[May 4th, 1850.]
(Last Conference of the Session.)
Unity belongs to all the works of God. This is seen in our solar system, and in the universe. It is also seen in the constitution of man. Diversity is reduced to unity. So in character. No man becomes great or successful, who has not one object, and one constraining motive. So with the Christian. There is, and must be, something to give unity to the character as Christian. This is the love of Christ as the constraining motive, and the glory of Christ as the one object. It is this that gives simplicity, strength, and consistency to the Christian. It is the want of this that leaves him driven about by every wave and wind.
It is not enough to look forward to doing good, promoting knowledge, religion, and the happiness of men, and being governed by this and that motive. This leaves all vague, indefinite, and changing. We must have one definite object, and one constraining motive. Both are here presented.
I. The love of Christ is the constraining influence. The “love of Christ” is his love to us. (a.) Because this is the common sense. (b.) Because it is that love which is illustrated by his dying for us. (c.) Because he is so often spoken of as loving us.
“Constraineth us.” The word means to restrain, to have in one’s power. This is the sense here. The love of Christ takes possession of us, of all our faculties, of our thoughts, affections and powers. It masters and controls us. How inconceivable the blessedness of those thus possessed. It elevates them; it fills them with courage, patience and power. If we have this we need naught else for our happiness or usefulness.
This love of Christ is 1. The love of Jesus, of God manifested in the flesh. It is of great importance to have God thus brought near to us. 2. It is not general benevolence, nor is it philanthropy. It is the love of a person to particular persons. “He loved me,” said the apostle. There is as much difference between general benevolence and personal love as between the diffused rays of the sun and those rays concentrated in a focus. 3. This love is sovereign, not founded on our merit. He loved us when enemies, when ungodly, when lying in our blood. 4. It is infinitely great. It led to the eternal Son of God dying for us. 5. This love is unchanging. A woman may forget her infant, but Christ’s love never fails. 6. This love is tender, considerate, sympathizing, (to bring up), (to foster), its objects. Go out under the conviction that you are the objects of this love. Let it exert its full influence upon you.
Why has it this power? Because, 1. His death is our death. His love constrains us, because we are convinced that when he died we all died. And the effect of this persuasion that we are the objects of his love, makes us conscious that his death is ours. There are two senses in which this is true. His death avails for all the ends which our death could have accomplished. It satisfies justice, frees from the penalty of the law, honors God, and promotes the good of the universe. Let a man feel this, and he will feel the effect of the love of Christ in dying for us. But, secondly, we died with Christ analogically. As he died to sin, so do we. We renounce it, become free from its power. This is the first reason of the power of the love of Christ, as dying for us, it secures our dying to sin.
- The second is, that we live not for ourselves, but for him who died for us, and rose again. This, then, is the one object for which the Christian lives, (1.) Not for himself, not that he may be happy, not that he may promote the welfare of others, but,
(2.) That he may glorify Christ.
How is this to be done? 1. By making it the definite object of our lives. 2. By entire subjection to his will. 3. By adherence to his truth. 4. By devotion to his service, i.e., by striving to bring men to know, to love, to worship, and to obey Christ. So far as we accomplish this end, we accomplish all other good ends. Two things you should carry with you everywhere, and to the end of life.
- That the conviction of the love of Christ, the sense of his love, its greatness and freeness, should fill you and govern you. 2. That the single object of life is thus to cause him to be glorified. Do this and you will be blessed, and a blessing, go where you will, and suffer what you may.
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