and despised the shame, therefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name." 4thly, He has a title to it by conquest. He invades the territories of the god of this world, sets up his standard within his dominions, and spoils principalities and powers, sets the captives of the mighty at liberty, he travels in the greatness of his strength, showing himself mighty to save, subduing sinners, and bringing every thought into captivity to his obedience; and because he doth so, therefore the government is committed to him, and laid upon his shoulder.

V. The fifth thing was, the Application of the doctrine. The first use may be of Information in the following particulars. Is it so, that the government is laid upon the shoulder of the Redeemer by the ordination of the Father? See hence,

1. The wonderful love of God which he bears to his church and people, in providing such a Ruler and Governor for them. I remember the queen of Sheba, 1 Kings x. 9, in her address to Solomon, says, "Because the Lord loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice." So, well may we say here, because the Lord loved his church and people, therefore he made his own eternal Son King in the midst of her, and laid the government upon his shoulder. O what a wonderful evidence of his love is this! And should not this make the under-governors of the church very tender, and take heed of ruling with rigour, and to be aware of what rulers they set over her?

2. See hence what a happy government and administration believers, the saints of God, are under, namely, the government of the Child born, and the Son given to us, whose name is the Wonderful, Counsellor, &c. The queen of Sheba, in the place now cited, 1 Kings x. 9; when she saw the glory of Solomon, and the wisdom of his administration, her spirit fails her; and, (ver. 8,) cries out, "Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom." But "behold a greater than Solomon is here." Solomon, and all his wisdom and glory, was but a faint type of the glory and wisdom of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the glory of his person and administration; and therefore upon far better ground we may say of the subjects of Christ's kingdom, as Moses did of Israel, Deut. xxxiii. 29: “Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency!

3. See hence the misery of a wicked unbelieving world, who will not have him to rule over them, on whose shoulder

the government is laid, but break his bands, and cast away his cords from them; why, he that sits in heaven shall laugh at their impotent attempts against the government of his Son, and he hath authorized him to break all that will not bow to his government: "Thou shalt break them as with a rod of iron, thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel." Even the great potentates, who will not stoop to him, he will cut them off; for "he cuts off the spirit of princes, and is terrible to the kings of the earth, and strikes them through in the day of his wrath," &c.

4. Is it so that the government is laid upon his shoulder? Then see the nullity of all acts, laws, and constitutions, that do not bear the stamp of Christ, and that are not consistent with the laws and orders he has left for the government of his church. They cannot miss to be null, because Zion's King never touched them with his sceptre, they want a foundation in the word of God; and unless acts and laws are founded there, they have no foundation at all, because there is no church-authority but what is derived from him.

5. See hence that they run a very dangerous risk who do injury to his subjects, or strip them of any of the rights, privileges, or immunities he has granted them, and purchased for them with the price of his blood. Among other privileges which Zion's King has allowed his subjects, this is none of the least, that they should have the choice of their pastors; for which cause he has required them "to try the spirits" and gifts ministers are endowed with, whether they be calculated for the edification of their souls, 1 John iv. 1. It is a command not given to heritors and elders only, but even to little children, young men and fathers: “ Beloved," says he, "believe not every spirit, but try the spirits," namely, of ministers and preachers, "whether they are of God:" and the reason he gives is remarkable, in the close of the verse; "Because many false prophets are gone abroad into the world." And in a suitableness to this trying of the spirits of the prophets, we find, Acts vi. that it was "the multitude of disciples," that by express order are commanded to choose out from among them " men full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom." The apostles, the extraordinary officers in the church, and who, one would think, were the most competent judges of men full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom; yet they would not take that power upon them, which is now lodged in heritors and elders. I fear, the partiality shown in our public acts, in preferring the great, the noble, "the rich man with the gay clothing,' before "the poor of this world," whom generally "God hath chosen, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom," lay a foundation for a controversy between God and this nation, which

will soon be at an end. Christ's little ones are but little regarded now-a-days; but they who maltreat them, to gratify the greatest upon earth, will smart for it in the issue. It is an awful word uttered by him upon whose shoulders the government is laid, Matt. xviii. 6, 7: "But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a mill-stone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Wo unto the world because of offences: for it must needs be that offences come: but wo to that man by whom the offence cometh."

6. If the government be upon his shoulder, then hence I infer, that they have a hard task to manage, who attempt to justle him out of his government, and take it upon their own shoulders.

Quest. Who are these?

I answer, 1st, Papists, who set up "the man of sin" to be the head of the church, calling him Christ's vicar. He is Anti-christ, whom Christ will "destroy with the breath of his mouth, and the brightness of his coming."

2dly, Prelatists, who set up archbishops, and diocesan bishops, in the church of Christ; officers whom Christ never ordained in his kingdom, or never were warranted by his word. We read of no officer under the New Testament superior to a presbyter; and therefore archbishops and bishops have no warrant in the word, and can be none of the officers of Christ's kingdom.

