Aphorisms of justification, with their explication annexed wherein also is opened the nature of…Aphorismes of justification, with their explication annexed wherein also is opened the nature of…

So it is in our Love to God: To Love him ⟨p. 174⟩as the chief Good, is to love him as he is: And he that loveth him never so much, and yet loveth any thing else, as much or more; though his Love have a Metaphysical Truth of Being, yet it hath no Moral sincerity at all: So that the Preferring God before all, or taking him for our Only God, is the very point of sincerity of Love. Why, just so it is about our Faith: The taking him unfeignedly for our only Lord and Saviour, is the very point of the sincerity of our Faith in Christ. As Adultery is the most proper violation of the Marriage Covenant, except actual renouncing and deserting: So the taking of any other Lord or Saviour besides Christ, or conjunct with him, is the most apparent violation of the bond of our Covenant, and most contradictory to the nature and Essence of Justifying Faith: except only the Actual renouncing Christ, and the Covenant it self, by full Apostasy; which is an unpardonable sin, Hebr. 6. 4, 5, 6. & 10. 26. Yet in subordination to Christ, we may have other Lords and Saviours, but not in competition and co-ordination. Some of his Government he exerciseth by Ministers, and some by Magistrates under him (for I cannot consent to them that say, the Magistrate is only the Officer of God as Creator, and not of Christ the Mediator; because all things are delivered into his hands, and he is made head over all.) Some also of his saving works, he ⟨p. 175⟩performeth by instruments and means: And what they so perform under him, may be acknowledged without any derogation from him at all.

So it is in our Love to God: To Love him ⟨p. 174⟩as the chief Good, is to love him as he is: And he that loveth him never so much, and yet loveth any thing else, as much or more; though his Love have a Metaphysicall Truth of Being, yet it hath no Morall sincerity at all: So that the Preferring God before all, or taking him for our Onely God, is the very point of sincerity of Love. Why, just so it is about our Faith: The taking him unfeignedly for our onely Lord and Saviour, is the very point of the sincerity of our Faith in Christ. As Adultery is the most proper violation of the Marriage Covenant, except actuall renouncing and deserting: So the taking of any other Lord or Saviour besides Christ, or conjunct with him, is the most apparent violation of the bond of our Covenant, and most contradictory to the nature and Essence of Justifying Faith: except onely the Actuall renouncing Christ, and the Covenant it self, by full Apostacy; which is an unpardonable sin,