,_ Spiritual Per[ef1ion. Command, as the dijlint7ive Ch.rat7er cf hi& Difciples, M the fpecial f<!-alifwion o(thofe 41 /JiJ right hand, in the DaJ of. Jt~dgmenl , to recomme!ld 1t to om Love and Obedi ence. He reHs us, rhat to love our mJzhboJJr M our {thus, is hke d1e mott divine Precept of loviNg 1 /;c L ord ottr God. We read in tha_t Solemn Proclama tion of God's Name , \Vhen his Glory pafi: bef?re Mo[es, th a ~ to the Title of Lor~ God, t here was i n:me~ iacely annexr, Merciful_a ndJ!.raoou:, abt~ndant tn goodmfs ; to fi gmfie , th~t Goodnefs IS h1s dear~fl Glo~ ry: and w rhe Div1m: Law, next r.o Piery eo God , Chancy to our Neighbour JS C?ffi· manded, to Ggnifie how plea ting it ts to him.. The Gofpe l Ecli pG:~ all O< her Jnllirurtons ~~,~~~~~;;~.cep~~;,ua~~:'r:f~~;~~~erpta~~~;~~~~~e~~~;~;"::~~:f~o~~~~: :~d ~~~:~\~~~ ~f Men. A Perfon innocen t and pure, but of a fevere and hadh Temper, condemns by bis H oly Convcrfation t he Profane and Scandalous_: but ~good M an cha_rms and_ captivates t he Hcans of others, that one would dare to d1e for h1m. This Duty IS p refcnb'd in the Rom. 5· Extent and Q.!_lli6carions of it. 1 • ln rh :: E)uent, it reaches to all within the compafs of Humaniry ; to Strangers and Enemies, in all our dea lings. Ln allthint. f he done rvith.CharitJ. The Re lacio~ of Con· 1 Cor. J6. ,_.; fanguinity is the Natu ra l Caure of a Benovolent Affoll10n to all Men. The hkenefs of kind prevents mifchief between the moll fierce and hurtful Creatures: We never heard that Ly ons devour Lyons, or Vipers bire Vipers; and unlefs we add Beneficence to InnO· cence, we are but in t he rank of iJrutes. The love of good Will is exprefs'd by promoting t he ir GooJ, and prevt.: nting Evils ; by rejoycing in rhe1r Profperity, and relieving them in their Affii .:.t ions. This Love is more radicated in the breafis of Men, by confidering the cond ition of Na~ cure, wherein they are equa l; ":hether t_he.or~ ~ina l happy ~ate of t~cir Cn:at~on, or their mi rerable wretched fl atc fince the1r Fall. Stm!lttude, enher m Happmefsor Mtfery. unites Mens Affell ions. How low and defpicable fo great a part of M anlr ind is at prefent, yet the remem:J rancc that all Men were equal in their fidl honourable and happy Condition, Inhabitants ofraradife, and by deputation Lords of the World, "ill raifo our elleem, and be an incentive of kind Affellions 10 them: And fince the fall, the calamitous Condition of Mankind is a proper motive of mutual affiflacce to one another: Society in Miferies en. dears the Sufferers, and produces a tender fympathy between them. None are fo merci· ful as thofe who by Exper ience know what it is to be miferable. The Confideration of the common Evils to which all arc expofed in the prcfent llate, induces a llrong obligation to the offices of love and kindnefs. But the principal and divine caufe of Love, is the Law of Chrill, that enjoins us to do good to all, but efpecia!IJ to the houfhold of Faith; for the fpiritual Relation is more intirr ate and exce llent than the natural: T hat we are the off.fpring of the fame Heavenly Father, uni ted as Membe rs to the fame glorious Head, renewed to a Divine Life by the fame Holy Spirit, incorporated imo the fame Spiritual Family. This Affellion proceeds from the uppe r Springs of Grace; the E xercife of it is imme~iately terminated on Men, but ulri.. mately refpetis the Glory of God '. for whole fake 'ns performed. To do goood, and dijlrib11te, {orRet not ; for wtth (i"IJ Smifice God;, well pleafed. In fhort, our Love to God mull be fupreme, and _for himfelf; our Love w M en, and other things, only in the degrees he allows, and not .for tbemfdvcs, but fo.r God, who commands eo love them as they bear his Image. or are infhumeotal in the perfonnaoce of our Duty: Other wife we are in danger of being alienated from the Love of God, when any perfon or thing becomes a Temptation to us to do any thing either to obtain or preferve them againlt his Will. But if we love them only for his fake , we lhall readily part with them as a Snare, or offer them as a Sacrifice , if his Will requires it: As if we love fame particular Meat becaufe 'tis health· ful, and not becaufe ' tis pleafant; upon the fi rll difcovery that ' tis hurtful, we !hall rejell it . The properties of this Love are fpccifi ed in the Command. 1. It mu it be Gncere. The Apoltle dirells, Let love be withoutdi/limulation. Love is e[cntia!ly fincere ; 'cis ft:ated in the Hear t ,and exprefs'd in real aCtions; 'tis cord ial and operative : T he re is an empty noW~: of Love and Refpeas that proceeds from a double Hear t, not cor ire ~ nd ingenuous. Some by fair Promifes work and w ind M en eo ~btain their Ends, lrtumptnt •.i~ and then il1p through them. How often are the fiaccre deceiv'd by the libera l cxpreffi ons ''"'o b'"'·d-ritt, ~l;c ~~~aunn~~eed:anndn~;fe~e; l:;'~~;~i~~ .. d~;g~; ~r~. Choeu ~~~:f~~!~~:~~: 1 fi~~:.~· L~vu:,~i~~~~: l;:::;:~: into the Heart, and 1f 1t be want ing there,his Ange r burns againfi the vain pretenders eo it. T~~i~ urtliw. Some
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