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
man nor cast him into prison for it his freind and surety having already discharged it And now how shall not this blood of Christ shed for us it being that by which we obtain remission comfort and cheer the soul for so we see that God giving the Prophet a commission to comfort his people Isa 40.1 Vers 2. instructs him also by what argument to comfort them Say unto Jerusalem her iniquity is pardoned And so our Saviour by the same argument Son Matth. 9.2 be of good cheer Thy sins are forgiven thee 3. Wine takes coldnesse from the body and heates and warmes it so the blood of Christ drunk by faith is a notable mean to take away the coldnesse of love to God and to our brethren and to make our love to both more fervent for when we consider the great and ardent love of God to us giving his Son to dye and shed his blood for us and of Christ actually and voluntarily dying and shedding his blood for our benefit how can it do other then increase the heat of our love to God and to our brethren for his sake for it s most true that our Saviour saies Joh. 15.13 Greater love hath no man then this that a man lay down his life for his friend And now if we have any sparke of ingenuity how can it be but that we shall thus argue If God if Christ hath shewed such fervent love to me as to think nothing no not his onely begotten Son too good to give to us and for us what can I do lesse then return fervent love to God and to Christ what shall I think too good for God and for Christ what shall I think too much or too hard to do or to suffer for them for as the Apostle argues We love him because he loved us first 1 Joh. 4.19 so the serious thought of the fervency of the love of Christ shedding his blood for us cannot but stirre us up to fervency of love unto God and to Christ And so for love to our brethren If God saies the Apostle hath so loved us 1 Joh. 4.11 we ought also to love one another And if God if Christ hath born to us such a fervent love we ought also to love one another fervently 1 Pet. 1.22 4. Wine quickens the body and makes it active so the blood of Christ being received by faith quickens us to all good works Christs shedding of his blood for us is as hath been said a singular fruit and evidence of Christs love unto us and now we hear what the Apostle saies The love of Christ constrains us 2 Cor. 5.14 Believing therefore that our dear Saviour hath out of his immense love to us shed his precious blood for us how shall it not make us active in all good works how shall not our hearts hereby be so enlarged as to make us run the way of Gods commandments readily performing all duties which God requires of us 5. Wine makes men bold and couragious In praelia trudit in ermes Horat. The Poet will tell us that it will thrust a man into the war even naked and without armes and there are some who being to perform some Scholastical exercise to embolden themselves have taken a cup or two of wine Of this use is the blood of Christ in spiritual respects namely being received by faith it hath a power to make us secure and confident in respect of God and bold in confession before men Nor is there cause to wonder that it is thus useful how shall it not be a just ground of holy security towards God to know that though by our sins we have incurred Gods just displeasure and for them might justly expect the dreadful effects of it yet Christ hath by his blood made an attonement for us having thereby fully satisfied his infinit Justice infinitely offended by our sins and how shall not the sense of Christs love to us in shedding his blood for us make us bold to confesse his name before men choosing rather to expose our selves to any hardship to the extreamest torments that the malice of men or divels can inflict upon us then through cowardice and faintheartednesse to betray the cause of Christ This this it was that led those triumphant Martyrs under the Heathen or Arrian Emperors and under That man of Sin through all their torments with so much courage and resolution that Stetere torti torquentibus fortiores Cypr. epist as it is in St. Cyprian In their torments they stood with more courage then their tormentors they thought they could never suffer too much for his honour that had shed his blood for their salvation Meditate we of the great love of God unto us giving us his Son his flesh and blood to be spiritual nourishment to our soules to nourish us unto everlasting life what nourishment is comparable to this how then shall this love be parallel'd we had perished for ever had not God provided such nourishment for us See the great and transcendent love of our dear Saviour in that for our good namely to be such fit spiritual nourishment for our soules he did voluntarily submit him to be so humbled to be incarnate to be despised yea to dye and that such a death so painful so shameful so accursed and that for us rebells and enemies to make us his friends 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oh depth well might St. Paul call it a love passing knowledge Eph. 3.18 19. and an height length depth and bredth such as Zophar the Naamathite speaks of speaking of the knowledge of God higher then heaven deeper then hell Job 11.8.9 longer then the earth broader then the sea Well may we be ravished with the thought of it Let us seek for Christ Cry we out as they Lord give us evermore of this bread Joh. 6.34 but we shal not need to seek far for him he is offered unto us in the Word and Sacraments let us wait upon God in the use of these ordinances and bring hungring and thirsting desires after him and so we shall be sure to have our desires satisfied Christ himself hath given us assurance in this respect Matth. 5.6 Blessed saies he are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse for they shall be satisfied We shall not need many words to perswade an hungry soul to accept of bread when it s offered or a thirsty soul of drink why should we need to use so many words to perswade men to accept of Christ for he is food of transcendent excellency not for the body but for the soul and hear what our Saviour saies Joh. 6.49 50 Your Fathers did eat Manna in the Wildernesse and are dead but this is the bread which came down from heaven that a man may eat thereof and not dye yea he adds he that eats of this bread Vers 51. shall live for ever Oh therefore receive this food and feed
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
Christ He shall devide the spoiles of the mighty for He hath destroyed his enimies while for sin he condemned sin in the flesh making good his promises of the spoiles not according to merits but rendring good for evil to the miserable Pergens sampson ad diem festum hebraei populi uxorem ejus viro alii parentes tradiderunt hoc faciunt leves animae quae consortium unici sponsi Christi easto fidelique corde minime retinentes cuilibet se haereticae tradunt doctrinae Ibid. He goes on Sampson going to his people his wife was by her parents given to another man and this do unstable soules which not keeping the communion of Christ with a chast and faithfull heart give themselves up to every heretical Doctrine Proceeding in the history he addes further Reversus Sampson cum cognosceret uxorem suam viro alteri conjunctam trecentis vulpibus apprehensis earum in invicem caudas innectens faces his ardentes posuit Compendio succendit Dicit quidem noster fortis Dominus haereticos signans capite nobis vulpes pusillas exterminantes vineas quibus sunt faces incenndii potius erroris quam divini amoris c. Ibid. Sampson returning when he saw that his wife was given in marriage to another man having taken three hundred foxes tying their tailes together and putting firebrands between he suddenly burnt their country And our valiant Lord sayes meaning Hereticks Take us the little foxes that marre our vines which have also firebrands rather of error then of divine love c. He proceeds in the story continuing the Parallel between Sampson as the Type and Christ as the Truth The same Sampson sayes he loved another woman of that people to whom while he was going Idem Sampson in illo populo aliam dilexit mulierem quam dum pergit accipere transeunti viam inimicorum insidiae irruerunt Cui virtus divina statim adfuit Apprehensa enim asini maxilla mille viros ex ea prostravit caeterosque in fugam vertit Qui cum siti praeliando deficeret invocato Deo ex rima illius maxillae aqua profluens virtuti priscae reddidit satiaetum eumque adversariis superatis fecit esse victorem Si nostrum fortem dominum respicias hoc animali vectatum ampliorem numerum ab eo prostratum invenies Sitienti corpori illius ex latere tanquam ex rima sanguis aqua manavit qua satiata omnis anima Christiana dicit Super aquas refectionis educavit