Mediators Furthermore they could not have that honour to be Priests or mediators of that Testament wherein there was but the shadow of good things to come Heb. 10. 1. unlesse it had beene given them of God as it is expressed Heb. 5. where he speaketh of that Priesthood of the lawe which hath now ceased Seeing none could have this honour to be a Priest of the old Testament but such as were called of God as was Aaron then how much lesse shall any be partakers of this dignity with the sonne of God to be the Priests mediators of the new covenant but such as can shew that God hath given them this honour Christ did not take this honour to himselfe Hebr. 5. but he that said Thou art my sonne this day have I begotten thee gave it him The Lord sware that he should be a priest Let the Papists shew any calling which they have of God unto this glory of the Pristhood Let them shew any Christ ordaineâ— no Priest in thâ— New Testament one place out of the new Testament where Christ did ordeine Priests Finally let them shew where ever Peter or Paul or any Apostle or minister of the Gospel have called themselves priests or have been so called by others otherwise than that which they give unto all the faithfull that being washed and sanctified in the bloud of Christ they be made Kings and Priests unto God 1. Pet. 2. Revel 1. 5. which is in another sence than this which they challenge No the word of the Lord is directly against you ye priests of Baal For it speaketh of one Priest which should arise after the order of Melchisedech and not of priests It saith there is one Mediator betweene God and man 1 Tim. 2. And therefore also it followeth that there is but one Priest Because the Priest of the new Testament is the mediator of the same is there any man so mad as to ascribe this glory to the Pope and his priests as to say they be mediators of the new Testament If not then are they no priests Now although this is sufficient to proove their priesthood to be counterfait that they can shew no calling in the word nor no mention that any one of the Apostles was a priest or that any man should have such honour yet to make the matter more evident I will shew by further reasons that their priesthood is such that it cannot stand with the priesthood of Christ We all know that the Lord swore that his sonne should arise up a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech Psal 110. Then if it fall out as it shal be manifestly shewed that the Priesthood of the Papacy is directly contrary unto that order of Melchisedech It must needs also follow that the same is not of God The order of the priesthood of Melchisedech is gathered out of that which Moses saith of him Genesis 14. the words are these and Melchisedech King of Salem brought foorth bread and wine which was also a priest of the most high God And he blessed him saying Blessed be Abram of the most high God possessor of heaven and earth and blessed be the most high God which hath delivered thine adversaries into thine hand and he gave him tythe of all This man was greater than the Patriarch Abraham as it is proved by two reasons Hebr. 7. the one that Abraham paid him tithes The other that he blessed Abraham Then Moses writing of so great a man not mentioning father nor mother nor kindred beginning nor end of his life although he had a father and a mother and kinred and had both a beginning and an end yet because Moses mentioneth not any of these it is said that he was without father without beginning of dayes and without end of life as though he were one that had suddenly come downe from heaven When it is said that he was a Priest of the most high God no mention made of any annoynting of any ministring garments of any temple altar or sacrifice not yet of any that did succeed him it is gathered that he doth continue a priest for ever And moreover that in his Priesthood all things are spirituall and full of endles power By this argument the holy Ghost proveth Heb. 7. ver 16. 17. 18. that the priesthood of the Levites was abrogate and could not stand with the Priesthood of Christ seeing it could give no strength nor furtherance thereto for the one being spirituall and according to the power of the life that is not dissolved the other as he speaketh being after the law of the carnall commandement they could not be joyned so together as that the one might be a supply unto the defect of the other For although the law of the carnall commandement which is so called not in respect of the founder thereof which was God but for that the substance of the things were bodily and carnall did profit and benefit men thus farre that by outward carnal things they had the resemblance of things spirituall to strengthen their faith Yet when he was come in whom was all the spirituall and heavenly power of the Priesthood those carnall and earthly things were to cease As for example Aaron was annointed with materiall oyle he was clothed with the ministring garments he entred into a tabernacle upon earth which was built with hands he had the bloud of calves and goates slaine beasts for sacrifice he presented the names of the tribes before the mercy seat All these and such like are the carnall commandement these did not take away sinne nor restore into favour with God But Christ alone is the priest that wrought that His annoynting was not with oyle but with the holy Ghost He needeth no holy garments for there was no spot of uncleannesse in him to be covered He came not with the bloud of slaine beastes but with his owne bloud He entred not into the Tabernacle made with hands to appeare for us and to present us before the Arke but he is entred into the very heavens even unto the throne of God to present us there Thus then it followeth that the Priesthood of Aaron being after the law of the carnall commandement that is to say the consecration was with things that were earthly and of a bodily substance the sacrifices also of the same sort it could do nothing But the Priesthood of Christ wherein all things are heavenly and spirituall and full of â—…e power hath fully and perfectly accomplished the worke of reconciliation If this order then of Melchisedech wherein there is nothing carnall did abolish the order of the Priesthood of Aaron wherein all things were carnall because the carnall things cannot helpe at all to bring men to heaven and because the order of the one Priesthood did so differ from the other as being of a quite contrary nature It must needs follow that the Priesthood of the Papacy cannot stand with the Priesthood oâ— Christ because it
