' . Cinr. 6. 3 Pf& 4'· 8, ®ellttatton. Chap.~. Sect.s. am 111 y wel-beloveds, and my wel-beloved is mine. This, 0 my foul,is the nature of thy love to Chrift. 2. Diftribmion, . . Th~r~' is a 'twofold love, o~e o'r deftre,which is an earnell: longing after that which we believe would c\o us much good, if we could attain to it ; another of compla<·ency, when havin~ attained that which we deGre, \ve hugge and embrace it, and folace our felves in the fniition ofit: Now the firll: ofthefe loves is an lntrodudion to the fecond,ancf both of them (in relation to Chrill:) iffue from a propQrtionablc act of faith prece– dent : 1 • That affectionate longing and thirll:y love, wherewitn we pant and gafp after Chrilr, proceeds from the firlr ads of faith, whereby we affent to all Guipel– promifes, as true and goo.d in themfelves, and better unto us than any .thing in the world, co.ufd we but once be aJfured that they belong unto us. 2. Tllat other love of complacehcy, when (with the Pfalmill) we remrn 1!11to our reft, b<uut{c the Lord hatb dealt bountifully n·ithm , when fweetly we repofe our felves in the lap of our Saviour with content unfpeakable,and full of glory, it proceeds from thelall: act of faith,where– by we are actually pcrfwaded by thofe welcome whifpers of the Spirit of adoption, that certainly Chrill: is our Saviour, and rllat our debts arc cancelled to the veryhfr mite; only obfcrve (0 my foul!) thefe t\vo things uf this love: ·· 1. That 'tis fubj"(i ip all variations or changes, tbbings and flowings of that perfwafion ; fomerimes iu a violent temptation, or m a fenfible defertion, our perfwafion fails, and fo this love of compl,;cency is either ll:upified , or it falls back into that thirll:y anxious love ofdejirc. 2. That this love ofcomplacency admits of degrces,propqrtionable to the degrees of our perfwafion; if that be clear and flrong, this love is mole cheerful and plc~fant; if that be weal< and obfcure,this love is more cold, with many fears and je~lotrlies, --Whence this love of complacwcy may not unfitly be. fubdivided into an Ordinary and Heroic-al love; ordinary· love·proceeds from a weak degree ofthatlall: a& of Faith; heroical love fpringeth from a more eminent and tranfcendent pitch of perfwafion, concerning our own reconciliation in particular: It is called Ordinary, becaufe moll: Chriflians, (though effectually called) do ordinarily feel but fuch a timorous love in themfelvcs; it is called He>·oit·al becaufe it is confl:antly onely in fuch,as either be/ides the evidmce ofthe Word and Spirit, have had fame fpecial revelation·. to put them out of all doubt concerning their eflate to God-ward; or in fuch as by a certain clofe walking with God, have been long exercifed in a Chrifban courfe, h~ve often entertained Chrift Jefus at fupper in their hearts, and habituated themfelves into a more bniliar ac– quaintance with that Holy Spirit, which brings all the good newes from Hea\'en, to thofe diligent fouls which carefully wait for it, 3· Caufcs. But whcnc~ is this love, 0 my foul? The Apollle is plain, We love him, bei:aufe he firft loved"': When the Spirit of God·in the promifes lets in fome intimotion of Gods love into the foul, then fhe loves him again: That expref!ion of the Pfahrii£1, The Lord will command his lovmg kjndnefles in the day-timt , is pertinent to this; it is a phrufe taken from Kingd and Princes, and great Commanders in the field, whofe words of Command fl:and for Laws; fo the Lord fends out his loving kjndneffi, faying, Cio oHt, my evtrlafting lovr:,andk.indnej[c, tak; a Commijfionfromme, go to that liumble, thirflJ', · hungry foul; go and profperi and prevail, andfettle my love <jfeEitlfll/y upon him ; I com11Wtd thee do tt: lt may be at the flrll: vifit, the poor foul cryes out, What ! I love? What! I men:y? will Chrift J..efu; ,;ccept of me? Oh, I .am the woril: of finners; could I pray, or pcrforme duties as Come others.cio, 1might have Come hopes of mercy; but what! is it poflible thatthe Lprd of Heaven fhould love me ~ YN, thee, c-:;en thee, faitb the Lord: go out my loving kjndnc!fe fo rhat poorfoul, brea/z.opmthc doores ofthat rvcary weltring heart, kj1oclz.ojftho{e bolts ofcarnal reafon, and,all bafe arguments, and clear and lVItr'lne that brok,gn,.bru,ifed, humbledfodl, itiuf telt h,:infrvmme,Thm hisfinnes arc pardoned, · his fghs and prayers are heard, and heJhali. b~faved; I cha>ge thee do the 1\'ork_bcfore tbM comefl in againe. Here, 0 my foul,is th(!.immed(ate caufe, God~ love thus affecting the hprt, it brec,ds a love in the heart to God aguin : I dmv them (fa~th God) >vith the cords of fl m~.", even with the b11ndt oflope, 4 . EJI"cfls.
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