A golden chaine: or The description of theologie containing the order of the causes of saluation and damnation, according to Gods word. A view whereof is to be seene in the table annexed. Hereunto is adioyned the order which M. Theodore Beza vsed in comforting afflicted consciences.

Of the right knowledge of Christ crucified.

IT is the most excellent and worthy part of diuine wis∣dome to know Christ crucified. The Prophet Esai saith, The knowledge of thy righteous seruāt,* 1.1 that is, Christ crucified, shall iustifie many. And Christ himselfe saith, This is life eternall to know thee the onely God,* 1.2 and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ.* 1.3 And Paul saith, I haue decree∣ed to know nothing among you but Iesus Christ and him crucified. Againe,* 1.4 God forbid that I should reioyce in any thing but in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ. Again,* 1.5 I thinke all things but losse for the excellent knowledge sake of Christ Iesus my Lord, and doe iudge them but dung that I might win Christ.

In the right way of knowing Christ crucified, two points must be conside∣red: one, how Man for his part is to know Christ; the other, how he is to be knowne of man.

Touching the first: Man must know Christ not generally and confusedly, but by a liuely, powerfull, and operatiue knowledge: for otherwise the deuils themselues know Christ.

In this knowledge three things are required. The first is notice or considerati∣on, whereby thou must conceiue in minde, vnderstand, and seriously bethinke thy selfe of Christ as he is reuealed in the historie of the Gospel, and as he is offered to thy particular person in the ministerie of the word and Sacraments. And that this consideration may not be dead and idle in thee, two things must be done: first thou must labour to feele thy selfe to stand in neede of Christ cru∣cified, yea to stand in excessiue neede euen of the very least drop of his blood, for the washing away of thy sinnes. And vnlesse tho•• throughly feelest thy selfe to want all that goodnes and grace that is in Christ, and that thou euen standest in extreame neede of his passion, thou shalt neuer learne or teach Christ in deede and truth. The second thing is, with the vnderstanding of the doctrine of Christ to ioyne thirsting, whereby man in his very soule and spirit longs after the participation of Christ, and saith in this case as Sampson said,* 1.6 Giue me water, I die for thirst.

The second part of knowledge is application, whereby thou must know & beleeue not onely that Christ was crucified, but that he was crucified for thee, for thee, I say, in particular. Here two rules must be remembred and practised. One, that Christ on the crosse was thy pledge and suretie in particular, that he then stood in thy very roome and place in which thou thy selfe in thine owne person shouldest haue stood: that thy very personall and particular sinnes were imputed and applied to him; that he stoode guiltie as a malefactour for them, and suffered the very pangs of hell, and that his sufferings are as much in acceptation with God, as if thou haddest borne the curse of the law in thine owne person eternally. The holding and beleeuing of this point is the very foundation of religion as also of the Church of God. Therefore in any wise be carefull to applie Christ crucified to thy selfe: and as Elizeus when

he would reuiue the childe of the Shunamite,* 1.7 went vp and lay vpon him, and put his mouth vpon his mouth, and his hands vpon his hands, & his eyes vp∣on his eyes, and stretched himselfe vpon him: euen so, if thou wouldest be re∣uiued to euerlasting life, thou must by faith as it were set thy selfe vpon the crosse of Christ, and applie thy handes to his hands, thy feete to his feete, and thy sinnefull heart to his bleeding heart, and content not thy selfe with Tho∣mas to put thy finger into his side, but euen diue and plunge thy selfe wholly both bodie and soule into the woundes and blood of Christ. This will make thee to crie with Thomas, and say, My Lord, my God; and this is to be crucified with Christ. And yet doe not content thy selfe with this, but by faith also des∣cend with Christ from the crosse to the graue, and burie thy selfe in the very buriall of Christ: and then looke as the dead souldier tumbled into the graue of Elizeus was made aliue at the very touching of his bodie;* 1.8 so shalt thou by a spirituall touching of Christ dead and buried; be quickned to life euerlast∣ing. The second rule is, that Christ crucified is thine, beeing really giuen thee of God the father, euen as truly as houses and land are giuen of earthly fathers to their children: this thou must firmely hold and beleeue; and hence is it that the benefits of Christ are before God ours indeede for our iustification and saluation.

The third point in liuely knowledge is, that by all the affections of our hearts we must be carried to Christ, and as it were transformed into him. Whereas he gaue himselfe wholly for vs, we can doe no lesse then bestow our hearts vpon him. We must therefore labour aboue all, following the Martyr Igna∣tius, who said that Christ his loue was crucified. We must value him at so high a price, that he must be vnto vs better then ten thousand worldes: yea all things which we enioy must be but as drosse and dung vnto vs in respect of him. Last∣ly, all our ioy, reioycing, comfort, and confidence must be placed in him. And that thus much is requisite in knowledge, it appeares by the common rule of expounding Scripture, that words of knowledge implie affection. And indeede it is but a knowledge swimming in the braine, which doth not alter and dispose the affections and the whole man.

Thus much of our knowledge. Now follows the second point, how Christ is to be knowne. He must not be knowne barely as God, or as man, or as a Iew borne in the tribe of Iudah, or as a terrible and iust iudge, but as he is our Redeemer and the very price of our redemption: and in this respect he must be considered as the common Treasurie and storehouse of Gods Church, as Paul testifieth when he saith,* 1.9 In him are all the treasures of knowledge and wis∣dome hid: and againe,* 1.10 Blessed be God, which hath blessed vs with all spirituall bles∣sings in Christ. And S. Iohn saith, that of his fulnesse we receiue grace for grace.

