It takes * Pareus away the cause and the effect It stops up not onely the fountaine Originall corruption but all the rivulets of actuall transgression The fulnesse of satisfaction in the humiliation of Christ was like the fulnesse of water in the sea And the sea by reason of it's huge vastnesse can drowne mountaines as well as molehils Even so the fulnesse of Christ's satisfaction can swallow up the greatest as well as the least sinnes A second head of disparity is in regard of the potency and prevalency of their effects The offence of Adam brought in a kingdome and tyranny of death If by one mans offence death raigned by one ver 17. But now the obedience and righteousnesse of Christ hath purchased and erected a farre more powerfull eminent and glorious kingdome the Kingdome of life Much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousnesse shall raigne in life by one Jesus Christ ibid. It is very remarkable that whereas the Apostle saith in the former part of the verse by one mans offence death reigned by one he doth not to answere this say in the latter part of the verse life shall raigne by one man Christ Jesus but they which receive abundance of grace c shall reigne in life by one Jesus Christ For this Estius giveth two reasons 1. Because it sounds more sweetly and comfortably to say that justified persons shall reigne by Christ then to say that life shall reigne in those that are justified by Christ And secondly it is to put a difference between the Kingdome of death and the Kingdome of life The Kingdome of death destroyeth all its vassalls but the Kingdome of life contrariwise exalts all its subjects and maketh them to be Kings partakers of the heavenly Kingdome with Christ And thus have you seen out of the Apostle that there is such a wide imparity between the obedience of Christ and the disobedience of Adam as that the satisfaction and merit of Christs obedience is by far more beneficiall unto the Church and people of God then the guilt of Adams sin was prejudiciall In the next place the Apostle prosecutes a comparison of similitude between the efficacy of the sin of the one unto condemnation and of the righteousnesse of the other unto justification and life And this he doth first in proper and then in metaphoricall tearmes In proper tearmes vers 18 19. As by the offence of one judgment came upon all men unto condemnation Even so by the righteousnesse of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous In which words we have the influence of Adams offence and Christs righteousnesse resembled in regard of both intensivenesse and extensivenesse 1. Intensivenesse they are like though not equall in the intension or degree of their efficacy As Adams offence was effectuall to make his posterity sinners to involve and inwrap them in guilt and condemnation so Christs righteousnesse and obedience was available to invest all his members with justification to make them righteous before God unto everlasting life 2. They are resembled proportionally in regard of the extensivenesse of their objects As by the offence of one to wit Adam judgment came upon all men that were his naturall seed by propagation Even so by the righteousnesse of one Christ Iesus the free gift came upon all men that were his spirituall seed by regeneration unto justification of life Secondly This similitude is propounded in metaphoricall tearmes ver 21. That as sin hath reigned unto death even so might grace reigne through righteousnesse unto eternall life by Iesus Christ our Lord. Whereas the kingdome of Originall sinne is made the sequel of Adams transgression So the kingdome of grace is made the consequent of Christs obedience Originall corruption may be tearmed a King in regard 1. of vastnesse of dominion It reigneth before regeneration in all men and in all of men in their mortall bodies as well as their soules 2. In regard of greatnesse of power It hath all the powers of the soule and parts of the body untill they be renewed by the holy Ghost under such a command as the Centurion had his servants or souldiers Math. 8.9 And unto this kingdome of sinne the kingdome of grace by Christ is answerable As sinne reigneth unto death so grace reigneth through righteousnesse by Jesus Christ Now unto the grace and favour of God a kingdome an-answerably is ascribed in two respects 1. in regard of it's powerfull efficacy it is as able to protect and exalt all those to whom it is extended as Originall sinne is to ruine and destroy those that are under it's plenary subjection 2. in regard of its plentifull fruits grace reigneth by Jesus Christ By him there is a large kingdome a great abundance of grace answerable to the kingdome and abundance of sinne in us to the reigning of sinne unto death The subjects of this kingdome receive abundance of grace and of the fruit of righteousnesse ver 17. There is one thing more in the text that much conduceth unto the glory of this kingdome of