Edwards - BX7230 .E4 1746

PART III. of gracious 4,èt7ions. lents, that would not forgive his fellow Servant an hundred Pence ; and therefore was delivered to the Tormentors. In the Application of the Parable thrift Pays, Verfe 35. ' Solikewife fhall my heavenly Father do, if ye from your Heart forgive not every one his Brother their Trefpaffes. And that all true Saints are of a loving, benevolent and beneficent Temper, the Scripture is very plain and abundant. Without it the Apollle tells us, ' Tho' we fhould fpeak with the Tongues of Men and Angels, we are as a founding Brafs or a tinkling Cymbal : And that tho' we have theGift of Prophecy, and underftand all Myfteries, and all Knowledge ; yet without this Spirit we are nothing'. And Mere is no one Virtue or Difpofition of the Mind, that is fo often, and fo exprefly infilted on, in the Marks that are lain down in the new Teftament, whereby to know true Chriflians. 'Tis often given as a Sign that is peculiarly diftinguifhing, by which all may know Chrift's Difciples, and by which they may know themfelves : And is often laid down, both as a negative and pofitive Evidence. Chrit calls the Law of Love, by way of Eminency, his Commandment, John 13. 34. ` A new Commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another, as I have loved you, that ye alto love one another. Anti Chap. 15. 12. ' This is my Commandment, that ye love one another as I have loved you '. And Verfe 17. ' Thefe Things I command you, that ye love one another '. And fays, Chap. 13. 35. ' By this fhall all Men know that ye are my Difciples, if ye love one ano- ther'. And Chap. 14. 21. (Rill with a fpecial Reference to this which he calls his Commandment) ' He that bath my Command- ments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me '. The beloved Difciple, who had fo much of this fweet Temper himfelf, abundantly infifts on it, in his Epifties. There is none of the Apoftles, is fo much in laying down exprefs Signs of Grace, for Profeffors to try themfelves by, as he ; and in his Signs, he infifts fcarcely on any Thing elfe, but a Spirit of chriftian Love, and an agreable Practice; 1 John 2. 9, I o. ' He that faith he is in the Light, and hateth his Brother, is in Darknefs even until now. He that loveth his Brother abidetio in the Light,and there is noneOccafion of Stumbling in him'. Chap. 3. 14. ' We know that we are paffed fromDeath to Life, becaufe we love theBrethren. He that loveth not his Brother abideth in Death '. Verfe 18, 19. ' My little Children, let us not love in Word and in Tongue, but in Deed and in Truth. And hereby we know that we are of the Truth, and fhall afl'ure our Hearts before him '. Verfe 23, 24. ' This is his Commandment, that we fhould love one another. And he that keepeth hisCommandments,dwelleth in him, and he in him: And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he bath given us. Chap. 4. 7, 8. ' Beloved, let us lave one another ; for Love is of God ; and every onè that loveh

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