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. IX. Christ and a Lamb.

WE have heard Christ and the Paschal Lamb com∣pared before, and I intend not now to touch upon that: but onely shall take notice of the resem∣blance between Christ and a Lamb in general: And frequently is our Saviour set out under this notion. So the holy Baptist saies of Christ, Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world. And a little after, Behold the Lamb of God And so St. Peter, By the blood of Christ, as of a Lamb unspotted, and undefiled. And so Saint John. In the midst of the Elders stood a Lamb, as it had been slain: And again, the twenty four E ders felt down before the Lamb. And again: Worthy is the Lamb, that was slain, to recieve power and riches, &c. And again. Hide us from the wrath of the Lamb? And again. Blessed are they, that are called to the marriage-supper of the Lamb: And again. One of the Angels said, Come hither, and I will shew thee the Bride the Lambes wife:

In all which places its plain, that Christ is spoken of. And the resemblance between Christ and the Lamb holds in these 4. particulars.

1. Its an useful and profitable creature, the flesh, the skin, the wool, yea all of it and about it is good for some use or other, for food, for cloathing, &c. And who sees not, how all this is true of Christ? useful he is for all purposes, he is a King to govern us, a Prophet to teach us, a Priest to Sacrifice and in∣tercede for us; he is a Shepherd to lead us to the green Pastures, a Physitian to heal our Diseases, a Counsel∣lor to advise us, a Guide to direct us, a Captain to fight for us: He is milk, wine, and hony; he is gold to en∣rich us, garments to cloath us, eye-salve to cure our blind∣nesse: yea he is all in all to us; yea all about him is useful to us, the holinesse of his conception to answer for our natural uncleannesse, the holinesse of his life to answer for the irregularities of our lives, his Death to satisfie the justice of God for us: his Resurrection, to be a cause of our resurrection at the last day: His Ascension into Heaven, to prepare Mansion-places for us, his sitting at his Fathers right hand, to in∣tercede for us; his coming again at the last day to take us to himself, that we may be ever with him.

2. The Lamb is a contented creature, content with any pasture, though never so poor, into which the shepherd shall put it: And who sees it not to have been so with our Saviour? If God will have him to be born of a poor Virgin, he disdains it not. If to live in a mean condition, so as not to have where to lay his head, he sticks not at it: he sought not greater things for himself then God had laid out for him; nay when the people would have taken him by force to make him a King, he would none of it, but departed into a mountain alone by himself.

3. The Lamb is a meek creature, bearing wrongs quietly, not studying revenge: and herein, in an high degree, is it a fit resemblance of our dear Saviour:

Therefore, saies St Austin, is our Sa∣viour compared to a Lamb, because of his mildnesse.

We hear that E∣vangelical Prophet in this respect comparing Christ to a Lamb: He is brought, saies he as a Lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before his shearer is dumb, so he opened not his mouth. But, will some say, did he not open his mouth? when they came to ap∣prehend him in the garden, said he not, Are ye come out as against a thief, with swords and staves, for to take me? And when one of the Officers struck him with the palmes of his hand, said he not, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: if well, why smitest thou me? how then is it true of him, that he opened not his mouth? Hear Saint Peter clearing this scruple: he o∣pened not his mouth, that is, when he was reviled, he reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatned not; he neither studyed, nor exercised revenge, but meekly bore all; he could have prayed to his Father, and he would have given him more then twelve Legions of Angels; and what revenge could they have wrought against them, when one Angel in one night destroyed 185000. in the Assyrian Hoast? At his word, as at the word of Elisha fire from Heaven might have consumed them all; or the Earth would have opened her mouth, and devou∣red them all, as it did Korah, and that rout of Rebels. But he forbore all this, and quietly suffered all, com∣mitting his cause to him that judges righteously.

