Owner of the works of his hands; and by a derived, imparted, and dependent right, as man, sent, anointed, raised and exalted, and so made Lord and Christ; which authority so given and bestowed upon him is partly economical, and therefore to be resigned into the hands of the Father, when all those ends for which it was imparted are accomplished: partly so proper to the union, or due unto the passion, of the human nature, that it must be coeval with it, that is, of eternal duration.

The third part of our explication is, the due consideration of the object of Christ's dominion, inquiring whose Lord he is, and how ours. To which purpose first observe the latitude, extent, or rather universality of his power, under which all things are comprehended, as subjected to it. For "he is Lord of all," saith St. Peter, of all things, and of all persons; and he must be so, who made all things as God, and to whom all power is given as man. To him then all things are subjected, whose subjection implieth not a contradiction. "For he hath put all things under his feet: but when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted which did put all things under him," 1 Cor. xv. 27. God only then excepted, whose original dominion is repugnant to the least subjection, all things are subject unto Christ, whether they be things in heaven, or things on earth. In heaven he is far above all principalities and powers, and "all the angels of God worship him;" on earth "all nations are his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth are his possession." Thus Christ is certainly our Lord, because he is the Lord of all; and when all things were subjected to him, we were not excepted.

But in the midst of this universality of Christ's regal authority, it will be farther necessary to find some propriety of dominion, by which he may be said to be peculiarly our Lord. It is true, he made us, and not we ourselves; we are the work of his hands; but the lowest of his creatures can speak as much. We are still preserved by his power, and as he made us, so doth he maintain us; but at the same time he feedeth the ravens and clotheth the lilies of the field. Wherefore beside his original right of creation, and his continued right of preser

vation, we shall find a more peculiar right of redemption, belonging properly to the sons of men. And in this redemption, though a single word, we shall find a double title to a most just dominion, one of conquest, another of purchase.

We were first servants of the enemy of God; for him we obeyed," and his servants we are to whom we obey:" when Christ through death destroyed him that had the power of death, that is, the Devil, and delivered us, he spoiled principalities and powers, and made a show of them openly, triumphing over them," Heb. ii. 14; Col. ii. 15. But contrary to the custom of triumphing conquerors, he did not sell, but buy us; because while he saved us, he died for us, and that death was the price by which he purchased us; even so this dying Victor gave us life: upon the cross, as his triumphant chariot, he shed that precious blood which bought us, and thereby became our Lord by right of redemption, both as to conquest and to purchase.

Beside, he hath not only bought us, but provideth for us; whatever we have, we receive from him as the Master of the family; we hold of him all temporal and eternal blessings, which we enjoy in this or hope for in another life. He is the "Prince of life," and by him we live; he is "the Lord of glory," and we are "called by his gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord." Wherefore he hath us under his dominion; and becomes our Lord by right of promotion.

Lastly; men were not anciently sold always by others, but sometimes by themselves; and whosoever of us truly believe in Christ, have given up our names unto him. In our baptismal vow we bind ourselves unto his service, "that henceforth we will not serve sin; but yield ourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and our members as instruments of righteousness unto God:" that, as we have yielded our members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so we should yield our members servants to righteousness unto holiness," Rom. vi. 6, 13, 19. And thus the same dominion is acknowledged by compact, and confirmed by covenant; and so Christ becomes our Lord by right of obligation.

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The necessity of believing and professing our faith in this part of the article appeareth, first, in the discovery of our condition; for by this we know that we are not our own, neither our persons nor our actions. "Know ye not," saith St. Paul, "that ye are not your own? for ye are bought with a price," 1 Cor. vi. 19. And ancient servitude, to which the scriptures relate, put the servants wholly in the possession of their master; so that their persons were as properly his as the rest of his goods. And if we be so in respect of Christ, then may we not live to ourselves but to him; for in this the difference of service and freedom doth properly consist: we cannot do our own wills, but the will of him whose we are. Christ took upon him the form of a servant; and to give us a proper and perfect example of that condition, he telleth us, "I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me," John vi. 38. First therefore we must conclude with the apostle, reflecting upon Christ's dominion and our obligation, that "none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself; for whether we live, we live unto the Lord; or whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's," Rom. xiv. 7.

