like Noah's Dove, we hover up and down, and find no place whereon the sole of our foot should rest. Well then, if God be the only all-sufficient Good of the Soul, why do not we love him more? If he be the Centre of the Soul, why do ⟨p. 113⟩not we move directly thither? 'Tis a shame that a stone should be carried with greater force to its centre, then we to God; by its natural course it falleth downward, and breaketh all things in the way, yea though it self be broken in pieces: But alas, how little do we break through impediments to go to God? 'Twere a miracle to see a stone stopped in the air by a feather: But now every vain thing keepeth us off, and intercepts our affections; sin hath given us another centre, and after grace received we hang too much that way. Again, As love is for Good, so 'tis for one Object; like a Pyramid, it ends in a point; affection is weakened by dispersion, as a River by being turned into many channels: In conjugal love (where friendship is to the height) there is but one that can share in it, that's the Law of Nature; Mal. 2. 15. Did he not make one? yet he had the residue of spirit: the meaning is, that God made but one man for one woman, though he had spirit enough to make more; 'twas not out of defect of power, but wise choice, that their affections to one another might be the stronger, which otherwise would be weakened; as they are in the brutes scattered promiscuously to several objects: so the true object of love is one God; he is loved for himself, and other things for his sake. Once more, The force and vehemency of love showeth that it was made for God; Love is the vigorous bent of the Soul, and full of heights and excesses, which if diverted to other objects, would make us guilty of Idolatry, we should place them in the room of God: Still we find; that men are besotted with what they love; as Sampson was led about like a child by Delilah: all conveniences of life, pleasures, profits, are contemned for the enjoyment of the thing beloved: Now these are heights proper to the Divinity, to the infinite Majesty of God; To whom else is this vehemency and this self-denial due? If we lavish it upon the creatures, we make gods of them; and therefore covetousness is called Idolatry, Ephes. 5. 3. and the Sensualist is said to make his belly his god, Phil. 3. 19.
like Noahs Dove, we hover up and down, and find no place whereon the sole of our foot should rest. Well then, if God be the only alsufficient Good of the Soul, why do not we love him more? If he be the Center of the Soul, why do ⟨p. 113⟩not we move directly thither? 'Tis a shame that a stone should be carried with greater force to its center, then we to God; by its natural course it falleth downward, and breaketh all things in the way, yea though it self be broken in pieces: But alas, how little do we break through impediments to go to God? 'Twere a miracle to see a stone stoped in the ayr by a feather: But now every vain thing keepeth us off, and intercepts our affections; sin hath given us another center, and after grace received we hang too much that way. Again, As love is for Good, so 'tis for one Object; like a Pyramide, it ends in a point; affection is weakened by dispersion, as a River by being turned into many channels: In conjugal love (where friendship is to the heighth) there is but one that can share in it, that's the Law of Nature; Mal. 2. 15. Did he not make one? yet he had the residue of spirit: the meaning is, that God made but one man for one woman, though he had spirit enough to make more; 'twas not out of defect of power, but wise choice, that their affections to one another might be the stronger, which otherwise would be weakened; as they are in the brutes scattered promiscuously to several objects: so the true object of love is one God; he is loved for himself, and other things for his sake. Once more, The force and vehemency of love sheweth that it was made for God; Love is the vigorous bent of the Soul, and full of heights and excesses, which if diverted to other objects, would make us guilty of Idolatry, we should place them in the room of God: Still we find; that men are besorted with what they love; as Sampson was led about like a child by Da•ilah: all conveniences of life, pleasures, profits, are contemned for the enjoyment of the thing beloved: Now these are heights proper to the Divinity, to the infinite Majesty of God; To whom else is this vehemency and this selfdenyal due? If we lavish it upon the creatures, we make gods of them; and therefore covetousness is called Idolatry, Ephes. 5. 3. and the Sensualist is said to make his belly his god, Phil. 3. 19.
