The Sum of Sacred Divinity, Book 2 · Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
Of Chriſts Gouernment of the World in generall.
AFter the Prieſthood of Chriſt, next followethSuch is the Prieſt-hood of Chriſt: his Kingdome followeth. his Kingdome, which is euerywhere ſpoken of in the Scriptures, and moſt honourable and glorious promiſes made vntounto it, Eſay 9. 7. A Child ſhall bee borne vntounto vsus, and a Sonne giuen to vsus, vponupon whoſe ſhoulder the Dominion ſhall lye. Eſay 32. 1. Behold, a King ſhall raigne in Righteouſneſſe. And Ierem. 23. 5. A King ſhall raigne and proſper.
Generally, in his Kingdome, I obſerue three things:Kingdome,
Firſt, A calling of Chriſt by God his Father to it: for as hee intruded not himſelfe into the Office of a Prieſt, but expected the calling of his Father: ſo he tooke not vponupon him to raigne, before hee had a Kingdome giuen him. Therefore, Pſalme 2. 6. God is brought in ſaying, I hauehave appointed my King ouer Sion my holy Hill. And Dan. 2. 44. it is ſaid, In thoſe dayes ſhall the God of Heauen rayſe vp a Kingdome. So, Luke 1. 32. the Angell telleth MARIE, The Lord ſhall giuegive vntounto him the Throne of his Father DAVID. And PETER zActs 2. 36.Him hath God made both Lord and Chriſt.
Secondly, The inueſting of him into the Princely Honour and Adminiſtration of his Kingdome, whereof he had full ſeizin, and was put into the actuall and reall poſſeſſion of it, when he aſcended into Heauen, which a man may call his going vp vntounto his Coronation. Daniel aDan. 7. 13, 14in his ſeuenth Chapter hath a notable deſcription of it, ſeeing in a Viſion, Chriſt, God and Man, comming out of Heauen into the lower parts of the Earth, to worke the myſterie of our Redemption; and, that done, aſcending into Heauen to the Ancient of dayes (God his Father) to preſent himſelfe before him. And to him, ſaith hee, was giuen Dominion, Glorie, and a Kingdome.
Thirdly, The fruit and end of all this, the ſame wherevntois in the things which he doth from God for thoſe Elect: the whole worke of his Mediation tendeth, which is our bEpheſ. …. 16.Peace and Reconciliation with God, in and through him: Therefore hee is called The cEſay 9. 6.Prince of Peace, dHeb. 7. 2.The King of Righteouſneſſe, and The King of Peace, figured by MELCHISEDECH King of Shalem. And heereupon the eRom. 14. 17.Apoſtle ſaith, that the Kingdome of God is Righteouſneſſe, Peace, and loy in the Holy Ghost.
More ſpecially to treat of this his Kingdome; It partethThe kingdome of Chriſt hath two parts. it ſelfe into three mayne Armes or Branches, riſing by ſo many ſteps or ſtayres; one is his Gouernment of the World in generall, taking things in ſuch ſort as the Fall did leaue them, without vouchſafing any further fauour. And this may bee called the footſtoole of his Kingdome. Another ſtandeth in the beſtowing of his Word, and the fruits thereof, matters of ſpeciall grace, though ſuch as fall vponupon the Reprobate: and this may be called the Scepter of his Kingdome.
The third, Is the giuing of his Spirit; whereby, of carnall, he maketh vsus ſpirituall and heauenly Creatures: and this may be called the Seate and Throne, or rather the Life and Power of his Kingdome: as theſe three parts are ſo diſtinguiſhed, and in the ſame order, Pſal. 93.
The firſt words of which Pſalme in a holy triumph, and reioycing-wiſe expreſſe the generall argument, that Iehouah, which is Chriſt our Lord, raigneth, and not raigneth onelyonly, but hath his Raigne accompanied with two Noble Adiuncts; Glorie and Power. Then hee commeth to diſtinguiſh the parts; Firſt, his Gouernment of the World, conſidered in two degrees: One, the ſtay and ſuſtentation of all things, the ſame which the fHeb. 1. 3Apoſtle ſo highly magnifieth to the Hebrewes: for whereas Adams ſinne had turned vpſide downe the whole frame of Nature, and, according to the curſe, What day thou eateſt of the forbidden fruit, thou ſhalt certainly dye, had brought man and all the Creatures, for mans ſake, to vtter ruine and deſolation, Chriſt the Mediator ſteppeth forth, and there beginneth his Kingdome, in holding vp the World, which otherwiſe had inſtantly come to nothing. This you hauehave in the latter end of the firſt Verſe: The inhabited World is ſettled, it ſhall not be remoued.
