remaine in us because of the weakenes and imperfection of our faith for in these we are not to looke to any satisfaction yet behind but to take hold of that perfect one which hath already satisfied If that act of theirs be propitiatory then is not sinne fully discharged by the other Thus blasphemous they are not onely in this their God of dough but also in all other their satisfactions for sinne and in their doctrine of Purgatory For if there remaine any satisfaction or purgation to be ◅ are fully charged be◅e God for ◅ made then is it not true that he hath made perfect for ever neither was his death then of full and sufficient price True it is that although we are by his one oblation fully and perfectly discharged for ever before God from the guiltinesse of our sinnes yet we are not in the full possession of this benefit nor shall not be untill the last day for then shall his enemies be made his footestoole The Divell sinne and death are these enimies which he hath overcome that they cannot raigne over us but yet we must in the meane time wrestle with thē not therefore esteeming the power of Christs death to be the lesse because they be not already utterly abolished as the wicked unbeleeving Papists do and therefore set up trash of their owne to destroy sinne but waiting for that appointed time when the full power of his death shall appeare in the meane time staying by faith and resting our selves on that one sacrifice once offred To conclude then hath not the mighty spirit of God power to apply unto us the vertue of that bloud but such silly virmin as the Popish priests must helpe The holy ghost calling upon us and teaching us to apply Gods spiri◅◅plies to us◅ death of C◅ these benefits willeth us to draw neere with a true heart with full assurance of faith Heb. 10. ver 22. we come unto him with the heart after a spirituall manner because all things in him are spirituall we are bid to approch to lay hold of him by faith for we can not either with the hand or with the mouth And seeing there is not so much as one sentence in all the booke of God which speaketh of any application of his death any other way it must needes be concluded againe that they may be as good priests as the priests of Baal and no◠better and that when they hold up their idol Christ is not betweene their fingers Let us go forward It shall yet be more manifest by the words of the holy Ghost that this sacrifice of the masse is so farre from being the sacrifice of the New Testament that it doth flatly goe against it For he saith as concerning Christ that he did not offer himselfe often as the high priest went yerely into the holy place with other bloud Heb. 9. ver 25. and then in the next verse he giveth a reason namely that then hee should have suffered often since the beginning of the world This sentence is very mighty against the Papists because it driveth them from all their shifts and leaveth them naked and destitute but the force of it will not appeare unlesse we looke upon what principles it is grounded to prove that if Christ should have offred himselfe often then must he also have suffered death often since the beginning of the world Among the which this offereth it selfe as the first to be considered that all the holy fathers the Patriarches and Prophets from the beginning could have no entrance unto God but by remission of sinnes and that whereas otherwise they had the dore shut against them by this they were restored into favour and received For it cannot be denyed but that by nature they were sinners as we be and that God cannot receive sinners Being therefore out of controversie that they obteined life it must needes follow that they had pardon for if either there had beene no sinne or no pardon to be graunted what necessity could there be of a sacrifice The second principle without which the reason of the Apostle cannot stand is this that there can bee no remission but onely by the sacrifice of Christ for if any other sacrifice or any other way or meane might obtaine it then were there not a necessity why hee should often suffer For although there were a necessity of remission of sinnes unlesse all should be damned yet he might be set free from the same necessity of offring himselfe seeing there were other wayes to obtaine it but the holy Ghost standeth upon this as a matter not to be doubted of that neither there is nor never hath beene any thing able to destroy sinne or to take away the guiltinesse of it by makeing satisfaction but onely the sacrifice of the Sonne of God For howsoever the idolatrous Infidels do ascribe unto many things the power of purging and satisfying for sinne yet the holy word of God and those which beleeve it do give that glory onely unto Christ and euen as his great glory wherein he hath no fellow The third thing without which an exception might be iustly taken against the foresaid reason is this that there could be no oblation of Christ but he must suffer death for when he sayeth he should not offer him selfe often he addeth this cause that then he should have suffred often It were and easie matter if the offring of Christ were any thing available without suffring death to say there were no necessity wherefore he should suffer often seing he might be offred and not be slaine But this is strengthened by that which goeth before in the same Chapter where he hath shewed that Heb. 9 the testament is confirmed when men are dead because it is of no force while the Testator liveth and so he is the Mediator of the New Testament but yet through death Wherefore also the former testament in which there were but the shadowes and paterne of heavenly things was ratified by death as it is proved by this that it was not dedicated without bloud For when Moses had read the law unto the people he tooke the bloud of Calues and Goates with water and purple Woll and Hyssop he sprinkled both the booke and the people saying this is the bloud of the Testament which God hath commanded unto you Likewise also he sprinkled the Tabernacle and all the ministring vessels with bloud and almost all things sayeth he by the law are purged with bloud and without shedding of bloud there is no remission Here is then a manifest reason wherefore Christ could not be offred often but he must then also dy often even because the testament is of no force without the death of the testator Here is further shewed wherefore it cannot be available without death that is to say there is no remission of sinnes without shedding of bloud Christ therefore could not be offred often unlesse it should be to no purpose which is most absurd
