neither can this sinner whiles he so coÌ„tinueth without repentaÌ„ce distinguish himself from a Reprobate For when Christ declareth his loue actually and effectually to any man theÌ„ he smites his heart with the sword of his Sâ—irit and worketh such an alteration in his soule that thence-forward hee shall die to sinne and liue to righteousnes When Euilmerodach disclosed his Ier. 52. 31. 33. loue to Iehoiakim he brought him out of prison and changed his prison garments so when Christ doth actually reueale his loue vnto a man then he brings him out of the prison of the diuell he vnlooseth the bolts of sinne he changeth his rayments of wickednes and doth apparell him with the rich robes of his owne righteousnes And as that penitent â—aylour to manifest his good will to Paul and Silas did not Act. 16. 33. onely fetch them out of the prison ut also washed their sâ—â—ipes so Christ when he reuealeth his speciall loue vnto any then doth he wash the wounds of their soules with his blood and batheth them in the waters of his holy Spirit He casteth them as it were into a furnace and consumeth the drosse of â—in with the fire of his grace Therefore Paul saith that those who Gal. 5. 24. are Christs hâ—â—e crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts And saint Iohn saith that whosoeuer is borne of God sinâ—eth 1. Ioh. 3. 9. not meaning with full consent of heart he sinneth not vnto death he liueth not without repentance in his sinnes he drinketh not iniquitie as fishes do water he selleth not himselfe to worke wickednesse as Ahab did 1. King 21 25. Wherefore as wee must not account a man forsaken of Christ because he is ouertaken with some enormitie so againe we must take heed that we do not wilfully giue our selues vnto any manner of sinne because we heare that his loue is constant that sinne cannot make a diuorce betwixt him and vs and an vtter separation if once we were in his fauour and were vnited to him This were transcendent impietie and verie horrible ingratitude CHAP. VIII Christs Loue is the fountaine Primum Mobile indeede immobile of all good things that come to vs. His loue is not merited by vs. Seauenthly in that the Apostle giues the priority of place to Christs loue seating it before the benefits which we receiue by him I gather that his Loue is the scaturidge and foundation of all those works which he wrought for vs. His loue was the Anuill whervpon they were all forged it was the Spring from whence they sprang and the Pipe or Chanell through which they ran to vs who are as Cisternes to receiue them Therfore we must renouÌ„ce and abiuâ—e all opinion of our owne merits or foreâ—eene preparations Oâ—â— best merit which yet is no merit is to confesse freely that we can merit nothing nothing at all that good is For vnto vs belongeth nothing but opâ—â—â—â—ame and confusion of face for euer Dan. 9 8. It is Gods mere mercie and his pitie not our merits or pietie that we perish not in our sinnes And if we either wâ—â— well or worke well we must ascribe it solie to Gods good will who worketh in vs the will and the deed of his good pleasure Phil. 2. 13. Hiâ—vellâ— noÌ„ 〈◊〉 substaÌ„tia voluÌ„tatis sed Why did God honour the World with his onely Sonne Was it not because he loued the World So Christ de 〈◊〉 qualitate accipituÌ„r Ioh. 3. 16. saith for God so loued the world that he hath giuen his onely Sâ—nne to all that lay hold vpon him with the hand of a liuely faith Yea but was not his loue procured by our loue Did not our loue of him drawe his loue to vs as the Load-stone doth yron Verily no for herein saith Iohn is that loue not 1. Ioh. 4. 10. 19. that we loued God but that he loued vs and sent his sonne in loue to be a reconciliation for our sinnes We loue him because he loued vs first Why hath God raysed vs from the graue of sinne and quickened vs in his sonne and saued vs Was it not because he loued vs Paul teacheth vs to thinke so no otherwise and thereâ—ore saith But God who is rich in mercie through 〈◊〉 great loue wherwith he loued Eph. 2. 4. 5. 〈◊〉 when we were dead by sinnes hath quickened vs together in Christ by whoâ—â— grace ye are saued What mooued Christ besides his loue to giue himselfe to death for vs Iust nothing in vs therefore 1. Ioh. 3. 16. Iohn saith hereby we haue perceiued loue that he layed downe his life for vs. By whome saith Paul we haue redemption Eph. 1. 7. through his blood according to his rich Grace Nothing at all but pure loue made him bestowe himselfe vpon the Church it was his grace and not her goodnesse not because she was faire and wâ—rthie but because he was fanourable and gracious Therfore the Apostle saith Christ loued the Church and gaue himselfe for Eâ—h 5. 