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love_n of_o god._n which_o will_v also_o go_v along_o with_o he_o into_o the_o other_o life_n and_o be_v the_o life_n of_o that_o life_n then_o all_o the_o instrumental_a and_o ministerial_a virtue_n shall_v expire_v and_o be_v of_o no_o further_a use._n whether_o they_o be_v prophecy_n they_o shall_v fail_v etc._n etc._n even_o the_o fear_n of_o god_n which_o be_v now_o so_o high_o magnify_v as_o the_o beginning_n of_o wisdom_n shall_v then_o cease_v for_o perfect_a love_n shall_v cast_v it_o out_o faith_n shall_v vanish_v hope_n shall_v be_v swallow_v up_o and_o prayer_n itself_o shall_v be_v silent_a only_a love_n and_o praise_n shall_v endure_v and_o vie_v with_o each_o other_o to_o all_o eternity_n thus_o much_o of_o the_o love_n of_o god_n in_o general_a concern_v which_o all_o i_o have_v say_v seem_v little_a when_o i_o compare_v it_o with_o the_o greatness_n of_o the_o subject_a and_o your_o most_o exalt_a and_o seraphic_a strain_n upon_o it_o i_o intend_v in_o my_o next_o to_o add_v something_o to_o the_o reason_n of_o our_o love_a god_n so_o entire_o as_o i_o state_n it_o in_o my_o sermon_n in_o the_o mean_a time_n i_o deliver_v up_o this_o noble_a subject_n to_o a_o better_a hand_n desire_v you_o to_o communicate_v what_o further_a thought_n you_o have_v upon_o it_o and_o to_o believe_v he_o that_o write_v this_o to_o be_v in_o all_o sincerity_n madam_n your_o most_o humble_a servant_n j._n norris_n bemerton_n jan._n 11._o 1693._o letter_n vii_o to_o mr._n norris_n sir_n i_o be_o glad_a we_o be_v come_v to_o so_o good_a a_o issue_n in_o the_o matter_n of_o our_o debate_n and_o shall_v therefore_o immediate_o apply_v myself_o to_o that_o most_o necessary_a and_o delightful_a theme_n which_o be_v the_o noble_a entertainment_n of_o our_o thought_n the_o best_a improvement_n of_o our_o mind_n at_o present_a and_o will_v be_v the_o inexhaustible_a spring_n of_o our_o joy_n hereafter_o the_o love_n of_o god._n i_o can_v but_o admire_v the_o sottishness_n of_o those_o dull_a epicurean_o who_o make_v it_o their_o business_n to_o hunt_v after_o pleasure_n as_o vain_a and_o unsatisfactory_a as_o their_o admirer_n be_v childish_a and_o unwise_a and_o in_o the_o mean_a time_n turn_v their_o back_n on_o this_o vast_a repository_n of_o solid_a and_o substantial_a joy_n a_o joy_n who_o perpetual_a current_n always_o afford_v a_o fresh_a delight_n and_o yet_o every_o drop_n of_o it_o so_o entertain_v that_o we_o may_v live_v upon_o it_o to_o all_o eternity_n whilst_o our_o soul_n be_v inebriate_v with_o its_o pleasure_n our_o very_a body_n partake_v of_o its_o sweetness_n for_o it_o excite_v a_o grateful_a and_o easy_a motion_n in_o the_o animal_n spirit_n and_o cause_v such_o a_o agreeble_a movement_n of_o the_o passion_n as_o comprehend_v all_o that_o delight_n abstract_v from_o the_o uneasiness_n which_o other_o object_n be_v apt_a to_o occasion_n our_o passion_n although_o they_o have_v both_o their_o use_n and_o pleasure_n yet_o as_o we_o usual_o feel_v they_o be_v blend_v with_o so_o much_o pain_n that_o it_o be_v hard_a to_o determine_v whether_o the_o good_a or_o evil_n they_o do_v we_o be_v the_o great_a and_o a_o man_n sometime_o