And that ſo wonderfull a thing as this, a worke of ſuch admiration, might hauehave a reaſon ſutable, to make it not ſeeme ſtrange, the Prophet telleth vsus, that Hee, which vponupon Adams fall began his Mediation, had a Being long before, and together with his Father and Holy Spirit weilded a greater Scepter, being the Lord and Creatour of Adams ſelfe, and of the whole World beſides, and the great King, out of whoſe Throne proceed thoſe euerlaſting counſels, that rule and moderate whatſoeuer is or ſhall be, Thy Throne is eſtabliſhed before any time: thou art from euerlaſting.
The other degree is in the tayming, and bringing downe of the proud enemies of his Kingdome, whoſe rage and furie hee compareth with the loud noyſe of mightie waters, when the Waues and Surges of the Sea ariſe: Chriſts Dominion, that ſitteth aloft, as Lord Paramount, with the ſtilling and ouer-ruling of them.
Then followeth the ſecond mayne Arme and Branch of his Kingdome, in the Scepter of his Word: Thy teſtimonies are exceeding true.
And laſtly, the euerlaſting Righteouſneſſe, which, by the Spirit of Sanctification, hee beſtoweth vponupon his Church: In thy Houſe is comely holineſſe, O IEHOVAH, for euermore.
The firſt of theſe is properly called his Iudicature, or Office of a Iudge: the ſecond is his Propheticall Office; the third is wont by excellencie to be called The Kingdome: All moſt glorious and noble effects of his Aſcenſion into Heauen, and ſitting at the right hand of God, as the Apoſtle telleth vsus, Epheſ. 4. 8. Aſcending on high, he led captiuitie captiue: (whereby he meaneth the abſolute power giuen vntounto him for the gouernment of the World, ſeene ſpecially in the ſubduing of the proud enemies of the Church. And gaue gifts vntounto men: which gVerſe 10.by and by hee interpreteth to bee as much, as to fill all things, that is, the whole bodie of his Church, and all the parts of it, with the varietie of his Graces. Not that Chriſt had not this excellencie, or did not raigne at all before his Aſcenſion into Heauen: for hIohn 1. 49.Nathaniel telleth him, Thou art the King of Iſrael. And iIohn 18. 37.hee himſelfe, when Pilate asked, Art thou a King? anſwereth, Thou ſayest true: for I am a King. But the full and reall manifeſtation of this Kingdome, in his fleſh or humane nature, did then firſt beginne.
To proſecute now theſe parts in ſuch order, as weeOne whereby he gouerneth all the World according to their owne nature, ſince the fall. did propound them.
The firſt is that, which extendeth generally to all the World, and to the whole gouernment, and adminiſtration of it, which hee himſelfe is wont to call his Iudgeſhip, or Office of iudging, Iohn 5. 27. He hath giuen vntounto him dignitie to execute iudgement, as he is the Sonne of man, And Iohn 5. 22. The Father iudgeth no man, but hath giuen all iudgement to the Sonne; where that it may appeare how large his Power in this behalfe extendeth, hee calleth it all iudgement. Agreeable whereunto is that of the Apoſtle, Heb. 1. 3. where hee is ſaid to ſuſtayne all things by the power of his Word. Therefore, Iohn 5. 17. he makes this generall proclamation, My Father worketh hitherto, and I worke, without reſtraint of time or place, or of the ſubiect or perſons towards whom it is wrought. God therefore, who before gouerned immediately and by himſelfe, hath, euer ſince the fall of Adam, appointed Chriſt his Vicegerent, and Lieutenant generall, in whoſe perſon he would afterwards rule the World: Not that himſelf ſitteth idle in heauen, as Ioſephs Maſter did, when he had committed vntounto Ioſeph the Adminiſtration of his houſe: but being in him, and with him, and working all things by and through Chriſt, who againe vſeth to that end, beſide his Spirit, and the power of his Word, the ſeruice alſo & the miniſtery of his holy Angels: all which is figured by many excellent and goodly Similitudes, in the Viſion of kEzech. 1.Ezechiel, where the foure liuing Creatures repreſenting the innumerable company of Angels, whoſe Miniſterie extendeth vntounto all the foure parts of the Earth, hauehave vnderunder their feet foure wheeles; noting the whole vncertaine courſe of this changeable and vnconſtant world, which moue when they moue, and reſt when they ſtand ſtill. And when the liuing creatures lift vp themſelues from earth into heauen, to receiue from God new Commandements, the wheeles alſo, as it were, doe follow them, and ceaſe from wheeling, to wait their direction. Aboue which Angels is a Curtaine, or Extent betweene God and them, all of Chriſtal, cleare and tranſparent: thorow the which as he beholdeth theſe inferior creatures, ſo they, both Angels and men, according to their mediocritie, are able to ſee him, and the brightneſſe of his glorie. Ouer that Extent, higher than the higheſt heauens, is a moſt glorious Throne erect: whereupon doth ſit the likeneſſe of the Sonne of man, Chriſt the bleſſed Lord of glorie, God and man, whom all obey, and ſtoope at his command. All this for the good of his Church and people, for whoſe ſake it was neceſſarie he ſhould be armed with ſo great a Command and Power.
