neither can this sinner whiles he so coÌ„tinueth without repentaÌ„ce distinguish himself from a Reprobate For when Christ declareth his loue actually and effectually to any man theÌ„ he smites his heart with the sword of his Sâ—irit and worketh such an alteration in his soule that thence-forward hee shall die to sinne and liue to righteousnes When Euilmerodach disclosed his Ier. 52. 31. 33. loue to Iehoiakim he brought him out of prison and changed his prison garments so when Christ doth actually reueale his loue vnto a man then he brings him out of the prison of the diuell he vnlooseth the bolts of sinne he changeth his rayments of wickednes and doth apparell him with the rich robes of his owne righteousnes And as that penitent â—aylour to manifest his good will to Paul and Silas did not Act. 16. 33. onely fetch them out of the prison ut also washed their sâ—â—ipes so Christ when he reuealeth his speciall loue vnto any then doth he wash the wounds of their soules with his blood and batheth them in the waters of his holy Spirit He casteth them as it were into a furnace and consumeth the drosse of â—in with the fire of his grace Therefore Paul saith that those who Gal. 5. 24. are Christs hâ—â—e crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts And saint Iohn saith that whosoeuer is borne of God sinâ—eth 1. Ioh. 3. 9. not meaning with full consent of heart he sinneth not vnto death he liueth not without repentance in his sinnes he drinketh not iniquitie as fishes do water he selleth not himselfe to worke wickednesse as Ahab did 1. King 21 25. Wherefore as wee must not account a man forsaken of Christ because he is ouertaken with some enormitie so againe we must take heed that we do not wilfully giue our selues vnto any manner of sinne because we heare that his loue is constant that sinne cannot make a diuorce betwixt him and vs and an vtter separation if once we were in his fauour and were vnited to him This were transcendent impietie and verie horrible ingratitude CHAP. VIII Christs Loue is the fountaine Primum Mobile indeede immobile of all good things that come to vs. His loue is not merited by vs. Seauenthly in that the Apostle giues the priority of place to Christs loue seating it before the benefits which we receiue by him I gather that his Loue is the scaturidge and foundation of all those works which he wrought for vs. His loue was the Anuill whervpon they were all forged it was the Spring from whence they sprang and the Pipe or Chanell through which they ran to vs who are as Cisternes to receiue them Therfore we must renouÌ„ce and abiuâ—e all opinion of our owne merits or foreâ—eene preparations Oâ—â— best merit which yet is no merit is to confesse freely that we can merit nothing nothing at all that good is For vnto vs belongeth nothing but opâ—â—â—â—ame and confusion of face for euer Dan. 9 8. It is Gods mere mercie and his pitie not our merits or pietie that we perish not in our sinnes And if we either wâ—â— well or worke well we must ascribe it solie to Gods good will who worketh in vs the will and the deed of his good pleasure Phil. 2. 13. Hiâ—vellâ— noÌ„ 〈◊〉 substaÌ„tia voluÌ„tatis sed Why did God honour the World with his onely Sonne Was it not because he loued the World So Christ de 〈◊〉 qualitate accipituÌ„r Ioh. 3. 16. saith for God so loued the world that he hath giuen his onely Sâ—nne to all that lay hold vpon him with the hand of a liuely faith Yea but was not his loue procured by our loue Did not our loue of him drawe his loue to vs as the Load-stone doth yron Verily no for herein saith Iohn is that loue not 1. Ioh. 4. 10. 19. that we loued God but that he loued vs and sent his sonne in loue to be a reconciliation for our sinnes We loue him because he loued vs first Why hath God raysed vs from the graue of sinne and quickened vs in his sonne and saued vs Was it not because he loued vs Paul teacheth vs to thinke so no otherwise and thereâ—ore saith But God who is rich in mercie through 〈◊〉 great loue wherwith he loued Eph. 2. 4. 5. 〈◊〉 when we were dead by sinnes hath quickened vs together in Christ by whoâ—â— grace ye are saued What mooued Christ besides his loue to giue himselfe to death for vs Iust nothing in vs therefore 1. Ioh. 3. 16. Iohn saith hereby we haue perceiued loue that he layed downe his life for vs. By whome saith Paul we haue redemption Eph. 1. 7. through his blood according to his rich Grace Nothing at all but pure loue made him bestowe himselfe vpon the Church it was his grace and not her goodnesse not because she was faire and wâ—rthie but because he was fanourable and gracious Therfore the Apostle saith Christ loued the Church and gaue himselfe for Eâ—h 5. 25. 26. her that hee might sanctifie or make her 〈…〉 e and holy clense her by the washing of water through the word By which we plainly see that his loue is the forge fountaine from whence our holines our happines and all spirituall celestiall and eternall benefits whatsoeuer do proceede and come Thus much concerning the loue of Christ The workes or tokens of his loue come now to be considered in the next words Here endeth the first part ⧠THE SECOND PART REV. 1. 5. And hath washed vs from our sinnes in or by his blood CHAP. I. The sense is giuen diuerse doubts are remoued remission of sins consenteth with regeneration in three things and differs from it in seauen other THe Apostle hauing affirmed that Christ did loue vs he doth immediatly coÌ„firme his affirmation by setting down two notable works performed by him for vs being vndoubted tokens and fruits of his loue vnto vs. The former wherof is expressed in the wordes recited His Blood that is the merit and validitie of his blood And by blood we must vnderstand his whole passion the which was accomplished at the effusion of his blood vpon the crosse For albeit as touching the diuine nâ—â—ure he cannot properly be saide to haue blood in that the Deitie is a most pure simple perfect and incomprehensible Essence void of composition alteration yet as concerning his humanitie he hath blood he shed his blood and died And for that the humane nature is not a person subsisting by it selfe but is receiued into the vniâ—â—e of his person as he is the eternall Sonne of the Father a true distinct person existing from al eternitie therfore by a figure that which is proper to one of his natures is attributed to his whole person Whence it is that Paul saith that God hath purchased the Act. 20. 28. Church by his owne blood that is God incarnate or that person
who is true God And thus Marie contrarie to the opinion of Nestorius may be saide to be the mother of God to wit of that person or of that man who is God So we must vse to say that a man hath eies hands and legges and that truely yet the soule which is the more excellent part of man hath not any such For it is an incorporall and spirituall substance If it be demanded froÌ„ wheÌ„ce the blood of Christ doth deriue such dignitie and desert as that it procureth the pardon of sinne or the clensing of our soules from all corruption I answere that it proceedeth from his God head or person because it was the bloud of God the bloud of that innocent and iust man that is also truly God therfore it was of admirable excellencie and of inexplicable vigour and value sufficient for merit to haue cleÌ„sed a thousand thousand worlds of sinnes If further it be demanded how they that were before Christ and we that doe liue since his death can be truely said to be washed from our sinnes by his bloud which is not now shed nor then could be seeing that hee was not borne I answere Christ is the Lamb of God Reu. 13. 8. that was slaine from the beginning of the World to wit in respect of faith and of Gods eternall decree and gracious acceptation so that his bloud is not nor euer was drie in regard of merit efficacie but whosoeuer did receiue and applie it to his heart by faith was purged from his sinnes which is signified when it is said that He hath washed vs that is he hath clensed purified absolued or procured the remission or absolution of sinnes for all the elect faithfull people of God wheresoeuer or whatsoeuer Therefore Iohn saith 1. Ioh. 2. 2. that he is a Reconcilation for the sinnes of the whole world of the Elect. And the authour to the Hebrâ—wes saith that hee Heb. 2. 9. tasted death for all men that is for the Elect of all sorts and sexes and for them onely And therefore he saith that his Math. 26. 28. blood was shed for many and not for all without exception of any God commaunded the Arke and the Mercy-seat Ex. 25. 10. 17. to be made of one length and breadth thereby shewing that his Mercy in Christ should be extended no farther then the Church If Christ would not Ioh. 17. 9. safe the reprobate a praâ—er we may not think that he would giue theÌ„ his blood From sinnes Siâ—â—â— saith Iohn is theâ— transgression of the Law euen euery aberration from the Law of God 1. Ioh. 3. 4. which is the Rule of our obedience the Touchstone of all our Actions and as it were the Epistle of the Creator to his creatures Sinâ—â— is either originall or actuall Originall sinne consisteth in the guiâ—â— of Adams first transgression and in the want of that puriâ—â—e wherein we were aâ— first created and in an incâ—ination and propensiue to all manner of wickednesse Actuall â—innâ— is any preâ—â—rication and breach of the lawâ—â—r will of God in thought word or worke whether by commission of euill or omission of good Now by sinnes in this place we must vnderstand all both originall and actuall euen all transgressions of Gods commandements whether legall or eâ—angelicall and the punishments due vnto vs for them where obserue that he calleth Sinnes our Sinnes for Sinne is our owne and not Christs For he 2. Cor. 5. 21. knew no sinne Neither are they Gods For he is not the author of that whereof Non est auctor eius cuius est vltor Fulgent he is the reuenger And Dauid saith Thou art not a God thâ—t louest wickednesse neither shall euill dwell with thee Psal 5. 4. So then the meaning of the words is this Christ hath purchased the pâ—rdâ—â— of all our sinnes and hath deliuered vs from the guilt punishment of them all by the merite of his Sacred blood whereby hee hath appeased his Father and couered vs from his wrathfull indignation as with a â—â—yle But yet that wee may attaine to the perfect vnderstanding of these words two questions had need to be answered First it may be demaÌ„ded how Christ can be saide to haue washed vs from our sins seeing that sin remaineth in vs vnto death For our satisfaction herein we must know that Christ is â—â—â—de to wash our sinnes away in his blood because hee hath therby procured their pardon so as that they shall neuer be imputed to vs vnto condemnation For sin is washed away two waies First when God forgiues it and layeth it not to our charge and this he doth in the iustification of a sinner Secondly when he mortifieth it and repaireth his ruinated image within vs and this is called the washing of sanctification Now the washing of sanctification is properly vnderstood in the text SecoÌ„dly it may be demanded wherin the absolution washing away of sin in Iustification by the blood of Christ differeth from the ablution purging of it in sanctification by the water and fire of the Holy Ghost Or wherin remission of sinnes differs from regeneration and wherein they iump They agree in three respects First in their efficient cause For God is the author of both through the merit of Christ Secondly they haue one commune instrumentall cause which is faith Thirdly they haue one generall end to wit the glory of God and the saluation of our soules But yet they differ very much in other respects First in their forme or nature For remission of sins is an action of God wherby he doth couer our sins in the blood of Christ not imputing them to vs but to Christ RegeneratioÌ„ is a work of God wherby through the effectuall operatioÌ„ of his Spirit he doth alter and change the heart mortifying the flesh illuminating the mind refining the affections and sanctifying all the parts of the body and all the powers of the soule Secondly they differ in their subiect For the minde the will and the affections are the subiects of sanctification but not of the remission of sins The obedience of Christ is imputed to vs and is not inhoerent in vs as are the graces of regeneration Remission of sinne is an action of God out of a man but mortification is within a man Thirdly their obiect is diuerse For the law is the obiect of sanctification but remission of sinne respecteth the obedience of Christ Fourthly they differ in their effects For remission of sins makes vs to be accounted no sinner but so doth not regeneration The abluâ—ion of sin in iustification is our absolution but the ablution of sin by sanctification is not our absolution but a consequeÌ„t signe thereof Remission of sinne keepes â—â—n from condemning vs but regeneration keepes sin onelâ— from tyrâ—nnizing and doâ—â—ering ouer vs. Fiâ—â—ly Remissiâ—n of sins is pâ—rfect in this life and acted at one instant by Rom. 8. 1. God though we come
a wonder to see how carefully men will aâ—oide a pest-house or a place infected and yet care not to runne vnto the harboures of beastly drunkennes and filthy lust the very schooles of the diuell and stewes of vncleannes infected with the plague of vngodlinesse as dangerous to his soule that with delight frequeÌ„ts them as is a house infected with the pestience to the body As we are careful to shun the dirt in our wayes and to keep our apparell cleane and our bodyes free from diseases so wee ought vnlesse like mad-men wee feare no danger to labour that our soules may be free from the loathsome and mortall disease of sinne and that we be not defiled with the dâ—â—t of iniquitie nor bemyred in the puddle of wickednes but that we may be cleane and pure Vse 4 Lastly therefore wee are taught to pray with Dauid Wash mee throughly Psal 5. 12. from mine iniquitie and clense mee from my sinne And indeede we shall not be cleane vnlesse the Lord doe purge vs throughly our sinne doth hang so fast about vs and inuiâ—on vs. It doth not onely besmeare and grime vs on the out-side but it tainteth the in-side also It doth not onely cleaue as it were to the skin as Iuy to the rind of an oake but it lyeth in the bones it is got into the pyth and lurketh in the heart as a Fox in his hole a Lyon in his den or as the plague doth in the body Let vs therefore labour to be deliuered of it Desire God to bathe thee in his Ez. 36. 25. sonnes bloud and to power cleane water euen the clensing water of his spirit vpon thee If our clothes be spotted we are careful to rub out the spots and shall we neglect to get out the filthy spots of sinne out of our soules If a man were weather-beaten vpon the Sea he would wish that he were vpon the shore or if he were in some loathsome and stinking dungeon he would gladly be out of it Beloued there is no sea so dangerous no dungeon so foule and stinking as our sinnes let vs therfore labour to be deliuered from them let vs desire God to lay the tempest and with the prosperous gale of his grace to bring vs safe to the shore and by his hand to draw vs out of this dungeon And as Dauid prayeth Bring my Psal 142. 7 soule out of prison that I may praise thy name So let vs pray him to bring vs out of the prison of sinne and to take from vs the bolts of wickednes and to clense and dresse vs and to strip vs of our prison garments that beeing set at libertie we may serue him freely and glorifie his name for his kindnesse to vs. CHAP. VII Remission of sinnes is through the bloud of Christ Though Christ did merit our pardon yet God the Father may be said to forgiue vs freely in two respects SIxtly seeing the Apostle saith that Doct. 6 Christ hath washed vs from our sins in his blood I gather that Christ is our Heb. 9. 11. 12. onely High-priest who by his owne blood hath purchased the pardon of our sins satisfied the iustice of God for them and so remoued their guilt punishment from vs. He hath washed vs therefore now we are cleane He Is. 53. 4. â—5 was wounded for our transgressions the 〈…〉 ment of our peace was vpon him and by his sâ—ripâ—â— we are healed Surely he hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and caryed our so 〈◊〉 And Paul expressely saith that Eph. 1. 