of Christ?" for who can explore the extent of that excellence, which is so great as entirely to put away every figment of sin, so that not the least spot remains, but washed in his blood, they stand before the throne, their garments like fine linen, clean and white. No creature can dive into this abyss. He only who searcheth all things can fathom its immeasurable depth. Oh that every one of us, my beloved friends and brethren, may experimentally know its worth!

That we may with deepest gratitude unite in the apostolic thanksgiving "unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen."

Still further to manifest the propriety of the term "unsearchable riches," regard THE STORES OF

GRACE WHICH ARE TREASURED UP IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST FOR THE SUPPLY OF THE PRESENT WANTS OF HIS PEOPLE.

That we may better realize this, contemplate the various cases of sincere Christians as the light of day dawns upon them. All rise as to their souls as they do as to their bodies. All empty and unclothed. For the supplies of grace on one day no more suffice for the next than the food they eat. All require fresh grace.

Thousands there are who have wet their couch with tears, and rise with the burden of unpar

doned sin; a still greater number with perplexing cares and distressing sorrows. All these are

to be supplied with grace sufficient for them from "the unsearchable riches of Christ."

It is his precious blood which is to speak peace to their wounded consciences; his strength, which is to invigorate the feeble-minded; his wisdom, which is to enlighten the ignorant; his help, which is to give power to the tempted, when sorely harassed by their spiritual foes. There is no other refuge but in Him. As it is said of the animal creation, "The eyes of all wait upon thee, and thou givest them their meat in due season.' Thus it may be said of all true believers there is not a Christian whose eye is not turned to the Lord Jesus. They look to Him as the Psalmist did when he said, "All my springs are in thee."* Pardon, peace, holiness, happiness, all in thee. This has now been proceeding for many, many ages. Must there not then be abundant riches in Him to have supplied all these demands? and yet the stock remains unimpaired. Still to every one who comes to our blessed Lord, the word is

My grace is sufficient for thee." Well may the prophet Isaiah, in the thirty-third chapter of his prophecies, say of Him, "The glorious Lord shall be to us a place of broad rivers and streams." The expression is remarkable. The Lord, on the one

* Psalm lxxxvii. 7.

hand, is compared to a majestic river whose full waters fertilize many a plain. On the other hand, to a gentle stream which refreshes the plants and flowers of the humble cottage garden. My beloved brethren, it is delightful to trace these "unsearchable riches" as they appear on the Lord's day. How many large and crowded churches will this day partake of the waters of this "broad river?" whilst, in answer to their petitions, how many a poor widow, or trembling penitent, or harassed believer, will receive of the abundant grace flowing into their hearts like that "gentle stream which makes glad the city of God !"

Did time permit, I might further show the propriety of the term "unsearchable riches" by exploring other veins of this extensive mine. We might set before you the riches of wisdom which are treasured in the Lord Jesus. Or examine up his compassion, or try to fathom his goodness; these would be delightful occupations, but they would be endless. We might say of them all, as it is declared in the book of Job of wisdom, "There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture's eye hath not seen. The lion's whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it."* The same would be the case if we were to take his love. What unsearchable riches are here! Such are its treasures, that * Job xxxviii. 7.

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though it may be traced through eternity past, or to that period when the Eternal Three sat in council, and entered into the everlasting covenant for our redemption, and may be followed in its progress to a time when in a sense earth was richer than heaven, by having Him dwelling upon it," who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God," for our sakes took our nature upon him, and endured the accursed death of the cross. Still it is unsearchable. For who can set forth what that love will accomplish when myriads of sinners, like you and I, my beloved friends, shall stand before the throne? Every one holy, every one happy; yea, so happy, that heaven's wide domains are not large enough to contain their joys. Hallelujahs burst from their lips which the lowest deep shall hear; and for this purpose, to bear witness to the truth of the apostolic declaration, that the riches of Christ are "unsearchable riches."

Allow your minds, my beloved brethren, to dwell upon this heart-enlarging subject. Entreat the aid of the Holy Spirit to quicken your sight. These riches of Christ are not imaginary. They rest upon the surest foundation, his previous poverty, or his so emptying himself of that glory "which he had with the Father before the world was," that " though he was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor; so poor, that as he

himself says by the lips of the inspired Psalmist, "I am a worm, and no man, a reproach of men, and despised of the people." It is upon this humiliation that his riches as Christ, or as Jehovah's anointed, rest,-that he, having in reply to the proposal that a body should be given him, said, "Lo, I come; I delight to do thy will, O my God; yea, thy law is within my heart, Jehovah promised that he should see of the travail of his soul and be satisfied. And what was his satisfaction? that upon his finishing the work the Father had given him to do, those unsearchable riches should be his which would qualify him to confer present pardon, present grace, present peace, as well as everlasting glory upon all who were given him by the Father, even to as many as should believe on his name.

my Friends, when we attempt to meditate upon these unsearchable riches, and upon the sure foundation upon which they rest, the heart expands, the lips want utterance, language loses its power. It seems marvellous that every one does not at once entreat, Oh that I were partaker of some portion, at least, of this true wealth, that, made rich in Christ, I might "set my affection on things above, and not on things on earth."

But I should detain you too long, delightful as the contemplation is, were I to dwell any further upon this part of the subject. I therefore pro