In the third place,1 Christs Person, and not barely the Promises of forgiveness is to be the object of faith. There are many poor souls humbled for sin, and taken off from their own bottom, who, like Noah's Dove, fly over all the Word of God, to spy out what they may set their foot upon, and eying therein many free and gracious Promises, holding forth forgiveness of sins, and justification, they immediately close with them, and rest on them alone, not seeking for, or closing with Christ in those Promises: Which is a common error among people; and is like as if Noah's Dove should have rested upon the out-side of the Ark, and not have come to Noah within the Ark; where though she might rest for a while, yet could she not ride out all storms, but must needs have perished there in the end. But we may observe, that the first Promise that was given, was not a bare word simply ⟨p. 17⟩promising forgiveness, or other benefits which God would bestow; but it was a Promise of Christs Person as overcoming Satan, and purchasing those benefits, [The Seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head.] So when the Promise was renewed to Abraham, it was not a bare Promise of blessedness and forgiveness, but of that Seed, that is, Christ, (as Gal. 3. 16.) in whom that blessedness was conveyed, [In thy Seed shall all the Nations of the earth of blessed.] So that Abraham's faith first closed with Christ in the Promise, and therefore he is said to see Christs day, and to rejoice in embracing him: And so all the succeeding Fathers (that were Believers) did, more or less, in their Types and Sacraments, as appears by 1 Cor. 10. 1, 2. And if they, then much more are we thus to look at Christ, unto whom now he is now made extant, not in Promises only, but is really incarnate, though now in heaven. Hence our Sacraments (which are the seals added to the word of faith) do primarily exhibit Christ unto a Believer, and so (in him) all other Promises (as of forgiveness, &c.) are ratified and confirmed by them. Now there is the same reason of them, that there is of the Promises of the Gospel, (for they preach the Gospel to the eye, as the Promise doth to the ear) and therefore as in them the soul is first to look at Christ, and embrace him as tendered in them, and then, at the Promises tendered with him in them, & not to take the Sacraments as bare seals of pardon and forgiveness:
In the third place,1 Christs Person, and not barely the Promises of forgivenesse is to be the object of faith. There are many poore soules humbled for sin, and taken off from their owne bottome, who, like Noahs Dove, fly over all the Word of God, to spy out what they may set their foot upon, and eying therein many free and gracious Promises, holding forth forgivenesse of sins, and justification, they immediately close with them, and rest on them alone, not seeking for, or closing with Christ in those Promises: Which is a common error among people; and is like as if Noahs Dove should have rested upon the out-side of the Ark, and not have come to Noah within the Ark; where though she might rest for a while, yet could she not ride out all stormes, but must needs have perished there in the end. But we may observe, that the first Promise that was given, was not a bare word simply ⟨p. 17⟩promising forgivenesse, or other benefits which God would bestow; but it was a Promise of Christs Person as overcomming Satan, and purchasing those benefits, [The Seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head.] So when the Promise was renewed to Abraham, it was not a bare Promise of blessednesse and forgivenesse, but of that Seed, that is, Christ, (as Gal. 3. 16.) in whom that blessednesse was conveyed, [In thy Seed shall all the Nations of the earth of blessed.] So that Abrahams faith first closed with Christ in the Promise, and therefore he is said to see Christs day, and to rejoyce in embracing him: And so all the succeeding Fathers (that were Beleevers) did, more or lesse, in their Types and Sacraments, as appeares by 1 Cor. 10. 1, 2. And if they, then much more are we thus to look at Christ, unto whom now he is now made extant, not in Promises onely, but is really incarnate, though now in heaven. Hence our Sacraments (which are the seals added to the word of faith) doe primarily exhibit Christ unto a Beleever, and so (in him) all other Promises (as of forgivenesse, &c.) are ratified and confirmed by them. Now there is the same reason of them, that there is of the Promises of the Gospel, (for they preach the Gospel to the eye, as the Promise doth to the eare) and therefore as in them the soule is first to look at Christ, and embrace him as tendered in them, and then, at the Promises tendred with him in them, & not to take the Sacraments as bare seals of pardon and forgivenes:
- 13. Christs person the object of faith, in a distinction from the Promises.
