It may be known with an experimental and with an applicatory know- ledge. The next was, that the tcay to knmv God's love to us, is the mani- festing of his name in the gosjiel: that follows by the connection of them two together ; and the last is, Christ heing in us, which I cannot come to at this time. So then now, to clear this point, that ice mag, and it is our duty to do it, to labour to know God's love to us. We ought to labour that
388 THE MATCHLESS LOVE AND INBEING.
God's love may bo in us, and that we may know it, not generally that he loves us, but that his love is in us, that it is incorporate and invested into us, to have a taste and be sensible of it. For this is the end of Christ's prayer, ' That the love wherewith thou lovest me may be in them,' &c. And the next way to know it, which we shall speak of at this time among the rest, it is this, ' The manifesting of God's name by Christ.' For the first then.
Doct. 1. That we ina]i, and ouf/Jit to k)ioiv God's love to lis in Christ. That we ought to know it ; what need I be large in the point ? I will not, because it is so clear. For if it be, as I shewed the last day at large, the spring of all duties, of all other graces, which sets all on work, then surely we ought to labour for that which may make us good, and not only good, but comfortable. Now all our goodness, and comfort, it comes from this original, the knowledge of God's love to us, when that is in us, for we have no love to him until we know that we are beloved of him.
1. We cannot he thankful to God till we know that he loves lis in Christ. I speak of his peculiar love as a child. Who can be thankful for that which he knows not ? It overthrows all thankfulness and denies it. We ought to labour for the assurance of the love of God in Christ. For it is a duty to joy in the Lord as our portion. Now we must be certain of his love first. How else can we practise this duty of rejoicing in the Lord alway ? What joy and cheerfulness can come without the love of God shining upon us and enlarging our hearts to joy ? As the shining of the sun enlargeth the spirit of the poor creatures, the birds, in the spring time, to sing, so proportionably the apprehension of the sweet love of God in Christ enlargeth the spirit of a man, and makes him full of joy and thanks- giving. He breaks forth into joy, so that his whole Hfe is matter of joy and thanksgiving.
2. Again, In suffering any cross, any oj^iwsition, ivho icill endure to lose his temporal goods, Ids life and liberty, to he restrained any ivay, that knows not God's love? Who will abide anything for him that he loves not? What doth set us to sufier all things that may be for God ? The appre- hension that he loves us. What makes a man willing to end his life, and to yield up his soul to God ? He knows he shall yield his soul to him as to a father that loves him, that will save his soul. Can a man be willing to leave his home here, when he knows not whether he shall have a better or no ? Can a man commend his soul to one that he knows not to be his friend ? No. Can he commend such a jewel to one that he knows not but to be an enemy ? Can he say wdth Simeon, ' Lord, let thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation ' ? Luke ii. 29. Doth not all joy and comfort come from the love of God in Christ? What should I enlarge the point? We can neither have grace, nor joy, nor sufier anything with thankfulness, nor end our days with joy and comfort, till we get assurance that we are in the covenant of grace, and that God's love is in us.
And therefore it is clear to anybody that knows anything in religion, or desires anything, that we ought to labour that God's love may be in us. I beseech you, therefore, make use of it to see the abominable doctrine of popery — I cannot speak too hardly of it — which teacheth that we ought to doubt of God's love. It cuts the sinews of endeavour. Who will endea- vour after the attaining of the love of God, and this assurance, when this is laid in the way, that we ought not to do it ? Ai-e we not prone enough to disti'ust, but we must be taught it ? Is not Satan malicious enough,
THE MATCHLESS LOVE AND INBEING. 389
but we must light a candle to him, and ai-m his malice with this doctrine, that we ought to doubt ? He is the master of doubtings ; for the works of darkness, and all the discomfort and sin that he brings on us is in dark- ness, in this particular darkness, that we know not whether we be the children of God or no. And therefore, say some, why should we leave our gain, our profit, and our present pleasures that we have ? And what doth he aim at by the sins he tempts us to, but to shake our assurance of God's love ? Well, they teach the doctrine of devils in divers things, amongst which this is one that strengthens the kingdom of Satan much, that people ought to doubt, and that there is no way or means to get assurance of God's love. This is to overthrow the intent of Christ's prayer. Wherefore doth he pray here, and what doth he promise in his prayer ? That God would shew them his love, and that he may do it: 'I have declared thy love,' &c. So it is clear that we ought to answer Christ's aim. Why doth Christ declare his Father's name ? And why are all the means of salvation, but that we may have God's love in us ? Is it not our duty, then, to answer Christ's course, and his promise, and his love ? Taking that, then, for a ground, that we ought to labour to have God's love to be in us, we will shew that we may attain to it, and come to know that God loves us. I will not be long in it, it is a clear point, which heretofore, upon another occasion, I have spoken of.