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and meeting in nothing but their dependence upon, and subjection unto God himself. Hence they did not so stand in the condition of their creation, but that one kind or race of thent might fail and perish without any impeachment of the other. So also it came to pass. Man might have persisted in his honour and dignity, notwithstanding the fall and apostasy of some of the angels. When he fell from his heirship and dominion, the whole subordination of all things unto him, and by him unto God, was lost; and all creatures returned to an immediate absolute dependance on the government of God, without any respect to the authority and sovereignty delegated unto man. But as the fall of angels did not in its own nature prejudice mankind, no more did this fall of man the angels that persisted in their obedience, they being no part of his inheritance. However, by the sin, apostasy, and punishment of that portion of the angels which kept not their first station, it was manifested how possible it was, that the remainder of them might sin after the similitude of their transgression. Things being brought into this condition, one branch of the kingdom of God under the administration of man, or allotted to his service, being cast out of that order wherein he had placed it, and the other in an open possibility of being so also, it seemed good to the Lord in his infinite wisdom to erect one kingdom out of these two disordered members of his first dominion, and to appoint one common Heir, Head, Ruler and Lord to them both. And this was the Son, as the apostle tells us, Eph. i. 10. "He gathered together in one all things in Christ, both which are in the heavens, and which are in earth, even in him." He designed, avansQaraiwcardai, to bring all into one head, and rule in him. It is not a similitude taken from casting up accounts, wherein lesser sums are in the close brought into one head, as some have imagined; nor yet an allusion to orators, who in the close of their long orations, sum up the matter they have at large treated of, that the apostle makes use of; both which are beneath the majesty of, and no way suited to illustrate the matter he hath in hand. But as Chrysostom well intimates on the place, it is as if he had said, piar xeQadny àwav εels, he appointed one head to them all, angels and men, with whatsoever in the first constitution of the divine government was subordinate unto them. So we have found the object and extent of the heirship of Christ, expressed in this word Tartar, which I shall further explain in that brief scheme of the whole kingdom of Christ, which to the exposition of these words shall be subjoined.

IV. Eons, the way whereby Christ the Son came to his inheritance is in this word expressed. God appointed or placed him therein. The word may denote either those special acts whereby he came into the full possession of his heirship, or it may be

extended to other preparatory acts that long preceded them; especially if we shall take it to be of the same import with seer, in the second aorist. In the former sense, the glorious investiture of the Lord Christ, in the full actual possession of his kingdom after his resurrection, with the manifestation of it in his ascension, and the token of its stability in his sitting at the right hand of God, is designed. By all these God, 1*, made him, placed him with solemn investiture, heir of all. The grant was made to him upon his resurrection, Matt. xxviii. 18. and therein fully declared unto others, Rom. i. 3. Acts xiii. 33. As there was a declaration of Solomon's being king, when he was proclaimed by Benaiah, Zadok and Nathan, 1 Kings i. 31-34. The solemnization of it was in his ascension, Psal. lxviii. 17, 18. Eph. iv. 8-10. typified by Solomon's riding on David's mule unto his throne, all the people crying, 7, 1 Kings i. 39. "Let the king live." All was sealed and ratified when he took possession of his throne at the right hand of the Father, by all which he was made and declared to be Lord and Christ, Acts ii. 36. ch. iv. 11. ch. v. 30, 31. And such weight doth the Scripture lay upon this glorious investiture of Christ in his inheritance, that it speaks of his whole power as then first granted unto him, Rom. xiv. 9. Phil. ii. 7-10. And the reason of it is, because he had then actually performed that work and duty, upon the consideration whereof that power and authority were eternally designed, and originally granted unto him. God's actual committing to him all power over all things and persons in heaven and earth, to be exerted and managed for the ends of his mediation; and declaring this act, grant, and delegation by his resurrection, ascension, and sitting at his right hand, is that which this word denotes.

I will not deny but it may have respect unto sundry things preceding these, and preparatory unto them; as,

1. The eternal purpose of God ordaining him before the foundation of the world, unto his work and inheritance, 1 Pet. i. 20.