In this part of his Kingdome, I note
Firſt, The largeneſſe thereof, in that it reacheth eueryevery where, and no place exempted from it: I will giuegive the Nations lPſ. 2. 8.for thine inheritance, and the ends of the earth for thy poſſeſſion. mZach. 9. 10.His dominion ſhall be from Sea to Sea, and from the Riuer, vntounto the ends of the earth. nDan. 7. 14.And to him was giuen Dominion, and a Glorie, and a Kingdome, that all people, nations, and tongues ſhould ſerue him. oPſ. 72. 8. 11.He ſhal beare rule from one Sea vntounto another, and from the floud, as farre as the ends of the earth. All Kings ſhall bow downe vntounto him, and all Nations ſhall ſerue him. pMath. 28. 18All power is giuen me in heauen, and vponupon the earth.
Secondly, In this Kingdome Chriſt alone perfecteth all things, not like to other Kings and Potentates, who rule by deputies; but here hee himſelfe doth all: for though there he vſed inſtruments, yet all commeth from his ſtrength and vertue, and hee himſelfe is eueryevery-where preſent by his Spirit: Whereupon his Kingdome is called qEſay 9. 6.Wonderfull, becauſe the effects and working of Gods Spirit are ſtrange and marueilous.
Thirdly, the vertues and properties of this our King, arming and inabling him for the effecting of thoſe great things, are two; Counſell, to aduiſe of things wiſely, and Strength, to put them in execution, beeing both the ſtayes and props of a Kingdome, as it were the two pillers, Iacin and Bohas, whereupon r1. King. 7. 21.Salomons Porch was built. Therefore Rabſhake, to diſcourage Hezekias, vanteth of theſe two, as of the things whereon the hope if battaile ſtandeth; as if Hezekias were not in them to be compared to the King his Maſter: ſEſay; 6. 5.Say (yet they are but lip words) that thou hauehave counſell and ſtrength for the warre: yet in whom doeſt thou truſt? And Salomon, though hee preferre the one, maketh both, the ſtayes of a Kingdome, tEccleſ. 9. 16.Eccle. 9. I ſay, wiſdome is better then ſtrength. Both theſe the Prophet noteth in this our King, Eſay 9. 6. Thou ſhalt call his name, Wonderfull, The Counſeller, The mightie ſtrong God. And Zachar. 3. 9. The Lord making promiſe of his ſeruant the Bud, calleth him a Stone, in reſpect of his ſtrength and might, gouerning and diſpoſing all things for the defence and ſafetie of his Church: VponUpon which one ſtone; he ſaith he will ſet ſeuen eyes: meaning, he would giuegive vntounto him moſt abſolute and perfect wiſdome. His wiſdome firſt, as of a moſt graue and ſage Counſellor is noted, Reuel. 1. 13, 14. when he is ſaid to hauehave a long Stole, and a white head. Of his power the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, Heb. 1. 3. He beareth vp all things by the Word of his Power; or his powerfull Word and Command. And theſe two aptly anſwer to the two weapons, wherewith the Church is by the enemies thereof from time to time aſſaulted, Force and Fraud: for by his wiſdome, hee knoweth how to meet with all their ſubtilties and deuices, by his ſtrength and power he is able to ſcatter all their forces. Therefore the Pſalmiſt ſaith, uPſal. 72. 14.From guile and violence hee ſhall deliuer their ſoules.
