_There is no fear in love_, _but perfect love casteth out fear_:
_because fear hath torment_; _he that feareth is not made perfect in
love_.
OF all the sources of happiness, which the merciful God has opened to us,
the most pure and abundant are the feelings of affection and love. I
appeal, for the truth of this, not to the understandings, but to the
hearts of those that hear me; and they will at once testify, unless
corrupted and perverted by selfish or vicious habits, that such, even
with regard to earthly happiness, is undoubtedly the fact. Persons
indeed of inferior principle, of irregular and irreligious lives,
frequently draw from this source the most considerable portion of their
pleasure, whatever abatements it may receive from their sin and folly:
and when the passions are attempered, and the affections purified and
exalted, by the influence of our holy religion, by the refining energy of
the spirit of God, the delight naturally and necessarily becomes
proportionably greater. “To love one another” is not only our first
earthly duty, as injoined by the Saviour, but also our highest interest
and advantage, as contributing to the happiness of all.
If then so much enjoyment is derived by mankind from the exercise of
mutual love, how much more from the love of God—the pure, the gracious,
the ever blessed God; “who loadeth us with His benefits;” who made us
what we are, and gave us what we have; who created us for His glory, who
redeemed us from sin and death, who sanctifieth all that trust in Him,
that they may be happy for ever: in a word, whose goodness to us knows no
bounds, but those which are set by our own perverseness and ingratitude.
Almighty and most merciful Father, “whom have I in heaven but Thee? and
there is none upon earth that I desire beside Thee.” {136} “Graft in our
hearts the love of Thy name;” we cannot love Thee as Thou hast loved us;
but give us the grace to love Thee with holy sincerity; with that devout
and reverent affection, which shall render all other objects of desire
comparatively indifferent to us, and make us satisfied with Thy favour,
whatever else we want; which shall calm our apprehensions, when we think
of an hereafter; and allay the uneasiness which arises in our breasts,
when we reflect upon Thine infinite holiness, and our own degenerate
condition.
Perhaps it may be imagined, that this is a state of blessedness
attainable by few, if any, upon earth: some may urge the text against us,
and say that this blessedness is promised only to perfect love, which
mortals can never hope to attain; and that it is inconsistent with those
numerous passages of Scripture, which admonish us of the necessity of
fear; that in the admirable collect of our Church for this day, {137} we
are instructed to pray for “a perpetual fear and love of God’s holy
name.” How then can we possess the love which casteth out fear? I will
endeavour to reply to these observations; and pray God that we may all
derive, from the consideration of this subject, a more true and lively
and abiding sense of the nature and necessity of that love towards Him,
which, as His adopted children and the inheritors of His kingdom, we are
absolutely bound to entertain.
Unquestionably true it is, that the fear of God is, and ever has been,
indispensable to all His faithful servants; as well under the mild
dispensation of the gospel, as under the severer discipline of the law.
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” {138a} “Surely his
salvation is nigh them that fear Him.” {138b} “Unto you that fear my
name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise, with healing in His wings.”
{138c} And accordingly the Apostle observes, “In every nation, he that
feareth Him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with Him.” {138d}
“His mercy is on them that fear Him, from generation to generation.”
{138e} But what is the nature of this fear? It is not a slavish
principle, not a disturbing and distressful feeling. It consists in an
awful sense of God’s glorious perfections; of His divine Majesty,
unspotted purity, infinite knowledge and power; of His presence pervading
every part of the creation, even the very mind of every intellectual
being; such a sense, as to fill us with the deepest humility, perceiving
ourselves unworthy even to stand in the sight of Him, “who is of purer
eyes than to behold iniquity;” such a sense, habitually impressed upon
the heart, as inclines and constrains us to “follow the good” which He
loves, and “depart from the evil” which He abhors.
And this principle is plainly and entirely consistent with the sincerest
love: our love indeed is powerfully increased by the reflection, that our
heavenly Father, of whose attributes we form conceptions so awful and
sublime, should condescend to bestow such regard upon His frail and
fallen, His disobedient and rebellious children; it may teach us to
exclaim with the liveliest emotions of gratitude, as well as with humble
adoration and astonishment, “Lord, what is man that Thou art mindful of
him, and the son of man that Thou visitest him?” {139} Good reason,
therefore, had the framers of our Liturgy, for directing us to implore
the united influence of a perpetual fear and love of God’s holy name.
But the fear spoken of in the text is of another kind; it relates to
uneasy and distressful apprehensions respecting our acceptance with God;
to a feeling of doubt and distrust, whether we are, in deed and in truth,
partakers of the gracious promises of the gospel; whether we are living
in a state of reconciliation with God; whether we have within us that
earnest of the Holy Spirit, which is the pledge and seal of our
redemption; whether, in a word, we are objects of God’s favour here, and
have a well-grounded hope of his mercy hereafter.
