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
the four mighty Monarchies of the world and by continuall alterations in States to this day Secondly in earthly kingdomes there is one the King and the rest are his subiects but in this kingdome all are Kings and God alone is King of all Neither doeth this anie whâ—t diminish our glorie For euen his seruice is perfect libertie yea the more perfect our seruice is to him the farther we are from bondage and the more absolute is our spirituall regâ—lâ—tie Thirdly the affaires of earthly Princes are â—â—iefly bodiâ—y and outward but ours are spirituall and inward Fourthly kings of this world if they should prooue worldly minded as the most are and vse to bee may become Tyrants and irreconciliable enemies one vnto another labouring with all their powers to deturbe and ouer throw each other But so iâ— falleth not out with those whome Christ hath made kings For he so ruleth them by his Spirit and with the Scepter of his word that they shall neuer clime to that height of wickendesse as of despite and purpose to seeke the destruction of one anothers soule and to depriue them of their crownes Fiftly earthly kings may be plagued of God to the losse of their soules and therfore Esay saith that Tophet or hell Is 30. 33. is prepared for the King euen for all wicked Princes whatsoeuer which rebell against the King of Kings But these kings shall neuer perish For Christ giueth them eternall life and it is their Ioh. 10. 28. Luk. 12. 32. Fathers pleasure to giue them the kingdome of heauen Lastly earthly Kings come to their kingdomes either by conquest or by their bloud or else by voyces and election But we obtaine this kingdome neyther by the conquest of our owne workes nor by the suffrages election of other men neither come we by it through the commendation or dignitie of flesh or bloud but by the alone propitious grace of God and propitiatory merits of Iesus Christ who by suffering death and fulfilling the lawe for vs hath redeemed vs from hell and procured heauen and this our heauenly honour Therefore the Apostle saith The wages of sinne is death but the 1. Pet. 2. 5. free gift of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. So much for our Prince-hood Now as concerning our Priest-hood Saint Peter who tells vs that wee are an Rom. 12. 1. holy Priest-hood tells vs also the ende of this our Priest-hood euen to offer vp spirituall Sacrifices acceptable vnto God by Iesus Christ. Wherein then doe we differ from the Priestsvnder the lawe and from Christ the High-Priest of all his people I answere we differ from the priests of the old Testament First because their sacrifices were types of Christ but so are not ours Secondly they offeâ—ed the bodies of other things wee offer our owne Thirdly their offrings were merely corporall ours properly are spirituall Fourthly they offered vp â—â—aine sacrifices and dead but we are commanded to offer vp our bodies a liuing sacrifice Rom 12. 1. and we offer vp our selues aliue Fiftly they were Priests for others but we are Priests for no men properly as they were Sixtly their Altar was material and earthly but ours is aliue and heauenly to wit Christ Iesus Seuenthly their priesthood had an end but ours is eternall Eightly theirs went from one to another by succession but so doth not ours Ninthly amongst them some were seperiours but there is no such diuersitie of degrees among vs beeing simply considered as we are Priestes Indeed there is diuersity of graces and there shal be inequality of glory thogh there shal be no want but fulnesse in all Tenthly many of them were wicked and some professed enemies of Christ his religion But they which Christ hath made Priests are holy chosen and a 1. Pet. z. 9. people set at liberty such as shal not dy but liue Lastly they were all of them males of one nation and of one kinred of that nation and they to be without any bodily defect or blemish but amoÌ„gst Eeuit 21. 18 vs there are both men women of all tribes nations and though many of them want not outward defects either by nature or by accident yet Christ respecteth not the outward estate of any man in working for vs this honour Now as concerning Christ and his Priesthood he was the Substance or Truth of all those Sacrifices and shadowes at his death their date went out whereas contrariwise our Priest-hood then began So that wee are but vassalls to that great â—igh Priest Secondly hee is an externall Priest of the New Testament but we are spirituall Priests and not outward Thirdly his principall sacrifice was himselfe but we haue other sacrifices Heb. 9. 11. to offer besides our selues our selues no way acceptable in our selues but in him Fourthly his sacrifice was of reconciliation to satisfie the iustice of God for vs But ours is of thanksgiuing to God not satisfactory but declaratory to shew our selues mindfull of that expiatory sacrifice which Christ offered and to testifie our loue vnto him for it and how gratefully we do receiue it Fifthly his was offered once for all but ours must be offered daily vpon all occasions Sixtly he as Preist was God and Man but we are meere men simple and silly creatures Seauenthly his Altar was his Godhead but our Altar is his Godhead and Manhead also vnited in one person Eightly his Sacrifice was voluntary hee did not owe it to vs but ours are debts which are for many causes to be performed duely of vs. Ninthly if wee had not sinned his sacrifice had bene spared but some of ours should haue bin performed of vs though we had not sinned Tenthly the goodnesse of his sacrifice came from himselfe but if ours haue any goodnesse so farre sorth as they be good it is from his holy Spirit which worketh in vs. Lastly Christs sacrifice was perfect of it selfe being his who is perfect man and perfect God but ours are in this life maymed and imperfect and their imperfection is couered by the perfection of his And thus we see the glorious estate of all the faythfull that euen as Christ their Head is a king and Priest so are all they kings and priests also yea a kingdome of priests a regall and holy priesthood although it be with great difference For they receiue this honour by him and not he through them He is a king by nature but they by grace Hee is an absolute Prince ouer all creatures whatsoeuer and ouer the very conscience but so are not they He is now in the full possession of his kingdome so are not we but we wayt in our mortall bodies of this earthly thraldome for the hope of that mortall and regall liberty of the sonnes of God in the heauens CHAP. IIII. Foure instructions arising from the coÌ„sidederation of our Princehood HAuing now declared the nature of this benefit it remaineth for me to gather the
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
much as ye haue done it giuen â—â—ate drinke lodging clothing vnto 〈◊〉 of the leaft of thâ—se my brethren ye haue done it vnto me Fiftly the loue of men is an argument of our loue toward God himself 1. Iohn 5. 1 For euery one that loueth him that did begâ—t loueth him also which is begotten of â—im Therefore if we doe not loue the child of God who is begotteÌ„ of God it argueth that wee doe not indeede loue God that did beget him Hee that hateth the child doth not loue the father and he that respecteth the maister will not neglect the seruant Sixtly the loue of our brethren is a signe that we are the temples of the holie Ghost and that God doth inhabite in vs. If we loue one another saith 1. Iohn 4. 12. 16. Iohn God dwelleth in vs and his loue is perfest in vs. God is loue he that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God and God in him Now what an honour is it and what a singular comfort should it be to vs poore wormes to haue the God Iob. 25. 6. of heauen and earth to dwell within vs and to make his mansion in our sinfull soules in these loamie houses and dustie cottages We cannot set forth his praise enough we cannot rceompence his loue Seuenthly our loue which we beare to the children of God is an vndoubted token that we are out of the way of 1. Ioh. 3. 14 death and in the state of life Therefore the Apostle saith We knowe that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren Loue is not the cause of life nor of the change froÌ„ Rom. 6 23. death to life for euerlasting life is the free gift of God but it is a signe thereof And as fire doth discouer it selfe by his light so may this change be discerned Lumine qui seÌ„per proditur ipse suo Ouid. by loue Eightly Loue is the ende of the commaundement Loue is the fulfilling of the Lawe and the bond of perfection The 1. Tim. 1. 5. more perfect our loue is the more Rom. 13. 10 perfect is our obedience Yea loue is the onely debt which we ought to owe Col. 3. 