III. The Object, The It The Lord Jehovah, as Jehovah, Exod. iii. 14. 1. Our loving each Perfon, John v. 23. IV. The Intenseness of the A&t upon that Object, With all thy Heart, and with all thy Soul, and with all thy Might: Which implies, 1. That we love him with the higheft Degree of Love we can poffibly raise up our Souls to.. 2. Confequently, That we love him above all Things elfe, Matt. x. 37. Luke xiv. 26. V. Here is the Neceffity of acting thus upon this Object, Thou shalt. There is a Twofold Neceffity of it. 1. Of the Precept, Matt. xxii. 37. What Reasons are there why we should love God above all? 1. Because he is better than all other Things; for he is, Luke xviii. 19. 1. A pure and fimple Good. 2. An infinite Good, Pfal. cxlvii. 5. 3. A fatisfactory Good, Pfal. xvi. 11. Pfal. xvii. 15. 4. An univerfal Good. 5. An unchangeable Good, Jac. i. 17. 7. The only neceffary Good. 2. Because all other Goodnefs comes from him. USE USE. I. Of Reproof, Job. v. 42. for moft Men do not love God thus. If they did, 1. They would think more of him. 5. Labour more to enjoy him than other Repent of this Sin. Confider, 1. Unless you love God above all Things, you are not worthy to be Chrift's Disciples, Luk. xiv. 26. 2. This is the Caufe of other Sins. 3. If we die in this Sin, we are undone,' 1 Cor. xvi. 22. II. EXAMINATION. Examine, 1. The Ground of your Love to God. 3. The Effects. 1. An endeavour to Obey, Job. xiv. 197 2. Honour him. 3. Love others, í Job. iv. 20. 4. Its Conftancy. III. EXHORTATION: Love God. 1. The Excellency of the Grace. 1. It is the firft and great Command, 2. It sweetens all Duties, 1 Job. v. 3. 3. It is the Work of Heaven. 7. And all because he loves us, Deut. vii. 7, 8. 2. How lovely he is in himfelf. Infinite. 1. In Wisdom. 2. Justice. 3. Mercy. 3. The Happiness of thofe that perform it. 2. They have an infallible Evidence of 3. They fhall enjoy and live with God to Eternity, 1 Cor. ii. 9. Vol. I. D DEUT DEUT. vi. 13. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him. IT is our Duty to ferve GOD. I. What is it to ferve GOD? 1. To Dedicate our felves wholly to Him. 1. Our Souls, 1 Cor. vi. 20. Understandings. Wills. Affections. 2. Our Bodies, 1 Cor. vi. 20. 3. Eftates, Prov. iii. 9. 4 Gifts. 5. Authority. 6. Time, Eph. v. 16. 2. To make his Laws the Rule of our Lives. Obeying the Commands, Eccl. xii. 13. Of the First and Second Table. 3. To endeavour to please him in all Things, and glorifie him, I Thef. iv. 1. Rom. xii. 1. In all our Natural, 1 Cor. x. 30. Civil, II. Why ferve GOD? 1. He is our Maker, Pfal. xcv. 6. 3. Redeemer, 1 Cor. vi. 20. 4. Mafter, by Covenant, Deut. xxvi. 17. USE USE. Reproof to fuch as, I. Serve the Devil. 3. The World. 4. Sin, Rom. vi. 16. and not God,Matt. vi. 24. H. EXHORTATION. Serve GOD. DIRECTIONS. 1. Scripturally. 2. Obedientially, 1 Sam. xv. 22. 3. Willingly, Chron. xxix. 17. 4. Chearfully, Rom. xii. 8. 5. Faithfully, Rom. xiv. 23. 6. Understandingly, 1 Cor. xiv. 15. Pfal.xlvii. 7. 7. Wholly, with all your Power, Eccl. ix, 10. 8. Conftantly. 9. Humbly, Luke xvii. 10 10. Thankfully. MOTIVES. I. This is the End of your Creation by God. 2. Of all God's Mercies to you. 3. What a good and glorious Mafter he is, the King of Heaven, Jer. x. 7. 4. There is nothing thou haft but what thou receiveft from him, 1 Cor. iv. 7. 5. To ferve God, is not only thy Duty, but thy Privilege, Pfal. xix. 11. 6. Unless thou ferveft God, thou must serve the Devil,a Servant thou wilt be, Matt. vi.24. Rom. vi. 16. 7. It is the Work of Heaven. 8. What Wages God will give to his Servants, Rom. vi. 23. Grace and Comfort here, 2. Set |