Let us examine and try ourselves oft by our affections, how the}'' stand biassed and pointed, whether to God and heavenw^ard, or to the world ; for we are as we love. For what we love, we, as it were, marry ; and if we join our love to baser things, we marry baser things, and so debase our- selves. If we join in our aflections to things above ourselves, to God, and spiritual things, we become spiritual as they are. So that a man stands in the world between two goods, somewhat that is better than himself, and something that is meaner ; and thereafter as he joins in his aflections, thereafter he is. For the aflection of love to God and to the best things
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makes liim excellent ; and his aifection to baser things makes him base. Let a man be never so base in the world, if his affections be base, he is a base person. Therefore we have the more need to try our affections. But to answer 'some cases briefly.
1. It will be objected, may we not love anything but God and holy things ? May we not love the creatures, because it is here specified as a note of those, that these things are ' prepared for those that love God' ?
Yes. We may love them as we see somewhat of God in them, as every creature hath somewhat of God in them. Whereupon God hath the style of every creature that hath good in it. He is called a ' Fountain,' a ' Rock,' a ' Shield,' everything that is good, to shew that the creatures every one hath somewhat of God. He would not have taken the style of the creature else. We may love the creature as it hath somewhat of God in it, a being, or comfortable being, or somewhat ; and as it conveys the love of God to us, and leads us back again to God. There is no creature but it conveys some love, and beams, and excellency of God to us in some kind, and leads us to God. So we may love other things. Wo may love men, and love God in them, and love them for God, to bring them to God, to leave a holy impression in them, to be like God. There is no question of this. But the love of God, that is the spring of all.
But it will be said by some weak conscience, How shall I know I love God, when I love the world and worldly things ? I love my children, and other things, perhaps that are not ill ; I fear I love them more than God.
We must know for this, that when two streams run in one channel they run stronger than one stream. When a man loves other good things, nature goes with grace. So nature, going with grace, the stream is strong. But when a man loves God, and Christ, and heavenly things, there is grace only ; nature yields nothing to that. When a man loves his children or his intimate friends, &c., nature going with grace, it is no wonder if the stream be stronger when two streams run in one. So corruption in ill action ofttimes carry the affections strong. As in many of our loves there is somewhat natural that is good, yet there is some corruption, as to love a man for ill. Here nature and corruption is strong, but in supernatural things grace goes alone.
Then again, we must not judge by an indeliberate passion, by what our affection is carried suddenly and indeliberately to ; for so we may joy more in a sudden thing than in the best things of all, as in the sight of a friend there may be a sudden affection. But the love of God, it is a constant stream. It is not a torrent, but a current that runs all our lifetime. There- fore those affections to God and heavenly things, in a Christian, they are perpetual. They make no great noise, perhaps, but they are perpetual in the heart of a Christian. A sudden torrent and passion may transport a man, but yet he may have a holy and heavenly heart. I speak this for comfort.
2. Ay, but my love to God is faint and little.
Well, but it is a heavenly spark, and hath divinity in it. It is from heaven, and is growing, and vigorous, and efficacious; and a little heavenly love will waste all carnal love at length, it is of so vigorous and constant a nature. It is fed still by the Spirit ; and a little that is fed and main- tained, that is growing, that hath a blessing in it (as the love of God in the hearts of his hath ; for God continually cherisheth his own beginning), that little shall never be quenched, but shall overgrow nature at length, and eat out corruption, and all contrary love whatsoever. Though for the present i
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194 A GLANCE OF HEAVEN.
we SCO corruption overpower and oppress grace, yet the love of God being a divine spark, and therefore being more powerful, though it be little, than the contrary, it hath a blessing in it to grow, till at length it consume all. For love is like fire ; as in other properties so in this, it wastes and con- Bumcs the contrary ; and raiscth up to heaven, and quickens, and enlivens the persons, as fire doth. And it makes lightsome dead bodies ; it trans- forms them all into fire like itself. So the love of God, by little and little, transforms us all to be fiery ; it transforms us to be lovers. These cases needed a little touching, to satisfy some that are good and growing Chris- tians, and must have some satisfaction.