lumen ibi non vident qui est Jesus Christus To. 8. in Psa 59. but they see not there the Light of the Prophets which is Jesus Christ The same Father elsewhere compares them with the Wise-men preferring the Wise men before the Jews Magorum illuminatio magnum testimonium extitit Judaeorum caecitatis In terra eorum isti requirebant eum quem illi in sua non agnoscebant Apud eos isti infantem invenerunt quem illi apud se negaverunt In his terris isti peregrini puerum Christum nondum verba promentem adoraverunt ubi cives illi juvenem miracula facientem crucifixere quasi plus fuerit videre novam stellam in ejus nativitate fulgentem quam Solem ejus in morte lugentem To. 10. de Temp. Ser. 30. The enlightening of the Wise-men says he is a clear argument of the blindness of the Jews They in the Jews Country sought him whom these acknowledged not in their own Country They found the Infant among them whom these denyed among themselves In this Country they being strangers worshiped Christ being a Childe not yet speaking a word where these Natives crucified him being a young man and working Miracles as if it were more to see a new Star shining in his Birth then to see the Sun mourning at his Death Saint Chrysostom also compares them with the Ninevites Illi quidem Barbari hi autem Judaei hi prophetica doctrina instituti fuerant illi ne fando quidem divina Oracula audiverant Ad illos Servus ad hos Dominus venit ille quidem excidium urbis denunciabat his autem regnum coelorum evangelizabat Ninevitis autem credentibus Judaei non crediderunt To. 2. Ser. cont Ignavia whom he prefers before the Jews Those says he were Barbarians these were Jews and these were instructed in the Doctrine of the Prophets those had not so much as heard the report of the Divine Oracles And to them a Servant to these the Lord came and the Servant threatened the downfall of the City but the Lord brought to these the joyful Tydings of the Kingdom of Heaven and yet whereas the Ninevites believed the Iews did not believe Elsewhere also the same Father compares the Iews with the Samaritans in this respect preferring the Samaritans before them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Samaritani quidem mulieris testimonio fide adhibita nullo signo confirmati Christo obviam fiunt rogant ut apud ipsos moretur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Judaei autem tot miraculis admoniti non modo non retinent sed expellere conantur Eorum autem gratia in mundum venit ipsi tamen expulerunt hi ut maneat petunt In Joan. Hom. 34. The Samaritans indeed says he giving credit to the testimony of the Woman not confirmed by any Miracle go out to meet Christ and desire him to abide with them But the Iews warned by so many Miracles not onely keep him not but also strive to drive him away And he came for their sakes into the World yet they drive him out but these beseech him to abide with them Oh the fearful blindness and horrid ingratitude of the Jewish Nation Who shall not wonder at the grievous Evils that have befaln them Who shall accuse God of injustice for this 1 Thes 2. The Wrath of God says the Apostle is come upon them to the utmost and yet we have cause to subscribe to that Confession of the Psalmist Righteous art thou O Lord Psa 119.137 and just are thy judgments But let us pity the Jews They are our elder Sister how can we see them enwrap'd in such misery and not commiserate their condition for though they themselves are mute and say nothing yet their case seems to cry out as he did in his distresses Job 19.21 Have pity upon me have pity upon me O my Friends And if they so well like of their present condition as to think that they need no pity we may say to them as Saint Bernard writes to one If ye think that ye need not pity Si tibi minime videreris dolendus ideo magis dolendus Epist 151. ye are the more to be pityed Though therefore they should in scorn laugh at our pity yet let us not fail to pity them for so if we have any sense of humanity we can pity and weep over a Friend laboring under Phrenzy or Madness though he as sensless of his distemper laughs and sings and shouts and skips about But let not our pity be idle but operative shewing it self by serious endeavors for their Conversion to Christ To that end having occasion to deal with them or to converse among them let us look to our Conversation 1 Pet. 2.12 that we do not in any kinde cast a stumbling block before them but make it honest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beautiful that we may thereby draw them to a love and liking of our Profession that whereas they speak evil of us as of evil doers they may glorifie God and Christ in the day of their Visitation And let us all pray for their Conversion pray we that God would pour upon the House of David â—â—ch 12.10 and the Inhabitants of Ierusalem the Spirit of Grace and of Supplication that they may look on him whom they have pierced and mourn for him as one mourneth for his onely Son and be in bitterness for him as one is in bitterness for his first-born It 's an excellent saying that Beza makes to Christ Lord Jesus thou dost justly avenge the contempt of thee Domine Jesu tu quidem juste ulcisceris tui contemptum dignus est ingratus ille populus in quem severissime animadvertas sed Domine memineris foederis tui miseros respice propter nomen tuum In Rom. 11.18 and this unthankful people is worthy to be punish'd with all severity but Lord remember thy Covenant and look upon those miserable people for thy Name-sake And for our own parts let us be highly thankful to God for the Light that shines upon us whereby by comparing together the Types and Prophesies of the Messias in the Old Testament and the accomplishments of them all in Christ in the New Testament we may be able to see and to be confirmed in this Truth That Christ is the true Messias How great is this Favor of God unto us especially if we consider the fearful Blindness in which that People is whom in the Old Testament Amos 3.2 God alone knew of all the Families of the Earth That they should now be under a worse then Egyptian Darkness and we who were once Darkness Eph. 5.8 made Light in the Lord who can sufficiently wonder at this But let the issue of this be a care to walk in this Light to acknowledg Christ to be the Messias and to carry our selves to him as such And here it will be useful briefly to give an account of
upon it but what is this our Saviours carnal hearers could object Vers 52. how can this man give us his flesh to eat But St. Austin well clears this doubt To eat Christ Credere est manducare ut quid paras dentem ventrem crede manducasti To. 9. in Joan. Evang. tract 25. is to believe in Christ saies he why doest thou prepare thy teeth and thy stomach believe and thou hast fed on him Finally hence see how it comes to passe that we labour under so many defects and how we may cure them whence comes it that even godly men many times are so uncomfortable and disconsolate whence is it that our love to God and our brethren is so cold whence is it that we are so indisposed to duties of obedience whence is it that we are so fearful and faint-hearted so afraid to confesse Christ before men especially in times of danger and persecution It is not that God hath been wanting to us in these respects for he hath given us his own Son to shed his blood for us thereby to obtain for us remission of sins and reconciliation with God wherein he hath given us a lively evidence of his unspeakable love to us and this as I have shewed before is of sufficient force to fence us against all these defects The fault is therefore in our selves because having the remedy in our hands we make not use of it we do not by faith drink of this wine the blood of Christ we do not stirre up the act of our faith to believe that Christ shed his precious blood for us we do not seriously and frequently upon all occasions meditate of his love to us manifested herein And now seing the cause of these defects we may see the course how to cure them let us not fail to take this course find we our selves disconsolate and uncomfortable let us apprehend the blood of Christ shed for us and now we shall see cause to be comforted in assurance that Gods justice is infinitely satisfied and pardon of sins procured for us how shall not this enable us to walk comfortably for the Psalmist can tell us Psal 32.1 that the man is blessed whose iniquities are forgiven and what hath power to comfort us if not to know that our estate is blessed find we our love to God and to our brethren cold let us remember the fervency of that love which God and Christ bear to us and now we shall see that nothing is more agreeable to sound reason then that we should answer the fervency of the love of God and of Christ to us with fervent love to God and to our brethren for their sake finde we our selves heavy and indisposed to duties of obedience let us quicken our selves to the performace of them by a serious consideration of the great love which Christ hath shewed to us not thinking it too much to shed his blood as a price of our redemption Finally do we finde our selves fearful and timerous affraid to suffer afflictions for the cause of Christ and in that respect affraid to confesse Christ before men when danger attends it let us have recourse to this remedy look we at our blessed Saviour suffering all kinds of indignities and at last laying down his life and shedding his precious blood for us think we What are we in comparison of Christ if the Lord hath done this for his servants yea for his enemies why should we think much to suffer any thing for him CHAP. II. Christ and a branch WE see Christ often in the old Testament set out by this name so speaks the Prophet Jeremiah Behold the dayes come saies the Lord Jer. 23.5 Ier. 33.15 that I will raise up unto David a righteous Branch And elsewhere In those dayes will I cause the branch of righteousnesse to grow up unto David Zechar. 3.8 So the Prophet Zechariah doth bring in God promising Zechar. 6.12 I will bring forth my servant the Branch And elsewhere Behold the man whose name is the Branch The Septuagint In Zach. 3.8 as Pemble observes renders the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there uses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And so Râ—bera would have that place Luk. 1.78 where Christ is called the day-spring to allude to that translation but the word saies he properly signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Christ saies he is so called because out of the dry and with red stock of Davids family he sprang forth on a sudden as a branch or science out of a dry tree Though that family saies he was now obscure and all the glorious branches were cut off yet a remainder there was and sap enough therein which in due time should sprout forth into this most glorious and the last and greatest ornament of That Kingly Family or as Winckl man observes Germen dicitur quia ipse ex Maria Virgine tanquam surculus germinavit Ecclesia ejus etiam sub cruce germinat In Zechar. 