341 SERMONS ztpbn Serm.4o. but all are loved as foon as others, evAi from Eternity. 'God's Love is as ancient as himfelf, there was no time when God did not think of us, and love us. We are wont to prize an Ancient Friend ; the ancientell Friend we have is God, who loved us not only before we were lovely, but before we were at all. He thought of us before ever we could have a thought of him ; after we had a being in infancy, we could not fo much ás know that he loved us ; and When we came to Years of difcretion, we knew how to offend, before we knew how to love and fèrve him ; we cared not for his Love, but proftituted our Hearts to other Things. Let us meafure the .short I-carding of our Lives with Eternity, wherein God (hewed Love to us; as to our Beings, we are but of Yeflerday 5 as to the Conftitution of our Souls, we are Sinners from the Womb ; and when we are convinced of it, we adjourn, and put off the Love of God to old, decrepid Age, when we have (pent our ftrength in theWorld, and wafted our (elves in deceitful and flethpleafing Vanities. Now it fhould (harm us, when we remember God's Love is as ancient as his Being. Some look after God fooner than others; but if you look after God never fo Coon, God was at Work before us ;. chofe that began earlieft, as Joftab, John Baptifl, find God more early providing for their Eternal Welfare. 4. it is unchangeable ; as to Chrift, fo to us ; frotp Eternity it began, to Eternity it continueth ; it began before the World was, and will continue when the World (hall be no more. Pfal. 103. 17. The Mercy of the Lord is from EverlaJling to Everlaßing, upon them that fear him, and his Righteoufnefi unto Childress Children. It is Man's weak- nefs to change Purpofes; we have good Purpófes, but they are fuddenly blafted : but God's Eternal Purpofe, that (hall ftand. We are mutable, and frequently change, out of the levity of our Nature, or the ignorance of Futurity therefore upon new Events We eafily change our Minds; but God that Teeth all things at once, cannot be deceived; the firft Reafons of God's Love to Man, are without Man, and fo Eternal. Among the Perlons of the Godhead, the Son loveth, .becaufe the Father required it ; the Father, becaufe the Son merited it ; and the Holy Ghoft, becaufe of the Purpofe of the Father, and the Purchafe of -the Son, abideth in our Hearts to preferve us unto God's tlfe, And to keepafoot his intereft in us. Thirdly; There are the like Fruits and Effeas of it. I (hall inftance in Come, which are like his Love to Chrift. t. Communication of Secrets. All Things are in common amongft thofe that love one anther. Said Dalilah to Sampfon, Judges 16. 15.- How canft thou fay I lovethee, when thy Heart it mu with me? Thou haft mocked me theft three timer, and haft not told me wherein thy great ftrength bah. Now Jefus Chrift knoweth alt the Secrets of God. John I. 18. Wj' Man hath fen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the 'liofons of the Father, he bath declared him. Chrift lying in the Father's Bofom, know- eth his Nature, and his Will. So it is with the Saints ; John 14. 21. He that hat my Commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that lover e ; and he that loveth me, ßa1ll be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifeß my feI f to him. As God ma- nifefted himfelf to Chrift, fo Chrift will to us. Chrift bath treated us as Friends : John 15. 15. Henceforth I call you not Servants, for the Servant knoweth not what his Lord Both ; but .1 have called you Friends, forall things that I have heard of my Father, 1 have made known unto you. The knowledg of God's Ways, is a fpecial Fruit of his Love. 2. Spiritual Gifts. God's Love to Chrift was, a ounteoueLove. John 3. 34, 35 Gad giveth not the Spirit by meafure to him. The Father loveth the Son, and bath given all things into his Hands. God's Love was (hewed to Chrift, .in qualifying the Humane Nature with filch excellent Gifts of Grace. As to us, God's Love is not barren; as a Fruit of God's Love, Chrift received all things needful for us. You will perhaps fay, as they replied to God when he laid, i have loved you, Wherein haft thou loved us? Mal. I. a. becaufe he hath not made you Great, .ich, and Honourable. If he hath given us fuek a proof of his Love, as he gave to Chrift, namely, fuch a meafure of his Spirit as is fit for us, we have no reafon to murmur and complain. The Spirit of Illuminati- on is better than all the Glory of the World. Prov. 3.32. The Froward is an Abomina- tion to the Lord : but his Secret.is with the Righteous. The Spirit of Regeneration, to converethe Heart to God and Heaven. I Cor. 2. 12. Now we have received, not the Spirit of the World, but the Spirit that is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given us of God. The Spirit of Confolation, to evidence God's Love to and
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=