Bates - BT775 B274 1675

in Contain 9 +1 áttM bemptton; 167 meer Man, or an Angel, but God'sonlybegotten Son, Chap. IX. which Title lignifies his unity withhim inhis (late and perfeélions, and according to the Excellencyof hisNa- ture fuch is his Fathers Love to him. St. john reprefents tous that God is Loves not charitable, and loving,that is too weak an expreffion,but Love it Pelf. The Divine Na- ture is infinite effentialLove, in whichother perfections are included. And heproduces the ftrongeft and moft convincing teftimony of it.,In this was manifelled the Joan 4. g, Love ofGod to us, becaufe that GodPent his onlybegotten son into the world, that we might live through Him. The Love of God in all temporal bleffings is but faint in the comparifon with the Love that is expreft in our Redeemer. As much as the Creator exceeds the crea- ture, the gift of Chrífi is above the gift of the whole world. Herein isLove, faith the Apofile, that is the cleareft and higheft expreffion of it that can be, God fent his son to be a Propitiation for our Sins. The Wifdom and Power ofGoddid not aét to the utmofi of their efficacy in the Creation, he could frame amore Glorious World ; but the Love of God in our ftrange falvationby Chrift,cannot in ahigher degree be expreft. As the Apoftlé to let forth how facred and inviolable Gods promife is, faith, that becaufe he couldfwear by ueb. 6, 17. no greater, he (ware by himfelff fo when he would give themofi excellent tefiimony of his favour to man- kind, he gave his Eternal Son, the Heir of his Love and Pleffednefs. The giving of Heaven it feif with all its Joys and Glory, is not fo perfeéi and full a de- monfiration of the Love of God, as the giving of his Son to die for us. 'Tis an endearing circumfiance of this Love, that it warm'd the heart of God from Eternity, and was ne- ver interrupted in that vaft duration. Great benefits that come from a fuddain Bulb of affeétion, are not fo highly

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