CHRIST and the CHURCH OR PARALLELS IN THREE BOOKS In the first ye have the Harmony between Christ and the foregoing Types by which he was fore-shadowed in the Old Testament both Persons and Things In the second the Agreement between Christ and other Things to which he is compared in the holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament In the third the Agreement between the Church and the Types by which it was foreshadowed in the Old Testament and other Resemblances by which it is set forth in the holy Scriptures By HENRY VERTUE M. A. Rector of Alhallows Hony-lane Joh. 19 30. It is finished Joh. 4.26 I that speak unto thee am he Col. 3.11 Christ is all and in all Ecce elementa concutiuntur quia Dominus paetiebatur ipsorum Matth. 27.45 51. Caeterum adversario laeso coelum luminibus floruisset magis Sol radiis insultasset magis dies stetisset libenter spectans in patibulo pendentem Christum Marâ—ionis Tertul. cont Marc. l. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Christus tibi factus est omnia vestimentum mensa domus radix amicus sponsus frater pater caput Chrys to 1. hom 21. Cateches ad illuminandos London Printed by Tho. Roycroft 1659. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL MY HONORED PATRONS THE Aldermen Master Wardens and Assistants of the Right Worshipful Company of the Grocers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My ever Honored Patrons I Have more then once made my addresses to your worthy Society by way of Petition and never departed from you without satisfaction to my requests Give me leave now to make my address to you by way of gratitude In testimony whereof I make bold to present you with some fruit of my Studies Having observed in search of Divines Ancient and Modern many comparisons between our dear Saviour and the Types by which he was fore-signified to the Church of the old Testament and the cleering also of other resemblances by which in the old or new Testament he is set forth it came into my mind to make them Publick And acquainting some of my Brethren with my thoughts in this kinde I was much encouraged by them in this my purpose They judging it of singular use both to Demonstrate against the Jewes Jesus of Nazareth to be the true Messias foretold by the Prophets and also to set forth the usefulness of Christ and so to stirre up men both earnestly to desire him and to be seriously thankful for him Besides the help that it might afford to younger Preachers which in their apprehensions would be much Upon this encouragement I resolved to set my self to the business And this was my first intention yet Christ being the Head and Husband of the Church and the Church the Body and Spouse of Christ I thought it fit in the Third Book to acquaint the World with the Comparisons which in reading I had observed between the Church and the Types of it and other resemblances by which it is set forth in Scripture which also I hope that by reading ye shall finde not unuseful But there was yet one rub in my way and that is the complaint of Saint Paul Phil. 2. that all men seek their own and not the things that are Jesus Christs And even those also that should be as Midwives to help forward such Births even these among the rest I finde sick of this disease in which respect They will not undertake the Publishing of any mans Labours though never so useful except They may be sure to be great gainers by it whence it is that the World is deprived of many Monuments of Learning and Piety which otherwise we might have But this difficulty I was willing to leap over chusing rather to Publish it at least for so many Copies as I desired to have Printed upon my own account and at my own charge rather then to deprive any of any help how little soever it might be which at least in the apprehension of some of my Brethren this Treatise might afford unto them especially having withal this advantage by it namely an opportunity to leave a Publick Record both of your Love to me and of my Thankfulness to you One thing I shall desire of you that if in reading you shall finde any fault by which the sence may be obscured you would be pleased to look to the end of the Treatise where you shall find the faults Corrected I have no more to say but onely to desire your favourable acceptance of my weak indeavours and to believe that I am as indeed I am From my Study March 1658 9. Your faithful servant in our Common Saviour HENRY VERTUE The names of the Authors cited in this Treatise A Insworth Ambrosius Arnobius Athanasius Augustinus Author operis imperfecti in Matthaeum Basilius magnus Basilius Seleucia Bernardus Beza Brightmannus Broughton Bucanus Bullingerus Calvinus Cartwrightus Chrysostomus Cicero Clemens Alexandrinus Ferus Fulgentius Googe Goulartius Gregorius Magnus Gregor Nazianzenus Gregor Nyssenus Herodotus Hieronymus Hilarius Pictaviensis Homerus Horatius Jansenius Iraenaeus Junius Justinus Martyr Lactantius Lubbertus Lutherus Macarius Aegyptius Marloratus Mason Seb. Meyer Mollerus Paraeus Pemble Prosper Aquitanicus Ribera Rivetus Rollocus Sadeel Scarpius Scultetus Sibs Simlerus Simsonus Tertullianus Theodoretus Tremellius Vsserius Weemse Whitakerus Winclemannus Wotton Xenophon Zanchius Zuinglius A brief Survey of the whole Treatise LIB I. Christ compared with TYPES PERSONAL Adam Pag. 2 Abel Pag. 6 Seth Pag. 6 Lamech Pag. 6 Henoth Pag. 7 Methuselah Pag. 7 Noah Pag. 8 Melchisedech Pag. 8 Isaac Pag. 10 Jacob Pag. 12 Judah Pag. 14 Joseph Pag. 14 Moses Pag. 26 Aaron Pag. 35 The high Priest Pag. 39 Joshua Pag. 41 Jephte Pag. 43 Sampson Pag. 45 David Pag. 55 Salomon Pag. 60 Elisha Pag. 63 Jonah Pag. 65 Cyrus Pag. 70 Zerobabel Pag. 73 REAL Noahs Ark Pag. 75 Paschal Lamb Pag. 75 Manna Pag. 91 Holy place Pag. 99 Shewbread Pag. 99 The second Vail Pag. 101 Altar of burnt offering Pag. 103 The golden Censer Pag. 104 The Ark of the Covenant Pag. 105 Aarons rod. Pag. 108 The Mercy seat Pag. 109 The red Heifer Pag. 111 The brazen Serpent Pag. 118 The Temple Pag. 125 Hence three Corollaries 1. The rule of godliness alway the same p 126. 2. The rule of godliness is diversly administred p. 150. 3. Christ is the Messiah foretold by the Prophets p. 146. Christ set forth by other resemblances LIB II. Bread and Wine Pag. 161 Branch Pag. 171 Christians Pag. 174 Door Pag. 185 Eagle Pag. 191 Foundation Pag. 192 Grain of Mustardseed Pag. 206 Head Pag. 216 Hen Pag. 233 Husband Pag. 241 Lamb Pag. 254 Light Pag. 264 Lilly Pag. 272 Lion Pag. 274 Physitian Pag. 280 Shepherd Pag. 288 Stone Pag. 299 Sun Pag. 307 Vine Pag. 312 Way Pag. 327 Word Pag. 327 Worm Pag. 337 And the Church LIB III. Compared with Types Set out by other resemblances Noahs Ark Pag. 342 Tabernacle Pag. 351 Golden Candlestick Pag. 356 Ruth Pag. 365 Body Pag. 369 City on
