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tory of thefe times. No good reafon can be conceived, why the flood of perfecution did run, with fuch violence, against them beyond all others, but that Rev. xii. 17. because they 'kept the commandments of God," with reference to the kingdom of his Son," and held the testimony of Jefus Chrift, and the word of his patience."

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3. They contemn the authority of the King of Zion, who walk willingly after the commandments of men, in oppofition to the commands of Chrift. When the commandments of men interfere with the authority of Chrift, it is plain, from the practice of the apostles, and of the three children, what we are to do; "Whether it be right to obey God or man, judge ye," faid the apostles before the Jewish fanhedrim. And fays the three children, when required by an angry king, in view of a fiery furnace, to bow down to his idol, We are not careful to answer thee in this matter," &c. How culpable then are thofe men, who call themselves minifters, officers, and ambaffadors of Chrift, who, contrary to the laws of his houfe, at the commandment of worm man, are profaning his Sabbaths, polluting his worship, proftituting their office by finful compliance, and throwing up the headthip and fovereignty of Chrift, our only King, Judge, and Lawgiver, and cafting the jewels of his crown under the feet of men?

They will be found equally guilty, who ftand by, and fee thofe injuries done to the King of Zion by others, and, who though they be not themselves actors, yet, I fay, ftand by as fpectators, or are filent without witne ffing against those things, yea, affociate themselves with traitors to the Redeemer's crown, as though they were his loyal fubjects and officers. Would any man be reckoned a loyal fubject to King George, especially any who have (worn the allegiance and abjuration, and are entrusted with any honorary and beneficial pofts, and are daily eating the king's bread, and receiving his pay; I say, what would any think of fuch a perfon being witness to manifeft treafon committed against the king, and yet fhould hold his peace; and not only fo, but allow fuch to fit in the king's courts, and fit with them as if they had done no injury? When manifeft treafons are committed against the King of Zion, and corruptions, either in principal or practice, are allowed, and not purged out by difcipline, when the majority of a church, and of her judicatories, are in a confpiracy, the plain command, in that cafe, is, 2 Cor. vi. 17. to come out from among them, and to be feparate, not to touch the unclean thing," that the Lord may receive us. When the corrupt party are few, fays Hooker, they are to be cait out; but when the body, or majority of the church, becomes wicked, then,

fays

fays he, the found part is to withdraw from her; for which he cites the above fcripture, 2 Cor. vi. 17. The apostle Paul, when he orders the incestuous perfon to be caft out by excommunication, he gives this reafon for it, because "a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump ;" plainly intimating, that when the whole lump of a church is leavened with unpurged fcandal and error, she is like the house under the law, over-run with the leprofy, which was not only to be left by the inhabitants, but to be taken down to the foundation. Sin is, in fcripture, compared unto fmoke. You know, when a houfe is fo fmoky, that it is like to stifle the breath, or fmother the inhabitants, there is no help for it, they must leave the house, and feek new lodgings.

Laft inference. See from this doctrine an excellent rule for all the fubjects of the King of Zion, who defire to be found faithful unto him in a dark and cloudy day, how to fteer their course. You know, in the time of a revolt and infurrection in a kingdom, against the government, when all things are running to confufion, the loyal fubjects, who adhere to the intereft of their king, they make inquiry after the king's ftandard. Their question is not, Who have the greatest numbers? or, Where away is the greatest body of men fwaying? But if the king's ftandard be lifted up, however few they be that own it, Why, their question is, Where doth it ftand? or, What is the party that are cleaving to it? This is the very cafe in this divided and diftracted day wherein we live. There is an infurrection against the King of Zion, even in the houfe of his profeffed friends, and even under the covert of his name and authority. Ecclefiaftic judicatories are carrying matters quite contrary to the laws of his kingdom and privileges of his fubjects; and yet affirm, that they have his authority to do these things. A judicial teftimony is lifted up against their corrupt courses, both in matters of doctrine, difcipline, and government; and yet many that profefs friendship to the King of Zion in this land, are in a fufpenfe to what hand to turn; why, the way to come to a refolution is, to inquire, Where ftands the standard of the covenanted teftimony of Chrift in the land?" whether within or without the camp? If it be held faithfully within the camp, then it is duty to join it there: but if it be without the camp, we are to follow it there, although we fhould be obliged to take up the crofs in following it.

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PSAL

PSAL. ii. 6. Yet have I fet my King upon my holy hill of Zion.

THE

THE SECOND SERMON ON THIS TEXT.

HE doctrine was, "That Chrift is King in Zion, the only Head and Sovereign of his church, by his Father's appointment and ordination." Yet have I fet my King, &c. The method in which I proposed to profecute the doctrine,

was,

I. To give fome account of this fovereign Prince here spoken of.

II. To give fome account of his kingdom, and the adminiftration of it.

III. Why God the Father has lodged the government upon

him.

IV. Apply.

I have only spoken to the firft, given fome account of this royal Prince, who is by God vefted with the fovereignty, and made fome application.

II. I come now to give fome account of Chriff's kingdom, and the adminiftration of it. Here, 1. I fhall offer a few diftinctions of Chrift's kingdom. 2. Shew why the church is called the holy bill of Zion. 3. Give you fome of the properties or qualities of Chrift's kingdom. 4. Difcourfe a little concerning the actual execution and administration of the kingdom of Chrift, as Mediator.

