A Divine Cordial

4. We love Gods picture, we love his Image shining in the Saints, 1 John 5.1. He that loves him that begat, loves him also that is begotten of him. 'Tis possible to love a Saint, yet not love him as a Saint; we may love him for something else, for his ingenuity, because he is affable and bountiful. A beast loves a man, but not quatenus homo, as he is a man, but because he feeds him, and gives him provender. But to love a Saint as he is a Saint, this is a sign of love to God. If we love a Saint for his Saint-ship, as having something of God in him, then we love him in these four Cases.

4. We love Gods picture, we love his Image shining in the Saints, 1 Iohn 5.1. He that loves him that begat, loves him also that is begotten of him. 'Tis possible to love a Saint, yet not love him as a Saint; we may love him for something else, for his ingenuity, because he is affable and bountiful. A beast loves a man, but not quatenus homo, as he is a man, but because he feeds him, and gives him provinder. But to love a Saint as he is a Saint, this is a sign of love to God. If we love a Saint for his Saint-ship, as having something of God in him, then we love him in these four Cases.

1. We love a Saint though he be poor. A man that loves gold, loves a piece of gold though it be in a rag: So though a Saint be in rags, we love him, because there is aliquid Christi, something of Christ in him.

2. We love a Saint though he hath many personal failings. There is no perfection here; in some, rash anger prevails; in some, inconstancy; in some, too much love of the world. A Saint in this life is like gold in the ore, much dross of infirmity cleaves to him, yet we love him for the grace that is in him. A Saint is like a fair face with a scar: We love the beautiful face of holiness, though there be a scar in it. The best Emerald hath its blemishes,