A85428:548
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.
So then, this goes further then the former, for it shows, that to exercise mercy, is the duty of his place, and that, if he will be faithful, he must be merciful. For faithfulness in any office, imports an exact performance of something appointed by him, who designs one to that office, and that as a duty: and that this is a true description of faithfulness, and also that this faithfulness so described is in Christ, we have at once implied, in that which immediately follows in the beginning of the 3. Chap. v. 3. Who was (says the Apostle, going on to speak of Christ) faithful to him that appointed him, as Moses also was faithful in all his house: we have the same thing as expressly spoken in that forequoted place, Heb. 5. (in the next words to those we even now opened,) ver. 3. And by reason hereof [he ought] to offer for sins:— he speaks it of Christs Type, the High-Priest, (as the former also he had done) But thereby to show that it is Christs duty also to mediate for all that come to him, He ought to do it. Now then to enforce this consideration, for the help of our faith herein; If this office doth by Gods appointment thus bind him to it, and if it be the duty of his place, then certainly he will perform it most exactly, ⟨p. 92⟩for else he doth not do his duty. And our comfort may be, that his faithfulness lies in being merciful; therefore (you see) they are both here joined together. Every one is to do the proper duty of his place, and exactly to see to that And therefore the Apostle Rom. 12. exhorting to the discharge of the duties of each office in the Church, ver. 7. he says, Let him that hath a Ministry committed to him, wait on his ministry; and (among others) if his place of ministration be to show mercy, (as ver. 8.) (which was an office in the Church, upon which lied the care of the poor and sick) he is to do it with cheerfulness. And so says Christ of himself, Isaiah 61. 1, 2. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, to bind up the broken hearted, to open the prison doors to them that are bound, (to visit and relieve them) and to preach good tidings to the meek. Such kind of souls are they that he hath the charge of. He is the great Shepherd and Bishop of souls, 1 Pet. 2. ult. and the sick, and the broken, they are his sheep, his charge, his Diocese, as Ezekiel hath it, Chap. 34. 16.