214 0/ COMMUNION with (2.) They differ in this, the loveof the Father unto us is an antecedent love, our love unto him is a confequent love. a.) The love ofthe Fatherunto us is an antecedent love, and that in two refpeds. (r. It is antecedent in refpe& ofour love; a. John it'. so. Herein is love, not that we ¿oued God, but that be loved us fir/i, His love goes before ours. The Father loves the child, when the child knows not the Father; muchlefs loves him. Yea we are by nature Seiçe3, , Rom. i. go. haters of God. He is in his own nature p2'do. u . ,; a lover of men, and furely ail mutual love between him, and us, mull begin onhis hand. (2. In,refped ofall other caufes of love whatever. It goes not only be- fore our love, but alfoany thing in us, that is (a) lovely. Rom. v. 8. 'God commendetb his love towards us, in that whit we wereyet fanners Choi died for us. Not only his love, but the eminent fruit thereof is made Out towards us, as tanners. Sin holds out all of unlovelinefs and undefira- blenefs, that canbe ina creature. Thevery mention of that removes all tanks, all movingoccafions of love whatever. Yet as fuch, have we the commendation ofthe Father's love unto us, by a moil fignal teftimony. Not only when we have done no good, but whenwe are in ourblood, doth he love us. Notbecaufe we are better than others; but becaufe himfelf is infinitely good. His kindnefs appears when we are foolifh and difobe- dient.. Hence he is faid to love the world, thatis, thofe who have nothing but whatis in, and of theworld, whofe whole lies in evil. 2.) Our love is confequential in both thefe regards. (t. In refped ofthe love of God. Never did creature turn his affeftions towards God, if the heart of God were not firft fet upon him. (2. In refpetl of fufficient caufes of love. God mull be revealed unto us as lovely and defirable, as a fit and fuitable object unto the foul tofet up its rear upon, before we can bear any love unto him. The faints in this fenfe do not love God for nothing, but for that excellency, lovelinefs, and defirablenefs that is in him. As thePfalmif4 fays in one particular, Pfal. cxvi. 19. I love ehe Lord becaufe! fo may we in general, we love the Lord becaufe I Or as Davidin another cafe, What have I'done, is there not a caufe? If any man enquire about our love to God, we may fay, what have we now done, isthere not a caufe? 3.) They differ in this alfo. The love of God is like himfelf, equal conftant, not capable of augmentation, or diminution: our love is like our felves, unequal, increafing, wanting, growing, declining. His like the fun, always the fame in its light, though a cloud may fometimes interpofe: ours, as the moon, bath its enlargements and ftreigitnings (I. The love ofthe Father is equal, &c. (b) whom heloves, he loves unto the end, andhe loves them alwaysalike. Thefirength ofIfrael is not a man that be fhould repent. On whom he fixes his love, it is immutable: it dothnot grow to eternity, it is not dimini(hed at any time. It is an eternal love, that hadno beginning; that (hall have no ending; that cannotbe heightnedby any aft ofours, that cannot be leffened byany thing inus 5I fay in it felf it is thus, otherwife in a twofold regard it may admit of change. a.] In refpeft of its fruits; It is (as bfaid) a fruitful love, a love of bounty. In reference unto thofe fruits, it may fometimes be greater, fome- times lefs: Its communications are various. Who among the faints finds (s) Ezék. xvi. i, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, to. ace. Rom. in u, Is. Tit. iii. 3, 4, 5, 6. Deus. vii. 6, 7, 8. Mat. xi. 25, 26. John iii.16. (b) 1Sam. xv. 29. lfa. xüv. 70. jerem. amii. 3. Mal. i. 6.; Jam. i. 17. 2Tim. ii. 19. it
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