who is true God And thus Marie contrarie to the opinion of Nestorius may be saide to be the mother of God to wit of that person or of that man who is God So we must vse to say that a man hath eies hands and legges and that truely yet the soule which is the more excellent part of man hath not any such For it is an incorporall and spirituall substance If it be demanded froÌ„ wheÌ„ce the blood of Christ doth deriue such dignitie and desert as that it procureth the pardon of sinne or the clensing of our soules from all corruption I answere that it proceedeth from his God head or person because it was the bloud of God the bloud of that innocent and iust man that is also truly God therfore it was of admirable excellencie and of inexplicable vigour and value sufficient for merit to haue cleÌ„sed a thousand thousand worlds of sinnes If further it be demanded how they that were before Christ and we that doe liue since his death can be truely said to be washed from our sinnes by his bloud which is not now shed nor then could be seeing that hee was not borne I answere Christ is the Lamb of God Reu. 13. 8. that was slaine from the beginning of the World to wit in respect of faith and of Gods eternall decree and gracious acceptation so that his bloud is not nor euer was drie in regard of merit efficacie but whosoeuer did receiue and applie it to his heart by faith was purged from his sinnes which is signified when it is said that He hath washed vs that is he hath clensed purified absolued or procured the remission or absolution of sinnes for all the elect faithfull people of God wheresoeuer or whatsoeuer Therefore Iohn saith 1. Ioh. 2. 2. that he is a Reconcilation for the sinnes of the whole world of the Elect. And the authour to the Hebrâ—wes saith that hee Heb. 2. 9. tasted death for all men that is for the Elect of all sorts and sexes and for them onely And therefore he saith that his Math. 26. 28. blood was shed for many and not for all without exception of any God commaunded the Arke and the Mercy-seat Ex. 25. 10. 17. to be made of one length and breadth thereby shewing that his Mercy in Christ should be extended no farther then the Church If Christ would not Ioh. 17. 9. safe the reprobate a praâ—er we may not think that he would giue theÌ„ his blood From sinnes Siâ—â—â— saith Iohn is theâ— transgression of the Law euen euery aberration from the Law of God 1. Ioh. 3. 4. which is the Rule of our obedience the Touchstone of all our Actions and as it were the Epistle of the Creator to his creatures Sinâ—â— is either originall or actuall Originall sinne consisteth in the guiâ—â— of Adams first transgression and in the want of that puriâ—â—e wherein we were aâ— first created and in an incâ—ination and propensiue to all manner of wickednesse Actuall â—innâ— is any preâ—â—rication and breach of the lawâ—â—r will of God in thought word or worke whether by commission of euill or omission of good Now by sinnes in this place we must vnderstand all both originall and actuall euen all transgressions of Gods commandements whether legall or eâ—angelicall and the punishments due vnto vs for them where obserue that he calleth Sinnes our Sinnes for Sinne is our owne and not Christs For he 2. Cor. 5. 21. knew no sinne Neither are they Gods For he is not the author of that whereof Non est auctor eius cuius est vltor Fulgent he is the reuenger And Dauid saith Thou art not a God thâ—t louest wickednesse neither shall euill dwell with thee Psal 5. 4. So then the meaning of the words is this Christ hath purchased the pâ—rdâ—â— of all our sinnes and hath deliuered vs from the guilt punishment of them all by the merite of his Sacred blood whereby hee hath appeased his Father and couered vs from his wrathfull indignation as with a â—â—yle But yet that wee may attaine to the perfect vnderstanding of these words two questions had need to be answered First it may be demaÌ„ded how Christ can be saide to haue washed vs from our sins seeing that sin remaineth in vs vnto death For our satisfaction herein we must know that Christ is â—â—â—de to wash our sinnes away in his blood because hee hath therby procured their pardon so as that they shall neuer be imputed to vs vnto condemnation For sin is washed away two waies First when God forgiues it and layeth it not to our charge and this he doth in the iustification of a sinner Secondly when he mortifieth it and repaireth his ruinated image within vs and this is called the washing of sanctification Now the washing of sanctification is properly vnderstood in the text SecoÌ„dly it may be demanded wherin the absolution washing away of sin in Iustification by the blood of Christ differeth from the ablution purging of it in sanctification by the water and fire of the Holy Ghost Or wherin remission of sinnes differs from regeneration and wherein they iump They agree in three respects First in their efficient cause For God is the author of both through the merit of Christ Secondly they haue one commune instrumentall cause which is faith Thirdly they haue one generall end to wit the glory of God and the saluation of our soules But yet they differ very much in other respects First in their forme or nature For remission of sins is an action of God wherby he doth couer our sins in the blood of Christ not imputing them to vs but to Christ RegeneratioÌ„ is a work of God wherby through the effectuall operatioÌ„ of his Spirit he doth alter and change the heart mortifying the flesh illuminating the mind refining the affections and sanctifying all the parts of the body and all the powers of the soule Secondly they differ in their subiect For the minde the will and the affections are the subiects of sanctification but not of the remission of sins The obedience of Christ is imputed to vs and is not inhoerent in vs as are the graces of regeneration Remission of sinne is an action of God out of a man but mortification is within a man Thirdly their obiect is diuerse For the law is the obiect of sanctification but remission of sinne respecteth the obedience of Christ Fourthly they differ in their effects For remission of sins makes vs to be accounted no sinner but so doth not regeneration The abluâ—ion of sin in iustification is our absolution but the ablution of sin by sanctification is not our absolution but a consequeÌ„t signe thereof Remission of sinne keepes â—â—n from condemning vs but regeneration keepes sin onelâ— from tyrâ—nnizing and doâ—â—ering ouer vs. Fiâ—â—ly Remissiâ—n of sins is pâ—rfect in this life and acted at one instant by Rom. 8. 1. God though we come
a wonder to see how carefully men will aâ—oide a pest-house or a place infected and yet care not to runne vnto the harboures of beastly drunkennes and filthy lust the very schooles of the diuell and stewes of vncleannes infected with the plague of vngodlinesse as dangerous to his soule that with delight frequeÌ„ts them as is a house infected with the pestience to the body As we are careful to shun the dirt in our wayes and to keep our apparell cleane and our bodyes free from diseases so wee ought vnlesse like mad-men wee feare no danger to labour that our soules may be free from the loathsome and mortall disease of sinne and that we be not defiled with the dâ—â—t of iniquitie nor bemyred in the puddle of wickednes but that we may be cleane and pure Vse 4 Lastly therefore wee are taught to pray with Dauid Wash mee throughly Psal 5. 12. from mine iniquitie and clense mee from my sinne And indeede we shall not be cleane vnlesse the Lord doe purge vs throughly our sinne doth hang so fast about vs and inuiâ—on vs. It doth not onely besmeare and grime vs on the out-side but it tainteth the in-side also It doth not onely cleaue as it were to the skin as Iuy to the rind of an oake but it lyeth in the bones it is got into the pyth and lurketh in the heart as a Fox in his hole a Lyon in his den or as the plague doth in the body Let vs therefore labour to be deliuered of it Desire God to bathe thee in his Ez. 36. 25. sonnes bloud and to power cleane water euen the clensing water of his spirit vpon thee If our clothes be spotted we are careful to rub out the spots and shall we neglect to get out the filthy spots of sinne out of our soules If a man were weather-beaten vpon the Sea he would wish that he were vpon the shore or if he were in some loathsome and stinking dungeon he would gladly be out of it Beloued there is no sea so dangerous no dungeon so foule and stinking as our sinnes let vs therfore labour to be deliuered from them let vs desire God to lay the tempest and with the prosperous gale of his grace to bring vs safe to the shore and by his hand to draw vs out of this dungeon And as Dauid prayeth Bring my Psal 142. 