cheer it is no other wise with us in this respect then it was with our dear Saviour and he by undergoing it in his own person hath sanctified and sweetened it to us so that we may count it blessed contempt And let this love of Christ submitting himself to such abasement for us so farre prevail with us as make us willing to submit our selves to any abasement for him for his cause and honour Choose we rather to have all men to trample on us and to be contemned and scorned at all hands then to omit any duty by which in our places we may honour him or to take any course that may tend to his dishonour Hath the Lord suffered such contempt for the servant and shall the servant be unwilling to suffer contempt for his Lord and Master God forbid Such contempt suffered for his honour will certainly bring us to glory and honour everlasting which God of his mercy grant us for the merit of that contempt which our dear Saviour hath undergone for us to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all Glory and Honour for ever Amen PARALLELS LIB III. CHAP. I. IN the two former Books we have seen the Parallels that concern Christ the Head and Husband of the Church the Parallels between Christ and the Types by which he was fore-signified to the Jewish Church both Persons and Things in the first Book and the Parallels between Christ and the other Resemblances by which he is set forth in the Old and New Testament in the second Book And now because the Church is the Mystical Body the Wife and Spouse of Christ they are therefore not to be divided for our Saviour hath given that Edict Matth. 19 Those whom God hath joyned together let no man put asunder Before therefore I make an end I shall in this third Book add the Parallels that concern the Church And here I shall observe the same method that I have observed in the former namely first to represent to your view the Parallels between the Church and those Types by which the Church was fore-signified in the Old Testament whether Things or Persons and then the Parallels between the Church and other Resemblances by which the Church is set forth in the Old or New Testament I. The Parallels between the Church and the Types by which it was fore-signified in the Old Testament And of these Types I shall take knowledg according to the order of Times in which they were exhibited and given The Church and Noah's Ark. The Fathers have many of them taken knowledg of the Parallel between these two and that in several respects I. In regard of the matter and structure of it And here Saint Austin notes the Resemblance in three things 1. The Ark was made of Gopher Wood 1. Arca fit ex ligno Gopher vel secundum LXX ex lignis quadratis Et Ecclesia de Sanctis construitur ad omne opus bonum semper paratis quadratum enim quocunque verteris firmiter stat or according to the Septuagint of Square Wood So the Church is built up of Saints prepared to every good work for Wood that is squared turn it which way you will stands firm And of this Resemblance Gregory the Great doth take knowledg Arca de lignis imputribilibus compingitur Ecclesia de omnibus in bono suo perseverantibus componitur To. 2. epist l. 9. In dict 4. ep 40. ad Isicium epist Hierosol 2. Bitumine glutinantur arcae ligna intrinsecus extrinsecus ut in compage unitatis significetur tolerantia charitatis ne solvatur vinculum pacis To. 6. cont Faust Manich. l. 11. c. 14. 3. Aditus arcae fit à latere nemo intrat in Ecclesiam nisi per sacramentum remissionis peccatorum hoc à latere Christi aperte manavit Ibid. cap. 16. The Ark says he was made of sound Wood not putrified and so the Church is made up of all that persevere in Goodness 2. The Ark was pitched within and without with pitch to teach us charitably to bear one with another that the bond of peace be not broken 3. The Door of the Ark must be made in the side of the Ark and none enters into the Church otherwise then by the Sacrament of the Remission of sins which issued openly out of the side of Christ II. In regard of the creatures taken into the Ark and here Saint Austin takes notice of two Particulars 1. Cuncta animalium genera in arca clauduntur sic omnes Gentes Ecclesia continet Ib. c. 14. There were in it all sorts of creatures so the Church contains all Nations And this I conceive to be further prefigured in the Ark in that not onely Sem from whom the Jews descended was in the Ark but also Japhet the Father of the Gentiles And Moses himself gives an hint of this in that having named the Sons of Japhet he adds By these were the Isles of the Gentiles divided in their Lands Gen. 10.5 c. And this doth Saint Paul clearly affirm for having asked the question Is he the God of the Jews onely Is he not also the God of the Gentiles Rom. 3.29 30 He answers Yea of the Gentiles also seeing it 's the same God that shall justifie the Circumcision by Faith and the Vncircumcision through Faith And this also would God teach Saint Peter by that Sheet let down from Heaven to him being in a Trance Acts 10.10 11 12 wherein were all manner of four-footed beasts of the Earth and wilde beasts and creeping things and fowls of the Ayr as there were in Noah's Ark. 2. That there were clean creatures and unclean in the Ark Munda immunda ibi erant animalia sicut in Ecclesiae sacramentis boni mali versantur Ibid. so both good and bad converse together in the Sacraments of the Church for such a mixture there hath been alway in the Militant Church Matth. 