Practical Discourses Volume 2, Discourse 1

Practical Discourses Volume 2 · Discourse 1

p. 11 JOHN V.3.

For this is the love of God, that we keep his Commandments; and his Commandments are not grievous.

IN the first Verse the Apostle asserts, that whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ, that is, so believes as to act suitable to his Belief, is born of God; he is become a Child of God by partaking of his Nature, and stamped with his Likeness; and every one that loveth him that begat, i. e. God his Heavenly Father, loveth him also that is begotten of him, hath a true hearty Kindness for all that are God's Children. And then in the second Verse, by this, saith he, we know that we love the Children of God, and consequently that we are born of God, if we love God and keep his Commandments; that is, if we so love him as to keep his Commandments. And indeed, if we do not so love him, we do not love him at all, and consequently we do not love his Children, nor are we his Children our selves; of which he gives a full Proof in the Text; for this is the love of God, that p. 2we keep his Commandments; and his Commandments are not grievous.

In which Words, you have First an Account of the Love of God, what it is; This is the love of God, that we keep his Commandments: and Secondly, a Motive to engage us to the Practice of it, and his Commandments are not grievous.

I begin with the first of these, the Account of this Love of God, what it is; This is the Love of God, that we keep his Commandments. By the Love of God here we are not to understand God's Love to us, but our Love to God, as is plain by this, because 'tis placed in our keeping his Commandments. This is the Love of God, that is, this is the natural Effect and proper Exercise of the Love of God; for it is certain that keeping God's Commandments is not the Affection of Love to him, but the Effect of it. So that the Meaning of the Words is this, this is the most genuine Expression and inseparable Effect of our Love of God, that we obey his Laws. And hence our Saviour makes this the proper Tryal and Proof of our Love to him, If ye love me, keep my Commandments, John xiv.15. for this he tells us, ver. 23. is the necessary Consequence of our Love to him; If any man love me, he will keep my words, i. e. this will p. 3most certainly be the Effect of his Love to me, that he will be obedient to my Will. And by this he plainly tells us he will judge of the Sincerity of our Friendship to him, John xv.14. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. From all which it is evident, that the most proper and characteristical Expression of our Love to God, is our keeping his Commandments. And indeed considering that God is our Soveraign Lawgiver, there are no Actions by which we can so naturally express our Affection to him, as by those of Obedience and Submission to his Laws; and therefore we find in Scripture, that to love God, and obey his Laws, and to hate God and disobey them, are generally used promiscuously for one another, and that for very good reason; for here our Love and Hatred of God are not considered as conversant about God as God (in which sense perhaps there is no Creature in the World can be said to hate him) but as conversant about him as Lord and Governour of the World; as he gives Laws to Mankind, whereby he commands them what to do, and forbids them what to avoid. And in this Sense, to love God is to love him as Governing and Commanding, and as such, we can no otherwise express our Love to him, but by p. 4keeping his Commandments. But for the farther clearing of this, I shall in Prosecution of the Argument do these two Things:

I. Shew you that wheresoever the Love of God is, it will most certainly prove a Principle of Obedience to him.

II. That the Love of God is in it self the most perfect and effectual Principle of Obedience.

1. That wheresoever the Love of God is, it will most certainly prove a Principle of Obedience to him. And this, I doubt not, will evidently appear, if we consider that all the natural Expressions of our Love, as it is terminated upon God, do of their own accord finally resolve themselves into Obedience to his Will. For Love, wheresoever it is hearty and sincere, always expresses it self in such Symptoms as these;

1. In industriously endeavouring to resemble the Beloved.

2. In conforming the Will, Designs, and Intentions, to the Will, and Designs, and Intentions of the Beloved.

3. In a solicitous Care of avoiding those Things which may any ways displease or distaste the Beloved.

4. In a chearful Readiness to undergo any thing, be it never so hard or difficult, for the sake of the Beloved. All which p. 5Expressions of our Love, when it is terminated upon God, do most naturally run into Obedience to his Will.

1. If we love God, our Love will express it self in endeavouring to resemble him. For every Man esteems what he loves to be lovely, and we naturally wish that that were in our selves which we esteem to be lovely in another; that so being like him, we may appear as lovely in his Eyes as he doth in ours. And so if we love God, we must necessarily esteem him exceeding lovely and amiable, and that which we esteem and love as lovely in him, we cannot but wish for and desire in our selves out of a natural Affectation of Loveliness: And that he may have the same Reason to love us as we have to love him, we must needs desire to resemble him in all those amiable Things that do endear him to us. But now those Beauties in God being all of them only moral, which are the immediate Objects of our Love to him, are capable of being transcribed by Imitation, and made ours by copying and writing after them in our Actions; so that if we heartily desire to partake of them, our Desire will necessarily engage us to imitate them; for how can we be said heartily to desire that Good which we may have, but will p. 6take no Care to acquire? I confess, did we love him for his Eternity, or his Power, or his Immensity, we might wish to be like him, but all in vain; because in these Perfections we are not capable of imitating him: But the Beauties for which we love him, are his Goodness, and Wisdom, and Righteousness, and Mercy, and the like; all which being imitable by us, we may, if we please, derive into our selves, and transcribe into our own Natures. So that if we love God, we must necessarily desire to resemble him in those Things for which we love him; and those things being all of an imitable nature, our Desire of resembling him will oblige and excite us to a careful and constant Imitation of him. But now to obey God, and to imitate him in those Moral Perfections for which we love him, are one and the same thing. Thus when I obey God in being universally just and righteous towards himself and all his Creation, I imitate him in that essential Justice and Equity of his Nature, which is the eternal Rule of all his Actions. When I obey him in doing good to all that are within the Reach of my Charity, I imitate him in the overflowing Bounty and unlimited Goodness of his Nature. In a word, when I obey him in forgiving those that injure p. 7me, I imitate him in his boundless Mercy, and Readiness to forgive Offenders. And in fine, all our Obedience is comprehended in being pure as he is pure, and holy as he is holy; in being good as he is good, just as he is just, merciful as he is merciful: For though the Acts and Expressions of these Moral Perfections in us are in many Instances different from what they are in God, by reason of that Difference of Natures, Relations, and Circumstances that there is between him and us; yet the Perfections in general are of the same kind in him and us, though the particular Expressions of them are various by reason of those accidental Differences. For though he doth not do all those particular Actions which he requires of us, and consequently we in doing those Actions cannot be said to imitate the same Actions in God; yet we imitate God in the general, in doing those Actions which he himself would have done, had he had our Natures, and been in our Relations and Circumstances. Thus God doth not pray, because he hath none superior to him; nor humble himself, because he is infinitely great and perfect; nor practise Chastity and Temperance, because he is a pure Spirit, and hath no Commerce with bodily Affections; and consequently we in p. 8doing of these Actions cannot be said to imitate the same Actions in God, because he doth not the same. But he constantly doth whatsoever is reasonable for him to do as God, and as Governour of the World, and never varies in the least Punctilio from the eternal Rules of Equity and Goodness; by which he gives a glorious Example unto all his Reasonable Creatures, to excite both Angels and Men to do what is fit and reasonable for them in their several States and Relations: And what is reasonable for us Men to do, he hath declared to us in his Laws; so that by obeying his Laws we imitate God in the general, by doing what is reasonable for us; though what is reasonable for God and us, whose Natures and Relations are so different, be not the same in all particular Instances. So that in general you see, to obey and imitate God is but the same Thing in other Words. Wherefore since the Love of God doth necessarily include a Desire of resembling him, and that Desire necessarily produces a constant and vigorous Imitation of him, and that Imitation is all one with obeying him; it hence necessarily follows, that if our Love of him be sincere, it must finally resolve into Obedience. For how can I love God, and not think him lovely? How can I p. 9think him lovely, and not desire to be like him? How can I desire to be like him, and not take Care to imitate him? And how else can I imitate him, but by obeying him?