7 soule out of prison that I may praise thy name So let vs pray him to bring vs out of the prison of sinne and to take from vs the bolts of wickednes and to clense and dresse vs and to strip vs of our prison garments that beeing set at libertie we may serue him freely and glorifie his name for his kindnesse to vs. CHAP. VII Remission of sinnes is through the bloud of Christ Though Christ did merit our pardon yet God the Father may be said to forgiue vs freely in two respects SIxtly seeing the Apostle saith that Doct. 6 Christ hath washed vs from our sins in his blood I gather that Christ is our Heb. 9. 11. 12. onely High-priest who by his owne blood hath purchased the pardon of our sins satisfied the iustice of God for them and so remoued their guilt punishment from vs. He hath washed vs therefore now we are cleane He Is. 53. 4. â—5 was wounded for our transgressions the 〈…〉 ment of our peace was vpon him and by his sâ—ripâ—â— we are healed Surely he hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and caryed our so 〈◊〉 And Paul expressely saith that Eph. 1. 7. by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 two haue redemption to wit the remissiâ— of â—ins By his owne blood saith the Holy Ghost he entred in once into the holy place obtained eternall redemption for vs. And to deliuer vs from the Gal. 3. curse of the Law he was made a curse All which testimonies of holy writ doe serue fulficiently to proue remission of sins by his blood Now wheÌ„ we heare that sin is forgotteÌ„ we must also know tâ—a the punishment is taken away For common reason sheweth eius quod 〈◊〉 est nullam esse poenam that ther is no punishment dâ—e for that which is not But sin is not wheÌ„â—t is once forgiuen For the Lambe of God hath taken it away And indeed ther is â—o great affi 〈◊〉 betweene sinne and the punishment thereof that the Hebrewes were wont to call them by one name by Gen. 4. 7. Leuit. 20. 17. 19. which the Scriptures signifie that sinnes are then punished and neuer but then when the fault is not forgiueÌ„ And iâ— tâ—â—s be true that God retaineth the punishment when he doth not remit the fault then by the law of contraries it followeth that God doth not retaine the punishment when he doth remit the fault But by the merit of Christs blood 〈◊〉 fault is forgiuen therefore the punishment also which followeth the fault in respect of desert vt vmbrasequitâ—r corpus as the shaddow doth the body and as light the Sun Furthermore seeing those that looked vpon the brazen serpent were cured both of their stingings and of the paines that ensued why may wee not say that they which looke vpon Christ with the eye of saith are not only deliuered of their sinnes and biting of the serpent Satan but also of al paines and punishments which by desert at least doe followe them 2. Augustine sayeth That Christ De Ver. Dei Ier. 37. tooke away both the fault and the punishment And Tertullian saith Exempto reatu eximitur et poena that when the De Bapt. guilt is taken away the punishment is remoued By which it is euident that both fault and punishment are forgiuen vs through the bloud of Christ Qu. It may be theÌ„ demaÌ„ded how god can be saied to forgiue sinne freely seing Christ hath merited the pardon of it by his blood An. I answere in two respects First because we by our selues haue not procured the pardon but Christ for vs of his mere good will Secondly because God did freely of his owne benignitie send his sonne to bee our ransome as Christ himselfe doth witnesse God so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Ioh. 3. 16. sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life By which we see plainly that gods loue is the primary cause of our redemption by Christ Neither must the iustice of God be called into question for laying our sins vpoÌ„ him that knew no sin and for punishing the innocent for the offenders For the righteous may suffer for the vnrighteous Christ may without the breach of Iustice bleed for vs purchase pardoÌ„ by his blood if these fiue conditions do concurâ—e in his passion First his blood-shed must be voluntarie without compulsion Secondly it must be perfectly propitiatory able to satisfie him to the full that is offended Thirdly he must be of the same nature for whome he suffereth Fourthly he must be able to preserue himselfe from perishing
foole Is Pro. 26. 3. not a rod prepared for the fooles back Doest thou not know that the foolish Ps 5. 5. shall not stand in Gods sight and that he hateth all them that worke iniquitie Vpon the wicked he shall raine snares fire Ps 11. 6. and brimstone and stormy tempest this is the portion of their cup. But Life is in the way of righteousnesse in that path there Pro. 12. 28. is no death What shall we then thinke of those that delight in wickednes and that draw iniquitie with cordes of vanitie Is 5. 18. sin as it were with cartropes What shal we say of those that make a trade of vsury a life of drunkennes an occupation of swearing swaggering lying deceiuing oppressing which eueÌ„ plow vpoÌ„ the faces of pore meÌ„ come their money vpoÌ„ their skins which notwithstanding al admonitions and instructions to the contrary go forward in their irregular vnnaturall and irrelgious courses with out 〈◊〉 like Pharoahs ill fauoured and leane-fleshed kine which thought 〈◊〉 had eaten vp Gen. 41. 21. seauen fat kine 〈◊〉 yet as ill-fauoured as they were before Surely it argueth that as yet they are not washed froÌ„ their sinnes For they that are washed from sinne make conscience of sinne A dying vnto sin is begunne in them to whome the death of Christ is actually applied which he sustained for them It argueth that sinne is not onely in them but that they also are in sinne like an house that hath not onely fire in it but which is also in the fire readie to be consumed in it It argueth that they are as yet in the power of the Diuell who leades them captiue like Beares by the lips to do his will Finally it argueth horrible securitie in that they neither regard the iustice of God and his seueritie against sinne nor weigh that sacred blood which was shed for sinne For questionlesse if men did seriously consider those manifold and inextricable dangers in which they were by sinne and that nothing would satisfie God for sinne but the blood of his owne and onely Sonne it would daunt them much and make them to hate and leaue them though there were but one sparke of sauing grace within them A man we see cannot indure the sight of that sword wherewith his father was put to death Christ is our Father and we are his Seed Children His soule was powred Is 9. 6. Heb. 2 13. Is 53. 10. Is 53. 12. out vnto death for our sinnes He was both wounded slaine for them They were as I may say the sword that slew him Let vs therfore loath leaue them Let not them be our ioy which were the causes of his sorrowes Make not that thy myrth which was the cause of his mourning and had made thee mourne had not he mourned for thee Is it seemely for thee that art washed from sinne like a Soâ— to pollute thy selfe with sinnes Did not Christ die that we should liue to him 2. Cor. 5. 15. that dyed for vs And did he not giue himselfe for a people that should be Tit. 2. 14. zealous of good works He bare our sins saith Peter in his body on the tree that 〈◊〉 being dead to sinne should liue in 1. Pet. 2. 24. righteousnes Let vs therefore renounce our sins forsake our enormities which are indeed our chiefest deformities and let vs giue our selues to the workes of holinesse Yee are not your owne For ye 1. Cor. 6. 19. 〈◊〉 are brought for a price Christ hath giuen his bloud for you Therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit They be Gods they be Christs he hath bought theÌ„ dearely Be not the seruants of men be not the seruants of sinne Turne vnto me saith the Lord for I haue redeemed 1. Cor. 7. 23 thee so I say turne vnto Christ for he hath redeemed thee he hath washed Is 44. 22. thee from all thy sinnes in his blood And beeing made free from sinne ye are Rom. 6. 18. made the seruants of righteousnes Therefore as ye haue giuen your members seruants to vncleannes and iniquitie to commit iniquitie so now giue your members Rom. 6 19. seruants vnto righeousnes in holinesse For as Peter saith it is sufficient for vs that 1. Pet. 4. 3. we haue spent the time past of the life after the lust of the Gentiles walking in wantonnes lusts drunkennes gluttony drinkings and in abominable idolatries Sixtly seeing Christ is said to haue Vse 6 washed vs from our sinnes wee see that Christ in his owne person did put away sinne and so abolish death For z. Tim. 1. 