What encouragement to come continually to Christ does such a prospect afford thee!]

One would suppose that, with such prospects, all should be pressing toward the Saviour with their whole hearts. Let us then proceed to inquire,

II. Whence it is that any fall short of these blessings?

The reason assigned in the text is the most just and most humiliating of any. There is no unwillingness in Christ to save us, but we are unwilling to go to him for salvation.

1. We are indifferent about life

[We consider all pretensions to a new and spiritual life as enthusiasm, and therefore disdain to apply to Christ for it. As for eternal life, we do not wish to hear any thing about it. If the prospect of temporal advancement be held out to us, we can cheerfully and intensely bend our minds to the attainment of it; but if heaven and all its glory be offered us, we slight it utterly. We choose to talk of any subject rather than religion, and universally agree to banish that from our conversation. If at any time the thought of eternity be obtruded upon us, we turn from it with disgust; and are uneasy till some other topic be brought forward. Even in the house of God we hear of heavenly things as if they were fabulous and unworthy of our attention. We love our own ways, though they will end in death; and will not endure to be told of heaven, because we cannot reconcile our minds to the way that leads thither. To this effect is that declaration of Christ, "They that hate me, love death."]

2. We are averse to the way in which alone it is to be obtained

[We will not come to Christ for life: this appears to be too humiliating. If we could obtain life by any works of our own, we would gladly do them; but we cannot bear to be so entirely indebted to another. We do not choose to acknowledge ourselves lost and undone. We hope to establish some righteousness of our own. Hence we neither do, nor will, come to Christ for life and salvation. Besides, this way to life is too strict: as we do not like to come with humility, and faith, so neither do we feel that love which will instigate us to devote ourselves unreservedly to his service. We think that less religion will suffice, and are determined to perish, rather than endure such drudgery. In every ungodly sinner are the

e Prov. viii. 34-36. It is Christ who speaks here, ver. 22-31.

words of our Saviour verified, "How often would I, but ye would not."]

INFER

1. What ground for self-condemnation will there be in the day of judgment!

[Every condemned sinner, however full of excuses now, will then have his mouth shut; yea, even now a moment's reflection must convince us, that every sinner's condemnation is the effect of his own obstinacy. Who amongst you does not know, that he ought to read the word of God, and to seek his face, and to repent of sin, and to flee to Christ for refuge, and to give up himself to Christ in a way of holy obedience? Yet you will not do it. Your conscience at times remonstrates with you yet you will not obey its voice: and your recollections of this in the eternal world will be one of the most bitter ingredients in the cup which you will drink to all eternity.]

2. What astonishing grace and mercy are there in the Lord Jesus Christ!

[His reproof contains in it a most gracious invitation. He addresses all of us at this instant, "Come unto me and I will give you life." Let none resist him any longer. Let us go to him, and he will in no wise cast us out.]

f Matt. xxiii. 37.

Matt. xi. 28.

h John vi. 37.

MDCXXXII.

MEN'S WANT OF LOVE TO GOD.

John v. 42. I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.

OUR blessed Lord "needed not that any should testify of man: for he himself knew perfectly what was in man";" and, consequently, without any reference to overt acts, could determine what was the state of every man's soul before God. Yet, in making known his decisions upon character, he, for the most part, appealed to fact; especially if his testimony was to their discredit. In declaring Nathanael to be "an Israelite indeed, and without guile," he referred to secret transactions, known only to God and to

a John ii. 24, 25.

Nathanael himself: but, in denouncing those whom he was now addressing as destitute of the love of God, he appealed to their obstinacy in rejecting him, notwithstanding the full evidence he had given them of his Messiahship". It is probable that this testimony of his gave great offence: yet is there occasion for it to be given respecting multitudes in the present day; and, no doubt, if he were here present, he still would be constrained to say of many, "I know you, that the love of God is not in you."

In confirmation of this, I will shew,

I. That such characters do still exist

[But where must we look for them? Can it be supposed that a single individual of this character is to be found in the midst of us? Go round to each individual in rotation, and ask each apart, "Have you the love of God in you?" Perhaps there is not one who would not reply, "Yes; I hope and trust I have." Some, I can have no doubt, would be quite indignant at the question; and would answer with disdain, "What! do you suppose I am a downright reprobate?" In this respect there would be but little difference between the different classes of the community. The Moral would deem their morality a decisive proof of the point; nor would the Immoral account their immoralities any proof to the contrary they would find reasons enough for their deviations. from the straight line of duty, without impeaching the integrity of their own hearts before God, and their attachment, on the whole, to him. The Old would conclude, of course, that they could not have attained to their age without having at least secured this first principle of all religion: and the Young would intimate, that, though they make no profession of religion, they are not so destitute of it as this question would imply. would consider it as a libel upon the Christian Church to suppose that such a character should be found within its pale, unless perhaps amongst those, whose whole habits proclaim them to be addicted to every species of iniquity.

