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people. The kingdom of Christ always had and ever will have many enemies, who will continually be within bow-shot of its subjects. These enemies are the devil, the flesh, the world, and death. Christ defends against these, as a king defends his subjects.

1. By preserving his church in being, notwithstanding all the cunning and furious attempts of enemies to destroy her. Hence the bush, though it burn, will not consume. Of her he says, Isa. xxvii. 3. I the Lord do keep it: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day.' And he keeps every particular believer, so as they never totally and finally fall away, John x. 28. 'I give unto them eternal life (says he): and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand.'

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2. By giving them necessary support and help under all sufferings, troubles, and temptations, never leaving them, no not at the hour of death. Hence it is said, Isa. Ixiii. 9. all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his sence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them, and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.' 1 Cor. x. 13. There hath no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man; but God is faithful who will not suffer 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.' For this he makes use of the angels as he will, they being all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation,' Heb. i. 14. And he can employ men, even the worst of men, in that service: hence the earth helped the woman, and opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth, Rev. xii. 16.

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Fourthly, Christ executes his kingly office in restraining his enemies, and those of his people. While, though their power remains with them to annoy his people, yet he sets bounds to them, over which they cannot pass; Psal. lxxvi. 10. Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee (says the Psalmist the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain."Christ has all his and his people's enemies, outward and inward in a chain; and no further can they go than he is pleased to let out a link to them. If it were not so, all would quickly be over-run; but one jot they cannot go beyond his permission.

Fifthly and lastly, Christ executes his kingly office in con quering his enemies, and those of his people. This conquest is twofold. (1.) When now he takes away their power in part. Thus is the devil conquered already, that he has not all the world so at his will, and under his yoke of slavery, as before the coming of Christ, when he ruled among the nations with an unlimited sway. And thus the devil and the flesh are conquered in the day of converting grace, when the power of these enemies is broken, and the captives are delivered from the tyranny and bondage in which they were formerly held. Thus the wicked world is conquered, when their rage against the people of God is laid aside, and the church enjoys tranquillity: For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her, Zech. ii. 5. And death is conquered when its sting is taken away, which it is as to every believer; so that they can say, 'O death, where is thy sting? 1 Cor. xv. 55. (2.) There is a complete conquest remaining, which will be at the last day, when Christ will gather in all his people into one glorious company, transport them into those mansions of bliss which he has prepared for them, and reign over them for ever in heaven; when all his own, and his people's enemies are utterly destroyed from the presence of God, and the glory of his power. For he must reign till all his enemies be put under his feet,' 1 Cor. xv. 25. Then death and hell shall be cast into the lake of fire, Rev. xx. 14. and the devil and all his slaves shall be shut up for ever in the infernal Tophet. This shall be the most signal display of the glorious conquests of this King, and the trophies of his victory shall be the subject of the song of the redeemed for ever.

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This kingdom of Christ will be eternal, Luke i. 33. 'He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end.' Dan. ii. 44. The God of heaven shall set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed, and it shall stand for ever.' It is true the way of its present administration will cease, and so he will deliver up the kingdom to his Father, but exhibiting it as consummated and perfected. But Christ shall remain the King, Head, and Husband of his church for ever, Rev. xix. 7. and he shall be the eternal bond of union betwixt God and the saints.

IV. Let us consider some of the properties or qualities of Zion's King.

1. He is a King of ancient, glorious, and honourable extract: for he is the brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of his person. His goings forth were of old, from everlasting. And he is God over all, blessed for ever.

2. He is an absolute king, who makes laws for his subjects, but is not bound by any himself. His will is his law, and he does without controul whatever seems good to himself in heaven and in earth. Yea, so uncontroulable is his government, that none may oblige him to render a reason of his actions. Who may say unto him, What dost thou?' But though Christ be an absolute monarch, yet his government is no way tyrannical, but managed according to the eternal rules of righteousness, justice, and holiness.

3. He is a wise King: for he is the wisdom of God, yea, God only wise; and therefore infinitely able to guide his subjects through all the labyrinths of danger and difficulty wherein they may be involved; while he teaches them in the way of wisdom, and leads them in right paths; so that when they go, their steps shall not be straitened; and when they run, they shall not stumble,' Prov. iv. 11, 12.

