Galleys then the Grand Seigneur himself attended with his train of Janizaries Let us then impute the contempt which men cast upon us to their ignorance of us and therefore let us slight it and please our selves as well as we may with that which the Scripture tells us of the honour done unto us in our fellowship with Christ while he is given to us to be our head and we to be his body and members in particular 2. See how great the error of the Church of Rome is making the Pope of Rome the head of the Church over all Churches and all Bishops of all Churches throughout the whole world yea even over all Kingdomes and Commonwealths and over all the Kings of the Earth in their several Kingdomes That all this is true of Christ no true Christian can deny and we shew warrant for it All power saies our Saviour Matth. 28.18 Rev. 11.15 is given to me both in Heaven and in Earth The Kingdomes of this World saies the Angel are become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever And God hath set him saies the Apostle Eph. 1.21 22 farre above all principalities c and hath put all things under c. and given him to be the head over all things to the Church If the Pope will be a Supreme visible Head over all Churches as Christ is Invisible let him shew his warrant and so let them that contend so earnestly for this his pretended Monarchy But this they can never be able to do They indeed acknowledge Christ alone to be the Supreme Head but yet with them the Pope is a secundary Head as Christs Vicar-general in whom must rest all the power to resolve all doubts to determine all Controversies to frame new Articles of Faith c. But where is their warrant It s easie to observe 1 Cor. 12.28 Eph. 4.11 that among all the Orders of Ministers in the Church mentioned in Scripture there is not any the least intimation made of a Vicar-general of Christ over all the members of the whole Church in the world and that it s not an absolute Government but a meer Ministery that is to be exercised by them Nay in all the times of the Apostles themselves there was not the least shew of a Monarchy in the Church but rather the contrary for whatsoever controversies were to be decided or whatsoever affaires of the Church were to be ordered we see all done by the joynt consent of the Apostles Act. 1. 6. 15. and the consent of the People Besides such a Monarchy of the Pope of Rome or any other Bishop over all Churches and Bishops is to no purpose nor of any use for what need is there of a substitute where the chief is present but Christ hath promised that he Matth. 28.20 though ascended will be with his Church to the end of the world Yea such an absolute Monarchy in the Church is very dangerous and may prove exceeding hurtful being in danger through mans corruption to degenerate into a Tyranny as we see by woful experience But say they Monarchy is the best form of Government in the Commonwealth therefore it is so in the Church Ans It followes not there being a great difference between the state of the Church and of the Commonwealth In which respect though a Monarchy be best for the Commonwealth yet it s not so for the Church if we respect the visible Government but if we respect Christ the Government is Monarchical But there is say they such a Monarchy among the Angels in heaven Lucifer once and Michael now being the Supreme over all the rest and all the rest subject to them therefore it should be so in the Church Militant Ans To say nothing of the consequence which is also unsound the antecedent is all false being compact of dotages Isa 14. Lucifer is Nebuchadnezzar Michael is Christ Angels do not acknowledge any superior but Christ But they say Christ gave the Monarchy to Saint Peter above all the Apostles and consequently to his Successors above and over all the successors of the other all Apostles And St. Peter was Bishop of Rome and all the Bishops of Rome successively are his successors Answ All these things are either false or at least uncertain That Christ gave to Saint Peter the Monarchy over the whole Church is false and cannot be proved by Scripture but the contrary is manifest where was St. Peters Monarchy when at that Hierosolymitane Councel not Saint Peter Act. 15. but St. James gave the difinitive sentence when he was fain to give account to the Church of his affaires transacted with Cornelius and finally when Saint Paul at Antioch Act. 11. withstood him to his face Question is made whether Saint Peter were ever at Rome false it is that he was Bishop of Rome Gal. 2. and that the following Bishops of Rome were and are his Successors in that Office which he did execute The more full prosecution of these particulars would take up too much time 3. See what comfort issues hence to all godly Christians in that Christ is an Head to and over us He is Man as we are in all things like unto us sin onely excepted then he will be sure to love us to tender us to compassionate us for to this end he became man and he took our nature into unity of person with himself Heb. 2.17 that he might be a merciful high Priest and so the Scripture speaking of his sympathizing with us Isa 63.9 saies In all their afflictions he was afflicted yea he that is our Head is God also as well as man therefore he is and will be with us wheresoever we are for as God he is Infinite without limits of Essence therefore Immense without limits of quantity therefore Omnipresent without limits of place According to his promise then Matth. 28.20 I will be with you unto the end of the world he is still present with us as God though his Manhood be taken away from us according to that which he himself saies Where two or three are gathered together in my name Matth. 18.20 there am I in the midst of them namely to help us by his Spirit and to hear us what hopes then may we have of the acceptance of our prayers and the granting of our requests If we be in the Fire in the Dungeon in the Desert in the Water he is with us to uphold us to comfort us to carry us through all to deliver us out of all Yea He that is our Head is God therefore infinitely able to turn into folly all the Policies and Counsels of all the greatest Achitophels or Machiavels in the world and to take them in their own craftinesse Yea therefore he is infinite in strength able to do what he will for the preservation of his Church and the members of it and for the
others as the Candlestick did in the Tabernacle II. Particularly The Parallel between the Church and the Candlestick in the Tabernacle in three things In the Matter in the Parts and in the Appurtenances I. In the Matter It was made of Gold and of pure Gold 1. The Candlestick is made of Gold Gold is precious in the eyes and account of men and so is the Church precious in the sight of God and in his account Exod. 19.5 6 Ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people a Kingdom of Priests says God and an holy Nation yea Psal 105.13 14 When they wandered from one people to another Nation he suffered no man to do them wrong but reproved Kings for their sakes Yea hear what God says by the Prophet Isai 43.4 Since thou wast precious in my sight thou hast been honorable and I have loved thee therefore I will give men for thee and people for thy life And so speaks Saint Peter of godly Christians in the New Testament Ye are a chosen Generation 1 Pet. 2.8 a royal Priesthood an holy Nation a peculiar People And the Expression of the Prophet is remarkable to this purpose They shall be mine saith the Lord God of hosts Mal. 3.17 in that day when I shall make up my jewels And who can doubt of the high account and preciousness of the Church in the sight of God for behold with what a price God hath purchased it Not with corruptible things 1 Pet. 1.18 as Silver and Gold but with the blood of Christ Acts 20 28 as of a Lamb unspotted and undefiled and indeed as Saint Paul speaks with the blood of God Let this comfort and encourage us against the vile account and the base esteem in which the World hath us How base soever we are in the eyes of the World we are yet precious in Gods eyes The World holds us as the filth of the World and the off-scouring of all things Lam. 4.2 but God counts us as his jewels They judg of us as of earthen pitchers the work of the hands of the Potter God holds us comparable to fine Gold They esteem of us as of men not worthy to live on the Earth or to breathe in the Ayr when God holds us as men of whom the World is not worthy Heb. 11.38 They despise us as men of no account Jam. 2.5 6 but God hath chosen us rich in Faith and Heirs of the Kingdom And whom shall not the high esteem which the onely wise God hath of us comfort against the base esteem of blinde men that cannot discern of colours and foolish men that have not skill to discern of things that differ and to prefer the most excellent And let us learn to imitate God in the high esteem which he hath of the Church even of all godly Christians and as he doth so let us account highly of them This will be our wisdom to conform our judgment to the judgment of the onely wise God Thus did David hear we his profession I am says he a companion to all them that fear thee Psa 119.63 and keep thy Testimonies Psa 16.2 And again My goodness extends to the Saints and to them that excel in vertue in whom is all my delight Thus let us do having godly persons in high esteem giving our votes to them delighting in their familiarity and preferring them in the exercise of our beneficency as the Apostle advises Do good to all but especially to the Houshould of Faith Gal. 6.10 This will be to us a comfortable evidence for our future Happiness If the Question be Lord Psalm 15.1 who shall enter into thy Tabernacle and who shall dwell in thy holy Hill Verse 4 The Answer in part is He in whose eyes a vile person is contemned but he honors them that fear the Lord. 2. As Gold so pure Gold is the Matter of this Candlestick so the Church is holy so we profess in the Creed to believe the Holy Church and so we see the Apostle in his Epistles describing the Church To all that be at Rome called to be Saints And again Rom. 1.7 To the Church of God which is at Corinth 1 Cor. 1.2 to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus called to be Saints And again To the Saints that are at Ephesus Eph. 1.1 Phil. 1.1 and faithful in Christ Jesus And again To all the Saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi And again Col. 1 2 To all the Saints and faithful Brethren in Christ that are at Coloss All these places do plainly shew That the Church of God is and all the true Members of it are holy And seeing the Church of the living God is the House of God 1 Tim. 3.15 how shall it not be holy Psalm 93.5 for says the Psalmist Holiness becomes thy House O Lord for ever And seeing the Church is the Mystical Body of Christ who as God is infinitely holy and as Man perfectly holy how shall not the Church be holy And indeed as the Apostle says Christ gave himself for the Church Eph. 5.25 25 that he might sanctifie it Wo then to all that are voyd of Holiness that trade in wickedness that wallow in the mire of their sins These may live in the visible Church but they are not true Members of the Church None can be Members of the Church but they are withall Members of Christ and no such unholy persons can be Members of Christ therefore neither can they be Members of the Church The distinction of true Members Membra vera membra viva and living Members will not help them for these are inseparable none can be true Members except they be living Members Wo to them then Admirable are the priviledges of the Church Communion of Saints Forgiveness of Sins Resurrection of the Body and Life everlasting but to them that by their wickedness are manifested not to be Members of the Church these priviledges do not appertain How sad then is their condition But here is comfort to all that are truly holy renewed and sanctified by the Spirit of God hating and mortifying the remainders of corruption striving to further degrees of Perfection laboring to abound more and more in fruits of Righteousness and Obedience Such as these may and do lie open to mocks and scoffs in the World but yet let them be of good chear for this Work of Holiness wrought in them argues them to be true Members of the Church and from hence they may assure themselves That all the priviledges of the Church do belong to them namely Communion of Saints by which among other conveniencies they have a share in all the Prayers of the Churches of God throughout the World and Forgiveness of Sins Psalm 32.1 a Blessing so great that Happiness is affirmed to stand in it and Resurrection of the Body and Life everlasting namely
Sole illustrari Et sic Luna intelligitur Ecclesia quod suum lumen non habeat sed a Christo illustretur qui in scriptura Sol appellatur In Psal 11. but receives her Light from the Sun and so by the Moon we are to understand the Church because she hath no Light of her own but is illustrated and enlightened by Christ who in scripture is called the Sun And so Sadeel from Saint Ambrose Vt Luna non propria sed ut quidam dicebat luce lucet aliena quandoquidem a Solis radiis accensa totam inde suam lucem accepit ita Ecclesia lucet non suo sed Christi fulgore summis ejus dotibus beneficiis illustrata De legit ministr vocat pag. 39. makes the Comparison between them As the Moon shines not with her own but anothers Light because being lighted by the Sun-beams she receives all her Light from thence so the Church shines not with her own Light but as enlightened with the brightness of Christ and with his singular gifts and benefits And thus also Weemse makes the Comparison Of the Cerem Law Exerc. 22 As the Moon says he hath her Light from the Sun so hath the Church her Light from Christ The Sun gives Light and receives none the Moon both gives Light and receives Let not then the Church and the Members of it be puft up with pride for the Light which they give to others but carry themselves in all humility and lowliness of minde Thou hast Light and thou givest Light whether by word of Doctrine or by example of Life but be not proud This Light thou hast not in and of thy self but from Christ the Sun of Righteousness why should you behave your self proudly Thus doth the Apostle argue What hast thou that thou hast not received 1 Cor. 4.7 and if thou hast received it why dost thou boast c. Arrogate nothing to thy self but give all the glory to Christ from whom thou receivedst it 2. The Moon when she shines brightest hath her spots so there is no Church so pure but she hath her blemishes nor any Christian so exactly perfect but he hath his imperfections under which he labors and his sins by which he offends God As for Churches look we upon them that were planted by the Apostles and we shall see that they had their blemishes The Church of Coriath was a famous Church of God enriched by him in all utterance 1 Cor. 1.5 7 and in all knowledg so that ye come behinde in no gift And yet behold what blemishes were in that Church Verse 11 12 It 's reported to me says he that there are contentions among you This therefore I say that every one of you says I am of Paul and I of Apollos 1 Cor. 11.18 c. And again When ye meet together in the Church I hear there are divisions among you and I partly believe it Verse 21 And again in the same place When ye come together to eat every one eats before other his own supper and one is hungry and another is drunken And again How say some among you 1 Cor. 15.12 That there is no Resurrection of the dead Who can deny these to be great blemishes and yet these are found in an Apostolical Church It were needless to go over all Look for a close upon the Epistles written to those famous Lights the seven Churches of Asia and we shall finde it so to be To the Angel of the Church of Ephesus and in him to the whole Church he says I have somewhat against you Rev. 2.4 because you have lost your first love So to the Church of Pergamos I have a few things against thee Verse 14 because thou hast there them that hold the Doctrine of Balaam 15 So hast thou them that hold the Doctrine of the Nicolaitans which thing I hate So to the Church of Thyatira he says 20 I have a few things against thee that thou sufferest the woman Jezabel And to the Church of Sardis Rev. 3.1 Thou hast a Name that thou livest and art dead And how deeply did he charge the Church of Laodicea with lukewarmness That they were neither hot nor cold Verse 15 And if these Primitive Churches and that in the Apostles times had so soon contracted such Sullies who shall wonder that all the following Churches have had and have their blemishes And no less holds it true in respect of particular godly Christians That as the Moon hath her spots so they have their blemishes even the best of meer men That of Solomon holds universally true 2 Chro. 6.36 There is no man which sins not Consonant to this is the confession of Saint James In many things we offend all James 3.2 in which he also includes himself And Saint John is peremptory including also himself If we say 1 John 1.8 we have no sin we deceive our self and the Truth is not in us And again If we say we have no sin Verse 10 we make him a lyar and his Word is not in us And who of all the Saints who are most commended in Scripture have not cause to subscribe this Truth God makes his boast of Job Job 1.8 That there was none like to him on the Earth yea he could in his Apology make his Appeal to God 10.7 Lord thou knowest that I am not wicked and yet we have his confession 7.20 I have sinned what shall I do to thee O thou Preserver of men David was a man after Gods own Heart 2 Sam 12.13 Psalm 38.4 40.12 yet he confesses I have sinned against the Lord yea My sins are gone over my head yea They are more then the hairs of my head Daniel was a man greatly beloved and yet we have his Confession in the first person plural including himself Dan 9.5 We have sinned we have committed iniquity Thus then in this particular the Resemblance holds good between the Church and the Moon That the Moon hath her spots and the Church and godly Christians the Members of the Church have their blemishes while they live on this Earth Hence learn many things 1. Then absolute Perfection is not to be expected in the Church in this World nor is any visible Church to be abandoned nor the Communion and Fellowship of it to be forsaken by us for some blemishes for some disorders which haply we may see in it so long as it enjoys the Ordinances of God the tokens of his presence Whither shall we travel to finde a Church so refined that it should have no dross so reformed that nothing should be out of order so exactly accomplish'd that it should have no blemish Christ sends not a Bill of Divorce to any Church for every thing amiss nor for every Error in Doctrine except it be fundamental and universally received and held with obstinacy therefore neither let us except it be thus
