like seede cast into the ground it may seeme to reuiue and send forth many moe to professe that truth for which it was split vpon the ground yet it is in it selfe but the bloud of those which are no more then men though more holy then most men and it is not shed for the pardon of sinne but for the testimonie of the trueth the manifestation of a good conscience the declaration of a strong faith and for the remonstrance of their loue of Christ On the contrarie the bloud of Christ is his bloud who is essentially God and it is also the ransome of our sins And therefore it is no wonder that some of the Martyrs haue suffered their bloud to be shed more quietly in appearance then he did his For they suffer not for sinne but feele God reconciled to them But he suffered for the sinnes of all the Elect their whole burthen lay vpon his backe And he did not onely suffer a bodily dissolution but euen the very pangues of hell also 〈◊〉 sorrowes of death did compasse â—im â—bout and the torments of hell did seize vpon him Hee felt the wrath of God in his soule and bodie and as 〈◊〉 speaketh the worde 〈◊〉 quiet and assisted not nor deliuered Lib. 3. aduers Hoer the 〈◊〉 manhood vntill a sufficient 〈◊〉 as finished and fulfilled Now many Martirs feele the fauour of God exceedingly and somtimes also when they suffer in an vnvsuall and extraordinarie manner For their passions are not as his was punishments for sins but corrections and tryalls appointed by God for the confusion of his enemies the confirmation of his truth and the testification of those noble vertues wherewith hee did adorne them And to dispatch this point Christ spilt his bloud so as that neuerthelesse he was to rise againe to life in a short time after But when Martyrs shed their bloud and lay downe their liues they continue dead till they be raysed vp by Christ their head at the last resurrection Ninthly seeing our sinnes are purged by the bloud of Christ we see the Vse 9 ouerthrow of their opinion who think that the soule of Christ descended into Hell whiles his body were in the tombe to suffer there for the soules of men But what neede that seeing his bloud did merit the pardon of all our sinnes and seeing hee bare our sinnes as Peter teacheth in his bodie vpon the crosse Considering also that hee 1. Pet. 2. 24. suffered in his soule most greeuous tortures whiles he liued as appeared by his bloudy sweat terrible out-cry My God my God why hast thou forsaken Luk. 22. 44. Mat. 27. 46. Mat. 26. 38. 39. Vse 10. mee To draw to an end Seeing Christ hath procured the pardon of our sins by his bloude wee are taught to renounce all opinion of humane satisfactions Some thinke to pacifie God by pattering ouer the Pater-noster the Creede and the ten commandements Some thinke to stop the mouth of his iustice with their good works and lamentable out-cries But the truth is we are iustified and saued by Christ alone Hee is our onely Mediatour and Aduocate His bloud is our onely Purgatorie His mercie is our onely merit His death is our life His sacrifice is our satisfaction For as Paul sheweth wee are al iustified freely by grace through Rom. 3. 24. the redemption that is in Christ And as Basil saith there is vna expiatio one In cap. 1. Is satisfactorie sacrifice or expiation of sin to wit that bloud which was shed for the saluation of the world Therefore Augustine saith All my hope is in the death of my Lord. Shall wee thinke to satisfie Manuall cap. 32. our sinnes by prayer Then may a beggar by craning his almes deserue them and a debtour by requesting the pardon of his debt may be said to discharge it Or shall wee thinke to procure the pardon of our sinnes by good deedes Then a man by paying of one debt may discharge an other For we are bound to doe good deeds Wâ—e were created in Christ to good workes which Eph. 2. 10. God hath ordained for vs to walke in And we were borne to doe good and not to liue to our selues or to follow the desires of our flesh Yea saith Augustine Nihil boni feâ—isti thou hast Praesatin Psal 31. done nothing that good is and yet remission of sinnes is giuen thee And Paul saith that God iustifieth the vngodly therefore all our good deeds doe follow the remission Rom. 4. 