Resemblance holds excellently between Christ and the Head of the natural Body and that in sundry Particulars 1. The Head hath conformity of Nature with the Body and the Members of it else it 's a Monster It were a strange sight to see an Head and a Body like the Image which Nebuchadnezzar saw in his Dream Dan. 2.32 33 His Head of fine Gold his Brest and Arms of Silver his Belly and Thighs of Brass his Legs of Iron his Feet part of Iron and part of Clay It were altogether ridiculous to see a Painter to joyn an Horses Neck to a Mans Head Humano capiti cervicem jungere equinam Pictor si velit c. Horat. de arte Poetica We see therefore that it 's always so such an Head such a Body Head and Body of the same nature It is easie to see in Christ such conformity of Nature with his Church We are partakers of flesh and blood Hebr. 2.14 and he partakes of the same so that it is most true even in this respect that the Apostle says Verse 11 16 Both he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one for He took not the nature of Angels but he took the seed of Abraham Nor is it otherwise with Christ now since his Resurrection in this respect then before his Death for even after he was risen from the dead he could say of himself Luke 24.39 Behold my Hands and my Feet that it is I my self handle me and see for a Spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me to have And as he took Humane Nature into Unity of Person with himself so he doth in some sort communicate unto us and makes us partakers of his Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 which is not so to be understood as it the Divine Nature and Essence were transfused into us but that the manifold Gifts and Graces of God which are in God nothing but his Essence are imparted unto us in our proportion So Paraeus expounds it We are made Partakers of the Divine Nature Non transformatione naturae humanae in divinam sed participatione donorum quibus conformes efficimur divinae naturae In loc not by a Transformation of the Humane Nature into the Divine but by a Participation of Gifts by which we are conformed to the Divine Nature And so Zâ—nchy Id est divinarum perfectionum sapientiae bonitatis sanctitatis similium quibus donat electos Deus De nat Dei l. 2. c. 2. q. 1. He hath made us Partakers of the Divine Nature that is of those Divine Perfections of Wisdom Goodness Holiness and the like which God gives to his Elect. And this in both kinds the Ancients will have to be shadowed out by that which befell Adam in the Creation of Eve when God took a Rib out of Adam Gen. 2.21 and closed up the flesh in stead of it Costa robur significat divinitatis caro infirmitatem humanae naturae The Rib say they signifies the strength of the Divinity the Flesh the infirmity of Humane Nature So there is a conformity of Nature between Christ and the Church as there is between the Head and Members of the natural Body 2. The Head hath the same Soul with the Members and not the Head one by it self and the Body another one Soul quickens and enlivens Head and Members onely the Head is the proper seat of it and from thence it exercises all its operations for the guidance and government of the whole Body and all the Members of it As a King in his Kingdom so is the Soul in the Body The Kings ordinary residence is in his chief City the Metropolis of his Kingdom but yet he exercises his Authority for Rule and Government not there onely but also throughout his whole Kingdom sending out his Edicts and Proclamations from thence through all the parts of his Dominions So though the Soul hath the Head for its special place of residence yet the same Soul that guides the Head guides the Hand also in working and the Feet also in going It 's so here The same Spirit that is given to Christ is given also to Christians See what the Prophet says of Christ Isai 61.1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me And Saint Paul says of all Christians We have received the Spirit that is of God 1 Cor. 2.12 The same Holy Ghost Matth. 3.16 that descended upon Christ in his Baptism in the likeness of a Dove descended also on the Apostles in the day of Pentecost in the likeness of fiery cloven Tongues Acts 2.3 4 and the same is given to all even to the meanest Christians Eph. 1.13 14 and received by them as the earnest of their inheritance The Holy Ghost is that Vnction 1 John 2.20 Psalm 45.7 which we have received from that Holy One and that Oyl of gladness with which himself was anointed though herein Christ hath a double pre-eminency he is in Christ first and principally not in us but at the second hand Psalm 133.2 and by his means as the holy Oyl was first poured on the Head of Aaron and thence descended to his Beard and so to the skirts of his garments And to Christ this Spirit is given not by measure but to us in measure and in different proportions according to our several stations in the Church as the Apostle saies To every one of us grace is given according to the measure of the gift of Christ. So that its most true Eph. 4.7 that the holy Psalmist sings Prophetically of Christ and to him God even thy God hath annointed thee with the oyl of gladness above thy fellowes for it pleased the Father Joh. 1.16 that in him all fulnesse should dwell as befitting the head and of his fulnesse we have all received as members from the head 3. The head and members aim at the same end the conservation of the whole person this the head plots for and this the several members in their several places endeavour and seek for It s so here the whole study of Christ and of the whole Church is for the same end which is the Eternal glory and happinesse of whole Christ Mystical consisting of Christ and the whole Church This was the care of Christ the head Those which thou gavest me saies he I have kept Joh. 17.12 And again Father I will that they may be with me Ver. 24. where I am And to this end he sticks not at the enduring of any indignities but became obedient to death Phil. 2.8 even the death of the Cross And this no lesse is the care of every godly and true-hearted Christian See it in St. Paul for himself I press towards the mark saies he Phil. 3.14 for the price of the high calling of God in Jesus Christ And so was he minded in respect of others Brethren saies he my hearts desire and prayer
himself as the least of the Apostles 1 Cor. 15.9 Joseph seeing Benjamin his brother of the same mother wept and Christ seeing Paul raging against the Church his mother had pitty on him Joseph said of his brethren to his Steward Bring the men home for they shall dine with me and our Joseph sayes by the Prophet to his brethren Eat of my bread and drink of my wine that I have mingled for you Prov. 9. Joseph gave gifts to his brethren so Christ gave gifts to men when he gave the Spirit to his But to Benjamin his younger brother Ioseph gave larger gifts then to his other brethren and this doth Paul our Benjamin confesse saying I laboured more then they all yet not I but the Grace of God that is with me 1 Cor. 15. Ioseph commanded his cup to be put in Benjamins sack which when it troubled his brethren to have it challenged of them was yet found in Benjamins sack The cup of Christs sufferings is acknowledged hiddenly given in the body of Paul when he saies I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Iesus Gal. 6. When Ioseph would make himself known to his brethren he lift up his voice and sayd I am Ioseph your brother Is my father yet alive And Christ our Ioseph that he might shew himself to his brethren Psal 22.26 sayes I will declare thy name to my brethren Gen. 45. Ioseph said to his brethren Yee sent me not hither but God to preserve life And of our Ioseph the Apostle Iohn saies To this end God sent his Son into the world that we might live by him CHAP. VIII HItherto we have heard of the persons by whom Christ was foresignified while the Church was in the narrow bounds of a Family Proceed we now to the Persons that were Types of Christ when the Church of God came to be in a people Christ and Moses God himself by Moses prophesying and foretelling of Christ to be raised up as a Prophet Deutr. 18 hath this clause that he should be like unto Moses but so that as the Truth is farre above the Type the Body above the Shadow so Christ above Moses in all respects 1. Moses was a true man so is Christ but Moses was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a meer man but Christ is Immanuel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God and man in one person Moses was a God to Pharaoh Exod. 7.1 but he made a God I have made thee a God but Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God of himselfe He is Deus genitus God by Eternal Generation And even in regard of the Humane Nature Moses came from Adam in the way of ordinary Generation by conjunction of male and female he had a father and a mother Christ also came from Adam but not in the way of ordinary Generation as man he had a mother but not a father He was born of a Virgin but conceived of the Holy Ghost Hence also Moses was conceived and born a sinner even to him as well as to others came the contagion of Original sin and hence he was subject to miscarriages in his life but of Christ the Apostle can say Such an high Priest we have who is holy Heb. 7. harmlesse undefiled seperate from sinners and hence he could appeal to his enemies themselves and say Joh 8.46 which of you convinces me of evil 2. As Moses brought Israel from bondage under Pharaoh so Christ hath set us free from bondage under Satan the Prince of darknesse and here the comparison holds aptly the Parallels are Christ and Moses Satan and Pharaoh bodily and spiritual bondage Israel according to the flesh and Israel according to the spirit but here also Christ is though like Moses yet far more excellent then He. Moses wrought an external deliverance the conveniencies of which reached to the bodies of the Israelites an handful of the world but Christ hath wrought a spiritual deliverance the conveniencies of which reach to the souls of all Believers of all Nations what comparison is there between them Moses though he began the work could not yet consummate it he brings Israel out of Aegypt he carried them through the red Sea and through the Wilderness even to the Borders of the Land of Promise but he must not put them into the possession of it Ioshua must begin where Moses left he must bring Israel into it But yet neither could Ioshua make a perfect work of it he put them into Possession but neither could he nor all the following Judges and Kings keep them in Possession how soon and how frequently were they molested and brought under their enemies how were they at last dispossest the Ten Tribes by Salmanasar the other Two Tribes by Nebuchadnezzar And though they were released by Cyrus and by Ezrah and Nehemiah brought again into their own Country yet how were they by the Romanes so dispossest and scattered into all Nations that to this day they never had the happinesse to return again to their native soil but remain scattered Vagabonds over the face of the whole world but Christ hath wrought a full and perfect salvation for us He hath set us free from that miserable slavery in which we were under Satan that hellish Pharaoh He hath brought us into and maugre the malice of all our spiritual enemies upholds us in the state of salvation 3. Moses was a mediator between God and the people Deut. 5.5 1 Tim. 2.5 I stood sayes he between the Lord and you and so is Christ a mediator between God and us There is one Mediator sayes the Apostle between God and man even the man Jesus Christ Herein therefore He was like Moses but yet herein also He farre exceeded him as the Apostle sayes Heb. 8.6 He namely Christ is Mediator of a better Covenant which was established upon better promises 4. Moses wrought great signes and wonders in Aegypt and the Red Sea and in the Wildernesse the History of the old Testament makes it manifest And Christ also wrought great miracles the History of the Evangelists is clear for it therefore herein also Moses was a Type of Christ and yet herein also He farre exceeds him Joh. 15.24 Hear we our Saviour If I had not done among them the works that no other man did c. hear the blind man restored to his sight Ioh. 9.32 Since the world began was is it not heard that any man did open the eyes of one that was born blind Hear the attestations of the people upon the stilling of the Tempest Matth. 8.27 What manner of man is this that even the winds and the sea obey him upon the casting out of the unclean spirit Mar. 1.27 what thing is this what new Doctrine is this for with Authority commands He even the unclean spirits and they obey him upon the healing of the paralitick we never saw it on this fashion Mar. 2.12 and finally upon the healing of
