God being often made, the Soul will become more vigorously affected towards God, efpecially when Charity is in good plight, having no prefent Adverfary or Temptation to encounter with,

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4. After Faith, Hope lifts up its Head, and 'tis twofold, either fuch as precedes Charity, or is fubfequent to it, (even as we have feen Faith to be Paragr. 3.) The Hope which precedes Charity is fubfervient to Faith, in affifting it to beget the Love of God in the Soul, in manner here following; When Faith has begot fome imperfect defires of Blifs, before Charity be habitually feated in the Soul, fome flender hope will arife from the glowings, whereby the Soul perceives herself to grow warm in Affection towards God, that he will be graciously pleafed to perfect the good Work he has already begun in her. This Hope, tho weak, contributes fomething to Charity, if not choaked by freth Sin; for while the Soul hopes for what the defires, her defires of what the hopes for is quickned thereby. Nevertheless till an habitual Love to God above all things, or Charity be throughly framed in the Soul, there's no Spiritual Life therein, but only previous difpofitions preFaring for it. Such Hope is therefore by

the

the Schools termed informis; and the other Hope which followsCharity is called formata, because Charity gives Live and Vigor to it, for no man has a firm well grounded Hope that he thall ever inherit Blifs, till he find within himself that he has an hearty unfeigned Love to God, and really perfues the known Means appointed by him to procure a full Fruition of him. Thus is Charity the Parent of a true and lively Hope,and to this intent that she may be a Stay and Comfort to her Mother, for while men rationally hope to enjoy what they love, they are cherifhed, confirmed, and ftrengthened thereby in their Love, because they have confi dence arifing from a well-grounded Hope, that their Love is not in vain. Wherefore the greater our Charity is till perfect, that it excludes Hope through poffeffion of the thing hoped for, the stronger will our Hope be, and the stronger, our Hope is, the greater Encouragement will be given to Charity, which perfected, is Felicity.

Object. The Love of God in Heaven may be an adhering with delight to the Object of Felicity; or a Complacency, Joy and Satisfaction arifing from the Beatific Vifion, or Contemplation of the Divine ExcelN 3 lency.

lency. But the Love of God upon Earth feems rather to be a Defire only to enjoy him eternally, than any the leaft real participation of Blifs, or the Enjoyment of God,

Solut. Every true hearted fincere Defire to enjoy God eternally is an Effort and vigorous ftriving of the Soul to be throughly fatisfied with the full fruition of him for ever; which fince it is caufed by the Delight it finds in the folid and devout Confideration and Meditation of the Divine Excellency, or of Gods wonderful gracious Kindnefs to man apprehended by Faith, or of both; the greater inward Joy and Spiritual Contentment men have in thinking of Gods tranfcendent Excellency, and of his ftupendious Kindness fhown to Man, the ftronger will their Defires grow to obtain a full Poffeffion of him to Eternity; whence it appears that the Defire to enjoy God is an effect of Charity, or Delight taken in him, and not Charity it felf; but is a very great Advancer of it, in that it puts men upon the exercife of all things which are known to be available to the Fruition of God; and indeed is fo like to Charity, that it is not without a near Infpection difcernable from it; yet certainly is diftinct from

it,

A

it, as may be farther gathered from the conftant answer we ufe to give to one demanding of us, why we fo earnestly defire this or that thing, which is, because we have a great Love for it, or take much delight in it; but do not ever fay, we love a thing, or are delighted with it, because we defire it. In fine, then I take it to be cleared, that Charitas via, and Charitas patriæ, the Love of God here and hereafter, differ only, as the less, and more perfect, whence I conceive, arofe that common Saying of Divines, Gratia eft femen Gloria, and the occafion of calling afwell Grace as Glory the Kingdom of Heaven in Scripture.

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SECT. XIV.

The Moral habits Prudence, Justice, Forti tude and Temperance are truly Virtues in that respect only as they further Charity. What the Office of each of them in particular is, as 'tis fubfervient unto Charity.

1.

Having fhown after what manner

the Theological Virtues Faith and Hope are useful and ferviceable unto Charity, it follows to be confidered of, how the moral Virtues, Prudence, Justice, Fortitude and Temperance minister help thereunto; in reffect of which alone, they are truly Virtues, and not otherways. For fince Charity here and hereafter is Felicity, the one begun, the other perfected, (Sec. 13.) and that Felicity is the ultimate End of Man; (Sec. 4.) it certainly follows, that not any thing at all is virtuous, or good to man as man, or a Rational Creature made to inherit Bliss, but what is in fome respect or other advantagious and beneficial to Charity; fo that although he be commonly efteem'd a Prudent Man, who difcreetly or

ders.