destruction and overthrow of all his Churches enemies what comfort then can they want that have such an head what calamity can come in the way so great against which this relation between Christ and us as between head and members may not abundantly comfort us 4. Let enemies of the Church be hereby admonished not to go on any longer to molest and afflict godly and conscientious Christians to plot and act mischief against them They are Members of Christ and Christ is their Head and what ye do against them ye do against Christ So when Saul afterwards blessed Paul went on as a Wolf of the Evening to trouble the Christians our Saviour though in his own Person out of the reach of his malice cryed out Why dost thou persecute me Acts 9.4 Saint Austin observes well upon that place That our Saviour said not Non dixit Sanctos meos aut Servos meos sed Quid me persequeris i. e. membra mea caput pro membris clamabat Vocem pedis suscipit lingua quando forte in turba pes contritus dolet clamat lingua Quid calcas me non dicit Pedem meum sed se calcari dicit quam nemo tetigit pes autem qui calcatur non separatur à lingua In Psal 31. My Saints or My Servants but Why dost thou persecute Me that is my Members the Head cryed out for his Members So the Tongue takes up the complaint of the Foot If the Foot being by chance trod upon in a Croud be put to pain the Tongue complains Why do you tread upon me It says not My Foot but Me which no man touched but the Foot that is trod upon is not severed from the Tongue And so your hostility is not terminated upon a meer man who haply is meek under the effects of your cruelty and out of charity prays for you That your sin may not be layd to your charge but it lights upon a jealous and angry God the Head of the Church who takes it deeply to heart That his faithful Servants the Members of his Mystical Body should be so infested and wronged 2 Thes 1.6 and with whom it 's a righteous thing to recompence Tribulation to them that trouble them And he is able to do it for he is as Man so God and therefore infinitely able to confound the stoutest of Enemies And see in experience of all Times if it hath not been so See if the proud and fierce Enemies of the Church while they have plotted and acted Cruelties against the Church have not done it to their own confusion as not being able to stand against Christ the Head of the Church Look upon Dioclesian Maximinianus Maxentius Licinius Julian c. whom the Ecclesiastical Histories set forth as cruel Enemies against the Church and in them all we shall finde it to be true Psal 34.21 that the Psalmist says They that hate the righteous shall be desolate And again Confounded be all they that hate Sion 129 4 5 They shall be as the grass on the house-top which withers before it grows up c. Be advised therefore as ye love your selves to desist and proceed no further 5. Let all that profess themselves Members of Christ learn so to carry themselves to Christ as to their Head and that in three things 1. Let us be obedient unto Christ and subject to his Government and guided by him in all things So are all the inferior Members of the natural Body subject unto the Head and guided and ordered by it So ought we therefore to be to Christ who is our Head and the Church his Body and we all Members in particular Nor takes he this Honor unto himself to be an Head to us and over us but God hath given him to be the Head over all things to the Church Eph. 1.22 he hath appointed him so to be Yea he that is made our Head is God as well as Man therefore he hath right every way to rule and govern and we have good reason to be subject He hath the power of Life and Death even of that which is everlasting Therefore let us be subject to him Matth. 17.5 Deut. 18.19 God requires this Hear him See that Threatening Whosoever will not hear my words which he shall speak in my Name I will require it of him namely by punishment and so the Septuagint renders it I will take vengeance on him And so the Apostle expounds it Acts 3.23 Every Soul that will not hear that Prophet shall be destroyed from among the People And see we not this fulfilled in the Jewish Nation They would not hear Christ nor be subject to him nay they said We will not have this man to rule over us Luke 19.14 1 Thes 2.16 and therefore as the Apostle says the Wrath is come upon them to the uttermost Be we wise to take warning by them Let us acknowledg the Relation between Christ and us as between Head and Members and accordingly render him due obedience and be subject to him in all things What he forbids let us avoyd as death what he commands us let us readily put it in execution and let our Obedience be not in some things onely as we our selves list but in every thing suitably to the Order that he hath prescribed to