7. by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 two haue redemption to wit the remissiâ— of â—ins By his owne blood saith the Holy Ghost he entred in once into the holy place obtained eternall redemption for vs. And to deliuer vs from the Gal. 3. curse of the Law he was made a curse All which testimonies of holy writ doe serue fulficiently to proue remission of sins by his blood Now wheÌ„ we heare that sin is forgotteÌ„ we must also know tâ—a the punishment is taken away For common reason sheweth eius quod 〈◊〉 est nullam esse poenam that ther is no punishment dâ—e for that which is not But sin is not wheÌ„â—t is once forgiuen For the Lambe of God hath taken it away And indeed ther is â—o great affi 〈◊〉 betweene sinne and the punishment thereof that the Hebrewes were wont to call them by one name by Gen. 4. 7. Leuit. 20. 17. 19. which the Scriptures signifie that sinnes are then punished and neuer but then when the fault is not forgiueÌ„ And iâ— tâ—â—s be true that God retaineth the punishment when he doth not remit the fault then by the law of contraries it followeth that God doth not retaine the punishment when he doth remit the fault But by the merit of Christs blood 〈◊〉 fault is forgiuen therefore the punishment also which followeth the fault in respect of desert vt vmbrasequitâ—r corpus as the shaddow doth the body and as light the Sun Furthermore seeing those that looked vpon the brazen serpent were cured both of their stingings and of the paines that ensued why may wee not say that they which looke vpon Christ with the eye of saith are not only deliuered of their sinnes and biting of the serpent Satan but also of al paines and punishments which by desert at least doe followe them 2. Augustine sayeth That Christ De Ver. Dei Ier. 37. tooke away both the fault and the punishment And Tertullian saith Exempto reatu eximitur et poena that when the De Bapt. guilt is taken away the punishment is remoued By which it is euident that both fault and punishment are forgiuen vs through the bloud of Christ Qu. It may be theÌ„ demaÌ„ded how god can be saied to forgiue sinne freely seing Christ hath merited the pardon of it by his blood An. I answere in two respects First because we by our selues haue not procured the pardon but Christ for vs of his mere good will Secondly because God did freely of his owne benignitie send his sonne to bee our ransome as Christ himselfe doth witnesse God so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Ioh. 3. 16. sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life By which we see plainly that gods loue is the primary cause of our redemption by Christ Neither must the iustice of God be called into question for laying our sins vpoÌ„ him that knew no sin and for punishing the innocent for the offenders For the righteous may suffer for the vnrighteous Christ may without the breach of Iustice bleed for vs purchase pardoÌ„ by his blood if these fiue conditions do concurâ—e in his passion First his blood-shed must be voluntarie without compulsion Secondly it must be perfectly propitiatory able to satisfie him to the full that is offended Thirdly he must be of the same nature for whome he suffereth Fourthly he must be able to preserue himselfe from perishing
because of them Most of his Apostles â—f not all were poore and the deaâ—est children of God are subiect to greâ—uâ—us crosses and haue beene in all Act. 16. 31. ages Beleeue in the Lord Iesus and thou shalt be loued Returne from All thy sinnes and do that which is right and thou shalt surely liue and not die how Ez. 18. 21. poore base or vile so euer thou maiest be Yea further thogh thou beest wicked and by thy sinnes an enemie to God yet dispaire not but beleeue and repent For Christ doth not die for vs because we are holy he doth not wash vs because we are cleane out by washing vs he makes vs cleane Christ did not die for the righteous but for the Vngodly and for the Vniust and therefore Paul saith God setteth out his loue Rom. 5. 6. 1. Pet. 3. 18. towards vs seeing that while we were yet Sinners Christ dyed for vs. Beâ—â—eue therfore and repent leaue sinne liue vprightly assure thy selfe of the blood Rom. 5. 8. of Christ for the remission of thy sins His merit â—s greater then thy miserie Rom. 4. 5. Rom. 3. 22. and a saluâ— made of his blood is able to cure all the sores of thy soule Thirdly seeing the bloud of that one man Christ Iesus hath clensed vs all Vse 3 from all our sinnes we are admonished to loue one another Some of vs are not washed in the bloud of one and the rest in the bloud of another but we are all washed in the bloud of one and one hath washed vs al therfore we ought al as if we were but one to loue agree one with an other This kind of argument is vsed by the prophet Malachy Mal. 2. 10. when he saith Haue we not all one father Hath not one God made vs Why doe wee transgresse euery one against his brother And the Apostle exhorting the Ephesians Eph. 4. 3. 4. to keepe the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace vseth this as a reason to perswade them too it because there is one body one spirit one Lord one faith one baptisme one God and Father of all Euen so say I Forasmuch as one man one God Christ Iesus who is both God and man hath washed vs all from our sinnes by the merit of his most pretious bloud why should wee transgresse one against another as wee vse to doe And why doe wee not rather affect and embrace on an other Doe we not all come out of his loines Eph. 5. 30. Are wee not all flesh of his flesh and bones of his bones Hath not be washt vs all for himselfe Doe wee not all spring froÌ„ that water from that bloud which sprang 〈◊〉 him when he hanged on the crossâ— I noâ—â—e that bread of life which we all eate off that well that water of life which we all drinke off that meane or that wish to liue Doe wee all breath by him â—aue we all theâ— emission of all our sinneâ— by his bloud Hath hee communicated his bloud to vs all And shall we disgrace abuse contemne and oppresse one an other We should rather be kind courteous louing folowing 〈◊〉 â—hings which concerne peace and amitie and Rom. 14. 19. wherewith one may edifie an other Fourthly seeing our sinâ— cost Christ his bloud we may as in a glasse behold Vse 4 the rigour and seuetitie of Gods absolute iustice who would be pacified only by the bloud of his owne Sonne By which we see that he is not altogether mercy as many foolish and presumptuous Totus Deus est miserie ordia non to taliter persons dâ—e imagine It is true indeede that God is mercifull and so â—iche in mercie as that hee sent his Sonne to saue vs but yet with â—ll he is so iust that rather then sin should scape vnpunished hee hath made his Sonne to beâ—re the punishment of it And as for those thaâ— will not by fayth receiue hâ—s sonne and will not reforme their liues but goe on in sinne without repentance hee hath for the manifestation of his iustice reserued to eternall â—orments And theâ—efore Iob saith The Iob. 21. 30. wicked is kept vnto the day of destruction and they shal be brought foorth to the day of wrath And the Psalmist saith accordingly In the hand of the Lorde there is a cup and the wine is red it is sul Psal 75. 8. mixt and he powreth out of the same surely all the wicked of the earth shall wring out and drinke the dregs thereof We see therfore that his mercy doth not shoulder out his iustice Let no man therefore sinne in hope of pardon For our God is euen a consuming fire to consume vp all impenitent sinners and it Heb. 12. 29. Deut. 4. 24. Heb. 10. 31. is a fearefull thing to fall into his hands Fiftly we may see the heynousnes of sinne For we must not thinke that Vse 5 small which cost so great a price and made the bloud of God be shed for the pardon of it Let vs therfore detest our sins account theÌ„ greuous not smal They displease God they deserue his iudgemeÌ„ts they prouoke his anger they hinder his blesâ—ings they trouble our peace and procure our death Like the Ier. 5. 25. worme they eat the wood wherin it was bred they destroy the soule wherin they we eingendred Plinie wriâ—eth that the Vipers kill their damme at their coÌ„ming fâ—orâ—h Euen so the byâ—th of sin is in desert Hist nat lib. 〈◊〉 cap. 62. the death of the sinner Our sinnes crucified the Lord of life they were the nayles that pierced him the thornes that pricked him and the speare that was thrust through him He for our sinnes laid downe his life and spilt his bloud They made him grone and sigh they made him sweat water and bloud they tormented his soule and made it heauy vnto death yea they made him cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee The consideration of these things Math. 27. 46 should moue vs vnlesse like mountains we wll not be moued to relinquish and abhorre our sins When Peter had told the Iewes that they had crucified the Lord they were strucken as with a thuÌ„der-bolt from heauen and beeing pricked in heart they cryed 〈◊〉 Men and brethren what shall wee doe Thy sinnes Act. 2. 37. haue crucified the Lord of glory they nayled him fast vnto the crosse they would not die till he was dead hee was faine to make a Bath of his bloud of his best bloud his Heart-bloud to clense wash thee from them Repent therefore and relent condemne and accurse them forsake and hate them Wilt thou liue in theÌ„ that made Christ to die wilt thou delight in them that made Christ to mourne Canst not thou mourne for them that made him to bleed Indeed Pro. 14. 9. the Foole maketh but a mocke of sinne But wilt thou needs be that
that there shall not any of them perish So the blood of Christ which saueth all his â—oyall Subiects from all their mortall enemies cannot but be full of might and verâ—ue It is a good blade which will cut asunder a barre of iron therfore surely the blood of Christ is powerfull seeing it hath câ—ackt in sâ—nder the iron baâ—res of our sinnes hath consumed them to powder That water must needs be verie vertuous for qualâ—tie if it be but of smal quantity which is able to quench a mountaine of fire Christs blood for measure was not much therefore we mâ—st needs confesse it to be full of merit full of vertue seeing it both quenched the fiery mountain of gods wrath and dissolued the mountanie masse of mans sinne Death considered as it is an effect and punishment of sinne is as it were Hells mouth like the man that turnes the ladder whereon the Malefactour readie to be executed standeth Now the blood of Christ hath not onely taken away the second death but hath also changed the nature of that first It hath made it a Key to open the doore let vs loose from al our sinnes it hath made it an Axe to strike off the head of our flesh it hath made it an Ariadnes threed to bring vs out of the labyrinch of all earthly miseries and as a Boate to transport vs vnto the hauen of â—ternall happinesse and therefore we mâ—st needs coÌ„lesse it is of â—nclesse merit of admirable verâ—ue Let vs therefore Beloued not with Thomas put our hands inâ—o his side but let vs plunge our selues wholy both Ioh. 20. 27 soule and bodie into his blood For he is that Pelican that feeds vs to eternall life by his blood His blood is that Hyssope by which we are clensed and the Balme of Gilead whereby Ps 51. 7. Leuit 24. 7. our soules are cured WheÌ„ Elisha went about to restore to life the Shunamites sonne he lay vpon him and put his 2. King 4. 34. mouth vpon the childes mouth his own hands vpoÌ„ his hands his eyes vpon his eyes stretched himselfe vpon him Euen so if thou desirest to be receiued to euerlasting life set thy selfe by faith vpoÌ„ the crosse of Christ apply thy hands to his hands thy feete to his feet thy mouth to his mouth thine eyes to his eyes thy sinful hart to his bleeding hart and bath thy selfe by faith in his blood For euen as the Israelites which were stung to death by the fierie Serpents Num. 22. 9. were cured if they looked vp to the brazen Serpent so if we which are stung to death of that old Serpent by sinne which is his poy soned tooth and venomous sting will looke vp to Christ our brazen Serpent hanging vpon the crosse with the eye of faith Ioh. 3. 14. 15 we shal be deliuered from all our sins his blood is a counterpoyson effectuall against them all The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plinie writeth hath a propertie to frustrate Hist nat lib 37. c. 4. the malicious effects of poyson and to expell vaine feareâ—t at posseâ—â—e the mind So the blood of Christ is able to preserue vs from the mortall effects of sinne which is more deadly then the deadliest poyson and being applyed to the heart by the hand of faith it will expell the feare of damnation and fill the soule with ioy When the corps of the dead souldier beeing tumbled into Elishaes graue had touched his bones he presently reuined 2. King 13. 21. euen so shall wee by a spirituall touching of Christ dead buried be deliuered from finne the life of death and shal be quickened to eternall life And as the woman which had the bloodie Math. 9. 20. issue was cured by touching the hem of his garment so shall we though we did exceed in number the Stars of heauen the sands on the Sea-shore we I say should haue all the bleeding wounds of our soules healed if we will touch his blood with the finger of a Act. 10. 43. true faith For vnto him giue all the Prophets witnesse that through his Name All that beleeue in him shall receiue remission of sinnes His Name hath made vs noble his death is our deliuerance his humiliation is our exaltation his shame is our glorie and his blood the price of our pardoÌ„ Which things notwithstandâ—ng we possesse by faith and by faith 〈◊〉 do receiue and not without it For as the branch or science receiueth no sap from the roote vnlesse it be ioyned to it and as the parts of the bodie haue neither sense nor motion except they cohere with the head and be conioyned to it so we that are branches of that noble Vine Christ Iesus the members of his bodie haue neither life nor motion we receiue not the Ioh. 15. pardon of our sinnes nor partake of any of his benefits vnlesse we be vnited to him and be knit vp together with him Now we are not vnited if we haue not faith For vs the vnioÌ„ is made by the Spirit in respect of God so it is made by faith in respect of vs. But that I may presse this point a a little further If thou hadst a mortall and inexoâ—able enemie and knewest a safe course whereby thou mightest be deliuered from him thou wert thine owne enemie if thou didst refuse to take it especially if there were no other way but that Sathan is thine irreconciliable enemie Sinne which is his Mâ—nion is thy deadly foe For as Plinie recordeth of the Flower-de-lis that it Hist nat l. 11. c. 2. prouoketh sleepe but consumeth nature so though sinne may seeme to satisfie a carnall corrupt affection by giuing it a kind of contentment and rest yet in truth it is an vtter enemie to the spirit and like Iuy it suckeâ—h out the verie sap of the soule Now the blood of Christ is onely able to quell these thine enemies to redeeme thee from that cursed condition to which thou art obnoxious by them Labour therefore to be partaker of it thou art thine owne enemie if thou doâ—st neglect it Plinic saith that men were wont to carie Polium about them to chase away Lib. 21. cap. 20. SerpeÌ„ts But the most soueraigne amulet or preseruatiue which men can haue against Satan and their sinnes is the blood of Christ applyed by faith vnto their hearts The sicke do seeke vnto the Phisitian that their bodies Admedicam dubius coÌ„fugit aeger opem Ould might be preferned from temporarie death and shall not we seeke to Christ that great Phisitian of the soule that washing vs in his blood we might be preserued from that eternall death of soule and bodie So soone as he had touched the Leaper he tooke away his leprosie euen so if he please to touch vs with his vertuous touch the touch Luke 5. 13 vs with his vertuous touch the touch of his woundes we shal be deliuered from our sinnes His blood
