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
example let us not cast a stumbling-block in the way of others by the excessive use of our Christian Liberty Rom. 14.15 Destroy not him with thy meat saies the Apostle for whom Christ died Its St. Pauls profession If meat make my brother to offend 1 Cor. ◠13 I will eat no flesh while the world stands least I make my brother to offend In indifferent things that are absolutely in our own power let us not so stand upon our termes as to say The thing is lawful I may do it therefore I will do it but remember that of the Apostle All things are lawful 1 Cor. 10.23 but all things are not expedient All things are lawful but all things edifie not Thus let us be careful not to do any thing whereby we may hazzard the welfare of others But be we also careful not to be wanting in any thing whereby we may further their welfare hearken to Saint Judes advise Edifie one another in your most holy Faith Jude ver 20 1 Thes 5.14 Heb. 10.24 and Saint Pauls warn them that are unruly comfort the feeble-hearted support the weak And again Consider one another to provoke to love and good works And also the light of a good example shining forth to others Shun the sins from which ye would dehort others practise the duty to which ye would exhort others It s a true saying of St. Gregory Nyssen Thou shalt be found guilty of Tyranny 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saevae Tyrannidis reus deprehensus fueris si hanc tibi-ipsi potestatem vendices ut quae in aliis prohibes haec facere tibi soli licere existimes quae ipse pro licentia audes ab his alios arcere Contr. Eunom l. 12. if thou doest challenge such power to thy self as to think that lawful for thy self alone which thou forbiddest to others and to drive others from those things which thou takest licence to thy self to commit And how shalt thou not hinder others from accepting of thy counsel while they shall finde thee thus to Tyrannize over them Add also thy prayers to God that he would speak that to the hearts of men which you speak to the ear for upon his blessing depends the issue of all our endeavours for the spiritual and Eternal good of others It was the confession of St. Paul 1 Cor. 3.6 I have planted APollos watered but God gives the increase So then neither is he that planteth Vers 7. any thing nor he that watereth but God that gives the increase So that its most true that St. Austin saies Cathedram in coelo habet qui corda docet To. 9. in 1 Epist Joan. tract 3. 2 Tim. 4.2 He hath his chair in Heaven that teaches the hearts And though we presently see not the fruit of our endeavours yet go on still in our endeavours Exhort with all long suffering how have we seen the Hen oft continuing long to clock for her chickens though they make no great haste to come to her not giving over till they come And in all that we do for the furtherance of the spiritual and eternal good of others let us be affected with a spirit of pitty and compassion towards them 2 Cor. 11.29 who is weak saies the Apostle and I am not weak who is offended and I burn not So let it be with us would we comfort any under distresses bodily or spiritual See we them hardly receiving comfort Would we reclaim others whom we see going astray and see we them hardly reclaimed Let us not be hardened against them but pitty and bemoan their condition CHAP. VIII Christ and an Husband THis resemblance is cleerly intimated in that argument with which the Apostle strengthens his exhortation to wives to be subject to their husbands Eph. 5 22 24 because the Church is subject to Christ which plainly implies that the Church is the Wife and Spouse of Christ And not lesse by the argument by which he enforces his exhortation to Husbands to love their Wives Eph. 5.25 because Christ loves his Church which plainly implies that Christ is an Husband to the Church else the argument on both sides were inconsequent and therefore invalid and weak which God forbid that we should once imagine St. Paul in making this consequence being immediately guided by that unerring spirit But this resemblance between Christ and an Husband and consequently between the Church and a Spouse is frequently express't in Scripture Hear our Saviour owning the Church as his Spouse and consequently professing himself as an Husband to her Cant. 4.8 Vers 9. Vers 10 11 Come with me saies he from Lebanon my Spouse Thou hast ravish't my heart my Sister my Spouse How fair is thy love my Sister my Spouse Thy lips O my Spouse drop as the hony-comb I am come into my garden my Sister Cant. 5.1 Isa 54.5 my Spouse Hear that Evangelical Prophet The Lord saies he thy maker is thine Husband And again As the Bridegroom rejoyces over his Bride Isa 62.5 so thy God rejoyces over thee I will betroth thee unto me for ever Hos 2.19 20 saies God by the Prophet I will betroth thee unto me in righteousnesse c I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulnesse Hear our Saviour in his defence of his disciples for not fasting Matth 9.15 How can the children of the Bride-chamber fast while the Bridegroom is with them c In which place it is manifest that he speaks of himself Hear the confession of that holy Baptist concerning Christ Joh. 3.29 He that hath the Bride is the Bridegroom but the friend of the Bridegroom which stands and heareth rejoyces greatly because of the Bridegrooms voice this my joy therefore is fulfilled Rev. 21.2 I John saies the holy Apostle saw the holy City coming down from God out of Heaven as a bride prepared for her Husband And come hither saies the Angel Rev. 21.9 I will shew thee the Bride the Lambes wife The marriage indeed is not fully consummated till after death but the contract is made and Christ and his Church are betrothed each to other and among men we know that after the contract the parties affianced one to the other are Husband and Wife in the account of God And for the further clearing of this we are to know that though in some things there is a difference yet in many things there is a great similitude between the marriage of man and wife and that of Christ and the Church I. I say there is a difference between them in two particulars in which the marriage between Christ and the Church hath the pre-eminency 1. The marriage between man and wife stands in a carnal and bodily conjunction but this between Christ and his Church is mystical and spiritual 2. Death breaks the bond between Husband and Wife but it breaks not the marriage knot between Christ and the Church nay it s
respect accrues unto us by Christ to have the knowledge of God and of his Will and Counsel conveighed unto us how should we be thankful for him how readily should we accept of him being offered unto us yea readily should we part with all those things that are dearest to us so that we may enjoy him CHAP. XVIII Christ and a Worm SO doth the Prophet speak of himself Psal 22.6 August epist 49. ad Deo gâ—at 120. ad Honorat Ambros To. 3. Conc. ad pop Conc. 3. Hier. To. 4 Coment in Psal In loc as a Type of Christ I am a Worm and no man Saint Hierome Saint Ambrose and Saint Austin do joyntly and unanimously note two things in which this resemblance holds 1. In regard of the contemptiblenesse of this creature and the meanenesse of it no creature is more base and contemptible then a Worm every one is ready to tread upon it and to trample it under foot the poorest the youngest dare venture to offer wrong to it So was it with our blessed Saviour and therefore it is added in the forementioned scripture Psal 22.6 A reproach of men and despised of the people he submitted himself to so mean a condition that he was easily despised and reproached at all hands He became poor 2 Cor. 8.9 and who takes not liberty to despise the poor No wonder then that our Saviour met with so much scorn and so it s foretold of him by the Prophet Isa 53.3 He was despised and rejected of men And if we look into the Evangelical History we shall see it to have been so with him namely that he was coarsely used Luk. 2.7 when he was to be born no better place can be afforded him then the Stable and the Manger When he came to his Publick Life though he spake so Joh. 7.16 as never man spake and though in regard of his miracles they could say we never saw it so done in Israel And Mar. 2.12 He hath done all things well Mat. 7 37 6.3 Math. 13.35 Joh. 10.20 yet how scornfully did they use him In words Is not this the Carpenter and Is not this the Carpenters Son And thou art mad and hast a devil Joh. 7.20 Luk. 4.29 And no lesse in deeds they lead him to the brow of the hill thinking to cast him down head-long they cast stones at him But especially in the close of his Publike Life Joh. 8.59 Matth. 