Joh. 1.16. And of his fullness we all received, and Grace for Grace: 1Upon this Text the only Quaere is, Whether by Fullness is meant, the Fullness of Christ's Person, or the Fullness of his Gospel? I conceive here is clearly meant the Fullness of Christ's Person; it is in the Text his fullness, his, who is God the Word, ver. 1. his, who was in the beginning with God, ver. 2. his, by whom all things were made, ver. 3. his, who is the true light, that lighteth every man that cometh into the world, ver. 9, his, who was made flesh and dwelt among ⟨p. 258⟩us, ver. 14. None of these [his's] can be attributed to the Gospel, but they are all proper to the Person of Christ; [his fullness] therefore must signify the Fullness of Christ's Person, from whence all Grace is derived, as Light is from the Sun, and Sense from the Head: All true Believers receive from him grace for grace, that is, say some, Gratiam cumulatissimam, abundant Grace; or, as others, Grace answering to the Grace in Christ; as the Child receives from his Parents Limb for Limb, or the Glass from the Face Image for Image. It is further to be noted, that the words are, we received [Greek or Hebrew], out of his fullness: Had the Fullness meant here been the Fullness of the Gospel, the words would have been, We rereceived of his Fullness, even the whole Gospel; but because here was intended the Fullness of Christ's Person, the words are, We received of his fullness, that is, a part or share of it, and, as the Apostle speaks, Eph. 4.7. Grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. We may then conclude, that the Fullness is in Christ's Person, and say of him,2 as our Church doth, He is the alone Mediator between God and Man, which paid our Ransom; he is the ⟨p. 259⟩Physician, which healeth all our diseases; he is the Saviour, which saveth us from our sins; he is that flowing and most plenteous Fountain, out of whose Fullness all we have received. But saith the Author, We may learn what this Fullness is, by ver. 14. We beheld his glory, the glory, as of the only begotten Son of God, full of grace and truth; so that this Fullness is a Fullness of Grace and Truth; and if we consult ver. 17. we shall find, that this Grace and Truth is opposed to the Law of Moses, so that Grace and Truth signifies the Gospel. To which I answer, In the 14. ver.
Joh. 1.16. And of his fulness we all received, and Grace for Grace: 1Upon this Text the only Quaere is, Whether by Fulness is meant, the Fulness of Christ's Person, or the Fulness of his Gospel? I conceive here is clearly meant the Fulness of Christ's Person; it is in the Text his fulness, his, who is God the Word, ver. 1. his, who was in the beginning with God, ver. 2. his, by whom all things were made, ver. 3. his, who is the true light, that lighteth every man that cometh into the world, ver. 9, his, who was made flesh and dwelt among ⟨p. 258⟩us, ver. 14. None of these [his's] can be attributed to the Gospel, but they are all proper to the Person of Christ; [his fulness] therefore must signifie the Fulness of Christ's Person, from whence all Grace is derived, as Light is from the Sun, and Sense from the Head: All true Believers receive from him grace for grace, that is, say some, Gratiam cumulatissimam, abundant Grace; or, as others, Grace answering to the Grace in Christ; as the Child receives from his Parents Limb for Limb, or the Glass from the Face Image for Image. It is further to be noted, that the words are, we received 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, out of his fulness: Had the Fulness meant here been the Fulness of the Gospel, the words would have been, We rereceived of his Fulness, even the whole Gospel; but because here was intended the Fulness of Christ's Person, the words are, We received of his fulness, that is, a part or share of it, and, as the Apostle speaks, Eph. 4.7. Grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. We may then conclude, that the Fulness is in Christ's Person, and say of him,2 as our Church doth, He is the alone Mediator between God and Man, which paid our Ransom; he is the ⟨p. 259⟩Physician, which healeth all our diseases; he is the Saviour, which saveth us from our sins; he is that flowing and most plenteous Fountain, out of whose Fulness all we have received. But saith the Author, We may learn what this Fulness is, by ver. 14. We beheld his glory, the glory, as of the only begotten Son of God, full of grace and truth; so that this Fulness is a Fulness of Grace and Truth; and if we consult ver. 17. we shall find, that this Grace and Truth is opposed to the Law of Moses, so that Grace and Truth signifies the Gospel. To which I answer, In the 14. ver.
- 1Arswer.
- 2Hom. of Man's Misery.
