Apostle speaketh either by my selfe the speaker or by you the hearers neither doth the time fauour me so much He is God what seek you he is God what desire you or why doe I yet presume to search Consider his attributes his perfections to day to morrow the more you shall seeke the lesse you shall find if you thinke to attaine for hee is incomprehensible beleeue the scriptures thus pronouncing lucem inhabitat inaccessam hee dwelleth in a light to which there is 1. Timoth. 6. no accesse Here therefore a periode and a stop of this my discourse not able to make any further progresse I answere as Simonides the Philosopher did to Hiero touching God the more I seeke the perfections of Christ the lesse I find them But for application and vse of this doctrine I will make no other then what I haue already made by which I see Christ already in faith and loue applied to your soules with whom I doubt not but that you will speake and commune as Christians ought with such a Christ so deere so sweet so perfect a Spouse How much more he blood of Christ But how shall I prosecure the other consideration of this my first part of my text what a paradoxe shall I seeme to deliuer to speake of the blood of such a maiesty of such a glory how ill doe consort the maiesty of Godhead and the humility of bloodshed these attributes of diuinity and such defects of humanity such a humility and such a glory If I should preach to the Gentiles they would esteeme mee in sanire to bee mad and such doctrine to be meere folly if to the Iewes they would not indure the scandall of the Crosse nor the ignominy of this blood but considering I preach to this so religious an assembly called and associated together non de sanguinibus not by bloods not by bloods of Buls Goates Sheepe c. but de sanguine quasi agni immaculati by the one blood of the immaculate Lambe one lambe and once sacrificed I shall easily perswade you the sweet coniunction of such a Maiestie and such a humilitie I shall easily perswade you that the blood of this lambe is virtus Dei omni credenti the very vertue of God to euery one who beleeueth and confideth in it How much more the blood of Christ Manifold is the acception of blood in sacred Scriptures and with prophane Philosophers Blood for murther man-slaughter death crueltie blood for impuritie vncleanenesse of life blood for the seed of generation blood as it is the seat and domicile of life the immediate cause and instrument of nourishment of motion of naturall health colour temperature due complection c. But intermitting all these acceptions and the moralizing vpon them the blood which our Apostle meaneth is the blood of Christ the Seale of the new Testament the blood of redemption satisfaction of reconciliation sanctification O wonderfull and most venerable blood But is the acception of this blood of our one Iesus one or manifold It is Christian Catholike Auditors both one and manifold one in Christ manifold from Christ one in Christ in an indiuiduall substantiall and integrall vnitie of nature concurring to make him a perfect liuing man manifold as it is effused and flowing from Christ to make vs perfect Christian men How manifold is this blood witnesse first that bloodie sweat in the garden arising rather from his tender and inward compassion ouer sinners then from any desolation O droppes not dropping but of blood decurrentis in terram running downe vpon the earth what earth mankind by sinfull conuersation transformed into earth but this blood trickleth yea runneth downe vpon it to wash it to sanctifie it and to make it fructifie Witnesse those streames of blood which gushed from euery part of Christs sacred body when the mercilesse scourgers whipped and tormented him being fast bound to a pillar I reade elsewhere Christus erat petra bibebant de spirituali consequente eos 1. Cor. 10. petra Christ was a rocke and they drunke the auncient faithfull of the spirituall rocke which followed them Here I contemplate Christ not a rocke but a most tender man fast bound to a stone to a rocke whipped scourged tormented to yeeld forth a streame a great fountaine of blood of which all may drinke from the beginning vntill the consummation of the world For not onely Agnus occisus but Agnus flagellatus ab origine mundi was the Lambe slaine but also whipped from the beginning of the world Moyses Abraham Noe Adam drunke of this rocke or rather of this Christ bound to a rocke and yeelding a fountaine of blood Not here petra erat Christus Christ was a rocke a stone but apud Petram Christus a tender man a sensitiue man fast bound to a stone a pillar of stone feeling the sharpe paine of most cruell scourging able enough to haue killed Christ had he not also determined to ascend vp into the Palme-tree what said I the Palme-tree I should haue said the tree of the crosse the tree of curse of malediction Witnesse those currents from his head crowned with thornes his hands and feet nailed and pierced Witnesse his most diuine side opened with a speare whence in testimonie that this Christ had made a complete expiation for