plainly not our original duty. It is plainly not virtue, or moral excellence, in the original sense. This is, unquestionably, the love of happiness. Complacency is the love of this virtue, or moral excellence. But that excellence must exist, before it can be loved. The contrary supposition is a palpable absurdity; to which all those reduce themselves who insist that complacency is original virtue.

3. The love of God is gratitude.

Gratitude is love to God for the particular manifestations of his glorious character, in his various kindness to us, and to ours. We, and perhaps all other intelligent beings, are so formed, as to be able more clearly to see, and more strongly to feel, blessings immediately bestowed on ourselves, and on those intimately connected with us, whose characters and wants, whose sorrows and joys, we peculiarly understand and feel, than those bestowed on others. As we feel universally what is ours, and what pertains to our connections, more (other things being equal) than what pertains to those whose interests we less understand, and in whose concerns we are less in the habit of mingling; so we feel of course more deeply the blessings which we and they receive, the deliverances, hopes, comforts, joys, than we do or can those of others Our near connections are our second selves; and there is sometimes as little difference, and sometimes even less, between us and them, in our views and feelings, than between them and others. Nay, there are cases in which we feel the interests of our connections no less than our own. A parent would often willingly suffer the distresses of a child, in order to accomplish relief for him, and often rejoices more in his prosperity than if it were his own.

There is perhaps no solid reason in the nature of things why God should be loved more for the manifestation of goodness towards one being, than for the same manifestation towards another. Still, with our present dispositions, those acts of his benevolence which respect ourselves, will always perhaps appear more amiable than those which respect others. Gratitude therefore, or love to God for the communications of blessings to ourselves, and to those in whose well being we find a direct and peculiar interest, is an affection of the mind, in some respects distinct from complacency; an affection which must and ought to exist in this world. As we can love God

more for blessings thus bestowed, than for those bestowed on others; so we ought to seize every occasion to exercise this love, to the utmost of our power; and such occasions enable us to exercise it in a superior degree.

Possibly, in a future world, and a higher state of existence, all the blessings of God communicated to rational beings may affect us as if communicated to ourselves, and our complacency in his character may universally become possessed of the whole intenseness and ardour of gratitude.

Gratitude, considered as a virtue, it is always to be remembered, is love excited by kindness communicated, or believed to be communicated with virtuous and good designs, and from good motives: not for kindness bestowed for base and selfish ends. In every case of this nature, the kindness professed is merely pretended and hypocritical. The bestower terminates all his views in his own advantage; and has no ultimate regard to the benefit of the receiver.

The kindness of God is invariably communicated with the best of all designs and motives, designs and motives infinitely good; and is therefore a display of a character infinitely excellent. Hence it is always to be regarded with gratitude. The good bestowed is also the highest good; and therefore the highest gratitude is due to the bestower.

Of precepts, requiring all these exercises of love, and prohibiting the want of them; of examples, by which they are gloriously illustrated; of motives, promises, and rewards, by which they are divinely encouraged; the Scriptures are full. Particularly, the good-will of the psalmist to the infinitely great and glorious Creator, Preserver, and Benefactor of the universe, is manifested everywhere throughout his sacred songs. Everywhere he rejoices in the designs and actions of Jehovah; in the certain accomplishment of his designs; in the infinite glory which he will derive from them all; in the prosperity of his kingdom; and in the joy which he experiences in all the works of his hands.

Equally does he express his complacency in the perfect character of God; his wisdom, power, goodness, truth, faithfulness, and mercy, as displayed in his works and word, in his law and Gospel.

Nor is he less abundant in his effusions of gratitude for all the divine goodness to himself and his family, to the people

of Israel and the church of God. In expressing these emotions, he is ardent, intense, sublime, and rapturous; an illustrious example to all who have come after him of the manner in which we should feel, and in which we should express, our love to God.

Like him, the prophet Isaiah, the apostle Paul, and generally all the scriptural writers, in words not directly devotional, but doctrinal and preceptive, exhibit, with corresponding ardour and sublimity, these most excellent dispositions. It is hardly necessary to add, that our own emotions and expressions ought to be of the same general nature.

Having thus exhibited summarily the nature of love to God, in these three great exercises, I will now proceed to allege several reasons which demand of us these exercises of piety.