14. to our neighbour It is a debt which we must alwaies be in paying off and must neuer haue done paying Therefore Paul saith Owe nothing to any man but to loue one another for he that loueth Rom. 13. 8. another hath fulfilled the law Ninthly knowledge learning the faith of miracles yea and those works that glister outwardly neuer so gloriously and are commended neuer so much of men yet are they worth nothing if they bee not accompanied with true loue This the Apostle teacheth when he saith Though I speake 1 Cor. 13. 1 with the toongs of men and Angels and haue not Loue I am as sounding brasse or a tinkling cimball And though I had the gift of prophesie and knewe all secrets and all knowledge yea if I had all faith so that I could remoue moun 〈…〉 s and had not loue I were nothing And though I feede the poore with all my goods and though I giue my bodie that I be burâ—â—d and haue not Loue iâ— prosâ—â—â—th nothing Tenthly Loue is the 〈◊〉 which letteth out to the benefit of our brethreÌ„ the waters of Gods graces which are in the cisterne of our owne hearts It is a knife whereby faith carueth out those duties which we owe to God Man It is a much to giue fire to our hearts and to kindle them to all good works It is a fountaine yea and a pipe also from which and in which many sweet and wholesome waters do slowe and run to water and refresh many It is the verie hand of faith whereby it worketh Which thing Paul plainely testifieth when he saith that in Christ neither Circumcision aâ—â—â—lâ—th any thng nor vncircumcision but saith which worketh by loue Gal. 5. 6. Eleauenthly Loue saith Chrysostome is the Charaâ—â—er and badge of Christianity What can better beseem them then loue that professe that God who is Loue that Spirit which worketh 1. Ioh. 4. 16. Gal. 5. 22. loue and that Christ who in loue â—ide downe his life that they might attaine to life Yea it is an infallible tâ—ken of a true disciple of Christ and of one of his best proficients therefore he saith by this shall all men know that Ioh. 13. 35. ye are my disciples if ye loue one another Twelfly loue is more excellent and commodious in some respect then either saith by which we are iustâ—fied or 〈◊〉 by which we are sâ—â—ed This the Gal. 〈◊〉 16 Rom. 8. 24 Apostle teacheth when he saith now aâ—â—â—deth Faith Hope and Loue but the 〈◊〉 Cor. 13. 31. 〈…〉 st of these â—s loue to wit as concerning vse towards oâ—r neighbour As loue is the best liuerie that a Christian man can weare for it doth expresse his profession liuely and makes it liuely it sets forth the nature and commends the name so it is the best affection that he can harbour in his heart and entertaine within him for it makes him spend himselfe like a â—ampe in Gods house and to powre out and put forth himselfe to the practise and performance of those things which concerne Gods glory his owne happinesse and his neighbours welfare Moreouer Loue is very powerfull and plentifull in rare and admirable effects Paul reckeneth sixteene 〈◊〉 It suffereth long being voyd of that hastinesse 1. Cor. 13. 4 that is easily offended and ready to reuenge and also of that disposition which thogh it haue no great inclination to reuenge yet being displeased is readie to let fall the former affection ceasing any longer indeede to declare the same But loue leapeth ouer a wall of offences and bursteth through a hedge of impediments to testifie good will to the person loued 2. Loue is bountifull readie to pleasure and benefit the partie loued hauing as it were a grace and facilitie therein and therefore plentifull and abounding in loue-tokens 3. Loue enuieth not for the man that loueth taketh himselfe to be as it were one and the same with the partie loued and therefore after a manner entitâ—led to praises So that he doth wish his estate to be better then it is so far is he from enuying of the same 4. Loue doth not boast it selfe 5. It is not puffed vp 6. It doeth no vncomely 1. Cor. 13. 5. thing For loue conceiueth so highly of the thing loued that it thinketh no seruice to be humble and dutifull inough to such deserts And therefore it cannot deale proudly nor peruersly with the partie loued neither yet vnseemly but so as the state therof requireth that is tenderly seemely with the afflicted condition not disdaining him in it thogh neuer so perplex ed and miserable neither dealing so roughly carelesly as doth litle be seem so pitifull an estate to be dealt withall 7. Loue seeketh not her
neither can this sinner whiles he so coÌ„tinueth without repentaÌ„ce distinguish himself from a Reprobate For when Christ declareth his loue actually and effectually to any man theÌ„ he smites his heart with the sword of his Sâ—irit and worketh such an alteration in his soule that thence-forward hee shall die to sinne and liue to righteousnes When Euilmerodach disclosed his Ier. 52. 31. 33. loue to Iehoiakim he brought him out of prison and changed his prison garments so when Christ doth actually reueale his loue vnto a man then he brings him out of the prison of the diuell he vnlooseth the bolts of sinne he changeth his rayments of wickednes and doth apparell him with the rich robes of his owne righteousnes And as that penitent â—aylour to manifest his good will to Paul and Silas did not Act. 16. 33. onely fetch them out of the prison ut also washed their sâ—â—ipes so Christ when he reuealeth his speciall loue vnto any then doth he wash the wounds of their soules with his blood and batheth them in the waters of his holy Spirit He casteth them as it were into a furnace and consumeth the drosse of â—in with the fire of his grace Therefore Paul saith that those who Gal. 5. 24. are Christs hâ—â—e crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts And saint Iohn saith that whosoeuer is borne of God sinâ—eth 1. Ioh. 3. 9. not meaning with full consent of heart he sinneth not vnto death he liueth not without repentance in his sinnes he drinketh not iniquitie as fishes do water he selleth not himselfe to worke wickednesse as Ahab did 1. King 21 25. Wherefore as wee must not account a man forsaken of Christ because he is ouertaken with some enormitie so againe we must take heed that we do not wilfully giue our selues vnto any manner of sinne because we heare that his loue is constant that sinne cannot make a diuorce betwixt him and vs and an vtter separation if once we were in his fauour and were vnited to him This were transcendent impietie and verie horrible ingratitude CHAP. VIII Christs Loue is the fountaine Primum Mobile indeede immobile of all good things that come to vs. His loue is not merited by vs. Seauenthly in that the Apostle giues the priority of place to Christs loue seating it before the benefits which we receiue by him I gather that his Loue is the scaturidge and foundation of all those works which he wrought for vs. His loue was the Anuill whervpon they were all forged it was the Spring from whence they sprang and the Pipe or Chanell through which they ran to vs who are as Cisternes to receiue them Therfore we must renouÌ„ce and abiuâ—e all opinion of our owne merits or foreâ—eene preparations Oâ—â— best merit which yet is no merit is to confesse freely that we can merit nothing nothing at all that good is For vnto vs belongeth nothing but opâ—â—â—â—ame and confusion of face for euer Dan. 9 8. It is Gods mere mercie and his pitie not our merits or pietie that we perish not in our sinnes And if we either wâ—â— well or worke well we must ascribe it solie to Gods good will who worketh in vs the will and the deed of his good pleasure Phil. 2. 13. Hiâ—vellâ— noÌ„ 〈◊〉 substaÌ„tia voluÌ„tatis sed Why did God honour the World with his onely Sonne Was it not because he loued the World So Christ de 〈◊〉 qualitate accipituÌ„r Ioh. 3. 16. saith for God so loued the world that he hath giuen his onely Sâ—nne to all that lay hold vpon him with the hand of a liuely faith Yea but was not his loue procured by our loue Did not our loue of him drawe his loue to vs as the Load-stone doth yron Verily no for herein saith Iohn is that loue not 1. Ioh. 4. 10. 19. that we loued God but that he loued vs and sent his sonne in loue to be a reconciliation for our sinnes We loue him because he loued vs first Why hath God raysed vs from the graue of sinne and quickened vs in his sonne and saued vs Was it not because he loued vs Paul teacheth vs to thinke so no otherwise and thereâ—ore saith But God who is rich in mercie through 〈◊〉 great loue wherwith he loued Eph. 2. 4. 5. 〈◊〉 when we were dead by sinnes hath quickened vs together in Christ by whoâ—â— grace ye are saued What mooued Christ besides his loue to giue himselfe to death for vs Iust nothing in vs therefore 1. Ioh. 3. 