Lectures Upon Colossians, Lecture 7
THE SEVENTH LECTVRE VPONUPON THE EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE Coloſſians.
COLOS. Chap. 1. verſ. 20.
20 And through peace made by the bloud of that his croſſe, to reconcile to himſelfe, through him, through him (I ſay) all things, both which are in earth, and which are in heauen.
YE remember (beloued brethren) the Apoſtle, when he had ſet downe that great benefite of the redemption of mankinde by the bloud of Ieſus Chriſt, hee fals out into a high deſcriptiō of the ſonne of God, tending to this end, to let vsus ſee the preciouſnes of that bloud. He ſet him to be firſt the image of the inuiſible God, a high ſtile. Secondly, he ſtiles him to be the firſt borne of all creatures. Thirdly, hee ſtiles him to be the Creator himſelfe, by whom all things in heauen and earth were created. Fourthly, he calles him to be the end of the ſaid creation of all creatures, for whoſe honour and glorie all creatures were made. Fiftly, he ſtiles him to be the preſeruer and keeper of all the creatures made by him. Sixtly, he comes forward, and conſidereth him not onelyonly as he is the ſonne of God, God from all eternitie; but as he is man alſo: and he makes him to be the head of the Church, as he is God and man. Then he cals him the firſt borne of the dead, as hee is man; who by his power ſhall raiſe vp all men that ſhall riſe from the dead. Then hee cals him the vniuerſall dominatour of all the creatures; not only cals he him the Lord of his Church, but he cals him the vniuerſall dominatour of all creatures in heauen and earth: yea the Lord ouer the very diuels themſelues. He hath the preheminence before all creatures. Now hee inſiſts vponupon the laſt point, and he giues two arguments to proue him to hauehave the preheminence of all creatures, and before all creatures. The firſt argument is taken from the worthines of his perſonage, In him (ſaith he) is all fulnes. And God the Father decreed, that all fulnes, not only of the graces of God, but of the Godhead it ſelfe, ſhould dwell in the man the Lord Ieſus. The ſecond argument is taken from the dignitie of his office; hee is the Mediatour by whom reconciliation is made betwixt God and man. So brethren, this day (by Gods grace) we hauehave to inſiſt in the office of Chriſts mediation.
We hauehave then in the firſt verſe a deſcription of the Mediatour. He ſaith not ſimply he is the Mediatour, but in place of the name he giues a deſcription of the name. The Mediatour is The office of the Mediatour.he, by whom it hath pleaſed the father to reconcile to himſelfe all things in heauen and earth, by making peace through the bloud of his croſſe. Now becauſe the Mediatour is defined here from the benefit of our reconciliation: therfore we ſhall ſpeak of this benefit only, ſo farre as the words ſhall furniſh. If you will look what is before, and weigh the words of this text; you ſhall finde theſe things, namely to be conſidered, concerning this benefit of our reconciliation. Firſt, the word of reconciliation, what it meaneth. Secondly, who is the reconciliator, to wit, the Father. Thirdly, who mooueth him to reconcile all things. Fourthly, who are they that are reconciled. Fiftly, to whom they are reconciled. Sixtly, by whom, to wit, the Mediatour. Seaventhly, after what manner. All theſe circumſtances are in the text, partly before, and partly after, in theſe words read. Now for the word of reconciliation, it ſignifies agreement, and attonement, and friendſhip made betwixt two parties that were at variance together. This way generally is the word taken; euen ſo our reconciliation with God: It is an agreement betwixt God and vsus that were at variance, enmitie and open warre together; fighting in ſuch ſort, as neuer two contrarie parties fought together. When we were enemies (ſaith Paul, Rom. 5. 10. we were reconciled by the death of his ſonne. Yet brethren, the word imports more, not onelyonly it imports an agreement, but (to ſpeake it ſo) it imports a reagreement, and a renewing of an old friendſhip betweene two that firſt were friends, and then became foes by offence done againſt the other partie. Euen ſo our reconciliation, it is a renewing of the Reconciliation what it is.old friendſhip that was betwixt God and vsus in the creation; and becauſe thereafter we offended him, firſt we become enemies to him, and through ſinne fight againſt him moſt cruelly. So this word includes three things within it: firſt it includes an old friendſhip we had with God, as old as our creation. For we were created in the beginning friends to God, and hee was our friend, and we were his friends. Secondly, it imports a variance that followed the creation, and that by our foule defection in breaking of the couenant. Thirdly, it imports a renewed friendſhip after that enmitie, and that by the Mediatour the Lord Ieſus Chriſt. I remember Paul, writing to the Epheſians 1. 10. he hath a word that he cals recollection, which imports a gathering together of them that were ſcattered, and it includes all theſe three, that wee hauehave ſpoken of reconciliation. Firſt, it imports a vnion, which wee had with God at the beginning. Secondly, that after there was a ſcattering. Then it imports a gathering together of vsus by the Mediatour. Now this for the word.
