it so returnes much kindnes vnto others as sap to the plants grasse to the beastes meate to the Serpent and many kinde and timely fruites vnto men yea it is kind to many that are vnkind vnto it They which receiue all curtesies and pâ—rte with none are like to Cerberus in the fable that let in all but would suffer none to returne But let vs loue one another ferueÌ„tly as Christ hath loued vs declare the inward affection of our heartes by the signes thereof in our liues For this trâ—â—e may be discerned by her fruits this grace may be knowne by her works Some man might say saith Iames thou hast faith shew mee thy faith by thy works Euen so thou saist Iam. 2. 18. thou hast loue shew mee thy loue by thy workes Can there be life without breath or fire without heate so there can be no true loue without some loue-tokens Christ hath demonstrated his loue vnto vs by giuing vs his blood so do thou declare thy loue to thy neighbour by giuing or doing those things that argue charitie Hereby saith Iohn 〈◊〉 percâ—iued loue because he layed downe 1 Ioh. 3. 16 〈◊〉 life for vs wherefore we ought to lay downe our liues also for the brethren Take heede therefore that thou dost not despise calaumniâ—te persecute and oppresse them For this were to shew thy selfe a very Dung-hill which receiueth wholsome ayre sweet shewers and the pleasant sun-beames which will do a garden good and sendeth nothing out of it selfe but stinking smels and filthy vapours Thirdly seeing that Christ did so loue vs as that he gaue vs his bloud his Vse 3 heart-blood we may assure our selues that he wil not stand with vs for earthly things He will not surely sticke to giue vs the necessaries of this life that stood not with vs for his blood but willingly fore-went it for vs especially considering that he is able to giue vs all things because he is heire and Lord of all things being God doth know Heb. 12. when they will do vs good and when harme This kind of reasoning the Apostle vseth to the Romanes saying If God spared not his owne Son but gaue him for vs all to death how shall he not with Rom. 8. 32. him giue vs all things also Euen so say I If Christ the â—teâ—nâ—l son of God hath not spared his blood but hâ—tâ— washed vs in it and hath giâ—en hâ—mselfe to death freely for vs what reason haue we to thinke but â—haâ— he will giue vs al other things that are câ—nueâ—ient for vs. If he giue the dearer he will neuer dâ—ny the cheaper if we be fit for to receiue them So much of the fourth Doctrine CHAP. VI. By nature we are vncleane Sin makes vs vncleane and vgly Wherefore we ought to take out â—oure lessons FIftly forsomuch as Iohn saith Christ hath washed vs from our sins I Doct. 5 conclude that we are by nature foule and filthie For there is no clensing where there is no corruption there needes no purging where there is no pollution Where there is no soare there needes no salue where there is â—o offence there needs no pardon and where there is no drosse there needs no refining Therfore in that Christ is saide to wash vs it must be supposed that we are not cleane And indeed how can it be otherwise by nature with vs seeing we haue in vs the spawne of wickednes and the seedes of all sins are by nature dead in trespasses children of wrath hauing all our imaginations Eph. 2. 1. 3. euill from our youth continually being borne in iniquitie and conceiued in Gen. 6. 5. 8. 27. sinne as Dauid doth ingenously confesse And the Apostle Paul saith that Ps 51. 5. Rom. 8. 7. the Wisedome of the flesh is Enmitie against God thereby shewing that the best desires the purest inclinations the sweetest affections in naturall men are euill corrupt filthy therefore also thâ—â—â— very hearts which are the fountaines of them the forge from whence they come For if the fruit be naught the tr 〈…〉 be good if the bran 〈…〉 es be by nature rotten the root cannot be sound and if the streames be naturally bitter the spring cannot besweet But what is that which makes vs filthy Surely sinne and therefore If 59. 3. Christ is sayed to haue washt vs from our sinnes Thou hast saith God defiled Ez. 28. 18. thy sanctification by the multitude of thine iniquities therefore iniquity doth defile The Israelites are sayed to haue Ez. 36. 17. defiled their land by their owne waies and by their deeds and the Lord saith that their way was before him as the filthines of the menstruous There is no cloth so white but the Dyer can make it black so there is no man so pure but sinne can pollute him It is pestilent as the plague and as filthy as the plague-sore Iobs botches did not more defile his body then sinne doth defile our soules It is as myre in our waies as rottennes in our bones as a canker in our bodies and as wormes in our maw Our sinnes are the biles and botches of our soules the weedes that choke vs the moaths that fret vs and the lees that corrupt the vessels of our hearts What shoulde this teach vs What good may wee reape by this doctrine Surely much For first by Vse 1 the consideration of it wee are moued to lament our estate by nature as also the condition of all impenitent and vnconuerted sinners Because till Christ hath washed vs in his bloud we are most loathsome and vgly stained with actuall sinnes innumerable and ouer whelmed with originall corruption which like a leprosie running from the crowne of the head to the sole of the foote hath polluted all the powers of our soules Secondly wee are taught to detest and abhorre sinne A dead carion doth Vse 2 not stinke so ill in the nose of man as sinne doth in the nostrils of the Lord. It is like a dampe that suffocates the spirits like an open sepulcre that corrupts the avre and as dead flies which Eccle. 10. 1. doe putrifie the oyntment of the Apothecarie It is not onely filthy in it selfe but it makes the sinner also foule vntil he be washed froÌ„â—t filthy like a maÌ„ full of running sores or leprous spots Thirdly it sheweth the madnesse of many men that welter in wickednesse Vse 3 and please themselues in their sinnes as pride couetousnesse drunkennesse idlenesse fornication hatred epicurisme What doth this argue in them but either grosse ignorance as palpable as the darkenes of Aegipt or else a swinish disposition and deadnes of spirit whereby they delight in tumbling in the mire being besoâ—ted and inâ—atuated with their owne lusts and drunken with their owne sinnes It is strange to see how feare full men are of the plague of the body and yet feare not the plague of the soule which is sinne It is
