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would not only satisfy his justice, but show his love. It was the Lord's design, by his love, to deserve ours, and so for ever to shame the creature, if they should not now love him. Oh! think much of this glorious instiince, the love of God in giving Christ, and the love of Christ in giving himself. When ' the sea wrought and was tem- pestuous,' and Jonah saw the storm, he said, ' Cast me into the sea, and it shall be calm to you;' but the storm was raised for his owa sake. Now Christ, when he saw the misery of mankind, he said, Let it come on me. We raised the storm, but Christ would be cast in to allay it. If a prince, passing by an execution, should take the male- factor's chains, and suffer in his stead, this would be a wonderful instance indeed. Why ! Christ ' hath borne our sorrows and carried our griefs,' Isa. liii. 4; the very same griefs that we should have suffered, so far as his holy person was capable of them. His desertion was equivalent to our loss, his agonies to our curse and punisliment of sense •, and all this very willingly for the sake of sinners. It is notable, he doth with like indignation rebuke Peter dissuading him from sufferings, as he doth the devil tempting him to idolatry : ' Get thee behind me, Satan;' compare Mat. xvi. 22, Avith Mat. iv. 10. He is well pleased with all his sorrow and sufferings, so he may gain the church, and espouse her to himself in a firm league and covenant: Isa. liii. 11, ' He shall see the travail of his soul, and be satisfied ;' as if he said, Welcome agonies, welcome death, welcome curse, so poor souls be saved ! As Jacob counted the days of his labour nothing, so he might obtain Kachel ; and yet there is a vast difference between the love of Christ and the love of Jacob. Rachel was lovely, but we are vile and unworthy creatures ; and Christ's love is infinite, even beyond his sufferings and the outward expressions of it ; as the windows of the temple were more large and open within than without. Well, then, every one of Christ's wounds is a mouth open to plead for love. He made himself so vile, that he might be more dear and precious to us. Certainly, if love brought Christ out of heaven to the cross, to the grave, should it not carry us to heaven, to God, to Christ, who hath been thus gracious to us ? Thus God hath deserved our love.
Thirdly, The third and next argument is, God hath desired it. What doth the Lord see in our hearts that he should desire them ? If a prince should not only make love to a vile and abject creature, but seek all means to gain her affection, you would count her very froward and unthankful to give him the denial. Christ doth not only oblige us, but avoo us. If man were such as he should be, he would not need enforcements, because of the multitude of his obligations; and if the Lord did deal with us as we deserve, he would slight us and scorn us, rather than woo us. He doth not want lovers ; there are angels enough in heaven, whose wills and aff'ections cleave to him perfectly ; yea, God doth not need the love of any creature ; all this wooing is for our sakes. Wherein can frail men be beneficial to God ? What increase of happiness hath he if all men should love him ? It is his happiness to love himself, and he Avould have us to share in this happiness ; therefore he threateneth, and promiseth, and beseecheth. As one that would gladly open a door, trieth key after key, till he hath
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82 AN EXPOSITION, WITH NOTES, [VeR. 2.
tried every key in the bunch ; so doth God try one method after another to work upon man's heart.
1. He threateneth eternal torments if we do not love him : 1 Cor. xvi. 22, ' If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema maranatha/ The form of speech implieth the most dreadful curse that may be. It is not arbitrary whether you will love him or no ; you are either to love him, or to perish eternally. Among men, if love doth not come kindly, we neglect it ; that which is forced is nothing worth : yet the Lord is so earnest after the love of the creature, that he would have it by any means.
2. He promiseth. We have not only mercies in hand, but mercies in hope ; not only obligations, but promises. It is our duty to love God if there were no heaven ; our obligations might suffice ; yet ' what great things hath God provided for them that love him !' 1 Cor. ii. 9. If a man should sell his love, he cannot have a better chapman than God, who is most rich and most liberal. If an earthly potentate should promise to them that love him half his kingdom, he would find lovers enough. God hath promised glory, the kingdom of heaven, and shall we not take him at his word ? The Lord will give a gift for a gift ; because he hath given us to love him, therefore he will give us heaven as the reward of love. Who ever heard that a hungry man was hired to eat, and rewarded for tasting dainty food ? or a thirsty man for drinking ? The love of God is so excellent a privilege, that we should endure all torments to obtain it ; and yet God hath promised a reward: yea, he is pleased to bargain with us as if he were our equal, and we were altogether free before the contract.