to the greatest THEN 1. The Newe Covenant admitteth all Rankes and Degrees of Persons and excludeth none high nor lowe that loue to embrace it 2. It may bee in sundrie poynctes of Trueth some of them bee ignorant and misstaken more nor other some But of the saving Knowledge of GOD in CHRIST they shall all haue light in a saving measure 3. The greatest as well as the meanest in what-so-ever respect of Place or Giftes must bee GOD'S Disciples in the studie of Saving Knowledge and heartie obedience Vers. 12. For I will be mercifull to their vnrighteousnesse and their sinnes and their iniquities will I remember no more 1. TO make vs belieue the former Promises hee addeth to a Newe Article of Remission of Sinnes because from the Conscience of those ordinarilie doe aryse our Doubts and difficultie of drawing neare to GOD. THEN 1. The Conscience of Sinne must not dryue vs away from GOD but rather force vs to run vnto GOD more humblie because onelie to such as come vnto Him in His CHRIST is Remission of Sinne promised 2. What-so-ever sorte of sinnes they bee Vnrighteousnesse or Sinne or Iniquitie they shall not hinder GOD to bee gracious to the Penitent fleeing to this Covenant for Refuge 2. In saying For I will bee mercifull 1. Hee maketh His Mercie pardoning Sinne the REASON of His bestowing the former good things His giving of one Grace the Reason of giving another even Grace for Grace 2. Hee maketh His Mercie the Ground of all this Favour and nothing in the man's person or workes or worthinesse of his fayth 3. The word MERCIFVLL is in the Originall PACIFIED and doeth importe both GOD'S respect to the Propitiatorie Sacrifice of CHRIST which pacifieth Him towardes vs and also our duetie in looking towardes it as the Pryce of our Reconciliation 3. In that the LORD joyneth the Promise of putting His Lawe in the mynde and wryting it in our heart with the Promise of Remission of Sinnes HEE TEACHETH VS That Hee will haue everie Confederate Soule that seeketh the Benefite of this Covenant to joyne all these Benefites together in their Claime vvith Remission of Sinne seeking to joyne the illumination of their mynde renovation of their heart and lyfe at least in their desires and endevours and not to fever one of them from another but studie in vprightnesse to haue them all 4. Whyle Hee sayeth Hee will remember their sinnes no more HEE TEACHETH 1. That Hee will never forgiue sinne nor forget it but set it ever in His sight till a man enter into this Covenant with Him through CHRIST 2. That when Hee hath forgiven sinne Hee forgetteth sinne also what-so-ever Hee remitteth Hee remooveth from His rememberance Vers. 13. In that Hee sayeth A Newe Covenant Hee hath made the first olde Nowe that which decayeth and waxeth olde is readie to vanish away FROM the name that the LORD giveth this Covenant in calling it New hee draweth two Consequences The first That the former Covenant by this word was declared olde Next That as it was declared olde so was it declared shortlie after to bee abolished THEN 1. The least word that proceedeth out of GOD'S Mouth is weyghtie and worthie of consideration 2. What-so-ever GOD'S Word doeth importe by due consequence must bee taken for GOD'S Trueth and GOD'S Mynde as if it were expressed 3. Seeing CHRIST is come and the tyme is nowe of this Newe Covenant wee knowe that by GOD'S authoritie the Leviticall Ordinances and whole forme of the Legall Covenant and Ceremoniall formes of worship are abrogated The summe of Chap. IX THEN That you may see this more clearlie Let vs take a view of the typicall Ordinances in the olde Covenant and of their accomplishment in CHRIST Vnder the olde Covenant and typicall Tabernacle there were sundrie shadowes Vers. 1.2 The Tabernacle divided in two rowmes and their furniture within them both Vers. 3.4.5 In the vtter rowme the Priestes resorted daylie Vers. 6. In the inner rowme onelie the high Priest once a-yeare Vers. 7. The close-keeping of which rowme signified That the Way to Heaven was not to bee fullie cleare during the tyme of those shadowes Vers. 8. Nothing done then externallie could quyet the Conscience Vers. 9. All beeing but temporaâ—ie shadowes imposed till CHRIST came to reforme all Vers. 10. But when CHRIST came Hee gaue to those shadowes accomplishment