when he saith all things are put under him, it i manifest that He is excepted which did put all things under him."

And when he was thus crowned a revelation was given unto him, a book sealed with seven seals; in allusion to the testimony given to the kings of Israel at their coronation, 2 Kings xi. 12. Which sealed book or testimony, is the book of the Revelation; and those who are enlightened into it may easily see his reign, both in providence and in grace.

This middle, or mediatorial, reign of Christ, is twofold. He is King of Zion, and King of nations; King of the church, and King of the world: "Thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him." He keeps his throne of grace in Zion, and his throne of majesty in the world; for he doth not only reign in Zion, but from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth.

In Zion he governs by his power, his spirit, his gospel, and his grace; by his ministers and other officers, by the ministry of his word, by his ordinances, and by his glorious presence.

In the world he governs by kings, and by princes, &c. As it is written, "By me kings reign, and princes decree justice. By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth." For he is King of kings, and Lord of lords.

This middle, or mediatorial reign in the hand of Christ is to continue till he "shall have put

put down all rule, and all authority, and power; for he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." When the end comes, Satan and all devils subject to him; sin, and all the train of its provocations; death, and all its spoils; wicked kings, princes, judges, and nobles; shall be all put down: and all sinners shall then be arraigned, condemned, damned, and destroyed. And, when the earth and all her works, devils and all sinners, are destroyed, all rule, authority, and power, will be put down, and an end put to his government as King of nations; for there will be no nations to govern.

So, likewise, when all the elect of God, the beloved Zion whom he hath chosen, all the general assembly, will be raised from their graves, and be united to their souls, and their vile bodies changed and fashioned like unto the glorious body of Christ; then shall all the subjects of grace be brought, in a glorified state, even to God the Father, from whom Christ received them; and shall be delivered up in full tale, without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing. As a shepherd, he delivers up his flock; as a minister of the sanctuary, he delivers up his charge; and as king of Zion, he delivers up the kingdom. The militant church is now the triumphant one; grace is now displayed in everlasting glory; the gospel of truth is settled in heaven. Mercy is built up for ever, and faithfulness established in the very heavens. Mount Zion is now

become the heavenly Jerusalem. Preaching and hearing the gospel will be no more. His reign of grace, his middle reign, as King of Zion, will now have an end. His regal sceptre will be laid aside, or cease to be what it now is. Christ has been subject to the Father all along: and this seems to be the last act of subjection touching the empire of grace. For so it is written, "Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God:" then, at that time, and in that act, shall the Son also himself be subject unto him. From the Father he received his kingdom and his chosen subjects, and to God he is accountable both for his reign and for them; and, being accountable and subjected to give up his accounts, he delivers up the kingdom of grace to the Father of glory.

But what then? Does his Godhead leave the human nature that he assumed? No; the word that was with God, and that was God, and that was made flesh, and dwelt among us, will abide so for ever. The child born, the son given, is an everlasting Father, Isaiah ix. 6. "He shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days," Isaiah liii. 10, longer than Adam or Methuselah either, even to all eternity; the world and all her works shall be destroyed: "But thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail," Heb. i. 12; shall never cease to be. In and through the glorified humanity will the Godhead of Christ dwell, and shine to all eternity.

But is there now an end put to the Saviour's

reign? Yes; an end is put to his reign of grace, as man and mediator; but not to his reign of glory, as over all, God blessed for evermore. Christ is King of glory in heaven, as well as king of Zion on earth: the former he has by right of nature, the latter by the gift of the Father. "Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory." And this God of armies, as a King of glory, shall ever reign. For, though a throne of grace will not be needed as now, yet Christ's throne of glory shall still remain; for his subjects of grace shall then be subjects of glory, over whom Christ, as King of glory in his glorified humanity, shall reign to all eternity; and his reign of glory shall never have an end. And so it is written, "His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away; and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed." Again, "In the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever; the dream is certain, and the interpretation sure." And again," The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever," Rev. xi. 15. When all the wicked are in hell, and all the saints in glory, as King of glory Christ shall ever reign:

"The Lord is King for ever and ever: the heathen are perished out of his land." Again, "He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end." Again, "Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end." All these scriptures which respect Christ as God, and as king of glory, declare that his reign of glory shall never have an end; and this is confirmed by what the Father said to him: "But unto the Son he saith, Thy Throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. And thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth and the heavens are the works of thine hands. They shall perish; but thou remainest : and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; and as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail." In the above texts it is clear to be seen that the Saviour's reign of grace and reign of glory are interwoven together: the one hath an end, the other has none. The last text quoted shews, that he created the heavens and all their hosts, the earth and all her inhabitants; and, when the latter is destroyed, he will reign in the former. He made his angels spirits; they are the work of his hands, which he has a right to govern, being the head of all principalities, and of