Use 1. Do but raise these thoughts in your meditations, irhat a compre- hensive tliincj this is that Christ aims at in his 'praycr, and in his endeavour ; ' I have declared thy name, and I will,' &c.
Is not this therefore a main thing that we should aim at, that Christ aims at ? Must not this needs be an excellent state, to have the love of God in us? Let us therefore, to conclude all for this time, have it in our thoughts, and in our aims, that God's love may be in us. It is no matter who hates us, if God loves us; if God and his love be present with us, it is no matter what troubles be present. Though we be in the valley of the shadow of death, if God be with us, and the assurance of his love to our hearts, it is an heaven upon earth. Rejoice in your portion, whosoever you be, that find the love of God to you in regard of the best things.
We see it is the aim of Christ's prayer, and of his endeavour. It is the aim of the declaration of the gospel, that God's, love may be in you ; that when God, in regard of his Spirit, and grace, and comfort, is in you, you may have a rich portion. Would you have more than God himself, and his love ? What if you want a beam ? You have the sun itself, God's love. You want perhaps riches or friends ; ay, but you have God's love, which is a wise love. If he saw it were for your good, you should not want them. If you want a stream, you have the spring itself. Eejoice there- fore in this your portion ; let it be an argument to comfort you, and an argument and motive of endeavour to us all, to labour to find this love of God in us ; and to root and purge out of your souls all other things that cannot stand with the love of God. Desire God by his Spirit to subdue
898 THE MATCHLESS LOVE AND INnEING.
in us, and to work out of us mightily, by the strong operation of his blessed Spirit, whatsoever cahnot stand with his love in Christ ; that he would reign and rule in us by his blessed Spirit ; that he would make us such, that he might, as it were, keep his court in us ; that he would make our hearts, as it were, an heaven for himself to dwell in ; that he would cast down all high and proud thoughts whatsoever ; that his love may be in us.
Use 2. And ivhcn ice ivant any r/race, pitiful hearts, love to men or God, we must take the method here laid down. I know all this comes from the want of the feeling of God's love to me ; for if God's love were rooted in my heart, if it were as hard as steel, it would make it flexible, pliable, piti- ful, and tender to others, and I should love God again. My heart is cold and dead ; what is the reason of it ? I feel not God's love, and therefore it should edge our prayers thus : ' Lord, let me feel thy love in Christ ; I cannot love holy duties without the manifestation of thy love ; and there- fore manifest thy love to my soul.' ' I give you a new commandment,' saitb Christ, * that ye love one another,' John xiii. 34.
Quest. Why, whence comes this commandment of love to the brethren in the gospel to be a new commandment ?
Sol. Because the declaring of the name of God, of his mercy, and of his love in Christ, gives us new hearts ; and where there is more manifestation of God's mercy, there is more love to others ; and therefore, because there is a new enlargement of God's love in Christ, therefore it is a new com- mandment. The heart is set on fire now with the love of God, which is manifested in Christ, which was not declared before.
And therefore, if we would have nevv hearts for this new commandment, this love to God and to others, let us labour to have the declaration of the name of God ; more of the mercy of God in Christ ; more declaration by his word and Spirit; that so by his sanctified' means, having his love in us, we may have new hearts, new love, and new afi'ections to one another. This is the way, in the want of grace, to come to get the love of God in Christ ; desire him that he would by his Spirit reveal himself, and reveal Christ to us ; and that we may see the dimensions of his love, ' the height, and breadth, &c., of the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge,' Eph. iii. 19, and then all our grace and comfort will follow.
When we are in darkness we are glad to come into the light of the sun ; so when we have anj^ distemper in our souls, let us come to this light of God's love in Christ, and by' oft meditation of God's word, see there how he presents himself to us a father in covenant ; not only a friend, but a father, a gracious father; beg with all means, with reading, with hearing, with conference, with God's Spirit, to reveal his fatherly affection in Christ, and for other things they will be easy.