no more Think we Is it not much more perswasive to have God himself speaking then onely to read what is written from him And who desires not more to see his Friend and to hear him speak then to receive a Letter from him And as for those godly Persons to whom the Son of God did not appear they had yet their Ancestors that could tell them I have seen the Lord And the Lord hath spoken to me Yea it was far more commodious for the Church which was to enjoy the benefit of the written Word that the foregoing Church should thus be delt withall by Visions Apparitions c. without a written Word then to have had a written Word from the begining without these for this was a mean to gain more credit to the Scripture which was to follow as it appears by that speech of God to Moses Lo I come unto thee in a thick Cloud Exod. 19.9 that the People may hear when I speak unto thee and believe thee for ever In which words God gives this as a Reason why the Israelites should hear God speaking to Moses before Moses should write any thing namely that they should be moved to believe him for ever And so is the case here So that all that space of time which went before the Scripture was to succeeding ages as a preparative to stir up the mindes of men to receive read and hear the Scriptures to be afterwards delivered to the Church with more reverence and undoubted Faith But God would have the Word afterwards commited to writing because then it was needful for that the Church was then much enlarged into many Families and therefore there would have been great uncertainty in matters of Religion and much danger of corruption unless God should still have appeared and spoken to the Fathers of the several Families or unless there were one Prophet in common to teach them all neither of which were or had been so convenient So that had not this heavenly Doctrine been committed to writing there would have been as hath been said much danger of corruption yea we see that before even when the Church was in a narrower compass there was corruption Adam had God revealing his Will to him immediately Gen. 4. 6. and yet Cain his Son brought in corruption yea and afterwards the Sons of God corrupted Religion by their unlawful Marriages God restored the purity of Doctrine to Noah and he teaches it to his Posterity and they being dispersed over the face of the Earth it was committed specially to the Posterity of Shem and yet within the space of two hundred years Terah Josh 24.2 Gen. 20 the Father of Abraham serves other gods God again restores the purity of Doctrine to Abraham and makes him a Prophet Isaac succeeds him and Jacob him who dying commends the keeping of it to his Posterity and it 's probable it was kept pure as long as the Sons of Jacob lived but from the death of Jacob's Sons until their departure out of Egypt there were not many above an hundred years and yet the Rule of Godliness was so worn out in that short space of time Ezek. 20.7 8 that even those Israelites bred and born in Egypt forsooke the Religion of their Fathers and took up the Customs of Egypt and became Egyptian Idolaters Much greater danger there would have been of corruption afterwards if the Rule of Godliness had not then been committed to Writing And therefore it pleased God in his Wisdom and Mercy that now at length the Rule of Godliness should be written both to prevent the Errors which might otherwise have prevailed against the Church and also that the Church might have a Rule certain and certainly known by which to try all Doctrines and Practices whatsoever According to that of the Prophet To the Law and to the Testimony Isai 8.20 If they speak not according to that Word it is because there is no Light in them Stand we still and wonder at the Goodness and Wisdom of our gracious God so providing for his Church and answering her necessities so managing his Dispensations as may be most suitable to the condition of the Church particularly in this That he contents himself to deliver this Rule of Godliness by word of mouth when there was less danger of corruption but then committing it to Writing when there was more danger in this kinde Fail we not Psalm 96.8 to give unto God the Glory due to his Name even the Glory of his incomprehensible Wisdom and unspeakable Mercy But be we also careful to answer Gods expectation herein And having this written Word as a sure Rule by which to try all Doctrines Eph. 4.14 Let us not be as Children tossed up and down with every wind of Doctrine let us not believe every spirit but try the spirits 1 John 4.1 whether they be of God or not If we be deceived and led into Error having in our hands such a Rule of Tryal who shall pity us But Saint Chrysostom gives another Reason of this various Administration of the Rule of Godliness In the begining God spake to men by himself so he spake to Adam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Ab initio per seipsum loquebatur hominibus Deus secundum quod audire eis erat possibile Sic cum Adam locutus refertur sic cum Noe sic cum Abraham c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Vbi autem genus nostrum proclivius in malitiam declinavit à Parente Conditore suo quasi longa quadam peregrinatione discessit confabulatione cessante literis epistolis ad eos tanquam longe à se positos utitur quibus eos veteris cujusdam amicitiae familiaritatis admoneat Tom. 2. in Genes Ser. 1. to Noah to Abraham c. But when Mankinde declined downwards to Wickedness and as taking a long journy departed from their Father and Maker the Confabulation ending he uses Letters and Epistles to them as being far absent from him by which he brings to their minde that Friendship and Familiarity which sometimes they had with him 2. Another difference in this Administration of the Rule of Godliness is in regard of the Persons to whom it was discovered then to one Nation now to all Nations Exo. 10.22 23 As it was in the Plague of Darkness that was upon Egypt all Egypt was in the dark onely the Hebrews in Goshen had Light so was it in the Times of the Old Testament That Light of saving Truth did then shine onely among the Jews all the World besides was then in Darkness It is the Confession that David made He hath shewed his Word unto Jacob Psa 147.19 20 his Statutes and Judgments unto Israel He hath not so delt with any other Nation and as for his Judgments they have not known them To this also Saint Paul gives his Attestation first of the Jews to that question What advantage hath the Jew
