unto the Perfon ofC/Jrifl. t 69 Motives, Meafures and Endsreg,ulated/;y the Scripture. This -alone gives us tlie Nature, Rules and Bounds of fincere Spi · ritual Love. We are no more to love Chrifi, than to fear :md wonhip him according unto our own imaginations. From the Scripture are we to derive all the Principles and Motives of our Love. If either the Acrs or Effects of it will not endure a trial thereby, they are 'falfe and counterfei~, and many fuch have been pretended unto, as we ihall fee immediately. . _ 4· That is fo unquefiionably which fixeth it felf on undue O/;jec1s, which, whatever is pretended, are neither Chriil:, nor means of conveying our Love unto ~im. . ~uch is .all that Love which ' the l<omanifls exprefs m thetr Devotwil unto Images, as they fancy of Chrifl:, Crucifxes, p~etended RelifJues ofhis Croft, and the Nails that p~erced him, with . the like fuperfiitious Reprefentations of him, and what they fuppofe he is concerned in. For although they exprefs their Devotion'with great appearance of ardent Affections, under a!l outward figns of them, in Adorations, Kiilings, Profira– tto.n~, V with Sighs and Tears; yet all this while it is 110f Chrift which th,ey-thus cleave unto, but a cloud of their own Ima:. ginatioq~, wherewith their carnal minds are pleafed and af .. fected. That is no God which a man heweth out of a Tree, though he form it for that End, though he falleth down unto it and worfhippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and faith, deliver me, for thou art my God, Ija. 44 17. The Authors of this fuperilition, whereby the love of innumerable poor fouls, is d~pravedand abufed, do firfi frame in their minds, what they fuppofe may follicit or draw out the Natural and Car– nal affections of m~n,tinto it, and then outwardly reprefent it.as an Object for them. Wherefore fome of their Repre' fentations of him ~re glorious, and fome o[ tlie,m dolorous, according as they aim to excite Affections in carnal Minds. Z · But 'i,,._
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=