God by him" O compel us not to complain, as he did,
" We testify of that we have seen, and ye receive not our wit- ness3 !" but let us behold you inquiring after him, till ye can say with the Samaritan converts, "we have seen ('heard') him ourselves, and believe that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world V It is true, you cannot now see him, as the Apostles did, face to face ; but by faith you may " see him that is invisible :" and if only you behold him now by faith, you shall one day see him, as you are seen, and " know him, as you are known."]
a John hi. 11. b John iv. 42.
1 John iv. 16. We have known and believed the love that God
hath to us.
NEVER was there a truth so deep, so compre- hensive, so endearing, conveyed in so short a space as that immediately following our text ; " God is love." It is engraven on the face of universal nature: the heavenly bodies, in their various courses, proclaim it : the earth, with all its productions, declares it : the human race, in particular, both in the frame of their bodies and the faculties of their souls, unanimously attest it. Every work of God's providence displays it ; and every word of his grace. Even the judgments which he threatens, and those which he executes, must be traced to love as their source ; for though, as it respects the individuals that suffer, whether men or devils, he shews only his displeasure ; yet, as justice executed on criminals is mercy to the community, so is the punitive justice of the Deity an act of love to the whole intelligent creation.
But glorious as this truth is, it is but little known: the revelation which was designed to illustrate and confirm it, is lightly regarded : and those things