CHRIST'S LOVE, AND SAINTS SACRIFICE. Preached in a Sermon at St. Paul's Cross, on the 23. of August, 1635. BY JAMES CONYERS, Mr. of Arts of Sydney-Sussex in Cambridge, and Minister of Stratford-Bow, in Middlesex. CANTIC. 2. 12. My well-beloved is unto me as a bundle of Myrrh, he shall lie between my breasts. Ambros. in 118. Psal. Velle Christi commune in omnes est; mundari, fidei est credentis in Christum. LONDON, Printed by E. P. for H. Seile, dwelling at the Tiger's head in St. Paul's Churchyard, 1635. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL Sir ROGER NORTH, of Milden Hall, in SUFFOLK; His truly Religious Lady, THOMASIN NORTH; Their much honoured Offspring, HENRY NORTH, Esquire; with his virtuous Spouse, Mris. SARAH NORTH; And Mr. DUDLEY NORTH, Mris. MARY NORTH: Collation of Grace and Glory. WOrthies, your gracious and immerited Favours, not only intended, but also extended towards me (the meanest of a thousand) exact at my hands a more exact Demonstration of gratitude, than at this present to present you with a Sermon; but having no better Present to offer, deign it I pray you, your candid aspect, and accept it, as Artaxerxes did the water at Synataes Aelian. hands, and expande yours for patronage; under which, as the Dove in Noah's Ark, shall be its best repose and shelter. The lines I tender you are a Monument of my sincere and loving affection, in themselves mostly lines of Love, not carnal but spiritual, being richly inlayd with the love of Christ, that love outlaid by effusion of his most precious Blood, together with the true felicity and incomparable dignity of Chrtstians, wherewith your pious souls have been daily more and more enamoured, and your persons more honoured, than Nobilitas s●la est atque vinca vertus. with any Indian Treasure, or the World's umbratilous Honour; which Work wheresoever it is wrought, there is eminently, Digitus Dei, the finger of God, which finger as did that Star the Magis, guide you to the Star of jacob, whose love as a Banner ever overspread you, and the blessings of whose hands compass you on every side, that ye may be able with all Saints to comprehend what is the breadth, and length, and depth, Ephes. 3. 17, 18 and height, and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, and that ye may be filled with all fullness of God, to the praise of his Glory. Yours, and the Churches most humble Servant, JAMES CONYERS. To the Reader. CHristian Reader, as these lines are writ, so read, in love; and then thou canst not carp, but cover, if therein had escaped even a spectable Error. But to put thee out of doubt, I will be bold to warrant thee two things; first, herein is nothing contrary to good Manners, neither in the second place opposite to orthodox Theologie, therefore lend them thy look, and happily thou wilt like them, and the rather if these contents, Christ his Love, his Blood, the price of thy Redemption, or thy own blessed promotion like thee. In hope of one and all to thee and me, with all that love unfeignedly, I rest thine in him that lives for ever, and ever loves his. J. C. CHRIST'S LOVE, AND SAINTS SACRIFICE. Apoc. cap. 1. vers. 5, 6. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his blood, And made us Kings and Priests unto God even his Father, to him be glory and Dominion for evermore, Amen. WEre that Quaere put to In vita Budaei idem narratur de Theodoro Goza. Sphynx Philos. c. 25. me which once was to Budeus, by Francis the first; viz. if all the volumes in the world were doomed to the fire, what one would he save? as his resolve was, Plutarch's Works; by reason, they had the impression of all Sciences: Mine, should be, Epistolam Creatoris ad Greg Ep. ●d Furiam. Creaturas, the Epistle of the Creator to the Creature, viz. the sacred Scripture: And therein this Text, a richer Mine than golden Peru affords, the Magazine of all true treasure, Christ a gem of invaluable price, his love better than Wine; his blood, one drop whereof more worth than the Luthe. in 2. ad galat. whole world; two Evangelicall and Angelical Sacrifices, the one expiatory for sin, made by Christ on the Altar of the Cross, who loved us, and washed us in his blood, and made us Kings and Priests unto our God: The other gratulatory to Christ, john 21. 20. presented by the beloved Disciple, for that act of mere grace: To him be glory and dominion for evermore, Amen. In the former sacrifice, are offered two parts. Analysis. 1 The Motive thereto. 2 The Manifestation thereof. Expiatory Sacrifice. The Motive, is love; wherein, to shun a denial discourse, I shall confine to these limits: 1 The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that Christ loved us. 2 The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the impulsive cause to love us. 3 The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, how he loved us. 4 The quos, whom, he loved us. Unto him that loved us. The Manifestation of this love, appears two ways. 1. In Christ's own Humiliation, (viz.) he Christ's Humiliation. washed us from our sins in his Blood; where are in-laid these 3. particulars: 1 The Act; he washed. 