The Breastplate of Faith and Love

Again, there is one more which we cannot leave out,¹⁰ though it be a thing known unto you, yet because the Scripture gives it as a peculiar sign by which we may judge of our love to the Lord, it must not be passed by, and that is our love to the Saints; and there is good reason given of it, if we consider it well, 1 Joh. 4.20. Wilt thou say thou lovest God whom thou hast not seen, ²and yet lovest not thy brother whom thou hast seen? The meaning is this, for a man to love the Lord who is immortal, invisible, who dwelleth in light inaccessible, is a more difficult thing than to love thy brother whom thou seest. For why do we love the Lord, but because we conceive him under such a notion? we think of him as such a God having such and such attributes: Now, saith the Apostle, whatsoever thou conceivest of God, that very image and disposition is stamped ⟨p. 101⟩on man like thy self, thou shalt see the very same disposition in a holy man that is in the Lord himself. Indeed it differeth in the degree exceedingly, there is but a glimpse of it, yet why is it said that the Image of God is renewed, but that there is in holy men a disposition like the nature of God? Now this is in a more remiss degree in man, and therefore more suitable to our weakness; as you know, difficulty comes from disproportion, it is a harder thing to love the Lord than a man like our selves. If therefore we do not love men like our selves, in whom is stamped a disposition like the nature of God, and his Image, in some degree, surely we cannot love the Lord who is so far above us.

Againe, there is one more which wee cannot leave out,¹⁰ though it be a thing knowne unto you, yet because the Scripture gives it as a peculiar signe by which we may judge of our love to the Lord, it must not be passed by, and that is our love to the Saints; and there is good reason given of it, if we consider it well, 1 Ioh. 4.20