Here then let vs marke that all the blessings of God, whether spirituall or temporall, all I say without exception are conuaied vnto vs from the Father by Christ: and so they must be receiued of vs and no otherwise.

That this point may be further cleared, the benefits which we receiue from Christ are to be handled, and the manner of knowing of them. The benefits of Christ are three, his Merit, his Vertue, his Example.

The merit of Christ, is the value and price of his death and Passion, where∣by

any man is perfectly reconciled to god. This recōciliation hath two parts, Remission of sinnes, and acceptation to life euerlasting. Remission of sinnes, is the remoouing, or the abolishing both of the guilt and punishment of mans sinnes. By guilt I vnderstand a subiection or obligation to punishmēt, according to the order of diuine iustice. And the punishment of sinne is the malediction or curse of the whole lawe, which is the suffering of the first and second death. Acceptation to life euerlasting, is a giuing of right and title to the kingdome of heauen, and that for the merit of Christs obedience imputed. Now this be∣nefit of reconciliation must be knowne not by conceit and imagination, nor by carnall presumption; but by the inward testimonie of Gods spirit certifying our consciences thereof,* 1.11 which for this cause is called the spirit of Reuelation. And that we may attaine to infallible assurance of this benefit, we must call to mind the promises of the gospel touching remission of sinnes and life euerla∣sting: this beeing done, we must further striue and indeauour by the assurance of Gods spirit to apply them to our selues, and to beleeue that they belong vnto vs; and we must also put our selues often to all the exercises of inuocatiō and true repentance. For in and by our crying vnto heauen to God for recō∣ciliation, comes the assurance thereof, as Scriptures and Christian experience makes manifest. And if it so fall out, that any man in temptation apprehend and feele nothing but the furious indignation and wrath of God, against all reason and feeling he must hold to the merit of Christ, and knowe a point of religion hard to be learned, that God is a most louing father to thē that haue care to serue him euen at that instant when he shewes himselfe a most fierce and terrible enemie.

From the benefit of reconciliation proceede foure benefits. First, that excel∣lent peace of God that passeth all vnderstanding, which hath sixe parts. The first is, peace with God & the blessed Trinitie. Rom. 5.1. Being iustified we haue peace with God. The second, peace with the good angels, Ioh. 1. 51. Ye shall see the Angels of God ascending and descending vpon the sonne of man. And that An∣gels like armies of souldiers in campe about the seruants of God, and as nour∣ces beare them in their armes that they bee neither hurt by the deuill and his angels, nor by his instruments, it proceedes of this that they beeing in Christ are partakers of his merits. The third is, peace with all such as feare God and beleeue in Christ. This Esai foretold when hee saide, that the woolfe shall dwell with the lambe, and the leopard with the kidde, and the calfe and the lyon and a fatte beast togither, and that a little child should lead them, &c. 11. v. 6. The fourth is, peace with a mans owne selfe, when the conscience washed in the blood of Christ, ceaseth to accuse, and terrifie: and when the will, affections, and incli∣nations of the whole man are obedient to the mind enlightned by the spirit & word of God, Coloss. 3. Let the peace of God rule in your hearts. The fifth is, peace with enemies and that two waies. First, in that such as beleeue in Christ, seeke to haue peace with all men, hurting none but doing good to all: second∣ly, in that God restraines the malice of the enemies, and inclines their hearts to be peaceable.* 1.12 Thus God brought Daniel into loue and fauour with the chiefe of the Eunuches. The last is, peace with all creatures in heauen and earth, in that they serue for mans saluation. Psal. 91.13. Thou shalt walke vpon the lyon & the

Aspe: the yong lyon & the dragō shalt thou tread vnder foot. Hos. 2.18. And in that day will I make a couenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the foules of heauen. Now this benefit of peace is knowne partly by the testimonie of the spirit, and partly by a daily experience thereof.

The second benefit is a recouerie of that right and title, which man hath to all creatures in heauen and earth, and all temporall blessings; which right A∣dam lost to himselfe and euery one of his posteritie. 1. Cor. 3.22. Whether it be the world, or life, or death: whether they be things present, or things to come, all are yours. Nowe the right way of knowing this one benefit is this. When God vouchsafeth meate, drinke, apparell, houses, lands, &c. we must not barely cō∣sider them as blessings of God, for that very heathen men, which knowe not Christ can doe: but we must acknowledge and esteeme them as blessings pro∣ceeding from the special loue of god the father, wherby he loues vs in Christ: and procured vnto vs by the merit of Christ crucified: and we must labour in this point to be setled and perswaded: and so oft as we see and vse the creatures of God for our owne benefit, this point should come to our mindes. Blessings conceiued apart from Christ are misconceiued: whatsoeuer they are in them∣selues they are no blessings to vs but in and by Christs merit. Therefore this order must be obserued touching earthly blessings: first we must haue part in the merit of Christ, and then secondly by meanes of that merit, a right before God and comfortable vse of the things wee enioy. All men that haue and vse the creatures of God otherwise, as gifts of God but not by Christ, vse thē but as flat vsurpers and theeues. For this cause it is not sufficient for vs generally & confusedly to knowe Christ to bee our redeemer, but wee must learne to see, knowe, and acknowledge him in euery particular gift and blessing of God. If men vsing the creatures of meate and drinke; could, when they behold them, withall by the eie of faith beholde in them the merit of Christs passion, there would not be so much excesse and riot, so much ••urfetting and drunkennes, as there is: and if men could consider their houses and lands, &c. as blessings to them & that by the fountaine of blessing the merits of Christ, there should not be so much fraud and deceit, so much iniustice and oppression in bargai∣ning as there is.

