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good：〃 the wheat never grows without tares。 But for all that； there is
much to gladden us； more Evangelical preaching than there ever was
before in the land； more work done both at home and abroad。 If old
William Romaine； of St。 Anne's； Blackfriars； who stood alone with some
half…a…dozen others in London last century； had lived to see what our
eyes see； he would have sharply rebuked our faintheartedness and
unthankfulness。 No！ the battle of the Reformed Church of England is not
yet lost； in spite of semi…popery and scepticism； whatever jealous
onlookers without and melancholy grumblers within may please to say。 As
Napoleon said at four o'clock on the battlefield of Marengo； 〃there is
yet time to win a victory。〃 If the really loyal members of the Church
will only stand by her boldly； and not look coolly at one another； and
refuse to work the same fire…engine； or man the same lifeboatif they
will not squabble and quarrel and 〃fall out by the way；〃 the Church of
England will live and not die； and be a blessing to our children's
children。 Then let us set our feet down firmly and stand fast in our
position。 Let us not be in a hurry to quit the ship because of a few
leaks： let us rather man the pumps； and try to keep the good ship
afloat。 Let us work on； and fight on； and pray on； and stick to the
Church of England。 The Churchman who walks in these lines； I believe；
is the Churchman who 〃understands the times。〃
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XX。
〃CHRIST IS ALL〃
〃Christ is all。〃Colossians iii。 11。
THE words of the text which heads this page are few； short； and soon
spoken； but they contain great things。 Like those golden sayings； 〃To
me to live is Christ〃〃I live； yet not I； but Christ liveth in me
〃they are singularly rich and suggestive。 （Phil。 i。 21； Gal。 ii。 20。）
These three words are the essence and substance of Christianity。 If our
hearts can really go along with them； it is well with our souls。 If
not； we may be sure we have yet much to learn。
Let me try to set before my readers in what sense 〃Christ is all〃； and
let me ask them； as they read； to judge themselves honestly； that they
may not make shipwreck in the judgment of the last day。
I purposely close this volume with a paper on this remarkable text。
Christ is the mainspring both of doctrinal and practical Christianity。
A right knowledge of Christ is essential to a right knowledge of
sanctification as well as justification。 He that follows after holiness
will make no progress unless he gives to Christ His rightful place。 I
began the volume with a plain statement about sin。 Let me end it with
an equally plain statement about Christ。
I。 First of all； let us understand that Christ is all； in all the
counsels of God concerning man。
（a） There was a time when this earth had no being。 Solid as the
mountains look； boundless as the sea appears； high as the stars in
heaven lookthey once did not exist。 And man； with all the high
thoughts he now has of himself； was a creature unknown。
And where was Christ then？
Even then Christ was 〃with God 〃and 〃was God〃and was 〃equal with
God。〃 （John i。 1； Phil。 ii。 6。） Even then He was the beloved Son of the
Father： 〃Thou lovedst Me；〃 He says； 〃before the foundation of the
world。〃〃I had glory with Thee before the world began。〃〃I was set up
from everlasting； from the beginning； or ever the earth was。〃 （John
xvii。 5； 24； Prov。 viii。 23。） Even then He was the Saviour
〃foreordained before the foundation of the world〃 （1 Peter i。 20）； and
believers were 〃chosen in Him。〃 （Ephes。 i。 4。）
（b） There came a time when this earth was created in its present order。
Sun； moon and starssea； land and all their inhabitants； were called
into being and made out of chaos and confusion。 And； last of all； man
was formed out of the dust of the ground。
And where was Christ then？
Hear what the Scripture says： 〃All things were made by Him； and without
Him was not any thing made that was made。〃 （John i。 3。） 〃By Him were
all things created； that are in heaven and that are in earth。〃 （Colos。
i。 16。） 〃And Thou； Lord； in the beginning hast laid the foundation of
the earth； and the heavens are the works of Thine hands。〃 （Heb。 i。 10。）
〃When He prepared the heavens； I was there： when He set a pass upon
the face of the depth： when He established the clouds above： when He
strengthened the foundations of the deep： when He gave to the sea His
decree； that the water should not pass His mandment： when He
appointed the foundations of the earth： then I was by Him； as one
brought up with Him。〃 （Prov。 viii。 27…30。） Can we wonder that the Lord
Jesus； in His preaching； should continually draw lessons from the book
of nature？ When He spoke of the sheep； the fish； the ravens； the corn；
the lilies； the fig…tree； the vineHe spoke of things which He Himself
had made。
（c） There came a day when sin entered the world。Adam and Eve ate the
forbidden fruit； and fell。 They lost that holy nature in which they
were first formed。 They forfeited the friendship and favour of God and
became guilty； corrupt； helpless； hopeless sinners。 Sin came as a
barrier between themselves and their holy Father in heaven。 Had He
dealt with them according to their deserts； there had been nothing
before them but death； hell； and everlasting ruin。
And where was Christ then？
In that very day He was revealed to our trembling parents； as the only
hope of salvation。 The very day they fell； they were told that 〃the
seed of the woman should yet bruise the serpent's head；〃that a
Saviour born of a woman should overe the devil and win for sinful
man an entrance to eternal life。 （Gen。 iii。 15。） Christ was held up as
the true light of the world； in the very day of the fall； and never has
any name been made known from that day by which souls could be saved；
