A64995:33
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. The Love of Christians unto Christ, is a Grace wrought in their Hearts by the Spirit. It is a Flower most Sweet and Fragrant, but there is no Seed of it in the Nature of any Man since the Fall, it is planted in the Soul by the Spirit of God. Love to Christ is a Divine Spark, that comes down from above; a fire which is kindled by the breath of the Lord, whose Essence is Love.
1. The Love of Christians unto Christ, is a Grace wrought in their Hearts by the Spirit. It is a Flower most Sweet and Fragrant, but there is no Seed of it in the Nature of any Man since the Fall, it is planted in the Soul by the Spirit of God. Love to Christ is a Divine Spark, that comes down from above; a fire which is kindled by the breath of the Lord, whose Ess•nce is Love.
2. The Ground of this Love to Christ, is the discovery and believing Apprehensions of Christs Loveliness and Love. There must be first a discovery of Christ as a suitable Object for Love, and not a bare Notion of this, but believing apprehensions of it, that Christ is Infinitely lovely, Superlatively Excellent; and that his love is ⟨p. 15⟩Matchless and Transcendent towards the Children of Men, that there is a Treasury in him, and a Storehouse of all Graces, and the most Needful and Rich Supplies; otherwise there will be no going forth of the Heart in love unto him.
2. The Ground of this Love to Christ, is the discovery and believing Apprehensions of Christs Lovelinesse and Love. There must be first a discovery of Christ as a sutable Object for Love, and not a bare Notion of this, but believing apprehensions of it, that Christ is Infinitely lovely, Superlatively Excellent; and that his love is ⟨p. 15⟩Matchless and Transcendent towards the Children of Men, that there is a Treasury in him, and a Storehouse of all Graces, and the most Needfull and Rich Supplies; otherwise there will be no going forth of the Heart in love unto him.