A64995:185
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.
3. Show your love to Christ in the Universality of your Obedience. Hypocrites will perform some Duties which are for their turn, and will serve their carnal designs; other duties they omit and totally neglect; let your love to Christ discover it self in your respect to all his Commandments; though you cannot here attain Perfection of Obedience, yet l•t your Obedience be universal; obey Christ not only in open Duties, which men are witnesses of, but also in secret Duties, and spiritual Duties, which depend upon the exercise of the Mind, such as Meditation, Contemplation, Self-search, and Ejaculation, ⟨p. 151⟩as also in the spiritual part of all Duties, which no Eye can be witness unto but the Eye of God; and hereby you may be distinguished from all Hypocrites in the world.
3. Shew your love to Christ in the Vniversality of your Obedience. Hypocrites wi•l perform some Duties which are for their turn, and will serve their carnal designs; other duties they omit and totally neglect; let your love to Christ discover it self in your respect to all his Commandments; though you cannot here attain Perfection of Obedience, yet l•t your Obedience be universal; obey Christ not only in open Duties, which men are witnesses of, but also in secret Duties, and spiritual Duties, which depend upon the exercise of the Mind, such as Meditation, Contemplation, Self-search, and Ejaculation, ⟨p. 151⟩as also in the spiritual part of all Duties, which no Eye can be witness unto but the Eye of God; and hereby you may be distinguished from all Hypocrites in the world.
4. Show your love to Christ in the Constancy of your Obedience. Gal. 5. 7. Ye did run well, who did hinder you, that ye should not obey the truth? Some Hypocrites are zealous Professors for a while, and at first setting out seem to outstrip many that are sincere, but they soon tire, and are weary not only in well-doing but of it; they quickly stumble and fall, and not only fall down, but fall off; not only fall back, but fall away, and turn fearful Apostates. Show your love to Christ not only in setting out well, but in continuing your Christian course well unto the end of the course of your Lives; begin well, and patiently continue in well-doing: Persevere in your Obedience; Be not weary in well-doing, knowing that in due time ye shall reap if ye faint not,