A godly and learned exposition or commentary upon the three first chapters of the…A godly and learned exposition or commentarie vpon the three first chapters of the…

By his blood. How can blood wash away filthiness? nay, it rather defiles a man. Answ. This washing stands not in the substance of Christs blood, but in the merit thereof: for that substance of blood which was shed is lost, and we know not what is become of it, whatsoever the Papists say: but the merit thereof remaineth still. And Christs blood deserves to purge away sin, rather than any other mans blood, as of Peter, John, &c. because his blood was the blood of God (not of the godhead) but of him who was both God and man. For the manhood of Christ was received into the union of the second person. And so it may be called the blood of God, as Paul saith, ^(a)God redeemed his Church by his blood, that is Christ, God incarnate. And so it being the blood of him, that is God, is more meritorious than the blood of any creature whatsoever. Besides Christ was appointed by God to be a public person in the work of redemption, and in his death and passion he stood in the room and stead of all his elect, so as when his blood was shed, their blood was sh••, because it was shed for them. But the blood of other private men cannot answer for any besides themselves, because it is shed only for themselves. Then damnable is the doctrine of the Papists, who hold the blood of Martyrs, can merit for others, being applied unto them: for seeing they be but private men, and suffered in their own persons only, they cannot profit any other thereby.

By his bloud. How can bloud wash away filthinesse? nay, it rather defiles a man. Answ. This washing stands not in the substance of Christs bloud, but in the merit thereof: for that substance of bloud which was shed is lost, and wee know not what is become of it, whatsoeuer the Papists say: but the merit therof remaineth still. And Christs bloud deserues to purge away sinne, rather than any other mans bloud, as of Peter, Iohn, &c. because his bloud was the bloud of God (not of the godhead) but of him who was both God and man. For the manhood of Christ was receiued into the vnion of the second person. And so it may be called the bloud of God, as Paule sayth, ^(a)God redeemed his Church by his bloud, that is Christ, God incarnate. And so it being the bloud of him, that is God, is more meritorious than the bloud of any creature whatsoeuer. Besides Christ was appointed by God to be a publicke person in the worke of redemption, and in his death and passion he stood in the roome and stead of all his elect, so as when his bloud was shed, their bloud was sh, because it was shed for them. But the bloud of other priuate men cannot answer for any besides themselues, because it is shed onely for themselues. Then damble is the doctrine of the Papists, who hold the bloud of Martyrs, can merit for others, being applied vnto them: for seeing they be but priuate men, and suffered in their owne persons onely, they cannot profit any other thereby.