In the knowledge whereof, you may learne the three eſtates of man from the beginning. Firſt, wee ſtood in friendſhip and amitie with God: he was ours and we were his; and wee were bound with him in a couenant. Why ſhould wee not remember this our firſt eſtate and condition in our creation? wee ſtood then in amitie with God, ſuch as neuer was betwixt creature and creature. It hath no compariſon in this world. Secondly, we learne our enmitie, the ſtate of variance and diſagreement. Enmitie with God.The eſtate of battell and of warre with God: a miſerable eſtate! For like as it was the felicitie of man to be at one with God (for if thou hadſt all the world, and all the confederacie with all the Kings on the earth, and with the diuell himſelfe; thou haſt no part of bleſſing, thou haſt no happines, if thou be not at one with God) euen ſo our enmitie with God is our miſerie: curſed is that creature that is enemie to God. Thirdly, in ye word we learne our laſt eſtate, our renewed amitie with God againe. We began with friendſhip, wee fell into emnitie; wee returne againe to friendſhip, and this is made by the Mediatour. If you will compare this friendſhip with the old friendſhip, it is both greater and better then the old friendſhip. The new friendſhip that is gotten by this reconciliation The reconciliation we hauehave by Chriſt is vnchangeable.is vnchangeable: the old friendſhip was changeable. Wee became his enemies, and hee became ours: but this new friendſhip it muſt ſtand, and ſhall ſtand immutable in the Mediatour, and it ſhall be immutable to thee: and if thou be truly reconciled to God, thou ſhalt neuer be an enemie to him againe, nor hee to thee. For Ieſus Chriſt, who hath made the peace, ſhall hold faſt the band of peace betwixt thy God and thee: neuer any was truly reconciled with him, but hee ſhall ſtand firme and ſtable in that reconciliation. For Chriſt makes interceſſion for thee; and thy reconciliation ſhall ſtand as long as his interceſſion ſtands, which is euerlaſting: therefore thy friendſhip ſhall ſtand euerlaſtingly. It is a plaine blaſphemie to ſay that a man once truly reconciled to God, can fall from grace againe: and it is as much to ſay, as that Chriſt ſhal not continue in his interceſſion. So our laſt eſtate is moſt bleſſed: onelyonly hold thy eye on thy Mediatour that makes interceſſion for thee, and I will aſſure thee thou ſhalt neuer be ſeuered from him: nay heauen and earth ſhall goe together ere thou be rent from that God. Thus briefly for the word.
