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B25425 Troposchēmalogia: Tropes and figures; or, A treatise of the metaphors, allegories, and express similitudes, &c. contained in the Bible of the Old and New Testament To which is prefixed, divers arguments to prove the divine authority of the Holy Scriptures wherein also 'tis largely evinced, that by the great whore, mystery Babylon is meant the Papal hierarchy, or present state and church of Rome. Philologia sacra, the second part. Wherein the schemes, or figures in Scripture, are reduced under their proper heads, with a brief explication of each. Together with a treatise of types, parables, &c. with an improvement of them parallel-wise. By B. K; Tropologia. Book 4. Keach, Benjamin, 1640-1704.; De Laune, Thomas, d. 1685. Tropologia. aut 1682 (1682) Wing K101A; ESTC R7039 690,855 608

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it is impossible for him who is a Man to be a Vine or a Door c. See Mr. Pool p. 107. Answ It is no less impossible for the Bread to be Christ's real Body Why might not the Vine as well as the Wine be by Transubstantiation converted into Christ's real Substance I think saith Mr. Pool the Mother as good as the Daughter And especially since Christ saith I am the Vine might not they have devised another Transubstantiation to make Christ's Words good But to proceed to shew how irrational and absurd their Notion is and what they hold as you heard that Christ's whole Body is present in every Crumb of the Bread c. and yet do affirm Christ's Body is entire and undivided and also believe it is really in Heaven in such a proportion or bigness as he had upon Earth Now then saith Mr. Pool according to their Doctrine the same Body of Christ is bigger than it self and longer than it self and which is worse Christ is divided from himself I know not what can be more impossible than to say That all Christ is at Rome and all at London and all in Heaven and yet not all in the Places between Object All this the Papists say may be done by God's Almighty Power Answ Then by the same Almighty Power it is possible for any other Man to be in so many places for it matters not that Christ should be invisible in so many places and another should be there visibly or that Christ is there in so little a Bulk and another must be in a greater And if this be so what Monsters follow from hence Can any devise greater Absurdities than they believe if in very deed they believe what they say and daily affirm Suppose now John to be by Divine Power at the same time at Rome at Paris and at London where ever John is alive it follows he must have power to move himself or else no living Creature Then John at Rome may walk towards London and the same John at London may walk towards Rome and so they may meet shall I say the one the other and you may be sure it will be a merry Meeting it were worth enquiring how long they will be ere they come together Then again at Rome all the Parts of John may be excessively hot and at London excessively cold and at Paris neither hot nor cold This is beyond all Romances that ever were devised Besides John may be sorely wounded at Rome and yet at London may sleep in a whole Skin John may be feasting at Rome and fasting at London in the same moment Object You talk at this rate because you measure God by your selves whereas He can do more than you or I can do Answ There are some things which it is no dishonour to God to say he cannot do them because they are either sinful so God cannot lie or absolutely impossible God himself cannot make a Man to be alive and dead at the same time God cannot make the Whole to be less than a Part of it He cannot make Three to be more than Threescore He cannot make a Son to beget his Father He cannot make the same Man to be born at several times as Papist Authors confess and therefore in like manner he cannot make the same Body to be in two several places for this is not one jot less impossible than the other But they must believe Christ may have Ten Thousand Bodies at one time or so many as there are Priests to consecrate the Bread and distinct Congregations to celebrate the Holy Supper Object These indeed are great Difficulties to humane Reason but Reason is not to be believed against Scripture Answ True but this is their hard Hap this Doctrine of theirs is against Scripture as well as Reason in as much as it is highly dishonourable to Christ whose Honour is the great Design of Scripture What a foul dishonour is it to him to subject him to the Will of every Mass-Priest who when he pleaseth can command him down into Bread And what a Dishonour is it That the very Body of Christ may be eaten by Rats ●um quest ● Art 3. or Worms and may be cast up by Vomit and the like as Aquinas affirms and that their Church in her Missals hath put this amongst other Directions That if Worms or Rats have eaten Christ's Body they must be burned and if any Man vomit it up it must be eaten again or burned or made a Relique And yet this is no more than their Doctrine will force them to own for if they will believe Christ's own Words in one place as well as in another he assureth us That whatsover without exception entreth into the Mouth Mat. 15.17 goeth into the Belly and is cast forth into the Draught