A61386:197
An antidote against distractions, or, An endeavour to serve the church, in the daily…An antidote against distractions, or, An indeavour to serve the church, in the daily…
An antidote against distractions, or, An endeavour to serve the church, in the daily case of wanderings in the worship of God by Richard Steele M.A. and minister of the Gospel.An antidote against distractions, or, An indeavour to serve the church, in the daily case of wandrings in the worship of God by Richard Steele M.A. and minister of the Gospel.
London: printed for Elizabeth Calvert, 1667
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
The sixth cause of Distractions in the Worship of God is,1 Weakness of love to Jesus Christ, and consequently to his Ordinances. Love unites the soul to ⟨p. 96⟩its object: as Faith is the bond of our mystical, so Love is the bond of our moral union with Christ. The more love to Christ, the more life in his service. Cant. 8.6. Set me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thy arm: for love is strong as death. Were your love more strong, it would seal up both soul and body, and unite them firmly unto Jesus Christ. Love marries the heart and eye to the object; hence 'tis, there is not a distracting thought in heaven, for there love is perfect: they see, and love, and sing; and praise, and see, enjoy, and love, for ever and ever. The three Disciples, Matth. 17.4. had but an half-quarter glimpse of that state, but their love to their dearest Lord and his presence was so heightened, that the world was forgotten, Jerusalem below, and all their friends and fellow-Disciples forgotten, and they undone to abide there. And if we could by the eye of faith see him that is invisible, and perfectly love him, O how hardly could we spare a by-thought in his presence and service! no, all the world would be forgotten, comforts and crosses all sleep together, while God and our soul were conversing in an Ordinance*.
THe sixth cause of Distractions in the Worship of God is,1 Weakness of love to Iesus Christ, and consequently to his Ordinances. Love unites the soul to ⟨p. 96⟩its object: as Faith is the bond of our mystical, so Love is the bond of our moral union with Christ. The more love to Christ, the more life in his service. Cant. 8.6. Set me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thy arm: for love is strong as death. Were your love more strong, it would seal up both soul and body, and unite them firmly unto Jesus Christ. Love marries the heart and eye to the object; hence 'tis, there is not a distracting thought in heaven, for there love is perfect: they see, and love, and sing; and praise, and see, enjoy, and love, for ever and ever. The three Disciples,