God has alfo confirm'd by an Oath added to his Word. Hebr. 6. 18, 19, 20. That by Two Immutable things, in which it was impoffible for God to Lye, We might have Strong Confolation, who have fled for Refuge, to Lay hold on the Hope that is fet before us. Which Hope we have, as an Anchor of the Soul, Sure and Stedfaft; and which entreth into that within the Veil. Whither the Forerunner is for us Entred, Even Jefus, made a bigh Priest for ever, after the order of MelchiSedech.

CHA P. XII.

Again, of Charity, the Third part of the Gate.

A

S we have found Difficulties in fulfilling the Laws of Love, by reason of our Depravedness; So fhall we fhew 'em to be Fecible and Facile, If we but well confider the Divine Loveliness and Goodness. For why fhould it be thought hard, with all our Heart and Soul and Mind and Might to Love God? When he is (without all Contradiction) the Fairest and the Beft; and fo, the Worthieft of infinite Love? We find no difficulty at all here on Earth, To Love that which

is

is exceeding Good, and Lovely. No: 'Tis hard, in such cases, Not to Love, and to Love too much. Therefore God might seem to wrong us, in fo ftraitly charging us to Love him; as if we could chufe but do it, of our own accord. But in this lies the Disparity; That what is Fine and Good here below, we Love it, because we clearly See it: Whereas, no man bath Seen God at any time. Job. 1. 18. We fee his Works, (it's true,) very Fair and Lovely Of which speaks the Wise man, and argues strongly; Wild. 13. 3. If they that were delighted in bebolding the Lights of Heaven, took 'em to be Gods; They should know how much Better the Lord of 'em is. For the firft Author of Beauty bas Created them.

His Sweetness alfo we do Experience in every day's Bleffings. And we have the Witnefs which cannot deceive us, His bleffed Spirit, in the facred Writers, teaching us, That God is fo fupremely Good and Lovely, Nothing else compar'd with him, deferves to be call'd Good or Lovely at all. 'The Fountain of all Goodness 6 and Sweetness is only in him; and not the Leaft of it in any other, but only what is derivatively from Him. 'Tis a fure then, tho' fad Argument, That we have Left our felves, when we do not intenfely Love our God.

Ay,

Ay, but is it not hard to part with Goods, and Friends, and even Life itself, for his fake, To approve our Love? 'Tis fo, (I confefs,) to them that Love him not: But not to fuch, whofe Hearts are fet upon him, and all the defire of their Souls is to Enjoy him. Especially, when fo many more and better things are prepared for them, who have the Wildom and Refolution, to Defpife all the poor Temporal Goods, for his Love. What then? Doft thou Lofe Vanishing Riches? Thou shalt have an everlasting Kingdom. Thou Letteft go, that which thou couldst not Keep: But thou Getteft that

which

thou canst not Lofe. Doft thou part with Parents, Brethren, Friends? Thou fhalt find God thy Father; Chrift thy Brother, Angels and Saints thy Companions and Friends: And for a mortal wretched Life, One that is Eternal and moft Bleffed. Hear the Song of Divine Love, | Cant. 8. 7. If a man would give all his Substance for Love it would be defpifed. Many Waters cannot quench Love, nor the Floods drown it. And fee it Exemplified, Rom. 8. 35, 37. Who. fhall Separate us from the Love of Chrift? Shall Tribulation, or Diftrefs, or Perfecution, or Famine, or Nakednefs, or Peril, or Sword? Nay, in all thefe things we are more than Conquerors, thro' him that Loved us. Thus, while

'the

the Martyrs Bodies were burnt down in the Fire, on Earth; Their Souls flew up in Flames of Love to Hea

ven.

But to communicate my Goods to my Neighbour, tho' my Enemy; and where he has done me wrong, not only Forgive him, but Pleafure him? 'Tis to fight against Nature: True; against Nature depraved by Sin: But not against the Nature repaired by the Grace of Chrift. Does not God himself every day do the fame, Diftribute his Goods among his Enemies, and Forgive 'em, and render Good for Evil to 'em? Making his Sun to fhine upon Good and Bad; and his Rain to fall on the Juft and Unjust? Mat. S. 45. So to carry towards Enemies. then, 'Tis not against the Nature of God; nor against the Nature of Man, renewed after the Image of God. But it's against the Nature of wild Beasts, and of fuch Men, as being in Honour and Understand not, are like the Beafts that perifh. Pfal 49. last V.

,

CHAP

CHAP. XIII.

Again, Of Humility, the Fourth part of

W

the Gate.

THere the Proud and Arrogant think themselves to lye under an infuperable Difficulty, They that come to Chrift's School, and Learn of him, fhall find the Yoke Easy. When 'tis but to be Humbled under the mighty hand of God: 1 Pet. 5. 6. Where's the Hardship, for a poor mortal Creature to know its own place, and fubmit to the Omnipotent, Supreme, Eternal Majefty of the World? Or for fuch as well know their own Infirmity, to give others, who they know not fo well, the Superiority? Pride grows upon Ignorance: But Humility refults from the Knowledge of our felves. The Proud man eafily spies the Faults of others; Because they are without him: But his own, tho' Greater, and known to every body elfe, he fees not; because they lye within. And the Eye that Surveys all abroad, is Dark at home, and Difcerns nothing within its own Circumference. As the Pharifee, Luk. 18. 11. that crackt, and Boafted himself, and gave thanks to Godthanks to God, that he was fo Good; and not Like the poor Publican,