that delivered him was called his Lord. So when we were mancipia peccati diaboli the Devils captives and slaves of sin in which condition if we had lived and died after a hard and toilsome service in the mean time our wages in the end should have been eternal death Christ by his death hath conquered sin and Satan and freed us from that wretched thraldom to this end that being delivered out of the hands of all our enemies we might serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life Luke 1.74 75 Thus the Israelites were delivered from Egypt the house of bondage to serve God Hence the Preface to the ten commandments and David confesseth Psal. 116.16 I am thy servant I am thy servant thou hast loosed my bonds If a man had brought another out of Captivity or he had sold himself all his strength or service belonged to the buyer Christ hath bought us from the worst slavery and with the greatest price no thraldom so bad as bondage to sin no prison so black as Hell and certainly Christs blood is better than any money not to serve him then is to defraud him of his purchase no bondage so great as ours no price so great as Christs and therefore no service so great as that which we owe. 2. By the fathers donation or delivery up of them Iohn 17.6 I have manifested thy name unto the men whom thou gavest me out of the world thine they were and thou gavest them me and they have kept thy word God hath made us and not we our selves and so hath absolute right to us and dominion over us hath given us unto Christ that we should serve him as well as be saved by him Isa. 44.21 Remember O Iacob thou art my servant I have formed thee thou art my servant O Israel they are given him for a Possession Psal. 2.8 3. By voluntary resignation and surrendring of themselves to him They have given themselves to the Lord that are real Christians 2. Cor. 8.5 'T is by their own consent and contract Rom. 6.13 Yeild up your selves unto God c. Christ loves to have his right and title established By our own consent we take Christ for our Lord and Master and give up our selves to him that we may be no longer at our own dispose and therefore 't is not only robbery but treachery and breach of Covenant to seek our selves in any thing and this resignation must be made out of a sense of Christs love to us in his death and sufferings 2 Cor. 5.15 Christ died that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him who died for them We enter upon other services out of hopes but we enter upon Christs service out of thankfulness 'T was our own voluntary Act by Marriage-Covenant we take him for our Lord our Husband Guide Governour and Protector and as Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him Lord so we Christ we have bound our selves by solemn vow and promise to be and continue Christs faithful servants unto the end of our lives now the word is gone out of our lips we may not alter it nor after we have made a vow enquire what we have to do He hath the best right to our best services by this three-fold title and a threefold cord is not easily broken our tongues are not our own to speak what we please nor our hearts to think what we please nor our hands to do what we list By vertue of these and many more titles we are anothers and are bound to live and Act for him according to his will and for his glory 3. What a Lord and Master Christ is The Scriptures give us these Characters or Properties of Him 1. He is the most absolute and supreme Lord. His stile is King of kings and Lord of lords he hath no superior or co-partner with him in his dominion and government all other Power and Lordship is dependent and derivative and subordinate 1. All Power is from him as 1. Civil Prov. 8.15 By me Kings reign and Princes decree Iustice. 2. Ecclesiastical 2 Cor. 10.8 That power which the Apostle had was derived from Christ For though I should boast something more of the Authority which the Lord hath given us for Edification and not for Destruction 3. Inward and spiritual Mar. 16.20 They preached every where the Lord working with them the opening of the eyes of the blind quickening the dead turning them from darkness to light were the effects of his power not the parts or piety of the Preacher but his grace and spirit did the work Lastly extraordinary and miraculous power whereby they confirmed the word signs and wonders were wrought in his name and by his power When the lame man was healed and the Apostle examined by what power or by what name they had done it Peter answered Acts 4.10 Be it known unto you all tâ—at by the name of Iesus of Nazareth this man doth stand before you whole 2. As all power is derived from him and dependent on him so 't is to be used and obeyed in subordination to him 1. For him as the authority of Magistrates Parents 1 Pet. 2.13 Submit to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as supream Eph. 6.1 Children obey your parents in the Lord so wives to husbands servants to masters Col. 3.18 2. According to him Acts. 5 29 the Apostle answered We ought to obey God rather than men 3. All other Lords are responsible to him for the use and abuse of that authority and those gifts they received from him and are therefore punishable by him 2 dly He is an universal Lord Lord of all 1. In regard of persons he is over all Rom. 9.5 He rules over all nations persons hearts all other Masters and Lords are inferiour to him Eph. 6.9 And ye masters do the same things to them that is your Servants forbearing threatning knowing that your master also is in heaven neither is there respect of persons with him 2. In regard of matters and acts outward inward Godward manward civil spiritual all come under his cognizance Eph. 6.5 6. Col. 3.23 Rom. 14.18 in all these things we are to serve Christ 3. In regard of places the three kingdoms of Heaven Earth and Hell have no other Lord but Christ Angels and glorified Saints in Heaven Saints Sinners and every creature on Earth the damned and Devils in Hell are all his subjects 3 dly He is a spiritual Lord for the manner of his rule and government Iohn 18.36 My kingdom is not of this world not from hence Not that he governs not in Heaven and Earth for though his kingdom be not of this world Rex tamen est in hoc mundo Bern. when Pilate had openly declared whose accusation it was Jesus plainly tells him that his Kingdom was not secular but spiritual not of this world So that he nothing intrenched on Caesars