13 as of Wheat and Tares in the field of Grain and Chaff in the floor 2 Tim. 2 of good fish and bad in the net of Vessels of honor and dishonor in the great House Even when the Church was in the narrow bounds of a Family such a mixture there was We finde a Cain in Adams Family a Cham in Noahs Family an Ishmael in Abrahams Family an Esau in Isaacs Family much more easie it is to finde such mixture yea it 's impossible not to finde it when the bounds of the Church were more enlarged namely into a People Of the Jews God says by the Prophet You onely have I known of all the Families of the Earth Amos 3.2 yet among them that there was such a mixture Ezek. 22 Hosea 4.1 2 Jer. 5.1 c. it 's manifest by the Prophets reproving them for the abominable sins and wickedness of which they were guilty Much more is there such a mixture in the Church coming to be Catholique
us that it shall not be until the harvest in the end of the world and therefore let us be so wise Matth. 13. as not to look for it sooner Let it be enough for us that God whose decrees are as the Lawes of the Medes and Persians unalterable hath appointed this separation to be made and the Agents by whom it is to be made the Reapers the Angels and the time when it shall be made the Harvest in the end of the world and therefore let us not fail to expect it in the season of it and let this expectation comfort us against the present mixture that is in the Church and against the inconveniencies which seem to attend it Consider 2 Tim. 2. what hath been said and the Lord give you understanding in all things Thus I have by the help of God fulfilled the task which I undertook of Parallels in three Books In the first ye have seen the Parallels between the Lord Jesus Christ and the foresignifying Types of him both Persons and things In the second ye have seen the agreement between Christ and those other resemblances by which he is set forth either in the old or new Testament In the third the agreement between the Church and the Types by which it was fore-signified and other resemblances by which it s set forth in Scriptures The issue of all is that we all learn to carry our selves in a due manner to God to our dear Saviour to the Church and to our brethren the members of the Church according to the particulars exprest severally in these three Books And now to God alone Father Son and Holy Ghost Three in One and One in Three be ascribed all Honour and Glory Dominion and Might for ever and ever Amen FINIS Faults amended in the Book PAge 26 line 32. r. humane nature Moses p. 37 26. r. sins for ever sate p. 40. l. 25. r. Heb. 7. p. 77. l. 25. r. Bucanus p. 81. l. 30. r. to the meek the acceptable p. 72. l. 10. r. Merchant p. 93 l. 14 r. relish p. 94. l. 10. r. is offered p. 97. l. 34. r. one p. 115. l. 18. for it r. is p. 128. l 17. r. equalizing it for p. 129. 10 r. Christian Religion p 154. l. 13. r. prayer p. 156. l. 15. r. received grace p. 157. l. 10. r. justice of God p. 188. l. 21. r. into p 201. l. 21. r. tear p. 212. ult r. among p. 273. l. 33. r. sent p. 313. l. 7. r. first p. 359. l. 13. r. stands in p. 367. l. 1. r. Magnifico's p. 402. l. 24. r. how great p. 404. 35. r. Priest Faults amended in the margine Page 21. l. 18. r. flecteretur p. 19. l. 1. r. Pharaoni p. 38. l. 1. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 66. l. 5. r. mittitur p. 67. antepen r. ejiciendus p. 68. ver fin r. Deo gratias Presbyt p. 73. l. 13. r. De trib p. 78. l. 16. r. similis p. 79. l. 5. r. meritis p. 80. l. 20. r. consolata sunt me p. 94. l. 14. r. colligi p. 113. l. 9. r. lignum l. 17. r. tanquam l. 29. r. congregabit p. 177. l. 19. r. Christi l. 25. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 211. l. 2. r. malo 114. l. 12. r. Synagogae p. 249. l. 24. r. deputemus pro patria p. 265. l. 22. r. visibilis p. 273. l. 12 13. r. ascensio quid horum p. 293. l. 11. r. est Deus p. 319. l. 10. r. ligari p. 320. l. 13. r. carnem p. 321. l. 17. r. salientis p. l. 31. r. perfudit p. 338 l. 9. r. assignare l. 9 10. r. pulicem p. 353. l. 15. r. intelligeremus p. 381. l. 7. r. haereticorum
to the Mercy-seat Hence we may see the Antiquity of Christian Religion It is true that the Doctrine of Salvation by Christ which is the sum of the Gospel and of Christian Religion hath been frequently charged with novelty as a new and upstart Doctrine But how unjustly may easily appear from that which hath been said for if the rule of godlinesse hath alway been the same from the begining how can it be agreeable to truth or equity thus to impute novelty to it And the more to discover the falshood of this charge hear we what the Scripture saies of the transcendent Antiquity of it hear we our Saviour equalizing for Antiquity with all the holy Prophets Joh. 5.39 Search the Scriptures saies he for they testifie of me Here by the Scriptures he means the Books of the old Testament for then there were no other Books of Scriptures then Christian Religion must needs be as ancient as the Books of the old Testament Act. 3.24 Consonant to this is that of St. Peter All the Prophets from Samuel and those that followed after as many as have spoken have likewise foretold of these daies And that in his Sermon to Cornelius Act. 10.43 To him bear all the Prophets witnesse that through his name whosoever believes in him shall receive remission of sins And what is more properly a Doctrine of Christian Religion then that mentioned by St. Peter then must Christian Religion needs be as Ancient as the Prophets yea as Samuel But our Saviour rises yet higher while he sayes to the Jewes Joh. 5.46 If yee had believed Moses yee would have believed me for he wrote of me then Christian Religion must needs be as ancient as Moses of whose Antiquity Justin Martyr bears witnesse saying Moses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Omnibus vestris sive sapientientibus sive Poetis sive Philosophis