Advice to a Friend, Part 3
III.
I Need ſay no more to excite one of your vertue, to the frequent exerciſe of ſuch Meditations as theſe, which are no leſs delightful than they are uſeful. Let me next unto this adviſe you to study the trueſt notions of God and of Religion, the love of which is the way to that tranſcendent bliſs and happineſs, of which I have ſpoken. As you muſt believe things unſeen, and perſwade your ſelf thoroughly, that they are; ſo it is neceſſary you ſhould inform your mind aright, what they are. And in particular look upon Religion as a moſt pleaſant thing, and repreſent it to your ſelf with a face as fair and beautiful as you can. If it ſeem cloudy, dark and melancholy, it will make you to be of the ſame complexion: But if it have a lovely and chearful aſpect, it will encline you always to ſmile upon it. The poor Norwegian, whom ſtories tell of, was afraid to touch Roſes, when he firſt ſaw them, for fear they ſhould burn his Fingers. He much wondered to ſee that Trees (as he thought) ſhould put forth flames and bloſſomes of Fire: before which he held up his hands to warm himſelf, not daring to approach any nearer. But as he you may be ſure was happily undeceived, when he came not only to touch, but likewiſe to ſmell thoſe innocent Flowers, which ſeemed to burn in his eyes: ſo will it be with us, when we come rightly to underſtand and feel the pleaſure that Religion gives us; which at firſt ſight, before we come acquainted with it, looks as if it intended to make us Martyrs, but not to crown us with any joys or contentments. As the Martyr ſaid of the real, fire, wherein he was covered, that it ſeemed to him, as if it were a Bed of Roſes; ſo ſhall we ſay of true Religion, which we are afraid will ſcorch us, and prove too hot for us: Its flames are but the flames of love; and it makes us not lye down in ſorrow, but in the moſt comfortable ſenſe of the tender love of our deareſt Lord.
Think with your ſelf therefore, when you go into your Cloſet, and betake your ſelf to your private retirements, I am going to God, my exceeding joy, to my happineſs, to my hearts delight. Welcome beloved hour, which haſt more of eternal life in Thee, than of Time! Rejoyce my Soul, that thou art among Angels now, and not among men! Yea let my fleſh be glad to become of a poor Souls Cottage, the Temple of the moſt High God! Look upon Prayer as that which brings down Heaven to you; and upon Praiſe and Thankſgiving as that which lifts you up to Heaven; and upon Meditation as that which is the bond of the two Worlds, and ties Heaven and Earth together. Yea, let every other good action ſeem a favour, rather than a charge; a recreation, rather than a work.
And then, for your notions of God, do not look upon him as a rigid and unmerciful exactor of your labours; but as a loving Father, who is eaſily pleaſed, and makes a moſt gracious allowance for your weakneſſes and unavoidable impediments; and is ready to forgive your many overſights and frequent neglects. When we repreſent him to our ſelves, as exceeding angry at every little indiſpoſition and dulneſs that ſeiſes on us, that very thought makes us more dull and indiſpoſed; becauſe we imagine that we ſhall never be able to pleaſe him. Or if we deem him, though not implacable yet, much in love with revenge, and ready to ſtrike upon every offence that we give him, I know no readier way to render his ſervice a moſt tedious task unto us; becauſe we ſhall go in perpetual fear of thunderbolts hanging over our heads, and ready to fall down to do ſome miſchief or other to us. As we ought to have a great and ſcrupulous care to avoid all that is evil, ſo we muſt believe, when we commit a fault againſt our will and deſign, that there is an Advocate with our Father, who is a propitiation for our ſins. And when we look upon him thus, as one ready to forgive, that had rather do us all good than any harm, and deſires rather to ſee his commands better obſerved, than the penalties, for the breach of them, inflicted; this will incourage us to addreſs our ſelves with a freſh chearfulneſs to his ſervice; and breed in our hearts a great love to him, which above all other things hath a moſt powerful hand upon our obedience.
