Instructions which may from hence be reaped And these are of two sorts Of the first kind are they that arise from the consideration of these two states together and they are in number foure First we are taught to take heed of all staine of sinne For though it be dishonorable in all yet in those speciallie Omne animi vitium tanto conspectius in se crimen habet quantò maior qui peccat habetur Iuuen. Fecisse principis quasi praecipisse est which are in any eminencie aboue others Euery vice of the minde hath in it selfe a fault more apparant and so much more pernicious discommendable by howe much more hee is accounted greater which offendeth Blacke spots are soonest seene in the whitest cloth And the falls of Gods childreÌ„ are most obserued and soonest espied The bare practise of a King is as a precept to the people and wicked priests are by their very examples occasions of much euill And if wee that would perswade the world by our outward profession that wee are as kings and priests vnto God shall break forth into open enormities we shall not onely disgrace our calling but we shall cause many other to stumble and fall by our example Men are by nature like Towe and leaude ensamples are as Matches to set them on fire and to make them rage in sinning like wild-fire Secondly seeing we are so highly graced by Christ we should arme our selues with comfort against all our enemies and against the bitternes of all afflictions What though man dishonour thee yet Christ doth honour thee What if thou beest poore yet thou shalt be rich yea thou art rich For as the Apostle sheweth all things are 1. Cor. 3. 21. 22. yours Whether it be Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death whether they be things present or things to come euen all are yours And shall we thinke that he which hath thus highly promoted vs will suffer vs to want those things which in his wisedome he knoweth to be fit for vs There is no reason for vs thus to thinke Therefore Dauid saith Feare the Lord for nothing Ps 34. 9. 10. is wanting to them that feare him The Lions do lacke suffer hunger but they which seeke the Lord shall want nothing that is good And he saith in his owne experience I haue beene young and now Ps 37. 25. am old yet I neuer saw the righteous for saken nor his seed begging bread For the Lord forsaketh not his Saints his kings and priests they shal be preserued for euer Yea but the world doth disgrace and deride thee It is no maruell For she did as much for Christ before thee And shall the seruant thinke to fare better then his maister Canst thou beare no disgrace for him that suffered so much for thee and hath brought thee into grace with God and highly honoured â—hee And though the world repute basely of thee yet are thou accounted of God a king and priest euen one of his Annointed For all that Christ hath thus dignified are annointed with the oyle of gladnesse the Ps 45. 7. oyle of grace The oyle which was powred on Arons head ran downe vpon 1. Ioh. 2. 20 Ps 133. 2. his beard and to the border of his garmeÌ„ts Euen so the oyle of our Aron was not shut vp wholly in himselfe but as the Holy Ghost saith of his fulnes haue we receiued and grace for grace Of Ioh. 1. 16. his blazing Torch haue we light al our candles Now doest thou not think that God will defend his annointed Dost thou thinke that Christ will forsake those whome he hath so graced Yea God will defend them Christ will not leaue them They which touch them Zach. 2. 8. touch the apple of his eie And though the wicked haue drawne their sword and Ps 37. 14. haue bent their bow to cast downe those whome Christ hath exalted the poore and needie and to slay such as be of vpright conuersation as they are whom he hath made kings and priests yet is it bootlesse to them For the Lord shall laugh them to skorne their sword shall enter 13. 15. into their owne hart God wil sheath it in their owne bowels and their bowes shal be broken though they were of 37. steele But marke the vpright man and behold the iust For the end of that man is peace Finally doth death aâ—rest thee Or doth the feare thereof oppresse thee Be not dismayed for peace shall Is 57. 2. come they shall rest in their beds euery one that walketh before him Thou art a Priest thou art claâ— with righteousnes and thou shalt be cloathed with saluation Thou art a King and thou shalt enioy thy kingdome and shall be set in a chaire of state and the sâ—oner thou doest die the sooner thou shalt come to thy crowne Thirdly seeing our calling is so great our place so high it behoueth vs to be carefull of our companions It beseemes not the maiestie of a king nor the grauitie of a priest to conuerse with eueryrif-raffe person We are spirituall kings and priests wicked and profane persons are verie Naballs that is base vile euen the Gally-slaues of Pro. 10. 23. 1. Pet. 2. 9. the diuel which row in the ful sea of ini quitâ—e make it a pastime to do wickedly Therfore we ought to shun their company We are a royall Priesthood and an holy nation to shew forth the vertues of him that hath called vs out of darkenesse into his maruellous light and not to defile our selues with wickednes nor to disgrace our selues or him by frequenting the companie of the vngodly and filthy enemies of goodnes Is it seemely for a kings sonne to be a companion with rebells traytors and those which are enemies to his father Are not we the sonnes of God the king of kings nay are we not kings our selues And are not profane and wicked persons our fathers enemies and enemies to his crowne and dignitie Shall we then delight in their fellowship Can a man take fire in his Pro. 6. 27. 28. bosome and his clothes not be burnt Can a man goe vpon coales and his feet not be burnt Can a man be in the water and not be wet And is it possible for a man to conuerse with Athists and to delight in the company of the wicked and yet not be corrupted Birds of one feather will flie together and if thy companions be wicked it is verie like that thy heart is not right whatsoeuer thy profession is Tainted barrels corâ—upt good wine and euill companie corrupts good manners But kings priests of all others should be most mannarly that their ensamples might be as paterns for the people to resemble They be good bookes for lay-men for all men to looke vpon and good glasses for theÌ„ to see how to dresse their soules withall Let vs therfore abandon the companie of all euil liuers Keep