me De promiss c. part 2. c. 22. his enemies laid wait for him but the divine power was present with him for taking the jaw-bone of an Ass he slew with it a thousand men and put the rest to flight And when he was ready to faint with thirst calling upon God water flowing out of an hollow place in the jawbone restored him being satisfied with it to his former strength and made him a conqueror his enemies being overcome If ye look at our valiant Lord riding upon an Asse you shall finde a farre greater number vanquished by him And to his body ready to perish with thirst water and blood issued out of his side with which every Christian soul being satiated says He led me out to the waters of comfort Venditur Christus in Joseph ante legem venditur in Sampson sub lege venditur à Juda Judaeis sub gratia Ibid. And a little after he adds Christ was sold in Joseph before the Law he was sold in Sampson under the Law he was sold by Judas to the Jews under the Gospel Sivit se Sampson nervis recentibus colligari dicente ei Dalila Philistim super te Sampson ita illa vincula virtute dissolvit tanquam stupa cum tetigerit ignem adversosque omnes vertit in fugam Noster etiam Dominus fortitudinis apud Hierusalem velut his vinculis se ligari permisit Adducunt enim ad eum mulierem in adulterio deprehensam et dicunt tentantes Magister modo hanc deprehendimus Moses jussit hujusmodi lapidari Tu vero quid de ea statuis Nervorum velut ex lege vinculis se crediderunt legasse Jesum maxime recentâ—um cum dixerunt modo Quae noster Jesus hoc responso disrupit Qui vestrum inquit sine peccato est prior in illam lapidem mittat quo audito unus post alterum discesserunt ut illud vinculum ita solveretur sicut fluit cera à facie ignis Ibid. He goes on Sampson suffered himself to be bound with green wyths that were never dryed but when Dalilah said the Philistims be upon thee Sampson he brake the cords as a thred of tow is broken when it touches the fire and put all his enemies to flight And our strong Lord suffered himself at Hierusalem to be bound with such cords for they bring to him a woman taken in Adultery and tempting him say Master we found this woman in the very act of Adultery and Moses commanded such to be stoned but what sayest thou Joh. 8.3 4 5. And now they thought they had bound him fast But our Jesus broke these cordes with this answer Verse 7. Who among you is without sin let him cast the first stone at her which when they heard they departed one after another so that the cord with which they had bound him was broken as wax melts before the fire And again Ligatus fuit funibus novis Cumque id fieret Adversarii ad te inquit Sampson At ille repletus spiritu disrumpens funes a brachiis suis tanquam filum spargit omnesque fugavit adversarios Ligari se sinit noster Dominus dum veniunt ad eum Pharisaei dicentes Magister scimus quia in veritate doces nullius personam accipis Licet tributam dare Caesari annon Sed fortis noster nodos omnes ista voce disrupit Quid tentatis me hypocritae Adferte mihi numisma census At illi attulerunt ei denarium Et ait Dominus cujus est imago superscriptio Dixerunt Caesaris Reddite ait Dominus Caesari quae sunt Caesaris Deo quae Dei sunt His dictis mira celeritate vincula illa disrupit ille susceptus homo qui Deo suo canit in Psalmis Dirupisti omnia vincula mea Ibid. Sampson was bound with new cords and when that was done Dalilah said the Philistims be upon thee Sampson But he being filled with the spirit brake them from his armes like a thread And our Lord suffefered himself to be bound when the Pharisees came and said unto him Master Thou teachest in truth and regardest not the person of any Is it lawful to give Tribute to Caesar or not Matth. 22.16 17. but Christ broke all the knots with that word why tempt ye me ye hypocrites shew me the tribute mony and they brought him a penny and he said whose image and superscription is this they said Caesars Render sayes the Lord to Caesar the
2. Separatus fuit ab aliis in custodia servatus ad mactaticnem sine macula masculus anniculus haec omnia referebant Christi perfectionem exemptionem ab omni peccato fuit separatus à peccatoribus fuit agnus immaculatus innocens impollutus Masculus fuit in quo nil molle effoeminatum ita ut simul agnus fuerit leo unius anni quod etiam ad perfectionem refertur agni enim unius anni spatio in perfectam aetatem adolescunt and of an year old All these did shadow forth Christs perfection and exemption from sin He was separate from sinners he was a Lamb unspotted innocent and unpolluted He was a Male in whom there is nothing of delicacy nothing effeminate so that he is together and at once a Lyon and a Lamb and of an year old And this also belonged to his perfection for Lambs in the space of an year come to their perfect age 3. The Lamb was to be killed and roasted 3. Mactandus fuit assandus in quo typus fuit Christi qui passus fuit mortuus 1 Cor. 5. Assus agnus significabat Christum virum dolorum ignibus afflictionum tostum qui amore nostri captus acerbissimum supplicium tulit in quo nil habuit aquae id est nihil mitigationis nihil solatii in which it was a Type of Christ who suffered and dyed 1 Cor. 5. The roasted Lamb signified Christ a man of sorrows and as it were roasted with the fire of afflictions who out of the great love which he bears towards us suffered for us most bitter punishment in which he had no water that is no mitigation no solace 4. Debet manducari circa vesperam agnus etiam inter duas vesperas mactatus sic Christus in consummatione seculorum ad abolendum peccatum per immolationem sui patefactus est Heb. 9.26 Per vesperam enim dies novissimos intelligi recte Hieronymus notat in Marc. 14. Vespera inquit dies finem mundi indicat 4. The Lamb was to be eaten about the Evening being also killed in the Evening so Christ was made manifest in the End of the World to take away sin by the offering of himself For Jerom well observes on Mark 14. That by the Evening of the day the last days are signified The Evening of the day says he signifies the End of the World 5. On the fourteenth day of the Month 5. Decimo quarto die lunae quo suo ad Solem suum accessu lumen Lunae decrescere incipit cujus numeri similitudo innuit intelligentiae nostrae naturalis lumen propiore ad Christum accessu imminui oportere si nova luce agni velimus illustrari on which the light of the Moon begins to decrease by her approach to the Sun to shew That the light of our natural understanding must be diminished by our neerer approach to Christ if we will be enlightened with the new light of the Lamb. 6. Postes sanguine ejus fuerunt aspergendi nempe in testimonium indulgentiae Remissionis quae est in effusione sanguinis purificantis conscientias nostras Heb. 9.14 in signum certae salutis per sanguinem Christi conferendae Sanguis hic super utrumque postem hodie ponitur quando non solum corporis ore sacramentum sed ore cordis sanguis hauritur Distinxit sanguis agni inter Israelitas Aegyptios Baptismus quo abluimur Christi sanguine distinguit filios Dei à profanis qui sunt extra Rem pub Israelis sed apud Deum haec distinctio fit non tam externo signo quam ipsa resignificata 6. The Posts were to be sprinkled with the blood of the Lamb namely in testimony of Remission which is in the sheding of the Blood that purifies our Consciences Hebr. 9.14 and in sign of certain Salvation to be conferred by the blood of Christ The blood is now put upon both Posts when not alone with the mouth of the Body we drink the Sacrament but also the blood with the mouth of the Soul The blood of the Lamb distinguished between the Israelites and the Egyptians And Baptism in which we are washed by the blood of Christ distinguisheth between the Children of God and those that are profane and strangers from the Common-wealth of Israel but with God this distinction is made not so much by the external sign as by the thing it self which is signified 7. The Destroyer passed over the Houses that were marked so they that are sprinkled with the blood of Christ 7. Transiliit interfector aedes signatas sic tinctos sanguine Christi nulla attingat condemnatio nec mors in eos habebit potestatem are freed from Condemnation and Death shall have no power over them 8. The Lamb was to be eaten in the several Families 8. Manducandus fuit agnus in singulis Familiis ab omnibus domesticis circumcisis sic per fidem applicandus Christus unicuique qui vult particeps esse vitae aeternae by all of the Families that were circumcised so Christ is to be applyed by Faith by every one that would partake of eternal life 9. The Lamb must not be eaten raw nor sod in water 9. Crudus non debuit edi non elixatus aqua ut doceremur Christum esse cibum qui alio non indiget condimento extra seipsum nil esse cum eo admiscendum Qui per humanam