Now to come to the ſecond point; who is the Redeemer, and the author of our reconciliation. In the verſes preceding The ſecond circumſtance.it is ſaid, It hath pleaſed the father that in him all fulnes ſhould dwell; and that by him all ſhould be reconciled to himſelfe: ſo the author of our reconciliation is the father of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt. Who was the author of the enmitie? who was the cauſe of the variance? where begun it? Man himſelfe he begun the variance. But who begun the friendſhip? began man it againe? Ioh. 3. 16.began Adam the reconciliation? thought he of it? No, he neuer thought of it to begin it againe. God the father, who called vponupon him when he was runne away, began the friendſhip. Thou begans it not: nay, there was neuer ſuch a thing as a thought of it. The father he began it, euen when thou waſt running headlong to thy deſtruction, turning thy backe vponupon God. Thou maiſt be at oddes with God when thou wilt; but thou wilt not be the beginner of the friendſhip againe, except The louelove of the father the fountaine of reconciliation.hee of merciemercy begin it with thee: ſo it is the father that is the authour and fountaine of our reconciliation. Yet brethren, what is this that the father begins the friendſhip, being the partie aduerſarie, and the greateſt, and the worthieſt partie? This is a rare thing, that one of two parties aduerſaries, and the worthieſt, ſhould ſeeke reconciliation of the other, that is nothing in compariſon of him. So this lets vsus ſee a paſſing louelove and merciemercy in God, that began firſt to ſeeke thee. But yet what a partie aduerſarie was he? to wit, he was that partie aduerſarie that was offended by man: he did no offence to man, but man offended him. Indeede there had been leſſe matter of marueiling, if hee had begun the feude and enmitie: but hee brake not a iot to man of his part, of the couenant made with him. But man, falſe man, kept neuer a point of his part: and therefore as man is called a lier after that breach of promiſe to God his maker; ſo this is found that he who hath receiued the wrong, and the more ſtrong and worthie partie, that that partie will begin the amitie againe. This is that incomparable louelove, that in the Rom. 5. 18. is ſpoken of. There is not ſuch a louelove to be found in heauen or earth, that the partie that is offended and hath done no offence, that he ſhould beginne the peace: yea more, ſhould giuegive his onelyonly begotten ſonne, his deere ſonne, to be a ranſome for the offence done to him. There is that incomprehenſible louelove of God towards man. What tongue is able to expreſſe yt thouſand part of that louelove? Nay, al the wit of men and Angels is not able once ſufficiently thinke of it. Let be to expreſſe it as it is in thy ſelfe. Thus far for the ſecond.
Now the third is, what moued the father to enter into new friendſhip with man? ſaw hee ought in me, in thee, or in any man, to moue him to be reconciled with me, or thee, or any man? It is ſaid: It hath pleaſed him: then it was his owne pleaſure, foreign, beneplacitum eius; this was it that moued him to be reconciled with vsus. This pleaſure, it was not a thing in time, What the louelove of the father is.but it was a decree that paſt in heauen from al eternitie. A decree, that proceeded of meere louelove and grace, and not of a foreſight of any good that either he ſaw thē preſently in man, or that he foreſaw ſhould be in man hereafter; but it was of a free grace, without any merit of man. And therfore in his own time for the fulfilling of this decree of reconciliation, hee ſent his onelyonly begotten ſonne into the world, to preach this word of reconciliation to the world. So this word, It hath pleaſed him, excludes all merit and worthines in man; and it lets thee ſee that that friendſhip was without thy merit; yea to ſpeake Merit.it ſo, againſt thy merit. I know not a merit that thou haſt, but the merit of hell and damnation.
Come to the fourth circumſtance, who were they that were reconciled? It is ſaid, It hath pleaſed him to reconcile all things. The fourth circumſtance.And then in the end of the verſe, he laies this vniuerſalitie in the parts of it, All things both in heauen and earth. This vniuerſall particle All things, extends not to all creatures; yea it extends not to all reaſonable creatures; it extends not to the diuels; no reconciliation with the diuell nor with the Angels that made that foule defection. I tell you more, it extends not to all men and women: no reconciliation with the reprobate for euer: they are in ranke with the diuell himſelfe. This reconciliation, it extends then to the bleſſed Angels, who hauehave ſtood from the beginning. It extends to men and women, not to all, but to the choſen and elect ones from all eternitie. Now there is no queſtion of ſinfull man. All will graunt that man, who was choſen to life, howbeit before hee was an enemie to God, yet now in time he is reconciled to him. But all the queſtion is about the bleſſed Angels that fell not from God. How can it be ſaid, that they are reconciled to God? Well, I will not be curious, if you will conſider theſe bleſſed Angels in themſelues Whether the elect Angels be reconciled to God by Chriſt, or what benefit they hauehave by him.apart, from the bodie which is the Church; indeede it is true, they cannot properly be ſaid to be reconciled, becauſe they were neuer at feud or enmitie with God (for reconciliation, as yee hauehave heard, imports a feud) but if you conſider them in the bodie, in a manner they may be ſaid to be reconciled in the bodie: for howbeit they be bound vp without the bodie, yet they muſt euer be conſidered to be in the bodie, and ſo in the bodie they get a new coniunction with God, through the Lord Ieſus Chriſt. The eſtate of the bleſſed Angels before the comming of Chriſt it was this: They hung as it were by the head (to ſpeake it ſo) by a ſtitch, as certaine members ſeuered from the body: when Chriſt comes in, he couples them together, he makes man and Angell all vp together faſter then euer they were before. So to leaue this, you may ſee the very bleſſed Angels, who fell not from God, they got a benefit by the Mediatour, as man doth. I ſay the bleſſednes of the Angels was not perfected, till Chriſt came: They were indeed bleſſed, but they had not a firme bleſsing, while Chriſt came, who eſtabliſhed their bleſſednes. And therefore as it is ſaid, ye Abraham long before the Lord Ieſus came into the world, ſaw him and reioyced; ſo the Angels they ſaw the Lord Ieſus long ere he came; and when he came, they reioyced at his comming. And it is ſaid in 1. Pet. 1. 12. that it is their pleaſure to looke in through that vaile to ſee and behold the Lord Ieſus. Thus much concerning the Angels.