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
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—
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
of many by vsing a woâ—d of the singular number the Prophet would shew that Christ â—s 53. 12. was punished for all our sinnes And Iohn saith that his blood clenseth vs from All sinne not from a part And 1. Ioh. 1. 7. indeed how could God so make him to be sinne for vs that we might be 2. Cor. 5. 21. made the righteousnes of God in him except hee tooke away all our sinnes whereby we were 〈…〉 Therfore Haimo saith a right that Christ In cap. 5. ad Rom. Christus non solum peccatum originale sed etiam omnia actuâ—â—a ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath taken away not onely originall corruption but all actuall transgressions also in 〈◊〉 that are elected The speech which Paul vseth in Rom. â— â—â— is not exclusiue but by it â—eâ—lâ—e with that God hath not onely pardoned and that Christ hath not onely satisfied for thâ—se sinnes which wee admit of infirmitie after that we 〈…〉 called but euen for those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we did with full consent of will commit before then when we were the enemies of God and 〈◊〉 teacheth Titus that Christ hath giâ—en Tit. 2. 24. hâ—mselfe 〈◊〉 vs that he 〈…〉 vs from Allâ—â—â—â—â—â—tis 〈…〉 demanded 〈◊〉 Christ 〈…〉 all our sinnes 〈…〉 corporall and spiriâ—â—â—â—◠〈…〉 and eternall 〈…〉 that men die 〈…〉 afflictions in this 〈◊〉 Ans Their crosses are 〈…〉 and their afflictions if they be regenerated are not punishments inflicted of God as a dreadfull Iudge but his fatherly corrections and tryalls wherewith he visiteth his children to humble exercise instruct admonish refine and try them When we are iudged we are chastened of the Lord saith Paul because we should not be condeÌ„ned with the 1. Cor. 11 32 world And as Chryso saith when we are corrected or rebuked of the lord it is rather for our admonition then coÌ„demnation it is Hom. 28. in 1. Cor. rather to heale vs then torment vs and to mend vs rather then to punish vs. For as the Scripture speaketh He chasteneth quum corripimur a Domino magis est admonitionis quam damnationis medicinae quam supplicii correctionis quam poena Heb. 12. 10 11. Aug. de Poenae et confess vs for our profit that we might be partakers of his holinesse and his chastening bringeth with it the quiet fruit of righteousnes to them which are exercised thereby And of this opinion was Augustine as appeareth when he saith that Crosses and sorrowes before the pardon of sinne are Supplicia peccatorum the punishments of sinnes but after pardon Certamina exercitationesque iustorum the exercises of the righteous And as for death we doe not die to satisfie the iustice of God for any sin or for any penaltie deserued duely by sinne for Christ hath performed all this himselfe Who appeared to take away 1. Ioh. 3. 5. our sinnes hath carried all our sorrowes and by his death hath altered the condition Is 53. 4. of our death But we die for other causes As first that we may learne to detest our sinne which was the originarie cause of our dissolution Secondly that we may learne to be out of loue with the world and to looke after that citie which remaineth for eeuer Thirdly to teach vs true lowlines of minde and neither to insult ouer others nor to pranke and plume vp our selues like Peacocks He is a verie strange man that being a Tenant at his Land-lords pleasure will bestow more cost then needs vpon a rotten house which cannot stand long before it fall and out of which he may be turned this night before to morrow Fourthly that we shuld seriously consider of that great downefall which we tooke in Adam Fiftly that we might not feele or see those arrowes of vengance which the Lord draweth out of 2. King 22. 20. Is 57. 1. the quiuer of his iustice and shooteth them out of his bow of wrath and doth oftentimes sheath them in the sides of the wicked among whome we liue Sixtly that we might be deliuered wholly from the body of sinne For Death endeth the battell betweene the flesh the spirit and striketh off that Tyrants head And here we see the admirable prouidence of God and his vnrecompensable kindnesse to vs in ordaining the daughter to deuour and eate vp the mother For Sinne ingendred Death Death by diuine dispensation is now become the death of sin like a worme that eates the fruit wherof it was bred beeing the death of that which gaue life to it Seauenthly we must die that we may feele the power of Christ for the raysing vp of our dead bodies and for the revniting of our soules vnto them Eightly God doth sometimeâ— cal vs vnto death that we might in speciall manner glorifie his Name by dying and that by martyrdome we might remonstrate our loue to Christ who refused not to die that we might liue and not die Lastly we die that we might be translated out of a World of wickednes and out of the vale of miserie