A85428:557
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.
Now secondly, for the confirmation and making up the demonstration in hand. This superadded glory and happiness of Christ is enlarged and increased, still as his members come to have the purchase of his death more and more laid forth upon them: So as when their sins are pardoned, their hearts more sanctified, and their spirits comforted, then comes He to see the fruit of his labour, and is comforted thereby, for he is the more glorified by it: yea he is much more pleased and rejoiced in this, then themselves can be. And this must needs keep up in his heart his care and love unto his children here below, to water and refresh them every moment, (as Isaiah speaks, Chap. 37. 3.) For in thus putting forth acts of grace and favour, and in doing good unto them, he doth but good unto himself; which is the surest engagement in the world. And therefore the Apostle exhorts men to love their wives, upon this ground, that in so doing, they love themselves: (Ephes. 5. 28. So ought men to love their wives, as their own bodies: He that loveth his wife, loveth himself:) so strict and near is that relation. Now the same doth hold true of Christ in his loving his Church. And ⟨p. 100⟩therefore in the same place, the love of Christ unto his Church is held forth as the pattern and exemplar of ours, so ver. 25. [Even as Christ also loved the Church.] And so it may well be argued thence by comparing the one speech with the other, that Christ in loving his Church, doth but love himself; and then the more love and grace he shows unto the Members of that his Body, the more he shows love unto himself. And accordingly it is further added there, ver. 27. that he daily washeth and cleanseth his Church, (that is, both from the guilt and power of sin,) that he might present it to [himself] a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle, &c. Observe, it is to [himself.] So that all that he doth for his members is for himself, as truly, yea more fully then for them; and his share of glory out of theirs is greater then theirs, by how much the glory of the cause is greater then that of the effect. And thus indeed the Scripture speaks of it: as, whilst it calls the Saints the glory of Christ: So 2 Cor. 8. 23. And Christ, in John 17. 13. and ver. 22, 23. says, that he is glorified in them. And