not the same pârson with his father but he is the Ioh. 10. 30. 1. Ioh. 5. 7. samâ God The distinction betwixt thâm is not in râspect of nature essâce or time for so they are one but in respect of their manner of subsisting in that one natâre Ob. 8. Eightly Christ is man and if hâ be God also âf 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 Dâitie 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 coÌfounding or defacing the properties of either of the two natures so that albeit there be two distinct natures the diuine humane âet 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 sâme 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 Chrâst as he is man Vse 1. a naâurâ Thus much for the Doctrine the vses âollow 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 âies are a flame of fiâe not more terrible then peircing All things are nââed before him and no thââgââ 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 ãâã 6. Math. 28. 18 shall regine till he hath put all his eneââââ vnder hââ feet Tâose that will not that he reigne ouer theÌ shal be brought and ãâã before him Nââpreces ãâã ãâ¦ã 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 âââe and to repent before it be too late Thirdly this doctâiâe maketh much Vse 3 for our comfort For seeing Christ is God we may assure our selues that he is as wel able as wilââng 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 feaââ what mââ ãâã what man can do vnto me For he ãâã is our friend and fâuourer is God omnipotent and he will not leaue vs nâr forsake vs Art thou assâulted by Satan fâie to Christ thy God he can as easily âmite him to the ground as Dâââd did Golâah 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 Egâptiââs 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 refâeâh tây 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 deââe 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 âlinch but depend vpon him vouch safe to giue thee fortitude patieÌce 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 presâe thee and seeke to deâoure thee Feare not For thy king is God and therefore able to conuert or subâeât them He can either destroy them himselfe or make them to slay one an other as the enemies of good 2. Chro 20. 23. âehoshaphat sometimâs did Fourthly this doctrine serueth to Vse 4 conâute 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 âumane 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 ââseparably 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
THE TREASVRE OF TRVE LOVE OR A liuely description of the loue of Christ vnto his Spouse whom in loue he hath clensed in his blood from sinne and made a Royall Priesthood vnto his Father By Thomas Tuke Preacher of the word Psal 116. 12. 17. What shall I render vnto the Lord for all his benefits towards me I will offer a sacrifice of praise and will call vpon the Name of the Lord. Psal 145. 2. I will blesse thee daily and praise thy Name for euer and euer LONDON Printed by Thomas Creede and are to be solde by Thomas Archer 1608. TO THE RIGHT Worshipfull Master Edward Barrett Esquire SIR the sacred scriptures to which we must giue credit being the a Adaequatum obiectum Rom. 10. 17. perfect obiect of our faith and the Epâstle of that grand Creator of the World vnto vs his Creatures ascribes the worke of Mans RedeÌption soly wholly to the b Rom. 3. 24. â5 1. Cor. 1. 30. 2. Cor. 5. 19 1. Pet. 1. 18. 19. Grace of God in Iesus Christ. Therefore they that contradict impugne this diuine this inuiolable inuincible truth and seek to father their owne phantastique and base-begotten inuentions vpon the Scriptures do so much as in them lieth extenuate the all-sufficient and inualuable mediation of Christ they obscure the splendor of Gods grace they diminish his mercie they corrupt his word they peruert his senteÌce in it as c Lib. 1. aduersus Haereses cap. 1 Irenaus saith in the like case Transiliunt ordineÌ serieÌ ScripturaruÌ ac quantuÌ in ipsis est dissoluunt membra veritatis as wil appeare by the discussion of those places d Dan. 4. Math. 25. Luk. 7. c. that are vsually obiected âo fortifie that vâân opânion of âumane merits And that the grace of God may haue all the glorâ fââm the creaâure that he which âiâyâeth mây e Ier. ãâã 24 2. Cor. 10. 17. reioyce in him if wee beâin with Christ our f 1. Ioh. 2. 1. Advocate g Eph. 1. 4. in whome we were elected to ât ââall life and h ãâã Tim. 2. 6. Gal. 3. 13. Eph. 1 7. Heb. 9 1. 2. bâ whom wee were redeemed from eternal âeath ât is euident that as hee was sent by God of his i 1. Ioh. 4 10. vndeserued k Ioh. 3. 16. loue ânto he wârââ to âaue vs eâen so his Humanitie tâat hee âight be fit to saue vs as assumed into the l Luk. 1. 35. Ioh. 1. 1. 14. Math. 1. 23. vnitie of his person without dâââsion and vnited Rom. 5. 