2. As hereby they are rectified towards men, having the universal Law of Love wrought deep into their hearts; being filled with all goodness, righteous meekness, mercifulness; apt to do no wrong, to bear any, to pity and help the distressed, to love enemies, and as there is opportunity, to do good to all, especially to them that are of the household of Faith. We must understand in this, as well as in the other parts of that stamp which the Spirit of God puts on the Souls of men, That the Impression corresponds and answers to the Seal, (as hath been said), the inward Communication to the outward Revelation of Gods will; And so we find the matter is: For as Divine Precepts require this should be the temper of mens spirits, so the very things that compose and make up that blessed temper, are said to be the fruits of his own Spirit; The fruit of the Spirit is peace, 1long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, meekness, &c. And again, The fruit of the spirit is in all goodness, 2and righteousness, and truth. Now hath not that Soul a spring of pleasure within it self, that is in these respects as God would have it be? That is conscious to it self of nothing but righteousness, goodness, benignity, candour towards ⟨p. 73⟩any man, and is in all things acted by a spirit of love,3 that suffereth long, and is kind, that envieth not, that vaunteth not it self, is not puffed up, doth not behave it self unseemly, seeketh not its own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth, that beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things, and never faileth. That so equally poises and acts a mans spirit, that he carries seemly and suitably towards all men, takes pleasure in the best, in the Saints and excellent ones of the earth hath all his delight; and is no worse affected, than to wish them better, even towards the very worst; neither envies the greatest, nor despises the meanest; neither is revengeful towards them that injure him, nor unthankful to them that oblige him; that is apt to learn of good men, and to teach the bad, by observing and giving the most imitable example; That is not undutiful to superiors, nor morose and unconversable towards equals; That lives not to himself; Is a common good to all within the sphere through which his activity can extend it self;
2. As hereby they are rectified towards men, having the universal Law of Love wrought deep into their hearts; being fill'd with all goodness, righteous meekness, mercifulness; apt to do no wrong, to bear any, to pity and help the distressed, to love enemies, and as there is opportunity, to do good to all, especially to them that are of the houshold of Faith. We must understand in this, as well as in the other parts of that stamp which the Spirit of God puts on the Souls of men, That the Impression corresponds and answers to the Seal, (as hath been said), the inward Communication to the outward Revelation of Gods will; And so we find the matter is: For as Divine Precepts require this should be the temper of mens spirits, so the very things that compose and make up that blessed temper, are said to be the fruits of his own Spirit; The fruit of the Spirit is peace, 1long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, meekness, &c. And again, The fruit of the spirit is in all goodness, 2and righteousness, and truth. Now hath not that Soul a spring of pleasure within it self, that is in these respects as God would have it be? That is conscious to it self of nothing but righteousness, goodness, benignity, candor towards ⟨p. 73⟩any man, and is in all things acted by a spirit of love,3 that suffereth long, and is kind, that envieth not, that vaunteth not it self, is not puffed up, doth not behave it self unseemly, seeketh not its own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth, that beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things, and never faileth. That so equally poises and acts a mans spirit, that he carries seemly and sutably towards all men, takes pleasure in the best, in the Saints and excellent ones of the earth hath all his delight; and is no worse affected, than to wish them better, even towards the very worst; neither envies the greatest, nor despises the meanest; neither is revengeful towards them that injure him, nor unthankful to them that oblige him; that is apt to learn of good men, and to teach the bad, by observing and giving the most imitable example; That is not undutiful to superiors, nor morose and unconversable towards equals; That lives not to himself; Is a common good to all within the sphere through which his activity can extend it self;
- 1Gal. 5. 22, 23.
- 2Eph. 5. 9.
- 31 Cor. 13.
