A85428:94
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
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.
1.1 The first Direction is this, That in seeking forgiveness, or justification in the Promises, as Christ is to be principally in the eye of your faith, so it must be Christ as crucified, Christ as dying, as here he is made. It was the Serpent as lift up, and so looked at, that healed them. Now this direction I give to prevent a mistake which souls that are about to believe, do often run into: For when they hear that the person of Christ is the main object of faith, they thus conceive of it, that when one comes first to believe, he should look only upon the personal excellencies of Grace and Glory which are in Jesus Christ, which follow upon the Hypostatical Union; and so have his heart allured in unto Christ by them only, and close with him under those apprehensions alone. But although it be true, that there is that radical disposition in the faith of every Believer, which if it were drawn forth to view Christ in his mere personal excellencies abstractively considered, would close with Christ for them alone, as seeing such a beauty and suitableness in them; yet the first view which an humbled soul always doth, and is to take of him, is of his being a Saviour, made sin, and a curse, and obeying to the death for sinners. He takes up Christ in his first sight of him, under the likeness of sinful flesh, (for so the Gospel first represents him, though it holds forth his personal excellencies also) and in that representation ⟨p. 24⟩it is, that he is made a fit object for a sinners faith to trust & rest upon, for salvation, which in part distinguisheth a sinners faith whilst here on earth, towards Christ, from that vision or sight which Angels and the souls of men have in heaven of him. Faith here views him not only as glorious at Gods right hand, (though so also) but as crucified, as made sin, and a curse, and so rests upon him for pardon; but in heaven we shall see him as he is, and be made like unto him. Take Christ in his personal excellencies simply considered, and so with them propounded as an Head to us, & he might have been a fit object for Angels and men even without sin to have closed withal; and what an addition to their happiness would they have thought it, to have him for their husband! but yet, so considered, he should have been, and rather is, the object of love, then of faith or affiance.
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