8. to his Diuinity mediate personâ wiââ out coÌfusion his humane nature pâe-deseruing no such aââancement as m Inlib 1. de Praed SaÌct cap. 15. Austen teacheth âânde enim âhoc meruit Quod eius bonum qualecunque praecessit Quid egit anté quid credâdit quid petiuit vt ad hanc ineffabilâm excellântiam perueniret And that the same nature was also produced into nature without that hoerâditarie disease of corrupted nature it was from grace grâce alone n Ang. ibid. Néque ânâm Retributa âst Christo illa generatio sâd Tributa vt alienus ab omni obligatione peccati de spiriââ virgâânasâeretur And as âo ouâsâlues we know that he was through the o Act. 2. 23 determin recouâsel and p Heb. 2. 9. grace of God q RoÌ 4 25. deliuered to death for âur sins and rose agâââ for oâr iustification Foâ Gâd r 2. Cor 5. 21. mâde hâm âân for vs that knew s Christi duplex est considerât âo vâa cââdem decââduÌ se altera eâun âuâ rââs quorum perâonam instiâuât Reâpâctu priorâs Chââstus dicitur iustus sanctus c. Respec ân posterioâis dicitur factus pecâaâum ârelâ li. 2. Instit not ãâã iâ him selfe that we might be made the righteousnes of God in hâm which were vnrighteous in ourselues For beââuâe he did represent our persons as oâr Suerâie therefore all our vnrighteousnes originall actuall was impuâed vnto him and hiâ rightâousnes both habituall and actuall was imputed vnto vs. Lââ the admârable mixture of iustice and mercie of iustice in that the Father would haue his Sonne to satisfie for vs ratâer then our sinnes should escapâ vâpunished and of mercie because it pââsed him to impute the satisfaction of his Soââe vnto vs rather then wee sâould perish ân our sins Ipsâ t Aug. in âncââ cap. 41. peccatum nos âustâtia nââ nostra sed Dâââeâ in nobâs sed u hoâest in Chââstoâ ââipso sicrât ipse peccatuÌ non sâââ sâd nostruÌ nec in se sed in nobis sâc ergo âânââs iâstitia Dei in ipso vtâlle est peccatâm in nobis reÌpe âximputatione Finally for our eternal life in the w Luk. 16. 22. Ioâ 14. 3. 2. Cor. 5. 1. heauens where we shall obtain x Reâ 14. 13. 21. 4. perfect perpetuall redemption from all sinfull earth y Ps 16. 12. Luk. 16. 25 Reu. 22. 5. miseries together with a ful final possession oây immortal ioyes Humana hÃc z Aug. in a caâe something different yet true in this Lib. 1. de prae deit cap. 15 merita conticescant quae perierunt per Adam regnet quae regnat Dei gratia per Iesum Christum Dominum nostrum For euerlasting life as Paul affirmeth is Charisma Dei the gratious gift a Rom. 6. 23. of God in Iesus Christ our Lord. The patient bearing of afflictions and the performance of the works of pietie toward God of charâty towards our Neighbour without doubt are necessary Necessitate presentiae non efficientiae being as wee must needs confesse b Bernard Via regni non causa regnandi For we are c Eph. 2. 8. Act. 15. 11. saued by grace and not by the d Tât 3 5. works of righteousnes which we haue wrought Quae e Augâââ ad Simphâ Resâ ad 2. quaeât gratiam non pariunt sed quae gratia f Gal. 5. 22. Eph. 2. 10. Phil 2 13. pariuntur For as fâre doth not heat that it may be hot but because it is hot and as a wheel doth not run wel that it may be round but because it is round Sic nemo proptereà bene operatur vt accipiat gratiam sed quia accepit And though saluation be g Eph. 2. 8. Fides saluaâ non efficiendo sed afficiendâ siâe applicando Officium fidei non meritum praepos per notat h Aug. ib. Through faith Organicè âet it is not For faith Energeticè seeiâg it is an instrument onely and no principall agent or meritorious efficient I lle h quippe nos fecit credere in ChristuÌ qui nobis fecit in queÌ credimus Christum ille facit in hominibus principium fidei perfectioneÌ in Iesu qui fecit hominem i Heb. 12. 2. principem
fidei perfectorem Iesum Now it is absurd to thinke that faith can merit anâe 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 coÌmand 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 maÌs redeÌption 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 grieâes into glory our fights into triumphes our crownâ of thornes ânâo a crowne of glorie and all oââmourning into câle ââall melâdie singing Alloluiah vnto the Lord âor eâer A fârtheâ view of this heauenly doctrine you may tâkâ in this Tractate following if you please to peruse it Which iâ you shall accept of and not accouât vnâorthy of you whome I haue accâânted 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 salâtation 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 âe 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 Thankâsgiuing 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 coÌsidered 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 ãâã 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 ãâã loue TO him that is to Iesus Christ. That ãâã 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 âood to all to be mercifull to the vniust as to the iust and to be the Sauiour of Ps 145. 9. Math. 5. 1. ãâã 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. ãâã can âee truly sayd to loue seeing âoue 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 sinneââ so by the obedience of that one man châiââ Iesus imputed to vs by grace and ãâ¦ã ued of vs
