]I. Cm:r~T·s nF.T,ATION TO THE tTh,VF.RSE. He is "the Firstborn of nil creation," As his being God's Image implies his eternal uuity with God so his boing tho only b<-gottcn Son of God implies the distinctness of his Person. '11be apostle thus guards the tnith on one side against Arianism, on the other side against Sabellianism. Thero nrc two ideas involved in this statement. 1. Ghrist has a priority to all creation. Arians refer t.o the passage as implying that he is only one, thouah 0 the very first, of created beings. But (1) he is S.'lid here to be l'Cgotten, not created, (2) He is declared in the context to be "before all things," and therefore he is no part of them, (3) "All things" arc declared to be "made by him," but he is himself necessarily excepted from the number of the things he created. (4) The Scriptures elsewhere declare his eterunl pre-existence and Godhead. 2. Ghrist u sovereign Lord of creation by right of primo- geniture. The word " Firstborn" is used of the Me$Siah almost as bis technical designation (Ps. ii. 7), as we see by Heb. i. 6, "When he bringeth the First-begotten into the world." As such he is" Heir of all thinis" (Heb. i. 2; Rom. iv. 14). There is thus implied a meaiatorial function in the world as well as in the Church, 3. <Jhrist ,·s the actool, Oreaior of all things. " For in him were all things created, in the heavens and upon the earth, things visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers." These words justify the title of" Firstborn of all creation." They were all created " in him," not merely " by him "-as if the germ of all creative rower and wisdom lay in his infinite mind, as the sphere of their operation. The words impliedly c:i.:clude the Gnostic idea that Christ was nn inferior agent of the infinite God. He was the creative centre of the universe. Mark: (1) The extent of creation-" things in the heavens and things upon the earth." 'l'his includes all creation as described by locality. (2) The variety of the creation-" whether things visible or innsible." This division would include the sun, moon, stars, the earth with all its visible glories, in one class; the angels and the souls of men in the other class. (3). 'l'he ordera of creation, "whether thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers.' As Gnosticism placed Christ among the higher intelligences, the apostle places him far above all angelic intelligences of every order. It is not possible to say whether these names represent various grades of a celestial hierarchy, but it is probable that they do; " thrones and dominions" belonging to the first order, "principalities and powers" standing next, as including spirits both good and evil. Christ made the angels. 4. <Jhri.st is himself the End or final Cause of creatum. "All things have been created through him and for him." All things were created by him as well as for him-for the :wanifest.ation of his glory. "He that was the first Cause must be the last End." The final destination of the universe is referred to the Son, just as it is elscwbero ascribed to the Father (Rom. xi. 36). The Son is the Centre of the world's final unity. 6, Chri.st i.s the Sustainer of the universe. " And by him all things consist." The con- tinued existence, as well as the creation, of all things, depends upon him. "My Father worketh hitherto, and I work" (John v. 17). He "upholds all things by the ,rnrd of his power" (Heb. i 3). The sustaining unity of the creation is in him (1) becauno he maintains its order, appointing all things to their respec~ive ends; (2) because he sustains the operation of all thincrs correlatincr means with ends; (3) because ho secures the co-operation of all thi;g;, so that all t~ings ,~ork toget~cr for_ his_ glory; (4) because he maintains the perpetuity of all things. rhus Chnst maintains the cohesion of the universe. JII. LESSONS TO llE DRAWN FBOll CHRIST'S RELATION TO HUI FATilER AND TO TRE VNIVEB6E. 1. We delight in tM doctrine of <Jhrist's divinity, which i~ the_ doctrine of C?,risumdom. 2. Jf he =de angels and men, they may weU worship l.im. 3. Bis relation to creation encourages us to hope that he will overrule all tM power of nature /or tM grc,wth of his Church. Even wicked men will have no power to. destroy his Church. The creation proves bis power, and his love proves his good will. 4. The kuowkdge of his glory ought to deter from all creature-worship. 5. We should ever 7,ray that he would direct the work of our hands continually. (Ps. xc. 7.) 6. We ought ,,,,t to fret at Divine providenr.,e. (l's, xxxvii. 2, 3.) The crcativo and administrative w,crk 0f Christ, in the natural order of things, is the comfort of all believers.-'!'. C.
V~r. 18.-Christ'~ headship of the Church. He is the l1ead of the new creation n9 "'ell ll.E 0f the natural creati0n. "And he is the Head of the bcdy, the Church: who en. 1. 1-20.] '£HE EPISTLE ·ro THE COLOSSIANS. 35