That which I haue now said of meates, drinkes, apparell, must likewise bee vnderstood of gentrie and nobilitie, in as much as noble-birth without newe birth in Christ is but an earthly vanitie: the like may be said of phisicke, sleepe, health,* 1.13 libertie, yea of the very breathing in the ayre. And to go yet further: in our Recreations Christ must be knowne. For al recreation stands in the vse of things indifferent: and the holy vse of all things indifferent, is purchased vnto vs by the blood of Christ. For this cause it is very meete that Christian men and women should with their earthly recreations ioyne spirituall meditation of the death of Christ; and from the one take occasion to bethinke themselues of the other. If this were practised, there should not bee so many vnlawefull sports and delights, and so much abuse of lawfull recreation as there is.

The third benefit is, that al crosses, afflictions, and iudgements whatsoeuer, cease to be curses and punishments to them that are in Christ, and are onely meanes of correction or triall, because his death hath taken away not some few

parts, but, all and euery part of the curse of the whole lawe. Nowe in all crosses, Christ is to be known of vs on this manner. We must iudge of our afflictions as chastisements or trials, proceeding not from a reuenging iudge, but from the hand of a bountiful and louing father; and therefore they must be concei∣ued in and with the merit of Christ; and if we doe otherwise regard them, we take them as curses and punishments of sinne. And hence it followes that sub∣iection to Gods hand in all crosses, is a marke and badge of the true Church.

The last benefit is, that death is properly no death, but a rest or sleepe. Death therefore must be knowne and considered not as it is set foorth in the lawe but as it is altered and changed by the death of Christ: and when death comes, wee must then looke vpon it through Christs death, as through a glasse: and thus it will appeare to be but a passage from this life to euerlasting life.

Thus much of the merit of Christ crucified. Now follows his vertue which is the power of his godhead, whereby he creates newe hearts in all them that beleeue in him, and makes them newe creatures. This vertue is double: the first is the power of his death, whereby he freed himselfe from the punishment and imputation of our sinnes: and the same vertue serueth to mortifie and cru∣cifie the corruptions of our mindes, wills, affections, euen as a corasiue doeth wast and consume the rotten and dead flesh in any part of mans bodie.

The second, is the vertue of Christs resurrection, which is also the power of his Godhead, whereby he raised himselfe from death to life: & the verie same power serueth to raise those that belong to Christ, from their sinnes in this life, and from the graue in the daie of the last iudgement. Now the knowledge of this double vertue must not be onely speculatiue, that is, barely conceiued in the braine, but it must be experimentall: because we ought to haue experi∣ence of it in our hearts and liues, and we should labour by all meanes possible to feele the power of Christs death killing and mortifying our sinnes, and the vertue of his resurrection in the putting of spirituall life into vs, that we might be able to say that we liue not but that Christ liues in vs. This was one of the most excellent and principall things which Paul sought for, who saith, I haue counted all things losse and do iudge them to be dung, that I may knowe him and the vertue of his resurrection. Phil. 3.10. And he saith that this is the right waie to know and learne Christ, to cast off the olde man which is corrupt through the deceiueable lusts, and to put on the new man which is created in righteousnes & true holines. Eph. 4.24.

The third benefit is the example of Christ. Wee deceiue our selues, if wee thinke that he is onely to be knowne of vs as a Redeemer, and not as a spectacle or patterne of al good duties, to which we ought to conform our selues. Good men indeede, that haue beene or in present are vpon the earth the seruants of God, must be followed of vs: but they must be followed no otherwise then they follow Christ, & Christ must be followed in the practise of euery good dutie that may concerne vs without exception simply and absolutely, 1. Cor. 11.1.

Our conformitie with Christ standes either in the framing of our inwarde and spirituall life, or in the practise of outward and morall duties.

