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SER M. will continue to accomplish; according to IV. the True Intent of the Prophecy, though

If. ix. 6.

Luc.i. 33.

not after the manner of Their Interpretation. Unto Them, though they know it not, a Child is born; unto Them, a Son is given; and the government Is upon his Shoulder; and his Name Is Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God; (Not, the everlasting Father; For it is the Son here spoken of, and not the Father everlafting; But) the Governour, the Father or Lord of the Age to come, (fo the Phrase ought to be rendered ;) The Prince of Peace: And he shall reign over the House of Jacob for ever, and of his Kingdom there shall be no end. The Jews, at the time of our Lord's appearing in the Flesh were extremely disappointed and prejudiced against him; because his feeming meannefs fell fo much fhort of that Grandour, wherein they expected their Meffiah should have shown himself: And yet in reality his True Power and Authority was as much Superiour even to that expected Grandour; as his feeming Meannefs, for which they despised him, was inferiour to it. They expected a Temporal Deliverer, and he propofed to them a Salvation eternal: They

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looked for a Prince of Men, and he ap-SER M. peared to be the Lord of Angels: They expected a Meffiah endued with great Power on Earth, and he showed himself to be invested with All Power both in Earth and Heaven. Thus did the Wif dom of God put to filence the ignorance of foolish men; And while the Lovers of Worldly Grandour despised and reviled our Lord for his appearing Meanness; under that Meannefs there lay concealed, and to all well-difpofed Perfons (who looked for Redemption in Ifrael) there discovered itself a Power, infinitely fuperiour even to the highest Expectations, of those whofe Hearts were bent on nothing but Worldly Greatnefs. O the depth of the Riches both of the Knowledge and Wisdom of God! How unfearchable are bis judgments, and his ways paft finding out! Our Saviour, as he miniftred to the Father in creating the World; (For by Him, the Scripture declares, God created all things;) So in governing the World, he likewife fupports all things by the Word of his Power. He does what he pleases, in the Armies of Heaven, and among the Inbabitants of the Earth; He is King of Kings,

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SERM. Kings, and Lord of Lords;

IV:

and judges, punishes, or rewards, as he pleases: For as the Father raifes up the dead, and quickneth them; even fo the Son quickneth whom he willeth; St. Joh. v. 21. He fearches the Hearts and Reins, and declares that he will give to every man according to his Work, Rev. ii. 23. He hath the Keys of Hell and of Death, Rev. i. 18; the Key of David, that openeth and no man shutteth, and shutteth and no man openeth; Rev. iii. 7. The Words are of the fame import with thofe in Job, ch, xii. 14, where compleat and irrefiftible Power is thus defcribed; Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again; he hutteth up a man, and there can be no opening: And they are an Application of that antient Prophecy, to our Saviour; I, xxii. 22: The Key of the Houfe of David will I lay upon his shoulder; fo he shall open, and none shall skut ; and he fall fut, and none fall open.

AND This, as it is a full Declaration of the Extent of our Saviour's Power, that it is univerfal, All Power both in Heaven and Earth; which was the t particular obfervable in the Text; fo it leads us in the 2d place, to the confideration of the Original

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IV.

Original of this unlimited Power and Au-SER M. thority. I will lay upon his shoulder the Key of the Houfe of David. I will invest him with All Power, faith God in the Prophecy; And, at the Accomplishment of the Prophecy, All Power is Given unto faith our Saviour in the Text; i. e. given unto me by the Father. Underived Power, is peculiar to the Perfon of the Father; the incommunicable Property of Him alone, who is made of None, neither created, nor begotten, nor proceeding, nor in any manner whatsoever derived from Another. All Power is derivative from Him; derivative from the Father, to the Son; and from the Son, by the Spirit, to all Creatures. In our Saviour therefore, is vefted all Dominion and Authority; becaufe in Him dwelleth the Fulness of the Godhead, (the Fulness of Divine Power, the Glory of the Father,) bodily, vifibly, as in the Perfon of a Man: And therefore he is ftiled, the Image of the invifible God; because (as the Apostle expreffes it,) it pleafed the Father, that in him should all Fulness, the Fulness of all Power, dwell. This is, in a moft lively Figure, repreG 4 fented

IV. vii.

SER M. fented to us by the Prophet Daniel, ch. vii. 13; I faw in the Night-vifions, and bebold, 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 should ferve him; His Dominion is an everlasting Dominion, which shall not pass away; and his Kingdom, that which shall not be deftroyed. And the Expreffions in the New Teftament, wherein is recorded the Fulfilling of this Prophetick Vifion, are exactly agreeable to it. The Angel at the Annunciation, thus declares concerning him, before his Conception, He shall be great, and fhall be called the Son of the Higheft; and the Lord God fhall give unto him, the Throne of his Father David; and he shall reign over the Houfe of Jacob for ever, Luke i. 32. Concerning Himself he profeffes accordingly, Matt. xi. 27; All things are delivered unto me of my Father And again, Joh. xiii. 3; Knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands: And yet more expreffly, Job.v. 22; The

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