Owen - BS2775 O8 1668

i36 An Expofitson ofthe CHAP. T. by degrees tinder them. And (3. ) Perfealy at the laft day ; when having freed them from the Law, and fn, trodden down Satan, prevailed again[{ the World, recovered them from death, refcued them from the Grave,and deliveredthem fromH4he thall be himfelf perfet`dly viftorious in them, and theymade compleatly timers in his Vi6o- ry; wherein the making of all his Enemies his Footffool confifteth. Secondly, The Kingdom of Chrift refpe 1s his Adminiffration of it vitibly in this world, in the Profeffion andObedience of his Subjed`fs unto him ; and this alibi with the Oppolition made unto it, is refpeded in this Expreflion. God the Father in the' Exaltationof jefuw Chrift hath givenunto him all Nations for his Inheritance, and the utmoffparts of the Earth for hie Pofffion, Pfa/. 2. 8. upon this grant a twofold Right enfued ( 1. ) A Right to call gather andereéf his Church, in any Nation, in any part of the World; to giveunto it his LawsandOrdinances ofWorfhip, to be owned and obfervedby them in a vifible andpeaceable manner, Marth.28.18,19,zo. (2.)ARight, Power and Authority to difpofe of and Order all Nations and Perlons , for the Good Benefit and Advantageof hisKingdom. In purfuit of this Grant and Right, eredfting hisChurch, and therein his vifibleKingdom in the world, great Oppofirien is made unto him by all forts of perfbns furred, excited and inftigated thereunto by Saran. And as this Enmitywas firff aered againff himfilf in his own Perfon, Pft!. z. 1, z, 3. So it hath continued againff him in his Church in all Ages and Places, and will do Co unto the Endof theworld. The world underhand: not his Right, hates his Government, and, would not have him to reign.; Hence hath been all that Rage which bath beenexe- cutedUpon the Profeffors of his name. Kings, Rulers, Potentates, Counfellors, the multitude have fee themfelves againffhim. They are many of them, and have been his Enemies. Great havock andDettruâion have they' made of his fubjeéts all the world over, and continue to do fo in moll places unto this very day. ECpecially in thefe latter Ages after other means tailed him,Satan hath ftirrcd upa fierce, cruel, Cubtle Adverfary unto him, whom he pathforetold his Dilciples cf under thename of Anti- thrif, the Beall, andfalfe Prophet. After the ruine ofmany other, this Enemy byvarious fubtilties and pretences hath drawn the world into a new combination againtt him; and is at this day become the greateft and moll pernicious Adverfary that he hath in this world. Now the aym and defignof all thefe , is to dethrone him by the ruine of his Kingdom which he .hash fet up in the world. And this in every Age they have hoped to accomplifh, and continue to do Co unto this day ; but in vain; For as hi- therto, his Kingdom and Intereff in the world hath been maintained againff all their enmityandoppolition, themfelves been-fruffrafed and brought to deffruftion ode after another ; fo by vertue ofthis Promife he (hall reign in Security and Glory, until all their hearts he broken, their Itrength ruined, their Oppofition hnilhed, and themfelves brought under hisfeet unto all Eternity, as our Apolile declares, 1 Cor. 15. 24, 25. And this may fuffice todeclare the meaningof thefe words. Thirdly, We are toconfider bywhom thefe Enemies ofChrift (hall be made thus his footffool: I will make them, faith God theFather unto him. And this Expreffcon want eth not its difficulty. For is-itnot the work ofChriff himfelf to fubdue and conquer his Enemies? Is it not laid, that he ¡ball do fo? So doing is he defcribed in the Revelation withGlory andPower, Chap. 19. 11, 12, 13, r4. From Ifa. 63.2, 3, 4,5, 6. Who thould this work more become, or belongunto -than him, whowas perfecuted and op- poled by them ? Anddoth it not direllly belong untohis Kingly power ? Whence is it then,that he is here defcribed as one reffing in gloryand fecurity at his FathersRight Hand, whiled he fubdues his Enemies. Anfwer, There is no doubt but that the Work of fubduing the Enemies of the Me- diation and Kingdom ofChrifl, is immediately wrought by himfelf: All Prophecies of him, all Promi fes made unto him, the nature of his Office, do- all require that fo it fhould be ; and fo theApollle diredily expreffeth it, t Cor. 15.26. But yet there are fundryReafons why that Work which is immediately wrought by the Son, may by theway ofEminency be afcribedunto the Father, as we fee this to be. Firff, Power andAuthority to fubdue and conquer all his Enemies, is given unto the LordChrift by the Father in the way of Reward ; and it is therefore laid to be his work, becaufe the Authority for it is from him. See Ili. 53, re. Job. 5.27. Phi!. 2. 9. Rom. 4 9. ThisPower theca I fay offubduing all his Enemies, beinggranted unto the LordChrift in the love of the Father, as a Reward of the Travail of his foul which he underwent in his work on the earth, is afcribed unto the Father as his. And this Expre Pion lignifies no more, but-that as God hath given him Authority for it, fo he

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