A Saint Indeed

(1. Quer.) May not a man love God more solidly and strongly, then the Creature, and yet his affections to the creatures be sometimes moved more violently and sensibly then toward God? as rooted malice argues a stronger hatred, then a sudden, though more violent passion; so we must measure our love, not by a violent motion of it, now and then, but by the depth of the root, and constancy of its actings: because David was so passionately moved for Absalom, •oa• concludes that if he had lived, and all the people dyed; it would have pleased him well 2 Sam. 19. 7. but that was argued more like a Soldier then a Logician.

(1. Quer.) May not a man love God more solidly and strongly, then the Creature, and yet his affections to the creatures be sometimes moved more violently and sensibly then toward God? as rooted malice argues a stronger hatred, then a sudden, though more violent passion; so we must measure our love, not by a violent motion of it, now and then, but by the depth of the root, and constancy of its actings: because David was so passionately moved for Absalom, •oa• concludes that if he had lived, and all the people dyed; it would have pleased him well 2 Sam. 19. 7. but that was argued more like a Souldier then a Logician.

(2. Quer.) If you indeed love the creature for its self, if you make it your end▪ and ⟨p. 159⟩religion but a means, then the conclusion is rightly drawn upon you. But if you love the creature in reference to God, and see nothing in it separated from him, though sometimes your affections offend in the excess: this is consistent with sincere love to God. To love the creature inordinately (i. e.) to put it in Gods room, and make it a mans end; this is the love of a carnal heart: to love it immoderately, that is, to let out more affection to it then we ought, is sometimes the sin of the best hearts.