us Nor let us stand to consult with flesh and blood but obey him readily even in those things which are most contrary to corrupt Reason and carnal Wisdom 2. Christ being our Head let us aym at his Glory in all things and prefer it before all things We see how chary the Members of the natural Body are of the good and welfare of the Head how are they all in their places to further it and to serve it If one shall strike at the Head we see the Hand held up for the defence of it ready to take the blow for the securing of it Let us bear the same affection to Christ our Head let his Glory be dear and precious to us even above our Estates Liberties Lives What is against the Glory of Christ let us set our selves against it with all our might spare it not how dear soever or how advantageous soever it may be unto us Sin is that which in its own nature is most dishonorable to Christ let us therefore set our selves against it Magistrates to make Laws against it and to punish for it Ministers to cry it down and every man for his own particular to avoyd it be it the Sin of our Age Calling Mat. 5.29 30 Galat. 5.24 Colos 3.5 Constitution though as our right Eye as our right Hand let us not make dainty of it crucifie it mortifie it pull it out cut it off cast it from us What we finde to be for the Glory of Christ let us promote and further it to the utmost of our power Onely still let Order be observed Let us not run out of our places nor forsake our stations
fulnesse of time actually send Christ into the world to become man and so to suffer Death for our Redemption 2. He is the Foundation of Faith or Doctrine and this is to be understood by a Metonymie of the subject for the adjunct Christ being put for the Doctrine of Christ that is the fundamental Doctrine of Christ which consists not of those Theological Conclusions needful to Divines for their peculiar Profession Irenic p. 149 but of those Catholick Articles which concern the Catholick Faith needful to be known and believed of all to salvation the ignorance of which is damnable and the obstinate and pertinatious denyal of which makes an Heretick as Paraeus speaks learnedly which Fundamental Doctrine is the intire and incorrupt Doctrine of the Law and the Creed contained in the Writings of the Prophets and Apostles And this Foundation Moses and the Prophets began to lay in the old Testament and the Apostles did perfect it in the new Testament by their Preaching and Writings In which respect the Church is said to be built upon the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Eph. 2.20 And both waies the comparison holds well between Christ and a Foundation namely in regard of the use of a Foundation which is to uphold the Building making it to stand firm and to keep it from ruine so the house built upon the Rock stands firm against all opposition Matth. 7.25 Let the rain descend the stoods come and the winds blow yet the house stands and is secured from falling Of such use is our blessed Saviour and that in both respects 1. As a Foundation of Salvation Christ sustaines the whole Church by the merit of his Death and Passion by the power of his Divinity and the efficacy of his Intercession and Spirit he Justifies Sanctifies and preserves it making it able to hold out against the gates of Hell Matth. 16. Psal 125.1 so that it shall be as Mount Sion which cannot be removed but abideth for ever Not all opposition of enemies shall hinder the Salvation of the Church I give my sheep saies our Saviour eternal life Joh. 10.28 and none shall be able to take them out of my hand 2. As a Foundation of Faith or of Doctrine all superstructures so farre forth hold good as they hold correspondence with the Fundamental Doctrine of Christ but if any Doctrine cross and thwart the Doctrine of Christ taught by the Prophets and Apostles it presently falls to the ground 2 Sam. 5.3 4. as Dagon before the Ark And in this respect St. John having given that advise 1 Joh. 4.1 Believe not every spirit but try the spirits whether they be of God or no brings in the Doctrine of Christ as the rule of tryal Vers 2. saying Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God and every spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh Vers 3. is not of God and this is that spirit of Antichrist c. But yet Omne simile est etiam dissimile because no things are so like one to another but that there is some dissimilitude between them know we therefore that though Christ resembles a Foundation in regard of the main use of it yet Christ differs also from an ordinary Foundation and namely in this that the Foundation of an earthly building is lowest but Christ the Foundation of the Church is on high and above it St. Austin takes notice of this difference and gives the reason of it He moves