[2.] That we have not only the blessings and benefits, but the love itself: 1 John iii. 1, ' Behold what manner of love is this that the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God ! ' Not showed us, but bestowed upon us. We have blessings from his heart, as well as his hand ; by his blessings in us, his love is in us ; we may gather thence that we are beloved of God, and no benefit is to be valued unless God's love be in it. What good will the possession of all things do us if we have not God himself ? The love is more to be valued than the gift, whatever it be. God giveth this love to none but special friends ; he giveth his outward love to enemies. He accepteth not our duties unless our hearts be in them, and our love be in them ; so we should not be satisfied till we can see love in the blessings that we receive from God, that they come from his heart as well as his hand. There are chastisements in love, and blessings given in anger, salted with a curse.
2. Observe, ' That the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them.' He had before said, ' Thou hast loved them as thou hast loved me ;' now, ' Let this love be in them.' The love of God is sometimes said to be in Christ, sometimes in us. Sometimes in Christ : Eom. viii. 39, ' Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be
VeR. 26.] SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII. 137
able to separate lis from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.' Sometimes in us : 1 John iv. 9, ' In this was manifested the love of Christ towards us,' r) aydirr} tov Xpiarov iv rjfj'iv, ' because that God sent his only-begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.' We are the objects, and Christ is the ground. To make it sure, it is in Christ ; and to make it sweet and comfortable, it is in us. God doth not love us in ourselves out of Christ ; there would be no ground and reason for his love, but in Christ ; and there is an eternal cause and reason why he should love us.
3. Observe, there is a love of God towards us, and a love of God in us. So Zanchy citing this text. His love erga nos, towards us, is from all eternity ; his love in nobis, in us, is in time. These differ ; there was a love of God towards us, so he loved us in Christ before the foundation of the world, though we knew it not, felt it not. But now this love beginneth to be in us, when we receive the effects of it, and God breaketh open the sealed fountain : 1 John iv. 16, ' And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us.' And there- fore it must be distinguished. God's love from everlasting was in purpose and decree, not actual : Rom. ix. 11, 'That the purpose of God according to election might stand.' So Eph. i. 11, ' Being pre- destinated according to the purpose of him that worketh all things after the counsel of his will.' We are loved from eternity, but not justified from eternity. Certainly the elect are in a different condition before and after calling : 1 Cor. vi. 11, ' Such were some of you, but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by tlie Spirit of our God.' Secret things belong to God, but revealed things to us. Whatever thoughts God hath towards us, yet we know it not till his love be in us. We are to judge of our estates according to the law. It is true God is resolved not to prosecute his right against a sinner that is elect, but he is not actually acquitted from the sentence of the law till he actually believeth. We are not qualified to receive a legal discharge from the condemnation of the law till we be actually in Christ : Rom. viii. 1, ' There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus.' And whatever God's purposes may be towards us, we cannot but look upon ourselves as under a sentence of condemnation, and ' children of wrath,' Eph. ii. 3 ; that is the misery of our present estate. Before we know God as a Father in Christ, the love of God is towards us, but not in us.
4. Observe again, God's love is in us two ways — in the effects, and in the sense and feeling. These must be also distinguished ; for God's Ijove may be in us in regard of the effects, when it is not in us in regard of sense and feeling. It is in us in the efiects of it at conver- sion, as soon as we begin to live in Christ. Where Christ liveth and dwelleth in us by faith, the love of Chri,st is there too. His love may be in us in the sense and feeling when we have the assurance of it : Rom. v. 5, ' The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts ])y the Holy Ghost, which he hath given to us,' that they may feel it in their hearts, that God loved them in Christ. There is the work of tlie Spirit, and the witness of the Spirit ; both are intended in that expression ; chiefly the latter, such a sense of God's love as stirreth up joy, and thankful- ness, and hope. The precious ointment gave no savour while it was