Owen - Houston-Packer Collection BT300 .O9 1679

3 3o Honour due to --the Perfon of Chrifl; Beh.old I Jlt{,nd at the Door and k~ock, if any man hear w~ 'Voice and open''the Door, / ;will come in unto him, andjup with !Jim, andhe with me. He makes intimation of his Love and Kindnefs unto us. But ·ofttimes we neither hear his voice when he fpeaks, nor do open our hearts unto him. So do we lofe that gracious refreihing fenfe of his Love which he expreffeth in that Promife, I will fup with him, and he jhall fop with me.. No Tongue can exprefs that Heavenly Com– munion and bleffed Entercourfe which is intimated in this Promife.. The expreffion is metaphorical, but the Grace ex– preffed is real, and more valued than the whole world, by all that have experience of it. This fenfe of the Love of Chrifi, ans} the effeCt of it in communion with hirp,by Prayer and'Fraifes, is divinely fet forth in the Book 01 (antte.les.~ The Ch.prch therein is reprefented as the Spoufe of Chrifi; and as a raithful Spoufe fhe is alwaies either follicitous about his Love,. or rejoycing in it. And when fhe hath attained a fenfe of it, ihe aboqndeth in Invocation, Admiration and Praife. So cloth the Church of the New Tefiament upon an Apprehenfion of his Lo·ve, and the unfpeakable fruits of it. Vnto him that loved us, and wajhed us from our fins in his own blood, and hath madeuJ· Kings and l'riejls unto Gvdand hi5 Father, to him· h Glory and :Dominion for ever and ever,. Amen,. Rev. I. 5, 6,. This therefore is another feafon that t:alls tor this Duty. . 3· Times ofPerfecutionfor his Namesfake, andfor the l'ro– fejjton of the GofPel, are another feafon rendring this peculiar Invocation ofChrifl: both comely and neceffary. Two things will befal the minds of Believers in fuch a feafon. (I.) That their thoughts will be greatly exercifed abwt him, and con– verfanr ~ith him. They cannot but continu~lly think and meditdte on him for whom they fuffer. None ever fuffe ,ed Perfecution on jufr Grounds, with fincere Ends, and in a due: manner,,

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