Whether tl>e Ungodly can Lo-ve the Godly as Juch? 175 fmall as to the outward aLl: or matter) which certainly txcludeth the habitual devottdnefs of the foul to God, by Refignation, Obe.dicnce ~nd Love, is mortal or a mark of fpiritual death: And fo is all fin, which coni11leth not wHh habHual repentance, and a prcdominanc hatred of fin as fin, and of a dif– obedient unholy heart and life: And therefore all fin, which is not repented of, as foon as it is known, and the linner hath time and opportunity ofdeliberation : Becaufe in fuch a c;afe, the habit ofRepemancc will produce the act. ~e{l.9• Nluft an excommunicate per[on be lovtd M Godly, or not ? f2.1rft. P• An.fn·. You mull: difiinguifh, I· Of Excommunication, 2. Of the perfon that is to judge; 1 • There is an Excommunication which ccnfureth not the }late of the Goner, but only[ufpendeth him from Church·communion as at the prefem a[tually unfit for it : And there is an Excommunication which habitttatcly or jbtediy excludeth the finner fro~ hi.s Church-relation, as an habituo~te, impeniunt, objfinate perfon. 2. Some perfons have no opportu~lty to try the caufe themfclves, being fhangers, or not called wit; but mufi take it upon the Patters )Udg!ment: And fame have opportunity to know the per{(m and the caufr, whether he be jufily cxcoi.Tlmunicatcd or not. Now, r. Thofc that know by n 11 toriety or proof that the pcrfon is jultly excommunicated with the fecond fort of Excommunication) mutt not) nor cannot Love him as a Godly mtn. 2. Thofc that know by notoriety or proof that tbe perfon is unjufily Excommunicated, are not therefore to deny him thcefiimarion and love which is due to a Godly man ; though for order fake they may fometimes be obliged to avoid exterm.l Church– communion with him. 3· Thofc that know nOthing of the caufe rhemfelves, mull judge as the Pallor judgeth who is the legal judge : yet fo, as to take it to be but a humane, fallible, and no final )ud~emenr. · Q:!_cl!. ro. Can a• unfm<iificd hypocrite unfeignedly loveaGodly mall? ~eft. 10: .An[rr. There ii no doubt but he may materially love him, on fornc other confideration : As bc:caufc he is a kinfman, f1icnd, benefactor, or is witty, learned, fair, &c. Q.!_efi. 1 r. But cal4 bt.love a Godly man becau[e he is GodJ~. 9l.!!eft. It . Anfw. He may love a Godly man (at leafi ) as he may love God: An unholy pcrfon cannot Love God in all his perfections refpcCl:ivcly to himfclf: as a God who is moll holy and jufi in his Govern1nenl, forbidding all fin) and condemning the ungodly: For the Love of his fins is inconfiftent with 1his Love : But he may love him as he is moll g.reat, and wife andgood in the gentral, and as he is the m'ake1 and bt:ncfaClor of the world and of the hnner: yea and in general as his Governour: And fo he may verily think that he loveth God as God, becaufe heloveth him for his EITentialitics: But indeed he cloth not ( (peaking firictly ), becaufe he leaveth out fome one or more of thefe e!Tcnrialities : even a!' he that lovcth man as rational, but not as a Veluntary frtt atent, loveth not m<m as man : And as a Hc1etick is no Chrifi ian) bccaufc he denyeth fame one Effential part of Chrifiianity: Even fo as to the Love of Godly men, an ungodly man may believe that they arc better than others, and therefOre love them : But not as Godlioefs is the confent to that Holinefs and ]ultice of God, which would rdtrain him from his beloved tins, and condemn him for them. So far as they arc fimply Godly to tbemfclves, without refpcct: to him and hiJfins, he may love them. ~ell. 12. !.'lay he love aGo~ly nun as he would ma~ him godly, a1tdtonvt.rt him I ~eft· 12 • A,;fw. He may love him as a btttcr man than others, and in general he may wilb hirnfelf as good, and mJ.y love him bec.~oufc he wifhcth h_im well : But as he cannoc be (or .rather is not) willing himfelf to le•vc his tins al~d li\"e ln holinefs, 10 another is not grateful to him, who urgently perfwadeth him to this. Q:..dl. 1 3• V Jtb an;•Ungodly perfon love the Godly comparaJivtly more tbanotberJ? ~eft. IJ~ A;;[w. So far as he duth love thtrn as Godly) fo tar he may love them more than thofe that are not fuch : Mmy a bad Father lov"h a religious Child better than the rell: Becaufe they think tlut wifdom and Godliriefs arc good ; and they are glad to fee their Children ao well, as long as they do 11 or grate up~n them with trouble_forn~ cenfures : f~r an?thc~ mans Godlinefs coficth a bid man little or 1:odung : He ffiJY behold 1t WJthout the partmg wuh_hu fin!. f <1!!.ell. If· D,th every jincere Chrijlian love aU the Godly with aJPeeiallove ? even tliofe th•t oppofe ~!ff. 14 , their opiniow , o1·that tbty 1hzn~~ogreatly wrong them ? . • Anfw. I· Ewy true Chnlhan lovtth aGodly man as fuch, md therefore loveth all fuch, If he take them to be fuch. 2. No Godly man doth habitually and impenitently live in fuch tnalice o·r entnity, as will not fuffer him to fee theGodlinefsof a difl'tmer or adverfary) when it hath fufficient evidentr. 3· But ill tducation and company, and want ~f op~ortuoity) may keep a true Chrifiian from difcern.. ing the Godlint fs ofano1hcr,_ and fa from lo~1ng htm as a Godly man. 1"' . And errour and fa~ion and p 3 ffion may in a temptatton fo far prevail as at the prefcnt to pervert h1s Judgement, and make him misjudge a Godly man to be ungodly: though when he hath opportunity to deliberate and come to himfelf, he will repent of it. Q]tfi. 1 5· Wbat is that Love to the Godly whichproveth • m•ntjincerity, and which no bypocritt of un- ~·fl· 1 S• regenerate perfon dotb attain to? . . . Anfw. It hath in it thefc ciTcntJal puts: 1. He loveth God bell and his fcrvants for hiS fake. 2. He loveth Godtincfl, and the perfon as Godly, and therefore would fain be fucb him[<If: or loverh it for himfiifas well as in othm. 3· He loveth not one only, but aU the Fjfential paru of Godlineji (our abfolutc retlgnation to God our Owner, uur abfol~te obedtence to God our R~ler, and our highcfi Gratitude and Love to God our Benefa6tor and our End. ) 4• He loveth Godlmefs and Godly men, above biJ carnal worldly inttreft, his honour, wealth or plea~ure ;. and therefore will part with thefe in works of Charity, when he can underlland that God requ~reth lt. Thefe four fet together make. up ZZZZZZZ2 !hit
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