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Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all "." How can Christ be said to be equal to, and the same with God?

A. We might answer this question by another. If Christ's inferiority to the Father does not commence till his kingly office shall cease, and he is therefore now equal to and the same with the Father; how can he ever possibly be other than God of God, very God of very God?

But to meet this difficulty more directly, we would revert to what has been already proved. The Son of God existed from all eternity, and made the worlds. In consequence of the fall of our first parents, the Son of God voluntarily took upon him our mortal nature, and became the Son of man,-perfect God and perfect man, -to redeem us from sin. Having by his death wrought our salvation, he re-ascended visibly into heaven, retaining his glorified body, and taking upon himself a delegated authority, arising out of his commission, as our King and Governor, our Mediator and Judge. After all things are made subject unto him, then the judgment being passed, his kingdom will cease. Then God will be all in all; i. e. the Godhead, Father,

m 1 Cor. xv. 24. 28.

Son, and Holy Ghost, will govern all things without the intervention of a Mediator.

The cessation of the mediatorial authority of Christ after the consummation of all things, certainly includes the idea of inferiority, and subjection in him who received that authority, i. e. the Son of man; just as we allow in St. Athanasius's Creed, Christ to be "inferior to the Father as touching his manhood." But we see no reason to conclude therefrom, that the power of the Son of God as God, that which he had with the Father before the world was, will be affected by it. Indeed how could it be less or different from what it was originally, seeing the Divine Essence is-must be-always the

same.

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We would, therefore, thus paraphrase the passage, (1 Cor. xv. 28.) When all things shall be subdued unto Christ, our appointed King, Ruler, and Judge, then shall he lay down his mediatorial office and dominion, and as the Son of Mary shall also himself be subject unto the Father, who put all things under him, that God, i. e. the Divine Essence, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, may be all in all."

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Burkitt, in his Exposition, thus explains the difficulty: "At the end of the world, Christ will deliver up his kingdom to God the Father; namely, his mediatorial kingdom, which, as Me

diator, he received from his Father; not his natural and essential kingdom, which, as God, he had with his Father from eternity: this shall never be delivered up, for of this his kingdom there shall be no end".

Q. Why is Christ called our Lord?

A. Because we are his servants: for he made us, he redeemed us, purchasing us even at the price of his own blood; and he will ultimately save us, if we have faith in him, and keep the commandments.

Q. Is the term our Lord more appropriate than my Lord, or his Lord?

A. By calling Christ our Lord, we acknowledge that he is the Lord, not merely of one person, family, or nation, but universally of all per-sons, families, and nations: he is Lord of all.

A. Are we not then bound to pay him reverence; to serve, honour, and obey him?

A. Assuredly we are, by every tie of gratitude; by every claim of duty. "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey "." We must therefore cast down "imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, bringing into captivity every

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thought to the obedience of Christ "." We must "love him, because he first loved us." We must fear him, for "he is able to destroy both body and soul in hell'.' We must honour and glorify him, for he hath "received honour and glory from God the Father," who is the fountain of honour. We must worship him, for "his throne is for ever and ever;" and even" the angels of God worship him." We must offer up our prayers and praises to him, for " he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him "." In short, what should we not do for Christ, who hath done every thing for us?

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P 2 Cor. x. 5. • 2 Pet. 1. 17.

1 John iv. 19. 'Heb. i. 6. 8.

Matt. *. 28. " Heb. vii. 25.

ARTICLE III

WHO WAS CONCEIVED

BY THE HOLY GHOST,

BORN OF THE VIRGIN MARY.

SECTION I.

Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost.

Q. To whom does the first words in this section refer?

A. The relative who evidently refers to Jesus Christ, who in the last article was declared to be the only son of God, and our Lord.

Q. What is the subject of this section?

A. The incarnation or production of the human nature of Jesus Christ, by means of the Holy Spirit. That Divine Person who was

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begotten of the Father before all worlds, God of God, very God of very God"," is here described to have taken upon him the nature of man, in a wonderful and miraculous manner, by the instrumentality of the Holy Ghost.

a Nicene Creed. See also Justin Martyr. ad. Diognet. Epist. p. 498.

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