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. 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 du∣ties. 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 frō the consideration of our priest-hood.

First, forsomuch as wee are Priests, it is our dutie to labour for true spiritu∣all knowledge, that we may execute our our office faithfullie and discreetly.

The legall Priestes were to bee men of * 1.1 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 * 1.2 of God, that owneth vs, and of Christ, that is our Lord and master? Peter ex∣horteth vs to growe in the knowledge of * 1.3 Christ; therefore we ought to haue the knowledge of him. For as a man can∣not increase in wealth, vnlesse he haue some wealth: so no man can growe in knowledge, except hee haue know∣ledge. 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 * 1.4 content to liue without eyes, like Sea∣winckles, and are by reason of their pee∣uishnesse as vnteacheable as Swallowes, which (as Plinie writeth,) cannot be * 1.5 brought to learne: those (I say,) doe plainly shewe, that they are not as yet called home to God, but are in thral∣dom 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 * 1.6 most concerne vs, and not to know the nature of that which i•• 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 wee, that are Priests by Christ our Priest, shuld not onely professe holynesse vn∣to the Lord in our liues, and haue the Thummim of perfection or sincerity in our hearts, but the Vrim also of diuine & wholsome knowledge in our heads, which i•• the light of the soule, and as it were the true rudder of our zeale, & as comfortable as the Sun-shine in a darke house, or as a Candle is in a deepe dun∣geon. Be not (therefore) like an Horse, or like a M••le, which vnderstand not: but * 1.7 labour for true knowledge and vnder∣standing. Thou art a Priest: let thy lips therefore preserue knowledge.

Secondly, Priests were to teache the people: so let vs, if not all able to in∣strict, yet bee all willing to set forward

one another, keeping our selues soberly within ••he limits of our callings. Let pa∣rents and masters teach their childrē, & seruants and let vs exhort one an other, and be ready to say with those foretold of by the Prophet. Come and let vs goe * 1.8 vp to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Iacob, and he will teach vs his wayes, & we will walke in his pathes. Then would religion flourish, and profanesse would not be so rise: then should our light breake forth, as the morning, and the glory of the Lord shall embrace vs. Prouided alwayes that we truely teach our selues, as wee labour to instruct o∣thers. For otherwise, wee shalbe but like the Sumpter-horse, that carieth ri∣ches for others, but none for himselfe.

Thirdly, like Priests wee ought to pray for others, and delight in blessing, and take ••eed of cursing. The Priests had a speciall commandement to blesse the people with these wordes, saying; The Lord blesse thee, and keepe thee: the * 1.9 Lord make his face to shine vpon thee, and be mercifull vnto thee•• the Lord lift vp his countenance vpon thee, & giue thee peace.

And it were commendable in vs, that are spirituall Priests, thus to pray for our brethren, nor for our brethren on∣ly: * 1.10 for Christ commandes vs, to blesse, * 1.11 euen those, that curse vs, and to pray for them, that hate vs. Let vs therefore (like spirituall Priests) walke in the Spi∣rit; * 1.12 Let all bitternes, and anger, and wrath, crying, and euill speaking, be put away from you, with all maliciousnes: and be courteous one to another, as Priests should bee, not rendring euill for euill, neither rebuke for * 1.13 rebuke: but contrariwise, Blesse; knowing that ye are therevnto called, that ye should be heyres of blessing. For wee should be patternes of pietie and patience, and as pictures of Christianitie, that they, * 1.14 which speak of vs as of euil doers, may by our good workes, which they shall see, glorifie God in the day of their visi∣ta••ion, when God also shall shew mer∣cie to them, and conuert them.

Fourthly, as the Priests vnder the * 1.15 Law, kept the fire on the Altar, & ne∣uer let it goe out, but fed it continual∣ly: so let vs neuer let the fire of Gods graces, goe out vpon the altar of our

hearts, but let vs continually feede them by hearing and reading the worde, by receiuing the Lords Supper, by pray∣er, meditations and godly conference, that so wee may grow in grace, as Peter * 1.16 doth exhort vs, and proceede in pietie to the glory of him, that hath thus gra∣ced vs, to the comfort of our brethren, and to the solace of our owne soules.

Fiftly, seeing wee are Priests, let vs like Priests offer vp Sacrifices vnto God. For (as Peter sheweth) wee are * 1.17 an holy Priest-hood, to offer vp spiri∣tuall sacrifices vnto God. And that we may take a good course in performing this dutie, I will shew, First, the sacri∣fices, which wee ought to offer. Se∣condly, the Altar, whereon they must be layed. Thirdly, the time when they should be offered. Fourthly, our prepa∣ration before wee offer them. Fiftly, the manner how wee ought to offer them. And sixtly, to what ende.

