And S. Paul prays for the Ephesians, that they might know the love of that which passeth knowledge, Eph 3. 19. These things imply a contradiction; yet in like phrase I fear not to say of this Father & Brother, he saw those things which eye hath not seen, ⟨image 3⟩spake those things which ear hath not heard, and uttered those things which have not entered into the heart of man to conceive. This knot needs no cutting: he that rightly understands the text, will easily look through this mystery, without the help of an Hyperbole. His scope was to stir us up to love God: his motive to persuade, is taken from the excellency of those things which God hath prepared for them who love him. That excellency is expressed in a strange manner. By intimating it cannot be expressed, no nor so much as comprehended by any natural ability of the body or mind; yet it is expressed in the doctrine of the Gospel ⟨image 4⟩sufficiently. So as herein, as in a glass, we may behold the glory of God, and in beholding, be changed from glory to glory. What duty more necessary than to love God? what motive more effectual than the Gospel? for what is the Gospel but a revelation of such things as natural men could never invent? Such things, that is, so precious, so useful, so comfortable to us; so divine, admirable, and transcendent in themselves. Many of us are like the Angel of Ephesue, We have lost our first love. Rev. 2. 4. yea as our Saviour prophesied, Matth. 24. 12. The love of many maxes cold. One reason may be, because to see to, we reap so little fruit of our love. ⟨image 4⟩Were it so, that we had nothing in hand, no present pay, that we served God altogether upon trust without so much as an earnest: yet there is something prepared. Let us believe that, and our hearts cannot but be warmed, we shall then be fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. Be we persuaded of that, God is not unrighteous, to forget your work, and labour of love, which you h•ve she•ed to wards his name, Heb. 6. 10. and then we may triumphantly insult with Paul, Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Rom. 8. 38. There is this difference between natural sight and spiritual. The one requires some nearness of the object: the other perceives ⟨image 5⟩things at greatest distance As Faith makes future things present, so it makes remote things near, & things prepared to affect as if they were enjoyed.
And S. Paul prayes for the Ephesians, that they might know the love of that which passeth knowledge, Eph 3. 19. These things imply a contradiction; yet in like phrase I feare not to say of this Father & Brother, he saw those things which eye hath not seen, ⟨image 3⟩spake those things which eare hath not heard, and uttered those things which have not entred into the heart of man to conceive. This knot needs no cutting: hee that rightly understands the text, will easily looke through this mystery, without the helpe of an Hyperbole. His scope was to stirre us up to love God: his motive to perswade, is taken from the excellencie of those things which God hath prepared for them who love him. That excellencie is expressed in a strange manner. By intimating it cannot be expressed, no nor so much as comprehended by any naturall abilitie of the body or minde; yet it is expressed in the doctrine of the Godpell ⟨image 4⟩sufficiently. So as herein, as in a glasse, we may behold the glory of God, and in beholding, bee changed from glory to glory. What duty more necessary than to love God? what motive more effectuall than the Gospell? for what is the Gospell but a revelation of such things as naturall men could never invent? Such things, that is, so pretious, so useful, so comfortable to us; so divine, admirable, and transcendent in themselves. Many of us are like the Angell of Ephesue, Wee have lost our first love. Rev. 2. 4. yea as our Saviour prophesied, Matth. 24. 12. The love of many maxes cold. One reason may bee, because to see to, wee reape so little fruit of our love. ⟨image 4⟩Were it so, that we had nothing in hand, no present pay, that we served God altogether upon trust without so much as an earnest: yet there is something prepared. Let us believe that, and our hearts cannot but bee warmed, wee shall then bee fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. Be we perswaded of that, God is not unrighteous, to forget your worke, and labour of love, which you h•ve she•ed to wards his name, Heb. 6. 10. and then wee may triumphantly insult with Paul, Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Rom. 8. 38. There is this difference between natural sight and spirituall. The one requires some nearnesse of the object: the other perceives