neither can this sinner whiles he so coÌtinueth without repentaÌce 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 Sâirit 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 âaylour 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 sââipes 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 âin with the fire of his grace Therefore Paul saith that those who Gal. 5. 24. are Christs hââe crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts And saint Iohn saith that whosoeuer is borne of God sinâeth 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 renouÌce and abiuâe all opinion of our owne merits or foreâeene preparations Oââ 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 opââââame 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 wââ 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. Hiâvellâ noÌ ãâã substaÌtia voluÌtatis sed Why did God honour the World with his onely Sonne Was it not because he loued the World So Christ de ãâã qualitate accipituÌr Ioh. 3. 16. saith for God so loued the world that he hath giuen his onely Sânne 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 thereâore saith But God who is rich in mercie through ãâã great loue wherwith he loued Eph. 2. 4. 5. ãâã when we were dead by sinnes hath quickened vs together in Christ by whoââ 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 wârthie but because he was fanourable and gracious Therfore the Apostle saith Christ loued the Church and gaue himselfe for Eâh 5. 25. 26. her that hee might sanctifie or make her ãâ¦ã 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 coÌfirme 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 nââure 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 vniââe 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
sit vpon his throne reigne for euer And the language of the scriptures is that he was conceiued and borne not that he passed or ran through her Rather Act. 2. 30. Math. 1. 20. 23. Luk. 2 7. therefore Apâlles was the pipe through which this vayne conceite came into the world from Satan the fountaine thereof who is a lyer the Ioh. 8. 44. Ioh. 14. 6. father of lies as he that is truth it selfe affirmeth The errour of Apollinaris who held that Christ had not a reasonable soâle but that his Deitie is in stead thereof But this opinioÌ Christ himself directly Math. 26. 38. crosseth when he saith My soule ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is very heauy vnto death and the scripture saith Hâ yeelded vp the Ghost ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã It is as impossible for a true man to haue no soule as a liuing tree to haue no sap or for the sunne to haue no light or to speake more fitly aâ it is impossible for a thing to be this or that without the forme or formall cause which makes it so to be As there can be no perfect body without the head so ther can be no perfect man without a soule The errour of Iodochus Harchius a Libertine who imagined that Christ had a double flesh one naturall from the virgin Mary now glorious in the heauens the other spirituall intelligible and made by the power of God of bread wine But we read but of one body one flesh and one blood which âe âad The errour of ãâã who taught that the humane nature of Christ was after the vnion endowed with the properties of the Diuiâtie Indeed Damaâcene and Gregory say that the flesh Greg. Nâsâ of Christ was dâified but they meane it in respect of the comunction thereof to the diuine nature in one persân and in regard of those admirable gifts by when his humane nature is not abolished but become more excellent then all crâatures The errour of the V ãâ¦ã ries who attribute to Christs humaâââ the essentiall properties of the Dâuiâââe as to bee present euery where Which ouerthroweth the nature of a true body which is finite and circumscripâble Tâllââ propâââtateâ tol it naturam For take away the properties of a thing and thou shalt destroy the nature of it And albeit his Deitie is in all places without exception yet it doth not follow that his Humanitie should be so too because it is personallâ vââted to it no more then that the pearle in the ring should-extend ââsââse as farre as the ring because it is iâyned to it or fastned in it Indeed ãâã things are so vnited together as that one of them reacheth no further then the other then one of them can be no where but the other wil be there also But if one of them extend beyând the other then wheresoeuer the leââer is there the greater is also but not so on the contrarie The body of the sânne and the light thereof are cânioyned and yet the sunnes body doth not really reach as farre as the ââght doth The eye and the sight are nearely coââoyned and yet the sight reacheth to many things vnto which the eye doth not extend it selfe Because therefore Christs manhead is farâe exceeded of his Godhead it can be no where but his Godhead will be Psal 139. 