452 TÍJeNATUKE CIYl[i'PowER them which killthe body, but are not able to kill the foul, but rather fear him which is able to deflroy both foul and body in bell. (3.) The confiderationof all the love and kindnefs of God, againft whom every fin is committed, is another thing that the mind ought diligently to attend unto. And this is a prevailing confideration, if rightly and gracioufly managed in the foul. This Mofes preffeth on the people, Deut. xxxii. 6. Do you thus requite the Lord, O foolifh people and un- wife ? Is not he thy father that bought thee ? Hatb he not made thee, andeflablifbed thee ? Is this a requital for eternal love, and all the fruits of it ? For the love and care of a father, of a redeemer, that we have been made partakers of ? And it is the fante confideration which the apoftle manageth to this purpofe, 2 Cor. vii. i. Having therefore thefe promifes, dearly beloved, let us cleanfe ourfelves from all filtbinefs of the fiefh and f irit, perfetling holinefr in the fear of God. The receiving of the promifes ought to be effeftual, as to flit us up unto all holinefs, fo to work and effect an abftinence from all fin. And what promifes are thefe ? Namely that God will be a Father unto us,and receive us, chap. vi. t7, t8. which comprifeth the whole of all the love of God towards us here, and to eternity. If there be any fpiritual ingenuity in the foul, whilft the mind is attentive to this confideration, there can be no prevailing at- tempt made upon it by the power of fin. Now there are two parts of this confideration. 1.) That which isgeneral in ir, that whirls is common-unto all be- lievers. This is managed unto this purpofe, t John iii. t, 2, 3. Behold what manner of love the Father bath bellowed uponus, that we fhould be called thefans of God i therefore the world knoweth us not becaufe it knew him not. $eloved, now are we the fons of God, and it cloth not yet ap- pear what we fhhall be but we know that when he (hall appear, we fhall be like him, for we (hall fee him as he is. And every man that bath this hope, purifieth himfelf even as he is pure. Confider, faith he, the love of God, and the priviledges that we enjoy by it : Behold what manner of love the Father bath bellowed upon us, that wefbould he called the fons of God ! Adoption is an efpecial fruit of it, and how great a priviledge is this ? Such love it is, and fuck are the fruits of it, that the world knoweth nothing of the bleffed condition which we obtain and enjoy thereby : The world knowetb us sot. Nay, it is fuch love, and fo un- fpeakably bleifed and glorious are the effefts of it, that we ourfelves are not able to comprehend them. What ufe then ought we to make of this contemplation of the excellent unfpeakable love of God ? Why faith he, Every one that loath this hope purifreth himfelf. Every man, who being made partaker of this love, and thereupon an hope of the full en- joyment of the fruits of it, of being made like to God in glory, purifi- eth himfelf, that is, in an abftinence from all and every fin, as in the fol- lowing words is at large declared. 2.) It is to be confidered as to filch peculiar mercies and fruits of' love, as every one's foul bath been made partaker of. There is no believer, but betides the love and mercy which he hath in common with all his brethren, he halls alfo in the lot of his inheritance, fome inclofures, fome efpecial mercies wherein he hath a tingle propriety. He hath fome joy which no- ftranger intermedleth withal, Prove xiv. so. Particular applications of covenant love and mercy to his foul. Now thefe are all provifions laid in by God, that they may be born in mind againftan hour of temptation, that the confideration of them may preferve the foul from the attempts of fin. Their negleft is an high aggravation of our provocations, I Kings xi.
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