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
15. To. 6. Ser. de aeneo Serpente O thou faithful Servant of God Why dost thou that which thou forbiddest Thou hast made a Law Thou shalt not make any Image to thy self and dost thou make a Serpent And then he brings him in answering I gave indeed those Laws that I might pull up by the roots all matter of impiety and that I might keep that People as far as might be from all worship of Images But now I also make a Serpent that I might hereby typifie Christs Death on the Cross and make plain the Way in which the Apostles in time to come should run and so our Lord himself interprets this of himself Joh. 3.14 And then he descends to Particulars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sicut illa figura imaginem quidem speciem Serpentis praesentabat sic Servator in similitudine carnis peccati apparuit cum tamen extra omne peccatum esset Ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Sicut illic figura aliorum Serpentium ille qui nec momordit nec percussit in crucem sublatus est sic delicta scelera aliorum hominum innocens Jesus suo crucis supplicio erat expiaturus Ibid. As that figure did represent the shape and likeness of a Serpent so our Saviour appeared in the similitude of sinful flesh when yet he was free from all sin He adds yet further As there the figure of other Serpents that Serpent which neither stung nor wounded any was fastened to the Pole so our innocent Jesus by his Death upon the Cross was to expiate the sins and Transgressions of other men He adds there one thing more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Sublatus est in crucem Serpens aeneus ut abolerentur morsus Draconum crucifixus est Christus ut Daemonum operationes abolerentur Ibid. The brazen Serpent says he was fastened to the Pole to take away the Wounds of the fiery Serpents And Christ was crucified that he might destroy the Works of the Devil Hear him elsewhere enlarging himself about this Parallel You see says he how the Type and the Truth agree There the Israelites escaped Death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Vides ut figura veritati consentiat Illic mortem fugerunt Judaei sed temporalem hic sempiternam fideles Illic ictus Serpentum Serpens suspensus sanavit hic incorporei Serpentis plagas Jesus cruci affixus curavit Illic corporeis oculis suspicientes corporis salutem hic incorporeis omnium peccatorum Remissionem consecuti sunt Illic aes suspensum erat in Serpentis effigiem hic dominicum corpus à Spiritu formatum Illic Serpens mordebat Serpens sanabat hic mors perdidit mors salvum fecit Illic Serpens qui interimebat veneno saeviebat qui liberabat nullo ita hic mors quae perdebat peccatum habebat sicut Serpens venenum Domini autem mors ab omni immunis erat peccato ut aeneus Serpens à veneno 1 Pet. 2.22 In Joan. Hom. 26. but temporal here the Faithful escape Eternal Death There the Serpent lifted up on the Pole healed the Wounds of the fiery Serpents here Jesus crucified cured the Wounds given by the incorporeal Serpent There the Israelites looking up with the eyes of their bodies obtained bodily health here they that look up with spiritual eyes obtain forgiveness of all their sins There Brass was hung up in the shape of a Serpent here the Body of the Lord formed by the Holy Ghost was fastened to the Cross There a Serpent did wound and a Serpent did heal here Death destroyed and Death heals There the Serpent that killed had poyson the Serpent that healed had none So it 's here the Death that destroyed had sin as the Serpent had poyson but the Lords Death was free from sin as the brazen Serpent was from poyson In Num. 21.8 9 Ainsworth also takes notice of this brazen Serpent as a figure of Christ as Christ himself hath opened it Joh. 3.14 As Moses c. For says he as this had the similitude of a Serpent but had no venome so Christ had the similitude of a sinful man yet without sin Hebr. 4.15 And a little after The seting up of the Serpent says he upon a Pole was to them a figure of Christ to be crucified and preached unto the World for Salvation And a little after As the Serpent lifted up was a Type of Christ so the looking upon it signified Faith in Christ as it is written At that day shall a man look unto his Maker Isai 17.7 and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy one of Israel And a little after By the continuance and recovery of natural life to the Israelites looking up to the brazen Serpent was figured Eternal Life to all that believed in Christ And a little after As they that were bitten by these Serpents if they looked upon their Sores and not to the Sign erected by God they dyed so they that are bitten with Sin if they fix their eyes thereon though with Repentance and look not unto Christ do despare and dye Mat. 27.3 4 5 as it happened unto Judas As they if they sought to Chyrurgeons or Physicians or used Salves and Medicines of their own or others perished so whosoever seeks to any but Christ or endeavors by his own Works or Sufferings to have Life with God John 8.24 Galat. 