| of the mystery of God and of Christ, Col. ii. 2. Yea, and not only such, but also duties towards man too; which religion ought to influence, and wherein we are to be governed by our knowledge of God. is true; and we are in him, even in his Son Jesus Christ our Lord." 'This is the true God and eternal life," 1 John v. 20. It is a knowledge that blasts and withers sin at the very root, and so efficaciously transforms the soul into the image of God's own holiness. "He that sinneth, hath not seen God nor known him," 3 John 11. The same word there rendered seen signifies known; Ye have not heard his voice nor seen his shape, John v. 37. You have never had a true notion of God yet truly inwrought into your souls. "Awake to righteousness and sin not! I speak it to your shame, some have not the knowledge of God," 1 Cor. xv. 34. Labour then thus to know God in earnest, by such a kind of knowledge as shall influence the prac-truths as necessary to be believed; and enjoining certain tice, and in the event bring about and accomplish the blessed union betwixt him and you. 3. Ponder well on the dignity and sacredness of this profession. Oh what a mighty thing is this! that whereas the world has been lost in the ignorance of God, through many successive ages, we should take upon us to profess to know him. It is too big a word for the mouth of a profane and irreligious world. That description of Balaam which he gives of himself, is grand and very solemn; "The man whose eyes are opened, that heard the word of God, that knew the knowledge of the Most High, and saw the vision of the Almighty," Numb. xxiv. 3, 4, 15, 16. And yet the knowledge he alludes to, and which this prophet seems to glory in, was only such as he derived from the spirit of prophecy, and not the spirit of saving, holy illumination. However, it was a great thing to come out of such a profane mouth as that of Balaam, when he came to curse the armies of Israel. Let us then consider, I pray, what we say and do, when we take upon us to profess to know God. As I intimated before, it is an appropriative knowledge that is here pretended to. To know him is to acknowledge him as our God, as his knowing us is to acknowledge and own us as his people. This was the pretence of Israel, but connected with horrid contempt of him, as we learn from the prophets. To know God then is, I say, to acknowledge him as our Lord; our Owner, our Proprietor, to whom we belong upon a peculiar account. And consider what that account is, and under what notion we must own him to be our Lord; namely, as we are his property, and his peculiar treasure. For so are all those who are his people, by virtue of the relation which results from their mutual contract and agreement. I entered into covenant with thee, says the Almighty to the Jews, and thou becamest mine, Ezek. xvi. 8. And again, "You shall be to me a peculiar treasure before all people, for all the earth is mine." Exod. xix. 5. They who are his people he reckons them as his crown and his diadem, Isa. lxii. 3. Who, says God, shall be mine in the day that I make up my jewels, Mal. iii. 17. Those therefore who know God, and are known of him. are as the jewels of his crown, the jewels which adorn his diadem. And who would be so insolent, as to presume to place there a lump of dirt, or a clod of filthy clay! It is then very awful to think what professing to know God does import, if we only reflect on the dignity and sacredness of this profession. 4. Look upon your profession as an obligation upon you to a correspondent practice. Every profession is so understood among men; and what an ignominy were it for a man, to wear the name, when there were none of the thing to which the name corresponds! Do we look upon professing to know God only as an idle profession? as a thing which no business goes along with, nor is attended with any suitable employment? Theology was well described by him, who reckoned it was not mere knowing for knowing sake, but was the doctrine of living unto God. Moreover, 5. Comprehend as distinctly as you can in your own thoughts, the sum of that duty unto which this profession does oblige you. Learn and encompass in your own mind, the whole circle of all those duties, which a professing to know God does engage you to. Run through the encyclopædia, or the whole system of practical religion; to wit, the duties, to the practice of which you are obliged by virtue of your profession, both internal and external. Duties towards God the Father, and his Son, your Creator and Redeemer; such as agree with your acknowledgment 6. Labour thoroughly to understand the grounds on which you take upon you the obligation to every Christian duty. It is very plain that the agenda of religion, that is, the things to be performed by us, are grounded upon the credenda, or things to be believed. "I believe so and so, and therefore conceive myself as obliged to do so and so. And the common foundation of both I must reckon to be the divine authority, revealing certain principles and duties as consequences from thence, and equally necessary to be done." Thus go to the bottom and ground of the religion you profess, and then you have it in its original, and truly divine. But if we look upon our religion as merely human, handed down from father to son, and the like, no wonder then if we trifle with it; but no man would be adventurous, with relation to what he apprehended to be divine. Therefore is men's religion usually weak, impo tent, and ineffectual; and has not its proper influence in commanding the heart, and governing the life, because the divine original of it is not apprehended. My own things, I am ready to think, may be used as I please, but I may not do so with those which are divine. In a word, When once the authority of God is apprehended, particularly