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6. Sixthly; this love is likewise, after all, at the best of its state upon earth, only an imperfect exercise. Man is a fallen being, and after all his attainments, even by the work of Divine grace in his redemption and sanctification, still he is very defective, a most unprofitable servant. Still he is "subject to vanity." The best of his attainment, while he stays upon earth, is just to be waiting "in hope to be delivered at last from the bondage of sin and death, into the glorious liberty of the children of God." Then the prayer of the Lord and Saviour will be completed, even in the weakest and meanest of his saints, "That the love wherewith thou hast loved me, may be in them and I in them."*

V. And then to come to our fifth particular, we have to consider, that this love of the soul to the Saviour is a state of attainment liable to great interruptions. A man by one single step may retrograde more in an hour than he has attained in a course of years. There is a "losing the first love." There is a love that we read of, that "through the abounding of iniquity, the love of many shall wax cold." There is a declining to a Laodicean spirit, "neither cold nor hot."+

My dear brethren, the way to increase in love, to grow in the love of Christ, is to keep what we have already; not to go backward and lose the labour of years, and have it all to do over again. "A penny saved is a penny got." Beware of these causes, therefore, which lead to a state of declension in this grace of love. Beware of committing sin: it will grieve the Holy Spirit, and quench the flame of his love within you: "If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love, even as I kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love." Beware of neg

* John xvii. 26. † Matt. xxiv. 12. Rev. iii. 15. + John xv. 10.

lecting the means of grace, especially private prayer. Beware of engaging too deeply in worldly cares, but rather "set light" by the world, as that of which the fashion is passing away.

VI. For lastly, we have to observe, that the state of love which we speak of, as the love of the sanctified soul to Christ, is an object of pursuit and endeavour, attended by gracious and great assistances. They are partly in the goodness of God the giver, and partly in the diligence of man the seeker.

1. My dear brethren, often we need to be reminded, that God is a liberal and a cheerful giver, "giving to all men liberally and upbraiding not." The "fruit of his Spirit is love." "The love of Christ," says the Scripture, is "shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." And "if ye being evil can give good gifts to your children, how much more to the children of glory their Father which is in heaven !"*

2. But then you must also notice, to whom will he give his Spirit? to those that ask him. It is to this that we always bring it: again and again it comes to this, "Ask and it shall be given you, seek and ye shall find." There are two great means to obtain from a gracious God, and a grace-giving Saviour, this gift of holy love :—contemplation and prayer. Man is to meditate on the love of Christ; that is one principal means. And man is to pray to have that love in his heart. Then God is the God that observes the thoughtful spirit, and hears and answers prayer.

Beloved, what is the value of the gift which we set before you? If a man have it not, he is "Anathema Maranatha," accursed till the coming of our

* Gal. v. 22. James i. 5. Rom. v. 5. Luke xi. 13.

Lord. But if a man would desire to have it, hear what the wisest of men has said of it; "If a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned." Hear what he says of its strong and ardent exercise; "The coals thereof are as coals of fire, which are as the fire of the Lord." Hear what he says of its perpetuity; "Love is as strong as death, many waters cannot quench such a fire, neither the floods can drown it." And offer the prayer which he offered, which the Church rather offered in him, to the Lord Jesus Christ; "Set me as a seal upon thine heart and a seal upon thine arm.'

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Believe it, in simplicity and humble reliance, that while you cannot, in the smallest respect, supply this grace to yourself, or work this feeling within you, yet if you ask you shall receive. Put the Lord to the proof of it, in self-renunciation, and in simple faith. And this is the way marked out, to obtain this precious gift, the way in which it is promised; "The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God." "The grace of our Lord is exceeding abundant with faith and love." Ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life."+

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*Cant. viii. 6, 7. † 2 Thess. iii. v. 1 Tim. i. 13. Jude 20, 21.

SERMON XIV.

TESTS OF TRUE RELIGION.

IV. PERSONAL HOLINESS.

The law of his God is in his heart. part of 31st verse.

Psalm xxxvii.

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even as

THIS is the scriptural account, brethren, of the proper state of a true believer. It is the main point of distinction, as far as it regards the life and character, between those who are born again, and those who are unconverted: so that if the question be asked, as it frequently is, What is there really found in the character of the people of God, which is not found, nor can be, in those that are not regenerate, but which makes them a peculiar people, no longer others," nor as they once were ?-the principle specified in the text suggests the reply to it. The other parts of the Psalm describe that people by various names;—the "upright,” the "righteous," the "perfect,” the "saints," the "just," the "good," the "meek,” the "merciful,"the" poor and needy," and those that "wait upon the Lord;"* and then the text pronounces it, as a fact and reality, of every one of that people, that "the law of his God is in his heart :" that is, "God" is the great and glorious object to whom all his concerns have reference; God is "his God;" the "law of God" is the habitual rule of life to him; and that law is

* Ver. 9, 11, 12, 14, 18, 23, 25, 26, 28, 37.

"in his heart:" it is written there, as on a tablet, by the finger of Deity, and it reigns there in all his affections, as that which he consents to as holy, and just, and good. It is the mark of the spiritual seed, which the Lord has given by his prophet Isaiah; "the people in whose heart is my law;"-it was the mark, prophetically "written in the volume of the book," of Him whom they follow and imitate; "I delight to do thy will O my God; yea, thy law is within my heart."*

Moreover, as this is the essential character of all the saints, wherein they differ from an ungodly world, so it is attained to by certain peculiar principles, certain motives to endeavour, which are in the saints, but which are not in other men. It is a great work, a most difficult, arduous work to be done in any person, to bring such an earthly, fleshly nature as the sinful, carnal mind, to a state of spiritual life, of personal holiness, and real delight in God. If you would lift and move some ponderous mass of matter, a piece of timber, or a block of stone, you must bring a proportionate force to act upon it. If you would have some heavily-laden vessel to make its way, it will not be sufficient just to set it on the water, but you must spread its sails to the wind. Just so it is with the heart of man, with respect to the law of God. The "law is spiritual, but he is carnal, sold under sin.”+ His heart is a "heart of stone." It is a deal too heavy with earthly incumbrances to rise to the realization of heavenly things; it is slow to believe, and dull to comprehend them, and backward to turn from iniquity, and "dead in trespasses and sins." It needs a force, and a principle, a lever of moral power, to lift it above the world. It needs like the vessel, the breath of the Spirit of the Lord to "swell its sails, and to speed its way." And this power, this moving influ

* Isa. li. 7. Ps. xl. 8.

+ Rom. vii. 14.

+ Eph. ii. 1.

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