15. To. 6. Ser. de aeneo Serpente O thou faithful Servant of God Why dost thou that which thou forbiddest Thou hast made a Law Thou shalt not make any Image to thy self and dost thou make a Serpent And then he brings him in answering I gave indeed those Laws that I might pull up by the roots all matter of impiety and that I might keep that People as far as might be from all worship of Images But now I also make a Serpent that I might hereby typifie Christs Death on the Cross and make plain the Way in which the Apostles in time to come should run and so our Lord himself interprets this of himself Joh. 3.14 And then he descends to Particulars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sicut illa figura imaginem quidem speciem Serpentis praesentabat sic Servator in similitudine carnis peccati apparuit cum tamen extra omne peccatum esset Ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Sicut illic figura aliorum Serpentium ille qui nec momordit nec percussit in crucem sublatus est sic delicta scelera aliorum hominum innocens Jesus suo crucis supplicio erat expiaturus Ibid. As that figure did represent the shape and likeness of a Serpent so our Saviour appeared in the similitude of sinful flesh when yet he was free from all sin He adds yet further As there the figure of other Serpents that Serpent which neither stung nor wounded any was fastened to the Pole so our innocent Jesus by his Death upon the Cross was to expiate the sins and Transgressions of other men He adds there one thing more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Sublatus est in crucem Serpens aeneus ut abolerentur morsus Draconum crucifixus est Christus ut Daemonum operationes abolerentur Ibid. The brazen Serpent says he was fastened to the Pole to take away the Wounds of the fiery Serpents And Christ was crucified that he might destroy the Works of the Devil Hear him elsewhere enlarging himself about this Parallel You see says he how the Type and the Truth agree There the Israelites escaped Death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Vides ut figura veritati consentiat Illic mortem fugerunt Judaei sed temporalem hic sempiternam fideles Illic ictus Serpentum Serpens suspensus sanavit hic incorporei Serpentis plagas Jesus cruci affixus curavit Illic corporeis oculis suspicientes corporis salutem hic incorporeis omnium peccatorum Remissionem consecuti sunt Illic aes suspensum erat in Serpentis effigiem hic dominicum corpus à Spiritu formatum Illic Serpens mordebat Serpens sanabat hic mors perdidit mors salvum fecit Illic Serpens qui interimebat veneno saeviebat qui liberabat nullo ita hic mors quae perdebat peccatum habebat sicut Serpens venenum Domini autem mors ab omni immunis erat peccato ut aeneus Serpens à veneno 1 Pet. 2.22 In Joan. Hom. 26. but temporal here the Faithful escape Eternal Death There the Serpent lifted up on the Pole healed the Wounds of the fiery Serpents here Jesus crucified cured the Wounds given by the incorporeal Serpent There the Israelites looking up with the eyes of their bodies obtained bodily health here they that look up with spiritual eyes obtain forgiveness of all their sins There Brass was hung up in the shape of a Serpent here the Body of the Lord formed by the Holy Ghost was fastened to the Cross There a Serpent did wound and a Serpent did heal here Death destroyed and Death heals There the Serpent that killed had poyson the Serpent that healed had none So it 's here the Death that destroyed had sin as the Serpent had poyson but the Lords Death was free from sin as the brazen Serpent was from poyson In Num. 21.8 9 Ainsworth also takes notice of this brazen Serpent as a figure of Christ as Christ himself hath opened it Joh. 3.14 As Moses c. For says he as this had the similitude of a Serpent but had no venome so Christ had the similitude of a sinful man yet without sin Hebr. 4.15 And a little after The seting up of the Serpent says he upon a Pole was to them a figure of Christ to be crucified and preached unto the World for Salvation And a little after As the Serpent lifted up was a Type of Christ so the looking upon it signified Faith in Christ as it is written At that day shall a man look unto his Maker Isai 17.7 and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy one of Israel And a little after By the continuance and recovery of natural life to the Israelites looking up to the brazen Serpent was figured Eternal Life to all that believed in Christ And a little after As they that were bitten by these Serpents if they looked upon their Sores and not to the Sign erected by God they dyed so they that are bitten with Sin if they fix their eyes thereon though with Repentance and look not unto Christ do despare and dye Mat. 27.3 4 5 as it happened unto Judas As they if they sought to Chyrurgeons or Physicians or used Salves and Medicines of their own or others perished so whosoever seeks to any but Christ or endeavors by his own Works or Sufferings to have Life with God John 8.24 Galat. 