recouery of that right which man hath to all the Creatures the which Adam lost to himselfe all his posteritie 1. Cor. 3. 22. Whether it be the world or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours and you Christs The right way of knowing this benefit is this when God giueth meat drinck c. we must not barely consider them as blessings of God for that very Heathen men can doe which know not Christ but as proceeding from the loue of God in Christ. And so often as wee vse the Creatures this point must come to minde for blessings conceiued a part from Christ are misconceiued Whatsoeuer they are in themselues they are no blessings to vs but in and by Christs Merits for this cause it is not sufficient generally to know Christ to be our Redeemer but wee must learne to see him and acknowledge him in euery particular gift blessing of God If men when they behold their meates and drincks could by faith behold in them the merit of Christs passion there would not bee so much gluttony and drunkennes as there is If the like in their houses and lands their would not bee so much fraud and deceipt inâ—ustice and oppression Also noble birth without new birth is but vanitie The like is to bee saide of phisicke sleepe health libertie recreations and very breathing it self Therefore it is meete that with our earthly recreation wee ioyne spirituall mediâ—ation of the death of Christ then would there not bee so many vnlawfull sports and delights and so much abuse of lawfull Recreations as there is and this wee ought to do for Christ is all in all things Col. 3. 11. The third benefit of Reconciliation is that all crosses and afflictions cease to bee curses and punishments to them that are in Christ and are onely corrections trials because Christs death hath taken away all and euery part of the curse of the law In all crosses Christ is to bee knowne on this manner iudge of them as chastisements or tryals proceeding not from a reuenging Iudge but from the hand of a louing father and therefore they must be taken in and with the merit of Christ as meanes sent of God to keepe vs from being dampned with the wicked world if otherwise wee take them as curses and punishments And hence it followeth that Subiection to the crosse or hand of God in all crosses is a marke of the true church of Christ. The fourth benefit of Reconciliation is that Death is properly no death but a rest or sleep Death therefore is to bee considered not as it is set forth in the Law but as it is altred by the death of Christ and when death commeth wee must looke vpon it through Christs death as through a glasse and thus it will appeare to bee but a passing from this life to euerlasting life The second benefit of Christ is the benefit of his Vertue The Vertue of Christ is the power of his Godhead whereby hee createth new haâ—ts in all that beleeue in him This Veâ—tue is double First the power of his death Secondly the power of his resurrection by the first hee freed himselfe from the punishment and imputation of our sins By the second hee raised himselfe from Death to Life The benefit of Christs diuine power is great to all the faithfull for the same power which freed him from the punishment and imputation of our sins setueth also to mortifie and crucifie the corruptions of our wils mindes and affections And the same which raised him from death to life serueth also to raise those that belong to Christ first from their sinnes in this life secondly from the graue in the day of iudgement The knowledge of this double Vertue must not bee onely in the braine 〈◊〉 experimentall in the heart that is to feele the power of Christs death killing sinne in them that wee might bee able to say with Paul Wee liâ—e not but Christ liueth in vs. This was one of the most excellent things which pauâ— sought for Phâ— 3. 10. I have counted al things but dung that I may know him the vertue of his resurrection The way to know it is to cast off the old man which is corrupt through deceiuâ—able lusts Ephe. 4. 22. The third benefite of Christ is the benefite of his example for Christ is to be knowen not onely as a redeemer but also as a patterne of all good â—ueties to which we ought to conforme our liues Christ is to bee followed of vs in the practise of euery good duety that may concerne vs without exception 〈…〉 Our conformitie with Christ is first in the framing of our inward life secondly in the practise of outward and morrall dueties Conformitie in spirituall life is not by doing that which Christ did vpon the crosse and afterward but a doing of the like by a certaine kinde of imitation and it hath foure parts First a spirituall Oblation for as hee by prayer resigned himselfe vp to bee a sacrifice to the iustice of his father So we in prayer must resigne our selues wholy to the Seruice of God Secondly a spirituall crucifying of our selues for as hee bare his owne Crosse so must wee denie our selues and take vp all crosses that come euery day Againe as hee crucified his flesh so must wee crucifie the body of sinne Gal. 5. 