and end, with whom it complies, and to whom it facrifices itself in all things, making him the object of all its defigns and endeavours, exciting its poffeffor to a practice correfpondent to every divine precept. And forafmuch as the holy principle productive of this love is perfect, it is a practice comporting as well with the extent, as with the nature of the command: Perfect love producing complete conformity to whatfoever GOD requires; especially when the organs and inftruments by which love exerts itself in outward acts, are properly adapted to anfwer its defign. And when impediments intervene, and prevent the exertions of love; yet if the affection remains entire, though it terminate in itself, fhort of any act of the body, 'tis acceptable, being all that its poffeffor is then capable of, and from whom, in that cafe, nothing more is required. And hence, though no effect can rife above its caufe, yet the cause (a pure heart) being fufficient to produce all that God requires; it infers, that love, the first fruit of the fpirit, runs parallel with, is in heart and life a full compliance with the firft and great command of loving the Lord with all the heart, foul, mind, and strength. But love terminates not in GOD; it has inferior objects, having refpect to the individuals of mankind; for, the fecond command is,

3. "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy felft." Which, being of a fimilar nature with the firft, and love acting impartially, it gives to all their due; like its author, who is loving to every man, it seeks the good of all. Being a fruit of the image of GOD re ftored to the foul, it expels all contracted narrow felfishness of spirit, it unfolds and enlarges the affec

tions, and gives an unbounded benevolence for mankind. Proceeding from GOD, it capacitates to love like him: That "breadth, length, depth, and height "of love in CHRIST JESUS," through the mind of CHRIST in men, is in miniature in them: The fame. caufe produces the fame effect in both; being principled with, they walk ev äyáwn in loves, as CHRIST alfo hath ηγάπησεν ἐμὰς loved us, and in confequence thereof, gave himself for us an offering and a facrifice to God for a fweet fmelling favour. They walk in the love "which worketh no evil to his neighbour||," and excites all to good; they embrace every child of man with a fincere, cordial, difinterested affection, with a love that is fpiritual and holy; of which, as all men are fpiritual and capat le of holinefs, they are proper objects. Therefore, loving all men as immortal and candidates for holinefs, or heaven, it is an imitation of, is fimilar in fense with, the love of the LORD JESUS CHRIST.

4. And the diftinguishing characteristic of this love being its fpirituallity and purity, it is not influenced by earthly confiderations. Riches, or poverty, or whatever elfe that is nominal and temporary, weigh nothing with the love which envieth not, and is without partiality and hypocrify. But, notwithflanding this general affection for mankind, founded on univerfal nature, and a fimilarity of circumftances fubfifting amongst them; yet there being a particular, viz. the divine nature, and circumftances peculiar to it, it gives rife to a different affection. The fpirit which abounds with univerfal benevolence, has a particular regard for fuch as correfpond with itfelf in quality: The nearer they

* Ephe. iii. 18. Ephe. v. 2. || Rom, xiii. 10,

they approach to that degree of purity of which it is poffeffed, the closer is its attachment to them; and where any are wholly renewed in love, there is a onenefs which is illuftrated by the connexion fubfifting betwixt the Father and the Son: "That they all may "be one, (faith CHRIST) as thou, Father, art in me, " and I in theet:" Which oneness with themselves, conftitutes them one with God; for he adds, "That

they may also be one in us." Thefe holy fouls, according to their particular genus, give a preference to each other above all others of an inferior order. Love delights in its likeness, in the fouls which abound in the fruits of righteoufnefs, the graces of the fpirit. Among fuch kindred fpirits, complacency and sweet delight do reign.

5. Notwithstanding, love freely fpends it fires for the good of thofe with whom no fuch endearing inducement is found: It pities the miserable, and commiferates the cafe of the forrowful, but is moft concerned for thofe who flight its care. It weeps over them and wishes they were wife; and when contempt is turned into contumely, (if there be yet hope of gaining fouls fo far gone) it only ferves to increase the flame of divine affection, exciting defires and endeavours proportionable to the danger to which they are expofed: "For believing all things, and hoping. all things, it endureth all things. Love never "faileth*."

(II.) г. And while this celeftial fire continues to burn, it is accompanied with a joy which is un peakable and full of glory. Joy, is that ferene, chearful, pleasant John xvii. 21.. L. Cor. xiii. 7..

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pleafant ftate of mind, which iffues from a holy, healthful, profperous foul. It is the quinteffence or Spirit of all graces, and is contributed to, and increafed by whatsoever its poffeffor is profited in time, and entitled to in eternity.

2. A fpirit freed from evil, and principled with purity, with the whole mind of CHRIST JESUS, is abundantly provided with matter of exceeding great joy: A fulness or perfection of purity being a treasure tranfcendantly glorious, and more valuable than whatfoever pertains to, and terminates in this life. It is durable riches and righteoufnefs, the moft excellent benefit which any creature of human kind can be entrufted with. And this fource of joy remaining unimpaired, is fufficient to induce a compliance with the Apoftle's injunction to "rejoice evermore||." For, a mind at unity with itself, and correfponding in quality with the object of its adoration, is a state not different from, and little inferior to, the beatific enjoyment: In which, as perpetual harmony and happiness cbtain, uninterrupted from within, often rapturous joy is found.

3. Moreover, though the joy arifing from the chriftian conftitution, the holy ftate of mind is great; and will continue fo long as that conftitution continues, yet it is increased by a multiplicity of miniftering caufes, the firft and not the leaft of which is, the being allied to, and having the Lord for their GOD. This is an high and honourable relation, and yet fuch honour have all the faints; for they are all the "children of GOD by faith in CHRIST JESUS:"

I. Theff. v. 16. ‡ Gal. iii, 26.

And

And not being more honourable than profitable and pleafant, they "joy (Kavxáusso, rejoice, or glory) "in GOD, through our LORD JESUS CHRIST, by "whom they have received the atonement*."

4. And God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he hath prepared for them a glorious city, which hath no need of the fun, nur of the moon to shine in it: "For the glory of Gon doth lighten it, and the "Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them "who are faved fhall walk in the light of it." This is that reft which remains for the people of God: Who, by the spirit, having a title to, and a qualifica tion for, an earnest of, and thereby a full affurance (if they continue in his love) of inheriting it for ever; it is cause, abundant cause, of joy and rejoicing: As fuch, the divinely conftituted chriftian, by adverting to, and contemplating the heaven prepared for him, which by the HOLY GHOST he abounds in hope of, rejoices with a joy unspeakable and full of glory.

5. Yea, notwithstanding, that for the reward of well-doing, the future ftate is chiefly defigned; yet in the prefent probationary condition, fatisfaction arifing from a fenfe of fervice well done; the exertion of the graces and gifts of the fpirit, for the glory of GoD and the good of mankind, is contibutary to, and perfective of the chriftian's joy. "Our rejoicing is this, the "teftimony of our confcience, that in fimplicity and godly fincerity, not with flefbly wifdom, but by the grace of GOD, we have had our conversation in "the world¶."

Rom. v. 11. Rev. xxi. 23. 24. ¶ I. Cor. i. 2.

6.