of the PERSON 01 CHRIST. 53 and alterations hepleafeth in the mindsof men, and in the whole creation, of 'God, to relieve, preferve and deliver me, and to raife my body at the laft day. To fuppofe that the LordChrift, as the King and head of the church, bath not an infinite, divinepower, whereby he is able always to relieve, fuccour, fave and deliver it, if it were to be done by the alteration of the whole, or any parr of God's creation fo as that the fire fhould not burn, nor the water overwhelm them, nor men be able to retain their thoughts or ability one moment to aAli& them; and that their diftretfes are not always efetls of his wifdom, and never from the defefl of his power, is utterly to overthrow all faith, hope, and the whole of religion it felf. Afcribe therefore unto the LordChrift in the exercife of his Kingly office, only a moral power, operative by rules and laws, with the help of external inftruments ; deprive him of omniprefence, and omnifcience, with in- finite divine power andvirtue to be ailed at his pleafure in and over the whole creation, and you rafe the foundationof all chriftian faith and hope to the ground. There areno truebelievers who will part with their faith herein for the whole world ; namely, that the Lord Jefus Chrift is able by his divine power and prefence immediately to aid, aflift, relieve, and de- liver them in every moment of their furprizals, fear and dangers, in every trial or duty theymay be called unto, in every difficulty they have to confli{i withal. And to expeitthefe things any otherwife but by virtue of his divine nature, is wofully to deceive our own fouls. For this is thework of God. L2.7] The rule of Chrift as King of the church is internal andfpiritual over the minds, fouls and confciences of all that do believe. There is no one gracious ailing of foul in any one believer at any time in the whole world, either in oppofition unto fin, or the performance of duty, but it is influenced and under the guidance ofthe Kingly power of Chrift. I fup- pofe we have herein not only the commonfaith, but alfo the common fin- ritual fente and experienceof them all. They know that in their fpiritu. al life it is he that liveth in them as the efficient caute ofall its ads, and that without him they can do nothing. Unto him they have refpe& in every the molt fecret and retired aftings of grace, not only performed as under his eye, but by hisflance; on every occafion do they immediately in the internal adtings of their minds look unto him, as one more prefent with their fouls than they are with themfelves ; and have no thoughtof the lean diftanceofhis knowledge or power. And two things arerequiredheretor r.) That he be tocguyo4sç, that he have anaftual infpeiJion into all the frames, difpoftions, thoughts and internal a&ings of all believers in the whole world, at all times, and every moment. Without this, he cannot bear that rule in their fouls and confciences which we have defcribed, nor can they aftfaith in him, as their occafions do require. No man can live by fbith on Chrift, no man can depend on his fovereign power, who isnot peffuaded, that all theframes of his heart, all the Jeerer groans andfighs of his fpirit, all the inward labourings of bis foul againft fin, and after conformity tohimfelf, are continually under lais eye and cognizance. Wherefore it is faid that all things are nakedandopenedunto his eyes, Heb. iv. t 3. And he fays ofhimfelf, that hefearcheth, that is, knoweth the hearts and reins ofmen, Rev. ii. 23. And if thefe things are not the peculiar pro- perties of the divine nature, I know nothing that may be fo efteemed. 2.) There is required hereunto, an influence of power into all the inter- nal aciings of the fouls of believers; an intimate efficacious opera- tion, with them in every duty, and under every temptation. Thefe a¢ of theca, do look for, expeft and receive from him, as the King P
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