Moses established one different from both the preceding; and we live under a dispensation distinguished from them all. "The fulness of times" is the time, when the Savior came in the flesh. "When the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son."-"The dispensation of the fulness of times" is, then, the order of things, which the Son of God introduced, when He appeared in the flesh, and over which He presides. Under this dispensation, God is gathering together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth.

Let us next enquire into the nature of the union mentioned in my text.-The moral subjects of God's government are compared to a body, of which He is the head. The nobler faculties of man are considered as residing in the head, to which the several members are so united, that they spontaneously obey its dictates. Whilst the body is in health, this union and subjection secure its order and happiness. Similar union ought to subsist between God and His rational creatures. Man was originally holy, devoted to the Lord. But the effect of the apostacy has been like that of convulsions in the human body. The limbs, acting without law, without concert, in opposi tion to the dictates of the head, have lacerated each other, and reduced the body to a state of wild disorder and wretchedness. Had it not been for the sparing mercy of God, in view of His glorious plan of reconciliation, death would have been the speedy consequence. Adored be the great Physician, who came to seek, and save that, which was lost, to reconcile us to God by Himself, and to bring all things into

subjection to their Head, that all may be gathered together in one, in Him.

All things are to be gathered together in one, "IN CHRIST." He is Head of all things. We can have no higher idea of God, than what we receive by the Redeemer. Do we rise, through the things that are made, to the knowledge of the Creator ;— by whom were the worlds made? Do all things subsist by a divine energy;-in whom does that energy reside? Does the word of inspiration teach us the knowledge of God ;-to whom belongs the name, WORD OF GOD? All this is revealed of Him, in whom God is gathering together in one all things.

God is gathering together in one in Christ those, whom He hath chosen in Him, before the foundation of the world, that they should be holy and without blame before Him in love; having predestinated them to the adoption of children, by Jesus Christ, to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will. Or,in another view of the subject, God is gathering together in one in Christ all, who hear, believe, and obey the gospel. With them, old things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new. They are one in Christ;-one in their views, one in their affections, one in their pursuits, and one in their happiness.

One in their views. It has pleased God to reveal to us the leading object of His moral government. This object is to glorify Himself, in the virtue and happiness of His creatures. In effecting this object we are required to take a part; but not a blind part. "He hath abounded towards us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known unto us the mystery of His will." That scheme, which prophets

and righteous men desired to see, and in some glimpses of the glory of which they rejoiced; that scheme, into which angels desire to look, and by which they learn the manifold wisdom of God, is revealed to us. We may enter into the views of God in creating man ; in sparing the human race, when they had sinned; in sending His Son to be the propitiation for our sins; in the various instituted means of grace, by which He is reconciling sinners to Himself, and building them up in holiness to a meetness for heavenly felicity; in requiring those, who have tasted the riches of divine grace, to preach and send the gospel to their perishing fellow sinners; in pouring out the Holy Spirit to give efficacy to human exertions, that the earth may be filled with the glory of God. Into these general views, and into the design and tendency of particular doctrines, institutions, and duties, by which the great object is to be promoted, the Christian may enter. He does enter. He heartily enters; for

He is one with Christ in affection. The views, at which we have glanced, are not in the Christian merely speculative. They affect his heart. They fill and animate his soul. A world redeemed, redeemed from every thing hateful and pernicious, formed to every thing virtuous and excellent, coming together as one body in Him, who is the chief among ten thousand, and altogether lovely,-what object can he imagine so glorious and captivating? He feels, not only, the excellence of the ultimate object of Christianity; but of its particular precepts, doctrines and institutions. The law is in his view holy, just and good. He esteems all God's precepts, concern

ing all things, to be right. He knows, that the most laborious and selfdenying duties have an adequate object. He approves the impartiality of the divine law, which has subjected himself, in common with his fellow creatures, to the same rule of righteousness. What, though a sense of the spirituality of the law cuts off all hopes of salvation by its works? He readily condemns himself. He adores the wisdom and goodness of God, even in those terrors, which arouse him to flee from the wrath to come. And, with what satisfaction does he read and hear of that salvation, which is of grace to all them who believe! Those peculiar doctrines of the gospel, which once appeared to him unintelligible, useless, and absurd, now appear glorious, and adapted to what he feels to be his condition, as a sinner. Christ crucified is all his confi

dence, all his boast. Divine grace is now his whole dependence. Now he feels new motives to devote himself as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God. The excellence of His commandments, the incitement of gratitude and love, a consciousness of almighty aid and strength,-these urge him forward in the path of duty. Nor do these feelings evaporate in towering and general views. He descends, with sweet composure and satisfaction, to the private graces and virtues. He approves, he loves, he cherishes that pure, and benevolent, and devout spirit, which adorns social and domestic life, and is seen of God in secret. With the same views and feelings, which brought Christ from heaven to earth, for the salvation of men, he desires the building up of His kingdom; yet he stretches not himself beyond his measure. He rejoices to behold persons of greater

talents than himself employed in more honorable services than he can perform. He rejoices, that the silver and the gold are the Lord's, that the hearts of kings and of the wise are in His hands, that the nations will be willing in the day of His power; and he prays in faith, "thy kingdom come, thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven." He indulges no private interests or affections inconsistent with this grand object, or with the methods by which it is to be promoted. So far as he understands the scheme of redemption, it appears to him worthy of all acceptation. He judges what he cannot fully comprehend, by the known wisdom and goodness of the Author. If he have any prejudices, which he cannot reconcile with the word of inspiration, he lays them at the foot of the cross, willing that the wisdom of God, though enveloped in mystery, should stand. He would not alter an iota of the word of God, were it put in his power. No, such is his affectionate confidence in the wisdom, goodness, and power of Jehovah, that he wishes him to be all and in all.

This implies, that the Christian is pursuing the same object with his Lord. We are creatures of affection. What is uppermost in our hearts will govern our conduct. We may have some degree of affection to subordinate objects. Such objects we shall readily sacrifice to that, which we supremely love. Now the Christian, viewing with supreme affection that cause, for which his Lord came into this world, and labored, and died, will willingly spend and be spent in the same cause. If there be an interference of interests, must not this prevail? Christ is the Head. We are the members. If we be alive in Him, we shall not be idle.