25. 26. her that hee might sanctifie or make her 〈…〉 e and holy clense her by the washing of water through the word By which we plainly see that his loue is the forge fountaine from whence our holines our happines and all spirituall celestiall and eternall benefits whatsoeuer do proceede and come Thus much concerning the loue of Christ The workes or tokens of his loue come now to be considered in the next words Here endeth the first part ⧠THE SECOND PART REV. 1. 5. And hath washed vs from our sinnes in or by his blood CHAP. I. The sense is giuen diuerse doubts are remoued remission of sins consenteth with regeneration in three things and differs from it in seauen other THe Apostle hauing affirmed that Christ did loue vs he doth immediatly coÌ„firme his affirmation by setting down two notable works performed by him for vs being vndoubted tokens and fruits of his loue vnto vs. The former wherof is expressed in the wordes recited His Blood that is the merit and validitie of his blood And by blood we must vnderstand his whole passion the which was accomplished at the effusion of his blood vpon the crosse For albeit as touching the diuine nâ—â—ure he cannot properly be saide to haue blood in that the Deitie is a most pure simple perfect and incomprehensible Essence void of composition alteration yet as concerning his humanitie he hath blood he shed his blood and died And for that the humane nature is not a person subsisting by it selfe but is receiued into the vniâ—â—e of his person as he is the eternall Sonne of the Father a true distinct person existing from al eternitie therfore by a figure that which is proper to one of his natures is attributed to his whole person Whence it is that Paul saith that God hath purchased the Act. 20. 28. Church by his owne blood that is God incarnate or that person
from all eternity communicating his whole God-head vnto him and yet not depriuing himselfe of it Hence wee lâ—arne First that as there is a God contraâ—ie to the opinion of Diagoras Milesias Pluâ— de Plac. Phil Theodorus Cyrenaeus Eumenes Tegeates and al Atheists whatsoeuer so that this one God is not one in person as â—e iâ— one in nature but distinguished For Esse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sancâ—um the Son is not the father the father not the holy Ghost but they are distinguished by their incommunicâ—ble properties The father is God begetting the Sonne is God begotten of the â—ather and the Holy Ghost is God proceeding from them both For they haue all one nature will Esse patâ—is est esse 〈◊〉 â—pâ—titus sancti and naturall power which is common to them all and not begotten but they differ in their manner of subsisting in that one nature by their personall proprieties which are not common to them all as the â—aâ—â—re is but appropriated to each of them Secondly that Christ is the substantiall Sonne of God equall for time and essence vnto his father and therfore to be honoured as well as the father and beware of the opinion of Arrius who bâ—ld that Christ was not coeternall coequall and of the same substance with the father Lastly seeing we are made kings and Preists to God we must let him hâ—ue all the glory of our kingdome and priesthood For to him and for his honour and seruice are we thus especially promoted We are not thus honoured to liue as we list but to set forth Gods glory and his prayse who hath so highly graced vs. Therfore all those aâ—e to be condemned who giue themselues to the works of darknesse sacrificing to Venus by vncleaâ—nes to Bacchus by dâ—unkennâ—s to Mammon by worldlinesse All these sacrifice to the Diuell and to their owne flesh which is the seed of the Diuel and not to God to whome we ought to liue that as we liue by him in this world so we may also liue with him in the world to come And thus much of the description of Christ which is the first thing to be considered in this Thanksgiuiâ—g CHAP. VIII The substance of Iohns thanks-giuing and the testificatioÌ„ of his desire of Christs glorie THe second thing is the substance or matter of it conteined in these wordes To him be glory and dominion for euermore In which words the Apostle â—scribeth all hoâ—oâ—r pâ—aâ—se maiesty rule and Lordship to Christ for louing of vs and declaring his loue vnto vs by washing vs from our sinnes in his bloud and making vs kâ—ngs and priests vnto his father Which practise of his teacheth vs to shew all thankfulnesse to him for these his fauours by doing all things which may set forth his glory manifest our obedience to his authority and greatnesse The third and last thing to be considered is the testification of the Apostles sayth or seruent desire of Christs glory in the word Amen which signisieth certenily so be it or it shal be so As if he â—â—ould say thou shalt haue all glory â—â—d miâ—â—ion ascribed to thee or â—â—t it be so let glory dominion and 〈◊〉 giue â—or ascribed to him â—or these inestimable benefits And thus 〈◊〉 bles his desire and sheweth how earnestly he dâ—â—h wish that Christ may haue all glorâ— and dominion ascribed to him as it doth indeed of right beâ—â—nâ— vnto him For he is the king of â—â—â—ry the redeemer of the world the hâ—â—e of all â—â—â—ngs the mâ—ghty God tâ—e prince of peaâ—e the gouâ—rnour of 〈…〉 1. 