It is proper to consider, in the next place, how without love to God with the whole heart, men may have not only some delight in contemplating him, but also some considerable desire after his approbation and favour. We read in Scripture of people inquiring what they should do to obtain eternal life, and seeking to enter in at the strait gate, without complying sincerely with the method. God has appointed for that purpose. If a considerable desire of eternal happiness, may be found in the hearts of bad men; seeing the love of the end naturally carries men to a desire of the means; it is no wonder that such desire may excite men void of divine love to various good endeavours, suitable to their apprehensions of their duty, however defective. We are told that Herod was induced, by the doctrine of John the Baptist, not only to do some good things, but many good things; these good things seemed to prove some inward good purposes, but they did not extend to his parting with Herodias.

It is a common and just argument, concerning the noxious influence of atheism on the interest of society, that it takes off the most powerful restraints of secret crimes. This plainly supposes that some secret concern about escaping future punishment and obtaining future happiness, may be found in the hearts of the most abandoned, and may have in some cases some effect on them. It is no wonder therefore, that the like concern should exert itself with far superior efficacy, in men who are not entirely dissolute, though they come short of true holiness.

Both Scripture and experience shew that natural conscience is a thing which perverse affections may stupify, but cannot quite root out. That principle implies a power of discerning the difference between moral good and evil, or rather it puts it out of men's power entirely to extinguis.

a secret sense of that difference. It is evident that natural conscience, together with that general desire of happiness, and forethought about futurity, which are inlaid in our frame, have a tendency to excite a desire of the favour of that Being on whom we have an absolute dependance. It is plain that when men have such desire after the divine favour while they are void of divine love, it is not their having such desire, but their wanting that love, that is blameable. As the fault of such desires does not lie in excess but in defect, so true holiness does not exclude but strengthen and direct them. And if these desires had all the effect on men's hearts which they ought to have, and to which they have a tendency, they would determine them to far more suitable endeavours after sincerity; they would determine them to lay aside their false and partial views of God, of his law and of themselves. They would excite them to repent of all their sins, to apply sincerely to the mercy of God in Christ, for all that sanctification which he has purchased, and dispose them to habitual consideration of all the principal motives and obligations to love God, and hate sin with their whole heart.

But it is too certain, that men may have a considerable degree of concern about future happiness without its producing such effects. In the mean time it is evident, that as such concern admits of very different degrees, it must, like all other desires, beget a proportionable degree of fear, upon apprehension of disappointment, and of joyful hope in prospect of success. And seeing it strengthens and increases our delight in any means of good, when it gratifies at once different desires, or answers various desirable ends; a general desire of future happiness may increase that delight in contemplating God, which proceeds from admira

tion, or some other principle different from divine love.

It is evident, that such delight and desires as have been described, bear some resemblance to the holy affections and desires included in the love of God, and the one may be mistaken for the other. These different principles may oft-times employ men's thoughts about the same objects, and mayexcite men to the same devout exercises, and other good actions. But all this resemblance is still consistent with a very essential unlikeness.

A man who is really disaffected to his Sovereign in his heart, so that, were it in his power, he would not have him to reign over him, may yet desire his favour for his own ends, and seek gifts and preferments from him. In like manner, men whose hearts are prejudiced against the holiness of God, and prepossessed with enmity against his law, (Rom. viii. 7.) considered in its true import and extent, may have such a persuasion of their dependance on him, as shall have a considerable effect on them. It is not to be wondered at, that bad men should prefer a future state of happiness to a state of punishment, and have some considerable desires after heaven, while they cannot sincerely say, as the Psalmist does, "Whom have I in heaven but thee, O Lord?" Men may have some love of heaven, without loving God, while their desire of heaven excites some desire of God's favour, and of what they apprehend to be the way to it.

It is evident also, that men may have some desire of God's favour, that they may obtain heaven hereafter, while they have superior and stronger desires to retain some favourite lusts and corrupt practices here, while self-flattery makes them ingenious in reconciling their worst defects with the greatest hopes. Sometimes men's desires after heaven, and after the favour of God, and the impressions of these things on their minds, may ap

pear considerable for a short space of time; but are found to have no root in the soul, seeing they are worn off by the first impressions from any remarkable new temptation. And even where such impressions are more lasting, there is a great difference between general desire of God's favour, flowing merely from a sense of dependance on him, and that which flows from a due affectionate esteem of his excellencies, particularly of his moral excellencies, which, in scripture style, are comprehended under the name of holiness. Men may have con. siderable desires after God's favour, without sincere desire of conformity to him in holiness; especially without a desire of universal holiness directed by right views of the essential rules of it, and a just application of them. Predominant sins may retain their sovereignty in the heart, while they do not exclude all desire of heaven, and while they do not hinder men from doing many good things with that view. But if in such cases men entertain the hope of heaven, it is evident they impose on themselves by partial views of their duty; and that, in imagining they study true holiness, they mistake, very inexcusably, a part for the whole.

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As that desire of God's favour, which may be found in the hearts of the impenitent, is a thing very different from divine love; so also is their delight in contemplating him. Some account was given of this before, but it deserves to be inquired into more particularly. It is useful to divide the delights attained unto in divine contemplation into two different sorts, according as they are founded on true or false schemes of religion. Even where men's contemplations are founded on true principles in the main, their delight may proceed, as was observed before, from mere admiration, and other inferior principles, very different from love to God with the whole heart. It is well known there may be a good deal of pleasure in mere speculation.

Yet the very name of mere speculation, though attended with pleasure, imports some thing very different from that enjoyment which results from affection. People may take pleasure in a speculation, without any love to the object of it, but merely to the speculation itself. Thus, several sciences afford delightful contemplation, while their objects are far from being the objects of affection. Men are capable of delight, even in contemplating things that are the objects of their aversion; as, for instance, in contemplating the things that may be known concerning the fallen angels.

The apostle Paul observes, that men may excel in the knowledge of all mysteries, and yet want charity or love. Notwithstanding that essential defect, such men's knowledge, and the contemplations with which it furnished them, might be attended with considerable enjoyment. Oftentimes men who take pleasure in some other contemplations of God, take little or none in contemplating his moral perfections; particularly as they are manifested in his law or moral government of the world. Yet even these excellencies may be the objects of speculative delight; and men may take some sort of pleasure in contemplating God's moral attributes and laws, without sincere prevalent desire of conformity to them. It is said of Nero, that sometimes he took pleasure in hearing decla mations on moral virtue, though few will suppose he took pleasure in the thing itself. The same principles which gave Nero some pleasure in speculations on such subjects, may make other bad men take some sort of speculative pleasure in various parts of religion in general. Men may take some peasure in contemplating God's laws, his moral attributes, and some effects of them, without considering these things as motives to obedience, and aggravations of transgression; and consequently, without improving these as means of