Spiritual Per fec`fion. 24.1 near. 'Tis often feen, that Men fly from their Acquaintance , when the cleareíf tryal is to be made of their Affetion but then the bleffed God draws nearelf to us, and affords Relief and Comfort. 2. Our Love tuff be pure., Seeing Pet. I.22 you have purified your Souls in obeying the Truth through the Spirit, unto unfeigned loveof the Brethren fee that ye love one another with a pure Heart fervently. The purity of Love either refpeEts the caufe of it, or the exercife and effeas of The eaufe of pure Love is the Divine Command, and the Divine Pattern fet before usé The Love of God to Men is a leading Rule to us : He loves them ac- cording to the refemblance of his imi- table Perfeaions in them ; and confè- quently, the móre holy and heavenly, the more righteous and gracious, Men are, the more they should be endear'd to our AffeEions. This. is to love God in them, and according to their true love- lynefs : This is to love them by the ini- preffìon of that Love wherewith God loves himfelf. Our Saviour tells us, They that do his Father's Will, are his Brothers, Sifiers, and Mothers. There is an impure Love, that pro. ceeds from the fimilitude of vicious M ffions, and is entertain'd by finful So- R ciety
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