Owen - Houston-Packer Collection BT300 .O9 1679

a1 it rejpefls the Per_fon r;/ C!Jrifl.' r 91 He proves them to be rightly called his friends, becaufe ofthe communication of the fecret of his mind unto them. ·. This is the great difference between them who are on[y Ser·vants in the houfe of God, and thofe who are fo Servants as to be Friends alfo. The fame commands are given unto all equally, and the fame Duties are required ofall equally, in as much as they are equal[y Servants. But thofe who are no more but fo, know nothing of thefecret Counfel Love and · Grace of God, in a due manner. For the natural man re– ceiveth not the things that .are ofGod. Hence all their Obe– dience isfer·vile_. · They know neitper the principal Motives unto it, nor the ends of it. But they who arefo S,.er·vants as to be Friends alfo, they know what their Lord ·doth ; the fecret of the Lord is with them, and he il1ews them of his Covenant. They are admitted into an intlmate Ac~ quaintance with the Mind of Chrifi: (we have ~e Mind of Chrifl, 1 Cor. 2. 16.) and are.thereon encouraged'te--pd– torm the Obedience of Servants with the Love and De1ight of Friends. . The fame love of friendil1ip is expreffed, by th~t .intimate con·verfe witb, and efpecial rejidence that is between God and B~lievers ; Go9 dw~lleth in them, and they dwell in God, for ~od is Love, I Joh. 4- r6. If a mar1, faitq the Lord Chr1fl:, love me, he will keep my words; and my Father will !o·v_,e him, and we will come unto him, c.md--rtwke our abode with him, Joh. 14. 2.). Andifanymanhearmyvoice, andopen the do,or, I will c{).me unt(} .him, andJup with him, and he with me, ~ev. )· 1 o, Thefe are not an empty found of words; t~ere is fubfiance under them, there is Truth in th-em. Thofe whofe he;1rts are duely exercifed in and unto -the Love of God, have experience of the refreil1ing approach<;s both 'of tl?e F~t~er ano of the Son unto their fcn:~:Is, in the commu~ m~atlo~s ofa fenfe,of their Love, and ple~~es of their abode Wlth diem. Thefe

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