overpays_a for_o his_o mirth_n by_o that_o sting_n of_o sorrow_n which_o attend_v it_o however_o i_o be_o not_o for_o a_o stoical_a apathy_n i_o will_v not_o have_v my_o hand_n and_o foot_n cut_v off_o lest_o they_o shall_v sometime_o incommode_v i_o the_o fault_n be_v not_o in_o our_o passion_n consider_v in_o themselves_o but_o in_o our_o voluntary_a misapplication_n and_o unsuitable_a management_n of_o they_o and_o if_o love_n which_o be_v the_o lead_n and_o master_n passion_n be_v but_o once_o wise_o regulate_v our_o passion_n will_v be_v so_o far_o from_o rebel_a against_o and_o disquiet_v we_o that_o on_o the_o contrary_n they_o will_v mighty_o facilitate_v the_o great_a work_n we_o have_v to_o do_v give_v wing_n to_o this_o earthly_a body_n that_o press_v down_o the_o soul_n and_o in_o a_o good_a measure_n remove_v those_o impediment_n that_o hinder_v she_o from_o mount_v to_o the_o original_a and_o end_v of_o she_o be_v what_o be_v it_o that_o make_v our_o joy_n tumultuous_a and_o flit_a our_o fear_n torment_v our_o hope_n disquiet_v etc._n etc._n but_o the_o irregularity_n of_o our_o desire_n if_o we_o love_v amiss_o we_o shall_v both_o fear_v and_o hope_n grieve_v and_o rejoice_v without_o reason_n and_o in_o a_o wrong_a measure_n we_o shall_v lash_v out_o into_o a_o thousand_o extravagancy_n and_o be_v as_o unhappy_a as_o we_o be_v unwise_a and_o unreasonable_a whereas_o if_o we_o tune_v our_o love_n to_o the_o right_a key_n we_o need_v not_o be_v apprehensive_a of_o discord_n among_o the_o rest_n of_o our_o passion_n all_o their_o motion_n will_v be_v natural_a and_o regular_a and_o all_o concert_n in_o a_o become_a harmony_n the_o divine_a nature_n be_v a_o field_n in_o which_o our_o grateful_a passion_n may_v free_o take_v their_o range_v if_o we_o make_v god_n the_o object_n of_o our_o desire_n our_o hope_n will_v neither_o delude_v nor_o our_o joy_n forsake_v we_o there_o be_v no_o serpent_n lurk_v in_o this_o grass_n all_o be_v calm_a and_o placid_a secure_a and_o entertain_v and_o yet_o unwise_a that_o we_o be_v how_o hard_o be_v it_o to_o drive_v we_o to_o our_o felicity_n how_o difficult_a to_o convince_v we_o of_o our_o happiness_n how_o many_o evasion_n do_v we_o find_v to_o withhold_v our_o love_n from_o he_o who_o require_v it_o not_o for_o his_o own_o but_o our_o advantage_n when_o shall_v we_o be_v i_o need_v not_o say_v so_o just_a to_o god_n but_o so_o kind_a to_o ourselves_o as_o total_o to_o withdraw_v every_o straggle_a desire_n from_o the_o creature_n the_o very_o best_a of_o which_o be_v not_o able_a to_o satisfy_v the_o long_n and_o fill_v the_o
enforce_v it_o and_o indeed_o since_o love_n do_v so_o powerful_o influence_n all_o our_o motion_n since_o all_o our_o endeavour_n all_o our_o operation_n and_o variety_n of_o act_v tend_v to_o nothing_o else_o but_o the_o accomplishment_n of_o some_o desire_n it_o be_v but_o fit_a and_o decorous_a that_o all_o our_o desire_n shall_v fix_v on_o he_o who_o we_o be_v and_o for_o who_o glory_n we_o be_v create_v to_o the_o reasonableness_n of_o the_o love_n of_o god_n we_o may_v further_o add_v the_o necessity_n of_o it_o and_o that_o upon_o a_o double_a account_n first_o because_o this_o be_v the_o only_a vital_a principle_n