The Substance of Christian Religion, Lecture 21
The one and twentieth Lords day.
Eph. 5. 25, 26, 27.
Vers. 25, Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the Church, and gave himself for it.
26, That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word.
27, That he might present it to himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing: But that it should be holy and without blemish.
IT is the Apostle's purpose in this place to stir up men to the duty of love to their wives. And he illustrates this duty and perswades it from the example of Christ's love to his Church; and in the example, the love of Christ towards his Church is declared from its effects; whereof the first is, that he laid down his life for her. The second is, the end and effect of the former; to wit, that by vertue of his death, he sanctified and purified the Church unto himself. The third is, the effect and end of both the former, that he namely makes her glorious. The fourth is, the conjunction and union that the Church hath with Christ; to wit, that she is his body, and of his flesh and bones, verse 30. The manner of which union and its nature is shewn to consist in a mystery, and not in any carnal or bodily way, but in a most spiritual and hidden way.
Doct. 1. The Church is the whole company and community of the elect.
This is hence gathered, because she is here described and designed by Christ's spiritual love to her, as ought the love of an husband to be to his wife. Now this love includes alwayes in it self a differenceing of her beloved, separating of her from all other, and so it is nothing else but an election or choice made of her before others. This is to be understood of a company chosen unto eternall life. Now this company is considered of, two manner of wayes: First, as election lies in the absolute and internal counsell of God. Secondly, as it is described and manifested by its effect of calling, and the blessing that followes on it. They that are chosen the first way they are members of the Church onelyonly virtually, and potentially to be such in time; but such a power as is determinate, and certainly to be brought forth into act in due time, by the decrees of God. Therefore the elect not yet called, are not yet actually, and in themselves formal members of the Church. The second way, as the act of vocation and effect of election is there, it makes men actual and formal members of the Church. Now that first effect of election internal, which is proper to the elect, is effectual calling▪ which … a kinde of external election as it were made in time. Therefore the Church hath her name rather from this calling, than from justification, sanctification, or glorification, unto which this accrues moreover, that by this meanes the company or community of actual believers is fitly designed, seeing that none are ordinarily called effectually, but such, as by actual faith answer that call.
Use, Is of Direction, how we may obtaine to our selves the certainty of our election; to wit, if we can be certain of our effectual calling; that is, be sure by inward feeling and experience of our true faith and unfaigned repentance, of their operations on, and in our hearts, and by the effects, that thence follow.
Doct. 2. This Church is the body of Christ.
Reas. 1. It is called his body by way of proportion or similitude, not unto a body politick, as is found in worldly Cities, or Commonwealths; but unto a natural body, such as is that of man. Now it is called the body of Christ; for its most neer union that it hath with Christ, as being as it were flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bone, as it is in the Text.
Reas. 2. Because of that dependance it hath from Christ, as its head. For as all sense and motion of a sensitive creature is derived from the head into every particular member, so also all spiritual vertue is derived by influence from Christ into his Church.
Reas. 3 Because of the union and communion that the faithfull have amongst themselevs in Christ, which is the communion of Saints; and the joynts, whereby these members are coupled together. The bonds also of this conjunction, are the Spirit, Faith and Charity. By the spirit they are properly conjoyn'd with God in Christ, and also amongst themselves: but by Faith they are properly conjoyn'd to God in Christ onelyonly: and by Charity most properly, they are conjoyn'd amongst themselves.
Use 1. Of Consolation to all believers, because they are made partakers of so great dignity, as to be assum'd to the body of Christ; on which behalf, they may also certainly expect all good things from Christ.
Use 2 Is of Admonition, that we dishonour not this most holy body of Christ with our life and manners; but with all our care and diligence may go about this, that our conversation may be such, as is worthy of them, that have so neer a conjunction with Christ and his most holy servants.
Doct. 3. The Church in that acception of the word, as she is mystically considered, is one onelyonly, holy and universally, Catholike.
These things are understood of her mysticall estate, because in her visible or external estate, she is neither one, nor Catholike, nor altogether holy. These things are thus gathered from the Text: she is one, because she makes but up one body of Christ: neither hath he more bodies but one: She is holy, because she is said to be sanctified and purified by Christ, to wit, by separation from the world, by pardon of her sins in justification; by renovation of our inherent righteousness in sanctification of this life, and perfecting of it in the life to come. She is lastly Universal or Catholike, because all the elect or faithfull of all Nations, and of all times, and places, make up but one and the same mysticall body of Christ.
Use 1. Is of Resutation, against Papists, who wrest all, that are proposed to be believed and spiritually understood of Christs mystical body, unto the Popish state of their Romane visible Church, which is neither one, because not now the same, that she was, when the Apostles wrote to her; neither holy, because by their own confession many Popes, that is, heads of the Romane Church, were most wicked beasts; nor is …he Catholike, or Universall, because it implies a contradiction, that one particular Church, as the Romane properly is, should be Universall in any propriety of speech.
Use 2. Is of Consolation, to all believers; because in this very thing, that they are actuall believers, they are members of this Church, that is proposed to us to be believed; and they are in the same condition, as to the main business, in which the Patriarches, Prophets, and Apostles, and all the Saints were, that ever lived, or shall live hereafter, in any place, or time of the world.
Doct. 4. Unto th…s Church all those benefits relate and belong, that Christ hath procured for men by his death.
It is gathered from hence; because Christ is said to have done all that he did, out of love to his Church.
Reas. 1. Because it was the wise purpose and intention of God, gloriously by Christ to communicate his grace unto certain men. For else the whole dispensation of Christ's incarnation, life and death, had been of uncertain success or event.
Reas. 2. Because Christ not onelyonly promerited this, but also brings it to pass, and that to perfection, by his efficacy or power.
Use, Of Consolation, chiefly to all true believers. For whatsoever is said of the whole Church in common, is extended unto each member of the same; because the Church is nothing else, but a collection of believers, or believers considered as gathered together, or conjoyned in one body, or multitude.