AS many Scriptures tho­rough the body of the Bi­ble, doe moste plainly lay forth, the worke, I should say wonder, of our redemp­tion & reconciliation with God the father: so there is nothing, wherein a Christian soule should rather seeke to solace her selfe, then in the sweet meditation of this most heauenly doctrine, by which she may see that God is now reconciled vnto her, and that shee may through Christ merite, haue accesse with boldnesse vnto the throne of grace, for as this maketh a mans heart to melt, & his knees for feare to beate together, to consider that God is his enemy, and that he will call him to [Page] iudgement for al his sinnes: so this filleth the hart with ioy and bones with gladnesse, to re­cord that God hath put away his sinnes, and in great fauour hath respect vnto him for his good. In regard whereof it standeth vs in hand that our heartes may be silled with this sweetnes, and our soules haue their parte in this most heauenly solace, attentiuely to consi­der the Apostle in this place. In the vnfolding of whose wordes, my purpose is, first briefly to lay downe his meaning, and then more amply to stand on those points, which make for re­conciliation betweene God and man.

Now then are wee embassadors for Christ: as if the Apostle would say now then we come not of our owne heads, without lawfull war­rant, for God hath put this word of reconcile­ment into our mouthes, he hath sent vs in em­bassage vnto you, and giuen vs in commission thus to speake: Wherefore for Christ sake if you will doe any thing for him we pray you, nay Christ praieth you, for his place now we do supply, and not only he but God in vs, and by vs praieth and beseecheth that you would be reconciled vnto him. If you desire his friendship, but yet feare his presence because of your sinnes; beholde his mercie, he will not impute vnto you your sins, but vnto you they shall be as though they had neuer beene. If [Page] yet you doubt how this may be, since that you know that God is iuste and punisheth sinne wheresoeuer he findeth it; looke on your saui­our, & that which God in mercy pardoneth in you, he punisheth with all iustice in his sonne. For he which was most innocent and knew no sinne, hath your sinnes imputed vnto him, and not onely imputed, but he is made sinne for you, that is a sacrifice for your sins. Thus the chastisement of your peace is layed on his shoulders, and for your sins hee hath suffered, an hell of torments in his most blessed soule & bodie. If yet you dare not presume his pre­sence, because you want your wedding gar­ments: consider, that he was therefore made sinne for you, that you should be made, (you cannot make your selues) not the righteousnes of man which is inherent in you, but the righ­teousnes of God which is imputed to you. And to make all without doubt you are made this righteousnes of God, not in your selues, but in him, euen in Christ Iesu, which for your sake hath sanctified himselfe, and fulfilled all righteousnes for you, so that as your sinnes were not inherent in him, but in your selues; yet so imputed to him, as though they were his: so this righteousnes, by which you are re­puted righteous before your maker, is not in­herent in you but in him, yet as if it were [Page] yours, through Gods great mercy it is impu­ted vnto you. Wherefore now let euery good Christian, in a good assurance of hope, come with boldnesse vnto the throne of grace, since now to his endlesse comfort he feeleth, that Christ hath borne the punishment of his sinne, that hee might enioy the fruite of Christes righteousnes, which is all grace in this world and hereafter euerlasting life.

Out of this short explication of the Apo­stles wordes, & light touch of this most woun­derful doctrine, we may for our better instruc­tion obserue, first who are to be reconciled, that is God and man: secondly by whom they are to be reconciled, that is by Iesus Christ: third­ly by what meanes Christ reconcileth man vnto God, which is by taking away from man that which is mans, that is his sinne: and by giuing vnto man that which is not mans, but Gods, euen the righteousnesse of God in him.

Then first the chiefe partie that is to be reconciled is God, and he Mat 23 3 [...] Ier 25.4 sent his seruaunts earely and late, to recall his people from their sinnes; and although they were euill entrea­ted and put to shame, yet in the aboundance of his loue he protesteth that Eze [...]3.1 he would not the death of a sinner, but with great griefe de­maundeth of his people Israell why they would die, nay after his seruants he sendeth [Page] his sonne, who Luk. 19 41. weepeth & would haue Mat. 23.37. ga­thered them as the henne gathereth her chic­kens, but they would not heare, nor know the thinges that made for there peace, Iohn 11.53 but killed the heyre of the vineyard, and Mark. 13.9 persequuted such which beleeued in his name. Yet for all this God full of mercy and ready to forgiue, giueth, in commaund Act. 1.8 Mat. 28.19 to his Apostles, and to other successors the pastors and teachers in the Church, not to commaund but to pray, not in there owne name but in his, that yet at the length they would be reconciled vnto him. Behold O carelesse fleshe the wonder of the world, that the almighty Iob 4.9 who by the breath of his nostrels, could destroy al flesh, Mat. 3 9. and can raise out of stones sonnes vnto Abraham, Exo. 32.10 & make of Moses a mighty nation, should so far stoope as it were vnto man, and beseech him that he would be reconciled vnto him. It is he O man that is iniured, Isa. 5.4 he hath not iniu­red nor wronged thee, Mic. 6, 3 testifie against him if thou canst: yet he which beareth thy rebukes, Ioel 2.11. [...]ob 9 5 [...]er. 10.12 and whose wrath if thou weart armed, with the powers of heauen and earth thou couldest not susteyne, is not onely Ps. 86.5 ready to forgiue, but beggeth at thy hands, that thou wouldest be forgiuen, and reconciled vnto him: Thy enmitie can do him no hurt, thy friendship no good. Yet when thou art dumbe, nay scornest [Page] his helpe that is thine owne health, he for thy good not for his, entreateth, beseecheth, that thou wouldest be reconciled vnto him. O Lord Exo 34 6 P [...]. 145 8 great in patience and of much mercy, that thou shouldest so friendly deale with sin full flesh. I would that we could so deale with our brethren, as thou O Lord hast dealt with vs. But alas our fleshly mindes and malice feeding stomackes, are so sharpened to re­uenge, and to bandie backe an ill turne with a worse, that if any hath but once trespassed vs, we are ready forthwith to haue him by the throate. We are so farre from entreating his loue, that wee disdaine to speake to him, nay cannot abide that any should speake of him to vs. But O man looke on thy maker, he hath not dealt in this sort with thee: thou hast not trespassed Mat. 18.2 [...] him once, but often: and that not after a light, but most grieuous manner, yet before Ier. 31.10 Ezech. [...] Rom. 10.20 that thou art sorie for thy fault, or once desirest to haue his mercy, he is not one­ly cōtent to speake, but as one that hath writ­ten thy iniuries in the dust, desireth thee to be recōciled vnto him. O blessed sauiour whilest yet thy handes and feete were bleeding, & thy mouth tasted of the gall and vineger, whilest yet thy eies saw there vilenes, and thy eares heard the reproch with which they reproched thee: thou criedst, Luke 23 3 forgiue them father, for­giue [Page] them, they know not what they do. And thy faithfull Stephen whilest yet he sighed vn­der the violence of the stones, he Luke 9.54 called for no fier from heauen, neither did his Gen. 4.10 bloud call for vengeance from the earth, but seeking to do good to them, of whom he had receyued euill, Act. 7.60 O Lord lay not this sin to there charge. True it is that which the Disciples spake of another matter, so sinful flesh speaketh of this, Iohn 6.60 this is an harde saying who may abide it. Insomuch that if fleshe and bloud aske coun­saile of it self, he wil Leu. 24.20 haue a tooth for a tooth, and yet not content, he will neuer rest, till he hath set his feete on the neck of him that hath offended, and his eies see him a dispised crea­ture trampeled in the dirte. For if Hest. 3.6 Haman see that Mardoche shall not arise and make obeysaunce vnto him, so mightily rageth ma­lice in his hart, that he will not onely prepare a gibbet to hange him: but yet not satisfying his reuenging soule, he will labour to destroy with him his whole nation. If once the wo­men shall ascribe to Dauid, more 1. Sam. 18.8.29 glorie then to Saule, although Dauid vētured for Saules defence, and this fault (if so be a fault) is in o­ther not in him, yet Saules soule so burneth with reuenge, that it can not be cooled by 1. Sam. 20.33. in­treatie of friendes, or any whit aswaged 1. Sam. 24.12. by the merites of his seruant, nor yet quenched, [Page] although he 1. Sam 34. vers. 2 [...] knoweth all this to be the onely worke of God. Thus doth malice & reuenge beare rule in fleshly minded men.

