2 I 2 Qf COMMUNION With I delve befides thee, Pfal. lxxiii. 25. Thus the foul gathers in it felt from all its wandrings, from all other beloveds to reif in God alone, to fatiate and content himfelfin him, choofing the Father for his prefect, and and eternal reit. And this alfo with delight. Thy loving kindnefs, faith the Pfa lmift, is better than life,, therefore will praife thee, Pfai. lxiii. 3, Then life, =IMO before lives. I will not deny, but life in a tingle confederation fometimes is fo expreffed tut always emphatically ; fo that the whole life, with all the concernments of it, which may render it confiderable are thereby intended. Auflin on this place reading it (b)fuper vitas, extends it to the feveral courfes of life that men engage themfelves in. Life in the whole continuanceof it with all its advantages whatever, is at leaft in- tended. Suppofing himfelf in the jaws of death, rolling into the grave through innumerable troubles, yet he found more fweetnefs in God, than in a long life, under its belt and aloft noble confederations, attended with all enjoyments that make it pleafant and comfortable. From both theft, is that of the church in, Hofea xiv. 3 Afher(hall notfave us, we will not ride upon bulbs, neither will we fay any more to the work of our hands, Te are our Gods, far in thee the f etherlefr find mercy. They reject the molt goodly appearances of reft and contentment, to make up all in God, on whom they raft themfelves as otberwife helplefs orphans. 2.) The mutual love of God and the faints agree in this, that the way ofcommunicating the iffues and fruits of theft loves, isonly in Clarifia The Father communicates no iffue of his love unto us but through Chrift: and we snake no return of love unto him but through Chrift : he is the treafure wherein the Father difpofeth all the riches of his grace taken from the bottomlefs mineof his eternal love ; and he is the prieft, into whofe hand we put all the offerings, that we return unto the Father. Thence he is firit, and by way of eminency faid to love the Son : not only as his eternal Son, as he was the delight of his foul before the foundation of the world, Prov. viii. 3o. but alfo as our mediator, and the means ofconvey- ing his love to us, Math. iii. ry. John ;iii. 33. John v. 25. Johnx. 17. John xv. 9. fobs,xvii. 2¢. And we are fair' through him to believe in, and to have aecefs to God. (r. The Father laves us, and choofeth us before the foundation of the world ; but in the purfuit of that love, he blefeth us with all fpiritual bleJngs in heavenly places in Chrifl, Ephef. i.3, a. From this love, he fheds, or pours out the Holy Spirit richly segen us, through Jefes Chrift our Saviour, Titus in. 6. fa the pouring out of Ins love, there is not one drop falls betides the Lord Chrift. The holy annointing oy1, was all poured on the head of Aaron, Pfal. cxxxiii. z. and thence went dawn to the lkirts ofhis cloathing. Lave is firft pouted out on Chrift; and from him it drops as the dew of Hermon upon the fouls of his faints. The Father will have hiin to have the preheminence in all things, Col. Itpleafed him that in him all ruiners jkeuld dwell, v. rg. That ofhis fulnefs we might receive, and grace firgrace, John i. 16. Though the love of the Father'spurpofe and good pleafure, have its rife and foundation in his sneer grace and will, yet the defign of its accomplilbment is only in Chrift. All the fruits of it, are heft given to him ; and it is in him onlythat they are difpenfed to us. So that though the faints may, nay do fee an infinite ocean of love unto them in the bofotu of the Father, (a) Super vitas. quas vitas, Qdas Obihotlines eligmnt; alias elegit Obi vitam uegoeiandt, alias vitam ruOcandi ; alias vitam fine di, ali s Site militaódi, alias alum, alms ahaum funs divetfs Sirs, fed melioreli mlfericordia tuaTaper visas nottras. Aq. Enarrat. i. Plat ixii. e yet
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=