This is a point of wonderful comfort, and not only a comfort, but a direction how to carry ourselves. It is not only a point of dignity and prerogative, but a duty.
1. First, It is a grand comfort ' we are the Lord's,' and the Lord's in a peculiar manner, as before. The devil is the Lord's, the earth is the Lord's ; all is the Lord's. But we are the Lord's by eternal donation, by purchase, by conquest, by voluntary yielding to him. And therefore it is a most excellent condition.
Quest. What is the Lord ?
Ans. If we be Christ's, we have him for Lord ; that is. Lord of life, Lord of glory, Lord of grace ; that is, Lord of lords. King of kings. He is an independent Lord. None is above him, the Father and he agreeing together ; if you know one, you know both. He is an absolute Lord, a free Lord ; he hath no dependence at all upon any creature whatsoever. An eternal Lord ; we have an eternal being in him ; for we are when we are dead. And therefore the apostle divideth it : ' Whether we live or die, we are the Lord's.' We have a substance* when we be dead, and a Lord of equal continuance with ourselves, a king for ever. Therefore it is a point of wonderful comfort.
Obj. But you will say, Freedom is a sweet thing, especially freedom from government, so as to have no lord to control us ; therefore how can this be so excellent estate, to have Christ our Lord ?
Ans. 1. Beloved, ice are creatures. We are neither of ourselves, nor by ourselves, nor for ourselves.
2. Besides, ice have enemies greater than ourselves, the powers of hell; and therefore, if we had not a better above us, what would become of us, but to be totally subjected under the power of enemies ? It is the happiness of the inferior, to be in lull subjection to the superior. It is the happiness of beasts to be under man, that they may keep from destruction. It is the happiness of the weak, to have tutors and governors. It is the perfection of inferiors, to yield a gracious subjection to that that is better than themselves.
* Qu. ' subsistence ' = being ? But cf. page 320, last line. — G.
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For everything is perfected by being subject to that which is better ; and therefore we, especially in our lapsed condition, seeing we are our own greatest enemies.
2. God in love will not trust ns rcith oursehrs since the fall, hut will have our happiness to be dependent and subject to another — to a God in our nature, an excellent Lord ; and therefore an excellent Lord, because, what I spake before, Christ hath all the authority in heaven and earth committed to him, not only over us, but over our enemies, that they shall not do us harm. And, indeed, he cannot be Lord of the church, but he must be Lord of all creatures in heaven and earth, that no creature may prejudice his church. He hath universal authority over all things, and all for the church's cause.
4. And then he hath all the good qnalities of a Lord ; not only authority, but wisdom and strength and power and bounty and goodness, and what- soever may make him a gracious Lord. And therefore it is our perfection to be in subjection to this Lord.
To set forth a little the excellency of this Lord.
He hath the sweetness of all superiors whatsoever ; as he hath taken the name of all superiority that is sweet and lovely, so he hath the affections ol all, and eminently more than all. He is a Lord, as a husband ; he loveth more than any husband can do. He is a Lord, as a king ; he can do more for us than any king. ' He hath all power in heaven, and earth, and hell, over the devils themselves.' ' All knees bow to him, of things in heaven and in earth, and under the earth,' Philip, ii. 10. And he is Lord as an head. Whatsoever superiority is near and dear, that he is to his church.
He requires service. Ay, but he is such a Lord as enableth us to serve him, ' helpeth our infirmities by his Spirit,' Rom. viii. 29. Without him we can do nothing, but in him we can do all.
And as he enableth us to perform service, so doth he reward every service, every good thought ; nothing is lost that is done for Christ's sake, not a cup of cold water. He giveth strength to perform, accepteth it as a work of his Spirit, and then rewardeth it. He is so a Lord, as he standeth for his ; so a Lord, as he appearethfor us now in heaven, against all accusa- tions of Satan. Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's people ? For Christ maketh intercession for them. He stood for his disciples here on earth, and upon any occasion was ready to defend them ; and he is as ready in heaven to stand for his subjects and servants, and will answer all accusations of a malicious world against his church and children, 'and will bring forth their righteousness to light, as the noonday,' Ps. xxxvii. 6. He standeth for their credit, and engageth himself for the defence and protec- tion of his Mount Zion, his church.