The New Covenant is therefore the full revelation of the spirit and object of the divine love. The incarna- tion of the Son of God is the revelation of God himself, and leads to his self-impartation by the Holy Spirit. Hence the eternal love discloses itself as being, in its inner nature, the love of the Father for the Son, and of the Son for the Father by the Holy Ghost, which pro- ceeds from both, and is the fulness of the love that unites them, whence we can say that God is love ; as also, in its manifestation, it is the divine love towards fallen creatures, which is the will to restore their perfect communion with God by means of the all-sufficient ex- piatory sacrifice of th.e God-man, and the commimica- tion of the Holy Spirit, by which both the Father and the Son come to dwell in the hearts of men, thus form- ing a people of God's own, as was postulated, but not yet realized in the O. T. The love of God in man, there- fore, is the consciousness of being loved by God (I!om. V, 5), residting in a powerful impulse of love towards the (iod who has loved us first in Christ (1 John iv, 19), and an inward and strong affection towards all who are loved by God in Christ (1 John iv, 11); for the divine love, even when dwelling in man, remains aU-embra- cing. This love takes the form of a duty (1 John iv, 11), but at the same time becomes a graduall}' strengthening inclination. And this is the completion or the ripening of the divine love in man {}v tovt()) TfTeXeiairai), that it manifests itself in positive results for the advantage of others.
We find the beginning and examples of this love un-
LOVE
530
LOVE FA^HLY
der the old dispensation where mention is made of desire after God, joy in him, eagerness to serve him, zeal in do- ing everything to please and honor him. The inclination towardsthose who belong to God, the holy communion of love in God, that characteristic feature of the N. T., is also foreshadowed in tlie O. T. by the people of God, who are regarded as one in respect to him, and whose close, absolute communion with God is represented by the image of marriage. This image is still repeated in the N. T., nevertheless in such a manner that the union is represented as not j-et accomplished; for, though Christ is designated as the bridegroom and the Church as the bride, the wedding is made to coincide with the establishment of his kingdom. Thus considered, the love of God and tho^furtherance of the love of God are still a figurative expression. God wants the whole heart of his people : one love, one sacrifice, exclusively directed towards him, so that none other should exist beside it ; and that all inclinations of love towards any creature should be comprised in it, derived from it, and return to it. On this account his love is called jealous, and he is said to be a jealous God. This jealousy of God, however, this decided requiring of an exclusive submission on the part of his people, is, on the other hand, the tenderest carefidness for their welfare, their honor, and their restoration. The close connection, in- deed the unity of both, is evident. The effect of this jealousy of God is to kindle zeal in those who serve him, and consequently opposition against all that op- poses, or even does not conduce to his service. This is a manifestation of love towards God, which love is essen- tially a return of his own love, and consequently grati- tude, accompanied by the highest appreciation, and an earnest desire for communion with him. It includes joy in all that serves God, absolute submission to him, and a desire to do everything for his glory. The love in God, i. e. the love of those who feel themselves bound together by that common bond, is essentially of the same character ; but, from the lact of its being direct- ed towards creatures who are afflicted with many fad- ings and infirmities, must also include — as distinguish- ed from the love towards God — a willingness to forgive, which makes away with all hinderances to fuU commu- nion, a continual friendliness under all circumstances, consequently patience and gentleness, zeal for their im- provement, and sympathy for their failings and misfor- tunes. But as the love of the creative, redemptive, and sanctifying God, extending further than merely those who have attained to that communion with him, em- braces all, so should also the love of those who love God. Yet in the divine love itself there is a distinction made, inasmuch as God's love towards those who love him and keep his commandments is a strengthening, sustaining pleasure in them (John xiv, 21, 23), while his love towards the others is benevolence and pity, which, according to their conduct, the liisposition of their hearts, and their receptivity, is either not felt at all by them, or only produces pain, fear, or, again, hope, desire, etc., but not a feeling of complete, abiding joy. So in the love of the chiklren of God towards the human race we find the distinction between brotherly and uni- versal love (Rom. xii, 10; Ileb. xiii, 1 ; 1 Pet. i, 22; 2 Pet. i, 7). In both we find the characteristics of kind- ness and benevolence, sympathy, willingness to help, gentleness, and patience ; but in the universal love there is wanting the feeling of delight, of an equal aim, a com- plete reciprocity, of conscious unity in the one highest good.