By me kings reign, and princes decree justice. By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.
Reader! do pause over these verses, and in the midst of admiring and adoring Christ in his sovereign distinction of character, as the Wisdom-Mediator, here behold him also as the Power-Mediator of God for salvation, to everyone that believeth. 1 Corinthians 1:24. There is nothing more refreshing to the soul than the contemplation of Jesus in his mediatorial kingdom and government, the church's head and king in Zion. And what I particularly beg the Reader not to lose sight of, in this glorious distinction of character in our Jesus is, that Christ being king of Zion, by whom kings reign and princes decree justice, is Jehovah's king in Zion. It is Jehovah that hath set him there, and set him as his king in Zion. For so he saith, Psalms 2:6. For over and above his natural and essential right to all sovereignty and supremacy in common with the other persons of the Godhead as God, our Jesus hath a donative right as Mediator-head of the church, to this universal plenitude of power. All power, said Christ, in the moment of his ascension, is given unto me, in heaven and in earth. Matthew 28:18. Given unto him, that is, as Mediator. Both for the reward of his redemption work, and for the purposes of giving out all that should be needful in grace here, and glory to his people hereafter. I pray the Reader to be sure and keep this in remembrance; for it forms the sweetest view of Jesus in this almightiness of power, in that what he is in this light he is for his people. He hath power over all flesh to give eternal life to as many as the Father hath given him. John 17:2. And while to the providential events that are going on in the world, from the government of kings to the numbering of the hairs of our head, it is Jesus ordains, disposeth, commands, controls, and appoints all; think, Reader, what a sweet thought this is also, that this sovereign power of Jesus is no less to gather to himself a church; to call poor sinners, to comfort distressed saints; to stop the proud man's oppression, and to lift up the humble from the dust. Precious, powerful Saviour! manifest, Lord, thy sovereignty by reigning in me, and ruling in me, and bringing every thought and imagination of my heart into subjection to the sceptre of thy grace.