The more you heighten your love to God, the more motion and activity will the heat of it give you: and the more you heighten his love to you, the greater flames will there ariſe in your heart to him. Juſt as you ſee the Sun in its neareſt approaches to us, when its beames are directly over our heads, produces a vigorous heat and life in all Creatures; but when it is in the Southern Countries, and looks upon us with an oblique aſpect, is not able to make us warm by its rayes: So it is with the Divine Goodneſs, which is the life and comfort of our hearts. If we think that he looks aſquint upon us, and cares very little for us, we ſhall be cold and frozen, like ſo many dead Creatures, in our affections to him; but if we think his face is towards us, and that his eye, and the light of his countenance (as the Scripture ſpeaks) is full upon us, that he highly favours us, and his heart is very deſirous to pour down a world of bleſſings into us; it will make our Souls leap for joy, our love will ſpring up apace, and the odors of it will be like the ſmell of Spices, ſweet both to God and to our ſelves. We love God commonly (if not always) in the beginning of our friendſhip with him, becauſe of the good that he doth, or that we think he will do to us: and though afterward this breeds a ſtrong inclination in us to love that moſt excellent Nature from which all good comes, yet that inclination will ſtill grow ſtronger, by the continued thoughts of his kindneſs to us. And therefore this belief is, by all means, to be nouriſhed and preſerved in our hearts; eſpecially conſidering that the ſtronger our love and inclination towards him grows, by frequent reflecting upon his love and good will to us, the more chearful and conſtant obedience ſhall we pay to him.
I have repreſented this ſo largely in another Diſcourſe, (which you know very well) that it may ſeem unneceſſary to add any thing to it it here: But it will not be unprofitable I am ſure, to recommend to you this one conſideration more. That the hearty love of God (which naturally ſprings out of a ſtedfaſt and unmovable belief of his love to us) is a thing ſo comprehenſive and ſo powerful, that it includes in it all the means which are neceſſary for the accompliſhment of our end; and contains the force of all thoſe rules, helps and furtherances, which are commonly preſcribed for the better obſerving of Gods commands. Let me inſtance in theſe Five great Exerciſes, to which you are often exhorted, both in Sermons and good Books, for the preſerving you in his Obedience: Firſt, To live, as in Gods ſight. Secondly, To pray continually. Thirdly, To watch. Fourthly, To depend on God for his aſſistance. And, Fifthly, To look for his mercy to Eternal Life: and plainly ſhow you that they are all comprehended in Divine Love, and cannot be ſeparated from it.
For the first, it is well known that this paſſion is not wont to let the Object on which it is fixed be abſent from it; but at whatſoever diſtance it be removed, love brings it near, and ſets it ever before the eyes of him, to whom it is dear. And therefore if our hearts be full of love to God, we cannot be without his Preſence, but ſhall live as in his ſight: Or, to ſpeak in the language of David, Pſal. 16.8. We ſhall ſet the Lord always before us. Whatſoever we do, we ſhall think of him; and conſequently do it well and exactly: we ſhall ſtudy purity of heart, and the greateſt clearneſs in our intentions; becauſe he ſees us, and penetrates into our ſecret thoughts. There is no more eaſie obſervation than this, that nothing makes a Man ſo diligent, ſo curious, ſo circumſpect, ſo decent and comely in all his behaviour, as to be continually under the eye of one whom he loves; to whom he deſires, every way, to approve himſelf. And it is as certain, that ardent love makes a Perſon ever preſent to us, and will not let us be divided from him.
When Phidias, the famous ſtatuary, made the Image of Jupiter Olympius, one of the goodlieſt that ever was, he could not forbear, but he muſt privately ingrave upon his little Finger, the Name of one whom he dearly loved, in theſe words; PANTARCES IS FAIR.foreign. For it was not Jupiter (ſaith Clemens Alexandrinus, from whom I have this ſtory) who was fair in Phidias his eyes, but the youth whom he loved. The thoughts of his God could not put out of his mind, the thoughts of him, whom he loved better. If therefore we had ſuch a love to God, as others have to the things of this World; the thoughts of them could not quite thruſt out the thoughts of him. But ſtill we ſhould be apt to write (if I may ſo ſpeak) upon the very forehead of every earthly good, God is most lovely: or, God is my exceeding joy; the Lord is my portion; O how amiable are his Courts! or as an holy man (who it is ſaid could never get theſe words out of his mouth) My God and all things. Where he is, there, in effect, are all things: and where his love dwells, there he will be ſure to be. We ſhall meet him every where, ſee him in every beautiful thing, and taſte him, before we have done, in all the delightful enjoyments of this life.
