sincere loue is diligent and will refuse no paines to please or pleasure the partie loued what infinite paines will men that loue the world take for an handfull of it and such as loue Christ will refuse no paines to enioy to glorifie him as the Apostles and Martyrs in whom we see how loue ouercommeth all things and the hardest paines is pleasure to it 4. This Christian and holie loue is ready to defend Christ no man can endure to heare or see his friend abused loue carries a sympathy with it that is a fellow-feeling causing ioy or griefe to see his glory Word or Kingdom aduanced or hindred it carries a godly zeale to Gods house which consumed Dauid Psalm 69. 9. Paul and Barnabas when GOD was dishonoured were mooued and rent their cloathes and loue to Christ makes a mā take to heart things against his name and honour nay it makes the Christian ready to suffer with Christ and for Christ and accept of neuer so hard a conditiō with him Much water cannot quench loue nor the flouds drowne it Cant. 8. 6. Yea if all the world should forsake Christ and sincere profession of him sincere loue would loue the more and die with him rather than deny him 5. Now in his absence to loue him in his image in his seruants because they loue him in his Word Sacraments which are his letters and pledges in his gifts and graces which are his loue-tokens and long to obtaine his presence for the Spirit saith Come and the Bride saith Come yea euen to be sick of loue after him Cantic 5. 8. Thus may wee trie our loue of Christ and shame our selues for want of it and stirre vp our selues to grow vp in the image of God who hath set his whole loue vpon him and long after the day when wee also shall set our whole loue vpon him as he vpon vs. In whom I am well pleased Sect. 10. HEre is the fruit of this neere relation declaring to vs that God is not onely pleased with Christ his person his actions and perfections for hee saith not with whom but that in him whatsoeuer is presented is accepted and hee is pleased with that also Neuer is God appeased with any man but in and through his Christ whom hee so loueth as that all his wrath is appeased with all that are in him Eph. 1. 6. We are accepted in his Welbeloued Col. 1. 20. In him are all things reconciled and set at peace through the bloud of his crosse both in earth and in heauen that is the whole bodie of the Church which is partly in earth and partly in heauen by Christ vnited to God Luk. 2. At his birth the Angels sang Glory to God peace on earth good wil to mē teaching vs that now by Christ Gods good will was turned towards men Add hereto that all the fauors we receiue from God are ascribed vnto him Ephes. 1. We are elected in him adopted in him called with an holy calling iustified but all in him and vers 3. He hath blessed vs with all spirituall and heauenly blessings in Christ. For 1. If God look on vs in our selues in the common masse wee are so couered ouer with sin as he must needs pronounce of vs as once hee did of mankinde It repenteth me that I haue made man he must needes bring the curse of the Law vpon our neckes But looking on vs through Christ he changeth his voyce that as when wee behold a thing through a red or greene or coloured glasse euery thing looks as the colour of the glasse so God beholding vs through Christ we receiue the dye and tincture of his bloud and obedience and so are iustified and accounted innocent and pure And thus as it is said of the Church Ezek. 16. 14. we recouer our former beautie which is made perfect through his beautie 2. This was shadowed in the old Testament Ge. 8. 21. When the earth was destroyed and Noah came out of the Arke hee offered burnt-offerings to the Lord and the Lord smelled a sauour of rest and said I will no more curse the earth c. A notable type of Christ the Mediatour and maker of atonement betweene God and man from whose meritorious sacrifice God only smelleth a sauour of rest So likewise in Aaron the high Priest Exod. 28. 38. Aaron must beare the iniquitie of the offerings of the children of Israel and Holinesse to the Lord shall be alwaies vpon his forehead to make them acceptable to the Lord here saith Caluine must all our senses bee fixed vpon the forehead of the only high Priest from whom all holinesse floweth foorth to his Church neither could the Priest make the people acceptable in his owne person but as hee stood a type of Christ. 