2. By preparing us for it; by,
1. Enlightning our Minds, S. Joh. iii.
2. Rectifying our Wills.

3. Regulating our Affections.

1. Love; Diligendo Deum plufquam feipfos, & alios tanquam feipfos. Anfelm.

2. Joy, Pfal. xvi. 11.

Who doth He prepare thofe Manfions. for?

For you, that is, for His Difciples.

1. For fuch as repent, S. Luk. xiii. 3.
believe, S. Joh. jii. 16.
obey His Commands, Hebr.

2.

3.

USES.

xii. 14.

1. Comfort to Chrift's true Difciples. 2. Examine whether you be fo or no 1. By your Love to Him, S. Luk. xiv. 26. 2. By denying ourselves, and taking up our Crofs and following Him, S. Matt, xiv.

24.

3. By our fincere Endeavours, at least, to live according to His Commands.

3. Labour after thefe Mansions, in the first Place, S. Matt. vi. 33.

Confider, they are,

1. More real, Prov. xxiii. 5.

2.

3.

4.

neceffary, S. Luk. x. 42.

certain, S. Matt. xxiv. 35. Ifa.lv. 3. fatisfying,Pfal. xvi. 1 1. and xvii 15. lafting than the Things below, S. Job. vi. 27.

[Vid. Vol. VI. Serm. XII. of this Author.]

2. Of Complacency, Pfal. cxvi. 7.

2. Upon what Grounds ought we to love Him? 1. Negatively.

1. Not meerly upon Hear-fay or Tradition, S. Joh. iv. 20.

2. Nor Custom and Education.

2. Pofitively.

1. From a Senfe of our own Mifery without Him, Rem. vii. 24, 25.

2.

3.

of His Love to us in our Misery,

Rom. v. 6, 7, 8.

of the Happiness we may enjoy by Him, S. Job. iii. 16. S. Luk. vii. 47. 3. What Degree of Love fhould we have to Chrift?

1. We are not only to love Him above some, or moft Things,

2. But above all Things, Phil. iii. 8. S. Matt. xxii. 37.

1. Above our Sins.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Pleasures, 2 Tim. iii. 4.
Profits.

Honours.

Life itself, S. Luk. xiv. 26.

Now, to engage our Love to Christ, consider 1. The Neceffity of this Grace.

I. It is commanded, Deut. vi. 5. Exod. xx. 3.
2. It is abfolutely neceffary as a Means,
1. For the Exercise of all other Graces,
Gal. v. 6.

2. To the Performance of all Duties,
S. Matt. xxii. 37.

3. To the Well-being and Comfort of a
Chriftian, 1 S. Pet. i. 8.

4. To the very Being of a Christian.
5. To the keeping off the greatest Curse,
1 Cor. xvi. 22. S. Jude 15.

6. For the entitling us to Heaven, 1 Cor.
ii. 9.

7. To the evidencing of that Title to us. 2. The Excellency of it.

I. It hath the chiefeft Good for its Object.
2. All Bleffings to attend it, Rom. viii. 28.
3. It is the highest Accomplishment of the
Soul, Rom. xiii. 10.

4. It is the Work of Angels.

5. It is an everlasting Grace, 1 Cor. xiii. 13. 3. The Reasons why we fhould love Him. 1. From what He is in Himself, Cant. v. 9, 16.

1. The Center of all Perfections, Gen, xvii. 1.

2. The Fountain of all Goodness, Pfal.. xxxvi. 9.

3. The chiefeft Good, S. Luk. xviii. 19.

1. Univerfal.

2. Infinite.

3. Satisfying, Pfal. xvii. 15.

4. Neceflary.

5. Eternal Good.

2. How Good and Loving He hath been to

us.

1. He made us, S. Job. i. 1, 2, 3.

2. Came

2. Came Himself to visit us in our own

Natures, S. Job. i. 14.

3. Underwent the fevereft Torments for us, Ifa. liii. 5, 6.

4. Laid down His Own Life to redeem ours, S. Job. xv. 13. Rom. v. 5,6,7.

5. Hath deliver'd us from the greatest Miferies,

1.. Sin, Act. iii. 26. Hebr. ix. 26.

2. Satan.

3. Hell.

6. Hath purchas'd the greatest Bleffings

for us;

1. Pardon, Ephef. i.7.

2. Acceptance, Gal. ii. 16.

3. The Love of GOD, Rom. v. 1.
4 The Graces of the Spirit, S. Joh.
xvi. 7.

5. Heaven.

7. He is gone before, to provide a Place for us, S. Job. xiv. 2.

8. He defires nothing for all this, but only our Love.

USE.

Examine whether you love Christ or no, S. Joh. V. 42. S. Matt. vii. 22.

1. By your frequent Thoughts of Him, Pfal. cxix. 97.

2.

3.

4.

5.

S. Job. XV. 14.

Longings after Him, Pfal. lxxiii. 25.
Rejoicing in Him, Phil. iv. 4.
Fear to offend Him, Gen. xxxix. 9.
Care to please Him, 1 S. Joh. iv. 20.

II. DOCTRINE.

This our Love to Him muft appear by our keeping His Commands.

1. What

1. What Commands?

1. Moral, S. Matt. v. 17.

1. Toward GOD, S. Matt. xxii. 37, 38. 2. Towards Man.

2. Evangelical,

1. Repentance, S. Mar. i. 15. Confifting, 1. In a real Conviction, S. Joh. xvi. 7. 1. Of the heinous Nature of Sin, Rom. vii. 13.

2. Of our own Sins, Pfal. li. 4, 5. Rom.
vii. 18, 19, 20.

2. Cordial Humiliation, Joel ii. 13.
1. For the Multitude, Ezra ix. 6.
2. The Greatness of them, S. Joh. iii.

19.

3. Thorow Converfion,

1. From them, Ezek. xxxiii. 11. 2. To GOD and Holiness, Zach. i. 3. 2. Belief in the Gospel, S. Mar. i. 15. S.Joh. xiv. I.

Especially, believe

1. That there is no Way to be faved, but by Chrift, A&t. iv. 12.

2. That He is able to fave us, Hebr.

vii. 25.

3. And fo to rest on Him, and Him alone, for Salvation.

2. How fhould we keep these Commands? 1. Obedientially, Hebr. xi. 7, 8, 17.

2. Sincerely, S. Joh. iv. 24. 1 S. Joh. iii. 18. 3. Univerfally, Pfal. cxix. 6, 128. S. Jam. ii.

IO, II.

4. Willingly, Pfal. cx. 3. and xl. 8.

5. To a right End;

1. GOD's Glory, 1 Cor. x. 31.

2. The Credit of the Gofpel, Ihil. i. 12.