Love to Christ

Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me! — John xxi. 17.

Jesus had now appeared the third time to his disciples, when collected together after his resurrection, and had given them the most satisfactory proof, that he was indeed risen from the dead; for, he not only exhibited himself to their eyes in the very form and features, to which they had always been accustomed; but he condescended to permit them to handle him, that they might be certain that it was not a mere apparition, which they beheld; and to remove every shadow of doubt from the most incredulous amongst them, he ate and drank in their presence, as formerly. It was immediately after a repast of which they had partaken, with him, at the sea of Tiberias, that he turned to Peter, and three times proposed the question contained in our text, nearly in the same words; and each. time received the same answer, “Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee.”

Thefe was a particular reason why Peter should have been thus interrogated. His conduct had been such as to render his sincerity suspected. He had in the most cowardly and profane manner, denied that he knew the blessed Jesus, when he was upon his trial before the Jewish court. And what added peculiar aggravations to his crime was, that a little before, he had solemnly and publicly professed that he would die sooner than he would forsake his Master. Indeed, at first, when the band of soldiers approached to apprehend Jesus, he did exhibit considerable signs of courage; for he drew his sword, and cut off the ear of one of the high priest’s servants; and then went forward to the hall of judgment. But he would have discovered more attachment to his Master, to have run away with his fellows, than to have behaved as he did in his presence. No man is equally bold at all times. Sudden fits of terror will occasionlly unman the greatest hero. Besides, blustering courage is not the most to be depended on. A mild, calm, unassuming temper is commonly the most steadfast, in the hour of danger. Who would have supposed that John, the meek, affectionate, amiable John, would have displayed more fortitude in the face of death, than the bold, intrepid, self-confident Peter? But so it was, and so it commonly will be, that modest firmness will stand the test of real danger, better than confident bravery. John was the first to follow his Master to the iniquitous tribunal where he was condemned; and it was by his influence that Peter was admitted. Well, when introduced, how does he act? Does he, fearless of the consequences, take his stand by his Master, and attempt to soothe him with the tear of sympathy and look of compassion? Does he still express his willingness to die with him, and for his sake? What an opportunity he had now to act the most dignified and pious part! But, instead of this, he hides his face, as it were, from him. He is afraid lest any body should suspect that he had ever had any connexion with him. He skulks among the servants, and sits trembling, lest some unlucky accident should detect him. His cowardly fears were soon realized; for a maid servant recognized him, and charged him with being a disciple of Jesus. O! what a mortifying picture of human nature is now before us! Peter denies his Lord, He is interrogated more sharply a second time. Well, he has had the opportunity for a little reflection. Does he recall his words? No. He denies him again. And, horrible to relate! upon the third charge he affects to be in a mighty passion, and to his denial adds oaths and curses! And all this in the presence and hearing of Jesus himself! But as he turned his face toward his insulted, offended Master, he looked upon him with a countenance, no doubt, in which indignation and pity, love and displeasure, were blended. He looked upon him, and this look went moredirectly to his heart, than if a dagger had pierced him. It would be impossible to describe the mingled sensations, which, at this moment, agitated the breast of poor, unfortunate Peter. Honest at heart, but too confident of his own powers, he had been left for a moment to himself; and in his weakness we may see our own.

In his fall, we may learn what a broken reed human strength is! But the principle of piety, though overborne in the moment of trial, is not extinguished. It commonly soon recovers its predominant influence, and frequently exerts itself with unusual energy, like an elastic body after having been bent out of its proper direction. The falls of the pious are, by this, distinguished from those of the wicked; in that, they are soon followed by a deep and thorough repentance, by which they are restored to their former condition; but the latter fall from one grade of wickedness to another, without any experience of that “godly sorrow which work-. eth a repentance not to be repented of.” Peter, overwhelmed with his feelings, and unable to contain himself, went out, and wept bitterly. If he spent the whole night in penitential sighs and groans, and bitter self-reproaches, it need not excite our surprise. Such was probably the fact.

