On 1 J o H N V, 2 . Hetirt, and one Soul) and their Eflates wtre common between them. And iri the next fucceediog Ages, this fmternal Love was fo conlpicuous in the Profelfors of his facred DiC: cipline, that their Enemies ob{Crv' cl it as a rare and remarkable thing: See hoW the Chri; Ttrt. Ap,f. C. ~[~~~ ~~~;;;l::~:te::c~;e!0~~s ~:t~~~ea~;~~=!J~ ~~,ilf:':J;; 1us ~~i~e~~a~;~~:ilTI~~ n to obferve all; for fincere Obedience primarily refpe.cts the Authority, of the Law-giver, which binds the whole Law upon the Confcience. And as he that breaks the Law wil- J•m· <. fr! ~:'G~:i~;ug ft:::?Ju~~~ ~~~~~ t~~~r:/e1sat;fi~ ~{a~ i~~~~n~;~;f'ol;~~e~i~ vine Majelly; fo he that fincerely obeys one Command, does with tonfent of Heart, and ferious Endeavours obey all. And from hence 'tis clear, that without a rehgious and unreferved regard of the Divine Commando, 'tis impofiible there fl10uld be in any Perfon a gracious Affection to the Saints; that is the Jlroduct of Obedie~ce to God,and confequently the obfervance of his Precepts, is the certain Proof of our Love to his Children. Secondly, Spiritual Love to the Saints arifes from the fight of the Divine tillage aPpearing in their Converfation. Now if the Beauty of Holmefs be the attractive of our Love, it will be fallned on the Law 'of God in the moll intenfe degree. The moll ex-' cellent Saints on Earth have fome mixtures of Corruptidn; their Holinels is li,ke the Morning-light, that is checker'd with the Shadows and Obfcurity of the Nighi; and 'tis our WifOom not to love their Infirmities , but to preferve an unfiained Affection to' them. But the Law of God is the fuirell Tranfcript of his Nature, wherein his glorious Holinefs is mollrefplendent. /he Law of the Lbrd is perJeEI , converting the Soul; the Pfal. ' '· ' · 3. ;;:;:~;t~~~~:tx:.~~b~=~~:a~~:·lft;:l~'!?./i~f{~j L;:z}:~:lh~~ ];}:}!!,~~~ 0;/I~Z; Pfal. "'· ~%un~~dj~:v:~~a:_sm;\~a~Y:~:t:~;.~:. hiU;;~~~~e"tow:!.~~o~~:r:c!s"~ore~ci ew tranfcribe them in our Hearts and Lives. As affectionate Expreflions to the Children of God, without the real fupply of their Wants, are but the fiJadows of Love ; fo words of E!leem and Re(pect to the Law of God, without unfeigned and univerfal Obedi· ence, are but an empty Pretence. -· ' spfrt~:f£o~~~~~:~~ R~~~~~i~~:~~;c~~~~~~t~~g:;o~~!~ t£~~~Y ~.~;~ek~t~feh~! Holinels, they partake of his Life and Likenefs. And from hence they are the dearell: Objects of his Love; ·his Eye and Heart is always upon them. Now if this Confidel'!tion excites Love to the Children of God, it will be as powerful to incline us to keep his Commands; for the. Law of God, that i? the Copy of his Sacred Will, is moll near to hts Nature, and he ts mfimtely tender of 1t. Our Savwur teJis us, that it i& ea~ Luk. 16. ii: fier for Heaven and Eartb to pafi aw.ry, tban for one titt(e of the Law to fail. If the entire World, and all the Inhabitants of \t were dellroyed, .there would be no lofs to· God, ~ut if ~he Law lofe it? Authority and 'Obligation, the Divine Holinefs would fuffer ~ Ble;~~tlfe <?f the Doctr,ine is, to try our Love to the Children of God, td which ali pretend, · by,this infillible Rule, ou~ Obedience to his Commapds. This is abf?lutely bt;,~~pJd~h~[~~7:1~~~e~~v~0 b~r~;;;J0t~a~~;~ft~ai"~;1 b~~i~~-m~~f~~~i:i; eafy, be~aufe Acts .ofLove mal:' be exprelfed to the Saints fro1p ,other Principles thati the Love o( God : ~ome for vam-Glory are bounuful; and w/Jen their Charit,z feems fo vifibly Divine, that Men adm'ire it, there is the ~orm of V'anio/ at the.il.o6t, that corru!lts and makes i.t odious to God. The Phanfees are charged Wit)) this by our Saviour; . treir Alms. we~': nonhe Eifect of Charity, but bllentatio~; .a:na whilll they en- M". <. I. deavoured to make their Vices vcrl:uous, they made thm Vertues ViCIOus. There is a natural Love among Perfons united by Confanguinity, that remains fo entire fince the Ruin of Mankind by die Fall, and is rather from the force of Nature, than the virtue ~~e~~~e~~? ;~!~~~ [J ~~~;~ ~iht ~~i~:s ~~b~6°~fh1~~1~0 tdh:lti~~~ fu~~ei:nid_e~ ~ffectwns .that are eafily moved ~~d melted at the, ,fight of ot~ers miferies 1 anC! fuch ~rih~·~~~:~~~~~d-'k~:;~:~~tagi~fn~h~!~~-ts ~~!~:i~r~~~~~sF..};!J~\~;;i~~ chne others to Kinqnels tp,the S~i~~~~ ~s they ¥~· ·¥Jlited by lntyrf.ll, Fellow.Cifizens ~n,d ~eigh~?ur,s, and asJ~el': r.ece!Vyj\Civanl'lg~ ,by .C1mmerce ,;vith}hem, or as obliged lly tHeir. B'ene~IS : j3ut Clvll ,4m!iy and Gratitude are nqt that .lioly Affection that "an A!furance of our Spiritual State: Therdre otlier Mot&es of Love to lhe5aints 1 - - . that
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