Conformitie of spirituall life is, not by doing that which Christ did vpon the crosse and afterward, but a doing of the like by a certaine kinde of imitati∣on. And it hath foure parts. The first is, a spirituall oblation. For as Christ in the garden and vpon the crosse, by praier made with strong cries and teares, pre∣sented and resigned himselfe vp to be a sacrifice of propitiation to the iustice of his father for mans sinne: so must we also in praier present and resigne our selues, our soules, our bodies, our vnderstanding, will, memorie, affections, & all we haue to the seruice of God, in the generall calling of a Christian, and in the particular callings in which hee hath placed vs. Take an example in Da∣uid, Sacrifice & burnt offering (saith he) thou wouldest not, but eares thou hast pier∣ced vnto men, then said, loe I come: I desire to doe thy will, O God, yea thy lawe is with∣in my heart, Psal. 40. 7. The second is, conformitie in the crosse two waies. For first, as he bare his own crosse to the place of exequution: so must we as good disciples of Christ denie our selues, take vp all the crosses and afflictions that the hand of God shall lay vpon vs. Againe, we must become like vnto him in the crucifying and mortifying the masse and bodie of sinne which wee carrie about vs, Gal. 5.24. They which are Christs haue crucified the flesh with the af∣fections and lusts thereof. Wee must doe as the Iewes did, wee must set vp the crosses and gybbets whereon we are to fasten and hang this flesh of ours, that is, the sinne and corruption that cleaues and stickes vnto vs, and by the sword of the spirit wound it euen to death. This beeing done, wee must yet goe fur∣ther, and labour by experience to see and feele the very death of it, and to lay it as it were in a graue neuer to rise againe: and therefore we should daiely cast newe moulds vpon it. The third is, a spirituall resurrection, whereby we should by Gods grace vse meanes that we may euery daie more and more come out of our sinnes, as out of a loathfome graue; to liue vnto God in newenes of life, as Christ rose from his graue. And because it is an hard matter for a man to come out of the graue or rather dungeon of his sinnes, this worke can not be done at once but by degrees, as God shall giue grace. Considering we lie by nature dead in our sinnes, and stinke in them as loathsome carrion, first wee must begin to stirre our selues as a man that comes out of a swowne, awake∣ned by the worde and voice of Christ founding in our deafe eares; secondly, we must raise vp our mindes to a better state and condition, as we vse to raise vp our bodies: after this we must put out of the graue first one hand, then the other. This done, we must doe our indeauour as it were vpon our knees, at the least to put one foote out of this sepulchre of sinne, the rather when wee see our selues to haue one foote of the bodie in the graue of the earth, that in the day of iudgement we may be wholly deliuered from all bonds of corrup∣tion. The fourth part is, a spirituall ascention into heauen, by a continuall eleua∣tion of the heart and mind to Christ sitting at the right hand of the father, as Paul saith, Haue your conuersation in heauen: and, If ye be risenwith Christ, seekè things that are aboue.

Conformitie in morall duties, is either generall or speciall. Generall, is to be holy as he is holy, Rom. 8.29. Those whome he knewe before he hath predestinate to be like the image of his sonne, that is, not only in the crosse but also in holines and glorie. 1. Ioh. 3. He which hath this hope purifieth himself euen as he is pure.

Speciall conformitie, is chiefly in foure vertues; Faith, Loue, Meekenes, Humilitie.

We must be like him in faith. For as he, when he apprehended the wrath of God, and the very pangs of hell were vpon him, wholly staied himselfe vp∣on the ayde, helpe, protection, and good pleasure of his father, euen to the last: so must we by a true & liuely faith depend wholly on Gods mercie in Christ, as it were with both our hands, in peace, in trouble, in life, & in the very pang of death: and we must not in any wise let our hold goe; no though we should feele our selues descend to hell.

We must be like him in meekenesse, Matth. 11. v. 28. Learne of me that I am meeke and lowly. His meekenesse shewed it selfe in the patient bearing of all iniuries and abuses offered by the hands of sinnefull and wretched men, and in the suffering of the curse of the law, without grudging or repining, and with submission to his fathers will in all things. Now the more we follow him herein, the more shall we be conformable to him in his death and passion. Phi∣lip. 3. 10.

Thirdly, he must be our example in Loue: he loued his enemies more then himselfe, Eph. 5.4. Walke in loue euen as Christ loued vs, and hath giuen himselfe for vs an oblation and sacrifice of sweete smelling sauour vnto God. The like loue ought we to shew, by doing seruice to all men in the compasse of our callings, and by beeing all things to all men (as Paul was) that we might doe them all the good we can both for bodie and soule. 1. Cor. 9.19.

Lastly, we must follow Christ in humilitie, whereof he is a wonderfull spe∣ctacle, in that beeing God, he became man for vs: & of a man became a worme that is troden vnder foote, that he might saue man, Phil. 2.5. Let the same mind be in you that was in Iesus Christ, who beeing in the forme of God, humbled himselfe and became obedient to the death, euen to the death of the crosse.

And here we must obserue, that the example of Christ hath something more in it then any other example hath or can haue: for it doth not onely shew vs what we ought to doe (as the examples of other men doe) but it is a remedie a∣gainst many vices, and a motiue to many good duties. First of all the serious consideration of this, that the very sonne of God himselfe suffered all the paines and torments of hell on the crosse for our sinnes, is the proper & most effectuall meanes to stirre vp our hearts to a godly sorrow for them.

And that this thing may come to passe, euery man must be setled without doubt, that he was the man that crucified Christ; that he is to be blamed as well as Iudas, Herod, Pontius Pilate, and the Iewes: and that his sinnes should be the nailes, the speares, and the thornes that pearced him.

When this meditation beginnes to take place, bitternesse of spirit with wayling and mourning takes place in like manner. Zach. 12. 10. And they shall looke vpon him whome they haue pear∣ced, and they shall lamem for him as one lamenteth for his onely sonne. Peter in his first sermon strooke the Iewes as with a thunder clappe from heauen, when he said vnto them, Ye haue crucified the Lord of glorie, so as the same time three thousand men were pricked in their hearts, and said, Men and brethren, what shall we doe to be saued. Againe, if Christ for our sinnes shedde his heart blood: and if our sinnes mad•• him sweat water and blood, oh then why should not

we our selues shedde bitter teares, & why would not our hearts bleede for thē. He that findes himselfe so dull aud hardened that the passion of Christ doeth not humble him, is in a lamentable case, for there is no faith in the death of Christ, effectuall in him as yet.