2. If we love God, our Love will conform our Wills, Designs, and Intentions to the Will, Designs, and Intentions of God. For Love always unites the Will of the Lover to the Will of the Beloved; and if it be mutual, it twists them together into one Will, and confounds all their Discords into a perfect Harmony; because Love doth necessarily conclude in it Benevolence, which consists in an unfeigned Will that all may go well with him whom we love; that he may enjoy every Good that he wills, and accomplish every Desire, Design, and Intention, so far as it is good and reasonable for him. So that supposing that the Beloved be but his own Friend, that he wills and designs and pursues nothing but what is really good and grateful to him; the Lover, as such, ought necessarily to conspire with him in the same Will, and Designs, and Pursuits. If therefore we heartily love God, we cannot but will what he wills, and design and intend what he intends and designs; every Motion of that first great Mover will be an effectual Law to govern all p. 10our Motions, and our Wills, and Desires, and Designs, and Intentions, like the lesser Wheels of an Automaton, will presently run at the first Impulse of that great Master-Wheel without the least Rub or Hesitation, and in despite of all the Contentions of a rebellious Flesh, and all the Counter-strivings of a perverse ungovernable Heart, our Love will so captivate our Wills to God's, that between him and us there will be but one Will, and End, and Interest. And our Wills being thus subjected to him by the invincible Necessity of Love, all our inferior Powers, like smaller Garrisons when the Master-Fort is taken, will presently surrender of their own accord. For no Man can be a Rebel to God whether he will or no; because the Will is the commanding Principle, and hath such an absolute Empire over all our Actions, that 'tis impossible for us to do what we will not. So that if we will and design what God wills and designs, our Practice must necessarily be conformable to his Will, so far as we know and understand it; for as God's Will gives Law to ours, so our Will gives Law to our Actions, and so by consequence the Will of God must be the Soveraign Law whereby both are regulated and determined. From hence therefore it is evident, p. 11that if we sincerely love God, we shall will as he wills; and that if we will as he wills, we shall act as he would have us; and therefore for any Man to say that he loves God while he wills contrary to his Will, or that his Will is reconciled to God's while he acts contrary to his Commands, is gross Hypocrisy and deep Dissimulation: For as the Love of God resolves necessarily into an Union of Wills with him, so that Union of Wills resolves necessarily into Obedience to his Laws.

3. If we love God, that Love will express it self in a solicitous Care of avoiding every Thing that may displease or distaste him. For the greatest Ambition of Love is to appear lovely and amiable in the Eyes of its Beloved; and that it may do so, it doth most studiously avoid whatsoever may be displeasing or distastful to it; and most industriously endeavours to adorn it self with all those obliging Graces that are apt to endear and recommend it. And so if we love God we cannot but desire to be lovely in his Eyes; and that Desire, if it be sincere and hearty, must necessarily engage us to an endeavour of acquiring whatsoever is amiable and pleasing, and of avoiding whatsoever is hateful and grievous to him. But now Vertue and true Goodness p. 12are the only Beauties that do endear us to God, and render us lovely in his Eyes, and Sin and Wickedness the only Deformities for which he hates and abhors us: For his Love and Hatred are not regulated like ours, by the unaccountable Impulses of a mutable Fancy, but by steady and eternal Rules; so that he can never love what he once hated, nor hate what he once loved. For the Immutability of God's Love and Hatred consists not in this, that he always loves and hates the same Persons, but that he always loves and hates Persons for the same Reason and Motive. And indeed that Love is but a foolish Fondness, that Hatred but an unreasonable Antipathy, that, without any reasonable Motive, always determines on the same Person: And if God loves and hates our Persons upon reasonable Motives, his Love and Hatred would be fickle and mutable, if when those Motives cease his Love and Hatred should continue. If he should continue to love us when the Reason is wholly ceased that first moved him thereunto, he must either love us for no Reason, which would be a foolish Fondness, or he must love us for contrary Reasons, which would be Fickleness and Inconstancy: And therefore when God ceases to love and hate the same Persons p. 13when the Reason of his loving and hating them ceases, it proceeds not from the Inconstancy, but the Immutability of his Love and Hatred; for though they may change their Objects, yet they can never change their Reasons. For the Reasons of God's Love and Hatred are in the Objects whom he loves and hates; and therefore if he changes the Objects of his Love and Hatred, and when they themselves are changed, if he love a Person whom he hated when that Person is changed from hateful to lovely; or hate a Person whom he loved when that Person is changed from lovely to hateful; it is not he that changes, but the Persons who are the Objects of his Love or his Hatred: For amidst all Changes of Objects, his Love and Hatred are eternally the same, because they are eternally fixed and determined to the same Reasons. But now his Love being naturally founded in Likeness, what can we suppose should be the Reason of God's Love or Hatred to us, but only our Likeness or Vnlikeness to himself? For if we resemble him in that Goodness, and Truth, and Purity, and Justice, which are essential to his Nature, he must needs love us for his own sake, because we partake of his Nature, and are allied to him by a Similitude of Temper and Perfections. But then p. 14when we are not only unlike, but contrary to him; when we are impure, spightful, and malicious; when we are false, unrighteous, and unreasonable; he hath an Antipathy against us founded in his very Nature, and he can no more love us whilst we are so contrarily disposed to him, than he can hate himself. Wherefore since there is nothing can render us lovely in God's Eyes but only our resembling him in Purity and Goodness, nothing can render us hateful, offensive, and distastful to him, but our being impure, and wicked, and unlike him; it hence necessarily follows, that we can no otherwise render our selves amiable to him, no otherwise avoid offending and grieving him, but only by keeping his Commandments; for therein all those Graces are enjoined wherein our Resemblance of him consists; and all those Vices are forbid that are contrary to him, and do deform us in his Eyes. So that by doing his Will, we imitate his Nature; and shall acquire such a god-like Temper of Mind, as will render us more glorious and lovely in his Esteem, than if we were decked with Stars, or cloathed in a Robe of Sun-beams; whereas on the contrary, by disobeying his Will we contract such an Vnlikeness and Contrariety to him, as renders us more offensive to him p. 15than the most loathsome Deformities in Nature. For in God's eyes there is nothing ugly but Sin, nothing amiable but Virtue and true Goodness. Wherefore since our Love of God necessarily includes an earnest Desire of rendring our selves lovely and amiable in his Esteem, and since we have no other way to accomplish this Desire but only by keeping his Commandments; it hence necessarily follows, that we cannot sincerely love him whilst we disobey him. For with what Confidence can we pretend to love him, when it is indifferent to us whether we render our selves lovely or loathsome to him; when by disobeying his Will we wilfully contract those Deformities which we know he abhors, and which are more odious in his Eyes than any of the most loathsome Spectacles in Nature? Is it possible that true Love should consist with taking Pleasure in the only Things that can grieve and offend its Object? Or were there ever such Lovers heard of, that affected the Deformities that were most hateful to the Beloved? No, no; he that heartily loves, must desire to be beloved; and he that desires to be beloved, must desire to be lovely. Wherefore since nothing is lovely in God's Eyes but what is like God, and we cannot be like him, unless we keep his p. 16Commandments; what an Immodesty is it in us to pretend to love him while we chuse to disobey him?

