which this implies, as it has been now explained, is that in which true religion, or the new creature does summarily consist.

1. It has been observed and shewn in the chapter to which reference is made in the beginning of this section, that this may be proved from what is said by the apostle John.* He He says "God is love;" in which he evidently designs to comprehend his whole moral character. He mentions the highest exercise, and greatest manifestation of this love. This, he says, is in giving the Son of God to die for the redemption of sinners. This, all will grant, is, in the highest sense and degree, disinterested benevolence, as it is exercised towards those who are not only unworthy and ill deserving, but unreasonable and abusive enemies. This disinterested benevolence he urges christians to imitate; and represents it as that in which christianity summarily consists; for he says, he that loveth is born of God, and this love being perfect, casteth out fear; and he who exercises this disinterested benevolence, (for he is speaking of no other love but this) he who dwelleth in this love, dwelleth in God, and God in him. That is, the moral image and character of God is formed in him, he partakes of the divine nature, and he is united to God, and God to him. This leads to observe, that as the new creature is a conformity to the moral character and image of God, by which Christ is said to dwell in believers; it must consist in disinterested benevolent affection; for in this only can christians be like God.

2. Jesus Christ is a remarkable and striking instance of disinterested benevolence, in which christians are to imitate him; and do so, as far as they are christians.

The love which he exercised, in taking man's place, and dying for him, is in the highest sense disinterested, as he suffered this for men, when they were his enemies. "God commandeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." His love to the Father, and to sinners, expressed in what he did and suffered, is represented as wholly disinterested, to set forth the nature and excellency of it, and recommend it as a pattern to be followed by his disciples. "We then

• 1 John iv.

that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves: For even Christ pleased not himself; but as it is written, "The reproaches of them that reproached thee, fell on me."* By his not pleasing himself, is meant his not seeking himself, or acting from self love: The same that is intended by his not seeking and doing his own will, but the will of his Father; and saying, "Not my will, but thine be done." That he did not please himself, but acted from a disinterested regard to the glory of God, is proved by the quotation the apostle here makes, "The reproaches of them that reproached thee, fell on me." He had such a disinterested regard to the honour of God, that if he were reproached, it was the same to him, as if he himself were reproached. This St. Paul mentions as an example for christians, which they are to imitate by feeling for their brethren in all the unhappiness that attends them, so as to bear their infirmities and burdens.

Again, in order to excite the Corinthians to show the sincerity, or genuineness of their love to the saints, that is, their disinterested benevolence, he mentions to them the example of Christ, and his love. "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes, he became poor, that you, through his poverty, might be rich." He recommends the example of Christ, in this same view of it, to the Philippians. §

There are indeed, but few, if any christians, who do not consider the Saviour as acting a most disinterested part, in doing and suffering what he did for the salvation of sinners, as he could not have undertaken, and gone through it, from any other principle but disinterested benevolence: And this is considered as the highest excellency and perfection of his love. If any of those admit at the same time, that the love of christians, in whom is the same spirit that was in Christ, is not disinterested, they must be very inconsistent with themselves, as well as with the scripture.

3. That disinterested affection is essential to a disciple of Christ appears from the words of our Saviour,

He there tells his disciples,

recorded by Matthew.* that loving their relations, and those who loved them, did not difference them from other men, even the worst of them; because self love would do this. That therefore they could not be the children of God, or have the least degree of likeness to his moral character, unless they had, and exercised that disinterested benevolence, which would extend to their enemies, even the worst of them, and whatever injuries they had done to them; which would wish them well, and pray for them, while they were doing them all the harm they could do. That by this alone, they would be like their Father in heaven; and by being perfect in this, they would be perfect, even as he is perfect. The love here recommended, as so essential to a christian, and by which alone he is distinguished from other men, is disinterested, universal benevolence, as opposed to self love; for no other affection is opposed to self love, or will love our enemies, with cordial friendly desires of their good and happiness, leading us to do them all the good we can.

