346 SERMONS UPON KOMANS VIII. [Skk. XLII.
that there is no bar jjut to vis, but what we put to ourselves by our refusing the grace, as God offerclh it. Certainly God's love and mercy to mankind is om- first motive, and his willingness to impart good things to them on his own terms ; and surely he is well pleased with our acceptance of them. It is true it is said, 1 John iv. 19, ' We love him because he loved us first.' But the first motive to draw our hearts to him is not his special elective love to us above others, for tliat we cannot know till we love hinr ; but his common love and mercy to sinners, and that was manifested in Christ's being sent as a propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but for the sins of the whole world, 1 John ii. 2. This is that which is propounded to us to recover and reconcile our alienated and estranged aftections to God : '2 Cor. V. 19, ' God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself.' This grace God offereth to us as well as to others, namely, that God for Ciu-ist's sake will pardon our sins, if we will but forbear further liostility, and enter into his peace. None are bound to believe that God especially loveth them but those that are specially beloved by him, for none are bound to believe a falsehood ; and a falsehood it is to us till we have the saving effects and benefits ; aud therefore it is not the special but the general love of God which draweth in our hearts to him ; yea, his saints, after some testimonies received of God's special love, make this to be the great engaging motive: Gal. ii. 20, ' I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.'
(2.) There is a special love when this grace is applied to us : Eph. ii. 4, 5, ' But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, when we were dead in trespasses and sins.' He did not begin to love us when we were converted, that is of a more ancient and eternal rise ; but then he did begin to apply his love to us ; and this no ordinary, but great love. When God was angry with us, and pronounced death on us in the sentence of his law, then he quickened us and reconciled us to himself, wiien his law represented him as an enemy, and in the course of his providence he appeared as an enemy, and the apprehensions of our guilty fear bespeak him <an enemy ; then did God for Christ's sake bestow his converting grace upon us. Now it is a great advantage to draw nigh to God as a recon- ciled father, and actually in covenant with us ; .surely this is and wil) be the object of our everlasting love and joy, Rom. v. 18 ; and a notable prop of confidence in prayer. Could we once believe that he dearly lovetii us, aud is actually reconciled to us, and taketh us for his children, and delighteth in our prosperity, oh, how cheerfully should we come into his presence I John xvi. 27, ' The Father him- self loveth you, because you have loved me, and believed that I came out from God.' We have then not only his own intercession, but the Father's especial love, as the ground of our audience and acceptance. Now this particular interest dependeth on something wrought in our souls by the Holy Spirit ; our Lord meutioneth two things, their faith in Christ, and love to God, or a thankful acceptance of him as our Lord and Saviour ; love to God, or a thankful obedience to him, John xiv. 22, 23. We cannot perceive our special interest in the love of God, but by the evidences of our sincerity ; when we see
VeR. 32.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. 347
God's love tokens in our hearts, faith and love wrought in us by bis Spirit, then we may know that he loveth us by his special love. The question is, Doth God love me ? Hath lie given his Spirit ? How shall 1 know that ? Answer, By the eftects. Do you believe in Jesus Cbrist? How shall I know my faith is sincere, and the iaith of God's elect ? Doth it work by love ? Gal. v. 6. How shall I know that I love God? The acts of sincere love are seeking after God and delighting in him ; if you cannot find the latter, the former is a comfortable evidence : Prov. viii. 17, ' I love them that love me, and they that seek me early shall find me.' The desiderium unionis, the desirous seeking love, if it be serious and earnest, it is sincere, though you find not such delightful apprehensions of his grace to you ; clear tliis once, and when you come to pray, you may know that God loveth you with aspecial love. The dearest friend we have in the world doth not love us the thousandth part .so much as he doth ; nay, as Valdesso saith, the highest angel doth not love God so much as he loveth the lowest saint. God loveth like himself, becoming the greatness and infiniteness of his own being ; and with this persuasion ])ray to him.