be enriched " out of his fulness, receiving grace" upon grace, and grace corresponding with the grace which there was in him.]
2. What rich measures of grace we are authorized
to aspire after —
[Though we all ought to be thankful for the smallest measure of grace, we should never be satisfied till we have attained the largest. We are told by the Apostle, that we should " grow up into Christ as our living Head," even " unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ himself8." What a glorious object for our ambition is here ! O brethren, be not straitened in your own bowels ; for ye are not straitened in your God ! The Lord Jesus, who first descended from heaven, and became incarnate for you, is now ascended to heaven in the very nature that he assumed for you : and well does he know all your wants and necessi- ties, which he is as ready, as he is able, to supply. Open wide, therefore, your mouth, in supplication to him; and be assured, that he will give you a more abundant supply of his Spirit ; nor will ever withhold his hand, till you are filled with all the fulness of God.]
* ver. 13, 15.
Eph. iv. 11 — 16. And he gave some, apostles; and some, pro- phets; and some, evangelists ; and some, pastors and teachers ; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ : till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knoivledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ : that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in ivait to deceive ; but speaking the truth in love, may groio up into him in all tilings, which is the head, even Christ : from whom the ivhole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual ivorking in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
IT is a truth never to be forgotten, that the Lord Jesus Christ is the fountain of life, and that " all our fresh springs are in him." Unless this be borne in