466 WHAT LIGHT MUST contentments and delights. You must show him better, or the signs and fruits of better, before he will part with what he bath: you must show him the bunch of grapes, if you will have him go for the land of promise, when he is told of giants that must be overcome : and O what a blessing is reserved for every Caleb and Joshua, that encourage souls, and glorify the promise 1 And how much do dejected discouragers of sinners dishonorGod, and dis- please him ! I have known some ungodly men, when they have seen believers rejoicing in God, and :triumphantlypassing through sufferings in the joyful hopes of glory, to sigh, and say, ' Would I were such a one, or in his case;' but I have seldom heard any say so of.a person that is still sad, or crying, or troubling them- selves and others with their scruples, crosses, or discontents; un- less it be in respect to their blameless living, perhaps condoling them, they may say, ' Would I had no more sin to trouble me than you have. I confess that some excellent Christians do show no great mirth in the way oftheir conversation; either because they are of a grave and silent temper, or taken up with severe studies and contemplations, or hindered by bodily pains or weakness. But yet their grave and sober comforts, their; peace of conscience, and settled hopes, and trust in God, delivering them from the ter- rors of death and hell, may convince an unbeliever that.this is a far better state than the mirth and laughter of fools in the house of feasting, and in the vanities of a short prosperity. The grave and solid peace and comfort of those that have made their calling and election sure is more convincing than a lighter kind ofmirth; John xvi. 22. VI. The dominion of love in the hearts of Christians, appear- ing in all the course of their lives, doth much glorify God and their religion ; I mean a common, hearty love to all men, and a special love to holy men, according to their various degrees of loveliness. Love is a thing so agreeable to right reason, and to social nature, and to the common interest of all mankind, that all men commend it; and they that have it not forothers, would have it fromothers. Who is it that loveth not to be loved ? and who is it that loveth not the man that he is convinced loveth him, better than him thathateth him, or regardeth him not ? And do you think that the same course, which maketh men hate yourselves, is like tö make them love your religion? Love is the powerful. con- queror of the world : by it God conquereth the enmity of man .and reconcileth to himself even malignant sinners ; and by it he bath taught us toconquer all thé tribulations and persecutions by which the world would separate us from his love ; yea; and to be more than conquerors through him that loved us, and thereby did kindle in us our reflecting love, (Rom. viii. 34-36.) and by it he Math
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