tain the comfortablé fenfe and experience of it in our fouls. This, our Lord himself tells us, in the verse immediately following the text; "If ye keep my "commandments, ye fhall abide in my love.'

In

a word, it is in this manner we may taste and fee that the Lord is gracious, and have it to fay with the apoftle John, "We have known and believed the love

that God hath to us. God is love; and he that "dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him (b)." But what this is, a privilege how comfortable and enriching, they only know, who are so happy as to enjoy it.

2. To continue in the love of Chrift, is to be ftedfaft and perfevering in it to the very end of life. Our love to Chrift must not be merely an occafional, but a fettled and conftant affection of the mind. We are to love him at all times, and in every circumftance of life; in profperity and adverfity; when he frowns, as well as when he fmiles. I acknowledge, indeed, there may be many interruptions and abatements in the experience and feeling of our affection toward him. The Chriftian's love may be interrupted in its growth by the neighbourhood of many noxious weeds; and it may fometimes wax cold through the prevalence of iniquity: yet ftill, the fettled conviction of the believing foul is, that Chrift is altogether lovely, and that nothing must come in competition with him. If we become carelefs and remifs in our love to Chrift, an intermiffion in the exercise of this grace will quickly follow; and therefore, we are under the greateft obligation, to be always upon our guard, and to be frequent and fervent in prayer at the throne of grace, that our hearts may be fixed and established in love. In a word, we must cleave to the Lord with full purpofe of heart, walking and dwelling in love, and fo rooted and grounded in it, that we may never draw back; but be ftedfast and immoveable,

(6) f John iv. 16.

immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord; forafmuch as we know that our labour of love fhall not be in vain in the Lord.

I am now to direct your attention to a practicali improvement of this fubject.

What reafon have we to admire the love of Chrift to his people, as it is compared to the Father's love to him? It is a proof of ignorance and weakness, to admire those things which are common and mean; but it is no lefs an evidence of stupidity, not to be affected with things that are noble and exalted. Now, the love of Christ to his people, is the greateft, the most unexampled love, that ever was; an inftance of affection, indeed, fo noble and exalted, that, in contemplating, we cannot but admire it. Nay, the more we employ our thoughts on this love, the more aftonishing it will appear. Is it not a fubject for eternal admiration, that the Son of God, the brightness of his Father's glory, the exprefs image of his person, should love any of Adam's guilty and rebellious race, as his heavenly Father loved him? Juftly may we adopt the apoftle's words to exprefs our admiration; "O the height, and depth, and breadth, and "length of the love of Chrift! it paffeth know

ledge." In proportion as we efteem a favour, our affection fhould be exerted towards the person who procured it. Now, in confequence of Chrift's love,. we are preferved from every thing we would moft anxiously fhun, and we receive every thing we moft fondly hope for. We are reftored to the favour of God; we receive the forgivenefs of our fins; we enjoy the riches of his grace, the affiftance of his Spirit, and the profpect of happiness which thall never end.. Are not thofe bleffings calculated to preferve in our minds, a constant and prevailing defire to continue in his love?

If your country, or yourfelves, were preferved by

X 3.

the

the interpofition of a brave man, in the hour of danger; or, even though you were not concerned, yet the relation of an honourable deed, would infpire you with fome fentiments of delight, in the contemplation of a difinterested character: How then fhould your hearts burn within you, when you know, that thisperfon is your best friend, that his love was ftronger than death, and that he procured the best bleflings which God can give, or man receive?

But I fhall now addrefs myself to you, who have no love to Chrift, and confequently cannot continue in his love.

Confider, I intreat you, the particular nature and confequences of your conduct. In not loving that excellent and glorious Perfon, whom we endeavour to recommend to your esteem and affection, you in fact declare, that you have no regard to his mercy, that you defpife the riches of his grace, and hate his holinefs and purity, his juftice, his government and laws. You are averfe, in the inmoft temper of your fouls, to the Author of your being and happiness, to that gracious Redeemer, who has done and fuffered fo much for you, and is ftill making you the most bountiful offers of his infinite love.