sive historicis legis-latoribus antiquior fuit primus religionis nostrae Doctor Moses Cohort ad Graecos the first teacher of our Religion was more ancient then all your Wisemen or Poets or Philosophers or Historians and Law-givers how ancient then is Christian Religion And yet our Saviour rises higher Abraham saies he saw my day a far off and rejoyced Joh. 8.56 then is our Christian as old as Abraham But I may go one step higher and tell you that it s as old as Adam for even to him did God utter that sentence Gen. 3.15 The seed of the woman shall break the serpents head which is a main Doctrine of the Gospel and a ground-work of Christian Religion But St. Paul goes a step higher and higher we cannot go in that he saies of the Gospel 1 Cor. 2.7 that its the wisdome of God in a Mystery 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which God ordained before the world Incomparable antiquity And hear we St. Austin asserting the Antiquity of Christian Religion That very thing which is called Christian Religion saies he Res ipsa quae nunc dicitur Christiana religio erat apuà antiquos nec defuit ab initio humani generis quousque Christus veniret in carne unde vera religio quae jam erat coepit appellari Christiana Retract l. 1. was among the Ancients neither was it wanting in the world from the first rise of mankind till the coming of Christ from which time it was first called Christian Irenaeus also affirms the same Our faith saies he Fides nostra ante circumcisionem fuit in Abraham in reliquis justis qui placuere Deo Adversus haereses l. 4. c. 42. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Non ex quo tempore in carne apparuit Christus Evangelium incepit sed multo ante in propheticis literis radices egit tandemque Apostolorum praedicatione effloruit Tom. 6. serm de uno legislat was in Abraham before he was circumcised and so in all other righteous persons that pleased God And so St. Chrysostome The Gospel saies he had not its begining then when Christ came first in the flesh but it had taken root a great while before in the writings of the Prophets and then at last it flourished in the preaching of the Apostles And elsewhere The Apostle saies not The righteousnesse of God is given Non dixit Justitia data est sed manifestata 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. novitatis crimen amovens quod enim manifestatum est ut vetus occultum manifestatur Et ob hoc ipsum aettexuit dum comprobatur testimonio legis prophetarum q. d. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Ne quia nunc data est tumultuenis ne turberis quasi res fit nova peregrina eam enim tum lex tum Prophetae jam inde ab initio praedixerunt In Rom. hom 7. sc in rom 3.21 but it s made manifest that he might wipe off the crime of novelty for that which is made manifest is made manifest as being ancient and hidden And therefore he adds Being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets as if he had said Be not troubled because it s now given as if it were some new and uncouth businesse for both the Law and the Prophets even from the begining have foretold it Ye see then of how great Antiquity the Gospel is and Christian Religion discovered in it and consequently how causelessely novelty is objected to it CHAP. XXIII COROL II. HEnce also we see that the Rule of Godlinesse though it be alway one and the same for substance is yet suteable to several times diversly administred Regula pietatis varie administrata It was first made known in some select Families to some select Persons as to Adam Seth c. Noah c Abraham Isaac Jacob and this was while the Church was in familia in the narrow bounds of a Family namely till the children of Israel grew into a People and so it was for the term of 2000 years and somewhat more In which time the Rule of Godlinesse was handed over from Father to Son by Tradition and dilivered by word of mouth without writing And in this time the Rule of Godlinesse the Doctrine of Christ was still cleerer and cleerer for first it s said Gen. 3.15 Gen. 9.26 In loc that he should be the seed of the woman Noah foretels that he should be of Shem Blessed saies he be the God of Shem that is saies Ainsworth Christ who came of Shem according to the flesh Rom 9.5 but is also God over all blessed for ever Amen But because Shem had divers Sons therefore God gives a clearer discovery to Abraham while he tells him Gen. 12.3 that in him all the Families of the Earth should be blessed and afterwards that in his seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed Gen. 22.18 In which he tells him that he by whom blessednesse should come to the world should be his seed and come from him But Abraham also had many sons and
Rom. 3.1 2 or what profit is there of Circumcision he returns this Answer Very much every way chiefly because to them were committed the Oracles of God But to the Ephesians as Gentiles and consequently to all the Gentiles in them he says At that time namely before they had received the Faith of Christ ye were without Christ being Aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel Eph. 2.12 and strangers from the Covenant of Promise having no Hope and without God in the World And in this respect he says to the Ephesians Ye were Darkness Eph. 5.8 namely while they remained in their Gentilism Thus it was once but how is it now Hear the Apostle Tit. 2.11 The Grace of God hath appeared to all men Rom. 10.12 for there is now no difference in this respect of Jew and Greek Gal. 3.28 but Jew and Greek are all one in Christ Jesus Or if there be any difference between them it is this That Blindness is in part happened to Israel Rom. 11.25 but the Gentiles have their eyes opened Acts 26.18 and are brought from Darkness to Light and therefore the Apostle says to the Ephesians Now are ye light in the Lord Eph. 5.8 and to the Thessalonians Ye are all the Children of the Light 1 Thes 5.5 and Children of the Day we are not of the Night nor of Darkness So that that double sign given to Gideon is here accomplished