SERMON XXXIV.

Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: and hath put all things under his feet, and given him to be the head (or, a head) over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.—Ver. 21–23.

OUR Lord and Saviour's exaltation is set forth unto us in these three last verses, and the verse before, in a double relation.

The first is, His exaltation above all creatures, and the distance he standeth in to them; he is 'far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and hath all things under his feet.'

Secondly, His exaltation is set forth to us by his relation and pre-eminence which he hath to his Church; he hath given him to be a head over all to his church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.'

If you will have it, Jesus Christ, the great King, his supremacy in all matters, and over all persons, civil and ecclesiastical; 'far above all principality,' &c. There is his supremacy over all creatures, and all civil government, and a Head to his Church also. These are the two general parts of these words.

Concerning his exaltation, as it is laid down in the 21st verse, I have already shewn these two things:

First, How he is advanced far above all things; for his own personal dignity is far above all principality and power. And this is amplified by the persons over whom he is exalted: it is over all principality and power, both good angels and bad, and the most excellent of creatures here on earth-kings and magistrates, whatsoever they be, by what names or titles soever distinguished; 'every name that is named.'

Then the third thing, which I considered in the last discourse, was the extent of it; 'not only in this world, but in the world to come.'

Of those words, 'in this world, and the world to come,' I told you interpreters gave two interpretations; whereof the

First was, that by this world, and the world to come, should be meant heaven and earth; as he himself saith at last, 'All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.' And what might be objected against this interpretation, I answered in my last discourse, and how it would not wholly and fully suit the scope of the Apostle here.

Then, in the second place, 'in this world, and the world to come,' I told you was a phrase that imported for ever, and so should imply all time after the day of judgment, not only in this world, but in all the worlds to come, be they what they will be. Now, because there was that great objection against it in 1 Cor. xv., that he is to reign, to sit, until his enemies be made his footstool, and then to give up the kingdom unto God the Father, so it is expressly said, ver. 24, 25,-I therefore explained how far his kingdom was eternal, and how far not, and how to be given up at the latter day.

To these two interpretations I added a third, which is not to exclude the others, but is indeed a kind of middle between both, taking in both the one and the other. Or, if you will, thus: that between the state of this world, as now it is, and the state of things after the day of judgment, when God shall be all in all,' there is a world to come, which is on purpose, and in a more especial manner appointed for Jesus Christ to be King in. And seeing there is such a world to come, certainly this is to be taken in here, if there were no other reason.

But I told you that there was a more especial reason why that this interpretation must be here taken in with the rest. For I find all interpreters, almost with one consent, to refer me for the words that follow, 'hath put all things under his feet,' to Ps. viii., as the only place in the Old Testament where those words are spoken concerning Christ; ver. 6, 'Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet.' So as, say they, these words, he hath put all things under his feet,' are a testimony borrowed from Ps. viii., which the same apostle Paul quoteth and citeth in two other epistles to the very same purpose. He quoteth them Heb. ii. 8, where he speaks of his kingdom, and in 1 Cor. xv. 27. Now therefore, I was led to look into Heb. ii., where indeed I find the same words quoted out of Ps. viii.; and I found this likewise, that the Apostle's scope was to prove that the Psalmist prophesied of a world to come, ordained for Christ; and proveth it by this, that he was to have a world wherein all things were to be subject to him; the very same thing that followeth here in the 22d verse. And, saith he, though we now see Christ crowned with glory and honour, so it is at Heb. ii. 8, which is all one and to sit at God's right hand,'-yet, saith he, all is not subject unto him. Though God hath put all under his feet, yet all is not yet subject; therefore there is a world to come, saith he, wherein all things shall be subject to Jesus Christ.

Now then, I finding here a 'world to come,' wherein Christ is King over all, and 'all things put under his feet,' which are the next words, and that in the judgment of all interpreters it is taken out of Ps. viii., which Heb. ii. quoteth, there is no rational man could imagine but that, in the same sense that 'world to come' is taken in Heb. ii., in the same sense it must be taken here.

I did in my last discourse, indeed, with more modesty pass over what I thought was meant by that 'world to come' than perhaps is here meet. Perhaps, likewise, I might not be so well understood. I will therefore explain myself unto you, professing not to be long upon it; for I will not discourse of it, but merely take what is pertinent and apposite to the expression in hand, the world to come,' as it is held, forth unto us in Heb. ii.