16. Iohn saith hereby we haue perceiued loue that he layed downe his life for vs. By whome saith Paul we haue redemption Eph. 1. 7. through his blood according to his rich Grace Nothing at all but pure loue made him bestowe himselfe vpon the Church it was his grace and not her goodnesse not because she was faire and wâ—rthie but because he was fanourable and gracious Therfore the Apostle saith Christ loued the Church and gaue himselfe for Eâ—h 5. 25. 26. her that hee might sanctifie or make her 〈…〉 e and holy clense her by the washing of water through the word By which we plainly see that his loue is the forge fountaine from whence our holines our happines and all spirituall celestiall and eternall benefits whatsoeuer do proceede and come Thus much concerning the loue of Christ The workes or tokens of his loue come now to be considered in the next words Here endeth the first part ⧠THE SECOND PART REV. 1. 5. And hath washed vs from our sinnes in or by his blood CHAP. I. The sense is giuen diuerse doubts are remoued remission of sins consenteth with regeneration in three things and differs from it in seauen other THe Apostle hauing affirmed that Christ did loue vs he doth immediatly coÌ„firme his affirmation by setting down two notable works performed by him for vs being vndoubted tokens and fruits of his loue vnto vs. The former wherof is expressed in the wordes recited His Blood that is the merit and validitie of his blood And by blood we must vnderstand his whole passion the which was accomplished at the effusion of his blood vpon the crosse For albeit as touching the diuine nâ—â—ure he cannot properly be saide to haue blood in that the Deitie is a most pure simple perfect and incomprehensible Essence void of composition alteration yet as concerning his humanitie he hath blood he shed his blood and died And for that the humane nature is not a person subsisting by it selfe but is receiued into the vniâ—â—e of his person as he is the eternall Sonne of the Father a true distinct person existing from al eternitie therfore by a figure that which is proper to one of his natures is attributed to his whole person Whence it is that Paul saith that God hath purchased the Act. 20. 28. Church by his owne blood that is God incarnate or that person
not to the perfect assurance of it but by degrees Pâ—â— Sanctification is imperfect in this life not accomplished 〈◊〉 the liâ—â— t 〈…〉 me Holines dotâ— not growe vp like Ioâ—â— Ioh. 4. his gourd in one night A vesâ—â—li with a narrow neckeâ—s not filled all at once The C 〈…〉 of God is not at his â—ull growth thâ— first day of his birth God 〈◊〉 not 〈…〉 ne stark dead â—â—th or 〈…〉 did G 〈…〉 〈…〉 wouÌ„d â—s the 1. 〈…〉 1. 〈◊〉 â—e 34. â—o◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 king 〈◊〉 The Moâ—â—â— we see i 〈…〉 at tâ—e 〈◊〉 first day of 〈◊〉 increase 〈◊〉 waxâ—th by little and 〈…〉 is wrought in vs by degâ—â—â—s no man is fully perfect For Who can say I am cleane So long as we Pro. 20. 9. Quamdiu â—â—uis necesse est peccatum eâ—â—e in mâ—brâ—â— tuis August â—â—â—e sin shall not die though it shall not damne vs because it is forgiuen vs. Sixtly remission oâ— sins is a part of iustâ—fication but sanctification is no part therof but rather an effect fruit 〈◊〉 argument thereof Lastly the washing away of sin in Iustification goes in nature before the â—â—olution of sanctification doth next 〈◊〉 nature succeede effectuall vocation For whoÌ„ God calleth them he doth in Rom. 8. 30. 〈◊〉 next place iustifie then sanctifie And I say in nature not 〈◊〉 time if we respect the first degree of saÌ„ctification Fâ—r when God doth actually 〈…〉 a man his sinnes when Christ doth actually bâ—â—h a man in his bloud and proâ—â—â—e the remission of his sins when God doth apply the merit of Christs bloud vnto a man then doth he also begin to refine and melt him then doth he cast him into a new mould and giueth him a new heart And as that woman with a peece of a mâ—â—stoÌ„e did brâ—ak the braine-pan of that vsurping tyrant Iudg. 9. 53. Abimelech euen so when God remits sinne he doth also as it were crack the brain-pan thereof with the milstone of his power and the strength of his Spirit and so in one article of time he doth dismount that vsurping Tyrannesse from her Throne he takes the crowne from her head and her scepter out of her hand and doth so disarme weaken her that she can neither damne vs nor domineâ—e within vs. And this being the sense let vs see what doctrines follow hereeof CHAP. II. The Man-head of Christ is proued Fiue reasons rendered why hee was to bee man FIrst in that the Apostle doth attribute Doct. 1 bloud vnto Christ I conclude that Christ was true man like other men sinne onely excepted This the Hebr. 2. 16. 17. holy scriptures do very plentifully manifest For hee is that Seede of the woman which should break the Serpents Gen. 3. 15. head And he is that Son which a virgin Is 7. 14. should conceiue and bring foorth He is sayd to be borne and circumcised to hunger thirst die and rise again all which do sufficiently proue the truth of his humanity Now it was requisite that Christ should be a man First that the prophecies that went long before of his humane nature might be truly fulfilled Secondly the iustice of God required that that nature should be punished which had offeÌ„ded Thirdly it seemed most equall in Gods eye that satisfaction for the sinne of man should be made in the nature of man Fourthly that he might be a mercifull Heb. 1. 17. high Priest able to be touched with the feeling of our infirmities Lastly that he might be able to suffer and die for vs. For the God head cannot possibly suffer beeing an impassible pure absolute 1. Tim. 6. 16. immortall vnchangeable nature Now as it was fiâ— that he should Iam. 1. 17. bee a man so it was also necessary that he should be sinlesse and holy First that his thoughts words and workes might be holy SecoÌ„dly that he might make vs holie and couer the impurity of our nature with the perfect purity of his Thirdly that he might offer vp a pure and spotlesse sacrifice Fourthly he was to be a preacher of holines a taxer of iniquity therfore it was fittest that he should be holy lest his practise should crosse his preaching and so marre his Ministerie Lastly that his humane nature might be aâ—â—omed into the vnity of the person of the Sonne of God who is most holie euen Holinesse it selfe If it be damanded why the Sonne should rather become man then either the Father or the Holy Ghost I answere it was most beseeming that the world should be redeemed and that all things should be restored by him by Ioh. 1. 〈◊〉 Col. 〈◊〉 16. Hâ—b 1 2. whome all things were created It was most fiâ—ting that he should saue man from death and procure him life who did at first vouch safe him life that as by him we receiued being so we might also by him receâ—â—e our welbeing Of this doctrine thâ—se vses may be made First we may behold the loue of Vse 1 Christ vnto vs who being the image of Col. 1 15. 16. God and the grand Creator of all things in heauen and earth did neuerthelesse for our good assume vnto himselfe the nature of man and not the nature of â—he Angels which notwithstanding is far more excellent far more diuine Heb. 2. 16. noble Secondly seeing Christ who is e 〈…〉 ll Vse 2 Phil. 2. 6. Reâ— 1. 5. to God Prince of all the kings of the earth did so farre debase himselfe for vs base wretches as voluntarily to take vpon him the forme of a Phil. 2. 7. seruant the shape and nature of man let vs arme our selues with the same mind neuer thinking any thing too base for vs to beare or doe which may serue for his glorie and the good of his Church Iâ— the Sonne of God did so humble himselfe why should we be proud and hautie If God thought not skorne to be made man for vs why should we thinke much to performe any seruice vnto him for the honour of his name how base or vile soeuer it maâ— seeme in the eve of man Thirdly seeing Christ is truly man Vse 3 made of the seed of the wo 〈…〉 hence is confuted ouerthrowne the errour of Gal. 44. the Maâ—tchâ—â—s whâ— held that Christs bodie was but imaginaâ—ie A sâ—igned bodie hath blood no more then a painted fire hath heate But Christ had true blood or else our redemption by his blood is a forged fiction and vntrue The errour of Macedonius and Valentinus who taught that Christ brought with him a celesticall bodie out of heauen But the Lord promised Abraham that in his seede all nations should be blessed Gen. 22. 18 The errour of Apelles who said that Christs body was of the ayre and that it passed through the virgin Mary as water through the pipe or chanell Whereas notwithstanding Dauid had a promise made him that his son should 2. Sam. 7. 12. 14.
