the 17th Chapter of St: J O H N: i57 knowledg his Scepter; Ifa. 49.12. Behold, the shall come from far; and lo, there from the North, and from the Wefl, and thefe from the Land of Sinim. From the Eaft, Weft, North, South, yews, Gentiles; the yews that are now his Enemies, ¡hall acknowledg his Soveraignt}r : Hof I. I I. Then shall the Children of Judah, and the Children of Ifrael be gathered together, and appoint themselves one Head, and they pall come up out of the Land As the Tribes flocked to Hebron to crown David, fo (hall there to crown Chrift; and this Royal Garland ¡hall Chrift wear to all Eternity. It is true, it is faid, r Cor. 15: 29. He (hall refign up the Kingdom to the Father. I anfwer 5 In Kingly Dignity there are two things, Regia Cora, and Regius Honor : Kingly Care, by which he ordereth and defendeth his Subje &s againft Enemies, that Ihall cease; but the Kingly Honour, which he receiveth from his Subje &s, (hall be for ever and ever, he {hall always be ho- noured as King, and Mediator of the Church : He (ball refign the Kingdom ; that is that way of Adminiftration by which he now governeth : for when the Ele& are fully converted and fan&ified, and Enemies deftroyed, there will be no need of this Care:. Now after he hath bought us out of his Father's Hands by his Merit and Purchafe, he is forced to recover us from the Devil by his Power and Conqueft. The Word is the. Rod of his Strength, the Sacraments are our Oath of Allegiance; in Prayer we per- form our Homages, by Alms and Aets of Charity we pay him Tribute, and Praife and Obédience are the confiant Revenues of his Crown. This is the frft Grant. (2.) We are given to Chrift as Scholars of his School. He is the great Prophet and Do &or of his Church ; certainly Chrift loveth the Honour of this Chair. He hath alfo obtained this Title, Ada 3. 22. A Prophet (hall the Lord your God raise up to you from among your Brethren,him(hall ye hear. Chrift came out from the Bofom of God, to ¡hew us his Heart and Mind. So he is called, Heb. 3. I. The Apoflle of our Profeon. Chrift doth fo love a Relation to his Church, that you fee he taketh the Titles of his own Officers : tho he is Lord of the Church, yet he is the ApoFlle of our Profeffion 5 he counteth it an Honour to be a Preacher of the Gofpel. The Son of God is firft in the Roll of Gofpel-Preachers ; he is God's Legat à latere, an Apoftle:, he laid the Foundation of the Gofpel, when he was upon the Earth, and he teacheth us now he is in Heaven: he Both not teach the Ear, but the Heart ; he Both not only fet us our Leffon, but giveth us an Heart to learn it 5 the Scripture is our Book, and Chrift our great Mafter ; and when he openeth our Eyes, we (hall fee wondrous things in his Law. Other Teachers teach for Hire, but he bought this Liberty of God, .that he might open his School, and become a Light to yew and Gentile. (3.) We are given to him to be Children of his Family. The only thing pro., pounded to allure Chrift to the Work of Redemption, was, Ifa. 53.1o. He fliailfee hie Seed, that he might have a numerous Iffue and Progeny. He delighteth in us, tho we are all Benoni's, Sons of Sorrow : rho he died in the Birth, yet he is wonderfully pleafed with the Fruitfulnefs of his Death; as a Woman delivered after (harp and fore Sorrow, forgetteth all her past Sorrow for joy of the Birth. At the laic day this will be Chrift's Rejoycing and Crown, to fee the Multitude of his little Ones all brought - together 5 Heb. 2. I 3. Behold, I, and the Children which thou haft given me. It is a goodly fight, when Chrift (hall rejoyce in the midft of them, and go with them, as a glorious Train, to the Throne of God the Father. Jefus Chrift is our Brother, and our Father ; by Regeneration, and the Merit of the Cross, he is our Father ; but in the Poffeffion of Heaven he is our Brother, for we are Coheirs with him. (4.) We are given to him as the Spoufe of his Bofom. This is another of Chrift's Honours, to be the Churches Bridegroom. The Epithalamiom is in Canticles and Pfal. 45. There the Nuptials are ce brated ; Minilters, they are, as 7ohn Bapt f was called, Friends of the 'Bridegroom. Look as a Father giveth her whom he hath begotten, to another for a Spoufe and Wife; fo doth God give his Ele& to Chrift. Indeed Chrift bath bought the Church at his Fathers Hands ; other Wives bring a Dowry,but Chrift was to buy. As Saul gave his Daughter to David,but first he was to kill Goliah, and to bring the Fore -skins of an hundred Philiflines, t Sam. 17. 25. and 18.25. So God gave Chrift the Church for a Spoufe, but Chrift was to redeem her with his Blood, the infernal Goliah was to be (lain : Yea, 'ere Chrift did obtain this Honour, he gaineth our Confent by the Power of his Spirit, working with the Intreaties of theWord ; Hofea 2. 14. I will allure her, and bring her into the Wildernefi, andfpeakcomfortably unto her ; and Yerf. 19, 2o. I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, 1 will betroth thee unto me in Righteoufnefs, and in Judgment, and in Loving - Kindne , and in Mercies ; I will even betroth thee onto me in Faithfulnefs, and thou ¡Halt know the Lord. First I will allure, then betroth :
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