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openly, triumphing over them.' Whence we rightly fall under subjection to him, as accessions to his victory; having formerly belonged to his enemies, and having by his mercy been preserved he might justly have deprived us of liberty and of life : might have utterly destroyed us, or have detained us in woful misery, as dependents on and partisans with his foes; ourselves together with them being found in open hostility against him: but according to his great mercy he saved us ;' and did put us into a capacity of a free, comfortable, and happy life under him, 'calling us to his kingdom and glory.' We therefore being subacti potentia, (subdued by his power,) become jure subditi, (in right subject to him,) [being servali, we are made servi ;] being saved from death by him, we according to justice and reason become vassals to him, so that all our life should be devoted to his service; that (as it is in the hymn Benedictus) being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, (his enemies, and our enemies also, no less in truth and effect,) we should serve him without fear.'

5. He hath also farther acquired us to himself by purchase; having by a great price bought us, ransomed us out of sad captivity, and redeemed us from grievous punishment due to us. We, as heinous sinners and rebels, had forfeited our lives to God's law, and were sentenced unto a miserable death; we had lost our liberty, and were thrown into a grievous prison, fettered in guilt, lying under wrath, and reserved to punishment unavoidable; we were stripped of all goods, all comfort, all hope and remedy: such was the case of man, when he procured a redemption, a pardon, a deliverance and restitution for us; delivering up himself a ransom for us all;' undergoing a punishment for our sins, discharging our debts, propitiating divine justice, acquitting us from all claims and pretences on us; yea meriting for us a better state than we did ever before stand in: thus he purchased his Church with his own blood;' whence, as St. Paul argues, we are not our own, for we are bought with a price.' In requital for such mercies and favors so unexpressibly great, we cannot, either in gratitude or justice, owe less than ourselves to be rendered up wholly to his dominion and disposal; it is our duty therefore to be his subjects and servants; and it was indeed the intent of his doing

To this end,' revived, that he

so much for us, that we should be so: he did all gratis, (most freely,) as to any precedent motive beside his own goodness; but he would not do it fruitlessly, as to effect; saith St. Paul, Christ both died, rose, and might be Lord both of the dead and living:' He died for all, that they, which henceforth live, should not live to themselves, but unto him which died for them :' and, He gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.'

6. He likewise acquired a lordship over us by desert, and as a reward from God, suitable to his performances of obedience and patience, highly satisfactory and acceptable to God; For this the Father loves me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again:' He humbled himself, becoming obedient to the death of the cross; therefore also did God exalt him, and gave him a name above every name :'' For the joy that was set before him, he endured the cross; and having despised the shame, sat down at the right hand of the glory of God: We see Jesus, for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor:''He drank of the brook in the way, therefore he hath lifted up his head:' Because he poured out his soul unto death; therefore did God divide him a portion with the great, and he did divide the spoil with the strong,' as the prophet expresseth it.

7. We may add, that he hath acquired a good right and title to dominion over us, as our continual most munificent benefactor; by the great benefits he bestoweth on us, by the ample hire and large recompense he pays us. He affords us a sure protection under him, and a liberal maintenance; high privileges, and ample rewards for our service: it is no Egyptian bondage that he would detain us in, requiring hard labor, and yielding no comfort or recompense; but it is a most beneficial and fruitful service. Christ hath promised to withhold no good thing' from his servants; nothing requisite for the support or convenience even of this temporal life, (for to them who seek the kingdom of God, and its righteousness, even all these things shall be added,' or cast in ;) but especially most inestimable precious recompences he hath promised, and will certainly bestow in spiritual and eternal blessings; He will

render to every man according to his works; to them, who by patient continuance in well-doing seek glory, and honor, and immortality, eternal life;' saith St. Paul: and, Being freed from sin,' saith he again, and made servants to God, ye have your fruit unto sanctification, and in the end everlasting life:' a fruit to sanctification, that is, all benefits conducing to our spiritual welfare here, and hereafter a life in perpetual joy and happiness. To them who have been diligent in performing their tasks, and improving their talents committed to them now for his interest and honor, he will one day say, 'Well done, good and faithful servants, enter into your Master's joy :' and,' Blessed,' saith our good Master, are ye, when men shall revile you, and speak all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake; Rejoice, and be exceeding glad, for great shall your reward be in heaven.' Now he that is at such care and charges for us, who feeds and furnishes us so plentifully, who rewards our small pains, our poor works, our unprofitable services, (such indeed we must confess all that we can do to be,) with so high and bountiful wages, him surely most justly we should esteem, and most willingly call, our good Lord and Master.

