had suffered the Divel to deface Gods work in him and to instamp his own image upon him No son of Adam could have been born the Child of wrath unlesse this work and Image of Satan had been propagated unto him by inheritance from his Father Adam Now if to be the Son of Wrath in the lowest degree presuppose some work of Satan the estate or Condition of Reprobation alwaies includeth or presupposeth a greater measure of Satans works and unto this work not unto mens Persons or Individuall Natures is the Irrevocable Sentence of Reprobation awarded 13. To be the Son of God includeth or presupposeth more then the meer Nature essence or Individual Substance of man What more doth it Include It alwayes includes some work of God wrought in the Nature either as an Emanant Effect or Resultance of his Creation or some work of God produced in man after his Birth Conception or Creation Adam by Creation was the Son of God because he was created just and good And albeit there were not two Creations One of Adams Nature Another of his Righteousnesse Yet was his Righteousness a thing Distinct from his Nature Otherwise Adam by his Fall had not ceased to be the Son of God For after his Fall he remained the same man he was for Nature and Substance but not the same man he was for Quality It was then his First Qualification to wit his Righteousness by which he was made the Son of God and it was the losse of this Qualification which made him the Son of wrath His Nature or substance was no part of the Object of the Divine Decree not Capable either of Reward or Punishment but according to the Two former Qualifications In every Son of Adam which in time becomes the Son of God there must be a Creation or new production of Righteousness by the birth of the Spirit besides his birth or Conception natural by which he becomes a man In every Elect Person there must be a Greater work of God a greater measure of Regeneration or of new birth then that by which he is first made the Son of God And this Measare of Righteousness or of Regeneration is the Immediate and Formal Object of the Eternal Decree or of that Eternal Rule of Divine Mercy or bounty by which the Immutable Estate of Election or of Grace is awarded Election and Reprsbation look upon Qualifications The Point then is clear as the Sun That neither the Decree of Election or Reprobation are terminated to the Nature or Individual Substance of men without respect or relation to their works or Qualifications The works of Satan are Essentially and formally included in the Object of Reprobation the Works of 〈◊〉 to be wrought in man not for man only are Essentially and Formally included in the Object of absolute election 14. That which the Authors or Favourers of the Contrary Opinion I am perswaded would have said or should in reason say for Their absolute election or Reprobation is only This That albeit the works of God be essentially included in the Object of the eternal election as the works of Satan are in the Object of eternall Reprobation yet God did so absolutely Decree to work these works which are required to the Object of election that it was Necessary from eternity they should be wrought in all the Vessels of election And that he did from eternity so Absolutely Decree to suffer Satan to work those works which are included in the Object of Reprobation or those works which makes men Vessels of wrath fitted to destruction that this Qualification or Temper could not possibly be avoided This indeed is One of the Two main Questions which only ought seriously to be discussed between the Arminians and their Opposites all the rest are but Word-Bates or Verbal Quarrels arising from ambiguous or Unscholastick expressions of their Opinions or Conceipts The First Question is already discussed and is Whether men in this life ordinarily do or may attain unto an Immutable estate of Grace that is whether their election untill the hour of death be Absolute or but Conditional The Second which now remains to be discussed is Whether this Absolute estate of election or Reprobation during the time of this life being granted the attaining unto the one estate or falling into the other be from eternity Necessary so Necessary that no man which hath fallen or shall fall into the Absolute estate of Reprobation hath had or hath any Possibility to avoid his Fall Or again whether every man that now is in the Absolute Estate of Election were so destinated to the same Estate from Eternity that no Occurrences Possible could prevent it If the Arminians would yeild to the Church of England in the Former I think no true Member of the Church of England would much dissent from them in the Latter which may be expressed in Termes perhaps more Perspicuous Thus Whether God in his Foresight of all