Invisibles, realities, demonstrated in the holy life and triumphant death of Mr. John Janeway,…

yea, which makes us loathsome in his Eyes, Pride, Passions, Worldliness, are those Soul-deformities, which keep Christ at such a distance from us, and which hinder his more sweet frequent and intimate converse with us. It is only that of Himself which Christ seeth in us, which he delighteth in. For, in Him is the perfection of all Beauty and excellency, and whatsoever loveliness is in any thing else, comes from him, is like him, and leads to him. Would we know, how much we are beloved of him, let us see how much we are like him; for, He cannot but love that which is like himself, and if we would be like him, we must put on love, for God is love, and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and god in him, 1 Joh. 4. 16. Thirdly, If we ought to walk towards one another as members of the same body, whereof Christ is the Head, what can speak a closer ⟨p. 87⟩union than commembership? No man ever yet hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it. But we do not feel the power of this oneness, as we ought to do. We are many; and where there is division, there will be dissension; that we may therefore, be more one, let us be more in putting off our self, and going into Christ. Here, let us look into the loathsomeness of our natures, whilst off from God; which is the cause of all this confusion, and if we cannot see its deformity in its self, let us see it in reflection in its bitter effects; and when we see our own deformity, we shall see less cause to love our selves, and more cause to love others. Let us look upon our oneness in Christ, and see if we can thence become one in affections. Christ saith, I and the children which thou hast given me; we have one spiritual Father, we are brethren; let us love as brethren. The cause of this union is our being made partakers of Christs nature, and baptized into the same spirit with him: and, if we have at any time experienced the more lively and full incomes of this spirit of Christ, how did it set the heart on fire! The soul is then too narrow to contain its own affections; how dearly then could we look upon a Saint! How did pride and wrath vanish and melt down into meekness, humility and love! Did we never experience what this meaneth? Then, let the remembrance of the sweetness of it, renew it in us. O, a life of spiritual love is a life indeed, a ⟨p. 88⟩Heaven upon earth! This is a good rule;