Tropes and Figures · Benjamin Keach
Tropes and Figures, Treatise 1 · Head 7 · Part 17 – Part 18
The Church compared to a Merchant-Ship.
Prov. 31.14. She is like unto Merchant-Ships.
Iſa. 54.11. O thou afflicted, and toſſed with Tempeſts, and not comforted!
THe Church of God in theſe Scriptures, as Expoſitors obſerve, is compared to a Ship, to a Merchant-Ship.
| Simile. | Parallel. |
| A Merchant-Ship tradeth from one Place to another; ſhe fetcheth her Merchandize from afar. | THe Church of God trades to Heaven, ſhe fetcheth her ſpiritual Merchandize from thence:Phil. 3.20. Our Converſation is in Heaven. |
| II. A Merchant-Ship hath a skilful Pilot, to ſteer and guide her the right way, that ſo ſhe may not ſplit upon Rocks or Sands, or any other way miſcarry in her Voyage. | II. The Church of God hath a moſt expert and skilful Pilot, viz. Jeſus Chriſt, to ſteer her Courſe through the Seas of this World, that ſo ſhe may not be ſplit upon the Rocks of human Inventions, nor the Sands of falſe Doctrine, Error, and Hereſy. |
| III. A Merchant-Ship is toſſed oftentimes upon a troubleſom and tempeſtuous Sea, and yet keeps up, and is preſerved in a wonderful manner, upon boiſterous Waves. | III. So the Church of God is often toſſed with Tempeſts, or ſubject to, and vexed with the Incurſions of an envious and perſecuting World, the Ungodly being compared to the troubled Sea.Iſa. 57.20. |
| IV. A Ship is ſteered by the Compaſs from one Place to another. | IV. So the Church of God is guided in her Paſſage to Heaven, by the Compaſs of God's Word, in reſpect of Doctrine, Diſcipline, and Converſation: Thy Word is a Light unto my Paths. Pſal. 110.105. |
| V. A Merchant-Ship takes in ſeveral Paſſengers, of divers Kinds and Nations, who ſail in her to their deſired Haven. | V. So the Church takes in many Chriſtians and Profeſſors, and thoſe of ſeveral Sorts and Degrees, who all declare they are bound with the Spiritual Ship, to the Land of Promiſe. |
| VI. Some Merchant-Ships have Nets belonging to them, which are caſt into the Sea, to take up Fiſhes, and bring them into the Ship. | VI. So the Church of God hath the Goſpel-Net,Mat. 13.47 Mark 1.17 which by the hands of the Mariners, and skilful Fiſhers of Men, is caſt into the Sea, or Multitude of People, by which means many Men are converted, and taken into this ſpiritual Ship. |
| VII. A Ship ſails ſweetly along, when ſhe hath a proſperous Gale; for unleſs the Wind blow, ſhe cannot ſail. | VII. So the Church, under the powerful and ſweet Influences of the Spirit, (which is compared to the Wind) is carried gloriouſly along towards her deſired Haven;Joh. 3.6, 7. but if this ſpiritual Wind blow not, ſhe is becalmed. |
| VIII. What common Dangers a Merchant-Ship is expoſed to, all the Paſſengers who ſail in her are liable to alſo, viz. to the ſame Tempeſts, the ſame Pirates, &c. Let Jonah and the Mariners be in the ſame Ship together, and tho the Storm aroſe for Jonah's ſake, yet all the whole Ship's Company were in danger. So it was in Paul's Caſe, with thoſe other Priſoners, Mariners, and Souldiers that were in the Ship with him. Let there be in the ſame Sip, (ſaith Mr. Vartue) a Prince going to receive a Crown, and a Malefactor going to receive Puniſhment, according to the Nature of his Offence; whilſt they are in the Ship together, they are ſubject to the ſame Storms and Toſſings, to be Sea-ſick together, to the ſame Pirates, and alike ranſacked and ſpoiled by them. | VIII. So what common Dangers befall God's Church, all the Members thereof are more or leſs expoſed and liable to the ſame. Let Enemies come, let Perſecution ariſe againſt it, there are no ſort of Men or Members, whether ſincere or not, whilſt they remain in the Church, or hold faſt their Profeſſion, let them promiſe themſelves what Safety they will, who can be ſecure, or exempted from Violence. Tho as in a Ship, ſome ſpeed oft-times better than the reſt;Jer. 45.5. as Baruch and Jeremiah, who had their Lives given them for a Prey, when Thouſands were cut off, yet went into Exile.2 Tim. 3.12. Whoſoever (ſaith the Apoſtle) will live godly in Chriſt Jeſus, ſhall ſuffer Perſecution. Through much Tribulation we muſt enter into the Kingdom of God. Hypocrites, in a Day of common Danger and Perſecution, are in the like Circumſtances with thoſe who truly fear God; Satan, that Arch-Pirate, and his Emiſſaries, will favour them no more than others, until they renounce their Religion, &c. |
| IX. When a Ship is in a Storm, all the Mariners have their Hands and Hearts full, they are at their Wit's end; every one takes hold of a Rope, and endeavours to the utmoſt to ſave and ſecure the Ship (if poſſible) from ſinking. | IX.Iſa. 64.17. So in an Hour of Trouble and Perſecution, every Chriſtian ſhould do his beſt to ſecure and ſave the Church of God from ſinking, or from being caſt away, or loſt. Every one ſhould have their Hearts up to God, and their Hands to work wiſely, for her and their own Safety. |
| X. Merchant Ships greatly enrich thoſe Places, Cities, and Kingdoms to whom they belong, bringing to them rare and excellent Merchandizes, which are offered to Sale, or to be exchanged to Traders. | X. So the Church of God, by daily Trading to Heaven, greatly enricheth poor Sinners. What ſhe receiveth from Chriſt, her Merchants or Miniſters offer to Sale,Prov. 23.23. to the Nation or Nations where ſhe lives: Truth, Peace, Pardon, the the Pearl of great Price, and other excellent Merchandize, ſhe furniſheth the World with. |
| XI. A Ship's great Safety, conſiſts in her being well built, having a good Bottom, a skilful Pilot, and ſure Anchors, &c. | XI. So the Churches Safety conſiſteth in her being truly conſtituted,Heb. 6.1, 2 according to the Apoſtolical Preſcriptions, or that Pattern left in the Goſpel by Chriſt, and the Primitive Saints; and in having Chriſt for her Governour, or chief Pilot, who (as Jerome obſerves) ſits at the Stern, and guides her Courſe as he ſees good: And laſtly, by having Hope (that precious Grace of the Spirit) for her Anchor: Which Hope we have as the Anchor of the Soul, Heb. 6.19. both ſure and ſtedfaſt, &c. The Nature of which is opened under the Fifth Head of Metaphors, concerning the Graces of the Spirit, to which we refer you. |
Inferences.
