[2.] The act. It is the complacency and well-pleasedness of the soul in God as an all-sufficient portion. This implieth—
(1.) A desire or earnest seeking after God in the highest way of enjoyment we are capable of here ; and so those mercies are most valued which are nearest to himself, and show us most of God, and do least detain us from him, his favour, and image ; or to mention but one, his sanctifying grace and Spirit ; and therefore his saints are described to be those that hunger and thirst after righteousness, Mat. v. 6 ; they earnestly desire to be like God in purity and holiness. And his sanctify- ing Spirit is the surest pledge of God's love ; Eom. v. 5, ' Because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit given us ; ' and doth most help us to love him again : Eom. viii. 15, ' And have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.' Other gifts, that conduce to please the flesh may keep us from him, as wealth, honour, and pleasures ; but saving grace, as it cometh from God, so it carrieth us to him.
(2.) A delight in him. So far as they enjoy God, they delight in him : Ps. iv. 6, 7, ' Lord, lift up the light of thy countenance upon us ; thou hast put gladness in my heart more than in the time when their corn and wine increased.' His favour is life, his displeasure as death to their soul — ' Thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled,' Ps. xxx. 7. They lock upon God reconciled as the best friend, and God displeased as the most dreadful adversary.
(3.) It is their comfort and solace that they shall more perfectly see him and be like him in the other world to which they are tending, when they shall behold their glorified Eedeemer, and their own nature united to the Godhead, and their persons admitted into the nearest
Ver. 28.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS vni. 279
intuition and fruition of God they are capable of, and live in the fullest love to him and delight in him : Kom. v. 2, ' We rejoice in hope of the glory of God.'
(4.) They are so satisfied with this that tlieir great business is to please God and be accepted with him : 2 Cor. v. 9, ' Wherefore we labour, that whether present or absent, we may be accepted with him.'
[3.] The properties of this love.
(1.) It is not a speculative, but a practical love. Some please them- selves with fancies and airy religion, that consist in lofty strains of devo- tion, and fellow-like familiarity with God ; but the true love is seen in obedience: John siv. 15, 'If ye love me, keep my commandments;' and 1 John v. 3, ' For this is the love of God, that we keep his com- mandments.' Our love is a love of duty ; we have such a deep sense of the majesty of God, such an esteem of his favour, that we dare not hazard it by doing anything which may be a breach of our duty, or a grief to his Spirit, or a dishonour to his name.
(2.) It is not a transient, but a fixed love ; not a pang of zeal for the present, but a radicated inclination towards God, or a deep impres- sion left upon the heart, which disposeth it to seek his glory and do his will ; the bent of the mind is to God and heaven. They do not choose him for their portion only, but cleave to him ; all their desire and endeavour is to please, glorify, and enjoy God Some liave good inclinations, but they are as unstable as water, being divided between God and the world, James i. 8 ; but these allow no rival and com- petitor with God in the soul : Ps. Ixxiii. 25, ' Whom have I in heaven but thee ? and there is none on earth that I desire besides thee.'
(3.) It is not a cold, but a fervent love. We are not to love God after any sort, remissly, coldly, but with the gi'catest vigour and intension of affection ; so it runneth. Mat. xxii. 37, ' Thou shalt love the Lord tliy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.' Many words are heaped together to increase the sense that our love may be a growing love, quickened and heightened to a further •degree.
1st. It is God that is loved, not the creature. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, but God with all thy heart. In a moral considera- tion there are three beings — God, neighbour, self. There is a law that you should love God, and a law that you should love your neigh- bour ; but where is the positive law that you should love yourselves ? Turn over the scriptures, and you will find nothing of this. There are laws to restrain self-love, none to excite it ; in this we need no teacher ; there is something in our bosoms to prompt us to love our- selves, therefore it is rather supposed than enforced. Paul's adverbs are emphatical, Titus ii. 12, ' that we should live soberly, righteously, and godly.' What is it to live godly, but to esteem, love, reverence, and serve God with all our heart and all our strength ? And ta live justly ^B to our neighbour, what is it but to love our neighbour as ourself ? ' What ye would that men should do unto you, do ye the same to them.' What is itt to live soberly as to ourselves, but that our self-love should be moderated, that we should abstain from all unlawful and superfluous pleasures, and use the lawful ones sparingly, as meat, drink, clothing, recreation, unless we would have our souls choked or snared ? Self-