separated between God and you It is an excellent passage of Saint Chrysostom to this purpose As the Refiner of Gold says he casting Gold into the Fine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Sicue in conflatoriam fornacem aurifex aurum injiciens tamdiu sinit illud ab igne examinari quousque purius viderit Ita Deus tamdiu hominum animas malis probari permittit quousque purae fiant splendidae To. 5. Ser. in Paralytic c. continues the Fire so long till he sees it come forth more pure So God doth so long suffer the Souls of men to lie under Evils till they be pure and bright If Evils then continue thank we our selves that we have not profited by the Cross under which we have layn Let us but repent of our sins and we shall finde God propitious to us easing us of our pressures Isai 10.12 and rendering to our Enemies the fruit of their stout Hearts Christ and Christians The Scripture takes knowledg of an Agreement between them in many Particulars but of a Distance between them in many more 1. Christ is the Son of God and we are the Sons of God John 20.17 I go says our Saviour to my Father and your Father Matth. 11.25 Christ calls God his Father Father says he I thank thee that thou hast hid c. and he teaches us to say Matth 6.9 Our Father which art in Heaven Nathaneel can confess John 1.49 Mat. 3.17 and 15.5 Thou art the Son of God yea the Father from Heaven gives this Testimony of him This is my beloved Son and of Christians the Evangelist says To as many as received him Iohn 1.12 he gave power to be called the Sons of God even to as many as believe in his Name And Saint Paul Ye are all the Children of God through Faith in Christ Jesus Gal. 3.26 2. Hebr. 1.2 Rom. 8.17 Christ is said to be the Heir of all things and the Apostle affirms us to be Coheirs with Christ and therefore the same Apostle can give us this assurance All things are yours 1 Cor. 3 21 3. Christ was and is at once King Priest and Prophet of the Church and all godly Christians are Kings to rule over their Passions and Priests to offer up to God Spiritual Sacrifices 1 Pet. 2.5 9 Rev. 1.6 and Prophets to instruct and edifie one another Acts 10.38 Psalm 45.7 Luke 2.9 13 Matth. 4.11 Luke 22.43 Matth. 28.2 Acts 1.10 Matth. 25.31 Heb. 1.14 Psalm 34.7 Luke 16.22 4. Christ was anointed with the Holy Ghost and we are also Partakers of the same Unction 5. Christ had the Angels ministering unto him at his Birth at his Combat with the Devil in his Agony in the Garden at his Resurrection at his Ascension and so shall have at his Return to Judgment And we have the Angels ministering unto us in our Life and at our Death 6. It 's said of Christ Heb. 2.10 Luke 24.26 The Prince of our Salvation was made perfect through Suffering and that he ought to suffer and so to enter into Glory And so of us it is said That through many Afflictions we must enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Acts 14.22 7. As Christ dying rose again so we dying shall rise again The Apostle takes notice of this 1 Thes 4.14 If we believe says he that Jesus dying rose again even so them also that sleep in Jesus shall God bring with him 8. Rev. 3.21 As Christ overcoming sat with his Father in his Throne so we overcoming shall sit with Christ in his Throne Thus there is an Agreement between Christ and Christians but there is also a vast difference between him and them 1. He is the Son of God and we are the Children of God but here is a vast disproportion between him and us He as God is the Son of God by Eternal Generation and so God himself says Thou art my Son Psalm 2.7 this day have I begotten thee And Christ-Man is the Son of God by vertue of the Hypostatical Union for God and Man making one Person in Christ if Christ-God be the Son of God Christ-Man must be so no less by vertue of the communication of properties 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dial. 3. of which Theodoret says The things that are proper to each Nature severally are made common to the whole Person by reason of the Unity of Person But Christ-Man is also the Son of God by reason of his extraordinary Conception of the Holy Ghost so the Angel makes the inference in his speech to the blessed Virgin The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the most High shall overshadow thee therefore that holy thing that shall be born of thee Luke 1.35 shall be called the Son of God Thus was and is Christ the Son of God But we are the Sons of God by the Grace of Adoption and that through Christ as the Apostle says Eph. 1.5 Being predestinated to the Adoption of Children by Jesus Christ And by the Grace of Regeneration as the Evangelist having said That Believers are the Children of God John 1.12 13 adds Being born not of blood c. but of God So that Christ was the Son of God from all Eternity we become the Sons of God in Time He was never other then the Son of God but time was Joh. 8.44 when we were of our father the Devil as our Saviour says of the wicked Jews Eph. 2.3 and Children of Wrath says Saint Paul He was the Son of God at the first hand Iohn 20.17 and then we through him as our Saviour intimates in that he says My Father and your Father first mine and then yours 2. The like we may say of the next Particular Christ is the Heir and we are Coheirs with him but he first and we through him and by his means 3. Christ is King Priest and Prophet so are we but in a great difference He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that King 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rev. 19.16 1.5 that Prophet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Priest That King even the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords and the Prince of the Kings of the Earth That Prophet the Honor John 1.21 which Saint John Baptist would not take to himself even the Lord of the Prophets Heb. 3.1 That Priest The High Priest of our Profession whose excellency in this respect hath been already shewed in the Parallel between Christ and the High Priest of the Old Testament Lib. I We in all respects are so far below him that we are not worthy to be named the same day with him and for this That we are Kings Priests and Prophets we are beholden to him Rev. 1.6 who hath made us Kings and Priests to God his Father 4. Christ was anointed and we are anointed but here is a vast difference He at the
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
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
sanguinem fudit in sua fronte conscripserint Sed tum figura tantum valuit in praesenti ad depellendum periculum ut appareat quantum veritas ipsa valitura sit ad plebem Dei protegendam in extrema totius orbis necessitate Divin Instit l. 4 cap. 26. God says he intending to smite the Egyptians to provide for the indemnity of the Hebrews commanded them to sacrifice a Lamb without spot and to mark their doors with the blood of it and so when all the first-born of Egypt perished in one night onely the Hebrews were safe by this means not that the lambs blood of it self was of force to save men but it was an Image or Type of things to come For that Lamb without spot was Christ innocent righteous and holy who being slain by the Jews is an Author of Salvation to all who mark their foreheads with this blood that is with the Cross in which he shed his blood But then the figure was of such force for the present to drive away the danger to shew what force the Truth it self should have to protect the People of God in the extream necessity of the whole World Saint Chrysostom handling those words of the Baptist Jâ—h 1.29 observes That he says not simply Behold the Lamb but Behold the Lamb of God Non dixit simpliciter Agnus sed Agnus Dei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Quia enim alter agnus erat Judaicus ut ostenderet hunc esse Dei ideo ita dixit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Ille pro illa sola gente offerebatur hic pro toto terrarum orbe oblatus fuit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Et illius quidem sanguis corporalem plagam prohibuit à Judaeis hujus autem sanguis purgationem orbi attulit universo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Et vero hic sanguis Judaici agni non ex sua potuit natura quod potuit sed quia hujus erat figura hanc vim obtinuit To. 1. hom 32. For because there was another Lamb of the Jews meaning the Paschal Lamb that he might shew that this was the Lamb of God therefore he so spake That Lamb was offered onely for that Nation but this for the whole World And the blood of that Lamb kept off a temporal plague from the Jews but the blood of this Lamb of Christ namely obtained a cleansing for the whole world And indeed this blood of the Jewish Lamb could not of its own nature do that for which it was appointed but because it was a figure of this Lamb hence it obtained this power Hear St. Hierome The Lambe sayes he is killed Occiditur ovis celebratur pascha interpositis quinquaginta diebus datur lex ad timorem scripta digito Dei occiditur Christus celebratur verum pascha interpositis quinquaginta diebus datur ad charitatem spiritus qui est digitus Dei To. 4. epist 21. de celebr pasc and the Passover is celebrated and after fifty dayes the Law is given for fear written with the finger of God Christ is slain the true Passover is celebrated and after fifty dayes the Holy Ghost who is the finger of God is given to work our hearts to charity Hear him again The Lamb Agnus non in die sed ad vesperam immolatur quia Dominus noster salvator in consummatione seculi passus est To. 4. epist 33. sayes he namely of the Passover was killed and Sacrificed not in the day but in the evening because Christ suffered in the end of the world Pucanus clears this parallel in sundry particulars 1. God required a Lamb without spot or blemish 1. Agnum integrum immaculatum a reliquo grege seperatum exigebat Deus ut scirent ad Deum propitiandum requiri excellentius pretium quam inveniri posset in toto genere humano ut denotaret Agnum innocentem segregatum a peccatoribus Patri obedientem legem perfecte implentem coelesti puritate praeditum ideoque de Spiritu Sancto in virgine conceptum ut aliorum noxam expurgaret and separated from the rest of the flock to shew that for the appeasing of Gods wrath a more excellent price is required then can be found among all mankinde and to foreshew that innocent Lamb separate from sinners obedient to his Father keeping the Law perfectly and indued with heavenly purity and therefore conceived in the Virgin by the Holy Ghost that he might purge away the sins of others 2. God required a male to foreshew 2. Masculum ut designaret potentem futurum illum agnum virili robore praeditum ad tollenda peccata mundi destruendum regnum pecati liberandum nos a servitute peccati Satanae c. Anniculum tamen i. e. tenerum imbecillum scientem infirmitatem quoad naturam humanam quia de fratrum suorum grege sumi per omnia milis nobis excepto peccato esse debuit Heb. 4.13 that that Lamb which was to come should be powerful and endued with man-like strength to take away the sins of the world to destroy the kingdom of sin and to free us from the service of sin Satan c. Yet of an year old that is tender weak knowing infirmity in regard of his humane nature because he was to be taken from among his brethren and to be like unto us in all things sin onely excepted Heb. 4.13 3. Haberi in custodia volebat Deus quatuor diebus viz. a decimo die mensis primi usque ad decimi quarti extremum ut innueret Christum non statim a nativitate sua morti tradendum sed aliquanto tempore a Patre praefinito publicam Evangelii functionem administraturum 3. God would have it kept up four dayes namely from the tenth day of the first moneth to the close of the fourteenth day to imply that Christ should not be delivered to death presently upon this birth but for some space of time set by God should administer his publick function of preaching the Gospel 4. Inter vesperas mactari ut notaret hunc Agnum tandem ad vesperam dierum i. e. plenitudine temporum mactandum 4. God ordered the Lamb to be slain in the evening to note that this Lamb of God should be slain in the evening of Time that is in the fulnesse of Time 5. He ordered that the door-posts should be sprinkled with the blood of the Lamb to shew 5. Illius sanguine postes aspergi ut significaret hujus solius sanguine aspergi tingi insigniri purgari sanctificari corda fidelium per fidem nitentem meriejus aspersione facta fasciculo hysopi h. e. virtute purgante spiritus Ad haec sanguine Christi liminibus cordium nostrorum asperso exterminatorem averti protegi nos ab ira Dei c. that onely with the blood of Christ the hearts of the faithful are sprinkled washed marked purged and
That none shall share in the sweetness of the Pardon of sins by Christ except he first feels with compunction of heart the bitterness of them 13. The Lamb was to be eaten in haste and they that did eat it were to be habited as Travellers 13. Festinanter peregrinantium habitu ut sciamus eos qui accedunt ad Christum paratos esse debere ad incedendum in viae salutis cum studio in dies proficiendi desiderio expectatione vitae coelestis that we may know that they which come to Christ must be ready to walk in the way of Salvation with a study to make a dayly progress out of a desire and expectation of the heavenly life 14. Praecinctis lumbis sic qui Christum manducant debent stare lumbis circumcinctis veritate induti thorace justitiae Eph. 6.14 Vnde Christus Luc. 12.35 Sint lumbi vestri praecincti Pedibus calceati quibus significatur carnis affectus spiritualiter esse regendos ne mundi hujus salebris offendantur Ephes 6.15 Cum spirituali baculo quo gressus suos in itinere regant seipsos in via sustineant hic autem baculus est vera fides 14. With their loyns girded so they that eat Christ ought to stand with their loyns girt about with Truth and having on the brest-plate of Righteousness Eph. 6.14 To which purpose Christ also says Luke 12.35 Let your loyns be girded about With shooes on their feet by which is signified That our affections are to be spiritually ruled lest they be offended with the rugged ways of this World Eph. 6.15 With a spiritual Staff by which they may guide their steps in their journey and uphold themselves in the way but this Staff is true Faith Ainsworth observes the Parallel between Christ and the Paschal Lamb in sundry Particulars 1. The Lamb must be perfect 1 Pet. 1.19 so Christ was a Lamb without blemish 2. The Lamb was to be slain in the Evening and at that season Christ dyed Matt. 27.46 50. and in the Evening of Times in the last days 3. The sprinkling of the Blood notes the applying of Christ's Blood sprinkled upon all Believers Heb. 9.13 14. 4. It was to be eaten with unleavened Bread the Apostle declares the meaning of it 1 Cor. 5.8 Not with the Leaven of malice and wickedness but with the unleavened Bread of Sincerity and Truth 5. The bitter Herbs were to type out the bitter Sorrows of Christ and our Mortification and Afflictions with him 6. It must be roasted with Fire a figure both of the Spirit of God compared to Fire Matth. 3.11 through which Christ offered himself to God Hebr. 9.14 and of the Fire of Gods Wrath which Christ was to suffer while he was made a Curse for us by his Death 7. It must be roasted with the Head the Legs and the Purtenance thereof viz. That it must be roasted all and whole not cut in pieces to signifie our full Communion with Christ whole and undivided 8. None of the Lamb must be left till the morning they were to eat up all if they could at that Meal to teach care for the present enjoying of Christ by Faith and of his whole Covenant without delay Hereby also God would teach Israel That when the Morning the time of Grace in Christ is come there should be no longer reservation of those legal shadows which were to have their accomplishment and end at our Lord's Death Col. 2.16 17 and be condemned as unlawful as if they were burned by the Fire of Gods Word and Spirit 9. They must have their loyns girded and this signifies the girding of the loyns of the Minde with justice strength verity c. Isai 11.5 Eph. 6.13 10. They must have their shooes on this was a figure of the Gospel of Peace Eph. 6.15 wherewith our feet should be ready and firm 11. They must eat it in haste so must we in haste and as with violence Matth. 