538 DIVINE LOVE IS THE COMMANDING PASSION. then Ló the best and noblest method for governingall the passions, is to get the love of God rooted in the heart, and to see that it maintain its supreme dominion there." What uneasy creatures are we made by our various passions ! How often do they dis- quiet and torment the soul ? I-low head-strong is their violence,. like a horse unbroken and untamed ! How sudden are their starts ? Their motion's how wild and various ? And how un- ruly are their efforts ? Now if one had but one sovereign bridle, that could reach and manage them all ; one golden rein, that would hold in all their unruly motions, and would also excite and guide them at pleasure ; what an invaluable instrument would this be to mortals ! Surely suchan instrument is the love of God, such an invaluable regulater of all the passionatepowers; and it will have this effect, where it is strong and supreme, as it ought to be. You that are daily disturbed and led astray by rising pas- sions of various kinds, come to the lectures of the gospel, come to the doctrine of the blessed Jesus : Come see the love of God displayed in its most surprizing and powerful colours ; come learn to love your Maker, dressed in the riches of his grace : And may your souls be fired with divine love, till all your car- nal fetter's are melted off; till you exult in a divine liberty; till you lead captivity captive, and reign and triumph over all your vicious affections, which had so often before disquieted and enslaved you. And here again we may take up a melapeholy complaint, how few are there who are taught to regulate their passions by . divine love ! What wild work do these unruly powers make among mankind! How dreadfully do theycarry away multitudes into mischiefand ruin for want of this holy government ! How very few have attained this heavenly gift, this sacred principle, this golden rein of universal influence, that would hold in,, and guide and manage all the passions to glorious advantage ! Meditation. " But it is time now, O my soul, to call thy thoughts away from the multitudes of mankind, and to lookcare- fully into thyself. There is reason enough for griefand lamenta. tion indeed, if we survey the thousands round about us, who are mere slaves to their earthly passions, who let them looseamong creatures, and show'very few tokens and evidences of a supreme love to their Creator : But would it not be matter of far more painful, more penetrating and inward sorrow if thou shouldst carry this evidence, this test ofdivine love, into thy own retire- ments, and shouldst hardly be able to prove thyself a lover of God'? Awake, awake to the work, O my heart.! Enquire, examine, and take a strict aécount how are thy passionate powers employed. Go over thy various affections, and enquireof all of them, how stands thy love to God.
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