not seen.

cause they are unwilling to die, and till we die this glory is But it is one thing to love heaven and God there manifested; and another thing to love death which standeth in the way. Nature teacheth us to loathe death as death, and to desire, if it might be, that this cup might pass by us. Though faith make it less dreadful, because of the blessed state that followeth: but he that loveth not blood-letting, or physic, may love health. It is not death, but God and the heavenly perfection in glory which we are called to love. What if you could come to this glory without dying, as Enoch and Elias did, would you not be willing to go thither?

5. And he that loveth God in all these his appearances to man, in his works and image on his saints, in the wisdom, holiness and goodness of his word, in the wisdom, love and holiness of his Son, and in the perfection of his glory in the heavenly society, doth certainly also love him in the highest respect, even as he is himself that blessed Essence, that perfect Greatness, Wisdom and Goodness, or Life, Light and Love which is the beginning and end of all things, and the most amiable object of all illuminated minds, and of every sanctified will, and of all our harmonious praise for For whatever become of that dispute, whether we shall see God's essence in itself, as distinct from all created glory, (the word seeing being here ambiguous) it is sure that we can even now have abstracting thoughts of the essence of God as distinct from all creatures, and our knowledge of him then will be far more perfect.

ever.

It should be more pleasant to every believer to think that GOD IS; even that such a perfect glorious being is existent: as if we heard of one man in another land, whom we were never likely to see, who in wisdom, love, and all perfections excelled all men that ever were in the world, the thoughts of that man would be pleasing to us, and we should love him because he is amiable in his excellency. And so doth the holy soul when it thinketh of the infinite amiableness of God.

6. But the highest love of the soul to God, is in taking in all his amiableness together, and when we think of him as related to ourselves, as our Creator, Redeemer, Sanctifier and Glorifier, and as related to all his Church, and to all the world, as the cause and end of all that is amiable; and when we think of all those amiable works which these rela

tions do respect, his creation and conservation of the whole world, his redemption of mankind, his sanctifying and glorifying of all his chosen ones, his wonderful mercies to ourselves for soul and body, his mercies to his Church on earth, his inconceivable mercies to the glorified Church in heaven, the glory of Christ, angels, and men, and their perfect knowledge, love, and joyful praises, and then think what that God is in himself that doth all this: this complexion of considerations causeth the fullest love to God. And though unlearned persons cannot speak or think of all these distinctly and clearly, as the Scripture doth express them, yet all this is truly the object of their love, though with confusion of their apprehensions of it.

But I have not yet done, nor indeed come up to the point of trial. It is not every kind or degree of love to God in these respects that will prove to be saving. He is mad that thinks there is no God: and he that believeth that there is a God, doth believe that he is most powerful, wise and good, and therefore must needs have some kind of love to him. And I find that there are a sort of Deists or Infidels now springing up among us, who are confident, That all, or almost all men shall be saved, because, say they, all men do love God. It is not possible, say they, that a man can believe God to be God, that is, to be the best, and to be Love itself, and the cause of all that is good and amiable in heaven and earth, and yet not love him: the will is not so contrary to the understanding, nor can be.' And say the same men, he that loveth his neighbour, loveth God; for it is for his goodness that he loveth his neighbour, and that goodness is God's goodness appearing in man: he that loveth sun, and moon, and stars, meat, and drink, and pleasure, loveth God, for all this is God's goodness in his works; and out of his works he is unknown to us: and therefore, they say, that all men love God, and all men shall be saved; or at least, all that love their neighbours; for God by us is no otherwise to be loved. For answer to these men, 1. It is false that God is no otherwise to be loved than as in our neighbour: I have told you before, undeniably, of several other respects or appearances of God, in which he is to be loved: and he that is not known to us as separate from all creatures, is yet known to us as distinct from all creatures, and is, and must be so loved by us: else we are idolaters if we suppose the creatures to

be God themselves, and love and honour them as God: even those philosophers that took God for the inseparable soul of the world, yet distinguished him from the world, which they thought he animated, and indeed doth more than animate.

2. And it is false that every one loveth God who loveth his neighbour, or his meat, drink, and fleshly pleasure, or any accommodations of his sense. For nature causeth all men to love life, and self, and pleasure for themselves: and these are beloved even by atheists that believe not that there is a God! and consequently such men love their neighbours not for God, but for themselves, either because they are like them, or because they please them, or serve their interest, or delight them by society and converse, as birds and beasts do love each other that think not of a God. And if all should be saved that so love one another, or that love their own pleasure, and that which serveth it, not only all wicked men, but most brute creatures should be saved. If you say, they shall not be damned, it is true, because they are not moral agents, capable of salvation or damnation, nor capable of moral government and obedience; and therefore even the creatures that kill one another are not damned for it: but certainly as man is capable of salvation or damnation, so is he of somewhat more as the means or way, than brutes are capable of, and he is saved or damned for somewhat which brutes never do. Many a thousand love the pleasure of their sense, and all things and persons which promote it, that never think of God, or love him. And it is not enough to say that even this natural good is of God, and therefore. it is God in it which they love; for it will only follow that it is something made and given by God which they love, while they leave out God himself. That God is essentially in all things good and pleasant which they love, doth not prove that it is God which they love, while their thoughts and affections do not include him.

