2. Because many love it upon wrong reasons. There may be a natural and carnal love to spiritual things. Look, as a religious man in outward things rejoiceth spiritually, so a carnal man in spiritual things rejoiceth carnally. So Herod rejoiced in John's preaching with a human passion, Mark vi. 20, as he was a plausible preacher, and a rare and pregnant interpreter of the law. This was but a carnal affection ; that is, thus : They may be pleased with notions, and elevated strains of wisdom. I remember a moralist gives this simili- tude : A gallant going into a garden prizeth flowers altogether for the beauty of them ; but a physician he looks after their use and virtue in medicine, but they both go to look after flowers. So a godly man delights in the word of God ; it is that he may be brought under the power of it, and made more holy and heavenly-minded ; but others go to hear an argument rationally traversed, or to hear cadences of speech and pleasant language. It is not enough to take a liking to things, but we must know why. Nay, let me tell you that mere for- eign and external reasons may sway us to delight in the word ; when religion is in request, and groweth in fashion, and becometh matter of reputation, it is no great matter to be an honourer and admirer of it. Simon Magus will be a disciple and turn Christian too, when the whole city of Samaria listened to the apostles, and embraced their doc- trine. Acts viii. ; when there was so great an outward affluence.
3. The more we view the grounds and reasons, the more our love is increased. It is clear the will and affections are moved by the understanding, and that ignorance is the cause of the contempt of the Lord's grace : ' If thou knewest the gift,' John iv. 10. We love, and
486 SERMONS ui'ON I'SALM cxix. [Seu. CLVII.
fear, and hate, and joy, according to the appreliensions that we have of ihnigs; and therefore the more knowledge we liave, the more love : Phil. i. 9, ' 1 pray that your love may ahound in all knowledge.' If thou dost not increase in knowledge, thou wilt never increase ia aiFection : 2 Peter i. 2, ' Grace and peace be multiplied unto you by the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ our Lord.' Now, the more these grounds and reasons are drawn forth in the view of conscience, the more our love is stirred ; as the more we beat the steel upon the flint, tlie more the sparks fly out.
Fourth consideration. Of all the grounds and reasons of our love to the word of God, the most noble and excellent is to love the word for its purity.
1. Because, this showeth indeed that we are made ' partakers of the divine nature,' 2 Peter i. 4. For I pray you mark, when we hate evil as evil, and love good as good, we have the same love and hatred that God hath. It showeth that the soul is changed into the likeness of God wdien we love a thing for its purity. God hath no interest to be advanced by the creature ; he loves them more or less as they are nearer or further off from his glorious being. When once we come to love things becau.se they are pure, it is a sign that we have the same love that God hath.
2. This argueth a suitableness of heart to what God requireth, for things affect us as they suit with us : * They that are after the flesh savour the things of the flesh,' Eora. viii. 5. The pure will only delight in pure things, but swine delight in puddles ; they that have the spirit of the world, they must have worldly pleasure and, honour, but the pure will delight in the word of God : 1 Cor. ii. 14, ' The natural man receiveth not the things of God,' and because they are not suitable to him. First we love things as suitable to our necessity, and then we love them upon interest, and afterwards as suitable to our disposition. Now it argueth a good frame of heart, and a deep sense of God's interest, when we love the word because it is so pure. A man first loves the word customarily, Ijecause he is born there where that religion is in fashion ; and then when he beginneth to have a conscience, he loveth it for pardon and peace, as it offers a Saviour : his own happiness, self-love, puts him upon seeking after God ; then afterwards his heart is suited to God's will, and there is something of kin in his heart to the will of God revealed without, and he loveth it for its suitableness of nature unto the will of God.
3. To be sure this love is no way questionable, but is an undoubted evidence of right and sound love to the word of God. Many pretend to have a high estimation and respect to the doctrine of God when they cannot digest the directions of it, because it is contrary to their desires and carnal affections ; they reserve something in their hearts that makes their love questionable. They that have not a real love to the word of God are but lightly tinctured with religion, not deeply dyed. The stony ground received the word with joy. Men may have strong affections and strange stirrings in their souls, and yet not be right with God. But here is an undoubted evidence, to love the word for its purity. A man's love may be questionable, because he may love the word upon foreign motives, either because of novelty, or fineness of