o The Gofpe%lily cry Direct. xr. intereft in Chrift, and to be better Chriftians than you are ; if you be troubled and grieved, that your hearts and lives are fo wicked, and that you want faith, love, and true obedience ; yea, if your hearts be not maliciously bent to perfecute the gofpel, and prefer atheifm, licentioufnefs, or any falfe religion before it, you have, no caufe to fufpeet yourfelves to be guilty of this unpardonable fin. 6. Add to all thefe, " a full perfuafion of the in- í' comparable glorious excellency of Chrift; and of " the way offalvation by him." You are to esteem the enjoyment of Chrift its the only falvation and true happinefs, and fuch an happinefs as hath in it unfearchable riches of glory, and will make our cup to run over with exceeding abundance of peace, and joy, and glory, to all eternity. We muff account ail things but Iofs for the excellency of the know- ledge of thrift Jefus our Lord, Vic. Phil. iii. 8. Such a perfuafion as this, will allure and incline your wills and affe&ions to chufe and embrace Chrift as the chief good, and never to reft fatisfied without the enjoyment of him ; and to rejea every thing that rands in competition with him, or the enjoyment of hire. Chrift is precious in the efteem of all true believers, t Pet. ii. 7. Their high efteem of his in- comparable precioufnefs and excellency, induceth them to fell all, that theymay buy this pearl of great price, Mat. xiii 46. This 4naketh them to fay, " Lord evermore give us this bread, that cometh c' down from heaven, and giveth life to the world. Lord, to whom fhall we go ? thouhaft the words " of eternal life, John vi. 32, 33, 34, 68. Becaufe rc of the favour of his good ointments, his name is cc as ointment pcured forth; therefore do the vir- gins love him, Song. i. ?; They are lick of Iove to cc him, becaufe he is, in their eyes, the chiefeft a- cc mon; ten thoufand," Song v. 8, 1 o. As the glo- ry of God that appeared in thewonderful beauty of áh4 temple, and in the wifdom and gloryofSoionmona.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=