3.8 Because Christ as a Branch sprung out from the Virgin Mary and his Church growes up even under the Cross Hence we may learn 1. That Christ is a true man for its certain that homo hominem generat A man begets a man the Father and the Son are both of the same nature But David was a man and from David did Christ issue and therefore he is oft in the Gospels called the Son of David Matth. 1.1 and by the Prophets the name of David is given to him Ezek. 34.24 as in that saying I the Lord will be their God and my servant David a Prince among them Act. 13.23 And so St. Paul sayes expressly of David Of this mans seed hath God raised up to Israel a Saviour Jesus therefore he is true man 2. See here the power of God in most unlikely times and by most unlikely and improbable means to bring his Purposes and Promises to pass Behold this famous Branch our Lord Jesus Christ is raised up to David when that Royal Family was most obscured and that by means of a poor Virgin So when the state of the Jewish Nation was brought so low that they seemed to be as so many dry bones in a valley and that they could say Our bones are dryed Ezek. 37.11 our Hope is lost and we are cut off for our part then God undertakes to open their Graves Verse 12 and to cause them to come up out of their Graves and to bring them into the Land of Israel Be not then disheartened when ye see the state of the Church hopeless and the Recovery of the Church to her pristine Glory almost impossible know That though with men it may be impossible Matth. 19.26 yet with God all things are possible Nothing hinders this great Work but our Sins intervening Gods Hand is not shortened that it cannot help says the Prophet Isai 59.1 2 but your sins have
Bodily death saies he prevailed for a time that it might be overcome for ever Death was overcome because he rose from the dead And as it was with the malice of Christs enemies against him so is it with the malice of the enemies of Christians against them that is also vain and impotent they threaten they torment they put to death and now they hope to strike fear into their hearts but all in vain so that its with them according to that of the Poet The plain Country-man sayes he expects when the River should run it self dry Rusticus expectat dum defluat amnis at ille labitur labetur in omne volubilis aevum Horat. epist l. 1. ep 3. Torreantur Martyres rident feriuntur gaudent occiduntur ecce triumphant quia jamdudum mortui peccatis mortui mundo insensibiles facti nec minas nec tormenta nec mortem sentire potuerunt quid mirum mortui erant Ibid. but it continues still to run and is never empty And so it is here as Saint Bernard excellent-expresses it Let them seek to terrifie the Martyrs they laugh at them they are stricken and rejoyce they are killed and behold they triumph because being long since dead to sin and dead to the world and so being made insensible they could not feel either threatnings torments or death and no marvel for they were dead Well may we therefore be comforted against all the malice of enemies considering it is so weak and well may enemies in this respect be ashamed to go on in such malicious courses wherein they shall but shew their teeth and all to no purpose IV. The Vine is bound or tyed up 4. Ligatur Vitis Quis vincula vitis nostrae non videat Primum obedientia fuit factus obediens usque ad mortem Phil. 2.8 Erat subditus illis Luc. 2.5 Ne eos scandalizemus c. da ïis pro me te Matth. 17.27 Secundum uterus Virginis Tertium in praesepio fuit quando ejus membra pannis involuta virgo mater alligabat pedes manus cruraque stricta cingebat fascia Quartum fuit funis quo ligabatur cum caperetur Joan. 18.11 Quintum fuit quo ligabatur ad columnam cum flagellaretur Necâ—on ipsa flagella quae corpus ipsius circuibant non incongrue possumus vincula appellare Sextum fuit corona ejus spinea cum magna amaritudine amabile illud caput amplectens Septimum fuit quo ligatus fuit in cruce nempe ferreum Ib. c. 4. Who sees not the bonds of this our Vine The first was obedience He became obedient even to death Phil. 2.8 He was subject to his Parents Luk. 2.51 He was subject to Caesar Matth. 17.27 The second was the womb of the Virgin The third was in the Manger when his Virgin-mother bound up his body wrapped in cloathes and compass'd in his feet hands and legs with a swathing-band The fourth was the rope with which he was bound when they took him in the Garden The fifth was that with which he was tyed to the Pillar when they scourged him and yet we may withall not unjustly call the scourges themselves which compassed his body bonds The sixth was the crown of thorns with great bitternesse embracing that lovely Head The seventh was that of iron which fastened him to the Cross namely the nailes See here the greatnesse of Christs Humilation and consequently of his love which drew him to such a condescent Most devout and pious is Saint Bernards meditation on this particular in which by an Apostrophe turning his Speech to Christ he thus expresseth himself O King of Kings what hast thou to do with bonds O Rex Regum quid tibi vinculis Ligantur vites ne si jaceant in terra aut minuantur aut corrumpantur fructus earum Incorruptibilis autem fructus fuit tuus est quare ergo ligaris Bene Rex quidam cum percussus humana sagitta peteretur ut se ligare permitteret donec excideretur quia levissimo motu mortem posset incurrere Non decet inquit Regem vinciri libera sit Regis semper salva potestas O Deus Deorum quantum ergo derogatum fuit libertati potentiae tuae tu ligaris adeo vinculis qui solus ligandi solvendi potestatem habes Sed propter misericordiam tuam ligatus es ut nos â miseriis nostris faceres absolutos Admiror Domini Jesu admirando deficerem nisi quod liquido cognosco te prius in corde charitatis nexibus fuisse constrictum qui ad deteriora vincula sufferenda te leviter attrahere potuerunt Gratia sit vinculis tuis bone Jesu quae nostra tam potenter diruperunt Ibid. Vines are bound up least if they should lye on the ground their fruits should be diminished or marred But thy fruit was and is incorruptible and therefore why art thou bound A certain King being wounded with an Arrow when he was desired that he would suffer himself to be bound till the head of the Arrow might be cut out because the least stirring would endanger his life returned this fitting answer It becomes not a King to be bound a Kings power must be free and alway entire Therefore O God of Gods what'a derogation is this to thy liberty and power Thou art bound with so many bonds who onely hast the power to bind and loose But it is for thy mercies sake that thou art bound that thou mayest set us free from all our miseries I wonder at it O Lord Jesus and with wonder should faint but that I certainly know that thou wast first tyed with the cords of love in thy heart by which thou mightest more easily be drawn to the enduring of these worser bonds Thanks to thee O good Jesus for these thy bonds which have so powerfully broken all ours And why should any of us think much to undergo bonds for the cause and glory of Christ seeing he hath first for our good and Salvation undergone so many bonds what are we in comparison of him the Lord is bound for the servant and shall the servant think much to be bound for the Lord he by his bonds hath sweetened all ours and taken away the bitternesse of them V. The whole body of the Vine seems more deformed then the high and strong trees 5. Totum corpus altis arboribus robustis deformius invenitur quasi penitus inutile videtur abjectum nec ipso aspectu amabile aut usui accomodatum Sic fuit in corpore Christi secundum illud Prophetae Isa 53.2 Non est species ei nec decor vidimus eum non erat conspectus c. Quid apertius Et vere talis erat in oculis carnalium qui tantum carne noverunt intueri Et hoc probare possumus apertis rationibus primo per compassionis affectum dein per passionis defectum Quis nesciat hominem circa amicum
periclitantem tanto affectu moveri dolore ut corporis sui detrimentum in currat Si hoc praestat homo homini quantum Deum hominem Jesum putas homini praestitisse Si tu pro uno homine per compassionem corporale periculum incurris quid putas Dominum Jesum pro omnibus hominibus tolerasse c. Sed ad passionis defectum veniamus Passionem autem non unum illum diem appellamus sed totam vitam suam Tota enim vita crux fuit Martyrium Vide quantae fuit parcitatis in abstinentia quam assiduus in vigiliis quam frequens in orationibus In labore sudore vultus sui quam assiduus cum circuiret vicos et castella Evangelizans curans undique Et quam crebro famem pertulit sitim ille panis vivus ille fons aquae sitientis in vitam eternam Videamus jejuniuÌ„ illud 40. dieruÌ„ et 40. noctium et jam a deserto ad homines redâ—unti occurramus vultum illius amabilem tantis iejuniis considerâ—mus afflictum Veniamus jam ad illum ultimae diei agonem causas deformitatis corporis nequibimus ignorare Vide quomodo pavere taedere coepit tristis fuit anima ejus usque ad mortem sudoâ— sanguineus orantis corpus per fudit copiose ita ut non solum distillaret sed guttae guttatim decurrerent in terram Noctis etiam illius incommoda percurramus quomodo tentus vinctus tractus trusus coesus consputus alapis percussus c. quis hic locus delitiarum qualis hic decor speciei quis in corpore si tractato pulchritudinem quaerat Veniamus ad finem Nudatur bonus Jesus Heu mihi qui vestivit coelos variis sideribus ante crucem expoliatur c. Ibid. c. 5. and as it were altogether unprofitable and base neither lovely to look upon nor fit for any use So the Prophet speaks of the Vine Ezek. 15.3 Shall wood be taken thereof for any work or will men take a pin of it to hang any vessel thereon It s a question that implies a vehement Negation So was it also in the body of Christ according to that of the Prophet Isa 53.2 He hath no form nor comlinesse and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him What is more manifest And he was truly such in the eyes of carnal men that could look no further then the flesh And this we may prove by plain reasons first by his compassion then by his Passion Who doth not know that a man about his friend in danger is moved with such affection and grief that he prejudices his own body If a man doth this for a man what think we that Jesus God and man doth for man If thou for one man endangerest thy self by compassion what thinkest thou that the Jesus Lord endured for all men But come we now to his Passion And we speak not now of the Passion of one day in which he suffered death but of his whole life for Christs whole life was a continued Cross and Martyrdome See how he exceeded in Abstinence in Watching in Prayer How assiduous in Labour and Sweating when he went about their Townes and Villages preaching the Gospel and healing Diseases every where And how oft did he suffer Hunger and Thirst who is that Bread of Life and that Fountain of Water springing up unto Eternal Life Consider we that Fast of fourty daies and fourty nights and let us now meet him returning to men from the Desert and consider his lovely