grace and that is the continuation of it unto eternity Other kingdomes may expire But grace shall reigne through righteousnesse unto eternall life And thus the Apostle declareth what a great purchase Christ by his all-sufficient merits hath made in the behalfe of his members He hath purchased for them grace and favour with the God of heaven nay a powerfull rich and an absolutely eternall kingdome of grace O how happy and glorious shall all those soules be that are found in Christ standing by faith under the coverture of His merits and righteousnesse Grace shall reigne over them through righteousnesse unto eternall life Secondly Christ may be considered according unto his state of exaltation and so there dwelled in him an all fulnesse of glory There was a manifestation of the All-fullnesse of glory that was essentiall unto his Godhead A reall collation of an all-fulnesse of glory upon his manhood First then in the exaltation of Christ there was a manifestation of the all-fulnesse the infinitenesse of glory that was essentiall unto the Godhead This divine glory of his was for a time as it were laid aside clouded and eclipsed by the forme of a servant the infirmities of his humane nature the miseries of his life and by the shame and paine of his death But in his exaltation the father glorified him according unto his desire and prayer John 17.5 with his owne selfe with the glory which he had with him before the world was that is the father manifested and displayed in him that glory which he had from all eternity in a way of equality with himselfe By the resurrection he was declared to be the sonne of God with power Rom. 1.4 and therefore possessed of an infinite glory for the sonne of God
God will make plentifull provision for all their wants It is the inference of the Apostle himselfe Rom. 8.32 He that spared not his owne sonne but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things He that soared not his owne sonne his deare son his most tenderly beloved sonne but delivered him up for us all unto the slaughter how shall he not with him freely give us all things that is all things needfull for our eternall happinesse and salvation all things that pertaine to life and godlinesse 2 Pet. 1.13 The promises of the life that now is and of that which is to come 1 Timoth. 4.8 4. They may hence be certaine of a continuall confirmation of their graces and preservation from Apostacy Gods t If Kings bear goodwill to some family if his love begin in some chief one who is with him at court as his speciall favourite it is so much the firmer to all the rest of them Thus here how firme and sure is his love to us whoâ—n he hath loved unto life in Christ our head and eldest brother who is his naturall sonne from whom it is impossible that his love should ever start and when it is sure to the head can the body be forsaken Mr Bayne on Eph. â— ver 4. pa. 39. love of them is like his love of him immutable Thou hast loved them as thou hast loved me saith Christ Joh. 17.23 If the head be alwaies the beloved the members can never be hated The fruits therefore of this love the gifts and callings of God are without repentance Rom. 11.29 If the naturall sonne of God be daily his delight and that as well unto as from eternity Therefore with everlasting kindnesse he will have mercy on his adoptive sonnes The mountaines shall depart and the hils be removed But my kindnesse shall not depart from them neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on them Isai 54.8,10 But now if he should not uphold and establish them by his spirit Psalm 51.12 if he should not continually support and underprop their graces but suffer them totally and finally to decay and wither this would be a palpable withdrawing of his loving kindnesse and a shutting up his tender mercies in anger Besides the sonnes love of them resembleth the fathers love of him Joh. 15.9 As the father hath loved me so have have I loved you Now there is no change in the fathers love of him therefore neither in his love of them And therefore we may conclude that as it is their duty so it shall be their priviledge and happinesse to continue in his love The Apostle Paul professeth in the behalfe of all believers that nothing can divorce them from the love of God in Christ that is for Christ I am perswaded saith he that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord Rom. 8.38,39 In those last words which is in Christ Jesus our Lord The Apostle layeth downe the ground of the perpetuity of God's love of his children 'T is not in themselves but in Christ Jesus that is it is for his sake for that unalterable affection which he beareth unto him Lastly from the eminency of God's favour unto Christ his members may with confidence expect the perfect and full glorification of their soules and bodies hereafter in heaven For our Saviour himselfe in that prayer of his Joh. 17. having petitioned for the glory of all that were