mankind with his last droppes of blood water also issued forth continuo exiui sanguis aqua presently instantly vpon the opening of the sacred side blood and water went forth Blood and water stood attending that opening of the diuine wall which once opened and launced blood and water fel not out rushed not out dropped not out but went out walked out going in fortitude in vertue strength to confront with Satan to vanquish death and damnation to consummate our redemption What maruell is this to vs beleeuing that this blood and water by a strange and wonderfull vnion were vnited to the subsistence and person of him who is the author of all life giuer of all motion O blood and water consummating all sanctification filling all ruines in heauen and vpon earth Waight and ballance are the iudgements of God Prou. 16. saith the diuine Scripture But in this extraordinarie worke of our redemption in this iudgement exercised vpon the sonne of God what measure hath beene kept what ballance hath beene vsed what meane hath beene obserued all is shedde all is effused and in testimonie thereof with the last droppes of blood water is adioyned by such a coniunction of water with blood proclaiming to mankind That the blood of Christ doth not onely merit redeeme satisfie but also wash purifie sanctifie with puritie of grace the consciences of all such who with a liuing and a sanctifying faith should confide in it Rowze vp you soules beloued in this blood and demaund of me by which of all these bloods are we redeemed and I will answer vnto you That wee are redeemed by them all all these are passio Christi the passion of
to discourse thereupon and by way of argument to proue it for can it sinke into the imagination of any that God should bee or could bee spotted with any sinne imperfection or blemish thereof Our Christ indeed tooke vpon him the semblance of a sinner but it was impossible to the absolute and almightie power of God to haue permitted him to haue beene taynted with any the least internall or true blemish of sinne Yea by the omnipotent power of God would not hinder or let it but that by vertue of the perssinall vnion and hypostolicall coniunction the soule of Christ was so sanctified and replenished with all graces that absolutely and most necessarily it was impeceable vnsinneable and not capable of any the lest spot of sinne And it was indeed most meet that our high Priest should be such a Person Heb. 7. impolluted innocent separated from sinnes and made higher then the very heauens themselues as being the Lord and God of themand all that is in them And so I proceede to the last branch of my diuision in which is thus Shall cleanse the conscience from dead workes to serue the liuing God Here is the scope of Christs bloud offered here is the end of Christs offering himselfe by the Eternall Spirit to God that our consciences might be cleansed from dead workes to serue the liuing God Good God what are men or the consciences of men that thou doest so visit them thou doest so esteeme them what are they that to cleanse them thou diddest so farre depresse and humble thy only begotten Sonne vnder thy Angels euen to an ignominious death to make man equall with Angells in euerlasting life it is thy vnspeakeable loue and charitie no deseruing of ours at all But how by what meanes by what instrument is this cleansing sacrifice applied to our consciences to cleanse them from dead workes to serue the liuing God God made heauen earth and all in them made man and all belonging to him without any concurrence or helpe from him by that word fiat fiat be it done bee it made Doth he so cleanse the conscience of man from dead works without any act of man as a meanes as an instrument to applie this soueraigne sacrifice to his conscience no no Heare the Apostle Rom. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Being iustâ—fied gratis frankly by the grace of him by the redemption which is in Christ Iesus whom God hath proposed a propitiation by faith in his bloud by faith therefore by a liuing faith Christâ—s proposed a propitiation in his bloud not in mans works to euery beleeuing conscience Indefinite vniuersall is this proposing of this propitiation by faith in his bloud to all Nations all sexes all conditions in all times and in all ages no person whatsoeuer is excluded from faith confidence in it no not Iudas himselfe who betrayed it had he beene so happie not the crucifying Iewes had they beene so fortunate How powerfull a sound faith in this bloud is to cleanse consciences let Leo an Ancient Pope confront against these latter Pontificians all of them being meritists de condigno oâ— de congruo out of condignitie or congruitie to their first or second iustification for such a distinction their nouell Scholasticall heresie hath denied 〈◊〉 in 〈…〉 sept mâ—ns Effusio pro iniustis iusti sanguinis tam potens fuit ad praemium tam diues ad praetium vt sivniuersitas Captiuorum in Redemptorem suum crederent â—alium tyrannica vincula retinerent The effusion saith this Pope of the iust bloud for the vniust was