countenance afflicted with such Fasting Come we now to that conflict of the last day of his Life and we shall see causes enough of the deformity of his body see how he began to be amazed and astonished My soul saies he is exceeding sorrowful unto the death A bloody sweat did in such plenty bedeaw his body while he was praying that it did not alone distill but also fell by drops to the earth Let us breefely run over the evils of that night how he was apprehended bound drawn thrust beaten spit on and buffeted c. and now what place was here for delicacy what comlinesse could be there who could expect beauty in a body thus handled Come we to the close Good Jesus is stript stark naked Wo is me He that cloathed the Heavens with several Stars being to be crucified is spoiled of his garments And now let us not be offended so farre at the deformity of Christ in his body It s that to which he submitted himself for our good and Eternal advantage as Saint Bernard speaks well From the deformity of our Redeemer issued the price De deformitate Redemptoris nostri manavit pretium eterni decoris nostri Ibid. with which our Eternal comlinesse was purchased Why then shall we stumble at that outward deformity to which for our advantage he did voluntarily submit himself especially considering that he is in himself as the Psalmist confesses fairer then the children of men Psal 45. And let us be willing to be made deformed by suffering for Christ and for his honour though it be never so much stick not at any kinde or degree of deformity for Christ who was made so deformed outwardly for our good It is the exhortation which Saint Bernard gives upon this ground Let us be content saies he outwardly in our body to be made deformed Deformemur nos in corpore extrinsecus cum Christo deformato ut reformemur interius in anima cum formoso Jesu conformemur corpori vitis nostrae in corpore nostro ut reformet corpus humilitatis nostrae configuratum corpori claritatis suae Ibid. with Christ deformed that we may inwardly in our souls be reformed with faire Jesus Let us in our body be willingly conformed to the body of Christ our Vine that he may change our vile bodies and make them like unto his glorious body The plain English is let us partake of the sufferings of Christ that we may partake of his glory at last The Apostle can tell us that all the afflictions of this present life Rom. 8.18 are not worthy of the glory that shall be reveiled But there is no hope that we should attain to this glory except we be willing to suffer with him for this is the order which the onely wise God hath set as for Christ that he must first suffer and then enter into glory so for us Luk. 14.26 that suffering with him Rom. 8.17 we shall be glorified together VI. To all these I shall add one resemblance more which our Saviour himself doth clearly intimate yea fully expresse in both parts of the comparison As the branch cannot bear fruit of it self Joh. 15 5 except it abide in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in me And then he adds I am the Vine and ye are the branches Ver. 5 He that abides in me and I
Gen. 49.8 Again he saw other mysteries in a dream which also he shewed to his brethren Gen. 37.9 Behold I have dreamed another dreame and behold the Sun Moon and eleven Stars made obeysance to me and of our Ioseph the Lord Jesus Christ it is sayd by the Prophet Praise him Sun and Moon praise him all ye stars of light Psal 148.3 The same Father goes on with the story and applies it unto Christ Ioseph is sent to visit his brethren and the sheep and our Ioseph sayd I am not sent Mittitur Joseph ad visitandos fratres ejus oves Dicit noster Ioseph Non sum missus nisi ad oves quae periere domus Israel Oderunt Joseph fratres ejus propter somnia ejus Dicet Christus de Iudaeis fratribus Oderunt me gratis Viso Ioseph fratres ejus dixere Ecce venit somniator venite occidamus eum c. Haec in Evangelio illi dixere de filio Hic est haeres venite occidamus eum c. Math 21. Accipientes Ioseph fratres ejus expoliaverunt tunicam illam variam misere eum in lacum hoc noster Ioseph de Passione sua per prophetam dicit projecerunt me in lacum Psal 88.6 tunicam autem expoliatam desuper contextam Evangelica authoritas confirmat Venite inquit unus è fratribus ejus venundemus Ioseph non occidamus eum hoc Iudaei de Christo quem venditum tradiderunt Pilato ad necem dixere Nobis non licet interficere quemquam Et vendiderunt Ioseph fratres ejus Ismaelitis negotiatoribus euntibus in Aegyptum viginti aureis Venditum autem nostrum Ioseph Christum Zacharias Hieremias prophetae testantur Dederunt inquit precium adpretiati triginta aureos Quod etiam Iudam a Iudaeis accepisse Evangelia narrant Ib. c. 26. but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel Ioseph's brethren hated him for his dreames And Christ sayes of his brethren the Iews they hated me without a cause Ioh. 15. Ioseph's brethren seeing him come said behold the dreamer comes come let us kill him And so sayd they in the Gospel concerning the Son This is the Heir come let us kill him c. Mat. 21.38 ' Iosephs brethren receiving him stript him of his coat of divers coloures and cast him into a pit And this saies our Ioseph of his Passion by the Prophet Thou hast laid mee in the lowest pit Psal 88.6 And his being stript of his seamelesse coat the history of the Gospel doth confirm Come sayes one of his brethren let us sell Ioseph and let us not kill him And this said the Iews of Christ whom being betrayed to them they delivered to Pilate to put him to death It 's not lawful for us to put any man to death Ioh. 18.31 Ioseph was sold by his brethren to Ishmaelites Merchant-men going into Aegypt for 20. pieces of silver And that Christ our Ioseph was sold both Zachary and Ieremy the Prophets Zach. 11.6 do confirm They weighed for my price 30. pieces of silver which that Judas received of the Jews Matth. 26. the Gospel confirms The same Father goes on still Dictum est Dominus est cum Ioseph noster Ioseph dicit Non sum solus sed mecum est qui misit me Pater Joan. Id. cap. 27. It is said The Lord was with Joseph and our Joseph says I am not alone but my Father that sent me is with me And again Traditur Joseph in carcerem Noster Ioseph Christus ut ait Propheta inter iniquos deputatus est Esa 53. Inter sontes insontem Dei sapientia dum gubernat quae descendit cum eo in soveam in vincula non dereliquit eum Exlamat hic noster Ioseph Christus Factus sum sicut sine adjutorio inter mortuos liber Psa 88.4 5. Quod sequitur universas claves totamque Custodiam traditam fuisse manibus Joseph illud intelligendum fuit Vt omne genu Joseph nostro flectereter coelestium terrestrium infernorum Phil. 2. Duo Pharaonis spadones cum eo in illa passione detrusi sunt ut trium crucifixorum numerus quodammodo suppleretur E quibus sicut ille Joseph noster Joseph Christus revelando mysteria unum puniret per debitum supplicium alterum per indebitam gratiam liberaret Id. cap. 28. Joseph is delivered into Prison and our Joseph Christ as the Prophet says was reckoned among Transgressors Isai 53.12 While the Wisdom of God governs this innocent among the guilty which went with him into the Pit and into the Prison never left him Our Joseph Christ cries out here I am as a man without strength free among the dead Ps 88.4 5. In that which follows that all the Keyes and the whole Prison was put into the hands of Joseph this was to be understood That at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow both of things in Heaven and of things in Earth and of things under the Earth Phil. 2. Two of Pharaohs Officers were put into Prison to him to make up after a sort the number of the three parties crucified Of which as that Joseph our Joseph Christ should punish one with a deserved Punishment and free the other by undeserved Grace And again After two years Post duos annos tertio incipiente de carcere educitur Joseph noster Joseph Christus Dominus tertio die resurrexit a mortuis Praesentatur Pharaoni mundo Resurrection declaratur Exponit Pharaoni somnia futurae famis arcendae gratia ex abundantia septem annorum per sapientem virum condi debere frumenta impleri horrea salubri consilio instruit Et Christus tale consilium dedit Nisi inquit granum tritici in terram cadens mortuum sit ipsum solum manet sin autem mortuum fuerit multum fructus afferet Joan. 12. Data est Joseph a Pharaone in tota Aegypto potestas Et Christus post Resurrectionem dicit Data est mihi omnis potestas in coelo in terra Matth. 28.18 Misit Joseph suos per totam Aegyptum collegit frumentum multum quasi arenam maris Misit Christus suos per mundum dicens Ite baptizate gentes in nomine Patris Filii S. Spiritus Matth. 28.19 collectus est credentium numerus sine numero quasi arena maris Constituit Joseph horrea per universam Aegyptum per totum mundum Christus consecravit Ecclesias Aperuit Joseph horrea tempore famis ministrabat populis Hoc de nostro dictum est Oculi Domini super justos ut eruat a morte animas eorum pascat eos in fame Famem vero animae Amos Propheta ostendit Dabo eis ait Dominus famem non panis aquae sed famem audiendi Verbum Dei Am. 8. In hac fame positis noster Joseph Christus ex horrels suis nobis divinam corporis sui annonam administrat quam gustantes videmus quam suavis
in the old Testament all things are spoken in the future Tense in the new Testament they are spoken of in the time past as things already done And so the Fathers under the old Testament had the Promises and the Predictions but we that live under the new Testament have the performances and the accomplishments In the old Testament it s said The seed of the woman shall break the serpents head Gen. 3.15 In the new Testament it s said God hath in the fulnesse of time sent his Son made of a woman Gal. 4.4 Psal 132.11 Isa 11.1 In the old Testament it was said Of the fruit of thy body will I set on thy throne And there shall come a rod out of the root of Jesse and a branch shall come out of his roots In the new Testament St. Paul could say of David in his learned Sermon at Antioch in Pisidia Act. 13.23 Of this mans seed hath God according to his promise raised up to Israel a Saviour Jesus In the old Testament it was said Isa 7.14 Behold a Virgin shall bear a Son and ye shall call his name Immanuel And in the new Testament we read Matth. 1. that the Virgin Mary did conceive and bring forth a Son In the old Testament the Prophet could say of Bethlehem Out of thee shall he come that shall feed my people Israel In the new Testament we read Matth. 