love: but if we be indifferently affected toward all fuch SERM. things, and are unconcerned in the prefence or absence XXIII. of them; esteeming them as they are, mean and vain; loving them as they deferve, as inferior and trivial;

31.

if, according to St. Paul's direction, we use them as 1 Cor. vii. if we used them not; it is another good ftep toward the love of God: the divine light will fhine more brightly into fo calm and ferene a medium: a foul void of other affections will not be only more capable to receive, but apt to fuck in that heavenly one; being infensible, in any confiderable degree, of all other comforts and complacences, we shall be apt to fearch after, and reach out at that, which alone can fatisfy our understanding and fatiate our defires; efpecially if we add hereto,

3. The freeing of our hearts alfo from immoderate affection to ourselves; (I mean not from a fober defire or an earneft regard to our own true good; for this, as nature enforces to, fo all reafon allows, and even God's command obligeth us to; nor can it be exceffive; but a high conceit of ourselves as worthy or able, a high confidence in any thing we have within us or about us ;) for this is a very strong bar against the entrance, as of all other charity, fo especially of this; for as the love of an external object doth thruft, as it were, our foul outwards towards it; fo the love of ourselves detains it within, or draws it inwards; and confequently thefe inclinations croffing each other cannot both have effect, but one will subdue and destroy the other. If our mind be-ipfa fuis contenta bonis-fatisfied with her own (taking them for her own) endowments, abilities, or fancied perfections; if we imagine ourselves wife enough to perceive, good enough to choose, refolute enough to undertake, strong enough to achieve, conftant enough to purfue whatever is conducible to our real happiness and beft content; we shall not care to go farther; we will not be at the trouble to fearch abroad for that which, in our opinion, we can so readily find, so easily enjoy at home. If we fo admire and dote upon ourselves, we thereby put

Τῷ γὰρ ὄνει ἐξ αὐτε τις

air

τὸς, καὶ μά

ταιος παρ' ἄλλες λαμ

Epia. i 9.

SERM. ourselves into God's ftead, and ufurp the throne due to XXIII. him in our hearts; comparing ourselves to God, and in

effect preferring ourselves before him; thereby confequently shutting out that unparalleled esteem, that predominant affection we owe to him; while we are bufy in dreffing and decking, in courting and worshipping this idol of our fancy, we fhall be eftranged from the true object of our devotion; both we shall willingly neglect him, and he in just indignation will defert us. But if as all other things, fo even ourselves do appear exceedingly vile and contemptible, foul and ugly in comparison Gal. vi. 3. to God; if we take ourselves to be (as truly we are) mere nothings, or fomethings worse; not only deftitute of all confiderable perfections, but full of great defects; blind and fond in our conceits, crooked, and perverse in our wills, infirm and unftable in all our powers, unable to difcern, unwilling to embrace, backward to set upon, inconstant in prosecuting those things which are truly good and advantageous to us; if we have, I say, this right opinion and judgment of ourselves, seeing within us nothing lovely or defirable, no proper object there of our esteem or affection, no bottom to rest our mind upon, no ground of folid comfort at home, we shall then be apt to look abroad, to direct our eyes, and settle our affections upon fomewhat more excellent in itself, or more beneficial to us, that feems better to deferve our regard, and more able to supply our defects. And if all other things about us appear alike deformed and deficient, unworthy our affection and unable to fatisfy our defires; then may we be difpofed to feek, to find, to fasten and repose our foul upon the only proper object of our love; in whom we shall obtain all that we need, infallible wisdom to guide us, omnipotent strength to help us, infinite goodness for us to admire and enjoy.

These are the chief obftacles, the removing of which conduce to the begetting and increasing the love of God in us. A foul fo cleanfed from love to bad and filthy things, fo emptied of affection to vain and unprofitable

things, fo opened' and dilated by excluding all conceit of, SERM. all confidence in itself, is a veffel proper for the divine love XXIII. to be infused into; into fo large and pure a vacuity (as finer substances are apt to flow of themselves into spaces void of groffer matter) that free and moveable Spirit of divine grace will be ready to fucceed, and therein to difperse itself. As all other things in nature, the clogs being removed which hinder them, do presently tend with all their force to the place of their rest and well-being ; so would, it seems, our fouls, being loofed from baser affections obftructing them, willingly incline toward God, the natural centre, as it were, and bosom of their affection; would resume, as Origen speaks, that natural øízreov philtre (that intrinsic spring, or incentive of love) which avaλaucáνειν φυσικὸν all creatures have toward their Creator; efpecially, if to reis Toy these we add those pofitive inftruments, which are more Orig. in immediately and directly fubfervient to the production of Celf. p. 135. this love; they are these :

1. Attentive confideration of the divine perfections, with endeavour to obtain a right and clear apprehenfion of them.

2. The confideration of God's works and actions; his works and actions of nature, of providence, of grace.

3. Serious regard and reflection upon the peculiar benefits by the divine goodness vouchsafed to ourfelves.

4. An earnest resolution and endeavour to perform God's commandments, although upon inferior confiderations of reafon; upon hope, fear, defire to attain the benefits of obedience, to fhun the mischiefs from fin.

5. Affiduous prayer to Almighty God, that he in mercy would please to bestow his love upon us, and by his grace to work it in us.

But I must forbear the profecution of these things, rather than farther trespass upon your patience. Let us conclude all with a good Collect, sometimes used by our Church.

O Lord, who haft taught us, that all our doings without

κτίσαντα.

XXIII.

SERM. charity are nothing worth, fend thy Holy Ghost, and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of charity, the very bond of peace and of all virtues, without which whofoever liveth is counted dead before thee; grant this for thine only Son Jefus Chrift's fake. Amen.

4

SERMON XXIV.

OF THE LOVE OF GOD.

MATTH. xxii. 37.

Jefus faid unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart.

WHICH is the great commandment? was the queftion, SERM.

in answer whereto our Saviour returns this text; and that XXIV. with highest reason, (discernible by every man,) for that of neceffity the love of God is the principal duty we owe unto him: the great duty indeed, as being largest in extent, and comprehending in a manner all other duties of piety; as that which exceeds in proper worth and dignity, (employing the noblest faculties of our fouls in their best operations upon the moft excellent object,) as that which communicates virtue unto, and hath a special influence upon all other duties; in fine, as that, which is the fum, the foul, the spring of all other duties: in difcourfing whereupon, I did formerly propound this method; first, to declare the nature thereof; then, to fhew fome means apt to beget and improve that excellent virtue in us; lastly, to propose some inducements to the practice thereof.

The first part I endeavoured to perform, by describing it according to its effential properties (common to love in general, and more particularly to this) of duly esteeming God, of defiring, according as we are capable, to poffefs and enjoy him, of receiving delight and satisfaction in the enjoyment of him, of feeling difpleasure in being deprived