will praise the Lord during my life as long as I haue any beeing I will sing vnto my God This we should all performe but you rather then manie others because the Lord doth drawe you to it with moecords of loue then he doth the most Some furtherance thervnto you may receiue by diligent reading and examining this third part of our Tractate concerning the loue of Christ vnto vs which I dedicate vnto you for no sinister or base respect but to testifie my desire of the constant growth of those Christian vertues which haue begun to shyne and shew themselues in these your younger yeares that growing in grace and in the knowledge of Iesus Christ you may be partaker of his glorie Thus assuring my selfe of your kinde acceptance of these our labours I cease to deteine you longer and leaue you to him that neuer leaueth his but guardeth them by his grace for euer Yours in Christ Iesus to be commanded Thomas Tuke ¶ THE THIRD Part. Rom. 1. 6. And hath made vs Kings and Priests to God euen his Father CHAP. I. Christ is the Auhour of our Royaltie and Priestly dignitie Sixe vses are made of that doctrine IN these wordes is contained the second signe and action wherby Christ 〈◊〉 hath declared his loue vnto vs and in them fiue things are worthie obseruation First the Agent Christ. Secondly the Subiect vpon whome the worke is wrought Wee Thirdly the Act it selfe hee hath made vs kings and priests Fourthly the Time when he hath made Fiftly for whose or glory or â—o whom we are made euen to God his Father First for the Agent For somuch as Christ hath thus aduanced vs wee are taught to be thankfull to him If a man did freely procure his neighbor a farme or lord-ship it deserued a thankfull acceptaÌ„ce But if he did also giue him true title to a kingdome made him heire to a crowne his obligation shuld be of a far higher nature Beloued Christ hath made vs kings and heires to a crowne not of rusting gold but of eternall glorie not won by tyranny but got by righteousnes 1. Pet. 5. 7. euen by that perfect obedience which he performed for vs and is imputed 2. Tim. 4. 5. to vs. Lâ—t vs therefore be thankfull to him seek to please him And because it is he that hath made vs Priests let vs like Priests present him with the Calues of our lips let vs offer vp vnto him the sacrifice of a thankful hart testified in a thankeful tongue and expressed by our religious righteous and sober conuersations Vnthankfulnes is a poysoned roâ—te of wickednes and a fruitfull mother of mischiefe whereof we cannot but be deepely guiltie if we shal either wilfully dishonour or not care to honour him who hath so royally honoured vs. Secondly seeing it was Christ that â—ath brought vs to this honour we see that we come not to it by our birth or bloud by nature or inheritance from our parents and therefore we must not ascribe it to our selues but when like kings we get the conquest in any conflict ouer any â—inne and as Priests do ofâ—er vp vnto God any sacrifice which is accepted we must attribute al to the grace of God in Christ that of his mere good will merit hath made vs both kings and Preists It is God that worketh in vs both the will and the Phil. 2. 13. Certum est nos velle cum vâ—lumus sed ille facit vt ve limus qui operatur iâ— nobis velle Aug lib. de lib. Aâ—b c. 2. deed Indeede we will but it is by him And if he did not make vs worke as he maketh vs will to worke the work could not be wrought We may as well say that death can create life and that darknesse may make light as that we can of our selues either make or truely shew our selues to be spirituall kings and priests Thirdly in that Christ hath made vs kings and priests it argueth that he is not without power and authoritie For to create a king and to make a priest are workes of authoritie and power Esay calls him the mighty God Is 9. 6. and the Scriptures shew that we were all redeemed by him that the whole Is 53. 5. 6. Eph. 1. 7. Ioh. 13. World was created by him and therefore he must needs befull of strength and maiestie The consideratioÌ„ whereof should strike a terrour into the wicked which are his enemies and moue them to forsake their rebellions least he crâ—sh theâ— with his iron scepter and breake them in peeces like a Potters vessell And it ought to moue all the kings and potentates of the world to vaile their bonnets to bend their sceptâ—rs and to cast downe their crownes before him For he is the Prince of the Kings of the earth and is as able to dismount a king as to make a king And Reu. 15. secondly it should teach vs to seeke vnto him for his grace and to depend vpon him in aâ—oâ—r troubles Blessed are all saith Dauid that trust in him Ps 2. 12. Fourthly seing it is Christ that hath thus promoted vs we are taught to esteeme highly of this worke and benefit The excellencie of the work-man doth often commend the worke and make it more regarded The dignitie of the giuer doth moue the receiuer to account more dearely of the gift He that wrought this worke for vs is the Lord of life the father of eterâ—ie the Is 9. 6. King of glorie the Sonne of God â—nd Iudge of the world He that bestowed this benefit vpoÌ„ vs is Iesus Christ that Reu. 1. 5. faithfull witnesse and the first-borne of the dead If thy King or thy faithfull and tâ—â—stâ—e friend did giâ—e thee a costly iewell thou wouldest like it somewhat better and wouldest not easily be drawâ—n to part from it Christ our King and friend so faithful as that he spent his bloud to saue vs hath giuen vs this 〈◊〉 râ—yall gift he hath aduanced vs to this kingly condiâ—â—on let vs therefore highly pâ—izâ— iâ— and by no meanes hazard the pâ—râ—ing from it Fiftly seeing Christ hath 〈◊〉 honored his seruants let all men feare to dishonour them Thou darest not disgrace him whom thy king doth grace and durst thou dishonour him whome Christ thy king that mightie God doth grace and honour Shall â—e escape the wrath of a king that scornes a man because he hath honored him And shall we thinke that Christ that heauenly Monarch and Lion of the tribe of Iudah wil put vp those scornful wrongs that are offered by many wicked wretches vnto his Seruants because he doth grace them and by his grace doth make them flie those sins which they wrth a brazen face and browes of marble commit and blush not at Verily he that dishonours a maÌ„ because Christ doth honour him doth dishonour Christ himselfe and carieth a curse about him vnder seale and without serious and timely repentance which is not