5. of our sinnes which is a part of our iustification and therefore can be no causes meriting it Let vs then lay the foundation of our redemption in the bloud of Christ It is a sound foundation and not saâ—die firme and not false Whatsoeuer is founded rightly vpon it shall neuer be confounded Let vs therefore beware of the Church of Rome concerning humane satisfactions by praying fasting Martyrdome contrition c. Touch not the fringe of her garment least thou receiue of her poison Say with Iohn that Christ hath washed vs from our sinnes in his bloud Conclude with Augustine that there is one mundation one purgation of the vnrighteous to wit the purging bloud Iniquorum vna mundatio est sanguis Iusti De Trin. li. 4. c. 2. of Christ that iust one For as Plinic saith of the hearbe 〈◊〉 that it driueth away all poison of serpents euen soe the bloud of Christ doth chase away our sinnes which are the poâ—son of the Serpent Satan and doth fully reconcile Hist na lib. 22. cap. 20. vs vnto God CHAP. XI The admirable vertue inestimable price of Christs bloud is proued and declared Sundry motiues are vsed to moue vs to seeke it and to labour to be possest and assured of it LAstly seeing Christ hath washed Vse 11 vs all from All our sinnes in his blood we plainely see that it is full of strength and vertue most meritorious and excellent It is a strong medicine that ouermaisters sinne the bane the pest and poyson of the soule A small shewer will not lay a mightie wind and a smal mater cannot satisfie a king for a thousand traytours So if the blood of Christ were not exceeding vertuous meritorious it could not possible calme the raging wind of Gods wrath for sinne it could not possible satisfie his Maiestie for our sins which are innumerable and procure his royal pardon for vs that are so many God shewed no small power in bringing the Israelites out of the land of Egypt the house of bondage and in confounding Pharoah the rest of the Aegyptians their enemies which pursued them So Christ hath shewed great power to be in his bloud and bloudy death seeing by it he hath deliuered all true Israelites from thraldome vnder sin and Satan and hath cut the throate of all their enemies He must needs be a very mighty prince that is able to preserue al his subiects froÌ„ al their enemies so as
his loue who is goodnesse it selfe and to be perswaded of his grace that is the fountaine of grace and the author of al true glorie Fiftly this assurance is an vndoubted token of true faith yea indeed the verie forme and sap thereof For what else is sauing faith but a particular certain perswasion and assurance of Christ his loue and of those benefits which are deriued from it Now he that hath true faith may assure himselfe that he is a faithfull man a Gal. 3. 26. Ioh. 10. 26. childe of God a sheepe of Christ possessed with the kingdome of grace and entituled to the kingdome of glorie Sixtly this assurance is the more to be respected because it is appropriated to the Elect. For it is not possible that any of the Reprobates who are forsaken of God not beloued of Christ should in their consciences be truely assured of the loue of Christ Indeed as he that is in a dreame may thinke he hath cloathes on his backe and mony in his purse though he haue not any so the Reprobate may be so held with a dreame or possessed with a spirituall phrenzie that he may imagine himselfe to be in the fauour of God and to partake of Christs loue albeit indeed he be not so but is a verie vasâ—all of Satan and a vessell of wrath ordained to eternall damnation Q. How then may some man say shall I come to this assurance A. I answer he that loueth Christ as Christ hath taught him may know for certen that Christ loueth him And a man shall neuer truly loue Christ till he be persuaded in some measure that Christ doth loue him We loue him because he loued vs. Secondly he that is carefull to serue and honour him may assure himselfe that he is beloued of him For Christ himselfe saith that both hee and his Father do loue those Ioh. 14. 21. that keep his commandements Therfore be thou sure that thou doest obey him and then thou mayest assure thy selfe of his loue Thirdly a man may know that Christ loued him of he find in him selfe the fruites of the Spirit which are found in none but in those whom Christ doth loue These fruits are peace of conscience ioy long suffering Gal. 5. 22. gentlenes goodnes meeknes temperancy and brotherly loue And albeit the Reprobate may haue these fruits in shew yet he hath them not indeede as the Godly haue All is not the Sun which shineth neither is all that Gold which glisters For if they should be tryed by the touchstone of the word it would appeare that their mettall were not good golde but guilded copper and that their vertues were Laruae aâ— simulacra virtutum NaÌ„ vt Hieron ait â—ine Christo omnis virtus vi tium est but masked vices couered only with the vaile of sanctity like many apples which haue red cheekes but rotten cores For they come not from Christ they are not framed vpoÌ„ the stithy of an honest heart with the haÌ„mer of Gods