52 (A Declaration ofthe Glorious MYSTERY requiring obedience unto the afters and rulers that he hath appointed therein. It is true, that this alfo belongs unto his Kingly power and rule. But to fuppofe that it confiftrth folely therein, is an ebullition from the poifonous fountain of the denial of his divine perfon. For if he be not God over all, whatever in words may be pretended or afcribed unto him, he is capable of no other rule or power. But indeed ho one act of his Kinglyoffice can be aright conceived or acknowledged, without a refpec' had unto his divineperfon. I fhall inftance only unto this purpofe in two things in general. a.) The extent of his passer and rule gives evidence hereunto. It is over the whole creation of God. All power is given him in heaven and earth, Matth. xxviii. 18. All things are put under his feet, he only ex- ceptedwhoput all things under Mini t Cor. xv. 27. And he is made head over all things unto the church, Ephef. i. 22. Not only thofe who are a- bove the rule of external law, as the holy angels; and thofe who have call off all fuch rule, as the devils themfelves ; but all things that in their own nature are not Çapable of obedience to an external law or rule, as the whole inanimate creation, heaven and earth and the fea, with all things in them and under them, Phil. ii. to. with the dead bodies of men, which he fhall raife at the laB day. For this power over the whole creation is not only a moral right to ruleand govern it i but it is alfo accompanied with virtue, force, or almighty power to aft, order, anddifpofe of it at his plea- fare. So is it defcribed by the apofile from the Pfalmift, Heb. i. to, It, 12. Thou Lord in the beginning haft laid the foundationof the earth, and the heavens are the work ofthy hands. They flail perifis, but thou remain- eft, and they fhall all wax old as doth a garment. And as a veflure fhalt thou fold them up, and theyflail be changed , but thou art the fame, and tbyyearsfail not. That power is required unto his Kingly office, where- by he created all things in the beginning g and fhall change them all as a man folds up a vetture, in the end. Omnipotency accompanied with eter- nity and immutability, are required hereunto. It is a vain imagination to Suppofe that this power can reticle in a sneer creature however glorified and exalted. All effential divine properties are concurrent with it; and infe- parable from it. And where the properties of God are, there is the na- ture ofGod g for his being and his properties are one and the faine. If the Lord Chrift as Xing of the churchbe onlya meer man, and be as fuch only to be confidered, however he may be exalted and glorified, however he may be endued with honour, dignity and authority, yet he cannot put forth or aft any realphyfical power immediately and directly, but where he is prefent. But this is in heaven only i for the heavens muff receive him until the time of the reftitution of all things, Ads iii. 21. And hereon his rule and power would be the greateft difadvantage unto the church that could befall it. For fuppofe it immediately under the rule of God even the Father i his omnipotency and omniprefence, his omnifcience and infi- nite wifdom, whereby he could be always prefent with every one of them, know all their wants, and give immediate relief according to the counfel of his will, wasa Bable foundation for faith to rest upon, and an ever laBingfpring of confolation. But now .whereas all power, all judgment, all rule is committed unto the Son, and the Father doth nothing towards the church but in and by him, if he have not the faine divine power and properties with him, the foundation of the clmrdt's faith is raft down, and the fpring of its confolation utterly Bopped up. I cannot believe in him as my heavenly King, who is not ableby him- felf, and by the virtue of his prefence with me, to make what changes and
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