so Esay 45. 24 you shall find this very word to that purpose in the u Matth. 22. 11 plurall And Iohn here placeth wholly in the robe that the Saints put on the x 2. Cor. 5. 21. marriage garment Christ Iesus not in themselues but the y Rom. 1. 17. 3. 21. 22. brightnes wherof is not meant of shining before men but in the eyes of God wherefore in many and elsewhere places it is called The Righteousnes of God as that which may boldly offer it selfe in Gods sight and abide the strict examination of his Iustice being the Righteousnesse of him that is God himselfe But what vse will you say is there of the imputation of righteousnesse if our sinnes that seuer vs from God be forgiuen and taken from vs Yes vndoubtedly verie great and singular as may appeare by those parts of happinesse whereunto otherwise then by this we are able to lay no claime And therefore the Apostle Rom. 5. handleth professedly this Doctrine of imputation of Righteousnesse as without which the other of forgiuenesse of sinnes had not beene perfect And where in z Rom. 4. 6 7. another place he defineth Happinesse by the forgiuenesse of sinnes Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are pardoned it is no full and exact definition numbring all the parts but by a Synechdoche naming one best fitting his present purpose hee giueth to vnderstand the rest as in diuers other places Blessednesse is diuersly defined by those things which yet in truth are but branches of the true and perfect Blessednesse Blessed a Psal 1. 1. is the man that hath not walked in the way of sinners Blessed b Luke 11. 2◠are they that heare the Word of God and keepe the same The reason whereof is because all the parts of happinesse are so linked and ioyned together that he which hath one must needs haue all The parts if I may so call them of this righteousnesse the holinesse of his nature imputed to vs are first the perfect Sanctification of Christs humane nature whereby our originall and naturall corruption not imputed to vs our nature it selfe is accounted holy in the sight of God whereof the Apostle speaketh Rom. 8. 2 3. The Law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus hath freed me from the law of sinne and of death for which was impossible to the Law for that it was weake by reason of our flesh God sending his own Sonne in the likenesse of sinfull flesh for sinne hath condemned sinne in the flesh that that which the Law requireth might bee fulfilled in vs where the Law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus he calleth that perfect and all-sufficient Sanctification of our nature in him whereby he comming in the likenesse of sinfull flesh for sinne that is to abolish sinne it selfe in our nature taken vpon him condemned or which is all one abolished sinne in the flesh meaning in his own person through whose perfect Sanctification of nature made ours the reliques of sinne that our corrupt nature is tainted with are not imputed to vs and therefore wee bee free from death and condemnation being wholly restored euen in our nature to a greater integritie then we lost in Adam All which the Apostle sheweth was in respect of the weaknesse of the Law being of no strength by reason of the flesh or part vnregenerate which hindreth the worke of the Law otherwise most perfect and is opposite thereto that it neither can or will be subiect to it So as to the end we might fulfill that which the Law requireth which is to be righteous not in our Actions onely but in our verie nature it was necessarie so to haue it sanctified in the person of Christ not supplying that which ours wanteth but wholly and altogether sanctifying vs in himselfe And by this meanes it commeth to passe that wee are after the most precise and exact rule of the Law righteous before God hauing the perfect integritie of our nature absolutely in Christ for which purpose hee saith not might be fulfilled of vs but in vs speaking of Christs owne Sanctitie imputed to vs. Secondly The thorow and perfect obedience which and Righteousnesse to be ours he performed in the whole course of his life both in the duties to God his Father and in respect of men with whom he was conuersant here on Earth whereby all our vile and filthy actions not comming into account our whole life is reckoned most absolutely good and holy not onely void of sinne but full of perfect Righteousnesse as the same Apostle teacheth b Rom. 5. 12. to the end of the Chapter Rom. 5. setting it forth by an excellent comparison of our Sauiour Christ with Adam both in the things wherein they agree in this point and in those wherein they differ They agree in this that each conueyeth his owne to those that are his whom the Apostle therefore calleth many opposing them to that one whom hee considereth as their Head Adam hee conuayeth both guilt and sinne vnto condemnation Christ Righteousnesse and Obedience vnto Iustification they differ in this First Adam deriueth it downe by nature vpon all his posteritie Christ bestoweth it by grace and fauour and free imputation Secondly Adams one sinne condemed all CHRIST iustifieth from many sinnes not that one onely but all other Thirdly Christs Righteousnesse is more auaileable and of greater power to saue then Adams sinne was to condemne for that indeed threw vs downe from the state of Innocencie but Christ hath raysed vs to a more excellent state vnto the heauenly glorie And hereof commeth our Iustification properly so called that is to say Gods censure and Iudgement of vs approouing vs for holy and righteous before him as hauing that Righteousnesse that is able to abide his presence So as euen by the sentence of God himselfe and in his most exact Iustice we are freed and absolued and declared righteous and worthie of euerlasting life which is that the Scripture opposeth to the sentence of condemnation Rom. 8. 33 34. Who shall lay accusation to the Elect of God It is God that iustifieth who can condemne Thus the Apostle speaketh Rom. 5. 18. As by one offence guilt came vpon all men vnto condemnation so by one c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth the matter of our Iustification 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iustification it selfe fulfilling of Righteousnesse that is by Christs perfect fulfilling of the Law the benefit came vpon all vnto Iustification of life or to the declaring and approouing of vs iust before God whereby wee obtayne euerlasting life This so noble a benefit commeth to bee wrought by the Resurrection of Christ as the Remission of our sinnes came by his death and sufferings So writeth the d Rom. 4. 25. Apostle to the Romanes He dyed for our sinnes and rose for our Iustification Not that his death had no hand in
18. Perfect loue casteth out feare Å¿ Iam. 1. 4. That yee may bee perfect and wholly sound wanting in nothing By perfect it meaneth not the exact performance of legall Righteousnesse but the whole and totall change of all the man which yet in this life is euermore imperfect And so doth Iames in that place last before mentioned expound it So that there is a Legall and an Euangelicall perfection which rather and more properly is termed integritie I call it totall first in respect that the whole man and all our parts and powers both of the soule and bodie are renewed as the Apostle to the t 1. Thess 5. 23. Thessalonians prayeth that their Spirit soule and bodie may be kept vnblameable in the comming of Iesus Christ First our mind and euen the Spirit of our mind whereof it is said u Rom. 12. 2. Bee transformed in the renewing of your minde x Ephe. 4. 23. Be renewed in the Spirit of your mind I y Ezech. 36. 26. wil put a new Spirit in the midst of you Againe both our Knowledge and Iudgement are reformed that now z 1. Cor. 2. 15. the spirituall man discerneth all things And our Memorie and Consciences purged for the Memorie that serueth where the Apostle doth commend the a 1. Thess 3. 6. Thessalonians for hauing a good memory of him alwayes And to the b 1. Cor. 11. 2. Corinths That they remembred all his matters or remembred him in all things Of the Conscience it is said c Heb. 9. 4. That the bloud of Christ purgeth our Consciences from dead works to serue the liuing God And d Heb. 10. 22. Hebrewes the tenth Hauing your hearts sprinkled from an euill Conscience This Renewing reacheth to the heart also that is to the Soule the seate of the Desire Will Affection which e Ezech. 36. 26 Ezechiel addeth to that of the Spirit I will giue you a new heart And f Deut. 10. 16. Moses saith Circumcise the fore-skin of your heart Of the Desire we reade The g Gal. 5. 17. Spirit or part regenerate lusteth against the flesh Of the Will that h Phil. 2. 3. God worketh this grace in vs to will according to his owne good pleasure And of the Affections They that i Gal. 5. 24. are Christs haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts of it Lastly The Bodie it selfe and all the members are made anew not in substance but in qualitie by putting off the sinfull body of the flesh as the Apostle speaketh k Col. 2. 11. Colossians the second Whereupon he doth exhort vs l Rom. 6. 12. Let not sinne raigne in your mortall bodies m Col. 3. 5. Mortifie your earthly members fornication and vncleannesse c. For as there is a n Rom. 7. 25. law of the members that rebelleth against the Law of the minde so there are o 1. Cor. 12. 27. members that are by Regeneration the members of CHRIST which fight against that Law of the old man Secondly It is totall in respect that it maketh a change not in our p Ier. 7. 3. wayes and actions only but in our very nature the perfect and all-sufficient Sanctification Esay 1. 16 17. of our nature in the person of Christ himselfe freeing vs from that naturall corruption which as the Law of the members is inherent in vs. This the Apostle speaketh Romanes q Rom. 8. 2. the eighth The Law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus hath freed mee from the Law of sin and of death that is from that inherent corruption which as the Law of the members sticketh to our nature the perfect Sanctification of his humane nature beginning a Sanctification here in vs euen in our very nature ouer and besides the Righteousnesse of our wayes Thirdly It is totall in regard of both the parts of Righteousnesse which wee are renewed into Holinesse and true Iustice for both these the Scripture noteth Ephes 4. 