and kingdom. See 17. "For thus faith the Lord, David " shall never want" (or there shall never be cut off from David) " a man to fit upon the throne of the house of Ifrael. " Neither shall," &c. If we make use of the New Teftament, which is the infallible guide unto the explication of the Old Testament prophecies, which are not of any private interpretation, we will find Jefus Christ declared the antitype of the kings as well as of the priests. It is observed, that Mount Zion had two tops, one of which bore the temple, and the other the city of David, and David's throne, for that was set in Zion. In being come to Jesus, the Mediator of the new covenant, we are come to both these in the antitype, Heb. xii. "Ye are come to Mount "Zion." In that context, the Apostle is speaking as much at least of the kingdom of Christ as of his priesthood. Let us but consider these places of the New Testament, and we may fee this truth concerning the kingdom of Chrift afferted, even as that concerning his priesthood. See the angel's message to his mother, Luke i. 31. 32.33. " Behold, thou shalt conceive " in thy womb, and bring forth a fon, and shalt call his "name Jefus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son " of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give unto him the " throne of his father David. And he shall reign over the " house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there shall " be no end." [See Gualter on the place.] See the fong of Zacharias, 67.70. "And Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophefied, saying, Blessed be the Lord "God of ifrael, for he hath raised up a horn of salvation " for us in the house of his fervant David; as he spake by "the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been fince the " world began.” See that remarkable confession of the faith by Nathanael, approved by our Lord, John i. 49. 50. "Nathanael an" fwered and faid unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of "God, thou art the King of Ifrael. Jesus answered and " said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under "the fig-tree, believest thou?" See the first gofpel-fermon after the Lord's afcenfion, Acts ii. 30. 31. "Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that "God had fworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of " his loins he would raise up Christ to fit on his throne: " he seeing this before, spake of the refurrection of Chrift." And, 34. 35. 36. "For David is not ascended into the "heavens: but he himself faith, The Lord did fay unto my " Lord, " Lord, Sit thou at my right hand. Therefore let all the " house of Ifrael know assuredly, that God hath made that " same Jesus whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ." The glory of the kingdom of David, in the earthly Ifrael, waxed faint, even as did the glory of the temple and priesthood, and became less and less still, as the antitype drew nigh; and for the wickedness of them that sat upon that throne, it was overturned, till he came whose right it was: so that when he came, he was as a branch out of David's roots, according to the prophecies, Ezek. xxi. 25. 26. 27. " And thou profane wicked prince of Ifrael, whose day is " come, when iniquity shall have an end: Thus faith the "Lord God, Remove the diadem, and take off the crown: " this shall not be the same; exalt him that is low, and a" base him that is high. I will overturn, overturn, over" turn it, and it shall be no more, until he come whose right "it is, and I will give it him." And as the Jews were comforted in their dejection, upon the ruins of the first temple, and its being no way equalled by the second, by the promise of Chrift to that temple, and of his glorious house, the antitype of that temple, Hag. ii.; so they were encouraged by all the prophets, under the mischiefs that befel their kingdom, and the ruins of the house of David, with manifold promises of the kingdom of Christ the antitype. See Amos ix. 8.-12. referred to Acts xv. 16. "After this I will return, " and will build again the tabernacle of David, which " is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, " and I will fet it up; that the residue of men may seek af" ter the Lord, and all the Gentiles upon whom my name " is called." David himself might be many ways a type of Chrift; but it appears that he was a type of Christ in respect of his throne and kingdom. Now, whatever was peculiar to David, that throne and kingdom was common to him and his fuccessors. If, therefore, in that respect he was a type of Jefus Christ in his kingdom, as is clear from what is said, his successors in that office, whatever they were otherwise, muft, in respect of that office, be accounted types of Chrift in his kingly office. Joshua the son of Josedeck the high priest was, perhaps in more respects than one, a type of Christ, and some things were peculiar to him: but the priesthood, common to him with others that bore that office, was typical of Christ's priesthood in them, as well as in him. And Zerubbabel's government was as much typical of Christ's government, as Joshua's Joshua's priesthood was of his priesthood. There were wicked kings, as we fee from Ezek. xxi. forecited, and there were wicked priests; but the offices were both facred, which indeed did aggravate their wickedness; but so far as they exercised their offices with approbation, and acted in these offi. ces suitably unto the nature and end of them, so far they prefigured Chrift in them. It is true, these offices were distinct, so that it appertained not to the kings to do the peculiar diftinguishing acts of the priestly office; even as the priestly and kingly offices, though both lodged in the person of Jesus Christ, are truly distinct; and it would be a great abuse of his kingly office, to put it unto the peculiar use of his priesthood, as we are very ready to do, and it would destroy the use of both these offices unto us, and dishonour them greatly, whatever honour we may think to put upon one of them thereby, 2 Chron. xxvi. 16.-21. It is also true, that the matters of the Lord's immediate worship in the temple, were distinct from the matters of the king's government in the kingdom; and that the matters of the Lord's worship in the temple were sacred, and the most sacred matters: but the matters of the king were also sacred; the nation or kingdom itself where they ruled was sacred, " a holy nation." The kings that fat on the throne of David were a light alway before God in Jerufalem, "the city "which he had chosen him to put his name there," 1 Kings xi. 36. They were church officers as well as the prophets and priests. See Lam. ii. 8. 