right which he saith not to avoid death but to shew that he was unjustly accused 4. He is an eternal Lord Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom to order it and to establish it with judgment and justice from henceforth even for ever Isa 9.7 Luke 1.33 He is the King immortal 1 Tim. 1.17 Death the King of terrors and terror of Kings is subdued by this Lord not only so as never to touch him but also never to hurt any of his Servants Other Rulers though they be called gods and lords yet shall dye like men earthly Monarchs either by some Poison or Treason are brought to untimely deaths at least some disease or other will lay their glory in the dust but Jesus Christ is yesterday today and the same for ever 5. He is a mighty Lord most able to do what is good for his Servant and to subdue all persons and things to himself Psal. 3.21 He can kill the Soul and throw both the Body and Soul into Hell he can subdue the hearts of men even of the deadliest enemies unto his love and obedience he can protect and shelter his Servants from all evil and bestow all good things on them for the world is his and the fulness thereof He hath under his command the forces of all creatures in Heaven and Earth which he rules as he pleases to his own purpose he can at ease frustrate the harmful intentions and noisom qualities of the worst of them he can turn their malice into mercy their hatred into love yea can bring forth glory to himself and profit to his Servants not only against but even out of their mischievous designments as in Daniel and the three Children c. 6. He is a most just Lord his is a Scepter of righteousness Heb. 1.8 his right hand is full of righteousness The Lord is righteous in all his ways and holy in all his works Psal. 145.17 In him is exact and perfect integrity and equity of all his counsels words and actions and there is no unrighteousness in him His will is the rule and standard of justice and whatever he commands is most equal and right because he wills and commands it 7. He is a most glorious Lord and Master The glory of Kings and Emperours is but a borrowed ray or spark from his Majesty the glory of all the Caesars c. is but a black coal in comparison of his splendor and when he shall appear in his glory the glow-worms of worldly splendor and majesty shall disappear and be extinguished the poorest Servant he hath shall then appear with him in such glory that the combined-excellency of Kings shall not be so much as a shadow to it 8. He is a most gracious Lord he puts them upon none but safe honourable and comfortable employments He puts no more upon them than they can go through and lays no more upon them than they are able to bear he knows their mould and frame remembers they are but dust he is Jesus as well as Lord a Shepherd as well as a Master he joins his glory and their happiness together he never requireth brick from his people without giving them straw he will either multiply grace or diminish the temptation his Grace is always sufficient for them 9. He is a wise judicious Master A man that serves a fickle and unconstant Master who often changes his mind has a hard task and endless labour but a prudent man who orders his affairs with discretion and deliberation his commands are but once obeyed his work is soon done what he doth now anon he must undo and so Sysiphus like he is ever doing and hath never done he never knows an end of his work But the Servant of Christ is at a good certainty and knows before-hand what his work must be and what his wages as his Master himself is so his Commandments are immutable and invariable without so much as a shadow of change Iam. 1.17 That was a needless cavil and meer peevishness and selfishness in Ionah Ionah 4.2 10. He is a most knowing and discerning Lord. He observes the ways and works of his Servants so narrowly that the closest and subtillest among them cannot deceive him he spies them in every corner nay every corner of their hearts in them all things are open and naked before him though now in some sort he be absent yet he needs no informer he knows what every Servant doth in his absence and will manifest every ones work to all the world his eyes are as a flame of fire clearer than ten thousand suns he takes notice of all their services and hearts Rev. 2.19 I know thy works and charity and service and faith and thy patience and thy works and the last to be more than the first 11. He is a pitiful and merciful Lord and Master He hath an eye as pitying as it is piercing he doth no less observe the wants and troubles than the ways and works of his Servants he is a Father as well as a Master and As a father pitieth his children so the Lord pitieth them that fear him Psal. 103.13 14 And spareth them as a father his son that serveth him Mal. 3.17 hath more tender bowels than a mother Isa. 49.15 Can a woman forget her sucking-sucking-child that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb yea they may forget yet will I not forget thee Christ is not as the slothful man thought a cruel and hard Master Matt. 25.24 that looks for much work and gives little encouragement but is moved with compassion towards his Servants Matt. 18.27 he will not have his Servants complain that they serve an hard Master 12. He is a meek and lowly Master condescending to serve his Servants here and hereafter 1. Hereâ— Matt. 20.28 He came not to be ministred unto but to minister Luke 22.27 Whether is greater he that sitteth at meat or he that serveth is not he that sitteth at meat but I am among you as he that serveth He stoopt so low as to wash his Disciples feet 2. Hereafter Luke 12.37 Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching Verily I say unto you That he shall gird himself and make them sit down to meat and will come forth and serve them Study but yet expect not to understand either the comfort or condescention of this promise made to the faithful Servants of Christ He shall gird himself c. Lord saith one did I not think that the cheer and the attendance were both one I should say the attendance were infinitely better than the meat Think what it is for Christ himself to serve at the Table what is it but infinite delight for the guests to have him set himself to solace them who is infinite as in sweetness so in knowledg to make his sweetness please them Nor will the dignity of these