sexta aetate in plenitudine temporum missus est Filius Dei qui factus est homo sub lege ut nos a peccato morte liberaret Adam was created on the sixth day so in the sixth Age in the fulnesse of Time the Son of God was sent who was made man and under the Law that he might free us from sin and from death 2. Post creatum Adamum die sexto secutum est Sabbatum quo Deus quievit ab operibus suis sic post missum Christum hac sexta aetate nullus praeterea Servator expectatur novissime enim per Filium locutus est Heb. 1.2 sed Sabbatum aeternum expectandum est De Creat part 3. l. 1. c. 1. p. 605. 2. After Adam created on the sixth day followed the Sabboth in which God rested from his works so after Christ sent in the sixth Age no other Saviour is to be looked for for now in the last dayes he hath spoken by his Son Heb. 1.2 but an Eternal Sabboth is to be expected by us CHAP. III. Christ and Abel compared OF this hear S. Austin Abel the younger brother was slain by his elder brother Occiditur Abel minor natu à fratre majore natu Christus occiditur caput populi minoris natu à populo Judaeorum majori natu ille in Campo iste in monte Calvariae contr Faust Manich. l. 12. c. 9. namely Cain and Christ the head of the younger people namely the Gentiles was slain by the elder people the Jewes Abel in the field Christ in the mount Calvary And a little after he addes The voice of the blood of Abel cried to God from the earth Vox sanguinis Abelis ad Deum de terra Clamavit habet magnam vocem sanguis Christi Maledictus est Cain à terra maledictus est populus Judaeorum infidelis ab Ecclesia Ibid. c. 11. and the blood of Christ hath a loud voice Cain was cursed from the earth and the incredulous people of the Jewes is cursed from the Church Christ and Seth. The storie of the Fathers c. p. 43. Broughton makes the comparison thus The name Seth signifies foundation and Christ is the rock and sure foundation of his Church Seth was begot in the image of his father Adam and Christ is the very character of his fathers person Heb. 1.3 The story of the Fathers c. p. 49. Christ and Lamech not that Lamech that was of Cains family but another of that name who was of Seths house of a far different nature Broughton makes the comparison thus His name signifies striken or heart-wounded And he was so called in respect of some inward sorrow that he should bear for the afflictions of the sword And Christ was both outwardly stricken and inwardly wounded Outwardly when in the open Hall he was buffeted scourged and spit at and upon the Cross peirced both hands feet and sides Inwardly when he was reviled with blasphemous speeches at his death and when instead of drink to comfort him they gave him gall and myrrhe mingled together but most especially when his guiltlesse soul did suffer torments to redeem our guilty souls from the tryal of Satan Christ and Henoch Broughton makes the parallel thus The history of the Fathers c. p. 54. Henoch was a Prophet for he prophesied of the destruction of the world by the floud and Christ was a Prophet and prophesied of the destruction of the world Henoch walked with God and Christ did the will of his Father The dayes of Henoch were as the dayes of the Sun 365 yeares according to the dayes of the year a day for a year And Christ is the bright Sun of justice whose dayes are as the dayes of the Sun Christ and Methuselah Broughton makes Methuselah a type of Christ in regard of his name The name The history of the Fathers c. p. 65. Methuselah signifies spoile-death or spear-death And Christ both died Rom. 14.9 and rose again and revived that he might be Lord of quick and dead And he suffered death Heb. 2.14 that by his death he might overcome him that had the power of death Christ and Noah Sicut Noe sic Christus bibit de vinea sua illum calicem qui transire non potuit dormiit in passione sua ita nudabatur carnis mortalis infirmitas Contr. Faust Manich. l. 12. c. 24. Of this hear St. Austin also As Noah so Christ drunk of his Vineyard that Cup which could not pass by him and so the infirmity of his mortal body was discovered The History of the Fathers c. p. 56 Broughton thus compares Christ and Noah Noah was a Preacher of Righteousness and Christ was the true Preacher of Righteousness Dan. 9. Noah found grace before God and Christ grew in favor with God and man Luke 2. Noah was a King Prophet and Sacrificer and so was Christ CHAP. IV. HItherto I have set before you the Types of Christ that lived before the Flood now follow those that lived after the Flood before the giving of the Law upon Mount Sinai Christ and Melchisedech It is plain that the Scripture makes Melchisedech a Type of Christ for both it was in the Old Testament foretold that Christ should be a Priest after the order of Melchisedech Psa 110.4 and our blessed Apostle noting the accomplishment of that Prophesy Heb. 6.20 Heb. 7.1 3 4. affirms That he was made a Priest after the order of Melchisedech and then he proceeds in many words to set out and describe this Melchisedech from whence many of the Divines of the Reformed Church have taken knowledg of many resemblances between Christ and Melchisedech Among the rest Goulartius takes knowledg of these Melchisedech was both King and Priest Melchisedech fuit Rex sacerdos talis revera est Christus unus fuit Rex pacis justitiae Talis est Christus unus revera Proponitur Melchisedech spectandus ut principio fine carens cum nec pater nec mater nec majores nec mors ejus describantur talis revera est silius Dei sacerdos nimirum aeternus quatenus Deus sine matre ineffabiliter genitus quatenus homo sine Patre ineffabiliter conceptus Melchisedech ratione sacerdotii fuit ipso Abrahaemo superior utpote quem decimavit cui ut sacerdos benedixit talis revera est Christus a quo pendet ipsius Abrahami omnium credentium sanctificatio atque adeo quem ut omnium autorem colere venerari omnes debent An. in Cypr. p. 182. col 2. Sicut ille Abrahae milites refecit ita Dominus relinquendo Sacramentum coenae Dei Patris exercitum Ecclesiam inquam suam perpetuo restaurat Annot. in Cypr. p. 505. col 2. init and such indeed is Christ alone He was King of Peace and Righteousnesse such indeed is Christ alone Melchisedeck is set out to be considered as
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
things that are Caesars and to God the things that are Gods with these sayings he did speedily break those cordes who as man sings to his God Thou hast broken all my bonds asunder Psal 116.16 He goes on Dalilah a third time solicites him and sayes How oft doest thou deceive me Tertio solicitat mulier virum Quousque inquit illudis me Indica mihi in quo infirmetur virtus tua Pene eadem verba Judaei dixerunt Judici nostro Christo Quousque animos nostros tollis Si tu es Christus dic nobis palam Sed Sampson tertio ligari hoc modo permisit Si alligati fuerint ait capilli capitis mei in palo orsorio infirmabor c. quod cum faceret mulier â—idem insidiantes ad te ait Sampson At ille exurgens disruptis omnibus fugatos inimicos prostravit Fit nostro forti Jesu Domino hujusmodi colligatio velut in palo orsorio contextio capillorum Dicunt enim ad Jesum Scripsit nobis Moyses Quod si quis mortuus fuerit non habeus filios accipiat uxorem ejus frater ipsius suscitet semen fratri suo Septem autem fratres erant accipit uxorem fratris secundus tertius Postea vero omnes eam acceperunt sine liberis mortua est mulier in resurrectione aiunt cujus erit uxor Quanto vehementius se ligasse nostrum fortem crediderunt tanto velocius solvit quam intulerant quaestionem filii inquit seculi generant generantur qui autem digni fuerint seculum illud contingere nec nubunt nec nubuntur non enim mori poterunt quia sunt similes Angelis tell me how thou mayest be bound The Jewes spake almost the same words to our Judge Christ How long make you us to doubt If thou be the Christ tell us plainly Joh. 10.24 Sampson suffered himself a third time to be bound on this manner If sayes he thou weavest the seven locks of my head I shall be weak which the woman did and then sayd The Philistims be upon thee Sampson But he rising put his enemies to flight so was Christ used for the Pharisees come and say to him Master Moses said if a man dye having no children his brother shall marry his wife and raise up seed to his brother now there were among us seven brethren and all the younger brethren in order married the wife of the Elder brother and all of them and the woman at last died without issue in the resurrection therefore whose wife shall she be of the seven Matth. 