8. Yea farther yet, our Saviour Jesus is not only our Lord by nature, and by acquisition in so many ways, (by various performances, deserts, and obligations put on us,) but he is also so by our own deeds, by most free and voluntary, most formal and solemn, and therefore most obligatory, acts of ours. He is our Lord and King by election; we finding ourselves oppressed by cruel tyrants and enemies, groaning under intolerable slaveries, loaded with heavy burdens, plunged into grievous distresses, tormented with anxious fears, regrets, and sorrows, had our recourse unto him, on his gracious invitation, offering us deliverance, ease, and refreshment, under his most equal and gentle government; Come unto me, all ye that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest'—' Take my yoke on you;--for my yoke is easy, and my burden light :' so he was pleased to invite us; and so we did, or have at least seemed and pretended to undergo his yoke, freely submitting to his government: we have vowed perpetual allegiance and fealty to him, as to our lawful Prince; we have promised intire subjec

tion to his will, and sincere obedience to his laws; we have engaged, forsaking all things, to follow him; to follow him as our Captain, and to fight resolutely under his banners, against the common enemies of his glory and our salvation. We did, ovμpwveiv, (as it is in the parable,) contract and agree with him on certain conditions and considerations, most advantageous to ourselves, to be his faithful servants, and diligently to perform his work we renounced all other masters; yea resigned up all claim to any liberty or power over ourselves; becoming absolutely devoted to his will and command: this we did at our baptism, in most express and solemn manner, and in every religious performance we confirm our obligation; when we acknowlege his right over us, and our duty toward him; when we implore his protection, his succor, and his mercy; when we promise our humble respect and obedience to him: if our daily confessions do signify any thing; if our vows and protestations have any truth or heart in them; if our prayers are serious, our praises are hearty, our communions have in them any thing of good earnest and sincerity; we do by them continually tie faster the band of this relation and duty toward him; he by our renewed choices, and consents, and promises, and acknowlegements, doth appear to be our Lord. But let thus much suffice for explication of this point; or for considering on what grounds Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, is our Lord; now for practical application of the point thereof.

1. The general influence which this doctrine may and should have on our practice is very obvious and palpable. If we are truly persuaded that Christ is our Lord and Master, we must then see ourselves obliged humbly to submit unto and carefully to observe his will; to attend unto, and to obey his law, with all readiness and diligence; for, Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things that I say?' is the expostulation of our Lord himself, implying it to be a vain and absurd profession, an irrational and illusive pretence we make, when we avow and invoke him as our Lord, but withal disclaim his authority in our practice, by slothfully neglecting or wilfully disobeying his commands: Not every one that sayeth, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father, which is in heaven;' that is, not he that makes

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loud and eager professions (crying Lord, over and over again) is in God's esteem a loyal subject, or faithful servant, or shall obtain the rewards assigned to such; but he that, although perhaps more sparing in words and pretences, doeth really his duty, and performs the will of God. Many,' saith our Saviour again, shall in that day (in that great day of final account and recompense) say unto me, Lord, Lord, have we not in thy name prophesied, and in thy name cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works? and then will I profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from me, ye that work iniquity.' Not only bare professions and acknowlegements are insufficient, but even the fairest and most plausible actions done in the name of Christ will avail nothing, without real obedience to the law of Christ; even then, when such actions are performed, Christ doth not know them; that is, doth not esteem them his servants; the working of iniquity rendering them uncapable of that name and privilege. Such persons do, as St. Paul speaks, profess to know him, (or acknowlege him as their Lord,) but with their works they deny. him; who are disobedient, and to every good work reprobate,' (that is, on trial found bad and false;) 'they,' as St. Peter says, deny the Lord that bought them.' Do ye not know,' saith St. Paul, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are whom ye obey?' and, Every one,' saith our Saviour, that doeth sin, is the servant of sin :' and, 'By whom,' saith St. Peter, a man is overcome, to him he is made a servant,' or enslaved, (Ɛedovλwraι.) It is not what we say, but what we do; not what we would seem, but what we indeed are, doth really constitute, and truly denominate us servants: we not only shall lose the rewards and privileges granted to the servants of Christ, but we do even forfeit all claim to the very name, if we disobey his commands, being indeed properly servants to those lusts which sway us; to that devil whose pleasure we fulfil; to that world, whose bad manners we follow : we do but invade and usurp the name of Christians, if our practice is not conformed to the precepts of our Lord.

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2. Indeed the consideration of this point doth clearly demonstrate to us the great heinousness of sin; how many follies, iniquities, basenesses, and ingratitudes lie complicated therein: the