4. And lastly, If we love God sincerely, we shall be ready chearfully to undergo any Thing for his sake, be it never so hard and difficult: For Love is a bold and vigorous Passion, it makes weak Things strong, and turns Cowards into Heroes, and warms and animates the Heart with such a generous Fire, as disdains all Opposition, and courageously out-braves the greatest Dangers and Difficulties. For he that loves heartily would do any Thing for the sake of his Beloved; and then measuring his Strength by the Greatness of his Desires, he thinks himself able to do whatsoever he will. So strongly doth this Passion transport Nature beyond the Bounds of its Abilities, inspiring it with such Force and Vigour as that scarce any thing is able to withstand it. If therefore we love God sincerely and heartily, our Love must necessarily resolve into Obedience to his Will, be it never so hard and difficult: For our Love will so enliven and animate our Endeavours of serving him, and carry us with such Spirit and Alacrity through all the weary Stages of our Duty, that it will be our Meat and Drink to do his Will; and there is no Instance of p. 17Obedience, be it never so hard and difficult, but our Love will smother, and render it not only easy, but delightful. For what I do for him whom I love, I do for my self, his Pleasures being mine, and our Wills, and Ends, and Interests being involved in one another. So that if my Love be in any Measure intense and cordial, I shall do his Pleasure and perform his Will with the same Complacency and Delight as if I were doing my own; and whatsoever Difficulties I meet with in serving him, I shall encounter them with Joy, that I am furnished with Opportunities of expressing the Zeal and Sincerity of my Love to him. So that to pretend to love God, and yet to boggle at the Difficulties of obeying him, is the most shameful Hypocrisy in nature; for if we did as highly love him as we pretend, our Wills would be so swallowed up in his, that it would be our Joy and Recreation to serve him, and the very Thought that we are doing what is pleasing and grateful to him, would level all the Mountains of Difficulties in our way, and render them not only accessible, but easy. He therefore that stumbles at every Straw, and startles at every Difficulty in Religion, must be a notorious Hypocrite if he pretend to the Love of God: for where true Love is, p. 18Difficulty is so far from daunting it, that that animates and encourages it, and instead of blunting its Activity, whets and renders it more keen and vigorous; because the greater the Difficulty is, the greater is its Opportunity of manifesting its own Sincerity, and thereby of recommending it self to its Beloved; the Joy of which not only ballances, but endears all its Pains and Trouble. Hence the Apostle tells us, that there is no fear in love, and that perfect love casteth out fear, 1 John iv.18. It inspires us with such Bravery and Courage, that there is no Difficulty in our Obedience to him whom we love, that can daunt or terrify us. Wherefore since this is a necessary Property of the Love of God to make us ready to undergo any Thing for his sake, this also must necessarily resolve into the keeping his Commandments; for if we are willing to do any thing for God, we shall surely be willing to obey him; and though our Obedience in some Instances may be difficult, yet our Love, if it be real, will conquer its way through them all.

And thus you see how all the essential Properties of the Love of God do finally resolve into Obedience; from whence it is evident, that wheresoever the Love of God is, it will most certainly prove a Principle of Obedience.

p. 19II. I proceed now to the second Head of Discourse, which was to shew, that the Love of God is it self the most perfect Principle of Obedience. Not that I think all other Principles in their own nature bad; for God himself hath proposed other Principles of Action to us besides this of Love; he hath denounced his fearful Threatnings against us to alarm our Fear; that by that we may be moved to obey him, and propounded his glorious Promises to us to excite our Hope, that that may be a Spring and Principle of Obedience in us. And certainly that can be no bad Principle which is excited in us by divine Motives: but yet it is most certain, that there is no Principle whatsoever can be acceptable to God, that is quite separated from Love to him; for that which makes it acceptable is this, that it is a Principle of Vniversal Obedience. But now the Love of God being the greatest Instance of our Obedience, that can be no Principle of universal Obedience that is wholly separated from it. 'Tis true, the Religion of most Men begins upon a Principle either of Hope or Fear, and it cannot be denied but they are very good Beginners; but yet till by these we are induced to love God as well as to practise all other Duties, we are by no means pleasing and p. 20acceptable to him: So that though the Fear of Punishment and the Hope of Reward are good Ingredients in the Principle of our Obedience, yet till they have some Intermixtures of Love with them, they can make no Claim to the divine Acceptation. There may be indeed, and at first there generally is, much less of Love in this Principle of Obedience than of Hope and Fear, whilst yet the whole Composition is very acceptable to God; for the lowest Degree of cordial Love, intermixed with our Hope and Fear, will leaven and consecrate them into an acceptable Principle of Obedience; but still the less Love there is in it, the more weak, and languid, and imperfect it is, and in all its Progresses towards Perfection its Maturity is to be measured by the Degrees of Love that are in it; and till our Love is arrived unto that Degree of Ardency as to become the predominant Motive and Master-Ingredient in it, our State in Goodness is very slow and imperfect. So that in short, the Principle of our Obedience is more and more perfect the more of Love there is in it, and the less of Hope and Fear; and when Hope and Fear are all swallowed up in Love, and that is the sole Spring of Action within us, then it is the Principle of Heaven, and the Soul that acts p. 21and animates the Religion of the Spirits of just men made perfect. But to convince you how much our Obedience is perfected by Love, I shall briefly give you these following Instances of it:

1. It rendereth our Obedience universal and unconfined.

2. Spritely and chearful.

3. Natural and easy.

4. Constant and steady.

1. Love renders our Obedience universal and unconfined. When Men are acted only by a Principle of Fear, they must be very narrow and stingy in their Religion; for they will be sure to do no more than just what is necessary to quiet their Fears and calm their Consciences; and because they do not like what they do, but are meerly forced upon it by the Terror and Anguish of their own Minds, therefore, if they can, they will find some Way to pacify their Consciences without doing it, or at least with doing as little as may be, or with doing that only which they like best, and is most agreeable to their vitiated Tempers. Thus Persons of sour and morose Natures, when they are acted meerly by the Terrors of their Consciences, commonly betake themselves to some little affected Singularities and Severities in Religion; they will p. 22put on some distinguishing Garb, and tip their Tongues with some peculiar Phrases, and screw their Faces into a most devout and mortified Figure; they will condemn themselves to a State of Silence, and retire from all the Pleasures and most innocent Festivities of Conversation; they will frown all good Humour out of their Houses, and will not endure so much as a Smile in their Families, especially on the Lord's-Day; and take a world of Care and Pains to moap their Children into unsociable Statues, and to train them up in the Religion of pensive Looks, and solemn Faces, and ejaculated Eyes; for this is such a Reformation as is suitable to their sour and surly Natures; and therefore with this they will seek to bribe their Consciences to connive at all their black and devilish Inclinations. Thus also it is usual for Slanderers and Backbiters, contentious and censorious Persons, when they are under an Agony of Conscience, to list themselves into some Sect or Party, where, under a Pretence of being the only People of God, they may consecrate their most unhallowed Passions, and rail and backbite with Zeal and Devotion; where they may spit all their Venom in spiritual Gossiping, and freely employ the Talent of their Ill-nature in damning and censuring those they p. 23dissent from; for this is such a Conversion as best agrees with their cankerous Inclinations, so that if they can but cheat their Conscience with it, that and their beloved Lust will be very well reconciled. Thus also the covetous and griping Oppressor, when he cannot otherwise still the Cries of his Conscience, will betake himself to some of the cheaper Exercises of Religion; he will fast and pray, hear Sermons, and receive Sacraments, because all these Things he can do without intrenching upon his Vice; he can say his Prayers for nothing, and save Money by keeping a Fast, and eat and drink at the Sacrament gratis; all this is so cheap a Religion, that it costs him nothing to maintain it, and so his covetous Mind hath no Reason to grudge at it; so that if his Conscience will be but satisfied with this, his Lust and that may shake hands and be Friends. And to name no more, thus when the intemperate and lascivious Person is dogg'd by the Fears of his guilty Mind, it is usual for him to sigh and mourn, and make woful Confessions of his Sins; and when he hath done so, to endeavour to persuade himself that this is true Repentance; which if he can do, he may sin on securely, provided he doth but perpetually keep himself in this Circle of repenting and p. 24sinning, and sinning and repenting; but if he cannot so cheat himself, he will next fly to the Sanctuary of a partial Reformation, and disband the Vices he can best spare, that so he may keep his more beloved ones in Pay; hoping that by a Sacrifice of some few of his Sins, he may make an Atonement for all the rest. Thus when Men are only acted by their Fears, they will find some way or other to contract their Religion into so narrow a Compass, that it shall be sure not to intrench too far upon the Liberties of their Lusts. For he that doth a Thing out of Fear is averse to the doing it, and that Aversation will so stint and limit him, that he will contrive all Ways to do as little as he can, and still the less he is forced to do, the better he will be pleas'd.

But Love is that great Soul that acts and animates the whole Body of Religion, and equally diffuses its Influence through every Part and Member of it; for the Will of the Beloved is the Law of the Lover, and every Thing pleases him, that is pleasing to him whom he loves. So that if we love God, we shall do what he commands, because it is his Will and Pleasure; and that Reason extends equally to all as well as to any Instances of Obedience; and p. 25therefore if the Motive of our Obedience be this, that it is God's Will and Pleasure, we must necessarily obey him, so far as we understand, in every Thing that is so. For if we love God, there will be such a Consent and Harmony between his Will and ours, that we shall be best pleased with what pleases him; and being so, our Obedience will be no longer limited by any particular Likes or Dislikes of our own, which will then all vail and prostrate themselves to God's sovereign Pleasure, and so there will be nothing but that to set Limits and Bounds to our Obedience. So that then we shall be so far from contriving how to escape doing his Will, that we shall be ready to court all Opportunities of pleasing him, and be so passionately desirous of doing what we think is grateful to him, that we shall not only perform what he requires by explicite Command, but be ready to comply with the most secret Notices and Intimations of his Pleasure, and to do whatsoever we think will please him when it is performed, whether it be commanded or no.