mens Natures did set apart or designe some Individuall essences or Natures with purpose to frame and fit them to be Vessels of Honour without Possibility left for them to frame themselves to be Vessels of dishonour And whether he did by the same Foresight or Inspection set apart or design Other indiviaual Natures or Substances to be Vessels of wrath or dishonour without any Purpose or Will to frame or Fashion them to be Vessels of election To discusse both Questions first in Thest then in Hypothesi that is First whether Election it self were Absolutely Necessary from eternity Secondly Whether the Election of this or that man were Absolutely Necessary from the hour of his birth or conception or rather begins to be Necessary from his progress in Grace or from his Plenary and full Conversion unto God which sometimes and in some men is not accomplished before the hour of death 15. No mans Election or designment to the Immutable state of Grace can be more Necessary from eternity then his Reconciliation is No mans Reconciliation unto God the Father can be more Necessary from eternity A Sorites then his Interest is in the Pardon purchased by the Son of God No mans Interest in this Pardon can be from eternity more Necessary then was the death of the Son of God The death of the Son of God was no more Necessary from eternity then the Fall of Adam was The Fall of Adam neither was nor could be from eternity more necessary then the First sin or Transgression was The Consequences of these Truths are most necessary most immediate If Adam had not Transgressed Gods Commandement he had not fallen into the State of Gods Wrath and curse If Adam had not fallen into Gods Wrath or curse the Son of God had not become accursed had not dyed If the Son of God had not dyed for us our Pardon had not been purchased If our Pardon had not been purchased there had been no Reconciliation of mankind unto God the Father If there had been no
Flesh or to Free himself from the Servitude of the Flesh These and the like Inconveniences have perswaded some to attribute this whole work unto the Spirit of God which is able to do all things without the Coagencie or Consort of the Spirit of Man But thus to avoyd the former Inconveniences is but as if a man having found a Way out of a thicket of Thornes should instantly intangle himself in the Bryars For it is not so Great a Solaecisme to say That the Spirit of Man or man himself should be an Agent in this businesse As to Affirme That whence it would follow that The Spirit of God should in this work of Mortification be mans Instrument For that which Man worketh by the Spirit Man is more properly said to work it then the Spirit Now our Apostle saith that we must mortifie the deedes of the Body And he that Mortifieth is the Agent That by which we work this Mortification is but our Instrument And better it were to say That the Spirit of Man should be mans Instrument in this work rather than the Spirit of God 2. It were according to our Former Principles easily answered that Wee by Our spirit Mortifie the Deedes of our Bodies Consecutivè non Formaliter aut Efficienter that is not by any Efficacie in us or Influence derivable from us The Spirit of God must directly work or Effect it But though this be True yet is it not Punctual to the point proposed For by this Answer the Spirit here meant should only be the Spirit of man For by this Spirit only we work our Mortification Consecutivè That which the Spirit of God doth work in us it works Directly Immediatly and Entirely and in produceing its proper Effects it hath no Partner or Co-Agent It may notwithstanding be yet further replyed that we must Mortifie the Flesh by the spirit of God not as by any Instrumental Cause subordinate to us but in such a sense as we say Inferiour Magistrates do the Acts of the Magistracie by the Kings or Supreme Magistrates Authoritie unto which they and their Magistracie are Subordinate Thus some good * Pasqualius Interpreters upon this place say that we must Mortifie the Flesh by our own Spirit but by our own Spirit as it is Subordinate to the Spirit of God and Consequently to this Assertion it must be granted that this Subordination of our Spirit to the Spirit of God is in this place necessarily included or persupposed though not expressed by our Apostle All this for ought I know may be most True and Orthodoxal but withall too General For Inferiour or subordinate Magistrates are more properly said to be the Agents Even in those things which they do by the Authoritie and warrant of the Superiours whereas the Spirit of God is not only the Author or sole Authorizer but the Principal Actor or Agent in this work of mortification For a more particular and punctual Resolution of the Question proposed we are to