to believe on him he inforceth this his petition by representing unto the Father the love that he hath borne unto him as man from all eternity Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with mee where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given mee for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world ver 24. Is is as if he had said That love which thou bearest unto me expresse unto those that are mine As thou loved'st mee invest them with that glory which thou hast decreed unto my humanity Believers then may as confidently expect their owne glory as they are assured of the Fathers affection unto Christ and this assurance should digest all their sorrowes and miseries here in this life From Consolations I proceed unto Exhortations and they shall be directed either unto the enemies or members of Christ 1. Then for enemies and aliens they may hence be exhorted 1. Unto humiliation for their past enmity against Christ 2. Unto a serious and earnest endeavour after reconciliation and union with him 1. Unto humiliation for their past enmity against him and his his members ministers and other ordinances Who dare almost oppose the Minions of earthly Princes for History presents us with plentifull instances of such whom their very frownes have ruined O then the hatred of heavens favourite must needs be infinitely more fatall and unfortunate Because he is able to crush his most potent adversaries tremble then to consider that all thy life long thou hast hated the beloved loathed and abhorred God's darling been averse from the Son of his love rejected his elect servant in whom his soule delighteth been a most disaffected and malignant Antagonist unto him in whom the Father is well-pleased 2. Because Christ is so highly graced with God all his enemies may be exhorted to doe what lieth in them for the future for reconciliation and union with him by application of themselves unto the diligent use of such meanes and ordinances as God hath sanctified and set apart for that purpose For those that are not united with him cannot expect so much as a good look from God because God is reconciled onely in him 2 Cor. 5.19 he accepts none but in the beloved Ephes 1.6 He is well pleased with none but such as are in him Those that are out of him lye under the displeasure and wrath of God which is a consuming fire In terrene courts how ambitious are men to be related unto the grand favourite as knowing that he is the channell of all considerable preferments Should it not then be the utmost ambition of men to have relation unto Christ for through him onely God dispenseth all saving favours unto the sonnes of men We may say of him in reference unto God as Tacitus did of Sejanus the powerfull favourite of Tiberius ut quisque Sejano intimus ita ad Caesaris amicitiam validus Contrà quibus infensus esset metu ac sordibus conflictebantur He that was an intimate of Sejanus needed not with any great labour search for honours He that had him his enemy languished under dispraise and misery None had any honour without his favour Neither without him could any keep any place of either profit or credit with security Besides
saith that we are saved by hope Rom. 8. vers 24. that is we are saved here in this life not in regard of a present and plenary possession or fruition but onely in respect of an assured expectation thereof And thus I have ended with the exposition of the words in themselves I am in the next place briefely to examine the inference of them from the foregoing There dwelleth in Christ as man all-fulnesse of the Godhead bodily therefore ye who believe in Christ are compleat in him for he is able to make you compleat Because hereupon it followeth 1. that in all that he did and suffer'd there was an infinite merit able to purchase this compleatnesse 2. That there was in him an insinite power able to conferre this compleatnesse Some understand those words of our saviour Joh. 6.63 concerning the humanity of Christ considered alone without his Deitie It is the spirit that quickneth that is it is the Godhead united unto the humane nature that giveth spirituall life The flesh profiteth nothing that is the humane nature of Christ if it were disunited from the divine it would be of little availe unto the quickenance of our soules It s concurrence is not onely profitable but necessary yet it is onely instrumentall and therefore in the vertue of it's principall agent the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelling bodily in it If Christ had beene meere man though clothed with all the power that a creature is capable of He could not have saved so much as one single soule from eternall death But he is God as well as man and therefore able to justifie sanctifie and glorifie even millions of worlds With thee saith the Psalmist unto God is the fountaine of life Psalm 36.9 A fountatine that can never be exhausted The fulnesse of the Godhead in Christ is