that I may not say further that to be set on the right hand of God is to haue a like power and equall glory with God himselfe Againe that the Romish Church is an idolatrous assembly I proue it out of the Romish Masse booke where in the Seruice appointed for Good Friday it is said that the Priest so soone as hee hath put off his shooes and then approcheth to adore the Crosse shall kneele three times before he kisse the Crosse and then afterward the Ministers of the Altar they must also kneele and three times adore the Crosse. II. Arg. That Church which approueth manifest crimes is not the pure Church but the Church of Rome is such Ergo. The Proposition is herein manifest for that the Papists themselues do yeeld sanctity and holinesse of manners to be a note of the Church The assumption I confirme for that the Pope doth dispence for Incest Sodomy and other most grieuous crimes See the Taxes Fines or Nundinations of the Court of Rome described at large in Musculus his Common Places 2. It is confirmed out of Costers Enchiridion where you shall find it written that a Priest committing fornication or keeping a concubine in his house does not so grieuously sinne as he that doth marrie This doth Gretzer allow of in his History of the Iesuiticall order pag 115. Most truly wrote our Coster that a Priest should not so grieuously offend if hee should commit Fornication then if hee should marrie And hee addeth Yea it is truly spoken that a Priest doth lesse sin in committing Adulterie then in marrying a Wife Bellar. 2. lib. de Monach. cap. 30. It cannot be truly said of a Nun that hath vowed continence that it is better to bee married then to burne for both in her is euill to bee married and to burne yea worse it is to bee married then to burne whatsoeuer our aduersaries say to the contrarie that it is written 1. Cor. 7. It is better to marry then to burne Here that is worthy marking which Sleidan sets downe in his first booke that a certaine Italian Bishop Casa by name hath written a whole booke in the praise of filthy Sodomy where we may note for a conclusion that although al those things be granted to the Papists which they most gloriously dispute about the Church yet they can gaine nothing hereby because they ought to make it plaine first vnto vs that the Popedome is the true Church which in that they haue not as yet prooued nor shall euer bee able to prooue it they do but delude themselues with a vaine title of the Church And whereas they say that it is absurd before the point of the Church bee discussed to take in hand to dispute of any of the Articles of faith that also can little auaile them because wee doe dispute and iudge of doctrine and faith by the word of God and it may so bee disputed although that point of the Church be not before handled for the Word of God is before the Church and aboue the Church neither hath the Church any authoritie to wrest the Scripture as we haue formerly proued in the common place of Scripture But here I would haue noted the exceeding fraud of the Popish Writers that when they haue made a great stirre about the Church and stood long vpon it at length they conclude the Church to be a Councell consisting of the Pope the Cardinals and Bishops and so exclude all other which are neither Cardinals nor Bishops from the Church at least remouing them so farre that they shall not make vp the Church properly so called and principally that hereby they might the more establish the insolent pride of their Spiritualtie against the manifest Word of God You haue made plaine the Doctrine of Redemption vnto mee now it followes that you instruct me in the matter of Iustification of man before God wherfore shew me I pray you what is Iustification It is the absoluing of sinfull man from his sinnes or it is a forgiuing of sinnes by the meere grace and fauour of God for the merits of Christ imputed and applied vnto vs by faith What are to bee considered about Iustification Foure things 1. the principall cause 2. the instrumentall cause 3. the effect and fruite and lastly the necessary adiunct What is the principall cause of Iustification before God The principal cause is either primarie or secondary the prime cause is the grace and mercy of God the other cause is the merit of Christ or the death and passion of Christ made ours imputed vnto vs or appropriated vnto vs so truely that the Passion of Christ should besteede vs as much as if we our selues had hanged on the Crosse and had died for our owne sinnes Hereof wee haue manifest testimonies of the Scripture Rom. 5. vers 8. As by one man many were made sinners c. Rom. 4. vers 5 6. Blessed is that man vnto whom God imputeth righteousnesse without the workes of the Law 2. Cor. 5. vers 8. He made him which knew not sin to be sinne for vs that we might bee made the righteousnesse of God in him Gal. 3.15 Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the Law whilest hee was made a curse for vs. Philip. 