4. The Lamb is an innocent creature;

The Lamb saies Bullinger, is a symbole of inno∣cency. And was not this eminent∣ly seen in our blessed Saviour?

whom did he ever wrong in word, in deed, in body, in goods, in good name? how justly might he say, as Samuel in his apology? Whose Oxe have I taken? whose Asse have I taken? whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? &c. The Apostle could say of him, such an high Priest it became us to have, who was holy, harmlesse, &c. Nay, he was so farre from hurting any, that he abounded in the exercise of beneficency: he took all occasions that offred themselves of doing good, yea he sought opportunities, he went about, doing good, saies Saint Peter. He went about all their Cities and Villages, saies St. Matthew, teaching in their Synagogues, and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdome, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. Nor was there any sort of people, which tasted not of his beneficency: To the woman of Samaria, that had scoffed at him, as be∣ing a Jew, he gave a clear manifestation of himself, as the Messiah, I that speak unto thee, am he, saies our Saviour to her. The woman of Canaan by her importunity pre∣vailes at last to have the devil cast out of her daughter. Malchus, that came among the rest to apprehend him, having had his eare cut off by Peters sword, had his ear cured by our Saviour. And when the Jewes had exercised the height of cruelty against him, having nailed him to the Crosse, he forbeares not then to act for them, but making intercession for them, saies, Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.

See here the horrid sin of the Jewes, in plotting and acting against this our dear Saviour: he to be so qua∣lified in all respects, as we have heard, so useful to mankind, so contented with his mean condition for our sakes, so meek under all their acts of unkinde∣nesse against him: so innocent and harmlesse, yea, so beneficent, notwithstanding all their unkindnesses a∣gainst him; and they to be carried with so much vio∣lence

against him, so that nothing will satisfie them but his blood: what horrid inhumanitie is this?

As for our selves, let us remember what Saint John saies. He that saies, he abides in him, [namely, in Christ] ought also himself so to walk, even as he walk∣ed. Let us therefore endeavour as in other particulars so in these to imitate Christ.

1. As Christ was, so let us study to be useful in our places unto those among whom we live, in the employ∣ment of those abilities, which we have received from God: have we the wealth of the world? let us distri∣bute to the necessities of Saints: being rich in the world, be ye rich in good works, and ready to distribute: have ye wis∣dom? be not backward to counsel and advise them that stand in need of your help in this kinde: and according to the gifts, that ye have received, Edifie one another, warn them, that are unruly, comfort the feeble minded, &c. Exhort one another daily. If ye can do no more, ha∣ving yet the spirit of prayer, pray for the peace of Jeru∣salem, yea, pray ye one for another.

2. As Christ was, so let us be content with the mean∣est condition into which it shall please God, our great shepheard to bring us; if he will have us to be as poor, as Job, if he layes afflictions on our loynes, if he gives men leave to ride over our heads, if he shall cast us upon the bed of languishing, be content with all, God will have it so, why should we not be content? much more are we for the cause of Christ, stript of our wealth, cast into prisons, laden with reproaches, banisht out of our Countrey, made a Prey to Sword, to Fire, to wilde beasts? murmur not, but be content; Its for the honour of our Lord and Master, who for our good, and everlasting happinesse, was content, being God, to become man, being the Lord of all, to be∣come servant to all, being to be the great Judge of the

world, to be arraigned at the barre of Humane judg∣ment, being the Prince of life, to suffer death, be∣ing the Lord of glory, to be crucified, being God blessed for ever to be made a curse. Think seriously of this, and then think, what cause have we to be discontented with any the saddest condition, the grea∣test degree of abasement, into which we can be brought for his cause? for, what are we in comparison of him? Learn we therefore, with St. Paul, how to be abased, and how to abound, both to be full and to be hungry, both to a∣bound and to suffer need: and, as the Apostle exhorts us, to be content with such things, as we have.

3. Let us be as he was, meek in undergoing all un∣kind usage, that we may meet withal at the hands of men: though we be reproached, reviled, and slander∣ed, let us be as if we heard not; though real injuries be offered to us, let us be as if we felt them not: let us not exercise nor meditate revenge: Its the exhorta∣tion that the Apostles frequently give: Avenge not your selves, but give place unto wrath, saies Saint Paul, Not rendring evil for evil, nor railing for railing, saies Saint Peter. Solomon in the Old Testament can give the same advise. Say not thou, I will recompense evil. And again, Say not thou, I will do so to him, as he hath done to me. And we want not eminent examples of this meeknesse both in the Old Testament and in the New. Of Moses it was said, that he was very meek above all that were in the Earth. Indeed, if God and his honour be concerned, he can be hot to purpose: God is dishonoured by the golden Calf: and now see, how he laies about him. He is bringing in his hand the tables of the Covenant written with Gods own hand, but upon the sight of their idolatry, judging them unworthy of so rare a testimony of Gods love, he casts them out of his hand, and breaks them be∣neath the Mount. As for the Calfe which they had made,

he burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strained it in the water, and made the Israelites to drink of it: He spares not Aaron, but reproves him sharply, what did this people to thee, saies he, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them? And, proceeding further, he armes the Levites against their brethren, so that there fell of them three thousand men. Thus hot he is in a businesse, that concerned God: but if the businesse concerns himself onely, he is meek and calm to admiration. Aaron and Miriam speak against him, because of the Ethiopian woman, whom he had married, and he hears it: and when God would not bear it, but would have righted him, and there∣fore had stricken her with Leprosie, he intercedes with God for her. The like we see to be the car∣rriage of David to Saul. What wrong Saul had done to him, ye may see by his expostulation with Saul: and yet how meekly did David carry himself under all? farre was he from revenge Twice he had opportuni∣ty to have cried quit with him; and he had those about him, that were earnest with him, to lay hold on the opportunity and would have wrought the feat for him, but David stilled and stayd them, Sauls life was dear to David: yea, when he fell in the war upon the Mountaines of Gilboa, how did he lament his death? how did he praise him? 2 Sam. 1.

What mother, saies St. Ambrose, could so lament for her Son, as he lamen∣ted for his enemy? who could so praise his Benefactor, as he prai∣sed him, that sought his life?

Yea, when a pick-thank Amalekite, hoping to have re∣ceived a reward, brought to David Sauls Crown and Bracelets, and told him, that he had killed him, he

caused him to be put to death: and he blesses the men of Jabesh-Gilead for their kindness to their Master, Saul: and with what severity did he avenge the death of Ishbosheth, the Son of Saul, upon Baanah and Rechab the Murderers? So meek was David under all the in∣juries of Saul against him; so far from revenge. O∣ther examples I might add, but these may suffice. I will therefore content my self to put you in minde of the meekness of our Saviour, in which he was as a Lamb: and now remember we the charge of our Sa∣viour, Learn of me, for I am meek; namely, that we should be meek, as he was. And fear not now the im∣putation of cowardize. The Gallants indeed of the World reckon this Meekness so to be: but the wisest of meer men tells us, on the other side, That He that rules his spirit is better then he that takes a City. And we shall deceive our selves, if we think that Law of Moses, Eye for eye, &c. to favor the retaliation of wrongs: For, 1. That Law was not given to private men, but to Magistrates, as to Gods Deputies, to whom he hath committed the Sword, to take ven∣geance on evil doers; and so, when they use their power to this purpose, they revenge not, but God by their hand. 2.

The end of that Law (as Tertullian observes well) was not to permit a retaliation of wrongs by way of revenge, but to restrain men from offering the first injury, that every man, looking at the license of the second injury, might keep himself from the first:

For, as the same Father says else∣where,

There is nothing more bit∣ter, then to suffer the same evil, which we have done unto others.

3. The Answer is good that Saint Austin gives:

Who doth readily content himself (says he) to pro∣portion his revenge to the wrong which he hath received? We see men, lightly offended, to plot death, to thirst after blood. The Law therefore, setting bounds to this immoderate and unjust re∣venge, appointed this retaliation. That therefore, which Moses says, An Eye for an Eye, is not for the fo∣menting, but for the restraining of Fury; not that that, which was layd asleep, should be kindled again, but that the heat, that was, might not be stretch'd out too far.

Let us not therefore, either for fear to be counted Cowards, or in hope to be born out by that Mosaical Law, study or exercise revenge; but, after the Ex∣ample of our blessed Saviour, carry our selves meekly in bearing injuries.

4. As Christ was, so let us be, harmless and inno∣cent, not wronging any in word, thought, or deed; in body, goods, or good name. If the Question be, Lord, who shall enter into thy Tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy Hill? that is, Who shall be saved? The Answer is, He that backbites not with his Tongue, nor doth Evil to his Neighbor, nor takes up a reproach against his Neighbor. It stands us then in hand, thus to be harmless, as we desire Happiness. Ask your selves al∣so, Could I take it in good part to be wronged by an∣other? If you could not, then wrong not another: for this is the golden Rule of Equity layd down by our Saviour; What ye would that men should do to you, do ye the same to them: and consequently (which is the