Object What dishonour is this more to Christ than to have Fleas suck his Blood when he was upon Earth Answ Very great Dishonour For tho in the Days of his Flesh it was no dishonour to him as it was necessary for us that he suffered so many Indignities and died yet now being risen from the Dead he dieth no more And it must needs be a great Wrong Injury and Dishonour to him to be crucified again and to be brought back to those Reproaches which he long since left and all this to no purpose and without any Profit to us Again the Scripture approveth and useth this Argument that his Body cannot be in two places at one and the same time It is the Angels Argument He is not here Mat. 28.6 he is risen plainly implying that he could not be here and there too Or must we say the Argument used by the Angels of God is weak or deceitful that theirs may be strong and true Object Have we not many Examples in Holy Scripture See a Popish Book called The Fortraiture of the true Church p. 152. which shew that Christ may be in divers Places at one time Was he not in Heaven when he appeared to St. Paul Acts 9.23 Paul saith he was seen last of all of him and yet was he not then in Heaven Answ What Sight it was that Paul had of Christ is not declared however it is evident it was a Vision that he had of him for so he calleth it but that this proves the Body of Christ to be in two places at once doth not in the least appear Stephen also saw Christ and if it should be granted as some affirm that he saw his real glorified Body doth it follow the Body of Christ was then in two Places The Heavens might be opened and his Sight so strengthned that he might have a sight of the blessed Jesus whom Stephen said he saw standing on the right-hand of God Acts 7.56 Object The Papists say Christ's real Body is in the Eucharist invisibly and so the Angels might mean he was not there visibly when they said He is not here he is risen Answ To
a Saviour but also as a Sovereign not only as a Priest to die and appease the Wrath of God for us but also as a Prince to rule and reign in us 14. What Obedience therefore flows from thy Faith Dost thou boldly and visibly profess Jesus Christ following him whithersoever he goeth not closing in with one of his Precepts only but obeying all of them from thy Heart which thou art convinced of and knowest to be thy Duty Then shall I not be ashamed Psal 119.6 Rom. 5.1 when I have respect to all thy Commandments 15. What Peace hath Faith brought to thy Soul Being justified by Faith we have Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ Secondly From what hath been noted we may infer There is an absolute Necessity of Faith 1. In respect of Gospel-Revelation Without Faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 2. There is no Salvation without it Rom. 3.26 Thou must be beholden to another for a Righteousness because thou hast broken the Law that pronounceth the Curse against thee thou hast none of thy own that will be accepted in the sight of God He that believeth not shall be damned Vnless ye believe that I am He Joh. 8.22 ye shall die in your Sins 3. There is a Necessity of Faith because all Boasting is excluded Rom. 3.27 God's design in our Salvation is wholly to exalt his own Free-Grace It is of Christ's procurement and thou must go unto him for it or go without it Thirdly If Faith be much more precious than Gold then labour for it above Gold be not contented with a little of it but wisely provide your selves with good Store Grow in Faith get a strong Faith Quest Will not a small or weak Faith save us as well as a strong Answ Yea if it be of the right kind tho never so small the Person that hath it is as fully justified as he that hath the greatest degree nd measure of it Yet it concerns thee to get a strong Faith for these Reasons following 1. Because thou mayest meet with strong Assaults and Temptations from Satan and thou hast no way to resist him but by the Shield of Faith and it may be a little Faith will not be sufficient to withstand those Exercises and Assaults thou mayest meet with 2. Because God expects much Faith of those he hath afforded much Means unto I looked it should bring forth Grapes Isa 5.4 God looks for Fruit answerable to the Cost and Charge he hath been at with a People or a particular Person 3. Because God may bring you into such a condition that you may have nothing else to live upon Hab. 3.17 The Fig-Tree shall not blossom neither Fruit be in the Vines c. That is a Time for the Saints to live by Faith and if their Faith be small what will they do then 4. Because as thy Faith is more or less so will thy inward Peace and Joy be in Christ Jesus He that hath but a small degree of Faith is often at the foot of the Hill and under doubtings and becloudings in his own Spirit 5. Because such as have but little Faith will find the Way to Heaven harder and more difficult than they who have much of it or are strong in Faith Weak Folks are hard put to it to get up a high Hill 6. Because it is a strong Faith that glorifies God most as it appears in respect of Abraham Rom. 4.19 20. He being not weak in Faith considered not his own Body being dead He staggered not through Vnbelief but was strong in Faith giving Glory to God Quest But what is the Cause that some Christians are