ER.22. Epheßian.r,Chap. i. to have refpe& : He that blafphemeth againfl thefJirit,fhall not be forgiven, neither in this world, nor in the world to come. Now followeth the fpeciall foveraignty ; And bath given him a head over all to his Church, which is his body, the fu1nefe ofhim who frlletb all in all. For underftanding thefe words we muff note, that the word Head is ufed fometime for one who in any kinde is before and above other : and in this large fenfe, Chrift is the head of Angels andall men : Man is the head ofthe Woman, Chrift ofman, God of Chrift, r Car.r r.He is the headofall principalities andpowers;But here it fignifieth that Chrift is fo over his Cburch,that he is in a more neere and communicative fort conjoyned with ir, as the head is with the bodyand mcmbers,which are annexed and fubjected to ir. .mss bead over all.] This may be referred to the Church, as making a comparifon twixt Chrifts fuperiority over his Church, and Angels, in this fenfe ; Godgave Chrift that he fhould be a head principally anda- bove all other things, befide tohis Church : Thus Ch.6. Above 411, put on the fhieldof Faith ; or it may be referred to himwho is given our head in this fenfe ; God gave him to bea head to us, who is over all things, becaufe the fpeciall foveraignty is noted in his being a head: This wordbeing taken in the ftriéteft acceptation, and becaufe it affor- deth matterofconfideration,we willtake thelatter fenfe ; tohis Church. This word Church, fometime noteth one congregation ofmen called forthoftheworld, as the Church at Corinth, Cenchrea ; fometimeiris taken to lignifie themultitude of them, who are foreknowne of God and appointed to falvation ; for all who are gathered by Gods eff'e&- uall calling in heaven and earth, and who are in their time to be made partakers of his holyand effel uall calling : Thus Heb.I2.a8. we finde it taken thus here ; for, all the body which dothmake full andperfect Chrift myflically confidered,ishere to be underftood. Which is his bedy.]Not his naturall,but myfticallbody. Thefulneffe.]That is, which makethhim full and compleate as he is ahead : for a head without a body is maimed ; though otherwife fuch is his perfection and fulneffe, that hee filled, all inall. The fumme is. Though God hath fet Chrift over every creature,yet hehath given him that he fhould be over his Ithurch as a head , in a more neereand communicative power;him I fay bath be given tobea head tothe whole multitude ofbeleevers,who is indignitie &power above every creature. Now as he is a head to the univerfity of true beleevers, fothe united multitudeofthemare as a body myfticall to him, making him full and compleat fo farre forth ashe is a head ; him I fay, in whom dwelleth all fulneffe, fo that he ft./lab 411 4411. In the endof the as.verfe, weare to marke firft, that Chrift: is given to be a head tohis Church: fecond- ly, the quality of him given to be our head, or of our head that is overall. The Church is defcribed from the mutuall refpel..ì which it ftandeth in to Chrift, as a head, which is hisbody. Secondly, from the effe/t of it, to be gathered from thofe Taft words, which is the faint"e, 19t Vaasa 24,,
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