-ought to be doubtful. Yes, ought to be doubtful. I do not think it at all a desirable thing for a Christian to doubt either of Christ's love to him, or his love to Christ; and there must be something far wrong with him when he doubts either of the one or the other. His best state is when he cannot doubt of either; the excellence and the kindness of the Saviour being so clearly before his mind, that he cannot doubt them, and these excellences drawing forth so strongly his affections towards Him that he can as little donbt of them. The language of that most desirablethat best-state of things is, "My beloved is mine, and I am his."

But it is a dreadful thing to see a man who is not a Christian, who is clearly not a Christian, flattering himself that he loves Christ, and therefore is safe; and it is a great mercy that God has so fashioned human nature, and the economy of salvation, that no Christian can enjoy the comfort of love to Christ, in the unhesitating testimony of his conscience that he possesses it, unless he is manifesting the fruits of love to Christ, in his temper and behavior. In no case is our persuasion that we love Christ a safe one, if it cannot bear the test contained in the words of our Lord now under consideration.

Let us then set about examining the test, and applying it. “If ye love me, keep my commandments," that is, not only, "If ye love me," ye ought to "keep my commandments:" but, if ye love me, ye will keep my commandments. If ye keep my commandments, then, that is satisfactory evidence that ye love me. ye do not keep my commandments, then, nothing else can be satisfactory evidence that ye love me.'

If

§ 1. The Test.

But what are Christ's commandments? The whole revelation of the Divine will, respecting what I am to believe, and feel, and do, and suffer, contained in the Holy Scriptures, is the law of Christ. Both volumes of the Holy Scriptures, are the work of the Spirit of Christ. His first and great commandment is,-"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and soul, and strength;" and the second great commandment is like unto the first,-"Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." The commandments of Christ include whatever is good, and whatever God hath required of us-"the doing justly, the loving mercy, the walking humbly with our God," "the denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, the living soberly, righteously, and godly, in this world." His law is "holy, just, and good," "spiritual," and "exceeding broad," and it reaches to "whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report," to all things in which there is virtue, to all things wherein there is praise." These commandments are generally expressed in language so clear and simple,

11 Matt. xxii. 36-40. Micah. vi. 8. Tit. ii. 12. Phil iv. 8.

PART VI.]

OBEDIENCE THE TEST OF LOVE.

that a child may understand them, and "he may run who reads them." These are the commandments of our Lord Jesus.

Now to keep these commandments, is just to make them the rule and the reason of our faith and conduct. To keep all these commandments perfectly, in thought, word, and deed, is the duty The man who should thus of every Christian-of every man. keep all these commandments, would do more than what it is his duty to do. To keep all these commandments perfectly, as it is the duty of every man, is the desire of every Christian. This is his wish, both for himself and his brethren-perfection. To keep all these commandments perfectly, is not only the Christian's duty and desire, but it is his endeavor. The language of his conduct, as well as his heart is, "I will keep the commandments of my God." He is constantly aiming at, "pressing towards, the mark for the prize.

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But though, to keep all the commandments of Christ perfectly -in thought, word, and deed-be the duty, the desire, and the endeavor of every Christian, it is not the attainment of any Christian. They who have made most progress towards complete conformity to the law of Christ, are most ready to say, "Not that we have attained, neither are already perfect." "The law is "When I would do good, evil is spiritual, but I am carnal." "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourpresent with me." selves, and the truth is not in us.

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It is plain, then, that the perfect keeping of the commandments of Christ, is not the test of love. Apply that test, and the result is, there is no such thing as a lover of Christ on the earth. "For there is not a just man upon the earth, that doeth good and sinneth not." Still, obedience to the commandments of Christ is the test of love to him, and there will be no difficulty in applying the test, if there be only an honest desire to have the question fairly settled; for there are certain qualities of obedience, which are to be found in every lover of Christ, and which are never found in any one else, and it is to these that we must attend, if we wish to know what is our character. Every lover of Christ keeps Christ's commands implicity, impartially, cheerfully, and perseveringly, and no man who is not a lover of Christ keep his commandments, in any, far less in all, of these ways. Let us open a little these distinguishing characters of that kind of obedience which is the test of love to Christ, and while doing so, let us apply, for the purpose of self-inquiry, what is said; and act as if our Lord were individually addressing us, "Lovest thou me? If thou love me, keep my commandments. He that keepeth my Ye are my friends if ye commandments, he it is that loveth me. do whatsoever I command you."