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I also proved that that man prophesied of in Ps. viii., that was to have all things under his feet, was only Jesus Christ. I shall speak now more to this, that he hath a world to come ordained for him, in which all things' are to be understood. And I shall express myself, all that I mean to say about it, in these two heads :

The first is, That that 'world to come,' mentioned Heb. ii. 5, wherein Christ is to have 'all things under his feet,' is not this world that now is, or merely the government that Christ now hath; neither is it the world after the day of judgment, and yet is said to be a 'world to come.'

And then, secondly, I shall shew you what I think is meant by that world to come, and the several steps and degrees of its perfection, its growing up, in respect of which it is said to be a world to come.

And, first of all, that the world to come, mentioned in Heb. ii. and prophesied of, Ps. viii., which this text referreth us to, is not the world that now is, that is plain; for the Apostle distinguisheth this world that now is from that world that is to come by this: saith he, now we do not see all things subject unto him,—and it is his argument by which he proveth that there must needs be such a world to come subject unto Christ,—'We see not,' saith he, all things put under him yet,' Heb. ii. 8; therefore it is a world to come. Here lies the Apostle's reason. That same word 'not now,' or 'not yet,' implieth evidently that there is a world to come in which this is to be fulfilled, wherein all things shall be subject unto Christ. It is true, this world to come is begun, as I shall shew you by and by, but it is not grown up to its perfection. We see Jesus crowned indeed, but we do not see all things subject unto him yet. This is the Apostle's scope in Heb. ii.

So that, first, it is not this world that now is.

Then the second thing is this, to prove that it is not the estate of the world after the day of judgment. I shall only prove it out of Heb. ii. and this place; I will go no further, for I will still speak pertinently to the text.

First, then; the world to come, that is ordained for Christ to have all things subject to him, is not the world after the day of judgment, I mean the state after the day of judgment. My reason is this, because that of this world that is to come for Christ, Adam's world was the type. Now mark it, my brethren. Look into Rom. viii. 19-22, the Apostle sheweth you plainly there that Adam's world, this very world wherein now we are,-which is the type of Christ's world to come, this earth and this heaven, these creatures do groan 'for the manifestation of the sons of God; for the creature,' saith he, 'was made subject unto vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him,' namely, Adam, 'who hath subjected the same in hope, because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.' So that you see there is a world to come which is not that after the day of judgment,-for what will become of these creatures then, no man can tell me, but it is this very individual creation, where we live and are, that doth groan for a restitution; and the restitution of it is the world to come, as the present corruption and bondage of it is this world.

And then, if you look into Ps. viii., you shall find there, that in the type of Christ's world to come, it is said that heavens, and stars and moon, and sheep and oxen, and fowls of the air, and fishes, these are all subject unto him. This cannot be meant after the day of judgment; no, not in the type. There is nothing after the day of judgment which heavens, and stars and moon, and sheep and oxen, and fowls of the air, and fishes should signify or typify out to us.

So that it is a world to come, between the state of this world, which is yet in its ruff and in its height to this present, and the day of judgment.

I will give you a second reason for it, and it is this: For when this world to come shall come, and Christ shall have all subject unto him in it,-for he only, saith he, shall have all subject, then he shall deliver up the kingdom unto his Father,' namely, at the end of the day of judgment. This is plain, 1 Cor. xv. 24, 25, &c. He saith plainly there that when he hath put all things under his feet,-when he hath done it, when he hath brought him fully into possession of this world to come, wherein all things are to be subject unto him, then, ver. 28, 'when all things shall b subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that hath put all things

under him.' So that now, this world of his doth cease when the day of judgment ceaseth, for 'then cometh the end,' saith he, ver. 24.

And then, thirdly, answerably out of the very words of the text you have this world, and the world to come, wherein there are principalities, and powers, and might, and dominion; 'not only in this world,' saith he, but in the world to come.' Why now, after the day of judgment there will be no principalities and powers, or might and dominion; therefore not this world to come, if you take it in a proper and strict sense.

That there will be no principalities and powers after the day of judgment is ended, is plain thus: for in 1 Cor. xv. 24, 'He shall deliver up the kingdom to the Father, when he shall have put down all rule, and authority, and power.' Here are three words, according to the Greek, of those four which are in the text.

So that now, I say, that world to come, which the Apostle speaks of, Heb. ii., and quoteth Psalm viii. for it, wherein Christ is actually to have 'all things under his feet,' is not that time after the day of judgment. It is not this world neither, nor the state of things now; for we do not see yet all things put under him; therefore there is a world to come between these two.