11.12 apprehend and apply Christ to our selves by Faith The Original word signifies an hastening away as with fear and amazement and so may signifie the sudden fears wrought in the Conscience by the Gospel of Christ at the first Preaching of it Acts 2.37 though afterwards it gives comfort and peace 12. No bone of the Lamb was to be broken to foreshew Joh. 19.35 36 That no bone of Christ our Passover should be broken as it was fulfilled CHAP. XVII Christ and the Manna SImlerus makes the Comparison in many Particulars In Exod. 16. 1. Manna was called as it were Mah hu 1. Dicitur quasi Mah hu quod ignorarent quid esset Christus autem in sua venit sui eum non agnoverunt because they knew not what it was and Christ came to his own and his own knew him not 2. Or it 's so called as it were 2. Vel dicitur Donum praeparatum sic Deus dilexit mundum ut daret nobis filium unigenitum Ante secula praedestinatus est ut carnem assumeret a Gift or prepared God so loved the World that he gave his onely begotten Son And he was predestinated before the World to be incarnate 3. Manna descended from Heaven and what is more known 3. Manna de coelo descendit Quid notius quam Messiam de coelo venisse quod non tantum de divina sed etiam humana Natura adeoque integro Messia dicitur Substantia carnis Christi eadem est cum nostra ex Virgine matre sumpta sed tamen coelestis dicitur non substantiae natura sed conceptionis ex S. Spiritus ratione then that the Messiah came from Heaven which is said not onely of the Divine but also of the Humane Nature and so of the whole Messiah The substance of his flesh is the same with ours and taken from the Virgin his Mother yet it 's called heavenly not in regard of the nature of the substance of it but in regard of the Conception of the Holy Ghost 4. The Manna was equally distributed to all the Israelites 4. Manna aequaliter omnibus distribuitur Christo integro fruuntur fideles sive sint mares foeminae Servi Domini Graeci Barbari And all the faithful enjoy whole Christ whether they be Males Females Servants Masters Greeks or Barbarians 5. Omnes Israelitae in deserte victitarunt Manna ita non hahemus alium cibum vitae coelestis sed hoc solo vivimus in hoc mundo 5. All the Israelites in the Desart lived upon the Manna so we have no other food of Eternal Life but of this alone we live in this World 6. The Manna was white and Christ is a Lamb unspotted 6. Candidum est Manna Christus est agnus sine macula dolus non est inventus in ore ejus There was no guile found in his mouth 7. Suavis est mellis sapore Christus pronunciat jugum ejus suave
Gouge observes the parallel between Christ and the Tabernacle in sundry particulars 1. Exod. 29.44 45. Col. 2.9 God sanctified the Tabernacle to be a place to dwell in So in Christ the fulnesse of the Godhead dwels bodily 2. Exod. 40.34 Joh 1.14 Gods glory was most conspicuously seen in the Tabernacle Never was any place so fil'd with the glory of God as the body of Christ 3. In the Tabernacle Sacrifices Oblations and Incense were offered up Heb. 5.7 10.5 and all holy services performed So Christ in his body offered up his Sacrifice his prayers and all his holy services 4. Lev. 1.3 Heb. 13.15 To the Tabernacle the people brought all their Sacrifices and Offerings so we must bring all ours to Christ 5. The Tabernable sanctified all in it Matth. 23.17 so whatsoever is offered up in Christ or from him conveighed to us is sanctified 6. As the Priest did tread upon the Sanctuary so did Christ tread upon his body by his manifold sufferings 7. Exod. 26.33 Heb 9.12 The high Priest entred by the Tabernacle into the most holy place so Christ by his body did enter into heaven Christ and the Shewbread Of this hear Dr. Gouge Com. on Heb 9. This shewbread was a type of Christ who stiled himself the bread of life Joh. 6.33.35 1. As bread is to the body the means of life so is Christ to the soul 2. The soul stands in as great need of Christ as the body doth of bread 3. The shew-bread was called in Hebrew the bread of faces because it was set before the face and presence of God Exod. 25.30 And this typifies Christs appearing before God for us continually 4. The shew-bread was made of flour This was a type of Christs incarnation and Passion he was as grain that grew out of the grownd and as grain ground in a Mill and Bolted Heb. 7.25 5. The flour was fine flour to shew the purity of Christs nature 6. There were two tenth deales in each loaf which is almost half a peck more then a bushel in the 12 loaves This typified the plenty of food which we have by Christ in which respect he saies He that comes to me shall never hunger Joh. 6.35 7. The 12 loaves were set in two rowes six in a row This typified that unity and order which is in the Church of God which is the body of Christ 8. An especial appurtenance was Frankincense on each row This prefigured that acceptation which all the members of Christ have with God in his beloved by vertue of which the Lord smells a sweet savor upon all the oblations of his people Eph. 1.6 Gen. 8.21 Lev. 24.8 as he did on Noahs burnt-offering Heb. 10.12 Lev. 24.9 9. This bread was renewed every Sabboth that bread might be alwaies before the Lord. Thus is Christ continually before God for us Matth. 12.5 1 Pet. 2.5 9. 10. The Priests onely were to eat of this bread This typified that they onely have a right to feed upon Christ who are of the spiritual and royal Priesthood Behold here the Priviledg of Saints by feeding on Christ John 6.51 we are made Partakers of Eternal Life 11. Levit. 24.9 The Shew-bread was to be eaten in the holy place And Christ is fit to be fed upon onely in sanctified hearts He dwells in our hearts by Faith Eph. 3.17 12. The Vessels in which these were to be kept Exod. 25.29 were of sundry sorts two for the Bread one to hold it and another to cover it and two for the Frankincense one to hold it and the other to cover it This teaches That holy things must be charily kept our Hearts are these Dishes which ought to be as pure as Gold In them this Bread of life and sweet Incense is to be kept They must be kept close from the dust of Wickedness yea and of Worldliness Christ and the Second Vail Of this hear Dr. Gouge In Heb. 9. p. 309. It 's called the second Vail in reference to another by which the Priests entered into the Holy place but by this the High Priest alone entered into the Holy of Holies This second Vail was a Type of Christs flesh for so the Apostle expounds it in these words Hebr. 10.20 Through the Vail that is to say his flesh 1. This Vail shadowed the glory of the most holy place Phil. 2.7 so did the flesh of Christ overshadow his Divine Glory 2. Heb. 10.19 20 By this Vail there was an Enterance into the most holy place so by the flesh of Christ there is an Enterance into Heaven 3. This Vail was made of fine Linnen and this was a Type of the pure Righteousness of Christ Revel 19.8 with which the Saints are clothed 4. This Linnen is said to be twined and that for strength which shewed the stedfastness of Christs Righteousness and that as apprehended by Faith 5. The colours were most precious blue purple and scarlet These colours shew forth blood and shew That in Christs flesh is that pure blood wherewith the Church is purged Revel 1.5 They shew also the Glory of Christ even in his flesh 6. This Vail was of curious workmanship And this with the fore-named colours was a Type of excellent Graces Psalm 45.2 7 John 3.34 with which Christ in his Humane Nature was adorned 7. This Vail was wrought with Cherubims These were shapes of young men with wings They did in particular set forth the attendance of the Angels on Christ as he was God-man the Head of the Church for the Angels are said to ascend and descend upon the Son of man John 1.51 This is a point of great comfort Hebr. 1.14 for by vertue hereof they are made ministring spirits to us Psal 91.11 12 Psalm 34.7 Luke 16 and have a charge given them to keep us in all our ways and therefore they pitch their Tents about us and are ready to carry our Souls to Heaven when we dye 8. This Vail was hung on four Pillars of Shittim Wood covered with Gold and set in Sockets of Silver the Hooks to which the Vail was fastened were all of Gold The Pillars set out the Deity of Christ by which his Humanity was supported in all that he endured The Hooks and Sockets of Silver set out the Union of Christs Humane Nature with his Divine On Exod. 26 Ainsworth observes the Comparison between Christ and this Vail 1. The special use of this Vail was to divide between the holy place and the Holy of Holies and so to debar men from entering yea or looking into the most holy place Heb. 9.8 whereby the Holy Ghost signifies as the Apostle says that the way into the Holies was not yet manifested while the first Tabernacle was standing that is the way to Heaven which the most holy place shadowed was not by those legal Services Heb. 9.24 and 10.19
but should be opened unto men by Christ first entering there with his blood Therefore also this Vail signified the flesh of Christ under which the Godhead was vailed and through which by suffering death he entered himself Heb. 9.19 20 and made way also for us to enter into Heaven 2. The curious Embroidery and glorious Cherubims of this Vail signified the manifold Graces of the Spirit and heavenly Affections which Christ had in his Humane Nature and which he also communicates unto us by the Ministry of his Word and Spirit likewise the heavenly Mysteries which are in the Ordinances of Moses's Law rightly understood Christ and the Altar of Burnt-offering Ainsworth compares these together On Exod. 27 1. The Altar and Sacrifice signified Christ sanctifying himself for his Church and by his Mediation sanctifying the dayly Service of his People of which also the Altar was a publique sign 2. The Altar had four Horns which were not onely for ornament Ezek. 43.16 but also to keep things from falling off the Altar for the Horns were upward And Horns usually signifying power and might these four Horns signifie the Power and Glory of Christs Priesthood for the Salvation of his Church Hab. 3.4 gathered from the four Corners of the Earth 3. The Altar was overlayd with Brass which was strong to bear the Fire that continually burned upon the Altar hereby figuring Christs suffering Gods Wrath and Afflictions without being consumed and overcome Christ and the Golden Censer In Heb. 9. p. 311. Of this hear Dr. Gouge It is says he an Instrument made with a broad Pan to hold Fire on it with an Handle to hold it by 1. This Censer was of Gold this typified Christ and his Purity Preciousness and Everlastingness 2. Incense was put upon the Censer this typified that sweetness of Grace and Goodness which was in Christ 3. Burning coals were put under the Incense to make it send forth the sweet savor thereof and so the burning coals set out the manifestation of the sweetness of his Grace by his Intercession 4. The Incense was beaten small and declared Christs Passion and bitter Agony 5. The High Priest together with the Incense on the Censer carried also blood with him which typified that Satisfaction which Christ made by his Passion Thus Christ our High Priest entered into Heaven with his Censer of Incense and Blood to shew That his Blood was a price to ransom us from Sin and his Intercession moved God to accept thereof for us 6. This Censer with the Incense was brought within the Vail into the most holy place which typified Heaven so as Christ in Heaven makes Intercession for us Rom. 8.34 7. The burning Coals and Incense were put upon the Censer Lev. 16.13 that a Cloud might cover the Mercy-seat the sweet Incense by the heat of the burning coals caused such smoke to rise from it and made a thick cloud for God appeared in Glory on the Mercy-seat so as the Priest could not endure the brightness of it but the Cloud of Incense so covered the same as he might stand before it Thus by the Mediation of Christ we are made capable of appearing before the Throne of Gods Grace When a Cloud covers the Sun we may look upon it so may we look upon God through the Mediation of Christ 8. Lev. 16.19 The issue of the High Priest's so appearing with burning Incense in the Censer was that he should not dye Our sins provoke God to Wrath who is a consuming fire but by the Mediation of Christ that Fire is like that which did not consume the Bush And so may we who are Gods Priests with this Censer and Incense burning on it appear before God with much comfort CHAP. XIX Christ and the Ark of the Covenant OF this hear Dr. Gouge In Heb. 9. p. 313. This is a special Type of Christ and a very fit one For 1. It 's called Arca a Chest or Coffer And in a Chest or Coffer men put their Jewels Plate Treasure and whatsoever is precious and whereof they make high account and his Treasure being in his Coffer his Heart is there also Thus in Christ are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledg Col. 2.3 John 1.14 Col. 1.19 He is full of Grace and Truth It pleased the Father that in him all fulness should dwell Hereupon is Christ the Son of Gods Love Col. 1.13 Isai 42.1 Heb. 10.12 his Elect in whom his Soul delights and he is ever at the right hand of God Exod. 25.10 11 2. The Ark was made of Shittim Wood and Gold It 's here said to be layd over with Gold The word that is here translated overlayd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to be compassed about or covered about It is expressed Exod. 25.11 Thou shalt overlay it with Gold within and without thou shalt overlay it This added much to the glory and excellency of the Ark and declared That Christ is every way glorious and excellent within and without in Soul and in Body in his Humane and Divine Nature Exod. 25.11 3. It was adorned with a Crown or Border of Gold round about This did signifie the Glory of Christ and the Excellency of those Graces with which he is crowned 4. It had Rings of Gold and Bars and they were for the carrying of it about And these shewed That Christ and the Treasures of God layd up in him are to be preached wheresoever the Church is 5. The Ark was had in high account both by God himself and also by his People 1. God made it a sacred Representation of his Presence In this respect it is stiled The Ark of God whose Name is called by the Name of the Lord of Hosts 2 Sam. 6.2 or at which the Name even the Name of the Lord of Hosts was called upon that dwelleth between the Cherubims Where the Ark was there was God counted to be present Num. 10.33 Therefore when the People removed from place to place the Ark went before them There God promised to commune with Moses of all things which he would give him in commandment Exod. 25.22 Therefore the Priests used to ask Counsel of the Lord before the Ark 1 Sam. 14.18 which is said to be before the Lord. Where the Ark was there was a fit place to offer Sacrifice Iudg. 20.26 And in solemn Prayer people used to fall down before the Ark. John 14.8 9 This typifies Gods high account of Christ Iohn 1.18 Never was there such a Representation of the Father as Christ his Son All the Oracles of God come to us from Christ Heb. 13.15 And by him we are to offer up all our Sacrifices 2. The Saints also had the Ark in high account nothing was accounted more dear and precious unto them witness the zeal of David about it 2 Sam 6.2 Nothing more grieved and pierced them then the loss of
