The love of God
First, the love of God. For his word says this: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. Such a love as this takes up the whole heart. It takes up all the affections. It fills the entire capacity of the soul, and it employs the utmost extent of all its faculties.
He who loves the Lord his God in this way has a spirit that continually rejoices in God his Savior. His delight is in the Lord, his Lord and his all, to whom in everything he gives thanks. All his desire is toward God, and toward the remembrance of his name. His heart is ever crying out, Whom have I in heaven but you, and there is none upon earth that I desire besides you.
Indeed, what can he desire besides God? Not the world, or the things of the world. For he is crucified to the world, and the world is crucified to him. He is crucified to the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eye, and the pride of life. Yes, he is dead to pride of every kind, for love is not puffed up. He who dwells in love dwells in God, and God in him, and he is less than nothing in his own eyes.
1771 text
I.) 1. First, The love of God. For thus saith his word, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. Such a love is this, as engrosses the whole heart, as takes up all the affections, as fills the entire capacity of the soul, and employs the utmost extent of all its faculties. He that thus loves the Lord his God, his spirit continually rejoiceth in God his Saviour. His delight is in the Lord, his Lord and his all, to whom in every thing he giveth thanks. All his desire is unto God, and to the remembrance of his name. His heart is ever crying out, Whom have I in heaven but thee, and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. Indeed, what can he desire beside God? Not the world, or the things of the world. For he is crucified to the world, and the world crucified to him. He is crucified to the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eye, and the pride of life. Yea, he is dead to pride of every kind: for love is not puffed up; but he that dwelling in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him, is less than nothing in his own eyes.
About this text
Rendered in modern English, to be read and heard. Open the 1771 text under each part to check the claims and the scripture.
Rendered in modern English. The 1771 panel is his own Pine printing of the Works. It is public domain.
Catalogue & scope
Sermon 2 in the 1771 Works. Saint Mary's, Oxford, 25 July 1741. Acts 26:28.
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