8. And the second commandment is like unto this; the second great branch of Christian righteousness is closely and inseparably connected therewith, even _Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Thou shalt love_――Thou shalt embrace with the most tender good-will, the most earnest and cordial affection, the most inflamed desires of preventing or removing all evil, and of procuring for him every possible good. _Thy neighbour_――that is, not only thy friend, thy kinsman, or thy acquaintance; not only the virtuous, the friendly, him that loves thee, that prevents or returns thy kindness; but every child of man, every human creature, every soul which God hath made: not excepting him whom thou never hast seen in the flesh, whom thou knowest not either by face or name: not excepting him whom thou knowest to be evil and unthankful, him that still despightfully uses and persecutes thee. Him thou shalt _love as thyself_; with the same invariable thirst after his happiness in every kind: the same unwearied care to skreen him from whatever might grieve or hurt either his soul or body. 9. Now is not this love _the fulfilling of the law_? The sum of all Christian righteousness? Of all inward righteousness; for it necessarily implies _bowels of mercies, humbleness of mind_ (seeing _love is not puffed up_) _gentleness, meekness, long-suffering_, (for love _is not provoked_ but _believeth, hopeth, endureth all things_) and of all outward righteousness; for _love worketh no evil to his neighbour_, either by word or deed. It cannot willingly either hurt or grieve any one. And it is zealous of good works. Every lover of mankind, as he hath opportunity, _doth good unto all men_; being (_without partiality and without hypocrisy_) _full of mercy and good fruits_. 10. But true religion, or a heart right toward God and man, implies happiness as well as holiness. For it is not only _righteousness_, but also _peace and joy in the Holy Ghost_. What peace? _The peace of God_, which God only can give and the world cannot take away: the peace which _passeth all understanding_, all (barely) rational conception; being a supernatural sensation, a divine taste of _the powers of the world to come_: such as the natural man knoweth not, how wise soever in the things of this world: nor indeed can he know it, in his present state, _because it is spiritually discerned_. It is a peace that banishes all doubt, all painful uncertainty; the Spirit of God _bearing witness with the spirit_ of a Christian, that he is _a child of God_. And it banishes fear, all such fear as hath torment; the fear of the wrath of God, the fear of hell, the fear of the devil, and in particular, the fear of death: he that hath the peace of God, _desiring_ (if it were the will of God) _to depart and to be with Christ_.