and am perswaded That neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities Rom. 8. 38 39 nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall euer be able to separate us from the love of Christ Iesus who loved us And thus much or rather thus little on this first point viz. the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Christ loved us and so we proceed to the second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why he loved us The Ethnicks feigne their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods and Goddesses for some lovely good loved certaine Trees Iupiter the Oke for durance Neptune the Cedar for stature Apollo the Laurell for greennesse Venus the Poplar for whitenesse Pallas the Vine for fruitfulnesse but what should move the God of all gods to love us wildings in this fooles Paradise Trees indeed but such as St. Iude mentions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 corrupt fruitlesse twice dead and plucked up by the rootes St. Bernard resolves it in three words Amat quia amat hee loves because he loves the root of love to us lyeth in himselfe and by his communicative goodnesse the fruit is ours Hence then exclude wee all boasting in our selves and conclude sith Christ hath loved us and hereby is made to us wisdome in the headfaculty of our soules righteousnesse in the workes of our hands sanctification in our hearts redemption Zach. 4. 7. in all parts it was of grace and grace be to it and thus from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why he loved us passe we to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how he loved us Whereon while I muse I am rapt with amazement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for suppose the Heavens as a scrowle of Parchment the Vaste Ocean Inke Creatures caelestiall and subcaelestiall Pen-men all were unable to unfold this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how he loved us The reason is his love as himselfe is infinite which no finite creature is able fully to comprehend yet in a modell we may conceive it is much so sounds that Trumpet of grace as if he loved overloved Propter nimium charitatem so it is rendred in the Ephes 2. 4. vulgar Our stupendious Divine hee speakes for order first grave Cyprian sayes Immerito dilexit 1 Iohn 4. 19. he loved us in mercy without merit St. Bernard thus he loved us Dulciter sweetly he In Cantic assumed our nature sapienter wisely he severed sinne and nature fortiter strongly Much waters could not quench love though never so bitter or so abundant nay the more waters the more love Magnes Amoris Amor. His love should be the magnet of ours But oh how are we drawn aside if we love him it is but a little too little or little or nothing at all as we should Will you reade the reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isid Peleus Ep. 209. Since the love of Gold grew so hot the love of Christ hath growne cold Since Prince Mammon hath triumphed the Prince of our Salvation hath been underprized Shall this worlds goods which in respect of Christ are meere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rubbish or the god of this World which onely loves us as the Wolfe the Lambe to devoure have so strong a hand over us to draw our hearts from the love of our Saviour Absit God forbid Yet for feare of the worst open thy eare to Wisdomes voyce He that loves not Christ plus quam se suos sua more than himselfe his friends Mat. 10. 37. his meanes is not worthy of him If this should not win our love hearken to S. Pauls thunder If 1 Cor. 16. 22. any man love not the Lord Iesus Christ let him bee Anathema or if the voyce of consolation may worke on our hearts know all things worke togegether for the best unto them that love God Quae Rom. 8. 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Armies of Angels as for Elishaes protection Sunne Moone and Starres as for Duke Iosuah and Deboraes conquest dumbe creatures Quid non speremus amantes for instruction and preservation Gods rod for caution his rigide staffe for reverence sickenesse as in Ezechias even sinnes by accident meerely as in the Publican for humiliation and salvation these as so many matches may give fire to our chill affections to inzeale and inflame them with the Love of Christ but to prove it is all in all the touch-stone hereof is love to Gods materiall Temple in sincerity to behold the Probatio amoris est exhibitio operiâ— faire beauty of the Lord and to visit his holy Temple therein to hold up pure hands and hearts for the peace of Sion and to uphold it prece pretio with our prayers and with our purses in opposition to the old Massalians who to the number of their impieties adde contemptum templorum the disgrace of Cathedrals as also to crowne our soules with blessings for they shall prosper that love it And let not our love onely rest here but reach to the mysticall Temple viz. Christs poore members hereby we shall neither want Christs commemoration nor remuneration For what if the great Keeper of his Saints here and the Grand-Iudge of all at Doomes-day shall conceale Abels martyrdome Noah his saving a remnant from the Deluge Abrahams invincible Faith Peters Pauls Iohns sufferings yet of the acts of charity he will make a rehearsall Sermon I was an hungred and ye gave me meat Mat. 25. 