2 The Object, us from our sins. 3 The Organon, wherewith; his own blood. 2. In our Exaltation, in these words; and Our Exaltation. made us Kings and Priests to God his Father, etc. whereout springs two branches of honour: The first, is Regal, he hath crowned us Kings: The second, is sacerdoticall; he hath consecrated us Priests, unto God, even his Father. In the latter sacrifice, which is Eucharistical, Eucharistical Sacrifice. observe, first, the matter expressed, Glory and Dominion: secondly, the Majesty, to whom it is presented; viz. the Prince of the Kings of the Earth: Thirdly, the manner, pressed two ways: First, in regard of cirumstance of time, beyond all time, for evermore: Secondly, in regard of the Sacrificer, with a good heart, and a very good heart, couched in this word Amen; Unto him that loved us, etc. Thus have I taken the Text asunder, and now I must take the parts in their order; and because they are many, I must but touch, as the Bee the flower, and fly away. The first that Method manuducts me to, is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Mercy-Master Christ jesus loved us: this is true, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in word and deed, a Truth, Tertul. Tanquam radio solis scripta, as engraven with the Sunbeam; behold the manner of the writing: The wretched jews played the Scribes; the pens they used, were thorns, and spears, and nails; the ink, was purest blood; the Volume wherein they writ (and that on both sides) was the body of all Divinity; the capital letters, deep and wide wounds; the testimonies, men and Angels; Brond. in loc. the Seal set to it, was Christ's consummatum est, it is finished: whereon, as an impregnable Arch-jewell, I build my faith, and am persuaded, That neither death, nor life, nor Angels, nor principalities, Rom. 8. 38, 39 nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall ever be able to separate us from the love of Christ jesus, who loved us. And thus much, or rather, thus little, on this first point, viz. the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that Christ loved us; and so we proceed to the second, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, why he loved us. The Ethnics feign, their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Gods and Goddesses for some lovely good, loved certain Trees; jupiter, the Oak, for durance; Neptune, the Cedar, for stature; Apollo, the Laurel, for greenness; Venus, the Poplar, for whiteness; Pallas, the Vine, for fruitfulness: but what should move the God of all gods, to love us, wildings in this fool's Paradise; Trees indeed; but such as St. jude mentions, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, corrupt, fruitless, twice dead, and plucked up by the roots. St. Bernard resolves it in three words, Amat quia amat, he loves because he loves; the root of love to us, lieth in himself, and by his communicative goodness the fruit is ours. Hence then exclude we all boasting in our selves, and conclude, sith Christ hath loved us, and hereby is made to us wisdom in the headfaculty of our souls, righteousness in the works of our hands, sanctification in our hearts, redemption Zach. 4. 7. in all parts; it was of grace, and grace be to it: and thus from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, why he loved us, pass we to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, how he loved us. Whereon while I muse, I am rapt with amazement; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for suppose the Heavens as a scroll of Parchment; the Ocean, Ink; Creatures celestial and subcaelestiall Penmen; all were unable to unfold this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, how he loved us: The reason is, his love as himself is infinite; which no finite creature is able fully to comprehend; yet in a model we may conceive it is much: so sounds that Trumpet of grace, as if he loved, & overloved: Propter nimium charitatem, so it is rendered in the Ephes. 2. 4. vulgar. Our stupendious Divine, he speaks for order first: grave Cyprian says, Immerito dilexit, 1 john 4. 19 he loved us in mercy, without merit. St. Bernard thus, he loved us, Dulciter, sweetly, he In Cantic. assumed our nature, sapienter, wisely; he severed sin and nature, fortiter, strongly: Much waters could not quench love, though never so bitter or so abundant; nay the more waters, the more love. Magnes Amoris Amor. His love should be the magnet of ours: But oh how are we drawn aside! if we love him, it is but a little, too little, or little or nothing at all, as we should. Will you read the reason, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; Isid. Peleus. Ep. 209. Since the love of Gold grew so hot, the love of Christ hath grown cold: Since Prince Mammon hath triumphed, the Prince of our Salvation hath been underprized. Shall this world's goods, which in respect of Christ, are mere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, rubbish; or the god of this World, which only loves us, as the Wolf the Lamb to devour, have so strong a hand over us, to draw our hearts from the love of our Saviour? Absit, God forbidden: Yet for fear of the worst, open thy ear to Wisdoms voice; He that loves not Christ, plus quam se, suos, sua, more than himself, his friends, Mat. 10. 