SERM. 19, II. tion of the Prophet our Apoftle affures us fhall then be fully accomplished, when all shall stand before the Judgment Seat Rom.xiv. of Christ. For to fubmit to Chrift is to fubmit to God, whofe Vicegerent! Chrift is. Then may every Knee be faid to bow to God, when all fhall bow to him to whom it is God's good Pleafure every Knee fhould bow. Then fhall every Tongué confefs to God, when all fhall confefs Him to be Lord, whom the Almighty Father hath conftituted Lord of all. And God fhall be all in all for this very Reason, Because all fhall acknow. ledge the Dominion of that Person whom he hath invefted with all Power in Hea ven and in Earth. 75. THERE is no Probability that the Apoftle, fpeaking of God's being all in all, fhould mean by the Word God all the Three Perfons in the Sacred Trinity. For the Word God does in the New Teftament generally fignify the Perfon of the Father; and the Connection of the Apoftle's Difcourfe directs us fo to underftand it in this Place, For when the Apostle Apostle tells us, That the Son fhall deliver the Kingdom to the Father, who hath put all Things under his Feet, and that he shall be subject to him who put all Things under him, that God may be all in all; it is fufficiently clear, that the God who shall be all in all, is the Per fon to whom the Son fhall deliver the Kingdom, who put all Things under the Son, and to whom the Son fhall be fubject, that is the Father. THIS may be fufficient to fhew, that the Senfe which is ufually put upon this Text is not only contrary to other Texts of Scripture, but is also forced, and fuch as the Words will not easily bear. THE very learned Bishop Pearfon plainly faw, That there was no evading the Force of thofe Texts which afcribe an endless Duration to the Meffiah's Kingdom. Wherefore that he might reconcile this Text to a Doctrine fo clearly delivered in other Places of Scripture, He afferted the Dominion of Chrift to be partly Temporary, confifting in an Autho Bp. Pearfon on the Gred. P. 152. SERM. VII, VIII SERM. VIIVIIL Authority to protect his Subjects and fubdue his Enemies'; and partly Eternal, confifting in his being Lord of all Things, and ruling over the People which he hath purchased with his Blood. And faith that celebrated Prelate, "Of the "firft Part of this Dominion did David "fpeak, when by the Spirit of Prophecy " he called his Son his Lord; The Lord "faid unto my Lord, Sit thou on my "right Hand until I make thine Ene"mies thy Foot-ftool: Where the Con"tinuation of Chrift's Dominion over his "Enemies is promifed to be prolonged " until their final and total Subjection. "For he muft reign till he hath put all "Things under his Feet. And as we "are fure of the Continuation of that "Kingdom till that Time, fo are wel "affured of the Refignation at that "Time. For when he fhall have put "down all Rule, and all Authority and "Power, then fhall he deliver up the Kingdom to God, even the Father. "And when all Things fhall be fub"dued unto him, then fhall the Son falfo SERM. VII, VIII also himself be fubject unto him that put all Things under him, that God may be all in all. Thus He which " was appointed to rule in the midst of "his Enemies during their Rebellion, "fhall refign up his Commiffion after "their Subjection." So far that most learned Writer. I will not venture to reject this Expofition as falfe, until I am fure I can fubftitute a better in the Place of it; altho' to me it feems to be clogg'd with great Difficulties. For it fuppofes that by Chrift's delivering the Kingdom, is meant his refigning the Kingdom to the Father from whom he received it; and that his Reigning till all his Enemies fhall be put under his Feet, means his Reigning till then and no longer. But now with what, Propriety of Speech can Chrift be faid to refign the Kingdom, if, as this great Prelate owns, he fhall ftill retain the Name and Dignity and Authority of a King? Does it not look like an Abuse of Language to fay, That he fhall reign no longer than till all his Enemies are put under SERM. VII VIII under him, if he fhall continue to reign for ever afterwards? True it is, that after the End of the World, Chrift fhall ceafe to fubdue his Enemies; but I fuppofe, not because he fhall want Power to do it, but becaufe he fhall have no Enemies left to be fubdued. The final Subjection of Chrift's Enemies does not hinder, but that he may ftill retain all that Royal Authority which he had while they were unfubdued; altho' the Circumftances of Affairs being altered, he fhall have no Occafion of exercising all thofe Branches of it which he formerly exercis'd. Juft as an Earthly Prince hath in Time of Peace all the Authority which he had in Time of War and Rebellion; tho' he no longer exerciseth it in the fame manner as in the Time of War, for the Protection of his Subjects, and the fubduing of his Enemies. And it feems as improper to fay, That Chrift fhall cease to reign, when he fhall cease to rule in the midft of his Enemies, as it would be to fay, that an Earthly King ceafes to reign, when after having fub dued |