To him the headship and government of the people does belong therefore to him muft the gathering of the people be.

2. To him muft the gathering of the people be, becaufe to him does the work of the people belong: as he is appointed to be an Head to them, fo a worker for them. Ever fince the covenant of works was broken, and fo our working arm broken, we being by nature without firength, it is he that works all our work in us, and for us, Ifa. xxvi. 12. Hence fays the pfalmist David, Pfal. Ivii. 2. "I will cry unto God moft High, unto God that performs all things for me." There is a twofold work that we need to have performed, namely, work fatisfying to the law, as a covenant; and work fuitable to the law, as a rule. Now, the performing of both these works belongs to Chrift, as he is made of God to us, both righteoufnefs and fanctification. The work fatisfying to the law, as a covenant, is performed by him as our righteoufnefs, while he fulfils the righteoufnefs of the law for, and in his people, Rom. viii. 4. The work fuitable to the law as a rule, is performed in and through him, as our fanctification; while he puts his Spirit within us, and caufes us to walk in his ftatutes, Ezek. xxxvi. 22. And hence, fays Chrift, John xv. 5. "Without me ye can do nothing" the word is, xopi's 'eus, SEVERED from me, or SEPARATE from me, ye can do nothing.-Why then, we must not remain feparate from him; but gather to him, as he is the Mediator, and the All of the covenant. The whole weight and work of the covenant belongs to him, and this makes it a covenant of grace to us, and not of works; becaufe all the work falls to his fhare. There is his doing work, for the people; for he came to fulfil all righteousness, that fo the people might fay, "In the Lord have I righteoufnefs," Ifa. xlv. 24. Therefore it follows, "To him fhall men come." Again, there is his fuffering work for the people, on which account, the gathering of the people fhould be to him; Heb. xiii. 13. "That he might fanctify the people with his own blood, he fuffered without the gate; therefore let us go forth to him."--There is his dying

work;

XV. 3.

work; for he fuffered unto death; and his death was an act of obedience; he being obedient unto death, even the death of the crofs. This is the gofpel delivered unto us, to be preached unto the people, "How that Chrift died for our fins according to the fcriptures," 1 Cor. And fhall he die for the people, and yet there be no gathering of the people to him?-There is his repairing work, for the behoof of the people; and in the works juft now mentioned, this repairing work is accomplished; for he repairs the breaches of the law, that our fin made and not only is the law magnified and made honourable, by his doing and dying; while his doing answers the precept, and his dying the threatening thereof, and that to infinite advantage; but the glory of the Law-giver is repaired. The people had come fhort of the glory of God; but he, to whom the gathering of the people muft be, did repair the honour and glory of his holinefs, by a perfect obedience; and the glory and honour of his juftice, by a condign fatisfaction and thus brought in glory to God in the higheft; yea, and made all the other glorious attributes of God fhine forth gloriously and harmonioufly, in the work of our redemption. And hence, when Chrift was about this work, he fays, "Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him," John xiii. 31.There is his purchafing work, for the behoof of the people; "He hath bought the people with a price," I Cor. And fhall not the gathering of the people be to him, whofe blood was the price of the peoples fouls, and the purchase-money for buying grace and glory to them? There is his pleading work for the people; for, "He is able to fave to the uttermoft, all that come to God by him, because he ever lives to make interceffion for them," Heb. vii. 25. And this is the reafon for their coming and gathering to him; for, in fo doing, they fhall have an evidence, that his pleading for them hath been, and will be for ever effectual.-There is also a conquering work, that belongs to him, according to Pfal. cx. 3. "Thy people fhall be willing in the day of thy power:" therefore the gathering of the people fhall be

vi. 20.

to him, because the conquering of the people belongs to him; and how he conquers them, by the fword of his powerful grace, you fee, Pfalm xlv. 3, 4, 5. Indeed the will be no gathering to him, till this conquering power come: and therefore, if you would be gathered, cry to him to gird this fword upon his thigh, and to fend the rod of his ftrength out of Zion, that it may be mighty through God to the pulling down of the ftrong holds of fin. O that his voice in the gofpel were powerful! Some tell us that the lion's whelps are born dead at firft, till by the roaring of the old lion over them, they are quickened: whatever be in this, it is true enough in the cafe of the people that are gathered to Shiloh; they are born dead, and remain fo, till the Lion of the tribe of Judah roar fo loudly, as to quicken them with his powerful voice, according to John v. 25. "The hour cometh, when the dead fhall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live:" his voice quickens, conquers, and captivates them. And as it is his work to conquer them; fo to conquer all their enemies for them; whether it be fin, Satan, death, hell, or the world, that they may be more than conquerors thro' him; and all this conquering work belongs to him, that the gathering of the people may be to him. And, in a word, there is a ftrengthening work, that belongs to him, as well as a leading, guiding, comforting and counfelling work, that I might mention, together with all the other parts of his faving work; “I can do all things through Chrift ftrengthening me," fays Paul. And it is upon this footing, that all the fruits of faith come in, even all the works of fpiritual gofpel obedience. When we go forth to any work, we are to go in the ftrength of the Lord, making mention of his righteousness, and of his only; being firong in the Lord, and in the power of his might; ftrong in the grace that is in Chrift Jefus; and ftrengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; his ftrength being made perfect in our weakness; and he working in us both to will and to do of his good pleafure. Thus he is the ftrength of Ifrael, the ftrength of his people for which caufe, the gathering of the people must be to him; and becaufe,

