How Doth Christ Execute the Office of a King?

Answ. Christ executeth the office of a King,
in subduing us to himself, in ruling and us, and in restraining and conquering
all his and our enemies.

O. Why is Christ called a king? A. Because ho

.gives law to, and rules over many subjects, Psalm cx»

Q. What different kingdoms hath Christ?

A, An essential and mediatorial kingdom.

Q. What is the essential kingdom of Christ?

A. That dominion which he, as God, hath over all things*

Qj What is his mediatorial kingdom?

A. That dominion which he hath over the Church, and all the concerns of it.

Qj, In what do these two kingdoms differ?

A. He hath the essential kingdom by nature; but he hath the mediatorial kingdom by his own purchase, and his Father’s gift, Phil. ii. 7, — 10. Matth. xxviii. 18.

Q. What ensigns of royalty or kingly honour are ascribed to Christ in scripture? A. A palace, throne, sceptre, ambassadors, armies, tribute, and laws, &c.

Qj What is Christ’s valace? A. heaven.

Q. What thrones hath Christ, and where do they stand?

A. Christ hath a throne of grace in his church on earth, a throne ot glory in heaven, and a throne of judgment, pro’ably in the air at the last day, Heb. iv. 16.

Q. What sceptre hath Christ?

A, The golden sceptre of the gospel, and the iron sceptre of his wrath, Psalm ex.

Q. Of what use is his golden sceptre?

A. To gather, subdue, strengthen, and comfort his people, Psalm ex. 3.

Q. Of what use is his iron sceptre? A. To punish and destroy his incorrigible enemies, Psalm ii. 9.

Q. Who are Christ’s ambassadors? A. Sometimes angels, but especially gospel ministers, 2 Cor. v. 20.

Q. Is it not high treason for any to intrude themselves into this office without Christ’s call? A Yes.

Q. What armies hath Christ? A. The heavenly

armies of angels, saints, stars, &c. and the armies of hell and earth, Rev. xix. 14- and xii. 16.

Q. What is Christ’s tribute or revenue? A. All

the service and praise of angels and saints; and he makes even his enemies wrath to praise him, Pslam lxxvi. 10.

A. Of a spiritual nature, and not of this world.

Q. Do civil magistrates derive their authority from Christ as Mediator? A. No j for God acknowledged

the authority of Paan magistrates, Jer. xxvii. 17.

Q. How may Christ’s mediatorial kingdom be distinguished? A. Into his kingdoms of grace and of glory.

Q^ How do these differ? A. His kingdom of grace is on earth, amidst enemies, and consists of imperfect subjects *, but his kingdom of glory is in heaven, and consists only of perfect subjects, Psalm ex. 2, 3, &c.

Q. For what different ends hath Christ erected his kingdoms of grace and glory? A. His kingdom of grace is erected for gathering and gaining subjects to him; but his kingdom of glory is for making them fully happy.

Q. How is Christ’s kingdom of grace distinguished?

A. Into his visible and invisible kingdom.

Qj What is Christ’s visible kingdom or church?

A. The society of them who, in all ages and places, do profess the true religion, and their children.

Q. What is Christ’s invisible kingdom of grace?

A. True beHevers, in the hidden man of whose heart Christ reigns, Luke xvii. 20, 21. Rom. xiv. l7.

<). Are riot the unconverted elect members of this invisible kingdom of g<ace? A. They are intended, but not actual members of it, Col. i. 13.

Q. Why is Christ’s church on earth called militant?

A. Because the members of it are daily called to light with sin, Satan, and the world, Eph. vi. 10, — 20.

Q. Why is his church in heaven called triumphant?

A. Because their only work is to sing and share o£ Christ’s victories, Rev- vii. and xv. Is* li. 11. and xxxv. 10.

Q. When did Christ enter on the execution of his kingly office? A. When he published the first promise*

Q. When was he most solemnly installed in this office?

A. When he ascended into heaven, Dan. vii. 13, 14.

Qj When will he most fully display his royal power i

A. At the last day, 1 Tim. iv. 14, 15, 16. Rev. xx.

Q. Over whom doth Christ exercise his kingly office I

A. Over his people and over his and their enemies.

Q. How doth he exercise it over his people?

A. In subduing, ruling, and defending them.

Q. How doth he deliver them from bondage by these acts? A. He brings them out of bondage by subduing them j he prevents their voluntary return to bondage by ruling them; and saves them from being driven* back to bondage by defending them, Psalm ex. Jer. xxxi.

Qj Why must Christ first in order subdue his people?

A. Because by nature they are his enemies, Rom viii. T»

Q. By what means doth Christ subdue us to himself?

A. By his word and Spirit, Psalm ex. 3. Acts xxvi. 18.

Q. How do these subdue us to Christ? A. The

Spirit by the word, applies the blood of Christ and love of God to our consciences, renews our hearts, slays our enmity, and constrains us to yield ourselves to Christ.

Q. What is the language of the soul when thus melted and overcome by the love of Christ?

A: It is, Truly I am thy servant i thou hast loosed my bonds, Psalm cxvi. 16.

Q. From what bonds doth Christ loose us? A. From the bonds of the guilt, filth, and power of sin, which bind us in the kingdom and prison of Satan, Zech. ix. 11. * Q. How doth he loose the bond of sin’s guilt?

