persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors, through him that loved us. Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom. viii. 33-39.

Observe where this love is placed were it our love to God, how easily might the power of temptation separate us from it, or it from us; for what stability is there in our affections, which like water are so much the more apt to freeze, because they have been heated. But it is the love of God to us in Christ Jesus, which is ever like himself, constant and eternal. He can no more cease to love us, than to be himself: he cannot but be unchangeable, and we cannot but be happy.

10. Motives to love Christ, arising from what he has done and suffered for us.

ALL this, dear Jesus, hast thou suffered for us. Oh now for a heart in some degree answerable to thy mercies! An upright mind hates to be in debt for love, and is ready to repay favours with interest. Oh for a soul sick of love; yea, sick unto death! Why should I, how can I be otherwise affected, oh my Saviour? This only sickness is my health, this death is my life; and not to be thus sick, is to be dead in trespasses and sins. I am a stone, and not flesh, if I be not wounded with these heavenly darts. Ardent affection is apt to attract love, even where there is little or no beauty; and excellent beauty is no less apt to enflame the heart, where there is no return of affection. But when these two meet together, what breast can hold against them? And here they are both in an eminent degree. Thou canst say even of thy poor church, though labouring under many imperfections, Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; thou hast ravished my heart, with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy

neck. How fair is thy love, my sister, my spouse!' And canst thou, blessed Saviour, be so taken with the unadorned and homely features of thy faithful ones; and shall not we be much more, altogether enamoured of thine absolute and heavenly beauty? Of thee every believing soul can say, My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand. His head is as the most fine gold; his eyes are as the eyes of doves, by the rivers of waters; his cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers; his lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh.' It hath pleased thee, oh Lord, out of thy sweet and heavenly love, to say to thy poor church, Turn away thine eyes from me, for they have overcome me.' But oh, let me say to thee, Turn thine eyes towards me, that they may overI would be thus ravished, thus overcome. I would be thus out of myself, that I might be all in thee.

come me.

Thou lovedst me before I had any being: now that I have a being, let me be wholly taken up with thy love. Let me set all my soul upon thee, who gavest me my being; upon thee, who art the eternal and absolute SelfBeing; who hast said, and only could say, I am that I am. Alas, Lord, we are nothing, but what thou wilt have us be; and we cease to be, when thou callest in that breath of life which thou hast lent us. Thou art that incomprehensibly glorious, and infinitely self-existent Spirit; from eternity, in eternity, to eternity; in and from whom all things are. It is thy wonderful mercy that thou wouldst condescend so low as to vouchsafe to be loved of my wretchedness; of whom thou mightest justly require and expect nothing but terror and trembling. It is my happiness, that I may be allowed to love a Majesty so infinitely glorious. Oh let me not be so far wanting to my own felicity, as to be less than ravished with thy love.

Thou lovedst me when I was loathsome, forlorn, and miserable: shall I not now love thee, when thou hast freed me and decked me with the ornaments of thy grace. Lord Jesus, who should enjoy the fruit of thine own favours but thyself? How shamefully injurious

were it, that when thou hast trimmed up my soul, it should prostitute itself to the love of the world! Oh take my heart to thee alone; possess thyself of that which none but thyself can claim.

Thou lovedst me when I was a professed rebel against thee; and receivedst me, not to mercy only, but to the endearment of a subject, a servant, a son: where should I place my gratitude, my loyalty and duty, but upon thee? Thou hast so loved us, that thou wouldst become the Son of man for our sakes; that we, who are the sons of men, might become the sons of God. Oh that we could put off the man, to put on Christ; that we could neglect and hate ourselves for thee, who hast so dearly loved us, as to lay aside thy heavenly glory for us. How shall I be vile enough, oh Saviour, for thee; who for my sake, being the Lord of life and glory, wouldst take upon thee the form of a servant. should I welcome that poverty, which thy choice hath sanctified. How resolutely should I grapple with the temptations of that enemy, whom thou hast foiled for

me.

How

How cheerfully should I pass through those miseries and that death, which thou hast sweetened. With what comfortable assurance should I look upon the face of that merciful justice, which thou hast satisfied!

