Christs Cross, Title page – To the reader
CHRIST HIS CROSSE OR THE MOST COMFORTABLE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST crucified, and ioyfull tidings of his Paſſion, teaching vsus to louelove, and imbrace his Croſſe, as the moſt ſweete and celeſtiall doctrine vntounto the ſoule, and how we ſhould behaue our ſelues therein according to the word of God.
NEWLY PUBLISHED BY IOHN ANDREWES Miniſter and Preacher of the word of God at Barricke Baſſet in the County of Wiltes.
Wherein is contained, firſt the chiefe and principall motiues and cauſes, that ſhould moue and ſtirre vsus vp to the earneſt meditation of his Paſſion. Secondly, with what minde we ſhould come to this meditation. Thirdly, how divers and manifold is the meditation of the paſſion. The fourth part intreateth of the Types, and Figures contained in the old Teſtament, touching the Paſſion of Chriſt.
HEB. 13. 8.
Ieſus Chriſt yeſterday, and to day; and the ſame alſo is for ever.
PSAL. 119. 103.
O how ſweet are thy words vntounto my throate!
Yea ſweeter then hony vntounto my mouth.
Printed at Oxford by Ioſeph Barnes. 1614.
TO THE RIGHT VERTVOVS, Renowned, High, and mightie Monarch, JAMES, our dread Soveraigne, by the grace of God King of great Britaine, France, and Ireland, Defender of the ſaith, &c. All grace, true honour, continuall health, ioyfull proſperitie, with all other princely vertues in this life, and the crowne of glory, through the mercy of Ieſus Chriſt, in the life to come.
MOST Gracious & Dread Soveraigne, vnworthy (I know) are theſe my endeavours, either to bee ſhrowded from the prejudice of contempt, vnderunder your Royall Majeſties protection, (a Prince of ſo great magnanimitie and iudgement) or offered vntounto your learned view; yet your continuall bountifulnes and dayly favours towardes good learning (eſpecially ifit ſavour of divinity) as it doth exceed your Roialty or greatneſſe, ſo will it alſo (I truſt) excuſe my boldnes in this my humble entreating your gracious Patronage of this my firſt & vnlearned Treatiſe, the which being rawly compriſed in a few ſcattered leaues, and as rudely compoſed in a ſort of ſcribled & vnlettered lines, the out ward haske whereof, although it be farre vnlike the lordly gift that Aconitanus offered vntounto Alphonſus king of Aragon, being vnpoliſhed, may ſeeme vnpleaſant, yet (no doubt) the inward kernell once taſted, and well digeſted, may proue cordiall, and right fruitfull. And although I cannot with ramping Lyons run in with mightie prayes; yet with the little Ant by hawling in my wheaten graine, I am ready preſt to ſignifie the force of my louelove, & loyalty towards your moſt excellent Maieſtie. And thus in al humility, I beſeech your Highneſſe to accept this mite of my poore labours: ſo ſhall I (if God ſpare me life) be cō forted & encouraged, vnderunder ſo mightie a favourer, to proceed in the like ſtudies; and according to my boundē dutie, inceſſantly with all humilitie pray vntounto almightie God (by whom both Kings and Princes raigne) to his glory not onelyonly to preſerue your Grace, in Royall throne of Monarchie vponupon earth, but alſo to be farre more adorned, to raigne with a celeſtiall crowne of glorie in the kingdome ofheauen.
Your Royall Maiesties faithfull and ever loyally devoted ſubiect, Io. ANDREWES.
TO THE CHRISTIAN REAder, health in the Lord.
RIght well ſaith the Wiſeman, (gentle Reader) that there is nothing new vnderunder the Sunne; and further, that there is no end of writing bookes: for, how ſoever in a generality the ſubiect of any knowledge be declared, yet the particulars, that may bee gathered out of the ſame, be ſo manie, as new or more matter may bee produced to write thereof againe; and, as Horace alſo affirmeth, it is hard to entreate of any ſubiect, that hath not beene formerly handled by ſome other. Wherefore ſeeing that of all the benefits that ever Almighty God beſtowed on man from the creation of the world, as there is none more glorious & admirable, thē the giving of his owne deare, & welbeloved Son to vsus, & for vsus to be crucified: ſo likewiſe I thought it beſt to beſtow theſe my firſt labours in the meditation of his paſſion; becauſe that of all the duties that man can do, or are required of man to be done vntounto God, there is none ſo high, nor ſo acceptable vntounto him, as to imbrace the ſame, his crucified, and paſſionate ſonne by faith in our hearts, (which muſt not only be done for our owne practiſe, or private vſe, but alſo to endeavour our ſelues, to helpe & further others in the ſame.) For, it is the only doctrine, that availeth with God, the key alſo to binde and looſe ſinners, the touchſtone to try all doctrines, the lanterne & light that ſcattereth and expelleth the miſt and darknes of all hypocriſie, and a preſervatiue againſt all errour and hereſie, the mother of all goodworkes, the earneſt of everlaſting life, and title whereby we challenge our inheritance. And alſo, it is the only motiue, that I might in all humbleneſſe of duty, with theſe or ſuch like meditations, end and spend the reſt of my time in the divine ſervice of my Lord Ieſus, that hath called me from teaching of Schoole, and brevity in writing, to become a Miniſter, for to inſtruct, and labour in the vineyard of the Lord. Wherefore (Gentle Reader) if I, that ſpent the whole prime of my youth in that forme or faculty, be now applyed vntounto better labours, thinke though it be Serò, yet it is Seriò; and though theſe my firſt endeavors begin but in the Autumne, or declining of my age, yet doubt not, by the helpe of God they will continue the time of my whole life. Hoping you will grace mee with your favourable ſuſpence, vntill my deeds proue my doctrine; in which hope I kindly preſent you this Treatiſe, entituled my Saviours Croſſe. The which if you balance with the zeale of my minde, I ſhalbe ſure you will not miſlike it, in regard of the matter, although happily you may finde ſome diſtaſt in the method. For, what can be more commodious to reviue, & preſerue the ſoule of a good Chriſtian, then a ſerious meditation in the doctrine of our Saviours bitter Paſſion? which is the ſumme of my ſmal and vnlearned Treatiſe. Wherefore if you looke in the booke of God, where this my draught would draw you, you woulde not only finde there ſufficient ſalue to cure your owne ſoule, which conteines the full ſatisfaction of theſe my labours; but alſo it would be a motiue to animate me forwards to continue my endeavour in the like ſtudies. In which hope of your zealous pervſing and dayly practiſing of the ſame, I commit my ſelfe, and my booke, to your favourable cenſure, praying the Almighty, to giuegive you ſuch ſpirituall refreſhing vntounto your ſoule, that neither Sathan may deceiue you, nor the Law terrifie you, but that you may rightly enioy the abundance of Gods mercies. Vale in Chriſto.
Iohn Andrewes.