the four mighty Monarchies of the world and by continuall alterations in States to this day Secondly in earthly kingdomes there is one the King and the rest are his subiects but in this kingdome all are Kings and God alone is King of all Neither doeth this anie whâ—t diminish our glorie For euen his seruice is perfect libertie yea the more perfect our seruice is to him the farther we are from bondage and the more absolute is our spirituall regâ—lâ—tie Thirdly the affaires of earthly Princes are â—â—iefly bodiâ—y and outward but ours are spirituall and inward Fourthly kings of this world if they should prooue worldly minded as the most are and vse to bee may become Tyrants and irreconciliable enemies one vnto another labouring with all their powers to deturbe and ouer throw each other But so iâ— falleth not out with those whome Christ hath made kings For he so ruleth them by his Spirit and with the Scepter of his word that they shall neuer clime to that height of wickendesse as of despite and purpose to seeke the destruction of one anothers soule and to depriue them of their crownes Fiftly earthly kings may be plagued of God to the losse of their soules and therfore Esay saith that Tophet or hell Is 30. 33. is prepared for the King euen for all wicked Princes whatsoeuer which rebell against the King of Kings But these kings shall neuer perish For Christ giueth them eternall life and it is their Ioh. 10. 28. Luk. 12. 32. Fathers pleasure to giue them the kingdome of heauen Lastly earthly Kings come to their kingdomes either by conquest or by their bloud or else by voyces and election But we obtaine this kingdome neyther by the conquest of our owne workes nor by the suffrages election of other men neither come we by it through the commendation or dignitie of flesh or bloud but by the alone propitious grace of God and propitiatory merits of Iesus Christ who by suffering death and fulfilling the lawe for vs hath redeemed vs from hell and procured heauen and this our heauenly honour Therefore the Apostle saith The wages of sinne is death but the 1. Pet. 2. 5. free gift of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. So much for our Prince-hood Now as concerning our Priest-hood Saint Peter who tells vs that wee are an Rom. 12. 1. holy Priest-hood tells vs also the ende of this our Priest-hood euen to offer vp spirituall Sacrifices acceptable vnto God by Iesus Christ. Wherein then doe we differ from the Priestsvnder the lawe and from Christ the High-Priest of all his people I answere we differ from the priests of the old Testament First because their sacrifices were types of Christ but so are not ours Secondly they offeâ—ed the bodies of other things wee offer our owne Thirdly their offrings were merely corporall ours properly are spirituall Fourthly they offered vp â—â—aine sacrifices and dead but we are commanded to offer vp our bodies a liuing sacrifice Rom 12. 1. and we offer vp our selues aliue Fiftly they were Priests for others but we are Priests for no men properly as they were Sixtly their Altar was material and earthly but ours is aliue and heauenly to wit Christ Iesus Seuenthly their priesthood had an end but ours is eternall Eightly theirs went from one to another by succession but so doth not ours Ninthly amongst them some were seperiours but there is no such diuersitie of degrees among vs beeing simply considered as we are Priestes Indeed there is diuersity of graces and there shal be inequality of glory thogh there shal be no want but fulnesse in all Tenthly many of them were wicked and some professed enemies of Christ his religion But they which Christ hath made Priests are holy chosen and a 1. Pet. z. 9. people set at liberty such as shal not dy but liue Lastly they were all of them males of one nation and of one kinred of that nation and they to be without any bodily defect or blemish but amoÌ„gst Eeuit 21. 18 vs there are both men women of all tribes nations and though many of them want not outward defects either by nature or by accident yet Christ respecteth not the outward estate of any man in working for vs this honour Now as concerning Christ and his Priesthood he was the Substance or Truth of all those Sacrifices and shadowes at his death their date went out whereas contrariwise our Priest-hood then began So that wee are but vassalls to that great â—igh Priest Secondly hee is an externall Priest of the New Testament but we are spirituall Priests and not outward Thirdly his principall sacrifice was himselfe but we haue other sacrifices Heb. 9. 11. to offer besides our selues our selues no way acceptable in our selues but in him Fourthly his sacrifice was of reconciliation to satisfie the iustice of God for vs But ours is of thanksgiuing to God not satisfactory but declaratory to shew our selues mindfull of that expiatory sacrifice which Christ offered and to testifie our loue vnto him for it and how gratefully we do receiue it Fifthly his was offered once for all but ours must be offered daily vpon all occasions Sixtly he as Preist was God and Man but we are meere men simple and silly creatures Seauenthly his Altar was his Godhead but our Altar is his Godhead and Manhead also vnited in one person Eightly his Sacrifice was voluntary hee did not owe it to vs but ours are debts which are for many causes to be performed duely of vs. Ninthly if wee had not sinned his sacrifice had bene spared but some of ours should haue bin performed of vs though we had not sinned Tenthly the goodnesse of his sacrifice came from himselfe but if ours haue any goodnesse so farre sorth as they be good it is from his holy Spirit which worketh in vs. Lastly Christs sacrifice was perfect of it selfe being his who is perfect man and perfect God but ours are in this life maymed and imperfect and their imperfection is couered by the perfection of his And thus we see the glorious estate of all the faythfull that euen as Christ their Head is a king and Priest so are all they kings and priests also yea a kingdome of priests a regall and holy priesthood although it be with great difference For they receiue this honour by him and not he through them He is a king by nature but they by grace Hee is an absolute Prince ouer all creatures whatsoeuer and ouer the very conscience but so are not they He is now in the full possession of his kingdome so are not we but we wayt in our mortall bodies of this earthly thraldome for the hope of that mortall and regall liberty of the sonnes of God in the heauens CHAP. IIII. Foure instructions arising from the coÌ„sidederation of our Princehood HAuing now declared the nature of this benefit it remaineth for me to gather the
