The third Scripture Mark of Salvation.

EPHES. VI. 24.

GRACE be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity.

Q. III. Do I love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity ?

§ 1. Do I love him in his whole person, as Godmant? Do I behold him, as one in whose blessed person all uncreated and created excellencies

* This love for the Redeemer's person as Immanuel, God with us, is essential to the Christian character. The sacred writers dwell upon Christ's personal glory with emphasis and delight, representing it as dear to the church on account of the combination of excellencies which appear in such a person, as well as for the sake of the advantages which we derive from the interposition of one so extraordinary in our behalf.

While, therefore, some, feeling a rooted aversion to the idea of such a being, study every method to efface his peculiar character that of divine glory in human nature; and while others feel compelled by the force of evidence to admit that concerning Christ, for which they see no sufficient reason, and feel no cordial approbation; Christians love, as truly as they believe, the deity of Christ. The glory of the works of creation brighten on their view, when they say, "these are Immanuel's works, a monument to his honour, all things were created by him and for him." Happy those who feel like the apostles when displaying the Saviour's glory!

meet, as one in whom dwelleth all the fulness of the godhead bodily? As such, is he the object of my supreme adoration, my unbounded confidence, my choicest affections, my chiefest delight, my all in all? Do I love him in his whole , character? Is an entire and undivided Christ amiable and acceptable to me, and do I see him as altogether necessary, and so altogether precious? Do I love, esteem, and prize him as my teacher and lawgiver, as well as the atonement for my sins, and my advocate with the Father? Do I love him in the purity and strictness of his precepts, as well as in the freeness and preciousness of his promises? Do I see a glory in the holiness of his life, as well as in the meritoriousness of his death, and do I desire, and do I love to follow him as my perfect pattern, as well as trust him as my great propitiation?

§ 2. Do I love every thing that has relation to him? Do I love his word? Is it more desired by me than gold, yea than much fine gold, sweeter also than honey and the honey-comb? Do I love to read it? Do I with pleasure embrace all opportunities to hear it? Do I lay it up in my heart, and make it the delightful subject of my meditation? Do I make it the only rule of my life, and is it my principal aim and my chief delight to walk agreeably to it? Do I love his day, and call the Sabbath a delight? Is

one of the days of the Son of man esteemed by me as one of the days of heaven? Do I welcome its return as the best day in the week, and the religious exercises of it as the best employment I love to be engaged in? Do I love all his ordinances, as means of communion with him? Are no seasons so delightful as those in which I am favoured with his enjoyment? Do I sit at such times under his shadow with delight, and is his fruit sweet to my taste? Do I love all his ministers of every denomination, and esteem all to be such, who love and preach Jesus Christ? Do I love to hear them preach concerning Christ, and are no doctrines so sweet as those that treat of him and his glorious undertaking for poor sinners; of our way of recovery to the favour and likeness of God by his dying for us, and by his Spirit working in us repentance, faith, and evangelical obedience? Do I constantly and fervently pray for his ministers, and for their success? And do I readily and heartily give them all the encouragement in their work, which I am capable of? Do I love all his people, all who have his Spirit in them, and who walk according to his gospel, under all their various and differing forms"? Do I feel my heart knit

" To love the people of God of every denomination is essential to prove that we love them of any denomi nation. For if we have no affection for any but those of our own party, it is not God's people but our own

to them in the bonds of the Spirit, as members of the same body, and belonging to the same Lord and Head? Are such in my eyes, however poor, however despised any of them may be, the "excellent of the earth, in whom is all my delight?" Are such my most chosen and delightful companions, my most dear and intimate friends? And are no hours spent so agreeably by me, as those I spend with them in pious conversation and religious exercises? Do I love them not in word only, but in deed and in truth, ready to help the poorest and meanest of them according to my abllity, and counting it my honour and happiness to do so? Do I love his interest, and is it infinitely dearer to me than any particular interest of my own? Do I lament its

that we love. Those who have chosen their religious denomination from a persuasion that it is most scriptural, most pleasing to God, and profitable to man, must grieve to see others reject that which duty and interest call them to embrace. But if we love God, we must feel it a duty to judge impartially, whether those who differ from us are his children or not, and if we have scriptural evidence that they are, we cannot refuse them our Christian esteem and affection.

The next inquiry should be often urged, Are these my chosen companions? for "I am a companion of all them that fear thee," is one of the declarations of the psalmist of Israel in the cxixth psalm, which opens to us the heart of the righteous, to shew us how it beats. To be from choice the companion of worldly rather than godly men, is at once the cause and the effect of departure from God.

low and languishing state in the world? Am I praying for its glorious revival? And is it the rejoicing of my heart to see or hear of its prosperity in any place and under any denomination of Christians? If Christ is preached, and the interest of real religion is promoted, wherever it is, and whoever be the instruments, therein do I rejoice, and can I not but rejoice? Do I cheerfully contribute all that lies in my power to promote the interest of Christ in the world, and esteem it the principal end and greatest pleasure of my life to do any thing to advance it?

§ 3. Do I love him above every creature and thing, and is he dearer to me than father or mother, son or daughter, house or land, yea than the whole world? Do I see infinitely more loveliness and excellence in Christ, than in all creatures put together, and more happiness in his love alone, than all the love and all the enjoyments of the whole world can yield? Do I desire, more ardently desire an interest in him, than in any of the blessings of life? While others are saying, "Who will shew us any good," are my daily, my ardent cries to God, Give me Christ, or I die; deny me any thing, every thing else, only grant me Christ, and I am satisfied? Do I see Christ alone suited to all my wants, sufficient to answer all my desires, and therefore in him only can my soul center and rest? Had I rather part with all