For Hee was Priest of the true Tabernacle of His owne Bodie signified by the typicall Tabernacle Vers. 11. And by His owne Bloode entered into Heaven for our aeternall Redemption Vers. 12. For if the Types procured a Ceremoniall cleansing Vers. 13. Howe much more shall His Bloode truelie and in effect procure our Iustification and Sanctification Vers. 14. And therefore that Remission of Sinnes and aeternall Lyfe might bee given to the Faythfull both then of olde and nowe Hee behooved by His Office to make His Testament and die Vers. 15. For so requyreth the nature of a Testament Vers. 16.17 Wherefore the typicall Testament of olde also behooved to haue a typicall death as LEVIT xvj maketh playne Vers. 18.19.20.21 Yea everie Cleansing of the Types and everie Remission behooved to bee with Bloode Vers. 22. Therefore the thinges represented by the Types behooved to bee cleansed by better Bloode even the BLOOD of the MESSIAS Vers. 23. For CHRIST entered not into the typicall Sanctuarie but into Heaven it selfe Vers. 24. And offered not Himselfe often as the imperfect Leviticall Sacrifice was offered Vers. 25. For then should Hee haue often died But His once Offering was sufficient for ever Vers. 26. And as GOD appoynted men but once to die Vers. 27. So CHRIST was but once offered till the Tyme Hee come to Iudgement for the Salvation of the Faythfull Vers. 28. The doctrines of Chap. IX VERS 1. THEN verilie the first Covenant had also Ordinances of Divine Service and a worldlie Sanctuarie THE word Ordinances in the Originall is also Iustifications in the plurall number so called because they represented our Iustification WHEREOF WEE LEARNE 1. That as other thinges were typed vnder the Lawe so also was our Iustification and the manner of obtayning the same shadowed foorth 2. That those things which then were called IVSTIFICATIONS were so called onelie because they were the Representations of the way of obtayning IVSTIFICATION for they did not justifie 3. That albeit IVSTIFICATION bee onelie one yet the types thereof were manie no one of them beeing able to expresse the Trueth but in parte 2. By calling them Ordinances of Divine Service hee teacheth vs That sometyme those Ceremonies which are nowe abolished were during their owne tyme partes of GOD'S externall Worship in regarde of the Commaundement of GOD injoyning them 3. By calling the Sanctuarie Worldlie hee teacheth vs To thinke of all the externall Glorie of Leviticall Service onlie as the earthlie representation of Heavenlie things and vnder all these earthlie shadowes to seeke in to an Heavenlie signification Vers. 2. For there was a Tabernacle made
the Testament which GOD hath enjoyned vnto you Vers. 21. More-over hee sprinkled with bloode both the Tabernacle and all the Vessels of the Ministerie FRom Moses Example WEE LEARNE 1. That the LORD'S Word should bee manifested to all the people and none of them debarred from â—aking knowledge thereof 2. That the Word must bee spoken playnlie with a distinct Voyce in the common Languague and not muttered in an vnknowne Tongue 3. That with the vse of holie Rites appoynted of GOD the Preaching of GOD'S Word should bee joyned to showe the Institution and Force of GOD'S Ordinances to His People 2. In that the Booke and the People and Instrumentes of Service were all to bee sprinkled WEE LEARNE That everie thing which wee touch or meddle with or make vse of is vncleane vnto vs were it never so holie in it selfe except the Blood of IESVS make it cleane vnto vs and cleanse vs in the vsing of it Vers. 22. And almost all thinges are by the Lawe purged with bloode and without shedding of bloode is no Remission HEE sayeth ALMOST because of some Purging which was done by Washing and yet even that Washing also drew the Vertue of Ceremoniall Purging from the Sacrifice where-vnto the Washing was annexed 2. In saying Without shedding of blood there is no remission of sinnes HEE TEACHETH VS That wheresoever a Sacrifice is offred for obtaining Remission of Sinne there shedding of bloode must reallie be and where an vnbloodie Sacrifice is pretended to bee offered for obtayning Remission it serveth not the purpose because Without shedding of bloode there is no Remission Eyther therefore must such as pretende to offer Christ for