There are

If I love Christ, I will keep his commandments implicitly; that is, I will do what he bids me, because he bids me. many who are in the habit of doing many things which Christ commands, who never yet, in the whole course of their lives, kept

12 Psal cxix. 115. Phil. iii. 14.

13 Phil. iii. 12. Rom. vii. 14.

any of his commandments. The doing what Christ commands, may be agreeable to my inclination, or conducive to my interest; and if on these grounds I do it, I serve myself, not the Lord Christ. What Christ commands, may be commanded by those whose authority I acknowledge, and whose favor I wish to secure. If I do it on these grounds, I keep man's commandment, not Christ's. I keep Christ's commandment only when I do what he bids me, because he bids me. Everything he bids me do is right, and ought to be done for its own sake; everything he bids me do is fitted to promote my happiness, and ought to be done on this account; but it is only so far as I do it for his sake, that I keep his commandment. In many cases, I see many reasons why I should do what he commands; but that He has commanded it, is with me the great reason. In some cases, I can see no reason why I should do what he commands, but that he has commanded it; and this with me is a sufficient reason. If I do not thus keep Christ's commandments, I do not love Christ. If I do thus keep his cominandments, I do love him.

If I love Christ, I shall keep his commandments impartially. If I keep them implicitly, it follows as a thing of course, that I shall keep them impartially. It is but too common a thing among the professed lovers of Christ, to be "partial in his law." To use a familiar but expressive phrase, "they pick and choose" among his commandments. They do this, but they leave that undone, though it is commanded with equal explicitness in his law. In every such case, the soul of obedience is wanting. If I do any thing, just because Christ commands me to do it, I shall "do whatsoever he commands me." Instead of thinking my strictness as to some portions of his law will be sustained as an excuse for my neglect of other portions of it, I shall, if I really love him, "account his commandments concerning all things to be right; and I shall abhor every false way.'

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If I love Christ, I shall keep his commandments cheerfully; I shall reckon it a privilege to obey his law, "to be under the law to Christ." The thoughts, that they are the commandments of him whom I love, because of his excellences and his kindness, makes me love his law, for it must be excellent, because it is his, and it must be fitted to promote my happiness for the same reason. And I have pleasure in pleasing him, and I am pained when I am aware of having offended him; and, therefore, I have satisfaction in doing what I am sure will please him, for he has commanded it. There are many who do many things which Christ has commanded, not because they love either him or his law, but because they are afraid if they do them not, they must go to hell; and because they hope if they do them, they shall get to heaven. Their spirit is the spirit of bondage. But it is otherwise with the lover of Christ. "Where the Spirit of the Lord Christ is, there is liberty." The language of him who is under its influence is, "Truly, O Lord, I am thy servant: thou hast loosed my bonds."

14 Psal. cxix. 128.

PART VI.]

OBEDIENCE THE TEST OF LOVE.

"I will walk at liberty keeping thy commandments." "I will serve thee without fear, in righteousness, and holiness, all the days of my life." "Thy commands are not grievous." "In keeping them there is a great reward." "I will be thy servant for ever.'

for

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Finally, if I love Christ, I shall keep his commandments perseveringly. There are men who, under the influence of various principles, do many things which Christ commands, for a timeit may be a considerable time-but still they "dure but for awhile." Alas! how many a season run well, who are yet hindered, and who, after making "a fair show in the flesh," "having put away a good conscience," "make shipwreck concerning faith," abandon a christian profession, and come short of eternal life. But if I love Christ, while I love him I shall keep his commandments. If I love him really, I can never cease to love him; and if I never cease to love him, I shall never cease to obey him. It is he who endures to the end, that shall be saved. The command with promise is, "Be faithful unto death, and I will give you a crown of life." If I am not persevering in keeping his commandments, it is a proof, not only that I do not love him, but that I never have loved him. Obedience, if implicit, impartial, and cheerful, cannot be abandoned; if obedience be abandoned, it is a proof that, whatever it seemed to be, it was not implicit, impartial, cheerful obedience of Christ. It is not, he that once kept my commandment, "he it is that loveth me;" but "he that keepeth my commandment, he it is that loveth me."

