II o2 cfl Declaration ofthe Glorioac.c MYSTERY them ; but it is a due adherence unto that objeét which is reprefented unto faith in the propofal of the gofpel. Therein as in a glafs do webehold the glory of Chrift who is the image of the invifible God, and have our fouls filled with transforming affections unto him. The whole book of Can tides is nothing but a myftical declaration of the mutual love between Chrift and the church. And it is expreffed by all fuch ways and means asmay reprefent it intente, fervent, and exceeding all other love whatever, which none I fuppofe will deny, at lealt on the part of Chrift. And a great part of it conffls in fuch defcriptions ofthe perfon of Chrift and his love, as may render him amiable and defirable unto our fouls, even altogether lovely. To what end Both the holy fpirit fo graphically defcribe and reprefent unto us the beauty and defirablenefs of his perfon, if it be not to ingenerate love in us unto him. All want of love unto him on this propofal, is the effe& of prevalent unbelief. It is pretended that the defcriptions givenof Chrift in this book, are allegorical, from whence no. thing can be gathered or concluded. But God forbid we fhould fo reffe& on the wifdom and love of the holy fpirit unto the church, that he hatln propofed, unto the faith of the church an empty found and noife of words without mind or fenfe. The expreflions he ufeth are figurative, and the whole nature of the difcourfe as unto its outward ftrucure is allegorical. But the things intended are real and fabiantial, and the metaphors ufed in the expreflion of them are fuited in a due attendance unto the analogy of faith, to conveya fpiritual underfianding and fenfe of the things them- felves propofed in them. The church of God will not part with the un- fpeakable advantage and confolation, thofe fupports of faith, and incen- tives of love, which it receives by that divine propofal of the perfon of Chrift, and his love which is made therein, becaufe fome men have no ex- perience of them, nor underfianding in them. The faith and love of be- lievers is not tobe regulated by the ignorance and boldnefs of thetas who have neither the one nor the other. The title of the forty fifth Pfe 1. is, ner i' Along of loves ; that is, of themutual love ofChrift and the church. And unto this end that our fouls may be ftirredup unto the moft ardent affe&ions towards him; is a defcription given us of his perfon, as altogether lovely. To what other end is he fo evidently delineated in the whole harmony of his divine beauties by the pencil of the holy fpirit? Not to infift onparticular teftimonies, it is evident unto all whofe eyes are opened to difcern thefe things, that there is no property of the divine nature which is peculiarly amiable, filchas are goodnefr, grace, love and bounty, with infinite power and holinefs, but it is reprefented and propofed unto us in the perfonof the Sonof God, to this end, that we fiiould love himabove all, and cleave unto him. There is nothing in the humane na- ture, in that fulnefs ofgrace and truth which dwelt therein, in that inha- bitation of the fpirit which was in him without meafure, in any tiling of thofe all things wherein he hath the prebeminence, nothing in his love, condefcenfion, grace and mercy, nothing in the work that he fulfilled, what he did and tufered therein nothing in the benefits we receive there- by; nothing in the powerand glory that he is exalted unto at the right hand of God, but it is fet forth in the fcripture and propofed unto us, that believing in Trim we may love him with all our hearts and fouls. And hefides all this, that fingular, that infinite effect of divine wifdom, where- unto there is nothing like in all the works of God, and wherewithnone of them mayhe compared, namely, the conflitution ofhis perfon by the union of his natures therein, whereby he becomes unto us the image of the invifible God, and wherein all the blelfed excellencies of his difiimi natures
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