SERMON XIII.

I TIM. i. 5.

Now the end of the commandment is Love.

HE plain fcope and end both of the Law

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and Gospel is Love to God and man: Of this Love all men by nature are utterly deftitute, because of fin; for fin is the perfect contrariety of love, and ftands in direct oppofition against it: nor is it poffible that it should be ever restored to him by means of the law, for the law worketh wrath in the finner's confcience, and minifters death to tranfgreffors: But the Gospel is the miniftration of the Spirit, and worketh life and peace, thro' JESUS CHRIST, to every one that believeth; Hh 2 whofe

whofe fruit is Love. Faith unfeigned, which is in CHRIST JESUS, and comes to us by the Gospel, whereby the confcience is made good, and the heart purified, produceth love both to God and man.— To declare then and enforce this glorious truth on the hearers of CHRIST'S Gofpel, is the scope and exprefs defign of CHRIST's charge to his minifters; and ought to be the end of our preaching, for God is Love. The Gofpel is nothing else but the good news of God's being reconciled, and at peace with man in CHRIST JESUS; or of falvation freely and completely given of GOD in CHRIST to every one that believeth: And the preaching of the Gospel is the fetting forth, or publication of thefe glad tydings, according to the Holy Scriptures. And whereas the Gofpel declares the marvellous grace and love of GOD to man in CHRIST; the preaching of it is an inftrument in the hand of the Spirit of begetting this divine love in our hearts, both towards GOD and towards man.

FIRST; With respect to GoD:

The end of our preaching, and your hearing the Gospel is, that you may love GOD; and herein is that faying true, "Love begets love": But this it cannot rationally do, nor doth in the heart of any man, unless it

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be first discovered, and made known; and therefore no man can love GOD until GOD hath manifested his love towards him: As it is written, We love him becaufe be firft loved us.But whereas few men will allow themselves to be haters of GOD, it is neceffary to enquire by what infallible proofs and evidences our love to GoD is made known; and in examining every man's pretenfions to this grace, the rule of our enquiry must be the Sacred Records, whereby all men fhall be judged at the laft day. And from thence it is clear that a man's love to God is evidenced and made known only by good works; for this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments*: And again he faith, be that doth good is of God. From hence the nature, neceffity, and end of all good works with refpect to GoD are made manifeft.- The nature of them is Love; which, in our actions, is expreffed by doing his will, and keeping his commandments: There can be no love to God, where there is not a hearty defire, and willingness to do his pleasure; for mutual love is founded in likeness and agreement of mind and will: If therefore in our wills we oppofe, and are not conformed to the will of God, there can be no love towards him; wherefore he faith, be that bath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth

Hh3

1 John v. 3.

loveth me; but be that loveth me not, keepeth not my Sayings: Thus the true Scriptural and only evidence of our having the love of GoD in us, is our doing his will in the practice of good works.They are alfo neceffary in a Chriftian's life, not only as an evidence and proof of his being a true Chriftian, for faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone; but alfo for the believer's growth and establishment in the grace of God, and the faith of JESUS: Wherefore he faith, every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh away; but every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. The more good works any man doth from principles of faith and love towards GoD in CHRIST, the more he fhall do; for the bleffing of GOD is upon him continually. The Apostle affures us that the man who is not a forgetful hearer of the word, but a doer of the work therein commanded, this man fhall be bleffed in his deed. By this bleffing of the Lord upon the diligent labour of his hands, his foul fhall be made rich in good works: The drofs of carnal and worldly lufts fhall be purged more and more, (whereby the foul is apt to be weakened and discouraged) and the love of righteoufnefs and true holiness God will caufe by his Spirit to encrease, and abound in him exceedingly. Thus, he shall be like a tree planted by

+ John xiv. 21, 24. 1 James ii. 17. || John xv. 2.

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the rivers of water, that bringeth forth fruit in bis feafon; his leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever be doth fball profper*.

It is therefore not only neceffary that all believers fhould practise good works, but also abound therein, according to the commandment of GoD and our Saviour JESUS CHRIST; for in this way of obedience unto boliness, the bleffing of GOD in CHRIST attends them in their daily walk, and makes their fouls to profper, and be in health; and hence alfo their confidence of faith, and confolations of love in CHRIST JESUS, and affurance of hope thro' the Spirit, are of God more abundant towards them, to the praise of his glory: But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot fee afar off; he hath no abiding certainty of foul that he is called and chofen of God to inherit eternal glory; neither can he have it abiding in him, if he keep not the commandments of GOD, and the faith of JESUS.

But let it be observed, that the End of good works, is not that we should thereby merit the favour of God, but to honor and glorify him on the earth: He hath faved and called us not according to our good works, but with an holy calling unto good works. By these we fhew forth the H h 4 power

* Pfal. i. 3.