3. Consider Christ 1. in himselfe God was so pleased in him as hee was neuer displeased nothing was euer found in him displeasing no guile in his lips no spot in his person but was euer a beloued Sonne it is not so with vs who were before the sonnes of wrath and Lo-ammi Lo-ruhamah 2. Consider him as Head of the Church and Mediatour his obedience was so voluntary and satisfactory so full and meritorious as must needs appease his fathers wrath in him the Father hath his Law wholly fulfilled euen all righteousnes in him he hath the curse borne carried away in him he hath a new righteousnes of faith restored to beleeuers and a new image repaired vpon them so as now beholding them not in the first Adam but in the second not in the old roote but in the new plantation he loueth the members because he loueth the Head accepteth them as sons through his beloued Sonne To note the miserable condition of all them that are without Christ because they are as the Gentiles without God in the world without hope for nothing else in the world can put backe the wrath of God there is no name else vnder heauen in which a man can be saued How fearefully is the wrath of God come vpon the Iewes to the vttermost who reiect this Corner stone and yet expect a Messiah of their owne making Neither the cleere testimonies of the Prophets nor of Iohn nor Heare this voyce of the Father nor his own mighty works haue moued them because hardnesse is come vpon them till this day and the vaile is vpon their hearts which wee must pray that God would in his time remooue Those mightie kingdomes of Turkes and Heathens who refuse the Sonne of God and will not acknowledge him more than a man lye vnder Gods wrath and in the power of the diuell and reiect the onely meanes whereby they should come into fauor with God which when we consider as we are to pitie and pray for them so with praise and gladnesse wee are to acknowledge Gods goodnesse whose prouidence watched ouer vs to be borne in the places and times wherein Christ rideth most gloriously in
herein Moses failed Exod. 3. 11. saying Who am I that I should goe to Pharaoh c his calling should haue bin in his eye not Pharaohs greatnesse 2. Again it teacheth that whatsoeuer God commandeth no respect of man must hinder vs from it Gal. 1. 16. When God called Paul to reueale his Sonne among the Gentiles immediatly he communicated not with flesh and bloud So in our ministery we may not cōmune with flesh and bloud but goe resolutely to worke and say as Nathan did to Dauid Thou art the man nor forecast issues and successes but doe our dutie and leaue all vnto God 3. In our religion for holding or not holding it we may not eye man or the lawes of man or goe by the perswasioe of man but tread all that vnder our feet as the three Children and all the Martyrs haue done 4. In our common courses of administring iustice and equitie we must not respect persons fauour or disfauour but what Gods word and a good conscience informed thence tels vs is our dutie especially if a man haue taken an oath to a corporation so to doe 3. Our Sauiour in the manner of his speech with Iohn leads vs into our dutie namely when we are to deale with persons offending of ignorance to vse all moderation and meeknesse in informing and reforming them wherein 1. Wee frame our selues to the commandement Gal. 6. 1. Restore such as are falne by the spirit of mecknesse and 2. Tim. 2. 25. Instructing with meeknesse the contrary-minded waiting if at any time they may be pluckt out of the snare of the diuell 2. We tread in the steps of our Sauiour Christ of whom it was prophecied that he should not crie nor cause his voyce to be heard in the streets a bruised reed he should not breake Isai. 42. 2. 53. 7. When he was oppressed and afflicted he opened not his mouth How meekely answered hee him that smote him vniustly Iohn 18. 23. If I haue euill spoken beare witnesse of the euil and how meekly did he call Iudas friend comming to apprehend and betray him 3. Wee manifest a notable fruit of the spirit called the Spirit of meeknesse hath in it the pith of loue which when it accōpanieth a reproofe it is that oyle euen the precious oyle which breaks not the head Psal. 141. 5. 4. We take the course to doe good by reproofe whereas to reprooue with rancor and malice seeking rather to disgrace than to reforme the party hath no promise no good effect Pro. 15. 1. A soft answere puts away wrath but grieuous words stirre vp anger and 25. 15. A soft tongue breaketh the bones and Rom. 12. 20. A meeke and gentle behauiour heapes coles on the enemies head See the example of Gideon appeasing the men of Ephraim Iudg. 8. 1 2 3. and Abigail Dauid 1. Sam. 25. But if Iohn had sinned of obstinacy or wilfulnesse Christ would haue been plainer and rougher with him as Matth. 