5.4 dyes in his sins As the brazen Serpent was an unlikely thing in humane Reason to heal such deadly Wounds so Christ crucified is to the Jews a stumbling block 1 Cor. 1.23 24 and to the Greeks foolishness but unto them that are called both Jews and Greeks Christ is the Power of God and the Wisdom of God He adds A Serpent of Brass In Verse 9 which Mettal besides that it is of a fiery colour and so might resemble the colour of the Serpents it 's also strong and durable and in that respect might figure out the strength of Christ who was enabled by the power of the Godhead to endure and overcome all his Tribulations otherwise then any man could whereupon Job says in his Sorrows Is my strength the strength of Stones Job 6.12 or is my flesh of Brass And a little after he adds It was the work of Moses to lift up the brazen Serpent on the Pole whereupon it 's said John 3.14 As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness And it signifies how Moses his Law was our Schoolmaster unto Christ Gal. 3.24 that we might be justified by Faith By his Writings Christ is lifted up as an Ensign unto all People John 5.46 for he wrote of Christ and by the rigor of his Law which urges satisfaction for sin and curseth all Transgressors Christ was lifted up upon the Cross Verse 7 Finally he adds ' The Serpents were not taken away from the People as they desired but continued still as a
his Blood but yet there is an absolute necessity of this Bread and Liquor of Life to Salvation so that without them perishing is unavoydable Iohn 6.53 Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man says our Saviour and drink his blood ye have no Life in you 2. There is as an absolute so a continual necessity of these creatures of Bread and Wine Bread to be eaten and something to be drunk And in this respect our Saviour teaches us to make it our dayly suit Give us this day our dayly Bread Matth. 6 so there is a dayly and continual necessity of Christ that we should feed upon his Body and drink his Blood and apply unto our selves the Merits of his Death For both it 's true There is no man that lives and sins not 2 Chro. 6.36 Iam. 3 2 and so the Apostle says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In many things we offend all and also there is no day in which the best man that is sins not in which respect we have dayly need of Christ and the Merits of his Death to be applyed unto us 3. Bread is so convenient and excellent food that under it our blessed Saviour comprehends all things necessary for the body As indeed Matth. 6 if a man have good Bread and good Drink he may make a good shift to live though he hath nothing else So if by a true and living Faith we lay hold upon Christ eating his flesh and drinking his blood we shall want nothing that is needful unto Salvation Whosoever says our Saviour shall drink of the Water that I shall give him Joh. 4.14 shall never thirst And I am the Bread of Life John 6.35 He that comes unto me shall never hunger and he that believes in me shall never thirst And no marvel for Col. 3.11 as the Apostle says Christ is all and in all 4. There is nothing which in the composition of it doth more resemble the Body and Blood of Christ then do these creatures of Bread and Wine Consider it a little The Corn which is the matter of Bread is cut down with the Sickle hurried in the Cart threshed with the Flail fanned and winnowed in the Wind ground to powder in the Mill kneaded with the Hand and strength of the Arms and finally must endure the heat of the Oven and all this before it be Bread The Clusters also of Grapes must be bruised and troden and prest that the Liquor may run out for us to drink So our Lord Jesus Christ before his Body could be Bread of Life to feed us to Eternal Life and his Blood Wine for us to drink was fain to pass through a World of Miseries Hear that Evangelical Prophet Isai 53.5 He was wounded c. He was bruised c. The chastisement of our Peace was upon him and by his stripes we are healed Verse 7 He was oppressed He was afflicted Verse 3 He was despised and rejected of men a man of Sorrows and acquainted with Griefs Hear the Apostle He made himself of no reputation Phil. 2.7 8 he took upon him the form of a Servant and was made in the likeness of a man and being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient to Death even the Death of the Cross He was incarnate God becomes Man Infinite becomes Finite 2 Cor. 8.9 Matth. 4.2 John 19 Luke 22 Rich becomes Poor He hungered he thirsted he was tempted He suffered an extream Agony in the Garden which made him to sweat drops of blood He was buffeted scorned scourged spit upon Mat. 26 27 crowned with Thorns nailed to the Cross Hand and Foot where he trod the Wine-press of his Fathers Displeasure Matth. 27 1 Cor. 2.8 Acts 3 Rom. 9.5 Galat. 3.13 which made him to cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me The God of Glory was crucified the Prince of Life was murdered God blessed for ever was made a uâ—se Nay after that he had given up the ghost his side must be pierced by the rude Soldiers Spear John 19 and his precious Heart-blood must be let out before he could be spiritual nourishment unto us See in all these the excellent analogy between bread and wine and the body and blood of Christ II. But see it further in the particulars 1. The Analogy between bread and the body of Christ 1. The life of the body is sustained by the bread which we eat and so the life of the soul by the body of Christ fed upon by faith so saies our Saviour The bread of God is he that comes down from Heaven Joh. 6.33 and gives life unto the world And afterwards in the same Chapter I am the living bread c. Vers 51 if any man eates of this bread he shall live for ever and the bread which I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world 2. Bread allaies hunger so the body of Christ eaten by faith alaies the hunger of the soul Joh. 6.35 He that comes to me saies Christ shall never hunger which is so to be understood as Rollock well explaines it Not that we shall never hunger at all after this heavenly food is once given to us Non quod non esuriemus omnino postquam semel nobis datus fuerit cibus ille caelestis sed quod non prius de siderabimus quam accipiemus Beati qui esuriunt sitiunt justitiam quoniam ipsi saturabuntur Matth. 