Self-love, and amufing ourselves continually with Trifles, and feveral other Vices, which are Enemies to all Virtues. It is by great Courage and conftant Perfeverance, that you will overcome all the Difficulties of the World; therefore never be disheartened by the Pains and Labour you may meet with in the Way of Chriftian Perfection: The Devil may be apt to infinuate to you, that you aim too high, and that it is impoffible for you to practife any one Virtue as you ought; but give no Ear to his Suggeftions; provided you do but bring your beft Endeavours, the Grace of God will always be ready to crown them. with Success.

CHAP. IV.

FOR SUNDAY.

The Love of GOD.

THE firft Exercife I fhall recommend to you is, the Love of God; a Virtue of the greatest Importance: Of all our Paffions, Love is the moft agreeable; and of all Beings, God is the only one, that is infinitely perfect, and therefore the only fit and proper Object of it. If we place our Affections

upon

upon Creatures, we fhall always be liable to Difappointment; they are empty, and cannot fatisfy us, and when we think ourselves moft fecure in the Enjoyment of them, they make themselves Wings and fly away. God only is a folid and durable Good, and He only can fill all the Powers and Capacities of our Souls; therefore we ought to entertain our Minds with fuch Motives as are proper to kindle his Love in our Hearts. Let us therefore confider,

1. THE Perfections of GOD. If fome faint Strokes of Beauty and Wisdom, in the Perfons of those we converfe with, are apt to engage our Affection; what Love ought we to have for God, who is infinite in all Excellencies, who has Wisdom without the leaft Imperfection, and Goodnefs without any Alloy, and whofe Perfections infinitely furpafs the brighteft Footsteps of them in all his Creatures? Who in Heaven or Earth can be compared with our God!

2. THE Mercies of GOD. Benefits are as fo many Chains which faften our Hearts, and, oblige us to love thofe that do us Good. What furprising Manifeftations have we received of the Love and Good Will of God towards us? The Creating us after his own Image and Likeness, and the Redeeming us by the inexpreffible fufferings of his onlybegotten Son, the Graces and Affiftances of his holy Spirit, the Publication of Pardon

and

and Reconciliation, and the evident Promifes of eternal Life, the Means of Grace, his Word and Sacraments; the good Example and Advice of others; our Health and Wealth; in a Word, all the Good we enjoy, or expect. Is it not therefore fit and reasonable to fhew your Gratitude for fuch great Effects of his Goodnefs, by your beft Services? If you could not refufe Him your Heart, when you only confidered the Perfections of his Being; is it poffible you fhould deny Him your utmoft Affection, all your Soul, when you are made fenfible of his infinite Bounty and Kindnefs towards you?

3. CONSIDER the Excellency of this Virtue. It is the great Defign of all Religion to inculcate this capital Point; the End of the Commandment is Charity. All other Duties center and terminate in this, which is the very Soul, and Life, and Beauty of them. It is the Measure of our Perfections, and gives the true Worth and Value to all our other Actions, without which they cannot be acceptable to God. This raifes us above the Creatures, and all their Enjoyments, and unites us to the most perfect Being; without this we are at Enmity with God, and by this Means we are made capable of being his Favourites. Faith lays the Foundation of our Piety, Hope advances it, but Charity, or the Love of God, gives it the finishing Strokes and utmost Perfection.

The

The Practice of this great Virtue confifts in the following Particulars:

I. To think of GOD. It is an undoubted Teftimony of our Love to any Perfon, if we think often of him. Let God therefore be often in your Thoughts, and lift up your Mind to Him: Engage yourfelf as little in the Hurry and Buttle of Life as may be.. Oh; what a Shame is it to think inceffantly of a Creature that you love, of any Design you have projected, of an Affair you have undertaken, or of fome Diverfion you propofe, and to pafs Hours and whole Days without thinking of God? O love the most amiable Object; frequently on every Day exert Acts of Love towards Him; fo that this Flame of divine Love may daily increase in your Hearts.

II. To speak of GOD. We take a great deal of Pleafure in making that the Subject of our Difcourfe, which is the Object of our Affection; Out of the Abundance of the Heart the Mouth Speaketh. Now upon what Topics does your Converfation ufually run? Are they not the Trifles and Vanities of this World, inftead of thofe of your heavenly Country? What is the Meaning that thou art fo eloquent and ready to talk, when News or Pleasure is the Subject; fo dry and barren, when Religion is ftarted? If you were thoroughly poffeft with the Love of God, your Tongue will give fome Proofs of it, and it.

would

would be the most agreeable Entertainment you could receive from others.

III. To Act for GOD. After you have dedicated to God your Thoughts and your Words, you cannot deny Him the Vigour of your Actions, which ought all to be animated with the Love of him. This thould make you confider, how you might please Him moft in every Thing you did, and have a greater Regard to Him than to any Thing elfe. This thould make you, in the Beginning of every Action, to dedicate it to God by the Purity of our Intention, in fuch Words as thefe: O my God! I defign to please Thee; my Aim is thy Honour and Glory. The Method would raise our ordinary Actions, and make them more valuable.

IV. To fuffer for GOD. The Profeffions of Friendship are easily made to those we love; but nothing tries the Sincerity of them more effectually, than the Obligation of fuffering fomething in their Behalf. If God fends you any Misfortune or Sickness, or any other Affliction, be not impatient, but refign yourself to his holy Will and Pleafure: Say to him, O Lord, fince it is thy Will I should suffer, I am contented thy holy Will be done: I could wish, Omy God, tofuffer yet more for the Love of Thee. When any ill Accident happens to you, fay (not in the Trouble and Bitterness of your Soul) I must be willing, because God will have it fo. If this is not faid with a refigned Will,

and