the question How is Christ both the Foundation and the Head Quomodo Christus fundamentum caput est cum fundamentum solet deorsum esse caput autem sursum Resp Ideo fundamentū domus deorsum ponitur quia pondere suo deorsū versus fertur nisi sit quod sustineat tota cadit quia tota ad terrā vergit Rebus ad ima tendentibus in imo ponitur fundamentum Ecclesia autem Dei in imo posita tendit ad coelum fundamentum ergo nostrum ibi positum est Tom. 8. in Psal 30. seeing the Foundation uses to be below and the Head above To this he answers Therefore the Foundation of a house uses to be below because by the weight of it it is carried downwards and except it hath something to bear it up it falls down because it wholly verges towards the earth for things that tend downwards the Foundation is laid below But the Church of God being here below tends to Heaven and therefore there is our Foundation laid Hence we may learn many things 1. See the sad condition of them that do ground their hopes for salvation on any other besides Christ either on themselves or on any other on their own merits or the supererogatory works or sufferings of others we see that Christ onely is the Foundation of Salvation how do they therefore at once dishonour the Lord Jesus Christ and prejudice themselves that shall build their hopes of happinesse upon any with neglect of him they deprive him as much as in them lyes of the honour of being the onely foundation of the Church and their hopes for Salvation must needs be as the house built upon the sand no sooner the rain descends Matth. 7.27 the floods come and the wind blowes but instantly that house falls So these may haply for the present bear up well but let Satan be set loose upon them and set upon them with his temptations instantly their hopes will vanish and come to nothing 2. See the horrid blasphemy of the Church of Rome making Saint Peter and in his right the Pope the Foundation of the Church whereas we are taught in the Scriptures that Christ is the onely Foundation that is or can be laid how then St. Peter and consequently the Pope for these are directly contrary each to other Again the Church of the old and new Testament is but one Church and so can have but one and the same Foundation but St. Peter cannot in reason be said to be the Foundation of the Church of the old Testament therefore neither of the new And if St Peter be the Foundation of the whole Church then of himself which is most absurd he is a part of the building therefore not the Foundation of the whole Lastly the Foundation of the Church must be perpetual not failing else how shall the Church stand but St. Peter is not so he is dead almost 1600 years since They say he is perpetuall in his Successors but 1. This is absurd for they say because it s sayd to thee Matth. 16. and Thou therefore it cannot include all the Apostles but St. Peter onely and yet shall these singular particles include so many Popes 2. It s false for Saint Peter as an Apostle had no Successors the Pope of Rome succeeds not Saint Peter in his Apostleship the Apostles had immediate Calling as Saint Paul says of
and pitch of Perfection which he hath layd out for you as Christ at the time of his Death had attained to full age strength and stature And fear not Satan ye are weak and he is strong and now ye think how shall we stand against him how can it be avoyded but that he should devour us but fear not The Kite hath an aking tooth at the Chickens seeking to make prey of them and the Kite is strong the Chickens weak but the Hen perceiving the danger calls and gathers them under her wings and is ready to fight for their defence against the Kite And such is the affection of Christ towards his weaklings he stands in defence of them and he is able to defend them against him John 10.29 None says our Saviour shall be able to take them out of my hand for he is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a mean man onely flesh and blood as we are but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Immanuel God and Man in one Person Verse 29 30 and as God one with his Father and that his Father greater then all namely greater in power why then should we fear the worst that this Prince of Darkness can do unto us Fear so as to be circumspect and watchful over our selves not to give him advantage against our selves but fear not so as to despair of our safety Christ is at once tender over us and infinitely able to shelter and defend us Much less shall we have need to fear visible Enemies who are flesh and blood as we are if Christ be so able to defend us against the Devil how shall he not be able to safe guard us against his Imps fly but to Christ and get under his wings as the Chickens under the wings of the Hen and we shall be safe let our Enemies