A Christian Directory

How oft hast thou been amazed in the consideration of his Greatness, and how seldom affected with the apprehensions of his Goodness? Thou gratifiest him that would have thee believe and tremble as he doth himself, and not him that would have thee, Believe and Love. How oft hast thou suffered the malicious enemy, to accuse God to thee, and make thee believe that he is a hater of man, and hateful to man, or a hater of thee, that he might make thee hate him? How oft hast thou suffered him, to draw in thy thoughts a false representation of thy dearest Lord, and show him to thee as in that unlovely shape? How oft have thy conceptions dishonoured and blasphemed his Love and Goodness, while thou hast seemed to magnify his Knowledge and his Power? Think of him now as Love itself: as fuller of Goodness, than the sea of water, or the sun of Light. Love freely and boldly, without the stops of suspicions and fears, where thou art sure thou canst never love enough; and if all the love of men and Angels were united in one flame, they could never love too much, or come near the proportion of the Glorious Goodness which they love. Cast thy self boldly into this Ocean of delights: Though the narrowness of thy own capacity confine thee, yet as there are no bounds in the object of thy love, let not false unbelieving thoughts confine thee. O that I were all eye to see the Glorious Amiableness of my God! O that I were all Love that I might be filled with his Goodness? O that all the Passions of¹ my soul were turned into this holy Passion! O that all my fears, and cares, and sorrows, were turned into Love? And that all the thoughts that confusedly crowd in upon me and molest me, were turned into this one unceasing thought, of the infinite Goodness of my God! O that all my tears, and groanings, yea and all my other mirth and pleasures, were turned into the melodious songs of Love! And that the pulse, and voice, and operations of Love, were all the motion of my soul! Surely in Heaven it will be so, though it is not to be expected here.]

How oft hast thou been amazed in the consideration of his Greatness, and how seldom affected with the apprehensions of his Goodness? Thou gratifiest him that would have thee believe and tremble as he doth himself, and not him that would have thee, Believe and Love. How oft hast thou suffered the malicious enemy, to accuse God to thee, and make thee believe that he is a hater of man, and hateful to man, or a hater of thee, that he might make thee hate him? How oft hast thou suffered him, to draw in thy thoughts a false representation of thy dearest Lord, and shew him to thee as in that unlovely shape? How oft have thy conceptions dishonoured and blaspheamed his Love and Goodness, while thou hast seemed to magnifie his Knowledge and his Power? Think of him now as Love itself: as fuller of Goodness, than the sea of water, or the sun of Light. Love freely and boldly, without the stops of suspicions and fears, where thou art sure thou canst never love enough; and if all the love of men and Angels were united in one flame, they could never love too much, or come near the proportion of the Glorious Goodness which they love. Cast thy self boldly into this Ocean of delights: Though the narrowness of thy own capacity confine thee, yet as there are no bounds in the object of thy love, let not false unbelieving thoughts confine thee. O that I were all eye to see the Glorious Amiableness of my God! O that I were all Love that I might be filled with his Goodness? O that all the Passions of