vice and counsel; and soon afterward loved her with another affection, and wooed her for a wife.

Quot. Let it be observed, that nothing is more common than for persons, who love the same kind of diversion, to unite together, whether those pleasures are natural or spiritual. This verifies the old proverb: Birds of a feather will flock together.

Answ. And as sure as the jackdaws always flock with the rooks, and the swallows keep company with the martins, so sure will the foolish and wise virgins flock together to the end; and the wheat and the tares grow together until harvest.

Quot. But the affection mentioned in this verse, differs wholly from all natural regards.

Answ. And the difference is so small, that weak believers have not been able to distinguish it. Natural affections in Peter ran so high to his Lord and master, that he rebuked him when he foretold him of his sufferings. And it was the same with his pious mourners, who wept when they saw him carry his own cross; and their natural affections met with a check for it: "Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children;" for, if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?

Quot. It is a thing impossible, for a Christian to distinguish between natural affection and

the love he experiences for the people of God? The regard he feels to Christians arises not from any natural ties, nor worldly advantage.

Answ. The regard that the Galatians felt to the false preachers of the circumcision, did not rise from natural ties; for the one were Jews, and the other Gentiles: nor did it rise from worldly advantage; for the Galatians were losers both spiritually and temporally, and yet they zealously affected them, though not well; and supplanted Paul to that degree, that they viewed him as their enemy for telling them the truth. Many a minister of the letter, fired with unhallowed zeal; and many an eloquent orator, who has been dexterous at moving the passions; and many an Arminian, in his sheepskin, and under a specious pretence to candour; have affected the children of God in their infant state of grace, as much, or more, than any real minister of the gospel, or real believer in Christ, till God has discovered them. And even then, when they were discovered, and were obliged to separate from them, they felt themselves both halt and maimed, when they had plucked out their right eyes, and cut off their right hands, till God has given them better members. And, for my part, I doubt not but our friend Timothy zealously affects many; but, if God should discover his doctrine as clearly to them as he has done to me, their love would turn to as much hatred as the love of Amnon to his sister Tamar.

Quot. However, it cannot be denied, but that

John did write these words; and for this very end, that the children of God might know that they had eternal life: therefore, to apply the text to the very same purpose which the Holy Ghost had in view, is to me very satisfactory.

Answ. To catch hold of a single text, and apply it to such a Christian as this of Timothy's as an undoubted evidence of the grace of God, without consulting the context, or the whole drift of the apostle's reasoning, is not applying a scripture to the very same purpose that the Spirit had in view. John says, indeed, that "we know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren:" but then I must be born again, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And I must know my sonship, or else I cannot call the saints my brethren, nor are they brethren to me; and, if I am not born again, I can be no more than a bastard, or a false brother, to them. "Every one that loveth him that begat, loves him that is begotten of him;" but, if I am not begotten of God, God is not my Father; and, if I am not born of the Spirit, the Lord's children are not my brethren. In the above passage, John tells me, that I must be begotten of God, and love him too, before I can love them that are begotten of him. Moreover, John not only enforces the begetting, but he describes the birth also; but Tim's Christian has had neither conception nor birth: nor is the description, nor the genealogy, that Timothy gives

of him, to be found in the bible. "He that loveth," says John, "is born of God, and knoweth God." Let the Christian first prove his birth, and then he will easily prove himself to be of the brotherhood; and the Spirit, which leads into all truth, will doubtless lead him to claim this evidence.

Quot. As the Holy Ghost is called, by way of eminence, the saint's comforter, and one of his methods of comforting is by describing spiritual affections, and those as differing entirely from all kinds of natural regards; and the discerning of this is that which assists the Christian to understand his own state, in such a manner, that he may say, I know that I have passed from death unto life, because I love the brethren.

Answ. The King of the Chaldeans loved Daniel; Potiphar loved Joseph; David loved Ahithophel: and an hypocrite, that receives the word with joy; who rejoices in a preacher's light for a season, and finds his legal spirit set to work, · who springs up into a sudden profession, who for a while believes, would sometimes, under such joys, pluck out his own eyes, and give them to a minister of Christ, and yet afterwards hate him for telling him the truth, or for trying to recover him from the error of his way. Thou canst not describe the difference between spiritual and natural affections, friend Timothy; and therefore I wish you would let the timorous soul alone, and look a little into thine own heart, and see how

this evidence of loving the brethren appears there; for, if matters are not right in our own heart, we shall not be able to set others right. You know, that I have smote you for your errors: can you say, with David, it is a kindness? I have reproved you for your false evidences: has it been an excellent oil, which has not broken your head? And have your prayers been for me in my calamity? An answer of conscience to this, in the affirmative, is the best criterion of love to the brethren. But how did this evidence shew itself in you, friend Timothy? Did you not go to the reverend Rowland Hill, (with reverence and respect be his name mentioned,) and ask him, what you should do, and whether you should publish an answer to my Barber? And did not that good man advise you to let me alone; telling you, that I should knock you about the head with my coalsack, till I had made you as black as the devil himself? And did you not get that holy man to come and preach, I will not say a sermon, in your pulpit, to vindicate your book of false evidences, and to traduce your just reprover? "Rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee," says Solomon; but where is your love to me?" He that rebuketh a man, afterwards shall find more favour than he that flattereth with the tongue." But I am become your enemy for telling you the truth; therefore drop this evidence of loving the brethren, Timothy, for it does by not means discover itself in you; and thou must be