into the habitacle of perfect holines vnspeakable happinesse and that being dead in our bodie we might be transported as concerning our soules into the hauen of eternall peace and true tranquillitie ouer and out of the raging and rustling seas of all worldly troubles For as Cyprian saith death vnto the godly is Ianua vitae the doore of life and our Egressus departure forth of the world is our Ingressus entrance into the heauens We goe from men to God from earth to heauen out of the Wildernes into Canaan celestiall Canaan heauenly Ierusalem the land of righteousnesse the paradise of God and the temple of his holinesse The last doctrine now followeth CHAP. IX The blood of Christ is the ransome of all Beleeuers Remission of sinnes is excellent in nine respects IN that the Apostle saith Christ hath Doct. 8 washed Vs not some of vs wheÌ„ce I coÌ„clude that his blood hath clensed all the faithfull whatsoeuer noble and ignoble leaâ—ned and vnlearned rich poore of what sex or sort of what condition or countrey soeuer For Iohn thus speaketh of himselfe and of all the faithfull in those seauen Churches and wheresoeuer both Pastours and people male and female young and old high and low maryed and single The Lord saith Esay hath layed vpon him the iniquitie of vs All. He spared not his owne Sonne saith Paul but gaue him for vs All to death Therefore in his epistle to Is 53. 6. the Ephesians he is bold to call him the Rom. 8. 32. Sauiour of his bodie that is of the catholique Church and not of a part only And Saint Iohn saith that the blood of Christ doth appease his father for the sinnes of the Whole World of the 1. Ioh. 2. 2. Elect. And therefore the name of Iesus was giuen him because he was by God ordeined to saue his people euen Math. 1. 21 all his people from all their sinnes And this hath
to Amos 1. 23 rip vp women with childe to enlarge their borders shall not we seeke the death of our sinnes that would â—ip vp our soules and vtterly consume vs if Gods mercy did not hinder The wicked watcheth â—s 37. 32. the righteous seeketh to slay him and shall not we marke our vnrighteous affections and labour to kil them Shall they practise against the godly and shall we do nothing against vngodlinesse Ps 37. 12. kings cannot indure to be thwarted and ouer topt in their owne kingdomes Wee are kings wherefore then should we suffer our sins to braue vs and to vaunt themselues within vs Here we may lawfully resemble Diotrephes 3. Ioh. 9. Math. 23. 6. and the Pharisees who hunted after preeminence and the highest roomes We may lawfully challenge the primacy ouer sinne and it is wisdome and worthy our labour to seeke for a seate aboue sinne It is neither maiestie nor modestie but sordide and seruile humilitie or negligence for a king to suffer a slaue or obiect to sit about him And thus far also we may be like Caesar who could brooke no superiour Agamemnon and Pompey Nec quenquam iam ferre potest Cesarue priorem Pompeius ve parem Lucan who could endure neither superiour nor equall Yea we ought to stand vpon our dignitie against sinne and to tread it downe When Pharoah saw the Israelites increase fearing least they should growe too mightie for him he said vnto his people Come let vs worke Ex. 1. 10. 11. wisely with them least they multiply and therevpon they set task masters ouer them to keepe them vnder with burdeÌ„s so should we deale wisely with our sinnes that they multiplie not in vs nor wax too mightie we should beate downe our bodies labour to subdue them to vs. Neither must we only represse and keepe them vnder but labour also to subuert and kill them vtterly And to this end we ought to put on the whole armour of God that we may be able to resist conquer them Stand therefore with your loynes girded Eph. 〈◊〉 14. 5. about with veritie hauing on the brest-plate of righteousnesse and your â—eet shod with the preparation of the gospell of peace And aboue all take the Shield of faith wherewith ye may quench All the fierie darts of the wicked and take the helmet of saluation the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God where with ye may strike of the head of sin pray alway When tydings were brought that the Ammonites and Moabites were comming against Iâ—hoshaphat to battell that 2. Chro. 20. 2. 3. 6. good king set himselfe to seeke the Lord prayed vnto him for his assistance And as he confessed that he and his people were not able to encounter with so great a multitude so also he shewed hâ—s confidence and hope in God Our eyes saith he are towards thee And the Lord gaue him an admirable victorie So when Sâ—tan and our owne corruptions conspire together to worke our ouerthrow we ought to flie to God by prayer for his grace that our faith may not faile but that we may abide the brunt and obtaine a victorie ouer them And as Dauid prayed Ps 145. 1. Hide not thy face from mee Deliuer me â—o Lord from mine enemies And for thy mercy slay mine enemies destroy all theÌ„ that oppresse my soule Cast forth the Ps 144. 6. lightning scatter theÌ„ So do thou desire him to shiâ—ld thee with the buckler of his grace to dispell thine ignorance with the light of his Spirit to coÌ„found the Diuel and al thy sinnes which oppresâ—e thy soule and to defend and deliuer thee from all thy spirituall enemies which are too mightie 〈◊〉 hee For it is God that giueth deliuerance to Ps 144. 10. kings both temporall and spirituall He is able to destroy the mightiest and to releeue the weakest For great is Ps 147. 