Fourthly, the qualitie and manner of his adminiſtration, is in xEſay 11. 5.iuſtice and truth: for the iuſtice of it, the yPſ. 4. 5.Pſalmiſt ſaith, and out of him the zHeb. 1. 8, 9.Apoſtle to the Hebrewes, Thy Scepter is a righteous Scepter. Thou haſt loued righteouſneſſe, and hated iniquitie. aPſ. 72. 2.Againe, He ſhall iudge the people with righteouſneſſe, and the poore ones with iudgement. The like ſaith the Prophet bEſay 32. 1▪Eſay, Beheld, a King ſhall raigne righteouſly. Againe, cEſay 9. 6.He ſhall eſtabliſh his Kingdome, and hold it vp by Iudgement and by Iuſtice. The iuſtice of his Kingdome ſtandeth firſt in beeing a ſhelter to his ſubiects, then, deſtroying Rebels: What a ſhelter he ſhould be to his ſubiects, dEſay 32. 2.Eſay did foretell: That Man (Chriſt the King) ſhall be as a hiding place from the Wind, and a Refuge from the Storme, as Riuers of waters in a dry place, as the ſhadow of a great Rocke in a ground wearie with verie thirſt: for, as the ePſ. 72. 21. 13. 13.Pſalmiſt ſaith, He ſhall deliuer the poore when he crieth, and the needy which hath no helper: He ſhall spare the needy and the poore, and ſaue the liues of the poore from guile and violence: he ſhall deliuer their ſoule, and deare ſhall their bloud be in his eyes.
Contrariwiſe, of the Rebels and thoſe that lift vp themſelues againſt him, the ſame fPſ. 7…. 9.Pſalmiſt ſaith, Before him ſhall the Inhabitant of the Deſart (rough and vnruly people) bow downe themſelues, and his enemies ſhall licke the duſt. gPſ. 110. 1.So Pſ. 110. Sit at my right hand, till I hauehave made thine enemies thy footestoole: where the triumph ouer his foes is in the end of the hVerſ. 5. 6. 7,Pſalme deſcribed, O Lord, he that is at thy right hand, ſhall daſh Kings in pieces in the day of his wrath: He ſhall iudge the Nations, filling them with carcaſes, breaking the head in many Countries: (that is to ſay eueryevery where) of the brooke in the way ſhall he drinke: like a moſt Noble Generall, that followeth hard the victorie, and giueth himſelfe not ſo much times as to eat and drinke, whileſt his enemy is in the chaſe. Therefore ſhall he lift vp his head, in token of victorie and of Triumph, So it is ſaid, Dan. 2▪ 44. This Kingdome ſhall deſtroy all other Kingdomes that ſhall oppoſe themſelues vntounto it. Both theſe parts the Pſalmiſt iPſ. 72. 4.hath together. He ſhall ſue the children of the poore, and cruſh the oppreſſor, for the truth that is the ſincere adminiſtration of his Kingdome, kEſay 32. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.Eſay ſpeaketh at large in the two and thirtieth Chapter of his propheſie.
Fiftly, The fruit of this adminiſtration is peace, that is to ſay, all manner of bleſſings and good things vntounto his people, Pſal. 72. 3. The hils ſhall bring forth Peace vntounto the people, and the little hils through righteouſneſſe. What and how wonderfull that Peace ſhould bee, Eſay doth foretell, Chap. 11. 6, 7, 8, 9.
For the beter vnderſtanding of the former Doctrine,In the Angels perfect: concerning the generalitie of Chriſts gouernement ouer all the creatures, and for a more comfortable vſe of it, conſider we the diſtribution which hee himſelfe giueth of the creatures, ouer whom he ſo commandeth: When hee ſaith, lMath. 28. 18.All Dignitie, that is to ſay, Power, Preeminence, Rule, and Authoritie, is giuen vntounto me in heauen, and vponupon the earth, meaning ouer Angels, men, and all other creatures.
His gouernement of the Angels ſtandeth in theſe poynts.
Firſt, He is the Lord, and they his vaſſals, whom hee commandeth and ruleth at his pleaſure: whereupon they are called, mReu. 19. 10. & 22. 19.our fellow-ſeruants.
Secondly, He teacheth and informeth them the will of his Father, which they by their owne ſtrength or induſtrie are not able to reach vntounto: Wherefore in nDan. 8. 13.Daniel, the Angel deſireth to learne of him, how long the viſion ſhall be: oReu. 5. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.for none in Heauen, nor the moſt glorious Angels there, nor vponupon the earth, nor vnderunder the earth, are able to open the Booke with ſeuen ſeales in the right hand of him that ſitteth vponupon the Throne, but this Lion of the Tribe of Iuda onelyonly.
Thirdly, He holds them vp in that integritie and perfection of Nature wherein they ſtand, neuer to fall away; for which cauſe they are p1. Tim. 5 21.called Elect, being elect indeed of and by him, as hee is the Sonne of God, but not in and through him, as hee is the Mediator for his Church; conſidering that if man had neuer faine, and conſequently, if Chriſt had neuer beene, yet the Angels election had beene firme and ſtable, and GOD in their election had no regard of a former corruption, as he had in man; yet that nothing hindreth, but that they ſtand now by him as the Mediator, qIohn 13. 3.into whoſe hands God hath committed all things.
