_John_, _Hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us_. _Academicus._ But surely the Spirit of God often discovers itself, and operates in very extraordinary ways, in uncommon illuminations and openings of divine light and knowledge, in strong impulses and sallies of a wonderful zeal, full of the highest gifts and graces of God: and these have frequently been God’s gracious methods of awakening a sinful world. _Theophilus._ What you say, _Academicus_, is very true; and almost every age of the church is a sufficient proof of it. But would you know the _sublime_, the _exalted_, the _angelic_, in the Christian life, see what the Son of God saith, _Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind, and with all thy strength; and thy neighbour as thyself. On these two_, saith he, _hang all the law and the prophets_. And without these _two things_, no good light ever can arise or enter into your soul. Take all the sciences, shine in all the accomplishments of the lettered world, they will only lead you from one vain passion to another; every thing you send out from within you is selfish, vain, and bad; every thing you see or receive from without, will be received with a bad spirit; till _these two_ heavenly tempers have overcome the _natural perverseness_ of fallen nature. Till then, nothing _pure_ can proceed from within, nor any thing be received in _purity_ from without. Think yourself therefore incapable of judging rightly, or acting virtuously, till these two tempers have the government of your heart. Then every truth will meet you; no hurtful error can get entrance into your heart; but you will have a better knowledge of all divine matters, than all human learning can help you to. An Extract from Mr. LAW’s Spirit of LOVE. PART I. _My Dear Friend_, YOU had no occasion to make any apology for the manner of your letter to me; for tho’ you very well know, that I have as utter an aversion to waste my time and thoughts in matters of theological debate, as in any contentions merely of a worldly nature, as knowing that the former are generally as much, if not more hurtful to the heart of man than the latter; yet as your objections rather tend to stir up the powers of love, than the wrangle of debate; so I consider them only as occasions of edifying both you and myself with the divine blessedness of the _spirit of love_. You say, “There is nothing in my writings that has more affected you than that spirit of love that breathes in them; and that you wish for nothing so much as to have a living sensibility of the power, life, and religion of love. But you have an objection often rising in your mind, that this doctrine of pure and universal love may be too refined and imaginary; because you find, that however you like it, yet you cannot attain to it.”