Use 1. Is information.
1. To show what cause they have to be ashamed, that are discouraged by smaller temptations ; that cannot ' run with the footmen,' Jer. xii. 6. The smallest things separate them from the love of God in Christ, or darken the comfort of it in their souls.
2. The great privileges of a christian. Turn him to what condi- tion you will, raise him or cast him down, kill him or spare his life, you cannot harm him ; enrich him, or beggar him, his happiness is not at your command ; he is not at the disposal of any creature in the world, devils or men. Crosses and contrary winds blow him to
VOL. XII. 2 D
418 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SeR. XLVII.
lieaven, Cant. iv. 16 ; and here, death, life, height, depth. If God hath good to do by his Hfe, he will preserve him ; if his work is ended, he will take him away by death. All doth better his heart, or hasten his glory.
3. What an advantage those christians have above others, that make it their bu.siness to love God, and count it their happiness to be beloved by him. Take either ; first, that make it their business to love God. Love God once, and all that he doth will be acceptable to you, and all that you do will be acceptable to him : for if we love him, nothing will be grievous ; not commands grievous, nor trials grievous : 1 John v. 3 ; Heb. xii. 6, ' Whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth.' It is from a father ; and all that you do is acceptable to God. The lover's mite is better taken, than the vast treasures of enforced service. If you love him, you may be sure he loveth you, John xiv. 21. Secondly, they count it their happiness to be beloved by him ; and then under the sorest temptations, it is enough that God loveth them. If he will not take away his loving-kindness from them, it is enough, though he visit them with scourges. Other things will not satisfy them without this, but this satisfieth them in the want of all other things, Ps. cvi. 7.
Use 2. Is to exhort us to several duties.
1. To the great duties of Christianity, which give us an interest in this unchangeable love. I shall instance in faith and love.
[1.] By faith to put our souls in Christ's hands, for there alone we are safe against temptations : 2 Tim. i. 12, ' For I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded, that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him, rr^v -TrapaKaTaOijKrjv fiov ; ' and 1 Peter iv. 19, ' Commit the keeping of your souls to him ; ' so Ps. xxxvii. 3, 4, ' Trust in the Lord, and do good, so shalt thou dwell in the land ; verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself in the Lord, and he shall give thee thy heart's desire.' It is not a devout sloth or careless negligence, hut a resolution to take his way, and adhere to it, trusting him with all events. We may do it upon the, confidence of his willing- ness, fidelity, and sufficiency. His office showeth his willingness ; it is his office to save souls, which he cannot possibly neglect : Luke xix. 10, ' The Son of man came to seek and save that which was lost.' His covenant showeth his fidelity: 1 Cor. x. 13, 'But God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able.' His nature or his divine power .showeth his sufficiency. He is God, Phil. iii. 21, and he is with God, Heb. vii. 25.
[2.] The next great duty is love ; for love is the mutual bond between us and Christ, as Christ is the bond of union between God and us. We must not intermit our own love ; the love of God keepeth us, and we are bidden to ' keep ourselves in the love of God,' Jude 21 ; 1 John ii. 27, 28, ' Ye shall abide in him,' and then presently, ' Abide in him;' and John xv. 5, ' Abide in me, and I in you.' The greatest danger of breaking is on our part ; there is no fear on Christ's part. Now we must use the means, possess the heart with the love of God in Christ. We must believe the love of God, think of it often, not by light thoughts, but let it be radicated in our hearts, and let us rouse up ourselves to love God again, who hath showed so much love to us.
Vers. 38, 39.] sermons upon Romans viir. 419
2. Let us forecast all visible dangers, and not fix too peremptorily on temporal happiness. There are a world of vicissitudes in our pilgrimage, but all are ordered for good to a christian. Let us not too peremp- torily fix on life or death, height or depth, but beg of God to sanctify every condition : Phil. iv. 12, ' I know how to be abased, and how to abound ; to be full, and to be hungry ; to abound, and to suffer need.' We are subject to changes ; sometimes in credit and sometimes in dis- grace, sometimes in sickness and sometimes in health, sometimes rich and sometimes poor ; there needeth wisdom to carry ourselves in pro- sperity, as well as adversity.