In the Old Testament the love of God was the life and substance of all obedience. " Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, thy mind and strength," was the sum of the law. This includes in it all obedience, and, where it is genuine, will produce all the fruits of it ; and where it was not, no multiplication of duties was accepted with him. But this in general we do not now treat of
That the person of Christ is the especial object of this divine love, which is the fire that kindles the sacrifice of our obedience unto him — this is that alone which at present I design to demonstrate.
The apostle hath recorded a very severe denunciation of divine wrath against all that love him not : " If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha," 1 Cor. xvi. 22. And what was added unto the curse of the Law we may add unto
110 THE PERSON OF CHRIST.
this of the Gospel : " And all the people shall say, Amen," Deut. xxvii. 26. And, on the other hand, he prays for grace on all that " love him in sincerity," Eph. vi. 24. Wherefore, none who desire to retain the name of Christians, can deny, in words at least, but that we ouffht, with all our hearts, to love the Lord Jesus Christ.
I do not so distinguish love from obedience as though it Avere not itself a part, yea, the chiefest part, of our obedience. So is faith also ; yet is it constantly distinguished from obedience, properly so called. This alone is that which I shall demonstrate — namely, that iliere is, and ought to be, in all believers, a divine, gracious love unto the 'person of Christ, immediately fixed on him, whereby they are excited unto, and acted in, all their obedience unto his authority. Had it been only pleaded, that many who pretend love unto Christ do yet evidence that they love him not, it is that which the Scrip- ture testiiieth, and continual experience doth proclaim. If an appli- cation of this charge had been made unto them whose sincerity in their profession of love unto him can be no way evicted, it ought to be borne wdth patience, amongst other reproaches of the same kind that are cast upon them. And some things are to be premised unto the confirmation of our assertion.
1. It is granted that there may bo a false pretence of love unto Christ ; and as this pretence is ruinous unto the souls of them in whom it is, so it ofttimes renders them prejudicial and troublesome unto others. There ever were, and probably ever will be, hypocrites in the church; and a false pretence of love is of the essential form of hypocrisy. The first great act of hypocrisy, with respect unto Christ, was treachery, veiled vrith a double pretence of love. He cried, " Hail, Master ! and kissed him," who betrayed him. His words and actions proclaimed love, but deceit and treachery were in his heart. Hence the apostle prays for grace on them who love the Lord Jesus h ap^afc/a— without dissimulation or doubling, without pretences and aims at other ends, without a mixture of coiTupt affec- tions ; that is, in sincerity, Eph. vi. 24. It was prophesied of him, that many who were strangers imto his grace should lie unto him, Ps. xviii. 44, ^^-lEJ'na;' ibi ^23 — feignedly submit, or yield feigned obedi- ence unto liim. So is it with them who profess love unto him, yet are enemies of his cross, " whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, wlio mind earthly things," Phil. iii. 18, 19. All that are called Christians in the world, do, by owning that denomination, profess a love unto Jesus Christ; but greater enemies, greater haters of him, he hath not among the children of men, than many of them are. This falsely pretended love is worse than avowed hatred; noilher will the pretence of it stand men in stead at the. last day. No other answer will be given unto the plea
MOTIVES OF TRUE LOVE TO CHRIST. 141
of it, be it in Vv'liom it will, but " Depart from me, I never knew you, ye workers of iniquity/' Whereas, therefore, he himself hath pre- scribed this rule unto all who would be esteemed his disciples, " If ye love me, keep my commandments," we may safely conclude, all who live in a neglect of his commands, whatever they pretend or profess, they love him not. And the satisfaction which men, through much darkness, and many corrupt prejudices, have attained unto in the profession of Christian religion, without an internal, sincere love unto Christ himself, is that which ruins religion and their own souls.
2. As there is a false pretence of love unto Christ, so there is, or may be, a false love unto him also. The persons in whom it is may in some measure be sincere, and yet their love unto Christ may not be pure, nor sincere — such as answers the principles and i-ules of the Gospel ; and as many deceive others, so some deceive themselves in this matter. They may think that they love Christ, but indeed do not so ; and this I shall manifest in some few instances.