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
by faith shall many also be made righteous in Gods account Thirdly he is made vnto vs Sanctification not onely because hee doth mortifie the âleââ by the vertue of his death and quiââen vâ to holines by the vertue of his resârrection but also because his sanctification or holinesse is imputed to vs and serues as a vayle to couer the ãâ¦ã ption of our natures And lastly Redemption to redeeme and deliuer vs by his most meritorious passioâs by the effusion of his sacred blood and by the dignity of his death Ephe. 1. 7. from all our sins and from all punishments due vnto vs for them Therfore the Apostle may well and truely say that Christ loued them Hath loued Saint Iohn vseth the time past hath to shew that the loue of Christ is not new and that it was the âountaine and foundation of those two benefits which are set downe in the words immediatly ensuing Neither would it haue beene seemly to expresse the effects in words of the time past and to set forth their cause in a word of the time present especially in one continued sentence wherin also it hath prioritie of place as well as of nature Wherfore we may not from heÌce imagiâe that Christ doth not now or will not herafter loue his Church because the Apostle saith he hath loued For the lâââ of Christ is âânstant eternal vnto all his memberâ in which respect he is called an euerlasting Father His Isa 9. 6. a hole life was loue and his death was an infallible token of his loue For by hâs death we are deliuered from eternall death And as by his death he hath sanctified our death so by the vertue of his death he doth slay our sin within vs the cause of death vnto vs. In his resurrection he hath giuen vs a sufficieÌt testimonie of his loue For as he was deliuered to death for our sins so he rose again for our iustification that is that wee Rom. 4. 25. might be assured and assuredly persuaded that he did ouercome our sins by his death and made vs acceptable vnto his father And finally since his ascension into heauen his loue was neuer wanting But as he entred into heauen to appeare now in the sight of God his Heb. 5. 24. father for vs so also he euer liueth to make intercession for vs. And as by his grace Heb. 7. 25. he hath called vs out of the world and made vs partakers of his grace and heires apparent of his glory so by grace hee conserueth vs in the state of grace that albeit we liue in the world yet we are now no loÌger of the world but his who hath redeemed vs out of the world As in his loue he hath founded vs vpon himselfe as vpon a firme Math. 16. 18. and stable rock so de doth and will in loue confirme keep vs that the gates of hell the strength of the Diuell and the kingdome of darknesse shall neuer preuayle against vs. They may batter vs but they shall not beat vs downe they may come against vs but they shall not conquer vs they may war Bellare non debellare but they shall not win For Christ who is both strength and wisdome it selfe will defend and guard vs he will not fayle vs nor forsake vs but will giue all his sheep all his seruants eternall life mangre the malice and malicious Ioh. 10. 28. attempts wily stratagems of all their enemies how powerfull politique or pestiferous soeuer they may be It followeth Loued Vs that is you seuen Churches and me his Apostle Embassadour Hee loued them yet so as he loued all those also besides them that did beleeue in his name and do in all Eph. 5. 25. humility of heart wayte for his saluation Therfore Paul saith that Christ Loueth the Church and gaue himselfe for it euen the whole Church and all the faythfull and true members of it and her alone with this speciall loue Iohn 17. 9. for he would not vouchsafe to pray for the Reprobates It is good therfore for men to labour ere it be too late to be assuerd that their names are written in the booke of life that they are in albo siâorum Dei in the ranke and register of Gods children This shall suffice for the opening of the words the instructions are now to be propounded CHAP. III. Christes loue ãâã anatomized and our duââ to him for it is described FIrst seeing Christ hath loued vs we may see how deepe we are in his debt For if hee had not loued vs we should haue bene but abuââs forlorne Cast-awaies had he hated vs we should haue perished in our sinnes Hâs loue is our life and his mercie is the medicine of our maladies Christ as God with his Father and his Holy Spirit did in loue elect vs vnto life And in Christ as Gâd-man and Mediatour Eph. 1. 