An Expository Comment on 2 Corinthians 1, Exposition · Sermon 28
SERM, XXVIII.
Of the Dominion and Lordſhip of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt.
2 COR. 1. 2.
And from the Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
WE are arrived now to the laſt particular in this verſe, and that is the ſecond Principle or Cauſe of this Grace and Peace prayed for, which is Jeſus Chriſt. So that the Lord Chriſt is here conjoyned with God the Father, in beſtowing of theſe ſpiritual mercies.
In the words therefore we have the Deſcription of Chriſt,Chriſt to be prayed to for grace and peace,
1. By his Name, Jeſus.
2. By his Office, Chriſt.
Both which we have already conſidered in the former verſe. There remaineth therefore the Relation by which he is repreſented to us, and that is foreign, Lord. Paul here prayeth for Grace and Peace from Chriſt our Lord, as well as from the Father, which is a ſure and ſtrong argument of the Divine Nature of Chriſt; for it is God alone that can give theſe ſpiritual mercies, if Chriſt were not truly God, he could not give theſe divine priviledges. And hence alſo it followeth, That it's our duty to pray to Chriſt, ſeeing he is the Author of ſuch mercies. The blaſphemous Hereticks of late have differed among themſelves, Socinus and Franciſcus Davidis about praying to Chriſt. The later denying it lawfull to call upon Chriſt in prayer. The other granting in the New Teſtament examples of it; as when Stephen ſaid, Lord Jeſus receive my Spirit, &c. So that it is lawfull; but yet he ſaith, There is no precept to command it. But no wonder at this, ſeeing he holdeth, That prayer in the general was never a duty commanded in the Old Teſtament. We ſee by this Text, that if Chriſt be the fountain of grace and peace, as God the Father is, then are we to pray to one, as well as the other, or to the Father in the Name of Chriſt. The heretical exception againſt this place is, That becauſe the prepoſition foreign is not in the original, therefore he would have the word Father relate to Chriſt, as well as to foreign Our; as if the ſenſe were, From God our Father, and the Father of Jeſus Chriſt. Indeed our Saviour doth ſay, I go to my Father, and your Father, John 20. 17. But then he ſaith, my Father in the firſt place, whereas here in the Text, it's ſaid, Our Father; and afterwards in the heretical opinion ſhould follow, The Father of Chriſt; but that Chriſt in theſe ſalutations is meant as a conjoyned cauſe is very evident, John 2. 2. where the prepoſition foreign is expreſſed from the Father, and from the Lord Chriſt, the Sonne of the Father.
A ſecond cavil that needeth a vindication, may be, in that Chriſt is ſaid to be Lord, as diſtinguiſhed from God: Therefore it may be thought, that Chriſt is not God. To this it's anſwered, That it's true, in the New Teſtament, though Chriſt be ſometimes called God, yet the more common title given to him, is foreign, eſpecially when God the Father, and Chriſt are mentioned together, but as when Chriſt is called Lord, it doth not exclude God the Father from being the Lord alſo: So neither when God the Father is called God, doth it exclude Chriſt from being God. But you may ſay, Why doth the Scripture, if Chriſt be God, and the fountain of grace, as well as God the Father, alwayes put Chriſt after God? The anſwer is, That though abſolutely as God there be an equality, yet when perſonally conſidered, ſo that divine order is attended unto, whereby the Father is of himſelf alone, but the Sonne of the Father, eſpecially if we conſider Chriſt as Mediatour: ſo although God, yet becauſe in that work he is God-man, and in that office inferiour to the Father; hence it is that the Scripture ſpeaks of him as the fountain, and Chriſt as the ſtream, or rather ſecond fountain; That of God are all things, and by Chriſt are all things. It is good to underſtand theſe myſteries, ſo farre as the Scripture is a guide to us, that we be not involved in thoſe damnable Socinian Doctrines which overthrow theſe fundamentals.
That which I ſhall obſerve is from the relation attributed to Chriſt, Lord, viz.
That Jeſus Chriſt is a Lord.Jeſus Chriſt is a Lord.
Thus he is often called in the Scripture; yea Revel. 19. 16. he is ſaid to have on his thigh this name, King of kings, and Lord of lords. So 1 Tim. 6. 15. The bleſſed and only Potentate; the King of kings, and Lord of lords. It's obſerved, that theſe titles were given to the Perſian Monarchs, becauſe of their tranſcendent dominion; but here it is applied to Chriſt tranſcendently, even to them alſo, for he is ſaid to be the only Potentate, as if none were Lord but him. Hence it is noted of Auguſtus, as a providential thing, That the year Chriſt was born in, he refuſed to be called Dominus; and ſo ſome Chriſtian great men, would not be called Domini, but Domini diminitively, out of reverence to Chriſt; but the word foreign, and ſo Lord may be attributed to men, as well as King, and head, ſo that ſtill it be acknowledged, he is Lord of lords, and that none is Lord like him.