so potent for a reward so rich for a price that if the whole vniuersitie of Captiues would beleeue in their Redeemer the bands of the Tyrant should hold or retaine none To him I adioyne Saint Austen Modo fratres vt a peccato sanemur Christum crucifixum intuâ—â—amur quomodo illi intuebantur illum serpentem a morsibus August tract super Ioh. sanabantur serpentium sic qui fide intuentur mortem Christi sanantur morsibus peccatornm sed illi sanabantur a morte a d vitam temporalem hi autem vt habeant vitam aeternam hoc enim interest inter figuratam imaginem rem ipsam figura praestabat vitam temporalem res ipsa cuius imago erat praestabat vitam aeternam Now brethren saith he that we may be healed from sinne let vs behold Christ crueified euen as they beheld that Serpent hee speaketh of the Iewes in the Desart and were healed of the biting of Serpents so they who in faith behold the death of Christ are healed from the biting of sinne but they were healed from death to a temporall life but these that they may haue life euerlasting for this is the difference betwixt the figuring image and the thing it selfe the figure gaue temporall life but the thing it selfe of which the Image was gaue euerlasting life Thus hee with infinite much like which might bee producted out of him and all Ancient Fathers agreeingly to the whole current of sacred Scriptures for iustification by faith against the doctrine of all Pontificians who require a positiue and immediate concurrence dispositiue and preparatiue at lest of mans workes to the first iustification too to derogatorie against the bloud of Christ and faith in it How pernicious is that position of many of them that the works which doe proceede and goe before iustification doe de congruo out of congruitie merit iustification shal I cal this tenent an incongruous position only not so it is hereticall it is damnable not onely in the teachers but in the consenters and approuers of the same For tell mee All yee Pontifician Meritists out of congruitie and de congrua as you speake can the power of God can the iustice of God can the wisedome of God doe any thing dispose any thing or proceede in any thing against congruitie right equitie decencie No surely you must answere vnles like madmen you wil affirme that his wisedome may doe some thing vncongruously his power may worke something indecently inconueniently vnseemely you are not yet so impudent as to denie the attributes of God his infinite Wisedome Iustice Goodnesse and consequently his God-head see then and obserue what your merit of congruitie produceth marry a merit of condignitie for such a conueniencie such a congruitie such a worthinesse of a worke to God is as a condignitie For I demand of you in good earnest Is not that a merit of condignitie which in respect of the disposition of the worker and worthinesse of the worke so bindeth vrgeth and constraineth the omnipotent hand of God that he cannot vnlesse hee will proceede against decencie and congruitie but respect regard and reward the same with subsequent and following iustification in the soule which hath it whereby then it is as cleare as the Sunne that from merits of congruitie preceding iustification you are come to merits of condignitie preceding the same by which your hereticall
condignitie you are condignely fallen from Christ you are condignely fallen from the iustification which is in Christ which is only by grace not by Rom. 11. workes otherwise grace should not be grace if the Apostles argument in his Epistle to the Romanes may stand and take place and that of the same Apostle also to Titus stand firme Nos iustificatos esse illius gratia vt haeredes efficeremur aeternavitae That we are iustified by his grace that we might bee made Heires of euerlasting life And that againe of the same Apostle in his Epistle to the Romanes Iustificati ergo ex fide c. We being iustified therefore by Cap. 5. faith let vs haue peace to God through Iesus Christ our Lord by whom we haue accesse by faith into this grace in which we stand and doe glorie in the hope of the glorie of the children of God How admirable therefore is the excellencie of Christian faith by which the faithfull beleeuer is iustified in Christ is inserted to Christ made the Sonne of God the Heire of heauen partaker of iustice possessor of life not by purchasing merits of his owne but by the same faith possessing all the merits and iustice of Christ which thereby are efficaciously for his iustification communicated vnto him But what doe wee by this extolling of faith and by this comfortable doctrine of iustification by faith subuert the necessitie of good workes God forbid doe we grant a license or impunitie of sinning God auert it doe wee grant a Christian securitie and hope of saluation without merits Yes without merits but not without good works not without the fruits of sanctification which God hath ordained prepared and commanded his elect to walke in Heare that learned man master Caluin cap. 10. of his learned institutions that his propugnacle and defence of Christian religion