7. 8. 9. Non sequitur vt quod in Deo est sit vbique vt Deuâ there also being infinite so well for place as it is for time and power and it cannot bee in euery place where his Godhead is It doth not follow saith Augustine that that which is in God should be euery where as God And though Christ sit at the right hand of God yet it doth no more âollow therof that he should be in all places then that as man he should be really before all time And whereas the Apostle saith that hee ascended to fill all thingâ his meaning is not that hee Eph. 4. 10. ImmortalitateÌ ei âedit naturaÌ non abstulit August went vp to fill all thing with his humanitie which is indeed become immortall but is noâ depriued of the naturall properties thereof but by the distribution of the gifts of his Spirit into the hearts of the elect in what place soeuer they liue Or as Bernard pleaseth to turne and vnderstand it that hee might ãâã vt adimpleret ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã all things which were foretold and which were required to our saluation And so the Greeke word signifieth Math. 15. 17. where Christ saith I came not to destroy but to fulfill ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Law Lastly seeing Christ was a true man and therefore hath a true body as other men all infirmities being now laâde aside it ouerthroweth the opânion of the Râmiâh Synagogue ãâã teacheth that his body is cor ãâ¦ã ly and âââst ãâ¦ã lly in the Sa ãâ¦ã nt We beleeue that his body ãâ¦ã ade of the purified substance of ãâã Viâgin and noâ of Bakers bread ãâã that aâ hath the essentiall properties of a true body as length latitude âââcknesse and circumscription and ââât it is noâ both visible in heauen and invisible vpon earth And although hee promised to be present Math. 28. 20 ââth his Disciples to the end of the world yet we must not thence conclude that his body was to continue among men vppon earth after his aâconâion For those words are to be vnderstood onely of the presence of Ier. 23. Enter praeâenter Deus hiâ vbique potenter his power grace spirite or godhead which filleth heauen and earth Indeed it is true that as hee hath taken his body with him vp so he hath left his body behinde him that is his Church vnto whom also he hath giuen leaue to consecrate certaine outward elements to be signes and seales of his body and bloud and which is Eph. 5. Col. 1. by a kinde of figure tearmed his body and bloud For the body of Christ is three-fold Naturall Mysticall Sacramentall But wee speake in this place of his naturall body to which the soule is vnited to make a true humane nature CHAP. III. Christs God-head is proued by foure arguments A Second doctrine hence ariseth in that the Apostle saith that Christ Doct. 2 hath washed vs from our sinnes in his bloud wheÌce I coÌclude that Christ is not onely man but also God For there cannot be that vigour vertue or validity in the bloud of any mere maÌ which is able to purge men of their sinnes and to procure the pardon of them and to satisfie the infinite iustice of God for them Therefore our Redeemer must needs be true God that his bloud might be meritorious and effectuall with God Besides this collection we haue euident testomonies out of holy writ and inuincible arguments to confirme this truth For the first Isaâah saith that Christ shal be called the Mightie God Is 9. 6. Iârâmy saith that his name
in his paines and eluctari to wrastle out of them and surpasse them Fiftly he must be able to sanctifie the offender so to keepe him as that he shal not after his ablution conuersion offend * This word noteth not the matter of the sinne but the manner of sinning as he did afore All which conditions are kept in Christ therefore the splendor of Gods iustice is not eclipsed Neither may we think it strange that the shedding of Christs blood which continued not verie long should be able to procure the pardon of so many sinnes of euerlasting punishments due vnto vs for them For his blood was the blood of that person who is true God and therefore his blood is more meritorious then the blood of all creatures his momentânie passions were of greater price and vertue then eternall sufferings of all creatures in the world whatsoeuer can be The validitie and merit of his blood ariseth from the dignitie of his person not from it owne nature nor froÌ the time of his passion The doctrine then remaineth firme and sure to wit that Christ hath purchased the pardon of our sinnes by his blood and hath satisfied the iustice of God for them to the full But it may be thus obiected to the contrarie Ob. First that sentence of Salomon seemeth to ascribe the pardon of sins to other things besides the blood of the Messias for he saith that by mercy and Pro. 16. 