~ SermotJ. XXXVI. v-v""'J ~n Expoption of the Epiple SERMON X.XXVI~ E P H E S, I, a, 2J. --~nd gave him to be a Head [or, the Head] over a!J thmgs to the Church. Which i; in all. his Body, the fulnefi of him which ftlleth a!J I Divided thefe words into thefe two parts : . Firfr, What concerneth our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrifi as a Head, H~ ts a head to hts Church over alt, and HefiJ!eth alt i11 all. Secondly,What concerneth the Church; the Church, it is his 6ody,and it is his ful•ufs. Firfr, Concerning the Head/hip of Chrifi : I !hewed you, that by Head here ' was meant a fimilitude drawn from the Natural head of a man's Body. There i; a Conjugal head, as the Husbanil is the head of the Wife. There is a Political head, as the Supream Mag;ifirate is the head of the Common-wealth. But this fimilituM'hath relation to the Natural head of the Body of man, which is the nearefr relation of all others. I opened fo much in general in the lafr difcourfe" Now I !hall !hew you more particularly the relation of Head!hip that Jefus Chrifi bath to his Church. I have often had many difcullions with my felf, whether that this relation of · Headfhip !hould not import fome diflind Office from that of Ki11g, Priejl, and Prophet, to which three all Divines do reduce the Offices of Chrifr. But I have at lafr refolved my thoughts thus; Thatthis relation of Head/hip dothim– port all his Offices, but with that peculiarnefs, and with that eminency, as no other relation in Scripture doth. For, Firfr, to begin with his Kingly Office, There is this difference between a King and a N atural head of a body ; that a King, he ruleth only externally by Commands, and by Laws , and by Proclamations declared; but the rule of a H ead is natural. Therefore now, if you reduce it to the Kingly office of C brifl, it is with an eminency, with a peculiarity. It is our advantage, that we arc not ruled by Chrifl as a King fimply confidered, (fo far as that fimilitudc will carry it) by external Laws revealed, or by way of Promifes or Rewards; but we are ruled by Chri!l naturally and inwardly, as the Members are ruled by the Head, which oF all Rules is the btfi and mofl eminent. So that it noteih out the peculiarity of his Kingly office. · Secondly, come to his Prophetical Office, His H~adjbip noteth that too, and that with a peculiarity. The Head doth not teach the Members by out• ward didates, or by way of D odrine; but it doth teach the Members by way of imprciJion, a fecret impreiJion, carrying them on todo the thing it teacheth: So Jefus Chrifl, as a Head, doth not only teach by way of D odrine, but by Efficacy; I 11etd 11ot write 1111/o you (fmh he,) f or you are ,,!J taught of God to love oilf m101her. And this is the mofl glorious teaching in the World. Thirdly,
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