was not only a man so holy that he was without spot but also God For herein lyeth the strength of the argument which the holy ghost useth to prove that Christ at once by his bloud hath purged the conscience from sinne for ever that this sacrifice was offered by his eternall spirit which is his godhead For the godhead having eternall power of life the flesh and bloud of the manhood joyned so with the godhead that they made one person had also the same power so that although the bloud of Christ of it selfe had not power at once to purge eternally yet because it was the bloud of God it had that force Hereupō it followeth that the power of that purging by his bloud being eternall and that one purgation being perfect the redemption which he hath found is eternal Hereupon we may strongly conclude against the Papists and that with a double conclusion First that seeing no sacrifice hath the vertue to purge away sinne but because it is offered by the eternall spirit And secondly that his purging once made being that which is made by the eternall Godhead is perfect for ever By the first it is manifest that they are not able to offer a sacrifice propitiatory because they are mortall men by the second that there is no place for them the worke of purging sinne being already accomplished for ever If there be a new redemption to be wrought then let them be the priestes in the meane time they are foule idolaters and sacrilegious wretches destroying the power of Christs death when they will take upon them to do that which he hath already perfectly finished Come forth ye blinde Papists and prove that ye are more than men shew also that the sacrifice of Christ once offered hath not an eternall and perfect power to purge away sinne or else confesse that yours is Antichristian We may joyne hereūto that which is used to prove that the sacrifices of the Leviticall priestes did not purge sinne namely that they were so often offered For thereby the holy Ghost doth teach that they were not able to sanctifie the commers therto Heb. 10. 1. For then as he sayeth they should haue ceased because there should have beene no more conscience of sinne in the worshippers being once purged The reason is manifest drawen from the effect of the medicine for if it have taken away the disease and perfected the cure then is it vaine to adde it any more If it be still continually and from time to time applyed to the sore as still remaining then it may be said truely that the same medicine doth not heale Wherefore he addeth this proofe that notwithstanding the sacrifices were offred yet there remained the mention of sinnes yerely when they kept that solemne day of expiation This disease of sinne still remaining as the continuall mention and remembrance thereof doeth shew it followeth that those sacrifices did nor could not purge it away Vnto these is opposed the sacrifice of Christ which because it hath perfectly purged sinne for ever so that there remaineth no more conscience thereof in those that are sanctified it is done but once and never to be repeated or don againe The other which were Priests in the law stood daily ministring and often offring the same sacrifices which could never take away sinne But this man having offered one sacrifice for sinne sitteth for ever at the right hand of God from henceforth waiting untill his enemies be made his footstoole Heb. 10. ver 11. 12. The former did stand daily ministring as those which had not nor could not accomplish the worke of reconciliation although they offred never so often But he having once offered ceaseth from offring and is set downe in the highest throne of majesty and glory because as it is there said he hath with one oblation made perfect for ever those which are sanctified If his sacrifice did abolish sinne but for a time as for a yeere or certaine yeres then should he either bring nothing to passe or else returne often and sundry times from his glory to offer againe This is also confirmed in the same Chapter ver 18. by a conclusion which is drawen out of the forme of words which the Lord useth in the promise which he maketh of the New Testament as namely that he will remember their sinnes and their iniquities no more He reasoneth in this manner where God remembreth not sinne there he hath given pardon and remission for that he collecteth and where there is pardon there is no more sacrifice for sinne Now therefore when we see this to be most manifest by the plaine doctrine of Gods word let us consider the abominable wickednesse of the Papists which by their sacrifice overturne all this For whereas there is remission of sinnes already purchased what place can there be for their sacrifice propitiatory whereas that sacrifice is unperfect and cannot take away sinne which is often offred how is theirs the perfect sacrifice of Christs body which is continually done againe and againe What doe they lesse therefore when they teach that in the Masse they offer Christ to his father to be a sacrifice to take away sinne than affirme that the promise of the Papists deny the promise◅ the New Testament New Testament hath failed and that sinne is yet remembred no remission as yet obtained And further when they will needes have him offred so often is it not as much as to deny the effect and power of the bloud of Christ Is it not quite contrary to this that with one oblation he hath made perfect for ever those that are sanctified But here they take exception and say that they do not offer any new sacrifice but the same And moreover that their oblation is but an application of the fruit of that which Christ offered and that because we see and feele in our selues that we are still guilty all which is but a blinde cavill For what though they say they offer the same did not the Priests the Sonnes of Aaron yeerely offer still the same doth not the power of the reason stand in this to prove that they were not available because then they should have ceased Can they deny but that they offer often Further he doeth not place the perfect worke in the sacrifice of Christ because it was but one but because it was but once offred for he saith not with one sacrifice but with one offering Note this hath he made perfect for ever those which are sanctified This doth cut the throte of their often offring when his one offring had made perfect for ever for it leaveth nothing behinde for such caitives as they be And further where they pretend this necessity because we have still guiltie consciences therein they are more than beasts for the guiltinesse of our consciences is not for this that there needeth any sacrifice to be offered to satisfie and purge sinne but through the remnants of iniquity which