1. This service is highly reasonable, beautiful, and amiable in intelligent creatures.

God, from the considerations mentioned in this Discourse, presents to us in his blessedness, in his excellence, and in his communications of good, all possible reasons, in all possible degrees, why we should exercise towards him our supreme benevolence, complacency, and gratitude. His enjoyment is the sum of all happiness; his character the sum of all perfection; and his communications of good the amount of all the blessings found in the universe. These united constitute an object assembling in itself, comparatively speaking, all natural and moral beauty, glory, and excellence; whatever can be. desired, esteemed, or loved.

2. God infinitely loves himself.

The conduct of God is in every case the result of views and dispositions perfectly wise, and just, and good; and becomes, wherever they can imitate it, a perfect rule to direct the conduct of his intelligent creatures. In this case, the rule is as perfect as in any other; and in this case, as well as every other, it is the highest honour, and the consummate rectitude, of all intelligent creatures to resemble their Creator. So far as we resemble him, we are secure of being right, excellent, and lovely.

At the same time, so far as we are like him, we are assured of his approbation and love, and of receiving from his hands

all the good which our real interests require. As he loves himself, he cannot but love his resemblance, wherever it is found.

3. In this conduct we unite with all virtuous beings.

This is the very conduct which especially constitutes them virtuous, and without which their virtue, in every other sense, would cease to exist. For this they love and approve themselves; for this they will approve and love us. By these exercises of piety then we become, at once, entirely, and for ever, members of their glorious assembly; secure of their esteem, friendship, and kind offices; and entitled of course to a participation of their divine and immortal enjoyment. The best friends, the most delightful companions, the most honourable connections which the universe contains, or will ever contain, are in this manner made throughout the ages of our endless being.

4. We unite with God and the virtuous universe in voluntarily promoting that supreme good, which by his own perfections and their instrumentality he has begun to accomplish.

This work is literally divine; the supreme, the only display of divine excellence which ever has been, or ever will be made; an immense and eternal kingdom of virtue and happiness; all that wisdom can approve, or virtue desire. To engage in it,is to engage in the best of all employments. To choose it, is to exhibit the best of all characters. It is to choose what God himself chooses, to pursue what he pursues, to act as he acts, and to be fellow workers together with him' in the glorious edifice of eternal good. The disposition required in this command is the same which in him, and in all his virtuous creatures, originated, advances, and will complete, this divine building in its ever-growing stability, beauty, and splendour.

5. We secure and enjoy the greatest happiness.

Love to God is a disposition inestimably sweet and delightful; delightful in itself, delightful in its operations, delightful in its effects. All the exercises of it are in their own nature, and while they are passing, a series of exquisite enjoyments. They operate only to good; and are therefore highly pleasurable in all their various tendency. Their effects, both within and without the soul, are either pure unmingled happiness

directly enjoyed by ourselves, or a similar happiness, first cnjoyed by others, and then returning to ourselves with a doubly endeared and charming reversion.

This disposition leads us unceasingly to contemplate the most exalted, wonderful, and delightful objects; the things which God has already done, is daily accomplishing, and has disclosed to us in his promises as hereafter to be accomplished. Contemplation on the works of God, when they are regarded as being his works, is capable of furnishing us with dignified and intense enjoyment. To produce this effect, however, it is indispensable that we should view them under the influence of this disposition. The mind can experience no pleasure in contemplating the actions of a being whom it does not love. Love to God opens the gates of enjoyment; and of all enjoyment, furnished by the works of creation and providence, so far as it springs from the consideration that they are his works. Through this enjoyment it conducts the mind to others; and to others still, in a train which knows no end. Wherever we are, or can be delighted with displays of boundless wisdom and boundless goodness, with the perfect efforts of a perfect character, love to God is the guide which conducts us to the divine possession.

Beyond this, he who created us for this glorious purpose, and who delights to see it accomplished, cannot fail to be pleased with us, while engaged in it; and, therefore, will not fail to reward us with his blessings. In this path then we ascend to the divine favour; see the good of his chosen, enjoy the gladness of his nation;' and share the glory of his inheritance.' Eternal glory, then, is the natural, the necessary result of love to God. Indeed eternal glory is nothing but his eternal and unchangeable love to us, and our eternal and unchanging love to him; united with the same love, extended, and reciprocated, among all virtuous beings. In the world to come this divine disposition will become more and more sweet and delightful; and in every mind be, in the beautiful language of our Saviour, a well of water, springing up unto everlasting life.'

6. Without love to God, there can be no virtue, or moral excellence.

Love is a single character; uniform in its nature, and in no way separable, even in contemplation, except merely as it is