as it were strip our selues of our pâ—iâ—cely â—obes For as Christ said of his kingdome so shuld alâ— ChristiaÌ„s say think of their Ioh. 18. 39. kingdome that it is not of this world a dâ—hâ—refore let vs so vse this world as that it may appâ—â—re that wâ— are but tâ—auelloâ—â—s â—eâ—e and way-fâ—ring men and that wee make no account of abyding here but look daily to be sent for home into our owne 〈…〉 rey whereon in this time of our â—journing our heart must be so fixed as if wee esteemed all thinges but losse in comparâ—son of the crowne prepared for vs in the heauens where our kingdome is If ye be risen Col. 3. 1. 2. with Christ as all spirituall kings are seeke those things which are aboue where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God Set your affections on things which are aboue and not on thinges which are on the earth The Sunne scatters his beames downe to the earth but wee should send the beames of our thoughtes vpward to the heauen A stoole is an ease to a weary man to sit on but if it be set vpon his head it will offend him And water is a great helpe to the sailing of a ship but if it leake much into her it will goe neare to sinck her Euen so the world beeing rightly vsed may further vs in the race of godlines and ease vs in our trauell but if the loue thereof doe leake into vs if the world which should be vnder our feet be set vpon our heads take vp all our thoughtes shee will hinder our course endanger our soules and be so great a burthen to vs that we shall not be able to clime vp Iacobs ladder to heauen and to go vp that mountaine which is so steep and so we shal be kept from that Crowne which wee seeme to coueâ— and from that goodly Kingdome which if wee could discerne it with our eyes would make vs crie out with Peter It Math. 17. 4. is good beeing heere Lastly seeing that wee are all of vs Kings let vs like valiant Princes wage warre with Sathan and all our sinnes which are our enemies labour our eternall ouerthrowe For if wee be kings in the kingdome of light wee ought to be enemies to those that belong to the kingdome of darknes They are enemies of our graces and to our glorie therefore let vs puâ—sue them with irrecoÌ„ciliable hatred Let vs make no leagâ—e no peace â—o truce noâ— couenant with them but fight against them to the ende with all the forces of our soules A wise King scattereth Pro. 20. 26. the wicked and causeth the wheele to turne ouer them So if we would shew our selues wise princes wee ought to scatter put to death our sinnes Mortifie therefore like good Princes your Col. 3. 5. members which are on earth fornication vncleannesse the inordinate affection euil concupiscence and couetousnesse which is Pro 16. 32. idolatrie For hee that ruleth his owne mind is better then he that winneth a Cittie A King is not worthy of his name vnlesse hee be able to rule himselfe Though a man were king of all the earth yet were he but a weake and miserable king if hee gaue the reignes to his flesh and did not gouerne himselfe But though a man were as poore as Iob Tun commaiure tenebis cum poteris rex esse tui Claud. Nec regna â—ociâ—m ferre nec te dae sci unt Sen. in his greatest miserie and had not one foote of ground yet if he rule himselfe and bridle his appetite hee were a rich king and a mightie Prince Lordship and Loue can brooke no fellowes Wee are kings here then is Lordship let not sin reigne together with vs but labour to suppresse it least it tyrannize ouer vs. The Scripture saith that when Asa had 2. Chro. 14. 5 taken away the high places and the images his kingdome was quiet before him euen so shall wee enioy the true peace of conscience and shall haue much quietnesse in our mindes if wee subdue our lusts cast away our corrupt affections And although we cannot fully doe it yet let vs doe our indeuour A will is commendable to affect Vt desiat vires tamen est laudanda voluntas Ouid. it thogh there want power to effect it And Si quod vis non potes Deus factum computat Aug. if thou canst not doe that which thou hast a desire to do from thy heart God doth account it as done A couragious and wise king wil vse all meanes to suppresse rebells and traytours though hee cannot vtterly performe his purpose euen so labour by all means possible to suppresse roote out thy sinnes which take vp armes against thee and doe not onely striue to â—â—ot out Gods graces which hee hath planted in thee but will if they be permitted destroy â—hee quite and depriue thee of thy kingdome Hee is a worthie Souldier that fighteth fiercely against his sinnes It is an holy ambition to striue to win the scepter from sin Sathan the king and queene of the kindome of darknes and to labour to cast them quite oâ—t of their thâ—oâ—es It is a religious fast to abstaine from fleshly lusts which fight 2. Pet. 2. 11. against the soule and to loose the bondes of wickednes It is a lawfull couetousnes Is 58. 6. to get what may be got from the Diuell It is no superstitious pilgrimage nor idle trauelling to take our iourney from the Diuell and to trauell from our own corruptions to God to Christ to the land of promise celestial Canaan It is a lawfull rebellion to take vp armes against the prince of darkenes that rebellious Tyrant It is an holy war and honorable to fight against the Diuel And it is no fraâ—d at al to deceiue this fraudulent perfidious ad â—uersarie but wisedome to discerne and defeate hiâ—sleights and stratagems It Indice me fraus est coÌ„cessa repellere fraudeÌ„ Armáque in armatos sumere iura sinunt Ouid. stands with right reason that kings should wisely frustrate the purposes of their wiâ—y enemies and aâ—me themselues against them that arme themselues to worke their ruine Let vs therefore sight against our sinnes and resist Sathan who walketh about like a 1. Pet. 5. 8. 9. roaring lion strong hungâ—ie seeking whome he may deuoure It is no tyrannie to tyrannize ouer them but it is a prudent and godly crueltie to kill them all head and tayle damme and cubb and to smite them hip and thigh with a mightie destruction as Samson did the Philistines For Iudg. 15. 8. Ps 137. 9. as the Psalmist saith concerning Babel blessed shall he be that taketh and dasheth her children against the stones euen so blessed is that man that putteth his sinnes to the sword that mortifieth his corruptions dashing them as it were to the ground Is it posible that any men should be so sauadge as
