i42 The Life of Faith. (elves, we fell alto from the Love of others to our (elves The individuate creature was contrat5fed in hitmfelf, and all toge- ther let uponPropriety, and forgot his relations to God and man : And when grace defiroycth this fel6(h privatenefs o f fpirit, it fettethus again in love with God and man together ; and the better any man is, the more publick fpirit he is of,and the lets difference he maketh between his neighbours intereft, and his own (when God and his intereft make not a diffe- rence.) And this is to Love our neighbour as ourDelves ; that is, without the vice ofpartial frififhuefs; not fitting up our own intereft againft his; bur equally meifuring bothby Gods ; and referring them thereunto, Levit. 19:4,34. Matto. rq. rg. Gal. 15.4. Dire& ro. Remember that loving others as our /elves is our own intereft and benefit, as well as our duty. And a notable inffance it is, how much our duty is our own intereft andgood; andhowmerciful God is in his ftrietefl Laws. As the Love ofGod is Heaven itfelf, and [inners that love bim not, do damn themfelves, and put themfelves from Heaven and happiuefs (and to pardon them, is to fantïifie them) even fu it is an unfpeakable lofs and mifery which (inners draw upon themfelves, by not loving their neighbours, as themfelves, but only in a fubordination to daunt-elves, and for their proper private ends. I pray you mark but thefe fcw particular in fiances. r. III love my neighbour as my fell, my very love is my de- light and eafe. The form of Loveconfifteth in complacency or pleafamefs ; and therefore it mun needs be pleafant to every one that ufcth it (Howeverbad Lovebath bitter fruits.) And whenever wrath, or envy, or hatred, comes inticadof Love, it is myficknefs, I feel my felfdifeafedby it. 2. If I love others, others wig love me. They are fearce free to do othcrwife. You may alnsoji* conßrain any man to love you, if you love him heartily, and ./hew itplainly, and were with- in bis view to makehim fee it. All men love a loving nature ; butefpecially iftbeybe loved by fuck them»felves. 3. IfI love my neighbour as my Pelf, todo good to bins will be as eafte and pleafant as to myfelf. I can ride, and run., and labour contentedly for my fell I can (loop to the molt fordid employment
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