lay his head." He remained unchangeably what he was but became what he was not, and what he became concealed what he was.

4. THIS fulness is exceedingly adapted to the necessitous condition of sinners. Such fitness in the Saviour was absolutely requisite, as the necessities of sinners were exceedingly complex. Sin has stript them of every thing excellent, destroyed every principle of holiness, removed them to an incalculable distance from God, suspended all their enjoyments, and subjected them to extreme wretchedness. Scripture represents them as in a state of abject poverty. This is implied in Christ's becoming poor, that they, through his poverty, might be made rich. If they are not in a state of abject poverty, there would be no propriety in saying, "that they are to be made rich." They are poor, not in respect of one thing, or a few things, but all things. They sink down under the pressure of an intolerable load of guilt; from which they are unable to extricate themselves. All the faculties of their souls are under the despotic control of corruption, hence they readily yield subjection to the prince of darkness. They are in a state of entire spiritual nakedness, loathsome in their appearance, and exposed to every danger; and every attempt which they make to cover their deformity, and to secure themselves from danger, renders their persons more vile, and their hazard greater. Thus they weary themselves in the greatness of their own way to no good purpose. They labour under the most deplorable spiritual diseases, powerful in their operation, preying upon their souls, and mortal in their tendency. They are miserably blind and ignorant, having their understandings darkened. They are ignorant of God and form very unworthy conceptions of

him. They know nothing of themselves,-their pover ty, or danger. They dream of their riches, and live in security without fear. By no exertions of their own can they procure relief from any of these evils.

THE Saviour who would propose to meet their wretched condition, and afford them adequate relief, must be well qualified, and possess very extensive resources. Such is Jesus in whom all fulness dwells. His means of deliverance are not only extensive, but fully adapted to the complex wretchedness of sinners. As such he is revealed in the Scriptures, and as such the gospel exhibits him to them. Being qualified for the work he discovers to sinners their real situation, in order to convince them of it, and impress them with it, and then exhibits himself as a suitable deliverer, and invites them to come and receive what they need. "Because thou sayest, I am rich and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and to anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see.". Rev. iii. 17, 18. Is the sinner hungry and thirsty? The invitation is, " Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money: come ye, buy and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money, and without price." Isaiah Iv. 1. Are they guilty and miserable by sin? the call is, "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." ver. 7. Are they diseased, Jesus says,

"I am the Lord that healeth you." Exod. xv. 26. "I will heal their backslidings." Hosea xiv. 4. Are they dead? "I am come," says Christ, "that they might have life." Are they in darkness? Jesus, "the Sun of righteousness, has arisen with healing under his wings, and is come a light into the world." Are they much depressed with the burden of sin, and the evil, of their own ways? Let them listen to the voice of Jesus; "Come unto me all ye that labour, and are hea vy laden; and I will give you rest." Mat. xi. 28. Do they want a complete salvation? Jesus calls them to come and take it; "Look unto me, all ye ends of the earth, and be ye saved; for I am God, and there. is none else." In this way might we turn to every particular in the condition of sinners, and find in the Saviour its corresponding remedy: but these shall suffice.

5. THIS fulness is, in some sense, communicable. Things that are communicated among men pass from, one to another. The former proprietor ceases to possess what he confers on another. If he transfer the whole of any thing, himself is reduced to a total want of that thing; if he transfer only a part, the whole is divided, and he enjoys only what he retains. There can be no other way of communication among men, because they cannot produce, in a supernatural way, any thing whatever for the relief of another. They, there-. fore, reduce their own fulness in proportion as they communicate of their substance to others.

THE manner in which Christ communicates his fulness is very different from this. His people are rather partakers of the effects or fruits of his fulness, than of the fulness itself. It is true, they have an interest in it; and being heirs with God and co-heirs with Christ, they can claim all the fulness of God, and of the Mediator, as VOL. II.

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their own; not subjectively, but relatively, for promoting their interest and rendering them happy. Christ has a fulness of supreme Deity,-of all divine perfections; but he does not deify his people by communicating this fulness to them: this would be to undeify himself. But by means of this fulness he is able to create them anew, to produce in them a new life, to subdue sin in them, to dispel their darkness, and to wrench them from the powerful grasp of the lion of hell. He is entitled to an immortal life, in virtue of having finished the work assigned him by the Father, and he is in actual possession of that life. But on the same ground he is morally qualified, or has a right to confer a similar life upon his people. He does not hterally communicate to them the same life and blessedness which he enjoys; but by his divine power he assimilates them to himself in an immortal and happy life. "I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand." "Because I live, ye shall live also." The same divine Spirit, who is the Spirit of life in Christ, is also the Spirit of life in believers. By taking possession of their hearts, and producing a new life in them, he unites them to Christ as his members, or branches. The vital principle which is in the tree must pervade the branches, otherwise they will be dead. Were the whole of the vital principle communicated to the branches, the trunk would be lifeless: but while the same principle is dif fused through both the trunk and branches, both are alive. The same Spirit, that is the life of the souls of believers, by dwelling and operating in them, dwells in Christ their head. They live by the Spirit, and also walk by the Spirit." When his people are justified, and all their sins forgiven, through his righteousness,

it is not by dividing it into as many parts as there are persons to be justified, and transferring it from himself to them: this would be to destroy it, and unjustify himself; but, as was already noticed, by taking them into the closest union with himself, as the "Lord their righteousness." Thus the communication of Christ's fulness to his people, is, his making them partakers of all that blessedness and glory to which they were cho. sen by the Father, which he was appointed to confer upon them, and which he is fully qualified to do by that fulness which he possesses. This is he "who descended first into the lowest parts of the earth, and also ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things." Eph. iv. 9, 10.

6. THIS fulness is free and accessible to all. The lapsed angels have no interest in it; nor is any revelation of it made directly to them, nor invitation given them to come to it. The Son of God assumed not the angelic nature, so could not expiate their sin: nor do we find any provision made for them, nor any promise in the oracles of truth opening a door of hope.

To mankind sinners only, is the gospel revealed. To them it offers a complete salvation from all sin, and all its unhappy consequences. Nor does it prescribe certain conditions to be filled up by them, in order to make way for their enjoyment of the salvation offered. They are called to come and buy; but it is" without money and without price." The doctrines of the gospel unfold the whole plan of salvation. They delineate the character and work of the Saviour, the relation which he held to sinners in his humbled condition: they point out the blessings which he procured, and the manner in which they are conferred. But we nowhere find, that any proper condition is prescribed to