22.24.28 but by how much more strongly they thought they had bound our strong one by so much more speedily he answered the Objection Luk. 20.34 the children of this world saies he marry and are given in marriage but they that shall be Judged worthy of that world neither marry nor are given in marriage for they cannot dye but are like unto the Angels He goes on The hour of Sampsons death was coming Venit hora mortis Sampson Dicit noster Venit hora ut glorificetur filius hominis Nisi enim granum tritici cadens in terram mortuum fuerit solum manet si autem mortuum fuerit multum fructum affert Ibid. and our Sampson said The hour is come for the Son of man to be glorified For except a grain of Wheat fall into the Earth and dye it abideth alone but if it dyes it brings forth much fruit Joh. 12. He proceeds Dalilah being urgent upon him Instante flente mendaciter coram se muliere pusillanimis factus est Sampson usque ad mortem ut nostri figurata actio impleretur dicentis Tristis est anima mea usque ad mortem and weeping before him he was vexed to the death as a Type of that which Christ our Sampson said My Soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death Mat. 26.38 He adds further Before Dalilah did these things namely Antequam haec fierent misit mulier ad viros dicens Afferte argentum jam enim mihi omnia veraciter indicavit fit certa traditio quam supplevit Judas accepto argento Ibid. before she shaved off the seven locks of his head she sent for the Lords of the Philistins saying Bring the silver for now he hath told me all his minde And receiving the silver she made a certain delivery of him into their hands as Iudas did of Christ He adds Impletur in Sampson per figuram quod in nostro Christo Domino actum est etiam manifeste Nam quod eum accipiens mulier fecit dormire in sinu suo hoc est quod noster fortis Dominus dixit Non expedit Prophetam mori extra Hierusalem Quod novacula adhibita rasit caput ejus hoc est quod eum in loco Calvariae crucifixit Raso capite Sampson discessit virtus noster in ligno pendens clamavit Deus meus quare me dereliquisti Accipientes inimici Sampson ligaverunt eum ferro hoc clavi indicant crucifixi Ib. That was done in Sampson as a Type which was afterward manifestly acted in our Lord Christ for this That Dalilah made Sampson to sleep in her Bosom is that which our Lord said It cannot be that a Prophet should perish out of Jerusalem Luk. 13. That with a Razor she did shave his head was a Type of Christs being crucified in the place called Calvary in the place of a dead mans skull Sampson being shaved his strength departed from him and Christ hanging on the Tree Matth. 27. cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Sampson was bound in Fetters and Christ was nailed to the Cross He concludes with this One great Miracle Sampson wrought in his death which also our Lord fulfilled Vnum extremum in morte sua Sampson fecit miraculum quod etiam noster Dominus implevit Apprehendens duas columnas super quas totum aedificium ferebatur invocato Deo semel se adhuc confirmari petit atque impetu Spiritus columnas evelleus omne illud aedificium cum populis cadens plures Sampson in morte sua occidit quam in vita sua occiderat Dominus etiam noster manifestius quod ille mystice fecit exhibuit duos angulos mundi circumcisionem scilicet praeputium velut duas columnas in sua morte movens omnem culturam idololatriae subvertit Ibid. Laying hold on the two Pillars which upheld the House on which the Philistins were set calling upon God he desires the renewing of his strength and by the power of the Spirit he threw down the Pillars and so the House and the People falling Sampson slew more at his death then he had slain in his life-time And our Lord did that more manifestly which he did in a mystery for in his death moving the two Corners of the World namely the Jews and Gentiles as two Pillars he destroyed all Idolatry Def. of Perkins p. 472. Hear Wotton As Sampson saved
Israel by his death so did Christ save his Church And as Sampson killed his Enemies more by death then by life so did Christ Hear Scharpius who speaking of the fact of Sampson bringing down the House on his own head and so occasioning his own death says In that fact he was a Type of Christ In eo facto typus fuit Christi ultro se offerentis ad mortem ut vindictae de hostibus Dei Ecclesiae sumerentur de his vel moriendo triumpharet Symphon Prophet Apostolor p. 174. of his own accord offering himself to death that he might take revenge upon the Enemies of God and the Church and might even in dying triumph over them Finally hear Weemse making the the Comparison On the Decal part 2. p. 102. Sampson says he was a Type of Christ as in his Conception so in many of his Actions and in his Death As the Angel Gabriel told the blessed Virgin Mary of her Conception so the Angel tells Sampsons Mother Judg. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sampson was a Type of Christ in his Name he was called Shampson Solilus or little Sun Mal. 4.2 so Christ was the Sun of Righteousness He was a Type of Christ in his Marriage as he married with the Philistins so did Christ with the Gentiles And as Sampson killed more at his death then in his life so did Christ CHAP. XIII Christ and David HEar Arnobius Absalom persecuted his Father David and was hanged in the Tree Persecutus est Patrem Absalom fronde à collo ligatur Judas tradidit Dominum laqueo coâ—â—ctatur Sicut passionem David praeteritam historia indicat it a mysterium passionem Domini futuram adnunciat Comment in Psal 3. Judas betrayed his Lord and he went and hanged himself As the History declares the by-past suffering of David so the Mystery foreshews the future sufferings of Christ the Lord. Hear Athanasius David was a Shepherd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. David Pastor Pastor Christus led ille pecudum iste animarum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Vnxit Davidem in Regem Samuel Sacerdos baptizavit Salvatorem Joannes ut Sacerdos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Vnctus in Regem David non statim arripuit Regnum sed sustinuit in longum tempus servire Sauli Noster item Salvator Rex genitus ante secula ipse quoque servire sustinuit Philip. 2.