5.4 dyes in his sins As the brazen Serpent was an unlikely thing in humane Reason to heal such deadly Wounds so Christ crucified is to the Jews a stumbling block 1 Cor. 1.23 24 and to the Greeks foolishness but unto them that are called both Jews and Greeks Christ is the Power of God and the Wisdom of God He adds A Serpent of Brass In Verse 9 which Mettal besides that it is of a fiery colour and so might resemble the colour of the Serpents it 's also strong and durable and in that respect might figure out the strength of Christ who was enabled by the power of the Godhead to endure and overcome all his Tribulations otherwise then any man could whereupon Job says in his Sorrows Is my strength the strength of Stones Job 6.12 or is my flesh of Brass And a little after he adds It was the work of Moses to lift up the brazen Serpent on the Pole whereupon it 's said John 3.14 As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness And it signifies how Moses his Law was our Schoolmaster unto Christ Gal. 3.24 that we might be justified by Faith By his Writings Christ is lifted up as an Ensign unto all People John 5.46 for he wrote of Christ and by the rigor of his Law which urges satisfaction for sin and curseth all Transgressors Christ was lifted up upon the Cross Verse 7 Finally he adds ' The Serpents were not taken away from the People as they desired but continued still as a
alimenta deessent Vendidit autem Christus non paucis in Judaea sed vendebat omnibus ut ab omnibus crederetur omnes regiones venerunt in Aegyptum ad Joseph emere Ejusd lib. c. 7. Nor did Christ sell to a few in Iudaea but he sold to all that all might believe in him as all Countreyes came into Aegypt to Ioseph to buy corn and he sold to them all Hear St. Austin Ioseph's brethren selling him did cast him from them but Fratres vendentes Joseph abjecerunt cum fame tribularentur ad opem illius confugiunt to 4. quaest super libr. Judic sic qui abjecerunt Christum ad cum rursus conversi in to inveniunt salutem when they were pressed with famine they fly to his help so they that rejected Christ turning to him again finde salvation in him And elsewhere the same Father Joseph Joseph à fratribus persecutionem passus ab alienis honoratur Sic Christus Judaeis persequentibus à Gentibus clarificatus est to 4. de 83. quaestion q. 58. persecuted by his brethren is honoured by strangers so Christ the Jewes persecuting him is magnified by the Gentiles And again elsewhere Vivente Joseph non referuntur crevisse filii Israel sed postea quam mortuus est germinaverunt haec in illo Joseph figuâ—ata sunt in Christo completa priusquam moreretur Joseph noster scil Christus pauci in eum crediderunt postquam autem mortuus est resurrexit in universo mundo multiplicati sunt crevere Israelitae i. e. populi Christiani Joh. 12.24 To. 16. de temp ser 84. While Ioseph lived the children of Israel are not said to have increased in number but after his death they did mightily increase This was a figure in Ioseph but it was accomplished in Christ while our Ioseph namely Christ lived on the earth few believed on him but after he was dead and risen again the Israelites that is the Christian people were exceedingly increased in the whole world as he himself sayd Except a corn of wheat fall into the earth and dye it remains alone but if it dye it brings forth much fruit Joh. 12.24 And afterwards Ver. 32. if I be lifted up from the earth I will ' draw all men to me Ver. 33. And this sayes the Evangelist he spake of his death Hear St. Chrysostome As Ioseph went to his brethren to visit them and they neither regarding the Brotherhood nor the cause of his coming 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Sicut Joseph ad Fratres abiit invisens eos et illi nec fraternitatem nec adventus causam reveriti sunt sed primo quidem occidere voluerunt postea autem vendiderunt barbaris Ita et Dominus noster advenit invisens genus humanum et suscepta carne dignatus fieri frater noster sic advenit sed ingrati Judaei