Again, If we love, there tcill be a desire to give content to the party beloved. This appears even in carnal self-love ; for take a man that loves himself, he makes himself his utmost aim and end in all his actions. But when once God hath plucked this fleshly love out of our souls, then our affections will be carried to Christ only. This made the prophet David say, ' I love the Lord dearly,' Ps. xviii. 1. ' He is my rock, my fortress, my deliverer,' Ps. Ixxi. 3. A Christian hath his contentment in God alone ; he finds an all-sufficiency in the Almighty, and therefore makes him his resting-place. In all his troubles he will make God his deliverer, and find more true com- fort in him than in all the things of the world besides. Therefore, if God should take all other things from ns, yet if he leave us himself, a Christian is well contented, because he knows his best being is in God.
Quest. But how shall I know whether I do esteem rightly of God or no ?
Ans. If we highly esteem any thing, whether it be of this or a better life, we will be often speaking of them. It is a sign men undervalue heavenl}'- truths when they discourse little about them. They much set light by God that have him not in all their thoughts.
Again, What we esteem of, ive will choose above other things. It appears 1- That is, ' loves.'— G.
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vre have a precious esteem of God when we choose him, and him alone, for our portion ; as David, when he said, ' One thing have I desired of the Lord, that I may dwell in his courts for ever,' Ps. xxvii. 4. Where God is truly loved, there will be a fall of all earthly things in that man's estima- tion. So he may gain Christ, he counts all else but dross and dung.
Lastl}', If thou lovest God, thou uilt he afraid to offend him, and careful to please liim in all thinr/s. God delights not in a proud and haughty spirit, but in an humble and meek soul. These then should be thy delight. God is wonderful well pleased with fiiith ; for it is that which binds him to per- form his promise ; therefore seek it earnestly. Whatsoever God approves, a Christian should take pleasure in. Every grace is an ornament to a Christian ; and God delights to see his own graces in us. Isaac, before he took Rebekah to wife, sent her jewels to adorn her ; so Christ sends rich jewels to his children, even the graces of his Holy Spirit, to make us love him, and tit us the more for him. Those that live in sins against con- science, think we that these love God ? No, certainly. If they did, they would love that which he loves, and hate that which he hates. What a pitiful thing is it to see men glorying in that which is their shame ; in swearing and profaneness, and yet for all this say they love God ! Is it possible that the love of God and the love of sin should ever stand together ?
Proceed we now to some reasons and directions for the attaining of this grace.
1. And first, Let ?<s not rest in an inferior der/ree of this affection, hut rise up therein, and labour that it may have fidl assent. There are degrees of assent, as when we love God because we love ourselves. A natural man may do so, but this is not enough ; for if we love God for ourselves, we make ourselves our god. Where the heart is truly set upon God, it delights in him only for himself, and takes comfort in no condition further than he sees God in it. He never affected Christ in truth that is more taken with the benefits and privileges that come by him than with the excellency of his person. AVliat friend will be content that a man should only love him because he doth him good ? We must love ourselves and all other things in and for God. Moses and Paul rejoiced to honour the Lord, though themselves were accursed and deprived of happiness ; and if we could so love Christ as not to desire heaven itself if Christ were not there, this were truly to aflect* him ; for indeed if Christ were not there, heaven should not be heaven unto us. We must love our happiness no further than we can have with it God's leave and liking.
2. Again, We shall know our love to God, whether it be sincere or no, hy our ahstaining from sin. If we avoid evil for fear of punishment or hope of reward only, our love is unsound ; but when we so love God that we will not do anything contrary to his Spirit, it is a special sign. Such a man, if there were no hell to punish him, nor place of bliss to receive him, yet would not break with God upon any terms.
For the means to attain this love, we must, in the fii'st place, labour jfor an humble and empty soul. ' Blessed are the poor in spirit,' saith Christ, for such only apprehend their miseiy without Christ and their need of him, which occasions an holy rejoicing in the Lord, and unfeigned love to him. What is the reason that some are so ravished with the favours of the Almighty ? Is it not for that they were so formerly stung with the sight and feeling of their sins ? The more loving ( 'hristian ever the more humble * That is, ' choose,' ' love.' — G.