ROM. xii. 9. Let Love be without Diffimulation, abhor that which is Evil. I. OBSERVATION. WE E are to love without Diffimulation. 1. What is it to love without Diffimulation? 1. It should proceed from the Heart, 1 Tim. i. 5. 2. Be expressed in Actions, 1 S. Joh. iii. 18. 2. Why should we thus love? 1. Otherwise it is Hypocrify before GOD. 2. A Deceiving our Neighbour. 3. No true Love. Cum autem omnium rérum Simulatio eft vitiofa, (tollit enim judicium veri, idque adulterat) turis amicitia repugnat maximè. Vid. Cicer. de Amicit. USES. 1. Love one another. Confider, 1. It is the Fulfilling of the Law, Rom, xiii. 8,9, 10. 2. It is the special Command of Christ S. Joh. xiii. 34. 3. The principal Mark of a true Christian, S. Joh. xiii. 35. 1 Cor. xiii. 2. 2. We should abhor that which is Evil. 1. What Evil? 1. Sin, 1 S. Joh. iii. 4. 2. Punishment, Ifa. xlv. 7. 2. What 2. What is it to abhor it? 1. Our fettled Judgment that 'tis Evil. 3. An Averfion from it, Ezek. xxxiii. 11. 3. Why should we abhor it? Because, 1. It is contrary to GOD's Nature. USES. 1. Repent of the Sins you have already committed. For, 1. By them you have incurr'd GOD's Difpleasure, Pfal. vii. 11. 2. Made yourselves liable to eternal Torments, Rom. vi. 23. 3. There is no way to avoid both, but by Repentance, S. Luk. xiii. 3. 1. Abhor it fo, as not to commit Sin hereafter. Confider, 1. It is the greatest Folly, Pfal. xiv. 4. and xciv. 8. 2. Slavery, Rom. vi. 20. 3. It defiles thy Soul, S. Jam. i. 21. S. Matth. XV. 20. Job XV. 16. 4. Is the Death of the Soul, Rom. vii. 24. Ephef. ii. 1. 5. Hath been the only Cause of all the Mifery thou haft felt. 6. Deprives thee of GOD's Mercy, and makes thee like to Satan, S. Joh. viii. 44. 7. Unless 7. Unless you abhor Evil, GOD will abhor you, Ifa. lix. 2. 8. Unless you abhor Sin in yourselves now, you will abhor yourselves for Sin to Eternity. MEANS. 1. Always remember you are Christians, 2 Tim. ii. 19. 2. Avoid the Occafions of Sin, 1 Theff. v. 22. 3. Often think whom it difpleases, the Great GOD, Gen. xxxix. 9. 4. Live always as under His Eye, Pfal.cxxxix.7. 5. Remember the Time will come, when thou must answer for it, Ecclef. xi. 9. ROM. ' i. ROM. xii. 9. Cleave to that which is good. WHAT is Good? That which hath all Things required to its Perfection. Bonum eft quod habet omnia ad propriam perfectionem requifita. 19. And there is, i. Tranfcendent Good, GOD, S. Luk. xviii. 2. Natural, Perfect in its Nature, Gen. i. 31. 3. Moral, that is, conform to right Reason, 1 Tim. ii. 3. H. What is it to cleave to that which is good? 1. To approve of it. 2. To defire it, Rom. xii. 9. 3. To be conftant in practifing good Works, fo as to cleave to them, and be one with them, Rom. xii. 1. III. Why are we to cleave to that which is good? 1. Because we are conftantly receiving Good from GOD. 2. We are commanded to be always doing Good, S. Luk. i. 75. Prov. xxiii. 17. Pfal. cxix. 96: 3. When we do not Good, we fin. IV. How are we always to do Good? 1. Faith in Christ. 3. Neither can we love GOD without it, 1 S. Joh. iii. 17. 4. This is the true Religion, S. Jam. i. 27. Because we are all Brethren. 5. 1. In Adam, as to the Flesh, Act. xxii. 1. 2. In Chrift, as to the Spirit, 1 Cor. xv. 58. Phil. i. 14. US E. Be kindly affectionate to all Perfons. 1. Thou canst not say they are more wicked 2. Thou knoweft not but they may be faved and not thyself, S. Matth. vii. 1. 3. Thou art to hate their Sins, yet love 1. Thou knoweft not, but their Iniquity was 3. Others Sins cannot abfolve thee from thy 3. Object. But they are fill my Enemies. 2. And the Reafon of it, Matth. v. 45, 46. II. DUTY. In Honour, preferring one before another, Rom. xiii. 7. 1 S. Pet. ii. 17. 1. What is the Honour due to others? An Acknowledgment of what is Excellent in others, expreffed by outward Signs. 1. An Acknowledgement. 2. Of what is Excellent. 1. Authority, 1 S. Pet. ii. 17. 3. Vertue, Prov. xii. 26. |