-134 The fecand Sign PART II. But I proceed now to a feeond Chargterif}ic of gracious Affec- tions. II. The firft objective Ground of gracious Affedions, is the tran- fcendently excellent and amiable Nature of divine Things, as they are in themfelves ; and not any conceived Relation they bear to Self, or Self-Intereft. I fay that the fupremely excellent Nature of divine Things, is the jiirfl, or primary and original objective Foundation of the fpiritual Af- fedions of trueSaints ; for I do not fuppofe that allRelation which di- vine Things bear to themfelves, and their own particular Inteeef, are wholly excluded from all Influence in their gracious Affections. For this may have, and indeed has, a fecondary and confequentialInfluence in thofe Affedions that are truly holy and fpiritual ; as I (hall Thew how by and by. It was before obferved, that the Affection of Love is as it were the Fountain of all Affedtion ; and particularly, that chriffian Love is the Fountain of,all gracious AFfet ions : Now the divine Excellency and Glory of God, and Jefus;Chrifi, the Word of God, the Works of God, and -the Ways of God -, &c. is the primary Reafon, why a true Saint loves thefe Things ; and not any fuppofed Intereff that he has in them,, or any conceived Benefit that he has received from them, or (hall receive from them, or any fuch imagined Relation which they bear to his Intereff, that Self-Love can properly be Paid to be the firff foundation of his Love to thefe Things. Some fay that all Love arifes front Self Love ; and that it is im- poffible in the Nature of Things, for any Man to have any Love to God, or any other Being, but that Love to himfelf muff be theFoun- dation of it. But I humbly fuppofe it is for Want of Confideration, that they fay, fo. They argue, that whoever loves God, and fo de- fires his Glory, Or the Enjoyment of him, he defires thefe Things as his own Happinefs ; the Glory of God, and the beholding and enjoy- ing his Perfedions, are confidered as Things agreeable to him, tending to make him happy ; he places his Happinefs in them, and defires them as Things, which (if they were obtained).would be delightful to him, or would fill him with Delight and Joy, and fo make him happy. And fo, they fay, it is from Self-love, or a Defire of his o_ wn Happinefs, that he defires God, fhould be glorified` ;, and defires to be- , hold and enjoy ,his glorious Perfedions. . But then they ought to con- fder.a littlefurther, and enquire the Man came to place his Hap- pinefs i`n God's being glorified, and in contemplating and enjoying d' Gos Perfeetions. There is no Doubt, but that after God's Glory, and the beholding his Perfedions, are become fo agreeable to him, that he places his higheff Happinefs in thefe Things, then he will de- fire them, as he defires his own appineà. But bow came thefe Things
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