the Church; and are tied to his Laws in all CHAP. Things relating to Souls and their Salvation,, XIII. which is the Object of Chrift's Care and Govern

ment.

ALL Profeffors of his Name, wherefoever difperfed over the Earth, are cemented together as Fellow-Subjects of his Kingdom, of Righteousness, Peace, and Joy in the Holy Ghoft, by receiving his Doctrines, embracing his Laws and Directions; by living up to them, they keep Communication with the Head, and by fhewing Submiffion, receive Favour and Protection from him. More especially thofe Laws of Baptifm, the Lord's Supper, and worshipping God through Chrift; which are fundamental to, and conftitutive of his Mediatorial Kingdom. Let all then who are thus fubject in Spirit, and loyal in Soul unto Christ, glory and comfort themselves with his Power: Since he is an Omnipotent King, can do all Things, and nothing can withstand his Will; and as he is a moft tender, loving, and no lefs vigilant Ruler, and Defender of the Faith, to whom all Secrets are open and known; we may reft confident, That not the Gates of Hell, not that great Enemy of ours, Death; not the Malice of Devils; not the Confpiracies of the Powers of Darkness; nor all the perfecuting Combinations upon Earth, can finally prevail to deftroy his Church; though he may fuffer it, for a time, to be afflicted; that in their Affliction his Servants may know him the better, and call upon him the more.

FURTHER, as a gracious King, he is always ready to fend powerful Aid and Affiftance to every particular Subject, in their feveral Engage

Ee 3

ments

CHAP. ments with his, and their Enemies; and in his XIII. Might and Strength fighting with him, and for

him, and for themselves, they will be more than common Conquerors: For to him that overcometh, will be grant to fit on his Throne, even as he bimfelf overcame, and fat down upon bis Father's Throne. He rewards, as a King, thofe who faithfully ferve and obey him. As a King punishes, and cuts afunder the Rebellious and Unbelievers, who would not have him rule over them: And who can escape his Power, or abide his Wrath?

* Rev. iii. 21.

СНАР.

CHAP. XIV.

Of the MEDIATOR as JUDGE.

HE Father judgeth no Man, but bath CHA P. committed ALL JUDGMENT to XIV. the Son; That all Men fhould honour the Son, even as they honour the Father t. And it imports them fo to do. For if the eternal Fate, and final Iffue of all, who have the Knowledge of Chrift, depends upon the Sentence of his Judgment, and our everlafting Destruction or Salvation will be then at his Difpofal, it furely concerns every Chriftian to fecure him, from whom they take their Name, for their Patron and Preferver at that Day of Reparation to the Righteous, and Vengeance to the Wicked, by that Refpect and Duty which will engage him to be fo; as much as it concerns. us to fecure the Favour of the Father, who gave us our Being, by that Honour and Obedience which are due to him.

Now if we are obliged to obey the Son in Thought, Word, and Deed, as much as the Father; the Will and Commandments of the Son, being the Will and Commandments of the Father, we of course must honour him, as well

CH A P. as we honour the Father; Obedience, in those XIV. Refpects, being the best Testimony of an Inferior's honouring a Superior, who has Authority over him. But as God has made us accountable Creatures, and his Son in particular to take the account of all our Actions, Words, and Thoughts, and we know that to be the Appointment of the Father; the Command of honouring one, as well as the other, executes itfelf, and Obedience to it unavoidably follows; feeing we depend upon one for our laft Stake, as much as the other; efpecially fince dishonouring and disobeying the Son, is the fame thing as difhonouring and disobeying the Father, who fent him into the World, (as it follows in the fame verfe, fent him as his own Son) to become alfo the Son of Man.

THIS is another Inftance of the Care and Wifdom of the Father, in making his Appointments, and laying his Commands in the Nature of Things, as being previously prepared, and capable of executing them. For if the Son was not Omniscient and Omniprefent by Nature, as he is the Son of God, how could he be capable of judging the World, fuppofing him to have Power given him for firft raifing all Men from the dead, whom he is to fit in Judgment upon? How could he otherwise bring every fecret Thought and Work into Judgment, or bring to light the hidden Things of Darkness, or manifeft the Secrets of the Heart, and fo judge every Man according to his Works? perhaps, every fecret Sin of Penitents, though pardon'd and cancell'd, will be brought to Light, that the Mercy of pardoning may be as manifeft before all the World, as the Knowledge in obferving them. This will gall the Impenitent and the Hypocrite with most desperate

Pangs of Sorrow, that their Behaviour and CHAP. Devotion was not fuch before him, who feeth in XIV. fecret, as to have their Sins revers'd; but muft then be openly produced, only to their Condemnation. Tho' they then befeech him to deliver them by his Agony and bloody Sweat, by his Crofs and Paffion, by his precious Death and Burial, and by his glorious Refurrection and Afcenfion; He will not then be entreated; he is no longer their Mediator, but their JUDGE. Not every one that faith unto him, Lord, Lord, but he that doth the Will of his Father which is in Heaven, fhall be admitted thither.

THEN will fecret Piety and Charity appear with great Joy, to be rewarded publickly, and plentifully, according to the Plenty they have fown. Then will all feeming Irregularities in Divine Providence be fet to Rights, to the Satisfaction of all. The Oppreffor will receive for the Wrongs he hath done, and, together with the Proud, be humbled down to Hell; whilft the humble, and the innocently oppress'd fhall be exalted to Heaven. Then will Rewards be proportion'd according to Degrees in Virtue, and fincere improvements of Talents and Opportunities, without any Envy, or the leaft grudging at thofe, who came in at the eleventh Hour: Then will righteous, final Punishments be allotted according to evil Deeds, with a particular Difcrimination of Woe and Suffering to deliberate Unbelievers, Rejecters of Chrift and his Mediation, and to the Scoffers at his Salvation; for at that Day, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha, than for them; their Intemperance is at an End, their Infidelity is cut off, Righteousness is grown, and truth is fprung up. Then fhall no Man

be