Neyther doth this furious passion onely reigne in fleshly minded men, and such which haue no feeling of God, but euen this taketh hold sometimes of the children of God, and so mastereth the good spirit that is in them, that in the furie of their affection they seeke re­uenge, and the spoyle of him whom their hu­mor doth not like. This may be seene in E­lysha 2. Reg 2.23 who cursed the children because they mocked him, this in Gen. [...].29 the Patriarkes which forgate nature and sould their brother, this Gen. [...] 8 in Lot who snuffes at Abraham for the quarell of his men, this Luk. [...] [...]4 in the Apostles, who wished for fier to come downe from heauen, this 1. Sam. 25.22 in Dauid who rashly vowed, that hee would not leaue in Nabels house one to make water against the wall, and this also in many Gods seruants, who now liue in the flesh, too much yeelding to their fleshe. Vnto whom what should wee say but that they Gal. [...]. [...] would walke after the spirit, not after the fleshe, that they would Gal. 2.2 [...] leaue to liue vnto themselues, and suffer Christ to liue in them. That they would say of Shemei cursing as Dauid did to the sonnes of Seruiah, 2. Sam. 16 11 suffer him to curse, for y ^e Lord hath biddē him, or that they would [Page] answere not onely with wordes but teares of kindnes, as Ioseph did to his brethren which acknowledged their faulte, Gen. 50.19 all is for good, feare ye not am not I vnder God. And not on­ly let them acknowledge that it is God that hath stirred vp enemies, against them for their good, but yet whilest they smart with the in­iuries they haue receyued, and the other take pleasure in the wronges that they haue done; let them not onely forgiue and beseech them of loue, the which God doth here, but let them pray for those their enemies as did our Saui­our for his, because their affection hath so blinded them, that they well know not what they doe. Thus much for the first party our mercifull God that beseecheth man to be re­conciled vnto him, now followeth that wee should speake of the second partie, which is Man & his demeannor in this reconciliation towardes God.

Now Man in the vers. 19 verse going before is called the world, the which word is sometime taken for the wicked of the worlde, in which sence our Sauiour speaketh when he saieth I Iohn 17.9 praye not for the world, & the Apostle saith, God 1. Cor. 11.3 chasteneth vs in the worlde, least wee should be condēned with the world. In which sence if wee take man, so farre is he from see­king to be reconciled with God, that somtime [Page] in the pride of his heart, he asketh with Pha­raoh Ezod 5.2 who is the Lorde that I should heare his voice. Yea, when we preach vnto such Ier. 11.21 the glad tidinges of peace, they say vnto vs preach to vs no more in the name of the Lorde, thus when wee speake of peace Luk. 19.42 they care not for those thinges that make for their peace, but prepare themselues to warre with God lay­ing sinne vppon sinne, as though with the Gi­ants they would plucke God out of heauen. Indeede before such swine, it is vnmeete that we should Mat. 7.6 cast forth heauenly pearles, or pu­blish the thinges that make for their peace. Because God in his iustice hath so blinded their eies, that now they are hidden from their sight. Yet because such which are reprobate 1. Reg. 8.39 Reu. 2.23 are knowen onely to God, because he by his will reuealed, 1. Tim. 2.4 would haue all men to be sa­ued & come vnto the knowledge of his truth, & hath commaunded vs to Marke 16.15 publish this word of Reconcilion vnto all: it standeth vs in due­ty to harken to the heauenly voice, & Luke 8.5 in scat­tering the seede of this his gracious promise leauing the successe vnto the heauenly bles­sing of himselfe. Thus must wee do because God may call Mart. 20.9 them at the last houre of the day and who knoweth whether now. For hee can make the Exo. 17 6 stonie rocke to gush out with water, and Luke 5.6 Peter (after his fruitlesse labour) [Page] at once to catch a great draught of fish. It is true men are loth to sowe where they shall not reape, and against all likelyhood to bestowe their hopelesse paines: yet let such know that that [...]at 19.26 which seemeth vnpossible to them is possible with God, which Gen. 1.3 bringeth light out of darkenes, & Rom 4 17 calleth thinges which are not as though they were, nay Iohn 11. [...] which giueth life to them which are dead in sinne, yea although they lie stincking in their graues, and as vn­likely to be clothed with Gods grace, Eze 37.3 as were those bare and dried bones that the Pro­phet sawe scattered before the graue. Thus then you see, that of some, vnto whom this worde is preached, in the eye of man there is small hope, and yet God in great mercy will haue this word of reconcilement published to them.

Now if we take the world for the elect of God in which sence the Iohn 12.47 sonne of man is said to be sent not to condemne the worlde but to saue the world, and againe that the Iohn 17.2 world may beleeue that thou hast sent me. A wonder it is to see, how wee prepare our selues vnto God; for it is so that amongst vs their are some, that are content to be made friendes with God and this they make a parte of their desire, but yet they Eccl. 11.9 feede God with delay Reu. 3.20 and put of from day to day, and wil haue God [Page] to wayte their leasure. But if such would consider their owne damnable estate, if God should preuent them with his iustice, and call them to accomptes before they are ready, they would adde wings to their feete, and with all post speede woulde make haste to come vn­to their God. For if Mat. [...]5 1 [...] once the bridegrome be passed before they haue prouided oile, [...]. if once the redde tents be pitched vp before they haue accepted of his peace, if once the Gen 2 [...]. ver. 38. blessing be giuen before they come, the Rom. [...].11. gate of his mer­cie shut and his throne of iustice erected vp, then should they come but all to late, & since they would not accept of Gods fauour when they should, they cannot taste of his mercie when they would.

Others there are that are content to com­maund with the first, & reioice in the light that God hath giuen them, but they are so hum­bled with the conscience of their sinne, & with such dread and sorrow tremble at the name & remembraunce of God, that they shut their eies at the glory of his maiestie, run Gen. 3. [...] into the thicket with Adam from his presence & can­not abide to appeare before him. Vnto whom if God in comfort dra [...]e neere and speake kindly vnto them Gen. 45. [...] as did Ioseph to his bre­thren, yet they haue no power to hold vp their heads, or to looke God in the face; and tearing [Page] vp their woundes as men of dispaire, at the view of Gods mercie they speake vnto him as Peter did to Iesus, Luke 5.8 goe away from me for I am a sinfull man. Whose case herein is so much the more happie, by how much they seeme to thēselues to be more miserable. For when GOD hath in this sorte searched their woundes, & launced them euen vnto the quick, then he powreth in oyle, and maketh them to feele the sweet of his mercy, then he taketh a­way their sins the cause of their feare, and so clotheth them with the robes of righteousnes, that now in a good confidence of hope, and that with all boldnesse they come into the presence of God their father.