2. 〈…〉 â—ath 28. 18 the Church and to him all power is giuen in heauen and in earth And this eâ—sâ—mple oâ— Iohn should proucke vs 〈◊〉 â—e â—â—â—â—ent and not to freeze in our desires of his prâ—yse and gâ—oâ—y And as we ought to be vehement in desyring 〈◊〉 we should be as eager and prâ—mpt 〈◊〉 do all things whatsoeuer whiâ—h may deâ—â—re it among men and arâ—ue â—â—e ardâ—â—cy â—nd integrity of our inâ—â—rd â—ffection And so doing we shall 〈◊〉 comâ—â—â— to our selues and dâ—monstâ—aâ—e â—ur thâ—nkfulnesse to him vnto whom with the father and the Holy Spirit three persons but one true eternall and wise God be rendered all honour prayse and glory both now and euer Amen FINIS Trin-vni Deo Gloria Faults escaped Page 2. Line 17. reade described Pa 5. Line 10. reâ—de geuerall Pa 8. Li 11. reade many Pa 25. Lin 23 read goodly page 26. Li. â— reade quantum Pa 31. Li 20 reâ—de louely Pa. 40. Li 12. read affect Pa 66. Li 1. reade we vse Pa 66. Li 19. reade sinners Pa 70. Li 7. reade iustification Pa 11. Lin 22. read enioy it Pa 110 Liâ— 7. reade expect it Pa 169. Lin 19 reade was Pa 172 Li 1. reade the doctrine of Pa 176. Lin 10. reade reuiued Pag 181. Lin. 26. reade he will giue of the water of life freely Pa 225. Li 5. â—ead but we are Pâ—iests for no men properly as they weâ—e pa 229. Lin 20. read more Pa 232. Lin 10. râ—ade not thinke Quid proâ—ersâ— gazaâ— Cuius Christi quibus adde Châ—isti-colis Dic quot Ni duo si numores quae Meâ—ituÌ„ noxas perpurgans sanguinis omnes Christi Reges atque Hiereis alter cura facit quid Christus quid sit purgari sanguine quid Rex atque Hiereus pagina tota docet Sic duo proponens tam paruo magna hbello Sortitus fato quis meliore tuchen Mirantur multi coâ—gestas Foenere gazas Ex Christi gazas Sanguine Lector habes E. S.
fidei perfectorem Iesum Now it is absurd to thinke that faith can merit anâ—e thing for vs with God being k Ioh. 6. 29. Rom. 12. 3. 1. Cor. 4. 7. giuen vs freely without our merit by God For the will of God id ouer all subiect to no cause to no coÌ„mand to no constraint Sâ— habet Aug. li. 1. de Genesi contra Manich cap. 2. causam voluntas Dei est aliquid quod antecedat voluntatem Dei quod nefas est credere By which it is apparent that the grace of God in Christ is all in all in that glorious and renowmned work of maÌ„s redeÌ„ption By m 1. Ioh. 4 9. grace we haue a Redeemer by grace wee haue our n Phil. 1. 29 faith in the Redeemer by o RoÌ„ 3. 24. Tit. 7. 3. grace wee are iustified before the throne of diuine iustice by p Luk. 12. 32. Ioh. 6. 40. 1. Ioh. 5. 11. grace we attaine to the q 1. Pet. 1. 9 end of our faith and the marke wee shoote at which is the saluation of our soules in heauen where all our sobs shal bee turned into songs our grieâ—es into glory our fights into triumphes our crownâ— of thornes â—nâ—o a crowne of glorie and all oâ—â—mourning into câ—le â—â—all melâ—die singing Alloluiah vnto the Lord â—or eâ—er A fâ—rtheâ— view of this heauenly doctrine you may tâ—kâ— in this Tractate following if you please to peruse it Which iâ— you shall accept of and not accouâ—t vnâ—orthy of you whome I haue accâ—â—nted worthy of it I haue my full desire and as much as it doth deserue That God which 1 wet Gideons fleece with his dew water it with a shewer of Iudg. 6. 38. his grace and preserue you both in soule and body to the full fruition of his glorie Your worships in Christ Iesus Thomas Tuke Ian. 23. 1607. THE TREASVRE of true Loue. The first Part. Reuel 1. 5. 