man," &c. These are in the form of a judicial sen- tence, which we shall,
I. Explain —
The solemnity with which this sentence is delivered surely bespeaks our most candid attention : but how shall we, in drawing the line between nominal and real Christians, speak with such precision, as neither to discourage the weak, nor to confirm hypocrites or formalists in their delusions ? Let us explain,
1. What it is to love the Lord Jesus Christ —
[Love, whatever be its object, implies such an esteem of that object, such a desire after it, and such a delight in it, as the object itself deserves. What would be an idolatrous fond- ness when placed on one object, would fall very far short of the affection that might be justly claimed by another. Now Christ being incomparably more worthy of our love than any created being, our love to him ought to be unrivalled and supreme. To compliment him with honourable titles, while we feel no real regard for him in our souls, is no better than an impious mockery. We must entertain high and exalted thoughts of him as the Saviour of the world ; and have learned with Paul to " count all things but dross and dung in com- parison of him" We must also feel such need of him
in his mediatorial office and character, as to say with David, " My soul longeth for thee even as the hart panteth for the water-brooks ;" " Whom have I in heaven but thee, and there
is none upon earth that I desire besides thee" Our
fellowship with him, moreover, must be sweet : nor must we find less pleasure in doing his will than in enjoying his pre- sence ■ — This is the criterion whereby he himself has
taught us to judge of our love to him^.]
2. What is the judgment denounced against those who are destitute of this love ? —
["Anathema" is a term often used to signify only an ecclesiastical censure, or an excommunication from the Church ; but the addition of the word " Maran-atha " necessitates us to understand it in reference to the judgment at the last day. Under the Jewish law there were many crimes that were to be punished with death ; and, when a person was convicted of one of these, he was executed according to the divine com- mand: but when the Jews were brought into subjection to the Romans, they lost the power of life and death^: when there-
a Johnxiv. 21. and xv. 14. ^ John xviii. 31.