$ s e T. II. 1 TrueSigns ofGrace. 92 place from others, but when it is done with an humane refpeft immoderately regarding wealth more thengodlineffe, and when it's done to the contempt and difgrace, or difcouragement ofthe godly poor ; hence he bids them confider,that though theybe poor, yet Godbath chofen them rich in faith : Now this carnal refpeft ofperfons the Apoftlemakes a great finne, bothbecaufe hereby he faith, They become judgesofevil thoughts, that is, thefe thoughts of theirs in judg- ing thus arewicked and finfull, andpartly becaufe hereby the name of God is blafphemed; hence verf..i. he cals Chrift, The Lord ofglory, implying, that thole things whichare godlyand gracious fhould be glorious to us. So then as hatred of fin is tabus fJteciei, we bate every kindeoffinne ; fo is love of the Brethren, of all Brethren, making no difference in thisrefpeft. Indeed there is a love of fa- miliarity which we may them more toone godly man thenanother ; thus Chrift loved 7obnmore thenthe other Difciples ; but we fpeak ofa gracious love; and in thiswe oughtnot to attend to humane refpefts butevangelical meetly; 'fhere- fore tbeApoftle calsitaes..rtorn,fia that is, when we in judging look to fome- thingelfethenthemeritsoftheperfon, or the caufe. This we are all apt and Very prone unto; Seewe therefore that inGofpel-love we attendonly to Gofpef- confiderations. In the next place,Confider the ofcef1. by Which this love to the godly difcovers itfelf. I 1 I And r:By not being alhamed to own them as Brethren, and joyn With them in the The e. "` ' °t his lout. timer of perfecution. The Church of God bath had many .Swal,'ow- friends that will flay with her no longer then Summer; ourSaviour forefeeing this pronenefs, a,]ie;n. to toApoftafie, antidotethagainft it, Ile that n alhamedofnot in the midfl of a croak- own them e; edgeneration, ofhim my Fatheralfo Will bea/hamed before the Angels. The world B'th'ren , that is full of fcorns and reproaches, The holy Brethren, The holy Sillera, now Parr''''''""- menare through their prideand corruption afhamedof filch wares. This argu- eth thou haft nolove to them. It was obfervedby the Heathenshow the Primi- tive Chriftians loved one another,Ecce quamfemotné dìligunt c - fratreufe vacant,! Now thenas it is notedof God,Heb.i i. that he was not afhamed to be the God of believers; thus alíomay we obferve ofthee, thou art notafhamed to becalled one of the believers; Thy fpeecb, converlation, whole deportment fhall betray thee to beone that followeth Chrift. It'sobferved by fome, That there were but few hypocrites comparatively in thefiat Plantationofthe Churches by Chrift and his Apoftles, becaufe there wasPoch certain and prefent danger to all thofe that imbraced their way, and no advantage at all to carnal confiderations, yet for allthat fume hypocrites there were. It was a weakneffe i n Nieodemus, Whocameto7efits by night, he dared notpublickly own him, becaufe of theJews. Examine therefore thy fell, if thou loveft the godly, then this will appearwhen godlineffe isthe onely fcorned, reproached and perfccuted way that is. it is firange to obfervehow godhneffe in the powerof it cloth refped in the world, Bonus vir Calm prudent, nift quad Cbrifiantts, A learned man, a wife man, a good man, but only too precífe, too pnritanical,enclining too much to ftriftneffe. If it were an Heathen that derideth allChriftianity that faith thus, itwould be nowonder; but for a Chriflian, who by his profeflionis ingaged to all this praftice ofholinefs,it is unfufferable ; ifwe mayhave too much godlinefs, then toomuch ofheaven andhappinef. Secondly, By rejoycinganddelighting inother mens godlineffeand abilitiesWhere- ally rejoycing by the Kingdomof God is advanced, though it beanumbrageandover/hadowin of all in other 0040 ourglory, thoughWe be laidaftdeand accounted asno body. As inthe fweetef fruit god(irefie , fometimes worms do row; fo the choifeft Chriftians therewill be envies, ehodolhthou g ass CC 0Cei. emulations and repinings at one anthers excellencies. Thus the Difciples of Chrift did twice liriveabout greatneffe, Sohn Difciples muttered becaufe all runeafterChrift ; but how gracioufly dolh.7ahn deal withthem, /mufti decreafe andhe enereafe. _So thatthisloveofthe Brethrenis a more fpiritual and difficult work thenwe are awareof Thoulovefl agodly :man that lhvcth remote from 0 2 . thee,
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