A third sort their are which come willing­ly when God doth call, & take pleasure in the mercies that God hath shewen them, which haue accepted of the couenant of peace that God hath offered in his sonne, and hath promi­sed to be a friend to his friends, and open ene­mie to all he doth not like: & yet if sinne comes in the way, and shewes her selfe in pleasure to them, for old acquaintaunce they must haue her by the hande, and renew some tokens of their former loue. So soone do they starte aside and make loue to that which God doth deadly hate, true it is that when they first gaue their names to God to be enrolled for [Page] his friends, their purpose Ma [...]. [...]4 [...] was not to forsake God although all other did: but to [...] 21 hate thē whom he hated, euen as though they were their enimies: yet neuerthelesse as though they Gen. 41 4 were like to those leane kine, who had eaten the fatte and were neuer the fatter: had tasted of Gods grace and were neuer the bet­ter. And they doe not onely fauour [...] Gods e­nimies, but change there colours and Mat. 2 [...] [...]6 for­sweare their maister whom they before ser­ued. It is true that they therefore Ier. 31.19 strike themselues vpon the thighe, and are ashamed of their dealing towardes God. Insomuch that they doe 1. Cor 9.27 not onely seeke to bring vnder this body of sinne, are to make the law of their members obedient to the law of their midde: but when they see it is a matter beyond their power, and Rom. 7.24 that they cannot leaue vndone that euill which they would: then they desire to be deliuered from this body of sinne, and sigh with much sorrow that they cannot serue God with that puritie as they would Whose sinnes and imperfections God will not see, neyther repute them as any breach of that co­uenant they haue made with him, but he will so forgiue them in his sonne, that vnto him they shalbe as though they had neuer beene. Yet out of this which hath beene spoken, you see the demeanure of man towardes his God, [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] that he is eyther of the wicked sort which ei­ther care not at all for comming vnto God, or which is worse appose themselues in defiance against him, or if he be of the better sorte, then eyther he thinketh himselfe vnworthy to be a friend of Gods, which is a readie steppe to his future blessednes, or if he purposeth to be Gods friend he either meaneth to be hereaf­ter, or if forthwith, yet then he will haue God to receaue with him his earthly pleasures and desires, and howsoeuer in his greatest faith and friendship with God, hee hath a li­king sometime vnto sinne and although he be sorie for it, yet he neuer leaueth louing and liking her, till he be deliuered from this body of his fleshe, and is with Christ: thus much for the parties God and man which are to be reconciled.

Now if wee looke to the person Iesus Christ, by whom God reconcileth himselfe vn­to the worlde, in him euery Christian soule, shall not onely finde comfort to asswage his griefes: but a full direction to guide and go­uerne him thorough this vale of misery, vnto his spirituall and euerlasting rest. For when their were two things in man that made him to feare the presence of his God, his sinne, and the want of that originall iustice after which hee was sometime created: this Iesus in [Page] whom we trust doth not only 1. Iohn 1 7 purge vs from our sinne, but He [...]. 1.3 1. Cor. 4 4 being the very image of God and the ingrauen forme of his fathers sub­staunce 1. Cor 15.49. Col. 3 1 [...] he restoreth the image depraued in vs, and maketh it most perfect euen as at first it was. The which when a Christian shall well consider, hee must needes confesse that there is but 1. Tim. 2.5 one mediator betwixt God and man, the man Christ Iesus. For when there is Mark [...] 2 7 none that can take away sinne but God alone, or restore the image Rom. 8 29 that man hath de­praued saue hee onely that made the image. Much may be spoken of the grosse papists, to maintaine their fancies of many mediators. But all to no purpose as you see, for without all question, Actes 4.12 amongst men, there is no other name by which a man shalbe saued, saue one­ly the name of Iesus Christ. And he that will not be content to be saued by him, but wil haue an other with him for his sauiour, shal neither be holpen by any other, nor yet finde sauing health in Christ. And in truth 2. Cor. 1.20 in whom are all the promises of God yea and men, but one­ly in Iesu Christ Col. 1.20 in whom did it please the father to reconcile all things to himselfe, and to set at peace with him both the thinges in heauen and the thinges in earth, but onely by Iesus Christ, and the bloud of his crosse, thus is he made not onely the Heb. 12 2 anchor but the fi­nisher [Page] also of our faith, Mat. 1.21 Iesus because he saueth vs from our sinnes; that one, yea Eph. 1.10 onely in whom God doth regather all thinges, both which are in earth and which are in heauen. Wherefore wee Iohn 14.1 that haue beleeued in the father, let vs beleeue in him, Gen. 27.21 for in him the father is well pleased, and for his sake will be well pleased with vs. True Heb. 9.7 Iacob had not obteyned the blessing, if in his owne rayment he had come, and not in the robes of his eldest brother. True none but the Reu. 12.1 high priest and that but once in the yeere might enter into the holy of holiest. True, none of the people might offer sacrifice vnto God, but by the priest, yet Reu. 12.1 whē now Christ clotheth vs with his righteousnes, whē he hath rent the Luk. 23 45 vaile and broken downe the partition wall, when he Reu. 1.6 made vs priestes, and leades vs by the hand vnto his father, wee cannot but hold vp our eyes and thanke God of this his great mercy shewed to vs in him. Thus we looke on him as Exo. 12.35 our onely Moses which hath deliuered vs from the bōdage of our spirituall Pharaoh thus wee looke on him as our blessed Iesus which hath giuen Iosh. 14.1 vs right & will inuest vs in the possession of our promised Canaan. Thus when wee behold Matt. 8.14 him curing euery sore and euery sicknes, we cannot but confesse that he is sent of the father in whom onely for [Page] euery maladie and euery sinne we should find but one yet all sufficient remedie Wherefore that which Barnard spake rauished with the comfort he felt in our Sauiour, let vs say Pern. in [...]ant. ser. 15. he is hony in the mouth, melodie in the eare, and a song of Iubile in the hart. And Iosh. 24.15 as Ioshuah spake to the people, when he had laied Gods manifold benefits before their eies, now chuse you what God you will serue, whether the Lord, or the Gods of the nations that are rouund about, but as for me and my house we will serue the Lord: in like sort let euery right Christian say, chuse you what sauiours and mediatours you will haue, whether the Lord Iesu, or the gods of the papist: as for me and my house Iesus shalbe a mediator, and that onely vnto vs. The whith if we shall doe as we seeme to say, God shall say to vs as he did of Marie which sat at the feete of Iesus and heard his voice, Luk. 10.4 [...] Martha is troubled about many things, but Marie hath chosen the bet­ter parte. Thus you haue heard, that this Ie­sus is the onely mediator of this couenant, by which man is reconciled vnto God.

Now Iesus is the man by whom God in his goodnes doth saue the worlde, and whom he hath made the mediatour of this couenaunt of peace: so it is expedient for the full satisfy­ing of all Christian mindes, in him to consider [Page] his two natures, his Godhead and his Man­hood, for except he had beene God, he had not beene able, and except he had beene man, he had not beene fitte to accomplish the worke of our redemption and to reconcile vs vnto God his father.

Wherefore let vs first, consider that this Iesus is God, and the reasons why it was ex­pedient that he so should be: he is God, for Col. 2.9 it pleased the father that in him should dwel the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily and in truth, being the Mat. 3.17 sonne of his father, not by adopti­on as are we but by essence, not by grace but by nature, being Col. 1.35 Hebr. 1 3 the very image of the fa­ther, and the engrauen forme euen of his sub­stance, he could not but be God. For as euery creature bringeth forth their yong after their kinde, so the creator of all, must needes bring forth after his kinde God of God euen of the substaunce and essence of himselfe. And there­fore Paul speaking of our sauiour saith Phil. 2.6 that he was in the forme of God, and thought it no robbery to be equall with God, for although the person of the father is distinct from the person of the sonne, yet in the essence and na­ture of the dietie, they are one, Iohn 10.30 1. Iohn 5.7 I and my fa­ther are one, wherefore as Christ spake to the disciples of Iohn, which came to know whe­ther he were that Messiah that should come, [Page] Mat. 11.9 goe tell Iohn what you haue heard & seene: Euen so may we answere to them, that doubt of the d [...]etie of our Sauiour, goe tell what you haue heard of him. For when thou hearest that the dead were raised by him and restored to life, that the diuels were cast forth, and stood at his commaund: that he cured all sicknes by his worde, that he calmed the waters when they did rage, and made the windes be hush when they did bluster, how cāst thou but with Thomas fall at his feete & speake to his glo­ry and thy soules good Iohn 20.28 My Lord & my God: how canst thou crie out with that elect vessel, 1. Tim. 3.16 of a truth great is the mistery of godlinesse, God is manifested in the flesh.