Secondly, the meditation of the passion of Christ is a most notable meanes to breede repentance and reformation of life in time to come. For when wee begin to thinke that Christ crucified, by suffering the first and second death, hath procured vnto vs remission of all our sinnes past, and freed vs from hell•• death, and damnation: then, if there be but a sparke of grace in vs, we begin to be of another mind, and to reason thus with our selues: What? hath the Lord bin thus mercifull vnto me, that am in my selfe but a firebrand of hell, as to free me from deserued destruction & to receiue me to fauour in Christ? yea, no doubt he hath, his name be blessed therefore: I will not therefore sinne any more as I haue done, but rather indeauour hereafter to keep my selfe from e∣uery euill way. And thus faith purifies both heart and life.

Thirdly, when thou art in any paine of bodie or sickenes, thinke how light these are compared to the agonie and bloodie sweat, to the crown of thornes and nailes of Christ. When thou art wronged in worde or deede by any man, turne thine eie to the crosse, consider howe meekely he suffered all abuses for the most part in silence, & praied for them that crucified him. When thou art tempted with pride or vaine-glorie, consider how for thy proper sins Christ was despised and mocked and condemned among theeues. When anger and desire of reuenge inflame thine heart, think how Christ gaue himself to death to saue his enemies, euen then when they did most cruelly intreat him, & shed his blood: and by these meditations, specially if they be mingled with faith, thy minde shall be eased.

Thus we see how Christ crucified is to be known: and hence ariseth a three∣fold knowledge: one of God, the second of our neighbours, the third of our selues.

Touching the first: if we would know the true God aright, and know him to our sahiation, we must knowe him only in Christ crucified. God in himselfe and his owne maiestie is inuisible, not onely to the eies of the bodie, but also to the vere minds of men, and he is reuealed to vs only in Christ; in whom he is to be seene as in a glasse. For in Christ he setteth forth and giues his iustice, goodnes, wisdome, and himselfe wholly vnto vs. For this cause he is called the brightnes of the glorie, and the ingrauen forme of the person of the father. Heb. 1. 3. and the image of the inuisible God. Coloss. 1.15. Therfore we must not know god and seeke him any where else but in Christ: and whatsoeuer out of Christ comes vnto vs in the name of God, is a flat idol of mans braine.

As for our neighbours, those especially that are of Christs Church, they are to be known of vs on this manner: When we are to do•• any dutie vnto them, we must not barely respect their persons, but Christ crucified in them, & them in Christ. When Paul persecuted such as called on the name of Christ, he thē f••om heauē cried, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Here then let this be mar∣ked, that when the poore comes to vs for releefe, it is Christ that comes to our dores, and saith, I am hungrie, I am thirstie, I am naked: and let the bowels of

compassion be in vs towards them as towards Christ, vnles we wil heare that fearefull sentence in the day of iudgement, Go ye cursed into hell, &c. I was hun∣grie, and ye fed me not: I was naked, and ye did not cloath me, &c.

Thirdly, the right knowledge of our selues ariseth of the knowledge of Christ crucified, in whom and by whome we come to know fiue speciall things of our selues. The first, how grieuous our sinnes are, and therefore howe mi∣serable we are in regard of them. If we consider our offences in themselues, & as they are in vs, we may soone be deceiued, because the conscience being cor∣rupted often erreth in giuing testimonie, and by that meanes maketh sinne to appeare lesse then it is indeede. But if sinne be considered in the death & pas∣sion of Christ, whereof it was the cause, and the vilenes thereof measured by the vnspeakable torments endured by the sonne of God: and if the greatnesse of the offence of man be esteemed by the endlesse satisfaction made to the iu∣stice of God, the least sinne that is will appeare to bee a sinne indeed, and that most grieuous and ougly. Therefore Christ crucified must bee vsed of vs as a myrrour or looking glasse, in which we may fully take a view of our wretch∣ednes and miserie, and what we are by nature. For such as the passion of Christ was in the eies of men, such is our passion or condition in the eies of God: and that which wicked men did to Christ, the same doeth sinne and Satan to our very soules.

The second point is, that men beleeuing in Christ are not their owne, or lords of themselues, but wholly both bodie and soule belong to Christ, in that they were giuen to him of God the father, and he hath purchased them with his owne blood, 1. Cor. 3. Ye are Christs, and Christs Gods. Hence it commeth to passe (which is not to be forgotten) that Christ esteemeth all the crosses and afflictions of his people, as his own proper afflictions. Hence againe we must learne to giue vp our selues both in body and soule to the honour and seruice of Christ, whose we are.

The third is, that euery true beleeuer, not as he is a man, but as hee is a newe man or a Christian, hath his being and subsisting from Christ, We are members of his bodie, of his flesh, and of his bone, Eph. 5.30. In which words, Paul alludes to the speech of Adam, Gen. 3. Thou art bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh, & thereby he teacheth, that as Eue was made of a ribbe taken out of the side of Adam, so doeth the whole church of God, and euery man regenerate, spring and arise out of the blood that streamed from the heart and side of Christ cru∣cified.