5. our Lord and great is his power his wisedome is infinite His greatnesse if he shew it is able to daunt the greatest His power and his wisedome if he list to vse it is able to frustrate the deuises of the wisest râ—tâ—rt them vâ— on their owne heads Let vs therefore in aâ—l our conflicts with sinne in all our combats with the diuel commit our selues vnto him No victorie can be lookâ— for without him And thus much for our Prince-hood CHAP. VI. Fiue vses made of our Priest-hood Nine sorts of spirituall sacrifices Christ is the Altar whereon they must be layed Of the time when thy must be offred Preparation consisting in two things must be made before they be offered The manner which we must obserue in offering stands in fiue duties The ende of offering them is of two kindes And of the latter there are eight set downe IT remaineth nowe to deliuer those instructions which may be gathered froÌ„ the consideration of our priest-hood First forsomuch as wee are Priests it is our dutie to labour for true spirituall knowledge that we may execute our our office faithfullie and discreetly The legall Priestes were to bee men of Mal. 2. 7. knowledge for the Priests lips saith the Lord shall preserue knowledge and I see no reason wherefore wee that are Euangelicall or spiritual priests should be voyd of vnderstanding ignorant The oxe knoweth his owner and the asse his masters crib and shall wee be ignorant Is 1. 3. of God that owneth vs and of Christ that is our Lord and master Peter exhorteth vs to growe in the knowledge of 2. Pet. 3. 18. Christ therefore we ought to haue the knowledge of him For as a man cannot increase in wealth vnlesse he haue some wealth so no man can growe in knowledge except hee haue knowledge A thing must bee before it can be bigger Those therefore that like the wicked coloured out by Iob desire not the knoowledge of Gods wayes but are Iob. 21. 14. Plin. nat hist l. 9. c. 32. content to liue without eyes like Sea-winckles and are by reason of their peeuishnesse as vnteacheable as Swallowes which as Plinie writeth cannot be Hist nat l. brought to learne those I say doe plainly shewe that they are not as yet called home to God but are in thraldom vnder the God of this world who hath blinded their mindes and leadeth them captiue at his will Surely they can be no good Priests no good men A very Pagan led onely by the light of nature was able to say that it was a sin to be ignorant of those things that doe quod magis ad nos perâ—net nâ—â—ciâ—e malum est et quae sit natura boni Hor. most concerne vs and not to know the nature of that which iâ— good God commanded that Aaron the Priest should weare a plate whereon was graued Holynes vnto the Lord and that vpon his brest-plate should be the Vrim and the Thummim euen so
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
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
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
because of them Most of his Apostles â—f not all were poore and the deaâ—est children of God are subiect to greâ—uâ—us crosses and haue beene in all Act. 16. 31. ages Beleeue in the Lord Iesus and thou shalt be loued Returne from All thy sinnes and do that which is right and thou shalt surely liue and not die how Ez. 18. 21. poore base or vile so euer thou maiest be Yea further thogh thou beest wicked and by thy sinnes an enemie to God yet dispaire not but beleeue and repent For Christ doth not die for vs because we are holy he doth not wash vs because we are cleane out by washing vs he makes vs cleane Christ did not die for the righteous but for the Vngodly and for the Vniust and therefore Paul saith God setteth out his loue Rom. 5. 6. 1. Pet. 3. 18. towards vs seeing that while we were yet Sinners Christ dyed for vs. Beâ—â—eue therfore and repent leaue sinne liue vprightly assure thy selfe of the blood Rom. 5. 8. of Christ for the remission of thy sins His merit â—s greater then thy miserie Rom. 4. 5. Rom. 3. 22. and a saluâ— made of his blood is able to cure all the sores of thy soule Thirdly seeing the bloud of that one man Christ Iesus hath clensed vs all Vse 3 from all our sinnes we are admonished to loue one another Some of vs are not washed in the bloud of one and the rest in the bloud of another but we are all washed in the bloud of one and one hath washed vs al therfore we ought al as if we were but one to loue agree one with an other This kind of argument is vsed by the prophet Malachy Mal. 2. 10. when he saith Haue we not all one father Hath not one God made vs Why doe wee transgresse euery one against his brother And the Apostle exhorting the Ephesians Eph. 4. 3. 4. to keepe the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace vseth this as a reason to perswade them too it because there is one body one spirit one Lord one faith one baptisme one God and Father of all Euen so say I Forasmuch as one man one God Christ Iesus who is both God and man hath washed vs all from our sinnes by the merit of his most pretious bloud why should wee transgresse one against another as wee vse to doe And why doe wee not rather affect and embrace on an other Doe we not all come out of his loines Eph. 5. 30. Are wee not all flesh of his flesh and bones of his bones Hath not be washt vs all for himselfe Doe wee not all spring froÌ„ that water from that bloud which sprang 〈◊〉 him when he hanged on the crossâ— I noâ—â—e that bread of life which we all eate off that well that water of life which we all drinke off that meane or that wish to liue Doe wee all breath by him â—aue we all theâ— emission of all our sinneâ— by his bloud Hath hee communicated his bloud to vs all And shall we disgrace abuse contemne and oppresse one an other We should rather be kind courteous louing folowing 〈◊〉 â—hings which concerne peace and amitie and Rom. 14. 