3. vers 8. That I may bee found not hauing my owne righteousnesse but that which is by the faith of Christ. Now there is no opposition in this wee say that a sinner is iustified by the meere grace of God and yet by the merit of Christ because it was brought about by the meere mercie and grace of God that Christ performed that meritorious worke for vs for Christ was in no wise bound vnto vs to die for vs but hee out of his meere grace and mercy did vndergoe death for vs. What is the instrumentall cause of Iustification Onely faith in Christ insomuch as by faith euen as by a hand and instrument we lay hold on and apply vnto vs the merit and satisfaction which Christ hath performed for vs. What is faith Faith is not onely a bare knowledge of the Historie of Christ but it is also a sure confidence of the heart whereby we set downe in our selues for certainty and be perswaded that our sinnes are forgiuen vs of God for the death and passion of Christ. Note here two maine errors of Poperie whereof the first is that faith is onely a certaine Historicall knowledge and no true and sure confidence of the heart whereunto the Scripture it selfe directly speaketh Rom. 8.20 where faith is called a sure trust and perswasion See my Gymnasium logicum wherein you haue this in that Theame Fides somewhat opened The second errour is that we come by the remission of sinnes not by faith alone but also by the merit of good workes contrary vnto those sayings in the Scripture Ephes 2.8 By the grace of God you are saued through faith and not of your selues Rom. 4. Abraham belieued and
waies is the saluation of man considered Two manner of waies either as it is perfect and complete or as it is but begun and imperfect or either in respect of the life to come or of this present life What is perfect eternall saluation It consisteth in 3. things First In most absolute perfection of bodie and soule Secondly In that vnvtterable ioy wherewith we shall triumph before God the holy Angels and godly men Thirdly In that most euident Maiesty glory and honour wherein we shall triumph ouer death Sathan sinne and sinfull men And this is that which Peter saith 2. Pet. 1. v. 4. We shall be made partakers saith he of the diuine nature of diuine perfection ioy and glory And Phil. 3. v. 21. Christ shall transforme our base body that it may be like the glorious body of Christ. Esay 64. v. 4. 1. Cor. 2. v. 9. The things which eye hath not seene nor the eare heard nor euer entred into the heart of man to conceiue are those which God hath prepared for them that loue him What is imperfect saluation or that which is begun only It is a taste of eternall saluation or that comfort and ioy of conscience which we haue in this life arising from the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and from that confidence we haue towards God whom we certainly know to be reconciled vnto vs by Christ Iesus so that no calamitie whatsoeuer can be able to separate vs from his loue no not death it selfe or that anxitie and horror which vsually we feele at the houre of death Of this the Apostle speaketh Rom. 5. v. 1. Therefore being iustified by faith we haue peace i. e. a ioyfull and merry conscience in the very midst of calamitie and death Rom. 8. v. 35. Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ shall oppression shall anguish c. I see now what the end is I may expect to reape from this heauenly doctrine which how much the more it is desirable so much the more I long to know the meanes by which I may be conducted to this end The meanes whereby thou mayst come to this most desired end are two First the knowledge of thy misery Secondly thy redemption out of that misery The former part of this heauenly science touching the diseases of the Soule How may I come by the right knowledge of my misery or of the sores of my soule If thou shalt weigh well with thy selfe these foure things 1. That which went before thy misery 2. The efficient cause of thy misery 3. The parts of it 4. The exemplary cause or glasse wherein thou hast represented vnto thee thy misery What is that which went before the misery of mankinde That happy and blessed estate wherein man was inuested by God before his fall or the image of God which was in man What is the image of God in man or rather what was it It was nothing else but that absolute and perfect estate before the fall consisting in the perfection of the vnderstanding and the will of man and further in the maiesty of man whereby hee farre excelled all other of the creatures or that I may speake yet more plainly the Image of God in man was either prime and principall or secondary and depending of the former The prime Image was both in his minde and in his body In his body there was perfect health and safety In his minde there was vnderstanding without errour will without staine of sinne That other image which depended or arose from this was that maiestie and alacritie was in man springing from the perfection of his body and soule touching which the Scripture speaketh Gen. 1. v. 26 Let vs make man according to our image and according to our likenesse Ephes. 