What are evidences of love to God?

Hatred of sin, Psalm, xcvii. 11; and that, especially, because it dishonours him; care to keep his commandments, John, xiv. 15; and that of choice, and with delight, 1 John, v. 3; love to the people of God, as such, 1 John, iii. 14; willingness to part with any thing for his sake, Genesis, xxii. 12; desire of fellowship with him in his ordinances, Canticles, i. 2; grief when he withdraws; love to, and longing for the appearance of Christ; mourning that we can love him no more.

How are we to express love to our neighbour?

By praying for him, for all men, 1 Timothy, ii. 1; even for enemies, Matthew, v. 44. By reproving him, Leviticus, xix. 17; unless he be a scorner, which we are not rashly to conclude. By not envying him because either of what he is, or hath, or doth, 1 Corinthians, xiii. 4; but, rather, rejoicing, Romans, xii. 15. Doing to him as we would have him to do to us, Matthew, vii. 12. Being tender of his name, neither to raise, nor receive an ill report against him, Psalm, xxv. 23. If a superior, we are to honour and respect him;* if an equal, or inferior, to be affable, and courteous, and condescending towards him. If good, to associate with him, Psalm, xvi. 2; if bad, to pity him, and pray for him, but not be over familiar with him.+

It may be here added, that Mr. Matthew Henry, in a little volume, in his own hand-writing, has preserved some copious memoranda of another, and important, series of "Questions of Conference in the Family." The following list of them will show how his venerable father studied the welfare of those around him :

What are the scripture attributes of God the Father?

What are the scripture names, titles, and attributes of God the Son?

What are the scripture names, titles, and attributes of the Holy Ghost?

What doth the scripture say concerning the omnisciency, power, wisdom, holiness, justice, goodness, mercy, truth, and faithfulness of God?

These are respectively answered by an extensive selection of inspired statements, and concluded by a deduction of uses. Those which close the last mentioned question are thus stated :

This is terror to us to consider, that God will be true to his threatenings; they are not bugbears, to frighten children and

Besides the mantle of love that is to be thrown over the faults of all, there is a robe of reverence and honour to be cast over the faults of superiors. The emperor, Constantine, did not think the imperial purple too precious to make a veil to cover the infirmities of his bishops. P. Henry. From Matthew Henry's MS.

+ P. Henry. Orig. MS.

fools, but such as he will be true to. Then, stand in awe, and sin not.* This is comfort, also, that, seeing he is true and faithful to his promises, we may trust in him, and rely upon him. There is duty also; we must labour, as well as we can, to be like God; to be true to our words, especially in witness-bearing, and to be faithful to all our entrustments. Our yea must be yea, and our nay, nay. We must be punctual in every thing; not off and on, cozening and cheating, and deceiving; for, that God, whom we profess to believe in, and serve, is not so. Those who were afterwards called puritans, were, in King Henry the Eighth's time, called fast-men.

* Sins are like circles in the water when a stone is thrown into it, one produces another. When anger was in Cain's heart, murder was not far off. P. Henry. From Matthew Henry's MS.

APPENDIX, No. XII.

ANOTHER instance occurred in the address delivered by Mr. Henry, at Boreatton, on occasion of his son Matthew, and the only son of his friend, Mr. Hunt, leaving the country for a residence in London, A. D. 1687.* The following is the substance of it. And thou Solomon, my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart, and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever. 1 Chronicles, xxviii. 9. These words are the pious advice of an aged father to his young son to be religious.

To be religious is to know God, John, xvii. 3; that he is, Hebrews, xi. 6; and what he is, as far as he hath revealed himself in the books of creation, and scripture. He hath revealed himself to us in the face of Jesus Christ, 2 Corinthians, iv. 6. Those who are diligent in the use of the means,† shall attain this knowledge, Hosea, iii. 6.

This knowledge is such an act of the understanding, as includes the will and affections. We must own and acknowledge him as the first cause of all things, and see our absolute and universal dependance upon him, as our benefactor, who hath preserved and provided for us, as the chiefest good, and love him with all our heart, soul, mind, and might, as our highest end, and aim at his glory in all things, and as our God and Father in Jesus Christ. This is the the most comfortable: his New Testament title. If he be our Father, we must carry it as children.

To know God is to be acquainted with him, Job, xxii. 21; to have intimate acquaintance with him, and this includes all religion; it is walking with God.

Tong's Life of the Rev. Matthew Henry, p. 55, ut supra.

+ Labour after knowledge in the use of means. These are prayer. James, i. 5. Prov. ii. 3, 4. David, Ps. cxix. Solomon.-Reading and meditating in the word of God. This is the tree of knowledge, 2 Timothy, iii. 15, 16.—Practice, John, vii. 17. P. Henry. Orig. MS.

*

To be religious is also to serve God. You cannot serve a better master; you cannot be employed in better work; you cannot have better wages. The gift of God is eternal life. There are wages in hand. There is the testimony of a good conscience; there are the smiles of God; there is the reward of the inheritance.

