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II.

SER M. predictions has from Us removed all appearance of difficulty in the understanding them. The true meaning of the words, is begun to be opened in the very next verse immediately following the Text, of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the Throne of David, and upon his Kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with juftice from henceforth even for ever, ver. 7. In the Prophecy of Daniel, 'tis explained a little further; ch. ii. 44. The God of Heaven fhall fet up a Kingdom which fhall never be deftroyed,---and it fhall ftand for ever. clearly, ch. vii. 13. I saw in the night-vifions, and behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of Heaven, and came to the Antient of days, and they brought him near before him; And there was given him dominion and glory and a Kingdom, that all people, nations and languages fhould ferve him; his dominion is an everlafting dominion, and his Kingdom that which shall not be deftroyed. This was a fufficiently plain intimation, Kingdom of the Meffiah was

And ftill more

that the

not to be

a wordly

II.

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a worldly temporal Kingdom. The Ap- SER M.
plication of these Prophefies to Chrift, is
made expressly by the Angel to the Blef-
fed Virgin, Luk. i. 32. He shall be great,
and fhall be called the Son of the Highest,
------and be shall reign over the house of
Jacob for ever, and of his Kingdom there
fhall be no end. What manner of Domi-
nion this was to be, our Saviour himself
began more clearly to explain, Mat. xxviii.
18. All Power is given to me in Heaven
and Earth. This difcovered that it was
to be a fpiritual Kingdom, more exten-
five, as well as more lafting, than Earth-
ly Dominions. The Principal Acts of
Power in this fpiritual Kingdom, are ex-
preffed by St Peter, Acts x. 42; He is or-
dained of God to be Judge of Quick and
Dead; and that thro' his Name whosoever
believeth in him shall receive remiffion of
Sins. And the full Extent of this whole
Dominion is fet forth by St Paul, in those
paffages of his Epiftles, where he tells us
that Chrift fitteth at the right hand of the Heb.xii. 2.
Throne of God, being Head over all things, Eph.t.22.
exalted far above all principality, and pow- Phil ii. 11.
er, and might, and dominion, and every Eph. i. 21.

D 3

name

Col. ii. 10

"

1

SER M.name that is named not only in This World, but also in that which is to come; Angels

22,

I

27.

II.

Cor. xv.

1 Pet. iii. and Authorities and Powers being made fubject unto him, and all things put under bis feet. To which description, the Apostle yet thought it neceffary to add the Eph.1.22. Heb.ii. 8. following caution, 1 Cor. xv. 24, 27; But when he faith all things are put under bim, 'tis manifeft that he is excepted which did put all things under him; And (in the end) when all things shall be fubdued unto bim, then fhall the Son alfo himself be fubject unto Him that put all things under Him, (having delivered up the Kingdom to God even the Father,) that God even the Father may be all in all. Which delivering up of the Kingdom, if any one asked bow it is confiftent with those forementioned prophecies of his reigning for ever; the Answer is plain, that as of the Saints, under Chrift their Head and Lord, it is affirmed Rev. xxii. 5, that they shall reign for ever and ever; fo of Chrift in an infinitely higher fenfe, even after his delivering up the Kingdom to the Father, it will still be true, that of his Dominion with and under the Father, there shall be

no

II.

no End. And This is the full meaning of S ER M. That Expreffion, The Government shall be upon his fhoulder.

THE remaining part of the Text, is a further Description of the Perfon, upon whofe fhoulder it was prophefied This Government should be; 'tis a further defcription of his Perfon, under four distinct Names or Characters. The First is; And bis Name fhall be called Wonderful, Counfellor. The term, Wonderful, fignifies, that the Perfon was to be of Secret and Greater Dignity, than the Jews expected: And fo the word is of the fame import, with that more antient intimation given to Jacob, when he wrestled with him, Gen. xxxii. 29. Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my Name? and to Manoah, Judg. xiii. 18. Why askeft thou thus after my Name, feeing it is fecret? The other term, Counsellor, fignifies the Re- myάars. vealer of the Secret Counsel of God; For αγγελο. fo the Gospel is frequently stiled in Scrip- Acts xx. ture, the whole Counfel of God; the bid- 1 Cor ii. 7. den wifdom; the mystery which has been bid Eph.iii. 9. from ages and from generations, but now is Col. i. 26. made manifeft to his Saints; the mystery 25. D 4.

which

βολής

27.

15. II.

Rom. xvi.

II.

SER M. which was kept fecret fince the World be gan, but now is made manifeft: and by the Scriptures of the Prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all Nations for the obedience of Joh.i.. Faith. Upon This account it is, that Chrift is called The Word of God, the Mal. iii. I. Revealer of his Will, the Angel or Mef fenger of his Covenant, and, in the words of the Text, Wonderful, Counsellor.

Rev.xix.

13.

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THE Second Character is, He shall be called The mighty God, or mighty Lord. The meaning of which phrase, has been already in good measure explained under that foregoing character, The government fhall be upon his fhoulder; And the complete import of it is more fully expreffed to us in thofe places of the New TeHeb.i. 2. ftament, wherein Christ is ftiled Heir of all things, Lord of all or over all, Lord 12. XIV.9 both of the Dead and Living, the Prince xvii. 14 of the Kings of the Earth, the Lord of of Lords and King of Kings, and, in one word, (by the appointment of the Father,) our Judge, our Lord, and our God: The Sum and Intent of all which Titles

Acts x. 36.

Rom x.

Rev.i. 5.

Xix. 16.

Heb. i. 8

Joh. i. 1.
XX. 28.

together, is accurately fet forth by St

Paul

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