obtayning the Remission of sinne graunt that Christ is daylie murdered by them and His Bloode shed of newe in their pretended Offering or else that by their Offering no newe Remission is purchased But the trueth is Christ's Bloode is once shed and never to bee shed agayne and that once Offering and Blood-shedding is sufficient for ever-lasting Remission without anie newe Offering of Him agayne Vers. 23. It was therefore necessarie that the Patternes of thinges in the Heavens should bee purified with these but the Heavenlie things themselues with better Sacrifices than these ANother Reason of the necessitie of Christ's Death in force thus much If thinges figuratiuelie holie behooved to bee cleansed with the Typicall Blood of Beastes Then Thinges truelie holie behooved to bee cleansed with better Blood even the Blood of the MESSIAS HENCE WEE LEARNE 1. That for the significations cause GOD would not haue the Tabernacle nor anie Instrument of Service about it to bee esteemed holie till bloode was shed to sprinkle it That it might bee knowne there-by That without the shedding of CHRIST'S Blood Hee would not accept of anie thing from vs as holie 2. That the bloode of Beastes was sufficient to make representation but better Bloode even the Bloode of the MESSIAH behooved to bee shed to giue the trueth of the signification For as farre as Heaven is aâ—oue the earthlie sanctuarie and mens Soules aboue the vessels thereof As farre better behooved to bee that Blood which made Soules acceptable to GOD and to get entresse into Heaven than the blood of Leviticall sacrifices was Vers. 24. For CHRIST is not entered into the Holie Places made with handes which are the figures of the True but into Heaven it selfe now to appeare in the presence of GOD for vs. HEE cleareth the matter howe CHRIST hath offered a better Sacrifice than the Leviticall yea and behooved to offer a better because Hee is entered into a better Sanctuarie another Man in another manner and to another ende than the high Priest vnder the Lawe entered The Comparison goeth thus 1. The Leviticall high Priest entered into the materiall and artificiall Sanctuarie and a Typicall Sacrifice became him But CHRIST entered not into that Typicall Sanctuarie Therefore a Typicall Sacrifice became not Him 2. The Leviticall high Priest entered bodilie into the figuratiue Sanctuarie But CHRIST did enter bodilie into the true Sanctuarie in Heaven it selfe 3. The high Priest entered in behalfe of the people with the names of the twelue Tribes vpon his breast and sholders But CHRIST is entered in in behalfe of vs all His People to appeare for vs bearing the particular memoriall of everie Saynct in His Memorie 4. The high Priest entered in to appeare for a short tyme and stayed not within the Sanctuarie But CHRIST is entered in to appeare now all the tyme from His Ascention vnto this day and constantlie still whyle it is called Now. Vers. 25. Nor yet that Hee should offer Himselfe often as the high Priest entereth into the Holie Place everie yeare with blood of others HEE prooveth that Hee had offered a better Sacrifice than the Leviticall Because Hee behooved to offer an Offering not to bee repeated as the Leviticall and so a more perfect Offering The Comparison goeth in Dissimilitudes 1. The high Priest entered in with the bloode of others But CHRIST entered in with His owne Blood 2. The high Priest made an Offering of other thinges than himselfe But CHRIST did offer Himselfe THEN The Offering of CHRIST is the personall action of CHRIST Himselfe None can nor may offer Him but Himselfe For the Priest must bee eyther better than the Sacrifice or as good at least as the Sacrifice but none can bee so good as CHRIST let bee more excellent or better Therefore none can offer CHRIST but Himselfe 3. The high Priest offered his Sacrifice oftener But CHRIST offered not Himselfe oftener than once THEN To imagine an Offering of CHRIST often is both to giue the Lie to this Text and to make CHRIST'S Offering by repeating of it imperfect and lyke to the Levitall For if once offering of Christ bee sufficient often offering is superfluous And if often offering bee needfull then that once offering was not sufficient and so was not perfect which were blasphemie to say 2. If anie man pretende to offer