4. v. 24. Paul cals true righteousnesse and holinesse the Image of God Hitherto must be referred the whole doctrine touching the state of Man before the fall and touching his liuing in Paradise anent which you may reade Gen. 1. v. 27 28 29. and all the second Chapter of that Booke What is the cause of mans miserie The fall of our first Parents or the defection of Adam and Eue from God in their first estate of innocency which was by the eating of the forbidden fruit What haue we to doe with the fall of Adam and Eue seeing then wee had no being at all Adam and Eue did represent all mankind and therefore they had giuen them felicitie and the Image of God for all mankinde wherefore in regard they by their offence lost that which they had receiued for all mankinde they lost it not in themselues alone but in all their posteritie Euen as if a King should giue any one some Priuiledges for himselfe and his postâ—ritie and he that had these Priuiledges granted should be attainted of Treason against the King then surely he himselfe should loose all those priuiledges which hee had gotten of the king and his posteritie should get no benefit of them neither And was this so great a matter to bite an Apple and to eate of it The eating of the Apple was a most grieuous offence not in regard of the Apple it selfe the losse thereof was but small for there were Apples good store in Paradise but because that eating flowed and issued as it were from the fountaine of most horrible sinnes to wit from pride man thereby affecting the seate and Maiestie of God and so became guiltie of high treason against Gods Maiestie as God mockingly casts man in the teeth Gen. 3. Behold Adam is made like vnto one of vs that is he is made as it were one of the persons in the Sacred Trinitie Another sinne is vnbeleefe in that our first Parents did not beleeue Gods words to be true when he said in what day soeuer ye shall eaâ—â— of it ye shall die the death But contrariwise in that they readily beleeued the diuell who spake vnto them by the Serpent as by his instrument and told them that they should not die at all and so they gaue more credit to him then vnto God The third sinne is contemptuousnesse and disobedience for we ought to obey God in all his commands euen in those which wee thinke are but of little reckoning The fourth sinne is vnthankefulnesse for man was created after the likenesse and Image of God and therefore it was his duty to obey Gods Commandements in token of his thankfulnesse for the benefit The fift and most grieuous sinne was that apparant reuolt and falling from God to the diuell namely when man went about to attaine to be like vnto God by the Counsell and helpe of the diuell and so conspired as it were with the diuell against God I haue also heard of the cause of miserie or of the diseases of the soule tell me now further what be the parts of our misery They be two Sinne and the punishment for sinne for in these two things our misery
as Eagles soaring vp to heauen by hauing carefull meditations on heauenly and inuisible things arising from the due consideration of the things themselues offered vnto vs that is the outward elements of bread and wine as also from a regardfull contemplation of euery action in that holy ministration First therefore when wee see the bread and wine set before vs on the Lords Table we know that they are appointed for the nourishing strengthening of our bodies but here wee must not stay Our hearts heereby are to be led to meditate on the body and bloud of Christ which is appointed to be our soules nourishment to feed vs to eternall life for so he professeth of himselfe Ioh. 6.55 My flesh is meat indeed my blood is drink indeed Secondly when wee see the breaking of the bread and powring out of the wine our hearts are to bee led to the meditation on the cruell death of the Crosse which Christ suffered for the remission of our sinnes when his most blessed body was broken and his most precious blood shed for the redemption of mankind Againe when wee see that the bread which