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Persecutus est Davidem Saul persecutus est Christum Herodes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. sed nec Saul persequens Davidi nocuit nec Herodes persequens Christum lâ—â—sit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Insurrexit adversus Davidem Absalom filius suus insurrexit adversus Christum Judas ipse quidem filius Discipulos enim suos Christus appellat filios Joan. 21.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Hic David à Samuele oleo sensibili unctus est aliter autem Salvator noster Psa 45.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Ille ab homine unctus est iste à Patre omnipotente eaque unctio est ineffabilis ut res ipsa incomprehensibilis To. 1. hom de semente and Christ a Shepherd but David of Sheep Christ of Souls Samuel a Priest anointed David to be a King and John as a Priest baptized our Saviour David being anointed to be a King came not presently to the Kingdom but was content for a long time to serve Saul And so our Saviour though he was begotten a King from all Eternity was yet content to serve for he took upon himself the form of a Servant Phil. 2.7 Saul persecuted David and Herod persecuted Christ but neither did Saul persecuting hurt David neither did Herod persecuting hurt Christ Absalom Davids Son rose up against his Father and Iudas rose up against Christ and he also a Son for so Christ calls his Disciples Children while he says Children Have ye any meat Ioh. 21.5 And so before while Iudas was yet alive among them Children How hardly shall they that trust in Riches enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Mark 10.24 This David was anointed with visible Oyl but our Saviour far otherwise even with the oyl of gladness above his fellows David was anointed by man but Christ by his Almighty Father and this anointing is a thing unspeakable and incomprehensible Hear Saint Austin David fled into the Cave David fugiebat in speluncam contegebatur terra ne à Saule inveniretur sic portabat Christus terram carnem quam acceperat à terra in ea se occultabat ne à Judaeis inveniretur Deus Ideo enim non invenerunt eum Judaei quia spelunca se texerat i. e. infirmitatem carnis oculis eorum objiciebat majestatem autem Divinitatis in corporis tegmine tanquam terrae abdito contegebat Tom. 8. in Psal 57. and was covered with Earth lest Saul should finde him and Christ did carry about with him Earth that is the flesh which he took from Earth and hid himself in it lest the Jews should finde him to be God for hence it was that the Jews found him not out because he had hid himself in the Cave that is he had set before their eyes the infirmities of his Humane Nature but had hid the majesty of his Divinity in the Cover of his Body as in some hidden place of the Earth Hear him again Jesse misit David filium ut requireret fratres suos Sic Deus Pater misit unigenitum suum ad requirendos fratres suos To. 10. de Temp. Ser. 197. Jesse sent his Son David to seek out his Brethren So God the Father sent his onely begotten Son to seek out his Brethren And a little after Davids elder Brother Filius senior qui David increpabat populum Judaicum significabat qui per invidiam Christo Domino qui pro salute generis humani venerat detraxit multis opprobriis affecit Ibid. who did chide with him 1 Sam. 17.28 signified the people of the Jews who through envy slandered the Lord Christ who came for the Salvation of Mankinde and laded him with many reproaches Hear Prosper Pastor ovium David ut nostrum signaret Pastorem unctum Dominum Christum qui dicit Ego sum Pastor bonus Joan. 10. Eripuisse se praedam de ore Leâ—nis David fatetur 1 Sam. 17.35 noster David de ore Leonis Diaboli Petrum negantem latronem eripuit confitentem De promiss praedict Dei part 2. cap. 25. David was a Feeder of Sheep that he might be a Type of our Shepherd Christ the anointed Lord who said of himself I am the good Shepherd Joh. 10. David confessed namely to Saul that he delivered the prey out of the mouth of the Lyon 1 Sam. 17.35 and our David did rescue out of the mouth of the Lyon the Devil both Peter denying and the Thief confessing And a little after David cut
own apprehensions which yet are not altogether to be slighted As that the Manna was white so Christ is a Lamb without spot and blemish The Manna was sweet as the taste of hony so Christs yoke is sweet The Manna was bruised in a morter so Christ was bruised on the Cross The Manna was equally distributed to all the Israelites so whole Christ is given equally to all the faithful The Manna was not given to any but to them that were freed out of Aegypt neither doth Christ give himself unto any but those whom he hath freed from the bondage under Satan and these resemblances are not to be contemned And a little after he adds this also The Manna saies he kept till the next day bred wormes so the Eucharist Manna servatum in sequentem diem vermibus sâ—atebat sic etiam à vermibus soepe á muribus etiam roditur Eucharistia nostra in multos dies servata Item servatum in diem sequentem corrumpebatur nec amplius erat panis usuarius sic panis Eucharisticus extra usum temporis illius quo distribuitur ad manducandum amittit vim Sacramenti Et sicut non asservari debuit Manna sic neque sacramentum Ibid. kept many daies is oft consumed with wormes and with mice also Furthermore the Manna kept to the next day was corrupted and was no longer bread fit for use so the bread of the Eucharist beyond the use of that time in which it is distributed to be eaten loses the vertue of a Sacrament And finally as the Manna might not be kept so neither may the Sacrament In Heb. 9. p. 316. Dr. Gouge doth in many particulars observe the comparison between Christ and the Manna 1. The word Manna comes of a word that signifies to prepare and to distribute or appoint and so it as much as a portion prepared This typified Christ as a portion prepared for us a worthy portion he is 1 Sam. 1.5 as Elkanah said of the portion which he gave to his wife Hannah No such portion was ever given to the sons of men Exod. 16.12 2. The Author of this Manna was God for Moses said to them This is the bread which the Lord gives you to eat Christ himself thus applies this point My Father saies he gives you the true bread Joh. 6.55 Exod. 16.4 Joh. 6.33.51 3. The Manna came from heaven And so saies Christ of himself The bread of God is he that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world Exod. 16. Isa 53.2 Phil. 2.7 2 Cor. 8.9 4. The Manna was a small grain So Christ that he might become food for us was made small that is mean and of no reputation As Christ became poor to make us rich so he became small to make us great 5. The Manna was round not as wheat but as coriander-seed Col. 1.19 and this figure notes out fulnesse and perfection and this typified the fulnesse of grace that is in Christ 6. The Manna was white Exod. 16. This colour in scripture is used to set out purity Psal 5â— 7 And this typifies the purity of Christ Heb. 7.26 Cant. 5.10 7. Exod. 16. The taste of Manna was like wafers made with hony that is sweet and pleasant This typified the delectableness that is in Christ especially to them that have their spiritual appetites well ordered Joh. 6.34 If once we have tasted rightly of Christ we shall say Lord give us evermore