Tliis is a gieat ground of co:nfort to the church of God in the midst of all the com- binations of the enemy, " Christ is king;" and he can not only bound the enemies' power, but break it. The church hath more with her than against her, she hath Emmanuel on her side, even that great King to whom all knees must bend. Christ is called " a man of war," Exod. xv. 3., he understands all the policy of chivalry he is described with seven eyes and seven horns. Rev. v. 6. The seven eyes are to discern the conspiracies of his enemies, and the seven horns are to push and vex his enemies. Christ is described with a crown and a bow, Rev. vi. 2., " He that sat on the white horse had a bow, and a crown was given unto him, and he went forth con- quering and to conquer." The crown is an ensign of his kingly office, and the bow is to shoot his enemies to death. Christ is described with a vesture dipt in blood, Rev. xix. 13. He hath a golden sceptre to rule his people, but an iron rod to break his enemies: Rev. xvii. 12, 14., " The ten horns thou sawest are ten kings ; these shall make war with the Lamb, but the Lamb shall overcome them ;" for he is the King of kings. The enemies may set up their standard, but Christ will set up his trophies at last, Rev. xiv. 18, 20., " And the angel gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great u'ine-press of the wrath of God, and the wine-press was trod- den, and blood came out of the wine-press." The enemies of Christ shall be but as so many clusters of ripe grapes, to be cast into the great wine-press of the wrath of God, and to be trodden by Christ till their blood come out. Christ will at last come off victor, and all his enemies shall be put under his feet ; (jaudeo quod Christus Do- viiuns est, alioqui despcrassem, — " I am glad Christ reigns, else I should have despair- ed," said Miconius in an ejjistle to Calvin.
Use 1st. Branch 1. See hence, it is no disj)aragement to serve Christ ; he is a king, and it is no dishonour to be employed in a king's service. Some arc apt to reproach the saints for their ])iety ; they serve the Lord Christ, he who hath this inscription upon his vesture, KiN(; oi" kings. Theo- dosius thought it a greater honour to be a
OF ciniisrs kingly office.
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servant of Christ, than tlic licad of an em- pire, Serrere est regnnre. Clirist's servants arc called ' vessels of liononr,' 2 Tim. ii. 21. ; and ' a royal nation,' 1 Pet. ii. 9. Serv- ing of Christ cnnohles us Avith dignity : it is a greater liononr to serve Christ, than to have kings serve us.
Brjuich 2. If Christ he king, it informs us, that all matters of fact must one day be brought before him. Christ hatli jiiti vit(B et nccis, — the power of life and death in his hand, John v. 22., " The Father hath com- mitted all judgment to the Son." lie who once hung upon the cross, shall sit upon the bench of judicature ; kings must come be- fore him to be judged; they who once sat upon the throne, must appear at the bar. God hath committed all judgment to the Son, and Christ's is the highest court of ju- dicature; if this king once condemns men, there is no appeal to any other court.
Branch 3. See whither we arc to go, when we are foiled by corruption ; go to Christ, he is king ; desire him by his kingly power to subdue thy corruptions, to bind these kings with chains, Ps. cxlix. 8. We are apt to say of our sins, " These sons of Zeruiali will be too strong for us :" we shall never overcome this pride and infidelity : ay, but go to Christ, he is king ; though our lusts are too strong for us, yet not for Christ to conquer, he can by his Spirit break the power of sin. Joshua, when he had conquer- ed dxe kings, caused his servants to set their feet on the necks of those kings ; so C^hrist can and will set his feet on the necks of our lusts.
Use 2d. Of caution. Is Christ King of kings ? Let all great ones take heed how they employ their power against ('hrist. Christ gives them their power, and if this power shall be made use of for the suppres- sing of his kingdom, and ordinances, their account will be heavy. God hath laid the key of government u|)on Christ's shoulders, Isa. ix. 6., and to go to oppose Christ in his kingly office, it is as if the thorns should set themselves in battalia against the fnc, or
a child fight with an archangel. CI rist's sword on his thigh is a])le to avenge all his quarrels : it is not good to stir a lion ; let no man ])rov«»ke the " Lion of the tribe of Ju- dah, whose eyes are as a lamp of fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him," Nali. i. 6. " He shall cut off" the spirit of prin- ces," Ps. Ixxvi. 12.