power and dominion over all: because every thing must necessarily belong to him from whom it hath received what it is. Wherefore being Christ is the Lord, as that title is taken for Jehovah, the name of God, expressing the necessary existence and independence of his single being, and consequently the dependency of all others upon him; it followeth, that he be acknowledged also the Lord, as that name expresseth Adon, signifying power authoritative and proper dominion. Thus having explained the notation of the word Lord, which we propounded as the first part of our exposition; we come next to the second, which is, to declare the nature of this dominion, and to shew how and in what respect Christ is the Lord.

Now for the full and exact understanding of the dominion seated or invested in Christ as the Lord, it will be necessary to distinguish it according to that diversity which the Scriptures represent unto us. As therefore we have observed two natures united in his person, so must we also consider two kinds of dominion belonging respectively to those natures; one inherent in his Divinity, the other bestowed upon his humanity; one, as he is the Lord the Maker of all things, the other as he is made Lord of all things.

For the first, we are assured that the Word was God, that John i. 1. by the same Word all things were made, and without him was John i. 3. not any thing made that was made; we must acknowledge that whosoever is the Creator of all things must have a direct dominion over all, as belonging to the possession of the Creator, who made all things. Therefore the Word, that is, Christ as God, hath the supreme and universal dominion of the world. Which was well expressed by that famous confession of no longer doubting, but believing Thomas, My Lord John xx. 28. and my God.

For the second, it is also certain that there was some kind of lordship given or bestowed on Christ, whose very unction proves no less than an imparted dominion; as St Peter tells us, that he was made both Lord and Christ. What David Acts ii. 36. spake of man, the Apostle hath applied peculiarly unto him, Thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him Psal. viii. 5, 6. over the works of thy hands: Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet.

Now a dominion thus imparted, given, derived, or be

Heb. ii. 7, 8.

John v. 27.

stowed, cannot be that which belongeth unto God as God, founded in the divine nature, because whatsoever is such is absolute and independent. Wherefore, this lordship thus imparted or acquired appertaineth to the human nature, and belongeth to our Saviour as the Son of man. The right of judicature is part of this power; and Christ himself hath told us, that the Father hath given him authority to execute judgement, because he is the Son of man: and by virtue of this Matt. xvi. 27. delegated authority, the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and reward every man according to his works. Part of the same dominion is the power of forgiving sins; as pardoning, no less than punishing, is a branch of the supreme magistracy: and Christ did therefore say to Matt. ix. 2, 6. the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee, that we might know that the Son of man had power on earth to forgive sins. Another branch of that power is the alteration of the Law, there being the same authority required to abrogate or alter, Matt. xii. 6,8. which is to make a law: and Christ asserted himself to be greater than the temple, shewing that the Son of man was Lord even of the sabbath day.

This dominion thus given unto Christ in his human nature 152 was a direct and plenary power over all things, but was not actually given him at once, but part while he lived on earth, part after his death and resurrection. For though it be true John xiii. 3. that Jesus knew, before his death, that the Father had given all things into his hands: yet it is observable that in the same place it is written, that he likewise knew that he was come from God, and went to God: and part of that power he received when he came from God, with part he was invested when he went to God; the first to enable him, the second, Rom. xiv. 9. not only so, but also to reward him. For to this end Christ both died, rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. After his resurrection he said to the disciMatt. xxviii. ples, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. He Psal. cx. 7. drunk of the brook in the way, therefore he hath lift up his head. Phil. ii. 8–11. Because he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death,

18.

even the death of the cross: therefore God hath also highly
exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name;
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in
heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and
that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to

the glory of God the Father. Thus for and after his death he was instated in a full power and dominion over all things, even as the Son of man, but exalted by the Father, who raised Eph.i. 20-22. him from the dead, and set him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come; and hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the Church.

Now as all the power given unto Christ as man had not the same beginning in respect of the use or possession; so neither, when begun, shall it all have the same duration. For part of it being merely economical, aiming at a certain end, shall then cease and determinate, when that end for which it was given shall be accomplished: part, being either due upon the union of the human nature with the divine, or upon covenant, as a reward for the sufferings endured in that nature, must be coeval with that union and that nature which so suffered, and consequently must be eternal.