of his truth in revealing such and such things, and of his power in commanding others, with what weight do they come in upon the Spirit of a man! What a pressing question was that of our Lord to the Jews! The baptism of John," his solemn manner of initiating men into religion, "whence was it? from heaven or of men?" Matt. xxi. 25. They were sensible of the pungency of this question, and were afraid to answer him. They knew not what to say, and could not but confess themselves guilty of a profane neg ect, if they owned it to be of divine original. The image that was apprehended to fall down from Jupiter, what a sacred esteem and veneration had those heathens for it, who worshipped that idol! because the priests had deluded them with such an idle fancy. So the Christian religion becomes an operative lively thing, when the divinity of it once comes to be understood, and really believed. "We think ourselves bound," says the apostle, to the Thessalonians, "to give thanks to God for you without ceasing, that when ye received the word of truth from us, you received it not as the word of man, but as the word of God, which effectually works in all them that believe," 1 Thess. ii. 13. 7. Settle it in your minds as an important truth, that the design of that religion of which you are professors, that is, of the whole Christian institution and frame of things, is to have a people distinguished by peculiar excellencies from all other men, who are not of that profession. They must be supposed to be very slight readers and considerers of the Bible, who have not seen this to have been God's design ever since he made the world. You shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation," (Exod. xix. 6.) says the Almighty to Israel, whose whole business was as it were religion, worship, and immediate attendance on God; being, "a roval priesthood," (1 Pet. ii. 9.) as the apostle paraphrases that expression. "Our Lord gave himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity, and to purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works," Tit. ii. 14. And therefore he thus expostulates with his disciples, "If you do only so and so, what do you do more than others?" Matt. v. 47. Do you think I would have a people among men, professing my religion and belonging unto me, who shall be only as other men are, in whom there is nothing of peculiar excellence to be found? And therefore the apostle exhorts the Christians of Thessalonica, to aim at superior piety and virtue, saying, "Let us not sleep as do others;" for, as it follows, "God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ," 1 Thess. v. 6. What! to live in the same drowsy security as others do, or as if you were still under the dominion of the same spirit of slumber, or as if the same death had prevailed over you which has spread itself over the rest of the world, what an incongruous thing is this! It is true, God has found no difference among men, but he has made a very great one, which arises from the dispensation of his grace, rather than from nature; being determined to have people peculiarly distinguished by their excellent spirit and eminent piety and goodness. And this is the meaning and intent of this profession of the Christian religion. Therefore, 8. Never rest upon that bare level, which it is possible some may come up unto, that are not of this profession. Some do not profess to know God in Christ at all, as Jews and pagans for instance. What the traditional religion of the former, and the mere natural religion of the latter, will carry them to, do not think that enough for you. As to the former, our Saviour expressly tells his disciples, and all that will be his followers," Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, you cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven," Matt. v. 20. And yet they were the strictest seet of the Jews, as St. Paul intimates when he declares, that he had this, as well as other things to glory in, if that was of any consequence, that he himself was a Pharisee; but yet, says he, "what I thought a gain to me when I was of that religion, I reckon loss for Christ and the excellency of his knowledge, that I might know him," (Phil. iii. 5-12.) and so attain, with him, the resurrection from the dead. You must then be able to outgo the strictest of those whom the Judaical religion had formed. For it is very apparent that when the time was come, in which Christ intended his religion should take place, after having made sufficient discovery of himself to the world, then did the Spirit of grace retire from the religion of the Jews, as being no longer of any force. And though there had been many of that religion who feared God before, yet now that the Christian institution was established, there was no ground to expect that the Spirit should breathe through that of Moses. And therefore our Lord tells them plainly, "If you believe not that I am He, that is, the Messiah and the Son of God, ye shall die in your sins," John viii. 24. And accordingly the apostle appeals to the Christians, at that time, in the following manner; "Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith" that is, the Gospel, Gal. iii. 2. In short, that religion which carries you in a course of holy practice, no higher than Judaism in effect, is certainly much short of the design of our Lord, and what your profession of Christianity supposes. But how much more may this be affirmed, if professors among us proceed no further, than the natural religion of the heathen world will carry them? Who, notwithstanding their profession to know God in Christ, yet go no higher than they in point of justice and truth, temperance and sobriety, and in a contempt of this world, as well as value and care of their better part, even their immortal souls: concerning which some heathens speak strangely. "I wonder," says one, "that whereas man consists of a soul and body, that there should be so much care taken about the latter, and the care of the soul be neglected by most, as a hated thing." And several of them have left us various discourses, concerning the greater mischief and malignity that there are in the diseases of the mind, than in those of the body, or the outward man. Maximus Tyrius has a large dissertation on this very subject, and several others of them have wrote to the like purpose. Some of them also have expressed their reverence to God in a surprising manner. "I so live (says one) as always under God's eye and as apprehending he is ever prying into, and looking upon me." And how pleasant expectations and forethoughts have they had of a future felicity! It is really admirable to think in what transports some of them have been, in the expectations they had of a happy state for good and virtuous men. Now when paganism does outdo us in these respects, can we be said to answer our profession of Christianity, in which we have such an amiable discovery of God in Christ; and when also we have life and immortality brought to light by the Gospel, shining by clear and direct beams. To have Christians therefore basely creeping upon the face of this earth, and rolling themselves in the dust, so as some pagans would be ashamed to do! to see them wallowing in the impurities of sensual wickedness, which would have a Dissert. xiii. Edit, Davis, Lond. 1740, quarto. a been a reproach to many of them! This is surely not to answer our profession. 9. Lastly; inasmuch as it is not the best institution in the world, that will do our business, without a living religion implanted in us, never rest nor be satisfied without that. And whereas there are two things intimated in the text, to be opposed to true religion and sincere profession, that is, a propension to evil, and an aversion to good; an indulgence in such a course of life as is indeed abominable, with a mind reprobate to every good work; know then, there must be accordingly a twofold power of religion, which must be implanted, to counterwork those two; to wit, a sin-mortifying power, and a quickening power. The former of which takes away the inclination to evil, and the latter an aversion to good. There are sundry other particulars which I should mention, but have not time; only take this one thing with you, that it is never well till the operation of religion be from nature; that is, from our participation of the Divine nature, which thus exerts and puts forth itself. SERMON VIIL* In the conclusion of the preceding discourse it was observed, that whereas it is not the best institution in the world that can do us any service, without an internal vital principle of religion within us, therefore we should never rest till we find that prevailing in ourselves. Now in order to the obtaining this divine principle so necessary to our eternal welfare, it will be of service to lay down the following directions, in subordination to that last mentioned. Particularly, 1. That wherever this is the real state of the case, that is to say, whoever have not this internal power, this vital principle of religion, let them own it, and tell their souls the real truth of the matter. The principle here spoken of is an implanted power, enabling a person to do good with promptitude, facility, and delight. Now if such a principle as this is wanting in any, let them own it, for it is a discernible thing; and consequently where it is in fact discerned, it is fit and requisite that it should be ingenuously owned, or that persons should acknowledge this to be the real truth of the case. I have said that it is a discernible thing. Indeed, what reason can be given why it should be otherwise? How can it be imagined that persons should not perceive whether they have such a principle or power within them, or not? What! is there so small a difference between life and death, that it cannot be perceived? nay, that it cannot be perceived by oneself? There is in men however another kind of life, which makes them capable of discussing this point: to wit, the principles of rational nature, by which I am capable of self-reflection; and of debating also this very question, whether I have any further superadded principle or not. And when I hear there is really such a principle that ought to exist in the mind, my duty is to deal closely with myself, and inquire whether I, myself, have ever felt any such thing. The question is not, whether I have any sort of life or power in the general; but have I this life, this power, this which terminates on God! Do I find a living principle within my soul which carries it to God, and makes it tend to him? The apostle Paul bids the Christians at Rome to "reckon themselvas to be alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord;" (Rom. vi. 11.) and certainly no man ought to judge falsely in his own case. There is a certain divine power which goes along with true religion; as is supposed in that passage of Scripture mentioned before, speaking of persons who had "the form of religion but denied the power thereof," 2 Tim. iiì. 5. And again, says the apostle, "God hath given to us the Spirit of power, and of love, and of a sound mind," 2 Tim. i. 7. And wheresoever this power or principle is, it is a kind of natural power; that is, belonging to that new and divine nature; which is in all them that belong to God; in all that are born and begotten of him accord* Preached April 24th, 1681. And when, on one hand, we compare the internal living religion, suitable to the import of these devout expressions, with a mere external profession, joined with disobedience, and abominable practices, on the other hand; I would fain know, which