3. For comfort —
[Doubtless, to those who determine to abide in sin, no consolation whatever can be administered, for " the wrath of God does, and ever will, abide upon them :" but to those who would forsake sin, though they be now the very chief of sinners, our text affords unspeakable comfort. They are not to heal themselves in part, and then to apply to the Physician, but to go to Christ just as they are, and to cast themselves entirely upon him. O that some might be encouraged to flee to him for refuge ! for as he must be all in the very best of men, so he is willing to be all to the vilest of the human race : " him
that goeth unto him he will in no wise cast out" ■ — As
for the true believer, the subject before us is the one ground of all his comfort : if Christ were not to be his all, he would absolutely despair; because he knows that "without Christ he can do nothing:" but knowing also the all-sufficiency and faithfulness of Christ, he commits himself cheerfully into his hands, " confident that he who hath begun the good work in him, will perform it to the endy," and "preserve him blame- less to his heavenly kingdom."]
y Phil. i. 6.
Col. iii. 11. Christ is all, and in alla.
IN order to ascertain the true sense of any passage of Scripture, two things are to be attended to : we should mark the scope of the context, and compare the terms or phrases with similar passages of Holy Writ. By separating these canons of interpretation, we shall often overlook the true meaning of God's word, and put upon it a forced construction ; whereas, if we unite them, we shall almost always find its just import.
a The Author, in the preceding Discourse, has treated this text as commentators in general have done, in reference to our justification before God. But he apprehends on further consideration, that it re- fers rather to our sanctification. In either sense, the position is true, that " Christ is all ;" but the latter interpretation seems more exactly to convey the mind of the Spirit in this passage. The reader, by comparing the two Discourses, will be enabled to judge for himself.