Sunday, January 9, 2011

The Charms of Gospel Rhetoric

Christ's love is hot and burning, he thinketh we tarry too long from his embraces. So Cant. v. 2, 'Open to me, my sister, my spouse,' &c. Christ stands begging for entrance. Lost man! do but suffer me to save thee; poor sinner! suffer me to love thee. These are the charms of gospel rhetoric. So Isa. xlix., 'Hearken to me, and attend to the words of my mouth,' &c. O sinners! you will not hearken to me for the good of your souls! You see none singeth so sweetly as the bird of paradise, the turtle that chirpeth upon the church's hedges, that he may cluck sinners to himself.

—Thomas Manton