The sound believer, or, A treatise of evangelical conversion discovering the work of Christs…The sound beleever, or, A treatise of evangelicall conversion discovering the work of Christs…

3. Can any man have eternal life, that not only hath not the benefits flowing from the Son, but that wants the Son himself? I am sure the Apostle expressly affirms it, 1 John 5.12. He that hath the Son hath life, he that hath not the Son hath not life; Faith therefore must come for Christ himself: as in marriage the woman consents first to have the man, and so to have all other benefits that will necessarily follow upon this.

3. Can any man have eternall life, that not only hath not the benefits flowing from the Sonne, but that wants the Son himselfe? I am sure the Apostle expressely affirmes it, 1 Iohn 5.12. He that hath the Son hath life, he that hath not the Son hath not life; Faith therefore must come for Christ himselfe: as in marriage the woman consents first to have the man, and so to have all other benefits that will necessarily follow upon this.

4. The happiness of all the Saints consists in two things: First, union to Christ; Secondly, communion with Christ. Faith therefore pitcheth first upon Christ himself, that it may have sure and certain union to him (for our union is not unto any of the benefits flowing to us from Christ; we are not united unto forgiveness of sins, nor peace of conscience, nor holiness, &c. but unto the person of the Son of God himself) and then secondly cometh, for the communication of all the benefits arising only from union; as Paul, Phil. 3.9, 10. esteems ⟨p. 202⟩all things dung and loss, first, to be found in him, that so he might have his righteousness in justification, and feel the power of his death and resurrection in sanctification, &c. in one word, Faith first buys the pearl it self, and then seeks to be enriched by it; it finds the treasure of grace, glory, peace, mercy, favour, reconciliation in Christ, but then buys the field it self, that it may have the treasure also,