a command which does not eonduce to the happiness of all who obey it. His own mind and conscience go along with the word of God, and set their seal to the truth and excellency of every thing contained in it. " Not one commandment appears to him to be grievous p :" the whole law of God is esteemed by him as " holy, and just, and goodq." To " love God with all his heart and soul and strength, and his neighbour as him- self," does not appear to him any hardship imposed upon him, but the perfection of his nature and completion of his felicity : so that he would on no account have one atom of this law can- celled, or mitigated in the least degree. His own judgment tells him that it is no less his privilege, than it is his duty, to be " holy, as God is holy ;" and " perfect, as his Father who is in heaven is perfect."]
2. Agreeably to the inclination of his own will —
[He is neither drawn nor driven against his own will. He is, indeed, " made willing in the day of God's power1;" but " he is drawn with the cords of a man, and with the bands of love8." He does not, indeed, all that he would; yea, in too many respects he does what he would not1:" but this very thing shews that it is rather strength than inclination that he wants u. Could he have but the desire of his heart, he would leave no sin unmortified, no duty unfulfilled. He is in the situation of one who is running a race, or " fighting a fight :" had he but his will accomplished, his every antagonist would be vanquished in a moment, and " death itself, his last enemy, be swallowed up in victory."]
3. In an unbiassed exercise of his own affections —
[He has a real delight in God. He does not observe the duties of prayer and praise through the fear of hell, but from a real pleasure which he feels in drawing nigh to God, whom it is his privilege to call by the endearing name of Father, and in communion with whom he would gladly walk all the day long. Conceive of Adam before his fall ; and there you have an image of those who, through the tender mercy of God, are restored. True, they still have " the flesh lusting against the Spirit, as well as the Spirit lusting against the flesh ; so that they neither do, nor can do, all that they would x:" but their taste is the very same with that of angels ; and the felicity of angels is begun in them : for their life, so far as they have really attained, is both a preparation for heaven, and a foretaste also of heaven, in their souls.]
p 1 John v. 3. <i Rom. vii. 12. and Ps. cxix. 128.
r Ps. ex. 3. s Hos. xi. 4. * Rom. vii. 15.
» Rom. vii. 1G— 20. x Gal. v.17.