Sibbes - Houston-Packer Collection BX9339.S5 B6 1641

~fy Loroe. we abhone it, and would be purged, ~md rid of SE".VI itsand it is the griefe of our he?rts and fotJles)that • we cannot bebetter, and more lovely inChrifis eye-:tken let us not be difcouraged : For Cbrifi dleemes of his Church highly, -even as his 'l/try /evc,evenat that time when fhe was {kepy. And may teach us in time of temptation not to hearken toSatan, who then moves us to looke alto– getherupon that which is naught in us, thereby to abate our love to Chrifi, and our apprehenfion of his to us ; for he knowes ifwe be fenfible ofthe love of Chrift to us, we {hall love him againe.For love is a kind of fire, an 8etive quali- · ty,which will fetus about glorifying God, and pulling downe Satans kingdome : As we fay in nature(fire dothall)what worke almofi can aman worke wuhout fire,by whichall infiruments are made and heared,&c. So grace cloth all with love ; God firfi cloth manifeft to our foules his love to us in Chrift, and quicken us by his Spidt, witneffing his love to us wherewith hee warmes our hearts, kindles and inflames them fo with love, that we love him againe, which love batha confiraining fweet violence to put us upon all duties,to fuffer, to doe, to refift any thing. If amanbe in lov~ with Chrifi, what will be hadb to him in the world ~ the Devill knowes this well enough, therefore one ofhismaine engines and temptations is to weaken our hearts in 1 the fence ofGo~s love and of Chrifis;therefore let usbeas wife for our foules as he is fubtleand politicke againfi themjaS watchfuH for our own comfort)

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