to Amos 1. 23 rip vp women with childe to enlarge their borders shall not we seeke the death of our sinnes that would â—ip vp our soules and vtterly consume vs if Gods mercy did not hinder The wicked watcheth â—s 37. 32. the righteous seeketh to slay him and shall not we marke our vnrighteous affections and labour to kil them Shall they practise against the godly and shall we do nothing against vngodlinesse Ps 37. 12. kings cannot indure to be thwarted and ouer topt in their owne kingdomes Wee are kings wherefore then should we suffer our sins to braue vs and to vaunt themselues within vs Here we may lawfully resemble Diotrephes 3. Ioh. 9. Math. 23. 6. and the Pharisees who hunted after preeminence and the highest roomes We may lawfully challenge the primacy ouer sinne and it is wisdome and worthy our labour to seeke for a seate aboue sinne It is neither maiestie nor modestie but sordide and seruile humilitie or negligence for a king to suffer a slaue or obiect to sit about him And thus far also we may be like Caesar who could brooke no superiour Agamemnon and Pompey Nec quenquam iam ferre potest Cesarue priorem Pompeius ve parem Lucan who could endure neither superiour nor equall Yea we ought to stand vpon our dignitie against sinne and to tread it downe When Pharoah saw the Israelites increase fearing least they should growe too mightie for him he said vnto his people Come let vs worke Ex. 1. 10. 11. wisely with them least they multiply and therevpon they set task masters ouer them to keepe them vnder with burdeÌ„s so should we deale wisely with our sinnes that they multiplie not in vs nor wax too mightie we should beate downe our bodies labour to subdue them to vs. Neither must we only represse and keepe them vnder but labour also to subuert and kill them vtterly And to this end we ought to put on the whole armour of God that we may be able to resist conquer them Stand therefore with your loynes girded Eph. 〈◊〉 14. 5. about with veritie hauing on the brest-plate of righteousnesse and your â—eet shod with the preparation of the gospell of peace And aboue all take the Shield of faith wherewith ye may quench All the fierie darts of the wicked and take the helmet of saluation the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God where with ye may strike of the head of sin pray alway When tydings were brought that the Ammonites and Moabites were comming against Iâ—hoshaphat to battell that 2. Chro. 20. 2. 3. 6. good king set himselfe to seeke the Lord prayed vnto him for his assistance And as he confessed that he and his people were not able to encounter with so great a multitude so also he shewed hâ—s confidence and hope in God Our eyes saith he are towards thee And the Lord gaue him an admirable victorie So when Sâ—tan and our owne corruptions conspire together to worke our ouerthrow we ought to flie to God by prayer for his grace that our faith may not faile but that we may abide the brunt and obtaine a victorie ouer them And as Dauid prayed Ps 145. 1. Hide not thy face from mee Deliuer me â—o Lord from mine enemies And for thy mercy slay mine enemies destroy all theÌ„ that oppresse my soule Cast forth the Ps 144. 6. lightning scatter theÌ„ So do thou desire him to shiâ—ld thee with the buckler of his grace to dispell thine ignorance with the light of his Spirit to coÌ„found the Diuel and al thy sinnes which oppresâ—e thy soule and to defend and deliuer thee from all thy spirituall enemies which are too mightie 〈◊〉 hee For it is God that giueth deliuerance to Ps 144. 10. kings both temporall and spirituall He is able to destroy the mightiest and to releeue the weakest For great is Ps 147. 5. our Lord and great is his power his wisedome is infinite His greatnesse if he shew it is able to daunt the greatest His power and his wisedome if he list to vse it is able to frustrate the deuises of the wisest râ—tâ—rt them vâ— on their owne heads Let vs therefore in aâ—l our conflicts with sinne in all our combats with the diuel commit our selues vnto him No victorie can be lookâ— for without him And thus much for our Prince-hood CHAP. VI. Fiue vses made of our Priest-hood Nine sorts of spirituall sacrifices Christ is the Altar whereon they must be layed Of the time when thy must be offred Preparation consisting in two things must be made before they be offered The manner which we must obserue in offering stands in fiue duties The ende of offering them is of two kindes And of the latter there are eight set downe IT remaineth nowe to deliuer those instructions which may be gathered froÌ„ the consideration of our priest-hood First forsomuch as wee are Priests it is our dutie to labour for true spirituall knowledge that we may execute our our office faithfullie and discreetly The legall Priestes were to bee men of Mal. 2. 7. knowledge for the Priests lips saith the Lord shall preserue knowledge and I see no reason wherefore wee that are Euangelicall or spiritual priests should be voyd of vnderstanding ignorant The oxe knoweth his owner and the asse his masters crib and shall wee be ignorant Is 1. 3. of God that owneth vs and of Christ that is our Lord and master Peter exhorteth vs to growe in the knowledge of 2. Pet. 3. 18. Christ therefore we ought to haue the knowledge of him For as a man cannot increase in wealth vnlesse he haue some wealth so no man can growe in knowledge except hee haue knowledge A thing must bee before it can be bigger Those therefore that like the wicked coloured out by Iob desire not the knoowledge of Gods wayes but are Iob. 21. 14. Plin. nat hist l. 9. c. 32. content to liue without eyes like Sea-winckles and are by reason of their peeuishnesse as vnteacheable as Swallowes which as Plinie writeth cannot be Hist nat l. brought to learne those I say doe plainly shewe that they are not as yet called home to God but are in thraldom vnder the God of this world who hath blinded their mindes and leadeth them captiue at his will Surely they can be no good Priests no good men A very Pagan led onely by the light of nature was able to say that it was a sin to be ignorant of those things that doe quod magis ad nos perâ—net nâ—â—ciâ—e malum est et quae sit natura boni Hor. most concerne vs and not to know the nature of that which iâ— good God commanded that Aaron the Priest should weare a plate whereon was graued Holynes vnto the Lord and that vpon his brest-plate should be the Vrim and the Thummim euen so
