ion of all the conclusions that are deduced, and controversies
that are discussed anent these things, but rather, in the serious and
solid apprehension of God, as he hath relation to us, and consequently in
order and reference to the moving of our hearts, to love, and adore, and
reverence him, for he is holden out only in those garments that are fit to
move and affect our hearts. A man may know all these things, and yet not
know God himself, for to know him, cannot he abstracted from loving of
him--"They that know thy name will trust in thee, and so love thee, and
fear thee." For it is impossible but that this will be the natural result,
if he be but known indeed, because there is no object more amiable, more
dreadful withal, and more eligible and worthy of choice, and therefore,
seeing infinite beauty and goodness, and infinite power and greatness, and
infinite sufficiency and fulness, are combined together with infinite
truth, the soul that apprehends him indeed, cannot but apprehend him as
the most ravishing object, and the most reverend too, and, if he do not
find his heart suitably affected, it is an evident demonstration that he
doth not indeed apprehend him, but an idol. The infinite light, and the
infinite life, are simply one, and he that truly without a dream sees the
one, cannot but be warmed and moved by the other.

So then, by this account of the knowledge of God, we have a clear
discovery that many are destitute of it, who pretend to it. I shall only
apply it to two sorts of persons, one is, of those who have it only in
their memories, another, of those who have it only in their minds or
heads. Religion was once the legitimate daughter of judgment and
affection, but now, for the most part, it is only adopted by men's
memories, or fancies. The greatest part of the people cannot go beyond the
repetition of the catechism or creed. Not that I would have you to know
more: but you do not understand that, only ye repeat words, without the
sensible knowledge of the meaning of them; so that if the same matter be
disguised with any other form of words, you cannot know it, which showeth,
that you have no familiarity with the thing itself, but only with the
letters and syllables that are the garments of it. And for others that are
of greater capacity, yet, alas! it comes not down to the heart, to the
affecting, and moulding, and forming of it. A little light shines into the
mind, but your hearts are shut up still, and n