IN some preceding verses of this chapter, St. Paul describes the personal excellency and dignity of our Lord Jesus Christ in his divine nature, and as the creator of the universe: ‘Who is the image of the invisible God, the first born of every creature: by whom were all things created that are in heaven, and that are in earth, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; all things were created by him and for him: he is before all things, and by him all things consist.’ In the 18th verse, he considers the excellency of Christ's offices in the human nature, which he assumed into personal union with himself, not only as the political head of direction, authority and government, but also of vital influences, to communicate all spiritual life, nourish­ment, growth, and activity to every member of the church, "which is his body." The more evidently to shew his sufficiency for these glorious purposes, it is added in the words of our text, ‘For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell.’ The word Father is not in the original, and perhaps the passage may be justly paraphrased thus: For it is the result of eternal counsel, that correspondent to the excellency of Christ's divine person, and the greatness of his mediatorial work, he should posse [...]s all fulness of gifts and qualifications, to render him a saviour worthy of the most unreserved and perfect reliance of believers.

[Page 4] It is certainly, among many others, a very powerful support of our confidence in the redeemer, that he exercises none of his offices, but under the seal of divine appointment. The whole scheme of salvation is a device of infinite wisdom: and Christ, the great high priest of the new covenant is, accordingly, chosen from all eternity, to fulfil the gracious offices which he exercises in the recovery of sinners, and in accomplishing their reconciliation to God.

From all eternity he was the ‘elect of God, in whom his soul delighteth; his servant whom he upholdeth, upon whom he putteth his spirit, that he might shew judgment to the Gentiles. He was set up from everlasting,—from the beginning, or ever the earth was: and he glorified not himself, to be made an high priest, but he that said unto him, Thou art my son, to day have I begotten thee.’ And so in the text Christ is not self-exalted in the all-sufficiency which is committed to him as the head of the church; but by the decree of eternal wisdom it is determined, that in "him should all fulness dwell.

As some of the most illustrious displays of this fulness are exhibited in the spreading and establishment of the gospel, in the enlarging of the borders of Zion, and in extending the means for bringing men to the know­ledge of salvation, it will be a proper subject of meditation on the present occasion. In further treating of it, I shall endeavour to shew some of the most important respects in which all fulness dwelleth in Christ, and then to lead to the suitable application of the subject.

1st. I am to point out some of the most important respects, in which all fulness dwelleth in Christ.

It may be necessary to observe here, that our text considers the Lord Jesus only in his mediatorial character, and speaks not of the fulness which is essential to his [Page 5] divine nature, but of that which is communicated to him as Messiah. As God indeed, he is ‘over all blessed forever,’ and by reason of the union of his two natures, ‘all the fulness of the Godhead dwelleth in him bodily.’ The essential perfections of deity are, in this respect, the same in him as in the Father and the Holy Ghost: not depending on the divine decree, but co-essential with his eternal existence. For this reason ‘his name is called wonderful, counsellor, and the mighty God, as well as the prince of peace,—his throne is forever and forever: and he counted it not robbery to be equal with God, for he is the true God.’

In respect, therefore, to his divine nature, distinctly considered, Christ hath all the fulness of infinite being, glory, blessedness and perfection, independent and underived.

But in his mediatorial offices, the scriptures represent him as receiving his qualifications according to, and in consequence of the divine appointment. Agreeably to which he declares his authority to publish the glad tidings of salvation to guilty men: he claims it by virtue of the unction which he had received of the Father: ‘The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor: he hath sent me to heal the broken hearted; to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind; to set at liberty them that are bruised.’ And when he testified the authority by which he fulfils all his offices in the character of the Messiah, he declared it not to be from himself, but by the direction of the Father: ‘I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.’ Yet in the character of mediator, considered as a subordinate character, all, [Page 6] even infinite fulness is committed to Christ, to be employed by him in accomplishing the purposes of infinite mercy; and this fulness is more particularly exercised and evidenced, in the

1st place, in his almighty power:—It is a glory in Christ's character that he ‘is mighty to save—that he can save to the uttermost, them that come unto God by him.’