For the first; our sacrifices are ma∣nie. The first is prayer. I will therfore (saith Paul) that the men pray, euery where * 1.18 lifting vp pure hand••s, without wrath or

doubting. This is that incense and pure offering, which the Lord said shalbe of∣fered * 1.19 to him in euery place. A pithy prayer is (M••dullatū sacrificium) a mar∣••owish or fat sacrifice, and (as it were) a cord, wherwith we bind Gods hands, when hee is readie to finite vs for our sinnes. And yet as the Psalmist saith: If I regard wickednesse in my heart, the Lord will not heare mee. The second is * 1.20 praysing and thanks-giuing. And ther∣fore Asaph saith, Offer vnto God prayse, & * 1.21 paye thy vowes vnto the most High. Hoseah willeth the people to goe to God in prayer, and say; Receiue vs graciously: so wil we render the calues of our lips. Which the Authour of the Epistle to the He∣brewes, * 1.22 seemeth to explaine, when hee saith: Let vs therefore by him offer the * 1.23 sacrifice of prayse alwayes vnto God: that is, the fruit of the lips, which cōfesse his Name. Dauid also saith, I wil offer to thee a sacri∣fice of praise, and will call vpon the Name of the Lord.

The third, is a sorowfull, humble, and contrite heart. For the sacrifices of God * 1.24 are a contrite spirit: a contrite and a bro∣ken

heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

The fourth is almes-deedes, and the reliefe of the afflicted. Therefore the holy Ghost saith; To doe good and to di∣stribute * 1.25 forget not. For with such sacrifices God is well pleased. Paul saith, I was euē fil∣led, * 1.26 after that I had receiued of Epaphrodi∣tus that (reliefe) which came from you, an odour, which smelleth sweet, a Sacrifice ac∣ceptable vnto God.

The fift, is the sacrifice of our blood: when we are content to seale the truth with our bloud, which we cōfesse with our tongues, and professe in our liues. Paul saith: though I be offered vp vpon the * 1.27 sacrifice & seruice of your ••aith, I am glad, and reioyce with you all. And to his na∣turall sonne Timothy he saith: I am ready * 1.28 to be offered, or powred out as a drinke * 1.29 offering by martyrdome.

The sixt is, when Parents doe dedi∣cate their children vnto God, either to serue him in the generall calling of Christianity, or in some speciall calling, which approacheth nearest to him, as Hannah did her sonne Samuel. Could * 1.30 any be so deuout in their superstitions,

as to sacrifice their children vnto Ido••, vnto Diuels, and shall not Christians consecrate their childrē vnto God, that gaue them: vnto Christ, that bought them: and vnto the Spirit, which doth renew them?

The seauenth is the Lords Supper: which may be called a sacrifice, not be∣cause any corporall, propitiatory, or applicatory sacrifice is offered vnto God in it, but because at the celebra∣tion * 1.31 therof, we offer vp our prayse, our selues and seruice vnto God, in testimo∣nie of our thankfulnesse to God for the death of Christ, set forth and signified in that sacrament. And therefore it is called the Eucharist, or Thansgiuing. And because also they did in the church vse at the receiuing of this sacrament to offer their gifts for the reliefe of the poore, in witnesse of their thankfull hearts vnto God. Which custome is yet religiously continued in some pla∣ces.

Fightly, Gods Ministers in his church haue a speciall kind of sacrifice, in offering vp those whome they do

couuert vnto God; The Minister bee∣ing as the priest; the word of God preached, as the sacrificing knife; and the conuert is the sacrifice. So Paul of∣fered * 1.32 the Gentiles to God as a sacrifice.

A ninth sacrifice is, when we offer vp vnto God & his honour, our selues, soule and bodie. Paul saith; Giue your selues vnto God, and giue your mem∣bers * 1.33 as weapons of righteousnesse vnto God. And againe he saith; I be seech you, Brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye * 1.34 giue vp your bodies a liuing sacrifice, holy, acceptable vnto God, which is your reaso∣nable seruing of God. We ought to offer vp our whole bodies and our whole soules. For as euery sonne oweth ho∣nour vnto his Father: as euery subiect oweth homage vnto his prince: and as euerie seruāt oweth obedience vnto his Master: euen so euerie soule, and euerie bodie, euerie power of the soule, and euerie part of the bodie, oweth honour and seruice vnto God, who is the Lord, the king, the father, and preseruer of it. And we offer vp our bodies to God as a sacrifice: first, when we make them

the instruments of our soules to exe∣cute the works of holinesse vnto God, of righteousnesse to our neighbours, and of temperance & sobrietie towards our s••lues.

