Religion & morality > Human nature in its four-fold state ... in several practical discourses

Head I. changed, 131
fet on God himfdf, Pfal. xviii. i. On his holy Law,
Pfal. cxix. 97. Tho*" it ftrike againft his-moft be¬
loved Luft, he fays, I’he Law is holy, and tke Com¬
mandment holy, and juft, and good, Rom. vii. ver. 12.
He loves the Ordinances of God, Pfal. Ixxxiv. i.
How amiable are thy 'Tabernacles, O Lord of Hefts!
Being faffed from Death unto Life, he loves the
Brethren, (i John iii. 14.) the People of God, as
they are called, 1 Pet. ii. 10. He loves God for
himfdf; and what is God’s, for his Sake. Yea as
being a Child of God, he loves his own Enemies.
His-heavenly Father is compaffionate and benevo¬
lent : He maketh his Sun to rife on the Evil, and on'
the Good, and fendeth Rain on the Juft, and on the
Unjuft : And therefore, he is in the like Manner
dilpofed, Matth. v. 44, 45. His Hatred is turned
againfl Sin, in himfelf and others, Pfal. cL 3.1 hate
the IVork of them that turn aftde, it Jhall not cleave
to me. He groans under the Remains of it, and
longs for Deliverance, Rom. vii. 24. O wretched
Man that I am ! IVho Jhall deliver me from the
Body of this Death ! Bis Joys and Delights arc'
in God the Lord, in the Light of his Counte¬
nance, in his Law; and in his People, becaufe they
are like him. Sin is what he chiefly Fears : ’ f is
a Fountain of Sorrow to him now, thoJ formerly a
Spring of Pleafure.
2. It regulates the Affedfions placed on fuitabk
Objedfs. Our Affedions, when placed on the Crea¬
ture, are naturally exorbitant: When we jey in it,
we’re apt to overjoy; and when we forrow, we arc
ready to forrow over-much: But Grace bridles thefe
Affedions, clips their Wings ; and keeps them
within Bounds, that they overflow not all. their
Banks. It makes a Man hate his Father and Mo-