"1:8 2 T/;e Nature;Operat~ons and Cattfes of1Yi"Vine ·Love, cHAP. XIII. The Nature, Operations 4nd Caufes ofDi:vine L?Ye, as it re- . JpeEts tbe Perfon of Chrjft. · . ' . ' ·rHat we may ~he be~ter uriderfiand that l~ove. unto rhe Perfon ofChnfr whtch we plead foJ,fome thmgs mufr be premifed concerning the Nature of Divine Lo·ve in gene– ral, and thereon its Application unto the particular a&ings and exercife of it vvhich we enquire into, will be plain and eafie. God hath endowed our nature with a faculty and ability offixing our Loveupon himfel£ Many can underft-and no· thing ofLove, but the adherence of their minds and fouls unto things ;vifible and fenfible, capable of a prefent natu– ral Enjoyment. For things unfeen, efpeciaHy fuch as are eternal and infinite, they fuppofe they have .a veneration, a religi9us refpefr, a devout adoration; but how they ihould love them, they cannot underfrand. And the Apofrle cloth grant that there is a greater difficulty in loving things that cannot be feen, than in loving thofe which are alwaies vifibly prefent unto us, I John4- 20. , Howbeit this Divine Love hath a more fixed fration and -prevalency in the minds of men, than any other l :ind of Love whatever. For, I. The principal End why Qod e~dued our Natures with that great and ruling-Affection,"that hath the mofr eminent and peculiar power and interefr in our fouls, was in the firfl: place, that it might be fixed on himfelf, that it might be the inJ1rument of our adherence unto him. He did not create , this Affection in us, that we might be able by it to cafl: our felv es into the embraces of things n\ltural and fenfual. No , · · Affection .
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