be never so strong never so watchful never so malicious and there will be nothing to hinder but that we may say with David In the Lord I have put my trust Psalm 56.4 I will not be afraid what flesh can do unto me But if Christ be so tender over us and so tenderly careful of our safety and welfare as the Hen over her chickens then it becomes us by way of thankful retribution to be as tender of his honour let us not then fail hereof think what it is by which he may be in danger to suffer in the point of his honour and let us study to prevent it or remove it Sin it is that is such an enemy to his honour let us therefore set our selves against it to the utmost of our power and that both in others and in our selves Spare not any that shall venture by sin to act against his honour it concerns the Magistrate Rom. 13.4 he must not bear the sword in vain for he is the Minister of God a revenger to exercise wrath upon him that doth evil It concernes the Preachers of Gods word to them the charge is given Cry aloud spare not lift up thy voice like a trumpet Isa 58.1 shew my people their transgression and the house of Jacob their sin It concerns Masters of Families to endeavour to keep the name of Christ from being dishonoured by the sins of those that are under them spare not to chide spare not to correct and make them to feel smart that are bold to dishonour Christ by their sins Because old Eli did forbear to exercise due severity against his Sons dishonouring God by their abominable wickednesse he is deeply censured 1 Sam 2.29 1 Sam. 4.11 18. as honouring his Sons before God and we see the severity that God exercised both against his Sons and against himself for it Yea it concerns us all seeing any friend or neighbour by Sin to dishonour Christ not to spare them but to endeavour by seasonable reproof to take them off from their exorbitant courses Lev. 19.17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart saies God but thou shalt reprove him Thus therefore let us shew our charinesse for the honour of Christ in respect of others But no lesse let us be thus affected in respect of our selves Let us professing our selves Christians take heed of sin least Christ be dishonoured by it for our sins above the sins of all others will occasion dishonour to him Through you saies the Apostle Rom. 2.24 the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles Salvian in this kinde excellently enlarges himself Can it be said of the Hunnes saies he behold what manner of men they are Numquid de Hunnis dici potest Ecce quales sunt qui Christiani esse dicuntur Numquid propter Maurorum efferos mores lex sacrosancta culpatur Numquid de ullis istorum dici potest ubi est lex Catholica quam credunt uhi sunt pietatis castitatis praecepta quae discunt Evangelia legunt impudici sunt Apostolos audivat inebriantur Christum sequuntur rapiunt Numquid haec de ulla istarum gentium dici queunt Non utique de nobis quippe ista omnia dicuntur In nobis Christus patitur opprobrium in nobis patitur lex Christiana maledictum De gubern Dei l. 4. that are said to be Christians Is the holy Religion blamed for the savage manners of the Moores Can it be said of any of them where is the Catholick Faith which they believe where are the precepts of piety and chastity which they learn they read the Gospels and are unchaste they hear the Apostles and live in drunkennesse they follow Christ and oppress can these things be said of any of these Nations at no hand but of us all these things are spoken In us Christ suffers reproach In us Christian Religion is evil spoken of Let us then for Christs honour sake look to our behaviour to abandon all sins which are so dishonourable to Christ And on the other side let us be careful not to omit any duty by which we may in our places promote the glory of Christ nor let us stick at the undergoing of any hardship so we may honour Christ thereby how shall we clear our selves from the guilt of horrid ingratitude if we shall not be thus chary of the honour of Christ who hath been so tender of our welfare and safty Lastly let us imitate our blessed Saviour and as he is tender and chary of the good and welfare of us all so let us be tender of the welfare and safety each of other whom can we study to resemble more safely then him of whom it s testified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mar. 7.37 he hath done all things well and whom ought we more to imitate then him that is our head that so there may be a conformity between him the head and us the members Let us therefore be tender and chary of the safety and welfare of others Let us do nothing that may be destructive to others let us not poyson others by our evil
