On 1 J o H N V. 2• honours them that fear the Lord, rho' disfigured by Calumnies, rho' obfcur'd and deJ>icfs'd by Afflictions, and made Jd{_e their bleifcd Head, in whoffi there was no Form noi Comi~ linefs in /be 1udgment of FoolJ. In our Valuation, Divine Grace lhould turn the Scales againfl all the natural or acquired Perfechons of Body or Mmd; Beauty, Strength, Wrt, Eloquence, human Wifdom; againfi all the external Advantages of ~lis Life,.Nobihty, Riches, Power, and whatever rs admired by a carnal Eye. lhe Judgment and Love of God fllDuld regulate ours. A Saint is more valued by God, than tlie l1ighefi Princes; nay, than the Angels themfelves, con~dered only with refpect to their fpirituil Nature. He calls them Ius peculrar 7reafure, hu 1ewels, tbe ftrft.Fruits o{ the Creatures lacreel for his Ufc and Glory, in comparifon ·of whom, the refi of the World ue'but Dregs, a corrupt MafS. They are fiiled bis Son!; bein~ Partakers of that Life of whidi he is the Author and Pattern: And what are all the T1tles on Earth, compared with fo Divine a Dignity ? 2. The Love of DeC. re, of their prefent and future Happinefs. The Perfection of Love confifis more in the Defire than in the Effects; and the continued fervent Prayers that the Saints prefent to God for one another, are the Exprerrions of their Love. 3. The Love of Delight, in fpiritual G:ommunion with them. All the Attractive$ of human ConverGnon, \Vir, Mirth, Sweemefs of Behaviour, and wife Difcourfe, cannot make any Society fo dear and pleafant to one that is a Lover of Holinefs, as the Communion of Saints. David, whofe Breafi was very fenfible of the tender Affect ons of Love and Joy, tells us, That the Sahus i~t the Ear~b, t!Je E~ceUent, were the chief Ob- Pfal. 16. jell of his Delig,bt. And confequent to thiS, there rs a cord:al Sympathy with them iri their Joys and Sorrows, being Members of the fame Body, and having an 1ntereil: in all their Good or Evil. 'Tis obfervaLle, when the Holy Spirit delcribes the fiveeteil: human Comforts that are the ~relent Reward of the, godly Man, the Enjoym~nt of hi~ Efiate in the dear Society of h1s Wife and Children, there IS a Promile annex> cl, that fweetens all the rcfi, That be jhafl fee the Good of,1erufalem; and Peace upon Jfrael. Wiih- Pf,J. us·. out this all Temporal Comforts are mix' cl with brt ter D1fpleafUrc to him. There is ari eminent lnfrance of this in Nehemiflh, whom all tl:e Plcalures of the Perjian Court Neh. t , could not fatisfy, whilfi 1<rufa/em was defolately n11fe~ab l e. . 4- The Love of Service and Beneficence, that declares it felf in all outward 'OJliceS' and Aas for the Good of the Samts: And ,rhefe are vanous; fome are of a fUbl;mer Nature, and concern their Souls ; as fpirit.ual Counfel and Inilruction, compaffionat~ Admonition and Confolation, the confirmmg them in Good, and the forrifymg theni againfi Evil, the doing whatever may. preferve and advance the Life and V1gor of the' inward Man; others refped theJt BodJCs and Temporal Condition; directing them iri their Affairs, pr?tecting them from Injuries, fupplymg their Wants, univerlillly aflifi. ing them for theJt tolerable Palfage through the World.- ..And all thefe Acts are to be' chearfulJy l?erformed; t~ere .is more Joy in conferring than receiving a Benefit, be.l caufe Lovers more exemfed m the one than rh<> other. i In fllOrt, the! highefi Etfect of Love that comprizes all the re!!, is to die- for the Brethren ; and this we ought to do when the Honour of God, and Welfare of the Church require it. Hereby perceive 1ve the Love of G•d, hcaufe he latd down hp Life for us; and we ought to lay down our Li7Jei for the Br'bhren. If Chri!lians thus loved' one an<ifl\er; the Church ort Earth would>be a lively Image of the blelfed Socieiy above. ·' ·.. : 1 . Jll. The l..ove of God, and Obedience to his Commands, the Product of it are to be' con[ldered. "~"~ Firf/, The Lqve.of God has its Rife from the Conlideration Of his amiable ExcellerlJ cies, that render him infinitely worthy of 'the higheil: Affection ; and from the blelfed Benefits of Creation, Prefervation, Redemption and Qlorification, that we may expect from his pure Goodnefs and Mercy. This is the mofi clear and elfential Character of a Child of Gdd, and mofi peculiarly diil:inguilhes him frem·unrenewed Men, however accomplifl1ed by Civil Venues. ·· Now the internal Exercife of Love to-God, in the Valuation of his Favour as that :vhich is b~tter ~han Life, .in e~rneft D.efires of ~ommuni.on \~ith him, '_in ravilhing JoY 1~ the .T~fitmomes and A1Turance of Ius .Love! 10 mo~r~wg tor wha~ IS difplealing ro 1um, IS m the fecret of the ~oul; but With'thts there I~ 1nfeparably jom'd a true and vifible Declaration of our Love in Obedience to him. TbiJ iJ tbe LiYUe of God the moll j b , , . real and undeCeitful ExprCllion of it, tbat .we keep -bzs.Commandment1 . , 1 0 • )' 1 ' The Obedience that fprings from Love, is, r. Un\form·and' uhiverfal ; ' for the two principal and 11ecelfary Eltccts ofLovc ~re an ardenrDelire to pl~afe God, and an equal Care not ro difpleafe him in any thihg; Now rh~ Law of God~~ the S•go•ficanon of hJS Soverargo and Holy Will, and the dol Xx xx ~ ing
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