virtue, because it is the will and pleasure of God that we should be truly virtuous, which is impossible without a cordial love for virtue; so, on the other, he cannot but hate vice, because he knows it is hateful to God; nay, he must, in proportion to his love of God, hate every thing that tempts him to sin; for whatsoever does so, is the enemy of God; and surely the friend of God, who loves him with all his heart,' &c. must, according to the rule of opposites, hate his enemies with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his strength, and with all his mind.

It is worth observing here, that, although the fear of God is a most useful instrument of reformation in a mind not yet raised to a higher principle of obedience, it is nevertheless reasonable to suppose, God is much better pleased with a less perfect service, proceeding from the love of him, and our duty, than with a very punctual observance of his commandments, that takes its rise from fear only. We are told by the apostle, that love casteth out fear. However, it is happy for us that fear continues to awe us, till love is strong enough to sweeten our duty to us. But, when love is perfect, there is no farther occasion for fear; the operation of a lower motive being superseded by the presence and power of another, infinitely more worthy of a reasonable creature, and more acceptable to God.

Thus it is that the love of God inspires the soul with a love of virtue, and an hatred to vice; and, by a pleasing power, alike delightful both to God and the heart that feels it, prompts us to the performance of our duty. Hence arises a most comfortable assurance of God's favour through Christ, which imparts a happiness to the mind, not liable to be greatly impaired, much less to be entirely taken from it, by sicknesses, disasters, or death itself.

But, what is infinitely more than all this, the love of God is the very means and foundation of eternal happiness, not only as the principle of piety and goodness here, but as the soul's internal qualification for, and spring of, all enjoyment hereafter. It is not to be believed, that God will admit such into heaven as do not love him; nor that, if they were there, they could be happy; because it is the favour of God, rather than his presence, or the created glories of his court, that constitute heaven, and everlasting

happiness. God himself is the happiness of heaven, and of all its hosts. Where God manifests himself in his glory, the highest lustre of all created thrones, and principalities, and powers, is totally eclipsed, and entirely swallowed up, in the immensity of that brightness which breaks from the Infinite Being, as the stars are, when the sun shineth upon us in his strength.

To those who are blessed with this glorious vision of God, so ravishing is his beauty, so commanding his majesty, so infinitely sweet the smiles of his favour, that it is impossible, even for a moment, to turn their eyes from him, to all the pomp of heaven. The whole host of glorified spirits, transported out of themselves with infinite love, centre all their attention in him, and drink unutterable happiness from the river of his pleasures.' But still it must be remembered, that they enjoy him only in proportion to their love. Without love there is no enjoyment, neither here on earth, nor there in heaven.

Having thus seen that the love of God is the most powerful instrument to refine and dignify our nature, and the only spring of our eternal happiness, it follows, that, of all our endeavours, this of possessing our hearts with a high and ardent love of God, ought to be the first, the most vehement, and the most constant.

Here the important question may be put, By what means shall we excite in our dead and fleshly hearts a sufficient love of God, who hides himself' from us in his secret places, in the dark waters, and thick clouds of the skies?' The answer is easy. Thus indeed it is that he comes in 'storm, and tempest, and thunder,' to execute judgment on the oppressors of those he loves, as we find it in the eighteenth Psalm. Far otherwise does he shew himself to such as love him. To them he is a Father, a Saviour, and a Comforter. To them he every day manifests himself by ten thousand instances of his wisdom and goodness. If we would love God, these gracious manifestations are continually and closely to be attended to. We should consider, that God created us out of nothing, and fitted our souls for immortality, and for great and endless enjoyments. As to the enjoyments of this life, though they are not endless, they are, or may be, too considerable to be overlooked by