6. Vnto him that hath loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his blood made vs Kings and Priests vnto God euen his Father to him be glorie and dominion for euermore Amen CHAP. I. The coherence of these words with the former and their contents are here set downe IN the fourth verse of this Chapter the Apostle setteth downe his Apostolicall salutatioÌ„ to the seuen Churches vnto whom he dedicateth writeth this present book containing a very large and yet a very short discourse reuelation vnmasking the secret enemies of the Church declaring the state therof vnto the end of the world In this salâ—tation foure things are considerable First the person saluting Iohn Secondly the persons saluted the seuen Churches which are in Asia Thirdly a wish of grace and peace of welfare both spirituall and temporall vnto them that is of diuine fauour of all benefits that flow from it Fourthly the persons of whome they are desired to wit the Father the holy Spirit and the Sonne The Father is deliuered by the immutabilitie and eternitie of his nature the Holy Ghost is pointed at and painted out by the diuersitie of his gifts the multiplicitie of his works and al-sufficiencie and most absolute perfection of his operations The Sonne is described many waies in very fit presse pithie speeches wherin the Apostle is very plentifull liberall as if he were amazed with his greatnes rauished with his loue and not able to bridle himselfe but was as it were enforced for the satisfaction of his affection and demonstratioÌ„ of his loue to commend him at large to make an ample and exact description of him A part whereof is contained in the wordes of this text but set forth in forme of a Thanks-giuing For it seemes the Apostle being smitten with the consideration of the singular benefits which â—e with the rest of Gods people receiued by Christ could not but expresse that entertainment which they had found in his heart by a serious thanksgiuing in his writing These words therefore containe in them a Praising of Christ or a Thankâ—sgiuing made vnto him or they are a Testification of a thankefull receiuer of his benefits and of a kind and courteous entertainer of his loue And in them three things are especially to be coÌ„sidered First a description of Christ continued by Iohn Secondly the substance and the matter of the thanksgiuing Thirdly the testification of faith or the doubling of his desire in the word Amen Christ is here described first by his loue secondly by the workes and tokens of his loue The consideration and remembrance of which things no doubt caused this holy man to breake out into this praising of him His loue is expressed in these words That hath loued vs. I will first explicate the wordes and then apply them for our vse CHAP. II. Some of the words are explained and here 〈◊〉 shewed 1. the waies whereby Christ testifieth loue 2. how Christ may trulie be said to loue 3. how hee is our wisedome righteousnes sanctification and redemption 4. who are partakers of 〈◊〉 loue TO him that is to Iesus Christ. That 〈◊〉 The Loue of Christ vnto the creature is generall or speciall His generall loue is either that whereby he loueth all his creatures as they are his creatures and declareth it by continuing their kindes by preseruing their natures and by sauing them from many dangers and according to this kinde of loue God is said to be â—ood to all to be mercifull to the vniust as to the iust and to be the Sauiour of Ps 145. 9. Math. 5. 1. 〈◊〉 4. 10. all men or else that whereby he loued Man-kinde in generally by taking vpon him the nature and name of man and not the nature of Angels noâ— of any other creature whatsoeuer His Heb. 2. 16. special loue vnderstood in this place is that whereby hee loueth the elect faithfull people of God and is so well affected people of God and is so well affected towards them as that he is wanting in nothing to them which is conuenient for them And in this respect hee is called the Sauiour of his mysticall body and is said to loue the Eph. 5. 2â— 25 Church Q. But it may be demanded how Christ who is true God Rom 9. 〈◊〉 can â—ee truly sayd to loue seeing â—oue is properly a passion or affection of the heart maister to teach vs true wisedome and to instruct vs to rule our liues by the Line of his word and to cease gouerning them by the Light of corrupt reason or humane directions And Righteousnesse to make vs reputed righteous through the invaluable merit of his righteousnes For he hath made him 2. Cor. 5. 21 to be sin for vs which knewe no sin that we should be made the righteousnes of God in him And as by one mans disobedience men Rom. 5. 12. were made sinneâ—â— so by the obedience of that one man châ—iâ—â— Iesus imputed to vs by grace and 〈…〉 ued of vs