4. betwixt God and Man we were by God elected vnto glorie His pittie procureth our pardon and his grace our glorie For had not he liued like a man euen a true man we which are mere men had all died and perished eternally And had not he died for vs we should neuer haue liued with him and but that he did entierly loue vs he would haue neither liued nor died for vs. Yea finally his grace is our goodnesse for his loue and louing âândnes to vs made him make vs to be accounted good and glorious in the sight of God And as we are now iustified by him preserued and in part saâââified so we shal be hereafter also honoured of him and adorned with perfect Holines perpetuall happines Loe then Beloued as in a mirrour the wonderfull loue of Christ vnto vs be-behold the infinite riches of his grace the inestimable tokens of his loue What wilt thou render vnto him for his loue How canst thou requite his kindnes and recompence him for his goodnes All that thou canst doe which indeed thou shouldest do is to beleeue in his name to commend his loue to acknowledge his grace to laâd his benignitie to repent of thy sinnes to loue him againe and to demonstrate thy loue by Angelicall that is by sincere voluntarie constant alacrious and diligent obedience performed in all humilitie and integâitie of faith and loue vnto all his precepts For Christ himselfe saith If ye loue me keepe my commandements He that hath my commandements Iohn 14. 15 21 and keepeth them is he that loueth me and hee that loueth me shal be loued of my father and I will loue him and will shew my selfe vnto him If any man 23. 24. loue me he will keepe my word he that loueth mee not keepeth not my wordes By which it plainly appeareth that those onely loue Christ that are carefull to keepe his commandements Those therefore do not loue him but shew themselues disloyal Rebells that plucke vp the quick-set of his lawes that breake
vsuall in such obdured hearts he shall not escape it Sixtly seeing Christ doth make men kings and priests we that are desirous of this dignitie are taught to sue to him Wouldst thou bâaking to subdue the rebellious corruptions which lurke like tâaytours in thy heart Wouldest thou be a priest to offer vp vnto God the sacrifices of righteousnesse then flie to Christ he is the Spring from whence these benefits do flow it is he that makes vs kings and priests Yet here withal remember that neither the Father nor the Holy Ghost must be excluded from this worke For they haue all their hands in working of it The Father makes vs by his Sonne by âis Spirit It was his loue that Christ was sent vnto vs and that the Holy Ghost doth come into vs. The Sonne makes vs by his merit and vertue And the Holy Ghost makes vs by working faith in our hearts whereby we lay hold vpon Christ who hath procured this dignitie for vs and doth apply vnto vs his obedience whereby we become acceptable to God and his blood whereby all our sinnes are washed the vertue of his death and resurrection whereby we die to sinne and rise to righteousnesse For all the works of God wrought vpon the creature are common to the three persons which in euerie operation do cooperate how be it in a distinct manner as Basil sheweth when he saith The Father begins the worke the Lib. de spir san c. 16. Sonne workes it in his owne person and the Holy Ghost doth finish it CHAP. II. Christ hath bestowed that foresaid honour vpon All Beleeuers This Doctrine is applied to six purposes ANd so from the Agent we come vnto the Subiect vpon whom this ãâã worke is wrought to wit all the children of God all that Christ hath loued all that he hath washed in his bloud from their sinnes of what sex or sort of what race or ranke soeuer and they alone So that first we may herby learne to know whether our sins are actually cleÌsed froÌ vs or no. For if Christ hath washed thee from them he hath also made thee a king and a priest Therefore if thou warre with sinne like a prince of spirit and dâest conquer the corruption of thine heart and offer vp vnto God such oblations as are pleasing vnto him then maist thou concluâe that Christ hath purged thee For whome he washeth them he thus honoreth with this grace to them he conferres this dignitie Secondly seeing he hath made vs kings and priests who are moââall and mâserable and by nature the seruants of sinne the children of wrath and his verâe enemies We may behold as in a mirrour First his admirable loue in scatteâing the bright beames of his grace vpon such a loathsome Dunghill as we are all by reason of the rotteÌnes of our natures Secondly we may behold his exceeding commiseration in shewing so great mercy to such despicable and vile wretches Thirdly we maâ see his wonderful power in quickning vs that are by nature starke dead in sin making vs to liue like spiritual kings maslâcring the enemies of our soules within vs and as holy preists sacrificing our selues vnto God Fourthly we see that pouârtie penurie crosses calamities such like do not restraine him from bestowing his preferments Fiftly we see his integriâe exprâessing his words by works his pâeaching by his practise For hee commandeth vs to loue our enemies and we see Math. 5. 