God's Sovereign Government Among the Nations Asserted

GODS Sovereign Government Among the NATIONS.

All the ends of the World shall remember, and turn unto the LORD: — For the Kingdom is the LORDS: and he is the Governour among the Nations.

THE Eternal GOD, for whom, and by whom all things in the World were made, and are preserved and governed, having in his everlasting Counsel (notwithstanding the Primitive Apostacy and Revolt from Him, fore-known to Him with all His Works from the beginning of the World) purpos'd from the Ruins of fallen p. 2man, to take out of them a People for his Name, and to reduce them to Subjection and Obedience to Him, from whom they had revolted; that they might shew forth, & might be to the Praise of the Glory of his Grace: was pleased accordingly to pitch upon his blessed SON, to be the great undertaker in this Matter, and called therefore the Captain of their Salvation, Heb. 2.10. Appointed to bring the Children unto Glory. Christ Jesus being therefore deputed to this difficult task, the desert of Sin was such, and the Justice of God so immutable, that there was no way to bring the matter to an issue, but by the Death & Sufferings of the Lord Jesus; Sin being such a crime and offence against the Crown of Heaven, that without suitable Satisfaction made to Divine Justice, the honour of Gods Law and Government could not otherwise be upheld and maintained in the World: Christ Jesus having therefore consented hereunto, and willing to assume that Nature which had Sinned, and to offer up Himself a Sacrifice to satisfy Divine Justice, it was very congruous to Divine Wisdom, that for so deep a Humiliation He should have as illustrious an Advancement, and a peculiar Honour conferred p. 3upon him, so as to be made King and Lord of all, and have a Name given Him above every Name, and suffer first, and so enter into Glory; according to the Prediction of the Prophets, and by Christ applyed to Himself, Luk 24.25. It being that which he Prayes for, Joh. 17.5. That the Glory which he had, as to his Divine Nature, with God from Eternity, might be communicated so to his Humane Nature, as that his whole Person might be glorious, and by that way have a joynt Rule with God over all the Works of his hands, which as in other Places of Scripture, so particularly is plainly hinted in the Book of Psalms, and especially in this Psalm where the Text lyes:

p. 3the two great Truths respecting the Humiliation and Sufferings of Christ, and his Exaltation afterward being exactly Predicted by the Spirit of God, for the directing and strengthning the Faith and Hope of the Church of God in all Ages of the World. This Psalm is a Prophetical Psalm, and should the question be asked as was by the Eunuch, Act 8.34. Of whom speaks the Prophet this, of himself, or some other man? It must be understood of Christ Jesus, in whom many of the Passages were literally accomplished; p. 4as appears by comparing it with Mat. 27.35, 46. & Joh. 19.24. The former part of the Psalm holding forth his Humiliation, and the latter part hinting out his Exaltation, and gracious Promises made to Him in this Estate; and is a Prophesy of the Enlargement of his Kingdom by the accession of the Nations from one end of the World to the other, who should remember, and turn to him. The words may be considered as a Prophesy, and a Promise made to Christ, for his incouragement in dispatching that arduous affair he was intrusted withal. And also it implies a strong Obligation on the ends of the World, to Remember and turn to the Lord; and the more effectually to perswade them so to do, we have laid down in the latter part of the verses read, a most undeniable argument, For the Kingdom is the Lords, and he is the Governour among the Nations. Now this Kingdom of Christ admits of a two-fold consideration; The first is that Universal Kingdom by which Christ, together with the Father and Holy Ghost, reigns over all things; this being common to every Person in the God-head. And Christ on this account hath power over all flesh, and He is King of Nations p. 5as well as Saints. And secondly, there is a special peculiar Kingdom which Christ executes over his Church, his Mediatory Kingdom, by special dispensation committed by the Father to him over the Hearts and Consciences of men to bring the Soul to a free, and voluntary Subjection to him, hinted in Psalm 110.3.

But its the first of these two, which shall especially be taken notice of, not wholly excluding the other; the universal Kingdom and Government, common to the whole God-head. There being but One GOD, though Three Persons, and all equal in Power and Glory: This Truth therefore as it hath relation to the calling of the Gentiles, and a particular reward promised to Christ. I shall wholly wave any further consideration of, and the Reason given in the Twenty-eight Verse, is that I shall principally confine my Discourse to. In which Verse, we have asserted the Universal Kingdom of the Lord, and his Government of all the Nations in the World: The design of this Discourse being to perswade, and if possible to prevail with us in these ends of the World to a humble subjection and submission to the p. 6Sovereign Government of GOD, whose we are, and whom we ought to Serve, and in all things readily obey.

p. 6DOCTRINE.

GOD the Lord (or Christ Jesus) is certainly the King and Supreme Governour among the Nanations of the World, and ought to be Remembred, and acknowledged as such by all; and especially by His Professing People, at what end of the World so ever by His Providence they are cast, and placed to dwell in.

This Truth is that, which we find so often asserted, and by irrefragable arguments demonstrated, so universally implanted in the light also, and law of Nature, that without offering violence to Reason, and blowing out this candle of the Lord the Spirit in man; all must yield to the belief of it …