The treasure of true loue 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..

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 ••e vnto him a kingdome of * 1.1 Priests, an holy nation, and his chie••e treasure aboue all people, though all the earth be his. But Peter expresly * 1.2 tells vs, that we are a chosen generati∣on, a royall Priesthood, and an holy na∣tion. And saint Iohn saith, that Christ hath made vs kings and priests. So thē we are as a kingly Priesthood, and a priestly Kingdome, kingly Priests, and priestlike Kings, and a peculiar peo∣ple selected and consecrated vnto him

for his glorie, and by him to receiue glorie. And that I may here also dis∣patch the fourth point, which is the Time when; the Apostle directly sheweth, that we are thus dignified e∣uen in this life. For he saith: he hath made vs. He doth n••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 possessi∣on of it also in part. For whosoeuer be∣leeueth in the Sonne of God, hath euer∣lasting * 1.3 life. But we come not to the ••ull fruition thereof till the life to come. And so likewise we are Priests in this world, but our sacrifices are ••ot spot∣lesse and absolute vntill the world to come.

But here by the way we must re∣member two things.

First, that we do not take the Sword out of the hands of Princes, nor denie obedience vnto Magistrates, nor ima∣gine ciuill Authoritie to be needlesse

or vnlawful among Christians, for that they are made Kings and set at libertie by Christ their King. For this were to cons••ire with the Anabaptists, Donatists an•• Libertines, against the ordinance of God; considering that there is no Po∣werbut * 1.4 of God: & the Powers, that are, are ordeined of God. Therefore we are com∣manded to feare the King, and to be * 1.5 subiect to the higher Powers, yea and to Pray for kings, and for All, that are in au∣thoritie. Our libertie procured by Christ consisteth not in an anarchy, not in lawlesnesse, nor in freedome from the authoritie of Magistrates, who are the Lords Leiu-tenants vpon earth (for Christ himselfe inioynes vs to Giue vn∣to * 1.6 Caesar the things which are Caesars,) but in deliuerance frō the tyrannie and terrour of Sin and Satan, as also from the rigour and curse of the Law, & from those legall rites and ceremonies, which did not die till ••e was dead. And the Princehood or Regalitie spoken of in this place, is not externall, temporal or terrestriall, but internall, spirituall, celestial and eternal, and ouerthrowes

not the calling or office of secular Prin∣ces, nor of any inferiour Magistrates or Gouernours in Church or Common∣wealth; to whome subiection, honour, * 1.7 obedience, feare, fealty, and whatsoe∣uer els is due vnto them, must of Eue∣rie Soule within their realmes and re∣giments, and vnder their power and authoritie, be performed of conscience, and for the Lord.

Secondly, we may not from hence dispute, that there are now Priests a∣mong vs, that offer vp to God any re∣conciliatorie, redemptorie, or exp••ato∣rie sacrifice, whereby his pardon may be procured, his iustice satisfied, and his anger pacified. For the Scriptures ac∣knowledge no such Priest, but Christ * 1.8 our High-priest, the Sheep-heard and * 1.9 Bishop of our soules, who was once offe∣red to take away the sinnes of many, and * 1.10 with one offering hath made perfect for e∣uer * 1.11 them, that were sanctified. Therefore Augustine truely affirm••th, that i•• we require a Priest, he is aboue the hea∣uens, where he maketh intercession for for vs, hauing died for vs before vpon

the earth. And Ambrose saith, that in Christ was once offered a sacrifice power∣full vnto eternall saluation, In Epist, ad Hebr. cap. 10. Neither may we hence conclude, that any Christian man may vpon his owne priuate motion with∣out ecclesiasticall ordination, or the testimonie of a lawful vocation (which is a fond and false conceit of the Ana∣baptists) presume to teach in the church, as if he were ordeined Minister. No mā may thrust his sickle i•• to his neigh∣bours corne, nor labour in his house or vineyard without his leaue. No man may execute a priestly function, or of∣fice * 1.12 of a Minister, without a sufficient calling. For no man taketh this honour vpon him, but hee that is called of God, as Aaron was. And al are not called. Christ appointed some to be Pastours, and not All. Titus was left in Crete to ordaine * 1.13 Elders. And how shall they preach, vnlesse they be sent? The office of teaching is double, ecclesiasticall or publique, and domesticall or priuate. The former pertaines to them onely, that haue a warrantable calling in the Church:

