Annesley - Houston-Packer Collection BX9327 .M6 1664

I-g6 Ch.araíiers of Love to Chrïfi, Serm. 7,ifii,d Martyr Carn.z.3. Co1.z.9. !).a e2t,t.iatls- cas;n. Cant.q:. i S. . to cavil ? [ Irf P t ( 37o1' v AJoty 71ìv risiv. ] Do not difpure, but apply thy Pelf to the common Refuge ágainit cavils inmatters of Faith, even Faith itfelf: God bath laid it, and therefore I mutt and will believe it . Thefe things contídered,I dare boldly tell thee, that thou can( not love in finceriry,buc together therewith thou wilt be under a holy rapture of Admiration,and together with thy love,thy Admirationwill be alwaies increafing. 2. Sweet and refrefhing delight. ' ris a delighting, rejoycing love : love ( faith Aq inas ) L efi comply{centia imantis inamato ] is the refl andfat, f fac`liot of the foul in the Objedt loved ; the nature of love lies much in de igh~. Thou canft not. ( Chritti.an ) love thy Lord, but thouwilt find thy heart even ravifhed with delight in him ; as being one in whom the fulneßof the Godhead dwells [ cturr:u ç, or 1 perfonally { nonper c fcaci- amfolum ant a gentiat , fedper linionem Hypof-aticam, or j not vcrcual- ly,or only in a way of external help and aihttance ; and being allo one that h.id such an IlnRionof the Spirit upon him, that bath fully fitted him for the delight of thy foul : And hence it is, that we find the Spoufe in the I3ook of Ca:iticlesfooften letting forth her heart in holy delight to her Beloved, as is manife(t by her many loving compellations, and fe- veralother expreflïon ( He fhall,lye allnight betwixt rsbreafls, Canr. i I .) too large and many to be mentioned here, and therefore I refer you to the Book it felf. 3. Ingenioul gratitudeand thad fulner. 'ris a grateful andthanlful cove ; as that which is begotten in the foul by the fenfe of Chitis ua- fpeakable oodnefs, and condefcent:on, and w`iich is allo ever after fed, andmaintained thereby. Now the condefcenfion of Chrift lies in three things. r. In his voluntary underta,ing thewor(of Reconciliation,and median - on with God for perlons fo unworthy, He6.2.1.6. Hetooknot on him the nature of Angels,but thefeedof Abraham; it was the calif of sinners, which this Teat Lord undercook to plead. 2. Inhis urswearied diligence, and invincible patience in fulfilling the fe- vare Law ofRedempcion,which he had fubmitted to: Though the inju- ;ry that was. done him by man was fo great and manifell, and the terreur of the Lord against him alio,fo fevere and unfpeakable, jet he opened not his month, but vas dumb, even as a Lamb at theflatrghter, and ada Sheep arnder thehands of th, Shearers,Ifa. s 3.7, 3. In being willing tocommunicate thebenefits purchafed thereby.tosin- ful and rebellious men, upon fuch eafie Terms ; bidding us do nothing elfe but torts t® God by repentance, and Self-denial,and believe in himfeylfj, and Mat.i i30. Rom. i 0.8,9, O. Ií'1.1.1 í,17,i8i

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