not the same pâ—rson with his father but he is the Ioh. 10. 30. 1. Ioh. 5. 7. samâ— God The distinction betwixt thâ—m is not in râ—spect of nature essâ—ce or time for so they are one but in respect of their manner of subsisting in that one natâ—re Ob. 8. Eightly Christ is man and if hâ— be God also â—f he haue the nature both of God and Man then he is two distinct persons but this Gods word will not admit therfore he must needs want one of them Ans Indeed Cerinthus maketh Christ and Iesus two distinct persons Nestorius taught that there are two persons in Christ but without warrant from the word For although Eph. 4. 10. Christ haue two distinct natures the Dâ—itie and the Humanitie yet is he but one person For the person of the Son of God existing a true person from all eternitie did assume the humane nature being no person of it selfe into the vnitie of his person did appropriate it vnto himself without coÌ„founding or defacing the properties of either of the two natures so that albeit there be two distinct natures the diuine humane â—et there is but one person as a man is but one true person though two distinct natures concurre in him one of the soule and the other of the body It is true I graunt that the Word is a person but I denie that the soule and body of Christ being vnited to make a perfect man do make a distinct and perfect person For a persoÌ„ must not onely be sâ—me particular and singular thing but it must also subsist and consist by it selfe and must not be susteined of any other But Christs humane nature froÌ„ the first beginning therof was susteined by the person of the Word For it was at once both formed assumed of the Word into the vnity of his person made proper to the Word without this assumption or personal vnion it neither was nor had been nor should be Plin. Histo nat lib. 16. c. 44. A resemblance whereof wee finde in the plant called Misselto which grows not but in a tree of another kinde and thence receiues his sap Neither is this any disgrace but rather an honour to his humanitie because it doth subsist by the person of the Word And albeit all the faithfull be vnited to the Word yet it is onely in a lower degree to wit by communication of grace and not by communication of personall subsistence So theÌ„ we see that though there be two distinct natures in our Lord yet it doth not followe that he is two distinct persons because his manhood is not a person as other men are but Iohn is a person but so is not Chrâ—st as he is man Vse 1. a naâ—urâ— Thus much for the Doctrine the vses â—ollow First the consideration oâ— Christs God-head teacheth vs to respect and honor him with all diuine worship in humilitie and sinceritie of heart He is God therefore we must honour him as God and being God he is omniscient and all-seeing his â—ies are a flame of fiâ—e not more terrible then peircing All things are nâ—â—ed before him and no thâ—â—gâ—â— is hid from his vnderstanding It is not fig-leaues that can couer vs nor the hils that can hide vs from his eye sight Secondly it should terrifie the wicked that dishonour him that reiect his Vse 2 lawes cast off his gouernment and disgrace his seruants For being God he is able with ease to be reuenged of theÌ„ All creatures in heauen and earth are at his becke His authoritie is absolute and his power infinite All power in heauen and earth is giuen him and he Is 〈◊〉 6. Math. 28. 18 shall regine till he hath put all his eneâ—â—â—â— vnder hâ—â— feet Tâ—ose that will not that he reigne ouer theÌ„ shal be brought and 〈◊〉 before him Nâ—â—preces 〈◊〉 〈…〉 m neither price nor praying will perswade him if once he take in hand to iudge them to condemne them It is good for them therefore to take the â—â—â—e and to repent before it be too late Thirdly this doctâ—iâ—e maketh much Vse 3 for our comfort For seeing Christ is God we may assure our selues that he is as wel able as wilâ—â—ng to do vs good and to deliuer vâ— from euill and doth liue euer to defend and protect vs. For beeing God he is immortall and immutable Therefore we which are hiâ— may boldly say I will not feaâ—â— what mâ—◠〈◊〉 what man can do vnto me For he 〈◊〉 is our friend and fâ—uourer is God omnipotent and he will not leaue vs nâ—r forsake vs Art thou assâ—ulted by Satan fâ—ie to Christ thy God he can as easily â—mite him to the ground as Dâ—â—â—d did Golâ—ah Art thou vexed with sinne then go to him for he is able to saue thee from it He can drowne thy sinnes in his bloud as he drowned the Egâ—ptiâ—â—s in the sea Do the terrors of death arrest thee Do the pangs of hell seaze vpon thee Be not dismayd thy Suertie is God he can take away sinne which is the sting of death and can refâ—eâ—h tâ—y soule with the ioyes of 1. Cor. 15. 56. heauen Art thou poore or afflicted with sicknesse Comfort thy selfe and faint not For thy Lord is God he can either release thee from thine afflictioÌ„ or relieue thee in it as he did Daniel in the deâ—â—e of Lyons and the three children in the fierie furnace that thou shalt rather receiue good then susteine harme If he please not to deliuer thee yet he can and will if thou wilt not â—linch but depend vpon him vouch safe to giue thee fortitude patieÌ„ce to endure it And for the thorny crowne in this world he is able to honour thee with a crowne of gold of golden glorie glorious eternitie in the world to come Finally doe thine enemies presâ—e thee and seeke to deâ—oure thee Feare not For thy king is God and therefore able to conuert or subâ—eâ—t them He can either destroy them himselfe or make them to slay one an other as the enemies of good 2. Chro 20. 