37. his means, is not worthy of him. If this should not win our love, harken to S. Paul's thunder, If 1 Cor. 16. 22. any man love not the Lord jesus Christ, let him be Anathema: or, if the voice of consolation may work on our hearts, know, all things work togegether for the best unto them that love God: Quae Rom. 8. 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉? Armies of Angels, as for Elishaes' protection; Sun, Moon, and Stars, as for Duke josuah and Deboraes' conquest; dumb creatures, Quid non speremus amantes. for instruction and preservation, God's rod for caution, his rigid staff for reverence; sickness as in Ezechias, even sins (by accident merely) as in the Publican, for humiliation and salvation: these, as so many matches, may give fire to our i'll affections, to inzeale and inflame them with the Love of Christ: but to prove it, is all in all; the touchstone hereof is love to God's material Temple, in sincerity to behold the Probatio amoris est exhibitio operi●. fair beauty of the Lord, and to visit his holy Temple, therein to hold up pure hands and hearts for the peace of Zion, and to uphold it prece & pretio, with our prayers, and with our purses, in opposition to the old Massalians, who to the number of their impieties add contemptum templorum, the disgrace of Cathedrals; as also to crown our souls with blessings, for they shall prosper that love it: And let not our love only rest here, but reach to the mystical Temple, viz. Christ's poor members; hereby we shall neither want Christ's commemoration, nor remuneration: For what if the great Keeper of his Saints here, and the Grand-Iudge of all at Doomsday, shall conceal Abel's martyrdom, Noah his saving a remnant from the Deluge, Abraham's invincible Faith; Peter, Paul's, john's sufferings; yet of the acts of charity, he will make a rehearsal Sermon, I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat; Mat. 25. 35. I thirsted, and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger, and ye lodged me; I was naked, and ye clothed me; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came unto me; and therefore I will remunerate your bowels of mercy, with, Come ye blessed of my Father, etc. Come add me your Saviour, that dear bought you, Venite benedicti. meos, to my Saints and Angels your fellow servants. mea, to all that is mine, joys, etc. Honour's interminable to all dimensions, blessed of my Father, before you were borne, and blessed that ever ye were borne: inherit by my grace, not your merit, no less than a Kingdom, no other than a heavenly Kingdom, prepared for you before all time, purchased for you in the fullness of time, and shall be yours in possession when there shall be no more time. Thus in a short compass of time, I come unto the last stage, viz. Quos whom Christ loved. [Us] Unto him that loved us. Divine History perpetuates the memorable affection of jonathan to David, how his soul was knit unto his soul, And he loved him as his own 1 Sam. 18. soul; thereto was no little inducement, for David was jonathans' Fathers beloved servant, his own faithful friend, a wise and valiant Captain, and all Israel loved him. Humane story Val. Max. l. 4. cap. 8. survives of Orestillo, when her life went from her, Pla●tius at the instant became her second for a burial, in memorial whereof was erected a Monument at Tarentum, called, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Lover's Monument: These we must know were dear and near, an espoused pair: but for Christ to set his love on us, every way unworthy Rom. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hos. 2. 19 to be beloved, 1. weak, 2. godless, 3. sinners, 4. enemies, yea traitors to him and our own souls, though once espoused by a Ring of Love, in-laid with the pearls of his Spirit, yet by reason of spiritual adultery, divorced; and for all this, to love us! this is much, Greater love than this Isa. 59 2. john 15. 13 hath no man, than to lay down his life for his friend; yet (under correction) To majorem habuisti charitatem Domine; dilexti non existentes, imò resistentes; greater, sweet Saviour, was thy love: thou lovedst us when we were nothing, yea worse than nothing, sworn enemies to thy life. In meditation whereof that inscription upon Senacheribs Tomb, I may apply to Christ, and the Christians use, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. whosoever Herodot. thou art, make Christ thy spectacle, learn of him to love thine enemies: this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Luke. 6. 