Christ intercedes without us, by presenting to God the value of his sacrifice; but the Spirit intercedes within us, by groanings which cannot be uttered,-viz., by enabling us to plead and wrestle with God at the throne of grace, teaching us what we should pray for as we ought, and in what manner we should pray, so as to be accepted.

INFERENCES.

From this subject we learn the following things :-From the first part of Christ's priestly office, namely, his satisfaction for sin, we learn,-1. The great and only ground of all our hopes--the real satisfaction of Christ for sin in the room of sinners. 2. The superiority of our privileges above the privileges of those who were under the law. 3. The necessity of an interest in Christ's sacrifice, and of faith in him as the great atonement. 4. The danger of rejecting Christ in the capacity of a priest, and the great comfort of an interest in him. 5. That there is such an evil in sin, that man himself cannot take it away. 6. That if a sacrifice had not been provided, the sinner must have died in his sins. 7. That the love of God is unbounded in giving his Son to die for sinners. 8. The greatness of our mercies, who have heard of the way of saving sinners by the sacrifice of Christ. 9. What a hateful thing sin is, and how contrary to the nature and Word of God. 10. The great ground of joy which arises to all, from the Father's being well-pleased in Christ.

From the second part of Christ's priestly office, namely, his intercession, we learn,-1. The happiness of those who are in covenant with God. 2. That all things are secured which can render the believer happy in time and through eternity. 3. The love of Christ in acting the part of an intercessor in heaven for us. 4. The believer's certainty of immortality. While Christ is his advocate, who can condemn? 5. The duty of all to apply to him as such. 6. That there is, and can be, no other intercessor within the vail, but Jesus Christ our great high priest.--1 Tim. ii. 5. 7. The greatness of the love of God in appointing for sinners such an advocate in his presence. 8. That believers need not fear that their cause shall finally miscarry in the hands of this great advocate. 9. That the intercession of Christ is one special ground of the saints' perseverance in a state of grace. John x. 28, 29. 10. That every part of the work of redemption is wonderful, and completely manifests the glory

of God. 11. That, if we would have one to plead ou in heaven, we must apply to Jesus, whom his Fatuer a appointed to appear in his presence for us.-Be Fa

25.

Of Christ's Kingly Office.

Christ executeth the office of a king, in subduing us to himself, in ruling and defending us, and in restrai ing and conquering all his and our enemies.

ANALYSIS AND PROOFS.

We are here taught,

1. That Christ, as a king, subdues his people to himself. Psal. cx. 3.-"Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power."

2. That Christ, as a king, rules his people. Isa. xxxiii. 22.-" The Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; he will save us."

3. That Christ, as a king, defends his people. Psal. lxxxix 18. "The Lord is our defence; and the Holy One of Israel is our king." See also Zech. ii. 5.

4. That Christ, as a king, restrains all his and his people's enemies. Psal. lxxvi. 10.-"Surely the wrath of mana praise thee; the remainder of wrath shalt thou resina

5. That Christ, as a king, conquers and destr own and his people's enemies. 1 Cor. xv. 25-TE reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet

kings and Lord of lords.-1 Tim. vi. 15; Rev. xvii. 14, and xix. 16. Ruler, Judge, Commander, Leader, the Captain of the Lord's host.-Josh. v. 15. And many other names are applied to him, which plainly mark him as designed for royalty, and for the exercise of universal power, as Mediator. -See Zech. ix. 9; Luke i. 32, &c.

3. All the ensigns of royal power are attributed to him. He is anointed as king.-Psal. xlv. 7. His royalty commenced in Heaven's eternal purpose; and it was made known by angels at his birth.-Luke ii. 11. This was acknowledged by Jesus himself at his death.-John xviii. 36. See also Matt. xxviii. 18; Eph. iv. 8; Phil. ii. 9-11. He is crowned by his church and by his Father.-Song iii. 11; Heb. ii. 9. A royal throne is ascribed to him, even at the right hand of God.-Psal. cx. 1; Heb. i. 13. A royal sceptre belongs to him.--Psal. ii. 9, and xlv. 6. The laws which he enacts are the laws of a king.—Isa. ii. 3. His servants are the servants or ambassadors of the King of kings.-2 Cor. v. 20. He has a royal retinue, royal revenues, and royal magazines of spiritual armour.-Jude 14; Psal xlv. 11, &c.; Eph. vi. 10, &c. His power to judge and to acquit or condemn, is the power of the King of kings.-John v. 22. And the subjects of this king are an innumerable multitude out of every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.

Before Christ appeared in this world, he was prefigured in his kingly office by Melchizedec,-Heb. vii. 1, &c.; by Joshua, the conqueror of Canaan; by David and Solomon; and by all the kings of Israel and Judah.

Obs. 112.-Jesus Christ has two kingdoms; an essential kingdom, and a mediatorial kingdom.