of these two does best agree with the Gospel? which is most agreeable to the sacred records, in which these and other such like passages are to be found? And if you believe that there was really such a thing as a living religion in such persons as we are speaking of in ancient times, I would fain know why you, or any one else, should have such a bad opinion of the world as to think it is quite banished now from among us. For, to what end should the Gospel be continued in the world, if not to accomplish its own design? which is to work such a realizing apprehension of divine things in the minds of men, as to influence their practice and behaviour. Or does any one think, that religion is so altered in its nature and essence, as that what was religion in former ages, is not so now? Have we then, since those times, had a new way and method of attaining felicity prescribed to us? have we any later Gospel of divine authority, that teaches us that mere formalities will serve the turn? Where is that Gospel to be found? ing to the very design of the Gospel itself. For the Gospel | or enthusiasts? that there was nothing in all this but fiction? is appointed for this purpose, to work this divine frame in the souls of men. "The exceeding great and precious promises thereof are given us, that by them we might partake of the Divine nature;" (2 Pet. i. 4.) of a certain divine and godly nature, as those words may be read. The operations of nature, though they are silent, yet they are strong and powerful. There is no greater difficulty in the world than to withstand the course of nature. Now whether such a power is working in ourselves, is the point to be considered. Let me then ask my soul, "Do I find myself powerfully withheld from evil, as a thing against my nature? Do I find myself powerfully engaged to that which is good, as if it was connatural to me? most agreeable to my nature? Who is there that cannot tell what his nature is for and against? Do such and such acts flow from me, as the acts of nature do; from their proper and congenial principles? Had I ever such a kind of new nature, withholding me from evil, as a thing I hate; and carrying me to what is good, as a thing I love? There are a sort of living men, in respect of the life of God and religion; and there are a sort of men, who are dead: shall I be always ignorant to which party I belong? What an absurdity were it, if one should always be in doubt what sort of creature he is! that he does not know whether to 3. Being then convinced of the reality of such a divine call himself a man or a brute! what an absurdity, I say, principle, endeavour to understand and seriously consider is this! But certainly it is a much more important ques- the necessity of it. Consider it as a thing that does not tion, and of greater concernment, to have it decided whe-serve barely for convenience and ornament, but to answer ther we are the offspring of God or the devil. Whence the most absolute necessity of our souls, and the exigence then am I inspirited? is it from above, or is it from be- of your own case. neath? It is indeed most shameful to think that such multitudes of persons, that go under the name of Christians, should be contented to live all their days, like an amphibious sort of creatures, that they cannot tell themselves what sort of beings they are. Certainly he would be looked upon as a great wonder among men, who should be always ignorant of his own name; that is, not know the name which rightfully belongs to him. So in like manner it is wonderful, if persons who are destitute of the divine principle, which makes men real Christians, do not discern this to be the case. But where it is in fact discerneri, it must be freely owned by all, who desire to obtain it. 4. Apprehend also the impossibility of attaining it your own selves; I mean this inward principle and power of religion; or by any unassisted endeavours of your own. For I pray consider, would you have a religion that should be your own or God's creature? A religion indeed that shall be of my own forming and contrivance, I can easily make myself accord to; but why should I ever hope that this should serve my turn, or do the work? or why should I think against plain experience and my Bible, that the most excellent part of religion should be within the compass of my own power to effect, and produce? Let us think how it is with us in other cases. It is you know within the compass of human power to shape a statue, or 2. If you apprehend this to be the case, that you have paint in colours the picture of a man; but when the artist not this principle, acknowledge it however to be a real has done all this, can he infuse a soul into that statue, or thing; and that some persons have it, though you have it make that picture fit to reason and discourse? No: when not. It is too common, when the clearness and force of he has done his utmost, it will be only a mere piece of inthe matter constrain an acknowledgment, that such a di-genious contrivance, that looks specious to the eye, but vine power does exist in the souls of men, for persons to has in itself nothing of sense, life, or motion; can do nosatisfy themselves with this, that they are but as other men thing like what it imitates, for still something within will are; and to reckon theirs to be no worse, than that which be necessary. So in like manner I can externally shape is the common case of mankind. All that lies without myself like a Christian, but can I infuse the divine life their compass, or above and beyond their own perceptions, into this external form? can I make myself to live, choose they take to be mere fancy and fiction; and every body is and delight, love and joy in God, as a Christian? It is a hypocrite, or an enthusiast, that pretends to more than therefore