7. These believers and called ones are considered as afflicted, and his purpose is to arm them against the bitterness of the cross. Nothing
VeR. 28.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. 283
■80 fit for this use as love ; if we did love God, the burden of afflictions would be light and easy to be borne, because it is from God it cometh, John xviii. 11. Love is the fittest grace to bring the heart to submit to Ood. Love God once, and nothing that he saith or doth will be unacceptable to you ; his commands will not be grievous, nor his pro- vidences grievous ; our desires will be after him when his hand is most smart and heavy upon us ; and when sense representeth him as an enemy, yet we cannot keep off from him : Isa. xxvi. 8, 'In the way of thy judgments, 0 Lord, we have waited for thee : the desire of our soul is unto thee, and to the remembrance of thy name.'
8. Not only with ordinary afflictions, but troubles for their fidelity to Christ ; love will endure much for God, as well as receive much from him: James i. 12, 'Blessed is the man that endureth temptations; for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which he hath promised to them that love him.' Mark, it is not said to them that fear him or trust in him, but them that love him ; because it is love that maketh us hold out in temptations, love that engagetli us to zeal and constancy, that overcometh all difficulties and oppositions for God's sake. Nihil est quod non tolerat, qui perfecte diligit ; he that loveth much, will suffer much. He cordially adhereth to God with courage and resolution of mind, and is not daunted with sufi'erings : Cant. viii. 7, ' Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it ; if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned.' Love is not bribed nor quenched. Where love prevaileth upon the heart, we shall esteem nothing too much or too dear to be parted with for God's sake. As in these troubles God's love is best known and discovered to us, so our love to God is best known and discovered also; the more we love God, the more sensible do we find it, and are persuaded that all things shall work together for good; your title is clearer, experience greater : 1 Cor. viii. 3, ' If any man love God, the same is known of him ; ' that is, owned by him in the course of his providence. If we are sanctified to God, all things would be sanctified to us. It is otherwise with hypocrites : if God endow them with gifts, they prove a snare to them ; but if you love God above all, count his favour your happiness, and make pleasing of God your constant work, and resolve to obey him at the dearest i-ates, you will soon find this testimony of God's love ; then all the influences of his eternal love and grace shall be made out to you, and his external providence doth help you on in the way to heaven ; for a man that loveth God as his chief good shall never be a loser by him.
9. This is a sure and sensible note of effectual calling; for as sincere faith is the immediate fruit of it, so true faith cannot be severed from love. This is that which maketh us saints indeed ; but without it, what- ever gifts and parts we have, whatever knowledge and utterance, we are nothing, 1 Cor. xiii. 1-3. There may be many convictions, and pur- poses, and wishes, and good meanings in those who are yet but under a common work ; but till there be a thorough fixed bent of heart towards God, as our last end and chief good, we have not a sure evidence of grace, or that our calling home to God is accomplished. Many a thought there is of the goodness of God, the necessity of a saviour, the love of Christ, and the joys of heaven ; yet after all this, the heart
284 SERMONS UPON EOMANS VIU. [SeR. XXXVIII.
may be unrenewed and unsanctified till this addictedness and devoted- ness to God ; for it is not every wish or minding of Christ, but a hearty, sincere affection, which is required of us as to our title : Eph. vi. 24, ' Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ ia sincerity;' not for a time, not with an ineffectual love, or upon some foreign motives, but have this habitual love which constituteth the new heart. Well then, this is a sure mark of one that hath interest in the love of God, and one of those marks which is best known to the person that hath it ; for love to Christ cannot be well hidden, but will be easily discerned.
Use, To inform us that these are for the present excepted out of this privilege that do not sincerely love God, and love him above all.
They are of two sorts —
1. Some have a weak and imperfect motion of their wills — a wish, a faint desire to please God in all, and above all things ; but being over- come by their own lusts, they do not simply and absolutely desire it, and had rather please their fleshly lusts than please God ; at least the event doth so declare it. Tou give God nothing, if you do not give him all the heart. We are so to love God and seek his glory and do his will when it is cross to our carnal interest ; his favour must be valued as our happiness, and the pleasing of him made our greatest work ; and for his sake we must be content to suffer anything, though never 60 hard and difficult and contrary to our nature. Let not such say they love God that cannot deny a lust for him, nor will not for his sake venture the loss of anything that is dear to them, either goods, or liberty, or favour of men, or preferment, or credit. Pilate was loth to venture the Jews' displeasure ; the Gadarenes would part with Christ rather than their swine ; surely if we put the love of God to hazard upon light occasions, we do not love him, nor count his favom- our supreme happiness.