2. The covenant that was of old between the Father and Son for the accomplishment of the great work of redemption; this inheritance being included in the contract, Prov. viii. 30, 31. Isa. liii. 10, 11.

3. The promises made unto him in his types, Abraham, David, and Solomon, Gen. xv. Psal. lxxii.

4. The promises left upon record in the Old Testament for his support and assurance of success, Psal. ii. Isa. xlix. &c.

5. The solemn proclamation of him to be the great heir and Lord of all, at his first coming into the world, Luke ii. 11. 30

-82.

But it is the consummation of all these, whatever was intend

ed or declared in these previous acts of the will and wisdom of God, that is principally intended in this expression.

Some suppose it of importance in this matter of the heirship of Christ, to assert that he was the rightful heir of the crown and sceptre of Israel. This opinion is so promoted by Baronius, as to lead him to contend, that the right of the kingdom was devolved on him, which was caused to cease for a season in Antigonus, who was slain by M. Anthony. But what was the right of the kingdom that was in Antigonus, it is hard to declare. The Hasmonæans, of whom he was the last that ruled, were of the tribe of Levi. Their right to the sceptre was no more than what they had won by the sword; so that by his death there could be no devolution of a right to reign unto any, it being that which he never had. Nor is it probable that our Saviour was the next of kin to the reigning house of Judah, nor was it any wise needful he should be so, nor is there any promise to that purpose. His lineal descent was from Nathan, and not from Solomon: of that house was Zerubbabel the Aichmalotarches, which therefore is specially mentioned in the reformation, Zech. xii. 12. Besides, the heirship promised unto Christ was neither of a temporal kingdom of Israel, which he never enjoyed, nor of any other thing in dependance thereon. Were it so, the Jews must first have the dominion, before he could inherit it. And such indeed was the mistake of the disciples, as it is of the Jews to this day, who inquired not whether he would take the kingdom to himself, but whether he would restore it unto Israel.

We have opened the words: it remaineth that we consider the sense and persuasion of the Hebrews in this matter. 2. Shew the influence of this assertion into the argument that the apostle hath in hand. And, 3. Annex a brief scheme of the whole lordship and kingdom of Christ.

The testimonies given to this heirship of the Messiah in the Old Testament, sufficiently evidencing the faith of the church guided by the rule thereof, will be mentioned afterwards. For the present, I shall only intimate the continuance of this persuasion among the Jews, both then when the apostle wrote unto them, and afterwards. To this purpose is that of Jonathan

ויגלי את משיחא ראמיד שמה .7 .in the Targum on Zech. iv ,He shall reveal the Messiah » מלקדמין וישלט בכל מלכותא

whose name is from everlasting, who shall have the dominion over all kingdoms." See Psal. lxxii. 11. And of him who was brought before the Ancient of days, like the Son of man, Dan. vii. to whom all power is given, they say, won b x, ‘he is Messiah the king.' So R. Solomon on the place: So R. Bechai on Exod. xxiii. 21. My name is in him. He is called,' saith he, 102, because in that name two significations are

included, 1178, a lord, and b, an ambassador;' the reasons of which etymology out of the Greek and Latin tongues, he subjoins, I confess, foolishly enough; but yet he adds to our purpose, It may have a third signification of a keeper; for the

: נטר from ,מטרת hath משמרת Targum, instead of the Hebrew

because he, that is the Messiah, preserves or keeps the world, he is called,, the keeper of Israel. Hence it appears, that he is the Lord of all things, they being put under him, and that the whole host of things above and below are in his hand. He is also the messenger of all above and beneath, because God hath made him to rule over all; hath appointed him the Lord of his house, the ruler of all he hath :' which expressions, how consonant they are to what is delivered by the apostle in this place, and in ch. iii. is easily discerned.

The influence of this assertion, or common principle of the Judaical church, into the argument that the apostle hath in hand, is evident and manifest. He who is the Heir and Lord of all things, spiritual, temporal, and ecclesiastical, must needs have power over all Mosaic institutions, be the Lord of them, which are no where exempted from his rule.