Of the first part of this dominion did David speak, when by the spirit of prophecy he called his Son his Lord; The Psal. cx. 1. Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool; where the continuation of Christ's dominion over his enemies is promised to be prolonged until their final and total subjection. For he must reign till 1 Cor. xv. 25. he hath put all things [enemies] under his feet. And as we are sure of the continuation of that kingdom till that time, so are we assured of the resignation at that time. For when he shall 1 Cor. xv. 24. have put down all rule, and all authority and power, then shall

he deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father. And when 1 Cor. xv. 28. all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all. Thus he which was appointed to rule Psal. cx. 2. in the midst of his enemies during their rebellion, shall resign up his commission after their subjection.

But we must not look upon Christ only in the nature of a general who hath received a commission, or of an ambassador with perfect instructions, but of the only Son of God, empowered and employed to destroy the enemies of his Father's kingdom: and though thus empowered and commissioned, though resigning that authority which hath already

PEARSON.

19

23, 24.

had its perfect work, yet still the only Son and the heir of all
things in his Father's house, never to relinquish his dominion.
over those whom he hath purchased with his own blood,
never to be deprived of that reward which was assigned him
for his sufferings: for if the prize which we expect in the race
of our imperfect obedience be an immarcessible crown, if the 153
weight of glory which we look for from him be eternal; then
cannot his perfect and absolute obedience be crowned with a
fading power, or he cease ruling over us, who hath always
reigned in us. We shall for ever reign with him, and he will
make us priests and kings; but so that he continue still for
ever High-priest and King of kings.

The certainty of this eternal dominion of Christ, as man, we may well ground upon the promise made to David, because by reason of that promise Christ himself is called David.

Ezek. xxxiv. For so God speaketh concerning his people; I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. And I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them. I the Lord have spoken it. Now the pro2 Sam. vii. 16. mise was thus made expressly to David, Thy house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever. And although that term for ever1 in the Hebrew language may signify oft-times no more than a certain duration so long as the nature of the thing is durable, or at the utmost but to the end of all things; and so the economical dominion or kingdom of Christ may be thought sufficiently to fulfil that promise, because it shall certainly continue so long as the nature of that economy requireth, till all things be performed for which Christ was sent, and that continuation will infallibly extend unto the end of all things: yet sometimes also the same term for ever signifieth that absolute eternity of future duration which shall have no end at all; and that it is so far to be extended particularly in that promise made to David, and to be fulfilled in his Son, is as certain as the promise. For the angel Gabriel did give that clear exposition to the blessed Virgin, when in this manner he foretold the glory of him who was then to be conceived in Luke i. 32, 33. her womb; The Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for

עד עילם 1

14.

ever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Nor is this clearer in Gabriel's explication of the promise, than in Daniel's prevision of the performance, who saw in the night visions, and Dan. vii. 13, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven; and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion and glory, and a kingdom, that all people [nations] and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

Thus Christ is Lord both by a natural and independent dominion as God the Creator, and consequently the owner of the works of his hands and by a derived, imparted, and dependent right, as man, sent, anointed, raised and exalted, and so made Lord and Christ: which authority so given and bestowed upon him is partly economical, and therefore to be resigned into the hands of the Father, when all those ends for which it was imparted are accomplished: partly so proper to the union, or due unto the passion, of the human nature, that it must be coeval with it, that is, of eternal duration.

The third part of our explication is, the due consideration of the object of Christ's dominion, inquiring whose Lord he is, and how ours. To which purpose first observe the latitude, extent, or rather universality of his power, under which all things are comprehended, as subjected to it. For he is Lord Acts x. 36. of all, saith St Peter, of all things, and of all persons; and he must be so, who made all things as God, and to whom all power is given as man. To him then all things are subjected whose subjection implieth not a contradiction. For he hath put 1 Cor. xv. 27. all things under his feet: but when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted which did put all things under him. God only then excepted, whose original 154 dominion is repugnant to the least subjection, all things are subject unto Christ; whether they be things in heaven, or things on earth. In heaven he is far above all principalities and powers, and all the angels of God worship him; on earth Heb. i. 6. all nations are his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the Psal. ii. 8. earth are his possession. Thus Christ is certainly our Lord, because he is the Lord of all; and when all things were subjected to him, we were not excepted.

But in the midst of this universality of Christ's regal