Secondly, the same is necessary both to enforce and invite us to obedience; to enforce us, as he is the Lord, to invite us, as Christ the Lord. If we acknowledge ourselves to be his servants, we must "bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." He who therefore died, and rose and revived, that he might become the Lord both of the dead and living, maketh not that death and resurrection efficacious to any but such as by their service acknowledge that dominion which he purchased. He, "though he were a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered; and being made perfect, he is become the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him," Heb. v. 8. Thus the consideration of the power invested in him, and the necessity of the ser vice due unto him, should force us to obedience; while the consideration of him whom we are thus obliged to serve should allure and invite us. When God gave the law with fire and thunder, the affrighted Israelites

desired to receive it from Moses, and upon that receipt promised obedience. "Go thou near," said they to him, "and hear all that the Lord our God shall say; and speak thou unto us, and we will hear it and do it," Deut. v. 27. If they interpreted it so great a favor to receive the law by the hands of Moses; if they made so ready and cheerful a promise of exact obedience to the law so given; how should we be invited to the same promise, and a better performance, who have received the whole will of God revealed to us by the Son of Man? who are to give an account of our performance to the same Man set down at the right hand of the Father? He first took our nature to become our brother, that with so near a relation he might be made our Lord. If then the patriarchs did cheerfully live in the land of Goshen, subject to the power and command of Egypt, because that power was in the hand of Joseph their exalted brother; shall not we with all readiness of mind submit ourselves to the divine dominion now given to him who gave himself for us? shall all the angels worship him, and all the archangels bow down before him, and shall not we be proud to join with them?

Thirdly; the belief of Christ's dominion is necessary for the regulation of all power, authority, and dominion on earth, both in respect of those which rule, and in relation to those that obey. From hence the most absolute monarchs learn, that the people which they rule are not their own, but the subjects of a greater Prince, by him committed to their charge. Upon this St. Paul doth ground his admonition to masters, "Give unto your servants that which is just and equal, knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven," Col. iv. 1. God gave a power to the Israelites to make hired servants of their brethren, but not slaves; and gives this reason of the interdiction, "For they are my servants which I brought forth out of the land of Egypt; they shall not be sold as bondmen," Lev. xxv. 42. What tenderness then should be used towards those who are the servants of that Lord who redeemed them from a greater bondage, who bought them with a higher price? From hence those who are subject learn to obey the powers which are of human ordination, because in them they obey the Lord of all. Subjects bear the same

proportion, and stand in the same relation to their governors, with servants to their masters: and St. Paul hath given them this charge, "Obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; and whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ," Col. iii. 22. Neither do we learn from hence only whom, but also how, to obey. For while we look upon one Lord in heaven, while we consider him as the Lord of lords, we regulate our obedience to them by our service due to him, and so are always ready to obey, but" in the Lord."

Lastly; this title of our Saviour is of necessary belief for our comfort and encouragement. For being Lord of all, he is able to dispose of all things for the benefit of those who serve him. He who commanded the unconstant winds and stilled the raging seas, he who multiplied the loaves and fishes, and created wine with the word of his mouth, hath all creatures now under exact obedience, and therefore none can want whom he undertaketh to provide for; for "the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him." Many are the enemies of those persons who dedicate themselves unto his service; but our enemies are his, and part of his dominion is therefore given him, and to continue in him until all his enemies be made his footstool. Great is the power of the lusts of our flesh, which war in our members; but his grace is sufficient for us, and the power of that Spirit by which he ruleth in us. Heavy are the afflictions which we are called to undergo for his sake; but if we suffer with him, we shall reign together with him and blessed be that dominion which makes us all kings, that he may be for ever Lord of lords, and King of kings.

After this explication, every Christian may perceive what he is to believe in this part of the article, and express himself how he would be understood when he maketh this profession of his faith, "I believe in Christ our Lord." For thereby we may and ought to intend thus much-I do assent unto this as a certain and infallible truth, taught me by God himself, that Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, is the true Jehovah, who hath