sapientiam sacramenta Divinitatis Humanitatis evacuant qui olim Legem cum Christo voluerunt conjungere qui nunc traditiones humanas qui merita sua satisfactiones illi coquunt agnum cum aqua to teach us That Christ is food that needs no other seasoning besides himself that nothing is to be mingled with him They that by humane Wisdom make voyd the Mysteries of the Divinity and Humanity they that once joyned the Law with Christ they that now joyn humane Traditions or their own Merits and Satisfactions these all seethe the Lamb with water 10. Totum assare oportebat comedere ut integra in Christum fides assereretur Christus non divideretur omnes articuli fidei conjungerentur 10. The whole Lamb was to be roasted and eaten to teach us to have an entire Faith in Christ not to divide Christ but to joyn together all the Articles of our Faith 11. Manducari debuit Agnus fine fermento Christus sine hypocrisi malitia 11. The Lamb was to be eaten without Leaven and Christ without Hypocrisie and Malice 12. It must be eaten with bitter Herbs 12. Cum herbis amaris Christus cum tolerantia crucis nostri ipsius abnegatione Indicatum etiam fuit neminem dulcedinis Remissionis peccatorum per Christum fore participem nisi eorum amaritudinem antea corde compuncto senserit so Christ with the bearing of the Cross and Self-denyal It shews also
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
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
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
indeed goes about as a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour And the Enemies of the Church acted by Satan are Lions for cruelty 2 Tim. 4.17 I was delivered says Saint Paul out of the mouth of the Lion And so says David of his Enemies They gaped upon me with their mouths Psal 22.13 as a ravening and a roaring Lion But be of good chear the Lion of the Tribe of Judah is your Defender against all these and what are they in comparison of him They are strong and powerful they are watchful against you seeking and readily laying hold upon all opportunities to do you a mischief but Christ is infinite in power and in care for you and therefore what can they do against you Trust in Christ therefore and ye shall then be able to say with David Psal 56.11 I will not fear what men or devils can do against me 2. See the sad and unsafe condition of all Christs Enemies going on proudly in their hostility against him Such are all they that go on impenitently in their wicked courses John 14.15 If ye love me says our Saviour keep my Commandments then to go on in the wilful violation of his sacred Laws must needs render men Enemies of Christ for this is in effect to say We will not have this man to reign over us Luke 19 and them that said so Verse 27 he held his Enemies As for those my Enemies that would not have me to reign over them and see there their doom Bring them hither and slay them before me Christs Enemies also are Enemies of godly Christians that make conscience of their ways 1 John 5.1 He that loves him that begets must love them also that are begotten He then that hates them that are begotten hates him that begets Let all these then see how unsafe their condition is how can they expect other then to be destroyed and how shall they avoyd it for he is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah a Lion for strength as a Lion surpasses all creatures in strength so doth Christ much more 3. Let us then tremble at the Word of Christ at his Threatenings of Judgments We hear what the Prophet says If the Lion roars Amos 3.8 all the Beasts of the field tremble And shall Christ roar from Heaven in his Threatenings and we not tremble Hear we what God says To the man will I look namely Isai 66.2 with a gracious aspect that trembles at my Word As we then desire That God should look upon us with a favorable Eye let us not slight and contemn Christs Threatenings though uttered by men subject to the same passions with our selves but tremble at them and fear to go on in those sins against which such Threatenings are denounced 4. Let us learn having offended Christ by our sins not to stand out at the staves end nor to hold up buckler against him but come in and humble our selves before him so if we meet a Lion in the way we will hold it our best course to fall flat on the ground and to lie prostrate on the ground much more will it be our wisdom so to carry our selves towards Christ CHAP. XII Christ and a Physician OUr blessed Saviour for conversing with Publicans and Sinners was excepted against by the Pharisees Matth. 9.11 Why eats your Master say they with Publicans and Sinners Our Saviour answers this Cavil divers ways His first Answer is taken from a similitude Verse 12 The whole need not the Physician but the sick His Argument stands thus No place is fitter for the Physician but where men are that need his help as being sick but I am a Physician Sin is a sickness these Publicans labor under this sickness therefore no place is fitter for me then where these Publicans and Sinners are Therefore to cavil at me for conversing with Publicans and Sinners is equally unreasonable as if any should cavil at a Physician for being with sick persons So that it 's manifest that here our Saviour speaks of himself as a Physician And indeed the work of a Physician is done by Christ therefore he doth not unfitly resemble himself to the Physician The Antecedent is manifest for what work is more proper to the Physician then to heal diseases and to cure the diseased and this was done by Christ as is manifest in the History of the Evangelists Matth. 9 35 and 4.23 24 He went about healing every sickness and every disease among the people says Saint Matthew And so it 's prophesied of him Mal. 4.2 The Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing under his wings And the things that are required in a Physician are eminently to be found in Christ 1. Knowledg of the Diseases of the Causes and Cure of them and who can deny but that this was transcendently in him 2. Carefulness and this was in Christ in an eminent proportion 3. Pity Christ hath a fellow-feeling of our infirmities 4. Painfulness This was in Christ as may appear by his manifold Travels from one Town to another for this end But there is great difference between Christ and other Physicians in all which we shall see Christ to have the pre-eminency so that it will easily appear that we may say without prejudice to Galen Hippocrates or any other Physician of the greatest note that ever have been that Christ is The Physician by way of eminency The incomparable Physician in comparison of whom the greatest or most eminent of that profession may without disparagement to themselves confess that they are not worthy to carry his Books after him or in the words of that holy Baptist Luke 3.16 that they are not worthy to unloose the latchet of his shooes 1. Other Physicians cure onely the Diseases of the Body but he is the Physician that cures the Diseases of the Body and also of the Soul to which latter none of our Physicians do attain Excellently Saint Bernard to this purpose Mankinde says he labors under a threefold Disease our Nativity Life Triplici morbo laborat genus humanum nativitate vita morte nativitas immunda vita perversa mors periculosa Venit Christus contra triplicem hunc morbum triplex attulit remedium natus est enim vixit mortuus est Ejus nativitas purgavit nostram mors illius destruxit nostram vita ejus instruxit nostram Lib. sentent and Death our Nativity unclean our Life perverse our Death dangerous Christ comes and against this threefold Disease hath brought a threefold Remedy for he was born he lived and he dyed his Birth cleansed ours his Death destroyed our death and his Life hath instructed ours and sets it right Then is Christ a compleat Physician of our Souls And to this as no Physician so no man nothing can lay any claim See the Confession of Saint Macarius As that Woman that was diseased with the issue of blood says he
