* " Qiioinodo iiritur ncfjat? neji^at socnndinn fpiid; hoc est, nogat se ideo rogatii- runi patreiii, ut i)atreni illis coiicilii't, ot ad illos amaiidos et exaudieiidos flcctat; quasi noil sit suaptespoiite erga illos proponsus. Voliiit ergo Cliristus his vi-rhisper- siiadcroapostolis, iioii solum se, ko<1 etiam ipsum patrem illos couii^lecti ainoremaxi- nio. Kt ita patrem eos atiiar(',ac jiromptum halicrc aninuiin illisgratificaiidi,et berie- faciciidi, ut iiullius, iicque ipsiiis filii opus halieattali iuterfessione, (pia soicut pla-
c:iri, et tlecli homines nou adMU)dum erga aliquem bene affecti," etc Zanc. do
trib. noni. EIo., lib. iv. cap. 9. Vid. Hilar de Trinit., lib. vi. p. 97., ed. Kras.
OF COMMUNION WITH GOD THE FATHER. 21
munion with him in it, and be no more troubled about it. Yea, as your great trouble is about the Father's love, so you can no way more trouble or burden him, than by your unkindness in not believing of it." So it must needs be where sincere love is questioned.
4. The apostle teaches the same, Rom. v. 5, " The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given imto us." God, whose love this is, is plainly distingiiished from the Holy Ghost, who sheds abroad that love of his; and, verse 8, he is also distinguished from the Son, for it is from that love of his that the Son is sent : and therefore it is the Father of whom the apostle here specially speaketh. And what is it that he ascribes to him? Even love ; which also, verse 8, he commeudeth to us, — sets it fortli in such a signal and eminent expression, that we may take notice of it, and close with him in it. To carry this business to its height, there is not only most frequent peculiar mention of the love of God, where the Father is eminently intended, and of the love of the Father expressly, but he is also called " The God of love," 2 Cor. xiii. 11, and is said to be " love : " so that whoever will know him, 1 John iv. 8, or dwell in him by fellowship or communion, verse 16, must do it as " he is love."
5. Nay, whereas there is a twofold divine love, heneplaciti and ami- citice, a love of good pleasure and destination, and a love of friend- ship and approbation, they are both peculiarly assigned to the Father in an eminent manner: —
(1.) John iii. 16, " God so loved the world, that he gave," etc. ; that is, with the love of his purpose and good pleasure, his determinate will of doing good. This is distinctly ascribed to him, being laid down as the cause of sending his Son. So Rom. ix. 11, 12; Eph. i. 4, 5; 2 Thess. ii. 13, 14; 1 John iv. 8, 9.
(2.) John xiv. 23, there is^ mention of that other kind of love whereof we speak. " If a man love me," saith Christ, " he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him." The love of friendship and approba- tion is here eminently ascribed to him. Says Christ, " We will come," even Father and Son, " to such a one, and dwell with him ; " that is, by the Spirit : but yet he would have us take notice, that, in point of love, the Father hath a peculiar prerogative : " My Father will love him."
6. Yea, and as this love is peculiarly to be eyed in him, so it is to be looked on as the fountaiii of all following gracious dispensations. Christians walk oftentimes with exceedingly troubled hearts, concern- ing the thoughts of the Father towards them. They are well per-
' " Dilif,M apatre, recipi in amicitiain sumnii Dei; a Deo foveri, adeoque Deo esse in deliciis." — Bucerus in loc.
22 OF COMMUNION WITH GOD THE FATHER.
suaded of the Lord Christ and his good-will; the difficulty lies in what is their acceptance with the Father, — what is his heart tow-ards them?^ " Show us the Father, and it sufficeth us," John xiv. 8. Now, this ought to be so far away, that his love ought to be looked on as the fountain from whence all other sweetnesses flow. Thus the apostle sets it out, Tit. iii. 4, " After that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared." It is of the Father of whom he speaks; for, verse 6, he tells us that " he makes out unto us," or " sheds that love upon us abundantly, through Jesus Christ ovir Sa- viour." And this love he makes the hinge upon which the great alteration and translation of the saints doth turn; for, saith he, verse o, " We ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasiu'es, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another." All naught, all out of order, and vile. Whence, then, is our recovery? The whole rise of it is from this love of God, flowing out by the ways there described. For when the kind- ness and love of God appeared, — that is, in the fruits of it, — then did this alteration ensue. To secure us hereof, there is not any thing that hath a loving and tender nature in the world, and doth act suitably thereunto, which God hath not compared himself unto. Separate all weakness and imperfection which is in them, yet great impressions of love must abide. He is as a father, a mother, a shepherd, a hen over chickens, and the like, Ps. ciii. 13; Isa. Ixiii. 16; Matt. vi. 6; Isa. Ixvi. 13; Ps. xxiii. 1; Isa. xL 11; Matt, xxiii. 37.