3. Tiiere is no obtaining of what we should desire and pursue after as our proper happiness, but only by Christ. Man was made for God, and cannot be happy without him, and he is most completely happy in the full enjoyment of him. Now there is no coming to that blessed state but by Christ : John xiv. 6, Ho is the way to the Father. The most eminent sense is with respect to our final blessedness, when we come into his immediate presence : so 1 John v. 11, ' This is the record, that God hath given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.' It is Christ alone that can put us in the way, and bring us home to eternal bliss.
Use 1 . Is to confute the world's opinion, who measure God's love by outward things or worldly felicity. Alas ! the love or hatred of God is not known by these things, Eccles. ix. 1, 2, neither can the heart of man be satisfied with them ; these things can give us a bellyful, but not a heartful, Ps. xvii. 14, 15. Those that take up Avith the creature, never felt the weight of sin, are not serious in matters of eternal concernments. The only true happiness is in having God for our God, Christ for our Kedeemer, the Spirit for our sanctifier and comforter.
Use 2. Is to excite us to bless God for Jesus Christ. The apostle doth frequently in all his groans and affiictions : Eom. vii. 25, ' I thank God, through Jesus Christ our Lord,' &c. ; ' Blessed be God for the grace of Jesus Christ,' whereby we have pardon for what is past, and grace for the future to perform what God will accept. So 1 Cor. XV. 57, ' Thanks be to God, which gives us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ.' God by Christ hath given us the victoiy over sin, death, and hell. So should you, especially in the Lord's Supper — it is an Eucharist — be thankful that God hath given Christ for us, which is an unspeakable gift. And now he cometh to give him to you, afford him a hearty welcome into your souls as you take him, and apply him by faith, and give up yourselves to him as his redeemed ones. You
34S THE SIXTEENTH SERMON. [JOHN III. IG.
come to look upon Christ, who made his soul nn ofTevinp^ for sin; he is here represented as cruclHed before your eyes, and is l)y God spe- cially ollered to your acee])tance, and with him pardon and life. You nuist be joyful and thankful for these f^reat i^ifts and benefits, so dearly boutjht, so surely sealed, so freely offered, and in the sense of all tliis devote yourselves to God.
Use 3. I\Iake it your main care to see if Christ be given to us. AVithout him you cannot have any true remedy aj^ainst evil, nor any solid hope of good. Certain it is that in our natural estate we were without him. Is there a change? The two great ends for which Christ came were, to appease God, and to be the principle of a new life. Is Christ given for these ends? Have you received him ? Do not think Christ fell from heaven into your bosom whether you would or no. Did you ever feel your misery without him, and cry mightily to God, Give me Christ, or else I die, and perish for ever ? 1 con- fess, conversion is not always evident in feeling, but it is in the elfeet and fruit. What fruits have you then abiding in you? The great fruit of Christ being given to you is the Spirit's dwelling in you : Eom. viii. 1, ' But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you.' The great work of the Spirit is to sanctify the soul to the service of him that redeemed us : Titus ii. 14, ' Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.' Clear this, and the cause is decided.
III. I come now to the third part of the text, which is the end of this love, ' That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have life everlasting;' where I observe —
1. The connection of our duty and ])rivilege. Christ died to pro- cure a covenant wherein pardon and life is offered to us upon gracious terms. In the gospel we must observe what God hath promised, and what we must do; both must be alike acceptable to us, the duly as well as the benefit, or else we consent not to the whole tenor of the covenant.
2. The universality of the proposal, that whosoever believeth on him ; no sorts of men are excluded from the remedy but those that exclude themselves by their impenitency and unbelief
3. Tiie nature of this act and duty which giveth a right and title to the benefits offered, and that is believing : no more is mentioned here. But none truly believe but those that carry themselves accord- ingly, or perform the duties which that belief calleth for. If it be such a lively operative faith, it will secure our title to these benefits,