5.6 In loc but that we shall not sooner desire it then we shall receive it according to that of our Saviour Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse for they shall be satisfied 2. The analogy between wine and the blood of Christ 1. Wine as other liquor hath a power to asswage natural thirst so the blood of Christ drank by faith the thirst of the soul Psal 104. 2. Wine cheeres and comforts a man that is ready to droop through faintnesse and weaknesse so the blood of Christ hath a cheering and a refreshing power how shall it not cheer and refresh the soul weary and heavy laden with the sense of sin to know that Christ hath shed his precious blood whereby he hath made infinite satisfaction to the justice of God for the sins of the world So it s a comfort and cheering to a man that is deeply indebted for which he is in danger of prison to know that his friend and surety hath paid the debt and satisfied the Creditor It s true that St. Paul saies Heb. 9.22 without blood there is no remission but it s no lesse true 1 Joh. 1.7 that St. John saies the blood of Christ shed upon the crosse for us doth cleanse us from all sin though of a crimson or scarlet dye Isa 1.18 from the guilt and punishment of them A Creditor cannot without manifest injustice impute a debt to a
with any Church forsake the Communion of it Let us be sensible of any thing amiss and pray to God and do our best endeavors in our way to have all things set in right order but let us not unkindly depart from the Church so long as we see our Saviour present with it It 's true that there will be a time when the Church shall be without spot or wrinkle but to expect it in the time of this life Eph. 5.27 and to quarrel at the Church because it is not so now were folly in an high degree and great uncharitableness 2. The like is to be said of particular Christians Expect not Angelical Perfection at their hands living on the face of the Earth nor because we see some blemishes in their lives let us therefore cast them off as wicked Reprobates but so long as we can discern any thing in them with respect to which we may in charity judg them to be God's let us give them the right hand of fellowship and own them as Brethren and if we see them to miscarry in any kinde disown them not as past hope of being reclaimed but study to restore them with the spirit of meekness Gal. 6.1 considering our selves lest we also be tempted Have they blemishes so have the best of us and would we not take it unkindly to be for this cause discarded by others then deal not so unkindly with others as to discard them for this cause for this is the golden Rule of Equity propounded by our Saviour as the sum of the Law and the Prophets Matth. 7.12 Whatsoever ye would that others should do to you do ye even the same to them and so Quod tibi fieri non vis alteri ne feceris on the other side Do not that to another which thou wouldst not that another should do to thee 3. Wonder not at the fruits of Gods severity exercised against the Church of God and against particular godly Christians the Members of the Church They have their blemishes their spots their sins by which they also offend God and where sin goes before who can wonder if punishment and chastisement follows after What is more just then that it should be so Yea the Love of God to and his Fatherly Care for the Church and the Members of it requires it Rev. 3.19 As many says Christ as I love I rebuke and chasten And When ye are judged says the Apostle ye are chastened of the Lord 1 Cor. 11.32 that ye should not be condemned with the World 4 In this respect how necessary is it that the ministers of God should direct reproofes to the Church and to godly Christians in the Church have ye your spots and would not ye be cleansed have ye your sins and would ye not be reproved how unreasonable is this yea how do ye in this act against your precious soules for nothing is more conducing to your happiness then faithful and seasonable reproof by which we endeavour to keep sin from seizing on you and making a prey of your soules Say not think not that we speak against you and seek to disgrace you It s nothing so for while we reprove your sins we speak for you against your sins which act against you nor seek we to disgrace you to others but to disgrace your sins to you and to make you out of love with them and to draw you off from them which otherwise will ruine you Take heed therefore of such misprisions and as you would do in a journey take it in good part to be told that you are out of the way Take it as ye will we must do it a necessity is laid upon us for God hath given the commandment Isai 58.1 Cry aloud spare not lift up thy voice like a trumpet shew my people their transgression and the house of Jacob their sin And now wo will be to us if for fear of your displeasure we do it not fear not their faces Jer. 1.17 saies God to the Prophet least I confound thee before them 5. This may be of great force to take us off from the excessive love of this present life and willingly to accept of the motion of death for while we live here below as the moon hath her spots so we have our blemishes lying under a necessity of sining in regard of that body of sin which we bear about us from this necessity of sining death shall exempt us for then holinesse shall be made in us complete and perfect and the body of sin shall be altogether wasted out of us then we shall sin no more nor sorrow more now we are like the moon Matth. 