23. hee denounced many woes against the Scribes and Pharisies For this is a rule of all reproofes They must bee so tempered as that the party reproued may be brought to a true sight of his sinne and to be pricked in hart if it bee possible God himselfe doth so reproue as he sets mens sinnes in order before them Psalm 50. 21. If a man will still winke and shut his eyes or goe on in contempt of God and his ordinances hee must bee dealt plainly withall a cold and perfunctory reproofe such as Eli vsed will doe no good yet in this plaine reproofe there must bee such carriage as the party may see himselfe rather reproued by God than by vs See 2. Cor. 13. 2. Againe in that Christ affirmeth that he was to fulfil all righteousnesse learne that whatsoeuer the Law of Moses required to perfect righteousnesse that Christ fufilled in most absolute perfection I came not to destroy the Law but to fulfill it Rom. 10. 4. Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnesse to euery beleeuer How did Christ fulfill y e Law He fulfilled 1. the ceremoniall Law by his one oblation of himselfe vpon the Crosse for then all of it had his end then the vale was rent 2. The morall two waies First in his owne person partly by his doctrine in deliuering the perfect doctrine of the Law and clearing it from corruption partly by his obedience both actiue performing the whole and euery duty concerning the loue of God or our neighbour and also passiue satisfying the curse due to transgression and partly by the conformity of his nature with the Law which onely hee since the fall hath or can haue Secondly in the persons of others he fulfilleth the morall Law 1. Of the godly 1. by imputation Rom. 5. 19. By the obedience of one many are made iust and this is by giuing faith to the Elect. 2. By inchoation and renouation of their nature by the Spirit writing the Law in their hearts Ier. 31. 33. and making them to walke in his waies Ezech 36. 27. But this fulfilling is weake and onely begun in this life wherein the best in their minds serue the Law of God but in their flesh the Law of sin Rom. 7. 22. 2. Of the wicked by executing the curse vpon them and so they fulfill it in the condition of it because they doe not in their conformity yeeld vnto it But by what bond was Christ tyed to fulfill the righteousnesse of the Law Galath 4. 4. When the fulnesse of time was come God sent his Sonne made of a woman and made vnder the Law made of a woman that is not begotten and made vnder the Law not borne vnder the Law For Christ was and is the Lord of the Law as the Sonne of man is the Lord of the Sabbath and by his nature as Lord of the Law is not subiected vnto it but by meere and voluntary condition of will abased himselfe and subiected himselfe vnto it and not as a priuate person but as a pledge and surety and that in our stead representing the persons of all the Elect Thus saith the Apostle he made himselfe of no reputation and was made sin for vs and a curse c. All which shewes that it was a voluntary subiection and a free-will offering of himselfe for else could it not haue been acceptable Neither may any man stumble at that common obiection wherby they would make Christ merit for himselfe and all this fulfilling of righteousnesse to be necessary for himselfe because his flesh and man-hood was a creature and ought homage to God as Creator I answere The man-hood of Christ is considered two wayes 1. as seuered from the Deity and in it selfe and thus it owes all obedience to God but 2. as from the very first conception it was receiued into the vnity of the second person and became a part thereof and thus it hath an eternall righteousnesse from the first moment and
was any ceremony in all the world so honoured as this Baptisme of Christ was The ancient sacrifices of Gods institution were honoured by manifest signes of his gracious presence as by the fire which came from heauen continually to consume them the Arke was honoured with speciall signes of his glorious presence sitting betweene the Cherubims answering by Oracle and voice vnto cases propounded the Temple it selfe at Ierusalem at Salomons prayer and dedication was filled with the glory of God manifested in that cloud that filled the House of the Lord 1. Kin. 8. 10. and this cloud still watched ouer the Tabernacle Exod. 40. 34. But these were all but shadowes to this wherein the Lord did not cloud and vaile his presence or reueale his presence in some signe but the Diuine Maiesty manifested it selfe distinctly as we may say in person yea in the distinction of all the three Persons the Father testifying his delight in his deare Sonne the Sonne standing in Iordan and receiuing his Fathers testimony and the holy Ghost descending in the visible shape of a Doue From whence is notably grounded the doctrine of the blessed Trinity of persons in the Vnity of diuine essence because they be so really distinguished although they cannot bee separated But the word Trinity is not to be found in the Scriptures Yet the doctrine is if not according to the letter yet according to the sense Mat. 17. 