him and vtâ—erly tall away and perish To omit many inuincâ—bâ—e arguments there is no liâ—â—lihood that Christ would shâ—d his bloud for him that shall perishâ—n his sâ—ns It is not probable that he will part from those willingly for wâ—â—me he payed so dearly Therfore Qui nos taÌ„to pâ— tâ—o emit noÌ„ vult perâ—â—e quos emit Aug. Setm. 109. Augustine saith He which bought vs for so great a price will not haue those to perish whom he hath bought And Christ himselfe saith that he giueth eternall life to those for whome he layeth downe his life â—â—h 10. 15. 28. Indeed they that seeme to be washed in his bloud but are not may fall and perish A fâ—antique man may think himselfe to be as rich as Crâ—sus though hee be indeed as poor as Codrus as Irus Bedlams whoop sing shout and laugh as if they were the only happy men in aâ— the world when alaâ— their case is most pitifull and so many men may think theÌ„selues câ—eÌ„sed in the bloud of Christ and clad with his rightâ—ousnes and so caâ—â—y themselues aâ— if they were out of aâ—â— danger of damnation when as in truth their state is damnable they neâ—â— truly felt the heat of that bloud tâ—â—y neuer came in that bath But he thaâ— is once actually and effectually bathed in it shall not dâ—e eternally Christ died that we might not die and who can make his death of none effect What can let or take away the veâ—tue of his death and the invaluable merit of his bloud I am persuaded Rom. 8 38. sayth Paul that neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to 〈◊〉 nor height nor depth nor any other creature shal be able to separate vs from 〈◊〉 loue of God which is in Christ Iesus â—ur Lord. And I am verily persuaded also that Christs death caÌ„not be nullified nor the price of his bloud diminished Now if Gods loue by which we â—iue do continue constant to vs and if the bloud of Christ by which our sins are clensed and couered in the sight of God remaine in ful force value nothing lessened or abated it cannot be that any of vs who are his chosen should perish and be damned The vse of this doctrine is manifold First we see a plaine difference Vse 1 betwixt the Sheep of Christ and the Goats of Sathan betweene Gods seruants and the Diuels slaues These may these must perish but those shall not they cannot perish For they are Math. 25. 41 Ioh. 10. 28. 1. Pet. 1. 5. kept by the power of God through fayth vnto eternall saluation Secondly we see the state of man by Christ the second Adam to be better Vse 2 then it was by creation in the first Adam For the righteousnes which we receiued in him was mutable but the righteousnes which we receiue in Christ is immutable The righteousnes which we did receiue in him we did also through him loose in him but the righteousnes which through Gods imputation we receiue for and from Christ continueth ours for euer so as that Peccata semel remissa nunquaÌ„ redeant et semel iusti semper iusti habeamur our sins being once remitted shall neuer after come to a reckoning and being once accounted righteous we shal so remaine for euer And for inherent righteousnesse when grace is once ingrauen vpon the tables of our hearts by the finger of God it shall neuer wholly be rased out For we haue now potentia et actum perseuerandi both the power and his grace therto inspiring vs a will to perseuere and the very act of perseuerance Adam indeed could haue continued righteous if he had would but he had not the grace to continue constant the will to perseuere for euer Thirdly we see manifest manifest distinction betwixt those that are redeemed Vse 3 by the bloud of Christ and those that are ransomed by earthly Princes For those that are redeemed by Christ continue his for euer None shall take Ioh. 10. 28. them out of his hand neither shall they reuolt from him For he will put his feare in their heartes that they shall Ier. 32. 40. not depart from him Neither can they by death be cut off from him or vanish out of his seruice For after death they shall serue him more perfectly in their soules and after their resurrection they shall performe absolute honour for euer to him But they that are redeemed or deliuered out of captiuitie by Princes may of subiects become desperate enemies perâ—icâ—ous traâ—tours irreconciliable and incorrigible Rebels Or if they continue loyall yet at death their seruice is expired and in the life to come he that was once the subiect and inferiour may be promoted aboue him that was the Lord. Fourthlâ— we ought to be thankfull for this benefit We would thinke our Vse 4 selues much obliged to a man that did giue vs a good outward estate and made it sure vnto vs how much shall we then thinke our selues indebted vnto Christ who hath freely procured vs a most blessed inward estate whereof we shall neuer be depriued but shall enioy for euer Surely we cannot but confesse our selues to be greatly bound vnto him for this grace and if we will not be vnthankefull we ought to set our hearts vpon him and our hands to his works forsaking those things which doe any waies displease him Fiftly this doctrine ministers exceeding Vse 5 solace to the soule It is no small ioy to a Subiect to heaâ—e that he cannot loose his Princes fauour and to an hâ—iâ—e that he cannot loose his in heâ—â—ance Euen so it cannot but â—oy the heart of any faythfull man to consider that he cannot be defeated of his inhâ—râ—tâ—nce and that being once iustifyed he shall continue so for euer and shall neuer fall away from God and perish Sixtly the consideration of this one Vse 6 priuiledge that belongs to them that are washed from their sins in Christs bloud should make vs to commend and admire their estate and should moue vs to labour to be in their number to be assurâ—d that we haue been bathed in that bloud What would nâ—t many men do to haue assurance that they should neuer die the death of the body What then should we refuse to do that we might in our consciences be persuaded that we shall escape the death of soule and body If thou beâ—st but assured that Christ hath clensed thee in his bloud from thy sin which is the cause of death theÌ„ mayest Rom. 6. 23 thou be perâ—uaâ—ed also that thou shalâ— noâ— dâ—â— O 〈…〉 how maist thou know that Christ hath clensed thee Surely if thou canst but truly â—ay that thou art a Sheâ—p of Christ then mâ—st tâ—ou also say that Christ hath washed thâ—e from Ioh. 10. 15 thy sâ—ns For he hath layed downe hiâ— life and shed his bloud for his sheep Ephes 1. 7. that they might be redeemed froÌ„
beene the doctrine of the Church in former ages Gregorie saith The author of life layed downe his life Pro electorum vita vsq ad mortem se tradidit author 2. Num. in Ez. li. 1. In Leuit. lib 17. c. 2. that they might liue which are elected vnto life Eusebius saith that Christ suffered for the saluation Mundi Saluandorum of all those that should be saued Hist l. 4. c. 15. And Radulphus peremptorily affirmeth that the blood of our High-priest Christ was the expiaâ—ion Omnium credentium or atonement of All beleeuers And no maruell for beeing the blood of God it must needs be of more worth with God then the blood of all men the life of all Angels and the being of all creatures though they were as many more as they are haue beene or shal be euer yea then if all men and Angels should haue suffered eternally Thus we haue seene that remission of All the sinnes of All the Elect and of All punishments dâ—e vnto theÌ„ for their sinnes is procured only by the bloud 〈◊〉 Christ who in his owne person by himselfe hath fully satisfyed the iustice of his Father for vs and as Augustine saith hath made our sins his sinnes that he might Nostra delâ—cta sua delicta fecit vt suam 〈…〉 nostraÌ„ iust nam facâ—â—et Gen. 27. 15. 