which no Pontifician durst euer yet attempt to confute Per fidei iustificationem c. By iustification by faith the Aduersaries cauill good works to bee destroied what if thereby they be more established for we dreame not saith he of a faith voide of good works or of a iustification which consisteth without them this is only the difference that whereas we confesse faith and good works necessarily to cohere together notwithstanding we place iustification in faith and not in works And the same by what meanes it is done it is easie to explicate if wee conuert our selues to Christ to whom our faith is directed and from whome it receiueth all vertue and force why therefore are we iustified by it because by faith we apprehend the iustice of Christ by which only we are reconciled to God But this thou maist not apprehend vnlesse thou doe withall apprehend his sanctification for he is giuen to vs for Iustice VVisedome Redemption Sanctification therefore Christ iustifieth no man whom hee doth not also sanctifie For these benefits are with an insolluble knot conioyned so that whom Christ illuminateth those hee redeemeth whome he redeemeth hee iustifieth whome bee iustifieth hee sanctifieth thus hee most excellently agreeingly to sacred scriptures and all antiquitie conformably to the faith of the Church of England and accordingly to the Christian doctrine and resolution of all reformed Churches as the harmonie of confessions testifieth And I dare auouch that the vniuersall and Catholike concordance of this fundamentall point of iustification without which no Church and no person can bee held for Christian in the strict proper and true acception of the name of Christian is more vniformely taught and held by all the reformed Churches then any point of Doctrine controuerted in these times is held by the Pontisicans How glad would they be had they but such a vnity and conformitie for the verie rule of their faith touching which they are not yet agreed as I haue shewed in my motiues But the conformitie and irreprehensible agreement of all reformed Churches for this fundamentall article of iustification by faith in the bloud of Christ Iesus as it is an euidentargument of Christs spirit amongst them and tendeth greatly to the glorie of our Redeemer so it produceth wonderfull and vnmoueable consolation in the soules of the faithfull and sanctified beleeuers The aduersarie forsooth frame vnto themselues an Historicall beleefe for iustification in Christ the which as 1. Ioh. 2. the Diuels haue and yet notwithstanding doe tremble so the Christian auncient Churches neuer knew it and the Reformed doe explode it and against iustification by this Historicall faith they muster argument vpon argumentt and produce text vpon text to shew that besides such a faith there is required necessitie of good works and the fruits of sanctification But alas oleum operam perdunt they wast their oyle and loose their labour For what Christian reformed Church euer taught such a blasphemous paradoxe of iustification by such an Historicall faith they vtterly detest abhominate and renounce such a iustifying faith And here giue me leaue most beloued and Catholike Auditours to feele the very pulses of your consciences and my owne also to see how you stand and whether wee are cleansed with the bloud of Christ or no by this iustifying by this sanctifying faith Doe you at any time persisting in the purpose of sinne desire of sinne perswade your selues that notwithstanding the same you are iustified in Christ apprehending him by a dead faith as your Sauiour Doe you at any time hauing a conscience to act sinne to commit approue consent to sinne thinke that Christ notwithstanding will iustifie and sanctifie you without humble acknowledgement and heartie detestation of the said sinnes if the Diuell hauing transformed himselfe haue lulled any of you into such a lethargie I must needs pronounce that such a confidence is but a mere presumption such a iustification is a most pernicious deprauation But arise arise and Christ will illuminate you and will tell you 1. Joh. 1 what you ought to doe Si confiteamur peccata c. If Iacob 2. we confesse and acknowledge our sinnes God is faithfull to remit 1. Joh. 3. them Againe he who saith he knoweth God by a iustifying faith and keepeth not his commandements is a lyar and the truth is not in him Againe Omnis quinatus est ex Deo non peccat c. Euery one who is borne of God sinneth not because the seed of God remaineth in him neither can he sinne because he is borne of God Millions of like passages of sacred Scripture might be produced to shew that no man can be iustified in Christ whiles with full consent and with a setled intention and purpose of sinne hee prosecuteth the same doubtlesse it were a most pernicious paradoxe to teach that Christ iustifieth any one while hee is proposing and prosecuting with full and free consent Rom. 6. sinne the hire and wages whereof are death and damnation Hâ—b 3. If any one here should bee so dangerously seduced by the fallacie of sinne and deceit of Sathan let him