A Body of Practical Divinity

Name: A Body of Practical Divinity
Author: Thomas Watson

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 ...

Thomas Watson d. 1686London: printed for Thomas Parkurst, 1692

[5], iv, 300, 331-544, 801-880, 965-1007, [7] p. · 512k words · Wing W1109 · ESTC R32148

Title page typeset from the transcription.

Of LOVE.

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.

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[ Earlier:1678–1693 of 4,926

:1678p. 246¶3

3. The third visible Sign: He who loves God, hates that which would separate between him and God, and that is Sin: Sin makes God hide his Face; it is like an Incendiary which parts chief Friends. Therefore the Keenness of a Christians Hatred is set against Sin, Psal. 119.128. I hate every false way. Antipathies can never be reconciled; one cannot love Health but he must hate Poison: So we cannot love God, but we must hate Sin, which would destroy our Communion with him.

3. The third visible Sign: He who loves God, hates that which would separate between him and God, and that is Sin: Sin makes God hide his Face; it is like an Incendiary which parts chief Friends. Therefore the Keneness of a Christians Hatred is set against Sin, Psal. 119.128. I hate every false way. Antipathies can never be reconciled; one cannot love Health but he must hate Poyson: So we cannot love God, but we must hate Sin, which would destroy our Communion with him.

:1679p. 246¶4

4. The fourth visible Sign is Sympathy: Friends that love do grieve for the Evils which befall each other. Homer describing Agamemnon's Grief, when he was forced to Sacrifice his Daughter, brings in all his Friends weeping with him, and accompanying him to the Sacrifice in Mourning: Lovers grieve together: If we have true Love in our Heart to God, we cannot but grieve for those things which grieve him: We shall lay to Heart his Dishonours: The Luxury, Drunkenness, Contempt of God and Religion, Psal. 119.136. Rivers of Tears run down mine eyes, &c. Some speak of the Sins of others, and make a laughing at them; sure they have no love to God, who can laugh at that which grieves his Spirit. Doth he love his Father, who can laugh to hear him Reproached?

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Of the Commandments.