4. Our Saviour has enjoined disinterested affection, as that by which alone, men can follow him, and be his disciples, in the following words, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." It will be difficult for any one to tell how a man can deny himself, in the exercise of self love; for this is in every degree of it self gratification. Therefore to deny ourselves, is to remove all self love, and to exercise that disinterested, universal love to being in general, which opposes self love, and renounces all selfish, private interest, and knows no self, as such; it being an impartial affection, it respects him who exercises it only as belonging to being in general, and included in universal existence. As the excellency of Christ consists in this disinterested love, no one will come to him, and cordially follow him, unless it be in the exercise of this same disinterested affection; for without this, none can approve of his character, which self love opposes.

5. St. Paul decides this matter in the most express terms, and asserts that all the exercises of true religion Chap. v. 43, &c. † Matt. xvi. 24.

consist in disinterested affection, in that love which seeketh not her own. He represents love as containing the whole of christian affection, without which there is nothing of any moral worth, or of real christianity. And in describing this love, he says, "It seeketh not her own." Q. D. It is not self love which seeketh her own, and nothing else; but is directly opposed to this, and consists in that affection which is perfectly disinterested, which is universal benevolence to being in general, and has not the least partiality in favour of self. This is the wisdom that is from above, which is "Pure, peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and hypocrisy."+

6. That all true religion, or holy exercises of heart, consist in disinterested affection, is evident to a certainty, from the summary of the law of God, given by Christ himself, in the following words. "Thou shalt love the

Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."+

The law of God is a transcript of his moral perfection; for by the creature's obeying it, he partakes of the divine nature, and puts on the moral image of God. But the moral character of God consists in disinterested love, as has been shown; therefore the love required in the law of God, is disinterested affection: It is not self love, but that which is entirely contrary to selfishness. He who loves God with all his heart, strength and mind, can have no self love, nor any love to himself, or any creature, but that which is implied in this, which certainly must be disinterested, as his love to God is. For disinterested love to God cannot imply interested and selfish affection to any other being, even our own, but necessarily excludes it. And it has been shown that the command to love our neighbour as ourselves, is so far from approving, or supposing self love, that it necessarily excludes every thing of this kind; as it requires that

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* 1 Cor. xiii. † James iii, 17.

+ Matt. xxii. 37, 38, 39, 40,

impartiality, and uprightness, which is contrary to every degree of self love, and can exist in nothing but disinterested affection. Men are no farther converted, than they are conformed in the exercise and affection of their hearts to the law of God, which requires disinterested love, and nothing else, and excludes and forbids all selfishness, or self love, which is the same. Therefore the new heart, and all truly christian exercises, consist in

DISINTERESTED AFFECTION.

Before this subject of disinterested affection is dismissed, to prevent mistakes, and that the nature of it may be farther explained, the following particulars are to be observed and kept in view.

1. This disinterested benevolence regards the interest and happiness of those who are nearest and most in sight, more strongly and tenderly, than of those who are farther off, and more out of sight; and is more affected with the happiness or misery, and the good or bad character of the former, than of the latter.

The mind of man is not omniscient, and cannot have a full, comprehensive view of all men, and their circumstances at the same time; therefore those who are nearest to him, and most in his sight, must be more the objects of his benevolence, than others: And it is reasonable, and therefore his duty to regard these more than others, as they are more in his view, and he has a special care of them, and is under greater advantage to think of them, and do them good. And impartial, disinterested affection, will naturally, and even necessarily, operate thus.

He who has universal benevolence will have a greater regard for the inhabitants of the nation to which he belongs, and be more concerned for their interest, than for those of other nations. He will have a greater regard still for the inhabitants of the town and neighbourhood in which he lives, other things being equal. Consequently his benevolent care of the members of the family to which be belongs, will be exercised in a higher degree, and more constantly, and with greater sensibility, than towards those of other families; especially if he be the head of it. And as every person is nearest to himself, and is most in his own view, has opportunity