of Christ of it self had not power at once to purge eternally yet because it was the bloud of God it had that force Hereupon 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 eternall Hereupon we may strongly coÌ„clude against the Papistes that with a double conclusion First that séeing no sacrifice hath the vertue to purge away sinne but because it is offered by the eternall spirite And secondly that his purging once made being that which is made by the eternall Godhead is perfect for euer By the first it is manifest that they are not able to offer a sacrifice propitiatorie because they are mortal meÌ„ by the seconde that there is no place for them the worke of purging sinne being alreadie accomplished for euer If there be a newe 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 vppon them to do that which he hath alreadie perfectly finished Come forth ye blind Papists and proue that ye are more than men shewe 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 Wee may ioyne hereunto the which is vsed to proue that the sacrifices of the Leuiticall Priestes did not purge sinne namely that they were so often offered For thereby the holie ghost doth teach that they were not able to sanctifie the commers thereto Heb. 10. 1. For then as he sayeth they shoulde haue ceased because there should haue béene 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 haue taken away the disease and perfected the cure then is it vaine to adde it any more If it be still continually from time to time applyed to the sore as still remaining then it may be said truely that the same medicine doeth 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 â—rpiation This disease of sinne still remaining as the continuall mention remembrance thereâ— doeth shewe it followeth that those sacrifices did not nor could not purge it away Unto these is opposed the sacrifice of Christ which because it hath perfectly purged sinne for euer so that there remaineth no more conscience thereof in those that are sanctified it is done but once and neuer to be repeated or don again The other which were Priestes in the lawe stoode daily ministring and often offring the same sacrifices which coulde neuer take away sinne But this man hauing offered one sacrifice for sinne sitteth for euer at the right hand of God froÌ„ henceforth waiting vntill his enimies be made his sooâ—â—loole Heb. 10. verâ— 11 12. The former did stand daily miniâ—â—ring as those which had not nor coulâ—â— not accomplish the work of reconcilâ—ation although they offred neuer so often But he hauing once offered â—easeth from offring and is set downe in the highest throne of maiestie and glorie because as it is there saide he hath with one oblatioÌ„ made perfect for euer those which are sanctified If his sacrifice did abolish sinne but for a time as for a yere or certaine yeres then should he either bring nothing to passe or else returne often and sundrie times from his glorie to offer againe This is also confirmed in the same Chapter ver 18. by a conclusion which is drawen out of the forme of wordes which the Lorde vseth in the promise which he maketh of the Newe 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 giuen pardon and remission for that he colleâ—teth and where there is pardon ther is no more sacrifice for sinne Now therefore when we see this to be most manifest by the plaine doctrine of Gods worde let vs consider the abominable wickednes of the Papistes which by their sacrifice ouerturne all this For whereas there is remission of sinnes alreadie purchased what place can ther be for their sacrifice propitiatorie whereas that sacrifice is vnperfect and cannot take away sinne which is often offred how is theirs the perfect sacrifice of Christes bodie which is continually done againe and againe What do 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 New Testament hath failed that sinne is yet remembred no remiâ—â—ion as yet obtained And further when they will needes haue him offred so â—â—â—ten is it not as much as to denye the effect and power of the bloud of Christ Is it not quite contrarie to this that with one oblation he hath made perfect for euer those that are sanctified But here they take exception and say that they do not offer any new sacrifice but the same And moreouer that their oblation is but an application of the fruit of that which Christ offered and that because we sée féele in our selues that we are still guiltie all which is but a blinde cauill For what though they say they offer the same did not the priests the sonnes of Aaron yerely offer still the same doth not the power of the reason stand in this to proue that they were not auailable because then they should haue ceased Can they denie 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 offring hath he made perfect for euer those which are sanctified This doth cut the throte of their ofteÌ„ offring when his one offring had made perfect for euer for it leaueth nothing behind for such caitiues as they be And further where they pretende this necessitie because we haue still guiltie consciences therein they are more than beasts for the guiltinesse of our consciences is not for this that there néedeth any sacrifice to be offered to satisfie and purge sinne but through the remnants of iniquitie which remaine in vs because of the weaknes 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 alreadie satisfied If that act of theirs bée propitiatorie 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 theâ—â— doctrine of Purgatorie For if there remaine any satisfaction or purgation to be made then is it not true that he hath made perfect for euer