unfold the divers acceptions of these Words or Termes to wit THE SPIRIT and MORTIFICATION 3. There is the Spirit of God and there is the Spirit of man Both of them have their several and divers Importances in scripture The Spirit of man may be considered as it is in the Natural Man or in the man altogether unregenerate and This Spirit is at Enmitie with God or in the Man as yet unregenerate yet in the way to Regeneration And the Spirit of this man is privatively opposite to the Spirit of God so as Darknesse is to Light Blindnesse to Sight or Death to Life There is a Spirit likewise in the man Regenerate the same for Substance with the Spirit of the Natural Man the same for Substance that it was in himself before Regeneration but altered in Qualitie And This Spirit though it cease not to be in man yet is it not usually called The Spirit of Man as being no way opposite unto the Spirit of God but Subordinate unto it so Subordinate unto it that it is called The Spirit that is of God and sometimes The Spirit of God 4. These diverse Acceptions of the word SPIRIT as likewise the Distinction or Opposition between the Spirit of God and the Spirit of man are set down by our Apostle 1. Cor. 2. from the ninth verse unto the end of the Chapter What Man knoweth the things of a man save the Spirit of man which is in him Even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God ver 11. He doth not say the spirit of God which is in God or with God And when He saith What man knoweth the things of man save the Spirit of Man he supposeth there is even in the Natural and unregenerate Man a Spirit able to discerne the secret thoughts and imaginations of his heart though blind and ignorant in the things concerning God Againe when he saith the things of God knoweth no man he excludeth the Natural man only or the man to whom God hath not imparted the Gifts of the Spirit For so he hath said ver 9. Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him Into What Mans heart have they not entred Or unto What Man doth this Negative belong Only to the Natural or unregenerate Man For so he adds verse 10. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit For the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God 5. What Spirit is this which searcheth all things Even the deep things of God the Spirit of God which is without Vs or which communicateth knowledge and reveales things hidden unto us If this Spirit were here meant How should those deep things of God be revealed unto us Revealed to us they cannot be unlesse they be known by us and known by Us they cannot be but by the Spirit which is in us So he adds more expressly Ver. 12. Now we have received not the Spirit of the world that is the Spirit which is of man but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given to Vs of God If by the Spirit which we have received we know the things which are freely given to us of God This Spirit must be made Ours it must be One with Our Spirit it is not the Spirit of God which is Without Vs or which works our Regeneration but the Spirit by which we become formally Regenerate and Spiritual And Punctually to this purpose the Apostle haveing said ver 14. The Natural Man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him Neither can he know them so long as he remaines a Natural Man because they are Spiritually discerned he adds by way of opposition ver 15. 16. But he that is Spiritual judgeth or discerneth all things Yet He himself is judged of no man For who hath known the mind of the Lord
to leave off all wearing of Gold to cast away all their Ornaments of Dignity as filthy ensignes of Luxury to bring them all into Juno's Temple and there consecrate and Leave them Their Youth also he reduced to an excellent Temper as may be collected from the Cure he wrought upon the women whom he taught to forget their beloved Ornaments And here I cannot forbear but I must appeal to my Reader and ask him sadly and seriously whether he thinks that if St. Chrysostom or St. Austin were now here alive again upon earth and should desire him to pick out and point unto them the best as he thought of those our Cities that most â—lagrantly Professe Christianity wherein they might hope with most probabilitie of successe to attempt the like Cure of vanity either in women or men he could promise Those Holy Fathers any hopes that they should speed so well amongst Christians as Pythagoras did amongst the Crotonians Whether he thinks that at this Time this Juncture or rather this Fracture of Time when at Gods chiding the Springs of water are seen the Foundations of the world are discovered when his wrath being kindled yea not a little he hath stained the Pride of Glorie and still cals aloud to weeping and to mourning and to baldnesse and to girding with Sack-cloth Isai 22. 