Ans. 1. If we would have mercy, it must l)e through Christ; out of Christ no mercy is to be had. We read in the old law. First, None might come into the holy of holies, where the mercy-seat stood, but the high- priest ; signifying, we have nothing to do with mercy, but through Christ our high priest. 2dly, The high priest might not come near the mercy-seat without blood, Lev. xvi. 11., to shew that wc have no right to mercy, but through the expiatory sacri- fice of Christ's blood. 3dly, The high priest might not upon pain of death come near the incrcy-seat without incense. Lev. x\i. 13. No mercy from God without the incense of Christ's intercession : so that if we would have mercy, we must get a part in Christ. Mercy swims to us through Christ's blood.
A. 2 If we would have mercy, me must pray for it, Ps. Ixxxv. 7., " Shew us thy mercy, O Lord, and grant us thy salvation." Ps. :^xv. IG., " Turn thee unto me, and have mercy u\Hn\ me." Lord put me not off with common n)ercy ; give me not only mercy to feed and clothe me, but mercy to paidon me; not only sparing mercy, but saving mercy. Lord, give me the cream of thy • mercies; let me have mercy and loving- kindness, Ps. ciii. 4., " Whocrowneth thee with loving-kindness and tender mercy."
Be earnest suitors for mercy ; let vour wants quicken your importunity ; then we pray most fervently, when we pray most feelingly.
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OF THE SECOND COMMANDMENT.
ExoD. XX. 6. Of them that love me, 8fc.
GOD'S mercy is for them tliat love him. Love is a gi*ace tliat shines and sparkles in God's eye, as the precious stone did upon Aaron's hreast-plate. Love is an holy ex- pansion or enlargement of soul, whereby it is carried with delight after God, as the chief good ; so Aquinas defines love, C07n- placentia anmniifi in amalo ; love is a com- placential delighting in God, as in our trea- sure ; love is the soul of religion ; it is a grace highly momentous. If we had know- ledge as the angels, or faith of miracles, yet without love it would profit nothing, 1 Cor. xiii. 2. " This is the first and great com- mandment," Mat. xxii. 38. It is so, because, if this be wanting, there can be no religion in the heart; there can be no faith, for "faith worketh by love," Gal. v. 6. All else is but pageantry, or a devout compliment.
2. Because love doth meliorate and sweet- en all the duties of religion ; it makes them savoury meat, else God cares not to taste of them.
3. It is the first and great commandment, in respect of the excellency of this grace. Love is the queen of the graces ; it out- shines all the others, as the sun the lesser planets. In some respect it is more excel- lent than faith ; though in one sense faith be more excellent, virtute nnionis, as it u- nites us to Christ, — faith puts upon us the embroidered robe of Christ's righteousness, which is a brighter robe than any of the angels wear, — yet in another sense love is more excellent, respectu durationis, in res- pect of the continuance of it ; it is the most durable grace ; faith and hope will shortly cease, but love will remain. WJieu nil the other graces, like Rachel, shall die in tra- vail, love shall revive. The other graces are in the nature of a lease, only for term of life; love is as a frecln)ld, it continues for ever. Thus love carries away the gar- land from all the other graces, — it is the most iong-lived grace, — it is a bud of eter- nity,— this grace alone shall accompany us in heaven.
Quest. 1. How must our love to God be qualijit d ?
Ans. 1. Love to God must be pure and genuine ; he must be loved chiefly for him self; this the schoolmen call amor amicitcB. We must love God, not only for his bene- fits, but for those intrinsic excellencies wherewith he is crowned ; we must love God not only for the good which flows from him, but the good which is in him. True love is not mercenary ; a soul that is deeply in love with God, needs not to be hired with rewards ; he cannot but love God for the beauty of his holiness : not but that it is hiAvful to look at God's benefits, — Moses had an eye to the recompense of re- ward, Heb. xi. 27., but we must not love God only for his benefits, for then it is not love of God but self-love.
A. 2. Love to God must be with all the heart, Mark xii. 30., " Thou alialt loA^e the Lord thy God with all thy heart." We must not love God a little, — give God a drop or two of our love, — but the main stream of our love must run after him ; the mind must think of God, the will choose him, the affections pant after him ; the true mother would not have the child divided, nor God will not have the heart divided ; we must love him with our whole heart. Though we may love the creature, yet it must be a subordinate love : love to God must be highest, as the oil swims above the water.