decree Justice See your great Honor arising from the Honor of your Husband See his great Love to you in raising you to so high Preferment II. See what comfort this point affords to all godly Christians the Members of the Church If he be our Husband and we his Spouse then doubt not but he will strictly perform to us all the loving Offices in a supereminent way which loving Husbands do and all Husbands are bound to perform to their Wives So that the comfort reaches far It 's comfort 1. Against bodily and spiritual wants be sure ye shall not want any thing that is for your good and conveniency either for Soul or Body The loving Husband readily says to his beloved Wife Thou shalt not want any thing so long as I have a peny So says Christ much more to his Church be of good chear then whatsoever the wants be under which ye lie do but by prayer acquaint Christ with them and he wants neither will nor power to supply them all not will for his love to you is transcendent not power for all things are in his hands to bestow 2. Against our Sins They are debts but repenting heartily of them be not afraid lest they should be layd to our charge our Husband will not fail to discharge them all for us and he having discharged them and satisfied Gods Justice for them doubt not but that though they be never so many and never so great they shall be remitted to you for Christs sake 3. Against the Distresses to which in this life we are subject either from Men or Devils The loving Husband if he be able will be sure to defend his beloved Wife from all wrongs much less shall ye sustain from any if Christ your Husband can do with all and what cause have we to doubt of his power for God the Father of Christ is greater then all Joh. 10.29 30 and he and his Father are one 4. Against all Enemies bodily or ghostly Ye are ready to think Our Enemies are great for power full of policy many for number how shall we an handful of impotent and silly men be able to stand against them but fear them not Our Enemies are Christs Enemies as the Wives Enemies are the Husbands Enemies and though they are more then our match yet they are far inferior unto him and therefore though we cannot yet he can both shield us against them Isai 10.12 and render unto them the fruits of their stout hearts and desperate malice 5. Against our ignorance and simplicity We are in some particular or other puzzled so that we know not what to do nor what course to take Yet be not disheartened the Husband that loves his Wife will be ready to direct and counsel his Wife so far as he is able Christ is such an Husband as wants neither will nor skill he can direct us for he is the Wisdom of the Father Col. 2.3 and in him are all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledg and there is no question but he will do it for besides that he exceeds in love to his Church Isai 9.6 it 's his Office to be a Counseller to the Church and to all godly Christians the Members of the Church onely seek his advice by prayer and search the Scriptures and doubt not but that thou shalt finde full direction as your occasions require 6. Against the base Opinion that the World hath of you They think of you as they of the Apostles as the filth of the World and the off-scouring of all things 1 Cor. 4.13 and your condition indeed in the World is mean and low in which regard men proudly overlook you So that ye may take up the complaint of the Psalmist We are exceedingly filled with contempt Psa 123.3 4 c. but be of good chear See the Honor that Christ hath put upon you while he becomes your Husband and hath made you his Spouse and there is not the meanest Christian how much soever he is undervalued but he hath a share in this Honor. 7. Against spiritual Desertions Good Husbands will not forsake their Wives no Husband should do it but ought to have one Bed and one Board with them then be sure that Christ will not depart from thee if he shall at any time seem to depart it 's for thy good and he will again return unto thee at the last and will shew thee his favor be comforted therefore Saint Bernard hath a sweet Passage to this purpose Ne timeas O Sponsa ne desperes si paulisper tibi subtrahit Sponsus faciem suam omnia ista tibi cooperantur in bonum de accessu de recessu lucrum acquiris tibi venit tibi recedit venit ad consolationem recedit ad cautelam ne magnitudo consolationis extollat te ne si semper apud te sit sponsus contemneres sodales hanc continuam visitationem non jam gratiae attribuas sed naturae Nimia familiaritas parit contemptum recedit ergo ne nimis assiduus contemnatur ut absens magis desideretur desideratus avidius quaeratur diu quaesitus gratius inveniatur Praeterea si nunquam deesset consolatio haec quae respectu futurae gloriae ex parte est putaremus forte hic habere civitatem manentem minus inquireremus futuram ne ergo exilium deputemus arrham pro