And so much now for that first general head, namely, that by 'world to come,' both here and in Heb. ii., is not meant the state of things after the day of judgment simply or only, but another world besides.

Now, in the second place, I come to explain what it is that is meant by this world to come. I shall do it as briefly as possibly the thing will bear, and indeed but to explain the text.

I will shew you, first, in general why it is called a world; and, secondly, why a world to come.

Then more particularly I shall shew you the several degrees of the coming on of this world; and when it is at its perfection, that Christ shall have all in subjection to him, and then that world to come shall cease; of that the second of the Hebrews speaks.

First, Why it is called a world.

My brethren, you must know this, that as God made this world for Adam, and put all things under him, though not under his feet; so God appointed a world for the second Adam, his Son Christ Jesus, and Adam's world was but the type of this world to come. Rom. v. 14, it is said that Adam was the type of him that was to come. Answerably this old Adam's world,— which now good angels and bad angels, and sinful men, these principalities and powers, rule,-it is but the shadow of that world which is to come, prophesied of in that 8th Psalm, and mentioned in that second of the Hebrews.

Yea, my brethren, let me add this to it also, that God doth take the same world that was Adam's, and makes it new and glorious; the same creation groaneth for this new world, this new clothing; as we groan to be clothed upon, so doth this whole creation. And as God takes the same substance of man's nature, and engrafteth the new creature upon it, the same man still; so he takes the same world, and maketh a new world, a world to come, for the second Adam. For the substance of the same world shall be restored to a glory which Adam could never have raised it unto, the same world that was lost in Adam. And this God will do before he hath done with it; and this restitution is the world to come.

Now then, Why is it called a world to come?

It is called a world to come because, though the foundation of it is now

laid,—it was laid then, when our Lord and Saviour was upon the earth,the foundation of it is laid in the new creature. Why is it called the new creature, but because as the first creation began the old world, so this new creature beginneth the new world? And as the old world was not perfected in a day, but in six days, so this new world to come is not perfected at once, the new creature is but the beginning of it; the new creature there below is in your hearts.

Saith the Apostle there in that second of the Hebrews,-do but mark the coberence, and you shall see that this new world is begun, and it is but begun, and you shall see when it began,- -ver. 2, 'If the word spoken by angels was steadfast,' meaning the law, how shall we escape,' saith he, ver. 3, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard it?' &c. 'For,' saith he, 'to the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.' He had spoken of the preaching of the gospel in the words just before; he saith it was begun to be preached by Christ, and accompanied with the miracles and signs of the Holy Ghost; and this gospel, saith he, the angels did not deliver. They delivered the law indeed. The word spoken by angels,' saith he, 'was steadfast,' that is, the law; but, saith he, this gospel, which is the kingdom of heaven, is the beginning of 'the world to come, whereof we now speak.' This world, saith he, was not subjected to angels; they preached it not, neither shall they have anything to do in that world which the gospel beginneth. This world that now is, is subjected to them indeed, as I shewed you formerly; but the world to come is not.

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It began therefore, you see, then, when Jesus Christ began to preach; and therefore you may observe the language of the gospel. Repent,' saith John Baptist, Matt. iii. 2, 'for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.' The world to come is coming upon you, when Christ shall come to preach the gospel, to make men new creatures. Here was the foundation of it. And saith Christ himself, Mark i. 15, Repent; the kingdom of heaven is at hand; and, Matt. xvi. 28, 'There are some that stand here,' saith he, that shall not taste of death'-and all are dead that stood there long ago till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.'

The foundation of this world to come was thus laid by our Saviour Christ in bringing in the gospel, and it was prophesied of in Dan. ii. 44. He saith expressly there, that in the days of these kings'-while the principalities and powers stand of those monarchies; for he came stealing into the world when the Roman monarchy first began, in Augustus Cæsar's time; Christ, that meant to ruin it, came stealing in upon it- shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.' This same new world, you see, began in the flourishing and height of the Roman monarchy. Now, what did Jesus Christ do when he came into the world and went up into heaven, when he began his new world? Consider what the world was

before.

The devil was worshipped in all parts of the world, as the god of the world. Our Lord and Saviour Christ flingeth him down; 'I saw Satan,' saith he, 'fall down like lightning.' Where heathenism did not prevail, there did Judaism, all the ceremonial law; how zealous were the Jews of all their ceremonies, and of the temple! He throweth all them down; the apostle Paul calleth it, Heb. xii. 26, 'shaking of the earth.' Here is a great deal of this world gone presently, and falling down like Dagon before the new world.