himself as the least of the Apostles 1 Cor. 15.9 Joseph seeing Benjamin his brother of the same mother wept and Christ seeing Paul raging against the Church his mother had pitty on him Joseph said of his brethren to his Steward Bring the men home for they shall dine with me and our Joseph sayes by the Prophet to his brethren Eat of my bread and drink of my wine that I have mingled for you Prov. 9. Joseph gave gifts to his brethren so Christ gave gifts to men when he gave the Spirit to his But to Benjamin his younger brother Ioseph gave larger gifts then to his other brethren and this doth Paul our Benjamin confesse saying I laboured more then they all yet not I but the Grace of God that is with me 1 Cor. 15. Ioseph commanded his cup to be put in Benjamins sack which when it troubled his brethren to have it challenged of them was yet found in Benjamins sack The cup of Christs sufferings is acknowledged hiddenly given in the body of Paul when he saies I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Iesus Gal. 6. When Ioseph would make himself known to his brethren he lift up his voice and sayd I am Ioseph your brother Is my father yet alive And Christ our Ioseph that he might shew himself to his brethren Psal 22.26 sayes I will declare thy name to my brethren Gen. 45. Ioseph said to his brethren Yee sent me not hither but God to preserve life And of our Ioseph the Apostle Iohn saies To this end God sent his Son into the world that we might live by him CHAP. VIII HItherto we have heard of the persons by whom Christ was foresignified while the Church was in the narrow bounds of a Family Proceed we now to the Persons that were Types of Christ when the Church of God came to be in a people Christ and Moses God himself by Moses prophesying and foretelling of Christ to be raised up as a Prophet Deutr. 18 hath this clause that he should be like unto Moses but so that as the Truth is farre above the Type the Body above the Shadow so Christ above Moses in all respects 1. Moses was a true man so is Christ but Moses was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a meer man but Christ is Immanuel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God and man in one person Moses was a God to Pharaoh Exod. 7.1 but he made a God I have made thee a God but Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God of himselfe He is Deus genitus God by Eternal Generation And even in regard of the Humane Nature Moses came from Adam in the way of ordinary Generation by conjunction of male and female he had a father and a mother Christ also came from Adam but not in the way of ordinary Generation as man he had a mother but not a father He was born of a Virgin but conceived of the Holy Ghost Hence also Moses was conceived and born a sinner even to him as well as to others came the contagion of Original sin and hence he was subject to miscarriages in his life but of Christ the Apostle can say Such an high Priest we have who is holy Heb. 7. harmlesse undefiled seperate from sinners and hence he could appeal to his enemies themselves and say Joh 8.46 which of you convinces me of evil 2. As Moses brought Israel from bondage under Pharaoh so Christ hath set us free from bondage under Satan the Prince of darknesse and here the comparison holds aptly the Parallels are Christ and Moses Satan and Pharaoh bodily and spiritual bondage Israel according to the flesh and Israel according to the spirit but here also Christ is though like Moses yet far more excellent then He. Moses wrought an external deliverance the conveniencies of which reached to the bodies of the Israelites an handful of the world but Christ hath wrought a spiritual deliverance the conveniencies of which reach to the souls of all Believers of all Nations what comparison is there between them Moses though he began the work could not yet consummate it he brings Israel out of Aegypt he carried them through the red Sea and through the Wilderness even to the Borders of the Land of Promise but he must not put them into the possession of it Ioshua must begin where Moses left he must bring Israel into it But yet neither could Ioshua make a perfect work of it he put them into Possession but neither could he nor all the following Judges and Kings keep them in Possession how soon and how frequently were they molested and brought under their enemies how were they at last dispossest the Ten Tribes by Salmanasar the other Two Tribes by Nebuchadnezzar And though they were released by Cyrus and by Ezrah and Nehemiah brought again into their own Country yet how were they by the Romanes so dispossest and scattered into all Nations that to this day they never had the happinesse to return again to their native soil but remain scattered Vagabonds over the face of the whole world but Christ hath wrought a full and perfect salvation for us He hath set us free from that miserable slavery in which we were under Satan that hellish Pharaoh He hath brought us into and maugre the malice of all our spiritual enemies upholds us in the state of salvation 3. Moses was a mediator between God and the people Deut. 5.5 1 Tim. 2.5 I stood sayes he between the Lord and you and so is Christ a mediator between God and us There is one Mediator sayes the Apostle between God and man even the man Jesus Christ Herein therefore He was like Moses but yet herein also He farre exceeded him as the Apostle sayes Heb. 8.6 He namely Christ is Mediator of a better Covenant which was established upon better promises 4. Moses wrought great signes and wonders in Aegypt and the Red Sea and in the Wildernesse the History of the old Testament makes it manifest And Christ also wrought great miracles the History of the Evangelists is clear for it therefore herein also Moses was a Type of Christ and yet herein also He farre exceeds him Joh. 15.24 Hear we our Saviour If I had not done among them the works that no other man did c. hear the blind man restored to his sight Ioh. 9.32 Since the world began was is it not heard that any man did open the eyes of one that was born blind Hear the attestations of the people upon the stilling of the Tempest Matth. 8.27 What manner of man is this that even the winds and the sea obey him upon the casting out of the unclean spirit Mar. 1.27 what thing is this what new Doctrine is this for with Authority commands He even the unclean spirits and they obey him upon the healing of the paralitick we never saw it on this fashion Mar. 2.12 and finally upon the healing of
and that was but once offered nor ought it to be often offered In the Priesthood of the old Testament the high Priest entred once every year into the most holy place that was made with hands but the high Priest of the new Testament entred not into the holy place made with hands but into heaven it self and there He appears continually for us In the Priesthood of the old Testament the Priest was one thing and the sacrifice another thing But in the new Testament the priest and the sacrifice are indeed one and the same for Jesus Christ is the high Priest and He is the sacrifice it self for he offered himself to his Father for the remission of sins But what needs many words for the scripture it self makes this a difference between the high Priest of the old and of the new Testament that the high Priest of the old Testament had successors but Christ hath no successor As the Apostle tells us Heb. 7.23 They were many because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death but this man because he continues for ever Vers 24. hath an unchangeable Priesthood Christ and the high Priest Hear St. Austin The high Priest went alone into the Holy of Holies Summus sacerdos solus intrabat in sanctū sanctorum populus foris stabat Sicut Christus nunc in secreta coelorum intravit ut pro nobis interpellet populus autem cujus ille sacerdos est foris gemit To. 7. part 1. contr epist Par. l. 2. c. 7. while the people stood without as now Christ is entered into the secret place of Heaven to make intercession for us while the people whose Priest he is sighs without Weemse makes the high Priest a Type of Christ in five things in his person in his annoynting Christ Synag l. 1. c. 6. s 3. in his apparel in his marriage in his death 1. In his person there must be no blemish in him so neither was there in Christ. 2. In his Anointing the high priest was anointed with the holy oyl and so was Christ Psal 45. God hath anointed thee with the oyl of gladnesse c. 3. In his garments his crown signified his Kingly Office his Urim and Thummim signified his Priestly Office and his Bells his Prophetical Office 4. In his marriage It was not lawful for the high Priest to marry a widow because he had not her first love nor a divorced woman because he had not her just love nor an whore because he could not have her whole love he might onely marry a Virgin so Christ requires of his Church her first love just love and her onely love 5. In his death He that kild a man negligently fled to the City of Refuge and stayed there till the death of the high Priest and then he was free so Jesus Christ by his death frees us and sets us at liberty Dr. Gouge also makes the comparison between Christ and the high Priest in sundry particulars Exod. 30.30 Psal 133.2 Psal 45.7 1. The high Priest was annointed and this ointment ran down from his head to the skirts of his garment this was an outward sign of his Calling and Gifts Heb. 5.5 Joh. 3.34 Joh. 1.16 so Christ was annointed He was Called and had Gifts to fit him for the execution of his Offices and of his fulnesse we all receive and Grace for Grace Exod. 28. 2. The high Priest was arrayed with rich and glorious apparel which is described by Moses So Christ is arrayed with Immortallity Incorruption Purity Majesty and all manner of glory fit for his place Exod. 28.30 3. Among other things wrought by the Art of man the high Priest had in his breast plate two things Vrim and Thummim Col. 2.3 which according to the notation of the words signifie Light and Integrity And Christ the true high Priest hath in him all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge and his purity is set out by the Apostle to the ful Heb. 8.26 Exod. 28.9.10 4 The high Priest carryed before him on his breast-plate the names of the twelve Tribes of Israel And Christ hath the names of the whole Church in continual remembrance and presents them to his Father to be gratiously accepted by him 5. On the high Priests Mitre in a plate of gold was ingraven Holinesse to the Lord. Two reasons are rendred hereof one that he might bear and so take away the imperfections of their best works the other that he might make the people acceptable to the Lord In Christ were truly and properly accomplished those things which onely were typified in and by the Priest 6. There were Bels of Gold on the skirts of the high Priests Ephod which with the least motion of his body sounded So Christ by his intercession makes a continual pleasant sound in the ears of God CHAP. X. Christ and Joshua HEar St. Chrysostome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Jesus etiam ille dicitur qui post Mosem populum in terram promissionis introduxit Vides figuram respice veritatem I lle in terram re promissionis introduxit hic autem scil Christus in coelum ea quae sunt in coelis bona Ille postquam Moses mortuus est iste postquam lex per Mosem lata cessavit Ille ducis dignitate pollens iste autem Regis majestate praefulgens In Matth. hom 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ipse scil Josue populum introduxit in terram promissionis sicut Jesus in coelum non lex sicut nec Moses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non potest lex introducere sed gratia In hebr hom 27. Nec Moses nec Aaron introducunt Israel in terram promissam uterque enim moritur priusquam intrarent Israelitae sed Josue hujus rei mysterium datur intelligi Quod nec sacerdotium quod prius institutum erat cujus personam gerebat Aaron nec Lex cujus personam gerebat Moses in terram haereditatis aeternae populum Dei introducunt sed Josue in quo erat typus Christi i. e. gratia per fidem Et Aaron quidem ante defunctus est quam Israel in aliquam partem terrae promissionis intraret Mose autem vivente capta est possessa terra Amorrhaeorum sed Jordanem non est permissus transire Ex aliqua enim parte observatur Lex in fide Christiana ibi enim sunt praecepta quae hodie jubemur observare Christiani Sacerdotium autem illud sacrificia nullam partem tenent in die fidei Christianae nisi quod in umbris futurorum acta transacta sunt To. 4. quaest super Numer q. 53. He was called Jesus who after Moses did bring the people into the Land of Promise but Christ into heaven and the good things that be in heaven Joshua after Moses was dead Christ after the Law given by Moses ceased Joshua had the dignity of a Duke or Captain Christ hath the Majesty of a King
therefore to Isaac God gives a more particular assurance Gen. 26.4 that in his seed should all the Nations of the Earth be blessed But Isaac had two sons Esau and Jacob from whether of them should Christ descend God tells Jacob Gen. 28.14 that in his seed shall all the Families of the Earth be blessed But Jacob had twelve Sons from which of them should Christ come God discovers it to Jacob and Jacob by the spirit of Prophesy tells us that he was to come from Judah but when should he come when the Scepter was departed from Judah Gen. 49.10 And this was the cleerest light that was given to the world while the Church was in the bounds of a Family But afterward God made known this Rule of Godlinesse the Doctrine of Salvation to a Select Nation whom God chose out of all the world to be their God and that they should be his people and now the Church was in populo Israelitico among the people of Israel God having shut out all other Nations by the Partition Wall of the Ceremonial Law So that it was then true Psal 76.1 In Jury is God known his name is great in Israel of them God saies ye shall be my peculiar people though all the world be mine Exod. 19.5 And you onely have I known of all the Families of the Earth And so sings that sweet singer of Israel Psal 147.19.20 He hath shewed his word unto Jacob his statutes and his judgments unto Israel he hath not dealt so with any Nation and as for his judgments they have not known them And Moses What Nation is there so great Deut. 4.6 that hath Statutes and Judgments so righteous as all this Law which I set before you this day And thus it continued to be from that time till Christs Ascension into Heaven for even while Christ was upon the Earth he gave that command unto his Disciples when he sent them abroad Matth. 10.5 6. Go not into the way of the Gentiles and into any City of the Samaritans enter ye not but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel And when that distressed Woman of Canaan came to our blessed Saviour in behalf of her daughter that was vexed with a devil Matth. 15.22 at the first he answers her not a word and when his Disciples became suitors for her he answers them Vers 24. I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel And the Woman renewing her suit receives this answer Vers 26. It s not meet to take the childrens bread and to cast it to dogs In this compasse of time there was a more full discovery of the Rule of Godlinesse of the Doctrine of Christ If ye well consider what hath been said of the comparison between Christ and the Types that went before of him ye shall see that there is not any Branch of the Doctrine of Christ which was not set before them whether of his Person in both Natures Divine and Humane or of his Offices Kingly Priestly and Prophetical or of his twofold estate of Humiliation and Exaltation or of the benefits that accrue unto us by him But how are these set out to them In dark Types and obscure Prophesies The old Church had the Sun of Righteousness but there was a Cloud of dark Types between him and their eyes there was a Vail between them and the Holy of Holies which kept even the ordinary Priests themselves from entering in to behold the things that were therein In this respect the Apostle calls it the Mystery that hath been kept secret since the World began and elsewhere Rom. 16.25 Col. 1.26 The Mystery that hath been kept hid from ages and from generations But now at last God hath made known this Rule of Godliness this Doctrine of Salvation by Christ to all Nations of the World the Church being in populo Catholico dispersed among all Nations And this hath been from the time of Christs Ascension to this day and so shall be to the end of the World Therefore our Saviour being presently to ascend into Heaven enlarged the Commission of his Apostles Matth. 28.19 Mark 16.15 even to teach all Nations and to preach the Gospel to every Creature And therefore when Saint Peter doubted whether he should go to Cornelius a Gentile he was taught in the Vision not to call any thing common or unclean Acts 10 which God hath sanctified and so we finde Churches planted and the Faith of Christ preached in all Countries of the Gentiles as Saint Paul says Rom. 15.19 Col. 1.5 6 from Jerusalem round about unto Illyricum yea says he the Word of the Truth of the Gospel is in all the World for God is not alone the God of the Jews but also of the Gentiles Rom. 3.29 30 for it is one God that shall justifie the Circumcision by Faith and the Vncircumcision through Faith for Christ hath broken down the middle Wall of Partition Eph. 2.14 15 and so hath made in himself of twain one new man So that now it 's most true that the same blessed Apostle saith That there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek Rom. 10.12 but the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him And to this Church thus made Catholique the Rule of Godliness the Doctrine of Christ is revealed and set out not by dark Types as in the Times of the Old Testament but in all plainness so that as Saint Paul says we do with open face behold the Glory of God 2 Cor. 3.18 Nor is it set down to us in the Future Tense as that which shall be in Times to come as it was in the Old Testament but in the Present or Preterperfect Tense as that which is already done so we hear our blessed Saviour crying out on the Cross John 19.30 Consummatum est It 's finished And Saint Paul can tell us 2 Cor. 1. That all the Promises of God are in him Yea and in him Amen So that by that which hath been said to sum up all briefly we may see a manifold variety in the administration of this Rule of Godliness 1. That it was at the first delivered by word of mouth and handed over by Tradition from Father to Son and afterwards committed to Writing God saw an admirable expediency in both It was not written at the first for there was no such danger of corruption the Church being then in the compass of a Family and the Patriarchs the Heads of those Families being men of singular piety Nay it was more expedient for the Church as it then was to be so used as it was namely they had frequent apparitions of the Son of God they had God oft speaking to them by Angels and the like and this was far more convenient for the Church at that season then to have a written Word and
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
separated between God and you It is an excellent passage of Saint Chrysostom to this purpose As the Refiner of Gold says he casting Gold into the Fine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Sicue in conflatoriam fornacem aurifex aurum injiciens tamdiu sinit illud ab igne examinari quousque purius viderit Ita Deus tamdiu hominum animas malis probari permittit quousque purae fiant splendidae To. 5. Ser. in Paralytic c. continues the Fire so long till he sees it come forth more pure So God doth so long suffer the Souls of men to lie under Evils till they be pure and bright If Evils then continue thank we our selves that we have not profited by the Cross under which we have layn Let us but repent of our sins and we shall finde God propitious to us easing us of our pressures Isai 10.12 and rendering to our Enemies the fruit of their stout Hearts Christ and Christians The Scripture takes knowledg of an Agreement between them in many Particulars but of a Distance between them in many more 1. Christ is the Son of God and we are the Sons of God John 20.17 I go says our Saviour to my Father and your Father Matth. 11.25 Christ calls God his Father Father says he I thank thee that thou hast hid c. and he teaches us to say Matth 6.9 Our Father which art in Heaven Nathaneel can confess John 1.49 Mat. 3.17 and 15.5 Thou art the Son of God yea the Father from Heaven gives this Testimony of him This is my beloved Son and of Christians the Evangelist says To as many as received him Iohn 1.12 he gave power to be called the Sons of God even to as many as believe in his Name And Saint Paul Ye are all the Children of God through Faith in Christ Jesus Gal. 3.26 2. Hebr. 1.2 Rom. 8.17 Christ is said to be the Heir of all things and the Apostle affirms us to be Coheirs with Christ and therefore the same Apostle can give us this assurance All things are yours 1 Cor. 3 21 3. Christ was and is at once King Priest and Prophet of the Church and all godly Christians are Kings to rule over their Passions and Priests to offer up to God Spiritual Sacrifices 1 Pet. 2.5 9 Rev. 1.6 and Prophets to instruct and edifie one another Acts 10.38 Psalm 45.7 Luke 2.9 13 Matth. 4.11 Luke 22.43 Matth. 28.2 Acts 1.10 Matth. 25.31 Heb. 1.14 Psalm 34.7 Luke 16.22 4. Christ was anointed with the Holy Ghost and we are also Partakers of the same Unction 5. Christ had the Angels ministering unto him at his Birth at his Combat with the Devil in his Agony in the Garden at his Resurrection at his Ascension and so shall have at his Return to Judgment And we have the Angels ministering unto us in our Life and at our Death 6. It 's said of Christ Heb. 2.10 Luke 24.26 The Prince of our Salvation was made perfect through Suffering and that he ought to suffer and so to enter into Glory And so of us it is said That through many Afflictions we must enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Acts 14.22 7. As Christ dying rose again so we dying shall rise again The Apostle takes notice of this 1 Thes 4.14 If we believe says he that Jesus dying rose again even so them also that sleep in Jesus shall God bring with him 8. Rev. 3.21 As Christ overcoming sat with his Father in his Throne so we overcoming shall sit with Christ in his Throne Thus there is an Agreement between Christ and Christians but there is also a vast difference between him and them 1. He is the Son of God and we are the Children of God but here is a vast disproportion between him and us He as God is the Son of God by Eternal Generation and so God himself says Thou art my Son Psalm 2.7 this day have I begotten thee And Christ-Man is the Son of God by vertue of the Hypostatical Union for God and Man making one Person in Christ if Christ-God be the Son of God Christ-Man must be so no less by vertue of the communication of properties 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dial. 3. of which Theodoret says The things that are proper to each Nature severally are made common to the whole Person by reason of the Unity of Person But Christ-Man is also the Son of God by reason of his extraordinary Conception of the Holy Ghost so the Angel makes the inference in his speech to the blessed Virgin The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the most High shall overshadow thee therefore that holy thing that shall be born of thee Luke 1.35 shall be called the Son of God Thus was and is Christ the Son of God But we are the Sons of God by the Grace of Adoption and that through Christ as the Apostle says Eph. 1.5 Being predestinated to the Adoption of Children by Jesus Christ And by the Grace of Regeneration as the Evangelist having said That Believers are the Children of God John 1.12 13 adds Being born not of blood c. but of God So that Christ was the Son of God from all Eternity we become the Sons of God in Time He was never other then the Son of God but time was Joh. 8.44 when we were of our father the Devil as our Saviour says of the wicked Jews Eph. 2.3 and Children of Wrath says Saint Paul He was the Son of God at the first hand Iohn 20.17 and then we through him as our Saviour intimates in that he says My Father and your Father first mine and then yours 2. The like we may say of the next Particular Christ is the Heir and we are Coheirs with him but he first and we through him and by his means 3. Christ is King Priest and Prophet so are we but in a great difference He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that King 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rev. 19.16 1.5 that Prophet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Priest That King even the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords and the Prince of the Kings of the Earth That Prophet the Honor John 1.21 which Saint John Baptist would not take to himself even the Lord of the Prophets Heb. 3.1 That Priest The High Priest of our Profession whose excellency in this respect hath been already shewed in the Parallel between Christ and the High Priest of the Old Testament Lib. I We in all respects are so far below him that we are not worthy to be named the same day with him and for this That we are Kings Priests and Prophets we are beholden to him Rev. 1.6 who hath made us Kings and Priests to God his Father 4. Christ was anointed and we are anointed but here is a vast difference He at the
