God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. 1. Tim. ii. 5, 6. 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. Heb. ii. 9. In the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father: and therefore, every tongue surely shall say, in the Lord have I righteousness, and strength.

Should any one still contend, in opposition to the analogy of the whole New Testament, that these comprehensive words, are not to be understood in their proper sense, in the second class of texts just quoted; we shall turn him over for correction to the apostle Paul; who is certainly the best commentator upon his own writings. His words are these.-Thou hast put all things under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. Heb. ii. 8.

III. This universal Subjection and Confession, includes Salvation no less universal.

1. All who are incensed against him shall be ashamed,' in perfect harmony with a state of contrition and grace.

For says the prophet, When thy sister, [the sisters of Jerusalem] Sodom and her daughters, shall return to their former estate, and Samaria and her daughters shall return to their former estate, then thou and thy daughters shall return to

your former estate.* And I will establish my Covenant with thee, and thou shalt know that I am the Lord: That thou mayest remember and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame, when I am pacified towards thee, saith the Lord God. Ezek. xvi. 55, 62, 63. God cannot be said to be pacified towards those who have not a saving peace in themselves; for he is said to be angry with the wicked every day.

2. The subjection, here mentioned, is a state of sincere, and saving obedience.

Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. But now we see not all things put under him.' The original word signifies that subjection which the things had in the beginning, when they were created.

3. In the name of Jesus, every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord; surely shall say, in the Lord have I righteousness and strength.

Since it has now been fully established, that every tongue will confess, without discrimination; the legitimate inference is this: that unless some of these confessions, be not only void of faith, but absolute falsehoods, and not only falsehoods, but falsehoods authorized by the God of truth; universal salvation is inevitable. For all this is to be done in the name, that is, by the power and authority of the Lord Jesus; this is the true import of the expression; as any one may satisfy himself by comparison. These confes

* We beg leave to remind the reader, that Sodom whose restoration is here foretold, was utterly destroyed---not a single individual escaped. For the same day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Luke xvi. 29.

sions are therefore by the authority of our Lord; by the power of him who has declared by his apostles, that whatsoever is not of faith, is sin. The Son can do nothing but what he seeth the Father do.' Is the Son of God, is God himself, the author of sin and falsehood? Does he tempt the wicked to sin? Let no man say, when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man. James i. 13.

4. Every tongue shall confess, to the glory of God the Father.

It seems to have been objected, by many, who admit that not a single individual is excluded from this confession, that, with respect to some, it will be a false confession, serving as a prelude to their torments in hell. But we shall soon render it evident, by new arguments, that all these professions are declarations of the truth.

First. We find it no where asserted in the Scriptures, that God is glorified by feigned submission, false oaths, or by the prostitution of consecrated expressions. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. Rom. iii. 23. And they repented not to give him glory. Rev. xvi. 9. O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye seek after lies? Psalm iv. 2. Will you speak wickedly for God, and talk deceitfully for him? Job xiii. 7.

Many of those who contend, that the false professions of the wicked, are to the glory of God, have therefore supposed, that he is glorified in their sufferings; that these falsehoods, by aggravating the pangs of hell, will bring a new accession to the glory of God, To refute this hypothesis, we shall proceed to give a scriptural definition of the divine glory.

Secondly. The glory of God, consists only in his personal glory, and in his love, as immediately displayed in his creatures.

Throughout the whole Scriptures, whenever the expression, the glory of God, or the glory of the Lord, occurs, there is no evidence, that it includes any thing more, than the glory which God has in himself and his goodness, as directly manifested in his works: an irresistible argument is thus derived, from a most extensive comparison, to prove that the glory of Jehovah is limited to this alone. And Moses said, I beseech thee, show me thy glory. And he [Jehovah] said, I will make all iny goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy. And he said, thou canst not see my face; for there shall no man see me, and live. Ex. xxxiii. 18-20. This may be called Jehovah's own definition of his own glory.

And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, &c. As if the Almighty had said thus: You must know, that the streams of my goodness are glorious, not merely because they flow into the cup of human bliss; but because, having their source in my will, even in the Fountain of love, they are tokens of my tender affection. For God is love." Believing, therefore, that the Most High doth his will in the heavens above, and in the earth beneath, and that none can stay (or knowing him, would wish to stay) his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?' you have every motive for gratitude and resignation. There is no authority for asserting, that it is here implied, that he is a God by no means clearing the guilty,' and for affirming, conse

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quently, that his glory also consists immediately in this. For if this is implied, why was it not expressed? Why was it omitted at this time, when Moses stood by the tabernacle, where, at his request, the glory of the Lord was revealed; and yet (Ex. xxxiv. 4-7.) expressed on the mount? The reason is the following: Moses ascended the mount, not principally to behold the glory of the Lord, but to receive the law-a dispensation, not of unmingled grace and mercy, but of good and evil, rewards and punishments, life and death. Nor is there any foundation for concluding, that Paul, quoting the words, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion,' infers from these expressions, that whom he will he hardeneth.' For Paul does not draw this inference from these declarations; but from the dealings of God with Pharaoh. But we shall take the liberty of quoting the passage.

"Rom. ix. 13. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau bave I hated.*

14. What shall we say, then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.

15. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

16. So then, it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

17. For the Scripture saith unto Pharaoh, even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.

* Nothing more is here implied, than a real or a seeming pref

erence.