9. where we fee Zion's king and her princes, as well as her prophets. And chap. iv. 20. it is faid of the king, "The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of " the Lord, was taken in their pits, of whom we faid, Under " his shadow we shall live among the Heathen." See likewife Ezek. xxii. 26. 27. 28. "Her priests have violated my " law, and have profaned my holy things. Her princes " in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey." And her prophets have daubed them with untempered mor"tar." And Micah iii. 10. 11. "They build up Zion with " blood, and Jerufalem with iniquity. The heads thereof " (i. e. of Zion) judge for reward, and the priests thereof " teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money." Heads of Zion is a strong expression. See likewife Zeph. iii. 2.-5. "She trufted not in the Lord, the drew not near " to her God. Her princes within her are roaring lions, her " judges are evening wolves. Her prophets are light and " treacherous persons: her priests have polluted the fanc " tuary, "tuary, they have done violence to the law. The just Lord " is in the midst thereof, he will not do iniquity." And the following part of that chapter will afford us a view of the difference betwixt this state of things and the New-Testament church promised there, and of the excellency of that church, with respect unto the persons of whom it doth confift. But by these texts cited it appears, that the kings were churchofficers, though they were not priests, even as were the prophets; and these were standing types of Chrift in that typical church. Christ's kingly office is not his priestly; but no man would thence infer, that it is not an office in the church: neither would any declare, that the office of deacon in NewTestament churches, which respects the relief of the poor in their temporal straits, is no church-office, for this reason, because it is not the office of bishop or elder, which more immediately respect the matters of the Lord's worship. The matters of the Lord and of the king were distinct; but the same court judged in both, Levites and others being joined in it; and it had distinct presidents for these distinct matters, but both set to judge by the king, who gave them charges and directions, 2 Chron. xix. 8. 9. 10. 11. And not only David and Solomon, who were prophets, but Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, and Jofiah, and the good kings, ruled in things pertaining to the temple, and the worship of God. Such as contend earnestly for those kings being only civil officers, will not allow the kings of the earth fuch power in church-matters now, as the kings of Judah exercised with approbation about the temple, and the matters of the Lord's worship, if they think consistently with their notions about the intrinfic power of the church; unless perhaps they were some way secured as to this, that the king's power should be at their devotion, and under their direction. After all, it will not be easy to shew why the spiritual kingdom of Christ might not be typified by a worldly kingdom, as well as the heavenly sanctuary was prefigured by a worldly sanctuary. But against this it is objected, That whatever power the kings of the house of David had in Israel, and about the matters of the Lord, such like is attributed to the kings of the earth, with respect to the New Testament church; and so that was not peculiar to them: nor is Chritt's government in the church the only thing we have now instead of theirs because it is faid, If. xlix. 23. "Kings shall be thy nurfing fa"thers, and their queens thy nurfing mothers." Because the very letter of this prophecy has been vehement ; ly ly urged, as expressing fully the strange sense that has been put upon it; and things foreign to the scriptures have been built upon these words, by men indulging themselves in private interpretations of the prophecies, without attending to the certain light afforded by the Holy Ghost, the author of them, in the New Testament, for explaining them; it will be needful particularly to confider that prophecy, and see what light the New Testament affords for the explication of it. And, first, It is plain there is a great deal of metaphor in that prophecy of which these words are a part. For instance, ( 22.), "The lifting up of the Lord's hand, the fet ting up of his standard to the Gentiles and people, their " bringing Zion's fons in their arms, and carrying her daugh" ters upon their shoulders." And y 23. "The kings and queens of the Gentiles bowing down to the church, with " their face towards the earth, and licking up the dust of " her feet." If there were not much metaphor here, the "whore fitting on many waters" would bid fairest for it. There is not one expression here, then, but what is metaphorical; and that there should be no metaphor in that of "kings nurfing fathers" will not be easily granted. For nurses nourish the child and what is the proper nourishment of the church, and of Zion's children? Do the kings of the earth afford that nourishment? Do they administer the word and facraments? Have they the power of the keys of the kingdom of heaven? No; this cannot be the sense. The officers of the church claim this as their privilege, which the New Testament gives them, and which the kings of the earth must not meddle with. But then, they will beg their own sense of the words: for after this, it is but begging; and it cannot be thought unmerciful, to grant them no more than the New Testament gives us leave to grant. 2dly, We must confider what is that church unto which this promise says, "The kings and queens shall be nurfing "fathers and mothers." And here we have some help from the New Testament. See Rev. xxi. 24.-27. "And the " nations of them which are saved, shall walk in the light of "it; and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and " honour into it. And the gates of it shall not be shut at "all by day: for there shall be no night there. And they " shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. " And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that de" fileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a |