[2.] God's love is not a cold and uneHectual love, that consists only in raw wishes, but an operative and active love, that issueth forth to accomplish what he intendeth to us, though by the most costly means, and at the dearest rates. God is good, and doth good, Ps. csix. 68. He hath a love to us, and will do good to us. Uur love many times goeth no further than good wishes and good words — be warmed, be clothed — but give not those things which are needful for the body, James ii. 26. Our Lord resteth not in kind wishes, but giveth a full demonstration of his love ; if Christ be needful for tlie saints, they shall have him, 'God spared not his own Son.'
[3.] It is a great love, such as may raise our wonder and astonish- ment, and so may enlarge our expectations and capacities for the recep- tion of other things : Eph iii. 18, 19, ' That ye may with all saints comprehend what is the height and breadth, the length and depth, and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled with all the fulness of God.' There is such an infiniteness and immensity in this love of God in Christ, as raiseth our de.sires and hopes to expect all other things from him which belong to our happiness. If God will do this, what will he not do for those whom he loveth ? He that hath given a talent, will not he give a penny ? We confidently go to one with a request who hath done some great thing for us already. What greater thing could there be than his giving his Son to die for a sinful world ? John x v. 13, 'Greater love hath no man, than that he lay down his life for his friends.' We were not friends in state, but only friends in his purpose ; nay, we were actual enemies, but recon- ciled and brought into friendshi}) by his death. No man can express greater love to his dearest frientls than to adventure to die for them. This did Christ for us.
[4.] It was a love expressed to us when our case was not only difficult, but desperate and remediless, as to any other agent : Isa. Ivi. 16, ' And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor ; therefore his own arm wrought salvation for us ; ' Ps. xl. 8, ' The redemption of the soul is precious, and ceaseth for ever.'
348 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SeR. XLIII.
Like perplexities often occurring in the church's case : 2 Chron. xxii. 12, ' 0 our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us, neither know we wiiat to do, but our eyes are unto thee ; ' and Esther iii. 14, when the writing was signed and sent abroad by all posts for the destruction and extermination of the Jews, the city Shushan was perplexed.
[5.] Though we cannot absolutely determine of the success as to particular events, yet this giveth good hope and confidence towards God.
Ist. As to particular events, no absolute certainty ; for (1.) God promiseth not all that you desire, or think that ye want in bodily things. (2.) Many things are necessary to serve the order and harmony of his providence in the communities and societies wherein we live ; and God may deliver his people in such a way, and by such means as they never dreamt of ; as Paul's going to Kome ; therefore, for the way, his wisdom must be the judge, not our partial conceits. (3.) As to temporal events. We must pray with submission : 1 John v. 14, ' And this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us.' It is not always necessary for us that we should have love and respect from men, and never be tried and exercised with want, or pain, or suffering.
2dli/. This giveth good hope. (1.) Because it is for Christ's sake that he fulfilleth all promises to us, and so giveth us deliverance in any strait or present exigence. (2.) Because we are heard in what we ask for God's glory and our own good ; so our prayers are accepted. (1st.) God's glory. But he must choose the means ; the end is granted ; the prayer is not lost, but rewarded as an act of our sincerity. (2dly.) For our good, that is the chiefest good: Kom. viii. 28, 'All things shall work together for good to them that love God.' The great promise is eternal salvation, all things else subordinated to it. If j'ou beg ease for the flesh, merely for its own sake, or worldly prosperity to jilease the flesh, you bespeak your own denial ; Christ puts no such dross in his golden censer.
Use 3. Is to persuade you to get an actual interest in Christ, by receiving him when God oftereth him, and is willing to give him to you, John i. 12. Faith is a broken-hearted and thankful acceptance of Christ, and a giving up ourselves to him by an entire and unbounded resignation, 2 Chron. xxx. 8. Yield up yourselves to the Lord, to be sanctified and governed by him.