248 BAXTER'S DYING THOUGHTS. ward to draw near to God in prayeror meditation, who tasteth the sweetness of his love ! This is religion indeed, and tells us what its life, and use, and glory is. This is the true walking with God in the best degree. When the 'soul liveth in the taste ofhis love, the heart willbe still with him; and that will be its pleasure. AndGod most delights in such a soul. 10. This it is.that putteth the sweetest relish on all our mercies. Deny God's love, and you deny them all. If you taste not his love in them, you taste little more than a beast may taste : poor food and raiment is sweet, with thesense of the love of God. Had I more of this, I should liedown, and rise, and walk, in pleasure and content. I could bear the loss of other things; and though nature will feel pains, I should have pleasure and peace in the midst of all my pains and groans. This is the white stone, the new name: no man well knoweth it who never felt it in himself. There is no dying comfortably without this experienced taste of the love of God. This will draw up the desires.of the soul:. love tasted, casteth out fear: though God- be holy and just, and judgment terrible, and hell intolerable, and the soul bath no dis- tinct idea of its future state out of the body, and though we see not whither it is that we must go, the taste of God's love will make it go joyfully, as trusting him ; as a child will go any whither in his father's power and hand. But all the knowledge in the world without this quiets not a de- parting soul. A man may write as many books, and preach as many sermonsof heaven, as I have done,, and speak of it, and think of almost nothing else, and yet till the soul be sweetened and com- forted with the love of God shed abroad on it by the Holy Ghost, death and the next life will be rather a man's fear than his desire. And the common fear of death which we see in the far greater part even of godly persons Both tell us, that though they may have saving desires and hopes, yet this sense of God's love on the heart is rare. What wonder, then, if our language, our converse, our prayers, have too little savor of it, and, in comparison of joyful believers' duties, be but like green, apples to the mellowones. My God, I feel what it is that I want, and I perceive what it is that is most desirable : O, let not guilt be so far unpardoned as to deprive my soul of this greatest good, which 'thou hast commend- ed to me, and commanded, and which, in my languishing and pains, I so much need! Did I beg for wealth or honor, I might have it to the loss of others. But thy love will make me more useful to all, and none will have the less for my enjoyment ; for thou, Lord, art enough for all ; even as nonebath the less of the sun-
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