"We know (fays St. John) we are paffed from death unto life, because we love the brethren." "And by this (fays CHRIST himself) fhall all men know that ye are my difciples, if ye have love one towards another." Love is the fulfilling of the gofpel, as well as of the law: for "GOD is love; and whofoever dwelleth in love, dwelleth in GOD.

But by this love we are not to understand a softness and tenderness of mere nature, or a love founded on worldly motives (for this a natural man may have); but a love of our brethren, proceeding from love towards GOD: loving all men in general, becaufe of their relation to GOD; and loving good men in particular, for the grace we fee in them, and because they love our LORD JESUS in fincerity.

This is chriftian charity, and that new commandment which CHRIST gave to his difciples. New, not in its object, but in the motive and example whereon it is founded, even JESUS CHRIST. This is that love which the primitive chriftians were fo renowned for, that it became a proverb, See how thefe chriftians love one another. And without this love, though we should give all our goods to feed the poor, and our bodies to be burnt, it would profit us nothing.

Further, this love is not confined to any particular set of men, but is impartial and catholic: A love that embraces GOD's image wherever it beholds it, and that delights in nothing fo much as to fee CHRIST's kingdom come.

This is the love wherewith JESUS CHRIST loved mankind : He loved all, even the worft of men, as appears by his weeping over the obftinately perverfe; but wherever he saw the leaft appearance of the divine likeness, that foul he loved in particular. Thus we read, that when he heard the young man fay, "All these things have I kept from my youth,' that fo far he loved him. And when he faw any noble in❤ ftance of faith, though in a Centurion and a Syrophenician, aliens to the commonwealth of Ifrael, how is he said to marvel at, to rejoice in, fpeak of, and commend it? So every fpiritual difciple of JESUS CHRIST will cordially embrace all who worship GoD in fpirit and in truth, however they may differ as to the appendages of religion, and in things not effentially neceffary to falvation,

I confefs, indeed, that the heart of a natural man is not thus enlarged all at once; and a person may really have received the Holy Ghost, (as Peter, no doubt, had when he was unwilling to go to Cornelius) though he be not arrived to this but then, where a perfon is truly in CHRIST, all narFownefs of fpirit decreases in him daily; the partition wall of bigotry and party zeal is broken down more and more; and the nearer he comes to heaven, the more his heart is enlarged with that love, which there will make no difference between any people, nation, or language, but we fhall all, with one heart, and one voice, fing praises to him that fitteth upon the throne for ever. But I haften to a

Fifth fcripture mark, Loving our enemies.

"I fay unto you, (fays JESUS CHRIST) Love your enemies, blefs them that curfe you, do good to thofe that hate you, and pray for them that defpitefully ufe you and perfecute you." And this duty of loving your enemies is so neceffary, that without it, our righteoufnefs does not exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharifees, or even of Publicans and finners: "For if you do good to them only, who do good to you, what do you more than others?" What do you extraordinary?"Do not even the Publicans the fame?" And these precepts our LORD confirmed by his own example; when he wept over the bloody city; when he fuffered himself to be led as a sheep to the flaughter; when he made that mild reply to the traytor Judas, Judas, betrayeft thou the Son of man with a kifs ;" and more especially, when in the agonies and pangs of death, he prayed for his very murderers, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."

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This is a difficult duty to the natural man; but whosoever is made partaker of the promife of the Spirit, will find it practicable and eafy for if we are born again of GOD, we muft be like him, and confequently delight to be perfect in this duty of doing good to our worst enemies in the fame manner, though not in the fame degree as he is perfect: He fends his rain on the evil and the good; caufeth his fun to shine on the juft and unjuft; and more especially commended his love towards us, that whilft we were his enemies, he fent forth his Son, born of a woman, made under the law, that he might become a curse for us.

Many

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Many other marks are fcattered up and down the fcriptures, whereby we may know whether or not we have received the Holy Ghoft: fuch as, to be carnally minded, is death, but to be fpiritually minded is life and peace." "Now the fruits of the Spirit are joy, peace, long-fuffering, meekness," with a multitude of texts to the fame purpose. But as moft, if not all of them, are comprehended in the duties already laid down, I dare affirm, whofoever upon an impartial examination, can find the aforefaid marks on his foul, may be as certain, as though an angel was to tell him, that his pardon is fealed in heaven.

As for my own part, I had rather fee thefe divine graces, and this heavenly temper ftamped upon my foul, than to hear an angel from heaven faying unto me, Son, be of good cheer, thy fins are forgiven thee.

These are infallible witneffes; thefe are Emmanuel, GOD with and in us; thefe make up that white stone, which none knoweth, faving he who hath receiveth it; these are the earnests of the heavenly inheritance in our hearts: In fhort, these are glory begun, and are that good thing, that better part, and which if you continue to ftir up this gift of Gop, neither men nor devils fhall ever be able to take from us.