All

But it was to those who had been admitted into covenant with God by circumcision, and who were attending the ministry of our blessed Lord, that the words in my text were addressed: and therefore it is more than probable, that still, even amongst professing Christians, there are some who answer to this character; and of whom, one, who had a perfect knowledge of them, might say, "I know you, that the love of God is not in you."]

But the existence of such characters will not be doubted by any of us, when once we have seen, II. How they may be known and distinguished

Doubtless such characters may be known, by themselves at least, if not by their fellow-creatures also. Our fellow-creatures, it is true, can judge only by outward acts, because they cannot discern the workings of the heart: but the point may be ascertained by ourselves at all events, if on examination we find, 1. An habitual want of those dispositions which are essential to love

[Wherever love exists, there must be an esteem of, a desire after, and a delight in, the object beloved: and thesc feelings must bear some proportion to the worthiness of the object himself. Now, of course, if God be that object, he must exceed in our estimation all created good, as much as the meridian sun surpasses the faint radiance of the glow-worm. And, inasmuch as we can never be happy without him, we must thirst after him, even as the hunted deer thirsts after the water brooks; and find in the enjoyment of his presence every desire of our souls completely satisfied. Now, we can be at no loss to discover how far our experience accords with this. At all events, if we be utter strangers to all these exercises of mind, the matter is clear: a voice from heaven could not make it more clear than the testimony of our own conscience has already made it. What should we ourselves judge of the professions of a fellow-creature, who pretended to feel a suitable regard for us, whilst in no one of these respects did he ever manifest it in the smallest degree? The judgment, then, that we should pass on him, we must pass on ourselves; and conclude, for a certainty, that the total absence of all these dispositions towards God proves that the love of God is not in us.] 2. An habitual indulgence of those dispositions which are repugnant to love

[It is not an occasional failure in our duty that will prove us destitute of love to God: for, then, where would so much as one lover of God be found? But if there be in us an habitual indulgence of feelings absolutely inconsistent with the love of God, then also will the point be clearly decided. For instance, God has said, "If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." Again, it is said, "Whoso hath this world's goods, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth

c 1 John ii. 15.

up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?" Again, it is said, "This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments." Now here are marks given us whereby we may know infallibly the state of our souls towards God. If the world and its poor vanities rival him in our hearts, the matter is clear. If we have so little regard for God, that we can shut up our bowels of compassion from our destitute fellow-creatures, instead of relieving them for his sake, then also the point is decided for us. And, lastly, if our love to God do not actuate us so far as to ensure a willing obedience to his every command, then also no doubt is left about the point at issue: we are in every one of these cases declared to be obnoxious to the charge contained in our text.

I say, again, an occasional defect will not warrant so distressing a conclusion; but if our failure be universal, habitual, and allowed, the inference from it is undeniable; and we are declared by God himself to be destitute of any true love to him.] Let us, then, in reference to such unhappy characters, contemplate,

III. In what an awful condition they are

No words can adequately describe the misery of such a state. The persons who are obnoxious to this charge, are in a state,

1. Of fearful delusion

[However pointed out by God, they put far from them the accusation, and boldly deny the charge. They cannot conceive of themselves as persons so lost to all that is good, as to have no love of God whatever in their hearts. They will admit that they do not love him so ardently, or serve him so fully, as they ought: but they will not admit that they have no love to him. They substitute some good sentiments respecting God in the place of real love to him; and thus, deceiving themselves by their own vain imaginations, they neglect to humble themselves before God on account of their extreme wickedness. Truly, if there were but one such person in the midst of us, one who was buoying himself up with some fallacious conceits, whilst God said respecting him, 'There is a wretch that has no love to me;' who amongst us would not be ready to weep over him? and who would not labour to undeceive him, whilst yet a discovery of his error might be available for his welfare?]

2. Of just condemnation

d 1 John iii. 17.

e 1 John v. 3.