Then the thing I note for our ſelues is this. Will you marke what care God hath had of man? God, he would not perfect the bleſſednes of the Angels without man: he would not giuegive them that bleſſing till Ieſus Chriſt the man the Mediatour came, and ioyned them with man. So you may ſee the care of God towards mankinde, to hauehave been very great and very louing. The Apoſtle to the Hebrues 11. verſ. 39. 40. comparing the old Church with the new, ſaith; That the Saints that ſuffered before, they got not the thing promiſed, becauſe God had a reſpect to vsus: Euen ſo he did with the Angels, hee would not giuegive them their full bleſſing without vsus, vile ſtinking ſinners. What regard is this that thy God ſhould hauehave of thee? Laſtly, I will ſpeake this to thee, that eſteemes ſo little of the communion with the bodie of the Church. O miſerable creature! vaine lowne! thou ſhalt neuer bee bleſſed till thou bee ioyned with the Saints of God in the Church. Vaine ſoule, if thou be not ioyned with the bodie of Chriſt which is his Church, thou ſhalt periſh for euer, thou ſhalt goe to hell, I giuegive thee this doome.
Now followes the fift circumſtance of this reconciliation. The fift circumſtance.To whom is it made? It is ſaid to himſelfe, not to another. It hath pleaſed him to reconcile all things to himſelfe. Then all bleſſednes is in that coniunction with God: ioyne thy ſelfe with Bleſſednes wherein it conſiſteth.him, and thou ſhalt be bleſſed; if thou be not ioyned with God, thou ſhalt neuer be bleſſed; ſeeke bleſſednes here and there, yet no bleſſednes but with God. The Angels hauehave no bleſſing, but in that they are conioyned with God through the Lord Ieſus Chriſt: yea, I tell thee, the earth, and the heauen hauehave no bleſſing, but in that amitie and friendſhip with the creator. O what vanitie is it to thinke thou haſt any bleſſing without the coniunction with the creator! But to ſpeake of man: thy reconciliation muſt be with the father, with whom thou art at enmitie, to whom thou waſt an enemie, whom thou offendedſt: therefore thy reconciliation muſt be with God. Marke it: a ſinner, ſinne againſt whom he will, ſlay and it were all the world; in ſo doing, he ſinnes not ſo much againſt man, as againſt God. No, no, it is againſt God himſelf, as Dauid ſaith, Againſt thee, O Lord, hauehave I ſinned and done euill in thy ſight, Pſal. 51. For ſinne is the tranſgreſſion of the law, 1. Ioh. 3. 4. O foule butcher! O oppreſſor and ſacrilegious theefe! Thou that doſt any euill againſt a man, thou doſt it not ſo much againſt the In eueryevery ſin a man fighteth againſt God.perſon of the man, as againſt God himſelfe that is in heauen: and ſo man that ſinnes, muſt be reconciled with him, becauſe it is againſt God that the ſinne is committed. The creatures alſo that ſtood and fell not, are at enmitie with thee: for when thou waſt enemie to God, thou waſt enemie alſo to the very creatures, and God and the creatures were enemies to thee, (O well had it been for thee, who art a Reprobate, that thou hadſt been made a ſtone, when thou becameſt an enemie to God through thy ſinne! for thou madeſt not onelyonly God to be thy enemie, but thou madeſt all the good creatures of God to be thy enemie: the Sunne, the Moone, the Starres and firmament, the Angels in heauen; yea theſe very ſenceles things of the earth, and the beaſt, and the foule of the ayre) the earth grones vnderunder thee, and it would be quit of thee, as of an enemie: it will not binde vp friendſhip with thee, if thou be an enemie to God. So if thou be an enemie to God, thou art an enemie to all the good creatures of God, and they are enemies to thee: but if thou be in band and coniunction with God, the heauen and all the creatures will be friends to thee. The enmitie and friendſhip that ſtands with any creature, it depends vponupon the feude and friendſhip with God: ſo that if thou