The means and manner of working this grace in us, is, first by persuading us that God in Christ loveth us, and will give unto us the remission of our sins, his grace here, and glory hereafter: with the lively heat of which love, our hearts are inflamed with fervent love towards God again, from which springeth an holy affection towards our selves, who are thus beloved of God, members of Christ, and Temples of the holy Ghost, whereby we seek the fruition of our chief goodness, and consequently of our own salvation and eternal happiness, which whilst we were destitute ⟨p. 136⟩of the love of God, and were poisoned with hatred of God and carnal self-love, we neglected and contemned. And from hence also ariseth the like affection towards our neighbours, whom we love for Gods sake, not only as Gods creatures, and bearing his image, but also in obedience unto his Commandment. So that it is impossible to love either our selves or our neighbours as we ought, and for our own and their good, unless we love God in Christ Jesus first and chiefly, from whose sincere love the other springeth and floweth. But when we sincerely love God, and so yield our obedience unto the first Table, our love towards our selves and our neighbours, which is the sum of the second Table, will necessarily and inseparably follow. For as our love towards God is exercised immediately in religious virtues and holy duties of piety which we perform in his service, so mediately by performing (in obedience to his Commandments) the duties of a true and Christian love towards our selves and our neighbours. For when our little goodness, bounded in narrow limits, will not reach unto God for the manifestation of our love towards him, we extend it as far as we are able, and do what good we can, our of a holy and sanctified affection to our selves and our neighbours, to show our love towards God, in yielding obedience unto his Commandments. As we see in the example of David, who being ravished with the apprehension of Gods love, and desiring to show his love towards him again, could no otherwise do it, then by taking 1the cup of salvation, and praising the name of the Lord, and by causing his goodness to extend to Gods poor Saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, 2which, in respect of its smallness, and Gods all-sufficiency, could in no sort reach unto him.
The meanes and manner of working this grace in vs, is, first by perswading vs that God in Christ loueth vs, and will giue vnto vs the remission of our sinnes, his grace heere, and glory heereafter: with the liuely heate of which loue, our hearts are inflamed with feruent loue towards God againe, from which springeth an holy affection towards our selues, who are thus beloued of God, members of Christ, and Temples of the holy Ghost, whereby we seeke the fruition of our chiefe goodnesse, and consequently of our owne saluation and eternall happinesse, which whilest we were destitute ⟨p. 136⟩of the loue of God, and were poysoned with hatred of God and carnall selfe-loue, we neglected and contemned. And from hence also ariseth the like affection towards our neighbours, whom vvee loue for Gods sake, not onely as Gods creatures, and bearing his image, but also in obedience vnto his Commandement. So that it is impossible to loue either our selues or our neighbours as wee ought, and for our owne and their good, vnlesse wee loue God in Christ Iesus first and chiefly, from whose sincere loue the other springeth and floweth. But when we sincerely loue God, and so yeeld our obedience vnto the first Table, our loue towards our selues and our neighbours, which is the summe of the second Table, will necessarily and inseparably follovv. For as our loue tovvards God is exercized immediately in religious vertues and holy duties of piety vvhich vve performe in his seruice, so mediately by performing (in obedience to his Commandements) the duties of a true and Christian loue towards our selues and our neighbours. For when our little goodnesse, bounded in narrow limits, will not reach vnto God for the manifestation of our loue towards him, wee extend it as farre as wee are able, and doe what good we can, our of a holy and sanctified affection to our selues and our neighbours, to shew our loue towards God, in yeelding obedience vnto his Commandements. As we see in the example of Dauid, who being rauished with the apprehension of Gods loue, and desiring to shew his loue towards him againe, could no otherwise doe it, then by taking 1the cup of saluation, and praising the name of the Lord, and by causing his goodnesse to extend to Gods poore Saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, 2which, in respect of its smalnesse, and Gods all-sufficiency, could in no sort reach vnto him.
- 1Psal. 116. 13.
- 2Psal. 16. 2, 3.