That not all that profess his Name shall be saved but they that by their Works make good their profession But whosoever are Christians indeed and shew it by a Christian Conversation let them know that their condition is excellent for here is both Honor and Comfort 1. Here is Honor for they are the Children of God and who knows not this to be an unspeakable Honor and Preferment David could say 1 Sam. 18 Seems it to you a small matter that I should be Son-in-law to a King And is it not a much greater preferment That we who were by Nature Children to the Prince of Darkness and Children of Wrath should be made the Children of God who is the sole supreme King of the whole Universe and so Brethren to Christ who is the Prince of the Kings of the Earth and joynt-heirs with him whom God hath made Heir of all things Is it not an Honor That the Angels the glorious Attendants of the Throne of God should become Ministers to us our Tutors and Guardians as it was an Honor done to Mordecai That Haman Esth 6.10 the chief favorite of that great King Ahashu rosh should be ordered to array him and to carry him on horse-back through the streets of the City Is it not an high honour if a great King shall admit an ordinary subject to sit with him on the throne what an honour is it then to sit with Christ on his Throne But as we have heard This Honor have all the Saints 2. And what Comfort can be wanting here If God be our Father how can we want any thing that is good for us How can we want Protection against all Enemies How shall any wrong be done to us which shall not be avenged to the full And why should we be afraid of Death Our bodies shall in death be turned to ashes but they shall be raised again and be clothed with incorruption How shall it be grievous to us that we cannot come to Glory but through many Afflictions It 's no otherwise with us in this respect then it was with the Prince of our Salvation who was in like manner made perfect through suffering and though the Way be unpleasing yet the End is highly desirable as Christ did so we shall be sure after we have suffered to come to Rest and Glory But here is also Duty expected at our hands even to be careful to walk honorably according to the Honor that God hath put upon us Sordid carriage ill becomes honorable persons The contrary is expected at our hands Hear Saint Paul I beseech you to walk worthy of the Calling wherewith ye are called Eph. 4.1 And again Ye were once Darkness now are ye Light in the Lord Eph. 5.8 walk as Children of Light God so justly expecting this at our hands let us not frustrate his expectation II. See we here the superexcellency of our blessed Saviour even according to his Humane Nature so that the best of us all are nothing in comparison Consider the Particulars named before And in this respect let us be enamored on him let us honor him and whatsoever we are or have that is good let us walk in a posture of Humility Empty we our selves of all praise and give to Christ the praise of all the Excellencies that are in him yea of all that are in us let us lower our Top-sails and vail the Bonnet to Christ confess we as that holy Baptist Luke 3.16 That we are not worthy to unloose the latchet of his shooes CHAP. III. Christ and a Door or a Way OUr blessed Saviour makes use of both of these Resemblances whereby to set forth himself to us I am the Door of the Sheep says he John 10.7 9 John 14.6 and a little after I am the Door and again I am the Way And the proportion holds excellently for as the Door gives enterance into the House and the Way brings to the place to which we desire to come so is it with Christ As for the former Ferus observes In loc That Christ doth twice in the same place call himself the Door and yet he denies it to be a Tautology or vain repetition and therefore he gives a threefold guess at the Reason of the Repetition He twice calls himself the Door Bis se nominat ostium ut ostenderet se unum eundemque esse qui antiquos pastores Moysem Prophet as dedit in ovile Judaeorum nunc electione sua novos emittat Apostolos in ovile Gentium vel quia Christus ostium est quo bonus Pastor ad oves Ecclesiae intrat est ostium quo quisque fidelis ad Patrem intrat vel ideo quia ad praesentem gratiam ad futuram gloriam per eum solum pervenitur to shew That he is one and the same who both gave the ancient Shepherds Moses and the Prophets to the Sheepfold of the Jews and the new Apostles by his election to the Sheepfold of the Gentiles Or because Christ is the Door by which the good Shepherd enters to the Sheep of the Church and by which every faithful Christian enters to the Father Or therefore because by Christ alone we come to Grace in this Life and to the future Glory And afterwards coming to the second place in which Christ calls himself the Door he gives this Reason why Christ so stiles himself namely Because Christ is the Door to our Father Quia ostium est ad Patrem ad bona paterna quae sunt justitia salus vita aeterna and to our Fathers goods which are Righteousness Salvation and Eternal Life And then he confirms this by Testimonies of Scripture None knows the Father but by the Son Matth. 11.27 for our Saviour says None knows the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him And none can attain to Righteousness Salvation and Eternal Life but by Christ who is the Righteousness of God Salvation and Life everlasting John 14.6 Acts 4.12 for Christ says I am the Way And Saint Peter says There is none other Name under Heaven by which we can be saved but by the Name of Jesus And Saint Paul says Eph. 2.18 By him we have an access to the Father Rollock opening the first place in which Christ calls himself the Door of the Sheep John 10.7 gives this account of it Christ indeed is here called a Door Christus quidem praecipue hic dicitur ostium respectu pastorum qui ingrediuntur ad oves verum ostium est quoque per quod ipsae oves ingrediuntur in ovile chiefly in respect of the Shepherds that go in unto the Sheep but he is also the Door by which the Sheep themselves enter into the Sheepfold And this he confirms by those words of the Apostle By whom namely by which Christ mentioned in the former Verse we have access by Faith into this Grace wherein we
fulnesse of time actually send Christ into the world to become man and so to suffer Death for our Redemption 2. He is the Foundation of Faith or Doctrine and this is to be understood by a Metonymie of the subject for the adjunct Christ being put for the Doctrine of Christ that is the fundamental Doctrine of Christ which consists not of those Theological Conclusions needful to Divines for their peculiar Profession Irenic p. 149 but of those Catholick Articles which concern the Catholick Faith needful to be known and believed of all to salvation the ignorance of which is damnable and the obstinate and pertinatious denyal of which makes an Heretick as Paraeus speaks learnedly which Fundamental Doctrine is the intire and incorrupt Doctrine of the Law and the Creed contained in the Writings of the Prophets and Apostles And this Foundation Moses and the Prophets began to lay in the old Testament and the Apostles did perfect it in the new Testament by their Preaching and Writings In which respect the Church is said to be built upon the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Eph. 2.20 And both waies the comparison holds well between Christ and a Foundation namely in regard of the use of a Foundation which is to uphold the Building making it to stand firm and to keep it from ruine so the house built upon the Rock stands firm against all opposition Matth. 7.25 Let the rain descend the stoods come and the winds blow yet the house stands and is secured from falling Of such use is our blessed Saviour and that in both respects 1. As a Foundation of Salvation Christ sustaines the whole Church by the merit of his Death and Passion by the power of his Divinity and the efficacy of his Intercession and Spirit he Justifies Sanctifies and preserves it making it able to hold out against the gates of Hell Matth. 16. Psal 125.1 so that it shall be as Mount Sion which cannot be removed but abideth for ever Not all opposition of enemies shall hinder the Salvation of the Church I give my sheep saies our Saviour eternal life Joh. 10.28 and none shall be able to take them out of my hand 2. As a Foundation of Faith or of Doctrine all superstructures so farre forth hold good as they hold correspondence with the Fundamental Doctrine of Christ but if any Doctrine cross and thwart the Doctrine of Christ taught by the Prophets and Apostles it presently falls to the ground 2 Sam. 5.3 4. as Dagon before the Ark And in this respect St. John having given that advise 1 Joh. 4.1 Believe not every spirit but try the spirits whether they be of God or no brings in the Doctrine of Christ as the rule of tryal Vers 2. saying Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God and every spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh Vers 3. is not of God and this is that spirit of Antichrist c. But yet Omne simile est etiam dissimile because no things are so like one to another but that there is some dissimilitude between them know we therefore that though Christ resembles a Foundation in regard of the main use of it yet Christ differs also from an ordinary Foundation and namely in this that the Foundation of an earthly building is lowest but Christ the Foundation of the Church is on high and above it St. Austin takes notice of this difference and gives the reason of it He moves the question How is Christ both the Foundation and the Head Quomodo Christus fundamentum caput est cum fundamentum solet deorsum esse caput autem sursum Resp Ideo fundamentū domus deorsum ponitur quia pondere suo deorsū versus fertur nisi sit quod sustineat tota cadit quia tota ad terrā vergit Rebus ad ima tendentibus in imo ponitur fundamentum Ecclesia autem Dei in imo posita tendit ad coelum fundamentum ergo nostrum ibi positum est Tom. 8. in Psal 30. seeing the Foundation uses to be below and the Head above To this he answers Therefore the Foundation of a house uses to be below because by the weight of it it is carried downwards and except it hath something to bear it up it falls down because it wholly verges towards the earth for things that tend downwards the Foundation is laid below But the Church of God being here below tends to Heaven and therefore there is our Foundation laid Hence we may learn many things 1. See the sad condition of them that do ground their hopes for salvation on any other besides Christ either on themselves or on any other on their own merits or the supererogatory works or sufferings of others we see that Christ onely is the Foundation of Salvation how do they therefore at once dishonour the Lord Jesus Christ and prejudice themselves that shall build their hopes of happinesse upon any with neglect of him they deprive him as much as in them lyes of the honour of being the onely foundation of the Church and their hopes for Salvation must needs be as the house built upon the sand no sooner the rain descends Matth. 7.27 the floods come and the wind blowes but instantly that house falls So these may haply for the present bear up well but let Satan be set loose upon them and set upon them with his temptations instantly their hopes will vanish and come to nothing 2. See the horrid blasphemy of the Church of Rome making Saint Peter and in his right the Pope the Foundation of the Church whereas we are taught in the Scriptures that Christ is the onely Foundation that is or can be laid how then St. Peter and consequently the Pope for these are directly contrary each to other Again the Church of the old and new Testament is but one Church and so can have but one and the same Foundation but St. Peter cannot in reason be said to be the Foundation of the Church of the old Testament therefore neither of the new And if St Peter be the Foundation of the whole Church then of himself which is most absurd he is a part of the building therefore not the Foundation of the whole Lastly the Foundation of the Church must be perpetual not failing else how shall the Church stand but St. Peter is not so he is dead almost 1600 years since They say he is perpetuall in his Successors but 1. This is absurd for they say because it s sayd to thee Matth. 16. and Thou therefore it cannot include all the Apostles but St. Peter onely and yet shall these singular particles include so many Popes 2. It s false for Saint Peter as an Apostle had no Successors the Pope of Rome succeeds not Saint Peter in his Apostleship the Apostles had immediate Calling as Saint Paul says of
himself Paul an Apostle not c. and universal Commission Go Galat. 1.1 Matth. 28.19 teach all Nations says our Saviour No Pope of Rome is so And as Saint Peter was a Minister of the Gospel we all equally succeed all the Apostles And it 's certain That the Foundation of the Church is such as against which there can be no prevailing but the Popes have been prevailed against over-run with horrid sins some of them giving their Souls and Bodies to the Devil for the obtaining to the Popedom as their own Historians record it of Silvester the second and others But I forbear to rake in that puddle any further They say That our Saviour gave to Peter the Honor to be the Foundation while he said to him Thou art Peter and upon this Rock I will build my Church Matth. 16.16 But indeed no such thing appears in those words for our Saviour said not Non dixit Tu es Petra sed Tu es Petrus nec dixit Super te aut Super hunc Petrum sed Super hanc petram Thou art the Rock but Thou art Peter nor said he Upon thee or upon this Peter but Vpon this Rock in reference to Christ himself or to the Confession made by Peter concerning Christ And so the Fathers do generally expound it Hear Saint Austin He said not Thou art the Rock but Thou art Peter Non dixit Tu es Petra sed Tu es Petrus Petra autem Christus Retract l. 1. Simeoni quia credebat in Christum petram Petri nomen largitus est In loc Super hanc petram i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 super hanc fidem confessionem In loc but the Rock is Christ And so Saint Jerom ' He gave to Simon the name of Peter because he believed in Christ the Rock And so Saint Chrysostom Vpon this Rock that is upon this Faith and Confession And though sometimes the Prophets and Apostles are said to be the Foundation yet it is but with respect to the Fundamental Doctrine of Christ which they delivered in their Preaching and Writings And in this sense Saint Peter is sometimes by the Faithers said to be a Foundation and we deny it not but it was no more then belonged to the other Apostles as Saint Cyprian says plainly Hoc utique erant caeteri Apostoli quod fuit Petrus De Unit. Eccl. This certainly were the other Apostles that Peter was He adds indeed The Primacy was given to Peter Primatus Petro datur Ib. but he speaks onely de primatu ordinis non gradus of the Primacy of Order not of Degree 3. In that Christ is the onely Foundation of the Church hence we learn That the Fathers before Christ were also built upon the same Foundation together with us Acts 15.11 in that they were saved by the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ even as we Christ was then preached unto them and believed on by them So says our Saviour John 8.56 and 5.46 Acts 10.43 Abraham saw my day and was glad And again Moses wrote of me So says Saint Peter To him bear all the Prophets witness c. yea He it is that was the Marrow and Substance of all the Rites of the Ceremonial Law they pointed at him and he was figured by them 1 Cor. 10.3 4 so says the Apostle They did all eat of the same spiritual meat and did all drink of the same spiritual Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ and therefore when Christ came they ceased The difference between them and us is onely in the different manner of Administration Lib. I. c. 23 as we have heard before The Enemies then of Christian Religion have no cause to object Novelty to it nor shall the Jews need to be shy of receiving Christian Religion concerning Salvation by Christ crucified for fear of leaving the Religion of their Forefathers for their Religion was the same with ours now As Saint Austin plainly affirms it Res ipsa quae nunc dicitur Christiana Religio erat apud antiquos nec defuit ab initio generis humani quousque Christus veniret in carne unde vera Religio quae jam erat coepit appellari Christiana Retract l. 1. The thing it self says he which is now called Christian Religion was among the Ancients nor was it wanting from the begining of Mankinde till Christ came in the flesh whence the true Religion which then was began to be called Christian 4. Hence we may see in all the variety of Opinions that are in the World who do and who do not hold the Foundation And to say nothing of Anabaptists Pelagians and others look we especially at the Controversie between us and the Church of Rome whether of us hold the Foundation they say they do we say we do But it will be fully cleared by the point in hand The Doctrine of Christ is the onely Foundation whethersoever therefore of us hold this Doctrine sincere and incorrupt they may truly be said to hold the Foundation Now as for the Papists it is sure That they hold it not for howsoever in word they profess the Creed and the Decalogue yet in deed they overthrow both In Particulars it were easie to be infinite They maintain the Worship of Images against the direct letter of the Decalogue they make some sins venial in their own nature without respect to the Mercy of God and the Merits of Christ They brag of their own Merits Perfection and Satisfactions They deny Christs sole Oblation while they offer him up dayly in the Mass They worship the Pope as God and Antichrist for Christ They subject the Word of God to the Power of the Pope In a word They so deprave the Worship of God and the Religion of Christ that if the Apostles should return again to the Earth they would finde little among them but meer illusions and for Christianity Paganism covered over with the name of Christianity And all this may with much ease be made plain by comparing the Tenets of the Councel of Trent with the several Branches of the Fundamental Doctrine of Christ recorded by the Prophets and Apostles in their several Writings But I forbear As for us Protestants it 's also manifest That through the Mercy of God we have kept and do keep the Foundation the pure Voyce of the Law and the incorrupt Doctrine of the Gospel concerning Christ Grace and Faith and the Worship of God according to the Scriptures It 's true that there is among us a grievous Rent some are called Calvinists some Lutherans and even on both sides some giving way to immoderate heat not becoming Brethren have not spared to cast Criminations and Aspersions each on other as if on the one or other side the Foundation had been left and forsaken and as if the Questions agitated between us were Fundamental But the truth is as some more moderate Divines and among the rest Paraeus have