1. As God supreme, God equal with the Father and the Holy Ghost, he has an essential kingdom. His supremacy and dominion over all things are equal to theirs. He not only in a peculiar manner possesses his mediatorial kingdom, but he is also the governor among the nations.-Matt. xxviii. 18. They all fulfil his pleasure; and great things have they been made to do for the church in this world. For the sake of his church, Christ has turned a fruitful field into barrenness; he has destroyed cities and those that dwelt in them; he has caused the sun and moon to stand still in their courses; he has altered the course of nature; he has dried up the

sea; and he has made the inanimate creation to fight in her behalf.

2. As God-man, Mediator, and Redeemer, he has a mediatorial kingdom, which was given him by his Father as a reward for what he hath done for his people. This kingdom in a special manner respects his church, and is constituted with the design of bringing her real members upon earth to the full enjoyment of the Lord, and of the presence of Zion's King.

Obs. 113.-Christ's mediatorial kingdom is a very extensive, a spiritual, and an everlasting kingdom.

1. It is a very extensive kingdom.--See Matt. xxviii. 18; John xvii. 2; Psal. ii. 8. It extends to persons of all ages, ranks, and nations. Many shall be found in it at last, gathered out of every nation, and people, and language, under heaven; and all shall be fully satisfied with the riches of this kingdom, which consist of glory, and honour, and immortality.

2. It is a spiritual kingdom.--John xviii. 36. "My kingdom," saith Christ, " is not of this world." Hence it is called "the kingdom of heaven," to mark its spirituality; and “the kingdom of God," to show, that its original, and tendency, and privileges, and consummation, are all of a spiritual and heavenly nature. Christ, its king, is not a worldly ruler.-Matt. xx. 28; Zech. ix. 9. His throne is not an earthly throne; his throne of glory is in the heavens; his throne of grace is in the church; and his throne of judgment is to be erected in the aërial heavens at his second coming, when earthly kingdoms shall be no more. His sceptre is a spiritual sceptre.-Psal cx. 2. His laws are spiritual.-Rom. vii. 12, &c.; Heb. iv. 12. His worship and homage are spiritual.-John iv. 24; Rom. xii. 1; 1 Pet. ii. 8, &c.; Phil. iii. 3. His subjects are spiritual.-Eph. iv. 23; John i. 13; Eph. ii. 10. His ambassadors are spiritual, and sent upon a spiritual embassy.-2 Cor. v. 20. His armour is spiritual.—Eph. vi. 10, &c.; 2 Cor. x. 4. His rewards and punishments are of a spiritual nature.--2 Thess. i. 4, &c. And the designs which he has in erecting such a kingdom, are also spiritual.-1 John iii. 8; Acts xxvi. 18.

3. It is an everlasting kingdom. As Mediator, he was set up from eternity, ere ever the earth was; and of his dominion

there shall be no end.--Micah v. 2; Dan. vii. 14; Psal. xlv. 6; Rev. iii. 21.

The mediatorial kingdom of Christ may be distinguished into his kingdom of grace in this world, which is his church that he hath purchased with his own blood; and his kingdom of glory in the world to come, which is the church invisible and of the first-born, whose names are written in heaven. But these are not so much distinct kingdoms, as different states of the same kingdom.

Obs. 114.- The acts of Christ as a king are these :—his subduing his people to himself, his ruling and defending them, and his restraining and conquering all his own enemies, and those of his people.

The acts of Christ, the king of Zion, in the administration of his kingdom, are fire; some of which immediately respect his own subjects, and some his and their enemies; but they all become subservient to the present and eternal good of all those who will have him to reign over them.

1. Christ subdues his people to himself. Such is their natural aversion and obstinacy to him as king of Zion, that nothing less than Almighty power can destroy the enmity of their hearts against him, and make them a willing people to himself.-Rom. viii. 7; 2 Cor. x. 4, 5; Psal. cx. 2, 3.

2. Christ rules his people. This he does by giving them laws and ordinances, and by correcting them.--Psal. cxlvii. 19; Mic. v. 2; Rev. iii. 19; Psal. lxxxix. 30, &c.

3. Christ defends his people from all their enemies. These are many and powerful; such as sin, the devil, the world, death and the grave, and the remains of corruption, &c. See Matt. xvi. 18; Zech. ii. 5; Rom. xvi. 20, and vi. 14; John xvi. 33; Hos. xiii. 14; 1 Cor. xv. 57.

4. Christ restrains his own enemies and those of his people. This he does by thwarting their designs against his people; by making them see that they shall not prevail; by convincing them that, however strong they are, he is stronger and more powerful; that their schemes are well known to him; and that they can devise nothing that shall prove effectual; and by making them ashamed of their own attempts. -See Numb. xxiii. 10; Exod. xiv. 26, &c.; Psal. lxxvi. 10.

5. Christ conquers all his own and his people's enemies. This he does in the present world, when he takes away their power in part,--Zech. ii. 5, 1 Cor. xv. 55; and this he will do at the