THis may inform us, that Trouble and Perſecution muſt be expected. No Ship ſets out to Sea, but meets with Storms and Tempeſts at one time or another; and therefore the Mariners look for them, and provide accordingly, to ſecure the Ship, and ſave themſelves; and ſo ſhould ſpiritual Sea-faring Men do.
2. It may alſo be Matter of Comfort to the Godly. What aſſurance is here of Safety! Chriſt, who guides the Ship, can at his pleaſure ſtill the Seas, and make the greateſt Storm in a Moment to be a Calm.Pſal. 65.7. He ſtilleth (as the Pſalmiſt ſaith) the Noiſe of the Seas, the Noiſe of their Waves, and the Tumults of the People. Therefore tho Satan, that cruel Pirate, and other malicious Enemies of the Church, ſeek daily to ſink this ſpiritual Ship; and tho he be a Spirit, and therefore of great Power againſt us, yet he is nothing to God, who is the Creating Spirit. That which is ſaid of Behemoth, is no leſs true of him: He that made him, Job 46.18can make his Sword approach unto him. Let therefore the Power and Rage of our Enemies be never ſo great, and their Oppoſition at this day never ſo fierce againſt us, yet we have an Aſſurance from our bleſſed Saviour, that the Gates of Hell ſhall never prevail againſt the Church: She ſhall never be broken to pieces, nor ſuffer Shipwrack. O thou toſſed with Tempeſts, and not comforted!
The Church compared to a Golden Candleſtick.
Rev. 1.20. The Golden Candlesticks are the ſeven Churches.
MR. Brightman, and others, underſtand this Metaphor of Golden Candleſticks, is taken from the Candleſticks that were in the Tabernacle erected by Moſes; and the Reſemblance between theſe holds good in two or three Particulars, which take as follow.
| Metaphor. | Parallel. |
| IN general, the Uſe of a Candleſtick is to hold out the Light to others. No Man (ſaith our Saviour) lighteth a Candle, and putteth it under a Buſhel, but into a Candleſtick; and it giveth Light to all that are in the Houſe. | SO the Church holdeth out the Light of God's Word to all that dwell therein, in which reſpect the Apoſtle calleth the Church the Pillar of Truth, 1 Tim. 3.17. Exercit. Divin. Exer. 9. Way to the true Church, p. 80. Gurſ. Theol. part 2. Col. 324. becauſe ſhe holds out the Truth to be ſeen, (ſaith Weemſe) the Expreſſion being taken from the Cuſtom of many Nations, who are uſed to write their Laws in Tables, and ſo to hang them upon Pillars of Stone, that the People whom it concerned to know them, might ſee and read them; as amongſt us, Proclamations are nailed to Poſts in Market-Towns. Dr. White. The Church holds out her Light three ways, 1. By her Doctrine; ſhe having divers approved Miniſters belonging to her, that ſhe calleth forth to preach and publiſh the Word of Truth. Hence the Law is ſaid to go forth of Zion, and the Word of the Lord from Jeruſalem. 2. By her holy Diſcipline. 3. By her godly Example and Converſation: Let your Light ſo ſhine before Men, that they may ſee your good Works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven. Mat. 5.16. Walk as the Children of the Light, Eph. 5.8. The Church ought to meet publickly, to make a publick Profeſſion. |
| II. Candleſticks of Gold are of great Worth, and ſeldom found but in the Houſes of Princes. | II. So the Church is very precious in God's ſight:Exod. 19.5, 6. Mal. 3.17. Ye ſhall be a peculiar Treaſure unto me, above all People. Hence they are called his Jewels. This Candleſtick only belongs to the Prince of Heaven and Earth; they are Chriſt's Churches. |
| III. Thoſe Golden Candleſticks had ſome part of them for Uſe, and ſome part for Ornament; there were Knobs and Flowers curiouſly ſet upon them. | III. The Church of God is not only of uſe to hold out the Light of God's Word;1 Pet. 3.3, 4. but it is alſo richly adorned with ſeveral choice and heavenly Graces, that make it, and every Member thereof, who truly fears God, amiable in Chriſt's Sight. |
| IV. The throwing down, or removing of the Candleſtick, throweth down and removeth the Light or Candle alſo. | IV. So when a Church is removed out of its place, the Light of God's Word is many times removed from a Nation or People likewiſe; which ſevere Judgment hath befallen the People of Aſia long ago, by God's taking away or removing thoſe ſeven famous Golden Candleſticks, or Churches, that once were there. |
Inference.
LEt the Saints and People of God take heed how they walk before Him: It behoves them to ſtrive to recover themſelves from whence they are fallen, leſt He remove their Candleſtick out of its place.