law is a law of love, written upon their hearts. The church is the Lamb's wife. Rev. 19: 7. "A bruised reed he shall not break, and smoking flax he shall not quench." Isa. 43: 3. "I beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ," saith the apostle. 2 Cor. 10:1. For he delights in free, not in forced obedience. He rules children, not slaves; and so his kingly power is mixed with fatherly love.

He rules them suitably to their natures; "I drew them with the cords of a man, with bands of love," Hos. 11:4; that is, in a way proper to convince their reason and move their affections. And thus his eternal kingdom is administered by his Spirit, who is his vicegerent in our hearts.

III. The privileges pertaining to all the subjects of this spiritual kingdom.

1. Those over whom Christ reigns, are certainly and fully set free from the curse of the law. "If the Son make you free, then are you free indeed." John, 8: 36. I say not, they are free from the law as a rule of life; such a freedom were no privilege: but free from the rigorous exactions and terrible maledictions of it; to hear our liberty proclaimed from this bondage, is the joyful sound indeed, the most blessed voice that ever our ears heard. And this all that are in Christ shall hear: "If we be led by the Spirit, we are not under the law." Gal. 5: 18. "Blessed are the people that hear this joyful sound." Psalm, 89: 15.

2. Another privilege of Christ's subjects, is freedom from the dominion of sin; "Sin shall not reign over them; for they are not under the law, but under grace," Rom. 6 14. One heaven cannot bear two suns; nor one soul two kings: when Christ takes the throne, sin quits it. It is true, sin exists there still; its defiling and troubling power remains; but its dominion is abolished. O joyful tidings! O welcome day!

3. Another privilege of Christ's subjects, is protect.on in all the troubles and dangers to which their souls or bodies are exposed. "This man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land, and when he shall tread in our palaces." Mic. 5:5. Kings owe protection to their subjects: none so able, so faithful in that work as Christ; all thou gavest me I have kept, and none is lost." John, 17: 12.

4. Another privilege of Christ's subjects, is a merciful and tender bearing of their burdens and infirmities. They have a meek and patient King; "Tell ye the daughter of Sion, thy King cometh unto thee, meek." Matt. 215. "Take my yoke, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly." Matt. 11:29. The meek Moses could not bear the provocations of the people, Numb. 11:12; but Christ bears them all: "He carries the lambs in his arms, and gently leads those that are with young." Isa. 40 11. He can have compassion upon the ignorant, and them that are out of the way.

5. Again, sweet peace and tranquillity of soul is the privilege of the subjects of this kingdom: for this kingdom consists in "peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." Rom. 14: 17. And till souls come under his sceptre, they shall never find peace Come unto me," ye that

are weary, "I will give you rest." Yet do not mistake ; I say not, they have all actual peace, at all times; no, they often break that peace by sin; but they have the root of peace, the ground-work and cause of peace. If they have not peace, yet they have that which is convertible into peace at any time. They also are in a state of peace; "Being justified by faith, we have peace with God." Rom. 5: 10. This is a feast every day, a mercy which they only can duly value that are in the depths of trouble for sin.

6. Everlasting salvation is the privilege of all over whom Christ reigns. Prince and Saviour are joined to

gether. Acts, 5:31. He that can say, "Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel," may add, "and afterwards bring me to glory." Psa. 73: 24. Indeed, the kingdom of grace doth but raise up children for the kingdom of glory. It in fact is the kingdom of heaven here begun ; and therefore this, as well as that, bears the name of the kingdom of heaven. The King is the same, and the subjects the same. The subjects of this are shortly to be translated to that kingdom. Thus have I glanced at a few of the inestimable privileges of Christ's subjects.

