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A10398 Three and tvventie sermons, or, Catechisticall lectures upon the sacrament of the Lords Supper preached monthly before the Communion. By that late able, and painfull preacher, Master Iohn Randall Bachelour of Divinitie, pastor of Saint Andrewes Hubbart in little Eastcheape London, sometimes fellow of Lincolne Colledge in Oxford. Published by his executor Iosh. Randall, as he found it corrected by the authors one hand, in his study, since his death. Randall, John, 1570-1622.; Randall, Joshua, fl. 1630. 1630 (1630) STC 20682A; ESTC S115645 295,622 568

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of our punishment our reconciling unto God the perfect and absolute redemption of our soules and bodies from that miserable and damnable estate that we were in this is the death of Christ and the right remembring of his death remember Christ dying the act of his death remember Christ dying the benefit of his death to us and this is the right remembring of Christ his death which is tendred unto us in the Sacrament of the Lord supper But yet withall when it is said remember his death we must not take it so as if therfore we shold neglect or forget the remembrance either of that which went before his death or of that which came after his death we must remember them also we must remēber that which went before his death as his birth his life his meannesse other parts of his humiliation also we must remember that which followed after his death namely his resurrection his ascension and other parts of his glorification for Christ is given wholly unto us in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and therefore we must receive him wholly for all the passages of our Saviour Christ before his death in his death and after his death they all make up together one and the same worke of our redemption and therefore all these passages must bee wrapt up together in one and the same apprehension of ours Wee must remember the death of Christ especially in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper but yet under the comprehension of the death of Christ wee must meditate upon those things that went before his death and those things that came after his death every thing in their kinde and in their place and order this we are to understand by the death of Christ Next it is faid here the Lords death By the Lord wee are to understand the Lord Iesus Christ who is Lord over all blessed for evermore Christ is the Lord by nature and being as the Father is Lord and the Holy Ghost Lord so also is Christ the Lord by nature and being But yet Christ is intituled to the name Lord by a kinde of excellencie and specialtie in regard of his office of Mediatorship wherby hee is Lord over all but especially Lord over his Church And wee must understand that our Saviour Christ is more usually called Lord at the time of his Death and Resurrection and afterwards then hee was before The Reason of it is this because howsoever our Saviour Christ was Lord alwayes and even in the dayes of his flesh did many wayes shew forth himselfe to be Lord yet notwithstanding at his death and afterwards he did then especially and most certainly prove himselfe to be the Lord and then hee did most manifestly shew and declare himselfe to be the Lord by doing that then which never any could doe but the Lord himselfe What the things are shall bee shewed God willing by and by The Lords death some may say this seemes to be a strange speech Here are but two words and yet they seeme to imply a flat contradiction one to another If hee be the Lord how could hee dye And if he dyed how could he be the Lord Could the Lord dye For answer hereunto wee must consider that our Saviour Christ consisteth of two natures God and Man he is perfectly God and Lord and withall hee is perfectly Man and by reason of the union of these two natures his Godhead and his Manhood in one and the same Person Christ there ariseth a certaine communion of the properties of both these natures whereby that which is proper unto Christ as hee is God is yet affirmed of him even as he is Man and whereby on the other side that which is proper unto Christ as he is man is affirmed of him as hee is God It is a deepe mystery of our faith and yet a necessary point to be knowne for without the knowledge of this wee cannot rightly know Christ I desire to make it plaine Christ I say is perfectly God or Lord and perfectly man and because that these two natures his Godhead and his manhood are so nearly united into one and the same person of the Sonne of God hence it comes to passe that there is a communication of properties that is to say those things that are proper to him as he is