of the innumerable benefits which hee hath and daily doth powre out vpon vs Communia specialia singularia Common to all creatures speciall to men singular and peculiar to good men Totum mundum dedit hee hath giuen vs the whole world to be vsed by all Vnicum silium dedit he hath giuen vs his onely Sonne to be beleeued in by all Spiritum sanctum dedit hee hath giuen vs his holy spirit to be receiued by all Quid maius quid melius daret What should hee giue greater or better Howbeit we must not loue God onely for temporall good things for such loue is reprochfull and iniurious to God The reason is Propter quod vnum quodque amatur illud ipsum magis amatur If wee loue God for temporall things only we loue them more then God For cessante beneficio cessat amor If God cease to be good to vs wee will cease to loue him Mali saith Austen vtuntur Deo vt fruantur mundo Vtimur mundo fruimur Deo Boni vtuntur mundo vt fruantur Deo The wicked and vngodly vse God that they may enioy the world the good and godly vse the world that they may enioy God The fourth cause why we loue God is because he hath promised and prepared for vs such good great glorious things euen such as neither eye hath seene nor eare heard nor the tongue of man able to expresse Totus homo implebitur gaudio The whole man shall bee filled with ioy and for euer freed from iniquitie necessity calamity mortality enioying secure quietnesse quiet ioyfulnesse ioyfull blessednes blessed euerlastingnesse and euerlasting happinesse Non de his quae condidit sed de seipso Austen Not of these things which God hath made but of himselfe The maner of our loue towards God is set downe by our Sauiour in the Gospell of S. Matthew cap. 22. 37. Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart with all thy soule andd with all thy mind With all thine heart that is feruently with all thy soule that is wisely with all thy mind that is constantly Peter loued Christ feruently Though all men bee offended at thee yet will I neuer bee offended not wisely Master pittie thy selfe not constantly Non noui hominem I know not the man But after Christ had looked backe vpon him hee loued Christ feruently wisely constantly For the loue of his heart so inflamed his zeale the knowledge of his soule so guided it and the constancy of his mind so confirmed it Euseb lib. 2. Cap. 25. that without feare of the crosse hee was crucified for his Master Christ The third loue is that wherewith we loue one another Albeit I trust I may say as Paul wrote to the Thessalonians â— Thes 4 9. Concerning brotherly loue I need not speake vnto you for ye your selues are already taught of God to loue one another Yet the loue of Christ constraineth mee to entreat you that your loue one towards an other may encrease more and more This loue is commanded by our Sauiour Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe not prescribing the quantity but the quality of our loue that as we loue our selues truly Omnia bona nobis cupimus quaerimus sectamur omnia mala fugimus cauemus repellimus sincerely continually so should wee loue our neighbours truely sincerely continually Not that we should loue all alike for as wee must doe good to all but especially to them that are of the houshold of Faith so must we loue all but specially them that loue God Meliori maior affectus indigentiori maior effectus tribuendus Melius est amare quà m amari To the better we must beare greater affection to the poorer we must yeeld greater releefe Nor commanding vs to loue none more then our selues for in some cases we are bound to loue another more then our selues as the subiect is bound to loue his Soueraigne more then himselfe being an excellent instrument of much good to the Church and Common-wealth So the Galathians louing Paul more then themselues would haue pulled out their eies to haue giuen them to Paul because hee was the trumpet of Gods glory and so worthy an instrument of Gods grace This loue wherewith wee loue one another our Sauiour commendeth to his Disciples as a sure badge whereby they shall be distinguished from others and knowne to bee his Disciples By this shall men know that yee are my Disciples if ye loue one another To this Saint Peter exhorteth Aboue all things haue feruent loue among your selues To this S. Iohn exhorteth Let vs not loue in word and tongue but in deed and in truth To this Saint Paul exhorteth Be yee followers of God as deare children and walke in loue And in the former Epistle to the Corinthians the 13. chapter reckoning vp diuers excellent gifts peremptorily auoucheth that without loue they are all as nothing where also setting downe the properties of loue amongst the rest as not the least saith that loue suffereth