10 we are not only washed in his bloud but also washt by him And thus we see first that Christ shed his bloud freely For hee washt vs as it were with his owne hands and besides we know that his God-head which giueth dignitie to his bloud is free from all constraint Secondly wee see that we are not onely washed by the father and by the Holy Ghost but by the Sonne also For those workes of the Trinitie Opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indiuisa which are wrought vpon the creature are common to all the persons differing onely in their manner of working The Father washeth vs from sin because he hath of his grace sent his Son to take away our sin for that he forgiueth sin for the sacrifice of his Sonne The Sonne is said to wash vs from sin because hee doth in his owne person pay the price of sin by the merit of his bloud which he shed procure the pardon of it And the holy Ghost also may be said to wash vs because hee worketh faith in our hearts whereby we do apprehend the bloud of Christ and apply it to our selues in special and because hee sealeth the pardon to our soules and giues vs the assurance therof in our Consciences Seuenthly seeing that wee haue the remission of our sinnes for the bloud of Vse 7 Christ we are taught to know that the sacrifices vsed before his comming were onely typicall and not properly satisfactorie It is impossible saith the Apostle that the bloud of bulles and goates should take away sinnes They were Heb. 10. 4. onely â—ipes or figures shadowing out that absolute and all-sufficient sacrifice of Christ euen the sacrifice of his soule and bodie which he beeing our High-priest as God incarnate did offer vnto his father vpon the altar of his God-head for the expiation of our sinnes And therefore a I such ceremonies are to be adiudged dead seeing Christ the substance of them hath performed that which they did shadow forth Eightly seeing our sinnes are purged Vse 8 by the bloud of Christ wee may perceiue a differeÌ„ce betwixt his bloud and the bloud of Martyrs For though Sanguis Martyrum sit semen Ecclesiae God so blesse the death of his Martyrs and make their bloud so fertill that
neither can this sinner whiles he so coÌ„tinueth without repentaÌ„ce distinguish himself from a Reprobate For when Christ declareth his loue actually and effectually to any man theÌ„ he smites his heart with the sword of his Sâ—irit and worketh such an alteration in his soule that thence-forward hee shall die to sinne and liue to righteousnes When Euilmerodach disclosed his Ier. 52. 31. 33. loue to Iehoiakim he brought him out of prison and changed his prison garments so when Christ doth actually reueale his loue vnto a man then he brings him out of the prison of the diuell he vnlooseth the bolts of sinne he changeth his rayments of wickednes and doth apparell him with the rich robes of his owne righteousnes And as that penitent â—aylour to manifest his good will to Paul and Silas did not Act. 16. 33. onely fetch them out of the prison ut also washed their sâ—â—ipes so Christ when he reuealeth his speciall loue vnto any then doth he wash the wounds of their soules with his blood and batheth them in the waters of his holy Spirit He casteth them as it were into a furnace and consumeth the drosse of â—in with the fire of his grace Therefore Paul saith that those who Gal. 5. 24. are Christs hâ—â—e crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts And saint Iohn saith that whosoeuer is borne of God sinâ—eth 1. Ioh. 3. 9. not meaning with full consent of heart he sinneth not vnto death he liueth not without repentance in his sinnes he drinketh not iniquitie as fishes do water he selleth not himselfe to worke wickednesse as Ahab did 1. King 21 25. Wherefore as wee must not account a man forsaken of Christ because he is ouertaken with some enormitie so againe we must take heed that we do not wilfully giue our selues vnto any manner of sinne because we heare that his loue is constant that sinne cannot make a diuorce betwixt him and vs and an vtter separation if once we were in his fauour and were vnited to him This were transcendent impietie and verie horrible ingratitude CHAP. VIII Christs Loue is the fountaine Primum Mobile indeede immobile of all good things that come to vs. His loue is not merited by vs. Seauenthly in that the Apostle giues the priority of place to Christs loue seating it before the benefits which we receiue by him I gather that his Loue is the scaturidge and foundation of all those works which he wrought for vs. His loue was the Anuill whervpon they were all forged it was the Spring from whence they sprang and the Pipe or Chanell through which they ran to vs who are as Cisternes to receiue them Therfore we must renouÌ„ce and abiuâ—e all opinion of our owne merits or foreâ—eene preparations Oâ—â— best merit which yet is no merit is to confesse freely that we can merit nothing nothing at all that good is For vnto vs belongeth nothing but opâ—â—â—â—ame and confusion of face for euer Dan. 9 8. It is Gods mere mercie and his pitie not our merits or pietie that we perish not in our sinnes And if we either wâ—â— well or worke well we must ascribe it solie to Gods good will who worketh in vs the will and the deed of his good pleasure Phil. 2. 13. Hiâ—vellâ— noÌ„ 〈◊〉 substaÌ„tia voluÌ„tatis sed Why did God honour the World with his onely Sonne Was it not because he loued the World So Christ de 〈◊〉 qualitate accipituÌ„r Ioh. 3. 16. saith for God so loued the world that he hath giuen his onely Sâ—nne to all that lay hold vpon him with the hand of a liuely faith Yea but was not his loue procured by our loue Did not our loue of him drawe his loue to vs as the Load-stone doth yron Verily no for herein saith Iohn is that loue not 1. Ioh. 4. 10. 19. that we loued God but that he loued vs and sent his sonne in loue to be a reconciliation for our sinnes We loue him because he loued vs first Why hath God raysed vs from the graue of sinne and quickened vs in his sonne and saued vs Was it not because he loued vs Paul teacheth vs to thinke so no otherwise and thereâ—ore saith But God who is rich in mercie through 〈◊〉 great loue wherwith he loued Eph. 2. 4. 5. 〈◊〉 when we were dead by sinnes hath quickened vs together in Christ by whoâ—â— grace ye are saued What mooued Christ besides his loue to giue himselfe to death for vs Iust nothing in vs therefore 1. Ioh. 3. 16. Iohn saith hereby we haue perceiued loue that he layed downe his life for vs. By whome saith Paul we haue redemption Eph. 1. 7. through his blood according to his rich Grace Nothing at all but pure loue made him bestowe himselfe vpon the Church it was his grace and not her goodnesse not because she was faire and wâ—rthie but because he was fanourable and gracious Therfore the Apostle saith Christ loued the Church and gaue himselfe for Eâ—h 5. 25. 26. her that hee might sanctifie or make her 〈…〉 e and holy clense her by the washing of water through the word By which we plainly see that his loue is the forge fountaine from whence our holines our happines and all spirituall celestiall and eternall benefits whatsoeuer do proceede and come Thus much concerning the loue of Christ The workes or tokens of his loue come now to be considered in the next words Here endeth the first part ⧠THE SECOND PART REV. 1. 5. And hath washed vs from our sinnes in or by his blood CHAP. I. The sense is giuen diuerse doubts are remoued remission of sins consenteth with regeneration in three things and differs from it in seauen other THe Apostle hauing affirmed that Christ did loue vs he doth immediatly coÌ„firme his affirmation by setting down two notable works performed by him for vs being vndoubted tokens and fruits of his loue vnto vs. The former wherof is expressed in the wordes recited His Blood that is the merit and validitie of his blood And by blood we must vnderstand his whole passion the which was accomplished at the effusion of his blood vpon the crosse For albeit as touching the diuine nâ—â—ure he cannot properly be saide to haue blood in that the Deitie is a most pure simple perfect and incomprehensible Essence void of composition alteration yet as concerning his humanitie he hath blood he shed his blood and died And for that the humane nature is not a person subsisting by it selfe but is receiued into the vniâ—â—e of his person as he is the eternall Sonne of the Father a true distinct person existing from al eternitie therfore by a figure that which is proper to one of his natures is attributed to his whole person Whence it is that Paul saith that God hath purchased the Act. 20. 28. Church by his owne blood that is God incarnate or that person