God are affirmed of him as hee is man and those things that are proper to him as he is man are affirmed of him as he is God To give an instance of the first those things as are proper to Christ as he is God are affirmed of him as he is man Iohn 3.13 For no man ascended up to heaven but he that hath descended from heaven even the Sonne of man which is in heaven Our Saviour Christ speakes it of himselfe even the Sonne of man that is in heaven when our Saviour Christ spake these words hee was upon the earth and not in heaven as he was man and yet there it is said the Sonne of man that is in heaven as though then hee were in heaven at that instant even as the Sonne of man How can these stand together he being man was on earth and yet in heaven at that instant The doubt is clearly answered thus Consider Christ consisting of two natures God and Man perfectly God and perfectly Man and then you shall finde by reason of this union in one person that well may the properties of the one be affirmed of the other Christ the Sonne of man is also the Son of God and as God so he was then and alwayes in heaven and because God and Man in Christ are but one person therefore Christ the Son of man is said then to be in heaven The Sonne of God was then in heaven Christ the Son of Man is the Sonne of God therefore Christ the Sonne of man was even then in heaven One thing must be observed for the right understanding of this mystery and that is this namely that those properties that belong to God are affirmed of Christ as he is man and so on the contrarie but we must understand it of the person of Christ and not of the natures of Christ that is to say for the person of Christ to speak of Christ in his person it is a true and a necessary rule the property of Christ as he is God is affirmed of him as he is man but in regard of the natures it is contrary that that which is proper to the nature of man is not to be affirmed of the nature of God to say that the Godhead dyes that is blasphemy but to say that the manhood dies that is true If Christ shold have said Ioh. 3.13 my manhood that in heaven that had beene an untrue speech for that was not then in heaven but that he in regard of his Godhead and the union of the two natures was in heaven that is a most true and holy speech The reason why we must put this difference is because
Christ hath but one person his manhood hath his subsistence in the person of the Sonne of God so that Christ both God and Man is but one person but the natures that is to say his Godhead and his manhood are still distinct and severall things notwithstanding the union of the person Now on the other side that which is likewise proper to Christ as he is man the same is affirmed of him as he is God As for example Luke 1.35 That which shall be borne of thee shall be called the Son of God That Christ should be borne of the blessed Virgin in respect of his Godhead is blasphemy to imagine but because Christ in respect of his manhood was borne of the blessed Virgin and the same Christ man was also Christ the Son of God therefore by reason of this neare union of the two natures in one and the same person of the Son of God it is truly said that Christ the Son of God was borne of the blessed Virgin Acts 20.28 there it is said that God purchased his Church by his owne blood if a man should speake this of himselfe it might seeme blasphemie but God spake it and therefore it is true it is spoken of Christ for it is he alone that hath purchased it and it is a proper thing to purchase it as he was man but not as he was God for man hath blood God hath none yet notwithstanding by reason of the union of these two natures it is said that God purchased his Church by his blood because the same Christ that is man is also God and therefore truly may it be said God hath purchased it c. So here the Lords death saith the Text that Christ dyed this is a proper thing belonging to him as he was man but as he is Christ the Lord it is not so proper yet it is affirmed to be the Lords death that is by reason of the neare union of these two natures and therefore that which is proper to Christ as he is man is affirmed of him as he is God this is a deepe mystery and yet notwithstanding it may reasonably well bee conceived of us it agrees with the whole current of the Scripture and therefore we must hold it as an undoubted truth the matter being thus cleare concerning the Lords death let us come to the Doctrines that hence arise for our instruction the death of the Lord the doctrine hence to be observed is this Doctr. 