word by the finger of his holy Spirit Et August Virtutes nisi ad Deum referantur non sunt virtutes neither are they vsed in that manner to that end which God coÌ„mandeth which God liketh They be rather natures gifts then Gods graces naturall moralities and not morall graces Finally if thou woldest yet know further how thou maist attaine to this assuraÌ„ce then obserue diligently Gods dealing with thee from time to time and flie vnto Christ in heauen with the wings of thy soule by earnest and incessant supplication bow downe the knees of thy soule before him and desire him of his loue to send his holy Spirit into thee that may teach thee to crie Abba father and may assure thee of his loue vnto thee Whatsoeuer thing we aske of him with confideÌ„ce to be heard for his names sake if it like him he will without faile bestowe it on vs. CHAP. VII The sins of the faithfull do not put out the eye of Christs loue and extinguish the fire of his grace SIxtly seeing that the Apostle saith that Christ loued those Churches in which notwithstanding there were sundry defects many wrinkles many moles many diseases we may see that those are too blind and too vncharitable who censure all those as quite â—alleÌ„ from grace and vtterly out of Gods fauour who do fall into any greeuous sin or haue the plauge-sores of sin as it were running vpon them A man may haue the Leprosy and yet liue the life of nature so a man may through naturall â—raâ—ltie haue the leprosie of sin in his soule yet liue the life of grace A man may be a liue yea and liue thogh he haue the plague in his body so may he liue though he be sick of the plague of sin for no sin shall quite put out the life of grace in him that is regenerate Noah Lot Dauid and Peter fell greeâ—ously but yet their falls were not vnto death though in themselues they were deadly Paul was not afrayd to call the back-sliding Galathians Brethren Gal. 1. 4. 11 and to say according to his iudgement of charity that Christ did giue himselfe for their sinnes A man may fall though he fall not quite away And as Augustine saith The righteousnes Iustitia sanctoruÌ„ in hoc mundo magis peccatorum remissione coÌ„stat quam perâ—ectione virtutum of saints in this world consisteth rather in the remission of sins then in the perfection of vertues Our best perfection is to confesse and labour to correct our imperfection A Father may suffer his child to stumble fall in his presence and yet loue him dearly and so Christ whose children and sâ—ed we are may Heb. 2. 13. Is 53. 10. suffer vs to fall into sin and yet continue firme in loue For he doth it to make vs to distaste our pride to despaire These vses men should make of their falls of our owne strength to depend vpon him to ascribe our standing vnto him to cling the closer about him to seeke and sue vnto him for his aide to blush at our selues to thinke more charitably of other men that fall to renounce Sathan their natiue corruptions to wax wise and warie of falling and to teach other men to looke the better to ther feet and to shew his grace by helping of them vp againe Yet neuerthelesse we must be verie vigilant and take heed that we giue not the reignes to sinne For though Christ may loue a man that sinneth so it be of weakenesse yet he hateth his sinne perhaps he wil correct him sharply for it and carrie himselfe for a time like an enemie But as for him that walketh in sinne and weltereth in his wickednes sinning with full consent of will without remorse of conscience Christ doth either actually haâ—e him as if he be a Reprobate or at the least he doth not actually reueale his loue vnto him thogh he be one of Gods Elect
theâ—â— sins and might be shrouded from the wrath of God Now if thou know and acknowledge Christ and his voyce in the sacred scriptures and in the ministery of his Messengers if thou belieue in his name if thou doest hearâ— his voyce and subiect thy selfe vnto it if thoâ— striue to resemble him and dost labour â—o follow â—im walking in hâ—s waâ—â—s and treading in â—â—s footsteps which hâ— hâ—th printed for hee to come after in them then mayst thâ—u assure thy selfe in truth that thou art the Ioh. 10. 4. 14. 26. 27. Sheepe of Christ For Christ himselâ—â— doth brand all his sheep with these very marks And Paul further affirmeth Gal. 