Commentary Upon Ephesians 1, Commentary · Verse 21
In what then will you ſay do they differ from vsus? So farre as I can conceiue then, in theſe three things. 1. VponUpon the vnion of theſe natures they thinke ſuch a communication to follow of the diuine properties, for example ſake Omnipotencie, as that the humane nature is made truely omnipotent, not by any confuſion of properties, nor yet by any bare communion and concourſe of it to the ſame effect, each nature working that which belongeth to it with communion of the other, for this wee graunt, but by a reall donation, by which the diuine omnipotencie, doth ſo become the omnipotencie of the humane nature, that it may worke omnipotently with it, no leſſe then the Diuine Nature doth it ſelfe.
2. They ſay that Chriſts humiliation ſtood in this, that his humane nature did ſuſpend to vſefully theſe Diuine properties communicated with it.
3. That the exaltation or ſetting Chriſt at the right hand, is the eleuating his humane nature to the full and free vſes of the diuine properties, ſo that his humane nature by actuall vſe hereof, is become omniſcient, omnipreſent: But as this laſt is a miſinterpreting of this article; ſo the ground of their error is, that they ſuppoſe a falſe effect of perſonall vnion, namely, ſuch a reall communication, for the vnion cannot cauſe the humane nature partake more in the properties of the diuine, then it cauſeth the Diuine partake in the properties of the Humane. Againe, if a true reall communication did follow of Diuine attributes it muſt needs be of all, ſeeing theſe are the Diuine Eſſence, which can no way be diuided. Beſide, in the vnion of body and ſoule, which is perſonall, the …ife of the ſoule is not communicated with the body, but an effect of it onelyonly. Beſide, to what end ſhould created gifts ſerue, when now more noble properties doe enter! Not to mention the infinite perfections cannot perfect finite natures, no more then reaſonable perfections can make perfect vnreaſonable creatures.
Finally. This opinion maketh the diuine properties become inſtrumentary faculties, as it were to a finite nature. This by the way.
Vſe 2 A ſecond vſe is, to let vsus ſee what reaſon we hauehave to ſubiect our ſelues to him, ſeeing he hath all power, we had neede to ſalute him with the kiſſe of obedience, leaſt we be conſumed: Theſe who hauehave earthly power, wee ſweare a…egiance and obey them in all things; how much more ſhould we doe it here? Such as diſobey him are careleſſe to get knowledge, to belieue, to repent, they will finde it hard to kicke againſt the pricke; they ſhall one day heare this Lambe, like a Lyon, ſpeaking theſe terrible words, bring them hether, who will not I ſhould reigne ouer them, that I may ſtay them.
Vſe 3 This muſt ſtrengthen our Confidence, that our Sauiour hath all things ſubiect, that no Diuell can ſtirre him further then hee giueth leaue: We hauehave men, euill Angels, ſinne, troubles, eueryevery thing reſiſting, let vsus not be diſmaide, but looke to him who hath all things put vnderunder his feete. But if all things be put vnderunder him, how come we who are his, to be thus encountred in regard of the power receiued to ſubdue them? They are all put vnderunder him, but in regard of the execution, they are not yet put vnderunder, as Hebr. 2.8. the Apoſtle himſelfe acknowledgeth.
Doct. Thirdly, obſerue the place where Chriſt is crowned with this glory and dignity; He is at the right hand, in the heauens, before and aboue all things; This is plaine, that this his ſoueraignety is a conſequent following on his aſcenſion into heauen; It is plaine likewiſe that he is ſo aſcended into heauen, that the heauens muſt containe him till he come to iudgement, Acts 3. Looke as Kings are crowned in the chiefe Cities of their Kingdomes, and keepe their reſidence in their Pallaces neere vntounto them; So it was decent that our Sauiour ſhould be crowned in this heauenly Ieruſalem, and keepe his reſidence as it were in his heauenly manſion.
Vſe 1 This ſhould draw vp our hearts to heauen, whither our Sauiour is entred, where hee now ſitteth in Maieſty. Should wee hauehave ſome friend highly aduanced, though in parts very remote from vsus, wee would long to ſee them, and make a iourney to them.
Vſe 2 This doth aſſure vsus that all wee who are Chriſts, ſhall in due time be brought to heauen, where he is; the head and members muſt not ſtill be diuorced: beſide that, hee prayed that where he is, there we ſhould be alſo, Iohn 17,
Vſe 3 We ſee Vbiquity and all reall preſence (as reall is oppoſed to ſpirituall, not to be an imaginary preſence) wee ſee it ouerthrowne. For if hee fit in heauen at Gods right hand, then to ſit at Gods right hand is not to be made eueryevery where preſent; for hee could not be ſaid to be made eueryevery where in the heauens, without a contradiction, no more then to be made infinite within limited bounds of being. I take it for granted, that the heauens can ſignifie nothing but a place limited for the extent of it; And it is againſt the Papiſts a ſufficient reaſon, Hee is aſcended and ſitteth in Heauen, Ergo, he is not heere, according to the Angels reaſoning, Math. 28.6. He is not heere, for hee is riſen: they did not know this new Philoſophy, that Chriſt might be riſen from that place, and yet be corporally preſent in it to.
Doct. Laſtly, marke the diſtinction of worlds. Obſerue, There is a world to come, in which Chriſt, and thoſe who are Chriſts, ſhall reigne for euer: This world waxeth old, the faſhion of it paſſeth, it is called the preſent euill world; but there is a world to come, in which all things ſhall be reſtored, which God hath made ſubiect to his Chriſt, as the heyre of it, Heb. 1.8.in which we ſhall be ioynt-heyres with him. Abraham had a promiſe, not onelyonly of ſeede, but that he ſhould be heyre of this world, a type wherof the land of Canaan was; euen as the firſt Adam, and all that came from him had a world, this in which wee are, prepared for them: So the ſecond Adam, and all that are his, hauehave a world alſo belonging vntounto them.
Vſe. Let vsus then comfort our ſelues in this, though in this preſent euill world wee ſuffer many things, there is a world which ſhall laſt for aye, in which we ſhall reigne with Chriſt, bleſſed for euer: In this world to come ſhall all teares be wiped from our eyes, and all our ſinnes ſo be forgiuen, that there ſhall be no ſtep nor print appearing of them: forgiuen, not in regard of ſentence only interloquutory, but in regard of full declaration and execution, to which that place in Mathew ſeemeth to hauehave reſpect: He that blaſphemeth againſt the ſpirit, ſhall not be forgiuen neither in this world, nor in the world to come.
Now followeth the ſpeciall Soueraignty; And hath giuen him a head ouer all, to his Church, which is his body, the fulneſſe of him who filleth all in all.