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SERMON IX.

ON THE POWER AND GLORY OF CHRIST.

Col. i. 18, 19.

That in all things he might have the pre-eminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell.

THE salvation of our souls is of such infinite importance, that we cannot be too solicitous as to the means of securing it. And when we are told that it must be effected, solely by the power and at the intercession of One who seemed in most respects a man like ourselves, and suffered an ignominious death, it is both natural and reasonable to inquire what extraordinary virtue he possessed, or whence he derived the wonderful power of arresting the arm of Divine Justice, and bestowing pardon for offences against God; of bidding the despairing sinner hope, and of promising to wretched mortals eternal life and the happiness of heaven. An answer to this inquiry is given in the words of which my text is a part: "We have redemption," says the Apostle, "through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins." And to satisfy us, that the blood of Christ may

possess an efficacy to which no other atonement could pretend, the extraordinary dignity and glory of his nature are plainly revealed. "He is the image of the invisible God;" an image or likeness such as a mirror represents; an exact copy of the Divine original, resembling him in glory, in attributes, in dominion. "The first-born of every creature;" first born, not as being himself a creature, and merely the first of created beings, but as Heir or Lord of the universe-expressions which, as we learn from Justinian, were anciently synonimous with each other. This passage therefore corresponds with another of the same Apostle, in which Christ is styled "the Heir of all things, for," or because, "by him all things were created, that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible," as the lights of the firmament and all this lower world, "and invisible," as the whole host of spiritual beings, "whether they be" styled "thrones or dominions, principalities or powers, all things were created by him" as the agent, "and for him" as the end of their creation. "And he is before all things," in respect to his eternal existence, "and by him," by the constant exertion of his power and providence, "all things consist." And as he is thus the Lord of the universe by creation, so is he likewise by redemption the Lord of the church. "He is the Head of the body the church, who is the beginning," the author of the Christian dispensation; the first born from the dead," rising as the first fruits of that resurrection to life and immortality in which his redeemed shall have part through him, and thus Lord of the church above, "that in all things he might have the pre-eminence; for it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;" all fulness of power to create, to redeem, to preserve, to govern, to save his people.

Here, then, we have the ground explained on which we may safely trust in Christ as an all-sufficient Saviour. It is Him, who is the image of the invisible God, and Lord of all things in heaven and earth, on whose atonement we are required to rely. It is to Him,

who is ordained to be head over all things to the church, that we are directed to look for victory over all our spiritual enemies. And indeed there is an obvious propriety in the appointment, that the same illustrious person who was the Creator of the world, should also be its Redeemer-that he who gave it life should be the restorer of that life when it was forfeited-that he who will judge the world at the last day should be the same person who both formed it by his power and redeemed it by his blood; "For if Christ was the immediate Creator and Governor of the world, what reason can be imagined why God should ever take this authority out of the hands of his Son, or set up another to have dominion over any part of the creation which by natural right belonged to him who made all things. Were we to consider one person in the Holy Trinity as our Creator, and another as our Redeemer, it would be extremely to the diminution of the honour and regard due to the Creator; for the blessing of redemption would greatly outweigh the benefit of creation, and it would be natural for us to prefer the love that delivered us from the evils and miseries of the world, to that which placed us in them."* But now we see all those things which bear any relation to man, and call for his confidence, his gratitude, and his love centering in the same perThat Divine Being who breathed into us the breath of life, who has been our constant Preserver and our bountiful Benefactor; to whom we owe every blessing which renders life desirable; he it is who took upon him our nature, and redeemed us by his blood; he it is who intercedes in our behalf at the right hand of the Father; he it is who sends the holy influence of the Spirit to sanctify our corrupt nature; his presence is ever with us to defend and bless us; by his word we are instructed, by his ordinances edified, by his promises comforted and supported. Into his hands we commend our parting spirit; he receives them in the realm of glory; he shall raise our vile bodies and fashion them like unto

son.

* Sherlock, vol.1. p. 48.

his own glorified body. And he too is the sole Judge of the world; who shall pronounce by his own authority the irreversible sentence by which we must be either admitted into everlasting bliss, or doomed to eternal punishment. Thus, with respect to man, he is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End; the Author of all his blessings present, or in prospect; the great Object of his veneration, hope, and love. In all things he has the pre-eminence, and in him all fulness dwells for the creation, the government, the protection, the salvation of men.

Let it not be thought that while we attribute this pre-eminence, this fulness to Christ, we derogate from the honour and glory which belong to the Father; for it must be remembered that it is the will of the Father that, "all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father." It pleased the Father that "in him should all fulness dwell." "The Father judgeth no man, but has committed all judgment to the Son;" yet in the end all these offices of our Redeemer shall promote the Father's glory. This was the final aim and object of Christ; and it was his prayer, while on earth, "Father, glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify Thee." The mediatorial kingdom is entrusted to Him for this very purpose, "till he shall have subdued all his enemies under his feet;" till he shall have repaired the ruin made by sin in his Father's dominions, and restored the creature to the capacity of fulfilling the end of his creation, and of reflecting glory upon the God who made him. When this is accomplished, "then cometh the end when he shall deliver up the kingdom," the office and government which he received as Mediator, to God, even the Father: and "then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all." The economy of Grace shall be superseded; the Godhead itself, the Trinity in Unity, become the immediate dispenser of blessings, and resume the empire of the worlds. When we entertain the fear that we may derogate from the

Father's honour by ascribing so much power and glory to Christ, we do not sufficiently reflect on the union and identity of their nature. Suppose that an earthly monarch were to entrust the charge of some distant and rebellious province to his son, that he were to commit the government into his hands, and invest him with all the dignity and authority of the crown: this transfer of the regal prerogative would not necessarily detract from the father's greatness: it might tend to its support and extension; the province might afterwards be restored to it sovereign, freed from disloyalty, augmented in its revenues, more efficient in its resources, a support to the empire, and an ornament to the crown. Could it be said, that in this case the honour paid to the son detracted from the father's glory? Or rather, would there not be a perfect identity of the interests of the father and the son? In the mediatorial kingdom of Christ there is this identity. The union is mysterious indeed, and incomprehensible, but altogether complete and perfect; so that the Son is truly one with the Father, and the honour paid to the Son is virtually paid to the Father himself. It is according to his will, in conformity to his appointment, and tending to his glory.

But further, if we honour the Father without the Son, lest otherwise we should derogate from the glory of the Father, is there no presumption, no danger nor guilt, in thus rejecting the counsel of God, and taking upon us to be wise "above" and against "what is written?" Has he not himself given us a dispensation, according to which, "it has pleased the Father that all fulness should dwell" in the Son, and that pardon and life should be administered only through him! If such be the character of the revelation which he has afforded, it is surely our first duty to honour him in his appointed way, and thankfully to receive his salvation. The system of redemption is grounded on our character as sinners. Had we continued innocent as at first created, we might perhaps have worshipped God, without the

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