honour the Father ; and that he who honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father who hath sent him0."]
Behold then,
1. How awful is the state of those who submit not
to him !
[We are equally rebels against him, whether we oppose him as Lord, or as Christ ; whether we refuse to submit to his righteousness1*, or to his government. O reflect, ye who are going about to establish a righteousness of your own, What will ye answer to him, when he shall call you to an account for usurping his office, and making void all that he has done and
suffered for you ? And you, who, whilst professing to
trust in him as your Saviour, live in disobedience to his com- mands, where will you hide your heads, when he shall say, " Bring hither those mine enemies who would not that I should reign over them, and slay them before me ?" Whatever ye may now think, ye cannot invalidate the oath of God: he has sworn, that unto him every knee shall bow ; and, if ye do it not willingly, ye shall do it against your will, to your ever- lasting sorrow.
2. How blessed is the state of his obedient people !
[Shall Christ be exalted to the right hand of God in vain? or will he refuse to impart to you out of his fulness ? Fear not : you are committed to his care ; and he will not lose one of you; "not one shall ever be plucked out of his hands." Whatever you need, it is treasured up for you in him ; and " his grace shall be sufficient for you." It may be, that in his service you may be called to endure many things : but if now " he sees of the travail of his soul and is satisfied," be assured that ere long it shall be no grief to you that you were humbled for a season : for, " if you suffer with him, you shall also reign with him," and "be glorified together with him<*" in his kingdom for evermore.]
0 John v. 22, 23. p Rom. x. 3.
i 2 Tim. ii. 12. Rom. viii. 17.