a grateful heart. The provision made for them in the innumerable comforts, conveniences, and beauties, even of this world, is an effect of infinite bounty and goodness. Were I, on this occasion, to remind you of them, by what arithmetic should I sum up their number? Or, by what skill in measure, calculate their greatness? He hath created the whole globe of the earth to furnish you with food, raiment, and other necessaries. He hath given you the spoils of the ox and sheep to keep you warm, and of the silkworm to make you gay. His bounty, you see, stops not at mere necessaries. He hath laid up for you, in the bowels of the earth, materials for erecting stately houses. He hath diversified the year into seasons, that each may refresh your taste with a set of new delicacies, after it is tired with the fish, fowl, fruits, and other nourishing vegetables, of the former. Nay, he hath even condescended to regale your sense of smelling with an endless variety of odours, one exceeding another in delicacy and sweetness. That your ear may be also entertained, whilst you feast on his bounties, he salutes it with the sweet music of the grove. When you walk out in a summer's evening to see how God blesses your industry, open your senses to the innocent music from every tree, to the delicious smells that breathe from every hedge and meadow. Cast your eyes over the face of nature. See how it smiles upon you, and decks itself out in a hundred beautiful colours to please you. If you have innocence and sense to taste these sweets, lay your hand on your heart, and ask it, whether it can trace and adore the bountiful Being that spreads forth such a lovely scene of things for your entertainment? If all this does not sufficiently move you, lift up your eyes to the heavens. Behold what a noble arch your Maker hath erected over your head! See how it bends about you, and compliments you with the centre wherever you move! See the sun, that glorious source of light and warmth, who rejoiceth as a giant to run his course, and the moon, just rising to supply his place! Smite again on your heart, and say to it, Did the Infinite Being vouchsafe thus to furnish the heavens, did he condescend thus to adorn the earth, for my accommodation! How ought I to love him for his amazing goodness! Hallelujah.

It is the property of a beast only to enjoy the creature ; but of a man to enjoy the Creator and Giver through all his gifts. We deservedly esteem him a brutish man, who being entertained by his patron with all sorts of delicacies, finds no pleasure but in the taste of what he swallows. The grateful and sensible guest enjoys a much higher pleasure in the kind smiles, and affectionate expressions, with which his great entertainer helps him. What a wretched figure must he make in the creation, who manifests in the eye of God, considered as his benefactor, no other property but this of a brute !

Let no man say, in the blindness of his heart, when he abounds, I neither see God, nor perceive that he gives me the good things I enjoy; but I find they proceed from second causes, such as my own wisdom and strength. Base and vain presumption! Do not second causes imply a first? Who gave thee understanding? and to say nothing of God's grace, who gave thee a mind naturally turned to frugality and industry? Who gave thee health and strength? Are not others as frugal, as skilful, as industrious, often, by accidents both at land and sea, which no human wisdom or care could prevent, reduced to the last extremity? Adore not, ungrateful man, your own wisdom, or strength, or fortune; but the Giver. Neither sacrifice to your plough, nor to the hand that guides it, nor to the earth that bears, nor to the sun that ripens your fruits, for these are but second causes; but to him who made them all. If you are not blind, lame, bed-ridden, or begging your bread, be thankful to God. If you are in wealth or honour, learn to love him; 'and beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, lest when thou hast eaten, and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein, thy heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God, and say in thine heart, My power, and the might of mine hand, hath gotten me this wealth. But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God; for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth.'

If, in our enjoyment of God's creatures, we forget our great Benefactor (such is the curse entailed on ingratitude), we lose almost the whole benefit of what is given us; or what is worse, make it the means of our own ruin. From the beauty and conveniency of the world, and our own por

tion therein, we should learn to love its Maker, who had our accommodation in view when he contrived it. Thus should the world, our enemy by the corruption of human nature, become what it was at first, our friend, our monitor, and an inspirer of love and gratitude. How different a thing is the world to a good and a bad man! A bad man cannot look abroad into it, but he meets with continual snares and provocatives to vice. A good man cannot converse with the world, nor take a walk, either through city or country, but he meets a thousand things to prompt him to love and gratitude towards God. Thus the good and bad man, out of one and the same world, make to themselves two opposite worlds. Like the bee and the wasp, they extract medicine and poison from the same flower. The unthinking and the low-minded wretch tastes only his food, hears only the sound of music, sees only the proportions and colours of things. But the sensible and religious soul tastes God in his food, hears him in the sweets of music, sees him in the beauties of nature, and enjoys him in every innocent delight; for he knows God made and upholds all things by the word of his power.' He always considers, that God gives him his capacity to relish and enjoy, and gives every thing he enjoys the power to please. Hence it is, that he never stops short in the enjoyment of the creature, but is carried up from thence, by his grateful heart, to a more exalted knowledge, and to a more divine enjoyment, of his gracious Benefactor. God engages his love by continual benefits, and he woos the favour of God by the gratitude that accompanies, and, at the same time, brightens every enjoyment. Blessed intercourse! that ensures the favour of God, and does so much honour to human nature. How different a man is this from him, who, although the bounty of God is visible in his health and worldly possessions, yet is 'so proud, that he careth not for God, neither is God in all his thoughts!'

Is it not a very unhappy thing, that the minds of most men, being swelled with pride, being continually solicited, and shamefully softened, by fleshly delights, are apt to rest in them, and lose sight of Him whose bounty they abuse? From this criminal lethargy they seldom or never awake, till Providence withdraws its favours by poverty, or the en