26.50 Joh. 18.20 Matth. 26.57 then they laid hands on him they bind him they hurry him about first they bring him to the High Priest and there they spit upon him they blindfold him Vers 67 68 and buffet him and then they say Prophesie to us who it is that smote thee they deliver him over to the Secular Power Matth. 27.2 Luk. 23.7 11 even to Pilate he sends him to Herod who mocks him and sends him back again to Pilate here the Jewes hire false Witnesses against Him they preferre a Murderer before him Matth. 27.21 the Souldiers plat a Crown of Thornes on his Head they put on him a Purple Robe Vers 29. and put into his hand a Reed and mockingly bow the knee to him and cry Hail King of the Jewes Vers 35. they strip him of his clothes and crucifie him between two Thieves Vers 38. And being upon the Cross Vers 39 40 c. Vers 44. they revile him and wagg their heads c. yea the very Thieves did cast the same in his teeth Justly therefore in this respect is he compared unto a Worm 2. In regard of the breeding of the Worm The Worm saies Saint Hierom which is bred in the Wood Vermis qui in ligno nascitur non habet patrem nisi matrem Christus ex maria natus est absque coitu viri To. 4. In loc Cur totius creaturae Dominus vermiculo se voluerit comparare Possumus hoc humilitati assignire sicut David publicem se memoravit Sed magis hoc accipiendum puto quod vermis nulla extrinsecus admixtione alieni corporis sed de sola pura terra procreatur ideo illum comparatum Domino quia ipse salvator ex sola pura Maria generatur To. 3. conc ad pop conc 3. hath no father but onely a mother so Christ was born of a Virgin without carnal copulation with a man Saint Ambrose moves the question Why the Lord of the whole World would compare himself to a Worm and he answers We may ascribe this to his humility as David called himself a Flea but I rather think it to be because the Worm is gendred of the sole and pure earth without the mixture of any other body therefore I think him to be compared to our Lord who also was born of a sole and pure Virgin Saint Austin in like manner saving that in the former of the places alledged he brings in this latter resemblance with a Fortasse an It may be And Fortasse etiam propter Virgineum partum ep 49. it may be because of his birth of a Virgin as doubting whether this were in that passage of the Psalmist intended As indeed he well might in regard of that which follows in that Verse A reproach of men and despised of the people which is added as an Exposition of the former clause in which he had said I am a Worm Howsoever it s a plain Article of our Christian Faith not to be denyed nor so much as questioned but to be firmly believed that Christ our Saviour was born of a Virgin In regard therefore of the first particular we have cause to meditate of the great Humiliation of our dear Saviour and consequently of his surpassing love to us in that he vouchsafed for our good to stoop so low not onely he becomes man but also a Worm It s an excellent and just meditation of Saint Bernard to this purpose O Vouchsafement to be justly admired Thou O admiranda dignatio Deus immensae gloriae vermis contemptibilis fieri non despexisti De pass Dom. that art the God of Infinite glory didst nor disdain to be made a contemptible Worm What Humiliation is comparable to this Jon. 3.6 It was a great humiliation of the King of Nineveh when rising from the Throne he sate in Ashes and putting off his Robe he covered himself with Sackcloth But it s nothing to this as there is no comparison between the humiliation of the one and of the other and between the persons humbled the one a King the other the King of Kings the one a weak creature the other the Infinite Creator how great then is that love which drew our Saviour to such abasement And now why should it trouble us if it doth so happen that we are in the world as Worms Every man takes liberty to trample upon us to insult over us to lade us with wrongs and injuries but be of good
more in favour with God then we can hope to be But then what shall we need to look to any other besides Christ for as St. Ambrose saies well Who is dearer to the Father Quis charior Patri filio de quo ipse Pater dixit Hic est filius meus dilectus in quo mihi complacitum est In Rom. 1. then the Son of whom the Father himself saies This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Who will make use of the mediation of any Courtier to the King when he hath the Kings dearest Son to intercede for him He is fully and richest furnished in his humane nature with all gifts by which he is fitted for the execution of his threefold Office what then should hinder but that we should fully rest upon his mediation upon his Kingly power to defend us against all enemies upon him as a Prophet to instruct us in all things needfull to be known believed and done to salvation upon him as a Priest by his death on the Cross to obtain pardon of sins reconciliation and peace with God and finally everlasting salvation and by vertue of his intercession at his Fathers right hand to speed in our prayers and to be accepted in our praises and thanksgivings and in all acts of Holinesse and Righteousnesse and Charity which in obedience to his command we endeavour to perform But further in this name Messiah or Christ it s implied as we have heard that he hath made us Kings and Priests and Prophets let us therefore walk as such let us carry our selves as Kings not giving way to our lusts but labouring to subdue them as Kings strive to subdue Rebels rising against them Mortifie saies the Apostle your members on the earth Col. 3 5 1 Pet. 2.5 Psal 141.2 Heb. 12.15 Heb. 13.16 Rom. 12.1 Psal 51.17 Let us behave our selves as Priests offering up spiritual Sacrifices the Sacrifice of Prayer the Sacrifice of Praise the Sacrifice of Almes the Sacrifice of our Bodies the Sacrifice of a broken and contrite Spirit What becomes Christians better being spiritual Priests then to offer up these spiritual Sacrifices daily finally let us do the workes of Prophets Col. 3.16 Heb. 10.24 Heb. 3.13 1 Thess 4.18 Jude Ver. 20 teaching and admonishing one another considering one another to provoke to love and good works exhorting one another daily comforting one another and in general Edifying one another in our most holy faith Finally As hath been said in this name Messiah or Christ it s implied that from him grace is conveyed unto every member of the Church rendring them able to serve and honour God and to be useful to others Let us therefore wanting grace in any kinde or measure seek to Christ for it and by an act of faith draw from his fulnesse grace for grace Having grace in any kind or degree let us be humble not arrogating any praise to our selves for it but giving the glory of it to Christ from whom we have received it and saying with the Psalmist Not to us Lord not to us Psal 115.1 but to thy name give the glory And finally having received from Christ whatsoever grace we have in whatsoever proportion it be let us employ it to the advantage of Christs honour by using it to the benefit of others for there is reason that what we receive from Christ we should use it to his honour from whom we have received it and answer his expectation in the use of it now what his expectation is 1 Cor. 12.7 the Apostle tells us saying That the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every one to profit withall And thus using the grace which is given us we shall provide for the honour of Christ while we shall give them occasion to blesse Christ that hath given such gifts unto men And now shall Christ say to us at that great day Matth. 25. Well done good and faithful servant PARALLELS LIB II. CHAP. I. HAving in the former Book dispatched the Parallels between Christ and the Types by which he was fore-shadowed in the Old Testament I shall now in this Book present you with the Parallels between him and those other Resemblances by which he is set forth in the Old or in the New Testament And in laying them down I shall not stand upon any accurate Division but onely observe the Alphabetical Order Christ compared with Bread and Wine Thus doth our Saviour set forth himself and that in regard of his flesh and blood for so he says plainly I am the Bread of Life and then he adds John 6.35 48 The Bread that I will give is my flesh John 6.51 which I will give for the Life of the World And therefore in the first Institution of the blessed Eucharist Our blessed Saviour took Bread Matth. 