35. I thirsted and ye gave me drinke I was a stranger and ye lodged me I was naked and ye clothed me I was sick and yee visited me I was in prison and ye came unto me and therefore I will remunerate your bowels of mercie with Come yee blessed of my Father c. Come ad me your Savior that dearely bought you Venite benedicti meos to my Saints and Angels your fellow servants mea to all that is mine joyes c. Honours interminable to all dimensions blessed of my Father before you were borne and blessed that ever yee were borne inherit by my grace not your merit no lesse than a Kingdome no other than a heavenly Kingdome prepared for you before all time purchased for you in the fulnesse of time and shall bee yours in possession when there shall be no more time Thus in a short compasse of time I come unto the last stage viz. Quos whom Christ loved Vs Vnto him that loved us Divine History perpetuates the memorable affection of Ionathan to David how his soule was knit unto his soule And hee loved him as his owne 1 Sam. 18. soule thereto was no little inducement for David was Ionathans Fathers beloved servant his owne faithfull friend a wise and valiant Captaine and all Israel loved him Humane story Val. Max. l. 4. cap. 8. survives of Orestillo when her life went from her Plaâ—tius at the instant became her second for a buriall in memoriall wherof was erected a
Monument at Tarentum called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lovers Monument These wee must know were deare and neere an espoused paire but for Christ to set his love on us every way unworthy Rom. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hos 2. 19. to be beloved 1. weake 2. godlesse 3. sinners 4. enemies yea traytors to him and our owne soules though once espoused by a Ring of Love in-laid with the pearles of his Spirit yet by reason of spirituall adultery divorced and for all this to love us this is much Greater love than this Isa 59. 2. Iohn 15. 13 hath no man than to lay downe his life for his friend yet under correction To majorem habuisti charitatem Domine dilexti non existentes imò resistentes greater sweet Saviour was thy love thou lovedst us when wee were nothing yea worse than nothing sworne enemies to thy life In meditation whereof that inscription upon Senacheribs Tombe I may apply to Christ and the Christians use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whosoever Herodot thou art make Christ thy spectacle learne of him to love thine enemies this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 6. 35. that spirituall wisdome which adopts thee Gods child hereto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 natures instinct workes all being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of one blood now never man hated his owne flesh this is the Royall Acts 17. 26. command I say to you Love your enemies and Mat. 5. 44 Christ himselfe herein is exemplum fine exemplo a matchlesse mirrour of benevolence and beneficence towards his enemies in that he loved us It is storyed of Alexander the Monarch that he Edicte vetuit de quis se praeter Apelle pingeret aut alius Lysippo Horat. Epist 2. would have no man draw his Picture save Apelles or engrave it save Lysippus the best Artists both for theorie and practice No Artist in Christendome can draw the most high GOD better to the life than in the lines of his owne life to blaze the true orientall colours of love towards his enemies after the example of the ingraven forme of his person that loved us which words ere I depart from me thinks ecchoes so sweetly in the eare of my soule and in thine except deafenesse or deadnesse have made a forcible entrie that Miriams Timbrels Asaphs Trumpet Davids Anthemes Salomons Epithalamions sound nothing so sweetly the ground Rom. 5. 10 is sound for if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life which brings me to the second general part the life of his love in ample manifestation 2 Generall part of the 1 Sacrifice Quest He washed us in his blood from our sinnes Hee Christ the Sonne of the living God Lord of Men and Angels majesty in excelsis in the highest to become humility in profundis in the lowest did this become him was not this a servile act viz. to wash us a staine to his honourable person To put this Question out of doubt or the Resp doubt out of question no whit for herein first was the complement of that Prophesie in a good sense The elder shall serve the younger Further it Gen. 25. 23. was of such absolute necessity that Peters case being ours except he had washed us we had had no part with him But to cleere the scruple Iohn 13. 8. it is illustrated thus A Peere of the Realme Ruff. in Symb. beholding a poore child wel-nigh choaked in the mud and to save him if some slime should adhere to him it were no dishonour rather an honour to doe so good a dayes worke as to save a soule semblablie that true Noble-Man Christ Iesus beholding with the eye of grace our silly soule plunged in the puddle of sinne albeit our slimy sinnes stucke to him to plucke us out and save us it did not impaire his honour yea rather set it off with a fairer lustre And by this act he reades us a Lecture of humility If I then your Lord and Master have washed your feet Ioh. 13. 