but his bloud must be often shed Then if the Papists wil uphold and maintaine that their sacrifice is availeable to purge away sinne and that it is a sacrifice propitiatory for the quicke and the dead as they do impudenly affirme Let them also confesse that they murther againe the Sonne of God and so shead his bloud For if they will stand to this that theirs is an unbloudy sacrifice and though they offer him yet they do not slay him and yet withall do challenge the power thereby to purge sinne let them know that they goe directly against the spirit of God which saith there is no remission without shedding of bloud In this therefore they are after an horrible manner blasphemous that they will overthrow the reason and argument of the holy ghost For if by any manes there might be a sacrifice to take away sinne without the shedding of bloud then might Christ have beene often offered and have dyed but once If the fathers had the fruit and benefit of that one oblation as namely their sinnes washed away with that bloud once shed and that without any offring of such unbloudy sacrifice to apply the same why should not wee likewise by faith obtaine the same unlesse some shaveling offer him dayly Ye blinde Idolaters did the bloud of Christ purge away sinne before his comming onely through faith and shall it not now Was there a more perfect power in it to abolish sinne in the fathers which were longe time before his comming than there is after it hath beene shed indeede For if it be so that the fathers had their sinnes washed away with Christes bloud and yet no offring of him to apply the same but apprehended through faith shall it not destroy the vertue thereof or at the least diminish it when they teach that wee cannot be partakers of him unlesse he bee still offered Is that which the holy Ghost speaketh that he hath been once made manifest in the end of the world to abolish sinne by the offring himselfe to be referred onely to the fathers before his comming Doth not the reason following extend it unto us as well yea even unto the whole Church untill his comming againe at the worlds ende for he compareth it in this manner that as it is appointed unto men to dye once and after commeth judgement so Christ also being once offred to take away the sinnes of many unto those that looke for him shall appeare the second time without sinne unto salvation It is the ordinance of God that when a man hath runne his race and finished his course he shall not be permitted to turne backe againe to doe that which he left undone or to make straight that which is crooked but must hold him unto judgement for things past because that onely remaineth In like sort he setteth the perfection of the one oblation of Christ who being once offered to take away the sinnes of many it is so perfectly done that when he shall appeare againe the second time to give the eternall salvation there shal be no sinne to be purged or for which he is to make further satisfaction For when it is said that he shall appeare without sinne the second time it is not meant of his own person but of those whom he hath redeemed from their sinnes which is most cleare and manifest in this that the minde of the holy Ghost is to shew a difference betweene his first and second appearance even in that point Which if it should be understood of his owne person should make no difference because he was without sinne at his first appearing although he tooke upon him and bare in his body the sinnes of his people But at his second appearance because he hath utterly destroyed sinne for ever there shal be none to be borne of him and therefore none for which he shall againe offer sacrifice The Papists but that they be impudent might be ashamed to patch in their trumpery to give power unto the death of Christ when they see here the perfection of it so set forth that it hath so at once for ever destroyed sinne that there needeth no more sacrifice to be offred For will they make the power of it lesse since his comming than it was before We may then conclude seeing the sacrifice of the New Testament that should have a spirituall heavenly and endlesse power could not be offred in a worldly sanctuary with worldly ordinances the sanctuary and all the ordinances of the Popish service and prieststood are such as are earthly and All the Popiâ—… service is earâ—…ly seeing the same sacrifice could not be offred to be available unlesse it were offred by the eternall godhead the Popish Priests are men and not God and being the bloud of a man which is also God that purgeth away sinne it hath an eternall power to purge and so unlesse the Papists will have a new redemption there is no place for their propitiatory sacrifice And seeing the sacrifice that is perfect is but once offred that which is often offred doth not take away sinne And because the sacrifice of Christ once offred hath for ever perfectly abolished sinne the promise of the New Testament is that God will no more remember it and therefore no more sacrifice to be required The Papists contrary to that promise make satisfactions still and sacrifices for sinne Their sacrifice is offred often Christ could be offred but once because he could dye but once The sacrifice is not available without death because there is no remission No sacrifice available without bloud of sinnes without shedding of bloud The Papists do not say they slay Christ they say theirs is an unblody sacrifice there is no remission of sins without shedding of bloud The sacrifice of Poperie is not the sacrifice of the New Testament neither can it be propitiatory as they bragge for the quick and the dead Note this oh you Papists Nay it is as abominable before God as if a man should offer a dogge in sacrifice Then considering what injury these Priests after the order of Rome have done unto the Sonne of God first in challenging that office and dignity which belongeth onely unto him and secondly in overthrowing the perfection of the vertue and efficacy of his sacrifice Let as many of us as minde to cleave unto Christ to take part with him and to fight under his banner and so attaine the reward of eternall glory remove ourselves utterly from the campe and society of such adversaries and armed with the spirituall armour of God let us sound the trumpet and bid defiance against them and against the divell and Antichrist their chiefe captaines for this is most certaine that we shall never be reputed Note this as friends unto Christ unlesse we be at enmity with his enemies and fight against them Many do suppose that they may hold friendship and familiarity with them and esteeme of them as Christians and match their