The knowledg of the Rule of Godliness was given to the Jews and denyed to all the rest of the World as the dew fell on the fleece Judg. 6.38 when all the floor was dry but now it 's granted to the Body of the Gentiles and denyed to the Jews for the generality of them as the whole floor was filled with dew and the fleece is dry Verse 40 Saint Chrysostom takes notice of this difference 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Vetus canticum unius populi finibus circumscriptum erat sed novum per omnem terram incedit ab universo decantatur orbe To. 3. Hom. in Psal 96. The old Song says he was confined in the bounds of one little Country namely Palestine but the new Song goes through the whole Earth and is sung by the whole World Let us Gentiles be sensible of the great Mercy of God shewed unto us in that we who were far are now brought nigh by the blood of Christ We that were once strangers and foreigners Eph. 2.13 1◠are now made fellow Citizens of the Saints and of the Houshold of God We that once sat in darkness Matth. 4.16 and in the region of the shadow of death have had the Light shining upon us How forlorn was our Condition before how great is our Preferment now Harken we now to that Prophetical Exhortation of David O praise the Lord Psalm 117.1 all ye Nations praise him all ye People Time was when the Jews justly contended with us Gentiles for a sole interest in God as the Servants of Abimelech with the Servants of Isaac about those two Wells Gen. 26.20 21 Esek and Situah saying The Wells are ours and the Water is ours so they said God is ours and his Word is ours what have ye Gentiles to do to claim an interest in either Verse 22 At last Isaac's Servants found a Well about which there was no contention and they called it Rehoboth saying God hath made room for us in the Land and so may we Gentiles say Now hath God made room for us in the Church and now we have as deep an interest in God and in his Word as ever the Jews had Fail we not therefore to praise God for his Mercy unto us 3. There is yet another difference in the Administration of this Rule of Godliness scil That it is now more clearly revealed to us then it was to the Jews in the Time of the Old Testament It was then propounded to them in dark Types and obscure Prophesies but to us the Types are vanished and the shadows are fled away so that we may with open face behold the Glory of God 2 Cor. 3.18 Saint Paul takes notice of this difference To this day says he remains the Vail untaken away in the reading of the Old Testament Verse 14 which Vail is taken away in Christ. And this is noted in that The Vail of the Temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom Matth. 27.51 at the Death of Christ and elsewhere he says The Mystery was kept secret since the World began Ro. 16.25 26 but is now made manifest and made known to all Nations And so Saint Chrysostome The Writings of the Prophets says he are like Riddles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Aenigmatibus similes sunt prophetici libri multisque difficultatibus obseptum est vetus Testamentum nec faciles intellectu sunt libri facilius autem dilucidius est Novum To. 3. de Prophetiar obscurit Homil. 1. Gratia novi Testamenti in lege velabatur in Evangelio revelatur Tom. 8. in Psal 144. In Vetere Testamento novum latet in nove vetus patet To. 4. quaest in Exod. q. 73. Testamenta eadem sunt in vetere in novo ibi obumbrata hic revelata ibi praefigurata hic manifestata non solum enim sacramenta diversa sunt sed promissa ibi videntur temporalia proponi quibus spirituale praemium occulte significatur hic autem manifestissime proponuntur spiritualia aeterna Tom. 4. super Numeros q. 33. Quae in Veteri Testamento minus perspicua sunt jam nunc illustrata solvuntur quae umbris adhuc futurarum rerum opacabantur jam factarum luce manifestantur To. 6. Cont. faust l. 13. c. 10. and the Old Testament is hem'd in with obscurity and the Books of the Old Testament are not easie to be understood but the New Testament is more easie and clear And so Saint Austin The Grace of the new Testament was vailed in the Law and is revealed in the Gospel And again In the old Testament the new lyes hid in the new Testament the old is laid open And again The Testaments are the same saies he in the old and in the new but there shadowed here revealed there prefigured here manifested for not alone the Sacraments are divers but also there temporal promises seem to be propounded by which the spiritual reward is in an hidden way signified but here Spiritual and Eternal rewards are most manifestly set forth And again ' The things which are lesse Perspicuous in the old Testament are illustrated and cleared now and the things that were darkned with the shadowes of things to come are manifested by the light of the things already done To this which hath been said as a ground of the foregoing difference I shall add 4. Another and that the last difference in the administration of this rule of godlinesse which is that
finde any other of whom all these things are true And therefore it follows necessarily that Jesus of Nazareth is the true Messiah and none other Tertullian also proves Jesus to be the Messias from the conversion of the Gentiles Behold Aspice omnes Nationes de voragine erroris humani exinde emergentes ad Deum Creatorem ad Deum Christi si audes nega Prophetatum Psa 2.8 Dabo tibi Gentes c. Isa 42.6 In lucem Gentium Quae si per Christum eveniunt non in alium erant prophetata quam per quem eveniunt Contr. Marcion l. 3. saies he all Nations rising from the gulfe of humane error to God the Creator to the God of Christ and if you dare deny it to be Prophesied I will give thee the Heathen for thy Possession c. Psal 2.8 and Isa 42.6 I wil give thee for a Covenant of the people for a light of the Gentiles which things if they come to passe by Christ they are not foretold of any other then of him by whom they come to passe And a little after he proves it by an Argument taken from Gods severity against the Jews for having