animarum et corporum medicum occidere conati sunt et opere complerunt animo suo decretam caedem eumque crucifixerunt et isti quidem apprehensum et cruci traditum occiderunt illi autem consultabant quidem sed opere quod consulebant non impleverunt oportebat enim figuram minus habere quam veritatem To. 2. In. genes hom 61. thought first of killing him but afterwards sold him to barbarous people so our Lord came to visit mankind and having taken humane flesh upon him so he came but the unthankful Jews endeavoured to kill the Phisitian of soules and bodies and did actually accomplish this intended murder and these indeed having apprehended him and delivered him to be crucified killed him but those indeed consulted Iosephs death but did not actually accomplish it for it was meet that the type should have somewhat lesse then the truth And so the same Father elsewhere Many things are found alike in Ioseph and in our Lord. Iosephs own brethren layd in wait for him so our Lord. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. multa similia in Joseph in Domino reperiuntur Joseph à propriis consanguineis suis insidiis appetebatur sic Dominus Joseph varia tunica exutus est sic Dominus Joseph Ismaelitis est venditus sic Dominus à Juda Pharisaeis Joseph in vacuam cisternam injectus ascendit illaesus sic Dominus in monumento novo sepultus tertio die resurrexit Joseph à fratribus agnitus est Dominus post resurrectionem discipulis est manifestatus Joseph in carcere cum duobus Eunuchis inclusus illis somnia declaravit unus quidem à vulneribus devoratus est alter in patriam suam restituitur Dominus cum duobus latronibus crucifixus incredulum quidem in escam Gehennae transmisit fidelem autem paradisi civem constituit Joseph a best is devoratus nunciatus est tanquam Rex praeconis voce renunciatus Dominus tanquam homo crucifixus est tanquam Deus glorificatus To. 6. ser de negat Petri. Joseph was stript of his party-coloured coat so our Lord. Ioseph was sold to the Ishmaelites so our Lord by Iudas to the Pharisees Ioseph cast into an empty pit came out unhurt so our Lord buried in a new sepulchre rose again the third day Ioseph was made known to his brethren and our Lord after his resurrection was made manifest to his disciples Ioseph being in prison with Pharaohs two Officers declared to them their dreames hanging the one and restoring the other to his Office So our Lord being crucified with two malefactors sent the incredulous one to hell and made the believing thief a Citizen of Paradise Ioseph was sayd to be devoured by some cruel beast and was proclaimed as a King And our Lord was crucified as man but glorified as God Finally hear Prosper Iacob loved Ioseph and God said of his Son This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Matth. 3.17 Jacob diligebat Joseph dicit Deus de Filio hic est filius meus dilectus c. somniavit Joseph somnium narravitque fratribus suis Putabam nos ait ligare gremia in campo surrexit gremium meum erectum est Conversa autem gremia vestra adoraverunt gremium meum Hoc in Christo futuruÌ„ praedixit idem Jacob in benedictione quam acceperata Patre Judah dicente Adorabant te omnes filii Patris tui Rursus alia sacramenta vidit in somnio haec suis fratribus indicavit quasi Sol inquit Luna undecim stellae adorabant me de Joseph nostro Domino Jesu Christo dicitur per prophetam Laudate eum Sol Luna landate eum omnes stellae lumen De praedict Dei part 1. c. 25. Ioseph dreamed a dreame and told it his brethren I thought we were binding sheaves in the field and my sheafe arose and stood up and your sheaves did obeysance to mine Gen. 37.7 This did Iacob foretell to come to passe in Christ while blessing Iudah he sayd all thy fathers children shall bow down unto thee
of the childrens age Onely Solomon gathered that she was the mother who had the bowels of compassion towards the infant Solomon by his understanding drew out here who was the mother of the living child but he must have some means whereby to know this But Christ Heb. 4.13 to whom the darknesse is as the light sees the secrets of the heart and all things are naked before him Here is a greater then Solomon 12. Solomons justice was shewed in punishing Joab with death and putting Abiathar from the Priesthood But Christ shall put down all his enemies and purge his Church of hirelings Matth. 