61 My Sifler,mySpouft~ S:a :n. M. II. hA'fle the comfortof this (ommunion,tMlovehim for . himfel(e. Let us not !o much trouble ourfelves about fignes, as be carefull to doe our. duty to Chrifl, and then will ChrHl: difcover his love V[e4. Encouragew.et .and direction {or filch tU are not yet in Chrijt. I. clearly unto us. _ Now they that are not brought fo near to this 1 happy condition by Chrifi, .mayyet have this 1 encouragement ; there is yet placeofgrace for I th~m,letthem therefore confider btl. t thef~three I thmgs: _ I. The excellency pfchrift,tmdoftheftttte ofthe 1 church,when it is fonear bim. z. The necefjity ofthis to fJe fo neAr him. 3. Thttt there is hope ofit. There is in Chrill: whatfoevermaycommend a Husband, birth, comelineffe, riches, friends, wifedome,authority,&c. The excellency of this condition to be tme with chrift,is that all things are ortrs. For he is theKing, , and the Church, ~he fJ.!!_eene ofall ; aH things are fe~viceable to us: it is a·wondrous nearnetfeto be nearer toChrift then the Angels) who are not ais body, but fervants that attend upon the Church:the Bride is nearer to him then the An- . Heb.2.,,6, gels;for he is the HeadandHU~fJandthereof,andnet .ofthe Angels. What an exce-llent conditiol'l i~ this for poore flefh and bloud that creeps up and downe the earth here defpifed ~ , · But efpecially, If we confider theNeceflity of it, tweare all indebted for more.then we are worth j 1 ~o divineju!Hce weoweadebtofobedie!lce,and 1 1inwant of that we owe a debt ofpuni!hJI,Ient and 1 -~-_j__ we '
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