1 That howsoever Christ Iesus was shamefully crucified and put to a most ignominious and cruell death upon the Crosse as ever any man could be put unto yet notwithstanding even in that state of his death he was then the Lord and still shewed himselfe to be the Lord even the glorious Lord of heaven and earth The doctrine containes two branches and each of them is to be proved severally The one is that Christ was the Lord in his death and the other is that Christ shewed himselfe to bee Lord in his death This I take to be the reach of the Text that he was the Lord in his death Acts 2.36 Let all the house of Israell now know for a surety that God hath made him both Lord and Christ this Iesus I say whom ye have crucified Marke it he speakes there of Christ in regard of his death This Iesus whom ye have crucified and in that state he calls him Lord God hath made him Lord even this Iesus whom ye have crucified so that Christ was Lord even when hee was crucified See how the Apostle layes these termes together the Lord and Christ and Iesus Some man may say It may be he was the Lord before his death but not in his death or else after his death but the Apostle shewes that he was Lord even in his death so long as hee was Christ and Iesus so long he was Lord but he was Iesus and Christ in his death and therefore he was Lord in his death Acts 3.15 God hath glorified his Sonne Iesus whom ye betrayed and denyed ye have killed the Lord of life whom God hath raised from the dead He speakes there of Christ in the state of his death he calls him the Sonne of God that is to say hee was the Lord when he was betrayed when hee was denyed and when he was killed yet he was the Lord still in all that meane estate When they had him in their bloody clutches yet still he was the Lord when they killed him yet still he was the Lord of life Ye have killed the Lord of life saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 2.8 Which none of the Princes of this world have knowne for had they knowne him they would not have crucified the Lord of glory Mark the Text saith they have crucified the Lord of glory though they knew him not to bee the Lord of glory yet God knew it that he was the Lord of glory whom they crucified hee called him the Lord of glory even when he was crucified Marke it glory and shame are most directly contrary one to another even as the East is to the West or Heaven to Hell to be crucified is the greatest shame that ever can befall man to be the Lord of glory is the highest and the greatest degree of glory that ever can be conceived of God Christ being crucified was the Lord of glory even in that low and base and meane estate in that shamefull state of his still hee was the Lord the glorious Lord of heaven and earth and so he shewed himselfe to be the Lord of glory which is the next point and the other branch of the observation and now to be proved For proofe of that look into Phil. 2.6 7 8. there the Apostle tells us that Christ whilest he was of no reputation whilest he was in the form of a servant whilest he humbled himselfe to the death of the Crosse all this while he was equall with God hee was the Lord all this while even in all the time of his crucifying In the ninth tenth and eleventh verses there you shall see he shewed himselfe to bee the Lord of glory wherefore the Lord hath given him a name above all names that at the name of Iesus should every knee bow both of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth and that every tongue should confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lord unto the glory of God the Father As Christ was the Lord when he was crucified so hee shewed himselfe to bee the Lord when he was crucified for then was that done by Christ in regard of his obedience by which and for which hee did obtaine a name above all names and he did justly deserve to bee acknowledged a Lord of all Lords a glorious Lord that at the name of him should every knee bow and every tongue should confesse that he is the Lordunto the glory of God the Father So that Christ did doe that upon the Crosse whereby hee shewed himselfe
strangers were fetched in The Couenant of Grace was sealed by the Blood of Christ specially for the Iewes but they refused it and God would not haue such a worke of Grace to be in vaine and therefore he made the Gentiles partakers of it And secondly that our example in accepting this Grace might be a prouocation to the Iewes make them to bethinke themselues of their sinfull refusall of so great a Grace and so be drawne on to accept of it together with the Gentiles Reas 5 Fifthly This is the prerogatiue of Christ incarnate of God manifested in the Flesh till Christ came in the Flesh sauing Grace was peculiar to the Iewes onely God did reserue the inlargement of it to all as a speciall gratification and prerogatiue whereby he would honour his owne Sonne in the Flesh Christ promised