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proving that Jesus was the Messiah, the very Christ the Son of God. Such was the Apostle to the Gentiles. Is it wonderful that he magnified his office?

SKETCH CVIII.

1 CORINTIANS XV. 28.

And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him, that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

First, ALL things shall be subjected unto him. To whom? To him that did put all things under him. But who was it that did put all things under him? Certainly, Jesus Christ. Read the three verses immediately preceding our text, and the truth will stand confest, "For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith, all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him." Then follows our text. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him, that did put all things under him (in other words, unto Christ Jesus) that God may be all in all.

Secondly, What are we to understand by subduing? Undoubtedly bringing into subjection. But bringing into subjection implies previous rebellion. It is impious, therefore, to suppose that this son, to be brought into subjection was Christ Jesus. Was Christ Jesus in his individual character, ever in a state of rebellion ? Yet we are told most irreverently, that at the final consummation of all things, we shall behold a universe of Deists, for Christ Jesus shall be brought into a state of subjection; but such conclusions can only be formed by those who have never learned or who have forgotten, that the characters Father, Son and Holy Ghost are merely designed, as an accommodation to our limited understanding, and are but various exhibitions of the same one eternal God. And when all things shall be subdued unto him; an explanation of this clause in our text is furnished by St.

Matthew xiii. 41, "The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity." This is subduing the human earth, when from his kingdom, which is made up of all nations, and kindreds, and tongues, every thing that gives offence, and every one of those evil spirits, that have worked in the hearts of God's offspring is removed, then all things will be subdued unto God. The apostle Paul in his Epistle to the Philippians iii. 20, 21, repeats and confirms this glorious truth. "For our conversation

is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the LORD Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself.”

Thirdly, When all things are thus subdued unto himself, then shall the Son also be subject unto him, that did put all things under him. We have already seen that it is Jesus, who put all enemies under his feet, and we have heard the Apostle affirm, that when he saith, all things are put under him, it is manifest he is excepted, who did put all things under him.

Then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that did put all things under him. The offspring of God, the human family, was first exhibited in the singular character, in this character they sinned, and in this character they must be saved; accordingly we are admonished to have a single eye. Matthew vi. 22, "The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light," And hence, Jesus Christ as the head of every man is called the light of the world and when all things shall be subdued unto him, who is the light of the world, then shall the Son also, who was made subject to vanity, be subjected to vanity no more. Human nature in the aggregate shall be brought into subjection to him, who is able to subdue all things unto himself, until that period partial reforms may take place, but the day of retribution will be the day of final subjection.

Fourthly, When the human family are thus individually and collectively subdued; it will not be the head only that will be filled with God, the whole body will be filled with God, for at this glorious era, God, or the divine nature, will be all in all. Ephesians i. 21, 22, 23, "Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not

only in this world, but also in that which is to come and hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church. Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.". Matthew xxviii. 18, "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." John i. 14, "And the word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father) full of grace and truth." Colossians i. 18." And he is the head of the body, the church who is the beginning, the first-born from the dead: that in all things he might have the pre-eminence." Colossians ii. 9, 10, "For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the God-head bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all." Colossians iii. 11, "Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free; but Christ is all, and in all." Read, my beloved hearers, the second chapter of the Hebrews, from the eighth verse to the close.

Fifthly, As the human nature was first put forth in God's image, so, at the final consummation of all things, this nature shall be restored to its original character. 1 John v. 20, "And we

know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life." John xvii. 22, 23, "And the glory which thou gavest me, I have given them, that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them as thou hast loved me." Thus will God be all in all; thus shall we be filled with the fulness of God. Blessed are those who have

These are the true sayings of God. power given them to believe with their hearts, and to make confession to God.

SKETCH CIX.

2 CORINTHIANS, ii. 15, 16.

First, WHAT are we to understand by the Apostles being unto God a sweet savour of Christ, both in them that are saved, and in them that perish? That, as God had so loved the world as to give his Son to die for the sins of the world, it was a sweet savour unto him, that his servants should bear witness to this truth, and this grace, the fulness of which was in Christ, and as Jesus had by the grace of God tasted death for every man, it was pleasing to God that his apostles should constantly affirm, that Jesus Christ in giving himself a ransom for all was indeed the complete, unequivocal Saviour of all men. Hence, saith the apostle Peter in his First General Epistle, iv. 6, "For this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they may be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit."

God well knew that his eternal purpose was accomplished, that his beloved Son in whom he was well pleased, had made that expiatory sacrifice, which restored them who had perished, and thus knowing, he could not but regard with complacency, could not but accept as a sweet savour, the testimony which bore witness to the redemption of those who were saved, and to those who perished. Yes, the testimony of John is true, i. 14, "And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father) full of grace and truth." The savour of the name of Jesus is always sweet to God whether manifested in the flesh, or seated at the right hand of his glory.

Secondly, Although to God they, the apostles, were a sweet savour of Christ both in them who were saved, and in them who perished; yet, to those who were in the state of death, who perished, they were the savour of death unto death, while to them who were saved, they were the savour of life unto life.

To those who judge agreeably to their own feelings, the testimony of life becomes the testimony of death, and they perish for lack of knowledge. Perishing is dying; a dead limb is perished. 1 Corinthians viii. 11, "And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish for whom Christ died?" To those from whose eyes the things that make for their peace is hidden, the gospel is a savour of death unto death. If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them who are lost; but blessed be God there are none lost which shall not be found, there are none die, there are none perish, who shall not be made alive again—all have perished, all have died in Christ. And if you would behold in one compendious view, the extensiveness of this death, the extensiveness of this salvation, turn to the second chapter of Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews. "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour, that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For both he who sanctifieth and they who are sanctified, are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren. Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same, that through death he might destroy him who had the power of death that is the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage. For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high Priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people."

SKETCH CX.

GALATIANS Vi. 7.

First, OUR subject commences with an exhortation, Be not deceived. What are we to understand by deception? A cunningly devised and cunningly managed artifice, or falsehood, by which the mind is effectually deluded and imposed upon. VOL. III.

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