A BRIEFE TREATISE AGAINST THE Priesthood and Sacrifice of the Church of Rome VVherein the simple may perceive thir intollerable impietie usurping that office and action which ever appertaine to Christ only By G. G. Newly reprinted LONDON Printed by W. I. for ANDREVV KEMBE dweling by the Sessions House in Long South-Warke 1635. A BREEFE TREATISE AGAINST THE Priest-hood and Sacrifice of the Church of Rome THe Pope and his clergie doe stiffely affirme and goe about to mainetaine that they bee Priests and that it is an holy Priesthood which they have even the Priesthood of the New Testamnet Further also they boast that the sacrifice which they offer is the sonne of God himselfe even Christ Iesus God and man flesh bloud and bone as he was borne of the blessed Virgin We on the contrary affirme that they be very Baalamites and not Priests of the New Testament and that their sacrifice is not the sonne of God but the stinking and Idolatrous sacrifice of Antichrist Who shall be beleeved we or they Let neither of both for our selves have any credit at all For what is man that he should have any credit Let neither of us be our owne Iudge for then there would be partiality But let God onely strike the stroke let him alone pronounce the sentence let that part be credited which hath his witnesse and testimony When he speaketh let man keepe silence When he pronounceth sentence let the mouth of all flesh be shut up For who shall reply against the words of his mouth which are in perfect trueth and wisedome His testimony hath he expressely set downe in the sacred Scriptures his voyce hath he there uttered to declare his perfect minde and will Let them be brought forth and heard search them for so are ye willed Crave the true understanding at his hands who is the onely teacher If by them it be manifestly proved unto you that the popish Priests be not the Priests of the New Testament nor their sacrifice the sonne of God then let men no longer doubt but that all their whole worship is idolatrous and Antichristian For if their priesthood and sacrifice which are the two principall things be awry what can be good in them Let us come to the triall of the matter And first in generall which they deny not the word doth teach that the dignity privilege and office of the holy Priest is to approch into the presence of God to offer giftes and sacrifice and to make request and supplication for the people The necessity of this office doth come from the profanesse and impurity of men All men are uncleane sinners God is most pure and holy and doth perfectly hate sinne And for the same cause he doth curse and reject all those which are polluted therewith They can not approch nor indure his presence before whom nothing uncleane can stand The prayers which come from them cannot be heard being the prayers of sinners and therefore not cleane No gift can be accepted at their hands to make any reconcilement or to get any favour they and all theirs are still rejected they must either have some other to do it for them or else for ever remaine still out of favour and be utterly cast away in eternall perdition He that shall do it must be without spot or sinne and therefore among all the sonnes of Adam only Iesus Christ is found worthy and able to execute this office For if we respect this great worke of reconciliation betweene God and men we shall finde that alone he hath wrought it and therefore is the onely Priest of God None other can in such consideration be called Priests It is true in deede that Aaron and his sonnes were consecrated and made Priests and did execute the Ministery of the Priesthood in the Temple But yet as their sacrifices did not nor could not take away sinne being but shadowes and the resemblance of the sacrifice of Châ—ist so also they were not sacrifices in deede but so called for that they were the patterne of that which is the true sacrifice The same is to be said of the Priests that they were no o her Priests but in figure because they did resemble Christ who alone is a Priest in truth Those o her Priests were separated from the people and consecrated to the service of the Temple The cheife of them might enter into the most holy place and come before the Arcke of the covenant and the mercy seate and there offer with bloud to make recoâ—ciliation They bare the names of the tribes of Israel and so presented them before the Lord. But yet all was but a shadow to direct the eyes of their faith unto Christ for these Priests could not wash away sinne they could not bring men into heaven and therefore when he came which is the Priest indeede and which doth accomplish that which was by them but resembled then all those shadowes did cease and give place He continueth a Priest for ever He hath perfectly wrought the worke of reconciliation and brought men into favour with God For with the sacrifice of his body he hath ransomed them and with his bloud he hath purged away their sinnes with full satisfaction and his prayers have beene accepted He hath received honour and power to save for ever all those whom he doth sanctifie Now the question is whether any can be joyned with him in this office and be partakers with him in this high dignity as to offer up to God the same sacrifice which he offered For this is without all controversie that such as do challenge a copartnership with him in offring the sacrifice and gift which he did offer do also challenge a fellowship with him in the dignity and glory of the Priesthood by which he did offer Heb. 9. 