Christ our Lord n. " In him all their fresh springs are found ;" " out of his fulness they receive continually grace for grace:" and if this lock were shorn, they would instantly become weak as other men0. Being fully assured of this, they evince that they are the true Israel, by worshipping God in the spirit, re- joicing in Christ Jesus, and having no confidence in the flesh p.]
For their abundant consolation God declares, III. The extent and certainty of their salvation —
As to the certainty of their salvation, no words can more fully express it, than those which are now be- fore us —
[God absolutely declares that " Israel shall be saved:" lest we should limit our expectations to some temporal benefit, he assures us that the salvation he will afford them, shall be " everlasting :" and lest we should still be slow of heart to believe, he repeats his assertion in terms as strong and energetic as language can afford, or imagination can conceive. The same truth is confirmed in every page of the sacred volume, and that too in the richest variety of expression, in order more effectu- ally to engage our minds and establish our faith. And has God spoken all these things merely to deceive us '( " Has he said, and will he not do it ; has he spoken, and will he not make it good?" Let this then be received as an infallible truth, that whatever may become of others, "Israel shall be saved;" nor shall any difficulties, any dangers, or all the conspiracies of earth and hell, ever make void this promise in any single instance to all eternity q.]
Nor can any thing be added to enhance the great- ness of their salvation —
[It shall be so perfect, that there shall be nothing wanting to complete it. Their " sins shall all be cast into the very depths of the sea." However high their expectations may be raised, they shall " never be ashamed;" nor, however strong their confidence may be, shall they " ever be confounded." They shall appear before God with holy boldness : they may even now, as they shall also at the bar of judgment, adopt the triumphant language of the apostle, " Who is he that shall lay any thing to my charge ? It is God that justifieth : who is he that shall condemn ? It is Christ that died." Yea, they may lay claim to all that God himself can give in time and eternity ; and, neither in time nor in eternity, shall they be disappointed of their hope. Their felicity shall begin the very instant they believe in Christ ; and shall be coeval with their own existence.']
n Rom. vii. 25. ° Alluding to Judg. xvi. 17-
p Phil. iii. 3. q John x. 28, 29.