344 SERMONS upon Serm.4o, are not pruned, but Vines; God loved Chrift in the lowef' degree of his Abafement, as much as at other times : Shall I deftre to be otherwife beloved of God than Chrift was ? Nay, God's Love may (land with fad fufpenfions of Soul - Comforts. Mat. 27. 46. 4lj God, my God,. why haft thou forfaken me ? The Natural Son was in the Love of God, when at the wor(1; God loved him 11111, tho he appeared to him with ano- ther Face; as the Sun is the fame, when it fhineth through red Glaf, only it calls a more bloody Refle&ion. God had one Son without Sin, but none without fuffer- ing 2. Comfort, when we meet with ill ufage in the World. Our Lord Jefus prayeth, That the World may be convinced, that God loved them as he loved Chri. When the World intreated Chrift ill, how was the World convinced that God loved him ?' There was an Eclipfe at his Death, which was a Monument of God's Difpleafure. Mat. 27. 54. When the Centurion, and they that were with him, watching 7efxs, fain the Earthquake, and Chafe things which were done, they feared greatly, laying, Truly this war the Son of God. So when Chri(fs Members are evil entreated, there are publick Monuments of God's Difpleafure, the Courfes of Nature are altered, Drowths, Innundations, Pefli- lenecs, Famines, unfeafonable Weather, Confufions, c. If this be not, when God fmileth, tho the World frowneth, you will convince them by bearing up with Cou- rage and Confidence. The more theWorld is fet againít us, the more do the Fruits of his Love appear before Men. 3. Confidence in the mid(t of Dangers and Temptations. When once we are affu- red of God's Love, what (hall feparate us from it ? Rom. 8. 38, 39. For I am per - fwaded, that neither Death, nor Life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor things prefent, nor things to come, nor Heighth, nor Deptb, nor any other Creature fhall be able to feparate us from the Love of God which is in Chrifi Jelin our Lord. Can any thing alienate God's Love in Chrift ? If it were God's Love in us, that were an uncertain ground of Hope, but it is God's Love in Chrift. Get but an Affurance of his Love, and you will never be a(hamed. What can alienate the Heart of God from you, while you are faithful to him, and have the furs Pledg of his Love, his Spirit in your Heart ? Lome or Hatred is not known by any thing that is before us : But if you have an Heart to leek him,' fear him, obey his Laws ; this is the favour of his People, and this was his Love to Chrift. Z)fe 2. Dire &ion. t. Whereby chiefly to meafure God's Love by his Spiritual Bounty. John 3.34, 35. God gíveth not the Spirit by meafure to him. The Father loveth the Son, and hath gi- ven all things into his hands. So the Gifts and Graces of the Spirit, are the fpecial Ef- feCts of his Love; for he loved us as he loved Chrift, and thus he manifefted his Love to Chrift. Pfal. 1o6. 4. Remember me, Lord, with the Love that than beareft to thy Peo- ple. When one gave Luther Gold, he faid, Valde proteflatus funs, me nalle fie it Deo fatieri. Be not fatisfied till God love you with inch a Love, as be loved Chrift. In- ward Excellencies, tho with outward Crofies, there are the belt Fruits of his Love; an Heart to leek him, to fear his Name, to obey his Laws, an underftanding to know his Will. God's Love is bell known by the flamp of his Spirit, that is his Mark let upon us. Let us leave Outward things to God's Wifdom, Love or Hatred is not known by all that is before us. Let us labour for a (hare in his peculiar Love : Pfal. 119. 132. Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou ufefl to do unto thole that love thy Name. Lord, I do not ask Riches, nor Glory, nor Preferment in the World 5 I ask thy Love, thy Grace, thy Spirit. Doth our Saviour care for outward Tñings? Other things are given promifcuoufly, thefe to his Favourites. God's Love is conveyed through Chrift. Rev. i. 5. To him that loved us, and walked us from our Sins in his own Blood ; he loved us, and fan&ified us. Ephef.5.2 5,26. Husbands, love your Wives, as Ghrift loved the Church, and gave himftlf for it, ,that he might font* and cleanfe it with the wafhing of Water by the Word. Nothing more worthy, nothing more fuitable to Chrill's Love. 2. It direð us what to do when we are dejelled through our own unworthinefs. Look upon God's Love in Chrift. If God did take Arguments, and Grounds of Love from the Creature, Where would he have found Obje &s of Love ? God bath proclai- med it from Heaven. Mat. 3. 17. This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleated ; and we are accepted in the Beloved, Ephef. I.6. Jefus Chrift is worthy ; delire to be found in him, not having thine own Rigbteoufnefs. Lord, for the Merits of thy blelíed Son,
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