which no man hath without speciall licence and authoritie, either immedi∣ately from God, (which is not vsuall) or mediately from the Church. And this text in hand speakes not of any corporall or externall Priesthood, nor yet of any ecclesiastical order or func∣tion in the Church, but onely of the spirituall Priesthood of all Beleeuers, who for their spirituall sacrifices are tearmed Priests; of which we shall more largely treate heareafter. And this we haue ••aied by the way.

Now that we may more clearely perceiue the excellencie of this bene∣fit, it will not be a misse to consider it yet a little more. And for our Prince∣hood first. We may be saied to be Kings in three respects. First, because Christ hath inthro••ized vs into the king∣dome of grace, and hath made vs Con∣querours of S••tan, sinne, death, bell, and the World. Secondly, because be hath purchased for vs the kingdome of glo∣rie, vnto which in this li••e we are through him in••ituled: the which by our faith we apprehend, and by hope

wee wait for. For Christ is that hand, whereby the Dei•••••• reacheth vs all good things: and through him a through a pipe or conduit they run all vnto vs. His iustice imputed to vs hath made vs accounted iust, and accepted to eternall life. He was fastened to the crosse without law, that we might be loosed from the curse deserued by law. He ware a crowne of thornes, that we might we are a crown of glory. He held a reed in his hand, and wore a scarlet robe in mockerie, that we might be clad with robes of glorie, and that like kings we might haue scepters indeed, but not of gold (for that is too base) for such a kingdome, but of eternal glory. And as the Sunne went backe ten de∣grees that Hazekiah might receiue as∣surance * 1.14 of longer life: so Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse (vnder who••e * 1.15 wings is health) ••ath gone backe ma∣ny degrees, and abased himselfe to the dust, that we might be lifted vp, and set like Princes in th••ones of maiestie, and might receiue assurance of eternal life.

Thirdly, we may be sayed to be

kings, because by Christ we are made Lordes of all the creatures of God, ex∣cepting good Angels & Gods church which hath no head but Christ.

For in Adam, we lost our Lordship, and * 1.16 it is not restored to vs, but by the second Adam Christ Iesus, in whome we do re∣ceiue it, in parte in this world, and shall perfectly possesse it in the world to come, when as the diuell and all the re∣probate shalbe as dust vnder the soles of our feete, being turned out of al their possessions, which they were but plaine vsurpers of in the sight of god, & shalbe fearefully tormented in endlesse, ea••e∣lesse, and remedy lesse tortures.

But that we may yet be better acquain∣ted with the condition of our king∣dome, wee must knowe first, that our kingdome is constant, and shall endure for euer, and what it wanteth on earth, it shall be supplyed in heauen, where God shall be all in all, in all his Elect. * 1.17 Whereas all worldly kingdoms shalbe dissolued with the world. And in the meane time they are subiect to manie changes: and therefore Salomon saith;

the Crowne continueth not from generati∣on to generation. * 1.18

This we see verified by the fall of 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 wh••t diminish our glorie; For euen his seruice is per∣fect libertie, yea the more perfect our seruice is to him, the farther we are from bondage, and the more absolute is our spirituall reg••l••tie.

Thirdly, the affaires of earthly Prin∣ces are ••••iefly bodi••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 i•• 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 wic∣kendesse, 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) * 1.19 is prepared for the King, euen for all wic∣ked 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 * 1.20 Fathers pleasure to giue them the king∣dome of heauen.

