1I say, that you may more fully understand what this faith is, consider first the object of it, and that is CHRIST, (as I told you before) and herein this is to be marked, that a man must first take Christ himself, and after, the ⟨p. 53⟩privileges that come by him. And this point I could wish were more pressed by our Divines, and that our hearers would more intend it. I say, first remember that you must first take CHRIST himself, and then other things that we have by him, as the Apostle saith, Rom 8. If God have given us him, that is Christ, he wil• with him give us all things else: but first have CHRIST himself, and then all things with him. And so, 2 Cor. 1.2 All the promises IN HIM are Yea and Amen. That is, first we must have CHRIST, and then look to the promises; this must be still remembered, that we must first take his person, we must have our eyes fixed upon that: And so that place before-named, Joh. 3.3 God so loved the World, that he gave his only begotten Son: he gives his Son, as a Father gives his Son in marriage; the Father gives the Son, and the Son himself must be taken: So that we must first take CHRIST, we must fix our eyes upon him: For faith doth not leap over CHRIST, and pitch upon the promises of Justification, and Adoption, but it first takes CHRIST. The distinct and clear understand•ning of this will help us much in apprehending and understanding aright what justifying faith is: we must remember to take CHRIST himself; for it is an adulterous affection for a Wife not to think of the person of her Husband,4 but to think only what commodity she shall have ⟨p. 54⟩by him, what honours, what riches, what conveniences, as if that made the match, to be content only to take those; will this, think you, make a match amongst men? Surely no, there must be a fixing of the eyes upon the person, that must do it: Do you love him? are you content to forsake all, that you may enjoy him? It is true indeed, you shall have all this into the bargain, but first you must have the person of your Husband: therefore remember to fix your eyes upon Christ, take him for your Husband, consider his beauty and his excellencies, (which indeed are motives to us) as a Woman that takes a Husband, is encouraged by the benefits that she shall have by him: but still remember that he himself must be taken.
1I say, that you may more fully vnderstand what this faith is, consider first the object of it, and that is CHRIST, (as I told you before) and herein this is to be marked, that a man must first take Christ himselfe, and after, the ⟨p. 53⟩priuiledges that come by him. And this point I could wish were more prest by our Diuines, and that our hearers would more intend it. I say, first remember that you must first take CHRIST himselfe, and then other things that we haue by him, as the Apostle saith, Rom 8. If God haue giuen vs him, that is Christ, he wil• with him giue vs all things else: but first haue CHRIST himselfe, and then all things with him. And so, 2 Cor. 1.2 All the promises IN HIM are Yea and Amen. That is, first we must haue CHRIST, and then looke to the promises; this must be still remembred, that we must first take his person, we must haue our eyes fixed vpon that: And so that place before-named, Ioh. 3.3 God so loued the World, that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne: hee giues his Sonne, as a Father giues his Sonne in marriage; the Father giues the Sonne, and the Sonne himselfe must bee taken: So that we must first take CHRIST, wee must fixe our eyes vpon him: For faith doth not leape ouer CHRIST, and pitch vpon the promises of Justification, and Adoption, but it first takes CHRIST. The distinct and cleere vnderstand•ning of this will helpe vs much in apprehending and vnderstanding aright what iustifying faith is: wee must remember to take CHRIST himselfe; for it is an adulterous affection for a Wife not to thinke of the person of her Husband,4 but to thinke onely what commodity she shall haue ⟨p. 54⟩by him, what honours, what riches, what conueniences, as if that made the match, to be content onely to take those; will this, thinke you, make a match amongst men? Surely no, there must be a fixing of the eyes vpon the person, that must doe it: Doe you loue him? are you content to forsake all, that you may enioy him? It is true indeed, you shall haue all this into the bargaine, but first you must haue the person of your Husband: therefore remember to fixe your eyes vpon Christ, take him for your Husband, consider his beauty and his excellencies, (which indeede are motiues to vs) as a Woman that takes a Husband, is encouraged by the benefits that shee shall haue by him: but still remember that he himselfe must bee taken.
- 1The object of it.The obiect of it.
- 22 Cor. 1.
- 3Joh. 3.Ioh. 3.
- 4True love looks first to Christs personTrue loue lookes first to Christs person