CHRIST often it is not CHRIST that giveth him warrand so to doe for heere it is declared That Hee hath no hand in offering Himselfe often Vers. 26. For then must Hee often haue suffered since the foundation of the worlde But now once in the ende of the worlde hath Hee appeared to put away sinne by the Sacrifice of Himselfe HEE prooveth That Christ can not bee often offered Because then sayeth hee must He often haue suffered THEN 1. No Offering of Christ without the Suffering of Christ His Passion and Death is inseparable from His Sacrifice If Christ were often offered Hee behooved to bee often slayne and put to death But that can not bee that Hee should suffer and bee slayne oftener therefore Hee can not bee offered vp in a Sacrifice oftener And they who will take vpon them to offer Christ agayne and agayne take vpon them to slay Him and put Him to new suffering agayne and agayne 2. The offering of Christ in an vnbloodie sacrifice is
perfectlie expiated all their sinnes 3. Hee hath not made Purchase of some Graces vnto them onelie for a certayne tyme so as Hee will let them bee taken out of His Hand afterwardes and perish but Hee hath PERFECTED them for ever 4. Hee hath not appoyncted anie offering for them to bee made by anie other after Him But hath made ONE Offering HIMSELFE for them which satisfieth for ever so as the Father craveth no more offering for expiating their sinne for ever For GOD hath set foorth CHRIST to bee a Propitiation through Fayth in His Bloode ROM lij 25 That is GOD maketh it manifest by His Gospell that Hee is pacified in CHRIST towardes them that belieue in His Bloode that belieue in Him crucified Vers. 15. Whereof the holie Ghost also is a Witnesse vnto vs For after that Hee had sayde before Vers. 16. This is the Covenant that I will make with them after those dayes sayeth the LORD I will put My Lawes into their Hearts and in their Myndes will I wryte them Vers. 17. And their sinnes and iniquities will I remember no more HEE prooveth that it is needlesse there should bee anie repetition of a sacrifice for sinne in the New Testament Because Remission of sinnes purchased by Christ's death who is the Testatour is still in force continuallie in Christ's Kingdome there beeing an Article of the Covenant for Remission of sinnes to the Confederated And if Remission of sinnes bee no Oblation for sinne can bee vers 18. 1. Hee sayeth that the holie Ghost is Witnesse vnto vs of this Trueth That Christ can not bee offered agayne THEN 1. Wee who doe teach this Doctrine and deny anie more offering of Christ as a sacrifice haue the holie Ghoste testifying for vs. 2. The holie Ghoste is Author of the Scripture and doeth speake vnto vs there-by 2. Hee declareth the Newe Covenant to bee of the holie Ghosts making and calleth Him THE LORD Wherein hee teacheth vs 1. That the holie Ghoste it a distinct person of the Godhead bearing witnesse by Himselfe to the Church of the Trueth 2. And one in essence with the Father and the Sonne even the LORD IEHOVAH Author of the Newe Covenant with the Father and the Sonne Vers. 18. Now where Remission of these is there is no more offering for sinne FROM this Article of Remission of sinnes in the Newe Covenant hee concludeth No more offering for sinne but once vnder this Covenant Because sinne is expiated QVEST. Howe then could there bee Remission of sinne vnder the Lawe where there was daylie offering for sinne Or if there was Remission howe could there bee offering for sinne I ANSWERE There is a Remission granted vpon Suretie given for Satisfaction to bee made for the partie remitted and there is a Remission granted for Satisfaction alreadie made for the partie remitted The Remission that the Fathers vnder the Lawe had was of the first sorte Vpon Promise of the Mediatour to come and to satisfie And with Remission of this sorte a typicall sacrifice might stand for signifying that the true expiatorie Sacrifice was not yet payed but was comming to bee payed But the Remission that wee get vnder the Gospell is vpon Satisfaction alreadie made by the true Expiatorie and Satisfactorie Sacrifice of IESVS CHRIST done and ended with the personall suffering And this sorte of Remission is it whereof the Apostle heere speaketh and it admitteth no manner of offering for sinne