sit vpon his throne reigne for euer And the language of the scriptures is that he was conceiued and borne not that he passed or ran through her Rather Act. 2. 30. Math. 1. 20. 23. Luk. 2 7. therefore Apâ—lles was the pipe through which this vayne conceite came into the world from Satan the fountaine thereof who is a lyer the Ioh. 8. 44. Ioh. 14. 6. father of lies as he that is truth it selfe affirmeth The errour of Apollinaris who held that Christ had not a reasonable soâ—le but that his Deitie is in stead thereof But this opinioÌ„ Christ himself directly Math. 26. 38. crosseth when he saith My soule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is very heauy vnto death and the scripture saith Hâ— yeelded vp the Ghost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is as impossible for a true man to haue no soule as a liuing tree to haue no sap or for the sunne to haue no light or to speake more fitly aâ— it is impossible for a thing to be this or that without the forme or formall cause which makes it so to be As there can be no perfect body without the head so ther can be no perfect man without a soule The errour of Iodochus Harchius a Libertine who imagined that Christ had a double flesh one naturall from the virgin Mary now glorious in the heauens the other spirituall intelligible and made by the power of God of bread wine But we read but of one body one flesh and one blood which â—e â—ad The errour of 〈◊〉 who taught that the humane nature of Christ was after the vnion endowed with the properties of the Diuiâ—tie Indeed Damaâ—cene and Gregory say that the flesh Greg. Nâ—sâ— of Christ was dâ—ified but they meane it in respect of the comunction thereof to the diuine nature in one persâ—n and in regard of those admirable gifts by when his humane nature is not abolished but become more excellent then all crâ—atures The errour of the V 〈…〉 ries who attribute to Christs humaâ—â—â— the essentiall properties of the Dâ—uiâ—â—â—e as to bee present euery where Which ouerthroweth the nature of a true body which is finite and circumscripâ—ble Tâ—llâ—â— propâ—â—â—tateâ— tol it naturam For take away the properties of a thing and thou shalt destroy the nature of it And albeit his Deitie is in all places without exception yet it doth not follow that his Humanitie should be so too because it is personallâ— vâ—â—ted to it no more then that the pearle in the ring should-extend â—â—sâ—â—se as farre as the ring because it is iâ—yned to it or fastned in it Indeed 〈◊〉 things are so vnited together as that one of them reacheth no further then the other then one of them can be no where but the other wil be there also But if one of them extend beyâ—nd the other then wheresoeuer the leâ—â—er is there the greater is also but not so on the contrarie The body of the sâ—nne and the light thereof are câ—nioyned and yet the sunnes body doth not really reach as farre as the â—â—ght doth The eye and the sight are nearely coâ—â—oyned and yet the sight reacheth to many things vnto which the eye doth not extend it selfe Because therefore Christs manhead is farâ—e exceeded of his Godhead it can be no where but his Godhead will be Psal 139. 7. 8. 9. Non sequitur vt quod in Deo est sit vbique vt Deuâ— there also being infinite so well for place as it is for time and power and it cannot bee in euery place where his Godhead is It doth not follow saith Augustine that that which is in God should be euery where as God And though Christ sit at the right hand of God yet it doth no more â—ollow therof that he should be in all places then that as man he should be really before all time And whereas the Apostle saith that hee ascended to fill all thingâ— his meaning is not that hee Eph. 4. 10. ImmortalitateÌ„ ei â—edit naturaÌ„ non abstulit August went vp to fill all thing with his humanitie which is indeed become immortall but is noâ— depriued of the naturall properties thereof but by the distribution of the gifts of his Spirit into the hearts of the elect in what place soeuer they liue Or as Bernard pleaseth to turne and vnderstand it that hee might 〈◊〉 vt adimpleret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things which were foretold and which were required to our saluation And so the Greeke word signifieth Math. 15. 17. where Christ saith I came not to destroy but to fulfill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law Lastly seeing Christ was a true man and therefore hath a true body as other men all infirmities being now laâ—de aside it ouerthroweth the opâ—nion of the Râ—miâ—h Synagogue 〈◊〉 teacheth that his body is cor 〈…〉 ly and â—â—â—st 〈…〉 lly in the Sa 〈…〉 nt We beleeue that his body 〈…〉 ade of the purified substance of 〈◊〉 Viâ—gin and noâ— of Bakers bread 〈◊〉 that aâ— hath the essentiall properties of a true body as length latitude â—â—â—cknesse and circumscription and â—â—â—t it is noâ— both visible in heauen and invisible vpon earth And although hee promised to be present Math. 28. 20 â—â—th his Disciples to the end of the world yet we must not thence conclude that his body was to continue among men vppon earth after his aâ—conâ—ion For those words are to be vnderstood onely of the presence of Ier. 23. Enter praeâ—enter Deus hiâ— vbique potenter his power grace spirite or godhead which filleth heauen and earth Indeed it is true that as hee hath taken his body with him vp so he hath left his body behinde him that is his Church vnto whom also he hath giuen leaue to consecrate certaine outward elements to be signes and seales of his body and bloud and which is Eph. 5. Col. 1. by a kinde of figure tearmed his body and bloud For the body of Christ is three-fold Naturall Mysticall Sacramentall But wee speake in this place of his naturall body to which the soule is vnited to make a true humane nature CHAP. III. Christs God-head is proued by foure arguments A Second doctrine hence ariseth in that the Apostle saith that Christ Doct. 2 hath washed vs from our sinnes in his bloud wheÌ„ce I coÌ„clude that Christ is not onely man but also God For there cannot be that vigour vertue or validity in the bloud of any mere maÌ„ which is able to purge men of their sinnes and to procure the pardon of them and to satisfie the infinite iustice of God for them Therefore our Redeemer must needs be true God that his bloud might be meritorious and effectuall with God Besides this collection we haue euident testomonies out of holy writ and inuincible arguments to confirme this truth For the first Isaâ—ah saith that Christ shal be called the Mightie God Is 9. 6. Iâ—râ—my saith that his name
in his paines and eluctari to wrastle out of them and surpasse them Fiftly he must be able to sanctifie the offender so to keepe him as that he shal not after his ablution conuersion offend * This word noteth not the matter of the sinne but the manner of sinning as he did afore All which conditions are kept in Christ therefore the splendor of Gods iustice is not eclipsed Neither may we think it strange that the shedding of Christs blood which continued not verie long should be able to procure the pardon of so many sinnes of euerlasting punishments due vnto vs for them For his blood was the blood of that person who is true God and therefore his blood is more meritorious then the blood of all creatures his momentâ—nie passions were of greater price and vertue then eternall sufferings of all creatures in the world whatsoeuer can be The validitie and merit of his blood ariseth from the dignitie of his person not from it owne nature nor froÌ„ the time of his passion The doctrine then remaineth firme and sure to wit that Christ hath purchased the pardon of our sinnes by his blood and hath satisfied the iustice of God for them to the full But it may be thus obiected to the contrarie Ob. First that sentence of Salomon seemeth to ascribe the pardon of sins to other things besides the blood of the Messias for he saith that by mercy and Pro. 16. 6. and truth sinnes shal be forgiuen Ans His meaning is that mercy and Sol. trueth are infallible signes thereof He that is mercifull and iust shall neuer haue his sinnes laied vnto his charge Seeing one Spirit ruled al the spirits of the holy writers we must not make 2. Pet. 1. 27 2. Tim. 3 16 one of them to contradict an other But the Scriptures else-where ascribe the remission of sinnes to the blood of Eâ—h 1. 7. Col. 1. 14 Eph. 2. 8. Tim. 3. 5. Christ exclude the works of righteousnes such as are wrought after we are regenerated Shall we say that any of our good works or vertues can merit any thing at the hands of God Are they not all imperfect Perfect indeed they are as they proceed from the Holy Spirit their proper fountaine but imperfect and polluted insomuch as they passe through the corrupt conduit-pipes and dirty channels of our wills and hearts And are they not all the gifts of God so farre forth as there is any goodnesse in them For what 1. Cor. 4. 7. hast thou that thou hast not receiued of him Now shall we thinke that those things can merit pardon which by reason of their imperfection had need be pardoned themselues And shall we stoppe Gods mouth with his owne gifts hope to pacifie his wrath with his owne works which his owne finger hath wrought within vs Or shuld we not rather confesse as Christ aduiseth wheÌ„ we haue done all things that are commaunded vs that we are vnprofitable seruants for we haue done but our dâ—tâ—e which we are bound to doe Luk. 17. 10. by vertue of many bâ—ndes Secondly the speech of the Prophet Deu 4 24. to Nebuchadnezzar is obiected Break off thy sins by righteousnes and thine iniquities by mercy towards the poore Ans The Prophet speaketh not of satisfaction for sin but onely of the manifestation of repentance by the Non causa venioe sed modus conuersionis illic descripbitur fruits therof as if he should say surcease from thy tyranny leaue thy cruelâ—ie abandon thy sins and manifest thy repentance of them by the works of iustice and by shewing mercy to the poore whome thou hast oppressed Ob. 3. Yea but Christ sayth Giue â—lmes and all things are cleane vnto you therefore it seemes Alms-deeds make Luk 11. 