Love to yourselves. 4. But, above all, pray for us as you love the Head of the church. * Love to God. What is the end we have in view? If we attain the graces mentioned, if the door of utterance be opened-does the matter rest here? Nay; but that the word of the Lord may be glorified, or God glorified in and by his word! He is glorified when all his attributes are set forth as harmonizing in the economy of man's salvation-the everlasting Gospel! He is glorified in the change made in the hearts and lives. of multitudes of sinners; "a new song is put into their mouth, even praise to God." He is glorified in saving millions of souls from everlasting burnings; and these ransomed ones shall swell his glories in the world to come.-Pray that our crowns of glory may be worth casting at the feet of Jesus. He is glorified. Application.-Brethren! many probably in this congregation will feel no interest in our situation. "What is that to us?" say they. Coming to hear preaching is with them a matter of course; time would otherwise hang heavily. In all the anxieties of the preacher they have no sympathies! If he pipe, they dance not; if he mourn, they weep not.— To whom then shall we turn? "Brethren," pray for us! We cast ourselves at your feet! your servants we are, Jesus' sake! for But if, after all, no man should stand by us, the Lord will help us himself. We shall yet be " unto God a sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved, and also in them that perish. To the one a savour of life unto life, and to the other a savour of death unto death." God will be glorified by us in one way or other. If we are doomed to say, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people," yet our labour is with the righteous Judge! But, beloved, we hope better things of you, though we thus speak; I say not these things to condemn you, but, as my beloved brethren, I warn you. I have confidence in you in all things. We will remember you without ceasing, &c.— Brethren, pray for us! SERMON XXV. THE DIVINE REQUISITION. Proverbs, xxiii., 26.-My son, give me thine heart. By the heart is not meant that of flesh and blood, but the immortal and thinking part-seat of the understanding, will, and affections. God claims it-has a right to it, and he only-we have a right to love all, but not give the heart to any; he will receive nothing in place of it-despises allConsider God as speaking to each and all. I. Explain the text. II. Enforce it. I. Explain. 1. Our text supposes that men do not naturally give their hearts to God. How true! look around, and at ourselves, and say whether it is even easy; they give their hearts to everything else. We scarce wonder at a parent loving an only child, while so many give their hearts to dogs, wealth, &c. 2. Our text supposes, again, that God will not force us to comply with the demand. Though he uses many meansknocks at the door-often loud-many years-conviction flashes in so that the sinner cannot but see his sinfulness; yet no irresistible force is used. He calls upon us to present a sacrifice, living, holy, acceptable.-If any have been waiting the day of God's power, take care you do not lose your soul; you should have given it long since; give it now; it is not given without an effort, though no effort is effectual without grace. But what is it to give the heart? Much more than a respectable profession-the foolish virgins do not seem to have known that they were fools-no difference apparently-but they took no oil.-Great need of caution in these times not to rest in mere profession. But to give the heart implies, First. That we heartily renounce all that God has forbidden. Many, like Herod, renounce all but one; perhaps it is a popular sin, common to many of the worshippers; but you cannot retain it if you give God the heart. But renounce heartily-some renounce for a season, and then return-Pharaoh many alarmed by hell-religion often begins here, but dangerous to rest here-but the fear subsides, and as the man never, in heart, left Egypt, he is ready to listen to the tempter. * * * He yields to one sin, resolving to do it no more; but he repeats it, and falls back: we must hate all sin; if we regard it at any future time the heart is taken back. Secondly. To give up the heart implies a hearty belief for the fulfilment of all the promises. No promises to unawakened sinners-the threatenings all theirs-but, when turned to God, all the great and precious promises-Promises to forgive, cleanse, teach, guide, help-of food, raiment, &c. * * If we doubt whether he is true in these promises we do not give the heart. If the heart be given without trimming it will receive all his promises. Thirdly. It implies that we seek and cleave to him constantly as our portion: happy is he who can say, "The Lord is my portion;" let him give or take, only give me himself. A satisfying portion-heirs of God-more than heaven-"Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee." A prison is a palace-December as May-storm as calm-affliction as health-death as life-yea, then most of all when the world recedes-and I enter immediately to God! . II. What are the motives which should induce us to give God our hearts? 