to be the Priests of the Lord. And he shall sprinkle her blood to testifie that Christ according to the Scriptures shed his blood for the remission of sins And they shall burn her This burning is a sign of the resurrection for its the nature of fire to move upward And that in his sight namely in the sight of the Priest because the resurrection of Christ was to be manifested to them who were to be the Royal Priesthood And her skin flesh and blood with her dung was to be burnt to signifie that not onely the substance of Christs body but also the contumelies and the reproaches of the people against him signified by the dung should be turned into glory which the flame of the burning doth signifie And the Priest shall take c. The Cedar-wood is Hope which ought to dwell firmly above Faith is the Hyssope which being a low-growing herb is yet firmely rooted in the rock Charity is the scarlet which by its fiery colour shews the fervor of spirit These three we are to cast into the Resurrection of Christ as into the middle of the burning that our life may be hid with him And he shall wash c. Vers 7. The washing of the cloathes and body what is it other then the cleansing of that which is within and that which is without And he that shall burn c. Vers 8. By him that burnes the Heifer I conceive them to be understood that buried the body of Christ commiting it to the Resurrection as to the burning And he shall gather the ashes together c. Ver. 9. What is the ashes of the Heifer namely the remainders of the burning other then the fame and report that followed the Passion and Resurrection of Christ There was ashes because Christ was condemned by the unbelievers as stark dead but yet had a power to cleanse because he is believed by the faithful to be risen again And because this report was more famous among the other nations and them that were not Jewes therefore it s said A man that is clean shall gather c. namely clean from the killing of Christ which had made the Jewes unclean And he shall lay them up in a clean place that is he shal handle them respectively yet without the Camp because the Gospel was most honoured by them that used not the Jewish Rites And it shall be kept for the Congregation c. He doth more fully declare that of the ashes of the Heifer should be made a water of separation to cleanse them from the touching of the dead that is from the sins of this dying life And he that shall gather the ashes c. Vers 10. How shall he by this action be unclean that came to it clean but because they that seem clean to themselves come by the Christian faith to acknowledge themselves that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God being justified freely by his blood Rom. 3.23.24 Yet it is said that this man shall wash his clothes not his body I believe because he would give us to understand that by the gathering and laying up of the ashes he is inwardly cleansed as Cornelius hearing and believing the things that were preached by Peter was so cleansed that even before the visible baptisme he with the rest that were present received the Holy Ghost Yet neither should the visible Sacrament be despised that being also outwardly cleansed he might also wash his clothes And it shall be to the children of Israel and to the stranger c. This shewes that the baptisme of Christ which it signified by the water of separation should profit both Jewes and Gentiles But who can forbear to observe that even after washing it s said that he shall be unclean until the evening by which I know not whether any other thing can be understood then that even after the most full remission of sins while a man remaines in this life he is prone to contract something by means of which he should be unclean until the end of this life where this day is shut up to him in a manner which the evening doth signifie But that which he saies Vers 18. The hyssope shall be dipped in the water by which herb faith is signified nothing else can be meant by it but that which is written purifying their Hearts by Faith Act. 15.9 Baptisme profits not if faith be wanting It s said finally that this is to be done by a man that is clean by whom are signified Ministers representing the person of their Lord who is truly clean In Num. 19. Ainsworth also notes this red Heifer to be a Type of Christ and that in many particulars 1. The Heifer was taken of the people saies he to shew the interest that they all had in it and by faith in that which it figured Christ And a little after he addes As other Sacrifices of beasts prefigured Christ so this in special figured him 1. The Heifer was red so Christ in his humane nature was red Isa 63.1 2. by the participation of our affliction Luk. 1.35 1 Pet. 2.22 2. The Heifer was perfect and without blemish so was Christ without blemish of sin both in his Person and Actions 3. Never yoke came on this Heifer so was Christ without yoke as being free from the bondage of sin and corruption and from servitude to men in the ordinances of men in religion and as doing voluntarily the things that pertained to our redemption 4. This Heifer was to be brought to E'eazar the Priest which figured that the work of our redemption and purification from sin belonged to Christs Priestly Office Heb. 9.9 13 14. He in performing the truth of this Type was both Priest and Sacrifice Heb. 13.11 12 5. This Heifer was carried without the Camp which figured Christs suffering without the gates of Jerusalem Lev. 14.14 so without the Camp malefactors were to suffer death 6. The Priest was to take of the blood with his finger figuring the Finger that is Heb. 9.22 23 24. 10.19 20 22 the Spirit of our Priest Christ Jesus whereby he hath sprinkled the way for us into Heaven and our Hearts from an evil Conscience that we may have access thither by his blood 7. The blood was to be sprinkled directly before the Tabernacle of the Congregation that is towards the fore part or door of the Tabernacle The Priest stood without the Camp where the Heifer was slain and there sprinkled towards the Tabernacle seven times which is a full and compleat number And that place being a figure of Heaven Heb. 9.24 this sprinkling thitherward typed out how Liberty should be procured for Gods People Heb. 10.19 20 to enter into the Holiest by the blood of Jesus by the new and living Way which he hath consecrated for us 8. The Cedar Wood the Cedar being one of the greatest and tallest Trees and durable Wood that rotteth not figures the
this word Messiah It 's the same with the word Christ as the notation of the words shew Messiah of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both which words signifie to anoint And so Jesus is called Messiah or Christ both passively because he is anointed and actively because he anoints us Christ was anointed that is he is ordained to be the King Priest and Prophet of his Church and he was furnished with Gifts in his Humane Nature whereby he might be fitted for the execution of his Offices Christ is ordained to be the King of his Church so says God I have set my King upon my holy Hill of Sion Psalm 2.6 And so the Prophet Isaiah calls him the King of Peace Isai 9.6 And the Prophet Zachariah can say of him Zach. 9.9 Behold thy King comes So Nathaneel in the New Testament could confess Thou art the Son of God John 1.49 thou art the King of Israel He is ordained to be the Prophet of the Church So Moses foretels it of him in the Old Testament Deut. 18.15 The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee of thy Brethren And this both Saint Peter and that blessed Protomartyr Acts 3.22 and 7.37 Saint Steven applies to Christ He is ordained to be the Priest of the Church So says the Psalmist Psalm 110.4 The Lord hath sworn and will not repent Thou art a Priest for ever c. And so in the New Testament Saint Paul calls him the High Priest of our Profession Hebr. 3.1 He is furnish'd with Gifts fitting him for the execution of these Offices Psalm 45.7 God thy God says the Psalmist hath anointed thee with the Oyl of gladness above thy fellows And the Prophet Isaiah Isai 9.6 The Government shall be upon thy shoulders The Government is a burden therefore he hath shoulders given him upon which to bear it And the holy Baptist can tell us John 3.34 That God hath given him the Spirit not by measure But this Name Messiah or Christ is also given him actively because he makes us Partakers of this Anointing Psalm 45.7 Christ is anointed above his fellows therefore his fellows also in their measure were anointed Psalm 133.2 So the precious ointment poured on the head of Aaron came down to the skirts of his garment 1 John 2.20 And so Saint John tells us That we have received an Vnction from that Holy One. And this implies both that He hath made us Kings and Priests Rev. 1.6 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 2.9 Jude 20 a Royal or Kingly Priesthood yea and Prophets also to edifie one another in our most holy Faith and also that from him as the Giver of all Grace we have received in our measure by which we may be fitted in our places to honor and serve God and to be useful one to another John 1.16 so says the Evangelist Of his fulness we have received and Grace for Grace And the Apostle Eph. 4.7 To every one of us Grace is given according to the measure of the Gift of Christ Now therefore let us carry our selves to him as such He is our King therefore let us be obedient to the Laws of his Kingdom let us fly to him for Protection in time of danger Submit we our selves to his Punishments receive we his Embassadors and their Embassies pay the Taxes and Impositions that he lays upon us defend we his Honor though with never so much hazard and prejudice to our selves count we it our Honor to serve him though in never so low a kinde of service He is our Prophet and the Prophet of his Church therefore let us hear him let us yield to his Doctrine the Obedience of Faith and Practise Matth. 17.5 This is my beloved Son hear him says God from Heaven at his Transfiguration And Moses Vnto him shall ye harken Deut. 18.15 Deut. 18.19 And hear how he brings in God speaking Whosoever will not harken to the words which he shall speak in my name I will require it of him What is that hear St. Peter expounding it Every soul that will not hear that Prophet Act. 3.23 shall be destroyed from among the people And whom shall we hear if not him that hath the words of eternal life Joh. 6.68 He is the high Priest of his Church let us therefore rely upon his Priesthood rest upon the Satisfaction which he hath made to the Law and Justice by his death upon the Crosse If the question be How we hope to have pardon of sin to be reconciled to God and to come to everlasting life let our answer be None but Christ none but Christ for to him in Scripture all these are attributed In whom saies the Apostle we have remission of sins by his blood He hath made us accepted in his beloved Eph. 1.7 Eph. 1.6 We have peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord Eternal life is the gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. And in general Rom. 5.1 Rom. 6.23 There is no name under heaven by which we can be saved but by the name of Jesus Act. 4.12 He that for the obtaining of any of these lookes to himself or any other besides Christ is guilty of these two evils Forsaking the fountain of living waters Jer. 2.13 and Digging to him self broken cisterns cisterns that can hold no water Rely we upon his intercession by him offering up our prayers and praises to God not doubting but that for his sake they shall be heard and accepted Whatsoever ye ask my father in my name saies our Saviour Joh. 16.34 Eph. 5.20 he will give it you Giving thanks to God and the Father saies St. Paul in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ Yea the Apostle gives yet a further injunction Whatsoever ye do in word or deed do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Col 3.17 1 Tim. 2.6 Dote not on Saints and Angels There is one Mediator the Man Jesus Christ. It s true say the Romanists Christ is the onely Mediator of Redemption but the Saints are mediators of intercession But hear we what St. Paul saies Rom. 8.34 Christ is set on his fathers right hand making intercession for us And St. John We have not Advocates 1 Joh. 2.2 as speaking of many but an Advocate as speaking of one Jesus Christ the righteous And Calvin doth excellently note the absurdity of this answer As if saies he Christ having finished the temporary mediation should leave the eternal mediation Quasi vero Christus mediatione temporaria perfunctus aeternam ad servos suos rejecerit Institut l. 3. c. 20. s 20. namely of intercession to his servants But say they we may well hope the better to speed in our prayers when they are presented to God in the name of Saints and Angels who are