27. make his righteousnes our righteousnes wherewith we being 〈◊〉 as Iacob was with his brother 〈◊〉 garments we do receiue the blessing of God as he receiued 〈◊〉 Now that we may not prize the pardon of our sins at too 〈◊〉 a price 〈◊〉 Christ 〈…〉 〈◊〉 not be 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 seriously the wooâ—th and comfort of it As first 〈◊〉 was not procured as pardoÌ„s vse to be by wordly 〈◊〉 but by the bloud of God Therefore Peter saith Dei non Deitatis of God not of the God head that we were not redeemed with corruptible things as with siluer and golde but with the pretious bloud of Christ as of a Lambe vndefiled and without spot And therefore Paul may truly say that 1. Pet. 1. 13. 19. 1. Cor. 6. 20. 〈◊〉 23. wee are bought for a price euen for the 〈◊〉 price that any one could pay For what can bee more costly then bloud or what more deare then life Now a pardon so dearely payed for should not 〈◊〉 regarded Secondly remission of sinnes is an irreuocable act of God Sinnes being once nayled to the crosse of Christ shal neuer be taken down aliue and beeing once buried in his graue they shall neuer rise againe to condemne vs. Riches remaine not alway nor the crowne from generation to generation Fauour Pro. 27. 24. is deceiptfull and beauty is vanitie Pro. 31. 30. Strength wil decay and pleasures will passe away And what is your life It is euen a vapour that appeareth for a time Iam. 4. 14. and afterwards vanisheth out of his sight For all flesh is grasse and all the glorie of 1. Pet. 1. 24. man is as the flower of grasse the grasse withereth and the flower falleth away But the pardon of sinne endureth for euer and this is the pardon which is preached among you and is by Christ procured for you Thirdly when Christ doth actually wash vs from our sinnes then he doth also begin to reforme and sine vs. And as by meriting the remission of sinne he keepes it from condemning vs so by sanctifying of vs he stayes it from ruling in vs. So that when Christ hath once washed vs in his bloud sinne may be truely said to be in part consumed in vs and wee no sinners at all in Gods account Fourthly the prayers of the wicked are abominable to the Lord but when God hath pardoned our sinnes wee may boldely pray with assurance to be heard For it is iniquitie which makes the separation betwixt vs and God Your sinnes saith Isaiah haue hid his face from you that he will not heare Therefore his eares are opened when sinnes Is 59 2. are pardoned 〈◊〉 satisfied and his wrath appeased Fiftly when mens sinnes are remitted then their mindeâ— are setled their Rom. 5. 1. 〈…〉 consciences are 〈◊〉 For sinne which is the fire-brand of contention and a makebâ—te betwixt vs and God is taken froÌ„ vs so as that it shall not bee impuâ—â—d to vs. When the Sea-men had cast Ionah froÌ„ theÌ„ into the sea the sea ceased from Ion. 1. 15. her aging so when God shall cast our sinnes from vs behinde his backe and shall diue them and vs into the bloude of that 〈◊〉 Lambe Christ Iesus the fire of his wrath shall be quenched all the windes and waues of our soules shal be calmed and our troubled consciences shalâ— be pacified as that without danger of drowning wee may floâ—t with 〈◊〉 sayle with the pleasant gale of his grace vpon the troublesome 〈◊〉 as of this world in true tranquilitie 〈◊〉 our Pilot Christ doe bring vs safely to the Hauen of our Hope and land vs where wee shall 〈◊〉 On the contrary wicked and vngodly wretches haue no true peace at all but are either without sense like stockes or else feele the flasâ—â—ngs of 〈◊〉 fire withâ—â— their soules being gnawed with the worme of an accusing conscience and are like the raging sea that cannot rest Is 57. 10. whose waters cast vp mire and dirt Sixtly The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord Yea his very Pro. 15. â—6 Prâ— 21. 27. sacrifice is abominable But when our sinnes are forgiuen the defectes in all our good workes are couered Yea then and not till then doe we worke any thing well and pleasing in the sight of God Therefore Salomon saith The sacrifice of the wicked who hath not beene washed in the bloud of Christ is abomination to the Lord but the prayer Pro. 15. 8. of the righteous which no man can be said to be before his sinnes be forgiuen is acceptable vnto him And Augustine truly saith that good workes do not goe before iustification but follow Bona opera sequuÌ„ter iustificatum non praecedunt iustificandum after There must first be a spring before there can bee a Riuer First there must be a fire before there can be burning Indeede good workes may be seene sooner then the pardon of sinne as light is vsually seene before the Sun appeareth and a man doth often see the light of a candle before hee see the candle it selfe though in nature they doe not goe before but follow And so good workes in nature follow the pardon of our sinne Seauâ—uthly those whose sinnes are forgiuen are inuested likewise in the righteousnes of Christ and shall die the death of the righteous which 〈◊〉 wished Peace shall come they shall Num. 23. 10 rest in their beds Their ende is peace Their death is as life they die to liâ—e Is 57. 2. For whom God doth iustifie that is whose sinnes hee doth remit whose Pâ—al 37. 37. persons
because of them Most of his Apostles â—f not all were poore and the deaâ—est children of God are subiect to greâ—uâ—us crosses and haue beene in all Act. 16. 31. ages Beleeue in the Lord Iesus and thou shalt be loued Returne from All thy sinnes and do that which is right and thou shalt surely liue and not die how Ez. 18. 21. poore base or vile so euer thou maiest be Yea further thogh thou beest wicked and by thy sinnes an enemie to God yet dispaire not but beleeue and repent For Christ doth not die for vs because we are holy he doth not wash vs because we are cleane out by washing vs he makes vs cleane Christ did not die for the righteous but for the Vngodly and for the Vniust and therefore Paul saith God setteth out his loue Rom. 5. 6. 1. Pet. 3. 18. towards vs seeing that while we were yet Sinners Christ dyed for vs. Beâ—â—eue therfore and repent leaue sinne liue vprightly assure thy selfe of the blood Rom. 5. 8. of Christ for the remission of thy sins His merit â—s greater then thy miserie Rom. 4. 5. Rom. 3. 22. and a saluâ— made of his blood is able to cure all the sores of thy soule Thirdly seeing the bloud of that one man Christ Iesus hath clensed vs all Vse 3 from all our sinnes we are admonished to loue one another Some of vs are not washed in the bloud of one and the rest in the bloud of another but we are all washed in the bloud of one and one hath washed vs al therfore we ought al as if we were but one to loue agree one with an other This kind of argument is vsed by the prophet Malachy Mal. 2. 10. when he saith Haue we not all one father Hath not one God made vs Why doe wee transgresse euery one against his brother And the Apostle exhorting the Ephesians Eph. 4. 3. 4. to keepe the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace vseth this as a reason to perswade them too it because there is one body one spirit one Lord one faith one baptisme one God and Father of all Euen so say I Forasmuch as one man one God Christ Iesus who is both God and man hath washed vs all from our sinnes by the merit of his most pretious bloud why should wee transgresse one against another as wee vse to doe And why doe wee not rather affect and embrace on an other Doe we not all come out of his loines Eph. 5. 