7 104 vl Decláratioia of the Glorious M x sT E lt Y can difcern the inhabitation of the fpirit in all fulnefs in the humane na- ture ? can his condefcenfion, his love, his grace, his power, his compafhon, his offices, his fitnefs and ability to fave finners, be deciphred on a tablet, or engraven on wood or flone ? however fuch picîures may be a- dòrned, however beautifiedand enriched, they are not that Guilt which the foul of the fpoufe doth love ; they are not any means of repefenting his Love unto us, or of conveying our love unto him ; they only divert the minds of fuperftitious perfons from the Son ofGod, unto the embraces ofa cloud, compofed of fancy and imagination. Others there are who abhor thefe idols, and when they have fo done commit facrilege. As they rejeu images, fo they feem to do all love unto the perfon of Chrift, diftind from other ails of obedience, as a fond ima- gination. But the moll fuperititious love unto Chrift, that is, love ailed inways tainted with fuperflition, is better than none at all. But with what eyes do fuch perfons read the fcriptures? with what hearts do they confider them ? what do they conceive is the intention of the Holy Ghoft in all thofe defcriptions which he gives us of the perfon ofChrift as amiable and de- firable above all things, making therewithai a propofal of him unto our àffedions, inciting us to receive him by faith, and to cleave unto him in love ? yea to what end is our nature endued with this affe&ion? unto what end is the power of it renewed in us by the fandification ofthe holy fpirit, if it may not be fixed on this moll proper and excellent objeft of it ? This is the foundation ofour love unto Chrift, namely, the revelation and propofal of him unto us in the fcripture as altogether lovely. The difcovery that is made thereinof the glorious excellenciesand endowments of his perfon, of his love, his goodnefs and grace, of his worth and work, is that which engageth the affeiions of believers unto him. It may be faid, that if there be fuck a propofal of him made unto all promifcuoufly, then all would equally difcern his amiablenefs, and be affected with it, who affent equally unto the truth of that revelation. But it bath always fallen out otherwife. In the days ofhis fielh, fome that looked on him could fee neither form nor comelinefs in himwherefore he lhould be defired ? Others faw his glory, theglory ofthe only begotten of the Father, full ofgrace and truth. To fome he is precious; unto others he is difallowed and rejefled; a Eton which the builders refufed, when others brought it forth crying, grace, grace unto it, as the head of the corner. Some can fee nothing but weaknefs in him ; unto others the wifdom and power of God do evident- 1 flame forth in him. Wherefore it mutt be faid, that notwithflanding that open plain reprefentation that is made of him in the fcripture, unlefs the holy fpirit give us eyesto difcern it, and circumcife our hearts, by the cutting off, corrupt prejudices, and all effects ofunbelief, implanting inthem by the efficacy ofhis grace this bleflèd affeftion of love unto him, all thefe things will make no imprelfion on our minds. As it was with the people on the giving of the law ; notwithftanding all the great and mighty works which God had wrought among them, yet having not given them a heart to perceive, and eyes to fee, and ears to hear, which he affirms that he had not done, Deut. xxix. 4. they were not moved unto faithor obedi- ence by them. So is it in the preachingofthe gofpel. Notwithftanding all the bleffed revelation that is made of the excellencies ofthe perfon of Chrift therein, yet thofe intowhofe hearts Goddoth not Thine to give the know- ledge ofhis glory in his face, can difcern nothing of it, nor are their hearts affe&ed with it. We do not therefore in thefe things follow cunningly devifed fables: we do not indulge unto our own fancies and imaginations; they are unaccountable
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