35. that spiritual wisdom which adopts thee God's child: hereto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, nature's instinct works, all being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of one blood: now never man hated his own flesh; this is the Royal Acts 17. 26. command, I say to you, Love your enemies: and Mat. 5. 44 Christ himself herein is, exemplum fine exemplo, a matchless mirror of benevolence and beneficence towards his enemies, in that he loved us. It is storied of Alexander the Monarch, that he edict vetuit, de quis se praeter Apelle pingeret, aut alius Lysippo Horat. Epist. 2. would have no man draw his Picture, save Apelles, or engrave it, save Lysippus; the best Artists, both for theory and practice. No Artist in Christendom can draw the most high GOD, better to the life, than in the lines of his own life to blaze the true oriental colours of love towards his enemies, after the example of the engraven form of his person, that loved us; which words ere I depart from, me thinks echoes so sweetly in the ear of my soul, and in thine (except deafness or deadness, have made a forcible entry) that Miriams' Timbrels, Asaphs Trumpet, David's Anthems, salomon's Epithalamiums, sound nothing so sweetly; the ground Rom. 5. 10 is sound; for if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life: which brings me to the second general part, the life of his love, in ample manifestation. 2 General part of the 1 Sacrifice. Quest. He washed us in his blood from our sins. He? Christ the Son of the living God, Lord of Men and Angels, majesty in excelsis in the highest, to become humility, in profundis, in the lowest! did this become him? was not this a servile act, viz. to wash us, a stain to his honourable person? To put this Question out of doubt, or the Resp. doubt out of question, no whit: for herein first was the compliment of that Prophecy in a good sense, The elder shall serve the younger. Further, it Gen. 25. 23. was of such absolute necessity, that Peter's case being ours, except he had washed us, we had had no part with him. But to clear the scruple, john 13. 8. it is illustrated thus; A Peer of the Realm Ruff. in Symb. beholding a poor child well-nigh choked in the mud, and to save him, if some slime should adhere to him, it were no dishonour, rather an honour, to do so good a day's work, as to save a soul: semblably that true Nobleman, Christ jesus, beholding with the eye of grace our silly soul plunged in the puddle of sin, albeit our slimy sins stuck to him, to pluck us out and save us, it did not impair his honour, yea rather set it off with a fairer lustre. And by this act he reads us a Lecture of humility. If I then your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, joh. 13. 14, 15 ye ought also to wash one another's feet; for I have given you an example that ye should do, even as I have done: How may this be? Saint Cyprian is our Schoolmaster, Quoties igitur, etc. D● Ablutione pedum. as often, as we persuade those which are under spiritual Pharoahs' slavery, to get them out of Egypt; mourn, with those that mourn; burn with those that are offended; are infirm, with those that are infirm: that Aquin. in Cor. 2. 11. is, as Aquinas interprets, for him that is infirm in the Faith, Dolemus in cordibus nostris sicut de nobis, lament for them as for ourselves; so often wash we the feet of our Brethren. And when this thy Saviour's humility comes fresh into thy memory, that he whose Throne is Mount-heaven, footstool the Earth, whom all the inhabitants of the Earth, and all the Angels of Heaven must worship; that he would stoop to wash thee: Stoop Gallant and learn of him to be lowly, so to be, it is a good argument thou art well loaden with grace; for as branches of Trees, and ears of Corn, the better they are loaden, stoop nearer the earth; and the best refined Gold, goes down in the balance: so the more fruitful and Quo sanctior hoc humilior Ambros. precious a Soul is, the more it lours itself, and the higher in God's eye it shall be exalted. Obiectum. And thus from Christ's Act, we descend to the Object, what he washed, and from what; Us from our sins. Which words argue, 1 sins condition, it is pollution; so Zacharias brands it, uncleanness; 13. 1. Atramentum Evae. Amb. 26. therefore Ezekiel compares it to scum, 22. 18. Hosea to a rising leprosy; S. jude, to a spot; S. Ambrose to a black cloud: una nubecula peccatricis totam fere obscuravit Ecclesiam. Res est Ep. ad virg. lapsam. foetida, saith Origen, a spawn of an unclean spirit; which unless washed away in the laver of Christ's purifying blood, and a flood of cordial repentance, will in fine associate with a Cage of unclean Birds. Therefore mind we Apostolical counsel; touch not, taste not, handle not; for as Syracides speaks, he that washeth himself because of a dead body, and toucheth it Eccles. 