the 8th Chapter to the ROMANS. f good, to ling pra¡fes Co our Goä, for it is pleafot, :end preife is 'comely 5 fo Pfal. 95, t= Come let us fing untb the L ord Cetus mike a joy ful iroife to the roof¿ of. our f lvdtíon, (and all this is the ar.ting öf he ) for the Lord is is great, God, and a great King above all gear, ( there are. the motives ) Pfd. g. lo. 'Let them that love thy name be joyful in thee. So that you fee 't ís a great duty to delight our (elves in Gods 'efï'ential perfeái- otr. ,. 2. His moral or hit rigbbgeorffneft and holiuef... Surely this is an amiable thing, and therefore theóblei of our delei}ation..I prove it thus, Firfl, 'If holinefs be lovely and pleafent in the creature, why not in God ?, In the Saints; Holinefs doth timid out love, Pill. tíi. 3. M) delight isintbefsints, the excellent ones of the earth, and Pfal. a 5. 4. in whore eyes a, vile perfon is contemned, but be bonouretb them that fear the Lord. We are to love Saints as Saints, reduplicative, " why not God as Holy and Pdghteous 2 We are ro love the law of God, as it is pare, Pfal. t ;9. 14o. Therefore we are to love God, a copy of whole Holinefs the Law is,;, the fame reafon that dotla enforce the one, doth entoree the other. Secondly, I argue, We are to imitate his Ho- line& and kighteoufnefs, therefore we are to love and delight in it, Eph. 5. r. Be ye followers of God, at dear children ; and 2,Cor:3. a8. But we all with open face, behold ,ing as inaglafs,ìthe glory of the Lord, are changed into the fame image from glory 'toglory. Now love bégetreth likenefs ; 'cis the greateft demonftration of Gods love tout, to make us like himfelf; and the greaten expreffion of our love to God, to delire ir, to endeavour after it, to value and prize, it as our happinefs, fee Pfal..17. 15. As for me I will behold thy face in righteoufnefs, Ifb all be fatisfed, when I awake wijb thy likeneft 3. His beneficial goodnefs or benignity,PCal. too. 5. For the Lord is good; for his mer. ey is everla fling. Therefore all his Saints fhould love him 5 we are firft led to the Lord by our own intereft, and the benefits we have, or may have by him, Prat. 86. 5. Thou Lord art good, ready to forgive, and plenteous in mercy, onto all that calf upon :thee. This doth firfi attract the heart of guilty (inners to feek after God,, but afterwards we took upon hint as a lovely objeá ín himfelf-, whiles We look upon benig nity as a nao- ,. ral perte &ion in God,without thefruits which flow thence to us, 'tis an engaging thing ; as'talas oblertted heretofore, that Cefar's vertues were more amiable than Cato's venues, efar's Venues were Clemency, Affability, Liberality ; Cato's venues, rigid Janice and, Fidelity in his dealings.; both were amiable, but the one more taking than the other. There is fomewhat a like obfervation, ft.om. 5. 7. Scarcely for a righteour man would one die, but for a good man one would even dare to die. By the righteous man is meant one of a revere and rigid innocency 5 by a good man, a man bountiful and ufeful. To apply it 5 Gods benignity is a thing amiable, tho it be confidered but as an Attribute in God, not cxercifed and aI`led on us 5 becaule this molt fuireth the neceffaties of the india gent and fain creature; therefore the Scripture doth much inuft upon it, to move us teí eeturn and leek reconciliation with him. 2- He loth good, òr bath been good to ui t. As in Creation, He made us out of nothing, after his on imagé ; We mull rethem- tuer him as a Creator, lei as to confider the obligations which Ive upon us, to love; pleafe and ferve him, T cciel i 2. n Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth. All that we are and have, we have it from God, and for God. 2. In redemption ; Where we have the greaten reprefentation of the goodnefs of God, a John 4. ;o. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that be loved ut, and font bis Son to be a propitiation for oar fns. 'Tis the (-Igoe] innance ; and Rom. 5, 8- Herein Gad commended his love, that while we wereyet linners, Chrifi diedfor the ungod- ly. The fallen difcovery. 3. In the mercies of daily providence, Deut. 3o: to. Thou fbalt Idve the. Lord ay God;' far he is thy life, and the length of thy days. Efpecially in his tender care abont his people, pfal. 31. 33. O love the Lord, all ye bis Saints, for the Lord preferveth his Saints, and plentofully rervardeth the proud doer. His hearing prayer is one innance,Pfal,ta6.i. I will boy! the Lord, becaufe he hath heard my mice manly fupplicationi. 4. le the rewards of the other world,whicb are provided, efpecially for them that love him, 1 Cor. 2. 9. Eye huh notfeen, car ear heard ,neither bath entredintotbe'heart ofmato,ï the thingr, which God huh prepared for them that love him ; and a John 3. a,' 2, 9 N Tie-
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=