13.43 having spots but then we shall shine as the Sun in the Kingdome of our Father And what wise man that intends his own good would content himself to remain in a state of imperfection when he may be brought to a state of absolute perfection This change is effected by death why should we dread it why should we not embrace it with both arms Cry not as the Disciples at the Transfiguration It s good for us to be here Matth. 17. but rather with old Simeon Lord Luk. 2.29 Phil. 1.23 now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace and with Saint Paul I desire to be dissolved yet let us not make more haste then good speed Our life is a Warfare and it s not for Souldiers to leave their stations but at the will of the General but if God shall say to us as to Moses Deut. 32.49 50. Go up to Mount Nebo and dye let us readily obey and go up and dye Let us so make use of our lives that we may be fit to dye and then there will need no more words about this bargain 6. The Moon hath her various Aspects sometimes she is in the Full and sometimes in the Wane sometimes she shines more gloriously sometimes lesse and yet still she hath a being So is it with the Church Sadeel doth excellently set forth this comparison As the Moon saies he doth not alway shew her light in her full Orb Quemadmodum non semper Luna pleno orbe lumen suum nobis ostentat sed aliquando ita decrescit ut nobis illa non amplius superesse videatur nec tamen unquam propterea radiis solis destituitur quamvis humanis sensibus secus appareat ita Ecclesia non semper plenum fulgorem emittit sed aliquando ita obscuratur ut nostris oculis non pateat nihilâ—minus certum est eam semper esse semperque a suo sole id est a Christo illustrari De legit ministr vocat p. 39. but she doth sometimes so decrease that she seems to us not to be any more and yet never is she destitute of the Sun beames though it seems otherwise to our senses So the Church doth not alway send forth a full brightness but is sometime so obscured that she
Amathi in condemnationem Israelis ad Gentes mittitur quod Nineve poenitentiam agente illi in malitia perseverent sic Dominus noster columba vel dolens utrumque enim interpretatur vel quia S. Spiritus in specie columbae descendit mansit super eum vel quia nostris doluit ipse vulneribus vere filius Amathi i. e. veritatis Deus enim veritas est mittit ad Niniven pulchram i. e. mundum quo nil pulchrius oculis carnâ—is aspicimus ut quia Israel audire contempsit totus gentium mundus exaudiat To. 3. in Jon. 1.1 2. so our Lord a Dove or sorrowing for the word signifies both either because the Holy Ghost descended in the likenesse of a Dove and rested upon him Math. 3.16 or because he bore our sorrows Isa 53.4 truly the son of Amittai that is of the truth for God is the Truth is sent to Nineveh the fair that is into the world then which with our bodily eyes we see nothing more beautiful that because Israel refused to hear the whole world of the Gentiles might hear Hear him again The Prophet would fly to Tanshish Voluit propheta fugere in Tharsis non ad certum aliquem locum sed mare ingrediens quocunque fugere festinat De Salvatore autem possumus dicere quod dimiserit domum patriam suam assumpta carne quodammodo de coelestibus fugerit veneritque in Tharsis i. e. in mare seculi istius Ibid. not to any certain place but entring the Sea he hasted to fly any whither But of our Saviour we may say that he left his house and country and assuming our nature he did after a sort fly from Heaven and came to Tarshish that is the Sea of this world Hear St. Chrysostome who glossing upon Matthew 12.41 brings in Christ thus speaking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Ille servus fuit ego Dominus sum ille è ceto exiliit ego à mortuis resurgam subversionem ille urbi futuram praedicavit ego regni coelestis evangelia vobis annuncio Ninevitae quidem absque signo crediderunt vos autem multa miraculorum signa videtis nec quicquam ante Jonae verba illi audiverunt vos autem per diversa Philosophiae genera educavi Praeterea Jonas tanquam minister ad Ninevitas accessit ego autem ad vos Dominus Creator deveni Illi quidem Barbari erant vos autem inter prophetas innumeros educati De Jona nemo illis praedixit de me plurimi praedixere opera praedicationi consona perspicitis Jonas etiam ne derideretur fugit ego autem crucis patibulum subiturus illusiones vestras laturus ultro adveni Et ille quidem peregrinus erat hominibus illis omnino ignotus ego autem vobis conjunctus secundum carnem ab iisdem oriundus sum progenitoribus In Matth. hom He was a servant I am the Lord he was vomited out of the fish I shall arise from the dead he foretold overthrow to that City I bring the tydings of the Kingdom of Heaven and the Ninevites believed without any sign but ye see many miracles neither heard they any thing before those words of Jonas but I have educated you by divers kindes of Philosophy Besides Jonas came to the Ninevites as a Minister I am come to you your Lord and Creator They were Barbarians ye have been brought up among many Prophets No man had told them beforehand concerning Jonas many have prophesied of me and ye see works answerable to the predictions Jona