3. Our own concernment, security, safety, present and future happiness, lies herein. Our all depends upon the kingdom and throne of Christ. He is our king if we are believers; our king, to rule, govern, protect, and save us,—to uphold us against opposition, to supply us with strength, to guide us with counsel, to subdue our enemies, to give us our inheritance and reward: and therefore our principal interest lies in his throne, the glory and stability thereof. Whilst he reigneth we are safe, and in our way to glory. To see by faith this king in his beauty, upon his throne, high and lifted up, and his train filling the temple; to see all power committed unto him, all things given into his hands, and him disposing of all and ruling all things for the advantage of his church; must needs cause them to rejoice whose whole interest and concernment lies therein.
4, The whole world, all the creation of God, are concerned in this kingdom of Christ. Setting aside his cursed enemies in hell, the whole creation is benefited by his rule and dominion; for as some men are made partakers of saving grace and salvation thereby, so the residue of that race, by and with them, do receive unspeakable advantages in the patience and forbearance of God, and the very creature itself is raised as it were into a hope and expec-
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VER. 8, 9.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 191
tation thereby of deliverance from that state of vanity whereunto now it is subjected, Rom. viii. 19-21. So that if we are moved with the glory of God, the honour of Jesus Christ, our own only and eternal interest, with the advantage -of the whole creation, we have cause to rejoice in this throne and kingdom of the Son.
III. It is the divine nature of the Lord Christ that gives eter- nity, stability, and unchangeableness to his throne and kingdom: “Thy throne, O God, is for ever.” Concerning this, see what hath formerly been delivered about the kingdom of Christ.
IV. All the laws, and the whole administration of the kingdom of Christ by his word and Spirit, are equal, righteous, and holy. His sceptre is a sceptre of righteousness. The world, indeed, likes them not; all things in his rule seem unto it weak, absurd, and foolish, 1 Cor. i, 20, 21. - But they are otherwise, the Holy Ghost being judge, and such they appear unto them that do believe: yea, whatever is requisite to make laws and administrations righteous, it doth all concur in those of the Lord Jesus Christ; as,—
1. Authority. A just and full authority for enacting is requisite to make laws righteous. Without this, rules and precepts may be good materially, but they cannot have the formality of law, which depends on the just authority of the legislator, without which no- thing can become a righteous law. Now, the Lord Christ is vested with sufficient authority for the enacting of laws and rules of admi- nistration in his kingdom. All authority, all power in heaven and earth, is committed unto him, as we have before proved at large. And hence those that will not see the equity of his rule shall be forced at last to bow under the excellency of his authority. And it were to be wished that those who undertake to make laws and con- stitutions in the kingdom of Christ would look well to their warrant ; for it seems that the Lord Christ, unto whom all power is committed, hath not delegated any to the sons of men, but only that whereby they may teach others to do and observe what he hath command- ed, Matt. xxviii. 20. If, moreover, they shall command or appoint aught of their own, they may do well to consider by what authority they do so, seeing that is of indispensable necessity unto the righte- ousness of any law whatever.
2. Wisdom is required to the making of righteous laws. This is the eye of authority, without which it can act nothing rightly or equally. Effects of power without wisdom are commonly unjust and tyrannical, always useless and burdensome. The wisdom of law- makers is that which hath principally given them their renown. So Moses tells the Israelites that all nations would admire them, when they perceived the wisdom of their laws, Deut. iv. Now, the Lord Christ is abundantly furnished with wisdom for this purpose. He is the foundation-stone of the church, that hath seven eyes upon
192 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. I.
him, Zech. iii. 9,—a perfection of wisdom and understanding in all affairs of it,—being anointed with the Spirit unto that purpose, Isa. xi. 2-5. Yea, “in him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge,” Col. i. 3; it having “pleased the Father that in him all fulness should dwell,” Col. 1.19. So that there can be no defect in his laws and administrations on this account. He is wise of heart, and knows perfectly what rules and actings are suited to the glory of God and the condition of the subjects of his kingdom, and what tend- eth to their spiritual and eternal advantage. He knows how to order all things unto the great end which in his government he aimeth at. And thence do all his laws and administrations become righteous. And this also well deserves their consideration who take upon them to appoint laws and rules within his dominion, unto his subjects, for the ends of his rule and substance of his worship. Have they wis- dom sufficient to enable them so to do? doth the Spirit of the Lord Christ rest upon them, to make them of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord? are they acquainted with the state and condition, the weakness, temptations, graces, of all the people of Christ? If they are not, how know they but that they may command and appoint them things greatly to their disadvantage, when they think to profit them? It seems a great self-assuming, for men to suppose them- selves wise enough to give laws to the subjects of Christ in things directly appertaining to his kingdom.