2. Love renders our Obedience spritely and vigorous: For it is certain, there is no Passion in humane Nature so active and vigorous as that of Love▪ for in this all the p. 26other Passions are seated as in their common Root and Principle, and like so many Streams, though they run several Ways and in different Chanels, yet do they all issue out of one common Spring, and that is Love. For the Love of our selves is the Parent of all our Passions; 'tis that which makes us hate what is contrary to us, and desire and hope for whatsoever is pleasant and agreeable. And when we love any particular Object, and our Wills are pleasingly affected with the Beauty of it, if it be a Thing that is possible for us to enjoy, that excites in us a Desire of Enjoyment, if together with the Possibility there be a Probability of enjoying it, that excites Hope and Expectation; but if there be not, that excites Fear, and this Hope and Fear being exalted to their highest Degree, turn into Confidence and Desperation. If any Difficulty oppose it self to our Enjoyment, that excites Choler, and Courage, and Boldness; and if we surmount those Difficulties that hindred our Enjoyment, that excites Joy and Exultation of Mind. Thus Love, you see, as soon as it is taken with the Beauty of an Object, immediately kindles its Desires, excites its Hope and Fear, and carries the Fire into all the Passions which hold of its Empire; so that having the united Force p. 27of all the other Passions at its Beck and Command, its self must needs be extremely potent and vigorous; and consequently when it is terminated upon God, and become the reigning Principle of our Obedience to him, there is no Passion in our Natures can have that Influence upon us to make us active and vigorous in the doing of his Will, as this may reasonably be supposed to have; because when we are under the Command of Love, that having in it the Force of all our other Passions, must necessarily move and act us with all their united Influence. And when the separate Force of all our Passions, like so many single Threads, are twisted into one Cord, with what a potent, I had almost said omnipotent Vigour must they draw and attract us? When our Love of God shall all at once awaken in us the Desire and Hope of enjoying him, the Fear and Displeasure of losing him, the Resolution and Courage to charge through every Difficulty that opposes our Fruition of him; and our Obedience shall be all at once informed and animated with the united Force of all those mighty Passions; how active and vigorous must it needs be? For the Wise Man tells us, that Love is as strong as Death, Cant. viii.6. that 'tis an equal Match for the all-conquering King of p. 28Terrors, to whose Power the mightiest Things do stoop: And indeed it must needs be strong when it hath all the Force of Humane Nature in it, and is winged with the united Vigour of so many strong and active Affections. Hence the Apostle attributes a constraining Vertue to it, 2 Cor. v.14. For the Love of God constraineth us; it sweetly tyrannizes over all our Faculties; and by a willing Violence forces and captivates us into Obedience. But when a Man is acted only by a Principle of Fear, he must needs drive on heavily in the Course of his Obedience; because what a Man doth out of Fear, he would not do; so that he acts with Aversation, and moves all along counter to his own Inclinations, and hath not the joint Concurrence of his other Affections as he hath when he acts out of Love; and consequently his Passions thwarting and crossing one another, do retard and hinder each others Motions. So that though the Motion of Fear doth finally prevail, yet it is so broken and weakned by the counter-motions of Inclination, that it cannot act us with that Spriteliness and Vigour as otherwise it would do: for whilst our Fear gives Wings to us, our Inclination hangs a Clog at our Heels, which wearies those Wings, and slackens and retards their p. 29Flight. Whereas, on the contrary, when we are acted by Love, there is no Counter-motion within to let and hinder us, but all our Passions unite and conspire, and like the inferior Orbs of Heaven move harmoniously with Love the first Great-mover, because there is nothing within to check or allay it, and so we move on freely secundo flumine, with the full and uninterrupted Current of our Natures. So that Love, you see, is a most active and vigorous Soul; it makes us all Life, and Spirit, and Wing, and animates our Religion with such a spritely Flame, as nothing is able to controul or suppress. If therefore we were but once throughly informed with the Love of God, this would so enliven us, that there is nothing in Religion would be too hard for us; this would turn Toils into Recreations, and Difficulties into Pleasures, and make us so nimble and agile in our Obedience, that we should run the ways of Gods Commandments, as David said he would do, when God should enlarge his heart with the love of him, Psal. cxix.32. And whereas languid Souls, enfeebled with the want of this generous Passion, find Impossibilities, and complain of Impotencies, and make a stop; we should go on and conquer with an invincible Power. Thus Love, you see, is p. 30the most spritely and vigorous Principle of Obedience.

3. Love renders our Obedience free and chearful and voluntary. He who obeys God only from a Principle of Fear, obeys him against his Will; he takes down his Duty as sick Men do Physick, with Loathing and Reluctancy, and only submits to it as a more tolerable Penance than the present Horror that he feels, and the after-Damnation that he fears; he only chuses it as the least of two Evils, that is, as a Thing that he hates, though not in so great a Degree as he doth those greater Evils which he knows are inseparable to his not chusing it: And while it is thus with him, it is impossible he should obey with any Freedom or Alacrity. For how can a Man chearfully comply with what he hates, or become a Volunteer to that which is his Torment? He may labour indeed at his Duty, and tug hard, like a Gally-slave, at the Oar, but alas! 'tis sore against his Will; he would fain be at his Lust again, but that he is chained to his Duty, and kept in Awe by that flaming Scourge that is held over him; so that he is perfectly pressed to serve God, and like an unwilling Victim is dragged to his Altars. Now though this may be a good Beginning of Religion, which through the p. 31Passion of Fear doth usually make its first Entrance into the Soul, yet if it stop here, and doth not pass forwards into Love, it is but half way, and will never be able to obtain an entire Possession. For whilst we obey God meerly out of Fear, we want one half of our Religion, and that is Love, which is that Half too wherein the Subjection of our Souls to God consisteth; for while we only fear him, that may constrain us to an eternal Homage and Obedience; but 'tis Love alone that can inthrone him in our Wills, and make us Volunteers in his Service. But when once this divine Fire is inkindled within our Breasts, it will by Degrees melt away all our secret Repugnancies and Aversations to our Duty, and so mould and temper our Wills to the Will of God, that at last our Obedience will be no longer a Burthen to us, but we shall run to our Duty with the same Complacency and Delight, as we do now to our Pleasures and Recreations, and do the Will of our Father upon Earth as it is done by our Brethren in Heaven; who being all inflamed with Love to him, do find a Heaven of Joys in serving and adoring him. For if we did heartily love God, 'tis impossible but we should feel a Pleasure in pleasing him; our Wills would so sympathize p. 32with his, that we should feel his Joys and taste his Pleasures; and those Things only would be irksom and ungrateful to us, which we know do grieve and distaste him. For Love turns Service into Wages, and pays her self with the Pleasures of pleasing; she counts all Commands Favours, and is highly satisfied with the Honour of obeying; and if she can but accomplish the Pleasure of her Beloved, she thinks her self wholly recompensed for all her tedious Toils and Labours. And certainly if our Souls were but inspired with any considerable Degrees of this Heavenly Passion, we should find such Pleasure in pleasing God, as would for ever engage us to serve him; for then every Service that we rendred him would be a free Sally of an enamoured Will, and so our Hearts would be wrapp'd up in every Duty, and our Souls would still be ascending Heavenwards, like the Angel that appeared to Manoah, in the Flames of all our Sacrifices. So that this Excellency also Love hath above all other Principles of Obedience, that it renders our Obedience most free, most chearful, and voluntary.