Now as our Sauiour is God of the same nature with his father, so it is worth our la­bour to consider, that it was most expedient y ^t he so should be. For otherwise how could he satisfie the wrath of his father due to our sins, for when our sins were infinite according to the infinite maiestie of God whom they did trespasse: it must needs be that he which is to satisfie for those infinite sinnes, must either be of an infinite nature, or must for all infinity be for euer punished. But now since the Act. 2.24 sor­rowes of death are fully losed in our Saui­our, Ioh. 19 30 and he himself spake of them Consum­matum est, it is finished, it must needes be [Page] since Hebr. 2.14 he conquered death, and him that had the power of death which is the deuill, 2. Tim. 1.10 also as S. Paule speaketh hee abolished death and brought life and immortalitie vnto light, it must needes be that he should be of an infinite nature and therefore God. For as none Marke 2.7 can forgiue sinnes but God, so none can beare the burden of sinne but God, for it draue Gen. 3.23 Adam out of paradise and Iude 1.6 the angels out of heauen. So that since Christ was to beare the burden of our sinnes, which man and angell was not able to doe, it must needes be that he should be greater then man or angell and that is God. Nay when he willed vs which Iohn 14.1 beleeued on his father to beleeue also on him, and when we may not Ier. 17.5 beleeue on any sauing on the Lorde of host, for if we do we bring a curse vpon our soules, most conuenient it is that our sauiour should be God: especially since the Lord saith of himselfe that Isa. 43 11 beside him there is no Sa­uiour. To conclude if he were not God how should his eares be open to our prayers, 1. Sam. 1.14 1.19 how should he see our sighes and inward gronings, how should his merite be auailable to all ex­cept he were omnisufficient of himselfe, and and through the infinitie of himself, did make his merite of infinite price. Wherfore that he might be able to beare the burden of our sin, and to satisfie for the infinitie of the same, that [Page] we might beleeue on him as we do on the fa­ther, & that his merite might bee made auail­able to all, it is expedient that he should bee God.

Now as he was God so is he also man, & therfore the Apostle, when he had shewed that their was but one mediator betwixt God & man, he after addeth 1. Tim. 2.6 the mā Christ Iesu, for who Gen. 3.15 was to bruise the Serpentes head, but the seede of the woman, Gen. 17.19 in whom was al na­tions to be blessed, but in the seed of Abraham and Gal. 3.16 this seede as the Apostle speaketh was Christ, from Ier. 23 5 whence came that righteous braunch that should reigne as king, but from the Rom [...].3 seed of Dauid according to the flesh. So that if to be the Luk. 1 4 [...] fruit of Maries wombe, the which he was although most blessed, if Gal 4.4 to be made of woman the which he was & became for vs most cursed: if [...]att. [...] 2 [...] 9.6.11.19 Luke 9.22 12.10 Iohn 3.13 to be the sonne of man, with which name he often intituleth himselfe doth proue him to be man: nay if Luk. 14 35 to haue flesh bloud and bone the which we haue, if to hunger and thirst the which we doe, if Ioh. 19.3 [...] to die and goe the way of all flesh doth proue our sa­uiour to be man, then was he man, Heb. 2.2 [...] in al things like to vs his brethren except only sinne, euen man not in phancie but in truth, of the very substaunce of his mother not of her shadow, which had not onely a bodie but a soule too, so [Page] that we may truely speake of him as we do of Adam, Abraham & all the rest, he was man.

And as you haue heard out of the Scrip­ture that he was man, see was it most necessa­rie that he should so be, for how could he die if he were onely God, since Damascen de pass. the godhead is im­possible, and can no more suffer then doe the beames of the sunne which shineth on a tree suffer when the tree is fallen and cut downe. Surely as Cedrinus [...]pist. hist. Alamandurus answered the Manichees that would enforce him to beleeue that Christ was not man, that he receaued a letter that Michael the archangell was dead, to whom when they replied that that could not be, because he was an angell. In like sort said he no more can Christ die if he be as you say onely God. And although he had some other nature than the nature of man wherein hee might suffer, yet when man in Rom. 5.19 his nature had offended and trespassed God, it standeth in reason that God in mans nature should be satisfied. For as Chrysost. [...]er. in Leu. Chrysostome reasoneth that Christ could not bee the Sauiour of our soules, except he had a soule, in which he might satisfie for such sins we had committed in our soules: euen so we may conclude that he could not satisfie for the sinnes of man, except that he had beene also man. Nay whē this was the end of his comming to make vs of the sonnes [Page] of men the sonnes of God, for, Iohn 1 [...]2 but by Christ we haue no power to be called his sonnes how could hee effect this to our good, except hee which was y ^e sonne of God should first become the sonne of man, wherfore that he might haue a nature wherein he might suffer, and might satisfie Gods iustice for the sinne of man, in the nature of man, that he might make vs of the sonnes of men the sonnes of God, it was most expedient that our Sauiour should be man.

Thus haue you heard of the mediator that is betwixt God and man, the man Christ Ie­sus, now are we to harken of the meanes, by which this Christ recōcileth vs vnto God his father: which is first in that he which knew no sinne was made sinne for vs, secondly in that wee which knew no righteousnesse were made the righteousnes of God in him.

In that our Sauiour is saide to know no sinne, his meaning is not that sinne is to him a matter strange, a thing which he did neuer know, for Mat. 21.45 he taketh knowledge of sinne, else how should Mat. 22 12 he reproue the world because of sin, how should he be the Act. 10 42 2. Tim 4.8 iudge of the world to giue to euery one according to his works. But as it is saide of the virgin Mary which knew man, Luke 1.34 and did conuerse and liue amongst them that yet notwithstanding shee knew no [Page] man, that is after a carnall fleshly manner Gen. 41. & 2 [...] like as Adam is said to know Eue, and 1. Sam. 1.19 El­kanah Hanna which was his wife. In like sort it is said of our Sauiour that although he toke notice of sin, & did reproue it, yet he knew no sinne as other men, by louing and liking of it, by being many waies polluted and defiled with it. And therfore he saith vnto the Iewes which Iohn 8.46 of you can reproue me of sinne, nay although the prince of the world which is the diuel come euen to winnow and sifte our Sa­uiour yet Iohn 14 30 he can find nothing in him, for as the author speaketh to the Hebrewes, he is Heb. 7.26 holy harmeles, vndefiled, seperate frō sinners and made higher that is purer then the hea­uens. And in deed how should he holy others which is vnholy in himselfe, & sanctifie other when himselfe needeth to be sanctified, he nee­ded not to be sanctified but for vs, Iohn 17.19 & therefore that we might be holy euen as he also is holy he holied and sanctified himselfe. Yea that he might purge our consciences frō dead works, through the eternall spirit he offered himselfe Heb. 9.14 without spot, vnto God his father. Thus he 1 Pet. 2.22 knew no sinne neither was there guile found in his mouth, thus neither could the Iewes reproue him of sin, neither the prince of the world finde sinne in him, thus was he pure, holy, vndefiled, separate from sinners, [Page] and without spot.

