The true Christians love of the unseen Christ, or, A discourse chiefly tending to…

That he should make use of the Foolishness of Preaching as a Means to effect this great thing, that while a man of like passions and infirmities with your selves is ⟨p. 216⟩opening and applying the Scriptures, the Lord by this means should unveil himself and open the treasures of his Love unto you: that your humble fervent and believing prayers here on Earth should ascend up to the throne of God that is in Heaven, and move the Lord Jesus that is there to come down, thence, though not in person, yet by his Spirit; that prayer should open heavens gate, and have such a prevalency for this manifestation and discovery of Christ; though the best prayers of the best men are not without mixture of sin: that whilst you are sitting at the Lords table, the Lord himself should give you a visit, and whilst you are eating bread and wine at the Sacrament, he should give you to see and feel and taste himself and his Love by your spiritual senses. It was wonderful humiliation in Christ that when he could have commanded the most, stately Horses, yea Lions, Elephants, or Unicorns, he should ride to Jerusalem upon an Ass, and when Christ hath the Chariots of so many thousand glorious Angels, which he could command and ride triumphantly in, when he makes discovery of himself unto his people, that he should make use of the Chariots of so mean Ordinances in the discovery of himself ⟨p. 217⟩unto you; how many wonders are here? how should you admire his wonderful Grace and Love, and say, what is man that thou art thus mindful of him, or any of the sons of men, that thou shouldst thus visit them? what are we unworthy wretches? and why shouldst thou manifest thy self unto us? even so dear Jesus because it seemed good in thy sight: especially you have reason to wonder and admire at the manifestations which Christ hath given of himself and love to you, when you consider the excellency of these manifestations and discoveries beyond all other discoveries. If you have seen the most rare works of Art and Human Invention, the most curious Pictures, the most stately Edifices, or any other works of the most ingenious contrivement: If you have viewed the works of nature which do far exceed those of Art, the beautiful frame of the Heavens over your heads, and the glorious Luminaries of Sun, Moon, and Stars, in their wonderful light and motion;

That he should make use of the Foolishnesse of Preaching as a Means to effect this great thing, that while a man of like passions and infirmities with your selves is