is broken and giuen vnto vs by the Minister is all of the same loafe or at the least of the same graine and the wine whereof wee drinke that it commeth from the same grapes and receiued by vs in the same cup wee are hereby to bee led to the meditation on that communion which we haue with al Gods Saints which are partakers of those holy mysteries and to the consideration of that vnion which wee haue or should haue among our selues as members of one mysticall body whereof C. Iesus is the head Lastly when we eate that holied bread and drinke that consecrated wine wee know that they turne to nutriment for our bodies and so consequently that they grow into one substance hereby are wee led to a further meditation on our incorporation into Christ Iesus to be made one with him and hee with vs so that hereby we may assure our hearts of our reconciliation with God and of all the benefits of Christs death and passion for seeing Christ is become ours how shal not God with Christ giue vs all things And these are those holy Meditations whereupon we must bestow the best of our thoughts in that so sacred a businesse now as touching the triall of our soules after the receiuing of those holy mysteries note but this After that the Lord hath fed our soules so graciously at his owne table we must take heed we proue not vnthankfull to the louing kindnesse of the Lord. And therefore it is required of vs and that not for a day or a weeke or some small time but euen for euer continually to retaine a thankfull remembrance of those blessings whereof we are made partakers in Christ Iesus as also neuer to let slip out of our mind that interchangeable promise which hath past betwixt God and vs. The Lord promising to be our God and wee promising henceforth to become Gods faithfull obedient seruants to serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the remainder of our life Whence the ordinarie custome in these dayes may worthily bee reprehended for howsoeuer men for a day or a short space seeme to haue a Christian sense of that holy duty whereto they haue bound themselues by their promise yet notwithstanding within a while they returne with the dogge to the vomit and with the Sow to wallowing in the mire Wherefore to good purpose it is that we propose to our hearts a triall of our selues euen after our receiuing for though a man by the sight of the soyle may gather by some gesse what fruit wil come vp yet when he sees the fruit the matter is farre more sure And therefore because those Accidents Antecedent as repentance from dead workes faith in Christ and louâ— toward men may sometime deceiue vs it is good to put the matter out of all doubt to trie our selues afterward if we can heare the Word more ioyfully if wee trauell for the righteousnesse of faith more soundly make the score of our sins lesse then they were before And these indeed are comfortable fruits of the truth of our holinesse FINIS 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or Recapitulation of the chiefe Points handled in this Treatise CHristian Religion is the seruing of God in Christ. The actions thereof are 3 most eminently 1. Meditation of Gods VVord which testifies of Christ. 2. Pâ—ayer vnto God through Christ. 3. The vse of the Sacraments instituted by Christ. Of the two first elsewhere here onely of the third Page 1. seqq That wee may vse the Sacraments aright wee haue need of Preparation which in this Booke is both largely deciphered and concisely proposed Preparation largely deciphered consists in 2. things Knovvledge and Devotion Our knowledge is either generall in points of Religion or particular about a Sacrament Our generall knowledge is either primarie and independant or secondarie and deriued The primary and independant consists of a double doctrine â— Of God according to the Essence which is one persons which are there Pag. 4. II. Of Gods VVord or the Scripture of which see the definition pa. II. The diuision which is threefold p. II. The properties which are 3 I. It deriues its authoritie from God alone pa. 16.2 It is perfect and sufficient to saluation p. 20. 