saued a Iew Christ exhibited in the Flesh saues many Christ comming downe from Heauen in his own person could not but set the Gate of Mercie open to all Mankind Christ comming in the Flesh taking the whole nature of Man vpon him for in euery particular Man there is the whole nature of Man did thereby season the flesh of all Mankind to be capable of grace Christ dwelling personally in the World could not but make all the world fare the better for him Christ opening his body pouring out his blood did shew and require the opening as it were of Gods Heart towards all Mankind and pouring forth his Grace vpon all Flesh Lastly Christs doings and sufferings his absolute and perfect obedience could not be recompenced with lesse then with the Saluation of all Mankind Vse 1 The Vses First it shewes the bountifulnesse of the loue of God to Mankind that is so pleased to open his loue to all the World Iohn 3.16 God so loued the world that he gaue his only begotten Son c. which if we vnderstand of the effectuall application of Christ then that world is only the beleeuing World and that loue is Gods sauing loue to the Faithfull But if we vnderstand it onely of the proffer of Grace to the World then that World is generally all Mankind and that loue is the generall loue of God to all Mankind that not onely proffers Saluation to all but also makes some of all sorts to be effectuall partakers thereof The Centurion is said to loue the whole Nation of the Iewes because he built them one Synagogue so Gods sauing some few of all sorts of Men it doth therefore argue his generall loue towards all Mankind Vse 2 Secondly if shewes vs the infinitenes of Christs Merit that is not effectuall to saue those onely of whom he came himselfe but all sorts besides the Apostle proues it by comparison of Christ with Adam Rom. 5.15 c. that if the fall of Adam could preuaile vpon all Flesh to condemnation therefore the righteousnesse of Christ should preuaile much more to the iustification of many Isaack had but one blessing and when he had bestowed that vpon the younger Brother he had none to bestow vpon the elder but Christ who is the Fountaine of all Blessings hath a blessing to bestow vpon the Iewes the elder Brother and vpon the Gentiles the younger Brother too and that he hath bestowed the blessing of the Gospell vpon Iacob the younger Brother that is the Gentile when Esay that is the elder Brother the Iewes shall come though it be late first euen in the last dayes of the World and make their moane as he did saying O blesse me euen me also Father He shall bestow the blessing of the Gospell euen vpon them also Vse 3 Thirdly It teacheth vs thankefulnesse to God First in regard of the matter it selfe that the Lord vouchsafeth to extend his sauing grace to all sorts that the sound of the Gospell should goe thorough all the World as it is Psalm 19. Rom. 10. and the Acts 11.18 when the Iewes heard that the Gentiles were called they glorified God saying Then hath God also granted the Gentiles repentance to Life They glorified God their Hearts reioyced it did them good they did thankefully acknowledge and magnifie Gods wonderfull goodness therein that now all People should be as it were the Iewes all places as Ierusalem and the Soules and Bodyes of all sorts of Men as the the holy Temple of God to dwell in that as it was prophesied by Malachy From the rysing of the Sunne to the going downe thereof a cleane Offering should be offered vp to God in euerie place Secondly and more specially in regard of our selues for we are those Gentiles Ephes 2.10 c. Consider what the Apostle saith We were vncircumcision without Christ Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel Strangers from the Couenants of Promise without hope and without God in the World What a miserable case were we in But now we that were once thus farre off were made neere by the Blood of Christ We for our parts may say we are made neere indeed the Gospell being so long so freely so plentifully preached amongst vs hauing so many good and able and painfull Preachers as there is scarce any Church vnder the Sunne that can match vs. Let vs therefore imbrace this sauing Grace let vs beleeue and obey this Word which is the power of God to Saluation let vs remember the fall of the Iewes and take heed to our selues that by our contempt and vnprofitablenesse we doe not prouoke God to doe by vs as he did by them Hearke what the Apostle saith Rom. 11.20 c. Thorough vnbeleefe they are broken off and thou standest by Faith be not high minded but feare for if he spared not them being the naturall Branches take heed least he spare not thee being but a wild Oliue grafted in for them Let it appeare to the World and let vs find the experience