more in favour with God then we can hope to be But then what shall we need to look to any other besides Christ for as St. Ambrose saies well Who is dearer to the Father Quis charior Patri filio de quo ipse Pater dixit Hic est filius meus dilectus in quo mihi complacitum est In Rom. 1. then the Son of whom the Father himself saies This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Who will make use of the mediation of any Courtier to the King when he hath the Kings dearest Son to intercede for him He is fully and richest furnished in his humane nature with all gifts by which he is fitted for the execution of his threefold Office what then should hinder but that we should fully rest upon his mediation upon his Kingly power to defend us against all enemies upon him as a Prophet to instruct us in all things needfull to be known believed and done to salvation upon him as a Priest by his death on the Cross to obtain pardon of sins reconciliation and peace with God and finally everlasting salvation and by vertue of his intercession at his Fathers right hand to speed in our prayers and to be accepted in our praises and thanksgivings and in all acts of Holinesse and Righteousnesse and Charity which in obedience to his command we endeavour to perform But further in this name Messiah or Christ it s implied as we have heard that he hath made us Kings and Priests and Prophets let us therefore walk as such let us carry our selves as Kings not giving way to our lusts but labouring to subdue them as Kings strive to subdue Rebels rising against them Mortifie saies the Apostle your members on the earth Col. 3 5 1 Pet. 2.5 Psal 141.2 Heb. 12.15 Heb. 13.16 Rom. 12.1 Psal 51.17 Let us behave our selves as Priests offering up spiritual Sacrifices the Sacrifice of Prayer the Sacrifice of Praise the Sacrifice of Almes the Sacrifice of our Bodies the Sacrifice of a broken and contrite Spirit What becomes Christians better being spiritual Priests then to offer up these spiritual Sacrifices daily finally let us do the workes of Prophets Col. 3.16 Heb. 10.24 Heb. 3.13 1 Thess 4.18 Jude Ver. 20 teaching and admonishing one another considering one another to provoke to love and good works exhorting one another daily comforting one another and in general Edifying one another in our most holy faith Finally As hath been said in this name Messiah or Christ it s implied that from him grace is conveyed unto every member of the Church rendring them able to serve and honour God and to be useful to others Let us therefore wanting grace in any kinde or measure seek to Christ for it and by an act of faith draw from his fulnesse grace for grace Having grace in any kind or degree let us be humble not arrogating any praise to our selves for it but giving the glory of it to Christ from whom we have received it and saying with the Psalmist Not to us Lord not to us Psal 115.1 but to thy name give the glory And finally having received from Christ whatsoever grace we have in whatsoever proportion it be let us employ it to the advantage of Christs honour by using it to the benefit of others for there is reason that what we receive from Christ we should use it to his honour from whom we have received it and answer his expectation in the use of it now what his expectation is 1 Cor. 12.7 the Apostle tells us saying That the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every one to profit withall And thus using the grace which is given us we shall provide for the honour of Christ while we shall give them occasion to blesse Christ that hath given such gifts unto men And now shall Christ say to us at that great day Matth. 25. Well done good and faithful servant PARALLELS LIB II. CHAP. I. HAving in the former Book dispatched the Parallels between Christ and the Types by which he was fore-shadowed in the Old Testament I shall now in this Book present you with the Parallels between him and those other Resemblances by which he is set forth in the Old or in the New Testament And in laying them down I shall not stand upon any accurate Division but onely observe the Alphabetical Order Christ compared with Bread and Wine Thus doth our Saviour set forth himself and that in regard of his flesh and blood for so he says plainly I am the Bread of Life and then he adds John 6.35 48 The Bread that I will give is my flesh John 6.51 which I will give for the Life of the World And therefore in the first Institution of the blessed Eucharist Our blessed Saviour took Bread Matth. 26.26 and said of it This is my Body Not that it was properly his Body for there is a vast difference between them nor that it was by Transubstantiation changed into his Body for even when it comes to the act of eating it remains still Bread but the word is is as much as it signifies And so Tertullian expounds the words Christ says he taking Bread Christus acceptum panem distributum Discipulis suis corpus suum illum fecit dicendo Hoc est corpus meum i. e. figura corporis mei Contr. Marc. l. 4. Haec oblatio figura est corporis sanguinis Christi De Sacra l. 4. c. 5. Non dubitavit Dominus dicere Hoc est corpus meum cum signum daret corporis sui Tom. 6. contr Adimant c. 12. and distributing it to his Disciples made it his Body saying his is my Body that is a figure of my Body And so Saint Ambrose This Oblation says he is a figure of the Body and Blood of Christ And so Saint Austin The Lord did not doubt to say This is my Body when he gave the sign of his Body And this was in regard of the excellent harmony between the Body of Christ and Bread between the Blood of Christ and Wine which ye may see in sundry Particulars I. In some common Things As 1. Bread and Wine are necessary things there is no living without them we are taught to pray for Bread as the staff of our lives All Bread and no Drink or all Drink and no Bread were either of them unkindly Hear we what the Psalmist says Wine to cheer the heart of man Psalm 104.15 and Bread to strengthen mans heart All the Wealth of the World would do a man small pleasure if he were debarred of the use of either or both of these So the Body and Blood of Christ are of absolute necessity to a Christian there is no possibility of living eternally without these It is most true that our Saviour says If any man eats of this Bread Iohn 6.51 he shall live for ever and it 's no less true of drinking
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
corruption This difference the Apostle notes between Christ and David Act. 13.36 37 David having served his generation saies he after the will of God fell asleep and was laid to his Fathers and saw corruption but he whom God raised again saw no corruption St. Austin observes this difference between Christ and all Christians in general His flesh namely Christs Illius caro non vidit corruptionem nostra post corruptionem in fixe seculi induet incorruptionem In Joan. Evang. tract 84. saw no corruption our flesh after it hath been corrupted shall put on incorruption And again Christ rose by his own power for so he saies Destroy this Temple Joh. 2.19 and in three daies I will raise it up And this he spake Ver. 21. saies the Evangelist of the Temple of his body But our bodies shall be raised by the power of Christ and by vertue of the union that is between Christ and us And therefore the Apostle ascribes this great work to Christ who saies the Apostle shall change our vile bodies Phil. 3.21 and make them like unto his glori us body Gregory the great puts both these together Christ saies he was not raised as others are Non ut reliqui suscitatus est Christus nostra enim resurrectio in finem seculi dilata est illius autem die tertio celebratur Nos per illum resurgimus ipse autem per se In Job l. 24. c. 2. for our resurrection is deferred until the end of the world Christ rose on the third day we shall be raised by Christ he rose by his own power 8. As for the last resemblance between Christ and us It s true Christ overcoming sat with his father on his throne and we overcoming shall sit with Christ on his Throne but yet here is a great distance The victory of Christ over his and our enemies is of himself by his own power but our victory is of God through Christ We are more then conquerors Rom. 8.37 saies the Apostle through him that hath loved us And Blessed be God 1 Cor. 15.57 that hath given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ And the exaltation of Christ it agreeing to Christ in regard of his humane nature is of Christ himself together with the Father and the Holy Ghost according to that known saying The works of the Trinity towards the creature are undivided Opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa unitas essentiae cooperatio Elohim As there is one essence common to them all so there is a co-working of the three Persons But our Exaltation is from Christ as the Author of it To him that overcomes will I give to sit with me c. And Rev. 3.21 Rev. 2.10 Be thou faithful to the death and I will give thee the crown of life So that upon all these Particulars it's plain That it 's not without cause that the Church says of her Husband My welbeloved is white and ruddy Cant. 5.10 the chiefest among ten thousand upon which place Gregory the Great glosses well Candidus rubicundus quia nullum omnino peccatum faciens justitiae pulchritudinem ex integro tenuit tamen tanquam peccator esset ad mortis passionem accessit Ex millibus electus est quia ex totius generis humani massa nullus sine peccato reperitur ipse autem non solum sine peccato fuit sed peccatores sua justitia sanguine redemit To. 2. in Cant. 5.10 White and ruddy because having committed no sin he kept the beauty of Righteousness entire and yet as if he had been a sinner he came to the suffering of Death The chiefest among ten thousand because of all the whole mass of Mankinde there is none found without sin but he not onely was without sin but also redeemed sinners by his Righteousness and Blood And it 's an excellent passage that the same Father hath Wisdom that is Lumen Sapientia Joh. 8.12 Ego sum lux mundi Lumen servi sapientiae appellari solent Eph. 5.8 Est is lux in Domino Sed ille lumen illuminans Joan. 1.9 Erat lux vera quae illuminat omnem hominem venientem in hunc mundum isti autem lumen illuminatum In Job lib. 19. cap. 33. 35. Nos etsi sancti efficimur non tamen sancti nascimur quia ipsa naturae corruptibilis conditione constringimur cum Propheta dicamus Psal 51.5 Ecce in iniquitatibus conceptus sum in peccato concepit me mater mea Christus autem solus veraciter sanctus natus est qui ut ipsam naturae corruptibilis conditionem vinceret ex commixtione carnalis copulae conceptus non est Christ is Light Joh. 8.12 I am the Light of the World And the Servants of Wisdom use to be called Light Eph. 5.8 Now ye are Light in the Lord but he is the enlightening Light Joh. 1.9 That was the true Light that lightens every man that comes into the World but they are enlightened Light And afterwards ' Though says he we are made holy yet we are not born holy for we are all bound together in the condition of corrupted Nature and may say with the Prophet Psa 51.5 Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me But Christ alone was born truly holy who that he might overcome the condition of corrupt Nature was not conceived by carnal copulation but by the Holy Ghost I shall add but one thing more a passage out of Saint Chrysostom his gloss upon those words Hebr. 2. vers 11. He that sanctifies and they that are sanctified Qui sanctificat i. e. Christus qui sanctificantur i. e. nos Vide quantum intersit Ille sanctificat nos sanctificamur Ex uno scil Deo ex quo omnia ille quidem ex Patre tanquam verus proprius filius nos autem tanquam creatura i. e. ex nihilo In Hebr. Hom. 4. are both of one He that sanctifieth that is Christ and they that are sanctified that is We. See the difference Christ sanctifies we are sanctified Of one namely of God of whom are all things And he indeed of the Father as a true and proper Son We as a Creature that is out of nothing Now from this Parallel between Christ and Christians we may learn two things I. The excellent condition of all godly Christians that are Christians in good earnest and not onely in name and shew I justly add this last clause for Praeter nomen nihil many are Christians in name that have nothing besides the name and against such Justin Martyr hath a sad Passage If any says he are found not to live so as Christ hath taught 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Defens pro Christian ad Antonin Pium. it 's a certain argument that they are not Christians though with the Tongue they profess the Doctrine of Christ for Christ says
That not all that profess his Name shall be saved but they that by their Works make good their profession But whosoever are Christians indeed and shew it by a Christian Conversation let them know that their condition is excellent for here is both Honor and Comfort 1. Here is Honor for they are the Children of God and who knows not this to be an unspeakable Honor and Preferment David could say 1 Sam. 18 Seems it to you a small matter that I should be Son-in-law to a King And is it not a much greater preferment That we who were by Nature Children to the Prince of Darkness and Children of Wrath should be made the Children of God who is the sole supreme King of the whole Universe and so Brethren to Christ who is the Prince of the Kings of the Earth and joynt-heirs with him whom God hath made Heir of all things Is it not an Honor That the Angels the glorious Attendants of the Throne of God should become Ministers to us our Tutors and Guardians as it was an Honor done to Mordecai That Haman Esth 6.10 the chief favorite of that great King Ahashu rosh should be ordered to array him and to carry him on horse-back through the streets of the City Is it not an high honour if a great King shall admit an ordinary subject to sit with him on the throne what an honour is it then to sit with Christ on his Throne But as we have heard This Honor have all the Saints 2. And what Comfort can be wanting here If God be our Father how can we want any thing that is good for us How can we want Protection against all Enemies How shall any wrong be done to us which shall not be avenged to the full And why should we be afraid of Death Our bodies shall in death be turned to ashes but they shall be raised again and be clothed with incorruption How shall it be grievous to us that we cannot come to Glory but through many Afflictions It 's no otherwise with us in this respect then it was with the Prince of our Salvation who was in like manner made perfect through suffering and though the Way be unpleasing yet the End is highly desirable as Christ did so we shall be sure after we have suffered to come to Rest and Glory But here is also Duty expected at our hands even to be careful to walk honorably according to the Honor that God hath put upon us Sordid carriage ill becomes honorable persons The contrary is expected at our hands Hear Saint Paul I beseech you to walk worthy of the