'^dly. Free. He^ loves us because he will; there was, there is, nothing in us for which we should be beloved. Did we deserve his love, it must go less in its valuation. Things of due debt are seldom the matter of thankfulness; but that which is eternally antecedent to our being, must needs be absolutely free in its respects to our well- being. This gives it life and being, is the reason of it, and sets a price upon it, Kom. ix. 11; Eph. i. 3, 4; Titus iii. 5; James i. 18.
odly. ^Unchangeable. Though we change every day, yet his love changeth not. Could any kind of provocation turn it away, it had long since ceased. Its unchangeableness is that which carrieth out the Father unto that infiniteness of patience and forbearance (with- out which we die, we perish), 2 Pet. iii. 9, which he exerciseth towards us. And it is, —
A^thly. * Distinguishing. He hath not thus loved all the world: " Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated." Why should he fix
' Rom. ix. 11, 12; Acts xv. 18; 2 Tim. i. 9, ii. 19; Prov. viii. 31; Jer. xxxi. 8.
' Matt. xi. 25, 26. " Hoc tanto et tam ineffabili bono, nemo inventus est dignus; sordet natura sine gratia." — Pros, de lib. Aib. ad Ruff.
* Mai. iii. 6; James i. 17; Hos. xi. 9.
« Rom.ix. 12. " Omnia diligit Deus, qurc fecit; et inter ea niagis diligit creaturas rationales, et de illis eas amplius quae sunt membra unigeniti sui. Et mnlto magis ipsum unigeuitum." — August.
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34 OF COMMUNION WITH GOD THE FATHER
his love on us, and pass by millions from whom we differ not by^ nature, — that he should make us sharers in that, and all the fruits of it, which most of the great and** wise men of the world are excluded from? I name but the heads of things. Let them enlarge whose hearts are touched.
Let, I say, the soul frequently eye the love of the Father, and that under these considerations, — they are all soul-conquering and en- dearing.
(2.) So eye it as to receive it. Unless this be added, all is in vain as to any communion with God. We do not hold communion with liim in any thing, until it be received by faith. This, then, is that which I would provoke the saints of God unto, even to' believe this love of God for themselves and their own part, — believe that such is the heart of the Father towards them, — accept of his witness herein. His love is not ours in the sweetness of it until it be so received. Continually, then, act thoughts of faith on God, as love to thee, — as embracing thee with the eternal free love before described. When the Lord is, by his word, presented as such unto thee, let thy mind know it, and assent that it is so ; and thy will embrace it, in its being so ; and all thy affections be filled with it. Set thy whole heart to it ; let it be bound with the cords of this love.* If the King be bound in the gal- leries with thy love, shouldst thou not be bound in heaven -wnth his?
(3.) Let it have its proper fruit and efficacy upon thy heart, in return of love to him again. So shall we walk in the light of God's countenance, and hold holy communion with our Father all the day long. Let us not deal unkindly with him, and return him slighting for his good-will. Let there not be such a heart in us as to deal so unthankfuUy with our God.
2. Now, to further us in this duty, and the daily constant practice of it, I shall add one or two considerations that may be of importance thereunto; as, —
(L) It is exceeding acceptable unto God, even our Father, that we should thus hold communion with him in his love, — that he may be received into our souls as one full of love, tenderness, and kindness, towards us. Flesh and blood is apt to have very hard thoughts of him, — to think he is always angry, yea, implacable; that it is not for poor creatures to draw nigh to him; that nothing in the world is more desirable than never to come into his presence, or, as they say, where he hath any thing to do. " Who* among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?" say the sinners in Zion. "And, " I knew thou wast an austere man," saith the evil servant in the gospel. Now, there is not any thing more
' Eph. ii. 3. ' Matt. xi. 25, 26; I Cor. i. 20. » 1 John iv. IG.
* Cant. vii. 5. « Isa. xxxiii. 14. • Luke xix. 21.
OF COMMUNION WITH GOD THE FATHER 35
grievous to the Lord, nor more subsei*vient to the design of Satan upon the soul, than such thoughts as these. Satan claps his hands (if I may so say) when he can take up the soul with such thoughts of God : he hath enough, — all that he doth desire. This hath been his design and way from the beginning. The^ first blood that mur- derer shed was by this means. He leads om- first parents into hard thoughts of God: " Hath God said so? hath he threatened you with death? He knows well enough it will be better with you ;" — with this engine did he batter and overthrow all mankind in^ one; and being- mindful of his ancient conquest, he readily useth the same weapons wherewith then he so successfully contended. Now, it is exceeding grievous to the Spirit of God to be so slandered in the hearts of those whom he dearly loves. How doth he expostulate this with Zion ! " What iniquity* have ye seen in me?" saith he; " have I been a wilderness unto you, or a land of darkness?"'* " Zion said. The LoED hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath foi^otten me. Can a woman," etc. The Lord takes nothing worse at the hands of his, than such hard thoughts of him, knowing full well what fruit this bitter root is like to bear, — what alienations of heart, — what drawings back, — what unbelief and tergiversations in our walking with him. How unwilling is a child to come into the presence of an angry father! Consider, then, this in the first place, — receiving of the Father as he holds out love to the soul, gives him the honour he aims at, and is exceeding acceptable unto him. He often sets it out in an eminent manner, that it may be so received : — " He commendeth his love toward us," Rom. v. 8. " Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us!" 1 John iii. 1. Whence, then, is this folly? Men are afraid to have good thoughts of God. They think it a bold- ness to eye God as good, gracious, tender, kind, loving: I speak of saints; but for the other side, they can judge him hard, austere, severe, almost implacable, and fierce (the very worst affections of the very worst of men, and most hated of him, Rom. i. 31 ; 2 Tim. iii. 3), and think herein they do well. Is not this soul-deceit from Satan? Was it not his design from the beginning to inject such thoughts of God ? Assure thyself, then, there is nothing more acceptable unto the Father, than for us to keep up our hearts unto him as the eternal fountain of all that rich gi'ace which flows out to sinners in the blood of Jesus. And, —