Particularly the fullness of grace
II. To give some account of the nature and properties of this fullness
Particularly the fullness of grace
It is a very ancient. We are not to suppose that this fullness was first put into Christ's hands upon his ascension to heaven, and session at the right hand of God; for though he is then said to have received gifts for men, and to have given them to them, because there was then an extraordinary distribution of the gifts and grace of the Spirit to the apostles, yet God had given the Spirit to Christ without measure long before. The disciples in the days of his flesh, in his state of humiliation, when the word being made flesh dwelt among them, beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14) And long before them Isaiah saw this branch of his glory, his train filling the temple. All the Old-Testament saints looked to him, believed in him, and depended on him, as their living Redeemer; one and all said, Surely in the Lord have I righteousness and strength. (Isaiah 14:24) They were supplied with both out of this fullness: they drew water with joy, out of the wells of salvation in Christ; and were saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus, even as we are. Yea, this matter is to be carried still higher, not only to Old-Testament times, or to the foundation of the world, but even into eternity itself. For as early as the elect were given to Christ, so early was grace given to them in him; which was before the world began; as early as the choice of them in him, which was before the foundation of the world, so early were they blessed with all spiritual blessings in him; as early as Christ was the mediator of the covenant, and that was as early as the covenant itself, which was from everlasting; so early was this fullness of grace deposited with him. The Lord possessed me, says Wisdom or Christ, that is, with this all fullness of grace, in the beginning of his ways of grace; he began with this, before his works of old, of creation and providence; I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was, (Proverbs 8:22, 23) as the mediator of the covenant, entrusted with all the blessings and promises of it. Now this serves greatly to set forth the eternity of Christ's person, the antiquity of his office, and the early regard Jehovah had to his chosen people; which strongly expresses his wondrous love, and distinguishing grace towards them.
This fullness is a very rich, and an enriching one. It is a fullness of truth, as well as of grace; for Christ is full of grace and truth, which the gospel largely opens to us; every truth of which is a pearl of great price, and all together make up an inestimable treasure, more valuable than all the riches of the Indies. Now in Christ are laid up and hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (Colossians 2:3) What a rich and enriching stock, fund, and fullness of truth, is there in Jesus Christ! The promises of grace are precious ones to all those who have seen grace that is in them, to whom they have been opened by the Holy Spirit of promise, and have been by him suitably and seasonably applied; to such they are exceeding precious indeed, they are like applies of gold in pictures of silver, rejoiced at more that at a great spoil, and preferred to all the riches of the world; and these, as has been observed, are all in Christ. There are not only riches of grace, but riches of glory in Christ, even unsearchable riches, which can never be traced out or told over; which are solid and substantial, satisfying, lasting and durable. Through the poverty of Christ we are enriched with those riches here and hereafter; and this serves much to enhance the glory, excellency, freeness and fullness of his grace: For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9).
This fullness is entirely free, with respect to the spring and source of it, the distribution of it, the persons concerned in it, and the manner in which they receive from it. The source and spring of it is the sovereign goodwill and pleasure, grace, and love of God. It pleased the Father to lay it up in Christ: He was not induced to it by any thing in his people, or done by them; for it was laid up in Christ antecedent to their having done good or evil. He could not be influenced by their faith and holiness to do it; since these are received out of it: For of his fullness have we all received, and grace for grace; (John 1:14) one grace as well as another, every sort of grace, and faith, and holiness among the rest: nor could he be moved to it by their good works; seeing these are fruits of that grace which is derived from it. It is indeed said to be for them that fear him, and trust in him; but these phrases are only descriptive of the persons who have received from it, and are made so by it; not that their fear and faith were the causes or conditions of it: for then the goodness of God would not be so largely displayed in it, as the Psalmist (Psalm 31:19) suggests; when he says, O how great is thy goodness which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought, or appointed, or made for them that trust in thee, before the sons of men! And as it was freely laid up, it is as freely distributed; our Lord gives it out liberally, and upbraideth not; he gives this living water to all that ask it of him, yea, to them that ask it not; he gives more grace, large measures, fresh supplies of it, to his humble saints, readily and cheerfully, as they stand in need of them; he withholds no good things from them that walk uprightly. The persons to whom it is given are very unworthy, and yet heartily welcome. Whoever is thirsty, and has a will to come, may come and take the water of life freely; such who have no money, nor anything that is of a valuable consideration, who have neither worth, nor worthiness of their own, may come and buy wine and milk, without money, and without price. And whereas this fullness of Christ, this well of grace is deep, and we have nothing to draw with, faith, the bucket of faith is freely given: that grace, by which we receive of it, is not of ourselves, it is the gift of God; and with this we draw water with joy out of the full wells of salvation, which are in Christ Jesus.
This fullness is inexhaustible. As the whole family in heaven and in earth is named of Christ, so it is maintained by him. If by the family in heaven we understand the angels, as it was usual with the Jews to call them a family, and the family above; what large measures of confirming grace have the elect angels received from Christ! For he is the head of grace to them, as well as to us: we are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power. (Colossians 2:10) Or, if by the family in heaven, is meant the saints who are gone to glory; what a vast deal of grace has been expended out of this fullness to bring them thither! The grace of our Lord has been abundant, superabundant; it has flowed, and overflowed; there has been a pleonasm, a redundancy of it in the case of a single believer. O what must the aboundings of it have been to all the saints in all ages, times and places, since the foundation of the world! And still there is enough for the family on earth yet behind. Christ is still the fountain of all his gardens, the churches, a well of living water, which supplies them all, and streams from Lebanon, which sweetly refresh and delight them. His grace is still sufficient for them; it is the same to-day, yesterday, and for ever. I go on.