4. And lastly, Love renders our Obedience constant and steady. When a Man's Religion is only animated with Fear, as it p. 33is weak and languid while it lives, so it generally hastens to an untimely Period. For Fear is a Passion so burthensom to humane Nature, that we cannot but desire to quit and discharge our selves of it as soon as possible may be; and accordingly the Apostle tells us, that there is torment in Fear, 1 Joh. 4.18. for it separates the Soul from the Enjoyment of her self, and gives such an ungrateful Tang to all her Pleasures, that she can find no Rest or Satisfaction in any Thing so long as she is haunted with it. Now when that which is the Principle of our Religion is a Burthen to us, we cannot but endeavour, if possible, to ease our selves of it; which we cannot otherwise do, but either by going forwards to Love, or by returning back again to sinful Presumption. For as for Fear, it is like the Wilderness through which Israel passed, a Place where there is no abiding with Content and Satisfaction; so that we must go back again into Egypt, or forwards to Canaan, or be content to sit down in Misery and Disquiet. For we can never be at Rest, till our Fear is either sweetned with an Intermixture of Love, or stifled with vain Hopes and ungrounded Presumptions: And there being so many Arts of Self-deceiving in the World, and skinning over the Wounds of Conscience, if Men do not speedily cure p. 34their Fear by Love, they will soon find some other Way to extinguish it; either they will promise their Consciences a future Amendment, or else they will presently amend by Halves, or else they will take Sanctuary in some false Notions in Religion, that tend to secure them in their Sins, and render them quietly wicked: These or some other Ways they will find to quit themselves of this troublesome Passion; and then when the Weights of their Fear are down, the Wheels of their Religion will stand still immediately. So that you plainly see, that bare Fear can never be a lasting and steady Principle of Religion; and that because it is so troublesome, that Men will not long have the Patience to endure it.

But as for Love, that is naturally a most sweet and grateful Passion; it sooths and ravishes the Heart, and puts the Spirits into a brisk and generous Motion; and so long as it continues pure Love, is always attended with Joy and Pleasure: And being so in it self, it is much more so when it is terminated upon God. For all the Disquietudes of Love arise from the Imperfections of its Object; either the Person beloved is coy and cruel, which imbitters the Love with Sorrow and Regret; or else he is fickle and inconstant, which inflames it with Rage and Jealousy. But when p. 35our Love fixes upon God, it hath neither of these Causes of Disturbance; for he is infinitely loving unto all that love him, and he never changes the Objects of his Love, unless they change, and prove fickle and unconstant in their Affection to him. For whilst he hath the same Reason to love, his Love is always the same, and is as constant and immutable as his Being. So that in the Love of God there is no Reason for any of those Griefs and Jealousies that are so commonly intermingled with carnal Loves and Affections; for it being fixed upon an Object that doth so well deserve, and will so amply requite it, it can find nothing there but infinite Causes of Pleasure and Complacency: For the Object of our Love being infinitely lovely, and infinitely loving, the Affection must needs be unspeakably pleasing and grateful. So that the Love of God, you see, must needs be sweet and serene, and productive of the most delightful and ravishing Emotions, there being nothing in him but what tends to its greatest Content and Satisfaction; and being so, it must necessarily prove a most lasting Principle of Obedience to him; because wheresoever it is, it is always attended with such substantial Pleasures and Delights, that there can be no Temptation to extinguish it; for so long as we feel nothing p. 36in it but what is highly grateful to our Natures, we shall be so far from using Arts to quit our selves of it, that we shall think it our greatest Interest to promote and increase it. For still the more we love him, the better we shall be pleased; and the better we are pleased, the more we shall endeavour to love him: And so our Pleasure and our Love will mutually provoke and augment one another, till both are arrived to the utmost Height of their Perfection. Thus the Love of God, you see, is a lasting Principle; 'tis a Fire that can live upon the Fuel which it self creates; and maintain it self for ever in Strength and Vigour, by feeding upon the Joys and Pleasures which it produces: So that if this be the Principle upon which we do obey, our Religion must needs be lasting and steady; because it is acted and animated by a Principle that is so.

Having thus demonstrated the Proposition in the Text, That wheresoever the Love of God is, it will express it self in Obedience to his Will; I shall now conclude the whole with some practical Inferences.

1. From hence I infer, how necessary it is to the very Being of Religion, to keep up good Thoughts of God in the World; because without such, Men will never be able to love him; and without Love, they will never be p. 37reduced to a through Submission to his heavenly Will. For it is by Love alone that God reigns in our Hearts, and doth both acquire and preserve the Empire of our Souls. We may be awed into a forced and fawning Submission, meerly by the Dread and Terror of his Power, and be obliged to serve him, as the Indians do the Devil, for fear he should do us a Mischief, and tear us in pieces; but this is meerly the Religion of Slaves, who are forced to undergo one Evil for fear of another, and to do what they hate for fear of suffering what they cannot endure. And as Slaves do generally hate those whom they fear, and even whilst they are fawning and cringing to their imperious Masters, had much rather cut their Throats if they could do it with safety; so when Men are acted in their Obedience to God meerly by a slavish Dread of his Vengeance, they generally hate him whilst they obey him; and if it were in their power, would rather ungod him, and pull him down from his Throne, than render him those Homages which they dare not with-hold. Now is it possible, that he who knows the Hearts of Men, and sees the inmost Workings of their Minds, should ever be pleased with such a base and sordid Religion; a Religion that is conjoyned with such an inveterate Hatred to his Person and Government, p. 38and restrains Men only by the Fear of Punishment from flying in his Face; a Religion that is wholly founded in Passion, that causes us to hate him, as well as to fawn upon him; that carries in it a secret Antipathy to his Nature and his Laws, and would much rather vent it self in an open Rebellion, than in a forced Submission, had it but Power enough to defend it self from his Fury? And yet this is the best Religion that Mankind is capable of without the Love of God. So that if ever we intend to keep up a generous Religion in our Souls, such as becomes free-born Minds to offer to the great Sovereign of the World; we must be sure to purge out all those sower and rigid Notions of God that represent him any ways unlovely to us.