1 4. it For was not the great glory of his Priesthood in this that he offred himselfe in sacrifice unto his father shall not those then which do the same thing receive the same honour and glory therfore Thus we see that when as none could be found worthy in heaven and earth but onely the Lambe v. 6. 7. Revelat. 5. yet every greasie shaveling will have fellowship and glory with him even in the highest part of his office Lord how long wilt thou spare looke downe and visite the blasphemy of the wicked Beast upon him and upon the heard and route of his horned shavelings They say they be Priests doubtlesse then are they mediators of the New Testament For the Testament and the Priest are Christ onely the Priest of the New Testament joyned together the Priest of the New Testament is the mediatour of the New Testament For Christ is compared with Aaron and his sonnes to have obtained a ministery so much more excellent as he is the Mediatour of a better Testament Hebr. 8. 6. The excellency of the ministery of Aaron and his sonnes was according to the worthinesse of the Testament whereof they were the
them then can have the honour of the priesthood to obtaine pardon of sinnes for the Church that glory and power being reserved onely to the Sonne who is farre aboue principallities and powers Such a priest as this must bring vs that are base and sinfull wretches unto God in him we must be sanctified in him we must obtaine favour in him we must be heard that is so high in favour that no request can be denied him In him we must be saved who hath received all power and authority both in heaven earth and liveth for ever What fouler beastlinesse then can there be than this that sinfull unholy and base wormes of the earth should challenge unto themselues to be Priestes of the New Testament yea that such filly Asses as are scarce fit to keepe swine will yet have that office that the glorie honor and power of is aboue the Angels let all men judge now of this conclusion The Priests of the New Testament is pure and holy separated from sinners made higher than the heavens The POPE and all his broode are sinfull whoremongers theeues and murtherers base and vile wretches of the earth farre off from being higher then the heavens Therefore their priesthood is not the priesthood of the New Testament There is also another notable difference betweene the old priesthood and the newe that those former did minister in earth in a Tabernacle made wi h hands which had no enduring substance This latter is entred into the Sanctuarie of Heaven and there doth execute the Priests office he doth not any thing in an earthly sanctuarie For why His Priesthood is heavenly and eternall his Tabernacle must be agreeable unto the same And it is said that if he were one eareh he could not be a Priest whâ—le those Priestes did stand which were after the Law Heb. 8. 4. For although our Lord were a Priest indeed when he was vpon earth and did offer the sacrifice of his body yet ye see there was no outward thing that the Priests vpon earth doe His body was slaine upon earth but was it caried into the Temple and slaine at the Altar Was the blood sprinkled before the Arke of the covenant No all things were heavenly and spirituall in this sacrifice If we regard the substance of his body it was the same that ours is But yet all the vertue and efficacy of the same when it was a slaine sacrifice was from aboue And so though he were in earth yet the whole fruite of his worke was in heaven For he being both God and man was a Priest even then in heaven when he was slaine upon earth The vertue and power of the sacrifice to purge away sinne was not of the manhood from it selfe but the manhood had it from the Godhead in that the manhood was so united unto the godhead that they made one person In this sense he saith Iohn 6. ver 63. It is the spirit that qu ckeneth the flesh profiteth nothing Howsoever the flesh of Christ hath power in it to give life as in deede it is the bread of life and whosoever doeth eate of it shall live for ever yet it hath not this life of it selfe but from the Godhead Likewise the bloud is able to purge away sinne because it is the bloud of a man which is also God It is also said 1. Cor. 15. The first man was of the earth earthly The second mâ—n was the Lord from heaven heavenly Wherefore is he called a man from heaven heavenly was it because his flesh was from heaven cursed be he which so holdeth No it was because all the vertue and efficacy which was in his manhood to redeeme the world was from heaven We see then that he being sacrificed in earth the efficacy of his Priesthood was in heaven There is nothing in his Priesthood nor in the execution thereof which is earthly But these priests are altogether earth and what can they doe without earth A Temple they must have on earth an Altar of earth many other things of earth which proove that all their ministery and function is earthy Then to â—…rists Priestâ—…od is heavenâ—… conclude the Mediator of the New Testament is not a Priest upon earth nor executeth not the Priests office but in the heavenly Tabernacle The Romanes are Priests upon earth they minister with earthly things in earthly Tabernacles and upon Altars consecrated to that purpose Who doth not see therefore that they have no