44. how well he hath affected vs in promoting vs so high that were his enemies And by this we see that in conferring his benefits he is far from the fashion of the world Many men do neuer shew any tokens of loue to theÌ that haue offended them or reuoulted from them but vsually they seeke to be reuenged of them either openly or vnder-hand But Christ hath caried no such spleene to vs but hath highly honoured vs who haue iniustly dishonoured him and many waâes displeased both him and his father The consideration of his loue should persuade vs to reloue him His mercy should keepe vs from dispaire His power teacheth vs to coÌfesse his diuinitie His practise should moue vs to do our selues as we exhort others to do as also to break the common custome of the world and to shew the fruits of loue to those that shew nothing lesse to vs. For in so doing we shall heap coales of fire vpon their heads Thirdly wee are all taught to reuerence one another Let not the rich contemne the poore let not the young despise the olde let not the noble disdaine the simple let not the learned polititian vilipend the man of meaner vnderstanding For if we be Christs we are All of vs spiritually Kings and Priests one as truely as another wee are all the Lords annointed He that aduanced one hath aduaunced the rest the poore as well as the rich the meane man as well as the mighty Monarch And though here in this world God himselfe hath made vs subiects commands our obedience to his LieutenaÌts here on earth whom to disobey is to rebell against God himselfe yet when we come to take possession of our heauenly kingdome in the day of our spituall Coronation all outward circumstances shal be layde downe and if in this world the poore man haue exceeded the rich in the growth of grace be shall in the world âo come excell him ân the greatnes of glory For as we haue husbanded the talents of Gods graces committed to vs in this life so God in mercy will reward vs with his glory in the life to come Fourthly seeing Christ doth make those kings and priests whom hee washeth in his bloud it should stirre vs vp to labour by all meanes to be partakers of it As wee desire this true nobilitie to possesse this great aduancement so let vs be carefull of the other that in all assurance wee may enioy it For these benefites are inseparable Hee that enioyes not that Bloud hath not this honour Fiââly seeing all the faithfull of all callings and conditions are thus aduanced we are taught not to iudge of a mans finall estate or of the qualitie of ãâã ânward condition by his outward successe For the dearest children of God in this world as Iob Dauid Paul are vsually afflicted and sometimes so crossed as that to caânall men which spend their daies in wealth their Iob. 27. 13. yeares in pleasures they seeme accursed and to be the onely miserable men that liue vpoÌ the earth and yet ãâã thelesse their inward estate before God is very glorious wherefore the Psalmist saith The kings daughter is all Psal 45. 13. glorious within her cloathing is of broydred gold Christ doth loue her Christ hath washt her Christ hath clad her with the golden garment of his righteousnes hath made her a royal priesthood Now as the Church our mother is so are all those that are her faithfull true children according as
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.
his loue who is goodnesse it selfe and to be perswaded of his grace that is the fountaine of grace and the author of al true glorie Fiftly this assurance is an vndoubted token of true faith yea indeed the verie forme and sap thereof For what else is sauing faith but a particular certain perswasion and assurance of Christ his loue and of those benefits which are deriued from it Now he that hath true faith may assure himselfe that he is a faithfull man a Gal. 3. 26. Ioh. 10. 26. childe of God a sheepe of Christ possessed with the kingdome of grace and entituled to the kingdome of glorie Sixtly this assurance is the more to be respected because it is appropriated to the Elect. For it is not possible that any of the Reprobates who are forsaken of God not beloued of Christ should in their consciences be truely assured of the loue of Christ Indeed as he that is in a dreame may thinke he hath cloathes on his backe and mony in his purse though he haue not any so the Reprobate may be so held with a dreame or possessed with a spirituall phrenzie that he may imagine himselfe to be in the fauour of God and to partake of Christs loue albeit indeed he be not so but is a verie vasâall of Satan and a vessell of wrath ordained to eternall damnation Q. How then may some man say shall I come to this assurance A. I answer he that loueth Christ as Christ hath taught him may know for certen that Christ loueth him And a man shall neuer truly loue Christ till he be persuaded in some measure that Christ doth loue him We loue him because he loued vs. Secondly he that is carefull to serue and honour him may assure himselfe that he is beloued of him For Christ himselfe saith that both hee and his Father do loue those Ioh. 14. 21. that keep his commandements Therfore be thou sure that thou doest obey him and then thou mayest assure thy selfe of his loue Thirdly a man may know that Christ loued him of he find in him selfe the fruites of the Spirit which are found in none but in those whom Christ doth loue These fruits are peace of conscience ioy long suffering Gal. 5. 