not as a river but as a sea whence flow all those streames that make glad the city of God Psalm 46.4 It was from his Deity that there was in him an ample sufficiency to finish the transgression to make an end of sinnes and to make reconciliation for iniquity and to bring in everlasting righteousnesse Dan. 9.24 Because his righteousnesse is the righteousnesse of God Phil. 3.9 therefore it is appliable to and available for all the believers that ever were are or shall be in the world Because it was the great God that was our Saviour and gave himselfe for us Therefore he hath redeemed us from all iniquity and purified us unto himselfe a peculiar people Tit. 2.13,14 Because he is the Sonne of God therefore his bloud cleanseth us from all sin 1 Joh. 1.7 therefore by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Heb. 10.14 Because the Father hath by eternall generation given unto the Sonne to have life in himselfe Joh. 5.26 therefore he quickeneth whom he will vers 21. He can quicken those soules that are dead in sinns and trespasses and he will at the last day quicken those bodies that have for thousands of yeares beene rotten in their graves Because he is the Lord from heaven 1 Cor. 15.47 The Lord of Glory 1 Cor. 2.8 therefore he can clothe our mortall and corruptible bodies with incorruption and immortality He can change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body according unto the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himselfe Phil. 3.21 Can you desire more comfort then that which this point yeeldeth It promiseth as much perfection as our natures can hold But it is indeed onely unto those who are qualified as those Colossians were unto whom our Apostle directs this Epistle Saints and faithfull Brethren Chapt. 1.2 who have received Christ Jesus the Lord rooted and built up in him and established in the faith abounding therein with thanksgiving Chapt. 2. vers 6 7. This restriction is implied thinke some in that the Apostle doth not say ye are compleate from him or by him but ye are compleat in him That clause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in him containeth say they a description of those that are thus compleate They are such as are in Christ as have an actuall inexistence in him Such as are incorporated and implanted into him by the spirit and faith And they are all new creatures 2. Cor. 5.17 they have all the spirit of Christ Rom. 8.9 Men may take a full draught of a * Musculus Da venant naturall fountaine and yet not goe into it but stand without it But now as for this spirituall fountaine Christ Jesus none can so much as sippe of the water of life in him without passing into him by the act of a faith that purifyeth the heart Acts 15.9 and worketh by love Galat. 5.6 and out of the belly of him that believeth shall flow rivers of living water John 7.38 Branches separate from the vine wither and grow saplesse Members cut off from the head are dead and become carrion Professours disunited from Christ can have no vitall communion with him no participation of any true and reall compleatnesse from him They are but livelesse pictures of Christians have onely a forme of Godlinesse onely the carcasse of that perfection which Christ imparteth unto his members and therefore however they may be for their naturall and acquired endowments most accomplished persons yet as touching spirituals they are next to divels of all creatures most imperfect and incompleate wretched and miserable poore blind and naked Revel 3.17 able to doe nothing John 15.5 In a second place Paul inferreth from the personall union the dignity of the humane nature of Christ in comparison of the good Angels Because in him dwelleth all fulnesse of the Godhead therefore he is the head of all principality and power Here examine we 1. what is meant by principality and power 2. How Christ as man is the head of all principality and power 1. Then enquire we what is meant by principality and power In vers 15. of this chapter and in Ephes 6.12 they signify evill Angels But here they are taken onely for the good Angels Angels which are tearmed in scripture the elect Angels 1 Timoth. 5.21 the Angels of heaven Math. 24.36 the Angells of light 2 Cor. 11.14 the sonnes of God Job 1.6 Job 38.7 who are tearmed 1. Principalities from that excellency which they have by nature and grace above other creatures they are the chiefe of the creation as it were Princes in comparison of other creatures 2. They are stiled powers for that Authority which God hath delegated unto them over other creatures For the restriction of the tearmes here unto the good Angels I shall alleadge 3 arguments 1. This headship is a sequele of the personall union and therefore no meere creature shareth in it But if it denoted barely a superiority over the wicked Angels it were a priviledge communicable unto the good Angels 2. To be head is properly a superiority that is some way or other beneficiall unto those
