A discourse concerning the Redeemer's dominion over the invisible world, and the entrance thereinto

4. Let him be at once both great and amiable in our Eyes, who hath so absolute power over us, and so gracious propensions towards us, i. e. Who hath these Keys, and who acquired them with so merciful intentions, even upon such terms as could not but signify the greatest compassion and good will towards such as we.

4. Let him be at once both great and amiable in our Eyes, who hath so absolute power over us, and so gracious propensions towards us, i. e. Who hath these Keys, and who acquired them with so merciful intentions, even upon such terms as could not but signifie the greatest compassion and good will towards such as we.

Reconsider, what hath been offered as matter of Meditation, to both these purposes. And now, hereupon, let us endeavour ⟨p. 89⟩to have a correspondent sense, inwrought into our Hearts, and to bear our selves towards him accordingly. The power and efficacy of whole Christianity depends upon this, and doth very principally consist in it. What a faint, impotent, languishing thing is our Religion, how doth it dwindle into spiritless, dead form without it? Either the form of knowledge is nothing else but insipid dead notion; and our forms of Worship, only fruitless unpleasant formality, if we have not a vivid sense in our Hearts both of his glorious greatness, and of his excellent loving kindness. As much as words can signify towards the impressing such a sense into our Hearts, we have in these words, uttered from his own Mouth, so that he may say as that memorable type of him once did, you ⟨p. 90⟩may plainly perceive, it is my Mouth that speaketh to you. I am the first and the last. ¹I am he that liveth and was dead, and behold I am alive for evermore. And hereto he now sets his solemn ratifying Seal, Amen. Wherewith he leaves us to pause, and collect, that thus it was brought about, that he could add, and I have the Keys of the vast Hades, the whole unseen World, and of Death.