CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St.…

R. 1 First, Because though men have this speculative knowledge, yet they do not love him, and delight in him above all things; It's Gods command that we should love him with all our heart, our minds and strength, yea, above Father, Mother, life, and every thing that is dear, Insomuch that the Scripture saith, Whosoever loveth the world the love of the Father is not in him, 1 Joh. 2.15. Now whence is it that we love these poor empty comforts more then God, Is it not because we do not know God? Had we clear manifestations of the goodness, excellency, and fullness that is in God, our whole heart would be ravished with him. As it is with the glorified Saints in heaven, they have an immediate vision of God, They behold him in this glorious beauty, and hence it is that they cannot sin, The understanding seeth such infinite perfection in God, that they abhor all things that would divert from him; As the eye dazzled with the Beam-light of the Sun, cannot behold any thing else; As he that hath eaten honey findeth all things else unsavoury: As the Saints in heaven do thus, so the Saints on earth do in part, and in some good measure, They beholding the Image of God, 2 Cor. 4. are transformed into the same Image; The more we know God as revealed in the word, the more our hearts pant after him, as you see David often manifesting the breaking of his heart after God; Well then by this you see that few know God, if they did, how could they leave the Ocean for a drop, how could they part with God for every ⟨p. 164⟩fading creature? thy lusts, thy sins are more then God in thy thoughts and affections; Oh pray for a knowledge of God in Christ; The blind man doth not admire the glory of the Sun, because he cannot see it, ignoti nulla cupido.

R. 1 First, Because though men have this speculative knowledge, yet they do not love him, and delight in him above all things; It's Gods command that we should love him with all our heart, our minds and strength, yea, above Father, Mother, life, and every thing that is dear, Insomuch that the Scripture saith, Whosoever loveth the world the love of the Father is not in him, 1 Joh. 2.15. Now whence is it that we love these poor empty comforts more then God, Is it not because we do not know God? Had we clear manifestations of the goodnesse, excellency, and fulnesse that is in God, our whole heart would be ravished with him. As it is with the glorified Saints in heaven, they have an immediate vision of God, They behold him in this glorious beauty, and hence it is that they cannot sinne, The understanding seeth such infinite perfection in God, that they abhorre all things that would divert from him; As the eye dazled with the Beam-light of the Sun, cannot behold any thing else; As he that hath eaten honey findeth all things else unsavoury: As the Saints in heaven do thus, so the Saints on earth do in part, and in some good measure, They beholding the Image of God,