affinity at all with Christ Moreover if it may be demaunded is sir Iohn a King Surely then have there beene many lousie Kings Every one which is a Priest after the order of Melchisedech is a King for those two are joyned together in his order the kingdome and the priest hood Is there any man so foolish as to take these to be kings They may be taken for priests but not after the order of Melchisedech so long as they have but shaven crownes and not crownes of gold nor after the order of Aaron which is ceased but after the order of the priests of Baal If they object that the Pope hath both swords the spirituall and the civill and therefore he is a King and a Priest I answere that therein he is more unlike Christ whose kingdome is not of this world The kingdome of Christ is spirituall he medled not with the civill sword but lefâ— it to the Magistrate The Pope chalenging it is not of that order which Christ is One Priest of â—he New Testament Seing then as we have prooved none can be partakers with Christ in the most high digniry and honour of the Priesthood seing every Priest is a mediatour of a Testament and of the New Testament there is but one seeing none can have that honour to be Priest but they which are called of God and the Papistes can shew no calling nor consecrating of Priestes in the New Testament Seeing in the order of Melchisedech all things are spirituall and full of endlesse power in the order of Popery all things carnall Melchisedech continueth for ever these die Seeing also the Priest of the New Testament must be perfectly holy and pure without spot of sinne and higher than the heavens the Popish priesâ—… are not of Gâ—… Popish Priests are abominable sinners Christ is a Priest in heaven they upon earth He is both a King and a Priest sir Iohn is not a king It doth follow that their order of Priesthood is not of God but they be the idolatrous priestes of Antichrist They cannot by their ministry and Priesthood bring men unto God but contrariwise they carry headlong unto the divell Such therefore as will save their soules must not be blind and wilfull but open their eyes and behold the claere and manifest truth of God which he hath taught in his word As we have proved this one part so let us now come to the other that is to shew that the sacrifice which they offer is not the sonne
was not only a man so holy that he was without spot but also God For herein lyeth the strength of the argument which the holy ghost useth to prove that Christ at once by his bloud hath purged the conscience from sinne for ever that this sacrifice was offered by his eternall spirit which is his godhead For the godhead having eternall power of life the flesh and bloud of the manhood joyned so with the godhead that they made one person had also the same power so that although the bloud of Christ of it selfe had not power at once to purge eternally yet because it was the bloud of God it had that force Hereupō it followeth that the power of that purging by his bloud being eternall and that one purgation being perfect the redemption which he hath found is eternal Hereupon we may strongly conclude against the Papists and that with a double conclusion First that seeing no sacrifice hath the vertue to purge away sinne but because it is offered by the eternall spirit And secondly that his purging once made being that which is made by the eternall Godhead is perfect for ever By the first it is manifest that they are not able to offer a sacrifice propitiatory because they are mortall men by the second that there is no place for them the worke of purging sinne being already accomplished for ever If there be a new redemption to be wrought then let them be the priestes in the meane time they are foule idolaters and sacrilegious wretches destroying the power of Christs death when they will take upon them to do that which he hath already perfectly finished Come forth ye blinde Papists and prove that ye are more than men shew also that the sacrifice of Christ once offered hath not an eternall and perfect power to purge away sinne or else confesse that yours is Antichristian We may joyne hereūto that which is used to prove that the sacrifices of the Leviticall priestes did not purge sinne namely that they were so often offered For thereby the holy Ghost doth teach that they were not able to sanctifie the commers therto Heb. 10. 1. For then as he sayeth they should haue ceased because there should have beene no more conscience of sinne in the worshippers being once purged The reason is manifest drawen from the effect of the medicine for if it have taken away the disease and perfected the cure then is it vaine to adde it any more If it be still continually and from time to time applyed to the sore as still remaining then it may be said truely that the same medicine doth not heale Wherefore he addeth this proofe that notwithstanding the sacrifices were offred yet there remained the mention of sinnes yerely when they kept that solemne day of expiation This disease of sinne still remaining as the continuall mention and remembrance thereof doeth shew it followeth that those sacrifices did nor could not purge it away Vnto these is opposed the sacrifice of Christ which because it hath perfectly purged sinne for ever so that there remaineth no more conscience thereof in those that are sanctified it is done but once and never to be repeated or don againe The other which were Priests in the law stood daily ministring and often offring the same sacrifices which could never take away sinne But this man having offered one sacrifice for sinne sitteth for ever at the right hand of God from henceforth waiting untill his enemies be made his footstoole Heb. 10. ver 11. 