Direct. VII. Foresee the perfection of their graces in their beginnings. No man will love a seed or stock of those plants or trees which bear the most beautiful flowers and fruits, unless in the seed he foresee the fruit or flower which it tendeth to. No man loveth the egg aright, who doth not foreknow what a bird it will bring forth. Aristotle or Cicero were no more amiable in their infancy than others, except to him that could foretell what men they were like to prove. Think oft of heaven, and what a thing a saint will be in glory, when he shall shine as the stars, and be equal to the angels; and then you will quickly see cause to love them.
Direct. VIII. Frequently think of the everlasting union and sweet agreement which you must have with them in heaven for ever. How perfectly you will love each other in the love of God! How joyfully you will consent in the love and praises of your Creator and Redeemer! The more believingly you foresee that state, and the more you contemplate thereon, and the more your conversation is in heaven, the more will you love your fellow-soldiers and travellers, with whom you must live in blessedness for ever.
Tit. 3. Motives or Meditative Helps to the Godly.
Motive I. Consider what relation all the regenerate have to God. They are not only his creatures, but his adopted children: and are they not honourable and amiable who are so near to God?
Motive II. Think of their near relation to Jesus Christ: they are his members, and his brethren, and the purchase of his sufferings, and co-heirs of everlasting life, Rom. viii. 16, 17; Eph. v. 26, 27.
Motive III. Think of the excellency of that spirit and holy nature which is in them. Regeneration hath made them partakers of the divine nature, and hath endued them with the Spirit of Christ, and hath by the incorruptible seed made them new creatures, of a holy and heavenly mind and life; and hath renewed them after the image of God! And what besides God himself can be so amiable as his image?
Motive IV. Think of the precious price which was paid for their redemption: if you will estimate things by their price, (if the purchaser be wise,) how highly must you value them!
Motive V. Remember how dearly they are beloved of God, their Creator and Redeemer. Read and observe God's tender language towards them, and his tender dealings with them. He calleth them his children, his beloved, yea, dearly beloved, his jewels, the apple of his eye, Deut. xxxiii. 12; Psal. lx. 5; cxxvii. 2; Col. iii. 12; Jer. xii. 7; Mal. iii. 17; Zech. ii. 8; Deut. xxxii. 10. Christ calleth the least of them his brethren, Matt. xxv. Judge of his love to them by his incarnation, life, and sufferings! Judge of it by that one heart-melting message after his resurrection, John xx. 17, "Go to my brethren and say unto them, I ascend to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God." And should we not love them dearly who are so dearly beloved of God?
Motive VI. They are our brethren, begotten by the same Father and Spirit, of the same holy seed, the word of God; and have the same nature and disposition: and this unity of nature and nearness of relation, is such a suitableness as must needs cause love.
Motive VII. They are our companions in labour and tribulation, in our duty and sufferings: they are our fellow-soldiers and travellers, with whom only we can have sweet and holy converse, and a heavenly conversation; when the carnal savour not the things of God.