54'4 The Life of Faith. high degree mutt rejoice mien he it made low, as well as the brother of low degree muff rejoyce ,when be is exalted, Jam 19. to. And why thould that be myfarrow, which is hie benefit, and Jbould be hie j y? If Paul and Silas ling in the flocks, why should not I fing with them ? Patience and rejoycing are the duty ofall Believers in :ffl lion. 2. The mercies and bappinefo of every one that feareth God is far more than his mifery : Therefore his j y and gratitude should be more than his forrows and complaints. If a mans tooth do ach, and all the refs ofhis body be well, shouldnot he and I be more thankful for the health of all the ref[, than troubled for a tooth? A Believer hath alwsies the Spirit of God, and a part in Chrift, and the pardon of fin, and a right to Heaven : And then how much greater thould bi, joy be than his forrows, andmine alto on his behalf ? 3. TheGoodnefs andLove of God is mauifefled to the world more abundantly than his juftice and feverity. We knowof no afBir`ited Saints but on this fpot of earth: And we know of no damned ones, but Devils and wicked men : Bnt we know that the worlds above us arc incomparably more vats than this, and that the glory of the celcftial Spirits, is far greater than our fufferings and fonows here: Therefore our joy which Love procureth, thould be a thoufand-fold greater than our for rows. 4. And as for the wicked, as the oonfequent Wigof God layeth by compaffion ; fo confequcntly, confidering them as the obfti- natefinal reftlfers ofgrace, they are not tbofe neighbours whom we arc bound to love at our felves : For they are enemies to God,and deprived of his Image; and therefore ourobligations tomourn for them, are abated (as Samuels for Saul, when he knew that God had reje6,fed him (r Sam. r 5, 35. Sc 16. r.) And we are obliged to rejoyce in the declarations ofthe Juft cc and Holinefs of God, and the univerfal benefit which redound- eth from his Judgments, Rev. 12.20. & r a. 12.. Effber $. 15. So that it (till remainethclear, that loving our neighbours as our elves, doth entitleus to the comforts of all mecs hcalth,eflates, profperity, honours ; yea and their holinefs and wifdom too ; and this without any fuch participation of their forrows, as thould be any confiderabic ccclipfc of our delights if
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