How shall we know whether our hearts are under the powerful influence of the love of Christ in dying for us ? Why, the love of Christ in dying for us has three properties with it, which will have an influence on our souls, if we are affected with it : —
1. It has a transforming power, property, and efficacy with it. They are plain truths I am speaking, but of great concern to our souls, to know whether we are affected with the love of Christ or not. If we are rightly affected with it, I say, it will transform and change our whole souls in some measure into the likeness of Christ. How so ? I will tell you in the most familiar manner I am able :— If you are affected with the love of Christ, it lays hold upon and possesses your affections; the affections being possessed, stir up many thoughts; thoughts are the very image of the soul, represent it, to show you what the soul is: and those things concerning which your thoughts do most abound, they carry the frame of the soul. Let a man pro- fess what he will, if his thoughts are generally conversant about earthly and worldly things, he has an earthly and worldly mind ; and if [his] thoughts are conversant about sensual things, he has a sensual and carnal mind : for, whatever he may outwardly say, as he thinks, so is he; — there is the image and likeness of the soul.
Now, if we are affected with the love of Christ, it will beget in our souls many thoughts of Christ, — in our lying down and in our rising up, in our beds, in our ways, on our occasions, as well as in ordi- nances. If, indeed, our hearts are affected with the love of Christ, our thoughts of Christ will abound; and those thoughts will work again on our affections, and conform our souls more and more unto the image of Jesus Christ, That man who thinks much of the earth,
G08 SACRAMENTAL DISCOURSES.
because affected with it, his soul is like the earth; and that man who thinks much on the love of Christ, because he is affected with it, his soul is like Christ.
If it has been thus with us, brethren, in our preparation for this ordinance, or at any time, that thoughts of Christ have not abounded, verily there has been a failing in us. Let us strive for the future to amend it, that we may find the love of Christ begetting in us many thoughts of him, working upon our affections, and, with a transforming power, changing the frame of our souls into his own likeness.
Again: 2. The love of Christ, if we are affected with it, has an attractive power: John xii. 32, " And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." I cannot stay to show you the drawing power and efficacy there is in the love of Christ, when dying on the cross ; but this I will say, it is that which converted the world of all that did believe. It was the love of Christ, set forth in his death as one crucified for them, that drew all men unto him. " When I am lifted Tip, — when I have accomplished, manifested, and evidenced the unspeakable love which I have for the sinful sons of men, in being lifted up for them, — I will draw them unto me." If you have a true sense, brethren, of the love of Christ in dying for you, it will draw your souls unto him. Cant. i. 4, " Draw me, we will run after thee." I do not now speak to you about the first drawing of Christ, which is as unto believing (I hope Christ bas so drawn all our souls) ; but the following efficacy of the love of Christ to draw souls that do believe nearer unto him. Whoever is sensible of this attractive power of the death of Christ, it will have this efficacy upon him, — it will have adherence and delight, —it will cause him more to cleave to Christ. The soul will cleave to Cbrist with delight, that is affected with the attractive, drawing power of his loving-kindness in his death. There is a great deal in that word, " Cleave unto Christ with love and delight," with the best of our affections and dearest of our valuations; to cleave to him with trust, and to him alone. I do but remind you of what you know, that you may reduce it into practice. Pray, in this ordi- nance, labour to have such a sense of the drawing power of the love of Christ in his death, that you may resolve to cleave unto him with full purpose of heart, to cleave unto this Christ who has thus loved us.
3. Whenever we are affected with the love of Christ, it is accom- panied with a constraining power, 2 Cor. v. 14, " The love of Christ constraineth us;" and that constraint is unto obedience: it constrains us to judge that we ought to live to him who died for us. It is a blessed thing, brethren, to walk in our obedience under a sense of the constraining efficacy of the love of Christ. Take but this one word, to discover to you whether you walk in your obedience under