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disciples, nor do we contribute any thing to the edification of the church, unless God give us to act this grace of love in an abundant measure. Whatever our gifts and parts are, and whatever our wisdom is, such things are apt to puff us up, if this love abound not in us; we shall be thorns in the sides of one another, and shall contribute nothing unto the real, spiritual edification of the church. The apostle hath not only laid this down, but so disputed it in the twelfth and thirteeth chapters of the First Epistle to the Corinthians, that I shall not insist upon it. Though I could,' says he, speak with the tongues of men and of angels, yet if I have not love, I am but as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal,' that make a little pleasant noise that comes to nothing. I would wind up all arguments with this; If we have not love, we have no grace. He that loves him that begets, will love them that are begotten. If we love not the brethren, the love of God doth not dwell in us. It is not our outward order and form, nor our duties, nor any thing we do, or can do, will evidence that we have any thing of the grace of God in us, if we want this grace of love.

III. Having spoken thus far of the nature of evangelical love, and of the reasons of its importance, I would willingly say something to press it upon your hearts and mine own.

The whole issue of this day's work which you have called us unto, under the care and kindness of Christ, depends wholly upon this one instance of our discharging ourselves in this one duty of love. I know not how it comes to pass, but so it is, that professors have of late been wonderfully harassed with sharp invectives, and bitter rebukes for their want of love; and yet I cannot observe there is any fruit of it, or any advantage made by it. And the reason of it seems to be, because all those invectives have been managed upon this principle; If you will do so and so, if you will come up to such and such practices in things of religion, if you will go thus far, and thus far, if you will leave off these and those institutions and ways wherein ye walk; then you have love; if not, you have none at all. And what hath been the fruit hereof? New divisions, new animosities, new rendings and tearings, without the least appearance of any improvement of love whatsoever. I

should be very sorry that any man living should outgo me in desires, that all that fear God throughout the world, especially in these nations, were of one way as well as of one heart. I know I desire it sincerely; but I do verily believe, that when God shall accomplish it, it will be the effect of love, and not the cause of love. It will proceed from love, before it brings forth love. There is not a greater vanity in the world, in my weak apprehensions, than to drive men into such and such a way, and then suppose that love will be the necessary consequence of that way; to think that if by sharp rebukes, by cutting, bitter expressions, they can but drive men into such and such practices, that then love will certainly ensue. We see the contrary all the world over, that those who do most boast and glory in bringing all to uniformity of practice, have least love among them. You may see it in the papal church, they have obtained their end in driving all into a uniformity in practice, and yet the members of it are fighting with, and tearing one another. It is a vain supposition to think to bring men to such a way, whether they will or no, and then to love whether they will or no. I know not truly any way that any who fear God do walk in, though some are nearer the truth than others, which in itself is an obstruction of love. I profess if I did, I would fly from that way, as from a pest-house, or any thing that was mortally destructive; because I know the end of all Christ's institutions is to increase love. Some may be nearer the truth than others, some are so, but if any way doth really in itself obstruct love, without farther consideration, without debating whether it was right or wrong, I would leave that way, for I know it is false. But for persons to reflect upon any institutions of Christ, such as particular churches are, and will be proved to be, as though they were hinderances of love, argues a great unskilfulness in the ways of God, if not ill will towards them. Nay, they are appointed of Christ for this end, that we may first exercise that love which he commands immediately towards one another, that so we may learn to exercise it towards all believers throughout the world. Pray let us not be overtaken with any such apprehension that we cannot exercise love, until we come to such and such a way of agreement,

and so put off the duty till we have no opportunity ́or ability to exercise it; but let us address ourselves to it in our present state and condition.

I shall close all with two or three cautions against things that may be hinderances in the diligent practice of this great duty I have been speaking of unto you.