1. It is just and right—you wish to be thought honest; but, if you have not given your heart to God, I deny your claim to honesty-a superior commits to your trust a great and valuable estate, &c. On what part does God most set his love? Is it on the earth? true, he has enriched its bowels and adorned its surface; but this will be burned up. Is it the sun? true, he has clothed with splendour the most glorious work visible; but he will put it out and trample on the Z stars- "all souls are mine." What has he done for these? What has he given for these?-immortal as himself. For them "He spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all," &c. Now he calls for this soul, this heart, this spirit. Will you keep back what he values so much? He did not keep back his own Son, and will you keep back, &c." But what shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul." * 2. Our interest requires it. Our souls are diseased, blind, defiled, miserable. God alone can heal, cleanse, and make happy he only who caused the light to shine can remove our blindness; he only takes away the stony heart, the leopard's spots; but he will make us wise and holy, and fill us with his love: none but he can do this. See the immortal mind eager after something-it is happiness; many seek it elsewhere; but give the heart to God, and he will fill it with all his fulness.-Give it to God, and you are at rest. The keeping of your hearts is important; true, we are commanded to keep them; but how so well as by giving them to God? He will be a wall of fire-we have many enemies-but he will keep every moment. "I go to him, and he keeps me," said George Pearson of Macclesfield—“ kept by the power of God."-Peter-See Job's case: "Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God and escheweth evil?" but what did Satan say? "I could not get at him; I cannot break through nor get over the hedge take it away, and then see what I will do."— He not only charges his angels for them, but he himself becomes their guard. * How kind it is in God to seek our hearts-sinful, ungrateful beings. Does he need us? Is not he blessed though we should be cursed? But he is love, and so much so as now to seek our hearts. Now what answer will you give my Lord to the text? 1. Oh! say some, I gave it long since. I am only sorry I did not give it before, and sorry I have so often backslidden in heart; but to whom shall I go? 2. Yes, says another, I desire and endeavour to do it; but what a struggle for life! Do not despair; lift it up as thou art able, and "if darkness endure for a night, joy shall come in the morning;" the Lord is nigh thee; he can loosen thy heart. Look up the day of redemption draweth nigh. Why not now? Say, "Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love; Here's my heart, O! take and seal it, 3. Yes, says another-my heart? Do you desire that? ask for my money, my tongue, my voice, my feet, my hands, anything and everything but that. It is otherwise engaged. My Master has not left a power in my commission to compromise it; he will not take aught else. Engaged? "give it me," says God; the gold is his he is not hungry; he needs not thy tongue nor voice-of these stones he could raise, &c.-he needs not thy hands, &c.-but thy heart! 4. Yes, says another, by his help I will; it is right. I cannot be safe without, and it is kind he seeks it. But when? to-morrow-to-night is impossible; in a very short time I will. I doubt thou wilt perish forever! Why do people perish who hear the Gospel? Is it because they never intended to give their heart to God? no; the reason is, they put it off-sermon after sermon-almost every hearer is more or less awakened, and they see it is right. Now or never is one of Baxter's titles. What probability, in the name of God I ask it, that you will ever give if not now? Will he be more willing to receive it? Satan more willing to relinquish it? you more inclined, the longer you stay in sin, to part with it? See Felix-he trembles-the preacher's heart said, "See how God blesses the word;" he makes signs as if going to say, "What is it? what shall I do?" But oh! how was the preacher's heart grieved at, "Go thy way for this time." You may die to-night, and sink to rise no more until the resurrection! I see some of you as if about to speak. Is it "Go thy way?" Then I will return to my Lord! But he says again, "Go, and tell them all things are now ready." Will you all with one consent |