is as well able to take away our sinnes to make them vanish out of Gods eye like smoke as that great invndation of water was to drowne the world or as the fire was to burne vp Sodome Dost thou thinke that thou hast no need of him Thou art as wel able to discharge thee of thy sinnes as to remoue a mountaine or to draine the sea If the bodie be out of temper there is vse of the Phisitian Thou art distempered both in soule bodie by reason of thy sins in which thou art by nature not onely sicke but dead and Christ can onely cure thee therefore she vnto him And say thy sinnes be smal yet are they many and mortall all Many little flint-stones will 〈◊〉 ship as well a few mil-stones But thou art by thy 〈◊〉 a Rebell thou hast committed high â—reason against God and without 〈◊〉 pardon which cannot be procâ—â—ed but by the mediation of Christ 〈◊〉 is not possible for thee to escape damnation Therefore make hast to Christ before the degree come forth and before the fierce wrath of the Lord do come vpon thee and thou be as chasse before the wind WheÌ„ Christ liued vpon the earth the people peâ—ceiuing his admirable power and willingnesse also to cure the diseases of the bodie they brought their diseased to him from euery place and he healed them Beloued he is aâ—able to cure the diseases of the soule therefore seeke vnto him seeke with faâ—th from the bottome of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he will not â—epell the. To him that thirsteth he Reuâ— 21. will be-sprinkle him in his bloud frankely They were carefull for the bodie and shall we be carelesse both of soule and bodie They were carefull for others let not vs then be carelesse of our selues They went to him when he liued in disgrace and in the shape of a seruant plagued and not regarded humbled of God reiected of men Is 53. 3â— knowne of many but acknowledged of few mournfull and not mery seene to weepe but neuer said to laugh But now he is in great glory maiestie far exceeding all earthly Monarches and therefore we neede not be ashamed to seeke vnto him Wherefore let nothing hinder thee but as they that brought Luk. 5. 19. the palsie man vnto him let him downe to him through the tyles of the house when they could not come neare him for the prease of the people euen so do thou breake through all impediments 〈◊〉 not thy purpose but proue euery way leaue no stone vnrolled proceed constantly and test not till thou beest come vnto him Leaue him not till Nullam noÌ„ moue lapidem with Iacob thou hast obteined a blessing till he haue washed thy soule in his bloud as he did his Disciples feet in Ioh. 13. 5. Math. 15 28. the water The Cananitish woman would not leaue him till she had gotten him to driue the Diuell out of her daughter so do thou neuer giue him ouer til he haue cast him out of the hold of thy heart released thee of thy sins which do possesse thee which will destroy thee without his hand of grace And as Esay exhorteth those that are mindfull of the Lord to giue him no Is 62. 7. rest till he repaire and set vp Ierusalem the praise of the world euen so giue Christ thy Lord no rest leaue him not take no nay till he haue redeemed thee from thy sinnes till he haue restored thee into grace with God and haue set thee vp as high as thou wast fallen low before Shall the allurements of the world or the pleasures of sinne restraine or inueigle thee Know yee not saith Iames that the amitie of the World Iam. 4. 4. is the Enmitie of God Whosoeuer therefore wil be a friend of the world maketh himselfe the enemie of God Did not Moses that man of Gods owne moulding vs therfore be his Patients put our selues into his haÌ„ds There is noone natural medicine able to heale all kinds of Et quoniam variant mor bi variamus artes Mille mali species mille salutis erunt Ouid. â—ore sicknesses And therfore diuerse sores haue diuerse salues seueral maladies haue seueral medicines ofteÌ„tims But the bloud of Christ is a present remedie against all the maladies of our soules the merit thereof being once appyed to vs remoues them all They are all to it as dust before a Whirlwind or as flax before a flame of fire The leprosie is a fearefull disease but the leprosie of the soule is more fearefull Now as Naamans leprosie was 2. King 5. 14. clensed in the riuer Iordon so is originall sinne the leprosie of our soules and all other sinnes that spring thereof washed cleane away from vs in the bloud of Christ Though our sinnes were as crimsin though they had double died our soules had taken neuer to deepe roote in our haâ—ts though they were red as scarlet neuer so bloudy neuer so grieuous yet his bloud can 〈◊〉 them out it can vncolour vs and make vs white as snowe Behold a crow which is blacke through a red glasse and she will seeme red like the glasse The bloud of Christ is beautifull and precious sweet and louely in the sight of God and therefore if God behold vs through it we shall notwithstanding all the blacknesse of our sinnes appeare bright and beautiful faire and amiable in his eyes Albeit by our sins we deserue nothing but wrath yet euen as the propitiatory couered the Ark and Decalogue and as the cloudes do Ez. 25. 21. shroud vs from the scorching heate of the Sunne so doth Christ couer our sinnes with his bloud and preserue vs from the fire of his fathers wrath and wrathful indignatioÌ„ If it were so that a man had a medicine to preserue men froÌ„ the bodily death all the world wold flock after him so sweet a thing is life and shall we take no paines to come to Christ to possesse Christ who by his bloud can make the graue a bed death a sleepe a pleasant sleepe a welcome sleepe a ioy full night of ease and also saue the soule both soule bodie from endlesse death and dolefull desolation For euen as those which besprinkled Ex. 12. 7. 13 the posts of their doores with the bloud of the Paschall Lamb escaped the destroyer so those shall neuer be destroyed whose hearts are washed who are besprinkled with the bloud of Christ that true Paschall Lamb which Ioh. 1. 29. taketh away the sinnes of the world hath abolished death and brought life and immortality 2. Tim. 1. 10. vnto light through the Gospel For what can hinder life and procure death but sinne But sinne yea all the bandes and bolts of sinnes are no more with Christ then those greene cordes were in the hands of Sampson which hee brake as a threed of Towe when it feeleth Iudg. 16. 9. fire He can as easily remoue the
fidei perfectorem Iesum Now it is absurd to thinke that faith can merit anâ—e thing for vs with God being k Ioh. 6. 29. Rom. 12. 3. 1. Cor. 4. 7. giuen vs freely without our merit by God For the will of God id ouer all subiect to no cause to no coÌ„mand to no constraint Sâ— habet Aug. li. 1. de Genesi contra Manich cap. 2. causam voluntas Dei est aliquid quod antecedat voluntatem Dei quod nefas est credere By which it is apparent that the grace of God in Christ is all in all in that glorious and renowmned work of maÌ„s redeÌ„ption By m 1. Ioh. 4 9. grace we haue a Redeemer by grace wee haue our n Phil. 1. 29 faith in the Redeemer by o RoÌ„ 3. 24. Tit. 7. 3. grace wee are iustified before the throne of diuine iustice by p Luk. 12. 32. Ioh. 6. 40. 1. Ioh. 5. 11. grace we attaine to the q 1. Pet. 1. 9 end of our faith and the marke wee shoote at which is the saluation of our soules in heauen where all our sobs shal bee turned into songs our grieâ—es into glory our fights into triumphes our crownâ— of thornes â—nâ—o a crowne of glorie and all oâ—â—mourning into câ—le â—â—all melâ—die singing Alloluiah vnto the Lord â—or eâ—er A fâ—rtheâ— view of this heauenly doctrine you may tâ—kâ— in this Tractate following if you please to peruse it Which iâ— you shall accept of and not accouâ—t vnâ—orthy of you whome I haue accâ—â—nted worthy of it I haue my full desire and as much as it doth deserue That God which 1 wet Gideons fleece with his dew water it with a shewer of Iudg. 6. 38. his grace and preserue you both in soule and body to the full fruition of his glorie Your worships in Christ Iesus Thomas Tuke Ian. 23. 1607. THE TREASVRE of true Loue. The first Part. Reuel 1. 5. 6. Vnto him that hath loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his blood made vs Kings and Priests vnto God euen his Father to him be glorie and dominion for euermore Amen CHAP. I. The coherence of these words with the former and their contents are here set downe IN the fourth verse of this Chapter the Apostle setteth downe his Apostolicall salutatioÌ„ to the seuen Churches vnto whom he dedicateth writeth this present book containing a very large and yet a very short discourse reuelation vnmasking the secret enemies of the Church declaring the state therof vnto the end of the world In this salâ—tation foure things are considerable First the person saluting Iohn Secondly the persons saluted the seuen Churches which are in Asia Thirdly a wish of grace and peace of welfare both spirituall and temporall vnto them that is of diuine fauour of all benefits that flow from it Fourthly the persons of whome they are desired to wit the Father the holy Spirit and the Sonne The Father is deliuered by the immutabilitie and eternitie of his nature the Holy Ghost is pointed at and painted out by the diuersitie of his gifts the multiplicitie of his works and al-sufficiencie and most absolute perfection of his operations The Sonne is described many waies in very fit presse pithie speeches wherin the Apostle is very plentifull liberall as if he were amazed with his greatnes rauished with his loue and not able to bridle himselfe but was as it were enforced for the satisfaction of his affection and demonstratioÌ„ of his loue to commend him at large to make an ample and exact description of him A part whereof is contained in the wordes of this text but set forth in forme of a Thanks-giuing For it seemes the Apostle being smitten with the consideration of the singular benefits which â—e with the rest of Gods people receiued by Christ could not but expresse that entertainment which they had found in his heart by a serious thanksgiuing in his writing These words therefore containe in them a Praising of Christ or a Thankâ—sgiuing made vnto him or they are a Testification of a thankefull receiuer of his benefits and of a kind and courteous entertainer of his loue And in them three things are especially to be coÌ„sidered First a description of Christ continued by Iohn Secondly the substance and the matter of the thanksgiuing Thirdly the testification of faith or the doubling of his desire in the word Amen Christ is here described first by his loue secondly by the workes and tokens of his loue The consideration and remembrance of which things no doubt caused this holy man to breake out into this praising of him His loue is expressed in these words That hath loued vs. I will first explicate the wordes and then apply them for our vse CHAP. II. Some of the words are explained and here 〈◊〉 shewed 1. the waies whereby Christ testifieth loue 2. how Christ may trulie be said to loue 3. how hee is our wisedome righteousnes sanctification and redemption 4. who are partakers of 〈◊〉 loue TO him that is to Iesus Christ. That 〈◊〉 The Loue of Christ vnto the creature is generall or speciall His generall loue is either that whereby he loueth all his creatures as they are his creatures and declareth it by continuing their kindes by preseruing their natures and by sauing them from many dangers and according to this kinde of loue God is said to be â—ood to all to be mercifull to the vniust as to the iust and to be the Sauiour of Ps 145. 9. Math. 5. 1. 〈◊〉 4. 10. all men or else that whereby he loued Man-kinde in generally by taking vpon him the nature and name of man and not the nature of Angels noâ— of any other creature whatsoeuer His Heb. 2. 16. special loue vnderstood in this place is that whereby hee loueth the elect faithfull people of God and is so well affected people of God and is so well affected towards them as that he is wanting in nothing to them which is conuenient for them And in this respect hee is called the Sauiour of his mysticall body and is said to loue the Eph. 5. 2â— 25 Church Q. But it may be demanded how Christ who is true God Rom 9. 〈◊〉 can â—ee truly sayd to loue seeing â—oue is properly a passion or affection of the heart maister to teach vs true wisedome and to instruct vs to rule our liues by the Line of his word and to cease gouerning them by the Light of corrupt reason or humane directions And Righteousnesse to make vs reputed righteous through the invaluable merit of his righteousnes For he hath made him 2. Cor. 5. 21 to be sin for vs which knewe no sin that we should be made the righteousnes of God in him And as by one mans disobedience men Rom. 5. 12. were made sinneâ—â— so by the obedience of that one man châ—iâ—â— Iesus imputed to vs by grace and 〈…〉 ued of vs
sit vpon his throne reigne for euer And the language of the scriptures is that he was conceiued and borne not that he passed or ran through her Rather Act. 2. 30. Math. 1. 20. 23. Luk. 2 7. therefore Apâ—lles was the pipe through which this vayne conceite came into the world from Satan the fountaine thereof who is a lyer the Ioh. 8. 44. Ioh. 14. 6. father of lies as he that is truth it selfe affirmeth The errour of Apollinaris who held that Christ had not a reasonable soâ—le but that his Deitie is in stead thereof But this opinioÌ„ Christ himself directly Math. 26. 38. crosseth when he saith My soule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is very heauy vnto death and the scripture saith Hâ— yeelded vp the Ghost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is as impossible for a true man to haue no soule as a liuing tree to haue no sap or for the sunne to haue no light or to speake more fitly aâ— it is impossible for a thing to be this or that without the forme or formall cause which makes it so to be As there can be no perfect body without the head so ther can be no perfect man without a soule The errour of Iodochus Harchius a Libertine who imagined that Christ had a double flesh one naturall from the virgin Mary now glorious in the heauens the other spirituall intelligible and made by the power of God of bread wine But we read but of one body one flesh and one blood which â—e â—ad The errour of 〈◊〉 who taught that the humane nature of Christ was after the vnion endowed with the properties of the Diuiâ—tie Indeed Damaâ—cene and Gregory say that the flesh Greg. Nâ—sâ— of Christ was dâ—ified but they meane it in respect of the comunction thereof to the diuine nature in one persâ—n and in regard of those admirable gifts by when his humane nature is not abolished but become more excellent then all crâ—atures The errour of the V 〈…〉 ries who attribute to Christs humaâ—â—â— the essentiall properties of the Dâ—uiâ—â—â—e as to bee present euery where Which ouerthroweth the nature of a true body which is finite and circumscripâ—ble Tâ—llâ—â— propâ—â—â—tateâ— tol it naturam For take away the properties of a thing and thou shalt destroy the nature of it And albeit his Deitie is in all places without exception yet it doth not follow that his Humanitie should be so too because it is personallâ— vâ—â—ted to it no more then that the pearle in the ring should-extend â—â—sâ—â—se as farre as the ring because it is iâ—yned to it or fastned in it Indeed 〈◊〉 things are so vnited together as that one of them reacheth no further then the other then one of them can be no where but the other wil be there also But if one of them extend beyâ—nd the other then wheresoeuer the leâ—â—er is there the greater is also but not so on the contrarie The body of the sâ—nne and the light thereof are câ—nioyned and yet the sunnes body doth not really reach as farre as the â—â—ght doth The eye and the sight are nearely coâ—â—oyned and yet the sight reacheth to many things vnto which the eye doth not extend it selfe Because therefore Christs manhead is farâ—e exceeded of his Godhead it can be no where but his Godhead will be Psal 139. 7. 8. 9. Non sequitur vt quod in Deo est sit vbique vt Deuâ— there also being infinite so well for place as it is for time and power and it cannot bee in euery place where his Godhead is It doth not follow saith Augustine that that which is in God should be euery where as God And though Christ sit at the right hand of God yet it doth no more â—ollow therof that he should be in all places then that as man he should be really before all time And whereas the Apostle saith that hee ascended to fill all thingâ— his meaning is not that hee Eph. 4. 10. ImmortalitateÌ„ ei â—edit naturaÌ„ non abstulit August went vp to fill all thing with his humanitie which is indeed become immortall but is noâ— depriued of the naturall properties thereof but by the distribution of the gifts of his Spirit into the hearts of the elect in what place soeuer they liue Or as Bernard pleaseth to turne and vnderstand it that hee might 〈◊〉 vt adimpleret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things which were foretold and which were required to our saluation And so the Greeke word signifieth Math. 15. 17. where Christ saith I came not to destroy but to fulfill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law Lastly seeing Christ was a true man and therefore hath a true body as other men all infirmities being now laâ—de aside it ouerthroweth the opâ—nion of the Râ—miâ—h Synagogue 〈◊〉 teacheth that his body is cor 〈…〉 ly and â—â—â—st 〈…〉 lly in the Sa 〈…〉 nt We beleeue that his body 〈…〉 ade of the purified substance of 〈◊〉 Viâ—gin and noâ— of Bakers bread 〈◊〉 that aâ— hath the essentiall properties of a true body as length latitude â—â—â—cknesse and circumscription and â—â—â—t it is noâ— both visible in heauen and invisible vpon earth And although hee promised to be present Math. 28. 20 â—â—th his Disciples to the end of the world yet we must not thence conclude that his body was to continue among men vppon earth after his aâ—conâ—ion For those words are to be vnderstood onely of the presence of Ier. 23. Enter praeâ—enter Deus hiâ— vbique potenter his power grace spirite or godhead which filleth heauen and earth Indeed it is true that as hee hath taken his body with him vp so he hath left his body behinde him that is his Church vnto whom also he hath giuen leaue to consecrate certaine outward elements to be signes and seales of his body and bloud and which is Eph. 5. Col. 1. by a kinde of figure tearmed his body and bloud For the body of Christ is three-fold Naturall Mysticall Sacramentall But wee speake in this place of his naturall body to which the soule is vnited to make a true humane nature CHAP. III. Christs God-head is proued by foure arguments A Second doctrine hence ariseth in that the Apostle saith that Christ Doct. 2 hath washed vs from our sinnes in his bloud wheÌ„ce I coÌ„clude that Christ is not onely man but also God For there cannot be that vigour vertue or validity in the bloud of any mere maÌ„ which is able to purge men of their sinnes and to procure the pardon of them and to satisfie the infinite iustice of God for them Therefore our Redeemer must needs be true God that his bloud might be meritorious and effectuall with God Besides this collection we haue euident testomonies out of holy writ and inuincible arguments to confirme this truth For the first Isaâ—ah saith that Christ shal be called the Mightie God Is 9. 6. Iâ—râ—my saith that his name
