2. As our living Head —
[Jesus is the Head and Representative of his people ; inso- much that they may not improperly be said to be even at this time "sitting in and with him in heavenly places'^." But he is also our Head of vital influence, having all fulness of spiritual blessings treasured up in him, in order that we may receive out of it according to our necessities^. Adam at first had, as it were, a treasure of grace committed to his own custody ; and he lost it even in Paradise. How much more then should we lose it, who are corrupt creatures in a corrupt world, if it were again left in our owTi keeping ! But God has now taken more effectual care for us. He has given us into the hands of his own Son: and our life is now placed out of the reach of our great Adversary ; " it is hid with Christ in God." Do we want wisdom, or righteousness, or sanctification, or complete redemp- tion? it is all treasured up for us in Christ, who " is made all unto us^." It is out of his inexhaustible fulness that we all receive'^: and, as the sun in the firmament is the one source of all the light that we, or any other of the planets, receive, so is Christ, of all the spiritual blessings that are enjoyed on earth : " He is head over all things to the Church ;" and " heJiUeth all in all '."]
3. As the Forerunner of all his people —
[By that very name is he called, in reference to his en- trance within the veil'^. Indeed previous to his departure he expressly told his disciples, that he was going to prepare a place for them, in order at a future period to come and take them to himself, that they might be with him for ever'. He is gone up to heaven as the first-fruits, wliich sanctified and assured the w'hole harvest™. Soon is he coming again from thence, to take home his people who wait for him. Not one will he leave behind. At whatever period or place they died, they " shall hear his voice," they shall "meet him in the air, they shall be ever with the Lord"." When he was upon the earth he appeared like other men, and died laden with the iniquities of a ruined world : but in due time he will appear again, without sin, in all the glory of his Father and of his holy angels, to the complete and everlasting salvation of all who look for him°. " Wherefore comfort one another vdth these words."]
Improvement —
e Eph. ii. 6. f Col. ii. 9. s 1 Cor. i. 30.
^ John i. IG. i Eph. i. 22, 23. ^ Heb. vi. 19, 20.
1 John xiv. 2, 3. ™ 1 Cor. xv. 20.
n John v. 28. 1 Thess. iv. 16, 17. o Heb. ix. 28. 1 Thess. iv. 18.