All the creatures in enmitie with all vnbeleeuers.be at feude with God, all the creatures will be at feude with thee; and if thou be at friendſhip with him, all the creatures will be thy friends. Marke this well: marueile not that the Sea ſhould drowne thee, and thy houſe ſmother thee, that art at ſtrife with God through thy villanous life: wonder not, it is a wonderfull thing; that they that are at feude with God, dares enter into a houſe or go out of it, or venter on the ſea. But the conſciences of men are ſo locked vp, that they will not vnderſtand nor feare this: but the vaine ſleeping lowne, ſaies peace, peace. Oh but the iudgement comes with ſuch a rattle about the eares of the lowne, that hee cannot get once ſpace to ſay, God is mercifull! HaueHave you not marked this in theſe bloudie murtherers and the reſt? Nay thou that crieſt peace to thy ſoule, when thou art doing all the miſchiefe and villanie thou canſt, and if thou goe on ſo, the fierce wrath of God and terrible iudgement ſhall oppreſſe thee, ere euer thou be aware of thy ſelfe.
Now followes the ſixt poynt or circumſtance to be conſidered in reconciliation. By whom is it made? There muſt be a mediator, or elſe it cannot be made. Indeed the firſt friendſhip was made without a mediator, becauſe man and woman they were created at the beginning holy, without ſpot of ſinne: but at the making of the next friendſhip, becauſe of the offence there muſt needs be a mediator to paſſe betwixt thee, and that fire that was readie to deuoure thee: for thou thy ſelfe dareſt not appeare and ſue for it immediatly: for thou art not able to ſtand in the preſence of that terrible God, before whoſe face there goes a fearefull fire that would conſume thee at an inſtance. So there muſt be a Mediator. It is true that the Father made this reconciliation of his free merciemercy, and of a paſſing grace hee bare to mankinde. Would to God wee had a ſenſe of it; but I tell thee, this grace and merciemercy was deere bought (it is not an eaſie thing to a ſinner that hath violated ſo holy a maieſtie to get acceſſe againe.) This merciemercy, from whence this reconciliation comes, it ſprings out of the Lord Ieſus, as a faire greene tree in a garden: it ſprings out of the very bloud of the Mediatour the Lord Ieſus. For why, the merciemercy could neuer hauehave been nor had place, if the wrath and iuſtice of the Father had not bin ſatisfied with that bloud: there could neuer hauehave been ſuch a thing as merciemercy to the world, if that bloud had neuer been ſhed: and ſo ſay, I, this merciemercy and grace ſprings vp ſweetly and gratiouſly, out of the bloud of Chriſt. So, wouldeſt thou hauehave merciemercy? lay hold on the bloud of Chriſt; and as thou wouldeſt hauehave part in heauen, reſt neuer while thou finde that bloud ſprinkled in thy conſcience, & thy heart waſhed with it. Now from whence comes this Mediatour? how is he giuen to thee? The father (ſaith the Scripture) loued the world, Iohn. 3. 16. So the Mediatour, vponupon whom this new band of merciemercy and grace riſeth, is giuē of the father to the world, and that in louelove. There is nothing in this new band, but merciemercy vponupon merciemercy: merciemercy in the beginning; merciemercy in the progreſſe; and merciemercy in the end. Indeede it is not without iuſtice and wrath; but thou art ſpared, and the iuſtice and wrath it ſtrikes on the Mediatour; ſo that that is iuſtice and wrath in the Mediatour, it is merciemercy and grace to thee. Nay he hath not ſpared his owne ſonne; yet he hath ſpared the ſtinking ſinner. Wilt not thou be thankfull for this benefit? Well, if there be not a ſenſe of the merciemercy of God in Ieſus Chriſt, looke not for heauen. I warne thee that art a King, an Earle, a Lord, a Baron, a ſubiect, man, wife, laſſe, and lad; if ye hauehave not a ſenſe of this merciemercy of God in Ieſus Chriſt, ye ſhall neuer ſee heauen.
