Suer. II. True Signs of Grace. 101 Fourthly, This emptied) itfelf in doingandprocuring allfpiritual good to them. 4In doing ma To love is towill good to another, that is, their proper, convenient good. Thus Procuring ali to love theBrethren is to pray much for them , to be diligent in the exhorting 'rí6m good and provoking ofone another to good ; for of Bach a love and hatred which re- gards fpiritual things, theApoftle fpeaketh, as by his inftance in Gains hatred ap- peareth, which was from a fpiritualconfideration, Prov. 27.17. As iron ¡harpaeth iron, &C. fo a man Jharpneththe countenance ofhis friend, that is, as the inftrumenc which is rutty, or edgedulled, is made ferviceable by the file ; fo is one godly man quickned up by another. The Church is compared to a flock of cheep, whereof every one brought twins, that is, their fruitfulneffe, and verf.9. in the fame Chapter, Chriftian love is compared to Ointment and Perfume, which bathmuch fweetneffe and ftrengthning init; yea reproof is fometimes neceffary, as David witneffeth, whenhe faid, Let therighteoaa finite me and it Jhall be bet- ter then oil: yea this love is fo farre commandedthat fometimes it's our duty to lay down our lives forthe Brethren. La Illy, This isfeen in bearing their burdens , and forbearing their infirmities q I, In bearing Bearing theirburdens ; hence asmembers ofthe fame bodythey are toweep. With their burdens thole that Weep, andrejoyce With theft that rejoyce. They are tobe like the firings and forbearing ofaninftrument, touch one, and they all found ; Andforbearinginfirmities,Gal. their üfiru , 6.1. re that arefpiritual 'Vlore fetchan one; The word fignifieth, Set himin joint ties. again, as if a godly man overtaken by finne should caufe as much grief to the whole body, as a dif-jointed member ufeth to do ; sothat to love the Brethren (ifall thingsbe confidered) is a choice and difficult fign ofgrace; it is notevery one that is thus affefted. Nowhere is a proper Qeftion, Whether if Brethren' be fallen into herefies and wickederrours, it benot against the love of brethren, to Bet againft them, to endeavour the Hippie( ion of them? And certainly the matter may be focarried, asthoumaieftdifcovernot only an hatred of their er- roues, -but their godlineffe alto ; again it may be fo, that thoumaieftmolt ofall dilcovar thy love to their godlineffe, only hatred to their falle doetrines : but this is a large field, and many things are to be laid to it, elfewe cannot give full fatisfaaion to thePoint. Nowto all this there inan Objeaion made, Love of the Brethren, fay they Odjeíl: cannot bealign ofgrace, becaufe ifit be true loveit muff havealt chef, preperties de- fcribed, I Cor.tg. Charityfoefcereth long, envieth not, &c. Now who doth not findeforce envying;,fome impatiencies ? The Anfwer is ealie. We arenot feekingforperfetï fign, but true fign ; and if Aúffti we finde truefign; wemay gather much comfort, though feveral defects cleave to us. Wilt thou think there is no honey or milk in Canaan , becaufe febrsfites and wilde hearts are left there ? But again they object, Everyfill thinketh theirfefi the true Brethren. Hence the Papifl loves a Papifl, thinking him a true Brother, andfomen may comfort them= felvesWithfalfefign. The Anfweris, Truefign are indeedfo, though men blindedand deceived are fe.. dotedby counterfeit. A true Pearl is judged to be trueby a skilful( Artificer, and heknoweth he is notdeceived ; though the unskilfull takes much counterfeit pearlfor true ; fo a man awake is lure be isaviake,although menin a dream think themfelvesalto awake, but are indeed deceived. Laltly,Theylay,The Apoîllopeaks thislove as it is afign to atbers,not toour/elves. Thus theAntinomian, and Eflius to this pnrpofe,The Apoflefpeaketh (faith he) ofthe Whole Church as it is aSociety, not ofeveryparticular perfn. But as the À- poftle intends that everyparticularmanshould love the Brethren, fo he alto ma- keth this as anArgument, becaufehereby every man in particularmay beaired he is eranflatedfromdeath to life. Iflove to the Brethrendemonítrate our fpiritual life, then hatred, óppofitioni ZJfe. fears and reproaches of fucb, demonstrate the odors therein tobeof the devil. 0 3 Qr+
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