Secondly, when we morifie & sup∣presse the sinnes of the bodie, as anger, bitternesse, wantonesse, sloth, & drun∣kennes. When we sacrifice our sinnes, as Iosiah did the I••olatrous Priestes of * 1.35 the high places, then do we performe a notable sacrifice well beseeming our Priesthood. Now these beeing our sa∣crifices, The second thing to be consi∣dered is the Altar, whereō we ought to lay them; and that is Christ Iesus, as he is God and Man. For he is our Media∣tour, he maketh vs and all our sacrifices acceptable vnto his father. For he co∣uereth all their imperfections with his blood, and v•• with his righteousnes. Whatsoever 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the sanctified al∣tar * 1.36 was holy: euen so whatso••uer sa∣ctifice we offer vpon this Altar shal be accepted. The Altar did sanctifie the offering, ••uen so Christ our Altar doth sanctifie & commend al our offerings,

which in themselues are verie lame and faultie. But he remoueth their blerni∣shes, and makes them sound, and as Salt he sea so ••eth them all, and makes them sauour and realish well in his fathers tast.

The third thing is the time when they should be offered: and that is con∣tinually vpon all occasions, from the morning of ou•• age, euen to the eue∣ning thereof. They were commanded * 1.37 in the time of the Law to offer vp eares of come dried by the fire, and wheate beaten out of the greene eares: euen so we should offer vnto God the Prim∣rose of our life, & our tender and greene yeares. Salomon aduiseth young men to * 1.38 cause eutll to depart from their flesh, and to remember their Crcator in the dates of their youth. Abel offred to the Lord the * 1.39 first fruits of his sheepe, and of the fat of them: so let vs offer vnto God the first fruites of our age, & the fat of our life. The lame and the torne will not go for curran: Shall we giue the Diuell the * 1.40 strength of our daies, and offer God our old bones? May he not in iustice

repell vs, and re••ect our offerings? And as we must beginne betimes to shew our selues Priests vnto God, so must we continue constant vnto the end. * 1.41 Therefore Paul saith; Práy continually. And againe: Let vs offer vp the sacrifice * 1.42 of praise alwaies vnto God. The Law * 1.43 appointed certain sacrifices to be offe∣red day by day continually: so we haue some sacrifices, which we should daily and humbly offer vp vnto God, as a contrite heart, prayer, praysing of his name, workes of charitie, and such o∣thers. We must not be wearie of well doing, but perseuere in the cōstant ex∣ecuting of our office. And i•• any thing trouble vs we must repell it, as Abra∣ham * 1.44 did the birdes, which hindred him in his businesse. Constancie is an argu∣ment of fortitude and sinceritie.

The fourth thing to be considered is our preparation: which consisteth in two things. First, in repenting of sinne, and clensing the heart and life of wic∣kednesse. * 1.45 Therefore Dauid saith; I will wash mine hands in i••nocencie (O Lord) and then will I compasse thine altar. Whē

Iosehp was to appeare before the king of Aegypt, he shaued him, and changed his garments, & came to h••m: so when * 1.46 thou a••t to appeare before the king of heauē and earth with any gift or sacri∣fice, change thy rayment of wickednes, shaue away thy superfluous & corrupt affections, wash thine heart and thine hands in innocencie, and then lay thy sacrifice vpon the altar, and offer it.

They which send presents vnto great men, will looke that they bee as pure and good as may bee, so wee, that are to present our selues vnto the great God, should labour to be inwardly neat and holy. The Prophet saith, that * 1.47 hee that killeth a bullock is as hee that slue a man: and he that sacrificeth a sheepe, is as he that cut off a dogges head; meaning, that their sacrifices were abominable in Gods sight, because they offere their bullockes, but not themselues, but de∣lighted in their owne wicked wayes. But let vs by repentance, first sacrifice and slay our sins, and then sacrifice and offer vp our selues. Salomon saith: take * 1.48 the drosse from the siluer, & there shall pro∣ceede

a vessell for the Finer: euen so say I, purifie thine heart, and purge out the drosse of sinne from the mettall of thy soule, and there wilbe a gift, which the Lord will like of.