24. Put on the new man which according to God is created in Holinesse and true Iustice Marke 6. 20. Herod reuerenced IOHN BAPTIST knowing he was a iust and a holy man Luke 1. 74. That wee being deliuered from the hands of our enemies may serue him in true Iustice and Holinesse Titus 2. 11 12. The grace of God hath appeared c. instructing vs to liue wisely and iustly and godly in this present World Yet we must obserue that there are degrees in the imperfection which we speake of for First Some are weake ones and euen Babes in Christ weake in Faith weake in Knowledge weake in all kind of practice of spirituall Graces whom the Apostle calleth carnall that is to say rude Of the weake in Faith the Apostle speaketh Romanes 14. 1. And our Sauiour many times vpbraydeth his Disciples O yee of little faith Of weake in knowledge and capacitie of heauenly things it is said Rom. 6. 19. I spake vnto you after the manner of men that is by Similitudes taken from the common course of mans life For the infirmitie of your flesh And Heb. 5. 12. For when through the time yee ought to haue beene Teachers yea haue need to bee taught anew what are the elements of the beginning of the words of Christ and are become those that haue need of Milke and not of strong meate So our Sauiour Christ telleth his Disciples r Iohn 16. 12. I haue many things to say vnto you but you are not able to beare them now Of weake in practice we reade 1. Cor. 3. 1. I Brethren could not speake vnto you as spirituall but as carnall as Infants in CHRIST I gaue you Milke to drinke and not strong meate for you were not able to beare it Secondly There is a further step which Christians of the better sort commonly attayne vnto standing in a sufficient furniture of all graces needfull for the performance of euery good dutie in soule good manner and a blamelesse and vndefiled life whereof the Scripture giueth testimonie to many particular Christians And the Apostles in their Epistles partly Å¿ 1. Cor. 1. 1. 1. Thes 5 c. witnesse of diuers Churches and partly t Phil. 2. 15. 2. Pet. 3. 14 c. pray for them to be such Thirdly Vpon some few in respect of his ordinarie dealing it pleaseth GOD to powre a more aboundant measure of grace and higher degree of perfection filling and inriching their hearts with an exceeding increase of Faith of Knowledge of Loue of Hope of Patience and of the Gifts of the Holy Ghost These the Apostle calleth u Heb. 5. 14. perfect men who through a habit haue their sences exercised to the discerning of good and euill Phil. 3. 15. As many of vs as are perfect let vs bee thus minded and if ye thinke any thing otherwise that also will God reueale Thus x Rom. 4. 20 21 it is said of Abraham that hee was
o Mat. 26. 37. heauinesse p Mar. 14. â—3 amazement The difference of Christs Hebion Cerinthus and others said he was conceiued by ordinarie procreation of man and woman as other men are humane nature from all other mens standeth in this that hee was not conceiued according to the ordinary procreation of man and woman but of a Virgin and therefore by the immediate power of the Holy Ghost not begetting him of his owne substance as fathers doe their children but by his Almightie Power framing and fashioning the same after a wonderfull manner miraculously and without mans helpe in the wombe of Marie That she was a Virgin the Storie is plaine q Mat. 1. 23. Mat. 1. according as it was r Esay 7. 14. long before prophecied Behold that Virgin shall conceiue and beare a Sonne The Å¿ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 word in both the Tongues signifieth one hidden vnknowne vnto a man And fondly doe the Iewish Rabbins pretend the place t Pro. 30. 19. Prou. 30. to delude the truth of this Interpretation which indeed doth confirme and giue strength vnto it for when Salomon saith The way of a man in a u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Maide Is it not plaine that hee speaketh by an Ironie meaning a Strumpet of that brazen fore-head and so impudent as notwithstanding her filthinesse will needs goe for as good a Mayde as the best Therefore he addeth in the next Verse Shee eateth and then wipeth her mouth saying I haue done none iniquitie yea this seemeth though more obscurely to haue beene pointed at in that promise The seed of the woman shall tread downe the head of the Serpent for in saying the seed of the woman and not of the man who in the ordinarie course of generation hath the first and chiefest place what can else bee meant but a wonderfull and strange conception of a woman without the helpe of man And of this interpretation Esay may bee the Authour who doth not say simply A Virgin shall conceiue but that Virgin that is to say that Virgin so famously and so long before spoken of to Gods people of whom as touching the flesh Christ should come which no other Scripture but this doth warrant Last of all the efficient and worker of this so wonderfull by the Holy Ghost a conception is expressed Mat. 1. 20. That which is conceiued in her is of the Holy Ghost And lâ—st you should take of here for the materiall cause which is repugnant to the Diuine Nature of the Spirit of God and ouerthroweth the true humane Nature of our Sauiour Christ the Angell Luke 1. 35. declareth the whole order and manner of this conception The Holy Ghost shall come vpon thee and the power of the most High shall ouer-shaddow thee Next is the vnion of Who is also these two Natures Nestorius deuided the Person and made two persons one God the other man Eutyches confounded the two natures and made them but one attributing to the Man-hood all the properties of the God-head as to be vncreated omnipotent euerywhere c. and to the God-head to be subiect to suffer and whatsoeuer else belongeth to the humane Nature Both which in the first moment of his Conception inseparably knit together and still remaining in substance propertie and action distinct one from other and each keeping his seuerall and proper qualities make one Person Iesus Christ as the soule and bodie personally conioyned make one man A Mysterie of all Mysteries that a man should make one Person with GOD whom the glorious and blessed Angels are not able to behold and yet cleerly and manifestly taught in the Scriptures x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 2. 16. For he tooke not to an Angellike nature but hee tooke to the Seed of ABRAHAM This taking to which must needs bee meant vnto his God-head doth it not most manifestly shew a distinction of the Natures not a drowning or swallowing vp of either against Eutyches and againe a personall vnion of them in an vnspeakeable sort against Nestorius The place to the y Col. 2. 9. Coloss 2. 9. as it spake before for the God-head of Christ So it speaketh for the vnitie of his natures For in him that is in Christ whom he opposeth to those traditions of men dwelleth all the fulnesse of the God-head bodily When he saith In him dwelleth the God-head hee distinguisheth two Natures one the God-head dwelling the other the man in whom it dwelleth By which phrase of dwelling also he noteth not an abode for a time but a perpetuall habitation for which cause he vseth the present time And adding bodily hee signifieth that the same is not by communication of his power and vertue in which sence God is said to dwell in all his Saints nor in a Sacramentall manner as God is said to dwell in his Temple but by a substantiall and personall vnion of both Natures making one Christ Therefore Paul vnto the Romanes speaking of both apart his Manhood first and then his God-head afterwards knitteth them in one IESVS CHRIST z Rom. 13. 4. concerning his Sonne made of the Seed of DAVID according to the flesh mightily declared to bee the Sonne of God as touching the Spirit of Sanctification by rising from the dead euen IESVS CHRIST our LORD Againe a Rom. 9. 5. that CHRIST as touching the flesh came from the Father being also ouer all God to be blessed for euer And 1. Peter 3. 18. CHRIST was put to death as touching the flesh and quickened touching the Spirit To conclude this was plainly fore-told by the Prophet Esay 7. 14. that hee should be EMANVEL that is God with vs. Wherefore that of Iohn 1. 14. The Word became flesh and whatsoeuer other speeches like to that may not be vnderstood of a confusion but of an vnion of the natures and as the natures themselues are not mingled no more are their properties it being impossible that the properties of one nature should agree vnto the other for as the God-head cannot die no more can the Man-hood be infinite omnipotent euery-where c. By reason of the vnion of these natures into one person these two things follow First Beside that touching the Deitie he is the Sonne of God by nature In which respect hee is indeed most properly called the Sonne the b Heb. 7. 3. Apostle witnessing that He was without Father according to his Man-hood and without Mother according to his God-head hee is also in his humanitie the Sonne of God by this personall vnion Luke 1. 35. That holy One that is borne of thee shall be called The Sonne of God And yet for all that there is but one onely Sonne of God not two though the same by reason of this personall Vnion bee in two respects the Sonne Secondly Hereof it is that hee is to bee adored of all his Creatures euen the holy Angels Heb. 1. Let all the Angels of God
