30 1.UeditaiionJ and' DlflourfeJ ings ; for God is Love. So the fame Apoft1e fells us, that he who flew his Brother, was f!f the wicked one, 1 Joh. 3· 1.2. He was of the Devil his fa. ther, and his works did he do~ . . BUT the Enquiry is as before; J::Iow fha11 we have a view of this Love, of God as Love? By what way or me9fis lhall we behold the Glory of it? It is hidde;::t from all living, in God himfelf. The Wife P}lilofophers, who difcourfed fo much of the Lo'TfC" of God, knew nothing of this, t!1at God is Love. The Moft of the Natural Notions of men about it are corrupt, and the befl of them 2veak and imperfefr. Generally the Thoughts of men about it, are, that he is of a facile and eatie Nature, one ' that they may make bold withafl in all theiroccafions,as the Pfalmift declares,Pfal. ) o. 2 I. And whereas it muft be learned in its Efietts,Operations and Divine Ways of its manifeftation, thofe who .know not Chrift, know nothing of them ; and many th1'ngs in Providence do inter- .pofe to hinder our view of this Love ; for altho tbat indeed God is Love, yet his wrath is revealed f rom hetz·ve:n againft the u.ngodlinefl of men: As all things at this day are fllled with Evidences of his anger and difpleafnre: How then 1ha11 we know, wherein lhall we behold the Glory of God in this, that he is Love ? The Apoftle declares it in the next words, ver. 9· Herein was manifefterl the love of God tO'JJJards ~IS, becaufe God fent his only begotten Son into the 'lvorfd,that we might live througb ·him. This is the only Evidence given .us that God ii Love. Hereby alone is the Divine Nature as [uch made known unto us ; namely in the Miffion, Perfon and Office of the Son of God ; Without this
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