Secondly, pray to God, that he would accept of thy sacrifice, and pardon all the blemishes in it. Dauid saith, O Lord I beseech thee accept the free offe∣rings * 1.49 of my mouth. Malachy saith that Christ shall refine the sonnes of Leui, & purifie them as golde, that they may bring offerings vnto the Lord in righ∣teousnes. Wee are as the sons of Leui, Priests I meane, but spirituall: let vs pray vnto Christ, that hee would refine * 1.50 vs, and power the cleane water of his Spirit vpon vs, that we may be cleane from our filthinesse, that so wee might sacrifice vnto the Lord in righteousnes. For as hee requireth the sac••ifices of righteousnesse, so hee looketh that they * 1.51 should be offered in righteousnes, that is, after a righteous and holy manner.

The fif••thing to be considered, is the manner how all our sacrifices should be offered.

First, wee must offer them in faith. For whatsoeuer is not of saith is sinne. We * 1.52 must bee assured of our offe••ings, that God will accept them. By faith Abel of∣fered * 1.53 vnto God a greater sacrifice thē Cain. A sacrifice without faith, is as a bodie w••••hout a s••ule, & a tree without pyth, and therefore the sacrifice of the wic∣ked, who are destitute of true faith, and not within the cou••nant, is as Salomon * 1.54 teacheth) an abomination to the Lord.

Secondly, we must of••er vp all our sa∣crifices, sincerely with an honest heart, and in cons••ence of Gods c••••mande∣ment. For God tryeth the hear•••• and the * 1.55 r••ines: and counterfet sanct••ty is dou∣ble iniquitie. When wee giue almes, which is one sacrifice, the left hād shuld not knowe what the right hand doth. And when wee pray to God, which is another sacrifice, we must not des•••••• to * 1.56 be seene of men, but ought to goe into our closets. By which our Sau•••••• mea∣neth, that we should performe the••e du∣t••es sincerely without hypocri••••••. For the hypocrite shall not come before God: but * 1.57 those, whtch are vpright in their way, are

his delight. And therefore must our sa∣crifice bee entierly offered, as Dauids was, when he said: I will praise thee O Lord my God, with All mine heart. * 1.58

The Law appointed a sacrifice in * 1.59 which all the members were offered; And the meate offering, which the * 1.60 Priestes offered, was burnt altogether, and no part therof was reserued. So we, that are made Priestes by Christ our High-priest; should offer vnto God an entire sacrifice, our whole heart, all the members of our bodie, and all the faculties of our soule. For he made them all: and he will either haue them all, or none: he wil not part stakes with the Diuell.

Thirdly, we must offer vp our sa∣crifices willingly, chearefully, & with delight. Therefore the Psalm••st saith; Let them offer sacrifices of praise, and de∣clare * 1.61 his workes with re••oycing. God lo∣ueth free-will offerings, and a cheere∣full giuer. Siracides saith; In all thy gifts * 1.62 shem a toyfull countenance, and looke what th••ne hand is able, giue with a cheerefull eye. Giue the Lord his honour with a libe∣rall

eye. For he that soweth liberally, shall reapalso liberally. Dauid and his people * 1.63 offered willingly, & with a perfect heart * 1.64 vnto the Lord, for the building of a temple ••d his name: euen so should we offer vp all our sacrifices willingly and with alacrity for the glory of his name.

Fourthly, we must offer vp all our sacrifices beeing in charitie with our * 1.65 neighbours. Christ saith; If thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee: leaue there thine offering before the altar, and go thy way: first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come, and offer thy gift. Our sacrifices must not be mixed with wrongs. But whatsoeuer gooddutie we do to God, let vs be in charitie with our brother. For how can we thinke that he will accept ••t, if we hate our bro∣ther, whome he hath made? And what∣soeuer good worke we do to man, let vs do it in loue vnto him.

For (as Paul sheweth) though we * 1.66 should giue al our goods to the poore, and haue not loue, it would profit no∣thing.

Fiftly, we m••st offer vp all our sa∣crifices in the name o•• Christ Whatso∣euer ye do, in word or de••d, do all in the * 1.67 Name of the Lord Iesus gi••ing thankes to God euen the father by him. The Apostle * 1.68 exhorteth vs to offer the sacrifice of praise vnto God by him. For if we would haue our offerings accepted, we must not trust to their owne dignitie, which deserueth nothing, but rely on∣ly vpon his merits and most meritori∣ous intercession. And therefore Peter * 1.69 saith, our sacrifices are acceptable to God by Iesus Christ.

And so much of the manner.

