We may attain to it. Here is the way, as I shall shew in the next point,
* By the declaration of God's name.' For what is faith, which is the work of the gospel and grace of the new covenant, but the apprehension of the love of God in Christ ? It is nothing else ; and therefore we may attain to it in the covenant of grace. Faith is nothing but the act whereby we apprehend this effectual love of God to us in Christ. Therefore we that are Christians may attain to it, because we have the Spirit of God, which
* searcheth the deep things of God,' 1 Cor. iii. 10. Our spirit knows what is in us, and God's Spirit knows what is in God, and we have the Spirit of God to shew us the things of God, and all the benefits and fruits of his love, with the affection itself. The Spirit searcheth the deep things of God, as it is in 1 Cor. ii. 10. It is a point I have heretofore followed at large. A Christian in the covenant of grace, he knows that God loves him. There is no truth in the world so illustrious, so gloriously and apparently* true, as this. Would you have a better pledge of his love than Jesus Christ, the Son of his love, to be given for us, the dearest thing that God hath ? He would not have us doubt of his love that hath given such an invaluable thing as his own Son to assure us of it, besides all that comes from this ; for if he have given him once, he gives all things with him. He that hath given us his Son for our Eedeemer and Saviour, he gives us heaven for our inheritance, and his Spirit for our conduct, guide, and sanctifier, Rom. viii. 32. He hath given angels for our attendants. He gives us peace, and joy, and all things. In Christ, we have all. But here, because it is a main point, I will enlarge myself a little, and speak as familiarl}- as I can to every conscience.
Quest. 1. How shall a sinner, that is not yet converted, be persuaded of God's love to him ?
Quest. 2. And how shall we, in the time of temptation, deal with sinners
in the state of grace ? I speak of the ordinary course, how a Christian may
be persuaded of it. For the first, which is, how those that are unconverted
may be drawn to the sense of the love of God, to find that they have any
* That is, ' manifestly.' — G.
yOO THE MATCHLESS LOVE AND INBEING.
portion in it at all, that they may havo it for tho time to como, though they feel not yet any goodness in them.
Ans. 1, I answer, We must draw them to a sense that they are not yet in the love of God, by those things, that their corniptions suyyest to them to mea- sure the love of God by. As, for example, you have a company that think their case is good, because God hath given them outward blessings, and accompanies his blessings with patience and long-suffering ; gives them parts and gifts, and preferments in the church ; gives them place, great estimation, and such things. Hereupon they begin to reason. Certainly God is in love with me ; though, if a man should search their lives and examine them, you shall find that there is no act, no evidence of God's special love to them at all. Such, therefore, must bo convinced, that they must not measure God's love by these things ; that that which is common to castaways cannot bo a character and sign of God's love ; but these things are common to castaways. Did Abraham give Ishmael, and the rest of his children, moveable things ? but Isaac had the inheritance, Gen. xxv. G, seq. Esau had his portion in the things of this life, but Jacob goes away with the blessing. The blessings of the left hand, castaways and repro- bates may have in abundant measure, God fills their bellies with abun- dance of outward things, whose hearts he never fills with his love, as in Dives, Luke xvi. 25. Not to enlarge myself, look on such instances. What tend they to, but to shew that these outward things are no evidences of God's love ? and for God's patience in enduring me in such a state as I am in, that is no argument. For God in his patience endures the vessels of wrath, who treasure up ' wrath against the day of wrath,' Rom. ii. 4, 5, God sufiering them to prolong their days in judgment, that so he may pour tlie full vials of his wrath upon them. He suffers them, to lead them unto repentance ; and they, not making a right use of it, God after justifies his vengeance and judgment the more, when he pours it upon them, so that plenty in outward things, accompanied with patience, is no true sign of God's love.
Like think of parts and gifts. Had not Judas excellent parts? Nay, the devil himself, who comes near him in the depth of understanding and policy ? &c. Judas had a place in the church, he was an apostle. And for gifts, Ahithophel and Saul had gifts of government. All these are no evidences of the love of God to be in us as yet, or that he hath any interest in us. The way, therefore, to 'bring those that have not the love of God to love God, is to shew them their vain confidence, that they trust to a broken reed, and to that which in the time of sickness, the hour of death, and the day of judgment, will deceive them, seeing they trust unto a cracked title. Well, if the consciences of such as are not yet in the state of grace be once awaked, we may thus draw them to be within the compass of the love of God. Otherwise, when they see the vanities of other things, and likewise that there is sin in them, somewhat that lays them open to the wrath of God, then Satan will help their conscience, Satan and their con- science will tell them ofttimes all, and make them reason. As for such a wretch as I, there is no hope ; I had as good go on in a sinful course, and have somewhat in this world, as to want heaven and the comforts of this life too. And so Satan keeps them in darkness, because they think it is to no purpose to go about another course, and that it is impossible they should come to assurance. Such kind of conceits he hath.