A65285:1679
A Body of Practical Divinity
A body of practical divinity consisting of above one hundred seventy six sermons on the lesser catechism composed by the reverend assembly of divines at Westminster : with a supplement of some sermons on several texts of Scripture / by Thomas Watson ...
London: printed for Thomas Parkurst, 1692
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
Resp. 1. If we love God, then our Desire is after him, Isa. 26.8. The desire of our Soul is to thy Name. He who loves God breaths after Communion with him, Psal. 42.2. My Soul thirsts for the living God. Persons in Love desire to be oft conferring together: He who loves God desires to be much in his Presence: He loves the Ordinances, they are the Glass where the Glory of God is resplendent: In the Ordinances we meet with him whom our Soul loves: We have Gods Smiles and Whispers, and some Fore-tastes of Heaven: Such as have no desire after Ordinances, have no love to God.
Resp. 1. If we love God, then our Desire is after him, Isa. 26.8. The desire of our Soul is to thy Name. He who loves God breaths after Communion with him, Psal. 42.2. My Soul thirsts for the living God. Persons in Love desire to be oft conferring together: He who loves God desires to be much in his Presence: He loves the Ordinances, they are the Glass where the Glory of God is resplendent: In the Ordinances we meet with him whom our Soul loves: We have Gods Smiles and Whispers, and some Fore-tasts of Heaven: Such as have no desire after Ordinances, have no love to God.
2. The second Visible Sign: He who loves God cannot take Contentment in any thing without him: An Hypocrite who pretends to love God, give him but Corn and Wine, and he can be content without God: But a Soul fired with love to God cannot be without him. Lovers faint away if they have not a sight of the Object loved. A gracious Soul can want Health, but not want God who is the Health of his Countenance, Psal. 43.5. If God should say to a Soul that entirely loves him, Take thy Ease, swim in Pleasure, solace thy self in the Delights of the World, but thou shalt not enjoy my Presence; this would not content the Soul. Nay, if God should say, I will let thee be taken up to Heaven, but I will retire into a withdrawing Room, and thou shalt not see my Face: This would not content the Soul; it is an Hell to want God. The Philosopher saith, There can be no Gold without the Influence of the Sun: There can be no golden Joy in the Soul, without Gods sweet Presence and Influence.