the four mighty Monarchies of the world and by continuall alterations in States to this day Secondly in earthly kingdomes there is one the King and the rest are his subiects but in this kingdome all are Kings and God alone is King of all Neither doeth this anie whâ—t diminish our glorie For euen his seruice is perfect libertie yea the more perfect our seruice is to him the farther we are from bondage and the more absolute is our spirituall regâ—lâ—tie Thirdly the affaires of earthly Princes are â—â—iefly bodiâ—y and outward but ours are spirituall and inward Fourthly kings of this world if they should prooue worldly minded as the most are and vse to bee may become Tyrants and irreconciliable enemies one vnto another labouring with all their powers to deturbe and ouer throw each other But so iâ— falleth not out with those whome Christ hath made kings For he so ruleth them by his Spirit and with the Scepter of his word that they shall neuer clime to that height of wickendesse as of despite and purpose to seeke the destruction of one anothers soule and to depriue them of their crownes Fiftly earthly kings may be plagued of God to the losse of their soules and therfore Esay saith that Tophet or hell Is 30. 33. is prepared for the King euen for all wicked Princes whatsoeuer which rebell against the King of Kings But these kings shall neuer perish For Christ giueth them eternall life and it is their Ioh. 10. 28. Luk. 12. 32. Fathers pleasure to giue them the kingdome of heauen Lastly earthly Kings come to their kingdomes either by conquest or by their bloud or else by voyces and election But we obtaine this kingdome neyther by the conquest of our owne workes nor by the suffrages election of other men neither come we by it through the commendation or dignitie of flesh or bloud but by the alone propitious grace of God and propitiatory merits of Iesus Christ who by suffering death and fulfilling the lawe for vs hath redeemed vs from hell and procured heauen and this our heauenly honour Therefore the Apostle saith The wages of sinne is death but the 1. Pet. 2. 5. free gift of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. So much for our Prince-hood Now as concerning our Priest-hood Saint Peter who tells vs that wee are an Rom. 12. 1. holy Priest-hood tells vs also the ende of this our Priest-hood euen to offer vp spirituall Sacrifices acceptable vnto God by Iesus Christ. Wherein then doe we differ from the Priestsvnder the lawe and from Christ the High-Priest of all his people I answere we differ from the priests of the old Testament First because their sacrifices were types of Christ but so are not ours Secondly they offeâ—ed the bodies of other things wee offer our owne Thirdly their offrings were merely corporall ours properly are spirituall Fourthly they offered vp â—â—aine sacrifices and dead but we are commanded to offer vp our bodies a liuing sacrifice Rom 12. 1. and we offer vp our selues aliue Fiftly they were Priests for others but we are Priests for no men properly as they were Sixtly their Altar was material and earthly but ours is aliue and heauenly to wit Christ Iesus Seuenthly their priesthood had an end but ours is eternall Eightly theirs went from one to another by succession but so doth not ours Ninthly amongst them some were seperiours but there is no such diuersitie of degrees among vs beeing simply considered as we are Priestes Indeed there is diuersity of graces and there shal be inequality of glory thogh there shal be no want but fulnesse in all Tenthly many of them were wicked and some professed enemies of Christ his religion But they which Christ hath made Priests are holy chosen and a 1. Pet. z. 9. people set at liberty such as shal not dy but liue Lastly they were all of them males of one nation and of one kinred of that nation and they to be without any bodily defect or blemish but amoÌ„gst Eeuit 21. 18 vs there are both men women of all tribes nations and though many of them want not outward defects either by nature or by accident yet Christ respecteth not the outward estate of any man in working for vs this honour Now as concerning Christ and his Priesthood he was the Substance or Truth of all those Sacrifices and shadowes at his death their date went out whereas contrariwise our Priest-hood then began So that wee are but vassalls to that great â—igh Priest Secondly hee is an externall Priest of the New Testament but we are spirituall Priests and not outward Thirdly his principall sacrifice was himselfe but we haue other sacrifices Heb. 9. 