It is a pleasing reflection, that our Saviour knows all things — that he knows the heart. This seems to have been Peter’s comfort. If it had been otherwise, he would have found it no easy matter to produce any satisfactory proof of his love. But conscious of the sincerity, and strength of his attachment, and confident that Jesus knew the secret workings of his soul, when asked this pointed question, “Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?” he boldly appealed to his omniscient Saviour, for the sincerity of his attachment; “Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee.’,

Love to the Saviour is acknowledged by all, to constitute an essential part of the Christian character. To be destitute of this principle, therefore, is a decisive proof, that we are yet in our sins. To know that we possess it, is the same thing, as to be assured that we are the children of God, the heirs of glory. We cannot, therefore, be too particular, and cautious in examining, whether we are real lovers of Jesus; for if we love the Son, we love the Father, for the Son is the brightness or splendour of the Father’s glory, “the express image of his Person.”

Permit me, then, to direct your attention exclusively to this subject, which will be the more proper as the service is intended to be preparatory to the reception of the Lord’s Supper.

For the sake of presenting my ideas in the most perspicuous form that I am able. I will consider the foundation, nature, properties, and effects of love to Christ. And may the Lord enable me so to speak, and you so to hear, that your souls may be edified.

1. In the first place I propose to speak of the foundation of love to God. I do not mean the foundation which there is laid for such an affection, in the nature and perfections of the object, but the state and disposition of the mind, which is necessary to make it susceptible of the love of God.

And it may be observed, in the first place, that there must be a foundation for such an affection, in the original and natural structure, or constitution of the soul of man; otherwise it would be absurd to require him to love God. He must have a capacity to know something of the perfections of God, for that cannot be the object of affection, which is utterly unknown: and he must possess the natural susceptibility of being moved by affection or desire; for a purely intellectual being, if we can conceive of such, cannot love, however much it may know. The amount of what I mean by these observations is, that the being, which is required to love God, must be endowed with both intellectual and active powers, such as it is evident man does possess.

But we proceed now to observe, what is of more importance, that the soul of man may become depraved and disordered, so that it shall neither be disposed to know or love its Creator. That this is the actual condition of our whole race, is proved by the testimony of God, and by universal experience. “The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” “The carnal mind is enmity against God; it is not subject to his law, neither indeed can be.” Whilst this depravity continues, there can be no love to God, for the idea of a holy God, to an unholy soul, must be extremely disagreeable. The wicked, that is, all unregenerate men, shun the thoughts of a holy God; or, if by any means they are led to contemplate his perfections, they are filled with disgust and horror, instead of love. Their hearts are entirely opposed to such a character, and such a being. This is the reason, that when Christ came into the world, he appeared to men “as a root out of a dry ground;” and still appears to the multitude “without form or comeliness.” But it is a maxim in morals that the depravity of the subject does not diminish the authority of the law-giver, nor furnish any kind of excuse for disobedience. For to be depraved is the same thing as to be deserving of blame; and, therefore, the greater the depravity the more inexcusable is the sinner. From this view of human nature, it is evident that the regeneration of the soul, is absolutely necessary, as a foundation for the love of God. “Therefore,” said Jesus, “except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of heaven.” “He that loveth is born of God.” This renewal of the heart is not produced by any human efforts. Not by the man himself, for he can only bring into action such principles as are within him. Nor by any other creature, for another can only address himself to the heart by objectively proposing truth to the understanding; but truth, in order to produce its effect, requires a correspondent state or temper in the mind; so that even the brightest display of God’s perfections to the understanding of a sinner, will only excite greater enmity, as in the devils. This change, therefore, is not of “blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of man, but of God.” The Spirit of God is the agent; and in producing it, is free, sovereign, and incomprehensible. li The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and wThither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.” The effect of this divine agency is a new principle or new life; or a capacity of being properly affected with truth when proposed. This foundation being laid, the love of God follows as a thing of course. It is easy, it is delightful, to a renewed heart, to love the Lord its God. As this renovation is a necessary foundation for the love of God, so the love of God is a satisfactory evidence of the reality, and genuineness of this change.