The fourth is, that all good workes done of vs, proceede from the vertue and merit of Christ crucified: he is the cause of them in vs, and we are the causes of them in and by him. Without me (saith he) ye can do nothing: and, Euery branch that beareth no fruite in me, marke well he saith, in me, he taketh away, Ioh. 15.2.

The fift point is, that we owe vnto Christ an endles debt. For he was cruci∣fied onely as our suretie and pledge, & in the spectacle of his passion we must consider our selues as the chiefe debters, and that the very discharge of our debt, that is, the sinnes which are inherent in vs, were the proper cause of all the endles paines and torments that Christ endured, that he might set vs most

miserable bankrupts at libertie from hell, death, and damnation. For this his vnspeakable goodnes, if we doe but once thinke of it seriously, we must needs confesse that we owe our selues, our soules, and bodies, and all that we haue as a debt due vnto him. And so soone as any man beginnes to know Christ cru∣cified, he knowes his owne debt, and thinks of the paiment of it.

Thus we see howe Christ is to be knowne: nowe wee shall not neede to make much examination whether this manner of knowing and acknowledg∣ing of Christ, take any place in the world or no: for fewe there be that knowe him as they ought. The Turke euen at this verie daie knowes him not but as he was a prophet. The Iewe scorneth his crosse and passion. The Popish Chur∣ches, though in word they confesse him, yet doe they not knowe him as they ought. The Friers and Iesuits in their sermons at this daie, commonly vse the Passion as a meanes to stirre vp pietie and compassion towards Christ, who beeing so righteous a man was so hardly intreated, and to inflame their hearts to an hatred of the Iewes, and Iudas, and Pontius Pilate that put our blessed Sauiour to death; but all this may be done in any other historie. And the ser∣uice of God which in that Church stands nowe in force by the Canons of the Councill of Trent, defaceth Christ crucified, in that the passions of martyrs are made meritorious, and the very wood of the crosse their only help: and the vir∣gin Marie the Queene of heauen, and a mother of mercie; who in remission of ••innes may command her sonne: and they giue religious adoration to dumme crucifixes made by the hand and art of man.

The common protestant likewise commeth short herein for three causes. First whereas in word they acknowledge him to bee their Sauiour, that hath redeemed them from their euill conuersation, yet indeede they make him a patrone of their sinnes. The thiefe makes him the receiuer, the murderer makes him his refuge, b 1.14the adulterer (be it spoken with reuerence vnto his maiestie) makes him the baud. For generally men walke on in their euill waies, some li∣uing in this sinne, some in that, and yet for all this they perswade themselues that God is mercifull, and that Christ hath freed them frō death and damnati∣on. Thus Christ that came to abolish sinne, is made a maintainer thereof, and the common pack-horse of the worlde to beare euery mans burden. Second∣ly, men are content to take knowledge of the merit of Christs passion for the remission of their sinnes, but in the meane season the vertue of Christs death in the mortifying of sin, and the blessed example of his passion, which ought to be followed and expressed in our liues & conuersations, is little or nothing regarded. Thirdly, men vsually content themselues generally and confusedly to know Christ to be their redeemer, neuer once seeking in euery particular estate and condition of life, and in euery particular blessing of God, to feele the benefit of his passion. What is the cause that almost all the world liue in se∣curitie, neuer almost touched for their horrible sinnes? surely the reason is, because they did neuer yet seriously consider that Christ in the garden lay groueling vpon the earth, sweating water & blood for their offences. Againe, all such a by fraud and oppression, or any kind of hard dealing sucke the blood of poore men, neuer yet knewe that their sinnes drewe out the heart blood of Christ. And proud men and women that are puffed vp by reason of

their attire, which is the badge of their shame, and neuer cease hunting after strange fashions, doe not consider that Christ was not crucified in gay attire, but naked, that he might beare the whole shame and curse of the lawe for vs. These and such like whatsoeuer they say in word, if we respect the tenour of their liues, are flat enemies of the crosse of Christ, and tread his pretious blood vnder their feete.

Now then, considering this so weightie and speciall a point of religion is so much neglected, O man or woman, high or lowe, young or olde, if thou haue beene wanting this waie, begin for verie shame to learne and learning truly to knowe Christ crucified. And that thou maiest attaine to this, behold him often, not in the wooden crucifix after the Popish manner, but in the preaching of the word, and in the Sacraments, in which thou shalt see him crucified before thine eies, Gal. 3.1. Desire not here vpon earth to beholde him with the bodi∣ly eie, but looke vpon him with the eie of true and liuely faith, applying him and his merits to thy selfe as thine owne, and that with broken and bruised heart, as the poore Israelites stung with fierie serpents euen to death, behelde the brasen serpent. Againe, thou must looke vpon him first of all as a glasse or spectacle, in which thou shalt see Gods glorie greater in thy redemption, then in thy creation. In the creation appeared Gods infinite wisdome, power, and goodnesse: in thy redemption by the passion of Christ, his endlesse iustice & mercie. In the creation thou art a member of the first Adam, and bearest his image: in thy redemption thou art a member of the second Adam. In the first thou art indued with naturall life, in the second with spirituall. In the first, thou hast in the person of Eve thy beginning of the rib of Adam: in the secōd thou hast thy beginning as thou art borne of God out of the blood of Christ. Lastly, in the first, god gaue life in commanding that to be, which was not: in the second, he giues life not by life, but by death, euen of his owne forme. This is the mysterie vnto which the angels themselues desire to looke into. 1. Pet. 1.12. Secondly, thou must behold him as the full price of thy redemption, and perfect reconciliation with God; and pray earnestly to God, that hee would seale vp the same in thy verie conscience by his holy spirit. Thirdly, thon must behold Christ as an example, to whome thou must conforme thy selfe by re∣generation. For this cause giue diligence, that thou maist by experience say, that thou art dead, and crucified, and buried with Christ, and that thou risest againe with him to newnesse of life: that he enlightens thy minde, and by de∣grees reforms thy will and affections, and giue thee both the wil and the deed in euery good thing. And that thou maist not faile in this thy knowledge, read the historie of Christs passion, obserue all the parts and circumstances there∣of, & apply them to thy selfe for thy full conuersion. When thou readest that Christ went to the garden; as his custome was, where the Iewes might soonest attach him; consider that he went to the death of the crosse for thy sinnes wil∣lingly, and not of constraint; and that therefore thou for thy part shouldst doe him all seruice freely and frankely, Psal. 110. 3. When thou hearest that in his agonie his foule was heauie vnto death, know it was for thy sinnes, and that thou shouldest much more conceiue heauines of heart for the same: againe, that this sorrow of his is ioy and reioycing vnto thee, if thou wilt beleeue in

