X36 the Gofpel-Myfery Dire}.- XII. ftrive to walk in the perfuafion of them, that you may attain to the praftice of thefe great duties. I may well join thefe together, becaufe to love the Lord with ail our heart, might and foul, is the firft and great commandment, which infiuenceth us to all obedience, with a hatred and deteftation of all fin, as it is contrary and hateful to God. The fame ffeaual means that produceth the one, will alfo produce the ether; and holinefs chiefly confifteth in thefe. So the chief bleffings of our .holy Rate are mod, meet and forcible to enable us for the imme- diate performance of them, and are to be made ufe of to this endby faith. Particularly, you mutt be- Iieve ftedfaftly, that all your fins are blotted out, and that you are reconciled to God, and have accefs in- tohis favour by the blood of Chrift, and that he is your God and Father, and altogether love to you, and your all fuificiexit everlafting portion and hap- pinefs through him. Such apprehenfions as thefe, do prefent God as a very lovely objea to our hearts, and do thereby allure and win our affeaions, that cannot be forced by commands or threatenings, but muff befweetly wonanddrawn byallurements. We muff not harbour any fufpicions that God would prove a terrible, everlaftingenemy to us, ifwe would love him: for there is no fear in love; but perfeEl love catteth out fear; becaufe fear hath torment : he that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, becaufe he fir#f loved us, t John iv. 18, r9. Day vid loved the Lord, becaufe he was perfuaded, that he was his ftrength, rock, fortrefs, his God, and the horn of his faivation, Pfaim xviii. 1, a. Love that caufeth obedience unto the law, mutt proceed from a good confcience purged from fin : and this good confcience muft proceed from faith unfeigned, where.: bywe apprehend the remiffionof our fins, our recon- ciliation with God by the merits of the blood of. Chrift, 1 Tim. i. S. Heb. ix. 14. For the fame end that yoúr hearts may be rightly fitted and framed
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