spoken of the Evils that befell them he infers If these things happened to the Jews for Christ Si propter Christum haec acciderunt Judaeis non potuit Creator ulcisci nisi Christum suum remuneraturus potius Judaeos si adversarium Domini sui peremissent Certe si nondum venerit Christus Creatoris propter quem haec passuri praedicantur cum venerit ergo patientur Et ubi tunc filia Sion derelinquenda quae hodie nulla est ubi civitates exurendae quae jam in tumulis ubi Gentis dispersio quae jam extorris Redde statum Judaeis quem Christus Creatoris inveniat contende alium venisse Ibid. the Creator could not avenge any but his own Christ he would rather have rewarded the Jews if they had slain the Adversary of their Lord. Certainly if the Christ of the Creator be not yet come of whom it is foretold that they should suffer such things therefore when he shall come they shall suffer these things And where shall there be a Daughter of Sion to be left which at this day is not Where the Cities to be burnt which are already in their Graves Where a Nation to be dispersed which is already banisht out of their Country Restore to the Jews a state which the Creators Christ may finde and then look for another Messiah He doth also prove it by another Argument taken from the things that happened at the Death of Christ related by the Evangelist Matth. 27.45.51 Behold says he all the Elements are moved Ecce elementa concutiuntur quia Dominus ipsorum patiebatur Caeterum adversario laeso coelum luminibus floruisset magis Sol radiis insultasset magis dies stetisset libenter spectans in patibulo pendentem Christum Marcionis Contr. Marc. l. 4. because their Lord suffered But if it had been his Adversary that had suffered Heaven would have flourished with Lights the Sun would rather have insulted with his Beams the Day would rather have stood at a stay as willing to behold Marcions Christ hanging on the Cross Hear also how Athanasius argues the case They says he that see the Works of the Messias done by Christ Qui vident opera Messiae per Christum patrata illum tamen Messiam promissum fuisse negant simile quiddam faciunt acsi quis terram quidem à Sole illuminatam videat Solem tamen terrae illuminatorem non videat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Quid autem ille qui apud ipsos in expectatione erat cum veniret facere debuit Vocare Gentes at jam vocatae sunt Facere ut cessarent Rex Prophetae Visio at jam facta sunt Idolorum superstitionem refutare at jam refutata sunt Mortem abolere at jam abolita est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quid ergo factum non est quod oportuit Christum facere aut quid restat quod non sit impletum To. 1. de Incarn Verbi and yet deny him to be the promised Messias do as if a man should see the Earth enlightened by the Sun and yet not see the Sun the Enlightner of the Earth And what was he to do who was expected by them to come as the Messiah when he shall come To call the Gentiles but they are already called To cause that the King the Prophets and the Vision should cease but they are already made to cease To cast away the superstition of Idols but it 's already cast away To abolish Death but it 's already abolish'd What therefore is not done which it behoved Christ to do What remains yet to do which is not done Much more might I add in this kinde but this which I have said may very well suffice to prove it against all gainsayers That Christ is the Messias foretold by the Prophets Oh then the fearful blindness of the Jews yea wilful blindness Rom. 3.2 They had the Oracles of God committed to them even the Books of the Old Testament in which are contained many Types and many Prophesies of Christ all which are in him fulfilled and yet they see not namely because they will not see this Christ to be the Messiah foretold by the Prophets and who is so blinde as he that wilfully shuts his eyes and so it happens to them Isai 6.10 that seeing they see not and hearing they hear not neither do they understand according to that Prophesie and hence issue all those acts of unkindness against our blessed Saviour He came to his own and his own received him not John 1 11 Acts 3.15 Matth. 27 1 Cor. 2.8 they killed the Prince of Life they preferred Barrabas before him they crucified the Lord of Glory they sent that message after him We will not have this man to reign over us Luke 19 Oh unspeakable senslessness hear how guilty they are Saint Ambrose compares them with the Centurion preferring him before them The Centurion says he doth acknowledg Christ a stranger Centurio agnoscit alienum Levita non recognoscit suum Gentilis veneratur Judaeus abjurat To. 4. de interpell l. 1. cap. 5. the Priest acknowledges not Christ being one of his own A Gentile worships him the Jew abjures him The same Father elsewhere compares them with the Thief on the Cross preferring him before them Latro Christum in suppliciis agnovit suis quem isti in beneficiis non agnoverunt In Psa 40. The Thief says he acknowledged Christ in his Evils which he suffered they acknowledged not Christ in the Benefits which they received from him Hear Saint Austin setting out the wilful blindness of the Jews in this respect The Jews says he hold the Law they hold the Prophets they read all they sing all Tenent Judaei Legem tenent Prophetas legunt omnia cantant omnia Prophetarum