12. when Spots and paint and powder Glorious and strange Array seem to be as Ominous to men as the Gilded Hornes and Ribbons were to the white Oxen that were suddenly to be sacrificed They could perswade any Ten wanton Young-men but to observe that Rule of the Apostle prescribed women whose adorning let it not be that outward of plaiting Hair wearing Gold or donning Apparel but the Dress of the Inner-man the heart and Spirit with ornaments of Grace Or any Five Daughters of Sion that walk according to Ovids Rule with Stretched-out necks to cover themselves Decently as those Fathers should judge or as themselves or their Mothers had judged sometime Decent Though they should be allow'd to doe it with the most precious Riches of the East Silk and Pearl and the Gold-plate of Vphaz Yet was Affected Curiositie of Hair and Dresse in men so monstrous even in the sight of that Monster of Mankind * Seneca de Ira l. 2. c. 33. Caligula that he put a Yong Gentleman to Death for it Munditiis ejus cultioribus capillis offensus And nakednesse so odious in the sight of Modest heathen women that Clemens Alex Strom 4. l. reports it in praise of a certain Mulier Lysidica who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used to go into the Bath with her clothes on And yet I fear or Phansie some Reader that could not do This would grudg to Allow the Crotonian Reformation the Honour to be stiled a Moral Conversion * S. August Tom. 7. l. 1. Contr. Julian Cap. 7. 4. Epist 130. and more places where he Takes notice of Polemo Will he then allow that Title to our Next Instance Which I wil commend that though few do imitate yet some may admire it It is of Polemo the debaucht Athenian Ruffian Perditae Luxuriae adolescens says Val. Maxim l. 6. c. 9. who upon a time having made an end of his accustomed All-night Revels by that time of the Morning that Xenocrates was at his moral Lecture in the Schools and having occasion as it fel out to pass that way struck into the Schoole with design rather to jeer and affront the Grave Philosopher now busie at Lecture then to learn any thing of him He seeing Polemo come in such a pickle as a Pernox Convivator must needs be and besides in a prodigious aequipage and Garb of Luxury crownd with Rose-Buds and hung with all the Imaginable Fanes Labels and Swadling-Bands of Phansie compos'd his Countenance to the utmost dimensions of Gravity remov'd his discourse whereupon he was when Polemo came in into the Theme of Temperance and this he pursu'd with so much Sweetness Power and Eloquence without taking any notice of him whom he most thought on that this Younker began first to startle as one wak'd out of a Trance then to look up towards Xenocrates as soberly as he could next he stole his Garland off his head and laid it from him after that he pull'd his Armes in under his cloak and otherwaies exprest what effect that morning Lecture had upon him in summe he went out of the Schoole a clean other man Mutatus Polemo chang'd even to a Proverb and turnd so constant a Student and good Proficient in Morality that he succeeded his Master in his Schoole Hic vir hic est quem quaerimus but where shall we finde the like amongst Christians An hundred of our sory Lectures scarce produce one such Convert I mean Like and Such in proportion to the means of Grace tenderd in Christ Iesus quaero Hor. Serm. faciásne quodolim Mutatus Polemo L. 2. Sat. 3. ponásne insignia morbi Fasciolas cubital focalia potus ut ille Dicitur ex collo furtim carpsisse coronas Postquam est impransi correptus voce Magistri This Cure he wrought upon an other upon many disadvantages but you 'l ask perhaps had the Physitian heald himself yes it seems he had got an excellent Magisterium or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against that Epidemical putrid Hereditary disease of mankind Lust Phryne that Nobile Scortum Atheniense as Val. Maxim L. 4. c. 3. calls her had laid a wager with some of her Customers that she would conquer Continence and this Philosopher both at once To him she comes at an opportunity not ordinary when the man was Benè potus perhaps this signifies not what ill it sounds but only Plenitude uses all the immodest Arts and Modes she had to allure him It may indanger the modesty of some sort of Readers to write what she did though it moved him no more then a Dead man in short she did tempt him to the utmost yet was not He tempted but received this Testimonie of Chastity from Harlotry it self That he was invincible I presume the Objection that this was a natural Deadness no Mortification Moral A cold Palsie Fit of Age no voluntarie Continence I say then 1. They be weak Authors that report it to us and so admire it themselves 2. Sure They were both wiser and Honester then to commend unto Posteritie Impotencie in stead of Exemplary Vertue 3. He seem'd as free from the proper vice of old Age 1. Orat. de Fort. Alex. M. as from that of Youth Plutarch tels it of him that he Refused 50. Talents sent him by Alexander the Great with this excuse or reason return'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philosophie had taught him not to Contract or amasse wealth but to shrink up his desires So had it taught others 1. Crates the Rich and Noble Theban who cast 200. Talents of Silver into the Sea Diog. Laert. Lib. 6. or as some say into the common Bank upon
