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VOL. prevails upon them. Their love languifheth, and I. needs reinforcement; and they ought not to content themfelves to have the matter fo, as if it were a cafe to be approved of, and that needed no redress. But yet again,

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7. We must confider, that tempers are very carefully to be diftinguished. The temper of fome men's minds is more compofed, according as the bodily temper is more fixed, and their natural fpirits are lefs volatile. Hence fome are of a more even deportment to every object, even to the observation of others, and feldom are seen to be exalted, or depreffed, whatever occurrences happen to them in the course of their lives. They are not often seen, it may be, either to weep or laugh, to be either remarkably fad or cheerful. And grace, or this holy affection wherever it is in its fubject, is fomewhat conform to the natural temper of the perfon. As water poured into a veffel, refembleth the form of that veffel. If the veffel be round, then it refembles a round figure; if triangular, then it resembles a triangular figure. So I fay grace and holy affections, where they are, resemble their fubject, and receive in some fense a likeness and conformity to it, fo as not to change the natural temper of the mind. In deed the great business of the grace of GoD is to influence men as to morals, and not as to naturals. Therefore it were an unreasonable thing for any one to make himself a measure to all other perfons, how much foever they differ in temper from him. Or that any one should make another

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another fuch a ftandard to himself, that however SER M.
it be with him as to his natural temper, he muft XI.
be just such as others are; which is equally to
aim at a thing both unneceffary and impoffible.
Further,

8. We must warily distinguish between the
exercise of love upon extraordinary, and fudden
occafions, and fuch as are common and lefs fur-
prizing. As you know one may converse daily
among the nearest relatives, and never feel any
difcernible pang of affection working towards
them, as one does to an object that suddenly ap-
pears. This proceeds from frequency and fami-
liarity with them; when poffibly the very fame
person would be in a tranfport upon the fudden
and unexpected fight of the face of a friend,
whom he had not feen of many years before.
Now this is not inconfiderable as to our prefent
case. It may be thus with many persons, who do
not feel such a paffionate pang of love towards per-
fons, they daily converfe with, as they do towards
others, at the fight of whom they are furprized:
Yet notwithstanding this their love may be far
dearer, and habitually much more strong to those
relations whom they daily converse with, as oc-
cafions when administered abundantly fhew;
that is, they would do more for them, and be
more deeply concerned if they faw them in di
stress, pain, and anguifh. They would with
much more regret endure feparation from them,
or take their deaths much more impatiently;
which things fhew their affections to be habitually

much

I.

VOL. much stronger, though upon fudden occafions, or in a certain juncture, they may work much more obfervably. And thus it may poffibly be with fome perfons, who walk more evenly in their fpirits before GOD. They have it may be fewer tranfports than others, who are of fuch uneven spirits, that the fight of GoD is often a new thing to them. They have him lefs frequently out of fight, and are daily more converfant with him, and therefore are not subject to such violent emotions of mind. And if we compare thefe together, certainly we can never think, that there is a greater excellency in that temper which fubjects a man, now and then, to higher tranfports of fpiritual and divine affection, than in that temper of fpirit, which is more steadily determined to a continual courfe of walking with Gob, in whom there is alfo an habitual complacence.

LASTLY, This is further to be confidered, that if at any time one would try the fincerity of one's heart towards GoD, it is much more clearly to be evinced by the influence this hath on a man's life, than by the paffionate or sensible impreffions made upon the body. I fay, we have a far furer evidence of our love to Go D, from the influence it has to govern and manage the courfe of our lives; than from all the passionate emotions, and resentments we may feel in the inferior parts of the outward man. Suppofe fuch raptures, and tranfports, and extatical motions, as are very strange, and not without their delecta

XI.

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tion and pleasure. Alas! thefe fignify but little SER M towards the evincing of true fincere love to Go D, in comparison of a ftable courfe of living under his government, as perfons who are beyond all things loth to offend and difpleafe him. If you seek an evidence of the truth of your love to GOD, take this; If ye love me keep my commandments". And again, This is the love of God, that ye keep his commandments. Though we muft take heed here of thinking, as was formerly faid, that the external effect is fufficient without the principle; or that a course of obedience, in outward acts, to the rules fet before us, will do the business, though there be nothing of the principle of the love of God in us. But take thefe in connexion, the principle with the effect, and they are a great deal more pungent demonftrations of love, than mere tranfports of extraordinary affection, now and then, are. Agreeably to which our Lord fays, He that bath my com-. mandments and keepeth them, be it is that loveth me; and he that loveth me, fhall be loved of my Father; and I will love him, and manifeft my felf unto him P. And again, as it afterwards follows, If any man love me, he will keep my words; and my Father will love him, and we will come unto bim, and make our abode with him.

So that we should take heed of putting too much upon the mere matter of paffionate love in this cafe; unlefs, as we faid before, it be mani. VOL. I.

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feftly

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John xiv. 15. • Ver. 23.

1 John v. 3.

P John XIV. 21.

I.

VO L. festly discernible, that we can be paffionately affected to any other kind of objects, while we find a ftupidity, and dulness upon us, with respect to those, which are spiritual and divine. Therefore lay the great ftrefs always here. "What "doth the love, I pretend to, fignify as to the " conduct of my life? Do I live as a lover of "GOD? as if it were an ungrateful matter to "me, above all things, to difplease him? as "that I study, by all means poffible, to maintain

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an intercourse of union, and communion be"tween him and me? Is it fuch a love as makes "his honour dear to me, fo that I am above all "things concerned not to difgrace the name "which I bear, or be a reproach to him to whom

I profess a relation? Is there fuch a principle "in me as makes distance from GoD a weari"fome thing? And would I fain be nearer to "him daily, more acquainted with him, more "conformed to him, and changed into his di"vine image and likenefs?" If this is the influence that love to Go D hath upon our lives, it is the evidence, it is the thing, if any thing can be fo, that must prove and demonstrate to our felves the fincerity of our love.

SERM.

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