him and vtâ—erly tall away and perish To omit many inuincâ—bâ—e arguments there is no liâ—â—lihood that Christ would shâ—d his bloud for him that shall perishâ—n his sâ—ns It is not probable that he will part from those willingly for wâ—â—me he payed so dearly Therfore Qui nos taÌ„to pâ— tâ—o emit noÌ„ vult perâ—â—e quos emit Aug. Setm. 109. Augustine saith He which bought vs for so great a price will not haue those to perish whom he hath bought And Christ himselfe saith that he giueth eternall life to those for whome he layeth downe his life â—â—h 10. 15. 28. Indeed they that seeme to be washed in his bloud but are not may fall and perish A fâ—antique man may think himselfe to be as rich as Crâ—sus though hee be indeed as poor as Codrus as Irus Bedlams whoop sing shout and laugh as if they were the only happy men in aâ— the world when alaâ— their case is most pitifull and so many men may think theÌ„selues câ—eÌ„sed in the bloud of Christ and clad with his rightâ—ousnes and so caâ—â—y themselues aâ— if they were out of aâ—â— danger of damnation when as in truth their state is damnable they neâ—â— truly felt the heat of that bloud tâ—â—y neuer came in that bath But he thaâ— is once actually and effectually bathed in it shall not dâ—e eternally Christ died that we might not die and who can make his death of none effect What can let or take away the veâ—tue of his death and the invaluable merit of his bloud I am persuaded Rom. 8 38. sayth Paul that neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to 〈◊〉 nor height nor depth nor any other creature shal be able to separate vs from 〈◊〉 loue of God which is in Christ Iesus â—ur Lord. And I am verily persuaded also that Christs death caÌ„not be nullified nor the price of his bloud diminished Now if Gods loue by which we â—iue do continue constant to vs and if the bloud of Christ by which our sins are clensed and couered in the sight of God remaine in ful force value nothing lessened or abated it cannot be that any of vs who are his chosen should perish and be damned The vse of this doctrine is manifold First we see a plaine difference Vse 1 betwixt the Sheep of Christ and the Goats of Sathan betweene Gods seruants and the Diuels slaues These may these must perish but those shall not they cannot perish For they are Math. 25. 41 Ioh. 10. 28. 1. Pet. 1. 5. kept by the power of God through fayth vnto eternall saluation Secondly we see the state of man by Christ the second Adam to be better Vse 2 then it was by creation in the first Adam For the righteousnes which we receiued in him was mutable but the righteousnes which we receiue in Christ is immutable The righteousnes which we did receiue in him we did also through him loose in him but the righteousnes which through Gods imputation we receiue for and from Christ continueth ours for euer so as that Peccata semel remissa nunquaÌ„ redeant et semel iusti semper iusti habeamur our sins being once remitted shall neuer after come to a reckoning and being once accounted righteous we shal so remaine for euer And for inherent righteousnesse when grace is once ingrauen vpon the tables of our hearts by the finger of God it shall neuer wholly be rased out For we haue now potentia et actum perseuerandi both the power and his grace therto inspiring vs a will to perseuere and the very act of perseuerance Adam indeed could haue continued righteous if he had would but he had not the grace to continue constant the will to perseuere for euer Thirdly we see manifest manifest distinction betwixt those that are redeemed Vse 3 by the bloud of Christ and those that are ransomed by earthly Princes For those that are redeemed by Christ continue his for euer None shall take Ioh. 10. 28. them out of his hand neither shall they reuolt from him For he will put his feare in their heartes that they shall Ier. 32. 40. not depart from him Neither can they by death be cut off from him or vanish out of his seruice For after death they shall serue him more perfectly in their soules and after their resurrection they shall performe absolute honour for euer to him But they that are redeemed or deliuered out of captiuitie by Princes may of subiects become desperate enemies perâ—icâ—ous traâ—tours irreconciliable and incorrigible Rebels Or if they continue loyall yet at death their seruice is expired and in the life to come he that was once the subiect and inferiour may be promoted aboue him that was the Lord. Fourthlâ— we ought to be thankfull for this benefit We would thinke our Vse 4 selues much obliged to a man that did giue vs a good outward estate and made it sure vnto vs how much shall we then thinke our selues indebted vnto Christ who hath freely procured vs a most blessed inward estate whereof we shall neuer be depriued but shall enioy for euer Surely we cannot but confesse our selues to be greatly bound vnto him for this grace and if we will not be vnthankefull we ought to set our hearts vpon him and our hands to his works forsaking those things which doe any waies displease him Fiftly this doctrine ministers exceeding Vse 5 solace to the soule It is no small ioy to a Subiect to heaâ—e that he cannot loose his Princes fauour and to an hâ—iâ—e that he cannot loose his in heâ—â—ance Euen so it cannot but â—oy the heart of any faythfull man to consider that he cannot be defeated of his inhâ—râ—tâ—nce and that being once iustifyed he shall continue so for euer and shall neuer fall away from God and perish Sixtly the consideration of this one Vse 6 priuiledge that belongs to them that are washed from their sins in Christs bloud should make vs to commend and admire their estate and should moue vs to labour to be in their number to be assurâ—d that we haue been bathed in that bloud What would nâ—t many men do to haue assurance that they should neuer die the death of the body What then should we refuse to do that we might in our consciences be persuaded that we shall escape the death of soule and body If thou beâ—st but assured that Christ hath clensed thee in his bloud from thy sin which is the cause of death theÌ„ mayest Rom. 6. 23 thou be perâ—uaâ—ed also that thou shalâ— noâ— dâ—â— O 〈…〉 how maist thou know that Christ hath clensed thee Surely if thou canst but truly â—ay that thou art a Sheâ—p of Christ then mâ—st tâ—ou also say that Christ hath washed thâ—e from Ioh. 10. 15 thy sâ—ns For he hath layed downe hiâ— life and shed his bloud for his sheep Ephes 1. 7. that they might be redeemed froÌ„
theâ—â— sins and might be shrouded from the wrath of God Now if thou know and acknowledge Christ and his voyce in the sacred scriptures and in the ministery of his Messengers if thou belieue in his name if thou doest hearâ— his voyce and subiect thy selfe vnto it if thoâ— striue to resemble him and dost labour â—o follow â—im walking in hâ—s waâ—â—s and treading in â—â—s footsteps which hâ— hâ—th printed for hee to come after in them then mayst thâ—u assure thy selfe in truth that thou art the Ioh. 10. 4. 14. 26. 27. Sheepe of Christ For Christ himselâ—â— doth brand all his sheep with these very marks And Paul further affirmeth Gal. 〈◊〉 24. that they which are Christs haue crucified the flesh So that if thou dyest to sin and dost mortifie the lusts of thy flesh and labourest to liue to God in newnâ—sse of lâ—fe thou mayst safely conclude that thou dost actually belong to Christ and his fold and that thou art actually washed from thy sins in his bloud and consequently that thou art in the state of grace and in the number of the faythfull Lastly tâ—is doctrine serueth to ouerthrow Vse 7 the Papists most vncomfortable assertion who teaâ—h that a man clensed in Christs bloud and iustifyed may fall from God from grace and perish For not one dramme not one drop of Christs bloud can be spilt in vaâ—ne He that is once washed in it is alwaies cleane There is no condemnation Rom. 8. 1. to them that are in Christ Iesus Theiâ— sinnes may ware with them but Bellate non debellare quaterâ— non decutere Math. 16. 18 they shall not vanquish them The diuell may shake them but he shall not shake them downe Hel gâ—tes may open theÌ„selues against them but they Math. 16. 18. shall not pâ—euayl against them The castle of their consciences may be besieged but it shall not bee sacked it cannot be ransackâ— For God will not giue them ouer wholly vnto their enemies he will deâ—end their cause maintaine their quarrell dispell their enemies preserue his work and confirme 1. Cer. 1. 8. them vnto the end Thus much for this third doctrine a fourth followeth CHAP. V. A looking-glasse to behold the loue of Christ in The consideration of it affordeth vs three instructions Fourthly in that the Apostle saith Christ hath washed vs in his bloud frâ— Doct. 4 our sins his loue is cleared and greatly coÌ„mended to vs. For what is nearer to a man then his life And what is dearer to him then his bloud his heart bloud Christ hath layed downe his life that we might liue Christ hath parted with his bloud his heart bloud to do vs good to purchase our pardon to purge Omnes humanes sanâ—t medicina dolores Propert vs from our sins The diseases of the body are cured by naturall medicines but our sins which are the diseases of the soule are clensed only by the bloud of Christ And that this might be done he did freely forgoe his life and loose hâ—s bloud which argueth is exceeding loue vnto vs. Greater loue then this saith Ioh. 15. 13. Christ hath no man that a man should 〈◊〉 dâ—wne his life for his friend It is not possible for a man to manifest his loue more effectually then by giuing his life for another and therfore our Apostle 1. Ioh. 3. 16 â—aâ—th Hereby haue we perceiued loue that hee layed downe his life for vs. If Luk 7. 38. the woman declareth her loue by washing Christ feet with her teares then great is the loue of Christ that hath washed vs in his bloud And his loue appearâ—th â—et more plainely insomuch Act. 3. 15. Act. 20. 28. as he who is the Lord of life and God of heauen and earth did lay downe his life for vs wretches and hath washed vs in his bloud who by nature are his enemies If thou hadst a most pestilent and strong aduersarie and hadst also a friend that did freely lay downe his life to preserue thâ—e from him were it not â—n argumenâ— of his inward and hâ—â—â—e loâ—â— vnto thee Sinne is thy mortall and implacable enemy too hard for thâ—e â—o coÌ„quer by thy selfe it is impossâ—ble for â—hee to saue thy selfe from that intollerable calamitie which it brings Christ thy soules friend hath ouercome it Heâ— hath smote downe great Goliah the Prince of darknes the friend and father of thy sinnes He is thy Sampson that by his death hath slaine the Philistines euen all thy sins Hee hath ouerwhelmed Pharaoh and the Egyptians Satan and all thy sinnes in the red sea of his bâ—â—ud His bloud hath suâ—kt out the â—eart bloud of thine enemies and hiâ— death hâ—th beene the death of them all therefore â—hou cansâ— noâ— chuse but see his admâ—â—able lâ—ue vnto thee seeing he shunned not death but spâ—lt his bloud and hath embrued thee in it to doe thee good Iâ— thou hadst committed some offence against a king for which without his speciall pardon thou shouldest be condemned to death and executed and if by all the meanes thou couldst make thou art not able to procure it if the kings onely sonne and heyre whome also thou hast dishonoured should voluntarily without thy suite and against thy desert laye downe his life and loose his bloud for thy pardon and absolution did hee not shew vnspeakeable grace and giue an vndoubted testimony of his pittie towards thee Thou canst not but confesse it Thou â—ast committed many capitall and grieuous offences against the Kings of Kings his owne and onely Son Christ Iesus whome thou hast oft disgraced oft abused hath fâ—eely without thy desert and when thou hadst no grace of thy selfe to desire him hath giuen his life for thy life he hath dyed to preserue thee from eternall death which is the wages of thy Rom. 6. 23 sinne he hath purged and rinsed thee in his blood that thy soule might not bleed his blood hath bought thy pardon canst thou then deny that he loues thee Hath he not aboundantly testified and confirmed his pittie towards thee Thou canst not but acknowledge it The consideration of this doctrine Vse 1 teacheth vs to remonstrate our loue to him And seeing that be spared not his blood for vs let vs also be readie to part with ours for him if he shall require and except it of vs. Dauid saith Ps 126. 1. I loue the Lord because he hath heard my voice euen so should we loue the Lord Iesus because he hath bathed vs in his bloud yea let vs extoll his loue from our hearts and celebrate his name in worde and worke Secondly it teacheth vs to be beneficiall and bountifull in benefits to our Vse 2 brethren For we ought to resemble our elder brother When we receiue a benefit of others we are by the receit thereof put in minde to doe good to others The earth is kind For as it receiues kindnesse of others as heaâ—e of the Sun and raine of the cloudes
