Page images
PDF
EPUB

teft and delight. Return to thy reft O my foul, fays David, Pfal. cxvi. 7. He makes God his reft; that is, he in whom his foul doth reft, without feeking further, for a more fuitable and defireable object: Whom have I, faith he, in heaven but thee, and there is none in earth that I defire befides thee, Pfal. Ixxiii. 25. Thus the foul gathers in itself from all its wandrings, from all other beloved's to reft in God alone, to fatiate and content himself in him, choosing the Father for his present, and eternal reft. And this alfo with delight. Thy loving kindness, faith the Pfalmift, is better than life, therefore will I praife thee, Pfal. Ixiii. 3. I will not deny, but life in a fingle confideration fometimes is fo expreffed: but always emphatica!y; fo that the whole life, with all the concernments of it, which may render it confiderable are thereby intended. Auflin on this place reading it Super vitas, extends it to the feveral courfes of life that men engage themselves in. Life in the whole continuance of it with all its advantages whatever, is at least intended. Suppofing himfelf in the jaws of death, rolling into the grave through innumerable troubles, yet he found more sweetness in God, than in a long life, under its beft and most noble confiderations, attended with all enjoyments that make it pleasant and comfortable. From both thefe, is that of the church in Hofea xiv. 3. Abur fhall not fave us, we will not ride upon horfes, neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, ye are our gods, for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy. They Feject the most goodly appearances of reft and confentment, to make all in God, on whom they caft themselves as otherwise helpless orphans.

2. The mutual love of God and the faints agree

in this, that the way of communicating the iffues and fruits of these loves, is only in Chrift. The Father communicates no iffue of his love unto us, but through Chrift: and we make no return of love unto him but through Chrift. He is the treasure wherein the Father difpofeth all the riches of his grace, taken from the bottomlefs Mine of his eternal love; and he is the Prieft, into whose hand we put all the offerings, that we return unto the Father. Thence he is first, and by way of eminency faid to love the Son: not only as his eternal Son, as he was the delight of his foul before the foundation of the world, Prov. viii. 30. but also as our Mediator, and the means of conveying his love to us, Matth. iii. 17. John iii. 33. John v. 21. John x. 17. John xv. 9. John xvii. 24. And we are faid through him to believe in, and to have accefs to God.

1. The Father loves us, and choofeth us before the foundation of the world; but in the pur fuit of that love, he bleffeth us with all fpiritual bleffings in heavenly places in Christ, Eph. i. 3, 4. From his love, he sheds, or pours out the Holy Spirit richly upon us, through Jefus Chrift our Saviour, Tit. iii. 6. In the pouring out of his love, there is not one drop falls befides the Lord Christ. The holy anointing oil, was all poured on the head of Aaron, Pfal. cxxxiii. 2. and thence went down to the fkirts of his cloathing. Love is first poured out on Chrift; and from him, it drops as the dew of Hermon upon the fouls of his faints. The Father will have him to have the preheminence in all things, Col. i. 18. it pleafed him that in him, all fulness fhould dwell, ver. 19. that of his fulness we might receive, and grace for grace, John i. 16. Though the love of the Father's purpofe and good pleasure,

have its rife and foundation in his meer grace and will, yet the defign of its accomplishment is only in Chrift. All the fruits of it, are first given to him; and it is in him only that they are difpenfed to us.. So that though the faints may, nay do fee an infinite ocean of love unto them in the bofom of the: Father, yet they are not to look for one drop from Kim, but what comes through Chrift. He is the only means of communication. Love in the Father,is like honey in the flower; it must be in the comb,, before it be for our ufe. Chrift muft extract and prepare this honey for us. He draws this water from the fountain, through union and difpenfation of fulness, we by faith from the wells of falvation that are in him. This was in part before difco vered..

2. Our returns are all in him, and by him alfo.. And well is it with us, that it is fo.. What lame: and blind facrifices fhould we otherwife prefent un-to God? He bears the iniquities of our offerings,, and he adds incenfe unto our prayers. Our love is fixed on the Father, but it is conveyed to him,. through the Son of his love. He is the only way for our graces, as well as our perfons to go unto> God: through him paffeth all our defire, our de-light, our complacency, our obedience. Of which more afterwards.

[ocr errors]

Now in these two things, there is fome refem-blance, between that mutual love of the Father and the faints, wherein they hold communion.

2. There are fundry things wherein they differ.. 1. The love of God is a love of bounty, our love? unto him is a love of duty.

1. The love of the Father is a love of bounty a defcending love. Such a love as carrys him ou

His

to do good things, to us, great things for us. love lyes at the bottom of all difpenfations towards us: and we fcarce any where find any mention of it, but it is held out as the cause and fountain of fome free gift, flowing from it, He loves us and fends his Son to die for us; he loves us, and bleffeth us with all spiritual bleffings. Loving is choosing, Rom. ix. 11, 12. He loves us and chaftifeth us. A love like that of the heavens to the earth, when being full of rain, they power forth fhowers to make it fruitful; as the fea communicates his waters to the rivers, by the way of bounty, out of its own fulnefs; they return unto it only what they receive from it. It is the love of a Spring, of a Fountain, always communicating. A love from whence proceeds every thing that is lovely in its object. It infufeth into, and creates goodness in the perfons beloved; and this anfwers the defcription of love given by the Philofopher: To love, faith he,' Is to ⚫ wish well to those who are thought good; and with 'might to endeavour to be of that number.' He that loves, works out good to them he loveth, as he is able. God's power and will are commenfurate. What he willeth he worketh.

2. Our love unto God, is a love of duty: the love of a child. His love defcends upon us in bounty and fruitfulness; our love afcends unto him, in duty and thankfulness. He adds to us by his love, we nothing to him by ours. Our goodness extends not unto him. Though our love be fixed on him immediately, yet no fruit of our love reacheth him immediately, though he requires our love, he is not benefited by it, Job xxxv. 5, 6, 7, 8. Rom. xi. 35. Job xxii. 2, 3. It is indeed made up of these four hings. 1. Reft, 2. Delight, 3. Reverence, 4. Q

bedience.

bedience. By thefe do we hold communion with the Father in his love. Hence God calls that love which is due to him as a Father, honour, Mal. i. 6. If I be a Father, where is mine honour? It is a deferved act of duty.

2. They differ in this: The love of the Father unto us is an antecedent love, our love unto him is a confequent love.

1. The love of the Father unto us is an antecedent love, and that in two respects.

I. It is antecedent in respect of our love, 1 John iv. 10. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us firft. His love goes before ours. The Father loves the child, when the child knows not the Father; much lefs loves him. Yea we are by nature, Rom. i. 30. Haters of God. He is in his own nature, a lover of men: and furely all mutual love between him and us, must begin on his hand.

2. In refpect of all other caufes of love whatever. It goes not only before our love, but also any thing in us, that is lovely, Rom. v. 8. God commendeth his love towards us, in that whilst we were yet finners Chrift died for us. Not only his love, but the eminent fruit thereof, is made out towards us, as finners. Sin holds out all of unloveliness, and undefireableness, that can be in a creature. The very mention of that, removes all caufes, all moving occafions of love whatever. Yet as fuch, have we the commendation of the Father's love unto us, by a most signal testimony. Not only when we have done no good, but when we are in our blood, doth he love us. Not because we are better than others; but because himself is infinitely good. His kindnefs appears when we are foolish and difobedient. Hence he is faid to love the world, that is, those

« PreviousContinue »