Christ and the Church: or Parallels, in three books.: In the first ye have the harmony between Christ and the foregoing types, by which he was fore-shadowed in the Old Testament, both persons and things. In the second the agreement between Christ and other things, to which he is compared in the holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament. In the third the agreement between the Church and the types, by which it was foreshadowed in the Old Testament; and other resemblances, by which it is set forth in the holy Scriptures. By Henry Vertue, M.A. rector of Alhallows Hony-lane.

CHAP. XV.

Christ and Cyrus.

SCultetus observes the Parallel in many Particu∣lars.

1.

Cyrus came of Parents of different Nations, his Mother a Mede, the Daughter of Astyages the King of the Medes; his Father a Persian subject to the Medes: So Christ is the Son of God, and the Son of Man.

2.

The Magicians expound to Astyages his Dream of the Son of his Daughter: So the Scribes out of the Scriptures acquaint Herod with the Birth of Christ.

3.

Astyages, having heard his Magicians, lays snares for the life of Cyrus: so Herod plots against the life of Christ, having heard the Wise men.

4.

Cyrus, being an Infant, is put into the Mountains, but is

brought up by Shepherds, when Astyages thought him to be slain: So Christ is carryed into Egypt, whom Herod believed to be killed.

5.

Cyrus, being yet but a Childe, gave a proof of his judgment in another Childe, being contuma∣cious: so Christ, at twelve years of age, gave an evidence of his Divine Wisdom.

6.

Cyrus is called Gods anoint∣ed, Esa. 45.1. and Christ is an∣ointed.

7.

Cyrus was Gods Servant, and Christ was Gods Servant, Esa. 53. Cyrus is called Gods Shep∣herd, Esa. 44.28. and Christ is that good Shepherd: Joh. 10.

8.

It's said of Cyrus, I will sub∣due the Nations before him: Esa. 45.1. and to Christ it's said, I will give thee the Heathen: Psa. 2.

9.

Cyrus said, The God of Heaven hath given me all Kingdoms: Ezr. 1.2. And Christ says, All power is given to me both in Heaven and Earth: Matt. 28.18.

10.

Cyrus had it given him in charge to build the Temple of God; Ezra 1.2. and to Christ it did belong to purge the material Temple, of which we read Luke 19. and to build the Spiritual Temple.

11.

Cyrus restored to the Tem∣ple the Vessels of the Temple that had been taken away; Ezra 1.7. and Christ restoreth to us the Image of God.

12.

Cyrus was eminent for mildeness, as Herodotus says of him, lib. 3. for the appointment of the Tribute (says he) the Persians called Darius an Institutor, Cam∣byses a Lord, Cyrus a Patron, be∣cause (says he) he was most gentle, and studyed to deserve well at their hands: So was Christ an ex∣ample of mildeness, Mat. 11.29.

13.

The Kingdom of Cyrus was of a large extent, as Xenophon testifies of it, lib. 1. where almost the same Nations are reckoned up, of which we read Acts 2. and so the Prophet speaks of it Esa. 45.14. So is the Kingdom of Christ most ample and large, as not having any bounds.

14.

God called Cyrus in Righ∣teousness; Esa. 45.13. and Christ was called in Righteousness: for he took not this Honor unto him∣self, &c. Hebr. 5.5.

15.

God gave Cyrus for a Light to the Gentiles; Esa. 42.6. That from the rising of the Sun, to the fall thereof, men might know that there is no God but Jehovah: Esa. 45.6. So is Christ the Light

of the Gentiles: Luke 1.78. and 2.32.

16.

Cyrus was sent to open the eyes of the blinde, and to bring the Prisoners out of Prison; Esa. 42.7. or to dismiss the Captives: Esa. 45.13. So did Christ send the Prison∣ers out of the Pit, in which there was no Water: Zach. 9.11.

Thus is Cyrus owned, by this learned Divine, as a Type of Christ; and that justly, it being most true, that Zanchy says,

That the Deli∣verance of the Jews from Capti∣vity in Babylon by Cyrus was a Type of the Redemption of the Church by Christ.

Christ and Zerubbabel.

Of this hear Saint Jerom:

Zerubbabel, who was of the Tribe of Judah, of the linage of David, was a Type of our Saviour, who truly built the ruined Temple, that is, the Church, and brought the People from Captivity, and built the Church, as well of the stones of the old Temple, as of new stones, which were before un∣polished; and raised up a Taber∣nacle to God the Father, both of the remainders of the Jewish Nation, and of the multitude of the Gentiles. And as Zerubbabel was born in Babylon, so our Lord

was born in the Confusion of this World.

He adds:

If ye respect the Hi∣story, Zerubbabel is one, who was of the Kingly Tribe; and Jesus, or Joshua, another, who was of the Priestly Tribe. But, if ye look at the Mystery, our Lord and Saviour is one and the same, a King and a great High Priest: of whom, as he is a King, Ze∣rubbabel was the Type, but his name-sake Jesus, or Joshua, as he was a Priest; who is the Son of Josedech, which in our language is turned into Jah, that is, God, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is, just: for God the Father is righteous and ho∣ly, and so is God the Son, and there is no iniquity in him. And Jesus indeed is a great High Priest, in comparison of whom, all other Priests of God are small, or nothing, that, as he is the first begotten of every Creature, so he may be the Chief of all Priests.

