3. In regard of the laws and manner of administration. I shall not speak of the external political government of the church, which questionless is monarchical, I mean in regard of Christ the Head ; though it be aristocratical in regard of officers, and, in some respect, democratical, with reference to the consent of the people in all church acts. But there are laws and sanctions by which this body of men and this kingdom is governed : James ii. 8, ' If ye fulfil the royal law.' It is called the royal law, not only as it requires noble work, but in regard of the dignity of the author, and firmness of the obliga- tion. All the precepts of faith, repentance, and gospel-walking, are as so many royal edicts, which Christ hath set forth to signify his pleasure to his people. How slightly soever we think of these gospel injunctions, they are the laws and instructions of the great king.
4. In regard of punishments and rewards. Christ, who is a king by nature, might rule us with a rod of iron ; yet he is pleased to govern us as a father and prince, that he might cast the bands of a man upon us. Christ, as a king, punisheth, and, as a king, rewardeth : Prov. xvi. 14, ' The wrath of a king is as messengers of death.' When a king is angry it is as if a messenger should come and tell us we must die. How great is the wrath of the king of kings ! He cannot endure to be slighted in his regal power : Luke xix. 27, ' But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring them hither, and slay them before me.' Christ himself will see execution done, in his own sight and presence, upon those rebels that will not submit to his rule and government. How should the hearts of wicked men tremble, which have violated the laws of Christ, and
96 AN EXPOSITION OF [Mat. VI. 10.
affronted his authority, when they consider how odious this is, how certainly Christ will see execution done upon them ! When Adonijah and his guests heard of Solomon sitting upon his throne, and the shouts and acclamations of joy and applause, they were stricken with fear, and fled every one several ways : 1 Kings i. 49. You that cherish your lusts, which stand out against the sovereignty of Christ, that will not let him rule over you, whose hearts say (though their tongues dare not), ' We will not have this man to reign over us ;' you that seem to put him by his kingdom, he is furnished with absolute and irresistible power to destroy you, and will one day come and say, Bring forth these drunkards, worldlings, voluptuous, that would not I should reign over them ; those that durst venture upon known sin against the checks of their own conscience : how will their hearts tremble in the last day at the shouts and acclamations of the saints, when they shall welcome this great king, when he shall come forth in all his royalty and sovereignty ! And as for punishment Christ will show himself as a king, so for rewards. Kings do not give trifles. Araunah ' gave like a king to a king :' 2 Sam. xxiv. 23. He was of the blood-royal of the Jebusites, and he gave worthy of his extraction. And so Christ will give like a king. God propounds nothing that was cheap and unworthy, but he ' gives you a kingdom : ' Luke xii. 32. The poor of this world are ' heirs of a kingdom,' the fairest kingdom that ever was, or ever will be ; as poor and as des- picable as now they are, yet they shall have a kingdom. What can you wish for and desire more than a kingdom ? All shall reign with Christ for evermore ; which shows the folly of carnal men that will hazard so great and so blessed hopes. Thus I have shown you why the gospel state is compared to a kingdom.
Now, let me tell you it is a spiritual kingdom, not such as comes with observation. Jesus Christ, when he was inaugurated into the throne, when he was to sit down at God's right hand, how doth he manifest it ? He gives gifts, as princes use to do at their coronation, but they are spiritual gifts : Eph. iv. 8. And he sent abroad ambas- sadors, poor fishermen, they and their successors, to go and treat with the world: 2 Cor. v. 19. Indeed, they had a mighty power with them, as becoming such a great king, as was under the vail of meanness and weakness ; it was cai-ried on in a spiritual manner^ And still he doth administer his kingdom, not by force ; he rules not by the power of the sword, but l)y his word and Spirit, so he goverueth his people. The publication of the gospel is a 'sending forth the rod of his strength:' Ps. ex. 2. And the Holy Ghost, as Christ's viceroy, he governeth them, and administereth all things that are necessary to his kingdom ; he doth it by the Holy Ghost, as his deputy. The Father chooseth a sort of men, gives them to Christ ; the Son dieth for them, that they may be subjects of his kingdom, and he commits them to be governed and ruled by the Holy Ghost : he useth the ministry of men, and so unites them to Christ ; and Christ brings them to the Father by his intercession, committing them to his care and love ; and by a final tradition at last, which is the last act of Christ's media- torial kingdom, 1 Cor. xv. 24, he shall deliver them up to the Father. The Spirit, blessing the ministiy of men, works faith, by which we