That this is the state of mind represented to us by the beloved Apostle,
is clear from his own reasoning; “for fear,” says he, “hath torment:” now
the fear of God, as above described, has no torment at all; it makes us
humble, and fills as with reverential awe, but it tends to comfort and
peace. We could not entirely love a Being, whose manifestation inspired
us with terror and dismay; and this is the very reason why many, when
they come seriously to consider their condition, are filled with
confusion and alarm; because they do not love God in sincerity and truth:
their affections have been set on the world; and therefore their title to
salvation, upon the terms proposed to them in the gospel, is clearly
insufficient; they have served other masters, and have reason to tremble
for their reward from the great Lord and Master in heaven; they have
employed their talents for other purposes, than those for which they were
committed, and therefore, when they think of making up their accounts,
their lord presents himself as “an austere man,” exacting more than they
will be able to render: no man can heartily love God, without an entire
obedience of the heart; this they have never shewn, and therefore have
never loved Him: how then can they expect His favour; how can they
reflect upon their condition with composure and comfort?
Truly is it said, that such fear hath torment; for of all the uneasiness
which the mind can suffer here, the most painful is that, which is
produced from an apprehension of “the terrors of the Lord;” better not to
have known the greatness of the salvation promised, than to neglect the
means of securing it; better not to have heard of an hereafter, than to
have a reasonable dread upon the spirits, what that hereafter shall be.
They who have greater cause for fear than for hope, must, if they are
given to meditate and look forward, find it cast a dismal shade over
every scene and prospect of life; they may contrive to drown their
serious thoughts, in the midst of worldly pursuits and intemperate
pleasures; but this is only for the passing hour; they cannot possibly
think, that their condition is thus really improved. But why take so
much pains to mitigate or conceal a misery, which it is in our power, by
God’s gracious mercy, effectually to prevent? Escape from these torments
of the conscience by a sincere devotedness to the service of your
Almighty Father, in the gospel of His beloved Son; by cherishing in the
heart that “perfect love for Him, which casteth out fear.”
Yet is this possible, it may be said, for weak and imperfect man? Is it
not rather a state at which we should aim, than one at which we can ever
hope to arrive? Certainly the imperfect creature can never attain to
actual perfection in any moral or spiritual duty; but his will and desire
may be perfect, though his service is not; and in this sense, the duty of
perfect love is equally binding upon all believers. It is a very common
persuasion, and dangerous as it is common, that the standard of christian
duty is raised much higher in the gospel, than it is necessary for the
generality of Christians even to think of reaching; that some of the
commands, there given, are intended only for the chosen few, more eminent
than the rest of mankind in spiritual attainments; and thus too many
professing disciples of our Lord, imagining themselves not bound by such
extensive obligations, are content with measures of obedience, infinitely
less than those, which are positively required; content with a state of
heart and life, far short of that, which the gospel recognises and
injoins. But this is a mere delusion, to suit the wayward fancy and the
corrupt inclination of man: where do we read in the Bible of such
limitations and exceptions? Where do we find one set of rules for
eminent Christians, and another for Christians in general? Are not all
its precepts, and all its principles, and all its instructions, of
universal obligation? When the Saviour promised His divine blessings to
“the poor in spirit,” to them that “hunger and thirst after
righteousness,” to “the pure in heart;” were the conditions intended only
for the disciples around Him on the mount? Were they not also designed
for His followers in every age? And when the Lord commanded Moses to
“speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto
them, Be ye holy, for I the Lord your God, am holy,” {144} does the
precept concern only the people of old? Is it not equally applicable to
Christians? Yea, it is urged upon us all by the mouth of an Apostle.
{145} The same is true of every spiritual doctrine, every moral command
recorded in the Book of Life: there is no means of grace, no measure of
obedience ordained, which a Christian can safely neglect.
Whatever, therefore, be meant in the text by _perfect_ love, that love it
is the bounden and necessary duty of us all to attain and to cherish.
And what is really meant by this expression, may be most readily and
fully understood from a precept of the divine law, as confirmed and
enforced by our blessed Redeemer; “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with
all thine heart and with all thy soul and with all thy strength.” This
is the love described in the text; perfect in _kind_, as admitting of no
rival principle, of no competition with “the world or the things that are
in the world,” with any or all of them together; imperfect in _degree_,
on account of the infirmity of our faith, of the weakness and corruption
of human nature.
We cannot be at a loss to understand this distinction; yet it may be
further illustrated by an example from ordinary life. The most
affectionate and dutiful child will fail occasionally to please and obey
its parent; but there will be a constant desire and endeavour to please:
to have excited the parent’s displeasure, will bring uneasiness and
sorrow; and therefore the violations of duty will be neither wilful nor
habitual. And this sincere affection, for a kind and good parent, never
ceases to produce delight; the child indeed, feeling so much respect and
reverence, will be afraid of offending, afraid of the unworthiness,
afraid of the dishonour; yet the service of obedience is rendered from
choice, and not from constraint; with emotions of joy, with a grateful
endearment of soul: slavish terror there is none; it is banished by the
overpowering principle of love.
