An Expofition (Me C H A P. IL That this is thepriviledge thereof, and that it is a great and bleffed priviledge, will both appear in our confederation of what it is, and wherein it doth confift. And among many other things, thefe enfuing are contained therein. I. That the LordChriff is our Head. So it was promifed ofold, that their King/bould paff before them, and the Lord on the bead ofthem, Mic. 2. 13. He (hall be their King Head and Ruler. God hath nowgathered all things, all the things ofhis Church, into anHead in Chrift , Ephef t. to. They were all fcattered and diforderedby fn,' but are now all recolleüed and brought into order under one Head. Him hath he given to be Head over all things unto the Church, verfi22: Thewhole Sovereignty over all the wholeCreation that is committed unto him, isonly for this end, that he may be the more perfe& andglorious Head to the Church. He is that Head on which the whole body hath its orderly and regular dependance, Ephef. 4. 15, Id. The bead of the, body the Church, Col. I. t 8. The bead ofevery man, that is of every believer, r Cor. 11..3. Ephef. 5. z3. And this is every where propofed both as our great Honour, and our great Advantage. Tobe united unto him, fubje&id unto him as our Head, .gives us both honour and fafety. What greater honour can we have, than to be free-men of that Corporation whereof he is theHead, than to be fubjefts of his Kingdom ? What greater fafety than to be united unto him infcparably, who is in Glory, inve(ted with allPower and Authority over the whole Creation of God, every thing that maydo us good orevil. 2: That he is our only Head. The Church is fo put in fubjelïion unto the Lord Chrill,as not to befubjeti unto anyother. It is true, the Members of theChurch, as t men on the earth haveother Relations, in refpe whereof they are, or may bejabjedl one toanother ; Children unto Parents, Servants unto Maters, People unto Rulers; but as they are Members ofthe Church, they are fubjeâ unto Cbriji and none other: Ifanyother were or might be an Head unto them,they mutt be Angels or men. As for Angels,we have it here plainlytcflified,that the Church is not made fubjedl in any thing unto them. And amongft men, theApoflllesof all others might Rem to lay the jufteff claim to this Priviledge and Honor. But they openly difclaim any pretence thereunto. Sodoth Pául,ZCor. t.24.We haveno Dominion,Rule,Lordfhip,HeadJhip,overyourfaith,. any thing that concerns your obedienceto God, and your Worfhip,bat are helpersofyour joy. And again faith he, We preach not our _elves but jefus Chrift, the L'ed, the only Lord, andourflves your fervams for jefes fake, 2 Cor. q. 5. AndTeter as it (hould feem fore- feting that force who fhçuld come after would pretend unto fuch Prebeminence, warns the Eldersthat they fhould not think themfelves Lords over Gods heritage, I Pet. 5.3 And this they did in purfuit ofthe inflru&ions and charge which their Lord and Matter gave them, Matth. 23. 25, 16, 27. where he warns them, that they thould neither think ofDignity nor Dominionover the Church, but apply themfelves with all Humility unto the fervice ofit s for which heelfe.where àddes his reafon, namely that all his Difcipleshave one LordandMatter, andno more,, job.13. 13. Matth. 23. 9, to. Andit is a wouul confufon that the Papijtr run themfelves into in this' matter. For firtt, they put the whole Church into jehjeí"rionuntoa man, whom they call the Pope, the common Father and Malter ofCbriflians, the Head of the Church.; and then fubjeti both him and it unto Angels, in the Adoration and Invocation of them, the greateff .fubje&ion poflible; when the Scripture afligneth tise only Headofthe Church exprefly, even the Lord Jefus, and fully declares that it is not put in fubjeFtion unto Angels at all. But to pals themby, the Lord Chrilt is not only thus the only Head in general unto thewhole Church, but alfo unto every individual Believer in the Church ; The Head ofeveryman is Chrift t Cor. t t. 3. He isfo to every believer rejpeïlively and feverally ; and that in both thofefinks wherein he is an Head, that is according to thenatural andmetaphorical ufe.ofthe word : For, te He is the only HeadofVital Influence to the whole Church, and, every member thereof. As from the natural Head all influences of life, for fubfí(lence, motion, ailing, guidance and direction are communicated unto the wholebody, and to every member thereof: fo from the Lord Chrift alone, as he is the jpiritudl vital Head of the Church; in whom are the (prings of life and all quickning grace, there are com- municated unto the whole Church, and every believer therein, both the fernquick- ningvital principle oflife it fell, and all fucceeding fupplies and influences of grace, for the enlivening, ftrengthning, ailing, guiding anddireoîing of them. This himfelf declares by comparing the Relations ofall believers unto him, unto thatof branches unto the Vine;yob. 15. 2, 4. which have no life but by vertue oftheir unionUnto t he
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