5. In the transfiguration of Christ the Sonne standeth the Father by his voice witnesseth and the holy Ghost ouershadowes him in a cloud as heere by a Doue So Matth. 28. 19. Baptize them in the name not names to note the vnity of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost And 2. Cor. 13. 14. The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the loue of God and the communion of the holy Ghost bee with you all Besides there is expresly the word three frō whence Trinity comes 1. Ioh. 5. 7. There be three that beare witnesse in heauen the Father the Word and the holy Ghost and these three are one So also Gal. 4. 6. God sent the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts Which is worthy to be by the way obserued as against sundry other damnable Heretikes so especially against the Iewes at this day who hold an indistinct essence in the Deity without distinction of persons and secondly against the wicked Arrians who deny the Sonne of God to bee begotten of the essence of the Father and to bee coeternall and coequall with him they hold him to be meere man onely borne without sin and receiuing the Spirit beyond measure and in all those places where he is called God they vnderstand it God by office not by nature as the Magistrate is called God and by this equiuocation they can deceiue the Magistrate and professe namely in this their sense that they verily beleeue him to bee God and yet meere man But this place and many other assume him into equall dignitie with the Father and holie Ghost as wee shall further see in the Fathers testimonie of him In the opening of the heauens consider 1. how they were opened 2. why they were opened For the former not the whole heauens but a part and that part ouer the earth where Christ prayed in the banke of Iordan and not to all the people of the earth but to those onely that were present with Christ were the heauens opened and therefore it is said The heauen was opened vnto him not as some say to Iohn but to Christ for so the phrase is vsed Act. 2. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 visae eis linguae i. supra eos The difficultie is in the manner Some think it was but an apparition in the aire because the densitie of the heauens as Philosophie teacheth cannot admit of any diuision in the same But this is vnlikely for in apparitions the eye is easily deceiued by thinnesse or thicknesse neerenes or remotenes light or darknesse of the parts of the heauens and clouds now God would not haue so notable a confirmation of Christs calling stand vpon the credit of a thing so liable to deceit as apparitions be Againe this was a miracle by which Christs office was exalted and therefore goes beyond nature and it is absurd to limit so transcendent a power within the rules and hedge of nature Others of the Fathers whom some Schoolemen follow think that there was no alteration in the heauēs to the bodily eye but it was a meer vision which none but Christ saw and that not with the eyes of his body but of his minde such a vision as Ezekiel and Steuen saw But this is not so for first to the eyes of Christs minde heauen was neuer shut Secondly Mark 1. 10. hee saw the heauens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 clouen a word vsed in things really done and vsed of the rent garment Luk. 5. 36. and of the vaile of the Temple which was rent in twaine Thirdly the other signes were really and sensibly done the Spirits descending visible and the Fathers voyce audible and sensible which are things of greater difficultie to conceiue as wee shall see and visible and sensible were they not so much for Christs as for Iohns and the peoples confirmation that stood there It seemeth therefore to bee true that the heauen was sensibly diuided and rent in twaine euen as the earth was when Korah and his company were swallowed vp This is not vnreasonable to conceiue if wee consider that the Lord might well doe as much for his Sonne as he had formerly done for his seruants Henoch in his body as wel as in his soule was taken vp into heauen here either the heauens must diuide themselues or one body must pearce and penetrate another which euen glorified bodies cannot doe Eliah when Elisha prayed him that his spirit might be doubled on him answered thus Thou askest an hard thing yet if thou see me when I am taken from thee thou shalt haue it so 2. King 2. 