14 15 ye ought also to wash one anothers feet for I have given you an example that ye should doe even as I have done How may this be Saint Cyprian is our Schoole-master Quoties igitur c. D◠Ablutione pedum as often as we perswade those which are under spirituall Pharoahs slavery to get them out of Aegypt mourne with those that mourne burne with those that are offended are infirme with those that are infirme that Aquin. in Cor. 2. 11. is as Aquinas interprets for him that is infirme in the Faith Dolemus in cordibus nostris sicut de nobis lament for them as for our selves so often wash we the feet of our Brethren And when this thy Saviours humility comes fresh into thy memory that he whose Throne is Mount-heaven footstoole the Earth whom all the inhabitants of the Earth and all the Angels of Heaven must worship that he would stoope to wash thee Stoope Gallant and learne of him to be lowly so to be it is a good argument thou art well loaden with grace for as branches of Trees and eares of Corne the better they are loaden stoop neerer the earth and the best refined Gold goes downe in the ballance so the more fruitfull and Quo sanctior hoc humilior Ambros precious a Soule is the more it lowers it selfe and the higher in Gods eye it shall bee exalted Obiectum And thus from Christs Act we descend to the Object what hee washed and from what Vs from our sinnes Which words argue 1 sinnes condition it is pollution so Zacharias brands it uncleanenesse 13. 1. Atramentum Evae Amb. 26. therefore Ezekiel compares it to scum 22. 18. Hosea to a rising leprosie S. Iude to a spot S. Ambrose to a blacke cloud Vna nubecula peccatricis totam fere obscuravit Ecclesiam Res est Ep. ad virg lapsam foetida saith Origen a spawne of an uncleane spirit which unlesse washed away in the laver of Christs purifying blood and a flood of cordiall repentance will in fine associate with a Cage of uncleane Birds Therefore minde we Apostolicall counsell touch not taste not handle not for as Syracides speakes hee that washeth himselfe because of a dead body and toucheth it Eccles 34. 26. againe what availes his washing And as his washing proves sinne its nature so it unmaskes all the sonnes of men that albeit in their originall they were like to the house of Iacob wherein Amb. de fug seculi c. 4. no image of impiety no spot of pollution but all as cleere as Chrystall yet since the prevarication all as Labans Lambes are speckled and spotted A capite ad calcem from top to toe Let Abraham the father of the faithfull Isa 1. 6. Aaron on whose bonnet was holinesse to the Lord Amb. a pol. Daniel Antequam noscamur
it savours Iesuiticall advise let the credit of the Story stand ad placitum but this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worthy of all acceptation that Christs innocent Blood expiates our guilt and heales all manner of spirituall Leprosie Ioh. 1. 1. Blood preserves alive therefore Physitians prescribe the blood of a Dove a soveraigne against diseases in the eye and the braine Galen gives it against the bruises called Hyposphagmata which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 presents every thing to the eye red And Iul. Alex. commends it dropped on the corners of Lib. 4. salubrium the braine called Pia Dura Mater in the wounds of the head to helpe to hold in life So pretious was the blood of Christ a harmelesse Dove that dropped on our eyes whereas before all we could see were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 goare blood by reason of our bloody sinnes now wee behold as in a Glasse salvation before our eyes And whereas in our head Adam we had received a deadly wound by a Balme made of this Blood and laid to it we are alive unto God Blood hath revived the dead As the Story of the Pelican goes for currant her brood being stung to death by the brood of the Serpent by distilling her blood on her owne brood they have beene restored to life So Christ our true Pelican when by our serpentine firy-stinging sinnes we were stung to death by the vertue of his blood effused on our soules wee are quickned and raised to life to the praise of his glory But there is one maine and memorable difference betwixt this Blood and all others The blood of man or beast may give snow-white a scarlet tincture but never die scarlet snow-white but this and this onely by mercy and miracle makes scarlet Soules as white as snow In Salomon thus that Elder moved the question and made the answer to our Evangelist What are they that Apoc. 7. 13 14. are arrayed in long white robes and whence came they These are they which came out of great tribulation and have washed their long Robes and have made their long robes white in the Blood of the Lambe Now that Christ washed us with his blood Hence a choake Peare to the Manichees who deny the truth of Christs-humanity to the Marcionites who averre he had a phantasticall Body to Apelles who conceived hee had a Sydereall substance He that runnes may read printed in blood the truth of his Manhood For as Alexander the great however the popular sort deified him yet having got a clap with an Arrow said ye stile me Iupiters Sonne as if immortall Sed hoc vulnus clamat me esse hominem this blood that issues from the wound proves me in the issue a man So may I say of our Saviour though myriads of Angels and Saints acclaime he is God ergo immortall and a crue of Hereticks disclaime him to be a man yet the streames of blood following the arrow of death that strucke him make good he was perfect man of a reasonable soule and humane flesh subsisting but this their heresie wee passe for there must bee 1 Cor. 11. 