12. The former did stand daily ministring as those which had not nor could not accomplish the worke of reconciliation although they offred never so often But he having once offered ceaseth from offring and is set downe in the highest throne of majesty and glory because as it is there said he hath with one oblation made perfect for ever those which are sanctified If his sacrifice did abolish sinne but for a time as for a yeere or certaine yeres then should he either bring nothing to passe or else returne often and sundry times from his glory to offer againe This is also confirmed in the same Chapter ver 18. by a conclusion which is drawen out of the forme of words which the Lord useth in the promise which he maketh of the New Testament as namely that he will remember their sinnes and their iniquities no more He reasoneth in this manner where God remembreth not sinne there he hath given pardon and remission for that he collecteth and where there is pardon there is no more sacrifice for sinne Now therefore when we see this to be most manifest by the plaine doctrine of Gods word let us consider the abominable wickednesse of the Papists which by their sacrifice overturne all this For whereas there is remission of sinnes already purchased what place can there be for their sacrifice propitiatory whereas that sacrifice is unperfect and cannot take away sinne which is often offred how is theirs the perfect sacrifice of Christs body which is continually done againe and againe What doe they lesse therefore when they teach that in the Masse they offer Christ to his father to be a sacrifice to take away sinne than affirme that the promise of the Papists deny the promise◅ the New Testament New Testament hath failed and that sinne is yet remembred no remission as yet obtained And further when they will needes have him offred so often is it not as much as to deny the effect and power of the bloud of Christ Is it not quite contrary to this that with one oblation he hath made perfect for ever those that are sanctified But here they take exception and say that they do not offer any new sacrifice but the same And moreover that their oblation is but an application of the fruit of that which Christ offered and that because we see and feele in our selues that we are still guilty all which is but a blinde cavill For what though they say they offer the same did not the Priests the Sonnes of Aaron yeerely offer still the same doth not the power of the reason stand in this to prove that they were not available because then they should have ceased Can they deny but that they offer often Further he doeth not place the perfect worke in the sacrifice of Christ because it was but one but because it was but once offred for he saith not with one sacrifice but with one offering Note this hath he made perfect for ever those which are sanctified This doth cut the throte of their often offring when his one offring had made perfect for ever for it leaveth nothing behinde for such caitives as they be And further where they pretend this necessity because we have still guiltie consciences therein they are more than beasts for the guiltinesse of our consciences is not for this that there needeth any sacrifice to be offered to satisfie and purge sinne but through the remnants of iniquity which
but his bloud must be often shed Then if the Papists wil uphold and maintaine that their sacrifice is availeable to purge away sinne and that it is a sacrifice propitiatory for the quicke and the dead as they do impudenly affirme Let them also confesse that they murther againe the Sonne of God and so shead his bloud For if they will stand to this that theirs is an unbloudy sacrifice and though they offer him yet they do not slay him and yet withall do challenge the power thereby to purge sinne let them know that they goe directly against the spirit of God which saith there is no remission without shedding of bloud In this therefore they are after an horrible manner blasphemous that they will overthrow the reason and argument of the holy ghost For if by any manes there might be a sacrifice to take away sinne without the shedding of bloud then might Christ have beene often offered and have dyed but once If the fathers had the fruit and benefit of that one oblation as namely their sinnes washed away with that bloud once shed and that without any offring of such unbloudy sacrifice to apply the same why should not wee likewise by faith obtaine the same unlesse some shaveling offer him dayly Ye blinde Idolaters did the bloud of Christ purge away sinne before his comming onely through faith and shall it not now Was there a more perfect power in it to abolish sinne in the fathers which were longe time before his comming than there is after it hath beene shed indeede For if it be so that the fathers had their sinnes washed away with Christes bloud and yet no offring of him to apply the same but apprehended through faith shall it not destroy the vertue thereof or at the least diminish it when they teach that wee cannot be partakers of him unlesse he bee still offered Is that which the holy Ghost speaketh that he hath been once made manifest in the end of the world to abolish sinne by the offring himselfe to be referred onely to the fathers before his comming Doth not the reason following extend it unto us as well yea even unto the whole Church untill his comming againe at the worlds ende for he compareth it in this manner that as it is appointed unto men to dye once and after commeth judgement so Christ also being once offred to take away the sinnes of many unto those that looke for him shall appeare the second time without sinne unto salvation It is the ordinance of God that when a man hath runne his race and finished his course he shall not be permitted to turne backe againe to doe that which he left undone or to