~66 Book VI. j!.rotung unto 'jJcfu.s. Chap.2.SecL 7 . with the love of Chriil: is fo high above all created lovers, that their lovelinefs rannot reach or afcend to the high ~nd large capacity-of afpiritual foul. 0 for a foul filled up with all the fulnefs of God! 0 for a foul firetched out to its wideft capacity and m• Eph-3- 18 , 19 , cumferencefor the ent~rtainment .of God! 0 my foul, that thou wen but able to corr.– prehend with all the Samts whttt "the breadth, and length, and depth, ami height, and to k._now the love of C!J~ift that pajfe~h ~now/edge ! Surely if Chrift be mine,. if his death be mine, his refurrec'hon mme, hts afcenfion mine, his feffion mine; his interceffion mine ho)N 0 10 uld I b~t love hi~1 _wit_h a fingular love? farewel world, and worldly glory ; if chrifl come m room, tt ts ttme for you·to vant{h · I /hall lmle care for a Candle when the Sun Otines fair and bright upon my head: ~hat ? i; iny name written on the heart of Chrill? doth he ~ear me as a Favour and Love-roken abom his arms and neck? Cant, 4 . 9 . is he at every turn prefenting me and my duties to his heavenly Father? 0 thou haft. ravijhedmy heart, my King, my 'jefm, thou haft ravijhed my heart with one of thine eyes, and with one chninof thy neck..: Eflher.q. ---8. 15, 16, '7· Suppofe, 0 my foul, ·thou hadfl been with Chrift when he wanted his Difciples feet, and that he lhould have come, and have wa01Cd thy-feet; would not thy heart have glowed with love to ]erus Chrifi? why. chrift is now in glory, and now he takes thy fii, by foul, and diny duties, and walhes (as it were) the tee< o~ all, that he may prelent them to Ius Father; thou canft not lhed a tear but he waOtes tt over again in his precious "blood, and perfumes it with his glorious intercefsions. Oh what caufe haft thou to love Jefus Chrift? Oh you that never loved Chrifl, come, love him now ; and you that have loved Chrifl a little, 0 love him more: Above all, let me, 0 my foul, charge upon thee this duty of love; 0 go away warmed wirh the love of Chri!l, and with a love to Chrill:. · - SECT. V I I. Of joying in Jefm in that refpefi. 7· LEt us joy in Jefm, as carrying on this work of our falvation in his intercefsion. , Surely this is glad tydings of great joy: when wicked Haman procured letters from King Ahafl~erm for the de!lrudion of all Jews, then Ejlher the Q!!een makes requeft to the King, that her people might be faved, and Haman's letters re– voked·, Ana the King J~id to her, wha'i. wilt thou {!_u(en Efther? and what j; thy rt– queft, ..,dit jhallbe given thee? 0 the -joy of Jews at this happy tidings! Then the . City of Shttjhan rejoyced, and WM glad; then the Jews had light, a11d gladnefs, and joy, and honour; in every province, and in every City, whithcrfoever the Kings Com– mandment, and hu Dteree came, the Jews had joy, and gladnefs, a feaft, and a good day. Is not this our very cafe ? was there not a Law againft us, an hand-writing of Ordinances, afentence of a double death, of body and foul ? had not Satan, as wick– ed H"man accufed us, and •fought by •all means our condemnation? but yet behold. not only an earthly Ejlbcr, but Jefus the Son of God was willing for our fakes to come down from Heaven; and he it was that took away the hand-wri.ting of Ordinan– ces, and cancelled ir upon the Crofs, that afcended into Heaven, and there makes re– quefts for us, and he it is in whom his Father is well pleafed; never comes he to his Father, but he obtains the grace of the golden Scepter; no fooncr he cryes, 1 wiO that thefe poor Jot~!s may be eternally faved; but his Father an~wers, A'?'en ; Be it fo: be it, 0 my Son, even"' thou piMfeft. 0 that we could J,OY at thts! 0 that we could imitate the Jews! 0 that light, and gladnefs, and JOY, and honour would poffefs our foals! if at Chriil:'s birth was fuch, and ft1 much joy becaufe a Saviour was procbimed: is not our joy to be heightened, when falvation is ~tfede~ ?.if the firftad.of Chrifl's mediation was fo joyous, n,aU not the Jail ad of hts medtauon be much more joyous? --•- But I hear many objections, which keep back joy, t~ey ar.e as bars ar.d hindrances at the doors of many heavy hearts, that joy cannot enter m; I: IJJall inftance in fome. : - · }'[.t~. ::.d. 0 I am much oppofed here in this world (fayes one) men are as wolves, and de– vils; Dogs have compajfed me, the ajfemb!y of the wicktd have cnc!ofed me; they l1ave no bowtls 1 ·they ferfecute, reproach, revile, fo that I am killed all the day long.-;:;;;{
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