Of Domestical Duties, Treatise 1 · Section 90 – Section 91
§. 90. Of the myſterie of the vnion of Chriſt and the Church.
EPHES. 5. 32.
This is a great myſterie: but I ſpeake concerning Chriſt and the Church.
THis verſe is a concluſion of that excellent digreſſion which the Apoſtle hath made concerning the neere vnion of Chriſt and the Church.
In it two points are to be noted.
1. A patheticall exclamation (This is a great myſterie.)
2. A particular application of the forenamed law (but I ſpeake concerning Chriſt and the Church.
Here firſt note that
The vnion betwixt Chriſt and the Church is a great myſterie.
The Apoſtle could not hauehave ſaid more of it then to call it a myſterie, a great mysterie.
A myſterie is a diuine ſecret.Of a myſterie ſee more in the whole armour of God, Treat. 3. §. 168. on Eph. 6. 19.
A Secret it is in two reſpects.
1. Becauſe it is not knowne.
2. Becauſe it is vnſearchable: the depth of it cannot be fathomed.
It is a Diuine ſecret, for two other reſpects.
1. Becauſe it could not hauehave beene opened but by diuine reuelation.
2. Becauſe when it is opened it cannot be conceiued but by the illumination of the Spirit. That Spirit which openeth and reuealeth the myſterie, muſt alſo open the eies of our vnderſtanding to diſcerne aright of it.
It is further ſaid to be a great myſterie.
1. Simply in it ſelfe, becauſe the matter thereof is deepe, 1. Vſe. The myſterie of our vnion with Chriſt not to be meaſured with the laſt of our reaſon.difficult, waightie, and of great moment.
2. Comparatiuely in relation to other myſteries: no myſterie reuealed in Gods word comparable to it.
Let vsus not preſume to meaſure it with the line of our owne reaſon. It being a great myſterie, it is aboue our capacitie: yet becauſe it is reuealed we muſt beleeue it, as we doe the myſteries of the Trinitie, of Chriſts eternall generation, of the perſonall vnion of his two natures, of the proceeding of the holy Ghoſt, with the like; becauſe the word hath reuealed them, though we cannot fully ſee the reaſon of them. Herein lieth a maine difference betwixt our eſtate in this world and in the world to come: here we muſt beleeue what we know but in part: there we ſhall perfectly know whatſoeuer is to be beleeued. Preachers can but in part make knowne this myſterie, and hearers can but in part conceiue it, let vsus therefore wait for perfect vnderſtanding of it, till all things be perfected in Chriſt: but in the meane time beleeue without doubting or wauering, that which is reuealed of it.
In our meditation of this myſterie, let vsus conceiue no carnall, 2. Uſe. No carnall thing in our vnion with Chriſt. Eccleſia Chriſto in occulto vxor eſt. Occultè quippe at que intus in abſcondito ſecreto ſpiritali anima humana inhaeret verbo Dei, vt ſint duo in carne vna. Aug. contr. Fauſt. Man. lib. 22. cap. 38.no earthly thing of it, becauſe it is a myſterie: it is altogether ſpirituall and heauenly. From the naturall vnion of our head and bodie, and from the matrimoniall vnion of man and wife, we may and ought to take occaſion by way of reſemblance, to helpe our vnderſtanding in the vnion of Chriſt and his Church: for this end are theſe reſemblances vſed, and by this meanes may our vnderſtanding be much helped, as by the outward elements and rites which are vſed in the Sacraments: but if becauſe of theſe compariſons we draw this which is only and wholly ſpirituall, to any carnall matter, we ſhall make that to be a thicke miſt, and darke cloud, which is giuen for a light.
The dotage of our aduerſaries is here plainly diſcouered. They make our vnion with Chriſt meerely carnall. For they conceit it to conſiſt in a corporeall commixtion of Chriſts fleſh with ours, by our eating his fleſh with the teeth of our bodies, and drinking his bloud downe our throats, and digeſting both 3. Uſe. Papiſts make our vnion with Chriſt a carnall matter. Joh 6. 52. Ioh. 3. 4.in our ſtomacks as our bodily food, that ſo it may turne into our ſubſtance. Thus they ſhew themſelues like the dull-headed Capernaitans, and like ignorant Nicodemus. There is a great deale of groſſe abſurditie, but no great myſterie in that conceit.
§. 91. Of the Popes vſurping to be Spouſe of the Church.
The Apoſtles application of this myſterie to Chriſt and the Church, diſcouereth two groſſe errours of the Papiſts.
One, that they make the Pope a Spouſe of the Church. With what face can any apply that to the Pope and the Church, which the Apoſtle ſo expreſly ſaith is meant of Chriſt and the Multos adulteros video qui ſponſam tanto pretio emptam poſſidere volunt, & id agunt vt pro ſponſo amentur. Aug. in Ioh. Tract. 12. Uide Bern. ep. 237. ad Eugen.Church? yea, what arrogant preſumption is it, to attribute that to mortall ſinfull man, which is proper to the eternall and holy Sonne of God? Is not this to conferre Chriſts prerogatiues vponupon himſelfe, and ſo make himſelfe plaine Antichriſt? Who gaue the Church to the Pope, or the Pope to the Church? When did ſhe giuegive her conſent? (I ſpeake of the true Catholike Church of Chriſt.) What hath he done for her? or rather what hath he not done againſt her? The *See §. 17.diſtinction of Imperiall and Miniſteriall Spouſe, cannot here ſerue the turne. As the metaphor of an head, ſo much leſſe the metaphor of a Spouſe will admit a miniſteriall Spouſe. As he is an adulterer that taketh vponupon him to be a miniſteriall husband, ſo is ſhe an adultereſſe that yeeldeth her ſelfe to ſuch an one. The Apoſtle ſaith, I hauehave eſpouſed you to ONE husband.2 Cor. 11 2.