3. In the Articles of Faith and matters necessary to saluation it is easie and perspicuous pa. 23 The secondarie and deriued knowledge consists of two parts I. Of the End it selfe Saluation considered in respect of the life to come perfect or this present life inchoate p. 29. II. Of the Meanes to come by that End and that 's a double knowledge I. Of thy Miserie II. Of the Remedie for thy miserie Thy misery is throughly knowne by the consideration of 4. things I. That which went before miserie the Image of God II. The Efficient cause of thy misery Adamâ— fall III. The parts thereof to wit Sinne Originall and Actuall and the punishment for sin Temporall and Eternall IV. The Exemplary cause or glasse representing thy miserie which is the rigour of the Lavv. pag. 32. seqq The remedie for thy miserie is twofold Prime and Independant which is Predestination to lise pag. 40. Or secondary and dependant diuided into 3. heads Redemption Iustification Sanctification Redemption here is I. defined II. it is further opened both by the Efficient cause thereof and by the obiect thereof The efficient cause of our Redemption is Christ in him consider I. his Person and so 1. the Parts thereof the humane and diuine natures 2. the Vnion of those two natures II. his Office of which 1. in generall as it is called a Mediatourship 2. in speciall and so it is Propheticall Sacerdotall and Regall p. 41. seqq The obiect of Redemption is the Church which is largely taken pag. 71. strictly and properly Of it are considered the head the members the
humane nature But vnto Christ many things are so attributed Ergo. The minor is proued by that Iohn 8. v. 19. Verely Verely I say vnto you Before Abraham was I am This can by no meanes be vnderstood of the humane nature because Christs Natiuity was two thousand yeares after Abraham That trifling exposition which the Samosateuian Heretikes giue of this place before Abraham was to wit the father of the faithfull I am is altogether vnsound and not sounding with the text neither with the scope and intention of Christ in this place For he was to answer to the obiection of the Iewes who had said in the verse going before Thou art not yet fiftie yeares old and hast thou seene Abraham Now what an answer should this haue beene if he had said Before Abraham was the father of the faithfull I am for that should haue beene as ridiculous an answer as if when one should say to me thou art not yet forty yeares old and hast thou seene Sigismund king of Polonia and I should answer Before my sonne shall get a sonne and be a father I am would not all laugh at such an answer giuen to that question and that Christ is Man it needes no prouing because all grant it Why is not the sole humane nature of Christ called a Person as well as euery one of vs be called persons Although the humane nature of Christ consisteth of a soule and a body euen as we doe notwithstanding it can not subsist a part by it selfe without adioyning it to the diuine nature whereas we can subsist euery one by himselfe seuerally otherwise he is like vnto vs in other things sinne only excepted as the Scripture witnesseth Heb. 2. v. 14. Because therefore the children are partakers of flesh and blood euen Christ also was made partakers of them And v. 16. He tooke not the Angels but the seede of Abraham whereupon hee ought to bee made like vnto all his brethren in substance namely according to his soule and body Which may be obserued against the Vbiquitaries who conceit there was another kind of humane substance in Christ then such as we haue namely such a one as can be in one and the selfe-same instant of time euery where in all places both in heauen and earth and so they confound the diuine and humane nature one with the other I haue heard what be the parts of Christs Person now shew me what is the vnion of those two parts in Christs Person It is that indissoluble knot wherby the humane nature is so surely tied vnto the diuine and the diuine nature so linked to the humane that of them two is made but one Person and that those natures for euer cannot be dis-ioyned the one from the other What are we to consider in this vnion Two things to wit The cause of the vnion of the two natures in Christ and then the proprieties of this vnion What is the cause of the vnion of these two natures in Christ The conception of the humane nature in the Virgin Maries wombe wrought by the Holy Ghost and then the Natiuitie and Incarnation whereby after that most straite coniunction of the humane nature with the diuine in the Virgin Maries wombe the man Christ was borne and brought forth into this light See Syst. Theolog pag. 323. How many proprieties hath this vnion Three First that it is exceeding fast and sure Secondly that it can not possible be dissolued Thirdly that by reason thereof those things that agree only to the one nature are notwithstanding attributed to the whole Person because of either of those two natures See Syst. Theolog pag. 320. I haue heard as touching the Person of Christ now it remaines that I be instructed in the office of Christ and first of all that you tell mee how the office of Christ is called generally It is in generall termed the office of a Mediatour What is a Mediatour Generally a Mediatour importeth such an one as doth reconcile the party