truly believing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Sicut mulier quae fluxum sanguinis patiebatur vere credens postquam tetigit fimbriam vestimenti Domini statim sanitatem est adepta exiccatus est fluxus fontis sanguinis impuri ita omnis anima percussa incurabili vulnere peccati habensque fontem pravarum cogitationum si accesserit ad Christum vere credens deprecata fuerit sanitatem consequitur ab incurabili affectionum fonte deficiens exiccatur fons ille qui cogitationes immundas producebat per virtutem solius Jesu nec est in alterius cujuspiam facultate ut hoc vulnus sanare possit Hom. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Sicut illa cum omnia sua bona in Medicos erogasset a nullo tamen eorum sanata est aonec accesserit ad Christum vere credens tetigit fimbriam vestimenti Domini sic animam vitiosarum cogitationum vulnere incurabili sauciatam ab initio nullus justorum Patrum Prophetarum aut Patriarcharum curare potuit Venit quidem Moses sed sanitatem conferre non potuit Sacerdotes munera decimationes Sabbatismi neomeniae oblationes sacrificia holocausta universa reliqua justitia celebrabatur in lege nec tamen potuit anima sanari aut mundari donec Salvator venit verus Medicus qui curat gratis Ibid. after she had touched the Hem of the Lords garment was presently healed and the issue of blood was stopped so every Soul smitten with the incurable wound of sin and having a fountain of impure thoughts if it comes to Christ and truly blieving prays to him obtains cure from that otherwise incurable fountain of lusts and that fountain is dried up and fails which sent forth those impure thoughts by the power of Jesus alone nor is it in the power of any other to heal this wound And a little after he adds As the foresaid Woman when she had spent all her Goods upon Physicians was not yet healed by any of them till she came to Christ and truly believing touched the Hem of his garment so neither could any of the just Fathers Prophets or Patriarchs from the begining cure the Soul wounded with the incurable wound of evil thoughts Moses came but he could not confer soundness Priests Gifts Tythes Sabbaths New-moons Washings Sacrifices and Burnt-offerings and all the rest of that ceremonial righteousness was celebrated in the Law and yet by them all could not the Soul be healed or cleansed till the Saviour came who is the true Physician and heals freely And the same Truth is attested by him in many other places Hom. 30 44 45 And now what a vast difference is this between Christ and other Physicians and how great is his eminency above them in that he healed the Diseases of the Body as well as they and also the Diseases of the Soul to the curing of which neither they nor any other can or ever could attain 2. With respect to the Body other Physicians can cure some Diseases but some are incurable Diseases so called because it passes the skill of any Physician to cure them many Diseases there be that put the most able Physician to a plunge some ease they may give but perfectly cure them they cannot with all their skill as we see in manifold experience but there is no disease or malady above the reach of this Grand Physician which he was not able to cure Palsies Leprosies Lunacies Blindness Deafness Dumbness c. He healed them all He gave them occasions to say Matth. 4.24 Mark 7. ult 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He hath done all things well he makes both the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak of giving sight to one born blinde the man so restored to sight could say John 9.32 Since the World began was it not heard that any man opened the Eyes of one that was born blinde Verse 6 7 And yet he did it A cure of so high a nature that from it the Jews could conclude John 11.37 That he could have caused that Lazarus should not have dyed Diseases of long continuance have been cured by him Mat. 9.20 22 The Woman that had the issue of blood twelve years was healed by him Luk. 13.11 13 The Woman that was bowed together so that she could not lift up her self eighteen years was made streight by him The man that had been sick of the Palsie thirty eight years John 5.6 7 8. was healed by him And what wonder is it that he could thus cure all kindes of Diseases for Death it self could not hold its purchase against him Matth. 9.25 he restored even the dead to life as the Daughter of Jairus dead yet lying upon her bed Luk. 7.14 15 yea the Widows Son at Naim dead and laid upon the Bier carried out of the house towards the place of burial yea and Lazarus himself John 11.39 43 44 dead and buried four days so that his Sister Martha could say Lord by this time he stinketh yet he was raised and restored to life Nor is it any wonder that he had such power against Death for he had power over him that hath the power of Death Heb. 2.14 even the Devil casting him out of them of whom he had taken possession whether one Devil as out of the Daughter of the Woman of Canaan Matth. 15 Luke 8.2 or seven Devils as out of Mary Magdalen or a Legion of Devils Vers 27 30 33 as out of the man that wore no clothes nor abode in any House but in the Tombs yet they all could not make good their Tenure against Christ An incomparable Physician 3. Physicians healing Diseases do it by the help of Herbs and Drugs and Physick prepared by themselves or by Apothecaries at their appointment and without such means they can do nothing being but Instruments of Gods ordinary Providence But in the Cures wrought by our Saviour there was no use of any such means but either he spake the word and the business was effected He said to the Leper Matth. 8.3 I will be thou clean and presently he was cleansed Luke 7.14 15 and so in raising the dead Young man I say unto thee Arise and instantly he was restored to life and so in raising of Lazarus Christ saies Lazarus arise Joh. 11. and presently he arose or by his bare touch of them and word together So to the man that was deaf and dumb he put his finger into his eares and he spit Mar. 7.33 34 35. and touched his tongue and streightway his eares were opened and the string of his tongue was loosed and he spake plain or by the touch of the hemme of his garment Matth. 9. as in the woman that had the issue of blood and so the Evangelist saies As many Mar. 6.56 as touched the hemme of his garment were made whole Who can so cure 4. Physicians working cures
shewes in the Parable of the Prodigal When he came to his Father how lovingly was he received Luk. 15.20 for when he was yet afarre off his Father saw him Vers 22. and had compassion on him and fell on his neck and kissed him he said also to his servant bring the best Robe and put it on him Vers 23. and a Ring on his hand and shoes on his feet and bring hither the fatted Calf and kill it what joy was there at his entertainment Vers 25. for there was musick and dancing And the Elder Brother at his coming from the field was offended at this we see how the Father justified this his rejoycing Vers 32. It was meet saies he that we should make merry and be glad for this thy brother was dead and is alive again he was lost and is found Most apt therefore is this resemblance of Christ to a Shepherd Hence we may learn divers things I. See here the safe and secure estate of all godly Christians having Christ to be their Shepherd who is so tender and watchful over them for now they cannot possibly miscarry as Saint Hierome speakes excellently Sape vexatur Ecclesia nunquam tamen potest sustinere naufragium To. 1. lib. de Solomone The Church saies he is oftentimes vexed and disquieted but it can never suffer shipwrack II. See here the folly and wickedness of all the Enemies of godly Christians In vain yea wicked are all their endeavors against them ye seek to hurt them whose protection God hath undertaken as the Shepherd of the Sheep and how can this be but vain how can it be but sinful It 's good admonition that Saint Chrysostom gives in this kinde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. O homo dirimito bellum ne tuum ipsius dissolvas robur ne bellum inferas coelo Hominem si oppugnas utique aut viceris aut ipse vinceris Si Ecclesiam oppugnas scito te arte nulla victoriam de ea reportaturum Omnibus in immensum fortior est Deum To. 4. Serm. antequam iret in exilium O man says he do thou break off this War lest thou weaken thy self wage not War against Heaven If thou dost oppose a man either thou shalt overcome or thou thy self shalt be overcome But if thou dost oppose the Church know thou that thou shalt not by all thy skill obtain the Victory over it for God is infinitely stronger then all Remember that speech of Christ It 's hard for thee to kick against the pricks Acts 9.4 It 's most true that Saint Chrysostom says upon these words By kicking against the pricks thou dost not blunt the pricks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Serm. praed but drawest blood from thy own feet Take warning therefore to desist from such hostility who would labor in vain but this is also for hurt Evil counsel entered into is worst to the Counseller 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 No man can wrong the godly but he wrongs himself first They that hate the righteous shall be desolate says the Psalmist Psalm 34.21 And again The wicked hath drawn out his sword Psal 37.14 15 to slay such as are of upright Conversation but their sword shall enter into their own hearts III. Let the godly see what Comfort belongs to them in this respect 1. Against the fear of want why should we fear it having such a