of those Fundamental Truths concerning Christ which have been overthrown while those abominable Errors have been maintained Long may we tread in the steps of our Forefathers and imitate their zeal never giving way to any more moderate Opinion of such Errors as wrench this Foundation Long may we enjoying the Peace of the Gospel believe profess preach and write as we have means and opportunity against such Fundamental Errors and strive we for such strength of resolution as that we may willingly expose our selves to any hardship yea to the most cruel death rather then to give entertainment to any such Errors as are against this Foundation 2. I say If we agree in this Foundation though there be dissent in other things let us keep the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace We are Brethren and hope to be saved all of us by the same Grace of the same Lord Jesus Christ why should we fall out one with another The excessive heat of Contention about Questions that is between the Calvinists and Lutherans is as great a Prejudice to our Cause and as great an Advantage to the common Enemy as can be given Let us then leave off such virulency and not suffer our Hearts any longer to be divided for such Differences among us but holding the Foundation let us give the right hand of Fellowship each to other and embrace one another as Brethren 7. Let us be highly thankful to God for the Revelation of the Doctrine of Christ for this as we have heard is the main Fundamental Doctrine of absolute necessity to be known and believed to Salvation how miserable should we have been without it but now our happinesse is great by means hereof therefore we have the greater and juster cause to be thankful to God for he hath in this regard preferred us before many Great and Potent Nations to which yet God hath given abundance of earthly blessings but we have cause to count them all dung and drosse in comparison of this excellent knowledge of Christ the means of which we enjoy Let us not fail to be thankful for this grace and let it be our care to walk worthy of and bring forth fruits answerable to it least it happen to us as our Saviour threatned against the Jewes Matth. 21.43 That the Kingdome of God be taken away from us and as against Capernaum that we be cast down to hell Matth. 11.23 as we have been lifted up to heaven 8. Lastly Christ being the onely Foundation of Salvation let us trust in him and build our hopes for Salvation upon him alone Trust in any other whether our selves or any man is to make flesh our arm Jer. 17.5 and they that do so are accursed Trusting in Christ we cannot miscarry nor shall our trust deceive us being built upon such a sure Foundation against which no opposition can prevail CHAP. V. Christ and a grain of Mastardseed Luk. 13.19 SAint Ambrose handling the Parable of the grain of Mustardseed doth directly apply it to Christ The Lord himself saies he is that grain of Mustardseed Ipse Dominus granum est synapis Seminatur in horto in horto enim captus est sepultus in horto crevit ubi etiam resurrexit arbor factus est Cant. 2.3 vis scire Christum granum seminatum Audi Joan. 12.24 Est autem granum tritici quia confirmat cor hominis granum synapis quia cor hominis accendit Sed si granum synapis Christus quomodo minimus est crescit Vis scire minimum Audi Isa 53.2 Vis scire maximum Audi Psal 45.2 Ille enim qui non habebat speciem aut decorem excellentior factus est Angelis ultra omnem gloriam prophetarum Semen est Christus minimum ex omnibus seminibus quia non venit in regno non in divitiis Subito autem velut arbor sublimem suae verticem potestatis effudit ut dicamus Cant. 2.3 sub cujus frondentibus ramis volucres coeli i. e. Sancti omnes requieverunt To. 4. In Luc. l. 7. he was sown in the garden for in a garden he was taken and buried and in a garden he grew where also he rose again and he became a tree Cant. 2.3 As the apple-tree among the trees of the wood so is my beloved among the Sons Desire you to know Christ a grain and sown Hear what our Saviour saies Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground it remains alone but if it dye it brings forth much fruit Joh. 12.24 But he is both a grain of wheat because he strengthens mans heart and a grain of Mustardseed because he heates the heart of man But if Christ be a grain of Mustardseed how is he the least and doth grow for so St. Mathew in laying down the same parable speaks of the Mustard-seed which saies he is the least of all seeds but when it s grown it s the greatest among herbs and becomes a tree Matth. 13.32 Would you know him to be the least hear the Prophet He hath no form nor comelinesse and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him Isa 53.2 Would you know him the greatest hear the Psalmist Psal 45.2 Thou art fairer then the children of men for he that had no form nor comelinesse is made more excellent then the Angels transcending the glory of the Prophets He is therefore the least of all the seeds because he came not in a Kingdome nor in riches but suddenly as a tree he sent out his branches that we might say as the Spouse Cant. 2.3 I sate under his shadow with great delight In whose branches the fowles of Heaven that is all the Saints lodged But the word Christ hath another acception namely not alone for Jesus our Redeemer but also for Christ mystical consisting of Christ the Head and the whole number of Christians as the Body and particular Christians as members in particular And so the word is used by the Apostle where he saies As the body is one and hath many members 1 Cor. 12.12 and all the members of that one body being many are one body so also is Christ And so Christ is here put for the Church And so that Parable may be applyed and holds good The grain of Mustardseed is little of it self at the first but in time it grows to be the greatest of herbs so the Church was little at the first but by degrees it growes great in number at the first it was in the narrow bounds of a Family in the Family of Adam Seth c. of Noah Sem c. In familia of Abraham Isaac Jacob but afterwards it grew into a People but here first it was in the narrow bounds of the Israeliâ—ish Nation you onely saies God In pop Israel Am 3.2 Exod. 19.5 In. pop Catholico have I known of all the Families of the Earth And ye shall be
a peculiar treasure to me above all people but at last it comes to be much enlarged being dispersed over all Nations Isa 54.2 3 according to that Prophecy Enlarge the place of thy Tent and let them spread forth the curtains of thy habitation spare not lengthen thy cords strengthen thy stakes for thou shalt break forth on thy right hand and on thy left And so we find it to be with the Church of the new Testament in Particular we read their number to be an hundred and twenty Act. 1.15 Act. 2.41 Vers 47. but what increase was there afterwards we find three thousand added to them and still God added to the Church daily such as should be saved Act. 4.4 Afterwards we finde the number of them that believed to be about five thousand And yet further we read Act. 6.7 that the number of Disciples was multiplied greatly in Jerusalem But in processe of time we finde many more added to the Church not onely in Jerusalem Act. 8.6 12 but also in other places as in Samaria and afterwards a great number believed in Phâ—nice Cyprus and Antioch Act. 11.19 21 And no lesse in following times Churches being planted at Rome Corinth Galatia Ephesus Philippi c. Thus is the resemblance good between a grain of Mustard-seed and Christ Mystical that is the Church the beginning small the growth admirable But lastly we finde the word Christ in another acception where the Apostle saies to the Galatians Of whom I travel in birth Gal. 4.19 till Christ be formed in you scil for the work of grace wrought in the hearts of men So Luther opens this expression while he saies Of this form of Christ he also speaks De hac forma Christi loquitur etiam ad Colos 3. Induite novum hominem qui renovatur ad agnitionem secundum imaginem ejus qui condidit illum In loc Formatur Christus in nobis per fidem regenerationis Sacramentum ut juxta illius vitae formam dilectione sanctis moribus versemur In loc Col. 3.10 Put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him So Sebastianus Meyer as Marlorate cites him in his Ecclesical Exposition Christ saies he is formed in us by faith and the Sacrament of Regeneration that according to the form of his life we should walk in love and holy manners Now this work of grace is not unlike in this respect to the grain of Mustard-seed for as that is at the first little and by degrees rises up to greatnesse so it is with grace it is little at the first but it s of a growing nature and by degrees a man makes a progresse to the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ Eph. 4.14 So Faith in the Disciples was first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 little faith but at length it came to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strength of faith So in the Church there are children young men old men And Christians are first 1 Joh. 2.13 14 Heb. 5.12 13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 babes and in time prove 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grown men St. Paul himself was at the first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a childe 1 Cor. 13.11 but afterwards he became 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man Learn hence many things 1. See the great love of Christ who being of himself the great God as the Apostle stiles him Tit. 2.13 stooped so low by a voluntary dispensation as to be like the Mustard-seed the least of all He Heb. 1.2 that was heir of all things could with ease have commanded Riches Honour Kingdomes but behold Phil. 2.7 he made himself of no reputation taking upon himself the form of a servant Matth. 20.28 2 Cor. 8.9 The Lord of all came not to be ministred unto but to minister He that was rich became poor and that for our good even to make us rich Wonder we at this grace of Christ 2. This may arm us against the scandal of Christs outward meanenesse and poverty it s that at which the Jewes stumble this hinders them from believing in Christ and resting upon him for salvation they think it unreasonable to accept him for the Messiah whom they knew to be so outwardly mean and poor in his Birth in his Life in his death but farre be it from us in this respect to reject or refuse him was he outwardly mean it was no more then was foretold of the Messiah by the Prophet he had no forme nor comelinesse Isa 53.2 3 saies he and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him he is despised and rejected of men c. was he so outwardly mean it was for our advantage 2 Cor. 8.9 He made himself poor to make us rich he subjected himself to abasement to make us glorious he becomes the Son of man that we through him might be made the sons of God He subjected himself to death that we might live through him And how were not it the height of ingratitude to reject him for that outward meanenesse to which he did voluntarily submit himself for our benefit Finally was he so outwardly mean as man for a time yet as God he was and is Infinitely and Eternally Great and Glorious higher then the highest and is now as man highly exalted set at his Fathers right hand Eph. 1.20 21 in the heavenly places farre above all principalitie and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not onely in this world but also in that which is to come These things considered how were it not against all reason to take such scandal at the external meanenesse in which he lived on the earth as in this respect to refuse him 3. As he for our sakes so farre abased himself as being in himself the greatest of all to become the least so let us by way of thankful retribution be content to be abased and to abase our selves for his honour what are we in comparison of him what is the greatnesse of any of us in comparison of his what abasement therefore can befall us comparable to that which befell him why should we then stick at any abasement for him the Lord for the servants made himselfe of no reputation and shall the servants stand so much upon their own honour and credit as to be unwilling to be abased for their Lord It was a pious resolution of St. Bernard If one of the two saies he be necessary I had rather that men should murmur against me then against God Si necesse est unum fieri è duobus modo in nos murmur hominum quam in Deum esse Bonum mihi si dignetur me uti pro clypeo Libent in me excipio detrahentium linguas maledicas venenata spicula blasphemorum ut non ad ipsum perveniant Non recuso inglorius fieri ut non irruatur in
other word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 carried about an act proper to the Wind to carry and hurry such a Vessel about And so the comparison stands thus As a light and empty Vessel on the Sea not well ballass'd is in danger by any Wind arising and making the Sea tempestuous to be toss'd to and fro and to be driven about and so in danger of wrack and perishing So weak and ungrounded Christians lie open to every unsound Doctrine though never so absurd to be carried about with it and to give credit to it and so shall be in danger of ruine and perishing if God be not the more merciful And this is noted by the Apostle where he tells of silly women laden with sins 2 Tim. 3.6 7 led about with divers lusts ever learning and never able to come to the knowledg of the Truth and these he says are led captive by them that creep into houses that is by Seducers And this we finde to be so by lamentable experience of all Times and these in particular nor is this to be wondered at for both ungrounded Christians want that by which they should be fenced against false Teachers namely Knowledg and sound Judgment and Seducers are furnish'd with means to seduce having as the Apostle says in the fore-named place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sleight and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cunning craftiness Eph. 4.14 namely to make the Errors plausible which they would broach and to turn and winde Scripture to their own purposes and by these means they lie in wait to deceive putting forth themselves to propagate their Heresies for the infecting of others and finally such ungrounded Christians are they whom Seducers choose to work upon them Eccles hist l. 1. c. 19. And so Arianism wrought it self first into esteem by Constantia the Widow of Licinius the Sister of Constantine being set upon and corrupted by an Arian Priest as Socrates testifies How stands it us then in hand to the end that we be not removed from our stedfastness not still to continue Children but to grow up in all things c. Eph. 4 15 Finally it 's easie to observe that Saint Paul in the forenamed place doth bring in this as that which is expected at our hands in regard of the gracious provision that Christ hath made for his Church for having told us of the provision it self Verse 17 1◠of the ends at which Christ aymed in it and how long this was to last Verse 13 14 15 and to be useful to the Church at last he adds That we henceforth be no more Children but grow up c. And indeed what is more agreeable to Reason then that our blessed Saviour having setled a Ministry in the Church and we having for any space of time lived under it we should cease to be as Children and grow to be Men It was the encouragement of the Heathen Orator to his Son Marcus It becomes thee Te Marce fili annum jam audientem Cratippum idque Athenis abundare oportet praeceptis Philosophiae Offic. l. 1. O Son Marcus having heard Cratippus a whole year and that at Athens to abound in the Precepts of Philosophy But we have lived not one year but many years and some of us scores of years under the Teaching not of a Cratippus an Heathen Philosopher but of Christ not at Athens but in the Church what a shame then will it be to us and how ill shall we answer Christs expectation in his care for us if we shall still remain Novices and not grow men in understanding CHAP. VI. Christ and the Head IN this Comparison Christ is to be considered not as God alone nor as Man alone but as God and Man in one Person for this is a Branch of the Glory of Christ exprest in the phrase of his sitting at his Fathers right hand but that agrees to Christ in regard of both his Natures We see also that the Apostle calls Christ the Head of his Body Col. 1.18 the Church as he had before affirmed him to be the Image of the invisible God Col. 1.15 but this latter agrees to Christ in respect of both finally whereas there are many properties of an Head they are not all to be found in Christ as he is God alone nor as he is Man alone but some of them agree to him as he is Man others of them as he is God As for example That he be the Head of the Church it 's necessary that he have conformity of Nature with the Church as the Head of the natural Body hath with the Body but this is not to be found in Christ as he is God for so there is an infinite disproportion between Christ and the Church as between Spirit and Flesh between Heaven and Earth but if we look at Christ as Man so we shall finde this conformity of Nature for Hebr. 2.14 because the Children says Saint Paul were partakers of flesh and blood He also took part of the same On the other side to the end that Christ be the Head of the Church it 's necessary that he be the Author of spiritual and heavenly Life to the Church and all the Members of it as the Head is the Fountain of natural Life to all the Members of the natural Body but Christ as Man alone could not be so Christ-Man is so but not as Man It 's manifest therefore That it agrees to Christ as God and Man to be the Head of the Church Nor will it be of any force to the contrary if any shall object That this or that property of an Head namely conformity of Nature with the Members agrees not to Christ as God therefore Christ as God cannot be the Head of the Church or This or that property of an Head namely to give an influence of spiritual Life to all his Members cannot agree to Christ as Man therefore Christ as Man cannot be the Head of the Church for to this end That Christ should be the Head of the Church in both Natures it 's not necessary that all the properties of an Head should discover themselves in either Nature severally it suffices that they are all to be found in the whole Person some in respect of one Nature some in respect of the other And Christ is frequently called the Head of the Church Eph. 1.22 And hath given him namely Christ to be the Head over all things to the Church And again Grow up into him in all things 4.15 who is the Head even Christ And again 5.23 The Husband is the Head of his Wife as Christ is the Head of his Church 1. Cor. 11.3 Colos 1.18 2.19 And again I would have you to know That the Head of every man is Christ And again He is the Head of his Body the Church And again Not holding the Head whereby he understands Christ as appears by that which follows And the