more in favour with God then we can hope to be But then what shall we need to look to any other besides Christ for as St. Ambrose saies well Who is dearer to the Father Quis charior Patri filio de quo ipse Pater dixit Hic est filius meus dilectus in quo mihi complacitum est In Rom. 1. then the Son of whom the Father himself saies This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Who will make use of the mediation of any Courtier to the King when he hath the Kings dearest Son to intercede for him He is fully and richest furnished in his humane nature with all gifts by which he is fitted for the execution of his threefold Office what then should hinder but that we should fully rest upon his mediation upon his Kingly power to defend us against all enemies upon him as a Prophet to instruct us in all things needfull to be known believed and done to salvation upon him as a Priest by his death on the Cross to obtain pardon of sins reconciliation and peace with God and finally everlasting salvation and by vertue of his intercession at his Fathers right hand to speed in our prayers and to be accepted in our praises and thanksgivings and in all acts of Holinesse and Righteousnesse and Charity which in obedience to his command we endeavour to perform But further in this name Messiah or Christ it s implied as we have heard that he hath made us Kings and Priests and Prophets let us therefore walk as such let us carry our selves as Kings not giving way to our lusts but labouring to subdue them as Kings strive to subdue Rebels rising against them Mortifie saies the Apostle your members on the earth Col. 3 5 1 Pet. 2.5 Psal 141.2 Heb. 12.15 Heb. 13.16 Rom. 12.1 Psal 51.17 Let us behave our selves as Priests offering up spiritual Sacrifices the Sacrifice of Prayer the Sacrifice of Praise the Sacrifice of Almes the Sacrifice of our Bodies the Sacrifice of a broken and contrite Spirit What becomes Christians better being spiritual Priests then to offer up these spiritual Sacrifices daily finally let us do the workes of Prophets Col. 3.16 Heb. 10.24 Heb. 3.13 1 Thess 4.18 Jude Ver. 20 teaching and admonishing one another considering one another to provoke to love and good works exhorting one another daily comforting one another and in general Edifying one another in our most holy faith Finally As hath been said in this name Messiah or Christ it s implied that from him grace is conveyed unto every member of the Church rendring them able to serve and honour God and to be useful to others Let us therefore wanting grace in any kinde or measure seek to Christ for it and by an act of faith draw from his fulnesse grace for grace Having grace in any kind or degree let us be humble not arrogating any praise to our selves for it but giving the glory of it to Christ from whom we have received it and saying with the Psalmist Not to us Lord not to us Psal 115.1 but to thy name give the glory And finally having received from Christ whatsoever grace we have in whatsoever proportion it be let us employ it to the advantage of Christs honour by using it to the benefit of others for there is reason that what we receive from Christ we should use it to his honour from whom we have received it and answer his expectation in the use of it now what his expectation is 1 Cor. 12.7 the Apostle tells us saying That the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every one to profit withall And thus using the grace which is given us we shall provide for the honour of Christ while we shall give them occasion to blesse Christ that hath given such gifts unto men And now shall Christ say to us at that great day Matth. 25. Well done good and faithful servant PARALLELS LIB II. CHAP. I. HAving in the former Book dispatched the Parallels between Christ and the Types by which he was fore-shadowed in the Old Testament I shall now in this Book present you with the Parallels between him and those other Resemblances by which he is set forth in the Old or in the New Testament And in laying them down I shall not stand upon any accurate Division but onely observe the Alphabetical Order Christ compared with Bread and Wine Thus doth our Saviour set forth himself and that in regard of his flesh and blood for so he says plainly I am the Bread of Life and then he adds John 6.35 48 The Bread that I will give is my flesh John 6.51 which I will give for the Life of the World And therefore in the first Institution of the blessed Eucharist Our blessed Saviour took Bread Matth. 26.26 and said of it This is my Body Not that it was properly his Body for there is a vast difference between them nor that it was by Transubstantiation changed into his Body for even when it comes to the act of eating it remains still Bread but the word is is as much as it signifies And so Tertullian expounds the words Christ says he taking Bread Christus acceptum panem distributum Discipulis suis corpus suum illum fecit dicendo Hoc est corpus meum i. e. figura corporis mei Contr. Marc. l. 4. Haec oblatio figura est corporis sanguinis Christi De Sacra l. 4. c. 5. Non dubitavit Dominus dicere Hoc est corpus meum cum signum daret corporis sui Tom. 6. contr Adimant c. 12. and distributing it to his Disciples made it his Body saying his is my Body that is a figure of my Body And so Saint Ambrose This Oblation says he is a figure of the Body and Blood of Christ And so Saint Austin The Lord did not doubt to say This is my Body when he gave the sign of his Body And this was in regard of the excellent harmony between the Body of Christ and Bread between the Blood of Christ and Wine which ye may see in sundry Particulars I. In some common Things As 1. Bread and Wine are necessary things there is no living without them we are taught to pray for Bread as the staff of our lives All Bread and no Drink or all Drink and no Bread were either of them unkindly Hear we what the Psalmist says Wine to cheer the heart of man Psalm 104.15 and Bread to strengthen mans heart All the Wealth of the World would do a man small pleasure if he were debarred of the use of either or both of these So the Body and Blood of Christ are of absolute necessity to a Christian there is no possibility of living eternally without these It is most true that our Saviour says If any man eats of this Bread Iohn 6.51 he shall live for ever and it 's no less true of drinking