19. wherewith one may edifie an other Fourthly seeing our sinâ— cost Christ his bloud we may as in a glasse behold Vse 4 the rigour and seuetitie of Gods absolute iustice who would be pacified only by the bloud of his owne Sonne By which we see that he is not altogether mercy as many foolish and presumptuous Totus Deus est miserie ordia non to taliter persons dâ—e imagine It is true indeede that God is mercifull and so â—iche in mercie as that hee sent his Sonne to saue vs but yet with â—ll he is so iust that rather then sin should scape vnpunished hee hath made his Sonne to beâ—re the punishment of it And as for those thaâ— will not by fayth receiue hâ—s sonne and will not reforme their liues but goe on in sinne without repentance hee hath for the manifestation of his iustice reserued to eternall â—orments And theâ—efore Iob saith The Iob. 21. 30. wicked is kept vnto the day of destruction and they shal be brought foorth to the day of wrath And the Psalmist saith accordingly In the hand of the Lorde there is a cup and the wine is red it is sul Psal 75. 8. mixt and he powreth out of the same surely all the wicked of the earth shall wring out and drinke the dregs thereof We see therfore that his mercy doth not shoulder out his iustice Let no man therefore sinne in hope of pardon For our God is euen a consuming fire to consume vp all impenitent sinners and it Heb. 12. 29. Deut. 4. 24. Heb. 10. 31. is a fearefull thing to fall into his hands Fiftly we may see the heynousnes of sinne For we must not thinke that Vse 5 small which cost so great a price and made the bloud of God be shed for the pardon of it Let vs therfore detest our sins account theÌ„ greuous not smal They displease God they deserue his iudgemeÌ„ts they prouoke his anger they hinder his blesâ—ings they trouble our peace and procure our death Like the Ier. 5. 25. worme they eat the wood wherin it was bred they destroy the soule wherin they we eingendred Plinie wriâ—eth that the Vipers kill their damme at their coÌ„ming fâ—orâ—h Euen so the byâ—th of sin is in desert Hist nat lib. 〈◊〉 cap. 62. the death of the sinner Our sinnes crucified the Lord of life they were the nayles that pierced him the thornes that pricked him and the speare that was thrust through him He for our sinnes laid downe his life and spilt his bloud They made him grone and sigh they made him sweat water and bloud they tormented his soule and made it heauy vnto death yea they made him cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee The consideration of these things Math. 27. 46 should moue vs vnlesse like mountains we wll not be moued to relinquish and abhorre our sins When Peter had told the Iewes that they had crucified the Lord they were strucken as with a thuÌ„der-bolt from heauen and beeing pricked in heart they cryed 〈◊〉 Men and brethren what shall wee doe Thy sinnes Act. 2. 37. haue crucified the Lord of glory they nayled him fast vnto the crosse they would not die till he was dead hee was faine to make a Bath of his bloud of his best bloud his Heart-bloud to clense wash thee from them Repent therefore and relent condemne and accurse them forsake and hate them Wilt thou liue in theÌ„ that made Christ to die wilt thou delight in them that made Christ to mourne Canst not thou mourne for them that made him to bleed Indeed Pro. 14. 9. the Foole maketh but a mocke of sinne But wilt thou needs be that
foole Is Pro. 26. 3. not a rod prepared for the fooles back Doest thou not know that the foolish Ps 5. 5. shall not stand in Gods sight and that he hateth all them that worke iniquitie Vpon the wicked he shall raine snares fire Ps 11. 6. and brimstone and stormy tempest this is the portion of their cup. But Life is in the way of righteousnesse in that path there Pro. 12. 28. is no death What shall we then thinke of those that delight in wickednes and that draw iniquitie with cordes of vanitie Is 5. 18. sin as it were with cartropes What shal we say of those that make a trade of vsury a life of drunkennes an occupation of swearing swaggering lying deceiuing oppressing which eueÌ„ plow vpoÌ„ the faces of pore meÌ„ come their money vpoÌ„ their skins which notwithstanding al admonitions and instructions to the contrary go forward in their irregular vnnaturall and irrelgious courses with out 〈◊〉 like Pharoahs ill fauoured and leane-fleshed kine which thought 〈◊〉 had eaten vp Gen. 41. 21. seauen fat kine 〈◊〉 yet as ill-fauoured as they were before Surely it argueth that as yet they are not washed froÌ„ their sinnes For they that are washed from sinne make conscience of sinne A dying vnto sin is begunne in them to whome the death of Christ is actually applied which he sustained for them It argueth that sinne is not onely in them but that they also are in sinne like an house that hath not onely fire in it but which is also in the fire readie to be consumed in it It argueth that they are as yet in the power of the Diuell who leades them captiue like Beares by the lips to do his will Finally it argueth horrible securitie in that they neither regard the iustice of God and his seueritie against sinne nor weigh that sacred blood which was shed for sinne For questionlesse if men did seriously consider those manifold and inextricable dangers in which they were by sinne and that nothing would satisfie God for sinne but the blood of his owne and onely Sonne it would daunt them much and make them to hate and leaue them though there were but one sparke of sauing grace within them A man we see cannot indure the sight of that sword wherewith his father was put to death Christ is our Father and we are his Seed Children His soule was powred Is 9. 6. Heb. 2 13. Is 53. 10. Is 53. 