to God for Israel is Rom. 10.1 That they may be saved 4. The head must be joyned and united to the body separate the head from the body and it s no longer an head to that body separate the members from the head and they are no longer members to that head Now such an union there is between Christ and his Church the neerest that can be so that Christ and all godly Christians make one Christ mystical as vine and branches husband and wife as the building and the foundation A true and real union it is not imaginary Eph. 5.32 yet unexpressible its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a great mystery It s an union finally indissoluble nothing can prevail against it no not death it self which is yet of force to part between friend and friend between husband and wife yea between soul and body but at no hand can it separate between Christ and a Christian When in the death of our blessed Saviour there was a separation made between his soul and his body the soul going to paradise and the body to the grave yet still the union remained firm between the Divine Nature and the Humane the Divine Nature remaining in firm union with the soul in Heaven Lib. de fide and with the body in the grave as Damascen excellently So is it here when in death there shall be a dissolution of our natures yet the union remaines firm between Christ and a true believer the soul is not by death severed from Christ nay whereas in the time of this life the soul enjoyes Christ onely by faith after death it shall enjoy him fully 1 Cor. 13.12 immediatly and by sight Now I see darkly saies the Apostle as through a glasse but then face to face And this enjoying of Christ the Apostle makes to be a consequent of his dissolution Phil. 1.23 I desire saies he to be dissolved and to be with Christ Yea even the body of the b liever even in death remains in union with Christ therefore they are said to be fallen asleep in Christ 1 Co◠15.18 and this is the ground of the raising of it up at the last day 5. The head is set above the rest of the body and all the members of the body are under the head It were a monster to see a body wherein the head should stand in the place of the feet and the feet in the place of the head It s so here Christ is set above all and all subordinated to him the Apostle can tell us That God hath given him to be the head 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 1.22 Eph. 5.23 24. over all things to the Church And again Christ is the Head of the Church therefore the Church is subject to Christ So that it belongs to Christ to rule and bear sway and to us to obey 6. The head conveys life and motion to all the members and so doth Christ to the Church and to all Christians hear we our Saviour speaking to this purpose Without me saies he ye can do nothing hear we St. Paul Joh. 15.5 Gal. 2.20 Now I live yet not I but Christ lives in me and the life that I live I live by the faith of the Son of God And again Phil. 4.13 I am able to do all things through Christ that strengthens me Hence we may learn divers things 1. The dignity and excellency of the Church and all the true members of it all godly Christians we may sing with the Psalmist Psal 87.3 Glorious things are spoken of thee O thou city of God for there is not any even the meanest member of the Church even then when the Church is most afflicted but he is a member of Christ united to him and having communion with him as members of the natural body have with the head And this is no small honour and advancement which is bestowed upon us in this respect for he to whom as to our head we are thus united is a most glorious person God over all blessed for ever Rom. 9.5 Psal 93.1 Rev. 4.10 11 clothed with majesty as with a garment before whom the Angels cover their faces And the twenty four Elders fall down before him and cast their crownes before his throne and say Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory honour and power On the other side we of our selves are poor creatures dust and ashes as Abraham said of himself Gen. 18 27 2 Sam. 9. ◠dead dogs as Mephibosheth said of himself and in the account of men 1 Cor. 4. the filth of the world and the off-scouring of all things Wonderful odds between Christ and us and yet that we should be brought into so near an union and communion with him he to be our head and we his members who can sufficiently wonder at such advancement 1 Sam. 18. well may we say as David Seemes it to you a small thing c If a King riding in his triumphant Chariot in all state through the streets of his City should cast his eyes upon some malefactor justly for some heinous offence condemned to death and now upon the hurdle drawing towards the place of execution if he should now stand still cause him to rise from his hurdle pardon his offence give him his life appoint him to be clad in Royal apparel take him into his Chariot and so make him sharer with him in his worldly glory would any sleight it as an ordinary passage would it not ravish any man would not any man confesse it to be rare and singular preferment But all this is nothing to this in hand we were in as ill case and as base by nature as any malefactor living in a daily expectation of everlasting death and all the Kings of the earth are nothing to Christ nor is their glory any thing in comparison of his they are finite creatures he is the infinite Creator their glory is imaginary transitory finite his is substantial eternal infinite And he is God equal with his Father and therefore though our union and fellowship be at the first hand with his Humanity yet it s also at the second hand with his God-head and consequently with the Father and Holy Ghost Oh rare honour Oh excellent condition of believers the lustre of it would certainly dazle the eyes of worldlings if it were external but its inward and spiritual and covered oft with a vail of weaknesses and external basenesse and therefore the world knowes it not and therefore it despises and tramples us under foot But howsoever it s yet true that Solomon saies Prov. 12.16 the righteous man is more excellent then his neighbour St. Paul with his iron chains in a better condition then Agrippa in all his Pompe poor Lazarus lying at the rich mans gate craving the scraps for his relief then the rich glutton himself faring deliciously every day and clad in purple The poorest Christian slave serving in the
example let us not cast a stumbling-block in the way of others by the excessive use of our Christian Liberty Rom. 14.15 Destroy not him with thy meat saies the Apostle for whom Christ died Its St. Pauls profession If meat make my brother to offend 1 Cor. ◠13 I will eat no flesh while the world stands least I make my brother to offend In indifferent things that are absolutely in our own power let us not so stand upon our termes as to say The thing is lawful I may do it therefore I will do it but remember that of the Apostle All things are lawful 1 Cor. 10.23 but all things are not expedient All things are lawful but all things edifie not Thus let us be careful not to do any thing whereby we may hazzard the welfare of others But be we also careful not to be wanting in any thing whereby we may further their welfare hearken to Saint Judes advise Edifie one another in your most holy Faith Jude ver 20 1 Thes 5.14 Heb. 10.24 and Saint Pauls warn them that are unruly comfort the feeble-hearted support the weak And again Consider one another to provoke to love and good works And also the light of a good example shining forth to others Shun the sins from which ye would dehort others practise the duty to which ye would exhort others It s a true saying of St. Gregory Nyssen Thou shalt be found guilty of Tyranny 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saevae Tyrannidis reus deprehensus fueris si hanc tibi-ipsi potestatem vendices ut quae in aliis prohibes haec facere tibi soli licere existimes quae ipse pro licentia audes ab his alios arcere Contr. Eunom l. 12. if thou doest challenge such power to thy self as to think that lawful for thy self alone which thou forbiddest to others and to drive others from those things which thou takest licence to thy self to commit And how shalt thou not hinder others from accepting of thy counsel while they shall finde thee thus to Tyrannize over them Add also thy prayers to God that he would speak that to the hearts of men which you speak to the ear for upon his blessing depends the issue of all our endeavours for the spiritual and Eternal good of others It was the confession of St. Paul 1 Cor. 3.6 I have planted APollos watered but God gives the increase So then neither is he that planteth Vers 7. any thing nor he that watereth but God that gives the increase So that its most true that St. Austin saies Cathedram in coelo habet qui corda docet To. 9. in 1 Epist Joan. tract 3. 2 Tim. 4.2 He hath his chair in Heaven that teaches the hearts And though we presently see not the fruit of our endeavours yet go on still in our endeavours Exhort with all long suffering how have we seen the Hen oft continuing long to clock for her chickens though they make no great haste to come to her not giving over till they come And in all that we do for the furtherance of the spiritual and eternal good of others let us be affected with a spirit of pitty and compassion towards them 2 Cor. 11.29 who is weak saies the Apostle and I am not weak who is offended and I burn not So let it be with us would we comfort any under distresses bodily or spiritual See we them hardly receiving comfort Would we reclaim others whom we see going astray and see we them hardly reclaimed Let us not be hardened against them but pitty and bemoan their condition CHAP. VIII Christ and an Husband THis resemblance is cleerly intimated in that argument with which the Apostle strengthens his exhortation to wives to be subject to their husbands Eph. 5 22 24 because the Church is subject to Christ which plainly implies that the Church is the Wife and Spouse of Christ And not lesse by the argument by which he enforces his exhortation to Husbands to love their Wives Eph. 5.25 because Christ loves his Church which plainly implies that Christ is an Husband to the Church else the argument on both sides were inconsequent and therefore invalid and weak which God forbid that we should once imagine St. Paul in making this consequence being immediately guided by that unerring spirit But this resemblance between Christ and an Husband and consequently between the Church and a Spouse is frequently express't in Scripture Hear our Saviour owning the Church as his Spouse and consequently professing himself as an Husband to her Cant. 4.8 Vers 9. Vers 10 11 Come with me saies he from Lebanon my Spouse Thou hast ravish't my heart my Sister my Spouse How fair is thy love my Sister my Spouse Thy lips O my Spouse drop as the hony-comb I am come into my garden my Sister Cant. 5.1 Isa 54.5 my Spouse Hear that Evangelical Prophet The Lord saies he thy maker is thine Husband And again As the Bridegroom rejoyces over his Bride Isa 62.5 so thy God rejoyces over thee I will betroth thee unto me for ever Hos 2.19 20 saies God by the Prophet I will betroth thee unto me in righteousnesse c I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulnesse Hear our Saviour in his defence of his disciples for not fasting Matth 9.15 How can the children of the Bride-chamber fast while the Bridegroom is with them c In which place it is manifest that he speaks of himself Hear the confession of that holy Baptist concerning Christ Joh. 3.29 He that hath the Bride is the Bridegroom but the friend of the Bridegroom which stands and heareth rejoyces greatly because of the Bridegrooms voice this my joy therefore is fulfilled Rev. 21.2 I John saies the holy Apostle saw the holy City coming down from God out of Heaven as a bride prepared for her Husband And come hither saies the Angel Rev. 21.9 I will shew thee the Bride the Lambes wife The marriage indeed is not fully consummated till after death but the contract is made and Christ and his Church are betrothed each to other and among men we know that after the contract the parties affianced one to the other are Husband and Wife in the account of God And for the further clearing of this we are to know that though in some things there is a difference yet in many things there is a great similitude between the marriage of man and wife and that of Christ and the Church I. I say there is a difference between them in two particulars in which the marriage between Christ and the Church hath the pre-eminency 1. The marriage between man and wife stands in a carnal and bodily conjunction but this between Christ and his Church is mystical and spiritual 2. Death breaks the bond between Husband and Wife but it breaks not the marriage knot between Christ and the Church nay it s
not fully finished till after death it is before death but as the state of a contract II. But yet if we view it well there is and we shall finde at least in substantials a great similitude between them 1. In marriage there must be a consent of both parties and of the Parents on both sides and for want of this as much sin and disorder hath been committed so we have seen great inconveniencies to follow thus therefore we have seen it to be in the first marriage that ever was namely that between Adam and Eve see full consent manifested on all sides here is the common Father of both Gen. 2.22 for having made Eve of the rib taken out of man he brought her to the man see the consent of the woman for the original word translated he brought signifies properly he caused to come she came then and by coming signified her consent and Man manifested his consent by receiving her and saying Vers 23. this is now flesh of my flesh and bone of my bone And this law we see strictly observed in the marriage between Christ and his Church Joh. 6.37 All that the father gives to me behold the Fathers consent shall come to me behold the Churches consent And him Gen. 2.22 that comes unto me I will in no wise cast out behold Christs consent 2. In marriage there is a conjunction of two persons One man and one woman one Adam and one Eve in the first marriage he brought her Gen. 2.24 behold one Eve to the man behold one Adam And see that law of marriage Therefore shall a man leave Gen. 4.19 c. and cleave to his wife behold one of each and they twain shall be one flesh Indeed Polygamy was brought in by Lamech and practised by and permitted or at least winked at in them by God but from the beginning it was not so Matth. 19.8 Vers 4.5 Mal. 2.15 saies our Saviour but God made them male and female namely one of each and said they twain shall be one flesh And this is observed by the Prophet Did he not make one a question implying a vehement affirmation he did make one namely one woman for one man And so is it in this spiritual marriage between Christ 1 Cor. 8.6 and the Church there is one Lord Jesus Christ and one Catholick Church saies the Nicene Creed And so saies our Saviour my dove Cant. 6.9 my undefiled is but one There are indeed many individual believers and many particular visible Churches but all these make one body one Catholick Church and one Spouse as the Apostle saies The body is one 1 Cor. 12.12 though the members many III. Marriage is to be between two fit persons I will make him an help Gen. 2.18 saies God meet for him And what fearful inconveniencies have we known to follow upon unequal Marriages whether the inequality hath been in Age Estate or Religion But what shall we say to this Indeed if we consider Christ in himself and us in our selves the inequality is so great that there is no fitnesse he God we men he Infinite we finite he Light and we darknesse he the wisdome of the Father we fooles he purity it self we all filthy and uncleannesse as the Prophet saies Ezek. 16.4 wallowing in blood not washed at all c. he the mirror of Beauty we black dowdies he infinitely glorious we most base But yet that there might be some meetnesse he imparts something to us in which we might be like unto him and in some things he partakes with us in which he might be like unto us he partakes of our nature Heb. 2 16 Vers 16. 2 Pet. 1.4 namely of flesh and blood for he took the seed of Abraham and he makes us partakers of the Divine Nature namely by infusing into us by his spirit those eminent perfections according to our measure which are in God nothing but God IV. There is a great similitude in regard of the ends of Marriage which are two 1. It was not good for Man to be alone Gen. 2.18 so neither was it convenient that Christ should be without his Church nor the Church without Christ as not the Head without the Body nor the Body without the Head now Christ was from all Eternity appointed to be the Head of the Church and the Church to be his Body 2. Marriage is for the increase of Mankinde so by the seed of Christ that is by his Word and Spirit and by the help and Ministry of the Church there is a great increase of that Seed which is to inherit Heaven V. After Marriage the Woman leaves her own Name and is called by the Name of her Husband and is interessed in his Estate and Honor so is it in this Marriage between Christ and the Church 1 Cor. 12.12 So is Christ says the Apostle and so the Members of the Church are called Christians by which name they were called first at Antioch Acts 11 26 and so they are Partakers of that anointing in respect of which he is called Christ Psalm 45.7 1 John 2.20 Heb. 1.2 He was anointed with the Oyl of gladness above his fellows And we have received an Vnction from the Holy One. So Christ was made Heir of all things and we are made Coheirs with Christ. Rom. 8.17 John 20.17 Luke 1.35 2 Cor. 6.18 John 1.12 If God is Christs Father he is also our Father If Christ be the Son of God we also are his Sons and Daughters though in a different manner he by Nature and we by Adoption and this we have from and by Christ Matth. 4.11 Heb. 1.14 He hath given us power to be called the Sons of God If the Angels minister u to Christ they do also minister unto us And if he hath a Throne of Glory on which he sits in Heaven we shall also sit with him so says our Saviour To him that overcomes Rev. 3.21 will I give to sit with me on my Throne Hence we may learn sundry things I. Hence see the great Honor of the Church and the Members of it Behold they are the Spouse and Wife of Christ and he is their Husband transcendent Honor and Preferment It could not be denyed to be great Honor that was put upon Esther she a poor captivate Jewish Maid to be made the Wife of King Ahashuerosh that had the command of 127 Provinces but how great then is the Honor that is done to the Church in that Christ vouchsafed to be an Husband to her for what is Ahashuerosh or any the greatest Commander of the Earth in comparison of Christ Behold Psalm 24.7 1 Cor. 2.8 Acts 7.1 Rev. 19. 1.5 Prov. 8.16 He is the King of Glory the Lord of Glory the God of Glory the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords the Prince of the Kings of the Earth and finally He by whom Kings reign and Princes
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
primum coelesti doctrina h. e. curent recte doceri Ecclesiam prohibeant idâ—lolatriam superstitiosos cultus extirpent errores in Ecclesia compescant blasphemos conferant opes ad conservationem Ministerii studiorum necessarioruÌ„ Deinde curent etiam subditorum corpora prospiciant ipsis de victu dent operam ut in pace exercere operas parare victum possint Non deglubant oves h. e. non exhauriant eorum facultates injustis exactionibus non moveant bella non necessaria quibus Respublicae turbentur civium corpora facultates in discrimen adducantur ipsi vero suum corpus vitam pro salute populi in discrimen adducant pellant lupos h. e. tyrannos grassatores latrones injustos quaestores à suo grege denique omnia agant quae ad incolumitatem subditorum pertinent In Psalm 78.71 72. that is let them take care that the Church may be taught aright let them forbid Idolatry superstitious Worships let them root out Errors in the Church and bridle Blasphemers let them bestow their riches for the conservation of the Ministry and of necessary studies Further let them take care for the Bodies of their Subjects let them provide for their food let them endeavor that they may in peace follow their Callings and so provide for themselves Let them not flea their sheep that is let them not exhaust the Estates of their Subjects by unjust exactions let them not unnecessarily wage Wars by which the Commonwealth may be disturbed and the Bodies and Estates of their Subjects may be hazarded but let them rather venture their own Lives for the Safety of their Subjects Let them drive Wolves that is Tyrants Thieves Robbers and unjust Exactors from the Flock finally let them do all things that may conduce to the Safety of their Subjects 2. The Ministers and Preachers of the Word are also called Shepherds in the Old Testament Wo to the Pastors Jer. 23.1 says the Prophet And again Thus says the Lord against the Pastors that feed this people Verse 2 4. And again I will set up Shepherds that shall feed them And again Son of man Ezek. 34.2 prophesie against the Shepherds of Israel and say Thus says the Lord to the Shepherds Wo to the Shepherds of Israel c. In all which places it is manifest That the persons so stiled were the Prophets of Israel And so in the New Testament Eph. 4.11 Pastors and Teachers where it is manifest That Teachers are called Pastors or Shepherds the first word being Metaphorical the second word the plain English And since these are called Shepherds let them imitate the care of this great Shepherd 1. Labor to know your Flock and the state of it Prov. 27.23 Be thou diligent says the Wise man to know the state of thy flock Upon which place Cartwright observes That we are not too much to trust Servants Non nimium servis credendum esse nec omnia illorum fidei esse committenda siquidem oculus Domini saginat equum c. In loc nor to commit all to their trust for the Masters eye makes the Horse fat But then arguing from the less to the greater he infers If so great care is to be had of brute creatures that Quod si tanta brutorum cura habenda sit ut ad eorum conservationem tutum non sit in aliena cura acquiescere quanto magis cavendum est iis qui ovibus Christi praeficiuntur ne vicaria tantum in illis pascendis utantur opera Ibid. to the conservation of them it is not safe to rest in the care of others how much more must they that are set over the sheep of Christ be wary not onely to use the help of Substitutes in the feeding of them but to minde the business themselves But yet to the end that Preachers of the Word may know the estate of their flock the sheep of Christ that is Christians must contribute their care namely to submit to their publique Ministry and to admit private conversation with them for how else shall your Pastors know you 2. Be careful to feed the sheep of Christ committed to your care with sound Doctrine and wholesom Example 1 Pet. 5.2 Ezek. 34 2 Feed the flock of Christ says Saint Peter which is among you Should not the Shepherds feed the flocks says the Prophet And lest in stead of feeding ye poyson them follow the advice that Saint Paul gives to Timothy Take heed to thy self 1 Tim 4 16 and to thy Doctrine 3. Watch over them to keep them from going astray observe where they lie most open to danger of going astray and give your selves especially to take care for them to fence them against it admonish them especially of those sins and errors to which ye may observe them to be especially inclinable 4. Be tender over the weak and young ones See we how careful Saint John was as of them whom he calls Fathers and young men 1 Joh. 2.12 13 so even of them whom he calls little Children writing as to the one of them so to the other Hear we our Saviour giving charge to Saint Peter and so to all the Apostles and in them to all Pastors in the several Times of the Church as to feed the Sheep John 21.15 16 17 so in special to feed the Lambs Cast not off weak Christians because they are weak but tender them the more They are of themselves most prone to miscarry therefore be the more tenderly careful of them lest they should miscarry Satan and his under-agents are ready to take advantage of their weakness the more eagerly to assail them as having the more hope to prevail against them therefore be the more tenderly solicitous for them to keep them from becoming a prey to these Enemies 5. If any of them be gone astray seek to reduce and reclaim them If Satan by his under-agents have made a prey of any of them leave them not in their hands but by all means seek to get them out of their clutches 1 Sam 17.34 33 as David did for his Fathers sheep so do ye much more how else shall we answer it to God 6. Having been so far blessed of God in our endeavors in this kinde as that we have been made happy Instruments for the bringing back of any stray sheep let us rejoyce in the return of any of them and bless the Name of our good God by whose good hand upon us we have had such success V. Let us all answer Christs care for us let it not be in vain to us He feeds us especially our Souls by his Word and Sacraments let us make use of it use these Ordinances in the season of them He seeks to keep us from going astray let us take the benefit of his admonitions to take heed of those fins of the danger of which he puts us in minde Being gone astray he seeks to
