All are necessitated to depend on him for a constant commu- nication of grace and peace, as much as to depend on the sun for the periodical returns of light and heat. Hence, both on earth and in heaven a, all are constrained to give him all the glory of their salvation. No one can ascribe any thing to his own goodness ; seeing that all are cleansed in the blood of Christ, and arrayed in the spotless robe of his righteousness b: nor can any glory in his own strength ; since no one has any sufficiency in himself even to think a good thought0; and much less to renew his own soul. The merit that justifies, and the grace that sanctifies, are all of him : " he is all, and in ALLd:" and he is made all unto us, on purpose that all may be compelled to glory in him alone6.]
2. For the security of our souls —
[There never was but one man to whom a stock was entrusted; and he soon (if we may so speak) became a bank- rupt. And if we had grace committed to us in such a manner as to be left wholly to ourselves for the improvement of it, we should lose it again, as he did. For our more abundant security therefore the Father treasured up all fulness in his Son ; that, however our broken cisterns might fail, there might be an inexhaustible fountain secured to us. In this view we are reminded, that " God has laid help upon One that is mighty f;" and that "because he liveth we shall live alsos."
We are further told by the Apostle, that this appointment of Christ to be our head, with the consequent necessity of living by faith on him, and of receiving out of his fulness, was ordained of God on purpose that the promises might be finally secured to all the seed11; and he himself declares, that this very constitution of things was the one ground of his assurance respecting the salvation of his soul : " Our life is hid with Christ in God : and (therefore) when Christ, who is our life, shall appear, we also shall appear with him in glory'.""
This passage, duly considered, shews us clearly, 1. The excellency of faith —
[How can we receive any thing from Christ except by faith ? No other method can be conceived whereby we can obtain any thing at his hands. But faith interests us in all that he has done and suffered for us, and in all that he has received to communicate unto us. It is that whereby alone we can " draw water out of the wells of salvation :" it is that,
a Gal. vi. 14. Rev. v. 12, 13. »» Isai. lxi. 10.
c 2 Cor. iii. 5. <* Col. iii. 11. e i Cor. i. 30, 31.
f Ps. Ixxxix. 19. ts John xiv. 19. h Rom. iv. 16. 1 Col. iii. 3, 4.