are forgiuen Gal. 2. 16. by faith For pardon of sin is a part of iustification Therfore our sinnes are not washed away by the bloud of Christ Ans In that Iustification is ascribed Per non propter to fayth it is because fayth is an instrument receiuing it and not because it doth deserue it Therefore the Scripture sayth that we are iustifyed by faith and not for faith For the bloud of Christ and his obedience doth only iustifie and therfore Eph. 1 7. 1. coa 1. 30. Paul saith that we haue remissio of sins by his bloud and that he is made vnto vs of God righteousnes redemption The meaning therefore of the Apostle is that we are iustified by the righteousnes and bloud of Christ apprehended Fides noÌ„ vt virtus in praedicameÌ„to qualitatis sed in praedicamanto relationis coÌ„siderata iustificat propter Christum Si formaliter propriè loquamur nec fide nec charitate nostra iustificamur sed vnà Dei in Christo iustitia vna Christo nobis communicatà iustitia and applyed by faith For faith doth not iustifie as it is a vertue or qualitie but as it hath respect to Christ her obiect for whom our sinnes are pardoned and we are accounted righteous And therefore Pighius saith If we speake formally and properly we are iustified neither by our faith nor charitie but by the onely iustice of God in Christ by the onely righteousnesse of Christ communicated or imputed to vs. By all which it doth clearely appeare that the pardon of sinne is procured by the bloud of Christ alone And least any man should imagine as many doe that Christ hath merited that our workes should be meritorious and satifactory with the Lord let him know that his imagination hath no footing in the word of God but commeth froÌ„ the forge of his owne braine and is coyned vpon the Anuill of corrupted reason For first if Christ did merit that man might satisfie then he maketh euery beleeuer to bee his owne Sauiour in part and so makes him a Iesus and a Redeemer with him which no one syllable of holy writ will approue For Christs Priesthood is incommunicable and looked vp in his owne person and therfore Peter saith 1. Pet. 2. 24. that hee himselfe bare our sinnes in his 1. Pet. 2. 24. body vpon the crosse With whom agrees the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes when he saith that Christ hath purged our sinnes by himselfe Secondly if that conceit be true then Heb. 1. 3. Christ merited that polluted and imperfect workes should merit for such are ours as they come from vs. Pure wine cannot come forth of inustie vessels noâ— cleane water from a muddie fountaine Thirdly at Christ hath merited that our workes should make any kinde of satisfaction then God was not onely in Christ but in Vs also reconciling the world vnto himselfe and that he was not onely made sinne for vs but also in vs. But Paul knew none of this learning as himselfe doth shew 2. Cor. 5. 18. 19. 21. Lastly if Christ by the merit of his bloud giue man power to satisfie then as man doth in his owne person satisfie by Christ so Christ besides his owne satisfaction vpon the crosse doth daily satisfie in men to the ende of the world In membris suis patitur non placat But this cannot be For Christ vpon the crosse when death seazed vpon him said It is finished that is I haue fully satisfied for the sinnes of all my people For his resurrection serued not to satiâ—fie but to confirme and declare it and to shewe his conquest ouer death and all our deadly enemies Finally that I may conclude this doctrine â—t may be imagined as many haue that Christ hath by his bloud remoued the eâ—ernall punishment of our sinnes but yeâ— wâ— must satisfie for their temporall I answerâ— though this coâ—ceit may as easily be denied as â—is conceiued yet that all scruple may be taken away and that the weakenesse thereof may be discerned it will not be amâ—sse to discusse it briefely and by the word of God to detect and quellâ—t First Saint Paul saith that we are Rom. 3. 24. 28. justified freely by Grace Now free iustification is flat contrary to personall satisfaction and as Bernard saith Nou erat quò gratia iâ—tte vbi merituÌ„ occupa 〈…〉 Ser. 67. in cant Math. 6. 11. 12. there is no roome for graee where merit doth occupy the place Mans merit and Gods grace cannot harbour vnder one roofe Secondly Christ teacheth vs to pray for our bread and for the forgiuenes of our sinnes Now shall we that cannot merit a morsel of bread think that we can satisfie the infinite iustice of God for any sinne or for the smallest punishment of the smallest sinne Are we that are lesse then the least of all Gods mercies able to merit any mercy of him that is Iustice itselfe though it be but freedome from the meanest misery And what need we to begge pardon vpon the knees of our soules what need we to trouble the Lord with our suites if we can satisfie his iustice by our selues To aske forgiuenesse and to make satisfaction in our owne persons by our selues can not stand together Thirdly the satisfaction of Christ is perfect and absolute and to say the contrary is intollerable blasphemy But personall satisfaction doe derogate from the perfection of his satisfaction and the invaluable value of his sacrifice by which Gods iustice is fully satisfied and his wrath appeased Lastly if Christ haue satisfied for the greater for the greatest of all what reason haue we to think that he meant to leaue the smaller to bee satisfied for of vs whome hee knew to be vnfit vnfurnisht weake and vnworthy to attempt so great a work much more to effect it howsoeuer we might perhaps affect it And if without him we can doe nothing as hee himselfe doth tell vs Ioh. 15. 5. vndoubtedly without him wee can make no satisfaction for our sinnes to God And it hath beene already proued that hee doth not inable vs to satisfie or make vs merit Therefore wee must ascribe the remission of sinnes and of their temporall and eternall punnishments to the merit of Christs bloud and to the inestimable price of his death And so much for this sixt doctrine CHAP. VIII The bloud of Christ is the purgation of all sins Afflictions are crosses but not curses chastisements and not punishments of vengeance SEuenthly seeing the Apostle saith that Christ hath washed vs from our sinnes in his blood and not from Doct. 7 some of them onely I gather that Christ by the merit of his blood hath procured the pardon of them All of what nature name time or kind soeuer whether they be originall or actuall of omission or commission of ignorance or knowledge whether committed before conuersion or admitted afterwards wheresoeuer or howsoeuer He bare saith Esay the sinne
of many by vsing a woâ—d of the singular number the Prophet would shew that Christ â—s 53. 12. was punished for all our sinnes And Iohn saith that his blood clenseth vs from All sinne not from a part And 1. Ioh. 1. 7. indeed how could God so make him to be sinne for vs that we might be 2. Cor. 5. 21. made the righteousnes of God in him except hee tooke away all our sinnes whereby we were 〈…〉 Therfore Haimo saith a right that Christ In cap. 5. ad Rom. Christus non solum peccatum originale sed etiam omnia actuâ—â—a ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath taken away not onely originall corruption but all actuall transgressions also in 〈◊〉 that are elected The speech which Paul vseth in Rom. â— â—â— is not exclusiue but by it â—eâ—lâ—e with that God hath not onely pardoned and that Christ hath not onely satisfied for thâ—se sinnes which wee admit of infirmitie after that we 〈…〉 called but euen for those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we did with full consent of will commit before then when we were the enemies of God and 〈◊〉 teacheth Titus that Christ hath giâ—en Tit. 2. 24. hâ—mselfe 〈◊〉 vs that he 〈…〉 vs from Allâ—â—â—â—â—â—tis 〈…〉 demanded 〈◊〉 Christ 〈…〉 all our sinnes 〈…〉 corporall and spiriâ—â—â—â—◠〈…〉 and eternall 〈…〉 that men die 〈…〉 afflictions in this 〈◊〉 Ans Their crosses are 〈…〉 and their afflictions if they be regenerated are not punishments inflicted of God as a dreadfull Iudge but his fatherly corrections and tryalls wherewith he visiteth his children to humble exercise instruct admonish refine and try them When we are iudged we are chastened of the Lord saith Paul because we should not be condeÌ„ned with the 1. Cor. 11 32 world And as Chryso saith when we are corrected or rebuked of the lord it is rather for our admonition then coÌ„demnation it is Hom. 28. in 1. Cor. rather to heale vs then torment vs and to mend vs rather then to punish vs. For as the Scripture speaketh He chasteneth quum corripimur a Domino magis est admonitionis quam damnationis medicinae quam supplicii correctionis quam poena Heb. 12. 10 11. Aug. de Poenae et confess vs for our profit that we might be partakers of his holinesse and his chastening bringeth with it the quiet fruit of righteousnes to them which are exercised thereby And of this opinion was Augustine as appeareth when he saith that Crosses and sorrowes before the pardon of sinne are Supplicia peccatorum the punishments of sinnes but after pardon Certamina exercitationesque iustorum the exercises of the righteous And as for death we doe not die to satisfie the iustice of God for any sin or for any penaltie deserued duely by sinne for Christ hath performed all this himselfe Who appeared to take away 1. Ioh. 3. 5. our sinnes hath carried all our sorrowes and by his death hath altered the condition Is 53. 4. of our death But we die for other causes As first that we may learne to detest our sinne which was the originarie cause of our dissolution Secondly that we may learne to be out of loue with the world and to looke after that citie which remaineth for eeuer Thirdly to teach vs true lowlines of minde and neither to insult ouer others nor to pranke and plume vp our selues like Peacocks He is a verie strange man that being a Tenant at his Land-lords pleasure will bestow more cost then needs vpon a rotten house which cannot stand long before it fall and out of which he may be turned this night before to morrow Fourthly that we shuld seriously consider of that great downefall which we tooke in Adam Fiftly that we might not feele or see those arrowes of vengance which the Lord draweth out of 2. King 22. 20. Is 57. 1. the quiuer of his iustice and shooteth them out of his bow of wrath and doth oftentimes sheath them in the sides of the wicked among whome we liue Sixtly that we might be deliuered wholly from the body of sinne For Death endeth the battell betweene the flesh the spirit and striketh off that Tyrants head And here we see the admirable prouidence of God and his vnrecompensable kindnesse to vs in ordaining the daughter to deuour and eate vp the mother For Sinne ingendred Death Death by diuine dispensation is now become the death of sin like a worme that eates the fruit wherof it was bred beeing the death of that which gaue life to it Seauenthly we must die that we may feele the power of Christ for the raysing vp of our dead bodies and for the revniting of our soules vnto them Eightly God doth sometimeâ— cal vs vnto death that we might in speciall manner glorifie his Name by dying and that by martyrdome we might remonstrate our loue to Christ who refused not to die that we might liue and not die Lastly we die that we might be translated out of a World of wickednes and out of the vale of miserie into the habitacle of perfect holines vnspeakable happinesse and that being dead in our bodie we might be transported as concerning our soules into the hauen of eternall peace and true tranquillitie ouer and out of the raging and rustling seas of all worldly troubles For as Cyprian saith death vnto the godly is Ianua vitae the doore of life and our Egressus departure forth of the world is our Ingressus entrance into the heauens We goe from men to God from earth to heauen out of the Wildernes into Canaan celestiall Canaan heauenly Ierusalem the land of righteousnesse the paradise of God and the temple of his holinesse The last doctrine now followeth CHAP. IX The blood of Christ is the ransome of all Beleeuers Remission of sinnes is excellent in nine respects IN that the Apostle saith Christ hath Doct. 8 washed Vs not some of vs wheÌ„ce I coÌ„clude that his blood hath clensed all the faithfull whatsoeuer noble and ignoble leaâ—ned and vnlearned rich poore of what sex or sort of what condition or countrey soeuer For Iohn thus speaketh of himselfe and of all the faithfull in those seauen Churches and wheresoeuer both Pastours and people male and female young and old high and low maryed and single The Lord saith Esay hath layed vpon him the iniquitie of vs All. He spared not his owne Sonne saith Paul but gaue him for vs All to death Therefore in his epistle to Is 53. 6. the Ephesians he is bold to call him the Rom. 8. 32. Sauiour of his bodie that is of the catholique Church and not of a part only And Saint Iohn saith that the blood of Christ doth appease his father for the sinnes of the Whole World of the 1. Ioh. 2. 2. Elect. And therefore the name of Iesus was giuen him because he was by God ordeined to saue his people euen Math. 1. 21 all his people from all their sinnes And this hath
beene the doctrine of the Church in former ages Gregorie saith The author of life layed downe his life Pro electorum vita vsq ad mortem se tradidit author 2. Num. in Ez. li. 1. In Leuit. lib 17. c. 2. that they might liue which are elected vnto life Eusebius saith that Christ suffered for the saluation Mundi Saluandorum of all those that should be saued Hist l. 4. c. 15. And Radulphus peremptorily affirmeth that the blood of our High-priest Christ was the expiaâ—ion Omnium credentium or atonement of All beleeuers And no maruell for beeing the blood of God it must needs be of more worth with God then the blood of all men the life of all Angels and the being of all creatures though they were as many more as they are haue beene or shal be euer yea then if all men and Angels should haue suffered eternally Thus we haue seene that remission of All the sinnes of All the Elect and of All punishments dâ—e vnto theÌ„ for their sinnes is procured only by the bloud 〈◊〉 Christ who in his owne person by himselfe hath fully satisfyed the iustice of his Father for vs and as Augustine saith hath made our sins his sinnes that he might Nostra delâ—cta sua delicta fecit vt suam 〈…〉 nostraÌ„ iust nam facâ—â—et Gen. 27. 15. 27. make his righteousnes our righteousnes wherewith we being 〈◊〉 as Iacob was with his brother 〈◊〉 garments we do receiue the blessing of God as he receiued 〈◊〉 Now that we may not prize the pardon of our sins at too 〈◊〉 a price 〈◊〉 Christ 〈…〉 〈◊〉 not be 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 seriously the wooâ—th and comfort of it As first 〈◊〉 was not procured as pardoÌ„s vse to be by wordly 〈◊〉 but by the bloud of God Therefore Peter saith Dei non Deitatis of God not of the God head that we were not redeemed with corruptible things as with siluer and golde but with the pretious bloud of Christ as of a Lambe vndefiled and without spot And therefore Paul may truly say that 1. Pet. 1. 13. 19. 1. Cor. 6. 20. 〈◊〉 23. wee are bought for a price euen for the 〈◊〉 price that any one could pay For what can bee more costly then bloud or what more deare then life Now a pardon so dearely payed for should not 〈◊〉 regarded Secondly remission of sinnes is an irreuocable act of God Sinnes being once nayled to the crosse of Christ shal neuer be taken down aliue and beeing once buried in his graue they shall neuer rise againe to condemne vs. Riches remaine not alway nor the crowne from generation to generation Fauour Pro. 27. 24. is deceiptfull and beauty is vanitie Pro. 31. 30. Strength wil decay and pleasures will passe away And what is your life It is euen a vapour that appeareth for a time Iam. 4. 14. and afterwards vanisheth out of his sight For all flesh is grasse and all the glorie of 1. Pet. 1. 24. man is as the flower of grasse the grasse withereth and the flower falleth away But the pardon of sinne endureth for euer and this is the pardon which is preached among you and is by Christ procured for you Thirdly when Christ doth actually wash vs from our sinnes then he doth also begin to reforme and sine vs. And as by meriting the remission of sinne he keepes it from condemning vs so by sanctifying of vs he stayes it from ruling in vs. So that when Christ hath once washed vs in his bloud sinne may be truely said to be in part consumed in vs and wee no sinners at all in Gods account Fourthly the prayers of the wicked are abominable to the Lord but when God hath pardoned our sinnes wee may boldely pray with assurance to be heard For it is iniquitie which makes the separation betwixt vs and God Your sinnes saith Isaiah haue hid his face from you that he will not heare Therefore his eares are opened when sinnes Is 59 2. are pardoned 〈◊〉 satisfied and his wrath appeased Fiftly when mens sinnes are remitted then their mindeâ— are setled their Rom. 5. 1. 〈…〉 consciences are 〈◊〉 For sinne which is the fire-brand of contention and a makebâ—te betwixt vs and God is taken froÌ„ vs so as that it shall not bee impuâ—â—d to vs. When the Sea-men had cast Ionah froÌ„ theÌ„ into the sea the sea ceased from Ion. 1. 15. her aging so when God shall cast our sinnes from vs behinde his backe and shall diue them and vs into the bloude of that 〈◊〉 Lambe Christ Iesus the fire of his wrath shall be quenched all the windes and waues of our soules shal be calmed and our troubled consciences shalâ— be pacified as that without danger of drowning wee may floâ—t with 〈◊〉 sayle with the pleasant gale of his grace vpon the troublesome 〈◊〉 as of this world in true tranquilitie 〈◊〉 our Pilot Christ doe bring vs safely to the Hauen of our Hope and land vs where wee shall 〈◊〉 On the contrary wicked and vngodly wretches haue no true peace at all but are either without sense like stockes or else feele the flasâ—â—ngs of 〈◊〉 fire withâ—â— their soules being gnawed with the worme of an accusing conscience and are like the raging sea that cannot rest Is 57. 10. whose waters cast vp mire and dirt Sixtly The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord Yea his very Pro. 15. â—6 Prâ— 21. 27. sacrifice is abominable But when our sinnes are forgiuen the defectes in all our good workes are couered Yea then and not till then doe we worke any thing well and pleasing in the sight of God Therefore Salomon saith The sacrifice of the wicked who hath not beene washed in the bloud of Christ is abomination to the Lord but the prayer Pro. 15. 8. of the righteous which no man can be said to be before his sinnes be forgiuen is acceptable vnto him And Augustine truly saith that good workes do not goe before iustification but follow Bona opera sequuÌ„ter iustificatum non praecedunt iustificandum after There must first be a spring before there can bee a Riuer First there must be a fire before there can be burning Indeede good workes may be seene sooner then the pardon of sinne as light is vsually seene before the Sun appeareth and a man doth often see the light of a candle before hee see the candle it selfe though in nature they doe not goe before but follow And so good workes in nature follow the pardon of our sinne Seauâ—uthly those whose sinnes are forgiuen are inuested likewise in the righteousnes of Christ and shall die the death of the righteous which 〈◊〉 wished Peace shall come they shall Num. 23. 10 rest in their beds Their ende is peace Their death is as life they die to liâ—e Is 57. 2. For whom God doth iustifie that is whose sinnes hee doth remit whose Pâ—al 37. 37. persons