30. Are wee not all flesh of his flesh and bones of his bones Hath not be washt vs all for himselfe Doe wee not all spring froÌ„ that water from that bloud which sprang 〈◊〉 him when he hanged on the crossâ— I noâ—â—e that bread of life which we all eate off that well that water of life which we all drinke off that meane or that wish to liue Doe wee all breath by him â—aue we all theâ— emission of all our sinneâ— by his bloud Hath hee communicated his bloud to vs all And shall we disgrace abuse contemne and oppresse one an other We should rather be kind courteous louing folowing 〈◊〉 â—hings which concerne peace and amitie and Rom. 14. 19. wherewith one may edifie an other Fourthly seeing our sinâ— cost Christ his bloud we may as in a glasse behold Vse 4 the rigour and seuetitie of Gods absolute iustice who would be pacified only by the bloud of his owne Sonne By which we see that he is not altogether mercy as many foolish and presumptuous Totus Deus est miserie ordia non to taliter persons dâ—e imagine It is true indeede that God is mercifull and so â—iche in mercie as that hee sent his Sonne to saue vs but yet with â—ll he is so iust that rather then sin should scape vnpunished hee hath made his Sonne to beâ—re the punishment of it And as for those thaâ— will not by fayth receiue hâ—s sonne and will not reforme their liues but goe on in sinne without repentance hee hath for the manifestation of his iustice reserued to eternall â—orments And theâ—efore Iob saith The Iob. 21. 30. wicked is kept vnto the day of destruction and they shal be brought foorth to the day of wrath And the Psalmist saith accordingly In the hand of the Lorde there is a cup and the wine is red it is sul Psal 75. 8. mixt and he powreth out of the same surely all the wicked of the earth shall wring out and drinke the dregs thereof We see therfore that his mercy doth not shoulder out his iustice Let no man therefore sinne in hope of pardon For our God is euen a consuming fire to consume vp all impenitent sinners and it Heb. 12. 29. Deut. 4. 24. Heb. 10. 31. is a fearefull thing to fall into his hands Fiftly we may see the heynousnes of sinne For we must not thinke that Vse 5 small which cost so great a price and made the bloud of God be shed for the pardon of it Let vs therfore detest our sins account theÌ„ greuous not smal They displease God they deserue his iudgemeÌ„ts they prouoke his anger they hinder his blesâ—ings they trouble our peace and procure our death Like the Ier. 5. 25. worme they eat the wood wherin it was bred they destroy the soule wherin they we eingendred Plinie wriâ—eth that the Vipers kill their damme at their coÌ„ming fâ—orâ—h Euen so the byâ—th of sin is in desert Hist nat lib. 〈◊〉 cap. 62. the death of the sinner Our sinnes crucified the Lord of life they were the nayles that pierced him the thornes that pricked him and the speare that was thrust through him He for our sinnes laid downe his life and spilt his bloud They made him grone and sigh they made him sweat water and bloud they tormented his soule and made it heauy vnto death yea they made him cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee The consideration of these things Math. 27. 46 should moue vs vnlesse like mountains we wll not be moued to relinquish and abhorre our sins When Peter had told the Iewes that they had crucified the Lord they were strucken as with a thuÌ„der-bolt from heauen and beeing pricked in heart they cryed 〈◊〉 Men and brethren what shall wee doe Thy sinnes Act. 2. 37. haue crucified the Lord of glory they nayled him fast vnto the crosse they would not die till he was dead hee was faine to make a Bath of his bloud of his best bloud his Heart-bloud to clense wash thee from them Repent therefore and relent condemne and accurse them forsake and hate them Wilt thou liue in theÌ„ that made Christ to die wilt thou delight in them that made Christ to mourne Canst not thou mourne for them that made him to bleed Indeed Pro. 14. 9. the Foole maketh but a mocke of sinne But wilt thou needs be that
foole Is Pro. 26. 3. not a rod prepared for the fooles back Doest thou not know that the foolish Ps 5. 5. shall not stand in Gods sight and that he hateth all them that worke iniquitie Vpon the wicked he shall raine snares fire Ps 11. 6. and brimstone and stormy tempest this is the portion of their cup. But Life is in the way of righteousnesse in that path there Pro. 12. 28. is no death What shall we then thinke of those that delight in wickednes and that draw iniquitie with cordes of vanitie Is 5. 18. sin as it were with cartropes What shal we say of those that make a trade of vsury a life of drunkennes an occupation of swearing swaggering lying deceiuing oppressing which eueÌ„ plow vpoÌ„ the faces of pore meÌ„ come their money vpoÌ„ their skins which notwithstanding al admonitions and instructions to the contrary go forward in their irregular vnnaturall and irrelgious courses with out 〈◊〉 like Pharoahs ill fauoured and leane-fleshed kine which thought 〈◊〉 had eaten vp Gen. 41. 21. seauen fat kine 〈◊〉 yet as ill-fauoured as they were before Surely it argueth that as yet they are not washed froÌ„ their sinnes For they that are washed from sinne make conscience of sinne A dying vnto sin is begunne in them to whome the death of Christ is actually applied which he sustained for them It argueth that sinne is not onely in them but that they also are in sinne like an house that hath not onely fire in it but which is also in the fire readie to be consumed in it It argueth that they are as yet in the power of the Diuell who leades them captiue like Beares by the lips to do his will Finally it argueth horrible securitie in that they neither regard the iustice of God and his seueritie against sinne nor weigh that sacred blood which was shed for sinne For questionlesse if men did seriously consider those manifold and inextricable dangers in which they were by sinne and that nothing would satisfie God for sinne but the blood of his owne and onely Sonne it would daunt them much and make them to hate and leaue them though there were but one sparke of sauing grace within them A man we see cannot indure the sight of that sword wherewith his father was put to death Christ is our Father and we are his Seed Children His soule was powred Is 9. 6. Heb. 2 13. Is 53. 10. Is 53. 12. out vnto death for our sinnes He was both wounded slaine for them They were as I may say the sword that slew him Let vs therfore loath leaue them Let not them be our ioy which were the causes of his sorrowes Make not that thy myrth which was the cause of his mourning and had made thee mourne had not he mourned for thee Is it seemely for thee that art washed from sinne like a Soâ— to pollute thy selfe with sinnes Did not Christ die that we should liue to him 2. Cor. 5. 15. that dyed for vs And did he not giue himselfe for a people that should be Tit. 2. 14. zealous of good works He bare our sins saith Peter in his body on the tree that 〈◊〉 being dead to sinne should liue in 1. Pet. 2. 24. righteousnes Let vs therefore renounce our sins forsake our enormities which are indeed our chiefest deformities and let vs giue our selues to the workes of holinesse Yee are not your owne For ye 1. Cor. 6. 19. 〈◊〉 are brought for a price Christ hath giuen his bloud for you Therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit They be Gods they be Christs he hath bought theÌ„ dearely Be not the seruants of men be not the seruants of sinne Turne vnto me saith the Lord for I haue redeemed 1. Cor. 7. 23 thee so I say turne vnto Christ for he hath redeemed thee he hath washed Is 44. 22. thee from all thy sinnes in his blood And beeing made free from sinne ye are Rom. 6. 18. made the seruants of righteousnes Therefore as ye haue giuen your members seruants to vncleannes and iniquitie to commit iniquitie so now giue your members Rom. 6 19. seruants vnto righeousnes in holinesse For as Peter saith it is sufficient for vs that 1. Pet. 4. 