this bread 8. The Manna was given freely for by their murmuring they deserved to have perished Exod. 16.2 and plentifully for it was rained down Exod. 16.4 and they gathered every man according to his eating Exod. 16.18 So was Christ given freely and he that comes to Christ shall never hunger Joh. 6.35 9. The Manna was given onely to Israel which was then the onely Church of God So Christ is given to the spiritual Israel the Catholick Church 10. The Manna was sent with dew Exod. 16.14 So Christ is sent down from heaven with the dew of the Spirit and accompanied with all graces Joh. 1.14 Joh. 1.16 full of grace and truth so as of his fulnesse we have all received and grace for grace 11. The Manna was given from time to time so long as they were in the Wildernesse till they came to Canaan Exod. 16.35 Josh 5.12 So Christ hath been preached hitherto and shall continue to be preached in the Wildernesse of this world till we come to the heavenly Canaan In heaven there shall be no need of preaching him 12. Every man rich and poor gathered it Exod. 16.16 So must every one that will partake of Christ use the means Mar 16.15 wherein and whereby he is offered to the Church for Christ commanded to preach the Gospel to every creature that is Gal 3.28 to every reasonable creature And there is neither Jew nor Greek bond nor free male nor female for ye are all onely in Christ 13. They went out to gather it so saies God The people shall go out and gather Exod. 16.4 We may apply this to Christs going out of the Camp Heb. 13.13 and by resemblance to our going out of the world from the vanities of it and out of the old man from the iniquities thereof Christ is not to be found in the Tents of the one or of the other 14. There was a time limited for the gathering of it after which time it was not to be found they gathered it every morning and when the Sun was hot it melted Exod. 16.21 So there is a time for the seeking and finding of Christ Seek the Lord while he may be found Isa 55.6 saies the Prophet And This is the time accepted year 2 Cor. 6.2 the day of salvation saies the Apostle when such a time was overslipt the Spouse to her great grief Cant 5.6 Mattth 25.10 11. sought Christ but could not finde him and the foolish Virgins by this means utterly lost him 15. The people grownd the Manna in mills or beat it in mortars Num. 11.8 and baked it in pans and made cakes of it These set out the manifold sufferings of Christ of which read Isa 53. Christ himself speaks expressly with reference to himself Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and dye Joh. 12.24 it abideth alone but if it dye it brings forth much fruit 16. If the Manna were otherwise used then God appointed Exod. 16.20 2 Cor. 2.16 it bred worms and stank Thus is Christ to the incredulous and rebellious he is a savour of death he is a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence 1 Pet. 2.8 17. That the Israelites might reap benefit by the Manna they were to eat it Eat that to day saies Moses Exod. 16.25 So to partake of the true benefit by Christ we must beleeve on him this is spiritually to eat Christ CHAP. XVIII Christ and the holy Place DOcter
man nor cast him into prison for it his freind and surety having already discharged it And now how shall not this blood of Christ shed for us it being that by which we obtain remission comfort and cheer the soul for so we see that God giving the Prophet a commission to comfort his people Isa 40.1 Vers 2. instructs him also by what argument to comfort them Say unto Jerusalem her iniquity is pardoned And so our Saviour by the same argument Son Matth. 9.2 be of good cheer Thy sins are forgiven thee 3. Wine takes coldnesse from the body and heates and warmes it so the blood of Christ drunk by faith is a notable mean to take away the coldnesse of love to God and to our brethren and to make our love to both more fervent for when we consider the great and ardent love of God to us giving his Son to dye and shed his blood for us and of Christ actually and voluntarily dying and shedding his blood for our benefit how can it do other then increase the heat of our love to God and to our brethren for his sake for it s most true that our Saviour saies Joh. 15.13 Greater love hath no man then this that a man lay down his life for his friend And now if we have any sparke of ingenuity how can it be but that we shall thus argue If God if Christ hath shewed such fervent love to me as to think nothing no not his onely begotten Son too good to give to us and for us what can I do lesse then return fervent love to God and to Christ what shall I think too good for God and for Christ what shall I think too much or too hard to do or to suffer for them for as the Apostle argues We love him because he loved us first 1 Joh. 4.19 so the serious thought of the fervency of the love of Christ shedding his blood for us cannot but stirre us up to fervency of love unto God and to Christ And so for love to our brethren If God saies the Apostle hath so loved us 1 Joh. 4.11 we ought also to love one another And if God if Christ hath born to us such a fervent love we ought also to love one another fervently 1 Pet. 1.22 4. Wine quickens the body and makes it active so the blood of Christ being received by faith quickens us to all good works Christs shedding of his blood for us is as hath been said a singular fruit and evidence of Christs love unto us and now we hear what the Apostle saies The love of Christ constrains us 2 Cor. 5.14 Believing therefore that our dear Saviour hath out of his immense love to us shed his precious blood for us how shall it not make us active in all good works how shall not our hearts hereby be so enlarged as to make us run the way of Gods commandments readily performing all duties which God requires of us 5. Wine makes men bold and couragious In praelia trudit in ermes Horat. The Poet will tell us that it will thrust a man into the war even naked and without armes and there are some who being to perform some Scholastical exercise to embolden themselves have taken a cup or two of wine Of this use is the blood of Christ in spiritual respects namely being received by faith it hath a power to make us secure and confident in respect of God and bold in confession before men Nor is there cause to wonder that it is thus useful how shall it not be a just ground of holy security towards God to know that though by our sins we have incurred Gods just displeasure and for them might justly expect the dreadful effects of it yet Christ hath by his blood made an attonement for us having thereby fully satisfied his infinit Justice infinitely offended by our sins and how shall not the sense of Christs love to us in shedding his blood for us make us bold to confesse his name before men choosing rather to expose our selves to any hardship to the extreamest torments that the malice of men or divels can inflict upon us then through cowardice and faintheartednesse to betray the cause of Christ This this it was that led those triumphant Martyrs under the Heathen or Arrian Emperors and under That man of Sin through all their torments with so much