Gd.1. IJoftn4·7 · ~piritua! Perje[/ion. The pro<·eming pleafures of Sin poffefs the Soul. We mull: therefore earnefily pray that t he Holy Spirit would illuminate our Mmds, and dire[f us in the Love of God, 1hat he will purifie our AffeB:ions, and raife t hem to Heaven. The Exercife of our Thoughts is too weak and faint to maJ,e indelible impreffions of Love in our Heans. Love is an eminent Fruit of the Spirit. The love of God is fbed abroad iJJ the heart by the holy Spirit givm to rM. There ts a ftrong nde ofSenfual Defircs that carnes us downward, which we cannot ftem, without the gales ofthe Spirit to make ou r way to Chrill. But 'ris in~ confif!enr with the Wifdom and Will of God, for Men to expeB:. an lnfpirarion from Heaven, and negleEt: the proper means, the confidering the powerful Incenrives of Lov~: to our Redeemer, his alluring Excellency, and unvaluablc Benefits. Sr. PaNJ declares, The Lovt of Chrifl conftrains m ; for we thm judge, if one died for all, then "' '" aU dtad, and that he died for all, that they might live to htm. If all be not cold and dead within, this will increafe the faered Fire, and inflame the AffeB:ions. But as the light of the Sun, diffus'd in the Air, fires nothing; but the Beamsconrralled in a Glafs kindle proper Matter: fa the confidcring of the common Salvation, will not be fo affeC'ling, nor fa warm and foften the Heart, as the ferious applicarive Thoughts of it to our felves: the Apoflle expreffes i~, Who loved me, ~nd g_avt himfdf for me. The appropnaung by a clear Fa1th, and fenous Thoughts, Ius Dymg Love eo the Soul, will caufe an irrefiflible AffeB:ion to him, Jlrongtr thav Death. We mufllearn of Chrif! how to love him. His Love was exprefs'd in the mofl real A Et ions, and convincing Evidence: it was an incarnate Love, a beneficent Love, produB:ive of our Salvation; our love muf! be produB:ive of Obedience. This is the furcfi ' Trial of it, If J' lovt me, you wiN keep my word, faith our Saviour. The Frofl of Fear will hinder the breaking forth of Carnal Lufls into notorious AB:s, as the Cold of Winter binds the Earth, that noxious Weeds cannot (pring up: but the heat of Love is produB:ive of all the Fruits of Righteoufnefs. Love to Chrifl will make every Command pleafam, and the exaB:ell: Obedience to be voluntary, li bera l, and ingenuous. Fear may enforce Conftancy for a tim(t, but Love is a Vital Principle, conrinualJy operative in all the Tranfitions of this Life. This fecures obedience. Chrif! has fallen'd us to his Service by a Chain compos'd of his mofl precious Benefits: by the pardon of our in· numerable fins, and to whom much U forgivm, tl,ey love much. Fear tries in vain to make an alliance between the Fle!h and Spirit, obeys fome Commands, and rranfgreffes others: but Love refpeB:s all. Fear induces adeferrion ofour Duty, when Evils nearly threaten us; but Love encounters them with fuch a Charaaer of Alfurance, as becomes thofe who efleem it a Favour and Honour to Suffer for Chrifl:. Some are hardeo'd againfl AffliB:ions, and endure with Courage Perfecutions for the Caufe ofChrifl, but yield to pleafant Temptations: like the Manna that would endure the Fire, but melted in t he heat of the Sun: but Love to Chrifl, by an overcoming delight , renders the pleafures of Sin naufeous and infipid. In !bore, the properties of natural Love are united in the Love of Chrifl. Love will tranfport us to Heaven~ and transform us into his Iikenefs. Love will make us Zealous in conflam and excellent Endeavours to be compleatly conform'd to him. Re· fCmblance is the common Principle of all unions in Nature: 'lis preparative to Love, and the effeB: of it. Experience is a fenfible demonflration of this. For the love of Friends, if in a degree of Eminence, Caufes a perfell fympathy, an exaB: correfpondence in their Tempers. The exercife of Love in the moll: precious Elleem of him, in burmng delires after a Propriety in him, in the fweetell: complacency in Communion with him, are intimate and infeperable ~alities in all the Lovers of Chrifl. Love to him is always joyn'd with an irreconcileable hatred of Sin, that call him fo dear to expiate its guilt. Our love intircly and incenfdy is due to him, and no lower degree is accepted. For 'tis a difparagemenr and infinitely unworthy of him. To content our felves with a lefs AffeB:ion, is not on ly far diftanr from PerfeB:ion, but from the firfl difpofition of a Samt. The tenderefl and llrongefl affellions in nature mull be regulated and fubordinare to the Love of Chrif!. Our Love to him mufl be Singular and Supreme. Briefly, hiS Love to us is · Beneficenr, ours is Obedient. He values no Love without Obedience, and no Obedience without Love. z . Love muf! defcend from God to our Neighbour. This Dury is fo often Commanded and Commended in the Gofpel, that we may from thence underfland its Excellency. The beloved Difciple that lay in ~he Bofom ofChnfi, from that Spring of Love derived the Strea~s that flo\V tn h~s ~nungs. He declares that God U Love, And he that loves, dwells tn God, a"d God zn hrm. !Job. 4· 11. He makes it an Evidence that we are born ot God, of our renewed fiate, and that u·e are pajl from death to lift. Our Saviour inj oyns it with a note of Eminency, ~,;;::;, )
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