I proceed, as was propofed, in the Third place, to make an application of the doctrine delivered, to feveral diftinct claffes of profeffors. And

First, I fhall addrefs myself to those who are dead in trefpaffes and fins. And, O how could I weep over you, as our LORD wept over Jerufalem! For, alas! how diftant muft you be from God? What a prodigious work have you to finish, who, inftead of praying day and night, feldom or never pray at all? And, inftead of being born again of Gop, fo as not to commit fin, are fo deeply funk into the nature of devils, as to make a mock at it? Or, inftead of overcoming the world, fo as not to follow or be led by it, are continually making provision for the fiefh, to fulfil the lufts thereof. And, instead of being endued with the god-like difpofition of loving all men, even your enemies, have your hearts, full of hatred, malice, and revenge, and deride those who are the fincere followers of the lowly JESUS. But think you, O finners,

that

that God will admit fuch polluted wretches into his fight? Or fhould he admit you, do you imagine you could take any pleasure in him? No; heaven itself would be no heaven to you; the devilish dispositions which are in your hearts, would render all the spiritual enjoyments of those bleffed mansions, ineffectual to make you happy. To qualify you to be blifsful partakers of that heavenly inheritance with the faints in light, there is a meetnefs required: to attain which, ought to be the chief bufinefs of your lives.

It is true, you, as well as the righteous, in one fenfe, fhall fee GOD; (for we must all appear before the judgment-feat of CHRIST) but you must see him once, never to fee him more. For as you carry about in you the devil's image, with devils you must dwell being of the fame nature, you must share "Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your fins may be blotted out." See that you receive the Holy Ghoft, before you go hence: for otherwife, how can you escape the damnation of hell?

the fame doom.

Secondly, Let me apply myfelf to those who deceive themfelves with falfe hopes of falvation. Some, through the inAuence of a good education, or other providential restraints, have not run into the fame excess of riot with other men, and they think they have no need to receive the Holy Ghost, but flatter themselves that they are really born again.

But do you fhew it by bringing forth the fruits of the Spirit? Do you pray without ceafing? Do you not commit fin? Have you overcome the world? And do you love your enemies, and all mankind, in the same manner, as JESUS CHRIST loved them?

If these things, brethren, be in you and abound, then may you have confidence towards GOD; but if not, although you may be civilized, yet you are not converted: no, you are yet in your fins. fins. The nature of the old Adam ftill reigneth in your fouls; and unless the nature of the fecond Adam be grafted in its room, you can never fee GOD.

Think not, therefore, to drefs yourselves up in the ornaments of a good nature, and civil education, and fay with Agag, "furely the bitterness of death is paft:" For God's justice, notwithstanding that, like Samuel, fhall hew you to pieces. However you may be highly efteemed in the fight of men, yet,

in the fight of GOD, you are but like the apples of Sodom, 'dunghills covered over with fnow, mere whited fepulchres, appearing a little beautiful without, but inwardly full of corruption and of all uncleannefs: and confequently will be dif miffed at the last day with a "Verily, I know you not.”

But the word of GOD is profitable for comfort as well as correction.

Thirdly, Therefore I address myself to those who are under the drawings of the Father, and are exercifed with the Spirit of bondage, and not finding the marks before mentioned, are crying out, Who fhall deliver us from the body of this death?

But fear not, little flock; for notwithstanding your present infant ftate of grace, it fhall be your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. The grace of GoD, through JESUS CHRIST, shall deliver you, and give you what you thirst after He hath promised, he will also do it. Ye fhall receive the fpirit of adoption, that promise of the Father, if you faint not only perfevere in feeking it; and determine not to be at rest in your foul, till you know and feel that you are thus born again from above, and God's Spirit witneffeth with your fpirits that you are the children of GOD.

Fourthly and Laftly, I addrefs myfelf to thofe who have received the Holy Ghost in all his fanctifying graces, and are almoft ripe for glory.

Hail, happy faints! for your heaven is begun on earth : you have already received the first fruits of the Spirit, and are patiently waiting till that bleffed change come, when your harveft fhall be compleat. I fee and admire you, though, alas! at fo great a distance from you: your life, I know, is hid with CHRIST in GOD. You have comforts, you have meat to eat, which a finful, carnal, ridiculing world knows nothing of. CHRIST's yoke is now become eafy to you, and his burden light. You have paffed through the pangs of the new birth, and now rejoice that CHRIST JESUS is fpiritually formed in your hearts. You know what it is to dwell in CHRIST, and CHRIST in you. Like Jacob's ladder, although your bodies are on earth, yet your fouls and hearts are in heaven and by your faith and constant recollection, like the bleffed angels, you do always behold the face of your Father which is in heaven.