from fuch their mutual Love, he knew that the like (though in an inferior De→ gree) would refult to Chriftians from their loving of one another: And therefore he most frequently prefs'd home this Dury, both in his Sermons and Writings; that fo his Hearers and Readers might be inclined to perform the fame, and thereby reap that present, as well as future Reward, which attended it, become obedient and happy together.

d

Thus & Antiquity tells us, that when he liv'd at Ephefus, and was fo old and weak, that he could hardly get to Church, though led by his Difciples; he did nothing but inculcate this Precept, little Children, love one another. And thus we find him (as in many other Parts of his Writings, fo) in the Text before us, ftiring up People to the fame Duty in a Like moving and endearing Manner: Peloved, let us love one another.

And certainly if there was Occasion, often to exhort Chriftians to this Duty in his Days, when they were remarkable for the Practice of it; there muft needs be far greater Occafion to do it in the Times wherein we now live; when Multitudes of those, who pretend to be Difciples of dflierón, com in 6 tum cap. Epif. ad Gal. CHRIST

S2

CHRIST, instead of being careful to exercife the Acts of Chriftian Love, do fo commonly bring forth the Fruits of Hatred, Ill-nature, and Uncharitableness; that if a Heathen was to judge of their Religion by their Behaviour, he would conclude that it did not command them to love each other; or, at least, that they were very little acquainted with the Nature of fuch a Command. In difcourfing therefore from thefe Words of the Apostle, Ifhall endeavour to do these two Things. First, To explain the Duty of mutual Love. And,

Secondly, To enforce the Obfervance of it.

First, I am to explain the Duty of mutual Love. And I conceive the most natural, and therefore the most easy Way of performing this, will be to confider what are the feveral Properties of true Love, and apply them to our own Behaviour; and thereby we fhall receive fufficient Instruction in the Mature of this excellent and im dortant Duty.

Now though the Properties of Love are very various, according to that Variety of Objects about which it may be converfant; yet, as it refpects our Fellow-creatures, the inward Acts of it may, if I miftake not, be reduced to these three.

Firft, To place a due Value and Ef teem upon them. And,

Secondly, To with that no Evil may happen unto them. And,

Thirdly, To defire they may be blessed with Plenty of all Things that are good.

But then Love being one of the moft active and busy Paffions of the Soul, it will certainly flame out in fenfible Demonftrations of Kindness towards the Perfons beloved. It will not fuffer us to reft contented with a fecret Efteem of them; with a bare wifhing them no Evil or withing them Well; But 'twill caufe` us to treat them in a Manner correfpondent to our Thoughts of them. 'Twill for ever reftrain us from doing them any Harm: 'Twill make us do them all the Good that lies in our Power: And forgive them whatfoever Injuries they may have offered, or done to us. So that if we don't thus demean ourselves towards others, it may without any Scruple be affirmed, that we have not an hearty Affection for them; because this will as furely manifeft itself by fuch Tokens, as the Sun difcovereth its Rifing by the Light which it scatters; or as Fire proves its burning by the Warmth and Heat which it gives us. From all thefe Confiderations put together, we may clearly fee, that the Duty

of mutual Love doth consist;

First, In efteeming and treating each other according to the Dignity of our Natures.

Secondly, In doing and wifhing one another no Evil."

Thirdly, In withing and doing one another all the Good we can. And

Fourthly, In forgiving each other all Injuries that may have pafled between us. Thefe are the conftituent Parts of the Duty of true Chriftian Love; and though 'tis justifiable to have a greater Degree of Love for fome Perfons than for others; yet thefe Acts of it we are bound to exercife towards All, as All are bound to the Exercise of them. And

First, 'Tis one Part of this Duty of Chriflian Love, to esteem and treat each other according to the Dignity of our Natures. Although for the better Maintenance of Peace, and Order, in the World, God hath railed fome Perfons upon higher Ground than others; yet as to their Na ture, and Original, they are all upon a Level. All Men are made of one Blood; they are all descended from the fame common Progenitors; and are all Partakers of the Divine Image. Moreover, the Son of God vouchsafed a mysterious Union with the Nature of all Men; and

gave his Life a Ransom for all. Upon thefe Accounts every Man deferves to be greatly valued and efteemed by us: And this Debt of Esteem and Value which is owing to all Men, we fhall moft certainly difcharge if we love them. This is the first and genuine Signification of the Word Charity, whereby a Thing is accounted dear or precious: And in this Sense doth our Saviour oppofe defpifing to loving; either m, fays he, he will hate the one, and love the other; or ele he will bold to the one, and defpife the other: Contempt of others therefore, being oppofițe to the Love of them, 'tis evident, that the Love of others must contain a juft Esteem of them.

Love indeed, is rather apt to Over-rate the beloved Object, than to difefteem or undervalue it: Witness the vast Opinion it inclineth us to entertain of our own Worth, though never fo unreasonably. If then we are Obedient to the Voice of Reafon, we cannot, but acknowledge, that the Duty of loving others doth oblige us to place a due Value and Esteem upon them; agreeable to that Exhortation, we read in Rom. xii. 10. Be kindly affectioned one to another, with brotherly Love, in Honour preferring one another.