In this he glories as his most exalted privilege —
[Humiliating as this life of dependence at first sight ap- pears, he considers it as his highest honour, and as raising him even above Adam in Paradise. Adam, when in Paradise, was indeed perfect : but to him was committed the task of working out a righteousness for himself, and of maintaining by his own inherent powers his stedfastness in the Divine life. And hence he fell, and died, and involved both himself and all his posterity in ruin. But the Believer has a righteous- ness wrought out for him by his incarnate God ; and " his life," instead of being committed to his own keeping, " is hid with Christ in God," where Satan cannot reach it ; and there- fore, since Christ has engaged that none shall ever pluck out of his hands those whom the Father hath committed to him, he shall endure unto the end ; and, " when Christ, who is his life, shall appear, shall assuredly appear with him in glory V Thus, in resj)ect both of honour and security, is the Believer elevated even above Adam himself; since he has not a creature-right- eousness wherein to stand before God, or a created power to uphold him ; but a righteousness that is divine, and an arm that is omnipotent. To form a right judgment of his state, we must attend to what our blessed Lord himself has spoken on this subject. Indeed his words are so strong, that no man would dare to utter them if not warranted by his authority.
What
•Col. i. 19. *Jolin XV. 1— 5. *Gal.ii.21.
'John i. 16. • 1 Cor. i. 30. ' Col. iii. 3,4.