26.26 and said of it This is my Body Not that it was properly his Body for there is a vast difference between them nor that it was by Transubstantiation changed into his Body for even when it comes to the act of eating it remains still Bread but the word is is as much as it signifies And so Tertullian expounds the words Christ says he taking Bread Christus acceptum panem distributum Discipulis suis corpus suum illum fecit dicendo Hoc est corpus meum i. e. figura corporis mei Contr. Marc. l. 4. Haec oblatio figura est corporis sanguinis Christi De Sacra l. 4. c. 5. Non dubitavit Dominus dicere Hoc est corpus meum cum signum daret corporis sui Tom. 6. contr Adimant c. 12. and distributing it to his Disciples made it his Body saying his is my Body that is a figure of my Body And so Saint Ambrose This Oblation says he is a figure of the Body and Blood of Christ And so Saint Austin The Lord did not doubt to say This is my Body when he gave the sign of his Body And this was in regard of the excellent harmony between the Body of Christ and Bread between the Blood of Christ and Wine which ye may see in sundry Particulars I. In some common Things As 1. Bread and Wine are necessary things there is no living without them we are taught to pray for Bread as the staff of our lives All Bread and no Drink or all Drink and no Bread were either of them unkindly Hear we what the Psalmist says Wine to cheer the heart of man Psalm 104.15 and Bread to strengthen mans heart All the Wealth of the World would do a man small pleasure if he were debarred of the use of either or both of these So the Body and Blood of Christ are of absolute necessity to a Christian there is no possibility of living eternally without these It is most true that our Saviour says If any man eats of this Bread Iohn 6.51 he shall live for ever and it 's no less true of drinking
upon it but what is this our Saviours carnal hearers could object Vers 52. how can this man give us his flesh to eat But St. Austin well clears this doubt To eat Christ Credere est manducare ut quid paras dentem ventrem crede manducasti To. 9. in Joan. Evang. tract 25. is to believe in Christ saies he why doest thou prepare thy teeth and thy stomach believe and thou hast fed on him Finally hence see how it comes to passe that we labour under so many defects and how we may cure them whence comes it that even godly men many times are so uncomfortable and disconsolate whence is it that our love to God and our brethren is so cold whence is it that we are so indisposed to duties of obedience whence is it that we are so fearful and faint-hearted so afraid to confesse Christ before men especially in times of danger and persecution It is not that God hath been wanting to us in these respects for he hath given us his own Son to shed his blood for us thereby to obtain for us remission of sins and reconciliation with God wherein he hath given us a lively evidence of his unspeakable love to us and this as I have shewed before is of sufficient force to fence us against all these defects The fault is therefore in our selves because having the remedy in our hands we make not use of it we do not by faith drink of this wine the blood of Christ we do not stirre up the act of our faith to believe that Christ shed his precious blood for us we do not seriously and frequently upon all occasions meditate of his love to us manifested herein And now seing the cause of these defects we may see the course how to cure them let us not fail to take this course find we our selves disconsolate and uncomfortable let us apprehend the blood of Christ shed for us and now we shall see cause to be comforted in assurance that Gods justice is infinitely satisfied and pardon of sins procured for us how shall not this enable us to walk comfortably for the Psalmist can tell us Psal 32.1 that the man is blessed whose iniquities are forgiven and what hath power to comfort us if not to know that our estate is blessed find we our love to God and to our brethren cold let us remember the fervency of that love which God and Christ bear to us and now we shall see that nothing is more agreeable to sound reason then that we should answer the fervency of the love of God and of Christ to us with fervent love to God and to our brethren for their sake finde we our selves heavy and indisposed to duties of obedience let us quicken our selves to the performace of them by a serious consideration of the great love which Christ hath shewed to us not thinking it too much to shed his blood as a price of our redemption Finally do we finde our selves fearful and timerous affraid to suffer afflictions for the cause of Christ and in that respect affraid to confesse Christ before men when danger attends it let us have recourse to this remedy look we at our blessed Saviour suffering all kinds of indignities and at last laying down his life and shedding his precious blood for us think we What are we in comparison of Christ if the Lord hath done this for his servants yea for his enemies why should we think much to suffer any thing for him CHAP. II. Christ and a branch WE see Christ often in the old Testament set out by this name so speaks the Prophet Jeremiah Behold the dayes come saies the Lord Jer. 23.5 Ier. 33.15 that I will raise up unto David a righteous Branch And elsewhere In those dayes will I cause the branch of righteousnesse to grow up unto David Zechar. 3.8 So the Prophet Zechariah doth bring in God promising Zechar. 6.12 I will bring forth my servant the Branch And elsewhere Behold the man whose name is the Branch The Septuagint In Zach. 3.8 as Pemble observes renders the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there uses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And so Râ—bera would have that place Luk. 1.78 where Christ is called the day-spring to allude to that translation but the word saies he properly signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Christ saies he is so called because out of the dry and with red stock of Davids family he sprang forth on a sudden as a branch or science out of a dry tree Though that family saies he was now obscure and all the glorious branches were cut off yet a remainder there was and sap enough therein which in due time should sprout forth into this most glorious and the last and greatest ornament of That Kingly Family or as Winckl man observes Germen dicitur quia ipse ex Maria Virgine tanquam surculus germinavit Ecclesia ejus etiam sub cruce germinat In Zechar. 3.8 Because Christ as a Branch sprung out from the Virgin Mary and his Church growes up even under the Cross Hence we may learn 1. That Christ is a true man for its certain that homo hominem generat A man begets a man the Father and the Son are both of the same nature But David was a man and from David did Christ issue and therefore he is oft in the Gospels called the Son of David Matth. 1.1 and by the Prophets the name of David is given to him Ezek. 34.24 as in that saying I the Lord will be their God and my servant David a Prince among them Act. 13.23 And so St. Paul sayes expressly of David Of this mans seed hath God raised up to Israel a Saviour Jesus therefore he is true man 2. See here the power of God in most unlikely times and by most unlikely and improbable means to bring his Purposes and Promises to pass Behold this famous Branch our Lord Jesus Christ is raised up to David when that Royal Family was most obscured and that by means of a poor Virgin So when the state of the Jewish Nation was brought so low that they seemed to be as so many dry bones in a valley and that they could say Our bones are dryed Ezek. 37.11 our Hope is lost and we are cut off for our part then God undertakes to open their Graves Verse 12 and to cause them to come up out of their Graves and to bring them into the Land of Israel Be not then disheartened when ye see the state of the Church hopeless and the Recovery of the Church to her pristine Glory almost impossible know That though with men it may be impossible Matth. 19.26 yet with God all things are possible Nothing hinders this great Work but our Sins intervening Gods Hand is not shortened that it cannot help says the Prophet Isai 59.1 2 but your sins have