so weak in Faith Answ 1. Some are but just brought forth lately converted they are like new-born Babes Can you expect a Child in the Cradle should be as strong as such as are twenty or thirty Years old 2. Perhaps some have but little Faith because they want the Means of it which others have It may be they have more Law preached to them than Gospel more Terror from Sinai than Joy from Mount Zion 3. Again some may be weak in Faith because they pore more upon their own inward Corruptions than they meditate on Christ's Righteousness more on their own Emptiness than on Christ's Fulness They see their Debts but have not their Eyes upon their Surety who hath discharged and blotted all out 4. Others may have little Faith because they do not improve that which they have they are not industrious Traders they do not labour after and cry to God for more Faith The way to grow rich is to be diligent Lord encrease our Faith 5. Some have no more Faith because they give way to Temptations and let their inward Corruptions too much prevail Weeds will hinder the Growth of precious Flowers Self-Love worldly Pleasure Pride and Passion choak and obstruct its Growth Faith is a tender Herb. 6. Perhaps Christians have no more because they mind not those precious Grounds and Encouragements which God in Mercy hath offered for the encrease strengthning and growing of Faith Quest How may I know a weak Faith from a strong Answ 1. A weak Christian one weak in Faith looks more within than without grounds more on the good Desires and Heavenlinesses of his Affection than the Covenant and Promise of God Joh. 14.19 Now a strong Christian looks to Christ Because I live ye shall live also 'T is not because my Affections live my Obedience lives or I have Life in Obedience or performance of external Duties but because Christ lives By whom I live Gal. 2.20 2. A weak Christian consults more the Power of the Enemy than he doth the Strength of God Christ and the holy Spirit and is much acted by Sence in respect of Means how this or that should be done Psal 78.19 Can God furnish a Table in the Wilderness But a strong Saint believes in Hope against Hope a strong Faith takes up in the Power Grace and Sufficiency of God The Lord is on my side Psal 56.4 I will not fear what Man can do unto me 3. A weak Faith grows weaker and weaker and ready to let go its hold at every discouragement If a Corruption or Temptation prevails all his Hope of Heaven is almost gone presently Thus it was with Peter Help Lord I perish But strong Faith is rather strengthned thereby as appears in the Woman of Canaan You may judg of a strong Faith by its Power over the Enemy I have written unto you 1 Joh. 2.14 young Men because you are strong and the Word of God abideth in you and you have overcome the Wicked One 4. A weak Faith is much for doing that so he may have Peace and Comfort within What must I do c. And as his Obedience to God is kept up Acts 16.30 so is his Comfort not but that great Peace is to them that keep the Law and that are found
appertaining to them that are given to the Church are for the perfecting of the Saints Eph. 4.11 12 13 14. for the Work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ till we all come in the Vnity of the Faith and of the Knowledg of the Son of God unto a perfect Man unto the measure of the Stature of the Fulness of Christ Inferences THis clearly shews what infinite Benefit the Godly receive from Jesus Christ and what Dependency they have upon him What can the Body do without the Head 2. How happy are all true Believers how near and dear are they to the Lord Jesus what greater Union is there than that between the Members and the Head Eph. 5.29 No Man ever hated his own Flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it as the Lord the Church 3. What will become of those evil and wicked Men that seek to destroy the Church and Saints of God! Do they not herein strive to break Christ's Bones and tear his Flesh in pieces What will they do in the Day of Vengeance Isa 63.4 when he comes forth to plead the Controversy of Zion 4. This reproves that Church that pretends it self to be Christ's Body and yet slights and grievously neglects his Members nay his most useful Members The Church should be as careful and tender of her Ministers as the natural Body is of its Eyes Shall the Eye suffer or be in danger of being put out or spoiled and the Hand refuse to relieve and defend it when it is in its power The Church compared to a Vineyard Psal 80.15 And the Vineyard which thy Right-hand hath planted Isa 5.1 Now will I sing to my well-beloved a Song of my Beloved touching his Vineyard Verse 7. For the Vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the House of Israel and the Men of Judah his pleasant Plant. A Vineyard the Place where Vines are planted metaphorically signifieth the Church The Church is compared to a Vineyard Metaphor Parallel THe Land that is made into a Vineyard is a Piece of Ground taken out of a Wilderness or other common Ground designed to that special use SO the Church is taken out of the Wilderness of this World 1 Pet 2.9 being separated from all People to be a peculiar People to God Eph. 2.1 2 By Nature Saints were as barren and fruitless as Sinners II. A Vineyard is fenced or walled in to secure it from wild Beasts and others who may offend or hurt it II. Isa 5 2. Zech. 2.5 So the Lord's Vineyard hath a Wall or Fence about it Saith the Lord I will be a Wall of Fire unto her round about What use soever a Fence is to a House Garden or Vineyard the same is God to his People 1. Every one of his Attributes as we have elsewhere shewed you is a Fence or Security to her his Power is a Fence his Wisdom is a Fence his Mercy is a Fence his special Providence is a Fence 2. The holy Angels are as a Wall or Fence to the Church and to every particular Saint they were as a Wall of Safety to the Prophet 2 Kings 6.15 16. 