9. heresies and in holy admiration ponder in the chambers of our hearts the immense love of the Father and of the Sonne of the Father that hee would give his Sonne to shed his blood and dye the execrable death of the Crosse for the sonnes of men Ab aeterno genitum begotten before all eternitie His Sonne Psal 2. 7. Omnis creaturae primogenitum the first begotten of every creature Vnigenitum his onely begotten Col. 1. 16. Ioh. 1. 18. Mat. 3. ult Esa 42. 1. Sonne Dilectum his beloved Sonne and as speakes that Seraphicall Prophet Electum Animae suae such a sonne in whom his soule delighted and for us Caytiffes not worthy the least crum of his mercy And no lesse admirable is the love of Gods dearely beloved Sonne to powre out his soule unto death for us and our salvation It is storied of Cyrus King of Persia having Zenop. lib. 3. taken Tygranes King of Armenia with his Queene captives on a time he moved Tygranes what he would give for his Queenes ransome to whom he replyed That had hee what he once had viz. his Crowne and Kingdome hee would freely give it for her freedome and if that were too little he would purchase it with the price of his blood which love to his Spouse Cyrus observing presently reinvested them to their pristine liberties and honours Wherupon Tygranes spake unto his Queene Cyrus is a most 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 noble Prince the Queene made answer My affections were only bent on him that would have spent his dearest blood for me a fortiori should we espoused unto Christ the Prince of the Kings of the Earth fixe our hearts on him that not onely resolved our freedome from Persian but infernall thraldome and purchased it with his precious Blood To winde up in a word here every eye may see whereon to rest his Soule that it may be saved in that great and notable day not on his owne righteousnesse that is imperfect nor Saints oyle that is not sufficient for themselves nor the Popish incruentall Masse a Masse of horrible impieties no Popes pardon or Aqua benedicta of theirs to which they ascribe rare incredible both spirituall and corporall effects whereby they bewitch silly soules to inrich themselves and all not worth a bit of bread but solely in the blessed blood of that immaculate Lambe Christ Iesus Herein to our most precious soules is salus oblata salvation freely offered herein by our most precious faith is salus recepta salvation imbraced in this faith by the impresse of the Spirit is salus obsignata salvation sealed and hereby is the end of our faith salus consummata our salvation finished and while we sojourne in these terrene Tabernacles the foundation of our glory the rise and perfection is in and from this blood whereby wee are made Kings and Priests unto our God And this is the second branch wherein Christs love is manifested Hee hath crowned us Kings and consecrated us Priests to God and his Father Artaxerxes honoured Nehemiah much to Kings advance him to bee his Cup-bearer and Saul David to make him his Sonne in law but to make us Kings lesse than none save God alone what could be more but what manner of Kings Rex solâ— deo minor not politicall but spirituall Et bene saith S. Gregory quia praelati cunctis motibus carnis c. Moral 36. c. 21. as reigning over our corrupt affections curbing luxury tempering intemperate avarice humbling hautinesse of spirit and extinguishing the fire of fury Will you a little more at large behold the majestie of as many as are truely made Kings Their unction is not oyle but holy blood Their Diademe is not 12. stones but 12. sâ—ars Apoc. 12. 1. The Sword is the Word of God The Scepter is the power
CHRISTS LOVE AND SAINTS SACRIFICE Preached in a Sermon at St. Pauls Crosse on the 23. of August 1635. BY IAMES CONYERS Mr. of Arts of Sydney-Sussex in Cambridge and Minister of Stratford-Bow in Middlesex CANTIC 2. 12. My wel-beloved is unto me as a bundle of Myrrhe hee shall lye betweene my brests Ambros in 118. Psal Velle Christi commune in omnes est mundari fidei est credentis in Christum LONDON Printed by E. P. for H. Seile dwelling at the Tygers head in St. Pauls Church-yard 1635. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL Sir ROGER NORTH of Milden Hall in SVFFOLKE His truely Religious Lady THOMASIN NORTH Their much honoured Off-spring HENRY NORTH Esquire with his vertuous Spouse Mris SARAH NORTH And Mr. DVDLY NORTH Mris MARY NORTH Collation of Grace and Glory WOrthies your gratious and immerited Favours not onely intended but also extended towards me the meanest of a thousand exact at my hands a more exact Demonstration of gratitude than at this present to present you with a Sermon but having no better Present to offer daign it I pray you your candid aspect and accept it as Artaxerxes did the water at Synataes Aelian hands and expande yours for patronage under which as the Dove in Noahs Arke shall be its best repose and shelter The lines I tender you are a Monument of my sincere and loving affection in themselves mostly lines of Loue not carnall but spirituall being richly in-layd with the loue of Christ that loue out-layd by effusion of his most pretious Blood together with the true felicity and incomparable dignity of Chrtstians wherewith your pious soules have beene daily more and more inamoured and your persons more honoured than Nobilitas sâ—la est atque vinca vertus with any Indian Treasure or the Worlds umbratilous Honour which Worke wheresoever it is wrought there is eminently Digitus Dei the finger of God which finger as did that Starre the Magi guide you to the Starre of Iacob whose loue as a Banner ever over-spread you and the blessings of whose hands compasse you on every side that yee may be able with all Saints to comprehend what is the bredth and length and depth Ephes 3. 