Ver. 28. the 8th Chapter to the ROMANS. ag is fomething in our bofomes to prompt us to love our (elves, therefore 'cis rather fup- poled than enforced. Paulr. adverbs are emphatical, Titus 2. 12. That we fhovld live f berly, righteonfly, and godly. What is it to live godly, but to efteem, love, reverence, and fèrve God, with all our heart; and all our ftrength 5 and to live jafily as to our neighbour ? What is it but to love our neighbour as our fill? tr/hat)e mould that men fhonld de unto you, do ye the fame to them. What is it to live foberly as to our felves but that our felflove should be moderated, that we fhould abffain from all unlawful and fuperfluous pleafures, and ufe the lawful ones fparirgiy, as meat, drink, cloathing, recreation; milers we would have our fouls choaked or Mated. Self -love hath fo filled the hearts of men, that there is no room, or little room left for the love of God, or oar neighbour ; but yet there is a meafure tit, how we fhould love our neighbour, but we cannot ovcrlcve God ; there all the heart, all the foul, all the might, 'Tis modus fine modo, menfrra fine melJnr6, terminus fine termino; here no excels or hyperbolic bath any place. 2. The nature of the ohjeíl loved. God is infinitely and eternally good, therefore we mull love Gcd without any exceptions and reltridtions ; as the objeá of love is good - nefs, fo the meafure of the goodnefs, is the meafure of the love ; a greater good Mud be loved more, and a lef er good mutt be loved lel. Somewhat betides God, may be good, but 'ris finite and limited ; the Creature is a particular good, and our love to it is a par- ticular limited love : God only is a fen of goodnefs without banks, and without bottom; therefore our love to God is not limitted by the objedt, but the narrownefs of the fa- culty. God in this life is fern darkly, and Co allo loved ; for our love doth not exceed our knowledge; that's our defed : God deferveth more. 3. God is loved, ut finis, as the lafi end; and all other things, nt media ad finem. Now common reafon will tell us, that the end isdebred without meafure ; and the means in a certain refpeét and proportion to the end. As for inftance, when yoti are lick, you fend for the phylitian, the end is health ; the medicaments and prefcriptions are the means the end you intend abfolutely, but the means you would have tiled in a juff meafure, and with refpeft to the end. Fading is prefcribed in meafure, and blood- letting in meafure 5 the potions neither too bitter, nor too ftrong, nor in too great quantity : you do not fear to be made too well, or too healthy, or too ftrong; this is your end. A man that giveth up himfclf to a fcholars life, his end is learning, he doth not fear to be too learn- ed; yet too much reading is a wearinefs to the dell], and dulleth the mind; there is a greater largenefs about the end, than about the means. Now God is the chief good, and IC) the lalt end. Therefore all the heart, and all the foul, and all the mind : Surely not e cold, but an high and drong love is due to him. 4. Becauf of the wonders of his love towards us: The highefl Angel doth nirt love God with fuck a love, as he loveth the meanelt faints; and (hall we love him coldly; and faintly, who hath loved us at fo high a rate? I will not fpeak of his love which he (hewed us in creation, when as yet we had no being ; he made us after his own image, and lords of the vilible world, with bodies fo exactly contrived, and fouls en- dowed with fach excellent faculties. hut I will (peak of the wonders of his love Moor redemption, that when we were enemies, he lent his fon todie for us. I urge this, I prefs this ; this is enough for my purpofe 5 God fo loved the world, fo much above the con- ception, or thought of men and Angels, that his Son came in the limilitude of finful Heft; and dyed for us. Now as one fire kindleth another, fo fhould this love beget a like love in us. We love him, becarrfe he loved us frfi, r John 4. 19. 4. I need farce add, that it mull be afirperlative love, that,God muff be loved above all other things ; above the creature, above our felves ; not t... G be refpehted as an inferior good,nor meetly as equal unto any ; bur above all ; or elfe we dó not at all love him ; we cannot love him fo much, as he deferveth to be loved : for fo God only loveth himfeif: we cannot love him fo gulch as the glorified Saints and Angels love him, for we are not yet perfedl : we do not love him as fume eminent Saints in flefh, becaufe we it may be are novices, or becaufe of our negligence; but we mutt love him more than any other thing is loved; we muff love him above all, and all in and for God, or elfe we are not fincere, Matth. ro. 37 He that loveth Father or Mother more than me, is not worthy of me, Some have a partial halt-love to God, when they have a greater love to other things 5 then Religion will be an underling, and Gods intereft lead minded, if any thing be nearer and dearer to us than God; and the advantages we expect} from men; are prefer- red before the confcience of our duty to him, we cannot be upright and faithful tei Chrift. 9 N 2 á. 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