up unto a correspondency with him in his affections to love those persons and things which he loveth and to detest whatsoever he hateth Courtiers usually seeme at least to proportion all their passions unto those of the Princes minion They admire whatsoever he liketh they adore whomsoever he affecteth and professe a deepe dislike of all that he disaffecteth They affront and quarrell all upon whom he frowneth Well then may not we be ashamed that there is not the like compliance in us with Gods favourite We dote upon sin which his soule abhorreth We delight in that company and those places unto which he is a stranger We loath those ordinances which have his most evident approbation and institution Those unsavoury and prophane jests rotten communication that are an abomination unto him and stinke before him are the matter of our greatest merriment We distast most the conversation of those that have most intimate communion with him Those are an eye-sore unto us who are as tender unto him as the Apple of his eye His jewels Mal. 3.17 his crowne jewels his crowne of glory and royall diademe Isay 62. ver 3. are accounted by us as the filth of the world and offscouring of all things 1 Cor. 4.13 There is nothing that he esteemeth more amiable in men then the beauty of holinesse the Image of God This is the chaine upon the neck of his spouse Cant. 4.9 that ravisheth his heart And there is nothing more that our hearts rise against O what a dangerous thing is this antipathy unto him that is in the bosome of the father at his right hand How unsafe is it to be thus opposite unto his affections Hereby we must needs incurre the displeasure both of him his father and that is the undoubted path unto everlasting ruine and destruction for in their favour is lise Psalm 30.5 7. And lastly If Christ be so great and gracious with God It then very much concerneth us to labour for assurance of his love and favour For we must needs be liable unto perpetuall torment and terrour of mind as long as we are in suspense of our eternall condition As long as we are doubtfull whether we shall be for ever miserable or happy And the wrath of Christ who is chiefe in the affection of the father is as Solomon speakes of the wrath of a King as the messengers of death and roaring of a lyon Whereas on the other side in the light of his countenance is life and his favour is as a cloud of the latter raine Prov. 16.14,15 and 19.12 and 20.2 If he smile upon a soule nothing can make it miserable and if he frowne upon it nothing can make it happy For God is reconciled to none but in and through him He makes none blessed but for his sake Well then we can expect no tranquility of spirit no solid comfort no sound peace of conscience no joy unspeakable and full of glory untill we have attained a certaine and well bottomed perswasion that the sonne of Gods love in whom alone he is well pleased hath lifted up the light of his countenance upon us What I have said touching our assurance of Christs love may be applied unto our assurance of Gods love of us in and for Christ For it is of no lesse importance as being inseparably connexed therewith and the ground and cause thereof and therefore without Gods love of us for Christ his sake we can never be happy and without assurance of it we can never be comfortable Hereupon is it that in the salutations prefixed unto most of Paul's epistles peace is made a sequele of grace from God our father and the Lord Jesus Christ Without the grace of acceptation with the father and the Lord Jesus Christ and also sense and apprehension thereof no peace of conscience no serenity of spirit is to be expected That man that is doubtfull of Gods love in and for Christ if his conscience be awak'ned cannot but have a perpetuall tempest in his bosome For he can apprehend God â—o otherwise then a consuming fire And such a consideration must needs beget unutterable horrour Our Saviour himselfe makes this assurance the scope of the revelation of Gods goodnesse and mercy in the gospell John 17.26 And I have declared unto them thy name and will declare it that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them and I in them There be some that understand that clause that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them concerning the extension or termination of Gods love of Christ unto Believers as a secondary object and they thus glosse the words That thou may'st love them for my sake that thou may'st love them with that love wherewith thou hast loved me Believers are made by faith one body with Christ and therefore cannot but share in Gods love of Christ If God love him They cannot but be beloved in and for him and therefore our Saviour addes and I in them which is saith Maldonate because I am in them to wit as the head in the members As if he should have said seeing I am in them seeing I dwell in their hearts by faith so that I and they make but one body