11. to offer besides our selues our selues no way acceptable in our selues but in him Fourthly his sacrifice was of reconciliation to satisfie the iustice of God for vs But ours is of thanksgiuing to God not satisfactory but declaratory to shew our selues mindfull of that expiatory sacrifice which Christ offered and to testifie our loue vnto him for it and how gratefully we do receiue it Fifthly his was offered once for all but ours must be offered daily vpon all occasions Sixtly he as Preist was God and Man but we are meere men simple and silly creatures Seauenthly his Altar was his Godhead but our Altar is his Godhead and Manhead also vnited in one person Eightly his Sacrifice was voluntary hee did not owe it to vs but ours are debts which are for many causes to be performed duely of vs. Ninthly if wee had not sinned his sacrifice had bene spared but some of ours should haue bin performed of vs though we had not sinned Tenthly the goodnesse of his sacrifice came from himselfe but if ours haue any goodnesse so farre sorth as they be good it is from his holy Spirit which worketh in vs. Lastly Christs sacrifice was perfect of it selfe being his who is perfect man and perfect God but ours are in this life maymed and imperfect and their imperfection is couered by the perfection of his And thus we see the glorious estate of all the faythfull that euen as Christ their Head is a king and Priest so are all they kings and priests also yea a kingdome of priests a regall and holy priesthood although it be with great difference For they receiue this honour by him and not he through them He is a king by nature but they by grace Hee is an absolute Prince ouer all creatures whatsoeuer and ouer the very conscience but so are not they He is now in the full possession of his kingdome so are not we but we wayt in our mortall bodies of this earthly thraldome for the hope of that mortall and regall liberty of the sonnes of God in the heauens CHAP. IIII. Foure instructions arising from the coÌ„sidederation of our Princehood HAuing now declared the nature of this benefit it remaineth for me to gather the
by one Spirit we are all the children of one father and one mother and we haue all one elder brother one iustifier one iudge we are all ordeined to one kingdome to one family and are ruled by the same lawes we are all the subiects of one king the seruants of one Lord the sheepe of one shepheard the disciples of one Maister and the people of one God we haue all one hope of our calling one faith one baptisme and one body to feed vpen we are all the Patients of one physitian the building of one architect the vessels of one potter the temple of one Spirit the field of one husbandman and the hearers of one gospel we are all the members of one body the stones of one building the branches of one vine and trauellers in one way to one citie from Aegypt through the wide wildernesse of this wicked world vnto new Ierusalem celestiall Canaan a paradise of perpetuall pleasures Finally we are all in grafted into one stock incorporated into one body wee receiue sap from one roote sense from one head light from one lampe and water from one fountaine therfore good râ—ason is there that wee should loue and like affect fauour and embrace one another Fiftly it is fearefull and grieuous to hate or not to loue our brother For first it is a breach of Gods commandement who forbiddeth vs to hate our brother Leuâ—t 19. 17 Luke 22. 39 and commandeth vs to loue him as our selues Now hee that keepeth his commaundements dwelleth in him and hee in 1. Ioh. 3. 24. him but horrible calamity shall befall those that do without timely repentance transgresse and break them for their worme shall not die neither shall their fire be quenched and they shal be an abhorring Isay 66. 24. vnto all flesh Secondly hee that hateth his brother is in darknes and walketh in darknesse and knoweth not whether he 1 Ioh. 2. 11. gâ—eth because that darknesse hath blinded his eyes he is an vnregenerate person and is not illumined with the light of Gods Spirit but walketh like a blinde Bayard being possessed with the spirit of ignorance blinded with the darknesse of Aegypt out of the kingdome of light of grace of Christ and in the kingdome of darknesse of sinne and Sathan Thirdly Whosoeuer hateth his brother is a man-slayer and yee knowe that 1. Ioh. 3. 1â— no man-slayer hath eternall life abiding in him but is is obnoxious to eternall death and destruction Fourthly he that loueth not his neighbour knoweth not God Vndoubtedly if a man did know 1. Ioh. 4. 8. God truly that is if he did acknowledge him and knew him as he hath reuealed himselfe vnto vs in the couenant of grace if he knew him to be his God his Sauiour and louing friend and father in his sonne Christ Iesus he would not he could not but loue him and those also that are his sons and seruants elected created called iustified adopted santifyed and preserued by him as well as he himselfe Fiftly he that loueth not his neighbour is not the child of God For in this are the 1. Ioh. 3. 10 children of God knowne and the children of the Diuel whosoeuer doth not righteousnes is not of God neither he that Loueth Not his brother Sixtly he that loueth not his brother doth euidentlie declare that he loueth not God himselfe For how can he that loueth not his brother whome he hath seene loue God whome he hath not seene And whosoeuer 1. Iohn 3. 