Means much available for strengthening of Faith or for repairing those decayes or ruines which the subtiltie of Satan works in our soules yet the Reiteration of the Sacrament of Baptism is neither Necessary nor allowable much lesse Commendable for such purposes And the Raritie or rather Singularitie of It was to my apprehension Emblematically prefigured by the Sacrifice of the Red Heifer or the Water of sprinkling which was Legally sanctified or consecrated by her Ashes The Law concerning this kind of Purification is not to be found I take it in Leviticus at least not in that sixteenth Chapter wherein the Law of the Sacrifice of attonement is punctually set down However the forementioned Glossarie upon the Romish Canon for consecrating Holy Water either through negligence See Chapt. 48 Num. 6. or ignorance or both avouch that place for it If the sacrifice of the Red Heifer had belonged unto the Feast of attonement it must have been reiterated once every year whereas the Hebrew Antiquaries affirm that this solemnitie was not used above tea times during all the time of the Law of the Tabernacle or Temple And whether it were so often used may be questioned because there is no Law or Precept for the Continuation of it but only for the use of the water of sprinkling being once consecrated by it so often as the occasion specified in the Law did require 2. But unlesse the frequent use of the water so mingled with the ashes did wast or exhaust the ashes of that one sacrifice which Eleazar not Aaron was commanded to offer These might have been preserved without putrifaction for a longer time then the Law of Ceremonies was to endure For Ashes as good Naturalists tell us being well kept are immortal or an Emblem of Immortalitie But it may be that as soon or as often as the Ashes of any such sacrifice were by frequent use of the water of sprinkling exhausted or wasted the Legal Priests were bound by the Law mentioned to offer another for consecrating the water of sprinkling whose use was to continue as long as the reason mentioned in the Law did indure 3. The chief use or End of the water of sprinkling mingled with the Ashes of this sacrifice was to purifie such as had made themselves Legally unclean or had casually fallen into such uncleanness One branch of this uncleanness was the touching or being touched by any Dead Corps And unto this use of the water of sprinkling mentioned Numb 19. 11. that of our Apostle Heb. 9. 14. hath special Reference more then Allusion How much more shall the bloud of Christ purge our Consciences from DEAD works That this Legal Sacrifice for sinne was an Exquisite Type of Christs Bloudy Death and sufferings or an exact picture of his bloud wherewith the heavenly Sanctuary or Holy places were purified although the bloud of this Legal sacrifice were not brought into the Earthly Sanctuary no good Writers which I have read either deny or question That the Water of sprinkling consecrated by the aspersion of the Ashes of this Legal Sacrifice did truely resemble the water of Baptism by which we are washed from sin and consecrated unto God as clean persons that is made members of his Church here on earth is so evident in it self that it needs no Paraphrase or Laborious Comment upon the fore-cited Law Yet to this purpose the learned Reader may find much pertinent matter in Chytraeus his Comments upon the Book of Numbers and in many others It will be more needful or better suiting with my intentions in this place to prevent the captious exceptions which some Anti-Papists have heretofore taken and now resume against the expressions of our Publick Liturgie in that Part of it which concerns the Administration of Baptism Almighty and everlasting God which of thy great mercie diddest save Noah and his Familie in the Ark from perishing by water and also diddest safely lead the children of Israel through the red sea figuring thereby thy holy Baptism and by the Baptism of thy wel-beloved Son Iesus Christ diddest sanctifie the floud Iordan and all other waters to the mystical washing away of sin We beseech thee for thine infinite mercies that thou wilt mercifully look