mysticall therefore thy love of me cannot but be derived unto them If thou lovest me it is impossible thou should'st hate them This termination of Gods love of Christ unto Believers is in regard of the fruites and effects of it so it is the same with it's presence of influence on them The body of the Sun is in the heavens but the efficacy of it reacheth unto the lowest of the elements the earth causing on its surface light and warmth and producing in the very bowels of it many rich metalls and minerals Thus the love wherewith God loveth Christ is in God himselfe if we speake of a presence of inherence taking the word largly as it is applicable unto any adjuncts even such as the attributes of God are But it is in all them that believe in regard of a presence of influence and effective presence for it enlightneth and comforteth them and produceth in their bosomes the precious gifts and graces of the spirit But now the love wherewith God loveth Christ is said to be in believers not onely in regard of their participation but also perception of it not onely effectively in regard of its effects grace and glory but also objectively in regard of an objective or intentionall presence as it is the object of their knowledge apprehension and assurance And they never fully and truly know and apprehend it as they ought but in the rebound and by way of reflection untill they be assured of it's being terminated unto and reflected upon them untill as it is Rom. 5.5 the love of God be shed abroad in their hearts untill they have a full sence and feeling of that love wherewith God loveth them in Christ untill they have tasted that the Lord is good
in him a fulnesse A fulnesse 1 of the grace of his favour love and mercy towards us The Apostle ascribes unto him riches of this grace and affirmeth that therein he hath abounded unto us Ephes 1.7,8 neither is this barely affirmed but as strongly confirmed from the effects or fruits thereof 1. In our justification In whom we have redemption the forgivenesse of sins according unto the riches of his grace c. both of which are plenary Psal 130.7 In him there is plenteous redemption He will abundantly pardon Isay 55.7 or he will multiply to pardon as it is in the margent 2. In our vocation In the riches of his grace he hath abounded towards us in all wisdome and prudence ver 8. Thus also Rom. 10.12 the Lord is said to be rich to wit in mercy love and favour Ephes 2.4 Vnto all that call upon him Where by Lord saith Diodati is meant Jesus Christ who by his death resurrection hath gotten himselfe a title over all men to be their Lord master to be the head of the elect amidst all Nations And he is said to be rich in the fruits and effects thereof For as Calvin and Estius upon the place observe rich is here taken actively for bountifull liberall or gracious The bounty and liberality of men may be disenabled by extensivenesse unto too many but it cannot be so with the grace love and favour of our Lord Jesus Christ for he hath unsearchable riches Eph. 3.8 that cannot be impaired by communicativenesse He cannot be impoverished though he be rich unto all that call upon him This fulnesse of Christs love is to the full displayed in the Song of Solomon and that both in the Churches confessions and Christs owne professions of it 1. In the Churches confessions of it and that both to Christ and others 1. She makes a gratefull acknowledgement of it unto Christ himselfe Thy love saith she is better then wine Cant. 1.2 Next she celebrates and reports it unto others chap. 3.9,10 King Solomon that is Christ made him a chariot that is framed assumed unto himselfe an humane nature the midst or innermost whereof his heart being paved with love of the daughters of Jerusalem that is the elect of God the children of Jerusalem the mother of us all In Isay 49.16 Zion is said to be engraven upon the palmes of his hand but here to be as it were written upon his heart y But as the heart signifieth inward love so the arme of Christ signifieth his outward manifestation of love by helping bearing supporting her in all her infirmities through his power Psal 77.15 89.10 Esa 40.10,11 Ainsworth She was in his heart to live and dye for her 2 Corin. 