his company And what greater folly were there then cast away the Gold for some dross that is mixt with it Hear rather that excellent saying of Saint Austin The good are not to be forsaken for the bad that are among them Non propter malos boni deserendi sed propter bonos mali tolerandi sunt Tom. 2. Epist 48. but for the sake of the good the bad are to be tolerated And a little after he adds We suffer some evil men among us Nonnullos toleramus malos quos corrigere aut punire non possumus nec propter paleam relinquimus aream Domini nec propter pisces malos rumpimus retia Domini nec propter hoedos in fine segregandos deserimus gregem Domini nec propter vasa in contumeliam facta migramus de domo Domini Ibid. whom we can neither mend nor punish nor leave we the Lords floor for the chaff that is on it nor because of the evil fish that is in it do we break the Lords nets nor because of the Goats which shall be separated in the end do we forsake the Lords Flock nor because of the Vessels made to dishonor do we depart out of the Lords House Oh that men were of this modest temper and why should we not What though there be wicked men in the Church what hurt will that be to us We shall not answer for their sins nor fare the worse in this respect nor shall the Ordinances of God be the worse nor of less efficacy to us for the sake of the wicked that joyn with us in the use of them Vbicunque cum bonis mali fuerint bonis non obsunt sicut non obest palea frumento To. 7. part 1. contr epist Parmen l. 2. c. 2. It s a true saying of Saint Austin Wheresoever the bad are with the good they hurt not the good as the chaff hurts not the good grain And this he elsewhere clears in many instances Vbi erant Moyses Aaron ibi erant Sacrilegi murmurantes ubi erat Caiphas ibi Simeon Zacharias ubi Isaias Jeremias Ezechiel Daniel ibi sacerdotes populi mali ubi Saul ibi David sed sarcinam suam quisque portabat Ibid. c. 6. Where Moses and Aaron were there were Sacrilegious murmurers where Caiaphas was there were Simeon and Zacharias where Isaias Jeremy Ezechiel and Daniel were there were wicked Priests and People Where Saul was there was David but every one did bear his own burden And this doth the Apostle affirm in the general Every one shall bear his own burden Gal. 6.5 And with respect to the Ordinances of God we hear what the same Apostle saies 1 Cor. 11 2◠He that eats and drinks unworthily eats and drinkes judgement to himself Mark that to himself alone and not to others But will any of you yet for this cause leave the Church and depart from it ye may grieve the Church by your unkinde separation but the worst will be your own in the conclusion It s a terrible speech of Saint Austin but I fear it will in the close be found true by woful experience if they repent not Whosoever separates himself from the Catholick Church how praise-worthy soever he seems to himself to live Quisquis ab Ecclesia Catholica fuerit separatus quantumlibet laudabiliter vivere se existimet hoc solo scelere quod â Christi unitate disjunctus est non habebit vitam sed ira Dei manet super eum To. 2. epist 152. yet for this very sin that he is disjoyned from the unity of Christ he shall not have life but the wrath of God abides upon him Be exhorted therefore to take heed of such practise and to accept of Saint Austins advise Eia cives Hierusalem qui intra retia estis boni pisces estis tolerate malos retia nolite rumpere Cum illis eritis in mari non cum illis eritis in vasis To. 8. In Psal 65. for its consonant to Scripture O ye Citizens of Jerusalem who are within the nets and are good fishes endure the bad and break not the nets ye shall be with them in the Sea ye shall not be with them in the Vessels especially considering that as all they that were in the Ark were saved from perishing by the flood so they that remain in communion with the Church have hope of Salvation but as all that were out of the Ark perished so Salvation cannot upon any good ground be hoped for by them that are out of the Church 4. See what little cause we have to fear and what cause we have to be comforted against all persecutions raised against the Church for 1. As the Ark was still above the waters of the flood how high soever they did rise so let persecutions rise up to never so great an height and let Persecutors rage never so much against the Church yet the Church shall be still above them they may rage but not prevail against her 2. As the flood ceasing the Ark rested upon the Mountain of Ararat so persecution ceasing we shall have a rest in Gods Holy Hill having suffered we shall receive the promise of Eternal Life CHAP. II. The Church and the Tabernacle THe Tabernacle saies Ainsworth In Exod. 26. Exod. 26.1 which was for the Ark Table and Shewbread and Candlestick to be kept in was a figure of the Church wherein God doth dwell with his people and enlightens them with his Law and the seven Spirits that are before his Throne The Curtains were to be made of fine Linnen Vers 1. and Blue and Purple and Scarlet These Colours saies the same Author represented the blood of Christ and this fine Linnen his Justice and so the variety of Graces wherewith the Church is adorned and made glorious They were made with Cherubims signifying Vers 1. saies he heavenly affections in the Church and the Angels ministring to and about them The Curtains of the Tabernacle were coupled one to another This saies he Vers 3. notes the union of Persons and Graces in the Church by the Spirit in which respect it s called the unity of the Spirit for Eph. 4.3 Eph. 2.21 in Christ the whole building fitly coupled together growes into an holy Temple in the Lord. The Tabernacle was one and the Tent one Vers 6 11 As the golden Tachs clasped in the blew Loopes made the Ten Curtains one Tabernacle one Tent so by Love and Faith in Christ the Saints are fastened and builded together for an habitation of God by the Spirit Eph. 2.22 Over and above the foresaid Curtains Vers 7. there was a covering of Goates haire and another of Rams skins died red Vers 14. And these three kindes of Coverings served for the safety of the Tent and the things in it from the injuries of the weather and also by these Covers the people were kept from beholding the Holy Things in it
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
shadow of death If therefore we lye open to any danger fly to God by prayer and then fear not 4. See how we are preferred before the People of God under the old Testament they had the Types we have the Truth they had the Shadowes we have the Body they had a threefold covering of the Tabernacle that hindred them from seeing the very Types that were in it yea there was a Vail that hindred the very ordinary Priests from beholding the things that were in the Holy of Holies which yet were but Types of good things to come but it s otherewise with us the Vail is rent and now we may with open face behold the substance of all those Types Oh what preferment is this Rom. 16. The mystery was kept secret from the beginning but now it s made manifest how shall we answer it to God if having so cleer a revelation we suffer our selves to be outstripped by them 5. Let us Gentiles praise God for his goodnesse to us we are admitted into and made one Church with the Jewes we were once shut out of the Commonwealth of Israel by the middle Wall of Partition even the Legal Ceremonies but now that Partition-wall is broken down and so we are now become Fellow-Citizens of the Saints As the Holy and most Holy Place though distinguished by a Vail interposed were yet one Tent one Tabernacle so believers of Jewes and Gentiles are become one Church and one sheepfold under one shepherd Remembring therefore what once we were and what now we are by the grace of God let us not fail to praise God for this happy change and high preferment and his unspeakable mercy expressed therein CHAP. III. The Church and the golden Candlestick In Heb. 9. DOctor Gouge makes the Church to answer to the golden Candlestick as that which was Typified by it Rev. 1.20 and he justifies his application by this that the seven Churches are called the seven golden Candlesticks upon which place Brightman observes that this similitude is taken from the Candlestick Petita est haec similitudo ex candelabro Tabernaculi In loc that was in the Tabernacle erected by Moses And the resemblance between these the forenamed Doctor observes to hold in sundry Particulars 1. In general that the use of the Candlestick is to hold out the light to others And so our Saviour speaks No man lights a candle and puts it under a Bushel Matth. 5.15 but in a Candlestick and it gives Light to all that are in the House So the Church holds out the Light of Gods Word to all that are in it In which respect the Apostle calls the Church the pillar of Truth 1 Tim. 3.15 Exercit. divin Exer. 9. Way to the true Church p. 80 because she holds out the Truth to be seen says Weemse The Expression being taken from the Custom of many Nations who were used to write their Laws in Tables and so to hang them upon Pillars of stone that the people whom it concerned to know them might see and read them as among us Curs theol part 2. col 324 Proclamations are nailed to Posts in Market Towns says Dr. John White and so Scharpius the like Now the Church being the true Church holds out the Light says my Author two ways 1. By teaching and instructing others which for the publique belongs to the Ministers of the Gospel who are called and set a part by Calling for this great Work but in private it belongs also to Masters of Families to teach and instruct their Children and Servants yea and one Christian another communicating to others the knowledg which they have 2. By walking and conversing as Children of Light adorning the Faith which they profess by Holiness and Righteousness of Life Phil. 2.15 so shining as Lights in the World as Saint Paul testifies of the Christians at Philippi Let it be the care of us all thus to resemble the Candlestick in the Tabernacle as that held out the Light to others so let us hold out the Light of Truth unto others and that both these ways 1. By teaching and instructing others in the Truth of Religion In publique let the Ministers of the Gospel acquaint the people committed to their care and trust with the Truths of the Gospel 2 Tim. 4.2 preaching to them in season and out of season In this especially stands the feeding of Christs Sheep and Lambs which our Saviour enjoyns to Saint Peter as an evidence of his love unto him John 21.15 16 17 Peter lovest thou me says our Saviour Feed my Sheep feed my Lambs If we would shew our unfeigned love to our Saviour let us not fail to do our duty in this kinde And in private let this be the care of Heads of Families thus to instruct and teach their Children and Servants We hear how God speaks of Abraham I know that he will teach and command his Children and Houshold after him to keep the Way of the Lord Gen. 18.19 and thereupon God resolves not to hide from Abraham the thing which he was about to do namely about Sodom and Gomorrha Verse 17 Yea let this be the care of all private Christians what they know concerning God concerning Christ whereof they finde others to be ignorant be ye ready to communicate it unto them Jude v. 20 and so edifie one another in your most holy Faith Docendo disces By teaching another thou shalt learn Here it holds most true that Solomon says Prov. 11.25 The liberal Soul shall be made fat and he that waters shall be watered also himself To know Scire ut scias turpis est curiositas scire ut sciaris turpis est vanitas scire ut scientiam vendas turpis est quaestus scire ut aedifices charitas est In Cant. ser that you may know is filthy curiosity says Saint Bernard To know that you may be known namely to be a man of knowledg is filthy vanity To know that you may make sale of your knowledg is filthy gain But to know that you may edifie this is Charity 2. By living as Children of Light let us all be careful of this let the Ministers of the Gospel harken to Saint Paul laying this injunction upon his Scholar Timothy 1 Tim. 4.16 Take heed to thy self and to thy Doctrine To thy Doctrine but to thy self first lest we be like to the Pharisees of whom our Saviour says They say and do not they binde heavy burdens Mat. 23.3 4 and lay them upon other mens shoulders but themselves will not touch them with one of their fingers yea lest as Paul says when we have preached to others 1 Cor. 9.27 we our selves should be cast-aways Yea let us all harken to the in junction of our Saviour Let your Light shine before men Mat. 5.16 Eph. 5.8 and of Saint Paul Walk as Children of the Light and so let us give Light to
is not ashamed to be called their Father even their Souls are redeemed with Christs precious Blood they have the Spirit comforting them and the Angels ministering unto them let not us contemn them It 's burden enough to them That worldly and wicked men despise them either for their Poverty or for their Piety let not us by despising them also increase their burden They are weak but they are Christians and their weakness calls for Pity not for Contempt They are less honorable yet they are useful Let us take heed lest God punish our proud despising of them by bringing us into such straights as that we should be enforced to crave the help of those whom in respect of their weakness or mean place in the Church we have formerly so much slighted 4. Let those Members that are of least note in the Church not either be disheartened in themselves or envy others whom they see to be better gifted or set in more eminent place in the Church then themselves Have they not this or that Gift yet they have others Have they not so high and eminent a place in the Church yet a place they have and Members they are and this may comfort and uphold them Let us hear the Apostle speaking to this purpose If the Foot shall say because I am not the Hand 1 Cor. 12.15 16 17 I am not of the Body is it therefore not of the Body And if the Ear shall say because I am not the Eye I am not of the Body is it therefore not of the Body If the whole Body were an Eye where were the Hearing And if the whole were Hearing where were the Smelling If they have not so excellent Gifts or in so great a proportion as others have yet they have those Gifts and that proportion of Gifts which God saw fit to furnish them withall for all these gives the self-same Spirit dividing to every one severally as he will Verse 11 They are not set out for such noble employments nor have they so high a place in the Church as others yet they have such place as God saw fit to allot unto them for God hath placed the Members Verse 18 every one of them in the Body even as it pleases him Therefore be content and humble though you see your self to come never so much behinde others The Lord General of the Army hath power to dispose of his Soldiers to several Offices stations and employments as he sees fit and the Master of the Family his Servants to their several Offices and shall this power be denied to God in and over his Church yea hath another more excellent Gifts then thou hast for kinde or measure know That the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every one to profit withall Verse 7 As the King puts his Alms into the hands of his Almoner that he may distribute them to the poor and as some great personage puts a stock of Mony into his Stewards hand for the uses of the Family As therefore the poor have an interest in the Kings Alms put into his Almoners hands and as all in the Family have an interest in the stock of Mony committed to the Steward so the whole Church is and thou in particular art interessed in all the Abilities which God hath given to any others Why then shouldst thou envy any whom thou seest to be so preferred Rather thank God who hath so admirably furnish'd others for thy benefit and for the good of the whole Church 5. Let us all sympathize with the Church and the several Members of it 1 Cor. 12.26 So do the Members of the natural Body as the Apostle tells us And so let us both in good and evil Rom. 12.5 This is required of us Rejoyce with them that rejoyce and weep with them that weep Hear we or know we ought of the Desolations of the Church abroad Let not us be like to them of whom the Prophet complains That they did lie upon Beds of Ivory Amos 6.4 5 6 and stretch themselves upon their Couches and eat the Lambs out of the Flocks and the Calves out of the midst of the stall and chanted to the sound of the Viol and invented to themselves Instruments of Musick like David and drunk Wine in Bowls and anointed themselves with the chief Ointments but they were not grieved for the Afflictions of Joseph Too many such there be but let such as are guilty take knowledg of and tremble at the Threatening there annexed Therefore shall they go captive with the first that go captive Verse 7 and the Banquet of them that stretched themselves shall be removed Rather therefore let us imitate that godly Courtier Nehemiah of whom we heard before Or hear we of the prosperous estate of the Church Though we our selves for our own particulars lie under the Cross never so much yet let the knowledg of the Churches prosperity make us in a manner to forget our own sorrow CHAP. VI. The Church and a City built on an Hill OUr Saviour speaking of the Church makes use of this Resemblance A City says he set upon an Hill cannot be hid Matth. 5.14 I grant that there our Saviour hath respect especially to some chief Members of the Church that is the Preachers of the Word and the Teachers of his People yet so that it 's true in some sort of the whole Church that it 's a City and a City on an Hill And the Author of that imperfect Work upon Saint Matthews Gospel among Saint Chrysostoms Works observes this Resemblance to hold in sundry Particulars Civitas est Ecclesia Sanctorum The City says he is the Church of Saints 1. A City consists of Citizens And the Citizens of this City are all the Faithful Cives omnes fideles Turres ejus Prophetae sicut enim de turribus jacula contra omnes hostes jactantur sic de libris propheticis contra vanas Gentilium fabulas contra insanas haeriticorum disputationes salutaria veritatis proponuntur exempla Portae ejus sunt Apostoli quia per illos totus populus intrat ad fidem Muri ejus sunt doctores de quibus dicit propheta Isa 60.10 filii alienigenarum aedificabunt muros tuos quia ex Gentibus vocati facti sunt sacerdotes Ecclesiae gubernatores Sicut muri enim omnem Gentilium haereticorum impetum ipsi suscipiunt qui tanquam arietibus quibusdam sic assiduis persecutionibus feriunt clerum i. e. murum Ecclesiae Haec ergo civitas posita est super montem i. e. Apostoli prophetae caeterique doctores fideles aedificati in Christo Mons enim Christus est de quo propheta dicit Dan. 2.35 implevit universam terram Chrysost Comment in N. Test To. 2. hom 10. and so Saint Paul of the Ephesians having embraced the faith of Christ saies that they were fellow-Citizens of the Saints Eph. 2. Vers 19. Citizens then they