neyther typicall offering because Christ is come and hath fulfilled what the typicall sacrifice did signifie neyther the repeating of the true Expiatorie Sacrifice of Christs Bodie because then Christ behooved to suffer daylie and die daylie after that hee hath made satisfaction And beside these two sortes of offering the â—ewish bloodie sacrifices typicall and the true Expiatorie bloodie Sacrifice of Christ's Bodie on the Crosse the Scripture acknowledgeth none So the meaning of 〈◊〉 Apostle in these wordes must bee this Where Remission of sinnes is alreadie purchased by offering of the true Expiatorie Sacrifice as nowe it is vnder the New Covenant there no more offering can bee for sinne anie more THEN 1. The Apostle acknowledgeth no vse for anie sacrifice vnder the Newe Testament after Christ's Ascention else his Reason should not holde 2. The sacrifice which is offered to wit the Bodie of IESVS hath alreadie suffered for sinne so that nowe the Remission of those that is of sinne and iniquitie ALL SORT of the Elects sinnes is obtayned there-by alreadie 3. Not onelie NO SACRIFICE is anie more to bee offered for sinne vnder the Newe Covenant but also No OFFERING sayeth hee bloodie or vnbloodie is to bee offered 4. That Church which pretendeth to offer anie Offering for sinnes of quicke or dead nowe vnder the Gospell professeth That no Remission of sinne is to bee had in such a Church Because vvhere there is Remission of sinne there is no more offering for sinne sayeth the Apostle expresslie Vers. 19. Having therefore Brethren boldnesse to enter into the Holiest by the Blood of IESUS FROM the by-past Doctrine of Christ's Excelcellencie and Riches of Grace which commeth vnto vs through him hee draweth Exhortations for vse-making of this Doctrine in soundnesse of Fayth and the Fruites there-of vnto the ende of the Epistle And first hee exhorteth To seeke vnto Communion with GOD in Heaven through Christ vsing the tearmes of the Ceremoniall Lawe but mixed with wordes touching the Excellencie of the thing signified aboue those Ceremonies to showe the Hebrewes That those Ceremonies had nothing in themselues but did serue to represent Christ and his Benefites And so to drawe them from those shadowes vnto the trueth of that which once beeing signified by them is nowe manifested in Christ. To make the Exhortation to bee the better receaved bee setteth downe sundrie Priviledges of the Faythfull vers 19.20.21 From which hee inferreth his Exhortation vers 22. For the first Priviledge hee sayeth Wee haue libertie to enter into the Holiest That is Into Heaven 1. In that hee maketh this Priviledge proper to the societie of Christians himselfe and others hee teacheth vs 1. That so long as men are without Christ they are debarred out of Heaven no Doore nor Way open but the flaming Sword of GOD'S Iustice to keepe out everie one that shall preasse to enter before Christ bring them But such as come to Christ by Fayth Heaven is opened vnto them and the Doore cast vp for them to enter in who were exyled before 2. Next hee commendeth this Priviledge by calling the Place The Holiest the Place where GODS HOLINESSE dwelleth represented by the Sanctuarie where nothing can enter but that which is holie Teaching vs there-by That the Faythfull are so washen from their sinnes through Fayth in Christ that GOD will admit them into the Place of His Dwelling into His Heavenlie Sanctuarie by Fayth nowe and Fruition heere-after 3. Hee commendeth this Priviledge by calling it a Libertie The word properlie signifieth Libertie to speake
acceptable as in His Well-beloved 3. Hee is OVER THE HOVSE OF GOD Hee hath Authoritie and Power to bring in whom Hee pleaseth and to giue foorth of the Treasure as much as hee will All the Mansions in his Father's dwelling house are his and all at his disposing to open so as none shall shuâ— To him belongeth to giue foorth the sentence of Admission to Heaven and to say Come you blessed of the Father Yea to make this his Authoritie manifest hee will come agayne and take vs vnto himselfe that where hee is wee may bee there also 4. WEE HAVE this high Priest that is hee is ours because 1. Taken out from AMONGST vs one of our number albeit not of our conditions of our nature but separate from our sinfull manners holie and