a peculiar treasure to me above all people but at last it comes to be much enlarged being dispersed over all Nations Isa 54.2 3 according to that Prophecy Enlarge the place of thy Tent and let them spread forth the curtains of thy habitation spare not lengthen thy cords strengthen thy stakes for thou shalt break forth on thy right hand and on thy left And so we find it to be with the Church of the new Testament in Particular we read their number to be an hundred and twenty Act. 1.15 Act. 2.41 Vers 47. but what increase was there afterwards we find three thousand added to them and still God added to the Church daily such as should be saved Act. 4.4 Afterwards we finde the number of them that believed to be about five thousand And yet further we read Act. 6.7 that the number of Disciples was multiplied greatly in Jerusalem But in processe of time we finde many more added to the Church not onely in Jerusalem Act. 8.6 12 but also in other places as in Samaria and afterwards a great number believed in Phâ—nice Cyprus and Antioch Act. 11.19 21 And no lesse in following times Churches being planted at Rome Corinth Galatia Ephesus Philippi c. Thus is the resemblance good between a grain of Mustard-seed and Christ Mystical that is the Church the beginning small the growth admirable But lastly we finde the word Christ in another acception where the Apostle saies to the Galatians Of whom I travel in birth Gal. 4.19 till Christ be formed in you scil for the work of grace wrought in the hearts of men So Luther opens this expression while he saies Of this form of Christ he also speaks De hac forma Christi loquitur etiam ad Colos 3. Induite novum hominem qui renovatur ad agnitionem secundum imaginem ejus qui condidit illum In loc Formatur Christus in nobis per fidem regenerationis Sacramentum ut juxta illius vitae formam dilectione sanctis moribus versemur In loc Col. 3.10 Put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him So Sebastianus Meyer as Marlorate cites him in his Ecclesical Exposition Christ saies he is formed in us by faith and the Sacrament of Regeneration that according to the form of his life we should walk in love and holy manners Now this work of grace is not unlike in this respect to the grain of Mustard-seed for as that is at the first little and by degrees rises up to greatnesse so it is with grace it is little at the first but it s of a growing nature and by degrees a man makes a progresse to the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ Eph. 4.14 So Faith in the Disciples was first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 little faith but at length it came to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strength of faith So in the Church there are children young men old men And Christians are first 1 Joh. 2.13 14 Heb. 5.12 13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 babes and in time prove 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grown men St. Paul himself was at the first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a childe 1 Cor. 13.11 but afterwards he became 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man Learn hence many things 1. See the great love of Christ who being of himself the great God as the Apostle stiles him Tit. 2.13 stooped so low by a voluntary dispensation as to be like the Mustard-seed the least of all He Heb. 1.2 that was heir of all things could with ease have commanded Riches Honour Kingdomes but behold Phil. 2.7 he made himself of no reputation taking upon himself the form of a servant Matth. 20.28 2 Cor. 8.9 The Lord of all came not to be ministred unto but to minister He that was rich became poor and that for our good even to make us rich Wonder we at this grace of Christ 2. This may arm us against the scandal of Christs outward meanenesse and poverty it s that at which the Jewes stumble this hinders them from believing in Christ and resting upon him for salvation they think it unreasonable to accept him for the Messiah whom they knew to be so outwardly mean and poor in his Birth in his Life in his death but farre be it from us in this respect to reject or refuse him was he outwardly mean it was no more then was foretold of the Messiah by the Prophet he had no forme nor comelinesse Isa 53.2 3 saies he and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him he is despised and rejected of men c. was he so outwardly mean it was for our advantage 2 Cor. 8.9 He made himself poor to make us rich he subjected himself to abasement to make us glorious he becomes the Son of man that we through him might be made the sons of God He subjected himself to death that we might live through him And how were not it the height of ingratitude to reject him for that outward meanenesse to which he did voluntarily submit himself for our benefit Finally was he so outwardly mean as man for a time yet as God he was and is Infinitely and Eternally Great and Glorious higher then the highest and is now as man highly exalted set at his Fathers right hand Eph. 1.20 21 in the heavenly places farre above all principalitie and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not onely in this world but also in that which is to come These things considered how were it not against all reason to take such scandal at the external meanenesse in which he lived on the earth as in this respect to refuse him 3. As he for our sakes so farre abased himself as being in himself the greatest of all to become the least so let us by way of thankful retribution be content to be abased and to abase our selves for his honour what are we in comparison of him what is the greatnesse of any of us in comparison of his what abasement therefore can befall us comparable to that which befell him why should we then stick at any abasement for him the Lord for the servants made himselfe of no reputation and shall the servants stand so much upon their own honour and credit as to be unwilling to be abased for their Lord It was a pious resolution of St. Bernard If one of the two saies he be necessary I had rather that men should murmur against me then against God Si necesse est unum fieri è duobus modo in nos murmur hominum quam in Deum esse Bonum mihi si dignetur me uti pro clypeo Libent in me excipio detrahentium linguas maledicas venenata spicula blasphemorum ut non ad ipsum perveniant Non recuso inglorius fieri ut non irruatur in
vitis nostra omnia enim ab eo praecisa dicamus quibus in hac vita caruit cum ea tamen habere potuisset Phil. 2.7 ipsa exinanitio praecisio erat sicut enim minuitur vitis cum praeciditur sic Christus incarnatione minoratus infra omnes homines humiliatus est Amputata fuit in eo gloria cultro ignominiae potentia cultro abjectionis voluptas cultro doloris divitiae cultro paupertatis Sic fuit abjectus qui fuit ipsa gloria ut novissimus hominum reputaretur Tanto dolori subjicitur ut ei competat illud Lam. 1.12 Sic fuit pauper ut ipso Judice vulpibus volucribus pauperior inveniatur Mat. 8.20 Pauper in nativitate natus enim pastum habuit lac virgineum tegmen pannos viles Pauperior in vita si enim tegumentum habuit saepius in victualibus defecit Pauperrimus in cruce ubi nudum invenies fitientem Postremo timoris cultro amputati sunt ab eo amici omnes ut non esset qui eum consolaretur Quae vitis unquam tantum praecisa fuit Ibid. And otherwise also was this our Vine pruned for we may conceive all those things pruned off from him of which he was destitute in this life when as yet he might have had them He made himself of no reputation Phil. 2.7 this very exinanition was a pruning for as the Vine is diminished when it 's pruned so Christ by his Incarnation was made less then and humbled below all men Glory was cut off in him by the Knife of Ignominy Power by the Knife of Abasement Pleasure by the Knife of Pain Riches by the Knife of Poverty He that was Glory it self is so abased that he was reckoned the basest of men He is subjected to so great Pain that he might say as the Church Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow Lament 1.12 He was so poor that himself being Judg he was found poorer then the very Foxes and Birds of the Ayr for he could say The Foxes have holes and the Birds of the ayr have nests but the Son of man hath not whereon to rest his head Matth. 