euerlasting Spirit hath offered vp himselfe to God c In this part of his Oblation the sufferings which he did indure obserue First That Christ himselfe performeth all the parts his taking vpon him and his whole person hath a stroke in it for both hee is the Sacrifice or thing it selfe offered the Priest or the Offerer and the Altar or that which sanctifieth the offering whereupon in his whole person as GOD and Man he is said to be our Priest Heb. 5. 6. First As Man he is the Sacrifice his whole humanity suffering both Soule and Bodie which was the Tabernacle of his Deitie wherein he performed this Sacrifice whereupon the Apostle calleth him The x Heb. 8. 2. Minister of that true Tabernacle which the Lord pight and not man and that y Heb. 9. 11. Christ being come an High Priest by a better and more perfect Tabernacle not made with hands that is not of this building which the earthly Tabernacle was of but euen by his owne bloud entred into the holy Place Wherefore the Scripture attributeth the remission of our sinnes by this oblation sometimes to his whole person sometimes by a Synecdoche of the part for the whole to his Bodie flesh or bloud and sometimes to his Soule Who z 1. Tim. 2. 6. gaue himselfe a ransome for all who a Titus 2. 19. gaue himselfe for vs that hee might redeeme vs by b Heb. 10. 10. the which wee are sanctified euen by the offering of the Bodie of Iesus Christ once made c 1. Pet. 2. 14. he bare our sinnes in his Bodie on the Tree he d Col. 1. 22. reconciled vs in the Bodie of his flesh through his Death he e Col. 1 20. reconciled vs making Peace by the bloud of his Crosse he f Esay 53. 10. made his Soule sinne or a Sacrifice for sinne The g Mat. 20. 28. Sonne of man came to giue his Soule a ransome for many Else must our soules haue perished This Marke 10. 45. was both prefigured in the Law by the bloud which is the soule of the brute creature and otherwise by the Holocaust or whole burnt Offering and is signified in the Sacrament of the Gospell for the Ceremonie of breaking bread vsed in the Lords Supper cannot bee so properly referred to his Bodie which had not a bone broken as to his Soule most specially h Esay 53. 5. bruised and broken in pieces with heauinesse and sorrow Secondly As God he is the i Heb. 13. 13 Altar or the Sanctifier Wee haue an Altar c. of his Man-hood which hee offereth by giuing it power to ouercome for that is the propertie of the Altar to k Mat. 23. 17. sanctifie the gift God saith PAVL Acts 20. 28. hath by his owne bloud redeemed the Church As if he should haue said It was indeed the Man Christ Iesus that shed his bloud but of small effect had that beene vnlesse he had beene God whereby his bloud obtayned strength and power to sanctifie those that are his And in the Epistle to the l Heb. 9. 14. Hebrewes How much more shall the bloud of Christ which by the euerlasting Spirit offered himselfe vnblameable vnto God purge your conscience from dead workes to serue the Liuing God Laying the whole vertue and efficacie of Christs death vpon the eternall Spirit that is the fulnesse of the God-head which dwelleth in him So that in a sort God himselfe who is not subiect vnto suffering did suffer when he suffered that was both God and Man Whereupon the Apostle saith that euen in respect of his God-head he emptied himselfe c. Philip. 2. 7. The difference of this part of Christs Priest-hood from that of Aaron stood in these points First Hee himselfe was offered here there other Oblations and Sacrifices Secondly They offered many times himselfe being here the Sacrifice could bee but once offered whereof the Apostle hath many notable speeches in the Epistle to the Hebrewes By m Heb. 10. 10. the which will we are sanctified euen by the Oblation of the Bodie of Iesus Christ once made but he hauing offered one Sacrifice for sinnes setteth for euer at the right hand of God for by one Oblation hee hath consecrated for euer those that are sanctified And in the ninth Chapter Christ n Heb. 9. 26. being once offered in the end of the World to beare the sinnes of many c. Thirdly He o Heb. 7. 27. did it for vs and our good onely for for himselfe he needed not The Priests of Aaron offered first for themselues and then for the people In the second place are to be obserued the things hee of our sinnes suffered and tooke vpon him to wit First our verie sinnes all layd vpon Christ as our Pledge and Suretie otherwise wee must needes haue remayned in them whereupon he is called p Heb. 7. 22. The Suretie of the New Testament And hereof it is that the Apostle saith q 2. Cor. 5. 27. Him that knew no sinne he made to be sinne for vs in regard of our sinnes cast vpon him and imputed to him Secondly taking our sinnes hee tooke with-all the and the whole curse guilt and the whole Curse and punishment due vnto them By reason of the guilt there befell him feare and horror from the sense of his Fathers wrath Heb. 5. 7. Sorrow trouble of mind astonishment heauinesse vnto death Math. 26. 38. Which specially appearing towards the end of his dayes when he was to enter into the lists and to fight the great combate hand to hand with his angrie Father did withall stretch it selfe in some measure to the rest of the parts of his life Of the r Esay 53. 5. other wee read The chastisement of our peace did lye vpon him For this cause he is said Å¿ Math. 20. 28. Mark 10. 45. to haue giuen his soule a Ransome for many and to be a t 1 Tim. 2. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ransome equiualent for all Therefore he is called u 1. Iohn 2. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Propitiation for our sinnes is said to be x Rom. 3. 25. set vp of God for a Propitiatorie by allusion as it seemeth to the couer which was vpon the Arke of the Couenant called the y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Propitiatorie couering a type of the Propitiation wrought by Christ and manifested in and through him when he brake downe the vayle of Ceremonies that stood betweene God and vs. To this Eâ—â—hu z Iob 33. 23. doth allude when he bringeth in the Minister of God praying for the deliuerance of the afflicted person because God hath elsewhere found an expiatorie Propitiation which is Christ his Sonne For this cause we are said to bee a Rom. 3. 25. redeemed by him and that b Heb. â— 3. by himselfe he hath made the purgation of our sinnes And herevpon
worshipped But this honour Christ also hath For both Stephen giueth it vnto him when he saith Lord y Acts 7. 59. Iesus receiue my spirit And it is the Epithete of all the Church that they z Acts 9. 14. 1. Cor. 1 2. call vpon the Name of Christ IOHN likewise in the a Reuel 21. 22. Reuelation maketh the Lord God Almighty and the Lambe alike the Temple of that holy City the heauenly Ierusalem meaning that hee is equally to bee worshipped and with the same honour Faith doth onely rest vpon God but wee are commanded to beleeue in Christ Yea b Iohn 16. 1. beleeue in God beleeue also in me Further it is the pleasure c Ier. 9. 24. of GOD that whosoeuer glorieth should glory onely in this That he knoweth him to be IEHOVAH But Paul doubteth not to professe that he d Gal. 6. 14. gloried onely in the Crosse of Christ and neyther preached nor chose to know any other thing saue e 1. Cor. â—2 onely him alone Christ f Iohn 17. 3. also himselfe coupleth these two together This is euerlasting life to know thee the onely true God and him whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ But what stay I hereupon when testimonies are so cleere vpon the marke and notes when the things themselues are so euident and expresse his God-head being euerywhere to bee found in most plaine and manifest termes Which that it may the better appeare I will sort all the testimonies of this kind into three Orders or Rankes The first is of such as attribute the spirit vnto him Not as the spirit or soule of a man but so as it appeareth plainly by the Epithetes adioyned to be the Diuine Spirit or GOD himselfe 1. Cor. 15. 45. The first man ADAM was made a liuing Soule the latter ADAM a quickering Spirit As bee noteth out in Adam the whole man by the more excellent part the Soule so doth he in Christ the whole Person by that most excellent Nature of the God head bodily dwelling in him calling him another Adam for that as Adam imparted fleshly life vnto all that come from him so doth Christ the Spirituall Life to all that are his And that this may bee the better conceiued to be meant of his Eternall Deity in the seuen and fortieth Verse hee doth more cleerely frame the comparison The first man out of the earth earthly the second man the Lord himselfe from Heauen Therefore is his Spirit or Diuine nature sometime called The g Heb. 9. 14. euerlasting Spirit a thing proper to the God-head sometime The h Rom. 1. 4. Spirit of Sanctification whereby hee sanctifieth all Gods Elect and sanctified his humane Nature otherwise infirme and weake and not able to rayse vp it selfe As in i Iohn 6. 63. Iohn he saith It is the Spirit that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing And k 1. Pet. 3. 18. Peter that he was put to death as touching the flesh but quickened as touching the Spirit Finally the Apostle l 2. Cor. 13. 4. Paul expounding as it were this place For though saith he he were crucified of infirmity yet he liueth by the power of God In the name of infirmity or weaknesse manifestly alluding to the Hebrew Enâ—ch which signifieth a fraile or weake and mortall man and in the name Power vnto El the mighty God of the second sort are those where he is said to haue the m Col 29. For in him dwelleth all the fulnes of the God-head bodily that is personally and substantially fulnesse of the God-head in him to bee n Phil. 2. 6 7. Who being in the forme of God emptied himself taking the forme of a Seruant becomming in the likenesse of men and in habit found a very man Where the forme of a Seruant noting a verie seruant and abiect person indeed sheweth that to bee in the forme of God signifieth as much as to be really and essentially God himselfe in the forme of God to be o Iohn 8. 15. For this cause the Iewes sought to kill him because hee called God his owne Father making himselfe equall with God Phil. 2. 6. He thought it no robbery to be equall with God equall with God And to conclude to bee p Dan. 10. 13 21. Michael of equall Power with the Almighty God And this to be an honour belonging vnto Christ alone and not to any created Angell the Apostle Iude q Iude verse 9. teacheth expresly when he so termeth Iehouah himselfe that in Zachary stroue with Satan about the Body of Moses or the truth and perfection of the Law of Moses namely the whole Doctrine of the Gospell Remission of sinnes Imputation of Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption as in that Chapter the Angell reasoneth of them all But most manifestly this appeareth Reuelat. 12. 7. where MICHAEL and his Angels fought with the Dragon and his angels Against the Dragon that is the Deuill head of the malignant Church opposing Michael that is Christ Head of Saints and Angels and therefore calling them his Angels which agreeth to God alone Finally the holy Ghost so expoundeth it Verse 10. Now is the Saluation and Might and Kingdome of our God and the Power of his Christ In the third and last ranke come those that call him expresly r Iohn 1. 1. The Word was God 2. Cor. 5. 19. God was in Christ reconciling the World Luke 1. 16. 17. Many shall he that is Iohn Baptist turne vnto the Lord their God and himselfe shall goe before him in the spirit and power of Elias Where before him being referred to Christ as it must sheweth him to bee the true and vndoubted Lord God And hither tendeth the confession of Thomas sirnamed Didymus my Lord my God Iohn 20. 28. Of this sort also is that 2. Peter 1. 1. Through the righteousnesse of our God and Sauiour Iesus Christ The coupling and context of the sentence without any Article before Sauiour which otherwise by the vse of that tongue ought to haue beene shewing plainly that the word God can haue no reference but to Christ our Sauiour M 〈…〉 plaine is that Coâ— â— 2 Vnto the knowledge of God both the Father and Christ Where God as a common antecedent is attributed to them both God The Å¿ 1. Iohn 5. 20. We are 〈…〉 true one in his Sonne Iesus Christ Thâ—â— is that true God and life euerlasting true God The t Titus â— 13. Wayting for the blessed hope and glorious bright appearance of the great God and Sauiour of vs Iesus Christ Where not onely the knitting of the sentence as in the place of Peter before but the phrase of bright appearance neuer spoken but of the Sonne enforceth that whole sentence to be meant of him great God The mighty u Esay 9. 6. To vs a Child is borne whâ—le name is called Wonderfull The mightâ— God Most strong c. God The onely x Iude