6. and truth sinnes shal be forgiuen Ans His meaning is that mercy and Sol. trueth are infallible signes thereof He that is mercifull and iust shall neuer haue his sinnes laied vnto his charge Seeing one Spirit ruled al the spirits of the holy writers we must not make 2. Pet. 1. 27 2. Tim. 3 16 one of them to contradict an other But the Scriptures else-where ascribe the remission of sinnes to the blood of Eâh 1. 7. Col. 1. 14 Eph. 2. 8. Tim. 3. 5. Christ exclude the works of righteousnes such as are wrought after we are regenerated Shall we say that any of our good works or vertues can merit any thing at the hands of God Are they not all imperfect Perfect indeed they are as they proceed from the Holy Spirit their proper fountaine but imperfect and polluted insomuch as they passe through the corrupt conduit-pipes and dirty channels of our wills and hearts And are they not all the gifts of God so farre forth as there is any goodnesse in them For what 1. Cor. 4. 7. hast thou that thou hast not receiued of him Now shall we thinke that those things can merit pardon which by reason of their imperfection had need be pardoned themselues And shall we stoppe Gods mouth with his owne gifts hope to pacifie his wrath with his owne works which his owne finger hath wrought within vs Or shuld we not rather confesse as Christ aduiseth wheÌ we haue done all things that are commaunded vs that we are vnprofitable seruants for we haue done but our dâtâe which we are bound to doe Luk. 17. 10. by vertue of many bândes Secondly the speech of the Prophet Deu 4 24. to Nebuchadnezzar is obiected Break off thy sins by righteousnes and thine iniquities by mercy towards the poore Ans The Prophet speaketh not of satisfaction for sin but onely of the manifestation of repentance by the Non causa venioe sed modus conuersionis illic descripbitur fruits therof as if he should say surcease from thy tyranny leaue thy cruelâie abandon thy sins and manifest thy repentance of them by the works of iustice and by shewing mercy to the poore whome thou hast oppressed Ob. 3. Yea but Christ sayth Giue âlmes and all things are cleane vnto you therefore it seemes Alms-deeds make Luk 11. 4. 8. men cleane and satisfie for offences Ans This place speaketh not one syllable of satisfaction for sins but sheweth that to them which giue almes aright to wit in sayth loue and singlenesse of heart all thing are cleane without any such superstitious ceremony of washing as the Pharisees had inuented for the purification and clensing of Gods creatures Ob. 4. Yea but loue which lincketh Col. 3. 14. the soule to the thing loued and locketh vp the heart fast therin and is Pet 4 8. the bond of perfection Loue shall prevayle it shall procure the pardon It shal couer a multitude of sins And Christ sayth Many sins are forgiuen her because Luk. 7. 47. she loued much Therfore our loue deserueth a pardon Ans No pardon it had rather need to be pardoned it is so cold so weak Indeed if our loue were perfect we need no pardon at all For hee that loueth perfectly fulfils the law perfectly For perfect loâe is the perfect fulfilling of Gods will who requireth nothing of vs but that we should loue him with all our heart minde soule and our Neighbour as our selues And dare we say that the weake performaÌce of a duty whervnto God doth bind vs is âable to merit a paââon for vs. of those things which we are not bouâd Rom. 13. 10 Math. 22. 28 to do but vnder a curse for bidden And as for that place of Peter it is plane by his exhortation to muâuall loue thaâ his meaning is that true loue is a presentmedicine against malice and our Mnesi-cakian reuengeful memory of by-past iniuâies and makes vs ready to forget forgiue the wrongs that are done vnto vs. And this Salomon plainly reacheth when hee sayth Hatred ââreth vp contentions but loue couerâth Pro. 10. 12. ãâ¦ã spasses Here is not a worde of any satisfaction for siâne in the sight of God but onely a commendation of brotherly loue drawen from a notable effect which it hath among men to make them for beare to reuenge and to beare with one an others infirmities And as for that speech of Christ we must know that it makes not her loue an impulsiue cause to moue God to pardon her sins but onely a signe that God had already forgiuen them and ãâã she had tasted deepely of his loue for the forgiuenesse of many sinnes ãâã our Lord had said Many sinnes are ãâã her therefore shee hath loued ãâã For the particle because is not Particula hoti noÌ est causalis sed illatiua vel âationalis argumeÌtum est ab effecta ad causam ãâã but âllatiue reasoning from the effect to the causâ as the words ensuing in that text doe shew To whome ãâã is forgiuen he loueth a little The like spee ãâ¦ã vsed in Iohn 8. 44. where our Sauiour saith that the diuell abode nât in the truth because there is no truth in him So we vse to say that a tree is Luke 7. 47. good because the fruite is good and yet the tree makes the fruit good and not the fruite the ãâã Ob. 2. Fiftly wee are iustified by Faith therefore our sins