The first thing is, to offer a few diftinctions of Chrift's kingdom. Know then, that the kingdom of the Son of God is twofold, either effential, or perfonal. His effential kingdom belongs unto him, as to his divine nature, or as he is the Son of God, the fecond person of the glorious and ever blessed Trinity, the fame in substance, equal in power and glory with the Father, and the Holy Ghoft. Chrift, confidered in this view, is the great Lord, Creator of heaven and earth, and of all things therein, and the government and disposal belongs unto him by right of creation. But it is not of this abfolute or effential kingdom of Chrift that I now speak, but of his perfonal and mediatory kingdom, as he is Immanuel, Godman; and under this confideration he acts by a delegate authority, or à power committed, or given him by the Father, for the falvation of the elect that were given him. Man being

fallen

fallen from the state wherein he was created, muft, in order to his recovery, be brought under another model of government,

than that which he was under at his creation, when he was fubject to God only as his Creator and Benefactor, promifing life to him upon the terms of the covenant of works; I fay, in order to his recovery, a new scene of government behoved to be erected; the plan of which was laid in the council of peace from eternity. By virtue of this plan of government, the first perfon of the glorious Trinity fuftains the part of the fupreme Judge, paffing a fentence of condemnation upon all mankind for the breach of his holy law; but yet so far difpenfes with the rigour of the law, as to admit of a ranfom and fatisfaction. God, in the perfon of the Son, sustains the place of a Mediator, Surety, and Redeemer, promifing to fatisfy and to repair the honour of the holy law. Upon which undertaking, the Judge is fo well pleased, that, in order to the accomplishment of the Son's undertaking, "all power in heaven and in earth is given him :" all government is committed to the Son, angels, men, and devils, and all creatures are put into his hand, that he may make them fubfervient to the recovery of that poor contemptible creature man. And it is upon this foundation, that the great JEHOVAH fays, in the text and context, Yet have I set my King upon my holy bill 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 will give thee the Heathen," &c.

Now, the mediatory kingdom of Chrift, it is either more general or fpecial.

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1. His general mediatory kingdom extends itfelf over hea ven, earth, and hell, (as I faid just now): Eph. i. at the close, God hath "given him to be head over all things to the church, which is his body." Phil. ii. 9.-11. At, or in, the name of Jefus every knee must bow, of things in heaven, and things on earth, and things under the earth; and every tongue mult confefs, that Jefus Chritt is the Lord, to the glory of God the Father," All perfons, kingdoms, and revolutions of affairs in the world, are ordered and managed by our Mediator and Redeemer, Jefus Chrift. He fets up kings and pulls them down, as ferves the defigns of his glory, and of his church's good: hence it is propofed, as matter of triumph to the church in her diftrefs, Pfal. cxlvi. 10. "The Lord doth reign for ever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. Praife ye the Lord.".

2. The kingdom of Chrift is to be confidered as more fpecial and particular; and fo his church is his kingdom, in which, and over which, he reigns. This kingdom, or church

of

of Chrift, is fometimes in fcripture called his body; because of the union that is between him and them : fometimes his flock; because he, as a Shepherd, watches over them, and provides them their pasture.

Now, this particular kingdom of Chrift, the church, is to be confidered, either as militant on earth, or triumphant in heaven. The church triumphant is that part of the faints of God, who are, by death, gathered to him in glory, where Chrift is; and the heavens are to contain him and them, until "the confummation of all things," at the end of time, when he will defcend to the last judgement, and all his faints and angels attending him as his retinue. But it is of the church militant on earth i now fpeak. They are called militant, because they are yet in a state of war upon the field of battle, wrestling with fin, Satan, and the world, &c.

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The militant church, again, is either visible or invisible. The invifible church catholic confifts of all believers, who are favingly united unto Chrift, as their head of influence and government, by his regenerating and fanctifying Spirit. And those are called his invifible hurch, because the bonds of union between him and them, are fuch as are not visible to the eye of the world, they are not perceptible by fenfe and reason, their life, and all the concerns thereof, are "hid with Chrift in God," and therefore fometimes called his hidden ones. The vifible catholic church of Chrift confifts of all these through the whole world, who make a vifible and credible profeffion of their faith in Christ, and subjection unto him as their Prophet, Priest, and King, and who own and acknowledge the doctrine, worship, difcipline, and government, that he has appointed, having the gofpel preached unto them by ambaffadors of his fending, and his ordinances adminiftrated. This catholic vifible church, confifting of all that profefs the name of Chrift, but especially of them who do really believe in him, this is that which in my text is called the holy hill of Zion, over which Christ doth reign.

Unto all that has been faid, I fhall only add, upon this head, that the members of the catholic church, being spread over the face of the whole earth, wherever the goipel is preached, it is impoffible that they can have a local communion one with another, in this world, in worshipping their glorious head, Jefus Chrift, although it were defirable, if it could be attained. But because this cannot be attained, therefore the catholic church is divided into national churches, provincial churches, prefbyterial churches, parochial churches, domeftic churches, (for we read of the church of Chrift in a house, or particular family); but all thefe are but to many parts, leffer

or

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