I wish that however my body be attired, 1my soul may by faith put on the Lord Jesus Christ at this Heavenly ⟨p. 333⟩feast; that I may not only look up to him (as the Cripple to Peter and John) expecting an alms, but may receive him by believing, and so banquet on his blessed body, and bathe my soul in his precious blood; that my spirit may rejoice in God my Saviour, whilst I am assured that though the pain were his, yet the profit is mine; though the wounds were his, yet the balm issuing thence is mine; though the thorns were his, yet the Crown is mine; and though the price were his, yet the purchase is mine. O let him be mine in in possession and claim, and then he will be mine in fruition and comfort; Lord I believe, 2help mine unbelief! I wish (since love is the greatest thing my Saviour can give me; for God is love, and the greatest thing which I can give my Saviour) that his love to me may be reflected back to him again, that my chiefest love may be as a fountain sealed up to all others, and broached only for him who is altogether lovely, that I may hate Father, Mother, Wife, Child, House and Land, out of love to him; that many waters of affliction may not quench this love, but rather like Snuffers make this lamp to burn the brighter. Beasts love them who feed them. Wicked men love their friends and benefactors; My very clothes warming me, are warmed by me; again, and shall not I love him who hath loved me, and washed me in his own blood! O that I could groundedly cry out with Ignatius, My love was crucified; and meet this Lord of Heaven, as Elijah went up to Heaven in a Chariot of fire, in a flame of love; 3I desire that I may follow Christ at this Ordinance, as the Women did to his Cross, weeping, considering that my sins were the ⟨p. 334⟩cause of his bitter and bloody suffering; and O that as Saul eyed David, I might eye them all from that day forward, to slay and destroy them.
I wish that however my body be attired, 1my soul may by faith put on the Lord Jesus Christ at this Heavenly ⟨p. 333⟩feast; that I may not onely look up to him (as the Criple to Peter and John) expecting an almes, but may receive him by beleiving, and so banquet on his blessed body, and bathe my soul in his precious blood; that my spirit may rejoyce in God my Saviour, whilst I am assured that though the pain were his, yet the profit is mine; though the wounds were his, yet the balm issuing thence is mine; though the thorns were his, yet the Crown is mine; and though the price were his, yet the purchase is mine. O let him be mine in in possession and claim, and then he will be mine in fruition and comfort; Lord I beleive, 2help mine unbeleif! I wish (since love is the greatest thing my Saviour can give me; for God is love, and the greatest thing which I can give my Saviour) that his love to me may be reflected back to him again, that my chiefest love may be as a fountain sealed up to all others, and broched only for him who is altogether lovely, that I may hate Father, Mother, Wife, Child, House and Land, out of love to him; that many waters of affliction may not quench this love, but rather like Snuffers make this lamp to burn the brighter. Beasts love them who feed them. Wicked men love their friends and benefactours; My very cloaths warming me, are warmed by me; again, and shall not I love him who hath loved me, and washed me in his own blood! O that I could groundedly cry out with Ignatius, My love was crucified; and meet this Lord of Heaven, as Elijah went up to Heaven in a Chariot of fire, in a flame of love; 3I desire that I may follow Christ at this Ordinance, as the Women did to his Cross, weeping, considering that my sins were the ⟨p. 334⟩cause of his bitter and bloody suffering; and O that as Saul eyed David, I might eye them all from that day forward, to slay and destroy them.
- 1Graces to be exercised. Faith
- 2Love
- 3Repentance