Dictate of Nature) What you would not suffer from an∣other, do it not to another: yea, there is no expecting, upon any just ground, to be free from receiving wrong, except ye be careful not to wrong others: for so our Saviour says, With what measure ye mete to others, it shall be measured to you again. According to that also of the Prophet: Wo to thee that spoylest, and thou wast not spoyled; when thou shalt cease to spoyl, thou shalt be spoyled. And it's an excellent passage of the Prophet Joel against the Enemies of Gods people: The Children of the Jews ye have sold to the Grecians, that ye might remove them far from their border: Behold I will raise them out of the places whither ye have sold them; and I will sell your Sons and Daughters into the hands of the Children of Judah, and they shall sell them to the Sabe∣ans, to a people far off. As then you desire not to suf∣fer wrong, forbear to do wrong. But Christianity stands not all in Negatives: nor shall we answer our Patern, if we onely do no hurt. Add therefore a care to do good, and to exercise beneficency, as our Saviour did: and here take the Rule, Ever follow that which is good, both among your selves, and to all men: and that, Do good to all, especially to them that are of the Houshold of Faith. If occasions of doing good offer themselves to us, accept of them with joy and thank∣fulness: If they seem to fly from us, pursue them with all earnestness; this is that following which Saint Paul means: Thus did our Saviour, who went about doing good.

Notes

• Lib. I. c.
• Joh. 1.29
• Vers 36. 1 Pet. 1.19
• Rev. 5.6 Vers. 8.
• Vers. 12.
• Rev 6.16
• Rev. 19.9
• Rev. 21.9
• Isa. 55 1. Rev. 3.18
• Col. 3.11
• Joh. 6.15.
• Agnus, quia mansuetus. Tom. 10. serm. a Lovaniens. Edit serm. 90.
• Isa. 53.7
• Matth. 26.55
• Joh. 18.22, 23
• 1 Pet. 2.23
• Isa. 37.36
• 2 King. 1.
• Numb. 16.
• Agnus innocentiae symbolum. In Apoc. 5.
• 1 Sam. 12, 3
• Heb. 7.26. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• Act. 10.38
• Matth. 9.35
• Joh. 4.9
• Vers. 26.
• Matth. 15.
• Luk. 22.51
• Luk. 23.34
• 1 Joh. 2.6
• Rom. 12.13 1 Tim. 6.17, 18.
• 1 Thes. 5 11 Vers. 14. Heb. 3.13 Psal. 122.6
• Jam. 5.16
• Psal. 66.
• Phil. 4.12
• Heb. 13.5
• Rom. 12.19 1 Pet. 3.9
• Prov. 20.22 Prov. 24.29
• Numb. 12.3
• Exod. 32.
• Vers. 15 Vers. 19
• Vers. 20
• Vers. 20.
• Vers. 21.
• Vers. 27, 28
• Numb. 12. 1, 2 Vers. 9, 10 Vers. 13.
• 1 Sam. 26.19, 20
• 1 Sam. 24. & 26.
• Quae mater, sic defleret fi∣lium, sicut hic deflevit inimi∣cum? quis gratiae authorem tantis prosequatur laudibus, quantis iste prosecutus est insi∣diatorem capitis sui. Offic. l. 3. c. 9.
• 2 Sam. 1.
• 2 Sam. 2
• 2 Sam. 5
• Matth. 11 29
• Prov. 16.32
• Deut. 19.21
• Non hoc ad secundam inju∣riam talionis permittendam, sed ad primam coercendam, ut unus∣quisque respiciens licentiam secundae injuriae, à prima seip∣sum contineret. Contr. Marci∣on. l. 4.
• Nil amarius, quam idipsum pati, quod alterifeceris. Contr. Marc. l. 2.
• Quis facile contentus est, tantum rependere vindictae, quantum accepit injuriae? vide∣mus homines, leviter laesos, mo∣liri caedem, sitire sanguinem: huic immoderatae & injustae vindictae modum justum figens, lex poenam talionis instituit: proinde, Oculum pro oculo, non fomes, sed limes furoris est, non ut id, quod sopitum erat, accen∣deretur; sed ne id, quod arde∣bat, ulterius extenderetur. To. 6. contr. Faust. l. 19. c. 25.
• Psalm 15.1
• Verse 3
• Matth. 7.12
• Quod tibi fieri non vis, alteri ne feceris.
• Matth. 7.2
• Isai. 33.1
• Joel 3.6, 7, 8
• 1 Thes. 5.15
• Galat. 6.10
• 1 Thes. 5.15 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.