March 17

The unsearchable riches of Christ. - Ephesians 3:8.

THESE unsearchable riches of Christ do not intend so much his attributes and possessions as God, as his mediatorial resources and treasures. The whole dispensation of the Spirit is lodged in his hands; for “in him it hath pleased the Father that all fulness should dwell”-pardon, peace, knowledge, strength, grace, and glory. There is an abundance of these riches in him; they are unsearchable as they are found in him. The world has its riches, but they are easily comprehended; and Solomon summed them all up when he said, “Vanity of vanities, vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, all is vanity.” All the wealth of the world, all the world calls good and great, is infinitely inferior to mind.

The riches of the Saviour are for the soul and for eternity-they are therefore invisible as to the senses; and they are boundless, too, so that no creature in heaven or earth can ever fully explore them. Angels, it is true, desire to look into these things, and will always be looking into them, but never fathom their depths. No mortal, therefore, can ever worthily conceive of the value of that blood which cleanseth from all sin;-the perfection of that righteousness which can justify the ungodly and give him a title to eternal life;-that peace which passeth all understanding;-that “joy which is unspeakable and full of glory;”-that love which passeth knowledge; or that power that is “able to do for us exceedingly abundant above all that we can ask or think.” Well, therefore, may the Apostle call them the “unsearchable riches of Christ.”

O, how we should rejoice to know that he is in possession of such unsearchable riches. It should gladden us to learn this on his own account, for he is infinitely worthy; on our own account we should rejoice that he has in his possession and at his disposal, and for us, all the treasures of nature and grace, and of providence and glory; and we should rejoice on the account of others, that these unsearchable riches belong to one

“Whose heart is made of tenderness,

Whose bowels melt with love.”

Let us rejoice to think that therefore there are in him the resources of pity and of power, and the resources of grace and of glory. And let us tell this joy to him who has unsearchable riches, with confidence. Let us enlarge our desires and our hopes, and be not satisfied with just obtaining from him mere relief, but “ask and receive, that our joy may be full.”