good for us to know the bounds of our own they find in themselves. But for what reason is all this? power; what it can, and what it cannot, do in this regard. Or why must the experience of any such person be thought And hereupon to prevent an objection, I add another dithe standard of reality? that is, that nothing can be real rection: to wit, but what they experience to be so, or exceeds the limits of their own perceptions. What! is it not apparent to every man, that there are far more considerable realities which we know not, than those which we do know? and is there no danger of coming under the character of speaking evil of those things which we know nothing of, which some were stigmatized with by the apostle Jude with so inuch severity? And I would fain have such consider with themselves, what expressions they find scattered up and down in the Holy Scriptures, of such a real thing as lively affections towards God, and a principle of living religion. 6. Use all the other means of obtaining this power, which Particularly I would recommend to their consideration are appointed for this purpose, designedly with a view to such passages as these, "The Lord is my portion, the lines this great and important end. To read the Holy Scripare fallen unto me in pleasant places, and I have a goodly tures, to hear sermons, to meditate upon what we read and heritage," Psalm xvi. 5, 6. "As the hart panteth after the hear, to confer with living Christians, such as evidently water-brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God!" appear to have the power of religion, are the means I speak Psal. xlii. 1, 2. And again, "Whom have I in heaven but of; but we must regard them only as means, otherwise thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee. they may be used long, and the end of all be never brought My flesh and my heart faileth; but God is the strength of my about. It is one thing how other creatures attain their heart and my portion for ever," Ps. lxxiii. 25, 26. When you end, and how a reasonable creature reaches his. An arrow meet with such expressions as these, I would ask you; Do reaches its mark, without considering whither it goes; but you believe that the persons who used them were hypocrites | do you think a reasonable being is to attain his end so? 5. Seek this principle and divine power were it is to be had, even of him who alone can give it. For it may be said perhaps, "If it be not within my compass to help myself, what have I to do but to sit still?" The case itself tells you what you must do. If you cannot help yourself in that which is absolutely necessary to your welfare, you are to go to God, from whom this assistance is to be had by fervent prayer. It is the common dictate of nature to all mankind, when once they apprehend a distress, to fly to heaven for help. Finally, No; his duty is to take that course, and use those means, | kept; you will lose it; it will be blown away from you in that lead to his end, designedly, and on purpose to secure an evil time: it is too short while you have it, and very it. As for instance: there are many that join in the ordi- soon you will cease to have it, when a time of difficulty nance of Christian worship; but if I put the inquiry to comes, which you have reason to expect. myself, What do I do this for? and cannot answer, "I use such and such means on purpose for such ends, that I may have my soul furnished with internal religion, or the life of God" I may call these the means of grace, but it is plain I do not understand the end thereof; nor use the means designedly for the attainment of this end. When a man finds his soul empty, and destitute of the power of godliness, or the internal living principle of religion, though he does the things which God hath appointed to be means for begetting such a principle, yet it is plain he never uses them as the means to this end. But if you purposely design, by attending upon God's solemn worship, to get this vital and internal principle of real piety, this may come to something in time; and in this way you are to wait, which is of divine appointment, till the desired end is effectually obtained. For always remember this; you are bound to God, but he is not bound to you. And now for the enforcement of all this, I shall add two or three motives, and so conclude. (1.) If you come not to this, whatever you do, with relation to matters of a religious nature, you do under a force. There are many things, it may be, you abstain from, or practise; but it is all owing to a force put upon vou, if this divine principle is wanting; which must needs make religion an uncomfortable service. (2.) Religion is nothing in itself, when it is nothing else but mere profession. Alas! how inconsiderable a thing is it a mere show! a vain shadow! And what can be expected from what has no more of substance in it, than such an empty profession? It will be of no avail. We read that, "Plessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments, lest he walk and they see his shame," Rev. xvi. 15. Truly such a profession that has no bottom, nothing internal to correspond to it, is a garment that will not be (3.) And lastly; to go on with such a profession without ever looking after the power of godliness, will not only come to nothing, but will most highly provoke Almighty God. For I pray consider, professing religion is assuming to yourselves the name of God; therefore to profess vainly, is to profane his sacred name. And do we not know, that the God whose name we assume is a jealous God? and that he will not hold them guiltless that take his name in vain? Oh, how dreadful will the controversy be about this in the day of final account! But really there is reason to believe, that God has a controversy to manage with the Christian world before