piated at the appointed time; and in the sacrifices, which were types of his oblation, he was "slain from "the foundation of the world." Hence believers of those times obtained justification and other saving be nefits. 2dly, By virtue of his suretiship, he also made intercession for believers. 3dly, He was the sole Fountain of all those blessings which were liberally imparted to the Old Testament Church.m

XXXII. We now pass on to the REGAL dignity of Christ. Here a distinction must certainly be made between the Divine, natural, and essential kingdom of Christ, which as God he possesses in common with the Father and the Holy Spirit; and the Personal, economical, and mediatorial kingdom, which is committed to him alone, by the Father. These kingdoms, however, are to be so distinguished from each other, as to show, that they do not differ so much in substance, as in a certain respect and application. The former kingdom belongs to Christ as God; the latter belongs to him as God-man. The one comprehends all creatures, as they depend upon God as the Lord of the universe, both for their existence and their attributes; the other has a special respect to the Church. Yet the economical kingdom of Christ is of such dignity and eminence, that it could not pertain to one that is not God, and it supposes or includes his Divine kingdom.

XXXIII. The Mediatorial kingdom, of which we are here to treat, may be considered in a threefold view. 1st, As a kingdom of POWER over all, not excluding even angels, whether good or bad; but yet with a certain reference to the Church, since he makes use of

i Ps. cxix. 122.

k Heb. xi. 7.

m Prov. viii. 18, 21.

j Rev. xiii. 8.

1

1 Zeph. i. 12, 13.

all creatures for the benefit of the Church." 2dly, As a kingdom of GRACE, which is exercised in the Church militant; of which we are to contemplate both the external form, consisting in a visible society, collected by the ministry instituted by Christ, in which sense even those belong to the kingdom of Christ, who lie to the King and yield him a feigned subjection;—and the internal form, which is the mystical and spiritual subordination of believers under Christ as their Lord and Head, in righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. 3dly, As a kingdom of GLORY, which is exercised towards the Church triumphant in heaven, imperfectly at present, with respect to the souls of the saints, perfectly hereafter, with respect to their entire persons.

XXXIV. The office of a King consists chiefly of the three following parts. 1st, To prescribe just and sacred laws for the people that are subject to him. 2dly, To rule, govern, and judge the people according to those laws. 3dly, Valiantly to protect and defend his people against enemies of every description.

xxxv. Nor is the Anointed of the Lord wanting either to himself or to his people, in the discharge of this office. 1st, Because he is the King, he is, of course, the Lawgiver of his people. He is not indeed our Lawgiver, by promulgating a new law that is purer than the law of Moses, and to which as more perfect the promise of eternal life is annexed. Even the Mosaic law, as we will shortly show, was published by Christ our King; it demands, too, a holiness corresponding to the Divine

n Mat. xxviii. 18. Ephes. i. 20, 21, 22. Philip. ii. 9, 10, 11. • Mat. xiii. 47. viii. 12.

a Heb. xii. 23.

P Rom. xiv. 17..
ri Cor. xv. 53, 54.

s Luke vi. 46. John xiii. 34. xv. 17..

image, that is, a holiness absolutely perfect; and it is only by virtue of the same law, as satisfied by Christ, that we expect eternal life. But Christ is our Lawgiver by inculcating that same law as a rule of new obedience and of gratitude.t 59 2dly, He rules his people in righteousness, holiness, wisdom, and clemency, according to the laws which he has given ;" and, conformably to the same laws, he will one day judge the whole world. 3dly, He powerfully protects his people, and, in spite of the utmost efforts of "the gates of hell,"60 causes them to triumph over all their enemies.

XXXVI. Christ employs the ministry of his word and the operations of his Spirit in the administration of his kingdom; but in a different manner and form from that in which he makes use of them in the discharge of his prophetical office. In the latter, he instructs them by his word, as "the Teacher of righteousness;"* in the former, he commands, as " a Leader and Com"mander to the people." In the one, he enlightens our minds by his Spirit to understand the truth; in the other, he bends our hearts, and causes all our faculties, both of soul and body, to yield a prompt obedience.

XXXVII. It cannot indeed be denied, that the king dom of Christ is much more illustrious under the New Testament, than under the Old Accordingly, the New Testament state, in contradistinction to the an

Mic. v. 5, 6. Mat. xvi. 18. John x. 28. 2 Thes. iii. 3. Rom.

cient condition of the Church, is often denominated in the Gospel, the kingdom of heaven. The prophets, too, when prophesying of the introduction of the new dispensation, represent Jehovah as then taking possession of the kingdom. But yet the Son of God was King of Israel even under the old dispensation. He showed himself King, 1st, When he delivered the fiery law amidst thunders and lightnings in the presence of a very large assembly of people. 2dly, When he instituted the whole hierarchy of elders, priests, and highpriests, who were merely the servants and officers of the Son of God in ruling and governing the people according to the laws prescribed;-of whom therefore we may consider these words of Wisdom as eminently true,"By me kings reign, and princes decree justice." 3dly, When he so often rescued his people from their calamities, and so powerfully defended them against all their enemies. For this reason King David himself adores the Son of God as King: "Thou art my King, “Thou "O God; command deliverances for Jacob."s - XXXVIII. But how splendid soever these displays of his royalty may seem, they were only faint shadows of a better kingdom which the Lord reserved for the New Testament economy; of which the beginnings were seen while Christ was yet alive, but the chief glory was displayed after his resurrection from the dead. Notwithstanding his being clothed with the form of a servant, the rays of his royal majesty shone forth in the days of his flesh, 1st, At his birth, which the heavenly

*

b Ps. xxii. 28. xcvii. 1. xcix. 1.

с

Judg. viii. 23.

d Acts vii. 38. comp. with v. 35. Ps. lxviii. 8, 9. comp. with Ephes. iv. 8. Heb. xii. 26.

e

• Prov. viii. 15.

Ps. xliv. 4.

f Is. lxiii. 9.

hosts joyfully celebrated, announcing that a Saviour was born, "who is Christ the Lord;"h and which was honoured by the Magi, who came from a distant country, offering such gifts as are due to a King, or to one who is more than a King. 2dly, In the course of his life; during which he exhibited, particularly to his disciples, proofs of his dignity, which compelled them to say with Nathanael, "Thou art the Son of God, thou art "the King of Israel." With such authority did he command even the winds, and the sea agitated by the fury of the tempest, that the astonished spectators exclaimed, "What manner of man is this, that even the "winds and the sea obey him!" But he gave the most signal display of his royal dignity on that occasion, when, in order to fulfil the prophecy contained in the book of Zechariah, he went in procession to Jerusalem sitting on an ass, amidst the acclamations of a vast multitude of people that preceded and followed him, crying out, "Hosanna to the son of David! Blessed is he that "cometh in the name of the Lord!" 3dly, Amidst his deepest debasement and most dreadful sufferings, when he asserted his royal dignity,m and was recognised as a King, not merely by the penitent robber,n but also by Pilate; though the latter had a different purpose in view.

XXXIX. But after Christ's resurrection from the dead and ascension to heaven, every thing became more bright and glorious. Here again, four principal periods present themselves to notice. 1st, In the gathering of the

h Luke ii. 11, 13.

j John i. 49.

1 Mat. xxi. 8, 9.

m Mat. xxvi. 64. John xviii. 36, 37.

Luke xxiii. 42.

i Mat. ii. 1, 2.

k Mat. viii. 27.

• John xix. 19.