23. â—ehoshaphat sometimâ—s did Fourthly this doctrine serueth to Vse 4 conâ—ute the opinion of Eunomius who held that Christ was a mere man also the errour of the Monothelites who thought that Christ had one wil only but seeing that he is not only man buâ— God it followeth that he hath both an â—umane and a diuine will according to his two distinct natures which are not confounded in that one person by reason of the personall vnion but do truly â—â—separably and indiuisibly continue without confusion conuersion or transmutation So much for this second doctrine CHAP. IIII. The true members of Christ cannot be cut off and perish this conclusion is proued THirdly in that the Apostle here Doct. 3 saith that Christ hath washed vs in his Bloud we see how little reason there is for any to thinke that any of his true members can be cut off from
Lord in righteousnes Wee are as the sons of Leui Priests I meane but spirituall let vs pray vnto Christ that hee would refine â—z 36. 25. vs and power the cleane water of his Spirit vpon vs that we may be cleane from our filthinesse that so wee might sacrifice vnto the Lord in righteousnes For as hee requireth the sacâ—ifices of righteousnesse so hee looketh that they Ps 4. 5. should be offered in righteousnes that is after a righteous and holy manner The fifâ—thing to be considered is the manner how all our sacrifices should be offered First wee must offer them in faith For whatsoeuer is not of saith is sinne We RoÌ„ 14. 23. must bee assured of our offeâ—ings that God will accept them By faith Abel offered Hâ—b 11. 4. vnto God a greater sacrifice theÌ„ Cain A sacrifice without faith is as a bodie wâ—â—hout a sâ—ule a tree without pyth and therefore the sacrifice of the wicked who are destitute of true faith and not within the couâ—nant is as Salomon Pro. 15. 8. teacheth an abomination to the Lord. Secondly we must ofâ—er vp all our sacrifices sincerely with an honest heart and in consâ—ence of Gods câ—â—mandement For God tryeth the hearâ—â— and the Ps 9. râ—ines and counterfet sanctâ—ty is double iniquitie When wee giue almes which is one sacrifice the left haÌ„d shuld not knowe what the right hand doth And when wee pray to God which is another sacrifice we must not desâ—â—â— to Math. 6. be seene of men but ought to goe into our closets By which our Sauâ—â—â— meaneth that we should performe theâ—e dutâ—es sincerely without hypocriâ—â—â— For the hypocrite shall not come before God but Iob. 13. 16. Pro. 1. 20. those whtch are vpright in their way are his delight And therefore must our sacrifice bee entierly offered as Dauids was when he said I will praise thee O Lord my God with All mine heart Ps â—6 12. The Law appointed a sacrifice in Leu. 1. 8. 9. which all the members were offered And the meate offering which the â—euit 6. 23. Priestes offered was burnt altogether and no part therof was reserued So we that are made Priestes by Christ our High-priest should offer vnto God an entire sacrifice our whole heart all the members of our bodie and all the faculties of our soule For he made them all and he will either haue them all or none he wil not part stakes with the Diuell Thirdly we must offer vp our sacrifices willingly chearefully with delight Therefore the Psalmâ—st saith Let them offer sacrifices of praise and declare Ps 107. 22. his workes with reâ—oycing God loueth free-will offerings and a cheerefull giuer Siracides saith In all thy gifts 2. Coâ— 9 7. Eccle. 35. 9. 10. shem a toyfull countenance and looke what thâ—ne hand is able giue with a cheerefull eye Giue the Lord his honour with a liberall eye For he that soweth liberally shall reapalso liberally Dauid and his people 2. Cor. 9. 6. offered willingly with a perfect heart 1. Chron. 90. 9. 14. vnto the Lord for the building of a temple â—d his name euen so should we offer vp all our sacrifices willingly and with alacrity for the glory of his name Fourthly we must offer vp all our sacrifices beeing in charitie with our This also must be oblerued in the prepauation Math. 5. 23. 24. neighbours Christ saith If thou bring thy gift to the altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee leaue there thine offering before the altar and go thy way first be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift Our sacrifices must not be mixed with wrongs But whatsoeuer gooddutie we do to God let vs be in charitie with our brother For how can we thinke that he will accept â—t if we hate our brother whome he hath made And whatsoeuer good worke we do to man let vs do it in loue vnto him For as Paul sheweth though we 1. Cor. 13. 