1. Let us take heed of a morc se, sour, natural disposition. If it doth not hinder many fruits of love, yet it sullies the glory of its exercise extremely. Some good persons have so much of Nabal in them, that blasts the sweet fruit of love which comes from them; it is soured with something of an ill disposition, that hath no life or beauty in it. It is a great mistake to believe that grace only subdues our carnal corruption, and doth not change our natural temper. I believe grace changes the natural temper, and ennobles it; it makes the leopard to lie down with the kid,' and 'the bear to eat straw with the ox,' as it is promised; it makes the froward, meek; the passionate, patient; and the morose, benign and kind. And we are to apply grace to these ends and purposes; and not to humour and please ourselves, as though such things are our natural disposition. Grace comes to alter our natural dispositions, that are unsuited to love, and indispose us for it. We are apt to excuse ourselves and one another, and hope that Christ will do so too, because this or that is much from our natural temper. Pray let us not act thus; our natural tempers are to be cured by grace, or it hath not its perfect work upon us.

2. Take heed of such hinderances of love, as may attend your peculiar state and condition. I would speak to them who have the advantage of riches, wealth, honour, reputation in the world, which encompass them with so many circumstances, that they know not how to break through them to that familiarity of love with the meanest member of the church, which is required of them. Brethren, know the gospel leaves all your providential advantages entirely unto you, whatever you have by birth, education, inheritance, estate, titles, places, it leaves the entire enjoyment of them. But in things which purely concern your communion together, the gospel lays all level; there is neither rich nor poor, free nor bond in Christ, but the new creature. Therefore we are so expressly commanded by the apostle James,

chap. ii. that we should have no particular respect in the éongregation to persons upon the account of outward advantages. We all serve one common Master, the same Lord; and he is such a Lord, that when he was rich in all the glory of heaven, he became poor for our sakes. And let me beg of you that are rich, to remember this common Lord and Master; and let not your outward advantages therefore keep you at a distance from the meanest, the poorest saint that belongs unto the congregation. If they do, your riches are your temptation, and your place a disadvantage, which you must labour to break through.

Something also might be said to the poorest and lowest sort, who have their temptations too to keep them off from the exercise of love. But I shall waive it.

3. Lastly, Take heed of satisfying yourselves, all of you, with the duties of love, without looking after the entire working of the grace of love. You here that are joined with us this day, have had for a long time so great a light and instructor, that I doubt not but you are acquainted with all the duties of love that are required of you in your especial relations wherein you stand, and that you have been found in the practice of them. I only mind you to take heed, that you be spirited with the grace of love; that which proceeds from faith, and is acted in you by the Holy Ghost; that which gives you delight in, and a dear esteem and valuation of the saints, and creates a cheerfulness and readiness in you for the performance of all these duties.

I thought to have given you many other directions; but I must conclude. If God be pleased to imprint any thing from this word upon our hearts and spirits, we shall have cause to rejoice in it. However remember thus much, that you were begged and entreated, as you regard the glory of God, the honour of the gospel, and the edification of this church (which of two is now become one), concerning which you must all in your places give an account, as well as I in mine; and as you have any respect unto the ministry of him whom God hath set over you, that all is wound up in this one duty of love; which if God please to increase, and make intense among us, I no way doubt but he will prosper this day's work of our union.

SERMON XLIII.*

THE CHRISTIAN'S WORK OF DYING DAILY.

I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.-1 Cor. xv. 31.

THESE words have a great vehemency and emphasis in them, and discover an uncommon earnestness upon the spirit of the apostle when he wrote them: and indeed they carry a greater appearance of such a vehemency in the original, than in our translation. For the words we put in the last place, 'I die daily,' are the first in the original: Kaľ¡μépav ἀποθνήσκω, “I die daily : νὴ τὴν ὑμετέραν καύχησιν, ἣν ἔχω ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν, • Yea I do so, by your rejoicing, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord.' And there is no expression used by the apostle, that hath a greater ardour of spirit in it than this hath.

The special reason of using it in this place, is to evidence the stability of his faith about the resurrection of the dead. That, you know, is the dispute he is upon. here, that it was not an opinion that he

And he proves had, but a firm

rooted faith that carried him through all difficulties and sufferings. Why do we stand in jeopardy every hour? I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die.' I do evidence my faith, saith he, of the resurrection, by my readiness to suffer all things in the confirmation of the truth of it. And it is the great duty of ministers to be ready at all times to evidence the stability of their own faith in the things which they preach to others, by a cheerful suffering for them.

This sermon was preached Sept. 26, 1680.