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 euer before God from the guiltines of our sinnes yet we are not in the full possession of this benefite nor shall not be vntill the last day for then shall his enimies be made his footestoole The diuell sinne â—â—â—th are these enimies which he hath ouercome that they cannot raigne ouer vs but yet wee must in the meane time wresile with them not therefore esteeming the power of Christs death to be the lesse because they be not alreadie vtterly abolished as the wicked vnbeléeuing Papistes do and therefore set vp trashe of their own to destroy sinne but waiting for that appointed time when the full power of his death shall appearâ— in the meane time staying by faith resting our selues on that one sacrifice once offred To conclude then hath not the mightie spirite of God power to apply vnto vs the vertue of that bloud but such sillie vermin as the Popish priests must help The holy ghost calling vpon vs and teaching vs to applie these benefites willeth vs to draw neere with a true heart with full assurance of faith Hebr. 10. ver 22. we come vnto him with the heart after a spirituall manner because all thinges in him are spiritual we are did to approch to lay hold of him by faith for wee can not either with the hande 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 néedes be concluded againe that they may bée as good priestes as the priestes of Baal and no better and that when they hold vp their idol Christ is not betweene their fingers Let vs go forward It shal yet be more manifest by the words of the holie Ghost that this sacrifice of the Masse is so farre from being the sacrifice of the Newe Testament that it doth flatly go against it For he saith as concerning Christ that he did not offer himselfe often as the high Priest went yerely into the holie place with other bloud Hebr. 9. ver 25. and then in the next verse he giueth a reason namely that then he should haue suffred often since the beginning of the world This sentence is verie mightie against the Papistes because it driueth them from all their shiftes and leaueth them naked and destitute but the force of it wil not appeare vnlesse we looke vpoÌ„ what principles it is grounded to proue that if Christ should haue offered himselfe often then must he also haue suffered death often since the beginning of the world Among the which this offreth it selfe as the first to be considered that all the holie fathers the Patriarches and Prophets from the beginning coulde haue no entrance vnto God but by remission of sinnes and that whereas otherwise they had the dore shut against them by this they were restored into fauour and receiued For it cannot be denyed but that by nature they were sinners as we be and that God cannot receiue sinners Being therefore out of controuersie that they obteined life it must néedes followe that they had pardon for if either there had béene no sin or no pardon to be graunted what necessitie could there be of a sacrifice The seconde principle without which the reason of the Apostle cannot stande is this that there can be 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 ther not a necessitie why he shoulde often suffer For although ther were a necessitie of remission of sinnes vnlesse all should be damned yet he might be set free from the same necessitie of offring himselfe séeing there were other wayes to obtaine it but the holie Ghost standeth vppon this as a marter not to bee doubted of that neither there is nor neuer hath béene any thing able to destroy sinne or to take away the â—uiltines of it by making satisfaction but onely the sacrifice of the sonne of God For howsoeuer the idolatrous Innvels do ascribe vnto many things they power of purging and satisfying for sinâ—â— yet the holie word of God and those which beléeue it do giue that glorie only vnto Christ and euen as his great glorie wherein he hathne fellow The third thing without which an exeâ—ption might be iustly taken against theâ—â—resaid reason is this that there coâ—â—â— 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 haue sâ—â—â—â—ed often It were an easie matter â—â— the offring of Christ were any thing aâ—â—â—lable without suffring death to say there were no necessitie wherefore â—ee should suffer often seeing he might bee offred and not be slaine But this is strengthened by that which goeth before in the same Chapter where hee hath shewed that the testament is confirmed when men are dead because it is of no force while the testator liueth and so he is the mediator of the Newe Testament but yet through death Wherefore also the former testament in which there were but the shadowes and paterne of heauenly thinges was ratified by death as it is prooued by this that it was not dedicated without bloud For when Moses had read the lawe vnto 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 blould of the Testament which god hath commaunded vnto 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 wherfore Christ could not be offred often but he must then also dye often euen because the testament is of no force without the death of the testator Here is further shewed wherefore it cannot be auailable without death that is to say there is no remission of sinnes without shedding of bloud Christ therefore could not be offred ofteÌ„ vnlesse it should be to no purpose which is most absurde but his bloud must be often shed Then if the Papistes will vpholde and maintaine that their sacrifice is auailable to purge away sinne and that it is a sacrifice propitiatorie for the quicke the dead as they doe impudently affirme Let them also confesse that they murther againe the sonne of God and so shead his bloud For if they will stande to this that theirs is an vnbloudie sacrifice and though they offer him yet they do not slay him and yet withall do challenge the power therby to purge sinne let them knowe that they goe directly against the spirite of God which sayeth there is no remission without shedding of bloud In this therefore they are after
