C. X.$,17 Doa!ofPerf,of Sts its ufefulnes topromote Gofp Obedience. 240 to her fucking Child, ofa Mother to the fruit ofher Wombe ? Oh that mea fhould dare thus foolilhly to charge the Almighty , to afcribefuch a barren fruitleffe Love to him, who it Love, towards his Children, who are as theAp- ple ofhis eye, his deare and tender ones , as would be aperpetuall blot and fraine tpany earthlyParent, tohave righteoufly afcribed to him ; I fay then; our Dot-trinegives the Love ofGod the Glory ofits fruitfi1nefe. It aflèrts it tobe fuch a Fountaine-love, as from whence continually ftreames ofGrace, kindneffe, mercy, and Refrefhment doe flow: becaufe he loves us with e- verlafing Love, therefore hedrewes us with Loving. kindneffe, Ier.30. i,2, front that Loveproceeds continuall fuppliesoftheSpirit and Grace,by which thofe, ofwhom it is Paid, theyabide; are preferved lovely, and fit by him to be be.. loved. It tells us, that becaufe God loves his people, therefore are they inhis hand. Deut:33. 3. It declares itto befuch a Love,as is the Wombeofall mer- cy: whence pardon, healing, recovery from wounds , ficknefl'es, and dying pangs doe continually flow; ALove upon the account whereof, the Perfons loved may make conclufion,that they fha11 lack nothing. Pfa1.23.s. ALove whole fruitfulneffe isfubfervient to its own conftancy , preferving the Saints fuch, ashe may ref unchangeably. Rom.8.29, 30. A Love, whereby God fngs to his vineyard, watches over it , andwaters it every moment. Ifa. 27. 2,3. And now what flint almoff in the Rock of frone, wouldnot be foftned, and diffolved by this Love ? When we shall think,that it is from the Love ofGod, thatour wafted portion bath been fooften renewed, that our dying Graces have been fo often quickned, ourdreadful! back-flidings fo often healed, ourbreachesand decayes fo often repaired, and the pardon of our innumera- ble tranfgreffions fooften fealed, unleffe we fuck the breaths ofTygers, and have nothing in us , but the nature of Wolves and uncleane Beafts , can we hold out againff the Tweet, gracious powerftill, effe&uall influences , that it will have upon our foules; Thus I fay , doth the Do&rine, which we have in hand, let out the. Loveof God untous in his eminent endearing properties, wherein, he being embraced throughChriff, aFoundation is laid, and emi- nent promotiongivenunto theHolinefhe and Obedience, which he requireth ofus. 2. This Dòffrinerenders Jefus Chrift lovelytoour foules, to thefoules of 4. 17. Believers; It reprefents him to them, as the standard bearer to ten tho:find, as onealtogether lovely: As exceeding defireable in thework of his oblation, lovely and amiable in the work ofhis Interceffion, as bath beenmanife- fted. 1. It imports him as one, who in his death hath made anendoftheCon- troverJy between God and our foules. Dan. 9.39, Becoming our peace. Eph.2. 54. having obtainedfor us Eternal!Redemption. That he hath not fúffered all that forrow, anguifh, paine, torment, dereli&ion, whereunto for our fakes he was given up, and willingly expofed himfelfe, for an uncertaine end, not fighting, in .his de.eth,as one beating the ayre, nor leaving his wòrkein the duff, tobe trampled on, or taken up, as it feemes good to us, in our polluted, darke, deadeftateofnature: But bath filled it with fuch inimortall feed, that ofit lelfe, by it Idle, and its own uncot juerable Efficacy, it bath fprung up, to the bringingforthof that whole fruit intended in it, and the accomplifh- ment ofall the ends aimed at by it. That is, that it (hall certainely and in- fallibly bring all thofe to God, for whom he offered, bySanCtifying, Juflify- ng, arid preferving them, through the Communication of his owne Spirit and Grace to them, for that end and purpofe, All his Promifes beingyeaand Amen, inhim, confirmed by his death 2 Cor. 1.20. Heb. IO. 52,13,14,15;16. Someofthofe, whoindeed abafe the Truth We have inaftedon,pretend to grant,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=