesus Christ, in the observance whereof we are justified, as the Socinians fancy; for surely the gospel requires of us no more, but " to love the Lord our God with all our heai'ts, and all our souls," — which the law also required ; — but that, the Lord Jesus having brought us into a condition of acceptance Avith God, wherein our obedience is well-pleasing to him, and we being to honour him as we honour the Father, that we have a respect and peculiar regard to him in all our obedience. So Tit. ii. 14, he hath purchased us unto himself And thus believers do in their obedience; they eye Jesus Christ, —
(1.) As the author of their faith and obedience, for whose sake it is " given to them to believe," Phil. i. 29 ; and who by his Spirit Avorks that obedience in them. So the apostle, Heb. xii. 1, 2 ; in the course of our obedience we still look to Jesus, " the author of our faith." Faith is here both the grace of faith, and the fruit of it in obedience.