17 18 and height and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge and that yee may be filled with all fulnesse of God to the praise of his Glory Yours and the Churches most humble Servant IAMES CONYERS To the Reader CHristian Reader as these lines are writ so reade in love and then thou canst not carpe but cover if therein had escaped even a spectable Error But to put thee out of doubt I will be bold to warrant thee two things first herein is nothing contrary to good Manners neither in the second place opposite to orthodox Theologie therefore lend them thy looke and happily thou wilt like them and the rather if these contents Christ his Love his Blood the price of thy Redemption or thy owne blessed promotion like thee In hope of one and all to thee and me with all that love unfainedly I rest thine in him that lives for ever and ever loves his J. C. CHRISTS LOVE AND SAINTS SACRIFICE Apoc. cap. 1. vers 5 6. Vnto him that loved us and washed us from our sinnes in his blood And made us Kings and Priests vnto God even his Father to him be glory and Dominion for evermore Amen WEre that Quaere put to In vita Budaei idem narratur de Theodoro Goza Sphynx Philos c. 25. mee which once was to Budeus by Francis the first viz. if all the volumes in the world were doomed to the fire what one would he saue as his resolue was Plutarchs Works by reason they had the impression of all Sciences Mine should be Epistolam Creatoris ad Greg Ep. â—d Furiam Creaturas the Epistle of the Creator to the Creature viz. the sacred Scripture And therein this Text a richer Mine than golden Peru affords the Magazine of all true treasure Christ a jemme of invaluable price his love better than Wine his blood one drop whereof more worth than the Luthe in 2. ad galat. whole world two Evangelicall and Angelicall Sacrifices the one expiatorie for sin made by Christ on the Altar of the Crosse who loved us and washed us in his blood and made us Kings and Priests unto our God The other gratulatorie to Christ Iohn 21. 20. presented by the beloved Disciple for that act of meere grace To him be glory and dominion for evermore Amen In the former sacrifice are offered two parts Analysis 1 The Motive thereto 2 The Manifestation thereof Expiatory Sacrifice The Motive is love wherein to shun a deniall discourse I shall confine to these limits 1 The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Christ loved us 2 The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the impulsive cause to love us 3 The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how he loved us 4 The quos whom he loved us Vnto him that loved us The Manifestation of this love appeares two wayes 1. In Christs owne Humiliation viz. he Christs Humiliation washed us from our sinnes in his Blood where are in-laid these 3. particulars 1 The Act he washed 2 The Object us from our sinnes 3 The Organon wherewith his owne blood 2. In our Exaltation in these words and Our Exaltation made us Kings and Priests to God his Father c. whereout springs two branches of honour The first is Regall hee hath crowned us Kings The second is sacerdoticall hee hath consecrated us Priests unto God even his Father In the latter sacrifice which is Eucharisticall Eucharisticall Sacrifice observe first the matter expressed Glory and Dominion secondly the Majestie to whom it is presented viz. the Prince of the Kings of the Earth Thirdly the manner pressed two waies First in regard of cirumstance of time beyond all time for evermore Secondly in regard of the Sacrificer with a good heart and a very good heart couched in this word Amen Vnto him that loved us c. Thus have I taken the Text asunder and now I must take the parts in their order and because they are many I must but touch as the Bee the flower and flie away The first that Method manuducts me to is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mercy-Master Christ Iesus loved us this is true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in word and deed a Truth Tertul. Tanquam radio solis scripta as ingraven with the Sunne-beame behold the manner of the writing The wretched Iewes play'd the Scribes the pens they used were thornes and speares and nayles the inke was purest blood the Volume wherein they writ and that on both sides was the body of all Divinity the capitall letters deepe and wide wounds the testimonies men and Angels Brond in loc the Seale set to it was Christs consummatum est it is finished whereon as an impregnable Arch-jewell I build my faith