3. Psal 34.7 There is about the Church the Fence or Wall of Ordinances Church-Government and Discipline The Reason why God makes a Wall about his People is opened under Metaphor God a Husband man also the Nature and Strength of it to which we refer you Quest Perhaps some may enquire How much Ground doth this Hedg or Wall take in 1. It taketh in all the Bodies of God's People no Disease Sickness or Affliction whatsoever can come upon those that truly fear and serve the Almighty but what he lets in This appears in the case of Job and by what David saith My Life is in thy hand c. 2. This Wall comprehends more especially the Souls of Saints no Temptation 1 Cor. 10.13 Mat. 10.30 Luk. 21.18 Persecution or Trial can come upon them but what God lets in His special Eye Care Protection and Divine Providence is so over them that not a Hair of their Heads shall fall to the Ground without his Notice that is He hath interested himself in all the Concernments of his Children yea even in the smallest Matters 3. This Wall takes in their Houses and all they have Job 1.10 Hast thou not made a Hedg about him and about his House and about all he hath on every side The Devil could not touch any of Job's Sheep Oxen or Asses until God opened the Door for him much less his Sons Daughters Body and Life Suffer us said the unclean Spirits to Christ to go into the Herd of Swine They could not destroy those Swine before permitted or suffered by the Almighty III. A Vineyard is planted the choice things that grow there come not up of themselves III. So the Church is planted by the Lord and every goodly Plant that grows therein Hence God the Father is called an Husbandman Joh. 15 1. Isa 5.7 The Men of Israel are called his pleasant Plants IV. A Vineyard is digged up and well-manured before it is planted which is not done without much pains IV. The Church of God and every gracious Soul may be said to be digged or the fallow Ground of their Hearts by powerful Conviction broken up Hos 10.12 and thereby prepared to receive the good Seed or to have a Principle of Grace planted in their Hearts V. A Vineyard hath many Vines planted in it Luk 13.6 Cant. 6.11 7.12 and not only so but also Fig-Trees Pomegranates and other excellent Fruit-Trees V. So in the universal Church are many particular Congregations or Communities of Christians who are as so many choice Vines in God's Sight it also abounds with Plants some fruitful and some barren as is signified by our Saviour Luke 13.6 He spake also this Parable Luk. 13.6 A certain Man had a Fig-Tree planted in his Vineyard and he came and sought Fruit thereon and found none VI. A Vineyard needs much pruning and watering the Stones also must be gathered out of it hence there are Vine-dressers appointed to look after it VI. So the Church of God must have much pains taken with it or it will soon decay there is need of pruning and cutting off superfluous Branches and gathering out other things that offend Hence God hath appointed his faithful Ministers 2 Cor. 6.1 who are Workers together with him to take care and charge of it Hence Paul saith I have planted 1 Cor. 3.6 and Apollo watered VII Vineyards were wont to be hurt by Foxes by the wild Boar and other evil Beasts it hath many Enemies VII So the Church of God is often vexed and greatly hurt by the Foxes little Foxes namely false Teachers who for their Subtilty and Cruelty are called Foxes By little Foxes Cant. 2.15 some understand such as seem devout and very humble and yet preach hurtful and poysonous Doctrine yea bring in damnable Heresies
Fire Exod. 3.2 And the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a Flame of Fire out of the midst of a Bush and he looked and behold the Bush burned and was not consumed c. ACcording to Ainsworth and divers other Expositors by the Bush is meant the Church of God in great Affliction the severe Trials of God's People being often set forth in the holy Scriptures by Fire by a Flame of Fire and sometimes by a smoaking Furnace as in Abraham's Vision Gen. 15.17 And behold a smoaking Furnace and a burning Lamp that passed between the Pieces Gen. 15.17 By the smoaking Furnace was signified to Abraham Israel's great Affliction in Egypt and by the Lamp the Law of God that afterwards was given or as some understand it the Lamp of Deliverance or that Salvation God would work for them c. for that the Salvation of God is like to a Lamp that burneth Isa 52.1 Quest Why is the Church of God compared to a Bush to a burning Bush The Scripture usually sets out the Church by things whose Natures or Qualities are excellent things that are of great Worth c. And why should she be compared to a Bush to a