make straight that which is crooked but must hold him unto judgement for things past because that onely remaineth In like sort he setteth the perfection of the one oblation of Christ who being once offered to take away the sinnes of many it is so perfectly done that when he shall appeare againe the second time to give the eternall salvation there shal be no sinne to be purged or for which he is to make further satisfaction For when it is said that he shall appeare without sinne the second time it is not meant of his own person but of those whom he hath redeemed from their sinnes which is most cleare and manifest in this that the minde of the holy Ghost is to shew a difference betweene his first and second appearance even in that point Which if it should be understood of his owne person should make no difference because he was without sinne at his first appearing although he tooke upon him and bare in his body the sinnes of his people But at his second appearance because he hath utterly destroyed sinne for ever there shal be none to be borne of him and therefore none for which he shall againe offer sacrifice The Papists but that they be impudent might be ashamed to patch in their trumpery to give power unto the death of Christ when they see here the perfection of it so set forth that it hath so at once for ever destroyed sinne that there needeth no more sacrifice to be offred For will they make the power of it lesse since his comming than it was before We may then conclude seeing the sacrifice of the New Testament that should have a spirituall heavenly and endlesse power could not be offred in a worldly sanctuary with worldly ordinances the sanctuary and all the ordinances of the Popish service and prieststood are such as are earthly and All the Popiâ—… service is earâ—…ly seeing the same sacrifice could not be offred to be available unlesse it were offred by the eternall godhead the Popish Priests are men and not God and being the bloud of a man which is also God that purgeth away sinne it hath an eternall power to purge and so unlesse the Papists will have a new redemption there is no place for their propitiatory sacrifice And seeing the sacrifice that is perfect is but once offred that which is often offred doth not take away sinne And because the sacrifice of Christ once offred hath for ever perfectly abolished sinne the promise of the New Testament is that God will no more remember it and therefore no more sacrifice to be required The Papists contrary to that promise make satisfactions still and sacrifices for sinne Their sacrifice is offred often Christ could be offred but once because he could dye but once The sacrifice is not available without death because there is no remission No sacrifice available without bloud of sinnes without shedding of bloud The Papists do not say they slay Christ they say theirs is an unblody sacrifice there is no remission of sins without shedding of bloud The sacrifice of Poperie is not the sacrifice of the New Testament neither can it be propitiatory as they bragge for the quick and the dead Note this oh you Papists Nay it is as abominable before God as if a man should offer a dogge in sacrifice Then considering what injury these Priests after the order of Rome have done unto the Sonne of God first in challenging that office and dignity which belongeth onely unto him and secondly in overthrowing the perfection of the vertue and efficacy of his sacrifice Let as many of us as minde to cleave unto Christ to take part with him and to fight under his banner and so attaine the reward of eternall glory remove ourselves utterly from the campe and society of such adversaries and armed with the spirituall armour of God let us sound the trumpet and bid defiance against them and against the divell and Antichrist their chiefe captaines for this is most certaine that we shall never be reputed Note this as friends unto Christ unlesse we be at enmity with his enemies and fight against them Many do suppose that they may hold friendship and familiarity with them and esteeme of them as Christians and match their
of God but The popish sacrifice is abomination to God a wicked abbomination no more pleasing unto God than if men should offer a dogge in sacrifice unto him It might suffice to satisfie a modest minde that all which they doe is naught because they doe make themselves Priests after the order of Melchisedech and so do challenge to themselves greater honour than any Angell hath even the honour that is due alone unto the onely begotten Son of God And yet where the scripture sheweth that this honour was given unto Christ with an oath they will have part with him being not able to bring one sentence of the word to prove that there should be any Priest besides Christ He never ordained any Priest no one of his Apostles was called a Priest and in every point their order is so contrary unto the order of Melchisedech this I say might satisfie but yet to lay open their trechery further we will prove that they have abused the world and made them worship that for God which was but a cake of flower I will not goe farre for proofe hereof for it is manifestly and fully to be prooved by that which the holy Ghost hath set downe as concerning the sacrifice of the New Testament in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Those reasons which are there brought to prove that the sacrifices of the law could doe nothing and therefore were to be abolished will also serve to throw downe the abominable idol of the Papists For if the weaknes of those former sacrifices were gathered by their nature and order which was used in them then shall the sacrifice of the Masse if it bee found to differ as farre and further from that of Christes than those be found not to be the sacrifice