man keeps the house, till Chrift, who is the stronger, enter in and fpoil him of his goods, and tranflate the poor foul from the power of darknefs into his kingdom of light.

4. The great engine whereby Chrift rears up a kingdom to himfelf in the world, is the preaching of the everlasting gofpel, accompanied with the power and efficacy of his Spirit. This is called "the rod of his ftrength," whereby he makes "a willing people." The gofpel is "the power of God unto falvation;" and it is by thefe weapons which "are not carnal, but mighty through God," he cafts down ftrong-holds.

5. The church and kingdom of Chrift being founded and governed by him, "in whom all the treafures of wisdom and knowledge are hid," cannot mifs of being one of the best regulated focieties in the world as under his management, whatever irregularities may be found in her through the corrup tions of men intermingling with the concerns of the kingdom. The church, because of her comely order and regularity, andas fhe is moulded by her King in the midft of her, is compared unto a city lying fourfquare, Rev. xxi.; fhe is faid to be "comely as Jerufalem, beautiful for fituation, the joy of the whole earth." Every thing neceffary to render any kingdom or fociety regular, is to be found in the church or kingdom of Chrift. As,

ft, A kingdom well conftitute hath its laws; and fo hath the church of Chrift. And the laws given by her King are all holy, jul, and good; and all the true fubjects of the kingdom delight in the laws of their King, as being the tranfcript of infinite wifdom and equity.

2dly, A kingdom hath its officers under its king; and fo hath the church of Chrift; for "he gave fome, apoftles: and fome, prophets and fome, evangelifts: and fome, paftors and teachers; for the perfecting of the faints, for the work of the miniftry, for the edifying of the body of Chrift: till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the ftature of the fulness of Chrift," Eph. iv. 11. 12. 13. And it is by his officers, or office bearers, that ye have been ferved this day at his table, according to his direction.

3dly, A kingdom hath its courts, where the fubjects attend to receive the will of the king, and the benefits of his adminiftration; and fo hath the church. David fpeaking of the Old Teftament church, and particularly of Jerufalem, a type of the New Teftament church, tells us, "There are set thrones of judgement, the thrones of the houfe of David, whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, unto the teftimony of If Tael." The church of Chrift, even the church militant, hath

her

her courts for government, where the key of difcipline is exercised; and her courts for worship, where the doctrine, the ordinances of worship, are difpenfed.

4thly, A kingdom hath its feal: we hear frequently of the broad feal of the kingdom, which is commonly appended unto charters for their confirmation. So in the kingdom of Chrift he hath appended two public feals unto the charter of his covenant of grace, viz. baptifm, and the Lord's fupper; the laft of which we have been this day difpenfing unto you, for the confirmation of your faith, as to the validity of the charter : and happy for ever is that man who has got the internal feal of the facrament, and privy seal of the Holy Spirit with it; for he is "fealed up to the day of redemption."

5thly, A kingdom commonly hath its enemies to grapple with, both foreign and inteftine; and fo hath the kingdom of Chrift. The gates of hell, and its auxiliaries, have in all ages been attempting to overthrow the kingdom of Chrift in the world; the dragon with his angels and armies make war a gainst Michael and his angels: and the war between the feed of the woman and the feed of the ferpent, like that betwixt Amalek and Ifrael, will never end while the world ftands. But befides the foreign enemies the church of Chrift hath to deal with, inteftine enemies, corrupt officers, members, and ministers, pretending to build, and yet caufing the work to cease, in as far as in them lies. Yea, the true fubjects of this kingdom of Chrift, have the enemy of a deceitful and corrupt heart within them, that is ready to join hand with the enemy that is more foreign. The kingdom of Chrift is a theatre of continual war, from the disturbances perpetually created by fome of these enemies, and will be militant while in this world; "for we wrestle not against flesh and blood only, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darknefs of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places:" and ye who have been this day at the banqueting-houfe, provide and prepare for the battle, &c.

6thly, A kingdom hath its armies and auxiliaries; and fo hath the church of Chrift, being in a confederacy with the Lord of hofts. The armies of heaven are ready to fight her quarrel, and to step into the affiftance of the true believer, who is minting to fight the good fight of faith, under the conduct of the Captain of falvation. And because all the fubjects are foldiers, here is a fuitable military equipage provided for them, "the fhield of faith, the helmet of falvation," &c. 7thly, A kingdom hath its fortifications and strong-holds; and fo hath the church of Chrift: If. xxvi. 1. "In that day thall this fong be fung in the land of Judah, We have a strong

city, falvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks. The ftrong ramparts of the kingdom are the divine attributes; for "as the mountains are round about Jerufalem, fo the Lordencompaffeth them that fear him." A God in Chrift is the church's refuge, Pfal.xlvi. 1. " God is our refuge and ftrength, a very prefent help in trouble."

II. The fecond thing was, to speak a little of the government and adminiftration of the kingdom. What I have to offer as to this, take in the particulars following.

