We must not however fail to notice the description given of those to whom these promises are made —
[Twice, in these few words, are these blessings limited to believers : not because our Lord disregards good works, or be- cause they shall not be rewarded ; but because we cannot do any good work unless we first receive strength from Christ by faith* ; and because, if we obtained life by working, we should have whereof to glory before God : and God has decreed that no flesh shall glory in his presence, and that we shall glory only in the Lordu. It must never be forgotten that God has caused all fulness to dwell in his Son, Jesus Christ"; and that we must, by a continued exercise of faith, receive out of that fulness grace for gracey. It is by faith that we live2, we stand3, we walkb, we are savedc: in a word, " God has given us eternal life ; but this life is in his Son : he therefore that hath the Son, hath life ; and he that hath not the Son of God, hath not lifed."]
The pointed interrogation with which our Lord closed this address to Martha, directs us how to improve this subject : it suggests to us,
1. That all persons, however eminent in their pro- fession, or decided in their character, ought to " ex- amine themselves whether they be in the faith " —
[It was to one whom he knew to be an humble and faithful Disciple, that Jesus put this question : well therefore may we who are of more doubtful character, consider it as addressed to us ; " Believest thou this ? " Believest thou that Christ is the only fountain of life ; and that there is no way of receiving life from him but by faith ? And dost thou believe these things, not in a mere speculative manner (for that many do whose souls are dead before God) but in such a way as to reduce them to practice ? The believing of this record forms the one line of distinction between those that shall be saved, and those that shall perish. If we truly receive it, we have already passed from death unto lifee: if we do not receive it, we are yet dead in trespasses and sins: we have not life now; we cannot have life hereafter. A resurrection indeed we shall partake of; but it is a resurrection to damnation, and not a resurrection to lifef: we shall live; but it will be a life justly denominated death,
* John xv. 5. " Rom. iii. 27. Eph. ii. 8, 9. 1 Cor. i. 29—31. x Col. i. 19. y John i. 16. z Gal. iii. 11.
a 2 Cor. i. 24-. b 2 Cor. v. 7. e Gal. ii. 16.
d 1 John v. 11, 12. e John v. 24. f John v. 29.