upon these Children Sanctifie them and wash them with the holy Ghost that they being delivered from thy wrath may be received into the Ark of Christs Church and being stedfast in faith joyful through hope and rooted in charity may so passe the waves of this troublesome world that finally they may come to the land of everlasting life there to reign with thee world Without end through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen Seeing now dearly beloved Brethren that these Children be regenerate and grafted into the body of Christs Congregation let us give thanks unto God for these Benefits and with one accord make our prayers unto Almightie God that they may lead the rest of their life according to this beginning We yeild thee heartie thanks most merciful Father that it hath pleased thee to regenerate this Infant with thy holy Spirit to receive him for thine own Child by adoption and to incorporate him into thy holy Congregation and humbly we beseech thee to grant that he being dead unto sin and living unto righteousness and being buried with Christ in his death may crucifie the old man and utterly abolish the whole body of sin that as he is made partaker of the death of thy Son so he may be partaker of his resurrection so that finally with the residue of thy holy congregation he may be Inheritor of thine everlasting Kingdom through Christ our Lord. Amen 4. It is no part of our Churches Doctrin or meaning that the washing or sprinkling infants bodyes with Consecrated water should take away sinnes by it's own immediate Vertue To affirm thus much implies as I conceive a Contradiction to that Apostolical doctrin The like figure whereunto even Baptism doth also now save us not the putting away the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good Conscience towards God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ who is gone into heaven c. 1. Pet. 3. 21. The meaning of our Church intends no further then thus That if this Sacrament of Baptism be duely administred the blood or bloody Sacrifice of Christ or which is all one the Influence of his spirit doth alwaies accompany or is Concurrent to this solemn Act. But whether this Influence of his spirit or Vertual presence of his body and blood be either immediatly or only terminated to the soul and spirit of the party Baptized or have some vertual influence upon the water of Baptism as a mean to convey the Grace of Regeneration unto the soule of the partie Baptized whilest the water is poured upon him is Too Nice and curious a Question in this Age for sober Christians to debate or contend about It may suffice to beleive that this Sacramental pledge hath a Vertual Presence of Christs Blood or some Real
Wrath against sinne and sinners vvas not appeased nor could be appeased by this kind of bloudy sacrifices All this the yearly and daily offering of bloudy sacrifices did clearly testifie unto the consciences of such as offered them And that so often as God required these sacrifices he did call their sins unto remembrance and as it vvere by matter of Fact proclaim unto the World that as yet his Wrath against sin vvas not could not be appeased by these or the like kind of Sacrifices But inasmuch as the Law though in it-self imperfect and therefore could make nothing perfect vvas yet an Introduction to a better Hope the continual reiteration or repetition of these bloudy sacrifices did teach such as used them aright to expect a more sufficient bloudy sacrifice vvhich should fully appease the vvrath of God and Testifie unto mens consciences that he did remember their sins no more in such sort as during the time of the Law he had done that is there should be no more exchange or commutation of punishment no solemn remembrance of sinne by any sacrifice of what kind soever for sin but this one sacrifice should suffice for all 4. That we may ascend by degrees unto the infinite value and everlasting Effiâ—acie of the sacrifice of the sonne of God we are in the first place to consider the odds or difference between this only Sacrifice and the sacrifices of the Law The odds or differences between them may be reduced unto these Two Heads First To the Diversitie of their immediate Effects Secondly To their different Efficacie or proportion for effecting the several Ends to which they were especially destinated 1. The Immediate effect of the bloudy Sacrifices of the Law was to cleanse or purifie the offerers from sinnes committed against the Law of Ceremonies and this as the Apostle termes it was a Purification or Sanctification according to the flesh Howbeit this Sanctification was a shadow or picture of that purification of the Conscience or Sanctification of the Spirit which was to be effected by the bloody Sacrifice of the Son of