8.20 He was poor in his Birth for being born his food was the Virgins Milk his Covering vile Rags He was poorer in his Life for if he had wherewith to cover him he was oft short in his Victuals He was most poor on the Cross where ye might have seen him naked and thirsting Lastly By the Knife of Fear all his Friends were cut off from him so that he had none to comfort him What Vine was ever so pruned Oh the great Humiliation of our dear Saviour How great was his Love to us which drew him so voluntarily to submit himself to such and so great abasement for our good Why should we think much to stoop to any abasement for his Glory who first thus far humbled himself for us III. The Vine is digged about This digging signifies the fraud of Enemies laying snares to entrap III. Circumfoditur vitis Fossio haec insidiantium frans intelligitur Quasi enim foveam fodit qui dolo machinatur aliquem decipere sic Christo fuit Joan. 8.6 Circumfoderunt vitem nostram pessimi agricolae non ut facerent eam germinare sed magis arescere sed fossa praeter eorum spem fertilis magis facta est humorem misericordiae distillans Tandem vero videntes circumfossiones istas viti nostrae nil nocere ipsam vitem perfodere laborabant ut sic saltem ad modum aliarum arborum aeternam incurreret ariditatem foderunt manus pedes latus furoris lancea Ib. c. 3. for he doth as it were dig a pit who seeks to deceive another with craft So was it done to our Vine namely Christ Joh. 8.6 This they said says the Evangelist tempting him that they might have whereof to accuse him These wicked Husbandmen digged about our Vine not to make it to flourish but rather to wither But being thus digged about contrary to their expectation it was made more fertile and distilled the juice of Mercy But seeing that their diggings about did not hurt our Vine they at last labored to dig through our Vine that it might as it is with other Trees wither for ever They digged his hands and Feet and his side with the cruel Spear See the malice of Christs Enemies against him see we what things they acted against him they seek in his life-time to ensnare him and towards the close of his life what did they not act against him and yet they could not but see that he was more then a man John 7.46 Never man say the Servants of the Pharisees that were sent to apprehend him spake like this man and the people beholding his Miracles could say Mark 7.37 He hath done all things well And yet all this could not restrain nor set bounds to their malice Why then should we wonder at the rage and malice of Enemies against us Luke 23.31 If these things says our Saviour be done to the green Tree what shall be done to the dry Matth. 10.25 And If they have called the Master of the House Beelzebub how much more shall they call them of the Houshold And if we feel the effects of Enemies malice against us in any kinde let us comfort our selves with this That it 's no otherwise with us then it was with our Lord and Master remembring what our Saviour says Verse 24 25 The Disciple is not above his Master nor the Servant above his Lord It 's enough for the Disciple to be as his Master and for the Servant to be as his Lord. But see here also how vain and impotent the malice of Christs Enemies against him was They sought to entrap him in his words but see how from time to time John 8 he escaped the danger as when the Pharisees brought the Woman to him whom they said they had taken in the act of Adultery And when they with the Herodians Mat. 22.15 16 came to him with that question Whether it is lawful to pay Tribute unto Cesar In the former Christ gave such an Answer John 8.9 as made them go away ashamed and as it were to steal away one by one and in the second his answer made them to marvel and so to leave him Matth. 22.22 And when at last they came to dig through this Vine they apprehended him they brought him before the Tribunal Ecclesiastical where he was condemned as worthy of death as a blasphemer and before the Civil State where by their importunity they prevailed to have him crucified and there to dye now they thought they had made this Vine to wither for ever but their hopes in all these their designes were dasht as Saint Bernard speaks excellently Mors corporalis vicit ad tempus ut vinceretur in aeternum Victa est mors quia resurrexit à mortuis Ibid.
Bodily death saies he prevailed for a time that it might be overcome for ever Death was overcome because he rose from the dead And as it was with the malice of Christs enemies against him so is it with the malice of the enemies of Christians against them that is also vain and impotent they threaten they torment they put to death and now they hope to strike fear into their hearts but all in vain so that its with them according to that of the Poet The plain Country-man sayes he expects when the River should run it self dry Rusticus expectat dum defluat amnis at ille labitur labetur in omne volubilis aevum Horat. epist l. 1. ep 3. Torreantur Martyres rident feriuntur gaudent occiduntur ecce triumphant quia jamdudum mortui peccatis mortui mundo insensibiles facti nec minas nec tormenta nec mortem sentire potuerunt quid mirum mortui erant Ibid. but it continues still to run and is never empty And so it is here as Saint Bernard excellent-expresses it Let them seek to terrifie the Martyrs they laugh at them they are stricken and rejoyce they are killed and behold they triumph because being long since dead to sin and dead to the world and so being made insensible they could not feel either threatnings torments or death and no marvel for they were dead Well may we therefore be comforted against all the malice of enemies considering it is so weak and well may enemies in this respect be ashamed to go on in such malicious courses wherein they shall but shew their teeth and all to no purpose IV. The Vine is bound or tyed up 4. Ligatur Vitis Quis vincula vitis nostrae non videat Primum obedientia fuit factus obediens usque ad mortem Phil. 2.8 Erat subditus illis Luc. 2.5 Ne eos scandalizemus c. da ïis pro me te Matth. 17.27 Secundum uterus Virginis Tertium in praesepio fuit quando ejus membra pannis involuta virgo mater alligabat pedes manus cruraque stricta cingebat fascia Quartum fuit funis quo ligabatur cum caperetur Joan. 18.11 Quintum fuit quo ligabatur ad columnam cum flagellaretur Necâ—on ipsa flagella quae corpus ipsius circuibant non incongrue possumus vincula appellare Sextum fuit corona ejus spinea cum magna amaritudine amabile illud caput amplectens Septimum fuit quo ligatus fuit in cruce nempe ferreum Ib. c. 4. Who sees not the bonds of this our Vine The first was obedience He became obedient even to death Phil. 2.8 He was subject to his Parents Luk. 2.51 He was subject to Caesar Matth. 17.27 The second was the womb of the Virgin The third was in the Manger when his Virgin-mother bound up his body wrapped in cloathes and compass'd in his feet hands and legs with a swathing-band The fourth was the rope with which he was bound when they took him in the Garden The fifth was that with which he was tyed to the Pillar when they scourged him and yet we may withall not unjustly call the scourges themselves which compassed his body bonds The sixth was the crown of thorns with great bitternesse embracing that lovely Head The seventh was that of iron which fastened him to the Cross namely the nailes See here the greatnesse of Christs Humilation and consequently of his love which drew him to such a condescent Most devout and pious is Saint Bernards meditation on this particular in which by an Apostrophe turning his Speech to Christ he thus expresseth himself O King of Kings what hast thou to do with bonds O Rex Regum quid tibi vinculis Ligantur vites ne si jaceant in terra aut minuantur aut corrumpantur fructus earum Incorruptibilis autem fructus fuit tuus est quare ergo ligaris Bene Rex quidam cum percussus humana sagitta peteretur ut se ligare permitteret donec excideretur quia levissimo motu mortem posset incurrere Non decet inquit Regem vinciri libera sit Regis semper salva potestas O Deus Deorum quantum ergo derogatum fuit libertati potentiae tuae tu ligaris adeo vinculis qui solus ligandi solvendi potestatem habes Sed propter misericordiam tuam ligatus es ut nos â miseriis nostris faceres absolutos Admiror Domini Jesu admirando deficerem nisi quod liquido cognosco te prius in corde charitatis nexibus fuisse constrictum qui ad deteriora vincula sufferenda te leviter attrahere potuerunt Gratia sit vinculis tuis bone Jesu quae nostra tam potenter diruperunt Ibid. Vines are bound up least if they should lye on the ground their fruits should be diminished or marred But thy fruit was and is incorruptible and therefore why art thou bound A certain King being wounded with an Arrow when he was desired that he would suffer himself to be bound till the head of the Arrow might be cut out because the least stirring would endanger his life returned this fitting answer It becomes not a King to be bound a Kings power must be free and alway entire Therefore O God of Gods what'a derogation is this to thy liberty and power Thou art bound with so many bonds who onely hast the power to bind and loose But it is for thy mercies sake that thou art bound that thou mayest set us free from all our miseries I wonder at it O Lord Jesus and with wonder should faint but that I certainly know that thou wast first tyed with the cords of love in thy heart by which thou mightest more easily be drawn to the enduring of these worser bonds Thanks to thee O good Jesus for these thy bonds which have so powerfully broken all ours And why should any of us think much to undergo bonds for the cause and glory of Christ seeing he hath first for our good and Salvation undergone so many bonds what are we in comparison of him the Lord is bound for the servant and shall the servant think much to be bound for the Lord he by his bonds hath sweetened all ours and taken away the bitternesse of them V. The whole body of the Vine seems more deformed then the high and strong trees 5. Totum corpus altis arboribus robustis deformius invenitur quasi penitus inutile videtur abjectum nec ipso aspectu amabile aut usui accomodatum Sic fuit in corpore Christi secundum illud Prophetae Isa 53.2 Non est species ei nec decor vidimus eum non erat conspectus c. Quid apertius Et vere talis erat in oculis carnalium qui tantum carne noverunt intueri Et hoc probare possumus apertis rationibus primo per compassionis affectum dein per passionis defectum Quis nesciat hominem circa amicum