24. They which are Christs haue crucified the flesh with the lusts and affections He with a speare was wounded we with the sword of the spirit must wound sinne to death and labour by experience to feele the very death of it and bury it Thirdly a spirituall Resurrection for as he came out of his graue so wee must come out of our sinnes as out of a most loathsome graue to liue to God This worke cannot bee done at once but by degrees as God shall giue grace Fourthly a spirituall ascention by a continuall eleuation of the heart and minde to Christ sitting at the right hand of God If yee be risen with Christ seeke those things which are aboue Col. 2. Conformitie in morall Dueties is generally to bee holy as he is specially to bee like vnto him in foure Vertues that is in Faith Loue Meeknesse and Humilitie In Faith for as he when he apprehended the wrath of God wholy stayed himselfe vpon the ayde and good pleasure of his father euen to the last so must wee depend wholy on Gods mercy in Christ as with both hands in peace and trouble in life and pang of death And not let goe our hold no though wee feele our selues as it were descend to Hell Secondly in Loue for hee loued his enimies more then himselfe Ephes. 5. 2. Walk in Loue euen as Christ loued vs and hath giuen himselfe for vs c. The like Loue ought wee to shew by doing seruice to all men in the compasse of our callings and by being all vnto all that wee might
of Christ which is the sword of the Spirit to hew and cut thy sinnes and bee content with patience to endure the sifting and fanning of the Gospell for except the dead and superfluous branches be cut off we can neuer bring forth fruit in Christ. Secondly wee must resolue to endure all outward crosses and losses for the euerlasting Truth of Christ for hee that will saise his life saith Christ shall loose it and he that will loose it for my sake and the Gospell shall saue it And if wee suffer with him saith S. Paul wee shall also raigne with him If wee belong to Christ wee must looke for tribulation and anguish and persecution and famine and nakednesse and perill and sword all which will try their force to see if they can seperate vs from the loue of Christ. Yea wee must looke for his sake to bee killed all the day long and to bee counted as sheepe for the slaughter But in all these things saith the holy Apostle wee are more then conquerours through him that loued us And therefore wee faint not but though our oâ—tward man perish yet th' inward man is renued daily For our light affliction which is but for a moment causeth vnto vs a farre more excellent waight of glory While wee looke not on the things which are seene but on the things which are not seene This point will bee scarce welcommed or well liked of nice and daintie professours of the Gospell which must neuer goe to Gods house but when the Sunne shineth the waies are faire and no Winde is stirring to blow vpon them and when they are there they must heare nothing but pleasing things their sinnes must not bee touched much lesse can they endure to haue the cutting knife of Gods law laid to the throat of their sinne And if all the world doth not applaud and commend their zeale and good deeds they soon are discouraged stand stone stil like the winde mill that goeth no longer then the winde bloweth no scoffe or reproach no persecution or trouble can they endure for the Truths sake what Treasure can these lay vp by their daintinesse in heauen The third way to lay vp Treasure in heauen is while thou liuest here vpon earth to grow in the powerfull and liuely knowledge of Christ crucified by a liuely apprehensiue faith to make thy selfe sure of all his benefits in comparison of whom thou oughtst with the blessed Apostle to esteeme all the world but drosse and dung Now to effect this we must consider the merite of Christ the vertue of Christ and the example of Christ and what benefit wee haue by euery one of them as that worthie man of God M. Perkins hath both learnedly heauenly declared the somme whereof I will breefly recall into thy minde Christ is to bee considered as the common Treasurie and store-house of Gods Church for God hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessings in Christ. Eph. 1. 4. And in him are all the Treasures of Knowledge Wisdome hidden Col. 2. 