21.12 Here is a greater then Solomon 13. Lastly All the earth shall be blessed in Solomon When the Jewes blessed any man they pray for him after this manner God be beneficial to thee and liberal Beneficus sit tibi Deus liberalis sicut se praestitit erga servum suum Solomonem as he shewed himself towards his servant Solomon this is fulfilled but in Type in Solomon but the truth is fulfilled in Christ Esa 65.16 he that blesses himself on the earth sayes the Prophet shall blesse himself in the God of truth CHAP. XIV Christ and Elisha HEar of this St. Basil of Seleucia who moving the question why Elisha did not restore to life the son of the woman of Shunem by prayer as St. Peter did Dorcas but applied himself to the dead body of the child Cur Elisaeus Sunamitidis filium non ad vitam erexit oratione ut Dorcedem Petrus sed puero cadaveri scipsum instratam applicavit lying upon him putting his mouth upon the childes mouth his eyes upon the childes eyes c. 2 King 4.34 returns answer first in general in the words of the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All these things happened to them for Types or as we have it Translated for examples And then explaines himself more particularly ' Elisha sayes he was a Type of Christ and the people of the Gentiles by reason of their sins was as that dead child the spiritual Elisha comes Elisaeus figura erat Christi populus autem Gentiū erat ille mortuus vi peccatorum venit spiritalis Elisaeus deprehendit o◠oculos manus pedes universe mortuus erat os quod ad laudandum Deum non potuit aperiri oculi mortui qui in Deum universi non figebantur c. Putridum erat corpus universum egebat medico praepotenti qui vel mortuos posset excitare Venit exquisitus medicus Elisaeus Christus Dominus qui invenit corpus mortuum totum se imposuit corpori toti hoc est tota Dei tatis plenitudo totum nostrum gestavit hominem oculos habuit more hominum manus pedes c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Imaginarium visum non erat sed vera res quae videbatur vita mortuum gestavit indumentum ut immortalitate sua mortem commutaret Cum autem deitas in corpus devenisset omnes artus os oculi manus pedes sanctificati sunt ad usum meliorem traducti Orat. 10. and findes them so It was dead in the mouth eyes hands feet yea it was universally dead the mouth because it could not be opened to praise God the eyes were dead because they were not fastened upon the God of the whole world the whole body was putrid and corrupt it stood in need of a powerful Physitian who might be able even to raise the dead The Lord Christ comes our spiritual Elisha an exquisite Physitian and findes the body dead and he layes his whole self upon the whole body that is the whole fulnesse of the God took upon him self the whole man having eyes hands feet c. as other men have and that which seen was not a Phantasme but was really that which it seemed to be And God being thus incarnate all the members of the body the mouth the eyes the hands and feet are sanctified and better employed then before Hear Prosper also Elisha by his servant sent his staffe which being laid on the dead body of the childe of the Shunamite might restore it to life Misit per servum suum baculum quod supra exanime corpus positum mortuum vitae restituat Misit Dominus per Mosem servum suum legem quae mortuum mundum sicut illud baculum vivificare non potuit quia si data esset lex quae posset vivificare ut dicit Apostolus omnino ex lege esset justitia Postea ipse Helisaeus descendit magnus ad parvum vivus ad mortuum descendit noster Dominus ut mortuum parvulum suscitaret Juvenilia membra contexit propheta Et Dominus Jesus seipsum exinanivit formam servi accipiens parvum se illi parvo coapravit ut efficeret illud corpus humilitatis nostrae conforme corpori gloriae suae Jacens subter se frigidum suo calore succendit similiter noster Salvator Dominus mundum sic suscitatus est mortuus dum à morte perpetua justi ficatus est impius De promiss c. Dei part 2. c. 31. So the Lord by Moses his servant sent the Law which could not give life to the dead world as not Elisha's staffe to the dead childe for if a Law were given that could give life then righteousnesse should be by the Law as the Apostle sayes Gal. 3.21 Afterwards therefore Elisha goes down a great man to a little childe a living man to a dead childe And our Lord also descended The prophet that he might recover the dead childe covered the childes body with his own And the Lord Jesus humbled himself taking to himself the form of a servant and so suited himself to our condition that he might make our vile bodies conformable to his glorious body The prophet with the heat of his body put heat into the cold body of the childe lying under him And