an horrible manner blasphemous that they will ouerthrowe the reason and argument of the holie ghost For if by any means there might be a sacrifice to take away sinne without the shedding of bloud then might Christ haue béen often offred and haue dyed but once If the fathers had the fruite and benefite of that one oblation as namely their sinnes washed away with that bloud once shed that without any offring of such vnbloudie sacrifice to apply the same why should not wee likewise by faith obtaine the same vnlesse some shaueling offer him daily Ye blinde Idolaters did yâ— bloud of Christ purge away sinne before his comming onely through faith and shal it not now Was there a more perfect power in it to abolish sinne in the sathers which were long time before his comming than there is after it hath béene shed in déede 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 apprchended through faith shall it not destroy the vertue therof or at the least diminish it when they teach that wee cannot be partakers of him vnlesse he be still offred Is that which the holy Ghost speaketh that he hath béene once made manifest in the ende 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 vnto vs as wel â—ea euen vnto the whole Church vntill his comming againe at the worldes ende for he compareth it in this maner that as it is appointed vnto meÌ„ to dye once and after commeth iudgement so Christ also being once offred to take away the sinnes of manie vnto those that looke for him shall appeare the second time without sinne vnto saluation It is the ordinance of God that wheÌ„ a man hath runne his race and finished his course he shall not be permitted to turne backe againe to do that which he left vndone or â—o make straight that which is crooked but must holde him vnto iudgemeÌ„t for things past because that onely remameth In like sort he setteth the perfection of the one oblation of Christ who being once offered to take away the sinnes of manie it is so perfectly doone that when he shall appeare againe the seconde time to giue the eternall saluation there shal be no sinne to be purged or for which he is to make further satisfaction For when it is saide that he shall appeare without sinne the second time it is not meant of his owne person but of those whome he hath redéemed from their sinnes which is most cléere and manifest in this that the minde of the holie Ghost is to shewe a difference betwéene his first and seconde appearance euen in that point Which if it should be vnderstoode of his owne person should make no difference because he was without sinne at his first appearing although he tooke vpon him and bare in his bodie the sinnes of his people But at his seconde appearance because he hath vtterly destroyed sinne for euer 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 impudeÌ„t might be ashamed to patch in their trumperie to giue power vnto the death of Christ when they sée here the perfection of it so set foorth that it hath so at once for euer destroyed sinne that there néedeth no more sacrifice to be offred For will they make the power of it lesse since his coÌ„ming than it was before We may then conclude séeing the sacrifice of the Newe Testament that should haue a spirituall heauenly and endlesse power could not be offred in a worldly sanctuarie with worldly ordinances the sanctuarie and all the ordinances of the Popish seruice and Priesthood are such as are earthly and séeing the same sacrifice coulde not be offred to be auailable vnlesse it were offred by the eternall godhead the Popish Priestes are men and not God being the bloud of a man which is also God that purgeth away sinne it hath an eternall power to purge and so vnlesse the Papistes will haue a newe â—â—demption there is no place for their propitiatorie sacrifice And séeing the sacrifice that is perfect is but once offred that which is often offred doeth not take away sinne And because the sacrifice of Christ once offred hath for euer perfectly abolished sinne the promise of the Newe Testament is that God will no more remember it and therefore no more sacrifice to be required The Papistes contrarie to that promise make satisfactions still and sacrifices for sinne Their sacrifice is offred often Christ coulde be offred but once because he could by but once The sacrifice is not auailable without death because there is no remission of sinnes without shedding of bloud The Papistes do not saye they slay Christ they say theirs is an vnblodie sacrifice there is no remission of sinnes without shedding of bloud The sacrifice of Poperie is not the sacrifice of the Newe Testament neither can it be propitiatorie as they bragge for the quick the dead Nay it is as abominable before God as if a man should offer a dogge in sacrifice Then considering what iniury these Priests after the order of Rome haue done vnto the sonne of God first in challenging that office and dignitie which belongeth onely vnto him and secondly in ouer throwing the perfection of the vertue and efficacie of his sacrifice Let as many of vs as minde to cleaue vnto Christ to take part with him and to fight vnder his banner so attaine the reward of eternal glory remoue our selues vtterly from the campe and societie of such aduersaries and armed with the spirituall armour of God let vs sounde the trumpet and bid defiance against them and against the diuel and Antichrist their chiefe capitaines for this is most certaine that wee shall neuer be reputed as friendes vnto Christ vnlesse wee be at enmâ—ty with his enimies fight against them Manie do suppose that they may hold friendship and familiaritie with them and estéeme of them as Christians and match their sonnes with their daughters although they beare yâ— same print and be of the same stamp with their parents onely because they doe professe the name of Christ and carrie a zeale vnto him But this dooth bewray a most horrible blindnes grosse darkenesse in them which cannot sée that to confesse the name of Christ is not anie thing at all auailable séeing they doe vnder that pretence rob and spoyle him of his glorie tread downe his trueth and destroy his lawes The Apostle sayeth Rom. 10. that the Iewes had the zeale of God but yet he sayeth it was not according to knowledge and therefore that being not a spirituall but a carnall zeale could nothing at al cléere them but that they were still those which as vtter enimies of god did fight against him In like