A92857:683
The riches of grace displayed in the offer and tender of salvation to poor…
The riches of grace displayed in the offer and tender of salvation to poor sinners. Wherein is set out, the gracious behaviour of Christ, standing at the door and knocking for entrance. The dutiful behaviour of sinners in hearing Christs voice and opening to him. And the comfortable event upon them both. / By Obadiah Sedgwick. B.D. and late minister of the Gospel in Covent-Garden.
London: printed by T.R. & E.M. for Adoniram Byfield, 1657
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
4. Jesus Christ is filled with goodness in himself, and with love also to his members who are believers.
4. Jesus Christ is filled with goodnesse in himself, and with love also to his members who are beleevers.
Now although all goodnesse (ex natura rei) be diffusive of it self, yet is it most communicating when either it is seated in a relation, or engraven in an affection. A good father will impart more good then a good man; a loving husband will do more good then a mere husband: The goodness in Christ is a goodness both ways: It is a goodness in relation, (that is) in one who stands to believers as an head doth to its members; and ⟨p. 219⟩a goodness in affection, (that is) in one who loves believers above all the people in the world; and certainly love is bountiful: it is an easy key to open, and a liberal hand to bestow.
Now although all goodnesse (ex natura rei) be deffusive of it self, yet is it most communicating when either it is seated in a relation, or engraven in an affection. A good father will impart more good then a good man; a loving husband will do more good then a meere husband: The goodnesse in Christ is a goodnesse both wayes: It is a goodnesse in relation, (that is) in one who stands to beleevers as an head doth to its members; and ⟨p. 219⟩a goodness in affection, (that is) in one who loves beleevers above all the people in the world; and certainly love is bountiful: it is an easie key to open, and a liberal hand to bestow.
Fifthly, What should Christ do with himself, and with all his benefits? God at the first contented not himself (if I may so speak) with himself, and therefore created man to communicate some of his goodness to him. And when Christ redeemed man, he contents not himself with the perfecting of the work of redemption, but he must communicate the virtue and fruit of it unto men; unless we will say he lived in vain, or died in vain, or rose in vain; he died not for himself, nor rose for himself.