286 S EA M 0 N S upon Serm. XXXVIII. They are of two forts. 1. Some have a weak and imperfeEf moton of their milli; a with, a faint defire to pleafe God in all, and above all things 5 but being overcome by their own lulls, they do not limply and abfolutely defire it, and had rather pleafe their flethly lulls, than pleafe God, at leali the event doth fo declare it ; you give God nothing, if you do not give him all the heart; we are Coto love God, and feek his glory, and do his will, when'ris crois to our carnal interne; his favour mutt be valued as our happinefs, and the plea(ingof him made our greaten work; and for his fake we mutt be content to ftffer any thing, rho never fo hard, and difficult, and contrary to our nature: Let not -fuck fay, they love God, that cannot deny a haft for him; nor will not for his fake venture the lofs of any thing that is dear to them, either goods, or liberty, or favour of men, or preferment, or credit. Pilate was loath to venture the Jews difpleafure 5 the Gaderenes would part with Chrif rather than their fwine. Surely if we put the love of God to hazard upon light occafions, we do not love him, nor count his favour our fupreath happinefs. 2. Othershave a deliberate refolution, and feem for the prefent abfolutely and feri- oufly to pleafe God. in_all things, and keep his commandments ; but they do not verifie it in their converfations5 Their purpofes and refòlutions are not diflèmbled for the prefent, but yet loon changed ; they neither keep the commandments of God, nor Rudy to pleafe him 5 there is a moral fincerity in them, but not a fupernatural Gncerity,. Wherein differ they ? The moral fincerity is a di&ate of confcience, but the fupernatural fincerity is a fruit of heart - changing grace. What (hall we do then ? Beg fuch an heart Of God, Deut 5.' 29. Oh that there were fuch an heart within them, that they would fear me, and keep my commandments always. God fheweth what we fhould do ; convinced confcience fheweth what purpofes and refolutions we fhould make 5 but a converted heart is only able to keep them. That mull be fought of God, and all good means mutt be uCed, that thefe purpofes that we conceive to be ftncere, may be found to be fo And God will not fail the (hiving and indeavouring foul, that feeketh to perfevere in its holy will and purpofe to obey and pleafe God 5 but by internal grace, and external providence, will help us onward in our courfe to Heaven. But if we depend upon our purpofes and refolutions, made in folemn duties, with a clear confcience, and with a de- liberate and feemingly refolved .will, without thofe fubfequent indeavours which evi- dence they come from a renewed heart, alas they will Coon come to nothing. á. Z) S E, To exhort us to the love of God. The more you love him, your title is the clearer, experience greater, hopes of eternal life (ronger. I. Confider thefe 'two things; God is lovely in himfel , and hath loved us. r. That God is lovely in himfelf, becaufe of his Wifdom, and Greatnefs, as well as be caufe of his Benignity. We are, or may be foon perfwaded, that we ought to love him as the fountain of all goodnefs 5 but the other Attributes fhould attract, and draw our hearts alto. I (hall add this argure nt to all the reti 5 Whatever ingageth us to adhere to God as an all- fu(ìcient portion, that is certainly a motive of our love 5 for lave is no- thing elfe but a delightful adhefion to God 5 Now his infinitely glorious effence, domi- nion and power,ingage.us-to adhere to him : Therefore we muff preis you to confider the excellency of his nature, evidenced irrthe abfolute dominion of his providence, and holi- nefs of his laws. We would have you confider neither, with the exclufion of the other, nor his greatnefs without his goodnefs 5 nor his benignity and goodnefs, without his greatnefs 5 neither of both without his holinefs 5 all maketh our love more nrong and regular. 2. He bath loved us, in what he hath done already, in what he hath prepared for no 1. In anhat he bath done already in Chrifl, which fheweth that God is love, John 3. 16. God fo loved the world, that he gave lets only begotten fan. .t John 4. to. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but he loved us, and tint his Son to be a propitiation for osr fins. 2. In what he will do 5 he hath greater benefits to give us,than what he hath already given. James. 2. 5. God bath cha, fen the poor of the world, rich in faith, and heirs of a kingdom, which he hath promifed to them that love him; not to learned rich benefa£tors, but to them that love him, and are willing to do and fuffer any thing for his fake. r Pet. 2. 9. But ye are a chafen generation, a royal Priefibood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that you fhould fleem forth the práife of him who bath, called you of of darknefr into his mar - vellous light. 2. That
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