should be labouring daily to increase more and more; having more of a Spirit of love; and more of that "Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father."] Of its precise measure we may judge, by the remains of fear abiding in us [Examine with what feelings you contemplate God: examine what it is that chiefly operates to keep you from offending him, and what it is that chiefly stimulates you to duty: examine what your views are of death and judgment; whether they be dreaded as objects of fear, or desired as completing and consummating your bliss. As for that horror to which some persons are subject at the sight of a reptile or an insect, it has nothing to do with the present subject: it is a mere constitutional weakness, to which a child of God may be exposed as well as others. Love will not produce much effect on that, except as it will habituate the mind to confide in God, and to commit every thing to him. But in all things that are the proper objects of faith, love has full scope for exercise; and will present them to the mind in so favourable a view, as to cast out all fear in relation to them. Behold then, I say, the two emotions are like the scales of a balance: where fear preponderates, love will be found but light but where love abounds, fear will in vain strive for an ascendant. To judge of love by its own direct workings, may not be easy; because the warmth of our feelings towards God may depend, in a measure, on the constitutional temperament of our minds: but by its influence in dissipating and dispelling our fears, we may attain a correct judgment respecting it: if it be "perfect, it will cast out our fears;" but "if we fear, we are not yet made perfect in love."] ADDRESS 1. Those who have neither love nor fear [We have before said, that there may be persons of this character, who have so hardened their hearts, and seared their consciences as to have contracted an insensibility to God and eternal things. And I am constrained to acknowledge, that many are found in this state even in a dying hour. But if they be deaf to the voice of conscience here, it will be heard at the instant of their departure hence. Could we but behold the obdurate sinner, or the scoffing infidel, on his first entrance into the presence of his God; does his boldness continue there? No: he cries to" the rocks to fall upon him, and the hills to cover him from the face of the Lamb," whose warnings he disregarded, and whose threatenings he despised. Yes, beloved; though now more fearless than the devils (for they believe and tremble), you will then know what "a fearful thing it is to fall into the hands of the living God." But is it fear that I wish to excite in your minds? Certainly not, except as a preparatory work. I wish your religion to begin with fear: but God forbid that it should end there. No: it must be carried on by love, if ever it shall terminate in joy. Yet, till we are made sensible of our lost condition as sinners, we shall in vain hope to attain the peace and happiness of saints.] 2. To those who are under the influence of both fear and love [These opposite feelings are compatible with each other, in the earlier period of our conversion. The day springs not forth at once in the natural world; nor does piety arrive at its meridian height at once in the spiritual world. But, to imagine that the entertaining of doubts and fears is a mark of humility, is quite erroneous: such a doubtful state of mind is rather an indication of ignorance and pride, than of true humility. For, granting that the progress which we have made in the divine life may be very small, still our duty is to lay hold on the divine promises, and to cast ourselves altogether on the Lord Jesus Christ as the appointed Saviour of the world. The smallness of our attainments, or the strength of our corruptions, may well beget humility: but they should never lead us to doubt the sufficiency of Christ to save us. Were we in the lowest state to which a sinner can be reduced, our duty would be to believe in Christ, and to flee to him as to the refuge set before us. It is faith which is the parent of love; and not unbelief: and therefore I say to all, Limit not the mercy of your God; but against hope, believe in hope." It is worthy of observation, that the language of doubts and fears is confined to the Old-Testament dispensation. Such bondage becomes not our happier lot: it is dishonourable to God, and injurious to ourselves. Cast it off then; and seek to enjoy the full liberty of the Gospel. "The Son who has made you free, would have free indeed." you " I would, indeed, guard you against that kind of confidence which is founded on vain delusions. There are some who, from impulses, or visions, or other delusive imaginations, attain a confidence which they will not for a moment suffer to be questioned. But this is not the confidence of love. Love is jealous of itself; and is glad to have its actings scrutinized with the utmost exactness. Love affects the honour of God; and is infinitely more anxious that he should be glorified, than that its own defects should be concealed. The getting rid of fear is not at all the object of love, but the effect of it. Let the one endeavour of your souls be to glorify your God; and with the growth of your love shall your peace and joy be multiplied, both in time and in eternity.] MMCCCCLXI. GOD'S LOVE THE SOURCE OF OURS. 1 John iv. 19. We love Him, because He first loved us. THERE is, as there ought to be, a great and visible difference between the Lord's people and others. But no one of them has any ground for glorying in himself: for, to every one of them may that question be applied, "Who made thee to differ? and what hast thou which thou hast not received?" Verily, whatever attainments any man may have made, he must say, with the Apostle Paul, "By the grace of God I am what I am." To this effect St. John speaks in the words before us; in which we are taught to trace the love which the saints bear to their God, not to any superior qualities in their own nature, but to God's free and sovereign grace: "We love Him, because He first