Remains of that excellent minister of Jesus Christ, Mr. Joseph Alleine being a collection…Remaines of that excellent minister of Jesus Christ, Mr. Joseph Alleine being a collection…

(First,) The first-born had the dearest affection, Zach. 12. 10. They shall be in bitterness as one for his first-born. There is the great sorrow, because there run out the great stream of affection, in this respect you are the firstborn of God: you are they that have his dear affection, Eph. 5. 1. You are called the dear children of God. O the dear expressions, that he useth to you, and the dear affections that he hath for you! you are called the dearly beloved of his soul. O what drops of love doth God drop in these sacred leaves of this book? how full is the book of the Canticles? My love, My dove, My undefiled. God doth out bid the love of all the parents in the world. Can a woman forget her sucking child? she may; but I will not forget thee, saith the Lord. The dearest mother when she lets her child out of her hands may forget it, but you are never out of my hands: you are engraven there. O what rolling bowels are there in those words, Jer. 31. 20. Is Ephraim my Son? is he a pleasant child? For since I spake against him I do earnestly remember him still: therefore My bowels are troubled for him, I will surely have ⟨p. 107⟩mercy upon him saith the Lord. Oh man dost thou consider that all this is spoken to thee? All this love, God hath in his heart for thee; yea beyond all expression dear art thou to God.

(First,) The sirst-born had the dearest affestion, Zach. 12. 10. They shall be in bitterness as one for his sirst-born. There is the great sorrow, because there run out the great stream of affection, in this respect you are the firstborn of God: you are they that have his dearaffection, Eph. 5. 1. You are called the dear children of God. O the dear expressions, that he useth to you, and the dear affections that he hath for you! you are called the dearly beloved of his soul. O what drops of love doth God drop in these sacred leaves of this book? how full is the book of the Canticles? My love, My dove, My undesiled. God doth out bid the love of all the parents in the world. Can a woman forget her sucking child? sho may; but I will not forget thee, saith the Lord. The dearest mother when she lets her child out of her hands may forget it, but you are never out of my hands: you are engraven there. O what rouling bowels are there in those words,