all things pro fratribus enduring any cost labour trauell for their good propter fratres bearing all crosses afflictions persecutions for their sakes à fratribus suffering wrongs and putting vp iniuries at their hands The reasons why we should loue one another are chiefly these Because there is nothing more naturall then that man should loue man Man cannot liue alone without man Homo homini Deus Man is the most excellent creature of God vnder the heauens God loueth all his creatures especially man most especially good men God commandeth vs to loue one another whose commandement not to obey Nefas est It is a wicked rebellious thing All godly men are members of the same mysticall body These haue all one Lord one Faith one Hope one Baptisme one Saluation and shall haue all one glory in heauen essential though not accidentall Hee is then vnworthy the name of a man which with Tymon hateth man He is vnworthie the name of a Christian an which with Iulian persecuteth a Christian What perswasion more effectuall can I vse then that of the Apostle What example more excellent can you follow then that of our Sauiour Collossians the third chapter the twelfth and thirteenth verses vt sancti electi dilecti As the saints of God elect of God beloued of God if you haue any part in these graces election sanctification and the loue of God Put on the bowels of mercy kindnesse humblenesse of mind meekenes long suffering forbearing one another and forgiuing one another euen as Christ freely and bountifully forgaue you euen so doe yee Lastly the Apostle wisheth an encrease of loue Loue bee multiplyed vnto you Because loue is the fulfilling of the law the badge of Christ his Disciples the bond of perfection the bond of the Church the bond of the common-wealth the bond of all good societies it ioyneth God vnto man man vnto God and man to man It enuieth not disdaineth not seeketh not her owne thinketh not euill but suffereth long suffereth all things endureth all things couereth the multitude of sinnes and offences non expiando non veniam promerendo sed fraternè condonando non vindicando non diffamando Not by purging or satisfying for sinnes not by deseruing pardon and binding God to forgiue sinnes but by brotherly forgiuing trespasses not reuenging our selues not defaming others Per amorem Dei amor proximi gignitur per amorem proximi amor Dei nutritur By louing of God our loue towards our neighbour is bred in vs by louing our neighbour our loue to-towards God is nourished in vs. Qui proximum amare negligit Deum diligere nescit Hee that neglecteth to loue his neighbour doth not yet know how to loue God For â—iligi noÌ„ potest â—eus sine proxiâ—o nec proxiâ—us sine Deo Augustin de â—uitat Dei â—b 14. cap. 7. charitas est motus animi ad fruendum Deo propter ipsum se atque proximo propter Deum I conclude with the blessed prayer of the blessed Apostle Mercie peace and loue bee vnto you Mercy from God the Father the Father of mercies Peace from God the Son the Prince of peace Loue from God the holy Ghost the loue of the Father and the Sonne Mercy the fountaine of saluation Peace the fruit of mercie Loue the fruit of peace Mercy vnto you releasing your sinnes Peace vnto you quieting your consciences Loue vnto you ioyning you vnto God and one vnto another Now the very God of Mercy Peace and Loue giue you mercy peace and loue To whom bee ascribed all glory honour power wisedome might and maiesty now and for euer more Amen FINIS
THE HOLY SALVTATION OF THE BLESSED APOSTLE Saint Jude to the Saints and seruants of God PREACHED AT PAVLS Crosse the seuenteenth of Nouember Anno Dom. 1611. By FRANCIS TOMLINSON Preacher of the Word and Chaplaine to the Right Honourable the Lord Ellesmere Lord High Chancellor of England and Chancellor of Oxford Quibus parum vel quibus nimium mihi ignoscant quibus autem satis est non mihi sed domino mecum gratias agant AT LONDON Imprinted by FELIX KYNGSTON for George Norton dwelling neare Temple barre 1612. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL RELIGIOVS AND VERTVous Knight Sir THOMAS LVCIE high Sheriffe of Warwick-shire mercy peace and loue bee multiplied RIght Worshipfull when I was called by my Lord of London to preach at Pauls Crosse I resolued with my selfe to answere with Moses Exod. 5.10 I am not eloquent but slow of speech slow of tongue with Ieremie Ier. 1.6 I cannot speake for I am a child in vnderstanding with Iohn Baptist non sum dignus Matth. 