34. 26. again, what avails his washing? And as his washing proves sin its nature, so it unmaskes all the sons of men, that albeit in their original they were like to the house of jacob; wherein Amb. de fug. seculi c. 4. no image of impiety, no spot of pollution, but all as clear as Crystal; yet since the prevarication all as Laban's Lambs are speckled and spotted, A capite ad calcem, from top to toe. Let Abraham, the father of the faithful; Isa. 1. 6. Aaron, on whose bonnet was holiness to the Lord; Amb. a pol. Daniel. Antequam noscamur maculamur. David, the Lords Darling; job, whose crown is justice; Paul, that vessel of mercy; Peter the mouth of the Apostles; those devout Women, that were Apostolae Apostolis, even Mary-Iesus, the mirror of the Saints, speak freely; and they will unanimously confess to their own shame, they were great sinners; yet to the praise of God's grace, his Son washed them from their sins. Object. But in thus saying, they may say to me as the widow of Sarepta to Elias, Am I come to bring their sins to remembrance? I have no delight to rake in dead men's graves, Resp. or set their frailties on the Stage, but so fare to confirm from them this truth; in many things Amb. non solum docentes sed errantes instruunt we sinne all, and that if we fall as they did, we may bear ourselves upon the wings of mercy, to obtain as they have; or make their faults, as marks at Sea, to steer our course wisely, lest wee-runne on these Rocks, and so sink Bark and Goods. Object. But here may be obtruded a Dilemma: if Christ's Spouse be all fair, then there is no spot, so needs no washing; if any spot, how is she all fair, as Solomon speaks; withal is not this Cant. 4 7. derogatory from Christ's plenary satisfaction? For resolution of the former part, we are to Resp. consider the Spouse, the body of Saints; first, in regard of imputative holiness, thus spotless, Ecclesia nigra quia ex peccatoribus, decora ex fide● Sacramento Ambros. and more orient than the Sun: Secondly, in their inherent holiness; thus as the Moon, part black, part bright: And for the latter part of the Argument, grant the Church's pollution, it imperfects not Christ's lotion; to instance: He that comes forth of the , is clean washed, but trampling slimy earth, the soles of his feet contract some sully: yet therein for his defilement the is unblameable: after the same manner we cleansed in that beatifying fountain of Christ's blood open for judah and jerusalem to wash in for sin and uncleanness; may not Zach. 13. 1. if the feet of our souls, viz. our affections, walking on this sinful soil, lick up some defiling dust, that we stand afterwards need of washing, impute to this holy any imperfection; and hereupon is it according to our Saviour's saying, He that is washed, needeth not save to wash his feet. john 13. 10. Avaunt then vain Catharist, that vaunts thy Consect. self clear of all tincture of sin: Elisha was of another mind, witness his words, What is man job 25. 14, 15, 16. that he should be clean? and he that is borne of a Woman, that he should be just? behold he found no steadfastness in his Saints; Yea the Heavens are unclean in his sight; how much more is man abominable and filthy which drinketh iniquity like water. Therefore to that selfe-beseeming pure generation, I say no more, but as the Emperor said to that Arch-Puritan, Acesius, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theod. Histor. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, set thou the Ladder, and go alone to Heaven; but for my own part, with the Leper I confess I am unclean, and with the wings of devotion, faith and prayer, hie me to the mercy-seat; and in the Publicans posture, cry, Lord be merciful to me a sinner: and to conclude this with that Exhortation of the Apostle, Cleanse 2 Cor. 7. 1. yourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and the spirit; not from the great Beams, but the least Motes; not that the World may see on the outside, but that thou know'st in the inside, even all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, for into the new jerusalem enters no unclean thing. Apoc. 21. 27. But you will say unto me, wherewithal may we be made clean? To which I answer: First, flumine, by Eye-water tears, for sins distilled thorough the limbeck of a contrite Soul, which do not only A●● quod defendi non potest, ●●●ui potest. wash, but as a sponge, wipe out. Secondly, flamine, with the Holy Ghost; which, as fire, scours of rust-eating sins from the face of the Soul; and for this shall every one pray with the Church, Come Holy Ghost. Thirdly, sanguine, by blood; not mystical, as the blood of Martyrs; nor typical, as was the blood of Goats, but the natural and most precious blood of Christ, which cleanseth from all sin; and this is that wherewith 1 joh. 1. 