Their

There is a passive obedience to Christ, that is equally neces sary and equally satisfactory, as evidence of love, as that active keeping of his commandments of which we have been speaking." The disciples could not have given a better proof of love to their Saviour, than in their circumstances to have submitted without repining to his will, respecting his departure from them. impatience was a proof that they were very far from being "made perfect in love." Love to Christ in due measure, will make us cheerfully submissive to the appointments of his providence, however opposite they may be to our natural inclinations, inconsist ent with our worldly interests, or trying to our natural feelings; and nothing more decidedly proves that a man does not love Christ, than habitual fretful dissatisfaction with any of his dispensations. If I believe that all power in heaven and earth belongs to Christ, and if I love him, I must be pursuaded that whatever befalls me is the result of his appointment and agency. I must rest satisfied that he means my good; and however numerous and severe my afflictions may be, I shall hold fast by this, 'He who gave himself for me, cannot mean me harm: No; nothing unkind can come from the hands which were nailed to the cross for my salvation.'

15 Psal. cxvi. 16; cxix. 45. Deut. xv. 17.

Luke i. 74, 75.

1 John v. 3. Psal. xix. 11.

15 Matt. x. 22.

Rev. ii. 10.

17 "They also serve who only stand and wait."-MILTON.

§ 2. The Test applied.

Now, my brethren, that we have been abundantly furnished with the means of arriving at a right resolution of the question, it comes back on each of us, "Lovest thou me?" I am afraid there are those here who, if they bring in a verdict according to the evidence, will be obliged to say, 'Lord, thou who knowest all things, thou knowest I do not love thee. I do not keep thy commandments implicitly, impartially, cheerfully, perseveringly; I do not submit to thy dispensations humbly and patiently,-I do not love thy word-I do not love thy day-I do not love thy people-I do not love thy cause-I do not love thee.' You dare not say this, but you feel it to be true.

Now, if it be so, do not attempt to conceal the fearful truth. from yourself. It cannot be concealed from "him with whom you have to do." Rather look the fact broad in the face, that you may distinctly perceive its true character. You do not keep His commandments, whose will all nature, inanimate and irrational, obeys-whose commandments the angels do, "hearkening to the voice of his word." This is He whom "ye will not have Lord over you;" He whom "God has made both Lord and Christ;" He who is "Lord of all." This is He of whom Jehovah speaks by Moses:-"I will raise up a prophet from among their brethren, and will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall not hearken unto my words, which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him." Reflect for a moment. Why do you not keep his commandments? Is not his law "holy, just, and good"? Is it not right to "hear him who speaks from heaven"? Think what must the end be of disregarding his authority, and disobeying his laws:-" As for these, my enemies, who would not have me to reign over them, bring them forth, and slay them before me." It is they only "who do his commandments, that have a right to the tree of life, and that shall enter in through the gates into the city." Oh, foolish people, and unwise!" But you not only do not keep his commandments-that is bad enough, but you do not love him. This is absolutely monstrous: do not love the loveliest and the most benignant of beings; do not love him who is the Well-beloved of the Father, in whom He is well pleased; do not love him on whom the Spirit rests with infinite complacency -in whom he dwells with perfect delight; do not love him whom saints and angels count worthy of honor, and glory, and blessing; do not love him, who so loved you as to give his life for you,- -so loves you, as, in his Gospel, to offer you all heavenly and spiritual blessings-the salvation that is in himself, with eternal glory! Surely, surely you are not in your right mind.

18 Psal. ciii. 20. Acts ii. 36. Deut. xviii. 15-19. Rom. vii. 12. Heb. xii. 25. Luke ix. 27. Deut. xxxii. 6.