of it to our owne Hearts that there is power in the Gospell to conuert our Soules and to change our Hearts and to make vs to become new Creatures It is not our liuing vnder the Gospell but our submission of our Hearts to the power of the Gospell that shall saue our Soules Vse 4 Fourthly This teacheth vs to pittie the Iewes and to pray for them as the ancient People of God and still hauing them in this Couenant of Grace together with vs. Generally we hate a Iew and we take it vp for a Prouerbe when we speake of our hatred against any we say we hate them as a Iew It is a wicked speech and not beseeming a Christian In regard of that foule sinne of theirs in crucifying Christ we hate them iustly though God out of that euill of theirs did bring much good to vs but we must pittie them and pray for them knowing that towards the end of the World they shall be ioyned together with vs. Consider first that Christ himselfe prayed for them Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe And shall not we pray for them whom Christ
beleeuers Math. 26.28 This is my Blood shed for you for the remission of sinnes it was the shedding of his Blood it is the remission of our sinnes the smart was his the sweetnesse is ours he is wounded we are cured he is punished we are acquitted he dyes for vs and by his death we are made aliue Thirdly and lastly the acceptablenesse to God it was infinitely pleasing to God his Father there is God and Christ and Man Christ enduring the bitternesse of death Man redeemed and deliuered by it God himselfe therewithall infinitely pleased Man had sinned and thereby enthralled himselfe to Death and Hell and Damnation and except he be redeemed he perisheth without recouerie God was offended and his wrath did burne like fire against Mankind for their sinnes and except he be pacified they are all damned without mercie Christ Iesus came and tooke our Nature vpon him and dyed for our sinnes and by the bitternesse hath redeemed vs and pacified God His offering himselfe for vs was a Sacrifice of a sweet smelling sauour to God Ephes 5.2 Alwayes the beloued Sonne of God but then best-beloued if we may esteeme according to our apprehension when he was performing the highest and vtmost act of his filiall obedience Obedient to the death euen to the death of the Crosse Phil. 2.8 When is a Child best-beloued of his Father but when he is most obedient The Lord was alwayes well-pleased in him Math. 3.17 but then most of all if we may iudge by the effects when he was vpon the Crosse for then and thereby was the Lord well-pleased thorough him with all the Faithfull Col. 1.20 the Lord then smelling a sauour of rest whereby as in the dayes of Noah Gen. 8.21 he was pacified towards the World Spices are sweetest when they are broken and pounded and so was Christ when his Body was broken and pounded vpon the Crosse And as when Mary brake the Boxe of Oyntment the whole House was filled with the fauour of it Iohn 12.3 So when Christ who was full of good Oyntments Cant. 1.2 had his Body broken on the Crosse Heauen and Earth were filled with the sweet sauour thereof and many reasons may be alleaged why it should be so well pleasing to God First it was Gods pleasure and ordinance that Christ should dye for vs and he ordained it in the heighth of his loue to vs God so loued the world c. And he cannot chuse but be infinitely pleased with his owne worke specially the worke of his greatest loue Secondly he delights not in the death of a sinner but rather that they should be conuerted and liue therefore this being the Life and Saluation of sinfull beleeuers it must needs be delightfull and pleasing to God Thirdly it was as it were Gods owne Blood Act. 20.28 For howsoeuer God is not as Man made of Flesh and Blood yet the Person of Christ who was our Mediator being God and Man the Blood that came from him as he was Man by reason of the personall Vnion of both Natures in that his owne Person may iustly be said to be the Blood of God and how can it chuse but the Blood of God should be infinitely pleasing to God Lastly it must make amends for all the sinnes of all Beleeuers now all our sinnes euen the best of them are maruailous filthy and loathsome before the Lord our verie righteousnesse is as a filthy Clout before the pure Eyes of Gods Iustice and therefore there being so many Beleeuers to be saued and euerie Beleeuer hauing so many sinnes and euerie sinne being so loathsome and odious before the Lord it must needs be a verie sweet Sacrifice that must take away all that filthinesse and that obedience must needs be infinitely pleasing to God which makes perfect satisfaction and recompence for our infinite sinnes Now if it be so sweet and infinitely pleasing to God shall