also for fear of mocking fled I am come of my own accord ready to undergo the death of the Cross and to bear all your mockings And he was a stranger and altogether unknown to those men but I am neerly joyned to you according to the flesh and have the same progenitors with you Hear Hilarius Pictaviensis To him namely to Jonah the Lord compares himself for Jonah Huic se Dominus comparat namque Jonas ventis desaevientibus projectus è navi est devoratus à ceto post triduum vivus emissus non retentus à monstro non cibi conditione confectus sed contra humani corporis naturam integer illaesus in superas auras evadit Hoc potestatis suae signum constitutum esse demonstrat ipse remissionem peccatorum per poenitentiam praedicans de Jerusalem vel Synagoga immundorum spirituum dominante flatu ejiceindus Pilati potestati i. e. seculi judicio tradendus à morte glutiendus post triduum ex ea contra conditionem hominis quem assumpserat non retentus vivus incorrupius emergens Comment in Matth. can 16. col 544. the winds being boysterous was cast out of the ship and devoured by a Whale and after three dayes sent out alive not retained by that monster nor consumed as other meat uses to be but contrary to the nature of an humane body he comes into the open Air entire and without hurt This doth the Lord shew to be a sign of his power preaching repentance for the remission of sins he was to be cast out of Jerusalem or out of the Synagogue by the prevailing power of the unclean spirit he was to be delivered to the power of Pilate that is to the secular judgment he was to be swallowed up of death and and after three dayes contrary to the condition of man which he had assumed not held of death he rises alive and incorrupt Hear St. Basil of Seleuâ—ia Jonas sayes he did rather immitate Christ in suffering evil then preach him in words nor did he in words foretel the burial of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Jonas malorum tolerantia Christum est imitatus potius quam verbis praedicarit nec verbis Christi sepulchrum praedixit sed in ceto sepultus post triduum sine noxa redditus omnes docuit mortales immortalitatis januam esse mortem de sepulchro vitam erumpere Orat. 13. Jonas ex navi in ventrem ceti Christus à liguo in sepulchrum transit Jonas pro nautis periclitantibus Christus pro nobis in hoc seculo fluctantibus Jussum est primo ut praedicaretur Ninevitis a Jona sed non ad eos pervenit prophetia nisi post quam eum evomnit piscis Ita prophetia praemissa est ad Gentes sed nisi post resurrectionem Christi non pervenit ad Gentes To. 2. epist 49. ad Deo gratias Praesbyt but being buried in the Whale and after three dayes restored to the free and open air he taught all men that death is the gate of immortality and that out of the grave life breaks forth Hear St. Austin Jonah sayes he pass't from the ship to the Whales belly so Christ from the Cross to the grave Jonah for the mariners being in danger and Christ for us being tossed up and down in this world Jonah had order but the prophesy
first hand we through him 1 John 2.20 We have an Vnction says the Apostle from the holy one as the holy oyl was powred upon the head of Aaron Psal 133.2 and from the head it came down to his beard and to the skirts of his garments God Joh. 3.34 Eph. 4.7 saies the holy Baptist hath not given him the Spirit by measure but to us saies St. Paul grace is given according to the measure of the gift of Christ that is in such measure and proportion as it pleased Christ to bestow it upon us Hear St. Ambrose descanting on that Prophesy Joel 2 28. to this purpose He said not I will powr out my Spirit but of my Spirit for we cannot receive the fulnesse of the Holy Ghost Non spiritum dixit sed de spiritu nos enim accipere non possumus plenitudinem S. Spiritus sed tantum accipimus quantum de suo arbiter nostri pro sua voluntate diviserit Supra nos ergo effusum est de Spiritu at supra Christum cum in forma esset hominis manebat Spiritus To. 2. de S. Sancto ad Gratiam l. 1. c. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. habuit caro S. Sanctum non partem donorum sicut nos cum uni sapientia alteri scientia datur sed omnia habuit dona In nobis dividuntur dona in Christo autem carne omnia dona fuere Tom. 6. serm de S. Sancto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ille plenitudinem accepit nos de plenitudine Ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Non habet ipse donum participabile sed est ipse sons radix donorum omnium non in seipso continens bonorum divitias sed in universos diffundens quibus diffusis plenus permanet nec ex eo quod aliis suppeditat minuitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Quod autem ego fero participabile est ab alio enim id accepi exigua pars totius est quasi gutta parva ad immensam abyssum infinitum pelagus comparata In Joan. Evang. hom 13. but we receive so much as God divides to us There is therefore powred on us of the Spirit but upon Christ being in the form of man the Holy Ghost abode And so St. Chrisostom The Humane Nature of Christ had the Holy Ghost not a part of his gifts as we have when to one wisdome is given and to another knowledge In us therefore the gifts of the Holy Ghost are divided but all were in Christ all perfections meeting together in him as lines from the Circumference in the Center And afterwards in the same place alluding to Joh. 1.16 He saies the Father that is Christ received the fulnesse but we of his fulnesse Hear him again elsewhere noting this