7.3 Againe chap. 7.10 His desire saith she or desirous affection is towards mee As it said of the woman Gen. 3.16 that her desire should be unto her husband Next we have Christs owne profession of this great love of his unto his Church He termeth her his love his dove his spouse his sister his beloved his friends Chap. 5. v. 1. He acquaints her that in expression of his love unto her he had endured much trouble and misery for her My head saith he is filled with dew and my locks with the drops of the night Chap. 5.2 Unto the Churches confession and Christs owne profession of this fulnesse of love we joyne also the Churches petition for it Cant. 8.6 Set me as a seale upon thy heart as a seale upon thine arme This was a prayer dictated unto and penned for the Church by the Holy Ghost himselfe and therefore if she put it up with faith and confidence it cannot be successelesse From it then we may conclude that the Church is very precious in Christs esteeme graven as the graving of a seale upon his heart And this his estimate of her he will manifest by wearing her as a signet upon his right hand The high priest Exod. 28. was to beare the names of the children of Israel engraven upon twelve precious stones and set in gold in the breast-plate of judgement upon his heart when he goeth in unto the holy place for a memoriall before the Lord continually vers 17 18 19 20 21 29. Herein the exceeding and wonderfull care and love of Christ unto his members is plainly typified and that in diverse particulars 1. The names of the children of Israel were engraven upon twelve precious stones set in gold to shew that the people of Christ are very deare and precious unto him as it were his jewels and precious stones Mal. 3.17 2. Besides there was curious art bestowed upon the engraving of these names It was like the engraving of a signet ver 21. And this might figure the curiosity of Christs workmanship in creating and engraving holinesse the image of God upon the spirits of his people which farre exceeded that which was used in the framing of those glorious and celestiall bodies the sunne moone and starres And the curiositie of this his workmanship in the beautifying of his members is a demonstration of his extraordinary affection unto them 3. His care of them and affection to them is not onely joynt and generall but particular and severall of one by one * Babington in locum The High priest was to have in his brest-plate the twelve stones with the particular names of the Tribes 4. Christ beareth his members not onely on his shoulders vers 12. by his protection of them and patience unto them but in his breast and heart by his singular and most tender affection towards them While he was here on earth his heart was so set upon them as that he shed his heart blood for them And now he is gone into the holy place they are still upon and in his heart he is still mindfull of and deeply sollicitous for promoting their salvation He even now rejoyceth in the habitable part of his earth and there will never be a period in his delights with the sonnes of men Prov. 8.31 the twelve stones are termed Exodus 25.7 lapides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is stones of fulnesses or filling stones Perhaps thinks Altingius loc com part 2. pag. 1. because the breast plate was filled with them and this might signifie that the breast or heart of Christ was even filled with his members in regard the love of his heart was fully placed upon them more then on all the rest of the creatures 5. The High Priest was to beare the names of the children of Israel for a memoriall before the Lord continually And this might denote that Christ is ever mindfull of his people Can a woman forget her sucking child that she should not have compassion on the sonne of her wombe yea they may forget yet will not I forget thee saith the Lord Christ unto his Zion Isay 49.15 Christ remembreth all his people even when as man he seeth them not And this might be imported by the High
eas nemo subalternasâ—sed vicarias appellavit Secundà non tantum aequo graâ—u cooperantes causas prejudicare inviâ—em sed etiam subalternatas gemino casu Primò quum it à subalternantur ut tamen absque iis non possit prima Causa producere effectum Exempli gratia Etsi sol in Phy sico ordine producat poma tamen quia non fine arbore quae ei subordâ—natur ideò confidenter dicat quis non esse sufficientem solem ad producenda poma Atqui audivimus Vasquez negantem posse Christi passionem quenquam efficere dignum gloriâ absque propriâ satisfactione audivimus ab aliis iniquum esse a Deo recipi in gratiám sine satis factione eum qui multa magnaque peccata admifit aequè cum eo qui pauca levia Necesse 〈◊〉 igitur fateri has satisfactiones nonnihil saltèm decerpere de honore Christi Altero in causis Ethicis suâ—alâ—ernae causae derogant primae quum instituuntur praeter autoritatem eâ—us Exempli gratia nor patietâ—r reâ—…sibi proregem ullum substitui a quoquam At nos dicimus hoc genus omne satisfactionum praetexiu subordinatae causae Christi meritis substitutum esse ipso Christo mitto jam nolente certè inscio Quod pii nec ferre nec dâ—ssimulare possunt suppose though not grant that a subordination of humane satisfactions unto Christs were a thing in it selfe possible yet it can lawfully be made onely by Christ himselfe Now that the Papist's have devised it of their own heads without any so much as colourable authority of Scripture the miserable weakenesse of their arguments is a sufficient evidence unto unprejudiced mindes But secondly they ascribe satisfaction unto man in such a manner as that they thereby quite exclude the satisfaction of Christ as appeares by