love them that love you, what thank have ye? for sinners, also love those that love them." (Luke vi. 32.) It is necessary, then, that the chief motive to love should be his eternal glories and ineffable perfections; and that, without an immediate reference to ourselves, we should cordially acquiesce and rejoice in the infinite loveliness of his character.

And if in himself God appears so lovely to us, it is evident that we will imitate and copy in our lives that moral beauty which we admire in him; that we will rejoice in that holy law and just government which exhibit his perfections; that we will grieve to see his character outraged; that we will endeavour to spread the knowledge of it to those who know it not; and that we will frequently converse with him who has thus engaged our affections, and meditate upon him with sensibility and joy; will acquiesce in all his disposals, regarding him as the wisest and the best. Such feelings and conduct necessarily result from disinterested affection. Apply them as tests to yourselves: unless you correspond with them, you love not God; neither do you love him with this species of affection, if you are pleased with only so much of his character as is not opposed to the unsanctified heart; such as his mercy and readiness to forgive, whilst you wish that he were divested of his holiness and similar attributes; nor do you love him if you feel a certain glow of affection because you suppose he will not condemn you, though you continue ungodly: this is a blasphemy, instead of a love founded on a true view of his perfections.

Having thus shown the nature, let us now consider the measure of divine love; the degree to which it must be carried in order to be acceptable to God.

"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength." Some persons have given a particular distinct signification to each term in the text; without examining so minutely, let us remark that two things are evidently taught by them:

I. Our love must be supreme.

II. It must be ardent.

I. That we must love God supremely, and above every other object, is a truth, as you well know, constantly asserted in the scriptures. And is there any thing unreasonable or oppressive in this regulation? Ought not the chief good to be supremely loved with the love of desire? Ought not He, who gave you life, and breath, and all things; who redeemed you by the agonies of his Son, to be supremely loved with the love of gratitude? Ought not He, whose perfections are underived and infinite, be loved with disinterested affection, more than the objects whose excellences are borrowed and bounded? With what sentiments must a holy and jealous God behold a heart, in which the world is on the throne, and himself disregarded in comparison?

He permits us, it is true, to love other things: health, friends, and other temporal enjoyments, are mercies given by him; are intended for our comfort; are proofs of his goodness: and as it is our duty to thank him for them, so in a degree we may love them. Indeed, without some attachment to them, the love of gratitude would be feeble: from their excellence and usefulness we rise to the goodness of Him who bestowed them, and thus "love as well as reason from the effect to the cause." Yet still it remains true, that "he who loveth father or mother, brother or sister, yea, or his own life, more than God, is not

worthy of him." We must love nothing contrary to God; and our attachment to lawful objects must always be so subordinate and inferior, as to make us ready to resign them at his command. Love to God, unbounded in itself, must set bounds to our love to every thing else.

On this point, my brethren, deeply examine your souls; God allows no rival; if he is not loved by you above all things else, you are still the slaves of Satan, and advancing to everlasting ruin.

II. This injunction requires us also to love God with all the ardour and intensity of our soul. And is not this also reasonable? If love is to be proportioned to the magnitude of the object, ought not our heart to burn with ardent attachment to this greatest of beings? Ought it not to emulate the flames of the seraph? In viewing such perfection and goodness, can it be excessive? Will it be contented with a feeble, a languid, a lukewarm frame? It is surely our duty thus rapturously to love him; but, alas! it is not a duty which we perform; the holiest man has reason to complain of the coldness of his love.

Though where our love is sincere and supreme, the want of as much ardour as God deserves will not expose us to perdition; though God in his infinite mercy will pardon us if we have really given him our hearts, though we do not absolutely and to all its extent, fulfil this duty, yet let us strive; if we be indeed Christians, we shall strive to advance continually in this love. By the grace which God will bestow, we may advance many degrees in love; and the smallest of these degrees is worth more than all the honours, all the riches, all the pleasures, all the knowledge, of the world. I am persuaded that such is the judgment of God and his angels. Though

many years were requisite to attain one of these degrees, they would be much more profitably employed than if in them we rendered ourselves masters of the universe. Behold, then, an object worthy of your ambition, and which you must pursue; for although, as I have said, you may be a Christian without perfect love, yet you cannot be a Christian without desiring, labouring, and praying for increase of love, and without aiming at perfection.

And now, my brethren, in concluding this discourse, let each one seriously examine himself, Do I supremely love God, or do I not? The decision of this question will be a separating line between the living and the dead; between the souls that are alive to God and those that are "dead in trespasses and sins." Think not this examination unnecessary; though there will be a general, an innumerable assembly of glorious angels, and the spirits of just men made perfect, in which there will not one be found who is not a sincere lover of God, yet this is not the case with our assemblies upon earth. Remember, that indifference and carelessness on this subject show the greatest contempt for God and your own souls; that the man who answers to the question, • Dost thou supremely love God?' I know not, and I shall not examine;' instantly proves himself a stranger to this divine grace. Remember that you must be examined at God's judgment-seat; is it not wise then, to cite yourselves before the tribunal of conscience in this day of grace? Proceed then solemnly in this business; inspect your souls; examine your life; see what has been your habitual frame and conversation. Do this as in the presence of Him whose " eye is as a flame of fire, and who searches

the heart." If thou prove guilty, acknowledge it. Say, It is true, my soul, the love of God is not in thee; whatever peace and quiet thou hast enjoyed, whatever men may have thought of thee, thou art destitute of this saving grace. Yes, Lord, I bring before thee a guilty, wretched soul; a reasonable Soul, that hath refused to pay thee a reasonable service; a soul which thou formedst and redeemedst, but which still would not love thee; a soul which had love in its nature, but which never directed its love to thee, who art so worthy of it.' When thou hast thus brought thy soul before God, charge it with its guilt, its pollution, and its misery; cry with sincerity, What guilt have I contracted! I was made by thee, and I do not love thee; thou breathedst this immortal spirit into me, and it does not love thee; it is thine own offspring, and does not love thee! O what a soul have I! that can love trifles and vanities; that can love my wealth, my ease, my flesh, nay even my sins, and that loves not my God!' With this self-loathing and pity for thine own soul, let a salutary fear be mingled. Say to it, What, ah! what must be thy doom! where will be thine eternal abode! Without love to God, in what regions of horror, and darkness, and wo, must thou dwell! For what society art thou fit, except that of those lost spirits who are far from God, and on whom no beam of holy vital light shall ever shine. Tremble, my soul, in anticipating that judgment-bar where the vengeance of God must flame against all who carried in their bosoms hearts disloyal, rebellious, without love to that God who shall then be seated on the dread tribunal.' When thus humbled and trembling, 'do not however despair. God is in Christ, recon

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