are 2. A City hath Towers and the Towers of this City the Church are the Prophets for as from the Towers Darts are shot against all enemies so from the bookes of the Prophets examples of truth are set forth against the vain fables of the Heathen and against the wild and unsound disputes of Hereticks 3. A City hath gates And these gates of the Church are the Apostles because as by the gates men enter into the Cities so ' by the ministery of the Apostles the whole people namely of Jewes and Gentiles enters into the faith of Christ 4. A City hath Wals and these Wals are the Doctors of the Church of which the Prophet saies The Sons of strangers shall build thy Wals because being called from among the Gentiles they were made Priests or ministers and Governours of the Church for as the Wals of a City so these undergo the violence of Heathens and Hereticks who by frequent presecutions as by so many battering-rams batter the Clergy these Walls of this City the Church To which add 5. A City hath Priviledges and Immunities which are common to all and belong onely to them that are free of the City And no lesse hath the Church her Priviledges and Immunities which equally and alike belong to all the members of the Church Act. 10.34 be they Jewes or Gentiles high or low rich or poor male or female bond or free for God is no accepter of persons and are proper and peculiar to them If any be strangers from the Church they have nothing to do with any of these Priviledges Would any know what these Priviledges are Let him consult with the Apostles Creed and there shall he finde these recorded 1. Communion of Saints of holy men and Angels with God and of holy men and Angels mutually among themselves by vertue of our Communion with God we have liberty to Pray to God and by prayer to receive from God all needful blessings for soul and body in this life and no less by this Communion with God have we hope to live for ever with God in glory and happiness everlasting By vertue of our Communion with the Angels we share in the benefits of their ministration in all kindes in this life and hereafter we shall be like the Angels sharing with them in the glory of Heaven By vertue of our Communion with holy men we have an interest in their prayers and in all the abilities with which God hath furnisht them and shall live together with them in Heaven A rare priviledge 2. Remission of sins by which upon our unfeigned repentance we are freelie for Christs sake absolved and acquitted from the guilt and punishment of all our sins though never so many though never so great A rare Priviledge happy is he that hath it for so saies the Psalmist blessed is he Psal 32.1 whose iniquity is forgiven c. 3. Resurrection of the body and Life Everlasting Resurrection to Life Everlasting though the body falls in death yet it shall be raised again though in death the soul takes leave of the body for a time yet they shall meet again and be reunited And not onely so for this shall be common to all men the bodies of all shall be raised and in all there shall be a reunion of soul and body but whereas to some there shall be a Resurrection of Damnation Joh. 5.29 to the Church it shall be a Resurrection to Life whereas some shall rise to shame and everlasting contempt all the true members of the Church shall awake to everlasting Life Dan. 12.2 Lastly it s observed here by the forenamed Author that this Citie is set upon an hill that is the Apostles Prophets and all other Doctors of and Faithful in the Church are built upon Christ who is the onely Foundation for Christ is that Mountain of which the Prophet saies Dan. 2.35 That it filled the whole Earth And this sense is pious But yet I conceive another thing rather to be intended by our blessed Saviour in this place namely that as a City built upon an Hill cannot be hid but is conspicuous and seen a farre off so neither can the Conversation and Actions of the Church and the members of it be so secretly carried but that it will come to the cognizance and knowledge of others so that if it be pious God shall be honoured by it and from any sinful and scandalous behaviour of the members of the Church it cannot be but that God shall be dishonoured by it as Saint Paul saies Through you is the name of God blasphemed among the Gentiles Rom. 2.24 See the high preferment of all Godly Christians in that they are made members of the Church and so free Denizons of this great City of God who counts it not a great matter to be a Freeman of some great City in the World so it was counted to be a Citizen of Rome they that were so gloried not a little in it they that were not so thought it not much to purchase it with a great summe of mony much more is it an honour to be members of the Church for what City in the World hath Priviledges and Immunities comparable to the Priviledges of the Church named before Blesse God for this high Honour and Preferment and as he hath honoured you so be ye careful to honour him and fearful to do any thing that may tend to His dishonour avoid all scandalous sins especially Phil 1.27 and Let your conversation be such as becomes the Gospel and as our Saviour enjoynes us Let your Lights so shine before men that they seeing your good Works Matth. 5.16 may glorifie your Father that is in Heaven CHAP. VII The Church and a Dove SO our Saviour speaks to his Church Open to me Cant. 5.2 my sister my love my Dove my undefiled So he speaks of her My Dove my undefiled is but one Cant. 6 9 she is the onely one of her Mother Saint Bernard observes two particulars in which the Church resembles a Dove The Church saies he Ecclesia columba est quia innocens est quia gemens est In Cant. ser 62. is a Dove 1. Because the Dove is innocent and harmless and indeed this to be eminent in the Dove appears by that passage of our Saviour Be innocent as Doves Matth. 10.16 which implies that the Dove is eminently innocent as the Serpent is the wisest of the beasts of the field Gen. 3.1 whom our Saviour wills his hearers to be like in wisdome so is the Church so are all godly Christians the members of the Church innocent and harmlesse they can finde in their hearts to suffer wrongs to put up injuries but they cannot with patience think of wronging others This is one thing by which David describes a member of the Church the question being Lord who shall enter into thy Tabernacle Psal 15.1 Vers 3. c. the answer is in