BLESSEDNESS OF THE THEME. 169 the scene, which the poet has sketched, from "the volume of the Book," shall be realized; and "One song employ all nations; and all cry Worthy the Lamb, for He was slain for us. Earth rolls the rapturous hosanna round!" I know not, brethren, how this theme may affect you. But, for myself, I confess, I cannot dwell upon it, without a quickening pulse, at the thought of the final and glorious triumph which it sets before us! I bless God, for the bright glimpses of the splendours which shall mark the Redeemer's reign. It is a wondrous privilege to be permitted to look forward and contemplate the period of His glorious return to earth. It is a blessed thing, to turn the eye of faith upon the brightness of His "many crowns!" And, as we dwell thereon, that which places a hope-firmer than an adamantine rock, beneath our feet-is that the pathway to those crowns, leads up from the foot of the cross! The cross of Christ! O, it shall yet be the central figure of all creation's history! From it shall go forth the mighty attraction, that shall hold the universe together. And as worlds revolve around their central sun; so, shall the universe move in its mighty orbit, round the central fact of "Christ, and Him crucified." On that cross, the Saviour won His crown. His "agony and bloody sweat; His cross and passion;" invest it with all its glories. The brightness of the one would have had no existence, but for the shame and humiliation of the other. And His example, here, points out a great truth to us. If we would attain to the glory of His kingdom; we must seek and find, an interest in His cross. Faith in Jesus Christ, must unite us with His death; or we shall have no share in all the blessings which that death secured. The cross must lead us to the crown. Only, in its shadow, are we safe. Only, in the death, which it sets forth, can we attain to life. Only, through the shame, which it records, can we receive a title to the glory and blessedness of the everlasting kingdom. Men and brethren, what is that cross to you? LECTURE X. FOR unto the angels hath He not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.-HEB. ii. 5. And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom, under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, etc.-DAN. vii. 27. THE subject which these words bring before us, is The state of the earth, as the seat of the kingdom of God. The argument on this subject, in the Epistle to the Hebrews, is a very striking one. In chapter first, the apostle declares the superiority of Christ over the angels:* a. In His name, or nature. b. In His honours; or the position He fills; and c. In His offices. In office, He is to be king. He is set apart to this by solemn covenant. Then follows an exhortation to obedience; based on the foregoing considerations. Then-resuming the course of the argument-the apostle declares, that to Christ, and not to the angels, hath God "put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak;" i. e., which is to be the seat of His kingdom. His argument further is, that dominion over all 172 STATEMENT OF THE ARGUMENT His works was first given by God to man; that it was lost; but that Jesus-in assuming our nature-reserved to Himself, and His people through Him, the exercise of the grant of dominion thus given; thus lost; and thus regained. In Him the purposes of God will be completely and gloriously fulfilled. You will find, I think, that this is an exact statement of the argument. The apostle quotes the eighth psalm, as the foundation on which it rests. I commend it to your very careful examination. Taking it up at the words, "Thou hast put all things under His feet;" he declares, that "we see not yet all things put under Him." The dominion given was, in point of fact, not yet attained. The steps leading to it were taken. But the dominion itself was not gained. The first part of the process, which was to result in its complete attainment-was set up. Jesus had taken our nature. As "the second man," He had come to win back that which "the first" had lost. He was our surety—our representative-acting in our stead. He had humbled Himself to death; that He might win us back from the consequences of our fall. The right of dominion, therefore, is thus in Him. But the dominion itself is not yet attained. "The second Adam" connects man, at Calvary, with the gracious designs of God; just where "the first Adam," in Eden, broke them off. Now, of this argument, Mr. Barnes says: "Much difficulty has been felt by commentators, in regard to this passage, and to the principle on which it-the eighth psalm—is quoted." (In loc. p. 58.) Of course, they have "felt much difficulty." Proceeding on the IN HEBREWS I. AND II. 173 supposition that the kingship of Jesus is only spiritual; how else could it be? What else than difficulty— insurmountable difficulty-could be experienced or expected? If it is true, that His reign is simply in the hearts and consciences of His people; if this earth, at His coming, is absolutely to be destroyed; the difficulty of applying this quotation and verifying the argument, is such as no human mind can over come. And this is the form which it assumes: Jesus Christ is ordained king. The Scriptures most positively assert this. But how king? This psalm asserts, that to man the visible rule and headship over all the works of God was given. The reins were placed in his hands. The dominion was his. But he lost it. The reins fell from his hands. We see not yet, all things put under him. But we see Jesus, clothed in our nature; that by His death, He might remove all the consequences of our fall. This is the argument. And I ask you, brethren, who can feel its force; or see the meaning of the quotation; except we read it, in the light of His literal and absolute kingship? Failing to do this; what wonder, that "much difficulty has been felt," in regard to it? What has a reign, that is simply spiritual, to do with the dominion, first given to man, over all the works of God. He does so reign, in the hearts of His people, now. It is a truth, never to be lost sight of. But then, it is not the truth here taught. How is such a reign, a carrying out of the sovereignty, with which man was crowned; over the beasts of the field, |