by one Spirit we are all the children of one father and one mother and we haue all one elder brother one iustifier one iudge we are all ordeined to one kingdome to one family and are ruled by the same lawes we are all the subiects of one king the seruants of one Lord the sheepe of one shepheard the disciples of one Maister and the people of one God we haue all one hope of our calling one faith one baptisme and one body to feed vpen we are all the Patients of one physitian the building of one architect the vessels of one potter the temple of one Spirit the field of one husbandman and the hearers of one gospel we are all the members of one body the stones of one building the branches of one vine and trauellers in one way to one citie from Aegypt through the wide wildernesse of this wicked world vnto new Ierusalem celestiall Canaan a paradise of perpetuall pleasures Finally we are all in grafted into one stock incorporated into one body wee receiue sap from one roote sense from one head light from one lampe and water from one fountaine therfore good râ—ason is there that wee should loue and like affect fauour and embrace one another Fiftly it is fearefull and grieuous to hate or not to loue our brother For first it is a breach of Gods commandement who forbiddeth vs to hate our brother Leuâ—t 19. 17 Luke 22. 39 and commandeth vs to loue him as our selues Now hee that keepeth his commaundements dwelleth in him and hee in 1. Ioh. 3. 24. him but horrible calamity shall befall those that do without timely repentance transgresse and break them for their worme shall not die neither shall their fire be quenched and they shal be an abhorring Isay 66. 24. vnto all flesh Secondly hee that hateth his brother is in darknes and walketh in darknesse and knoweth not whether he 1 Ioh. 2. 11. gâ—eth because that darknesse hath blinded his eyes he is an vnregenerate person and is not illumined with the light of Gods Spirit but walketh like a blinde Bayard being possessed with the spirit of ignorance blinded with the darknesse of Aegypt out of the kingdome of light of grace of Christ and in the kingdome of darknesse of sinne and Sathan Thirdly Whosoeuer hateth his brother is a man-slayer and yee knowe that 1. Ioh. 3. 1â— no man-slayer hath eternall life abiding in him but is is obnoxious to eternall death and destruction Fourthly he that loueth not his neighbour knoweth not God Vndoubtedly if a man did know 1. Ioh. 4. 8. God truly that is if he did acknowledge him and knew him as he hath reuealed himselfe vnto vs in the couenant of grace if he knew him to be his God his Sauiour and louing friend and father in his sonne Christ Iesus he would not he could not but loue him and those also that are his sons and seruants elected created called iustified adopted santifyed and preserued by him as well as he himselfe Fiftly he that loueth not his neighbour is not the child of God For in this are the 1. Ioh. 3. 10 children of God knowne and the children of the Diuel whosoeuer doth not righteousnes is not of God neither he that Loueth Not his brother Sixtly he that loueth not his brother doth euidentlie declare that he loueth not God himselfe For how can he that loueth not his brother whome he hath seene loue God whome he hath not seene And whosoeuer 1. Iohn 3. 14 hath this worlds good seeth his brother haue need and shutteth vp his compassion from him how dwelleth the loue of God in him Seauenthly he which loueth not his neighbour doth shewe that his Rom. 6. 23. heart is hard and â—lintie that it was neuer mollified with the oyle of grace that he hath not a good conscience faith vnfained and that he neuer truely tasted of Gods loue nor of the sweetnesse of Christs blood neither that he did euer seriously consider and meditate of those bitter pangs and painefull passions which hee sustained whiles he liued and when he died as well for his neighbour as for himselfe To conclude this first argument He that 1. Ioh. 3. 4 loueth not his brother abideth in death As he abideth in the death of his soule being dead in sinne so he remaineth subiect to the death of his soule and bodie which is the wages of sinne Sixtly if we would but consider the Rom. 6. 23. excellencie and the excellent vse and commodities which come by this godly loue it would make vs all to be in loue with it and not onely to like it in it selfe or in others but in our selues also â—ea and to shew it in our liues and dealings First true loue commeth of God who is loue it selfe the very fountaine of all 2. Ioh. 4. 78. Galat. 5. 22 true loue For euerie good giuing and euerie perfect gift is from aboue and commeth down from the father of lights And Iam. 1. 17. 1. Cor. 4. 7 in truth what haue we that we haue not receiued Now the glorie of the giuer makes the gift more godly And who can be more glorious then God the Psal 2. 4. 10. Math. 6. 13. king of glorie to whome all glorie doth of due belong Secondly loue is an inseparable companion of true â—aith For as Paul sheweth 1. Tim. 1. 5. loue comes out of a pure heart a good conscience and faith vnsained And as Gregorie saith Iuantum credimus tantum diligimus As we beleeue so we loue Euen as light doth accompanie the Sun so doth loue attend vpon faith And as there is no fire without heat so there can be no true faith without loue Here also is loue againe commended because it flowes from that faith whereby our hearts are purified Act. 15. 9. Heb. 11. 6. and without which it is impossible to please God and commeth not but from a conscience which is at peace rest and doth excuse a man So then whosoeuer doth loue truely whome he ought and as hee ought may assure himselfe that hee doth beleeue truelie that his conscience is good before God and his heart purged by faith in the blood of Christ Thirdly such a loue of our brethren is asure signe of our election vocation regeneration and adoption For euery 2. Ioh. 4. 7. one that loueth is borne 〈◊〉 God knoweth God And Peter exhorting vs to giue diligence to make our calling and election 2. Pet. 1. 7. 10. sure sheweth vs that if among other vertues we haue also brotherly kindnesse and loue we shall neuer fall and therfore may assure our selues that we are elected and effectually called Fourthly the loue of our brethren is in Christs account accepted and reputed of as loue shewed vnto himselfe as appeareth plainely by that speech which he will vse to his sheepe when he shall come to iudge them Math. 25. 40. In as