precii summa venit Sponsus recedit nunc consolationem afferens nunc universum statum nostrum in infirmitatem commutans paulisper permittens nos gustare quam suavis sit antequam plene sentiamus se subtrahit De Scula claustr cap. 6. Fear not O Spouse says he despair not If for a little while thy Husband withdraws his face from thee all this works together for thy good both by his coming and by his departure thou art a Gainer He comes for thy good and he departs for thy good He comes for thy comfort and he departs for thy caution lest the greatness of the comfort should too much lift thee up lest if thy Husband should be alway with thee thou shouldst contemn thy Companions and shouldst now attribute this continued Visitation not to Grace but to Nature Too much Familiarity breeds Contempt He withdraws himself therefore lest being too constantly with us he should be contemned and that being absent he may be the more desired and that being desired he might be sought with more earnestness and that being long sought he may be found with more thankfulness Besides if we should never want this comfort which yet in respect of the future Glory is but something in part we would haply think to have here a continuing City and the less look for that which is to come Lest therefore we should mistake the place of our Exile for our Country the earnest Peny for full Payment our Husband comes and goes one while bringing comforts and another while turning our whole state into
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
shewes in the Parable of the Prodigal When he came to his Father how lovingly was he received Luk. 15.20 for when he was yet afarre off his Father saw him Vers 22. and had compassion on him and fell on his neck and kissed him he said also to his servant bring the best Robe and put it on him Vers 23. and a Ring on his hand and shoes on his feet and bring hither the fatted Calf and kill it what joy was there at his entertainment Vers 25. for there was musick and dancing And the Elder Brother at his coming from the field was offended at this we see how the Father justified this his rejoycing Vers 32. It was meet saies he that we should make merry and be glad for this thy brother was dead and is alive again he was lost and is found Most apt therefore is this resemblance of Christ to a Shepherd Hence we may learn divers things I. See here the safe and secure estate of all godly Christians having Christ to be their Shepherd who is so tender and watchful over them for now they cannot possibly miscarry as Saint Hierome speakes excellently Sape vexatur Ecclesia nunquam tamen potest sustinere naufragium To. 1. lib. de Solomone The Church saies he is oftentimes vexed and disquieted but it can never suffer shipwrack II. See here the folly and wickedness of all the Enemies of godly Christians In vain yea wicked are all their endeavors against them ye seek to hurt them whose protection God hath undertaken as the Shepherd of the Sheep and how can this be but vain how can it be but sinful It 's good admonition that Saint Chrysostom gives in this kinde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. O homo dirimito bellum ne tuum ipsius dissolvas robur ne bellum inferas coelo Hominem si oppugnas utique aut viceris aut ipse vinceris Si Ecclesiam oppugnas scito te arte nulla victoriam de ea reportaturum Omnibus in immensum fortior est Deum To. 4. Serm. antequam iret in exilium O man says he do thou break off this War lest thou weaken thy self wage not War against Heaven If thou dost oppose a man either thou shalt overcome or thou thy self shalt be overcome But if thou dost oppose the Church know thou that thou shalt not by all thy skill obtain the Victory over it for God is infinitely stronger then all Remember that speech of Christ It 's hard for thee to kick against the pricks Acts 9.4 It 's most true that Saint Chrysostom says upon these words By kicking against the pricks thou dost not blunt the pricks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Serm. praed but drawest blood from thy own feet Take warning therefore to desist from such hostility who would labor in vain but this is also for hurt Evil counsel entered into is worst to the Counseller 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 No man can wrong the godly but he wrongs himself first They that hate the righteous shall be desolate says the Psalmist Psalm 34.21 And again The wicked hath drawn out his sword Psal 37.14 15 to slay such as are of upright Conversation but their sword shall enter into their own hearts III. Let the godly see what Comfort belongs to them in this respect 1. Against the fear of want why should we fear it having such a Shepherd He is able to provide for us Heb. 1.2 for He is made the Heir of all things