Page:Lamb in the midst of the throne.pdf/42

42 midſt of the throne, and when his ſpiritual kingdom is kept diſtinct from the temporal kingdoms of this world. The government of the church is quite miſmanaged when the Lamb is put out of the throne, and temporal heritages are made the foundation of ſpiritual privileges: as for example, when in the choice of paſtors to any congregation, which is a ſpiritual privilege relating to immortal ſouls, and heritors of this earth, the heirs of a little yellow duſt, have such a privilege and preference given them by virtue of their temporal inheritance, as if they were lords of the conſciences of men, and lords over God's heritage; ſurely their ſecular advantage in a world can entitle them to no ſpiritual privilege in the houſe of God, no more than an earthly inheritance can entitle them to heaven; but to give them a dominion over the ſouls of men in this matter, is a practical dethroning of the Lamb from the midſt of the throne. Church-officers themſelves are diſcharged to uſurp ſuch a dominion as to be lords over God's heritage: it is unlawful for them to obtrude paſtors upon a Chriſtian people, without their conſent; far less have they power to put ſuch a dominion over mens conſciences into the hands of earthly ſuperiors. How can they give what they have not themſelves? In ſpiritual matters we are to own no man lord, but he that is Lord of lords, the Lamb that is in the midſt of the throne. Church-government is quite overturned, when the throne of Chriſt's ſpiritual kingdom is poſſeſt by any other in this world but only the Lamb.

6. Here is comfort against death. Death ſhall not reign, becauſe the Lamb is in the midſt of the throne. and liveth for ever and ever, and hath the keys of hell and of death; and therefore death ſhall be ſwallowed up in victory.