3. And of his fulnesseâ—wee all receiâ—e grace for grace Iohn 1. So that all the blessings of God without exception are conuayed vnto vs from the Father by Christ and so must they bee receiued and no otherwise But concerning the benefits of Christ wee are to learne further two things first what they are Secondly how or in what manner to vse them His benefits are three Merit Vertue and Example The Merit of Christ is the value of his death and passion whereby he hath obtained to vs Reconciliation And this Reconciliation hath two parts first Remission of sinnes Secondly acceptation to eternall life and both for the merit of Christ imputed This benefit must bee knowen not by conceipt nor carnal presumption but by the inward testimonie of gods Spirit To attaine to the infallible assurance of this benefite we must call to minde the promises of the Gospell touching remission of sins and the gift of eternall life to the Faithfull Secondly wee must endeuour by the assurance of Faith to apply them to our owne hearts And thirdly wee must vse often exercises of Inuocation and repentance for by our crying to God for reconciliation commeth the assuraunce thereof And if it so fall out that a man in temptation feele nothing but the furious wrath of God yet euen then against all reason and feeling hee must hold to the merit of Christ and know that God is a most louing father to them that haue a care to serue him euen at that instant when he sheweth himselfe a most fierce and terrible enimie which Iob knew right well when hee said If the Lord should kill mee yet I will trust in him From the benefite of Reconciliation proceede foure benefites First that excellent peace of God which passeth all Vnderstanding Phil. 4. And that hath sixe parts first peace with the Trinitie for being Iustified by Faith we haue peace with God Rom. 5. 1. Secondly Peace with Angles who do ascend and descend vpon the Sonne of man Iohn 1. 51. and all for the good of Gods Church For the Angels doe incampe about those that feare the Lord. Psal. 34. And like Nurses doe beare them in their armes Psal. 90. 12. that they hurt not their foot against a stone All this seruice which the Angels performe vnto the faithfull proceedes of this that the faithfull being in Christ are pertakers of his merit Thirdly peace with the Faithfull for the Wolfe shall dwell with the Lambe and the Leopard shall lye with the Kid and the Calfe and the Lyon and the fat beasts together and a little child shall lead them Esay 11. 6. Fourthly peace with a mans selfe and that is first when the Conscience washed in the bloud of Christ ceaseth to accuse a man secondly when the will and affections are obedient to the minde enlightened by the Word and Spirit of God and this is that which the Apostle meaneth when hee saith Let the peace of God rule in your hearts Col. 3. 15. Fiftly Peace with our enimies and that two wayes first in seeking Peace with all hurting none but doing good to all secondly in that God restraineth their mallice inclineth their hearts to peace Sixtly Peace with the Creatures Psal. 91. 13. Thou shalt walk vpon the Lyon and the Dragon c. And in that day saith the Lord I will make a coâ—enant for them with the wild Beasts and with the foules of the heauen with that that creepeth vpon the earth c. Hos. 2. 18 If therefore wee see God against vs our owne Conscience against vs the Angels against vs the Faithfull against vs the wicked against vs the Creatures against vs let vs examine this point of Reconciliation and if all bee with vs let vs know that it is the benefit of Christs merit The second benefit of Christs merite is
do them all the good we can both for body and soule 1. Cor. 9. 19. Thirdly in Meekenesse Mat. 11. 28. Learne of mee c. His Meekenesse appeared in bearing Patiently all Inâ—uries and abuses and suffering the curse of the Law without grudging submitting himselfe to his fathers will in all things So must wee and the more wee follow him herein the more wee are like him in his Death and Refurrection Fourthly in his Humilitie for being God hee became man for vs and of a man a worme that is troden vnder foot that hee might saue man Phil. 2. 5. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ who being equall with God tooke vpon him the shape of a Seruant and humbled himselfe euen to the death of the Crosse. Here is to be obserued that the example of Christ hath something more in it then any other hath or can haue for it doth not onely shew vs what wee ought to doe but it is both a remedie against many vices as also a motiue to many good Dueties as for example the serious consideration that the very Sonne of God himselfe suffered all the wrath of God and curse of the Law for our sins is the most effectuall meanes to stir vp our hearts to a godly sorrow for them to which end euery man must bee perswaded that hee was the man that crucified Christ that hee is to bee blamed as well as Herod Pilate and the Iewes and that his sinnes were the nayles and speares that pearced Christ. Againe if Christ for our sinnes shed his bloud and if our sinnes made him sweate drops of bloud why should not wee shed bitter teares for our sinnes Hee that findeth himselfe so dull and hardened that the passion of Christ doth not humble him is in a lamentable case Againe when thou art sicke and in paine thinke