Tenthly, and lastly, He gives Himself, and verily this is a gift of gifts indeed, John 6. 51. 63. So in Ephes. 5. 20. A Saint may say, me thinks I hear Christ saying to me, as 1Aeschines said to Socrates, Others (said he) give thee silver and gold, and precious Jewels, but I give thee my self. So the soul may say, One friend gives me bread, and another gives me clothes, and another gives me house-room, &c. Oh! but thou givest me thy self. Christ put into the balance, will out-weigh all other gifts, that he bestows upon the sons of men: Christ is the richest gift; Oh! there are Unsearchable Riches in Christ, as hereafter I shall show you. He is ⟨p. 147⟩the choicest and the rarest gift; he is a gift given but to a few; rich and rare Jewels are not commonly, but more rarely given, so is Christ. Though Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a 2remnant only shall be saved. A garden enclosed, a spring 3shut up, a fountain sealed, is my well-beloved. Fear not little little fl•cke, it is your fathers pleasure to give you a Kingdom. Christ is a drawing gift, a gift that draws all other gifts along with him. If he have given us his Son, how shall 4he not with him freely give us all things? Christ is a drawing gift. When God the father hath cast this incomparable Jewel into a mans bosom, he can't deny him any thing: Such a soul may well say, Hath he given me a Christ? and will he not give me a crumb? Hath he given me his Son, which is the greatest mercy? and will he stand with me for lesser mercies? surely no. In a word, Christ is of all gifts the sweetest gift: As the Tree, Exod. 15. 25. sweetened the bitter waters, so this gift, the Lord Jesus (of whom that Tree was a Type) sweetens all other gifts that are bestowed upon the sons of men; he turns every bitter into sweet, and makes every sweet more sweet.
Tenthly, and lastly, He gives Himselfe, and verily this is a gift of gifts indeed, John 6. 51. 63. So in Ephes. 5. 20. A Saint may say, me thinks I hear Christ saying to me, as 1Eschines said to Socrates, Others (said he) give thee silver and gold, and precious Jewels, but I give thee my selfe. So the soule may say, One friend gives me bread, and another gives me cloaths, and another gives me house-roome, &c. Oh! but thou givest me thy selfe. Christ put into the ballance, will out-weigh all other gifts, that he bestowes upon the sons of men: Christ is the richest gift; Oh! there are Unsearchable Riches in Christ, as hereafter I shall shew you. He is ⟨p. 147⟩the choycest and the rarest gift; he is a gift given but to a few; rich and rare Jewels are not commonly, but more rarely given, so is Christ. Though Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a 2remnant onely shall be saved. A garden inclosed, a spring 3shut up, a fountaine sealed, is my well-beloved. Feare not little little fl•cke, it is your fathers pleasure to give you a Kingdome. Christ is a drawing gift, a gift that drawes all other gifts along with him. If he have given us his Son, how shall 4he not with him freely give us all things? Christ is a drawing gift. When God the father hath cast this incomparable Jewel into a mans bosome, he can't deny him any thing: Such a soule may well say, Hath he given me a Christ? and will he not give me a crum? Hath he given me his Sonne, which is the greatest mercy? and will he stand with me for lesser mercies? surely no. In a word, Christ is of all gifts the sweetest gift: As the Tree, Exod. 15. 25. sweetned the bitter waters, so this gift, the Lord Jesus (of whom that Tree was a Type) sweetens all other gifts that are bestowed upon the sons of men; he turnes every bitter into sweet, and makes every sweet more sweet.
- 1Austin prays, Lord (saith he) what ever thou hast given, take all away, only give me thy self.Austin prayes, Lord (saith he) what ever thou hast given, take all away, onely give me thy selfe.
- 2Rom. 9. 27.
- 3Ca•t. 4. 12. Luke 12. 32.
- 4Rom. 8. 32.
