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

But where is such love now to be found? I might speak also of the love of some ancient Fathers, Ignatius, Polycarp, Jerome and others: take one instance in Jerome, who thus expresseth his love unto Christ, If my Father were weeping on ⟨p. 51⟩his Knees before me, my Mother Hanging on my Neck behind me, my Brethren Sisters and Kinsfolk Howling on every side, to retain me in a Sinful course; I would sling my Mother to the Ground, run over my Father, despise all my Kindred, and tread them under my Feet, that I might run unto Christ. How little is your love in comparison with the love of those Famous Hero's, I mean those eminent Martyrs, who have despised the Flames, and endured such Racking and Torturing Deaths, for the love which they have born unto Jesus Christ; the fire of their Love burning stronger within them, than the fire without them in which their Bodies were consumed? Is not your love also small in comparison with the love of our late Reformers, which fired them with such courage and resolution, as to withstand a whole world of Antichristian Fury and Opposition? Is your love comparable to that of many Eminent Divines, and private Christians of our own Nation, of the Age immediately going before, who are now asleep in their Graves; but how few are there come up in their Rooms? It is observed, and it is greatly to be Lamented, that there is of late years, a great decay in the Power of Godliness, amongst ⟨p. 52⟩those that are Sincere; and is it not evident in the great Decay of love, even in true Christians unto Jesus Christ? are not you Dwarfs in comparison with others? are not you Babes in Christ, and Weaklings in your love to Christ? Is it not evident, that you have but little love to Christ, when he is but little in your Thoughts and Meditations? the Thoughts are the Handmaids of the Love; where the Love is strong and ardent, there many thoughts will be attending upon it: but will not your Hearts tell you, that your Thoughts of Christ are very few? you can think often of your Food, but how little do your Thoughts seed upon Christ, who is the Bread of Life? You can often think of your Raiment, but how little do you think of the Robes of Christ's Righteousness? You can think often of your Earthly Friends, but how little do you think of Jesus Christ, your Friend in Heaven? Objects of Sense are often not only in your Eyes, but also in your Thoughts;

But where is such love now to be found? I might speak also of the love of some ancient Fathers, Ignatius, Polycarp, Ierome and others: take one instance in Ierome, who thus expresseth his love unto Christ, If my Father were weeping on