Jesus Christ the True King and Head of Government

State of Vermont. IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY. WINDSOR, March 13, 1778.

THIS Assembly have this day appointed Col. John Barret, and Capt. John G. Bayley, a Committee to wait on the Rev. Mr. Peter Powers with the Thanks of this House for his Sermon delivered them yesterday, at the opening of this Session, and to request a Copy thereof for the Press.

By Order of Assembly.

THOMAS CHANDLER JUN. Clerk.

AN ELECTION SERMON.

Matthew XXVIII. 18.

And Jesus came and spake unto them saying, All power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth.

THE King of Kings and Lord of Lords is the divine speaker in these great words. And how august and glorious he appears, as the anointed of the Father, on his mediatorial Throne! His unlimitted sovereignty and absolute dominion, in and over all things, is clearly asserted.

HE, who was by nature the supreme and mighty God, was pleased to take the form of a servant p. 6and the fashion of a man, that he might suffer the demerit of our sins. He humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross; for which God the Father hath highly exalted him, and given him a name above every name, that at the name of Jesus every kne◊ should bow—and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. [Phil. 2.6.—11.]

ACCORDINGLY, our Lord, after his resurrection, appeared in the clearer and more bright effulgence of his Deity. In his estare of humiliation he did not lay aside his divinity, but shrouded the glorious appearance of it with the weakness of human flesh. Yet, in the mean time, how frequently did the sun break forth through those clouds, in the wonderful miracles he wrought?

BUT now, having finished transgression in his expiatory sacrifice, and risen triumphant over death and hell; as the due reward of his sufferings, He has power over all flesh, and all power in Heaven and Earth given unto him. In his mediatorial commission, he has the grant of unlimitted dominion and government, He only excepted who put all things under him.

HENCE we have this most natural observation from the Text, JESUS Christ is the head and fountain of all power.

THIS, by divine Help, I shall endeavour to discuss by shewing,

p. 7I. What is intended by power, and all power.

II. How Jesus Christ is the head and fountain of all power.

III. Make Application.

I. I am to shew what may be here intended by power, or all power in heaven and Earth.

POWER is a word of large and extensive sense, especially here, where our Lord declares it to be all power in Heaven and in Earth. So that we may well conceive that there is no kind of power, but it is, in some just sense, his.

p. 7POWER signifies both right and ability to perform any thing.

THERE is the power of strength, and the power of authority and dominion. And there is divine power, and the power of creatures. Among men there is civil, military and ecclesiastical power; but Jesus Christ is the great head and fountain of all.

DIVINE power is infinite, and bounded by nothing but the absolute will and pleasure of the great supreme. Hence this title is assumed by God, and abundantly attributed to him with infinite propriety, The ALMIGHTY. I am the Almighty God. [Gen. 17.1.] I know, says Job, that thou canst do every thing [Job 42.2] Whatever God wills to do, he does with infinite pleasure. His almighty Fiat gives immediate existence to things, and nothing can resist. It equally creates, preserves and governs all things. p. 8How marvellous and surprising the all-enlivening agency of the divine power, in every successive moment, in every of the infinite variety and multiplicity of existencies in the wide extended creation? And thus says our Lord, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work [John 5.17] .

BUT divine power is not only manifested in the creation, conservation and gubernation of all things, but most gloriously, in the redemption and salvation of mankind sinners by Jesus Christ, who therefore says All power is given unto me, in Heaven and in Earth. It was a work of almighty power, as well as of infinite grace, to make satisfaction for our sins: and, at the same time, to make a compleat conquest of the rebellious powers of infernal darkness. On the cross our great Lord spoiled principalities and powers.

THE work of effectual calling is a work of almighty power, when our Lord raises the dead sinner from his long sleep and death in sin, to a new and divine life, and strengthens him to faith and calling upon God. Therefore we read, You hath be quickned, who were dead in trespasses and sins [Ephos. 2.1.] The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the son of God; and they that hear shall live [John 5.25.] Who believe according to the working of his mighty power, which be wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead. [Ephos. 1.19, 20.]

p. 8MOREOVER, the guardianship and protection of the Church, amidst all the wickedness of their own hearts, men and devils; and of every danger, through this world, to the heavenly kingdom, is a work of powerful grace.

p. 9BUT there is not only the power of almightiness in God, but also of Authority and Dominion. Dominion and fear are with him. He is the great Lord and law giver of the universe. Being God, creator and preserver, he has a most just right to give law to, and govern all his creatures.

IN infinite wisdom, the creator fixed a law of nature to every species of Beings animate and inanimate. And according to that law is the system governed. Nature, or it's fixed laws, is nothing without him who is the God of nature. He manages the ordinances of Heaven agreeably to his wise constitution. The wide field of nature in this lower world, obeys his sovereign orders, and sets a beautiful example of perfect submission to man, originally appointed it's ruler, made but a little lower than the Angels, and crowned with glory and honour.