〈◊〉 24. that they which are Christs haue crucified the flesh So that if thou dyest to sin and dost mortifie the lusts of thy flesh and labourest to liue to God in newnâ—sse of lâ—fe thou mayst safely conclude that thou dost actually belong to Christ and his fold and that thou art actually washed from thy sins in his bloud and consequently that thou art in the state of grace and in the number of the faythfull Lastly tâ—is doctrine serueth to ouerthrow Vse 7 the Papists most vncomfortable assertion who teaâ—h that a man clensed in Christs bloud and iustifyed may fall from God from grace and perish For not one dramme not one drop of Christs bloud can be spilt in vaâ—ne He that is once washed in it is alwaies cleane There is no condemnation Rom. 8. 1. to them that are in Christ Iesus Theiâ— sinnes may ware with them but Bellate non debellare quaterâ— non decutere Math. 16. 18 they shall not vanquish them The diuell may shake them but he shall not shake them downe Hel gâ—tes may open theÌ„selues against them but they Math. 16. 18. shall not pâ—euayl against them The castle of their consciences may be besieged but it shall not bee sacked it cannot be ransackâ— For God will not giue them ouer wholly vnto their enemies he will deâ—end their cause maintaine their quarrell dispell their enemies preserue his work and confirme 1. Cer. 1. 8. them vnto the end Thus much for this third doctrine a fourth followeth CHAP. V. A looking-glasse to behold the loue of Christ in The consideration of it affordeth vs three instructions Fourthly in that the Apostle saith Christ hath washed vs in his bloud frâ— Doct. 4 our sins his loue is cleared and greatly coÌ„mended to vs. For what is nearer to a man then his life And what is dearer to him then his bloud his heart bloud Christ hath layed downe his life that we might liue Christ hath parted with his bloud his heart bloud to do vs good to purchase our pardon to purge Omnes humanes sanâ—t medicina dolores Propert vs from our sins The diseases of the body are cured by naturall medicines but our sins which are the diseases of the soule are clensed only by the bloud of Christ And that this might be done he did freely forgoe his life and loose hâ—s bloud which argueth is exceeding loue vnto vs. Greater loue then this saith Ioh. 15. 13. Christ hath no man that a man should 〈◊〉 dâ—wne his life for his friend It is not possible for a man to manifest his loue more effectually then by giuing his life for another and therfore our Apostle 1. Ioh. 3. 16 â—aâ—th Hereby haue we perceiued loue that hee layed downe his life for vs. If Luk 7. 38. the woman declareth her loue by washing Christ feet with her teares then great is the loue of Christ that hath washed vs in his bloud And his loue appearâ—th â—et more plainely insomuch Act. 3. 15. Act. 20. 28. as he who is the Lord of life and God of heauen and earth did lay downe his life for vs wretches and hath washed vs in his bloud who by nature are his enemies If thou hadst a most pestilent and strong aduersarie and hadst also a friend that did freely lay downe his life to preserue thâ—e from him were it not â—n argumenâ— of his inward and hâ—â—â—e loâ—â— vnto thee Sinne is thy mortall and implacable enemy too hard for thâ—e â—o coÌ„quer by thy selfe it is impossâ—ble for â—hee to saue thy selfe from that intollerable calamitie which it brings Christ thy soules friend hath ouercome it Heâ— hath smote downe great Goliah the Prince of darknes the friend and father of thy sinnes He is thy Sampson that by his death hath slaine the Philistines euen all thy sins Hee hath ouerwhelmed Pharaoh and the Egyptians Satan and all thy sinnes in the red sea of his bâ—â—ud His bloud hath suâ—kt out the â—eart bloud of thine enemies and hiâ— death hâ—th beene the death of them all therefore â—hou cansâ— noâ— chuse but see his admâ—â—able lâ—ue vnto thee seeing he shunned not death but spâ—lt his bloud and hath embrued thee in it to doe thee good Iâ— thou hadst committed some offence against a king for which without his speciall pardon thou shouldest be condemned to death and executed and if by all the meanes thou couldst make thou art not able to procure it if the kings onely sonne and heyre whome also thou hast dishonoured should voluntarily without thy suite and against thy desert laye downe his life and loose his bloud for thy pardon and absolution did hee not shew vnspeakeable grace and giue an vndoubted testimony of his pittie towards thee Thou canst not but confesse it Thou â—ast committed many capitall and grieuous offences against the Kings of Kings his owne and onely Son Christ Iesus whome thou hast oft disgraced oft abused hath fâ—eely without thy desert and when thou hadst no grace of thy selfe to desire him hath giuen his life for thy life he hath dyed to preserue thee from eternall death which is the wages of thy Rom. 6. 