34 c~m &, ~· ·f . '> • '$ - Bopk.I. Looking unto :fefos. , Chap. 3. Sects~. 2. They do not fo tafte the goo~neffe ?f Chrift, as otherwife they might, Chrift is no other unto ;hem, whilell negleded by them; but as an ec!ipfed ftarre, with whofe light they are not at all affecte4; Cl~rifr is not fwee~ to them in his Ordinances, they finde not,in them that delight and refrefhment , that comfort and contentmenr, which ,they ufually miniller : the}' cannot. faY. offhrifr ~s~9e fpoufe di~, I {ate don:n under his jhadow with gre11t deligh.t, and hu jrUJt wtU /weet to my tafte; they are . in the cafe .of BPZnillai , who could not tafte what he did eP/te, or what 'hr: ' d1d . dr·ink ; nor cott!d hear any .more the · v•ice of Jinging men, or offinging womm : 10 they cannot tafie the things ofGod, nor hear the fpiriru_al melody which Chrift makes to the . fouls of them that loo/zup to him. 3.' They have not that loye to Chrift, which Chrifts beholders have. thevmeditate not upon Chrill as lovers on their love- - they delight not themfelve) in Chrifr, as the rich man in his trea: fure, and the bride in the bridegroome which they love 0 their thoughts are rather on the world then Chrift ; their pala'tes are fo difrempered, that they have no pl-eafur.e.in the choyceft wine • _ theycannot fay that their fouls long after him; and no wonder· > for how fhould i:hey love Chrifr, who turne their eyes from hi~ who is the faireft of ten thouj<mdr to other objects? Surely they have no fla'mmg, burnins love to Chnft, ~hat will give every bafe thing a k•ode of prehemmence above Chnft. . 4. They haxe not that fenfe ofChrifis love, which thofe that exercife this d_uty have , whilefi the foul negleCl:s Chrift, it cannot pol1i?ly difcern the love ofChrifr,it perceives not Chnfi: applying the doctrines of!llS love to the confctence: Chnft appears . not in his banquetting-houfe,he enablCts not the foul to pray with confidence, he makes it not joyful in the houfe of prayer. And hence it is th.at ftich fonls move fo flowly in Gods fervice; they are julllike Pharaohs charrets, without wheels; 0 they perceive . not the love ofChriH:, either in the clear revelation of his fecrets or in the free commun~ cation of his gra(es, or in.rhe fanCl:ifying and fwee.tning of their tryals,or in fealing up the pardon of their finnes": 0 they feel not thofe ravifhing comforts whkh ufually Chrifr fpeaks to the ~eart, when he fpeaks fr9m his heart in love. . 0 t_he want! 0 the mifery.of this want! · j._ Jhey ~~~ 11~ ~~~~ ~xp~r!~!l~~ ~f ~I1e pol!~ ~f Chhr~frb,' - ~-!~-
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