1. Chrift himself you fee in the text is the great and glorious Governor, The government shall be upon his shoulder, Pfal. ii. 6. "Yet have I fet my King upon my holy hill of Zion," Mic. v. 2. "But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me, that is to be Ruler in Ifrael; whofe goings forth have been from of old, from everlafting." Mic. ii. 13. "And their king fhall pafs before them, and the Lord on the head of them." Eph. i. 22. 23. "He hath given him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all." Oh how may the church of believers pride themselves in their King and Governor, faying, "The Lord is our defence, the holy One of Ifrael is our King in him thail all the feed of Israel be justified, and fhall glory!"

2. All things in heaven, earth, and hell, are put under the power of Chrift, for the more advantageous government of his church, Eph. i. 22. 23. just now quoted, and Phil. ii. 9. 10. II. So that not only the government of the church, but the government of angels, men, and devils, of all things vifible and invifible, are in the hand of Chrift for the fake of his church. Hence is that promise or article of his latterwill, Rom. viii. 28. "All things work together for good, to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."

3. Christ the King of Zion is wonderfully fitted by his Father, for the government and adminiftration. You read of his qualifications for it, If. xi. 2. 3. 4. "And the Spirit of the Lord fhall reft upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counfel and might, the Spirit of knowledge, and of the fear of the Lord and fhall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord, and he shall not judge after the fight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears. But with righteousness fhall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity, for the meek of the earth and he fhall fmite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with

with the breath of his lips fhall he flay the wicked." Oh! where was there ever fuch a well qualified Governor? It is impoffible he can err in his adminiftration. And what sweetens this is, that the qualifications of the King are communicable, and actually communicated unto all the loyal subjects of the kingdom; for he is not only a head of government, but of influences: for "out of his fulness do all we receive, and grace for grace."

4. Chrift's government and administration is very wonderful and surprising; you fee here that the name of the Governor is Wonderful. He is wonderful in his person, and wonderful in his adminiftration; for, by his fkill of management in his kingdom, he brings light out of darknefs, order out of confufion, life out of death, ftrength out of weakness: and therefore the subjects may be easy amidst the greatest apparent confufions, even though the mountains were removing, and heaven and earth mingling; for he is "the Lord that doth wonders, and rules even in the raging of the fea," &c.

5. Chrift's government and administration in and about his church and people is exceeding wife; fo much is imported in his being called the Counsellor. "Wifdom and counsel are his; there is no fearching out of his understanding." The deepest laid plots of hell are all open before him; for "he dif covereth deep things out of darknefs, and bringeth out to light the fhadow of death;" he rules in the midft of his enemies, and turns all their counfels to foolishness. And as for his loyal fubjects," he will guide them by his counsel, and afterward bring them to glory."

6. Chrift's government and adminiftration is irrefiftible; for the Governor is "The mighty God," who will go through with his designs: "Who can ftay his hand, or fay unto him, What doft thou? Olet mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad ;" for her King in the midft of her is mighty, yea, the almighty God, who is able to protect his fervants, and is both able and refolved to deftroy his enemies: "Strong is his hand, and high is his right hand; and his right hand doth ever valiantly." "How valiantly did he spoil principalities and powers on the crofs? And he is as valiant as ever.

7. Chrift, in the government of his church and people, is exceeding tender and compaffionate; for his name is "The everlasting Father, with whom compaflions flow; and his mercy is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him. As a father pitieth his children: fo the Lord pitieth them that fear him. He gathers the lambs in his bofom, and gently leads thofe that are with young." And "in him the fatherless find

eth

eth mercy. He will not break the bruised reed, nor quench the fmoking flax."

"

8. Chrift's government and administration of his church is very peaceable; for his name is The Prince of peace, and "of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end." It is true, he has told his fubjects, that "in the world they fhall have tribulation, but yet in him they shall have peace,' for "he hath overcome the world ;" and the peace he gives is fuch as the world can neither give nor take away, John xiv. 27. "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you."

9. This government is everlasting; for "of the increase of his government there fhall be no end. His kingdom is an everlafting kingdom, and his dominion that which shall not be deftroyed; his feed fhall endure for ever, and his throne built up to all generations." Other kings die, and their kingdoms moulder away into nothing; but he is "the King eternal, immortal," and his kingdom endureth for ever. "Thy throne O God, is for ever and ever: the fceptre of thy kingdom is a right fceptre. Judgement and juftice are the habitation of his throne:" and this is what renders his government everlasting, because this King doth rule in righteousness, and his throne is eftablished in justice.

III. The third thing was, to inquire how the government of the church is committed unto Chrift, or laid upon his fhoulder. Interpreters think, that in this expreffion there is an allufion to the ancient cu ftom of carrying the enfigns of government upon the shoulders of thofe who were invested with it, or of their officers. The plain meaning is, that the government and fupreme authority of the church, whether militant or triumphant, is devolved upon him. An expreffion much of the fame import you have, If. xxii. 22. " And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his fhoulder: fo he shall open, and none fhall fhut, and he fhall fhut and none fhall open." Now, the government is committed to Chrift, or laid upon his shoulder, with a three or fourfold folemnity.

1. With the folemnity of an unalterable decree: Pfal. ii. 6-8. "Yet have I fet my King upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the Lord hath faid unto me, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. Afk of me, and I shall give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermoft parts of the earth for thy poffeffion." Now, can this decree of Heaven be reversed, or these mountains of brass be overturned? No, furely," the counfel of the Lord fhall ftand;" and therefore

the