Having set forth our Lord and Saviour JESUS CHRIST in all those great and most solemn actions of his, his Obedience unto death, his Resurrection, Ascension into heaven, his sitting at Gods right hand, and Intercession for us, (which of all the other hath been more largely insisted on) I shall now annex (as next in order, and homogeneall thereunto) this Discourse that follows, which lays open The HEART of Christ, as now he is in ⟨p. 2⟩heaven, sitting at Gods right hand, and interceding for us; How it is affected, and graciously disposed towards sinners on earth that do come to him; how willing to receive them; how ready to entertain them; how tender to pity them in all their infirmities, both sins and miseries. The scope and use whereof will be this, To hearten and encourage Believers to come more boldly unto the Throne of Grace, unto such a Saviour and High-priest, when they shall know how sweetly and tenderly his heart (though he is now in his glory) is inclined towards them; and so to remove that great stone of stumbling which we meet with, (and yet lieth unseen) in the thoughts of men in the way to faith, that Christ being now absent, and withal exalted to so high and infinite a distance of glory, as to sit at Gods right hand, &c. they therefore cannot tell how to come to treat with him about their salvation so freely, and with that hopefulness to obtain, as those poor sinners did, who were here on earth with him: Had our lot been (think they) but to have conversed with him (in the days of his flesh) as Mary, and Peter, and his other Disciples did here below, we could have thought to have been bold with him, and have been familiar with him, and to have had any thing at his hands; For they beheld him afore them, a man like unto themselves, and he was full of meekness, and gentleness, he being then himself made sin, and sensible of all sorts of miseries; but now he is gone into a far ⟨p. 3⟩Country, and hath put on glory and immortality, and how his heart may be altered thereby we know not. The drift of this Discourse is therefore to ascertain poor souls, that his Heart (in respect of pity and compassion) remains the same it was on earth; that he intercedes there with the same heart he did here below; and that he is as meek, as gentle, as easy to be entreated, as tender in his bowels;
HAving set forth our Lord and Saviour JESVS CHRIST in all those great and most solemne actions of his, his Obedience unto death, his Resurrection, Ascension into heaven, his sitting at Gods right hand, and Intercession for us, (which of all the other hath beene more largely insisted on) I shall now annexe (as next in order, and homogeneall thereunto) this Discourse that follows, which layes open The HEART of Christ, as now he is in ⟨p. 2⟩heaven, sitting at Gods right hand, and interceding for us; How it is affected, and graciously disposed towards sinners on earth that doe come to him; how willing to receive them; how ready to entertaine them; how tender to pity them in all their infirmities, both sinnes and miseries. The scope and use whereof will be this, To hearten and encourage Beleevers to come more boldly unto the Throne of Grace, unto such a Saviour and High-priest, when they shall know how sweetly and tenderly his heart (though he is now in his glory) is inclined towards them; and so to remove that great stone of stumbling which we meet with, (and yet lyeth unseen) in the thoughts of men in the way to faith, that Christ being now absent, and withall exalted to so high and infinite a distance of glory, as to sit at Gods right hand, &c. they therefore cannot tell how to come to treat with him about their salvation so freely, and with that hopefulnesse to obtaine, as those poore sinners did, who were here on earth with him: Had our lot been (think they) but to have conversed with him (in the dayes of his flesh) as Mary, and Peter, and his other Disciples did here below, wee could have thought to have beene bold with him, and have been familiar with him, and to have had any thing at his hands; For they beheld him afore them, a man like unto themselves, and he was full of meeknesse, and gentlenesse, he being then himselfe made sinne, and sensible of all sorts of miseries; but now he is gone into a farre ⟨p. 3⟩Countrey, and hath put on glory and immortality, and how his heart may be altered thereby we know not. The drift of this Discourse is therefore to ascertaine poore soules, that his Heart (in respect of pity and compassion) remains the same it was on earth; that he intercedes there with the same heart he did here below; and that he is as meek, as gentle, as easie to be entreated, as tender in his bowels;
