Ver. 23. the a7th Chapter ófSt. JOHNa 34 much a Father as God is : Earthly Parents have but a drop of Fatherly Compaflion fuitable to their finite Scantling, never had any fuch Bowels and Afféáions as our Fa- ther which is in Heaven. If we look to his Fatherly Bowels, none deferveth the Title but he. Ira. 4H. i 5. Can a Mother forget her Suclting Child; that fie fhould not have corn- pa/lion on the Fruit of her Womb ? yea, they may forget, yet will not I forget thee. Mat. 7. 1 r. If ye then being Evil, know how to give good Gifts Unto .your Children ; how much more will your Father which is in Heaven, give good Things to them that ash'him? Pfal. 27. 10. When my Father and Mother forfske me, then the Lord will tale me up. Certain- ly God excelleth all temporal Relations, never Father had fuch Bowels and Affe &ions, We were never in the Bofm of God, to know his Heart ; but the only Son of God that came out of his Bofom, he bath told us Tidings of it, and bath bidden us come . boldly and call him Father. When ye pray, fay, Our Fatd.er. . (2.) Likenefs is another ground of Love. God loveth Chrift, not only as bis Son; but as his Image, he being the Brightnef of his Glory, and the exprefi Image of his Perrn, Heb. 1. 3. So he loveth the Saints, who are by Grace renewed after his Image. Co!. 3. 10. And that ye put on the New Man, which is renewed in Knowledg after the Image of him that created him ; and who are thereby made partakers of the Divine Nature, 2 Pet: 1: 4. We loft by Adam the Image of God, and the Favour of God ; now, firft his Image is repaired in us, then his Love and Favour is beftowed on us 5. without this we could not be lovely in his Eye ; for we are amiable in the fight of God, by reafon of that comelinefs he has put upon us. 2. There are like Properties. I. It is free. So was God's Love to Chrift's Manhood ; as much of his Subflance as was taken from the Virgin, was chofen out of Grace. Chrift for his whole PerCon de- ferved Love, but as to his Humane Nature, he was himfelf an Object of Elective Love as we are; and this being affumed into the Unity of his Perron, Chrift was let apart by God for the Work of Mediation: íîa.42.'1. Behold, my Servant whom I uphold, mine Elect in whom my Souldelighteth, I have put my Spirit upon him. Choice fuppofeth the Preferment or Acceptance of one, and refufal of another; fo was Chrilt chofen as Man. This the Virgin acknowledgeth, Luke 1.48. He bath regarded the low Eflate of his Handmaid. He had done her an Honour, the greateft that was done to any of his Servants, among which the acknowledged her felf the unworthieft. So much of the Substance of the Virgin, as went to thePerfon of Chrift, and his Humane Soul was chofen out of meer Grace : Nay, in his Divine Perron, there was a choice which is to be referred to the Wifdomand Pleafure of the Father : Col. 1. 19. It pleafed the Fa- ther, that in him fhould all Fglnef dwell. The fame account as is given of our Salvati- on : Mat. 1 a. 25, 26. .1 thank thee, O Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth, becaufe thorn haft hid axle things from the Wife and Prudent, and haft revealed themunto Babes. Even fo, Father, for fo it feemed good in thy light. So is God's Love to us free and undefer- ved, his Love is the Reafon of it felf, he loved us becaufe he loved us. Deut. 7. 7; 8. The Lord did not fit his Love *you, nor churl you, becaufe ye were more in number than any People ; but becaufe the Lord loved you. There is the laic Caufe ; God's Ad is its own Law and Reafon, we can give no other account. 2. It is tender and affectionate. There is a full complacency anddelight in Chrift. Mat. 3. 17. This i.e my beloved Son, in whom lam well.pleafed; his Heart was taken up . with him, he was full of contentment in him ; as a Hutband is called the Covering of the Eyes, becaufe a Woman shoultklook no further. So, Prov.8.3 a. I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him. So tenderly affedioned is God to the Saints : Ifa. 62. 5. AS the Bridegroom rejoiceth over the Bride; fo flail thy God rejoice over thee ; then Affe &ions are in their reign and heiglith. So tender is God of his People, Zech. 2. 8. He that toucheth you, toucheth the Apple of his Eye: The Eye is the mots tender part, and tb is the Apple of the Eye ; Can there be a snore endearing Expreflion ? 3. It is Eternal. Chrift as Mediator was loved before the Foundatiots of the World, in God's Purpofe : John 17.24. Father, 1 will that they alfa whom than haft given me; ' may be With me where I am, that they maybehold my Glory that thou haft given me ; for thou haft loved me before the Foitndatibn of the World. And in loving Chrift, he loved us; and chufing Chrift as Head of the Church, the Members were included in that Ele&ion, for Head andBody cannot be feve ed. This Grace was given us in Chrift before the World began. 2 Tim. a. 9. WhFhatb faved us, and called Its With an Holy Calling; not according to our Works, but according to his own Purpofe and Grace; Which' was given us in Chrift lefts before the World began; Sosste arenot called as foot' as othèrs, bk
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