with what we may be prone so to esteem. Where men are apt to turn every infirmity, every failing, every neglect, and it may be every mistake, into a provocation, and to take offence thereat, never expect any thing of love from such persons. For as their frame is a fruit of pride and self-conceit, so it is diametrically opposite unto all the principal actings of love described by our apostle, 1 Cor. xiii. 47.

4. Take heed of resting satisfied in the outward duties of love, without the inward workings of it, as also in an apprehension of inward affections, without outward fruits. Men may have a conviction, that all the outward duties of love, in warning, admonishing, comforting, relieving with outward supplies, are to be attended unto, and may accordingly be exercised in them, and yet exercise little real love in them all. Hence our apostle supposeth that a man may give all his goods to feed the poor, and yet have no charity, I Cor. xiii. 2. All fruit partakes of the nature of the root. If the good we do in these kinds proceed only from conviction of duty, and not from fervent love, they will prove but hay and stubble that will burn in their trial.

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Secondly, With this love, as an eminent adjunct of it, the apostle expresseth the labour of it, "the labour of love," Koos TS ayan: laboriosa charitas, laborious love,' saith Beza. Laboris ex charitate suscepti, Eras. the labour undergone on the account of love, that is, in the exercise of it. Koos is such a kind of labour as is attended with much difficulty and trouble, a painful labour. A lazy love, like that described by the apostle, James ii. 15, 16. and which most men satisfy themselves withal, is no evidence of a saving faith. But we are here taught that love, if it be true, is laborious and diligent; or great and difficult labour is required unto love in its due exercise. It is not unto love itself absolutely, but unto its exercise, that this labour is required; yet this exercise is such as is inseparable from the grace itself. And this is necessary upon the account of the difficulties that lie in its way, and the oppositions that it meets withal. These make a work laborious and painful. Faith and love are generally looked on as easy and common things; but it is by them who have them not. As they are the only springs of all obedience towards God, and usefulness towards men, so they meet with the greatest oppositions from within and from without. I shall name some few of those which are most effectual, and least taken notice of. As,

1. Self-love. This is diametrically opposed unto it. Selflove is the making a man's self his own centre, the beginning and ending of all that he doth. It makes men grudge every drop of good that falls besides themselves; and whoever is under the power of it, will not willingly and cheerfully do that

for another, which he thinks he can do for himself. This is the measure of self: whatever is added unto it, it doth not satisfy, it would still have more; and whatever goeth from it, on one account or other, it is too much, it doth not please. Unless this be in some good measure subdued, mortified, and cast out, there can be no exercise of love. And hereunto labour is required. For man being turned off from God, is wholly turned into himself. And without a holy violence unto all our affections as naturally depraved, we can never be freed from an inclination to centre all in self. And these things are directly contradictory. Self-love, and love of the saints, are like two buckets; proportionably unto the rising of the one, the other goeth down. Look unto what degree soever we arise in selflove, whatever else we do, and whatever our works may be, to the same proportion do we sink in Christian love.

2. Evil surmises rise up with no small efficacy against the exercise of love. And they are apt on various accounts to insinuate themselves into the minds of men, when they are called unto the discharge of this duty. One thing or other from this depraved affection which our nature is obnoxious to, shall be suggested to weaken our hearts and hands in what we are about. And it requires no small spiritual labour to cast out all such surmises, and to give up ourselves to the conduct of that charity which "suffereth long and is kind, which beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things," 1 Cor. xiii. 7.

3. Distrust of God's promises as to supplies for ourselves. Men are afraid that if they should enlarge themselves in a way of bounty towards others, which is one duty of love, they may in time be brought even to want themselves, at least, as unto that proportion of supplies which they judge necessary. It were endless to recount the sacred promises which give assurance of the contrary. Nor can any one instance in the whole world be produced unto this purpose. But these are looked upon as good words by the most, but are not really believed. Yea men are. apt to deceive their souls in supposing they believe the free promises of God concerning grace and mercy, whilst they believe not those which are annexed unto duty. For he who believeth not any promises of the gospel, believeth none. Faith doth as equally respect all God's promises, as obedience doth all his commands. And it was a good design in a reverend person, who wrote a discourse to prove from the Scripture and experience, that largeness in charity is the best and safest way of thriving in this world.

4. Where the objects of this exercise of love are multiplied, weariness is apt to befal us, and insensibly to take us off from the whole. The wisdom and providence of God do multiply

objects of love and charity, to excite us to more acts of duty; and the corruption of our hearts with self-love useth the consideration of them, to make us weary of all. Men would be glad to see an end of the trouble and charge of their love, when that only is true which is endless. Hence our apostle in the next verse expresseth his desire, that these Hebrews should not faint in their work, but shew the same diligence unto the full assurance of hope unto the end; see Gal. vi. 9. And if we faint in spiritual duties because of the increase of their occasions, it is a sign that what we have done already, did not spring from the proper root of faith and love. What is done in the strength of nature and conviction, howsoever vigorous it may be for a season, in process of time will decay and expire. And this is the reason why so many fail in the course of their profession. All springs of obedience that lie in convictions, and the improvement of natural abilities under them, will at one time or other fade and dry up. And where we find ourselves to faint or decay in any duties, our first inquiry should be after the nature of their spring and principle. Only the Spirit of God is living water that never fails. So the prophet tells us, that" even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fail," Isa. xl. 30. They who seem to be the strongest and most vigorous in the performance of any duties, yet if they have nothing but their own strength, the ability of nature under convictions to trust unto, they will and shall faint and utterly fail. For that such are intended is manifest from the opposition in the next words; but "they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint," ver. 31. If our strength and duties be derived by faith from God, the more we engage in them, the more it will be increased. "The way of the Lord is strength to the upright," Prov. x. 29. Where we are upright in the way of God, the very way itself will supply us with new strength continually; and we shall go from strength unto strength, Psal. lxxxiv. 7. from one strengthening duty unto another, and not be weary. But hereunto diligence and labour also is required. From these and the like considerations it is, that the apostle here mentioneth the industrious labour of love that was in the Hebrews, as an evidence of their saving faith and sincerity.

