Precious faith considered in its nature, working, and growth

From this Table we go, saith Chrysostom, as Lions breathing fire terrible to the Devils themselves. Ante faciem Unctionis Christi nullus omnino stare potest morbus animae, quamvis inveteratus, saith Bernard; Before the Unction of Christ the most inveterate disease of the Soul will vanish away. When once the Venetians were boasting of their great Treasures, a Spanish Ambassador told them, That his Masters Treasure had a root in the Mines of America. However worldly Men may boast of outward things, the Believers joy is, That his Graces have a sure root in the Mines and rich Treasures of Christ; in whom dwells all fullness of abundance and redundance running over in shares and measures upon all that are in him. As a spirit of Love it inflames the Heart towards Christ; Oh! what manner of Love is here set before us! ⟨p. 381⟩the Fathers own Son and Image, passing by Angels, assumed our frail Flesh, and in it stood in our room: Having, though the Holy One, the Sin of the World cast on him by a wonderful Imputation; and though the beloved Son, the Wrath of God bruising and pressing him into a bloody Agony and Passion on our behalf. The Fathers Eternal Joy and Splendour lay for a time in a dark Eclipse of Sorrow and Desertion, as one forsaken of God, that we might not be cast out into utter darkness; and bled and died on a Cross as one accursed of God, to keep us from bleeding in eternal flames, and to purchase a place in Glory for us. And all this in outward Elements is not only limed out and figured to our senses, but sealed to our hearts, as that which we have a real share and interest in. And what attractives and inflammatives are here? Now, if ever, our Heart will breath out it self in holy Raptures after Christ, and faint and swoon away in Lovesick desires, till it can catch hold and embrace him, and so taste the rare Delights and Complacencies of an Union with Him: And the greater those Complacencies are, the higher are the Desires, and reciprocally the higher the Desires, the greater the Complacencies; till at last the Believing Soul in rapes of Love breaks forth into Hosanna's and Hallelujahs, touching its great Redeemer. Such Experiments as these prove this Ordinance to be Divine.

From this Table we go, saith Chrysostome, as Lions breathing fire terrible to the Devils themselves. Ante faciem Ʋnctionis Christi nullus omnino stare potest morbus animae, quamvis inveteratus, saith Bernard; Before the Ʋnction of Christ the most inveterate disease of the Soul will vanish away. When once the Venetians were boasting of their great Treasures, a Spanish Ambassador told them, That his Masters Treasure had a root in the Mines of America. However worldly Men may boast of outward things, the Believers joy is, That his Graces have a sure root in the Mines and rich Treasures of Christ; in whom dwells all fulness of abundance and redundance running over in shares and measures upon all that are in him. As a spirit of Love it inflames the Heart towards Christ; Oh! what manner of Love is here set before us!