175 / 772
That
doubtriig
o
f
god's
lotte
is
pernicious to
our
Rues.
147
Mining
in
them.
Vnleffe
therefore wee be
affured
of
Gods
loue
wee
cannot
loue
him, and confequentlie cannot
per
-
forme any dutie
ofloue
in
obedience
to
his
will
:
for
-as
loue
is
the
fulfilling
of
the Law,
as
it
is,
Roma
3:8.
fo
the want
ofloue
is
the
tranfgreffing
ofallthe
commandements
:
for
all coníïll in
,.the
loue
of
God,
which
is
the fountaine
ofall
true
obedience;
and
in
the
loue
of
our
neighbour,which
as
a-
fpring
iffueth
from
it.Nay,w,vhen
we defpaire
of
Gods
loue,
then
doe
we
defpaire
ofour
faluation, and
therefore
hauing
no hope
ofhappineffe in
the
life
to come, wee
are
readie
to
feeke
al
the
pleafures
and delights which this
life
wil affoord
vnto vs,giuing
our
felues
ouer
to the
fatisfying
of
all
the
fl-
thie
lulls
ofthe
flefh,
and fpcnding our
times in
all
Epicu-
rifine
and fenfualitie.
Laflly,our doubting
and diflrufting
ofGodsleue
doth
ouerthrow
our patience
in
the
time
ofafflilion,and
caufeth
vs
to mourneand
repine
againfl
God,
blafphetning him to
his face;
it
hindereth
all
Chriflian refolution
in'fuffering any
thing
for the
Name
of
Chritl
;
for how
fhould
wee
fuffer
any
thing
patiently for
his fake
ofwhofe
loue we
are
not
allured?
Itmaketh
the
day
ofdeath
horrible,
when
as
we are
not
per-
fwaded
that
wee (hall
render
vp
our
foules
into the
hands
of
a
gracious
father,but into the
hands
of
a
fetiereIudOEe:wher-
as
on the
other
fide,
when we
arc
throughlie
pert
'aded
of
Gods loue, then
may we
patieutlie,yea ioyfullie
füffer all
af-
flidions,
becaufe wee
know
that
they
are
but
gentle trials,
and
fatherly chaftifinents,which our gracious
God
cloth
in-
fliet
on
vs
for our euerlafling
good
:
when
we arc
perfecuted
for our proféflîon
of
the
Gofpell,wce
will triumph with ioy,
becaufe
wee
are
thought
worthy
to
fuller
any
miferie
for
the
Naine
ofChrifl,
who hath
laid downe
his life
for
our
fake
:
when the
day
ofour
departing
appror_heth
v'e reioyce,
be-
caufe
we
delire
nothing
more than to be diffolued,and
to
be
with
Chrifl,who
fo
tenderly loueth vs. In
a
word,coine
pro
-
fperitie,
come
aduerfitie, come
affliecion,coine
perfecution,
come
fire, come
fword, come life,
come-death,nothing
can
come
amifl
,
nothing can
difinay
or difcourage-vs,
ifwee be
once
fullie
allluredofGods
loue in
Chrift,
both
becaufe
our
L
z
loue
Rom.i3.8k
The
tranifold
sails
which
ac._
compasiie
our
doubtingof
Gods
loue,aud
the
benefits
which
follar
ourpetfwaßon
thereof
Aft.1.14.
Phil.i,
zl.