By the Rivers of Babylon we sat down yea we wept when we remembered Sion Psalm 137.1 2 3 we hanged our Harps upon the Willows and when they that led us Captives required of us to sing one of the Songs of Sion we answered How shall we sing the Lords Songs in a strange Land And then they add Verse 5 6 If I forget thee O Jerusalem let my right hand forget her cunning If I do not remember thee let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy Acts 7.58 59 and 8. 2 Acts 12.5 Saint Steven is stoned and the whole Church made lamentation Saint Peter is imprisoned and the Church prays On the other side the Gentiles obtained mercy Acts 11.18 and the Saints at Jerusalem glorified God saying Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted Repentance unto Life So they were affected with Saint Pauls Conversion They heard says the Apostle that he which persecuted us in times past Gâ—l 1.22 23 now preaches the Faith which once he destroyed and they glorified God in me Let us then learn to carry our selves towards our Fellow-Christians as to our Fellow-Members 1. We all make one Body under one Head Christ therefore let us take heed of Schism and Disunion and endeavor to keep Unity The Apostle urges it upon this ground Endeavoring says he to keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace Eph. 4 3 4 for there is one Body and the sequel is good We are all of us one Body and shall we rend our selves one from another God forbid Harken we rather to Saint Paul Beseeching us in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ That there be no Divisions among us 1 Gen 1.10 but that we be perfectly joyned together in the same minde and in the same judgment The counsel is good for us to take which Joseph gave to his Brethren Gen. 45.24 See that ye fall not out by the way It 's good for every one of us to say one to another as Abraham to Lot Gen. 13.8 Let there be no contention between me and thee c. for we are Brethren yea for we are all of us one Body of Christ and every one of us Members one of another Remember we That God whom we call Father 2 Cor. 13.11 is the God of Love and Peace and Christ whose Members we profess our selves to be is the Prince of Peace Isai 9.6 Heb. 7.1 and the King of Salem the King of Peace and the Gospel which we profess the Gospel of Peace Eph. 6.15 Col. 3.15 and that we are called unto Peace in one Body What then will better become us then the study of Peace Remember that our mutual Jars will make our Enemies sport and our concord will not a little vex them for by it we shall put them out of hope of prevailing against us Insuperabiles si inseparabiles we shall be invincible if we be inseparable A single Arrow is soon broken not so a bunch of Arrows fast bound together and onely our mutual disagreements will put them in hope to spoil and mischieve us one after another Let Moab Edom 2 Chron. 20 and Ammon rise each against other and they overthrow one another Jehosaphat shall not need to strike a stroke It 's a received Maxim of Enemies Divide them Divide impera and so get the upper hand of them Let us not then give them so great advantage against us but rather as the Apostle advises us Let us minde the things that make for Peace Rom. 14.19 Let us not be ready to do wrong but be ready to put up wrongs and for peace sake part with our Rights in apparent injuries forgive in doubtful things make the fairest constructions and listen not to Tale-bearers Rom. 16.17 and as the Apostle advises Mark them that cause Divisions and avoyd them Thus let us do 2 Cor. 13 1â— and the God of Love and Peace shall be with us 2. Let us be profitable and serviceable one to another in the faithful employment of the Talents which we have received So are the Members of the natural Body so let us be Having the Wealth of the World let us be ready to distribute Having Wisdom be we ready to give advice and counsel to others that need and crave our help this way So according to our abilities let us warn them that are unruly 1 Thess 5.14 comfort the feeble-hearted and support the weak Let us consider one another to provoke to Love and good Works Heb. 10.24 Can we do no more yet at least having the Spirit of Prayer let us employ it for the behoof of the whole Church and of one another Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem Psal 122.6 Remember That as the Eye hath a faculty of Seeing the Ear of Hearing the Hand of Working the Tongue of Speaking the Feet of Walking not for themselves alone but for the good of the whole Body and each of other So the Gifts that God hath bestowed on us he hath given not for ostentation nor for our own private use onely 1 Cor. 12.7 but to profit withall therefore so let us use them Thus shall we honor Christ our Head and God our Father We hear what the Apostle says of Alms-deeds The Ministration of this Service abounds by many Thanksgivings to God and this holds equally true of the employment of our several Abilities for the profit of others And so we shall provide for our own Comfort for as to that unprofitable Servant that hid his Talent in a Napkin Mat. 25.28 30 it 's said Take the Talent from him and Cast him into outer darkness so to any one that is faithful in the employment of his Talent for the good of others it shall be said Well done good and faithful Servant Verse 23 Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. 3. Let those Members of the Church that are of highest note learn not to despise but to have in good esteem their Brethren and Fellow-Christians though they be not so richly gifted or laid out to so noble employments as themselves for there is not the meanest but hath his Gift in his measure and so not the meanest but is profitable in his way It 's so in the natural Body It is so much more in the Church Hear the Apostle The Eye cannot say to the Hand I have no need of thee 1 Cor. 12.21 22 nor the Head to the Foot I have no need of thee Nay much more those Members of the Body that seem to be more feeble are necessary Therefore let not the rich despise the poor nor the strong the weak nor the ablest Minister the meanest Hearer but if we see in them the Evidences of Faith and Holiness whatsoever they are in other respects let us embrace them and give them the right Hand of Fellowship God
with any Church forsake the Communion of it Let us be sensible of any thing amiss and pray to God and do our best endeavors in our way to have all things set in right order but let us not unkindly depart from the Church so long as we see our Saviour present with it It 's true that there will be a time when the Church shall be without spot or wrinkle but to expect it in the time of this life Eph. 5.27 and to quarrel at the Church because it is not so now were folly in an high degree and great uncharitableness 2. The like is to be said of particular Christians Expect not Angelical Perfection at their hands living on the face of the Earth nor because we see some blemishes in their lives let us therefore cast them off as wicked Reprobates but so long as we can discern any thing in them with respect to which we may in charity judg them to be God's let us give them the right hand of fellowship and own them as Brethren and if we see them to miscarry in any kinde disown them not as past hope of being reclaimed but study to restore them with the spirit of meekness Gal. 6.1 considering our selves lest we also be tempted Have they blemishes so have the best of us and would we not take it unkindly to be for this cause discarded by others then deal not so unkindly with others as to discard them for this cause for this is the golden Rule of Equity propounded by our Saviour as the sum of the Law and the Prophets Matth. 