4. 8. men cleane and satisfie for offences Ans This place speaketh not one syllable of satisfaction for sins but sheweth that to them which giue almes aright to wit in sayth loue and singlenesse of heart all thing are cleane without any such superstitious ceremony of washing as the Pharisees had inuented for the purification and clensing of Gods creatures Ob. 4. Yea but loue which lincketh Col. 3. 14. the soule to the thing loued and locketh vp the heart fast therin and is Pet 4 8. the bond of perfection Loue shall prevayle it shall procure the pardon It shal couer a multitude of sins And Christ sayth Many sins are forgiuen her because Luk. 7. 47. she loued much Therfore our loue deserueth a pardon Ans No pardon it had rather need to be pardoned it is so cold so weak Indeed if our loue were perfect we need no pardon at all For hee that loueth perfectly fulfils the law perfectly For perfect loâ—e is the perfect fulfilling of Gods will who requireth nothing of vs but that we should loue him with all our heart minde soule and our Neighbour as our selues And dare we say that the weake performaÌ„ce of a duty whervnto God doth bind vs is â—able to merit a paâ—â—on for vs. of those things which we are not bouâ—d Rom. 13. 10 Math. 22. 28 to do but vnder a curse for bidden And as for that place of Peter it is plane by his exhortation to muâ—uall loue thaâ— his meaning is that true loue is a presentmedicine against malice and our Mnesi-cakian reuengeful memory of by-past iniuâ—ies and makes vs ready to forget forgiue the wrongs that are done vnto vs. And this Salomon plainly reacheth when hee sayth Hatred â—â—reth vp contentions but loue couerâ—th Pro. 10. 12. 〈…〉 spasses Here is not a worde of any satisfaction for siâ—ne in the sight of God but onely a commendation of brotherly loue drawen from a notable effect which it hath among men to make them for beare to reuenge and to beare with one an others infirmities And as for that speech of Christ we must know that it makes not her loue an impulsiue cause to moue God to pardon her sins but onely a signe that God had already forgiuen them and 〈◊〉 she had tasted deepely of his loue for the forgiuenesse of many sinnes 〈◊〉 our Lord had said Many sinnes are 〈◊〉 her therefore shee hath loued 〈◊〉 For the particle because is not Particula hoti noÌ„ est causalis sed illatiua vel â—ationalis argumeÌ„tum est ab effecta ad causam 〈◊〉 but â—llatiue reasoning from the effect to the causâ— as the words ensuing in that text doe shew To whome 〈◊〉 is forgiuen he loueth a little The like spee 〈…〉 vsed in Iohn 8. 44. where our Sauiour saith that the diuell abode nâ—t in the truth because there is no truth in him So we vse to say that a tree is Luke 7. 47. good because the fruite is good and yet the tree makes the fruit good and not the fruite the 〈◊〉 Ob. 2. Fiftly wee are iustified by Faith therefore our sins
he doth account as righteouâ— Rom. 8. 30. those hee doth glorifie that is adorne with grace in this worlde and enrich with glorie in the world to come Gratia est 〈◊〉 gloria gloria est consummata gratia For grace is the beginning of glorie and glorie is the consummation of grace Eightly when we are clensed from our sins in the bloud of Christ we may lawfully vse the creatures of God For vnto the pure all things are pure but vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing Tit. 1. 15. as all men are till Christ haue washt them is nothing pure but euen their mindes and consciences are defiled Lastly the remission of sinnes by the bloud of Christ is the more excellent because it is one of the Royalties and royal Prerogatiues of Gods Elect. For howsoeuer his bloud was sufficient in 〈◊〉 selfe for all without exception of any 〈◊〉 as Innocentius 〈◊〉 pro solis praedestinatis effusus est quantum ad efficientiam Lib. 4. de Myst Mis cap 4. it was effectuall onely for those who are praedestiâ—ated vnto life Therefore Ambrose saith If thou dost not beleeue then Christ did not descend for thee he did not suffer for thee But faith Siâ—oÌ„ crediâ— non desceÌ„dit 〈◊〉 Christus 〈◊〉 passus 〈◊〉 De side ad Gratianum 2. Thes 3 2 Tit. 〈◊〉 is not common to all and therefore Paul 〈◊〉 it the Faith of the Elect. And this the Scripture cleareth 〈◊〉 For Christ gaue himselfe to purge vnto himselfe a Peculiar people and therfore surely he did not die for all for Iudas as for Peter And what reason haue we to think that Christ would wash those Tit. 2. 14. in his bloud which hee neuer did acknowledge for his owne But there are Mat. 7. 23. some whome Christ did neuer know for his Paul and Augustine were of this opinion and therefore 〈◊〉 in his episll to the Romanes that God gaue his Rom. 8. 32. sonne for vs. Pro quibus Nobis for what 〈◊〉 saith Augustine Pro prescitis praeâ—estinatis iustificatis glorificatis Euen In Ioh Tract 45. for vs that are foreknowen predestinated iustified and glorified For vndoubtedly if we respect either Gods ordination or Christs 〈◊〉 his blood was Math. 26. 28. 〈◊〉 for Many for the remission of sinnes and Esay saith he bore the sinne of Many many not All. For he was to be the Sauioâ—r of his owne people onely and therefore Lumbard saith truely that he Lib. 3. Dist 22. wrought saluation Onely for those that were predestinated And Augustine hauing made a distinction of Worlds saith that this World which God doth reconcile vnto himselfe in Christ and which is saued by Christ Et cui per In Iohn Lib. 3. c. 3. Christum peccatum omne condonatur De Mundo Electus est inimico damnato contaminato and vnto which euery sinne through Christ is pardoned is Elected out of the Maligning damned and defiled World By all which it plainely appeareth that those onely haue their sinnes forgiuen which are elected vnto life And thus we see the excellencie of this benefit Which notwithstanding we shall never respect as we ought to doe vnlesse first we doe seriously set before our eyes the infinite maiestie and iustice of God before which nothing can stand but that which is perfectly pure And secondly vnlesse we consider duly how imperfect and poore our owne perfectioÌ„ is and how grieuous innumerable our faults and fraylties are And so beeing cast downe humbled with the sense of our owne sinnes the serious consideration of our miserie we shal be fitted to looke abroad for a Sauiour and when we haue once tasted of his goodnesse felt the sweetnes of his blood we shal them remembrace like 〈◊〉 and the more highly prize his benefits And so much for these three last doctrines It remaineth now to propound their vses which I haue referred to this place because the grounds whereon they be founded be rather three branches of one doctrine one of them nearely ioyned to the other then three distinct doctrines without any likenes and affinitie CHAP. X. Beleeuers are blessed Christ is no respecter of persons Mutuall loue is with right and reason claimed Gods iustice is proued The vilenes of sinne is shewed Repentance is required FIrst we may hence plainely see that the condition of the Godly how miserable soeuer in the Worlâ—â— account is verie comfortable and happie For Blessed are they whose iniquity is forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered Rom. 4. 7. Ps 32. 2. Blessed is the man vnto whome the Lord imputeth not iniquitie But the blood of Christ hath couered the sinnes of the faithfull hath obtained of God that they shall neuer be imputed to them therefore their state is blessed The malefactour thinkes himselfe a happiman when the King hath giuen him the pardon of his fault and the child is glad when the father hath forgiuen his offence and may nor we reioyce and account our selues as happie seeing God the king of kings and our heauenly father hath granted vs the pardon of all our sinnes for the blood of his sonne and hath reconciled vs vnto himselfe And that we may indeed reioyce we ought euery one to labour that we may be perswaded of it in our hearts For shal men striue to be assured of those earthly things which are supposed and said to be theirs And would an Offender be for his further comfort out of doubt perswaded that his offence is pardoned as the report doth goe And shall not we seeke by all meanes possible to be assured that we are clensed from our sinnes as we are sayed to be and that we are partakers of the blood of Christ If we walke in the light saith Iohn the blood of Iesus 1. Ioh. 1. 7. Christ doth clense vs from all sinne And S. Paul saith that there is no coÌ„demnation Rom. 8. 1. to those that walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit and therefore their sinnes are pardoned which are the causes of damnation So then if we repent of our sinnes if we followe not the commaund of our flesh if we walke in the waies of God and subâ—â— our selues to the regiment of his Spirit we may assuredly conclude in our soules that as our bodies are bespriâ—ked with water in Baptisme so we are washed by the bloâ—d of Christ from all our sinnes the fiâ—thines of our soules and 〈◊〉 from all punishments temporall and eternal 〈◊〉 by them Secondly seeing Christ hath washed Vse 2 all the faithfulâ— oâ— what 〈◊〉 or state 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 that Christ is no acceptour oâ— perâ—oâ—s Therefore as we should 〈◊〉 no man for â—n outward want or blemish because Christ did not for that 〈◊〉 him so we must take heede that we be not ourselues discouraged for any outward deâ—ect in our persons or estates as pouâ—â—tie conâ—umely weakenes age deformitiâ— For Christ hath our 〈◊〉 to wash vâ—