Shepherd He is able to provide for us Heb. 1.2 for He is made the Heir of all things and if the good Shepherd hath a care for the pasturing of his sheep Christ cannot be wanting herein to his sheep There is therefore nothing to hinder but that we may comfortably conclude with David Psalm 23.1 The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want 2. Against the fear of Enemies bodily or ghostly Fear them not see what a Shepherd ye have the Lord Jesus Christ your Enemies are strong yet their power is but finite but Christ is infinite in strength what can they do against you whose protection he hath undertaken Well may you comfort your selves against all visible Enemies as King Hezekiah comforted his Subjects 2 Chro. 32.7 8 There are more with us then with them with them is an arm of flesh but with us is the Lord our God to help us As for your ghostly Enemies they are spirits whereas ye are but flesh and blood and therefore they are much more then your match but be of good chear He that is your Shepherd is God as well as Man even the creating Spirit whereas they are but created spirits and what shall the Creature be able to do against the Creator and we have assurance given us by the Apostle Rom. 16.20 That this our Shepherd the God of Peace shall trample Satan under our feet Our Enemies of all kindes are watchful against us seeking all opportunities to do us a mischief but Christ our great Shepherd Psalm 121 is infinitely more watchful He neither slumbereth nor sleepeth Our Enemies are great Politicians but is not our Shepherd great in Counsel and his Wisdom incomprehensible be not then afraid of any Enemies having such a Shepherd How justly may we conceive that we hear our Saviour speaking to us in those words Isai 51.12 13 I even I am he that comforts you who art thou that thou should be afraid of a man c. and of a Son of man c. yea of any creature and forgettest the Lord thy Maker and thy Shepherd 3. Against your weaknesses and infirmities Ye are subject to go astray but ye have a careful Shepherd who will not fail to seek you not giving over till he findes you and hath brought you home to the Fold Ye are weak and infirm but think not that this your Shepherd will in this respect remit his care for you nay he will the more tender you and strengthen that which is weak in you IV. Let all those to whom in Scripture the name of Shepherd is given learn to exercise care and providence towards and over them who as sheep are committed to their trust 1. Magistrates in the Commonwealth These are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Homer calls them Shepherds of the people Iliad α. and so when God set David to rule Israel Psalm 78.71 Verse 71 it is thus express'd He brought him to feed Jacob his people and Israel his inheritance And so it 's added So he fed them that is so he ruled them So that Magistrates set over people are as Shepherds set over a flock of sheep Let them therefore be exhorted to take care for the people put under their charge as the Shepherds for their sheep and that both their Souls and Bodies Mollerus doth well set it forth both in respect of their Souls and in respect of their Bodies Let Kings and Princes feed their Subjects first with Heavenly Doctrine Pascant Reges Principes suos subditos
periclitantem tanto affectu moveri dolore ut corporis sui detrimentum in currat Si hoc praestat homo homini quantum Deum hominem Jesum putas homini praestitisse Si tu pro uno homine per compassionem corporale periculum incurris quid putas Dominum Jesum pro omnibus hominibus tolerasse c. Sed ad passionis defectum veniamus Passionem autem non unum illum diem appellamus sed totam vitam suam Tota enim vita crux fuit Martyrium Vide quantae fuit parcitatis in abstinentia quam assiduus in vigiliis quam frequens in orationibus In labore sudore vultus sui quam assiduus cum circuiret vicos et castella Evangelizans curans undique Et quam crebro famem pertulit sitim ille panis vivus ille fons aquae sitientis in vitam eternam Videamus jejuniuÌ„ illud 40. dieruÌ„ et 40. noctium et jam a deserto ad homines redâ—unti occurramus vultum illius amabilem tantis iejuniis considerâ—mus afflictum Veniamus jam ad illum ultimae diei agonem causas deformitatis corporis nequibimus ignorare Vide quomodo pavere taedere coepit tristis fuit anima ejus usque ad mortem sudoâ— sanguineus orantis corpus per fudit copiose ita ut non solum distillaret sed guttae guttatim decurrerent in terram Noctis etiam illius incommoda percurramus quomodo tentus vinctus tractus trusus coesus consputus alapis percussus c. quis hic locus delitiarum qualis hic decor speciei quis in corpore si tractato pulchritudinem quaerat Veniamus ad finem Nudatur bonus Jesus Heu mihi qui vestivit coelos variis sideribus ante crucem expoliatur c. Ibid. c. 5. and as it were altogether unprofitable and base neither lovely to look upon nor fit for any use So the Prophet speaks of the Vine Ezek. 15.3 Shall wood be taken thereof for any work or will men take a pin of it to hang any vessel thereon It s a question that implies a vehement Negation So was it also in the body of Christ according to that of the Prophet Isa 53.2 He hath no form nor comlinesse and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him What is more manifest And he was truly such in the eyes of carnal men that could look no further then the flesh And this we may prove by plain reasons first by his compassion then by his Passion Who doth not know that a man about his friend in danger is moved with such affection and grief that he prejudices his own body If a man doth this for a man what think we that Jesus God and man doth for man If thou for one man endangerest thy self by compassion what thinkest thou that the Jesus Lord endured for all men But come we now to his Passion And we speak not now of the Passion of one day in which he suffered death but of his whole life for Christs whole life was a continued Cross and Martyrdome See how he exceeded in Abstinence in Watching in Prayer How assiduous in Labour and Sweating when he went about their Townes and Villages preaching the Gospel and healing Diseases every where And how oft did he suffer Hunger and Thirst who is that Bread of Life and that Fountain of Water springing up unto Eternal Life Consider we that Fast of fourty daies and fourty nights and let us now meet him returning to men from the Desert and consider his lovely countenance afflicted with such Fasting Come we now to that conflict of the last day of his Life and we shall see causes enough of the deformity of his body see how he began to be amazed and astonished My soul saies he is exceeding sorrowful unto the death A bloody sweat did in such plenty bedeaw his body while he was praying that it did not alone distill but also fell by drops to the earth Let us breefely run over the evils of that night how he was apprehended bound drawn thrust beaten spit on and buffeted c. and now what place was here for delicacy what comlinesse could be there who could expect beauty in a body thus handled Come we to the close Good Jesus is stript stark naked Wo is me He that cloathed the Heavens with several Stars being to be crucified is spoiled of his garments And now let us not be offended so farre at the deformity of Christ in his body It s that to which he submitted himself for our good and Eternal advantage as Saint Bernard speaks well From the deformity of our Redeemer issued the price De deformitate Redemptoris nostri manavit pretium eterni decoris nostri Ibid. with which our Eternal comlinesse was purchased Why then shall we stumble at that outward deformity to which for our advantage he did voluntarily submit himself especially considering that he is in himself as the Psalmist confesses fairer then the children of men Psal 45. And let us be willing to be made deformed by suffering for Christ and for his honour though it be never so much stick not at any kinde or degree of deformity for Christ who was made so deformed outwardly for our good It is the exhortation which Saint Bernard gives upon this ground Let us be content saies he outwardly in our body to be made deformed Deformemur nos in corpore extrinsecus cum Christo deformato ut reformemur interius in anima cum formoso Jesu conformemur corpori vitis nostrae in corpore nostro ut reformet corpus humilitatis nostrae configuratum corpori claritatis suae Ibid. with Christ deformed that we may inwardly in our souls be reformed with faire Jesus Let us in our body be willingly conformed to the body of Christ our Vine that he may change our vile bodies and make them like unto his glorious body The plain English is let us partake of the sufferings of Christ that we may partake of his glory at last The Apostle can tell us that all the afflictions of this present life Rom. 8.18 are not worthy of the glory that shall be reveiled But there is no hope that we should attain to this glory except we be willing to suffer with him for this is the order which the onely wise God hath set as for Christ that he must first suffer and then enter into glory so for us Luk. 14.26 that suffering with him Rom. 8.17 we shall be glorified together VI. To all these I shall add one resemblance more which our Saviour himself doth clearly intimate yea fully expresse in both parts of the comparison As the branch cannot bear fruit of it self Joh. 15 5 except it abide in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in me And then he adds I am the Vine and ye are the branches Ver. 5 He that abides in me and I