him; therefore Paul saith, I say againe reioyce in the Lord. When thou rea∣dest that in the garden he praied lying groueling on his face sweating water and blood, beginne to thinke seriously what an vnspeakable measure of Gods wrath was vpon thy blessed Sauiour, that did prostrate his bodie vpon the earth, and cause the blood to follow: and thinke that thy sinnes must needes be most heynous, that brought such bloodie and grieuous paines vpon him. Also thinke it a very shame for thee to carrie thy head to heauen with haugh∣tie lookes, to wallow in thy pleasures, and to draw the innocent blood of thy poore brethren by oppression and deceit, for whome Christ sweat water and blood, and take an occasion from Christs agonie, to lay aside the pride of thy heart, to be ashamed of thy selfe, to grieue in heart, yea euen to bleede for thine owne offences, casting downe and humbling thy selfe with Ezra,* 1.15 say∣ing, O my God, I am confounded and ashamed to lift vp mine eyes vnto thee, my God: for mine iniquities are increased, and my trespasse is growne vp into heauen. When thou readest that Christ was taken and bound, thinke that thy very sinnes brought him into the power of his enemies, and were the very bondes wherewith he was tyed: thinke that thou shouldest haue beene bound in the very same manner vnlesse he had beene a suretie and pledge for thee: thinke also that thou in the selfe ••ame manner art bound and tied with the chaynes of thine owne sinnes, and that by nature thy will, affections, and whole spirit is tied and chained to the will of the deuill, so as thou canst doe nothing but that which he willeth: lastly, thinke and beleeue that the bondes of Christ serue to purchase thy libertie from hell, death, and damnation. When thou hearest that he was brought before Annas and Ca∣iaphas, thinke it was meete, that thy suretie and pledge who was to suffer the condemnation due vnto thee, should by the high Priest as by the mouth of God, be condemned: and woonder at this, that the very coessentiall and e∣ternall Sonne of God, euen the very soueraigne Iudge of the world, stands to be iudged, and that by wicked men; perswading thy selfe that this so great confusion comes of thy sinnes. Whereupon beeing further amazed at thy fearefull estate, humble thy selfe in dust and ashes, and pray God so to soften thy stonie heart, that thou maiest turne to him, and by true faith lay hold on Christ, who hath thus exceedingly abased himselfe, that his ignominie may be thy glorie, and his arraignment thy perfect absolution. When thou rea∣dest that Barrabas the murderer, was preferred before Christ, though he ex∣ceeded both men and Angels in holinesse; thinke it was to manifest his inno∣cencie, and that thy very sinnes pulled vpon him this shamefull reproch; and in that for thy cause he was esteemed worse then Barrabas, thinke of thy selfe as a most heynous and wretched sinner, and (as Paul saith) the head of all sin∣ners. When thou readest that he was openly and iudicially condemned to the cursed death of the crosse, consider what is the wrath and furie of God against sinne, and what is his great and infinite mercie to sinners: and in this spectacle looke vpon thy selfe, and with grones of heart crie out, and say, O good God, what settest thou heare before mine eyes? I, euen I haue sinned, I am guiltie and worthie of damnation. Whence comes this chaunge, that thy blessed sonne is in my roome, but of thy vnspeakable mercie? Wretch

