SERM. the favour and approbation of its object. I. But it is impoffible to please God without the resemblance of his moral attributes, nor can his favour be obtained without the prac tice of virtue, What, O man! bath the Lord required of thee, but to do justly, to love mercy, and walk humbly with thy God *? The grace of God, which bringeth salvation, bath appeared unto all men, teaching us, that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, looking for the blessed hope, and glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave himself. for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works t. Virtuous conduct flows from the love of God, as a ftream from its fountain. True devotion and rectitude of mind are infeparable companions. If they are disjoined, they both perish. What concord hath God with Belial +? Can he, whose soul is habituated to contemplate, with complacency, the pattern of Micah yi. 8. + Titus ii. 11, 12. + 2 Cor. vi 15. of perfection, grovel in fenfuality, or be S ER M. the flave of intemperate paffion? Can he, in whofe heart is placed the altar on which the flame of divine love is kindled, devote himfelf to the idolatry of covetousness *, and become the worshipper of mammon? Can he, who adores the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort who is love and so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, can he be unjuft, unmerciful, unkind towards his fellow-men? Will he not, on the contrary, evince his relation to his heavenly Father, by transfufing into his own breaft fome portion of his moft amiable attribute, beneficence; and exhibit his image by being merciful, as he is merciful, and by doing good unto all as he hath opportunity, especially unto those who are of the bousehold of faith §, and by extending his good will to those whom his exertions cannot reach. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar. If we love one another,God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected Col. iii. 5. + 2 Cor. i. 5. Luke vi. 36. in ‡ 1 John iv. 8. 1 SER M. in us †. In fine, can he, who delights him II. self in the Lord, be averfe from the exercifes of his worfhip, and all the duties that have an immediate reference to the fovereign of his heart? Will he not rejoice to rife on the wings of devotion, and, leaving this cloudy and corrupt world, fly, as it were, into the arms of his heavenly Father, and lean on his Saviour's breaft? Will he not delight to utter the memory of his great goodness §, and wish to make his ways known upon earth, and his saving health among all nations |? Will he not acquiefce in every difpenfation of Providence, and, when he fuffers diftrefs, knowing it to be the will of God, commit the keeping of his soul to him in well-doing, as unto a faithful. Creator¶? Thus, the love of God is no confined, no partial principle, but diffufes its falutary influence over every branch of duty. It is a flame which, lighted up in heaven, warms the foul in the practice of every virtue, illumines every circumftance, and condition Isaiah lviii. 14. § Psal. cxlv. 7. ¶ 1 Pet. iv. 19. + Ibid. iv. 12. II. condition of life, and fheds, on every good SER M. action, the most pleasing luftre. It repreffes the oftentation and pride of rank, reftrains the intemperance of indulgence, checks the infolence of power, mortifies the felf-conceit of learning and talents, chaftens the fenfuality of affluence. It alleviates the preffure of poverty, filences the murmurs of discontent, allays the uneafiness of disappointment, blunts the shafts of malice, wipes away the tears of affliction, ennobles the meannefs of birth. When that inevitable hour comes, which fummons to bid adieu to the joys and fplendors, and delivers us from the evils of life, the love of God irradiates the darkness of the grave, and, opening a bright profpect of futurity, through Jefus Chrift, makes us leave the prefent fcene, not only with compofure, but with triumph! Having proved our fupport and comfort in our present ftate, it will furnish the most abundant fource. of eternal felicity, when we shall no more see God, folely through the glass of his works, but, face to face, and know him, as we are also known SERM. known, and enjoy that love of him, and of his faints, which never faileth §. II. I fhall close this difcourfe with a few fhort remarks of great practical importance, First, from the account of the nature and effects of the love of God, which I have given, we clearly fee how unjustly those, who have discarded all fense of religion, affect foundness of understanding, and liberality of fentiment. How much more refpectable is the poor labourer who, every time he fits down to his coarfe and scanty meal, or ftretches his limbs on the couch of ftraw, holds converse with the Majesty of heaven, by thanksgiving and prayer, than the rich man, clothed in purple and fine linen, and faring sumptuously every day*, who gluts himself with the luxurious repast, or finks on the bed of down, as unconscious of the hand that feeds and protects him, as the ox going forth to his pasture, or lying down in his ftall! Secondly, from the preceding difcuffion |