loved us." Now, this being a truth indispensably necessary to be known and felt, I will endeavour to point outI. Its doctrinal use Our love to God springing from, and being founded on, God's love to us, it is, 1. An indispensable evidence of his love to us [Supposing a person to affirm that God loves him as one of his peculiar people, I ask, What evidence have you of that fact? Your mere assertion is not sufficient to satisfy my mind: nor should a mere persuasion of it be sufficient to satisfy your mind. If God has really loved you, wherein has he manifested that love? What has he done for you? Has he revealed himself to you as reconciled in the Son of his love? Has he poured out his Spirit upon you, as "a Spirit of adoption, enabling you to call him Abba, Father?" And has he enabled you to surrender up yourself to him in all holy obedience to his will? In a word, Has he brought you to "love him," and to serve him in truth? If, in "his loving-kindness, he has drawn you" to himself, then you may be satisfied that "he has loved you with an everlasting love" but without this evidence, your persuasion, how confident soever it may be, is a fatal delusion. The Jews of old affirmed that God was their a Jer. xxxi. 3. Father: but our blessed Lord said to them, "If God were your Father, ye would love me." So I say to you, "If God have loved you, you must of necessity have been brought to love him."] 2. A decisive proof of his love to us [Suppose now a different character to be manifesting from day to day his love to God, and yet to be doubting and questioning God's love to him; I would ask, Whence did you obtain those dispositions which you manifest? Were they natural to you? or did you form them in your own heart? or did any fellow-creature implant them there? By nature, you are as much a child of wrath as any other person in the universe. So corrupt are you by nature, that "every imagination of the thoughts of your heart is evil, only evil, continually." If there be only a good desire towards him, it has been imparted to you by God himself; who, of his own good pleasure, has wrought in you both to will and to do. If you behold the heavens and the earth, you conclude that they have been formed by an Almighty power: and the same conclusion must you form from every thing which you see in the new creation. If you can say from your heart, "Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire in comparison of thee," you may without hesitation add, "He that hath wrought me to the self-same thing, is God."] To appreciate this truth aright, we must consider, II. Its practical importance Verily, it is of the utmost importance, 1. For the forming of our judgment : [It is well known, that confidence in God is our bounden duty nor is it less clear that we are called to cherish in our bosoms a diffidence respecting ourselves. But professors of religion are very apt to separate these habits, instead of combining them; and to carry both the one and the other to an undue extreme. One indulges confidence, and carries it to presumption: another affects diffidence, and extends it to despondency. But from both these extremes we should flee; maintaining no confidence which is not warranted by God's word; and never carrying our diffidence so far as to invalidate his truth. We must have a scriptural foundation for our hopes and with God's promises before us, we must moderate our fears. Hope and fear have each its appropriate place in the believer's bosom, and should both be called into action in his experience. They should be like the scales of a balance, rising or falling according to our secret walk before God. If we are really living nigh to God, in the enjoyment of his presence and in the performance of his will, our hope may grow 66 to assurance, yea, and to a full assurance." On the other hand, if we are far from God in secret, and harbouring any lust in our bosom, our fear ought to preponderate, and to be within us a friendly and faithful monitor. Yet, again I say, that whether we "rejoice or tremble," extremes must be avoided for we never can have such ground for joy, but that we have reason for trembling; or such ground for trembling, but that we have reason to rejoice. The person most confident of God's love should search and try his ways, to see whether he be requiting God aright, and walking worthy of his profession: and the person who is most doubtful of God's love should be careful not to write bitter things against himself, as though he were an outcast from God: for, if his attainments may justify a fear, his desires most assuredly justify a hope. And, after all, the doubting Christian has the advantage of his presumptuous brother: for, though he has less of present comfort, he has, through God's abounding mercy, a greater measure of security.] 2. For the directing of our ways— [Here it is taken for granted, that every Christian loves his God. In that, we cannot err. Whether we have a greater or less persuasion of God's love to us, our duty is plain in reference to him. His love to mankind at large is clear enough for "he has so loved us, as to give his own Son to be a propitiation for our sins." Here then is ground enough for our love to him, and our affiance in him. Let all, then, stand upon this broad basis. I deny not but that personal favours call for love and gratitude: but I say, that the mercies we all enjoy in common with each other, are grounds of love; and I call every one of you to devote yourselves to God with all possible fidelity and affection. Esteem him above all Delight in him above question to you which all Desire him above all — · he put to Peter," Lovest thou me?" let your whole life and conversation testify in your behalf, so that you may appeal to him and say, "Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee."] MMCCCCLXII. THE COMMANDMENTS NOT GRIEVOUS. 1 John v. 3. His commandments are not grievous. IT is a painful office which I have to discharge at this time. I must vindicate religion from an aspersion too generally cast upon it; and stand up in justification of Almighty God himself against the accusation |