7. he washed us; the third branch of the second general part, viz. the Organon, of our purification. Organon. And washed us in his Blood. In washing us with his Blood, his love, life, blood, is shed abroad in our hearts, that it was not cold, but warm as blood, nor dry, for with his blood he washed us; nor little, it was not gutta, sed unda; not a drop, but a flood wherewith he washed us: This was prophesied by good old jacob, of Christ, under the name of judah, he Gen. 49 11. should wash his garment in Wine, and his Cloak in the blood of the Grape: what other meaning, but that Christ's Body, the vestment of his soul, should be all over bloody? This was prefigured by the red Cow, whose blood was to be sprinkled Numb. 19 seven times before the Tabernacle; so our Saviour's seven times effused upon the Tabernacle of his Body; First, In his Circumcision: Secondly, in pilate's Hall, stripped and whipped till blood came: Thirdly, in the Garden sweat tears of blood: Fourthly, in his spineall coronation: Fifthly, in his crucifixion: Sixthly, in piercing his hands and feet with nails: and Seventhly, at the last, to be sure to take away life, the Soldier thrust a Spear into the film of his heart, whence streamed Columb. dear Anat. ●. 7. water and blood in abundance; whereupon the Element trembled, Rocks rend asunder, the Heavens covered the face of the Earth with darkness, as with a sable Canopy, veil his bloody nakedness. It is noted to be the innative virtue of blood in its kind; 1. To mollify: 2. To purify: 3. To preserve alive: 4. To revive the dead. For the first, So it is storied of the Goat, that albeit the Adamant in its own nature be inflexible and infrangible, yet steeped in Goat's blood, it becomes pliable and tender: But more efficacious is the impreciable virtue of Christ's Blood, that being sprinkled on the heart, by the hand of Faith, it intenders it though harder than the hardest Adamant: This rend Rocks, and made stones relent; this wrought one of the Thiefs on the Cross, as soft as Wax, to receive the gracious impression of the Spirit, to believe in a crucified Christ, and in the merit of that his Blood, bubbling before his eyes, to be with him in Paradise. Blood purifies spots, and purges overspreading maladies; therefore the Persian Magis (as Nicephorus relates) counselled Constantine the Lib. 7. c. 33. great, being smitten with a loathsome Leprosy, for his cure, to bathe himself in the blood of Innocents' (it savours jesuitical advice) let the credit of the Story stand, ad placitum; but this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, worthy of all acceptation, that Christ's innocent Blood expiates our guilt, and heals all manner of spiritual Leprosy. joh. 1. 1. Blood preserves alive; therefore Physicians prescribe the blood of a Dove, a sovereign against diseases in the eye and the brain. Galen gives it against the bruises, called Hyposphagmata, which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. presents every thing to the eye, red. And jul. Alex. commends it dropped on the corners of Lib. 4. salubrium. the brain, called, Pia & Dura Mater, in the wounds of the head, to help to hold in life: So precious was the blood of Christ, a harmless Dove that dropped on our eyes, whereas before all we could see were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, gore blood, by reason of our bloody sins; now we behold as in a Glass, salvation before our eyes: And whereas in our head (Adam) we had received a deadly wound; by a Balm, made of this Blood, and laid to it, we are alive unto God. Blood hath revived the dead; As the Story of the Pelican goes for currant, her brood being stung to death by the brood of the Serpent, by distilling her blood on her own brood, they have been restored to life: So Christ our true Pelican, when by our serpentine firy-stinging sins, we were stung to death, by the virtue of his blood effused on our souls we are quickened and raised to life, to the praise of his glory. But there is one main and memorable difference betwixt this Blood and all others: The blood of man or beast may give snowwhite a scarlet tincture, but never die scarlet, snowwhite: but this and this only, by mercy and miracle, makes scarlet Souls as white as snow. In Solomon thus that Elder moved the question, and made the answer to our Evangelist, What are they that Apoc. 7. 13, 14. are arrayed in long white robes, and whence came they? These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their long Robes, and have made their long robes white in the Blood of the Lamb. Now, that Christ washed us with his blood: Hence, a choke Pear to the Manichees, who deny the truth of Christs-humanity; to the Marcionites, who aver he had a fantastical Body; to Apelles, who conceived he had a Sydereall substance: He that runs, may read printed in blood, the truth of his Manhood: For as Alexander the great, however the popular sort deified him, yet having got a clap with an Arrow, said, ye style me jupiters' Son, as if immortal, Sed hoc vulnus clamat me esse hominem, this blood that issues from the wound, proves me in the issue a man: So may I say of our Saviour, though myriads of Angels and Saints acclaime he is God, ergo, immortal, and a crew of Heretics, disclaim him to be a man; yet the streams of blood following the arrow of death that struck him, make good, he was perfect man, of a reasonable soul, and humane flesh subsisting: but this their heresy we pass: for there must be 1 Cor. 11. 