some and coercing others, then of course we must un- derstand the passage as referring to all intelligent creatures. But if the union spoken of be a union with God, involving conformity to his image and the enjoy- ment of his favour, and effected by the redemption of Christ, then the terms here employed must be restricted to the subjects οἵ. redemption. And then if the Scrip- tures teach that all men and even fallen angels are redeemed by Christ, and restored to the favour of God, they must be included in the all things in heaven and earth here spoken of. If the Scriptures teach that good angels are the subjects of redemption, then they must be comprehended in the scope of this passage.* But if the doctrine of the Bible be, that only a certain portion of the human family are redeemed and saved by the blood of Christ, then to them alone can the passage be understood to refer. In order therefore to establish the correctness of the fifth interpretation mentioned above, all that is necessary is to prove, first, that the passage
* Carvin thinks there is a sense in which good angels may be said to be redeemed by Christ. On this passage, he says: Nihil tamen impedit, quominus angelos quoque dicamus recollectos fuisse, non ex dissipatione, sed primum ut perfecte et solide adhereant Deo; deinde ut perpetuum statum retineant .... Quis neget, tam angelos quam homines, in firmum ordinem Christo gratia fuisse redactos? homines enim perditi erant, an geli vero non erant extra periculum. Again, on the parallel passage in Colossians, he says: Duabus de causis angelos quoque oportuit cum Deo pacificari, nam quum creaturae sint extra lapsus periculum non erant, non nisi Christi gratia fuissent confirmati.... Deinde in hac ipsa obedientia, quam prestant Deo, non est tam exquisita perfectio, ut Deo omni ex parte et extra venium satisfaciat.