Tit. 3. Motives or Meditative Helps to the Godly
Motive I. Consider what relation all the regenerate have to God. They are not only his creatures, but his adopted children: and are they not honourable and amiable who are so near to God?
Motive II. Think of their near relation to Jesus Christ: they are his members, and his brethren, and the purchase of his sufferings, and co-heirs of everlasting life, Rom. viii. 16, 17; Eph. v. 26, 27.
Motive III. Think of the excellency of that spirit and holy nature which is in them. Regeneration hath made them partakers of the divine nature, and hath endued them with the Spirit of Christ, and hath by the incorruptible seed made them new creatures, of a holy and heavenly mind and life; and hath renewed them after the image of God! And what besides God himself can be so amiable as his image?
Motive IV. Think of the precious price which was paid for their redemption: if you will estimate things by their price, (if the purchaser be wise,) how highly must you value them!
Motive V. Remember how dearly they are beloved of God, their Creator and Redeemer. Read and observe God’s tender language towards them, and his tender dealings with them. He calleth them his children, his beloved, yea, dearly beloved, his jewels, the apple of his eye, Deut. xxxiii. 12; Psal. lx. 5; cxxvii. 2; Col. iii. 12; Jer. xii. 7; Mal. iii. 17; Zech. ii. 8; Deut. xxxii. 10. Christ calleth the least of them his brethren, Matt. xxv. Judge of his love to them by his incarnation, life, and sufferings! Judge of it by that one heart-melting message after his resurrection, John xx. 17, “Go to my brethren and say unto them, I ascend to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” And should we not love them dearly who are so dearly beloved of God?
Motive VI. They are our brethren, begotten by the same Father and Spirit, of the same holy seed, the word of God; and have the same nature and disposition: and this unity of nature and nearness of relation, is such a suitableness as must needs cause love.
Motive VII. They are our companions in labour and tribulation, in our duty and sufferings: they are our fellow-soldiers and travellers, with whom only we can have sweet and holy converse, and a heavenly conversation; when the carnal savour not the things of God.
Motive VIII. Consider how serviceable their graces render them, for the pleasing of God and the good of men. They are the work of God, created to good works, Eph. ii. 10. They are fitted by grace to love and praise their Maker and Redeemer, and to obey his laws, and to honour him in their works, as shining lights in a dark generation. They are the blessings of the place where God hath planted them; they pray for sinners, and exhort them, and give them good examples, and call them from their sins, and lovingly draw them on to conversion and salvation. For their sakes God useth others the better where they live. Ten righteous persons might have saved Sodom. They are lovely therefore for the service which they do.
Motive IX. All their graces will be shortly perfected, and all their infirmities done away. They are already pardoned and justified by Christ; and every remaining spot and wrinkle will be shortly taken away, Eph. v. 26, 27, and they shall be presented perfect unto God. And they that shall be so perfect then, are amiable now.
Motive X. They shall see the glory of God, and live for ever in his presence: they shall be employed in his perfect love and praise, and we shall be their companions therein: and those that must sing hallelujahs to God in perfect amity and concord, such an harmonious, blessed choir, should live in great endearedness in the way.