3.11 I am not worthie and with Saint Paul 1. Cor. 15.9 I am the least of the Apostles not worthy to bee called an Apostle neuerthelesse being commanded I did obey obeying spake speaking feared rather a reprouing then an approuing of that I spake howbeit beyond all desert and desire it pleased some of friendship and affection to commend others of fauour and good conceit euen then conceiued instantly to vrge that my poore paines might be printed which I vtterly refused as vnworthy to see the light since I vnderstand by some that some haue giuen out that if I will not giue a true and perfect copie they will put it out in parts peeces and imperfect as they tooke it of two euils therefore I haue chosen the lesse chusing rather to vndergo the hard censures of such as are more readie to censure others then doe any good themselues then to suffer this simple Sermon without my knowledge and consent to be thrust forth in imperfect notes I affect not popular praise nam quis ego sum aut quae est in me facultas Neither doe I respect the vncharitable censures of Papists â—usten Atheists Schismatickes for qui volens detrahit famae meae nolens addit mercedi meae He which with his will impaires my name against his will augments my reward But my desire is onely that my poore talent may bee imployed to Gods glory let God be glorified by me and let me still bee vilified for Gods sake Not vnto mee O Lord not vnto mee but to thy holy name giue the glory That I am bold to shroud these first fruits of my simple labours vnder your Right Worshipfull patronage besides priuate causes your Zeale of Gods glory delight in Gods sacred word great loue to learning and religion good fauours towards Gods Ministers haue deseruedly inuited mee macte virtute esto goe forward I beseech you in godlines encrease in grace grow from strength to strength from vertue to vertue be constant in the faith stoutly defend the truth earnestly contend for the truth let not the cunning Papist seduce you nor the malecontent Schismaticke insinuate himselfe into you nor the godlesse Atheist ring and sing in your eares diuellish charmes but honour him sincerely which will honour you loue him feruently which loueth you delight in him chiefly which delighteth in you cleaue to him inseparably which will neuer forsake you sed quid verbis opus vbi nihil opus I know you doe it Phil. 1.3.4.5 and I thanke my God hauing you in perfect memorie alwaies in all my prayers praying with gladnesse because of the fellowship which you haue in the Gospell from the first day I knew you till now yet as Paul Syluanus and Timotheus gaue hearty thanks to God for the Thessalonians that they had receiued the Gospell in such sort that they were examples not onely to them of Macedonia and Achaia 1. Thes 1.2.7 but also to the Christians in all quarters so doe they earnestly desire them to continue according to their good beginnings cap. 4.1 we beseech you brethren say they and exhort you in the Lord Iesus that ye encrease more and more as ye haue receiued of vs how ye ought to walk please God as if they shuld haue said we do not command you as Lords ouer you as now the Pope doth sic volo sic iuiubeo stat pro ratione voluÌ„tas as CoÌ„stantius that Arian Emperour quod ego volopro canone sit but we beseech entreat and exhort you by the Lord Iesus that if you respect and reuerence Christ if you feare him as a Lord and loue him as Iesus suffer the words of exhortation for wee speake from him and for him In like maner I beseech you Right worshipfull giue me leaue currenti addere calcar Seneca habet hoc proprium generosus animus vt excitetur ad honesta It is proper to a noble minde to bee excited to honest actions and seeing I know that you know in religione vera virtus in virtute vera nobilitas and that nulla vera religio sine sapientia Lactantius nec vlla vera sapientia fine religione Pardon my Zealous affection and tender care of your euerlasting good enforceing mee to beseech you to goe forward in good things and encrease more and more in godlinesse for declining in religion brings a staine of honour and a decay euen of temporall portion I feare it not in you for as it is no small comfort to mee often to call to mind the tractablenesse willingnesse readinesse I found in you to drink in thirstingly the principles of religion when I taught you also the rudiments of Grammar so is it and euer shall be my great comfort not onely to heare of it but often to be an eye and eare witnesse of your zeale for the truth of God I meane your resolute constancy and constant resolution to defend the truth against malicious Papists malecontent Schismaticks and miscreant Atheists continue in the same fight the good fight stir vp that gift of God which is in you be faithfull vnto the end and in the end you shall receiue the end of your faith euen the saluation of your soule In the meane time I humbly beseech you to pardon my importunate boldnesse and accept of this poore widdowes mite as an vndoubted testimonie of my vnfained affection towards you in the Lord. Now the Lord of Lords enlarge his mercies more and more towards you perpetuate to you an honourable name and memory amongst his faithfull seruants in this present life and crowne you with an endlesse crowne of glory in the life to come Your worships in all dutifull affection FRANCIS TOMLINSON THE HOLY SALVTATION OF the blessed Apostle S. Iude. IVDE 1.2 1 Iude a seruant of Iesus Christ and brother of Iames to them that are called and sanctified of God the Father and reserued to Iesus Christ 2 Mercie vnto you and peace and loue