difference between Christ and Christians He that is Christ hath not the gift by participation but He is the Fountain and Root of all gifts not keeping in himself the riches of good things but powring them out upon all which being powred out he still remaines full and is not diminished by that which he gives to all others Thus it is with Christ But how is it with others This he shews speaking in his own person But what I have is by participation for I have Received it of another saies he and it s a small part of the whole and as it were a small drop in comparison of an unmeasurable depth and a boundless Sea And what he speaks of himself is true of all Christians and to this Confession the best of us may justly subscribe 5. The Angels ministered unto Christ and they minister unto us but here is also a vast difference for they ministred to him as to their Lord even to the Lord of Angels To us as to their fellow-servants for so the Angel confessed to Saint John Rev. 19.10 and 22.9 I am thy fellow-servant and of thy Brethren that have the Testimony of Jesus and of them that keep the sayings of this Book And that by the appointment of our common Lord and as a fruit of that Union that intercedes between Christ and us as between the Head and the Members 6. Christ must suffer before he comes to Glory and so must we but here also is a vast difference as Saint Austin observes We are not therefore equal with Christ Non propterea Christo pares sumus si pro illo usque ad sanguinem Martyrium duxerimus potestatem ille habuit ponendi animam iterum sumendi eam nos nec quantum volumus vivimus morimur et si nolimus Ille moriens in se occidit mortem nos ejus morte liberamur à morte Postremo et si frates pro fratribus moriantur tamen in fraternorum peccatorum remissionem nullius sanguis Martyris funditur quod fecit ille pro nobis In Joan. Tract 84. if we shed our blood for him He had power to lay down his Life and to take it up again We neither live as long as we would we dy though we would not He by his Death destroyed Death We by his Death are freed from Death Lastly though Brethren dye for Brethren yet never any Martyrs blood was shed for the Remission of their Brethrens sins as Christ did for us Saint Paul disavows it for his own particular Was Paul says he crucified for you 1 Cor. 1.13 q. d. At no hand I abhor the thought of it Indeed sometimes he mentions his sufferings for the Body of Christ Col. 1 24 that is the Church but he meant not as if he suffered for the expiation of the sins of the Church but for the edification of the Church as he says The things that have happened to me Phil. 1.12 14 have faln out to the furtherance of the Gospel Many of the Brethren waxing confident by my bonds are much more bold to speak the Word without fear according to that known saying Sanguis Martyrum semen Ecclesiae The blood of the Martyrs is the seed of the Church and that of Tertullian This Sect says he Non deficiet haec Secta quam tunc magis aedificari scias cum caedi videtur De Persec ad Scapul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non vides quo plures sunt qui suppliciis afficiunt tanto majorem numerum esse aliorum sc Christianorum Ep. ad Diognet speaking of Christians shall not fail which know that it 's then more built up when it seems to be cut down And that finally of Justin Martyr Seest thou not that by how much the number is increased of them that inflict torments by so much the more the number of Christians is increased 7. Christ rose and we shall rise but with a great dissimilitude Christ rose the third day and saw no corruption but according to the profession of Martha concerning her brother Lazarus we shall rise again at the last day Joh. 11.24 and in the mean time we see
against the Disciples of the Lord making havock of the Church and haling men and women to prisons But Christ meets him in the way to Damascus and enters into his Soul and now having Communion with this Light he is directed to better courses of a Wolf he becomes a Sheep yea a careful Shepherd Gal. 1 23 He preaches the Faith which once he destroyed He tenders the Flock of Christ of which formerly he had made havock And so we may see it to have been with others 5. Light is a pleasant thing Eccles 11.7 Truly the Light is sweet says Solomon and it 's a pleasant thing for the Eye to behold the Sun And Prov. 15.30 The Light of the Eyes rejoyces the Heart says he And hence Light is put for Joy Light is sowen for the righteous Psalm 97.11 and Joy for the upright in Heart And thus doth Christ resemble the Light as Jansenius well observes We shall says he rightly understand That Christ doth call himself the Light of the World Recte intellexerimus Dominum se vocare lucem mundi quod per suum Evangelium salutiferum nuncium afflictas omnium mentes venerit exhilaraturus Ibid. because he came to exhilarate the afflicted mindes of men by his Gospel and the Tydings of Salvation And therefore the Angel bringing news to the Shepherds of the Birth of Christ calls it Tydings of great Joy Luke 2.10 11 John 14.16 which shall be to all Nations And therefore calling the Holy Ghost another Comforter he implies That he himself is a Comforter And indeed there is not any affliction either of body or minde under and against which we may not finde matter of comfort in Christ as might be shewed in Particulars Hence we may learn sundry things 1. See the fearful folly of which they are guilty that refuse to accept of Christ when he is offered and offers himself to them in