vsuall in such obdured hearts he shall not escape it Sixtly seeing Christ doth make men kings and priests we that are desirous of this dignitie are taught to sue to him Wouldst thou bâ—aking to subdue the rebellious corruptions which lurke like tâ—aytours in thy heart Wouldest thou be a priest to offer vp vnto God the sacrifices of righteousnesse then flie to Christ he is the Spring from whence these benefits do flow it is he that makes vs kings and priests Yet here withal remember that neither the Father nor the Holy Ghost must be excluded from this worke For they haue all their hands in working of it The Father makes vs by his Sonne by â—is Spirit It was his loue that Christ was sent vnto vs and that the Holy Ghost doth come into vs. The Sonne makes vs by his merit and vertue And the Holy Ghost makes vs by working faith in our hearts whereby we lay hold vpon Christ who hath procured this dignitie for vs and doth apply vnto vs his obedience whereby we become acceptable to God and his blood whereby all our sinnes are washed the vertue of his death and resurrection whereby we die to sinne and rise to righteousnesse For all the works of God wrought vpon the creature are common to the three persons which in euerie operation do cooperate how be it in a distinct manner as Basil sheweth when he saith The Father begins the worke the Lib. de spir san c. 16. Sonne workes it in his owne person and the Holy Ghost doth finish it CHAP. II. Christ hath bestowed that foresaid honour vpon All Beleeuers This Doctrine is applied to six purposes ANd so from the Agent we come vnto the Subiect vpon whom this 〈◊〉 worke is wrought to wit all the children of God all that Christ hath loued all that he hath washed in his bloud from their sinnes of what sex or sort of what race or ranke soeuer and they alone So that first we may herby learne to know whether our sins are actually cleÌ„sed froÌ„ vs or no. For if Christ hath washed thee from them he hath also made thee a king and a priest Therefore if thou warre with sinne like a prince of spirit and dâ—est conquer the corruption of thine heart and offer vp vnto God such oblations as are pleasing vnto him then maist thou concluâ—e that Christ hath purged thee For whome he washeth them he thus honoreth with this grace to them he conferres this dignitie Secondly seeing he hath made vs kings and priests who are moâ—â—all and mâ—serable and by nature the seruants of sinne the children of wrath and his verâ—e enemies We may behold as in a mirrour First his admirable loue in scatteâ—ing the bright beames of his grace vpon such a loathsome Dunghill as we are all by reason of the rotteÌ„nes of our natures Secondly we may behold his exceeding commiseration in shewing so great mercy to such despicable and vile wretches Thirdly we maâ— see his wonderful power in quickning vs that are by nature starke dead in sin making vs to liue like spiritual kings maslâ—cring the enemies of our soules within vs and as holy preists sacrificing our selues vnto God Fourthly we see that pouâ—rtie penurie crosses calamities such like do not restraine him from bestowing his preferments Fiftly we see his integriâ—e exprâ—essing his words by works his pâ—eaching by his practise For hee commandeth vs to loue our enemies and we see Math. 5. 44. how well he hath affected vs in promoting vs so high that were his enemies And by this we see that in conferring his benefits he is far from the fashion of the world Many men do neuer shew any tokens of loue to theÌ„ that haue offended them or reuoulted from them but vsually they seeke to be reuenged of them either openly or vnder-hand But Christ hath caried no such spleene to vs but hath highly honoured vs who haue iniustly dishonoured him and many waâ—es displeased both him and his father The consideration of his loue should persuade vs to reloue him His mercy should keepe vs from dispaire His power teacheth vs to coÌ„fesse his diuinitie His practise should moue vs to do our selues as we exhort others to do as also to break the common custome of the world and to shew the fruits of loue to those that shew nothing lesse to vs. For in so doing we shall heap coales of fire vpon their heads Thirdly wee are all taught to reuerence one another Let not the rich contemne the poore let not the young despise the olde let not the noble disdaine the simple let not the learned polititian vilipend the man of meaner vnderstanding For if we be Christs we are All of vs spiritually Kings and Priests one as truely as another wee are all the Lords annointed He that aduanced one hath aduaunced the rest the poore as well as the rich the meane man as well as the mighty Monarch And though here in this world God himselfe hath made vs subiects commands our obedience to his LieutenaÌ„ts here on earth whom to disobey is to rebell against God himselfe yet when we come to take possession of our heauenly kingdome in the day of our spituall Coronation all outward circumstances shal be layde downe and if in this world the poore man haue exceeded the rich in the growth of grace be shall in the world â—o come excell him â—n the greatnes of glory For as we haue husbanded the talents of Gods graces committed to vs in this life so God in mercy will reward vs with his glory in the life to come Fourthly seeing Christ doth make those kings and priests whom hee washeth in his bloud it should stirre vs vp to labour by all meanes to be partakers of it As wee desire this true nobilitie to possesse this great aduancement so let vs be carefull of the other that in all assurance wee may enioy it For these benefites are inseparable Hee that enioyes not that Bloud hath not this honour Fiâ—â—ly seeing all the faithfull of all callings and conditions are thus aduanced we are taught not to iudge of a mans finall estate or of the qualitie of 〈◊〉 â—nward condition by his outward successe For the dearest children of God in this world as Iob Dauid Paul are vsually afflicted and sometimes so crossed as that to caâ—nall men which spend their daies in wealth their Iob. 27. 13. yeares in pleasures they seeme accursed and to be the onely miserable men that liue vpoÌ„ the earth and yet 〈◊〉 thelesse their inward estate before God is very glorious wherefore the Psalmist saith The kings daughter is all Psal 45. 13. glorious within her cloathing is of broydred gold Christ doth loue her Christ hath washt her Christ hath clad her with the golden garment of his righteousnes hath made her a royal priesthood Now as the Church our mother is so are all those that are her faithfull true children according as
wee that are Priests by Christ our Priest shuld not onely professe holynesse vnto the Lord in our liues and haue the Thummim of perfection or sincerity in our hearts but the Vrim also of diuine wholsome knowledge in our heads which iâ— the light of the soule and as it were the true rudder of our zeale as comfortable as the Sun-shine in a darke house or as a Candle is in a deepe dungeon Be not therefore like an Horse or like a Mâ—le which vnderstand not but Ps 32. 9. labour for true knowledge and vnderstanding Thou art a Priest let thy lips therefore preserue knowledge Secondly Priests were to teache the people so let vs if not all able to instrict yet bee all willing to set forward one another keeping our selues soberly within â—he limits of our callings Let parents and masters teach their childreÌ„ seruants and let vs exhort one an other and be ready to say with those foretold of by the Prophet Come and let vs goe Isa 3. vp to the mountain of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob and he will teach vs his wayes we will walke in his pathes Then would religion flourish and profanesse would not be so rise then should our light breake forth as the morning and the glory of the Lord shall embrace vs. Prouided alwayes that we truely teach our selues as wee labour to instruct others For otherwise wee shal be but like the Sumpter-horse that carieth riches for others but none for himselfe Thirdly like Priests wee ought to pray for others and delight in blessing and take â—eed of cursing The Priests had a speciall commandement to blesse the people with these wordes saying The Lord blesse thee and keepe thee the Num. 5. 