we neglect it Or come like Stockes and Stones vnto it without feeling and without life without a liuely and a sensible apprehension of the infinite excellencie of this sweet smelling Sacrifice Let vs stirre vp our selues to esteeme reuerently of it as it well deserues and to take delight in it as God delights in it and accordingly let vs be fitted to the celebration and memoriall of it in this Sacrament In my vnfained affection therefore to the Lord and our Sauiour Iesus Christ and to his precious Death and Blood-shedding so bitter to himselfe so comfortable to vs so pleasing to God that the honour thereof may be rightly and worthily aduanced in our Hearts as at all times so especially in the liuely commemoration of it in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper I haue vndertaken this taske of preparation earnestly desiring that the precious death of the Lord Iesus Christ may be preciously and graciously entertained answerable in some measure to the excellent worthinesse of that great Mysterie Let vs therefore labour to make some vse of these things Let vs consider first that it is one of the greatest parts of our Christian dutie to be well instructed and furnished for this Sacrament Secondly what daunger it is to our Soules if we come vnprepared for then we eat and drinke our owne damnation when we are eating and drinking the Diuell is blind-folding of vs and carrying our Soules to Hell Thirdly let vs looke withall to Gods glorie Is God most glorified by this Then let vs be best prepared to it Lastly let vs consider the preciousnesse of the death of Christ the greatest worke that euer was performed since the World began that Christ the Sonne of God should shed his Blood for the sinne of Man It ought therefore to be prepared vnto with much eleuation and with much affection of mind And when we haue it before our Eyes and come to shew forth the Lords death we must bring with vs all preparation reuerence faith and eleuation that we can by Prayer or any good endeuour attaine vnto and we must further consider the bitternesse of the death of Christ and must come as if then we were to be crucified with him euerie one of vs that looke for a part in his death for the forgiuenesse of sinnes the bitternesse of his death must goe to our Hearts we must looke vnto him whom we haue pierced by our sinnes with mourning Eyes and drouping Hearts and then we must consider how comfortable this his death is to vs it is the greatest blessing that euer can befall vs in this World Life Remission of Sinnes Saluation and what not It is all in all Lastly consider how infinitely pleasing it is to God and know that if it be so pleasing to him if we prophane it he will be infinitely displeased with vs. Let these things therefore stirre vs vp to a reuerent partaking of this holy Mystery Thus you haue some seasoning before hand see how you can profit by it in the weeke you haue some-what now to put you in mind what you are
that Christ must suffer and rise againe there it is said that he must doe thus and thus That repentance and remission of sinnes might be preached in his Name giuing vs to vnderstand that repentance and remission of sinnes they are not purchased by Christ nor haue no power from Christ nor are not to be preached in his Name but onely so as they come from Christ suffering and being punished for vs Christ must first suffer that repentance and remission of sinnes might be preached in his Name 1 Pet. 3.18 Christ must suffer and dye for sinne that he might bring vs to God So it appeares in the last part of the Verse that he suffered and was put to death faith the Text And what was it for Why it was for sinne For the taking away of sinnes and the bringing of vs to God that is to say the making good of this new Couenant that is to say That God would be our God and we his People that he would forgiue vs our sinnes and remember our iniquities no more these haue their power vertue and efficacie from Christ as he being punished for vs. Hebr. 13.12 Our Sanctification there is ascribed to the suffering of Christ that is to say to the death of Christ For Christ that he might sanctifie the People with his owne Blood hath suffered or dyed without the Gate Secondly Christ in his Offering or Christ sacrificed for vs Ephes 5.2 Christ hath loued vs and gaue himselfe for vs to be an Offering and a Sacrifice of a sweet-smelling sauour to God He is a sweet-smelling sauour to God generally in respect of his sacred Person and he is a sweet sauour in respect of his blessed Nature and in respect of his holy life but more especially in respect of his pretious death wherein he gaue himselfe as a sweet-smelling sauour to God Hebr. 9.28 Christ was once offered to take away