Annesley - Houston-Packer Collection BX9327 .M6 1664

Serm.9 andhow to éhfld:f1e U. 211 5, He will turn all to thy good; ncith.-r thy fins, though many and treat, nor thy mtferies, though overwhelming and difcoraragtng, no nor laftly null death it felf,be ever able co make a divorce between thee and him ; but ferve ae a pafage co thee when thy work is done,into the Bridechamber of thy Lord ; and now tell me, haft not thou Reafon to love him ? 4. Confider but thy cafe while this Virgin affeElion to thySaviour is wanting. r . Thou mrtltipltefl thy whoredoms,and thy abomtratuons continually,for what are thy Intenfive willings of other things, but fo many a&s of fpi- ritual adultery, and bafe proflittstious of thy foul to thy difbonour and difadvantage, while other thingsufurp the room of Chrifl ? 2. Thou art a treacherous Hypocrite and deceiver, forafmuch as thou pretendef} to the eye of the world to be Chrifts, and yet art nothing let's thanhis. 3. You lay a bar in againft your felves, and the acceptance of all your duties ; when faith works by love, then is obedience illuttrious, and meet for a gracious acceptation ; that obedience which owes no part of it felf to love, is worth little, and brings in no more, then it is Gal. ç.6 worth. 4. You makebonds for your felvesin death, and lay sop terrible reproa- J©b z2 ches in the Confciences againft the day of Judgement. 5. Youmake your damnation neceffary ; there being no Congruity to any of the Divine Attributes, much lefs to the offices of Chrift, char that man fhould ever be faved, who never had any fincere affeóion to him. Thefe are force of the Confiderations, which may be of ufe to them, that have no fpark of love yet kindled in their hearts : There are a few of the other kind, which mayprovoke to get this love Inflamed, where it is, fuch are there, Confider r .The love of Chrift to thee was a growing,Increafng love; do not mean, in refpe&of thehabit, but in the outwarddemonitrati- on thereof. The nearer he was CO his death, the more exuberant in love, and when he rote again his heart did overflow with tender indul- gences as appears by the melcings of his bowels towards Mary, and over Peter; and much more may webelieve him now tobe full of them, now that he is at the Right hand of God. z. There is more lovelineß in Chrift, than ever thoucanft find out or fathom ; when we have let out our affe6tions to the utmoft, therewill Rill be more than we can find affeoiion for ; our love to eternity will have fomeching of admiration mixed with it. Ee z 3.1e's Ron3.8.2,8, 38, Pltil.i.ai

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