Use 4.

can believe That he loves us whilst we are Sinners, and that whilst we are yet Sinners, Chrift died for the ungodly.

3. In that Chrift loved us, and gave himself for us, we may hereby come to understand, how ftrong, mighty, and unconquerable our Sin was, even fo mighty, that the whole World, and all the Creatures were unable, and unfufficient to take it away; but the Son of God muft give himself for it, and must become a Sacrifice for it, or it had remained upon us for ever.

Wherefore let us know, that our Free-will, and Natural abilities, and Works, and Duties, were of no force at all to take away our Sin, but Christ must do that by giving himself for them. And infomuch as Chrift the Son of the living God, hath given himself for them, we rest assured that they are done away for ever, and that none can lay any thing to our Charge, if we do believe in him.

4. Let us labour for this particular Faith, and affurance in our hearts, that Chrift hath loved us, and given himself for us.

There is nothing that the Devil does more labour to hinder us from, than this particular Application: For he very well knows, that if we once truly believe that Chrift hath loved us, and given himself for us, then we cannot chufe but forthwith love him again, and give our felves for him; and also be most ready and refolved to do, or to fuffer any thing for Chrift; the Spiritual Senfe of this Special Love is fo conftraining. Wherefore as it is the great Policy of the Devil, to labour to hinder us from the fenfe of Chrifts

Special

fpecial Love, so it must be our especial Care to endeavour to attain unto it. For the true and Spiritual Attainment hereof, will be of great concernment to us in all things.

For firft, the Spiritual tafte of this Special Love, will make us forward to do any thing for Chrift; (as I faid) it will make us fruitful, and abundant in his Work; and we can never be Idle, when we fhall comprehend with all Saints, what is the height, and breadth, and length, and depth, and fhall know this Love of Chrift which passeth knowledge.

2. It will make us ready and forward to fuffer any thing for Chrift; any reproaches, flanders, oppofitions, perfecutions, prifons, torments; nothing being bitter or grievous to that Soul where the Love of Chrift is tasted.

3. The Spiritual tafte of this Special Love, will fweeten all the Mercies of God which he gives us to enjoy in this World, which would not be truly fweet, if we did not tafte his fpecial Love in them; yea the taste of this Love will make every ordinary mercy extraordinary, and every small Blessing a great one; for nothing is ordinary or finall, where the special love of God is tafted.

4. And lastly, this Spiritual taste of the special love of God, will caufe us conftantly to put our truft in him, seeing God who hath given us Chrift, and Chrift who hath given us himself, can afterwards deny us nothing, nor fuffer any thing to do us any prejudice.

Wherefore let these Confiderations move us to labour for this particular Faith, that we may beA a lieve

lieve that Chrift hath loved us, and given himself for us.

Yea, let us know that fuch is Chrifts Love to his Elect, that he would not have refufed to have given himself for any one single Person of them, and to have fuffered the fame things for any one of them, as he hath done for all of them; that each of us may know, that we are as much engaged to be thankful to Chrift, as if he had given himself for us only, feeing each Chriftian by true Faith, may fay with Paul, he loved me, and gave himself for me. And this is all the Hope and Comfort we have in this World, and we defire to live and die with this Faith rooted in our Hearts.

THE

Stumbling-Stone,

O R,

A DISCOURSE touching that Offence which the World and Worldly Church do take against

1. Chrift Himself.
2. His true Word.
3. His true Worship.
4. His true Church.
5. His true Government.
6. His true Ministry.

Wherein the UNIVERSITY is Reproved by the Word of God.

Delivered partly to the Univerfity Congregation in Cambridge, partly to another in the fame Town.

Together with a brief touch in the Epiftle (for) the prefent) on the late quarrelfom, weak and erroneous Animadverfions of one Mr. Chambers, called Doctor in Divinity, and Paftor of Pewfy in Wiltshire.

By William Dell, Minifter of the Gofpel, and Mafter of Gonvil and Caius Colledge in Cambridge.

Mihi plane omnium jucundiffima facies ifta in rebus eft, videre ob verbum Dei ftudia 5 diffentiones fieri: is enim eft Verbi Dei curfus, cafus & eventus; nam dicit, non veni pacem mittere fed gladium, Luther.

LONDON:

First Printed in the Year, 1651.