of the New Testament In the Epistle to the Hebrewes Chap. 9. ver 1 it is said that the former covenant had also ordinances of religion and a worldly sanctuary and there he doth repeate particularly sundry things as the Candlesticke the Table the shew bread the Golden censure the Arke of the Testament the Golden pot with Manna Aarons Rod that had budded and the Tables of the Testament In this worldly Sanctuary with these foresaid ordinances of the same nature did the priests of the law exercise their office and this is one argument to prove that their priesthood was weake and could not bring men unto God For the habitation of God is in the heavens there is his throne of glory and most high majesty thither must those be brought which shall come unto him whereupon it followeth that the Priest that shall bring men unto God must be a minister of the Tabernacle of Heaven For the entring into the holy place made with hands and the ministring in the same with ordinances of the like nature that is to say earthly and transitory can by no meanes bring men eternally unto God For how shall earthly things compasse heavenly or things which vanish and decay bring that to passe which shall last for ever Those Priests therefore whose priesthood was transitory for their priesthood must needs be of the same nature and condition that their temple and ordinances were and can stand no longer than they were for to cease when the time was come unto which they were prefixed Vnto these is Christ opposed in the same Hebr. 9. ver 24. where he saith that Christ is not entred into the holy places made with hands which are similitudes of the true sanctuary but is entred into heaven it selfe to appeare in the sight of God for us For as the sacrifice which he offred was heavenly and of eternall power so also is his Tabernacle and likewise his Priesthood For those three must ever be joyned together Then if the Priesthood of Aaron and his sacrifices could doe nothing but were to cease because their Tabernacle and ordinances were worldly how much lesse shall the greasie popish priestes be able to offer any sacrifice to appease Gods wrath seeing the sacrifice which must do that is heavenly and spirituall and cannot be offred in a worldly sanctuary nor with such ordinances as be of earthie nature For it is most manifest that all the trinkets ◅l the Popish ◅nkets are ◅rthly and trash of Popish Masse mongers wherewithall they do juggle and play with their Mammets are earthly and transitory so is also their Temple and Altars and consequently their Priesthood And further also it is certaine that the Priesthood of Aaron ◅on was cal◅d of God might rather be called heavenly than theirs because it was the paterne of the heavenly and he was called unto that honour of God but they can shew no calling thereto at all Who then is so blinde but may see that seeing the sacrifice propitiatory The Priests ◅hite cake o◅er his head is ◅ dead idol cannot be offred by an earthly Priest nor with earthly ordinances that the white cake which the uncleane shaveling the Baalamite doth hold up over his head is not the Sonne of God but a dead Idol If the blinde idolatous Papists will object that the efficacy of their sacrifice and priesthood is heavenly although it be executed on earth they are to be answered that if the efficacy of their priest hood be heavenly then is it eternall but they are mortall and doe not remaine Priests world without ende Againe the power of the sacrifice dependeth upon the power of the priest and so their sacrifice is not eternall This thing shall be yet more manifest by a further comparison which is made betweene the sacrifice of Christ and those of the law in the same Chapter verse 13. and 14. where Heb. 9. 13. ◅ it is shewed that if the bloud of calues and of goates and the ashes of a red Heffer sprinkling those that were defiled did sanctifie as touching the carnall purging then how much more shall the bloud of Christ which by his eternall spirit offred himselfe to God without spot purge your conscience from dead workes to serve the living God This comparison is brought in to prove that Christ by entring once into the holy places by his owne bloud hath found eternall redemption for that being the summe of the two verses going next before is proved by this It was graunted without controversie that by reason of gods ordinances the bloud of those poore beasts and the water made with the ashes of the Heffer being but a dead thing had power in some manner to purge as namely that which he calleth the carnall purging For if a man were polluted with any outward pollutiō and there fore might not come unto those holy things which were the carnall commandements being but shadowes and ceremonies yet if he were sprinkled with those although he were not purged within from sinne he was counted cleane then how much more shall the bloud of the sonne of God which hath the power of life in it because it is the bloud Note this of him that