2. I proceed, in the second place, to speak of the nature of that affection which we call love to God. Here I would not have you to suppose that any description of an emotion or affection, can convey a clear idea of it, to the mind of a person who has no experience of it. But, as all men are the subjects of love to some object, they may form an idea of the nature of this affection, when it has God for its object. The only reason why any explanation is necessary on this point, is, because frequently, several distinct exercises, or different affections have but one common name, which, in fact, is the case with respect to the love of God, for some have enumerated several distinct exercises as included under this name. But I think the whole may very commodiously be reduced to two heads, benevolence, and esteem or complacency. Both of these are undoubtedly comprehended in love to God, and they are entirely distinct; for the one has for its object the happiness of the being beloved, and the other terminates on his character or moral attributes. Gratitude is only the exercise of one or both of these, mingled with self-love. If it be unconnected with them, it is merely natural, and cannot with any propriety be termed “the love of God.” It may be inquired how the Deity can be the object of our benevolence, since his glory and happiness can receive no increase. To this, I answer, that the very same affection, which seeks the happiness of another, when it is incomplete, rejoices in the happiness of God which is perfect. The pious man delights in the thought, that God is so great, so glorious, so independent, so happy, and so perfectly secure from every danger or possibility of change. When our friend has attained to the object of his and our wishes, our benevolence towards him does not become extinct, because we do not wish him to rise higher; but the affection is, as it were, satisfied. It rejoices in what before was the object of desire.

Complacency, when God is its object, is a most refined, sublime, delightful emotion. It derives value from the superlative excellence of its object; and even assimilates the soul itself to the character of God. Its strength and perfection depend on two principles, viz. the degree of clearness with which the attributes of God are perceived, and the degree of sanctification to which the soul has attained. In heaven, love will be made perfect, and will be the source of that pure, soul-satisfying, eternal joy, which makes heaven such a delightful residence. Faith, hope, prophecy, and every other gift shall fail, but love never faileth.

3. I come, in the third place, to speak of the distinguishing properties of the love of God. It must be sincere, supreme, disinterested, and constant.

1. Sincere love stands opposed to that which is not real, but pretended; and also to that which is not pure, but adulterated.

It is an easy thing to pretend to the love of God.

We may profess with our lips, what our hearts never felt. We may borrow the very language which they use who do love God in sincerity; and put on the same external appearance of sanctity and devotion, which in others proceeds from the love of God; and yet, all this may be hypocrisy. It is the heart which the Lord requires, and not fair words, and a specious profession.

Our love must be rooted in the heart, and not confined to the tongue and the lips. The word sincere means genuine in the Scriptures. Our love to God must be pure, genuine, unadulterated love. I do not mean that sincere love is perfect in its degree, but it must be pure in its kind. It is the more necessary to be particular here, because there is much in the Christian world which bears the name of the love of God, and yet is spurious. The mere stirrings of natural passions, the flights of a heated imagination, and even feelings which belong almost entirely to our animal nature, have been dignified with this name, and many have been deceived; for whilst they have professed themselves to be perfect in love, they have been the willing slaves of sin. In order to the sincerity of love, it must terminate oil the true character of God, and not upon an idol of our own imagination. Every one is ready to love such a God as suits his own character. Let the greatest profligate only be persuaded that God is not displeased with sin, and that he will never punish him for it, and he will love him. This is the source of much deception. Multitudes entertain no doubt, but that they love God; yet they have no just conceptions of his true character. They never think of his holiness and justice, but only of his goodness and mercy; and so they continue at ease in Zion, whilst they are “in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity.”