harmlesse 2. Because hee is FOR VS in thinges appertayning to GOD to employ his Moyen and Power for our behooue towardes GOD. 3. Because bound in all Bandes WITH VS of Nature of Grace and Good-Will of the Father's Gift and Appoynctment and his owne Covenant and speciall Contract with vs. So that albeit an vncouth man may possiblie leaue a stranger in his journeye alone yet Christ can not choose to doe so to vs but for the Bandes betwixt him and vs hee will never leaue vs nor forsake vs. Vers. 22. Let vs draw neare with a true heart in full assurance of Fayth having our Heartes sprinkled from an evill conscience and our bodies washed with pure water FROM these Priviledges hee presseth an Exhortation To draw neare to GOD and prescrybeth the Disposition requyred of vs in our drawing neare 1. This Exhortation showeth 1. That true Christians are often tymes so sensible of their owne vnworthinesse that vnder that sense they are enclyned of themselues to stand a-farre off and haue neede of encowragement and invitation to drawe neare 2. That such as are moste sensible of their owne vnworthinesse are moste called to come forwardes vnto GOD for Hee giveth grace to the humble 2. Hee layeth downe the Priviledges in the former Verses and in this draweth on the Exhortation TO TEACH VS 1. That such Priviledges as are graunted vnto vs in Christ must bee receaved and believed as Trueth 2. That wee must studie to make vse of our Priviledges and challenge them for our owne 3. That the weakest of true Believers in Christ may thrust in themselues at the Doores of Grace amongst the holie Apostles for the Apostle putteth the HEBREWES with himselfe in the Exhortation for this ende 3. For our disposition and fitting to drawe neare bee requyreth first That wee haue a true heart Hee sayeth not a sinlesse heart but a true heart that is such a heart as in the matter of believing mynâ—eâ—h no confidence but in GOD'S Grace through Christ onlie and in the matter of GOD'S Service myndeth onelie His will in its ayme and alloweth onelie that which is His will in its censure THEN An honest heart which honestlie acknowledgeth its owne sinnes and fleeth to Christ's Blood for sprinkling whose ayme is vpright endevour vpright and censure of it selfe vpright allowing in it selfe nothing but what GOD alloweth and displeased with that which dispeaseth GOD albeit manie wayes weake and imperfect yet hath libertie to draw neare vnto GOD. 4. The next thing hee requyreth is full assurance of Fayth That is a setled and full perswasion to bee accepted even through IESVS CHRIST THEN Albeit the LORD will not despyse the weakest measure of Fayth and will not quench the smoaking flaxe yet it pleaseth Him better yea it is His Commandement that men studie vnto the full assurance of Fayth for the more thou restest on GOD'S Covenant with thee in IESVS CHRIST the more thou sealest His Trueth glorifiest Him becommest the more lyke vnto faythfull Abraham and gettest the deeper rooting in CHRIST 5. The third is That the heart bee sprinkled from an evill conscience The heart is sprinkled when a sinner sensible of sinne maketh heartie application to himselfe of the Blood of IESVS for remission of sinnes after this heartie application of CHRISTS Blood the Conscience is furnished with a good Aunswere vnto all Challenges and so is made good a comfortable Conscience absolving the man through fayth in IESVS whome it tormented with Challenges before it ran to the Blood of IESVS for sprinkling THEN When-so-ever the Conscience is evill accuseth and vexeth let the vexed heart runne to CHRIST'S Blood and then shall it bee free from an evill conscience For the Blood of IESVS cleanseth vs from all sinne Let the Heart bee sprinkled and the Conscience will bee good 6. The fourth thing requyred in him that draweth â—are as hee should is That his bodie bee washed with â—â—re water That is That according to the sigification of that Legall Rite their outward conversation bee â—â—amelesse and holie sinne beeing so curbed within that it reygne not in their mortall bodie so foughten agaynst within as it breake not foorth in scandalous works of darknesse in the actions of the bodie THEN 1. With a sprinkled Conscience within men must joyne an holie and blamelesse conversation without 2. The