3. we haue spent the time past of the life after the lust of the Gentiles walking in wantonnes lusts drunkennes gluttony drinkings and in abominable idolatries Sixtly seeing Christ is said to haue Vse 6 washed vs from our sinnes wee see that Christ in his owne person did put away sinne and so abolish death For z. Tim. 1. 10 we are not only washed in his bloud but also washt by him And thus we see first that Christ shed his bloud freely For hee washt vs as it were with his owne hands and besides we know that his God-head which giueth dignitie to his bloud is free from all constraint Secondly wee see that we are not onely washed by the father and by the Holy Ghost but by the Sonne also For those workes of the Trinitie Opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indiuisa which are wrought vpon the creature are common to all the persons differing onely in their manner of working The Father washeth vs from sin because he hath of his grace sent his Son to take away our sin for that he forgiueth sin for the sacrifice of his Sonne The Sonne is said to wash vs from sin because hee doth in his owne person pay the price of sin by the merit of his bloud which he shed procure the pardon of it And the holy Ghost also may be said to wash vs because hee worketh faith in our hearts whereby we do apprehend the bloud of Christ and apply it to our selues in special and because hee sealeth the pardon to our soules and giues vs the assurance therof in our Consciences Seuenthly seeing that wee haue the remission of our sinnes for the bloud of Vse 7 Christ we are taught to know that the sacrifices vsed before his comming were onely typicall and not properly satisfactorie It is impossible saith the Apostle that the bloud of bulles and goates should take away sinnes They were Heb. 10. 4. onely â—ipes or figures shadowing out that absolute and all-sufficient sacrifice of Christ euen the sacrifice of his soule and bodie which he beeing our High-priest as God incarnate did offer vnto his father vpon the altar of his God-head for the expiation of our sinnes And therefore a I such ceremonies are to be adiudged dead seeing Christ the substance of them hath performed that which they did shadow forth Eightly seeing our sinnes are purged Vse 8 by the bloud of Christ wee may perceiue a differeÌ„ce betwixt his bloud and the bloud of Martyrs For though Sanguis Martyrum sit semen Ecclesiae God so blesse the death of his Martyrs and make their bloud so fertill that
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
is as well able to take away our sinnes to make them vanish out of Gods eye like smoke as that great invndation of water was to drowne the world or as the fire was to burne vp Sodome Dost thou thinke that thou hast no need of him Thou art as wel able to discharge thee of thy sinnes as to remoue a mountaine or to draine the sea If the bodie be out of temper there is vse of the Phisitian Thou art distempered both in soule bodie by reason of thy sins in which thou art by nature not onely sicke but dead and Christ can onely cure thee therefore she vnto him And say thy sinnes be smal yet are they many and mortall all Many little flint-stones will 〈◊〉 ship as well a few mil-stones But thou art by thy 〈◊〉 a Rebell thou hast committed high â—reason against God and without 〈◊〉 pardon which cannot be procâ—â—ed but by the mediation of Christ 〈◊〉 is not possible for thee to escape damnation Therefore make hast to Christ before the degree come forth and before the fierce wrath of the Lord do come vpon thee and thou be as chasse before the wind WheÌ„ Christ liued vpon the earth the people peâ—ceiuing his admirable power and willingnesse also to cure the diseases of the bodie they brought their diseased to him from euery place and he healed them Beloued he is aâ—able to cure the diseases of the soule therefore seeke vnto him seeke with faâ—th from the bottome of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he will not â—epell the. To him that thirsteth he Reuâ— 21. will be-sprinkle him in his bloud frankely They were carefull for the bodie and shall we be carelesse both of soule and bodie They were carefull for others let not vs then be carelesse of our selues They went to him when he liued in disgrace and in the shape of a seruant plagued and not regarded humbled of God reiected of men Is 53. 3â— knowne of many but acknowledged of few mournfull and not mery seene to weepe but neuer said to laugh But now he is in great glory maiestie far exceeding all earthly Monarches and therefore we neede not be ashamed to seeke vnto him Wherefore let nothing hinder thee but as they that brought Luk. 5. 19. the palsie man vnto him let him downe to him through the tyles of the house when they could not come neare him for the prease of the people euen so do thou breake through all impediments 〈◊〉 not thy purpose but proue euery way leaue no stone vnrolled proceed constantly and test not till thou beest come vnto him Leaue him not till Nullam noÌ„ moue lapidem with Iacob thou hast obteined a blessing till he haue washed thy soule in his bloud as he did his Disciples feet in Ioh. 13. 5. Math. 15 28. the water The Cananitish woman would not leaue him till she had gotten him to driue the Diuell out of her daughter so do thou neuer giue him ouer til he haue cast him out of the hold of thy heart released thee of thy sins which do possesse thee which will destroy thee without his hand of grace And as Esay exhorteth those that are mindfull of the Lord to giue him no Is 62. 7. rest till he repaire and set vp Ierusalem the praise of the world euen so giue Christ thy Lord no rest leaue him not take no nay till he haue redeemed thee from thy sinnes till he haue restored thee into grace with God and haue set thee vp as high as thou wast fallen low before Shall the allurements of the world or the pleasures of sinne restraine or inueigle thee Know yee not saith Iames that the amitie of the World Iam. 4. 4. is the Enmitie of God Whosoeuer therefore wil be a friend of the world maketh himselfe the enemie of God Did not Moses that man of Gods owne moulding vs therfore be his Patients put our selues into his haÌ„ds There is noone natural medicine able to heale all kinds of Et quoniam variant mor bi variamus artes Mille mali species mille salutis erunt Ouid. â—ore sicknesses And therfore diuerse sores haue diuerse salues seueral maladies haue seueral medicines ofteÌ„tims But the bloud of Christ is a present remedie against all the maladies of our soules the merit thereof being once appyed to vs remoues them all They are all to it as dust before a Whirlwind or as flax before a flame of fire The leprosie is a fearefull disease but the leprosie of the soule is more fearefull Now as Naamans leprosie was 2. King 5. 14. clensed in the riuer Iordon so is originall sinne the leprosie of our soules and all other sinnes that spring thereof washed cleane away from vs in the bloud of Christ Though our sinnes were as crimsin though they had double died our soules had taken neuer to deepe roote in our haâ—ts though they were red as scarlet neuer so bloudy neuer so grieuous yet his bloud can 〈◊〉 them out it can vncolour vs and make vs white as snowe Behold a crow which is blacke through a red glasse and she will seeme red like the glasse The bloud of Christ is beautifull and precious sweet and louely in the sight of God and therefore if God behold vs through it we shall notwithstanding all the blacknesse of our sinnes appeare bright and beautiful faire and amiable in his eyes Albeit by our sins we deserue nothing but wrath yet euen as the propitiatory couered the Ark and Decalogue and as the cloudes do Ez. 25. 