Calling wherewith ye are called Eph. 4.1 And again Ye were once Darkness now are ye Light in the Lord Eph. 5.8 walk as Children of Light God so justly expecting this at our hands let us not frustrate his expectation II. See we here the superexcellency of our blessed Saviour even according to his Humane Nature so that the best of us all are nothing in comparison Consider the Particulars named before And in this respect let us be enamored on him let us honor him and whatsoever we are or have that is good let us walk in a posture of Humility Empty we our selves of all praise and give to Christ the praise of all the Excellencies that are in him yea of all that are in us let us lower our Top-sails and vail the Bonnet to Christ confess we as that holy Baptist Luke 3.16 That we are not worthy to unloose the latchet of his shooes CHAP. III. Christ and a Door or a Way OUr blessed Saviour makes use of both of these Resemblances whereby to set forth himself to us I am the Door of the Sheep says he John 10.7 9 John 14.6 and a little after I am the Door and again I am the Way And the proportion holds excellently for as the Door gives enterance into the House and the Way brings to the place to which we desire to come so is it with Christ As for the former Ferus observes In loc That Christ doth twice in the same place call himself the Door and yet he denies it to be a Tautology or vain repetition and therefore he gives a threefold guess at the Reason of the Repetition He twice calls himself the Door Bis se nominat ostium ut ostenderet se unum eundemque esse qui antiquos pastores Moysem Prophet as dedit in ovile Judaeorum nunc electione sua novos emittat Apostolos in ovile Gentium vel quia Christus ostium est quo bonus Pastor ad oves Ecclesiae intrat est ostium quo quisque fidelis ad Patrem intrat vel ideo quia ad praesentem gratiam ad futuram gloriam per eum solum pervenitur to shew That he is one and the same who both gave the ancient Shepherds Moses and the Prophets to the Sheepfold of the Jews and the new Apostles by his election to the Sheepfold of the Gentiles Or because Christ is the Door by which the good Shepherd enters to the Sheep of the Church and by which every faithful Christian enters to the Father Or therefore because by Christ alone we come to Grace in this Life and to the future Glory And afterwards coming to the second place in which Christ calls himself the Door he gives this Reason why Christ so stiles himself namely Because Christ is the Door to our Father Quia ostium est ad Patrem ad bona paterna quae sunt justitia salus vita aeterna and to our Fathers goods which are Righteousness Salvation and Eternal Life And then he confirms this by Testimonies of Scripture None knows the Father but by the Son Matth. 11.27 for our Saviour says None knows the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him And none can attain to Righteousness Salvation and Eternal Life but by Christ who is the Righteousness of God Salvation and Life everlasting John 14.6 Acts 4.12 for Christ says I am the Way And Saint Peter says There is none other Name under Heaven by which we can be saved but by the Name of Jesus And Saint Paul says Eph. 2.18 By him we have an access to the Father Rollock opening the first place in which Christ calls himself the Door of the Sheep John 10.7 gives this account of it Christ indeed is here called a Door Christus quidem praecipue hic dicitur ostium respectu pastorum qui ingrediuntur ad oves verum ostium est quoque per quod ipsae oves ingrediuntur in ovile chiefly in respect of the Shepherds that go in unto the Sheep but he is also the Door by which the Sheep themselves enter into the Sheepfold And this he confirms by those words of the Apostle By whom namely by which Christ mentioned in the former Verse we have access by Faith into this Grace wherein we
stand and by those words In whom that is Rom. 5.2 Eph. 3.12 by which Christ we have access with confidence by the Faith of him Then he proceeds to shew in respect of whom Christ is thus a Door namely That Christ is onely the Door by which the Sheep enter into that Fold of those Sheep which are known onely to their Lord namely Tantum est ostium per quod oves ingrediuntur in illam caulam earum ovium quae Domino suo tantum sunt notae h. e. in Ecclesiam invisibilem ad beneficia illa Christi remissionem peccatorum vitam aeternam participanda Fieri quidem potest ut oves quaedam larvatae scil hypocritae ingrediantur in Ecclesiam istam visibilem suo tempore rursus ex ea ejiciendae sed oves vera nullae ingrediuntur in Ecclesiam invisibilem nisi per ostium Christum h. e. per Christum vera fide apprehensum into the invisible Church and to partake of those benefits of Christ Forgiveness of sins and Eternal Life It may indeed come to pass that some counterfeit Sheep namely Hypocrites may enter into the visible Church to be again in their time cast out of it but no true Sheep enter into the invisible Church but by Christ this Door namely by Christ apprehended by Faith He further makes enquiry According to what nature it agrees to Christ to be this Door and he answers Christ indeed Christus quidem ut Filius est Dei ostium est primum sed non ea tantum ratione verum etiam ut homo est ostium vocatur Ita enim decretum est ab aeterno ut Christus Deus homo simul sit ostium Ergo oportet quoque homo sit nec id tantum sed oportet quoque sit homo crucifixus as he is the Son of God is this Door at the first hand but yet he is called the Door not in that respect onely but also as he is Man for so it was decreed from all Eternity That Christ God and Man together should be this Door It was therefore necessary that he should also be Man and not that only but it was also necessary that he should be Man crucified He is therefore this Door Ergo ostium est quà filius est Dei crucifixus in humana natura as the Son of God crucified in his Humane Nature And this he confirms by this Argument Ira Dei in peccatum praeclusit nobis omnem aditum in coelos nosque conclusit sub peccato damnatione Crux autem Christi est quae ita satisfacit justitiae ut etiam promereatur gratiam misericordiam The Anger of God against Sin hath shut up against us all enterance into Heaven and hath shut us up under sin and damnation but it is the Cross of Christ that is his Death upon the Cross which so satisfies the Justice of God that it also merits for us Grace and Mercy Finally whereas he had said before That Christ is here said to be the Door chiefly in respect of the Pastors he now adds There is no other passage into Christs Sheepfold Non est alius in ovile Christi introitus quam unicum hoc ostium fieri quidem potest ut fures suffodiant sibi foramina per quae subingrediantur in ovile sed ostium nullum aliud est in ovili nec verus unquam Pastor per aliam viam ingressus est c. but this onely Door It 's possible indeed that Thieves may dig holes into this Sheepfold and so steal in privily into it but other Door in the Sheepfold there is none nor did ever any true Pastor enter by any other Way then by Christ alone In which respect St. Paul says And I Brethren when I came unto you 1 Cor. 2.1 came not in excellency of speech or of wisdom that is I came not in privily upon you to steal away your mindes and to withdraw you from the sincerity of the Cross of Christ For I determined to know nothing among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified And thence finally he infers Ingreditur ergo per ostium Pastor cum nihil profitetur aut praedicat nisi solum Christum tumque crucifixum The Pastor therefore enters in by the Door when he professes and preaches nothing but Christ and him crucified Jansenius thus renders the sence of this passage I am the door of the sheep that is I am he by whom the sheep have an entrance to the fellowship of the people of God an accesse to the Father Ego sum ostium ovium i. e. is per quem oves aditum habent ad consortium populi Dei accessum ad Patrem salutem veram dum scilicet in me credunt meisque praeceptis obtemperant c. Concord c. 79. Joh. 6. and true salvation namely while they believe in me and obey my praecepts for no man saies our Saviour comes to the Father but by me Let the Ministers of God learn hence how to come to the sheep-fold namely no otherwise then by Christ that is let us with St. Paul 1 Cor. 2.2 determine to know nothing among them save Christ and him crucified that we may be able to say with him 1. Cor. 1.23 We preach Christ crucified Thus we shall endear our selves to them in a due and warrantable way for thus shall we be indeed instruments of Gods gracious providence for the building of them up for the comforting of them and the furtherance of their everlasting happinesse There is no other way whereby we can more effectually comfort men then when we thus bring them to Christ as the door of the sheep Let us all learn to make account of Christ as the door of the sheep and promise not to our selves an accesse to God nor to the good things of God otherwise then by Christ going to God by prayer let us go to him by Christ praying to Him in the name of Christ so we shall be sure to speed our blessed Saviour himself hath given us assurance in this kinde Whatsoever you ask the father in my name saies he Joh. 16.23 he will give it you Expect we forgivenesse of sin righteousnesse life everlasting Expect them all through Christ through him they are all attainable In him we have redemption saies the Apostle Eph. 1.7 Eph. 4.32 even remission of sins God for Christs sake hath forgiven you saith the same Apostle Rom. 6.23 And again Eternal life is the gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Dream we not of any other door by which to have an entrance to God or to the obtaining of any good Pray not to God in the name of any Saint or Angel trust not to the merits of our own good works or the supererogatory works or sufferings of others Own we Christ as the onely door hear and believe the encouragement which our Saviour gives us I am the door
to God for Israel is Rom. 10.1 That they may be saved 4. The head must be joyned and united to the body separate the head from the body and it s no longer an head to that body separate the members from the head and they are no longer members to that head Now such an union there is between Christ and his Church the neerest that can be so that Christ and all godly Christians make one Christ mystical as vine and branches husband and wife as the building and the foundation A true and real union it is not imaginary Eph. 5.32 yet unexpressible its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a great mystery It s an union finally indissoluble nothing can prevail against it no not death it self which is yet of force to part between friend and friend between husband and wife yea between soul and body but at no hand can it separate between Christ and a Christian When in the death of our blessed Saviour there was a separation made between his soul and his body the soul going to paradise and the body to the grave yet still the union remained firm between the Divine Nature and the Humane the Divine Nature remaining in firm union with the soul in Heaven Lib. de fide and with the body in the grave as Damascen excellently So is it here when in death there shall be a dissolution of our natures yet the union remaines firm between Christ and a true believer the soul is not by death severed from Christ nay whereas in the time of this life the soul enjoyes Christ onely by faith after death it shall enjoy him fully 1 Cor. 13.12 immediatly and by sight Now I see darkly saies the Apostle as through a glasse but then face to face And this enjoying of Christ the Apostle makes to be a consequent of his dissolution Phil. 1.23 I desire saies he to be dissolved and to be with Christ Yea even the body of the b liever even in death remains in union with Christ therefore they are said to be fallen asleep in Christ 1 Co◠15.18 and this is the ground of the raising of it up at the last day 5. The head is set above the rest of the body and all the members of the body are under the head It were a monster to see a body wherein the head should stand in the place of the feet and the feet in the place of the head It s so here Christ is set above all and all subordinated to him the Apostle can tell us That God hath given him to be the head 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 1.22 Eph. 5.23 24. over all things to the Church And again Christ is the Head of the Church therefore the Church is subject to Christ So that it belongs to Christ to rule and bear sway and to us to obey 6. The head conveys life and motion to all the members and so doth Christ to the Church and to all Christians hear we our Saviour speaking to this purpose Without me saies he ye can do nothing hear we St. Paul Joh. 15.5 Gal. 2.20 Now I live yet not I but Christ lives in me and the life that I live I live by the faith of the Son of God And again Phil. 4.13 I am able to do all things through Christ that strengthens me Hence we may learn divers things 1. The dignity and excellency of the Church and all the true members of it all godly Christians we may sing with the Psalmist Psal 87.3 Glorious things are spoken of thee O thou city of God for there is not any even the meanest member of the Church even then when the Church is most afflicted but he is a member of Christ united to him and having communion with him as members of the natural body have with the head And this is no small honour and advancement which is bestowed upon us in this respect for he to whom as to our head we are thus united is a most glorious person God over all blessed for ever Rom. 9.5 Psal 93.1 Rev. 4.10 11 clothed with majesty as with a garment before whom the Angels cover their faces And the twenty four Elders fall down before him and cast their crownes before his throne and say Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory honour and power On the other side we of our selves are poor creatures dust and ashes as Abraham said of himself Gen. 18 27 2 Sam. 9. ◠dead dogs as Mephibosheth said of himself and in the account of men 1 Cor. 4. the filth of the world and the off-scouring of all things Wonderful odds between Christ and us and yet that we should be brought into so near an union and communion with him he to be our head and we his members who can sufficiently wonder at such advancement 1 Sam. 18. well may we say as David Seemes it to you a small thing c If a King riding in his triumphant Chariot in all state through the streets of his City should cast his eyes upon some malefactor justly for some heinous offence condemned to death and now upon the hurdle drawing towards the place of execution if he should now stand still cause him to rise from his hurdle pardon his offence give him his life appoint him to be clad in Royal apparel take him into his Chariot and so make him sharer with him in his worldly glory would any sleight it as an ordinary passage would it not ravish any man would not any man confesse it to be rare and singular preferment But all this is nothing to this in hand we were in as ill case and as base by nature as any malefactor living in a daily expectation of everlasting death and all the Kings of the earth are nothing to Christ nor is their glory any thing in comparison of his they are finite creatures he is the infinite Creator their glory is imaginary transitory finite his is substantial eternal infinite And he is God equal with his Father and therefore though our union and fellowship be at the first hand with his Humanity yet it s also at the second hand with his God-head and consequently with the Father and Holy Ghost Oh rare honour Oh excellent condition of believers the lustre of it would certainly dazle the eyes of worldlings if it were external but its inward and spiritual and covered oft with a vail of weaknesses and external basenesse and therefore the world knowes it not and therefore it despises and tramples us under foot But howsoever it s yet true that Solomon saies Prov. 12.16 the righteous man is more excellent then his neighbour St. Paul with his iron chains in a better condition then Agrippa in all his Pompe poor Lazarus lying at the rich mans gate craving the scraps for his relief then the rich glutton himself faring deliciously every day and clad in purple The poorest Christian slave serving in the
