I desire it, first, on your own account : for truly the exei'cise of love is a heaven upon earth. " Love is of God ; and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him." Look at the Christians that are full of doubts and fears;
^ ver. 4, 5. ^ inSv^ov^tv.
and you will almost invariably find, that they are compara- tively selfish, indolent, unprofitable servants, and greatly de- fective both in love to man and in zeal for God. On the other hand, look at the laborious and self-denying Christians, and you will find almost invariably that they are happy in their own souls, and happy in their prospects of the eternal world. For your own sakes therefore I would say, Live in the constant exercise of love, and spare no pains to honour God and to benefit his Church and people.
Next, I would desire it /or the ChurcJis sake. How happy must that Church be, where such is the employment of all its members ! What peace, and love, and harmony will prevail among them ! What mutual edification will be found in all their social intercourse! and with what joy will they go up together to the house of God ! Nor will the odour of their graces refresh themselves only ; it will be fragrant also in the nostrils of many who have never experienced any such emo- tions in their own souls, and will cause them to say. We will go with you ; for we perceive that God is with you of a truth.
But, above all, I would desire it /or the Lord's sake, that he may be glorified ; for in comparison of this all other motives are weak and of no account". If it be true that " herein is the Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit," it must be most eminently true, when that fruit is such as is described in our text. Has the Lord Jesus Christ said, that " what we do unto the least of his Disciples, we do it unto him ;" what delight must he not feel in a Church where all the members are vying with each other in the exercises of love ? " When the spices of his garden thus flow out, our Beloved will surely come into it, and eat his pleasant fruits ''."
To all then of every description I say, " Walk in love : and, if ye have already begun this heavenly course, labour to abound more and more'."]
• 2 Cor. ix. 11—14. k Cant. iv. 16.
' If this be a Charity Sermon, the particular object of the Charity may here be stated ; and if it be not to benefit saints, yet if it be to make saints, it will be no less pleasing in the sight of God.