Thirdly, Our Love to the Saints is1 right, when we love them, and delight in them, answerable to the Spiritual causes of love that shine in them, as the more holy and gracious they are, the more we love them. Psal. 16. 2, 3. My goodness extendeth not to thee, but to the Saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight. This is most certain, If godliness be the reason, why we love any, then the more any ⟨p. 473⟩excel others in the Love, Spirit, Power, and practise of Godliness, the more we should love them. There are those that seem to love such godly men, as are weak in their judgments, low in their principles, and dull in their practises; and yet look with a squint-eye upon those that are more sound in their judgments, more high in their principles, and more holy in their practises, which doubtless, speaks out more hypocrisy then sincerity. Verily, he hath either no grace, or but a little grace, that doth not love most where the Spiritual causes of love, do most shine and appear. Surely, those Christians are under a very great distemper of spirit, that envy those gifts and graces of God in others, that out-shine their own. Johns Disciples muttered and murmured, because Christ had more followers and admirers, then John; And Johns Disciples are not all dead, yea, they seem to have a new Resurrection in these days. Well, as the fairest day hath its Clouds, the finest Linen its spots, the richest Jewels their flaws, the sweetest Fruits their Worms: So when precious Christians are under ⟨p. 472⟩[…] ⟨p. 473⟩[…] ⟨p. 474⟩temptations, they may, and too often do envy and repine at those excellent Graces, Abilities, and Excellencies, that cloud, darken, and out-shine their own: The best of men are too full of pride, and self-love, that makes them sometimes cast dirt and disgrace upon that excellency that themselves want;2 As that great man that could not write his own name, and yet called the Liberal Arts, a Public Poison and Pestilence. There is no greater Argument, that our grace is true, and that we do love others for grace sake, then our loving them best that have most grace; though they have least of worldly goods. A Pearl is rich, if found on a dunghill, though it may glister more when set in a Ring of Gold; so many a poor Believer is rich and glorious in the eye of Christ, and should be so in ours; though like Job he sits upon a dunghill;
Thirdly, Our Love to the Saints is1 right, when we love them, and delight in them, answerable to the Spiritualcauses of love that shine in them, as the more holy and gracious they are, the more we love them. Psal. 16. 2, 3. My goodness extendeth not to thee, but to the Saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight. This is most certain, If godliness be the reason, why we love any, then the more any ⟨p. 473⟩excel others in the Love, Spirit, Power, and practise of Godliness, the more we should love them. There are those that seem to love such godly men, as are weak in their judgments, low in their principles, and dull in their practises; and yet look with a squint-eye upon those that are more sound in their judgments, more high in their principles, and more holy in their practises, which doubtless, speaks out more hypocrisie then sincerity. Verily, he hath either no grace, or but a little grace, that doth not love most where the Spiritual causes of love, do most shine and appear. Surely, those Christians are under a very great distemper of spirit, that envy those gifts and graces of God in others, that out-shine their own. Johns Disciples muttered and murmured, because Christ had more followers and admirers, then John; And Johns Disciples are not all dead, yea, they seem to have a new Resurrection in these days. Well, as the fairest day hath its Clouds, the finest Linnen its spots, the richest Jewels their flaws, the sweetest Fruits their Worms: So when precious Christians are under ⟨p. 472⟩〈…〉 ⟨p. 473⟩〈…〉 ⟨p. 474⟩temptations, they may, and too often do envy and repine at those excellent Graces, Abilities, and Excellencies, that cloud, darken, and out-shine their own: The best of men are too full of pride, and self-love, that makes them sometimes cast dirt and disgrace upon that excellency that themselves want;2 As that great man that could not write his own name, and yet called the Liberal Arts, a Publick Poyson and Pestilence. There is no greater Argument, that our grace is true, and that we do love others for grace sake, then our loving them best that have most grace; though they have least of worldly goods. A Pearl is rich, if found on a dunghil, though it may glister more when set in a Ring of Gold; so many a poor Believer is rich and glorious in the eye of Christ, and should be so in ours; though like Job he sits upon a dunghil;
- 1Yet this must be granted, That grace in a rugged, unhewn nature, is like a Gold Ring on a leprous hand, or a Diamond set in Iron; As a Gold Ring is most pleasing, and taking, when it is on a neat, clean hand, and as a Diamond when it is set in a Ring of Gold; so grace is most pleasing and taking to us in a sweet nature, and not so much when it is in a rugged, unhewn nature; the beauty and glory of it, being clouded and darkened by a rugged nature.Yet this must be granted, That grace in a rugged, unhewn nature, is like a Gold Ring on a leprous hand, or a Diamond set in Iron; As a Gold Ring is most pleasing, and taking, when it is on a neat, clean hand, and as a Diamond when it is set in a Ring of Gold; so grace is most pleasing and taking to us in a sweet nature, and not so much when it is in a rugged, unhewn nature; the beauty and glory of it, being clouded and darkned by a rugged nature.
- 2Eus•bius speaks of him in his Ecclesiastical History.
