1-lS THE FIFTEENTH SERMON. [2 ThES. II. 16.
world. This is that which is propounded to us to recover and recon- cile our alienated and estrannjed affections to God : 2 Cor. v. 19, 20, * God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses unto him.' This grace God offercth to us, as well as others ; namely, that for Christ's sake he will pardon our sins, if we will lay down our weapons and enter into his peace. None are bound to believe that God specially loveth them, but those that are specially beloved by him, for none are bound to believe a falsehood, and a false- hood it is to us, till we have the saving effects and benefits. There- fore, it is not the special, but tlie general love which first draweth in our hearts to God ; yea, the saints, after some testimonies received of God's special love, still make this to be the great engaging motive : Gal. ii. 20, ' I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.' Well, then, this is most likely to be meant by the apostle.
II. This must needs give great boldness in prayer.
1. By this we see that God's love is not a cold, ineffectual love, that consists only in raw wishes, but an operative, active love, that issueth forth to accomplish what he intendeth to us, though by the most costly means, and acted at the dearest rate. God * is good, and doth good,' Ps. cxix. 68. He hath a love to us, and will do good to us. Our love many times goes no further than good wishes or good words — be warmed, be clothed, but giveth not those things which are needful to the body, James ii. 16 ; but God resteth not in kind wishes, but giveth a full demonstration of it. If Christ be needful to the saints, they shall have him ; 'if God spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also fi-eely give us all things ?'
2. It is an act of such infinite love in God to give us Christ to die for us, such as may raise our wonder and astonishment. God's love is an immeasurable love, and so enlargeth our expectations and capacity for the reception of other things : Eph. iii. 18, 19, 'That ye may com- prehend with all saints to know what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height ; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.' There is such an immensity in the love of Christ as raiseth our desires and hopes to expect all other things from God that belong to our duty and happiness. If God will do this, what will he not do for those whom he loveth? He that hath given the greatest gift will not stick at lesser things. He that hath given a talent, shall he not give a penny ? He that hath given Christ, will he not give pardon to cancel our debts, grace to do our duty, comfort to support us in afflictions, sup- plies to maintain and protect us during our service ? Finally, will he not reward us when our work is over ? Reconciliation by his death is jiropounded as more difflcult than salvation by his life : Rom. v. 10, 'For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son ; much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.'
3. It is a gift in order to other things, and therefore he will complete that gift. Christ came to purchase all manner of blessings for us : the favour of God, the fruition of God, the everlasting fruition of God in glory, and all things by the way necessary thereunto. There are two arguments implied : —
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[1.] That God may now do us good witliout any impeachment of his honour. His justice and lioliness is sufficiently demonstrated, the authority of his hiw, and truth of his threatenings kept up : Kom. iii. 25, 26, ' Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God ; to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness, that he might be just, and the justifier of him that belie veth in Jesus.'
[2.] That after God by an antecedent bounty hath laid the foundation so broad and deep, the consequent bounty, which is as the upper build- ing for which this foundation was intended, will be laid on also. It was said of the foolish builder, that he began and was not able to finish. Surely the wise God, if we be qualified, and put no impedi- ment on our part, will finish what he hath begun.
4. Because the giving of Christ showeth how freely God will give all things to us. He gave Christ unasked, unsought too ; in this instance we see his free and undeserved love. This was love to rebels and ene- mies. When the world had corrupted their way and cast off God, then Christ died for us ; a consideration which servetli to support our confi- dence, notwithstanding the sense of our unworthiness. In the covenant of grace, great and wonderful mercies are given out to a world of sin- ners, and to ourselves among the rest. We see how loth God is sinners should perish ; that sins may be pardoned if we will accept God's terms, that hath given such general testimony of his love to mankind, his love to miserable sinners, that is willing they should be recon- ciled ; that there is not so much difference between us and others as between him and all. Now this encourageth us to fulfil the condi- tions of the gospel, notwithstanding our unworthiness of the privileges thereof