11 12. and Elisha saw him when he was taken vp into heauen by a whirlewinde and consequently saw the heauens diuided to receiue his body now glorified in the act of translation When Christ had accomplished his whole ministery Act. 1. 9. while his Disciples beheld he was taken vp into heauen they did see the heauens opening themselues to receiue his glorious body and shall we think it absurd that according to the letter of the Scripture his Father should enter him into that ministery by a sensible opening of the heauens As easie it must bee for God to doe this as to make the Sunne stand still the Sea runne backe yea the Sea to diuide it selfe and stand like a wall for the defence of his people And that he thus did it is plaine because this serueth for the greater confirmation and glorie of the businesse in hand which aboue all other the Lord set himselfe to aduance commend to the world Now in the
curse of thy sin and though thou seest that all the good of his abasement came to thee thou wilt endure nothing for him Ah conforme henceforth thy loue to his Secondly heere is an excellent ground of comfort that we haue a most perfect and all-sufficient Sauiour not onely the son of man but the Son of God almighty Ioh. 3. 16. God so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Son that whosoeuer should beleeue in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life All other sauiours were meere sonnes of men Ioshua the Iudges Iephte Samson c. And their deliuerances but temporall from the sonnes of men but heere is an eternall Sonne of God an heauenly Sauiour and Saluation from all spirituall enmities worthy the Sonne of God Hereupon namely the excellency and dignity of his Person ariseth the excellency price and merit of his obedience both actiue in fulfilling the law and passiue in satisfying the breach For being the naturall Sonne of God he cānot but be very God of the same substance and Godhead with the Father vnto which Diuine nature the humane being vnited it receiueth an excellency and dignity aboue all created natures of men and Angels for to which of the Angels did he at any time say Thou art my Sonne Heb. 1. 5 And hence all his obedience must needs bee of infinite merit the Person being so infinite else could he not haue sustained the infinite burden of mans sin nor appeased the wrath of his Father infinitly offended nor in so short time haue made so full and perfect satisfaction which must be of infinite worth and desert nor haue vanquished so infinite enemies as sin death hell and the deuill nor haue purchased for vs that infinite and eternall Crowne of righteousnes vnlesse he had been Immanuel God with vs and for vs blessed for euer Thirdly If Christ be that true Sonne of God so declared by the Prophets then wee are instructed 1. To beleeue in him for this is the Commaundement of GOD that we doe beleeue in the Name of his Sonne Ye beleeue in God beleeue also in me And the reason is because the Father and the Son are one Besides no creature can be the obiect of faith which fixeth it selfe vpon God as Mar. 11. 22. Haue faith in God which word God in the Creed is but once named to note the vnity of essence yet in vnderstanding is to be referred to all the three persons in whome we beleeue and in nothing else And because we must beleeue in him wee must pray not onely by him as a Mediator but vnto him as God equal with the Father into whose name we are baptized Thus the Apostles prayed to him Lord increase our faith and a Leper came and worshipped him saying Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane Math. 8. 2. And often it is made a marke or note whereby all Christians are described that they are such as call vpon the name of the Lord Iesus Christ Act. 9. 14. 1. Cor. 1. 2. In one word whatsoeuer diuine worship is due to the Father is due to this Sonne of God Rom. 15. 12. In him the Gentiles shall trust euery knee shall bowe vnto him and Ioh. 5. 23. That all men might honour the Son as they honour the Father 2. We must esteeme and affect him as the Sonne of God accounting him the chiefe of 10000. as the Church doth to loue and reuerence him aboue all other saying Thou art fayrer then the sonnes of men If any man loue not the Lord Iesus let him be accursed 1. Cor. 16. 22. Yea account all things as losse and dung in comparison of him hate father and mother if need so require in respect of him and be so farre from being ashamed of him and his profession as to acknowledge it the greatest honour to suffer in his cause 1. Pet. 4. 13. 