that day come: partly with those who corrupt and deprave the whole frame of the Christian institution itself; and partly with those who contradict the very design of it, in their lives and practice. And, oh! when God shall come to plead with such in this manner, "Why have you profaned such a divine religion as this? Why have you made the religion of Jesus seem to the world an impotent or ignominious thing? inasmuch, as you have formed it, it has made men no better than Turkism or paganism would have done!" how, I say, will this be answered in the great day? And in like manner, when God comes to plead his own cause against a hypocritical generation, who contented themselves with external forms and shadows, though they never so openly contradicted all that they pretended to in their behaviour; how will they be able to answer for themselves, or to justify their conduct? Now that this may not be the case of any of us, God of his infinite mercy grant for the sake of our blessed Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ; to whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be given and ascribed all honour and glory, now and for ever. Amen. ( THE LOVE OF GOD AND OUR BROTHER, CONSIDERED IN SEVENTEEN SERMONS, ON 1 JOHN IV. 20. PREACHED AT A WEEKLY MORNING LECTURE AT CORDWAINER'S HALL, IN THE YEAR 1676. SERMON I.* 1 JOHN IV. 20, the latter part. HE THAT LOVETH NOT HIS BROTHER WHOM HE HATH SEEN, HOW CAN HE LOVE GOD WHOM HE HATH NOT SEEN ? IF A MAN SAY, I LOVE GOD, AND HATETH HIS BROTHER, HE IS A LIAR: FOR HE THAT LÖVETH NOT HIS BROTHER WHOM HE HATH SEEN, HOW CAN he love GOD WHOM HE HATH NOT SEEN? My purpose at present is not to speak from these words | either of love to God, or our brother, absolutely and singly; but comparatively only, according to that connexion which they have one with another; and the difference of the one from the other respecting their objects, as the object of the one is somewhat visible, and of the other somewhat invisible. There is one thing necessary to be premised to this intended discourse concerning the acceptation of love here, and it is this; that the apostle in this little tractate of love, as this epistle may for the most part be called, doth not design to treat of love as a philosopher, that is, to give us a precise formal notion of it; but to speak of it, with a latitude of sense; not so indeed as to exclude the formal notion of love as it is seated in the inner man, but so as to comprehend in it such apt expressions and actings of it, as according to the common sense of men were most agreeable and natural to it. And therefore speaking of love to God in chap. ii. ver. 5. he tells us, that "Whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected:" that is, the very perfection of the love of God stands in this, in keeping his word. So in chap. v. ver. 3. "This (saith he) is the love of God, that we keep his commandments." And speaking of the other branch of this love in chap. iii. ver. 17. he saith, "Whoso hath this world's goods, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?" The apostle calls this the love of God also; it being one and the same divine principle of love implanted by God himself, which spreads itself to several objects all under one and the same communication, as having more or less of the divine beauty and loveliness appearing in them. admit that no expression be made of it one way or another, yet I need not be solicitous on this account: for let me walk and do as I list, the love of God may be in me for all that; since love is such a thing, wherever it is, as must have its whole nature within one." To this the apostle would reply, No, I do not speak of love in so strict a sense. Love, as I intend it, is not to be taken so; or if it were, it must however be supposed to have that strength and vigour with it, as to enable it to be the governing principle of a man's life; to affect and influence his own soul; and so to run through the whole course of his daily practice. I speak of love according to what it virtually comprehends in it; namely, conformity to the will of God, and obedience to his laws whereby that will is made known. And thus love is elsewhere taken in Scripture also. Our Saviour you know gathers up our duty into love. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and thy neighbour as thyself; upon these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets," Matt. xxii. 37-40. The apostle also tells us, that "love is the fulfilling of the law," Rom. xiii. 10. Therefore love to God and our brother, in this place, must be taken for the summary or abridgment of our whole duty; an epitome of the two tables; a virtual comprehension of all we owe either to God or man, that is, universal holiness, and an entire obedience to the Divine will. But still in this system or collection of duties, love, strictly and formally taken, is to be considered as the primary and principal thing; as seated and enthroned in the heart and soul; and as the original principle, upon which all other duties do depend, and from whence they must proceed. The acceptation of love being thus settled, there are three things that I chiefly intend to show from this Scripture. So that if any one should go about here to play the sophister, and say, "Love is a thing, which hath its whole nature and residence in the inner man. Define it never so FIRST, That there is a greater difficulty of living in the accurately, you will find it to be wholly and entirely seated exercise of love to God than towards man, upon this acthere. Now therefore, since nothing can be denied of it-count, that he is not the object of sight, as man is; and self, let it be confined and shut up there never so closely, consequently, that the duties of the second table are, ac Preached May 24th, 1676. |