And in truth so it behoued him for to be, that so he might be made a sacrifice for sinne, that is as the Apostle here speaketh sinne for vs. For as in the old law it behoued Leuit. 1.10 Num 28.31 Deut. 15.21 that the sa­crifices for sinne, should be most pure without spot and blemish, so it behoued that he which gaue himselfe a sacrifice for our sinnes, should be also Heb 19.14 without spot or blemish, and as in the old law the sacrifices for sinne were called sin, not because in their natures so they were, but because they had sinne imputed to them; euen so our Sauiour here is made sin, not because he hath cōmitted sinne, or sinne was inherent in him as in vs: but because he was made not of man but of God, a sacrifice for our sinnes, which were imputed vnto him. And therfore Austin. l. b. 2. contr. Maxi. Austin when Christ was no sinner, hee made him sinne for vs, read the place diligently (saith that father) and least happily thy booke be cor­rupted, or thy Latine interpreter haue erred, looke in the Greeke, and thou shalt finde not Christ to haue committed sinne, but to be made sinne of God the father for vs, that is a sacrifice for our sinne, (and a litle after) for thou shalt find in the bookes of the olde testament, the sa­crifices for sinne to be called [...]. Exo. 29.14 In this sence the calfe which was to be offered at the con­secrating of a priest, Catath is in the English called a [Page] sinne offering, but in the originall a sinne in like sorte, if any of the people had wittingly sinned then he was to offer an hee Goate, if by ignorance a she Goate; and the partie that had sinned was to lay his hands vpon the head Leui 4.29 of the sinne offering, & to slay the sinne offering before the Lorde, and the reason is added be­cause it was a sinne offering. Catath In like manner the hee Goate in Num. 7.16 & 22. & 28. & 34 & 40. & 46. & 52. &c. sundry places of the seuēth chapter of the booke of Numbers is called in our vulgar translation a sinne offering but in the originall sinne. Now then if the sacrifices in the old law were called sinnes, when yet in their nature they were not sinnes, but sacri­fices onely for sinne: in like sorte may Iesu Christ, the Iohn 1.29 onely vnspotted and immaculate lambe Heb 10 1 of God in whom all the sacrifices in the law were but figures, and Rom. 10.4 in whom they had their end and accomplishmēt: like as they were called also sinne, especially when he is the onely sacrifice auailable for to put away sinne, Hebr. 10.4 & 11 their was no power in al the sacrifices of the law to do away sinne, but onely in this that they had respect and reuerence vnto him. Thus then you see how that Iesus Christ which knew no sinne, but was most pure and most holy, and in all partes obedient to his fa­thers will, is yet notwithstanding made sinne, that is a sacrifice for sinne.

[Page]And in this that he which knew no sinne is yet notwithstanding made a sacrifice for sinne, apparent it is, that he was not made a sacri­fice for the sinne of himselfe, for he knew no sinne; but was most innocent and free from blame: but he was made a sacrifice for the sins of other, and had not onely their sinnes impu­ted to him, but bore the punishment of them in his most blessed soule and body. From hence beginneth euery Christian to comfort himself in the mercies of his God, when he seeth his sinnes imputed vnto Christ, & therefore can­not be imputed vnto him; for when man had sinned, that which was done could not be vn­done, yet such is the mercy of God shewed to­wardes man in the fauour of Christ, that hee imputeth not vnto man his sinne, but hath it in that account as though it had neuer beene, so that although as the scholeman spake a thing done cannot be but done if we respect the act; yet in the repute of God, which neuer thin­keth nor accounteth of it, it is as though it had beene neuer done. The which that the Lord our God might perswade vnto vs, some­times he saith Psal. 85.2 our sins are bound in a bun­dle and cast into the bottome of the sea, some­time Isa. 44.22 that he hath put away our transgressi­ons as a cloude and our sinnes as a mist, som­time Psa. 103.12 they are remoued from him as farre as [Page] the East is from the West, sometime Isa. 38.17 that he hath cast them behind him, sometime Isa. 43 25 that he will remember them no more, that they shalbe vnto him, as though they neuer were: yea and that wee might the better conceyue of his goodnes towards vs, concerning these our sinnes which make vs to hang downe our heads, and to feare to come into his presence, he sheweth that he Reu. 20.12 hath crost his bookes in which our sinnes were written, nay that hee hath Col. 2.14 cancelled the handwriting that was a­gainst vs, that he hath Austin. re­tract. lib. 1. c. 19. acknowledged the re­ceipt and giuen vs our quietus est. Insomuch that now wee may safely walke abroad, be­cause we know he hath no writ to serue on vs, or action to commence against vs. Thus the feare of Gods displeasure is ouerblowen, and the sunne shine of his fauour resteth on vs, because our sinnes are not imputed to vs. And to that end records the Rom. 4.6 Apostle, that heauen­ly note of that most kingly Prophet, blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not his sinne, and although it is true of man that he will repent him sometime of his kindnes the which he hath shewed, and will seeke to call backe his former goodnes, yet to the consum­mation of our comfort it is not so with God he will not cast vs in the teeth, nor lay to our charge the things he hath once pardoned, for [Page] whom he pardoneth once he pardoneth euer, Isa. [...]5.8 his thoughts are not as our thoughts, ney­ther are our waies his waies, he Num. 23.23 is not as man that he should lie, or as the sonne of man that he should repent. Wherfore we may with boldnes now lift vp our heades, since we doe most perfectly know that our sinnes neither now are, nor yet euer shalbe imputed vnto vs.

And if this be the first step by which we be­gin to grow into fauour with our God, not to haue our sinnes imputed to vs, surely th [...]se marchandizers of mens soules, doe but abuse the world when they teach, that they ought not to looke for this fauour of gods in pardo­ning our sins, but to seeke to satisfie his iustice for our sin, the which we are as wel able for to doe, as to moue mountaines out of there pla­ces, or to number the drops of water in the Ocean sea. Nay this for to attempt is not onely to builde vp the babell of confusion vn­to our selues, but vnder the shewe and colour of peace to giue defiance vnto God, and to make voide the means of that reconcilement which he hath offered in his sonne: for if the Lord of mercy when he saw no other meanes to satisfie his iustice, and to saue man, sent his onely sonne who in his blessed body, should sa­tisfie his iustice for our sinne, surely herewith not to be content, is to despise the wisedome [Page] and counsaile of God, & to repute other their vaine satisfactions, of greater merite then is the merite and passion of the Sonne. They answere for excuse, that they content them­selues with the ordinaunce of God, and rest in the merite and satisfaction of the sonne, but they say all that he did was for their originall sinne, and such sinnes which were committed before they were baptised; but as for their ac­tuall sinne which follow baptisme, and those which they commit after they were entered into the couenant of grace, for them they say Christ hath not satisfied, but hath merited on­ly that for them man himself, by his fastings and praiers, his watchings and almes deeds, should satisfie the iustice of the father. The which their most impious assertion how ab­horrent it is from all Christian truth, I pray you a while harken and consider for of whom spake the Apostle Iohn but of the regenerat, and of what sinnes but of their actual, & when committed but as well after baptisme as be­fore, and who is then the propitiation for them but Iesus Christ the righteous, 1. Ihon 2.2. if any man sinne wee haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous, and he is the pro­pitiation for our sinnes, and not onely for ours but for the sinnes also of the whole worlde. Wherfore as this would giue small comfort [Page] to a Christian soule, to heare that God would pardon one fa [...]lt but not another, so this would make but a little for the glorie of our Sauiour, to heare that he saued from some sinnes but not from other▪ wherefore herein they eclipse the glory of Christ, and magnifie their owne, for when our actuall sinnes both in quantitie and qualitie are farre more grie­uous then is the originall, in which we were borne. The satisfaction for this one which is the lesse they ascribe vnto Christ, but the re­medie of the other they chalenge to thēselues, but beloued wee haue not so learned Christ. But wee knew that he is a Iesus Matt. 1.21 which sa­ueth his people not from their sinne but from their sinnes, euen al their sinnes as Iohn spea­keth the 1. Iohn 1.7 bloud of Iesus Christ clenseth vs from all sinne if from all, then from our actu­all as well as originall, from this which wee daily commit as well as from that in which we were borne. So that as we find in scrip­ture, Mat. 4.23 that Christ cured euery disease and in­firmitie of the body, and some of that qualitie which could not be remedied by the power of man, euen so he cureth euery sicknesse of the soule, & hath made himselfe Iohn 3.14 a brasen serpent to be stinged one soueraigne medicine for al. Iohn 5 4 Descend therefore into this poole not of wa­ter but of the bloud of Christ not stirred by [Page] an Angell, but by our Michaell who is as the Lord, Eph. 5.14 and although thou werst dead in thy sinnes, yet stand vp and the Lambe of God Iohn. .29. which taketh away the sinnes of the worlde shall take away thine, euen thine actuall and originall all that thou hast, and leaue none to be satisfied by thee.

