Keach - Houston-Packer Collection BS537 .K4 1779

Book II. c HR Is T HEIR OF ALL THINGs . worldly Heirs. This word xA•p~, is appropriated by Cullom to the Clergy, or ecc!efiaftical Perfons; but it really fignifies God's Lot or Inheritance, whtch is all the Faithful, and therefore, 1 Pet. v. 3· fhould not be tranOated God's C/erg;-, but God's Inheritance, Wecmes' Divin. Exercit. The mofr probable Derivation of the Word xA"p~, is from the Hebrew .,, ) Coral, which by a Tranfpofition of Letters, and the Letter Gir,zel changed into the Greek Kappa, will be .,.,p Coral, which is of near ·Affinity in Sound and Signification to the Greek xA"f~, whence, as was faid, comes xA"P"'i"~' an Heir. . Now the univerfal Body of Believer~ is the Inherita~ce or Clergy (if we mutr fo calltt) of God, lfa. xtx. 25. whtch Umverfal Church IS dtfrnbuted into particular Churches, as it were by Lots or Parts, neither is the Term any where in Scripture peculiarly attributed to the Pafrors of the Churches; as Laurentius and Gerhard, upon 1 Pet. v. 2. demonfrrate. METAPHOR. I. AN Heir is the Firfr-born ufually, though it holds not univerf.1lly fo; for all Right to Eftates, Kiugdoms and Polfef– fions are not hereditary. I!. An Heir is the Head of a Family, the Chief and Supreme of all his Father's Houfe. III. Sometimes a Perfon is made Heir, and hath both Title and Po!feffion by virtue of a Grant and Surrender made by another that is allied, or bears Good-will to him. PARALLEL. I. CHRIS'f the Heir of ali'J'hiizgs, is the Fa– ther's Firfl-born. I will make him, my Firfl-bom, higher than (or high above) the Kings of the Earth, Pfal. lxxxix. 27. H. Chrifr is the Head of the heavenly Fam ily. He bath put all 'Things under his Feet. And gave him to be Head over all 'I'hings to the Church, Eph. i. 2 I, 22. III. Chrifr, as he hath abfolute R ight, or, is Heir of all 'I'hings: As he is the Firfr-born among many Brethren, he hath alfo a delegated Right, he hath his Title and Po!feffion by Grant from the Father; hence it is faid : He is appointed Heir of all 'I'hings, Hcb. i. 2. God the Father, in the purfuit of the fovereign Purpofe of his Will, hath granted unto the Son, as Incarnate, and Mediator of the New Covenant, according to the eternal Counfel between them both, a fovereign Right or Heidhip, the Polfeffion of an ablolute Proprietor to dif– pofe of all Things at his Pleafure. IV. An Heir is the Support and Stay of a Family, all depend and rely upon him, the whole Efrate and Inheritance being his. V. An Heir is Lord of all, he bath Headfhip, Dominion and Power over all whatfoever he is the Heir of, whether Perfons or Things, one or more Kingdoms. See Gal. iv. I . IV. Chrifr is the only Support and Bearer-up of the whole Church by whom the whole Family in Heaven and Earth are named, fo all the Faithful depend and rely upon him for all Things; In whom are hid all the '.freofures of Wifdom anJ Knowledge, Col. ii. 3· It pleafed the Father that in him all Fulnets fhould dwell, John i. I4, I 6. V. Chrifr, who is the true and undoubted Heir, is Lord of all: 'fhat in all 'fhings he might have the Pre-eminence, All Power in Heaven and Earth is given to "''; the Father bath Jubjefled all 'fhings unto him, Matt. xxvii. I 8, I 9, 20. I Cor. xv. 27. And it is r"'fonable that Chrifr fhould have this fovereign Power and Head!hip; fince all Things were made by him and for him, it was meet he fhould be Lord ofall, Re~·. iv. I 1. Befides, this made good the Promife, made to Abraham, which was that his Seed fhould be Heir of the 'World. Moreover, hereby is the Grant of that Requefr of Chrifr to the Father; He jhall have the whole World for his Inheritance, the Ends of the Earth for his Pof!ef!ion, Pfal. ii. 8. He is both King of Saints, and King of Nations. 1. He is Lord over Angels, he is Head of Principalities and Powers, Thrones and Dominions ; he hath Power and Amhority over the good Angels, thefe are part of his Inheritance. Let all the Angels of God worjhip him. 2. He hath Pre-eminence and Dominion over the evil Angels, they Ay before him, He hatb JPoilld Principalities and Powers, &c. Col. ii. I 5. 3· He is the Head, and hath Pre-eminence over Men, he is Lord both of the Dead and Living; all the Elect are given to him, they are his in manifold Refpects,' Cllildren, Servants, Brethren, Difciples, Subjects, Spoufe, &c. Rem. xiv. 9· 4- The

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