washing of the conversation without must proceede from an heart sensiblie acquaynted with the power of the Blood of IESVS 3. And this outward holinesse of the bodie must bee wrought with pure water that is by the Spirite of Sanctification to distinguish the reformation of a Believer from a Counterfeyt who without may looke lyke a righteous man but within bee as a whyâ—ed Tombe full of rottennesse Vers. 23. Let vs holde fast the Profession of our Fayth without wavering for Hee is faythfull that promised ANother Exhortation to avowe the Fayth of CHRIST that is the Doctrine of CHRIST the Trueth receaved from CHRIST and believed and not to quyte it in the tyme of tryall vpon anie condition 1. The requyring to holde fast the Confession of our Fayth or Hope as the word importeth TEACHETH 1. That a true Christian must not onelie holde the Trueth of CHRIST secretlie but must confesse it professe and avowe it openlie where GOD'S Glorie and others good requyreth the same 2. That hee must looke for adversarie powers and Temptations to take that Trueth or at least the confession of it from him 3. That in these Tryals and Essayes hee must holde the faster grippe and avow it so much the more steadfastlie as hee is tempted to quyte it 4. That when hee is put to the Tryall of this Confession of anie poynct of his Fayth hee is also put to the Tryall of the Confession of his Hope Whether his hopes of the promised Salvation in IESVS bee stronger to keepe him steadfast or the Terrour and allurement from men stronger to make him quyte the poynct of Trueth controverted 5. That nothing but this Hope is able to make a man stand out in Tryall if hee bee hardlie vrged 2. Hee will haue the avowing of the Trueth of CHRIST to bee without wavering THEN 1. Men must so
the Priest in one person Hee offered Himselfe as Man through the aeternall Spirit that is By the vertue and power of His owne Godhead by which Hee preached before His Incarnation to Sinners I. PET. III. 19 2. His Sacrifice was without spotte Hee was that spotlesse Lambe in whome was no sinne nor imperfection nor defect of anie thing that the Sacrifice requyred 3. The vertue of the Sacrifice which made it to purchase aeternall Redemption vnto vs floweth from the infinite worth of His aeternall Godhead 4. Albeit CHRIST'S two natures haue their distinct respectes in the actions of His Office yet CHRIST is one and vndivided in the execution of His Office 5. The fruite and force of the Sacrifice is set downe in this that this Bloode shall purge our Conscience from dead workes to serue the living GOD That is Shall both absolue a man from by-gone Sinne and also inable him to serue GOD for tyme to come THEN 1. Sinnes are but dead workes flowing from nature dead in sinne and not onelie deserving but also drawing on Death vpon the Sinner 2. The Conscience lyeth polluted with the filthinesse of dead workes till the vertue of the Blood of IESVS applyed bring intimation of Absolution 3. Christ's Bloode doeth not purge the Conscience from dead workes that a man should goe wallowe in them agayne but that hee may serue the living GOD more acceptablie 4. The purging vertue of Christ's Bloode is joyned with the Sanctifying and Renewing of the absolved Sinner and what GOD hath conjoyned let no man put a-sunder Vers. 15. And for this cause Hee is the Mediator of the New Testament that by meanes of death for the redemption of the transgressions which were vnder the first Testament they which are called might receaue the promise of aeternall inheritance NOw lest anie man should stumble aâ— Christ's Death hee showeth a necessitie thereof in respect of His Office of Mediation and the Purchase to bee made by His Redemption The force of the Reason is this Remission of Sinnes could not haue beene given vnder the Lawe except the Mediatour had beene to pay the pryce of the same vnder the Gospell Nor could the Faythfull and called Ones eyther then 〈◊〉 now obtayne aeternall Lyfe for an Inheritance otherwayes than by the Mediatour's Death Therefore it behooved the true Mediatour by meanes of Death to pay the promised Pryce of the Purchase of Remission of Sinnes and aeternall Lyfe THEN 1. The Remission of Transgressions and the Inheritance of aeternall Lyfe are both Fruits of Christ's Passion 2. The Fruites of His Passion extended themselues vnto them who were vnder the Olde Testament as well as vnto vs vnder the New 3. The Way of Purchase of these Benefites was by Redemption that is to say by lawfull Purchase such as might satisfie Iustice. 