Di~CeElions to excite tbe Low of. God. kmJ ~mthankful heart int6 ihc vr.ry nature ofLove. .Chrift is the beft _<fe,;cher of the_lC~on of Lov~, that ever the world had : who taught it not only by hts wordt,_but by hts blood: by hts ltfeand by hts de.nh : Jf th 9l 1 canfi nor leam it of him, rhou canft nevtr learn tt. _Love ts ~he greatdl comman·der of Love; and rhe moll dfLCI:ual argumcnr rhat can infuprrably conflram ~s t~Jt, · And none C'Ve_r loved ar the me 3 fure ancl rates that ChriH bath loved. To tland by fuch a hre, ts the way for a ·congealed heart to m~lr1 and rhc co!dd! affl'Clions to grow warm. A lively fait!~ fiill holding _Chrifi, the Glafs d j 11 finit.e Lovt and Goodnds, before our taces, is the grcatcil Ldfon m the Art ol Love. 9· 2 g, 1. Bthoid Gtd alfo in hi1 Covertam1{ Gr,;c~, wbich he hath made iJt Chr~. In that you may fee fuch {un:~ h!ch great :md wonderful mercies, freely given out to a world of lnmers, and t~ your ·.ftlves am< ng the nil, as may afford abundant ~attcr for Love an.d Tlunlifttlneji ·t~. feed on_whtle yo~ live. Thu<. yr\1 may fee how loth God is that finners fhould penfi1 : How he delJghtcth m mercy : And how .gr,e'af ar:d 1mfpe::tkab~e th.a~ mer~y is.. '!'lu:~e you. may f<.can ACl of Pardon and_ Oblivion r ,grant<d UFOil the rca{onitblc' condJtJon of Behcvmg; Pemrent. Ac~Lprancc, to all mankm~: Th~ fins that· mm llave been committing·rn::my'years together, thetr WJlitul htynous agguvated lms, you ma·y th<re he P.aq:lontd by more aggravated Mercy : and the enemies of God r_econciled_to him, and tnndllnntd nbt:ls faV'd from Hell, and brought into his family, and made h!.!i fons. [ 0 what an Image: of tb~ Gqodnefs d . Gcd js _apparent in the trnor of_his word and Covenan~? Hdinrfl and ~ercjt make up the whok: They arc' exptdf in tvery leaf a11d lme. The precepts wh!ch fetm too finct t<;> Jinner!'; are but rhe perfeCt Rules of Holinefs aud Love, for the health and happmefs of man.• \Vhat LOvdincfs did Dat·id tind in tht Law it (elf? And fo n,ould we, if we read it with his eyes ahd heart: It was fweetlr ro him than hony- ·: he loved ir above gold,Pfalm 119.127, and9·7· he crieth out 0 bow I/ove thy Law! it ii my mdiution aU the J..1y Atld .mUll: not rheLaw-giver •hen be muth more Iovery,whoCe Gocdt;dS hereappt'an:th to us? Gdod andllprigh?ir i~e Lord: tbereforewill ht teach finners in the wa}r: Pfalm 2 5· 8. I rviU dcliJ,bt my ftlf iu tby Comma•dlne>tlf which I have loved: My hJ~tdt al[o wiU I lift up to thy Cummandmenu whicb 1 bave !rJvid; ami ['will' meditate in th)• jlatHtes. Pf.tlm 1 19· 47, 48. How ddightfully then fi1ould I love and meditarc on the i31cffed Authar of this holy Law? But how can I read the hittory of Love, the llrange d<tign of Grace in Chrilt, the myflcry which the Angels dcfiroufiy pry into, the promif"ts of litC tb lot1 and miferab\eiinners, and not fCel the power of Love transform me? Beh(!Jdn·irb rvJJat Love tlu Father bath'LovCd llf, that n-e jhVuld be c&llcd the fons of God? I John ..3. 