A85428:500
Christ Set Forth
Christ set forth in his [brace] death, resurrection, ascension, sitting at Gods right hand, intercession, [brace] as the [brace] cause of justification. Object of justifying faith. Upon Rom. 8. ver. 34. Together with a treatise discovering the affectionate tenderness of Christs heart now in heaven, unto sinners on earth. / By Tho: Goodwin, B.D.Christ set forth in his [brace] death, resurrection, ascension, sitting at Gods right hand, intercession, [brace] as the [brace] cause of justification. Object of justifying faith. Upon Rom. 8. ver. 34. Together with a treatise discovering the affectionate tendernesse of Christs heart now in heaven, unto sinners on earth. / By Tho: Goodwin, B.D.
London: printed by W.E. and J.G. for Robert Dawlman, 1642
THE HEART OF Christ in Heaven, TO Sinners on Earth. › Part 2 › Section 1: §. 1.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Then (secondly) this his love is not a forced love, which he strives only to bear towards us, because his Father hath commanded him to marry us; but it is his nature, his disposition: Which added to the former, affords a second demonstration of the point in hand, and is drawn from God the Sonne. This disposition is free and natural to him; he should not be Gods Son else, nor take after his heavenly Father: unto whom it is natural to show mercy, but not so to punish, which is his strange work, but mercy pleaseth him, he is the Father of mercy, he begets them naturally. Now Christ is his own Son, [Greek or Hebrew] (as by way of distinction he is called) and his natural Son; yea, his humane nature being united to the second Person, is thereby become the natural Son of God, not adopted, as we are. And if he be his natural Son in privileges, then also his Fathers properties are natural to him; more natural then to us, who are but his adopted sons. And if we as the elect of God (who are but the adopted sons) are exhorted to put on Bowels of mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, &c. (as Col. 3. 12.) then much more must these dispositions needs be found in Christ the Natural Son, and these, not put on by him, but be as natural to him as his Son-ship is: God is love, (as John says) and Christ is love covered over with flesh, yea, our flesh. And besides, it is certain, that as God hath fashioned the hearts of all ⟨p. 55⟩men, and some of the sons of men unto more mercy and pity (naturally) then others, and then the holy Spirit coming on them to sanctify their natural dispositions, useth to work according to their tempers; even so it is certain, that he tempered the heart of Christ, and made it of a softer mould and temper then the tenderness of all mens hearts put together into one (to soften it) would have been of. When he was to assume an humane nature, he is brought in, saying, (Heb. 10.) A body hast thou fitted me: That is, an humane nature, fitted as in other things, so in the temper of it, for the God-head to work and show his perfections in best. And as he took an humane nature on purpose to be a merciful High Priest; as Heb. 2. 14. so such an humane nature, and of so special a temper and frame as might be more merciful then all Men or Angles. His humane nature was made without hands;