2. It is an act of love begotten in us by the sense of the love of Christ. For love only begetteth love : 1 John iv, 19, ' We love him, because he loved us first.' The object of love is goodness. Now, we loved God in Christ, for the goodness that is in him, the goodness that floweth from him, and the goodness we expect from him ; all these attract our love.
[1.] Tiie goodness that is in him, moral and beneficial. Moral, which is his holiness: Ps. cxix. 140, ' Thy word is very j)ure, therefore thy servant loveth it.' If we love his law for the })urity thereof, then certainly we must love God. How else can we study to imitate him ? for we imitate only that which we love and delight in as good. Then for his beneficial goodness, Ps. c. 5, ' For the Lord is good ; his mercy is everlasting ; and his truth endureth to all generations ; ' and Ps. cxix. (58, ' Thou art good, and doest good.'
[2.] The goodness that floweth from him ; not only in our creation, but our redemption by Christ, which is the stupendous instance of his
PlllL. III. 3.] THE TRUE CIRCUMCISION. 39
goodness to man : Titus iii. 4, ' After the kindness and love of God our Saviour towards man appeared/ &c. (In the creation there was cf}t\a'yy€X[a ; in redemption, (^iCkavO puj-n ia.) That God found a ransom for us, and so great as liis only-begotten Son, this was love and good- ness indeed.
[3.] The goodness wc expect from him, both in this world and the next. Here reconciliation and remission of sins, which is a blessing that doth much draw the heart of man to delight in Christ ; for she loved much to whom much was forgiven, Luke vii. 47. We keep ofit' from a condemning God, but draw nigh to a pardoning God. Therefore the apostle saith, Heb. vii. 19, The bringing in of this better hope by the gospel doth cause us to draw nigh to God. Being at peace with God, and reconciled to him, Ave may have access with confidence and boldness to the throne of grace ; are no more at distance with God, looking upon him as a consuming fire. The gospel giveth us liberty to come to him, and expect the mercy and bounty of God, through Jesus Christ. So in the next world eternal life and glory, which is our great reward, merited by Christ : Mat. v. 12, ' Rejoice, and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven.' This is a solid, lasting, satisfying, substantial good. Worldly joys are but seeming, they appear and vanish in a moment, every blast of tempta- tion scattereth them. Well, then, offers of pardon and life by Christ are the matters of this joy, as they free us from the greatest miseries, and bring us to the enjoyment of the truest happiness. If you ask me, then. Why is a Christian described rather by rejoicing in Christ than by rejoicing in the pardon of sins and eternal blessedness ? I answer, Because Christ is the author and procurer of these things to us ; and by our joy we express not only our esteem of these benefits^ but our gratitude and thankfulness for the mercy and bounty of God, and the great love of our Eedeemer.
3. The description showeth how the sense of this goodness is be- gotten in us. The love of Christ is revealed in the luord and shed abroad in our hearts hy the Holy Ghost ; and I add, believed by faith, and improved by meditation.
[1.] It is revealed in the gospel, or word of salvation which is sent to us. Therefore it is said, Acts xiii. 48, ' When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of God ; and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.' Surely the mind of man, which is naturally discomforted and weakened, and strangely haunted with doubts and fears about the pardon of sin and eternal life, is mightily revived and encouraged with these glad tidings of this salvation dispensed to us by a sure covenant, Heb. vi. 18. And if the Gentiles that heard these things were glad, proportionably we should be glad, for the gospel should never be as stale news to sinners, or as a jest often told. Our necessities are as deep as theirs, and the covenant standeth as firm to us as it did to them ; therefore if we have the heart of a guilty man, it should be as welcome to us.
[2.] It is shed abroad in our hearts by tlie Holy Ghost. So much is asserted by the apostle : Eom. v. 5, ' The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.' Our dry reason cannot give such a lively sense of these comforts as
40 A DESCRIl'TION OF [PuiL. III. 3.
the revelation of the Holy Ghost. And tliis is the difference between a believing by tradition and believing by inspiration. Believing by tradition giveth ns but cold thoughts of these mysteries, but believing by insjiiration warnieth the heart, and reviveth it with an unspeakable joy, and is called ' tasting the good word,' which is the i)rivilege of those who are enlightened by the Spirit, Hel). vi. 4 ; and a tasting that the Lord is gracious, 1 Peter ii. 3 ; which much diifereth from the common reflection upon those things which flesh and blood may give us, or the bare reports of men stir up in us. The Si)irit's light is lovely, and ravisheth and transporteth the soul ; and where it is per- manent and rooted, it effectually changeth the soul. Some are alto- gether careless, not affected at all with these things, as the habituated worldly sinner, 1 Cor. ii. 14. They are folly to him ; for spiritual things must be spiritually discerned. Some are to a degree affected by the conmion work of the Spirit, Heb. vi. 4-G ; but it is not rooted, it is not predominate^, so as to control other affections and delights; they have a rejoicing in the offers of pardon and life, but it is a joy that leaveth some darling sin still predominant. But there is a third sort that have such a taste of these things that they are renewed and changed by it, Heb. iii. 6. Now, then, if you would have this rejoicing in Christ Jesus, you must apply yourselves to Christ, in the use of the appointed means, for the renewing of your natures ; for love and delight are never forced, nor will be drawn forth by bare commands and threatenings, yea, and not by the proposal of promises, though the enjoyments be never so great and glorious. This may a little stir us, and this is the matter of joy, but not the cause of joy. But this joy proceedeth partly from the inclination when the heart is suited, and partly from the attractive goodness of the object ; and both are power- fully done by the Holy Spirit, as the heart is renewed, and the object is most effectually represented by him, Eph. i. 17, 18. And this we must wait for.