1. How cloth God {hLd abrOid his Loire updn 'our hearrs, but by opening to us the fuperabundance of it in his word, aJ:d ope11h'g ouiheaus by hisfpirit to pe1ceive it? 0 when a poor finner that firfi had felt the load of fin, a11d the Wrath of God, {hall feelingly read or hear what mercy is tendered to him in the: Covenam of Grace, and hear Chrill:s rru.mngers tell hin:1 from God, that AY thingI are nvw ready, and thuclore invite him 10 the heavenly feat\, and Cven cdmpel him to come in, what melting Love muLl this ~fftd a linntrs heart with ? When we fee the Grant of Life eternal fealed to us by the blo6d of Chrill, and a P;trdoniug, jofiilying faving Covenant, fo fn:eJy made, and furely confirmed ro us, by that God whom v. e had fu much otlmded, 0 what an incentive is here for Love? 9· "19· WhtU 1 InlOPC;Il tht·Covenant, I imply the Sacraments Which are but its appendants or con..: firmingftals_, and the invdling rhc btliever folemnly with irs bencti:ts. But in there God is pleafed to conddetnd tO the mo~ ~amili"'?" communi~n wjr.h h~s ~hurch, that _Love and ThankfuindS might want no helps. Thtrc: 1t ts chat 1h7 Love_ot God m Chnfi, appl)'ctb 1t felf moll clofii.J to particular finners; And rhe meat or dririk will be {weet Tn the mouth, which was not fwcc:t to us on the table at all. 0 how many a Hearr hath this 1 affected. ? How many have felt the llirrings of that Love. which bdorc: thty telt not, when they have fecn 'Chrifl: crucified before their eyes, and have heard the Miniller, in his name and at his command, bid them 1'ak._r~· and Eat, and Drink.,; commanding them not to refu[c their Saviuur, but Tak_! him, and the benefits of his bloo'd as-their own; aJTuring t-hem of his good will and readinefs to forgive and fave them? 9· 3C· 3· l>fho.'d a/[o the Lrnxlincfs of God in his H(Jly onn, who bear his Image, and are 4dvanced by hiJ L Y7.'C und Mercy: lf you areChrifiians indeed you are taught of God to Love his krvants and to fee an rxccL'cJ:cy in lhL SaimJ on earth, and make them the people of your de!"ight: Pfalm 16. 1, 2~ 1 7br[. 4- 9· And this mull 11ecds acquaint tou \~ith the greater Amiablends, in the mofi Holy God that mad~1h1.m Holy. 0 how oft have thefeelmg and hcavmly prayers of lively believers, excited t~oft. athc:tkm in n_~e, ":hich before I felt not? ~ow ~ft have 1 bten ~armed with cheir Heavenly d1fcourft ? How am1able tS that Holy Heavenly d1fpofiuon and convcrfat1on whith appeareth in them? Their laith, thtir Love, their trufi in God, their cheerful obedience; their hatred of fin, their defire of the goccl of all, t~eir mt(kncfs and patience: h~w ~uch do the~e advance them above the ignorant, fi.nfual, proud, mah~nant and ungodly world? How Good then ts that God that inakes men Good? And f ow littlt: is the Gordntfs of the bdl of men, comparrd to his unmeafurable Goodncfs? when– ever your converfe with holy men, Hirs up your Love eo them, rife by it· prcfeiltlf to the" God of Saims, and let all be turned to him that givcth all, to them and you. · 9· 3 I . And as tht rxccUency of the faints, fo their privilcdge ·and great ~~~vanctment, t1iould .thew rou the Go~dncfs of God that doth_a~vance them~ As oft as thou fedl a faint, how poor and meari m the W(.,rlll fm vt 1. d11 u fed\ a hv1hg monument of the abundant kindnefs of the Lord: Thou feed: a chi~d of God_, ·: Il.ll ~) b(r of Chrifi, an _heir ~f Heaven :. Thou feefi oile that hath all his fins forgi .. vtn ~~m, and IS {nJlCI:t. as a _brand Nit ot t~e hre, and delivered from t~e power of Satan, and tranfia.. r~d mto the ~igdmn of Cb11fi : Tilou fedl. one for_ 'w~Om ChrHl hath cc~qUered the ,powers of Hell ; ind one tbar ts htcd trom rhc bor.d1gc of the flt{h; and oue that of the Devils fiave is made a Pricfi to offer up the [lC,ifices of Praife to God. Thcu fee£\ one that bath the fpirit ol 'God within ~ him; '· . .:
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