9 heresies; and in holy admiration, ponder in the chambers of our hearts, the immense love of the Father, and of the Son; of the Father, that he would give his Son to shed his blood, and dye the execrable death of the Cross for the sons of men, Ab aeterno genitum, begotten before all eternity. His Son? Psal. 2. 7. Omnis creaturae primogenitum, the first begotten of every creature; Vnigenitum his only begotten Col. 1. 16. joh. 1. 18. Mat. 3. ult. Esa 42. 1. Son; Dilectum, his beloved Son; and as speaks that Seraphical Prophet, Electum Animae suae, such a son in whom his soul delighted; and for us caitiffs not worthy the least crumb of his mercy. And no less admirable is the love of Gods dear beloved Son, to pour out his soul unto death for us and our salvation. It is storied of Cyrus, King of Persia, having Zenop. lib. 3. taken Tygranes, King of Armenia, with his Queen, captives; on a time he moved Tygranes, what he would give for his Queen's ransom; to whom he replied, That had he what he once had, viz. his Crown and Kingdom, he would freely give it for her freedom, and if that were too little, he would purchase it with the price of his blood; which love to his Spouse, Cyrus observing, presently reinvested them to their pristine liberties and honours: Whereupon Tygranes spoke unto his Queen: Cyrus is a most 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. noble Prince; the Queen made answer, My affections were only bend on him that would have spent his dearest blood for me: a fortiori, should we, espoused unto Christ, the Prince of the Kings of the Earth, fix our hearts on him, that not only resolved our freedom from Persian, but infernal thraldom, and purchased it with his precious Blood. To wind up in a word, here every eye may see whereon to rest his Soul, that it may be saved in that great and notable day; not on his own righteousness, that is imperfect; nor Saints oil, that is not sufficient for themselves; nor the Popish incruentall Mass, a Mass of horrible impieties; no Pope's pardon, or, Aqua benedicta of theirs, to which they ascribe rare, incredible, both spiritual and corporal effects; whereby they bewitch silly souls, to enrich themselves, and all not worth a bit of bread, but solely in the blessed blood of that immaculate Lamb, Christ jesus. Herein to our most precious souls is, salus oblata, salvation freely offered; herein, by our most precious faith, is salus recepta, salvation embraced; in this faith, by the impress of the Spirit, is salus obsignata, salvation sealed; and hereby is the end of our faith, salus consummata, our salvation finished; and while we sojourn in these terrene Tabernacles, the foundation of our glory, the rise and perfection is in and from this blood; whereby we are made Kings and Priests unto our God. And this is the second branch wherein Christ's love is manifested. He hath crowned us Kings, and consecrated us Priests to God and his Father. Artaxerxes honoured Nehemiah much, to Kings. advance him to be his Cupbearer; and Saul David, to make him his Son in law, but to make us Kings, less than none save God alone, what could be more? but what manner of Kings? Rex sol● deo minor. not political, but spiritual; Et bene (saith S. Gregory) quia praelati cunctis motibus carnis, etc. Moral. 36. c. 21. as reigning over our corrupt affections; curbing luxury; tempering intemperate avarice, humbling haughtiness of spirit, and extinguishing the fire of fury: Will you a little more at large behold the majesty of as many as are truly made Kings? Their unction is not oil, but holy blood. Their Diadem is not 12. stones, but 12. s●ars. Apoc. 12. 1. The Sword is the Word of God. The Sceptre is the power of his Spirit. The Globe, the World, all things are theirs. Their Royal Robes, the syndone of Christ's 1 Cor. 3. 22. Righteousness. Their Princely Palaces, White-Hall, God's Sanctuary, and Non-such the new jerusalem; the Esquires of their bodies, a heavenly guard, even 10000 of Angels; their diet is of the best, the inconsumptible body and the blood of Christ; and he that made them kings, is the King of Kings. Beloved Brethren, we see our honourable calling; let dogs return to their vomit; Hogs of Epicurus Herds, wallow in their obscene Aliud Sceptrum, aliud plectrum. pleasures; Kites feed on caerrion; Beasts live like Beasts; yet our calling calls upon us to live like men, the chief of men, Kings, and Christian Kings. What therefore was josuahs' injunction, aught to be ours, in theory & practice, viz. the exercise of pure Religion, to meditate in the Book of the Law day and night, to observe, and Iosu. 1. 