In our darkest condition God seeth us, wdien we do not see him : Ps. Ixxiii. 22, 23, and Job xxiii. 9, 10, ' I looked on the left hand where he doth work, but I cannot behold him : he hideth himself on the right hand that I cannot see him. But he knoweth the way that I take : when he hath tried me, I shall come forth, as gold/
340 THE SIXTEENTH SERMON. [JoiIN III. 16.
SERMON XVI.
God so loved the world, that he gave his onhf-hegotlen Son, that tvJioso- ever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. — John III. IG.
In these words you have the sum and substance of the gospel. In them observe : —
1. The fountain and original of all that grace and salvation which ifi brought unto us, God's unspeakable love to mankind : God so loved the world.
2. The way which God took to recover our lapsed condition, or the effect and fruit which flows from this fountain : that he gave his onhj- hegotten Son.
3. The end of it : that ivhosoever believeth inhim should not perish, but have everlasting life ; where take notice of —
[1.] The qualification, or the free and easy condition put upon men in the gospel : that ivhosoever believeth in him.
[2.] The benefit that resulteth to us, expressed negatively and affir- matively : shoidd not perish, but have everlasting life.
First, The rise and beginning of all is God's inconceivable love : ' God so loved the world.' Where observe : —
1. The object: the ivorld.
2. The act : loved.
3. The degree: so loved.
1. The word by which the object is expressed is ' the world,' which noteth mankind in its corrupt and miserable state : 1 John v. 19, ' The whole world lies in sin.' The world is a heap of men who had broken God's law, forfeited his love and favour ; they neither loved nor feared God, but were unthankful and unholy ; yet this world God loved.
2. The act : ' he loved.' The love of God is twofold — the love of benevolence and the love of complacence.
[1.] The love of benevolence is the pity and comjiassion of God to- wards man lying in sin and misery. This is understood in this place, as also in Titus iii. 4, ' The kindness and love of God our Saviour to- wards man aj^peared.'
[2.] The love of complacence. So he loveth us'when he hath made us lovely. In which sense it is said, Ps. xi. 7, ' The rigliteous God loveth righteousness;' John xvi. 27, ' The Father himself loveth you, because ye loved me.' This belongetli not to this place.
3. Tlie degree : ' so loved.' He dotli not tell you how much, but leaveth it to your most solemn, raised thoughts. It is rather to be conceived than spoken of, and admired rather than conceived.
ObseiTe from the words : —
That the beginning and first cause of our salvation is the mere love of God. The outwurd occasion was our misery, the inward moving cause was God's love.
[1.] Love is at the lx)ttom of all. We may giv^e a reason of other things, but we cannot give a reason of his love. God showed his
John III. 16.] the sixteenth sermon. 341
wisdom, power, justice, and holiness in our redemption by Christ. _ If you ask, Why he made so much ado about a worthless creature, raised out of the dust of the ground at first, and had now disordered himself, and could be of no use to him ? We have an answer at hand. Because he loved us. If you continue to ask. But why did he love us ? We liave no other answer but because lie loved us ; for beyond the first rise of thinj2;s we cannot go. And the same reason is given by Moses, Deut. vii. 7, 8, ' The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because you were more in number than any people, for ye were the fewest of all people ; but because the Lord loved you ;' that is, in short, he loved you because he loved you. The same reason is given by our Lord Jesus Clirist, Mat. xi. 26, ' Even so. Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight.' All came from his free and undeserved mercy ; higher we cannot go in seeking after the causes of what is done for our salvation.
[2.] The most remarkable thing that is visible in the progress and perfection of our salvation by Christ is love. And it is meet that the beginning, middle, and end should suit. Nay, if love be so conspicuous in the whole design and carrying on of this blessed work, it is much moi-e in the rise and fountain. God's great end in our redemption was the demonstration of his love and mercy to mankind ; yea, not only the demonstration, but the commendation of it. That is the apostle's word, Kom. v. 8, ' God commendeth his love to us, in that Avhile we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.' A thing may be demonstrated as real that is not commended or set forth as great. God's design was that we should not only believe the reality, but admire the greatness of his love. Now, from first to last love is so conspicuous tliat we cannot overlook it. Light is not more con- s])icuous in the sun than the love of God in our redemption by Christ.