71) THE SOUL DRAWINö NEAR TO DOD. A saint that has dráwn near to God in worship, will tell you his own rich experience, and say, 'f When I found him whom my soul leveth, I was constrained to break forth into these sweet expressions, I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine: for I love him above all things, andmy love is but the effect of his. In that blessedhour I felt, andI was assured of that mutual relation between God and me: I found so much of his image stamped on me, that Iknew I was theLord's : whence I rejoice in the full persuasion of his love. I know he loves me, for his sanctifying Spirit bath witnessed withmy spirit, that I am one of his child- ren ; and I know that I love him, for my spiritwitnesseth also as an echo to his Spirit, that I have chosen him for my Father, my Ruler, and my God, and have surrendered myself to him onhis own terms ; and I addresshim as my Father, with words of the choicest affection, and of most endeared sentiments of soul." When a person in whom grace is wrought, gets so near to God, and sees this God in his own loveliness, andin his kindest perfections, thereare some new divine passions kindled in the soul towards this God, towards this first beauty,towards this original óf all perfection and goodness ; and Godwill seldom let one come so near him, without sheaving him the loveof his heart ; and the name of the devout worshipper graven, as it were, on the palms of hishands, or in thebook of his mercy. He speaks to the soul in his own divine language, " Son, or daughter, he of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee. O man, thou art greatly beloved. I am your God, andyou aremypeople. I have bought thee dear, and thou artmine. I have created thee, O Jacob ; Ihave formed thee, O Israel; I have redeemed thee, O believer, and thou art for ever Mine." And such discoveries of the love of God to the Soul, draw out still more love from the soul towards God, and raise more sacred exercices of divine love in one hour, than a whole year of common devotions can do; and' the saint learns more of this sacred sensation of the love of God, than years of coldand common devotions would teach him. III. When the soul gets near to God in prayer, there will be a hatredof sin at the very thoughts of it, awl holy meltings and mountings under the remembrance of its own sins. " How hate- ful does sinappear, will the soul say, now I am come so near to the seat of aHoly God ! Never did I see sin in so dark and so odious asthis hour, reveals anddiscovers to me ; never did I se sensibly behold the abomination that is in all sin, as now I do I never saw it so contrary to all that is in God, to his holiness, to his glory, to his justice, and to hisgrace. O wretch thatI am, that I should ever have indulged. iniquity! that I should ever have borne with such an infinite evil in my heart ? that I should ever take delightin such mischiefagainst God ! Now I hate and abhor
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