did not first " receive out of his fulnessf:" so true is it, in the strongest sense of the words, that " he filleth all in all." Thus is Christ, in his present exalted state, the living, and life-giving Head of all his Church, his Church militant, and his Church triumphant.]
2. The Head over all things for his Church's good — [In the management of the universe, Jesus consults the best interests of his Church. If he permit evil to befall his people, it is with a view to their deeper humiliation. If, on the contrary, he fill them with peace and joy, it is for the purpose of quickening them to more holy ardour in his ways. Nothing is further from the intention of their enemies than to do them good : but they are all under his controul ; and when they desire nothing so much as to frustrate his purposes, they ignorantly and unwittingly fulfil themg. As, in his own case, the envy of the priests, the treachery of Judas, the cowardice of Pilate, and the blind fury of the populace, conspired to bring him to that death, which was to fulfil the Scriptures and to redeem the world, and which was of necessity to precede his exaltation to glory ; so every creature, whatever be its aim, is executing his gracious purposes with respect to his Church, and is doing that very thing, which every member of the Church, if he could foresee the final issue of events, would actually wish to be done.]
We may learn from hence,
1. Our duty towards him —
[Is he the supreme Governor of the universe 1 then we should obey his voice — and submit to his will — and seek in all things his glory. Is he in a more especial manner our Head ? then we should look to him for direction, and depend on him for every thing we may stand in need of.]
2. Our security in him —
[Who shall overcome him, when " all things are under his feet ? " or, " Who shall pluck us out of his hands," provided we belong to him? We may, with St. Paul, defy all the prin- cipalities and powers both of earth and hellh. ^Neither the Church at large1, nor the smallest member of itk, has any thing to fear. " If he be for us, none can be successfully against us1."]
3. Our happiness through him —
t John i. 16. s Gen. 1. 20. h Rom. viii. 38, 39.
1 Matt. xvi. 18. k Amos ix. 9. Matt, xviii. 14. 1 Rom. viii. 31.