given to him, as " the author and the finisher of our faith." "He has treasured up for us every thing in Christ Jesus s;" and ordained, that we should " receive every thing out of his fulness'," looking to him as our wisdom, our righteousness, our sanctification, and our complete redemption, " that no flesh should glory in his presence, but that all should glory in him alone u." Let this lesson, then, be learned by us, that God may receive from us all the glory of all that we possess ; since " if we differ from others in any respect, it is he who has made us to differ ; and we possess nothing which we have not gra- tuitously received from himx."^
2. That you may depend on him for all that you ever hope to receive —
[Here, also, God asserts his claim to our entire depen- dence: "Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and that maketh flesh his arm ; and whose heart departeth from the Lord his God y." Especially in reference to every thing that concerns our salvation, does God require our undivided af- fiance : " Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth! for lam God; and there is none elsez." Every child of man, whatever he may possess, must rely on Christ alone, saying, " In the Lord have I righteousness and strength." " In the Lord alone shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory a." To this has God a very especial respect in the words of my text. If we look to the creature, or place any dependence on an arm of flesh, we must take the consequences b. The creature " cannot do good, or do evil." As to the idols on which the Jews were disposed to place their confidence, God says to them, " Ye are of nothing, and your work of nought : an abomination is he that chooseth youc." So must it be said of every thing on which we are wont to rely ; " It is a broken reed, which will only pierce the hand that resteth on itd." Trust ye, then, in the Lord, and in him alone : yea, " trust in him for ever : for with the Lord Jehovah is everlast- ing strength e."]
This subject, methinks, speaks,
1. Comfort to the true Christian —
[Respecting this glorious Being who is here described, it
is your privilege to say, that "he is your God." In truth,
whatever you want, he describes himself as a God of that very
thing, of " love," of " mercy," of " peace," of " strength," of
* Col. i. 19. l John i. 16. u 1 Cor. i. 29—31. x 1 Cor. iv. 7. y Jer. xvii. 5 — 8. z Isai. xlv. 22.
* Isai. xlv. 24, 25. b ver. 37, 38, 39. c lsai. XK. 23, 24. d 2 Kings xviii. 21. e Isai. xxvi. 4.