Queft. 26. How doth Chrift execute the Office of a King?

Anf. Chrift executeth the Office of a King, in fubduing us to himself, in ruling and defending us, and in reftraining and conquering all his and our Enemies.

EXPLICATION.

Chrift hath a twofold Kingdom; namely, an effential Kingdom, as he is God; and a mediatory Kingdom, as he is our Redeemer. His effential Kingdom is the whole Creation: Col. i. 15. 16. Who [the Son] is the image of the invifible God, the firft-born of every creature: for by him were all things created that are in heaven, and that are in earth, vifible and invifible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him.' His mediatory Kingdom is the Church: Col. i, 18. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firft-born from the dead; that in all things he might have the pre-eminence.' Zech. ix. 9. Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; fhout, O daughter of Jerufalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee.' Now, it is his mediatory Kingdom that his kingly Office relates to.

The Office of Kings, whom God anointed and fet over his ancient People, was, to fave them by Strength of Hand from their Enemies, and to rule them as their Head: 2 Sam. iii. 17. 18. And

Abner

Abner had communication with the elders of Ifrael, faying, Ye fought for David in times paft < to be king over you. Now then do it; for the 'Lord hath spoken of David, saying, By the hand of my fervant David I will fave my people Ifrael out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.' 1 Chron. xi. 1. 2. Then all Ifrael gathered themfelves to David unto Hebron, faying, In time paft, even when Saul was king, thou waft he that leddeft out and broughteft in Ifrael: and the Lord thy God faid unto thee, Thou shalt feed my people Ifrael, and thou shalt be ruler over my people Ifrael.' And Chrift, as our Redeemer, is fuch a King: H. xxxiii. 22. The Lord is our King, he will fave us.' Zech. vi. 13. Even he [the Branch] • fhall fit and rule upon his throne.' The Difference betwixt Christ and these other Kings lay here, that their Kingdom was but a temporal Kingdom, for the temporal Safety of their People; Christ's Kingdom is a spiritual and eternal Kingdom, for the eternal Salvation of his: John xviii. 36. Jefus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my fervants fight, that I fhould not be delivered to the Jews but now is my kingdom not from. • hence. Luke i. 33. And he [the Son of the Higheft] fhall reign over the house of Jacob for " ever, and of his kingdom there fhall be no end.' I. xlv. 17.' Ifrael fhall be faved in the Lord with an everlasting falvation.' Our Redeemer was qualified for fuch a Kingdom, by his infinite Wifdom and Power, and the Father's committing the Kingdom of Providence throughout the whole World into his Hand: . ix. 6. For unto us a

6

'child

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'child is born, unto us a fon is given, and the government shall be upon his fhoulder: and his name fhall be called Counfeller, The mighty 'God- Eph. i. 22. God hath put all things ' under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church.' 1 Cor. xi. 3.

The head of every man is Chrift.' Matth. xxviii. 18. All power is given unto me in heaven and ' in earth. Compared with verf. 19. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.' John v. 22. 23. • The Father judgeth no man; but hath committed all "judgment unto the Son: that all men fhould honour the Son, even as they honour the Father." Compared with . xliii. 14. 15. Thus faith the Lord your redeemer, the holy One of Ifrael, For your fake I have fent to Babylon, and have brought down all their nobles, and the Chaldeans, whofe cry is in the fhips. I amr the Lord, your holy One, the creator of Ifrael, your King' Compare 2 Sam. viii. 1. 2. And after this it came to pafs, that David fmote the Philistines, and fubdued them: and David took Metheg' ammah out of the hand of the Philiftines. And 'he fmote Moab, and measured them with a line, cafting them down to the ground: even with two lines measured he, to put to death; and with one full line, to keep alive and fo the Moabites became David's fervants, and brought gifts. verf. 6. Then David put garrifons in Syria of Damafcus: and the Syrians became 'fervants to David, and brought gifts and the 'Lord preferved David whitherfoever he went.' verf. 14. 15. And he put garrifons in Edom; throughout

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throughout all Edom put he garrisons, and all they of Edom became David's fervants and the Lord preferved David whitherfoever he went. And David reigned over all Israel, and David executed judgment and juftice unto all his people.' And Pfal. xviii. 43. Thou haft delivered me from the ftrivings of the people and thou haft made me the head of the heathen a people whom I have not known, fhall ferve me.' Christ had a Right to his mediatory Kingdom, by his own Purchase, and his Father's Grant: Acts xx. 28. Feed the church of God, which he hath purchafed with his own blood.' Pfal. ii. 6. Yet have I fet my king upon my holy hill of 'Zion.'

The Office of a King belongs to our Redeemer, as a Redeemer by Power: Pfal. xlv. 1. ' I speak of the things which I have made touching the king' verf. 3. Gird thy fword upon thy thigh, O moft mighty: with thy glory and thy majefty.' And in it he redeems or refcues by Strength of Hand: . xl. 1o. Behold, the Lord God will < come with ftrong hand, and his arm fhall rule for him. Pfal. xxiv. 8. Who is this King of glory? the Lord ftrong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.' Thofe whom he redeems or refcues by Strength of Hand, are they whom he hath redeemed by the Price of his Blood: Zech. ix. 11. As for thee alfo, by the blood of thy covenant, I have fent forth thy prifoners out of the pit wherein is no water.' He redeems or refcues them from all his and their Enemies : Luke i. 69. The Lord hath raised up an horn of falvation for us, in the house of his fervant David ;' verf. 71. That we should be faved from our e

nemies,

nemies, and from the hand of all that hate us." His and our Enemies are Sin, Death, the Devil, and the World: Heb. xii. 4. Ye have not yet ' refifted unto blood, ftriving against fin.' 1 Cor. xv. 26. The last enemy that

is

fhall be destroyed, is death.' Matth. xiii. 39. The enemy that fowed them, is the devil.' James iv. 4. Ye 'adulterers and adultereffes, know ye not that 'the friendship of the world enmity with God? 'whofoever therefore will be a friend of the 'world, is the enemy of God.' Thefe are Chrift's Enemies, in that they are oppofite to his King. dom, though they can hurt him no more. They are our Enemies, in that they tend to our Deftruction.

He begins our Rescue from them, refcuing us from their Bondage and Dominion: Col. i, 13. The Father hath delivered us from the power of ⚫ darkness,' &c. We are by Nature under the Bondage and Dominion of Sin, Death, the Devil, and the World: Rom. v. 21. Sin hath reigned 'unto death.' verf. 17. By one man's offence, death reigned by one.' Acts xxvi. 18. To open their eyes, and to turn them from darknefs to light, and from the power of Satan unto God.' i John v. 4. 5. "Whatsoever is born of God, overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world,

but he that believeth that Jefus is the Son of "God?' He refçues us from their Bondage and Dominion, by fubduing us to himself: 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. Pfal. cx. 3. Thy people

hall