our hearts,
our affections, our wills. He can "bring every thought into captivity"
to the holy rule of His thought. He can "subdue our iniquities." And
he can subdue also all that we know as circumstance and condition;
making the crooked straight, and the rough places plain. How, we may
be wholly ignorant beforehand; only, "according to the mighty working."

Lastly, it is _heauto_,[5] "unto HIMSELF." What a word of rest and
power! Our expectation of His victories in us and for us does not
terminate upon ourselves; it is never safe to terminate things there.
It rises and rests in Himself. Our glorification, body and soul, is,
ultimately, "unto Him"; therefore the prospect, and the desire, are
boundlessly right and safe. "To subdue all things _unto Himself_"; so
as to serve Him, to promote His ends, to do His will. Our absolute
emancipation from all the limitations of both moral and material evil
is "unto Himself." Emancipation on this side, it is an entire and
eternal annexation on the other. The being will be fully liberated
that it may fully serve--"day and night in His temple."

"Even so, come, Lord Jesus." Come, to our full and final salvation.
Come, that we, the beings whom Thou hast made, and remade, may enjoy
"the liberty of the glory" (Rom. viii. 21) for which we were destined
in Thy love. Come, that we may be for ever happy, and strong, and
free, in that wonderful world of the resurrection. Come, that we may
meet again with exceeding joy the beloved ones who have gone before us,
and all Thy saints, and may with them inherit the everlasting kingdom.
But oh come yet more for Thyself, and for Thy glory, and to take Thy
full possession. "Subdue all things," Lord Jesus, "unto Thyself."
Subdue our death for ever, that our endless life may be, in all its
fulness, spent for Thee.

"For Thou hast met our longings
With words of golden tone,
That we shall serve for ever
Thyself, Thyself alone;

"Shall serve Thee, and for ever,
Oh hope most sure, most fair;
The perfect love outpouring
In perfect service there." [6]

[1] _skopeite_: _skopein_ usually has reference to the attention which
results in avoidance; so Rom. xvi. 17: _parakalo skopein tous ta
skandala poiountas kai ekklinate k.t.l._ But here obviously the
"looking" is for imitation.--The Philippians knew St Paul's teaching,
and in his attached leading disciples among them they could _see_ it
embodied.

[2] Cp. M