400 REVELATION, xix. l6. [1216.
seem most to prevail against him, they accomplish only his secret purposes".]
2. His proper Godhead — [The name here given to Christ is that which belongs to the one supreme God ^, and to him alone ' — — — And well may it be given to him, since there is not any other name of
the Deity which he does not bear '' Nor any attribute
which he does not possess ^ Nor any honour peculiar
to the Deity, which he does not receive "^ We may be
assured therefore that Jesus is not a mere subordinate King, but " God over all, blessed for evermore "."]
While the text proclaims his name, it leads us very particularly to notice,
II. The manner in which it is manifested —
Whether the inscription of bis name upon " his vesture' refer to any custom of that nature that ob- tained among great men or conquerors, we cannot say : but the inscription of it upon " his thigh" must certainly mean that his name was written upon his sword, which hung upon his thigh"". Of the general import of the passage we have no doubt : his " ves- ture dipped in blood," denoted his past victories", and his sword hanging upon his thigh, denoted his state of preparation for future triumphs ; the inscription therefore altogether means,
1 . That he has manifested his power in his past victories —
[Jesus has already given abundant proofs of his almighty power and universal dominion. Look at Pharaoh and his hosts ; how vain Avas their opposition to him ; how signal and complete their ruin ! Behold the Seven Nations of Canaan ; how they melted before him as snow before the meridian sun ! See his once highly favoured people the Jews ; how he has
verified
^ Exod. ix. l6. Isai. x. 5 — 7, 15. His dominion over his Church in particular, might also be here opened, together with the manner in which he protects his people, and reigns in all their hearts. Eph. 1.20 — 23.
"Deut. X. 17. ' J Tim. vi. 15, 16.
''Isai. xl. 3. with Mark i. 1 — 3. The mighty God. Isai. ix. 6.
' Eternity, Mic. v. 2. Omnipresence, Matt. xxviii.20. Omniscience, Johnxxi. )7- O/nni/to/ewce, Matt, xxviii. 18.
■" Acts vii. 5Q. John xiv. 1. John v. 23. " Rom. ix. 5.
""Ps. xlv.3. " Isai. Ixiii. 1—4.
1216.] Christ's UNIVERSAL DOMiNiox. 401
verified his word towards them, " wiping Jerusalem as a dish, and turning it upside down "°." Look at all his enemies in every age ; Have they pre^'ailed ? Is not His caV.;-;e still tri- vmiphant ? and have not nudtitudes of his enemies already been made his footstool ? Yes, not Julian only (the Apostate), but thousands and tens of thousands have been forced to ac- knowledge the power of Jesus, and, with the afirighted Beth- shemites, to cry, " Who shall stand before this holy Lord GodP? If then the " Lord is known by the judgments which he executeth '^," our blessed Saviour has made known in this very way his eternal power and Godhead.]
2. That he will manifest it in his future victories— [There is a time coming when Jesus shall put forth his almighty power, and "subdue all nations to the obedience of faitli." In the words following our text, he declares how ex- tensive shall be his victories, and that all who oppose him shall be as tow before the fire. His victories here will be easy, certain, terrible ^'^. But what if we look into the eternal world ? O what proofs shall we there see of his irresistible, almighty power "^I Let us be assm-ed of this, that, though we be kings and lords, we must become his subjects; and that, if we will not bow to the sceptre of his grace, " we shall be broken in pieces, as a potter's vessel."]
Infer,
1. How deeply are we concerned to know whether Christ be our King !
[We must not imagine that he is our King, merely be- cause we profess ourselves his subjects. We must inquire. Whether we have been translated from the kingdom of Satan, and brought as strangers into the kingdom of Christ ^ ? We must also inquire. Whether we are living in obedience to him ? For there is nothing more certain, than that " his servants and subjects we are to whom we obey '." If we are not his, there can be no doubt whose we are : and therefore we should labour to ascertain the point, and to have our evidence clear that " we are Christ's."]