2ly. Hence I infer, how miserably those Men are mistaken, that make any Thing a Sign of their Love to God, but what tends to their keeping his Commandments. There are too many Persons that are apt to measure their Affection to God and Christ by the meer Impressions of sensitive Passion, because upon some moving and affecting Representations of those amiable Objects, they feel in themselves the same sensitive Emotions as they are wont to do when they fall in Love with other Things; that is, if they feel their p. 39Spirits soothing and ravishing their Hearts, and their Hearts diffusing and opening themselves to let in those soft and amorous Spirits, they conclude themselves presently infinitely in love with God, and with their Saviour: Whereas many times all this is meerly the Effect of an amorous Complection, tinctured and inflamed with Religious Ideas, and is commonly as remote from the Virtue of Love, as Light is from Darkness, or Heaven from Hell. For as there are many Men who are sincerely good, that yet cannot raise their sensitive Passions in their Religious Exercises; that are heartily sorry for their Sins, and yet cannot weep for them; and do entirely love God, and delight in his Service, and yet cannot move their Blood and Spirits into the ravishing Passions of sensitive Love and Joy: So on the other hand there are many gross Hypocrites that have not one Dram of true Piety in them, who yet in their Religious Exercises can put themselves into wonderous Transports of bodily Passion; who can pour out their Confessions in Floods of Tears, and cause their Hearts to dilate into Raptures of sensitive Love, and their Spirits to tickle them into Extasies of Joy. Which is purely to be resolved into the different Tempers of Mens Bodies; some Tempers being naturally so calm and sedate, as that they are p. 40scarce capable of being disturbed into a Passion; others again so soft and tender, and impressible, that the most frivolous Fancy is able to raise a Commotion in them. And hence we see that some People can weep most heartily at the Misfortunes of Lovers in Plays and Romances, and as heartily rejoyce at their good Successes, though they know that both are but Fictions and mere Ideas of Fancy; whereas others can scarce shed a Tear, or raise a sensitive Joy at the real Calamities or Prosperities of a Friend, whom yet they love a great deal better than others can be supposed to do their feigned and Romantick Hero's. And yet because of these sensitive Transports which Men do sometimes feel in themselves, when their Fancies have been chafed a while with a pathetical Description of God, they presently vote themselves his Friends and Lovers; whereas in Truth, that which commonly moves their Affection, is not any thing real either in God or in Christ; but some sensual Beauty attributed to them in fanciful Descriptions, that smites their carnalized Fancies. For generally we find that it is a Metaphorical God and Christ that such Men fall in love with; they set up an Idol of God and Christ in their Fancies, and dress it in such carnal Metaphors and Allusions, as their sensual Minds are most apt to be taken p. 41with; and then imagin that it smiles on them, and kisses and caresses them, with all the pretty endearments of a doating Lover; whereupon they grow so extreamly fond of it, that they are not able to forbear hugging and dandling it: But alas poor Men! they hug the Cloud instead of the Godess; and while they think they have God and Christ in their Arms, embrace nothing but a Specter of their own Fancies: For let but any other Person, though it were only the Hero of a Romance, or the Lover of a Play, be but described to them in the same Language, and the same glistering Allusions, and they shall experience in themselves the same Passion for them as they have for their God and their Saviour. Thus in the Roman Nunneries and Monasteries we generally find the Monks fall in Love with the Virgin Mary, whilst the Nuns are all enamoured with Jesus Christ; that is, they chuse the Objects of their Love according to the different Inclinations of their Sexes; and the Reason why they chuse so differently, is no other than this, that they both frame to themselves such different carnal Ideas of the different Objects of their Love, as are most suitable and agreeable to their carnal Inclinations; but very commonly neither the Monk loves the Virgin Mary, nor the Nun, Jesus p. 42Christ; but they both meerly doat upon the different Images of their own Fancies; which do not at all represent those divine Beauties for which those sacred Persons do so well deserve to be beloved. And thus it is too commonly among our selves, when yet we pretend to be zealous Lovers of God. Wherefore unless we have a mind to deceive our selves, let us no longer depend on such fallacious Evidences as these; but let us try our Love of God by his own Touch-stone; and that is our Obedience to his heavenly Will. If any man love me, saith our Saviour, he will keep my Words, Jo. xiv.23. and ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you; for this, saith St. John, is Love, that ye walk after his Commandments, Eph. ii.6. For the Love of God and of Christ being a rational Love, is only to be valued by those rational Effects it produces in us; if it transform us into the Image of God, and makes us love what he loves, and hate what he hates; these are much more certain Indications of our Love to him, than the most ravishing Effects of sensitive Passion. For though our Hearts were melted into a Transport and Fondness to him, yet so long as our Hearts and our Practices are incomplyant to his Will and Laws, he will look upon us, and deal with us as Hypocrites and p. 43Enemies; and esteem all our sensitive Fondnesses towards him, but as the base Flatteries of Judas; who kissed him, and then betrayed him.

