each PERSON &flinttily. Z. 19 his than fuch hard thoughts of him, knowing full well what fruit this bitter root is like to bear ; what alienation of heart, what drawings back, what unbelief, and tergiverfations inour walking with him ? how unwil- ling is a child to come into the pretence of an angry Father ? confider then this in the firft place. Receiving of the Father as he holds out love to the foul, gives him the honour he aims at, and is exceeding accep- table unto him. He often fets it out in an eminent manner that it may be fo received. He co4ssendeth his love unto us! Rom. v. 8. Behold what manner of love the Father loath bellowed on us, John iii. t. Whence then is this folly? Men are afraid to have good thoughts of God. They think it a boldnefs to eye God, as good, gracious, tender, kind, loving ; I fpeak of faints; but for the other fide, they can judge him hard, auftere, revere, altnoft implacable, and fierce (the very wont afee}ions, of the very worft of men, and molt hated of him, Rom. i. 31. 2 Tim. iii. 3.) and think, herein they do well, Is not this foul deceit from ratan? Was it not hisdefign from the beginning to'injeet fuels thoughts of God? Afire thy felf then, there is nothing more acceptable unto the Father, than for us to keep up our hearts unto him, as the eternal- fountain of all that rich grace, which flows out to finners in the blood of Jefus. And 2.) This will be exceeding effettual to endear thy foul unto God, to caufe thee to delight in him, and snake thy abodewith him. Many faints have no greater burthen in their lives, than that their hearts do not come clearly and fullyup, conftantly to delight and rejoyce in God ; that there is ftill an indifpofednefs of fpirit unto clofe walking with him. What is at the bottomof this diftemper ? It is not their unfkilfulnefs in, or negleft of this duty, even of holding communion with the Father in love? So much as we fee ofthe love of God, fo muchhall we delight in him, and and no more. Every other difcoveryof God without this, will but make the foul fly from him. But if the heart be once much taken up with this, the eminency ofthe Father's love, it cannot chafe but be overpowered, con- quered and endeared unto him. This, if any thing, will work upon us, to make our abode with him. If the love of a Father will not make a child delight in him, what will? Put then this to the venture; exercife your thoughts upon this very thing, the eternal, free, and fruitful love of the Father, and fee if your hearts be not wrought upon to delight in him. I dare boldly fay, believers will find it as thriving a courfe, as ever they pitched on in their lives. Sit down a little at the fountain, and you will quickly have a farther difcoveryof the fweetnefs ofthe ftreams. You who have run from him, will not be able after a while, to keep at a diftance fora moment. But Tome may fay . Alafs how (hall I hold communion. with the Father in love? I know not at all whether he loves ime or no; and hall I venture to cart my felt upon it? How if I fhould not be accepted? hould not I rather perifh for my prefumption, than find fweetnefs in his bofom ? God feems to me, only as a confuming fire, and everlafting buntings, fo that I dread to look' up unto him. I know not what may be underftood by knowing of the love of God; though itbe carried onby fpiritual fente, and experience, yet it is received purelyby believing. Our knowingof it, is our believing ofit, as revealed. We have known and believed the love that God bath to us, God is love, I John iv. t6. This is the affurance which at the very entrance of walk- ing with God thoumayeft have ofthis love, he who is truth bath faid ir; and what ever thy heart fays, or fatan fàys, unlefsthou wilt take it up on this
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