offending to the party offended which reconciliation consisteth in these three things 1 The Mediatour must take intercession for him that hath grieued the partie offended 2. He must satisfie the partie offended for the iniurie and wrong done 3. He must promise and likewise prouide that the offender shall not offend any more And therefore when we say Christ is a Mediatour it is as if we say that Christ is that Person that hath appeased God whom Mankinde by their sinnes had most grieuously offended and who hath giuen satisfaction to the iustice of God by his Passion and Death who prayeth for sinners and applyeth his merit vnto them by faith who regenerateth them by his holy Spirit that they may begin in this life to hate sinne and to be warie that they offend God no more Of how many sorts is the office of Christ our Mediatour Of three sorts Propheticall Sacerdotall and Regall in regard wherof our Sauiour is called Christ i. e. anointed and appointed vnto this triple office because in the Old Testament by Gods own command there were anointed Prophets Priests and Kings Which is the Propheticall office of Christ and in what doth it consist It consists in two things 1. In the Office of teaching And 2. in the Efficacie of his teaching for Christ is called a Prophet 1. Because hee hath reuealed God and Gods will vnto Angels and vnto men For God could no otherwise be knowne then by the Sonne according vnto that The Sonne who is in the bosome of the Father he hath reuealed him vnto vs. 2. Because hee hath appointed and preserued in his Church the Ministery of the Gospel and bestoweth on his Church able Teachers and Ministers fitting and furnishing them with gifts necessarie for teaching Ephes. 4. v. 3. Christ hath giuen some to be Prophets other to be Apostles and Teachers 3. Because he is powerfull by the Ministerie of the Word and inclineth the hearts of such men as are elect to beleeue and obey the Gospell Luk. 24. v. 25. Then he opened their vnderstanding that they might vnderstand the Scriptures Act. 16. v 14. The Lord opened the heart of Lydia to attend vnto those things which were spoken by Paul Which is the Priestly Office of Christ and wherein doth it consist It consists in three things 1. In the purging of our sinnes 2 In the vertue and applying of that purgation 3. In his Intercession for vs for as the Priest in the Old Testament had two Officers the one to make attonement for sinne and the other to pray for the people So likewise the Priestly Office of Christ heerein consisteth 1. That he should offer himselfe as a Sacrifice to his eternall Father for our sinnes 2. That he should make intercession for vs vnto his eternall Father What are there to be considered in the first part of Christs Priestly Office to wit in the satisfaction for our sinnes There be two namely the causes
or meanes whereby Christ wrought this expiation and so satisfied for our sinnes and 2 the Proprieties of that Expiation What be the causes by which Christ wrought this expiation These be of two sorts either Prime or arising from the prime causes What is the prime cause The obedience of Christ in that he humbled himselfe and was subiect to the Law to the end that he might satisfie for vs who had broken the Law According to that Rom. 5. v. 19. As by the disobedience of one man to wit of Adam many were made sinners so by the obedience of one to wit of Christ many shall be made righteous What is the other cause arising and springing from this prime cause It is twofold The Passion and the Death of Christ. Of what sort is the Passion of Christ It is of two sorts Externall and Internall What is the Externall Passion It is both that anguish which Christ endured in his most Sanctified body and also that ignominy and shame which hee sustained for our sakes Which was the Internall Passion That wonderfull sadnesse and heauinesse which Christ felt in his soule for our sinne Of which it is said Math. 26. v. 38. My soule is heauy euen vnto the death where by death hee vnderstandeth not only corporall death but eternall as if he had said my soule is as heauy and sorrowfull as their soules are which must for euer be damned How many were the torments of Christ in soule Two Which is the former The former was in the Garden before he was apprehended and led to publike iudgement for there began he to be affraid of himselfe lest God should leaue and forsake him whom he then beheld as one who was grieuously offended by the sins of Mankinde and consequently who was extremely angry with him that had taken and translated vpon himselfe the sinnes of the whole world Whereby doe you know the greatnesse of these torments and sufferings in the soule of Christ By two tokens