and, perhaps, in no other way could we become fixed in virtue, and truly and permanently happy; all objection vanishes, and the world we live in, notwithstanding the vice, ignorance, imperfection, and misery that are seen in it, is worthy of infinite goodness.

And though there is misery abroad in the world, all equal judges will confess that happiness greatly prevails: our hours of enjoyment far exceed those of suffering; and the heaviest pains we endure are owing to general laws, which it would be much worse for us to have interrupted, and would destroy our happiness more in proportion. Natural evil also, pain, is generally the parent of greater pleasure, and in its extremest degree tends to produce the greatest good: to recall men from the ways of sin to sobriety and virtue.r

And notwithstanding that some are more disadvantageously placed for virtue and happiness at present than others, this is no argument of their being less loved and more neglected by their Maker; who can make it up to them, and who has great and unknown ends of good to serve by such various and unequal distributions. Indeed, to clear up entirely

these

these doubts and perplexities, we must wait our great change, when mortality shall be swallowed up of life.

And this, though reason, nature's light, could but dimly teach, our apostle taught, and doubtless had in view those endless scenes in futurity which will then be opened, when he declared, "God is love:" that this present life is so far from being the whole of our existence, that it is but, as it were, the first moment of it; and that we are intended for an everlasting happiness!

The mind is overwhelmed with the thought, that such should be the design of divine goodness, for such creatures as we are. More astonishing still is it, that many are so little. moved or influenced by it, and can squander away so lavishly and unprofitably that short uncertain moment of the present life, given to prepare them for it by habits of piety and

virtue.

Such is that love of God which the apostle here holds forth for a pattern to us; and the inference he would have us draw from it with respect to the argument, and the mention made of it, is, that, when God is so kind and loving to all, it must be an impudent pretence for

any

any to say they love and regard that most benevolent being, while they encourage themselves in the dislike and hatred of any of his creatures. For, if they were sincere in their professions, that would assuredly lead them to endeavour to please, and to resemble the object of their worship and highest affections; to cherish and befriend those whom he so dearly loves and befriends.

Would such persons put the thoughts and dispositions of their hearts into a prayer, (and we ought never to entertain any settled purpose which we cannot beg of God to bless,) it might sooner lead them to see the falsehood of their boasts of having any love to God, and the sad deformity of their minds.

For, how shocking would it sound to hear a man on his bended knees utter; "Lord, I hate these men, and am resolved to do so always; assist, and carry me forward in this my ill-will towards them." And yet this must be the desire of every one who bears hatred to any one of mankind on such accounts.

II.

The connexion betwixt the love of God, and of our brethren of mankind, is further

seen

seen in its being the divine command; that we should manifest our love to him by loving our fellow-creatures.

Ver. 21. "And this commandment have we from him," i. e. from Christ, remarks our apostle a little lower; "that he who loveth God, love his brother also."

St. John probably had in his thoughts that memorable injunction of his divine Master; (Matth. v. 44, 45.) "I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you; that ye be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust."

Here we are taught that no injurious usage, or outrage against us, is to overcome our love and kindness to others; but that we are to do them all the good that we can, and to pray for them, and for their better mind, when there is nothing more that we can do. And of this heavenly, merciful temper our Lord not only gave us the precept, but set us the example; when, in the midst of his torments on the cross, he prayed for the authors

of

of them; (Luke xxiii. 34.) "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do."

With what face, then, can any one say, that he has a love for God, whilst he grossly violates so plain a command of his as this, in his hatred to a fellow-creature, for his little offences against him, perhaps no offence at all? which has been too often the case among christians, but often a more unavoidable difference in opinion, in which he may be better founded than himself, as in the present instance the apostle surely was, and the brethren for whom he pleads. But if others should be ever so notoriously in the wrong and mistaken, they are not to be hated or ill used, but the more to be pitied for what only hurts themselves; and for which they are accountable to God, and not to man.

III.

Another argument offered by the apostle, that if we love God, we are to show it by our love and kindness to our fellow-mortals, is, because it is the only return and service that he requires of us.

This is intimated in his saying; "He that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen,

how