2.1 that Jesus was born in Bethlehem And so in the rest St. Austin takes notice of this difference What the Law and the Prophets Quod lex Prophetae futurum esse praenunciaverunt hoc redditum completum in Evangelio demonstratur Tom. 4. de consensu Evangelist l. 1. Quod Prophetae praeviderunt praedixerunt hoc Apostoli viderunt praedicaverunt Tom. 6 Orat. de 5. haeres c. 5. Quod Testamentum vetus de incarnatione Christi coepit Prophetando promittere hoc novum perfecte repletum narrat Tom. 2. in Ezek. hom 6. saies he foretold should be that is manifested in the Gospel given and accomplished And again What saies he the Prophets did foresee that did the Apostles see and preach Gregory the Great doth also take knowledge of it What the old Testament saies he began in a Prophetical way to promise concerning the incarnation of Christ that doth the new Testament declare to be perfectly done Oh! the high preferment of the Christian Church above the Jewish Synagogue of the Church of the new Testament above the Church of the old for they had promises and no more we have performances hear the Apostle speaking of this Heb. 11.39 40 These all meaning them that lived under the old Testament having rereceived a good Report by Faith receied not the Promise namely not the thing promised God having provided some better thing for us namely that the accomplishment of the promise should be reserved for us as our priviledge above them Oh high preferment In this respect is that said by our Saviour Matth. 11.11 Among all that are born of women there hath not risen a greater Prophet then John the Baptist namely because they onely foretold the things that concerned Christ but he had the happinesse to see Christ born digito monstrare to point at him with the finger Joh. 1.29 and to say Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world But our Saviour adds in the forementioned place But he that is least in the Kingdome of God is greater then he namely because John the Baptist saw Christs incarnation but lived not to see him dying and rising again which is the priviledg of the meanest preacher of the Gospel Rom. 8.34 for even the meanest may say as St. Paul It s Christ that died yea that is risen again and is even at the right hand of God making intercession for us So that we enjoy a clearer manifestation of Christ then any of them that lived under the old Testament The mysterie saies the Apostle Rom. 16.25.26 was kept secret since the world began but is now made manifest So that the light which was then was but darknesse in comparison of the light that shines now the Sun then under a cloud which is now vanished Oh the singular goodnesse of God to us that live now in comparison of them that lived under the old Testament But what a shame is it that we who live now and enjoy so cleer a revelation of Christ should suffer our selves to be outstript by them that were in the dark in comparison of our selves who knowes not that a Master may justly and will certainly expect more and better work at the hands of a servant to whom he affords the benefit of fire and candle light then of another to whom he affords neither and if such a servant enjoying such helps shall not answer his masters expectation who saies not he hath cause to be ashamed and that his master hath cause to be highly offended And now see we is not this our case Such is the odds between us that live now above them that lived under the old Testament God affords us a cleerer light then to them And yet we are so far from outstripping them that for the most part we suffer our selves to be out-stripped by them Hear the Testimony that our Saviour gives to Abraham Abraham rejoyced to see my day Joh. 8.56 and he saw it and rejoyced Where is such joy now though yet the day of Christ is not now afarre off to come but really and actually present See the faith and obedience of Abraham By faith Abraham Heb. 11.8 when he was called to go out into a place which he should afterwards receive for an inheritance obeyed and he went out not knowing whither he went And again Vers 17 18 By faith Abraham when he was tryed offered up Isaac and he that had the Promises offered up his onely begotten Son of whom it was said That in Isaac shall thy seed be called where is the like now to be found See the bounty and forwardnesse of the Israelites towards the Tabernacle to be erected by Moses According to Gods order formerly given Moses speaks to them Take ye from among you an offering unto the Lord Exod. 35.59 whosoever is of a willing minde let him bring it an offering of the Lord Vers 21. gold and silver and brasse c. And they came every one whose heart stirred them up c. and they brought the Lords offering to the work of the Tabernacle c. yea they brought in such abundance Exod. 36.56 that they which wrought all the work of the Sanctuary came and said to Moses The people bring much more then enough for the service of the work which the Lord hath commanded And thereupon they were restrained from bringing But on the other side how basely niggardly are men in these dayes so farre from abounding in free-will-offerings for the service
Church and all the members of it both in soul and body be brought unto Christ and not till then to enjoy him and to be with him fully immediatly and for ever And so the Apostle brings this in as a consequence of Christs descending from Heaven with the voice of an Archangel and with the Trump of God that we namely 1 Thes 4.16 17 the whole Church both in soul and body shall be ever with the Lord Oh therefore let us long for that day let us say Rev. 22.20 even so come Lord Jesus come quickly this is frequently affirmed of the godly as of the Saints at Corinth 1 Cor. 1.7 that they waited namely with patience yet with desire for the coming of the Lord Jesus And so St. Paul testifies himself and all the godly that they looked for their Saviour from heaven Phil 3.20 And so by the same Apostle are the godly described namely that they are such 2 Tim. 48. as love the appearing of Jesus Christ Such therefore let us be CHAP. IX Lib. I. c. Christ and a Lamb. WE have heard Christ and the Paschal Lamb compared before and I intend not now to touch upon that but onely shall take notice of the resemblance between Christ and a Lamb in general And frequently is our Saviour set out under this notion So the holy Baptist saies of Christ Joh. 1.29 Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world And a little after Behold the Lamb of God And so St. Peter Vers 36. 1 Pet. 1.19 By the blood of Christ as of a Lamb unspotted and undefiled And so Saint John Rev. 5.6 Vers 8. In the midst of the Elders stood a Lamb as it had been slain And again the twenty four E ders felt down before the Lamb. Vers 12. And again Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to recieve power and riches c. And again Rev 6.16 Hide us from the wrath of the Lamb And again Rev. 19.9 Blessed are they that are called to the marriage-supper of the Lamb Rev. 21.9 And again One of the Angels said Come hither and I will shew thee the Bride the Lambes wife In all which places its plain that Christ is spoken of And the resemblance between Christ and the Lamb holds in these 4. particulars 1. It s an useful and profitable creature the flesh the skin the wool yea all of it and about it is good for some use or other for food for cloathing c. And who sees not how all this is true of Christ useful he is for all purposes he is a King to govern us a Prophet to teach us a Priest to Sacrifice and intercede for us he is a Shepherd to lead us to the green Pastures a Physitian to heal our Diseases a Counsellor to advise us a Guide to direct us Isa 55 1. Rev. 3.18 a Captain to fight for us He is milk wine and hony he is gold to enrich us garments to cloath us eye-salve to cure our blindnesse yea he is all in all to us Col. 3.11 yea all about him is useful to us the holinesse of his conception to answer for our natural uncleannesse the holinesse of his life to answer for the irregularities of our lives his Death to satisfie the justice of God for us his Resurrection to be a cause of our resurrection at the last day His Ascension into Heaven to prepare Mansion-places for us his sitting at his Fathers right hand to intercede for us his coming again at the last day to take us to himself that we may be ever with him 2. The Lamb is a contented creature content with any pasture though never so poor into which the shepherd shall put it And who sees it not to have been so with our Saviour If God will have him to be born of a poor Virgin he disdains it not If to live in a mean condition so as not to have where to lay his head he sticks not at it he sought not greater things for himself then God had laid out for him nay when the people would have taken him by force to make him a King he would none of it Joh. 6.15 but departed into a mountain alone by himself 3. The Lamb is a meek creature bearing wrongs quietly not studying revenge and herein in an high degree is it a fit resemblance of our dear Saviour Therefore saies St Austin is our Saviour compared to a Lamb Agnus quia mansuetus Tom. 10. serm a Lovaniens Edit serm 90. because of his mildnesse We hear that Evangelical Prophet in this respect comparing Christ to a Lamb Isa 53.7 He is brought saies he as a Lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before his shearer is dumb so he opened not his mouth But will some say did he not open his mouth when they came to apprehend him in the garden Matth. 26.55 said he not Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me And when one of the Officers struck him with the palmes of his hand Joh. 18.22 23 said he not If I have spoken evil bear witness of the evil if well why smitest thou me how then is it true of him that he opened not his mouth Hear Saint Peter clearing this scruple he opened not his mouth 1 Pet. 2.23 that is when he was reviled he reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not he neither studyed nor exercised revenge but meekly bore all he could have prayed to his Father and he would have given him more then twelve Legions of Angels Isa 37.36 and what revenge could they have wrought against them when one Angel in one night destroyed 185000. 2 King 1. in the Assyrian Hoast At his word as at the word of Elisha fire from Heaven might have consumed them all or the Earth would have opened her mouth and devoured them all as it did Korah and that rout of Rebels But he forbore all this and quietly suffered all committing his cause to him that judges righteously Numb 16. 4. The Lamb is an innocent creature The Lamb saies Bullinger is a symbole of innocency Agnus innocentiae symbolum In Apoc. 5. And was not this eminently seen in our blessed Saviour whom did he ever wrong in word in deed in body in goods in good name how justly might he say as Samuel in his apology Whose Oxe have I taken 1 Sam. 12 3 whose Asse have I taken whom have I defrauded whom have I oppressed c. The Apostle could say of him such an high Priest it became us to have who was holy harmlesse Heb. 7.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Nay he was so farre from hurting any that he abounded in the exercise of beneficency he took all occasions that offred themselves of doing good yea he sought opportunities he went about doing good Act. 10.38 saies Saint