courage and resolution that Stetere torti torquentibus fortiores Cypr. epist as it is in St. Cyprian In their torments they stood with more courage then their tormentors they thought they could never suffer too much for his honour that had shed his blood for their salvation Meditate we of the great love of God unto us giving us his Son his flesh and blood to be spiritual nourishment to our soules to nourish us unto everlasting life what nourishment is comparable to this how then shall this love be parallel'd we had perished for ever had not God provided such nourishment for us See the great and transcendent love of our dear Saviour in that for our good namely to be such fit spiritual nourishment for our soules he did voluntarily submit him to be so humbled to be incarnate to be despised yea to dye and that such a death so painful so shameful so accursed and that for us rebells and enemies to make us his friends 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oh depth well might St. Paul call it a love passing knowledge Eph. 3.18 19. and an height length depth and bredth such as Zophar the Naamathite speaks of speaking of the knowledge of God higher then heaven deeper then hell Job 11.8.9 longer then the earth broader then the sea Well may we be ravished with the thought of it Let us seek for Christ Cry we out as they Lord give us evermore of this bread Joh. 6.34 but we shal not need to seek far for him he is offered unto us in the Word and Sacraments let us wait upon God in the use of these ordinances and bring hungring and thirsting desires after him and so we shall be sure to have our desires satisfied Christ himself hath given us assurance in this respect Matth. 5.6 Blessed saies he are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse for they shall be satisfied We shall not need many words to perswade an hungry soul to accept of bread when it s offered or a thirsty soul of drink why should we need to use so many words to perswade men to accept of Christ for he is food of transcendent excellency not for the body but for the soul and hear what our Saviour saies Joh. 6.49 50 Your Fathers did eat Manna in the Wildernesse and are dead but this is the bread which came down from heaven that a man may eat thereof and not dye yea he adds he that eats of this bread Vers 51. shall live for ever Oh therefore receive this food and feed
first hand we through him 1 John 2.20 We have an Vnction says the Apostle from the holy one as the holy oyl was powred upon the head of Aaron Psal 133.2 and from the head it came down to his beard and to the skirts of his garments God Joh. 3.34 Eph. 4.7 saies the holy Baptist hath not given him the Spirit by measure but to us saies St. Paul grace is given according to the measure of the gift of Christ that is in such measure and proportion as it pleased Christ to bestow it upon us Hear St. Ambrose descanting on that Prophesy Joel 2 28. to this purpose He said not I will powr out my Spirit but of my Spirit for we cannot receive the fulnesse of the Holy Ghost Non spiritum dixit sed de spiritu nos enim accipere non possumus plenitudinem S. Spiritus sed tantum accipimus quantum de suo arbiter nostri pro sua voluntate diviserit Supra nos ergo effusum est de Spiritu at supra Christum cum in forma esset hominis manebat Spiritus To. 2. de S. Sancto ad Gratiam l. 1. c. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. habuit caro S. Sanctum non partem donorum sicut nos cum uni sapientia alteri scientia datur sed omnia habuit dona In nobis dividuntur dona in Christo autem carne omnia dona fuere Tom. 6. serm de S. Sancto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ille plenitudinem accepit nos de plenitudine Ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Non habet ipse donum participabile sed est ipse sons radix donorum omnium non in seipso continens bonorum divitias sed in universos diffundens quibus diffusis plenus permanet nec ex eo quod aliis suppeditat minuitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Quod autem ego fero participabile est ab alio enim id accepi exigua pars totius est quasi gutta parva ad immensam abyssum infinitum pelagus comparata In Joan. Evang. hom 13. but we receive so much as God divides to us There is therefore powred on us of the Spirit but upon Christ being in the form of man the Holy Ghost abode And so St. Chrisostom The Humane Nature of Christ had the Holy Ghost not a part of his gifts as we have when to one wisdome is given and to another knowledge In us therefore the gifts of the Holy Ghost are divided but all were in Christ all perfections meeting together in him as lines from the Circumference in the Center And afterwards in the same place alluding to Joh. 1.16 He saies the Father that is Christ received the fulnesse but we of his fulnesse Hear him again elsewhere noting this difference between Christ and Christians He that is Christ hath not the gift by participation but He is the Fountain and Root of all gifts not keeping in himself the riches of good things but powring them out upon all which being powred out he still remaines full and is not diminished by that which he gives to all others Thus it is with Christ But how is it with others This he shews speaking in his own person But what I have is by participation for I have Received it of another saies he and it s a small part of the whole and as it were a small drop in comparison of an unmeasurable depth and a boundless Sea And what he speaks of himself is true of all Christians and to this Confession the best of us may justly subscribe 5. The Angels ministered unto Christ and they minister unto us but here is also a vast difference for they ministred to him as to their Lord even to the Lord of Angels To us as to their fellow-servants for so the Angel confessed to Saint John Rev. 19.10 and 22.9 I am thy fellow-servant and of thy Brethren that have the Testimony of Jesus and of them that keep the sayings of this Book And that by the appointment of our common Lord and as a fruit of that Union that intercedes between Christ and us as between the Head and the Members 6. Christ must suffer before he comes to Glory and so must we but here also is a vast difference as Saint Austin observes We are not therefore equal with Christ Non propterea Christo pares sumus si pro illo usque ad sanguinem Martyrium duxerimus potestatem ille habuit ponendi animam iterum sumendi eam nos nec quantum volumus vivimus morimur et si nolimus Ille moriens in se occidit mortem nos ejus morte liberamur à morte Postremo et si frates pro fratribus moriantur tamen in fraternorum peccatorum remissionem nullius sanguis Martyris funditur quod fecit ille pro nobis In Joan. Tract 84. if we shed our blood for him He had power to lay down his Life and to take it up again We neither live as long as we would we dy though we would not He by his Death destroyed Death We by his Death are freed from Death Lastly though Brethren dye for Brethren yet never any Martyrs blood was shed for the Remission of their Brethrens sins as Christ did for us Saint Paul disavows it for his own particular Was Paul says he crucified for you 