(2dly.) Our returns are all in him, and by him also. And well is it with us that it is so. What lame and blind sacrifices should we otherwise present unto God ! He ^ bears the iniquity of our offerings, and he adds incense unto our pra3'ers. Our love is fixed on the Father ; but it is conveyed to him through the Son of his love. He is the only way for our graces as well as our 2)erso7is to go unto God;
Exod. xxviii. 38; Rev. viii. 3; John xiv. C; Ueh. x. 19-22.
28 OF COMMUNION WITH GOD THE FATHER.
through him passeth all our desire, our delight, our complacency, our obedience. Of which more afterward.
Now, in thcoC two things there is some resemblance between that mutual love pf the Father and the saints wherein they hold com- munion.
[2.] There are sundry things wherein they differ: —
1st. The love of God is a love of bounty; our love unto him is a love of duti/.
(1st.) The love of the Father is a love of bounty, — a descending love; such a love as carries him out to do good things to us, great things for us. His love lies at the bottom of all dispeusations towards us; and we scarce anywhere find any mention of it, but it is held out as the cause and fountain of some free gift flowing from it. He Moves us, and sends his Son to die for us; — he loves us, and blesseth us with all spiritual blessings. Loving is choosing, Rom. ix. 11,12. He loves us and chastiseth us. [It is] a ^love like that of the heavens to the earth, when, being full of rain, they pour forth showers to make it fruitful ; as the sea communicates its waters to the rivers by the way of bounty, out of its o\vn fulness, — they return unto it only what they receive from it. It is the love of a spring, of a fountain,— always communicating; — ^a love from whence proceeds every thing that is lovely in its object. It infusetb into, and creates goodness in, the {)ersons beloved. And this answers the description of love given by the philosopher. " To love," saith he, " sffn [So-jXsadai nvl a bhrai aya^d, xai xara h\Jva[Miv irpaxrixov sTvai rouruv. He that loves WOrks OUt good to them he loveth, as he is able. God's power and will are conmien- surate; — what he willeth he worketh.
{2dly.) Our love unto God is a love of duti/, the love of a child. His love descends upon us in bounty and fruitfulness ;^ our love ascends unto him in duty and thankfulness. He adds to us by his love; we nothing to him by ours. Our goodness extends not unto him. Though our love be fixed on him'' immediately, yet no fruit of our love reacheth him immediately ; though he requires our love, he is not benefited by it. Job xxxv. 5-8, Rom. xi. 35, Job xxii. 2, 3. It is indeed made up of these foiu- things: — 1. Rest; 2. Delight; 3. Reverence; 4. Obedience. By these do we hold communion with
' John iii. IG; Roin. v. 8; Epli. i. 3, 4; I Jolin iv. 9. 10; Ileb. .\ii. 6; Kov. iii. 19.
9 E^av li cn/u.tov ov^aticti vrXtioDUfiivov ofiQ^av, ■riruv tif yeciav. — Kurip., [as (jlioted by
Aristotle, Ktli. viii. 1. The (luotation at laijie is: —
"0//,S^ou, iriffilv us yalayi ' A^^ohirtii uto. — Eurip. Frai^.]
' "Amor Dei est iufuudeus et creaiis boiiitatoin in aniatis." — Tliom. p. p. q. 20,
A. 2, C. * '•' Amor Dei causat boiiitateni in rebus, sed amor noster caiisatiir ab ea." ' " Dilectio qua) est appetitiv;i> virtntis actus, etiain in statum viae tendit in
D^'um prinio et immediate." — Tliom. 22, <]. 27, a. 4.
OF COMMUNION WITH GOD THE FATHER. 29
the Father in his love. Hence God calls that love which is dne to hira as a father, " honour," Mai. i. 6, " If I be a father, where is mine honour ?" It is a deserved act of duty.
idly. They differ in this: — The love of the Father unto us is an antecedent love; our love unto him is a consequent love.
{\st) The love of the Father unto us is an antecedent love, and that in two respects : —
[Isi.] It is antecedent in respect of our love, 1 John iv. 10, " Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us." His love goes before ours. The father loves the child, when the child knows not the father, much less loves him. Yea, we are by nature '^ioarxjyug, Rom. i. 30, — haters of God. He is in his own nature (piXdv&punrog, — a lover of men; and surely all mutual love between him and us must begin on his hand.
\2.dly.^ In respect of all other causes of love whatever. It goes not only before our love, but also any thing in us that is lovely.^ Rom. V. 8, " God commendeth his love towards us, in that whilst we were 3^et sinners Christ died for us." Not only his love, but the eminent fruit thereof, is made out towards us as sinners. Sin holds out all of unloveliness and undesirableness that can be in a creature. The very mention of that removes all causes, all moving occasions of love whatever. Yet, as such, have we the commendation of the Father's love unto us, by a most signal testimony. Not only w^hen we have done no good, but when we are in our blood, doth he love us ; — not because we are better than others, but because himself is mfinitely good. His kindness appears when we are foolish and disobedient. Hence he is said to " love the world ;" that is, those who have nothing but what is in and of the world, whose whole [portion] lies in evil.