also the transcendent love of Christ to us Gentiles in that he looked upon us in our low condition that though we were so mean yet he was pleased so farre to have respect to us as to espouse us unto himself what a dignation was it of King Ahashuerosh to set his affection upon Esther a poor Captive Jewish maid Est 2. to make her his Wife and Queen in stead of Vashti but that is nothing to this in hand in respect of the infinite difference between Christ and all the Grandies and Magnies of the World We see how God commends his love to the Jewes under this notion in that though their father was an Amorite Ezek. 16.2 3 c. to Vers 12 and their mother an Hittite yet even then when they were in their blood their navel not cut nor they washt in water to supple them nor swadled at all but were cast out into the open field to the loathing of their person even then he spread his skirt over her and covered her nakednesse and sware to her and entred into a Covenant with her and washed her with water annointed her with oile and cloathed her with embroydered work and shod her with badgers skin and girded her about with fine linnen and covered her with silk and decked her with ornaments and put bracelets on her hand and a chain on her neck and a jewel on her forehead and ear-rings on her eares and a beautiful crown on her head This is the plain case of us Gentiles and the gratious dignation of Christ towards us what then more equal then that we should break forth into expressions of joy and thankfulness as that blessed Virgin did Luk. 1.46 47 48. My soul doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit rejoyces in God my Saviour for he hath regarded the low estate of his hand-maiden yea and we may add concerning the Jewes and our selves as the Virgin in her Song Vers 52 53 He hath put down the mighty from their seates and hath exalted the lowly and meek he hath filled the hungry with good things and the rich he hath sent empty away The Jewes were mighty but he hath put them down us Gentiles being low he hath exalted us being poor and hungry he hath filled with good things The Jewes that formerly were rich he hath sent empty away And so according to the twofold sign given to Gideon whereas in the old Testament the dew was onely upon the fleece and the whole floor was dry now in the times of the New Testament the dew is upon the whole floor and the fleece is dry Admire we this gracious dispensation of God to us Gentiles and in this respect fail not to obey that Prophetical exhortation Psal 117.1 2 O praise the Lord all ye nations praise him all ye people for his merciful kindness is great towards us Let us learn since Christ was not ashamed of us in our low condition therefore not to be ashamed of Christ because of that low estate to which he voluntarily submitted himself and in which as man he was for a while but believe in him and glory in the profession of his name Let Jewes Turkes and Pagans object it to us never so much that we trust in a crucified Saviour yet let us not be moved at it but go on so to do hear we how Saint Paul stands affected in this respect 1 Cor. 2.2 I desire saies he to know nothing but Christ and him crucified And speaking of his ministry 1 Cor. 1.23 he glories in this We preach Christ crucified And in opposition to the false Apostles who desired to have the Galathians circumcised Gal. 6 13 Vers 14. that they might glory in their flesh he adds But as for me God forbid that I should glory in any thing save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ And this minde let us bear Learn we in imitation of our blessed Saviour not to despise any because of their external meannesse as he did not despise us Gentiles for this but notwithstanding it hath espoused us to himself In whom we finde any thing of Christ let us love them though never so mean and bestow our endeavours to draw others to Christ though in any respect they be never so mean never so wicked Lastly as we desire to render our selves amiable in the eyes of Christ our Boaz let us forsake our Countrey and Kindred our Fathers house even our dearest and nearest relations the things and persons that are dearest unto us especially our darling sins to which we have been most addicted in the committing of which we have formerly taken most content yet also all other things wealth honour life parents brethren Sisters friends if it shall happen that there shall be a competition between Christ and them if they shall at any time seek to draw us away from Christ in this case forget them forsake them abandon them Now shall Christ our husband count us lovely take content in us otherwise not Luk. 14.26 hear we our Saviour saying as much If any man comes to me and hates not father mother wife children brethren yea and his own life also he cannot be my disciple Hitherto we have seen the Types of the Church CHAP. V. NOw follow other resemblances by which the Church is set forth in the Scriptures of the old or new Testament and these I shall propound to you in an Alphabetical order The Church and a Body We have the Church frequently in Scripture spoken of as a Body as where it s said There is one Body Eph. 4.4 Vers 12. Vers 16. and again For the edification of the Body of Christ And again From whom the whole body c. And the resemblance between the Church and a Body stands in sundry things 1. In the unity of the whole 1 Cor. 12.12 The members of the natural body are many and divers and their offices divers yet they all make but one body being all knit together by sinews joynts nerves So the members of the Church are many and divers in sundry respects yet they make onely one body one Church they being all knit together in one as by sinewes and nerves by sundry bands the band of one Faith the band of Charity the band of Baptisme and the Lords Supper the band of their several Vocations by which they serve one another and these are properly Religious bands Church-bands by means of which this Mystical body is one Eph. 4.4 and the Church one as our Saviour saies My dove my undefiled is but one Cant. 6.9 Ecclesiā unam And so is it taught in the Nicene Creed to believe one Church Nor doth the multitude and variety of members hinder the unity of this body In the Divine Essence there are three Persons really distinct yet but one God In the Person of Christ there are two Natures Humane and Divine as different as Heaven and Earth Infinite and Finite and
are 2. A City hath Towers and the Towers of this City the Church are the Prophets for as from the Towers Darts are shot against all enemies so from the bookes of the Prophets examples of truth are set forth against the vain fables of the Heathen and against the wild and unsound disputes of Hereticks 3. A City hath gates And these gates of the Church are the Apostles because as by the gates men enter into the Cities so ' by the ministery of the Apostles the whole people namely of Jewes and Gentiles enters into the faith of Christ 4. A City hath Wals and these Wals are the Doctors of the Church of which the Prophet saies The Sons of strangers shall build thy Wals because being called from among the Gentiles they were made Priests or ministers and Governours of the Church for as the Wals of a City so these undergo the violence of Heathens and Hereticks who by frequent presecutions as by so many battering-rams batter the Clergy these Walls of this City the Church To which add 5. A City hath Priviledges and Immunities which are common to all and belong onely to them that are free of the City And no lesse hath the Church her Priviledges and Immunities which equally and alike belong to all the members of the Church Act. 10.34 be they Jewes or Gentiles high or low rich or poor male or female bond or free for God is no accepter of persons and are proper and peculiar to them If any be strangers from the Church they have nothing to do with any of these Priviledges Would any know what these Priviledges are Let him consult with the Apostles Creed and there shall he finde these recorded 1. Communion of