gives this as the duty of every man according to the dictates of his most deliberate judgment : '* The love of Christ constrain- eth us, because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead ; and that he died for all, that they who live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him who died for them, and rose again''." Was he mistaken in his judgment? and are we at liberty to alienate from him what he has purchased at so great a price ?]
3. Because of his relation to us, as our Father — [If we profess to have been born again, and begotten to
God by his word and Spirit, then are we yet further bound to him by the relation he sustains towards us : " What manner of love is this, wherewith the Father hath loved us, that we should be called the sons of God!" Can we have learned to cry, " Abba, Father!" and doubt whether the giving of our hearts to him be a reasonable service? The utmost then we can do to serve and honour him is no more than our bounden duty.]
4. Because of the utter wortlilessness of all his
competitors —
[What is there worthy to be compared with him ? The whole creation is but as "a broken cistern that can hold no water." Shall we then, " for any thing that is in it, forsake the Fountain of living waters ? " Survey the choicest blessings that the world affords ; and they are all " vanity and vexation of spirit." Are these then to stand in competition with him who is the unfailing and only source of all blessedness ? The more we see the vanity of all created good, the more we shall see the reasonableness of giving our hearts to God alone. We must not only not love our father or mother more than him, but must " hate every earthly relative, yea, and our own lives also, ill comparison of him'."]
Address —
1. In a way of affectionate invitation —
[In this view we may take the words of our text, even as an invitation to us from the Lord Jesus Christ to set our affec- tions on him alone. And how astonishing is it that he will accept such hearts as oui's ! If we of ourselves had presumed to offer them to him, how justly might he have rejected and despised the offering ! Yet behold, he solicits it at our hands ! And what can such an offering add to him ? Does he need any thing from us ? or can we add any thing to him ? O then admire and adore this astonishing condescension ; and let him not woo your souls in vain.]
2. In a way of authoritative injunction —
k 2 Cor. v. 14, 15. ' Luke xiv. 2G.