Lastly, earthly Kings come to their kingdomes, either by conquest, or by their bloud, or else by voyces, and ele∣ction. But we obtaine this kingdome, neyther by the conquest of our owne workes, nor by the suffrages & electi∣on of other men, neither come we by it through the commendation or digni∣tie of flesh or bloud, but by the alone propitious grace of God, and propitia∣tory

merits of Iesus Christ, who by suf∣fering death, and fulfilling the lawe for vs, hath redeemed vs from hell, and procured heauen, and this our heauen∣ly honour. Therefore the Apostle saith: The wages of sinne is death, but the * 1.21 free gift of God is eternall life, through Ie∣sus Christ our Lord. So much for our Prince-hood.

Now as concerning our Priest-hood, Saint Peter who tells vs that wee are an * 1.22 holy Priest-hood, tells vs also the ende of this our Priest-hood euen to offer vp spi∣rituall 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 offe∣••ed the bodies of other things: wee offer our owne. Thirdly, their offrings were merely corporall: ours properly are spirituall.

Fourthly, they offered vp ••••aine sa∣crifices

and dead: but we are comman∣ded to offer vp our bodies a liuing sa∣crifice: * 1.23 and we offer vp our selues aliue. Fiftly, they were Priests for others: but we are Priests for no men proper∣ly, as they were.

Sixtly, their Altar was material and earthly: but ours is aliue, and heauen∣ly: to wit, Christ Iesus. Seuenthly, their priesthood had an end, but ours is e∣ternall. 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 shalbe 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 * 1.24 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 a∣mōgst * 1.25 vs there are both men & women, of all tribes & nations, and though ma∣ny of them want not outward defects, either by nature or by accident, yet Christ respecteth not the outward e∣state 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 sha∣dowes: at his death their date went out, whereas contrariwise our Priest-hood then began; So that wee are but vas∣salls to that great ••igh Priest.

Secondly, hee is an externall Priest of the New Testament, but we are spi∣rituall Priests, and not outward.

Thirdly, his principall sacrifice was himselfe: but we haue other sacrifices * 1.26 to offer besides our selues, & our selues no way acceptable in our selues, but in him. Fourthly, his sacrifice was of re∣conciliation, to satisfie the iustice of God for vs; But ours is of thanksgi∣uing to God: not satisfactory, but decla∣ratory: 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 God∣head, 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 sa∣crifice had bene spared: but some of ours should haue bin performed of vs, though we had not sinned.

Tenthly, the goodnesse of his sacri∣fice 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 possessi∣on 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.

Notes

• * 1.1

  ••x. 19. 5. 6.
• * 1.2

  1. Pet. 2. 9.
• * 1.3

  Ioh. 3. 36.
• * 1.4

  Rom. 13. 1
• * 1.5

  P••o 24. 21. Rom. 13. 1. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Tim. 2. 2.
• * 1.6

  Math. 22. 21
• * 1.7

  Rō. 13. 1. 7 1. Tim. 5. 17 Heb ••3. 17. 1. Pet 8. 2. 13. 17.
• * 1.8

  1. Pet. 2. 25.
• * 1.9

  Heb 9. 28.
• * 1.10

  Heb. 10. 14.
• * 1.11

  Sacerdotem si requiras, super caelos est, v••i inter∣pe••••at pro te qui in terra mortuus est ••ro te.
• * 1.12

  Heb. 5. 4.
• * 1.13

  Eph. 4. 11. T••t 1. 5. Rom. 10. 14
• * 1.14

  Is. 38. 5. 7. 8.
• * 1.15

  Mal. 4. 2,
• * 1.16

  Eph. 5. 23.
• * 1.17

  1. Cor. 15. 2••.
• * 1.18

  Pro. 27. 24.
• * 1.19

  Is. 30. 33.
• * 1.20

  Ioh. 10. 28. Luk. 12. 32.
• * 1.21

  1. Pet. 2. 5.
• * 1.22

  Rom. 12. 1.
• * 1.23

  Rom 12. 1.
• * 1.24

  1. Pet. z. 9.
• * 1.25

  Eeuit. 21. 18
• * 1.26

  Heb. 9. 11.