But oh, what a blessed inheritance hast thou in thine infinite love provided; an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for me. When my earthly house of this tabernacle shall be dissolved, I have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. A house? Yea, a palace of heavenly state and magnificence. Nor is it less than a kingdom that abides there for me; a kingdom as much above these worldly monarchies, as heaven is above this clod of earth. And what affections can be answerable to such transcendent mercy? some friend be pleased to bestow a mean legacy upon me, or possess me of a few acres of his land; how deeply do I feel myself obliged to the love and memory of so kind a benefactor! How then, Lord, can my soul be capable of those thoughts and dispositions, which

If

may reach to the least proportion of thine infinite bounty. Of a poor worm on earth, thou hast made me an heir of the kingdom of heaven. Earthly principalities are ever liable to hazard and mutability, through death or insurrection. But this crown which thou hast laid up for me, shall sit immovably fast upon my head; not for years only, nor for millions of ages, but to all eternity. Oh let it be my heaven here below, to live in a perpetual fruition of thee; and to begin those hallelujahs which shall be as endless as thy mercy, and my blessedness.

11.

my

Motives arising from the Work of Redemption.

HADST thou been pleased to translate me from paradise, the most delightful seat of man's original integrity and happiness, to the glory of the highest heaven, the preferment had been infinitely gracious; but to bring soul from the nethermost hell, and to place it among the choir of angels, doubles thy mercy, and the measure of my obligation. How thankful was the prophet to Ebedmelech, who by a cord and rags let down into his dark dungeon, helped him out of that uncomfortable pit wherein he was lodged: yet what was there but a little cold or hunger, closeness or obscurity. Lord, how should I bless thee, who hast fetched my soul from that pit of eternal horror, from that lake of fire and brimstone, from the everlasting torments of the damned, wherein I had deserved to perish for ever?

I will sing of thy power; unto thee, oh my strength, will I sing for God is my deliverer, and the God of my mercy.'

But, oh Lord, if thou shouldst still leave me in my own hands, where should I be! How easily might I be robbed of thee, with every temptation; how made the scorn and contempt of men and devils! It is thy wonderful mercy, that thou hast given thine angels charge over me. Those angels, great in power and glorious in majesty, are my sure though invisible guard. Blessed Jesus, what an honour, what a safety is this, that those heavenly spirits which attend thy throne,

should be my champions. Those that ministered to thee after thy temptation, are ready to assist and relieve me in mine. They can neither neglect their charge, because they are perfectly holy; nor fail of their victory, because under thee they are most powerful. I see you, oh ye blessed guardians, I see you by the eye of faith, no less truly than the eye of sense sees my bodily attendants. I do truly, though spiritually, feel your presence, by your gracious operations in, upon, and for me and I do heartily bless my God and yours, for you; and for those saving offices, which through his merciful appointment, you evermore perform for my soul.

But as it was with thine Israelites of old, who would not be content with the promise that thou wouldst send thine angel before them, to bring them into the land flowing with milk and honey, unless thy presence, oh Lord, should go also along with them; so is it still with me and all thine. Wert not thou thyself with us and in us, what could thine angels do for us? In thee it is they move and are. The same infinite Spirit which works in and by them, works also in me. From thee it is, thou blessed and eternal Spirit, that I have any stirrings of holy motions and breathings of good desires, any life of grace, any will to resist, any power to overcome evil. It is thou, oh God, that girdest me with strength to the battle: thou hast given me the shield of thy salvation: thy right hand hath holden me up thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies. Glory and praise be to thee, oh Lord, who always causest us to triumph in Christ; who crownest us with lovingkindness and tender mercies, and hast not withheld from us the best of thy favours.

Truly, Lord, hadst thou given us only a mere being, as thou hast done to the lowest rank of thy creatures, it had been more than thou owest us, more than we could ever be able to requite; for every being is good, and the least degree of good is far above our worthiness. But that to our being thou hast added life, is yet a higher measure of thy mercy; for of all thy common favours, life is the most precious. Yet this is such a