that I am, how haue I forgotten my selfe, and thee also my God? O sonne of God, how long hast thou abased thy selfe for me? Therefore giue me grace O God, that beholding mine owne estate in the person of my Sauiour thus con∣demned, I may detest and loath my sinnes that are the cause thereof, and by a liuely faith imbrace that absolution which thou offerest me in him, who was condemned in my stead and roome. O Iesu Christ Sauiour of the world, giue me thy holy and blessed Spirit that I may iudge my selfe, and be as vile and base in mine owne eyes as thou wast vile before the Iewes: also vnite me vnto thee by the same spirit, that in thee I may be as worthie to be accepted before God, as I am worthie in my selfe to be detested for my sinnes. When thou rea∣dest, that he was clad in purple and crowned with thornes, mocked and spit vpon, behold the euerlasting shame that is due vnto thee, and be ashamed of thy selfe, & in this point conforme thy self to Christ, & be content (as he was) to be reproched, abused, and despised, so it be for a good cause. When thou readest, that before his crucifying, he was stript of al his cloathes, thinke it was that he beeing naked might beare thy shame on the crosse, and with his most pretious and rich nakednesse couer thy deformitie. When thou readest the complaint of Christ, that he was forsaken of his father, consider how he suffe∣red the pangs and torments of hell as thy pledge and surety. Learne by his vn∣speakable torments what a fearefull thing it is to sinne against God, and begin to renounce thy selfe, and detest thy sinnes, and to walke as a child of light, ac∣cording to the measure of grace receiued. When thou commest to die, set be∣fore thine eyes Christ in the midst of all his torments on the crosse: in behol∣ding of which spectacle to thy endlesse comfort, thou shalt see a paradise in the middest of hell: God the father reconciled vnto thee, thy Sauiour reaching out his hands vnto thee to receiue thy soule vnto him; and his crosse as a lad∣der to aduance it to eternall glorie. Wheras he cried aloud with a strong voice at the point of death, it was to shew that he died willingly without violence or constraint from any creature, and that if it had so pleased him, he could haue freed himselfe from death, and haue cast his very enemies to the very bottom of hell. When thou readest that he commended his soule into the handes of his Father, consider that thy soule also (so be it thou wilt beleeue in him) is de∣liuered vp into the hands of God, and shall be preserued against the rage and malice of all thine enemies, and hereupon thou maist be bolde to commend thy spirit into the hands of God the father. When thou readest of his death, consider that thy sinnes were the cause of it, and that thou shouldest haue suffered the same eternally, vnlesse the sonne of God had come in thy roome: againe consider his death as a ransome, and apprehend the same by faith, as the meanes of thy life: for by death Christ hath wounded both the first and second death, and hath made his crosse to be a throne or tribunall seate of iudgement against all his and thine enemies. When thou readest of the trembling of the earth at the death of Christ, thinke with thy selfe it did in his kind as it were grone vnder the burden of the sinnes of men in the world: and by his motion then it signified that euen thou and the rest deserued ra∣ther to be swallowed of the earth, and to goe downe into the pit aliue, then to

haue any part in the merit of Christ crucified. When thou readest of his buri∣all, thinke that it was to ratifie his death, and to vanquish death euen in his owne denne. Applie this buriall to thy selfe, and beleeue that it serues to make thy graue a bedde of doune, and to free thy bodie from corruption. Lastly, pray to God that thou maist feele the power of the spirit of Christ, weakning and consuming the bodie of sinne, euen as a dead corps rottes in the graue, till it be resolued to dust.

When thou hast thus perused and applied to thy selfe the historie of the Passion of Christ, goe yet further, and labour by faith to see Christ crucified in all the workes of God, either in thee, or vpon thee. Behold him at thy table in meate and drinke, which is as it were a liuely sermon and a daily pledge of the mercie of God in Christ. Behold him in all thine afflictions, as thy partner that pitieth thy case, and hath compassion on thee. Behold him in thy most dangerous temptations, in which the deuil thundreth damnation, behold him I say, as a mightie Sampson bearing away the gates of his enemies vpon his owne shoulders: and killing more by death then by life, crucifying the deuill, euen then when he is crucified, by death killing death: by entrance into the graue, opening the graue and giuing life to the dead, and in the house of death spoiling him of all his strength and power. Behold him in all the afflictions of thy brethren, as though he himselfe were naked, hungrie, sicke, harbourles, and do vnto them all the good thou canst, as to Christ himselfe. If thou woul∣dest behold God himselfe, looke vpon him in Christ crucified, who is the in∣grauen image of the fathers person; and know it to be a terrible thing in the time of the trouble of thy conscience to thinke of God without Christ, in whose face the glorie of God in his endlesse mercie is to be seene, 2. Cor. 4.6.

If thou wouldest come to God for grace, for comfort, for saluation, for any blessing, come first to Christ hanging, bleeding, dying vpon the crosse, with∣out whome there is no hearing God, no helping God, no sauing God, no God to thee at all.

In a word, let Christ be all things without exception vnto thee, Coloss. 3. 11. for when thou praiest for any blessing either temporall or spirituall, be it whatsoeuer it will be or can be, thou must aske it at the hands of God the father by the merit and mediation of Christ crucified: now looke as we aske blessings at Gods hand, so must we receiue them of him; and as they are receiued, so must we possesse and vse them daily, namely as gifts of God procured to vs by the merit of Christ: which gifts for this very cause, must be wholly imploied to the honour of Christ.

FINIS.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Esa. 53. 1••••
• * 1.2

  Ioh. 17.2.
• * 1.3

  1. Cor. 2.2.
• * 1.4

  Gal. 6.14.
• * 1.5

  Phil. 3.5.
• * 1.6

  Iudg. 15.19.
• * 1.7

  2. King. 4. 34.
• * 1.8

  2. King. 13. 21.
• * 1.9

  Coloss. 13.
• * 1.10

  Eph. 1.4.
• * 1.11

  Eph. 1.7.
• * 1.12

  cap. 1.9.
• * 1.13

  Consider Coloss. 3. 11. and 2.10.
• b 1.14

  Caluin on Gal. 6.2.
• * 1.15

  Ezra 9.