e, being the natural Son of
God, is together with the Father, Lord of all things, saith Bullinger.

That this is the meaning will soon appear:--

1. From the scope of the place, which is to teach the Colossians not to
worship angels, because they are but servants, and the Son of God is their
Lord and Head.

2. The Apostle expounds himself how Christ is the head of all principality
and power: Col. i. 15-17, "Who is the image of the invisible God, the
first-born of every creature: for by him were all things created that are
in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be
thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; all things were
created by him, and for him: and he is before all things, and by him all
things consist." Now all this is, without controversy, to be understood
not of the office, but of the person of Jesus Christ; not of his governing
and kingly office, as he is Mediator, but to prove that he is true and
very God; therefore Beza, Zanchius, Gualther, Bullinger, Tossanus, M.
Bayne, and divers other interpreters upon the place, do generally agree
that the Apostle (ver. 15-17) speaks of the dignity and excellency of the
person of Jesus Christ, proving him to be true God; and that (ver. 18) he
cometh to speak of his office, as he is Mediator: "And he is the head of
the body, the church," &c. So that we may distinguish a twofold headship
of Jesus Christ: One, in regard of his Godhead,--and so he is head of all
principality and power; another, in regard of his office of
Mediatorship,--and so he is head of the church only. The present question
is of the latter, not of the former. The former is common to the Son of
God with the Father and the Holy Ghost; the latter is proper to Christ as
God and man. The former shall continue for ever; the latter shall not
continue for ever. The former doth not necessarily suppose the latter; but
the latter doth necessarily suppose the former. Christ can reign as God,
though he reign not as Mediator; but he cannot reign as Mediator and not
reign as God. The object of the former is every creature; the object of
the latter is the church gathered out of the world.

This digression concerning the headship of Jesus Christ may for the future
prevent divers objections, so I shall return.

And now (I desire all to consider it) there is not one word in those three
last verses of Eph. i. which will give any ground for that which the
brother with so much confi