Christ Set Forth, Book I: The Scope and Argument of This Discourse
The scope and argument of this discourse is either direction to Christ as the Object of Faith, or encouragement to believers from all those particulars in Christ mentioned in the text.
FAITH and the supports of it, or rather Christ, as by his death and resurrection, &c. he is the foundation of Faith, and the cause of our justification, is the main subject of these words: all which, there fore, to handle more largely, is the intended subject of this discourse. And therefore as we have seen GhrisCaJaithfor us, so now let us see what our faith is to be towards him: only take this along with you for a right bounding of all that follows; — that the faith (the object and support of which I would discourse of) is only faith as justifying* - for justification was properly here the matter of Christ’s faith for us, and is also answerably here held forth by Paul, as that faith which believers are to have on him. Now faith is called justifying, only as it hath justification for its object, and as it goes out to Christ for justification: so that all that shall be spoken must be confined to this alone, as the intend men t of the text. And concerning this, the text doth two things:
1. It holds forth Christ the object of it, — Who shall condemn? Christ hath died, se. And he being the sole subject of those four particulars that follow, as encouragements to faith, must needs therefore be the object here set forth unto our faith.
2. In Christ we have here all these four made things matter of triumph to Believers, to assure them that they shall not be condemned, but justified. In that
First, Christ died; Secondly, rose again; Thirdly, is at God’s right hand; and Fourthly, intercedes.
So that, for the general, I am to do two things: and therein I shall fulfil the text’s scope.
First, Direct your faith to Christ as to its right
object.
Secondly, To encourage your faith, from these several actions of Christ for us, and shew how they all contain matter of triumph for faith in them, and also teach your faith how to triumph from each of them: and herein I am to keep close to the argument propounded, namely, faith as justifying; or to shew how faith, seeking justification in Christ, may be exceedingly raised from each of these particulars, and supported by them, as by so many pillars of it. So as although Christ’s Death, Resurrection, &c. may fitly serve to encourage our faith in many other acts it useth to put forth, (as in point of sanctification to be had from Christ, into which hisDeath andResurrection have an influence) yet here we are limited to the matter of Justification only, — It is God that justifies. Who shall condemn, seeing Christ hath died. — And herein to shew how his Death, Resurrection, &c. may and do afford matter of comfort and triumphing in point of Justification, from all these. And thus you have the sum of these words, and of my scope in this ensuing treatise.