But, is this conduct wife, or ingenuous, or fafe? Will God never arife, in the fiercenefs of his anger, to confume the workers of iniquity? Is their no threatening in the facred fcriptures, if not fufficient to reach conviction to your hearts, yet calculated to make you tremble when you look forward to the Judge of all? If you continue not in his love, on what circumftance do you lay the foundation of your future and everlafting peace. "If any man" fays the apoftle, "love "not our Lord Jefus Chrift, let him be anathema "maranatha," i. e. accurfed unto the coming of Chrift. And without all doubt, if you continue without love to him, when he comes to judge the world, he will not take off this curse, but seal it upon you to all eter

nity,

nity, by that awful and decifive fentence," Depart "from me, ye curfed, into everlasting fire, prepared "for the Devil and his angels." O, then, as you love yourselves, and would efcape everlafting mifery, think feriously on these things; bewail the bafe ingratitude and hardness of your hearts; and earnestly beg of God, that he would take away their emnity, and difpofe them to love the Redeemer.

But, Secondly, I fhall now addrefs myself to thofe, who, though they cannot deny that they love our Lord Jefus Chrift, are yet complaining that their love to him is fallen under a fad decay, with respect to the degree and exercife of it. Be not difcouraged; your anxiety and concern for the coldness and decay of your love to Chrift, is an infallible proof that you love him in fincerity. But, on the other hand, beware of floth and negligence.-You ought,

1. To fearch into the cause whence the decay of your love to Chrift proceeds. It may be, you have been too much attached to the world, to felf, or fome other beloved idol, which hath drawn away your heart from Chrift, and poffeffed the place he formerly had there. It may be, you have given way to. unbelief, to harsh and distrustful thoughts of Chrift; and this has had a tendency to cool and abate your love to him. Whatever be the caufe, endeavour to find it out; mourn over it before the Lord, and be. folicitous above all things to get it removed.

2. Be much employed in ferious meditation, particularly on the love of Chrift, in reading his word, and fpiritual conference; for thefe are excellent means for recovering your wonted love to him. But, efpecially, be fervent and frequent in the duty of prayer.. Plead with God for the quickening influence of the Spirit, that fo your heart may burn within you, and you may be able to triumph with the Church, "This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters "of Jerufalem !"

But,

But, 3. Let every real believer, without distinction, every fincere lover of Chrift, continue in his love. Be careful to maintain your love to him, by a lively and vigorous exercife; diligently improve every opportunity that may be afforded you of teftifying your love, and be ftedfaft and perfevering in it to the very end of life.

This is your unquestionable duty. Your divine Lord and Mafter has exprefsly commanded you to do fo. Nay, you have bound yourselves in a folemn manner at his table, to be constant in your affection to him, and faithful even unto death. So that you are under the most facred obligations to continue in his love.

This is what you are obliged to, alfo, in point of gratitude. For, is not the love which Chrift has expreffed for you, wonderful beyond all conception? It bears the nearest and most perfect refemblance to the Father's love for him; a love which infinitely tranfcends the most enlarged comprehenfion of the higheft feraph. Sure, then, if you have any fense of gratitude, you ought to continue in his love. Do you love them who have promoted your interest in this world? Do you retain a grateful remembrance of their kindness? Are you ready to exprefs your gratitude, and shall you not much more continue in His love, who has done and fuffered fuch amazing things for your redemption?

you

This alfo is your best and trueft intereft. For it will be a powerful incentive to every duty, and make ftedfaft and cheerful in a courfe of re-. ligious obedience. It will preferve you, when expofed to temptations, from making finful compliances to the dishonour of God, and the wounding of your own consciences. In a word, this is the best way you can take to maintain the comfortable sense of his. love to you, and to have it more and more shed abroad in your hearts..

And