SBBM. XL.1 LIVING ABOVE THE DEAD. 173 ther's burdens, and so fulfil ye the law of Christ," (fat: vi. 2. This world is the only place where different opinions and doctrines are found amongst the saints: Disagreeing forms of devotion, and sects, and parties, have no place on high : Drone of these things can interrupt the worship or thepeace of heaven. See to it then,- that you prac- tise this grace of charity here, and love thy 'brother, and receive him into thy heart in holy- feilewship, though he maybe weak in the faith, though he may Observe days and times, and may feed upon herbs;: and indulge some superstitious follies, while thou art strong in faith, Wand well acquainted with the liberty of the gospel. Let not little things provoke you to divide communions on earth; but.by this sort of charity, and a catholic spirit, honour the Saviour and his church here in this world ; for since there are no parties, nor sects, nor contrary sentiments among the church in heaven, this christian virtue can never find any room for exercise there. This kind, of charity ends at death. V. Sympathy with mourners, and pity and relief to those that are oppressed with many sorrows, is a virtue that belongs only to the saints on earth. There are no sorrowful christians in heaven, and the various methods of comfort, which we practise toward our suffering bre- thren here below, are therefore impracticable in the up- per world. " The God of all comfort is he who' com- forteth us in our tribulations, for this reason, that we may be able to comfort those that are oppressed with their heavy afflictions," 2 Coy. i. 4. " This is pure re- ligion and undefiled, to visit the fatherless and the widows in their afflictions, as well as to keep yourselves unspotted from the world," James i. 27. But it is the religion of the church on earth, not the religion of heaven. Go then, and visit thy brother in distress, visit poor afflicted and suffering christians: Go mention the pro- mises of divine grace that belong to them in a Suffering state, and lead them to rest upon some happy promise : Go teach them the benefit of afflictive circumstances : Let the twelfth chapter to. the Hebrews be your text, and raise many a sweet inference for the support of sriflèrers. Tell them of the fruits of holiness that grow upon the bitter tree of earthly sorrows; and that the wood of the
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=