2. And as it comprehends in it the practice of making God preſent (which ſome Maſters in Divinity have ſaid may ſerve inſtead of all other Rules, for the ordering of our life aright:) ſo it contains in it likewiſe the very ſpirit of Prayer to God; which all acknowledg to be not only a great part of a godly life, but a great help and furtherance to us, in all the reſt of our Chriſtian duty. If by Prayer we underſtand, as ſome have explained it, the aſcent, or raiſing up of the Soul to God, it is love only which continually aſpires towards him, and carries the heart aloft, from other things, to be joyned to him. Or if we call it the converſe of the Soul with God, (which are the words of Gregory Nyſſen) or a holy conference and diſcourſe with the Divine Majeſty, (as it is termed by S. Chryſoſtome) it is manifeſt the love of God includes this in it: for it is the nature of this paſſion, to make us frequent the company of thoſe whom we love. Their converſation is moſt welcome; their diſcourſe delightful; we are exceedingly deſirous to impart our mind to them; and eſpecially to let them know how much we love them. For which purpoſe it needs not alwayes the help of the tongue, but can frame a language of its own; and ſpeak by the very countenance and the eyes, and make uſe of ſilence inſtead of words to declare its inclinations. According to the admirable expreſſion of the Pſalmiſt, who, ſetting forth the pious affections of the People to God their Deliverer, ſaith, Praiſe is ſilent for thee, O God, in Sion (ſo the Hebrew hath it, as your Margin tells you) to Thee ſhall the vow be performed. But let us take it ſimply for the deſiring and requeſting good things of God, and then we muſt needs acknowledg, that love being a paſſion full of deſires, cannot but comprehend in it (as I ſaid at firſt) the very ſpirit of Prayer and Supplication. You know how much we long for that, to which we have given our hearts. And therefore if they be devoted in love to God, we cannot chuſe but be ever breathing after more ſenſible apprehenſions and taſtes of him. So much as we love him, ſo much we ſhall thirſt after a larger communication of his Divine Grace to us. It will make us ſigh for more tokens of his favour; and wait for a greater power of his Holy Spirit; and vehemently long to be more transformed and changed into his Image. What was it but this, that made David ſay, Pſal. 42.1. As the Hart panteth after the Water-brooks, ſo panteth my Soul after thee, O God? The chaſed Deer in a great Forreſt, and in the midſt of Summer did not more long after the ſtreames of Water, than this good Man (being it is likely in the Wilderneſs of Judah, and ſo denyed the favour of going to the Tabernacle of God) did ardently deſire the happineſs which there he had ſometime taſted in the Divine Preſence. He opens his mouth, and pants after this with a thirſt ſo vehement, that it makes him cry out in the following words, O when ſhall I come and appear before God? It is the heat of that Creature (to whoſe pantings David compares the longings of his Soul) which is the cauſe of its thirſt; and that being a conſtant deſire, which goes not off by continuance, as many inconveniences do, but rather more encreaſes, it beares the greater reſemblance to this Divine paſſion of love; whoſe fervours and ardent longings are perpetual, and do not abate by length of time, but grow ſtill greater and greater. There is nothing ſo likely as this, to enable us to fulfil that exhortation of the Apoſtle, Pray without ceaſing, and to make us importunate and unwearied in it; which are the two qualifications our Saviour requires in our devout addreſſes to God, Luk. 18.1. Where you read a Parable of his to this end, that Men ought alwayes to pray, and not faint. It marvelouſly diſpoſes us alſo for the Divine favour, by moving us to quit all that is inconſiſtent with our deſires, in hope of that which we pray God to beſtow upon us. There was a Monarch, you have heard perhaps, who offered his Kingdome for a Cup of cold Water, in a time of extreme thirſt. And therefore what is it which the heat of this heavenly affection will not make us reſign to God and abſolutely part withall, that it may obtain its Petitions, and have its deſires ſatisfied? Beſides it hath one wonderful power in it (which nothing elſe can furniſh us withall) to make our Prayers prevalent; and that is by fixing our thoughts, and faſtning our minds to the buſineſs which we are about. For love, you know, doth not willingly ſtir from the Object to which it is devoted. It is this flame which keeps our heart cloſe to the Holy Sacrifice, and will not eaſily ſuffer us to wander from the Gate of Heaven. It ſets us in the Preſence of God; it keeps our eye upon him; it makes us converſe attentively with him; and while the power of it laſts, our very hearts are tyed to him, and cannot go aſide from him. But as ſoon as ever it begins to dye or decay, then it is that the mind ſteales away, and gads about the World; till this flame revive again, and make us fly back to the Altar of God. The beſt Soul that is, I confeſs, may feel ſome looſneſs and diſtraction of ſpirit; (eſpecially at ſome untoward ſeaſon) ſome aſhes may dim and dull the Fire: but yet this love and ardent deſire will keep the greater part of our thoughts together, and knit our heart ſo to our duty, that there ſhall be no long nor wide breaches in it; but it ſhall ſtill be ſtrong, and fervent, and effectual with our Heavenly Father.
