PART III. o, fgracious 4jée ions. 253 univerfal a Nature, as a truly chriftianLove is. They are full of dear AffeEtions to fome, and full of Bitternefs towards others. They are knit to their own Party, them that approve of 'em, love'emand ad- mire 'em ; but are fierce againft thofe that oppofe and diflike 'em. Matth. 5. 45, 46. Be like your Father which is in Heaven : For he maketh his Sun to rife on the Evilandon the Good. - - --- For ifye love them which love you, what Reward have ye ? Do not even the Publicans the fame ? Some Phew a great Affeétion to theirNighbours, and pretend to be ravifhed with the Company of the Children of God abroad ; and at the fame Time are uncomfortable and churlifh towards their Wives and other near Relations at Home, and are very negligent of relative Duties. And as to the great Love to Sinners and Oppofers of Religi- on, and the great Concern for their Souls, that there is an Appearance of in fume, even to extreme Diftrefs and Agony, Tingling out a par- ticular Perfori, from among a Multitude, for it's Objeél, there being at the fame Time no general Compaffion to Sinners, that are in equal- ly miferableCircuinflances, but what is in a monfltousDifproportion ; this feems not to be of the Nature of a gracious Affection. Not that I fuppede it to be at all ftrange, that Pity to the perishing Souls of Sin- ners fhould be to a Degree of Agony, if other Things are anfwera- ble ; or that a truly gracious Compaffion to Souls fhould be exercifed much more to fome Perfons than others that are equally miferable, e- fpeciallv on fome particular Occafions : There may manyThings hap - pen to fix the Mind, and affect the Heart, with Refpec`t to a particu- lar Perfon, at fuch a Juncture ; and without Doubt fome Saints have been in great Diftrefs for the Souls of particular Perfons, fo as to be as it were in Travail for them : But when Perfons appear, at particu- lar Times, in wracking Agonies for the Soul of fome fingle Perfon, far beyond what has been ufually heard or read of in eminent Saints, but appear to be Perfons that have a Spirit of meek and fervent Love, Charity, and Compaffion to Mankind in general, in a far lefs Degree than they ; I fay, fuck Agonies are greatly to be fufpeccted, for Rea- fons already given ; viz. That the Spirit of God is wont to give Graces and gracious Affections in a beautiful Symmetry and Pro- portion. And as there is a monftrousDifproportion in theLove of fome,in it's Exercifes towards d:fferLntPerfons, fo there is in their feeming Exer- cifes of Love towards the fame Perfons. Some Men Phew a Love to others as to their outward Man, they are liberal of their worldlySub- ftance, and often give to the Poor ; but have no Love to, or Concern for the Souls of Me -n. Others pretend a great Love to Men's Souls, that are not comp ffionate and charitable, towards their Bodies. The making a great Shew of Love, Pity, and Diftrefs for Souls, toffs 'em nothing ; but in order to fhew Mercy to Men's Bodies, they mutt part with Money out of their Pockets. But a true chriftian Love
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