The confession and conversion of the chiefest and greatest of sinners, with his frequent communion with God, in Christ, by the spirit, or, A garden of spiritual fruits and flowers

In Bourdeaux Ann. 1661.

1. The love of God is the best of Heaven, the very glory in glory.

2. The love of God makes all things lovely to all those that know that they are his beloved.

3. Gods love is sweeter than the hony or the hony comb, much more desired, and to be desired more by much, then all fine gold, and the most pretious Pearls.

4. Gods love is better then Wine to comfort the heart, it is the fatnesse, marrow, and sweet∣nesse of Heaven, that feeds, feasts, and solaceth the soul.

5. There is nothing in Heaven above to be compared to Gods love.

6. And all things that are here below; Ah how much below are they all to the love of God.

7. He that hath, or is in the love of God, hath all God, for God is all love.

8. Ah Lord God, love me then so, that I may be filled with love to love thee as I should love thee, to fear thee, as I should fear thee, to honour thee as I should honour thee, and to obey thee as I should obey thee in all things, in spirit, soul and body, by all my thoughts, words and actions, now, henceforth, and for ever more Amen.

9. Ah Lord God, how unspeakably great is thy love to all thy Children and Servants, turning all things to their good, even the very worst of things (their sins.)

10. God sheweth his great love unto us, how he loveth us, by shedding abroad his love so in our hearts, as we are made thereby to love him, for naturally we love him not, & therefore did he not give us love to love him, we would, nor could ne∣ver love him.

11. Ah powerful love that makes (of us haters) to become true lovers, to love him in very truth, whom we hated truly.

12. Yea those that have the love of God thus in their hearts, love him so, as it may be truly sayd of them, that they love nothing else, for they love him above their goods, or good name, above their Children, above their Wives, yea much more and above their very lives. They can, and easily do, when called thereto give up all to him and for him, his love doth constrain, to love him again, the heart is so in love with him, finding him so lovely, that it cryes out continually for more love, that it may love him more; for nothing comforts such souls as Gods love, they make and account his love as himself, and himself to be his love, and being thus loved by him, and living thus in his love, they live in him and he in them, which is the very life of their lives, and the very bliss and Heaven of their Heaven.

13. Such is the love of God unto us his Chil∣dren, that he swallows us up and houseth us in himself, that we may be all his, and he all ours, that we may put him so on, as be made like him, and partake continually of him, which is our Crown and glory, yea our Crown in glory which will make us shine more beautiful and glorious then ten thousand Sons.

14. Cause me, O Lord God, to declare what thou wilt have me to declare; cause me to believe what thou wilt have me to believe, cause me to know what thou wilt have me to know and inable me to do all that thou wilt have me to do, that I may be filled with thee, to live to thee and in thee to thine Eternal honour, praise and glory, so be it, O Lord, so be it, Amen, Amen.

15. Goe forth, O God. go forth before me, that I may follow thee where ever thou goest, that thou wilt be unto me a light by night (in the mid'st of my natural darknesse) which is darker then the blackest night, and be also unto me a fire by day (in the mid'st of thine own light in me) which is clearer and brighter then the brightest day, that I may burn, O God, in the Sacred and Divine flames of saving knowledge, and obedience unto my lives end.

16. Instruct me, O Lord, in thine own Lawes, and write them so upon my heart, that I may ne∣ver depart from them.

17. Feast me and fil me, O Lord, so with thine own self, that I may be all thine, and thou all mine.

18. It is the spirit of Christ, or Christ in the Spirit (which is perfect God,) living in us, that makes us Christians, which is to be like Christ, to be Bap∣tized in him, to have put him on; and this one∣nesse with Christ (God) is in all the Saints, all the Saints are thus one in God, with Christ, he in us, and we in him.

Notes

• Gal. 3, 27.