and if the good Shepherd hath a care for the pasturing of his sheep Christ cannot be wanting herein to his sheep There is therefore nothing to hinder but that we may comfortably conclude with David Psalm 23.1 The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want 2. Against the fear of Enemies bodily or ghostly Fear them not see what a Shepherd ye have the Lord Jesus Christ your Enemies are strong yet their power is but finite but Christ is infinite in strength what can they do against you whose protection he hath undertaken Well may you comfort your selves against all visible Enemies as King Hezekiah comforted his Subjects 2 Chro. 32.7 8 There are more with us then with them with them is an arm of flesh but with us is the Lord our God to help us As for your ghostly Enemies they are spirits whereas ye are but flesh and blood and therefore they are much more then your match but be of good chear He that is your Shepherd is God as well as Man even the creating Spirit whereas they are but created spirits and what shall the Creature be able to do against the Creator and we have assurance given us by the Apostle Rom. 16.20 That this our Shepherd the God of Peace shall trample Satan under our feet Our Enemies of all kindes are watchful against us seeking all opportunities to do us a mischief but Christ our great Shepherd Psalm 121 is infinitely more watchful He neither slumbereth nor sleepeth Our Enemies are great Politicians but is not our Shepherd great in Counsel and his Wisdom incomprehensible be not then afraid of any Enemies having such a Shepherd How justly may we conceive that we hear our Saviour speaking to us in those words Isai 51.12 13 I even I am he that comforts you who art thou that thou should be afraid of a man c. and of a Son of man c. yea of any creature and forgettest the Lord thy Maker and thy Shepherd 3. Against your weaknesses and infirmities Ye are subject to go astray but ye have a careful Shepherd who will not fail to seek you not giving over till he findes you and hath brought you home to the Fold Ye are weak and infirm but think not that this your Shepherd will in this respect remit his care for you nay he will the more tender you and strengthen that which is weak in you IV. Let all those to whom in Scripture the name of Shepherd is given learn to exercise care and providence towards and over them who as sheep are committed to their trust 1. Magistrates in the Commonwealth These are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Homer calls them Shepherds of the people Iliad α. and so when God set David to rule Israel Psalm 78.71 Verse 71 it is thus express'd He brought him to feed Jacob his people and Israel his inheritance And so it 's added So he fed them that is so he ruled them So that Magistrates set over people are as Shepherds set over a flock of sheep Let them therefore be exhorted to take care for the people put under their charge as the Shepherds for their sheep and that both their Souls and Bodies Mollerus doth well set it forth both in respect of their Souls and in respect of their Bodies Let Kings and Princes feed their Subjects first with Heavenly Doctrine Pascant Reges Principes suos subditos
Galleys then the Grand Seigneur himself attended with his train of Janizaries Let us then impute the contempt which men cast upon us to their ignorance of us and therefore let us slight it and please our selves as well as we may with that which the Scripture tells us of the honour done unto us in our fellowship with Christ while he is given to us to be our head and we to be his body and members in particular 2. See how great the error of the Church of Rome is making the Pope of Rome the head of the Church over all Churches and all Bishops of all Churches throughout the whole world yea even over all Kingdomes and Commonwealths and over all the Kings of the Earth in their several Kingdomes That all this is true of Christ no true Christian can deny and we shew warrant for it All power saies our Saviour Matth. 28.18 Rev. 11.15 is given to me both in Heaven and in Earth The Kingdomes of this World saies the Angel are become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever And God hath set him saies the Apostle Eph. 1.21 22 farre above all principalities c and hath put all things under c. and given him to be the head over all things to the Church If the Pope will be a Supreme visible Head over all Churches as Christ is Invisible let him shew his warrant and so let them that contend so earnestly for this his pretended Monarchy But this they can never be able to do They indeed acknowledge Christ alone to be the Supreme Head but yet with them the Pope is a secundary Head as Christs Vicar-general in whom must rest all the power to resolve all doubts to determine all Controversies to frame new Articles of Faith c. But where is their warrant It s easie to observe 1 Cor. 12.28 Eph. 4.11 that among all the Orders of Ministers in the Church mentioned in Scripture there is not any the least intimation made of a Vicar-general of Christ over all the members of the whole Church in the world and that it s not an absolute Government but a meer Ministery that is to be exercised by them Nay in all the times of the Apostles themselves there was not the least shew of a Monarchy in the Church but rather the contrary for whatsoever controversies were to be decided or whatsoever affaires of the Church were to be ordered we see all done by the joynt consent of the Apostles Act. 1. 