God 2. The sacrifices of the Law were no way so Powerfull or sufficient for effecting the Sanctifying of the flesh as the Sacrifice of the Son of God is for effecting the Sanctification of the spirit and Conscience There was no one kind of Legal sacrifices which might make a full attonement for all sinnes or sinners against the Law of Ceremonies For every different sin or legal uncleanness they had for the most part a different kind of sacrifice or offering And if a man had been this day cleansed by sacrifice from some particular sin or legal uncleanness and had fallen again unto the like to morrow the blood of the former sacrifice could not stead him the second time Every particular relaps into the same sin was to have a particular offering or fresh Sacrifice though of the same kind with the former 5. The infinite value of the Bloody Sacrifice of the Son of God may from this imperfection of the legall sacrifices be distinctly apprehended if we consider that not the Jew onely but the Gentiles one and other were Enemies and rebells against God all by nature the sonnes of wrath and perdition and yet the favour of reconciliation for all that then were or afterwards should be albeit this world should continue a million of years was purchased by this one bloody Sacrifice as by a just and full price What sinnes soever any man had committed they did not prejudice his Interest in the pardon purchased it was universal in respect of al sinners and in respect of all sinnes The Almighty Father's wrath against mankind was by this Onely Sacrifice so well appeased so fully satisfied that he is ready to receive all into the favour and Privilege of sonnes which will with due reverence accept of the Pardon offered and sue it out by such meanes as he hath appointed Now this Vniversal Favour for all men to whom nothing but vengeance was in Justice due could not possibly be purchased by any Sacrifice which was not of Value absolutely infinite But to grant an absolute Pardon not onely for all sinnes past before the acceptance of the Pardon but for willfull obstinacie or continuance in sinne or rebellion after so Gratious a Proclamation of Pardon could be no Effect of Gods infinite Mercy no Fruits of Christs infinite Merits For infinite Merits cannot benefit men altogether unqualified or uncapable of them And Mercy infinite must retaine the nature of mercy it reacheth not beyond the proper Object of mercy And the proper Object of mercy is penitencie or sorrow for Misdemeanors past or present Willfull continuance or obstinacie in exorbitant courses or contempt of mercy offered is the Object of Justice or indignation 6. But besides the Infinite Value we are to acknowledge the infinite or Everlasting Efficacie or Operative Vertue of this bloody Sacrifice of the Son of God Want of distinguishing between these two hath occasioned many Errours or oversights in Divinitie That there is a Distinction to be put betwixt them we may thus conceive Suppose the Son of God immediately after he had payed the ransom for our sinnes or in that Instant in which he said Consummatum Est all is finished had deposed or layed aside the humane nature in which he was conceived and born to the end and purpose that he might dye in it or according to it his offering or Sacrifice had been of Value infinite in that it could purchase so Vniversal a Pardon at Gods hands for all sinners and for all sinnes Yet if he had laid aside the humane nature immediately after his suffering The Everlasting Efficacie of this infinite Sacrifice had been cut off Now besides the infinite price of our redemption which was then Payd when Christ said Consummatum Est another End of his assumption and retaining the humane nature was that we might be partakers of the Everlasting Vertue of his Sacrifice and Priesthood And herein doth this Sacrifice truely differ from the sacrifices of the Law from all sacrifices whatsoever in that we obtaine remission of sinnes by it and through it not onely as it was once offered but by the reall Communication of its Vertue unto our soules If there were any use or need of a second third or reiterated offering of it the Vertue and Efficacie of it could not be imagined to be perpetually everlasting or Uncessant but endlesse or uncessant onely by Vicissitude or Turn in such a sense as we say the Moone shall be Eclipsed to the worlds end Yet is it not eclipsed at all times but at some speciall times throughout all Ages of the world But if both the Value of the Sacrifice be truely infinite and the Vertue of it everlasting without interruption or discontinuation more Uncessant than the Motion of the heavens or the Rest of the earth The often offering of the Sacrifice after what manner soever is superfluous and blasphemous The true