All this some of the Papists will confesse, but yet y ^t they may stil maintein this diuelish doctrine of mans satisfaction, they are not a­fraid to say, that although Christ hath satis­fied for our actuall and originall sinne, yet it is but for the guilt and filthines, it is not for the paine and punishment of the sinne, so that al­though they graunt that our sins by Christ in respect of the guilt are taken away, yet they leaue our sinnes in respect of the punishment to be susteined and satisfied by vs. The which if it were so, how is it that the Scripture saieth Isa. 53.5 that hee was wounded for our trans­gressions, broken for our iniquities, that the chasticement of our peace was layed vpon his shoulders, vers. 8 that he made his soule and offering sacrifice for sinne, and that with his stripes we are healed. Surely this wounding, breaking, chastising, scourging, infer a punishmēt which was inflicted not for his sinnes, the which he neuer knew, but for ours which were impu­ted vnto him. And therfore S. 1. Pet. 2.24 Peter speaketh [Page] he bare, they were a burden not his owne sins but ours, and not the guilt onely but the pu­nishment too, for it was on his body, whilst yet he hangeth on the crosse. And alas that at so great a light wee should shut our eyes, why was he buffeted and scourged, why was he nailed and pearced, why was his head crow­ned with thornes, & himselfe crucified among theeues, why was his soule sore troubled within, and frighted with the feare of his fa­thers wrath, why did he pray to his father to remoue this crosse from him, and crie out as a soule that was forsakē, my God my God why hast thou forsaken me: but that the Lorde in his great mercy to vs warde, but iustice to­wardes him, did punish in his blessed soule & body the sins of all the faithfull in the worlde surely beloued if we were to beare the punish­ment of our sinnes then hath not Christ suffe­red for our sinne, & if he hath then do the Pa­pist accuse GOD of great iniustice, that he would punish vs for such sinne he hath alrea­dy punished in his sonne. But God is iust let the Papist blatter what he will, and because he hath said it shall surely stand, for it is part of that new couenaunt which he promised to make, Ier. 31.34 I will forgiue their iniquitie & will remember their sins no more, if he forgiueth how doth he call them to punishment, if he wil [Page] not remember, how doth he require satisfac­tiō for them Austin. re­tract. lib. 1. c. 19. can a creditor forgiue the debt and yet require satisfaction for the debt, no more can God be said to forgiue vs our sinne, and yet seeke to punish vs for our sinne. 1. Iohn 2.2 If a­ny man sinne saith the Apostle, wee haue an aduocate Iesus Christ the righteous, and he is the propitiation for our sinnes, not he sai­eth the papist but we, now whether the Apo­stle or papist is to be beleeued iudge you. And to speake to men whose eies affectiō hath not wholy blinded, and from whose hartes wilful obstinacie hath not taken away all sense of reason, is this rightly to cōsider of the weight of sinne and of his filth? is this equally to bal­lance the iustice of the almighty, & the fierce­nes of his wrath, kindled against the wicked­nes of men? surely if the punishment of sinne could so haue beene satisfied, and the wrath of the father hath so beene appeased, thou hadst not sent thy sonne O blessed maker, neyther hadst thou needed to haue died for vs O Ema­nuell. For we by our watchings & fastings, we by our hairie weedes and other penaunce, we by our many praiers and consecrated wa­ter, wee by hearing of Masses and going in pilgrimage, will satisfie for all such punish­ment that is due for our sinne. O foolish flesh that thus presumest before thy maker, if God [Page] should deale with thee according to iustice, & the greeuousnes of thy sinne thou shouldest stand as Iob 9.3 a man wholy confounded, not able to satisfie one of a thousand; no not the least that euer thou cōmittest in thy life, for when thy sinne euen the least of thy sins is infinite, because it was committed against the infi­nite maiesty of thy God, thy punishment ther­fore must be infinite, and therefore not to be satisfied by thee in this finite life: and if thou canst not satisfie for one how wilt thou satis­fie for all, especially when not onely in this that thou seekest to satisfie, but also in the most holiest of thy workes and sorowest pe­naunce, thou often sinnest and trespassess God. Wherefore that which Cain spake in dispaire thou oughtest not onely to speake in the hum­blenes of thy soule Gen 4.1 [...] my punishment is grea­ter then I am able to beare, but withal thank­fulnesse to receaue the mercy of thy maker, who hath giuen his sonne to beare in his body that which otherwise for euer thou shouldst haue borne in thine▪ Looke therefore with the eyes of faith vppon this brasen Serpent which hath not onely taken away the stinge of the serpent which is your sinnes, but euen all your swellings and rancklinges, all your paines and maladies, the punishment due to all your sinnes.