serm a Lovaniens edit serm 46. Christus leo dictus est agnus occisus est leo propter fortitudinem agnus propter innocentiam leo quia invictus agnus quia mansuetus Sermon eorund ser 90. and the devil is called a Lion the one for his courage the other for his savage cruelty the one to overcome the other to hurt And elsewhere taking knowledge of it that Christ is called a Lion and a Lamb slain conceives thus of the proportion Christ is called a Lion and a Lamb slain a Lion for his courage a Lamb for his innocency a Lion because unvanquisht 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Sicut leo non solum vigilans sed dormiens formidabilis est sic Christus non solum ante crucem sed in cruce formidabilis erat magna enim tunc miracula edidit Solis cursum retro convertens petras diffindens terram tremefaciens velum templi conscindens Tom. 5. ser in Matth. 26.39 a Lamb because he was meek Saint Chrysostome observes this resemblance between Christ and a Lion in this particular As a Lion saies he is dreadful not onely waking but also sleeping so is Christ formidable not onely living but also dying on the Cross for even then he wrought great Miracles causing the Sun to be Eclipsed cleaving the Rockes asunder 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Ratione potentiae quia terribilis est regia majestate pollens comparatur leoni Christus Tom. 6. Ser. in gen 1.31 making the earth to quake and rending the vail of the Temple c. And elsewhere summing up much together he saies In respect of his strength and because he is terrible and is endued with Kingly Majesty therefore is Christ compared unto a Lion for to the Lion all this agrees he is the strongest of all the beasts he is terrible to them all as the Prophet saies When the Lion roareth Am. 3.8 all the beasts of the field tremble and he is the King of all the beasts but in a much more eminent way do all these agree to Christ Rivetus in his Commentary upon Genesis observes many things of the Lion The Lion saies he is of a generous spirit he uses magnanimity against fierce and cruel beasts Leoni innatus est animus generosus magnanimitate utitur adversus feras truculentas bestias nec ex insidiis agit sed aperte à fronte adoritur animalia reliqua non a tergo Parcere solet humilibus abjectis Non multum dormit in ipso sopore oculos habet apertos Exercit. 177. withstanding them to their face not coming behind them he uses to spare the humble and prostrate he sleeps not much and sleeps with his eyes open It s true that this Authour applies those things to Magistrates but they are eminently true of Christ Who is or ever was couragious if not Christ yea all the courage of others in acting or suffering for the cause of God from whom is it if not from Christ for from his fulnesse we all receive Joh 1.16 Rom. 8.37 and grace for grace And the Apostle will tell us that we are more then conquerors through him that hath loved us the courage then of the Martyrs must needs argue the courage of our Saviour as the effect argues the cause And indeed who shall not acknowledge Christs courage that considers his dealing with his enemies for we shall see that he comes not as a coward behind them but meets them openly and withstands them to their face If he will grapple with the Devil he meets him upon his own ground Matth. 4.1 he comes into the wildernesse to be tempted of the Devil If he will deal with Saul Act. 9. afterwards blessed Paul he meets him in the way to Damascus stopping him when he was in his full career and casting him to the ground overcame him to his infinite advantage Theodor. Hist Eccl. l. c. 4.25 If he will deal with Julian the Apostate he takes the time when he was attended with a great Army in his expedition against the Persians and then gives him so fatal a stroke that he is forced to acknowledge Christ the Conqueror though not without a name of reproach crying out Vicisti Galilaee thou hast overcome â—d Ib. c. 27. O Galilean yea and the Christians at Antioch upon the report of his death could cry out Vicit Deus Christus ejus God and his Christ hath overcome And for the second thing noted in the Lion that he spares the humble and prostrate this gave occasion to that saying of the Poet cited by Simson Simson Hierog de â—eone Corpora magnanimo satis est prostrasse leoni It s the safest course to lye prostrate before a Lion This is most true of Christ If any continue in their pride to oppose Christ they shall feel by sad experience whom they provoke against themselves witness the fore-named example of Julian but if any submit and humble themselves they are spared and received to favor witness Saint Paul who while he was Saul was a bitter Enemy to Christ and Christians and yet afterwards submitting himself and crying out Lord Acts 9.6 what wilt thou have me to do he is spared and his enmity pardoned and he receives great Grace from Christ as himself confesses saying 1 Tim. 1.13 14 I obtained Mercy and the Grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant And so that is true of Christ which the Apostle says God resists the proud the word is emphatical 1 Pet. 5.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if he had said He sets himself in a warlike posture and takes up Arms of defiance which he will not lay down till he hath approved himself to be the Conqueror but on the other side he gives Grace to the humble And for the last That the Lion sleeps little Simson in his Heiroglyphicks affirms it The Lion says he takes the least sleep of all the Beasts Leo est paucissimi inter animalia somni oculos habet magnos palpebras perexiguas quibus vix queat oculos penitus obtegere Hierogl de leone he hath great Eyes and very little Eye-lids with which he can hardly cover his Eyes and this he doth apply to Christ So says he the Lion of the Tribe of Judah Leo de tribu Juda qui Israelem protegit nec dormit nec dormitat semper ejus bono invigilat Id. Ib. Psal 121.4 who keeps and protects Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps but always watches over them for their good both to keep off or remove Evils from them and to heap Blessings upon them as their wants require Hence we may learn divers things 1. See the comfortable and safe condition of the Church and the Members of it for we see what a Defender we have of great power as a Lion of great watchfulness as a Lion why then should we fear any Enemies 1 Pet. 5.8 The Devil
Righteousness How unparalleld a Gift then is He that comes so attended How great the Love of God in bestowing such a Gift upon us How can we then be sufficiently thankful for such Love 3. Whatsoever degree of Holiness any of us attain unto let us yet vail the Bonnet unto Christ and acknowledg our own nothingness in comparison of him for though we are never so much before others yet we are infinitely behinde Christ As for us are we holy yet we are many degrees short of that perfection to which we shall at last attain Are we holy yet the Holiness which we have is not without some mixture of impurity witness the blemishes of our conversation but the Holiness of Christ even as Man was perfect and it was pure there was no spot in him Entertain not therefore any high thoughts of our selves but be we ravish'd with an admiration of Christ and in comparison of him let us confess with John Baptist Matth. 3.11 Luke 3.16 That we are not worthy to bear his shooes or to unloose the latchet of him 4. Let us not rest in any degrees of Holiness to which we have attained nor yet in any proportions to which any others have risen If we consider our selves we shall finde That we have our spots why should we stay here If we consider any others we shall see They have had their blemishes So it was with David though a man after Gods own Heart so with Asa Jehosaphat Hezekiah Jâ—sias they were men highly commended yet they were all of them in some thing or other liable to reproof why therefore should we rest in their proportions But behold Christ an unparalleld Example set we him before our Eyes and so long as we finde our selves to come short of him let us strive to come up to his proportions or at least strive to come as near him as we can and so still labor to grow in Holiness having that alway sounding in our Ears He that is holy Rev. 22.11 let him be holy still 5. Finde we Darkness in any degree to remain in our mindes and would we have it expel'd and Light to come in stead of it Finde we sadness in our Hearts under any afflictions and desire we a chearing Finally finde we any remainders of pollution in our Souls and would we be purged from it See now what course we are to take It belongs to Christ as the Sun of Righteousness to do all this for us therefore to him in all these cases let us have recourse by prayer whither shall we go for any of these but to him that is the Fountain of them all And he is a Fountain that cannot be drawn dry he hath still store enough to impart to us for in him all fulness dwells Col. 1.19 nor will he be slow to impart He hath ordered us to pray and hath promised that we shall receive Matth. 7.7 And indeed the inference is good that Saint Austin makes Hortatur ut petas numquid negabit quod petis To. 10. de Verb. Dom. ser 5. He exhorts us to desire and will he deny us what we desire And Saint Bernards to the same purpose Quando negabit petentibus quando non petentes provocat hortatur ut petant De temp sanctis Serm. in festo S. Andreae When will he give a denial to them that ask when as he provokes and exhorts them to ask that ask not As therefore we love our selves and judg these things desirable let us not fail to seek to Christ for them of whose power and readiness to do them for us we have such assurance Who that wants any thing will be backward to have recourse to his friend of whom he hath cause to assure himself that he can and will readily supply his want 6. Finde we the Darkness of Ignorance in any measure removed out of our mindes and the Light of Knowledg brought in in stead of it Have we been comforted in any sadness and upheld under it Finde we corruption in any degree purged away and Holiness in any measure wrought in us All this is done by Christ this Sun of Righteousness Therefore by whatsoever instruments all or any of these have been effected in and for us let the praise of them be given unto Christ to whom alone it appertains CHAP. XVI Christ and a Vine OUr blessed Saviour himself sets forth himself by this Resemblance John 15.1 I am the Vine says he and my Father is the Husbandman And again I am the Vine and ye are the Branches Saint Bernard doth largely note the Resemblance between Christ and a Vine I. This says he That the Vine is not sown but planted I. Quod plantari solet vitis non seminari translata de vite sua ad conceptionem Christi pertinet vitis enim primo nata de vite est Deus de Deo genitus Filius de Patre Sed ut majorem afferat fructum plantatus erat in terra in virgine Maria conceptus factus quod non erat manens quod erat Tract de pass Domini super illud Joan. 15.1 cap. 1. being translated out of its own Vine belongs to and notes the Conception of Christ for the Vine from rising from the Vine is God begotten of God the Son of the Father But that he might bring forth more fruit he was planted in the Earth conceived in the Womb of the Virgin Mary made that which he was not namely Man and remaining that which he was namely God II. II. Solet fructifera vitis praecidi Et circumcisus fuit Jesus non quod hac circumcisione egeret sed ne Legem quam ipse dederat videretur solvere Ibid. cap 2. The fruitful Vine uses to be pruned And Christ was circumcised not that he needed this Circumcision but lest he should seem to break that Law which himself had given And before he goes any further he notes here two things as the Uses of it 1. For Exhortation That if at any time we suffer the punishment of sin 1. Nos oportere non aegre ferre si quando poenas peccati patimur cum ipse peccatorum purgator non dedignatur pro nobis subire peccatorum remedium we should not take it ill but endure it patiently seeing he that is the Purger of our sins did not disdain for us to suffer the remedy of sins 2. For Comfort 2. Consolemur dolores nostros qui nequaquam sine peccato sumus doloribus ipsius liberati qui non pro se sed pro nobis doluit vulneratus est non pro se sed ut nostris vulneribus mederetur Ibid. Let us says he comfort our selves in our pains who at no hand are without sin and yet are set free by his pains who suffered pain and was wounded not for himself but for us not for himself but that he might heal our wounds And then he adds Aliter etiam praeciditur