14 hath this worlds good seeth his brother haue need and shutteth vp his compassion from him how dwelleth the loue of God in him Seauenthly he which loueth not his neighbour doth shewe that his Rom. 6. 23. heart is hard and â—lintie that it was neuer mollified with the oyle of grace that he hath not a good conscience faith vnfained and that he neuer truely tasted of Gods loue nor of the sweetnesse of Christs blood neither that he did euer seriously consider and meditate of those bitter pangs and painefull passions which hee sustained whiles he liued and when he died as well for his neighbour as for himselfe To conclude this first argument He that 1. Ioh. 3. 4 loueth not his brother abideth in death As he abideth in the death of his soule being dead in sinne so he remaineth subiect to the death of his soule and bodie which is the wages of sinne Sixtly if we would but consider the Rom. 6. 23. excellencie and the excellent vse and commodities which come by this godly loue it would make vs all to be in loue with it and not onely to like it in it selfe or in others but in our selues also â—ea and to shew it in our liues and dealings First true loue commeth of God who is loue it selfe the very fountaine of all 2. Ioh. 4. 78. Galat. 5. 22 true loue For euerie good giuing and euerie perfect gift is from aboue and commeth down from the father of lights And Iam. 1. 17. 1. Cor. 4. 7 in truth what haue we that we haue not receiued Now the glorie of the giuer makes the gift more godly And who can be more glorious then God the Psal 2. 4. 10. Math. 6. 13. king of glorie to whome all glorie doth of due belong Secondly loue is an inseparable companion of true â—aith For as Paul sheweth 1. Tim. 1. 5. loue comes out of a pure heart a good conscience and faith vnsained And as Gregorie saith Iuantum credimus tantum diligimus As we beleeue so we loue Euen as light doth accompanie the Sun so doth loue attend vpon faith And as there is no fire without heat so there can be no true faith without loue Here also is loue againe commended because it flowes from that faith whereby our hearts are purified Act. 15. 9. Heb. 11. 6. and without which it is impossible to please God and commeth not but from a conscience which is at peace rest and doth excuse a man So then whosoeuer doth loue truely whome he ought and as hee ought may assure himselfe that hee doth beleeue truelie that his conscience is good before God and his heart purged by faith in the blood of Christ Thirdly such a loue of our brethren is asure signe of our election vocation regeneration and adoption For euery 2. Ioh. 4. 7. one that loueth is borne 〈◊〉 God knoweth God And Peter exhorting vs to giue diligence to make our calling and election 2. Pet. 1. 7. 10. sure sheweth vs that if among other vertues we haue also brotherly kindnesse and loue we shall neuer fall and therfore may assure our selues that we are elected and effectually called Fourthly the loue of our brethren is in Christs account accepted and reputed of as loue shewed vnto himselfe as appeareth plainely by that speech which he will vse to his sheepe when he shall come to iudge them Math. 25. 40. In as
theâ—â— sins and might be shrouded from the wrath of God Now if thou know and acknowledge Christ and his voyce in the sacred scriptures and in the ministery of his Messengers if thou belieue in his name if thou doest hearâ— his voyce and subiect thy selfe vnto it if thoâ— striue to resemble him and dost labour â—o follow â—im walking in hâ—s waâ—â—s and treading in â—â—s footsteps which hâ— hâ—th printed for hee to come after in them then mayst thâ—u assure thy selfe in truth that thou art the Ioh. 10. 4. 14. 26. 27. Sheepe of Christ For Christ himselâ—â— doth brand all his sheep with these very marks And Paul further affirmeth Gal. 〈◊〉 24. that they which are Christs haue crucified the flesh So that if thou dyest to sin and dost mortifie the lusts of thy flesh and labourest to liue to God in newnâ—sse of lâ—fe thou mayst safely conclude that thou dost actually belong to Christ and his fold and that thou art actually washed from thy sins in his bloud and consequently that thou art in the state of grace and in the number of the faythfull Lastly tâ—is doctrine serueth to ouerthrow Vse 7 the Papists most vncomfortable assertion who teaâ—h that a man clensed in Christs bloud and iustifyed may fall from God from grace and perish For not one dramme not one drop of Christs bloud can be spilt in vaâ—ne He that is once washed in it is alwaies cleane There is no condemnation Rom. 8. 1. to them that are in Christ Iesus Theiâ— sinnes may ware with them but Bellate non debellare quaterâ— non decutere Math. 16. 18 they shall not vanquish them The diuell may shake them but he shall not shake them downe Hel gâ—tes may open theÌ„selues against them but they Math. 16. 