The Father’s Love to the Son, and Depositing All Things into His Hand

Extract

The Father’s Love to the Son, and Depositing
(All Things into His Hand)
Ralph Erskine

“The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into His hand” John 3:35.

It is in the holy and over-ruling providence of Him, in whose hand all things and all hearts are, that I have been inclined to pursue this subject, on this solemn occasion. I have not found my mind determined to enter on any other theme; and, I suppose, no subject can be more suitable to the work of the day; for, we cannot commemorate the boundless love of Christ to us, in dying for our sins; nor can we remember it more effectually than by remembering the Father’s bountiful love to Him, for His so doing; and that evidenced by His giving all things into His hand.

Nothing in the world, will sweeten the remembrance of Christ’s love to us, so much as the believing remembrance of the Father’s love to Him; even as nothing can provoke us more to put honour upon Christ, than to see how much honour the Father puts upon Him; and for this end, “That all men might honour the Son, even as they honour the Father.” Why, what honour has the Father put upon Him? It is even the greatest honour; and that wherein our greatest happiness lies He “hath given all things into His hand.”
As this is laid down here for a foundation of faith, if you compare it with verse 36, and with Matt. 11:27, 28; so here we have a full feast, and plentiful provision for our faith to feed upon this day, and all in the best hand; “The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into His hand.”

The doctrinal observation we deduced from these words was as follows, namely—
“That the Father’s love to the Son, evidenced by His giving all things into His hand, is a strong argument and encouragement for faith to believe in Him.”
The method laid down, for prosecuting this subject, was the following, viz.:
I. I would speak a little of the Father’s love to the Son. …