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
dispersed in all Nations III. Saint Austin yet further compares them in another Particular Out of the Ark all flesh which the Earth did bear perished in the Flood Praeter arcam omnis caro quam terra sustentabat diluvio consumpta est praeter Ecclesiae societatem aqua baptismi quamvis eadem sit non ad salutem valet sed potius ad interitum Ibid. c. 17. Sicut arca Noe naufragante mundo cunctos quos suscepit incolumes servabat ita Ecclesia conflagrante seculo omnes quos amplectitur representabit illaesos To. 3. Conc. ad popul Conc. 11. so out of the Society of the Church the Water of Baptism is not of force to Salvation but rather to Perdition Saint Ambrose expresses it otherwise As the Ark of Noah the World suffering wrack kept those safe that were in it so the Church when the whole World shall be on a flaming fire shall present all those that are in her free from danger And Gregory the Great to the same purpose In the time of the Flood all Mankinde out of the Ark died Diluvii tempore humanum genus extra arcam moritur ad vitam autem in arca servatur sic infideles quosque extra Ecclesiam peccati sui unda perimit fideles autem suos in fide charitate Ecclesiae unitas quasi arcae compago custodit To. 2. epist l. 8. Indict 4. ep 40. but all within the Ark were saved alive So as for all Infidels out of the Church the flood of their own sin kills them but the Church as the Ark keeps her faithful ones in Faith and Charity IV. Gregory the Great notes yet another Particular in which the Church resembles the Ark The Flood ceasing says he the Ark rested upon a Mountain Cessante diluvio arca in monte requievit sic hujus vitae corruptione cessante cum malorum operum fluctus transierint in coelesti patria in excelso requiescet Ecclesia monte Ibid. so the corruption of this Life ceasing when the Waves of evil Works shall pass away the Church shall rest on an high Mountain in the Heavenly Country V. I shall add but one more Let the Waters rise never so high yet the Ark is still above it so let the floods of Persecution rise never so high and increase never so much yet the Church sinks not under it but is still above them Exod. 1.12 The more the Israelites were oppressed by the Egyptians the more they multiplied And so says Justin Martyr Seest thou not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epist ad Diognet that the more the Persecutors are by so much the rest that is the Christians are multiplied Yea as Fire burns most fiercely in coldest Weather by an Antiperistasis so the Christians by the harsh usage of them grow more confident and are more couragious to defend and persevere in their Religion yea and to suffer the hardest that can befall them so that it is most true that some Confessors said to Saint Cyprian Stetere torti torquentibus fortiores Inter Epist Cypriani Epist The tortured Christians stood with more courage then the Tormentors themselves And so it is with the Church as with the Palm-tree that spreads the more by how much the heavier weight is laid upon it and as with the Camomile that grows the more by being troden upon But Saint Chrysostom observes one thing in which the Church is more excellent then the Ark of Noah for so he says A man may say and not err 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Non aberrarit quis si dicat Ecclesiam arca ista esse praestantiorem Arca enim excipiebat animalia bruta conservabat Ecclesia autem semel suscepta animalia immutat e. g. ingressus illo est milvus egressus est milvus introit lupus exiit lupus hucne ingressus est milvus egreditur columba Introiit lupus exiit ovis non quidem immutata natura sed explosa malitia To. 4. de poenit Hom. 3. That the Church is more excellent then the Ark For the Ark received brute creatures and kept them such but whom the Church receives she changes As for example A Kite went into the Ark and it came forth a Kite a Wolf entred and came out a Wolf But hath a Kite entered into the Church it comes forth a Dove Hath a Wolf entered it comes out a sheep not indeed the nature altered but the wickedness exploded and put away Saul afterward blessed Paul entering into the Church remains the same individual person that he was before but yet having entered of a Wolf he becomes a sheep yea a faithful shepherd of the sheep preaching yea suffering for the Faith which once he destroyed Hence learn sundry things 1. Let us be prepared and disposed to every good work and firm in our resolutions for it that we may be fit matter for the Building of the Church and may answer the Gopher Wood of which the Ark was made 2. See here the Church of the New Testament to be Catholique containing in it all Nations as the Ark had in it all kindes of Creatures and as there were in the Ark as Sem the Father of the Jews so Japhet the Father of the Gentiles 3. Let us not so far take offence at the mixture of good and bad in the Church as for this cause to depart from and to forsake it Behold in the Ark there were Creatures clean and unclean and among the Persons though but eight in number yet there was one Cham There shall be a division indeed and a separation made He shall says our Saviour Matth. 25.32 to whom it shall belong to do divide between the Sheep and the Goats but this shall not be done till in the end of the World Verse 31 He shall come in Glory and his holy Angels with him c. The Wheat and the Tares shall be severed Mat. 13.30 The Tares bound in bundles to be burnt and the Wheat to be put into the Barn But when shall this be In the Harvest which Harvest is the End of the World And till that time Verse 39 30 it 's the Will of God that they should grow together Expect not therefore That that should be done now which God hath appointed to be done in the End of the World but be content That God should do his own Work in his own Time Nor in this respect let us forsake the Communion of the Church because there is such mixture in it of Wheat and Tares Hear that Apostolical Advice Not forsaking the assembling of your selves together Heb. 10.25 as the manner of some is This is the heady madness of Separatists but let us be more sober-minded Consider we that Christ had onely twelve in his Family and yet among them one was a Thief and a Devil and He knew from the begining who it was that should betray him and yet He tolerated him in
So they signified both the safety of the Church covered and hid from the injuries of the World Isa 4.5 6. Vpon all the glory saies the Prophet there shall be a defence and there shall be a Tabernacle for a shadow in the day time from the heat and for a cover from storm and from rain Isa 25.4 And again Thou hast been saies the same Prophet A strength to the poor a strength to the needy in his distress a refuge from the storm a shadow from the heat Psal 27.5 And so saies David In the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavillion And the state of the Church then which had the Mysteries of Christ under shadowes and coverings now taken away Thus farre Ainsworth In Exod. 26. Rivetus makes the Parallel between the Church and the Tabernacle to stand in sundry particulars 1. Sicut tabernacula transferuntur de loco in locum ita Ecclesia in his terris non habet certas stabiles sedes sed subinde cogitur eas mutare quia vita piorum est perpetua peregrinatio 1. As Tabernacles are removed from place to place so the Church on Earth hath no certain or stable places of abode but is ever and anon forced to change them because the life of the godly is a perpetual Pilgrimage 2. Tabernacula non sunt munita vallo aut aggere ullo quia ad mutationes subitas figuntur refiguntur ita Ecclesia foris non habet praesidia humana sed tamen ut sub tuguriolis defenduntur ut cunque corpora nostra adversus solis aestum injurias tempestatum ita sub alis Dei expansis tanquam sub clypeo aliquo tutissimo Ecclesia secura est ab ignitis Diaboli telis quamvis vicinam habeat omni ex parte 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oves meas ait Dominus nemo rapiet è manu mea Joan. 10.28 portae inferorum non praevalebunt adversus eam Matth. 16.18 2. Tabernacles are not fenced with any Bulwark or Trench because they are often to remove so the Church hath not from without any humane defence but yet as under the meanest Cottages our bodies are defended against the heat of the Sun and the injuries of Tempests so under the wings of God spread abroad as under some safe shield the Church is secured against the fiery darts of the Devil though it be never so neer utter ruine None saies our Saviour shall take my sheep cut of my hand Joh. 10.18 The gates of hell shall not prevail against it Matth. 16. Vers 18. 3. 