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SEEM.
XI.]
THE
FELICITY
OF
tREATURES.
195
12.
And
he
is
pleased to indulge some taste
of
this feli-
city to
his
children
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
of
which
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
are
end-
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