full of dead mens bones and of all corruption and to Å¿ Luke 11. 44. Graues that do not appeare that men which walke vpon them are aware of So doe they vnder a Vizzard and counterfet face of Holinesse cloake and hide the inward filthinesse that lurketh in their hearts And to this place belongeth the pressing of mens Traditions when no care is had of keeping the Commandements of God Well t Marke 7. 9. doe you reiect the Commandement of God to establish your owne tradition Secondly Doing outward duties not with a right mind to glorifie God or to edifie their Brethren but for out ward pompe and ostentation and to be seene of men As our Sauiour speaketh Mat. 23. 5. doth particularly instance u Mat. 6. 1 2 3 4 5 6. else-where in all the duties they performe whether Prayer and Fasting vnto God-wards or giuing of Almes vnto the poore Thirdly Being busie to obserue other mens faults without looking into their owne Why x Mat. 7. 3 4. seest thou the mote that is in thy brothers eye and canst not see the beame which is in thine owne or how sayst thou to thy brother Let me cast out the mote out of thine eye and behold the beame is in thine owne eye Hypocrite first cast out the beame out of thine owne eye and then shalt thou discerne to cast the Mote out of thy brothers eye Fourthly Zeale which as the Song of y Cant. 8. 16. Salomon doth describe It is as strong as death as hard as the graue the sparkles of it are sparkles nay a fire of the flame of IAH that is which Iah the mightie God and Iehouah alone by the powerfull light of his Spirit kindleth in our hearts neuer to goe out Of this the Apostle speaketh z Gal. 4. 17. It is good to be feruent in a good thing alwayes But in the seruice of God it hath a speciall vse The a Psal 69. 10. zeale of thy house hath eaten mee vp I am b 1. King 19. 10 exceedingly zealous for IEHOVAH the God of Hoasts because the children of Israel haue forsaken thy Couenant broken downe thy Altars and slaine thy Prophets with the Sword So 2. Kings 10. 16. Iehu saith to Ionadab the sonne of RECAB Come with me and see the zeale which I haue for IEHOVAH The contrarie whereof is First That which our Sauiour findeth fault with in the Church of Laodicea I know c Reu. 3. 15 16. thy workes that thou art neither cold nor hot I would thou wert either cold or hot but now because thou art luke-warme and neither cold nor hot it will come to passe that I shall spew thee out of my mouth Secondly Greedinesse to sinne when men striue as it were for a masterie to goe one before another in wickednesse and d Ephes 4. 19. being past all griefe giue themselues vp in wantonnesse to the committing of all vnclannesse with greedinesse Thirdly Watchfulnesse whereunto our Sauiour doth so often and so effectually perswade vs Take e Mark 13. 33 36. heede watch and pray And the things which I say to you I say to all Watch. Watch f Mat. 26. 41. and pray that you enter not into temptation The contrarie whereof is that sleepinesse and drowzinesse of spirit which there fell vpon the Apostles and Mat. 25. 5. aswell vpon the wise as the foolish Virgins whilest the Bridegroome tarryed and which the Church complayneth of in the g Cant 5. 1. Canticles I slept c. Whereupon our Sauiour saw it good to giue vs an Item of it Take h Luke 21. 34. heed to your selues lest at any time your hearts be oppressed with surfetting and drunkennesse and cares of this life and lest that Day come vpon you at vnawares Watchfulnesse standeth vpon two parts The first is that which preuents all occasions of doing ill and this is as it were a fence or hedge set round about to guard Gods Commandements that like wilde beasts we should not breake in vpon them The woman Gen. 3. 3. had learned this Lesson and held it forth at the first valiantly as a weapon of great strength to repell Satans forces when shee expoundeth the Commandement i Gen. 2. 17. of the Tree of Knowledge of good and euill Thou shalt not eate to bee as much as if hee had said Thou shalt not touch it SALOMON also in his Prouerbs k Pro. 5. 8. warneth vs not to come neere the doore or gate of an Harlot And the Apostle l Rom. 13. 13. willeth vs to auoyde not onely bodily filthinesse but chambering and wantonnesse as meanes that leade vnto it especially wee are to take good heed to our Senses our Eyes our Eares c. and to our Tongue that may make vs not to offend In which sort Iob professeth of himselfe If m Iob 31. 26. looking vpon the Light when it did shine or the Moone and precious Skie my heart was deceiued and my mouth did kisse them c. And againe I haue n Iob 31. 1. made a couenant with mine eies that I should not looke vpon a Maide Hereupon the Wiseman o Pro. 23. 31. biddeth vs not to looke vpon the Wine when it is red And touching the Eares he saith He that turneth p Pro. 28. 9. his eares from hearing the Law his Prayer shall bee abomination Likewise of the Tongue we haue in q Psal 39. 2. DAVID a worthy Example I said I will take heed vnto my wayes that I offend not with my tongue I will keepe a bridle vpon my mouth whilest the wicked is before me Therefore heere are commanded as meanes and occasions of good generally First a lawfull calling Euery r 1. Cor. 7. 24. man wherein hee was called therein let him abide with God According Å¿ 1. Pet. 4. 10. as euery man hath receiued a gift so let him administer to another The contrarie whereof is no calling or a sinning and vnlawfull calling of which sort is that Acts 19. 19. Many of them which vsed erronious arts brought their Books and burned them before all men and they counted the price and found it fiftie thousand pieces of siluer Secondly Is commanded labour of bodie and minde alwayes doing of somewhat that is good and profitable In t Gen. 3. 19. the sweate of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread The contrary whereof is Idlenesse for as it is said in common Prouerbe and the Apostle doth insinuate 2. Thess 3. 11. By doing nothing men learne to doe ill Especially this doth for the most part lead vs by the hand to those two foule sinnes Adulterie and stealth as it brought DAVID u 2. Sam. 11. 2 â— whilest idlely he walked vp and downe in the Kings house first vnchastely to cast his eyes then to burne with lust and in the end to commit the act of filthinesse with Vriahs Wife And the Apostle giueth this Rule as an
consider three things First The guilt of sinne whereof the q Rom. 3. 9. Apostle witnesseth that all the World is subiect to the iust punishment of God And againe r Heb. 2. 15. that all men naturally and in themselues considered out of Christ are subiect vnto bondage Secondly As before whilest they stood in their integritie inioying the comfort of a good conscience they had peace and quietnesse of minde so man had no sooner falne but feare and terrour came vpon him As wee see in Adam Gen. 3. 10. I heard thy voyce and was afraid And as it may be seene in all the sonnes of Adam who in respect of sinne Å¿ Heb. 2. 15. are in a perpetuall feare of death all their life long Wherefore the t Rom. 8. 15. Apostle noteth it the generall condition of all Mankinde before they be renewed to be possessed with the spirit of bondage vnto feare The fruit whereof is the drawing vs from God and to make vs flye from him as from our Enemie as Adam u Gen. 3. 8. fled from the presence of God and hid himselfe among the Trees of the Garden Thirdly The particularities of this cursed miserable estate which all the sonnes of Adam doe welter and lye in all their life are manifold and of diuers kindes comprehending x Deut. 28. 61 and 29. 20. all the plagues and punishments that may be thought of written not written but the chiefe and principall of euery sort as they lye in order opposite to the happie and blessed estate before described are these that follow First The wrath of God for so the Holy Ghost saith y Iohn 3. 36. He that beleeueth not the Sonne the wrath of God now abideth vpon him But this is not the full cup of his wrath So farre that all things not blessings onely but his very graces turne to their ruine the dregges whereof the wicked shall drinke hereafter for that no man can indure and liue but qualified and mixed that it breaketh out yet no further then this to turne all things to their ruine not onely outward blessings wherein God lifteth them vp that hee may with a greater force cast them downe but euen the good graces of God and gifts of his holy Spirit which all through their owne fault worke vnto their euill Christ is to them a Rocke z 1. Pet. 2. 7. of offence and set a Luke 2. 34. for a stumbling blocke all b Esay 28. 13. the wholesome instructions which he vseth his chastisements and corrections to reclayme them by their wickednesse are to make them fall to bee snared and in trapped the c 2. Cor. 2. 6. Gospell is a sauour of death vnto death vnto them the d Ro. 2. 4 5 c. bountie and long suffering of God serueth to the hardening of their vnrepentant heart And this is contrarie to that loue wherewith God before imbraced man Secondly Separation from the fellowship of God as 2. Separation from his presence Adam was cast out of Paradise the visible testimonie of his presence In regard whereof the Apostle e Ephes 4. 