3. Tabernaculi partes per veli interpositionem distinctae non fuerunt duo contigua domicilia sed unum opus continuum ut intellegeremus Ecclesiam Judaeorum Christianorum in unum aedificium spirituale aptari populum utrumque in unam Ecclesiam coalescere ipso Christo facto angulari lapide Velum tamen quoddam interpositum erat quod illius temporis ratio postulabat ut vetus illa Ecclesia multis legalibus ceremoniis tanquam maceria aliqua interposita à gentibus distingueretur At vero postquam affulsit Sol justitiae Christus umbratilibus ceremoniis dissipatis scissum fuit velum Luc. 23.45 interstitium maceriae dirutum Eph. 2.14 The parts of the Tabernacle distinguisht each from other by the interposition of a vail were not two contiguous houses but one continued house to teach us that the Jewish and Christian Church are joyned into one spiritual building and both People to grow into one Church yet there was a certain vail interposed because the respect of that time did require that the Ancient Church by many Legal Ceremonies as by a middle Wall of Partition should be distinguisht from the Gentiles But after that Christ the Sun of Righteousnesse shined out to the World the shadowing Ceremonies being dissipated the Vail of the Temple was rent Luk. 23.45 and the middle Wall of Partition broken down Eph. 2.14 Hence learn divers things 1. Learn here that in the Church God dwels among us as with the children of Israel in the Tabernacle and therefore let us be circumspect and careful of our Conversation that we do nothing unbeseeming his presence least we provoke him to displeasure against us and move him in displeasure to depart away from us as by the sins of the Israelites God was moved in displeasure to forsake them so shy are we and careful to shun any thing that may drive away any useful friend from us whose presence and abode with us we have cause to desire 2. See here the Church to be one as the Tabernacle was one Eph. 4.3 and therefore let us Endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace let us take heed of disunion Let us hearken to Saint Paul We beseech you brethren in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 1.10 that there be no divisions among you but be ye perfectly joyned together in the same minde and in the same judgement It s Saint Paul that makes the request to us who was the Apostle of the Gentiles that did so much and suffered so much for our behoof good cause therefore have we to hearken to him he might command in a businesse of this nature but he rather beseeches us yea he beseeches us in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and of what weight should his name be with us And as for the thing it self It s laid down 1. Negatively let there be no divisions among you and why should we not hearken to him herein for who knows not of what dangerous consequence divisions are in the Church we hear what our Saviour saies Matth. 12. An house or Kingdome divided cannot stand The Dutch devise is a good one of two Vessels floating on the Sea with this Motto We are broken to pieces Frangimur Si collidimur if we dash one against another As then we tender the safety of the Church let us take heed of divisions 2. It s laid down affirmatively be perfectly joyned together in the same minde and in the same judgement that is keep unity and maintain peace this we shall finde to be of singular conveniency 2 Cor. 13.11 Live in peace saies the Apostle and the God of love and peace shall be with you 3. See the gracious care of God for his Church to preserve it against and from all dangers as God provided for the safety of the Tabernacle a double Covering besides the Curtains namely that of the Goates-hair and that of Ram-skins died red why then should we be afraid of any dangers having the wings of Gods protection spread over us David knowing that the Lord sustained him Psal 3.5 6 resolves not to be afraid of ten Thousands of people that set themselves against him round about Psal 23. And knowing that God was with him he resolves to fear no evil though he walked through the Valley of the
Resurrection to everlasting Life And what Comfort is or can be comparable unto this True says the poor Christian here were great comfort for me if I could finde the Work of Holiness in me in truth but I fear it is not so with me for I finde in my self much corruption and I sin frequently in many things how then shall I say that the Work of Holiness is wrought in me To such I answer That the Work of Holiness may stand with remainders of corruption and with many sins in our life for it 's not Perfection but Truth of Holiness that is required else where should we finde any man in the World that hath the Work of Holiness in him for Solomon could say Who is he that lives and sins not 2 Chro. 6.36 James 3.2 and Saint James confesses In many things we offend all And Saint John could say If any man says 1 John 1.8 he hath no sin he deceives himself Thou complainest therefore of remainders of corruption and of many strayings in thy Life but know if ye grieve for them and mourn under them and strive against them and repent of them this is the state and condition of the Work of Holiness that is in the best men living on the face of the Earth As therefore we desire to have a comfortable evidence to our selves That we are indeed Members of the Church and that the fore-named priviledges of the Church do belong to us let us labor to finde in our selves the Work of Holiness in Truth and let us as the Apostle advises be holy in all manner of conversation in work in word in thought in affection 1 Pet. 1.15 And as for that corruption that cleaves to us let us mourn under it and endeavor to mortifie it and repent daily of our daily slips and so make after further degrees of Holiness continually till we come to a perfect man to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ II. The Parts of this Candlestick which are of two sorts some were for Use and some were for Ornament 1. The parts that were for Use were the seven Lamps Thou shalt make the seven Lamps thereof Exod. 25.37 These says my Author typified the manifold Graces of the Spirit of God the number seven being a number of Perfection In loc And thus also doth Ainsworth open it and makes good the Application by that of Saint John Rev. 4.5 There were seven Lamps burning before the Throne which are the seven Spirits of God Be we thankful to God for his great Mercy furnishing us with those Heavenly Graces as pledges of the Spirit of God dwelling in us as the Lamps were seated in the Branches of the golden Candlestick And as the Lamps were put in them to give Light so let it be our care to exercise these Graces and so to give Light to them among whom we live 2. The parts that were for Ornament were Knops Flowers c. And these did typifie the Care of God says my Author in beautifying and adorning his Church and particular Christians the Members of it with several Graces For so the Graces of Gods Spirit are of use both for necessity to fit us for the several duties which God requires of it and also for ornament to adorn our Souls and to make them amiable in the sight of God Let us therefore be so much the more thankful for these Graces of the Spirit of God which render us so acceptable unto God III. The Appurtenances of this Candlestick 1. The Prophet makes mention of certain golden Pipes Zach. 4.12 which emptied Oyl out of themselves into the Lamps Wherein says my Author the Prophet hath reference to the golden Candlestick in the Tabernacle And this says he typifies a continual supply of Grace to the Church Admire we the goodness of God thus giving to the Church and to particular Christians the Members of the Church a continual supply of Grace as the occasions and necessities of the Church do require 2. Moses mentions other appurtenances namely Tongs and Snuff-dishes Exod. 25.38 And these saies my Author Typified Ecclesiastical Discipline and Government which is necessary to the Church to preserve the pure light of it Pray we to God for the setling of Church-Government that by means of it Heresies and Schismes may be restrained which so much abound while the Government and Discipline of the Church is suspended CHAP. IV. The Church and Ruth SAint Chysostome takes knowledge of Ruth as a Type of the Church for so he saies The things that were done in and about Ruth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Quae in Ruth facta sunt nostri figura erant In N. Test To. 1. In Matth. hom 3. were a Type and figure of us namely of the Church of the New Testament and then he layes open the Parallel in two Particulars 1. She was of a strange Nation 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Haec alienigena erat in extremam delapsa pauperiem Videns autem eam Boaz nec ob ipsius paupertatem despexit nec ob impietatem gentis exhorruit Sic et Christus Ecclesiā suscipiens alienigenam multa laborantem egestate bonorum suo consortio copulavit and fallen into extreme poverty yet Boaz seeing her neither despised her for her poverty nor abhorred her for the impiety of her Nation so also Christ receiving the Church both a stranger and labouring under great want of all good things joyned her in marriage unto himself 2. As she except she had first forsaken her Parents 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Sicut haec alienigena nisi prius deseruisset parentes domum gentem patriam cognatos nunquam tali nobilitata fuisset connubio ita Ecclesia non ante amabilis efficitur sponso quam priorem conversationem relinquet Psal 45 10.11 Ibid. House Nation Countrey and Kindred had never been ennobled with such a Mariage so the Church is not made lovely unto her husband before she leaves off her old conversation And therefore is that advise given to the Church Harken O daughter c. forsake also thy own people and thy fathers house and then it s added Psal 45.10 11 So shall the King greatly desire thy beauty and not otherwise Here then is that which may humble the Church Let her see her Original she was once a stranger and destitute of all spiritual good in this respect as poor as ever Job or Lazarus was in outward respects What though she now be highly prefer'd to be fellow Citizen of the Saints and of the houshould of God What though she be blessed with great Spiritual Riches and transcendent Priviledges from the beginning it was not so but quite contrary good cause have we then that are believers of the Gentiles remembring our former basensse and vilenesse to harken to that counsel of the Apostle Be not high-minded Rom. 11.20 See here