4. Christ is a very powerful King: for he has more than the strength of an unicorn; yea, he has an arm that is full of power, being the Lord of hosts, strong and mighty in battle; and therefore infinitely able to secure his subjects against all the attempts which devils or men can make against them. Yea, so great is his strength, and so mighty is his power, that one angry blast thereof will make all his enemies to fly as chaff before the wind; and therefore he says, Who will set the briars and thorns against me in battle; I would go through them, I would burn them up together,' Isa. xxvii. 4.

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5. Christ is a just King: Just and right is he.' Though clouds and darkness may be about him, yet justice and judgment are the habitation of his throne,' Psal. xcvii. 2. So that his government is impartially exercised, without any by-respect to the great or the small, the rich or the poor, &c. Neither the meanness of the poor and low, nor the honour and greatness of the high and noble, will incline him to do any thing in the least inconsistent with the immutable rules of perfect justice. He accepteth not the persons of

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princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the are all the work of his hands,' Job xxxiv. 19.

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6. Christ is a very merciful King. Mercy is the prevailing attribute of his nature, which he delights to make the children of men feel the benign effects of. Therefore he has proclaimed himself to be the Lord, the Lord God merciful and gracious.' He does not willingly grieve nor afflict the children of men. He takes no pleasure in the blood of his most implacable and inveterate foes; and bears with a very tender hand upon his afflicted, broken, and discouraged people. For the bruised reed he will not break, nor quench the smoking flax. He heals the broken in heart, and binds up all their wounds. In all the afflictions of his people he is afflicted; and he that touches them, touches the apple of his eye.

7. Christ is a very meek and patient King. Never any in the world could have borne such indignities, or digested such affronts, as he has met with from such of his own subjects, to whom he has shewn the most distinguishing kindness. Had he not been thus patient, Judah and Ephraim had soon been unpeopled. As for them, they were bent to backsliding: though they called them to the Most High, none at all would exalt him,' Hos. xi. 7. Though he sent many prophets unto them, calling upon them, and saying, Return, ye backsliding children,' &c. yet they did not regard them. Who after this could imagine, that this just and jealous King would have entertained one thought of kindness towards them? yet hear what he says, How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? How shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together,' ver. 8.

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8. Christ is a very beautiful King. His glory outshines the sun in its full strength. The united constellations of all created beauty fall infinitely short of his; for he is fairer than the children of men, yea, he is altogether lovely.

9. Christ is a most humble and condescending King: for he does not disdain to be acquainted with the meanest among the sons of men; the beggar will be as welcome to him as the prince. The poor and the rich are all one to him; and he takes as much notice of Job on the dunghill, as of David on the throne. Hear what the prophet, in the name of this

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great King, says, Isa. lxvi. 1, 2. heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool whereis the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? for all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.'

10. Christ is a very rich and opulent King. The earth is the Lords, and the fulness thereof. He is the heir of all things. Honour and riches are with him, yea, durable riches and righteousness. So that those who are his honest and faithful subjects shall never want any thing that is good for them. Such are the immense treasures and infinite riches of this glorious King, that all the ministers on earth, and all the angels in heaven, cannot possibly lay them open. For can they grasp the heavens in their arms, and the sun in the hollow of their hands? can they weigh the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance? Suppose they could do all this, and a thousand times more, yet could they not give an account of the estate of this mighty King. So that his subjects shall never want either grace or glory.

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11. He is an immortal and everlasting King. heavens and the earth shall perish, but he shall endure; yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shall they be changed. But he is the same, and his years shall have no end,' Psal. cii. 26, 27. Though the best, the wisest, and the richest kings upon earth will die, and leave their subjects exposed to many inconveniences consequent on their death, yet this King of glory lives for evermore, and will rule over his subjects with justice, mercy, and righteousness, through all the ages of eternity.

It remains to make some improvement of this subject.

1. The kings of the earth have no ground to grudge the kingdom of Christ its freedom in their dominions; seeing it is a spiritual kingdom, and quite of another nature than the kingdoms of this world; and interferes not with any of the just rights and prerogatives of earthly crowns. Yet how sad is it that this kingdom should be an eye-sore to the kings of the earth, and that they should employ their power to suppress and bear it down?

2. The Pope's supremacy, and the supremacy of the magistrate over all persons, and in all causes, whereby they have

VOL. II.

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