24. 25. 26. Lord make his face to shine vpon thee and be mercifull vnto theeâ— the Lord lift vp his countenance vpon thee giue thee peace And it were commendable in vs that are spirituall Priests thus to pray for our brethren nor for our brethren only Eph. 6. 18. 〈◊〉 for Christ commandes vs to blesse Math. 5. 44. euen those that curse vs and to pray for them that hate vs. Let vs therefore like spirituall Priests walke in the Spirit Gal. 5. 16. Eph. 4. 31. 32. Let all bitternes and anger and wrath crying and euill speaking be put away from you with all maliciousnes and be courteous one to another as Priests should bee not rendring euill for euill neither rebuke for 1. Pet. 3. 9. rebuke but contrariwise Blesse knowing that ye are therevnto called that ye should be heyres of blessing For wee should be patternes of pietie and patience and as pictures of Christianitie that they 1. Pet. 2. 12 which speak of vs as of euil doers may by our good workes which they shall see glorifie God in the day of their visitaâ—ion when God also shall shew mercie to them and conuert them Fourthly as the Priests vnder the Leuit. 6. 13. Law kept the fire on the Altar neuer let it goe out but fed it continually so let vs neuer let the fire of Gods graces goe out vpon the altar of our hearts but let vs continually feede them by hearing and reading the worde by receiuing the Lords Supper by prayer meditations and godly conference that so wee may grow in grace as Peter 2. Pet. 2. 18. doth exhort vs and proceede in pietie to the glory of him that hath thus graced vs to the comfort of our brethren and to the solace of our owne soules Fiftly seeing wee are Priests let vs like Priests offer vp Sacrifices vnto God For as Peter sheweth wee are 2. Pet. 2. 5. an holy Priest-hood to offer vp spirituall sacrifices vnto God And that we may take a good course in performing this dutie I will shew First the sacrifices which wee ought to offer Secondly the Altar whereon they must be layed Thirdly the time when they should be offered Fourthly our preparation before wee offer them Fiftly the manner how wee ought to offer them And sixtly to what ende For the first our sacrifices are manie The first is prayer I will therfore saith Paul that the men pray euery where 1. Tim. 2. 8. lifting vp pure handâ—s without wrath or doubting This is that incense and pure offering which the Lord said shal be offered Mal. 1. 11. to him in euery place A pithy prayer is Mâ—dullatuÌ„ sacrificium a marâ—owish or fat sacrifice and as it were a cord wherwith we bind Gods hands when hee is readie to finite vs for our sinnes And yet as the Psalmist saith If I regard wickednesse in my heart the Lord will not heare mee The second is Ps 66. 18. praysing and thanks-giuing And therfore Asaph saith Offer vnto God prayse Ps 50. 14. paye thy vowes vnto the most High Hoseah willeth the people to goe to God in prayer and say Receiue vs graciously so wil we render the calues of our lips Which the Authour of the Epistle to the Hebrewes Hos 14. 3. seemeth to explaine when hee saith Let vs therefore by him offer the Heb. 13. 15. sacrifice of prayse alwayes vnto God that is the fruit of the lips which coÌ„fesse his Name Dauid also saith I wil offer to thee a sacrifice of praise and will call vpon the Name of the Lord. The third is a sorowfull humble and contrite heart For the sacrifices of God Ps 51. are a contrite spirit a contrite and a broken heart O God thou wilt not despise The fourth is almes-deedes and the reliefe of the afflicted Therefore the holy Ghost saith To doe good and to distribute Heb. 13. 16 forget not For with such sacrifices God is well pleased Paul saith I was eueÌ„ filled Placent non placant Phil. 4. 18. after that I had receiued of Epaphroditus that reliefe which came from you an odour which smelleth sweet a Sacrifice acceptable vnto God The fift is the sacrifice of our blood when we are content to seale the truth with our bloud which we coÌ„fesse with our tongues and professe in our liues Paul saith though I be offered vp vpon the Phil. 2. 17. sacrifice seruice of your â—aith I am glad and reioyce with you all And to his naturall sonne Timothy he saith I am ready 1. Tim. 1. 2. to be offered or powred out as a drinke 2. Tim. 2. 6. offering by martyrdome The sixt is when Parents doe dedicate their children vnto God either to serue him in the generall calling of Christianity or in some speciall calling which approacheth nearest to him as Hannah did her sonne Samuel Could 1. Sam. 1. any be so deuout in their superstitions as to sacrifice their children vnto Idoâ— vnto Diuels and shall not Christians consecrate their childreÌ„ vnto God that gaue them vnto Christ that bought them and vnto the Spirit which doth renew them The seauenth is the Lords Supper which
downe the pales of his precepts and trample vnder their feete his commandements following the swinge of their owne fansies and going a whoring after their owne lusts liuing in Atheisme and Epicurisme profanenesâ—e sensualitie haâ—ing euen the outward appearance of true pietie and ouer whelmed in the floods of wickednes But we Beloued must practise better things Let vs neuer Lord Luke 6. 4 6. him nor say we loue him vnles we labour seriously to obey him For his sheepe heare his voice and follow him Iohn 10. and those which are his faithfull and louing friends are obedient to him and striue to please him Therefore he saith Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoeuer I commaÌ„d you Moreouer loue doth Iohn 15. 14. not onely make a man in heart affect the thing loued labour in all things to please it and to auoid the doing of those things at all times which do displease and offend it but it doth also make a man to desire presence and fellowship with it to rest and content himselfe with it That we may therefore declare our loue effectuâ—â—â— to him and gather infallible assuranâ—â—â—n our soules that we doe indeed affect him we must not onely indeuour to obey him and feare by sinning to displease him but we must also coueâ— his presence desire his communion â—ffect his companie expect hiâ— coÌ„ming content our selues with his merits and rest in his loue not â—elling our soules not betroathing our selues not wedding our wills not applying our hearts nor lending our affections to any other whatsoeuer besides him His loue to vs is worthy of our whole loue to be returned to him doth deserue that all creatures in heauen and in earth whatsoeuer should come so far behind him in our affections as that they should scarce come to be named with him Vndoubtedly vnlesse we do very singularly loue Christ who hath and yet doth so singularly loue vâ— and hath declared his loue vnto vs when we were the slaues of Sathan the seruants of sin and the enemies of God hauing nothing in vs which might moue him to affect vs we should shew our selues exceeding vnkind and thanklesâ—e Seeing therfore he loued and loueth vs let vs loue him also and remonstrate our loue vnto him through the whole course of our liues by thinking speaking and dooing all things which may Miserum est ngratuÌ„ esse hominem Plaut Ingrato homine terra peius nil creat Auson expresse our loue and set forth his praise our thankfulnes For the tree must shew it selfe by the fruits Iâ—gratitude is a misery and an vnthankfull person is the worst weed that the earth doth beare a very hogge that swalloweth vp the mâ—st but lookes not to the tree from whence it falls CHAP. IIII. An eleuen reasons are vsed to moue men to brotherlie loue SEcondly seeing Christ hath loued vs we are taught by his ensample Omnis Christii actio est nostra instructio 1. Pet. 2. 27. to loue one anotâ—er His paterne must be our practise his actions must be our instructions As Peter saith concerning patience so it may be as truely said of loue that Christ hath left vs an example that we should follow his steps and therfore Paul exhorting vs to lead our liues in loue saith Walke in loue euen as Christ hath loued vs. Imitation Eph. 5. 2. is one of the diseases of the English nation wherefore seeing we will needes imitate let vs imitate the best Now we can follow none better then Christ. His patterne is most perfect and his foot-steps are most euen therefore let vs re 〈…〉 ble the one and walke in the other When Saint Iohn would win the faithfull to mutuall amitie he reasoneth after this sort Beloued 2. Iohn 4. 11 if God the Father so loued vs as that he gaue his onely sonne for vs we ought also to loue one another So I say seeing Christ hath loued vs and that exceedingly we ought also to loue one another If he loued vs who was not bound to loue vs then ought we to loue one another being bound to do so by the vertue of many bonds There are many reasons to moue perswade Ioh. 15. 12. vs. First besides that example which Christ hath giuen vs we haue his expresse Ioh. 10. 