Preached Auguft 17. 1662. 153 becaufe he is of low parts, but love him as he is a Child ofyour Heavenly Fathers. Fourthly, We are to love the Saints of God, though in Come leffer things they differ from us , if they keep the foundationsof Re- ligion, and hold the head, Chrift, yet we are to bear other things one Chriflian hath more light then another, and than we unfaint all that cannot come up to our light ? Its great wifdom to fepai ate between the precious and the vile: 0what a bleffed place will Hea- ven be, becaufe there our light fhall be clear, and our love (hall be perfect. And that is the fourth. Fifthly, Love the Saints ofGod when reviled and perfecuted, a bleeding Saint thould be the Objeli of our love. Onifipherus, faith Paul, was not ajhantedof my chain ; a fign he loved Chriffs gra- ces in Paul, Chrift Jeers loveth no Saints more then his perfecuted Saints, his Martyrs have the higheft thrones reserved in Heaven for them, we muff love to fee Chrifts livery upon a man, though fprin- kled with blood; he that is afhamed ofa perfecuted Saint will ne- ver fuffer for a crucified Chrift. Sixthly,We'muft love the Saints ofGod , though their graces may eclipfe andoutihine our graces. Beloved, in the fweeteft fruit s worms are apt to breed,and in thebelt heart, the worm of pride is apt to be breeding;if God doth not keep us, we than not only envie anothers graces, if they out-thine us, but their perfons too. What though anothers graces do out-thine yours, yet love him , becaufe theeminency ofhis graces bringeth much honour to the Gofpel of our Lord fetus Chrift. And thus mybeloved,' have fhown you how you muff love all the Saints, I Pet. 2. 17. Love the Brother-hood, love the whole fraternity of Believers. Oh that this fweet fpice of love might fend forth its per- fume among Chriflians,that we could turn all our heart-burnings, into heart-breakings, and quench the fire ofdivifions and contenti- ons,and keep the fireof love burning upon the ,Altar of our hearts. And my beloved, as we mutt love all the Saints , fo we muff Phew this love by the fruit ofit, for God doth not value that love that is invifible; the fruits ofour love to the Saints muff be thefe four. Four fruits of love to the Saints. Fill, We muff thew love to them, by prifing their perfons above others, Pfal. r5. 4. fpokenofa man that (hall go to (leaven, Inwhofe eyes a vileperfon is contemned , but he honoured, them that fear the Lord; the wicked are but as fo much rubbifh and lumber, but the Saints are called the jewels, Mal.3. if and we muff prize thefe jewels above
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