Spiritual PerJeflzon. Mifcarriages in Gonverfarion, which they are gUJity of; efptCHllly fi'lct ~piritu .d D.ic a_ i~ s are infinitely more dangerous, ~nd are not fo ea_fil ydi(cern'd and t~lc_ :ls B.dily arc. To !u_! · fe r unconcernedly a Friend to he and langui !h 10 a coude of S10, IS Sou -mtlrdt.:r;. and _1.n Murder there are no accdfar ies, every one is a Principal. 'fi ~ prl)phd i ::· l conc<.:rntng rue time of approachi~g Jud~ment , that iniquity fha!l ahou~d, ami_ tbe loue uf ma11J w~x CJ!d, by not convincing Stoners 10 brder to reform them. Th1s exercde..of Love lf!Ull be f~equ~nr, while 'tircalled to d.J'I; and_ folemn, withour bi~ternefs and contempt,_ or a fcem ing indtffe.. rence of the fuccefs, that It may be ev1dent It does not proceed ttom a cenfonuus Hq~ mour or an impeninent Curiality, but fro~1 pure Love. I~ mufi be attc.: 1~ded wi(h e~rnt:ft Pray;r to the Father, and Phyfic1an of Spints, eo give hea! 1ng Ve1 to~ to' J r ; ot!lcrwJfe ~ci-; but Moral Counfd: And it mufi be received with Medwefs and Gra•h u·jt·. The nj El: n;,..; holy Counfel di(covers a double Leprofie; for the rife of it JS from ~rj de in lhe '! nder~ fiandin(!. Se lf-conce it; and Pride in the Will, perverfe Obfiin_acy. Tne m ~rual dilcha rgc of this DJty, is the mofi precious, deGrable an~ advantageous benefic of Fncndiliip. w.e mu£\: perform it to all ~.yithio the compafs of ourd1redion and wa rm infl uence: we :nufr i,l iJ· tate theAngel'searneft: Counfel to Lot, efcape forlhJ!ifeoutoj Sodom, not to delay , tbt~the ,;,;~ht not be conf•m'd. 0 that this Angelica! Zeal and Compdlion po!Tef•'J the Brea!ls of Chri!lians. , .. . . It may jufily cover wi~ h tOnf'ufion many who profefs entire F1 it tH.Hl1i p to others, anJ yet their Converfatioo with them is ~irectly oppoftte to the Rules o( friend !hip laid down by the Wife and Vertuous Hea.t ht;ns. Scipio prefcnl/d th l~ fit n f nd JOV!Oiab!e Rule of Friend~ ~~~t~~~a!sw~f:r~frad~(~fe0i; Tai~~nf~~~d~;~~:fu::r~~~'h::"f:fo;:,~a~;:~~:~~;~;g:rdt;;~ ~:m~;:;;;r;:~~ :::~~~~:~;ofta;~v:e;:~a::::iv~h~r.:n:::;~~o~:· t~:t~t:~1~i~~~a;:{~d~~;~~e~·~~ ~~nm~.:~;: ?~"~~~~=~::~ who by fo rdid and bafe Acts, by fi lthy Lu!ls an_d lilthy Lu~re, fomcm and marntain thCIC ['"'"'" ,.,,. Fr iend fh' ip: that count it the furefi prefervative of Friend!hip, t o nourifl1 and foment the " · fpring and !lream of the S~nfua l Appetite, tha t w_ill ilfue intq the Lake of Fire. . l · Lovemu!l be Fer11ent. The degreerefpects the inward Affection, and the outward Effeds of it. There is fuch a union of AffeCtions between the Saints, that one is as it wcr.e transfus' d into another; their Afflictions are mutual, their Compaffions and Affif1:ance are nlutual. This intenfenefs of love is figni fied by Loving oui-neig!Jbours aJ our fdves: in fimi· litude and likenefs. I low ardent are our defires, and earnefi our endeavours for our Tempo... ral Happinefs ? and principally (if we are inlightned) for our Eternal Happi nefs. Accord~ ingly we lhould be affected and diligent for procuring the prefenr and future Happinef• of others. HoW vigilant and ad~ve are we to prevent imminent and dcfiructive Evils t.hat threaten us here, but fpeciallr rf :we are S,erious and Confidering, to e(cape from the Wrath to come? we lhould be proporttonably careful to re(cue others from Temporal or Spiritual Evils to which they are obnoxious. How jealous are we of our own Reput;~tion, how un willing to incur Cerifure, to have our Faults aggravated; and to bear the Prints of Infamy? Love to our Neighbour lhould make ~s tender of their good Names, to conceal their Fau:ts or to make a favourable Conll~uc:tion of t_hem, and not to cxpOfe the :;n to Sham<; . and t~ vind~cate 'them, when their Enemies wou!d mafie them appear culpable by Calum~ies. In ·fiJort, our Love muft be fo fincere. pure and fervent to our Brethren, that we may have a clear and comfortable Evidence, that ~pe are born of God, and tiJat God dwells in UJ, and we in him. But amongChrifiia:ns, how rare i~ Chriftian Love? Their Love is exceffive to themfel vcs, an~ defective to others. ~ - The forgiving Injuries, is an excellent Effect of Chri!lian Love. This implies an intire difpofition and rcfol ution to plTdon all Offences, declaring it (elf in real Acts, when th~ re is occafion. This Duty is hard and d,{la!lful to Corrupt Nature: The Apo!lle injoyns us, fu that none reudus ev1l for e11J!, f ollow that which JJ good. The manner of rile Exprertion int irrlates our pronenefs to Atl:s of Revenge. for vicious Self· love makes ~s more 2pt to re ~ tain the fenfeof lnjuriesthan of Benefits. How many receive ligna! favours, and v.i lhin :i little while neg lcd: their Benefad:ors, withdraw grateful H.efpeds and Converfc wirh them : as 'ris not ufual to walk in a Vineyard, when the Vintage is paft. Out if an Ir.j!.lr)' b~ once offer' cl, 'ris provoking as if it were re·ael'ed every day, by rhe continual rertKmbrar.ce of it. . But the Command is fir id: and univerfal, and allows no freedom, but of vo:untary Q .;.. bedtcnc~. To mal<e us feel the weigh t of the Duty, and to be more tenderly fen:'i!:lle of it ,; our Savwur tells us~ !f yuu do not f~rg,ive! 11~itker will your _heaveniJ F41her fo rgive rNo' tref pa[{es. A_n unforgJ.vtng Temper 1s an Inymctbl~ l3ar og:unfl: our o:;tainieg divJOe M.:rcy. w.ecan neither rcce1vc Pardon, nor have It continued, nor cnjoly the comforrJb!e fcn(e of ir ~· ~1thout pa rdoni~g others. 'Tis a fin of fu:h Ml lignity, thJ.t it invcnoms Poifon ii: fclf; 1t actuarcs the Gu1lt of all otter fins; and fca ls the doom of the llMekruing and Iurdnccl L I J. J agal:fl
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