Vers. 14, 15.] sermons upon matthew xxv. ' 425
Concerning Christ's being a lord and owner, let me give you these observations : —
First, The power of Christ as an owner and free lord is to be dis- tinguished from his power as a governor and ruler. As a free lord, ' he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy.' As a governor and ruler, so he ' judge th the world in righteousness/ or according to the law or stated rule which he hath given of his will. With respect to the one, ' it is not in him that willeth, or in him that runneth, but in God that showeth mercy/ But with respect to the other ' so run that you may obtain.' Compare Kom. ix. 16, with 1 Cor. ix. 24 ; for God, that is arbitrary in his gifts, is not arbitrary in his judgments, His law and the precepts of it is the rule of our duty ; but in the sanction of it it is the rule of God's process. But as an owner he discovereth his sovereignty and dominion ; as a ruler or judge, his justice or right- eousness. All acts and matters of free favour are dispensed by him as a lord, but matters of right and wrong come before him as a judge. The goodman of the house pleaded ill, ' I may do with my own as it pleaseth me/ Mat. xx. 15 ; that belongeth to a supreme owner. Besides, his being an owner goeth before his being a ruler, and is the foundation of it ; for his absolute propriety in us giveth him a legislative power over us, to dispose of us or command us according to his own will. He may give his creatures what rules he pleaseth, and order them to what ends he thinketh good, and bind them to observe his order upon what terms lie will : ' I am the Lord/ Lev. xviii. 1-6. Therefore, before the course of government established between him and the world, he is first con- sidered as an owner.
Secondly, This power and ownership accrueth to Christ by a double title — -jure creationis, et redemptionis.
1. By right of creation : Ezek. xviii. 4, ' Behold, all souls are mine/ He hath a right to dispose of man, and all the rest of his creatures, as being all of them the works of his hands. He that gave them their beings when they were not, and still supporteth them now they are, hath an undoubted just right to order them according to his own will. We have nothing but what we had from him ; and we have nothing that we ourselves can keep a moment ; and we have it upon these terms, to use it for his glory.
2. By right of redemption : Bom. xiv. 9, ' For to this end Christ both died and rose again, that he might be Lord of dead and living ;' and 1 Cor. vi. 20, ' Ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your bodies and souls, which are his.' This giveth him a new title to us, though the former ceased not, but will continue.' Whilst man receiveth his being from God by creation, and the continuance of his being by preservation, it is a power commutative, not destructive ; it is superadded to the former, and is more comfortable and beneficial to us, as well as bindeth us more firmly to God, wholly to be disposed, guided, and ordered by him at his will.
Thirdly, This power as owner is entire and absolute : Rom. xi. 3G, ' For of him, and through him, and to him are all things.' We receiv- ing our whole being from God, it is all at his dispose. All human propriety is derived, limited, and respective, because we in being and operation depend upon another ; and therefore man cannot be sui juris,
426 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SeR. XI.
at his own dispose, and lord of his own actions. He hath principhtm etfinem, a principle upon which he dependeth, and an end to which lie is appointed. Now it is no more lawful to abstain from respecting and seeking his end, than it is possible not to depend upon his principle. He hath a superior, to whom he must give an account, seeing he wholly dependeth upon him, and is wholly subject to him. But this property is originally and primarily in God as a fountain, not subordinate, or dependent upon any higher. If this be not so intelligible, let me speak more plainly. There is dominium jurisdictionis, et dominium proprietatis ; such as a prince hath over his goods and lands. His dominion is more absolute over his goods and lands than over his subjects ; that is bounded by laws. God hath the most absolute title over us, and all that we possess ; it is so great that it cannot be greater.
Fourthly, God cannot be divested of this power and interest in us.
1. It is so absolutely inherent in him, that it cannot be communi- cated to another ; that is, we cannot alienate and make void this right by our sins. Though we sold ourselves for nought, Isa, lii. 3, it was to our loss, not to God's. He hath a full right to command us to keep his law, whether men be faulty or innocent. A drunken servant is a servant, though he be disabled to do his master's work. No man's right can be vacated without his consent. Creatures are creatures still, obnoxious to the law of the Creator, or his punishment for the breach, of it. In that interest we have in things, the default of another doth not make void our right, especially if it be inferiors ; as the rebellion of the subject doth not exempt him from the power of his prince.