cHAP. XII. 71;e ifpecial .Principle of Obedience ttnt? the. P~rfon of Chrift; · which is Love. Its Truth and ~altty vmdtcated. . / THat which cloth enliven and animate the Obedience whereof we have difcourfed, is Love. This himfelf mai{es the Foundation of all that is acceptable unto him. If, faith he, iou love me, keep my CommandmentJ, ]oh. 14. I 5'· As he difringuiilieth between Love and Obedience, fo he af~ ferts the former as the Foundation ofthe latter. He accepts of no Obedience unto his Commands, that cloth not proceed from Love unto his Perfon. That is no Love which · is not · fruitful in Obedience, and that is no Obedience which pro– ceeds not from Love. So he expreffeth on both fides. If a man love me, he will keep my words; and he that loveth me not, keepeth not my faying,, v. 2 j, 24ln the Old Tefiament the Love ofGodwas the Life and Subfl:ance of all Obedience . Thou }halt kve the Lord thy God wiih all thy heart, with all thy foul, thy mind and flrength, ~as the fumoftheLaw. This includes in it all 0· bedience, and where it is genuine,will produce all the fruits .of it. And where it was not, no multiplication of Duties was accepted with him. But this in general we do not now treat o£ That the Perfon ofChrifl is the efpecial Object of this Di– vine Love, which is the fire that kindles the Sacrifice of our . Obedience unto him ; , this is that alone .which at prefent I defign to demonfirate. The Apofile hath recorded a very fevere denuntiation of Divine wrath againft all that love him not. If a1t)' ma:~ love r.ot
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