[Page]This also some of the papistes do acknow­ledge, but yet not resting on the good word of God, they distinguish betweene eternall and temporall punishments, and they are content to confesse that Christ hath satisfied for their eternall punishment, but as for the temporall they say that they must satisfie for it in them­selues. It cannot be denied but that God lay­eth on the sonnes of men, many punishments in this life, the which are to be reputed tem­porall, because they are in this life, which is but temporall, but yet these temporall punish­ments endured by men in this temporall life, or neither in part, nor in whole any part of sa­tisfaction, for our infinite and eternall sinne. For if we consider this as they are in the god­ly, some say that they are not punishments for sinne, but rather fatherly admonitions that they should not sinne, because for their sinne Christ hath beene punished, and hath satisfied not in part but in whole whatsoeuer the iu­stice of God could require for them, or if wee consider these as they are in the wicked, true it is that GOD sometime beginneth to deale roughly with them, and to inflict in this life some part of the punishment which for euer hereafter they must in most grieuous manner suffer in hel. But yet since there is no propor­tion betwixt a finite punishment and an infinit [Page] sinne, since of the punishment and satisfaction of these no Papist speaketh: but of such for whom Christ died, and for whose eternall pu­nishment Christ hath satisfied, wee leaue to speake farther of these wicked ones, and call now enquire whether Christ hath not fully endured all punishment due for the sins of the faithfull, but hath left some temporall punish­ment, as part of the satisfaction due for their sinnes, to be endured & suffered by themselues. The which if it be so as the papist speaketh, not onely blasphemy followeth our Sauiour because his satisfaction is made insufficient, & the sin of man of greater filth then the merite of his most blessed passion: but also man spea­keth, with ouer great pride, that he presumeth to satisfie where Christ hath not satisfied, and to make perfect which he hath left vnperfect vnto vs, or if it be true the which our Sauiour speaketh Ioh. 19.2 [...] Consummatus est, it is finished, euen the worke of our saluation, and redemp­tion of the world, if he as the author speaketh to the Hebrewes by one sacrifice not by ma­ny, hath made perfect not left vnperfect, Hebr. 10.14 and that not for a time but for euer, and that not some but all which beleeue in his name why do we seeke to make vnperfect the satisfactiō of Christ or to turne away the destroying An­gell by any other means then Exo. 12.3 [...] by the bloud of [Page] this immaculate Lambs sprinkled by faith on the dore postes of beleeuing heartes. The A­postle Paule saith, Gal. 3.13 Christ was made a curse for vs that he might redeeme vs from the curse of the law, now when the iustice of God did in­flict vpon the transgressors of the law, not on­ly eternall punishment but temporall too, and when Christ endured in his most blessed body, euen all the punishment due to the transgres­sors of the law, it must needes follow there is no more temporall punishment to be suffered and endured by vs. And therefore Austin in his boke against Faustus, Austin cōtr. Faust. Mana. lib. 14. c. 4. discourcing on those words of the Apostle (he was made a curse for vs) saieth, for Christ without all guilt of sinne tooke vpon him our punishment, that he might from thenceforth do away the filth of our sinnes and made an end of our punishment. The same Austin after many wordes, Beda in epist. Rom. c. 8. Prorsus prorsus Christus dominus noster, without all doubt Christ our L. Iesus our Sauiour our redeemer was made sin for vs, that we might be made the righteousnes of God in him, if thou aske how (sayeth that father) heare the lawe for in the law the sacrifices which were offered for sinne were called sinnes, for thou hast that when the sacrifice for sinne was brought▪ that the lawe said let the preestes put their handes vpon the sinne, that is as he expoūdeth vpon the sacrifice [Page] for sinne, and what is Christ else but sinne it is a sacrifice for sinne. If Christ then be made sinne that is a sacrifice, on whom the punish­ment of sinne was inflicted, and so made sinne that he may put an end vnto our punishments, without all question there is now no punish­ment for our sinne, left to be endured and suf­fered by vs. Thou wilt say what are our in­ward griefes and torments of mind, what the conscience of our sinne and feare of Gods iu­stice, what the calamities and miseries of our friends, what our sicknesses, yea & death, nay sinne it selfe, and a thousand other euils more common to the saints of God, then other, but punishments of our sinne. I graunt whatsoe­uer other saith, that the Scripture calleth these Gen, 3.17 2 Sam. 12.10 Num. 12.14 the punishments of sinne, & after a sort they are, because they are the very fruites and effects of sin, although God sendeth not these Heb. 12.5 to punish sinne in vs which he hath punished in his sonne. But either to make Iob 1 9 triall of our patience as he did of Iobs, or 2. Sam. 12.14 to shew how he hates sinne as he did to Dauid, or to driue vs from 2. Cron 23 12 our sinne as he did Manasseth, or Luk. 16.17 to winne vs to himselfe as he did the prodigall child, or 1. Reg 19 4 to make vs loth the world as he did the godly, Rom. 7.24 and to grieue that we cānot serue him with that puritie we should and as he re­quireth. Wherefore as Chrysostome spea­keth, [Page] Why doest thou wayle that thou doest suf­fer, Chrysost. de paenit. confes. it is a medicine to thee not a punishment, a castigation no damnation. But yet they reply that God sendeth miseries on his children for none of these endes, but to punish sinne which they haue committed be it so as they say, yet I denie as is before made manifest, that which all the Papist do so greatly labour that these endured punishments, make any recompence to God for our sinne, or any whit satisfie the wrath of the father conceaued against them. True it is that in the infancie of the Church certaine temporall punishments were inflic­ted on offenders, & canonicall satisfaction was required, but yet not to satisfie God but the Church, not to make due recompence for the sinne cōmitted but by this publike submission, to declare their vnfained sorrow & repentance for their sinne, Tertull. lib. de paenit. the which kind of discipline as then, so now it is most behouefull for y ^e church and house of God. For by those means not on­ly the Church is in some sorte satisfied, which much grieueth at the fall of her children: but the offendant himselfe is better occasioned to consider his wretched & miserable estate, and forced as it were to hate his sinne, and to take held of the great mercy of his God. And not onely is this discipline behoueful for these, but for other also whereof some are in, other out of [Page] the Church of God. For they that are in the church, by the punishment of other, are made more wary, lest happily that which they see in other should be also sāpled in thēselues; & they that are out haue no cause to slander the good word of God, or to speake euill of his spouse, because shee winketh not at the faultes of her children, or proposeth vnto them liberty to sin, but guideth their steps in the way of righte­ousnes, & punisheth thē when they goe awrie. But to let this passe as a matter not pertinent to our purpose, out of that which hath bin spo­kē you see, that Christ Iesus hath our sins im­puted vnto him, & that by his obedience & bles­sed passion, he hath deliuered vs not onely frō some sins, but from all: not from the guilt and filth of them, but from the paine & punishment too: & that not from the paine eternal only, but also from all paine temporall in this life.

Now then as you haue heard how that he was made sinne for vs, so now it foloweth that we should declare, how we are made the righ­teousnes of God in him, where not what the Apostle speaketh he was made sinne not a sin­ner but sinne: nether was he made by man but by God, and to what end, that wee should be made, we cannot make our selues, for we are Gods workmāship, & what not righteous but righteousnes, not of man but of God, and that [Page] not in our selues but in Christ. The which speach of the Apostle doth most manifestly de­clare, the meanes by which wee are reputed righteous in the sight of God the father, euen by the righteousnes which is in Christ not in vs, yet by Gods mercy imputed to vs, & tho­rough faith receaued of vs, neither is not this sence enforced on the Apostle besides his mea­ning, but witnessed by most auncient & catho­licke fathers, before this question of inherent righteousnes, was euer moued and debated in the church. Austin. en­chi [...]id. ad La [...]es. c. 41. And therefore Austin, In the olde law the sacrifices for sinne were called sinnes, the which sacrifice for sinne, he (that is Christ) was tru­ly made, of whom the (sacrifices of the lawe) were but shadowes. And after shewing how Christ was made a sacrifice for sinne, he saith, God to whom we were to be reconciled made him sin for vs, that is a sacrifice for our sin, by whom he might reconcile vs so to himselfe, he therefore was made sin, that we might be made righteousnes not ours but Gods, not in our selues but in him, euen as he that is Christ was made sin not his owne but ours, not in himselfe but in vs. And in the end he con­cludeth, this is that righteousnes of God not by which he himself is iust, but by which we are made righteous before him. So that as our sins can­not be said to be inherent in Christ, but onely imputed vnto him, no more is his righteousnes [Page] inherēt in vs, but only by Gods mercy impu­ted to vs. Yet so that as he actually indured the paines of our imputed sins, so shal we also actually inioy, yea & in part now do, the fruite of his imputed righteousnes, neither was this once barely spoken of this godly father, but as the Apostle Paule in his epistles shewed, that Christ 1. Cor. 1.30. was made vnto vs our righteousnes, & that we are Eph 2.8 Gal. 2.16 iustified onely by faith, that is by Christ apprehended by faith. So he spea­king of Christ saieth, Austin. de ciuit. li [...]7. c 4 he is onely iust and the iustifier made that he sayeth the only iustifier. And againe in an other place Blessed are Aust. tract. 26. in Iob. they that thirst after righteousnes, for they shalbe satisfied, now the Apostle Paule (saith he) doth shewe that Christ is our righteousnes, 1. Cor. 1.30 and therfore he that hū ­greth after this bread, hungreth after righteousnes, that came downe from heauen, which God giueth not which man maketh to himself. And in the end concludeth, This is righteousnes of God not by which God is righteous, but by the which God gi­ueth vnto man, that mā might be righteous before him. Thus then you see that if we seeke to be found righteous before God wee must bring not that righteousnes which is of our workes, but that righteousnes which we haue not in our selues, but by faith in Christ Iesu. Chrysost cō. in hunc loc [...]. For as Chrysostome speaketh, this is Gods righteous­nes since not of our workes. And as vertuous [Page] Bernard discoursing on the merite of man, & the comfort of christians, in the midst of their troubles. Bernard. sup. cantic. ser. 61. My merite, saith he, is the mercy of God, and so long as he shal not be without mercy, so long I shall not be without merite: what then shall I sing of my righteousnes, nay I wil remember thy righteousnes onely euen the righteousnes of God which he giueth in Christ, for by this he iustifieth the world. Mat. 22.11 For as there is no sitting at the supper of the great king, except we are clothed with our wedding garmēt, so there is no comming into the presence of the Father, but with this robe of righteousnes the righ­teousnes of the sonne. The which Pighius se­ing in this wise writeth: Pig. in cōtr. 2. Therfore it is that our righteousnes is placed in Christs obediēce, because the same is imputed to vs (which are incorpora­ted into him) as though it were our owne, so that by it euen we are accounted righteous. And Ambr. li. 2. de Iacob. & beat. vit. c. 2. as Iacob being not the first borne, yet couering him self with his brothers sweet smelling garmēt, did so insinuate himselfe vnto his father, that vnder an other person he obteined the blessing of the first borne: euen so is it meet that we lie hid vnder the purenes of Christ our elder bro­ther, that wee smell of his sweet, & couer our imperfections with his perfections, that so comming into the presence of God our father we may receiue the blessing of righteousnes [Page] frō him. And the same Pighius after not well vnderstanding the fauorers of y ^e truth, would seeme in this cause to conclude against them but with them as his words do speake: Pigh. de fi­de & inst. cont. 2. But we say if we speake formally and properly, that we are not iustified before God, either by our faith or by our loue, but by the onely righteousnes of God which is in Christ. And that which Pighius spea­keth the same we speake, with our Apostle, we are made the righteousnes of God in him. Wherfore as Beda noteth out of Austin Beda in ca. 10. epist. ad Rom. vpō the 126. Psalme. Away with thy selfe away I say with thy selfe, for thou doest but hinder thy selfe, if thou shalt build thy selfe thou buildest thy ruines, for except the Lord builde the house in vaine doe they labour that doth build the same, do not ther­fore wil to haue thy righteousnes least thou be voi­ded of the righteousnes of Christ.

