A. 6. He that loves God, prefers him before estate and life. — 1. Before estate, Phil. iii. 8., " For whom I have suffered the loss of all things." AVho that loves a rich jewel, would not part with a flower for it ? Galcacius, marquis of Vico, parted with a fair estate to enjoy God in his pure ordi- nances. When a Jesuit persuaded hiui to return to his popish religion in Italy, pro- raiiring him a huge sum of money, saith he, " Let their money ])erish witli them, who esteem all the gold in the world worth one day's communion with Jesus Christ and hia Holy Spirit." — 2. Before life, Rev. xn. 1 1 .,
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They loved not their lives to the death." Love to God carries the soul above the love of life and the fear of death.
A. 7. He who loves God, loves his fav- ourites, viz. the saints, 1 John v. 1. Idom est motus animi in imaginem et rem. To love a man for his grace, and the more we see of God in him the more we love him, is the infallible siffn of love to God. The wicked pretend to love God, but hate and persecute his image. Doth he love his prince, who abuseth his statue, or tears his picture ? In- deed they seem to show great reverence to the saints departed ; they have a great rev- erence for St. Paul, and St. Stephen, and St. Ijuke ; they canonize dead saints, but persecute living saints; and do these love God ? Can it be imagined he should love God, who hates his children because they are like him ? If Christ were alive again, he would not escape a second persecution.
A. 8. If we love God, as we cannot but be fearful of dishonouring him (the more a child loves his father, the more he is afraid to displease him) so we weep and mourn when we have offended him. Peter " went out and wept bitterly," Matth. xxvi 75. When Peter thought how dearly Christ lov- ed him — he took him up to the mount where he was transfigured, — Christ showed him the glory of heaven in a vision — now, that he should deny Christ, after he had receiv- ed such signal tokens of Christ's love, this broke his heart with grief, " he wept bit- terly." Are our eyes limbecks dropping tears of grief for sin against God ? A bles- sed evidence of our love to God ; and such shall find mercy ! '• He shews mercy to thoi;.sands of them that love him."
Use. Let us be lovers of God. We love our food, and shall we not love him that gives it .'* All the joy we hope for in hea- ven, is in God ; and shall not he who shall be our joy, be our love? It is a saying of St. Austin, Annon pcune satis magna est non amare te ? ' Is it not punishment enough. Lord, not to love thee?' And again, Ani- wan meam in odia habcrem : I would hate my own soul, if I did not find it loving of God.
Quest. Jl7iat are the incentives to pro- voke and injlame our love to God ?
Ans. 1. God's benefits bestowed on us.
A prince who bestows continual favours on a subject, if that subject hath any in- ' genuity, he cannot but love his prince. I God is constantly heaping benefits upon us, 1 " Filling our hearts with food and glad- ness," Acts xiv. 17. As the lock followed Israel, whithersoever they went streams of water out of the rock followed them, so God's blessings follow ns every day ; we j swim in a sea of mercy. That heart is hard, that is not prevailed with by all God's blessings, to love him. Magnus amoris amor. Kindness works on a brute ; the ox knows his owner.
A. 2. Love to God would make duties of religion facile and pleasant. I confess to him that hath no love to God religion must needs be a burden ; and I wonder not to hear him say, " What a weariness is it to serve the Lord ?" It is like rowing a- gainst the tide. But love oils the wheels, it makes duty a pleasure. Why are the angels so swift and winged in God's ser- vice, but because they love him? Jacob thought seven years but little for the love he did bear to Rachel. Love is never wea- ry ; he who loves money is not weary of telling it, and he who loves God is not weary of serving him.
A. 3. It is advantageous. There is no- thing lost by our love to God, 1 Cor. ii. 9., " Eye hath not seen, &c. the things which God hath prepared for them that love Jiim." Such glorious rewai'ds are laid up for them that love God, " that (as St. Austin saith) they do not only transcend our reason, but faith itself is not able to comprehend them." A crown is the highest ensign of worldly glory, and God hath promised a " crown of life to them that love him," James i. 12. And it is a never-fading crown, 1 Pet. V. 4.
A. 4. By our loving God, we may know that he loves us, 1 Joiin iv. 19., " We love him, because he first loved us." If the ice melts, it is because the sun hath shined upon it; if the frozen heart melts in love, it is because the Sun of Righteousness hath shined upon -it.
Quest. Jlhat means may be used to excite our love to God ?
Ans. 1. Labour to know God aright. The schoolmen say true, Bonum nan amatiur
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