Notes

• 1. Cyrus duobus diversarum gentium parentibus ortus est, ma∣tre Meda, Astyagis Medorum Regis filia, patre Persa Medis subjecto: sic Christus Dei & ho∣minis filius.
• 2. Astyagi exponunt Magi somnium de partu filiae: Sic Le∣gisperiti Herodem ex Scripturis crudiunt de ortu Christi.
• 3. Astyages, auditis Magis, insidias struit vitae Cyri: sic He∣rodes vitae Christi, auditis Ma∣gis.
• 4. Cyrus infans exponitur in montanis, sed à pastoribus educa∣tur, quem Astyages credidit inter∣fectum: sic Christus in Aegyptum deportatur, quem Herodes credidit interfectum: Matth. 2.
• 5. Cyrus, jam tum puer, speci∣men edidit judicii in alio puero contumace: sic Christus duodecen∣nis specimen edidit divinae suae sa∣piemiae: Luc. 2.
• 6. Cyrus unctus, & Christus unctus.
• 7. Cyrus servus Dei, & Chri∣stus servus Dei: Esa. 53. Cy∣rus Pastor Dei: Esa. 44.28. Christus bonus ille Pastor: Joan. 10.
• 8. Cyro dictum, Sternam aute faciem ejus Gentes: Esa. 45.1. Christo dictum, Dabo tibi Gentes: Psal. 2.
• 9. Cyrus dixit, Dominus Coeli dedit mihi omnia Regna: Ezra 1.2. Christus, Data est mihi omnis potestas in coelo & in terra: Matth. 28.18.
• 10. Cyro in mandatis data aedi∣ficatio Templi Dei, Ezr. 1.2. Christo incumbebat repurgatio Templi materialis, de qua, Luc. 19. & instauratio Templi spiritu∣alis.
• 11. Cyrus ablata vasa Temple restituit, Ezr. 1.7. Ita Chri∣stus Imaginem Dei in nobis resti∣tuit.
• 12. Cyrus mitissimus erat, sicut de eo Herodotus, lib. 3. ob tributi ordinationem a••t Persas Darium nominasse Insticorem, Cambysen Dominum, Cyrum Patronum, quia, inquit, mitis erat, & omni ratione de illis bene mereri studens: sic Christus mansuetudinis exem∣plum: Matth. 11.29.
• 13. Cyri Regnum amplissi∣mum, Xenophon lib. 3. ubi Na∣tiones ferme eaedem nominantur, quae Act. 2.9, 10, 11. de Regni ejus amplitudine etiam Esaias, c. 45. v. 14. Ita Regnum Christi amplissimum, utpote nullis locorum spatiis definitum.
• 14. Cyrum vocavit Deus in justitia, Esa. 45.13. Itidem & Christus juste vocatur: nec enim sibi ipsi honorem hunc tribuit, &c. Heb. 5.5.
• 15. Cyrum dedit Deus in lu∣cem Gentium, Esa. 42.6. ut sci∣rent ab ortu Solis ad occasum, non esse Deum praeter Jehovam: Esa. 45.6. Ita Christus lumen Gen∣tium: Luc. 1.78. & 2.32.
• 16. Cyrus missus ad aperien∣dum oculos caecorum, ad educen∣dum è clausura vinctos, Esa. 42.7. vel ad captivitatem dimittendam: Esa. 45.13. sic Christus emisit vinctos de lacu, in quo non est aqua: Zach. 9.11. Scult. Idea Concion. in Esa. 42.
• Liberatio Babylonica per Cy∣rum typus Redemptionis per Chri∣stum. Detrib. Elohim, lib. 5. cap. 4.
• Zorobabel, de tribu Juda, i. e. de stirpe David, descendens, ty∣pus fuit Salvatoris, qui vere de∣structum aedificavit Templum, i. e. Ecclesiam, & reduxit popu∣lum de captivitate; & tam de veteris Templi lapidibus, quam de novis, qui prius fuerant impo∣liti, aedificavit Ecclesiam; idem, & de reliquiis populi Judaici, & de gentium multitudine, Deo Patri extruxit Tabernaculum. Et sicut Zorobabel in Babylone natus est, sic Dominus in confusi∣one hujus seculi. To. 3. in Agg. 1.
• Quantum ad historiam perti∣net, alter est Zorobabel de tri∣bu regia, & alter Jesus de tribu sacerdotali: Quantum autem ad intelligentiam spiritalem, unus & idem est Dominus noster & Sal∣vator, Rex & magnus Sacerdos: cujus typum, secundum id, quod Rex erat, portabat Zorobabel, secundum id, quod Pontifex erat, portabat cognominis ejus, Jesus, qui est filius Josedech: quod in lingua nostra vertitur in 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, i. e. Deus, & 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, i. e. justus: ju∣ste•••• enim & sanctus Deus Pater, & Deus Filius, & non est in eo iniquitas. Estque vere Jesus magnus Sacerdos, cui omnes Dei Antistites comparati, parvi sunt & nihil, ut, sicut est primogeni∣tus omnis creaturae, sic Princeps sit in universis Sacerdotibus. Ibid.