the Word and Sacraments it is thus with many haply might they have him upon their own terms might they keep him and the World together might they keep him and their sins together they would be perswaded easily to accept of him but the case so standing that they cannot keep both together they bid adieu to Christ Oh the folly of these men for now they rejecting Christ refuse to accept of Light and choose rather to live in the dark and how shall they avoyd stumbling and falling And when crosses and afflictions betide them where shall they finde comfort to uphold them while they refuse Christ in whom alone all comfort stands who shall wonder if such as these fall into despair who shall wonder if such in extremity of sorrow offer violence to Nature and prove cruel to themselvs 2. See how comfortable the condition of them is that have an interest in Christ that can say as the Spouse I am my welbeloveds and my welbeloved is mine Cant. 2.16 see the great good that accrews to them by him for he is the light and therefore Christ being yours the light of the world is yours he is yours to whom it belongs to expel the darknesse of ignorance out of your mindes and doubt not but he will do it not all at once but by degrees Having him ye shall walk surely and safely ye shall be secured against falling and stumbling ye shall be guided and directed by him in the ordering of your steps Having him ye shall be sure in him to finde comfort against all distresses which may happen to you whether in body or in minde against Satan he hath vanquisht him in himself and he will tread him under your feet against the world Rom. 16.20 Joh. 16.33 Christ hath overcome it for you against your sins Christ hath satisfied Gods justice offended by them and obtained your pardon for He dyed and is risen again Rom. 3.34 and makes intercession for you at Gods right hand against all breaches between God and you Rom. 5.10 for Ye are reconciled to God by the death of his Son against the curse of the Law for Christ hath redeemed you from it Gal. 3.13 being made a curse for you against death 1 Cor. 15.57 for through Christ ye have victory over it And the like in all the rest how happy then is the condition of such 3. Let us learn by Christ to keep our selves unspotted in the worst times in the worst places so did Christ so let us do or at least endeavor to do Gen. 6.9 Job 1.1 It was the commendation of Noah that he was an upright man in that generation when all flesh had corrupted their way and of Job that he feared God and eschewed evil in the Land of Vz thus were these men as the fish that remain fresh in the salt Sea and as the Stars that shine clearest in the dark night and thus let us endeavour that it may be with us Phil. 2.15 according to that exhortation of Saint Paul Be blamelesse and harmlesse the Sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation 4. Let us learn not to contemn and despise Godly Christians between whom and us there is never so great distance in outward respects though they be poor and we rich they despicable we honourable c. yet despise them not but own them as brethren and give them the right hand of fellowship remembring that as the benefit of the light belongs in common to all creatures so the benefit of Christ to all Christians Gal 3.28 and though in worldly respects there be never so great difference between us and them yet in Jesus Christ we are all one 5. Are we in our places Lights communicating Light to others instructing them in the knowledge of God and of Christ Joh. 1.9 guiding them by the light of our example yet let us walk in all humility remember that Christ alone is that true light enlightening every man that comes into the world and if we be Lights we are but enlightned Lights and the light which we impart unto others we have it not of our selves but from Christ the light of the world Why then should we be proud 1. Cor. 4.7 Remember the argument of the Apostle What hast thou saies he which thou hast not received that is nothing and if thou hast received it namely all that is good why doest thou boast 6. If we want light let us seek to Christ for it who is this great light of the world finde we darknesse remaining in our minds seek to Christ and desire him to dispel it Psal 119.18 and to set up the light of knowledg in us praying as David Open mine eyes that I may see wondrous things out of thy Law find we our selves to sit in the darknes of affliction and sorrow and desire we the light of joy and comfort whether shall we seek for it but to Christ the Fountain of Light and here we cannot miss
And if ye finde this Hope fading in you endeavor to strengthen it by a frequent Meditation of Gods Power and Mercy and the Faithfulness of his Promises and by the Experience of his Dealings with his Church in former Times and so shall ye finde it of singular use to uphold you against all the opposition which Satan and the World shall make against you CHAP. XIII The Church and the Threshing-floor or Wine-press SAint Austin following the Translation of the Septuagint as for the most part in the New Testament where any Testimony of the Old Testament is alledged that Translation is followed renders the Title of the eighth Psalm Pro tercularibus super Gittith For the Wine-presses upon Gittith and so he takes knowledg of the Comparison between the Church and the Wine-presses or the Threshing-floor for thus he says By the Wine-press and also by the Threshing-floor Torcularia possumus accipere Ecclesiam sicut aream