3dly, Erastians, who take the government off Christ's shoulder, and lay it upon the civil magistrate, putting it in his power to cast the government of the church of Christ into what mould and fashion is most agreeable to his worldly interest. What an affront is it done unto the Son of God, to have any mortal man declared head in all cases, not only civil but ecclesiastical? This was a usurpation upon the crown of Christ under some former reigns, which I am afraid is never yet cleanly abrogated or abolished to this day.

4thly, Those potentates, who take upon them to tolerate any doctrines or any worship inconsistent with the doctrine, worship, or government Christ has established in his kingdom.

5thly, Those professed Presbyterians, who under that disguise exercise a lordly prelacy and dominion over the church of Christ, in thrusting in men upon congregations without, and contrary to, the free choice their King has allowed them. I fear there shall be a sad reckoning ere all be done, for the violent rapes which are committed, upon the spouse of Christ up and down the land. Christ mystical is wounded in the house of his professed friends; and it will be a wonder if

there be not wounds for wounds, before the scene be ended. For,

7. If the government be upon Christ's shoulder, then hence I infer, that all odds will be even, and that Christ will render tribulation, to those that trouble, vex, and harass his poor people, in their spiritual rights and privileges. He will arise for the sighing of the poor, and the cries of the needy; and O when he doth arise, the vengeance of his temple shall fall heavy upon the heads of those who spoil it.

I conclude with a use of Consolation to the poor people of God; particularly to those that are spoiled of their liberties and privileges as Christians; for though they be forsaken of them whose business it is to take the greatest care of them, yet they are not forsaken of their God; and our commission leads us particularly "to preach the gospel to the poor, to comfort them that mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, and the oil of joy for mourning." We are to "strengthen the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees." There are these few grounds of consolation I offer you in your present circumstances. As,

1. Your God does not stand as an unconcerned spectator of the injuries that are done you at this day; no, he is observing, and resents the spoils that are committed upon you. You may read for this a challenge, and an awful challenge given on their behalf, Is. iii. 12-15: "As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them: 0 my people, they which lead thee, cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths. The Lord standeth up to plead, and standeth to judge the people. The Lord will enter into judgment with the ancients of his people, and the princes thereof: for ye have eaten up the vineyard; the spoil of the poor is in your houses. What mean ye that ye beat my people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor? saith the Lord God of hosts."

2. Know for your comfort, that God hath founded Zion. This is a topic of consolation, which is particularly presented to the poor of his people, and, accordingly, to be told by the messengers of the nations, Is. xiv. 32: "What shall one then answer the messengers of the nation?" (namely, when they are inquiring about the state and circumstances of God's Israel, in a dark and cloudy day like this.) The answer is, "That the Lord hath founded Zion, and the poor of his people shall trust in it;" that is, Let it be proclaimed to the world, that he who laid the foundation of Zion, will build her up; and when he does so, he will appear in his glory, and his poor people, however disconsolate, shall trust in it as an

unshaken truth, that he who founded Zion, will take care of her, and of those who espouse her cause.

3. Know that he who hath the government upon his shoulder, rules in the midst of his enemies; and has so much of the art of government, that he both can and will bring good out of evil, advantage to his poor people out of things tending to their hurt and prejudice. Jacob's sons conspire against the life of their brother, they sell him into the hands of the Ishmaelitish merchants; they in all this had no other view but to satisfy their lust of revenge; however, God meant it for good, as was proved by the event.

4. Know that the most dark and cloudy-like dispensations towards the church and people of God, are in the event found to have been pregnant with love and mercy; he who hath the government upon his shoulder turns them so about, as they are made to understand his loving-kindness in all these things.

5. Know, for your comfort, that he on whose shoulder the government is laid, has power to provide you with honest ministers, notwithstanding all the bars that lie in the way of your being comfortably provided; yea, his power is cast into a promise, that you may act faith upon it, ls. xxx. 20, 21: "And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers; and thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left." Jer. iii. 15: "I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding." Our great Governor has the stars in his right hand, and he calls them forth by name: and therefore"be not afraid, only believe."

But now, to shut up this discourse, I shall, 1. Tell you some of the secrets of Christ's government. 2. Offer a few advices to the Lord's people.

First, A few secrets of Christ's government with respect to his people in this world.. As,

1. That his public management in providence seems many times to interfere with his promise; as in the case of Abraham being commanded to sacrifice his son, the promise made of the kingdom to David, &c.

2. His acts of government have a light as well as a dark "No affliction for the present is joyous, but grievous; but afterwards it yieldeth the peaceable fruits of righteous

side.

ness."

3. There is a pleasant regularity in all his government, however perplexed it may appear to us; and when the work