But let us briefly open this Doctrine, that thereby our hearts may be more raiſed up with this greatneſs of Chriſt; for he is a Lord not only for his own great dominion and glory; but for the believers good and benefit; it is matter both of great comfort and encouragement, to know that Chriſt is Lord. And.
Firſt, We are to conſider, That Chriſt hath a two-fold Lordſhip, Kingdom or Dominion; The one Divines call Natural and Eſſential; The other Dispenſatory and Mediatory. The former he hath as God, and ſo is Lord in the ſame ſenſe, that the Father is Lord. The ſecond he hath as he is Mediator, God-man; and therefore it is in ſome reſpects diſtinct from the former, God the Father is not Lord in that peculiar and proper reſpect, as Chriſt is. For although that be true, which Divines ſay, That Chriſts natural or eſſential Kingdom, doth virtually and eminently contain all that his Mediatory doth, yet there is ſome formal respect to be made. Now as Chriſts former Lordſhip and Dominion was natural and neceſſary, ſo this may in ſome ſenſe be ſaid to be given him; or as the Scripture ſaith, Act. 2. 36. He was made by the Father both Lord and Chriſt, appointed to be the Lord, and the Head of his Church: Not that this doth any wayes evacuate his Divine Nature; as if becauſe he were made Lord, that therefore he was not ſo eſſentially, for nothing was given Chriſt to perfect him; what he received of his Father in time, did only manifeſt that he was God: for none can be Lord and Head of his Church, but he who is truly God. If therefore as he is Mediator, it be ſaid to be given him to be Lord, and to have a Name above all Names, yet this doth not deny but prove his Divine Nature, becauſe none but God can have ſuch power, and do ſuch things.
Secondly, This Official, or Mediatory Kingdom hath its degrees; it is militant and triumphant. Militant, and ſo the Lord Chriſt hath not as yet ſubdued all his enemies under his feet; it doth not follow, that Chriſt is not Lord, becauſe every thing is not wholly conquered, becauſe there is ſinne and the Devil working ſtill. For as David was King, although ſtill there was a great part to be conquered by him; he was King at Hebron, when he was not made King over Iſrael, yet he had a right to all, before he was in actual poſſeſſion: So it is with our Lord Chriſt, he is made Lord over all, only there is time required, to bring all things in ſubjection to him. And as for his Triumphant and conſummate Kingdom or Lordſhip, that will be at the Day of Judgement; when having ſaved all his people, and overcome all their enemies, then he ſhall take the triumph of all his victories. And here we may take notice how to underſtand that difficult place, 1 Cor. 15. 24, 25. where Chriſt is ſaid, After all enemies are ſubdued, to deliver up his Kingdom to the Father. The Socinians urge that, to ſhew that his Dominion and Kingdom will be but for a ſeaſon, whereas the Scripture in many other places, maketh his Kingdom to be without end, Luk. 1. 32, 33. To reconcile this therefore you muſt know, That the Apoſtle doth there ſpeak of Chriſts Kingdom as it is militant, and in reſpect of that Dominion and Government, which now Chriſt uſeth in his Church, not in reſpect of the Lordſhip and Dominion it ſelf, Chriſt ſhall never ceaſe to be the King and Lord of his people; only that manner of Government, which now Chriſt exerciſeth ſhall ceaſe, all Ordinances and adminiſtrations, the Miniſtry and Sacraments, yea all Magiſtracy and Civil Power, that God might be all in all; fot then we ſhall not mediately by Chriſt approach unto God, as we do here, but immediately, yet ſo as all glory and honour will redound to Chriſt.