Thus you ſee how wiſely theſe two are joyned together by St. Jude, v. 20. Who after he had exhorted the Faithful to Pray in the Holy Ghoſt, immediately bids them, keep themſelves in the love of God. There is nothing comparable to this, to inſpire us with devout and earneſt deſires. And it hath an equal force alſo to excite us to Praiſe and Acknowledg our great Benefactor, who gives us ſo many good things, even before we deſire them. Do you not ſee how Men delight to commend, extol and magnify that they love? And how laviſhly they are wont ſometime to beſtow thoſe praiſes? There is not any thing in this World ſo excellent, but they will borrow a Metaphor from it, wherewith to adorn their beloved. They go to the precious ſtones and to the ſtars nay to the Sun it ſelf to fetch ſome luſtre from them for their expreſſions. And more than this, it's uſual with love (as every one may obſerve) to go beyond the nature and value of things, and to make thoſe hyperboles not uncomely, which in other caſes are ridiculous. And as for gratitude, we are all ſenſible that nothing is ſo acknowledging as love: Every favour it eſteems a Treaſure; and ſtudies all means to expreſs its reſentments. So that if it become a divine paſſion, you may learn from King David, how much it will diſpoſe our hearts to admire and extol the perfections of God, and excite us to give him thanks, becauſe he is good, and his mercy endureth for ever. Do but read the beginning of the 103. Pſal. and obſerve how he calls up all the faculties of his Soul to aſſiſt in this Holy Duty of praiſing and bleſſing the Name of God. And then being conſcious to himſelf of his own diſability to offer him the praiſes that are due unto his Great and Glorious Name, you may take notice how in other places, he goes to all his Friends, and begs of them that they would joyn in conſort with him, ſaying, Pſal. 33.23. O love the Lord all ye his Saints; and 34.3. O magnifie the Lord with me, and let us exalt his Name together. Let Iſrael now ſay (Pſal. 118.) that his Mercy endureth for ever. Let the houſe of Aaron now ſay, that his Mercy endureth for ever. Let them now that fear the Lord ſay, that his Mercy endureth for ever. O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his Mercy endureth for ever. And leſt all theſe ſhould not be able to make this joyful ſound loud enough, he invites all ſtrangers to come, and help them to the diſcharge of this debt, ſaying, Pſal. 100. and 117. O make a joyful noiſe unto the Lord all ye Lands. Serve the Lord with gladneſs; and come before his Preſence with ſinging. O praiſe the Lord all ye Nations: praiſe him all ye People. For his merciful kindneſs is great towards us: and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever. Praiſe the Lord. Yea, it is frequent with him to extend his entreaties to the Angels, that they would lend him their help to acquit himſelf, 103.20. and he calls (Pſal. 148.) upon all the lower Hoſts of God, who are in the Heavens nearer us, and in the Earth alſo, that if they can do any thing, they would bear a part in his Song of Praiſe, which he compoſed in honour of him. And in the very concluſion of his Heavenly Book, that he might ſay all he could, he thus beſpeaks the voice of all things, which either by Nature or Art are framed for delight and pleaſure; Let every thing that hath breath, praiſe the Lord. All which Obſervations I thought good to annex to this Diſcourſe of the Power of Love in Prayer, becauſe, when we have ſaid all we can, there is nothing ſo prevalent for a new favour, as praiſing God, and being heartily thankful for the benefits we have already received. To which the love of God diſpoſing us ſo effectually, that it never thinks it can praiſe or acknowledg him enough, it muſt needs obtain much of the Divine Grace for us; and conſequently ſecure our obedience to him, above all other things. Eſpecially ſince,