22. gentlenes goodnes meeknes temperancy and brotherly loue And albeit the Reprobate may haue these fruits in shew yet he hath them not indeede as the Godly haue All is not the Sun which shineth neither is all that Gold which glisters For if they should be tryed by the touchstone of the word it would appeare that their mettall were not good golde but guilded copper and that their vertues were Laruae aâ simulacra virtutum NaÌ vt Hieron ait âine Christo omnis virtus vi tium est but masked vices couered only with the vaile of sanctity like many apples which haue red cheekes but rotten cores For they come not from Christ they are not framed vpoÌ the stithy of an honest heart with the haÌmer of Gods word by the finger of his holy Spirit Et August Virtutes nisi ad Deum referantur non sunt virtutes neither are they vsed in that manner to that end which God coÌmandeth which God liketh They be rather natures gifts then Gods graces naturall moralities and not morall graces Finally if thou woldest yet know further how thou maist attaine to this assuraÌce then obserue diligently Gods dealing with thee from time to time and flie vnto Christ in heauen with the wings of thy soule by earnest and incessant supplication bow downe the knees of thy soule before him and desire him of his loue to send his holy Spirit into thee that may teach thee to crie Abba father and may assure thee of his loue vnto thee Whatsoeuer thing we aske of him with confideÌce to be heard for his names sake if it like him he will without faile bestowe it on vs. CHAP. VII The sins of the faithfull do not put out the eye of Christs loue and extinguish the fire of his grace SIxtly seeing that the Apostle saith that Christ loued those Churches in which notwithstanding there were sundry defects many wrinkles many moles many diseases we may see that those are too blind and too vncharitable who censure all those as quite âalleÌ from grace and vtterly out of Gods fauour who do fall into any greeuous sin or haue the plauge-sores of sin as it were running vpon them A man may haue the Leprosy and yet liue the life of nature so a man may through naturall âraâltie haue the leprosie of sin in his soule yet liue the life of grace A man may be a liue yea and liue thogh he haue the plague in his body so may he liue though he be sick of the plague of sin for no sin shall quite put out the life of grace in him that is regenerate Noah Lot Dauid and Peter fell greeâously but yet their falls were not vnto death though in themselues they were deadly Paul was not afrayd to call the back-sliding Galathians Brethren Gal. 1. 4. 11 and to say according to his iudgement of charity that Christ did giue himselfe for their sinnes A man may fall though he fall not quite away And as Augustine saith The righteousnes Iustitia sanctoruÌ in hoc mundo magis peccatorum remissione coÌstat quam perâectione virtutum of saints in this world consisteth rather in the remission of sins then in the perfection of vertues Our best perfection is to confesse and labour to correct our imperfection A Father may suffer his child to stumble fall in his presence and yet loue him dearly and so Christ whose children and sâed we are may Heb. 2. 13. Is 53. 10. suffer vs to fall into sin and yet continue firme in loue For he doth it to make vs to distaste our pride to despaire These vses men should make of their falls of our owne strength to depend vpon him to ascribe our standing vnto him to cling the closer about him to seeke and sue vnto him for his aide to blush at our selues to thinke more charitably of other men that fall to renounce Sathan their natiue corruptions to wax wise and warie of falling and to teach other men to looke the better to ther feet and to shew his grace by helping of them vp againe Yet neuerthelesse we must be verie vigilant and take heed that we giue not the reignes to sinne For though Christ may loue a man that sinneth so it be of weakenesse yet he hateth his sinne perhaps he wil correct him sharply for it and carrie himselfe for a time like an enemie But as for him that walketh in sinne and weltereth in his wickednes sinning with full consent of will without remorse of conscience Christ doth either actually haâe him as if he be a Reprobate or at the least he doth not actually reueale his loue vnto him thogh he be one of Gods Elect
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
because of them Most of his Apostles âf not all were poore and the deaâest children of God are subiect to greâuâus crosses and haue beene in all Act. 16. 31. ages Beleeue in the Lord Iesus and thou shalt be loued Returne from All thy sinnes and do that which is right and thou shalt surely liue and not die how Ez. 18. 21. poore base or vile so euer thou maiest be Yea further thogh thou beest wicked and by thy sinnes an enemie to God yet dispaire not but beleeue and repent For Christ doth not die for vs because we are holy he doth not wash vs because we are cleane out by washing vs he makes vs cleane Christ did not die for the righteous but for the Vngodly and for the Vniust and therefore Paul saith God setteth out his loue Rom. 5. 6. 1. Pet. 3. 18. towards vs seeing that while we were yet Sinners Christ dyed for vs. Beââeue therfore and repent leaue sinne liue vprightly assure thy selfe of the blood Rom. 5. 8. of Christ for the remission of thy sins His merit âs greater then thy miserie Rom. 4. 5. Rom. 3. 