What then wilt thou say shall I liue losely & be nothing studious of good works, God for­bid for you are Eph. 2.8 Gods workemanship created to good works, which God hath prepared that you should walke in them. Although those thy workes Rom. 8.14 doe not make thee righteous before God, yet Iames 2 22. they are fruites of that righteous­nes which thou hast in Christ, & by them thou causest Mat. 5.16 thy father to be glorified, & 2. Pet. 1.10 sealest vp thine election to thy selfe. Mat. 7.17. A good tree is knowen by his fruit, & a true faith by his loue. [Page] What should we say they that are iustified in Christ Gal. 5.24 doe liue in Christ, nay Christ Gal 2.20 Eph. 5.8 liueth in them, & his good spirite maketh them fruit­full vnto euery good worke, but this is not questioned at this time, what we should be in this life, or how we should be iustified before man, but by what meanes we should stand iu­stified before God: and that wee say is not by our workes, but by the righteousnes of God, which is found by faith in Iesu Christ.

But yet the weake Christian will say, how can this be, one man may pay an others debt, but how can one satisfie for an others sinne, the Scripture sayth, Ezech. 18.2 the father shall not eate a sower grape, and the childes tooth shalbe turned an edge, vers. 20 but that euery one shall beare his owne burden, and that the soule which sin­neth shall die the death. How then is the iu­stice of God satisfied, that he which knew no sinne should be punished for our sinne, & that we which are full of sinne, should reape the fruite of that righteousnesse that is in him. How? euen very well, because he is not an o­ther from thee, but is one with thee? for if we looke vpō that blessed vnion by which al faith­full soules are iayned vnto Christ, the man is not more ioyned to his wife, nor the science to the stocke, nor the foode vnto the body which it doth nourish, nor in the body one member to [Page] one other, or they al vnto the head, as is Christ Iesu vnto his Church, and to euery faithfull soule, that trusteth and beleeueth in him. And therefore sometime we are said to be Rom. 12.4 one bo­die in him, sometime Eph. 4.16. to growe vp into him which is our head, sometime 1. Cor. 6.15 to be members of Christ, sometime to be Eph 5.30 bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh, sometime to 1. Cor. 3.16 dwell in him and he in vs, sometime to be Iohn. 17.20 one with him, what should I say this the faithful know and thus wee must know, except as S. Paule speaketh, we be reprobats 2 Cor. 13.5 know ye not your owne selues how that Iesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates. Thus beloued are we his vnworthy members Chrysost. ser. de spirit. sanct. vnited vnto him which is our head, by those two most blessed handes, his spirit which he giueth vnto vs, and our faith which we reach to him.

Then goe to let this bee graunted that Christ and the faithfull are but one, that he is the head of that misticall body whereof they are members, & then let vs see how the iustice of God is violated, whilest he is punished & we rewarded. Thou sayest in thy vsuall speach that man seeth and man heareth, yet it is his eare that heareth, and eye that seeth, euen so thou mayest say that it is man that hath borne the punishment of sin, although it is his head Christ Iesu, that hath borne and endured the [Page] same. For as in the naturall body that which is proper to the eye and to the eare, is attribu­ted vnto the whole, in respect of that neare coniunction which each parte hath with the whole: so in the misticall body of Iesu Christ in respect of that spirituall and blessed vnion, that which is proper onely vnto Christ is at­tributed also to his Church. And therefore as wee see in ciuill pollicies, the wife is aduaun­ced to the honour of her husband, and made ei­ther Countesse or Lady according to the ho­nour of her husbands state: euen so the church which is the spouse of Christ, although she be of her selfe a daughter of the earth, a woman of no price, yet in respect of Christ who in marriage hath aduaunced her, she is full of ho­nour and pertaketh of all the honour of her head. So that of the faithfull we may say that wee Iohn 1.16 all haue receaued of his grace euen grace for grace. And as the Psa. 131.2 oyle that was powred on Aarons head ranne downe to the skirtes of his garments and perfumed them, so the righteousnes of our Aaron that is Ie­sus Christ, although powred on his head yet perfumeth vs, and maketh vs gratious in the sight of God. So that now as euery member is liued of the head, and hath their sence and moouing from it: euen so haue wee our life from him, and all our sence and motion which [Page] is vnto good. Nay as the viler partes of the bodie doe partake of the worship and glory of the head, and are then honored when it is ho­noured, and then dispised when it is dispised: euen so in this spirituall vnion betwixt Christ and his faithfull members, although they be more vile in comparison to Christ, then are the basest partes of the body inferiour to the head: yet are they honoured when he is ho­nored, and with the crowne of righteousnesse that setteth on his head, are they also crow­ned and made righteous. Thus then you see that it is not an other that hath suffered for you, nor an other by whom yee are made righteous, but it is the head that suffereth for his members, and the head that in himselfe crowneth euery member, with the crowne of righteousnes and of glory.

Wherefore comfort your selues you that mourne in Sion, and are feared with Gods wrath, and the filth of your sinne, for GOD which was your enimie is become your friend, and beseecheth you to be reconciled vn­to him: and although your sinnes haue kept you backe, and defaced image hath made you ashamed to approch his presence, yet now he hath sent his sonne the brightnes of his glory not only by his suffering to take away your sinnes, but by his obedience to restore you to [Page] your former bewty, and to present your fault­lesse vnto himselfe. Let vs therefore rest on the goodnes of our God, and accept of his re­concilement perfourmed in his sonne, let Reu. 4.10. vs cast downe our crownes, and fall on our fa­ces, and giue all glory to him that sitteth on the throne, and to the Lambe for euermore, Amen. Reu. 7.12. Praise, glory & wisdome, and thanks, and honor, & power, and might be vnto our God for euermore. Amen.