Xr.V.. 15.] SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHFANS V. 213
lie doth principally design and endeavour after ; what his heart is most set upon, what he seeketh in the first place. Mat vi. 33 ; the pleasing or gloritying of God, or the pleasing and glorifying of the flesh, in some inferior good thing. AVhat is it they live for? So nothing in the world is so dear to you but you can leave it for God ; nothing you love so well but you love God better, and can part with it for his sake, and lay it at his feet ; nothing you would use and do but in order to God. But on the other side you give God a little respect, such as the flesh can spare, with the fragments and scraps of the table, when the flesh is full and is satisfied ; some crumbs of your estate, time, strength, but your life and love is employed about other things ; not careful to live to God, to serve him in all your affairs, to eat, and drink, and trade to his glory, and to redeem your time to attend upon him : this they understand not, mind not, and therefore still Uve to themselves.
2. I observe that which is spoken of is living to self and living to God. Living doth not note one single action, but the trade, course, and strain of our conversations, whether it be referred to self or God. Every single act of inordinate self-love is a sin, but living to ourselves is a state of sin. A man lives to self when self is his principle, his rule, and his end, the governing principle that sets him on work, or the spring that sets all the wheels a-going — the great end they aim at, and the rule by which they are guided and measure all things. If it be for themselves, they have a life in the work ; so the apostle : Phil. ii. 21, ' All seek their own things, and not the things of Jesus Christ.' 'Their own things' are their worldly ease, and profit, and credit ; when the things wherein Christ's honour and kingdom are concerned are neglected. Any interest of their own maketh them ready, industriou.s, zealous, it may be, for Christ, when there are out- ward encouragements to a duty ; but when no encouragements, rather the contrary ; then cold and slack. So, on the other side, we live to God when his grace, or the new nature in us, is our principle, his service our work, or the business of our lives, and his glory our great end and scope ; when we have nothing, and can do nothing, but as from God, and by him, and for him: Phil. i. 11, 'Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, to the praise and glory of God.'
3. That love to God is the great principle that draweth us off from self to God ; for it is said, ' The love of Christ constraineth us.' That is the beginning of all this discourse : such as a man's love, inclination, and nature is, such will be the drift of his life. And therefore self-denial is never powerful and thorough unless it be caused by the love of God. But when a man once heartily loveth God, he can lay all things at God's feet, and suffer all things and endure all things for God's sake. Men will not be frightened from self-love ; it must be another more powerful love which must draw them from it ; as one nail driveth out another. Now what can be more powerful than the love of God, whicli is as strong as death ? Many waters cannot quench it, nor will it be bribed, Cant. viii. 7. This overcometh our natural self-love; so that not only time, and strength, and estate, but life and all shall go for his glory : Eev. xii. 11, ' They loved not their Hves to the death.' Self-love is so deeply
214 SERMONS UrON 2 CORINTHIANS V. [SeU. XXX.
rooted in us, especiall}^ love of life, that it must be something strong and powerful that must overcome it. What is nearer to us than ourselves ? This is Christ's love. Xone deserveth their love so much as Christ. I know no happiness but to enjoy his love and glory ; this prevaileth beyond their natural inclination.
4. The great thing which breedeth and feedeth this love is Christ's dying, that we might be dead to sin and the world, and might also be alive to Grod. The object of love is goodness. Now such goodness as this should beget love to Christ. This may be con- sidered,—
[1.] As to the intention of the Eedeemer. Surely if he aimed at this — the love and service of his redeemed ones — it is fit that he should obtain this end. Now this was Christ's end : Rom. xiv. 9, ' For this end Christ died, and rose again, and revived, that he might be lord of dead and living.' Christ had this in his eye, a power and dominion over us all, that he might rule us and govern us, and bring us into a perfect obedience of his will ; that none of us might do what liketh him best, but what is most acceptable to Christ.