VeR. 23.] SERMONS UPON EPHESIANS V. 447"
governor, as well as Christ, an anointed saviour ; not only a saviour to bless, but a lord to rule and command. As he saveth his people from sin and misery, so he will also govern them. And on the other side, Christ's dominion over the church doth tend unto, and is exer- cised in bringing about, the church's salvation. So Acts v. 31, ' Whom God hath raised up to be prince and saviour.' Still the compound notion and mixed representation of Christ's offices is offered to our serious consideration ; for these two must not be divided, head and saviour, prince and saviour, lord and Christ.
[1.] To prevent mistakes and dangerous errors incident to mankind. Some on the one side look upon Ciirist as a lawgiver only, and not as a saviour, and so do not evangelise, but legalise Jesus ; as the Samaritans had a temple, but they had no ark or mercy-seat ; they turn Christianity into a mere legislation, while they cry up the rule of the gospel and the example of Christ, but depreciate his merit and satis- faction, do not represent Christ as a fountain of grace. On the other side, some catch at comforts, but neglect Christ as head and lord. Surely a libertine yokeless spirit is very natural to us : Ps. xii. 4, ' We have said with our tongue. We will prevail, our lips are our own ; who is lord over us ? ' The carnal world sticketh at Christ's authority. Nolumus liunc regnare: Luke xix. 14, ' We will not have this man to rule over us.' If he will come as a saviour, he shall be welcome ; he may have customers enough for his benefits, for pardon and glory ; but men cannot endure to hear of his laws and restraints, that he will be sovereign and chief : Ps. ii. 3, Disrumpamus lora, ' Let us break his bonds, and cast away his cords, say they.' The far greatest part of the world is turned libertine, if not in opinion, yet in practice ; they would not be under command, and checked in their licentious course of living. They would have Christ as a saviour to bless them, but not as a head to rule and govern them, to require repentance, morti- fication, and strict walking, and such duties as the world looketh upon as hai'sh and severe. He must join both together, for Christ is the ' author of eternal salvation to them only who obey him.'
[2.] To make our faith more sincere and entire. It is not a sincere and entire faith, unless we receive Christ with thankfulness and love, as our dearest Lord and saviour, and with our dependence upon his merits, and there be gained a hearty consent of subjection to him as our sovereign Lord and head. We must take him to be what God hath appointed him to be, and accordingly be affected. Men love privileges, but disclaim duties ; yet the consent of subjection is of the essence of faith. I remember the prophet saith, Hosea x. 11, 'And Ephraim is as an heifer that is taught, and loveth to tread out the corn ; but I have passed over upon her fair neck : I will make Ephraim to ride ; Judah shall plongh, and Jacob shall break the clods.' It was their fashion to thresh their corn by treading it. Now the mouth of the ox that trod out the corn was not to be muzzled. Ephraim liked that work well enough, yet conld not endure to harrow and break the clods. Now it is not a regular faith, unless you give Christ the pre-eminence in your hearts, as well as apply his benefits. Where Christ is a saviour he must be a head too. If he save you, neither sin nor Satan must lord it over you. He cureth the distempers of the heart as well as
448 SERMONS UPON EPHESIANS V. [SeR. XXVIII.
healetli the wounds of the conscience ; and must recover and jwssess the heart as chief lord, as well as redeem us from wrath. Would you so divide these two offices, that Christ must redeem you, and JSatan govern you ? No ; Christ will do both or none. In short, these two notions do help one another ; his being a saviour doth sweeten our obedience and subjection to him ; and when we look upon him as a lord, requiring such things at our hands, we must not neglect him as a saviour and fountain of grace. To take the law out of the hand of a mediator is very comfortable.
[3.] To help us in the matter in hand, namely, to conceive of the husband's power over the wife. It is an authority mixed with love ; not magisterial and imperious, but a loving government. It is imperium henignum, a governing in love ; not tyrannical and rigorous, but loving, gentle, and amiable ; such as a wife may look upon as a mercy to herself, as well as a dignity to her husband. The authority must not be so managed as that the love should disappear ; nor the love so shown as to disown the authority ; as in Christ there is a mixed relation of head and saviour, his government is to do good to the body.