of_o holiness_n the_o only_a effectual_a mean_n of_o secure_v our_o obedience_n and_o consequent_o of_o prepare_v we_o for_o the_o enjoyment_n of_o god._n there_o be_v no_o way_n of_o unite_n ourselves_o to_o god_n but_o by_o keep_v his_o commandment_n for_o then_o and_o not_o otherwise_o do_v we_o dwell_v in_o he_o and_o be_v in_o we_o since_o therefore_o 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humble_a and_o thankful_a servant_n february_n 15._o 1693._o letter_n viii_o mr._n norris_n answer_n madam_n i_o be_o no_o less_o please_v than_o yourself_o that_o my_o great_a argument_n for_o the_o entire_a love_n of_o god_n take_v from_o his_o be_v the_o only_a true_a cause_n of_o our_o good_a be_v so_o well_o discharge_v of_o that_o difficulty_n which_o you_o urge_v against_o it_o because_o as_o i_o tell_v you_o in_o my_o first_o i_o think_v it_o the_o only_a material_a one_o to_o which_o it_o stand_v expose_v and_o because_o it_o have_v receive_v from_o your_o skilful_a hand_n the_o utmost_a advantage_n it_o be_v capable_a of_o so_o that_o now_o i_o can_v but_o conclude_v the_o bottom_n i_o go_v upon_o to_o be_v very_o sound_a not_o expect_v to_o be_v attack_v by_o a_o strong_a objection_n or_o by_o one_o better_a manage_v the_o same_o occur_v to_o my_o own_o thought_n while_o i_o be_v compose_v my_o discourse_n but_o i_o think_v it_o will_v be_v time_n enough_o to_o consider_v 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plain_a that_o i_o may_v and_o that_o the_o entireness_n of_o my_o love_n to_o god_n do_v no_o way_n prejudice_v my_o love_n to_o my_o neighbour_n suppose_v the_o latter_a love_n to_o be_v of_o a_o different_a kind_a from_o the_o former_a those_o therefore_o that_o will_v have_v one_o of_o these_o to_o be_v exclusive_a of_o the_o other_o oughts_z first_o to_o prove_v that_o the_o word_n love_n use_v in_o both_o command_n be_v take_v according_a to_o the_o same_o sense_n in_o both_o that_o by_o love_n of_o our_o neighbour_n be_v mean_v love_n of_o desire_n as_o well_o as_o by_o the_o love_n of_o god_n without_o which_o their_o objection_n be_v precarious_a and_o instead_o of_o prove_v they_o do_v but_o beg_v the_o question_n and_o i_o shall_v be_v glad_a to_o see_v any_o of_o our_o objector_n prove_v what_o hitherto_o they_o be_v please_v to_o presume_v that_o by_o love_n of_o our_o neighbour_n be_v intend_v love_n of_o desire_n if_o they_o on_o the_o other_o hand_n demand_v what_o 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love_v at_o all_o which_o be_v manifest_o absurd_a or_o that_o love_n of_o benevolence_n be_v the_o love_n that_o must_v fall_v to_o his_o share_n and_o that_o which_o consequent_o be_v enjoin_v in_o the_o second_o commandment_n and_o i_o wonder_v how_o it_o shall_v enter_v into_o so_o many_o man_n head_n as_o it_o do_v to_o imagine_v that_o any_o other_o love_n than_o this_o be_v here_o intend_v for_o though_o it_o be_v otherwise_o never_o so_o lawful_a and_o allowable_a to_o love_v our_o neighbour_n with_o love_n of_o desire_n and_o he_o otherwise_o never_o so_o capable_a of_o it_o yet_o be_v it_o imaginable_a that_o this_o shall_v be_v make_v the_o matter_n of_o a_o command_n and_o require_v of_o we_o as_o a_o duty_n be_v it_o