48 TfrYat are no Signs PART IIa greateff Danger of being cheated in buying of Medicines that are moil excellent and fovereign, tho' it be muff difficult to imitate 'eni, with any thing of the like Value and Virtue, and their Counterfeits are good for nothing when we have them. So it is with chrflian Vertues and Graces ; the Subtilty of Satan, and Men's deceitful Hearts, are wont chiefly to be exercifed in counterf,ziting thofe that are in higheff Repute. So there are perhaps no Graces that have more Counterfeits than Love and Humility ; there being Vertues wherein the Beauty of a true Chriflian does efpecialiy appear. But with Refpef to Love ; it is plain by the Scripture, that Per- fons may have a Kind of religious Love, and yet have no faxing Grace. Chrift fpeaks of many profelling Chriffians that have fuck Love, whofe. Love will not continue, and fo shall fail of Salvation, Matth. 24. i 2, t 3. And becaufeIniquity fall abound, the Loveof many ,lhall wax cold. But he thatfhall endure unto the End, the fame fall be faxed. Which latterWords ,lainly fhew,that thofe fpoken of before, whole Love fhould not endurb to the End, but wax cold, fhould not be faxed. Perfons may feem to have Love to God and Chrift, yea to have very ftrong and violent Affe&ions of this Nature, and yet have no Grace. For this was evidently the Cafe with many gracelefs yews, fuch as cried him up fo high, following him Day and Night, without Meat, Drink or Sleep ; fuch as Paid, Lord Iwillfollow thee whitherfo- ever thou go f, and cried Ilofanna to the Son of David. t The Apoffle feems to intimate, that there were many in his Days, who had a counterfeit Love to Chrift, in Eph. 6. 24. Grace be with all them that love the Lord J efus Chrift in Sincerity. The laft Word, in the Original, fignifies in Incorruption ; which fhews that the Apoftle was fenfible that there were many who had a Kind of Love to Chrift, whofe Love was not pure and fpiritual. So alto cbriffian Love to the People of God may be counterfeited. 'Tis evident by the Scripture, that there may be firong Affeaions of this Kind, without laving Grace ; as there were in the Galatians to- wards the Apofile Paul, when they were ready to pluck out their Eyes and give 'em to him ; although the Apofile expreffes his Fear Agreable to this Mr. Stoddard obferves, in his Guide to Chrifl, That fome Sinners have Pangs ofA, fec`iion, and give an Account that they find a Spirit of Love to God, and of their aiming at the Glory of God, having that which has a great Refemblance of laving Grace, and that fometimes their common A`fetiions areflronger than laving. And fuppofes that fometitííes natural Men may have fuch violent Pangs offalfeAfeé ion toGod, that they may think them- felves willing to he damned. Page 2i, and 65. that
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