6. 15. and the consent of the People Besides such a Monarchy of the Pope of Rome or any other Bishop over all Churches and Bishops is to no purpose nor of any use for what need is there of a substitute where the chief is present but Christ hath promised that he Matth. 28.20 though ascended will be with his Church to the end of the world Yea such an absolute Monarchy in the Church is very dangerous and may prove exceeding hurtful being in danger through mans corruption to degenerate into a Tyranny as we see by woful experience But say they Monarchy is the best form of Government in the Commonwealth therefore it is so in the Church Ans It followes not there being a great difference between the state of the Church and of the Commonwealth In which respect though a Monarchy be best for the Commonwealth yet it s not so for the Church if we respect the visible Government but if we respect Christ the Government is Monarchical But there is say they such a Monarchy among the Angels in heaven Lucifer once and Michael now being the Supreme over all the rest and all the rest subject to them therefore it should be so in the Church Militant Ans To say nothing of the consequence which is also unsound the antecedent is all false being compact of dotages Isa 14. Lucifer is Nebuchadnezzar Michael is Christ Angels do not acknowledge any superior but Christ But they say Christ gave the Monarchy to Saint Peter above all the Apostles and consequently to his Successors above and over all the successors of the other all Apostles And St. Peter was Bishop of Rome and all the Bishops of Rome successively are his successors Answ All these things are either false or at least uncertain That Christ gave to Saint Peter the Monarchy over the whole Church is false and cannot be proved by Scripture but the contrary is manifest where was St. Peters Monarchy when at that Hierosolymitane Councel not Saint Peter Act. 15. but St. James gave the difinitive sentence when he was fain to give account to the Church of his affaires transacted with Cornelius and finally when Saint Paul at Antioch Act. 11. withstood him to his face Question is made whether Saint Peter were ever at Rome false it is that he was Bishop of Rome Gal. 2. and that the following Bishops of Rome were and are his Successors in that Office which he did execute The more full prosecution of these particulars would take up too much time 3. See what comfort issues hence to all godly Christians in that Christ is an Head to and over us He is Man as we are in all things like unto us sin onely excepted then he will be sure to love us to tender us to compassionate us for to this end he became man and he took our nature into unity of person with himself Heb. 2.17 that he might be a merciful high Priest and so the Scripture speaking of his sympathizing with us Isa 63.9 saies In all their afflictions he was afflicted yea he that is our Head is God also as well as man therefore he is and will be with us wheresoever we are for as God he is Infinite without limits of Essence therefore Immense without limits of quantity therefore Omnipresent without limits of place According to his promise then Matth. 28.20 I will be with you unto the end of the world he is still present with us as God though his Manhood be taken away from us according to that which he himself saies Where two or three are gathered together in my name Matth. 18.20 there am I in the midst of them namely to help us by his Spirit and to hear us what hopes then may we have of the acceptance of our prayers and the granting of our requests If we be in the Fire in the Dungeon in the Desert in the Water he is with us to uphold us to comfort us to carry us through all to deliver us out of all Yea He that is our Head is God therefore infinitely able to turn into folly all the Policies and Counsels of all the greatest Achitophels or Machiavels in the world and to take them in their own craftinesse Yea therefore he is infinite in strength able to do what he will for the preservation of his Church and the members of it and for the