1 Cor. 1.13 q. d. At no hand I abhor the thought of it Indeed sometimes he mentions his sufferings for the Body of Christ Col. 1 24 that is the Church but he meant not as if he suffered for the expiation of the sins of the Church but for the edification of the Church as he says The things that have happened to me Phil. 1.12 14 have faln out to the furtherance of the Gospel Many of the Brethren waxing confident by my bonds are much more bold to speak the Word without fear according to that known saying Sanguis Martyrum semen Ecclesiae The blood of the Martyrs is the seed of the Church and that of Tertullian This Sect says he Non deficiet haec Secta quam tunc magis aedificari scias cum caedi videtur De Persec ad Scapul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non vides quo plures sunt qui suppliciis afficiunt tanto majorem numerum esse aliorum sc Christianorum Ep. ad Diognet speaking of Christians shall not fail which know that it 's then more built up when it seems to be cut down And that finally of Justin Martyr Seest thou not that by how much the number is increased of them that inflict torments by so much the more the number of Christians is increased 7. Christ rose and we shall rise but with a great dissimilitude Christ rose the third day and saw no corruption but according to the profession of Martha concerning her brother Lazarus we shall rise again at the last day Joh. 11.24 and in the mean time we see
against the Disciples of the Lord making havock of the Church and haling men and women to prisons But Christ meets him in the way to Damascus and enters into his Soul and now having Communion with this Light he is directed to better courses of a Wolf he becomes a Sheep yea a careful Shepherd Gal. 1 23 He preaches the Faith which once he destroyed He tenders the Flock of Christ of which formerly he had made havock And so we may see it to have been with others 5. Light is a pleasant thing Eccles 11.7 Truly the Light is sweet says Solomon and it 's a pleasant thing for the Eye to behold the Sun And Prov. 15.30 The Light of the Eyes rejoyces the Heart says he And hence Light is put for Joy Light is sowen for the righteous Psalm 97.11 and Joy for the upright in Heart And thus doth Christ resemble the Light as Jansenius well observes We shall says he rightly understand That Christ doth call himself the Light of the World Recte intellexerimus Dominum se vocare lucem mundi quod per suum Evangelium salutiferum nuncium afflictas omnium mentes venerit exhilaraturus Ibid. because he came to exhilarate the afflicted mindes of men by his Gospel and the Tydings of Salvation And therefore the Angel bringing news to the Shepherds of the Birth of Christ calls it Tydings of great Joy Luke 2.10 11 John 14.16 which shall be to all Nations And therefore calling the Holy Ghost another Comforter he implies That he himself is a Comforter And indeed there is not any affliction either of body or minde under and against which we may not finde matter of comfort in Christ as might be shewed in Particulars Hence we may learn sundry things 1. See the fearful folly of which they are guilty that refuse to accept of Christ when he is offered and offers himself to them in the Word and Sacraments it is thus with many haply might they have him upon their own terms might they keep him and the World together might they keep him and their sins together they would be perswaded easily to accept of him but the case so standing that they cannot keep both together they bid adieu to Christ Oh the folly of these men for now they rejecting Christ refuse to accept of Light and choose rather to live in the dark and how shall they avoyd stumbling and falling And when crosses and afflictions betide them where shall they finde comfort to uphold them while they refuse Christ in whom alone all comfort stands who shall wonder if such as these fall into despair who shall wonder if such in extremity of sorrow offer violence to Nature and prove cruel to themselvs 2. See how comfortable the condition of them is that have an interest in Christ that can say as the Spouse I am my welbeloveds and my welbeloved is mine Cant. 2.16 see the great good that accrews to them by him for he is the light and therefore Christ being yours the light of the world is yours he is yours to whom it belongs to expel the darknesse of ignorance out of your mindes and doubt not but he will do it not all at once but by degrees Having him ye shall walk surely and safely ye shall be secured against falling and stumbling ye shall be guided and directed by him in the ordering of your steps Having him ye shall be sure in him to finde comfort against all distresses which may happen to you whether in body or in minde against Satan he hath vanquisht him in himself and he will tread him under your feet against the world Rom. 16.20 Joh. 16.33 Christ hath overcome it for you against your sins Christ hath satisfied Gods justice offended by them and obtained your pardon for He dyed and is risen again Rom. 3.34 and makes intercession for you at Gods right hand against all breaches between God and you Rom. 5.10 for Ye are reconciled to God by the death of his Son against the curse of the Law for Christ hath redeemed you from it Gal. 3.13 being made a curse for you against death 1 Cor. 15.57 for through Christ ye have victory over it And the like in all the rest how happy then is the condition of such 3. Let us learn by Christ to keep our selves unspotted in the worst times in the worst places so did Christ so let us do or at least endeavor to do Gen. 6.9 Job 1.1 It was the commendation of Noah that he was an upright man in that generation when all flesh had corrupted their way and of Job that he feared God and eschewed evil in the Land of Vz thus were these men as the fish that remain fresh in the salt Sea and as the Stars that shine clearest in the dark night and thus let us endeavour that it may be with us Phil. 2.15 according to that exhortation of Saint Paul Be blamelesse and harmlesse the Sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation 4. Let us learn not to contemn and despise Godly Christians between whom and us there is never so great distance in outward respects though they be poor and we rich they despicable we honourable c. yet despise them not but own them as brethren and give them the right hand of fellowship remembring that as the benefit of the light belongs in common to all creatures so the benefit of Christ to all Christians Gal 3.28 and though in worldly respects there be never so great difference between us and them yet in Jesus Christ we are all one 5. Are we in our places Lights communicating Light to others instructing them in the knowledge of God and of Christ Joh. 1.9 guiding them by the light of our example yet let us walk in all humility remember that Christ alone is that true light enlightening every man that comes into the world and if we be Lights we are but enlightned Lights and the light which we impart unto others we have it not of our selves but from Christ the light of the world Why then should we be proud 1. Cor. 4.7 Remember the argument of the Apostle What hast thou saies he which thou hast not received that is nothing and if thou hast received it namely all that is good why doest thou boast 6. If we want light let us seek to Christ for it who is this great light of the world finde we darknesse remaining in our minds seek to Christ and desire him to dispel it Psal 119.18 and to set up the light of knowledg in us praying as David Open mine eyes that I may see wondrous things out of thy Law find we our selves to sit in the darknes of affliction and sorrow and desire we the light of joy and comfort whether shall we seek for it but to Christ the Fountain of Light and here we cannot miss