Lord in righteousnes Wee are as the sons of Leui Priests I meane but spirituall let vs pray vnto Christ that hee would refine âz 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 sacâifices of righteousnesse so hee looketh that they Ps 4. 5. should be offered in righteousnes that is after a righteous and holy manner The fifâthing 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 offeâings that God will accept them By faith Abel offered Hâb 11. 4. vnto God a greater sacrifice theÌ Cain A sacrifice without faith is as a bodie wââhout a sâule a tree without pyth and therefore the sacrifice of the wicked who are destitute of true faith and not within the couânant is as Salomon Pro. 15. 8. teacheth an abomination to the Lord. Secondly we must ofâer vp all our sacrifices sincerely with an honest heart and in consâence of Gods cââmandement For God tryeth the hearââ and the Ps 9. râines and counterfet sanctâty is double iniquitie When wee giue almes which is one sacrifice the left haÌd shuld not knowe what the right hand doth And when wee pray to God which is another sacrifice we must not desâââ to Math. 6. be seene of men but ought to goe into our closets By which our Sauâââ meaneth that we should performe theâe dutâes sincerely without hypocriâââ 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 â6 12. The Law appointed a sacrifice in Leu. 1. 8. 9. which all the members were offered And the meate offering which the âeuit 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 Psalmâst saith Let them offer sacrifices of praise and declare Ps 107. 22. his workes with reâoycing 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 thâne 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 âd 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 ât 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 mâst offer vp all our sacrifices in the name oâ Christ Whatsoeuer ye do in word or deâd do all in the Col. 3. 17. Name of the Lord Iesus giâing 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 Godâead 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 âob 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
from all eternity communicating his whole God-head vnto him and yet not depriuing himselfe of it Hence wee lâarne First that as there is a God contraâie 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 âe iâ one in nature but distinguished For Esse ãâã ãâã est est ãâã ãâã sancâum the Son is not the father the father not the holy Ghost but they are distinguished by their incommunicâble properties The father is God begetting the Sonne is God begotten of the âather and the Holy Ghost is God proceeding from them both For they haue all one nature will Esse patâis est esse ãâã âpâtitus 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 âaââre 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 bâld 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 hâue 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 aâe to be condemned who giue themselues to the works of darknesse sacrificing to Venus by vncleaânes to Bacchus by dâunkennâs 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 Thanksgiuiâg 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 âscribeth all hoâoâr pâaâse 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 kângs 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 ââould say thou shalt haue all glory ââd miââion ascribed to thee or âât it be so let glory dominion and ãâã giue âor ascribed to him âor these inestimable benefits And thus ãâã bles his desire and sheweth how earnestly he dââh wish that Christ may haue all glorâ and dominion ascribed to him as it doth indeed of right beâânâ vnto him For he is the king of âââry the redeemer of the world the hââe of all ââângs the mâghty God tâe prince of peaâe the gouârnour of ãâ¦ã 1. 2. ãâ¦ã âath 28. 18 the Church and to him all power is giuen in heauen and in earth And this eâsâmple oâ Iohn should proucke vs ãâã âe ââââent and not to freeze in our desires of his prâyse and gâoây And as we ought to be vehement in desyring ãâã we should be as eager and prâmpt ãâã do all things whatsoeuer whiâh may deââre it among men and arâue ââe ardââcy ând integrity of our inâârd âffection And so doing we shall ãâã comâââ to our selues and dâmonstâaâe âur thânkfulnesse 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. reâde geuerall Pa 8. Li 11. reade many Pa 25. Lin 23 read goodly page 26. Li. â reade quantum Pa 31. Li 20 reâde 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. âead but we are Pâiests for no men properly as they weâe pa 229. Lin 20. read more Pa 232. Lin 10. râade not thinke Quid proâersâ gazaâ Cuius Christi quibus adde Châisti-colis Dic quot Ni duo si numores quae MeâituÌ 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 coâgestas Foenere gazas Ex Christi gazas Sanguine Lector habes E. S.