Christ First, Then Us

This is a weighty point for directing our devotion, that we may know in what order to look on God. See God in Christ; see all things in Christ first, and then in us. Look upon him as Father to Christ, and then to us. Look on him as God to Christ first, and in Christ God to us. Look on him as having elected us but elect in Christ first. See ourselves justified, but see Christ justified first from our sins, and his justification declared by his resurrection. When we consider any spiritual blessing, say with the apostle, 'Blessed be God, that has filled us with all spiritual blessings in Christ' (Eph. 1:3). Whatsoever is derived from God to us is through Christ. It is for our comfort that it is so, that God's love is to Christ first. The love and care and fatherly disposition of God towards us is sweet to us, because it is tender to his Son. He can as soon cease to love his Son, as cease to love us. For with the same love, he loves all of Christ's spiritual body, head and members. There is not the least finger of Christ, the least despised member of Christ, but God looks on him with that sweet eternal tenderness with which he looks upon his Son. Oh, this is a sweet comfort, that now all the excellent privileges of a Christian are set on Christ and then on us; and we should not lose them, for Christ will lose nothing. Whatever we see in Christ, think: This will belong to us. As verily as he ascended, we shall ascend; as verily as he rose, we shall arise; as verily as he is at God's right hand, we will be there too. Therefore, when we are to deal with God, be sure to go through Christ. If we stagger, and doubt to receive anything at God's hand, we wrong not only God's bounty, but Christ the mediator. I beseech you, let us not lose the comfort of these things, since our Saviour Christ intended them for comfort.

Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Richard Sibbes 'Refreshment for the Soul.'
A Heavenly Conference, pp. 105-11
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