God hath measured out his grace vnto vs. For Christ hath made vs all kings priests yea and prophets also and hath adorned the temple of our heartes with the manifolde graces of his Spirit Our case in this world is not vnlike the curtaines of the Tabernacle which were course without but finely wrought within Therefore they which deeme men forsaken of God because the world doth frowne vppon them are much deceiued They may as well conclude that a weather-beaten shippe hath no riches in her or that a homely coate can haue no learning For as Salomoa reacheth no mans inward estate Ec. 9. 1. can be discerned by outward euents seeing they bee common to both iust and vniust I haue seene saith Dauid the Ps 37. 35. wicked strong and spreading himselfe like a greene Baye tree yet for all that they Ver. 20. shall perish and be consumed as the fatte of Lambs They are fâ—d for the slaughter God hath madâ— them for the day of euill Pro. 16. 4. And though they seeme to haue the world at command yet the Lord Pro. 15. 29. Pro. 15 26. is far from them and their very thoughts are an abomination vnto him And what though a man enioy the world if he enioy â—ot God that made the world As it is therfore folâ—y to iudge a man happy for his worldly prosperitie so is it want of charity to iudge one misâ—rable for his outward aduersitie For spirituall misery stands not in outward aduersitie neither doth true felicitie consist in worldly prosperitie Iob was much afflicted insomuch that he saith that God did beat him and set him as a marke to shoote at And Hezekiah in Iob. 16. 12. hâ—s affliction sayd that God brake all his bones like a Lyon and that hee chatteed Is 37. 13. 14. like a Crane and mourned as a Doue and no doubt his affliction was greeuâ—â—s and yet we know that they were both the children of God and deare vnto him Therefore no certaine sensence can be pronounced no iudgement must be giuen by the outward estate of any man The thatched baâ—â—e is full of corne and the fay rest outside of the bodie hath not alway the fayrest inside of the soule neither are the richest men alwaies the mostreligious Therefore Paul saith You see your calling how that not many wise men after the 1. Cor. 1. 26 27. 28. 29. flesh not many mighty not many noble are called But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and the weake things to confound the mighty and vile things of the worlde and things which are despised hath God chosen and things which are not to bring to nought things which are that no flesh should reioyce in his presence and that it might be seene that God doth not respect those things which men so much affect and so mâ—â—hadmire Lastly wee see how â—arre wide the world is from Christ in fixing her affections For Christ wee see â—oueth and aduanceth vs but the world haâ—eth contemâ—eth vs. Paul and his companions were beloued of Christ highly graced and yet they were accounted as it is the lot of the godly in many placeâ— in this doting age of the world euen as filâ—h offskowring The 1. Cor. 4. 13 Pro. 29. 27. Ps 37. 12. vpright man saith Salomon is an Abomination to the wicked they loâ—de him with reproaches they practise against him and wonder at him as biâ—des doe at an Owle And yet God delighteth in him Christ doth honour him And what is the reason why the world doth thus Surely one reason is because she is ignorant of God and his wayes â—and therefore Christ saith All these things hate persecute c. will they do vnto you for my Names sake because they haue not Ioh. 15. 27. knowne him that sent mee Secondly it is so likewise because they are not of the world but redeemed and called out of the world which thing Christ also sheweth also in his speech to his Disciples saying If yâ— were of the world the Ioh. 15. 19 world would loue his owne but because ye are not of the world but I haue chosen you out of the world therfore the world hateth you Thirdly the woâ—ld thus dealeth because shee is strongly managed and ruled by Sathan the God of the worâ—d 2. Cor. 4. 4. who is their mortall irreconciliable aduersarie takes delight in their disgrace and ignâ—miny Lastly because their vertues doe crosse the worlds vices therefore as Iohn saith that Cain 1. Ioh. 3. 12 slewe his brother because his owne works were euill and his brothers good euen so the wicked abhorte the godly though loued and aduanced of Christ because they liue religiously shewing theÌ„selues Vid. Wisd 2. 12. to be kings and priests to God loue not such vices as they do foster and will not part from Therfore beware of the world take â—eede of hâ—r steps trust not to her iudgement For the world is blind her eyes are out her iudgâ—meÌ„t is corrupt and if thou wilt bee led by her thou art likely with her to fall into the ditch And thus much for the Subiect CHAP. III. Of the Prince-hood and Priesthood of the Faithfull THe third thing to be considered is the Act or Benefit He hath made 〈◊〉 vs Kings and Priests Moses was commanded to te 〈…〉 people of Israel that if they would heare the voice of God indeed and keepe his couenant they should â—e vnto him a kingdome of â—x 19. 5. 6. Priests an holy nation and his chieâ—e treasure aboue all people though all the earth be his But Peter expresly 1. Pet. 2. 9. tells vs that we are a chosen generation a royall Priesthood and an holy nation And saint Iohn saith that Christ hath made vs kings and priests So theÌ„ we are as a kingly Priesthood and a priestly Kingdome kingly Priests and priestlike Kings and a peculiar people selected and consecrated vnto him for his glorie and by him to receiue glorie And that I may here also dispatch the fourth point which is the Time when the Apostle directly sheweth that we are thus dignified euen in this life For he saith he hath made vs. He doth nâ—t say that he will make vs. As in the entrance into an earthly kingdome first title is giuen vnto it and after wards possession euen so we in this life haue title giuen vs to the kingdome of heauen we are heires apparant to it and we haue possession of it also in part For whosoeuer beleeueth in the Sonne of God hath euerlasting Ioh. 3. 36. life But we come not to the â—ull fruition thereof till the life to come And so likewise we are Priests in this world but our sacrifices are â—ot spotlesse and absolute vntill the world to come But here by the way we must remember two things First that we do not take the Sword out of the hands