3. If Christ be the onely naturall Sonne then kisse the Son of God Psal. 2. 12. 1. In token of subiection as a kisse is if it be of an inferiour to a superiour so Pharaoh said to Ioseph All my people shall kisse thee Gen. 41. namely in token of subiection so Idolaters are said to kisse their Idols that is to be subiect and deuoted vnto them 1. King 19. 18. 2. In token of loue good will if from a superiour or equal thus the Saints must kisse one another with an holy kisse And thus must euery Christian kisse the Sonne of God both in token of their homage and subiection as also as a sure pledge of their loue and faithfull affection towards him especially wee must take his yoke vpon vs stoope vnder his Scepter and obserue whatsoeuer hee hath commanded vs. Doe as the people promised Ioshua chap. 1. 16. All that thou commandest vs wee will doe whither thou sendest vs we will goe whosoeuer rebell and will not obey thy words let him die the death and as Mary his mother said to the seruants Whatsoeuer hee shall bid you doe that doe Beloued Sonne The English is too short for the Greeke where we finde two articles and it soundeth thus This is that my Sonne that my beloued and such a beloued one as on whom all a mans loue is cast for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is commonly vsed of that which is but one as of Isaac Take now thy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy onely Sonne thy beloued Sonne Christ is the proper obiect of Gods loue on whom all his loue is cast figured not onely in Isaac but in Salomon 2. Sam. 12. 25. The Lord also loued him and called his name Iedidiah that is the beloued of the Lord Christ is the true Iedidiah prophecied of Isa. 42. 1. Behold my Elect in whom my soule delighteth The Apostles expresse this loue in sundry phrases Ioh. 1. 18. The onely begotten Sonne which is in the bosome of the Father hath declared him that is who is intirely and inwardly loued with such affection as is due onely to her who is to be layd in the bosome who is thy best-beloued thy heart thy selfe And hee is called Gods deare Sonne Col. 1. 13. 1. God loues him as himself as being one with him The Father I are one saith Christ in nature in essence in will in operation looke with what loue he loues himselfe with the same he loues his Sonne the only begotten of the Father full of grace and trueth 2. Christ is capable of perfect and infinite loue as no creature is and therefore is perfectly and infinitely loued of his Father hence is it that the Father giueth him all that euer he hath Mat. 28. 18. All power in heauen and in earth hence he reuealeth and declareth his whole counsell to him who from eternity hath coexisted and layd in the bosome of his Father whereas all creatures are not capable of this knowledge 3. Christ as Mediator is most deare to his Father and
the chariot of his Gospell that vnlesse we will wilfully shut our eyes and make our condemnation heauyer than theirs that neuer heard of him we must needs see the light shining so brightly The like may bee said of all those damnable heretikes who haue denied Christ either in his natures or offices and here wee must for euer renounce the damnable heresie of the Church of Rome who though in word they hold the doctrine of faith yet in deed and by expresse consequent deny both the natures and all the offices of Christ and so professe a false christ in whom they cannot meete with saluation The case of worldly and carnall gospellers is no better who professe Christ their Iesus not their Lord denying him their hearts and liues and yet with their mouthes say Lord Lord. Againe seeing God hath professed that Christ is that his Beloued in whom he is onely well pleased away with other mediatours other intercessors none can be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but he He onely was found worthy to open the booke Reuel 5. 5. God neuer professed himselfe well pleased in any but he though with many hee hath been Away with those fond deuices of merits and workes of supererogation away with Popes pardons vnlesse wee can bring such a voyce from heauen for any other man away with foreseene faith and foreseene workes with which some men say God was pleased and so moued to elect his people No no onely Christ is the delight of God hee is delighted in nothing but him and that which he sees through him giue him the honour of a sufficient Sauiour able to appease and please his Father able to tread the Wine-presse alone or else giue Gods testimonie the lye as all they doe that dote vpon any other meanes of pleasing and appeasing God than Christ alone Lastly seeing our selues out of him can finde no acceptance let vs labour to be found in him and to know that we are in him which must be our onely comfort both in life and death then let the law curse the deuill accuse sin stand vp against vs hell-gates set themselues wide open for vs if wee can say Christ is ours wee shall be vpheld while other Iusticiaries fall But how shall wee know that we are in Christ By these rules 1. If wee be led by his Spirit Rom. 8. 