sinnes insinuating vnto vs that Christ was powerfull for the taking away of sins How as he was Christ offered or as he was Christ sacrificed Hebr. 10.10 So likewise our Sanctification is by the offering of Christ Christ by that one offering of his hath sanctified vs. So likewise in the twelfth Verse there is our Iustification and in the fourteenth Verse there is our Consecration by one Offering and in the fifteenth and sixteenth Verses there is the New Testament confirmed by name by the verie offering of Christ So the Apostle implyes the reason by the offering of Christ Thirdly Christ in his Obedience or Christ humbled for vs In Hebr. 10. from the sixth Verse to the ninth there you shall find that the worke of the New Testament and of our Redemption is ascribed to Christ his doing of the will of God He tooke away the first and established the second he put away the Sacrifices of the Law of burnt Offerings and established the New Testament that is by doing the will of God by his obedience and humiliation Rom. 5.19 For as by one Mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many also be made righteous It is the obedience of Christ that iustifies vs and makes good vnto vs the Couenant of Grace And that we may know that it was not all the obedience of his life which was most holy that could serue the turne the Apostle telles vs Phil. 2.8 9. That he became obedient euen to the Death of the Crosse The lowest degree of his Humiliation was the highest degree of his Obedience and thereby he became a perfect Mediator Fourthly Christ on the Crosse or Christ crucified for vs And this intends more then the rest This intends not onely a bare dying of Christ but a violent a shamefull and a cursed Death Coloss 1.20 Christ hath made our peace by the Blood of his Crosse that is to say by the suffering that he did endure specially vpon the Crosse Likewise in Coloss 2.14 15. He fastned our sinnes vpon the Crosse and there tryumphed ouer the Powers of Darkenesse which is the verie matter of our Redemption And in Iohn 12.31 Now saith Christ is the Prince of the World cast out What speakes he there of his Crosse And if I be lift vp then will I draw others after me Now are the Faithfull to be drawne vnto Christ after that he had dyed vpon the Crosse It was Christ vpon the Crosse that vanquished the Diuell Death and Hell and drew the Faithfull to him And in Iohn 19.30 Now it is finished saith Christ when he was vpon the Crosse the last breath that Christ fetched When all his humiliation was finished then the worke of our Redemption was fully accomplished Hence it is that the ioy of the Faithfull is not so much in knowing Christ as in knowing Christ crucified 2 Cor. 5.16 I know no Man saith the Apostle after the Flesh no not Christ himselfe What not Christ himselfe No not after the Flesh not as a Man not as a holy Man not as a Iew not as one of my owne Blood but Christ crucified I esteeme to know nothing saith the Apostle but Christ and him crucified 1 Cor. 2.2 And indeed this is the verie substance of the Gospell Christ crucified 1 Cor. 1.23 We preach vnto you saith the Apostle not simply Christ but Christ crucified and therefore in the eighteenth Verse it is called The preaching of the Crosse and suffering of Christ All this shewes that Christ in his Crosse and Christ crucified he is the Person by whom the New Testament and the worke of our Redemption is established Then fifthly The Death of Christ or Christ dying for vs Rom. 5.10 We are reconciled to God by the death of Christ There you see our reconciliation is ascribed to the death of Christ So also our Sanctification is ascribed to the death of Christ in Coloss 2.22 likewise in Hebr. 3.14 15. there it is said That Christ hath vanquished the Diuell by Death and hath deliuered vs from Death and the bondage that we were in All this was by the death of Christ by Christ his dying for vs. So in Hebr. 9.15 it is said that Christ is the Mediator of the New Testament thorough Death Then the sixth and the last point is the Blood of Christ or Christ killed and slaine for vs. True Christ layd down himselfe willingly in obedience to God for vs vpon the Crosse and in loue to vs his People He gaue himselfe for vs and he shed his owne Blood for vs Yet in regard of the Act and the Instrument he was no better then slaine killed and murdered and his Blood and Life was taken from him verie wrongfully But yet notwithstanding howsoeuer it be his willingnesse on the one side and the Iewes crueltie on the other side yet so it was that his Blood was shed and the shedding of his Blood is that whereupon the New Testament and the worke of our Redemption is stablished Rom. 5.9 We are iustified by the Blood of Christ there our Iustification