curbing and restraining them from sin and disobedience, unless it proceed from, and is joined with love.

I know the scriptures tell me, "there is no fear in love, but that perfect love casteth out fear." But that is to be understood of our love to God, not to men, and that a perfect love too, such as can only be exercised in heaven. There I know our love will be consummate, without mixture, as well as without defect; there will be a perfect expression of love on both sides, and so no fear of displeasure on either. But this is a happiness which is not to be expected here on earth: so long as we are clothed with flesh and blood, we shall, in one degree or other, be still under the influence of our passions and affections. And therefore, as there is no person we can love upon earth, but who may sometimes see occasion to be displeased with us; so he will always, upon this account, be feared by us. This I look upon as the chief occasion of one man's having so much power and influence over another.

But how comes this under the notion of a talent received from God, and so to be improved for him? Why, because it is he, and he alone, that kindles and blows up the sparks of pure love and affection in us, and that by the breathings of his own Spirit. It was the Lord that gave Joseph favour in the sight of the "keeper of the prison." And who brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the " prince of the eunuchs." And so of all others in the world; for we are told elsewhere, that as God" fashioneth the hearts of men, so he turneth them which way soever he will." Insomuch, that I can never see

any express their love to me, but I must express my thankfulness to God for it; nor can I feel in myself any warmth of affection towards others, without considering it as a talent hid in my breast, which I am obliged in duty to improve for him, by stirring up their affections unto him whose affections himself hath stirred up towards me. And this will be the more easy to effect, if I take care in the first place, to express the zeal and sincerity of my own love to God, by making him the chief object of my esteem and adoration; and manifest my aversion to the sins they are guilty of, by representing them as most loathsome and abominable, as well as most dangerous and damnable. For, wherever there is true and cordial affection to any person, it is apt to bias those that are under the influence of it, to choose the same objects for their love or aversion, that such a person does; that is, to love what he loves, and to hate what he hates. This, therefore, is the first thing to be done, to stir up the affections of others to love and serve God.

Another way of my improving the affections of others to this end, is by setting them a good example: for commonly what a friend doth, be it good or bad, is pleasing to us; because we look not at the goodness of the thing that is done, liness of the person that doth it.

but at the loveAnd if the vices

of a friend seem amiable, how much more will their virtues shine! For this reason, therefore, whensoever I perceive any person to show a respect for, or affection to me, I shall always look upon it as an opportunity put into my hands, to serve and glorify my great Creator, and shall look upon it as a call from

heaven, as much as if I heard the Almighty say to me, I desire to have this person to love me, and therefore have I made him to love thee; do thou but set before him an example of goodness and virtue, and his love to thy person shall induce and engage him to direct his actions according to it. This, therefore, is the rule that I fully resolve to guide myself by, with relation to those who are pleased to allow me a share in their esteem and affection; which I hope to improve to their advantage in the end; that as they love me, and I love them now, so we may all love God, and God love us to all eternity.

RESOLUTION V.

I am resolved, by the grace of God, to improve every good thought to the producing of good affections in myself, and as good actions with respect to God.

WHATSOEVER comes from God, being a talent to be improved to him, I cannot but think good thoughts to be as precious talents, as it is possible a creature can be blessed with. But let me esteem them as I will, I am sure my master will reckon them amongst the talents he intrusts me with, and will call me to an account for; and, therefore, I ought not to neglect them. The scripture tells me, "I am not sufficient of myself to think any thing as of myself, but that my sufficiency is of God." And if I be not sufficient to think any thing, much less am I able of myself to think of that which is good; forasmuch as to good thoughts

there must always be supposed a special concurrence of God's Spirit; whereas to other thoughts there is only the general concurrence of his presence. Seeing, therefore, they come from God, how must I lay them out for him? Why, by sublimating good thoughts unto good affections. Does God vouchsafe to send down into my heart a thought of himself? I am to send up this thought to him again, in the fiery chariot of love, desire, and joy. Doth he dart into my soul a thought of holiness and purity? I am to dwell and meditate upon it till it break out into a flame of love and affection for him. Doth he raise up in my spirit a thought of sin, and show me the ugliness and deformity of it? I must let it work its desired effect, by making it as loathsome and detestable as that thought represents it to be.

But good thoughts must not only be improved to produce good affections in my heart, but likewise good actions in my life. So that the thoughts of God should not only make me more taken with his beauty, but more active for his glory; and the thoughts of sin should not only damp my affection to it, but likewise deter and restrain me from the commission of it.

And thus every good thought that God puts into my heart, instead of slipping out, as it does with some others without regard, will be cherished and improved to the producing of good actions; these actions will entitle me to the blessing of God, and that to the kingdom of glory.

RESOLUTION VI.

I am resolved, by the grace of God, to improve every affliction God lays upon me, as an earnest or token of his affection towards me.

EVERY thing that flows from God to his servants, coming under the notion of talents, to be improved for himself, I am sure afflictions, as well as other mercies, must needs be reckoned amongst those talents God is pleased to vouchsafe. Indeed it is a

men.

talent, without which I should be apt to forget the improvement of all the rest; and which, if well improved, will "work out for me a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." It is the non-improvement of an affliction that makes it a curse; whereas, if improved, it is as great.a blessing as any God is pleased to scatter amongst the children of And therefore it is, that God most frequently intrusteth this precious talent with his own peculiar people: "You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore will I punish you for your iniquities." Those that God knows the best, with them will he intrust the most, if not of other talents, yet be sure of that, which is so useful and necessary to bring us to the knowledge of ourselves and our Creator, and without which we should be apt to forget both.

It is this that shows us the folly and pride of presumption, as well as the vanity and emptiness of all worldly enjoyment; and deters us from incensing