the influence of Chrift's grace, as to be saved from wrath by the merit of his blood.

Sincere love to Chrift is fupreme. It gives him the preference to all earthly interefts and connexions. Thus the Savior himself has taught us, "He that loveth father or mother, fon or daughter more than me, is not worthy of me."-"If any man come to me, and hate not," or do not comparatively disesteem" his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and fifters, yea, and his own life alfo, he cannot be my difciple." We muft love Chrift more than these.

Sincere love is perfevering. It holds out against temptations, lives amidst worldly cares and oper ates in times of affliction. It is a flame, which waters cannot quench, nor floods drown. They whom Chrift owns as his difciples, are fuch as continue in his love-such as abide in him, and have his word abiding in them.

Finally True love to Chrift is active. It is not a cold and indolent opinion of him; but such a fenfible regard to him as interefts the heart, and influences the life. There is "the labor of love," as well as "the work of faith." I proceed to fhew,

III. How fincere love to Chrift will difcover itfelf.

This will make us careful to please him. Our obedience is the proper evidence of a regard for his character." If a man love me," fays he, "he will keep may fayings: He that loveth me not, keepeth not my words. Ye are my friends, if whatsoever I command you."

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This holy principle will be accompanied with humility. When we difcern the amiableness of Chrift's character, we fhall think foberly of our own. When we fee what human nature was in him, we fhall be afhamed to think, what it is in us. Our value for his favor will awaken a cautious

fear, left we fail of it. Paul, under the influence of this principle, was jealous of himself, left by any means he should be a caftaway.

We are fond of imitating those whom we love. If we love Chrift, we shall follow his steps, and walk as he walked.

Our love to him will animate us to promote his intereft, and oppofe his enemies. He has purchased a church with his blood. For the fake of this he is made head over all things. The enlargement of his church, the increafe of converts to his religion, the spread and influence of his gofpel, the promotion of knowledge and holiness, peace and charity, and the fuppreffion of wickedness a error, are interefts which he much regards. To advance thefe interefts, we are to be workers to gether with him. We are to profefs our fubmifhion to his government, and belief of his ofpel. We are to bear teftimony against the corrupt opinions and practices of the world. We are to ema ploy our influence for the reformation and enlargement of his kingdom, and for the encouragement and confirmation of those who would join themselves to it. We are to ftudy the things which make for peace, and by which we may edify one another. Thus we are to exprefs our love to the Savior. When Peter profeffed his love, Christ said to him, "Feed my lambs-feed my fheep."

We are to fhew our love to the Savior by doing good to his needy brethren and friends. These we have always with us, and whenfoever we will, we may do them good. And the good which we do to them, he will accept as done to himself. And the smalleft charity performed in his name, will in no wife lofe its reward.

This principle will exprefs itfelf in a devout attendance on his ordinances, especially on that which he inflituted to awaken and perpetuate the remembrance of his dying love. As abfent friends delight

to reciprocate tokens of fidelity and affection, fo the fincere difciples of Jefus love to maintain a correfpondence with him by a religious obfervance of his day, and a pious celebration of his worship. They rejoice with those who say, "Come, let us go up to the house of the Lord; he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths." They love the affemblies of the faints, because Chrift has promifed, that he will be in the midft of them.

Love often looks beyond this world to that glorious ftate, where the Redeemer is gone, and anticipates the happiness to be enjoyed in his presence. It is a part of the character of the faints, that "they love his appearing and kingdom, have their conversation in heaven, and thence look and wait for the Savior." Love to him will indeed make us willing to abide in the flesh, as long as his fervice requires; and while our minds are clouded with doubts, we shall choose to abide, because we fear the confequence of a departure. But whatever interefts call our attention to this world, and whatever fears darken our paffage to the other, ftill, if love reigns and operates in us, we shall efteem it good to be with Chrift; we fhall long for brighter difplays of his glory, and ftronger evidence of our fincerity; we fhall afpire toward heaven, fhall give diligence to the full affurance of hope, and follow them, who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

These are the genuine operations of love to Chrift. IV. We will confider the benediction connected with this temper. It is called grace, a term of large and glorious import. It comprehends all the bleffings, which the gospel reveals to the fons of men, and promises to the faithful in Chrift.

One great privilege contained in this grace is juftifi cation before God. Through faith, which works by love, we are juftified freely by grace; and being juftified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jefus Chrift, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Qe

Another privilege is the prefence of the Divine Spirit. Chrift fays to his difciples, "If ye love me, keep my commandments, and I will pray the Father, and he fhall give you another comforter, even the Spirit of truth, whom the Father will fend in my name. He fhall abide with you forever.”— The Spirit often makes his vifits to finners in a way of conviction and awakening. Hence Chrift fays, "Behold, I ftand at the door and knock; if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him." But with thofe who love him he makes his abode, to comfort them in their afflictions, guide them in their doubts, affift them in their duties, and preferve them through all their dangers unto eternal life. Chrift has promifed, "They fhall never perish, and none fhall pluck them out of his hands."

They who love Chrift have free access to the throne of grace, and a promife, that they fhall be heard and accepted there. "By him they have accefs by faith into that grace, in which they ftand.”

"If they abide in him, they may ask what they will, and it shall be done unto them." We must remember, however, that there is a limitation of the promise. "If we afk any thing according to his will, he heareth us; and if he hear us whatsoever we afk, we have the petitions which we desire of him.”

to

Finally They who love Chrift in fincerity, will receive the gift of a happy immortality. There is a crown of life, which the Lord has promifed them, who love him-a crown of righteousness, which he will give to all who love his appearing. This grace paffes all understanding. Eye hath not feen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things, which God hath prepared for them who love him."

How happy are the fouls, who love our Lord Jefus Chrift in fincerity! They are delivered from the wrath to come. They are redeemed from the curfe of the law. They are within the protection of divine grace and under the fecurity of an immutable

promife. They will, indeed, meet with afflictions, while they are in the flesh; but all things are working for their good, and nothing will feparate them from the love of God, which is in Chrift Jefus their Lord.

This happinels is not confined to any particular family, nation or age, but extended to all who love the Redeemer. In him there is no diftinction of Jew or Gentile, male or female, bund or free; but all are one in him.

When a certain perfon, hearing Jefus teach, exclaimed, "Bleffed is fhe who bare thee," he replied, "Yea, rather bleffed are they, who hear the word of God and keep it." In his character as a Savior, he gave no preference to his relatives according to the flesh; but declared, "Whofoever fhall do the will of my Father who is in heaven, the fame is my brother, and fifter and mother."

Let us often place the Lord Jesus before our eyes, and contemplate his Spirit, doctrines and works, his fufferings, refurrection and interceffion. Let us view him as reprefented in his word and in his ordinances, and by frequent converfe with him increase and strengthen our love to him.

Let us prove the fincerity of our love by obeying his precepts, promoting his intereft, imitating his example, encouraging his friends, oppofing his enemies, and attending on his ordinances. And let us remember, that it is not merely by calling him our Lord, and by eating and drinking in his prefence, but rather by doing his will, that we prove the fincerity of our love, and afcertain our title to his kingdom.

CONCLUSION.

I have now finished that feries of difcourfes, which I propofed to deliver to you upon this rich. and excellent Epistle of Paul to the Ephe fans. I have endeavored to explain fuch paffages as feemed obfcure, have marked the connexion of one pait with another, and have pointed out the inftructions which the epiftle itfelf naturally fuggefled. I have