The end followeth: and it is either su∣preme or subordinate, greater or lesser. The maine ende of all our sacrifices, is the glory of God, which ought of all men in their actions to be sought for, a∣boue all thing, else; and therfore Paul saith: whether ye cate or drinke, or what∣soeuer * 1.70 ye doe, doe all to the glorie of God. The subordinate & inferiour ends are, 1. That men might beholde our faith: 2. commende our profession: 3. and glorifie our heauenly Father for vs:

4. that wee may adorne our calling: 5. and allure others to the liking both of it and vs: 6. that wee may edisie and excite our brethren, by our good exam∣ple: 7. that we may stop the mouthes of Atheists, papists, & Pagans: 8. and that wee may gather certaine assurance of our election and effectuall vocation, and at length attaine to the ende of our faith, the saluation of our soules.

And this shall suffice for the foure first generall points.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Mal. 2. 7.
• * 1.2

  Is. 1. 3.
• * 1.3

  2. Pet. 3. 18.
• * 1.4

  Iob. 21. 14. Plin. nat. hist. l. 9. c. 32.
• * 1.5

  Hist. nat. l.
• * 1.6

  quod magis ad nos per∣••net, & n••∣••ci••e malum est: et quae sit natura boni. Hor.
• * 1.7

  Ps. 32. 9.
• * 1.8

  Isa. 3.
• * 1.9

  Num. 5. 24. 25. 26.
• * 1.10

  Eph. 6. 18. 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• * 1.11

  Math. 5. 44.
• * 1.12

  Gal. 5. 16. Eph. 4. 31. 32.
• * 1.13

  1. Pet. 3. 9.
• * 1.14

  1. Pet. 2. 12
• * 1.15

  Leuit. 6. 13.
• * 1.16

  2. Pet. 2. 18.
• * 1.17

  2. Pet. 2. 5.
• * 1.18

  1. Tim. 2. 8.
• * 1.19

  Mal. 1. 11.
• * 1.20

  Ps. 66. 18.
• * 1.21

  Ps. 50. 14.
• * 1.22

  Hos. 14. 3.
• * 1.23

  Heb. 13. 15.
• * 1.24

  Ps. 51.
• * 1.25

  Heb. 13. 16
• * 1.26

  Placent non placant. Phil. 4. 18.
• * 1.27

  Phil. 2. 17.
• * 1.28

  1. Tim. 1. 2.
• * 1.29

  2. Tim. 2. 6.
• * 1.30

  1. Sam. 1.
• * 1.31

  4. And it is a momoriall of Christs ••a••rifice.
• * 1.32

  Rom. 15. 16
• * 1.33

  Rom. 6. 23.
• * 1.34

  Rom. 12. ••••
• * 1.35

  2. King. 23. 20.
• * 1.36

  Ex 27. 37. Math. 23. 19.
• * 1.37

  Leu. 2. 14.
• * 1.38

  Ecc. 11. 10. &. 12. 1.
• * 1.39

  Gen. 4. 4.
• * 1.40

  Mal. r. 13.
• * 1.41

  ••. Thes. 5. 17
• * 1.42

  Heb. 13. 15.
• * 1.43

  Et. 29. 36. 38.
• * 1.44

  Gen. 15. 11.
• * 1.45

  Ps. 26. 6.
• * 1.46

  Gen. 14. 14.
• * 1.47

  Is. 66. 3.
• * 1.48

  P 10. 25. 4.
• * 1.49

  Ps. 119. 108. Ma••. 3. 3.
• * 1.50

  ••z. 36. 25.
• * 1.51

  Ps. 4. 5.
• * 1.52

  Rō. 14. 23.
• * 1.53

  H••b. 11. 4.
• * 1.54

  Pro. 15. 8.
• * 1.55

  Ps. 9.
• * 1.56

  Math. 6.
• * 1.57

  Iob. 13. 16. Pro. 1. 20.
• * 1.58

  Ps. ••6. 12.
• * 1.59

  Leu. 1. 8. 9.
• * 1.60

  ••euit 6. 23.
• * 1.61

  Ps. 107. 22.
• * 1.62

  2. Co••. 9 7. Eccle. 35. 9. 10.
• * 1.63

  2. Cor. 9. 6.
• * 1.64

  1. Chron. 90. 9. 14.
• * 1.65

  This also must be ob∣lerued in the prepa∣uation. Math. 5. 23. 24.
• * 1.66

  1. Cor. 13. 3.
• * 1.67

  Col. 3. 17.
• * 1.68

  Heb. 13. 15.
• * 1.69

  1. Pet. 2. 5.
• * 1.70

  1. Cor. 10. 31.