INFERENCE 1. How great is the misery of those who continue in bondage to sin and Satan, and refuse the government of Christ! Satan writes his laws in the blood of his subjects, grinds them with cruel oppression, wears them out with bondage to divers lusts, and rewards their service with everlasting misery. And yet how few are weary of it, and willing to come over to Christ! "Behold, (says Gurnal, in his Christian Armor,) Christ is in the field, sent of God to recover his right and your liberty. His royal standard is pitched in the Gospel, and proclamation made, that if any poor sinner, weary of the devil's government, and laden with the miserable chains of his spiritual bondage, shall thus come and repair to Christ, he shall have protection from God's justice, the devil's wrath, and sin's dominion; in a word, he shall have rest, and that glorious." Isa. 11: 10.

And yet how few stir a foot towards Christ, but are willing to have their ears bored, and be perpetual slaves to that cruel tyrant! Oh when will sinners be weary of their bondage, and sigh after deliverance! If any such poor soul shall read these lines, let him know, and I do proclaim it in the name of my royal Master, and give him the word of a King for it, he shall not be rejected by Christ. John, 6: 37. Come, poor sinners, come, the Lord Jesus is a merciful King, and never will condemn the poor penitent that submits to mercy.

2. How much doth it concern us to inquire and know whose government we are under, and who is king over our souls; whether Christ or Satan be in the throne, and sway the sceptre over our souls! Reader, the work in which I would now engage thy soul, is the same that Jesus Christ will thoroughly and effectually do in the great day. Then he will gather out of his kingdom every thing that offends, separate the tares and the wheat, divide the whole world into two ranks or grand divisions, how many divisions and subdivisions soever there be in it now. It nearly concerns thee therefore to know who is Lord and King in thy soul. To help thee in this great work, make use of the following hints:

To whom do you yield your obedience? His subjects and servants ye are whom ye obey. Rom. 6:16. It is but a mockery to give Christ the empty titles of Lord and King, whilst ye give your real service to sin and Satan. What is this but like the Jews, to bow the knee, and say, Hail, Master, and crucify him? "Then are ye his disciples, if ye do whatsoever he commands you. John, 15: 14. Christ doth not deceive you; his pardons, promises, and salvation are real; Oh let your obe. dience be so too! Let it be sincere and universal obedience; this will evidence your unfeigned subjection to Christ. Do not dare to enterprise any thing, till you know Christ's pleasure and will. Rom. 12:2. Inquire of Christ as David did of the Lord. 1 Sam. 23:9-11. Lord, may I do this or that? or shall I forbear? I beseech thee, tell thy servant.

Have you the power of godliness, or a form of it only? There be many that do but trifle in religion, and play about the skirts and borders of it; spending their time about barren controversies: but as to the power of religion, and the life of godliness, which consist in communion with God, and as to duties and ordinances, which promote holiness and mortify their lusts, they concern

not themselves. But surely "the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power." 1 Cor. 4:20. It is not meat and drink, (that is, dry disputes about meats and drinks,) "but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost; for he that in these things serveth Christ, is ecceptable to God, and approved of men." Rom. 14: 17, 18. Oh I am afraid that, when the great host of professors shall be tried by these rules, they will shrink up into a little handful, as Gideon's host did.

Have you the special saving knowledge of Christ? All his subjects are translated out of the kingdom of darkness. Col. 1:13. The devil is called the ruler of the darkness of this world; his subjects are all blind, else he could never rule them. As soon as their eyes are opened they flee from his kingdom, and there is no retaining them in subjection to him any longer. Oh inquire, then, whether you are brought out of darkness into this marvellous light! Do you see your condition, how sad, miserable, wretched it is by nature? do you see your remedy, as it lies only in Christ and his precious blood? Do you see the true way of obtaining an interest in that blood by faith? Does this knowledge show itself in your life; lamenting heartily your misery by sin, thirsting vehemently after Christ and his righteousness, striving continually after a stronger faith and a more intimate union with Christ? This will indeed show that you are translated out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of Christ.

With whom do you delightfully associate? Who are your chosen companions? You may see to whom you belong by the company you join. What have the subjects of Christ to do among the slaves of Satan? If the subjects of one kingdom be in another king's dominion, they love to be with their own countrymen, rather than the natives of the place; so do the servants of Christ. They are a company of themselves, as it is said, "They