so did our Lord and Saviour to the world And so the dead is restored to life while the ungodly are justified from everlasting death He goes on When the King of Syria besieged Elisha in Dothan with his Army he leads the Army being striken with blindnesse Coecitate percussos hostes captivos in Samariam induxit quibus reddito visu simul indulgentiam impetravit hoc in Paulo Dominus ostendit Coecatus quippe prostratusque in via Captivus Domini dum fuerat persecutor factus est praedicator Ibid. captives into Samaria for whom sight being restored to them he did withal obtain mercy 2 King 6. And this did the Lord shew in Paul for being striken with blindnesse and cast down in the way to Damascus becoming the Lords prisoner and having his sight restored to him of a persecutor becomes a Preacher Christ and Jonas Hear St. Hierome Jonas the son of Amittai for the condemnation of Israel is sent to the Gentiles because Nineveh repenting they remained in their wickednesse Jonas filius
his Blood but yet there is an absolute necessity of this Bread and Liquor of Life to Salvation so that without them perishing is unavoydable Iohn 6.53 Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man says our Saviour and drink his blood ye have no Life in you 2. There is as an absolute so a continual necessity of these creatures of Bread and Wine Bread to be eaten and something to be drunk And in this respect our Saviour teaches us to make it our dayly suit Give us this day our dayly Bread Matth. 6 so there is a dayly and continual necessity of Christ that we should feed upon his Body and drink his Blood and apply unto our selves the Merits of his Death For both it 's true There is no man that lives and sins not 2 Chro. 6.36 Iam. 3 2 and so the Apostle says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In many things we offend all and also there is no day in which the best man that is sins not in which respect we have dayly need of Christ and the Merits of his Death to be applyed unto us 3. Bread is so convenient and excellent food that under it our blessed Saviour comprehends all things necessary for the body As indeed Matth. 6 if a man have good Bread and good Drink he may make a good shift to live though he hath nothing else So if by a true and living Faith we lay hold upon Christ eating his flesh and drinking his blood we shall want nothing that is needful unto Salvation Whosoever says our Saviour shall drink of the Water that I shall give him Joh. 4.14 shall never thirst And I am the Bread of Life John 6.35 He that comes unto me shall never hunger and he that believes in me shall never thirst And no marvel for Col. 3.11 as the Apostle says Christ is all and in all 4. There is nothing which in the composition of it doth more resemble the Body and Blood of Christ then do these creatures of Bread and Wine Consider it a little The Corn which is the matter of Bread is cut down with the Sickle hurried in the Cart threshed with the Flail fanned and winnowed in the Wind ground to powder in the Mill kneaded with the Hand and strength of the Arms and finally must endure the heat of the Oven and all this before it be Bread The Clusters also of Grapes must be bruised and troden and prest that the Liquor may run out for us to drink So our Lord Jesus Christ before his Body could be Bread of Life to feed us to Eternal Life and his Blood Wine for us to drink was fain to pass through a World of Miseries Hear that Evangelical Prophet Isai 53.5 He was wounded c. He was bruised c. The chastisement of our Peace was upon him and by his stripes we are healed Verse 7 He was oppressed He was afflicted Verse 3 He was despised and rejected of men a man of Sorrows and acquainted with Griefs Hear the Apostle He made himself of no reputation Phil. 2.7 8 he took upon him the form of a Servant and was made in the likeness of a man and being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient to Death even the Death of the Cross He was incarnate God becomes Man Infinite becomes Finite 2 Cor. 8.9 Matth. 4.2 John 19 Luke 22 Rich becomes Poor He hungered he thirsted he was tempted He suffered an extream Agony in the Garden which made him to sweat drops of blood He was buffeted scorned scourged spit upon Mat. 26 27 crowned with Thorns nailed to the Cross Hand and Foot where he trod the Wine-press of his Fathers Displeasure Matth. 27 1 Cor. 2.8 Acts 3 Rom. 9.5 Galat. 