A Treasury of Similes, Part C · Part 22 – Part 25
Chriſt our Righteouſneſſe.
1 LIke as our ſinnes appeared ſo horrible, ſo great, ſo monſtrous and vgly in the preſence of God, that (being once but imputed to Chriſt) he could not, (notwithſtanding that his vnſpeakable louelove) but euen in iuſtice moſt ſeuerely puniſh our ſaid ſinnes in his ſonne: ſo ſurely (ſuch is the excellencie of the Righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, that being once but imputed vntounto vsus in the preſence of our heauenly Father) he cannot (notwithſtanding all our former vnrighteouſnes) but be throghly pleaſed with vsus, and except ſuch a diſcharge of our ſins by his Son, for our owne diſcharge: none otherwiſe then the debt of a Banquerout (diſcharged by ſome ſpeciall friend) is accounted and accepted with his creditor, the diſcharge of the Banquerout himſelfe.
2 As the ſoule of a man doth ſo quicken the body, that notwithſtanding the mēbers thereof in themſelues, be but weake, yet they are ſure not to decay, all the while they do hold any participation with the powers of the ſoule; but appeare in the preſence of men, both luſtie and ſtrong: So vndoubtedly our Sauiour Chriſt being that immortall ſoule of his myſticall body, which inſpireth ſpirituall life into all the members therof, verily all thoſe his ſaid members are ſure (ſo long as they continue incorporate with Chriſt) both to hold the ſubſtance of life, and withall to be accounted as liuely members in the preſence of God, during their partitipation with that true life it ſelfe, whereof they take ſure hold by a liuely faith. Iohn. 14.6. 1. Iohn. 5.11, 12.
3 As Cochlearia, or Spoonewort, the roote of the water Lilie, and likewiſe Telephium, and Gentian, laid to the body taketh away blacke ſpots: So Chriſt applied to the conſcience, purgeth it from dead workes.
4 As Smilax aſpera, or rough Bindeweede ſerueth not onelyonly againſt venome receiued aforehand, but alſo againſt all poiſon taken after a man hath eaten it: So Chriſt receiued by faith, profiteth not onelyonly againſt the ſinnes which before hath bene committed, but alſo done afterward.
5 So long as a man ſtung with a Scorpion holdeth wilde Carthamus in his hand, he feeleth no paine: but ſo ſoone as he letteth it go, the ache and paine taketh him a freſh: So as long as a man ſtung with ſinne holdeth Chriſt by faith, he feeleth no torment of conſcience, but ſo ſoone as he letteth him go, the terrors of death take him a freſh.
6 As the people of Iſrael, paſſing through the Wilderneſſe, had to fight oftentimes againſt Serpents, and when they were ſtung and ſmitten by them, for to be preſerued from the venome, and from death, they lifted vp their eyes toward the Braſen Serpent that Moſes had ſet vp amidſt their tents, by ſight whereof they were healed: So we in like maner fighting againſt our concupiſcences, if it come to paſſe at any time that they giuegive vsus any blow, to the ende that this ſtripe may not be deadly vntounto vsus, wee muſt lift vp our eyes towards Ieſus Chriſt hanging vponupon the Croſſe, and beſeech him, that hee would forgiue vsus all our treſpaſſes, and be our Righteouſneſſe. Iohn. 3.14.15.
7 As in a naturall body, the power that the eye hath to ſee, ſerueth more to the vſe of the other members thē for it ſelfe, becauſe that ſeeing and marking them all, it is watchfull rightly to guide them, and to direct their actions, not being able in the meane time to ſee themſelues, nor to ſerue it ſelfe: Euen ſo the Righteouſneſſe, innocencie, and obedience of Chriſt Ieſus, ſtand vsus in more ſtead then him, ſeeing that notwithſtanding he had all theſe things, and was in his nature, life, and whole conuerſation, abſolute and perfect, yet for all this, hee was condemned and crucified: We on the contrarie part, albeit his Righteouſneſſe, innocencie, and obedience, be onelyonly imputed vntounto vsus, yet for all that, by meanes of this imputation, we are abſolued, iuſtified, and diſcharged of all our ſinnes, and of all the accuſations that all our enemies can bring againſt vsus.
