Of charity in reference to other mens sins

2. Piety and devotedness to God, and the Redeemer, is most conjunct with true charity. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, &c. 1 Joh. 5. 2. For the true reason of our love to the one, is fetched from the other, ⟨p. 27⟩as hath been shown. And how absurd were it to pretend love to a Christian upon Christs account, and for his sake, while there is no love to Christ himself? But can it consist with such love and devotedness to God, to be glad at his being affronted by the sin of any man? Or to Christ, whose design it was to redeem us from all iniquity, and to bless us, in turning us away from our iniquities; to rejoice in the iniquity that obstructs, and tends to frustrate his design? Do we not know he was for this end manifested, to destroy the works of the Devil? And that the works of wickedness are his works? Do we not know, the great God is, in, and by our Redeemer, maintaining a War against the Devil, and the subjects of his Kingdom; in which Warfare, what are the Weapons, on the Devils part, but sins? Who but sinners his Soldiers? And who is there of us, but professes to be on Gods part in this War? Can it stand with our duty, & fidelity to him, to be glad that any are foiled, who profess to fight under the same Banner? What would be thought of him, who, in battle, rejoiceth ⟨p. 28⟩to see those of his own side fall, here one, and there one? He would surely be counted either treacherous, or mad.

2. Piety and devotedness to God, and the Redeemer, is most conjunct with true charity. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, &c. 1 Joh. 5. 2. For the true reason of our love to the one, is fetcht from the other, ⟨p. 27⟩as hath been shewn. And how absurd were it to pretend love to a Christian upon Christs account, and for his sake, while there is no love to Christ himself? But can it consist with such love and devotedness to God, to be glad at his being affronted by the sin of any man? Or to Christ, whose design it was to redeem us from all iniquity, and to bless us, in turning us away from our iniquities; to rejoyce in the iniquity that obstructs, and tends to frustrate his design? Do we not know he was for this end manifested, to destroy the works of the Devil? And that the works of wickedness are his works? Do we not know, the great God is, in, and by our Redeemer, maintaining a War against the Devil, and the subjects of his Kingdom; in which Warfare, what are the Weapons, on the Devils part, but sins? Who but sinners his Souldiers? And who is there of us, but professes to be on Gods part in this War? Can it stand with our duty, & fidelity to him, to be glad that any are foiled, who profess to fight under the same Banner? What would be thought of him, who, in battel, rejoyceth