12. out vnto death for our sinnes He was both wounded slaine for them They were as I may say the sword that slew him Let vs therfore loath leaue them Let not them be our ioy which were the causes of his sorrowes Make not that thy myrth which was the cause of his mourning and had made thee mourne had not he mourned for thee Is it seemely for thee that art washed from sinne like a Soâ— to pollute thy selfe with sinnes Did not Christ die that we should liue to him 2. Cor. 5. 15. that dyed for vs And did he not giue himselfe for a people that should be Tit. 2. 14. zealous of good works He bare our sins saith Peter in his body on the tree that 〈◊〉 being dead to sinne should liue in 1. Pet. 2. 24. righteousnes Let vs therefore renounce our sins forsake our enormities which are indeed our chiefest deformities and let vs giue our selues to the workes of holinesse Yee are not your owne For ye 1. Cor. 6. 19. 〈◊〉 are brought for a price Christ hath giuen his bloud for you Therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit They be Gods they be Christs he hath bought theÌ„ dearely Be not the seruants of men be not the seruants of sinne Turne vnto me saith the Lord for I haue redeemed 1. Cor. 7. 23 thee so I say turne vnto Christ for he hath redeemed thee he hath washed Is 44. 22. thee from all thy sinnes in his blood And beeing made free from sinne ye are Rom. 6. 18. made the seruants of righteousnes Therefore as ye haue giuen your members seruants to vncleannes and iniquitie to commit iniquitie so now giue your members Rom. 6 19. seruants vnto righeousnes in holinesse For as Peter saith it is sufficient for vs that 1. Pet. 4. 3. we haue spent the time past of the life after the lust of the Gentiles walking in wantonnes lusts drunkennes gluttony drinkings and in abominable idolatries Sixtly seeing Christ is said to haue Vse 6 washed vs from our sinnes wee see that Christ in his owne person did put away sinne and so abolish death For z. Tim. 1. 10 we are not only washed in his bloud but also washt by him And thus we see first that Christ shed his bloud freely For hee washt vs as it were with his owne hands and besides we know that his God-head which giueth dignitie to his bloud is free from all constraint Secondly wee see that we are not onely washed by the father and by the Holy Ghost but by the Sonne also For those workes of the Trinitie Opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indiuisa which are wrought vpon the creature are common to all the persons differing onely in their manner of working The Father washeth vs from sin because he hath of his grace sent his Son to take away our sin for that he forgiueth sin for the sacrifice of his Sonne The Sonne is said to wash vs from sin because hee doth in his owne person pay the price of sin by the merit of his bloud which he shed procure the pardon of it And the holy Ghost also may be said to wash vs because hee worketh faith in our hearts whereby we do apprehend the bloud of Christ and apply it to our selues in special and because hee sealeth the pardon to our soules and giues vs the assurance therof in our Consciences Seuenthly seeing that wee haue the remission of our sinnes for the bloud of Vse 7 Christ we are taught to know that the sacrifices vsed before his comming were onely typicall and not properly satisfactorie It is impossible saith the Apostle that the bloud of bulles and goates should take away sinnes They were Heb. 10. 4. onely â—ipes or figures shadowing out that absolute and all-sufficient sacrifice of Christ euen the sacrifice of his soule and bodie which he beeing our High-priest as God incarnate did offer vnto his father vpon the altar of his God-head for the expiation of our sinnes And therefore a I such ceremonies are to be adiudged dead seeing Christ the substance of them hath performed that which they did shadow forth Eightly seeing our sinnes are purged Vse 8 by the bloud of Christ wee may perceiue a differeÌ„ce betwixt his bloud and the bloud of Martyrs For though Sanguis Martyrum sit semen Ecclesiae God so blesse the death of his Martyrs and make their bloud so fertill that
that there shall not any of them perish So the blood of Christ which saueth all his â—oyall Subiects from all their mortall enemies cannot but be full of might and verâ—ue It is a good blade which will cut asunder a barre of iron therfore surely the blood of Christ is powerfull seeing it hath câ—ackt in sâ—nder the iron baâ—res of our sinnes hath consumed them to powder That water must needs be verie vertuous for qualâ—tie if it be but of smal quantity which is able to quench a mountaine of fire Christs blood for measure was not much therefore we mâ—st needs confesse it to be full of merit full of vertue seeing it both quenched the fiery mountain of gods wrath and dissolued the mountanie masse of mans sinne Death considered as it is an effect and punishment of sinne is as it were Hells mouth like the man that turnes the ladder whereon the Malefactour readie to be executed standeth Now the blood of Christ hath not onely taken away the second death but hath also changed the nature of that first It hath made it a Key to open the doore let vs loose from al our sinnes it hath made it an Axe to strike off the head of our flesh it hath made it an Ariadnes threed to bring vs out of the labyrinch of all earthly miseries and as a Boate to transport vs vnto the hauen of â—ternall happinesse and therefore we mâ—st needs coÌ„lesse it is of â—nclesse merit of admirable verâ—ue Let vs therefore Beloued not with Thomas put our hands inâ—o his side but let vs plunge our selues wholy both Ioh. 20. 27 soule and bodie into his blood For he is that Pelican that feeds vs to eternall life by his blood His blood is that Hyssope by which we are clensed and the Balme of Gilead whereby Ps 51. 7. Leuit 24. 