SECT. IV.] THE CONQUEST OVER' DEATH. 369 triumph of Christ for absolute conquest over all his enemies ; for there is scarce any glory given to Christ, considered as man, but the saints are said to be humble partners in it, or at least to enjoy the resemblance. Is he appointed the judge of all ? It is promised . also to the saints that they shall judge angels, and the twelve tribes of Israel. Do we suffer with him ? we shall also reign with him. If we conquer death by faith, we shall rise and triumph. Here we labour and fight with many ad- versaries, and we think we have routed them, but they rally again, and give us fresh vexation, so that we hardly know how to attempt a song of victory on this'side the grave. Besides, death still remains for our trial and con- flict; but there we shall rejoice over all our enemies, subdued, destroyed, and abolished forever. Then God will be all in all to his saints. This is a consequent which St. Paul mentions in the verses where my text is : God will manage the affairs of his heavenly kingdom in a more immediate way, than he has managed his kingdom on earth. Christ having destroyed all the enemies of his church, and presented it safe before the Father, has finished all those divine purposes fbr which the mediatorial kingdom was entrusted with him ; then he shall resign his commission to the Father again ; and the ever blessed God shall in a more immediate and ab- solute manner reign over all the creation. He shall more immediately impress devils and damned spirits with a sense of infinite wrath ; and with a more immediate sense of his love and eternal favour, shall he for ever bless áll the inhabitants of heaven. So much as this seems to be implied in the words of the apostle ; 1 Cor. xv. 24, 25, &c. But it is impossible that in this state we should know either the full extent, or the just limitations of that promise, God shall be all in all. Our honoured and departed friend had these words dwelling upon her heart; these were often in her lips in the days of her faith and hope, and in the hours of her passage through the dark valley : She enjoys part of the pleasure of them in her present heaven, and with pleasure she expects the more absolute accomplishment, when the resurrection shall complete the blessedness of all the saints. Another consequent of the destruction ofdeath, is the employment of all the powers of human nature in the VOL. III. L B
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