1. First, We will shew the nature of this love.
2. Secondly, The exercises of it, and directions unto it.
3. Thirdly, Some incitements to this holy affection.
1. The ground of love is a considering of God as our oivn God in the covenant of grace, and an acknowledging of ourselves to be his peculiar children in Christ Jesus ; when we can say as the spouse in the Canticles, ' I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine,' ii. 16. This is a loving of God, not as the God of nature only, but as ours peculiar by grace. This union of love, which knits us to Christ, implieth another union by faith first, which is a cleaving to God as mi/ God, and to Christ as mij Christ ; whence issues a second conjunction or cleaving to him in love, as my Saviour, my husband, and my head.
To come to the nature of this grace, and then to the working of it. The nature of love is seen in four things :
1. In admiring of some secret good in the thing beloved, which stirs up the soul to make out for it.
* That is, ' love,' ' choose.' — Q.
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2. In a studiousness of the contentation* of the person beloved.
3. In a desire of union and fellowship with the person we affect.f
4. In a resting and solacing of ourselves in the thing we love.
By these let us examine ourselves whether we have the true love of God or no. For it concerns us much to have this grace. It will distinguish us from all others, who fear him not,
1. First, Our love to Christ cometh
(1.) From the hif/h esteem of the good things u-e see in him. But how shall we know whether that we have this admiring of the good things we see in God and in his word and children ? We shall know it by our choice ; and our choice follows our judgment. Would w-e know whether our judgment be good ? See what do we choose, especiall}'' when things of the world and God come together. And here we want not examples to guide us. The question was, Whether that Moses should still choose to live in Pharaoh's court and be accounted his son-in-law, or else depart and suffer adversitj' with God's children. Now Moses, by sound judgment, had an high esteem of the excellency and privileges of the saints ; and therefore chose rather to endure afflictions * than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season,' Heb. xi. 25. Let us then see whether we can be contented to part with our preferment or pleasure for God or no. And whether we do esteem the rebukes of Christ greater riches than the treasures of the world : whether we can lay down our lives and liberties at Christ's feet, and gladly want all, so we may enjoy him. If it be so with us, our estate is good.
(2.) Again, Let us see whether We have a right prizing of the good things in God. Do we dehght to speak much and often of Christ and the benefits we receive by him ? How was St Paul's heart enlarged, and his tongue full of heavenly eloquence, in setting forth the ' unspeakable mercies of God,' which we have by Christ Jesus our Lord. If ' God be on our side, who can be against us ?' saith he ; * What shall separate us from the love of Christ ;' ' shall tribulation, shall anguish and affliction ? I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor any other thing can do it,' Rom. viii. 38.
(3.) Another sign to know whether we have a secret admiration of the good things we see in God is this, if u-e do undervaJue all things else for Christ. Worldly men are ever admiring of the things below, accounting such men happy and blessed that abound most therein. Therefore there is nothing that doth more truly try a man than this. The soul that sees a vanity in the things beneath, and can rejoice in God only as his true riches, is in a good condition. Where there is a true judgment of God and reli- gion, the soul of that man will never stoop to the creature ; the soul so rejoiceth in God, as that it will not yield itself to any other. Adam and Eve, in their innocency, were both naked and were not ashamed. One reason might be, because their thoughts were taken up with higher matters. In heaven we shall not be ashamed of things we now are ashamed of. A Christian soul is so ravished with the enjoying of God, that it mindeth almost nothing but him.
2. The second branch in love is a desire to do all things, (1.) to the con- tent of the partiil beloved. Our love to God will frame us to the obedience of his will. Obedience is the proof of love : ' If ye love me,* saith Christ, ' keep my commandments,' John xv. 10. If we love God, we will pray for the enlarging of his kingdom. Where love is kindled in any heart, there
* That is, ' contentment.'— G. % Cf. foot note in Vol. III. page 9.— G.