Mi erfwaJion inour lovre toChi* 65 difadvantages fhould now (as in the primitive times) VER S B I. attend at the naked and outward profeflion of Chrifl; wouldnot fuch men as thefe fall into downright apotla- cy, anddeny theLord that bought therm ? certainly our Savior bath fo rethlv'd that cafe in the very belt fort of unregenerate men , noted in the Bonyground ; when times of perfecution happen, that they are brought to the triall who it was whom in their profeflion they lo- ved,Chritl or themfelves, the excellencie of the know- ledge of him, or the fecure enjoyment of fecular con- tentments, they will then certaincyfall away, andbe ojfen- ded,ultatt.1 3.21. fo profound andunfearchable is the deceitful! heart of man, that by that very reafon for which men contend for the outward face and profeflion of Religion, becaufe they love their pleathres andprofits which without fuch a profeflion they cannot peaceably enjoy,they are deterred froma clofe,fpirituall, and uni- verfall obedience to the power thereof, becaufe thereby likewife thole pleaiiires and profits arekept within fuch rules of moderation as the nature ofa boundleffe and unfatisfiable lull will not admit. This isa certaine rule in love, that the motions and defires thereofare firong, and therefore in any thing which the foule loves, it therin ftrives for excellency and perfection; and this rule holds moil true in religion,becaufe when the foule loves that, it loves it under the apprehenfion of the greaten good , and therefore by confequence lets the ftrongeil andmoil induilrioias defiresofthe foule upon it. There- fore the Apsfile faith, that the Love ofCbriff , namely that love ofhimwhich is by the Holy Ghoftfhedabroad in our hearts,conflraineth us to live unto him and to a fpire after himwhodied for to and roleagaiae:Love is as flrong as death, it will take no denial!. It is the wing, and weight ofthe foule, which fixeth all the thoughts, and carrieth all the defiresunto an intimate unitie with the thing it loves, ftirreth up a zeale to remove all ob- F flacks a Con5 14, I S.
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