and feeing no ftream can rife higher than the fountain; fo the love of my neighbour is the stream-but the love of God is the fountain. But no unregenerate heart can love God; for the carnal, the unregenerate mind, is enmity against him-it is not fubject unto him, nor can it be; as well may we expect grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles, as the unregenerate heart to love either God or man. Hence our Lord preaches this doctrine of the new birth as the very entrance into his kingdom,—Except a man be born again he cannot fee the kingdom of God *. Therefore, fuch promifes a new heart, and a right fpirit, writing his law upon the heart, and fixing it in the mind, muft now have their full accomplishment: For neither command nor promise shall fail— not a jot or tittle shall fall to the ground; for the God of Faithfullness and Truth hath spoken, and all shall be fulfilled. This will be the happy effect of the pouring out of the Spirit upon all flesh, in that ample manner which God has promised; fo that, like a mighty rushing wind, it fhall pervade all hearts, all people, nations, and tongues. What a bleffed time! Does not every heart here fay, Come, Lord Jefus, come quickly! 2. MANKIND will then be of one mind and judgment. To divide, and thereby to deftroy, feems to be the business of the great Abaddon-like a wolf among fheep, fcattering, tearing, and flaying, fo that they may be deftroyed. How foon did this confufion and destruction take place in the Primitive Church! yea, even among the very Apostles themselves! No wonder that there fhould be divifions among their followers, fo that fome were for Paul, and fome fome for Apollos, Cephas, and the like; only we may obferve, this discord was purely about circumftantials; for had it been concerning the essentials, it would have been a rude shock to the truths of the Gofpel. In the great fundamentals, it seems as if the ever-bleffed Spirit did graciously interpofe; but, in leffer matters, left men to exercise their own judgments: and that being the cafe, there might, in those inferior and non-effential matters, be fome small difference, even among the Apostles, which Satan might make a ball of contention amongst their refpective followers, to convey its baneful influence almost every where. Nor did there want fowers of discord, ftimulated from motives of ambition, defirous of being the leaders of parties, and thereby to procure to themfelves a name among their poor fellow-worms. It is really amazing, what a number of fects and parties the Church was divided into during the three first centuries, and what bitter zeal was manifefted towards each other, though all equally expofed to the lash of Perfecution, plainly evidenced that the mystery of iniquity did very foon begin to work. The fame malignant fly gave the ointment of the Reformation a very disagreeable flavour, and the flames of perfecuting zeal were dreadfully blown up, the fmoke of which is not yet extinguished, but the unhappy leaven is ftill fermenting with too great fuccess. But, in that bleffed Gofpel-Day, the clear light fhall fe fhine, that they will not need to teach every one his neighbour, for all shall know the Lord, from the leaft unto the greateft, and all shall be of one heart and one mind. That which is perfect being come, that which is imperfect shall be done away, and all shall know, even as they are known. 3. THERE is a cursed self which influences the human kind, and too frequently blinds the mind and makes it very partial to itself, almost in every occurrence in life. Hence arise all the indirect practices which we fee, and complain of every day. But now, the kingdom of God being come, his will is done on earth as it is done in heaven. Something of this fort did take place, for a little time, foon after the day of Pentecoft; for it is faid, And all that believed were together, and had all things common; and fold their poffeffions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.And they continued daily with one accord in the Temple, and breaking bread from boufe to house, did eat their meat with fingleness of heart *. And again,-And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one foul; neither faid any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common t. Here was the dawn of that perfect day, which fhall commence when the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdom of our God and of his Chrift for ever. Here self feemed quite overpowered, for a time, among these firft Chriftians, who were a kind of firstfruits of a future harvest. With grace abundantly endu'd They Acts ii. 44-47•* + Ibid iv. 32. They all were of one heart and foul, And only love infpir'd the whole! But thefe halcyon-days lafted not long, nor did the bleffed influence fpread far; for the dragon was not yet chained, nor were the out-pourings general; but rather reftrained to Jerufalem and its environs; yea, and that very city and temple were laid in ruins in about forty years after that glorious manifeftation; fo that it was but like the morning cloud, and like the early dew, and foon vanished away. However, it was an earnest of good times to come, and what God has promised fhall come to pass; and what must take place before we can love our neighbour as ourselves. 4. THE curfe of felf being deftroyed, a way is made for pure benevolence and good-will to take place. It is hinted above, how fweetly this appeared in the Primitive Church, though it did but just fhew its celeftial countenance and therewith withdrew, gave a heavenly smile, and foon disappeared-just like the morning-ftar, though bright, yet is but the shining harbinger of a lasting day: and here it may be proper to mention a few paffages, where this heavenly temper is ftrongly infifted upon :-If a ftranger fojourn with thee in your land, ye fhall not vex him. But the ftranger that dwelleth with you fhall be as one born amongst you, and thou shalt love him as THYSELF; for ye were ftrangers in the land of Egypt: I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD *. And, to enforce this with the greater emphafis, Mofes brings in the example of the Universal Parent, T 2 Lev. xix. 33, 34. Parent, as well as his precept:—He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the ftranger, in giving him food and raiment. Love him, therefore: for ye were ftrangers in the land of Egypt *. And how ftriking is the cafe of the man who fell among thieves? They stript and left him half dead. A Prieft and a Levite pass that way they faw him, and left him just as they found him, weltering in his blood, and ready to expire in anguish. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and, when he faw him, he had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and Jet him on his own beaft, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.-And on the morrow he took out two-pence, and gave to the hoft, and faid unto him, Take care of him: and whatsoever thou fpendeft more, when I come again I will repay thee. Now, Go, and do thou likerifet. Here was true benevolence. The Priest and Levite were both Members and Minifters of the True Church, and, very probable, orthodox too; yet they wanted mercy and the love of God, while a Samaritan, a poor Heretick, no Member of the Visible Church, reputed by the Jews a little better than a dog or a devil,-yet he fulfills the royal law of love! This is real Chriftianity-the genuine Spirit of Jefus-which muft fill the whole earth. That exhortation of St. Paul will be fully attended unto,—Put on, therefore, as the elect of Ged, boly and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-fuffering ; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another; if any man *Deut. 18, 19. + Luke 33-37 have |