that the Father hath furnished him with all things neceffary for your everlafting falvation; for, he that thus believeth on the Son hath everlafting life in him. That which is the great matter and ground of faith, is alfo the great motive and argument for it, namely, that the Father hath, in love to him, and to finners in him and through him, giving all things into his hand.

That I may, therefore, purfue and enforce this exhortation to believe in Chrift, upon this ground, I fhall, as the Lord may enable, cbferve the following method of difcourse.

Firft, That our faith may be fixed in this truth, I fhall offer fome demonftrations of it; and evidence that all things are given into the hand of Chrift, the Father's beloved.

Secondly, That faith may be cleared on this head, I fhall notice a little the beauty of this difpofure of infinite wifdom, in giving all things into Chrift's hand.

Thirdly, That our faith may be enlarged and widened in the view thereof, I fhall fpeak a little of the extent of the matter, the treasure, that Chrift hath in him, while it is faid that all things are given into his hand.

Fourthly, That faith may be enlightened and affifted further herein, I fhall confider the manner how all things are in the hand of Chrift.

Fifthly, That faith may be quickened and excited, I fhall offer fome motives and confiderations, arifing from, and accompanying this truth, that all things are given into Chrift's hand.

Sixthly, That our faith may be regulated and fquared, according to the gofpel rule, I fhall clofe with a few directions, as the Lord may enable.

And, O Sirs, fince faith comes by hearing of the object of faith, by hearing what Chrift, the object of faith, is, and what he hath, let your eye be towards him, and your ear be open to hear what is faid of him; that, in hearing, you may believe, without feeking to draw faith out of your own heart and bowels, whence you will never find it. If there be any fubject in the world, the

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hearing whereof tends, through grace, to work faving faith, it is this, that faith, and all grace, all good, all fulness, all things, are in Chrift's hand.

First, The first thing I have proposed, that faith may be fixed, and fettled, and affured of this truth, is to offer fome demonftrations thereof. And, O that it may be in the demonstration of the Spirit and with power.

I fhall only premife, that when we fay, All things are in the hand of Chrift, we mean not only generally, all things in the kingdom of providence; becaufe his kingdom rules over all; and, "He is the Head of all things unto the church," Eph. i. 22. but alfo, particularly, all things in the kingdom of grace; of which he says, "My kingdom is not of this world," John xviii. 46. But bleffed be God, he hath not faid, his fpiritual kingdom is not in this world; but it is not of this world: he hath his fpiritual invifible kingdom in the hearts of his people in this world; who, though they are in it, yet they are not of it, but, chofen out of the world; yet, fometimes this kingdom of his is vifible, in the remarkable tokens of his fpiritual prefence in his ordinances. And, O for many fuch tokens this day! But now, that all things are in Chrift's hand, will be evident from the following demonftrations.

1. Demonftration of it is this, "If they that inherit "Chrift, inherit all things; then all things are in his "hand: but fo it is, they that inherit him, inherit all

things, 1 Cor. iii. 21,-23. For all things are yours, "whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or "life, or death, or things prefent, or things to come; all "are yours, and ye are Chrifl's, and Chrift is God's." This golden chain, together with all things prefent, and all things to come, is linked to the believer, because he is united unto Chrift. The believer hath an interest in Chrift; by an intereft in Chrift, he hath an interest in God; and by an intereft in God, he hath an intereft in all things. As Solomon fays, Money anfwers all things; because all things that are vendible may be procured by it fo Chrift anfwers all things to the believer. He is meat and drink to them; My flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.He is gold and filver to them:

"The

"The merchandize of wisdom is better than filver; and the gain thereof than pure gold." "Come, buy of me gold tried in the fire." He is raiment to them when naked; and they put on the Lord Jefus Christ. — He is health to them when difeafed; "I am the Lord that healeth thee."-He is all things to them; "He that overcometh fhall inherit all things," Rev. xxi. 7. Why? It is added, "I will be his God."

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2. Demonstration of this truth, is, "If all things, "without Chrift, be but empty nothing, then all things only are in Chrift's hand: but fo it is, all things are "nothing withhut Chrift; "Vanity of vanity, fays the preacher, all is vanity," Eccl. i. 2. All the riches, pleafures, profits, and preferments of the world are but emptiness; your wisdom, your parts, your children, your lands, your revenues, without Chrift, can amount to nothing; they are but like cyphers without a figure. It is faid of believers, 2 Cor. vi. 10. Having nothing, they poffefs all things; becaufe, though they had nothing in the world, yet, having Chrift, they have all things: and, on the other hand, it may be truly said of the wicked and unbelieving, that, having all things, they poffefs nothing; because, though they had all things in the world at their will, yet, being without Christ, they have nothing all they have is but emptiness; yea, all they have is a curfe, because they have not Christ.— And thus all things, without him, are not only nothing, but worse than nothing.