be multiplied THis holy Epistle of the blessed Apostle Iude though shorte yet sententious though little yet not lightlie to be regarded for albeit it containe not argument and matters of sundrie sorts as the sacred Epistles of other Apostles do yet as it were in one generall exhortation the Apostle exhorteth the Saints and seruants of God to constancie and perseuerance in their profession of the Gospell inueighing sharply against carnall profession and grosse abusing of Christian religion and also admonisheth them to beware of impostors seducers false teachers cunning deceauers which were craftily crept in amongst them drawing men from puritie of religion to impuritie of the flesh whom the Apostle liuelie painteth out in their seuerall colours and against whom he iustly denounceth the fearefull iudgements of God to be inflicted vpon them for plaine and euident demonstration whereof he setteth down manifold examples and manifest testimonies out of the sacred scriptures The maine scope then and generall drift of th'Apostle in this Epistle is partly to set downe the dutie of euery Christian and partly to set out the corruptions of those and these times The occasion of writing this Epistle was this It is affirmed by the most learned of all times and agreed vpon by the best writers that this Apostle Iude out-liued many yea most of the Apostles continuing and preaching in Mesopotamia Pontus Persis and other parts of the world till the reigne of Domitian the Emperor in whose reigne iniquitie reigned impietie abounded corruption of manners and dissolution of life raged in euery place Yea euen some which made an outward shew of religion waxed wanton abusing the free fauour grace and mercy of God promised and published in the Gospell Which when this holy man of God saw and seeing greeued at it he wrote this Epistle admonishing the Saintes of God to take heede to themselues lest they also should be carried away with the errors of the wicked and so fall from their owne stedfastnes and not onely so but that in so dangerous times they should earnestlie contend against seducers and constantly defend the faith truth and religion of Iesus Christ once receaued These words are the holy and religious salutation of the blessed Apostle S. Iude wherein as vsually in euery salutation it may please you to obserue three circumstances 1. The person saluting 2. The persons saluted 3. The forme or manner of salutation The person saluting is described three wayes 1. By his name Iude. 2. By his calling A seruant of Iesus Christ 3. By his kinred The brother of Iames. The persons saluted are adorned and beautified with 3. excellent titles 1. They are called of God 2. They are sanctified by God 3. They are reserued to Iesus Christ The forme of salutation is a prayer wherein the Apostle wisheth three blessing 1. Mercie 2. Peace 3. Loue. Mercy the fountaine of Saluation Peace the fruit of Mercy Loue the fruit of peace Of these in order by Gods assistance and your christian patience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iude or Iudas of this name our Sauiour had two Apostles the one called Iudas Iscariot who for thirtie peeces of siluer betrayed and basely sold his Lord and Master Seruus Dominum Discipulus magistrum homo Deum creatura creatorem tradidit vendidit vilissimè vendidit The seruant betrayed sold most basely sold his Lord the Disciple his Master man God the creature the Creator Infoelix mercator Iudas Oh vnhappie wretched accursed merchant Iudas The other called Iudas the sonne of Alphaeus called also Thaddaeus and Lebbaeus which variety of names was giuen him as some thinke not onely to distinguish him from Iudas the traitor but that the very name of Iudas as odious to all might vtterly be forgotten howbeit this Apostle not ashamed of this and his name in the very forefront of his Epistle calleth himselfe Iudas I rather thinke then that these names Thaddaeus and Lebbaeus were giuen vnto this Apostle neither to distinguish him from Iudas the traitor nor vtterly to extinguish the name of Iudas but because Iudas Thaddaeus and Lebbaeus signifie all one