Bramble-Bush for so Ainsworth and others read it Answ Some of the Reasons of it according to our weak Judgment are hinted in the following Parallels Metaphor Parallel A Bush is a thing of small worth and value few esteem or regard a Bramble-Bush stately Trees are viewed and prized and some of them valued highly but so is not a Bush SO likewise the Church of God was then and is now a thing of small value of little or no esteem in the eyes of wicked Men it was no more regarded by proud Pharaoh and many of the Egyptians than a sorry Bramble-Bush Hence the Apostle speaketh of the Church as being very contemptible in the sight of Men. We are made as the Filth of the World 1 Cor. 4.13 and are the Off-scouring of all things unto this day II. A Bramble-Bush as it is a thing of no Worth or Value so it is a thing that hath no Beauty in it in comparison of other Trees it is in no wise taking to the eye Some things that are of no great worth seem very glorious and beautiful but there is none of this in a Bramble II. So the true Church of God is not cloathed with outward Beauty not arrayed in Purple and Scarlet deck'd with Gold precious Stones and Pearls like the Mother of Harlots but seemeth low Rev. 17.4 base and contemptible to a carnal Eye her Beauty being all hidden The King's Daughter is glorious within Psal 45.13 And 't is from hence the World values her no more As Christ made himself of no Reputation Phil. 2.7 so the Church for a while remaineth among Men in a like State no carnal Eye that seeth her doth at all desire her III. A Bush is not only a thing of little worth in the esteem of Men but it is in it felf really of small value What is a Bramble worth what is it good for but to be cut down and cast into the Fire III. So the People of God considered abstractively as they are in themselves what are they what Worth or Excellency is in them All the Beauty and Glory of the Church is from Christ They are naturally vile Sinners Mich. 7.4 and are called Thorns Bryars and pricking Brambles and tho converted and changed by the Power of God's Grace yet there remaineth something still of the Old Man and evil Nature in them And God in other Places of Scripture where he compareth them to a Vine to Lillies to a Garden to Golden Candlesticks c. speaks of them with respect to what they are by his special Grace in Christ Jesus But here in comparing them to a Bush he hath respect as we conceive to what they are in themselves and by Nature to set forth their own Unworthiness that so he might thereby raise Moses his Wonder to see the mighty Condescension of the Blessed God in having regard to such a poor and undeserving People to dwell in them and in keeping and preserving them in the midst of such fierce and cruel Enemies when a small Spark might easily consume and destroy them in an instant but that he stretcheth forth his glorious Arms of Grace and Divine Power for their Succour and Relief IV. There is one thing more touching a Bush which for Illustration sake I shall here mention not that the Spirit of God had respect to it in this Vision viz. A Bush is a common Receptacle for Birds 't is the Place where they lodg make their Nests in and are secured from many Dangers that do attend them IV. The Church of God is the chief Place for the Saints of God to dwell or make their Abode in who in the Song of Songs are called Birds The time of the singing of Birds is come c. Cant. 2 12 Which saith Reverend Mr. Ainsworth signifies the Saints who feeling the Comforts of God's Word and Spirit do sing the Praises of God with Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs Isa 24.16 They shall lift up their Voice they shall sing for the Majesty of the Lord and from the uttermost Parts of the Earth we have heard Songs even Glory to the Righteous And indeed in our Judgment the Godly are compared to Birds principally upon this Consideration i. e. in respect to their Singing which is laid down in several places of Scripture as an undoubted Duty I wish that Christians who are not in the practice thereof would consider of it But to proceed How safe is the Bird when she getteth into the Bush so are the Saints when they are got into the Church God being a Wall of Fire round about her Ze●h 2.5 and her Defence and Glory on every side V. It is a strange and marvellous thing to see a Bramble-Bush on fire and not consumed this made Moses to turn aside I will turn aside to see this great Sight V. So it is a strange Sight a Prodigy a Mercy to a Wonder enough to astonish all true thinking Christians to see the Church of God the unworthy frail polluted weak and declining Church as set on fire yea all on a Flame as it were many Fires being kindled on her by wicked Adversaries and yet she is not consumed How many Plots and Hellish Contrivances were there on foot against poor Israel in Egypt First They made a Law that the Midwives should kill all their Men-Children when they did their Office Secondly When that would not take because the Midwives feared God and saved the Men-Children alive E●od 1.17 They feared God 't is said and did not as the King of Egypt commanded c. then they thought of another way another Plot was set on foot a new Fire as it were was kindled which was to cast all the Men-Children into the River And Pharaoh charged