But barely to deliver the guilty from destruction, is not the utmost of that illustrious power which he possesseth; nor indeed is it the utmost that divine grace hath intended should be exercised for them that believe. In the great scheme of redemption, the minutest circumstances of the saints have been attended to, and all provision is made for them during a wearisome pilgrimage, as well as for their eternal safety. They are liable to no changes, either in spiritual or temporal concerns, which are not fully under the control of the great high priest and captain of their salvation: and for this purpose both nature and providence are subjected to his hand. In the days of his humiliation, he evidenced, in innumerable instances, the influence of his almighty power. The visible and the invisible creation lay prostrate at his feet. He disposed and directed all the human faculties, both of body and mind, at his pleasure. The most inveterate diseases yielded to his healing word. With case he arrested the unruly elements, and bound or loosed them at his will. Death and the grave submitted to his all-subduing dominion: and even apostate spirits, hardened in their rebellion, trembled and confessed his power. Nor was this only a temporary exercise of power, given to him as a testimony of his heavenly descent and mission; but after his resurrection, when all that was necessary as a meritorious foundation for the redemption of his church was accomplished, he declared, for the everlasting support of his humble [Page 7] followers, that all power was given to him in heaven and upon earth. And it is a consideration demanding attention, that this declaration peculiarly relates to his offices as Messiah. All things are put under him, and he reigneth until he shall have put down all opposing rule, authority and power; until all his enemies are put under his feet: he is gone into the highest heavens, ‘and is on the right hand of God, having angels, authorities and powers made subject to him;’ and he hath entered into this state of exaltation, as head over all things to his church, to exercise a dominion for the benefit of his believing subjects. The sun, moon and stars shine not but by his command—the revolving seasons continue, and are productive or unfruitful, healthful or noxious, according to his sovereign direction,—states and empires flourish, or are extinguished by his power alone. Nor is this all—the thoughts and actions of men are equally subjected to him: he succeeds or disappoints the wisdom of the prudent, as shall best answer the purposes of his own government—he turns the hidden and intricate counsels of the wicked into foolishness, and frequently causes their best concerted measures to operate against themselves; while on the other hand, neither the want of abilities or influence in the agents he is pleased to employ, can prevent the success of any of his designs. If it is necessary, ‘he will give them a mouth and wisdom, which all their adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist;’ and if he chuse it, ‘the weak things of the world shall confound the mighty, and the things which are not, bring to nought things which are.’ In fine, whether he worketh by visible instruments or without them, whatsoever his will determines in heaven, or upon earth, his hand is able to perform.

But 2dly. Christ hath all fulness of authority as well as power. The plenitude of his power implies, indeed, [Page 8] an authority to use it. It could not be a fulness of power▪ if circumscribed in its exercise, by the least degree of limitation. And when we consider Christ's mediatorial power, we must always conceive of it not as it exists in him as an essential attribute of his divine nature, but as delegated to him for the special purposes for which he hath assumed the mediatorial character, which of consequence includes authority; and accord­ingly all those passages which assert Christ's power as the Messiah speak of it as a moral, and not a natural faculty; and the same word is uniformly used to express it in the original, which is always used to signify his authority: thus when he saith, ‘I have power to lay down my life, and I have power to take it again;’ and when he declareth, that ‘the son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins,’ it is evident that it is the same as to say, I have authority to lay down my life and to take it again; and the son of man hath authority on earth to forgive sins. And so when it is said, "he taught them as one having authority;" and when the ‘chief priests and the elders asked him, By what authority doest thou these things?’ using the word in the above signification, we might read, he taught as one having power, and by what power doest thou these things? All authority then dwelleth in Christ; and not only is all just and equitable authority on earth derived from him, as by him kings reign and princes decree justice; but as king on the holy hill of Zion, the heavens as well as the earth are under his government—all the angels of God worship and obey him—the heavenly hosts rejoice to do his pleasure. And in the exercise of the same righteous dominion, he both governs the universe and gives laws to his church.—He appoints the station of every individual of its members; directs their peculiar circumstances while in their pilgrim­age state; orders the measure of their trials, calling [Page 9] them forth, either to the special exercise of their faith, hope and patience, under adversity and affliction; or of humility and thankfulness, in the experience of distin­guishing bounty. And he dispenses to all that propor­tion of grace and spiritual advantages which he determines to be best and most expedient for them. In like manner he hath instituted the means of grace, and appointed the several ordinances of the gospel, for the regular and orderly worship of God; hath given the exact rule of faith, in all things that pertain to the glory of God, or the salvation of our souls; and prescribed that rule of conduct, which is to be the guide of all our actions through the various changes of life. And finally, Christ will hereafter appear in all the glory of his authority, when, as sovereign and righteous judge of all the earth, ‘he shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and the trump of God;—when all the tribes of the earth shall see him coming in the clouds with power and great glory; and as the son of man he shall appear in his own glory, in the glory of the Father and of his holy angels;’—when by the authority he hath received, he shall fix the everlasting condition of saints and sinners; assigning to the one a crown of righteousness, and receiving them to the kingdom of his Father; while the others shall go away into everlasting fire.

3d. Christ hath all fulness of wisdom and grace. Omniscience is his as God; and boundless wisdom is given to him as mediator. It was a glorious prediction concerning him even in his lowly humiliation; ‘The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.’ This prophecy was eminently fulfilled in the redeemer, who not only displayed the wisdom and power of God in the qualifications of his person for the mediatorial offices, [Page 10] but had all the treasures of infinite wisdom committed to him, as head of the church, for the use and benefit of the saints: and though its influence is often beyond their comprehension, and concealed from carnal minds, yet it is employed in conducting all the affairs of his kingdom, and all things that relate to their happiness, either in the dispensation of his providence or grace. And as infinite grace is combined with his unspeakable wisdom; as he is ever touched with the feeling of our infirmities, and hath a sympathy with his people under all their necessities, and under all their temptations, it is impossible that his power or authority should ever be misapplied. He is acquainted with the circumstances of every individual believer; knows how, and is disposed seasonably to supply all their wants spiritual or temporal, and so to over-rule every occurrence of time to them, that at length they shall see how he hath caused light to shine out of the obscurest darkness; and that he is able to give them ‘the oil of joy for mourning, and the garments of praise for the spirit of heaviness’ He discerns the state of his church at large, and not only hath power and a gracious disposition to build up its interests in the world, but hath wisdom to direct all circumstances relating to it; so that his children shall be gathered from all quarters of the globe, and none of them be left without the needful dispensations of his grace.