The point is, He who eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, that is, he who receiveth me, and makes me as his meat and drink, shall be partaker of me. Compare this, Rom. 3.25. with Rom. 5.9. for its worth comparing. We are said to be justified by his blood, Rom. 5.9. By faith in his blood, Rom. 3.25. Now both these come to one, and they resolve the point, and clear the Question, whether Faith in it self as a Virtue doth justify, or in respect of its Object? surely its in respect of the Object. You that have skill in Philosophy, know, that heat if considered as a quality, its effects are not so great; but considered as an instrument, it transcends the sphere of its own activity; it doth wonders; for its the principle of generation, and many other strange effects. So here take faith as a Virtue, and its far short of love: but consider it as an instrument whereby Christ is applied, and it transcends, it works wonders beyond its proper sphere: for the meanest ⟨p. 420⟩thing it lays hold on, is the Son of God. He that hath the Son, hath life, &c. Some would think this an hard kind of speech, when we are justified by faith, we are justified by Christ, apprehended by faith: and yet that place is clear to be justified by his blood: and faith in his blood becomes one faith. As if a man should say, I was cured by going to the Bath: so faith comes unto me; faith is the legs. A man is not said properly to be cured by going to the Bath, nor justified by coming to Christ by the legs of faith: but the applying of the Bath, the coming to Christ, and applying his virtue, to make him the Object of my faith, this is the way to be justified. As it is not the making and preparing of a plaster that cures, but the applying it; so that this concludes this point, that the true Object of faith is Christ crucified, and God the Father in, and by him. Here then is the point, thou must not look for any comfort in faith, till thou hast Christ; and to think thou shalt ever have any benefit by God till thou hast Christ, thou deceivest thy self. It is impossible for a man to receive nourishment by his bread and drink, till he partake of it in the substance: so thou must partake of Christ before thou canst receive any nourishment by him. Christ saith not thou must have forgiveness of sins, or thou must have my Fathers favour, but take my body and blood, take me crucified.
The point is, He who eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, that is, he who receiveth me, and makes me as his meat and drink, shall be partaker of me. Compare this, Rom. 3.25. with Rom. 5.9. for its worth comparing. We are said to be justified by his blood, Rom. 5.9. By faith in his blood, Rom. 3.25. Now both these come to one, and they resolve the point, and clear the Question, whether Faith in it self as a Vertue doth justifie, or in respect of its Object? surely its in respect of the Object. You that have skill in Phylosophy, know, that heat if considered as a quality, its effects are not so great; but considered as an instrument, it transcends the sphere of its own activity; it doth wonders; for its the principle of generation, and many other strange effects. So here take faith as a Vertue, and its far short of love: but consider it as an instrument whereby Christ is applyed, and it transcends, it works wonders beyond its proper sphere: for the meanest ⟨p. 420⟩thing it layes hold on, is the Son of God. He that hath the Son, hath life, &c. Some would think this an hard kind of speech, when we are justified by faith, we are justified by Christ, apprehended by faith: and yet that place is cleer to be justified by his blood: and faith in his blood becomes one faith. As if a man should say, I was cured by going to the Bath: so faith comes unto me; faith is the legs. A man is not said properly to be cured by going to the Bath, nor justified by coming to Christ by the legs of faith: but the applying of the Bath, the coming to Christ, and applying his vertue, to make him the Object of my faith, this is the way to be justified. As it is not the makeing and preparing of a plaister that cures, but the applying it; so that this concludes this point, that the true Object of faith is Christ crucified, and God the Father in, and by him. Here then is the point, thou must not look for any comfort in faith, till thou hast Christ; and to think thou shalt ever have any benefit by God till thou hast Christ, thou deceivest thy self. It is impossible for a man to receive nourishment by his bread and drink, till he partake of it in the substance: so thou must partake of Christ before thou canst receive any nourishment by him. Christ saith not thou must have forgiveness of sins, or thou must have my Fathers favour, but take my body and blood, take me crucified.
