imperfect state, these affections labour always under culpable and hurtful defects; they are also subject to very hurtful decays through opposition from inward infirmities, and outward hinderances and temptations, of a contrary tendency. This may be very evident to us, if we consider some obvious differences, betweeen these excellent affections in view, and mens' affections to inferior objects; particularly these appetites, which relate to the subsistence of bodily life, and its enjoyments. These appetites seem, scarcely capable of being extinguished, or liable to dangerous decays, by neglect. The thing that requires effort and labour is to moderate them. It is far otherways, as to the noble affections, included in the love of God and holiness. These superior affections are liable to so manifold opposition, and to so dangerous decays; that men can never be too careful, in using all proper preservatives against defections, and all proper means of steadiness and progress. Men may have sincere love to God, rooted in their hearts, while they are not in the actual exercise of it: but not without some habitual propensity to such exercise and the lively exercise of it, is the great mean of preserving and strengthening it, and of avoiding these dangers, from within or from without, which threaten the decay of it.

These things shew, that as the affections included in divine love, are in themselves incapable of excess; so they are the chief means of restraining the inordinacy or excess of mens' affections, to inferior objects. Mens' chief affections must always be fixed on some object or other. There must still be some affections, which have the sovereignty in the heart. If mens' chief affections are not fixed on God, they must be fixed on some other objects, which are infinitely below him. Disorder and confusion in the prevalent affections of the heart, must necessarily ensue upon such a preference of the creature to the Creator. It is in vain to pretend to remove the inordinacy of affections to other objects, while that supreme love to God, to which these other affections should be subordinate, is neglected. It is

divine love that restores and establishes a noble order in all the affections of the soul. It is divine love that establishes inward temperance in the affections, and maintains the sobriety of the heart. All the good affections included in it, tend to restrain these irregular selfish passions, which have so bad influence, both on mens' practice, and on their judgment and understanding; the more violent degrees of which passions so often marr the exercise of reason. Such passions ofttimes do great prejudice by an excessive application, and, in a manner, a confining of mens' thoughts to some one object. Divine love employs the mind and heart, about all that beautiful variety of useful thoughts and actions, which are necessary in the practice of universal holiness. Though religion is called the one thing needful, yet, that one thing comprehends a great many things; yea, all the things by which we should promote the glory of God, the good of society, and the perfection of our natures. That unity of principle and end, which takes place in holy affections and actions, together with their amiable harmony and connexion, and mutual subserviency to one another, give them an unspeakable advantage, above all strong af fections towards inferior objects. Corrupt and inor dinate affections, through their frequent clashing and interfering, the impossibility of satisfying them, the necessity of curbing and moderating them, the difficulty of this where that affection, which is the source of true moderation is wanting, and on various other accounts, have an evident tendency to disquiet and perplex the mind, and consequently, to darken it. The tendency of divine love is, in all respects, the very reverse of this.

All these things shew, that as divine love is the highest use of human reason and understanding, so it has the greatest tendency to the true improvement and cultivating of it. It makes men truly wise, and gives them a right judgment in things of the greatest importance. Inordinate affections are the greatest enemies to reason, if right understood. They bribe it into their corrupt interests, and bias it against evidence:

A main thing, therefore, in true freedom of thinking and reasoning, is freedom from that bias of wrong affections. If this cannot be had without the prevalence of the contrary good affections, the source of true freedom of thought, is divine love. It is a general property of the strong affections, that they have a natural influence on the memory, on fixing the thoughts, and on rendering mens' invention more fruitful. But different affections make mens' inventions fruitful in a very different manner, according to the good or bad nature, and tendency of these affections themselves. The mind is naturally fruitful in these thoughts, which are most suitable and most favourable to these affections, which are most predominant. These things shew, that the love of God, and that love of truth which is implied in it, have a manifold advantageous influence on mens' reasoning faculties. Divine love restrains these perverse affections, which are the causes of wrong judgment, and of delusion every day; it gives the mind a freedom from the most hurtful biases, it fixes the attention, it puts the mind in the best situation for the most useful inquiries, it makes the mind fruitful in the thoughts that are most subservient to them, it reconciles it to what labour and application may attend them.

It is proper to observe, that there are two sorts of reasoning, on things that relate to practice, between which there is a considerable difference. The one is, that reasoning which is designed for finding out the truth, in cases where men as yet want evidence, and must suspend their judgment. The other is, that reasoning which is designed to strengthen good affections and purposes, by reflection on proper motives of the truth, of which the mind has already a well-founded persuasion. As to the first sort of reasoning, even where divine love takes place, and is founded on a just assent to the most essential truths, men may have occasion for such inquiries, and find them attended with difficulty. The frequent diversity of sentiments among the best men, in a special manner, about the applica tion of uncontested general rules to particular cases,

puts this out of question. In such cases, it is necessary to avoid a blind affection to one side of a question, before a man's judgment is sufficiently informed and determined on good grounds. This is that cool and judicious consideration, which is so requisite in impartial inquiry. It must exclude the influence of corrupt affections, because they tend to bias the mind against evidence; but, for the same reason it must not exclude the influence of the love of God, than which nothing is more truly subservient to the search of truth.

But, notwithstanding the usefulness of such inquiries, it would be manifestly unreasonable to place the whole of religion in them. It would be absurd to pretend that all devout exercises should be performed with such a suspense of judgment, as these inquiries suppose. This would infer, that there can be no exercise of divine love, founded on the just and firm belief of divine truths; and that a state of sincere holiness must be a state of perpetual scepticism. It is evident, that this would cast a very injurious reflection on the means God has given us of knowing his will. It would infer, that they are so obscure and defective, that mens' belief can never be fully determined on good grounds; and that the right use of reason in religion is, to be "ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth."

From what is said, it is evident, that the lively exercise of divine love and joy, has the greatest connexion with the most desirable sedateness and composure of mind. When men oppose.sedateness of mind, and lively affections to one another, they do not consider duly the great disparity between these irregular affec tions, which should never be introduced into devotion; and, those affections which belong to divine love, which are essential to the right performance of devotion. What has been said above, concerning the opposite tendency of these two sorts of affections, shews that the one is as useful in order to due composure and serenity of mind, as the other is hurtful to it. Irregular affections tend to darken the mind, hinder due

attention, and distract the thoughts. The very reverse of this is the natural result of divine love, and of all these concomitants of it, which the apostle calls the fruits of the spirit; joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness. Whoever believes the scripture account of future blessedness, must own that it is a state of the most vigorous, and most perfect love and joy, in the most perfect serenity and tranquillity. To have the love of God shed abroad in our hearts, and to be filled with joy and peace in believing, is the nearest resemblance of that blessedness. That faith which works by love, is a faith by which the soul and conscience enter into rest, Heb. iv. While that faith and love are wanting, and while mens' chief affections are such as cannot be satisfied, and must be controuled, there can be no durable and solid rest or composure mind.

SECTION VI.

Of various general properties, common to the best devour affections, with the other affections of human nature.

AFTER considering the distinguishing excellencies of the affections included in divine love; it is useful to consider some properties which are common to them, with other devout affections; or all the other affections of human nature in general. A right view of this matter, is of use, both for vindicating the importance of these holy affections, and for farther illustration of their peculiar excellencies. Some general resemblances between them and other affections of a very different kind, are sometimes made use of as arguments against two very important points. These things are improved partly against the usefulness of all devout affections, considered in themselves general; partly against ascribing any of them to divine grace. Whatever may be said of such objections otherwise, their success, on the minds of many, makes them considerable. If there are people who are strongly prejudiced against devout affections, it is not to be wone