276 . Evidences of'Di?ine Wifdom \ of fin, are removed and taken away. This is vhe fubfiance of the Gofpel, as it is declared by the Apofile, 2 Cor. 5· r8, 19, 20, 2 I. Wherefore jf hereon we refi.:tfe to return unto God, to make him the objefr of our Faith, Trufi, Love and Delight, it is not ·by reafon of any old or -former fin, not of . that ofour origitud :Apoflacy from God,nor of the effefrs of it againfi the Law, by the means of a new fin, out-doing them all in guilt and contempt of God. Such is final un/Jeliej againft the.propofal of the Gofpel. It hath more malignity in it, than all other fins whatever. But by this way of our Reco· very, all caufe of fear and dread is taken away, all pretences _of a difirufi: of the Love and good .Will of God are defeated; fo that if men w_ilLnot hereon be recovered unto him, .it is from their hatred ofhim, and enmity unto him, the fruits whereof they mufi feed on to eternity. 5· Whereas if we will return unto God by Faith, we are alfo to return unto him in Love, what greater motive can . there be tinto it, than that Infinite Love of the Father and the Son_unto us, which is glorioufly difplayed in this way of our Recovery. See 1 John 4· 9, ro. Si amare pigdat,faltem redamare ne pigeat. · . 4· The whole Race of Mankind falling into fin againfi God, and Apofiafy from him, there was no Example lett: un– to them to manifefi how excellent, how glorious and come– lya thing it is to live unto God, to .believe and trufi in him, t>~ cleave unto him unchangeably by Love. For they were utter il:rangers unto what is done by Angels above, nor ~ould be affected with their example. But wit~out a 'fattern of thefe things, manifefiiug their Excellency and Reward, they could not earnefily endeavour to attain unto them. This is_~ven us mofi confpicuoufly in the Humane Nature of Chri/l. See He/J. 12. 1 ~ .. Hereby therefore every thing need– ful for our encouragement to return unto God is in Inftnite.
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