ver us too: 1 Cor. xv. 56.57. The fting of death is fin; and the ftrength of fin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the vic6 tory, through our Lord Jefus Chrift.' Heb. ii. 14. 15. Forafmuch then as the children are par'takers of flesh and blood, he alfo himself likewife took part of the fame: that through death he might deftroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their life-time fubject to bondage.' 2 Cor. iv. 4. In whom the " god of this world hath blinded the minds of 'them which believe not, left the light of the < glorious gofpe of Chrift, who is the image of God, fhould fhine unto them. The State, then, that all whom Chrift hath redeemed by Power are in, with respect to Sin, Death, the Devil, and the World, is, that they are refcued from the Bondage and Dominion of them all: Rom. vi. 14. Sin fhall not have dominion over you: for ye are, not under the law, but under grace.' John V. 24. Verily verily I fay unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that fent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come ⚫ into condemnation; but is paffed from death unto life.' Acts xxvi. 18. To turn them from the power of Satan unto God.' Gal. i 4. Jefus 'Chrift gave himself for our fins, that he might ' deliver us from this prefent evil world." Compared with 1 John v. 19. And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wick'edness.'

He fecures us from going back, of our own ac cord, to their Bondage and Dominion, by ruling us: Micah v. 2. But thou, Bethlehem Ephra

tah,

6

tah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee fhall he come forth unto me, that is to be ruler in Ifrael. verf. 4. And he fhall ftand and feed in the strength of the 'Lord, in the majefty of the name of the Lord his God, and they fhall abide.' He fo rules us, in the Capacity of Head of the Church, Eph. v. 23. Hof. i. ult. Then fhall the children of Judah, and .the children of Ifrael be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they fhall come up out of the land.' The Church is the Society of us whom he hath called unto himself, out of the World, wherein Sin, Death, and the Devil reign: Acts xv. 14. Simeon hath declared how God at the first did vifit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.' And the Supremacy, and Headship over the Church, is competent to no Man nor Angel, but Chrift himfelf alone: Col. i, 18. And he [the Son of God] is the head of the body, the church: who is the

the

6

all things first-born from the dead; that in

iv. 5.

all things he might have the pre-eminence.' Eph. There is one Lord,' I Cor. viii. 6. To us there is but one Lord Jefus Chrift, by whom are all things, and we by him.' He rules us, as he is Head of the Church, both externally and internally. He rules us, as Head of the Church, externally, giving us Laws, and Ordinances, and Officers to fee to our obferving of them. His Laws are the Laws of the Ten Commands: If xxxiii. 22. The Lord is our lawgiver,' &c. Compared with Exod. xx. 2. 3.-17. I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. &c.

:

His Ordinances are the Ordinances of Worship, and of Discipline, and Government: 1 Cor. xi. 2. Now I praise you, brethren, that you keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.' verf. 23. 'I have received of the Lord, that which alfo I delivered unto you, That the Lord Je fus, the fame night in which he was betray" ed, took bread,' &c. Matth. xviii. 17. 18. ' And if he fhall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. Verily I fay unto you, Whatfoever ye shall bind on earth, fhall be bound in heaven and whatsoever ye fhall loofe on earth, shall be loosed in heaven 1 Cor. xii. 28. God hath fet in the church, governments,' &c. His Officers are Paftors, Teachers, Ruling Elders, and Deacons Eph. iv. 11. And he gave fome, apo'ftles and fome, prophets : and fome, evange'lifts and fome, paftors and teachers." 1 Tim. V. 17. Let the elders that rule well, be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.' Chap. iii. 10. 'Let them use the office of a deacon, being found 'blameless.' He rules us, as Head of the Church, internally, by his Spirit within us writing his Laws in our Hearts, and making us obedient: Ezek. Xxxvi. 27. And I will put my spirit within you, ' and cause you to walk in my ftatutes, and ye 'fhall keep my judgments, and do them.' Heb. viii. 10. For this is the covenant that I will make 'with the house of Ifrael after thofe days, faith 'the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, ' and write them in their hearts.' He carries on his Rule over us, in this Life, graciously reward

:

ing our Obedience with his royal Favours, and correcting us for our Sins: Pfal. xix. 11. In keeping of them [the judgments of the Lord] there is great reward.' Rev. iii. 19. As many as I love, I rebuke and chaften.' He confum, mates his Rule over us, in the Life to come, by making us perfectly holy and happy: 2 Tim. iv. 8. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteoufnefs, which the Lord the righteous judge fhall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them alfo that love his appearing.' He fecures us from being carried back, by the Force of his and our Enemies, to their Bondage and Dominion, again, by defending us, and reftraining them: Pfal. Ixxxix. 18. The Lord is our defence: and the holy One of Ifrael is our King.' & lxxvi. 10. Surely the wrath of man fhall praise thee: the remainder of wrath fhalt thou reftrain.' We need his Defence, becaufe they war against us continually, and we are unable o defend ourselves against them 1 Pet. v. 8. Be fober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roring lion, walketh about feek*ing whom he may devour 2 Cor. iii. 5. Not that we are fufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourfelves: but our fufficiency is of God.' Chrift's Defence against them is extended to the whole Church, and to every particular Believer. He defends the Church against them, fo far that they fhall never prevail fo but there thall be a Church while the World ftands: Matth. xvi. 18. And I fay also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church: and the gates of hell fhall not prevail a gainst it. Chap. xxviii. ult. Lo, I am with you

L

alway

alway even unto the end of the world.' He defends every particular Believer against them, so far that none of them fhall ever perifh: John x. 28. I give unto them eternal life, and they fhall ne་ ver perish, neither fhall any pluck them out of my hand.' He defends the Church, and every particular Believer, by the Communication of his Grace to them, and the Working of his Providence for them: 2 Cor. xii. 9. And he said unto me, 'My grace is fufficient for thee: for my ftrength is made perfect in weakness.' Zech. iii. 9. 'For behold, the stone that I have laid before Joshua: upon one stone shall be feven eyes, behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, faith the Lord of hofts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land ' in one day.' He reftrains all his and our Enemies, bounding them by his Power, as to the Kinds, Degrees, and Continuance of their Attacks on us: Job ii. 6. And the Lord faid unto Satan, Behold, 'he is in thine hand, but fave his life.' 1 Cor. x. 13. There hath no temptation taken you, but " fuch as is common to man: but God is faithful, 'who will not fuffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to 'bear it.' Rev. ii. ro. Behold, the devil fhall caft fome of you into prifon, that ye may be tried; ' and ye shall have tribulation ten days.'

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He completes our Refcue, by conquering all his and our Enemies: 1 Cor. xv. 25. He mull reign, 'till he hath put all enemies under his feet. They will be fully conquered at the laft Day

XX. 14.

Rev.

"And death and hell were caft into the lake of fire. The Enemy that will longest keep the Field against us, is Death: 1 Cor. xv. 26. The

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laft