CHRIST lifted up, OR, The heads of the chief Controverted Points, Preached By Mr. john Goodwin, Pastor of Colman-street London.  
Which hath been the pretended grounds of the opposition that he hath had, by some other Ministers,  
Printed from a Copy written with his own hand, for the use of some who live under his own Charge.  
And now Published by a Friend of his, for the general view of all men.  1 Cor. 4. 5. 
judge nothing before the time.  
Printed in the year, 1641.   

THE EPISTLE TO THE READER.  
Good READER,  
I Thought it not amiss to give a short account, wherefore I present to the world this extract. I have met with two sorts of men that have been contrary in opinions concerning these points Controverted: yet in this they both agree, to Calumniate the Author: But they are upon trial continually found (as I conceive) such as in true account neither know him, nor yet what hath been affirmed or denied in the points Controverted; the one sort of Men (and the most learned of the two in some kind of learning) peremptorily affirm, that in some (or all) of these points there is at the least Error; others say Heresy: nay that which is yet worse, no less than Blasphemy: but how they do to make this appear I will not determine, but leave to those that know how to judge. The other sort of men on the contrary, they say and affirm with no less confidence, that in deed and in truth, there is no such difference between M r. Goodwin, and other men in the points Controverted, but say, that he might have delivered his mind in the language of other Ministers, and so have prevented all differences: They affirm that he hath said nothing but what hath been generally said by all others before him for substance, only he hath taken to himself some new way of expression, out of an affectation (as they conceive) of singularity, or vain glory. Now that the first sort of these may appear to have laid their foundation no otherwhere but in the Sands; and the latter to have no foundation at all; I have presented these heads to the view of Considering men, which may be as so many rules to try and prove them by, or lights to judge and discern which is in the right, whether either or neither, which is the thing I aim at: God-willing in time the world may enjoy the sum of the several discourses at large in their several Tracts, and in the mean time by this taste I hope wise men will be so wise, as not to be found Judges of the things they know not: which is the desire  
Of thy well-wishing Friend.   

CHRIST lifted up.  
1. CHRIST rejecteth no man that cometh unto him by Faith, for want of preceding Legal Preparations, by way of terror or humiliation for sin, Joh. 6. 37. Revel. 22. 17, etc. Neither is there any absolute necessity of such preparation, in respect of God, in that work of his whereby he infuseth Faith, or enableth a man to come unto Christ: but he who justifieth the ungodly, is able to come upon a man in the midst of the greatest and deepest unpreparedness, and to bring him to Christ immediately. Neither hath he any where in Scripture, confined or limited the execution of this his power, so as to engage or bind himself, never to make Believers, but of the lump or mass prepared by the Law. Neither hath he imposed any Commandment upon unbelievers, to prepare, dispose, or qualify themselves for the gift or receiving of Christ by Faith, by procuring their hearts to be smitten or wounded by the Law. Neither doth any such smiting or wounding by the Law, give any man any more right or title of believing in Christ, than others have, who have not been so smitten. But the grace of the Gospel is every ways absolutely, and entirely free and open, to whosoever is willing to receive it, Rev. 22. 17. Joh. 3. 16. yea and every man is bound to believe, in what estate or condition soever the Gospel finds him: and not to reject the Grace of God therein, or put off the work of believing, upon any pretence or conceit of unworthiness, through want of Legal humiliation. Neither is there any humiliation for sin, truly acceptable unto God, or necessarily accompanied with salvation, but that which is wrought in a man, upon, or after his believing, Heb. 11. 6. joh. 15. 5. which is the fittest time for such humiliation, (Zach. 12. 10.) how soever the Commandment of being humbled for sin, lieth upon unregenerate men also at all times, though not in relation to their future believing.  
2. Faith in Christ justifieth the Believer, neither as it is an habit, neither as an act, neither as it is the work of Man, neither as it is the work or gift of God; nor in regard of any intrinsical virtue, native property, quality or dignity whatsoever, whether absolute or relative, but by virtue of that will, good pleasure, ordination, or Covenant of God with his Creature, whereby he hath settled this great Prerogative upon Faith, rather than upon any other Grace, or act whatsoever, Joh. 6. 40. Joh. 1. 12. Joh. 3. 16. Eph. 2. 8, etc. And is truly said to justify instrumentally in this sense, as it is means chosen and sanctified by God, to bring men into communion, part and fellowship of that Justification and Redemption, which Christ hath purchased: But to say, that Faith justifieth, in relation to its object Christ, or (which is the same) because it layeth hold on Christ, is to ascribe a meritorious efficiency to it in the work of justification, and to seat the justifying nature or power of it, in a property which is most natural, intrinsecall, and essential to it: yea and besides, makes the love of Christ, and every other Grace that hath relation to Christ as its object, to be justifying as well as it.  
3. There is no Moral, Legal, or positive righteousness, consisting either in habits, or acts, (or both) conformable to the Moral Law, that is formally imputed from Christ, or derived upon a Believer, in his justification. But that righteousness or justification, which Christ hath purchased by his active and passive obedience together, for those that believe in him, consists wholly in forgiveness of sins, Rom. 4. v. 5, 6, 7, 8. Act. 13. 38, 39, etc. which is therefore called an imputed righteousness, or a righteousness without works, Rom. 4. 6, etc. because it is freely given, conferred, or cast upon a believer, by God. And because Faith is anointed or set apart by God to this office or service of bringing in the Believer into communion and fellowship of this imputed righteousness or justification purchased by Christ, is therefore itself said to be imputed for, or unto righteousness, Gen. 15. 6. Rom. 4. 5, etc. that is, to be all that God now requireth of any man, for, or towards his justification, or the forgiveness of his sins. Neither is the observation of the Moral Law, either by a man's self, or by surety, any part of any man's justification: which is complete and entire, in the nature and substance of it, without works, i. e. the merit of works, Rom. 4. 6. though the purchase and procurement of it, on Christ's part, was by merit of works.  
4. That Faith which precisely justifieth a sinner in the sight of God, is not the believing any thing more, or any thing besides, what God himself hath plainly revealed in his Gospel. Therefore truly and sound to believe the Gospel, as it cometh from God, or as it is delivered by the Holy Ghost in the Scripture, is that Faith which justifieth. The sum or substance whereof, is usually comprised in these or the like Propositions, That Jesus Christ is that Son of God, that whosoever believes on him, shall be saved, etc. Which Evangelicall Oracles, whosoever rightly understandeth, and in a cordial, firm, and sincere manner, and with his whole heart believeth, is justified before God, Joh. 20. 31. Act. 8 37. 1 Joh. 5. 1. 5, etc. and hath undoubted grounds to believe his particular or personal salvation, in as full and satisfying a manner, as he believes the Gospel itself. Neither is it possible that any man, who thus believes the Gospel, and withal knows and considers what he believeth therein, but that he should make particular application of Christ to himself, and believe his own salvation, because all fears, doubts, and questions whatsoever may be conceived or moved in the soul, touching his salvation, are fully answered and taken away by such a Faith; As he that knows and considers what a Rock is, as touching the strength, firmness, and stability of it, impossible it is, that he should refuse to stand upon it for fear of sinking, because all grounds and reasons of this fear, are fully taken away by such a knowledge and consideration.  
FINIS.