how light these are being compared to the Agony and bloudy Sweate the Thornâ— and Nayles which Christ endured when thou art wronged abused turne thy eie to the crosse consider how meekly Christ bare it and prayed for them that put him to death When thou art tempted with Pride and Vaine-glory consider how for thy sinnes Christ was mocked despised and condemned when thou art moued with anger and desire of reuenge think how Christ gaue himselfe to death to saue his enimies when they most cruelly set themselues against him and these meditations being mingled with faith will ease thy minde And hence ariseth sayth M. Perk. a three-fold knowledge first of God secondly of our neighbour thirdly of our selues Of God for if wee would know him to our Saluation wee must know him in Christ crucified for God of his owne nature is inuisible and is reuealed to vs onely in Christ in whom hee sets foorth his Iustice Wisedome Goodnesse and Prouidence Heb. 1. 3. Col. 1. 3. whatsoeuer out of Christ commeth to vs in the name of God is a flat Idoll of mans braine The second knowledge that ariseth from the former meditations is of our neighbours that is those that are of gods Church They are to bee knowen of vs in this manner When wee are to do any Duetie to them wee are not barely to respect their persons but Christ crucified in them and them in Christ Saul Saul why c. when the poore come for reliefe it is Christ that commeth to our dores and saith I am hungry therefore let our compassion bee towards them as towards Christ. The third knowledge is of our selues and the right knowledge of our selues ariseth of Christ crucified in whom and by whom wee come to the knowledge of fiue speciall things First the grieuousnesse of our sinnes and our miserie in regard of them for if wee consider our offences in our selues wee may bee deceiued because our conscience being corrupt often erreth in giuing testimonie and so it seemes but little but if sinne bee considered in the death and passion of Christ whereof it was the cause and the vilenesse thereof measured by the vnspeakable torments endured by him the least sinne will appeare to be a most grieuous sinne indeed Secondly by this wee know that men beleeuing in Christ are not their owne but wholly both body and soule belong to Christ. Thirdly that euery true beleeuer hath this being from Christ not as hee is a man but as hee is a new man Fourthly that all good works done of vs proceede from the vertue and merit of Christ crucified Ioh. 15. 2. Fiftly that we owe vnto Christ an endlesse debt for hee was crucified onely as our suertie and pledge and in the spectacle of his passion wee must consider our selues as the chiefe debters we owe him all our selues for the paines that hee endured to set vs most miserable bankroupts at libertie from Hell Death and the Diuell but 〈◊〉 when doe wee beginne to pay it Thus wee see what benefits we haue by Christ crucified and in what manner wee ought to vse them but alas but few haue treasured vp this knowledge of Christ as they ought for herein faile both the Papist and the common Protestant The Popish Churches though in word they confesse him yet doe they not know him as they ought for in their Sermons they vse the passion as a means onely to stirre vp pittie and compassion towards Christ and hatred of Pilate the Iewes and Iudas c. But the seruice of God which in that Church stands now in force by the Cannons of the Counsell of Trent defaceth Christ crucified in that first the Passions of Martires are made meritorious secondly the very word and signe of the Crosse is their onely refuge and help thirdly the Virgine Mary is made the Queene of heauen and a mother of Mercy who may commaund her Sonne fourthly they giue religious adoration to dumbe stocks Crucifixes made by the hands of men The common Protestant also commeth short for three causes for first though in Word they confesse him to bee a Sauiour that hath redeemed them yet indeede they make him a patron of their sinnes Secondly they take knowledge of his merit but little regard the vertue of his death and resurrection in mortifying of their sinfull lusts and affections thirdly they vsually content themselues generally and confusedly to know Christ to be their redeemer neuer once seeking in euery perticuler estate of life and blessing of God to feele the benefit of his passion What is the cause of all the securitie in the world and that men are not touched for their sins surely because they did neuer yet seriouslie consider that Christ in the Garden lay groueling vpon the earth sweating of bloud c. for their offences Againe oppressours of the poore neuer knew that their sinnes drew out the hart bloud of Christ. Againe proud persons puffed vp with strange atire neuer consider that Christ was not crucified in gay atire but naked that hee might beare the whole shame and curse of the Law for vs. These and