An expository comment, doctrinal, controversial, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…An expository comment, doctrinal, controversal, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…

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 ways 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.

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,