not Pro. 23. 20. company with drunkards nor with gluttons Make no friendship with an angry Pro. 22. 24. 25. man neither go with the furious man least thou learne his waies and receiue destruction to thy soule Follow the practise of Dauid who was both a temporall and a spirituall King likewise He haunted not with vaine persons neither kept companie Ps 26. 4. 5. with dissemblers I haue quoth he hated the assembly of the euill and haue not companied with the wicked I am a Ps 119. 16. companion of all them that feare thee and keepe thy precepts It cannot but be an encouragement to the wicked a disgrace to our calling a reproach to our persons a scandall to the weake an offence to God a dishonour to Christ a griefe to the godly and a breach of our owne peace when we that are thus dignified by Christ so seuered from the multitude of the world by our holy profession shal delight in their fellowship that liue in all sensualitie and profanesse Let vs therfore be circumspect and make speciall choyce of our companie And lastly prudence and prouidence doe well beseeme Priests and Princes We should therefore be wise not onely to preuent and auoyde dangers and euils but also to forecast for procure those thinges that become our Priesthood and Royaltie and concerne the wealth welfare of the Soule which is as much to bee preferred before the body as the sword before the scabberd or as the hand before the Pen wherwith it writes or the knife with which it cuts And so much for the common instructions CHAP. V. Fiue instructions are gathered out of the consideration of our princehood THose of the second sort be such as arise out of the consideration of these two titles or callings apart by themselues one of them beeing distinctly considered by it selfe from the other And for the former first First forsomuch as wee are kings we ought to acquainte our selues with our owne Kingdomes and not to be good States-men abroad and foris sapere to be wise in other mens affayres and to be ignorant of and inconsiderate or rechlesse of our owne It is not the least Principis est virtus maxima nosse suos Martiall praise of a Prince to know his subiects And for as much as the kingdome of our heartes hath no small number of traytors and enemies to our Crowne lurcking in secret corners readie like Wolues at the least aduantage to work a mischiefe to make an vprore or an open rebellion in vs it is requisite that wee labour to knowe that faithfull Ionathans and what faithlesse Iudasses we haue within vs For as ther is no earthly kingdome but hath some enemies to it euen so there is no spirituall king among vs which hath not enemies to his crowne and kingdome Yea wee haue within our own courts many that would if they could pull the crowne from our heads and thrust vs from our thrones Secondly seeing wee are Kings wee ought to keepe ccontinuall watch and ward contending by all good means to defend our selues and states For wise kings haue their guardes and are diligent to preuent all mischiefes that may befall them Nehemiah faith chap. 7. that after the walles of the Citie were built he appointed wardes eueÌ„ so seeing God hath giuen vs a kingdome hath in part repaired the ruines of his image in vs let vs ward that wee be not depriued of our crowne and frustrated of our hopes and that not without our weapons to defend our selues and offend our enemies which are for number many and for power mighty And that wee may proue good watch-men and not be surprized before wee be aware let vs first commend our selues and estates vnto God For except the Ps 127. 2. Lord doe keepe the Citie the keeper watcheth but in vaine Vnlesse the Lord doe watche for vs vnlesse the Lord do protect vs with the shield of his grace couer vs with the wings of his mercie we lye exposed to our enemies easie to be taken of them Secondly let vs haue a watch-full eye to the Philistines abroade to the tentations of the Diuell the allurements of the world For Satan is subtill When hee cannot oppresse vs with violence like a Lion then hee begins to play the Fox transforming himselfe into an Angell of light and so seeking like a Wolfe in a sheepes skin to seduce and kill vs. And what are the sweet intisements of the world but pleasant enchantments to be witch vs and as the Fishermans bayte which hath an hooke inclosed in it to catch the fish by the iawes Thirdly look narrowly to the Cananite within doore that is to the corruption of thine heart that cruell Abimelech that false-hearted Delilah and ambitious Absalom which beeing but a bramble would faine be king and ouertop the vine of Gods graces in vs seeking by fraude and force to depose vs from our kingdomes Remember the counsell of the holy â—host who saith keep thine Pro. 4. 23. heart with all diligence for thereout commeth life To this ende doe these three things First let Gods word dwell plenteously in thee and meditate vpon good things turne thine eyes from beholding vanities and inure thy feet to right pathes Dauid saith I kept thy Ps 119. 89. word in mine heart that I might not sin against thee Secondly haue warrant from the word of God for all thy thoughts and actions and let it be the key to locke vp to open the doore of thy lips Salomon saith establish thy Pro. 20. 18. thoughts by counsell And Dauid saith thy testimonies are my delight and counsellers Ps 119 24. Thirdly be sure to vse all those things which may cherish the spirit and weaken the flesh Hear the word be frequent in prayer foster good motions meditate of the death of Christ apply the vertue of his resurrection vnto thee by thy faith and greeue not Eph. 4. 30. the holy Spirit of God by whom ye are sealed vnto the day of redemption Thirdly seeing we are kings we ought to be valorous constant and couragious An effeminate and timerous disposition is a disgrace to a Prince But it is the royaltie and greatest commendation of a king to be heroicall and valiant and to beare all things that may betide him with a RegiuÌ„ hoc ipsum reor aduersa capere Sen. magnanimious noble and vndaunted spirit Kings ought to be Eagles for their wisdome Doues for their innocencie but yet withall Lions for their fortitude and so should we be also that are things in Christ Fourthly let vs beware of illiberall and base mindes that wee solder not our affections to the earth An abiect vassall-like minded king is a very skoffe among men and a very Monster in nature It would amaze thee to see a king neglect his robes and embase himselfe in beggâ—rs woâ—des When we giue our selues to the world we lay downe our crownes