Casuistical morning-exercises the fourth volume /

Now seeing the Text is Hortatory, Directive and Encouraging hereto; and hath as such been treated on accordingly, I will wave all further application, and only give you the Directions and Prescriptions for the curing of a luke-warm temper.

1. Love-quenching and abating principles Interests and Practices are to be exploded and avoided. If once you entertain hard thoughts of God, as if he were morose and captious, a barren Wilderness, or Land of darkness; and only careful to ruin and distress his creatures upon the mere accounts of Sovereignty, and the Prerogative of Dominion, tho a poor penitent lye prostrate at his feet for mercy, in tears and shame and self abhorrence: or in a readiness to do so, were there but any hopes of merciful acceptance: If you shall represent him to your selves, as if he were so tenacious of revengeful purposes and of advantages put into his hands for the full executions of such deserved revenges, through former crimes provoking thereunto; Alas how can you think upon him, or address your selves to him with hope and pleasure! ⟨p. 333⟩We find grace represented to us as Gods Image in his creatures. we find that holiness in creatures makes them the sweetest of all persons in their dispositions and deportments, and readiest to be charitable and abundant in benign, and alluring, and obliging remissions, constructions and dispensations. Such are most backward to make rigid interpretations and constructions of mens miscarriages and neglects, when they arise from rather infirmity than malignity; and from ignorance and surprise, than from contrivance or perverse resolution. They hate above all men, every thing that savours of stinginess and of a sordid Spirit, and they like not to retain revengeful purposes to ruin or disturb those criminals who seriously and pathetically implore their pardon, and beg admission to their now much valued favour. And doth grace make such persons better than their maker; and is that Gods Image in them which hath nothing in God correspondent herewith? Or can we think that the Image can exceed its Grand Exemplar? Such black and dismal thoughts of God can never kindle love in us to him. Did I not know and think that God is love, how could I seek to him in hope, and love him?