A guide to godlynesse or a Treatise of a Christian life shewing the duties wherein it consisteth, the helpes inabling & the reasons parswading vnto it ye impediments hindering ye practise of it, and the best meanes to remoue them whereunto are added diuers prayers and a treatise of carnall securitie by Iohn Douname Batcheler in Diuinitie and minister of Gods Word.

§. Sect. 6 Of the great worke of Re∣demption by our Sauiour Christ.

The which great worke of our Redemption by Christ, doth aboue all other parts of Diuinity, minister vnto vs most plentifull and fit matter for our meditations, as seruing notably to worke in our hearts a true hatred of sinne, to inflame them with Gods loue, to worke them to his feare, to kindle in them the zeale of his glory, to confirme our faith, strengthen our affiance and hope, renew our repentance, and to stirre vs vp to performe with all cheerfulnesse the duties of a godly life, that by walking before him in holinesse and righteousnesse, we may glorifie him who hath redee∣med and made vs his owne at so high a price. Now the poynts which heere affoord vnto vs matter of meditation, are manifold. As first, that it was necessary wee should haue a Sauiour and Mediatour betweene God and vs; seeing in his Decree of Election he hath ordained the meanes, as well as the end, and that none but Christ could saue vs, who is the foun∣dation of our Election. In Christ wee may meditate both vpon his per∣son and offices. And in his person, consider both his natures and states, both of humiliation and exaltation. Heere wee haue plentifull and profi∣table

matter of meditation concerning the Incarnation of Christ, his Conception by the holy Ghost in the wombe of the blessed Virgin, the framing and sanctifying of his humane nature, the assuming and vniting of it to the Diuine nature, by a substantiall vnion, without confusion, se∣paration, or alteration of either nature in their properties. His Birth and Circumcision; and that this Christ, borne of the Virgin Mary, is the true Messias. So likewise we may meditate on his Office of Mediatorship; as that he is the alone Mediator betweene God and man. How he was called to his office, and the testimonies of it; of his Baptisme, fasting in the Wildernesse, and Diuine vnction with the Spirit aboue measure. Of the eternity of his Office, and parts of it, being anoynted of God to bee our Prophet, Priest, and King. Of his Propheticall Office, whereby hee hath both outwardly reuealed vnto vs the knowledge of God and his will, and inwardly inlighteneth our minds to conceiue it, by his grace and ho∣ly Spirit; and of the confirmation of this doctrine by miracles. Of his Priestly Office, and of his All-sufficient satisfaction for our sinnes. Of his perfect obedience, both actiue, whereby he hath fulfilled the Law for vs; and passiue, whereby he hath suffered all those punishments which were due vnto vs for our sinnes. And this yeeldeth vnto vs most excellent and profitable matter of meditation in all the parts thereof; as his tentations in the Wildernesse by the diuell, the manifold miseries which hee indu∣red, as pouerty, hunger, wearinesse, contempt, disgraces, scoffes and bit∣ter taunts, reproches, slanders, reuilings, and such like, which he suffered in the whole course of his life; and those his passions and sufferings a little before his death; as his internall and bitter agony in the Garden, where his wrastling with Gods wrath, and the burthen of his Fathers heauie dis∣pleasure for our sinnes, which he had taken vpon him, forced out of his most blessed Body a bloody sweat. And his externall sufferings, as his be∣traying by his owne Apostle, his apprehension by his cruell enemies, who haled him before the Iudgement seat as a malefactour, who was the Lord our righteousnesse; falsly accused him, who had committed no sinne, and in whose mouth there was no guile, vniustly condemned him, who was iust and innocent, mocked and scorned him, blindfolded and buffeted him, reuiled and spit vpon him, clothed him with purple, and crowned him with thornes, whipped and tormented him, crucified and killed him. And here we may meditate of this kind of death, which was most bitter and painfull, ignominious and shamefull, accursed and vncomfortable, seeing he suffered not only a bodily death, but the wrath of God, which is the death of the soule, and was vtterly emptyed (as the Apostle speaketh) of all diuine comfort, and was as a man forlorne and forsaken of God in his owne sense and apprehension, which made him to cry out vpon the Crosse, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Thus also wee haue matter of meditation from those things which followed his death; as from his triumph vpon the Crosse ouer the wrath of God, the curse of the Law, Satan, death, hell, and all the enemies of our saluation, in re∣spect of the vertue of his merits. From his descension and buriall, where∣by he was held for a time vnder the arrest of death. From those things likewise which were done by him in his state of exaltation; as his Resur∣rection,

mansion vpon the earth for the space of forty dayes, teaching and instructing his Disciples in those things which appertained to his King∣dome. His Ascension, sitting at the right hand of God, and there making intercession for vs. And that which followeth of all these, as the generall effect and fruit of them all, the great worke of our Redemption. So haue we matter of meditation from Christs Kingly Office, by which, sitting at the right hand of his Father, in all glory, maiesty and power, hee raign∣eth ouer all the world, and more peculiarly, ouer his Church. And heere we may meditate vpon the parts of his Kingly Office, which are his spe∣ciall administration, and generall and last Iudgement. In the former, wee may consider the gouernment of his Church, and the abolition of the kingdome of darknesse. In that we may meditate on his calling and ga∣thering of it out of the world, and the consecration of it being gathered by his presence and protection, prouiding for it all necessaries, and preser∣uing it from all dangers: where we may take occasion to meditate vpon all Gods blessings and benefits, both temporall, spirituall and eternall, which he hath, and will bestow generally vpon his whole Church, and also vpon those which he hath particularly and in speciall manner vouchsafed vnto vs, both in our preseruation from euill, and fruition of good. The a∣bolition of the kingdome of darknes is the ouerthrow and destruction of all his enemies, and especially that grand aduersary, Antichrist, the whore of Babylon.

Notes

• Phil. 2. 8.