Means. 1. Kouse up thyself, and consider often the end for which you were created, and sent into the world. Our Lord saith, John xviii. 37, ' For this cause was I born, and for this end sent into the world, that I might bear witness to the truth.' So should every one consider for what errand God sent him into the world. If these self-communings were more rife, they would do us a great deal of good. Why do I live here ? What have I done in pursuance of my great end ? Most men live as beasts, eat and drink, and trade and die ; and there is all that can be said of them. Little have they served God, or done good
VeR. 13.] SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. 135
in their generation. Certainly you were not made to serve yourselves, nor any other creatures, but that other creatures might serve you, and ye serve God. Will ye once sit down in good earnest about this busi- ness, and mind the work for which ye were born ? Many never asked yet in good earnest for what purpose they came into the worki ; and then no wonder they wander and walk at random, since they have not as yet proposed any certain scope and aim to themselves. AH that we have to know is, what is our end, and the right way to obtain it ; and all that we have to do is to seek the end, by those means. Now we should often consider, whether we do so yea, or no ; for comparing our ways with our rule, is the way to awake and come to wisdom : Ps. cxix. 59, ' I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.' I labour, I take pains, I rise early, I go to bed late, but to what end is all this ? What is it that my soul doth principally aim at in all these things ? Oh, consider seriously and frequently, for whom are you at work, for whom are you speaking and spending your time ? For whom do 3'ou use your bodies, your souls, your time, your estate, your labours, and cares ? Oh, my soul what is thy end in all these things ?
2.. Remember thou art not thine own to dispose of. The sense of God's interest in us should be often renewed upon our hearts, 1 Cor. vi. 19. ' Ye are not your own ; therefore glorify God.' He hath a full right in all that we have and do : Rom. xiv. 8, ' For whether we live, we live unto the Lord ; or whether we die, we die unto the Lord : whether we live therefore or die, we are the Lord's.' He hath jus possidendi, disponendi et utendi — a power to possess, dispose, and use the creature at his own pleasure. And if they alienate themselves from him, or use themselves to any other purpose than for his service and glory, they do as much as in them lieth to dispossess him of his right ; there is nothing doth so strongly bind us, absolutely to resign ourselves to the will, use and service of our creator, as his right and interest in us. It is meet that God should be served with his own. Every man expecteth to receive the fruit of his vineyard, the improvement of his own money and goods. We think we speak reasonably, when we say we demand but our own. All the disorder of the creature proceedeth from the denial, or forgetfulness, of God's propriety in us : Ps. xii. 4, ' Our tongues are our own, who is lord over us ? ' Therefore if we would live unto God, we must often think of it, and revive it upon our souls, that we may not dispose of ourselves, or anything that is ours, but for the glory of God, and prefer his interest before our own.
3. Consider how much we are bound in gratitude to devote ourselves to God's use and service, for the great mercies of creation, redemption and daily providence. Certainly if we have a due sense of the Lord's goodness to us, we will devote the whole man, our whole time and strength, to his service, will, and honour ; the glorifying of God is the fruit of love. The context showeth that love is but the reflex of God's love, or the beating back of his beam upon himself. Because he hath loved us, we love him ; and because we love him, we live to him, and seek his glory and honour. It is gratitude keepeth this resolution afoot, of being and doing all things for God ; he showed love to us in creation, when we started out of nothing into the life and being of man. But he shov>-ed more love to us in redemption, when his own Son came to die
136 SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. [SeR. XXII.
for US ; and that is tlie greater eogagement to bind us to live unto God. And so it is pressed everywhere in the scripture. But yet God re- neweth his mercies to us every day, that the variety and freshness of them, producing new delight, may revive the feelings of his love and goodness, and excite us to renewed zeal for his glory and delight in his service, and to employ our time and strength to his glory, with a thankful heart. In short, creation bindeth us ; for to whom should we live but to him from whom and by whom we live ? Having all from God, we should in gratitude bring back all to him. Eedemption bindeth us, for we are purchased to God, not to ourselves ; and God carried it on, in such an astonishing way, the more to oblige us that we might readily and freely yield up ourselves to live to him ; daily mercies bind us to sweeten our service, God being so good a master.