6ot) ______ ~piriinal Perfi_e_a_io_n_.____________ ~ ~~eA~1:i:~r a~~~~~e~t~t~~-ft e;~cb~ffea~;~·:,C~l~~i~~ats i: 3c 0~~~~~~~ bJx~~~i~ocvt ~~~~;· gracetul and dunful Love. ' I will confider the Caurcs and Properties of this Sanctified Affection. Love is an Atfetlion_drawn forth by De!ire in the _<Jbfcnc_eof irs ObJeB:, rclling in Complacency when rhe ObJeCt IS prefenc. Th~ a!traCbv~ o.f IC is GoodnefS, which implies a con"'·cmcoce and agreement between rhe ObJt:B: and the Faculty. The .1\ pp~tire is excited by the apprehcnfion. ~n the Senfir ive ~arure, wichout Perception and Agrecmeor, there can be no de fire and ddtgl~c. The Eye 15 not pleas d with the moH CX<.]uilice Mulick 1 bein~ undift:rnable and un(lmable to ir. The Ear, though exatlly ternper'd, is not affc£tcd ~Hil Lig ~t , the firft and fJ.irctl of Senfirive Beauties : for ev~ry fn_fc has irs proper Ob. Jctl ro wh1ch 'tis Confin 'd, and cannot percci\-e or rafie any pleafUre 10 another. And fuch is rheframe of t he Humane Soul; the inlighrened Undcrllanding infirucrs ~nd ~xcites t he ~~ tll w efleem ~nd love , c~oofea,~d cmbra_ce God as rhc Suprtme Good, tor Jus abrolutc 1nhac::nt Pcrft: B:tons, and hts H elauve Artnbutes, whereby he is infioicely the be(~ and rhe mo(\ amiable Being in himfclf, and the mo(~ beneficial to us. The in- ~~fea~l~ec;f~~\~n~~; ~!1:r~l~t~·~fi~~~:,g~etth~c %:;~~~~~eft~a~ ~~il~~ufch~u[l~1 a ~~r~~~~~~ order: either as Natural, or lntellecrual , or Moral. Natural Perfections; Self·Exiftence, Ecernicy , Im~enGry, Omnipotence: ImelleCtual PcrfeCli?ns; Kno~Jedgc, cam. prehenfive of all th1ngs that are, and all things within the poffibliiry of JleJOg; Wirdom fufficient to Govern and Order mnumcrable Worlds: Moral PcrfcCbons, Hohnefs, Good· nefs, Ju(\ice and Truth. Now the Union of there Perfections in God, de!Crvcs we lhould glorify him with all the degroes of our Undcr(\andmgs and Wills, with the high. ell Veneration and Efleem, and the mofl ardent AffcCbons. If the weak and cranfientrefembl dnce of fomc of the Divine Excellencies in tht Creatures from whom we neid1erre~ cei ve nor cxpc:£t any benefir, raire our Etleern, ·and draw our Love, how much more lhouid the Elfenrial Perfections of God fill us with Admiration, and the dcarefi Affections to him! His abrolute Perfections are not the ObjeCl:sof our Dtfires, for he is imirely polfe(lof them, and can neverbedive(\edof them, but of our Love and Joy. 2 , Confider God in his Relative Attributes to us, as our Maker, Preferver, and Benefattor, as our Redeeme r that faves us from an everla(\ing Hell, and has purchafed and prcpar'd Eternal Glory for us, and prepares us for it, The Eternity, Ornn iprefence , and Omnipotence of God, are awful Attributes, and dt:ferve our mol t humble Adoration; for he chat Lives forEver, can punilli for ever, yet in conjun8ion with his propirious. beneficent Attributes, GoodnefS, Clemency and Be· nigniry, are amiable Perfe.a10_ns , and deft::r.ve our fingular a ~d fuperlative Love; for Eter# nal Power confers and matmaws our Happ1nefs. .At thy rrght hand are p/e;~fores fvr ever· more. The firft rife of our Love is from the fenfe of his Benefits: bur we muft Love him above his Benefits, and value his Benefits for his fal<e, as they arc the Teflimoniesof his Love. This infpired a holy Hear in the PfalmiWs Brea(l, What /hall I render to the Lord for all hu Benefits? That the Impreffions of his benefits may link and ftttlc inroour Hearts, I will Confider, The principle from whence they proceed, the grearnefs of them, and God's End in bc(\owi ng them. · . . . r. The principle of all his benefits tS hiS mo(l free and pure Goodnefs. The Pfalm1(l declares, Thot~ art good, and dofl good. 'Tis true, his high Perfetlioos are very refplend~nt in his Works, yet t his induced no neceffity upon God; for declarative Glory refulnng from the exercife and effcCls of his Attributes, was nor nece!fa ry. He was from all Eter· ~~tJe!~r~:~e~)l~ ~~r/1f~~t~~~ t~~~~~/e0 o~i:~~~m ~~irh;~r\:~~e~~Je:l~t~~et~; ~~i~~ ~f his Goodncfs, we had no being, and confequently no poffibiliry or lhadow of deferr, and after our Sin, we were deforvedly Miftrable. 2 . Let us ponder his benefits, that if it were poffible, we may not mifs a grain of their weight. 1 . In che order of Nature. He made us, and not ll'e our fllvrs. The Humane Body, ~~;r~~~~f0;\~a~4~~~acl~ea~1~~~~=::jy \£~:~~~ dt~~g~~~yh~sfM~~~;, t~f ;~~io~~r:t: Earth; and though in_ thecourr~ of Nature our Parenrs_concribute to the m.atrerof our BaCks , ye~ he O_rganJz~s them Ul thac. pe~feEl.ion, he .d1fpofes all. the par ts 10 th~t or~er and propomon as 1s req udite for C:omdmefs and Ufe. fhc Pralmdl (peaks of thiS wah rhofe lively Expr,ffions, I will praife thre, for I am frarfi•l" and ovonderfu/11 made, mm/,~;
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