This service of God is to wait upon him daily and duly in the duties of his immediate service and worship. If you do not pray, and read, and hear, you are not God's servants. And it is to walk in all holy obedience before him. Serious inquiries into the will of God, and sincere endeavours to do it, are the properties of his servants. You must look into the word of God if you would know his will.

A servant of God must be lowly-minded and humble, diligent and industrious, not only do his work, but abound in it,-and patient, to undergo the difficulties of the work, and the delays of the reward.

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All this must be with a perfect heart; that is, with truth and uprightness, Genesis, xvii. 1, Job, i. 1. If you would be thus fect, be sure to lay a good foundation. Take heed of double-dealing with God; of vain thoughts+ in duty, Matthew, xv. 7, 8. See that you pray in praying, and hear in hearing, &c. Approve yourselves to God. Do all to his glory. Let his word be your rule, 1 Corinthians, x. 31. See your imperfections, and bewail them daily. Here is the difference between the true christian and the hypocrite. The hypocrite acts in hypocrisy, and it never troubles him. He thinks he merits. The godly man bewails the imperfections of his sincerity, and that is a pitch no hypocrite can attain to.

A willing mind too is of great consequence. It is that which God looks at very much. In conversion, the great change is on the will. Now, when there is a willing mind, vain excuses will not be made. See Luke, xiv. There will be forwardness in good works, Titus, iii. 1; ready to every good work; the original is, go before in good works. When the mind is willing, duty is done cheerfully. When the heart is enlarged, then we run in the way of God's commandments. There is a great difference between a volunteer and a pressed soldier.

Now every day take notice of the willingness and unwillingness of your minds to that which is good. Look up to God, and beg of him to make you willing. Draw me. Consider how willing he is to do you good, and let that make you willing to do him service. Consider how willing Christ was to come, and die to save us. Think of this when you are unwilling to duty.

Remember the omniscience of God. He searches all hearts. He

• Dr. Sibbs would say,-Could we suppose sorrow in heaven, this would be our sorrow there, that we did no more work for God, before we came thither to receive so great wages. A Sermon at the Funeral of Mr. Jeremiah Whitaker, by Simeon Ashe. 4to. 1654. p. 43.

+ See Charnock's Works. v. 8, p. 501, &c.

understands all the imaginations of the thoughts. He understands the unobserved motions of the fancy. Do you believe this? Improve it, as a bridle to keep you from all sin.* As a spur to put you on to duty, especially secret duty, especially sincerity in duty. There may be hypocrisy that you do not see, but he sees it. There may be also sincerity that you do not see, but he sees that. When you are from under the eyes of your parents, remember,-God sees.+

Consider the promise. If thou seek him, he will be found of thee. He hears prayer. Be not sparing in that duty. If you seek the pardon of sin, you shall have it. If any thing burdens us, he will either support or deliver us. We must seek him with our whole heart; early and earnestly. Observe how the promise is applied to Solomon. -If thou seek, thou, though a child,-if thou seek him, he will be found of thee. Promises must be particularly applied.

Recollect the threatening. If thou forsake him, he will cast thee off,--though thou art Solomon, my son. It is best that we be drawn to duty, but it is better to be driven than not to do it at all. Adam in innocency was awed by a threatening. You who have given up your names to God, take heed that you do not forsake him. Do not forsake his truths. Do not forsake the ways you have walked in. Do not forsake the people of God. Go by the footsteps of the flock. Unbelief causes departing. It may be you are thinking you will never forsake God, as Peter,-though all men forsake, yet I will not. Take heed of resolving in your own strength. It is by faith you stand. Fear, lest you should be a cast-a-way.

There are some who are especially concerned to know God, and serve him.

Those who are young are so. Solomon was young when this counsel was given him, and he counsels others, Ecclesiastes, xii. 1. Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth. God must have the flower of our age. The beloved disciple was the youngest of the disciples.

The children of godly parents are especially concerned to know

* An ancient divine urging a “careful attention unto, and a heedful hiding of the word in our hearts," says, it "may restraine as a bridle from sinne," and "quicken us as a spurre to every good duty." Sermons by Alexander Grosse, B. D. p. 237, duod. 1640. And Dr. Barrow remarks, "Did we only believe the future judgment, with the results of it, that alone would be an effectual both spurr and curb to us.' Works, vol. 2. p. 40, ut supra.

+ This may be of use to us, when the thoughts of it are kept alive upon the heart in reference to these great concernments of our lives. In reference to sin,-it may teach us watchfulness. Beware of doing that which you would not have the Lord see you do, Genesis, xxxix. 9. Apply it to the sanctification of the sabbath.-In reference to duties. It concerns us to look to our ends in coming to duty, and to see after what manner we perform. Hebrews, xii. 28, 29. Servants work hard when the master stands by. Soldiers fight stoutly when the general is present. And when we have done duty, it may support us in expectation of our reward; though unknown to men. Matt. vi. 4. vi. 18.-In reference to wants. Despond not. Be not careful. Matt. vi. 32.—In reference to dangers. Ps. xvi. 8. P. Henry. Orig. MS. See P. Henry's Eighteen Sermons, ut supra, p. 87.

+ See 1 Sam. ii. 33. 1 Cor. vii. 36.