18. saith We are estranged from the life of God are f Ephes 2. 19. strangers and forainers and g Ephes 2. 17. farre off from him Thirdly Losse of our soueraigntie and consequently 3. Losse of our former soueraigntie and consequently of our power insomuch as both the creatures are become our enemies of the power wee had to rule and to command In so much as the Creatures that before were subiect to vs shaking off the yoke of their obedience are through Adams fall armed to our destruction the wilde beasts of the field readie to deuoure vs and all the creatures to rise vp against vs. Wherefore the h Iob 5. 22 23. Holy Ghost noteth it a fruit of our reconciliation vnto God Not to bee afraid of the beasts of the Earth but to bee in league with the stones of the field and to haue the beasts of the field in peace as being otherwise at warre and at defiance with vs. More then that a thing most opposite to our former and we Slaues to Satan soueraigntie and dominion Satan himselfe the most vilest and most basest of Gods Creatures and the same our vtter Enemie is become our Lord and Master insomuch as hee ruleth and raigneth ouer vs after his owne pleasure haleth and pulleth vs which way it pleaseth him and holdeth vs fast bound as it were in chaines to doe his will being therefore called The i 2. Cor. 4. 4. God of this World that blindeth the mindes of the vnfaithfull the Prince k Iohn 12. 31. and 16. 1â— of this World the l Ephes 2. 2. spirit that worketh effectually in the children of disobedience in m 2. Tim. 2. 26. whose snares wee are and holden captiues of him Whereupon the Apostle saith that by the ministerie of the Gospell Wee n Col. 1. 13. are deliuered out of the power of darknesse and freed o Heb. 2. 15. by Christ from the bondage which through feare of death wee were all our life subiect to And hereof it followeth that the Reprobate hauing beside the sinfulnesse of their nature the Deuill by whose swindge and sway they are wholy led so readie to kindle the coles and to blow the fire of their owne corruption can doe nothing else but sinne Fourthly A heape and multitude of all manner of euill 4. All kind of calamities and calamities of all sorts which the Holy Ghost p Deut. 28. Deut. 28. doth reckon vp as fruits of sinne first in body to be q Verse 25. smitten before the enemies r 25 48. captiuity seruing of the enemie in famine and in thirst in nakednes and want of all things in Å¿ 50. great disgrace and to be t 64. dispersed and scattered into the furthest parts of the earth In mind a u 65 66 67. trembling and heauie heart In the morning to say I would it were euening To bee x 28 29. smitten with madnesse and with blindnesse and with astonishment that they shall grope at noone day as a blind man gropeth in darknesse Then foraine in our possessions first wife and children and then in our goods A y 30. wife shall bee espoused and another shall lye with her sonnes z 32. and daughters giuen vnto a strange people and goe a 41. into captiuitie Touching goods in the Land first and the fruits thereof to b 30. build a house and another to dwell in it to plant the Vineyard and another to eate the fruit the c 23. Heauens to bee brasse that no rayne shall fall and thereby the Land to bee Iron that no fruit shall grow the seed d 38. that shall sowe the ground to bee consumed by the Locust the e 39. Vineyard by the Worme all the f 42. Trees and
pronouncing against vs the iudgement and condemnation f Rom. 3. 9. due vnto sin to driue vs to seeke Righteousnesse and thereby Saluation in another that is to say in Christ For Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousnesse to euery one that beleeueth Rom. 10. 4. So g Gal. 3. 22 23 24. The Law shutteth all men vnder sinne not that they should perish but that the promise by Faith in Iesus Christ might be giuen to those that beleeue And thus are wee led by the hand to the second part of this most holy Doctrine the Doctrine concerning Christ and the ioyfull and glad tydings of Saluation in and through him In speaking of Christ we are to handle both his Person Immanuel God with vs is in one person and his Office And first his Person In regard wherof the Scripture giueth him the Name of h Esay 7. 14. Mat. 1. 23. Immanuel God with vs or God-man The true Iehouah Coessentiall and Consubstantiall with the Father and the holy Spirit true man of our very nature and substance Wherefore in his Person are to be considered First The two distinct natures Secondly The vnion of them into one Christ The two distinct natures the Sonne of God Samosetanus held that Christ was not before hee tooke flesh Patropassians held that the Father tooke flesh and suffered are his Deitie and Humanitie his God-head or Diuine Nature being not the Person of the Father who was not incarnate nor of the Holy Ghost but of the Sonne as it is confessed by all as many as admit the distinction of persons and euident by the Scripture Gal. 4. 4. When the fulnesse of time came God sent downe his Sonne made of a woman c. Iohn 3. 16. God so loued the World that hee gaue his onely begotten Sonne c. This is also the confession of PETER Mat. 16. 16. Thou art the Sonne of the Liuing God and infinite other places Whatsoeuer therefore is disputed before concerning the God-head of the Sonne and his eternall Deitie falleth into this Man Christ Iesus And this nature doth of it selfe make a person supporting and holding vp the Manhood that wholy is subsisteth in the person of the God-head Wherefore that which is said Iohn 1. 14. The Word became flesh is expounded Heb. 2. 16. to be by taking it to his God-head therein to haue the being and subsistence and of the same to be supported and holden vp for euer The other nature is his Humanitie and very man Marcian and Valentinus taught that Christ tooke his bodie from Heauen and passed thorow the Virgin as water thorow a Pipe or that he tooke it out of the Ayre and so denyed the truth of his humane nature in that hee was perfect man of the very flesh of Marie So we reade Rom. 1. 3 Made of the Seed of DAVID according to the flesh that is his humane nature and Heb. 2. 16. He tooke not to his Godhead the nature of Angels but the Seed of ABRAHAM Againe Galat. 4. 4. he is said to be made of a woman the Preposition of noting her very substance and flesh And this is it that was prophecied long before that i Gen. 3. 15. the seed of the woman should tread downe the head of the Serpent And that k Psal 132. 11. Acts 2. 30. of the fruit of DAVIDS Loynes God would rayse vp Christ as touching the flesh Wherefore to make this more manifest he is called Shilo that is the After-birth of IVDA Gen. 49. 10. and is said to haue opened the Virgins wombe Luke 2. 23. Hee was therefore made of the Seed of Dauid and was a Plant of the Roote of Iesse a perfect man consisting as all other men doe of a bodie and soule indued with the faculties of vnderstanding and will That hee had a bodie it is plaine Heb. 10. 5. A bodie thou hast fitted for mee That it was a true bodie flesh and bones appeareth Luke 24. 39 euen after his Resurrection See mine hands and my feete for it is I my selfe handle mee and see for a Spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye behold me to haue Of his soule l Mat. 26. 38. the Holy Ghost saith His Apollinaris thought that Christ tooke a bodie onely and not a soule but that his God-head stood in stead of a soule soule was heauie vnto death And hee himselfe Father m Luke 22. 46. into thy hands I commit my spirit And when he had said so he dyed Now this could not possibly fall into the God-head which is not subiect to any passion was not nor could not be seuered from the bodie seeing it is euery-where Therefore it must needs be meant of that part of mans nature which properly wee terme the soule According whereunto he attributeth Monothelites which hold there was but one will in Christ vnto himselfe a will and that distinct from the will of his Father Not n Mat. 26. 39. as I will but as thou wilt So he is said to haue an Vnderstanding Luke 2. 47. They maruailed at his answeres and at his vnderstanding And in both these parts was he subiect to o Heb. 4. 15. 2. 14. all humane frailties and imperfections without sinne In his bodie to p Mat. 4. 2. hunger q Mar. 4. 38. sleepe r Iohn 4. 6. wearinesse Å¿ Marke 3. 9. wringing t Iohn 20. 25. 19. 37 38. piercing wounding and death it selfe u Luke 2. 52. growing in height and stature as other mens bodies grow finite and circumscribed Vbiquists that would haue his bodie to be euery-where Papists that would haue it to be in many places at once in place that when hee was in one hee was not in another but x Iohn 20. 19. remooued from place to place being y Mark 16. 19. Acts 1. 9. Luke 21. 27. taken vp and corporally ascending into Heauen from z Mat. 25. 31. Acts 1. 11. whence hee shall corporally come downe againe In his minde he was subiect to ignorance of some things but not sinfull ignorance for he grew a Luke 2. 52. and increased by degrees in Wisdome b Heb. 5. 8. He learned obedience by the things hee suffered yea of some things hee had no knowledge at all as it may be probably gathered out of Mar. 11. he had not c Mar. 11. 13. of the Fig Tree whether it had any fruit or no d Mar. 13. 32. of the day houre of Iudgement in his soule hee was subiect to all kinde of naturall passions e Iohn 11. 4 35 not sinfull loue f Heb. 5 7. feare g Mar 3. 5. griefe anger h Mat. 9. 36. 14 14. pittie i Iohn 11. 15. ioy k Mar. 10. 14. indignation l Iohn 11. 33. trouble of heart m Mat. 8. 10. Mar. 6. 6. wondering n Iohn 11. 27. perplexitie
