96 cADeclaration of the Glorious My ST E R Y Hereunto aredefigned the gdfpel Gerizim and Dal, thedenunciationof the bleffings and curfes. Asblellings are declared tobe their portion who love'the Lord Yefus in fncerity, Ephef. vi. 24. fo thofe who love him not, have the fu fiance of all curfes denounced againft them, even Anathema Mara- riatha, t Cor. xvi. 22. So far lhall fuch perfons be, whatever they may profefs of outward obedience unto the gospel, from any bleffed mtereft in the promifesof it, as that they are juftly liable unto final excifion from the church in this world, and eternal malediftion in that which is to come. It is evident therefore that the love of the church ofbelievers unto the perfon ofChrift, is not a diftempered fancy, not a deluding imagination, as fouie have blafphemed, but that which the nature of their relation unto himmakes neceffary; that wherein they exprefs their renovation into the image of God, that which the fcripture indifpenfibly requiresof them, and whereon all their fpiritual comforts do depend, These things being fpoken ingeneral, the particular nature, effefts, operations and motives of this divine love muff now be farther enquired into. ``O" V ``fr AVIV * ro 0E100000;2 iro Mt:IMO M100000El CHAP. XIII. The Nature, Operations andCaufes of Divine Love, as it refpeifs the Perfon ofCHRIST. t]r HAT we may the better undetffand that love unto the gf, s. Ç perfon of Chrift whichwe plead for, fotne things muff be qt premifed concerning the nature ofdivine love in general, Alp 4N, and thereon its application unto the particular a&ings and exercife ofit which we enquire into, willbeplain and eafy. God hath endowed our nature with a faculty and ability of fixing our loveuponhimfelf. Many can underhand nothingof love, but the adherence of their minds and fouls unto thingsvifrble, and fenfible, capable of a prefent natural enjoyment. For things unfeen, efpecially fuch as are eternal and infinite, they fuppofe they have a veneration, a religious refpe&, a devout adoration; but how they should love them, they cannot underhand. And the apoffle doth giant that there is a greater difficulty in loving things that cannot hefeet, than in loving thole which are always vifibly prefent unto us, r 7obniv. 26. Howbeit this divine love bath a more fixed fiction and prevalency in the minds of men, than any other kind of love what- ever. For, a. Theprincipal end why God endued our natures with that great and ruling affe&ton, that hath the molt eminent and peculiar power and in- tereft in our fouls, was in the firft place, that it might be fixed on himfelf, that it might be the inftrument of our adherence unto him. He did not create this affeftion in us, that we might be able by it to cast our felves into the embraces of things natural and fenfual. No affe&ion hath fuch power in the foul to taufe h to cleave unto its objeft, and to work ont untoa
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