[2.] The next title is apxn, the beginning. I understand it that he is the root and the beginning of the renewed estate. The same degree
Col, I. 18.] christ the head of the church. 455
whicli Christ hath in the order of nature, he hath in the order of fi^race also : he is the beginning both of creation, so also of redemption : he is origo mundi melioris, still the beginning and ending of the new creature as well as the old, Kev. i. 8. He is called, in short, the begin- ning, with respect to the life of grace ; as in the next title, ' the first- born from the dead,' with respect to the life of glory.
[3.] The third title is, the Jirst-horn from the dead. He had before called him the first-born of every creature, now the first-born from the dead: Eev. i. 5, 'The first-begotten from the dead,' because those that arise from the dead are, as it were, new-born ; whence also the re- surrection from the dead is called a regeneration, Mat. xix. 20 : and St Paul referreth that prophecy, Ps. ii. 7, ' Thou art my Son ; this day have I begotten thee,' in Acts xiii. 33, to the resurrection of Christ. Things are said to be when they are manifested to be : com- pare Kom. i. 4, ' Declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.' He was declared to be the true, and everlasting Son of, God, and head of the church : so the adoption of believers shall appear by their resurrec- tion: Kom. viii. 19, ' The earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God ; ' ver, 23, ' We ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to Avit, the re- demption of the body.'
2. The sequel and consequent of these things : that in all things he might have the pre-eminence — that is, as well in the spiritual estate of the church as in the creation and natural estate of the world : Kom. viii. 29, ' That he might be the first-born among many brethren.'
I begin with the first.
Doct. 1. That this is the honour appropriate and peculiar to Jesus Christ, to be head of the church.
1. Here I shall show what the church is to which Christ is an head.
2. How is he an head to this body.
3. The reasons why this body must have such an head.
1 . What the church is. A society of men called out of the world by God's effectual grace, according to the purpose of his election, and united to Christ by faith and the participation of his Spirit, and to one another by the band of charity — that after remission of sins obtained in this world, together with regenerating grace, they may at length be brought to eternal life. Let us a little open this description. By effectual calling God worketh faith, which uniteth us to Christ, and that efiectual calling is the fruit of election ; and the effect of this union is remission of sins, and the necessary consequence of this communion is salvation or eternal life. This society of men is called a church in the text. The word church is taken in divers acceptations.
First, and most properly, it signifies those whom I have now de- scribed, the universal collection of all and every one of those who, according to the good pleasure of God, are, or may be, called out of a state of sin into a state of grace, to obtain eternal glory by our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the church of the first-born whose names are written in heaven, Heb. xii. 22 — that chosen generation, that royal
456 CHRIST THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH. [SeR. V.
priesthood, that holy nation, that pecuUar people, whom to show forth his praises God hath called out of darkness into his marvellous light, 1 Pet. ii. 9. This church, most generally and properly taken, is the- kingdom of God, the body and spouse of Christ : Cant. vi. 9, ' My dove, my undefiled one, is but one.' This is that one fold under one shepherd, John x. 16. And it was prophesied of Christ that he should die to gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad, John xi. 52.
Secondly, Of this universal church there are two parts — one of travellers, the other of comprehensors, or the church militant and triumphant ; they both belong to God's family : Eph. iii. 15, ' Of whom the whole family, whether in heaven or earth, is named ;' so Col. i. 10. That part of the family which is in heaven triumpheth with God there — that which is in earth is yet warring against sin, Satan, and the world.
Thirdly, This part, which is the military, comes in the second place to be called by the name of the universal church, because, being scat- tered and dispersed throughout the whole world, it comprehendeth all and every one that belongeth to Christ's flock, which are found in several folds : known to God they are, and to themselves, and do indeed belong to Christ's body and his kingdom. This is often and not un- deservedly called the invisible church, because, so far as it is the church of God, their reality and sincerity is rather believed by faith than seen by the eyes of the body. This church, this kingdom of God, though it be yet in this world, yet it is not of the world, neither doth it come with observation, for the faithful have this kingdom of God within them, Luke xvii. 20. The world knows them not, other believers know them not, but God knoweth those that are his, 2 Tim. ii. 19.