The next thing expressed in these words, is the evidence they gave of this labour of love, and the means whereby the apostle came to know it. They shewed it, vedukad, 'ye have shewed or manifested it.' The same word that James useth in the same case, dužov moi, ch. ii. 18. "shew me thy faith by thy works," declare it, make it manifest. And a man may shew a

thing two ways: 1. By the doing of it. 2. By declaring what he hath done. He that works visibly in his calling, shews his work by what he doth. And he who works in secret may declare it as he hath occasion. It is in the first sense that the Hebrews shewed their labour of love, and that James requires us to shew our faith and works. The things themselves are intended, which cannot but be manifest in their due performance. To shew the labour of love, is to labour in the duties of it, as that it shall be evident. Yet this self-evidencing power of the works of love, is a peculiar property of those that are some way eminent. When we abound in them, and when the duties of them are above the ordinary sort and rate, then are we said to shew them, that is, they become conspicuous and eminent. To that purpose is the command of our Saviour, Matt. v. 16. "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." Not only let it shine, but let it so shine, which respects the measure and degree of our obedience; and herein are we required so to abound that our works may be evident unto all. If they will take no notice of them for their good, if they will revile us and reproach us for our good works, as though they were evil works, which is the way of the world towards most duties of gospel obedience, they themselves must answer for their blindness: our duty it is so to abound in them, as that they may be discerned and seen of all who do not either shut their eyes out of prejudice against what we are, or turn their faces from them out of dislike of what we do. Nothing is to be done by us that it may be seen: but what may be seen is to be done that God may be glorified. Wherefore these Hebrews shewed the work of faith, and the labour of love, by a diligent attendance unto, and an abundant performance of the one and

the other.

3. The end, or reason, or cause of their performance of these duties, which gives them spirit and life, rendering them truly Christian and acceptable unto God, is added, 15 To ovoμa dute, towards his name.' Some would have εις το ονομα, to be put for εν τω ονοματι, ' in his name;' which also may bear the sense here intended. But towards his name,' is more emphatical. And we may observe, 1. That in this place it respects not the whole work of these Hebrews, the work of faith before mentioned, but it is peculiarly annexed unto the labour of love, the Jabour of love towards his name. 2. That it was the saints that were the immediate object of that love; as is declared in the words ensuing, "in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister." Wherefore, it is a love unto the saints on the account of the name of God, that is intended. And this love unto the saints is towards the name of God on three ac

counts: 1. Objectively, because the name of God is upon them: they are the family that is called after his name. Of him the whole family of them in heaven and earth is named, Eph. iii. 15. They are the family of God, or household of God, ch. ii. 19. the saints of the Most High, Dan. vii. 27. The name of God is upon them, and therefore what is done unto them is done towards the name of God, whether it be good or evil. 2. Formally, because their relation unto God is the reason why they laboured in love towards them. This is that which gives this love its especial nature, when it is exercised towards any, merely on the account of their relation unto God, because they are his, because his name is called on them. 3. Efficiently. The name of God is his authority and will: God requires this labour of love of us: it is his will and command; and therefore whatever we do in the discharge of it, we do it towards his name, that is, with a due reverence of, and regard unto his will and authority. The whole therefore of this duty rightly performed, begins and ends with the name of God. Hence we may observe, that,

Obs. III. It is a due regard unto the name of God that gives life, spirituality, and acceptance, unto all the duties of love which we perform towards others.-Great things have been done in the world, with a great appearance of love, which yet have been all lost as to the glory of God, and the spiritual advantage of them by whom they have been done. Some have been lost from a principle of superstition, some from a design of merit, some from vain glory or a desire of reputation, by being seen of men. And many other ways there are whereby men may lose the benefit of what they have wrought. Now, whereas this labour of love is a duty which hath so many difficulties attending it, as we have before declared, it is of the highest concernment unto us to take care that what we do therein be not lost. Unless it be done with respect unto the command of God, and so be a part of the obedience of faith, unless it be influenced with a regard of their relation unto God, and his peculiar concernment in them towards whom our love is exercised, it will not endure the trial, when the fire of it shall consume all hay and stubble. What we do in this kind, is so to be done as that the Lord Christ may own it as done to himself in the first place.

Again, There is the object of this love in its exercise, and they are of ay, the saints.' And they are considered either as to their general condition and qualification, which is expressed," they are saints;" or as unto their particular state and circumstances, they are such as stand in need to be ministered

unto.

1. They are saints. There is nothing more evident than