The first is, The love and favour 1of God: The especial grace of God towards him; this is the foundation of all his happiness: and if he could order his own heart aright, he would easily see that he could not be miserable, so long as he was in favour with his God. If the favour of great persons be so much accounted of, what reckoning is to be made of Gods favour, who is Lord of Lords? Yea King of all Kings? And the more should a Christian fill his heart with joying in this prerogative, if he consider three 2properties in the love of God. For first, It is a free love, he stands not upon desert: He is gracious, 3looking upon his own goodness, ⟨p. 301⟩and not on ours, Hosea 14. 4. Secondly, It is an eternal love, 4and unchangeable, God will never be weary of loving him, Jer. 31. 3. His loving kindness is better then life; for it lasts unto all eternity, without alteration. The favour of man in this world is mutable; Kings may extremely loath, whom they ere-while loved with their entirest affection; But in God there is no shadow of changing, he loves with an everlasting love. Thirdly, It is infinitely immense, and great, no 5affection in any, or in all the creatures in this world, if they could be fastened upon one man, can reach to the thousandth part of Gods love to us, Eph. 2. 4, 7. Isaiah 40. 15, 16. This light of Gods countenance shining upon us, makes us at all times more rich then they that are increased most in Corn, and Wine, and Oil, Psal. 4. 7, 8.
The first is, The loue and fauour 1of God: The especiall grace of God towards him; this is the foundation of all his happinesse: and if hee could order his owne heart aright, hee would easily see that hee could not bee miserable, so long as hee was in fauour with his God. If the fauour of great persons bee so much accounted of, what reckoning is to be made of Gods fauour, who is Lord of Lords? Yea King of all Kings? And the more should a Christian fill his heart with ioying in this prerogatiue, if he consider three 2properties in the loue of God. For first, It is a free loue, he stands not vpon desert: He is gracious, 3looking vpon his own goodnes, ⟨p. 301⟩and not on ours, Hosea 14. 4. Secondly, It is an eternall loue, 4and vnchangeable, God will neuer be wearie of louing him, Ier. 31. 3. His louing kindnesse is better then life; for it lasts vnto all eternitie, without alteration. The fauour of man in this world is mutable; Kings may extremely loath, whom they yer-while loued with their entirest affection; But in God there is no shaddow of changing, he loues with an euerlasting loue. Thirdly, It is infinitely immense, and great, no 5affection in any, or in all the creatures in this world, if they could be fastened vpon one man, can reach to the thousandth part of Gods loue to vs, Eph. 2. 4, 7. Esay 40. 15, 16. This light of Gods countenance shining vpon vs, makes vs at all times more rich then they that are increased most in Corne, and Wine, and Oyle, Psal. 4. 7, 8.
- 11. The love of God. Eze. 36. •8 Joh. 14. 21.1. The loue of God. Eze. 36. •8 Ioh. 14. 21.
- 23. Properties in Gods love.3. Properties in Gods loue.
- 31. It is free.
- 42. It is eternal.2. It is eternall.
- 53. It is infinite.
