DISCOURSE 11. 551 jut forth in his human nature toward the government of heaven and earth 1" I anwser, As he is now let into the counsels and decrees of God, and by his immediate union with the divine nature he now receives perpetual notice of all the affairs in the upper and lower worlds, so he can give his orders to the millions of attending: angels to execute works of judgment and mercy ; they are all ministring spirits to him. IIe can manage the affairs of provi- dence by angels as his instruments for the government of the na- tions and the goodof his saints. And he that has led captivity captive, and subdued the prince of darkness, with all the armies of hell into slavery to himself, he can give them permission to exercise their rage amongst mankind under such limitations and restraints as he sees proper : Thus he may govern all things by the angels or devils, as,his mediums, or instruments ; and he may do it also by himself in a more immediate manner. Let me ask, may not Christ keep the wheels of nature in their courses, and administer the providential kingdom by virtue derived from the indwelling godhead ? May he not exert his dominion amongst all the material elements, and the inhabitants of air, earth andwater, as well as amongst the spirits of the in. visible world ? Shall prophets and apostles and captains have a resemblance of such power given them on earth, and shall not Jesus the Son of God have the substance and plenitude of it, especially now in heaven ? Could a Moses divide the sea with his rod, and turn flints into rivers of water? Could a Joshua say to the sun, Stand thou still, and forbid the moon to move ? Could a Paul make fevers and dropsies depart at his word, and flee at the appearance of his handkerchief ? Acts xix. 12. Could Peter heal the sick with his shadow passing over them ; Acts xv. 15. and command Tabitha to arise from the dead ? And shall we not suppose the man Christ Jesus in his exalted state, with all the power and glory of indwelling and united godhead ; I say, shall we not suppose him able to rule time and nature as he pleases, and to manage all things in heaven and earth, all things mortal and immortal ? Or if we lift our thoughts to the angelic legions and survey their powers, must we not suppose the power communicated to our exalted Saviour to be f'ar superior to theirs ? Shall it be within the power of a single angel, when sent with a pestilence, to destroy seventy thousand of Israel in order to punish David's sin ; 2 Sam: xxiv. 15, 16. or to slay a hundred and fourscore and five thousand Assyrian soldiers in the campof Sennacherib in one night ; 2 Kings xix. 35. or shall it be within the reach of Satan's power and commission, as he is the Prince of the powers of the air, to raise storms and hurricanes, and to send lightning from heaven ; Job i. 16, 19. and shall not the blessed soul of
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