3. Love is ever Watchful: which is another means, to be joyned with Prayer, to keep us from entering into temptation. It always hath its light burning, and its loynes girded. It is ready and forward to apprehend and imbrace any occaſion of ſerving him, to whom it is engaged. It is jealous of every thing, which would rob it of that good, which it ardently deſires. And therefore hath its eyes always open, and by reaſon of its heat will not eaſily fall aſleep; nor ſuffer that dulneſs and wearineſs to infeſt it, wherewith others are uſually ſurpriſed. I need not purſue this Argument any further, it being ſo apparent that fervent love and affection chaſes away all drowſineſs of Spirit, and makes a Man ſlip no opportunity, to do that which is pleaſing in the eyes of God. And I am the more willing to quit it, becauſe I have been ſo long in the former, and have two other Conſiderations ſtill to add.
4. One of them is (which I ſhall but briefly touch) that it will breed in us a pious confidence of the ſuccours of Gods holy Spirit, in the power of which we ſhall be able to undertake any thing that he commands. It is impoſſible to have any heart to do well, if we have not this hope rooted in us; and it is as impoſſible to doubt of it, if we feel the love of God burning in our hearts. Which is both a teſtimony of his Divine Power already working in us, and an argument that he is as willing to do any thing further for us, as we find thereby that we are, to do any thing for him. It doth not only widen the heart to impart, but alſo to receive. And the very ſame motion which carries it out towards God, and towards others in ſincere affection; brings home large aſſurances that he will abundantly communicate himſelf to it on all occaſions, for the encouraging and aſſiſting of its faithful endeavours, to do his will in every thing.
5. The other is this (which ſhall put an end to this part of my diſcourſe) that it hath no leſs power to make us fully aſſured both of the bleſſed rewards, I ſpoke of, in the other World, and of the greatneſs of them; which are the ſtrongeſt Motives to our obedience. There is nothing ſo ſharpens the ſight to diſcern, or enlarges the heart to conceive the things of God, as this doth. For God is love, as St. John tells us, and therefore he that dwells in love dwells in God, and God in him. Among all the goods of this World, we find no where ſuch repoſe and quiet, as in hearty love and true friendſhip. Nothing give us ſuch a taſte of pleaſure, and, if the Object be worthy, ſuch ſatisfaction. Of two it makes one, ſo that they communicate in each others happineſs. And this ſatisfaction is wont to make them forget all other things, at that inſtant: For love is of ſuch a nature, that it endeavours to take up all the room in the heart, and would leave none for any thing elſe; that it may be intirely and wholly poſſeſſed of that which it loves. And therefore when it is turned towards God, and ſettles it ſelf in him, it muſt needs give us a lively ſenſe of future bliſs, by uniteing our hearts, and gathering up our minds (as I may ſpeak) wholly unto it. It participates with that ſupreme good, to which it is united. It carries in it ſelf a great deal of the life of God; it is a part of Heaven, and the buſineſs of the other World. But beſides the ſolace which is inſeparable from it, there is this remarkable property in the paſſion of love; that it ſtrangely diſpoſes us to believe all the kind expreſſions of our friends, and makes us eaſily receive whatever they ſay, for certain truth. Upon which account the love of God will incline us, above all other things to entertain every thing that he ſhall communicate of his mind unto us. And there is nothing ſo great, nothing ſo magnificent declared in the Goſpel of his Grace, but he that loves God will preſently believe it, and lay it up in his heart, as a ſingular expreſſion of his divine favour. For he feels by the power and force of this affection in his own heart, what God is enclined to do for thoſe, whom he loves and takes delight in; though it ſeem incredible to other Men. And therefore, as it doth not poſe his belief who loves God, when he hears that the Word was made Fleſh for the good of men; that the fulneſs of the God-head dwelt bodily in Jeſus; that he dyed for ſinners, and lay'd down his life for the Redemption of Enemies: So the Reſurrection of Chriſt from the dead, his Aſcenſion to Heaven, the exaltation of our Nature, in his Perſon, at Gods right hand, the Glory and Majeſty in which he is ſaid to ſhine there, and in which we are told we ſhall at laſt appear together with him, are no riddles nor incredible things to him. No; Love ſees him there preparing a place for