Thirdly, Chriſt was thus a Lord in the ſtate of his humiliation, even in his very Infancy; as well as after his exaltation and reſurrection. And here again the Socinians blaſpheme, denying, That Chriſt was thus a Lord till his reſurrection. But although indeed the Scripture doth often attribute this glory and great name to him after his ſufferings, and upon his reſurrection; yet that is not becauſe he was not ſo before, but partly becauſe then there was a glorious manifeſtation of his Dominion. The Sunne did not appear ſo admirable in his eclipſe: Chriſt in the ſtate of his humiliation did not ſo fully and palpably diſcover this his greatneſs, yet for all that he was endowed with it; and Chriſt doth acknowledg himſelf to have a Kingdom to Pilate, even before his ſufferings: Yea at his birth, the Wiſemen came to worſhip him as Lord and King; and when he rode in triumph into Jeruſalem, that Prophecy was fulfilled, Behold thy King cometh to thee. And certainly if then he was a Saviour, and the Meſſias, he muſt needs be alſo Lord and King. Yea, in the greateſt expreſſions of his humane weakneſſes, as in his birth and death, there was alſo powerfull demonſtrations of his Divine Majeſty. Neither is Vorſtius his Objection of any value, That becauſe Chriſt in his Infancy had not that wiſdom required to govern, which afterwards he did grow up into, therefore he could not be Lord: For in Chriſt, while an Infant, were hidden the treaſures of all wiſdom, though theſe were not actually to be put forth, but when there was an occaſion to do ſo. There was no defect in Chriſt to be Head of his Church, while a child, becauſe even then he could put forth whatſoever was required at that time to govern the Church with. And indeed to argue, that he was not Lordor King, becauſe he did not actually put forth himſelf in that way, is abſurd; for kingly or lordly actions did not make him to be a King or Lord, but becauſe he was Lord and King, therefore he did as he pleaſed put forth ſuch actions. Certainly the Apoſtle cals him the Lord of glory, even while they crucified him, 1 Cor. 2. 8. And the Socinians themſelves acknowledge him upon his aſcenſion to be Lord of glory, when yet the greateſt inſtance of his lordly power is ſtill to be accompliſhed, which is the judging of all mankind, at that dreadfull Day of Judgment. Chriſt then was always Lord, both in his ſtate of humiliation, and alſo of his exaltation.
Fourthly, This lordly power which Chriſt hath, extends to all things in the world, he is Lord over the whole world. He is the univerſal Monarch; for God hath given him all the kingdoms of the world, Rev. 11. 15. The kingdoms of this world are there ſaid to become the Lords, and of his Chriſt: Yea in ſome ſenſe this great Dominion is given to every Saint, Revel. 2. 26. To have power over all Nations, even as he hath received of the Father. Hence it is ſaid, John 5. 22. That the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgement to the Sonne; not that the Father hath wholly abdicated himſelf from the government of the world, as the Socinians ſay, but becauſe Chriſt as Mediator is ſubordinate unto him in this adminiſtration. Chriſt therefore hath an univerſal power over the whole world; And whereas learned men ſay, One man cannot be univerſal Governour over the whole world, much leſſe over the Church, becauſe no man can have thoſe qualifications fit for to diſcharge that Government: yet in Chriſt this doth not hold, becauſe he is God as well as man; but this Dominion of Chriſt, in reſpect of his Church, is of another nature than that of the world, for he rules the world with a rod of iron, breaking every thing to pieces that ſhall prejudice his Church: So that this power over them is wholly coactive, as they do not willingly own or ſubmit to him as a Lord; ſo he doth by his omnipotent power keep them under, and makes them ſervants and vaſſals for his work, and to bring about ſuch glorious ends, which they never intended, or ſhall have any benefit by, as thoſe that built Noah's Ark, were not preſerved in it. But to his Church, there he holdeth out a Scepter of grace. For as they do willingly own him as their King, ſubmitting to his order and laws; ſo he taketh ſpecial care over them, and they may more ſafely lay themſelves down under his protection, than under the greateſt Potentate in the world.
More might be ſaid Doctrinally about this Dominion of Chriſt; but let us conſider what comfortable and uſefull improvement is to be made of it. And
1. Is Chriſt thus a Lord, and that above all Lords? Then what ground is here for our faith under all diſcouragements and affections? How little doeſt thou poſfeſs thy heart with this Lord of glory? Doeſt thou doubt about the pardon of ſinne, conquering of corruptions, preſervation under temptations? Is not all this, becauſe thou doeſt not remember Chriſt is Lord of Lords? Will not he bear thee up? Doth he want either knowledge or power? Eſpecially this ſhould encourage us in any work for him. Thou feareſt the frowns of man, the oppoſitions of man; thou doubteſt thy cauſe will ſink, and is not all this, becauſe thou lookeſt upon earthly power as greater than Chriſts power? Was ever any temporal lord able to do ſuch things, as the Lord Chriſt? Never than ſaint or be diſcouraged under his work.
Uſe. 2. If he be our Lord; then here is ground for duty, as well as for comfort. Joh. 13. 13. Ye call me Maſter and Lord, ye do well, ſaith Chriſt; but from that conſideration he puts them upon duty. And certainly, i… Chriſt be our Lord, where then is our honour, our obedience to him? May not he impoſe what duties, injoyn the Church what Laws and order to walk by, he pleaſeth? Shall we be our own lords? Our tongues, our hearts are not our own, but our Lords. Take heed of being in the number of thoſe who ſhall deny the Lord that bought them, 2 Pet. 2. 1. for ſuch as do ſo, bring upon themſelves ſwift deſtruction. if he be not thy Lord in grace and favour, he will be thy Lord in wrath, and in thy confuſion. They that ſaid Pſal. 12. 4. Who is Lord over us? found that God would be above them.