g Gal. iii. 13. h 1 Cor. i. 23.
I Gal. v. 11. k 1 Cor. iv. 13.
950.] Christ's future reign. 251
Now this I consider as an evidence in favour of the Gospel which we preach. If our doctrine and its professors were generally approved by the world, it would give very just ground to suspect that our sentiments were not those of the Apostles; since our blessed Lord foretold that his disciples should " be hated of all men for his name's sake1 ;" and St. Paul also has de- clared that " all who will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution m." But our blessed Saviour was treated as the Prophet Isaiah had foretold ; and, both in his doctrine and in his members, he is still treated precisely as he and his inspired Apostles have given us reason to expect.]
We are not however discouraged : nor need we be, if we consider,
II. The determination of God respecting him —
God has decreed that all mankind shall bow to the
sceptre of his Son —
[Kings and princes, however great in the eyes of men, are as much under the control of God as the meanest of the human race : and in God's good time they shall all, even all through- out the whole world, submit themselves to him : " they shall see, and arise, and worship him." Yes verily, dishonoured as the Lord Jesus Christ has been, and despised as he still is, and especially among the great and mighty, " he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high ;" and " kings," being brought to a just consideration of his character, " shall shut their mouths at him " with the profoundest reverence ". Nor shall he be thus regarded only by his ancient people the Jews : the remotest monarchs of the earth shall honour him : " the kings ofTarshish and of the Isles shall bring presents ; the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts: yea, all kings shall fall down before him; all nations shall serve him0."]
For this he pledges both the veracity of his word
and the immutability of his counsels —
" All princes shall worship him, because of the Lord tvho is faithful." Jehovah has not only said, " I have set my King upon my holy hill of Zion1';" but he has confirmed his word with an oath, saying, " I have sworn by myself, the word is gone forth out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me (in my incarnate state) every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear q." Now this word is not gone forth in vain. It began, in some small degree, to be ac- complished even in the apostolic age ; and still more when
1 Matt. x. 22. «n 2 Tim. iii. 12. n Isai. lii. 13, 15.
0 Ps. lxxii. 10, 11. P Ps. ii. G. °- Isai. xlv. 23.