7. our soules are cured WheÌ„ Elisha went about to restore to life the Shunamites sonne he lay vpon him and put his 2. King 4. 34. mouth vpon the childes mouth his own hands vpoÌ„ his hands his eyes vpon his eyes stretched himselfe vpon him Euen so if thou desirest to be receiued to euerlasting life set thy selfe by faith vpoÌ„ the crosse of Christ apply thy hands to his hands thy feete to his feet thy mouth to his mouth thine eyes to his eyes thy sinful hart to his bleeding hart and bath thy selfe by faith in his blood For euen as the Israelites which were stung to death by the fierie Serpents Num. 22. 9. were cured if they looked vp to the brazen Serpent so if we which are stung to death of that old Serpent by sinne which is his poy soned tooth and venomous sting will looke vp to Christ our brazen Serpent hanging vpon the crosse with the eye of faith Ioh. 3. 14. 15 we shal be deliuered from all our sins his blood is a counterpoyson effectuall against them all The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plinie writeth hath a propertie to frustrate Hist nat lib 37. c. 4. the malicious effects of poyson and to expell vaine feareâ—t at posseâ—â—e the mind So the blood of Christ is able to preserue vs from the mortall effects of sinne which is more deadly then the deadliest poyson and being applyed to the heart by the hand of faith it will expell the feare of damnation and fill the soule with ioy When the corps of the dead souldier beeing tumbled into Elishaes graue had touched his bones he presently reuined 2. King 13. 21. euen so shall wee by a spirituall touching of Christ dead buried be deliuered from finne the life of death and shal be quickened to eternall life And as the woman which had the bloodie Math. 9. 20. issue was cured by touching the hem of his garment so shall we though we did exceed in number the Stars of heauen the sands on the Sea-shore we I say should haue all the bleeding wounds of our soules healed if we will touch his blood with the finger of a Act. 10. 43. true faith For vnto him giue all the Prophets witnesse that through his Name All that beleeue in him shall receiue remission of sinnes His Name hath made vs noble his death is our deliuerance his humiliation is our exaltation his shame is our glorie and his blood the price of our pardoÌ„ Which things notwithstandâ—ng we possesse by faith and by faith 〈◊〉 do receiue and not without it For as the branch or science receiueth no sap from the roote vnlesse it be ioyned to it and as the parts of the bodie haue neither sense nor motion except they cohere with the head and be conioyned to it so we that are branches of that noble Vine Christ Iesus the members of his bodie haue neither life nor motion we receiue not the Ioh. 15. pardon of our sinnes nor partake of any of his benefits vnlesse we be vnited to him and be knit vp together with him Now we are not vnited if we haue not faith For vs the vnioÌ„ is made by the Spirit in respect of God so it is made by faith in respect of vs. But that I may presse this point a a little further If thou hadst a mortall and inexoâ—able enemie and knewest a safe course whereby thou mightest be deliuered from him thou wert thine owne enemie if thou didst refuse to take it especially if there were no other way but that Sathan is thine irreconciliable enemie Sinne which is his Mâ—nion is thy deadly foe For as Plinie recordeth of the Flower-de-lis that it Hist nat l. 11. c. 2. prouoketh sleepe but consumeth nature so though sinne may seeme to satisfie a carnall corrupt affection by giuing it a kind of contentment and rest yet in truth it is an vtter enemie to the spirit and like Iuy it suckeâ—h out the verie sap of the soule Now the blood of Christ is onely able to quell these thine enemies to redeeme thee from that cursed condition to which thou art obnoxious by them Labour therefore to be partaker of it thou art thine owne enemie if thou doâ—st neglect it Plinic saith that men were wont to carie Polium about them to chase away Lib. 21. cap. 20. SerpeÌ„ts But the most soueraigne amulet or preseruatiue which men can haue against Satan and their sinnes is the blood of Christ applyed by faith vnto their hearts The sicke do seeke vnto the Phisitian that their bodies Admedicam dubius coÌ„fugit aeger opem Ould might be preferned from temporarie death and shall not we seeke to Christ that great Phisitian of the soule that washing vs in his blood we might be preserued from that eternall death of soule and bodie So soone as he had touched the Leaper he tooke away his leprosie euen so if he please to touch vs with his vertuous touch the touch Luke 5. 13 vs with his vertuous touch the touch of his woundes we shal be deliuered from our sinnes His blood
the four mighty Monarchies of the world and by continuall alterations in States to this day Secondly in earthly kingdomes there is one the King and the rest are his subiects but in this kingdome all are Kings and God alone is King of all Neither doeth this anie whâ—t diminish our glorie For euen his seruice is perfect libertie yea the more perfect our seruice is to him the farther we are from bondage and the more absolute is our spirituall regâ—lâ—tie Thirdly the affaires of earthly Princes are â—â—iefly bodiâ—y and outward but ours are spirituall and inward Fourthly kings of this world if they should prooue worldly minded as the most are and vse to bee may become Tyrants and irreconciliable enemies one vnto another labouring with all their powers to deturbe and ouer throw each other But so iâ— falleth not out with those whome Christ hath made kings For he so ruleth them by his Spirit and with the Scepter of his word that they shall neuer clime to that height of wickendesse as of despite and purpose to seeke the destruction of one anothers soule and to depriue them of their crownes Fiftly earthly kings may be plagued of God to the losse of their soules and therfore Esay saith that Tophet or hell Is 30. 