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| The Vessel of the Church.
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Chapter
XIV.—The Vessel of the Church.
“For the whole business of the Church is
like unto a great ship, bearing through a violent storm men who are of
many places, and who desire to inhabit the city of the good
kingdom. Let, therefore, God be your shipmaster; and let the
pilot be likened to Christ, the mate898
| 898 It is impossible
to translate these terms very accurately. I suppose the
πρωρεύς was rather
the “bow-oarsman” in the galley. | to the
bishop, and the sailors to the deacons, the midshipmen to the
catechists, the multitude of the brethren to the passengers, the world
to the sea; the foul winds
to temptations, persecutions, and dangers; and all manner of
afflictions to the waves; the land winds and their squalls to the
discourses of deceivers and false prophets; the promontories and rugged
rocks to the judges in high places threatening terrible things; the
meetings of two seas, and the wild places, to unreasonable men and
those who doubt of the promises of truth. Let hypocrites be
regarded as like to pirates. Moreover, account the strong
whirlpool, and the Tartarean Charybdis, and murderous wrecks, and
deadly founderings, to be nought but sins. In order, therefore,
that, sailing with a fair wind, you may safely reach the haven of the
hoped-for city, pray so as to be heard. But prayers become
audible by good deeds.
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