he doth account as righteouâ— Rom. 8. 30. those hee doth glorifie that is adorne with grace in this worlde and enrich with glorie in the world to come Gratia est 〈◊〉 gloria gloria est consummata gratia For grace is the beginning of glorie and glorie is the consummation of grace Eightly when we are clensed from our sins in the bloud of Christ we may lawfully vse the creatures of God For vnto the pure all things are pure but vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing Tit. 1. 15. as all men are till Christ haue washt them is nothing pure but euen their mindes and consciences are defiled Lastly the remission of sinnes by the bloud of Christ is the more excellent because it is one of the Royalties and royal Prerogatiues of Gods Elect. For howsoeuer his bloud was sufficient in 〈◊〉 selfe for all without exception of any 〈◊〉 as Innocentius 〈◊〉 pro solis praedestinatis effusus est quantum ad efficientiam Lib. 4. de Myst Mis cap 4. it was effectuall onely for those who are praedestiâ—ated vnto life Therefore Ambrose saith If thou dost not beleeue then Christ did not descend for thee he did not suffer for thee But faith Siâ—oÌ„ crediâ— non desceÌ„dit 〈◊〉 Christus 〈◊〉 passus 〈◊〉 De side ad Gratianum 2. Thes 3 2 Tit. 〈◊〉 is not common to all and therefore Paul 〈◊〉 it the Faith of the Elect. And this the Scripture cleareth 〈◊〉 For Christ gaue himselfe to purge vnto himselfe a Peculiar people and therfore surely he did not die for all for Iudas as for Peter And what reason haue we to think that Christ would wash those Tit. 2. 14. in his bloud which hee neuer did acknowledge for his owne But there are Mat. 7. 23. some whome Christ did neuer know for his Paul and Augustine were of this opinion and therefore 〈◊〉 in his episll to the Romanes that God gaue his Rom. 8. 32. sonne for vs. Pro quibus Nobis for what 〈◊〉 saith Augustine Pro prescitis praeâ—estinatis iustificatis glorificatis Euen In Ioh Tract 45. for vs that are foreknowen predestinated iustified and glorified For vndoubtedly if we respect either Gods ordination or Christs 〈◊〉 his blood was Math. 26. 28. 〈◊〉 for Many for the remission of sinnes and Esay saith he bore the sinne of Many many not All. For he was to be the Sauioâ—r of his owne people onely and therefore Lumbard saith truely that he Lib. 3. Dist 22. wrought saluation Onely for those that were predestinated And Augustine hauing made a distinction of Worlds saith that this World which God doth reconcile vnto himselfe in Christ and which is saued by Christ Et cui per In Iohn Lib. 3. c. 3. Christum peccatum omne condonatur De Mundo Electus est inimico damnato contaminato and vnto which euery sinne through Christ is pardoned is Elected out of the Maligning damned and defiled World By all which it plainely appeareth that those onely haue their sinnes forgiuen which are elected vnto life And thus we see the excellencie of this benefit Which notwithstanding we shall never respect as we ought to doe vnlesse first we doe seriously set before our eyes the infinite maiestie and iustice of God before which nothing can stand but that which is perfectly pure And secondly vnlesse we consider duly how imperfect and poore our owne perfectioÌ„ is and how grieuous innumerable our faults and fraylties are And so beeing cast downe humbled with the sense of our owne sinnes the serious consideration of our miserie we shal be fitted to looke abroad for a Sauiour and when we haue once tasted of his goodnesse felt the sweetnes of his blood we shal them remembrace like 〈◊〉 and the more highly prize his benefits And so much for these three last doctrines It remaineth now to propound their vses which I haue referred to this place because the grounds whereon they be founded be rather three branches of one doctrine one of them nearely ioyned to the other then three distinct doctrines without any likenes and affinitie CHAP. X. Beleeuers are blessed Christ is no respecter of persons Mutuall loue is with right and reason claimed Gods iustice is proued The vilenes of sinne is shewed Repentance is required FIrst we may hence plainely see that the condition of the Godly how miserable soeuer in the Worlâ—â— account is verie comfortable and happie For Blessed are they whose iniquity is forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered Rom. 4. 7. Ps 32. 2. Blessed is the man vnto whome the Lord imputeth not iniquitie But the blood of Christ hath couered the sinnes of the faithfull hath obtained of God that they shall neuer be imputed to them therefore their state is blessed The malefactour thinkes himselfe a happiman when the King hath giuen him the pardon of his fault and the child is glad when the father hath forgiuen his offence and may nor we reioyce and account our selues as happie seeing God the king of kings and our heauenly father hath granted vs the pardon of all our sinnes for the blood of his sonne and hath reconciled vs vnto himselfe And that we may indeed reioyce we ought euery one to labour that we may be perswaded of it in our hearts For shal men striue to be assured of those earthly things which are supposed and said to be theirs And would an Offender be for his further comfort out of doubt perswaded that his offence is pardoned as the report doth goe And shall not we seeke by all meanes possible to be assured that we are clensed from our sinnes as we are sayed to be and that we are partakers of the blood of Christ If we walke in the light saith Iohn the blood of Iesus 1. Ioh. 1. 7. Christ doth clense vs from all sinne And S. Paul saith that there is no coÌ„demnation Rom. 8. 1. to those that walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit and therefore their sinnes are pardoned which are the causes of damnation So then if we repent of our sinnes if we followe not the commaund of our flesh if we walke in the waies of God and subâ—â— our selues to the regiment of his Spirit we may assuredly conclude in our soules that as our bodies are bespriâ—ked with water in Baptisme so we are washed by the bloâ—d of Christ from all our sinnes the fiâ—thines of our soules and 〈◊〉 from all punishments temporall and eternal 〈◊〉 by them Secondly seeing Christ hath washed Vse 2 all the faithfulâ— oâ— what 〈◊〉 or state 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 that Christ is no acceptour oâ— perâ—oâ—s Therefore as we should 〈◊〉 no man for â—n outward want or blemish because Christ did not for that 〈◊〉 him so we must take heede that we be not ourselues discouraged for any outward deâ—ect in our persons or estates as pouâ—â—tie conâ—umely weakenes age deformitiâ— For Christ hath our 〈◊〉 to wash vâ—
foole Is Pro. 26. 3. not a rod prepared for the fooles back Doest thou not know that the foolish Ps 5. 5. shall not stand in Gods sight and that he hateth all them that worke iniquitie Vpon the wicked he shall raine snares fire Ps 11. 6. and brimstone and stormy tempest this is the portion of their cup. But Life is in the way of righteousnesse in that path there Pro. 12. 28. is no death What shall we then thinke of those that delight in wickednes and that draw iniquitie with cordes of vanitie Is 5. 18. sin as it were with cartropes What shal we say of those that make a trade of vsury a life of drunkennes an occupation of swearing swaggering lying deceiuing oppressing which eueÌ„ plow vpoÌ„ the faces of pore meÌ„ come their money vpoÌ„ their skins which notwithstanding al admonitions and instructions to the contrary go forward in their irregular vnnaturall and irrelgious courses with out 〈◊〉 like Pharoahs ill fauoured and leane-fleshed kine which thought 〈◊〉 had eaten vp Gen. 41. 21. seauen fat kine 〈◊〉 yet as ill-fauoured as they were before Surely it argueth that as yet they are not washed froÌ„ their sinnes For they that are washed from sinne make conscience of sinne A dying vnto sin is begunne in them to whome the death of Christ is actually applied which he sustained for them It argueth that sinne is not onely in them but that they also are in sinne like an house that hath not onely fire in it but which is also in the fire readie to be consumed in it It argueth that they are as yet in the power of the Diuell who leades them captiue like Beares by the lips to do his will Finally it argueth horrible securitie in that they neither regard the iustice of God and his seueritie against sinne nor weigh that sacred blood which was shed for sinne For questionlesse if men did seriously consider those manifold and inextricable dangers in which they were by sinne and that nothing would satisfie God for sinne but the blood of his owne and onely Sonne it would daunt them much and make them to hate and leaue them though there were but one sparke of sauing grace within them A man we see cannot indure the sight of that sword wherewith his father was put to death Christ is our Father and we are his Seed Children His soule was powred Is 9. 6. Heb. 2 13. Is 53. 10. Is 53. 12. out vnto death for our sinnes He was both wounded slaine for them They were as I may say the sword that slew him Let vs therfore loath leaue them Let not them be our ioy which were the causes of his sorrowes Make not that thy myrth which was the cause of his mourning and had made thee mourne had not he mourned for thee Is it seemely for thee that art washed from sinne like a Soâ— to pollute thy selfe with sinnes Did not Christ die that we should liue to him 2. Cor. 5. 15. that dyed for vs And did he not giue himselfe for a people that should be Tit. 2. 14. zealous of good works He bare our sins saith Peter in his body on the tree that 〈◊〉 being dead to sinne should liue in 1. Pet. 2. 24. righteousnes Let vs therefore renounce our sins forsake our enormities which are indeed our chiefest deformities and let vs giue our selues to the workes of holinesse Yee are not your owne For ye 1. Cor. 6. 19. 〈◊〉 are brought for a price Christ hath giuen his bloud for you Therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit They be Gods they be Christs he hath bought theÌ„ dearely Be not the seruants of men be not the seruants of sinne Turne vnto me saith the Lord for I haue redeemed 1. Cor. 7. 23 thee so I say turne vnto Christ for he hath redeemed thee he hath washed Is 44. 22. thee from all thy sinnes in his blood And beeing made free from sinne ye are Rom. 6. 18. made the seruants of righteousnes Therefore as ye haue giuen your members seruants to vncleannes and iniquitie to commit iniquitie so now giue your members Rom. 6 19. seruants vnto righeousnes in holinesse For as Peter saith it is sufficient for vs that 1. Pet. 4. 3. we haue spent the time past of the life after the lust of the Gentiles walking in wantonnes lusts drunkennes gluttony drinkings and in abominable idolatries Sixtly seeing Christ is said to haue Vse 6 washed vs from our sinnes wee see that Christ in his owne person did put away sinne and so abolish death For z. Tim. 1. 10 we are not only washed in his bloud but also washt by him And thus we see first that Christ shed his bloud freely For hee washt vs as it were with his owne hands and besides we know that his God-head which giueth dignitie to his bloud is free from all constraint Secondly wee see that we are not onely washed by the father and by the Holy Ghost but by the Sonne also For those workes of the Trinitie Opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indiuisa which are wrought vpon the creature are common to all the persons differing onely in their manner of working The Father washeth vs from sin because he hath of his grace sent his Son to take away our sin for that he forgiueth sin for the sacrifice of his Sonne The Sonne is said to wash vs from sin because hee doth in his owne person pay the price of sin by the merit of his bloud which he shed procure the pardon of it And the holy Ghost also may be said to wash vs because hee worketh faith in our hearts whereby we do apprehend the bloud of Christ and apply it to our selues in special and because hee sealeth the pardon to our soules and giues vs the assurance therof in our Consciences Seuenthly seeing that wee haue the remission of our sinnes for the bloud of Vse 7 Christ we are taught to know that the sacrifices vsed before his comming were onely typicall and not properly satisfactorie It is impossible saith the Apostle that the bloud of bulles and goates should take away sinnes They were Heb. 10. 4. onely â—ipes or figures shadowing out that absolute and all-sufficient sacrifice of Christ euen the sacrifice of his soule and bodie which he beeing our High-priest as God incarnate did offer vnto his father vpon the altar of his God-head for the expiation of our sinnes And therefore a I such ceremonies are to be adiudged dead seeing Christ the substance of them hath performed that which they did shadow forth Eightly seeing our sinnes are purged Vse 8 by the bloud of Christ wee may perceiue a differeÌ„ce betwixt his bloud and the bloud of Martyrs For though Sanguis Martyrum sit semen Ecclesiae God so blesse the death of his Martyrs and make their bloud so fertill that