23 sinne he hath purged and rinsed thee in his blood that thy soule might not bleed his blood hath bought thy pardon canst thou then deny that he loues thee Hath he not aboundantly testified and confirmed his pittie towards thee Thou canst not but acknowledge it The consideration of this doctrine Vse 1 teacheth vs to remonstrate our loue to him And seeing that be spared not his blood for vs let vs also be readie to part with ours for him if he shall require and except it of vs. Dauid saith Ps 126. 1. I loue the Lord because he hath heard my voice euen so should we loue the Lord Iesus because he hath bathed vs in his bloud yea let vs extoll his loue from our hearts and celebrate his name in worde and worke Secondly it teacheth vs to be beneficiall and bountifull in benefits to our Vse 2 brethren For we ought to resemble our elder brother When we receiue a benefit of others we are by the receit thereof put in minde to doe good to others The earth is kind For as it receiues kindnesse of others as heaâ—e of the Sun and raine of the cloudes
of many by vsing a woâ—d of the singular number the Prophet would shew that Christ â—s 53. 12. was punished for all our sinnes And Iohn saith that his blood clenseth vs from All sinne not from a part And 1. Ioh. 1. 7. indeed how could God so make him to be sinne for vs that we might be 2. Cor. 5. 21. made the righteousnes of God in him except hee tooke away all our sinnes whereby we were 〈…〉 Therfore Haimo saith a right that Christ In cap. 5. ad Rom. Christus non solum peccatum originale sed etiam omnia actuâ—â—a ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath taken away not onely originall corruption but all actuall transgressions also in 〈◊〉 that are elected The speech which Paul vseth in Rom. â— â—â— is not exclusiue but by it â—eâ—lâ—e with that God hath not onely pardoned and that Christ hath not onely satisfied for thâ—se sinnes which wee admit of infirmitie after that we 〈…〉 called but euen for those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we did with full consent of will commit before then when we were the enemies of God and 〈◊〉 teacheth Titus that Christ hath giâ—en Tit. 2. 24. hâ—mselfe 〈◊〉 vs that he 〈…〉 vs from Allâ—â—â—â—â—â—tis 〈…〉 demanded 〈◊〉 Christ 〈…〉 all our sinnes 〈…〉 corporall and spiriâ—â—â—â—◠〈…〉 and eternall 〈…〉 that men die 〈…〉 afflictions in this 〈◊〉 Ans Their crosses are 〈…〉 and their afflictions if they be regenerated are not punishments inflicted of God as a dreadfull Iudge but his fatherly corrections and tryalls wherewith he visiteth his children to humble exercise instruct admonish refine and try them When we are iudged we are chastened of the Lord saith Paul because we should not be condeÌ„ned with the 1. Cor. 11 32 world And as Chryso saith when we are corrected or rebuked of the lord it is rather for our admonition then coÌ„demnation it is Hom. 28. in 1. Cor. rather to heale vs then torment vs and to mend vs rather then to punish vs. For as the Scripture speaketh He chasteneth quum corripimur a Domino magis est admonitionis quam damnationis medicinae quam supplicii correctionis quam poena Heb. 12. 10 11. Aug. de Poenae et confess vs for our profit that we might be partakers of his holinesse and his chastening bringeth with it the quiet fruit of righteousnes to them which are exercised thereby And of this opinion was Augustine as appeareth when he saith that Crosses and sorrowes before the pardon of sinne are Supplicia peccatorum the punishments of sinnes but after pardon Certamina exercitationesque iustorum the exercises of the righteous And as for death we doe not die to satisfie the iustice of God for any sin or for any penaltie deserued duely by sinne for Christ hath performed all this himselfe Who appeared to take away 1. Ioh. 3. 5. our sinnes hath carried all our sorrowes and by his death hath altered the condition Is 53. 4. of our death But we die for other causes As first that we may learne to detest our sinne which was the originarie cause of our dissolution Secondly that we may learne to be out of loue with the world and to looke after that citie which remaineth for eeuer Thirdly to teach vs true lowlines of minde and neither to insult ouer others nor to pranke and plume vp our selues like Peacocks He is a verie strange man that being a Tenant at his Land-lords pleasure will bestow more cost then needs vpon a rotten house which cannot stand long before it fall and out of which he may be turned this night before to morrow Fourthly that we shuld seriously consider of that great downefall which we tooke in Adam Fiftly that we might not feele or see those arrowes of vengance which the Lord draweth out of 2. King 22. 20. Is 57. 