A77360:88
Christ and the covenant the work and way of meditation
Christ and the covenant the work and way of meditation. : Gods return to the soul, or nation; together with his preventing mercy. : Delivered in ten sermons, (viz.) 1. Christs personal excellencies, the object of our love. 2. Christ crucified, the object of our faith. 3. The new covenant of grace opened. 4. Christ the mediator of the new covenant. 5. The way and spirit of the new covenant, or New Testament. 6. The blood of sprinkling. 7. The sweetness and profitableness of divine meditation. 8. The work and way of this meditation. 9. Gods return to the soul and nation. 10. Preventing mercy. / By W.B.
London: printed for N. Ranew, 1667
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.
First of all, If your hearts de drawn out in love to the very Person of Christ, by your loving him you make him your own. 'Tis not so in other loves: By my loving Gold, I don't make it my own; by my loving Silver, I don't make it my own; but by loving his Person, I make him my own. 'Tis not so in regard of benefits: By my loving the benefits of Christ, the comforts from Christ, I don't make Christ my own, but by my love unto the Person of Christ, I make Christ my own.
2. The less of Self in your love to Christ, the more pure and clean it is, and so the better. Now if your heart be drawn out in love to the benefits of Christ, your love is more selfish, you love him in reference unto your selves; because you have such enjoyments, and such benefits. But if your hearts be drawn out in love to the Person of Christ, your love is less selfish; so the more pure, the more holy and clean.
2. The lesse of Self in your love to Christ, the more pure and clean it is, and so the better. Now if your heart be drawn out in love to the benefits of Christ, your love is more selfish, you love him in reference unto your selves; because you have such enjoyments, and such benefits. But if your hearts be drawn out in love to the Person of Christ, your love is lesse selfish; so the more pure, the more holy and clean.
3. If your heart be drawn out unto Christ himself, and the Person of Christ, you will more readily accept of any thing fr•m Christ, though it be never so small; yea, though it be afflictive. If that your love be placed ⟨p. 17⟩and founded upon the benefits of Christ, then you will not so easily and readily accept of any thing from Christ, especially if afflictive. True love interprets all things in the best sense; that is, love to the person, but love to the benefit don't. Love the Peron of Christ, and you will interpret every dispensation n a good sense, for you love his Person, but Love to the benefit will not do so.