May 31

He giveth more grace. - James 4:6.

WE are here taught to view the Saviour as “THE GOD OF ALL GRACE.” We are encouraged to open our mouth wide, and he will fill it; to ask and receive, that our joy may be full. In applying this subject let us observe, First, What a view does it give us of the glory of Christ? How boundless his compassion! How amazing his resources! How unsearchable his riches! He is Lord of all. Compare him with other benefactors: how soon would the greatest monarch be impoverished, if all the poor and needy of every kind were to apply to him with the assurance of success! But in all ages of the world “a multitude which no man can number” have addressed the Saviour, and not one of them all have been repulsed, or sent empty away! Every one of them has said, “The Lord, hath heard the voice of my supplications;” and, turning to others, has exclaimed, “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man that trusteth in him.” Secondly, It should lead us to self-examination. Are we partakers of this fulness?

The hearers of the gospel may be divided into three classes. First, There are those who never received from the fulness there is in Christ; they have never applied for it. They are, indeed, the subjects of his bounty and of his providence. He has clothed them and fed them all their life long, though they have never offered up one prayer to him. But have we not souls within us, and an eternity before us? Is this all we need, and all we shall need in the hour of trouble and in the day of death? The Scriptures assure us that there is no relief but in him, but that in him it is sure. His giving falls in with his dispensation of mercy. He delights to succour and relieve all applicants; he never said, “Seek ye me in vain.” In the days of his flesh he said, “Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out.” If we do not consider ourselves too good, he will not deem us too bad. Oh, let us turn, then, from all creatures, who are but broken cisterns, to the Saviour, the fountain of living waters; from a world of vanity and vexation, to the Saviour full of grace and truth. So long as we look to ourselves, the view is enough to fill us with despair; but on receiving out of his fulness we shall be able to say, “In the Lord have I righteousness and strength;” for Christ is all and in all to those who have received him.

Secondly, There are some who have received of this fulness, but are not persuaded of it, and have never drawn a conclusion in their favour. But shall this drive them to despair? It should not:-“There is hope in Israel concerning this thing.” They have a proof of something good, and a pledge of something better, if they have only light enough to see their darkness, and feeling enough to be sensible of their need of a Saviour.

“Cold as I feel this heart of mine,

Yet, since I feel it so,

It yields some hope of life divine

Within, however low.”

“Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.”

Thirdly, There are some who can and do say that they have received of this fulness. “Oh,” say these, “I cannot sufficiently or worthily express my gratitude for what he has done for my soul, for he has turned my feet into the path of peace, and my desire is to his name; and I can say, ‘Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee.’” If this is our experience, we have reason to rejoice in the Lord. Let us remember that we were once far off, but he has brought us nigh; we were once poor, but he has enriched us. We know who it is that has made us to differ; and, having received of his fulness and “grace for grace,” we are thus called upon to speak to others; and we can address them from our own experience and say, “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ.”