1. the quiuer of his iustice and shooteth them out of his bow of wrath and doth oftentimes sheath them in the sides of the wicked among whome we liue Sixtly that we might be deliuered wholly from the body of sinne For Death endeth the battell betweene the flesh the spirit and striketh off that Tyrants head And here we see the admirable prouidence of God and his vnrecompensable kindnesse to vs in ordaining the daughter to deuour and eate vp the mother For Sinne ingendred Death Death by diuine dispensation is now become the death of sin like a worme that eates the fruit wherof it was bred beeing the death of that which gaue life to it Seauenthly we must die that we may feele the power of Christ for the raysing vp of our dead bodies and for the revniting of our soules vnto them Eightly God doth sometimeâ— cal vs vnto death that we might in speciall manner glorifie his Name by dying and that by martyrdome we might remonstrate our loue to Christ who refused not to die that we might liue and not die Lastly we die that we might be translated out of a World of wickednes and out of the vale of miserie into the habitacle of perfect holines vnspeakable happinesse and that being dead in our bodie we might be transported as concerning our soules into the hauen of eternall peace and true tranquillitie ouer and out of the raging and rustling seas of all worldly troubles For as Cyprian saith death vnto the godly is Ianua vitae the doore of life and our Egressus departure forth of the world is our Ingressus entrance into the heauens We goe from men to God from earth to heauen out of the Wildernes into Canaan celestiall Canaan heauenly Ierusalem the land of righteousnesse the paradise of God and the temple of his holinesse The last doctrine now followeth CHAP. IX The blood of Christ is the ransome of all Beleeuers Remission of sinnes is excellent in nine respects IN that the Apostle saith Christ hath Doct. 8 washed Vs not some of vs wheÌ„ce I coÌ„clude that his blood hath clensed all the faithfull whatsoeuer noble and ignoble leaâ—ned and vnlearned rich poore of what sex or sort of what condition or countrey soeuer For Iohn thus speaketh of himselfe and of all the faithfull in those seauen Churches and wheresoeuer both Pastours and people male and female young and old high and low maryed and single The Lord saith Esay hath layed vpon him the iniquitie of vs All. He spared not his owne Sonne saith Paul but gaue him for vs All to death Therefore in his epistle to Is 53. 6. the Ephesians he is bold to call him the Rom. 8. 32. Sauiour of his bodie that is of the catholique Church and not of a part only And Saint Iohn saith that the blood of Christ doth appease his father for the sinnes of the Whole World of the 1. Ioh. 2. 2. Elect. And therefore the name of Iesus was giuen him because he was by God ordeined to saue his people euen Math. 1. 21 all his people from all their sinnes And this hath
that there shall not any of them perish So the blood of Christ which saueth all his â—oyall Subiects from all their mortall enemies cannot but be full of might and verâ—ue It is a good blade which will cut asunder a barre of iron therfore surely the blood of Christ is powerfull seeing it hath câ—ackt in sâ—nder the iron baâ—res of our sinnes hath consumed them to powder That water must needs be verie vertuous for qualâ—tie if it be but of smal quantity which is able to quench a mountaine of fire Christs blood for measure was not much therefore we mâ—st needs confesse it to be full of merit full of vertue seeing it both quenched the fiery mountain of gods wrath and dissolued the mountanie masse of mans sinne Death considered as it is an effect and punishment of sinne is as it were Hells mouth like the man that turnes the ladder whereon the Malefactour readie to be executed standeth Now the blood of Christ hath not onely taken away the second death but hath also changed the nature of that first It hath made it a Key to open the doore let vs loose from al our sinnes it hath made it an Axe to strike off the head of our flesh it hath made it an Ariadnes threed to bring vs out of the labyrinch of all earthly miseries and as a Boate to transport vs vnto the hauen of â—ternall happinesse and therefore we mâ—st needs coÌ„lesse it is of â—nclesse merit of admirable verâ—ue Let vs therefore Beloued not with Thomas put our hands inâ—o his side but let vs plunge our selues wholy both Ioh. 20. 27 soule and bodie into his blood For he is that Pelican that feeds vs to eternall life by his blood His blood is that Hyssope by which we are clensed and the Balme of Gilead whereby Ps 51. 7. Leuit 24. 7. our soules are cured WheÌ„ Elisha went about to restore to life the Shunamites sonne he lay vpon him and put his 2. King 4. 