like seede cast into the ground it may seeme to reuiue and send forth many moe to professe that truth for which it was split vpon the ground yet it is in it selfe but the bloud of those which are no more then men though more holy then most men and it is not shed for the pardon of sinne but for the testimonie of the trueth the manifestation of a good conscience the declaration of a strong faith and for the remonstrance of their loue of Christ On the contrarie the bloud of Christ is his bloud who is essentially God and it is also the ransome of our sins And therefore it is no wonder that some of the Martyrs haue suffered their bloud to be shed more quietly in appearance then he did his For they suffer not for sinne but feele God reconciled to them But he suffered for the sinnes of all the Elect their whole burthen lay vpon his backe And he did not onely suffer a bodily dissolution but euen the very pangues of hell also 〈◊〉 sorrowes of death did compasse â—im â—bout and the torments of hell did seize vpon him Hee felt the wrath of God in his soule and bodie and as 〈◊〉 speaketh the worde 〈◊〉 quiet and assisted not nor deliuered Lib. 3. aduers Hoer the 〈◊〉 manhood vntill a sufficient 〈◊〉 as finished and fulfilled Now many Martirs feele the fauour of God exceedingly and somtimes also when they suffer in an vnvsuall and extraordinarie manner For their passions are not as his was punishments for sins but corrections and tryalls appointed by God for the confusion of his enemies the confirmation of his truth and the testification of those noble vertues wherewith hee did adorne them And to dispatch this point Christ spilt his bloud so as that neuerthelesse he was to rise againe to life in a short time after But when Martyrs shed their bloud and lay downe their liues they continue dead till they be raysed vp by Christ their head at the last resurrection Ninthly seeing our sinnes are purged by the bloud of Christ we see the Vse 9 ouerthrow of their opinion who think that the soule of Christ descended into Hell whiles his body were in the tombe to suffer there for the soules of men But what neede that seeing his bloud did merit the pardon of all our sinnes and seeing hee bare our sinnes as Peter teacheth in his bodie vpon the crosse Considering also that hee 1. Pet. 2. 24. suffered in his soule most greeuous tortures whiles he liued as appeared by his bloudy sweat terrible out-cry My God my God why hast thou forsaken Luk. 22. 44. Mat. 27. 46. Mat. 26. 38. 39. Vse 10. mee To draw to an end Seeing Christ hath procured the pardon of our sins by his bloude wee are taught to renounce all opinion of humane satisfactions Some thinke to pacifie God by pattering ouer the Pater-noster the Creede and the ten commandements Some thinke to stop the mouth of his iustice with their good works and lamentable out-cries But the truth is we are iustified and saued by Christ alone Hee is our onely Mediatour and Aduocate His bloud is our onely Purgatorie His mercie is our onely merit His death is our life His sacrifice is our satisfaction For as Paul sheweth wee are al iustified freely by grace through Rom. 3. 24. the redemption that is in Christ And as Basil saith there is vna expiatio one In cap. 1. Is satisfactorie sacrifice or expiation of sin to wit that bloud which was shed for the saluation of the world Therefore Augustine saith All my hope is in the death of my Lord. Shall wee thinke to satisfie Manuall cap. 32. our sinnes by prayer Then may a beggar by craning his almes deserue them and a debtour by requesting the pardon of his debt may be said to discharge it Or shall wee thinke to procure the pardon of our sinnes by good deedes Then a man by paying of one debt may discharge an other For we are bound to doe good deeds Wâ—e were created in Christ to good workes which Eph. 2. 10. God hath ordained for vs to walke in And we were borne to doe good and not to liue to our selues or to follow the desires of our flesh Yea saith Augustine Nihil boni feâ—isti thou hast Praesatin Psal 31. done nothing that good is and yet remission of sinnes is giuen thee And Paul saith that God iustifieth the vngodly therefore all our good deeds doe follow the remission Rom. 4. 5. of our sinnes which is a part of our iustification and therefore can be no causes meriting it Let vs then lay the foundation of our redemption in the bloud of Christ It is a sound foundation and not saâ—die firme and not false Whatsoeuer is founded rightly vpon it shall neuer be confounded Let vs therefore beware of the Church of Rome concerning humane satisfactions by praying fasting Martyrdome contrition c. Touch not the fringe of her garment least thou receiue of her poison Say with Iohn that Christ hath washed vs from our sinnes in his bloud Conclude with Augustine that there is one mundation one purgation of the vnrighteous to wit the purging bloud Iniquorum vna mundatio est sanguis Iusti De Trin. li. 4. c. 2. of Christ that iust one For as Plinic saith of the hearbe 〈◊〉 that it driueth away all poison of serpents euen soe the bloud of Christ doth chase away our sinnes which are the poâ—son of the Serpent Satan and doth fully reconcile Hist na lib. 22. cap. 20. vs vnto God CHAP. XI The admirable vertue inestimable price of Christs bloud is proued and declared Sundry motiues are vsed to moue vs to seeke it and to labour to be possest and assured of it LAstly seeing Christ hath washed Vse 11 vs all from All our sinnes in his blood we plainely see that it is full of strength and vertue most meritorious and excellent It is a strong medicine that ouermaisters sinne the bane the pest and poyson of the soule A small shewer will not lay a mightie wind and a smal mater cannot satisfie a king for a thousand traytours So if the blood of Christ were not exceeding vertuous meritorious it could not possible calme the raging wind of Gods wrath for sinne it could not possible satisfie his Maiestie for our sins which are innumerable and procure his royal pardon for vs that are so many God shewed no small power in bringing the Israelites out of the land of Egypt the house of bondage and in confounding Pharoah the rest of the Aegyptians their enemies which pursued them So Christ hath shewed great power to be in his bloud and bloudy death seeing by it he hath deliuered all true Israelites from thraldome vnder sin and Satan and hath cut the throate of all their enemies He must needs be a very mighty prince that is able to preserue al his subiects froÌ„ al their enemies so as
from all eternity communicating his whole God-head vnto him and yet not depriuing himselfe of it Hence wee lâ—arne First that as there is a God contraâ—ie to the opinion of Diagoras Milesias Pluâ— de Plac. Phil Theodorus Cyrenaeus Eumenes Tegeates and al Atheists whatsoeuer so that this one God is not one in person as â—e iâ— one in nature but distinguished For Esse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sancâ—um the Son is not the father the father not the holy Ghost but they are distinguished by their incommunicâ—ble properties The father is God begetting the Sonne is God begotten of the â—ather and the Holy Ghost is God proceeding from them both For they haue all one nature will Esse patâ—is est esse 〈◊〉 â—pâ—titus sancti and naturall power which is common to them all and not begotten but they differ in their manner of subsisting in that one nature by their personall proprieties which are not common to them all as the â—aâ—â—re is but appropriated to each of them Secondly that Christ is the substantiall Sonne of God equall for time and essence vnto his father and therfore to be honoured as well as the father and beware of the opinion of Arrius who bâ—ld that Christ was not coeternall coequall and of the same substance with the father Lastly seeing we are made kings and Preists to God we must let him hâ—ue all the glory of our kingdome and priesthood For to him and for his honour and seruice are we thus especially promoted We are not thus honoured to liue as we list but to set forth Gods glory and his prayse who hath so highly graced vs. Therfore all those aâ—e to be condemned who giue themselues to the works of darknesse sacrificing to Venus by vncleaâ—nes to Bacchus by dâ—unkennâ—s to Mammon by worldlinesse All these sacrifice to the Diuell and to their owne flesh which is the seed of the Diuel and not to God to whome we ought to liue that as we liue by him in this world so we may also liue with him in the world to come And thus much of the description of Christ which is the first thing to be considered in this Thanksgiuiâ—g CHAP. VIII The substance of Iohns thanks-giuing and the testificatioÌ„ of his desire of Christs glorie THe second thing is the substance or matter of it conteined in these wordes To him be glory and dominion for euermore In which words the Apostle â—scribeth all hoâ—oâ—r pâ—aâ—se maiesty rule and Lordship to Christ for louing of vs and declaring his loue vnto vs by washing vs from our sinnes in his bloud and making vs kâ—ngs and priests vnto his father Which practise of his teacheth vs to shew all thankfulnesse to him for these his fauours by doing all things which may set forth his glory manifest our obedience to his authority and greatnesse The third and last thing to be considered is the testification of the Apostles sayth or seruent desire of Christs glory in the word Amen which signisieth certenily so be it or it shal be so As if he â—â—ould say thou shalt haue all glory â—â—d miâ—â—ion ascribed to thee or â—â—t it be so let glory dominion and 〈◊〉 giue â—or ascribed to him â—or these inestimable benefits And thus 〈◊〉 bles his desire and sheweth how earnestly he dâ—â—h wish that Christ may haue all glorâ— and dominion ascribed to him as it doth indeed of right beâ—â—nâ— vnto him For he is the king of â—â—â—ry the redeemer of the world the hâ—â—e of all â—â—â—ngs the mâ—ghty God tâ—e prince of peaâ—e the gouâ—rnour of 〈…〉 1. 2. 〈…〉 â—ath 28. 18 the Church and to him all power is giuen in heauen and in earth And this eâ—sâ—mple oâ— Iohn should proucke vs 〈◊〉 â—e â—â—â—â—ent and not to freeze in our desires of his prâ—yse and gâ—oâ—y And as we ought to be vehement in desyring 〈◊〉 we should be as eager and prâ—mpt 〈◊〉 do all things whatsoeuer whiâ—h may deâ—â—re it among men and arâ—ue â—â—e ardâ—â—cy â—nd integrity of our inâ—â—rd â—ffection And so doing we shall 〈◊〉 comâ—â—â— to our selues and dâ—monstâ—aâ—e â—ur thâ—nkfulnesse to him vnto whom with the father and the Holy Spirit three persons but one true eternall and wise God be rendered all honour prayse and glory both now and euer Amen FINIS Trin-vni Deo Gloria Faults escaped Page 2. Line 17. reade described Pa 5. Line 10. reâ—de geuerall Pa 8. Li 11. reade many Pa 25. Lin 23 read goodly page 26. Li. â— reade quantum Pa 31. Li 20 reâ—de louely Pa. 40. Li 12. read affect Pa 66. Li 1. reade we vse Pa 66. Li 19. reade sinners Pa 70. Li 7. reade iustification Pa 11. Lin 22. read enioy it Pa 110 Liâ— 7. reade expect it Pa 169. Lin 19 reade was Pa 172 Li 1. reade the doctrine of Pa 176. Lin 10. reade reuiued Pag 181. Lin. 26. reade he will giue of the water of life freely Pa 225. Li 5. â—ead but we are Pâ—iests for no men properly as they weâ—e pa 229. Lin 20. read more Pa 232. Lin 10. râ—ade not thinke Quid proâ—ersâ— gazaâ— Cuius Christi quibus adde Châ—isti-colis Dic quot Ni duo si numores quae Meâ—ituÌ„ noxas perpurgans sanguinis omnes Christi Reges atque Hiereis alter cura facit quid Christus quid sit purgari sanguine quid Rex atque Hiereus pagina tota docet Sic duo proponens tam paruo magna hbello Sortitus fato quis meliore tuchen Mirantur multi coâ—gestas Foenere gazas Ex Christi gazas Sanguine Lector habes E. S.
not to the perfect assurance of it but by degrees Pâ—â— Sanctification is imperfect in this life not accomplished 〈◊〉 the liâ—â— t 〈…〉 me Holines dotâ— not growe vp like Ioâ—â— Ioh. 4. his gourd in one night A vesâ—â—li with a narrow neckeâ—s not filled all at once The C 〈…〉 of God is not at his â—ull growth thâ— first day of his birth God 〈◊〉 not 〈…〉 ne stark dead â—â—th or 〈…〉 did G 〈…〉 〈…〉 wouÌ„d â—s the 1. 〈…〉 1. 〈◊〉 â—e 34. â—o◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 king 〈◊〉 The Moâ—â—â— we see i 〈…〉 at tâ—e 〈◊〉 first day of 〈◊〉 increase 〈◊〉 waxâ—th by little and 〈…〉 is wrought in vs by degâ—â—â—s no man is fully perfect For Who can say I am cleane So long as we Pro. 20. 9. Quamdiu â—â—uis necesse est peccatum eâ—â—e in mâ—brâ—â— tuis August â—â—â—e sin shall not die though it shall not damne vs because it is forgiuen vs. Sixtly remission oâ— sins is a part of iustâ—fication but sanctification is no part therof but rather an effect fruit 〈◊〉 argument thereof Lastly the washing away of sin in Iustification goes in nature before the â—â—olution of sanctification doth next 〈◊〉 nature succeede effectuall vocation For whoÌ„ God calleth them he doth in Rom. 8. 30. 〈◊〉 next place iustifie then sanctifie And I say in nature not 〈◊〉 time if we respect the first degree of saÌ„ctification Fâ—r when God doth actually 〈…〉 a man his sinnes when Christ doth actually bâ—â—h a man in his bloud and proâ—â—â—e the remission of his sins when God doth apply the merit of Christs bloud vnto a man then doth he also begin to refine and melt him then doth he cast him into a new mould and giueth him a new heart And as that woman with a peece of a mâ—â—stoÌ„e did brâ—ak the braine-pan of that vsurping tyrant Iudg. 9. 53. Abimelech euen so when God remits sinne he doth also as it were crack the brain-pan thereof with the milstone of his power and the strength of his Spirit and so in one article of time he doth dismount that vsurping Tyrannesse from her Throne he takes the crowne from her head and her scepter out of her hand and doth so disarme weaken her that she can neither damne vs nor domineâ—e within vs. And this being the sense let vs see what doctrines follow hereeof CHAP. II. The Man-head of Christ is proued Fiue reasons rendered why hee was to bee man FIrst in that the Apostle doth attribute Doct. 1 bloud vnto Christ I conclude that Christ was true man like other men sinne onely excepted This the Hebr. 2. 16. 17. holy scriptures do very plentifully manifest For hee is that Seede of the woman which should break the Serpents Gen. 3. 15. head And he is that Son which a virgin Is 7. 14. should conceiue and bring foorth He is sayd to be borne and circumcised to hunger thirst die and rise again all which do sufficiently proue the truth of his humanity Now it was requisite that Christ should be a man First that the prophecies that went long before of his humane nature might be truly fulfilled Secondly the iustice of God required that that nature should be punished which had offeÌ„ded Thirdly it seemed most equall in Gods eye that satisfaction for the sinne of man should be made in the nature of man Fourthly that he might be a mercifull Heb. 1. 17. high Priest able to be touched with the feeling of our infirmities Lastly that he might be able to suffer and die for vs. For the God head cannot possibly suffer beeing an impassible pure absolute 1. Tim. 6. 16. immortall vnchangeable nature Now as it was fiâ— that he should Iam. 1. 17. bee a man so it was also necessary that he should be sinlesse and holy First that his thoughts words and workes might be holy SecoÌ„dly that he might make vs holie and couer the impurity of our nature with the perfect purity of his Thirdly that he might offer vp a pure and spotlesse sacrifice Fourthly he was to be a preacher of holines a taxer of iniquity therfore it was fittest that he should be holy lest his practise should crosse his preaching and so marre his Ministerie Lastly that his humane nature might be aâ—â—omed into the vnity of the person of the Sonne of God who is most holie euen Holinesse it selfe If it be damanded why the Sonne should rather become man then either the Father or the Holy Ghost I answere it was most beseeming that the world should be redeemed and that all things should be restored by him by Ioh. 1. 〈◊〉 Col. 〈◊〉 16. Hâ—b 1 2. whome all things were created It was most fiâ—ting that he should saue man from death and procure him life who did at first vouch safe him life that as by him we receiued being so we might also by him receâ—â—e our welbeing Of this doctrine thâ—se vses may be made First we may behold the loue of Vse 1 Christ vnto vs who being the image of Col. 1 15. 16. God and the grand Creator of all things in heauen and earth did neuerthelesse for our good assume vnto himselfe the nature of man and not the nature of â—he Angels which notwithstanding is far more excellent far more diuine Heb. 2. 16. noble Secondly seeing Christ who is e 〈…〉 ll Vse 2 Phil. 2. 6. Reâ— 1. 5. to God Prince of all the kings of the earth did so farre debase himselfe for vs base wretches as voluntarily to take vpon him the forme of a Phil. 2. 7. seruant the shape and nature of man let vs arme our selues with the same mind neuer thinking any thing too base for vs to beare or doe which may serue for his glorie and the good of his Church Iâ— the Sonne of God did so humble himselfe why should we be proud and hautie If God thought not skorne to be made man for vs why should we thinke much to performe any seruice vnto him for the honour of his name how base or vile soeuer it maâ— seeme in the eve of man Thirdly seeing Christ is truly man Vse 3 made of the seed of the wo 〈…〉 hence is confuted ouerthrowne the errour of Gal. 44. the Maâ—tchâ—â—s whâ— held that Christs bodie was but imaginaâ—ie A sâ—igned bodie hath blood no more then a painted fire hath heate But Christ had true blood or else our redemption by his blood is a forged fiction and vntrue The errour of Macedonius and Valentinus who taught that Christ brought with him a celesticall bodie out of heauen But the Lord promised Abraham that in his seede all nations should be blessed Gen. 22. 18 The errour of Apelles who said that Christs body was of the ayre and that it passed through the virgin Mary as water through the pipe or chanell Whereas notwithstanding Dauid had a promise made him that his son should 2. Sam. 7. 12. 14.