The words being opened, and the design of the apostle in them discovered, because they contain an eminent head of the doctrine of the gospel concerning the lordship and kingdom of Jesus Christ the Messiah, I shall stay here a little to give a scheme of his whole dominion, seeing the consideration of it will not again so directly occur unto us. That which is the intention of the words in the interpretation given of them, is

this:

God the Father, in pursuit of the sovereign purpose of his will, hath granted unto the Son as incarnate, and Mediator of the new covenant, according to the eternal counsel between them both, a sovereign power and authority over all things in heaven and earth, with the possession of an absolute proprietor, to dispose of them at his pleasure, for the furtherance and advancement of his proper and peculiar work, as head of his church.

I shall not insist on the several branches of this thesis, but, as I said, in general confirm this grant of power and dominion unto the Lord Christ, and then give our scheme of his kingdom in the several branches of it, not enlarging our discourse upon them, but only pointing at the heads and springs of things as they lie in the Scripture.

Of the Kingdom or Lordship of Christ.

THE grant of dominion in general unto the Messiah, is intimated in the first promise of him, Gen. iii. 15. His victory

over Satan, was to be attended with rule, power and dominion, Psal. lxviii. 18. Isa. liii. 12. Eph. iv. 8, 9. Col. ii. 15. and confirmed in the renewal of that promise to Abraham, Gen. xxii. 17, 18. For in him it was, that Abraham was to be heir of the world, Rom. iv. 13. As also unto Judah, whose seed was to enjoy the sceptre and lawgiver, until he came, who was to be Lord over all, Gen. xlix. 10. As Balaam also saw the star of Jacob, with a sceptre for rule, Num. xxiv. 17. 19. This kingdom was fully revealed unto David, and is expressed by him, Psal. ii. throughout. Psal. xlv. 3-8. lxxxix. 19-24, &c. Ixxii. 6-9, &c. cx. 1-3. As also in all the following prophets see Isa. xi. 1, 2. ix. 6, 7. liii. 12. lxiii. 1-3. Jer. xxiii. 5, 6 Dan. vii. 13, 14, &c.

As this was foretold in the Old Testament, so the accomplishment of it is expressly asserted in the New. Upon his birth, he is proclaimed to be Christ the Lord, Luke ii. 11. And the first inquiry after him is, Where is he that is born King? Mat. ii. 2. 6. And this testimony doth he give concerning himself; namely, that all judgment was his, and therefore all honour was due unto him, John v. 22, 23. And that all things were delivered unto him, or given into his hand, Matt. xi. 25. yea, all power in heaven and earth, Matt. xxviii. 18. the thing pleaded for. Him who was crucified, did God make both Lord and Christ, Acts ii. 35, 36. exalting him at his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, Acts v. 31. He is highly exalted, having a name given him above every name, Phil. ii. 9-11. being set at the right hand of God in heavenly places, far above, &c. Eph. i. 20-22. where he reigns for ever, 1 Cor. xv. 25. being the King of kings, and Lord of lords, Rev. v. 12-14. for he is Lord of quick and dead, Rom. xiv. 7—9.

And this in general is fully asserted in the Scripture, unto the consolation of the church, and to the terror of his adversaries. This, I say, is the spring of the church's glory, comfort and assurance. It is our Head, Husband, and elder Brother, who is gloriously vested with all this power. Our nearest Relation, our best Friend is thus exalted, not to a place of honour and trust under others, a thing that contents the airy fancy of poor earth-worms; nor yet to a kingdom on the earth, a matter that swells some, and even breaks them with pride; no, nor yet to an empire over this perishing world; but to an abiding, an everlasting rule and dominion over the whole creation of God. And it is but a little while before he will cast off and dispel all those clouds and shades which at present interpose themselves, and eclipse his glory and majesty from them that love him. He who in the days of his flesh, was reviled, reproached, persecuted, crucified for our sakes, that same Jesus is thus exalted and made Prince and a Saviour, having a name given him above every

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