34. mouth vpon the childes mouth his own hands vpoÌ„ his hands his eyes vpon his eyes stretched himselfe vpon him Euen so if thou desirest to be receiued to euerlasting life set thy selfe by faith vpoÌ„ the crosse of Christ apply thy hands to his hands thy feete to his feet thy mouth to his mouth thine eyes to his eyes thy sinful hart to his bleeding hart and bath thy selfe by faith in his blood For euen as the Israelites which were stung to death by the fierie Serpents Num. 22. 9. were cured if they looked vp to the brazen Serpent so if we which are stung to death of that old Serpent by sinne which is his poy soned tooth and venomous sting will looke vp to Christ our brazen Serpent hanging vpon the crosse with the eye of faith Ioh. 3. 14. 15 we shal be deliuered from all our sins his blood is a counterpoyson effectuall against them all The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plinie writeth hath a propertie to frustrate Hist nat lib 37. c. 4. the malicious effects of poyson and to expell vaine feareâ—t at posseâ—â—e the mind So the blood of Christ is able to preserue vs from the mortall effects of sinne which is more deadly then the deadliest poyson and being applyed to the heart by the hand of faith it will expell the feare of damnation and fill the soule with ioy When the corps of the dead souldier beeing tumbled into Elishaes graue had touched his bones he presently reuined 2. King 13. 21. euen so shall wee by a spirituall touching of Christ dead buried be deliuered from finne the life of death and shal be quickened to eternall life And as the woman which had the bloodie Math. 9. 20. issue was cured by touching the hem of his garment so shall we though we did exceed in number the Stars of heauen the sands on the Sea-shore we I say should haue all the bleeding wounds of our soules healed if we will touch his blood with the finger of a Act. 10. 43. true faith For vnto him giue all the Prophets witnesse that through his Name All that beleeue in him shall receiue remission of sinnes His Name hath made vs noble his death is our deliuerance his humiliation is our exaltation his shame is our glorie and his blood the price of our pardoÌ„ Which things notwithstandâ—ng we possesse by faith and by faith 〈◊〉 do receiue and not without it For as the branch or science receiueth no sap from the roote vnlesse it be ioyned to it and as the parts of the bodie haue neither sense nor motion except they cohere with the head and be conioyned to it so we that are branches of that noble Vine Christ Iesus the members of his bodie haue neither life nor motion we receiue not the Ioh. 15. pardon of our sinnes nor partake of any of his benefits vnlesse we be vnited to him and be knit vp together with him Now we are not vnited if we haue not faith For vs the vnioÌ„ is made by the Spirit in respect of God so it is made by faith in respect of vs. But that I may presse this point a a little further If thou hadst a mortall and inexoâ—able enemie and knewest a safe course whereby thou mightest be deliuered from him thou wert thine owne enemie if thou didst refuse to take it especially if there were no other way but that Sathan is thine irreconciliable enemie Sinne which is his Mâ—nion is thy deadly foe For as Plinie recordeth of the Flower-de-lis that it Hist nat l. 11. c. 2. prouoketh sleepe but consumeth nature so though sinne may seeme to satisfie a carnall corrupt affection by giuing it a kind of contentment and rest yet in truth it is an vtter enemie to the spirit and like Iuy it suckeâ—h out the verie sap of the soule Now the blood of Christ is onely able to quell these thine enemies to redeeme thee from that cursed condition to which thou art obnoxious by them Labour therefore to be partaker of it thou art thine owne enemie if thou doâ—st neglect it Plinic saith that men were wont to carie Polium about them to chase away Lib. 21. cap. 20. SerpeÌ„ts But the most soueraigne amulet or preseruatiue which men can haue against Satan and their sinnes is the blood of Christ applyed by faith vnto their hearts The sicke do seeke vnto the Phisitian that their bodies Admedicam dubius coÌ„fugit aeger opem Ould might be preferned from temporarie death and shall not we seeke to Christ that great Phisitian of the soule that washing vs in his blood we might be preserued from that eternall death of soule and bodie So soone as he had touched the Leaper he tooke away his leprosie euen so if he please to touch vs with his vertuous touch the touch Luke 5. 13 vs with his vertuous touch the touch of his woundes we shal be deliuered from our sinnes His blood