Dot-La Sts Perfev.. its ufefulnefl'eto promoteCofJell-Obedience. C.X.4; t6, clotheth his Love, with the moft uncomly and undefinable Garment, that ever was put upon the Affections of the meaneft worme of theearth; What can ye fay morecontemptible Of man?more tohis dithonour amongall wife and knowing men, or that (hall render his Refpeds and Affee`fions more un- defirable, then to fay, He isfree ofhis Love indeed, but he abides not in it? What aworldofExamples have weofthofe, who have been in his bofome, andhave againe been caft out ? Though amongmen fomething maybepre- tended in excufeof this,with refpeet unto their ignorance, the thortneffè of their forefight , difability to difeern between things fkappearances; yet in re- fpeét ofGod,before whom all thingsare open & naked,in whofeeye all inciden- ces& Events lye asclearely ftated,as things,thatare already paffed and gone, what can befaid of filch a vaine fuppofall , for the vindication ofhis Glory? It is faid, that men'changefromwhat they were, when Godloved them, and there. fore his love changeth alfo:But who firtt made them fit to be Beloved ? Did not the Lord ?Do they make themfelves differ from others ? Onwhat ac- countdid he do it? was it not merely on the acount of hisowne Grace ? Can he not aswell preferve them in a fateofbeing beloved, as put them into it ? And if he. determined that he would not preferve them in that Condition, why did he fet his Love upon them, when himfelfe knew that he would not continue it to them? was it only to give his Love thedifhonour ofa Change?I fay then, the Doetrine contended for,, givesthe LoveofGod the Glory ofits Im- mutability, affects it tobe like himfelfe, Unchangeable, that there is not in- deed, in its felfe,the leasffhaddow ofturning; it may be eclipfed and obfcured, asto its beames and influences,for a feafon: but changed,turned away,it can- not be. And this confederationof it renders it to the foules ofthe Saints in- effimably precious: the very thought ofit, confedering that nothing elfe could poffibly fave, or preferve them, is marrow to their bones, andhealth to their foules, and makes them cryout to all that is within them, to love the Lord, and to, live unto him. 3. It gives itthe Glory of its Lruitfulneffe: Abarren Love is upon the matter no Love. Lovethat bath nobreath, no bowels, that pitties not, that aßìfts not, deferves not that Heavenly name, Will ye fry thee is a tender; loving mother, who can looke on a languithing, perilhing Child, yea fee a ra- venous beaft , whom yet the could eatily driveaway, take it outof her armes, and devoure it before her face, and not put forth her ftrengeh, for its affi- fiance or deliverance? Orwill ye fay,thee is a Tygre, and a moniker' inNa- ture ?And (ball we faigne fach a Love in God towards his Children , which is fuch that all the bowells of a tender Parent to an onlyChild, are but as a drop to the Ocean, incomparifon, of it? As thathe lookeson whilett they Ian- guith and perith, fall, finke, and dyeaway into everlaftingcalamity; yea that notwithftanding ir, he will fuffer the Roaring Lyon to come and match them awayout ofhis Armes, and devoure them beforehis face. That he will look upon them finking into eternall feparation from him , and Inch deftrutlion, asthat it had been infinitelybetter for them never to havebeenborne, with- outputting forth hisPower,and the efficacy ofhis Grace fortheir preferva- tion: Ah foolifhpeople and unwife 1 fhaUwe thus requite the Lord? as to render him fohard a Matter, focruefl a Father to. his tender ones, the Lambs ofhis Sonne, waffled in his Blond, .quickned byhis Spirit, owned by him , fmiled on, embraced ten thoufand times; as to fuffer them fo tobe taken out ofhis hands? Is there nothing inhis Love tocaufe his Bowells tomove, andhis re- pentings tobe kindled togethertowards a poore dying Child, that furelyde- parteth not,without forefad lookes towardshis Father? Nemorepent?fit tur- pifTnrns. Is this the kindneffe,which heexalteth above the Loveofa Woman to 239
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