3. should giue al our goods to the poore and haue not loue it would profit nothing Fiftly we mâ—st offer vp all our sacrifices in the name oâ— Christ Whatsoeuer ye do in word or deâ—d do all in the Col. 3. 17. Name of the Lord Iesus giâ—ing thankes to God euen the father by him The Apostle Heb. 13. 15. exhorteth vs to offer the sacrifice of praise vnto God by him For if we would haue our offerings accepted we must not trust to their owne dignitie which deserueth nothing but rely only vpon his merits and most meritorious intercession And therefore Peter 1. Pet. 2. 5. saith our sacrifices are acceptable to God by Iesus Christ. And so much of the manner The end followeth and it is either supreme or subordinate greater or lesser The maine ende of all our sacrifices is the glory of God which ought of all men in their actions to be sought for aboue all thing else and therfore Paul saith whether ye cate or drinke or whatsoeuer 1. Cor. 10. 31. ye doe doe all to the glorie of God The subordinate inferiour ends are 1. That men might beholde our faith 2. commende our profession 3. and glorifie our heauenly Father for vs 4. that wee may adorne our calling 5. and allure others to the liking both of it and vs 6. that wee may edisie and excite our brethren by our good example 7. that we may stop the mouthes of Atheists papists Pagans 8. and that wee may gather certaine assurance of our election and effectuall vocation and at length attaine to the ende of our faith the saluation of our soules And this shall suffice for the foure first generall points CHAP. VII All our Sacrifices must bee offered vnto God THe fist and last is the Person to whome wee are made Kings and Priests and that is to God the Father of Christ and in him also ours The word God in the Scriptures is taken two wayes properly improperly Properly either for the nature or God-head as where it is said God is Ioh. 4. 24. a Spirit Or for any of the three persons subsisting in that nature or Godâ—ead And so it is taken in this place for the Father Improperly this word God is giuen to Angels and to Magistrates Ps 8. 5. Heb. 2. 7. Ps 82. â— vnto Idols to the Diuel himselfe Now the father is called God not because he is more God then the Son and Holy Ghost For they are equal to him But because he is first in order from him the Godhead is communicated to the Sonne and holy Ghost He is called the father of Christ nor by the grace of creation as he was the father of the Angels and of Adam before â—ob â— 6. Luke 3 38. his fall nor by the grace of Adoption as Eunomius and the Bonosians did imagine but by Nature though the Marcellians say otherwise The Father
shal be Iâ—houah our righteousnes Ioh saith In the Ier. 23. 6. beginning was the Word the word was God By the word we are to vnderstand Ioh. 1. 1. Christ who is the substaÌ„tiall word of his Father so called because he is the Interpreter Image of his father eueÌ„ as our Rom. 9. 3. speecâ— is the interpreter and image of the mind In like manner Paul calleth Tit. 2. 13. Christ God ouer all and the Great God And Thomas speaking vnto Christ Ioh. 20. 28. saith My Lord and my God Secondly it is also manifest by reasoÌ„s grounded vpon the word that Christ was true God and not man onely I will propound two First he is true God to whome the proper works of God are â—ightly attributed but those workes â—re ascribed rightly vnto Christ which none can do but God as to â—reate redeeme quicken iudge to â—earch the heart to put away iniquities all which the sacred scriptures attribute to Christ therefore he must needs be God Secondly diâ—â—â—e worship is performed and ought to be giuen Ps 72. 11. Rom. 15. 12 vnto Christ therefore â—e is 〈◊〉 God and not meâ—e man Dauid 〈◊〉 Blessed 〈…〉 y thâ— th 〈…〉 in 〈◊〉 Christ Ps 2. 1â— Ioh. 14. 1. himselfe saith â—e belâ—â—ue Gâ—◠〈…〉 leeue in me alâ—o And Saint S 〈…〉 n praying saith Lord Iesus receâ—â—e my spirit By which it Act. 7. 59. appeareth that dâ—â—â—ne honour belongeth to him and consequently that he is more then a 〈◊〉 And it was requâ—site that Christ should be not onely man but God First that he might remoue those eâ—ills wherewith Man-kind was oppressed to witâ— the guilt and punisâ— of â—â—nne thâ—â—y 〈…〉 of the D 〈…〉 the infinite and intolâ—â—â—â—le burthen of Gods wrath which things noâ—â— could remoue but God Man maâ— sâ—sâ—â—r but none by suffring was able to ouercome them but God alone It is God as Paul teacheth vs that hath purchased Act. 20. 