of John the Baptist The same came to bear witness of that Light John 1.7 and who was it to whom he came to bear witness but Christ He adds Verse 8 He namely John the Baptist was not that Light but was sent to bear witness of that Light But how then says our Saviour of this holy Baptist John 5.35 He was a burning and a shining Light and of his Apostles in general Ye are the Light of the World Matth. 5.14 The Answer is facile and easie John was a Light or as it were a Candle or a Torch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 giving Light to men but he was not that Light The Apostles were said to be the Light of the World but Light enlightened whereas Christ is the enlightening Light as the Evangelist proceeds to say concerning Christ John 1.9 He is the true Light that enlightens every man that comes into the World So was not John the Baptist nor the Prophets nor any other man but Christ alone Therefore he alone takes it to and says it of John 8.12 himself I am the Light of the World And this as Jansenius well observes agrees to Christ both as God and as Man For according to his Divine Nature he is the Light Secundum divinam naturam lux est quia secundum eam hominum mentes occultis suis radiis perstringit suggerens quae sunt justa salutaria Secundum humanam item naturam lux est quia in assumpta humanitate verbo simul exemplo fugatis ignorantiae peccatorum tenebris docuit demonstravit quae sunt justitiae vertutis Concord Evang. cap. 77. because in respect of it he dazles the mindes of men with his hidden beams and suggests those things that are just and saving And in regard of his Humane Nature he is the Light because in his assumed Humanity both by word and by example driving away the darkness of Ignorance and sins he hath taught and shewed the things that belong to Justice and Vertue And the same Author further observes Emphatice dicit Ego sum lux mundi significans praeter se neminem esse lucem mundi si quis sit per ipsum esse participatione scilicet sui luminis ratione cujus Apostolos dixit esse lucem mundi Neque ergo Mosen significat fuisse lucem mundi ut qui parvam mundi partem obscuro suo lumine non veluti Sol sed veluti lucerna illustravit Nec rursus Philosophos Gentium aut Pharisaeorum doctores ut qui mundo tenebras potius offuderint quam ex eo fugaverint sed se unum toti mundo hoc esse spiritualiter quod Sol visibile mundo corporaliter Ibid. That Christ did emphatically say I am the Light of the World signifying That besides himself none is the Light of the World and that if any other be a Light to the World he is so by him namely by partaking of his Light in which respect he said that his Apostles are the Light of the World He shews that Moses was not the Light of the World as who enlightened onely a small part of the World and onely with a dim Light not as a Sun but as a Candle He notes also that neither the Philosophers the Teachers of the Gentiles nor the Pharisees the Teachers of the Jews were the Light of the World as who did rather cast darkness upon the World then drive it away from the World and that he alone is that to the whole World in spiritual which the visible Sun is in bodily respects And the Resemblance holds in sundry Particulars 1. The Light receives no pollution though it shines on a dunghil or on any place most loathsom and filthy yet it remains still pure and untainted So our Saviour though he came to a sinful World as to a stinking dunghil or a Golgotha a place of dead mens skulls yet he retained his purity still he converses with Pharisees with Publicans and Sinners yet is not infected by them many of them were bettered by him he not liable to be corrupted by any of them 2. Light is a common benefit no people is there to whom it is appropriated no people excluded from the comfort of it it shines upon all there is no Monopoly no ingrossing of it So is Christ a common benefit to all Believers of all Nations of all ranks and degrees to Jews to Gentiles to high to low to rich to poor to Master to Servants to male to female to learned to unlearned So says the Apostle There is neither Jew nor Greek Gal 3.28 there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for ye are all one in Christ Jesus Every man therefore is invited unto him Isai 55.1 with promise to receive benefit by him Ho every one that thirsts says Christ by the Prophet come buy of me Milk and Wine Matth. 11.28 Come unto me all that labor and are heavy laden John 7.37 and I will give you Rest If any man thirst let him come to me and drink Let him that is a thirst come Rev. 22.17 and whosoever will let him take of the Water of Life freely See in all these the Invitation general and no sorts of persons excluded 3. Light expels Darkness so doth Christ expel the darkness of Ignorance When Christ came into the World he drove out the Darkness that was in the World before and brought in a clearer Manifestation of the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God then had been formerly in the World Life and immortality is brought to light by the Gospel 2 Tim. 1.10 and that by Christ for this Salvation discovered in the Gospel was first preached by the Lord himself Hebr. 2.3 And when Christ comes first into the Soul he findes all covered with a worse then an Egyptian Darkness and so Saint Paul says of the Gentiles Eph. 4.18 That they had their understanding darkened but he dispels this Darkness setting up yea being a Light in our Souls In which respect St. Paul says to the Ephesians Ye were once Darkness Eph. 5.8 now ye are Light in the Lord. 4. We hear what our Saviour says John 12.37 He that walketh in Darkness doth not know whither he goes And again If a man walks in the night he stumbles John 11.10 because there is no Light in him but he that walks in the day Verse 9 stumbles not because he sees the Light of the World And as it is for going so it is for action In the dark a man knows not what he doth but Light directs as the Foot in walking so the Hand in working In this also Christ resembles the Light Saint Paul while Saul being a stranger from Christ who wonders to see him guilty of gross miscarriage 1 Tim. 1.13 Gal. 1.23 Acts 9.1 Acts 8.3 A blasphemer a persecutor and injurious destroying the Faith breathing out Threatenings
of it he wants neither power nor will to communicate this light unto us It was the comfortable assurance wherewith the Church supports her self in her sorrow when I sit in darknesse Mic. 7.8 the Lord will be a light unto me 7. As Christ being the light of the world communicates his light unto us instructing and comforting us so let us having recieved light in any kinde from Christ impart our light unto others for their benefit having been taught by Christ and instructed in any truth let us readily teach and instruct others be not we niggards of our knowledge but readily communicate it to others Thus Andrew having found Christ saies to his brother Peter Joh. 1 41. We have found the Messias and Philip to Nathaneel Vers 45. we have found him of whom Moses did write c. And the woman of Samaria to her neighbours Come see a man Joh. 4.29 that hath told me all things that ever I did is not this the Messias Thus let us do we shall loose nothing by it nay we shall gain by it That of Solomon is verified here There is that scattereth and is more increased and there is Prov. 11.24 25. that withholdeth more then is meet but it tends to poverty the liberal soul shall be made fat and he that watereth shall be watered also himself It s a true saying of Clemens Alexandrinus to this purpose A man teaching learnes more and he that speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stromat l. 1. doth often hear with them that hear him And having received from Christ the light of comfort in any distresse let us be ready to comfort others lying under any pressure this saies the Apostle is expected at our hands that we should comfort others with the same comforts wherewith we our selves are comforted of God CHAP. XI Christ and a Lilly Cant. 2.1 CHrist himself in his own words resembles himself to a Lilly I am saies he a Lilly of the Valleyes for so Tremellius makes the two first Verses of this Chapter to be the words of Christ concerning himself And St. Bernard notes the resemblance to stand in sundry particulars 1. Agnosce Lilium Christum ex candore qui mox in ipso exortu floris pastoribus de nocte emicuit 1. Acknowledge Christ to be a Lilly by his Whitenesse who presently in the very springing of this flower shined unto the shepherds by night 2. Acknowledge him also to be a Lilly by his sweet smell 2. Agnosce Lilium ex odore quo longe positis inotuit Magis Et quidem stella apparuit sed eum minime viri graves secuti fuissent nisi intima quadam suaveolentia orti floris traherentur by which he was made known to the wise men who were farre distant from him It s true a star appeared to them but those grave men had never followed it had they not been drawn by the inward sweet smell of that flower now sprung up 3. Et vere Lilium veritas cujus odor animat fidem splendor intellectum illuminat Leva etiam oculos in personam Domini qui de se dicit Ego sum veritas vide quam competenter veritas Lilio comparetur 3. And truth is truly a Lilly the sweet smell of which animates faith and the brightness of which enlightens the understanding And now lift up your eyes to the person of the Lord who saies of himself I am the Truth and see how fitly truth is compared to a Lilly 4 Si non advertisti adverte de medio floris hujus quasi virgulas aureas prodeuntes cinctas candidissimo flore pulchre decenter disposito in coronam agnosce in Christo divinitatem humanae coronatam puritate naturae 4. If thou hast not observed it mark as it were little golden rods issuing out of the midst of the flower and compassed about with a most white flower excellently and fitly disposed as a crown and acknowledge in Christ a Divine Nature crowned with the purity of the Humane Nature 5. And haply 5. Et fortasse propterea ipse se Lilium appellavit quia omnia quae ipsius sunt Lilia sunt conceptio ortus conversatio eloquia miracula passio mors Resurrectio Ascentio horum non candidum quid non suavissime redolens in conceptione refulsit magna superni luminis claritas de supervenientis abundantia Spiritus Ortum candidavit incorrupta Matris Virginitas conversationem innocentia vitae eloqula veritas miracula puritas cordis Passionem patiendi voluntas mortem libertas non moriendi Resurrectionem Martyrum fortitudo Ascensionem exhibitio Quam bonus odor fidei in his singulis nostra quidem qui candorem non vidimus tempora viscera replens In Cant. Serm. 70. for this cause He called himself a Lilly because all things about him were Lillies his Conception his Birth his Conversation his Words his Miracles his Passion his Death his Resurrection his Ascension What of these was not white what of these sent not out a fragrant smell In his Conception did shine forth the great brightnesse of the Heavenly light by the abundance of the Holy Ghost coming on him his Birth was made white by the untainted Virginity of his mother his Conversation by the Innocency of his Life his Speeches by the truth of them his Miracles by the purity of his heart his Passion by his will to suffer his Death by his power not to dye his Resurrection by the courage of the Martyrs his Ascension by the exhibition of the promises He adds by way of close How good and pleasant is the scent and odour of Faith in all these filling indeed our times and hearts who yet never saw his whitenesse But because these words are by many Interpreters of note denied to be the words of Christ concerning himself and affirmed to be the words of the Church concerning her self I shall forbear to follow this resemblance any further Onely in a word we may see how amiable in all respects Christ is and what cause we have to be enamoured of him Christ and a Lion Our dear Saviour is oft in Scripture set out by this resemblance as in Jacobs Prophetical blessing of Judah Gen. 49.9 Judah saies he is a Lions whelp from the prey my Son thou art gone up he couched down as a Lion and as an old Lion who shall rouse him up And in that Prophesy of Balaam Numb 24 9. Rev. 5.5 He couched and lay down as a Lion and as a great Lion who shall stir him up and he is called the Lion of the Tribe of Judah Saint Austin taking knowledge of it that Christ is called a Lion and the devil is called a Lion makes the proportion in both to hold thus Christ is called a Lion Christus leo diabolus leo ille propter fortitudinem ille propter feritatem ille ad vincendum ille ad nocendum To. 10.
