l.s/, Privatively. St. Paul tells the Col- lossians what will not avail them, " neither circumcision, nor uncircumcision availeth," &c. Circumcision was a great privilege ; it was a badge and cognizance to distinguish the people of God from those who were ex- leri and foreign ; it was a pail between the garden enclosed, and the common. The people of circumcision were a people of (iiod's circumspection, — they were under his eye, and his wing, — they were his household family; rather than they should
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want, God would miike tho heavens a gra- nary, and rain down manna upon them, — lie wouhl set the rock abroach, and make it a lively spring. How glorious was cir- cumcision ! Rom. ix. 4, 5. What rich Jewels hung upon Israel's crown ! But in matters of salvation, all this was nothing, *' neither circumcision nor uncircumcision," &c. From whence we may observe, that external privileges commend no man to God ; whether wise, or rich, or noble, this doth not set us off in God's eye, 1 Cor. i. 26. God sees not as man sees. We are taken with beauty and parts, — these things avail not with God; God lays his left hand upon these, as Jacob did upon Manasseh, Gen. xlviii. 14. God often passeth by those who cast a greater splendour and lustre in the world, and looks upon them of an infe- rior alloy; the reason is, " that no flesh should glory in his presence," 1 Cor. i. 29. If God should graft his grace only upon wis- dom and parts, some would be ready to say, my wisdom, or my eloquence, or my nobility hath saved me; therefore "not many wise, not many noble are called." God will have no priding or vaunting in the creature.
Use. Rest not in outward privileges or excellencies, — these are no stocks to graft the hopes of salvation upon, — many of Christ's kindred went to hell. Paul is cal- led " the servant of the Lord," Rom. i. 1. And James is called " the brother of the Lord," Gal. i. 19. It is better to be tlie servant of the Lord, than the brother of the Lord. The virgin Mary was saved, not as she was the mother of Christ, but as she was the daughter of faith ; it is grace, not blood gives the precedency ; an heart that hath Christ formed in it, is God's de- light, and this brings me to the next.
2d, The apostle sets down something po- sitively ; but " Christ is all in all ;" in which words there is,
1. The subject, Christ. His name is sweet, it is " as ointment poured forth," Cant. i. 3. It was Job's wish, " O that my words were now written ! that they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock f«»r ever !" Job xix. 23, 2i. And it is my wish, O that this name — this sweet name — of Christ, were now written, — that it were graven with the pen of the Holy
Ghost in our hearts for ever. The name of Christ hath in it, saith Chrysostora, a thou- sand treasuries of joy.
2. The predicate, " all in all." Christ is all fulness, — all sweetness, — he is all that is imaginable, — all that is desirable ; he who hath Christ, can have no more, for " Christ is all."
The ])roposition out of the words, is, that Jesus Christ is the quintessence of all good things, " he is all."
1. Sometimes faith is said to be all, Gal. v. G. Nothing availeth but faith ; faith is all, as it is an instrument to lay hold on Christ, whereby we are saved ; as a man is saved by catching hold on a bough.
2. Sometimes the new creature is said to be all. Gal. vi. 15. Nothing availeth " but anew creature;" the new creature is .'dl, as it qualifies and fits for glory ; " without holiness no man shall see the Lord," Heb. xii. 14. It is a saying of Chrysostom, at the day of judgment God will ask that question, as our Saviour did. Mat. xxii. 20., " Whose is this image and superscription." So will God say. Whose image is this ? If thou canst not shew him his image consist- ing in holiness, he will reject thee ; thus the new creature is all.
3. Here in the text Christ is said to be all ; but in what sense is Christ all ? (1.) Christ is all by way of eminency; all good things are eminently to be found in him, as the sun dotii virtually contain in it the light of the lesser stars. (2.) Christ is all, by way of derivation ; all good things are transmitted and conveyed to us thronijh Christ ; jis vour rich commodities, iewels and spices come by sea, so all heavenly blessings sail to us through the red sea of Christ's blood, Rom. xi. 36., " Through him and to him are all things." Christ is that sj)iritual pij)e, through which the gol- den oil of mercy empties itself into the soul. Christ must needs be all, for " in him dwelleth all the fulnessof the (iodhead," Col. ii. 9. He hath a partnership with God the Father, John xvi. 15., "All things that the Father hath are mine;" so that there is enough in him to scatter all our fears, — to remove all our burdens, — to suj»ply hU our wants; there can be no defect in that which is infinite.
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SELECT SERMONS.