152 `. -& third Sign PART, Î ® Eyes : 'Tis on this Account that they love God ; and on this Ac- count primarily it is, that they love Chriff, and that their Hearts de- light in the Doctrines of the Gofpel, and fweetly acquiefce in the Wray of Salvation therein revealed -j-. Under the Head of the firff difrtinguifhing Charaoaeriftick of gra cious Affec`fion, I obferved that there is given to thofe that are re- generated, . a new fupernatural Senfe, that is as it were a certain divine fpriritual Taffe, which is in its whole Nature diverfe from any former Kinds of Senfation of the Mind, as Tailing is diverfe from any of the other five Senfes, and that fomething is perceived by a true Saint in the Exercife of this ne.w Senfe of iViind, in fpiritual and divine Things, as entirely different from any Thing that is perceived in them by natural Men, as the fweet Taffe of Honey is diverfe from the Ideas Men get of Honey by looking on it or feeling of it ; now this that I havè been fpeaking, viz. The Beauty of Holinefs is that Thing in fpiritual and divine Things, which is perceived by this fpiritual Senfe, that is fo diverfe from all that natural Men perceive in them : This Kind of Beauty is the Quality that is the immediate Objet of this fpiritual Senfe This is the Sweetnefs that is the pro- per Objed of this fpiritual Taffe. The Scripture often reprefents the Beauty awld Sweetnefs of Holinefs as the grand Objed of a fpiri- tual Tatfe, and fpiritual Appetite. This was the fweet Food of the holy Soul of Jefus Chriff, John 4. 32, 34. I have Meat to èat, that ye know not of ; . _lily Meat is to do the Will of bitn ,that tent me,, and tofanifh his Work. I know of no Part of the holy Scriptures, where the Nature and Evidences of true and fincere Godlinefs, are fo much of fetPurpofe, and fo fully and largely iníitfed on and deline- t " To the right clofing with Chriff's Perfon, this is alfo requi- red, to mite the Bitternefs of Sin, as the greateff Evil : Elfe iC a Man will never clofe with Chritf, for his Holinefs in him, 44 and from him, as the greateff Good. For we told you, that iC that is the right Clofing with Chriff for himfelf, when it is L6 for his Holinefs. For afk a whorifh Heart, what Beauty he " fees in the Perfon of Chriff ; he will, after he has looked o- 46 ver his Kingdom, his Righteoufnefs, all his Works, fee a iG Beauty in them, becaufe they do ferve his Turn, to comfort " him only. Afk a Virgin, he will fee his Happinefs in all ; " but that which makes the Lord amiable, is his Holinefs , G< which is in him to make him holy too. As in Marriage, it " is the perfonal Beauty draws the Heart. And hence I have EL thought it Reafon, that he that loves the Brethren for a little Grace, will love Chritt much more ". Shepard's Parable, 8 P. I. p. 4.. ated,
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