Therefore by Faith So he saith Gala. 3. 17. For if the inheritance be by the Lawe then is it not any more by promise making it impossible and absurd that both should concurre together in the act of Iustification That wee might be the more in loue with the Couenant of Grace it is gloriously commended and set forth aboue the other Couenant many wayes First by the excellencie of the matter as is before declared Then by the nature of the thing beeing an z Esay 55. 3. and elsewhere euerlasting Couenant safe and sure that neuer can be altered more fixed in his Sonne than the Sunne and the Moone are fixed in the Heauens Thirdly by the solemnitie of the Couenant for First it is vttered in forme of Lawe Indenturewise betweene him on the one part and his Church on the other part a Ier. 31. 33. This is the Couenant which I will make with the House of Israel the speech of Iehoua Secondly it is registred and inrolled in the Records of the Court of Heauen as a perpetuall monument to indure for all eternitie Thirdly to put vs out of all danger and feare of losing it we haue a Duplicate left vnto vs Heb. 8. 8. c. as Lawyers speake an Exemplification or a Constat Fourthly b Psal 79. 4. Heb. 5. 13. he hath bound himselfe both by word and oath to make it good That by c Heb. 5. 21. two immutable things wherein it is impossible that God should lye wee might haue strong consolation Fiftly Not content with all this as knowing well our incredulitie and hardnesse of heart he fetcheth instances and confirmation from d Gen. 15. 5. Psal 79. 3. Heauen aboue and from the Earth beneath and all the Hoast of both from the e Ier. 31. 35 36 Sunne and Moone and Starres from the courses of the day and night from things present and things f Esay 66. 22. to come from the g Ier. 31. 37. height and from the Deepe of all which we cannot now stand particularly to discourse Lastly it is sealed with the great Seale of the bloud of and ratified by the death of him that made it hath also the name of a Testamēt his onely Sonne A Seale that hee neuer set vpon any other Letters Patents whereupon ratified by the death of him that made it it hath also the name of a h Heb. 9. 15 16 17. Testament This Couenant or Testament was alwayes one and the same from the beginning Heresies and Errors Being alwayes one and the same in substance as Iesus Christ the substance thereof was i Heb. 13. 8. yesterday and to day the same and for euer Wherefore Reu. 1◠8. he is said to be the Lambe slaine from the foundation of the World The power of whose death is not to be measured by the time of his suffering as if it were auaileable onely for those that should come after but all the faithfull from the beginning are alike saued by the vertue of it aswell before as since his comming for Abraham saith hee reioyced to see my day he saw it and was glad Iohn 8. 56. Howbeit according to the difference of the times it it is neuerthelesse distinguished or distinctly to bee considered in the Old and the New Testament The Old Testament was the Couenant through Christ to come The New Testament is the Couenant through Christ already come Iesus the Son of Marie hath a diuers name giuen vnto it Before the comming of Christ in the flesh the Couenant being through Christ to come of the Seed of a Virgin when hee was once come Iesus the blessed Seed of Mary Iudaisme that acknowledgeth not Iesus the Sonne of Mary to bee the promised Messias nor the Messias to be yet come the Couenant then was through CHRIST alreadie come Whereby the former being k Heb 8. 13. abrogated and done away this that succeeded was called l Ier. 31. 32. 33 34. the New Testament In regard whereof the other hath the name of the Old Testament But had the Fathers that liued before his comming as full a participation of Christ and all his benefits as wee haue I they had the very same in substance for they dranke of the Spirituall Rocke which is Christ 1. Cor. 10. 4. And to them also were the promises made Genesis 17. 7. I will be the God of thee and of thy Seed after thee And Acts 15. 11. By the grace of the Lord Iesus Christ they did beleeue to bee saued in the same manner as wee doe Onely the dispensation of the times did differ CHAP. II. Of the Priesthood of Christ THere be m Psal 1 10. Ier. 33. 17 18. Zach. 6. 13. Heb. 7. 23. two parts of the Mediation Of the Office of Mediation there be two parts Priesthood and Kingdome Priesthood is in the things which he doth to God for those Elect. of Christ Priesthood and Kingdome being both together fully complete and perfect for the whole worke of our Redemption for in the one is comprehended all sufficiencie of matter for our Regeneration Righteousnes and the blessednes belonging to it in the other all power to effect and worke it the one is in Humilitie the other in Glorie one in all things betweene God and him that should be our Mediator the other in all things that from God are through him conueyed downe vnto vs. To conclude the Priesthood of Christ purchaseth our Redemption his Kingdome doth apply it The things generally spoken before of his whole Office of Mediation may here be considered in his Priestly Function whereunto it pleaseth the Holy Ghost for our comfort more specially to apply them all differing from the Leuiticall Priesthood which was vnder the Law First His calling hauing two properties n Heb. 7. 16. one that it was by the Law of the power of life whereas the Priests of Leui were appointed by the Law of the fleshly commandement The other o Heb. 7. 20 21 22. that where they were made Priests without another he was appointed by his Father by an oath to shew that he is the suretie of a better Testament Secōdly The p Heb. 7. 21 23. 24 52. eternitie of his Priesthood that q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cannot passe from one to another eyther by succession or discent as theirs did but is personall and euerlastingly abideth in himselfe Thou art a Priest for euer after the order of MELCHISEDECH whereas in the Leuiticall Priesthood both the persons dyed and the Priesthood it selfe changed being translated to the Tribe of Iuda whence our Lord sprang Thirdly That this is The Popish Priesthood whose verie institution is to offer sacrifice for the quicke and the dead r Heb. 7. 28. proper vnto Christ and that there bee no Priests now vnder the Gospell to offer any propipitiatorie Sacrifice Indeed the name of Priest is often vsed in the New Testament but
flesh he was iustified in the Spirit And g Acts 2. 22. PETER calleth him a man approued of God by the excellent Deedes and miracles and signes which God had done by him Which as h Iohn 2. 11. Iohn noteth were to manifest his glorie In regard whereof he saith i Iohn 1. 14 Wee saw his glorie as the glorie of the onely begotten Sonne of God But yet sometimes more gloriously then at other he was pleased in an extraordinary manner to reueale it as in his Transfiguring vpon the Mount when k Matth. 17. 2. his face shined as the Sunne and his garments were made white as the light In his l Iohn 2. 15. whipping of the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple In his m Iohn 18. 6. causing of them that came to apprehend him onely by the power of his Word to fall vnto the ground c. yea in the very midst of all his sufferings and euen vpon the Crosse it selfe how did his glorie shine taking vpon him to n Luk. 23. 42 43. dispose of Paradise the kingdome of heauen at his pleasure and making heauen and earth the liuing and the dead to worke together for the celebrating of his greatnesse When the Sunne ashamed of their doings o Matth. 27. 45 pulled in his beames and refused to giue them Light when at p Matth. 27. 50 51 52. his voice and the noyse of his roring the Earth trembled and shooke the Vale of the Temple rent a sunder from the top vnto the bottome Rockes flew in pieces the Graues were opened and the Bodies of many dead Saints did arise when hee wrung out of the q Matth 27. 54 Centurions mouth a confession of his person and made the r Iohn 19. 19 20 21 22. hands of Pilate imbrued with his bloud to be the instruments of the publishing of his Office and to lift vp the Standard of his prayse to all people Latines Greekes and Hebrewes that not without iust cause doth the Å¿ Coloss 2. 15. Apostle say that He spoyled Principalities and Powers and led them in open shew triumphing vpon the Crosse So as the shamefull and ignominious Crosse was contrary to its nature so altered and changed by Christs Diuine Power that it serued now for a Trophee and Monument of his Victorie being as a Chariot wherein he rode more glorious then any Emperour or Potentate of the World in the middest of his greatest Triumph and had all the enemies of our Saluation Satan Sinne Hell and Condemnation led after him chayned and fast bound with all their weapons pulled from them as men taken captiues But this Glorie of his afterwards shined foorth most were in soule or bodie apart or ioyntly in them both In soule he went to Heauen presently after death cleerely in foure steps or degrees In the first place may bee reckoned though it were not conspicuous to the World that he went in soule vnto Heauen after death So hee t Luke 23. 43. saith to the Thiefe This day thou shalt bee with mee in Paradise And after being readie to giue vp the ghost u Verse 46. Father into thy hands I commit my Spirit Which to bee meant of his present going to God his Father is manifest by other places where the like phrase is vsed as Acts 7. 59. in the Prayer of STEPHEN Lord receiue my spirit The second step is his Resurrection when in the His bodie hee raysed from the dead Chambers of death he conquered death it selfe and being a Morsell that the graue was not able for to swallow arose from the dead and made thereby a perfect conquest of all his foes and full demonstration of his Glorie as the Apostle saith x Rom. 1. 4. He was mightily declared to be the Sonne of God as touching the spirit of Sanctification by rising from the dead In his Resurrection I note these sixe things First The cause of his Resurrection which was by his owne Diuine Power Secondly The manner of his rising mightily and powerfully not bound hand and foote as Lazarus came forth but like Samson hee y Acts 2. 24. brake the bands of death and of the graue in sunder Thirdly What bodie hee rose withall a Bodie freed glorious from all infirmitie hunger thirst wearinesse c. and indued with immortalitie strength nimblenesse agilitie Behold my hands and my feet It is euen â— touch me and see mee A Spirit hath not flesh and bones as yee see mee to haue Acts 2. 32. Acts 3. 13 15. able to mooue vpwards aswell as to goe downewards glorious and shining and therefore called z Phil. 3. 21. A bodie glorious Howsoeuer it Vbiquists that teach Christs body since his Resurrection to bee Omnipotent euerywhere remayne a a Luke 24 39. bodie still to bee handled touched felt hauing length breadth c. with all other essentiall properties belonging to a Bodie and locally comprehended in one certaine place Fourthly The time when hee rose which was the the third day at the dawning of the day b Mat. 16. 21. Luke 24. 7. 11. Acts 10 40. 1. Cor. 15. 