us, making all ready for the joyful Marriage to be celebrated in his glorious Kingdome, coming in the Clouds of Heaven to call us up thither, and to advance all his Subjects to reign, as ſo many Kings, together with him. This makes a man preſently underſtand how God ſhould deſign to reward our poor endeavours (thoſe ſervices to which we ſtand obliged, though but weakly performed) with an everlaſting inheritance. How he ſhould compenſate our preſent ſufferings which are but for a moment, and not worthy to be named, with a far more exceeding Eternal weight of Glory. Hyperbole's go down eaſily with this Mans Faith. He can believe beyond them all, and ſee what is far beyond, that far more exceeding Eternal weight of Glory, as the Apoſtles words import, 2 Cor. 4.17. He is aſſured the love of Heaven will enkindle a new life in our dead aſhes. He beholds it ſublimating this earth, to an Heavenly ſtate. And can well conceive this thick Clay ſhining as the Sun, and made like to the glorious Body of Chriſt: This Soul alſo, as pure as the light, ſaluting its new born Body, and, poſſeſſed with a mighty love, rejoycing for ever in Gods bounteous kindneſs to it. All this it ſees, nay feels; being already filled, as St. Paul ſpeaks, with all the fulneſs of God. For it feeling, Firſt, what a vaſt difference there is between it ſelf now, and what it was before, when it was pent up in ſcant and narrow affection to theſe petty goods here below, makes no doubt there may be as wide a difference between what it ſhall be hereafter, and what it is now. It preſently concludes, that the ſame powerful goodneſs which rouſed up, and called forth its ſleepy thoughts and drowſie deſires towards it ſelf, can ſtill further awaken and raiſe all its faculties to a more quick and lively ſenſe: or call forth ſome hidden power and vertue in the Soul, which hath as yet no more appeared, than thoſe motions which now it feeles did, before it was touched by his Almighty hand. And Secondly, finding its own nature by this touch of the Divine Love made ſo free and benign, ſo abundant and overflowing in kind affection to others, ſo open-hearted and gracious, it concludes that the Almighty goodneſs not only can but will do more for it; and confidently expects to be lifted up to an higher ſtate of bliſs, proportionable to the ſuperabundant kindneſs of that moſt excellent Nature, which hath produced already ſuch good inclinations in it. It is impoſſible for a Man to be under the power of love, to feel the huge force of its flames, to perceive of what a ſpreading and communicative Nature it is; and not conceive very magnificently of the bounty of God, and have a faith in him as large and capacious as his love.
Love God therefore, My Friend, as much as ever you can; with the greateſt paſſion and moſt ardent affection: and you ſhall find Heaven coming apace into you, and taſte the good things of the promiſed World to come. You ſhall not only gueſs at your future ſtate, and make conjectures about it: but in ſome meaſure know and feel the all-filling joy of our Lord, and poſſeſs that quiet, tranquillity and peace, which paſſeth all underſtanding. For this Divine love is the right ſenſe whereby Heavenly things are apprehended. It is that which fits the mind rightly to underſtand, and the will firmly to believe thoſe great and tranſcendent things, which the Scripture reports, as the portion of the Saints in light. It gives us a ſight of things as much differing from all other, which we have meerly by dry reaſoning, and which we ſpin out by thoughtful Diſcourſes, as the ſight of a great beauty before our Eyes, differs from the deſcription of it, which we read in a Book: or as the warmth of fire on the hearth, doth from that we ſee in a Picture; which cannot looſen and inliven our ſtark and benummed Joynts. And if you would love God, I have told you the ready way to it; which is by preſerving in your mind a conſtant and lively ſenſe of his infinite love and good will already expreſſed to you: for this will naturally and eaſily produce a reciprocal love to him; and that will make you look for more of his mercy, even to Eternal Life. This you underſtand ſo well, that I ſhall not ſay a word to you more about it; but proceed to the next, when I have left a few words with you to ſay to God.
