2. For us ; not only for our good, but in our place and room : John X. 15, ' I lay down my life for my sheep.'
3. Hereby perceive we the love of God. Here is love testified by some notable effect and fruit. Love lieth hidden in the breast of those that love, but it is visibly known and seen by the effects. We perceive it was a true, real, effectual love ; not a well-wishing only, or a kind affection arising in the heart, and there resting, but a love breaking out into action, and evidencing itself by some act becoming such a love.
Doct. That Christ laying down his life for us was a pregnant proof and great demonstration of his love to us.
To evidence this I shall prove these things —
First, That love was the bosom-cause, spring, and rise of all that Christ did for us, and that which did set on work the whole business of our recovery to God. This is often noted in the scripture, whether you consider the act of God or Christ: John iii. 16, ' God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son.' So Christ: Gal. ii. 20, 'Who loved me,^and gave himself for me;' Eph. v. 25, 'He loved the church, and gave himself for it ; ' Rev, i. 5, ' He hath loved us, and washed us in his blood from our sins.' Love is the inward moving cause, and our misery is the outward occasion which moved him to do so. The nature of love is telle amati bonum, to desire the good of the party loved. That this was the first rise is evident, because we can give reasons of other things, but we can give no reason of his love. Why did he employ so much wisdom and goodness and power, and make such a deal of do to save a company of poor forlorn creatures ? He loved us. But why did he love us ? Because he loved us. It was not necessity
134 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SeR. XXII.
of nature, as fire burnetii because it can do no otherwise. It was the error of a great philosopher to say, that the first cause did work out of mere necessity, and that what he doth he must needs do. No ; Grod is a free agent ; he might have left us remediless, and in everlasting misery ; but out of his self-inclination, and according to his own heart, he hath done us good, though he might have chosen whether he would or no. It was opus liheri consilii, but God would restore us, and that in the best way.
Secondly, It was God's end to carry on the way of our salvation in such a manner as might commend his love to sinners : Rom. v. 8, ' But God commended his love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.' There was power discovered in the creation, when God made us like himself out of the dust of the ground ; but love in our redemption, when he made himself like us. He revealeth his glorious majesty in the highest heavens ; in hell his fearful justice ; his wise and powerful providence throughout the whole world ; his gracious love and mercy to his church and people. All things in God are infinite, but the effects of his love are more wonder- ful than any of his attributes ; there he hath gone to the uttermost. He hath no better thing to give us than himself, his Christ and his Spirit. He never showed so much of his wisdom but he can show more ; but how can he show more of his love to us than he hath shown ? He hath not another Christ to die for us, nor a better saviour to bestow upon us, nor a better salvation to offer to us.
Thirdly, That the course which God took doth fully suit with his end, which was a full and clear demonstration of his love, as will appear by these circumstances —
1. The person who was to work out our deliverance was the eternal Son of God. We need no other proof than this very text we have in hand, * Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us.' He that is God did this for us ; Jesus Christ, 'who is God over all,' Rom. ix. 5. Now that God, who is the absolute Lord of all things, and can do with us what he pleaseth ; God, that oweth nothing to any man, that was so much offended with man ; God, that stood in no need of us, as having infinite happiness and contentment within himself, that he should show so much love as to come and die for us, ' Hereby perceive we the love of God.' When we consider what Christ is, we shall most admire what he hath done for us. For creatures to be kind to one another is not so great a matter, for every one hath need of another. The world is upheld by a combination of interests, as the stones in an arch ; the head cannot say to the foot, I have no need of thee ; the prince standeth in need of the peasant, as well as the peasant of the prince. But God standeth in no need of us : ' He is not worshipped with men's hands, as if he needed anything,' Acts xvii. 25. We need his blessing, but he doth not need our service to support his being and dignity or increase his happiness. When Christ was in the state of humiliation, he was subject to wants as we are ; as when they loosed the foal whereon he was to ride up to Jeru- salem, they were to answer. Mat. xxi. 3, ' The Lord hath need of him.' But it was otherwise with Christ as God, which we now speak of. As God, he needed not the being of man or angel ; or else why did he not