s Rom. xvi. 4. b Phil. ii. 30.
2448. J Christ's love a pattern for us. 449
could say, " If T be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy and rejoice with you all'."]
For the further improvement of the subject,
1. Let us contemplate our obligations —
[The love of God, which ought to be ever uppermost in our minds, alas ! how light an impression does it make upon us ! Even the mystery of the incarnation of God's only dear Son, and of " his laying down his life for us," is heard without any emotion, and regarded with little more concern, than if it were only " a cunningly-devised fable." What shall I say then, brethren? Must there not be something essentially wrong, where such insensibility exists ? are we not ashamed ? are we not confounded, when we consider the state of our souls hi this respect ? Let us rise to a sense of our duty. Let us view our obligations to Almighty God : let us dwell upon them night and day: and let us never rest till our whole souls go forth in love to him, who has loved us, and given himself for us.]
2. Let us address ourselves to our duties —
[Methinks, the duty of love should be no burthen to us : it is in itself most delightful ; and brings always its own reward along with it. Let us then exercise it in all its branches. Let every disposition contrary to love be mortified and subdued : all envy, hatred, malice, wrath, uncharitable- ness, let it all be banished from our hearts ; and let the love which hopeth all things, believeth all things, endureth all things, be the one reigning principle in our souls.
Let this principle too be brought into activity for the benefit of all mankind. Our time, our talents, our property, our very life, let it all be consecrated to the Lord for the glory of his name, and for the welfare of his Church and people. Let us not be indulging vain excuses, and saying, ' This will require sacrifices, which I am unwilling to make : that will require abilities which I do not possess.' What sacrifice is there beyond that of life ? Even that it is our duty to make for the world and for the Church ; and therefore every subordi- nate sacrifice should be of no account. And as for talents and abilities, if only we will use those which we have, God will glorify himself by them, and render them subservient to the welfare of mankind, if only we will endeavour to improve them with diligence, and to exercise them with fidelity.
You see what God would have us both to be and do : he would have us overwhelmed with a sense of his love to us, and abounding in the most self-denying exercises of love to
1 Phil. ii. 17.