IV. Live wholly upon GOD, as All in All: As the first Efficient, principal Dirigent, 1and Final Cause of all things. Let Faith, Hope and Love be daily feeding on Him. Let [Our Father which art in Heaven] be first inscribed on your hearts, that he may seem most amiable to you, and you may boldly Trust him, and filial Love may be the spring of duty. Make use of the Son and Spirit to lead you to the Father; and of Faith in Christ to kindle and keep alive the Love of God. The Love of God is our Primitive Holiness, and specially called, with its fruits [Our Sanctification,] which Faith in Christ is but a Means to. Let it be your principal end in studying Christ, to see the Goodness Love and Amiableness of God in him: A condemning God is not so easily loved, as a Gracious Reconciled God. You have so much of the Spirit, as you have Love to God: This is the proper gift of the Spirit to all the Adopted Sons of God, to cause them with filial affection and dependence, to cry Abba Father. Know not, desire not, love not any creature, but purely as subordinate to God! Without him, let it be Nothing to you; But as the Glass without the face; or scattered Letters without the sense; or as the corpse without the soul. Call nothing Prosperity or pleasure but his Love;2 and nothing adversity or misery, ⟨p. 5⟩but his displeasure, and the cause and fruits of it. When any thing would seem Lovely and desirable which is against him call it Dung! 3And hear that man as Satan or the Serpent, that would entice you from Him: & count him but Vanity, a Worm, and dust, that would affright you from your duty to Him. Fear him much, but Love him more! Let Love be the soul and End of every other duty: It is the end and Reason of all the rest: but it hath no End or Reason, but its Object. Think of no other Heaven, and End, and Happiness of man, but LOVE the final act, and GOD the final object: Place not your Religion in any thing but the Love of God with its means and fruits. Own no grief, desire, or joy, but a Mourning, a Seeking, and a Rejoicing Love.
IV. Live wholly upon GOD, as All in All: As the first Efficient, principal Dirigent, 1and Final Cause of all things. Let Faith, Hope and Love be daily feeding on Him. Let [Our Father which art in Heaven] be first inscribed on your hearts, that he may seem most amiable to you, and you may boldly Trust him, and filial Love may be the spring of duty. Make use of the Son and Spirit to lead you to the Father; and of Faith in Christ to kindle and keep alive the Love of God. The Love of God is our Primitive Holiness, and specially called, with its fruits [Our Sanctification,] which Faith in Christ is but a Means to. Let it be your principal end in studying Christ, to see the Goodness Love and Amiableness of God in him: A condemning God is not so easily loved, as a Gracious Reconciled God. You have so much of the Spirit, as you have Love to God: This is the proper guift of the Spirit to all the Adopted Sons of God, to cause them with filial affection and dependance, to cry Abba Father. Know not, desire not, love not any creature, but purely as subordinate to God! Without him, let it be Nothing to you; But as the Glass without the face; or scattered Letters without the sense; or as the corpse without the soul. Call nothing Prosperity or pleasure but his Love;2 and nothing adversity or misery, ⟨p. 5⟩but his displeasure, and the cause and fruits of it. When any thing would seem Lovely and desireable which is against him call it Dung! 3And hear that man as Satan or the Serpent, that would entise you from Him: & count him but Vanity, a Worm, and dust, that would affright you from your duty to Him. Fear him much, but Love him more! Let Love be the soul and End of every other duty: It is the end and Reason of all the rest: but it hath no End or Reason, but its Object. Think of no other Heaven, and End, and Happiness of man, but LOVE the final act, and GOD the final object: Place not your Religion in any thing but the Love of God with its means and fruits. Own no grief, desire, or joy, but a Mourning, a Seeking, and a Rejoicing Love.
- 1Rom. 11.36. 1 Cor. 10.31. 2 Cor. 5 7, 8. • John 3.1. Rom. 5.1, 2, 3. Matth. 22.37. Ephes. 1.6. 2 Cor. 5.19. Gal. 4.4, 5, 6.Rom. 11.36. 1 Cor. 10.31. 2 Cor. 5 7, 8. • Iohn 3.1. Rom. 5.1, 2, 3. Matth. 22.37. Ephes. 1.6. 2 Cor. 5.19. Gal. 4.4, 5, 6.
- 2Psalm 30.5.
- 3Psalm 63.3. Phil. 3.7, 8. Matth. 16.23. 2 Thess. 3.5. 2 Cor. 13.14.