8 As it is inough that we gather the fruite of a tree, and that it alwayes remaine in his place, and that wee carrie it not away with vsus: So in like maner we muſt content our ſelues to be partakers of the fruites of Chriſt his Righteteouſneſſe, albeit it be not eſſentially in vsus; but onelyonly by imputation, and in as much as through his onelyonly merciemercy it is beſtowed vponupon vsus.
9 Like as they do, that go vp into an high Tower, who looking downewards, and ſeeing the depth, are afraide to fall, and that they may be the more ſure, they lay hold of the railes: Euen ſo muſt we leane vponupon the Righteouſneſſe and death of Chriſt Ieſus, and ſtrengthen our ſelues in that, to the end we may be preſerued from falling.
10 Like as in Winter we can no ſooner be from the fire, but we are cold: nor out of light, but we enter into darkneſſe: Euen ſo we can no ſooner be parted from Ieſus Chriſt, who is is our Righteouſneſſe and our life, but ſtraight we are in ſinne and in death; for as much as he is the life that quickneth vsus, the Sunne that giueth vsus light, and the fire that warmeth, comforteth, and refreſheth all his members. 1. Cor. 1.30. Rom. 5.19. Eſay. 53.4, 5. Col. 1.20.
11 As the Moone hath no light, but that which it hath from the Sunne, and as the light is little, or great, as it is neare or farre off, in ſuch ſort, that if it depart from it, it remaineth altogether obſcure and darke: Euen ſo in like maner the Church hath no light, Righteouſneſſe, life, health, ſtrength and happineſſe, but that which it hath pleaſed her Husband Chriſt Ieſus to giuegive vntounto her, becauſe of that vnion and fellowſhip which hee hath with her. Wherefore if at any time ſhee be ſeperated from him, and that there bee a diuorſe betweene her and her Husband, there remaineth to her nothing but darkeneſſe, vice, and wretchedneſſe. 2. Cor. 5.18.19. Iohn. 11.25.
12 As Marchants which are of one Companie, & become partners, are partakers of all the profits, loſſes and dammages which grow of their Marchandiſe: Euen ſo Ieſus Chriſt, by reaſon of that ſocietie wee hauehave together with him, giueth vsus a part, and we likewiſe giuegive him of all that wee hauehave and poſſeſſe. The difference that is in this, is, that the gaines and loſſes that come amongſt men, is equall and common amongſt them all; but here wee gather vp all the fruites that ariſe of the Righteouſneſſe of Ieſus Chriſt: hee on the contrarie part taketh vponupon him, and chargeth himſelfe with all the dammages and loſſes that come of our diſobedience. Rom. 6.4.8.17. Ephe. 2.23.
13 Like as when a man lookes vponupon things directly through the ayre, they appeare in their proper formes and colours, as they are: but if they be looked vponupon through a greene glaſſe, they all appeare greene: So likewiſe if GOD behold vsus as we are in our ſelues, we appeare as vile and damnable ſinners: but if he looke vponupon vsus as wee are preſented before the throne in heauen, in the perſon of our Mediator Chriſt Ieſus, willing that wee ſhould bee approoued for his merites, then wee appeare without all ſpot and wrincke before him. Rom. 8.34.
14 As Chriſt hath taken away our ſins by his ſuffering: So likewiſe hee hath alſo cloathed vsus with his Righteouſneſſe.
15 As it is not inough for a begger to come before a King without his rags, vnleſſe hee hauehave conuenient apparell. So in like maner, it is not inough for vsus to hauehave our filthineſſe done away, vnles we be clothed with conuenient Righteouſneſſe.
Contemplation of heauenly things.
AS they which come out of the cleare Sunne, into the ſhadow, hauehave their eyes dimme and darke: So hee which commeth from the contēplation of things diuine, into things humaine, commeth from cleare light, to the great cloudes, myſt and darkneſſe.
Concord.
AS the ſtone called Tyrrhenus, being whole, ſwimmeth, but being broken, euerie peece doth ſinke: So by Concord we be ſuſteined and holden vp, but by diſcord and ſtrife, we come to decay & ruine. Act. 2.44.46. Rom. 13.13.
Content.
1 AS they that be bound, doo iudge them at libertie moſt happie, or as the Countrey men doo iudge the Citizens happie and rich: the rich men againe do ſay the Lords are happie, the Lords the Kings, and the Kings again do iudge the people in moſt pleaſure: So are ſuch neuer with their own ſtate contented, which will behold by how much they are inferiour to others. Phil. 4.11. 1. Timo. 6.6.