21. shroud vs from the scorching heate of the Sunne so doth Christ couer our sinnes with his bloud and preserue vs from the fire of his fathers wrath and wrathful indignatioÌ„ If it were so that a man had a medicine to preserue men froÌ„ the bodily death all the world wold flock after him so sweet a thing is life and shall we take no paines to come to Christ to possesse Christ who by his bloud can make the graue a bed death a sleepe a pleasant sleepe a welcome sleepe a ioy full night of ease and also saue the soule both soule bodie from endlesse death and dolefull desolation For euen as those which besprinkled Ex. 12. 7. 13 the posts of their doores with the bloud of the Paschall Lamb escaped the destroyer so those shall neuer be destroyed whose hearts are washed who are besprinkled with the bloud of Christ that true Paschall Lamb which Ioh. 1. 29. taketh away the sinnes of the world hath abolished death and brought life and immortality 2. Tim. 1. 10. vnto light through the Gospel For what can hinder life and procure death but sinne But sinne yea all the bandes and bolts of sinnes are no more with Christ then those greene cordes were in the hands of Sampson which hee brake as a threed of Towe when it feeleth Iudg. 16. 9. fire He can as easily remoue the
will praise the Lord during my life as long as I haue any beeing I will sing vnto my God This we should all performe but you rather then manie others because the Lord doth drawe you to it with moecords of loue then he doth the most Some furtherance thervnto you may receiue by diligent reading and examining this third part of our Tractate concerning the loue of Christ vnto vs which I dedicate vnto you for no sinister or base respect but to testifie my desire of the constant growth of those Christian vertues which haue begun to shyne and shew themselues in these your younger yeares that growing in grace and in the knowledge of Iesus Christ you may be partaker of his glorie Thus assuring my selfe of your kinde acceptance of these our labours I cease to deteine you longer and leaue you to him that neuer leaueth his but guardeth them by his grace for euer Yours in Christ Iesus to be commanded Thomas Tuke ¶ THE THIRD Part. Rom. 1. 6. And hath made vs Kings and Priests to God euen his Father CHAP. I. Christ is the Auhour of our Royaltie and Priestly dignitie Sixe vses are made of that doctrine IN these wordes is contained the second signe and action wherby Christ 〈◊〉 hath declared his loue vnto vs and in them fiue things are worthie obseruation First the Agent Christ. Secondly the Subiect vpon whome the worke is wrought Wee Thirdly the Act it selfe hee hath made vs kings and priests Fourthly the Time when he hath made Fiftly for whose or glory or â—o whom we are made euen to God his Father First for the Agent For somuch as Christ hath thus aduanced vs wee are taught to be thankfull to him If a man did freely procure his neighbor a farme or lord-ship it deserued a thankfull acceptaÌ„ce But if he did also giue him true title to a kingdome made him heire to a crowne his obligation shuld be of a far higher nature Beloued Christ hath made vs kings and heires to a crowne not of rusting gold but of eternall glorie not won by tyranny but got by righteousnes 1. Pet. 5. 7. euen by that perfect obedience which he performed for vs and is imputed 2. Tim. 4. 5. to vs. Lâ—t vs therefore be thankfull to him seek to please him And because it is he that hath made vs Priests let vs like Priests present him with the Calues of our lips let vs offer vp vnto him the sacrifice of a thankful hart testified in a thankeful tongue and expressed by our religious righteous and sober conuersations Vnthankfulnes is a poysoned roâ—te of wickednes and a fruitfull mother of mischiefe whereof we cannot but be deepely guiltie if we shal either wilfully dishonour or not care to honour him who hath so royally honoured vs. Secondly seeing it was Christ that â—ath brought vs to this honour we see that we come not to it by our birth or bloud by nature or inheritance from our parents and therefore we must not ascribe it to our selues but when like kings we get the conquest in any conflict ouer any â—inne and as Priests do ofâ—er vp vnto God any sacrifice which is accepted we must attribute al to the grace of God in Christ that of his mere good will merit hath made vs both kings and Preists It is God that worketh in vs both the will and the Phil. 2. 13. Certum est nos velle cum vâ—lumus sed ille facit vt ve limus qui operatur iâ— nobis velle Aug lib. de lib. Aâ—b c. 2. deed Indeede we will but it is by him And if he did not make vs worke as he maketh vs will to worke the work could not be wrought We may as well say that death can create life and that darknesse may make light as that we can of our selues either make or truely shew our selues to be spirituall kings and priests Thirdly in that Christ hath made vs kings and priests it argueth that he is not without power and authoritie For to create a king and to make a priest are workes of authoritie and power Esay calls him the mighty God Is 9. 6. and the Scriptures shew that we were all redeemed by him that the whole Is 53. 5. 6. Eph. 1. 7. Ioh. 13. World was created by him and therefore he must needs befull of strength and maiestie The consideratioÌ„ whereof should strike a terrour into the wicked which are his enemies and moue them to forsake their rebellions least he crâ—sh theâ— with his iron scepter and breake them in peeces like a Potters vessell And it ought to moue all the kings and potentates of the world to vaile their bonnets to bend their sceptâ—rs and to cast downe their crownes before him For he is the Prince of the Kings of the earth and is as able to dismount a king as to make a king And Reu. 15. secondly it should teach vs to seeke vnto him for his grace and to depend vpon him in aâ—oâ—r troubles Blessed are all saith Dauid that trust in him Ps 2. 12. Fourthly seing it is Christ that hath thus promoted vs we are taught to esteeme highly of this worke and benefit The excellencie of the work-man doth often commend the worke and make it more regarded The dignitie of the giuer doth moue the receiuer to account more dearely of the gift He that wrought this worke for vs is the Lord of life the father of eterâ—ie the Is 9. 6. King of glorie the Sonne of God â—nd Iudge of the world He that bestowed this benefit vpoÌ„ vs is Iesus Christ that Reu. 1. 5. faithfull witnesse and the first-borne of the dead If thy King or thy faithfull and tâ—â—stâ—e friend did giâ—e thee a costly iewell thou wouldest like it somewhat better and wouldest not easily be drawâ—n to part from it Christ our King and friend so faithful as that he spent his bloud to saue vs hath giuen vs this 〈◊〉 râ—yall gift he hath aduanced vs to this kingly condiâ—â—on let vs therefore highly pâ—izâ— iâ— and by no meanes hazard the pâ—râ—ing from it Fiftly seeing Christ hath 〈◊〉 honored his seruants let all men feare to dishonour them Thou darest not disgrace him whom thy king doth grace and durst thou dishonour him whome Christ thy king that mightie God doth grace and honour Shall â—e escape the wrath of a king that scornes a man because he hath honored him And shall we thinke that Christ that heauenly Monarch and Lion of the tribe of Iudah wil put vp those scornful wrongs that are offered by many wicked wretches vnto his Seruants because he doth grace them and by his grace doth make them flie those sins which they wrth a brazen face and browes of marble commit and blush not at Verily he that dishonours a maÌ„ because Christ doth honour him doth dishonour Christ himselfe and carieth a curse about him vnder seale and without serious and timely repentance which is not