fhi PERSON. 2f CHRIST. I07 and order. Some may be more diligent than others in the obfervation of times for the folemn performanceof this duty. Some may be able to rife to higherand clearer apprehenfions"of them than others. But as for thofe, the bent of whofe minds doth not lye towards thoughts of them, whofe, hearts are not on all occafions retreating unto the remembrance of them who embrace not all opportunities to call them over as they are :able; on what grounds can they be efteemed chriftian ? How do they live by the faith of the Son ofGod ? Are the great things of the gofpel, ofthe medi- ationof Chrift; propofed unto us, as thofe which we may think of when we have nothing elfe to do, that we may meditate upon, or negleet at our pleafure, as thofe wherein our concernment is fo fmall, as that they muff give place unto all other occafions or diverfions whatever ? Nay; if ourminds are not filled with thefe things; if Chrift doth not dwell plen- tifully inour hearts by faith; ifour fouls are not pollefed with them, and in their whole inward frame and conftitution fo raft into this mould, as to be lead by a natural complacency unto a converfe with them, we are Ifrangers unto the lifeoffaith. And ifwe are thus converfant about thefe things, they will engage our hearts into the love ofthe perfon of Chrift. To fuppofe thecontrary, is indeed to deny the truth and realityof them all, and to turn the gofpel into a fable. Take one inftance from among the relt 5 namely, his death. Hath he theheart ofa chriftian,whodoth not of- ten meditate on the death ofhis Saviour, whodoth not derive his life from it? Whocan look intothe gofpel and not fixon thofe lineswhicheither immediate- ly and direftly, or through force other paths of divine grace and wifdom, do leadhim thereunto ? Andcanany have believingthoughts concerning the death ofChrift, and not have his heart affefted with ardent love unto his perfon? Chrift in the gofpel is evidentlyfet forth, crucified before ses, Can anyby theeye offaith lookon this bleedingdying redeemer, and fuppofe love unto his perfonto benothing but the workof fancy or imagination ? They knowthe contrary, who alwaysbear about in the body, the dyingofthe Lord Jefes3 as the apoftle fpeaks, 2 cor. iv. to As his whole name, in all that he did, is an ointment pouredforth, for which thevirgins love him, Cant. i. 3. So this precious perfume of his death, is that wherewith their hearts are ra- vifhed in a peculiar manner. Again; as therecan be no faith in Chrift, where there is no love unto him, on the account ofhis mediatory acts, fo where it is not, the want of it cafteth perfons under the higheft guilt of ingratitude that our nature is liable unto. The higheft aggravationof the fin of angels, was their ingratitude unto their maker. For whereas by his meer will and pleafure theywere Rated in the higheft excellency, prehemi- menceand dignity, that he thought good to communicate unto any creatures, or it may be, that any sneer created nature is capable of in it felf; they were unthankful for what they had fo received from undeferved goodnefs and bounty, and fo raft themfelves into everlafting ruine. But yet the fins -of men in their ingratitude towards Chriff on the account of what he hath done for them, is attended with an aggravation above that of the angels. For although the angels were originally inftated in that condition of dignity which in this world we cannot attain unto, yet were they not redeemed and recovered from timifery as we are. In all the crowd of evil and wicked men, that the world is peftred withal, there are none by common confent fo ftigmatized for unworthy villany, as thofe who are .fignally ungrateful for fingular benefits. If perfon are unthankful unto them, if they have not the higheft love for them, who redeem them from ignominy and death, and inftate them in a plentiful inheritance (if any fuch instances may be given) and that with the greateft expence of labour an
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