518 TIIE LOVE OF GOD. richest benefits; unless we see him as an all-sufficient good, we shall never love him with our whole heart : The affection to so unseen and spiritual a being as God is, can never rise high where the esteem is but low : Where the love ought to be superior to all other loves, the esteemmust be transcendent. H. The affectionate and supreme love of God, presupposes some hope of an interest to . be obtained in his favour, and the highest advantages to be derived from him. If I lie down in despair of his mercy, I. cannot look on God, even in all his supremeexcellencies, with an eye of love. The devil, the worst ofcreatures, knows more of the transcendent gloryand north of the great God, than the wisest and the best of Mortals here on earth : But he knows there is no hope for him to obtain an in- terest in his favour, and therefore he continues in his old enmity. His rebellion liascut him off from all expectation of divine mercy, and therefore he cannot love this God of infinite excellency. A dreadfulstate indeed for an intelligent being, that he cannot love what he knows to be infinitely amiable. Hope is the most alluring spring of love. Terrorand slavish fear standopposite to this holy affection : Such fear has torment in it, and so far as we fear God as an enemy, we arenot madeper- fect in his love; 1 John iv. 18. We love him, because we hope that he has, or he will love us : It is the assurance, or at least the expectation of some interest in God that engages the most affectionate love: And, perhaps, the words of my text may have some reference hereto, when it is said, thou shalt love the Lord thy God: When we believe or hope that the Lord is our God, we cannot but love him. III. This love of the heart implies a strong inclination of the will toward God, a steady bent of soul toward this blessed Author of our being and happiness : It implies a choice of him above and beyond all things else, as our most desirable por- tion and our eternal good. If any thing in this world be the chosen portion of our souls, if any thing beneath and besidesGod be made our chief hope, our support, and our life, our hearts will run out in strongest affections toward it, for it is our chief hap- piness ; and thenwe can never love Godas it becomes a creature to love his Creator. The holy Psalmist was a most affectionate lover of his God, and, how often does he call him the C0 portion of his inheritance, his refuge, and his hope? Ps. xvi. 5. cxlii. 5. and in Ps. lxxiii. 26. Thou art the strength of nay heart, and my portion for ever. Blessed saint ! He had chosen God for his eternal all. Under this head I should add also,that where the will is thus attached to God, the soul will exert itself in continual wishes for the honour of God in the world : It is the nature of love to
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