8. What adds a still greater sweetness even to labour and pain, is the Christian _love of our neighbour_. When they _love their neighbour_, that is, every soul of man, _as themselves_, as their own souls; when _the love of Christ constrains_ them to love one another, _even as he loved us_; when, as he _tasted death for every man_, so they are _ready to lay down their life for their brethren_, (including in that number, _every man_, every soul for which Christ died:) what prospect of danger will then be able to fright them from their labour of love? What suffering will they not be ready to undergo, to save one soul from everlasting burnings? What continuance of labour, disappointment, pain, will vanquish their fixt resolution! Will they not be
“Gainst all repulses steeled, nor ever tired, With ♦toilsome day, or ill-succeeding night?”
So love both _hopeth and endureth all things_. So _charity never faileth_.
♦ ‘toilsom’ replaced with ‘toilsome’
9. Love is necessary for all the members of such a society, on another account likewise; even because it _is not puffed up_; it produces not only courage and patience, but _humility_. And O! how needful is this for all who are so employed! What can be of more importance, than that they should be little, and mean, and base, and vile in their own eyes? For otherwise, should they think themselves any thing, should they impute any thing to themselves, should they admit any thing of a _pharisaic_ spirit, _trusting in themselves that they were righteous, and despising others_: nothing could more directly tend to overthrow the whole design. For then they would not only have all the world, but also God himself to contend with; seeing he _resisteth the proud, and giveth grace_ only _to the humble_. Deeply conscious therefore should every member of this society be, of his own foolishness, weakness, helplessness: continually hanging with his whole soul upon him, who alone hath wisdom and strength, with an unspeakable conviction, that _the help which is done upon earth, God doth it himself_; and that it is he _alone who worketh in us, both to will and to do, of his good pleasure_.
10. One point more, whoever engages in this design should have deeply imprest on his heart, namely, that _the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God_. Let him therefore _learn of_ him _who was meek_ as well as lowly. And let him abide in meekness as well as humility: _With all lowliness and meekness_, let him _walk worthy of the vocation wherewith he is called_. Let him be _gentle toward all men_, good or bad, for his own sake, for their sake, for Christ’s sake. Are any _ignorant and out of the way_? Let him _have compassion_ upon them. Do they even _oppose_ the word and the work of God, yea set themselves in battle array against it? So much the more hath he need, _in meekness to instruct those who_ thus _oppose themselves_, if haply they may _awake out of the snare of the devil_, and no more be _taken captive at his will_.
IV. 1. From the _qualifications_ of those who are proper to engage in such an undertaking as this, I proceed to shew, fourthly, With what _spirit_, and in what _manner_, it ought to be pursued. First, with what spirit. Now this first regards the _motive_ which is to be preserved, in every step that is taken. For _if_ at any time _the light which is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness_? But _if thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light_. This is therefore continually to be remembred, and carried into every word and action. Nothing is to be spoke or done, either great or small, with a view to any temporal advantage: nothing with a view to the favour or esteem, the love or the praise of men. But the intention, the eye of the mind is always to be fixt on the glory of God and good of man.