4. third Day early in the morning Fiftly The fruit and benefit in all those good and excellent things which are to bee remembred when wee speake of the Kingdome of Heauen The third step is his most blessed and glorious Ascension whereby in stead of the lower part of the In his whole person soule and bodie he ascends into Heauen Earth whither for his great loue vnto vs he did willingly come downe God hath taken him vp and set him aboue the highest Heauens as the Apostle noteth Ephes 4. 10 11. Now this that he ascended what is it but that hee first descended into the lower parts of the Earth He that descended is the selfe-same that ascended farre aboue all the Heauens c. Of this is the Storie recorded Marke 16. 19. Luke 24. 51. and more fully Acts 1. 29. that whilest they looked he was lifted vp or as the Angell calleth it Acts 1. 11. taken vp from them into Heauen that is his humane nature by the power and vertue of his God-head was truly and locally translated from the Earth into the highest Heauens of the Blessed where it is to remayne in all glorie and excellencie till the latter Day as the Angell telleth his Apostles Acts 1. 11. This Iesus that is taken vp from you into Heauen shall so come as you haue seene him going into Heauen And Peter more plainly Acts 3. 21. Whom Heauen must contayne till the times of the restoring of all things For where our Sauiour saith Mat. 28. 20. I am with you alwayes to the end of the World and a c Mat. 26. 11. little before had said Me you shall not haue alwayes among you it appeareth that the manner of his presence is to bee distinguished for hee is present indeed alwayes with his Church but by the
childrens bodies are not able to beare the other And here a three-fold Ceremonie is to bee obserued First The sprinkling secondly The lying as it were vnder the water thirdly The rising out of it all which the Apostle noteth Rom. 6. 3 4. The grace signified is our incorporating into Christ And therefore it is called i Tit. 3. 5. According to his mercie he hath saued vs by the Lauer of Regeneration The Lauer or Sacrament of Regeneration and thereupon wee are said in Baptisme k Gal. 3. 27. As many of you as are baptized into Christ haue put on Christ to put on Christ Whereof followeth First That it is the first Sacrament of the Church as birth is the first beginning of our life Secondly Children of beleeuing Catabaptists that denie the baptisme of Children parents in that they are members of the Church and partakers of the Couenant cannot bee shut from Baptisme which is the Sacrament thereof no more than they might from Circumcision Wherefore our Sauiour l Mark 10. 14. saith Suffer little children to come vnto me for vnto such belongeth the Kingdome of God Thirdly that is to bee done The Donatists and Nouatians that hold Rebaptization The Papists teach that Baptisme hath onely force to purge sinnes past The Nouatians denie forgiuenesse of sinnes to them that fell after Baptisme but once only as men are borne but once yet it assureth vs of our vnion with Christ not once but all the dayes of our life and testifieth the forgiuenesse of all sinnes past present or to come And therefore is said to saue vs 1. Pet. 3. 2. Fourthly Hereupon wee are said to be baptized into the name of the m Math. 28. 29 Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost because by Baptisme we being consecrate to God are ioyned to him to beare his name as the wife beareth the name of her husband Fiftly It is a Sacrament also of our vniting into the Church Therefore n Gal. 3. 27. Paul after he had said As many of you as are baptized into Christ haue put on Christ immediately addeth For all you are one in Christ Iesus Sixtly Being a seale of Regeneration consequently it sealeth vp the fruits thereof Iustification and Sanctification Hee hath saued vs saith o Tit. 3. 5 6 7. PAVL by the Lauer of Regeneration and of the renewing of the holy Spirit which hee hath shed forth vpon vs richly through Iesus Christ our Sauiour That beeing iustified by his grace wee might be made heires in hope of euerlasting life A seale it is of Iustification in this sort first Of the hiding and couering of sinnes by the couering of the childes face with water Secondly of Christs accomplishment of the Law making vs righteous by the water washing and making cleane the Bodie It is a seale of Sanctification thus First The water lying vpon the childes face declareth that the old Adam in the baptized person is buried with Christ our Sauiour Secondly As after the water shed from the Bodie the Bodie appeareth white and cleane so doe wee rise and appeare in newnesse of life and hereof it is called a p Mark 1. 3. Sacrament of Repentance Iohn baptized in the Wildernes and preached the baptisme of Repentance vnto the forgiuenesse of sinnes Matth. 3. 11. I baptize you with water vnto Repentance The forme whereof is thus or to this effect I baptize thee in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost All these vses both for Iustification and Sanctification and the distinct parts of euery one the Apostle notably setteth forth Rom. 6. 3 4 5 6. Know yee not that all wee which haue beene baptized into Iesus Christ haue beene baptized into his Death Wee are buried then with him by Baptisme into his Death that like as Christ was raysed from the dead vnto the glorie of the Father so also wee should walke in newnesse of life For if wee bee grafted with him to the similitude of his death euen so shall we be to the similitude of his resurrection Knowing this that our olde man is crucified with him that the bodie of Sinne might be destroyed that henceforth wee should not serue Sin The forme of Baptisme which the Minister is here to vse is this q Matth. 28. 19 I baptize thee in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost The Lords Supper is a receyuing of Bread and Wine to assure our growing vp in Christ where the outward signe is double as before in Baptisme The Lords Supper is a feeding with Bread and Wine First The matter both r Matth. 26. 26 27. bread Papists by their Doctrine of Transubstantiation take away the signes in the Supper and wine of which Elements God made choyce because they are the chiefest meanes of nourishment And of them both to shew how plentifull and assured a Redemption we haue in Christ The kind of Bread must bee The Popish Wafer-cakes ordinarie Bread according as our Sauiour Christ tooke such as was vsed at the common table at that time Secondly The action which is the Ministers breaking of bread and powring forth The Superstition of the Papists which will haue it thrust into their mouthes of wine with his deliuering of them both and the peoples receyuing of them Matth. 26. 26 27. As they did eate Iesus tooke Bread and when he had blessed he brake it and gaue it to his Disciples and said Take eate c. Also he tooke the Cup and when he had giuen thankes he gaue it to them saying Drinke c. And of this Wine all are to The sacriledge of Poperie robbing the people of the vse of the Cup. Their priuate and Corner-Masses drinke aswell the people as the Minister so expresly prouided Matth. 26. 27. Drinke yee all of this which is more than he said of the Bread The graces signified are our growing vp in Christ to assure our continuance in the Couenant wherein is noted our continuance in him with increase and consequently iustification and holinesse of life for in the elements themselues the Bread and Wine set before vs the Bodie and Bloud of Christ Matth. 26. 26 27 28. He brake the Bread and said Take eate this is my Bodie Also he tooke the Cup and said Drinke yee all of it for this is my bloud of the New Testament that is shed for many Their nourishing of our Bodies signifie his spirituall feeding of our Soules 1. Cor. 12. 13. By one Spirit we are all made to drink into one Spirit which quickneth and putteth life into vs. In the Actions the Bread broken before our eyes doth represent Passion and sufferings 1. Cor. 11. 24. ſ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As Matth. 23. 38. Behold your house is left 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnto you desolate That is most certainely shall be left and that shortly He tooke
our Sauiour Christ n Iohn 10. 27 28 29 30. My sheepe heare my voyce and I know them and they follow me and I giue euerlasting Life vnto them and they shall neuer perish neither shall any pull them out of my hand My Father which hath giuen them me is greater then all and none can pull them out of my Fathers hand I and my Father are one And againe o Iohn 6. 37 39 40. Euery one that the Father giueth mee commeth vnto mee and him that commeth vnto me I will not cast out but I will rayse him vp in the latter Day To conclude that which is said Mat. 16. 18. that the gates of Hell shall not preuaile against the Church must needs bee true of euery one which by Faith is made a member of the Church So that our faith how weake soeuer it be in it selfe yet it is firme and strong in and through him that hath promised to hold it vp so as all aduersarie powers shall not be able to root it out which is the fulnesse of excellencie purchased for vs by Christ that being quickened from death and a spirituall life put into vs we are no more at our owne hand left to keepe our selues and so in danger to lose all againe as Adam did but haue the promise of a continuall support and stay by the mightie working of Christs Spirit till we come to his heauenly Kingdome where is nothing but Eternitie And therefore he that once beleeueth is said p Iohn 3. 36. alreadie to haue eternall Life to q Ephes 2. 6. bee raised vp and seated in heauenly places r Rom. 8. 30. glorified c. for the certaintie and vndoubted assurance of it And Å¿ Rom. 5. 1. being iustified by Faith saith the Apostle We haue peace with God which could not possibly be if we were not sure to continue in the state of Grace As for those exhortations so common in the Scripture t 1. Cor. 10. 12. He that thinketh he standeth let him take held lest hee fall u 2. Iohn ver 8. Looke to your selues that wee lose not the good things which we haue wrought but that wee may receiue a full reward x Reuel 3. 11. Hold fast that thou hast that no man take away thy Crowne y Heb. 12. 15. Take heed that no man fall from the Grace of God z 1. Thes 5. 