3. But suppose it were so, that to love the creature were to love God, is not then the hating of the creature the hating of God? If those same men that love meat and drink, and sensual delight, and love their neighbours for the sake of these, or for themselves, as a dog doth love his master, do also hate the holiness of God's servants, and the holiness and justice of his word and government, and that holiness and order of heart and life which he commandeth them,

do not these men hate God in hating these? And that they hate them, their obstinate aversation showeth, when no reason, no mercy, no means, can reconcile their hearts and lives thereto.

4. I therefore ask the infidel objector, whether he shall be saved that loveth God in one respect, and hateth him in another? That loveth him as he causeth the sun to shine, the rain to fall, the grass to grow, and giveth life and prosperity to the world, but hateth him as he is the author of those laws, and duties, and that holy government, by which he would bring them to a voluntary right order, and make them holy, and fit for glory, and would use them in his holy service, and restrain them from their inordinate lusts and wills? How can love prepare or fit any man for that which he hateth or doth not love: if the love of fleshly interest and pleasure prepare or fit them to seek that, and to enjoy it (the little time that it will endure), how should this love make them fit for heaven, for a life of holiness with God and saints? It is this that they love not, and will not love, (for if they truly loved it they should have it ;) yea, it is this that they hate, and will not accept or be persuaded to. And what a fond conceit then is it to think that they shall have heaven that never loved it, no nor the small beginnings here of the heavenly nature and life, and all because they loved the pleasures of the flesh on earth, and loved God and their neighbours for promoting it?

5. Yea, I would ask the infidel, whether God will save men for rebelling against him? Their love to their flesh and to the creature, as it is inordinate, and taketh God's place, and shutteth out the love of holiness and heaven, is their great sin and idolatry; and shall this be called a saving love of God? What gross self-deceit hath sensuality taught these men!

6. I grant them therefore that all men that believe that there is a God, do love somewhat of God, or 'secundum quid,' or in some partial respect have some kind of love to God. But it is not a love to that of God, which must save, felicitate and glorify souls: meat and drink, and fleshly sports do not this; but heavenly glory, wisdom, holiness and love to God, and man for God, and this they love not, and therefore never shall enjoy: nay, that of God which should save, and felicitate them they hate, and hated holiness is none of

theirs, nor ever can be, till they are changed. And so much to the infidel's objection.

7. I add therefore in the last place to help men in the trial of their love to God, that their love must have these two qualifications.

1. They must love that of God which maketh man happy, and is indeed the end of his nature, and sanctification; and that is, not only the comforts of this transitory natural life and flesh, but the fore-described union and communion with God, in perfect knowledge, love and praise. 2. This love to God must be predominant, and prevail against the power of alluring objects, which Satan would use to turn our hearts from him, and to keep out holy heavenly love. Damning sin consisteth in loving somewhat that is good and lovely, and that is of God; but it is not simply in loving it, but in loving it inordinately, instead of God or greater things, and out of its due time and rank, and measure, and so to hinder that love which is our holiness and happiness. Moral good consisteth not in mere entity, but in order; and disorderly love even of real good is sinful love.

Therefore when all is said, the old mark which I have many and many times repeated, is it that must try the sincerity of your love; viz. 'If 1. in the esteem of a believing mind. 2. And in the choice and adherence of a resolved will. 3. And in the careful, serious endeavours of your lives, you prefer the knowing, loving, obeying and joyful praising of God, begun here and perfected in glory, as the benefit of our redemption by Christ, before all the interests of this fleshly life, the pleasures, profits, and honours of this world; that is, before the pleasures of sin and sensuality for this transitory season. Or, in Christ's words, (Matt. vi. 33,) If you SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD, AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, and trust him to superadd all other things.' This is that love of God and goodness which must save us: and he that loveth God even in these high respects, a little, and loveth his fleshly pleasure so much more, as that he will not consent to the regulating of his lusts, but will rather venture or let go his salvation than his sins, hath no true saving love to God.

Object. There is scarce any fornicator, drunkard, glutton, swearer, or other rash and sensual sinner, but believeth that God is better than the creature, and that it were better