indeed goes about as a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour And the Enemies of the Church acted by Satan are Lions for cruelty 2 Tim. 4.17 I was delivered says Saint Paul out of the mouth of the Lion And so says David of his Enemies They gaped upon me with their mouths Psal 22.13 as a ravening and a roaring Lion But be of good chear the Lion of the Tribe of Judah is your Defender against all these and what are they in comparison of him They are strong and powerful they are watchful against you seeking and readily laying hold upon all opportunities to do you a mischief but Christ is infinite in power and in care for you and therefore what can they do against you Trust in Christ therefore and ye shall then be able to say with David Psal 56.11 I will not fear what men or devils can do against me 2. See the sad and unsafe condition of all Christs Enemies going on proudly in their hostility against him Such are all they that go on impenitently in their wicked courses John 14.15 If ye love me says our Saviour keep my Commandments then to go on in the wilful violation of his sacred Laws must needs render men Enemies of Christ for this is in effect to say We will not have this man to reign over us Luke 19 and them that said so Verse 27 he held his Enemies As for those my Enemies that would not have me to reign over them and see there their doom Bring them hither and slay them before me Christs Enemies also are Enemies of godly Christians that make conscience of their ways 1 John 5.1 He that loves him that begets must love them also that are begotten He then that hates them that are begotten hates him that begets Let all these then see how unsafe their condition is how can they expect other then to be destroyed and how shall they avoyd it for he is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah a Lion for strength as a Lion surpasses all creatures in strength so doth Christ much more 3. Let us then tremble at the Word of Christ at his Threatenings of Judgments We hear what the Prophet says If the Lion roars Amos 3.8 all the Beasts of the field tremble And shall Christ roar from Heaven in his Threatenings and we not tremble Hear we what God says To the man will I look namely Isai 66.2 with a gracious aspect that trembles at my Word As we then desire That God should look upon us with a favorable Eye let us not slight and contemn Christs Threatenings though uttered by men subject to the same passions with our selves but tremble at them and fear to go on in those sins against which such Threatenings are denounced 4. Let us learn having offended Christ by our sins not to stand out at the staves end nor to hold up buckler against him but come in and humble our selves before him so if we meet a Lion in the way we will hold it our best course to fall flat on the ground and to lie prostrate on the ground much more will it be our wisdom so to carry our selves towards Christ CHAP. XII Christ and a Physician OUr blessed Saviour for conversing with Publicans and Sinners was excepted against by the Pharisees Matth. 9.11 Why eats your Master say they with Publicans and Sinners Our Saviour answers this Cavil divers ways His first Answer is taken from a similitude Verse 12 The whole need not the Physician but the sick His Argument stands thus No place is fitter for the Physician but where men are that need his help as being sick but I am a Physician Sin is a sickness these Publicans labor under this sickness therefore no place is fitter for me then where these Publicans and Sinners are Therefore to cavil at me for conversing with Publicans and Sinners is equally unreasonable as if any should cavil at a Physician for being with sick persons So that it 's manifest that here our Saviour speaks of himself as a Physician And indeed the work of a Physician is done by Christ therefore he doth not unfitly resemble himself to the Physician The Antecedent is manifest for what work is more proper to the Physician then to heal diseases and to cure the diseased and this was done by Christ as is manifest in the History of the Evangelists Matth. 9 35 and 4.23 24 He went about healing every sickness and every disease among the people says Saint Matthew And so it 's prophesied of him Mal. 4.2 The Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing under his wings And the things that are required in a Physician are eminently to be found in Christ 1. Knowledg of the Diseases of the Causes and Cure of them and who can deny but that this was transcendently in him 2. Carefulness and this was in Christ in an eminent proportion 3. Pity Christ hath a fellow-feeling of our infirmities 4. Painfulness This was in Christ as may appear by his manifold Travels from one Town to another for this end But there is great difference between Christ and other Physicians in all which we shall see Christ to have the pre-eminency so that it will easily appear that we may say without prejudice to Galen Hippocrates or any other Physician of the greatest note that ever have been that Christ is The Physician by way of eminency The incomparable Physician in comparison of whom the greatest or most eminent of that profession may without disparagement to themselves confess that they are not worthy to carry his Books after him or in the words of that holy Baptist Luke 3.16 that they are not worthy to unloose the latchet of his shooes 1. Other Physicians cure onely the Diseases of the Body but he is the Physician that cures the Diseases of the Body and also of the Soul to which latter none of our Physicians do attain Excellently Saint Bernard to this purpose Mankinde says he labors under a threefold Disease our Nativity Life Triplici morbo laborat genus humanum nativitate vita morte nativitas immunda vita perversa mors periculosa Venit Christus contra triplicem hunc morbum triplex attulit remedium natus est enim vixit mortuus est Ejus nativitas purgavit nostram mors illius destruxit nostram vita ejus instruxit nostram Lib. sentent and Death our Nativity unclean our Life perverse our Death dangerous Christ comes and against this threefold Disease hath brought a threefold Remedy for he was born he lived and he dyed his Birth cleansed ours his Death destroyed our death and his Life hath instructed ours and sets it right Then is Christ a compleat Physician of our Souls And to this as no Physician so no man nothing can lay any claim See the Confession of Saint Macarius As that Woman that was diseased with the issue of blood says he