2. With love and gratitude —
[Men in general speak of the great mystery of redemp- tion as a common thing ; and will repeat the Creed, or the truths contained in it, with as much indifference, as if the Gospel were nothing but "a cunningly-devised fable." We might live with them for years, and never once hear them speak with rapture on this glorious theme. But " ye have not so learned Christ, if so be ye have heard him and been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus." " The love of Christ," if truly known and believed, will " have a constraining efficacy, to make us live to him who died for us." The moment we feel it aright, we shall inquire, How can I requite it acceptably? What shall I render to the Lord for all these wonders of love and mercy? Contracted as our views of this mystery may be, " we shall count all things but loss and dung for the excellency
of the knowledge of it." It will be the one subject of our meditations, the one theme of our praise ]
3. With a desire to know our own personal interest in it —
[The man that has no fears or jealousies about his interest in the love of God, has no just conception of it at all. He may descant learnedly on the Scriptures, but he knows nothing of the mystery contained in them. To be in suspense and doubt whether we are accepted in the Beloved, is to a true Christian more painful than the severest bodily suffering could be. On the other hand, to be able to say, " Christ hath loved me and given himself for me ;" " My Beloved is mine, and I am his ;" this is a very heaven upon earth : and when the Christian can adopt this language, and feel " the love of God shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Ghost," " his soul is indeed satified as with marrow and fatness :" he cares for nothing, and desires nothing: created objects lose all their lustre, when once he has thus beheld the Sun of Righteousness shining in his glory.]
Address —
1, Those who have not this evidence within them —
[There can be no difficulty in making the foregoing inquiries. But it is a fearful thing to find on examination that we have not the grace of God in us. O think not lightly of the distinction that has been pointed out ! for it will form a ground of distinction in the day of judgment, and deter- mine our abode either in heaven or in helld. Remember, too, that you will in that day be wholly without excuse. Others may say, ' It was my misfortune rather than my fault that I did not know and believe the love of God in Christ Jesus; for I never had it faithfully declared unto me.' But to you there has been no want of instruction to enlighten, no want of evidence to convince you : so that your ignorance and unbelief involve you in the deepest guilte. O continue not in such a state as this! but pray that " the Spirit of wisdom and revelation may be given to you, and that the eyes of your understanding may be enlightened f," that " you perish not for lack of knowledge."]
2. Those who can adopt the language of our text —
[If you can with truth declare that you have known and believed the love of God, then we must say to you, " Blessed
d 2 Thess. i. 7—10. e Hos. iv. 6. 2 Cor. iv. 4. Heb. ii. 3.
f Eph. i. 10— 18.