4. The Way in speciall was by Meanes of the Mediatour's Death His lyfe was layde downe to redeeme ours His one lyfe as good as all ours 5. For this cause Christ â—â—oke the Office of a Mediatour vnto Himselfe that Hee might haue Right and Enteresse by Death to make this Purchase 6. And therefore except Hee had reallie died the Purchase could not haue beene lawfullie made Vers. 16. For where a Testament is there must also of necessitie bee the death of the Testatour ANother Reason to prooue the necessitie of Christ's death from the force of the word COVENANT which signifieth also a Testament The force of the Reason is this CHRIST IER xxxj 31 promised to make a New Covenant and therefore also a New Testament and if to make a New Testament then also Hee promised to die The Articles of the Covenant also evinceth it to bee a Testament and the Promiser bound to make His Word good and so to die For IER xxxj the Lord Christ promiseth to reconcile his People to GOD to take away their sinnes and to bee their GOD. Iustice requyred satisfaction of them before they could bee reconciled Satisfaction they could not make themselues therefore hee who promised to make the Reconciliation with GOD was bound to make the Satisfaction for them to GOD and if Satisfaction for them then to vnderlâ—e the Curse of the Lawe for them and so to die THEN 1. The Newe Covenant is of the nature of a Testament and the Benefites promised â—herein to wit Remission of Sinnes Reconciliation Sanctification and Lyfe aeternall are Legacie freelie left vnto vs by our Defunct LORD who was dead and is alyue to execute His owne Will for evermore The Scripture is the Instrument and Evidence the Apostles Notares the Sacraments are Seales Witnesses from Heaven the Father the Word and the Spirit Witnesses on earth the Water the Bloode and the Spirit 2. Christ Iesus is both the Maker of the Covenant which is in Iâ—REMIE xxxj and the Mediatour thereof also the Testatour and Executour of that blessed Testament 3. Christ's Death was concluded and resolved vpon and intimated before Hee came into the World Vers. 17. For a Testament is of force after men are dead otherwyse it is of no strength at all whylest the Testatour liveth HEE cleareth his reasoning from the nature of Testaments amongst men which not before but after a man's death haue force But heere it may bee objected How can this bee seeing by vertue of the Testament of Christ Benefites not a fewe were bestowed vpon the Church before his death from the beginning of the Worlde not onelie Remission of Sinnes and aeternall Lyfe but also manie Graces and Blessings in this lyfe both bodilie and Spirituall I aunswere Albeit CHRIST'S death was not accomplished in act till of late yet for the certayntie of his death to followe and the vnchaungeablenesse of his Mynde towardes his Church before his death hee was reckoned both with GOD and the Church for dead and the Promise of laying downe his lyfe for his People accepted for the tyme as if it had beene performed For which cause hee is called Revel xiij 8 The Lambe slayne from the beginning of the worlde And Christ was still represented as a slayne man in all these Sacrifices which the Apostle poynteth at as meeting this Doubt in the next words which follow heere-after Vers. 18. Vers. 18. Wherevpon neyther the first Testament was dedicated vvithout blood HEE prooveth the necessitie of Christ's death yet farther Vnder the Law his Bloodshed was represented by types of bloodie Sacrifices therefore it behooved those Types to bee aunswered by his reall bloodshed and death THEN 1. What the types of the Lawe did signifie Christ behooved to accomplish in veritie 2. The Olde Church was taught that by vertue of the blood signified by these types the Covenant stoode betwixt GOD and them Vers. 19. For when Moses had spoken everie Precept to all the people according to the Lawe hee tooke the blood of Calues and of Goates with Water and Scarlet Wooll and Hyssope and sprinkled both the Booke and all the people Vers. 20. Saying This is the Bloode of