he was invested with " all power both in heaven and in earth ;" and " all things were given into his hands," that he might order every thing for the accomplishment of his own will, and the furtherance of the work which he had begun. In him was all fulness treasured up, that he might impart unto his people all needful supplies of grace f; and to him was all authority com- mitted, that he might put all enemies under his feetg. Thus, by his elevation, are his triumphs and the triumphs of all his people, finally and eternally secured.]
But we have further to notice his exaltation in reference to,
III. The end of it —
It was that he might be the one object,
1 . Of universal adoration —
[Of this he is most worthy, as all the hosts of heaven
testify11 And it must be paid to him : for God has
sworn with an oath, that it shall be paid to him by all in heaven, earth, and hell1; or if we will not yield it to him as the voluntary expression of our love, we shall be constrained to acknowledge his right to it, whilst we are suffering under the stroke of his avenging rodk.]
2. Of unlimited affiance —
[By confessing him to be both Lord and Christ, I under- stand such a confession as proceeds from unfeigned faith1. And to this full affiance is he entitled, both according to his essential nature as God, and in his mediatorial capacity as the Saviour of the world™. In what way it is to be manifested, the prophet tells us : " Surely shall one say, In the Lord have I righteousness and strength11." As " the Christ," who died for us, he is our righteousness ; and as " the Lord," who is the Head and Governor of all, we receive out of his fulness all needful supplies of grace and strength.
Nor let it be thought that this direction of our regards to him will derogate at all from the honour of the Father: for, on the contrary, it will be " to the glory of God the Father," whose wisdom has devised, and whose love has executed, so wonderful a plan for the salvation of men. On this subject we can have no doubt ; since our Lord himself has told us, that God's very design in the whole of this stupendous mys- tery was, " that all men should honour the Son even as they
f Eph. i. 20—22. s 1 Cor. xv. 25. Ps. ex. 1, 2.
11 Rev. v. 11 — 13. ' Rom. xiv. 11. with Isai. xlv. 23.
k Ps. ii. 1—3, 0,9—12. ! Rom. x. 9-11.
m Isai. xlv. 22. n Tsaj. xiv# 24t