Te-r.36,37 the 8th Chapter to the R O M A NI S. 3 66 redion ; Heb. 1 t. 35. all this belonged) to Chrift as a Law giver. Eut as he is the faun' tain Of fpiritual life and grace, fo we receive Chrift that he may live in us, and vic in him; and fo are fortified againft inward weaknefs,and look upon Chrift as ,able to de- fend us, and to maintain us in the midit of temptations: We have a weak nature; our God is unfeen ; our great hopes are to corne : the flefh is importunate to be pieafed loath to hold out againft fo many tryals. But look to Jefus the captain of our falvati on, and the foùntain of our life; we are incouraged; and receive fupplies from him, Phil. 4. 13. I can do all things through Chrift that s' rengtheneth me: The Lord iiaableth us to abound, or to be abafèd ; to undergo any condition, fo we may difcharge our du- ty to Chrift. He ftrengtheneth our ftaggering refolution, and helpeth us to be ftrong in the power of his might for all encounters, Eph. 6. io. Thús you fee how faith helpeth us. 2. Love is another grace, and of chief regard fn this place. Now i !hall thew you that love hath an unconquerable force and power in its felf; efpecially where 'tis ac- companied with delire, hope, and delight, as it is in a fincere gracious heart. 1. There is an invincible force in love its felf, Cant. 8.. 6, 7. For love is ftrong ar death , jedloufe is cruel.as the grave; many waters cannot quench love, nor can the floods drown it. if a man would give all the fubliance of his houfe for, love, it would "fe utterly contemned. Love is of fuck a vehement nature, that we cannot refill it, and break the force of it, no more than we can refill death or fire: nothing but the thing loved. can quench or fatisfie it. Such a vehement love is there kindled in the heart of á believer towards Chrift : It maketh filch ftrong and mighty imprefflons on the heart, that thelj- cannot endure any feparation and divorce from Chrift. No oppofition cars extinguifh it, no other fatisfaûion can bribe it, and intice it away from Chrift. No oppolt ion can extinguifh it if many waters cannot quench love, nor can floods drown it : waters tßill quench fire, but nothing can quench love. By waters in Scripture are, underftoód af' flit ions, croffes, and feeming hard dealing from Chrift, All Hs waves and billoc's have gone over me, faith David. Now a fincere love doth fo clafp about Chritl, that no crcfs, no rod, nor the blackefl difpenfations can drive us from him: neither Sword, nor Fa- mine, nor Peftilence. If all the floods of tryal and oppofition were let out upon ir, it cannot quench love: fo alto, nothing can fatisfie it. Nay, it rejes eth the offers of all inticing objells, which would intrude themfelves into Chrifts room in the heart. There are two forts of tryals which carry away fouls from Chrift: left:handtetíptations, as croffes, and afflifive evils: and right -hand temptations, fuch as the cares Of this world, deceitfulnefs of riches, and voluptuous living; whenthe one fort of tryals' do not pre- vail, the other may. The thorny ground could endure the heat of the Sun, but the good feed choaked in it. But true live to Chrift will be prevailed over by neither : if a man would give all the fubftance of his houfe, that is, all that can be given, to buy away a foul from Chrift, it will not do; all this proffer is utterly contemned with art holy difdain, and indignation. No all things are dung and drofs in comparifon of the excellency of the knowledge of our Lord, Phil. 3. a, g. All ieffays to .cool it, or divert; or draw it away, are fruitlefs: A flight love may be overcome, but a fervent llrong: love will not. 'Ls a warm love to Chrift, which maintaineth his intereft in the foul; and then, neither waters' nor bribes, heights nor depths, advantages nor lot es, prefer- ments nor perfecutions, will cool the believers affe &ion to Chrift. He dareth not enter tain any thing in Chrifts room, nor flacken his love to him; no, pleafures, and riches, and honours, will not fatishe him; and troubles and afflidlions will not difcourage him, Thus a true and fincere love is unconquerable, and will hold out againft temptations on all hands. s. This love to Chrift is accompanied with defire, hope, and delight : So far as we want the thing which we love, there is delire; and fo far as 'cis likely to be obtained, there is hope; and fo far as we injoy the thing which we love, it is accompanied with delight; Now all thefe ate to be found in the love of Chrift; and if they be high and ftrong, the believer overcometh the violence of the temptation. r. 'Tis not ealle to draw off a man from his firongeft delires. If a mans heart Be fet upon Chrift, he mutt be with Chrift for evermore. What can feparate him? Will he be difcouraged with tribulation or diftrefs? liy, thole inflame him: !hall he lofe alt that he bath longed for, becaufe of a little inconveniency to the flefb? No, Pads' groan - ings for Chrift, and delires to be with the Lord, made him labour, and ftrive, and en- lo A dure
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