8. do according to all the Law, not to turn from it to the right hand, nor to the left, that we Deut. 17. 19 may prosper wheresoever we go. It is recorded in Ecclesiastical History of Philadelphus, King of Egypt, however he had two hundred thousand volumes in his Library, yet he sent the keeper of his Library, Demetrius, to the jews, to have the Book of the Law, and the Translators, which we call the Septuagint. Such was his love to the Law: We need not send fare, or spend much to have the Book of the Law and the Gospel in our own houses, in God's houses they are read and orthodoxally expounded every day, and if the best of desires be not thereto, to know and to do, we are not worthy the name of Christians, much less the honour of Kings: but if we shall make the profession and the practice of sincere Religion, our joy, our glory, and our crown, and be found so doing, Kings we are here by grace, and shall reign with the King of Kings hereafter in eternal glory: And thus I leave this, and take hold on the last branch of our honour, He hath consecrated us Priests to God and the Father. Amongst the Heathen, one man sometime was both King and Priest; Rex idem hominum Virg. Phoebique sacerdos. St. Peter combines both together, Ye are a royal Priesthood. St. Ambrose is 1 Pet. 2. 9 In Luc. c. 22. plain, Omnes filii Ecclesiae sacerdotes sunt, all the true children of the Church are Priests, spiritually Priests; whereof Clemens Alexandrinus renders this reason, Quia eorum caput Christus est Rex & Sacerdos, because Christ their head is both King and Priest. Then Priests we are: therefore it behoves us to adorn our holy Profession, as Priests, to be filled with knowledge, not of the most so much, as of the best; to send up the Heralds of our souls to the Mercy-seat, for ourselves and others, that we may be healed, to purify ourselves when we approach the Temple; and to be holy in all manner of conversation: what other thing in Moses Law, did that his Act Levit. 8. 24. typify, to put blood on the Priest's ear, the thumb of the right hand, and the great toe of the right foot, than that to spiritual Priests, the door of knowledge, and the instruments of action, should be sanctified, and being sanctified, forget not to sacrifice, Come sale, cum igne, cum thure, with discretion, fervour of love, prayer: subdue Arrogance; then we offer to the Lord a Calf; Orig. 9 Ep. ad Rom overcome we anger, than we offer a Ram; quell we concupiscence, that is to offer a Goat; restrain we wand'ring imagination, than we offer Pigeons. In three words to conclude all; let us all offer, the Philosophers three kinds of goods, 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, our external goods, doling Ethic. l. 1. c. 8. alms to the needy; for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. I, but thou hast it not to offer; yes sure, not so poor, but thou hast a sacrifice, Si Zachei divitias non habes, si desint tibi duo minuta, Remig. &c, if thou hast not Zache his store, not so much as the widow's mites, no not a cup of cold water; offer to thy God, thy good will, and God takes it well, according to that, Coronat Deus intus Voluntatem, ubi non invenit facultatem. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 August. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the goods of our bodies; so the Apostle Rom. 12. 1. supplicates the Romans: how this may be, golden mouthed chrysostom instructs elegantly, Let thy eye behold no evil, or no evil hold thy eye: Home 20. in Ep. ad Rom. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, so thy eye is a sacrifice: thy tongue speak no evil, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and it is an oblation, thy hand act no evil, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it is become a burnt Offering; so order all other parts in God's service, and so they are made Gods sacrifices: Lastly, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the goods of our mind, Prayers perfumed with faith, incensed with zeal to make them as incense, daily and duly presented by the hands of Christ jesus, to that God which heareth prayers, and to close with our God in praises, and praise him for all his mercies, from the morning of our youth, to the midday of our strength; even to the evening of our days, till our Sun set, that when the Son of righteousness shall appear, we may bear with Cherubins and Seraphins a part in their heavenly Hallelujah, world without end. Now to the God of Love; the Spirit of grace, that moves us to love; and the Son of God's Love, Who loved us, and washed us in his Blood, and made us Kings and Priests unto our God; a Trinity in Unity, and an Unity in Trinity, be ascribed Glory and Dominion, for evermore, Amen. FINIS. Imprimatur, SA. BAKER, Fulham, Septemb. 16. 1635.