Bellarmine his answere unto this following argument of ours lib. 1. De Purgatorio cap. 14. If Christs satisfaction be applied unto us by our workes they are either two satisfactions or but one If they be two satisfactions one of Christs and another of ours then God shall be made unjust in punishing one sin twice over or if as some say the satisfaction be but one then it is either Christs and so we satisfy not or ours and so Christ satisfyeth not or else we divide the honour with him making him to satisfy for the fault and we for the punishment Unto this objection Bellarmine having reckoned up two answers pitcheth upon a third which he takes to be the more probable and it is that there is one only satisfaction and that is ours Hereby you see Christ is quite excluded at least from making satisfaction for veniall sins as they call them and temporall punishments No saith Bellarmine for it is by Christs satisfaction saith he that we have grace to satisfy He satisfyed immediately for the fault and the guilt of eternall death and mediately for the temporall punishment in as much as he giveth us grace whereby we our selves are enabled to satisfy God for it Unto this Ames very acutely replieth Bell. Enervat tom 2. lib. 5. pag. 192 193. In such a respect as this God the Father and the holy Ghost may be said to satisfy for us because we have all grace from God the father by the Spirit 2. Vpon this account the satisfaction of Christ should have no other relation unto our sins and their punishments then unto good workes as they are good for by the satisfaction of Christ we have grace enabling us to worke well And againe tom 3. lib. 5. cap. 4. pag. 229 230. 1. If Christs satisfaction be immediate and mediate then his satisfaction is manifold and not one 2. If Christ satisfyeth our satisfaction intervening then he hath satisfyed not once but he alwaies satisfieth not by himselfe but by us Then lastly he doth not so much satisfy for us as in us 3. Christ cannot be said to satisfy as he giveth unto men grace enabling men to satisfy any more then he can be said to repent or confesse sins as he giveth them grace for repentance and confession In a second place the Papists doe covertly evacuate the al-fulnesse and infinitenesse of Christs merits by their doctrine of humane merits of condignity To merit is to purchase that right unto a thing which one had not before to make that due which was not due before Now if the merits of Christ be of infinite value they have purchased in the behalfe of his members a full right unto eternall life and happinesse so that their good workes do not make the same newly due If they make it any way due they make it due either in whole or in part if in whole then Christ hach merited nothing for them if in part then there is something in eternall life which Christ hath not merited Either way there is a manifest derogation from the merits of Christ Yea but the Papists beare us in hand that their doctrine of merits doth not obscure but rather illustrate the glory of Christs merits and to make this good they have two devices the one received generally by most if not by all of them The subordination of the saints merits unto Christ's merits The second is the peculiar shift of some few The union of the saints persons with Christs person To begin with the first the subordination of the saints merits unto Christs merits Our merits say they are derived from Christs for he merited for us the power and grace of meriting and therefore our merits argue no insufficiency in but rather a wonderfull efficacy of his merits It is no blemish unto the Sun that the Moone and Starres shine with a light borrowed from it The fruitfulnesse of the branches is no disparagement unto the vine The dependant and subordinate efficiency of second causes is no detraction from the omnipotency and all-sufficiency of the first cause And why should it be any impeachment unto Christs merits to affirme that he doth not onely merit for us himselfe but also makes us able to merit Unto this fancy I shall oppose these three considerations that it is 1. Vngrounded on Scripture 2. Vnnecessary and 3. Impossible 1. Vngrounded on Scripture That Christs merit hath purchased unto us grace enabling for performance of good works we deny not but that he hath merited that we might merit is a thing unheard of in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles and therefore to be rejected not only as a frivolous but also as a presumptuous fiction But secondly it is also an Vnnecessary fiction For if Christs merits be so inestimable as that they merit for us perfection and fulnesse of happinesse and salvation what necessity is there that we our selves should merit this againe If a thing be already done sufficiently it is more then is needfull for to doe it over againe And thirdly this subordination of the merit of our workes unto Christs merits is a thing utterly Impossible as may be proved from