1. The Soul's love to God may be a little shadowed forth,1 by the love of the Iron to the Lodestone, which ariseth from a hidden quality (though to say so, is but the hiding of our ignorance) the motion of the Iron toward the Lodestone is slow while at a distance; but quick, when near: and when it but ⟨p. 4⟩touches it, it clings so fast, that unless forced, 'twill never part; and when it is parted, 'twill to the farthest part of the World retain the virtue of its touch: so the soul while at a distance from God it moves slowly, but as the Father draws, it runs; and when once it comes to be graciously united, the Apostle asksi Who shall separate us from the love of God? (not only who shall hinder us from partaking of Gods love, but who can take us off from our loving of God?) Christ gives the answerk, their union with God, their enjoyment of God is inseparable; and though they may (as sometimes they will in their imperfect state) have some warping on their parts, and some withdrawing on God's, yet their love to God, (in the lowest ebb) tremblingly hankers after him, the soul cannot forget its alone resting-placel
1. The Soul's love to God may be a little shadow'd forth,1 by the love of the Iron to the Loadstone, which ariseth from a hidden quality (though to say so, is but the hiding of our ignorance) the motion of the Iron toward the Loadstone is slow while at a distance; but quick, when near: and when it but ⟨p. 4⟩touches it, it clings so fast, that unless forc'd, 'twill never part; and when it is parted, 'twill to the farthest part of the World retain the vertue of its touch: so the soul while at a distance from God it moves slowly, but as the Father draws, it runs; and when once it comes to be graciously united, the Apostle asksi Who shall separate us from the love of God? (not only who shall hinder us from partaking of Gods love, but who can take us off from our loving of God?) Christ gives the answerk, their union with God, their enjoyment of God is inseperable; and though they may (as sometimes they will in their imperfect state) have some warping on their parts, and some withdrawing on God's, yet their love to God, (in the lowest ebbe) tremblingly hankers after him, the soul cannot forget its alone resting-placel
- 1Metaphors to illustrate what it is to love God.
- iRom. 8.35.
- kJohn 10.28.29.
- lPsal. 116.7.