A. By applying his blood to our conscience for justification.

Q. How doth he loose the bonds of sin’s filth and reigning power? A. By shedding abroad the love of God in our heart, for melting, purging, and renewing, it

0. What is the effect of this loosing of bonds I A. We are. hereby translated from the kingdom of Satan to the kingdom of Christ, Col. L 13.. Acts xxvi. 18..

Q^How doth Christ exercise his dominion over those whom he hath subdued?

A. He rules in and over them.

Q. Doth he free them from their obligations to magistrates, masters, and other superiors?

A. No; he requires that such be obeyed in all things lawful, Tit. iii. 1.

Q. By what doth Christ rule his people?

A. By his word and Spirit, Jer. xxxi. 33.

Qj, How doth he rule them by his word?

A. By giving them laws to direct their conversation,

Q. What laws doth he give them? A. The few

of the ten commandments as a rule of life, 1 Cor. ix. 21.

Q. By what motives doth he excite them to obedience?

A. By the motives of gracious rewards when they obey, and of heavy chastisements when they offend.

Q. How doth Christ rule his people by his Spirit?

A. He thereby gradually writes his law upon their hearty and excites and enables them to keep it.

Qj Doth not he sometimes make providence a mean of ruling them? A. Yes; he thereby often hedgeth.

them into their duty, Hos. ii. 6, 7.

Q^How are believers safe in the paths of duty?

A. By Christ defending them, Psalm xci. Isa. xxxi. 5*.

Q. From whom doth Christ defend his people?

A. From all their enemies, Pial. xci. 10. 1 Pet. iii. 13.

Q. Who are their enemies? A. Sin, Satan, the

world, and death % the worst of which is indwelling sin.

Q. How doth Christ defend believers from sin?

A. By keeping alive the spark of their grace in an ocean of corruption, till it be quite dried up, Rom. vii.

Q. How doth he defend them from Satan?

A. By a close application of his own blood to their conscience for the quenching of his fiery darts, and by strengthening their grace in opposition to his temptations.

Q. How doth he defend them from the world?

A. By outward dispensations of providence, and such powerful impressions of his love on their hearts, as overbalance the influence of the smiles or frowns of the world.

Q^How doth he defend them from the hurt and fear of death?

A. By securing their eternal life, and giving them comfortable views of it, 2 Cor. v. 1 Cor. xv. 57.

Q„ How doth Christ exercise his dominion over his and our enemies? A. In restraining and conquering them.

Q. Whence is it that Christ and hia people’s enemies are the same?

A. He and his people are one, John xvii. 26. Q. How doth Christ restrain his and our enemies? A. By hindering them, even while their strength re- <mains, to execute their attempts any further than he seeth meet for his glory and our good, Psalm lxxvi. 10.

Qj In what dorh Christ limit the attacks of his enemies? A. In their kind, raimber, degree, and duration. Q. How doth Christ conquer his and our enemies? A. By taking away their power and strength; and in, punishing them, if reasonable creatures, Dan. vii. 12.

Q. In what different ways doth Christ conquer his enemies? A. Two ways; in his own person, and

in the persons of his people, Psalm ex. and lxviii.

Q. In what periods are they especially conquered in his own person? A. At his death, and at the last day.

QjHow doth Christ in his own person conquer sin? A. By fulfilling the law, and so removing the curse, which is the strength of sin j and by condemning sin publicly at the last day, Rom. viii. 3* Matth. xxv.

Q. How doth Christ in his own person conquer Satan? A. He in his death spoiled him of his warrant to be the executioner of God’s justice-; and he will condemn him to hell at the last day, Heb, ii. 14. Matth. xxv.

Qj How doth Christ in his own person conquer the world? A. In his life he despised it; in his death he

crucified it to us, and delivered us from it; and he will .condemn the men of it to hell at the last day.. Q. How doth Christ in his own person conquer death? A. In his death be unstinged it j and in his resurrection he opened the gates of its prison, Hos. xiii. 14.

Qj Shall all his people also conquer these enemies? A. Yes j in him they shall be more than conquerors. Q. Why say you they are conquerors in him? A. Because it is only in a state of union to Christ, and in his Strength, that they conquer, Rom. vim 1, 37, Q* How are they more than conquerors in him? A. They lose nothing, their conquest is easy and complete, and they gain, even when they seem to be conquered.

Q. How doth Christ conquer Satan in his people?

A. By enabling them to oppose and baffle his tempta* tions, Rom. xvi. 20. Eph. vi. 10, — 16.

Q. How doth Christ conquer sin in his people?

A. By pardoning their guilt, and making grace in their hearts prevalent over all their lusts, Micah vii. IS, 19.

Q. How doth Christ conquer the world in his people?

A. By raising their affections above it, and fixing them on heavenly things, Psalm iv. 6*, 7. Col. iii. 1, — 4.

Q. How doth Christ conquer death in his people?

A. By making it a great gain to them, enabling them to triumph over it, and freeing them from its bonds at the resurrection, 1 Cor. xv. 54, 55. Phil. i. 21,

Q. How should we improve Christ as a king?

A. By submitting to, loving, glorying, and trusting in him •, zealously maintaining his rights of government, and fighting under his banner against his enemies.