to oppose Christ not in Himself not in his Religion not in his Ordinances not in his Members If we do such opposition will cost us dear no other then our ruine can be the fruit of it As we therefore love our selves let us desist 5. Let us cast our selves upon Christ for Salvation so shall we be impregnable against all opposition 6. Let us Gentiles praise God for his mercy giving his Son to dye for us by which he hath taken away the Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances and so breaking down the middle wall of partition and by his Resurrection making him the chief corner-stone by whom it comes that we Gentiles who were once farre off are now made neer and become fellow-citizens of the Saints and of the houshold of God CHAP. XV. Christ and the Sun CHrist our Saviour is set forth to us under this notion as in that Prophesy of Malachi unto you Mal. 4.2 that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousnesse arise In which place as is acknowledged by all Interpreters promise is made to the godly of the coming of Christ in the flesh And so Saint John sets out the Church as a woman clothed with the Sun that is Rev. 12.1 with Christ And the resemblance holds in many particulars 1. The Sun hath no spots though the moon may have so the Church and the members of it have impurity remaining in them for the work of Sanctification is onely begun in this life and the height of a Christian while he lives in this world is onely a progresse towards perfection of Holinesse Of a Christian while he lives here its true that the Apostle saies The flesh lusts against the Spirit Gal. 5.17 and the Spirit against the flesh therefore while we live here we have a mixture of flesh and spirit old and new man corruption and grace Gen. 25. as Rebeccah had two contrary Nations in her womb we must so long as we live give our selves to the exercise of Mortification Col. 3.5 Mortifie your members that are on the Earth that is corruption Therefore there are remainders of impurity in the best men which is the subject of this mortification And while we live here we are tyed to that precept Grow in Grace 2 Pet. 3 18 therefore the work of Grace and Holinesse is imperfect in us all for perfection and growth are inconsistent Finally it s most true that Saint James saies Jam. 3.2 In many things we offend all therefore there are in us remainders of impurity Thus is it with the best men But with him it s farre otherwise He was and is holy Heb. 7.26 1 Sam. 2.2 harmless undefiled Considered as God he is infinitely holy incomparably holy There is none holy as the Lord. So its true of him that Saint John saies 1 Joh. 1.5 He is light and in him there is no darkness Considered as man he is perfectly Holy the Holy Ghost Sanctified the womb of the Virgin and stopt the course of Original sin that it should not diffuse it self to the Humane Nature of Christ therefore he is called That Holy thing Luk. 1.35 and hence it was that His Life was sin-lesse so that he could appeal to his enemies Which of you convinces me of sin 2. The Sun drives away darknesse and enlightens the World so doth our blessed Saviour by his Gospel outwardly and by his Spirit inwardly drive out the darknesse of ignorance and enlighten our mindes savingly to know God and the things that concern our everlasting happinesse Joh. 1.9 He is the true light saies Saint John that enlightens every man that comes into the world And of him Saint Paul saies 2 Tim. 1.10 who hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortality to light by the Gospel 3. The Sun enlightening the world cheeres man so doth Christ giving us the knowledge of God cheer and comfort us 4. The Sun gives as light so heat and warmth to the creatures on the earth and so is an instrument to further their growth So Christ warmes our hearts by the expressions of his love unto us Who that is so much as ingenuous hearing or thinking what Christ out of his love to us hath done or suffered for us hath not his heart burning within him who doth not grow in love to God to Christ to his Brethren in this respect To be sure this Love of Christ hath an aptness to produce these effects in us We hear the inferences that that beloved Disciple made in this kinde We love him 1 John 4.19 because he loved us first And If God hath so loved us Verse 11 we ought also to love one another And Saint Pauls serious consideration of Christs Love so warmed his Heart that he doubted not to pronounce that dreadful sentence If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 16.22 let him be Anathema Maranatha 5. The Sun purges the Earth Water and Ayr by exhaling and drawing up the Mists and Fogs that are in them so doth Christ sanctifie the Soul and purge the Heart This is attributed to Christ Eph. 5.26 That he might sanctifie and cleanse it He that is Christ It that is the Church And again Sanctified in Christ that is 1 Cor. 1.2 sanctified by Christ Hence we may learn sundry things 1. That Christ is fit to be a Saviour to us and an High Priest for us in that he was and is so transcendently pure unspoted Heb. 7.26 for such an High Priest it became us to have who was holy harmless undefiled had he been in any degree polluted with corruption and defiled with sin he had been so far from having been a meet Saviour for us that he should have needed some other to have been a Saviour for him or he should have needed to have offered sacrifice first for his own sins Verse 27 and then for the peoples as it was with the Levitical Priests Nor had he been fit to have been a Sacrifice for us for all the Creatures that were to be sacrificed under the Law were to be without spot and blemish But behold he is transcendently pure then was he an Alsufficient Saviour Priest and Sacrifice 2. See what a Gift Christ is surpassing all other Gifts that God gives to the Sons of men for behold the great conveniencies that accrue to us by him To know God and Christ how great a benefit is it John 17.3 for this is Life Eternal To have comfort under all the saddest accidents that can befall us how desirable is it And to be made holy and pure what a conveniency is it for without it the beatifical Vision of God is not to be expected Without it says the Apostle we cannot see God Heb. 12.14 and having it we cannot miss of it Matth. 5.8 for says our Saviour The pure in Heart shall see God Behold all these we have from Christ this Sun of
of your minde you be depressed to humble and earthly thouhgts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Quomodo potest Filius verbum esse aut verbum imago Dei cum hominum verbum syllabis constans non sit nisi indicium mentis nihilque agat nisi quod prodat voluntatem loquentis quod ubi factum est statim evanescit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Si de homine quopiam loqui se credant lâ—quantur de verbo Patris quantum libet humano more Si autem de Deo illis sermo est hominum conditore jam mihi nil humani sed ea quae supra humanam naturam sunt eos cogitare velim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Qualis enim est genitor tale id esse quod genitum est necessarium est qualis est verbi pater tale etiam fuerit verbum ejus Et paulo post addit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hominum quidem verbum ut syllabis constat ita nec vivit nec vim agendi habet sed solummodo est in loquente index mentis statim uti enunciatuÌ„ est praeterit nec ulterius apparet quia nil erat priusquam enunciaretur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Dei autem Verbum non est enuntiatorium nec sonus vocum nec complexio dictionum sed quale ex luce splendor tale est ipsum genitum quoddam et perfectum ex perfecto ac proinde Deus est imago Dei. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nec quaerendum est quare omnino non tale sit Verbum Dei quale est nostrum cum Deus nequaquam talis sit quales nos sumus Et post pauca ulterius addit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Hominibus multa frequentia verba quotidie enascuntur praetereunt quia priora non manent sed evanescunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Verbum autem Dei unum est idem ut scriptum est manet in aeternum sine omni immutatione conveniebat enim unius Dei unam esse imaginem unicum verbum unicam item sapientiam Tom. 1. cont Arianos orat 3. but diligently search out and labour to finde out the power of the Word Athanasius to the objection of the Arians How can the Son be the Word or that Word the image of God since the word of men consisting of letters is nothing but the discovery of the minde and doth nothing but discover the will of the speaker which being done it instantly vanishes To this objection I say he returns this answer If they think that they speak of an ordinary man let them speak of the Word of the Father as much as they will after the manner of men But if they speak of God the Creator of man let them not entertain any humane thought but think such things as are above humane nature for look what the begetter is such is it necessary that the thing begotten be and what an one the Father of the Word is such must his Word be And a little after he adds with respect to the particular in hand The word of men as it consists of syllables so neither hath it life nor power of acting but is onely in the speaker a discovery of the minde and assoone as it s uttered it instantly passes away because it was nothing before it was uttered But the Word of God is not enunciatory nor a sound of voices nor a complexion of words but look what is the brightnesse issuing from the light such is it and a certain thing begotten and that perfect out of a perfect and therefore it is God and the Image of God Nor are we here to enquire why the Word of God is not such as our words are seeing God is in no sort such as we are And a little after he adds a further dissimilitude between this Word of God and our words Men saies he have many words frequently and daily springing up and passing away because the former words continue not but vanish a way But the Word of God is one and the same and as it is written remains for ever without any change for it is convenient that one God should have one onely Image one onely Word one onely Wisedome Fulgentius also sets out the dissimilitude in few words while he sayes thus Christ is a Word not which being uttered vanishes but which being begotten remains Christus est verbum non quod desinit prolatum sed quod permanet natum non transitorium sed Eternum non factum â Deo Patre sed genitum unigenitum Serm. 2. de dupl nativ Christi not a transitory Word but Eternal not made of God his Father but begotten and onely begotten And thus doth Zanchius lay down the sum of the Doctrine of the Church from the time of the Apostles till this day That Christ is the Word of God the Father not a word spoken Christum esse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dei Patris non prolatitium in aere evanescentem sed substantialem non in tempore prolatum sed ab omni aeternitate ex Patris substantia genitum De trib Eloh l. 6. c. 2. p. 346. and so vanishing in the Air but the substantial Word not uttered in Time but from all Eternity begotten of the substance of the Father And the opening of this comparison is of excellent use I. To justifie the practise of the Evangelist calling Christ the Word in that there is so great a likenesse between Christ and our Word or Speech II. To teach us many things concerning Christ as 1. That Christ is begotten of the Father for so our words are the conceptions of our minde And so God saies to his Son This day have I begotten thee Psal 2 2â— and so the Evangelist speaks of him Joh. 1.14 as the onely begotten Son of the Father 2. That Christ had a double generation one as God of the Father and the other as Man of the Virgin 3. That Christ was begotten of the Father without any Passion 4. That though Christ was begotten of the Father from all Eternity yet he was not manifested to men till afterwards 5. That Christ was manifested to men in his own time when it pleased himself 6. That Christ is inseparable from his Father yea when he took Humane Nature upon him in which he was manifested to the World even then he remained with his Father and his Father with him Heb. 1.3 7. That Christ is the expresse image of his Fathers person 8. That Christ reveales to us his Father and the Will and Counsel of his Father so the Evangelist saies Joh. 1.18 No man hath seen God at any time the onely begotten Son who is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him Joh. 15 15 And so our Saviour saies of himself All things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you Oh the great benefit that in this
us that it shall not be until the harvest in the end of the world and therefore let us be so wise Matth. 13. as not to look for it sooner Let it be enough for us that God whose decrees are as the Lawes of the Medes and Persians unalterable hath appointed this separation to be made and the Agents by whom it is to be made the Reapers the Angels and the time when it shall be made the Harvest in the end of the world and therefore let us not fail to expect it in the season of it and let this expectation comfort us against the present mixture that is in the Church and against the inconveniencies which seem to attend it Consider 2 Tim. 2. what hath been said and the Lord give you understanding in all things Thus I have by the help of God fulfilled the task which I undertook of Parallels in three Books In the first ye have seen the Parallels between the Lord Jesus Christ and the foresignifying Types of him both Persons and things In the second ye have seen the agreement between Christ and those other resemblances by which he is set forth either in the old or new Testament In the third the agreement between the Church and the Types by which it was fore-signified and other resemblances by which it s set forth in Scriptures The issue of all is that we all learn to carry our selves in a due manner to God to our dear Saviour to the Church and to our brethren the members of the Church according to the particulars exprest severally in these three Books And now to God alone Father Son and Holy Ghost Three in One and One in Three be ascribed all Honour and Glory Dominion and Might for ever and ever Amen FINIS Faults amended in the Book PAge 26 line 32. r. humane nature Moses p. 37 26. r. sins for ever sate p. 40. l. 25. r. Heb. 7. p. 77. l. 25. r. Bucanus p. 81. l. 30. r. to the meek the acceptable p. 72. l. 10. r. Merchant p. 93 l. 14 r. relish p. 94. l. 10. r. is offered p. 97. l. 34. r. one p. 115. l. 18. for it r. is p. 128. l 17. r. equalizing it for p. 129. 10 r. Christian Religion p 154. l. 13. r. prayer p. 156. l. 15. r. received grace p. 157. l. 10. r. justice of God p. 188. l. 21. r. into p 201. l. 21. r. tear p. 212. ult r. among p. 273. l. 33. r. sent p. 313. l. 7. r. first p. 359. l. 13. r. stands in p. 367. l. 1. r. Magnifico's p. 402. l. 24. r. how great p. 404. 35. r. Priest Faults amended in the margine Page 21. l. 18. r. flecteretur p. 19. l. 1. r. Pharaoni p. 38. l. 1. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 66. l. 5. r. mittitur p. 67. antepen r. ejiciendus p. 68. ver fin r. Deo gratias Presbyt p. 73. l. 13. r. De trib p. 78. l. 16. r. similis p. 79. l. 5. r. meritis p. 80. l. 20. r. consolata sunt me p. 94. l. 14. r. colligi p. 113. l. 9. r. lignum l. 17. r. tanquam l. 29. r. congregabit p. 177. l. 19. r. Christi l. 25. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 211. l. 2. r. malo 114. l. 12. r. Synagogae p. 249. l. 24. r. deputemus pro patria p. 265. l. 22. r. visibilis p. 273. l. 12 13. r. ascensio quid horum p. 293. l. 11. r. est Deus p. 319. l. 10. r. ligari p. 320. l. 13. r. carnem p. 321. l. 17. r. salientis p. l. 31. r. perfudit p. 338 l. 9. r. assignare l. 9 10. r. pulicem p. 353. l. 15. r. intelligeremus p. 381. l. 7. r. haereticorum