Owen - Houston-Packer Collection BT300 .O9 1679

2 o8 Moti1Jesunto the Lo1Je of Chri.ft. fible of the Love ofChrlft, whofe AffeCtions are not thereon · drawn out unto him. I fay, they make a Pageant of Reli– gion, a Fable for the Theatre of the world, a bufinefs ofFan– cy and Opinion, .whofe hearts are not reaJly affecred with the Love of Chrtfl:, in the fufception and difcharge of the work of Mediation, fo as to have real and fpiritualiy fenfible Affecrions for him. Men may ha!Jbfe things which they have learnt by rote, they have no real Acquaintance with Chrifl:ianity, who imagine that the placing of the mofi in· tenfe Affecrions of our 1ouls on the Perfon of Chrifi, the lo~ ving him with all our h~arts becaufe of his Love, our being overcome thereby, until we are lick ofLo·ve, the confiant motions ofourfouls towards him with delight and adherence, ~re but fancies and imaginations. I renounce that Rel~~;,ion, be it whofe it will, that teacheth, infinuateth, or giveth countenance unto fuch Abominations . That DoCtrine is as difcrepant from the Gofpel as the Alcoran, as contrary to the ·experience of Believers, as what is acred in and by theVe– v ils, which infl:ruEts men unto a contempt of the mofi fer– ' ent Love unto Chrifi, or cafis reflefrions upon it. I had rather chufe my eternal lot and portion with the meanefl Be– l~ever, who being effecrually fenfible of the Love ofChrill, fpends his daies in mourning that he can lo1.•e him no more than he_finds himfelf on his utmofi endeavours for the dif. charge of his Duty to do, than with the befi of them, whofe vain ipeculations, and a falfe pretence of Reafon, puff" them up unto a contempt of thefe things. · 2 This Love of Chrifi unto the Church, is fingular in all t hofe qualifications which render Love obliging unto reci– proca.l Affections. It is fo in its Reality. There can be no Love amongfb men, but will derive fomething from that diforder which is in their Affefrions,in their highefl: Acrings. But the Love ofChrifi is pure andi abfolutely {ree. from any allay,

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