19. Quench not the Spirit and such like whereby it seemeth that the Spirit of Adoption and Sanctification proper to Gods Children may be lost The answere to them and all other of that kinde is short and readie They serue to stirre vs vp to watchfulnesse and diligence and as the Apostle speaketh to worke our saluation in feare and trembling not to teach what is possible for true Beleeuers to doe for as God doth assure the faithfull that they shall perseuer hold on vnto the end so he hath appointed Exhortation and the Preaching of the Word as a meanes whereby hee will nourish this holy fire in vs. But doe not the sinnes and grieuous falls of GODS Elect impeach the truth of this Doctrine Not a whit for the a 1. Iohn 3. 9. seed of God abiding in them maketh that they cannot sinne totally and finally without recouery but are at the length raysed vp againe and in the meane time their Faith and Grace is not extinct and gone how sore soeuer it may bee shaken as is euident to bee seene in Peter whose sinne being of that nature that the sinne against the Holy Ghost except a greater can scarcely be imagined yet his b Luke 22. 32. Faith supported by the Prayer of our Sauiour Christ who hath c Iohn 17. prayed in like sort for all that are his in all that conflict did not faile And Dauid after his fact with Vriahs Wife and the murdering of her Husband prayeth d Psal 51. 13. Take not thy holy Spirit from mee Therefore he had not lost it The other point which is the third qualitie of faith but continually groweth is that continually it groweth Therefore the e Rom. 1. 17. Apostle saith that by the preaching of the Gospell the Righteousnesse of God is reueiled from Faith to Faith That is a Faith that groweth and increaseth continually being nourished and holpen by meditation of the Word of God serious and faithfull Prayer and other meanes which God hath sanctified to keepe this holy f 2. Tim. 1. 6. fire still within vs that it neuer should goe out but flame forth more and more Faith euen when it ceaseth to bee Faith for as wee till we come to see Christ in his Glorie reade 1. Cor. 13. 13. Now and no longer abideth Faith yet euen then we cannot giue her lost since she groweth into a greater and a farre surpassing light to see Christ in his heauenly Kingdome for Faith is in this life and sight in the World to come as the Apostle doth distinguish them 2. Cor. 5. 7. Wee walke by Faith and not by Sight And g 1. Pet. 1. 8. PETER Whom though yee see him not yet ye beleeue in him Sight therefore hath place in the next World and apprehendeth Christ as hee is in himselfe then present without this Glasse of the Word and Sacraments 1. Iohn 3. 2. When he shall be manifested we shall see him as he is 1. Cor. 13. 12. Then after this life we shall see him face to face And both these are in nature and essence one for euen Faith is a kinde of seeing Christ Iohn 6. 69. and 1. Iohn 4 16. Euery one that seeth the Sonne and beleeueth in him shall haue euerlasting Life onely they differ in measure and quantitie In Faith this seeing of Christ the knowledge and apprehension of him is feeble and weake 1. Cor. 13. 12. Now we see in a Glasse In sight it is full and perfect as it is said there But after that which is perfect is come c. With Faith Hope is alwayes ioyned By Hope I So as Faith hath alwayes Hope that is an assured wayting for of that blessed Sight going with it meane the blessed expectation and waiting for of eternall Life But because Hope is commonly taken as of things doubtfull and vncertaine that to hope for saluation seemeth no more then to stand in suspence and questionable whether one shall be saued or no it is good wee vnderstand the verie nature of this Grace Hope therefore to speake in generall is an expectation and wayting for of some good thing not present but promised and to come h Rom. 8. 24 25 for hope which is seene is no hope for how can a man hope for that which hee seeth but if wee hope for that wee see not wee doe wait for it with patience saith the Apostle to the Romanes Therefore according to the nature of the promise so doth Hope take hold doubtingly where either there is no speciall and
most part enioy pleasure and the Saints of God are pinched with penury yet that after death there abides a large recompence for the godly when to the wicked shall be anguish and sorrow Therefore he saith l Luk. 16. 22 23 That LAZARVS when he dyed was carryed of Angels into ABRAHAMS bosome and the Rich man buried and cast into Hell For being in Hell saith our Sauiour Christ in torment he saw ABRAHAM afarre off and LAZARVS in his bosome The second degree is a better and more excellent At what time condition after that both to soule and bodie for the full effecting whereof there bee two most glorious and renowned workes the wonders of the World which Christ our Lord and King shall by the power and force of his Kingdome and by vertue of that Office giuen vnto him of his Father performe in the latter Day to the euerlasting ioy and comfort of his Children In respect whereof that Day is called The Day of the Lord. And those are a generall Resurrection and the last Iudgement By the generall Resurrection I meane that there shall our bodies being raysed vp be a raysing vp of all the dead bodies which haue slept or shall sleepe in the Dust of the Earth that so being knit againe into one person with their soules both bodies and soules may receiue according to the things they haue done in this World whether they be good or euill So saith the Prophet m Dan. 12. 2. DANIEL At the length many of them that slept in the dustie earth shall awake these to euerlasting life and those to shame and reproch euerlasting And our Sauiour Christ Iohn 5. 28 29. The houre commeth wherein all that are in the graues shall heare his voyce and shall come forth they which haue done good things vnto the Resurrection of life and they which haue done euill things vnto the Resurrection of condemnation In this Doctrine of the Resurrection I note First Who shall arise All the dead without exception both iust and vniust as it is said Acts 24. 15. Secondly By what power they shall arise by the power and voyce of Christ vsing the Ministerie of an Archangell or a Chiefe and a Principall Angell Iohn 5. 28. The houre commeth when all that are in the graue shall heare his voyce and shall come forth c. 1. Thes 4. 16. The Lord himselfe with a showting with the voyce of an Archangell and with the Trumpet of God shall come downe from Heauen and the dead in Christ shal arise 1. Cor. 15. 52 The Trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raysed vp Thirdly In what sort we shall arise In the selfe-same bodies that we now carrie about vs as n Iob 19. 25 26 27. Iob saith I know that my Redeemer liueth and that the latter man shall rise vp vpon the dust Therefore after I shall awake and the Wormes haue digged thorow this yet in my flesh shall I see God euen I the selfe-same that I am and not a stranger shall see for my selfe and mine own eyes shal behold after that my reines with my bosome shall be consumed Else it could be no Resurrectiō vnlesse the very same bodies did arise Fourthly Two things are to bee considered proper to the Elect for First They shall rise glorious like to the glorified bodie glorious of our Sauiour Christ In which respect it is said They shall o Mat. 13. 43. shine as the Sunne And the Apostle saith * 1. Co. 15. 42 43 It is sowne a bodie subiect to corruption it is raysed incorrupt it sowne dishonorable it is raysed glorious it is sowne weake it is raysed powerful And afterwards p Verse 47 c The first man from the Earth the second Man the Lord from Heauen such as the earthy one was such also are the earthly men and such as the heauenly one is such also shal the heauenly ones be And as we haue carryed the image of the earthy one so also shall we carrie the Image of the heauenly One. Coloss 3. 4. When Christ shal be manifested which is our life then shal ye also be manifested with him glorious Phil. 3. 21. Who wil transforme this our base bodie that it may be fashioned like to his glorious body wherby he is able to subiect all things vnto himselfe So as they shal not any more be quickned by meat or drink or the vse of outward things but by the onely participation of the Power of Christs Spirit whereupon they are called q 1. Cor. 15. 44. Spirituall bodies liuing onely by the Power of Christs Spirit immediately quickening them for euer as those we carrie now about vs are called naturall bodies because they liue by naturall meanes and the power of the foule that quickeneth them which is another thing wherein our state is bettered in Christ aboue that it was in Adam whose bodie though it were comely and beautifull yet was not glorious as ours shall bee being glorified through Christ Secondly This is done by the speciall Power and Vertue of his Resurrection whose members they are and in r Ephes 2. 6. whome and together with whome when hee arose from the dead all the Church did rise Wherefore the ſ 1. Thes 4. 14. Apostle saith If we beleeue that Iesus is dead and risen againe so also will God bring together with him those that slept through Iesus And hereupon 1. Cor. 15. 20 21 22. hee calleth him The first fruits of the dead who in and by his rising againe hath sanctified the Resurrection of all his For as by man came death so also by Man commeth the Resurrection from the dead for as in ADAM al dyed so also in Christ shall all be quickened that is all the faithfull of whom he there speaketh for the Reprobate he doth not rayse vp as hee doth the Elect whose Head he is by vertue of his owne Resurrection but onely the force of that curse t Gen. 2. 17 What Day thou eatest of the forbidden fruit thou shalt certainly dye shall restore to them their bodies wherein to suffer euerlasting torments Whence it is that this Comming of theirs out of the Graue being onely vnto death is scarce vouchsafed in the Scripture the name of a Resurrection whereas to GODS Children being one principall part of their redeeming and freeing into euerlasting Glorie it hath the name of Regeneration giuen to it Mat. 19. 28. for this cause it is also called u Luke 14. 14. The Resurrection of the Righteous and they named Children of the x Luke 20. 36. Resurrection for that the fruit and comfort of the Resurrection doth properly and onely appertayne to them In the last Iudgement I note First Who shall bee iudged All both Deuils and the whole man shall meete men as it is said y Rom. 14. 10. 1. Cor. 5. 10. All of vs must be presented before the Iudgement Seat of Christ And of