takers of his Divine Nature; for GOD is Love: As we are Men, the Perfection and Happiness of our Nature confift in the Improvements of thofe two Faculties, our Understandings, and our Wills. The Underftanding is improved and perfected by the Knowlege and Contemplation of the best Objects. The Will is improved and perfected by Love, and Adhesion to the best Objects. Now, tho' it be true, that the Knowlege of God, and his Perfections (which is tranfcendently the best and nobleft Object in the World), is abfolutely neceffary to the Perfection and Happiness of our Natures; for if we had no Knowlege of him, it is impoffible we should love him; yet it is the loving of GOD, the admiring and adoring his infinite Goodness, the being firmly united to him in our Wills and Affections; it is this that makes us truly Perfect, and truly Bleffed: For if we knew and understood never fo much of GOD, and his Perfections, yet, if we did not bear Good-will and Affection to him, if we were not by Love transformed into his Spirit and Temper, we should, for all this Knowlege and Understanding, be still but in the Rank of Devils; to whom it is rather a Torment than a Happiness, that they know fo much of the infinite Goodness that is in GOD, when their Wills and Affections, their Nature and Inclination, are at fo great a Distance from him.

In

In a Word, the Bleffednefs of Mankind confifts in the Divine Life; and the very Root of the Divine Life is the fincere Love of GOD. Whoever truly loves GOD, cannot but be happy, because he hath the Nature of GOD in him; and whoever doth not love GOD, cannot but be miferable, because he is at the greatest Distance from the greateft Good. To love GOD, is to be really put into a Poffeffion of all that GOD himself can bestow: For it engages all his Wisdom and Power, his Care and Providence, for our Benefits; all Security and Welfare; all Reft and Peace; all Joy and Delight, and Comfort, do attend upon it. And therefore, fince the Love of GOD is the Sum of our Happinefs, it must in Reafon be accounted the Sum of our Religion too; the first and greatest of all the Commandments, as our Saviour here expreffeth it.

But, Thirdly, It muft needs alfo be fo in another Refpect, or upon another Confideration; and that is this; that it is our hearty Love of God that gives Worth and Value to all our other religious Performances; it is upon account of that, that God has any Regard, or fets any Efteem, upon our other Duties. No Sacrifice, as one expreffeth it, is acceptable, which is not kindled by this heavenly Fire; no Offering sweet and pure, which is not feafoned by this holy Salt. Love doth of itself recommend us to our heavenly Father. But

our

our other Performances do not fo, but upon Love's Account; they are more or lefs acceptable, according as they more or less proceed from, or are accompanied with, Love and Affection to him.

It is natural to think this, because all Mankind proceed by the fame Measures in judging of the Actions that are done unto themselves. Let one be never fo civil to us, make never fo great Profeffion of ferving us, be never fo prodigal of his Bows and Cringes, of fair Words and Compliments; nay, tho' he do us fome real Favours and Courtefies, and presents us with Gifts that are in themselves valuable; yet if, in the mean time, we know that this pretended humble Servant hath all this while no real Kindnefs for us in his Heart, and that all this obliging Carriage and Behaviour doth not in the least proceed from any Refpect to us, but merely to serve himself upon us, Do we in that Cafe value the Civilities that are done us? Do we think ourselves obliged to the Man for them? So far from that, that we are apt to despise both him and them. Whereas, on the other Side, every ingenuous Man will take kindly whatsoever is faid or done to him, when he knows it proceeds from real Good-will. Love, tho' from never fo mean a Perfon, is a Present for the greatest and highest upon Earth, and procures the Acceptance of every thing it brings along with it. Nay,

the

the very Slips and Offences, and Mifcarriages, that others are guilty of towards us, if they proceeded from Love, if there was no bad Meaning in them, but the Man intended kindly to us, though it was his Misfortune to be mistaken: I fay, even these, if they be not accepted with Favour, yet will obtain an easy Pardon, even from the most inexorable Natures.

And, certainly, thus alfo we must needs apprehend the Cafe to ftand between GoD Almighty and ourfelves. We cannot reafonably imagine, that any Service we offer to him, tho' it be in those Instances, that he hath ftrictly injoined and commanded, will find his Acceptance any farther than it proceeds from hearty Good-will, and from a Soul that values his Favour, and really fets itself to please him. To think to recommend ourfelves to God by our Prayers, or our Fafting, by our devout Difcourfe, or by our Attendance on his Worship; nay, even by our moral Honesty, and our Acts of Mercy and Charity, which are the moît valuable Sacrifices; when at the fame time GOD fees and knows, that our Hearts are not right to him, that we have no true Love to him, nor any real Affection to his Commandments; but do these Things, either for Vain-glory, to be feen of Men, that we may get a Reputation of Sanctity; or for the pleafing of others, to whom, by these Ways, we hope to recommend ourselves; or, laftly,

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laftly, for the ferving any By-end or selfish Defign, which we think by these Methods may be promoted; I fay, for any Man to think that these kind of Services will be acceptable to God, is the greatest Nonsense in the World. So far is he from looking kindly and favourably upon fuch kind of Performances, that our Saviour calls fuch People by no better Name than Hypocrites; nay, tells them plainly, they have their Reward, that is to fay, Their ferving their own worldly Ends being the Business they aimed at, it is enough if they gain that; other Rewards they are not to expect from God Almighty.

But, on the other fide, whofoever heartily loves GOD, and endeavours, in all his Actions, to approve himself to him; fuch a Man never fails of GOD's Acceptance, in every Inftance of Duty that he applies himself to. Every Service that he offers is kindly taken, and the more it expreffeth his fincere Love, still the more Value doth GOD fet upon it. Nay, our very Failings, and Infirmities, and Miscarriages, fo long as there is this Principle of Love in our Hearts, will find his Pity and Compaffion, but not his Anger. In a Word, it is Love that fanctifies all the Actions of our Duty, and makes them of a sweetfmelling Savour to GOD; and it is Love that will be the best Cover, and make the best Apology, for the worst of our Errors: And therefore, fince it is of fuch mighty

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