2. But our love to God must not only be sincere, it must also be supreme. God will admit of no rival in our affections. He is a jealous God, and will not give his glory to another. Unless our love to God be stronger than our affection to all other objects, it will never become a uniform principle of obedience; and it can never entitle us to the denomination of the servants of God. The Lord Jesus Christ constantly required supreme love in those who proposed to become his disciples. If any man love father or mother, wife or children, or even life itself more than him, he is pronounced to be unworthy of him. Many are willing to do much, and go far to obtain a seat in heaven; but they are not willing that Christ should reign in their hearts. A sinful man will give any thing to God, rather than his heart. He has bestowed this already, and is unwilling to change the object of his affections. A young man of high rank, and amiable deportment, came to Christ, and with much earnestness inquired what he should do to inherit eternal life. Jesus, after some conversation, finally told him to go and sell all, and give it to the poor, and to come and follow him, and he should have treasure in heaven. This discovered the true condition of the young ruler’s heart, for he went away very sorrowful, because he was very rich. He loved his estate more than he loved his God. Believe me, there are now very many young men, and old ones too, just in the same situation.

3. Our love to God must be disinterested. It is degrading to religion to suppose that its highest efforts, and noblest affections are merely selfish. To suppose that the desire of our own happiness, is the only principle by which man can be actuated, goes far towards confounding all distinctions between virtue and vice. The greatest sinner, and even Satan himself, possesses this principle, in the utmost perfection. To say, as some eminent writers have said, that virtue consists in the pursuit of our everlasting happiness, but vice leads her votaries to take their portion here below, and that this is the only difference between the twTo, is much the same as to say, that the sinner’s only fault consists in a mistake of the judgment, respecting the best method of securing his happiness. Amongst men it is certainly received as a common principle, that love in order to be praise- worthy, must be disinterested. If a man profess to be my friend, and discover every mark of affection for me, yet if I ascertain that his only motive for this is not any regard for me, but merely a desire to gain some advantage to himself, I despise his professions of love, and will, by no means, agree that he is a sincere friend. That kind of love which we esteem, induces the subject of it to sacrifice his own ease and interest for our good. This deserves the name of benevolence.

Certainly, the pious man, when enjoying a clear manifestation of God’s excellence and glory, often forgets himself. He is absorbed in the contemplation of infinite worth; and his soul rests with delight in the object, without looking any further at the time. In pleading for disinterested love, I do not mean to insinuate, that the desire of personal happiness is wrong. It is not the fruit of sin, but belongs to the original constitution of all rational and sentient beings. It has, therefore, simply considered, nothing of a moral nature, good or bad. Very useless and absurd questions have frequently been started, respecting the length to which disinterested benevolence ought to carry us; as whether a holy man should not be willing to be eternally miserable for the glory of God; as if it were possible for God to be glorified by the damnation of one of his own people; or, as if a holy nature could be reconciled to become eternally unholy; or as if it were possible for any creature to divest himself of the first law of his nature, the desire of self-preservation. Cases which can never happen, ought never to be proposed, for they can illustrate nothing. But disinterested love to God will, undoubtedly, lead us to give up any earthly possession, and to endure any temporal affliction to which he may call us. This, indeed, is a most reasonable service; considering the love wherewith he hath loved us; for when we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

4. The last property of the love of God, which I shall mention is, that it must be constant. It is a constant, steady flame which many waters cannot quench. It is like the fire on God’s altar, which burnt day and night without going out. It is not always .equally lively, nor always in actual exercise but the principle is always there. We see many who appear to be inflamed with very ardent religious affections, which the more violent they appear, the sooner they subside, Their zeal blazes out like wild-fire, and their passions are bounded and regulated by no certain limits or principles. Such, for a time, may greatly outshine the real, humble, followers of Jesus, as a meteor does the fixed stars, but their light is not like that of the just, “shining more and more unto the perfect day.” Their religion is temporary, founded on sudden impressions and impulses, and consisting in vivid flashes of affection, which soon become extinct. But true religion is permanent. It proceeds with a regular uninterrupted pace, “through evil report and good report.” Backslidings there may be, but this cannot be perpetual. It is the characteristic of the wicked to fall and rise no more. It belongs to the Christian to keep himself in the love of God; to hold fast the beginning of his confidence firm unto the end; to renew his strength; to run and not be weary, to walk and not faint. He that endure th to the end shall be saved. The righteous shall grow stronger and stronger.

