SEEM. XI.] THE FELICITY OF tREATURES. 195 12. And he is pleased to indulge some taste of this feli- city to hischildren in this life, by mediums and glasses, by types and figures, by his word and ordinances, under the enlightening beams of his Spirit. This is the beauty of the Lord, for the view ofwhich David desired to dwell in the sanctuary; Ps. xxvii. 4. that he might see the power and glory of God continually, as he had some- times seen it there: that he might behold his beauty, and talk of his glorious goodness in his holy temple. O how great is his goodness ! and how great is his beauty! Zed!. ix. 17. But contemplation alone cannot make a creature hap- py: This only entertains the understanding, which is but one faculty of our natures: the will and affections must have their proper entertainment too. Their beatific ex- ercise may be comprized in the word love, either in the outgoings, or the returns of it: and this leads me to the following particulars. II. The next ingredient of a creature's happiness, is, the love of the chiefest good. And those whom God chuses, and causes to approach himself, when they are under divine illuminations, see so much beauty and ex- cellency in his nature, his power and wisdom, and so many lovely glories in his overflowing grace, that they cannot but love him above all things; and this love is a great part of their heaven. What sweeter pleasure is there in this lower world, than to give a loose to the of -. fectionate powers of the soul, to converse with the most amiable and most desired object, to feed upon it without ceasing, and to dwell with it perpetually? But the most relishing enjoyments of this kind that mortality admits of, in the pursuit or possession of created good, are but faint and feeble shadows of the blessedness of holy souls in the love of God, who is the most amiable, and the best of beings Therefore they love him with all their heart and soul, with all their mind and strength ; and if they had more powers in nature that could be employed in love, they should all be laid out in the search and fruition of this first and best-beloved ; for there areend- less stores, and treasures of unknown loveliness in the godhead, to excite and entertain for ever the fresh ef- forts of the most exalted love. But for me to know, and to love the best of beings, e
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