The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-07-04

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fered death in accordance with the
divine purpose and in fulfillment of
his mission, every one must admit;
but that was voluntary death en-
dured, not as the penalty of the
divine law, but in behalf of sinners
out of motives of benevolence. To
prove his doctrine and to seal his
mission, it became necessary for him
to lay down his life. He freely gave
it in consequence of his love for
mankind; "for greater love hath no
man than this, that man should lay
down his life for his friends" And
because Jesus laid down his life not
for his friends only, but for his ene-
mics and all mankind, he evinced a
greater love. 1t was thus that, "made
a little lower than the angels for the
suffering of DEATH" he was crowned
with glory and honor that he, by the
grace of God, should taste death for
every man. 1t is not only true that
he tasted death for every man, but
by this sacrifice he came in posses
sion of all mankind and received
them for his inheritance.
3. But it is also true that, in one
sense, mankind are not the people of
Christ: 'If any man have not the
spirit of Christ he is none OF his"
The man who has, not the spirit of
Christ, is not his by subjection-or
being obedient to his requirements.
Though he may belong to Christ by
right of possession, vet he is not his
by imbibing his spirit. Those peo-
pie who do not conform to the moral
image of Christ are not his in the
exemplifcations of their character.
Whoever has not the spirit of Christ,
is alienated from his spiritual king
dom and has not that spiritual life
which the Gospel requires. The spirit
of Christ is love, charity, kindness,
forbearance, meekness, devotion and
every grace recommended in his re-
ligion. The man who has not the
spirit of Christ, may belong to him
as subject of redeeming grace; but
he is none of his as subject made
perfect in love and faith. When men
become obedient to the requirements
of the Son of God, new relation
ship springs up which binds them
with peculiar bonds to their divine
Master. This renders them his chill
dren or his people, and in very pc
culiar and interesting point of view.
They do, indeed, without these char
acteristics, belong to him; but they
are not his peculiar people-the sub
dued and obedient subjects of his
spiritual kingdom.
IL. But it is his particular province
and prerogative to make them soto
transform those who are his people
by the gift of his Father and the
pledges of redemption into his holy
and happy subjects possessing the
gifts of grace and the spirit of their
Master. In other words, it is his
particular prerogative and the object
| of his mission to convert and save
them. He received as the gift of his
Father the right of possession in all
people, that, standing indissolubly
allied to them in other relations, he
might extend his dominion over their
hearts, captivate their affections and
bring them into submission to his
spirital requirements.
l. For the accomplishment of this
end he received authority over all
flesh and over all beings in every
mode of their existence. 1t was not
enough that Jesus Christ should ex-
ert an influence in this world only. 1t
was necessary that his authority and
dominion should be extended far be-
yond its narrow boundaries. And
of consequence the preparatory steps
must be taken to secure to him
not only the right and authority,
but also obedience. And not only
so, but the steps have been taken
to secure this obedience in any
and every state where men shall be
transgressors. If they are transgres
sors in future world, they must even
there be within reach of redeeming
grace; for Jesus is Lord both of the
dead and the living.
1t is most singular and yet sober
truth, that protesting Christians
should limit the spiritual dominion
of the Son and assume that his re-
deeming energies are confined exclu-
sively to this world. For what purpose
was he made "Lord both of the dead
and of the living" but that his power
and the mighty working of his grace
should not be confined for it's opera
lions to the brief period of human
life? 1t was not necessary to grant
/