thing to wit praising or confessing The occasion of which name with the reason thereof is set downe in the 29. chapter of Genesis the 35. verse For when Leah had borne three sons to Iacob she conceiued and bare a fourth sonne saying Now will I praise or confesse the Lord and she called his name Iudah The author then of this Epistle could not bee Iudas the traitor for hee had hanged himselfe long before Euseb lib. 4. cap. 5. nor Iude the fifteenth Bishop of Ierusalem for he was long after but Iude the son of Alphaeus and seruant of Iesus Christ. Serui à seruando Augustine de ciuitate Dei lib. 19. cap. 15. because such as by right of warre and law of Armes might haue been slaine and put to death being reserued and kept aliue by the Emperours and conquerors were sold and made seruants Of seruants there are three sorts 1. some by slauish voluntarie subiection 2. some by condition 3. some by profession The first the seruants of sinne the second of men the third of God The first seruice sinfull the second ciuill the third Christian Seruants of sinne they are which with greedinesse commit sinne 1 Facere peccatum non est simpliciter peccare sed toto anima in peccatum in cumbere Qui facit peccatum sernus est peccati Hee which committeth sinne saith our Sauiour he is the seruant of sinne Ioh. 8.34 That is Quisquis indulget peccatis secure peccat peccata peccatis addit non potest non peccare Whosoeuer doth giue himselfe ouer to commit sinne with greedinesse doth sinne with security without remorse doth adde sinnes vnto sinnes without repentance cannot but sinne hee is rightly tearmed the seruant of sinne Know yee not saith the Apostle that to whomsoeuer yee giue your selues as seruants to obey Rom. 6.16 his seruants yee are to whom yee obey whether it bee of sinne vnto death or of obedience vnto righteousnesse Duram seruiunt seruitutem They which serue sinne serue a hard seruice Stipendium peccati mors The wages of sinne is death Faciunt peccatum saith Augustine vt aliquam corporalem caperēt voluptatem In euangel Iohannis tract 41. voluptas transit peccatum manet praeterit quod delectabat remanet quod pungat They commit sinne that by sin they may take some corporall pleasure the pleasure passeth away Nocet empta dolore voluptas the sinne remaineth That which once delighted is gone that which may still sting abideth Seruants by condition they are which are either borne such by nature or taken captiues in warre or bought with money they which are hired are hirelings to such seruants Saint Paule giueth graue counsell Seruants obey those Ephes 6.5.6 which are your Masters according to the flesh with feare trembling and simplicitie of heart not with eye seruice as men pleasers but as the seruants of
wils they magnifie vs for indeed we are the Lords priests to serue in his house and attend at his table the scornfull behauiour then and reprochfull scoffes of godlesse atheists and worthlesse miscreants shall not daunt and discourage vs in our calling assuring our selues that hee which hath called and sent vs will be with vs as hee was with Moses Exod. 3.12 Ierem. 1.8 certainely I will bee with thee with Ieremy Be not afraid of their faces I will be with thee to deliuer thee with the Disciples Behold I send you forth as lambes among wolues He that heareth not you heareth not me hee that receiueth not you receiueth not me Matth. 28.20 he that despiseth you despiseth me but behold I am with you alwaies vnto the end of the world Thirdly wheras the Apostle Iude doth not first entitle himselfe the brother of Iames and then the seruaÌ„t of Iesus Christ but first the seruant of Iesus Christ and then the brother of Iames we learne to esteeme it a greater priuiledge honour and dignity to be the seruants of Iesus Christ Non refert quibus parentibus quis ortus sit si sit virtute praelitus then to be allyed to the greatest princes potentates and personages in the world for if the seruants of Iesus Christ though neuer so poore base beggerly ignoble contemptible yet happie and blessed If not the seruants of Iesus Christ though neuer so rich noble honorable great in this world yet miserable and wretched Witnesse Diues and Lazarus Postridie sum â—atus ego quam â—upiter Aiax boasted that hee was à Ioue tertius the third from Iupiter and yet a Pagan infidell one that neuer knew serued truly worshipped Iehouah the true God Infoelicissimus Aiax most wretched and vnhappy Aiax E meglio viuer â—virtuosa-mentè the nascer nobilimente thy royall alliance could not keepe thee from murthering thy selfe and tumbling into hell Iude professeth himselfe the seruant of Iesus Christ foelicissimus Iudas most happy and blessed Iudas thy seruice made thee truly blessed in this