SOVEREIGNTY OF CHRIST. 321 among those that have held out, in these trying times, there should be no need of these suspicions: but bath there not been always a Succession of sinners, even of those that have beheld the ruin of their predecessors? Who would have thought that a generation that had seen the wonders in Egypt, and had passed through the sea, and been maintained in a wilderness with constant miracles, should yet be so vile idolaters, or murmuring unbelievers, that only two of them should enter into rest? The best of saints have need of self-suspicion and vigilancy. Myadvice to you, therefore, is this, learn wisdom by the examples that your eyes have seen: " Them 'that honor God, he will honor; and they that despise him, shall be lightly esteemed ;" 1 Sam. ii. 30. More particularly, let me advise you, as your duty to the Son, 1. That you. take your commission and office as from him. I think it a doctrine more common than true, that ministers only are under Christ the Mediator, and magistrates are only under God as Creator. Christ is now Lord of all, and you are his servants : as there is no power but from God, so none fromGodbut by Christ. Look upon yourselves as his vicegerents; therefore do not that which beseemeth not a vicegerent of Christ. Remember that as you see to the execution of the laws of the land, so will Christ see that his-laws be obeyed by you, or executed on you.. Remember, when you sit and judge offenders, that you represent him that will judge you and all the world. And O, how lively a resemblance have you to raise your apprehension ! Think with yourselves, ' Thus shall men tremble before his bar ; thus shall they wait to hear their doom;' and be, sure that your judgment be such as may most' lively represent the judgment of Christ, that the just may depart from your bar with joy, and the unjust with sadness. Let your justice be most severe where Christ is most severe ; and so far as you can exercise your clemency, let it be about those offenses which our laws are more rigorous against than the laws of God. Be sure yet that you understand the extent of your com- mission, that you are not the sole officers of Jesus Christ ; you are under him as he is head over all; ministers are under him as he is head to his church; Eph. i. 22. Ministers are as truly the magistrates' teachers, as magistrates are their governors; yea, by as high and undoubted, authority must they oversee, govern, and command ministerially, as their Lord's ambassadors, both kings and parliaments to do whatsoever is written in this Bible, as you may command them to obey the' laws of the land; yea, and as strict a bond lieth on you to obey them so far as they speak according to this word, and keep within the bounds of their calling, as doth on them to obey yod in yours; Heb. xiii. 7. 17. Deal not with them so dissemblingly as to call them your pastors, teachers, over-. VOL. H. 41
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=