4. In the last place, we come to speak of the invariable effects of love to God. These will be better understood, and the subject more easily improved in the way of self-examination, if we consider the analogy between the effects of this affection of love, when a creature is its object, and when it is fixed on Christ.

1. One necessary effect of love is a desire to please the person beloved. Love always seeks for a return. The person who loves a friend is ever solicitous to conciliate the esteem of that friend, and cannot be satisfied without a reciprocal affection. “If ye love me,” says Jesus, “keep my commandments. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.” A constant desire to please God, is, therefore, a sure proof that we love him; and an inseparable concomitant of this, will be the fear of offending him. Slavish fear is cast out by perfect love. But the fear of offending him grows with the growth of love; yea, grows out of it. We cannot be at a loss about what course of conduct will be pleasing to God, and what offensive to him, with his word in our hands. Do we then take his word to be the rule of our life? Do we conscientiously aim at universal obedience to all its precepts? Do we sincerely hate every sin? and are we daily striving to mortify the deeds of the body and crucify the flesh, with its lusts and affections? If we can truly answer these interrogatories in the affirmative, it is better evidence that we love God, than if we heard it proclaimed by a voice from heaven.

2. Another effect of love is a desire of the company and conversation of the person beloved, and uneasiness and restlessness when he is absent. These feelings will be in proportion to the strength of our love.

But God is invisible, and Christ is removed far beyond our sight; how then can we enjoy his company or fellowship? This, no doubt, is a great mystery to the natural man; and is one of those things of the Spirit which to him appear foolishness. But, says the apostle, “our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son.” Communion and intercourse with the Father, through the Son, and by the Spirit, is a truth clearly taught in the Scriptures; and known by experience to all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Those who have once tasted the sweetness of the divine presence, and have had “the love of God shed abroad in their hearts by the Holy Ghost,” are ever after anxious to enjoy these visitations of their heavenly Father. For this purpose, they frequent the house of God, to inquire after him, and to behold his beauty. With this view, they read, pray, and meditate, in their secret retirements. When the child of God approaches the table of the Lord, if any one should inquire, What is thy request, and what is thy petition? the natural answer would be, I desire the presence of my God; I wish to behold his glory in the face of Jesus Christ. When they are admitted to his presence, they “rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.” But when they are disappointed in their views of meeting with their God and Saviour, they go away sorrowful, but still they anxiously seek him, and will not rest until they find him. As the hunted hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God! 0 that I knew where I might find him.

3. Another natural effect of love is a desire to be conformed to the character of the person beloved.

Love has an assimilating effect on every mind which is the subject of it.

Then, if we leve the Lord Jesus Christ, we shall be seeking conformity to his lovely character. His excellencies will be the object of our habitual imitation. No better evidence can be given of the genuineness of our love, than a constant effort and desire to be like Christ, in his humility and meekness, in his benevolence and compassion, in his zeal and devotional spirit; and so far as we find ourselves wanting in conformity to Christ, we shall be pained and dissatisfied with ourselves.

4. The last effect of love to God is an ardent concern for his glory; which discovers itself in active exertions to promote truth and holiness in ourselves and others; in using our best endeavours to advance the Redeemer’s kingdom, by our own exertions, or by aiding and encouraging the exertions of others, and in real joy, when the interests of true religion are promoted, whoever may be the instrument; in grief and sorrow, when pietj- languishes, when truth is perverted, when iniquity abounds, and the love of many waxes cold. The most care for none of these things. If their own affairs are prosperous, they have no concern whether it goes well or ill with the kingdom of Christ. Many would rejoice at the overthrow of Christianity. If it were in their power, they would utterly abolish this system which so much disturbs their peace. But all the friends of the Lord Jesus rally round his standard, and would rather shed the last drop of their heart’s blood, than forsake a cause which is so dear to them.