9. 2. If wee crucifie the affections and lusts Gal. 5. 24. 3. If we be new creatures 2. Cor. 5. 17. 4. If we perseuere in the obedience of faith Heb. 3. 14. The generall vse of this whole testimony is set downe Math. 17. 5. Heare him for by this voice Christ is now appointed both 1. The Doctor and chiefe Prophet of the Church more excellent then Moses for He is faithfull as the Sonne in all the house of God 2. The high Priest of our profession whose lips must preserue knowledge infinitely aboue Aaron a most mercifull high Priest able to saue them that come vnto God by him seeing he liueth for euer to make intercession for vs. 3. The only King of his Church a greater than Salomon of whom all the Kings of Israel were but shadowes who only maketh Lawes for his Church and of such power as they binde conscience which no King nor Lawes can doe 1. Hee is the Angell of the great counsell the chiefe Doctor and Interpreter of holy Scripture the Iudge of all controuersies and interpretations and therefore onely to be heard What is not the Church to be heard the Preachers of the Word to be heard yea the one as the Spouse of Christ the other as Ministers of Christ only Christ himselfe as receiuing this dignity to be the onely Master of his Church they had streams but hee the fountaine of wisedome hee had treasures of wisedome hid in him 2. This is a note of the true Church both of Iewes and Gentiles Ioh. 8. 47. He that is of God heareth the words of God my sheepe heare my voyce and Ioh. 10. 16. Other sheepe I haue which are not of this fold that is the Gentiles not yet called these must be brought vnto me for they shall heare my voyce 3. Christ the Lord of the holy Prophets hath put an end to all prophecies ceremonies reuelations and dreames these many extraordinary meanes whereby he taught his Church of olde and now God hath spoken vnto vs by his Son to whom all they made way Heb. 1. 1. He is that Messiah of whom the Samaritan woman said Ioh. 4. 25. I know that the Messiah will come and when he shall come he will declare all things They that liued before him made account to heare him because hee was expected from the bosome of the Father to reueale all the will of God and all necessary trueth concerning saluation how much more should we who haue heard all things all his doctrine and seene his miracles as the Samaritans did Ioh. 4. 42. We haue heard him speake our selues 4. If wee consider our owne naturall blindnesse and grosse ignorance in the things of God how apt wee be to seduction schisme heresie delusion wee shall see how necessary it is to heare him nay seeing God hath of mercy set him out to preserue vs from these euils great and detestable shall our vnthankfulnesse be to turne away from him Now if it be asked how wee must heare Christ the answere is this 1. Hee must now be heard in the voyce of his Ministers to whom he gaue gifts at his ascension and of whom he said Hee that heareth you heareth mee so farre as they can prooue that which they teach to be his voice they must be heard and further we must not heare Fathers Doctors Councels nor the Pope of Rome for himselfe is still the chiefe Doctor and chiefe Interpreter of the Scriptures and Iudge of all controuersies in Religion 2. To heare him is not onely to lend him our eares in the ministry for many Iewes Pharises wicked Romans c. heard his owne gracious words and yet heard him not but to heare him is 1. to repent and beleeue the Gospell for this was the beginning and summe of Christs preaching Math. 4. 17. and Ioh. 12. 36. Beleeue in the Light that yee may be the sonnes of the Light 2. To loue one another This is the new Commaundement That we loue one another Ioh. 15. 12. and is most expresse 1. Ioh. 3. 23. This is the commanment That wee beleeue in the name of his Sonne Iesus Christ and loue one another 3. To obey him in whatsoeuer he commandeth His sheepe heare his voyce and follow him and Math. 28. 20. Teach them to obserue and to doe all things that I haue commanded you Heereby many sorts of men are reproued that heare not the voyce of Christ Papists heare the voyce of the Church and of traditions reuelations false miracles yea the voyce of Antichrist the Atheist heares the voyce of reason Lawes of men and perswasions