Saints of holy men and Angels with God and of holy men and Angels mutually among themselves by vertue of our Communion with God we have liberty to Pray to God and by prayer to receive from God all needful blessings for soul and body in this life and no less by this Communion with God have we hope to live for ever with God in glory and happiness everlasting By vertue of our Communion with the Angels we share in the benefits of their ministration in all kindes in this life and hereafter we shall be like the Angels sharing with them in the glory of Heaven By vertue of our Communion with holy men we have an interest in their prayers and in all the abilities with which God hath furnisht them and shall live together with them in Heaven A rare priviledge 2. Remission of sins by which upon our unfeigned repentance we are freelie for Christs sake absolved and acquitted from the guilt and punishment of all our sins though never so many though never so great A rare Priviledge happy is he that hath it for so saies the Psalmist blessed is he Psal 32.1 whose iniquity is forgiven c. 3. Resurrection of the body and Life Everlasting Resurrection to Life Everlasting though the body falls in death yet it shall be raised again though in death the soul takes leave of the body for a time yet they shall meet again and be reunited And not onely so for this shall be common to all men the bodies of all shall be raised and in all there shall be a reunion of soul and body but whereas to some there shall be a Resurrection of Damnation Joh. 5.29 to the Church it shall be a Resurrection to Life whereas some shall rise to shame and everlasting contempt all the true members of the Church shall awake to everlasting Life Dan. 12.2 Lastly it s observed here by the forenamed Author that this Citie is set upon an hill that is the Apostles Prophets and all other Doctors of and Faithful in the Church are built upon Christ who is the onely Foundation for Christ is that Mountain of which the Prophet saies Dan. 2.35 That it filled the whole Earth And this sense is pious But yet I conceive another thing rather to be intended by our blessed Saviour in this place namely that as a City built upon an Hill cannot be hid but is conspicuous and seen a farre off so neither can the Conversation and Actions of the Church and the members of it be so secretly carried but that it will come to the cognizance and knowledge of others so that if it be pious God shall be honoured by it and from any sinful and scandalous behaviour of the members of the Church it cannot be but that God shall be dishonoured by it as Saint Paul saies Through you is the name of God blasphemed among the Gentiles Rom. 2.24 See the high preferment of all Godly Christians in that they are made members of the Church and so free Denizons of this great City of God who counts it not a great matter to be a Freeman of some great City in the World so it was counted to be a Citizen of Rome they that were so gloried not a little in it they that were not so thought it not much to purchase it with a great summe of mony much more is it an honour to be members of the Church for what City in the World hath Priviledges and Immunities comparable to the Priviledges of the Church named before Blesse God for this high Honour and Preferment and as he hath honoured you so be ye careful to honour him and fearful to do any thing that may tend to His dishonour avoid all scandalous sins especially Phil 1.27 and Let your conversation be such as becomes the Gospel and as our Saviour enjoynes us Let your Lights so shine before men that they seeing your good Works Matth. 5.16 may glorifie your Father that is in Heaven CHAP. VII The Church and a Dove SO our Saviour speaks to his Church Open to me Cant. 5.2 my sister my love my Dove my undefiled So he speaks of her My Dove my undefiled is but one Cant. 6 9 she is the onely one of her Mother Saint Bernard observes two particulars in which the Church resembles a Dove The Church saies he Ecclesia columba est quia innocens est quia gemens est In Cant. ser 62. is a Dove 1. Because the Dove is innocent and harmless and indeed this to be eminent in the Dove appears by that passage of our Saviour Be innocent as Doves Matth. 10.16 which implies that the Dove is eminently innocent as the Serpent is the wisest of the beasts of the field Gen. 3.1 whom our Saviour wills his hearers to be like in wisdome so is the Church so are all godly Christians the members of the Church innocent and harmlesse they can finde in their hearts to suffer wrongs to put up injuries but they cannot with patience think of wronging others This is one thing by which David describes a member of the Church the question being Lord who shall enter into thy Tabernacle Psal 15.1 Vers 3. c. the answer is in
himself alone set upon other things besides God so that as the Apostle says That Covetousness is Idolatry Col. 3.5 Eph. 5.5 and the covetous person an Idolater so may it be said of the rest So that even among our selves this Chastity of the Dove is much wanting the more is our shame But Though Israel play the harlot let not Judah sin Hosea 4.15 though most men in the World be so vain as to hunt after other Lovers yet let it be our wisdom to rest content with God alone and cleave fast unto him Give to him alone the Worship that is due to him impart it not to any besides him Pray to him alone do Adoration to him alone love him alone and none else except it be in him and for him Love not the World 1 John 2.25 nor the things of the World rejoyce in him alone let our desires be onely after him Matth. 10.28 Fear not him that can kill the Body but fear him who is able to destroy Soul and Body Trust in the Lord with all thy Heart Prov. 3.5 Exod. 15.11 and so in the rest Who says Moses is like to thee O Lord among the gods And plainly Deut. 33.20 There is none like to the God of Jesurun None therefore so well deserves or can lay so just claim to the Worship of the Soul as this great God And think not now of dividing the Heart between God and any Creature He says My Son give me thy Heart Prov. 23.26 not a part of it bigger or lesser but thy whole Heart A King can endure no Partner in his Kingdom nor an Husband in the Love of his Wife nor God in our Hearts If we say of our Hearts to God as David to Mephibosheth concerning his Lands Thou and Ziba divide the Lands 2 Sam. 19.29 30 God will not fail generously to answer as Mephibosheth did Nay let him take all By thoughts of dividing the Soul and the Worship of it between God and the Creature we shall quite exclude him CHAP. VIII The Church and an Hill THe Church is frequently in Scripture set forth by Mount Sion and the Resemblance holds between the Church and an Hill in these Particulars I. In respect of the firmness of the Church Saint Chrysostom takes knowledg of this Particular 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Merito mons est Ecclesia quod sit firma stabilis nec possit conquassari Sicut enim non potest mons labefactari ita nec Dei Ecclesia To. 3. in Psa 9. Deservedly says he is the Church likened to an Hill because it is firm and stable and cannot be broken to pieces As an Hill cannot be cast down so neither the Church of God No power of men nor yet of Hell can so far prevail Mat. 16.18 It 's the assurance of our Saviour The gates of Hell shall not prevail against it Particular visible Churches may be prevailed against and so may fail as we have seen by sad experience of many famous Churches in Asia Africa and other places but the whole Church never failed The glory and splendor of the Church may be much eclipsed and the numbers of it much decreased yet still a Church hath been When the Arian Heresie prevailed most in so much that the whole World lamented that it was turned Arian yet there were some Catholique Bishops and Catholique Christians that held the Faith of the Consubstantiality of the Son with the Father and these were the Church And in the Times of the Roman Apostasy when it prevailed most in the World even then were some that did profess and maintain the Faith of Christ and the purity of Gods Worship against the Heresies and Idolatries of the Church of Rome and sealed the Truth of God with their blood and these were the Church then The grounds of this stability of the Church are two 1. The Power of God the Builder and Founder of the Church for what Men or Devils being of finite power can prevail to throw down the Building of this God whose Power is infinite for Job 9.4 who ever strengthened himself against God and prospered 2. The strength of the Foundation upon which the Church is built Christ a Rock Matth. 