are 2. A City hath Towers and the Towers of this City the Church are the Prophets for as from the Towers Darts are shot against all enemies so from the bookes of the Prophets examples of truth are set forth against the vain fables of the Heathen and against the wild and unsound disputes of Hereticks 3. A City hath gates And these gates of the Church are the Apostles because as by the gates men enter into the Cities so ' by the ministery of the Apostles the whole people namely of Jewes and Gentiles enters into the faith of Christ 4. A City hath Wals and these Wals are the Doctors of the Church of which the Prophet saies The Sons of strangers shall build thy Wals because being called from among the Gentiles they were made Priests or ministers and Governours of the Church for as the Wals of a City so these undergo the violence of Heathens and Hereticks who by frequent presecutions as by so many battering-rams batter the Clergy these Walls of this City the Church To which add 5. A City hath Priviledges and Immunities which are common to all and belong onely to them that are free of the City And no lesse hath the Church her Priviledges and Immunities which equally and alike belong to all the members of the Church Act. 10.34 be they Jewes or Gentiles high or low rich or poor male or female bond or free for God is no accepter of persons and are proper and peculiar to them If any be strangers from the Church they have nothing to do with any of these Priviledges Would any know what these Priviledges are Let him consult with the Apostles Creed and there shall he finde these recorded 1. Communion of Saints of holy men and Angels with God and of holy men and Angels mutually among themselves by vertue of our Communion with God we have liberty to Pray to God and by prayer to receive from God all needful blessings for soul and body in this life and no less by this Communion with God have we hope to live for ever with God in glory and happiness everlasting By vertue of our Communion with the Angels we share in the benefits of their ministration in all kindes in this life and hereafter we shall be like the Angels sharing with them in the glory of Heaven By vertue of our Communion with holy men we have an interest in their prayers and in all the abilities with which God hath furnisht them and shall live together with them in Heaven A rare priviledge 2. Remission of sins by which upon our unfeigned repentance we are freelie for Christs sake absolved and acquitted from the guilt and punishment of all our sins though never so many though never so great A rare Priviledge happy is he that hath it for so saies the Psalmist blessed is he Psal 32.1 whose iniquity is forgiven c. 3. Resurrection of the body and Life Everlasting Resurrection to Life Everlasting though the body falls in death yet it shall be raised again though in death the soul takes leave of the body for a time yet they shall meet again and be reunited And not onely so for this shall be common to all men the bodies of all shall be raised and in all there shall be a reunion of soul and body but whereas to some there shall be a Resurrection of Damnation Joh. 5.29 to the Church it shall be a Resurrection to Life whereas some shall rise to shame and everlasting contempt all the true members of the Church shall awake to everlasting Life Dan. 12.2 Lastly it s observed here by the forenamed Author that this Citie is set upon an hill that is the Apostles Prophets and all other Doctors of and Faithful in the Church are built upon Christ who is the onely Foundation for Christ is that Mountain of which the Prophet saies Dan. 2.35 That it filled the whole Earth And this sense is pious But yet I conceive another thing rather to be intended by our blessed Saviour in this place namely that as a City built upon an Hill cannot be hid but is conspicuous and seen a farre off so neither can the Conversation and Actions of the Church and the members of it be so secretly carried but that it will come to the cognizance and knowledge of others so that if it be pious God shall be honoured by it and from any sinful and scandalous behaviour of the members of the Church it cannot be but that God shall be dishonoured by it as Saint Paul saies Through you is the name of God blasphemed among the Gentiles Rom. 2.24 See the high preferment of all Godly Christians in that they are made members of the Church and so free Denizons of this great City of God who counts it not a great matter to be a Freeman of some great City in the World so it was counted to be a Citizen of Rome they that were so gloried not a little in it they that were not so thought it not much to purchase it with a great summe of mony much more is it an honour to be members of the Church for what City in the World hath Priviledges and Immunities comparable to the Priviledges of the Church named before Blesse God for this high Honour and Preferment and as he hath honoured you so be ye careful to honour him and fearful to do any thing that may tend to His dishonour avoid all scandalous sins especially Phil 1.27 and Let your conversation be such as becomes the Gospel and as our Saviour enjoynes us Let your Lights so shine before men that they seeing your good Works Matth. 5.16 may glorifie your Father that is in Heaven CHAP. VII The Church and a Dove SO our Saviour speaks to his Church Open to me Cant. 5.2 my sister my love my Dove my undefiled So he speaks of her My Dove my undefiled is but one Cant. 6 9 she is the onely one of her Mother Saint Bernard observes two particulars in which the Church resembles a Dove The Church saies he Ecclesia columba est quia innocens est quia gemens est In Cant. ser 62. is a Dove 1. Because the Dove is innocent and harmless and indeed this to be eminent in the Dove appears by that passage of our Saviour Be innocent as Doves Matth. 10.16 which implies that the Dove is eminently innocent as the Serpent is the wisest of the beasts of the field Gen. 3.1 whom our Saviour wills his hearers to be like in wisdome so is the Church so are all godly Christians the members of the Church innocent and harmlesse they can finde in their hearts to suffer wrongs to put up injuries but they cannot with patience think of wronging others This is one thing by which David describes a member of the Church the question being Lord who shall enter into thy Tabernacle Psal 15.1 Vers 3. c. the answer is in
Conversion he says Verse 19 They were made nigh And a little after Ye are no longer says he strangers and foreigners but fellow-citizens of the Saints and of the Houshold of God And Psalm 145.18 The Lord says the Psalmist is near to all them that call upon him in Truth They have a free and ready access to God by Prayer with hope of audience Through him says the Apostle that is through Christ we both that is Eph. 2.18 Believers both among Jews and Gentiles have an access to the Father But as for wicked men they are far off they have no liberty of access to God by Prayer no hope of prevailing with God in Prayer nay to the wicked God says Though ye make many prayers I will not hear Isai 1.15 yea which is more God says of them When they fast I will not hear their cry Jer. 14.12 and when they offer burnt-sacrifice and an oblation I will not accept them And yet further the Church and the Members of it all godly Christians are near to God as having an open enterance into Heaven to enjoy God and live with him in Glory and Happiness for ever 1 Cor. 2.9 Matth. 20 James 1.12 Heb. 10.23 God hath prepared it for them and it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared God hath promised it to them and faithful is He that hath promised Yea Christ hath purchased it for them and therefore they cannot miss of it but as for the wicked God will know them afar off there shall be no enterance for them 1 Cor. 6.9 No unrighteous person says the Apostle shall inherit the Kingdom of God And Saint John says of the Heavenly Jerusalem Rev. 21.27 There shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth nor whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lye See the difference between the Church and the Members of it and all wicked men that are strangers from it great is the preferment and Happiness of the one most sad is the condition of the other let wicked men be humbled and cast down let the godly be comforted and be thankful to God for this That they are so preferred CHAP. IX The Church and an House THis Resemblance is frequently used in Scripture Saint Paul calls the Church of God 1 Tim. 3.15 Heb. 3.6 the House of the living God And again Whose House says he ye are if ye hold fast the Confidence and the rejoycing of the Hope to the End 1 Pet. 4.17 And Saint Peter The time is now come that Judgment must begin at the House of God that is at the Church of God Serm. of the Churches Visitation And as Dr. Sibs well observes an House is sometimes put for the Family and sometimes for the structure or Building it self and both ways the Resemblance holds between the Church and an House I. As the House is put for a Family so the Resemblance holds in these things 2 Tim. 2.20 1. In a great House there are Vessels of Gold Silver Wood and Earth some to honor some to dishonor So in the Church there is a mixture of good and bad Elect and Reprobate as in the Field there is a mixture of Wheat and Tares and in the Floor of Grain and Chaff Wonder not then nor take such offence at the Church as to forsake the Communion of it because all are not right and streight nor such as you would have them to be There was never any Church so exact but that there hath been such a mixture in it Let this comfort you That a time will come in which there shall be a Separation made between the Sheep and the Goats between the Wheat and the Tares between the Grain and the Chaff then all things that offend shall be taken and cast out and as in the Garner there shall be onely good Grain so then there shall be onely a Congregation of righteous men Psalm 1.5 Heb. 12 and spirits made perfect Wait till that time and expect not that now which God intends to be then separate we our selves from the corrupt manners of the wicked and imitate not their sinful exorbitances and then let it not trouble us that wicked men are mixt with us their sins shall hurt them not us Gal. 6.5 Rom. 14.12 Every man shall bear his own burden Every one of us shall give account of himself unto God And if any being admitted to the Lords Table shall eat and drink unworthily he shall not prejudice any of us who study to prepare our selves for the use of it 1 Cor. 11.29 but shall eat and drink judgment to himself alone 2. In a great Family there are persons of different ages of different strength of different relations to the Master of the Family of different employments so in the Church of God there are little Children 1 John 2.12 13 14 young men and Fathers there are weaker and stronger Christians some that stand in need of milk some that are fit for stronger meat some that need to be led or carried in arms some that can go of themselves and walk strongly some that are Teachers and Rulers of others and some that are taught and ruled by others Let not then weak Christians be too much cast down because of their weakness nor they that are laid out for less noble employments as if in this respect they were not of Gods Family The weakest Childe is a Member of the Family as well as the strongest and they that stand in need of milk as well as they that are most fit for the strongest meat and they that need to be carried in arms as well as they that are able to go most strongly yea know for your comfort That as the weakest Childe may in time grow to be a strong Man so ye that are weak for the present may in time prove strong if ye be not wanting to your selves Nor let stronger Christians despise the weaker for even these are Members of Gods Family as well as your selves and therefore to despise them were intolerable pride and God knows how to increase their strength and to abate yours so that ye may come to stand in need of the help of them whom for the present you despise because of their weakness Serm. of the Churches Visitation 3. There is yet another Particular which Dr. Sibs observes in which this Resemblance holds namely That the Master of the Family hath a Care to provide for his Family yea and he that doth it not hath denied the Faith 1 Tim 5.8 and is worse then an Infidel yea the very Dragons and Ostriches the worst of all the Creatures have some care of their young ones So nay much more God the Master of this great Family will provide for all the Members of his Church Mat. 6.26 28 29 30 yea He feeds the Fowls of the Air and clothes the Lilies of the Field much more will he
feed and clothe you He wants not will to do it for he hath given that assurance That they which fear God Psalm 34.10 24.1 shall not want any thing that is good for them and he wants not power for the Earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof Let this comfort you against the fear of want though never so poor though thy estate be never so scanty yet fear not God knowes how to provide for thee he can lengthen out thy scanty portion as he did the handful of meal in the barrel 1 King 17.12 14.15 2 King 4 1.7 and the little oil in the cruse of that Zareptan widow or as he did that oil of the poor Prophets widow or he can lessen thy charge or if it be a time of dearth he can suddenly send plenty as he did to Samaria 6.25 where ere while the famine was so great that an Asses head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver and the fourth part of a cab of Doves dung for five pieces of silver and soon after the plenty was so great 7.16 that a measure of fine floure was sold for a shekel and two measures of barly for a shekel or at least Exod. 17.6 1 King 17.6 he that commanded the rock to furnish the Israelites with water and the ravens to bring meat to Eliah is able to enlarge the heart and to open the hand of the most hard hearted man to refresh you with the fruits of their bounty trust in God then onely use the meanes which God hath appointed but take no indirect courses to feed thy body And if now thy heart shall suggest such thoughts to thee as these but then how shall I be provided for Gen. 22.8 answer thy distrustful soul as Abraham his Son Isaac My Son my soul God will provide 4. The same Author in the same place adds yet another particular namely this as a master of a Family hath a care to defend his Family to the utmost of his power against all enemies that would do them wrong he promises to defend Jerusalem against the Forces of Senacherib he defended the Hebrews in Egypt against the rage of Pharaoh he defended the three Children against the fire and Daniel against the Lions and Jeremy against the Princes and false Prophets and Eliah against Ahab and Jezebel and so others So still its true that the Psalmist hath As the mountains are round about Jerusalem Psal 125.2 so the Lord is round about his people as a wall of fire and a defence This affords comfort to the Church and the members of it against all enemies bodily and ghostly men or devils they indeed plot and act against all and seek to do you all mischief possibly but fear them not compare together your enemies and your defender your enemies are Creatures your defender is the infinite Creator and how shall the finite creature be able to prevail against the infinite Creator Isa 51.12 13. hear now what God saies Who art thou that thou should'st be affraid of a man that shall dye and of the Son of man that shall be made as the grasse and forgettest the Lord thy maker that stretched out the Heavens and laid the foundations of the Earth consider this and be comforted And well may enemies from hence learn this point of wisdome to desist from their cruel plotting and acting against the Church and against godly Christians the members of the Church what do ye but plot and act against the Family the protection of which God hath undertaken and consequently against God their defender and now how can ye hope to prevail in these your designes yea what do ye other then act against your selves and bring ruine upon your selves for thus hath it happened to all enemies of the Church in former times Pharaoh Saul Senacherib Herod and with all the Heathen and Arian Emperors As therfore ye love your selves desist hands off II. As the House is put for the Fabrick so the Church is like unto an House in these particulars Heb. 3 4 1. Every house saies the Apostle is built by some man Every house hath a builder and so hath the Church and the builder is God and Christ Opus ad extra indivisum for the building of the Church is a work towards the creatur◠and therefore common to all the three Persons and so our Saviour saies I will build my Church Matth. 16.18 and so Saint Paul saies ye are Gods building namely built by God 1 Cor 3.9 Then must the Church needs be firm and stable and stand impregnable against all opposition for how is it possible that any opposition should prevail against Gods building 2. In the building of any house there is as one chief builder so other under-workmen so in the building of the Church as God is the cheif builder so there are under-builders and they are the ministers of the Gospel of whose ministry God is pleased to make use for the building of the Church whether they be extraordinary called and sent of God immediatly not of man nor by men as Apostles Prophets Gal. 1.1 Eph. 4.11 Evangelists or ordinary ministers called of God by men in the way of the Church as Pastors and Teachers or Pastors that is Teachers the former word being Metaphorical the latter the plain word for all these the Apostle saies Eph. 4.12 they were given for the edification of the body of Christ that is for the building up of the Church 1 Cor. 3.10 of which the Apostles laid the Foundation others scil the ordinary ministers in the several times of the Church build thereupon See the honour of the ministerial function and the high preferment of those whom God immediatly or mediatly by the Church laies out for and calls to this Sacred function for behold whereas God is the great Architect these also are builders of the Church and so workers together with God 1 Cor. 3.9 How ill do they that cast scorn and contempt upon them whom God hath so preferred how shall they answer it let them know what our Saviour saies He that despises you Luk. 10.16 1 Thess 4.8 despises me and him that sent me And Saint Paul in the like manner He that despises despises not man but God and yet there are many who undervalue them as uselesse and unnecessary but their sin is great As for us we may well scorn in an holy manner such contempt and say with the Apostle seeing we have received this 2 Cor. 4.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 honos onus that is such a ministery therefore we faint not neither for the difficulty of the work nor for the scorn which men cast upon us And seeing honour and burden as the Latine words have great likenesse go together let the honour which God hath put upon us move us with all willingness to undergo the burden and cheerfully to
set our selves to the work We are builders by our office let us be building up the house of God and let it not discourage us that there is great opposition made and like to be made against this building but accept we of that encouragement Vp and be doing and the Lord shall be with you 3. Every house well built hath a Foundation and so hath the Church its Foundation and that is Christ 1 Cor. 3.11 Other Foundation saies the Apostle can no man lay then that which is laid which is Jesus Christ But of this before In aedificio lapis lapidem portat quia lapis super lapidem ponitur qui portat alium portatur ab altero Sic in sancta Ecclesia unusquisque portat alium portatur ab alio Super Ezech. l. 2. hom 13. 4. In a Building as Gregory the great well observes one stone bears another because one stone is laid upon another and that stone which bears one is born of another So in the holy Church every one both bears another and is born of another As then we desire to approve our selves to be indeed parts of this spiritual Fabrick let us thus carry our selves according to that charge of the Apostle bear ye one anothers burden Gal. 6.2 wherein we are stronger then others let us bear the infirmities of the weak if we have more knowledge then others bear with their ignorance if we be more settled in a right and sound judgment bear with them who are in any error through seduction if we have more command of our Passions bear with the frowardnesse and waywardness of others not to let them alone in their infirmities to be mastered by them but seek to recover them yet not dealing rigidly with them G l. 6.1 nor condemning and censuring them as castawaies but with a spirit of meeknesse having compassion of them as the Apostle advises yea hear we the Apostle Jude 22. we that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak he doth not speak of it as a businesse of conveniency Rom. 15.1 but as of a duty of absolute necessity There was a time when we our selves were as weak as any others and then others were fain to bear with us being therefore become strong let us now bear with the infirmities of the weak yea as strong as any of us are we are yet prone now and then to bewray such weaknesse that we shall stand in need to desire others to bear with us therefore we are also to bear with the infirmites of others for this is the law of equity propounded by our Saviour What ye would that others should do to you Matth. 7.12 do ye also the same to them yea as the Apostle saies thus doing we shall fulfil the law of Christ Gal. 6.2 even the law of charity for of this the Apostle saies 1 Cor. 13.4 7 that it suffers long and beares all things 5. The resemblance between the Church and an house holds in the use of both An house is built for some man to dwell in and the Church is built for God to dwell in it ye are built saies the Apostle for an habitation of God by his spirit Eph. 3.22 Psal 132.13 14. And so saies the Psalmist of Sion The Lord hath chosen Sion and hath desired it for his habitation This is my rest for ever here I will dwell c. See here the great dignity of the Church and of all godly Christians the members of the Church in that they are built up to be an habitation for God to dwell in who is infinitely greater for glory and majesty then all the greatest Potentates of the earth And yet in the entertainment of one of them were it but for a day yea for an hour we would judge our houses not a little graced how then are we graced in that the great God who is higher then the highest hath made choice of us to be his dwelling place in which he will delight to abide for ever Jerusalem was the glory of the world in regard of that famous Temple in which God himself was specially present and no lesse are Christians glorious creatures in whom God dwels so constantly It was the glory of Benjamin Deut. 33.12 that the God of glory dwelt between his shoulders how then is it the glory of Christians that this glorious God dwels in their hearts It must needs then be granted that Christians are glorious creatures and that it may truly be said of them as the Psalmist saies of Sion Psal 37 3 Glorious things are spoken of thee See here also how ill the enemies of the Church provide for themselves for it is the dwelling place of the great God and shall they go unpunisht think we that act violence against it A King being resident in his Pallace if any shall presume to cast dirt on the walls of it or throw stones at the windowes of it to break them its like to cost them dear if they be known how much more will this God avenge the quarrel and right the wrongs done to his Church We hear what Saint Paul saies 1 Cor. 3.17 If any man defiles the Temple of God him will God destroy and no marvel for the same Apostle saies 2 Thess 1.6 It s a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you And Joshua could say to Achan Josh 7.26 Why hast thou troubled us God shall trouble thee Nor let any such think to pass hood-winked and so to carry the business as if the wrong done or the wrong-doer should be unknown for the Psalmist can say to God Psal 10.14 Thou beholdest mischief and spight to requite it with thy hand Heb 4.13 And the Apostle can say All things are naked and open to the eyes of him with whom we have to do Ezek. 25.12 13. If Edom speakes against the mountains of Israel saying They are laid waste they are given me to consume God saies I have heard them And it s no less true of acts of violence and the actors of them against the Church that God sees them And hence we may see and learn our duty in three particulars 1. Let us prepare our selves for the receiving of this holy God to dwell in our hearts Accept of the counsel of the Prophet to Jerusalem Jer. 4.14 Wash thy heart from wickednesse God is incomparably holy 1 Sam. 2.2 There is none holy as the Lord He is glorious in holiness Exod. 15.11 Therefore it s most true that the Psalmist saies Holiness becomes thy house O Lord for ever A sober man cannot endure to enter into a Brothel-house nor a neat man to come into a filthy house and can we think that God will be received into an heart uncleansed Hear we how Saint Austin urges this duty If I saies he a mean frail man should promise to come to your house