excepting His。 By Him all saved souls have entered heaven； from Adam
downwards； and without Him none have ever escaped hell。
（d） There came a time when the world seemed sunk and buried in
ignorance of God。 After 4；000 years the nations of the earth appeared
to have clean forgotten the God that made them。 Egyptian； Assyrian；
Persian； Grecian； and Roman empires had done nothing but spread
superstition and idolatry。 Poets； historians； philosophers had proved
that； with all their intellectual powers； they had no right knowledge
of God； and that man； left to himself； was utterly corrupt。 〃The world；
by wisdom； knew not God。〃 （1 Cor。 i。 21。） Excepting a few despised Jews
in a corner of the earth； the whole world was dead in ignorance and
sin。
And what did Christ do then？
He left the glory He had had from all eternity with the Father； and
came down into the world to provide a salvation。 He took our nature
upon Him； and was born as a man。 As a man He did the will of God
perfectly； which we all had left undone： as a man He suffered on the
cross the wrath of God which we ought to have suffered。 He brought in
everlasting righteousness for us。 He redeemed us from the curse of a
broken law。 He opened a fountain for all sin and uncleanness。 He died
for our sins。 He rose again for our justification。 He ascended to God's
right hand； and there sat down； waiting till His enemies should be made
His footstool。 And there He sits now； offering salvation to all who
will e to Him； interceding for all who believe in Him； and managing
by God's appointment all that concerns the salvation of souls。
（e） There is a time ing when sin shall be cast out from this
world。Wickedness shall not always flourish unpunishedSatan shall
not always reigncreation shall not always groan； being burdened。
There shall be a time of restitution of all things。 There shall be a
new heaven and a new earth； wherein dwelleth righteousness； and the
earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover
the sea。 （Rom。 viii。 22； Acts iii。 21； 2 Pet。 iii。 13； Isa。 xi。 9。）
And where shall Christ be then？ And what shall He do？
Christ Himself shall be King。 He shall return to this earth and make
all things new。 He shall e in the clouds of heaven with power and
great glory； and the kingdoms of the world shall bee His。 The
heathen shall be given to Him for His inheritance； and the uttermost
parts of the earth for His possession。 To Him every knee shall bow； and
every tongue shall confess that He is Lord。 His dominion shall be an
everlasting dominion which shall not pass away； and His kingdom that
which shall not be destroyed。 （Matt。 xxiv。 30； Rev。 xi。 15； Psalm ii。
8； Phil。 ii。 10； 11； Dan。 vii。 14。）
（f） There is a day ing when all men shall be judged。 The sea shall
give up the dead which are in it； and death and hell shall deliver up
the dead which are in them。 All that sleep in the grave shall awake and
e forth； and all shall be judged according to their works。 （Rev。 xx。
13； Dan。 xii。 2。）
And where will Christ be then？
Christ Himself will be the Judge。 〃The Father hath mitted all
judgment unto the Son。〃〃When the Son of man shall e in His glory；
then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory：and before Him shall
be gathered all nations： and He shall separate them one from another；
as a shepherd divideth the sheep from the goats。〃〃We must all appear
before the judgment seat of Christ： that every one may receive the
things done in his body； according to that he hath done； whether it be
good or bad。〃 （John v。 22； Matt。 xxv。 32； 2 Cor。 v。 10。）
Now if any reader of this paper thinks little of Christ； let him know
this day that he is very unlike God！ You are of one mind； and God is of
another。 You think it enough to give Christ a little honoura little
reverencea little respect。 But in all the eternal counsels of God the
Father； in creation； redemption； restitution； and judgmentin all
these； Christ is 〃all。〃
Surely we shall do well to consider these things。 Surely it is not
written in vain； 〃He that honoureth not the Son； honoureth not the
Father which hath sent Him。〃 （John v。 23。）
II。 In the second place； let us understand that 〃Christ is all〃 in the
inspired books which make up the Bible。
In every part of both Testaments； Christ is to be founddimly and
indistinctly at the beginningmore clearly and plainly in the
middlefully and pletely at the endbut really and substantially
everywhere。
Christ's sacrifice and death for sinners； and Christ's kingdom and
future glory； are the light we must bring to bear on any book of
Scripture we read。 Christ's cross and Christ's crown are the clue we
must hold fast if we would find our way through Scripture difficulties。
Christ is the only key that will unlock many of the dark places of the
Word。 Some people plain that they do not understand the Bible。 And
the reason is very simple。 They do not use the key。 To them the Bible
is like the hieroglyphics in Egypt。 It is a mystery； just because they
do not know and employ the key。
（a） It was Christ crucified who was set forth in every Old Testament
sacrifice。 Every animal slain and offered on an altar was a practical
confession that a Saviour was looked for who would die for sinnersa
Saviour who should take away man's sin； by suffering； as his Substitute
and Sin…bearer； in his stead； （1 Peter iii。 18。） It is absurd to
suppose that an unmeaning slaughter of innocent beasts； without a
distinct object in view； could please the eternal God！
（b） It was Christ to whom Abel looked when he offered a better
sacrifice than Cain。 Not only was the heart of Abel better than that of
his brother； but he showed his knowledge of vicarious sacrifice and his
faith in an atonement。 He offered the firstlings of his flock； with the
blood thereof； and in so doing declared his belief that without