THE TREASVRE OF TRVE LOVE OR A liuely description of the loue of Christ vnto his Spouse whom in loue he hath clensed in his blood from sinne and made a Royall Priesthood vnto his Father By Thomas Tuke Preacher of the word Psal 116. 12. 17. What shall I render vnto the Lord for all his benefits towards me I will offer a sacrifice of praise and will call vpon the Name of the Lord. Psal 145. 2. I will blesse thee daily and praise thy Name for euer and euer LONDON Printed by Thomas Creede and are to be solde by Thomas Archer 1608. TO THE RIGHT Worshipfull Master Edward Barrett Esquire SIR the sacred scriptures to which we must giue credit being the a Adaequatum obiectum Rom. 10. 17. perfect obiect of our faith and the Epâ—stle of that grand Creator of the World vnto vs his Creatures ascribes the worke of Mans RedeÌ„ption soly wholly to the b Rom. 3. 24. â—5 1. Cor. 1. 30. 2. Cor. 5. 19 1. Pet. 1. 18. 19. Grace of God in Iesus Christ. Therefore they that contradict impugne this diuine this inuiolable inuincible truth and seek to father their owne phantastique and base-begotten inuentions vpon the Scriptures do so much as in them lieth extenuate the all-sufficient and inualuable mediation of Christ they obscure the splendor of Gods grace they diminish his mercie they corrupt his word they peruert his senteÌ„ce in it as c Lib. 1. aduersus Haereses cap. 1 Irenaus saith in the like case Transiliunt ordineÌ„ serieÌ„ ScripturaruÌ„ ac quantuÌ„ in ipsis est dissoluunt membra veritatis as wil appeare by the discussion of those places d Dan. 4. Math. 25. Luk. 7. c. that are vsually obiected â—o fortifie that vâ—â—n opâ—nion of â—umane merits And that the grace of God may haue all the glorâ— fâ—â—m the creaâ—ure that he which â—iâ—yâ—eth mâ—y e Ier. 〈◊〉 24 2. Cor. 10. 17. reioyce in him if wee beâ—in with Christ our f 1. Ioh. 2. 1. Advocate g Eph. 1. 4. in whome we were elected to â—t â—â—all life and h 〈◊〉 Tim. 2. 6. Gal. 3. 13. Eph. 1 7. Heb. 9 1. 2. bâ— whom wee were redeemed from eternal â—eath â—t is euident that as hee was sent by God of his i 1. Ioh. 4 10. vndeserued k Ioh. 3. 16. loue â—nto he wâ—râ—â— to â—aue vs eâ—en so his Humanitie tâ—at hee â—ight be fit to saue vs as assumed into the l Luk. 1. 35. Ioh. 1. 1. 14. Math. 1. 23. vnitie of his person without dâ—â—â—sion and vnited Rom. 5. 8. to his Diuinity mediate personâ— wiâ—â— out coÌ„fusion his humane nature pâ—e-deseruing no such aâ—â—ancement as m Inlib 1. de Praed SaÌ„ct cap. 15. Austen teacheth â—â—nde enim â—hoc meruit Quod eius bonum qualecunque praecessit Quid egit anté quid credâ—dit quid petiuit vt ad hanc ineffabilâ—m excellâ—ntiam perueniret And that the same nature was also produced into nature without that hoerâ—ditarie disease of corrupted nature it was from grace grâ—ce alone n Ang. ibid. Néque â—nâ—m Retributa â—st Christo illa generatio sâ—d Tributa vt alienus ab omni obligatione peccati de spiriâ—â— virgâ—â—nasâ—eretur And as â—o ouâ—sâ—lues we know that he was through the o Act. 2. 23 determin recouâ—sel and p Heb. 2. 9. grace of God q RoÌ„ 4 25. deliuered to death for â—ur sins and rose agâ—â—â— for oâ—r iustification Foâ— Gâ—d r 2. Cor 5. 21. mâ—de hâ—m â—â—n for vs that knew s Christi duplex est considerâ—t â—o vâ—a câ—â—dem decâ—â—duÌ„ se altera eâ—un â—uâ— râ—â—s quorum perâ—onam instiâ—uâ—t Reâ—pâ—ctu priorâ—s Châ—â—stus dicitur iustus sanctus c. Respec â—n posterioâ—is dicitur factus pecâ—aâ—um â—relâ— li. 2. Instit not 〈◊〉 iâ— him selfe that we might be made the righteousnes of God in hâ—m which were vnrighteous in ourselues For beâ—â—uâ—e he did represent our persons as oâ—r Suerâ—ie therefore all our vnrighteousnes originall actuall was impuâ—ed vnto him and hiâ— rightâ—ousnes both habituall and actuall was imputed vnto vs. Lâ—â— the admâ—rable mixture of iustice and mercie of iustice in that the Father would haue his Sonne to satisfie for vs ratâ—er then our sinnes should escapâ— vâ—punished and of mercie because it pâ—â—sed him to impute the satisfaction of his Soâ—â—e vnto vs rather then wee sâ—ould perish â—n our sins Ipsâ— t Aug. in â—ncâ—â— cap. 41. peccatum nos â—ustâ—tia nâ—â— nostra sed Dâ—â—â—eâ— in nobâ—s sed u hoâ—est in Châ—â—stoâ— â—â—ipso sicrâ—t ipse peccatuÌ„ non sâ—â—â— sâ—d nostruÌ„ nec in se sed in nobis sâ—c ergo â—â—nâ—â—s iâ—stitia Dei in ipso vtâ—lle est peccatâ—m in nobis reÌ„pe â—ximputatione Finally for our eternal life in the w Luk. 16. 22. Ioâ— 14. 3. 2. Cor. 5. 1. heauens where we shall obtain x Reâ— 14. 13. 21. 4. perfect perpetuall redemption from all sinfull earth y Ps 16. 12. Luk. 16. 25 Reu. 22. 