7.12 Whatsoever ye would that others should do to you do ye even the same to them and so Quod tibi fieri non vis alteri ne feceris on the other side Do not that to another which thou wouldst not that another should do to thee 3. Wonder not at the fruits of Gods severity exercised against the Church of God and against particular godly Christians the Members of the Church They have their blemishes their spots their sins by which they also offend God and where sin goes before who can wonder if punishment and chastisement follows after What is more just then that it should be so Yea the Love of God to and his Fatherly Care for the Church and the Members of it requires it Rev. 3.19 As many says Christ as I love I rebuke and chasten And When ye are judged says the Apostle ye are chastened of the Lord 1 Cor. 11.32 that ye should not be condemned with the World 4 In this respect how necessary is it that the ministers of God should direct reproofes to the Church and to godly Christians in the Church have ye your spots and would not ye be cleansed have ye your sins and would ye not be reproved how unreasonable is this yea how do ye in this act against your precious soules for nothing is more conducing to your happiness then faithful and seasonable reproof by which we endeavour to keep sin from seizing on you and making a prey of your soules Say not think not that we speak against you and seek to disgrace you It s nothing so for while we reprove your sins we speak for you against your sins which act against you nor seek we to disgrace you to others but to disgrace your sins to you and to make you out of love with them and to draw you off from them which otherwise will ruine you Take heed therefore of such misprisions and as you would do in a journey take it in good part to be told that you are out of the way Take it as ye will we must do it a necessity is laid upon us for God hath given the commandment Isai 58.1 Cry aloud spare not lift up thy voice like a trumpet shew my people their transgression and the house of Jacob their sin And now wo will be to us if for fear of your displeasure we do it not fear not their faces Jer. 1.17 saies God to the Prophet least I confound thee before them 5. This may be of great force to take us off from the excessive love of this present life and willingly to accept of the motion of death for while we live here below as the moon hath her spots so we have our blemishes lying under a necessity of sining in regard of that body of sin which we bear about us from this necessity of sining death shall exempt us for then holinesse shall be made in us complete and perfect and the body of sin shall be altogether wasted out of us then we shall sin no more nor sorrow more now we are like the moon Matth. 13.43 having spots but then we shall shine as the Sun in the Kingdome of our Father And what wise man that intends his own good would content himself to remain in a state of imperfection when he may be brought to a state of absolute perfection This change is effected by death why should we dread it why should we not embrace it with both arms Cry not as the Disciples at the Transfiguration It s good for us to be here Matth. 17. but rather with old Simeon Lord Luk. 2.29 Phil. 1.23 now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace and with Saint Paul I desire to be dissolved yet let us not make more haste then good speed Our life is a Warfare and it s not for Souldiers to leave their stations but at the will of the General but if God shall say to us as to Moses Deut. 32.49 50. Go up to Mount Nebo and dye let us readily obey and go up and dye Let us so make use of our lives that we may be fit to dye and then there will need no more words about this bargain 6. The Moon hath her various Aspects sometimes she is in the Full and sometimes in the Wane sometimes she shines more gloriously sometimes lesse and yet still she hath a being So is it with the Church Sadeel doth excellently set forth this comparison As the Moon saies he doth not alway shew her light in her full Orb Quemadmodum non semper Luna pleno orbe lumen suum nobis ostentat sed aliquando ita decrescit ut nobis illa non amplius superesse videatur nec tamen unquam propterea radiis solis destituitur quamvis humanis sensibus secus appareat ita Ecclesia non semper plenum fulgorem emittit sed aliquando ita obscuratur ut nostris oculis non pateat nihilâ—minus certum est eam semper esse semperque a suo sole id est a Christo illustrari De legit ministr vocat p. 39. but she doth sometimes so decrease that she seems to us not to be any more and yet never is she destitute of the Sun beames though it seems otherwise to our senses So the Church doth not alway send forth a full brightness but is sometime so obscured that she
of faith c. And Luther to the same purpose Ea docet fovet gestat in utero gremio ulnis fingit perficit nos ad formam Christi donec crescamus in virum perfectum c. Ibid. though in other words She doth teach us foster us bear us in her wombe in her lap in her armes she frames and fashions us to the likeness of Christ until we come to a perfect man to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Justly therefore is the Church compared to a Mother I. If the Church be our mother let us carry our selves to her as children ought and ingenuous children will carry themselves to their mothers 1. Let us yield obedience to her commands seconding the commands of God our heavenly Father but obey also those her commands which are not Cross to his commands for such obedience children owe to their mothers 2. Let us be deeply affected with the miseries and afflictions of the Church though we our selves for our own parts enjoy never so great prosperity what ingenuous childe laies it not sadly to heart to see his mother under great affliction The Jewes in Babylon wept in remembrance of Sion Psal 137.1 Neh. 2. Nehemiah though Cup-bearer to the great King Artaxerxes thought he had just cause of a sad countenance hearing of the distresses of Jerusalem 3. Let us not grieve the Church our mother by an unkind departure from her and her communion for some things amiss in her or because we see in the Church a mixture of good and bad how unnatural a Son were he that should disdain and abominate his mother because she comes short of her wonted comliness how heinously and that how justly would any mother take it at the hand of any child to be so used yet thus hath the Church been dealt withal by many that have sometime been held as her children as by the Donatists of old so by many in later times the more is the pity and the greater is their sin But let not us follow the example of such but own and acknowledge the Church our mother but praying to God to amend what is amiss remain stedfastly in the fellowship of the Church II. If the Church be the mother of us all even of all believers whether Jewes or Gentiles high or low rich or poor then let all believers whatsoever the difference may be in other respects own themselves mutually as brethren of the neerest kind not onely children of the same father as all Jacobs twelve Sons were but also of the same mother as were Joseph and Benjamin And let this consideration keep us off from all things that are contrary to love envy malice contention c. and provoke us the more to do all offices of love each to other It s observable what difference Joseph did put between Benjamin and his other brethren They were all his brethren by his fathers side therefore he entertained them all Gen. 43.34 and sent to every one of them messes from before him but Benjamin was his brother both by Father and Mother therefore his mess was five times so much as any of theirs And at their return to his Father Jacob Gen. 45.22 he gave to each of them changes of rayment but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of rayment We cannot put this difference between believers as if some had onely the same father with us namely God and others had also the same mother the Church for Saint Cyprian sayes most truly He Qui non habet Ecclesiam matrem non habet Deum Patrem De unit Eccl. s that hath not the Church for his mother hath not God for his Father But seeing we are thus brethren of the neerest kinde having all God for our Father and the Church for our mother let our love be entire each to other and let us manifest our love by doing good one to another as we are able and as out mutual necessities shall require CHAP. XII The Church and a Ship Matth. 