3ly. Hence I infer, what the great Reason is why God doth so strictly enjoyn us to love him. For there is no Command whatsoever so often repeated in Scripture, as this of loving God; Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul: What doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to love him? O love the Lord all ye his Saints! Take heed therefore to your selves that ye love the Lord your God. These, and a world of other reiterated Injunctions of Love, do we meet with in the Sacred Pages. But how comes this to pass? Doth God need our Love, that he so importunately calls for it? Or doth it contribute any thing to his Happiness, to see himself beloved by all this great World of Beings; which he hath made, and which he hath endued with the Capacity of loving him? No, no; though doubtless the best Thing we can give him is our Love, yet he is too happy in himself to need any thing of ours: For he is a bottomless Fountain of Happiness, circumscribing all those Blisses that he can need or desire within the boundless Circle of his own Being. Or doth he court our Love meerly that he p. 44may glory in the Number of his Lovers, and pride himself in those infinite Flames that concenter in him? No, nor this neither; for he is so infinitely glorious in himself, that no Act of ours can either add to, or substract from his Glory; which amidst all the Hallelujahs of Angels and Saints, and all the Blasphemies of Men and Devils, shines with the same unvaried Splendour and Brightness; and is neither diminished by our Hatred, nor improved by our Love. Well then, if neither of these be the Reason, what is it? 'Tis true, the Thing is infinitely reasonable in it self, That he who is so lovely in himself, should be beloved; and that all our Affections should be united in him, who is the Fountain of all our Beings and Well-Beings: And God who is the Author of our reasonable Faculties, cannot but desire that we should act reasonably; and love that best, which best deserves to be beloved. But is there not some particular End for which God doth so earnestly crave and exact our Love? Yes, doubtless there is; and such as is every way worthy of him that hath proposed it. For it cannot be supposed that a Being infinitely wise, should ever act without End or Aim; but God being infinitely happy, cannot be supposed to propose any End for his own Advantage; because that would imply, that p. 45he wants or desires some Good that he hath not; and consequently, that he is not happy. But then he being infinitely good as well as happy, we cannot imagin what other End he should have of his Actions, but only to do good to his Creatures, and promote their Happiness; and consequently, the End and Reason for which he doth so importunately demand our Love, is not to add any Thing to himself, but to do good to us; for our goodness extendeth not to God, as the Psalmist tells us, xvi.2. And though the Love of God be a very great Perfection to our Natures, yet Job tells us, that it is no gain at all to God, that we make our ways perfect, Job xxii.3. But though it is none to God, yet it is an infinite Gain to our selves; and that is the End and Reason for which he requires it: For, as I have already shew'd you, of all the Principles of our Obedience to God, Love is the most pregnant and fruitful. Now God requires us to obey him for our own Good, he having enjoyned us nothing but what tends to the Perfection and Happiness of our Natures; and he requires us to love him, that so we may the more intirely and perfectly obey him; and thereby more speedily arrive to that Happiness for which his infinite Goodness hath designed us. So that all the profit both of our p. 46Love and Obedience, accrues to our selves; 'tis we only that reap the Fruit of our own Virtues; we only that are exalted by those Homages that we render to our Maker; for he is as happy without our Love, as he is with it; and all those united Flames of Angels and Saints that meet and concenter in him, add not one spark to the infinite Element of his Happiness; which were not infinite, could it admit of Increase: But the Lovers themselves are glorified by their Love; and because they are so, God requires and exacts it. For our Love being the great Soul of our Obedience, and our Obedience the necessary Means of our Happiness, the Profit of both must necessarily redound to our selves: and 'tis we only that must be inriched and glorified by them. For this Reason therefore God requires our Love, that it may be a living Principle to Obedience; and that being so, it might accelerate our Happiness; for he whose Love of God is but arrived to the Degree of a reigning Principle of Obedience, so as that his Obedience proceeds more from his Love than from any other Passion, doth already border on the heavenly State, and is within the Confines of Perfection. For as for the Inhabitants of Heaven, they are all acted by pure Love; which makes their Obedience pure and perfect: p. 47They see God face to face; and by their Sight are all inflamed with Love to him; and by their Love are winged with everlasting Vigour and Readiness to serve him; and all their Aversations to his Heavenly Will being swallowed up in perfect Love, they not only obey without Murmuring, but with infinite Ravishment and Pleasure; and never feel themselves more in Heaven, than while they are serving, praising, and adoring him. This is the happy State of those heavenly Lovers; and to this we are approaching with full Speed, while we obey from a Principle of Love: For Love will carry us on with Wind and Tide, from one Degree of Perfection to another; and whilst poor slavish Souls that are acted mainly by their Fears, are faign to tug at the Oar, and yet creep on but slowly, and by insensible Degrees; we shall run forwards with Ease and Speed; and get more ground at one stroak, than they can in twenty. For in one good Action performed out of Love, there is more Virtue and Goodness, than in a hundred of those whereunto we are dragged by our own Fears and Terrors; because as the Degrees of Evil, so the Degrees of Good in all Actions, are to be measured by the Degrees of Will that are in them; and doubtless in those good Actions, p. 48that have Love for their Principle, there is much more of Will than in those that proceed from Fear and Terror; and consequently, our Nature being perfected by good Actions, and more or less perfected by them, the more or less of Goodness they have in them, must needs be much more perfected by the good Actions of Love, than by those of Fear. Whilst therefore we are acted in Religion by the Love of God, our Souls are upon the Wing to Perfection, and in a swift Tendency to the heavenly State; we are already in the Neighbourhood of glorified Saints and Angels; and if we continue our Course, shall soon be fit for their Society and Converse. This therefore is the great End and Reason why God doth so importunately claim our Love, because this of all others is the most perfective Principle of our Natures, and consequently the most conducive to our Happiness.

4ly. And lastly, from hence I infer, of what vast Importance it is to us in Religion, to love God. For you plainly see, that Love is not only a Principle of Obedience, but that of all others it is the most efficacious and operative; that it doth not only engage us to keep God's Commandments, but that it enables us to keep them most universally, and vigorously, and chearfully, and constantly. p. 49So that what the Apostle saith of brotherly Love, is more universally true of the Love of God, that it is the keeping of the whole Law, Rom. xiii.10. that is, causally and virtually it is. For so Love is that universal Cause which within its fruitful Womb contains all the Particulars of our Obedience, and is naturally productive of them all; So that virtually it is all Religion; it is Godliness, and Temperance, and Charity, and Humility, and Righteousness, and Patience; being the common Cause and Parent of them all. For Love hath an universal Respect to the Will of the Beloved; it doth not chuse what is easie and refuse what is hard, but likes what God likes, and disapproves of what he hates; his Will being the great Reason of all its Choices and Refusals: And whatsoever things in particular are distastful and difficult to us, by its powerful Oratory it renders pleasant and easie. For he that serves God out of Love, serves him with Delight; and he that serves him with Delight, hath no Clog to incumber him; none of those Aversations and Antipathies to his Service; that do so load and depress unwilling Minds; he doth not row against the Current of Nature, but acts with the full Inclination of his Mind, and so feels little or nothing of Drudgery in his Religion; and being p. 50carried on with a full Tide of Delight, he goes easily and chearfully down with the Stream. Of such vast Importance is the Love of God to our Religion, that it not only produces it, but renders it easie and pleasant; so that without some Degree of this, our Religion can have neither Being nor Well-being; and it is as possible for us to live without a Soul, and to be nourished without Food, as it is for our Religion to be, and to thrive without the Love of God.

Wherefore if ever we would be Religious indeed, if ever we would connaturalize Religion to our Souls, so as to render it easie and delightsome to us; let us endeavour to kindle this heavenly Fire within us; and certainly if we heartily endeavour it, we cannot fa… of success. For there are so many mighty Reasons to engage us to the Love of God, so many invincible Attractions in his Nature, and in his Love towards us, as cannot but affect us if we seriously ponder and consider them. For how can I reflect upon that amiable Nature of his, in which there is an harmonious Concurrence of all Beauties and Perfections; where Wisdom and Goodness, Justice and Mercy, and every lovely Thing that can claim or deserve a rational Affection, are contempered together in their utmost Degrees of Perfection? How I say, p. 51can I steadily reflect upon such a Nature as this, without being charmed and captivated with the Love of it? How can I think of that stupendous Love which he hath expressed towards me, in giving me my Being, and all the Blessings I enjoy; in preparing a Heaven of immortal Joys for me, and sending his Son from thence to conduct me thither, without being all inflamed with Love to him? Wherefore let us seriously set our selves to the Contemplation of God, of the Loveliness of his Nature, and of his infinite Kindness to us and all his Creation. Let us repeat the Thoughts of these Things upon our Minds, and never give over pressing our selves with those infinite Reasons we have to love him, till we feel the heavenly Fire begin to kindle within our Breasts; and then let us never give over feeding and blowing it with these divine Considerations, till it rise up into a triumphant Flame. And then we shall feel our selves animated with a new Soul, and inspired with so much Life and Activity in Religion, as that from our Experience we shall be able to subscribe to the Truth of the Text, This is the Love of God, this the most natural Expression and inseparable Effect of it, That we keep his Commandments.