sun in the firmament, one tree of life in paradise; one heart, one head in the body: so to us there is but one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. He the alone living, elect, precious, chief corner-stone; no other name under heaven given amongst men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts iv. 11, 12)

6. As a rare good, so full of exquisite and copious variety, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, redemption. It pleased the Father, that in him all fulness' should dwell. (Col. i. 19) In him he hath made known unto principalities and powers, the manifold wisdom of God.' (Eph. iii. 10) As the curious ephod in the law was made of gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine-twined linen; and the breast-plate set with twelve curious precious stones; so Christ, the substance of those types, was filled with the spirit of wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, and the fear of God; (Isai. xi. 2) and that above measure: (John iii. 34) that there might be enough in him to answer all the desires and delights of his people: wisdom to teach, righteousness to justify, grace to renew, power to defend, peace to comfort, life to quicken, glory to save them; seven eyes upon one stone.'

7. He is a most prevailing and victorious good, stronger than the strong man; (Luke xi. 22) casting out and judging the prince of the world; (John xii. 31 and xvi. 11) abolishing death; (2 Tim. i. 10) taking away sin, destroying the works of the Devil; (1 John iii. 3) and overcoming the world and the lusts thereof; (John xvi. 33) treading all his church's enemies under his feet; (1 Cor. xv. 15) triumphing openly over them in his cross before God and angels; (Col. ii. 15) ascending up on high, and leading captivity captive. (Eph. iv. 8.)

(1.) By a way of wisdom, catching Satan by the hook of his divine power, hidden under the infirmities of his human

nature.

(2.) By a way of judgement, condemning him for shedding the innocent blood of the son of God".

(3.) By way of power, vanquishing him, and casting him out of the possession which he had purchased.

b Vid. Aug. de Trinit. lib. 13. cap. 13, 14, 15.

8. He is a perpetual and durable good: death hath no more dominion over him. (Rom. vi. 9) He ever lives to make intercession. (Heb. vii. 25) There is an oath, an amen upon the perpetuity of the life and priesthood of Christ; (Psal. cx. 4. Rev. i. 18) "Behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen." And he lives not only for ever in his person, but he is for ever the life, portion, and blessedness of his people. Because he lives, they live; (John xiv. 19) they shall appear with him; they shall be like unto him. As he is set on his Father's throne, so shall they sit on his throne, never to be degraded.

Lastly, He is the proper good of his own people: he hath not only given himself unto God for them, as their sacrifice, but he hath given himself likewise unto them, as their portion. He is theirs, and they his; (Cant. vi. 3) they his, by a dear purchase,-and he theirs, by a sweet communion. They are said to have him,' (John v. 12) as a man hath his most peculiar possession: his name is, the Lord our righteousness' (Jer. xxiii. 6) he is made unto us of God, wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. (1 Cor. i. 30) He is more ours than we are our own; we have and possess infinitely more in him than in ourselves; defective in ourselves, complete in him; weak in ourselves, strong in him; dead in ourselves, alive in him; miserable in ourselves, blessed in him; mutable in ourselves, established in him. Thus we see there is nothing necessary to the completing of an object of joy, which is not fully to be found in Christ.

Unto these grounds of joy, drawn from the nature of delectable objects, I shall add a few more mentioned by the prophet Zechary, (Chap. ix. 9, 10) drawn from the royal office of Christ; "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Sion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold, thy king cometh unto thee; he is just, and having salvation, lowly, and riding upon an ass," &c.

1. He is a 'king,' thy king, the promised Messiah, in whom all blessings were to be made good unto Israel. They had been servants under strange lords; (Nehem. ix. 36, 37) and so had we. The prince and god of this world had the first possession of us. (Ephes. ii. 2) But they were to have a king of their own from among their brethren:' (Deut.

6

xvii. 15) their governor was to proceed from the midst of them.' (Jer. xxx. 21) And this must needs be matter of great joy; that whereas oppressors did pass through them before, (ver. 8) the king, now promised them, should be a near kinsman, should not be ashamed to call them brethren. (Heb. ii. 11) The shout of a king should be amongst them, who should have the strength of a unicorn, able to break the bones of his enemies. (Numb. xxiii. 21, 22)

2. His approach; "He cometh." When Solomon, a type of Christ, was made King, they did eat and drink with great gladness before the Lord. (1 Chron. xxix. 2) At such solemn inaugurations, the trumpets sound, the people shout, the conduits run wine, honours are dispensed, gifts distributed, prisons opened, offenders pardoned, acts of grace published, nothing suffered to eclipse the beauty of such a festivity. Thus it was at the coming of Christ; Wise men of the east bring presents unto him, rejoicing with exceeding great joy. (Mat. ii. 10, 11) The glory of God shines on that day, and a heavenly host proclaim the joy. (Luke ii. 9, 14) John Baptist leapeth in the womb; Mary rejoiceth in God her Saviour; Zachary glorifieth God for the horn of salvation in the house of David; Simeon and Hannah bless the Lord for the glory of Israel. And, after, when he came to Jerusalem, the whole multitude spread garments, strewed branches, cried before him and behind him, "Hosanna to the Son of David, Hosanna in the highest." (Mat. xxi. 9) And the Psalmist, prophesying long before of it, said, "This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice, and be glad in it." (Psal. cxviii. 24)