First in that Christ there needed Angels to comfort him and to hold him vp lest being too much affraid by that horrible sight of the angry and wrathfull God he should haue fainted See Luk. 22. v. 13. and hence it was that he vttered that speach My soule is heauy vnto death euen to eternall death What is the other token of those most grieuous torments in the soule of Christ His bloody sweat for this was a manifest signe that all the naturall forces in Christ were much weakened and as it were bound from doing their office by reason of that great torment and terrour so that nature could not keepe the blood any more in the veines but was faine being congealed and clotted to cast it out as it were and driue it to the exteriour parts of which great violence and terrour the like example can no where be read in any Historie Which is the other suffering or torment of Christ in soule The latter was that which a little before his death hee felt vpon the Crosse when he stroue against that temptation of his perpetuall separation and abiection from the face of God whereupon hee sent forth that dolefull cry My God my God why hast thou forsaken me where by a Metonymy he calleth that fearefull temptation wherewith those are wont to be troubled whom God hath cast from his sight and quite forsaken desertion or forsaking For requisite it was that Christ should endure such a temptation that hee might deliuer vs from eternall damnation I haue seene the Passion of Christ now tell me his death The death of Christ is the separation of his Soule from his Body whereby he satisfied for and purged our sinnes and deliuered vs from eternall death And so much the very shedding of blood and water out of Christs side did manifest of which Iohn speaketh Iohn 19. v. 34. One of the souldiers saith he pearced his side and presently issued out blood and water by the blood Christ signified that our sinnes were ransomed and satisfied for by the water that we are washed from the filth of our sinnes It followeth now in order that you instruct me as touching the proprieties and benefits of Christs Passion tell me therefore what is the first proprietie of Christs Passion This it is that it was altogether necessary in regard that mankinde could no way else be freed from eternall death but by the death of the Sonne of God And that for this reason because the most high God is most iust and therefore neuer remitteth sinnes without satisfaction sithence that by nature he hateth sinnes and can in no wise endure them for he that is iustice most eminently cannot away with iniustice euen as the fire cannot abide water As it is said Psal. 5. Thou art not a God that willeth wickednesse Againe plaine places of the Scripture doe testifie the same Rom. 8. v. 3. That which was impossible to the Law that hath God done by sending his Sonne i. e. that which by no other meanes could haue beene performed was done by the death of the Sonne of God Heb. 2. v. 14. Therefore because the children are partakers of flesh and blood he also in like manner was made partaker of them that hee might abolish by death him that had the power of death that is the Deuill and in the verse following and might set at libertie those which through the feare of death were subiect vnto bondage all their life long that is that he might redeeme those which otherwise should haue perished eternally vnlesse Christ had wrought their Redemption And truly if there had beene any other way to haue satisfied for sinne then that might haue beene performed either by our selues or by some other creature But we could not haue done this for our selues 1. Because whatsoeuer good we doe we doe already owe it vnto God and that which wee owe vnto God is not the price of Redemption or satisfaction but it is due debt 2. Because wee adde somewhat to the score of our debts euery day and therefore wee can neuer bee able to satisfie and pay them And that wee doe daily adde sinne vnto sinne See Iohn 15. vers 15 16. Psal. 130. v. 3. Math. 6. v. 12. Math. 18. v. 25. Thirdly Because sinne is a hurt and iniurie to God and so an infinite euill and therefore also deserueth either eternall punishment or one equall thereunto out of which if it had beene laid vpon vs we could neuer haue beene able to haue freed ourselues No other creature could satisfie for vs for example Not the Angels first Because man and no other creature may be punished for that sinne man had committed the Iustice of God requiring that it should be so as it is said Ezech. 18. v. 30. That soule that hath sinned euen that shall die Secondly Because no creature no not the Angels are able to escape and free themselues out of eternall punishment Whereupon it followeth that it was