4.19 OUr blessed Saviour promising to make his disciples fishers of men gives an hint of this resemblance for thus the companion holds As the fisherman casting his net out of the ship into the Sea takes up fishes and brings them into the ship so the Apostles and their successors casting the net of the Gospel out of the ship of the Church takes up men as fishes out of the sea of the World and brings them into the ship of the Church And so the comparison holds as between the ministers of the Word and fishermen between the net and the Gospel between the Sea and the World between fishes and men so between the ship and the Church And the resemblance holds excellently Navis diversissimi generis gentis vectore suscepto subjecta est omnibus ventorum flatibus maris motibus Atque ita illa scil Ecclesia seculi immundorum Spirituum vexatur incursibus Comment in Matth. col 496. 1. Hear Hilarius Pictaviensis A ship saies he having taken in Passengers of divers kindes of divers Nations is subject to all blowings of the winds and to all ragings of the Sea so the Church is vexed with the incursions of the World and of unclean spirits To which I add 2. It 's truly said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A common ship hath common dangers all the passengers in the same ship are liable to the same dangers to the same storms and tempests and to the same Pyrats Jon. 1. Let Jonah and the Mariners be in the same ship though the storm arose for Jonah's sake yet the Mariners were all in danger by means of it Let Saint Paul and other Prisoners Soldiers Acts 27 and Mariners be in the same ship together they are all equally concerned in the tempest Let there be in the same ship a Prince going to receive a Crown and a Malefactor going to receive Punishment according to the nature of his offence yet while they are in the ship together they are subject to the same storms to be toss'd alike to be Sea-sick together and to the same Pirats to be alike ransacked and spoiled by them Neither Winds Sea nor Pirats know to put a difference between the one and the other It 's so in the Church Let Enemies come let Persecutions arise against it there is no sorts of men that can promise to themselves an exemption from their violence But as it was with the Jewish Church when Nebuchadnezzar came against them no sorts of men escaped the fury of the Chaldeans but both Prophets and Priests Nobles Kings Children and the King himself they were all cruelly used So is it in Persecutions raised up against the Church no sorts of men escaped but though some particular men have escaped God either hiding them Jer. 36.26 as he did Jeremiah and Baruch or making a way for them to escape by a
And if ye finde this Hope fading in you endeavor to strengthen it by a frequent Meditation of Gods Power and Mercy and the Faithfulness of his Promises and by the Experience of his Dealings with his Church in former Times and so shall ye finde it of singular use to uphold you against all the opposition which Satan and the World shall make against you CHAP. XIII The Church and the Threshing-floor or Wine-press SAint Austin following the Translation of the Septuagint as for the most part in the New Testament where any Testimony of the Old Testament is alledged that Translation is followed renders the Title of the eighth Psalm Pro tercularibus super Gittith For the Wine-presses upon Gittith and so he takes knowledg of the Comparison between the Church and the Wine-presses or the Threshing-floor for thus he says By the Wine-press and also by the Threshing-floor Torcularia possumus accipere Ecclesiam sicut aream Sive enim in area sive in torculari nil aliud agitur nisi ut fructus ab integumentis purgentur quae necessaria erant ut nascerentur ut crescerent ut ad maturitatem messis vel vindemiae pervenirent Hiâ— integumentis i. e. palcis in area frumenta vinaciis in torcularibus vina exuuntur Sicut in Ecclesia a multitudine secularium hominum quae simul cum bonis congregatur quibus ut nascerentur necessaria erat illa multitudo id agitur ut spiritali amore per operationem ministrorum Dei separentur Agitur autem ut non loco sed affectu separentur boni a malis quamvis simul in Ecclesiis quantum attinet ad corporalem praesentiam conversentur aliud autem erit tempus quo vel frumenta in horrea vel vina in cellas segregentur In Psal 8. we may understand the Church For whether in the Threshing-floor or in the Wine-press the main business is to sever the Fruit from the Coverings which yet were necessary that they might be and that they might grow and come to ripeness for Harvest and Vintage From these Covers they are severed that is the Grain from the Chaff in the Threshing-floor and the Wine from the skins and kernels of the Grapes in the Wine-press So in the Church this is the main business That from the multitude of worldly men which is mixt together with the good to whom yet that they might be born that multitude was necessary the good might be severed by spiritual Love by the Labors of the Ministers of God But the meaning is That the good should be separated from the bad not in place but in affection although in regard of bodily presence they converse together in the Church but there shall be another Time in which the good Grain shall be set apart from the Chaff into the Garners and the Wine from the Dregs into the Cellars And here are many Things to be observed I. That the Church hath a mixture in it of good and bad of Elect and Reprobate as in the Threshing-floor the Wheat and Chaff are together and the Wine and Dregs in the Wine-press the Church Militant in this World never was without such mixture II. That this mixture of the good and bad is necessary and useful to the good namely says the Father That the godly may be born and brought into the World for thus it oft pleases God That from wicked Parents have sprung godly Children as from Korah Numb 16 the Ring-leader in that Faction against Moses and Aaron did issue Sons that were if not Penners of some of the Psalms Psalm 42. tit yet at least imployed in the singing of them From wicked Ahaz a godly Hezekiah from idolatrous Amon a tender-hearted Josiah and from Jeroboam that made Israel to sin did issue a Son in whom was found some good towards the Lord God of Israel 1 King 14.13 who alone therefore of all the House of Jeroboam was buried and mourned for But further also this mixture of good and bad in the Church is expedient 1. To let the godly see the Mercy of God to themselves doing them good by his sacred Ordinances while the wicked live so unprofitably under them 2. To aggravate the sins of the wicked and to heighten their judgment while living under the same means of Grace by which the godly are enabled to bring forth the fruits of Righteousness to the Glory of God they either use them not or abuse them abounding in all wickedness to Gods dishonor III. That living in the Church with the wicked we must separate our selves from them in affection and practise not running with them to the same excess of riot not delighting in sin as they do but to be as contrary to them as possibly we can in our Conversation according to the advice of the Apostle Eph. 5.11 Have no fellowship with the unfruitful Works of Darkness but rather reprove them They trade in wickedness 1 Pet. 1.15 it 's for us to endeavor to be holy in all manner of Conversation And no less must we be contrary to them in our affection They love sin we must hate it Psalm 97.10 38.18 as David advises us Ye that love the Lord hate the thing that is evil They joy in their sins we must say as David I will be sorry for my sins They delight in the sins of others we must be affected as David 119.136 who could say of himself My eyes gush down with rivers of tears because men keep not thy Law And being thus contrary to them IV. There is no need that we should make a local separation from the wicked nor forsake the communion of the Church because we see some wicked men in it the sins of the wicked shall hurt themselves not us separating our selves from their sins So saies the Wiseman Prov. 5.22 His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself not others that estrange themselves from them V. Yet there shall come a time when there shall be a full and perfect separation between the good and the bad the godly the sheep set on Christs right hand Matth. 25.33 and the wicked the Goats on his left hand These the wicked shall go into everlasting punishment but the righteous into life eternal vers 46. Psal 1.5 There shall then be a congregation of righteous men and no wicked men among them wait with patience till the time comes in which God will bring it so to pass but expect not such a bodily separation here in the time of this life least our expectation be frustrated It is enough for us that it shall once be the husbandman waits for the harvest and let us wait till the end of this world then shall the harvest be and let us not quarrel at the Church nor as male-contents depart from the fellowship of the Church because this separation is not made just when we would have it Let it suffice us that Christ hath taught