A64995:103
The true Christians love of the unseen Christ, or, A discourse chiefly tending to…
The true Christians love of the unseen Christ, or, A discourse chiefly tending to excite and promote the decaying love of Christ in the hearts of Christians with an appendix concerning Christs manifestation of himself to them that love him / by Thomas Vincent.
London: printed by J.R. for Samuel Sprint, 1677
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.
Secondly, Consider what Christ is to the Father. 1. He is most nearly related to him. 2. He is most dearly beloved by him.
1. Christ is most nearly Related, and with all most perfectly like unto the Father. All the Creatures are related to God ⟨p. 71⟩as their Maker, but Gods Children are more nearly related; the Saints are nearly related to God, who are his Children by Adoption and Regeneration; the Angels are more nearly related to God who are his Sons by Creation, and never were separated from him by sin; but the Lord Jesus Christ is most nearly related unto God who is his Son by Eternal Generation: thus Christ is the only Begotten Son of God, and doth bear his Image most perfectly, being the brightness of his Fathers Glory, and the express Image of his Person. This near Relation of Christ, and his likeness to the Father doth call for your strongest love; if you have reason to honour the Father, on the same account you have reason to honour the Son; if you have reason to love the Father, you have the same reason to love the Son. You will love the Sons of Princes, and will you not love the Son of God? you will love your own Children who bear your Own Image, and will not you love Christ who is the express Image of God? we read of Christ, Phil. 2. 6. Who being in the form of God, thought it no Robbery to be equal with God. Christ (without Robbery or Derogation unto God) is equal with God in all Glorious Excellencies and Perfections, ⟨p. 72⟩and therefore your highest and strongest love is his due, and without robbery you cannot withhold it from him.
2. Christ is most dearly beloved by the Father,