life and perfectly blessed after this life If then with this Apostle we professe our selues and desire to shew our selues indeed the seruants of Iesus Christ we must doe three things 1. First we must imitate our masters vertues 2. Secondly we must attend his pleasure 3. Thirdly we must addict our selues wholly to his seruice In our Lord and Master Christ Iesus shined many excelleÌ„t vertues yea all vertues loue patience humility meeknes mildnes mercy clemency purity piety 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iohn 1.14 the fulnesse of grace and truth these must shine in vs loue patience humility mildnesse meeknesse gentlenesse goodnesse clemency purity piety else falsely are we called the seruants of Christ Christiani nomen frustrà ille sortitur qui ChristuÌ„ minimè imitatur quid tibi prodest vocari quod non es De vita Christiana In vaine saith S. Augustine hath hee gotten the name of a Christian which doth not imitate Christ what doth it profit thee to bee called that which thou art not To be called a Christian and not to be indeed a Christian a saint and not to be a saint the seruant of Iesus Christ and not to bee his seruant If thou takest delight to be called a Christian do those things which beseeme and belong to a Christian and then deseruedly thou shalt bee called a Christian Secondly we must attend our masters pleasure and depend on his will not appointing him either time or place or meanes but resting in his gratious promises and relying on his prouident care ouer vs. For to distrust the truth of his promises were to offend Christ the master of beleeuers with the sinne of vnvnbeleefe to doubt of his power to performe them were to denie power to be in him to whom all power is giuen both in heauen and in earth Matth. 28.18 Herein then we rest and hereon wee must relie if we want he is our Lord and master he can hee will supply our wants If in troubles he is our Lord and master hee can hee will rid vs out of troubles If hated persecuted wrongfully imprisoned he is our Lord and master hee can hee will deliuer vs. If in sorrowes and heauinesse of heart hee is our Lord and master he can he will comfort vs If in sicknesse hee is our Lord and master hee can hee will either restore vs to our former health or receiue vs into his euerlasting kingdome Thirdly we must addict our selues wholly to his seruice not seruing any other master in our spirituall seruice not the world not the flesh not the diuell not Antichrist Not the world nè illecti lest allured with the vaine pleasures and lying vanities thereof not the flesh nè infecti lest stained polluted defiled therewith not the diuell nè interfecti O quà m multo dom nos habet qui vnum non habet O how many masters hath he which hat not Christ for his onely master lest destroyed and deuoured by him Not Antichrist nè decepti lest seduced and misled by him He that serues the flesh serues his fellow he that serues the world serues his seruant hee that serues the diuell serues his enemie Hee that serues Antichrist serues Christs enemie but he that serues Christ Iesus serues the greatest and best Lord the greatest as best able the best as most willing to reward his seruants As then they only are actually in Iesus Christ which walke not after the flesh but after the spirit Rom. 8.1 so they onely are the seruants of Iesus Christ which in their spirituall seruice serue no master but Iesus Christ Hence is it that the Apostle Paul protesteth that if in the preaching of the Gospell hee should serue or please men hee could not bee the seruant of Iesus Christ The reason is because Christs pleasure and mens pleasures Christs doctrine and mens humours Christs verity and mens vanities Christs wisedome and mens follies cannot stand cannot accord together Turkes Pagans Infidels which plainely deny Christ doe not so much derogate from Christ as prophane professors of Christ For Turks and Pagans denie Christ in profession Heretickes in doctrine but prophane professors in life and conuersation Austen Tolerabilius lingua quà m vita mentitur The lie that is made by the tongue is more tollerable then that which is made by the life For when the tongue professeth Christ and yet the heart full of impuritie and the life full of impietie this is not professio sed abnegatio Christi not a professing but an open denying of Christ Lastly whereas this Apostle doth not call himselfe the brother of Christ as elsewhere the scripture doth but the seruant of Iesus Christ we see his wonderfull humilitie he suppresseth his most worthy stocke and glorieth not in his greatest kinred but contents himselfe to bee called the seruant of Iesus Christ It is not so in these dayes Si verbis audacia detur if I may