remaine in us because of the weakenes and imperfection of our faith for in these we are not to looke to any satisfaction yet behind but to take hold of that perfect one which hath already satisfied If that act of theirs be propitiatory then is not sinne fully discharged by the other Thus blasphemous they are not onely in this their God of dough but also in all other their satisfactions for sinne and in their doctrine of Purgatory For if there remaine any satisfaction or purgation to be ◅ are fully charged be◅e God for ◅ made then is it not true that he hath made perfect for ever neither was his death then of full and sufficient price True it is that although we are by his one oblation fully and perfectly discharged for ever before God from the guiltinesse of our sinnes yet we are not in the full possession of this benefit nor shall not be untill the last day for then shall his enemies be made his footestoole The Divell sinne and death are these enimies which he hath overcome that they cannot raigne over us but yet we must in the meane time wrestle with thē not therefore esteeming the power of Christs death to be the lesse because they be not already utterly abolished as the wicked unbeleeving Papists do and therefore set up trash of their owne to destroy sinne but waiting for that appointed time when the full power of his death shall appeare in the meane time staying by faith and resting our selves on that one sacrifice once offred To conclude then hath not the mighty spirit of God power to apply unto us the vertue of that bloud but such silly virmin as the Popish priests must helpe The holy ghost calling upon us and teaching us to apply Gods spiri◅◅plies to us◅ death of C◅ these benefits willeth us to draw neere with a true heart with full assurance of faith Heb. 10. ver 22. we come unto him with the heart after a spirituall manner because all things in him are spirituall we are bid to approch to lay hold of him by faith for we can not either with the hand or with the mouth And seeing there is not so much as one sentence in all the booke of God which speaketh of any application of his death any other way it must needes be concluded againe that they may be as good priests as the priests of Baal and no◠better and that when they hold up their idol Christ is not betweene their fingers Let us go forward It shall yet be more manifest by the words of the holy Ghost that this sacrifice of the masse is so farre from being the sacrifice of the New Testament that it doth flatly goe against it For he saith as concerning Christ that he did not offer himselfe often as the high priest went yerely into the holy place with other bloud Heb. 9. ver 25. and then in the next verse he giveth a reason namely that then hee should have suffered often since the beginning of the world This sentence is very mighty against the Papists because it driveth them from all their shifts and leaveth them naked and destitute but the force of it will not appeare unlesse we looke upon what principles it is grounded to prove that if Christ should have offred himselfe often then must he also have suffered death often since the beginning of the world Among the which this offereth it selfe as the first to be considered that all the holy fathers the Patriarches and Prophets from the beginning could have no entrance unto God but by remission of sinnes and that whereas otherwise they had the dore shut against them by this they were restored into favour and received For it cannot be denyed but that by nature they were sinners as we be and that God cannot receive sinners Being therefore out of controversie that they obteined life it must needes follow that they had pardon for if either there had beene no sinne or no pardon to be graunted what necessity could there be of a sacrifice The second principle without which the reason of the Apostle cannot stand is this that there can bee no remission but onely by the sacrifice of Christ for if any other sacrifice or any other way or meane might obtaine it then were there not a necessity why hee should often suffer For although there were a necessity of remission of sinnes unlesse all should be damned yet he might be set free from the same necessity of offring himselfe seeing there were other wayes to obtaine it but the holy Ghost standeth upon this as a matter not to be doubted of that neither there is nor never hath beene any thing able to destroy sinne or to take away the guiltinesse of it by makeing satisfaction but onely the sacrifice of the Sonne of God For howsoever the idolatrous Infidels do ascribe unto many things the power of purging and satisfying for sinne yet the holy word of God and those which beleeve it do give that glory onely unto Christ and euen as his great glory wherein he hath no fellow The third thing without which an exception might be iustly taken against the foresaid reason is this that there could be no oblation of Christ but he must suffer death for when he sayeth he should not offer him selfe often he addeth this cause that then he should have suffred often It were and easie matter if the offring of Christ were any thing available without suffring death to say there were no necessity wherefore he should suffer often seing he might be offred and not be slaine But this is strengthened by that which goeth before in the same Chapter where he hath shewed that Heb. 9 the testament is confirmed when men are dead because it is of no force while the Testator liveth and so he is the Mediator of the New Testament but yet through death Wherefore also the former testament in which there were but the shadowes and paterne of heavenly things was ratified by death as it is proved by this that it was not dedicated without bloud For when Moses had read the law unto the people he tooke the bloud of Calues and Goates with water and purple Woll and Hyssop he sprinkled both the booke and the people saying this is the bloud of the Testament which God hath commanded unto you Likewise also he sprinkled the Tabernacle and all the ministring vessels with bloud and almost all things sayeth he by the law are purged with bloud and without shedding of bloud there is no remission Here is then a manifest reason wherefore Christ could not be offred often but he must then also dy often even because the testament is of no force without the death of the testator Here is further shewed wherefore it cannot be available without death that is to say there is no remission of sinnes without shedding of bloud Christ therefore could not be offred often unlesse it should be to no purpose which is most absurd