Sive enim in area sive in torculari nil aliud agitur nisi ut fructus ab integumentis purgentur quae necessaria erant ut nascerentur ut crescerent ut ad maturitatem messis vel vindemiae pervenirent Hiâ— integumentis i. e. palcis in area frumenta vinaciis in torcularibus vina exuuntur Sicut in Ecclesia a multitudine secularium hominum quae simul cum bonis congregatur quibus ut nascerentur necessaria erat illa multitudo id agitur ut spiritali amore per operationem ministrorum Dei separentur Agitur autem ut non loco sed affectu separentur boni a malis quamvis simul in Ecclesiis quantum attinet ad corporalem praesentiam conversentur aliud autem erit tempus quo vel frumenta in horrea vel vina in cellas segregentur In Psal 8. we may understand the Church For whether in the Threshing-floor or in the Wine-press the main business is to sever the Fruit from the Coverings which yet were necessary that they might be and that they might grow and come to ripeness for Harvest and Vintage From these Covers they are severed that is the Grain from the Chaff in the Threshing-floor and the Wine from the skins and kernels of the Grapes in the Wine-press So in the Church this is the main business That from the multitude of worldly men which is mixt together with the good to whom yet that they might be born that multitude was necessary the good might be severed by spiritual Love by the Labors of the Ministers of God But the meaning is That the good should be separated from the bad not in place but in affection although in regard of bodily presence they converse together in the Church but there shall be another Time in which the good Grain shall be set apart from the Chaff into the Garners and the Wine from the Dregs into the Cellars And here are many Things to be observed I. That the Church hath a mixture in it of good and bad of Elect and Reprobate as in the Threshing-floor the Wheat and Chaff are together and the Wine and Dregs in the Wine-press the Church Militant in this World never was without such mixture II. That this mixture of the good and bad is necessary and useful to the good namely says the Father That the godly may be born and brought into the World for thus it oft pleases God That from wicked Parents have sprung godly Children as from Korah Numb 16 the Ring-leader in that Faction against Moses and Aaron did issue Sons that were if not Penners of some of the Psalms Psalm 42. tit yet at least imployed in the singing of them From wicked Ahaz a godly Hezekiah from idolatrous Amon a tender-hearted Josiah and from Jeroboam that made Israel to sin did issue a Son in whom was found some good towards the Lord God of Israel 1 King 14.13 who alone therefore of all the House of Jeroboam was buried and mourned for But further also this mixture of good and bad in the Church is expedient 1. To let the godly see the Mercy of God to themselves doing them good by his sacred Ordinances while the wicked live so unprofitably under them 2. To aggravate the sins of the wicked and to heighten their judgment while living under the same means of Grace by which the godly are enabled to bring forth the fruits of Righteousness to the Glory of God they either use them not or abuse them abounding in all wickedness to Gods dishonor III. That living in the Church with the wicked we must separate our selves from them in affection and practise not running with them to the same excess of riot not delighting in sin as they do but to be as contrary to them as possibly we can in our Conversation according to the advice of the Apostle Eph. 5.11 Have no fellowship with the unfruitful Works of Darkness but rather reprove them They trade in wickedness 1 Pet. 1.15 it 's for us to endeavor to be holy in all manner of Conversation And no less must we be contrary to them in our affection They love sin we must hate it Psalm 97.10 38.18 as David advises us Ye that love the Lord hate the thing that is evil They joy in their sins we must say as David I will be sorry for my sins They delight in the sins of others we must be affected as David 119.136 who could say of himself My eyes gush down with rivers of tears because men keep not thy Law And being thus contrary to them IV. There is no need that we should make a local separation from the wicked nor forsake the communion of the Church because we see some wicked men in it the sins of the wicked shall hurt themselves not us separating our selves from their sins So saies the Wiseman Prov. 5.22 His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself not others that estrange themselves from them V. Yet there shall come a time when there shall be a full and perfect separation between the good and the bad the godly the sheep set on Christs right hand Matth. 25.33 and the wicked the Goats on his left hand These the wicked shall go into everlasting punishment but the righteous into life eternal vers 46. Psal 1.5 There shall then be a congregation of righteous men and no wicked men among them wait with patience till the time comes in which God will bring it so to pass but expect not such a bodily separation here in the time of this life least our expectation be frustrated It is enough for us that it shall once be the husbandman waits for the harvest and let us wait till the end of this world then shall the harvest be and let us not quarrel at the Church nor as male-contents depart from the fellowship of the Church because this separation is not made just when we would have it Let it suffice us that Christ hath taught