By the Rivers of Babylon we sat down yea we wept when we remembered Sion Psalm 137.1 2 3 we hanged our Harps upon the Willows and when they that led us Captives required of us to sing one of the Songs of Sion we answered How shall we sing the Lords Songs in a strange Land And then they add Verse 5 6 If I forget thee O Jerusalem let my right hand forget her cunning If I do not remember thee let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy Acts 7.58 59 and 8. 2 Acts 12.5 Saint Steven is stoned and the whole Church made lamentation Saint Peter is imprisoned and the Church prays On the other side the Gentiles obtained mercy Acts 11.18 and the Saints at Jerusalem glorified God saying Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted Repentance unto Life So they were affected with Saint Pauls Conversion They heard says the Apostle that he which persecuted us in times past Gâ—l 1.22 23 now preaches the Faith which once he destroyed and they glorified God in me Let us then learn to carry our selves towards our Fellow-Christians as to our Fellow-Members 1. We all make one Body under one Head Christ therefore let us take heed of Schism and Disunion and endeavor to keep Unity The Apostle urges it upon this ground Endeavoring says he to keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace Eph. 4 3 4 for there is one Body and the sequel is good We are all of us one Body and shall we rend our selves one from another God forbid Harken we rather to Saint Paul Beseeching us in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ That there be no Divisions among us 1 Gen 1.10 but that we be perfectly joyned together in the same minde and in the same judgment The counsel is good for us to take which Joseph gave to his Brethren Gen. 45.24 See that ye fall not out by the way It 's good for every one of us to say one to another as Abraham to Lot Gen. 13.8 Let there be no contention between me and thee c. for we are Brethren yea for we are all of us one Body of Christ and every one of us Members one of another Remember we That God whom we call Father 2 Cor. 13.11 is the God of Love and Peace and Christ whose Members we profess our selves to be is the Prince of Peace Isai 9.6 Heb. 7.1 and the King of Salem the King of Peace and the Gospel which we profess the Gospel of Peace Eph. 6.15 Col. 3.15 and that we are called unto Peace in one Body What then will better become us then the study of Peace Remember that our mutual Jars will make our Enemies sport and our concord will not a little vex them for by it we shall put them out of hope of prevailing against us Insuperabiles si inseparabiles we shall be invincible if we be inseparable A single Arrow is soon broken not so a bunch of Arrows fast bound together and onely our mutual disagreements will put them in hope to spoil and mischieve us one after another Let Moab Edom 2 Chron. 20 and Ammon rise each against other and they overthrow one another Jehosaphat shall not need to strike a stroke It 's a received Maxim of Enemies Divide them Divide impera and so get the upper hand of them Let us not then give them so great advantage against us but rather as the Apostle advises us Let us minde the things that make for Peace Rom. 14.19 Let us not be ready to do wrong but be ready to put up wrongs and for peace sake part with our Rights in apparent injuries forgive in doubtful things make the fairest constructions and listen not to Tale-bearers Rom. 16.17 and as the Apostle advises Mark them that cause Divisions and avoyd them Thus let us do 2 Cor. 13 1â— and the God of Love and Peace shall be with us 2. Let us be profitable and serviceable one to another in the faithful employment of the Talents which we have received So are the Members of the natural Body so let us be Having the Wealth of the World let us be ready to distribute Having Wisdom be we ready to give advice and counsel to others that need and crave our help this way So according to our abilities let us warn them that are unruly 1 Thess 5.14 comfort the feeble-hearted and support the weak Let us consider one another to provoke to Love and good Works Heb. 10.24 Can we do no more yet at least having the Spirit of Prayer let us employ it for the behoof of the whole Church and of one another Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem Psal 122.6 Remember That as the Eye hath a faculty of Seeing the Ear of Hearing the Hand of Working the Tongue of Speaking the Feet of Walking not for themselves alone but for the good of the whole Body and each of other So the Gifts that God hath bestowed on us he hath given not for ostentation nor for our own private use onely 1 Cor. 12.7 but to profit withall therefore so let us use them Thus shall we honor Christ our Head and God our Father We hear what the Apostle says of Alms-deeds The Ministration of this Service abounds by many Thanksgivings to God and this holds equally true of the employment of our several Abilities for the profit of others And so we shall provide for our own Comfort for as to that unprofitable Servant that hid his Talent in a Napkin Mat. 25.28 30 it 's said Take the Talent from him and Cast him into outer darkness so to any one that is faithful in the employment of his Talent for the good of others it shall be said Well done good and faithful Servant Verse 23 Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. 3. Let those Members of the Church that are of highest note learn not to despise but to have in good esteem their Brethren and Fellow-Christians though they be not so richly gifted or laid out to so noble employments as themselves for there is not the meanest but hath his Gift in his measure and so not the meanest but is profitable in his way It 's so in the natural Body It is so much more in the Church Hear the Apostle The Eye cannot say to the Hand I have no need of thee 1 Cor. 12.21 22 nor the Head to the Foot I have no need of thee Nay much more those Members of the Body that seem to be more feeble are necessary Therefore let not the rich despise the poor nor the strong the weak nor the ablest Minister the meanest Hearer but if we see in them the Evidences of Faith and Holiness whatsoever they are in other respects let us embrace them and give them the right Hand of Fellowship God
of faith c. And Luther to the same purpose Ea docet fovet gestat in utero gremio ulnis fingit perficit nos ad formam Christi donec crescamus in virum perfectum c. Ibid. though in other words She doth teach us foster us bear us in her wombe in her lap in her armes she frames and fashions us to the likeness of Christ until we come to a perfect man to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Justly therefore is the Church compared to a Mother I. If the Church be our mother let us carry our selves to her as children ought and ingenuous children will carry themselves to their mothers 1. Let us yield obedience to her commands seconding the commands of God our heavenly Father but obey also those her commands which are not Cross to his commands for such obedience children owe to their mothers 2. Let us be deeply affected with the miseries and afflictions of the Church though we our selves for our own parts enjoy never so great prosperity what ingenuous childe laies it not sadly to heart to see his mother under great affliction The Jewes in Babylon wept in remembrance of Sion Psal 137.1 Neh. 2. Nehemiah though Cup-bearer to the great King Artaxerxes thought he had just cause of a sad countenance hearing of the distresses of Jerusalem 3. Let us not grieve the Church our mother by an unkind departure from her and her communion for some things amiss in her or because we see in the Church a mixture of good and bad how unnatural a Son were he that should disdain and abominate his mother because she comes short of her wonted comliness how heinously and that how justly would any mother take it at the hand of any child to be so used yet thus hath the Church been dealt withal by many that have sometime been held as her children as by the Donatists of old so by many in later times the more is the pity and the greater is their sin But let not us follow the example of such but own and acknowledge the Church our mother but praying to God to amend what is amiss remain stedfastly in the fellowship of the Church II. If the Church be the mother of us all even of all believers whether Jewes or Gentiles high or low rich or poor then let all believers whatsoever the difference may be in other respects own themselves mutually as brethren of the neerest kind not onely children of the same father as all Jacobs twelve Sons were but also of the same mother as were Joseph and Benjamin And let this consideration keep us off from all things that are contrary to love envy malice contention c. and provoke us the more to do all offices of love each to other It s observable what difference Joseph did put between Benjamin and his other brethren They were all his brethren by his fathers side therefore he entertained them all Gen. 43.34 and sent to every one of them messes from before him but Benjamin was his brother both by Father and Mother therefore his mess was five times so much as any of theirs And at their return to his Father Jacob Gen. 45.22 he gave to each of them changes of rayment but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of rayment We cannot put this difference between believers as if some had onely the same father with us namely God and others had also the same mother the Church for Saint Cyprian sayes most truly He Qui non habet Ecclesiam matrem non habet Deum Patrem De unit Eccl. s that hath not the Church for his mother hath not God for his Father But seeing we are thus brethren of the neerest kinde having all God for our Father and the Church for our mother let our love be entire each to other and let us manifest our love by doing good one to another as we are able and as out mutual necessities shall require CHAP. XII The Church and a Ship Matth. 4.19 OUr blessed Saviour promising to make his disciples fishers of men gives an hint of this resemblance for thus the companion holds As the fisherman casting his net out of the ship into the Sea takes up fishes and brings them into the ship so the Apostles and their successors casting the net of the Gospel out of the ship of the Church takes up men as fishes out of the sea of the World and brings them into the ship of the Church And so the comparison holds as between the ministers of the Word and fishermen between the net and the Gospel between the Sea and the World between fishes and men so between the ship and the Church And the resemblance holds excellently Navis diversissimi generis gentis vectore suscepto subjecta est omnibus ventorum flatibus maris motibus Atque ita illa scil Ecclesia seculi immundorum Spirituum vexatur incursibus Comment in Matth. col 496. 1. Hear Hilarius Pictaviensis A ship saies he having taken in Passengers of divers kindes of divers Nations is subject to all blowings of the winds and to all ragings of the Sea so the Church is vexed with the incursions of the World and of unclean spirits To which I add 2. It 's truly said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A common ship hath common dangers all the passengers in the same ship are liable to the same dangers to the same storms and tempests and to the same Pyrats Jon. 1. Let Jonah and the Mariners be in the same ship though the storm arose for Jonah's sake yet the Mariners were all in danger by means of it Let Saint Paul and other Prisoners Soldiers Acts 27 and Mariners be in the same ship together they are all equally concerned in the tempest Let there be in the same ship a Prince going to receive a Crown and a Malefactor going to receive Punishment according to the nature of his offence yet while they are in the ship together they are subject to the same storms to be toss'd alike to be Sea-sick together and to the same Pirats to be alike ransacked and spoiled by them Neither Winds Sea nor Pirats know to put a difference between the one and the other It 's so in the Church Let Enemies come let Persecutions arise against it there is no sorts of men that can promise to themselves an exemption from their violence But as it was with the Jewish Church when Nebuchadnezzar came against them no sorts of men escaped the fury of the Chaldeans but both Prophets and Priests Nobles Kings Children and the King himself they were all cruelly used So is it in Persecutions raised up against the Church no sorts of men escaped but though some particular men have escaped God either hiding them Jer. 36.26 as he did Jeremiah and Baruch or making a way for them to escape by a