28. the Church with his blood SecoÌ„dly Christ must be God that he might make vs accompted as righteous in the sight of God and that defacing sin â—e might likwise restore the image of God consisting in true righteousnes Eph. 4. 24. and holines which we lost by our fall in Adam Thirdly that he might be a 〈◊〉 Mediator betwixt God and Man to reconcile and make them one by reason of his cognation affinitie and â—â—militude to them both For in reason he is most meet to reconcile God to man and to bring man to God who is himselfe both God and man Now although the trueth doth both Veritas est index sui 〈◊〉 obliquâ— declare it selfe and shew the contrary yet because it hath bin so much opposed euen in this article of our sayth and for that the weaknes of many is very great and this point not voyd of all obscurity I will briefly â—ake away those cauillâ— that are made against it â—haâ— so our â—ayth might be further strengthened when the knottiest doubts shal be dâ—solued and the blocks remoued It may be thus obiected against the God-head of Christ First that which hath a beginning is not God for God is Alpha and â—mega as well Eternall as Omnipotent But Christ hath a beginning therefore Christ is not God Ans There is a threâ—fold beginning of nature time and order Now that which hath a beginning of nature substance and time is not God in that respect But if we consider Christ as he is the Word or Wisdome of the Father laying aside his humane nature he hath no beginning of Essence or Time hauing one diuine nature with the Father existing from all Eternity but onely a beginning in regard of order or the manner of subâ—â—sting This he testifieth of himselfe where he sayth I was â—et vp Pro. 8. 23. 24. 25 from euerlasting from the beginning and before the â—arth when there were no dâ—pâ—â—â— was I begotten before the mountaines were setled and before the â—â—ls was I begotten Secondly God is of himselfe Christ is not of himselfe therfore Christ is not God Ans Christ is God of himselfe though he be not the Sonne of himselfe â—erson begetteth is begotteÌ„ but the Essence neither begetteth noâ— is begotten but is communicated Ob. 3. Thirdly One and the same thing cannot be said to haue a beginning and not a beginning but if Christ bee not onely man but God he shall both haue a beginning and no beginning Ans One and the same thing cannot both haue a beginning and yet be without a beginning in one and the same respect but this may be if the respect be diuerse A man may be said to be mortall and immortall mortall in respect of his body immortall in regard of the soule dead because he is dissolued and aliue because his same doth last or because his soule doth liue So Christ may be said to bee without beginning in respect of his Godhead and to haue a beâ—inning in regard of his mâ—n head Thus also he may be said to be before and after 〈…〉 and to be without Father and Mother without father as man without mother as God Ob. 4. Fourthly The Mediatour Proposition betwixt God and Man is not God but Christ is Mediatour betwixt God and Man therefore Christ is not God Ans The proposition is apparently false for by the same reason it may be proued that he is not a man But the proposition may be thus confirmed God cannot be lesse then himselfe or inâ—eriour to himselfe but the Assumption Mediatour with God is inferiour vnto God therefore he is not God Ans The assumption is true onely in respect of the Mediatourship in regard whereof Christ is minor patre inferiour vnto God and nothing as concerning his Diuinitie For the inequalitie of office doth not proue any inferioritie or inequalitie of nature Ob. 5. Fiftly No man is God but Christ is a man therefore Christ is not God Ans No mâ—â—e man or no man as man is God now Christ is not merely a man but Maâ—â— god or God-man Neither doe wee say that the 〈…〉 hood of Christ is God but that Christ oâ— the man Christ is God Ob. 6. Sixtly Paul makes a â—lat distinction betwixt God 〈◊〉 Christ whâ—â— 1. Tim. 5. 21. 〈◊〉 â—ait◠〈◊〉 charge thee 〈…〉 re God the Lord Ieâ—us Christ Therefore Câ—r 〈…〉 not God Aâ—s By God the Apostle vnderstandeth the father as in 〈◊〉 Cor. 1â— 1â— For the word God is vsed somtime essentially and sometimes also pâ—rsonally and so it is taken in that place Secâ—ndly if this reasâ—n were good theâ— the Holy Ghost should not be Rom. 9. 5. God Thirdly Paul else-where affirmeth that Christ is God But Paul being directed by the speciall and immediate assistance of the Spirit could not possibly contradict himselfe Ob. 7. Seuenthly Iâ— Christ be God 〈◊〉 there are mâ—â— Gods theâ—â—â—ne For Christs is not the same with the â—â—ther Aâ—s Christ 〈◊〉 diâ—