Now to come to the laſt circumſtance: after what manner is this reconciliation made with ſinfull man? The manner is ſet downe in theſe words, making peace by his bloud ſhed on the croſſe. The father reconciles vsus to himſelfe after this manner, by making peace with vsus in the bloud of Chriſt. Brethren, when two men are at variance, the third man will ſtep in and intreate the perſon that is at variance with the other, to be friends with him, and he will obtaine it, eſpecially if he be an intire man. But O that ſonne of God! that deere and that welbeloued! when he comes in, it is not faire words, it is not ſupplications, that will doe the turne; but him it behooued to go to ſuffer death: and that dead ſtroke of hell, that ſhould hauehave lighted on me, and thee, and ſhould hauehave bruſed vsus euerlaſtingly, he caſts in his head, and that ſtroke lights on him. It cannot be holdē off thee, by no other buckler, but by his head and bloud ſhedding: without bloud no remiſſion, Heb. 9. nay, nay, either ſhall thy bloud paſſe for it, or els the bloud of the Mediatour. O it is a terrible thing, to hauehave to doe with the wrath of an infinite God! there is nothing can ſatisfie him, but the precious bloud of his own deere ſonne: and no other death can ſatisfie him, but a curſed death, the death of the croſſe: a painfull death to be nailed quicke to a croſſe. It was the figure of the death of hell. He was pained vponupon the croſſe with the paines of hell. If he could not eſcape ſuch a death who was an innocent, how wilt thou, who art a ſinner, eſcape that terrible death? O what death ſhall abide thee, if thou be not in him! Theſe words then teach vsus two things: firſt, the greatnes of the enmitie, that could not be remoued but by the bloud, and execrable death of the Mediatour. For if this enmitie had bin but a ſillie and ſmall feude, what needed all this, that the ſonne of God ſhould dye ſuch a death? Wherefore ſhould all this adoe hauehave been? wherefore ſhould he hauehave ſuffered ſuch extremitie? So, if there were no more to tell thee the greatnes of ſin, the death and the bloud of Ieſus Chriſt ſhed on the croſſe tels thee. O ſinne is great! and yet the world will not heare it, but the ſoule ſtinking ſinner will wallow in it more and more. O ſinner! ſinne is foule and fearefull. An euill thought is a great and terrible mountaine. The firſt world had experience of this greatnes of ſinne, being without Chriſt. Our Gentles in Scotland with the reſt felt it. I tell thee, before this bloud came and the full time came, there was nothing to hold off the dint of the wrath and ſtroke of God, that that world found before the comming of Chriſt. What, was it a ſmall matter to be an enemie to God? was it a light thing to ſinne? No, no, for all that time before Chriſts comming, for the greateſt part, God was doing no other thing, but ſtriking and haſhing on ſinners, ſlaying her, and ſlaying him. Sinne raigned all the time to death, ſaith Paul Rom. 5. in the end all periſhed, and went to hell for the moſt part, except ſome very few. And I tell you, this world thinkes there is no hell, and very few get this grace: for ſo long as that olde Tabernacle ſtoode, few got entrie to grace. So they, miſerable ſoules that lie now in torment, they teſtifie and crie the horriblenes of ſinne: and O the preciouſnes of the bloud that hath freed now the ſoules of men from ſinne! Now when he came into the world, I put it out of queſtion, The calling of the Gentiles increaſed the number.whereas one was ſaued before, hundreds were ſaued after. For Chriſt ſaith, for once the bloud was ſhed, men and women thronged into heauen, Matth. 11. So all tels thee the bleſſednes of thy eſtate that hath fallen in this time. If thou hadſt any ſenſe, if thou wert ſent out naked to begge thy meate, thou art happie, conſidering this time wherein thou art borne. O the happines of this time! when the bloud of Chriſt runnes abroad as a riuer to ſaue ſinners: but wee are blinded, and (as I ſaid before) that number is drawne in, and beginning to be abridged, and the force of the bloud is drawne in and begun to bee leſſened; and the force of faith is nothing now, in reſpect of the former time of the Primitiue Church and daies of the Apoſtles: and therefore as it began with a handfull; ſo it ſhall end with a very handfull: and bleſſed is that man that can ſtriue to throng into heauen, through this bloud of Ieſus. Now the Lord worke this in our hearts, that as wee ſeeke for the kingdome of heauen; ſo we may throng in at it, through this bloud of Ieſus. To whom be praiſe and honour,
Amen.