--------- Book Ill. tO) Chap.2.Sccr.6. 5 , Confider of thofe Commandsof Chrifl, which notwitbfianding all thy excufes and, pretences, be fJitens on thee tO believe: And thu u hu Commandment, th•t we jhould believe on the name of hi< Son !efu< Chrijl. Surely this Command fhould wfimtely out– weioh and prevail aoainfl all other Countermands of flefi1 and bloud, of Satan, Na– tureb Reafon Senfe~and all the world. Why this Command is thy very ground and war:ant, agafnfl which the very Gates of Hell can never poflibly prevail: when -:4bra• hamhad a command to kill his own only dear Son, with his own hand, though tt wa> matter of as great grief as poffibly could pierce his heart, yet he would readily and, willingly fubmit to it; bow much more lhouldfl thou o?el:', when God co'?mands. ~o more bur that thou lhouldit belzeve on the name of hu Son [ejus Chnjl? There s no evllt!J this Command; no, no, it comprehends. in it all good imaginable; have Chrifl, and thou hall with him the excellency and vanety of all bldllngs both of heaven and earth ; have Chrifl, and thou hail: wi:h liim adifcharge of all thofe endlefs and eafiefs torments of Hell . have Chrill:, and thou haft with him the glorious Deity it felf, to be enjoyed througl,'him to a!I eternity. 0 then believe in J<fus! fuffer not the Devils cavils, and the groundlefs ex<eptions of thine own heart to prevail with thee again!! tbe direct Commandment of:<\lmighty God. . 6. Confider of rhefe Meffages of Chrift,which he daily fends by the hands of his Gofpel-Minifiers. Now then we are Amb~JJ.,dors for Chrijr, M thongh God didbefetch you by 2 Cor. S; ,d. w, we pray yo~< in Chrijfs fteAd, beY' rccunciled Jtdto God. \Vhat a wonder is here? would not an earthly Prince difdain and bold lt in foul fcorn to fond unto his inferiour rebellious llaves for reconcilement I lt is orherwife with Chrifl; he is content to put up at our hands all indignities and affronts ; ·lle is glad to fue to us fir!l:, and to fend his Ambaffadors day aft<r day, befeeching'us to be reconciled unto him : 0 incomprehen!ible depth ofunfpeakable mercy, and encouragement to come to thrill:! That I m•y digrefs a little; fay thou that rcade!t, wilt thou take Clwilt to thy Bridefiroom, and for fake all others? This is the mdTage which God bath bid me (unworthy Ambaffadour) tO deli" ver to thee: the Lord Jefus expeCts an anfwer trom thee; and l 010uld be glad 2t heart to return a fit anfwer to him thar fent me; fay then, dol\ thou like well of the Marq1l wiltthouhaveChdl for thy Husband I wi:r thou enter into Covenant with him? wilt thou furrenderup r:.y ~oul to thy God I wilt tbou rely on Clwift, and apply Chrifrs merits particularly to thy fdf? wdt thou believe I for that is it I mean by t•king, and reeeiving, and "''"'Jing of Chrijl: Oh happ·y if l could but joyn Chrifi and thy Soul together this day! Oh i appy thou, if tl.ou wouldfl1his day be perfwaded by a poor Ambaffadour of Chrili! Blame me not if I am an imponunate ll:effenger; if ever I hear from thee, let me hear fome good news, that I may return it to heaven, and give God the glory. Come, fay on ; an thou willing to have Chri!l:? would!l: thou have thy name enrolled in the Covemnt of Grace? Sball God be thy God, and Chriflthy Chrift? wilt thou have the perfon of Chrifl 1 and all thofe priviledges flowing from the Bloud of Chrifll fure thou art willing. art thou not? ftay then; thou mufl take Chrifi on rhefe terms; thou mu!lbdieveonhim (i.) Thou mull take him as thy Saviour and Lord. thou muit take bim, and for fake all others for him. This is true Faith, the condition of the Covenant : 0 believe in J efus,' and tbe match is mlde, the hands are flruck, the Covenant dlablifiJed, and all doubts remored, SECT. Vi. Of loving 'je{i<S in th•t rcfpcrf. 6.v · vEfluft/ove Jef"'· ascarrying on rhls great work of our falvation in a way of Covenant. l know Love is reckoned as the !irft and fundamental Paffion of all rhe re!l: .; fome call it the firft fpringing or out-going affeCtion of the Soul ; and therefore I might have plt it in rhe fidl place, before Hope or befire ; but I chufe ra– ther to place 1t 111 this Method, as (nietbinks) rnotl agreeing (if not to the order of Nature, yet) <0 the fpiritual workings as they appear in my Soul: when ~good is prop?~need'. firft I deftre, and then I h,pe, and then I b<iieve, and thenI love. And fome defcnbmg thisjpmrual Love? they tell me, It uan holy difpofttion ofthe heart, arijingfrom Dr. P••flon <if F,mb. Bmro letthrfe mceues pals for aSpiders web (cunous,btit thin) certain it is that L~vc. I cannot believe all thefe tranfadionsof God, by Chrifi in a.covenant-way for me, buti mull: needs love rhat God,& love that Chrift who bath thus firflly & freely lovedmy foul; . p - . g'l
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