3.13 which made him to cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me The God of Glory was crucified the Prince of Life was murdered God blessed for ever was made a uâ—se Nay after that he had given up the ghost his side must be pierced by the rude Soldiers Spear John 19 and his precious Heart-blood must be let out before he could be spiritual nourishment unto us See in all these the excellent analogy between bread and wine and the body and blood of Christ II. But see it further in the particulars 1. The Analogy between bread and the body of Christ 1. The life of the body is sustained by the bread which we eat and so the life of the soul by the body of Christ fed upon by faith so saies our Saviour The bread of God is he that comes down from Heaven Joh. 6.33 and gives life unto the world And afterwards in the same Chapter I am the living bread c. Vers 51 if any man eates of this bread he shall live for ever and the bread which I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world 2. Bread allaies hunger so the body of Christ eaten by faith alaies the hunger of the soul Joh. 6.35 He that comes to me saies Christ shall never hunger which is so to be understood as Rollock well explaines it Not that we shall never hunger at all after this heavenly food is once given to us Non quod non esuriemus omnino postquam semel nobis datus fuerit cibus ille caelestis sed quod non prius de siderabimus quam accipiemus Beati qui esuriunt sitiunt justitiam quoniam ipsi saturabuntur Matth. 5.6 In loc but that we shall not sooner desire it then we shall receive it according to that of our Saviour Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse for they shall be satisfied 2. The analogy between wine and the blood of Christ 1. Wine as other liquor hath a power to asswage natural thirst so the blood of Christ drank by faith the thirst of the soul Psal 104. 2. Wine cheeres and comforts a man that is ready to droop through faintnesse and weaknesse so the blood of Christ hath a cheering and a refreshing power how shall it not cheer and refresh the soul weary and heavy laden with the sense of sin to know that Christ hath shed his precious blood whereby he hath made infinite satisfaction to the justice of God for the sins of the world So it s a comfort and cheering to a man that is deeply indebted for which he is in danger of prison to know that his friend and surety hath paid the debt and satisfied the Creditor It s true that St. Paul saies Heb. 9.22 without blood there is no remission but it s no lesse true 1 Joh. 1.7 that St. John saies the blood of Christ shed upon the crosse for us doth cleanse us from all sin though of a crimson or scarlet dye Isa 1.18 from the guilt and punishment of them A Creditor cannot without manifest injustice impute a debt to a
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
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
periclitantem tanto affectu moveri dolore ut corporis sui detrimentum in currat Si hoc praestat homo homini quantum Deum hominem Jesum putas homini praestitisse Si tu pro uno homine per compassionem corporale periculum incurris quid putas Dominum Jesum pro omnibus hominibus tolerasse c. Sed ad passionis defectum veniamus Passionem autem non unum illum diem appellamus sed totam vitam suam Tota enim vita crux fuit Martyrium Vide quantae fuit parcitatis in abstinentia quam assiduus in vigiliis quam frequens in orationibus In labore sudore vultus sui quam assiduus cum circuiret vicos et castella Evangelizans curans undique Et quam crebro famem pertulit sitim ille panis vivus ille fons aquae sitientis in vitam eternam Videamus jejuniuÌ„ illud 40. dieruÌ„ et 40. noctium et jam a deserto ad homines redâ—unti occurramus vultum illius amabilem tantis iejuniis considerâ—mus afflictum Veniamus jam ad illum ultimae diei agonem causas deformitatis corporis nequibimus ignorare Vide quomodo pavere taedere coepit tristis fuit anima ejus usque ad mortem sudoâ— sanguineus orantis corpus per fudit copiose ita ut non solum distillaret sed guttae guttatim decurrerent in terram Noctis etiam illius incommoda percurramus quomodo tentus vinctus tractus trusus coesus consputus alapis percussus c. quis hic locus delitiarum qualis hic decor speciei quis in corpore si tractato pulchritudinem quaerat Veniamus ad finem Nudatur bonus Jesus Heu mihi qui vestivit coelos variis sideribus ante crucem expoliatur c. Ibid. c. 5. and as it were altogether unprofitable and base neither lovely to look upon nor fit for any use So the Prophet speaks of the Vine Ezek. 15.3 Shall wood be taken thereof for any work or will men take a pin of it to hang any vessel thereon It s a