not the same pâ—rson with his father but he is the Ioh. 10. 30. 1. Ioh. 5. 7. samâ— God The distinction betwixt thâ—m is not in râ—spect of nature essâ—ce or time for so they are one but in respect of their manner of subsisting in that one natâ—re Ob. 8. Eightly Christ is man and if hâ— be God also â—f he haue the nature both of God and Man then he is two distinct persons but this Gods word will not admit therfore he must needs want one of them Ans Indeed Cerinthus maketh Christ and Iesus two distinct persons Nestorius taught that there are two persons in Christ but without warrant from the word For although Eph. 4. 10. Christ haue two distinct natures the Dâ—itie and the Humanitie yet is he but one person For the person of the Son of God existing a true person from all eternitie did assume the humane nature being no person of it selfe into the vnitie of his person did appropriate it vnto himself without coÌ„founding or defacing the properties of either of the two natures so that albeit there be two distinct natures the diuine humane â—et there is but one person as a man is but one true person though two distinct natures concurre in him one of the soule and the other of the body It is true I graunt that the Word is a person but I denie that the soule and body of Christ being vnited to make a perfect man do make a distinct and perfect person For a persoÌ„ must not onely be sâ—me particular and singular thing but it must also subsist and consist by it selfe and must not be susteined of any other But Christs humane nature froÌ„ the first beginning therof was susteined by the person of the Word For it was at once both formed assumed of the Word into the vnity of his person made proper to the Word without this assumption or personal vnion it neither was nor had been nor should be Plin. Histo nat lib. 16. c. 44. A resemblance whereof wee finde in the plant called Misselto which grows not but in a tree of another kinde and thence receiues his sap Neither is this any disgrace but rather an honour to his humanitie because it doth subsist by the person of the Word And albeit all the faithfull be vnited to the Word yet it is onely in a lower degree to wit by communication of grace and not by communication of personall subsistence So theÌ„ we see that though there be two distinct natures in our Lord yet it doth not followe that he is two distinct persons because his manhood is not a person as other men are but Iohn is a person but so is not Chrâ—st as he is man Vse 1. a naâ—urâ— Thus much for the Doctrine the vses â—ollow First the consideration oâ— Christs God-head teacheth vs to respect and honor him with all diuine worship in humilitie and sinceritie of heart He is God therefore we must honour him as God and being God he is omniscient and all-seeing his â—ies are a flame of fiâ—e not more terrible then peircing All things are nâ—â—ed before him and no thâ—â—gâ—â— is hid from his vnderstanding It is not fig-leaues that can couer vs nor the hils that can hide vs from his eye sight Secondly it should terrifie the wicked that dishonour him that reiect his Vse 2 lawes cast off his gouernment and disgrace his seruants For being God he is able with ease to be reuenged of theÌ„ All creatures in heauen and earth are at his becke His authoritie is absolute and his power infinite All power in heauen and earth is giuen him and he Is 〈◊〉 6. Math. 28. 18 shall regine till he hath put all his eneâ—â—â—â— vnder hâ—â— feet Tâ—ose that will not that he reigne ouer theÌ„ shal be brought and 〈◊〉 before him Nâ—â—preces 〈◊〉 〈…〉 m neither price nor praying will perswade him if once he take in hand to iudge them to condemne them It is good for them therefore to take the â—â—â—e and to repent before it be too late Thirdly this doctâ—iâ—e maketh much Vse 3 for our comfort For seeing Christ is God we may assure our selues that he is as wel able as wilâ—â—ng to do vs good and to deliuer vâ— from euill and doth liue euer to defend and protect vs. For beeing God he is immortall and immutable Therefore we which are hiâ— may boldly say I will not feaâ—â— what mâ—◠〈◊〉 what man can do vnto me For he 〈◊〉 is our friend and fâ—uourer is God omnipotent and he will not leaue vs nâ—r forsake vs Art thou assâ—ulted by Satan fâ—ie to Christ thy God he can as easily â—mite him to the ground as Dâ—â—â—d did Golâ—ah Art thou vexed with sinne then go to him for he is able to saue thee from it He can drowne thy sinnes in his bloud as he drowned the Egâ—ptiâ—â—s in the sea Do the terrors of death arrest thee Do the pangs of hell seaze vpon thee Be not dismayd thy Suertie is God he can take away sinne which is the sting of death and can refâ—eâ—h tâ—y soule with the ioyes of 1. Cor. 15. 56. heauen Art thou poore or afflicted with sicknesse Comfort thy selfe and faint not For thy Lord is God he can either release thee from thine afflictioÌ„ or relieue thee in it as he did Daniel in the deâ—â—e of Lyons and the three children in the fierie furnace that thou shalt rather receiue good then susteine harme If he please not to deliuer thee yet he can and will if thou wilt not â—linch but depend vpon him vouch safe to giue thee fortitude patieÌ„ce to endure it And for the thorny crowne in this world he is able to honour thee with a crowne of gold of golden glorie glorious eternitie in the world to come Finally doe thine enemies presâ—e thee and seeke to deâ—oure thee Feare not For thy king is God and therefore able to conuert or subâ—eâ—t them He can either destroy them himselfe or make them to slay one an other as the enemies of good 2. Chro 20. 23. â—ehoshaphat sometimâ—s did Fourthly this doctrine serueth to Vse 4 conâ—ute the opinion of Eunomius who held that Christ was a mere man also the errour of the Monothelites who thought that Christ had one wil only but seeing that he is not only man buâ— God it followeth that he hath both an â—umane and a diuine will according to his two distinct natures which are not confounded in that one person by reason of the personall vnion but do truly â—â—separably and indiuisibly continue without confusion conuersion or transmutation So much for this second doctrine CHAP. IIII. The true members of Christ cannot be cut off and perish this conclusion is proued THirdly in that the Apostle here Doct. 3 saith that Christ hath washed vs in his Bloud we see how little reason there is for any to thinke that any of his true members can be cut off from
in his paines and eluctari to wrastle out of them and surpasse them Fiftly he must be able to sanctifie the offender so to keepe him as that he shal not after his ablution conuersion offend * This word noteth not the matter of the sinne but the manner of sinning as he did afore All which conditions are kept in Christ therefore the splendor of Gods iustice is not eclipsed Neither may we think it strange that the shedding of Christs blood which continued not verie long should be able to procure the pardon of so many sinnes of euerlasting punishments due vnto vs for them For his blood was the blood of that person who is true God and therefore his blood is more meritorious then the blood of all creatures his momentâ—nie passions were of greater price and vertue then eternall sufferings of all creatures in the world whatsoeuer can be The validitie and merit of his blood ariseth from the dignitie of his person not from it owne nature nor froÌ„ the time of his passion The doctrine then remaineth firme and sure to wit that Christ hath purchased the pardon of our sinnes by his blood and hath satisfied the iustice of God for them to the full But it may be thus obiected to the contrarie Ob. First that sentence of Salomon seemeth to ascribe the pardon of sins to other things besides the blood of the Messias for he saith that by mercy and Pro. 16. 6. and truth sinnes shal be forgiuen Ans His meaning is that mercy and Sol. trueth are infallible signes thereof He that is mercifull and iust shall neuer haue his sinnes laied vnto his charge Seeing one Spirit ruled al the spirits of the holy writers we must not make 2. Pet. 1. 27 2. Tim. 3 16 one of them to contradict an other But the Scriptures else-where ascribe the remission of sinnes to the blood of Eâ—h 1. 7. Col. 1. 14 Eph. 2. 8. Tim. 3. 5. Christ exclude the works of righteousnes such as are wrought after we are regenerated Shall we say that any of our good works or vertues can merit any thing at the hands of God Are they not all imperfect Perfect indeed they are as they proceed from the Holy Spirit their proper fountaine but imperfect and polluted insomuch as they passe through the corrupt conduit-pipes and dirty channels of our wills and hearts And are they not all the gifts of God so farre forth as there is any goodnesse in them For what 1. Cor. 4. 7. hast thou that thou hast not receiued of him Now shall we thinke that those things can merit pardon which by reason of their imperfection had need be pardoned themselues And shall we stoppe Gods mouth with his owne gifts hope to pacifie his wrath with his owne works which his owne finger hath wrought within vs Or shuld we not rather confesse as Christ aduiseth wheÌ„ we haue done all things that are commaunded vs that we are vnprofitable seruants for we haue done but our dâ—tâ—e which we are bound to doe Luk. 17. 10. by vertue of many bâ—ndes Secondly the speech of the Prophet Deu 4 24. to Nebuchadnezzar is obiected Break off thy sins by righteousnes and thine iniquities by mercy towards the poore Ans The Prophet speaketh not of satisfaction for sin but onely of the manifestation of repentance by the Non causa venioe sed modus conuersionis illic descripbitur fruits therof as if he should say surcease from thy tyranny leaue thy cruelâ—ie abandon thy sins and manifest thy repentance of them by the works of iustice and by shewing mercy to the poore whome thou hast oppressed Ob. 3. Yea but Christ sayth Giue â—lmes and all things are cleane vnto you therefore it seemes Alms-deeds make Luk 11. 4. 8. men cleane and satisfie for offences Ans This place speaketh not one syllable of satisfaction for sins but sheweth that to them which giue almes aright to wit in sayth loue and singlenesse of heart all thing are cleane without any such superstitious ceremony of washing as the Pharisees had inuented for the purification and clensing of Gods creatures Ob. 4. Yea but loue which lincketh Col. 3. 14. the soule to the thing loued and locketh vp the heart fast therin and is Pet 4 8. the bond of perfection Loue shall prevayle it shall procure the pardon It shal couer a multitude of sins And Christ sayth Many sins are forgiuen her because Luk. 7. 47. she loued much Therfore our loue deserueth a pardon Ans No pardon it had rather need to be pardoned it is so cold so weak Indeed if our loue were perfect we need no pardon at all For hee that loueth perfectly fulfils the law perfectly For perfect loâ—e is the perfect fulfilling of Gods will who requireth nothing of vs but that we should loue him with all our heart minde soule and our Neighbour as our selues And dare we say that the weake performaÌ„ce of a duty whervnto God doth bind vs is â—able to merit a paâ—â—on for vs. of those things which we are not bouâ—d Rom. 13. 10 Math. 22. 28 to do but vnder a curse for bidden And as for that place of Peter it is plane by his exhortation to muâ—uall loue thaâ— his meaning is that true loue is a presentmedicine against malice and our Mnesi-cakian reuengeful memory of by-past iniuâ—ies and makes vs ready to forget forgiue the wrongs that are done vnto vs. And this Salomon plainly reacheth when hee sayth Hatred â—â—reth vp contentions but loue couerâ—th Pro. 10. 12. 〈…〉 spasses Here is not a worde of any satisfaction for siâ—ne in the sight of God but onely a commendation of brotherly loue drawen from a notable effect which it hath among men to make them for beare to reuenge and to beare with one an others infirmities And as for that speech of Christ we must know that it makes not her loue an impulsiue cause to moue God to pardon her sins but onely a signe that God had already forgiuen them and 〈◊〉 she had tasted deepely of his loue for the forgiuenesse of many sinnes 〈◊〉 our Lord had said Many sinnes are 〈◊〉 her therefore shee hath loued 〈◊〉 For the particle because is not Particula hoti noÌ„ est causalis sed illatiua vel â—ationalis argumeÌ„tum est ab effecta ad causam 〈◊〉 but â—llatiue reasoning from the effect to the causâ— as the words ensuing in that text doe shew To whome 〈◊〉 is forgiuen he loueth a little The like spee 〈…〉 vsed in Iohn 8. 44. where our Sauiour saith that the diuell abode nâ—t in the truth because there is no truth in him So we vse to say that a tree is Luke 7. 47. good because the fruite is good and yet the tree makes the fruit good and not the fruite the 〈◊〉 Ob. 2. Fiftly wee are iustified by Faith therefore our sins
gates of hell with their hinges and carie them away as Sampson did the gates Iud. 16. 3. of Azzah which he tooke away posts and all and layed them vpon his shoulders Non est in Medico semper releuetur vt aeger Interdum docta plus valet arte malum Ouid. and caryed them vp to the top of a mountane Indeede there are some bodily diseases which no naturall medicine can remoue if they be permitted to continue long without looking to them In some cases the best Physitians are at a stand and altogether vnable to cure their distressed patâ—ents But the bloud of Christ is vnresistable it is of such infinite vertue validitie that the long continuance and growthe of our soule-sicknesseâ— cannot hinder our recouery and redemption from them if he please to 〈◊〉 in it Let vs therfore admyre the wonderfull vigour of it thirst after it as Sampson did for water Iud. 15. 18 Ioh. 5. 2. And as many came to the poole Bethesda to be healed of their diseases so let vs with speed betake our selues to Christ that being washed in his bloud we may be clensed of our sinnes Delayes are dangerous there is not so warme a SuÌ„mer but there is as cold a winter The It is good to make hayâ— vvhiles the Sun shineth and the vveather is faire Tyde â—arryeth for noâ— man Therâ—fore now seeing wee haue winde and Tyde with vs let vs way aâ—â—ker hoyse vp our sayles and away We are by nature vnworthie enough thereof though wee should not make our selues more vnworthie by neglecting or deferring to seeke to be partakers of it And when wee haue once begun to seeke it as the Church neuer left looking him till she Cant. 3. found him so let vs neuer cease seeking till we enioy it till we feele the sweetnes of it For without it there is no life but death no weale but woe no light but night no felâ—city but extreme miserie It is truely said of Baptisme that not the want thereof but the contempt doth damne a man but for the bloud of Christ a man that wants it shall be damned though hee neuer did contemne it For there is no saluation Act. 4. 12. but by Christ Let vs therfore without delay labour to be partakers of him let vs neuer be aâ— rest til we be perswaded in our hearts that our sins are forgiuen and couered in his bloud froÌ„ the sight of God But doe men thus Nay doe they not the contrarie Beholde the multitude consider the studies and the practises of the most Many seek after fame honor Many â—unt after pleasures vain delights which the Diuell vseth as a Glasse and a Feather to drawe men within the reache of his net Many search after riches and seeke for euery greene thing Iob. 39. 11. like the wilde Asse as if all religion were pinned vpon the slâ—eue of Mammon But fewe seeke after the bloud of Christ as their liues do testifie to their faces And yet it doth as farre surpasse those other as the richest gemme doth the poorest peble The tallest Cedar doth not so much ouertop the poorest shrubbe the highest Oake doth not so much outreach the shortest hearb the heauens are not so far aboue the earth as that Sacred Bloud is aboue all earthly things If thou wert as olde as Methusalem as wise as Salomon as strong as Samson as rich as Croesus as renowmed as Alexander yet all were nothing if thou wantest but this one thing For without Christ without his bloud they would not they could not stand before the throne of God Thy wisedome without Christ is folly Thy gorgeous braue attyre without his righteousnes is filthy nakednes Thy birth is basenes vnlesse hee begat thee And thy bloud is tainted vnlesse thou hast beene bathed in his bloud In a word without it thou art loathsome vglie a fire-brand of hell and a vassall of the Diuell Stirre vp thy selfe therefore shake off thy drowsines awake and arise get thee to Christ call for his bloud sue for it mourne for it Knocke at the gates of grace leaue not till thou hast obtained thy sute cease not vntill thou feele the vertue of it It is full of influence full of vigour full of health full of saluation therefore labour to possesse it striue to enioy it Shal one with Haman hunt after honour Shall an other with Foelix gape for a bribe Shall some with Balak Saul run after wizzards Shall many with Naaman seeke after bodily health And shall not we make haste to Christ and seeke for his Bloud which is the fountaine of health the foundation of honour a Castle of comfort a bath for thy soule a shielde of defence the poyson of sinne the bane of iniquitie and as a canopie to couer vs from the wrath of God As wee therefore either respect that or desire our owne peace and welfare let vs make conscience of this dutie And thus much for the first worke or benefite wherby Christ doth demonstrate confirme his loue vnto vs. The second comes now to be discussed set downe in the words ensuing Here endeth the second part ¶ To the right vertuous Gentle-woman Mistris Elizabeth Leueson GReat is the Lord great is his power his wisdome is infinite and his greatnes is incomprehensible The Lord delighteth in them that feare him attend vpon his mercie Hee hath exalted the Horne of his Saintes and taketh pleasure in them For his Loue is euerlasting and his mercie endureth for euer The Lord is gracious and mercifull he is righteous in all his wayes and his mercies are ouer all his works He is rich in grace and aboundeth in goodnes Hee spared not his owne and onely Sonne euen that Sunne of Righteousnes which shineth in vs with the beames of his grace and doth enlighteÌ„ vs with the light of his Spirit but gaue him for vs all to death hath by him cleansed vs from all vncleannesse and made vs vnto himselfe a royall holy Priest-hood that wee should offer vp vnto him spirituall sacrifices and shew forth his vertues who hath called vs out of darknesse into his maruellous light O the wonderfull loue of God vnto vs His mercy is great aboue the heauens For hee hath troden downe our sins His louing kindenes is exceeding great towards vs. For he hath made vs his Priests he hath clothed vs with righteousnes and hath annoynted vs with the oyle of gladnesse Hee hath made vs his Kings hee hath set vs in the Throne of grace hee hath put a Scepter of righteousnesse into our hands and will one day crowne vs with the Crowne of glory This hohour is and shal be to all his Saints What shall we now render to him for these his benefits towards vs I will offer saith Dauid a sacrifice of Psal 11. 6. 17. Psal 146. 2. praise vnto thee for thy fauours will call vpon the name of the Lord. I