ends how careful and wary should we be in using the Creatures all the comforts we enjoy are the goods of this Lord we are but stewards of them what we use must be used for not against our Lord. Learning riches honour are from him and therefore should be for him all our enjoyments are but borrowed we must therefore use them well not spot or stain not tear and cut them by sin lest we be ashamed when we should return them back to the owner and give him an account of them it may be with joy and not with grief 3. Neither may any Christian think himself Lord of the Church or his Brethren 1 Pet. 5.3 Neither as being lords over Gods heritage but being ensamples to the flock The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dominantes is not to be understood of tyrannizing and bearing unlawful rule or usurped dominion as Bellarmine would have it but exercising Lordship the same which Christ forbids the Apostles in the same word Mat. 20.25 as Bernard tells Pope Eugenius Ne dictum sola humilitate putes non veritate vox domini est reges gentium dominantur eis vos autem non sic Planum est apostolis inter dicitur dominatus not over-ruling It doth not only forbid the abuse of their authority or imperiously commanding of their own inventions instead of the Doctrine of the Gospel or carping Magisterially and insolently towards Gods people as Amet. But the use of that authority in the Ecclesiastical office which it is lawful for Princes to exercise towards their subjects saith Beza Omnes enim esse unius legislatoris domini servos c. Have Ministers no authority Yes saith he not over the consciences of men but only as messengers of Christ whose is all the power of commanding No Church no Council can make Laws but in Christ the compound and the simple word are used one by Matthew and Mark the other by Luke in the same sense so that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adds no Emphasis to it all kind of Temporal rule is simply forbidden them 1. No Christian can bind the conscience in internal or elicite acts 2 Cor. 1.24 Not that we have dominion over your faith but as helpers of your joy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apostle adds this left he should seem to have spoken too imperiously q. d. That I said I therefore came not that I might spare you take thus Not that I could by my own authority do any thing with Religion and in binding or relaxing your consciences but that I might be Gods Minister to comfort you c. 2. Nor can he command the outward imperate Acts of Conscience otherwise then by power civil or spiritual from Christ Pro. 8.15 By me Kings reign and Princes decree Iustice. 2 Cor. 10.8 1 Thes. 5.12 We beseech you Brethren know them who labour among you and are over you in the Lord. 3. As a Christian no man hath civil power over his Brother or the Church or over men Mat. 20.26 It shall not be so among you that as the Gentiles exercise authority and dominion over them 1. As a Christian he hath no legislative but only applicative power or executive in the Church a Christian must not make Laws in his house but keep and execute his Laws 2. As such He hath no coercive power over his fellow servants That natural or civil power that any Christian hath otherways over his Brother is to rule under for and according or like to Christ Philemon 16. Not now as a servant but above a servant a brother beloved especially to me How much more to thee both in the flesh and in the Lord 1 Cor. 7.39 She is at liberty to be married to whom she will only in the Lord. Ministers are not owners of the house but stewards in the house Laws are committed to us and must not be excogitated by us Only Christ can ordain laws to bind the Conscience mans laws bind not as they are mans but as they are back't by Christ nor can any but Christ so give laws to which we should be obedient as withal to make us obedient to the laws which he gives Christ only can write his laws in the heart No man should prefer the will or interest of the greatest mortal man or dearest friend nor the publick interest of States before or plead it against the will and interest of this great Lord. Neither may we give nor receive ambitious or flattering titles of honour Mat. 23 8 9 10 Be not ye called Masters for one is your Lord and Master even Christ we should so acknowledg a superiority among men as to be fearful of causing pride in them and that they may know themselves not to be absolute Lords but derivatively and secundum quid Herod became worms-meat who but just now was a meer idol and cryed up c. God would not bear it 5. It informs us therefore how consistible Christs service is with the service of others 1. It dissolves not but confirms natural and civil Lordship and subjection as between master and servant 1 Tim. 6.1 2 Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour but what if they be both believers are they not Brethren yes and they that have believing masters let them not despise them because they are Brethren but rather do them service because they are believing and beloved partakers of the same benefit Titus 2.9 Between Magistrate and Subject Rom. 13.1 Let every soul be subject to the Higher Powers 2 Pet. 3.3 Submit your selves to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake 2. This our relation to Christ as master regulates the service of others Children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right Eph. 6.1 For the Lord is the author of the authority of Fathers and therefore we must yield such obedience as he will have us This in the Lord implies both a commandment of Childrens obedience from the Lord and a restriction or limitation in those things which are not against the Lord that they so far obey their Parents as they swerve not from the true worship and service of God 3. This service of Christ excludes all absolute and unnecessary subjection to Creatures Luke 16.13 No man can serve two Masters He may subordinately but not absolutely for God will have the sâ—rvice of the whole man 1 Cor. 7.21 23 Art thou called being a servant care not for it but if thou may'st be made free use it raâ—her Ye are bought with a price be not ye the servants of men If ye be at liberty do not of your own accord make your selves servants but consecrate your selves intirely Body and Soul to the service of Christ or it ye be servants to men that is in a state of servitude remember still that above and before all ye are the servants of Christ and therefore see ye do nothing to the obedience of men which