As they keep

the heart the mouth speaketh. their attention fixed upon their experience and attainments, so they talk much about themselves. The true saint, under the influence of great spiritual affections, is ready, from the fulness of his heart, to speak much of God, his glorious perfections and works; of the amiableness of Christ, and the invaluable blessings of the gospel; but hypocrites, under the influence of their high affections, talk more of the discovery, than of what they discover; they are fluent in talking about the wonderful discoveries with which they are favoured, are confident of their interest in the love of God, and of their spiritual and everlasting safety.

A real saint, enjoying evangelical discoveries of the glory of God, is too much engaged with what he views without himself, to stay at that time to view himself, or his attainments. It would be a serious loss to him, to take his eye from the ravishing object of his contemplation, in order to survey his own experience; he cannot spend his time in thinking about the high attainments he has made, or what a pleasing story he will have to tell others. Nor does his pleasure at that time arise chiefly from the consideration of the safety of his state, or any thing he has in view respecting his own qualifications or circumstances; but from the divine beauty of that object which so powerfully engages his attention.

As the love and joy of hypocrites arise from self-love, so do their other affections, their sorrow for sin, their humiliations and submission, their religious desires and zeal. It is easy for nature, corrupt as it is, under the notion of our being amongst the highest favourites of Heaven, to love an imaginary god, who is suited to our depraved dispositions, to submit to him, and to be zealous

for his honour. The high affections of many professors are wholly built on the supposition of their being eminent saints. If the elevated opinion which they entertain of themselves, was removed, -if they saw but a little of the sinfulness and vileness of their hearts, their high affections would soon be destroyed. But as for truly gracious affections, they are founded upon a clear view of the perfections of God; and therefore a discovery of ourselves, of our own deformity, and the meanness of our experience, will not destroy, but rather purify and heighten them.

III. That excellency in divine things, which is the first objective ground of gracious affections, is their MORAL beauty.

I will explain what I mean by the moral excellency of divine things.

It may be observed, that the word moral is not to be understood here, according to the common acceptation of the term, referring merely to an outward conformity to the moral law, and'espècially to the duties of the second table; or to those apparent virtues, which proceed wholly from natural principles. The moral excellency of an intelligent being, is seated in the heart or will: it is holiness of disposition. He whose will is truly right, is morally good or excellent. The holiness of God, is the same as the moral excellency of the divine nature, comprehending all his moral perfections. Holiness in man is but the image of God.

From hence, it may be easily understood, what I mean, when I say that a love to divine things, for their moral excellency, is the spring of all holy affections. It has been already shown, under the former head, that the first objective ground of all holy affections, is the supreme excellency of divine

things. I now proceed further, and say, that that kind of excellency of divine things, which is the first objective ground of all holy affections, is their MORAL excellency, or their HOLINESS Holy persons, in the exercise of holy affections, perform duties primarily because they are holy duties. They love God, in the first place, on account of his holiness, or moral perfections. Not that the saints, in the exercises of gracious affection, love God. only on account of his holiness; all his attributes are amiable and glorious in their view. His holiness, however, is the principal and leading object of their regard. Here it is that true love to God begins. This is the most essential and distinguishing circumstance belonging to a holy affection for God. Love to him on account of his moral perfections, necessarily produces delight in all his attributes. His moral perfections cannot exist without his natural perfections; for infinite holiness supposes infinite wisdom, and every attribute of God implies the existence of all the rest.

Moral excellency or holiness constitutes the real loveliness of all intelligent beings. Herein consists the loveliness of the angels, without which, with all their natural perfections, they would have no more loveliness than devils. Natural qualifications are either valuable, or otherwise, according as they are, or are not joined with moral excellencies. Without holiness, power and knowledge do not render any being more lovely, but rather more hateful; though they render it more lovely, when joined with holiness. Thus the elect angels are the more glorious for their power and knowledge, because these natural perfections are sanctified by moral qualities and dispositions. The holiness of an intelligent creature, is the glory of all bis nat ural perfections. Holiness is in a peculiar man

This sheds a

ner the glory of the divine nature. loveliness on all his other attributes. It is the glory of the wisdom of God, that it is a holy wisdom, opposed to a wicked subtlety, or crafty deceit.

Hence it is that a view of the loveliness of God must begin here. No other attribute is truly lovely without this, and where this exists, every other attribute cannot but be lovely; and therefore it is impossible that other attributes should appear lovely, until this is seen; nor can any perfection of the divine nature be loved with true affection until this is loved. If the real loveliness of the divine perfections arises from the loveliness of the divine holiness, then real love to the other perfections of God, must arise from love to his holiness. Those who do not perceive the glory of this attribute, cannot perceive the glory of his mercy and grace; though they may be affected by them, and love them, as they have respect to their own interest; for these attributes are no part of the excellency of the divine nature, any further than as they stand connected with his holiness, or as they form a part of his moral perfections.

As the loveliness of the divine nature primarily consists in the holiness of that nature, so does the beauty of all divine things consist in their holiness. The saints are lovely, because they are saints, or holy ones. The moral image of God is their beauty and holiness. The Christian religion is excellent, because, above all other religions, it is a holy religion. The word of God is excellent, because it is a holy word. The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether; more to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey, and the honey comb," Psa. xix. 9, 10. The Lord Jesus is amiable, because he is the chief among ten thousands, and

altogether lovely; because he is the Holy One of God, Acts, iii. 14. All the gracious beauties of his human nature, his meekness,-his patience,-his love to God and to man,-his condescension to the mean and vile,-his compassion to the miserable, &c. are included in his holiness. And the glory of his divine nature, of which the loveliness of his human nature is the image and reflection, also primarily consists in his holiness. The gospel is glorious, because it is a boly gospel, and a bright emanation of the holy attributes of God. The doctrines of the gospel are glorious, because they are holy doctrines, or doctrines according to godliness. The way of salvation is glorious, because it is a holy way. Heaven is glorious, because it is the Holy City, the Holy Jerusalem, Rev. xxi. 2, 10. --It is therefore primarily on account of this kind of excellency, that the saints love all these things.

In considering the first distinguishing characteristic of gracious affections, I observed that there is communicated to those who are regenerated, a new spiritual taste, different in the whole of its nature from any former sensation of the mind; and that something is perceived in spiritual and divine things, by a real saint, in the exercise of this new taste, as entirely different from any thing that is perceived in them by natural men, as the taste of honey is different from the idea of it obtained through the medium of sight or feeling. Now the beauty of holiness is that in spiritual and divine things, which is perceived by this spiritual sense. The scriptures often represent the beauty of holiness as the chief object of a gracious taste: "I have meat to eat," said Jesus Christ, "that ye know not of my meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work," John, iv. 32, 34. I know of no part of the Holy Scriptures, in which

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