27. commaundement This is my commandement that ye loue one an other as I haue loued you Now they that are hiâ— sâ—â—epe do heaâ—e and obey his voice and follow him Therefore to distingâ—ish our selues from Goates from Rebels we must giue care vnto his voice that is loue one another as he Ioh. 13. 34. hath loued vs. Secondly his Apostles and Embassadors doe command and exhort vs to performe this dutie Paul saith Be affectioned to loue one another with brotherly loue Peter saith Loue one another Rom. 12. 10 with a pure heart seruâ—tly And Iohn inculcateth nothing more then that all 1. Pet. 2. 22. the godly should loâ—e one another But 1. Ihon. 4. 7. and 3. Ihâ—n v. 5. these were the Lords Pen-men their pens were ruled by the Lâ—rds owne singer Therefore it were a point of disloyaltie to God and â—n aâ—gument of rebellious and perueâ—se disposition to reiect or resist them and to withstand the Spirit which speaketh by them Thirdly we haue the example of holy men Dauid speaking of Ionathan saith Thy loue to me was wonderfull passing 2. Sam. 1. 26 Eph. 1. 15. Coll. 1. 4. the loue of women The Ephesians and Colossians are noted for their loue to all the Saints And Paul in praying that the Philippians loue might abound doth Phil. 1. 9. plainelie shew that they were not void of loue The Thessalonians are said to haue diligent loue and to testifie the 1. Thes 1. 3. And. 4. 10. same towards all the brethreÌ„ throughout all Macedonia Philemon was a louer Phil. 5. of all the Saints Yea Paul was so possessed with the spirit of loue as that he could euen wish himselfe to be Rom. 9. 3. seuered from Christ for his brethren that are his kinsmen according to the flesh Now as that cloud directed the Israelites in their iourney to Canaan so the ensamples of these holy men should further vs in our way to celestiall Num. 9. Canaan to heauenly Ierusalem They haue traced the way before vs by loue let vs follow their footing that we may obtaine their ioyes As euill examples do open a window to wickednes occasion the wicked to coÌ„mit iniquitie so let the good ensamples of the godly yea of God himselfe prouoke and excite vs to the works of holinesse so we following the light of their lamps shall in the end be partakers of the brightnesse of their glorie Fourthly wee were all elected by one we were all created by one to the glory of one according to the image of that one we are all effectually called by one wee are all redeemed by one blood and sanctifyed
by one Spirit we are all the children of one father and one mother and we haue all one elder brother one iustifier one iudge we are all ordeined to one kingdome to one family and are ruled by the same lawes we are all the subiects of one king the seruants of one Lord the sheepe of one shepheard the disciples of one Maister and the people of one God we haue all one hope of our calling one faith one baptisme and one body to feed vpen we are all the Patients of one physitian the building of one architect the vessels of one potter the temple of one Spirit the field of one husbandman and the hearers of one gospel we are all the members of one body the stones of one building the branches of one vine and trauellers in one way to one citie from Aegypt through the wide wildernesse of this wicked world vnto new Ierusalem celestiall Canaan a paradise of perpetuall pleasures Finally we are all in grafted into one stock incorporated into one body wee receiue sap from one roote sense from one head light from one lampe and water from one fountaine therfore good râ—ason is there that wee should loue and like affect fauour and embrace one another Fiftly it is fearefull and grieuous to hate or not to loue our brother For first it is a breach of Gods commandement who forbiddeth vs to hate our brother Leuâ—t 19. 17 Luke 22. 39 and commandeth vs to loue him as our selues Now hee that keepeth his commaundements dwelleth in him and hee in 1. Ioh. 3. 24. him but horrible calamity shall befall those that do without timely repentance transgresse and break them for their worme shall not die neither shall their fire be quenched and they shal be an abhorring Isay 66. 24. vnto all flesh Secondly hee that hateth his brother is in darknes and walketh in darknesse and knoweth not whether he 1 Ioh. 2. 11. gâ—eth because that darknesse hath blinded his eyes he is an vnregenerate person and is not illumined with the light of Gods Spirit but walketh like a blinde Bayard being possessed with the spirit of ignorance blinded with the darknesse of Aegypt out of the kingdome of light of grace of Christ and in the kingdome of darknesse of sinne and Sathan Thirdly Whosoeuer hateth his brother is a man-slayer and yee knowe that 1. Ioh. 3. 1â— no man-slayer hath eternall life abiding in him but is is obnoxious to eternall death and destruction Fourthly he that loueth not his neighbour knoweth not God Vndoubtedly if a man did know 1. Ioh. 4. 8. God truly that is if he did acknowledge him and knew him as he hath reuealed himselfe vnto vs in the couenant of grace if he knew him to be his God his Sauiour and louing friend and father in his sonne Christ Iesus he would not he could not but loue him and those also that are his sons and seruants elected created called iustified adopted santifyed and preserued by him as well as he himselfe Fiftly he that loueth not his neighbour is not the child of God For in this are the 1. Ioh. 3. 10 children of God knowne and the children of the Diuel whosoeuer doth not righteousnes is not of God neither he that Loueth Not his brother Sixtly he that loueth not his brother doth euidentlie declare that he loueth not God himselfe For how can he that loueth not his brother whome he hath seene loue God whome he hath not seene And whosoeuer 1. Iohn 3. 14 hath this worlds good seeth his brother haue need and shutteth vp his compassion from him how dwelleth the loue of God in him Seauenthly he which loueth not his neighbour doth shewe that his Rom. 6. 23. heart is hard and â—lintie that it was neuer mollified with the oyle of grace that he hath not a good conscience faith vnfained and that he neuer truely tasted of Gods loue nor of the sweetnesse of Christs blood neither that he did euer seriously consider and meditate of those bitter pangs and painefull passions which hee sustained whiles he liued and when he died as well for his neighbour as for himselfe To conclude this first argument He that 1. Ioh. 3. 4 loueth not his brother abideth in death As he abideth in the death of his soule being dead in sinne so he remaineth subiect to the death of his soule and bodie which is the wages of sinne Sixtly if we would but consider the Rom. 6. 23. excellencie and the excellent vse and commodities which come by this godly loue it would make vs all to be in loue with it and not onely to like it in it selfe or in others but in our selues also â—ea and to shew it in our liues and dealings First true loue commeth of God who is loue it selfe the very fountaine of all 2. Ioh. 4. 78. Galat. 5. 22 true loue For euerie good giuing and euerie perfect gift is from aboue and commeth down from the father of lights And Iam. 1. 17. 1. Cor. 4. 7 in truth what haue we that we haue not receiued Now the glorie of the giuer makes the gift more godly And who can be more glorious then God the Psal 2. 4. 10. Math. 6. 13. king of glorie to whome all glorie doth of due belong Secondly loue is an inseparable companion of true â—aith For as Paul sheweth 1. Tim. 1. 5. loue comes out of a pure heart a good conscience and faith vnsained And as Gregorie saith Iuantum credimus tantum diligimus As we beleeue so we loue Euen as light doth accompanie the Sun so doth loue attend vpon faith And as there is no fire without heat so there can be no true faith without loue Here also is loue againe commended because it flowes from that faith whereby our hearts are purified Act. 15. 9. Heb. 11. 6. and without which it is impossible to please God and commeth not but from a conscience which is at peace rest and doth excuse a man So then whosoeuer doth loue truely whome he ought and as hee ought may assure himselfe that hee doth beleeue truelie that his conscience is good before God and his heart purged by faith in the blood of Christ Thirdly such a loue of our brethren is asure signe of our election vocation regeneration and adoption For euery 2. Ioh. 4. 7. one that loueth is borne 〈◊〉 God knoweth God And Peter exhorting vs to giue diligence to make our calling and election 2. Pet. 1. 7. 10. sure sheweth vs that if among other vertues we haue also brotherly kindnesse and loue we shall neuer fall and therfore may assure our selues that we are elected and effectually called Fourthly the loue of our brethren is in Christs account accepted and reputed of as loue shewed vnto himselfe as appeareth plainely by that speech which he will vse to his sheepe when he shall come to iudge them Math. 25. 40. In as