18. shall not pâ—euayl against them The castle of their consciences may be besieged but it shall not bee sacked it cannot be ransackâ— For God will not giue them ouer wholly vnto their enemies he will deâ—end their cause maintaine their quarrell dispell their enemies preserue his work and confirme 1. Cer. 1. 8. them vnto the end Thus much for this third doctrine a fourth followeth CHAP. V. A looking-glasse to behold the loue of Christ in The consideration of it affordeth vs three instructions Fourthly in that the Apostle saith Christ hath washed vs in his bloud frâ— Doct. 4 our sins his loue is cleared and greatly coÌ„mended to vs. For what is nearer to a man then his life And what is dearer to him then his bloud his heart bloud Christ hath layed downe his life that we might liue Christ hath parted with his bloud his heart bloud to do vs good to purchase our pardon to purge Omnes humanes sanâ—t medicina dolores Propert vs from our sins The diseases of the body are cured by naturall medicines but our sins which are the diseases of the soule are clensed only by the bloud of Christ And that this might be done he did freely forgoe his life and loose hâ—s bloud which argueth is exceeding loue vnto vs. Greater loue then this saith Ioh. 15. 13. Christ hath no man that a man should 〈◊〉 dâ—wne his life for his friend It is not possible for a man to manifest his loue more effectually then by giuing his life for another and therfore our Apostle 1. Ioh. 3. 16 â—aâ—th Hereby haue we perceiued loue that hee layed downe his life for vs. If Luk 7. 38. the woman declareth her loue by washing Christ feet with her teares then great is the loue of Christ that hath washed vs in his bloud And his loue appearâ—th â—et more plainely insomuch Act. 3. 15. Act. 20. 28. as he who is the Lord of life and God of heauen and earth did lay downe his life for vs wretches and hath washed vs in his bloud who by nature are his enemies If thou hadst a most pestilent and strong aduersarie and hadst also a friend that did freely lay downe his life to preserue thâ—e from him were it not â—n argumenâ— of his inward and hâ—â—â—e loâ—â— vnto thee Sinne is thy mortall and implacable enemy too hard for thâ—e â—o coÌ„quer by thy selfe it is impossâ—ble for â—hee to saue thy selfe from that intollerable calamitie which it brings Christ thy soules friend hath ouercome it Heâ— hath smote downe great Goliah the Prince of darknes the friend and father of thy sinnes He is thy Sampson that by his death hath slaine the Philistines euen all thy sins Hee hath ouerwhelmed Pharaoh and the Egyptians Satan and all thy sinnes in the red sea of his bâ—â—ud His bloud hath suâ—kt out the â—eart bloud of thine enemies and hiâ— death hâ—th beene the death of them all therefore â—hou cansâ— noâ— chuse but see his admâ—â—able lâ—ue vnto thee seeing he shunned not death but spâ—lt his bloud and hath embrued thee in it to doe thee good Iâ— thou hadst committed some offence against a king for which without his speciall pardon thou shouldest be condemned to death and executed and if by all the meanes thou couldst make thou art not able to procure it if the kings onely sonne and heyre whome also thou hast dishonoured should voluntarily without thy suite and against thy desert laye downe his life and loose his bloud for thy pardon and absolution did hee not shew vnspeakeable grace and giue an vndoubted testimony of his pittie towards thee Thou canst not but confesse it Thou â—ast committed many capitall and grieuous offences against the Kings of Kings his owne and onely Son Christ Iesus whome thou hast oft disgraced oft abused hath fâ—eely without thy desert and when thou hadst no grace of thy selfe to desire him hath giuen his life for thy life he hath dyed to preserue thee from eternall death which is the wages of thy Rom. 6. 23 sinne he hath purged and rinsed thee in his blood that thy soule might not bleed his blood hath bought thy pardon canst thou then deny that he loues thee Hath he not aboundantly testified and confirmed his pittie towards thee Thou canst not but acknowledge it The consideration of this doctrine Vse 1 teacheth vs to remonstrate our loue to him And seeing that be spared not his blood for vs let vs also be readie to part with ours for him if he shall require and except it of vs. Dauid saith Ps 126. 1. I loue the Lord because he hath heard my voice euen so should we loue the Lord Iesus because he hath bathed vs in his bloud yea let vs extoll his loue from our hearts and celebrate his name in worde and worke Secondly it teacheth vs to be beneficiall and bountifull in benefits to our Vse 2 brethren For we ought to resemble our elder brother When we receiue a benefit of others we are by the receit thereof put in minde to doe good to others The earth is kind For as it receiues kindnesse of others as heaâ—e of the Sun and raine of the cloudes