3. Demonftration of this truth, is, "If all things in "the world be but a fhadow of what is in Chrift; then "all things are in Chrift's hand fubftantially: but fo it "is, all good things in the world are but fhadows of "what is in Chrift." Outward riches are but a fhadow of the unfearchable riches of Chrift: outward life is but a fhadow of him who is the way, the truth, and the life: outward liberty is but a fhadow of that freedom that is to be had in Chrift: "If the Son make you free, then are you free indeed," John viii. 36.; importing, that no freedom is freedom indeed and in truth but this outward reft is but a fhadow of the reft that is to be had in him; "Come to me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and

I will give you reft." The fun in the firmament is but a fhadow of the Sun of righteoufnefs, and of his glory: rofes and lilies are but fhadows of his beauty, who is the rofe of Sharon, and lily of the valley: rivers and fountains are but fhadows of his fulnefs, who is the fountain of living waters; not a fountain closed, but a fountain opened to us: plants and trees are but a fhadow of the verdure of him who is the plant of renown, the tree of life. All things that have any excellency in them are but fhadows of him in whom all excellencies do concentre. All the ftars of creature-excellencies are but fhadows of him who is the bright and morning Star. 4. Demonftration is, If the knowledge of all things "be worth nothing, in refpect of the knowledge of Chrift; then all things are only in his hand: but fo "it is, that all things are but lofs and dung in respect of "the excellency of the knowledge of Chrift, Phil. iii. 8." The great apoftle defired to know nothing but Chrift, and him crucified; yea, this is life eternal to know him, and God in him, John xvii. 3. The knowledge of Chrift is the most certain, the most profitable, and the most comfortable knowledge.-It is the most certain knowledge: we know other things only by their fhape and species; but we know Chrift by the Spirit: we know other things by the teftimony of men; but we know Chrift by the teftimony of the Spirit: now, as the teftimony of the Spirit is more certain than the teftimony of man; fo the knowledge of Chrift is the most certain knowledge. It is the most profitable; it is a knowledge that gives us the poffeffion of the things we know: by the knowledge of Chrift, we are poffeffed of Chrift; by our knowledge of his fulness, we are poffeffed of his fulness; "By his knowledge fhall my righteous Servant juftify many." If it be life eternal to know him, furely it is moft profitable. It is the moft comfortable: all our want of comfort and fatisfaction flows from our want of the knowledge of Chrift; and all our true comfort arifes from the knowledge and view of him. John wept, because he thought none was able to open the feals of the book of God's decrees, concerning man's redemption; but, upon the VOL. V. + R

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difcovery of Chrift, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the weeping was filled; he wept no more, Rev. v. 4, 5.

5. Demonftration, or fcriptural argument, is, "If "Chrift can fupply all wants; then all things must be "in his hand: but fo it is, he can fupply all wants "which we labour under, Phil. iv. 19. My God fhall fupply all your needs, according to his riches in glory, by Chrift Jefus." Whatever you labour under, there is that in Chrift which can fupply and fupport.-Do you labour under defertion? Then he fays, "I will never leave nor forfake thee," Heb. xiii. 5.-Do you labour under corruption and bondage to fin? It is he that says, "Sin fhall not have dominion over you," Rom. vi. 14.— Do you labour under temptation? It is he who, as the God of peace, will tread down Satan under your feet, Rom. xvi. 20.; and fays, ' My grace shall be fufficient for you.” Do you labour under weakness? It is he who fays, "My ftrength fhall be perfected in thy weakness," 2 Cor. xii. 9. Do you labour under affliction, inward or outward? "Many are the afflictions of the righteous; but the Lord delivereth him out of them all."-Do you labour under fears of public calamities upon the land? It is faid of him, "This man fhall be the peace, when the Affyrian fhall come into our land."-Do you labour under the fears of death? It is he who fays, "O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy deftruction. Repentance fhall be hid from mine eyes."

6. Demonftration is, "If Chrift can fatisfy all the "defires, fuit all the conditions, and answer all the objections of finners; then he must have all things: but "fo it is, he can fatisfy all defires of finners; for he is the "Defire of all nations, and every thing defirable is in "him; "He is altogether lovely [or ALL DESIRES, as the "word imports], Song v. 16. made up of defirable things. Is worth defirable? He is the treafure hid in the field. Is wifdom defirable?" In him are hid all the treafures of wisdom and knowledge. Wisdom hath builded her houfe," Prov. ix. 1.: it is in the plural number, wifdoms. ⚫ Chrift is a compound of wifdom.-He can fuit all conditions of poor finners: there is no condition you can be in, but he hath a promife fuited to it: fo that there is in Chrift

what