The case is similar, with respect to the love of God: whoever, from a
sense of the relationship which he is privileged to bear to the almighty
and gracious Creator; whoever, from a contemplation of the high and holy
perfections of the Godhead; whoever, from a perception of the divine
goodness and mercy, does truly love the great and glorious Lord of all,
will constantly delight to serve Him; sensible indeed of his manifold
weaknesses and deficiencies, and thereby brought to grieve, and rendered
the more fearful to offend; but still entertaining no doubt, that his
services, imperfect and unworthy as they are, are accepted at the throne
of grace, through the merits of his Redeemer, and as the fruit of faith
in His prevailing name. For no earthly consideration would he exchange
this heavenly joy and satisfaction; and no earthly event or dispensation,
however afflicting, can drive him even to distrust, much less to despair.
Though nature feels her bereavements and her troubles, his faith is
strong; and it assures him, that the very chastisements of the Lord are
inflicted in mercy. “Who,” says the Apostle, “shall separate us from the
love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or
famine, or nakedness, or peril or sword? Nay, in all these things we are
more than conquerors through Him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that
neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor
things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other
creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in
Christ Jesus our Lord.” {148}
In speaking, however, of the holy confidence, with which we are inspired
by the sincere love of God, far would I be, as far as possible, from
confounding it with that self-sufficient and presumptuous tone into which
some persons have been unbecomingly betrayed, when describing their
spiritual condition. Humility is the foundation of the Christian’s
confidence: he trusts, only because he is “strong in the lord, and in the
power of His might;” he is sufficient, only because “all his sufficiency
is of God.” And the purer his love, and the higher his attainments, the
more humbly and modestly does he speak of them: he talks not of
certainty, “as if he had already attained,” but delights himself with
“full assurance of faith,” {149a} with “full assurance of hope;” {149b}
his is not an extravagant joy, proceeding from the arrogant assertion of
an elective claim, but a holy tranquillity of soul, arising from faith in
the Redeemer’s undeserved mercy; from unfeigned love to the most
benevolent and perfect Being; and reposing itself upon the unchangeable
promises of Jehovah.
We do not question, my brethren, the claims of Almighty God to our
perfect love. Is He not our Creator? and could He have formed us with
any other design, than to make us happy? If reason could have doubted
this truth, revelation makes it clear. And are we not preserved, every
moment of our lives, by His infinite wisdom and mercy and power? And
though we are forgetful of His sustaining hand, still He feeds us with
the bounties of nature; and invites us to partake of the riches of His
grace. What are the greatest blessings, which a human being, which any
creature could possibly desire? To be delivered from evil, and to enjoy
everlasting good. And did not the adorable Son of God take upon him the
infirmities and sufferings of our mortal state, to redeem us from misery,
and exalt us even to glory? And does not the Holy Spirit condescend to
dwell in our tabernacles of flesh, that He may cleanse us from every
sinful defilement, “purify unto Himself a peculiar people zealous of good
works,” {150a} and make us “meet to be partakers of the inheritance of
the saints in light?” {150b} Could we, even if we had been worthy, have
desired, have imagined for ourselves, blessings so great and favours so
exalted, as those which the good and gracious God is showering down upon
us? Shall we not then be inclined, from every consideration, shall we
not be determined, by God’s grace, to love this heavenly benefactor with
all our heart—from a principle of gratitude; from an admiration of divine
perfection; from the inspiring hope and prospect of our eternal
salvation? Yes, let us give unto Him, not that divided affection, which
is the vain offering of a degenerate and degraded world; but the full and
unreserved energies of the soul. If a portion of our heart be engrossed
by any other object, we are not the true people of the Lord; we render
Him not a reasonable or acceptable service; our love is embittered with
fear; with a fear that has, and will have, torment. Lord, let our
affections be altogether devoted unto Thee; pour Thy spirit of love into
our hearts, for the sake of Him “who loved us and gave Himself for us;”
we cannot love Thee here upon earth as we would do, but be pleased to
accept what Thou enablest us to give, the tribute of a sincere heart; and
let it be to us a never-failing source of humble confidence and holy
comfort; so that we may anticipate the joyful hour, when we shall be
removed, from this imperfect state of being, to a purer and happier
world; where, with affections exalted and understandings enlarged, we
shall render Thee a more delightful and laudable service; with angels and
archangels, and all the company of heaven.
“God is love;” and when the veil of the flesh is laid aside, and we are
admitted into His glorious presence, “we shall be like Him, for we shall
see Him as He is;” {152} then will our felicity be complete, complete for
ever; then, in the fullest sense of the words, we shall be “made perfect
in love.” Here then, without a question, our true happiness lies; here
is our all: let us pray that we may never lose sight of it; that the
desire, now kindled, may never be extinguished; that every “heart may
there be fixed, where true joys are to be found, through Jesus Christ our
Lord.”
SERMON IX.
HUMBLE YOURSELVES UNDER THE MIGHTY HAND OF GOD.