A64995:183
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.
1. Show your love to Christ, in the Sincerity of your Obedience. Hypocrites will do some things which Christ commandeth, ⟨p. 149⟩but it is from carnal Motives and with carnal Designs; But let love to Christ be the Motive, and the Honour of Christ the End of your Obedience; obey Christ because you love him, and with a design to please him; what you do, do heartily unto the Lord, and above all things desire and endeavour that what you do may find acceptation with him. 2 Cor. 5. 9. Wherefore we labour, that whether present or absent we may be accepted of him.
1. Shew your love to Christ, in the Sincerity of your Obedience. Hypocrites will do some things which Christ commandeth, ⟨p. 149⟩but it is from carnal Motives and with carnal Designs; But let love to Christ be the Motive, and the Honour of Christ the End of your Obedience; obey Christ because you love him, and with a design to please him; what you do, do heartily unto the Lord, and above all things desire and endeavour that what you doe may find acceptation with him. 2 Cor. 5. 9. Wherefore we labour, that whether present or absent we may be accepted of him.
2. Show your love to Christ in the Willingness. of your Obedience; some will obey Christ, but it is with great Backwardness they will perform Duties, but they are burdensome, a weariness, and toilsome, and the Commandments of Christ are grievous unto them; they are scarce ready unto any Duty, but when they are scourged unto it by the Rods of Affliction, or spurred and pricked forward by the goads of Conscience; O the listlessness and indisposition in the most, unto the most spiritual part of the Service of Christ! which is an evident proof of the defect of love, either in the truth of it, or at least in the measure and degree of it. Let your love show it self in the willingness of your Obedience, serve the Lord with a willing