5. miseries together with a ful final possession oâ—y immortal ioyes Humana hÃc z Aug. in a caâ—e something different yet true in this Lib. 1. de prae deit cap. 15 merita conticescant quae perierunt per Adam regnet quae regnat Dei gratia per Iesum Christum Dominum nostrum For euerlasting life as Paul affirmeth is Charisma Dei the gratious gift a Rom. 6. 23. of God in Iesus Christ our Lord. The patient bearing of afflictions and the performance of the works of pietie toward God of charâ—ty towards our Neighbour without doubt are necessary Necessitate presentiae non efficientiae being as wee must needs confesse b Bernard Via regni non causa regnandi For we are c Eph. 2. 8. Act. 15. 11. saued by grace and not by the d Tâ—t 3 5. works of righteousnes which we haue wrought Quae e Augâ—â—â— ad Simphâ— Resâ— ad 2. quaeâ—t gratiam non pariunt sed quae gratia f Gal. 5. 22. Eph. 2. 10. Phil 2 13. pariuntur For as fâ—re doth not heat that it may be hot but because it is hot and as a wheel doth not run wel that it may be round but because it is round Sic nemo proptereà bene operatur vt accipiat gratiam sed quia accepit And though saluation be g Eph. 2. 8. Fides saluaâ— non efficiendo sed afficiendâ— siâ—e applicando Officium fidei non meritum praepos per notat h Aug. ib. Through faith Organicè â—et it is not For faith Energeticè seeiâ—g it is an instrument onely and no principall agent or meritorious efficient I lle h quippe nos fecit credere in ChristuÌ„ qui nobis fecit in queÌ„ credimus Christum ille facit in hominibus principium fidei perfectioneÌ„ in Iesu qui fecit hominem i Heb. 12. 2. principem
because of them Most of his Apostles â—f not all were poore and the deaâ—est children of God are subiect to greâ—uâ—us 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. Beâ—â—eue 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 â—s 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 〈◊〉 him when he hanged on the crossâ— I noâ—â—e 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 â—aue 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 〈◊〉 â—hings 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 dâ—e imagine It is true indeede that God is mercifull and so â—iche in mercie as that hee sent his Sonne to saue vs but yet with â—ll he is so iust that rather then sin should scape vnpunished hee hath made his Sonne to beâ—re the punishment of it And as for those thaâ— will not by fayth receiue hâ—s 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 â—orments And theâ—efore 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 iudgemeÌ„ts they prouoke his anger they hinder his blesâ—ings 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 wriâ—eth that the Vipers kill their damme at their coÌ„ming fâ—orâ—h Euen so the byâ—th of sin is in desert Hist nat lib. 〈◊〉 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 thuÌ„der-bolt from heauen and beeing pricked in heart they cryed 〈◊〉 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
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 bâ—aking to subdue the rebellious corruptions which lurke like tâ—aytours 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 â—is 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 〈◊〉 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 cleÌ„sed 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 dâ—est conquer the corruption of thine heart and offer vp vnto God such oblations as are pleasing vnto him then maist thou concluâ—e 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 moâ—â—all and mâ—serable and by nature the seruants of sinne the children of wrath and his verâ—e enemies We may behold as in a mirrour First his admirable loue in scatteâ—ing the bright beames of his grace vpon such a loathsome Dunghill as we are all by reason of the rotteÌ„nes 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 maslâ—cring the enemies of our soules within vs and as holy preists sacrificing our selues vnto God Fourthly we see that pouâ—rtie penurie crosses calamities such like do not restraine him from bestowing his preferments Fiftly we see his integriâ—e exprâ—essing his words by works his pâ—eaching 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 waâ—es 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 coÌ„fesse 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 LieutenaÌ„ts 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 â—o come excell him â—n 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 Fiâ—â—ly 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 〈◊〉 â—nward 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 caâ—nall 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 〈◊〉 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