[2.] In redemption. There is the truest representation of the goodness and benignity of God : 1 John iv. 10, * Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins ; ' Rom. v. 8, ' God commendeth his love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.' God commendeth his love to us by these wonders of his grace, and set it before our eyes, that we must either question the truth, or else we cannot resist the force of this love : 1 John iv. 19, ' We love him because he first loved us.' God loveth first, best, and most.
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[3.] The mercies of daily providence in sustaining our being : Deut. XXX. 20, ' That thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave to him ; for he is thy life, and the length of thy days/ How thankful are we to him that restoreth the use of an eye or of decayed limbs I Is nothing due to God, who preserveth all these things to us, yea, continueth life itself, and defendeth and protecteth us against all dangers ? Ps. xxxi. 23, ' 0 love the Lord, all ye his saints ; for the Lord preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.' Many times, when they have no friends to uphold them, God standeth by them, to pre- serve them against the powers of oppression. So he heareth prayers : Ps. cxvi, 1, ' I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice and my supplication.' Every answer is a new engagement, and new fuel to kindle this holy fire. Surely his constant mindfulness of us should induce us heartily to love God and admire his goodness.
[4.] The rewards of grace which are provided for them that love him, many blessed comforts and supports here in the world, and the happiness of the world to come : 1 Cor. ii. 9, ' Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him ; ' 1 John iii. 1, 2, ' Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God ! therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew not him. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be ; but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.' Thus is God propounded to us as an object of our love, as amiable and as beneficial. In short, to have life and being, and all kind of benefits which may sweeten life ; to be freed from sin, which is the ground of all our trouble, and the wrath of God, whicli is so deservedly terrible ; to have our natures sanctified and healed, and at length to be brought into that happy estate, when we shall be brought nigh to God, and be made companions of the holy angels, and for ever behold our glorified Ptedeemer ; and our own nature united to the godhead, and have the greatest and nearest intuition of God that we are capable of, and live in the fullest love to him and delight in him : what can be said more ?
Secondly, The act, love. Love to God is taken largely or strictly.
1. Largely, for all the duties of the upper hemisphere of religion, or first table ; as when Christ distinguisheth the duties of the two tables into love to God and love to our neighbour : Mat. xxii. 37-39, ' Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.' So it is confounded with faith, repentance, new obedience ; for all religion is but love acted. Faith is a loving and thankful acceptance of Christ and his grace. Repentance is a mourning love, because of the wrongs done to our beloved, and the loss accruing to ourselves. Obedience is but pleasing love. A christian, if he fear, it is to offend him whom his soul lovetli ; if he hope, it is to see and possess him who is the joy and delight of his soul ; if he rejoice, it is because he is united to him ; if afflicted, it is because he is separated from him.
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2. More strictly it implieth that particular grace which is distinct from faith and hope: 1 Cor. xiii. 13, 'And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three, but the greatest of these is charity.' Which, because of its various operations, is diversely spoken of in scripture — (1.) Sometimes as a seeking and desiring love ; (2.) Sometimes as a complacential and delighting love; (3.) Sometimes as the love of gratitude or returning love.
[1.] Sometimes it is put in scripture for that which is properly called a desiring, seeking love, which is our great duty in this life, because here we are in via, in the way to home, in an estate of imper- fect fruition ; therefore our love mostly venteth itself by desires, or by an earnest seeking after God. This love is desiderium unionis, a desire of his presence, or an affection of union. It is often set forth in scripture : Ps. xlii. 1, 'As the hart panteth after the water-brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, 0 God ; ' Ps. Ixiii. 1, ' 0 God, thou art my God ; early will I seek thee ; my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee.' So Ps. Ixxxiv. 2, * My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord ; my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.' It noteth such vehement affections as left an impression upon the body. So Isa. xxvi. 9, ' With my soul have I desired thee in the night, yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee right early.' Thus do the saints express their desires to enjoy God and his grace. Now —