in this manner, the work of the people belongs to him, to work all their works in them, and for them. But then again,

peo

3. To him muft the gathering of the people be, becaufe to him does the INSTRUCTION of the people belong; for as the purchafe of the people belongs to him, as a Prieft, and the conqueft of the people belongs to him, as a King; fo the inftruction of the people belongs to him, as a Prophet. And indeed, though I mention it here in the third place, yet this is the firft part of his gathering work, to inftruct, and teach, and enlighten; and may we not fay with Elihu, Job xxxvi. 22. "Who teacheth like him?" He is the none-fuch Teacher of the people; and therefore, muft the gathering of the ple be to him. In vain is the gathering of people about tents and pulpits, if their eyes look no higher than towards poor minifters, mortal worms like themselves, that can only speak to their ears, but cannot make one beam of divine light to break in upon their understandings. This is the peculiar work of him who is the Sun of righteousness, the Light of the world, the Light to lighten the Gentiles: it is he only, by his Spirit, that can make us to know God, and the things of God; “No man hath feen God at any time; the only-begotten Son, which is in the bofom of the Father, he hath declared' him," John i. 18. He is the bleffed and only Teacher and Inftructer; and therefore the gathering of the people fhould be to his fchool, that they may be all taught of God: John vi. 45. "And every man therefore that hath heard, and learned of the Father, comes to me," fays Chrift; where it is pleafant to obferve, comparing this and the former fcripture together, that as God and Chrift both are teachers here, fo the Father and the Son both are the leffon taught, in the light of the eternal Spirit : and, that as there is no coming to Chrift, nor gathering to him, but under the influence of the Father's teaching; nor is there any coming to the Father, but by the Son, who is the way: fo the great leffon that the Father teaches is the Son, and the great leffon that the Son teaches is the Father; and fo the whole teaching comes to this, a knowing the Father, in the Son, by the Holy I 3 Ghoft.

Ghoft. Now, our Lord Jefus Chrift, in a peculiar manner, is the great Prophet and Teacher, being anointed with a fuper-eminent unction of the Spirit of wildom for this end; Ifa. Ixi. 1. "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, for he hath anointed me to preach;" O glorious preacher and teacher! "I have put my Spirit upon him, fays the Father, that he might bring forth judgment to the Gentiles :" that is, light and inftruction to the people and therefore fhould the gathering of the people be to him. O then, let all the people fay, "To whom fhall we go? thou haft the words of eternal life."

4. To him muft the gathering of the people be, becaufe to him does the SALVATION of the people belong. Salvation from fin belongs to him; therefore his name is called Jesus, becaufe he faves his people from their fins, Mat. 1. 21. Salvation from wrath belongs to him, therefore his name is also called, even JESUS, which delivered us from the wrath to come, I Theff. i. 10. And not only the privative, but the pofitive falvation of the people belongs to him; hence, whom he faves, he adopts; whom he faves, he adorns; whom he faves, he anoints; whom he faves, he juftifies, and glorifies. O then, to whom fhould the gathering of finners be, but to him who is the Saviour of finners? 1 Tim. i. 15. "This is a faithful faying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Jefus Chrift came to fave finners, of whom [viz. of faved finners] I am the chief." O let every man, and woman here fay it with application! fay it, man, woman;, fay it, old and young, high and low, rich and poor; and I will fay it with you thro' grace, of whom I am the chief; even the chief of finners, whom he came to fave. Let not unbelief fay, It may be he came not to fave me: for this gofpel declares that your name is in his fealed commiffion, if you be a finner; there is the gofpel-charter let down from heaven, and it is a letter directed on the back, For you finners; "Jefus Chrift came to fave SINNERS" and if you open the charter, and read it with application to yourself, you will find that it is all for you, both within and without. O! hath Chrift a commiffion to fave the people! and fhall not the people gather