16.18 upon this Rock I will build my Church says our Saviour that is upon Christ the Rock the subject of Saint Peters Confession and thereupon he infers therefore Mat. 7.24 The gates of Hell shall not prevail against it for so the House built on the Rock stood impregnably against all assaults of rain and floods and winds and the reason is given Verse 25 because it was built on a Rock This affords great comfort to the Church against all her Enemies Thou O Church of God hast many Enemies Satan that Prince of Darkness and his under-agents Hereticks on the one side and Schismaticks on the other side and many wicked and profane men in the World Psalm 137.7 and these are cruelly bent and full of malice against thee crying Raze it raze it even to the Foundation thereof and 83.4 Their aim and endeavor is That the Name of Israel may no more be had in remembrance and oft they are armed with great secular power but yet fear not God is with thee he that built thee will uphold thee and as Hezekiah said for the comfort of his Subjects against the Assyrian Army 2 Chro. 32.7 8 There are more with thee then with them with them is an arm of flesh but with thee is the Lord thy God And thou art built upon Christ the Foundation therefore all opposition made against thee to remove thee out of thy place shall never prevail against thee And let all Enemies upon this ground be advised to desist from their cruel attempts against the Church Who would undertake to wash the Black-moor or any other labor in vain Such will your endeavors be in this kinde as if a man should undertake to remove an Hill out of its place for so is the Church an Hill firm and stable it shall stand and remain when ye have done the worst that ye can do yea your endeavors are against God who hath founded this Hill the Church and against Christ the Rock upon whom it is founded and consequently against your selves and ye can expect no other issue of your attempts in this way but ruine to your selves Desist therefore in time if ye love your selves II. In respect of propinquity and nearness to Heaven as the Hills in regard of their height are nearer to Heaven then other lower parts of the Earth so is the Church so are godly Christians the Members of the Church nearer to God then any other people under Heaven and God nearer to them Eph. 2.13 then to any others The Apostle speaking of the Ephesians as they were Gentiles before they were converted to the Faith of Christ says They were far off but speaking of them after their
feed and clothe you He wants not will to do it for he hath given that assurance That they which fear God Psalm 34.10 24.1 shall not want any thing that is good for them and he wants not power for the Earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof Let this comfort you against the fear of want though never so poor though thy estate be never so scanty yet fear not God knowes how to provide for thee he can lengthen out thy scanty portion as he did the handful of meal in the barrel 1 King 17.12 14.15 2 King 4 1.7 and the little oil in the cruse of that Zareptan widow or as he did that oil of the poor Prophets widow or he can lessen thy charge or if it be a time of dearth he can suddenly send plenty as he did to Samaria 6.25 where ere while the famine was so great that an Asses head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver and the fourth part of a cab of Doves dung for five pieces of silver and soon after the plenty was so great 7.16 that a measure of fine floure was sold for a shekel and two measures of barly for a shekel or at least Exod. 17.6 1 King 17.6 he that commanded the rock to furnish the Israelites with water and the ravens to bring meat to Eliah is able to enlarge the heart and to open the hand of the most hard hearted man to refresh you with the fruits of their bounty trust in God then onely use the meanes which God hath appointed but take no indirect courses to feed thy body And if now thy heart shall suggest such thoughts to thee as these but then how shall I be provided for Gen. 22.8 answer thy distrustful soul as Abraham his Son Isaac My Son my soul God will provide 4. The same Author in the same place adds yet another particular namely this as a master of a Family hath a care to defend his Family to the utmost of his power against all enemies that would do them wrong he promises to defend Jerusalem against the Forces of Senacherib he defended the Hebrews in Egypt against the rage of Pharaoh he defended the three Children against the fire and Daniel against the Lions and Jeremy against the Princes and false Prophets and Eliah against Ahab and Jezebel and so others So still its true that the Psalmist hath As the mountains are round about Jerusalem Psal 125.2 so the Lord is round about his people as a wall of fire and a defence This affords comfort to the Church and the members of it against all enemies bodily and ghostly men or devils they indeed plot and act against all and seek to do you all mischief possibly but fear them not compare together your enemies and your defender your enemies are Creatures your defender is the infinite Creator and how shall the finite creature be able to prevail against the infinite Creator Isa 51.12 13. hear now what God saies Who art thou that thou should'st be affraid of a man that shall dye and of the Son of man that shall be made as the grasse and forgettest the Lord thy maker that stretched out the Heavens and laid the foundations of the Earth consider this and be comforted And well may enemies from hence learn this point of wisdome to desist from their cruel plotting and acting against the Church and against godly Christians the members of the Church what do ye but plot and act against the Family the protection of which God hath undertaken and consequently against God their defender and now how can ye hope to prevail in these your designes yea what do ye other then act against your selves and bring ruine upon your selves for thus hath it happened to all enemies of the Church in former times Pharaoh Saul Senacherib Herod and with all the Heathen and Arian Emperors As therfore ye love your selves desist hands off II. As the House is put for the Fabrick so the Church is like unto an House in these particulars Heb. 3 4 1. Every house saies the Apostle is built by some man Every house hath a builder and so hath the Church and the builder is God and Christ Opus ad extra indivisum for the building of the Church is a work towards the creatur◠and therefore common to all the three Persons and so our Saviour saies I will build my Church Matth. 16.18 and so Saint Paul saies ye are Gods building namely built by God 1 Cor 3.9 Then must the Church needs be firm and stable and stand impregnable against all opposition for how is it possible that any opposition should prevail against Gods building 2. In the building of any house there is as one chief builder so other under-workmen so in the building of the Church as God is the cheif builder so there are under-builders and they are the ministers of the Gospel of whose ministry God is pleased to make use for the building of the Church whether they be extraordinary called and sent of God immediatly not of man nor by men as Apostles Prophets Gal. 1.1 Eph. 4.11 Evangelists or ordinary ministers called of God by men in the way of the Church as Pastors and Teachers or Pastors that is Teachers the former word being Metaphorical the latter the plain word for all these the Apostle saies Eph. 4.12 they were given for the edification of the body of Christ that is for the building up of the Church 1 Cor. 3.10 of which the Apostles laid the Foundation others scil the ordinary ministers in the several times of the Church build thereupon See the honour of the ministerial function and the high preferment of those whom God immediatly or mediatly by the Church laies out for and calls to this Sacred function for behold whereas God is the great Architect these also are builders of the Church and so workers together with God 1 Cor. 3.9 How ill do they that cast scorn and contempt upon them whom God hath so preferred how shall they answer it let them know what our Saviour saies He that despises you Luk. 10.16 1 Thess 4.8 despises me and him that sent me And Saint Paul in the like manner He that despises despises not man but God and yet there are many who undervalue them as uselesse and unnecessary but their sin is great As for us we may well scorn in an holy manner such contempt and say with the Apostle seeing we have received this 2 Cor. 4.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 honos onus that is such a ministery therefore we faint not neither for the difficulty of the work nor for the scorn which men cast upon us And seeing honour and burden as the Latine words have great likenesse go together let the honour which God hath put upon us move us with all willingness to undergo the burden and cheerfully to