Some ax d&pxiis, “from the beginning,” being “ chosen to salvation,” 2 Thess. 1. 13; xpd xara€orys xéouov, Eph. i. 4, “before the founda- tion of the world;” Rom. viii. 29, xi. 5; Matt. xx. 16; 2 Tim. ii. 10; Rey. xxi. 27 ;—others are appointed to the day of evil, Prov. xvi. 4; raral rpoysypajumévos, “of old ordained to condemnation,” Jude 4; sis érhwow xai Qbopér, “for to be destroyed,” 2 Pet. i 12. See Rom. ix. 22, xi. 7; Rev. xx. 15.
Both these sorts, or all mankind, is the lordship of Christ extended to, and to each of them respectively :—
He is Lord over all flesh, John xvii. 2; both living and dead, Rom. xiv. 9; Phil. ii. 9, 10.
First, Particularly, he is Lord over all the elect. And besides the general foundation of the equity of his authority and power in his divine nature and creation of all things, the grant of the Father unto him, as mediator, to be their Lord is founded in other especial acts both of Father and Son; for,—
1. They were given unto him from eternity, in design and by compact, that they should be his peaaiiany ipertaaay and he their Sa- viour, John xvii. 2. Of the rdéong capxds, “ all flesh,” over which he hath authority, there is a r&y 6 didwxs, a universality of them whom the Father gave him, in an especial manner; of whom he says, “ Thine they were, and thou gavest them me,” verse 6; Acts xviii. 10. They are a portion given him to save, John vi. 39; of which he takes the care, as Jacob did of the sheep of Laban, when he served him for a wife, Gen. xxxi. 36-40. See Prov. vii. 31. This was an act of the will of the Father in the eternal covenant of the media- tor; whereof elsewhere.
2. His grant is strengthened by redemption, purchase, and ac- quisition. This was the condition of the former grant, Isa. li. 10-12, which was made good by him; so that his lordship is frequently asserted on this very account, 1 Cor. vi. 20; 1 Pet. i. 18,19; 1 Tim. i, 6; John x. 15; Eph, v. 25-27; Rev. v.9; John xi, 51:52, hind this purchase of Christ is peculiar to them so given him ‘of the Father in the covenant of the mediator; as,—(1l.) Proceeding from his especial and greatest love, John xv. 13; Rom. v. 8; 1 John iii. 16, iv. 9, 10; Acts xx. 28; Rom. vil. 32: and,—(2.) Being accom- panied with a purchase for them which they shall certainly enjoy, and that of grace and glory, Acts xx. 28; Eph. i 14; Phil. i. 28; Heb. ix. 12, 15. And, indeed, the controversy about the death of Christ is not primarily about its extent, but its efficacy and fruits in respect of them for whom he died.
3. Those thus given him of the Father and redeemed by him are of two sorts:—(L.) Such as are actually called to faith in him and union with him. These are further become his upon many other especial accounts. They are his in all relations of subjection,
VER. 1, 2.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 57
—his children, servants, brethren, disciples, subjects, his house, his spouse. He stands towards them in all relations of authority: is their father, master, elder brother, teacher, king, lord, ruler, judge, husband; ruling in them by his Spirit and grace, over them by his laws in his word, preserving them by his power, chastening them in his care and love, feeding them out of his stores, trymg them and delivering them in his wisdom, bearing with their miscarriages in his patience, and taking them for his portion, lot, and inheritance, in his providence; raising them at the last day, taking them to himself in glory, and every way avouching them to be his, and himself to be their Lord and Master. (2.) Some of them are always uncalled, and shall be so until the whole number of them be completed and filled. But before, they belong on the former accounts unto his lot, care, and rule, John x. 16. They are already his sheep by grant and purchase, though not yet really so by grace and holiness. They are not yet his by present obediential subjection, but they are his by eternal designation and real acquisition.
Now, the power that the Lord Jesus hath over this sort of man- kind is universal, unlimited, absolute, and exclusive of all other power over them, as unto the things peculiarly belonging unto his kingdom. He is their king, judge, lawgiver; and in things of God purely spiritual and evangelical other they have none. It is true, he takes them not out of the world, and therefore as unto r& Biwrind, “the things of this life,” things of the world, they are subject to the laws and rulers of the world; but as unto the things of God he is the only lawgiver, who is able to kill and make alive. But the nature and ends of the lordship of Christ over the elect are too large and comprehensive to be here spoken unto, in this brief deli- neation of his kingdom, which we undertook in this digression.
Secondly, His lordship and dominion extends to the other sort of
men also, namely, reprobates, or men finally impenitent. They are not exempted from that “all flesh” which he hath power over, John xvii. 2; nor from those “dead and living” over whom he is Lord, Rom. xiv. 9; nor from that “world” which he shall judge, Acts xvii. 31. And there are two especial grounds, that are peculiar to _ them, of this grant of power and authority over them :— _1. His interposition, upon the entrance of sin, against the imme- diate execution of the curse due unto it; as befell the angels. This fixed the world under a dispensation of,—(1.) Forbearance and patience, Rom. ii. 4,5; Acts xvii. 30; Rom. ix. 22; Ps. Ixxv. 3: (2.) Goodness and mercy, Acts xiv. 16, 17.