A PRAYER.
O God, how great is thy love! how excellent is thy loving kindneſs towards us thy unworthy Creatures! To whom thou takeſt ſuch pleaſure in communicating thy bleſſings, that thou doſt not stay till we ask them of thee, but poureſt them down plentifully before and beyond all our deſires. O the inconceivable depth of that love, from whence thy Son Jeſus was ſent to dwell among us! who hath done ſo much for us, that he hath left us nothing to do, but to conſider and lay to heart thy love, which hath ſo marvelouſly abounded towards us. For all things, I know, are eaſie and pleaſant to thoſe that love Thee. Great Peace have they that love thy Law: and nothing ſhall offend them. O poſſeſs this heart, which opens it ſelf to thy gracious influences, with ſuch a mighty love to thee, as may ſet Thee alway before me; and carry forth my Soul in ardent deſires after thee; and fill me with an humble confidence in thee; and make me watchful, active and zealous in my duty; and never ſuffer me to diſtruſt thy pitty and indulgence when I unwillingly offend thee; and aſſure me of thy kind intentions in all the croſs accidents of this life, which are moſt offenſive to me.
I doubt not, O Lord, of a power from above continually to attend me, now that I feel thy love ſo strong and powerful in me. I believe thou wilt do more for me, both here and eternally, than heart can conceive. O how great things haſt thou laid up for thoſe that fear thee! O the heighth of that joy which thou haſt ſet before us, to encourage us in our Chriſtian race! O the comfort of thoſe gracious words, which promiſe us, after our ſhort pains and trouble here, a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory! How pleaſant is it to wait for thy Son Jeſus from Heaven, to give a Crown of righteouſneſs to me, and to all thoſe that love his appearing! Preſerve, I beſeech thee, this holy love and faith moſt freſh and lively in my heart, to my great increaſe in all the fruits of righteouſneſs, which are by Chriſt Jeſus unto thy glory and praiſe. Maintain in me ſuch chearful thoughts of thee, that Religion may be my delight, as much as it is my duty; and I may alway approach unto Thee with a joyful heart, being glad to leave the company of all other things, to go to thee, my God, my exceeding joy. Reconcile me ſo perfectly to every other part of my Chriſtian duty, that all the actions of an holy life may be but ſo many motions of hearty love to thee; and I may ſo feel the eaſe and ſatisfaction of all well doing, as to love and delight the more in thee, whoſe wayes are wayes of pleaſantneſs, and all whoſe paths are Peace.
I am ſenſible of the uncertainty of all things elſe, but only of thy love, which will inſpire me, I hope, to behave my ſelf worthy of the greatneſs of it, in every state and condition of life. O that in proſperity I may think I have an opportunity to ſhow, how much I love Thee above the World, by exerciſing humility, heavenly-mindedneſs, charity, temperance and purity: and in adverſity, how much I love thee more than my ſelf, by expreſſing all patience, meekneſs, forgiveneſs of others, chearful ſubmiſſion to Thee and confidence in Thee, with thankfulneſs for all thy paſt and remaining mercies. Be they always acknowledged, and never forgotten by me. For which end I again conſecrate my Soul to be thy holy Temple, wherein may dwell continually pious and religious thoughts; devout Meditations of Thee, and remembrance of thy loving kindneſs; intire love to Thee, ſending up perpetual Hymnes of Praiſe and Thankſgiving, together with the conſtant ſacrifice of an humble and obedient heart. That ſo I may be filled with the comfort and joy of the Holy Ghoſt at preſent; and hereafter be admitted into the fellowſhip of Saints and Angels, with them to rejoyce and praiſe Thee, in fulneſs of love, World without end.
Amen.