second table, namely Thou shalt not kill; and a SER M. reason why the breach and violation of it fhould XIII. be punished, that in the image of GOD created he man. Certainly the reafon is the fame as to all the other laws of that table. And befides what is appropriated to the conditions of fome men by the very terms of this law itfelf, yet men as men, under that common notion, and for that very reason, are the objects of that required duty. As when we are forbidden to kill, is not every man whatever the object of that prohibition? When we are commanded not to fteal, or bear falfe witness, are we not equally barred up from doing that injury to all mankind? When we are inhibited the coveting another man's property, is it not every man's property which we are thereby forbidden to covet? But then IT must also be understood that there is a ftricter notion of loving our brother, to which we are to have a more particular reference, without excluding that more common extensive notion (as there is no quarrel at all between things that are in fubordination to one another) that is, we ought upon the Christian account, in a special diftinguishing manner, to love thofe who under that notion are to be efteemed or reputed brethren : I mean Christians, in the trueft and stricteft fenfe, as far as they appear fo to us; that is, those who are the regenerate fons of Go D, who are the children of one and the fame Father, and there. fore are brethren to one another, on that account. VOL. I. AND VOL. I. AND you find that the Apostle hath his eye to these brethren here, as it is manifeft by many paffages in this and the next Epiftles. If you confult the beginning of the next chapter, you will fee who are to esteem one another as brethren in the most special fenfe. Whosoever believeth that Jefus is the Chrift, is born of GOD; and every one that loveth him that begat, loveth him alfo that is begotten. You fee thofe are to be principally esteemed as brethren, who can look upon themselves and one another as related, upon the account of regeneration, unto the holy, bleffed GOD as their common Father. So the notion of fons is manifeftly taken in the third chapter of this Epiftle at the beginning. Behold, what manner of love the Father bath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the Sons of GOD! Thofe, who are Go D's own fons by gratuitous adoption, are to be accounted by us as brethren, if we have any reason to look upon our felves as of that character. Those who are fons by adoption, and thereupon are intitled to the inheritance of fons, and are defigned to that bleffed state of the vifion of Go D, and participation of his likeness, are characterized more eminently as his fons; which plainly tells us who are brethren to one another, and should, I fay, be eyed and respected under that notion. BUT here we must take heed of narrowing and limiting the object any further. This is li miting and restraining it enough, we need not do 1 John v. 1. 1 1 John 111. 1.. it it any more. Many will allow this measure, that SER M. we ought to love a godly man, or one that bears X¡II. GOD's image as fuch; but they will after this be the measurers of their own measure, or they will cut God's measure according to the fquare of their own fancies. And when they have faid they ought to love a godly man as fuch, that is every good man, they will have him to be of their own opinion in the smallest matters, one of their own perfuafion and party, one of their own temper and humour. So that in fhort, upon the whole matter, that fame Chriftian love, that ought to flow to all good men, to all Chriftians as fuch, is confounded with that which ought to be called the love of friendship. THERE is a vast difference between the love, which does, and ought to lie in common, between Chriftians and Chriftians, and that which fhould be particular, as between friends and friends. It is indeed true, if I were to defign and chufe out my self a friend, an intimate, one whom I would truft, and with him depofite my secrets and the like, I might warrantably enough make choice of one with thofe qualifications before-mentioned; that is, as near my own temper as poffible, or of fuch a lovely, amiable temper as would render his friendship acceptable to me. I might chufe one of as much prudence as I could, of my own rank and condition, whofe ends, interests, and designs lay very much the fame way .with my own. But it were a most unjust thing to think, that Chriftian love ought to be fo con I. VOL. fined. That must run to al! Chriftians as fuch, and under that very notion. So that it is not merely one of fuch a rank in the world, of fuch a temper and humour, of fuch or fuch a party, holding certain opinions in fmaller and more difputable matters, that is the character of one who is to be loved as a Chriftian. THOUGH indeed that has all along been in all times, and among all forts of perfons pretending to religion, a very ufual practice, to fix the Church, and feat the boundaries of Go D's houfe, just according to the measure of their own fancy, and of their own perfuafion. So the Romanists will pretend to have the Church only among thofe of their communion. And fo we know there are others alfo, who would fo confine the pale of the Church. Befides, of others among our felves there are not a few, who will allow none to be of the Church but who will bear fuch external badges. One may as truly judge of a man by his cloaths and garb of what profeffion or calling he is, and we may as well confine all human love and commerce to perfons of fuch and fuch a complexion, as Chriftian love and converfe to men diftinguished only by certain external adjuncts. But I shall not here infift further on the extent and limitation of this form of fpeech, loving our brother. When we come to the ufe there will be occafion to fay more on this head. II. We are next to inquire, whence it is that any should pretend love to Go D, and yet be deftitute ftitute of Chriftian, or even human love to their SER M. brethren. We have formerly fhewed you, that XIII. the exercise of love to GoD is a thing of far higher difficulty than that which terminates on men. Love to an unfeen GoD is unfpeakably more difficult in the exercise of it than towards men that we fee, and have occafion to converfe with daily. Now though this be most true and apparent, yet the pretence of love to Go D is much more eafy than the real exercife of love to our brother. It is a far more difficult thing to love Gop, than our brother; but withal it is a far more easy thing to pretend love to Go D, than really to exert it to our brother. We have in the one the real exercife of love, and in the other cafe only the pretence to it. And there are two things particularly that do much more facilitate this business of men's making a fhew, and putting on the pretence of love to GOD, rather than really exercifing it to men. I. THAT it is more cheap, and lefs expenfive. And 2. IT is more glorious, and makes a more glittering fhew than the other does; therefore men are a great deal more apt, and more eafily induced to it, 1. IT is more cheap to pretend love to Go D, than really to exercife love to our brother. It will coft them lefs. The things by which men acquire to themselves a reputation of love to Go D, may stand them in little; only to be at fome fmall pains to get notions into their minds, by which Q 3 they : |