his love upon thee. There are no merits defired on thy part, onely accept him, receive him, hee will afterwards put fome lines upon thee. Art thou willing to take Chrift for thy husband, for better and worse, with a crowne of Thoines? as well as Glory?then the match is concluded,thou maift be fure that Chrift will be thine. But I have renewed my finnes, and have fallen into divers telapfes.. I ftill provoke him and fall backe, and GoD will not endure fuch a wretch to form Yet he forgives finnes of all forts, he is abun dant in mercy, he is fill forgiving, and hever gives over. There is a fountaine opened to Fudab1and Jerufalem for finne and for uncleanneffi, Zach. 12. verf.13. There is afountaine,not a cifterne,towafh in, which may be drawne dry. Onely this caveat must be put in, that we allow not our felves in any knowne finne, but that wee maintaine warre con tinually against finne, and by no meanes admit any peace with Amaleck. 20 Another meanes is, to remove the Impédiments of love,which are two especially, strange neffe, and worldly-mindedneffe. Strangeneffe dif folves all friendship. By this meanes the interest of friendship may be broken off. This frangeheffe breeds fearefulneffe when we goeto God, and fearefulneffe weakeneffe of love whereas boldneffe is the nurfe of it. Herein is our love made perfect, that we have boldneffe in the day of the Lord Jefus. As by neglecting fellowship with the Saints, we come to lofe our acquaintance wee L had had towards them fo the neglecting of maintaining our acquaintance with God, brings us quite at laft to leave him. Draw neere therefore to God continually, and this will increase your love to him. Be therefore oft fpeaking to him and hearing him fpeake to you. Be much in prayer, and often in reading and hearing. And doe not these things cuftomarily, and untowardly, but with life and affection: goe to prayer as you would goe to fpeake, with your moft deare friend, whom you most of all delight to talke with.›› Let it be pleasant to thee to converfe with him in all things; when thou hast any injury befallen thee, goe and make thy caufe knowne to him, and when any finne hath efcaped thee, whereby he may be offended, give not over till reconciliation be made, and thy friend. fhip rewarded. Looke efpecially to thy wayes, for finne alienates and reftraines a man from God: therefore fee that that bee removed as much as may be. Worldly mindedneffe alfo hinders the love of God. This is the uncircumcifion of the heart. Hence is that, the Lord thy God will circumcife thy heart, and the heart of thy feed, to love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, that thou mayaßs live. And untill the heart be circumcifed, it is filled with the love of the World, fo that hee cannot love the Lord, at least, with all his heart, as hee ought. There is no fuch quench-coale to the love of God, as the love of the World.. Pleasures and the the love of carnall things are very apt to steale away our hearts from God before we are aware. If we looke not more narrowly to it, they may doe it. Examine your owne hearts, and fee if by how much the more you love the World, by fo much the leffe you are affected to the Lord.Thefe things, as Abfalom, steale away our hearts from God, as he did the people from his Father. If thou findeft not that love to God, which former ly hath beene,fee what hath come betweene God and thy heart. Looke if fome pleasure or luft have not crept in betweene: for these will feparate betweene God and thee. See if there be not in thy understanding conceits of things to be better then indeed they are: for these will turne the heart from the Lord; but above all, looke to thy will and affections. A HEAVENLY TREATISE OF THE DIVINE LOVE OF CHRIST. Sermon V BY Matt. 22. 37, 38. This is the first, and great Commandement : thou shalt Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart. Pfal. 31. 26. Love the Lord O all ye his Saints. LONDON, Printed by Thomas Paine, for John Staf ford, 1640. |