But self-love cannot make me happy-I am only the subject that receives the happiness, but am not the object that constitutes that happiness: for it is that object, properly speaking, that I love ;-and love, not only for its own sake, but also for the sake of the happiness which I enjoy through it. No man, says the Apostle, ever hated his own flesh; but he that sinneth against God, wrongeth his own soul; depriving it of present and eternal salvation, and is so far from being governed by self-love, that he is an implacable enemy to his own best and dearest interests in both worlds. We may if we please, call that self-love, which causes ús to have only our own interest in view;--and that man, a self-lover, who cares for nobody-helps nobody-pities nobody-who is the centre of his own paltry system, and extending his arms to every part of his circumference, rakes every thing into the vortex of himself. Of the widow's moans, and the cries of the orphans, he is utterly regardless;—he gets all he can-saves all he can—and keeps all he gets, and cares not who wants, or who is in misery. I cannot call this man's principle self-love-he has no love for himself—as he feels no good, he does no good-and as he does no act of kindness, he cannot have even the happiness of a dog—for a dog is pleased when he finds he has pleased his master. He is one who in his heart and conduct is abhorred of God, and despised by all men. Pray for him, but have no connexion with him :--there are not many of his kind on the earth, bad as it is; O, pray God, that he may never have his fellow. One word more on this general subject:—when God says, thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, He does not say, thou shalt love him better than thyself. My love to him should cause me to divide my last morsel with him; but should I give him the whole, when I had no prospect of any supply? It would be an unnatural act--this would be loving him better than myself, which would be as opposite to law as to nature. Reader, review the whole of this love to God and man, its nature and its effects-adore God for His goodness in giving thee such a Law. This is the religion of Jesus! Love ME, and love thy Fellows. Be unutterably happy in me, and be in perfect peace, unanimity, and love, among yourselves!Great Fountain and Dispenser of love! fill thy creation with this sacred principle, for His sake who died for the salvation of a lost world! Amen. To give due weight and importance to these commands, our Lord sums up the whole with this strong assertion, viz. On these commandments hang all the law and the Prophets. These two commandments are like the first and last links of a chain, all the intermediate depend on them. True Religion begins and ends in the love of God and man. These are the two grand links that unite God to man, man to his fellows, and men again to God. St. Paul says, (Rom. xiii. 10.) Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. He who has the love of God and man in his heart, can do no evil to any creature-he cannot avenge himself on his greatest enemy, much less can he injure or kill a man who has never done him ill. On the other hand, if he love him, and love him as himself, he will do him any kindness in his power. Disobedience to God, arises from the carnal mind, which is enmity to God; but when the heart is filled with love to God, and the carnal mind is destroyed, then the enmity is destroyed, and obedience is delightful. He cannot be an enemy in his mind to God, by wicked works, who has the mind in him which was in Christ-and to such a mind, the commandments of the Lord are not grievous. Now all our duties in life refer either to God or to man, or to both :-there is no third party to which we are accountable, or to whom we owe obedience :-having therefore the principle of attachment and obedience to God, and of fraternal affection and kind offices to man;-and the whole of God's word, whether Law, Prophets, Psalms, Gospels, and Epistles, refers all our actions to God and man, therefore the love that fulfils all the commands relative to both, must be the fulfilling of the law-and thus on these two great commandments hang all the law and the prophets. On another occasion, mentioned by St. Luke, x. 25. &c. a lawyer having asked our Lord, What he should do to inherit eternal life?-when asked by the divine Teacher what was written in the law on this subject and answering in the words of these two commandments;-our Lord replied, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live, ver. 28; we : may observe, that the life which the Saviour of man promises, may be considered as the necessary consequence, and the gracious recompense of this love to God and man. He, whose soul rests in God, supremely, and intensely satisfied; who always lives to, and ever acts for God, must be happy. God the author and Fountain of life and felicity, lives in him; he lives, therefore, a spiritual life, which consists in the union of God and the soul; as animal life consists in the union of the soul and its body. The works of righteousness which he performs, are at once the evidences and the functions of this spiritual life. He lives to all the important purposes and concerns of life, viz. to glorify his God, and to do good to man. He lives under the influences of the lifegiving spirit, and increases daily in love both to God and man. The life of the wicked may be justly termed an ever-living death; but the life of the righteous, is an ever-living life. He lives in death itself! death is his: it is the gate of eternal life to his deathless spirit. He shall never die; and he lives where there is no death; he lives through eternity. He lives in Him who only hath immortality: and Him he sees as He is. Penetrated with the rays of His glory, he contemplates His infinite perfections, each of which must beget in him endless wonder, delight, and satisfaction. Behold, therefore, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed on us, that we might be called the sons of God! Father of mercies, God of light power, and love! illuminate, quicken, and invigorate the minds of thy people !-let them see the glorious hope of their calling, and never rest,— Till transformed by faith divine; They gain that perfect love unknown ; By putting on thy Son. These are things which the angels desire to look into ; how then should men feel! The pious Quesnel says on the text of this Discourse, "This double precept, concerning the love of God and of our neighbour, is the summary of all the divine and positive commandments; the compendious direction and way to salvation; the Bible of the simple and ignorant; and the book which even the most learned will never thoroughly understand in this life." How much need have we to pray to God, that He may open our eyes, that we may see wonders in His law, and open our hearts that we may feel His glorious power rooting out the seeds of sin. With such glorious privileges before us, and within our reach, why will we live in a state of spiritual non-age? Shall the present generation be minished from the earth, before the enjoyment of this state of grace become general in the Church of Christ !-Are not all things now ready? Has not the Blood of the covenant been shed to justify the ungodly, and sanctify the unholy; and can it ever be more efficacious in its nature than it now is?-Does not God now wait to be gracious? Can He ever be more willing to cleanse our hearts from all unrighteousness, than He is now? Does He not make it our duty to love Him this moment, with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength? And does He not know, that we cannot thus love Him, till He has cleansed our hearts from all unrighteousness? Then, He must be this moment willing to cleanse us if He expect a loving obedience from us, which he knows is impossible, till He have sprinkled clean water upon us, and made us clean!-The spirit and the bride say come! and let him that is athirst come, and whosoever will, let him come, and take the water of life freely! Where is the Holy Spirit the Purifier? Where is faith to receive Him. In the sight of His Omnipotence, can it be impossible?-In the sight of His Sacrifice, impracticable? No! Faith, mighty Faith, the promise sees, And looks to that alone: Laughs at impossibilities, And cries, It shall be done! See the Discourse on Eph. iii. 14-21. in Vol. I. where there are several observations on this subject. SERMON XXIV. THE WISE MAN'S COUNSELS TO HIS PUPIL ; OR, THE TRUE METHOD OF GIVING, RECEIVING, AND PROFITING BY RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION. PROV. xxii. 17-21. 17. Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge. 18. For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips. 19. That thy trust may be in the Lord, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee. 20. Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge: 21. That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth: that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee? I SUPPOSE these verses to contain an address of the wise man to one of his pupils, and to refer principally to instructions which this pupil had already received. I think it probable, that what is here said, is built on that most important maxim, ver. 6. Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old he will not depart from it. A short paraphrase of this verse, will serve to shew the connexion between it and the teaching in the text. The original of the first clause of this verse, is curious and impressive :nac le-naâr âl-pi dareco, Initiate a child at the opening (mouth) of his path. When he comes to the opening of the way of life;-when reason begins to dawn, being just able to walk alone and to choose in a general way, between good and evil; -stop at this point of entrance, and begin a series of instructions, how he is to conduct himself in every step he takes, -cha חנך לנער על-פי דרכו: |