173 able to do whatsoever he pleaseth both in Pf. 136.1. heaven and in earth, and in the fea, and in all deep places. He is the firft caufe of every thing, both as to its Being and Operation. We depend wholly upon his Power, not only for the Iffues and Events of things, but likewife for the Means. And therefore 'tis in Scripture made an Argument why we should not truft in Riches, or in any Worldly thing, because power belongs to God. And Pf. 62. 10, 'tis elsewhere urged for a Reason why we fhould trust in the Lord for ever, because in Ifa. 26. 4 the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength. And upon this confideration Abraham is faid Rom. 4 to have hoped against hope, being fully perfuaded that what God had promis'd he was able to perform.

II.

18, 21.

4. He is everlafting, whereas all other Helps and Comforts which we can propofe to our felves are tranfient and fading. As Zech. 1.5. for our fathers, where are they? And do the Prophets, or Princes, live for ever? Their Days upon Earth are a Shadow that fleeteth away, their breath goeth forth, and they return to the earth, and then all their thoughts perish: Whereas he is from Everlasting to Everlafting, God bleffed for ever; and his Righteousness extendeth to Childrens Children, even to all Generations. We fee by daily Experience, Perfons of great Hopes and Expectations, when their Patrons die upon whom they had their dependance, to

what

Jer. 17. 7.

what a forlorn and helpless Condition they are reduced: But now this can never befal the Man who trufteth in the Lord, and whofe hope the Lord is. And 'tis one of the greatest Privileges of Religion, that it doth furnish a Man with fuch a fure Refuge and Support against all kind of Exigences, whereby he may bear up his Spirit under those Difficulties wherewith others are overwhelmed.

'Tis true indeed, it cannot be denied, but that God doth expect, and the Nature of Things doth require, that Men should be suitably affected with Joy or Sorrow, according as their Conditions are; but yet with this difference, that those who believe the Providence of God, fhould not be fo deeply affected with these Things as other Men, they fhould weep, as not weeping, and rejoice as not rejoicing. They fhould not upon any Occafion fear or forrow as men without hope, but should demean themselves as Perfons that have an higher Principle to be acted by, and to live upon, than any of these fenfible Things.

I cannot omit to fuggeft one Obfervation concerning this Duty of Affiance, which I have now been infifting upon; That tho' this particular Virtue, and others of the like Affinity, be evidently moral Duties, our Obligation to them being clearly deducible from the Light of Nature and the

Principles of Reason, and confequently must be owned by the Heathen Philofophers; yet they do in their Writings fpeak but sparingly, concerning thofe kind of Virtues which are of a more Spiritual Nature, and tend most to the Elevating and Refining of the Mind. And on the other fide, the Scripture doth most of all infift upon the Excellency and Neceffity of these kind of Graces. Which is one of the main Differences, betwixt the Scripture and other moral Writings. And for this Reason it is, that in fpeaking of these Graces and Virtues, I do more frequently allude to Scripture Expreffions.

SE

Of the Love of God.

Econdly, As for thofe Perfections belonging to the Divine Will; namely, his Goodness, his Justice, his Truth and Faithfulness: The due apprehenfion of these, fhould excite in us the Virtue of Love, with all the genuine Fruits of it. By Love, I mean an esteeming of him, and a seeking after him as our only Happiness.

So that there are two Ingredients of this Virtue of Love, Eftimation and Choice.

1. An Eftimation of the Judgment; a due Valuation of thofe Excellencies which are in the Divine Nature, whereby we look upon God as the Supreme Being in genere boni: From whom all created Goodneis is derived, and by conformity to whom it is to be meafured. And this Notion is the proper importance of the word Charity, whereby we ac count a Thing dear or precious. And in this Senfe doth our Saviour oppofe defpifing to Mat.5.24. loving, Either he must hate the one, and love the other; or he must hold to the one, and defpife the other.

Now these Perfections of the Divine Nature may be confider'd, either abfolutely or relatively.

1. Abfolutely, as they are in themselves, abstracting from any Benefit that we our felves may have by them. And in this Senfe they can only produce in us an esteem of our Judgments, without any defire or zeal in our Will or Affections. The Devil doth underftand these abfolute Perfections of the Divine Nature, that God is in himself most wise, moft juft, and powerful: And he knows withal that these things are good, deferving Efteem and Veneration; and yet he doth not love God for these Perfections, because he himself is evil, and is not like to receive any Benefit by them.`

2. Relatively, with reference to that Advantage which may arrive to us from the

Divine Goodness. When Men are convinced of their infinite need of him, and their misery without him; and that their utmost Felicity doth confift in the Enjoyment of him: This is that which properly provokes Affection and Defire, namely, his relative Goodness as to us. There is scarce any one under fuch transports of Love, as to believe the Perfon whom he loves, to be in all Refpects the most virtuous, wife, beautiful, wealthy that is in the World. He may know many others, that do in fome, if not in all these Respects, exceed. And yet he hath not an equal love for them, because he hath not the fame hopes of attaining an Interest in them, and being made happy by them. So that this Virtue doth properly confift in fuch a kind of esteem, as is withal accompanied with a hope and belief of promoting our own Happiness by them. And this is properly the true ground and original of our love to God. From whence will follow,

2. Our choice of him, as being the only proper Object of our Happiness, preferring him before any thing else that may come in competition with them. Not only (as the Scripture expreffeth it) loving him above fa- Mat.10.3. ther and mother, but hating father and mo- Luk, 14. ther, yea and life it felf for his fake? Count- 26. ing all other things but drofs and dung, in comparison of him.

Now it cannot otherwife be, but that a due apprehenfion of the Divine Excellencies

Philem.3.