question that implies a vehement Negation So was it also in the body of Christ according to that of the Prophet Isa 53.2 He hath no form nor comlinesse and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him What is more manifest And he was truly such in the eyes of carnal men that could look no further then the flesh And this we may prove by plain reasons first by his compassion then by his Passion Who doth not know that a man about his friend in danger is moved with such affection and grief that he prejudices his own body If a man doth this for a man what think we that Jesus God and man doth for man If thou for one man endangerest thy self by compassion what thinkest thou that the Jesus Lord endured for all men But come we now to his Passion And we speak not now of the Passion of one day in which he suffered death but of his whole life for Christs whole life was a continued Cross and Martyrdome See how he exceeded in Abstinence in Watching in Prayer How assiduous in Labour and Sweating when he went about their Townes and Villages preaching the Gospel and healing Diseases every where And how oft did he suffer Hunger and Thirst who is that Bread of Life and that Fountain of Water springing up unto Eternal Life Consider we that Fast of fourty daies and fourty nights and let us now meet him returning to men from the Desert and consider his lovely countenance afflicted with such Fasting Come we now to that conflict of the last day of his Life and we shall see causes enough of the deformity of his body see how he began to be amazed and astonished My soul saies he is exceeding sorrowful unto the death A bloody sweat did in such plenty bedeaw his body while he was praying that it did not alone distill but also fell by drops to the earth Let us breefely run over the evils of that night how he was apprehended bound drawn thrust beaten spit on and buffeted c. and now what place was here for delicacy what comlinesse could be there who could expect beauty in a body thus handled Come we to the close Good Jesus is stript stark naked Wo is me He that cloathed the Heavens with several Stars being to be crucified is spoiled of his garments And now let us not be offended so farre at the deformity of Christ in his body It s that to which he submitted himself for our good and Eternal advantage as Saint Bernard speaks well From the deformity of our Redeemer issued the price De deformitate Redemptoris nostri manavit pretium eterni decoris nostri Ibid. with which our Eternal comlinesse was purchased Why then shall we stumble at that outward deformity to which for our advantage he did voluntarily submit himself especially considering that he is in himself as the Psalmist confesses fairer then the children of men Psal 45. And let us be willing to be made deformed by suffering for Christ and for his honour though it be never so much stick not at any kinde or degree of deformity for Christ who was made so deformed outwardly for our good It is the exhortation which Saint Bernard gives upon this ground Let us be content saies he outwardly in our body to be made deformed Deformemur nos in corpore extrinsecus cum Christo deformato ut reformemur interius in anima cum formoso Jesu conformemur corpori vitis nostrae in corpore nostro ut reformet corpus humilitatis nostrae configuratum corpori claritatis suae Ibid. with Christ deformed that we may inwardly in our souls be reformed with faire Jesus Let us in our body be willingly conformed to the body of Christ our Vine that he may change our vile bodies and make them like unto his glorious body The plain English is let us partake of the sufferings of Christ that we may partake of his glory at last The Apostle can tell us that all the afflictions of this present life Rom. 8.18 are not worthy of the glory that shall be reveiled But there is no hope that we should attain to this glory except we be willing to suffer with him for this is the order which the onely wise God hath set as for Christ that he must first suffer and then enter into glory so for us Luk. 14.26 that suffering with him Rom. 8.17 we shall be glorified together VI. To all these I shall add one resemblance more which our Saviour himself doth clearly intimate yea fully expresse in both parts of the comparison As the branch cannot bear fruit of it self Joh. 15 5 except it abide in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in me And then he adds I am the Vine and ye are the branches Ver. 5 He that abides in me and I
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