22. and a saluâ made of his blood is able to cure all the sores of thy soule Thirdly seeing the bloud of that one man Christ Iesus hath clensed vs all Vse 3 from all our sinnes we are admonished to loue one another Some of vs are not washed in the bloud of one and the rest in the bloud of another but we are all washed in the bloud of one and one hath washed vs al therfore we ought al as if we were but one to loue agree one with an other This kind of argument is vsed by the prophet Malachy Mal. 2. 10. when he saith Haue we not all one father Hath not one God made vs Why doe wee transgresse euery one against his brother And the Apostle exhorting the Ephesians Eph. 4. 3. 4. to keepe the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace vseth this as a reason to perswade them too it because there is one body one spirit one Lord one faith one baptisme one God and Father of all Euen so say I Forasmuch as one man one God Christ Iesus who is both God and man hath washed vs all from our sinnes by the merit of his most pretious bloud why should wee transgresse one against another as wee vse to doe And why doe wee not rather affect and embrace on an other Doe we not all come out of his loines Eph. 5. 30. Are wee not all flesh of his flesh and bones of his bones Hath not be washt vs all for himselfe Doe wee not all spring froÌ that water from that bloud which sprang ãâã him when he hanged on the crossâ I noââe that bread of life which we all eate off that well that water of life which we all drinke off that meane or that wish to liue Doe wee all breath by him âaue we all theâ emission of all our sinneâ by his bloud Hath hee communicated his bloud to vs all And shall we disgrace abuse contemne and oppresse one an other We should rather be kind courteous louing folowing ãâã âhings which concerne peace and amitie and Rom. 14. 19. wherewith one may edifie an other Fourthly seeing our sinâ cost Christ his bloud we may as in a glasse behold Vse 4 the rigour and seuetitie of Gods absolute iustice who would be pacified only by the bloud of his owne Sonne By which we see that he is not altogether mercy as many foolish and presumptuous Totus Deus est miserie ordia non to taliter persons dâe imagine It is true indeede that God is mercifull and so âiche in mercie as that hee sent his Sonne to saue vs but yet with âll he is so iust that rather then sin should scape vnpunished hee hath made his Sonne to beâre the punishment of it And as for those thaâ will not by fayth receiue hâs sonne and will not reforme their liues but goe on in sinne without repentance hee hath for the manifestation of his iustice reserued to eternall âorments And theâefore Iob saith The Iob. 21. 30. wicked is kept vnto the day of destruction and they shal be brought foorth to the day of wrath And the Psalmist saith accordingly In the hand of the Lorde there is a cup and the wine is red it is sul Psal 75. 8. mixt and he powreth out of the same surely all the wicked of the earth shall wring out and drinke the dregs thereof We see therfore that his mercy doth not shoulder out his iustice Let no man therefore sinne in hope of pardon For our God is euen a consuming fire to consume vp all impenitent sinners and it Heb. 12. 29. Deut. 4. 24. Heb. 10. 31. is a fearefull thing to fall into his hands Fiftly we may see the heynousnes of sinne For we must not thinke that Vse 5 small which cost so great a price and made the bloud of God be shed for the pardon of it Let vs therfore detest our sins account theÌ greuous not smal They displease God they deserue his iudgemeÌts they prouoke his anger they hinder his blesâings they trouble our peace and procure our death Like the Ier. 5. 25. worme they eat the wood wherin it was bred they destroy the soule wherin they we eingendred Plinie wriâeth that the Vipers kill their damme at their coÌming fâorâh Euen so the byâth of sin is in desert Hist nat lib. ãâã cap. 62. the death of the sinner Our sinnes crucified the Lord of life they were the nayles that pierced him the thornes that pricked him and the speare that was thrust through him He for our sinnes laid downe his life and spilt his bloud They made him grone and sigh they made him sweat water and bloud they tormented his soule and made it heauy vnto death yea they made him cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee The consideration of these things Math. 27. 46 should moue vs vnlesse like mountains we wll not be moued to relinquish and abhorre our sins When Peter had told the Iewes that they had crucified the Lord they were strucken as with a thuÌder-bolt from heauen and beeing pricked in heart they cryed ãâã Men and brethren what shall wee doe Thy sinnes Act. 2. 37. haue crucified the Lord of glory they nayled him fast vnto the crosse they would not die till he was dead hee was faine to make a Bath of his bloud of his best bloud his Heart-bloud to clense wash thee from them Repent therefore and relent condemne and accurse them forsake and hate them Wilt thou liue in theÌ that made Christ to die wilt thou delight in them that made Christ to mourne Canst not thou mourne for them that made him to bleed Indeed Pro. 14. 9. the Foole maketh but a mocke of sinne But wilt thou needs be that