The Counterfeits of Lorve to tlJe Godly. nor, caufeth too m~ny !O take up wi.rh a mifi:aken Religion for themfelves , and to diflike all th<at arc not of their rnmd, and ccrramly dellroyeth ·ChriHian love in one part ofChriHians to~ wards the other. 179 Enemy 1 I· Pride alfo is a.peJlilenl extingu~fher ~f love• .For 11 proud man. is fo.much overwi[e in EncmJ 11 • his own eyes, that he can wtthout remorfe lbgmauze aiJ that ditfcnt from lum wuh the names of igHora11t or trromo~, Schifmatic_al, Hereri:at, .or what other name the humour or advaneage of the times {hall offer htm: And he JS fo Good m h1s own eyes,that he meafureth mens goodnefs and god!i. 11cfs by their agreement with him, or complyance with his will. And he is fo Great in hisown eyes that he thinkcth himfdf and his complices only tit ro make Laws for others, and ro rule them in rhei; opinions, and in the Worfhip ofGod; and no man fir to fay any thing publicl{ly to God, but what he puttcth il~to their mouths: He cm think well of none that will cot obey him: Like the Pope of Rome, that {aith no man on cuth hath Chu "h·communiMwith him,thar is not jUbjetl to him. Ahumble Chrifiian thinketh that himfdfand·the Gofpcl have great and unufual profpcricy in the world, when they have but Liberty ; But proud men think that Religion is ruinated, and they are pcrftcuted, when they have not their will upon their brethren, and when their brethren· will be but brethren, and de· ny them obedience. Subjrtlt they c1n think well of and command, b~t Bretbren they cannot love nor tolerate. . Enemy l:Z.· Laflly, TheCoumerfeits of Chriliian love deceive abundance, and keep them from that Enemy I 2~ which is Love indeed. They might be brought to it, if they had not thought that they had it al!cady, when they have it not. Tit. 5. The [otmttrfeits of Chriftian Lorve. ' Cownterfeit I· IT is but Cou?t~rfeit Love to Chrillians, when they are loved only for being of the Count. I• common Rchgson of the Countrcy, and the fame·that you fay you are of your fclves: As one Mahometan loveth another. Cownt. 2.0r to love one only Sect or party ofChritlians, which you efpoufe as the only party or Co11n1. 2. Church~ and not to love a Chrillian as a Chrifiian, and fo to love all true Chrifiians whom you can difccrn to be fuch. , Cou~zt. 3· To love only thofe Chrifiians who are your kindred or relations, or thoft: that ha·vc been Count. 3• fame way benefactors to you. Count. 4· To love Chrifli ~·.:ly for their familiaritr, or kind and loving convcrfation, and civil Count. 4• obliging deporrment amoa.[j 1.1~n. Count. 5· To love them only becaufe they are Learned, or have better wits and abilities of fpeech, Co11111. 5· in preaching, prayer or conferenc:e than others. Count. 6. To love tncm only upon the praife which common commendations may fornetirnes give Cormt. 6. them , and for being maf_nified by fame, and well fpoken of by all men. Thus many wicked men do love the Saints departed, when they hate thofe that are alive among them. Cottnt. 7· To love them only for being godly in themfelves at a difiance, fo they will not trouble Count. 7' them with their godlinefs; while they love not thofe that reprove them) and would draw them to be as godly. Count. 8. To love them only for fuffering with them in tbe fame caufc. Thus a prophane perfon Coum. 8. taken by the Turb.f may love his fellow Captives who refule to renounce Chrifl. And thus a fuf· fcrer for an ill cauiC, or in an erroneous SeCt, may love thofe that fuffer with him above others. Count. 9• To love them only for holding ftriGt and right opinions, while they will not endure to live Count. 9· accordingly: Thus many love the light, that cannot bear the heat and motion: M1ny love an Orthodox perfon, of a found judgement, that is againft loofncfs and prophanenefs in his· opinion, and do not like the folly of the licentious; who yet like licentious prrflUice ben. Count. ro. To love them for fame parts of Godlinefs only ;1while fome other effential part will not Count. 10 , be endured, ( of which before ). . Comtt. u. To love them in a kind fit only, as Saztl with tears profdTed to do his Son V avid; but CoHnt. II· to have no habitual confiant Love. Direa. 12· Lallly, To love godly men a little, and the world and fldhly interdl: more: To love Count. 12 , them only fo as will coil them nothing: To wi{h them fed, but not to feed them, and to wi01 them clothed but not to clothe them;and to wi!h them out of Prifon, but not to dare to vifit them for fear of fuff;ring rhemfelves. He that h:::th.rhis ":_Orlds goods, and feeth his brothe.r h~ve need, and !hutup the bowels of his compailion from hun,_ how dwdlcth the Lave of God m h1m, , Job•. 3• 17 . Surely if the love of his brother were m htm, the love ot God had been m h1m. .But he hath no true love to his brother, !hat will only love him on terms that colt him liule, and cannot give and fufftr tOr his love. All thefe are deceiving Counterfeits of Love_to thcchildren of God. Tit.6.
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