with any Church forsake the Communion of it Let us be sensible of any thing amiss and pray to God and do our best endeavors in our way to have all things set in right order but let us not unkindly depart from the Church so long as we see our Saviour present with it It 's true that there will be a time when the Church shall be without spot or wrinkle but to expect it in the time of this life Eph. 5.27 and to quarrel at the Church because it is not so now were folly in an high degree and great uncharitableness 2. The like is to be said of particular Christians Expect not Angelical Perfection at their hands living on the face of the Earth nor because we see some blemishes in their lives let us therefore cast them off as wicked Reprobates but so long as we can discern any thing in them with respect to which we may in charity judg them to be God's let us give them the right hand of fellowship and own them as Brethren and if we see them to miscarry in any kinde disown them not as past hope of being reclaimed but study to restore them with the spirit of meekness Gal. 6.1 considering our selves lest we also be tempted Have they blemishes so have the best of us and would we not take it unkindly to be for this cause discarded by others then deal not so unkindly with others as to discard them for this cause for this is the golden Rule of Equity propounded by our Saviour as the sum of the Law and the Prophets Matth. 7.12 Whatsoever ye would that others should do to you do ye even the same to them and so Quod tibi fieri non vis alteri ne feceris on the other side Do not that to another which thou wouldst not that another should do to thee 3. Wonder not at the fruits of Gods severity exercised against the Church of God and against particular godly Christians the Members of the Church They have their blemishes their spots their sins by which they also offend God and where sin goes before who can wonder if punishment and chastisement follows after What is more just then that it should be so Yea the Love of God to and his Fatherly Care for the Church and the Members of it requires it Rev. 3.19 As many says Christ as I love I rebuke and chasten And When ye are judged says the Apostle ye are chastened of the Lord 1 Cor. 11.32 that ye should not be condemned with the World 4 In this respect how necessary is it that the ministers of God should direct reproofes to the Church and to godly Christians in the Church have ye your spots and would not ye be cleansed have ye your sins and would ye not be reproved how unreasonable is this yea how do ye in this act against your precious soules for nothing is more conducing to your happiness then faithful and seasonable reproof by which we endeavour to keep sin from seizing on you and making a prey of your soules Say not think not that we speak against you and seek to disgrace you It s nothing so for while we reprove your sins we speak for you against your sins which act against you nor seek we to disgrace you to others but to disgrace your sins to you and to make you out of love with them and to draw you off from them which otherwise will ruine you Take heed therefore of such misprisions and as you would do in a journey take it in good part to be told that you are out of the way Take it as ye will we must do it a necessity is laid upon us for God hath given the commandment Isai 58.1 Cry aloud spare not lift up thy voice like a trumpet shew my people their transgression and the house of Jacob their sin And now wo will be to us if for fear of your displeasure we do it not fear not their faces Jer. 1.17 saies God to the Prophet least I confound thee before them 5. This may be of great force to take us off from the excessive love of this present life and willingly to accept of the motion of death for while we live here below as the moon hath her spots so we have our blemishes lying under a necessity of sining in regard of that body of sin which we bear about us from this necessity of sining death shall exempt us for then holinesse shall be made in us complete and perfect and the body of sin shall be altogether wasted out of us then we shall sin no more nor sorrow more now we are like the moon Matth. 13.43 having spots but then we shall shine as the Sun in the Kingdome of our Father And what wise man that intends his own good would content himself to remain in a state of imperfection when he may be brought to a state of absolute perfection This change is effected by death why should we dread it why should we not embrace it with both arms Cry not as the Disciples at the Transfiguration It s good for us to be here Matth. 17. but rather with old Simeon Lord Luk. 2.29 Phil. 1.23 now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace and with Saint Paul I desire to be dissolved yet let us not make more haste then good speed Our life is a Warfare and it s not for Souldiers to leave their stations but at the will of the General but if God shall say to us as to Moses Deut. 32.49 50. Go up to Mount Nebo and dye let us readily obey and go up and dye Let us so make use of our lives that we may be fit to dye and then there will need no more words about this bargain 6. The Moon hath her various Aspects sometimes she is in the Full and sometimes in the Wane sometimes she shines more gloriously sometimes lesse and yet still she hath a being So is it with the Church Sadeel doth excellently set forth this comparison As the Moon saies he doth not alway shew her light in her full Orb Quemadmodum non semper Luna pleno orbe lumen suum nobis ostentat sed aliquando ita decrescit ut nobis illa non amplius superesse videatur nec tamen unquam propterea radiis solis destituitur quamvis humanis sensibus secus appareat ita Ecclesia non semper plenum fulgorem emittit sed aliquando ita obscuratur ut nostris oculis non pateat nihilâ—minus certum est eam semper esse semperque a suo sole id est a Christo illustrari De legit ministr vocat p. 39. but she doth sometimes so decrease that she seems to us not to be any more and yet never is she destitute of the Sun beames though it seems otherwise to our senses So the Church doth not alway send forth a full brightness but is sometime so obscured that she
appeares not to our eyes and yet its certain that the Church hath alway a being and is alway enlightened by Christ her Sun So saies Whitaker against Campian Thinkest thou that thou canst perswade us An tu te posse putes nobis persuadere eum esse Ecclesiae statum ut obscurari nequeat ut nil perfidia nil hostes nil Antichristus valeat Delere hi quidem Ecclesiam nunquam possunt in angustias compingere compellere in latebras possunt Ecclesiam Augustinus lunae similem esse dixit quae nunc tota lucet solis incensa radiis nunc luminis magna parte privatur nunc lumen omnino nullum ostendit Ita Ecclesia interdum lumine clarissimo illustratur interdum obscurior apparet interdum vix apparet quidem Ad Campian ra◠3. that the state of the Church is such that it cannot be obscured so that the perfidiousness of enemies and Antichrist can do nothing against it They cannot indeed destroy the Church but they can bring it into a narrow compass and drive it into holes Augustine saies the Church is like the Moon which sometimes shines wholely being enlightened with the Sun-beams sometimes is deprived of a great part of her light and sometimes shewes no light at all So the Church shines sometimes more gloriously sometimes it s more obscured and sometime it hardly appears at all He proceeds to make it manifest by example The face of the Jewish Church saies he was glorious under David and Solomon Si Ecclesiae illius tanta vastitas esse potuit ut ex omni illo piorum numero nullus omnino reliquus esse videretur etsi reliqui erant re permulti mirum esse non potest in regno Antichristi qui omnes Achabos Jezabelas immanitate superat ita fuisse direptam Ecclesiam ut mira esset fidelium solitudo Nec tamen in ista Ecclesiae vastatione efficere potuit Antichristus quin multae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sanctorum remanserint qui genua nunquam bestiae flexerint nec signum ejus inuri permiserint Ibid. but under Ahab it was so obscured that Eliah complained that besides himself there was none left And thence he infers ' If that Church could be so wasted that of all that number of godly men none seemed to be left though indeed many were left seven thousand saies God it is no wonder if in the Kingdome of Antichrist who exceeds all Ahabs and Jezabels in cruelty the Church was so laid waste that there was so great a solitude of the faithful Yet neither was Antichrist able in that devastation of the Church to prevail but that there remained thousands of Saints which bowed not the knee to the Beast nor received his mark Hence we may frame an answer to the Romanists frequently assailing us with that question Where was your Church before Luther for this is the confident assertion of Campian the Jesuit of us That for fifteen Ages we cannot finde any one Town or Village or House Quindecim seculis non oppidum non villam non domum reperire possumus imbutum doctrina nostra rat 3. holding our Religion namely till the time of Luther Zuinglius and Calvin But learned Whitaker doth justly deny it Id falsissimum est Campiane Temporibus enim Apostolicis omnes Ecclesiae omnes urbes omnia oppida familiae omnes eandem fidem religionem coluerunt quam nos profitemur Ibid. This is most false saies he for in the times of the Apostles all Churches all Cities all Towns all Families held the same faith which we professe he means all Cities Townes and Families in which the Church was planted by the Apostles And the truth of this may with ease be manifested by comparing the particulars of our Religion professed by the Reformed Churches with the Religion of those Apostolical Churches but that would take up too much time It s true that sometimes the Church hath been much obscured and kept under the hatches yet still there hath been a Church that hath maintained the faith of Christ against heresies springing up When Arianisme prevailed most under the Emperors Constantius and Valens there wanted not those that maintained the faith of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the consubstantiality of the Son with the Father And when Heathenisme had the upper hand under the Emperors that were before Constantine the great and under Julian that infamous Apostate who succeeded Constantius still there were such as professed the Christian faith and defended it against the heathen resisting for it even unto blood And so in the times when as the Church lay under the greatest darkness by reason of the Apostasy and Tyranny of the Romane Synagogue even in all Ages there have been such as have professed and defended even unto death the faith of Christ received from the Apostles against the Heresies and abominable Superstitions of Rome witness the glorious Martyrs that have suffered death for the cause of Religion in all those times both at home and abroad So that to this question of the Romanists we may justly answer that our Church was before Luther though not alway equally appearing but sometimes as some grains of corn covered over with chaff in the floor and as fire on the hearth in the night-time covered over with ashes CHAP. XI The Church and a Mother SAint Paul makes use of this resemblance while he saies That Jerusalem Gal. 4.16 which is above is the mother of us all on which place hear Luther This Jerusalem saies he which is above is the Church Est illa Hierusalem coelestis quae sursum est Ecclesia id est credentes per totum orbem qui idem evangelium eandem fidem in Christum eundem Spiritum Sanctum eadem Sacramenta habent Ideo sursum non intellige de Ecclesia triumphante in coelis sed de militante in terris In loc that is believers dispersed through the whole World which have the same Gospel the same faith in Christ the same holy Ghost and the same Sacraments Understand this therefore that it s here said above not of the Church-triumphant in Heaven but of the Church Militant on Earth And this Church is the mother of us all that is of all believers both Jewes and Gentiles both high and low both rich and poor for towards us all she doth perform all the offices of a mother as Saint Austin speakes excellently The mother Mater Ecclesia mater est Patris tui matrisque tuae haec nos ex Christo concepit haec martyrum sanguine parturivit haec in sempiternam lucem peperit haec fidei lacte nutrivit nutrit Ep. 38. ad Laetum the Church saies he is the mother of thy Father and of thy Mother she hath conceived thee of Christ she hath travelled of thee by the blood of the Martyrs she hath brought thee forth to the everlasting light she hath nourished and doth nourish thee with the milk
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
voluntary Exile and so to reserve themselves for better times yet some of all sorts have undergone the effects of their malice as we may easily see in those ten Persecutions against the Primitive Church in the Persecutions raised by the Arians under Constantius and Valens against the Orthodox Christians and by the Heathens under Julian and to forbear the mentioning of the rest in the Persecutions against the Protestants in those Marian days and so still So that it 's most true and universally true that Saint Paul and Barnabas told the Churches Acts 14.22 That through many afflictions we must enter into the Kingdom of Heaven and that the Apostle told Timothy 2 Tim. 3.12 That they that will live a godly Life in Christ Jesus shall suffer Persecution Reckon then not to pass to Heaven any other way then by taking part in the afflictions of the Church What were it other then folly for a man that enters into a ship to expect exemption from storms when yet storms shall arise against the ship in which he is a Passenger Heb. 2.10 The Prince of our Salvation was made perfect through suffering says the Apostle and shall we think to be made perfect in an easier way The same afflictions says Saint Peter are accomplished in the rest of our Brethren that are in the World 1 Pet. 5.9 and shall we promise our selves an immunity from them The Pirats that invade this ship of the Church are common Enemies to all in the ship and shall we be so foolish as to expect that they should deal more favorably with us then with the rest Then Evils fall heavy when we say with the Fool Non putaram I thought not that such Evils would have happened to me but the expectation of Evils alleviates them Expect them then and then if they come we shall have cause to say I thank God it is no worse then I looked for and if they come we shall say Blessed be God that hath made my way to Heaven easier then I expected And wonder not at it nor let it be an offence to us to hear of or to see great afflictions befalling godly men men of whom the World is not worthy Heb. 11.38 Who wonders to see or hear of a ship setting to Sea to be subject to storms and tempests and meeting with such that the best or the greatest in it to be toss'd up and down and to be Sea-sick This is the case here for the Church is a ship upon the Sea of the World and the best in the Church is a Passenger in this ship And expecting afflictions let us provide aforehand to be fore-armed against them Praemonitus praemunitus as we are fore-warned of them The Mariner setting out to Sea expecting storms and Pirats furnishes himself aforehand with those things that may be of use to him against the one and the other judging it an high point of folly to have them then to seek when he should use them What is more useful to us against Afflictions then the Grace of Patience Ye had need of Patience Heb. 10.38 Luke 21.19 says the Apostle And so our Saviour speaks In Patience possess your Souls Let it be our wisdom therefore to work our Hearts aforehand to a Resolution to bear Afflictions patiently 3. The Resemblance between a ship and the Church holds in the means of the safety of a ship and so of the Church as Saint Jerom hath it in these words God the Father sits in the hinder part of this ship In puppe Pater residet gubernator proram Paracletus servat Spiritus To. 1. lib. de Salomone as the Master and Governor of it to guide its course and the Holy Ghost the Comforter keeps the Fore-ship And moreover for an Anchor necessary also to the safety of a ship God hath given us that blessed Grace of Hope even the Hope of Salvation Heb. 6.19 which says the Apostle we have as an Anchor of the Soul both sure and stedfast of special use to make us stedfast to stand impregnable against and in the midst of all the storms of Persecution raised up against us in the World Oh what Comfort is this to us What assurance shall it not give us of safety against all the opposition which Satan and his Imps make against us and the Church The safety of a ship depends much under God upon the care and vigilancy the skill and courage of the Master Behold the Master and Governor of this ship of the Church is God and his blessed Spirit or God by his Spirit and who is comparable to him for any of these Of his care and vigilancy hear what the Psalmist says Psalm 121 He that keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep As for his skill and wisdom the Apostle doubts not to call him the onely wise God 1 Tim. 1.17 and the Prophet says of him Jer. 32.19 That he is great in counsel and mighty in work and how shall courage be wanting to him to set himself and to defend his ship the Church against all that threaten the ruine of it It 's he says the Psalmist which stills the noise of the Sea Psalm 65.7 the noise of their Waves and the tumults of the People And as for Satan that Arch-Pirat seeking to take or sink this ship though he be a Spirit and therefore of great power against us who are but flesh and blood yet he is nothing to God who is the creating Spirit That which is said of the Behemoth is no less true of him Job 40.18 He that made him can make his Sword to approach unto him Let therefore the power and malice of our Enemies be never so great and their opposition against us never so fierce yet we may comfortably rest upon the assurance which our dear Saviour gives us Matth. 16.1 That the gates of Hell shall not prevail against the Church much less any power on Earth And see the great Mercy of God That whereas the Church in this World is like to a ship on the Sea and therefore subject to storms and tempests he hath given us that blessed Grace of Hope the Hope of Salvation whereby we may be kept steady and not be hurried up and down and driven upon Rocks and Sands to our ruine and wrack And it 's not as other Anchors cast down on the Earth to take hold of that but upwards to God It enters within the Vail Heb. 6.19 says the Apostle it fastens upon God and Christ upon his Power his Mercy his Promise and Faithfulness and therefore it 's a stedfast Hope and a sure Anchor which cannot fail us as not that God on whom it fastens Oh be thankful for such gracious provision Onely now let not this Grace of God be in vain towards us but keep this Anchor charily Heb. 3.6 and hold fast the confidence and rejoycing of this Hope unto the end