A85428:527
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 2: §. II.
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.
And that God ordained us thus to fall into sin & misery, was but to illustrate the story of Christs love, & thereby to render this our Lover and Husband the more glorious in his love to us, and to make this primitive condition whereunto God meant again to bring us, the more eminently illustrious. And therefore we being married unto him, when we were thus glorious in Gods first intention, although in his decrees about the execution of this, or the bringing us to this glory, we fall into meanness and misery before we attain to it, yet the marriage still holds; Christ took us to run the same fortune with us, and that we should do the like with him. And hence it was, that we being fallen into sin, and so our flesh become frail and subject to infirmities, that he therefore took part of the same, as Heb. 2. 13. And answerably on the other side, he being now advanced to the glory ordained for him, he can never rest till he hath restored us to that beauty wherein at first we were presented to him, & till he hath purged and cleansed us, that so he may present us to himself a glorious Church, (as you have it, Eph. 5. 26, 27.) even such as in Gods first intention we were shown to him to become; ⟨p. 77⟩having that native and original beauty, and possessing that estate wherein he looked upon us, when he first took liking to us, and married us. This is argued there from this very relation of his being our husband, ver. 25. 26. And therefore though Christ be now in glory, yet let not that discourage you, for he hath the heart of a husband towards you, being betrothed unto you for ever, in faithfulness, and in loving kindness, (as Hos. 2.) and the idea of that beauty is so imprinted on his heart, which from everlasting was ordained you, that he will never cease to sanctify and to cleanse you, till he hath restored you to that beauty which once he took such a liking of.
And that God ordained us thus to fall into sinne & miserie, was but to illustrate the story of Christs love, & thereby to render this our Lover and Husband the more glorious in his love to us, and to make this primitive condition whereunto God meant againe to bring us, the more eminently illustrious. And therefore we being marryed unto him, when we were thus glorious in Gods first intention, although in his decrees about the execution of this, or the bringing us to this glory, we fall into meannesse and miserie before we attaine to it, yet the marriage still holds; Christ took us to run the same fortune with us, and that we should do the like with him. And hence it was, that we being falne into sinne, and so our flesh become fraile and subject to infirmities, that he therefore took part of the same, as