3. His character: 1. He is just. And this is the great joy of his people; (Isai. ix. 3, 7) especially being such a king, as is not only just himself, but maketh others just likewise: "In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory." (Isai. xlv. 25) Sin pardoned, guilt covered, death vanquished, conscience pacified, God reconciled, must needs be a glorious ground of joy and peace unto believers. (Rom. v. 1, 2. Luke x. 20)

But a prince may be just himself, and yet not able to deliver his people from the injustice of enemies that are stronger

Vid. Joseph. Antiquit. lib. 7. cap. 11. Turneb. Adversa. lib. 24. cap. 45.

than he as Jehoshaphat said, "We have no might against this great company." (2 Chron. xx. 12) Therefore, 2. Our king here hath salvation, is able to save himself and his people from their enemies; and that to the uttermost. (Heb. vii. 25) It was his name, his office, the end why he was sent, why he was exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour. (Acts v. 31. I John iv. 14) And this surely is matter of great joy. It is an angelical argument, "I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people; for unto you is born, this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." (Luke ii. 10, 11)

But princes possibly, the more powerful and victorious they are, may be likewise the more stately. It is not altogether unusual with men, where they do much good, to be supercilious and haughty towards those to whom they do it: but lo here, 3. A prince great in honour, righteous in peace, valiant in war; and yet humble and lowly still: so lowly as to minister to his own servants, and to wash their feet, (John xiii. 14) as to be an example of meekness unto them. (Mat. xi. 29) The meanest of his people have access unto him, may present their wants before him. Nay he stays not for them, he comes to seek, as well as to save; calls on us, stands and knocks at our doors, waits that he may be gracious; bears with us in all our failings, expects us in our delays, forgives our wanderings, prays us to be reconciled to God. (Luke xix. 10. Isai. xiii. 18. Revel. iii. 20) Now there is nothing more rejoiceth the hearts of a people, than the mildness, gentleness, and clemency of their prince, when his heart is not haughty, nor his eyes lofty, as David said of himself; (Psal. cxxxi. 1) when he is as a servant to his people, and speaketh good words unto them, as the old men advised Rehoboam. (1 Kings xii. 7)

But a prince may have a righteous heart, a valiant hand, a meek temper, and yet do the less good by a natural slowness and indisposedness to action. There is nothing more acceptable to the people, and necessary for the prince, than vigour and despatch in works of justice and prowess.

d Vid. Ciceronis ad Q. fratrem Epistolam : et Sen. de Clementia. • Tantum bellum, tam diuturnum, tam longe lateque dispersum, Cn. Pompeius extremâ hieme apparavit, incante vere suscepit, media æstate confecit: Cic. pro lege Manilia.

Therefore, 4. Our king is here set forth riding; he did always' go about doing good,' made it his meat and drink, to do his father's work. And here, when it seemed most reasonable for him to have drawn back and spared himself, when he was to be crucified,-he shews his cheerfulness in that service, by riding to Jerusalem about it, which we read not that he did upon any other occasion. He did ' earnestly desire that passover;' he did severely rebuke Peter, when he dissuaded him from that work; he did express his singular readiness to become a sacrifice; "Lo, I come: I delight to do thy will, O God; yea, thy law is within my heart." (Psal. xl. 7, 8) And though, in his agony, he did earnestly desire that the cup might pass from him,' yet those groans of his nature under it, did greatly set forth the submission and willingness of his love to undergo it. Now this is a further ground of great joy to a people, when all other princely endowments in their sovereign are vigorously acted and im-. proved for their safety and protection; when they see him deny himself in his own ease and safety, that he may be ever doing good to them. We see what a high value the people set on David; "Thou art worth ten thousand of us;" and this the occasion; "I will surely go forth with you myself." (2 Sam. xviii. 2, 3)

But a prince may have all the endowments requisite to render him amiable in the eyes of his people, just and meek to them, valiant and active against their enemies, and yet fail of success in his undertakings, and they consequently have the joy of his government much abated; for," the race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong:" but it is otherwise with our king here. Therefore it is added (ver. 5) "he cuts the chariot and the horse, and the battlebow; he speaks peace to his people; he extends his dominion from sea to sea, from the river to the ends of the earth;" he rides on' in his majesty prosperously; the people fall under him. (Psal. xlv. 4, 5) He goes forth conquering, and to conquer.' (Revel. vi. 2) He takes from the strong man all his armour, and divides the spoil.

Amplissimorum virorum consilia ex eventu, non ex voluntate, à plerisque probari solent: Cic. ep. ad Atticum, lib. 9. ep. 20.-Ut quisque fortuna utitur, ita præcellit, atque exinde super cum omnes dicimus: Plautus.