414 Ephef6.=s. Cants,q: r Cor.q.=4. Canc.= Doti. We mullmark ltheex eriments ì whichGod thawed; us one way or other. PfaL=o;. =o, 1.4s8,I9: Doff, We =ewea- ble toreceive aIIChrl4s lovemaim. Iolw L1)111405,k../ V E a. 1$, ìnCbrtfl fetus? shall tribulatien,or diflreffe, or perfecution, &c.For as he thatgoeth onthornes or fharpe flints may goe boldly , ifhe be well !hod c So we , if ire be fhodwith thepreparation of the Gofjel ofpeace, i.e. with this knowledgeofthe loveof God in Chrift, which the Gof- pet revealeth,then we!hall walk not offended at our tribulations. Love is the bannerwhichhe fpreadeth over his people ; Now a bannerdoth not onely ferve togather the bands, but it dothanimate the fouldiers to quit themfelves likemen under their colours: ßo it is unfpeakable how Godslove doth incourageus to undergo whatfoever for hisname, when itis flied plentifully intous. Again, ifwee hold all ftrength , yet if love Mould not draw us , wee would not put forth our ftrength to fuffcr for his name, for this is the tweet fpurre,The leve ofChrillceuflraineth us, faith the Apoftle. Wherefore we mutt above all things Peek to God to let us have his love reported to our hearts, then nothing fofweet, but we Ihall wil- lingly forgoe it,for this love is better then wine , then all delightswhat- foever, nothing fobitter, but this will fweeten it fufficiently. 2. That he wifheth themexperienced, and fo more ftrengthehedby meaneof love fhed in their hearts, that thus they mightbe able to fee Chrift his love;it doth teachus, That we mull mrak theexperiments which Godgiveth us in effeas this way or that way , ifwee will be able to know the things whichhisgrace worketh for ms. David feting that God didnot reward them after their deferts, butput theirpinesfrom them asforeas the Eafi isfrom thewefi; he came to fee that Godhismercy was exceeding great to them that feared him: SoMofeshaving obferved that God had pardoned his people from Egypt to that houre , did comprehend that God was flow to anger, great inmercy , forgiving iniquity and tranfgreffion. Wee cannot view directly the divineeffence, a light to which there is no acceffe, but wee mutt by obferving the works ofGod,even as by aglaffe come to view thefe invifible things ofGod. 3. That he wifheth them flrengthened inlove that they might fee further love, he doth give us toconfider, That wee neitherdoe, nor are able to receive all that love of Chrift at once. Firft they had tatted love, then in weakneffe they had further ex- perienceof love, then more experienced they were to comprehend further love. Ifyetlovemeand keepe my Commandements, then theFa- ther 'halllove yea, andcomeanddwell withyou; that is, ifyouhave been drawnebymy love to love me and doe teftifie it by keeping my com- mandements, then I will Phew further love then yet yce have tailed. For God, as ingrace, foin love, he dothprevent us with love and fol- low us with love, quickning usin his wayes when wee droop in temp- tations, we are veffelswhich grow greaterand greater, and the filling eifus is anfwerable. Naywe arenot able, for looke as it is with chil- dren: A child dothmeafure his love by his fenfe, if he be played with, all is well:And as his childifhunderftanding'doth difinable him tocon- fider of the cate, the hand, the providenceof a Parent toward him : So
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