Fourthly, Hee vſeth their miniſterie and ſeruice in the Gouernment of the World, as wee noted before out of the Viſion of rEzech. 1.Ezechiel.
This Gouernment reacheth vntounto the Deuils, the AngelsIn Deuils▪ that fell alſo: for
Firſt, Hee ſhutteth them vp in perpetuall hardneſſe of heart, vntounto the Iudgement of the great Day, which may well bee gathered by that hee doth to ſIohn 12. 39, 40, 41.reprobate and wicked men.
Secondly, Either for the triall of his children, or plaguing of the wicked, as to himſelfe it ſeemeth beſt, he giueth them ſometimes releaſe of their torments, and looſeth them out of thoſe chaines and fetters of darkeneſſe wherewith they are held faſt. Hence it is, that Luke 8. 32. they beſought this Ieſus, not to charge them to depart into the Deepe. And this benefit the Deuils themſelues hauehave from Chriſt, for the good of his Church, and the working of his glorie.
Thirdly, He reſtrayneth and bridleth them, that notwithſtanding all their rage and malice, they cannot exceed the bounds that hee hath ſet, and when they hauehave done all they can, they bring to paſſe but his good will and pleaſure. So Mat. 8. 31. The Deuils could not ſo much as take their pleaſure of the poore Herd of Swine, before they had begged leaue of Chriſt.
Fourthly, The ſubduing and conquering of them: for t1. Co. 15. 24, 25hee ſhall aboliſh all Principalitie, and all Dignitie, and Might, being to raigne till hee hauehave put all enemies vnderunder his feet. As uPſal. 110. 1.Dauid had ſaid long before, and as the xGen. 3. 15.promiſe was in Paradiſe: The ſeed of the woman ſhall breake the Head of the Serpent and of his ſeed.
Fiftly, The iudging of them in the latter Day, which the vncleane ſpirits themſelues acknowledge and confeſſe: when they expoſtulate the matter with him, Art thou come to torment vsus before the time, Mat. 8. 29.
Touching his Gouernment ouer Man-kind, this isand men corrupted: common that he beſtoweth vponupon them all, the light of Reaſon, and thoſe ſeedes and ornaments of GODS Image, which they carrie yet about, Iohn 1. 9. This is hee that lighteneth eueryevery man that commeth into the World.
Specially towards the Reprobate is the ſame in all points, that is to Satan their head, that is to ſay:
Firſt, A perpetuall obduration and hardening of their hearts vntounto finall vnrepentance: for ſo the yIohn 12. 39, 40, 41.Euangeliſt Iohn, when hee had ſhewed that the Iewes could not beleeue, becauſe Eſay had ſaid, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart, leſt they ſhould ſee with their eyes, and vnderſtand with their heart, and I ſhould heale them. Immediately hee addeth, Theſe things ſaid ESAIAS, when he ſaw his glorie, and ſpake of him.
Secondly, The reſtrayning and bridling of them, that notwithſtanding all their rage and furie, they cannot go beyond his appointed Liſts, as wee ſee in zActs 9. 1. &c.Saul, who breathing out threatning and ſlaughter after the death of Stephen, went with full ſwindge to Damaſcus, to caſt into Priſon all that called vponupon the Name of Ieſus: but hee in the verie way meeting with him, reſtrayneth his malice, and changeth his heart, to profeſſe the Truth which before hee perſecuted. And this is it the aPſal. 76. 11.Pſalmiſt ſaith, The rage of men ſhall turne vntounto his glorie.
Thirdly, His conquering and ſuduing of them, Pſal. 2. 9. Thou ſhalt cruſh them with a Scepter of Iron, and breake them in pieces like a Potters Ʋeſſell. Luke 19. 31. Thoſe mine enemies that would not I ſhould raigne ouer them, bring hither and ſlay them before me.
Fourthly, That he is to iudge them in the latter Day: for this bActs 10. 43.is he that is appointed of God the Iudge both of the liuing and the dead. And as Paul ſaith, Acts 17. 31. God hath ſet a Day wherein he will iudge the World, by the man whom he hath appointed.
To the reſt of the Creatures this belongeth:In the reſt of the World, peruerted.
Firſt, That now hee keepeth them from running and falling vntounto nothing.
Secondly, That hereafter he will renew them into an excellent and glorious condition. Both cPſal. 96. 10, 11, 12.which are the worke of Chriſt, and that for his Elects ſake.