33. is prepared for the King euen for all wicked Princes whatsoeuer which rebell against the King of Kings But these kings shall neuer perish For Christ giueth them eternall life and it is their Ioh. 10. 28. Luk. 12. 32. Fathers pleasure to giue them the kingdome of heauen Lastly earthly Kings come to their kingdomes either by conquest or by their bloud or else by voyces and election But we obtaine this kingdome neyther by the conquest of our owne workes nor by the suffrages election of other men neither come we by it through the commendation or dignitie of flesh or bloud but by the alone propitious grace of God and propitiatory merits of Iesus Christ who by suffering death and fulfilling the lawe for vs hath redeemed vs from hell and procured heauen and this our heauenly honour Therefore the Apostle saith The wages of sinne is death but the 1. Pet. 2. 5. free gift of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. So much for our Prince-hood Now as concerning our Priest-hood Saint Peter who tells vs that wee are an Rom. 12. 1. holy Priest-hood tells vs also the ende of this our Priest-hood euen to offer vp spirituall Sacrifices acceptable vnto God by Iesus Christ. Wherein then doe we differ from the Priestsvnder the lawe and from Christ the High-Priest of all his people I answere we differ from the priests of the old Testament First because their sacrifices were types of Christ but so are not ours Secondly they offeâ—ed the bodies of other things wee offer our owne Thirdly their offrings were merely corporall ours properly are spirituall Fourthly they offered vp â—â—aine sacrifices and dead but we are commanded to offer vp our bodies a liuing sacrifice Rom 12. 1. and we offer vp our selues aliue Fiftly they were Priests for others but we are Priests for no men properly as they were Sixtly their Altar was material and earthly but ours is aliue and heauenly to wit Christ Iesus Seuenthly their priesthood had an end but ours is eternall Eightly theirs went from one to another by succession but so doth not ours Ninthly amongst them some were seperiours but there is no such diuersitie of degrees among vs beeing simply considered as we are Priestes Indeed there is diuersity of graces and there shal be inequality of glory thogh there shal be no want but fulnesse in all Tenthly many of them were wicked and some professed enemies of Christ his religion But they which Christ hath made Priests are holy chosen and a 1. Pet. z. 9. people set at liberty such as shal not dy but liue Lastly they were all of them males of one nation and of one kinred of that nation and they to be without any bodily defect or blemish but amoÌ„gst Eeuit 21. 18 vs there are both men women of all tribes nations and though many of them want not outward defects either by nature or by accident yet Christ respecteth not the outward estate of any man in working for vs this honour Now as concerning Christ and his Priesthood he was the Substance or Truth of all those Sacrifices and shadowes at his death their date went out whereas contrariwise our Priest-hood then began So that wee are but vassalls to that great â—igh Priest Secondly hee is an externall Priest of the New Testament but we are spirituall Priests and not outward Thirdly his principall sacrifice was himselfe but we haue other sacrifices Heb. 9. 11. to offer besides our selues our selues no way acceptable in our selues but in him Fourthly his sacrifice was of reconciliation to satisfie the iustice of God for vs But ours is of thanksgiuing to God not satisfactory but declaratory to shew our selues mindfull of that expiatory sacrifice which Christ offered and to testifie our loue vnto him for it and how gratefully we do receiue it Fifthly his was offered once for all but ours must be offered daily vpon all occasions Sixtly he as Preist was God and Man but we are meere men simple and silly creatures Seauenthly his Altar was his Godhead but our Altar is his Godhead and Manhead also vnited in one person Eightly his Sacrifice was voluntary hee did not owe it to vs but ours are debts which are for many causes to be performed duely of vs. Ninthly if wee had not sinned his sacrifice had bene spared but some of ours should haue bin performed of vs though we had not sinned Tenthly the goodnesse of his sacrifice came from himselfe but if ours haue any goodnesse so farre sorth as they be good it is from his holy Spirit which worketh in vs. Lastly Christs sacrifice was perfect of it selfe being his who is perfect man and perfect God but ours are in this life maymed and imperfect and their imperfection is couered by the perfection of his And thus we see the glorious estate of all the faythfull that euen as Christ their Head is a king and Priest so are all they kings and priests also yea a kingdome of priests a regall and holy priesthood although it be with great difference For they receiue this honour by him and not he through them He is a king by nature but they by grace Hee is an absolute Prince ouer all creatures whatsoeuer and ouer the very conscience but so are not they He is now in the full possession of his kingdome so are not we but we wayt in our mortall bodies of this earthly thraldome for the hope of that mortall and regall liberty of the sonnes of God in the heauens CHAP. IIII. Foure instructions arising from the coÌ„sidederation of our Princehood HAuing now declared the nature of this benefit it remaineth for me to gather the