(4.) Fulness of grace given him to dispense the Spirit to his redeemed
372 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SeR. XLIV.
ones : Acts li. 33, ' Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Gliost, he hath shed forth this which ye now see and hear.' As soon as he was warm in the throne he poureth out the Spirit, that is the first news that we hear from him ; and presently the virtue of it ajipcared, three tliousand souls were added to the church that day. Now that is a pledge of what is continually dispensed in the cliurch ; there is still a Spirit sent forth to convince the unbelieving world, and to conquer the opposing wisdom and power of the flesh ; as also to beget and continue life in his people, that they may actually be put in possession of what he hath purchased for them ; for he hath promised to be witli the ministry and dispensation of the word to the end of the world, Mat. xxviii. 20, meaning by that presence, not only his powerful providence, but his convincing and quickening Spirit.
(5.) The actual administration of his kingdom. He ruleth his churcli, preserveth his people, and subdueth their enemies. The enemies of Christ are of two sorts, temporal and spiritual. First, His temporal enemies are such as oppose his cause and servants, and seek to suppress his interest in the world. The Jews despitefully used him and his messengers, and they had their doom ; wrath came upon them to the uttermost. It is supposed they are intended : Mat. xvi. 28, ' There are some standing here which shall not taste of death till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.' In a few years tlie city, temple, and whole polity of the Jews were destroyed, for the erection of the gospel kingdom. The Eomans were the next enemy, who endeavoured the extirpation of Christianity by several persecutions ; these were next made the footstool of the King of kings, and after some years that vast empire was destroyed by the inundation of barbarous nations, and the residue marched under the banner of Christ. Within a little time, all these nations which oppose Christ's interest, and per- secute his servants, are subdued under him, and either broken in pieces by sundry plagues and judgments, or else brought to submit their necks to Christ's blessed yoke. There is no standing out against the King whom God hath exalted at his right hand. Secondly, The spiritual enemies of Christ's kingdom are sin, Satan, and death, each of which hath a kingdom of its own, opposite to the kingdom of Christ. The apostle telletli us ' that sin reigned unto death,' Kom. v. 21 ; but he exhorteth, Kom. vi. 12, ' Let not sin reign in your mortal bodies ; ' and he promiseth, 'that sin shall not have dominion over you,' Rom. vi. 14. Satan hath a kingdom opposite to Christ ; he is called ' the prince of this world,' by usurpation, John xii. 31. And the devils are called, Eph. vi. 12, ' Eulers of the darkness of this world.' The ignorant, superstitious, carnal part of the world flilleth to his share ; but Christ hath cast him out, and will still go on to do it. Death hath an empire and kingdom : Eom. v. 14, ' Death reigned from Adam to Moses ; ' and verse 17, ' By one offence death reigned.' Now, for the destruction of these powers was Christ exalted at the right hand of God, and by degrees he doth destroy and subdue them ; yet this destruction is not so universal but that sin and Satan and death doth still continue; yet though there be not a total destruction of them, there is an abso- lute subjection of them to the throne of the mediator. They cannot do
VeK. 34.] SERMONS UPON KOMANS VIII. 373
any more than Christ permitteth ; they cannot hurt those whom God hath given to Christ, in a deadly manner ; they cannot hinder the bringing them unto the heavenly kingdom. He doth anniiiilate the guilt of sin by his death ; the dominion, by the power of his Spirit. In the despisers and refusers of his grace sin continueth in its absolute power, l3ut still in a subjection to the throne. The wrath of the medi- ator is seen in their condemnation and destruction. Satan is destroyed as to his princely power, but so as we must use the means still ; at last he shall be judged. Death is ' the last enemy that shall be destroyed,' 1 Cor. XV. 26. It will be finally destroyed in the resurrection. For the present it serveth Christ's ends, ] Cor. iii. 22.
4. His intercession for us. This is a notable prop to faith.
[1.] Christ presents himself, and the merit of his sacrifice, before the face of God, to preserve us in his favour : Heb. ix. 24, ' He appeareth before God for us.' As the high priest did enter with blood into the holy place : IjCv. vi. 7, ' The priest shall make an atonement for him.' If he did not interpose before God night and day, how should the accusations of Satan be repelled, breaches prevented, a mutual cor- respondence preserved between us and God ?